Tag Archives: Blood Lite III

The Last Demon by Don D’Amassa

Book Review, , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: The Last Demon
Author: Don D’Amassa
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Demons, Easy reading
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: The years passed as a steady stream of minor torments and when the time finally approached that they would be able to return to hell, Ogerak felt that he had survived the worst that the human world could possibly throw at him.

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Synopsis

On his 666th birthday, the youngest demon escapes into our world. And finds his own world of pain and torment.

Thoughts

At the beginning of this story, the youngest demon escapes hell. And that was pretty much were my expectations were halted. Nothing went as I thought it would, and it was all such a bizarre adventure that I was left with a very perplexed feeling. Not that that is a bad thing, this story certainly made me think… but it was just a little weird.

One of the aspects of this story that I loved was the idea of a demon’s perspective on our world. The confusion surrounding money, food and jobs was kind of fun. And, I really, really loved the punchline at the very end of the story. It’s the kind of thing that a good short story should end with – surprising, off-kilter and memorable.

 <- The Man Who Could Not Be Bothered to Die Review A Misadventure to Call Your Own Review ->
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The Four Horsemen Reunion Tour: An Apocumentary by Lucien Soulban

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: The Four Horsemen Reunion Tour: An Apocumentary
Author: Lucien Soulban
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Horror
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Interviewer: Did you ever consider changing your names?

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Synopsis

The setting of an apocumentary run by the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Thoughts

I like the way that this tale is set – as though it’s a documentary of a reunion tour for a band. Except that this band is the four men of the apocalypse. And the tour is taking place in a hotel where everyone is dead.

This really reminds me of the few documentaries I’ve seen (or even some mocumentaries) about bands and their tours. Especially some of the banter and downright absurd comments that each of the horsemen make… maybe the apocalypse just isn’t that close after all.

 <- Two for Transylvania Review Blood Lite Review ->
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For Sale by David Sakmyster

Book Review, , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: For Sale
Author: David Sakmyster
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Comedy, Easy reading
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Carefully reflect on all the intangibles.

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Synopsis

A cleverly worded ad for the sale of a haunted house… would you buy it?

Thoughts

I always think that the adverts for houses are entertaining. The wording is always so majestic, the terms often obscure. And guessing what’s secretly wrong with the place can be kind of fun. Well, with this ad… I really didn’t have to go far to guess. But my god was it an entertaining read.

I love how this ad completely takes the mickey out of real estate agents and haunted houses. Everything that is stereotypical and expected appears here and the determined positive spin on the property had me laughing throughout. It’s kind of a pity that this sort of humour isn’t more prevalent within more for sale ads…

 <- The Steeple People Review The Man Who Couldn’t Be Bothered to Die Review ->
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Distressed Travelers by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Book Review, , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: Distressed Travelers
Author: Nina Kiriki Hoffman
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Horror
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: All this extra security was a pain in the butt.

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Synopsis

Somebody’s feeding on the frustrations of those at a airport with delayed flights. But the real question is, who wants to feed on him?

Thoughts

This short story made me feel sick. To be fair, it could have been me getting car sick. Because I was reading this in the car. On windy roads. Late at night. But, I’m pretty sure that I felt sick because this story kind of freaked me out.

It started off innocently enough. Weird alien feeding off of people’s emotions. The veritable smorgasbord of an airport. The added deliciousness of cancelled flights and the stress that this brings. But, then things take a far more incidious turn… he finds someone with no emotions.

You can  kind of see where this goes… packed airport, guy with no emotions, seedy motel… yeah, there’s a reason that I felt a little crook after reading this short story in the dark, on a windy road, in the middle of nowhere…

 <- Short Term Review Bayou Brawl Review ->
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Dating After the Apocalypse by Stephen Dorato

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: Dating After the Apocalypse
Author: Stephen Dorato
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Comedy, Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Julie seemed to be a regular, ordinary girl – a bit reserved, but who wasn’t these days?

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Synopsis

How does one date after the zombie apocalypse destroys the world?

Thoughts

I haven’t been single in a very long time. And I haven’t had the misfortune of too many horrible dates. Which makes it extra enjoyable (and kind of foreign) to read about dating. And horrible first dates. And one night stands… putting what I assume is a zombie apocalypse and the end of the world as we know it into the mix just made it all the more fascinating and enjoyable.

The way that this story, like all good short stories, turns itself on its head at the conclusion was highly entertaining. The idea that there are more terrors in settling down than people already experience kind of made a comment on how hard it can be to actually settle down. Both symbolically and physically, this is a good example of the difficulties of dating, getting married and living your happily ever after…

 <- The Great Zombie Invasion of 1979 Review Typecast Review ->
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A Day in the Life by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Book Review, , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: A Day in the Life
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Horror
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Stressed.

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Synopsis

Is Elliot about to become the editor for a dead woman? Or is something more sinister happening in the office?

Thoughts

The harsh critiques of editors and readers is something that I think we all fear. So what happens when there is a horror of a writer and the editor is forced to constantly deal with her ghost?

This story started out kind of nice. It had a ghost and one of the first lines is ding dong the bitch is dead. So it feels like it might be a bit of a comedic take on the idea of the editor-writer relationship. Until things take a much more sinister turn. And more ghosts start appearing. And you realise that Elliot, the editor, may not have been as kind as you first thought… karma can be a bitch too.

 <- Still Life Review Old MacDonald Had an Animal Farm Review ->
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BRIANS!!! by D.L. Snell

Book Review, , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: BRIANS!!!
Author: D.L. Snell
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Comedy, Easy reading
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: “Well, your mom sucks.”

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Synopsis

A zombie book signing and release just couldn’t go anymore wrong!

Thoughts

When I read the name of this short story I thought that there was a typo. After all, it is in a collection of short stories that are surrounded by horror and the paranormal… brains would make sense. Zombies after all. But within the first page, it finally makes sense… this is about a book that has a typo in it. It should be BRAINS! The author is an idiot.

This story touches really badly on mumma’s boys. And the irritating things that overbearing mothers do. Reading about it was painful. Reading about the end of this relationship was just… well… weird. I still don’t know how I feel about this short story. I think it’s just something that you have to read to experience it…

 <- Smoke and Mirrorballs Review Still Life Review ->
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A Misadventure to Call Your Own by Adrien Ludens

Book Review, ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: A Misadventure to Call Your Own
Author: Adrien Ludens
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this),
My Bookshelves: Easy reading
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: You pop the trunk, hoist the body over your shoulder and hustle up the stairs.

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Synopsis

This short story is like a choose your own adventure. But the decisions have already been made, and they are all the worst ones possible.

Thoughts

I love choose your own adventure stories. The fact that I thought I had found one in Blood Lite III was a bit of a surprise. But, as with every other story in this collection, it was nothing like what I expected. For starters, all of the decisions had been already made.

You know those stories that you feel like the character is constantly making the wrong choice? And it’s almost painful to watch? Well, this is like that… but it’s worse because the other (smarter) choices are actually laid out for you as you go through. Every single time you are forced into a scenario with a horrible decision and my goodness it is kind of painful to read. But incredibly fun.

 <- The Last Demon Review Smoke and Mirrorballs Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Bayou Brawl by L.A. Banks

Book Review, , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: Bayou Brawl
Author: L.A. Banks
In: Blood Lite III: Aftertaste (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Science fiction
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: The size of it could only be made out because the edges of it sparked in the water.

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Synopsis

What happens when the aliens invade supernatural territory? Be thrown in the bayou and a love triangle to find out.

Thoughts

I really liked the idea behind this story – extraterrestrials have visited New Orleans and the Bayou. There is one lady that has the contacts to find out what is happening. It turns out that said contacts are supernatural and totally onto it. Biff at the bayou.

Like I said, I liked the idea. Mostly I liked the execution, but I felt like the main character was kind of just sleeping with everyone. She has two lovers, they are almost two sides of a coin. Awesome. But then towards the end she seems to be adding another few to her repertoire… I just want to know how one has that much libido and energy!

But seriously… aliens vs. supernaturals… this idea needs to be run with a little bit further!

 <- Distressed Travelers Review The Steeple People Review ->
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Acknowledgements by Will Ludwigsen

Book Review, , ,

Overview

Blood Lite IIITitle: Acknowledgements
Author: Will Ludwigsen
In: Blood Lite III (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Comedy, Easy reading
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: From her knowing glances to her sublime taste in hats, I couldn’t ask for a greater companion.

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Synopsis

If these are the acknowledgments, I can’t wait to read the tale!

Thoughts

This acknowledgement is a great beginning to a fantasy book. The fact that the acknowledgement alone is its own short story is a little different admittedly, but one that I kind of enjoyed. And I’m more than a little disappointed by this apparent calamity of circumstances which would have made an interesting tale.

Normally I find acknowledgements boring – they don’t tell you a large amount about the people, because they’re almost designed just to thank the people who know how they’ve helped. But, the wording of this and the brilliance of the tale outlined in these nine pages kind of made this something worth reading. Although, probably only the once…

 <- Making the Cut Review Mannequin Review ->
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