The Other Brother

by Brandon Massey

Gabriel Reid has led a life of good luck. From a loving family, well educated, and now quite wealthy, he holds an important office in a prominent Atlanta construction company.

But good fortune doesn't always last. Isaiah Battle arrives from the slums of Chicago, where he grew up in poverty, surviving by his wits and a hidden inner power. Isaiah is Gabriel's half-brother, and now he wants to claim the life he believes is rightfully his.

The stage is set for an epic battle between brothers: a battle that will leave only one man standing.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Supernatural, Mystery Thriller, Paranormal

304 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2006

About the author

Here’s a little about me, Brandon Massey. (“Massey” is not pronounced “macy,” by the way. Think of “mass” instead.)

I was born June 9, 1973, in Waukegan, Illinois. I grew up in Zion, a suburb north of Chicago.

I originally self-published Thunderland, my first novel, in 1999. After managing to sell a few thousand copies on my own, Kensington Publishing Corp. in New York offered me a two-book contract, and published a new, revised edition of Thunderland in December 2002.

Since then, I’ve published up to three books a year, ranging from thriller novels such as The Other Brother, to short story collections such as Twisted Tales, and anthologies such as Dark Dreams.

My newest suspense thriller, Covenant, was published in November 2010.

I’ve got plenty more stories in the works that I’ll publish in the coming years.

I live with my family near Atlanta, GA.

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this.
I wouldn't really classify it as horror. More of a psychological thriller with supernatural elements.
Gabriel lives in Atlanta, is in his early 30's. He has everything; a wealthy and well connected family, a gorgeous smart pediatrician fiance, a nice house in a trendy area, an expensive car and he's already VP of the family business. On his birthday he has a car accident and a near death experience. Little does he know that just the beginning.
In an impoverished area in Chicago Isaiah has not had such a gifted life. In fact, he and his poor, struggling single mom have barely gotten along financially which has led Isaiah to a life of crime. Isaiah has spent his life in and out of various state institutions starting at age 11 with juvie. After the death of his beloved mother Isaiah decides to visit the wealthy father that abandoned he and his mother to poverty.
This was a good, if at times predictable story. I liked the way it unfolded and enjoyed the family elements it explored.

[☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ ѕℓιм ☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

DONT READ I HAVE SPOILERS !!!

I can't understand why he came at Gabriel instead of coming at his father I mean he's father was the one who messed with his mama. Smh jealousy is a mother I tell you. But this was a good book I listen to it on audible but I do prefer reading a book because I can understand it better. Dude who is the narrator made it funny though. Lol but the ending part where he made dude leave was dumb like what man gone let another man make them leave while with there women smh what a loser. But what was funny was when he told the girl that he rather do push-ups then mess with her again that's so wrong . I can tell I don't like Isaiah but he's hilarious. But what weird is Gabriel and Isaiah having dreams and visions etc about each other . Only thing I don't understand is to me it feels like this story is missing something. It was good though. And the ending where they found out they were twins were a shocker to me. And even though Isaiah made me sick it sucked that he died. Then Gabe had twins. Lol like wow but I don't know why I thought Isaiah was gone pop up somewhere lol. But I understand why Isiah felt that way because he assume his father didn't want him I think it'll been better if they told them they were twins to begin with

[January · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Other Brother by Brandon Massey
10h 42m narrated by Kevin R. Free, 304 pages

Genres: Horror > Supernatural; Thriller > Mystery Thriller; Adult Fiction

Featuring: Chicago, Atlanta, Violence, Revenge Trope, Abandonment, Haves & Have Nots, Sex, Celebrity Lookalikes, Envy, Ghetto Twins,

Rating as a movie: R for violence and adult content

Songs for the soundtrack: "Street Life" by The Crusaders, "Golden" by Jill Scott, "Gangsta Gangsta" by N.W.A., "How I Could Just Kill a Man" by Cypress Hill, "A Love Supreme, Part 2: Resolution" by John Coltrane

My rating: ⭐️⭐️½

My thoughts: 📱10% 1:03:15 Ch. 4 - This was already a decent plot I wasn't expecting it to be horror, so this should be interesting.
📱87% 9:17:39 Ch. 57 - This is disappointing. Just ridiculous but not as crazy as The Exes. This narrator is making me think of Leon when he does Isaiah's dialogue.

This was such a misrepresentation. It wasn't a horror, maybe it could have been a psychological horror but even that was a stretch. This was a paranormal psychological thriller and not a very good one, to be honest. There were so many plotholes and Illogical decisions. The supernatural aspects didn't add much to the story. It was a kind of a waste of my time. This might be my last Massey book. I think I'll give him a 3rd and final chance.

Recommend to others?: Only if you like crazy and don't care if the story adds up.

[Locksie · Rating 4 out of 5]

His rightful place.

A story about the respected, wealthy Reid family, and a stranger named Isaiah Battle who causes havoc in their lives. At first Isaiah’s presence is a shock to this prominent family, who all except the head of the family Theo, were clueless of his existence. But as Isaiah’s revengeful intentions are revealed courtesy of excellent writing by author Brandon Massey, the Reid family is rightfully scared for their lives, especially the son Gabriel who feels an uncanny connection to the evil Isaiah.
All the characters are written exceptionally well especially the character Isaiah, who has a sharp calculating edge. The paranormal experiences that were introduced in this story while interesting, weren’t brought to the frightening level to compliment the super natural suspense angle, falling short of my expectation.
On the whole this is a very good recommended read.

Locksie April 29th, 2011
ARC Book Club Inc.
Star Rating 4.0****

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[Skai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listen to this on audible this book was so long lol. 70 something chapters I think ugh to much but I thought it was good even though it took me a long time to finish this book I think I bought this book last year and just now finishing it lol. Smh but it was good, and the ending was so surprising when Gabe and Isaiah found out that they were twins and not half-brothers and that they had the same mother. I hated Isiah but the ending I didn't want him to die, but he did. And I'm glad that Nicole was okay because of what Isaiah did to her. At first, I thought he was going to rape her smh.

[Peaceful · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my absolute favorite Brandon Massey book, hands down. When Mr. Massey releases a new book, it's a no-brainer for me. I have to read it.

[Erin Talamantes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this enough, but I feel like the supernatural elements didn’t really add anything to the story.

[Tajuana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isiah who grew up with a hatred was determined to get at his father one way or another. Struggling, growing up in the projects, Isiah blamed his father, T. L. for it all.
For the life of me, I couldn't understand how T. L. lived as if he had strong family values, but had a son in the world that he didn't acknowledge or at least make sure that he was taken care of, but he fooled the hell out of me!
Gabe, who was his father's pride and joy, was sometimes overwhelmed by his father's persistence. He felt that his father always treated him like a kid and did everything for him. Although he truly appreciated his father, Gabe wanted his father to let him be his own man.
Gabe, looking death in face after an accident begin to notice weird things started happening to him, that he was passing off after events from the accidents, but it was far from that.
Isiah did not stop his plot at his father. He wanted Gabe to pay too. But the image he saw in the mirror, he knew there was no more time to play and stick to the plan... His father at to meet his maker.
When all three are after one another and is told the last expecting thing earth, many regrets surface, but it will be too late
5*

[Monica B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Twist was okay… kind of wanted more

[WHL (Bill) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
First time reading Brandon Massey. The Other Brother was an ok read although a bit predictable. Slow burn within the first few chapters but things picked up midway through. Speaking of chapters, it was a bit irritating because the story wasn't written in individual chapters. The story had a supernatural element to it which honestly I felt was unnecessary. The narrator for the story was irritating. You could hear him taking a breath between reading sentences. Also, the publishers should have hired a female narrator because this guy did a poor job with the female parts. I've heard some good things about the author but I don't think this was one of his better works. I'll check some of his other reads out. All in all, The Other Brother was an ok read for me.

[Mike Rogers · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been an interesting story - about two brothers, one illegitimate and one legitimate who grow up under completely different circumstances, and who are re-united at the age of thirty. There are issues of trust, betrayal, abandonment, family bonds, forgiveness etc. that could have been explored. Some of these were attempted clumsily but never developed into anything that made for interesting character development. Also, there was a paranormal thread running throughout that was so badly handled that it should have been left out completely (and the story would have been better off without it). What could have been an interesting psychological thriller felt more like a made-for-TV movie that can't handle real, complex issues, so it avoids them by having some fight scenes and some paranormal special effects instead.

The book works as very light entertainment (hence the two stars), but disappoints if you are expecting anything better.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent thriller from Brandon Massey! I read "In The Shadows" first, and this book is certainly just as entertaining and was one I could not put down. I love the supernatural themes and the pacing that Massey is able to achieve. I want to read his books in one sitting if possible!

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

There isn't much to say....I love reading Brandon Massey! I'm not done with his catalog yet, but I am enjoying the ride. He has the right amount of creepiness and suspense in his book. I did not quite expect the outcome in this story, but it was so worth the read.

[Myuncutreality · Rating 3 out of 5]

The twist became obvious early on, but this was still a good, quick read.

[HoneyButterfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Left a lot to be desired. The twist was ok but I was expecting much more from it

[Deangela Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I will try another book written by this author.

[Elusive · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 'The Other Brother', Gabriel leads a charmed life most can only dream of. He's young and successful with a loving family and devoted fiancée. However, the arrival of his illegitimate brother Isaiah turns his life upside down but there's no one he can turn to for help. Will Gabriel manage to make things right again before it's too late?

To sum up this book: interesting premise, awful execution. It started off wonderfully, with a gritty tone befitting Isaiah's miserable life filled with danger, uncertainty and fear. He wasn't safe anywhere, not even in his own home. On top of that, his mother's safety was at stake too. What eventually happened was as terrible as expected and it kept me reading to find out how he would take revenge on his father, only for me to come across numerous flaws.

Too unrealistic
The moment Isaiah, a total stranger showed up, Gabriel's family was quick to accept and trust him. All of them had no qualms about him joining them for dinner and working in the family company even though they knew he had a criminal record. No one was the slightest bit suspicious or distrusting (except Gabriel, of course).

Gabriel's father had paid Isaiah and his mother a boatload of cash to ensure the former stayed out of his life. Despite that, Isaiah made his existence known to the rest of the family yet Gabriel's father was okay with this. This would've made sense if Isaiah had threatened or blackmailed him (nope). Logically, Gabriel's father should've tried even harder to keep him away.

Isaiah's "revenge" was too tame
His anger, grief and resentment were clearly at an all time high but none of those feelings were reflected in his actions against the family. The person he was targeting, his father seemed more like an afterthought since he was focused on Gabriel most of the time. From trying to take Gabriel's job at the company to causing problems between Gabriel and his girlfriend… it felt like the author forgot who Isaiah's true target was supposed to be…

And only remembered at the last minute which explained the lame log cabin scene in which Isaiah "tortured" his father for a few seconds, followed by a hilarious "fight" between the two brothers.

Flat and one-dimensional characters
Many of the characters had no personality and seemed to change their minds whenever it suited the story. For instance, some characters went from thinking Gabriel was out of his mind / a jerk to believing every word he said (no matter how far-fetched it sounded).

The most pointless character of all was Gabriel's mother whose reaction to the shocking discoveries was unbelievable. Finding out your husband had another kid all along? Finding out your husband cheated on you years ago and never came clean about it? No big deal, just scream and cry then go back to being normal again. Yeah right.

Stiff / odd dialogues and grammatical errors
The characters didn't speak like actual people would. Their choice of words and phrases were completely off hence taking me out of the story, along with some grammatical errors. A few examples:

"A wildlife control guy is in the house now to catch it. Needless to say, I'm waiting outside." It would be more natural to say: There's a guy from wildlife control here trying to catch it, so I'm waiting outside.

"But why? Everyone who survives a near-fatal accident isn't able to bend spoons. Why you?" It should be: Not everyone who survives a near-fatal accident is able to bend spoons.

He wasn't worried about her welfare; he could care less about her well-being. It should be: couldn't care less.

Obvious plot twist
Since it was so obvious from the start, the revelation had zero impact. It didn't help that the twist was tossed in towards the end of the story, as though it was almost forgotten about. It turned out that Gabriel and Isaiah were twins. Let's see… same birthday, same age, same looks (except for minor differences such as facial and scalp hair). Who wouldn't have figured it out already?

Poorly written supernatural element
It felt out of place, pointless and ridiculous. To make things worse, it was repeatedly highlighted which was a huge mistake because it would've been far better to delve into the emotional aspect (Isaiah being abandoned by his father and being jealous of his brother's life, etc). This also led me to question why Isaiah didn't just use his mind control ability to take revenge on his father from the moment they met. He could've used it to destroy his bond with his loved ones, tarnish his reputation, bring down his company and so forth.

Overall, 'The Other Brother' lacked emotional depth and character development which resulted in a dull story bordering on absurd at times.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to The Other Brother by Brandon Massey.

The main characters were the dad TL Reed, sons Gabriel and Isaiah, and Gabriel's fiance.

TL has kept a secret from his family - wife, daughter and son Gabriel - that he had another son. His eldest son Isaiah has been raised by his mother in Chicago. His mother struggled to raise Isaiah on her own and he grew up a trouble young man with a criminal record. His life of crime and violence unfortunately caused the death of his mother. On the death of Isaiah's mother he makes a death promise of vengeance against the men who caused her death and his absent father TL Reed.

Gabriel has been raised by his parents in the lap of luxury with his sister in Atlanta. He has a privilege life and a successful career working for his father. His life changes day of his thirtieth birthday. It is the day he almost died in a car accident. He starts experiencing paranormal events and brother enters their lives.

Isaiah conveniences the family that he wants to know his father side of the family after all these years. Unfortunately, he has ill intents focused pri.still on the men of the family.

The story has many plots and suspenseful moments to the conclusion. Gabriel almost looses his life, his fiance, career, and family. Gabriel makes a vow to protect his family at all cost.

[Vivienne Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Riveting Psychological Thriller

The author does not disappoint when it comes to writing an explosive, gripping novel that will keep you turning those pages and guessing from start to finish. The multifaceted characters are relatable and authentic. The dialogue is riveting, and the dramatic scenes, with their symbolic gestures, are captivating. The story begins in Chicago with antagonist Isaiah Battle, a young man born from an extramarital affair, and his plan to seek revenge against a father who discarded him and his mother. In contrast, Gabriel Reid is the other son and heir to his father’s business in Atlanta, where an incident will cause Gabriel to have eerie premonitions while coming head-to-head with an adversary, where resentment and extreme dislike will rear their dreadful head. The characters will draw you into their world, where tradition, betrayal, secrets and lies, pretense, money, power, and influence rein. With twists and turns, the narrative slowly builds up to an ending that will shock you to the core, reminding us that hidden deeds will not stay buried for long, and your actions do have dire consequences. If you take pleasure in the paranormal, you will enjoy reading this saga and viewing the many sides of African American Culture.

[Shilo Parcel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator does an excellent job making the characters and story come alive with their engaging performance. Gabriel, a successful doctor in Atlanta, has his life turned upside down when his estranged, drug-addicted brother resurfaces after years with a sinister agenda.

The pacing moves swiftly, shifting between past and present to reveal hidden secrets and motives. The narrator captures the intensity and complex emotions driving Gabriel's efforts to protect himself and his new bride from his brother's schemes. Their versatile vocal range allows them to skillfully portray both working-class Southern characters from the brothers' youth and Gabriel's current wealthy associates.

While the plot progresses rapidly with many surprising twists, some scenes might seem a bit hard to believe, and character motivations may appear contrived at times. Nonetheless, Gabriel is an empathetic protagonist, and the story's exploration of family bonds and reconciliation strikes a chord. The characters, flawed but memorable, combined with the constant suspense, make "The Other Brother" an exciting rollercoaster ride.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brothers

Gabriel works with his Pop at a business that his daddy built from the ground up. Like his father, Gabriel has the gift of gab and can make great closing deals while making a lot of money for the company they maintain in Atlanta Georgia.

Isaiah lives with his mama in Chicago. They barely get by and are stuck in the ghetto. Isaiah has recently been released from prison which he claims he was not responsible for what he did. He's had a hard life and he's become a hard man. He keeps looking at a photo of a man and his mama he cut out from a magazine. His mama told him that's his daddy.

When Gabriel and Isaiah meet it's not good. I won't give out any spoilers, but I highly recommend reading this book. The characters and the plot are very well defined. It makes you feel that you are actually right in the middle of everything happening!

[Sarah Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read supernatural and horror books. This one fell into that category and it doesn’t really belong there. There was a supernatural theme going on but it wasn’t necessary or well explained. The rest of the story was well written and the characters were well developed. There was a twist at the end that you’re waiting for someone to blurt out for at least 200 pages, it’s more of a surprise when you figure it out then when the character actually admits it. All in all, it was long, not really my thing, and even aggravated me at times, but done well enough that I read the whole thing.

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this a 3.5. It was an OK read. I felt like there were some plot issues that jumped around a bit or happened without an explanation. For example, Gabriel's fiance lives in a 2 bedroom condo, but Gabriel is asked to sleep on the couch. Marge and Theo apparently were going to get a divorce but the author reveals Marge as being a doting wife. Theo goes to strip clubs while very religious Marge volunteers for church groups and Theo doesn't want to stain his good name? Then why does he go to strip clubs and why does Marge not know about it? What does this add to the story?

[Lisa Dendy]

Isaiah Battle is a disturbed young man with a heart full of hate and a mind full of plans for vengeance. His dad was a married army man who had an affair with Isaiah's young, beautiful mother, leaving her with a baby boy to rear and no money or prospects. As Isaiah's plans to destroy his father and his father's son Gabriel (the "Other Brother") come closer and closer to fruition, Isaiah and Gabriel realize they have an uncanny ability to affect each other's thoughts and dreams. Family secrets aren't revealed until the final pages, leaving the reader in suspense.

[Schequita Alsvertha Tardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good

I can’t get enough of Brandon Massey’s ways of writing… He books keep me up at all times of the night chapter after chapter, then when I get close to the end of the book I read slower while looking for my next book from him… This book kept me at the edge of my seat… A must read…

[La Donna Porter · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book I truly wanted to complete however, I had stop reading it after the illegitimate brother used what I see as witchcraft to get his half sister to suck his.....eggplant which didn't happen because the mother knocked on the bedroom door he snapped his sister out of her trance. That freaked me out so badly I closed the book. That one scene was way too much for me.

[Barbra Athill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

I really enjoyed this book. Isaiah was a crazy man, and he was out for revenge. Gabriel is skeptical of Isaiah and he makes it his business to find out all he can about the guy.........but things aren't what they seem.

[Harry Royster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I was thoroughly pleased with this book. Even though it was a tried and true story about twins growing up apart it was still interesting. I would recommend the book to everyone because it makes you want to know what is going to happen next.

[Sandra Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful read.

Father, rich business man, had a secret. He had an affair. This produced twin sons. Father took the one, the other, remaining with the birth Mother. The other son shows up. All kinds of things happen.

[kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the chickens come home to roost. When you read the book you will know exactly what it refers to. Also the lesson I have learned even more is “ do not seek revenge because if you knew ALL the facts you most likely would have a change of heart.”