Soulburn

Frailty #1

by Alex D.T. Baker, Meredith Bowery (Editor)

No one knows what lies beneath the surface of another human being: what they desire, what questionable things they have done, and what they are willing to do to get what they want. We take comfort in knowing, or at least hoping, that the skeletons we keep in the closet will never see the light of day. We live on a thin edge, balancing fantasy against reality, always wary of letting the monster inside of us out of the cage, or worse yet, that we may come across someone who already has. It is the thin veil of control that we all exist behind, and our four main characters are about to face the consequences of lifting that veil. Roofy Reiner is a Russian ex-wrestler fighting his inner demon, quite literally. Losing control of his body to evil inhibitions and forced out of wrestling for crippling an opponent, his life has dwindled to a pale shadow of its former self. Spending his days lifting weights and being emotionally whipped by a self-indulging tyrant for a wife, Roofy longs to leave and start over, but he no longer has the mental fortitude to see the plans through. A phone call and a teenage girl are about to change all of that, sending him down a road that will have Roofy rediscovering himself and facing his worst fears. Saddled with news of a fatal health issue, that he believes is actually demonic possession, and framed for murder, the Russian leaves town with Constance, his youthful neighbor. Longing to escape the boring routines of her dull existence and a mother too self-engaged to be tolerated, the girl invites herself on a journey that will have life-altering ramifications. None of that matters to Constance, though, who is smitten with the ex-wrestler; all she needs to do is continue to control his decisions. She has learned all too quickly that her innocent beauty and cunning words will accomplish that goal. Unbeknownst to either, a serial killer is following them. Bent on revenge and blaming Roofy for the transformation that has left him a blood dealing night-stalker, Ambrose has left a trail of grizzly carnage in his wake. Dressing women up as superheroines and disposing of their lives in horrifically unique ways, the crazed, vampire-like murderer is determined to kill everyone the Russian ex-wrestler cares for, culminating in the demise of Roofy himself. Hot on the case of the crimes is Richmond P.D. Detective Laura Stenks. Torn between her duties as a law enforcement officer and her twisted desires to sexually reenact the murders being investigated, Laura races to catch up to the unsuspecting travelers before it's too late. The only thing more important than saving them is keeping control of her own haunted, abusive past, and perhaps, her lust for the Russian's physical pleasures. It is an erotic dance on the edge that she cannot resist. The only thing in the way is a teenage girl. The four of them, destinies entangled, will collide in the heart of sin city, but will their secrets - their frailties - make them stronger or destroy them all? It all comes down to control...and the lack of it. Frailty is a character driven novel at heart, but it's roots are all science fiction. If you like your sci-fi chock full of sarcastic demons, vampires, erotica, and jaw-dropping revelations, then this is the story for you.

246 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2013

About the author

Alex D T Baker is a passionate Richmond, VA based science fiction and fantasy author whose stories weave together visionary worlds and compelling characters. Every character Alex creates carries a piece of his own life experiences while maintaining their own unique personality, making each journey resonate with authenticity and heart. Alex’s writing pays tribute to the storytelling styles of authors who first sparked his love for speculative fiction. Beyond literary influences, music plays an essential role in Alex’s creative process, shaping the mood, rhythm, and emotional depth of his narratives. With each story, Alex invites readers to travel the echoes of worlds and adventures that can only come from an overactive imagination, a love of all things Sci-Fi and Fantasy, and the consumption of far too many cold brew coffees.

Reviews

[Kimberlie]

Good unclean fun.

C.A.C. = contains animal cruelty

This book has a really thorough synopsis so a detailed review of what the story is about isn't needed, and it's just as amazing as the synopsis makes it sound. It's a good engaging mystery, though slightly twisted, that keeps you reading.

You get drama, romance, S&M, murder, revenge, super heroes, super villians, and vampires. It's written as a realistic this could really happen type of story through the majority of the book which I really enjoyed.

The animal cruelty scenes are brief and not very descriptive, if they weren't I wouldn't have been able to continue because reading that stuff tears me up even if it is fictional.

The twists are great though a couple weren't a huge surprise because of the synopsis. I'm pretty sure "demon infused" is the best description of demonic possession I've ever heard, and who doesn't love a demon with a sense of humor. Overall it was a good read and I'll be diving into book two very soon.

Thank you to the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Meredith]

This book was a surprise for me. I don't usually read this type of book so I had zero expectations. I liked the writing. The story line flows well and is entertaining from start to finish. There is so much going on in this story that I think you would have had enough for a few different books but surprisingly it worked for me. The characters are interesting and knowing that there's more to come is good. I'd definitely like to see the story play out. If you're a fan of comics/graphic novels you'll definitely like this. If you're not one to normally read in this genre but would like something different to read you should give it a try. It's well written and engaging and certainly worth the read!

[Meredith]

This book was a surprise for me. I don't usually read this type of book so I had zero expectations. I liked the writing. The story line flows well and is entertaining from start to finish. There is so much going on in this story that I think you would have had enough for a few different books but surprisingly it worked for me. The characters are interesting and knowing that there's more to come is good. I'd definitely like to see the story play out. If you're a fan of comics/graphic novels you'll definitely like this. If you're not one to normally read in this genre but would like something different to read you should give it a try. It's well written and engaging and certainly worth the read!

[Jeanette]

Initially i had entered in the hope of winning the author's giveaway for another of his books (Bloodlust), but so pleased when I was offered the chance of an e-copy of this novel and Bloodlust. This is my honest review.

I am always up for trying something different to my usual genres and so often I wonder why I haven't tried certain genres in the past. If it wasn't for Goodreads, I probably would still be reading only my two preferred genres. 'Soulburn' is something different for me and to which I was hooked from the beginning. I rarely write what the story is about for fear of spoiling for others, especially when the author has already written a good synopsis. I am now looking forward to reading 'Bloodlust'.
Recommended.

[Patricia]

I had no idea what to expect when I opened the cover of this book but I was completely hooked by the end of the first page! From super heroes and villains to vampires and demons this story has it all and it flows around characters that meld very well together. It has a kind of comic air about it which makes you stay with it and enjoy it all the more. There is a fast pace that moves the story and the characters through a minefield of murder and mayhem in a way that springs surprises at every turn. The ending definitely isn't final but nor is it a mad cliffhanger and this simply leaves the reader thirsting for more - pun very definitely intended!

This is definitely a must read for older readers.

[Carol Fitzgerald]

I actually ran across this book by accident and liked the sound of it from the description. Before I had a chance to decide if I was going to get it or not, I was offerred the chance to read it for free in exchange for an honest review. I am very glad that I took the opportunity. I was not disappointed. It was a very intriguing story that kept me captivated and guessing all the way to the last page. It was very well written in my opinion and I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series.