Find a penny, pick it up, all the day, you'll have good luck.
Find a penny, leave it there, all the day, you'll have despair.
Or...is that what they want us to believe?
Ross Bonura, a data-retrieval specialist from Boston, discovers an animistic darkness resting within random objects that drives their holders to do evil deeds. Pushed to the edge of sanity and now sensitized to their language, he roams the dark streets of his city, trying to find these objects and contain their power.
These objects manipulate people, influence their shadows, and protect their collective secret. Ross is not alone; others are seeking the objects for their own purposes. Will they be a help or a hindrance to his self-appointed quest? Who can he trust?
This dark horror fantasy will leave you questioning the innocence of any mundane object that crosses your path.
This story reminded me of why I prefer book stores and libraries. Often I'm there with no clear purpose. One of the most useless and often heard questions is "Can I help you find anything?" They mean well but I always say "No, just looking". But I'm not really looking for anything in particular. I'm not even sure you can call the process "looking". In any case I know I've found it when I see it. It can't really be explained better than that. I've found some of my more memorable reads this way.
But what if the things someone finds or comes across have ill intent? Malice? This is the germ of the idea in this wonderfully written second story by Russ Viola. I found the pacing and flow of this work superior to his earlier work. The ideas and characters presented in this novella are rich and unique and there is always the hint of something looming larger. With that said, I hope he continues this story and characters somehow in future works...but, you know, no pressure. :)
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my review.
What I liked: I love the creepiness of this story. It hooks you right away and doesn’t let up. The monsters and the story are original. I have never quite read anything like this. I can’t wait to read more of Russ Viola’s works!
Dislikes: The only thing I didn’t like about this short story was that it was more focused on the objects and how they were attained than on the characters. Several characters were there and gone in just a few paragraphs. While we do learn a little about the main character I would like to know more about Ross and the Foundation.
I still give 5 stars!
If you are looking for more dark urban fantasy novels, checkout the following: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost, and In my Dreams by Cameo Renae.
Thank you again Mr. Viola for giving me a copy for review!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think Russ will become one of my favorite authors. This story drew you in without you even realizing it. I would like to have seen a little more character development, but it is the prequel to a series so maybe this issue will be fixed in the upcoming stories.