S.I. Almanza's Blog
November 2, 2022
EXCERPT FROM MY UP AND COMING NOVEL 'THE RAGE ROOM'
I was four years old the first time I remember my dad beating the shit out of me.
My mum had gone out. I can't remember where. And I was crying. I can't remember why. Probably because I wanted to go with her.
If there was one thing that enraged my dad and made him lose control; it was a child's bawling. What possesses an otherwise kind and loving father, a full grown man, to pick up his own, delicate, innocent, four-year-old flesh and blood son, throw him on the floor, and kick him in the ribs four times?
What makes him bypass all the other stages of diplomacy (put on the kid's favourite cartoon, give him some ice cream, take him for a walk somewhere), and skip straight to treating him like a football he had accidently tripped on and pissed him off?
Who knows.
My mum wasn't 'bad' per se. She was just weak and useless. She did her best. But her best just wasn't very good. She was the gentle, timid Yin to my dad's rough and aggressive Yang.
I was 12 years old the first time I plucked up the courage to retaliate.
It disturbs me now, as an adult, when I think back and recall how cool, calm, and clinical I was at that tender age. How I just sat at the dinner table, and watched, unblinking and unflinching, as my dad grabbed a fistful of my mum's sleek, pretty, chestnut-coloured hair. As he slammed her face into the hot lentil soup she had cooked, and yelled, "CAN YOU TASTE THE SALT? CAN YOU TASTE THE SALT NOW, YOU DUMB BITCH? HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO EAT THIS SHIT!"
I watched, without batting an eyelid, as he released his hold, and my mum sat there, gasping, spluttering and sobbing in pain. The steaming soup all over her face, hair, and clothes.
I was still calm when I got out of bed later that night.
When I walked into the kitchen in my spiderman pyjamas. Turned on the cooker. Watched the pot of soup heat up on the hob until it was steaming.
I was calm as I stood by my parents' bed, in the dark. A small sliver of light from the hallway spilling over them, illuminating my mum's hair. Watching them sleep, with the boiling pot of soup in my hands.
He was lucky his head was so close to hers, otherwise he would have said goodbye to his face that night. His leg hung outside the duvet, off the edge of the bed; pale, muscular, and hairy; glowing in the dark.
I was calm right up until the moment I emptied the entire pot of poorly-salted, boiling hot lentil soup all over it.
My mum had gone out. I can't remember where. And I was crying. I can't remember why. Probably because I wanted to go with her.
If there was one thing that enraged my dad and made him lose control; it was a child's bawling. What possesses an otherwise kind and loving father, a full grown man, to pick up his own, delicate, innocent, four-year-old flesh and blood son, throw him on the floor, and kick him in the ribs four times?
What makes him bypass all the other stages of diplomacy (put on the kid's favourite cartoon, give him some ice cream, take him for a walk somewhere), and skip straight to treating him like a football he had accidently tripped on and pissed him off?
Who knows.
My mum wasn't 'bad' per se. She was just weak and useless. She did her best. But her best just wasn't very good. She was the gentle, timid Yin to my dad's rough and aggressive Yang.
I was 12 years old the first time I plucked up the courage to retaliate.
It disturbs me now, as an adult, when I think back and recall how cool, calm, and clinical I was at that tender age. How I just sat at the dinner table, and watched, unblinking and unflinching, as my dad grabbed a fistful of my mum's sleek, pretty, chestnut-coloured hair. As he slammed her face into the hot lentil soup she had cooked, and yelled, "CAN YOU TASTE THE SALT? CAN YOU TASTE THE SALT NOW, YOU DUMB BITCH? HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO EAT THIS SHIT!"
I watched, without batting an eyelid, as he released his hold, and my mum sat there, gasping, spluttering and sobbing in pain. The steaming soup all over her face, hair, and clothes.
I was still calm when I got out of bed later that night.
When I walked into the kitchen in my spiderman pyjamas. Turned on the cooker. Watched the pot of soup heat up on the hob until it was steaming.
I was calm as I stood by my parents' bed, in the dark. A small sliver of light from the hallway spilling over them, illuminating my mum's hair. Watching them sleep, with the boiling pot of soup in my hands.
He was lucky his head was so close to hers, otherwise he would have said goodbye to his face that night. His leg hung outside the duvet, off the edge of the bed; pale, muscular, and hairy; glowing in the dark.
I was calm right up until the moment I emptied the entire pot of poorly-salted, boiling hot lentil soup all over it.
November 1, 2022
Review number 3
Another five star review for my debut book Rusted Hearts!
Jo H
5.0 out of 5 stars Shockingly good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 17 September 2022
Verified Purchase
This book is at turns horrifying and gruesome, thought provoking and exhilarating. Above all a rip roaring good read which I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope there is much more to come from this author. He describes things so vividly and keeps throwing in unexpected turns. Great stuff to be inhaled in one big gulp.
Jo H
5.0 out of 5 stars Shockingly good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 17 September 2022
Verified Purchase
This book is at turns horrifying and gruesome, thought provoking and exhilarating. Above all a rip roaring good read which I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope there is much more to come from this author. He describes things so vividly and keeps throwing in unexpected turns. Great stuff to be inhaled in one big gulp.
September 28, 2022
Bachman Books Review
The Bachman Books: The Long Walk / Roadwork / The Running Man by Richard BachmanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
SPOILER FREE!
So The Bachman Books, if I understand correctly, are four novels written by Stephen King under the pseudonym 'Richard Bachman' as an experiment to see how his writing would be received without his name attached to it and with a deviation from his usual supernatural horror genre.
I found this concept fascinating as Stephen King is my favourite author, therefore I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it. Unfortunately, I discovered later on, that this edition excludes one of the four Bachman books.
Rage.
No, I'm not angry. "Rage" is the Bachman book that this collection does not include due to, I believe, the four school-shootings in the US that were linked to this book. Of course, this made me want to read it even more, so, not having an eBay account at the time, I asked my younger brother to utilise his Gen Z, computer-whizz skills, and track down and procure this elusive and mysterious novel for me.
He did. It arrived in the post shortly after, and as I rubbed my hands and licked my lips, opened the shady manuscript and began smelling the pages before starting to read, the horrific realisation dawned on me... it was a French edition!
Anyway, I digress. Back to the book and the three stories it DOES contain.
Book 1, The Long Walk. 4/5
This is a gripping, dystopian, harrowing tale about an annual event in which one hundred young boys volunteer for a gruelling 450-mile marathon walk, the prize for the winner being fame and fortune and anything their heart desires. The catch is that the participants must keep a constant speed of 4 mph. Without going into too much detail, stopping or dropping below the stipulated speed too many times, results in the participant being shot dead.
The story revolves around one of the participants, named Garraty.
What I liked.
King, as usual, crafts a vivid and gritty story, drawing the reader right into his world from the get go. The dialogue is brilliant. The characters are well developed and diverse and King's ability to tell a gripping story about something as seemingly monotonous and tedious as one hundred boys putting one foot in front of the other for 450 miles, is a testament to his ability as a story-teller. The aura of fear, tension and hopelessness he creates is palpable. I found my feet actually starting to hurt towards the last third of the book. I also found it very inspiring, as a fitness fanatic, as to how far the human body is capable of pushing itself, with enough drive, ambition and determination. One of the characters in particular, Stebbins, I found most inspiring due to his stoicism and toughness.
What I didn't like.
I found the concept of why so many young boys would volunteer for such an impossible event with a 99.9% chance of death, especially with the blessings of their parents, underexplained and underdeveloped. It was touched upon in the dialogue, but, in my opinion, not enough. Therefore I found the suspension of disbelief required, a little much.
The death of one of the significant supporting characters seemed like a lazy cop-out and also very underwhelming.
Book 2, Road Work 5/5
This is a dark, depressing tale about a man who has lost much, continues to lose more, and watches his world crumble around him. He has lost a child in the not-too-distant-past, and the city is planning on knocking down his (and others') house (with monetary compensation of course) for a large building project.
This story seems to get more hate and negative reviews of all the Bachman books. I myself, put off reading this one, due to the seemingly mundane synopsis of the story, in comparison to King's other works. I initially skipped this story the first time I read the book and came back to it for some unknown reason, a year later, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.
What I liked.
No dystopia. No apocalypse. No ghosts or ghouls. No fantastical worlds. Just a dark, gritty journey into an ordinary man's downward spiral in an ordinary world. King draws you deep into Barton Dawes's cerebrum. Showing you exactly how and why this man snaps. His motivations, his past, his trauma, his desires, his thought-processes, his problems, his gripes. The dialogue is brilliant and believable, and this could quite easily have been a real journal written by a real man, detailing the events that concluded with him being on the six o' clock news, newspaper stories and documentaries. I enjoyed every page and did not feel like it dragged at any point.
What I didn't like.
Nothing.
Book 3, The Running Man. 5/5
If you've seen the Arnold Schwarzenegger blockbuster that was based on this book. Forget it. Seriously, as much as I enjoyed the cheesy 80s action-flick for what it was, it has almost no similarity to this masterpiece.
The story is about an Average-Joe living in a dystopian America where a variety of reality-TV type games are televised. The biggest of these games being 'The Running Man.' A game which involves the contestant evading a group of hunters who are out to kill him, for a specific amount of time. The main character Ben Richards a is poor and desperate man, and participates in the game to win money for medical apparatus for his sick child.
What I liked.
Great world-building. King takes you deep into the dystopia and how it works. It is very prophetic and addresses many Orwellian concepts and themes brilliantly. You can smell the streets, the fear, the hate and the desperation. Ben Richards is a likeable character. He isn't a lantern-jawed, barrel-chested, cigar-smoking, invincible Arnie-esque action-hero. He is the average man. Though, at the same time, he comes across as masculine, confident, charming, sarcastic, tough and capable. King draws you into this man's mind and story and makes it impossible not to like him. The pace is blistering. Not a chapter, or even a page, wasted or too long, and the story keeps you on edge right up until the explosive, satisfying ending. Utterly phenomenal. Hollywood, you need to remake this film and do it properly this time!
What I didn't like.
Nothing.
View all my reviews
September 26, 2022
Review number two!
Second five-star review for my book on Amazon!
Mrs R
5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING! STEPHEN KING MEETS LEE CHILD MEETS QUENTIN TARANTINO!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 31 August 2022
Verified Purchase
I had the pleasure of being a beta-reader for this book. It's an anthology of three stories. Two short stories. One novella. Amazing for a debut author!
Story 1, The Transaction- This one is about a highly decorated police chief, Carson, interrogating a suspect for a murder and a number of serious assaults. The suspect asks for him specifically. Will not speak to anyone else. Without spoiling too much, as it's a short story, Carson quickly realizes that the suspect knows his deepest darkest secret. The story moves rapidly, Almanza grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the very end leaving you gasping! And the twist! Wow.
Story 2, Martyr, this one is a novella, therefore a lot longer. It's almost like an epic condensed into 150 or so pages. But wow. As a middle-aged woman, I feared it was too macho and action-orientater for me at first, but as the story progressed, I fell in love with it and the characters. Strong good and evil themes, gave me Book of Eli vibes. Pacing was amazing and brilliantly complex and interesting characters. I could quite easily see this being made into a movie one day.
Story 3, Sleepers- This one is a gritty, realistic thriller. No supernatural elements. Very fast paced and action-packed, but again, complex and fleshed out characters. The twists and turns, you won't see coming and will leave your head spinning! My only issue is I wish it had been longer! Though the ending does leave it open for a sequel.Rusted Hearts: An Anthology
Mrs R
5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING! STEPHEN KING MEETS LEE CHILD MEETS QUENTIN TARANTINO!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 31 August 2022
Verified Purchase
I had the pleasure of being a beta-reader for this book. It's an anthology of three stories. Two short stories. One novella. Amazing for a debut author!
Story 1, The Transaction- This one is about a highly decorated police chief, Carson, interrogating a suspect for a murder and a number of serious assaults. The suspect asks for him specifically. Will not speak to anyone else. Without spoiling too much, as it's a short story, Carson quickly realizes that the suspect knows his deepest darkest secret. The story moves rapidly, Almanza grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the very end leaving you gasping! And the twist! Wow.
Story 2, Martyr, this one is a novella, therefore a lot longer. It's almost like an epic condensed into 150 or so pages. But wow. As a middle-aged woman, I feared it was too macho and action-orientater for me at first, but as the story progressed, I fell in love with it and the characters. Strong good and evil themes, gave me Book of Eli vibes. Pacing was amazing and brilliantly complex and interesting characters. I could quite easily see this being made into a movie one day.
Story 3, Sleepers- This one is a gritty, realistic thriller. No supernatural elements. Very fast paced and action-packed, but again, complex and fleshed out characters. The twists and turns, you won't see coming and will leave your head spinning! My only issue is I wish it had been longer! Though the ending does leave it open for a sequel.Rusted Hearts: An Anthology
September 25, 2022
Debut book review
Review number one for my debut book! Rusted Hearts: An Anthology
imran khan
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2022
Verified Purchase
Wow, this was a pleasant suprise. An anthology of three stories, each one uniquely brilliant in it's own way.
The Transaction- A highly decorated police chief interrogating the prime suspect of a murder and multiple serious assaults. Pacing, character development for such a short story, dialogue and action was amazing. And a twist i did not see coming!
Martyr- This is a well written story. I was able to follow through on the action sequences without getting confused and I usually have a hard time following fights in books.
The description on a post nuclear world was well written as an aftermath on how the world gets on without getting into the specifics of the nuclear war so a reader can use thier imagination to fill in the blanks.
I loved the journey of the characters and their motivation behind thier actions.
A very creative and action packed story with a dynamite ending that sets its ending wanting for more.
Sleepers-
I really liked this story. it did feel a bit short and left me wanting more. But I prefer wanting more than a overloaded plot that explains everything.
Suleiman character felt well fleshed out with all the development in his life. A man haunted by his past and trying to do good and keep out of harms way until his biological relations catches up to him.
Supporting characters were also very well fleshed out and developed but I can't say too much about them without spoiling the story.
I also did not see the twists and turns coming!
The story does feel its left open ended which is assuring. At its conclusion it does leave a reader asking a lot questions hoping they get answered in a sequel.
imran khan
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2022
Verified Purchase
Wow, this was a pleasant suprise. An anthology of three stories, each one uniquely brilliant in it's own way.
The Transaction- A highly decorated police chief interrogating the prime suspect of a murder and multiple serious assaults. Pacing, character development for such a short story, dialogue and action was amazing. And a twist i did not see coming!
Martyr- This is a well written story. I was able to follow through on the action sequences without getting confused and I usually have a hard time following fights in books.
The description on a post nuclear world was well written as an aftermath on how the world gets on without getting into the specifics of the nuclear war so a reader can use thier imagination to fill in the blanks.
I loved the journey of the characters and their motivation behind thier actions.
A very creative and action packed story with a dynamite ending that sets its ending wanting for more.
Sleepers-
I really liked this story. it did feel a bit short and left me wanting more. But I prefer wanting more than a overloaded plot that explains everything.
Suleiman character felt well fleshed out with all the development in his life. A man haunted by his past and trying to do good and keep out of harms way until his biological relations catches up to him.
Supporting characters were also very well fleshed out and developed but I can't say too much about them without spoiling the story.
I also did not see the twists and turns coming!
The story does feel its left open ended which is assuring. At its conclusion it does leave a reader asking a lot questions hoping they get answered in a sequel.
