Plot: Jameel has just moved into a house in an unhappy neighborhood of northern Detroit. Half of the houses are habitable. The rest shelter crackheads. His wife Marta has recently passed away. Jameel waits, avoiding the sun, going out once a month for groceries, cleaning his pump-action shotgun. He watches new neighbors move in nextContinue reading “Review of “Suckers” by Tim Boiteau”
Tag Archives: horror
Review of “The Grandfathers of Benson’s Corners” by Roy Dorman
Image by tim striker from Pixabay Plot: As all grandfathers of Benson’s Corners do when their oldest grandson turns ten, Elmer Ebsen is going into the woods. The whole town turns out for a day of picnicking near the edge of Devil’s Woods. At the end of the day, Elmer, carrying an ax and a gunnyContinue reading “Review of “The Grandfathers of Benson’s Corners” by Roy Dorman”
Review of “Of Ships, Crews And Chance Encounters” by Martin Lochman
Plot: The ship has just lost its crew to a devastating virus. Nothing in the sickbay helped. She contemplates her course of action. She no longer has anyone to care for. Without humans, she cannot engage the FTL engine, long-range communications, or the weapons system. These all require human input. Her choices seem down toContinue reading “Review of “Of Ships, Crews And Chance Encounters” by Martin Lochman”
Review of “Teenagers from Outer Space”
Plot: Aliens have come to earth to find a place to graze their dangerous and fast-growing “gargons,” lobster-like critters they use for food. A pesky dog barks at their flying saucer when it lands, so crew member Thor (Bryan Grant—not the god) whips out his ray gun and zaps him. Poor Sparky is left asContinue reading “Review of “Teenagers from Outer Space””
Review of “Fresh Air and Ice Cream” by Rick McQuiston
Plot: Bobby has spent so much time in front of the television playing video games, his face has grown gaunt. He finally talked his mom into buying him the game Extinguish the Light. A brilliant flash of light nearly blinds him. It’s only his mom, pulling back the curtain. She tells him she wants himContinue reading “Review of “Fresh Air and Ice Cream” by Rick McQuiston”
Review of “The Hole” by K. N. George
Plot: James has been having recurring dreams involving six-eyed monsters and his death. These freak him out. He doesn’t know why. Dreams can’t kill, and six-eyed monsters don’t exist. He attributes the nightmares and their effect on him to childhood memories of bullies beating him nearly to death. He tells himself he needs to seeContinue reading “Review of “The Hole” by K. N. George”
Review of “The Castle of Wine and Clouds” by Jenny Rae Rappaport
Plot: “It begins with the Tyrant,” the reader is told. When the war is over, and a new king is crowned, the people are secure. They overlook the gradual eroding of less consequential rights. People disappear in the night. In the country, among those who work the land, the memory that things were ever differentContinue reading “Review of “The Castle of Wine and Clouds” by Jenny Rae Rappaport”
Review of “Rainbows” by William R.D. Wood
Note: the story comes with an editorial warning from Daily Science Fiction that it is a dark, adult tale. In short, you won’t see any rainbows. Plot: Jacob holds his four-year-old daughter Becca up to the basement window so she can look out to the outside world. There, the reader is told, “[a] cloud ofContinue reading “Review of “Rainbows” by William R.D. Wood”
Review of “Basilissa” by John Buchan: Halloween Countdown
The orphan Vernon dreams, upsetting his nurse, Mrs. Ganthony. He tells no one what the dreams contain, for even he understands little. He only senses a Fear, a Something several rooms away. When he is fifteen, he realizes the dream comes on the night of the first Monday in April. He also realizes the SomethingContinue reading “Review of “Basilissa” by John Buchan: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “No. 252 Rue M. le Prince” by Ralph Adams Cram
Upon finding himself in Paris in May 1886, the narrator of this story wishes to impose himself on an old friend, Eugene Marie d’Ardeche. D’Ardeche deserted Boston after learning that an aunt had died and willed him property in Paris. This puzzled his old friend since he and he aunt were not on good terms.Continue reading “Review of “No. 252 Rue M. le Prince” by Ralph Adams Cram”
