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Black Easter
Six Science Fiction stories that take the reader from the very edge of our own universe to the dizzying depths of parallel worlds and alternate realities. This dazzling collection from noted Panverse anthology editor Dario Ciriello includes both hard and humorous SF, and novelette-length work. Recommended!
FREE When whole bundles of worldlines—parallel realities—begin to collapse and die, an old linewalker is the only one who can help—if he can conquer his own demons.
COLLATERAL artist working on a docked luxury star-yacht is taken captive when the ship is hijacked by pirates, and has only hours to save himself before losing everything to the inflexible laws of spacetime.
TIGGER WALKS THE An AI trapped in a cloned feline body finds itself the unfortunate subject of an all-too-real Shrödinger's Cat experiment.
DWELL ON HER At the edge of the universe in a tiny, experimental ship, a priestess from the Far Sisters cult sent to observe an impossible phenomenon faces madness and terror.
SKIFFY SUPRÈ So just how DO you bake a planet?
DANCING BY Lyra discovers an ability that can change worlds—and then makes a terrifying choice that will change them further still.
(Ebook total 31,000 words, equivalent to 90-100 pages of print).
FREE When whole bundles of worldlines—parallel realities—begin to collapse and die, an old linewalker is the only one who can help—if he can conquer his own demons.
COLLATERAL artist working on a docked luxury star-yacht is taken captive when the ship is hijacked by pirates, and has only hours to save himself before losing everything to the inflexible laws of spacetime.
TIGGER WALKS THE An AI trapped in a cloned feline body finds itself the unfortunate subject of an all-too-real Shrödinger's Cat experiment.
DWELL ON HER At the edge of the universe in a tiny, experimental ship, a priestess from the Far Sisters cult sent to observe an impossible phenomenon faces madness and terror.
SKIFFY SUPRÈ So just how DO you bake a planet?
DANCING BY Lyra discovers an ability that can change worlds—and then makes a terrifying choice that will change them further still.
(Ebook total 31,000 words, equivalent to 90-100 pages of print).
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2014
8 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Dario Ciriello
19 books40 followersDario Ciriello is a professional author and editor, and the founder (2009) of Panverse Publishing.
Dario's first novel, "Sutherland's Rules", a crime caper/thriller with a shimmer of the fantastic, was published in 2013. "Free Verse and Other Stories", a collection of his short Science Fiction work, was released in June 2014.
His 2015 novel, the supernatural suspense thriller titled "Black Easter", pits love against black magic and demonic possession on a remote, idyllic Greek island. Dario is currently at work on a new thriller.
Dario's nonfiction book, "Aegean Dream", the bittersweet memoir of a year spent on the small Greek island of Skópelos (the real "Mamma Mia!" island), was an Amazon category #1 for several months in 2012. "The Fiction Writing Handbook: the Professional Author's Guide to Writing Beyond the Rules" (2017) is his second nonfiction work.
In addition to writing, Dario, who currently lives in the Los Angeles area, offers professional editing, copyediting, and formatting services to indie authors.
Blog: www.dariospeaks.wordpress.com
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/Dario-Ciriello/e/B002U...
See all books by Dario at www.panversepublishing.com/books
Dario's first novel, "Sutherland's Rules", a crime caper/thriller with a shimmer of the fantastic, was published in 2013. "Free Verse and Other Stories", a collection of his short Science Fiction work, was released in June 2014.
His 2015 novel, the supernatural suspense thriller titled "Black Easter", pits love against black magic and demonic possession on a remote, idyllic Greek island. Dario is currently at work on a new thriller.
Dario's nonfiction book, "Aegean Dream", the bittersweet memoir of a year spent on the small Greek island of Skópelos (the real "Mamma Mia!" island), was an Amazon category #1 for several months in 2012. "The Fiction Writing Handbook: the Professional Author's Guide to Writing Beyond the Rules" (2017) is his second nonfiction work.
In addition to writing, Dario, who currently lives in the Los Angeles area, offers professional editing, copyediting, and formatting services to indie authors.
Blog: www.dariospeaks.wordpress.com
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/Dario-Ciriello/e/B002U...
See all books by Dario at www.panversepublishing.com/books
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 31, 2014
(disclaimer: this book was given to me by the author to review)
Free Verse, an e-book only collection by Dario Ciriello, was a good surprise to me. I had heard good things of Ciriello's work for a while, but hadn't read any of his stories until now. Then I asked him for a copy of his short story collection when it became available. It took me a while to start reading, and when I finally started I must confess it took me another while to get past the first few pages - but after that it turned out to be a smooth, fun ride.
The first story, Free Verse, is a travel-between-alternate-realities story. One of the favorite subgenres hands down - and that's one of the reasons I found it hard to get past the first few pages. The story read like so many others I read in the past few years (a tribute to classics, perhaps? I assumed that was the case), and it had a thing that always bothers me to no end - Asimovian names (or Golden Age names, for that matter). For instance, the protagonist's name is Pol Ferrikin. This is a personal grudge. I don't like contemporary stories to resort to this unless they're doing a satire or a parody or a tribute. Since the last one might be the case, I decided not to be a jackass and go ahead.
I was being a jackass all right.
Free Verse is much more than a tribute to Golden Age. Despite the use of Anglo names (maybe what bothered me is the fact that Ciriello is not Italian-American, but an Italian-British writer who lived part of his life in Italy, and I hoped somehow to see part of his Mediterranean heritage translated into the pages of the story), the story rapidly develops into a convolute crisis in the Panverse - and that's what made me feel more ashamed, because this clearly belongs to a larger universe (his Panverse stories) which I wish I could had read beforehand. But this posed no problem to me, because Ciriello explains the structure of the Panverse, its worldlines and how linewalkers traverse them without our need to read other stories. (the thing is, now I want to read everything he wrote about it)
There's not much I can tell about this particular story without giving spoilers, but the references to writers like A. Bertram Chandler and Isaac Asimov are explicit, and the narrative takes the reader to what may be the very end of the Panverse, presenting a conundrum that only Ferrikin can solve. A good story, my initial doubts aside.
Collateral Damage, the second story, almost can be read as an alternate version of The Cold Equations, if Tom Godwin had been a little less Ayn-Randian and more, say, Steve-Jobbish: Cato, a tech working in a dry-docked ship, is accidentally locked in and transported out of Sol System by a group of repo-people. Initially, they have nothing against him, but they aren't going to drop him before they reach their destination just because he wants - and what he wants is not to get back to Earth forty years later due to relativistic speeds. So Cato must devise a plan to take back the ship and not to get killed in the process. Gripping story - also reminded me of Jack Vance.
The third story, Tigger Walks the Planck, is a fine piece playing with AIs and Schroedinger's Cat, all nicely wrapped up in a very funny tale, full of pop and classic references and as hard as they come. Alfred Bester comes to mind here.
Dwell On Her Graciousness is one the most intriguing stories of the collection. In a future where a matriarchal religious order, the Far Sisters, led the expansion of humankind into space, with a philosophy based more in joy, pleasure, and free will than the Catholic Church that gave birth to it, Yvene, a traveling sister with an exceptionally strong uplink to the Goddess, starts feeling spontaneous ectasies (not much different from the mystic ecstasies of St. Teresa of Ávila, but now with a cyborg touch, since every sister has an implant to commune with the Goddess) during an exploratory trip. The thing is, the ecstasies might be related to an alien presence who doesn't want them in that region of space. Yvene tries to warn the other members of the expedition, but to no avail. What follows next is a power play - not only between humans aboard the ship.
Skiffy Suprème is a sort of prose poem. A simple, good post-modern recipe of how to write a story with all the classic ingredientes. I tried and it's really tasty. I only missed a sprinkle of robots on top of it all. But that's just me.
The last story is also the best of the collection. Dancing by Numbers, though not (necessarily) related to the Panverse, takes us again to the territory of alternate realities, but through another perspective - or perspectives, since the story is told in first person by several versions of Lyra, a woman who is a professional ballerina in the main universe (apparently ours, but we SF readers already know we aren't supposed to presume that much when it comes to alternate universes), and in others a steampunk analog from the Nouveau Empire, a celtic woman in a neo-medieval environment, a Godsbride from a place apparently very advanced in math and music, but still clinging to pre-historical customs and mores, and even Lyras identical to the ballerina but who chose different paths in life. All of them (well, almost all - no spoilers) suddenly start to communicate with one another spontaneously, not with words, but with a kind of tele-empathy, which makes them feel the presence of the others, see through their eyes, listen through their ears, and rethink all their previously thought about life. This is not without a price, however. The story goes on until a paroxysm of horror and a conclusion that leaves the reader at the same time happy that it's over and wanting to know more. But this story is one of the best I've read this year. It's a shame I can't nominate it for any award since it was originally published in 2010 (in Eight Against Reality, an anthology I'm definitely going to read in 2015).
And I'm definitely going to read more Dario Ciriello in 2015.
Free Verse, an e-book only collection by Dario Ciriello, was a good surprise to me. I had heard good things of Ciriello's work for a while, but hadn't read any of his stories until now. Then I asked him for a copy of his short story collection when it became available. It took me a while to start reading, and when I finally started I must confess it took me another while to get past the first few pages - but after that it turned out to be a smooth, fun ride.
The first story, Free Verse, is a travel-between-alternate-realities story. One of the favorite subgenres hands down - and that's one of the reasons I found it hard to get past the first few pages. The story read like so many others I read in the past few years (a tribute to classics, perhaps? I assumed that was the case), and it had a thing that always bothers me to no end - Asimovian names (or Golden Age names, for that matter). For instance, the protagonist's name is Pol Ferrikin. This is a personal grudge. I don't like contemporary stories to resort to this unless they're doing a satire or a parody or a tribute. Since the last one might be the case, I decided not to be a jackass and go ahead.
I was being a jackass all right.
Free Verse is much more than a tribute to Golden Age. Despite the use of Anglo names (maybe what bothered me is the fact that Ciriello is not Italian-American, but an Italian-British writer who lived part of his life in Italy, and I hoped somehow to see part of his Mediterranean heritage translated into the pages of the story), the story rapidly develops into a convolute crisis in the Panverse - and that's what made me feel more ashamed, because this clearly belongs to a larger universe (his Panverse stories) which I wish I could had read beforehand. But this posed no problem to me, because Ciriello explains the structure of the Panverse, its worldlines and how linewalkers traverse them without our need to read other stories. (the thing is, now I want to read everything he wrote about it)
There's not much I can tell about this particular story without giving spoilers, but the references to writers like A. Bertram Chandler and Isaac Asimov are explicit, and the narrative takes the reader to what may be the very end of the Panverse, presenting a conundrum that only Ferrikin can solve. A good story, my initial doubts aside.
Collateral Damage, the second story, almost can be read as an alternate version of The Cold Equations, if Tom Godwin had been a little less Ayn-Randian and more, say, Steve-Jobbish: Cato, a tech working in a dry-docked ship, is accidentally locked in and transported out of Sol System by a group of repo-people. Initially, they have nothing against him, but they aren't going to drop him before they reach their destination just because he wants - and what he wants is not to get back to Earth forty years later due to relativistic speeds. So Cato must devise a plan to take back the ship and not to get killed in the process. Gripping story - also reminded me of Jack Vance.
The third story, Tigger Walks the Planck, is a fine piece playing with AIs and Schroedinger's Cat, all nicely wrapped up in a very funny tale, full of pop and classic references and as hard as they come. Alfred Bester comes to mind here.
Dwell On Her Graciousness is one the most intriguing stories of the collection. In a future where a matriarchal religious order, the Far Sisters, led the expansion of humankind into space, with a philosophy based more in joy, pleasure, and free will than the Catholic Church that gave birth to it, Yvene, a traveling sister with an exceptionally strong uplink to the Goddess, starts feeling spontaneous ectasies (not much different from the mystic ecstasies of St. Teresa of Ávila, but now with a cyborg touch, since every sister has an implant to commune with the Goddess) during an exploratory trip. The thing is, the ecstasies might be related to an alien presence who doesn't want them in that region of space. Yvene tries to warn the other members of the expedition, but to no avail. What follows next is a power play - not only between humans aboard the ship.
Skiffy Suprème is a sort of prose poem. A simple, good post-modern recipe of how to write a story with all the classic ingredientes. I tried and it's really tasty. I only missed a sprinkle of robots on top of it all. But that's just me.
The last story is also the best of the collection. Dancing by Numbers, though not (necessarily) related to the Panverse, takes us again to the territory of alternate realities, but through another perspective - or perspectives, since the story is told in first person by several versions of Lyra, a woman who is a professional ballerina in the main universe (apparently ours, but we SF readers already know we aren't supposed to presume that much when it comes to alternate universes), and in others a steampunk analog from the Nouveau Empire, a celtic woman in a neo-medieval environment, a Godsbride from a place apparently very advanced in math and music, but still clinging to pre-historical customs and mores, and even Lyras identical to the ballerina but who chose different paths in life. All of them (well, almost all - no spoilers) suddenly start to communicate with one another spontaneously, not with words, but with a kind of tele-empathy, which makes them feel the presence of the others, see through their eyes, listen through their ears, and rethink all their previously thought about life. This is not without a price, however. The story goes on until a paroxysm of horror and a conclusion that leaves the reader at the same time happy that it's over and wanting to know more. But this story is one of the best I've read this year. It's a shame I can't nominate it for any award since it was originally published in 2010 (in Eight Against Reality, an anthology I'm definitely going to read in 2015).
And I'm definitely going to read more Dario Ciriello in 2015.
July 30, 2014
I love a good short story once in a while—unlike a novel, short fiction is all the entertainment, none of the commitment. Kind of like a really great one night stand (oops! Was that my outdoor voice?)
Free Verse offers up six provocative pieces by one of the most underrated authors I know. Here they are, paired with my thoughts:
Free Verse: This story offers the reader an introduction to The Panverse when a ‘linewalker’, Pol—who is an adventurer’s soul trapped by his own gentle heart—has to face off with an old foe and arrest the chaos, mayhem and annihilation that will ensue when worldliness ( which maintain and separate parallel universes) crash.
The imagery is marvelous here; I pictured the worldlines as a grid sprawling across an endless, star lit continuum, some lines weak and wavering, some solid enough to leap on, still others rolling like surf. The world evoked here has a limitless feeling to it, and its characters are freakishly beautiful, inside and out.
Collateral Damage: Poor Cato. He’s just looking forward to wrapping up a day of work when the ship he’s painting is pirated, and now he’s faced with a stitch in time that will rob him of 40 years of his life by the time he’s returned—unless he figures out a way to out-play or outwit his captors. (The concept of time here, incidentally, was reminiscent here of Stephen King’s old short story The Jaunt) .
Loved the ingenuity and appreciated the stakes—but wanted a greater price for the peril. (What can I say? I love it when characters are sent through emotional meat grinders )
Both Collateral Damage and Free Verse have an undertone of stickin’ it to the man, themes that resonate through much of Ciriello’s work. I like it.
Dwell On Her Graciousness: This piece is BEAUTIFUL.
On an exploration leading to where the limits of science meet the limits of faith, one striking line of prose captures the entire concept beautifully : (out the window there were) “fleeting ghosts of geometry”. What is science? What is faith? And these existential concepts, science and faith—are they as curious about us as we are about them? Maybe. And so perhaps some things, no matter how learned or faithful we are, are just not meant to be touched or be seen. Instead we are all meant to merely ‘dwell on her graciousness’. Loved this, loved this, loved this.
Tigger Walks the Planck: Schroedinger’s Cat is on the hot seat here and I won’t lie; the science made me feel like a bit (oh, okay—a whole *bunch*) of a dummy BUT the voice had me grinning …and so did what was left in the box at the end. Why, how very Alice-in-Wonderland of the author…..
Dancing By Numbers: Imagine a window within the universe through which you could leap and meet yourself—or multitudes of yourselves. Would you love them? Hate them? Recognize them at all? How similar or dissimilar would they be to you? Which traits would be consistent in all of them—something you were proud of, or something you loathed? This piece is so evocative that you really could become as lost, or as addicted, as Lyra in trying to find out.
Skiffy Supreme: Cute. Just cute. “When both crewmembers begin to sweat, remove outer coverings and blend vigorously.” Well….YEAH. And who *wouldn’t* want a hero’s welcome back to Earth?
Verdict: Beyond the science /scientific possibilities, which I admit toss me into the deep end and make me feel like I should be riding the short bus, I enjoyed these stories—some deeper and more reflectively than others. Dwell On Her Graciousness and Dancing By Numbers were easy favorites, leaving me pondering the most haunting of possibilities. So when the author says “I think the mind handles the unknown far better than the body.” I say don’t be too sure…..
4.5 Stars rounded to 5 because I am being a bit of a ball-buster on the lack of hero-gore in Free Verse (hey, I’m a bloodthirsty sort, what can I say?)
Free Verse offers up six provocative pieces by one of the most underrated authors I know. Here they are, paired with my thoughts:
Free Verse: This story offers the reader an introduction to The Panverse when a ‘linewalker’, Pol—who is an adventurer’s soul trapped by his own gentle heart—has to face off with an old foe and arrest the chaos, mayhem and annihilation that will ensue when worldliness ( which maintain and separate parallel universes) crash.
The imagery is marvelous here; I pictured the worldlines as a grid sprawling across an endless, star lit continuum, some lines weak and wavering, some solid enough to leap on, still others rolling like surf. The world evoked here has a limitless feeling to it, and its characters are freakishly beautiful, inside and out.
Collateral Damage: Poor Cato. He’s just looking forward to wrapping up a day of work when the ship he’s painting is pirated, and now he’s faced with a stitch in time that will rob him of 40 years of his life by the time he’s returned—unless he figures out a way to out-play or outwit his captors. (The concept of time here, incidentally, was reminiscent here of Stephen King’s old short story The Jaunt) .
Loved the ingenuity and appreciated the stakes—but wanted a greater price for the peril. (What can I say? I love it when characters are sent through emotional meat grinders )
Both Collateral Damage and Free Verse have an undertone of stickin’ it to the man, themes that resonate through much of Ciriello’s work. I like it.
Dwell On Her Graciousness: This piece is BEAUTIFUL.
On an exploration leading to where the limits of science meet the limits of faith, one striking line of prose captures the entire concept beautifully : (out the window there were) “fleeting ghosts of geometry”. What is science? What is faith? And these existential concepts, science and faith—are they as curious about us as we are about them? Maybe. And so perhaps some things, no matter how learned or faithful we are, are just not meant to be touched or be seen. Instead we are all meant to merely ‘dwell on her graciousness’. Loved this, loved this, loved this.
Tigger Walks the Planck: Schroedinger’s Cat is on the hot seat here and I won’t lie; the science made me feel like a bit (oh, okay—a whole *bunch*) of a dummy BUT the voice had me grinning …and so did what was left in the box at the end. Why, how very Alice-in-Wonderland of the author…..
Dancing By Numbers: Imagine a window within the universe through which you could leap and meet yourself—or multitudes of yourselves. Would you love them? Hate them? Recognize them at all? How similar or dissimilar would they be to you? Which traits would be consistent in all of them—something you were proud of, or something you loathed? This piece is so evocative that you really could become as lost, or as addicted, as Lyra in trying to find out.
Skiffy Supreme: Cute. Just cute. “When both crewmembers begin to sweat, remove outer coverings and blend vigorously.” Well….YEAH. And who *wouldn’t* want a hero’s welcome back to Earth?
Verdict: Beyond the science /scientific possibilities, which I admit toss me into the deep end and make me feel like I should be riding the short bus, I enjoyed these stories—some deeper and more reflectively than others. Dwell On Her Graciousness and Dancing By Numbers were easy favorites, leaving me pondering the most haunting of possibilities. So when the author says “I think the mind handles the unknown far better than the body.” I say don’t be too sure…..
4.5 Stars rounded to 5 because I am being a bit of a ball-buster on the lack of hero-gore in Free Verse (hey, I’m a bloodthirsty sort, what can I say?)
December 9, 2015
Supernatural thrillers are not my bag, but I’m a big fan of Dario Ciriello’s writing. I enjoyed his anthologies (four from his Panverse Publishing), his autobiographical novel Aegean Dreams, and his straight-up thriller Sutherland’s Rules.
Black Easter is his best book yet—a marvelously literary page-turner.
BE is set in Dario’s favorite locale—a Greek Island. The years he spent in the Aegean give his stage a solid reality, poetically described.
Centered on a forgotten stone house with a murderous history, Black Easter involves a cast of characters ranging from the standard depressed, rich tourist looking for healing solitude to a ruthless Nazi to a sociable Greek Orthodox priest to an all-devouring Horse from Hell. Even though it has a large, diverse cast, I never lost track of who is who because each player is an individual.
Similarly, I was never confused by the many flashbacks. Rather than stopping the action to fill in backstory, they propel the plot and add depth and motivation to the characters.
Although the book follows some well-worn supernatural conventions-- a bet with a demon with a possible payout of immortality and penalty of eternal torment—Dario’s take on the machinery of hell is unique. His supernatural “system” is all his own: some demons are protectors of humanity.
His descriptions of supernatural events are vivid nightmare fodder. The climactic scene is powerfully disturbing, totally strange, and chillingly convincing.
On top of all of Dario’s solid literary chops, he writes sex scenes that don’t make you seriously consider a vow of chastity
Read it!
Black Easter is his best book yet—a marvelously literary page-turner.
BE is set in Dario’s favorite locale—a Greek Island. The years he spent in the Aegean give his stage a solid reality, poetically described.
Centered on a forgotten stone house with a murderous history, Black Easter involves a cast of characters ranging from the standard depressed, rich tourist looking for healing solitude to a ruthless Nazi to a sociable Greek Orthodox priest to an all-devouring Horse from Hell. Even though it has a large, diverse cast, I never lost track of who is who because each player is an individual.
Similarly, I was never confused by the many flashbacks. Rather than stopping the action to fill in backstory, they propel the plot and add depth and motivation to the characters.
Although the book follows some well-worn supernatural conventions-- a bet with a demon with a possible payout of immortality and penalty of eternal torment—Dario’s take on the machinery of hell is unique. His supernatural “system” is all his own: some demons are protectors of humanity.
His descriptions of supernatural events are vivid nightmare fodder. The climactic scene is powerfully disturbing, totally strange, and chillingly convincing.
On top of all of Dario’s solid literary chops, he writes sex scenes that don’t make you seriously consider a vow of chastity
Read it!
April 15, 2017
I couldn't find a lot of options for Easter horror novels. I was looking for books about rabid bunnies chewing on shins with maybe a bit of heel humping thrown in for chuckles, poisoned Easter treats being fed to children and other fun stuff like that.
I found this book, it was inexpensive so I figured what the hell, I'll give it a try. I'm glad that I did, I really liked it and will probably check out more of his horror novels.
I found this to be an exciting and interesting story, it takes place in Nazi occupied and present day Greece and involves some demonologists that want to be resurrected on Easter. I found it to be well written and I really enjoyed the characters, and I thought it had a pretty unique story line.
It felt like the author left the story open for a sequel which I would definitely pick up. Overall, an enjoyable Easter horror read.
I found this book, it was inexpensive so I figured what the hell, I'll give it a try. I'm glad that I did, I really liked it and will probably check out more of his horror novels.
I found this to be an exciting and interesting story, it takes place in Nazi occupied and present day Greece and involves some demonologists that want to be resurrected on Easter. I found it to be well written and I really enjoyed the characters, and I thought it had a pretty unique story line.
It felt like the author left the story open for a sequel which I would definitely pick up. Overall, an enjoyable Easter horror read.
January 1, 2016
A must for readers who enjoy the Occult
I chose this rating because it deserves it. I've read many books that deal with the Occult and this new author to me had me in his grip from beginning to end. A book you can't put down. So well written and descriptive you are drawn right into it. I shall certainly be reading more of his works. ...Mary Cascarino.
I chose this rating because it deserves it. I've read many books that deal with the Occult and this new author to me had me in his grip from beginning to end. A book you can't put down. So well written and descriptive you are drawn right into it. I shall certainly be reading more of his works. ...Mary Cascarino.
December 1, 2015
Against the backdrop of idyllic Greece, and within the traditions of the dominant Greek Orthodox Church, Paul has emigrated from the U.S. in an attempt to start a cleaner, more simplified slate - and to leave the heartbreak of losing a lover to a cult behind him. What he discovers is a potential new lover in Elleni - but as Elleni uncovers the dark history of Paul's rented cottage and they both begin to acquaint themselves with the deeply disturbed trio who once practiced the most depraved form of Satanism there, disquieting occurrences begin to disturb them and Paul, a spiritual skeptic who has a personal ax to grind with all forms of faith, has to reckon with a new and terrifying set of beliefs that he simply cannot deny.
This is a rapidly-read novel with one of the most loathsome villains I've ever tripped over running the proverbial show. Dafyd is self-absorbed, cocky, greedy, heartless, and smug (don't you just want to take him home to meet Mom? said no one, ever), a true dick of the first order, and I confess that part of the reason I raced through this book was to see if he gets a worthy comeuppance in the end (I will not reveal whether he *does* or he *doesn't*). There is always an abundance of arrogance within people who want to transcend to be more than what we mere humans are, and the Satanic trio here fit that bill. I wanted to make the lot of them drink boiling oil.
The setting of Greece, though, is absolutely lovely, and the little details - the food, the camaraderie of locals, the countryside - all serve to compel the reader to visit (and lull into a bit of false sense of security; could somewhere so peaceable and beautiful truly be so toxically evil....?)
Black Easter is a quick read that doesn't shirk away from obscenity, depravity, or taboos (it *is* about Satanism, after all, and not that I've been to a Black Mass anytime recently, but I hear the cats that practice that sh*t can get pretty gruesome and depraved). There's a rather quantum-universe take on Hell that will appeal to Science Fiction fans here (confession: I stumbled through those pieces. But science fiction fans won't) and, as I mentioned, a lovely depiction of Greece and Greeks that will appeal to the world traveler in you.
4 Well-Wasn't-*That*-Lot-Pitch-Black-Selfish-And-Evil? Stars
This is a rapidly-read novel with one of the most loathsome villains I've ever tripped over running the proverbial show. Dafyd is self-absorbed, cocky, greedy, heartless, and smug (don't you just want to take him home to meet Mom? said no one, ever), a true dick of the first order, and I confess that part of the reason I raced through this book was to see if he gets a worthy comeuppance in the end (I will not reveal whether he *does* or he *doesn't*). There is always an abundance of arrogance within people who want to transcend to be more than what we mere humans are, and the Satanic trio here fit that bill. I wanted to make the lot of them drink boiling oil.
The setting of Greece, though, is absolutely lovely, and the little details - the food, the camaraderie of locals, the countryside - all serve to compel the reader to visit (and lull into a bit of false sense of security; could somewhere so peaceable and beautiful truly be so toxically evil....?)
Black Easter is a quick read that doesn't shirk away from obscenity, depravity, or taboos (it *is* about Satanism, after all, and not that I've been to a Black Mass anytime recently, but I hear the cats that practice that sh*t can get pretty gruesome and depraved). There's a rather quantum-universe take on Hell that will appeal to Science Fiction fans here (confession: I stumbled through those pieces. But science fiction fans won't) and, as I mentioned, a lovely depiction of Greece and Greeks that will appeal to the world traveler in you.
4 Well-Wasn't-*That*-Lot-Pitch-Black-Selfish-And-Evil? Stars
January 3, 2016
Anyone looking through my reader-history would realise that I've known Dario Ciriello for some years (since 2002 to be exact), and consider him a good friend. I've had the pleasure of watching his work as a writer, editor and publisher win well deserved recognition and it's always a pleasure to buy one of his new works. So Ends Disclaimer.
Dario is a writer that enjoys exploring. His work spans biography, fantasy, science fiction, thrillers and now the supernatural.
In Black Easter, Dario is using his real-life experience on an Aegean Island (read Aegean Dream), to inform his characters and deliver a beautifully rendered scenic backdrop to his story.
Black Easter's key character, Paul Hatzis, is distancing himself from emotional trauma. He's not particularly likable fellow at first -- he comes across as critical and defensive until you get to know him better -- who walks into a minutely planned, perfectly executed (ha!) supernatural ambush, prepared seventy years in the past. The current and historic story-lines run parallel until the trap shuts and the two timelines converge in a battle for possession.
I've now read this book twice and enjoyed both readings immensely. There is a literary quality to Dario's writing, detailed and thoughtful, that leaves you feeling informed without being brow-beaten. Having said that, it's quite clear that the author has real love for the Greek characters in this tale. For me, one of the most engaging aspects to this story was that it focused on an aesthetic man looking to reset his life on a beautiful Greek island, who rediscovers love and passion, just before everything rational and real is torn to shreds. You just gotta love that sort of shock treatment.
Aside from the pleasure in reading a story where the characters and culture are seamlessly integrated, I also enjoyed the fact that in Black Easter, the "Supernatural" is not a screen with white noise from which issues arbitrarily angry ghosts but a well defined reality that has rule and reason. Dario is not afraid to 'step out there' and take us to a place that turns the demon meme on its head.
Recommended for readers who like their fiction real enough to be scary.
Dario is a writer that enjoys exploring. His work spans biography, fantasy, science fiction, thrillers and now the supernatural.
In Black Easter, Dario is using his real-life experience on an Aegean Island (read Aegean Dream), to inform his characters and deliver a beautifully rendered scenic backdrop to his story.
Black Easter's key character, Paul Hatzis, is distancing himself from emotional trauma. He's not particularly likable fellow at first -- he comes across as critical and defensive until you get to know him better -- who walks into a minutely planned, perfectly executed (ha!) supernatural ambush, prepared seventy years in the past. The current and historic story-lines run parallel until the trap shuts and the two timelines converge in a battle for possession.
I've now read this book twice and enjoyed both readings immensely. There is a literary quality to Dario's writing, detailed and thoughtful, that leaves you feeling informed without being brow-beaten. Having said that, it's quite clear that the author has real love for the Greek characters in this tale. For me, one of the most engaging aspects to this story was that it focused on an aesthetic man looking to reset his life on a beautiful Greek island, who rediscovers love and passion, just before everything rational and real is torn to shreds. You just gotta love that sort of shock treatment.
Aside from the pleasure in reading a story where the characters and culture are seamlessly integrated, I also enjoyed the fact that in Black Easter, the "Supernatural" is not a screen with white noise from which issues arbitrarily angry ghosts but a well defined reality that has rule and reason. Dario is not afraid to 'step out there' and take us to a place that turns the demon meme on its head.
Recommended for readers who like their fiction real enough to be scary.
January 15, 2016
A few years back, one of my favorite authors (Tamara Siler-Jones, in case you're wondering lol) posted up a link on Facebook to an indie publisher looking to start up a Street Team. I quickly filled out the form and submitted it, and was subsequently picked to join Panverse Publishing's extended family. I was introduced to some great books, but even better was the fact that I now felt like I was part of the industry (unofficially, and unpaid, but still). ;) That jump encouraged me to submit an application to Harper Voyager for their Super Reader program (again, thanks to a shared post by Tambo, lol), so now I also get to read and review all kinds of books before they ever hit the shelves. #winning :D
Dario Ciriello is one of those folks who really knows how to tell a story, whether it be about drug-smuggling older gentlemen (Sutherland's Rules), his beautiful and fun yet ultimately doomed migration to a Greek island (Aegean Dream), or in this case, selling your soul to an otherworldly creature in order to gain ultimate power. Yeah, there's both less and more going on than what that summary leads you to believe, but that's what makes it a good story. The gist of it is pretty much this: one poor schmo happens to pick the wrong house at the wrong time and winds up being the target of a hostile takeover from another dimension. (or, Tuesday at Neil Gaiman's house.) ;) Black Easter was a bit difficult for me to pick what Goodreads shelves to put it on, as you have magic (which means Fantasy) combined with religion and demons (which generally means Horror), and Nazi's (which typically means warfare, or Indiana Jones lol), with the major set pieces taking place in the contemporary fictional setting of a secluded Greek island. It blends together wonderfully, and I'd love to see some additional stories around the main characters, especially the old monk. It sounds like he's seen some heavy stuff. :D
Overall, another great work by Mr. Ciriello. Keep it up!
Dario Ciriello is one of those folks who really knows how to tell a story, whether it be about drug-smuggling older gentlemen (Sutherland's Rules), his beautiful and fun yet ultimately doomed migration to a Greek island (Aegean Dream), or in this case, selling your soul to an otherworldly creature in order to gain ultimate power. Yeah, there's both less and more going on than what that summary leads you to believe, but that's what makes it a good story. The gist of it is pretty much this: one poor schmo happens to pick the wrong house at the wrong time and winds up being the target of a hostile takeover from another dimension. (or, Tuesday at Neil Gaiman's house.) ;) Black Easter was a bit difficult for me to pick what Goodreads shelves to put it on, as you have magic (which means Fantasy) combined with religion and demons (which generally means Horror), and Nazi's (which typically means warfare, or Indiana Jones lol), with the major set pieces taking place in the contemporary fictional setting of a secluded Greek island. It blends together wonderfully, and I'd love to see some additional stories around the main characters, especially the old monk. It sounds like he's seen some heavy stuff. :D
Overall, another great work by Mr. Ciriello. Keep it up!
June 19, 2016
I'm not usually one for the horror genre, so caveats there first and foremost.
Black Easter does have a great cast of characters, starting with Paul who (from knowing the Author) shares quite a bit experience wise with the author, and comes off as an extremely realistic protagonist because of that. Elleni is great and sympathetic. The 1940s cast was excellent as well, each with very rich personalities. I did find myself skimming over the priest/captain perspectives a little more, as their paths were pretty linear and I didn't find as much to connect with as the others.
It's very hard to pull off a time period piece mixing with modern and then having stories converge, but this work does that very well. I spent the first half of the book wondering how that was going to happen, and it ended up a very fun hook. The different settings were intertwined masterfully.
The danger felt real, the pacing was extremely fast, which puts this in a category with the best thrillers.
I found myself wanting more out of the "hell" chapters (hopefully not spoiling too much) and really would have liked a more vivid picture and more of that. The concept of hell was the most intriguing aspect of the work and it left me longing for more.
Another thing I expect from horror is a bit of a twist, and the progression went pretty linearly and as I anticipated it would, which did hurt the suspense a little in the mid to late chapters. There was one twist at the end which I won't spoil in a review form, but I thought that could have been amplified to some degree.
I did like how the magic progressed toward the end. Descriptions there were vivid and real.
Not my genre, but from what I have read of it this is an excellent debut into the genre. It does remind me a bit of J. Michael Straczynski's late 80s horror novels which I read because I was interested in the author, which is a good thing.
Black Easter does have a great cast of characters, starting with Paul who (from knowing the Author) shares quite a bit experience wise with the author, and comes off as an extremely realistic protagonist because of that. Elleni is great and sympathetic. The 1940s cast was excellent as well, each with very rich personalities. I did find myself skimming over the priest/captain perspectives a little more, as their paths were pretty linear and I didn't find as much to connect with as the others.
It's very hard to pull off a time period piece mixing with modern and then having stories converge, but this work does that very well. I spent the first half of the book wondering how that was going to happen, and it ended up a very fun hook. The different settings were intertwined masterfully.
The danger felt real, the pacing was extremely fast, which puts this in a category with the best thrillers.
I found myself wanting more out of the "hell" chapters (hopefully not spoiling too much) and really would have liked a more vivid picture and more of that. The concept of hell was the most intriguing aspect of the work and it left me longing for more.
Another thing I expect from horror is a bit of a twist, and the progression went pretty linearly and as I anticipated it would, which did hurt the suspense a little in the mid to late chapters. There was one twist at the end which I won't spoil in a review form, but I thought that could have been amplified to some degree.
I did like how the magic progressed toward the end. Descriptions there were vivid and real.
Not my genre, but from what I have read of it this is an excellent debut into the genre. It does remind me a bit of J. Michael Straczynski's late 80s horror novels which I read because I was interested in the author, which is a good thing.
May 13, 2020
The story follows Paul, a San Franciscan antiques dealer who, although financially successful, has found himself emotionally dissatisfied, and has decided to change his life and move to a small Greek island.
Ready to start again, Paul is guided around a very old stone house on the island of Vóunos by beautiful estate agent, Elleni, and sees no reason not to push ahead and sign the rental agreement.
The house has been empty, although tended to by a regular staff, for quite some time. But there’s a problem. One that Paul will only discover after he’s moved in. The house was the setting for demonic activity and human sacrifice during the Second World War. And the former owners, after seventy years in hell, are ready to come home…
The story is genuinely scary. Of course the subject matter is dark - including the aforementioned human sacrifice and devil worship, as well as torture in wartime, contracts with hell, and human possession. I found the writing profound and compelling; I was properly scared but I couldn’t stop reading.
This was the first time in a long time that I can remember thinking of a novel as art. It’s the highest compliment I can pay any book. There’s no doubting the impact of the subject matter - I really thought I might be changed after the reading of it. The writing style is lyrical, without being floral. The characters and the relationships between them are keenly-observed and well-expressed.
True, the imagery used on the front cover is frightening, but totally apt for the story within. You’ll want to be at your strongest emotionally and spiritually, but Black Easter has the feeling of a classic in the making.
Ready to start again, Paul is guided around a very old stone house on the island of Vóunos by beautiful estate agent, Elleni, and sees no reason not to push ahead and sign the rental agreement.
The house has been empty, although tended to by a regular staff, for quite some time. But there’s a problem. One that Paul will only discover after he’s moved in. The house was the setting for demonic activity and human sacrifice during the Second World War. And the former owners, after seventy years in hell, are ready to come home…
The story is genuinely scary. Of course the subject matter is dark - including the aforementioned human sacrifice and devil worship, as well as torture in wartime, contracts with hell, and human possession. I found the writing profound and compelling; I was properly scared but I couldn’t stop reading.
This was the first time in a long time that I can remember thinking of a novel as art. It’s the highest compliment I can pay any book. There’s no doubting the impact of the subject matter - I really thought I might be changed after the reading of it. The writing style is lyrical, without being floral. The characters and the relationships between them are keenly-observed and well-expressed.
True, the imagery used on the front cover is frightening, but totally apt for the story within. You’ll want to be at your strongest emotionally and spiritually, but Black Easter has the feeling of a classic in the making.
November 30, 2015
Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book through the publisher in exchange for this review. Dario's also a good friend of mine.
I am pagan, and into tarot and esoteric subjects, which is why Dario asked me to read his latest tale. This was such a fun read. It also kept me up all night!
At it's heart, Black Easter is modern ghost story. Paul Hatzis moves away from the States to Greek island, where he rents an old house to relax and rediscover himself. Whenever he tells the locals about the place, they all tell him it's haunted. With the help of his realtor-turned-girlfriend, Elleni, the get to the bottom of this mystery. Things get weird... around Easter. There's a few more twists to this book, but I'll leave that for you to uncover. Spoilers and all that!
The characters are well rounded. Paul seems to be an every day joe, who desires a simple islander life. He's not ready for the events that happen in his house around Easter. Thankfully, with the help of his niece, Alex, and a priest... he's able to overcome the evils that threaten to bring destruction to the world. Alex was my favorite, as I identify goth and had a minor in anthropology.
Bottom Line: Do you enjoy a good, modern day haunting? Curious about why the Nazis were fascinated by the occult? Then this book will be a delight for you. No gore, only great storytelling.
I am pagan, and into tarot and esoteric subjects, which is why Dario asked me to read his latest tale. This was such a fun read. It also kept me up all night!
At it's heart, Black Easter is modern ghost story. Paul Hatzis moves away from the States to Greek island, where he rents an old house to relax and rediscover himself. Whenever he tells the locals about the place, they all tell him it's haunted. With the help of his realtor-turned-girlfriend, Elleni, the get to the bottom of this mystery. Things get weird... around Easter. There's a few more twists to this book, but I'll leave that for you to uncover. Spoilers and all that!
The characters are well rounded. Paul seems to be an every day joe, who desires a simple islander life. He's not ready for the events that happen in his house around Easter. Thankfully, with the help of his niece, Alex, and a priest... he's able to overcome the evils that threaten to bring destruction to the world. Alex was my favorite, as I identify goth and had a minor in anthropology.
Bottom Line: Do you enjoy a good, modern day haunting? Curious about why the Nazis were fascinated by the occult? Then this book will be a delight for you. No gore, only great storytelling.
April 13, 2017
A pitch-perfect blend of Lovecraftian doom meets Salem's Lot style horror, all set on a small island in Greece.
I grew up reading Stephen King and Clive Barker. Black Easter felt like a book either one of them might have written if they'd spent any time on a Greek island. As a writer myself, whose books tend to be dense, complex, and perhaps a bit-too-off-putting, I appreciated Dario's economical prose and deft pacing. The characters felt real, with recognizable baggage as well as unique and surprising perspectives. The tension slowly builds into an inevitable literally earth-shaking climax. A solid novel overall.
Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of Black Easter from Dario at an Indie Author Day event and since then we've come to be friends and collaborators through the Made in L.A. Writers group.
I grew up reading Stephen King and Clive Barker. Black Easter felt like a book either one of them might have written if they'd spent any time on a Greek island. As a writer myself, whose books tend to be dense, complex, and perhaps a bit-too-off-putting, I appreciated Dario's economical prose and deft pacing. The characters felt real, with recognizable baggage as well as unique and surprising perspectives. The tension slowly builds into an inevitable literally earth-shaking climax. A solid novel overall.
Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of Black Easter from Dario at an Indie Author Day event and since then we've come to be friends and collaborators through the Made in L.A. Writers group.
April 25, 2018
I received a copy of Black Easter through a Goodreads giveaway. I really enjoyed the story and found myself liking the main characters (well, not the villains, of course). The setting of the atmospheric off the beaten track Greek island really added to the suspense and mood of the story. There was a little unpredictable twist at the end which made it more fun. I think it would adapt well to the screen.
November 22, 2025
Dario Ciriello’s Free Verse and Other Stories is a collection that showcases his remarkable versatility as a storyteller. Blending science fiction, fantasy, and speculative realism, Ciriello approaches each story with a sharply observant eye and a knack for identifying the extraordinary lurking beneath ordinary surfaces.
What ties the collection together is his deep engagement with human psychology—fear, desire, creativity, ambition, and the thin boundaries between sanity and imagination.
The title story, “Free Verse”, is both a love letter to creativity and a quiet indictment of societies that try to regulate or quantify art. Ciriello imagines a world where creativity is dangerous, subversive, and policed—an idea that feels pointedly relevant to modern debates on censorship and homogenisation.
The protagonist’s struggle becomes symbolic of the timeless conflict between artistic freedom and authority. Ciriello’s nuanced handling prevents the story from drifting into didacticism; instead, it remains rooted in character and emotion.
Across the collection, Ciriello demonstrates a rare ability to shift tone fluidly. Some stories embrace humour, others lean into dread, and others glide into philosophical speculation.
Yet all feel intrinsically his. His prose is crisp, occasionally lyrical, and consistently precise—he never wastes a sentence. Dialogue is similarly polished, revealing character through rhythm and implication rather than exposition.
The worlds Ciriello constructs—whether futuristic cities, alternate realities, or subtly altered versions of our own—are textured through small, highly specific details.
He avoids encyclopedic world-building and instead focuses on atmosphere and implication. This minimalist approach invites readers to engage imaginatively, filling in the gaps in ways that make each story feel personal.
Ciriello’s characters are flawed, curious, stubborn, scared, brave—human in the most believable sense. He excels at placing ordinary people in extraordinary situations and exploring how their emotional landscapes shift under pressure.
Some stories end with clarity; others conclude with ambiguity that encourages reflection. This balance of resolution and mystery is one of the collection’s strengths.
As a whole, Free Verse and Other Stories is a thoughtful, engaging, and stylistically varied anthology.
It appeals to readers who enjoy speculative fiction that prioritises meaning and mood over spectacle and who appreciate stories driven by ideas without sacrificing emotional depth.
Ciriello proves himself a writer of intelligence, empathy, and imaginative range—qualities that make this collection linger long after the reading is done.
What ties the collection together is his deep engagement with human psychology—fear, desire, creativity, ambition, and the thin boundaries between sanity and imagination.
The title story, “Free Verse”, is both a love letter to creativity and a quiet indictment of societies that try to regulate or quantify art. Ciriello imagines a world where creativity is dangerous, subversive, and policed—an idea that feels pointedly relevant to modern debates on censorship and homogenisation.
The protagonist’s struggle becomes symbolic of the timeless conflict between artistic freedom and authority. Ciriello’s nuanced handling prevents the story from drifting into didacticism; instead, it remains rooted in character and emotion.
Across the collection, Ciriello demonstrates a rare ability to shift tone fluidly. Some stories embrace humour, others lean into dread, and others glide into philosophical speculation.
Yet all feel intrinsically his. His prose is crisp, occasionally lyrical, and consistently precise—he never wastes a sentence. Dialogue is similarly polished, revealing character through rhythm and implication rather than exposition.
The worlds Ciriello constructs—whether futuristic cities, alternate realities, or subtly altered versions of our own—are textured through small, highly specific details.
He avoids encyclopedic world-building and instead focuses on atmosphere and implication. This minimalist approach invites readers to engage imaginatively, filling in the gaps in ways that make each story feel personal.
Ciriello’s characters are flawed, curious, stubborn, scared, brave—human in the most believable sense. He excels at placing ordinary people in extraordinary situations and exploring how their emotional landscapes shift under pressure.
Some stories end with clarity; others conclude with ambiguity that encourages reflection. This balance of resolution and mystery is one of the collection’s strengths.
As a whole, Free Verse and Other Stories is a thoughtful, engaging, and stylistically varied anthology.
It appeals to readers who enjoy speculative fiction that prioritises meaning and mood over spectacle and who appreciate stories driven by ideas without sacrificing emotional depth.
Ciriello proves himself a writer of intelligence, empathy, and imaginative range—qualities that make this collection linger long after the reading is done.
January 19, 2016
Paul Hatzis was tired of life in San Francisco, his wife had left him to join a cult and he feels American culture is violent and delusional. Paul is in search of a simpler life and has decided to go to the Greek island of Vóunos to find it. He rents out a small old house but what he doesn’t know is that the house has a dark history.
Seventy years ago master of the dark arts, Dafyd along with a seer named Magda and Klaus a delusional SS colonel practiced black magic there. They killed some of the locals and in their final ritual they made a deal with outer hell and gave up their bodies to serve 70 years in hell. In exchange for their service they will be given new bodies and become immortals on Earth and the souls of the three bodies they inhabit will spend eternity in hell.
I found it hard writing a description of this book because there is so much depth to the story its hard to put into words. I guess I would have to say that Black Easter by Dario Ciriello is an intellectual horror novel. I’ve read many books that have a plot line like this but what makes this story different is how its told.
As Paul’s story begins you also hear the story of Magda, Klaus and Dafyd. The story starts in the present and keeps going back to tell the story of the former owners of the house. You think this is going to be your classic good versus evil story but in the beginning it’s not. You get the impression that Dafyd and Magda aren’t evil, they are in search of knowledge. Klaus is evil but he finds redemption(sort of). Then we get to find out more about what hell is like and it’s not the kind of place you would think it is.(I would love to say more but I don’t want to give it away.)
This brings me to one of the things that I liked about the book, I figured that Dario wouldn’t get into the description of hell but he does and I loved the concept behind it and hearing the rituals that the three characters used to get there. I loved the characters in the book and I liked how the Greek island itself is a character as you get into how the people on the island live and act. The best part of the book is how the characters in danger act when they are faced with the prospect of death. At this point the story does become good versus evil and you see that what was presented in the beginning wasn’t the thing that should be feared(read it you’ll understand).
Black Easter is truly an excellent read that had me still thinking about it after I was done reading. If you are into horror novels that have a lot of jump scares or lots of violence(it does have violence but it’s not what drives the story) you might not like this. That being said there we’re some scenes in this book where it comes across like a haunted house story. This is a great novel that will have you pondering life’s mysteries and what evil really is. I love that some of the characters question how evil can be stronger than good but as they question themselves they find the answers that they are looking for. I would love to elaborate on that statement but it would be better if you just bought Black Easter and read it.
Seventy years ago master of the dark arts, Dafyd along with a seer named Magda and Klaus a delusional SS colonel practiced black magic there. They killed some of the locals and in their final ritual they made a deal with outer hell and gave up their bodies to serve 70 years in hell. In exchange for their service they will be given new bodies and become immortals on Earth and the souls of the three bodies they inhabit will spend eternity in hell.
I found it hard writing a description of this book because there is so much depth to the story its hard to put into words. I guess I would have to say that Black Easter by Dario Ciriello is an intellectual horror novel. I’ve read many books that have a plot line like this but what makes this story different is how its told.
As Paul’s story begins you also hear the story of Magda, Klaus and Dafyd. The story starts in the present and keeps going back to tell the story of the former owners of the house. You think this is going to be your classic good versus evil story but in the beginning it’s not. You get the impression that Dafyd and Magda aren’t evil, they are in search of knowledge. Klaus is evil but he finds redemption(sort of). Then we get to find out more about what hell is like and it’s not the kind of place you would think it is.(I would love to say more but I don’t want to give it away.)
This brings me to one of the things that I liked about the book, I figured that Dario wouldn’t get into the description of hell but he does and I loved the concept behind it and hearing the rituals that the three characters used to get there. I loved the characters in the book and I liked how the Greek island itself is a character as you get into how the people on the island live and act. The best part of the book is how the characters in danger act when they are faced with the prospect of death. At this point the story does become good versus evil and you see that what was presented in the beginning wasn’t the thing that should be feared(read it you’ll understand).
Black Easter is truly an excellent read that had me still thinking about it after I was done reading. If you are into horror novels that have a lot of jump scares or lots of violence(it does have violence but it’s not what drives the story) you might not like this. That being said there we’re some scenes in this book where it comes across like a haunted house story. This is a great novel that will have you pondering life’s mysteries and what evil really is. I love that some of the characters question how evil can be stronger than good but as they question themselves they find the answers that they are looking for. I would love to elaborate on that statement but it would be better if you just bought Black Easter and read it.
November 20, 2016
Black Easter is the best book I’ve read in probably ten years. This is no exaggeration. Mr. Ciriello spins a classic tale of good versus evil and wraps it in a narrative with old-fashioned sensibilities juxtaposed against this primal, driving force, a need that must be satisfied. While reading Black Easter I was reminded of Foucault’s Pendulum, The Club Dumas, and Frankenstein all for different reasons. There are so many things I loved about this book, I’ll have to break them down into sections: narrative voice, story, and vivid descriptions.
First of all, Mr. Ciriello’s narrative voice is wonderful. The writing is gorgeous. He is a master with words and arranges them like a master composer setting notes in the perfect order to completely please the senses. I firmly believe I could read five-hundred pages of Mr. Ciriello describing a cantaloupe and be completely entertained.
Next up is the story. As I stated earlier, Black Easter is a classic tale of good versus evil. However, there is so much more. It is actually two stories broken up into two separate eras expertly intertwined by the master, Mr. Ciriello. Events that occurred near the end of World War II set the stage for events happening right now. Mr. Ciriello dances between the two presenting them in such a way you feel like you are present during each. The transition is never jarring, and always makes sense. Scenes happening today lend themselves to events happening in the past, and those historical events inform and enrich events happening in the current age. This is brilliant story telling.
Finally, the vivid descriptions presented in Black Easter are truly breathtaking and spectacular. Black Easter clocks in at 237 pages. However, after finishing the story I felt as if I had read 1,000. There is so much meat here, no wasted words. Each description is perfect. You see the sights, smell the smells, taste the deliciousness of each morsel, and feel each gentle caress or vicious slap. For me, the most satisfying of these descriptions occur in the spiritual. Mr. Ciriello takes us to different dimensions, even across the cosmos, to places the human mind couldn’t possibly comprehend. Yet, it feels like he’s been there, like he’s describing things he has actually witnessed, not just with his eyes, but with all his senses. Wow! I’m not sure how else to say it.
I truly loved this book, and I intend to greedily devour each of Mr. Ciriello’s other works. Read this book!
First of all, Mr. Ciriello’s narrative voice is wonderful. The writing is gorgeous. He is a master with words and arranges them like a master composer setting notes in the perfect order to completely please the senses. I firmly believe I could read five-hundred pages of Mr. Ciriello describing a cantaloupe and be completely entertained.
Next up is the story. As I stated earlier, Black Easter is a classic tale of good versus evil. However, there is so much more. It is actually two stories broken up into two separate eras expertly intertwined by the master, Mr. Ciriello. Events that occurred near the end of World War II set the stage for events happening right now. Mr. Ciriello dances between the two presenting them in such a way you feel like you are present during each. The transition is never jarring, and always makes sense. Scenes happening today lend themselves to events happening in the past, and those historical events inform and enrich events happening in the current age. This is brilliant story telling.
Finally, the vivid descriptions presented in Black Easter are truly breathtaking and spectacular. Black Easter clocks in at 237 pages. However, after finishing the story I felt as if I had read 1,000. There is so much meat here, no wasted words. Each description is perfect. You see the sights, smell the smells, taste the deliciousness of each morsel, and feel each gentle caress or vicious slap. For me, the most satisfying of these descriptions occur in the spiritual. Mr. Ciriello takes us to different dimensions, even across the cosmos, to places the human mind couldn’t possibly comprehend. Yet, it feels like he’s been there, like he’s describing things he has actually witnessed, not just with his eyes, but with all his senses. Wow! I’m not sure how else to say it.
I truly loved this book, and I intend to greedily devour each of Mr. Ciriello’s other works. Read this book!
August 23, 2014
“Free Verse and Other Stories” contains six of Dario’s short stories, each of which is exploratory in every sense of the word.
These stories reflect Dario’s fascination for questions of ‘what if’ and explore themes of humanity and the ties that bind us through alternate and parallel universes, dilemma and challenge.
I’ve always loved the short-story medium. I also understand, very well, the challenge a writer faces when trying to share a vision. To do so successfully – where every story has merit and character – is a great achievement. Moreover, when we read stories crafted from the writer’s personal Dreaming, we become part of something greater than ourselves.
Dario’s stories are excellent examples of this. Consider:
- What if every possibility manifest itself as a unique timeline, entwined and bundled like electrical cabling? Imagine yourself able to travel these timelines as easily as an electron moving through a circuit — until, that is, an old enemy decides that the universal garden has become unruly, and overdue for a prune.
- What would you do if you found yourself an unwilling stowaway onboard a hijacked spaceship, about to take an inter-stellar jump away from every person you know and love?
- Explore the dilemma of Schroedinger’s Cat from a uniquely feline perspective, as an AI housed in the body of a cat contemplates quantum indeterminacy and the continuation of its existence, outside the box.
- Imagine discovering that the Universe not only has a mind, but that you can speak to Her, until, that is, the exploratory ship you’re on probes the mystery of what lies beyond.
- For a change of pace, share a satirical ‘publishers’ moment with Dario: for a perfect world-building recipe, just add creativity and stir.
- What would you do if you discovered that you could dance across infinity in perfect disguise – your alternative selves – and what would you sacrifice to set such potential free?
If these ideas appeal to you and you’re looking for stories that are off science fiction’s beaten track, there’s a good chance Dario Ciriello’s Free Verse and Other Stories is for you. Enjoy.
- See more at: http://wp.me/p1IJ35-on
October 4, 2016
Dark fantasy fiction is not my typical read, but I found Black Easter to be an intellectually well-written page-turner. Dario Ciriello is a friend and a uniquely creative mind. There are elements of darkness, philosophy, and religious symbolism, but also picturesque scenes on an airy remote Greek island with charming, sympathetic characters and romance. He also pulls off jumping from past to present (to other dimensions!) with relative ease. What's not to like?
Readers who are interested in the supernatural, black magic and alternative theories of the universe would enjoy this book. I found the three characters who enslave themselves to demons in exchange for a chance at immortality to be diabolical, yet winsome. And the descriptions of their experiences in Outer Hell are curious and captivating.
Again, this is not my usual genre, but it's a fascinating story!
Readers who are interested in the supernatural, black magic and alternative theories of the universe would enjoy this book. I found the three characters who enslave themselves to demons in exchange for a chance at immortality to be diabolical, yet winsome. And the descriptions of their experiences in Outer Hell are curious and captivating.
Again, this is not my usual genre, but it's a fascinating story!
February 5, 2016
I stayed up late reading this book.
I really didn't get much sleep, because I spent so much tome devoted to it.
It was alright, your typical tale of an innocent family being offered as fuel to a few disgruntled spirits. I was just...expecting a little more. More horror, less predictability. I think this book would be better in movie form. But not bad for being a FREE copy won from a goodreads First Read Giveaway.
I can not complain with free. ♥
I really didn't get much sleep, because I spent so much tome devoted to it.
It was alright, your typical tale of an innocent family being offered as fuel to a few disgruntled spirits. I was just...expecting a little more. More horror, less predictability. I think this book would be better in movie form. But not bad for being a FREE copy won from a goodreads First Read Giveaway.
I can not complain with free. ♥
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