The Shack

by Brian G. Berry

On a mountaintop above the blistering town of Darven, it has sat for unknown stretches of time. A simple shack consumed in a backdrop of gnarled oaks. But this shack holds secrets. Horrible memories. And to the unaware residents below, the time has come once again to show its terrible purpose. What is waiting for the three friends who take to the night and brave the mystery? Find out in, The Shack.
The second book in the Splatter Fiend series.

Genres: Horror

74 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2021

About the author

a.k.a Brian Berry

Brian G Berry is new to the world of writing. He writes everything from 1980s inspired horror, SCIFI/Action-horror, to the strange. His biggest influences are the writers of the weird including Lovecraft, Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, to the pulp horror authors of the golden age 70s/80s- and a splattering of others. Author of The Pail, A Bloody Christmas, Splatter Fiend Series, Slasherback Series, Campfire Tales Beneath a Pallid Moon, Accursed Ground, Blood Lanes, The Night Mutilator, Thanksgiving Day Massacre, and his newest: SNOW SHARK.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's all about an eerie shack in the woods. No Johnny B Goode but a bizarre monster kidnapping kids and sometimes adults too. The story started slow but when the author sent a group of four kids up to the shack it literally took off. Gory, creepy, an ancient evil. Horror fan what else do you want to read? The story is told in a very convincing way and you don't want to go to that shack, do you? The characters are described in a very convincing manner too. Highly recommended. Some kind of monster is out there, so be aware!

[Amanda McGehee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book surprised me. It was a great creature feature. I was creeped out a few times. The ending I didn't expect. I would read this again.

[Todd Condit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really dug this one. While short, the teenage characters were captured nicely and written as if they were actual teens. Not 30 years olds in teen bodies, if that makes sense.

Good gore, nicely paced, and cool creatures. I really enjoyed the other dimension/location the kid went to towards the end, that was a nice touch.

[Sheila Majczan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read long ago and gave copies to my children. Excellent, IMHO.

[Tara Losacano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gnarly read from Brian Berry! I love a folk horror, but an extreme folk horror is even better. We get a glimpse of a backstory and then thrown into a night that begins like any other with some boys at a sleepover but quickly turns into complete chaos and death! 4/5 shack skulls 💀

[Ewreck82 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, gruesome read. Exactly what I needed from this novella. I really liked the dynamic between the main characters and the ultimate baddie(s). It wasn't what I expected

[Damien Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian’s books read like the best VHS tape you rented as a kid, fun characters, neat settings, a ton of ooey gooey, and in this book some damn cool monsters. I’ve been really loving his take on the monster genre and this one hit me like The Boogens. I would love to see a sequel to this given the ending. I’m hoping Brian reads this and says “yah, ok, Damien. You don’t have the worst idea ever.” And gives us the Aliens to this Alien.

[Jonathan Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lovecraftian inspired creature feature is so great!!! I love the aspect of friends hanging out telling scary stories! Stuff me and my friends used to do! Loved it!!

[Mikepottz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The shack like a ghoul infested witch house loomed out of the trees drawing a man, compelling him, talking to him. The shack crowned in moss, fungus, and an array of branches. The man comes to his senses inside the dark shack, a creatures comes out of a pit in the centre, it's body strong, powerful, ice picks for teeth, smell like sulfur and infection. Children were disappearing. The area searched, nothing found. Kids skeletons in the shack. A group of kids around a fire tell stories they had heard. One said a man was found eating cereal out of a kids skull. They decide to check out the shack. A creature cuts into the abdomen, black claws tearing great meaty flesh and shoving it into their mouth. Nothing on today's earth could have the proportions of that magnitude.

[Kiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great horror story! It's thrilling and brutal from start to finish. Skinless creatures lurking in the dark picking off the people of Darven. It's not just the monsters that I loved in this book, the way he describes the environment when they appear too. Horror gold, glad to have this in my collection. Highly recommend.

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was again such an epic short read from Brian. It has everything you could ever want in a monster book. Get this book all in and around your mouth, and make sure you bring a strong stomach.

[Thomas Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun gruesome read even came with back story

[Amanda Reed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of my favorites by him but worth a read.

[DA · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent folk horror story that ends with complete chaos.
For me, the story started off like I was an observer to what was happening, then it changed putting me right into the terror. You can't go wrong reading any book by this author.