The Moon Aflame

The Portal in the Forest #3

by Matt Dymerski

Both day and night are cast in lurid orange by the light of the molten moon. A cloud of glowing debris and heated gasses bloats the sky. The impact was the most tremendous celestial event of the era, and its aftermath absolutely cannot be missed - so why is nobody talking about it anymore?

Alek, a semi-delusional loner, struggles to understand the sudden censure of all media relating to the event. He's never been good at discerning reality from dreams, but this feels like the worst he's ever had it. He avoids looking at the burning moon out of fear while those around him begin acting oddly. Family members tell him that nothing's wrong. Neighbors subtly probe his allegiances. Acquaintances insist that the Moon is not on fire, and won't you just look at it? Look how beautiful it is tonight. LOOK.

Poor Alek is a fool that refuses to gaze up at His glory and accept the Change. Word of the coming miracle must be spread. Alek and the Free heretics must be rooted out and obliterated. Above all, the way must be paved for the coming of the Dreamer On High - humanity will dance under the Moon aflame as salvation descends from the sky.

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction

102 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2015

About the author

Matt Dymerski is an author and of science fiction and horror. His works cover a wide range, from short story anthologies to full-length novels.

Dymerski is a favorite author in r/nosleep, a popular reddit forum where authors share original horror stories. In 2012, he was awarded Best Multi-Part Story of 2012 for the Asylum series.

Reviews

[ash | songsforafuturepoet · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like cosmic horror and feeling absolutely scared out of your wits, this author is for you. Amazing stuff.

Highly recommend that you purchase his book here.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn’t very exciting! The weakest in the series so far. I can only think it was something we needed to know for later?

[Цветозар · Rating 1 out of 5]

Две от три, не е лоша статистика, но дуология ако бяха останали щеше да е по-добре.

Всичко, което харесвам в предшествениците на този роман, не присъства в него. "Луната в пламъци" сякаш не е писана от същия автор, защото този път ужасът е само един, не е страшен и всъщност даже е скучен, героят също, обикновен carboard cutout good guy си е. А когато героинята в първата книга беше запозната със съпернатуралното майка, загубила детето си и готова да спасяви други и героят във втората беше мистериозен човек/програма, който не е сигурен в собственото си съществуване, това не е никак впечатляващо.

Този роман няма и връзка с миналите два романа, няма я експлорацията на разнообразни идеи, има я само тази една история за този младеж пишещ във форум за психично болни, а дори това не остава така до края. "Луната в пламъци" ми идва като роман писан в writer's block, както би го нарекъл американеца, не е добра, (мога да я сравня с Kill the moon, и двете са лоши истории, свързани с луни) клиширана е по начин, по който ужасите, които не харесвам, са клиширани. А усещането за creepy pasta история въобще не присъства, макар и да беше бижуто в прозата на Мат Димерски.

[Lazu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't quite like it as much as the two before, the whole concept of broken minds turned me off.
But it still shows the same sense of being connected to the other stories, the deep concepts that are incomprehensible to me - love it.

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the main character growing from scared to determined, facing one nightmare only to find himself dealing with another one.