Cracked Sky

by Ben Eads

A dark supernatural thriller about loss, grief, and family.

Reeling from the loss of their only child, Stephen and Shelley Morrison take a harrowing journey through a world beyond the crack in the sky, where their daughter's spirit is trapped with The Lost Ones. They must stop her murderer before it fulfills its goals: Terrorize. Consume. Destroy.

Genres: Horror

110 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 12, 2015

About the author

Ben Eads lives within the semi-tropical suburbs of Central Florida. A true horror writer by heart, he wrote his first story at the tender age of ten. The look on the teacher’s face when she read it was priceless. However, his classmates loved it! Ben has had short stories published in various magazines and anthologies. When he isn’t writing, he dabbles in martial arts, philosophy and specializes in I.T. security. He’s always looking to find new ways to infect reader’s imaginations. Ben blames Arthur Machen, H.P. Lovecraft, Jorge Luis Borges, J.G. Ballard, Philip K. Dick, and Stephen King for his addiction, and his need to push the envelope of fiction.

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really hate when I have so many issues with a given story, but I did not enjoy this at all. The first, almost, half of the book deals with grief of a lost daughter and our protagonist is in and out of drug-induced hallucinations and such. His wife also has her own struggles from the aforementioned tragedy, too. So there was a lot or confusion as to what was happening versus what was a memory or a vision or even hallucination. And there were a handful of times that an action occurred, but wasn’t described at all, and rather tried to be put across through dialogue. So I honestly couldn’t connect with the story from the start, as I wasn’t sure what was going on at a given moment. The second portion of the book had some interesting concepts, but took an already muddled concept and made it moreso. So I finished the story and still had no clear idea of what I just read. And one of the biggest glaring omissions was how and why did the perpetrator of Stephen’s daughter try to commit further harm from this other realm? I feel like the author needed to really simplified quite a bit of his ideas. Or maybe even extend the story to flesh it all out more. Either way, there was way too material stuck in a mere hundred pages, and nothing really connected with me.

[Mercedes Yardley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in the perfect mood to read this book. Ben Eads managed to create one of the most broken characters that I have ever read, and then quite literally dragged this person through hell and back. The main character is a man with an addiction problem, a failing marriage, a dead child, and a missing arm. He doesn't deal with his situation with any sort of grace, either. It's quite literally a study in a life falling apart.

Eads created a sick and dark dream world. Reading it was like visiting the most twisted of Wonderlands. Eads' other world is genuinely horrifying, and even more disturbing that Joe Hill's Christmas Town. That's truly a messed up and lovely thing to see.

[Ruthann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rooted deep in loss and grief, Ben Eads crafts a story that doesn’t tug at your heartstrings, it rips your heart and emotions out of your chest.
His tale of tragedy and desperate, twisted hope contains vivid imagery and brilliant, horrifying dialog that flows into an unforgettable nightmare.

It’s impossible not to feel empathy for parents who attempt the unthinkable, when a monster named “Darrell” cracks through the fiber of reality and threatens what remains of the couple’s fragile sanity. Their child is taken from them and nothing numbs the pain, but Darrell piles more onto Stephen and Shelley Morrison in thick layers, when their little girl cries out for help.

Most of us would travel to the gates of hell and beyond to save those we love, and Eads takes us on this journey, dripping with darkness every step of the way, and with enough cringe-inducing gore to satisfy every reader of horror. He scrapes at every emotion, forcing the reader to experience his words. Comparisons have been made to noted masters of the genre, and Ben Eads has firmly cemented his place at their table with “Cracked Sky.”

Be sure to read the “Prologue” at the conclusion of the story. The author introduces yet another grotesque character sure to leave a mark on your soul.

I look forward to reading everything Ben Eads shares with us, his talent is exceptional and appreciated.

[Jonathan Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It takes a writer of great courage to create a broken man already suffocating under the weight of unimaginable grief and throw him into a darker nightmare worse than what you can imagine. But this is what Ben Eads has done with Cracked Sky, a tightly-written novella with all the heft of a full-length read. His characters are solid and layered, the world he creates is familiar yet still surprising, and those things that exist outside our world, in dark realms that hold the worst of the worst, are richly imagined and, dare I say it?, frightening. And don't let the more gentle pace of the first half of the read dissuade you from continuing. It's the calm before the storm. Enough said. If you're a fan of horror, you'll be as grateful as I am that Eads has the skill as a writer to keep up with a deliciously deviant imagination that's off the charts. Definitely worth the read.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strength of Brian Eads’s short novel Cracked Sky lies in the ability to express and illustrate strong and intense emotions. His story centers on Stephen and Shelly Morrison whose child was murdered. The author wastes no time in getting into the deep emotions involving the death of a child. Stephen is practically mentally comatose, depending on his doctor prescribed medications to get through the day. Shelly isn’t much better, disguising her difficulty to deal with the death of her child onto her husband’s behaviors. Stephen’s brother Josh tries to help but he is losing patience and his own drug issues aren’t helping either. He relays the news to the grieving parents that their child’s killer is dead but that does not relieve the pain partially because Stephen is seeing things. Things like his daughter’s alphabet blocks on the floor spelling out “Help Me”. It appears that the killer’s power to hurt goes beyond the grave.

Eads does an impressive job melding the issue of grief with a tale that involves the supernatural and the afterlife. I wish it worked a little better than it does. There are a number of reasons for this. The main reason for me lies in the character of the killer. Darryl is never thoroughly explained. He has powers that seem a bit pat and unexplained for the tale. I wanted more explanation for his supernatural influences. Certainly the main focus is Stephen but Darryl is too powerful a force to simply leave as is. Another problem is that this approximately 100 page story is too short. We are thrown head first into the Morrison’s dread and angst but never get a good grip on their characters. The characters scream for development and the plot screams for a back story. Finally, I found some of the dialog a bit awkward. The author’s strength lies in description rather than dialog. At least it does in this work.

But when the tale gets started, it moves. I mean really, really moves. It takes off in the second half when we are introduced to the nether world that Stephen’s daughter may be trapped in. As I said, Eads’ strength is his descriptive talent and that applies both to emotions and the ability to set up an “after world” unlike the one we are expecting. And there is that ending; powerful and fulfilling to the characters and the story. It is a powerful ending for an emotional tale.

So while I have my misgivings about the development and character, it finally paid off. I often felt Cracked Sky may have been a dry run for something bigger. I hope so because Eads has the ability and the sensitivity to write a powerful horror/fantasy story that sketches the boundary of horror fiction as well as scaring us.

[Kenneth Cain · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's sometimes hard for us to not relate a book to our own experiences. And even then, to not let those experiences affect how we perceive the story. I received a digital ARC of Cracked Sky in exchange for an honest review and this ended up being the case.

We as humans must face life's calamities on our own terms. Everyone has a different grieving process and for some it's most difficult to ignore any similarities. Having lost a young family member to a great tragedy, I know of these struggles well. But stories can also offer us perspective. And if you're brave enough, this is what you'll discover with Mr. Eads' novella.

The loss of a child, a failing marriage, and the downward spiral through the madness associated with such a tragedy are all too realistically depicted in Cracked Sky. Eads paints a clear picture for us as readers and the more we follow Stephen Morrison down the rabbit hole, the more real and horrifying his loss becomes.

But this isn't only a story of loss. Yes, most of this novella is centered around the untimely death of a child, but we are also offered hope. Albeit it a glimmer of optimism, you cling to it and pray it's real. However, a lot depends on how you believe these characters come to terms with their loss.

A great effort and a must read I truly enjoyed.

[Elke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cracked Sky is a story about loss, but also about the love of a parent intent on sacrificing everything for his child and family.

The first half of the book really got me hooked, it was sad but then slowly it turned into something sinister and creepy. However, when Stephen enters the realm beyond the Cracked Sky in order to save his little girl, the plot became a bit fuzzy and sometimes confusing, making it hard to follow. There where several scenes thrown in where I was unsure of their meaning or importance for the story. It felt like the author wanted to create something big, fantastical, but put in too much.

Nevertheless, the story was a fascinating read with a unique plot and believable characters.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

[Crystal Lake Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. The final showdown will distort your very existence.

IT WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!

[David Szunyog · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story really put me on an emotional roller coaster. I haven’t experienced loss or grief on a scale like this, but the atmosphere is so tangible here, it made me think how far I would go if it happened in my family. Definitely a must read!!

[Martin Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cracked Sky by Ben Eads is a novella centering on the tragic death of Stephen and Shelley's daughter, Allie. Right off the bat, I was impressed by the realism Eads paints in regards to families who experience grief at this level. The death of child often breaks apart couples and we come across Stephen and Shelley at this do-or-die moment in their marriage. Stephen is attending therapy to process his grief, and Shelley has taken to self-medicating with alcohol. Eads paints them skillfully in as much as you feel sympathetic toward both, and this becomes a really nice thread woven through the book -- the love of these two people in their journey together, as they begin to discover there is more to Allie's passing than they realized, and their daughter is trying to reach out to them from beyond.

I don't want to give away any hints, as I think the plot was well done and if anything, this novella could easily have been a larger work. It moves very fast, plot-wise, and there's some clever concepts here. The same accident that claimed Allie, for instance, has also severed part of Stephen's arm, adding to the atmosphere of loss. There's a creepy ice cream truck, reminding me vaguely of that convention Stephen King put to such good use in It, by taking a beloved child-oriented thing and putting a sinister spin on it. The addition of Josh, Stephen's brother who is trying to help and be a good family member, was a great bit of characterization alongside the ensemble -- they felt real, with their own motivations and feelings, along with the villain, everything building up to a climax in the midst of a truly creepy world run by an equally creepy individual who no longer cares who he hurts in pursuit of his end-game. A good, quick read with haunting imagery, I'd be curious to see Eads expand into larger territory.

[Richard Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cracked Sky by Ben Eads

I looked out my window and what did I see?
A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down for me.
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay...
-Oh You Pretty Things
David Bowie

The first thing that impressed me about this heartfelt, inhuman novella by Ben Eads was his unflinching look at a family ripped apart by immense tragedy. Even more so than in many other films and novels, the pain and descent into darkness here is all too real. Stephen and Shelley Morrison face a life of emotional desolation, and at every turn Mr. Eads proved his mettle in this startling debut by facing their dilemma head-on, never taking the easy path of soft-selling their struggle for the reading masses.

This sets up an intense atmosphere rendered the more believable when inescapable supernatural pressures convince Stephen that the Morrisons' sorrows have only just begun. And for the reader, what begins as a powerful domestic drama becomes an acid trip into the ancient cauldron of our deepest fears, facing a merciless villain intent on over-extending our stay.

Everyone handles grief in their own way, and if the person we all look upon to hold things together is allowing despair to alter his hold on reality, what chance do the ones affected have? This is what the damaged Shelley and Stephen's brother Josh have to face. Do you discard the possibly deluded hero as having gone over the edge, or do you stake your own sanity on his?

To say much more would ruin the many twists that await the reader in this chilling quandary. Suffice to say, who among us would face eternal torment to keep our family intact? And who would be crazy enough to accompany the one man we're certain is irretrievably lost?

All the nightmares came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay.

[K.A. Opperman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Reveiw of Cracked Sky by Ben Eads

Cracked Sky, by Ben Eads, sucks the reader into a bleak, gray world of delirium, whose strange and supernatural developments enticingly assault our senses with the same relentless force of the rain that, mysteriously, never ceases to pour from the cracked sky.... Follow one man's journey through the dark depths of the soul as he struggles with the untimely death of his young daughter, the depression and drug addiction that follow, and most ominously, the threat of something otherworldly encroaching on his increasingly fragile sanity....
In reading this novel, it quickly becomes apparent that Mr. Eads is a seasoned and talented storyteller. Characterizations are strong, memorable, and convincing; and the plot, like a sharp steel hook through the cheek, pulls us ever deeper into the shadowlands, where crushing depression and the supernatural blur in a potent amalgam deftly handled by the author.
Scenes of action and sustained emotional intensity are especially well handled by Mr. Eads, giving Cracked Sky an adrenaline-soaked edge not to be found in many tales. One almost cannot help but think of leading horror novelists like Stephen King when being expertly navigated through such gripping scenes and scanarios. While there's no doubt the author will continue to become an ever better novelist, it is already very apparent in Cracked Sky that he has what it takes.
Ben Eads can write.
Cracked Sky is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys an action-packed tale of mystery and horror, nicely seasoned with generous doses of the bizarre and the grotesque. It's easy to get pleasantly lost in the labyrith of this insane tale of death, the uncanny, and revenge. But don't worry!—
Ben Eads will lead you to the other side.
And he'll entertain the hell out of you along the way.

[Lindsey Goddard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Morrison is a grieving father who can't let go of the past. He lost his daughter, Allie, in a tragic car accident, and his psyche suffered a blow so devastating, he feels hopeless to ever recover. He finds release from his mental anguish in the pain pills prescribed for his injuries, and his wife, Shelley, is forced to watch him stumble down the slippery slope of addiction while battling her own maternal grief.

The tension in this book is palpable. Eads approaches the topic of depression with finesse. He spins a visceral web of self-loathing, with enough horror to hold our attention. Most importantly, he makes us care. We care what happens to our main characters as frightening occurrences plague their everyday lives... such as Stephen's strange ability to move his missing arm--a ghost arm, if you will.

When the ice cream truck driver responsible for Allie's death dies in his hospital bed, something sinister seeps into this world from a mysterious crack in the sky, and one thing becomes clear: their daughter is attempting to contact them from beyond. Allie needs their help.

This novella has a vibe along the same lines as the movies Poltergeist and Insidious--a dark world within our own world, a helpless child, trapped. Yet the writing is one of a kind. The pages are full of passion, suspense, and fear. Author Ben Eads nails the dynamics of a loving marriage fraught with heartache and terror. And you won't be disappointed with what awaits you in Cracked Sky.

[John Grover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Cracked Sky by Ben Eads

There is no greater loss then that of a parent who has lost their child.

That is at the core of Ben Ead’s new book “Cracked Sky.” I received an advance review copy and I’ve just finished a train ride through darkness and hell. The story is dark, raw and visceral. We feel every bit of parents Stephen and Shelley’s pain, these characters are full of emotion and Ben excels at building characterization and empathy. We go through Stephen’s journey with him, a journey filled with rage, guilt and tremendous loss. Stephen searches for answers, for retribution, for hope and the deeper he searches the bleaker it gets.

See, it wasn’t just a tragic accident, it was so much more, and this book will take you to into the depths of evil, both in life and in death as we travel to the other side and back. Death doesn’t stop evil, nor does it stop the agony of the poor victim’s of such evil. It is only the beginning.

I was glued to this story from page one, Ben did a great job with making us feel sorrow and pain in such a realistic tale even when it steps into unreal territory it’s still gritty and relatable. I was on the edge of my seat the last few pages. Take Ben’s hand and let him guide you through his own brand of darkness. You won’t be disappointed.

-John Grover
Author of The Fetch, Creatures and Crypts and Frozen Stiff.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cracked Sky is Ben Eads debut novel, and it's a work he should be proud of writing. It tells the story of Stephen and Shelley Morrison--a couple dealing with the painful loss of their daughter. Ben doesn't sugar coat their suffering either. He shows it in raw, emotional detail. Cracked Sky is a powerful read because Eads takes you on a rollercoaster of feeling, from terror, to sadness, to anger, and more. There are hints of a Stephen King influence peppered through this book. Ben's antagonist evokes dread similar to what I experienced when I first met Pennywise, and his otherworld is eerie, chilling, yet beautiful. I highly recommend you check out Cracked Sky. You'll be doing yourself a favor.

[Candace Nola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief Synopsis:
Reeling from the loss of their only child, Stephen and Shelley Morrison take a harrowing journey through a world beyond the crack in the sky, where their daughter's spirit is trapped with The Lost Ones. They must stop her murderer before it fulfills its goals: Terrorize. Consume. Destroy.

Review:
I went into this story blind and I’m so glad I did. Ben Eads takes you on a journey through the dark side of grief and recovery, the dark place you find yourself in, the toll it can take on a marriage, on your spirit. When Stephen realizes his little girl is trapped somewhere in a world beyond this one, with the one that took her, he risks everything to free her. This is a short but devastatingly emotional read, have tissues ready.
4 solid stars.

[Jeff Beesler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Ben Eads has delivered a story that refuses to let you go once it has a hold of you. There is nothing exaggerated about the tale. It begins with Stephen Morrison clutching his deceased daughter's most cherished doll, and from there the book binds the reader in its spell. In my case, I just have to keep turning the pages. This has been one of the few books I've managed to read in a single day because everything--the plot, the characters, the pacing, the setting--has fallen seamlessly into place. This is the first time I've ever read this author's work, but it surely will not be the last. Mr. Eads has a reader for life in me. He's that good.

[Scott Tyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cracked Sky is an emotional tale for anyone with children, but, if you have a daughter, like I do, it is especially moving. A parent's most horrid nightmare is the loss of their child, something I don't particularly want to think about, but most of us do at some point. Eads forces us into that world, making us feel as if the unthinkable has happened.
And that's what makes this story (and the writer) great.
If there is a shortcoming with this tale, it's with the length. I wanted more.
For all the parents out there - hell, for anyone that wants an insight into real loss, do yourself a favour and pick this one up. I'll sure remember it for quite some time.

[Boris Novak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Eads methodically lures his audience into a world where the unbelievable is believable. Like reclining on a psychoanalyst's chair, we are emotionally interrogated by his calm, vivid, and often disturbing, imagery. There is an immediacy for the reader to masticate each new detail, eagerly awaiting the many flavors of his talents to be exposed within his writing. CRACKED SKY is, simply put, a delicious read. -- Boris Novak, Screenwriter

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and could feel the pain that Stephen and Shelley went through after the loss of their daughter. A year ago I lost my son and thought I was losing my mind. Nonetheless, this was a great horror and I do thank Ben Eads for sending me a pdf in exchange for an honest review. I can fully recommend this book and am sure you would not be disappointed.

[Ian Welke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cracked Sky does a beautiful job of juxtaposing a real life problem with a supernatural one. Through deft writing and well steered plotting, Eads delivers twists and turns that make this quick read leave a lasting strong impression. In some ways it feels like this sets up another story, if another story follows, I’d be interested to read it.

[Brent Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cracked Sky got my attention right away. I admit the beginning had me squirming, but the vivid characters and storytelling pulled me swiftly along. This is a strong first showing by Ben Eads. You can be very sure I'll be snatching up whatever future horrors claw their way free of Mr. Eads' mind.

[Padders · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine for a little read, nothing that's going to set the world alight but definitely readable if you want a quick little thriller! Solid 3 stars!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read.

When a man loses his daughter and his arm in a horrific crash, it seems that everything in his world is gone. But when his dead daughter asks for his help, using his missing arm to spell out help in her wooden blocks, he knows that he must do whatever it takes.

[John J Questore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Eads. You might want to remember that name and where you were when you first heard it. Because when it appears on the New York Times Best Sellers list in the next few years, you’re going to want to tell your friends you heard of him first.

One of the benefits to Facebook – and trust me, there aren’t many – is that I’ve had the distinct pleasure to “meet” a bunch of authors, both established and up-and-coming. My wife (and bank account) would beg to differ. However, thanks to another favorite author of mine – Gene O’Neill, I was introduced to Ben Eads and this little gem of a novella.

We all know that Stephen King is considered the king of horror (no pun intended), and just about every new author is compared to him on some level. If you’ve followed my reviews, you know that I have been reading Sai King since 1977 and consider myself pretty versed in not only his body of work, but his writing style as well. So, if I say that Ben Eads should actually be compared with Sai King, you should believe it. Well, he does. His imagery, plot development, and character development is spot on. And, just like some of King’s writing, can be very confusing at times until you go back and take a closer look.

There are a lot of reviews that rehash the plot to Cracked Sky so I’m not going to do that here. Suffice to say that it is a terrifying look at love and loss - the most heartbreaking loss, that of a child – and just how far a parent is willing to go to save their child from uncertain damnation.

In the first half of the book, Ben takes us through the grieving process in the darkest, grittiest, most hard-lined way. Drugs, alcohol, and distancing themselves from their spouse – all coping mechanisms that you rarely hear about in the real world. Ben tackles the issues that happen behind closed doors, and he does so with no apologies.

Then the “you-know-what” hits the fan in the second half. Let’s just leave it at that.

Now, this is not to say that there aren’t some negatives to Cracked Sky. I think the first one is that it was too short. Because of this, I don’t think Ben spent enough time really giving us insight to the antagonist. Who was he, really? How did he get the immense power that he had? Why did he really target the Morrison family? I’m hoping that Ben has an ace up his sleeve and hits us with a prequel to Cracked Sky.

Ben Eads. You’re going to really want to remember that name.

[Amanda M. Lyons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cracked Sky is the story of one father's grief over the loss of his child and the nightmare that nearly pulls he and his wife apart afterward. We're dropped into the story after everything has already happened and Stephen is attending therapy in an attempt to process his grief and tackle the mental trauma he was dealt during the crash both by injury and the event itself. Stephen is a broken man who feels directionless in the wake of his loss, his wife Shelley is drinking, he's abusing his psych meds and neither of them is able to accept what has happened. So when events begin to happen that indicate that Allie may still be somewhere nearby and in danger from the very man who ended her life in the crash, we can be forgiven for thinking this might all be in Stephen's very broken mind, but we might be very wrong all the same.

Overall I enjoyed this book it has a nice sense of emotional weight, surreal imagery, and an impact for something so short. In fact I would love to see it extended to novel length, largely to develop some of the lesser characters and make the plot just a wee bit more grounded toward the end. Still a nice little read and well worth the investment.

[Amy Langevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love dark, creepy stories, but it has been a long time since one actually scared me to the point where I paused reading to revel in the fear coursing through me. It’s a definite on-the-edge-of-your-seat story infused with superlative imagery—often as beautiful as it is scary. I particularly loved the incorporation of surrealism. For me, the ending is like a Dali painting in that it, in addition to being surreal, has the ability to shatter constraints on the imagination, showing through example what the protagonist realizes: “You’re only limited by your imagination.” Beyond the thrilling journey, I think this message is something that will stick with readers long after they close the book—much to their advantage.