The Endless and Other Stories

by Brandon Baker

A man looking for his cat has an unfortunate accident, a widow's neighborhood is under siege by horrific monsters, but she couldn't be bothered to lend a helping hand, a strange man is pining after the love of his life, but not everything is at it seems, a woman whose girlfriend was taken from this world will do whatever it takes to bring her back, and a man tries one more time to save his failing relationship, but things go horribly, horribly wrong. In The Endless and Other Stories, Brandon Baker's first published collection, we read 5 different horror stories of individuals that find themselves in various nightmare scenarios, with each story exploring a different horror sub-genre.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Queer, Anthologies, Horror Thriller, Novella

101 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2022

About the author

So far, I've only authored two books: The Endless and Other Stories and Whatever Remains Of Us In The End. The other books that are showing on my author profile are not written by me. Just a heads up haha

Reviews

[Brandon Baker]

I just realized that my review wasn’t showing some reason- but just a heads up, I will not be checking reviews for my book, so feel free to speak your mind! I had fun writing these short stories, so I hope you have some fun reading them. All opinions are valid though, so just a request for my followers: please do not attack any reviewers that leave a dissenting negative review. All reviews and opinions are valid.

[Sadie Hartmann]

I’m a big believer in short story collections to get to know what an author has to offer. This is Brandon’s debut and a great introduction to what we can expect from the booktok influencer turned writer!
You can go through my notes and highlights for real time reading experiences through each story.
I loved how eclectic this was. Some stories showcased a dark humor while other ones were emotionally intense and disturbing. Brandon’s storytelling is accessible and easy to settle into-an effortless flow and style.
You can find some trigger warnings at the beginning of the book so I recommend checking that out before you head into this if you struggle with specific subjects. I’m eager to see Brandon’s career in writing flourish!

[Allison G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these! Despite the fact that the content was graphic and violet, the writing was beautiful and easily drew me in. Would definitely recommend!

4.5 stars

[Gareth Is Haunted · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm rather partial to a good short story and in that respect, this didn't disappoint.
For a debut offering, this is a great collection of short stories, each varying vastly from the previous and encompassing both sci-fi and horror.

'A blood drenched mouth filled with millions of foot-long razor sharp teeth obliterating mountains of flesh and gore.'

Here are my ratings for each story:
1) Unbothered - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
-An interesting story about a dark entity.
2) Cat Dad - ⭐⭐⭐
-An odd story about a man and his relationship with his cat.
3) Beautiful - ⭐⭐⭐
A story of obsession.
4) The Endless -⭐⭐⭐⭐
-My favourite, A woman's partner goes missing in a strange clearing in the woods.
5) The Last Hike - ⭐⭐
-A couple go hiking when things go very wrong.

Well worth checking out, an enjoyable read.

[Sydney Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

AHHH this was such a fun debut!! This is a short and sweet collection of stories with a little something for everyone, all of which left me wanting more (in the best way!) I read this in one sitting and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

[Ben Long]

Not posting a rating or review because I edited this collection and don't want to seem biased...let's just say I think you should read this!

[Erin Talamantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great short story collection, the stories all involve different sub genres, but you can still tell they flow and aren’t disjointed.
The humor laced throughout was really natural and I didn’t feel forced.
Looking forward to reading more of Brandon’s work in the future!

[Nathan Shuherk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun winter night read. Vignettes of horror that are well done and very creative!

[Grapie Deltaco · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

A collection of dark and disturbing tales from a true horror fan.

Brandon Baker creates disturbing imagery and unnerving circumstances throughout these stories of stalkers, mind-bending disappearances into an endless void, a Final Destination-esque day for a man who loves his cat, and many more.

Some of the most gorgeous horror writing I’ve read takes place in the story of The Endless as we witness a woman’s desperate search for her girlfriend in the woods.

The collection as a whole is a knockout of a debut in its navigation of body horror, violence, and disorienting states of being.

CW: death, gore, blood, violence, murder, body horror, stalking, brief suicidal ideation, brief description of (and reference to) self harming

[Scott Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, creepy, and quick read! Each story was dark and twisted. The Last Hike was so intense! I can’t wait to read more haunting stories by Brandon.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of queer horror stories is absolutely fantastic!
The stories are so original, I’ve never seen any of these ideas anywhere before. The writing is evocative, chilling, and disgusting.

A must read for fans of queer horror!!!

[Stacy (Gotham City Librarian) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel kinda bad giving this a negative review, because I do generally like the author’s blog and recommendations. But he did say that he was going to avoid reading the reviews so that we could feel free to be honest. These stories just didn’t really work for me. They would’ve benefited from a lot more editing and overall I didn’t think there was much substance there. (I do understand that this is a debut collection.) The title story was definitely the best one, but I didn’t like the ending. Most people seem to be enjoying these stories, though, so maybe it’s just me!

[Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely horror collection of short stories. I may be biased but the cat POV was particularly fun to read 😺

[ems_booknook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this because Baker.reads wrote it and he is my absolute FAVE booktoker, all of my recs come from him.

I did enjoy these, my issues lie in the fact that I very rarely read short stories and when I do, it’s usually extreme horror. So I guess in a way I don’t really “get” them? But that’s a me problem, not a problem with the book.

However, I can see these being very enjoyable to people who love a short story! They weren’t bad by any means, they just aren’t for me. Good luck to Brandon on his book release! I wish I could give this one a 5 star rating because Brandon 100% deserves it, and what he has accomplished is absolutely amazing. I hope anyone who picks this up absolutely loves it.

[Wendy Dalrymple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent debut!

I've followed Brandon for a while now and was so pleased to see that he put out a short story collection! It did not disappoint and his obvious love for the genre shined through. Cat Dad was my fave!

[Carter Kalchik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very strong first effort from horror Booktok icon Brandon Baker. The stories are surprisingly tight and all really accomplish the mission of a short story: tell one complete idea. Brandon gets in and out and manages to leave plenty of bodies along the way. It’s an interesting range of stories across supernatural horror to more thriller. I really see the love for thrillers coming through in most of these stories.

Every story seemed totally complete on its own, with the small exception of Beautiful. Beautiful is a stalker POV with a big twist. This was the only story that I felt could have been (quite a bit) longer, a novella or even a full length novel. It left me wanting more in a good way, but also felt rushed and almost unfinished.

[Hannah (hngisreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Brandon’s reviews on Tik Tok and was so excited to read this collection!

The stories are definitely creepy, and Brandon’s love of horror is evident. My favorite was definitely “Beautiful,” followed by “The Last Hike,” while “Cat Dad” felt slightly out of place.

Overall, I wanted more emotional layers to the characters. The stories are very centered in the now, and we get little to no backstory on our characters. We only get what they’re experiencing *right now.* So too with the plot: all are linear.

Still, a promising debut!

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright Book Realm - NEW HORROR REC!!!

It should go without saying that Brandon Baker (@BakerReads) is one of my absolute favorite TikTokers and his recommendations are worth their weight in gold. His short story collection also deserves that same merit and praise. Baker's fearlessness when it comes to reading horror has translated in such a fun way in his collection. The Endless and other stories features 5 unique stories highlighting different areas within horror.

Unbothered
- I was transported immediately to this situation and the hopelessness that the main character feels as she realizes that she is truly alone in this fight.
- This thrilled me and it will you too!

Cat Dad
- I really thought this story was so cute in a way (in addition to being full fledged survivalist horror).
- Also, without any spoilers, I think this nails how vindictive cats can be. (Babou❤️)

Beautiful
- If you love reading from the perspective of someone who probably definitely isn't the good guy, then you'll love this. I think Brandon really nailed that deranged inner mindset and the twist of this story is definitely one to love!!

The Endless
- A wicked and wild foray into Lovecraftian horrors. This one hits it on the head. This story felt so complete, creepy, and realistic (in a sense).

THE LAST HIKE!!
THE LAST EFFING HIKE!!
- ABSOLUTE GOLD
- Oh I loved this. I loved it so much. It's so deranged and the ending is so perfect. I thought that I had figured out exactly where this story was going to go, but I was on my toes until the very last word.


All in all, if you haven't bought this collection yet, GET ON IT! I firmly believe that this collection in its diversity offers something for any reader. If you're more of a psych thriller reader, it's here, if you love gore and blood, it's here and if you just love some classic good horror elements, The Endless and Other Stories is the collection you need this year! I can't wait to see what Brandon Baker comes out with next because I already know it's going to be great horror storytelling.

[Katie T · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounding up.
Cat Dad was my favorite of the short stories 🐱

[Gregory Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

A genuinely good collection of stories. Very pleasantly surprised by this and looking forward to the next read!

[Jason Nickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very strong debut for Brandon Baker. This is a well rounded collection of stories that vary in tone. Really enjoyed this one, especially Cat Dad and The Last Hike.

[Roger Bundridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful and The Last Hike now hold a special place in my heart. <3

[Readabookmofo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually 3.5 Stars but Goodreads is harshing my groove.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I loved the LGBTQ+ representation seen in this book, and particularly with this genre. For the most part, Baker did an excellent job at showing without telling and putting the reader in a very vivid scene. I felt like I knew many of the characters without being told exactly how they are. Here are some of my favorite quotes;

"The sight of them being incinerated was like heat emanating off blacktop on a scorching summer day"

"The world was a better place come sunrise. The monstrous shadows dissipated, every noise suddenly sounding much less menacing, and the leaves and grass twinkling with a million dewdrop diamonds" (Shudders)

"His eyes were the size of dinner plates, extending all the way to his hairline and covering where his nose and cheeks should have been, and they were black as night, seeming like they were absorbing the light." (Wow)

"I was sitting in a great expanse of nothing, suspended in an embryo of dead space."

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The Cat Daddy story felt out of place. If it was meant to provide levity, then more moments of levity should have been added after each story. Without that pacing, Cat Daddy feels unnecessary. It was an enjoyable story, but does not fit with the mood of the rest of the stories. Personally, I would have preferred the cute story after 'Beautiful'. That one was terrifying!

Towards the end of the stories, Baker started to shift to telling without showing, which was a let down because the first stories were excellent at not doing this. Some of the writing choices felt too pointed and rushed almost. It felt like it fell short of all of the writing preceding it; I loved the way Baker described the characters through actions and past experiences.

My biggest gripe with the final story are incongruities in the characters actions, behavior, and dialog. For example, the narrator explains how he's never witnessed or experienced violence. After his cheating boyfriend kicks his ribs in and pulls out a knife and demands to talk, the narrator simply tells him that will not be talking and they need to go home. To me, this doesn't make logical sense when taking into account how the character is initially presented. Based on the character personality that has been shown, I would expect this character to want to placate his cheating boyfriend for fear of further violence or be in fear. The narrator was almost nonchalant about it.

And then the cheating boyfriend is desperate to stay with the narrator, this is never explained despite being the inciting incident of the plot. Being in first person, this could have been done by the narrator saying something to the effect of him [the narrator] recognizing that something had broken inside of the cheating boyfriend. I feel this could have been done while still recognizing his feelings of betrayal and hatred, especially with his torn feelings about what to do later in the story.

Though it was engaging to read about and I reread it because it was so exciting, I kept asking myself, 'Why is this motherfucker turning homicidal?
In five years there was zero hint at the level of depravity the murderous boyfriend could hit?
Did this event crack his psyche?
Did the narrator have a distortion and left out things he said or did that would have contributed to the situation?
We don't know. Maybe that's the point, and if it is I don't agree with it. Each story was well written with fleshed out characters. We understand their motivations. That is lost on me in the last story. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but when looking at it critically it is lacking compared to the other stories.

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Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The writing and storylines were enjoyable. I could see several of these stories being full novels, or even series. The reason I docked stars is because of the story selection and writing pitfalls in the final story; all things that are easily fixed, and completely my opinion. This was an exciting debut novel and I can't wait to see what else this author has in store.

[Kayle MacDowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW this collection of short stories blew me away and made me feel like I could do horror… which is a VERY difficult task to accomplish (Horror scares me… I get that’s the point but still)

This had stories ranging from an old lady at wits end with a pack of monsters to a cat annoyed with his owners proneness to accidents. These short stories were fabulous; my personal favorite being Unbothered… I love an annoyed, spiteful old lady. I wouldn’t mind getting full books from a few of these… that last story was WOW.

This debut author absolutely killed it(badumtss🥁) and I’m so excited to see what we get next from him! This is a great read for anyone (like me) that’s scared to read an entire horror book!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Endless is a standout, debut horror collection from Tiktok’s Brandon Baker, delivering stories of creeping darkness and disturbing situations of love. This short story collection highlights five different subgenres/tones within the horror genre. Although there is something for everyone in this collection, each story held its weight with an effortless reading experience.

UNBOTHERED
This tale is an unnerving example of what happens when no one believes you. Think doomsday prepper meets conspiracy theorist (and if they had it figured out all along). Unbothered was truly an appetizer of what follows within this collection.

CAT DAD
Starts out with a cat owner’s serious of unfortunate events, ends with the cat’s perspective of said events. Baker personified a cat in its truest form. Meow tbh!

BEAUTIFUL
This short was by far my favorite of the collection. Unreliable, villainous perspective. Psychological, thrilling, evil, yet beautiful.

THE ENDLESS
Lovecraftian, cosmic and creepy. I am not a big fan of this subgenre, but I felt engaged by the serious tone throughout this titular piece. The Endless, at its core, is about the power of love.

THE LAST HIKE
I practically ate an entire bag of sunchips while reading this short story – I was so sucked in by the GOSSIP of the couple in focus. The drama and tension built within this story had my eyes dancing across the page to see what was happening next. The Last Hike, at its core, is about love being a façade. I liked the back-to-back placement of The Endless and The Last Hike.

After reading this collection, I’m not surprised that the psychological piece, Beautiful was my number one. I applaud the playful composition in Cat Dad, as well as the gripping dialogue in The Last Hike.

I am eager for more from Brandon!

[Tayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a good start but I would love more.
I want to start by saying that the stories themselves were fine but tbh I don't think they were scary in the slightest. Some were a little gross with some good vivid descriptions but I would describe them as more thriller than horror subgenres. And because I found them to be more thriller than horror I felt a little disappointed because I expected something else.
On top of that whilst I thought the stories were good, I felt like they were all missing something. Maybe I wished they were longer. Idk but they all just felt like they lacked something.
I think Brandon has something good here, there just needs to be more.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb collection of horror stories and an impressive debut! “The Endless” was a short book, but it packed a memorable punch. I loved the different horror elements for each story - it really made them stand out in my mind! The author brilliantly incorporated dark humor and emotional depth with his characters. Every story was amazing, but I especially enjoyed “Beautiful” for the clever twist and “The Endless” for the Lovecraftian touch. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author!

[Spooky Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all congratulations on your first book Brandon! Second, this book was incredible! It had me hooked from the very beginning and every single story was fantastic. If you’re looking for a horror book of short stories with heart then I highly suggest you read this one.

[Hannah Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of short stories to get to know the author. I loved the humour of the story about the cat and the last story (I forget what it was called) was really well written aswell. Definitely interested in the writers future works.

[Avalon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The longer these short stories got the more deranged they became and the less I could look away. The detail provided in such compact ways was incredible and I could not put this down to save my life, which is more that can be said for most of the characters in these stories!