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aratecla_the_bookrat's review
4.0
It's always enjoyable listening to short stories stemmed from the dark mind of Kevin J. Kennedy and this collection is another great example.
Enjoyed all the stories, some more than others and I'm always fascinated by how Kevin manages to add always humour even in the darkest of his creations.
These short stories play really well with known tropes in horror by adding a unique perspective managed by Kevin's skills.
Loved the sweet revenge in I'll Give You Fois Grois, Ye Cunt and in Tarantino Oz but also the grotesque story with Cannibals vs Zombies and the tribute to Richard's Laymon Dark Mountain.
Thanks for the audiobook and this is my honest review.
Enjoyed all the stories, some more than others and I'm always fascinated by how Kevin manages to add always humour even in the darkest of his creations.
These short stories play really well with known tropes in horror by adding a unique perspective managed by Kevin's skills.
Loved the sweet revenge in I'll Give You Fois Grois, Ye Cunt and in Tarantino Oz but also the grotesque story with Cannibals vs Zombies and the tribute to Richard's Laymon Dark Mountain.
Thanks for the audiobook and this is my honest review.
sharron_joy_reads's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The bus at the end of the world, a cannibal’s story, a travelling carnival, the real Oz, the gods are furious, the law of the streets, meat is murder, the gatekeeper, the dead rise, a cursed camping trio.
Ten short stories of horror, playing with the tropes and injecting the darkest humour. Easy to read and fast paced, my favourite was the finale, a tribute to Richard Laymon’s Dark Mountain but they were all great fun!
bobmetal's review
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
biteintobooks's review
4.0
I think this book is a great opportunity for all you readers who are curious about a Kevin J. Kennedy book. I know I have reviewed a lot by him and this short story book will give you just the taste.
The writing is impeccable. It's so flowy, easy to read and I just know when I pick up one of his books, that it's without errors.
The book has the lovely horror stories that I'm fond of. You have the gory, the scary, the WTH-stories and all that you just would love to get out of a short story book.
I think this book is a great showpiece for Kevin J. Kennedy, because I'm sure this book will attract readers to his longer books as well.
The writing is impeccable. It's so flowy, easy to read and I just know when I pick up one of his books, that it's without errors.
The book has the lovely horror stories that I'm fond of. You have the gory, the scary, the WTH-stories and all that you just would love to get out of a short story book.
I think this book is a great showpiece for Kevin J. Kennedy, because I'm sure this book will attract readers to his longer books as well.
blatdriver's review
4.0
This books was awesome, this was the first Kevin J. Kennedy book for me, and it has a great range of story types, from zombie stories, revenge, and some graphic sex, which is not suitable for young kids.
The final story in this book is a tribute to Richard Laymon’s Dark Mountain, which was spot-on, the story takes place after the events in Dark Mountain, and he managed to capture the same feel as the original book, and could have easily been part of the original story.
This book was a lot of fun and easy to read, and I will defiantly be reading more of his work.
The final story in this book is a tribute to Richard Laymon’s Dark Mountain, which was spot-on, the story takes place after the events in Dark Mountain, and he managed to capture the same feel as the original book, and could have easily been part of the original story.
This book was a lot of fun and easy to read, and I will defiantly be reading more of his work.
ericarobyn's review
5.0
Short story collections were never a huge hit with me. I’ve always picked them up from time to time because I kept hoping I would find just the right collection. However, with most collections, the tales inside were always hit or miss. I’d have a couple of four or five star ratings, but then a majority of one, two, or three star ratings.
Then I got an email from Kevin Kennedy…
After reading a few collections that he put together, my tune changed! I have absolutely loved each collection that I have read so far from Mr. Kennedy. With each collection, I just couldn’t wait to get to his story to see what he had come up with based on the theme. They never disappointed!
When I recently got an email from Mr Kennedy that read, “Hey Erica, my solo collection will be released soon. It’s about 32K. Do you fancy giving it a read?” I screeched and nearly threw my phone in excitement!
A collection of just his work?! I was SO in!
Right off the bat, I have to say that this collection did not disappoint. Per usual, I absolutely loved the majority of the tales! The writing style of each was perfect; the pacing and the plots were organized wonderfully, and each tale was so different and exciting.
When I finished one tale, I couldn’t wait to dive right into the next! I easily could have read through this book in one sitting, but I forced myself to take breaks so I could enjoy it for a bit longer.
Friendship, dogs, and zombies. Bewilderment and carnies. Crime and love. Disgust and payback. Development and cannibals. Work and monsters. Sex and violence. Evolution and darkness. The last of humanity and Gods. Young adults and curses… This collection truly has something for everyone.
Here are my rating breakdowns for each story in this collection:
Life on a Double Decker- 5/5
What a great story to kick off the collection! I’m a sucker for a good zombie tale to begin with, add in a dog, and I’m in love. The story was set up perfectly and then we dive right in! The three main characters of this story were interesting. While I’m totally satisfied with the short story, I also wouldn’t mind seeing more from this group!
Carnivalland – 4/5
Yes! That ending!!! I love tales that mosey along with a light sense of confusion and dread, and then BAM!
The Way of the Streets – 5/5
A wonderful crime tale! I really liked the main character, Tyrel. If only he had listened to Monique!
I’ll Give Ye Fois Gras, Ya Cunt! – 5/5
Oh my Lordy! Amazingly disgusting. What payback!!
Charlie the Vegetarian Cannibal – 5/5
I LOVED this one! I especially loved the role that books played in the development of the main character! Terrifying but lovely!!
The Gatekeeper – 4/5
I had originally read this one back in January of 2018. I loved the idea behind this one! So creepy! So interesting!
A Tarantino Oz – 3/5
The first half of this one was a horror theme that’s not in my wheelhouse, but the second half was awesomely violent!
Flesh – 5/5
Woah! I loved this one! What is it about inbreeding that makes a tale that much more terrifying? It’s a disgusting topic for sure. I loved the powers the cave seemed to have!
The Karakyuza – 5/5
Woah! This was a quick but powerful one! What an interesting concept.
Lake Mesquite – 5/5
This final story is a tribute to Richard Laymon’s Dark Mountain. I haven’t yet read that, but I definitely need to now! Phew, this story was awesome!! It was the perfect story to round out the collection!
This is definitely a collection that I will be coming back to from time to time to reread! I highly recommend it to all types of horror fans; there’s something in here for everyone!
Then I got an email from Kevin Kennedy…
After reading a few collections that he put together, my tune changed! I have absolutely loved each collection that I have read so far from Mr. Kennedy. With each collection, I just couldn’t wait to get to his story to see what he had come up with based on the theme. They never disappointed!
When I recently got an email from Mr Kennedy that read, “Hey Erica, my solo collection will be released soon. It’s about 32K. Do you fancy giving it a read?” I screeched and nearly threw my phone in excitement!
A collection of just his work?! I was SO in!
Right off the bat, I have to say that this collection did not disappoint. Per usual, I absolutely loved the majority of the tales! The writing style of each was perfect; the pacing and the plots were organized wonderfully, and each tale was so different and exciting.
When I finished one tale, I couldn’t wait to dive right into the next! I easily could have read through this book in one sitting, but I forced myself to take breaks so I could enjoy it for a bit longer.
Friendship, dogs, and zombies. Bewilderment and carnies. Crime and love. Disgust and payback. Development and cannibals. Work and monsters. Sex and violence. Evolution and darkness. The last of humanity and Gods. Young adults and curses… This collection truly has something for everyone.
Here are my rating breakdowns for each story in this collection:
Life on a Double Decker- 5/5
What a great story to kick off the collection! I’m a sucker for a good zombie tale to begin with, add in a dog, and I’m in love. The story was set up perfectly and then we dive right in! The three main characters of this story were interesting. While I’m totally satisfied with the short story, I also wouldn’t mind seeing more from this group!
Carnivalland – 4/5
Yes! That ending!!! I love tales that mosey along with a light sense of confusion and dread, and then BAM!
The Way of the Streets – 5/5
A wonderful crime tale! I really liked the main character, Tyrel. If only he had listened to Monique!
I’ll Give Ye Fois Gras, Ya Cunt! – 5/5
Oh my Lordy! Amazingly disgusting. What payback!!
Charlie the Vegetarian Cannibal – 5/5
I LOVED this one! I especially loved the role that books played in the development of the main character! Terrifying but lovely!!
The Gatekeeper – 4/5
I had originally read this one back in January of 2018. I loved the idea behind this one! So creepy! So interesting!
A Tarantino Oz – 3/5
The first half of this one was a horror theme that’s not in my wheelhouse, but the second half was awesomely violent!
Flesh – 5/5
Woah! I loved this one! What is it about inbreeding that makes a tale that much more terrifying? It’s a disgusting topic for sure. I loved the powers the cave seemed to have!
The Karakyuza – 5/5
Woah! This was a quick but powerful one! What an interesting concept.
Lake Mesquite – 5/5
This final story is a tribute to Richard Laymon’s Dark Mountain. I haven’t yet read that, but I definitely need to now! Phew, this story was awesome!! It was the perfect story to round out the collection!
This is definitely a collection that I will be coming back to from time to time to reread! I highly recommend it to all types of horror fans; there’s something in here for everyone!
contrabandit's review
1.0
Did not like a single story. Some of the stories...very elementary. Really wanted to enjoy it, but alas.
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