Pisces51 > Recent Status Updates

Began Sierra Waff's much talked about Splatterpunk novella. The grand endorsement on the stunning Cover Art by an apex predator of the genre like Jon Athan is more than impressive. I loved Stuart Bray's Foreword which was peppered with salty language but left the distinct taste of his admiration and approval in its wake. The use of first-person narrator is going to render this immersive tale of transference a KO.

I finished the novel (final 20% the bonus novella prequel SKINWRAPPER) which I have yet to read. It is with chagrin that I now temper my prior unbridled enthusiasm for this outstanding 2018 Splatterpunk Award Nominee. The characters, action, plotline and mini cliffhangers as exclamation points at the end of chapters easily held me to 5 Stars prior to the final third of the book. Last stretch and end disappointed.

The action and surreal revelations in this science fiction novel extraordinaire continue unabated in what is in my opinion an unnerving, riveting, and relentless march of unmatched incredulity. The writing is a master class in skill, timing, perfect delivery, and momentary recovery, Rinse and repeat. Readers are likely aware that the novel was honored by a Splatterpunk Nomination 2018 Best Book Category. Top notch!!

The danger that is embedded in the salvage operation is unleashed with surprise, sheer horror, and incalculable risks to all human life on the ship. Paige is cast as the catalyst of the rapidly developing disastrous outcomes and far reaching calamity. The storyline builds upon a chilling foundation with layers of dread, death to innocents aboard the corporate ship, and certainly of tragedy. Fantastic plot,writing.

Totally engrossed in this sensational sci-fiction story by Stephen Kozeniewski. I can be cruising along and fixated in the story when abruptly I am shocked out of my reverie by the author's sinister sense of timing. Character development is good and even better as the tale evolves. The rich detail and the world building of the space age two centuries after the US sent an exploratory vessel to colonize. Love it!

Kozeniewski is gifted in rendering science fiction storylines exciting, easy to understand more often than not, and his plotlines are intriguing from multiple perspectives. I liked the First Person POV of Paige and the story has captured my full attention from the beginning. This book has been a really entertaining and informative read and I feel comfortable stating that I will enjoy it going forward.

I thought I would be finished tonight, not quite! I hated stopping because it just allowed me to speculate about the ending. The author is gearing the reader up to expect the most likely outcome defined as the most logical. Can I even say "logical" about a supernatural monster? I fell in love with Ezra who became a true warrior who took action and left his former timid and nervous self in the dust. Here's to hoping!

The overwhelming emotion in the story right now is (ironic I know) the capacity of one half of a marriage loving enough and harnessing his energy to stand between the imminent possibility of a horrible death for himself and/or the permanent plundering of his partner's head and soul. The animal invading his senses is on its way...and there is no strategic middle ground

It's becoming difficult to compose updates that neatly sidestep major shifts and directions the plot is taking. I am most impressed by the deft skillful manipulation by a master story teller. Stockton's use of alternating first person POVs to immerse the reader in the psyche of both principal characters is brilliant. There is "blood and gore galore" but character development shines through. No idea what happens next.

High time for a "heart to heart" between Holt and Ezra. Holden grasps it is a "Come to Jesus" moment and confesses duality with fear of ripping Ezra to pieces when bloodlust overrides passion. The couple then hear the sound of pending salvation in the guise of a local wielding a chainsaw. Storms made roads impassable and (Jake) guides them to the Sheriff and his two men. But it isn't rescue or refuge they find.

The creature is coming into focus and the "bite" looks increasingly worse as Holt's will is usurped by the wildness spreading within him. The most powerful narrative prose is the graphic depiction of their lovemaking. "We are there" as Holt battles the monster stealing his soul, hears Ezra's heartbeat in his head, hungers as his mouth hovers over his lover's naked neck. Passionate, poetic, horrifying.

Refer to Group Read Discussion on Splatterpunk if you are a member. There remains questions about the wild animal that attacked Holt and left him injured. Meanwhile, Holden is burning up from inside with unrelenting pain and insatiable hunger. He is attempting to control his urges but the compulsion is growing in strength and intensity. Their lovemaking and passionate sex is all encompassing and a struggle.

Garrett, Nadine, and Franklin continue to follow the trail of the sadistic serial killer who tortures and partially skins his gutted victims. The trio run into serious complications when they come upon a second home in the killer's path and still another mutilated corpse. Men arrive at the scene wearing badges but law and order isn't on the agenda. Storyline is raw, gritty and disturbing.

Approximately a third of the way through this 500 page horror expedition in the isolated woods of Tennessee. Our two newly married partners Ezra and Holt are the very definition of devoted to each other. The author's alternating First Person POVs only serves to ratchet up the reader's anxiety and fear for the couple's fate. We know the enemy is hiding in plain site and Holt is fighting for their lives. Chilling.

How the Skin Sheds Group Read HGW Horror Book Club. Cover Art is secondary only to the story's immediacy and the author's incredibly readable prose style. The first person narrator (Garret) is carefully crafted with believable word choices and sentences, matching the language of the Old West perfectly. Garret finds heartache at his sister's and shifts into a lethal mode of his own.Super start.

The story at this point has the reader aware of the outline of the threat facing our likeable duo. They are presently trapped in the woods due to downed trees and debris blocking the road. The generator fails a second time and some frightening events have already occurred to spook even the optimistic country boy Holton. The author leeches out sketchy details, while Holden encounters the beast at a cost.

Please see my notes on the Group Read Discussion page (Splatterpunk). Not that I have said a lot. The couple are both worried and worse, trapped in the cabin. There have been odd to downright frightening incidences that have occurred. It is reasonable to say that the guys are not coming unglued yet in order to support each other. This is about 100 pages in and Stockton is creating a chill early in the storyline.

The storyline is gradually assuming the ominous mood of the storm surging outside the cabin. Ezra is awakened by the lightning and high winds while Holden continues to sleep like a rock. He hears a scream and the desperate pleading of a terrified man. He is being pursued by an unseen predator. It reminded me of Pumpkinhead when the "marked" man being hunted down is clamoring at the doors to get inside.

I just began reading tonight, and if I didn't know the author I would think I had just opened a poignant gay romance novel featuring two likeable protagonists. I am looking forward to this atypically lengthy tale of terror in the woods of Tennessee by Stockton who calls it home.

The plot has "thickened" as I've heard it described---in this case with blood, bodily fluids, bowels and bladders emptying, blood splattering, and inner organs squashed to secrete their contents into the collective pool of cataclysmic carnage. MC is hungry as one of the Walking Dead after not eating human flesh for a stretch. Nelson appears to be leaning heavy on puke inducing prose. Still an intriguing story line.

Rob Nelson's sophomore novel (2026) is presently a Buddy Read on HGW Horror Book Club. Please refer to Discussion Thread for more details. Generally speaking, I didn't know what to expect after Nelson's debut novel Made a Monster which went viral as horror fans know. It is NOTHING like the first book. I began reading it with eagerness, felt surprise by the MC and his "idiosyncrasies". Optimistic.

I finished this unique collection of stories which are the products of Ketchum's unique writing style and Lee's intuitive imagination. These were unique collaborations and each of the titles chosen for introspection and clarity were illuminated by the crispness of Ketchum's accurate and affectionate analysis. SLEEP DISORDER is my favorite story knowing the machinations behind the brilliant end. 5 Star Read.

TREMBLE by Kasey Lansdale & Joe R. Lansdale is a splendid story and I would be remiss if I did not rate this fantastic, bitter sweet tale of rage and revenge 5+ Stars. I did not expect another homerun following Triana's tale of horror and madness in the West Virginia woods. TREMBLE is a slow scintillating burn, beautiful prose, and a storyline that is reminiscent of the Sirens from mythology as well as "Carrie".

KIN by Kristopher Triana. This story was included in Triana's sensational themed short story collection "Blood Relations". It was a finalist in the "Best Collection" category at the Splatterpunk Awards in 2021. This contribution by Triana is the "Crown Jewel" in this themed anthology. I truly enjoyed rereading it. The story is chilling from the outset, the atmospheric backdrop unsettling. Fantastic 5+ Star Read.

SWAMP WATER BOOGIE by Daniel J. Volpe is precisely the story I would expect to read in this anthology. Two close buddies are deep in the swamp water and up to no damn good. Mitch lights the fuse of a stick of dynamite and throws it with the practiced arm of an ex-football jock. Gary thinks it was a dud because of the delayed explosion. These Southern boys have more on their plate than illegal gators. Easy 4 Stars.

KIKI by Gregory L. Norris is the sordid tale of "Kiki" disturbed daughter of saintly father's second marriage. Kiki subjected to Daddy's vitriolic ranting, raving directed toward children from first marriage. Sad Dad is physically handicapped, impoverished because of his despised three kids. What's a "want to be" only child do to make Saint Dad "Glad"? Predictable, fairly gory, but with plot twist at end. 3 Stars.

GOOD GRIEF, IT'S THE EJACULATION! --Douglas Ford. How can the ostensible retelling of an alleged TV Special on Halloween to a group of Trick or Treaters in lieu of candy be satisfactory? How can an absurdly silly (horror?) story be simultaneously disgustingly lewd and repulsive? Truth is, he would have lost me with the grotesque brutal murder and decapitation of an elderly defensive dog. Rated 1 Star.

Eyes Left by Jack Ketchum. This story began as a nostalgic look back on the unmatched majesty of New York City. It was an engaging and poetic portrait of the good old days that the narrator had with his two best buddies in their favorite place. The writing was excellent and I was getting complacent. But then it hit me. What the hell did he just say? It is a horror story and more. The twist at the end? 5 Stars.

BACK ROAD by Candace Nola is about a trio of friends travelling down a remote country road in a Prius. The driver Miranda is out to do a good deed. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency and convenient assumptions. The rough road is unforgiving and the drive morphs into a sight seeing trip straight out of hillbilly hell. Does anyone think this can end well? Always enjoy Candace Nola. Rated 5 Stars.

My prior comments were wrong. This collaborative effort by Ketchum and Lee is a short story collection containing complete stories by Lee that were edited by his friend Ketchum. Similarly it has a fleshed out skeleton of a terrific tale by Ketchum who was stymied about how to create a finale for his story and asked Lee for help. This is a a sample of these two greats writing TOGETHER and having fun doing it. Love it.