Stag

by Lane Oliver

Franklin is like any family man. Struggling to get by, he works as a mechanic in a small town to support his wife, Sharlene, and son, Jason. But as we get to know him more closely, and find out more about his past, we discover that there is more to him than meets the eye, and first impressions can be misleading. As his marriage with his wife takes a turn, and his behaviour becomes stranger and stranger, shocking events begin to happen across town, calling in to question just how Franklin will be able to cope, and what lengths he's willing to go to turn his luck around.

Stag is a gripping novella that tackles trust and loss, making the reader question their own judgements at times, and overall proves to be a thrilling tale that will stay with you long after the book has been closed.

Genres: Horror

118 pages, Paperback

Published January 26, 2023

About the author

Lane Oliver is a North Texas-based writer and musician. He currently lives in Arlington, Texas with his wife and stepson.

'Stag,' his debut novella, is available now.

Reviews

[C.J. Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this one for thriller book club’s indie monthly pick. The author joined in the chat, but I was sadly behind!

This novella is one of those that took me by surprise. It features a family, their struggles, their ups and downs. And it’s one of those so deftly handled in its mundanity that the horror of life is so much worse than the actual horror. It’s that kind of slice-of-life turned horror that has been gripping me lately as something different. Something more. Like how are you making me sit on the edge of my seat because this man is going back to work?

Franklin just wants to do right by his family. So why does his wife hate him, and why is she turning their son against him? This is where feeling inadequate, feeling stuck and lost, is truly maximized to the point of nausea.

Well written, and well executed, and also not without real horrors too. This is a quick read that is worth checking out and supporting.

Personally a 5/5*, I will definitely watch this author now.

[Ryan Danley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a challenging book to review. On one hand, I struggled with some of the writing. Particularly the conversations. They seemed canned. I also felt like the story had some holes in it. I also found the reference to the time period that occurred in the second act to be odd and threw off the rest of the book. I found myself not very much feeling like this book took place in the 40s. Maybe I missed some mention at the beginning. It just sort of made the entire read disjointed. BUT....on the other hand I enjoyed the book. There was good world building, interesting characters, etc. Ultimately, I can see what he was trying to do with this book and the 'vibe' he attempted. He may not have hit it at every spot, but I'm not mad I read the book. It's short and sweet and punchy. Check it.

[offbeatbookreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Franklin is no stranger to hardship.  After a violent confrontation with his father, Franklin moves with his soon-to-be wife and to a neighboring town where he takes on a job at an auto repair shop.  After fifteen years of dependable work, Franklin’s performance declines in the wake of his wife suffering a pregnancy loss .  After abruptly being fired, his troubles grow increasingly dire as he begins to see a tall, horned figure watching him from the nearby woods.
Lane Oliver’s Stag is a novella that explores alcoholism, dysfunctional families, familial violence, isolation, loss of a child, grief , monsters inside us and being an outsider.  Coming in at 118 pages, Oliver’s novella is a quick read that packs in an interestingly creepy Novella.
I would’ve liked to see was more of Oliver’s monster in the Novella… I felt at times we needed more monster and about 50 more pages because I was hooked!

Can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

[Michael Forgit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book was sooo good man. Criminally underrated

[Kandy Jonker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story just really wasn't for me from the get-go. 
With that said, it written and developed well and the story building is done creatively. 
It was a quic  read of just 118 pages.
The story is dark and sad with family dysfunction, death and an overall melancholy feel. 
None of the characters are likeable.  
Definitely creepy in some parts, thoug  for sure.  

Content warnings: Miscarriage and infant murder.

[Nadine Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could have easily finished this book in one sitting. Life and distractions prevented me from doing so but every chance I got to read, I couldn’t put it down.

Oliver’s writing feels effortless, the first half sets up the story and builds up to the point you know something bad is coming. He captures the grief and disintegration of a family after a tragedy in such a real and raw way. But it only gets worse from there. And that ending. Wow. I can’t say much more than that but I highly recommend this one.

[avie aves · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had a few typos/rough spots in terms of grammar and syntax, but overall I really enjoyed it! The last 10-15 pages were so good and such effective horror. My only wish is that it was a little bit longer so that the horror element could be a little bit more fleshed out, because it doesn’t really come into play until about halfway through. Overall a really fun read and a great debut novella!!

[Victoria Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novella from a new author is a slow build family drama that goes to some very dark places.
I would recommend this for fans of Stephen Graham Jones, Stephen King, Cormac McCarthy, or "deal with the devil" type stories. It is a pretty quick read at 118 pages.

[H. Everend · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stag is dark. I mean, very dark. It tells of the story of Franklin and the downward spiral his life takes after his wife suffers a miscarriage. Given things that have happened prior to this, there's a small part of me that feels he deserves this, but everything that comes is downright awful. It's macabre with its details and with the creepy deer antler that keeps popping back up at different points in his life. There are quite a few aspects in it that felt too close to home for me (not a bad thing, but definitely things I can more than relate to); the pain and emotion behind those intense negative feelings were palpable. It's a shorter read, which there's nothing wrong with at all; the only small gripe I have with the book is that I wish certain parts were fleshed out more, helping Point A connect better to Point B, but it's not a huge deal. I'm just one of those kinds of readers. It's well written, keeps your attention and definitely has its creep factor.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book without any expectations. I didn’t really look into the reviews or story synopsis. I wish there was a trigger warning at the beginning of the book. There were a couple scenes that were difficult to read. Overall, I found the book to be very detailed and well written. I was intrigued throughout to figure out where the story was leading to. I want more! I want to know where this Stag came from and what happens next!!

[Sydney Sherrod · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought this book was unoriginal and not particularly well written or engaging. Only finished it because it was a quick read.

[meow · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is well written but had absolutely no plot. It’s just the description of a miserable family.

[Robb Basham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon...