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The Night Silver River Run Red
Some things, according to Cody McCall, are worth risking a whipping. Such as, sneaking out with your friends after dark for a peek at the traveling show setting up just outside of town. Oddities, the signs promise. Marvels. Grotesqueries. Exotic attractions and mysterious magics.
Not as if they'd be allowed to attend otherwise, not with parents and preacher and schoolmarm all disapproving. But how often does a chance like this come along? There isn't much else by way of excitement in quiet, peaceful Silver River, a once-prosperous boom town slowly gone bust.
Worth risking a whipping, sure. Worth risking life and limb, and maybe more? Worth risking being ripped to pieces by ravenous, inhuman brutes? Worth crossing paths with those strange, silent cult-folk from the high valley? Worth all the fire and bloodshed and horror and death?
Because something far worse than any ordinary traveling show has come to town, and one thing is for certain: those who survive, if any, will never forget The Night Silver River Run Red.
Not as if they'd be allowed to attend otherwise, not with parents and preacher and schoolmarm all disapproving. But how often does a chance like this come along? There isn't much else by way of excitement in quiet, peaceful Silver River, a once-prosperous boom town slowly gone bust.
Worth risking a whipping, sure. Worth risking life and limb, and maybe more? Worth risking being ripped to pieces by ravenous, inhuman brutes? Worth crossing paths with those strange, silent cult-folk from the high valley? Worth all the fire and bloodshed and horror and death?
Because something far worse than any ordinary traveling show has come to town, and one thing is for certain: those who survive, if any, will never forget The Night Silver River Run Red.
220 pages, Paperback
First published August 7, 2020
30 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
January 9, 2024
This was a blast!
I like weird westerns and horror westerns, but this is probably my first splatterpunk western. That being said, I loved it!
Combine a band of cannibals, psychos and outlaws, set them down to rape and pillage a small village, and toss in a carnival-type freakshow crowd and you have yourself THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN READ.
That's all I'm going to say about the plot. This was wild, fast paced, sick and demented. LOVED every minute of it!
*I bought this with my hard earned cash and I'm so glad I did!*
I like weird westerns and horror westerns, but this is probably my first splatterpunk western. That being said, I loved it!
Combine a band of cannibals, psychos and outlaws, set them down to rape and pillage a small village, and toss in a carnival-type freakshow crowd and you have yourself THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN READ.
That's all I'm going to say about the plot. This was wild, fast paced, sick and demented. LOVED every minute of it!
*I bought this with my hard earned cash and I'm so glad I did!*
January 14, 2024
THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED [2020] By Christine Morgan
My Review 4.0 Stars Out Of 5.0 Stars
This Splatter Western by “new-to-me” Christine Morgan was an assigned group read by Horror Aficionados this month. The story is set in 1879 if I remember correctly. The gist of this Western tale is launched by a timeless truth, namely that little boys and little girls are apt to play hooky from home or school to sneak out for an opportunity to see the marvels of a traveling show. Or as the author begins the saga:
“Some things are worth a whipping, right?”
Honesty may not always be the best policy but I am going to use it here. I experienced difficulty with engagement right from the outset. I started reading, stopped, and started again. This was at a point where the kids (the seven of them) were in a “Mad Skedaddle” with the teeth, screaming, and fleeing for their lives. “Dead Dogs and Red Wolves” was initially confusing, and when one of the “things” chasing the kids was caught afire by a flaming lantern it surprised me to hear the creature screaming and using language as it fell to the flames. The kids try to play “the enemy of my enemy” card but when they reach Old Man Starkey’s it is a bloody abattoir. Starkey has been ripped to pieces with blood and body parts, organs, and intestines all over the place. His dogs have also been killed; their throats slashed.
It was not until “Dead Dogs and Red Wolves” that I began to adjust the camera and bring the storyline into sharper focus. BTW I loved the sections of the novel being delineated numerically and by descriptive phrases.
By PART TWO: Nasty By Day Or By Night I was tuned in and with the program. The Red Wolves of course were a faction of a larger evil, namely “Nasty” and his gang. I read each chapter which described the separate constituents of the whole Nasty apparatus. “Horsecock” was up to bat first (did that sound vulgar?). I loved his character. The subsequent three chapters detailed the maiming and death dealing at the hands, knives, and firearms of an assortment of remorseless killers for money, and a few psychotics who killed for fun and were even scarier.
PART THREE: High Noon At Midnight was riveting. Horsecock was still going his own way and doing his own thing (did that sound vulgar, too?). Other factions of the Nasty Gang apparatus were quietly killing as many townspeople as possible, before inevitably facing some feedback from the townspeople. Cody and Mina’s parents at the Post Office and their retaliation was one of my favorite parts of the book. Calla and Shane, the parents, gave ‘em hell.
It is not revealing spoilers (I do not think) to say here that the “marvels of the traveling show” turned out to be exactly that. The (in some cases miraculous) members were instrumental in literally beating back the Nasty Gang. It was so gratifying to see the despicable bad guys get annihilated.
Finally, it is necessary to point out that there is an abundance of killing in the novel, lots of blood and gore to enjoy, and some pretty graphic depictions of wounds and fatal shots by arrows, bullets, knives, and more. It is definitely extreme horror set in the Old West, but with such a creativity and originality that it blows my mind. There are morals to the story, and heroes. There are smiles, laughs, and hail Mary’s. The author gives us some of the most imaginative evil beings that are not supernatural while allowing our love of the mysticism to carry us far with magic to heal our child heroes. I must add that aside from the deadly duo of Calla and Shane at the Post Office, I just love “Horsecock” (what did I just say?).
KUDOS TO CHRISTINE MORGAN FOR IMAGINATION GALORE, BLOODY FACE-OFF BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, AND KIDS WHO WILL HAVE TALES TO TELL
My Review 4.0 Stars Out Of 5.0 Stars
This Splatter Western by “new-to-me” Christine Morgan was an assigned group read by Horror Aficionados this month. The story is set in 1879 if I remember correctly. The gist of this Western tale is launched by a timeless truth, namely that little boys and little girls are apt to play hooky from home or school to sneak out for an opportunity to see the marvels of a traveling show. Or as the author begins the saga:
“Some things are worth a whipping, right?”
Honesty may not always be the best policy but I am going to use it here. I experienced difficulty with engagement right from the outset. I started reading, stopped, and started again. This was at a point where the kids (the seven of them) were in a “Mad Skedaddle” with the teeth, screaming, and fleeing for their lives. “Dead Dogs and Red Wolves” was initially confusing, and when one of the “things” chasing the kids was caught afire by a flaming lantern it surprised me to hear the creature screaming and using language as it fell to the flames. The kids try to play “the enemy of my enemy” card but when they reach Old Man Starkey’s it is a bloody abattoir. Starkey has been ripped to pieces with blood and body parts, organs, and intestines all over the place. His dogs have also been killed; their throats slashed.
It was not until “Dead Dogs and Red Wolves” that I began to adjust the camera and bring the storyline into sharper focus. BTW I loved the sections of the novel being delineated numerically and by descriptive phrases.
By PART TWO: Nasty By Day Or By Night I was tuned in and with the program. The Red Wolves of course were a faction of a larger evil, namely “Nasty” and his gang. I read each chapter which described the separate constituents of the whole Nasty apparatus. “Horsecock” was up to bat first (did that sound vulgar?). I loved his character. The subsequent three chapters detailed the maiming and death dealing at the hands, knives, and firearms of an assortment of remorseless killers for money, and a few psychotics who killed for fun and were even scarier.
PART THREE: High Noon At Midnight was riveting. Horsecock was still going his own way and doing his own thing (did that sound vulgar, too?). Other factions of the Nasty Gang apparatus were quietly killing as many townspeople as possible, before inevitably facing some feedback from the townspeople. Cody and Mina’s parents at the Post Office and their retaliation was one of my favorite parts of the book. Calla and Shane, the parents, gave ‘em hell.
It is not revealing spoilers (I do not think) to say here that the “marvels of the traveling show” turned out to be exactly that. The (in some cases miraculous) members were instrumental in literally beating back the Nasty Gang. It was so gratifying to see the despicable bad guys get annihilated.
Finally, it is necessary to point out that there is an abundance of killing in the novel, lots of blood and gore to enjoy, and some pretty graphic depictions of wounds and fatal shots by arrows, bullets, knives, and more. It is definitely extreme horror set in the Old West, but with such a creativity and originality that it blows my mind. There are morals to the story, and heroes. There are smiles, laughs, and hail Mary’s. The author gives us some of the most imaginative evil beings that are not supernatural while allowing our love of the mysticism to carry us far with magic to heal our child heroes. I must add that aside from the deadly duo of Calla and Shane at the Post Office, I just love “Horsecock” (what did I just say?).
KUDOS TO CHRISTINE MORGAN FOR IMAGINATION GALORE, BLOODY FACE-OFF BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, AND KIDS WHO WILL HAVE TALES TO TELL
August 26, 2020
4.5 stars, rounded up for Goodreads
Our Night Worms Book Parties with the Splatter Western Series from Death's Head Press continues!
We were all eager to hear from the first female voice for Book 4, THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED by Christine Morgan.
So far, THE MAGPIE COFFIN by Wile E. Young (Book 1) set an impossibly high standard right out of the gate. But I think Morgan's offering here is a damn close second. And not that it's a competition, but it is worth talking about because a comparison is only natural.
..
I am a ridiculous sucker for child protagonists. Coming-of-Age Horror is an absolute favorite sub-genre for me. So, right away, I was a fangirl for this story. The story kicks off with Cody McCall, a kid who enjoys suffering a few consequences if it means he gets to spice up his life once in awhile by sneaking off with some friends to go exploring. Silver River is a quiet town so when anything even remotely new or different shows up, Cody and his friends need to check it out.
Of course, our protagonists get in over their heads when an exotic sideshow descends on a neighboring town.
Christine Morgan could not have set this story up any better. I'll admit, as soon as I knew what was in store for me, I felt an overwhelming urge to speed through all the opening chapters just to get to the "good stuff". "Oddities. Marvels. Grotesqueries. Exotic attractions and mysterious magics."
Um, yes, please. I love the aesthetic of a dark carnival. But Morgan does her best to establish a reasonable pace, so I made myself calm down and enjoy the ride.
..
Once this story gets going, it is absolutely impossible to put a bookmark in and walk away. I had to do that a few times because "life" and it always pissed me off--but I enjoyed thinking about the story and anticipating getting back into it.
Christine Morgan really brings something unique and special to this series by introducing a wildly entertaining cast of characters and some great dialog. The freakish, cult-like atmosphere of the sideshow people is delicious reading. I loved my time with some of the more disturbing scenes that make this book the perfect poster child for "Splatterpunk Westerns". It delivers on all the brutality and colorful, shocking descriptions that Wile E. Young established as the standard in Book 1. This book just totally re-energized my passion for this series. Truly a stand out. I will definitely be adding more Christine Morgan books to my shelves.
Our Night Worms Book Parties with the Splatter Western Series from Death's Head Press continues!
We were all eager to hear from the first female voice for Book 4, THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED by Christine Morgan.
So far, THE MAGPIE COFFIN by Wile E. Young (Book 1) set an impossibly high standard right out of the gate. But I think Morgan's offering here is a damn close second. And not that it's a competition, but it is worth talking about because a comparison is only natural.
..
I am a ridiculous sucker for child protagonists. Coming-of-Age Horror is an absolute favorite sub-genre for me. So, right away, I was a fangirl for this story. The story kicks off with Cody McCall, a kid who enjoys suffering a few consequences if it means he gets to spice up his life once in awhile by sneaking off with some friends to go exploring. Silver River is a quiet town so when anything even remotely new or different shows up, Cody and his friends need to check it out.
Of course, our protagonists get in over their heads when an exotic sideshow descends on a neighboring town.
Christine Morgan could not have set this story up any better. I'll admit, as soon as I knew what was in store for me, I felt an overwhelming urge to speed through all the opening chapters just to get to the "good stuff". "Oddities. Marvels. Grotesqueries. Exotic attractions and mysterious magics."
Um, yes, please. I love the aesthetic of a dark carnival. But Morgan does her best to establish a reasonable pace, so I made myself calm down and enjoy the ride.
..
Once this story gets going, it is absolutely impossible to put a bookmark in and walk away. I had to do that a few times because "life" and it always pissed me off--but I enjoyed thinking about the story and anticipating getting back into it.
Christine Morgan really brings something unique and special to this series by introducing a wildly entertaining cast of characters and some great dialog. The freakish, cult-like atmosphere of the sideshow people is delicious reading. I loved my time with some of the more disturbing scenes that make this book the perfect poster child for "Splatterpunk Westerns". It delivers on all the brutality and colorful, shocking descriptions that Wile E. Young established as the standard in Book 1. This book just totally re-energized my passion for this series. Truly a stand out. I will definitely be adding more Christine Morgan books to my shelves.
September 5, 2020
The latest from splatter queen Christine Morgan is a rootin'-tootin' western horror extravaganza. The small town of Silver River will never be the same after a gang of outlaws ravages the village, engaging in cannibalism, beheadings, and worse. But there's a very interesting group of strangers nearby who don't take kindly to such villainy! Morgan keeps the narrative moving along quickly with lots of extreme horror action, and brings a variety of weirdos to the cast, including a well-endowed gunman, a female samurai, a blind shootist and more. Imagine a fusion of The Magnificent Seven and Freaks, and you'll have an idea of the sort of chaos you're in for. Makes for a wild ride.
January 16, 2024
A Western with gore and bloodshed
How I haven’t heard of this author before is beyond me because after reading this book I want to buy all of her books.
This book is about a once prosperous town is now on the brink of bankruptcy and has seen better days. Four kids venture out one night to see the carnival that has came to town. Since they won’t legally be allowed to see the carnival they do it illegally and what’s a few peeks in the tent. This is where the story takes off! It gets interesting and becomes an adventure.
Think of one night where anything and everything that could possibly happen happens. This book has gore, graphic scenes, bloodshed, adventure and violence. The author does a good job with writing the book in the western time period. Although a quick and fast read but it’s still a good read nonetheless!
How I haven’t heard of this author before is beyond me because after reading this book I want to buy all of her books.
This book is about a once prosperous town is now on the brink of bankruptcy and has seen better days. Four kids venture out one night to see the carnival that has came to town. Since they won’t legally be allowed to see the carnival they do it illegally and what’s a few peeks in the tent. This is where the story takes off! It gets interesting and becomes an adventure.
Think of one night where anything and everything that could possibly happen happens. This book has gore, graphic scenes, bloodshed, adventure and violence. The author does a good job with writing the book in the western time period. Although a quick and fast read but it’s still a good read nonetheless!
August 27, 2020
WOWZA!!! Y’all, I had my doubts about this one at the beginning. I even sent messages like “i’m not feeling this one too much” to my fellow Night Worms, when I was about 15% in. I mean, they can’t all be winners. BUT, Christine Morgan knocked it out of the park. I dare say that this is my favorite of the series thus far. She nailed each and every horror sensor in my body. NO HOLDS BARRED.
We begin this story with some kids sneaking away in the middle of the night to catch a glimpse of the traveling show everyone has been talking about. Knowing their parents won’t let them, they risk it all and venture in the dark. Only, the traveling circus is not the only thing coming to their town. There are a group of deplorable humans making their way to said town to cause havoc and spill some blood. If you’ve read the other books in the series you know that these authors really bring on the splatter. As I have said before, this is a splatter western series, so for sure there will be gore galore. But let me tell you that this one takes the cake. Morgan really brings on the gore. She goes the extra mile when it comes to it. I will mention a major trigger warning at the end of my review for those that are interested, cause she really dives into some heavy inexcusable actions. I don’t usually find myself being sensitive to certain topics, unless it’s animal cruelty, but this book definitely hit some spots I didn’t know existed in me. There was one part that had me on the verge of tears. My hats off to the author.
This is a definite must read!!! 5 GLORIOUS STARS.
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and also Night Worms for this amazing book party!
TW: baby cruelty
June 12, 2023
Probably my first official experience reading something designated as 'Extreme Horror' - in this case, also lovingly referred to as a 'Splatter Western' - and I got schooled, held for detention, and had my knuckles smacked with a ruler until I had no fingers left just mush on a desk-top...and then the teacher smiled and got cruel. Sort of what it felt like, anyway.
So I guess Extreme Horror is kind of like watching Planet Terror, or the most memorable 15 minutes of Robocop, or the movie Man Bites Dog - so, yes, I have been extremely grossed out before. Even some vile reads from the past are coming to mind - it's just that they were the equivalent of Extreme Horror but just not labeled as such, or not so relentlessly sickening, add nausea, as to truly qualify. So, okay, this is not my first rodeo where bulls trampled most of the riders to bone-sprinkled pulp, and a dismemberment-themed riot erupted in the stands.
If this indeed is the first time I knowingly drank the blood of Extreme Horror, I seem to have picked a good one. Do you remember in Western movies those scenes where the villains suddenly ride into town and shout and ride willy-nilly throwing flaming bottles through windows and firing guns into the air and ripping down Hoedown Next Saturday Banners? But then things kind of calm down so the toughest townspeople have time to rally round maybe one guy or few guys the villains are really after and get the kiddos in the cellar and ring the church bell to warn everybody and soon guns are passed around and perimeters are staked out and battle lines established until later it ends with one guy facing another guy for a fair duel...or even if everyone chickens out before it's down to two dudes at least the sheriff's wife helps out and only the bad guys get killed and most importantly people learn something and no one shoots anyone in the back unless it's my favourite Western, McCabe & Mrs Miller, where most people get shot in the back or otherwise dishonourably suckered? Remember all that?
That is not what an Extreme Horror Splatter Western is like, at all. Throw all that out the window. That is not how we roll, here. People, it seems, in an Extreme Splatter Western Horror should be so lucky as to get dishonourably shot in the back. That would be like a birthday gift.
I'm never going to glut myself on Extreme Horror, but I can see the appeal of less plot and more carnage. Here we have a whole passel of human scum, each with their own sadistic fetishes, swooping down on their latest unsuspecting town of victims, and the fuse is lit, and the plot gets the hell out of Dodge, and the splatter takes over. The creeps have split up into little groups and are coming in from several directions, so the action jumps around like one of those colourful tree frogs with the lethally poisonous skin until it lands on another victim batch again.
The fun news is: a traveling Show of Wonders has just come to town! Okay, more Oddities than Wonders. Does this make things worse or better for the folks just trying to live peaceful near Silver River?...well I don't want to say. But it's quite a varied and memorable multitude of characters, beasts, and weapons that end up doing battle among each other.
I'll leave it at that. I have been ordering a surfeit of Horror books off one particular "best of" list, but as the Extreme Horror stuff has come in, I have put it in a corner and been scared to touch it. Recently, I decided to bite the bullet, suck it up, and try Extreme Horror - and I figured a rootin' tootin' Western with Carnival Attached would sort of ease me in. It didn't ease me in, it more like bled me out...but in a good way, and I think I'm ready for more of this type of thing, and can handle it. No, I'm not ready for more but I can handle it. I cannot really handle it, but it's fun anyway.
So I guess Extreme Horror is kind of like watching Planet Terror, or the most memorable 15 minutes of Robocop, or the movie Man Bites Dog - so, yes, I have been extremely grossed out before. Even some vile reads from the past are coming to mind - it's just that they were the equivalent of Extreme Horror but just not labeled as such, or not so relentlessly sickening, add nausea, as to truly qualify. So, okay, this is not my first rodeo where bulls trampled most of the riders to bone-sprinkled pulp, and a dismemberment-themed riot erupted in the stands.
If this indeed is the first time I knowingly drank the blood of Extreme Horror, I seem to have picked a good one. Do you remember in Western movies those scenes where the villains suddenly ride into town and shout and ride willy-nilly throwing flaming bottles through windows and firing guns into the air and ripping down Hoedown Next Saturday Banners? But then things kind of calm down so the toughest townspeople have time to rally round maybe one guy or few guys the villains are really after and get the kiddos in the cellar and ring the church bell to warn everybody and soon guns are passed around and perimeters are staked out and battle lines established until later it ends with one guy facing another guy for a fair duel...or even if everyone chickens out before it's down to two dudes at least the sheriff's wife helps out and only the bad guys get killed and most importantly people learn something and no one shoots anyone in the back unless it's my favourite Western, McCabe & Mrs Miller, where most people get shot in the back or otherwise dishonourably suckered? Remember all that?
That is not what an Extreme Horror Splatter Western is like, at all. Throw all that out the window. That is not how we roll, here. People, it seems, in an Extreme Splatter Western Horror should be so lucky as to get dishonourably shot in the back. That would be like a birthday gift.
I'm never going to glut myself on Extreme Horror, but I can see the appeal of less plot and more carnage. Here we have a whole passel of human scum, each with their own sadistic fetishes, swooping down on their latest unsuspecting town of victims, and the fuse is lit, and the plot gets the hell out of Dodge, and the splatter takes over. The creeps have split up into little groups and are coming in from several directions, so the action jumps around like one of those colourful tree frogs with the lethally poisonous skin until it lands on another victim batch again.
The fun news is: a traveling Show of Wonders has just come to town! Okay, more Oddities than Wonders. Does this make things worse or better for the folks just trying to live peaceful near Silver River?...well I don't want to say. But it's quite a varied and memorable multitude of characters, beasts, and weapons that end up doing battle among each other.
I'll leave it at that. I have been ordering a surfeit of Horror books off one particular "best of" list, but as the Extreme Horror stuff has come in, I have put it in a corner and been scared to touch it. Recently, I decided to bite the bullet, suck it up, and try Extreme Horror - and I figured a rootin' tootin' Western with Carnival Attached would sort of ease me in. It didn't ease me in, it more like bled me out...but in a good way, and I think I'm ready for more of this type of thing, and can handle it. No, I'm not ready for more but I can handle it. I cannot really handle it, but it's fun anyway.
February 20, 2021
Oh, holy hell, The Night Silver River Run Red has been the cataclysmic explosion of me falling into a Western Splatter rabbit hole! I’ve written in a previous review that women authors are writing the gory and dark with abandon. It’s in your face, it’s messy and it is completely unapologetic. Surely some things are worth a whipping, right? The opportunity to see the marvels of a travelling show is too much to bypass. Is it worth much more? Being torn to shreds, witnessing bloodshed beyond all their worst nightmares, a sleepy hollow of a town, ran red the gore as much of their history as anything that came before.
The child protagonists immediately from the bat cut a hole that much deeper within my psyche and within my soul. There is just something much more horrifying and painful to witness than children undergoing trauma that will haunt them for years to come. Silver River is a quiet town, nothing much happens so when the carnival arrives the children are intrigued, and they just can’t help but get a closer look. With parents that have forbidden them going near it and some offering some physical punishment, they take a risk…what’s the worst that can happen?
If you think this is all gore and bloodshed, you’d be sorely mistaken. Christine Morgan has nailed the support beams of the story. At every corner of family life is the propensity of humanity. The back stories, the cruelty. The events of this one night will rock the community and shake its lives foundation. Morgan has an innate ability of breathing life into her characters, a pulsing strength, that age old reflex, to fight or flight. They have spunk and gall, and boy are you left gripping onto the edge of your seat.
Watching it all unravel was both thrilling and awful to experience. I wanted to find a way to transport myself into the story. I wanted to pick up the nearest weapon and get right into the guts of the story…pardon the pun. I wanted to see the town fighting back, taking cover from the massacre, I wanted it all. If you want one takeaway point from this review, it is that Morgan creates characters that you will become instantly invested in. You really feel like you are nearing the edge of life with Morgan’s tighter than two coats of paint narrative. The night is dark, and your senses have left you but Christine Morgan has you in her care.
Rarely have I read such a fully immersive, compelling and eye popping read such as The Night Silver River Run Read.
The Night Silver River Run Red is a tightly weaved plot that could cut your oxygen. Be prepared to be catapulted into a lake of ice you will need to navigate the thin ice without falling into the cold depths below.
The child protagonists immediately from the bat cut a hole that much deeper within my psyche and within my soul. There is just something much more horrifying and painful to witness than children undergoing trauma that will haunt them for years to come. Silver River is a quiet town, nothing much happens so when the carnival arrives the children are intrigued, and they just can’t help but get a closer look. With parents that have forbidden them going near it and some offering some physical punishment, they take a risk…what’s the worst that can happen?
If you think this is all gore and bloodshed, you’d be sorely mistaken. Christine Morgan has nailed the support beams of the story. At every corner of family life is the propensity of humanity. The back stories, the cruelty. The events of this one night will rock the community and shake its lives foundation. Morgan has an innate ability of breathing life into her characters, a pulsing strength, that age old reflex, to fight or flight. They have spunk and gall, and boy are you left gripping onto the edge of your seat.
Watching it all unravel was both thrilling and awful to experience. I wanted to find a way to transport myself into the story. I wanted to pick up the nearest weapon and get right into the guts of the story…pardon the pun. I wanted to see the town fighting back, taking cover from the massacre, I wanted it all. If you want one takeaway point from this review, it is that Morgan creates characters that you will become instantly invested in. You really feel like you are nearing the edge of life with Morgan’s tighter than two coats of paint narrative. The night is dark, and your senses have left you but Christine Morgan has you in her care.
Rarely have I read such a fully immersive, compelling and eye popping read such as The Night Silver River Run Read.
The Night Silver River Run Red is a tightly weaved plot that could cut your oxygen. Be prepared to be catapulted into a lake of ice you will need to navigate the thin ice without falling into the cold depths below.
August 25, 2020
Oddities - the sign and, seemingly, the book promises... and yet doesn't particularly deliver until the very end... and of which I had hoped to see more of. Exotic marvels, attractions and things not of the norm have always been very fascinating to me so when I started this read I was stupidly excited for it only to be somewhat let down that I didn't get more of it. HOWEVER, it is the journey to get there that the book also promises and for that, it certainly does deliver.
This is probably my favorite of the four in the Western Splatter series so far. Christine Morgan is an author I will absolutely be keeping an eye on. There's something about the way she writes that made this such an easy to fly through novella. I did find the beginning a tad bit slow but it really ramps up page by page. While I think the gore in this is minimal compared to the first three in the series, make no mistake - there's still plenty of splatter to keep you happily bathed in blood.
This is probably my favorite of the four in the Western Splatter series so far. Christine Morgan is an author I will absolutely be keeping an eye on. There's something about the way she writes that made this such an easy to fly through novella. I did find the beginning a tad bit slow but it really ramps up page by page. While I think the gore in this is minimal compared to the first three in the series, make no mistake - there's still plenty of splatter to keep you happily bathed in blood.
May 28, 2024
The Night Silver River Run Red is hands down the most intense, gory, disturbing and entertaining book in the Splatter Western series from Death's Head Press I’ve read until now.
Just imagine something like Bone Tomahawk (2015) meets The Magnificent Seven (1960), Freaks Out (2021) and The Last Circus (2010) with a John Wick kill count level...
First coming of age part was a slow burn, but things went bloody very quickly, almost like falling down in a rollercoaster after climbing up to the top, and the graphic depictions of the Nasty Bastards’ deeds made me nearly gag and stop reading despite my soft spot about splatterpunk and extreme horror books when in the right mood.
Despite that, and a rushed far from unexpected ending, in my opinion, I totally enjoyed this gut-wrenching page-turning ride that left me craving for a sequel or a prequel about Doctor Oddico’s Carnival of Oddities and Museum of Marvels, but a full-length novel about “Horsecock”’s past would also be very welcome.
Trigger Warning: if an outlaw gang beheading sheriffs, raping, desecrating churches and drowning babies in bathtubs are too much for you, just stay away from this book.
You’ve been warned.
Four stars and a half rounded up to five by that amazing cover art setting the mood for the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Just a must read if you are into splatterpunk, extreme horror and weird westerns genres.
February 8, 2021
One of extreme horrors biggest names delivers a manic tale of bloodshed and mayhem in the fourth book in Death’s Head Press insanely popular Splatter Western Series.
The once prosperous town of Silver River has its best days long behind it. Way off the beaten track and bypassed by the proposed new railroad, the once-bustling settlement has fallen on hard times. When a travelling circus comes to perform, news spreads fast, giving folks of Silver River something to take their minds off their struggles.
Cody McCall and his friends are especially excited by the news. He and his group of friends are too young to buy their tickets to see the Oddities, but decide to sneak to their camp one night to try and catch a glimpse. What awaits them is something out of their worst blood-drenched nightmare. Can the children make it back home alive, or will there be no home left by the time the circus leaves town?
‘The Night Silver River Run Red’ features cults, samurai, blind gunslingers, warlocks and cannibals, and that’s before you get to the REALLY bad guys. This book is quick to get stuck in and does not take its foot off the gas until Morgan has managed to rack up a John Wick level body count. The concept is crazy and the pacing is absolutely frantic, and I loved every minute of it.
Plot-wise, it is fairly straight-forward. Starting off as something close to a Coming-of-Age story, the book largely centres on a large-scale attack on the town by a gang of outlaws, some of whom are there for the money, and others to indulge in less than savoury pastimes, but all out for blood. It’s a simple premise, elevated by the sprawling and unique cast of characters. The books focus switches between the dozens of voices frequently, never staying on one for more than a few chapters, but everyone who gets a turn would be worthy of a book all of their own.
As we’ve come to expect from the Splatter Western series, and as Christine Morgan has demonstrated time and again with books like ‘Lakehouse Infernal’ and ‘Dawn of the Living Impaired’ the ‘Splatter’ part of the equation is as inventive as it is over the top. There are some very memorable set pieces and some truly despicable characters on offer and, without spoiling the fun, the fate of the town's Sheriff, in particular, is not something I’ll soon forget.
What impressed me more was how authentic the prose felt throughout. Writing a book filled with Old West characters and accompanying turns of phrase must be a challenge and it is clear that a lot of time has gone into getting this aspect just right. Splatter Westerns are a fun concept but they only work when the ‘Western’ element is done right, and it is absolutely perfect here.
‘The Night Silver River Run Red’ is a beautifully chaotic mess that is a joy to read from page one. If you’re looking for a fun book with a capital ‘F’ then Christine Morgan has you covered!
You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror
The once prosperous town of Silver River has its best days long behind it. Way off the beaten track and bypassed by the proposed new railroad, the once-bustling settlement has fallen on hard times. When a travelling circus comes to perform, news spreads fast, giving folks of Silver River something to take their minds off their struggles.
Cody McCall and his friends are especially excited by the news. He and his group of friends are too young to buy their tickets to see the Oddities, but decide to sneak to their camp one night to try and catch a glimpse. What awaits them is something out of their worst blood-drenched nightmare. Can the children make it back home alive, or will there be no home left by the time the circus leaves town?
‘The Night Silver River Run Red’ features cults, samurai, blind gunslingers, warlocks and cannibals, and that’s before you get to the REALLY bad guys. This book is quick to get stuck in and does not take its foot off the gas until Morgan has managed to rack up a John Wick level body count. The concept is crazy and the pacing is absolutely frantic, and I loved every minute of it.
Plot-wise, it is fairly straight-forward. Starting off as something close to a Coming-of-Age story, the book largely centres on a large-scale attack on the town by a gang of outlaws, some of whom are there for the money, and others to indulge in less than savoury pastimes, but all out for blood. It’s a simple premise, elevated by the sprawling and unique cast of characters. The books focus switches between the dozens of voices frequently, never staying on one for more than a few chapters, but everyone who gets a turn would be worthy of a book all of their own.
As we’ve come to expect from the Splatter Western series, and as Christine Morgan has demonstrated time and again with books like ‘Lakehouse Infernal’ and ‘Dawn of the Living Impaired’ the ‘Splatter’ part of the equation is as inventive as it is over the top. There are some very memorable set pieces and some truly despicable characters on offer and, without spoiling the fun, the fate of the town's Sheriff, in particular, is not something I’ll soon forget.
What impressed me more was how authentic the prose felt throughout. Writing a book filled with Old West characters and accompanying turns of phrase must be a challenge and it is clear that a lot of time has gone into getting this aspect just right. Splatter Westerns are a fun concept but they only work when the ‘Western’ element is done right, and it is absolutely perfect here.
‘The Night Silver River Run Red’ is a beautifully chaotic mess that is a joy to read from page one. If you’re looking for a fun book with a capital ‘F’ then Christine Morgan has you covered!
You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror
August 26, 2020
The Night Silver River Run Red is the 4th installment to the Splatter Western series from Death's Head Press. It delivers everything and then some! Christine Morgan brings us something a little different with this chapter as she includes more children in the mix - it's got this horrific coming-of-age vibe in parts. These kids are growing up in a conservative little town and a traveling show begins setting up just on the outskirts. "Oddities, the signs promise. Marvels. Grotesqueries. Exotic attractions and mysterious magics." But little do they all know there is another group of people... way more dangerous with some nasty intentions!
Something about Morgan's writing style kept me in a trance. Her descriptive imagery remains fresh throughout and her engaging and wildly entertaining dialogue are just two reasons this book flew by. While there is certainly enough Western gore in this to justify it being in the Splatter series, Morgan has a different approach to where it is placed. These scenes are placed perfectly in the spots that will make your skin crawl the most. While I did not let go of the book with my fingers stained red and dripping as much as others in the series, I left more freaked out. Some of these characters are truly scary - Horace Cochran aka Horsec*ck is not someone I would want to be left in a room with unarmed. He is one of those people who can just get right under your skin and dig until it hurts.
The Night Silver River Run Red gets a strong 4 stars from me! The book started out a little slow/difficult for me to get into... and by the end I definitely wanted more of these traveling carnies. I wish they had been explored more and played a more prominent role throughout the entire story.
Thank you to Death's Head Press for allowing Night Worms the opportunity to book party this!
Something about Morgan's writing style kept me in a trance. Her descriptive imagery remains fresh throughout and her engaging and wildly entertaining dialogue are just two reasons this book flew by. While there is certainly enough Western gore in this to justify it being in the Splatter series, Morgan has a different approach to where it is placed. These scenes are placed perfectly in the spots that will make your skin crawl the most. While I did not let go of the book with my fingers stained red and dripping as much as others in the series, I left more freaked out. Some of these characters are truly scary - Horace Cochran aka Horsec*ck is not someone I would want to be left in a room with unarmed. He is one of those people who can just get right under your skin and dig until it hurts.
The Night Silver River Run Red gets a strong 4 stars from me! The book started out a little slow/difficult for me to get into... and by the end I definitely wanted more of these traveling carnies. I wish they had been explored more and played a more prominent role throughout the entire story.
Thank you to Death's Head Press for allowing Night Worms the opportunity to book party this!
December 19, 2020
Review to follow...
August 28, 2020
#BookReview #NightWormsBookParty
THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED by Christine Morgan is one of my favorite books thus far from the splatter western series. Not only does it have an eye-catching cover, but it's also compelling and packs a punch.
The book's description, which includes a traveling carnival show of strange and unusual attractions, caught my attention from the get-go, so I had high expectations for this book. Although it started slow, it sped up quickly, and it's the magnificent storytelling that brought it home for me.
Cody McCall and his friends sneak out to see a traveling sideshow of grotesque attractions, marvels, and oddities set up on the outskirts of Silver River. These kids live in a small, quiet town, so this is precisely the entertainment they crave. All of the exceptionally freakish misfits in one place are just too good for this group to pass up. And of course, there is so much more than they bargained for.
I am a sucker for coming-of-age stories, especially in the horror genre, so it was nice to see it mixed in with the splatter western sub-genre. There are some genuinely terrifying, spine-tingling characters in this story, a couple of impressively brutal scenes, and plenty of bloodshed to go around by the end. All of the above tickled my fancy! Could there be more blood splatter throughout?...Always. But Morgan certainly delivers enough to satisfy my bloodthirsty craving. This is horror folks, so consider yourself warned.
THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED had me engrossed with descriptive language, vivid imagery, and fun dialogue. I really enjoyed the world of sideshow characters and witty remarks. Morgan's writing style had me flipping through the pages, wholly spellbound and with several gasps in between. The shorter vignettes mixed in were unique and added to my already fantastic reading experience. Morgan brought her A-game to this series, and I will read whatever she writes next.
Thank you so much to the @night_worms and @deathsheadpress for continuing to supply me with amazing books.
THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED by Christine Morgan is one of my favorite books thus far from the splatter western series. Not only does it have an eye-catching cover, but it's also compelling and packs a punch.
The book's description, which includes a traveling carnival show of strange and unusual attractions, caught my attention from the get-go, so I had high expectations for this book. Although it started slow, it sped up quickly, and it's the magnificent storytelling that brought it home for me.
Cody McCall and his friends sneak out to see a traveling sideshow of grotesque attractions, marvels, and oddities set up on the outskirts of Silver River. These kids live in a small, quiet town, so this is precisely the entertainment they crave. All of the exceptionally freakish misfits in one place are just too good for this group to pass up. And of course, there is so much more than they bargained for.
I am a sucker for coming-of-age stories, especially in the horror genre, so it was nice to see it mixed in with the splatter western sub-genre. There are some genuinely terrifying, spine-tingling characters in this story, a couple of impressively brutal scenes, and plenty of bloodshed to go around by the end. All of the above tickled my fancy! Could there be more blood splatter throughout?...Always. But Morgan certainly delivers enough to satisfy my bloodthirsty craving. This is horror folks, so consider yourself warned.
THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED had me engrossed with descriptive language, vivid imagery, and fun dialogue. I really enjoyed the world of sideshow characters and witty remarks. Morgan's writing style had me flipping through the pages, wholly spellbound and with several gasps in between. The shorter vignettes mixed in were unique and added to my already fantastic reading experience. Morgan brought her A-game to this series, and I will read whatever she writes next.
Thank you so much to the @night_worms and @deathsheadpress for continuing to supply me with amazing books.
August 26, 2020
The 4th book in the splatterpunk western series and it's one of my favorites. If you’ve ever felt uncertain about reading a western then I would suggest this one to start with. While this book had its western undertones, the vile people are the main attraction. Come one, come all to watch the mayhem unfold!
The story is set in a rural country town off the beaten path along the Silver river. The townspeople are conservative so when the freak show comes in with their oddities and magic it really rocks their boat. Cody and his friends decide sneaking out to take a peek at them is totally worth all the whippings in the world if they get caught. They don’t realize the colossal effect this will have on them. The small town by the silver river will have to face many challenges in one night. Tonight the silver river will run red!
I really enjoyed the different stories and scenes that this book takes you through. It really spiced things up for me in the splatterpunk western series. My favorite character was Horsecock. As funny as the name is and the bad things this character does, he posed some good questions i've never seen brought up in a book.“𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙣?” This is the first splatterpunk western written by a woman and I want more of it! The only issue I had was the beginning was a little hard to get into because the sentence structures threw me off. I was up one night reading it and thought I was losing my mind, rereading sentences but the book quickly righted itself after about 10% in. Overall I gave this a 4 ⭐️ review.
The story is set in a rural country town off the beaten path along the Silver river. The townspeople are conservative so when the freak show comes in with their oddities and magic it really rocks their boat. Cody and his friends decide sneaking out to take a peek at them is totally worth all the whippings in the world if they get caught. They don’t realize the colossal effect this will have on them. The small town by the silver river will have to face many challenges in one night. Tonight the silver river will run red!
I really enjoyed the different stories and scenes that this book takes you through. It really spiced things up for me in the splatterpunk western series. My favorite character was Horsecock. As funny as the name is and the bad things this character does, he posed some good questions i've never seen brought up in a book.“𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙣?” This is the first splatterpunk western written by a woman and I want more of it! The only issue I had was the beginning was a little hard to get into because the sentence structures threw me off. I was up one night reading it and thought I was losing my mind, rereading sentences but the book quickly righted itself after about 10% in. Overall I gave this a 4 ⭐️ review.
August 26, 2020
Holy mackerel was this a great read! This was my first Splatter Western from Death’s Head Press and the first time reading Christine Morgan’s work. As of now, I can honestly say THIS was my favorite book of the year so far. The “Night Silver River Run Red” was a story I couldn’t wait to dive into at the end of every day—and by every day I mean four days exactly. I sped through this one but wish I’d read slower just to make the experience last longer.
•
What’s it about? Well, without giving anything away, If I had to describe the book’s contents with a few choice words I’d go with: small frontier town, eccentric carny visitors, bloodthirsty bandits, whole lot of splatter gore.
•
There was rarely a slow moment throughout this story for me! This genuinely felt like non-stop, bloody, lighting-quick, hold-on-to-your-hats-and-clench-your-ass-cheeks action and suspense that I regularly only experience on a movie screen rather than in a novella! One shoot-out scene had my heart racing like mad!
•
Christine Morgan’s writing is witty, electric, and appropriately descriptive where it counts—that deliciously gritty gore. Her use of Wild West type vernacular throughout the story proved effective in immersing the reader in her world of gunslinging and sharpshooting. I also loved the way Morgan introduced her colorful characters, eccentric and wicked alike. She seemed to enjoy focusing especially on the Nasty Bastards Gang, dedicating large portions of each chapter to their sadistic murder methods. I’m not gonna lie, these chapters will make you grimace. But I was completely engrossed in the grotesque details and fearing for all the townsfolk of Silver River.
•
I will say this book is not for the faint at heart and feel it my responsibility to bring to attention some trigger warnings for infanticide and reference to sexual violence.
•
By no means do you need to start these Splatter Westerns in order, but I’m so glad the 4th one was my first and definitely recommend it!
•
(Special thanks to Death’s Head Press and Night Worms for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!)
•
What’s it about? Well, without giving anything away, If I had to describe the book’s contents with a few choice words I’d go with: small frontier town, eccentric carny visitors, bloodthirsty bandits, whole lot of splatter gore.
•
There was rarely a slow moment throughout this story for me! This genuinely felt like non-stop, bloody, lighting-quick, hold-on-to-your-hats-and-clench-your-ass-cheeks action and suspense that I regularly only experience on a movie screen rather than in a novella! One shoot-out scene had my heart racing like mad!
•
Christine Morgan’s writing is witty, electric, and appropriately descriptive where it counts—that deliciously gritty gore. Her use of Wild West type vernacular throughout the story proved effective in immersing the reader in her world of gunslinging and sharpshooting. I also loved the way Morgan introduced her colorful characters, eccentric and wicked alike. She seemed to enjoy focusing especially on the Nasty Bastards Gang, dedicating large portions of each chapter to their sadistic murder methods. I’m not gonna lie, these chapters will make you grimace. But I was completely engrossed in the grotesque details and fearing for all the townsfolk of Silver River.
•
I will say this book is not for the faint at heart and feel it my responsibility to bring to attention some trigger warnings for infanticide and reference to sexual violence.
•
By no means do you need to start these Splatter Westerns in order, but I’m so glad the 4th one was my first and definitely recommend it!
•
(Special thanks to Death’s Head Press and Night Worms for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!)
September 16, 2020
Thank you once again to Death Head Press and Nightworms for another bookparty set in the days of yesteryear! This was my first Christine Morgan and she certainly lives up to the name she's made for herself. I appreciated the detail and the imagery her writing created.
This reading experience was exceptionally fun as we find ourselves with young adults as the main characters which always adds a different kind of reading journey filled with wholesome fun as there is still a certain level of innocence in a child coming of age. In addition to our protagonists, which were great mix, we are also afforded a rich cast of dark carnival side characters in a time when 'Freak Show' was used to describe people less desirable or unexplainable to the "normal" folks. Haha, who am I kidding, these splatter-westerns never give us normal; anything BUT! Doctor Oddico's Carnival certainly adds a gritty, colorful spin to an often desolate and boring desert landscape. Morgan definitely has a skill for creating a cast of characters that integrate and work well together to create a story that is ever turning.
Silver River is yet another town we discover that sits in the middle of what once was a productive silver mining community and its current patrons are who are left to make a rapidly aging ghost town a place to call Home. I will say the pacing in the beginning was a bit slow. It wasn't until the end of part I that I really began turning the pages in anticipation, however the character building in the beginning of the novella is certainly worth your time.
This one is not as bloody as its predecessors, but that too makes it work well. There is enough color in the characters to offset the super gore missing from this one. It still offers a fair share of blood shed though.
For me I kinda found myself seeing a story within a story here. I drifted towards Winston City and the Lost Meadow Mystery. There is a haunted tale here and I hope Morgan goes back to write it. I would love to know the truth behind the missing homesteader Family and the pot of beans that was, or wasn't?
Overall a great tale worth your time and investment. A cast of characters you're sure to find a favorite, or two and dialogue that will have you smiling and enjoying the experience all the way through!
This reading experience was exceptionally fun as we find ourselves with young adults as the main characters which always adds a different kind of reading journey filled with wholesome fun as there is still a certain level of innocence in a child coming of age. In addition to our protagonists, which were great mix, we are also afforded a rich cast of dark carnival side characters in a time when 'Freak Show' was used to describe people less desirable or unexplainable to the "normal" folks. Haha, who am I kidding, these splatter-westerns never give us normal; anything BUT! Doctor Oddico's Carnival certainly adds a gritty, colorful spin to an often desolate and boring desert landscape. Morgan definitely has a skill for creating a cast of characters that integrate and work well together to create a story that is ever turning.
Silver River is yet another town we discover that sits in the middle of what once was a productive silver mining community and its current patrons are who are left to make a rapidly aging ghost town a place to call Home. I will say the pacing in the beginning was a bit slow. It wasn't until the end of part I that I really began turning the pages in anticipation, however the character building in the beginning of the novella is certainly worth your time.
This one is not as bloody as its predecessors, but that too makes it work well. There is enough color in the characters to offset the super gore missing from this one. It still offers a fair share of blood shed though.
For me I kinda found myself seeing a story within a story here. I drifted towards Winston City and the Lost Meadow Mystery. There is a haunted tale here and I hope Morgan goes back to write it. I would love to know the truth behind the missing homesteader Family and the pot of beans that was, or wasn't?
Overall a great tale worth your time and investment. A cast of characters you're sure to find a favorite, or two and dialogue that will have you smiling and enjoying the experience all the way through!
February 5, 2021
Morgan's splatter western is the second I've read in this series.
I'm glad I did so, and during Women in Horror Month :D
Was able to get through it rather quickly thanks to it being the first splatter western to have an accompanying Audible version. I drive around a lot and audiobooks are my savior.
Morgan has lots of cool-cat characters and nasty villains. One character is actually named Shane, and that's always fun for me. Perhaps his name was inspired by the 1953 western titled 'Shane.' My dad named me after that movie too. And I feel like Emmett came from Back to the Future III, one of my favorite movies? If not, it'll stay that way in my mind.
It must have been a chore to write in Old West prose, but Morgan pulled it off. I enjoyed this book, and I think you will too. If you get the chance to read the Audible version, you'll get a great narrator. Listen to the retail sample to see what I mean!
I'm glad I did so, and during Women in Horror Month :D
Was able to get through it rather quickly thanks to it being the first splatter western to have an accompanying Audible version. I drive around a lot and audiobooks are my savior.
Morgan has lots of cool-cat characters and nasty villains. One character is actually named Shane, and that's always fun for me. Perhaps his name was inspired by the 1953 western titled 'Shane.' My dad named me after that movie too. And I feel like Emmett came from Back to the Future III, one of my favorite movies? If not, it'll stay that way in my mind.
It must have been a chore to write in Old West prose, but Morgan pulled it off. I enjoyed this book, and I think you will too. If you get the chance to read the Audible version, you'll get a great narrator. Listen to the retail sample to see what I mean!
February 6, 2021
Amazing narrator! Full RTC
May 16, 2021
Another fun installment in the Splatter Western series!
I enjoy Christine Morgan's voice and this was no exception. Her offering to the Splatter Western series stands in its own right and brings a freshness to the series.
The story opens with a group of young boys who stumble upon a strange and bizarre circus near their home town of Silver River and end up getting more than their curiosity bargained for. The circus was such a fun addition and I loved the colourful descriptions of the various sideshow characters.
Fun, brutal, grotesque and fast paced. a great little read.
I enjoy Christine Morgan's voice and this was no exception. Her offering to the Splatter Western series stands in its own right and brings a freshness to the series.
The story opens with a group of young boys who stumble upon a strange and bizarre circus near their home town of Silver River and end up getting more than their curiosity bargained for. The circus was such a fun addition and I loved the colourful descriptions of the various sideshow characters.
Fun, brutal, grotesque and fast paced. a great little read.
October 23, 2021
This was the fourth intake from the splatter western. True be told I am not conviced by the series although I will say that this one was a bit better than some of the previous.
This book is divided in three parts. The first part it's gory yet more YA focus since our main characters (if you can call them "main") are children. We've never really know how old are they (by the end we get one of the characters age of 12 so, probably the others are not that off). The second part focus more on the gang of outlaws while the third part is the outcome.
Well, you've got everything here from a bunch of carnival freaks/oddities plus some realy nasty men and some innocent victims. It's a siege on town saved by a diverse cast. If you enjoy horror you can come; if you enjoy splatter then go ahead.
Some criticisms though - first of all is the cast. So many! you've got dozens of characters names (at least 2 dozen. I had to write them down. Some were just names but some were recurrent. And that's another complain... Most characters were just names, but you know who the black character was because everytime he appeared she had to say that - the main characteristic was -well being black.
I thought that I saw some descrprincie sin terms of story - first the all ball stuff page 47/48 - was ball already a thing? I think not but alas.. then the all friends with diverse characters (whites being friend with blacks and indians. Then the asians and such diverse cast. Hurrah - very anachronic (is this a word?) but alas, that's the days we live. If you don't feature a black or indian (and don't portray them correctly) you are not "in". Even in horror.
Then the all rape stuff - so the author hints that robbing and murder - and even worse stuff (they are hinting rape) is worse than death. Okay. I don't know. You've got a interesting depiction of killing a baby by drowing but RAPE?? my god the audacity. Worst crime EVA!
Maybe I am being wrong - or not. What I am trying to say is that nowdays writers seem afraid to talk and depict some scenes because it may offend X or Y. Though luck. Don't read the book.
BUT apart from this complains I would say this was a good story. Way better than other entries. I believe this author is one that I Should check out.
This book is divided in three parts. The first part it's gory yet more YA focus since our main characters (if you can call them "main") are children. We've never really know how old are they (by the end we get one of the characters age of 12 so, probably the others are not that off). The second part focus more on the gang of outlaws while the third part is the outcome.
Well, you've got everything here from a bunch of carnival freaks/oddities plus some realy nasty men and some innocent victims. It's a siege on town saved by a diverse cast. If you enjoy horror you can come; if you enjoy splatter then go ahead.
Some criticisms though - first of all is the cast. So many! you've got dozens of characters names (at least 2 dozen. I had to write them down. Some were just names but some were recurrent. And that's another complain... Most characters were just names, but you know who the black character was because everytime he appeared she had to say that - the main characteristic was -well being black.
I thought that I saw some descrprincie sin terms of story - first the all ball stuff page 47/48 - was ball already a thing? I think not but alas.. then the all friends with diverse characters (whites being friend with blacks and indians. Then the asians and such diverse cast. Hurrah - very anachronic (is this a word?) but alas, that's the days we live. If you don't feature a black or indian (and don't portray them correctly) you are not "in". Even in horror.
Then the all rape stuff - so the author hints that robbing and murder - and even worse stuff (they are hinting rape) is worse than death. Okay. I don't know. You've got a interesting depiction of killing a baby by drowing but RAPE?? my god the audacity. Worst crime EVA!
Maybe I am being wrong - or not. What I am trying to say is that nowdays writers seem afraid to talk and depict some scenes because it may offend X or Y. Though luck. Don't read the book.
BUT apart from this complains I would say this was a good story. Way better than other entries. I believe this author is one that I Should check out.
March 12, 2021
In her take on the splatter western, Christine Morgan crafts a tale about a once prosperous small town called Silver River. The once booming town has dwindled to just a few dozen townsfolks trying to survive. A traveling sideshow of sorts has come through and set up tents about a mile away and the town is buzzing with the most activity it has seen in a long time.
As curious kids will do, sneaking out to see the show is far too tempting of an idea to keep them home, minding their parents. As they make their way to the sideshow to see (The oddities! The marvels! The freaks!) for themselves what the fuss is all about, something much nastier is headed their way, along that moonlit path. Silver River is not prepared for the night that is about to unfold!
Christine Morgan hit it out of the park with this one. There isn’t anything this story does not have! You want gore? You got it! You want monsters, creepy creatures, sideshow freaks, carnies, and dwarves? You got it! How about a notorious outlaw gang destroying everything in their path? Sure, got that too!
Do you want one hell of a good time? You will want to pick this up and read it right away! This is yet another Splatter Western from Death’s Head press and I really must advise that everyone needs to read these books! They are fun as hell to read, colorful, fast, gory, and just a crazy good time.
Five stars for this due to the overwhelming amounts of fun, chaos, murder, and mayhem in this tale. This was my first story by Christine Morgan, and I can guarantee it won’t be my last!
As curious kids will do, sneaking out to see the show is far too tempting of an idea to keep them home, minding their parents. As they make their way to the sideshow to see (The oddities! The marvels! The freaks!) for themselves what the fuss is all about, something much nastier is headed their way, along that moonlit path. Silver River is not prepared for the night that is about to unfold!
Christine Morgan hit it out of the park with this one. There isn’t anything this story does not have! You want gore? You got it! You want monsters, creepy creatures, sideshow freaks, carnies, and dwarves? You got it! How about a notorious outlaw gang destroying everything in their path? Sure, got that too!
Do you want one hell of a good time? You will want to pick this up and read it right away! This is yet another Splatter Western from Death’s Head press and I really must advise that everyone needs to read these books! They are fun as hell to read, colorful, fast, gory, and just a crazy good time.
Five stars for this due to the overwhelming amounts of fun, chaos, murder, and mayhem in this tale. This was my first story by Christine Morgan, and I can guarantee it won’t be my last!
November 7, 2020
A fast-paced splatter-western crammed with deliciously diabolical characters.
The carnival has come to Silver River. So has murder, madness, torture, and bloodshed galore!
This is a lean, mean yarn in which numerous plotlines converge into a beautifully orchestrated confluence of murder and mayhem. There are enough colorful, fascinating, and downright horrible characters in here to furnish several books, but Christine Morgan hands them all out at once with wonderful and reckless abandon, like some super-cool person handing out all the good lollies on Halloween, making you feel like a kid on a sugar binge. There’s so much awesomeness in this taut little thriller it’s packed to the rafters and full to overflowing. Morgan’s prose is great, as usual, and her POV writing is so deeply immersive you’ll be able to smell the gun smoke, blood, and other assorted bodily fluids. I read a lot of extreme horror, so it’s rare that something in a book gets my pulse rate going, but there were some scenes in this book that got my adrenaline going. Especially a scene with a dude named after a certain piece of equine anatomy...
Go to Silver River! You’ll have fun.
The carnival has come to Silver River. So has murder, madness, torture, and bloodshed galore!
This is a lean, mean yarn in which numerous plotlines converge into a beautifully orchestrated confluence of murder and mayhem. There are enough colorful, fascinating, and downright horrible characters in here to furnish several books, but Christine Morgan hands them all out at once with wonderful and reckless abandon, like some super-cool person handing out all the good lollies on Halloween, making you feel like a kid on a sugar binge. There’s so much awesomeness in this taut little thriller it’s packed to the rafters and full to overflowing. Morgan’s prose is great, as usual, and her POV writing is so deeply immersive you’ll be able to smell the gun smoke, blood, and other assorted bodily fluids. I read a lot of extreme horror, so it’s rare that something in a book gets my pulse rate going, but there were some scenes in this book that got my adrenaline going. Especially a scene with a dude named after a certain piece of equine anatomy...
Go to Silver River! You’ll have fun.
July 6, 2022
A group of children hear about a circus that has come to the outskirts of town. Curious, they venture out to take a peak. As they are returning home they stumble upon more than they bargained for. The small town of Silver River, where life is a simple settlement is perfect pickin’s for a band of unsavory characters. While this small town sleeps it is soon terrorized by a group of marauders called the "Nasty Bastards," who pillage and murder the peaceful (and unexpecting) folks of this tiny town. An unlikely group will come to the rescue of what's left of the town and what’s left of the town folk. Author Christine Morgan brings to the table a cast of unlikely characters who rise to the occasion and help deliver this town from certain doom. It should be noted that this Splatterpunk Western is the fourth book in this new series. You can bet your bottom dollar you will be engrossed with this novel so much so you won’t be able to put it down. Give this new strain of Splatterpunk a try, I guarantee you’ll fall in love with it!!
August 24, 2020
Although a decent enough adventure, the promised characters are overlooked for most of the book, which instead centers.in the villains and their debaucheries. Fun at first, the Nasty Bastards soon become boring throughout the attempt to shock and then shock more with their evil, and you start to long for the more interesting and vaunted carnies who, sadly, play very little in the story until the last twenty pages or so. Even then, it's too little, too late.
August 4, 2021
The start of this of this book is an engaging story of likeable children finding a creepy funfair and then being attacked by supernatural enemies. This first third leaves us with a cliff hanger. In this initial part wave have apparent foreshadowing's of characters that seem interesting and unique, they don't pay off. Then for the next say 50% its generic outlaw group raids town. Of which the group aren't even the antagonists of the first part! Basically it could be an hour of any red dead players day. Genuinely disappointing how much of a dip it took. I know it was probably meant to subvert expectations but it goes from a western "Something wicked this way comes" to some bandits robbing and murdering a town which happens in pretty much every western. Went from goonies mixed with SWTWC to cowboy book #39. Over half the book is people we don't know/care about being killed by people we also don't know/car about. Engaging. Can just skip the middle part. From part 1 to part 3 chapter 3. In-between consists of "the town got raided". By the end I'd have had a more enjoyable time reading a thesaurus.
February 25, 2021
Terrific characters and perfect prose to go with the setting and the people in it. Gruesome, great dialogue and wit, and keeps ticking the suspense up throughout. Highly recommended!
October 2, 2020
Tubber 😱
Christine Morgan again shows why she is the dominant force in the galaxy. A flawless example of splatterpunk horror, with her amazing style, she takes no prisoners, and pulls no punches. My absolute favorite horror author of all time. She’s untouchable. And unstoppable.
5/5 Silver Skulls
☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
Christine Morgan again shows why she is the dominant force in the galaxy. A flawless example of splatterpunk horror, with her amazing style, she takes no prisoners, and pulls no punches. My absolute favorite horror author of all time. She’s untouchable. And unstoppable.
5/5 Silver Skulls
☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
April 23, 2023
I loved this, it was exceptional well written.
This book is one of the darkest books I've every read, not just because of what happens, because there is some messed up stuff that happends, but it's darker because of how it was written, you get a glimpse into the victims heads.
This is not for the faint of heart so if you have triggers, maybe pick something else.
This book is one of the darkest books I've every read, not just because of what happens, because there is some messed up stuff that happends, but it's darker because of how it was written, you get a glimpse into the victims heads.
This is not for the faint of heart so if you have triggers, maybe pick something else.
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