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Guild of the Beach Rats
A storm is brewing off the Florida coast. Morgan Roth, a defamed NYC journalist, returns to her ocean-side hometown and finds it’s been overrun by a snake-eyed cult called the Fellowship of Her Lady by the Sea. Nonconformists are hunted, kidnapped, and converted. The Beach Rats, a ragtag bunch of kids, teens, surfers, and rebels refuse to heel to the demands of the hooded cultists and their ancient deity, Guabancex , the Mother of Storms, spurring Her wrath against the town. Enter Max, a dead rock musician, reanimated by the Master of the Guild to free the town and bring music back to the beaches. Max and Morgan have a history of romance, a love that ended in tragedy on a stormy night ten years ago. Together again, they must team up against the Destroyer of Everything and Her minions. A beach concert is staged as the ultimate protest against the Fellowship, but the storm is roaring in on the back of Guabancex , which is sure to spell doom for the Guild of the Beach Rats.
172 pages, Paperback
Published August 26, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 12, 2023
Different. A very quick read with an interesting plot. The concept could easily be expanded into a longer story with more character development but it was an entertaining read for a short story.
I received this book from the author through Voracious Readers Only.
I received this book from the author through Voracious Readers Only.
July 9, 2023
The book was very good. It catches your interest early and keeps your attention making you not want to put it down. It’s good for a short read but I wanted more, more details, more backstory, more character development. And I think that’s a good thing the story was so good I wanted to know more about it. It had cults, punk rock, and snakes that’s my kind of story.
September 1, 2022
"There are some who believe a city has a soul, and some who think such things to be fantasy.
Morgan, she did not know, but she fully believed the Guild of the Beach Rats would never die."
If you like rocking out, Florida beaches, and the occult, this is the book for you! It was super fun and fast paced, with just the right amount of horror, romance, and adventure. I'm ready for an encore! Beach Rats Never Die!
Morgan, she did not know, but she fully believed the Guild of the Beach Rats would never die."
If you like rocking out, Florida beaches, and the occult, this is the book for you! It was super fun and fast paced, with just the right amount of horror, romance, and adventure. I'm ready for an encore! Beach Rats Never Die!
October 2, 2022
Punk rock, snake eyes demons and cults. I’m there.
Punk rockers, snake eyed demons and cults.
This book pretty much hits you from the get go. After that it’s mostly non stop. It’s full of adventure and horror. Pretty good combination if you ask me.
It takes place in Florida so the beach rats can stay where they are! There were a few punctuation errors but who cares. I enjoyed book. If that stops anyone from reading. You got issues. Haha!
Punk rockers, snake eyed demons and cults.
This book pretty much hits you from the get go. After that it’s mostly non stop. It’s full of adventure and horror. Pretty good combination if you ask me.
It takes place in Florida so the beach rats can stay where they are! There were a few punctuation errors but who cares. I enjoyed book. If that stops anyone from reading. You got issues. Haha!
March 21, 2023
Horror, journalism, and rock ‘n’ roll
I’m a fan of author Michael J.P. Whitmer, so imagine my pleasure when I discovered his 2022 novella, Guild of the Beach Rats, encompasses some of my favorite things in life: horror, journalism, and rock ‘n’ roll. It’s as if the guy wrote a story just for me.
Whitmer’s tale again takes place in a Florida town where things have become dangerous and desolate. The Fellowship of Her Lady by the Sea is the danger; the members of the punkish Guild of the Beach Rats are the good guys. Things getting back to normal hinge on an old local rock band reuniting to do a concert, an idea that I, for one, think is brilliant. Along the way there are violent deaths involving serpents seeping into and out of eye sockets, historical dreamscapes showing skirmishes upon the seas, and an investigative journalist who is trying to get to the bottom of it all.
I’ve said this before about Whitmer’s stories, but they remind me of the ones I used to read as a kid. Sure, they contain characters using modern-day devices such as cellphones and doing activities such as viewing online videos, but still, it’s as if the narratives could come from any decade during the last thirty years. I don’t know if this sort of writing comes naturally to Whitmer or if he does it on purpose, but either way, I love his retro storytelling ability. Whitmer’s more supernatural storylines from ancient times don’t hold my attention as much as the here-and-now portions of his plots, but he has a great imagination and is good at intertwining two different time periods.
Whitmer is a horror author on the rise, and I truly believe his best work is yet to come.
I’m a fan of author Michael J.P. Whitmer, so imagine my pleasure when I discovered his 2022 novella, Guild of the Beach Rats, encompasses some of my favorite things in life: horror, journalism, and rock ‘n’ roll. It’s as if the guy wrote a story just for me.
Whitmer’s tale again takes place in a Florida town where things have become dangerous and desolate. The Fellowship of Her Lady by the Sea is the danger; the members of the punkish Guild of the Beach Rats are the good guys. Things getting back to normal hinge on an old local rock band reuniting to do a concert, an idea that I, for one, think is brilliant. Along the way there are violent deaths involving serpents seeping into and out of eye sockets, historical dreamscapes showing skirmishes upon the seas, and an investigative journalist who is trying to get to the bottom of it all.
I’ve said this before about Whitmer’s stories, but they remind me of the ones I used to read as a kid. Sure, they contain characters using modern-day devices such as cellphones and doing activities such as viewing online videos, but still, it’s as if the narratives could come from any decade during the last thirty years. I don’t know if this sort of writing comes naturally to Whitmer or if he does it on purpose, but either way, I love his retro storytelling ability. Whitmer’s more supernatural storylines from ancient times don’t hold my attention as much as the here-and-now portions of his plots, but he has a great imagination and is good at intertwining two different time periods.
Whitmer is a horror author on the rise, and I truly believe his best work is yet to come.
April 13, 2023
This is a fast-paced, adventurous horror novella about a Florida town in the throes of a snake cult called the Fellowship. There’s plenty of gruesome snake-related violence as the cult disposes of anyone who dares to stand in their way. Destroying the cult depends on Max, a dead musician, pulling together a protest rock concert, aided by his allies - the guild of the beach rats.
That may not make much sense, but then I’m not sure it’s supposed to. The action-driven plot is full of rampant imagination, zipping from one scene to the next with little forecasting or backstory. Story elements often appear out of nowhere without explanation, and motivations are added almost as afterthoughts. For me, the structure was too loose, but readers who want a few hours of escapism may love the spontaneity.
The rapid-fire pace didn’t leave much room for character development, which would have increased my enjoyment. Max, the dead rockstar, and Morgan, an out-of-work journalist, were the most three-dimensional characters, and I related to them more than the others. Except for a pair of brothers, secondary characters were thinly drawn when it came to their personalities and emotions.
The novella seems geared toward teen readers, enthusiasts of action-driven horror/occult stories, and those who aren’t looking to make an emotional investment. I read the book in one sitting. The writing was clean and well-edited.
That may not make much sense, but then I’m not sure it’s supposed to. The action-driven plot is full of rampant imagination, zipping from one scene to the next with little forecasting or backstory. Story elements often appear out of nowhere without explanation, and motivations are added almost as afterthoughts. For me, the structure was too loose, but readers who want a few hours of escapism may love the spontaneity.
The rapid-fire pace didn’t leave much room for character development, which would have increased my enjoyment. Max, the dead rockstar, and Morgan, an out-of-work journalist, were the most three-dimensional characters, and I related to them more than the others. Except for a pair of brothers, secondary characters were thinly drawn when it came to their personalities and emotions.
The novella seems geared toward teen readers, enthusiasts of action-driven horror/occult stories, and those who aren’t looking to make an emotional investment. I read the book in one sitting. The writing was clean and well-edited.
June 18, 2023
I was asked to read this book by Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review...
I very nearly didn't read this book. It's not my genre and after reading the first page i put it down and planned on not continuing. I then remembered the point of me joining Voracious Readers Only was to broaden my reading and try new genres. So I gave it a go...
I have to admit it was not as bad as I expected from the first page but it was still too far fetched for me. I did not like the way it mixed ancient mystical things with modern. The way they were blended didn't work right for me. I liked the characters and I love rock and roll, I actually liked the whole concept but it didn't come together right. Fans of this genre will probably love this book but as a newbie to it i'm torn. Maybe I just need to read more books of this kind to appreciate it more.
I very nearly didn't read this book. It's not my genre and after reading the first page i put it down and planned on not continuing. I then remembered the point of me joining Voracious Readers Only was to broaden my reading and try new genres. So I gave it a go...
I have to admit it was not as bad as I expected from the first page but it was still too far fetched for me. I did not like the way it mixed ancient mystical things with modern. The way they were blended didn't work right for me. I liked the characters and I love rock and roll, I actually liked the whole concept but it didn't come together right. Fans of this genre will probably love this book but as a newbie to it i'm torn. Maybe I just need to read more books of this kind to appreciate it more.
August 27, 2023
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fun way to spend an hour or so - it was a very short read and felt like it might have started its life on Reddit's NoSleep (which is not a criticism). It was an interesting premise which I felt would have worked better if it had been developed into a longer book, which would have allowed for a lot more character development and general background.
This was a fun way to spend an hour or so - it was a very short read and felt like it might have started its life on Reddit's NoSleep (which is not a criticism). It was an interesting premise which I felt would have worked better if it had been developed into a longer book, which would have allowed for a lot more character development and general background.
September 20, 2022
A great debut by an author who also happens to live nearby, so it makes this book even better. I can definitely see where the streets and scenes are in his town, which is always fun. The story has a few different layers and I can't wait to read what comes next for the author.
September 4, 2023
What a recommendation through Voracious Readers. Not my usual subject of a stroyline but a great fast-paced short novel of horror, journalism, rock'n'roll and adventure of demons and cults with a hint of punk rock. Something completely different but worth a read.
December 30, 2023
Received from voracious readers. A great short story that captures you from the start
October 28, 2023
Risen from the dead punk rocker takes on cultists with snakes in their eyes. There really isn’t much else to say about this story; it’s short, sweet, and to the point. A quick read that kept giving me ‘The Lost Boys’ vibes, but that might be because it would make a good plot an 80s style campy horror film.
*Received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
*Received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews