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Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage

by Ennis Drake (Goodreads Author)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 25 ratings · 18 reviews

One man ravaged by disease, the other by war, their stories--and fates--bound by an ancient entity that thrives on suffering.

For Detective Ernest Riley, the path to damnation begins with an anonymously mailed recording detailing a series of grisly murders. Can Riley unravel its secrets without sacrificing his humanity? Or will he surrender to the RAGE inside him?

Strom Whel...more

Paperback, First, 124 pages

Published May 28th 2012 by Omnium Gatherum Media

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Sep 30, 2012 Mirrani rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-and-reviewed

A quick read that packs one hard punch. This was an amazing short story to read with a perfect balance of blood and plot. I never wanted to put it down and finished it all at once. For many readers the beginning will seem out of place with the rest of the book, but don't worry, it will all be revealed in the end. This was a wonderful read and I highly recommend it for fans of horror suspense/thrillers.

Note: Though this book was a free gift from the author, the content of my review was in no way...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 13, 2012 Jason Rolfe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ennis Drake is a very good writer. With Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage he seamlessly weaves journal entries, recorded monologues, and horrific visions into a compelling story that bleeds raw emotion. The depth of character, the intricacy of thought and (misguided) motive, and the vivid realism Drake brings to each and every page make this short novel both compelling and difficult to put down.

While Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage is pure, unapologetic horror, it symbolizes the (very real) pursuit of life...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 18, 2012 John Palisano rated it 4 of 5 stars

Listen: I loved this book, and probably for all the wrong reasons. What do I mean by that? Well, it's not for everyone. If you dig 'normal' storytelling and paint-by-numbers procedurals, you're going to be frustrated. However, if you're looking for something that is not ordinary, you may enjoy this. First off: the beginning of the book felt very different than the last third. There was a lot of Military action and stuff going down, which was fine, and there were sprinkles of the story to come. A...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 Todd Russell rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, novellas

Great title, good cover artwork and the blurb pulled me into this novella. It opens with a bloody scene that happened in the past and then flashes forward to present day with a detective who receives a disturbing package. An evil totem that enjoys suffering and transcends time haunts a skill saw, er kill saw, in the hands of a vet who lost his legs and is "literally half a man" (a description in both the blurb and story which seems wrong on so many levels).

This one tries ridiculously hard to be...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 11, 2012 Hal Bodner rated it 1 of 5 stars

Had it been written as a short story, Ennis Drake's "Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage" might have been a genuinely creepy, off-beat tale of horror. Compression would have done this novella a world of good, intensifying the horror elements, forcing the author to develop character more efficiently and helping to create a viable plot. As it stands however, "Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage" is just a silly bit of stuff that completely fails to work on any level.

It's no spoiler to mention that the twenty-eight...more Had it been written as a short story, Ennis Drake's "Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage" might have been a genuinely creepy, off-beat tale of horror. Compression would have done this novella a world of good, intensifying the horror elements, forcing the author to develop character more efficiently and helping to create a viable plot. As it stands however, "Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage" is just a silly bit of stuff that completely fails to work on any level.

It's no spoiler to mention that the twenty-eight teeth of the title belong to a power saw--a demonic power saw inhabited by the spirit of an Indian totem no less. While stories about unusual or non-traditional haunted objects can be delightfully spooky, one needs to do more with the conceit than to simply pick an odd object for the haunting. It's not that Drake doesn't TRY to do something with what could have been an interesting idea, he simply fails miserably.

What's more, the plot contrivance (and it is indeed contrived) concerning a soldier who has lost his legs and is now "half a man" (an expression which is an example of how sorely this book lacks originality) being tempted to do evil in exchange for the return of his legs is both hackneyed and poorly executed. What purport to be several parallel plot lines fall flat and seem more inchoate than incomplete, much as if the author threw them in because he thought they'd be "cool."

There's not much to recommend this book. Other authors have tackled the same themes (albeit without the haunted saw which, in the end, provides no improvement whatsoever) much more concisely, in far more entertaining manner, and with far more originality. Drake's version is bland and lacks any originality. In addition, the novel suffers from a writing style which seems to suggest that the author could not make up his mind what he wanted to do with the various characters and/or plots.

Nothing is really completed in terms of plot; aspects of the story crop up and are left hanging. The reader never has the feeling that the characters are real people. The characters don't even rise to the level of being cardboard or two dimensional--they're just blandly presented in a way that startled me with how much an author would have to work to create such uninteresting people.

In short, unless you have an unrequited passion for haunted electric saw novels, you can skip this one.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 16, 2012 Andrew rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: giveaways-from-other-sources

Hmmm ...

Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage has a strange premise. If I'd summarized it here (which I won't, 'cause it'd be a spoiler, although the cover does have a clue), you'd probably start snickering. The fact that author Ennis Drake is able to pull it off without the READER snickering is a compliment to his writing skills.

The book is short, more novella in my opinion. It seems to jump around a little; by the end, I figured out what was going on, and the strengths and weaknesses of the characters....more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 29, 2012 Benjamin Ethridge rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ennis Drake's writing absolutely cooks. From start to finish, I was enthralled with his imagery, language, and mastery of creating horrific chaos (deep (deep ( deep in the soul) ) ).

This is a story that could have been another tired horror exercise-- the haunting of a man, his madness that ensues and the various destruction it causes in his life and to his loved one(s); for me, this type of tale, barring stunning creativity, has become older than space dust. Even with a spark of originality, you...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 05, 2013 Johnny Worthen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked up this book when I saw it listed as a 2012 Shirley Jackson Award Nominee. I was not disappointed.

Ennis Drake's prose is modern and tight. He has a gift for description. He adroitly links the past with the present, the mundane with the supernatural, the ordinary with the horrifying. (I'll never look at a saw the same way again.) I particularly liked the feel of the book. It has a real sense of place and history which is often neglected or poorly done in short fiction of this kind. And,...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Dawna rated it 4 of 5 stars

The beginning of this e-book really threw me off because it deals with something that is historical. While it is still horrific, i am not really into history, so i was thinking oh no... but wait... it was a plot point that was crucial to the whole story. Once the tale was told and the story really got flowing, it was hard to stop for a break! The tension was just under the surface for about half the book, not knowing exactly where you are being led and then BAM! It hits you all at once and does...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 11, 2012 S.P. rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a tale of possession and madness, but the kind that any sane person will understand. Drake gets inside the heart and mind of each character and never stops digging for the truth. You know these people. I know them. They have suffered terribly, and they are haunted by their loss. At the same time they are the inheritors of the spectacular horrors human beings have hurled at one another throughout our blood-spattered history. This is a hell of a ghost story, one you won't forget thanks to...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 14, 2012 M Griffin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This short debut novel quickly establishes that newcomer Ennis Drake can really write. The narrative voice is strong, rich with nuance and flavor. Scene after scene exhibits Drake's competence at playing out a narrative thread. The book is clearly in the horror category but also has a noir genre feel to it, including the common noir element of the emotionally or psychologically damaged law enforcement officer for a main character.

The whole story, every character interaction, is a pool of hard,...more This short debut novel quickly establishes that newcomer Ennis Drake can really write. The narrative voice is strong, rich with nuance and flavor. Scene after scene exhibits Drake's competence at playing out a narrative thread. The book is clearly in the horror category but also has a noir genre feel to it, including the common noir element of the emotionally or psychologically damaged law enforcement officer for a main character.

The whole story, every character interaction, is a pool of hard, bitter emotions. Everybody in the book seems hurt and wanting, stuck in an agonizing pattern of self-defeat and dysfunction. Characters seem realistically flawed, emotionally alive. It's clear what they want and what's keeping them from getting it. Drake's strength as a writer is in clearly rendering these people (particularly Riley, the protagonist) so they seem believable and familiar to the reader. Throughout this book, I felt what the characters felt. The ability to give the reader this experience is arguably the most important determinant of whether a book succeeds or fails. On this test, I say Drake easily passes. The novel is quite strong in terms of execution, of conveying believable characters with a strong narrative voice.

An aspect I consider less successful is the central conceit of the possessed or demonic power saw. Much of Stephen King's very popular oeuvre has been built on similar concepts -- such possessed/demonic objects as a hotel, laundry press, lawnmower, classic car, eighteen-wheeler, even a St. Bernard. Despite King's success with this approach, I'd argue a stronger, more interesting antagonist or threat could be created by not merely applying demonic or malignant qualities to a mundane object. I'd love to see Drake's skill for storytelling, and the creation of realistic characters, applied to a stronger, more complex basic concept.

The only other shortcoming is in those sections of written or recorded testimonies of characters in their own voices, which sound not like a real person telling their story, but more formal, like a novel's narrator. Through these segments important backstory is revealed, so these passages are necessary, yet the tone is slightly off. This problem does not exist with the novel's spoken dialog, which is both naturalistic and believable, so it's clear Drake knows how to convey the way people really speak. This minor quibble applied only to the sections of Jodi's diary and Strom's recorded testimony, and really didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the book.

These reservations were certainly outweighed by the confident, fluent prose and believable characterization. Overall, Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage is a compelling, passionately-told drama, and a successful piece of writing. From the first page I was impressed with Drake's ability to draw the reader into an intense, vividly emotional scene. Flaws may be present, but not many for a first novel. I'm eager to see how Ennis Drake applies his obvious authorial talents to different story concepts in the future.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Brent Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's not a long read (124 pages), but it's a good read. The story is brilliantly conceived and masterfully executed. The Yaholos stand out, led by the gruesome Hadjo. But that was a long time ago. Rage has returned. Terror in the South Florida swamps in the 1800s, IED's along the Fallujah roadside, the KILL SAW screaming hungrily in the basement... all told with gritty detail and originality. This story stuck with me, and I'm certain I'll think about it every time I use my chop saw.

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 04, 2012 Beverly rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is a fun entry into the slasher genre. While it isn't my favourite genre, I still found Drake's book to be a page-turner. I read it in one sitting and found that it kept me saying "Just one more page" until I got to the end. I particularly liked the historical elements, being a fellow Floridian. If you like slasher, I can definitely recommend this. If you like a twisted look at historical figures, I can recommend it as well.

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 Patti rated it 5 of 5 stars

Just finished reading this amazing book! All I can say is WOW!! The writing style is fantastic!! I loved the way the author gave different view points to the same story! It was fast paced from beginning to end. The story line kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! I found myself talking to the book! I can't wait to read what Drake is writing next!!

1 like · like · see review

Sep 24, 2012 Craig rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

*Goodreads first reads Advanced Copy*

I found Twenty-Eight Teeth of Rage to be a quick, enjoyable read. While the beginning was a bit hard to follow, the ending more than made up for it. Half way through the story I could not put it down.

I would say that a few times some of the language seemed to be used more for 'shock factor' then actual story building, but overall I would recommend the book to all mature horror fans.

1 like · like · see review

Jul 07, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dark, hallucinatory visions of hell come to life in Ennis Drake's debut novel,"Twenyt-Eight Teeth of Rage". This is a slim novel, but the writing here quickly encapsulates the reader in a bottle of horror.
It's a story about darkness and what happens when we let darkness consume our hearts and minds.
I'm looking forward to more stories from this author.
Bravo!

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Marilou Johnson marked it as to-read

Shelves: free-books

Another interesting looking FREE book!

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May 03, 2013 Amanda marked it as kindle-cloud-misc

Shelves: ebooks-i-own, free-from-publisher-or-store

Free on Amazon 04.25.13

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May 23, 2013 Victoria (vikz writes) rated it 1 of 5 stars

May 10, 2013 Richard Livesay marked it as to-read

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Shelves: ebooks

May 02, 2013 Deborah marked it as general-library

May 13, 2013 Drew Wheeler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apr 28, 2013 Rachel Diane Herrin marked it as to-read

Apr 27, 2013 Robert marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Apr 25, 2013 Kate marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: 1-kindle-loanable-titles

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About Ennis Drake

My debut novel, "28 Teeth of Rage", was released by Omnium Gatherum Media on May 31st.

"28 Teeth of Rage has the bite of a crocodile. Drake tears a hole right through modern horror. This guy isn't on the way; he's kicking in the door."
--Laird Barron, two-time Shirley Jackson Award-winning author of "The Imago Sequence", "Occultation", and "The Croning"

"[28 Teeth of Rage] is a tale of possession an...more My debut novel, "28 Teeth of Rage", was released by Omnium Gatherum Media on May 31st.

"28 Teeth of Rage has the bite of a crocodile. Drake tears a hole right through modern horror. This guy isn't on the way; he's kicking in the door."
--Laird Barron, two-time Shirley Jackson Award-winning author of "The Imago Sequence", "Occultation", and "The Croning"

"[28 Teeth of Rage] is a tale of possession and madness, but the kind that any sane person will understand. Drake gets inside the heart and mind of each character and never stops digging for the truth. You know these people. I know them. They have suffered terribly, and they are haunted by their loss. At the same time they are the inheritors of the spectacular horrors human beings have hurled at one another throughout our blood-spattered history. This is a hell of a ghost story, one you won't forget thanks to Drake's storytelling ingenuity, but also because it springs directly from our collective well of grief and rage. This animal howl--for justice, for retribution--resonates within us, and is unanswerable."
--S.P. Mikowski, Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of "Knock Knock"

"A powerful work of horror. Drake's prose beats with a million-mile-an-hour force, propelling you through meat and sinew with a terrifying bite. This is not a work for the weak, for the timid. With beautiful language and raw power, Drake takes you on wrenching journey into our worst desires. A propulsive read by a fantastic new voice in the genre, one you're likely to never forget."
--Simon Strantzas, author of "Nightingale Songs"

My short fiction has appeared in various publications online and in print, including: "Love: The Breath of Eagleray", at Underland Press (publisher of Jeff VanderMeer's "Finch", John Shirley's "In Extremis", and Kealan Patrick Burke's "The Living"); my short, "The Dark That Keeps Her", published in Twisted Legends, an anthology from Pill Hill Press (honorably mentioned in Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 2); and most recently, my short, "The Fishing of Dahlia", published in the Bram Stoker-nominated and Black Quill Award-winning Horror Library, Vol. 4. "The Fishing of Dahlia" also received an honorable mention in Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 3.(less)

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