Grant Wamack

This is a collection of horror, odd, and weird short stories. I wasn't particularly impressed. There were a couple of excellent stories at the end, a few duds, and most were just okay. My main problem was that the stories were too short and didn't work well. Very short stories can work but they need a specific plot and a good punch. These mostly felt like they were missing information and left me with questions. The longer stories were better.

1. What Happens When the Crickets Stop Singing - A man gets a computer virus and his world turns menacing. Typical man running from danger. Ok. (3/5)

2. And the Flies Will Follow - It's the zombie apocalypse and four people are in a small compound. After a night on duty, Myra sleeps while trouble brews with the others. A simple tale but engaging. Well written. (4/5)

3. Cardboard Citadels - A man finds his favourite web porn star hiding in a homeless person's cardboard box town. There's nothing I hate more than graphic sex with violence. This has no redeeming values. (0/5)

4. Vermilion Borders - A man kills a fly and then goes about his humdrum life until he meets a woman. This was good but really strange. I think I sort of get it. (3/5)

5. Dark Scriptures - Kehlani is dating a Brazilian man who has intense tattoos all over his back. He is studying metaphysical stuff and when she looks at his pile of books he commands her not to look at them. A well-written story and as I'm finding out about this author as usual great characterization. (4/5)

6. Black Static, How Lovely the Sound - A lonely old man is in constant pain from his gums which bleed all the time. Black Static is the form of a woman wanting to end his pain. Very short but well-written with great characterization. The ending was hazy and I'm not sure I understood it. (3/5)

7. Flute of Ribs - Husband and wife have a big fight as she goes out for girl's night but she doesn't come home. Very short with an abrupt ending. Good story until the ending. (2/5)

8. Fire in the Black Night - A teenage boy has been brought to the hospital with severe burns. The nurse who attends to him watches as something overtakes him. This was actually quite boring. (1/5)

9. Time to Shine - A woman dreams of fame and fortune and her husband makes it come true. This was decent but needed to be longer. What did the husband get? Why did he participate? More info on the group. This would all have made a much longer story. (3/5)

10. The Fossilization Method - A young girl's parents turn into fossils. Now as an adult, she feels it happening to herself. A brief story but well-written. (3/5)

11. The Hum of the World - A teacher befriends a strange kid at school and the kid shows him the hum coming from a crack in the ground. This is the best story so far. It has a great interesting lead but the ending is too quick. (4/5)

12. A House Lay Deserted - A man returns home to Poland for his father's funeral. He finds an abandoned house in the village that wasn't there before. This is a fine story. An Intriguing lead-up has plenty of plot and character development. The ending was predictable but satisfying. Even better than the previous story. (5/5)

13. Where Old People Go to Die - A young man wanders into a courtyard in the forest. This was very short. It's a cute story with a hmm ending. (3/5)

14. The Dreadheads - Hunter is a journalist and he's interviewing Blake, the lead singer of the metal group Dreadheads. This is a predictable story but well-written and a little eerie. I enjoyed it. (4/5)

15. Rolling with the God$ - A grappler takes an experimental drug consisting of stingray serum. This was ok. I liked the body horror but I don't like sports in my reading so this is a me thing. (3/5)… (mer)