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Cluck: Murder Most Fowl
The Best Zombie Chicken Novel You'll Find Anywhere--Bar None
Armand, the Chicken Exorcist foretold for centuries, faces his greatest opponent when he comes across the undead Rooster King who had been spit from the mouth of hell to preside over the minions of undead poultry at Rambling Acres Farm. But this is no ordinary chicken haunting and there is more than just chickens whose fate has been sealed. Funny and beautifully written, Cluck will be beloved by fans of Sir Terry Prachett. If you only have the time to fit in one chicken zombie book this year, you owe it to yourself for Cluck to be that book!
AWARDS
2008 Finalist ForeWord Magazine's Book of The Year Award, Horror Category
2008 Independent Publisher Book Award Bronze Medal Winner, Horror Category
2007 Finalist ForeWord Magazine's Book of The Year Award, Horror Category(less)
Armand, the Chicken Exorcist foretold for centuries, faces his greatest opponent when he comes across the undead Rooster King who had been spit from the mouth of hell to preside over the minions of undead poultry at Rambling Acres Farm. But this is no ordinary chicken haunting and there is more than just chickens whose fate has been sealed. Funny and beautifully written, Cluck will be beloved by fans of Sir Terry Prachett. If you only have the time to fit in one chicken zombie book this year, you owe it to yourself for Cluck to be that book!
AWARDS
2008 Finalist ForeWord Magazine's Book of The Year Award, Horror Category
2008 Independent Publisher Book Award Bronze Medal Winner, Horror Category
2007 Finalist ForeWord Magazine's Book of The Year Award, Horror Category(less)
337 pages, Paperback
First published December 10, 2007
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 27, 2008
Somewhere outside of Detriot Michigan, a spectral cosmic light lasting only moments, intersects the souls of a young suburban boy named Arnold and a fabulously large Rooster. Afterward, Arnold is imbued with a second sight allowing him to see the souls of those around him, including animals – especially chickens. Seeing souls gives Arnold a slight glimpse into the future as the souls actions occur just before those of their corporeal hosts. Though an advantage in sports where Arnold can anticipate his opponents every move, it also sets him apart from the rest of humanity causing his eventual banishment by his parents to a home for boys. Recognized by Father Beau as gifted in second site, Arnold is sent to France where he joins a secret order of those men charged with banishing the souls of trapped fowl to the next life. However, though the order exists, none have the site of Arnold who quickly demonstrates his. He eventually becomes Armand - the Exorciste de Volaille - the poultry exorcist!
Meanwhile, across the world, the Rooster has also been forever changed by the light. Capable of thought and even speech, the Rooster becomes king of an ever expanding farm owned an operated by Bobby Garfundephelt and his wife. However, all is not well on the farm and without giving too much of the plot away, evil takes route on the farm and Bobby is forever haunted by the undead chickens and their Rooster king. Only Armand, now aged and scared with the wounds from setting straight the worlds “fowl” wrongs, can save Bobby. Or can he?...
Eric Knapp’s Cluck: Murder Most Fowl is a masterpiece. I honestly did not believe I would like this book as much as I did. Reminiscent of the Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone or even the best of what Tales from the Crypt had to offer, Knapp creates a intriguing and engaging tale of three lives intertwined and changed forever. This is an incredibly creative piece of fiction that in lesser hands would have come across at best campy and at worst just plain stupid. Rather, Knapp has pulled off an amazingly entertaining novel. The graphics by Ian Richard Miller at the onset of each chapter are perfect and are displayed in the oval shape of an egg. Completing the professional and all encompassing feel for the story is the unique font titling each chapter.
I don’t give out 5 stars easily and never expected to do so when I started this book. But truthfully, this is one of the most creative, different, offbeat funny, and intriguing books I’ve read this year. It is definitely not mainstream and one might have to be in the right mood to appreciate it’s brilliance, but I believe few would be disappointed in reading Cluck (I can’t believe I’m actually typing this). Good luck Mr. Knapp and congratulations on an extremely well written tale.
Meanwhile, across the world, the Rooster has also been forever changed by the light. Capable of thought and even speech, the Rooster becomes king of an ever expanding farm owned an operated by Bobby Garfundephelt and his wife. However, all is not well on the farm and without giving too much of the plot away, evil takes route on the farm and Bobby is forever haunted by the undead chickens and their Rooster king. Only Armand, now aged and scared with the wounds from setting straight the worlds “fowl” wrongs, can save Bobby. Or can he?...
Eric Knapp’s Cluck: Murder Most Fowl is a masterpiece. I honestly did not believe I would like this book as much as I did. Reminiscent of the Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone or even the best of what Tales from the Crypt had to offer, Knapp creates a intriguing and engaging tale of three lives intertwined and changed forever. This is an incredibly creative piece of fiction that in lesser hands would have come across at best campy and at worst just plain stupid. Rather, Knapp has pulled off an amazingly entertaining novel. The graphics by Ian Richard Miller at the onset of each chapter are perfect and are displayed in the oval shape of an egg. Completing the professional and all encompassing feel for the story is the unique font titling each chapter.
I don’t give out 5 stars easily and never expected to do so when I started this book. But truthfully, this is one of the most creative, different, offbeat funny, and intriguing books I’ve read this year. It is definitely not mainstream and one might have to be in the right mood to appreciate it’s brilliance, but I believe few would be disappointed in reading Cluck (I can’t believe I’m actually typing this). Good luck Mr. Knapp and congratulations on an extremely well written tale.
November 5, 2010
I figured I could use the "best zombie chicken book ever written" quote, which would be entirely accurate, but instead I will lead this review with a warning. I DARE you...no, I double dog dare you...to look at a batch of chicken nuggets or a KFC drumstick the same again after reading this story. If this book does not put you off on eating chicken...ah, forget it. I am still a chicken eater and will probably always will be, even after reading this. In fact, I have a hankering for a spicey chicken sandwich right about now.
I did ponder during this story whether the author has a fondness or hatred for poultry based on the tone and tenor of this original recipe (yes, I went there) of a novel. It is hard to tell, because he makes it abundantly clear that there are three things you need to know about chickens from the outset: They are dirty, they are loud, and they are stupid. But that does not necessarily make them evil or in any way bad. Tasty maybe, but not destined to be diabolical.
In this epic tale of supernatural bantams, supernatural houses, and supernatural beings that dwell inside Chicken Exorcists (the ghosts of chicken exorcists past?), we are given the chance to see the world from both the chicken eye view (very low to the ground, where flying tomatoes and rotten eggs are downright irresistable) and the humans who challenge them.
While this story was perhaps a bit long in the beak from the standpoint of overall length, the author gives us a tremendously detailed farce that reminds me somewhat of something that Terry Pratchett might produce, footnotes and all. The sly, somewhat serious but not taking itself serious tone is pitch perfect for a story of this magnitude. For a independently produced work the editing and flow of this story is outstanding, with both likeable and dispicable characters including annoying, arrogant Frenchmen, which is something every story should have.
Overall, a terrifically amusing and entertaining tale of a man, his chickens, a rooster on steroids, the house they live in, and the exorcist who would somehow dare to save them all.
I did ponder during this story whether the author has a fondness or hatred for poultry based on the tone and tenor of this original recipe (yes, I went there) of a novel. It is hard to tell, because he makes it abundantly clear that there are three things you need to know about chickens from the outset: They are dirty, they are loud, and they are stupid. But that does not necessarily make them evil or in any way bad. Tasty maybe, but not destined to be diabolical.
In this epic tale of supernatural bantams, supernatural houses, and supernatural beings that dwell inside Chicken Exorcists (the ghosts of chicken exorcists past?), we are given the chance to see the world from both the chicken eye view (very low to the ground, where flying tomatoes and rotten eggs are downright irresistable) and the humans who challenge them.
While this story was perhaps a bit long in the beak from the standpoint of overall length, the author gives us a tremendously detailed farce that reminds me somewhat of something that Terry Pratchett might produce, footnotes and all. The sly, somewhat serious but not taking itself serious tone is pitch perfect for a story of this magnitude. For a independently produced work the editing and flow of this story is outstanding, with both likeable and dispicable characters including annoying, arrogant Frenchmen, which is something every story should have.
Overall, a terrifically amusing and entertaining tale of a man, his chickens, a rooster on steroids, the house they live in, and the exorcist who would somehow dare to save them all.
July 28, 2008
An untapped corner of the horror novel genre involves stories about dead chickens. Until now, that is.
Bobby Garfundephelt buys a sprawling, multi-building farm, with the intention of turning part of it into a bed and breakfast. Included with the farm is a chicken coop, full of loud, stupid and filthy chickens. Janice, his wife, likes the chickens, and has to repeatedly remind Bobby to feed them. In a moment of frustration, one night, Bobby sets fire to the coop, with the chickens inside. Janice leaves him. Stuck somewhere between life and death, the zombie chickens go on the attack. Led by an evil undead Rooster, bigger than the average rooster, they chase Bobby throughout the labyrinthine rooms of the farmhouse. The house has been altered and added to so many times over the past 200 years, that it has gained a rudimentary intelligence, and assists in Bobby’s torment.
Arnold is a young boy with a unique ability. Remember the famous movie line, "I see dead people?" Arnold could say, "I see dead chickens." After years of seeing a blue light coming from everyone, and being attacked by undead chickens, Arnold’s parents ship him to a secret monastery in France. Their specialty is chicken exorcisms. On his deathbed, the present leader of the order transfers the being, or presence, living inside him to Arnold, making him the new leader. Many years later, Arnold, now called Armand, arrives at the farmhouse, to do battle with these undead zombie chickens. Amid everything else, Armand has to deal with a chicken spirit that takes over Bobby, so that, one minute, he is cowering in fear in the corner of a basement, and the next minute, he is trying to kill Armand.
If nothing else, this is a very different sort of novel, and it’s a very good novel. It’s nice and strange, and the author does a fine job with it.
Bobby Garfundephelt buys a sprawling, multi-building farm, with the intention of turning part of it into a bed and breakfast. Included with the farm is a chicken coop, full of loud, stupid and filthy chickens. Janice, his wife, likes the chickens, and has to repeatedly remind Bobby to feed them. In a moment of frustration, one night, Bobby sets fire to the coop, with the chickens inside. Janice leaves him. Stuck somewhere between life and death, the zombie chickens go on the attack. Led by an evil undead Rooster, bigger than the average rooster, they chase Bobby throughout the labyrinthine rooms of the farmhouse. The house has been altered and added to so many times over the past 200 years, that it has gained a rudimentary intelligence, and assists in Bobby’s torment.
Arnold is a young boy with a unique ability. Remember the famous movie line, "I see dead people?" Arnold could say, "I see dead chickens." After years of seeing a blue light coming from everyone, and being attacked by undead chickens, Arnold’s parents ship him to a secret monastery in France. Their specialty is chicken exorcisms. On his deathbed, the present leader of the order transfers the being, or presence, living inside him to Arnold, making him the new leader. Many years later, Arnold, now called Armand, arrives at the farmhouse, to do battle with these undead zombie chickens. Amid everything else, Armand has to deal with a chicken spirit that takes over Bobby, so that, one minute, he is cowering in fear in the corner of a basement, and the next minute, he is trying to kill Armand.
If nothing else, this is a very different sort of novel, and it’s a very good novel. It’s nice and strange, and the author does a fine job with it.
January 3, 2014
Exorcist vs. zombie ghost chickens.
This had to be the most original, odd horror/ghost/zombie story I've ever read. Recommended to me by one of the Reading Dead in Ravelry, I thought there is no way someone could write an entertaining story like this and not turn out to be some poorly written drivel.
Definitely a change of pace but glad that I picked it up.
I'll tell you something else, I'll still enjoy eating a roast chicken but for some reason, I'll never look at chicken nuggets the same way again.
This had to be the most original, odd horror/ghost/zombie story I've ever read. Recommended to me by one of the Reading Dead in Ravelry, I thought there is no way someone could write an entertaining story like this and not turn out to be some poorly written drivel.
Definitely a change of pace but glad that I picked it up.
I'll tell you something else, I'll still enjoy eating a roast chicken but for some reason, I'll never look at chicken nuggets the same way again.
December 15, 2007
I wrote the book, so it's not entirely fair to give it a five star rating based solely on my own opinion ... so I'll pass on an endorsement from Lloyd Kaufman, the director of the Movie "Poultrygiest" (and many others), who said Cluck is "the best undead chicken novel of all time." Doesn't that speak volumes?
November 20, 2010
Very entertaining read original, funny - very much like Terry Prachett - some LOL moments to be sure - I'll never look at tomatoes the same way again!
May 30, 2025
Full of irreverent humor. I thoroughly enjoyed.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews