Fangtastic Tales of Werewolf Savagery

by Toneye Eyenot

La Lluna Plena – the Full Moon – that beautiful and mysterious celestial body which stirs within us all those deep, dark emotions we do our best to subdue and control. For some of us, her influence runs deeper, much deeper. We all walk beneath her maddening rays, yet, while most may shrug off the notion that inside us all resides a beast – a savage wolf – there are those of us who embrace the monster within and ride that lunatic wave with abandon each time she casts her gaze upon us.

Some see it as a blessing, others…a curse. To be bitten, and fall prey to murderous urges beyond our control, or to have the good fortune to be born into the pack, or perhaps even to whisper words of spell in order to evoke the lycanthropic gift, there are more than a few ways to cast aside the human skin and let loose the wolf within. Those ways are explored throughout this collection of werewolf terrors.

Suspend disbelief, dear reader, because whether you care to admit it, or continue to live in ignorant bliss, we walk among you. We smell the blood as it courses through your veins and taste your fear on the breeze. We long to see the life drain from your quivering flesh as we gorge. Beware the Full Moon, as you are about to enter the world of the Werewolf.

~ Toneye Eyenot

Genres: Horror

165 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 21, 2019

About the author

"Lurk within my mind(s) and see the terrors which await thee. Just keep in mind, once in my mind, you cannot flee." - Eyenot

Toneye Eyenot hails from The Blue Mountains in Australia. Although writing horrible tales for the better part of 30 years, 2014 saw his first published work in REJECTED For Content - Splattergore through JEA Press. His debut Dark Fantasy/Horror novella, THE SCARLETT CURSE is book one in the SACRED BLADE OF PROFANITY series, released in 2014 through JEA, now unpublished to be re-released through Luniakk Publications. Book II in the series, JOSHUA'S FOLLY was released in 2016. Book III in the Sacred Blade Of Profanity series is currently being conjured. BLOOD MOON BIG TOP released Oct. 7, 2016 - a werewolf/clown Horror novella; all of which also await republishing through Luniakk. His stories appear in all 6 REJECTED FOR CONTENT editions, as well as dozens more anthologies. Eyenot is also the editor for a werewolf-themed anthology series - FULL MOON SLAUGHTER 1&2, and several other anthologies. This year has seen the author emerge from the shadows with terrifying results as Eyenot branches out with Luniakk Publications. So far, with the release of FLASH OF DARKNESS, PSYCHOTIC INTERLUDE, OF NIGHTMARE REALITIES, ABYSMAL FEAST: AN AGGLOMERATION OF ANTHROPOPHAGIC ATROCITIES, and WOLVZ: WHISPERS OF WAR, challenge your sensibilities and take a walk thru the mind(s) of a luniakk...
You can find Toneye lurking around these haunts…
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Website: https://luniakkpublications.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Toneye-Eyenot/...
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G+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+toneyeey...

Reviews

[Steve Stred · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **

I was first introduced to Mr. Eyenot’s love of werewolf’s last year, when I was offered up Wolvz: Whispers of War. I myself love, love, love all things werewolf (well except for running into one in real life) so I jumped at the chance to check it out. Personally, I was a bit underwhelmed with the story. It was a good story, I just wished for more. (KR: You can read Steve’s Wolvz: Whispers of War review here)

So now, along comes this collection of short stories, and I just had to take another trip under the full moon with Toneye.

This collection is made up of 5 tales of savagery and it opens with a bang. The first story I would actually classify as a novella. It made up of 50% of the collection on my kindle.

The story “Blood Moon Big Top” follows the clown Marbles. I liked the character of Marbles and I’ve not read a lot of werewolf/clown tales before, so this was a nice, fresh take on the familiar plot line. We follow Marbles, and the circus, as he gets savaged and transforms.

This was a decent tale, but at points I felt it dragged on in some sections. Maybe it was because I didn’t realize it was a novella length and wondering just when it was going to wrap up, but ultimately I enjoyed the story.

The second tale was a good romp through werewolf lore. “Hunter’s Moon” had a very similar feel as “Wolvz: Whispers of War” but I found the length of this tale suited it perfectly.

The third tale brought us another gorier offering with “Dire.” Having it involve a museum, an artifact and a collector was a great addition. Really enjoyed this one and I think in the future, I’d love to see more ‘National Treasure/Werewolf’ mash-ups.

The fourth tale was aptly titled “Human Skin.” We get a nice little tale about a crime scene, some detectives and a wondering of what just happened.

The last tale offered up “The Tomb of Legion” wasn’t a story I enjoyed very much, but that’s because I’m just not liking vampire tales for the most part right now. This pitted werewolves and vampires in a splatter filled tale. Reminded me a bit of the Underworld movies and I can see this becoming a fan favourite for Toneye.

The collection concluded with a bonus look at “Wolvz: Whispers of War” which I skipped by, having previously read it.

I loved the variety of plots and back stories offered up here. It’s great to see that in a ‘simplistic’ genre such as “werewolf” Toneye did a stellar job showing us that he’s not a one trick pony, but also that the genre can have great depth and that the stories themselves are capable of not becoming repetitive. I wish the first tale was a bit shorter and I personally didn’t enjoy the last tale, but it was still a fun read.

Overall I’m popping this bad boy under 4 full moons, and if you enjoy the lycanthropy world, I highly suggest you explore this collection!

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immediately hooked by the fangtastic cover and the howling good forward.

Blood Moon Big Top: Marbles was a loner, so a traveling circus was a perfect fit for him. He learned the meaning of no good deed goes unpunished. Didn’t have fear of clowns before, you will after reading this gory, bloody horror novella…and I loved every minute of it. 4 Stars.

Hunters Moon: Short Story: This was a hunt like one I have never been on and it was over too quick. 3 Stars

Dire: The thief has no idea what’s in store for him, but I do and it wasn’t any payment I want. 4 Stars

Human Skin: Curiosity killed the cat and it doesn’t bode well for Alex and Jason in this howling mystery of horror. 3 Stars

The Tome of Legion: Who wins in a war between Lycans and Vampires? The battle is vicious but….wins to fight another day. 3 Stars

Excerpt for Wolvz: The Mother of the Pack was killed by humans and Lycan would make them ay in a blood thirsty war of killing. 4 Stars for this excerpt, making me want to read more.

Because I do not do half stars…four it is.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Fantastic Tales of Werewolf Savagery by
Toneye Eyenot

See more at fundinmental

[P.A. Rudders · Rating 5 out of 5]

A blood-filled gore-fest that will have horror fans salivating for more!

Anyone who immediately thinks of or associates werewolf stories with the old Boris Karloff or Lon Chaney Jr. B-movies couldn’t be wrong – the quality of writing and imagery here is as from removed from such perceptions as Steve McQueen’s 1950’s film ‘The Blob’ is from Sigourney Weaver’s ‘Alien’ films or, say, Hammer Horror films’ depiction of vampires is from the more recent Twilight Saga.

These five werewolf-themed tales from Toneye Eyenot do tread some familiar ground in lycanthropy lore i.e. contracting the werewolf virus from a bite, humans finding themselves at the sharp end of hunting, and werewolves battling their old nemesis the vampires to name but three. What most impresses me with much of the author’s writing is the way he is able to take on familiar horror themes and yet infuse them with his own unique style and perspective so that the reader, particularly horror fans, don’t immediately feel the story is yet another rehash of some previous one. At the same time, this loose ‘familiarity’ with the subject matter enables the reader to quickly immerse themselves in the action (and there’s plenty of that!) rather than being faced with a story where the writer has tried too hard to be ‘way-out’ or controversial just for the sake of it.

The blood and gore and is about as real as it gets, with the author not shying away from the most gruesome and explicit description to truly hit home the savagery of what’s going on. As in all good horror, the victims aren’t restricted just to those that deserve their fate, but includes anyone who happens to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time; indeed, in Toneye Eyenot’s world of lycanthropic mayhem, even the most vulnerable and truly innocent of society are not immune from suffering the most heinous and bloody end – anyone looking for neat happy endings where some human hero saves the day is likely to be disappointed – it’s the beastly werewolves that rule the day here. Five howling growls for this one!!!!!

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Due to my thoughts on Fangtastic Tales of Werewolf Savagery, I feel it’ll be easier for me to break down what worked for me & what didn’t work for me. Fangtastic Tales.. is a short story collection that focuses solely on werewolves; hence the title.

What I Liked:

Starting at the surface, holy hell @ that cover@?#!@# Listen, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but Fangtastic Tales of Werewolf Savagery has such amazing artwork! I was instantly drawn in by its color scheme & design. Heckin’ beautiful.

I would also like to shout-out Toneye Eyenot for being passionate about their genre. The request e-mail I got from them was so howlin’ fun, I just knew I wanted to work with them.

I truly appreciated the variety of each story. Yes, it’s all about werewolves — but there’s so much range between each short. From a drifter clown turned werewolf to a story that plays on werewolves vs. vampires. I absolutely adored Toneye’s creativity & originality.

Plus, IT’S A BLOODY GOREFEST, ghouls. I am a true sucker for a story covered in gore. I was definitely not let down when it comes to bloodshed & cringe-worthy moments.

My favorite short would have to be the longest of the collection, Blood Moon Big Top. This story focuses on Marbles the Clown who ends up transitioning into a werewolf. I really loved the circus meets werewolf tale aesthetic. However, there are some things I didn’t like about this story (i.e. child death, which some people are able to handle better than others! If you don’t mind a gruesome scene where a child gets mauled by a werewolf, than feel free to ignore this trigger warning).

What I Didn’t Like:

There was a huge disconnect between story & reader, in my case. Even the longest short, Blood Moon Big Top, had me wanting more of something. This is probably the most-developed of the collection & yet, I didn’t feel anything while reading.

A lot of the stories I can barely remember, because although they do thrive with originality, there’s not enough to make it memorable. This story is best for those who just want a quick & fun gore-y time & don’t care much for anything else.

[Toni | Dark Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Toneye Eyenot for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review

This was a collection of 5 short stories that celebrate everything Werewolf.

The authors passion for the subject matter is clear in his storytelling, there is plenty of gore and grizzly imagery, as you would expect. I enjoyed the fact that most of the stories were told from the Werewolf’s POV.

There were some really good inner conflict scenes in ‘Blood Moon Big Top’ after Pebbles the clown gets bitten and undergoes the transformation from human to Werewolf, as he battles with his human conscience and animal impulses.

Unfortunately I did struggle with this collection, I found that with all of the stories being on the same subject, the language and descriptions felt repetitive, there was no real depth or sense of direction to the stories which is a shame, this one just wasn’t for me.

If you like a fast paced Werewolf Gore-fest I would recommend you check it out!

[P.J. Blakey-Novis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone familiar with Eyenot’s other works will know that he has a fondness for werewolves, and this collection of works provides a fantastic example of his talents as a writer. Comprised of a number of short tales, Fangtastic Tales of Werewolf Savagery is a brutally good read.

[Jim Coniglio · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there was ever someone in this world that could be a real werewolf, I would believe that person would be Toneye Eyenot. This man virtually lives, breaths and thank the moon, writes werewolves.

Toneye's newest release, FANGTASTIC TALES OF WEREWOLF SAVAGERY is a collection of five stories. Each story is a different take on the wolf, but they all feel like they could be taking place in the same world. This web of inter-connectivity creates a feeling of falling into a mythos created out of the blackness of the authors nightmares.

Toneye treats the werewolf as the main character. No beast taking the back seat to a hero looking to save the day, or a girl in a red hood trying to lead it astray. The wolf is front and center, and that is what I really enjoyed about the tales. I have always loved a good werewolf story and it is so spectacular to see the wolf be set free. And these are proper werewolves, not your over-sized cuddly dogs chasing sparkly vampires. They are bloody, savage killers, rending flesh and chewing on bone.

Lets take a look at the stories included in this book.

BLOOD MOON BIG TOP
This is a revised 2nd edition of this story which was originally published in 2016. What could be just as scary as werewolves...clowns of coarse

This doozy of a tale follows a clown named Marbles. He is a loner who enjoys his solitude between shows with a traveling circus. One night while out for a walk he stumbles across a feral child in the forest and and gets bit on the hand. Little does Marbles know that this one event will make life as he knows it spiral out of control and lead him down a path of blood and death.

This is the longest story in the collection and boy does it deserve to be front and center. We see this man slowly and methodically start fighting with his own humanity. We all know that he will lose to the wolf in the end, but the journey to that point is a roller-coaster ride of emotions. As Marbles looses his battle to the beast, he partakes in murder after murder to feed his growing hunger. Each one more gruesome then the last as the full moon approaches.

Toneye does not hold back on the gore. The deaths are horrible and vicious and keep building until one of the biggest blood-soaked conclusions you will ever read.
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HUNTER'S MOON
A pack of werewolves in the Blue Mountains of Australia prepare for the night of the Blood Moon and The Great Hunt.

They have gathered their prey from the surrounding community of humans and when the time is right they will be released and the wolves will hunt.

This tale gives a good look at the Pack dynamic of this group of werewolves. Each member is different, but when the hunt begins, they are one. The common goal, hunt and kill the human prey.
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DIRE
A thief takes a job to steal a fossilized paw print from the natural History Museum. It is a strange artifact, and when he returns to the man who hired him, events take a strange and deadly turn.

This story, with it's quick lead in and finale, reminded me of a Outer Limits episode. Just a nice little satisfying compact story.
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HUMAN SKIN
Two Private Investigators at a gruesome crime scene try to decipher the truth about a mangled body. Was this a stray animal attack or something far more sinister. And what could the old man who lives alone by the old docks have to do with it.

Hard Boiled crime and werewolves. I could read a whole book on this topic alone.
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THE TOMB OF LEGION
It's werewolves vs vampires (not the pretty sparkly ones) in an all-out battle of supremacy. And we even get some witches thrown in for good measure.

Out of the 4 shorter stories in this collection, this is my favorite. Who doesn't love wolves and vamps tearing into each other. The author gets to let loose and creates some real carnage on the page. We even get a ending that leaves the door wide open for a new chapter.
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As a bonus, a excerpt from the authors other novel, WOLVZ: WHISPERS OF WAR is included at the end of the book.

The moon is full tonight, so grab your copy and howl away. The night of the wolf is just beginning.

[D.J. Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written short stories with Blood Moon Big Top as my favourite as it is great storytelling - who else would mix a clown and werewolf story so well...only Mr. Eyenot. Hunter's Moon was also in the top for me, I visualised the whole breathtaking pack hunt. I'm also impressed by the artwork on the cover.

Highly recommended for those who fear fangtastic 'tails' of terror.

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 reading challenge ( werewolf). This is probably the 5 th werewolf book I have ever read in my life. Now, I feel like a professional at werewolf lingo. These stories were fun. A werewolf clown and carnival lions! Yes! Mayhem that I absolutely loved. The other stories were good too, but the carnival was the most fun

[Serenity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok reads

I appreciated the gore, and definitely appreciated that there was no romance, as too often seen in werewolf books. I liked that the last story had vampires.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bloody fangtastic collection as promised ... filled with nothing but werewolf! Don’t be squeamish, folks! Just enjoy!!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this from the first page to the last. Its really interesting, and well worth reading. Five stars, and look more from the author.

[Naomi Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of werewolf tales. Each story had a very unique storyline, Blood Moon Big Top was my favorite out of the collection. There is plenty of blood and gore so I wouldn't recommend it to people with weak stomachs.

[Katy Lohman]

For those who like lots and lots of bloody murdering, beheadings, gut rippings and ranting about the blight called humanity. When they say savagery, they ain't lying.