Cover "Everyone needs a hobby, but not everyone's hobby involves blood, entrails, and... roadkill. Tatum Johnson didn't mean to hit the dog. His ex-girlfriend Jessica can attest to that. But that didn't stop the hunger. Now, he hunts along the back roads, running down animals for sport. But on a night as pitch black as his soul, fate puts Tatum on a different road where new horrors await. On this night, Justice is served." This solo debut short story by horror author Dan B. Fierce is just a sampling of the horrors that will await the reader in the Cabin 187 series. TRIGGER WARNING! This short story depicts violence against animals. Don't worry, though; they get even.
In this short story, after an unfortunate accident leads to a broken relationship, a man takes out his anger towards his ex-girlfriend on whatever poor creature he can find crossing the road. I know a lot of people avoid books with animal cruelty and Dan B Fierce has no qualms about crossing the double yellow line, but this tale focuses on the creature’s quest for revenge and crosses over to the metaphysical so give Roadkill King a try.
Tatum Johnson was never an animal lover, but it wasn't until his ex-girlfriend left him after he'd accidentally killed a dog by hitting it with his car that he came to hate animals with a cruel, driving passion. Emphasis on driving. After investing thousands of dollars into customizing a vehicle into a killing machine reminiscent of something one might see in The Road Warrior, Tatum is on a mission when he ventures out at night. He prowls the backroads like a steel-encased predator, seeking out any creature unwary enough to cross his path. When the giant buck steps onto the gravel road, Tatum thinks he might have hit the jackpot, but he's on the road to judgment and pain that he could never comprehend. If Roadkill King is representative of the rest of what Dan B. Fierce has in store for readers with the Cabin 187 collection, people should be chomping at the bit in anticipation. Satisfying, cathartic, and captivating, I must insist that readers give Roadkill King a chance. There is some cruelty to animals in the story. But it's the unforgiving cruelty of animals that makes everything feel better in the end, as the irredeemably reprehensible Tatum gets what he deserves. Except for the dog, of course, because as every dog lover knows, that species is nothing if not willing to forgive and defend even the most indefensible.
Ahhh! People can be so twisted!! In this short story, Tatum, a jaded, hateful man makes it his life’s work to run down animals with his specialized car. Karma comes calling one fateful night.
Poor Tatum is a psychopath and Jessica had good reason to break things off, but Tatum’s method of coping with the split is a bit unique. Soon, his souped up Mustang has become a killing machine, and Tatum takes great pleasure in the carnage he causes. However, the roadkill has had enough and is waiting to exact revenge. This story takes the reader on a wild ride against an exceptionally vivid backdrop where supernatural forces are alive and flattened, dead squirrels do not always remain dead. There were laugh out loud moments intermingled with a storyline reminiscent of Stephen Graham Jones’ The Only Good Indians. If animal cruelty is a trigger, it is found in this book, however the animals are not going to let this behavior slide and give the story a significant twist. A quick-paced story that you do not want to miss. Read Roadkill King by Dan B. Fierce.
Wow, what an entertaining gritty tale of comeuppance!
Tatum never really liked animals, but he hated them after her ex broke up with him for hitting a family's dog that wandered into the street. Unable to control his demented urge to kill again with his souped up vehicle, Tatum gets the shock of his life when the tables are turned on him.
I loved the writing style of this short story. It was concise and didn't mince words or have any purple prose. It also had a great fast pace that moved the story along perfectly. Definitely my cup of tea.
Tatum is an awful main character, but you're supposed to hate him. He's self centered and cares little for any other living creature, be they human or animal. Seeing through his lens was an interesting take, and I think the story would've suffered if it was done any other way.
I loved the plot and the way the horror element was executed. It was unique and unexpected, which is saying a lot considering the oodles of horror films and books I read. If you're not too squeamish around the theme of animal death (the author did it tastefully in my opinion) and you love horror, this one's perfect for you!
This is the first time I’ve encountered Fierce’s work, but it won’t be the last! A wonderful short story about morals and our relationships with animals. The descriptions were written well and the story moved at a nice pace. We get some insight into the character and his past, but I would have liked a bit more emphasis on his cold-hearted nature. This is only a personal thing, though, so it’s not reflected in the rating. The metaphor of the car as his metal heart was a really nice touch, too!
Excellent story that has me keeping an eye out for the next instalment!
This short story starts out just fine. Taking rejection and ultimatum badly we are led into the revenge and twisted thinking of our main character. He goes all out to perfect his hobby. In fact he is even given a knick name by his neighbors. All creepy things must come to an end......and become even creepier! When the bad guy suddenly becomes the victim its a little hard to drum up empathy. By the end of this short story you are hit with one more zinger and leaves you thinking and with the shivers. Received this story for free and was happy to leave a reveiw.
Absolutely love Dan's writing style. There were opportunities to expand on Tatum but I honestly don't feel like that was needed to much for this particular story. The ending was phenomenal, would be one hell of a way for things to...end. Can't wait to read more from Dan! Awesome debut!
This was a excellent short story, it has everything a good short story needs, and would make a awesome Tales from the Crypt episode (if the show was still going.)
Now I'm going searching for more of the Cabin 187 series stories
I don't want to give anything away, so I will just say it is worth checking out.
A man who finds himself addicted to running down animals in his souped up ride specifically decked out for his addiction. he faces the consequences that comes with karma.
Solid read but the end left a lot to be desired, overall three stars pretty good.
This book was very well written. Loved it from beginning to end. It has suspense and horror in it. I definitely wasn't expecting the ending. I Highly Recommend This Book
This is a long short story or short novella that I expected to be in the extreme horror or splatterpunk genres given the description. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, instead, it would fit well as an episode of "Tales From The Crypt" or "Creepshow" instead of those gore-soaked descriptors.
While it does have a certain amount of splatter, the focus here is on a very bad man getting his ironic comeuppance rather than on the more vivid outcome of his trade as the master of murdering things with his vehicle. The length also suits the format of those horror anthology shows. Things get started immediately, don't hesitate for a moment, and wrap up in a tidy bow without ever hitting the brakes. Any longer and it would overstay its welcome. Any shorter and it would feel rushed.
I read the audiobook, so I have to point out that the narrator, Jason Myers, is a drawback. His narration lead to some very awkward beats and transitions, such as leaping directly into new chapters without so much as a breath, but also pausing mid-sentence at times, possibly to take one. His accent on the lead, Tatum, was a bit over the top for me as well. These didn't server to spoil the production, but they must be noted. As a self-published book, one can expect some bumps in the road.
I enjoyed the story, and found it to be well worth the asking price. I'd recommend it to all fans of the above-mentioned series of hard-R horror shows who don't shy away from the red stuff in search of a little twisty terror in the short form.
Well, this turned out to be a 'fun' read! The title certainly lives up to its name regards the plot but for those worried about graphic descriptions, you're quite safe! Tatum accidently hits a dog one day while driving, killing it. But instead of feeling sorrow and guilt, it unleashes an unknown fetish inside him-a pleasure from running over more animals. To the point he goes out at night searching for more animals to run over. Until it all backs fire on him and the animals get their just revenge! A short, fast-paced story that while disturbing given the nasty fetish this guy has, it was rewarding to see justice being served later on. This guy deserved it!
I am grateful to have received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a fun, creepy, very quick read. It reminds me of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" stories, with a bit more gore and a lot more creep! A great idea for a basket, stocking, or gift bag stuffer for your dark reader teens and friends. I look forward to reading the author's book of short stories next.
i had the opportunity to meet dan today when i was at barnes with my family and was very interested to read some of his work. this was the first short story i read by him and it was super interesting! it took a wild turn and i really enjoyed his writing. i’m excited to read cabin 187 by him soon! would highly recommend checking him out if you enjoy horror and short stories!!
I just finished this book. First, I hopped on amazon, then here to say what a fantastic horror story this was. And if you love to see karma come around and bite, here it is.