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Dog Days - Deadly Passage
JournalStone’s DoubleDown series hits book number 3.
Dog Days: It's the summer of 1983 and the suburbs of Houston are reeling from a disastrous hurricane. But the storm brought more than wind and floodwaters. In the swamps that surround Clear Lake a brutal and possibly supernatural killer is gathering strength, and waiting for the full moon. The focus of his bloodlust is fifteen year old Mark Eckert. Reckless to a fault, with a knack for making spectacularly bad decisions, Mark had planned to spend that last summer before high school wandering the swamps with his friends and his beloved dog Max. But after a chance encounter with the lunatic, Mark's summer becomes a time of terror and tragedy. With his life on the line, Mark's courage will be tested to his limits and beyond as he struggles to survive the hottest days of summer: the dog days.
Deadly Passage: Just after the American Revolution, the slave ship Lombard sets off from Africa, beginning its brutal passage to the New World. But even this ship’s hardened crew of thugs and drunkards is unprepared for the horrors ahead. When the Lombard’s human cargo dies one by one, free black crewman George Bell suspects a stealthy and devious stowaway — not disease — is the cause. As the death toll mounts and the slaves threaten mutiny, he must choose between his humanity and duty to a callous captain. But Bell doesn’t have much time to make his voyage of self-discovery. The deadly beast burrowing through the rotten guts of the Lombard grows more powerful with each life it takes.
Dog Days: It's the summer of 1983 and the suburbs of Houston are reeling from a disastrous hurricane. But the storm brought more than wind and floodwaters. In the swamps that surround Clear Lake a brutal and possibly supernatural killer is gathering strength, and waiting for the full moon. The focus of his bloodlust is fifteen year old Mark Eckert. Reckless to a fault, with a knack for making spectacularly bad decisions, Mark had planned to spend that last summer before high school wandering the swamps with his friends and his beloved dog Max. But after a chance encounter with the lunatic, Mark's summer becomes a time of terror and tragedy. With his life on the line, Mark's courage will be tested to his limits and beyond as he struggles to survive the hottest days of summer: the dog days.
Deadly Passage: Just after the American Revolution, the slave ship Lombard sets off from Africa, beginning its brutal passage to the New World. But even this ship’s hardened crew of thugs and drunkards is unprepared for the horrors ahead. When the Lombard’s human cargo dies one by one, free black crewman George Bell suspects a stealthy and devious stowaway — not disease — is the cause. As the death toll mounts and the slaves threaten mutiny, he must choose between his humanity and duty to a callous captain. But Bell doesn’t have much time to make his voyage of self-discovery. The deadly beast burrowing through the rotten guts of the Lombard grows more powerful with each life it takes.
- GenresHorror
220 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2013
2 people are currently reading
808 people want to read
About the author
Joe McKinney
112 books666 followersJoe McKinney has been a patrol officer for the San Antonio Police Department, a homicide detective, a disaster mitigation specialist, a patrol commander, and a successful novelist. His books include the four part Dead World series, Quarantined and Dodging Bullets. His short fiction has been collected in The Red Empire and Other Stories and Dating in Dead World and Other Stories. For more information go to http://joemckinney.wordpress.com.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 15, 2013
Dog Days and Deadly Passage
Dog Days by Joe McKinney, as the title suggests, is about a long hot summer as experienced by a fourteen year old boy. Mark, the narrator of the story, is looking forward to his summer break from school and hanging out with his friends. However, his summer is turned into chaos when a series of violent murders occur in his town. Mark’s mother seems to spend a lot of the story in tears questioning her marriage. Also, fourteen year old boys tend not be quite as sensitive to others ‘feelings as Mark is. However, he is a likeable, and mostly believable, main character. The story is exciting and keeps you turning pages until you have discovered what happens next.
Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen is set on a slave ship. The main character is Bell, a freed slave. He is working as a carpenter on board ship to earn money to buy land. The story explores Bell’s feelings about how the slaves are treated when he had been one himself. These feelings are brought into question when it is discovered that a mythical African monster/creature has crept onboard and is causing chaos among both the slaves and the crew. There was a moralistic tone to this story. Possibly pride goes before a fall. Anyway, I wasn’t too keen on the ravenous beast but the story was also an exciting one.
Both stories are worth reading.
Dog Days by Joe McKinney, as the title suggests, is about a long hot summer as experienced by a fourteen year old boy. Mark, the narrator of the story, is looking forward to his summer break from school and hanging out with his friends. However, his summer is turned into chaos when a series of violent murders occur in his town. Mark’s mother seems to spend a lot of the story in tears questioning her marriage. Also, fourteen year old boys tend not be quite as sensitive to others ‘feelings as Mark is. However, he is a likeable, and mostly believable, main character. The story is exciting and keeps you turning pages until you have discovered what happens next.
Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen is set on a slave ship. The main character is Bell, a freed slave. He is working as a carpenter on board ship to earn money to buy land. The story explores Bell’s feelings about how the slaves are treated when he had been one himself. These feelings are brought into question when it is discovered that a mythical African monster/creature has crept onboard and is causing chaos among both the slaves and the crew. There was a moralistic tone to this story. Possibly pride goes before a fall. Anyway, I wasn’t too keen on the ravenous beast but the story was also an exciting one.
Both stories are worth reading.
November 10, 2013
Dog Days/Deadly Passage as the name implies is a combination of two short books in one easily read volume. The first is by far the superior and is a great coming of age novella by Joe McKinney.Mark Eckert becomes involved in a brutal murder hunt with a killer who is growing in strenth and seems to be affected by the full moon.....I do wish Dog Days had been a longer read, it was sharp and witty with some great touches of teenage angst and brutal horror. In "Deadly Passage", the slave ship Lombard sets off from Africa, beginning its brutal passage to the New World. Unknown to the crew an evil presence is also aboard the ship and intent on the total destruction of all. The two stories combined are a fast read and one I did enjoy, I did consider awarding 3 stars but the Joe McKinney element gives an instant promotion to 4!!
January 9, 2014
Its Joe McKinney without zombies but my goodness its a fantastic story. JM has a style of writing that just surpasses most other authors I've read. He writes stories that simply absorbs me into the world he has created and I feel part of it. I don't believe he is capable of writing a work that's less than brilliant. Yes I'm a big JM fan 8)
Normally id have put the book down as Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen is neither ZA or Joe McKinney, but i thought what the hell. Some decisions, looked back on, are very, very good decisions. It was brilliant. In fact so good i wrote the author to tell him so. Its also very brutal in its theme and graphic in its descriptions. More please guys.
Normally id have put the book down as Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen is neither ZA or Joe McKinney, but i thought what the hell. Some decisions, looked back on, are very, very good decisions. It was brilliant. In fact so good i wrote the author to tell him so. Its also very brutal in its theme and graphic in its descriptions. More please guys.
October 2, 2014
Dog Days by Joe McKinney is the first of this two-part offering from JournalStone.
The day after Hurricane Alexis pounds the Texas Gulf Coast, 14-year old Mark and his family find their neighborhood flooded and damaged by debris. Mutilated bodies are discovered on a shrimp boat washed inland by the storm surge. Mark’s father, a police sergeant, is one of the first on the scene. A day later, the killer has struck again.
As the police investigate the gruesome murders, Mark and his friends embark on their own journey to find the killer. Is it a supernatural killer, driven by some bestial instinct to kill during the full moon? Or is it something no less frightening?
The first few paragraphs of Dog Days had me hooked. Anyone who has ever huddled in their house during a catastrophic storm, hoping the roof stays put, knows the feeling. When the storm is over, the world has changed. Everyone is stressed here - families ravaged by the loss of loved ones, marriages under strain, a community trying to deal with brutal attacks from both the weather and something darker.
I was happy to see a 14-year-old character making some spectacularly 14-year-old decisions. The tone of the character’s narration seems like an adult looking back on a past event. In a few spots the tone gets a little too adult and veers into finger-wagging. I particularly enjoyed that the big question as to the nature of the killer was never definitively answered. The author lets us draw our own conclusion. It’s a good read
Deadly Passage, by Sanford Allen, is, the second half of the book. This story deals with multiple horrors on several levels. The first horror we confront is a mysterious creature with a hunger for human blood. The second is the spectre of slavery and the third is the greed and cruelty of the men who trade in human lives.
George Bell, a legally free black man from Barbados has taken a job on a slaving ship moving “cargo” between Africa and the Americas. He hopes the coin he earns will allow him to tempt his lover to run from her plantation. He believes that if he has land and a profession, she will come to him. After the slave ship takes on its human cargo, mysterious deaths among the slaves perplex the crew and terrify the survivors.
As the creature begins to hunt its prey, the evil within the hearts of the captain and crew become as vicious as the African demon that plagues the ship. As Bell discovers, the white crew clings to hollow words and vicious brutality rather than listen to a negro, even a free man who had earned his worth as a member of the crew. They must stand together or die.
This was a hard story to read, but it was my favorite of the two. Bell’s transformation was a little too predictable, but given the subject, I wouldn’t have expected anything else. The author doesn’t shy away from the disgusting state of a slave ship or it’s inhabitants. The story may be a bit gory for some and a few scenes may have you dabbing a bit of perfume on your hanky to drive away the reek of the the cargo hold that you’re certain you can smell.
Both stories are a fast read and kept my interest over a weekend and a couple of lunch breaks at work. I’d recommend the e-reader version; it was entertaining but I wouldn’t want to take up shelf space with it later.
The day after Hurricane Alexis pounds the Texas Gulf Coast, 14-year old Mark and his family find their neighborhood flooded and damaged by debris. Mutilated bodies are discovered on a shrimp boat washed inland by the storm surge. Mark’s father, a police sergeant, is one of the first on the scene. A day later, the killer has struck again.
As the police investigate the gruesome murders, Mark and his friends embark on their own journey to find the killer. Is it a supernatural killer, driven by some bestial instinct to kill during the full moon? Or is it something no less frightening?
The first few paragraphs of Dog Days had me hooked. Anyone who has ever huddled in their house during a catastrophic storm, hoping the roof stays put, knows the feeling. When the storm is over, the world has changed. Everyone is stressed here - families ravaged by the loss of loved ones, marriages under strain, a community trying to deal with brutal attacks from both the weather and something darker.
I was happy to see a 14-year-old character making some spectacularly 14-year-old decisions. The tone of the character’s narration seems like an adult looking back on a past event. In a few spots the tone gets a little too adult and veers into finger-wagging. I particularly enjoyed that the big question as to the nature of the killer was never definitively answered. The author lets us draw our own conclusion. It’s a good read
Deadly Passage, by Sanford Allen, is, the second half of the book. This story deals with multiple horrors on several levels. The first horror we confront is a mysterious creature with a hunger for human blood. The second is the spectre of slavery and the third is the greed and cruelty of the men who trade in human lives.
George Bell, a legally free black man from Barbados has taken a job on a slaving ship moving “cargo” between Africa and the Americas. He hopes the coin he earns will allow him to tempt his lover to run from her plantation. He believes that if he has land and a profession, she will come to him. After the slave ship takes on its human cargo, mysterious deaths among the slaves perplex the crew and terrify the survivors.
As the creature begins to hunt its prey, the evil within the hearts of the captain and crew become as vicious as the African demon that plagues the ship. As Bell discovers, the white crew clings to hollow words and vicious brutality rather than listen to a negro, even a free man who had earned his worth as a member of the crew. They must stand together or die.
This was a hard story to read, but it was my favorite of the two. Bell’s transformation was a little too predictable, but given the subject, I wouldn’t have expected anything else. The author doesn’t shy away from the disgusting state of a slave ship or it’s inhabitants. The story may be a bit gory for some and a few scenes may have you dabbing a bit of perfume on your hanky to drive away the reek of the the cargo hold that you’re certain you can smell.
Both stories are a fast read and kept my interest over a weekend and a couple of lunch breaks at work. I’d recommend the e-reader version; it was entertaining but I wouldn’t want to take up shelf space with it later.
December 6, 2013
4.5 of 5 Stars Review copy
I'm a big fan of JournalStone's DoubleDown series which is modeled after the old Ace doubles. You read one story, flip the book over and read another. Plus, there's the idea of pairing an established author with a relative newcomer. And although the stories are not of a shared world or even shared themes, they generally have something in common.
This time it's monsters. I chose to start with Joe McKinney's Dog Days which begins with a quote from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles. One of my favorite stories as a kid.
It's 1983 and the Gulf Coast is in the wake of Hurricane Alexis and a shrimp boat has wound up in an old Pecan tree at the end of the road. There are people aboard, dead people, eaten dead people.
Mark's dad, Wes, is a police officer with the Houston K-9 division, his dad's canine partner, Max, lives with the family which also includes his mom, who is a pediatrician.
The best way to describe this story and McKinney's writing style is that it's real. Real people in believable situations and from there the tension just builds.
I also enjoyed how the author made his ten-year old hero a reader. Great line, "But as I read about Tarzan's battles with Kerchak, a real battle, and one far more savage, was raging down the street. The real horror of that summer was just beginning."
Great story with some definite "Oh, Wow!" moments.
The other story is the debut novel from Sanford Allen, Deadly Passage, which starts with a strong opening line, "The beast climbed down its gnarled tree by cover of night." I'm hooked.
Most of the action takes place on a slave ship, the Lombard, where something is causing the deaths of "cargo" and crew alike. "The next morning, the crew discovered four more bodies, this time three women and the only child in the hold. Like the others, their flesh had gone pale gray, and once again, Hicks was at a loss to fully explain their demise."
Deadly Passage is disturbing on multiple levels, not only what's causing the deaths, but the circumstance of the slave trade and the treatment of the "cargo." The truth can be painful.
Allen creates some strong prose in this story. "Then the mate shrieked incoherently. His cries continued amid a sickening tearing noise like a butcher separating the parts from a chicken with his hands."
The third entry in JournalStone's DoubleDown series is not perfect, but it's awfully close. Dog Days & Deadly Passage is available as a signed Limited edition, Trade Paperback and ebook from JournalStone.com and Amazon.com.
I can strongly recommend this one.
I'm a big fan of JournalStone's DoubleDown series which is modeled after the old Ace doubles. You read one story, flip the book over and read another. Plus, there's the idea of pairing an established author with a relative newcomer. And although the stories are not of a shared world or even shared themes, they generally have something in common.
This time it's monsters. I chose to start with Joe McKinney's Dog Days which begins with a quote from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles. One of my favorite stories as a kid.
It's 1983 and the Gulf Coast is in the wake of Hurricane Alexis and a shrimp boat has wound up in an old Pecan tree at the end of the road. There are people aboard, dead people, eaten dead people.
Mark's dad, Wes, is a police officer with the Houston K-9 division, his dad's canine partner, Max, lives with the family which also includes his mom, who is a pediatrician.
The best way to describe this story and McKinney's writing style is that it's real. Real people in believable situations and from there the tension just builds.
I also enjoyed how the author made his ten-year old hero a reader. Great line, "But as I read about Tarzan's battles with Kerchak, a real battle, and one far more savage, was raging down the street. The real horror of that summer was just beginning."
Great story with some definite "Oh, Wow!" moments.
The other story is the debut novel from Sanford Allen, Deadly Passage, which starts with a strong opening line, "The beast climbed down its gnarled tree by cover of night." I'm hooked.
Most of the action takes place on a slave ship, the Lombard, where something is causing the deaths of "cargo" and crew alike. "The next morning, the crew discovered four more bodies, this time three women and the only child in the hold. Like the others, their flesh had gone pale gray, and once again, Hicks was at a loss to fully explain their demise."
Deadly Passage is disturbing on multiple levels, not only what's causing the deaths, but the circumstance of the slave trade and the treatment of the "cargo." The truth can be painful.
Allen creates some strong prose in this story. "Then the mate shrieked incoherently. His cries continued amid a sickening tearing noise like a butcher separating the parts from a chicken with his hands."
The third entry in JournalStone's DoubleDown series is not perfect, but it's awfully close. Dog Days & Deadly Passage is available as a signed Limited edition, Trade Paperback and ebook from JournalStone.com and Amazon.com.
I can strongly recommend this one.
November 21, 2013
Dog Days
fter riding out a brutal storm by seeking shelter in a closet a cop takes his son Mark out to view the damage. A neighbour makes a grizzle discovery and appeals to Wes, a detective in the Houston police department, for help. Knowing that it is likely not to be a pleasant experience Mark is told to stay at home. But being a kid of course he doesn't listen and joins a friend in a canoe to follow them. The storm has tossed a shrimp boat into a tree and when Wes checks it out he finds that the crew has been partially consumed. This sets the stage for a summer of terror as their is some types of beast running wild eating human beings.
This was an exciting book. The events were so well defined that I felt like I was watching a horror movie unfold. Things happened quickly and I found I couldn't turn pages fast enough. I had to finish the book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down.
All is not well on the home front. Mark's parents are fighting, Mark has lost his father trust and the monster has consumed his best friend's sister. This is the summer Mark turns from being a naive child into being a man.
This book offers something for everyone. The younger crowd will like the excitement, the mystery buffs will like the intrigue and the romantics will want to know if Mark's parents remain together and save their marriage..
I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to a friend.
Deadly Passage
This book is part of Journal Stones Double Down Series and is paired with Dog Days.
This story takes place on a ship that is bringing slaves to America. A black man who has purchased freedom is a member of the crew. His payment for working on the ship is his own slave.
George Bell is dispised by everyont on the ship. To the captives he is viewed as a traitor and by the crew he is deemed less than human because of the color of his skin.
While at sea the crew begin to find bodies, intact but drained of their blood. There is a monster aboard the ship and no one is safe.
This book is interesting and exciting. The scenes are vivid and the emotion is real. The language is sometimes raw and some may find the use of the N word offensive. But to stay true to the plot and the era of the story that word is acurate.
The book has a wonderful and suprising ending. In my opinion this was a good book and one that would spark discussion should it be chosen by a book club.
I received this book for free in exchange for this honest review.
fter riding out a brutal storm by seeking shelter in a closet a cop takes his son Mark out to view the damage. A neighbour makes a grizzle discovery and appeals to Wes, a detective in the Houston police department, for help. Knowing that it is likely not to be a pleasant experience Mark is told to stay at home. But being a kid of course he doesn't listen and joins a friend in a canoe to follow them. The storm has tossed a shrimp boat into a tree and when Wes checks it out he finds that the crew has been partially consumed. This sets the stage for a summer of terror as their is some types of beast running wild eating human beings.
This was an exciting book. The events were so well defined that I felt like I was watching a horror movie unfold. Things happened quickly and I found I couldn't turn pages fast enough. I had to finish the book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down.
All is not well on the home front. Mark's parents are fighting, Mark has lost his father trust and the monster has consumed his best friend's sister. This is the summer Mark turns from being a naive child into being a man.
This book offers something for everyone. The younger crowd will like the excitement, the mystery buffs will like the intrigue and the romantics will want to know if Mark's parents remain together and save their marriage..
I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to a friend.
Deadly Passage
This book is part of Journal Stones Double Down Series and is paired with Dog Days.
This story takes place on a ship that is bringing slaves to America. A black man who has purchased freedom is a member of the crew. His payment for working on the ship is his own slave.
George Bell is dispised by everyont on the ship. To the captives he is viewed as a traitor and by the crew he is deemed less than human because of the color of his skin.
While at sea the crew begin to find bodies, intact but drained of their blood. There is a monster aboard the ship and no one is safe.
This book is interesting and exciting. The scenes are vivid and the emotion is real. The language is sometimes raw and some may find the use of the N word offensive. But to stay true to the plot and the era of the story that word is acurate.
The book has a wonderful and suprising ending. In my opinion this was a good book and one that would spark discussion should it be chosen by a book club.
I received this book for free in exchange for this honest review.
February 1, 2014
Joe McKinney’s story DOG DAYS from the JournalStone’s DoubleDown Series Book III is a very unique story in that it takes the werewolf genre and brings it out with an entirely different mythology. Of course, as much of Joe’s work, it is set in Texas, which if you know me; you know I believe Texas is the greatest State in the Union. Next, Joe’s experience as a police officer also plays a big part of the story. I wish Joe would write a book about his experiences as a patrol officer for the San Antonio Police Department, a homicide detective and a disaster mitigation specialist among his other duties in law enforcement. However, I digress. This story is about the occurrences that follow Hurricane Alexis in Brook Forest Texas, between Galveston and Houston. It follows the lives of Mark Eckert and his father, Houston Police Sergeant Wes Eckert and his mother Meredith, a pediatrician. They also have a dog named Max who also works with the police department. Mark and his friends, who are known for making the best of adolescent immaturity and utilizing immensely bad judgment, become engrossed in some horrific murders of people in the neighborhood by something that is tearing people to death.
Joe is an incredible author in that he introduces you into the life of his characters and makes you care about what happens to them, through their accomplishments and defeats. He also has a way of slowly increasing the tension until like those shock scenes in the movies you tend to jump in your seat. Each word he chooses is the best word for the situation. There is no wasted time in his stories and DOG DAYS is no exception. He takes this specific genre and makes it his own. This isn’t the old Wolfman stories with Lon Chaney Jr., or the Hammer Studio and Universal tales. Joe uses the lycanthropic story of the beast from history and then surrounds it with modern day locales. Instead of the British Moors, Joe places locale in the swamps around the coastal part of Texas. The creature himself is not the anthropomorphic monster we are used to but more like an outcast of society.
This is one of the great things about reading Joe McKinney’s works. He takes the mundane and familiar and makes it extraordinary and exotic. DOG DAYS is no exception. This is a novella at 127 pages but then you get to add a story from Sanford Allen, a master craftsman in his own rights and you have a book that will make your nights sweaty and uneasy. Just the reason I read horror!
Joe is an incredible author in that he introduces you into the life of his characters and makes you care about what happens to them, through their accomplishments and defeats. He also has a way of slowly increasing the tension until like those shock scenes in the movies you tend to jump in your seat. Each word he chooses is the best word for the situation. There is no wasted time in his stories and DOG DAYS is no exception. He takes this specific genre and makes it his own. This isn’t the old Wolfman stories with Lon Chaney Jr., or the Hammer Studio and Universal tales. Joe uses the lycanthropic story of the beast from history and then surrounds it with modern day locales. Instead of the British Moors, Joe places locale in the swamps around the coastal part of Texas. The creature himself is not the anthropomorphic monster we are used to but more like an outcast of society.
This is one of the great things about reading Joe McKinney’s works. He takes the mundane and familiar and makes it extraordinary and exotic. DOG DAYS is no exception. This is a novella at 127 pages but then you get to add a story from Sanford Allen, a master craftsman in his own rights and you have a book that will make your nights sweaty and uneasy. Just the reason I read horror!
September 20, 2013
JournalStone’s DoubleDown series hits book number 3.
Dog Days: It's the summer of 1983 and the suburbs of Houston are reeling from a disastrous hurricane. But the storm brought more than wind and floodwaters. In the swamps that surround Clear Lake a brutal and possibly supernatural killer is gathering strength, and waiting for the full moon. The focus of his bloodlust is fifteen year old Mark Eckert. Reckless to a fault, with a knack for making spectacularly bad decisions, Mark had planned to spend that last summer before high school wandering the swamps with his friends and his beloved dog Max. But after a chance encounter with the lunatic, Mark's summer becomes a time of terror and tragedy. With his life on the line, Mark's courage will be tested to his limits and beyond as he struggles to survive the hottest days of summer: the dog days.
Deadly Passage: Just after the American Revolution, the slave ship Lombard sets off from Africa, beginning its brutal passage to the New World. But even this ship’s hardened crew of thugs and drunkards is unprepared for the horrors ahead. When the Lombard’s human cargo dies one by one, free black crewman George Bell suspects a stealthy and devious stowaway — not disease — is the cause. As the death toll mounts and the slaves threaten mutiny, he must choose between his humanity and duty to a callous captain. But Bell doesn’t have much time to make his voyage of self-discovery. The deadly beast burrowing through the rotten guts of the Lombard grows more powerful with each life it takes.
Dog Days: It's the summer of 1983 and the suburbs of Houston are reeling from a disastrous hurricane. But the storm brought more than wind and floodwaters. In the swamps that surround Clear Lake a brutal and possibly supernatural killer is gathering strength, and waiting for the full moon. The focus of his bloodlust is fifteen year old Mark Eckert. Reckless to a fault, with a knack for making spectacularly bad decisions, Mark had planned to spend that last summer before high school wandering the swamps with his friends and his beloved dog Max. But after a chance encounter with the lunatic, Mark's summer becomes a time of terror and tragedy. With his life on the line, Mark's courage will be tested to his limits and beyond as he struggles to survive the hottest days of summer: the dog days.
Deadly Passage: Just after the American Revolution, the slave ship Lombard sets off from Africa, beginning its brutal passage to the New World. But even this ship’s hardened crew of thugs and drunkards is unprepared for the horrors ahead. When the Lombard’s human cargo dies one by one, free black crewman George Bell suspects a stealthy and devious stowaway — not disease — is the cause. As the death toll mounts and the slaves threaten mutiny, he must choose between his humanity and duty to a callous captain. But Bell doesn’t have much time to make his voyage of self-discovery. The deadly beast burrowing through the rotten guts of the Lombard grows more powerful with each life it takes.
December 6, 2013
There are two books here: the first one is Dog Days by Joe McKinney and the second one is Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen.
Dog Days by Joe McKinney reminded me a lot about the mystery novels that I used to read when I was a teenager. The horror was good enough to keep me really interested in the plot and the human monster(s) seemed quite real to me. The main character, Mark, faces more than one kind of monster and he succeeded in overcoming his fears. I will definitively recommend this book.
Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen hit me really hard on my core. My great-great grandmother was a slave in Jamaica and my great-grandmother was set free when the island abolished slavery. The mere thought of what the slaves went through during those dark years and the vivid description of the miserable way they were transported and treated were sometimes unbearable. The dark and mysterious company that is aboard and that hunts both slaves and crew just added more horror and just enough nasty details. If you can stand the crude parts, go for this book.
Dog Days by Joe McKinney reminded me a lot about the mystery novels that I used to read when I was a teenager. The horror was good enough to keep me really interested in the plot and the human monster(s) seemed quite real to me. The main character, Mark, faces more than one kind of monster and he succeeded in overcoming his fears. I will definitively recommend this book.
Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen hit me really hard on my core. My great-great grandmother was a slave in Jamaica and my great-grandmother was set free when the island abolished slavery. The mere thought of what the slaves went through during those dark years and the vivid description of the miserable way they were transported and treated were sometimes unbearable. The dark and mysterious company that is aboard and that hunts both slaves and crew just added more horror and just enough nasty details. If you can stand the crude parts, go for this book.
December 25, 2013
Dog Days is a novella with a slightly different take on a classic horror story. I really enjoyed the setting and the characters, and the author paints a very vivid picture. I really loved how the characters were intelligent and thoughtful, and I especially loved Mark’s mother. There were only two points that I had very mild issues with. The chronology was a little off in the beginning, and the flashbacks that showed me about Mark, his family and his bullies, gave me the feeling I feel halfway into a story, and I found it hard to get close to the characters. Luckily that stopped quite early in the story. The other was that I will never know if it was Heather that Mark saw and what she wanted to say. I hoped there would be more about that.
But this is a great story. It’s different than other works of this genre, more ‘down to earth’ somehow. The gory parts are very gory, and I really liked the antagonist. I wish I would have gotten to know more about him, but at the same time, this makes him a bit of a mystery too.
But this is a great story. It’s different than other works of this genre, more ‘down to earth’ somehow. The gory parts are very gory, and I really liked the antagonist. I wish I would have gotten to know more about him, but at the same time, this makes him a bit of a mystery too.
November 2, 2013
Dog Days – Deadly Passage provided two gripping well written stories that I found it difficult to put down.
Dog Days began in the aftermath of a Texas hurricane, moved on to murder, dealt with bullying, marital stress, loss, anger, fear, friendship, parents, pets and so much more. In many ways it was a coming of age book and one that I would highly recommend for its subtlety and well written content.
Deadly Passage takes place on a slave boat making its return journey from the Gold Coast back to the USA. The unsuspecting crew and slaves have a horrifying creature to deal with that leaves death and destruction in its wake. This book keeps you on the edge of your chair until the last page.
The two books are well written and thought provoking. I enjoyed reading both and would recommend them to anyone that appreciates good story writing.
Dog Days began in the aftermath of a Texas hurricane, moved on to murder, dealt with bullying, marital stress, loss, anger, fear, friendship, parents, pets and so much more. In many ways it was a coming of age book and one that I would highly recommend for its subtlety and well written content.
Deadly Passage takes place on a slave boat making its return journey from the Gold Coast back to the USA. The unsuspecting crew and slaves have a horrifying creature to deal with that leaves death and destruction in its wake. This book keeps you on the edge of your chair until the last page.
The two books are well written and thought provoking. I enjoyed reading both and would recommend them to anyone that appreciates good story writing.
October 10, 2014
I haven't read the second book in this volume, just finished Joe McKinney's Dog Days. It's a YA book that adults can enjoy as well, particularly if you liked King's Silver Bullet or werewolf stories that are gritty and scary. The horror elements are there--plenty of suspense and some disturbing images--but what ties it all together are the relationships of the protagonist with his parents and friends.
I especially liked the fact that for a YA novel, the teens weren't sappy pollyannas more appropriate for a long gone era, but rang true as modern kids with realistic character flaws and weaknesses. The same is true of the adults in the book.
I especially liked the fact that for a YA novel, the teens weren't sappy pollyannas more appropriate for a long gone era, but rang true as modern kids with realistic character flaws and weaknesses. The same is true of the adults in the book.
January 11, 2014
This is the second Journstone Doubledown book I have read, and I enjoyed it almost as much as I did the first. It is great to have 2 distinct stories to read by 2 different authors. I especially liked the Dog Days by Joe McKinney involving some youth who get entangled with a brutal killer fallowing a hurricane. Deadly Paassage by Sanford Allen involves slaves, a deadly beast in the bowels of the ship and a free black crewman who must decide between caring for people and the dream he has of owning property.
October 31, 2013
There are two stories in this book. First, the story is about a hairy-man killer. The story centered in the boy named Mark whom terrorized with issue and then encounter with a hairy-man killer. As expected from Bram Stoker Award's achiever, this story is flowing well. For me it's not make me too chill, but I like the story. The second story is about slave killer. It didn't make me chill, but I like the mystery behind this case.
May 18, 2014
This is one I read for an upcoming project (more on that later, hopefully!), but have to say it is probably one of my favorites of 2014 so far. Spectacular book, with believable situations, and characters with depth and humanity beyond what I would have expected in a "horror book". I won't say anything about the story, and leave that discovery to potential readers. Suffice to say I heartily recommend the book!
November 10, 2013
Both very well written stories. Enjoyed them both very much :)
November 3, 2013
Two very good stories!
June 11, 2014
Dog Days
Author: Joe McKinney
Publisher: Journalstone Publishing
Published In: San Francisco, CA, USA
Date: 2013
Pgs: 222
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
Summertime in Houston, TX. The aftermath of Hurricane Alexis. Something is on a killing spree, something from deep in the swamp, something hungry. Growing up, growing old, Mark is in the summer between middle and high school. The lunatic in the swamp has set his sights on Mark. Texas in the summertime is a great time, if you can survive it. Welcome to the dog days of summer.
Genre:
Adventure
Fiction
Horror
Thrillers
Why this book:
Got it through a LibraryThing giveaway. Love a good book. Love a good free book.
This Story is About:
courage, doing the right thing, family, overcoming fear
Favorite Character:
The boy, the voice, the narrator, Mark.
Least Favorite Character:
Jeff is a troublemaker and an instigator. And if you don’t do what he thinks is the right thing to do, he’ll harass you until you either escape him or give up and go along. I have, literally, known this guy all my life.
Character I Most Identified With:
The Feel:
The story feels like a trap, lots of tension, waiting to spring.
And I keep twigging on a Stand By Me vibe.
Favorite Scene:
The moment when his dad’s concern overcomes his being pissed off at his son as he is handing him the police radio and he sees what is inside that shrimp boat.
The standing up to your bullies scene is awesome.
Pacing:
The flow of this one is pretty damned good.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
I have an increasing issue as the story unfolds with how the parents are acting. Even though they know that the cannibal serial killer has attacked their son and has been stalking him, they both go off to work and leave him alone. C’mon. Imagine it’s your kid and this was happening. There is a cognitive disconnect there that is damaging my suspension of disbelief. The story is still awesome, but that issue is nagging at me.
Maybe his parents are the parents from Home Alone...and Home Alone 2...etc...etc...etc.
Hmm Moments:
And Mark gets in trouble with Jeff ...and is still in trouble and his Dad tells him to do something, and Jeff comes by, and he goes with him. And, they run into his Dad in the middle of a crisis. And he does something that sorta redeems him, a bit. And his father tells him to go home and check on his Mom and stay there with her. And Jeff, again, lures him offsides.
Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and hot Texas summers...is this author channeling my childhood.
His parents just don’t seem concerned enough. The killer has been very active in the neighborhood. And he attacked the boy. But they are leaving him at the house just outside the swamp while Dad goes to work and takes the dog with him. C’mon...we all see that train coming. Only it...he is circling close.
The 13/14 year old boy is acting about like I would expect. Not sure if he’s a kid or a man and wanting to be both. More balls than brains and such. His character is very well done.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Might be too similar to Stand By Me to get much traction with the Hollywood types.
Casting call:
That said, I do sorta see a young Wil Wheaton when I think of this. Young Lucas Black would have been great in the role.
Though, now both of them would be old enough to play the father...or the killer.
Last Page Sound:
Did not expect the denouement to go that way.
Author Assessment:
I like the way this story flows along. I could definitely read more by this author.
Editorial Assessment:
Could have had someone ask the “would his parents really do that?” a few times throughout the second act.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
really good book
Disposition of Book:
e-Book
Would recommend to:
friends, family, kids, genre fans
Author: Joe McKinney
Publisher: Journalstone Publishing
Published In: San Francisco, CA, USA
Date: 2013
Pgs: 222
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
Summertime in Houston, TX. The aftermath of Hurricane Alexis. Something is on a killing spree, something from deep in the swamp, something hungry. Growing up, growing old, Mark is in the summer between middle and high school. The lunatic in the swamp has set his sights on Mark. Texas in the summertime is a great time, if you can survive it. Welcome to the dog days of summer.
Genre:
Adventure
Fiction
Horror
Thrillers
Why this book:
Got it through a LibraryThing giveaway. Love a good book. Love a good free book.
This Story is About:
courage, doing the right thing, family, overcoming fear
Favorite Character:
The boy, the voice, the narrator, Mark.
Least Favorite Character:
Jeff is a troublemaker and an instigator. And if you don’t do what he thinks is the right thing to do, he’ll harass you until you either escape him or give up and go along. I have, literally, known this guy all my life.
Character I Most Identified With:
The Feel:
The story feels like a trap, lots of tension, waiting to spring.
And I keep twigging on a Stand By Me vibe.
Favorite Scene:
The moment when his dad’s concern overcomes his being pissed off at his son as he is handing him the police radio and he sees what is inside that shrimp boat.
The standing up to your bullies scene is awesome.
Pacing:
The flow of this one is pretty damned good.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
I have an increasing issue as the story unfolds with how the parents are acting. Even though they know that the cannibal serial killer has attacked their son and has been stalking him, they both go off to work and leave him alone. C’mon. Imagine it’s your kid and this was happening. There is a cognitive disconnect there that is damaging my suspension of disbelief. The story is still awesome, but that issue is nagging at me.
Maybe his parents are the parents from Home Alone...and Home Alone 2...etc...etc...etc.
Hmm Moments:
And Mark gets in trouble with Jeff ...and is still in trouble and his Dad tells him to do something, and Jeff comes by, and he goes with him. And, they run into his Dad in the middle of a crisis. And he does something that sorta redeems him, a bit. And his father tells him to go home and check on his Mom and stay there with her. And Jeff, again, lures him offsides.
Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and hot Texas summers...is this author channeling my childhood.
His parents just don’t seem concerned enough. The killer has been very active in the neighborhood. And he attacked the boy. But they are leaving him at the house just outside the swamp while Dad goes to work and takes the dog with him. C’mon...we all see that train coming. Only it...he is circling close.
The 13/14 year old boy is acting about like I would expect. Not sure if he’s a kid or a man and wanting to be both. More balls than brains and such. His character is very well done.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Might be too similar to Stand By Me to get much traction with the Hollywood types.
Casting call:
That said, I do sorta see a young Wil Wheaton when I think of this. Young Lucas Black would have been great in the role.
Though, now both of them would be old enough to play the father...or the killer.
Last Page Sound:
Did not expect the denouement to go that way.
Author Assessment:
I like the way this story flows along. I could definitely read more by this author.
Editorial Assessment:
Could have had someone ask the “would his parents really do that?” a few times throughout the second act.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
really good book
Disposition of Book:
e-Book
Would recommend to:
friends, family, kids, genre fans
January 10, 2014
I don't like horror stories and I don't like "supernatural" nonsense. That said, I actually enjoyed these two short stories which are basically from the horror genre and are bordering on "supernatural".
If only "Dog Days" was to be reviewed, I'd rate it with four stars because it's clearly the much better story. The set up is (mostly) believable and its characters likeable and, at least when it comes to the primary protagonists, well-written. You can relate to the young hero and - in part - to his friends and enemies. The rest of the characters are not too far off to accept them. All in all, the story is intrinsically sound and enjoyable. Of course, there are a few issues, e. g. with the timeline - it's end of June and on the 19th of July something is expected to happen and the hero thinks that's in "less than two weeks". Not *quite* right but nothing that really spoils the experience.
There's a ghost that pops up twice for no good reason at all and should just have been cut out of the book - we never really get to know why it comes, what intentions it has or what happens to it - it's just passingly mentioned and immediately forgotten.
There are few typos and other errors as well but nothing greatly aggrieving. So, all in all, a nice short story, worthy of reading even for those who don't like the genre.
Unfortunately, "Deadly Passage" didn't quite live up to my expectations after "Dog Days". If it was only this story to be rated, I'd give it a merciful two-star-rating.
The basic idea - a couple of people hunted down by something on a ship - appealed to me but, alas, the story took some time to get going, the "hunter" (or "beast" as it's called from the very beginning) is portrayed to be more human than animalistic which simply not necessary for the story and instead of taking down one victim by another, the whole thing descends into slaughter rather quickly.
There were quite a few gory scenes which didn't really help in any way either - subtle horror is so much better than describing intestines falling out of a body. This is exactly the kind of story I'm not eager to read more of.
Even though both stories have their weaknesses, both were hard to put down - I really wanted to know how the stories progress. That's a good sign and one of the reasons I'm rating the book with good three stars.
July 14, 2014
“Dog Days” by Joe McKinney, and “Deadly Passage” by Sanford Allen are available as a Double-Down book from JournalStone Publishing, which means you get both books in one volume, for one price. Both of these are very, very good stories, featuring never-before-seen boogeymen. “Dog Days” was awarded the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a YA Novel, an award it richly deserves. McKinney is an accomplished author with many previous publications to his name. If the rest of his works are half as fascinating as “Dog Days”, they are well worth reading, too. “Dog Days” features 14-year-old Mark, who narrates the story in first person format, as he begins his summer after finishing 8th Grade, by taking cover from Hurricane Alexis as his neighborhood is inundated by floodwaters. But that is only the first of many potentially stressful circumstances he faces.
“Deadly Passage” is the debut novel of Sanford Allen, but you would never guess it by the story. “Deadly Passage” takes place during the despicable days of the slave trade, during which African tribal battles yielded many native Africans to be sold into slavery in America. But when the Lombard sets sail from the African shore, it carries more than just the 40 African natives in its hold. A vile, evil creature of uncertain origin has snuck aboard to prey upon both the Africans and the white crew members. The lone black crewman is trusted by neither the rest of the crew, nor by the Africans in the hold. The frightful appearance of dead bodies almost every morning soon has the entire ship in an uproar, as they try to understand what is happening, and how it is happening. “Deadly Passage” is quite captivating (no pun intended), in spite of its fictional involvement in the shameful slave trade. Although one would be hard pressed to say “Deadly Passage” has a happy ending, it does end in a satisfactory manner which readers will find to be both tragic and just.
I strongly urge readers of horror stories to get this Double-Down deal while it’s still available. Both stories are excellent, the horror is real but not grotesque, and the conclusion of each manages to not only wrap up the story nicely, but to also leave open the possibility of a sequel.
“Deadly Passage” is the debut novel of Sanford Allen, but you would never guess it by the story. “Deadly Passage” takes place during the despicable days of the slave trade, during which African tribal battles yielded many native Africans to be sold into slavery in America. But when the Lombard sets sail from the African shore, it carries more than just the 40 African natives in its hold. A vile, evil creature of uncertain origin has snuck aboard to prey upon both the Africans and the white crew members. The lone black crewman is trusted by neither the rest of the crew, nor by the Africans in the hold. The frightful appearance of dead bodies almost every morning soon has the entire ship in an uproar, as they try to understand what is happening, and how it is happening. “Deadly Passage” is quite captivating (no pun intended), in spite of its fictional involvement in the shameful slave trade. Although one would be hard pressed to say “Deadly Passage” has a happy ending, it does end in a satisfactory manner which readers will find to be both tragic and just.
I strongly urge readers of horror stories to get this Double-Down deal while it’s still available. Both stories are excellent, the horror is real but not grotesque, and the conclusion of each manages to not only wrap up the story nicely, but to also leave open the possibility of a sequel.
February 24, 2014
I have read the other books in the Journal Stone’s Double Down series and prefer them to this edition. The two books involve monsters, a werewolf type creature that chases down people after a hurricane in Houston in one, and a monster creature haunting a slave ship in the other. The characters and settings are well developed, but I am just not into horror stories and definitely not these type horror stories. In the first story, I found the whole idea of something coming out of the swamp post hurricane and coming after someone interesting and scary enough, as well as the involvement of the main character, Mark, whose father just happens to be a policeman with the Houston police department. In the second story, the setting on a slave ship carrying human cargo, who seem to be mysteriously disappearing is fascinating and shows some level or originality. This story also reaches out on a higher level, by touching on men who trade with human flesh. I enjoyed reading the two stories, but, as I said, they were not for me. I think anyone who enjoys good horror stories will enjoy them a lot. The two authors write extremely well and tell a good tale of horror and misery. I received this from Library Thing to read and review.
May 9, 2021
I received this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers.
Dog Days and Deadly Passage are from Journal Stone Publishing's Double Down series.
Dog Days by Joe McKinney is set in 1983 in the suburbs of Houston after a deadly hurricane. Hidden in the swamps of Clear Lake is a ruthless, blood thirsty supernatural killer. Young Mark Eckert is the focus of his blood lust. This book is filled with terror and tragedy. Mark is a believable character who acts like a fourteen year old, and makes decisions like a fourteen year old.
Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen is set on a slave ship. Bell is a freed slave who works as a carpenter on the ship. He works so he can save up to buy land. Bell is appalled at the conditions of the ship and the treatment of the slaves. But Bell soon realizes that there is much worse aboard the slave ship. I found this book to be disturbing and sad. I am shamed to read about how the slaves were treated and the horrible conditions of the middle passage. This book will make you think about the horrors that happened in the past.
Dog Days and Deadly Passage are from Journal Stone Publishing's Double Down series.
Dog Days by Joe McKinney is set in 1983 in the suburbs of Houston after a deadly hurricane. Hidden in the swamps of Clear Lake is a ruthless, blood thirsty supernatural killer. Young Mark Eckert is the focus of his blood lust. This book is filled with terror and tragedy. Mark is a believable character who acts like a fourteen year old, and makes decisions like a fourteen year old.
Deadly Passage by Sanford Allen is set on a slave ship. Bell is a freed slave who works as a carpenter on the ship. He works so he can save up to buy land. Bell is appalled at the conditions of the ship and the treatment of the slaves. But Bell soon realizes that there is much worse aboard the slave ship. I found this book to be disturbing and sad. I am shamed to read about how the slaves were treated and the horrible conditions of the middle passage. This book will make you think about the horrors that happened in the past.
December 3, 2013
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Two very different books offered in one package. Both are monster stories, but that's where the similarities end. Dog Days involves a young (14) boy, a few of his friends, and his dad who is larger than life in the eyes of his son. A fast moving story, a bit predictable but overall good. Deadly Passage's monster stows away on a slave ship making its way across the ocean. The monster is nothing compared to the vile descriptions of the way people can treat other human beings. I found myself several times not wanting to continue because of the ghastly details of life on board this ship. If you want to feel rotten about humans as a race, this book is for you.
Two very different books offered in one package. Both are monster stories, but that's where the similarities end. Dog Days involves a young (14) boy, a few of his friends, and his dad who is larger than life in the eyes of his son. A fast moving story, a bit predictable but overall good. Deadly Passage's monster stows away on a slave ship making its way across the ocean. The monster is nothing compared to the vile descriptions of the way people can treat other human beings. I found myself several times not wanting to continue because of the ghastly details of life on board this ship. If you want to feel rotten about humans as a race, this book is for you.
March 4, 2014
I received this book for free as part of the Goodreads First Reads program.
There are actually two books here, Dog Days and Deadly Passage.
Dog Days takes place in Texas in the 1980s, starting with a hurricane and a gruesome murder, wherein the victims have been chewed on. The main character is Mark, a bright but somewhat reckless 14-year-old boy. This story is the longer of the two, and I like it better.
Deadly Passage takes place aboard a slave ship headed from Africa to the Americas. There is a vicious blood-thirsty monster aboard.
There are actually two books here, Dog Days and Deadly Passage.
Dog Days takes place in Texas in the 1980s, starting with a hurricane and a gruesome murder, wherein the victims have been chewed on. The main character is Mark, a bright but somewhat reckless 14-year-old boy. This story is the longer of the two, and I like it better.
Deadly Passage takes place aboard a slave ship headed from Africa to the Americas. There is a vicious blood-thirsty monster aboard.
November 15, 2014
****won in goodreads giveaway****
This novella is a twist on what we are used to in the werewolf stories we have heard before. Teens will enjoy this book and be able to connect to the characters, and adults will enjoy the plot, characterization, and setting that makes you wish the story didn't end so quickly.
This novella is a twist on what we are used to in the werewolf stories we have heard before. Teens will enjoy this book and be able to connect to the characters, and adults will enjoy the plot, characterization, and setting that makes you wish the story didn't end so quickly.
July 18, 2014
First story is an amazing tale of coming of age. Young boy has to grow far to quickly but does what is necessary regardless of what his parents might think. He ends up the hero for more than one reason.
Second short story is a bit confusing but does end with a touch that could form into a full blow story line.
Second short story is a bit confusing but does end with a touch that could form into a full blow story line.
September 6, 2015
Read Deadly Passage. Not a genre I typically read. Author Sanford Allen displayed expert skill in creating suspense through the novel. The characters were well developed and the story, an interesting historical piece, was intriguing. I couldn't put the story down and read it in one sitting. Can't wait to read more from this author.
Want to read
March 28, 2014I will be receiving this book from a giveaway! Can't wait to begin reading. I will update as soon as I finish reading the book! :)
July 20, 2014
Not normally a big fan of short stories or novellas, but will make exceptions for authors I really like, of whom Joe McKinney is one. Thoroughly enjoyed the story.
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