Lee Allen's Blog, page 4

Bethany Russo's Fever Dreams - Review

Fever Dreams: Spooky Stories by Bethany Russo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A collection of horrors of the wild and the wonderful.

'Fever Dreams' is a horror collection by Bethany Russo, featuring two novelettes and two short stories, with thematic threads of mental health and grief and settings of wildlife attractions running throughout. Russo presents a collection of well-written, fast-paced tales with a dark, psychological edge, each driven by a distinct character who quickly draws you into their psyche and the fears they experience.

"The Zoo"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Inheriting an abandoned zoo from her grandad, Billie discovers that the past is never truly lost to us...
This was a beautiful story; my favourite of all Bethany's stories I've read so far. The concept of a haunted zoo is thrilling fun, entwined with the moving story of Billie's grief and self-discovery. Hugely entertaining and deeply emotional.

"The Aquarium"
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A tale of trauma, empowerment and vengeance...
Escaping a day at the aquarium with her family, Connie recalls the events that led to her leaving there with blood on her hands; a tortuous conflict of intrusive thoughts and dissociative identity, with bursts of brutal violence and descent into delusion. A great piece of psychological horror with an emotional stab of a denouement.

The two short stories - "Fright Night at the Wild Place" and "Birdland" - conclude the collection; both thrilling little forays into the spooky and weird that may or may not be haunting or hallucination.

Overall, this is a fantastic short collection. I found each of the four lead characters immediately relatable through the empathetic prose, each of them confronting personal demons, pain and trauma, arriving at moments of reflection and, perhaps, discovering themselves - a gripping and emotive selection of works. I'm very much looking forward to reading more of Russo's work, including her novel 'The Devil Inside' and novella 'The Lediar Monster'.



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Bloody Hell: An Anthology of UK Indie Horror - Review

BLOODY HELL: An Anthology of UK Indie Horror by Sarah Jules

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A stunning showcase of British indie horror.

‘Bloody Hell’ is an anthology of short stories written by multiple authors and set in locations across the British Isles – England, Wales, Scotland, and a bonus story set in the Republic of Ireland. Edited by Sarah Jules, with beautiful illustrations by Rachael Rose, the collection features twenty-seven stories across the spectrum of the horror genre from a legion of indie horror talent, taking us on dark adventures featuring ghosts, stalkers, creatures, supernatural entities, aliens – an assortment of hauntings and folklore, magic and mayhem, slasher and splatter, natural and body horror, tales of vengeance and malign intent, twists of fate and misfortune, and even touches of comedy. Each story offers its own unique premise and style, each author’s signature woven tightly within the DNA of their work – some slow-burning, others fast-paced; some psychological, others visceral; some atmospheric and dripping in suspense, others brutal and bloodthirsty.

Difficult though they were to select, my personal favourites were:
“The God Botherers” by Ashley Lister, for its religious themes and pitch black comedy (I fear I am guilty of all three signs of being a dæmon);
“Pergyl” by C.S. Jones, for its Welsh wilderness and crawling, creeping dread;
“The Dark Heart” by Jim Ody, for toying with our perceptions so brilliantly all the way through;
“Sand” by David Watkins, for its beautiful setting and grotesque hopelessness;
“Brompton Road” by Elizabeth J. Brown, for its haunting atmosphere and delicious twist;
“Down T’Pit” by Sarah Jules, for its claustrophobic tension and jarringly spatial horror.

Overall, this is an incredibly high quality collection, featuring a wide variety that will appeal to all tastes, offering readers the chance to discover new stories from authors they may be familiar with and also discover new writers, all masterfully curated by Sarah Jules. My own story, “Cythraul”, is part of the assembled tales, and it is an incredible privilege to be included in such a strong collection amongst so many of my talented fellow indie authors. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the other writers’ stories and look forward to more from both the authors whose work I was familiar with and those whom I read for the first time in this book.

‘Bloody Hell: An Anthology of UK Indie Horror’ in a superb selection of horror stories, perfect for sampling on dark autumnal and wintry nights. Prepare yourself to embark on a journey, as we travel around the United Kingdom (and Ireland), facing mortal perils and dangerous foes, and unleash bloody hell!



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Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Review

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A Gothic tale of folklore and misfortune.

'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is a short story by Washington Irving, originally published in 1820 as part of the collection 'The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon'. It recounts the tale, relayed by way of a shared anecdote, in turn hearsay on the part of the storyteller, of events that took place in the quiet, picturesque valley of Sleepy Hollow, purported to be the location of a higher than average level of unexplained phenomena.

Most infamous of all is the legend of the headless horseman, a soldier said to have been decapitated during battle, who gallops through the valley in hasty return to the churchyard where his corpse lies at rest. Steeped in a folkloric atmosphere, Irving's gothic prose perfectly conjures the essence of Sleepy Hollow and the legends of its locale, capturing Ichabod's character and his hopes and dreams related to romancing a local young woman, while vividly manifesting the schoolhouse, surrounding countryside and key event of the ball, building to its haunting climax as Ichabod encounters the legendary spectre for himself, and ending in the delicious ambiguity of supernatural tales oft-told second-hand.

Taking inspiration from European folk tales, the story is perhaps Irving's most famous work and continues to be popular over two centuries later. It has been adapted for the screen many times, many of them loosely, first as silent film 'The Headless Horseman' in 1922, in later decades followed by animations (including a family version by Disney) and television films, before returning to big screen live action with Tim Burton's 'Sleepy Hollow' in 1999, with a four-season TV series also titled 'Sleepy Hollow' following in 2013-17. The tale's place in early American literature and the allure of its central supernatural premise have ensured its longevity, cementing it as a classic of Gothic literature.

Spooky and thrilling, 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is a short slice of gothic horror perfect for autumnal nights in the countdown to Hallowe’en.



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Matthew Blake's Anno O - Review

Anna O by Matthew Blake

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gripping psychological thriller exploring the shadowy realm of our time spent asleep.

In August 2019, Anna Ogilvy’s two friends were brutally murdered, a text message sent from Anna’s phone an apparent confession.

But in the four years since the murders, Anna has remained fast asleep, safe in a dream world away from prosecution.

Psychologist Dr. Ben Prince is enlisted to wake Anna from her slumber so she can stand trial and justice finally can be served.

‘Anna O’ is the debut psychological thriller by Matthew Blake. A dark and riveting novel, it centres on the case of the eponymous Anna O, an almost mythical aura having grown around young journalist Anna Ogilvy, who stands accused of murdering her two friends and business partners in a frenzied attack; but has since suffered with resignation syndrome, a condition that has resulted in her not waking from sleep for four years. Forensic psychologist Dr. Benedict “Ben” Prince, a writer, lecturer and psychotherapist at the Abbey Sleep Clinic, has proposed a pioneering method as a cure for the condition, and is approached by the MoJ to put his theories into practice. Through his therapeutic work, Ben is drawn into examining Anna’s case for himself, discovering the truth to be far more elusive and the circumstances surrounding the crime far murkier than thus far believed, while the impact on his own fragile life soon begins to spiral.

Narrated largely from Ben’s perspective and with excerpts from Anna’s diary in the months preceding the murders, plus some additional character perspectives woven throughout, Blake has crafted a delicious, intense thriller. Along with Ben, we are slowly drawn deeper and deeper, the mystery becoming almost an obsession. The media frenzy surrounding the crime and the furor that sprung up on social media in its aftermath continue to accelerate, rife with hyperbole, rampant speculation and conspiracy theories. Anna’s identity has splintered into a fictionalised duality – she is either a villainous Sleeping Beauty or the victimised Anno O; the evil fallen woman or an innocent angel. Ultimately, the question remains, is she guilty – either in the sense of culpability, or, perhaps, in whether or not she truly wielded the knife. Events take an unexpected turn as links to Ben’s mentor Dr. Virginia Bloom’s past work at Broadmoor with a woman who murdered her step-children are revealed, while the veiled identity of the murderer’s biological child, known only as Patient X, may prove to be vital. Ben begins to wonder, might Anna be innocent after all?

This is exactly the sort of dark and twisted thriller I love – swirling with mystery, intrigue and suspense, a twisting plot knotted with heavy doses of psychology and philosophy, criminological and Freudian references punctuating the narrative, along with mythological and literary allusions, sociological commentary, light touches of humour, and deep hues of atmosphere inspired by Greek tragedy and the Gothic. The original murder and crime scene is akin to a slasher, while the epistolary chapters lend an authenticity to the theme of “true crime journalism” that pervades the novel. As much a whydunit as a whodunit, ‘Anna O’ is simultaneously a propulsive thriller and a thought-provoking study in character, its multiple layers entwined into a complex and fascinating narrative which hinges on a central and universal premise – sleep continues to remain a mystery to us; its healing power, the mysteries of our dreams and nightmares, a metaphysical time when our bodies are at rest and our minds, perhaps our souls, continue to thrive. As Ben reminds us, we spend an average of thirty-three years of our life asleep. One cannot help but wonder - what truly happens when we slip into unconsciousness, and of what might we actually be capable?



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Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Ruin - Review

Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An enthralling sci-fi epic exploring the future legacy of the children of Earth.

In the war-torn dying days of planet Earth, the last of the human race seek other worlds to terraform in the hope of life flourishing elsewhere.

A series of cataclysmic events lead them stranded in a distant solar system, with only a few shreds of hope left for any life as they know it to avoid extinction.

Centuries later, a team of space explorers encounter all that remains in the orbit of this star and its planets, an encounter that may prove deadly for all life throughout the universe.

‘Children of Ruin’ is a science fiction epic by Adrian Tchaikovsky and sequel to his incredible ‘Children of Time’. An intense and gripping tour-de-force space opera, it immediately envelops us in impeccable, rich world-building as we are immersed in a fascinating tale of the science of evolution, the fight for survival, and the perseverance of sentient life. Where the first novel centred on the evolution of a spider society and its discovery by the remains of humanity, this second novel explores the evolution of an octopus society, later encountered by the spiders and humans in the future.

The non-linear narrative evolves through two timelines – the first in the past, following one of the teams of the terraforming programme as they venture into space, discovering two neighbouring planets that may have the potential to sustain life. Christened Nod and Damascus, the team split into two factions in orbit of each planet, the first studying the truly alien world of Nod, inhabited by species unlike any in Earth biology; while Disra Senkovi works to populate the oceanic world of Damascus with his beloved pets – a species of genetically enhanced octopus. Catastrophe from back home on Earth severs these last remaining humans from the rest of the universe; this is their tale of survival and diminishing hope, perhaps the final days of humanity as we know it.

The second timeline picks up in the aftermath of ‘Children of Time’, a team of Humans and Portiids from Kern’s World having ventured into the stars, their space exploration leading them to encounter alien ships which appear to be engaged in war. Attacked and outnumbered, they nevertheless attempt to make contact to demonstrate they come in peace – bringing them face to face with the octopuses. Despite the challenges of communication, it becomes clear the octopuses have fled Damascus in fear of something truly alien – a sentient, intelligent parasite that corrupts and possesses all life it comes into contact with.

Much like the previous novel, a beating heart of emotion lies at the core of the story, enriching the vast scale of events against the tapestry of time and space, references to religion and mythology giving it an edge of faith, an almost spiritual aura to the mysteries of the vast vacuum of space. Clever and complex, this is a narrative of multiple layers, vividly detailed and descriptive, simultaneously heavily science-focussed and character-driven, with touches of suspense and horror entwined.

We follow a large cast of characters throughout – human, spider, octopus, AI, alien parasite – Tchaikovsky skillfully treading the line between anthropomorphism and maintaining the echo of the creatures’ true natures. The history of the octopuses is perhaps the most moving element of the novel – from their beginnings as pets of introverted, borderline sociopathic, genius Senkovi, through their development to the dominant species of Damascus and their escape into space. The way they communicate through expression of emotion, how their every thought translates as a feeling, visually displayed across their skin, is truly remarkable; perhaps a disconcerting notion to a species such as ours, yet we could learn a lot from its essence of truth and honesty, which ultimately proves to be quite beautiful.

Both the spider and octopus societies mirror and contradict our own social relationships, offering thought-provoking reflections on our own history and society – such as the battle male spiders face to be recognised and respected in their respective fields by the females, their society having been governed by a matriarchy throughout history; while the octopuses’ aptitude for aggression and violence, which explodes into war as their technology advances, perhaps makes them more human-like than we would imagine. Across the vastness of time and space, through moments of destruction, apocalypse and survival, between species that couldn’t be more different, yet in the end share more than any of them realise, this is ultimately a tale about communication, comprehension and understanding, and how truly beautiful it is to be alive.

Immersive and captivating, ‘Children of Ruin’ is a superb sequel, continuing in the footsteps of the brilliance of its predecessor. The series continues in the third novel, ‘Children of Memory’, promising to introduce us to more children of Earth and take us another leap forward in this tale of evolution.



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Grizzly: A Charity Anthology - Review

Grizzly: A Charity Anthology by January Ember Press

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A collection of tales of survival and feminine rage.

'Grizzly: A Charity Anthology' is a limited release horror anthology, edited by S.C. Fisher and H. Everend, featuring twenty short stories, an opening essay, and a piece of poetry, by female and femme-identifying indie authors and survivors of sexual assault - inspired by the Man vs. Bear debate. It is sadly both illuminating and unsurprising that many women choose the bear – we need to do so much better.

Tragic, heartbreaking and often brutal – amongst these narratives are hauntings, curses, psychological horror, slashers, revenge thrillers, body horror, and even a touch of satire. Unflinching, yet always empathetic, these hard-hitting tales explore sexual, physical and psychological violence and abuse; not only stranger rape, but predominantly attacks by those whom victims know, love and trust - family members, authority figures, romantic/sexual partners, friends, and colleagues.

Screaming from the heart of each story is the trauma - exploring the turmoil and confusion brought on by feelings of dissociation and shame, conflicting feelings that may be felt towards attackers, and the lifelong struggle to not simply be a victim but a survivor. Horror provides a lens through which we can view the darkest aspects of our society - sometimes that will be unsettling, and so it should be.

Within this incredibly strong selection of stories, my personal favourites were:
"The Cannock Chase" by S.C. Fisher, for its resonating message of love being the light that conquers fear;
"Condemned" by. M. Edusa, for its haunting atmosphere as ghosts of the past are exorcised;
"The Dead Man" by Bethany Russo, for its dizzying psychological excavation;
"Jane" by Amber Hathaway, for its slasher qualities and satisfying twist;
"Song of the Rusalka" by Kay Hanifen, for its folkloric and karmic haunting narrative.

Available between 31st July and 10th September 2024, the anthology was released to support charity Take Back the Night. Since the 1970s, the organisation has been working to raise awareness of and end sexual and relationship violence through global events and initiatives. With staggering statistics that 1 in 3 women experience sexual violence, 2 in 3 transgender people, and 1 in 6 men, their mission is crucial and this collection helps contribute towards their vital work.

A fabulous selection of stories, 'Grizzly: A Charity Anthology' proves that, together, we can help shatter the silence.



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T.J. Newman's Falling - Review

Falling by T.J. Newman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An adrenaline-fueled edge-of-your-seat thrill-ride.

Bill Hoffman boards a flight he’s been requested to pilot at the eleventh hour, shortly afterwards discovering his family has been kidnapped.

He is presented with an impossible choice – allow the terrorist to murder his family or crash the plane into an as yet undisclosed target.

With only limited time and limited resources, Bill must find a way to warn others of the threat and save his family without flying the plane into oblivion.

‘Falling’ is the debut novel by T.J. Newman, a relentlessly-paced action thriller that follows the plight of Flight 416 and efforts to save the souls onboard from the threat of a terror plot. Rather than hijack the plane, the terrorists have hijacked the pilot, holding his family to ransom in an insidious game that masks the world-altering tragedy that motivates their evil plan. We follow the crisis from multiple view-points – with pilot Bill in the cockpit, his wife Carrie and their children trapped by the terrorist who gained entry to their home, flight attendant Jo and her colleagues and the passengers, and FBI agent Theo and his fellow agents, plus glimpses of Air Traffic Control as the situation escalates.

Newman delivers a gripping novel, a deftness of touch to the prose propelling us through the action-packed plot, moments of suspense and emotional tension ratcheting throughout multiple twists and turns. The aviation procedural detail is fascinating, lending the action an authentic edge – aviation thrillers instantly becoming Newman’s niche thanks to her previous life as a flight attendant. Vivid imagery and propulsive action and dialogue leap off the page - this is a movie in prose, and would make an engrossing film (which is reportedly in the works). Jo and Theo perhaps proved to be my favourite characters, while Bill's determination not to choose between two truly evil options and instead try to find the right way against the odds demonstrated an admirable strength of character.

Despite being thoroughly entertaining, the novel, of course, has a dark heart. The terror attacks on September 11th, 2001, scarred the world, and changed both aviation and international security forever. The war on terror became a new and terrifying conflict, one that we continue to feel to this day. As for genocide and territorial conflicts across the globe, this remains as timely as ever. In the Western world, we often don't realise how blessed we are to know peace, something that holds heavy resonance in the novel as we brush against the periphery of true horror.

Packed with heart-wrenching moments and thrilling action sequences, ‘Falling’ is an intense summer blockbuster that may encourage you to wonder if perhaps anyone can be the hero.



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Lee Child's The Enemy - Review

The Enemy by Lee Child

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A gripping military crime thriller.

On New Year's Day, just after midnight, Jack Reacher receives a call advising a general has been found dead in a motel.

Though apparently the result of natural causes, the general's death triggers a chain of events that results in multiple homicides.

Fighting a system intent on a cover-up, Reacher pursues the trail across the US and Europe, uncovering a conspiracy that reaches the upper echelons of the military.

'The Enemy' is the eighth novel in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child, and prequel to the previous seven books. Taking us back to 1990 and the beginning of a new year and new decade, we meet a younger Reacher, not yet thirty, still a Military Police Major in the US Army, over seven years before we first met him in 'Killing Floor' as the drifter with no fixed abode. An action-packed, thrilling mystery; this is the beginning of Reacher’s journey to becoming a ghost.

With a complex plot involving multiple deaths miles apart and a missing agenda claimed never to have existed, we follow Reacher’s determined efforts to uncover the truth, despite resistance by his colleagues and superiors, as it becomes apparent a military conspiracy is in play, someone manoeuvring key military personnel for motives unknown in response to events on the world stage – the Soviet Union is crumbling, thus change is expected to follow in the US military. Beneath the honour, the patriotism, the comradery and loyalty, there is a dark and sinister underbelly, somewhere Reacher has all too often had to wade in his role as a military police officer. The novel also touches upon the institutional prejudice within the military – homophobia, racism and sexism seemingly hardwired, sowing unease into the lives of those suffering this discrimination.

With heightened emotional stakes, we learn a little more about Reacher's relationship with his brother Joe as they journey to France to visit their mother, whom they discover to be gravely ill. This is a poignant and often moving chapter in the saga; already we can feel the sense of Reacher’s detachment, dislocation and loneliness that comes with being posted at various bases in the US and Europe, while the bond he develops with Lieutenant Summer adds another emotional layer, something quite affecting about a genuine connection that circumstances dictate to be so fleeting.

At this stage of his life, Reacher still believes in the Army and the system; it has been his life, having grown up with his father in the military, and he has remained loyal and dedicated, but he discovers, as if often the case with institutions and those that wield its power, there is no loyalty in return. It's tragic to witness the disintegration of this faith and his growing disillusionment, this investigation setting him on the path to how he will ultimately come to walk away from his life several years later.

Lee Child delivers another gripping and entertaining novel, once again approaching from a different angle, this time going back in time – it’s always fascinating to explore events that led to a future we’ve already explored. There are already several more prequels dotted throughout the series, set between 'The Enemy' and 'Killing Floor', and I look forward to delving further into Reacher's past as the series progresses.



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Madeline Miller's Galatea - Review

Galatea by Madeline Miller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A mythological tale of captivity and vengeance...

'Galatea' is a short story by Madeline Miller, based on the Greek myth of Pygmalion, a sculptor who, so horrified by prostitutes, rejects all female companionship and instead carves his own perfect woman of ivory, becoming besotted with her beauty and ultimately praying to the goddess Aphrodite to breathe life into her.

Through the ages the tale has been interpreted in romantic terms; the artist who falls in love with his art and the two lovers discovering blissful existence. Miller turns the story on its head, imagining it from the perspective of the woman (who was originally nameless) who was once made of stone and has found herself conscious and in the possession of her creator, exploring themes of freedom and consent, with implications of misogyny and patriarchal dominance. In fear and desperation, Galatea is moved to act in order to attempt escape, driven to protect her child from the same fate that has befallen her, sacrifice perhaps the only path she has available.

Powerful and moving, 'Galalea' is a beautifully written and tragic short story, one that asks you to look beneath the surface and consider the world from another perspective. This is the first book I've read by Madeline Miller and I shall be eagerly reading her novels in the future!



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Danny Robins' Into the Uncanny - Review

Into the Uncanny by Danny Robins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fascinating study of the unexplained.

'Into the Uncanny' is a paranormal non-fiction examination/memoir by Danny Robins, and companion to both the podcast and TV series 'Uncanny'. Robins' investigations originally began while researching his hit play '2:22: A Ghost Story', the true tales people shared with him spawning several podcasts, all proving popular, with 'Uncanny' ultimately coming to TV as a three-part series for BBC2 in 2023. Much like Robins, I have been entranced by the subjects of the paranormal, supernatural and otherworldly mysteries since I was a child. When I watched the TV series, I was gripped, and I equally devoured this book.

Investigating several cases of paranormal phenomena, including poltergeist activity, historic hauntings, messages via Ouija boards, alien encounters and UFO sightings, and suggestions of the demonic, Robins discusses and dissects the bizarre and creepy experiences of multiple witnesses, documenting their testimony in detail, ensuring the witnesses are both credible and their accounts reliable. As to explanations and solutions, these are perhaps further out of reach. But, in the absence of lies and delusions, it is clear that something has occurred that defies explanation. Ultimately, it is only our own views as believer or sceptic which may provide answers, the agnostics amongst us still asking the questions.

From remote villages nestled in the Yorkshire moors to a Catholic college in Rome, we follow these strange occurrences that have had such a profound effect on the lives of those who experienced them, also taking a meander through history, theology, mythology, psychology and philosophy. Robins presents a riveting piece of work, as thrilling as a novel; a beautifully chilling exploration of these mysteries that have been with us throughout our history - which, no matter our advances in science and technology, we are perhaps no closer to solving. Maybe we never will.

But I think one thing is certain - no matter whether these stories and the many like them inspire fascination or terror, there is a part of us all that wants to believe, isn’t there?



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