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That Thing at the Zoo (Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty-Hunter 0.5)
by
James R. Tuck (Goodreads Author)
Shredding monsters is his stock and trade. He sniffs them out, tracks them down, and corners them. End of story. But when the tables are turned, expect the unexpected.
Knowing his enemy is a rule Deacon Chalk swears by. But he's never seen anything like whatever is leaving the Atlanta Zoo's most dangerous predators bloodless, skinned, and hanging high in the treetops. And h...more
Knowing his enemy is a rule Deacon Chalk swears by. But he's never seen anything like whatever is leaving the Atlanta Zoo's most dangerous predators bloodless, skinned, and hanging high in the treetops. And h...more
Kindle Edition
Published
January 27th 2012
by Kensington Books
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Jan 09, 2012
Amy or "Ames"
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of pre-controversy Anita Blake and TV show Supernatural
Shelves:
arc,
urban-fantasy,
horror,
prequel,
male-authors,
read-in-2011,
kindle-other-sources,
free-read
That Thing At the Zoo is a good size dark urban fantasy prequel novella introducing a character whose physical appearance I can picture perfectly. Rarely can I say that, I'm mostly left with a vague overall impression but Mr. Deacon Chalke is a man that cannot and will not be ignored. He's an intimidating 6'4 and 300 pounds. Think WWE star with no hair and lots of tattoos. This guy looks like he could cause trouble and with a classic muscle car complete with a 4-corpse trunk full of weapons, he'...more
Deacon Chalk is an Occult Bounty Hunter. To finance his hunting, he owns a strip club where he occasionally employs someone that had need of his skills. He lost his wife and kids to the monsters that go bump in the night. He is a tough guy that tweaks your heart with moments of vulnerability and the next he had you laughing out loud. This is not for the faint of heart. There are blood, guts, and gore but I loved his voice and bad assery.
What an excellent ride this novella was!! It was short and to the point, 62 pages of fab.
Deacon has so many things in his life that would keep anyone else down in a bottle somewhere. He chooses to hunt those things that go bump in the night.
One of the reasons I dig reading urban fantasy, or paranormal in general, is that there are so many takes on vampires, shapeshifters, demons, angels, etc. Reading this one has a difference between vampires and Nosferatu.
I really look forward to learning mo...more
Deacon has so many things in his life that would keep anyone else down in a bottle somewhere. He chooses to hunt those things that go bump in the night.
One of the reasons I dig reading urban fantasy, or paranormal in general, is that there are so many takes on vampires, shapeshifters, demons, angels, etc. Reading this one has a difference between vampires and Nosferatu.
I really look forward to learning mo...more
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A short, descriptive introduction to the dark and gritty world of Deacon Chalk, monster hunter.
Opening Sentence: “Tell me what it is I’m looking at.”
The Review:
I was really excited when I received That Thing at the Zoo to read for review. It looked like an interesting new series with a lot of promising potential. I am a huge horror fan and this appealed to me on so many levels. Let me just say that I was not disappointed.
That Thing at the Zo...more
Quick & Dirty: A short, descriptive introduction to the dark and gritty world of Deacon Chalk, monster hunter.
Opening Sentence: “Tell me what it is I’m looking at.”
The Review:
I was really excited when I received That Thing at the Zoo to read for review. It looked like an interesting new series with a lot of promising potential. I am a huge horror fan and this appealed to me on so many levels. Let me just say that I was not disappointed.
That Thing at the Zo...more
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/01/...
James R. Tuck’s Blood and Bullets is coming out on Feb. 7th, but you can meet his hero, Deacon Chalke, before then in this down and dirty novella. Deacon is a supernatural bounty hunter with a grudge, and he’s been called to the Atlanta zoo to hunt down a rather nasty creature that’s been preying on zoo employees and animals alike. With the help of a zookeeper (who proudly sports a mullet), Deacon takes on a hungry and vic...more
James R. Tuck’s Blood and Bullets is coming out on Feb. 7th, but you can meet his hero, Deacon Chalke, before then in this down and dirty novella. Deacon is a supernatural bounty hunter with a grudge, and he’s been called to the Atlanta zoo to hunt down a rather nasty creature that’s been preying on zoo employees and animals alike. With the help of a zookeeper (who proudly sports a mullet), Deacon takes on a hungry and vic...more
What would you do if you discovered that monsters really do exist? What if they hunted down and slaughtered your family and you had the power to take your revenge? Would you take it? As Deacon Chalk would put it... I sure as hell would…
After several animals are slaughtered at the Atlanta Zoo, Deacon Chalk is called in to take care of the job. However intimidating and indestructible Deacon seems to be he can’t do it alone. Deacon receives the help of the zookeeper and his team made up of stripper...more
After several animals are slaughtered at the Atlanta Zoo, Deacon Chalk is called in to take care of the job. However intimidating and indestructible Deacon seems to be he can’t do it alone. Deacon receives the help of the zookeeper and his team made up of stripper...more
I was looking forward to getting stuck into the first book in the Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty-Hunter series, when I found out there was a novella prequel. So, I got myself a copy for my Kindle and got stuck into it this morning.
Deacon has been called into the Atlanta Zoo after three animals are found dead, skinned and bloodless. With just a few of the zoo staff left behind, the zoo is on lockdown. But Deacon's not alone, he's got a few people able to help him narrow down what he could be dealing...more
Deacon has been called into the Atlanta Zoo after three animals are found dead, skinned and bloodless. With just a few of the zoo staff left behind, the zoo is on lockdown. But Deacon's not alone, he's got a few people able to help him narrow down what he could be dealing...more
Well, hello, Mr. Chalk. I am hopelessly intrigued about this series thanks to this introductory e-novella. I wasn’t sure what That Thing at the Zoo would be like since James R. Tuck is a new author but he had me hooked from the very first page. I desperate to know what was killing the animals at the zoo. As it turns out, the answer is both straightforward and complicated. The cover gives you a hint as to what might be doing the killing but it’s not your average vampire. It’s something a little d...more
This is a really cool novella.
Deacon Chalk is a kick-ass monster hunter who doesn't shy away from taking extreme measures to get the job done. He's gruff, direct to the point of rude, but likeable and with an intriguing past.
The world building is minimal, but effective enough to set a dark mood for this story, which is well written, fast paced and full of action. Next to a really cool and explosive tale of monster hunting and slaying this novella gives small hints to what other horrors Deacon mi...more
Deacon Chalk is a kick-ass monster hunter who doesn't shy away from taking extreme measures to get the job done. He's gruff, direct to the point of rude, but likeable and with an intriguing past.
The world building is minimal, but effective enough to set a dark mood for this story, which is well written, fast paced and full of action. Next to a really cool and explosive tale of monster hunting and slaying this novella gives small hints to what other horrors Deacon mi...more
Mini-Review: This short story was a great introduction into Deacon Chalk's world. It was also very unique that the paranormal creature in the story was attacking large animals at the zoo instead of people. Although the story was fairly short, it never felt rushed. I learned a nice amount about Deacon before jumping into the first novel of the series. There weren't many other characters besides Deacon, but the few secondary characters were interesting as well. The cover is a bit simple, but the c...more
We are introduced to Deacon Chalk, an occult bounty hunter, in That Thing at the Zoo. He is a badass anti-hero with a good reason to be hunting the monsters that lurk in the shadows. Weaving words deftly together to paint an eerily realistic picture of the gritty night, Mr. Tuck has created a world populated with the weird, evil, and macabre. Slightly reminiscent of other great anti-heroes, Deacon Chalk stands out from the crowd. Great dialogue and action pounds out of the pages to grab you by t...more
For some reason I find the zoo setting to be funny, just the thought of a monster hurting animals (hate that part) seems fantastical. As this story takes place before the first book Deacon is still so raw and hurting, I like it more in the later book when he is back to the path of happiness. Deacon's partner in crime, the mullet wearing redneck, Jimmy made me smile. He was so far out of his depth, but took direction well and did fairly ok. Catching the bad guy seemed to take a toll on Deacan, pr...more
Reviewed by Laura for www.BookChickCity.com
'That Thing At The Zoo' is James R. Tuck's debut novel, introducing us to the world of Deacon Chalk. We featured Tuck in our Debut Author Spotlight last month. At 80 pages, it's more of a novella, but well worth your times and a superb introduction into this new urban fantasy series.
Deacon, a man whose entire family was killed by a supernatural monster, now spends his life hunting the things that go bump in the night and killing them. So when Atlanta's...more
'That Thing At The Zoo' is James R. Tuck's debut novel, introducing us to the world of Deacon Chalk. We featured Tuck in our Debut Author Spotlight last month. At 80 pages, it's more of a novella, but well worth your times and a superb introduction into this new urban fantasy series.
Deacon, a man whose entire family was killed by a supernatural monster, now spends his life hunting the things that go bump in the night and killing them. So when Atlanta's...more
Reviewed for www.bookchickcity.com (8 out of 10 on the blog)
'That Thing At The Zoo' is James R. Tuck's debut novel, introducing us to the world of Deacon Chalk. We featured Tuck in our Debut Author Spotlight last month. At 80 pages, it's more of a novella, but well worth your times and a superb introduction into this new urban fantasy series.
Deacon, a man whose entire family was killed by a supernatural monster, now spends his life hunting the things that go bump in the night and killing them....more
'That Thing At The Zoo' is James R. Tuck's debut novel, introducing us to the world of Deacon Chalk. We featured Tuck in our Debut Author Spotlight last month. At 80 pages, it's more of a novella, but well worth your times and a superb introduction into this new urban fantasy series.
Deacon, a man whose entire family was killed by a supernatural monster, now spends his life hunting the things that go bump in the night and killing them....more
Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: That Thing At The Zoo is a prequel novella set approximately six months before the events of Blood and Bullets. The novella is about 80-odd pages long and is divided into eleven chapters. Akin to Blood and Bullets, this prequel story is also narrated by Deacon Chalk. The story premise focuses on the Atlanta zoo wherein someone or something is slaughtering the animals however the peculiar nature of the kill is what gets Deacon invited t...more
2 likes · like · see review
Deacon Chalk is a tattoo artist who also acts as a bouncer. He also happens to be a bounty hunter of the occult. He hunts down the things that normal people don't believe are real. A job he took on after his family was killed by monsters. In this novella which introduces us to our hero he is trying to solve why animals have been killed and skinned at the local zoo and why no blood has been found. Follow our hero as he tries to find out what is doing it and trying to kill it before it can kill hi...more
Something is killing animals at the Atlanta Zoo. Since the bodies have been torn apart in a very strange way Detective John Longyard knows this case is going in the ‘Weird Shit’ file, so he calls the local Occult Bounty Hunter, Deacon Chalk to come do his thing. Deacon and his team decide it could be several nasty things, so the only way to find out and kill it is to stay the night in the zoo. Things get just a little weird after nightfall.
This short story is a quick read. Fast-paced, smooth-flo...more
This short story is a quick read. Fast-paced, smooth-flo...more
James R. Tuck’s novella "That Thing at the Zoo" introduces readers to occult bounty hunter Deacon Chalk. This is a 99 cent read from Kensington designed to whet our appetites for the upcoming novel "Blood and Bullets," and I found that it definitely met this goal. It has an interesting, larger-than-life main character, kick-ass action, and a satisfyingly jolting climax.
Full review here: http://www.bookwenches.com/january12r...
Full review here: http://www.bookwenches.com/january12r...
Decided to read this because one of my favorite authors recommended this author. I was not disappointed! This short story is fast-paced, action-packed and addictive. I can't wait to read Blood and Bullets next. What a great character to base a series around. Imagine Vin Diesel and The Rock have a love child...he hunts supernatural creatures....you get to read an awesome thrill ride. What's not to love!
Rating: 3.5
After finishing That Thing at the Zoo, I knew two things for certain. 1) I DO NOT want to deal with the creatures that reside in Mr. Tuck’s world and 2) Deacon Chalk is one bad ass mofo.
Access the rest of this review HERE.
After finishing That Thing at the Zoo, I knew two things for certain. 1) I DO NOT want to deal with the creatures that reside in Mr. Tuck’s world and 2) Deacon Chalk is one bad ass mofo.
Access the rest of this review HERE.
This book was a great introduction into the life of Deacon Chalk. Deacon is a kick ass wounded warrior fighting against/hunting those nasty things that go bump in the night. Tuck's writing is fast paced and cinematic. Never a dull moment in this short novella.
James tuck is my new favorite author. His books are non stop action from.start to finish . Deacon chalk is kick ass and I cant wait for many more books about him. James r tuck is an author to watch because he is going to be huge .
This is a short story introduction to Deacon Chalk and his series. It takes place a few months before the first book in the series, and really makes the style of the series clear. This is a dark comedic urban fantasy with lots of action and excitement. There is profanity, but it fits Deacon’s attitude and narration.
Deacon is likeable hero who is a slightly broken man with a sad past who fights against supernatural bad guys. He is attitude and sarcasm with a soft gentle streak.
I loved Deacon, and...more
Deacon is likeable hero who is a slightly broken man with a sad past who fights against supernatural bad guys. He is attitude and sarcasm with a soft gentle streak.
I loved Deacon, and...more
It failed to make me buy the first of the new series. The baby killing was too much for me.
1 like · like · see review
4.5/5 gritty and funny, I've enjoyed it! :) review soon!
another good book in the series
Not bad really I just should have read the 1st book in the series then read this.
Coming soon!
Moved onto the next one already a fun bit of monster killing is always good.
Fans of the monster hunter series should definitely pick this one up.
Fans of the monster hunter series should definitely pick this one up.
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I am the author of the Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty Hunter series. Book one, BLOOD AND BULLETS, will be out from Kensington Publishing February 7, 2012.
I write DARK URBAN FANTASY. It is gritty, it is violent, it is bloody, it is DARK. The monsters are monstrous and they do Very Bad Things. The good guys are Big Damn Heroes.
I write the ultimate thrill ride in the form of a book, just for you. I wan...more
More about James R. Tuck...
I write DARK URBAN FANTASY. It is gritty, it is violent, it is bloody, it is DARK. The monsters are monstrous and they do Very Bad Things. The good guys are Big Damn Heroes.
I write the ultimate thrill ride in the form of a book, just for you. I wan...more
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21. Dezember, 12:20 Uhr