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A review by motherhorror
Shades by Brian Keene, Geoff Cooper
4.0
Review originally published in SCREAM Magazine Issue 59 March/April
Poltergeist Press is a new publishing company with an emphasis on bringing quality horror fiction to a Russian audience. They also do English releases in a sleek mass market paperback size that I find highly collectible.
Shades is a coming-of-age, dark fantasy story told in a collaborative effort from Brian Keene and Geoff Cooper. A young man named Danny goes crab hunting to make a few extra bucks. One day, he discovers a motherload of crab swarming on the beach so he drags over a trash can to collect them all. Once some of the crabs are removed, Danny realizes the crabs were feasting on a corpse. In shock and wondering what to do, Danny meets an old Russian named Gustav and the two strike up a friendship that later develops into an apprenticeship. What kind of apprenticeship is totally up to the reader to discover. I enjoyed that part of the story the most so I don’t want to give it away.
I have read a few Brian Keene stories this year, GHOUL and CASTAWAYS and I loved them. I’m an instant fan. Longtime readers of Keene told me that this book, SHADES features a mythos from Keene’s Labyrinth Series, which I haven’t read. This story is also set in a fictional town from Geoff Cooper’s books--which I also haven’t read but I’m mentioning it because that knowledge is not a requirement in order to enjoy this novella but I’m sure fans of both authors will love the easter eggs peppered throughout. SHADES is an accessible, magical tale with supernatural elements that I believe readers of all ages will enjoy.
Poltergeist Press is a new publishing company with an emphasis on bringing quality horror fiction to a Russian audience. They also do English releases in a sleek mass market paperback size that I find highly collectible.
Shades is a coming-of-age, dark fantasy story told in a collaborative effort from Brian Keene and Geoff Cooper. A young man named Danny goes crab hunting to make a few extra bucks. One day, he discovers a motherload of crab swarming on the beach so he drags over a trash can to collect them all. Once some of the crabs are removed, Danny realizes the crabs were feasting on a corpse. In shock and wondering what to do, Danny meets an old Russian named Gustav and the two strike up a friendship that later develops into an apprenticeship. What kind of apprenticeship is totally up to the reader to discover. I enjoyed that part of the story the most so I don’t want to give it away.
I have read a few Brian Keene stories this year, GHOUL and CASTAWAYS and I loved them. I’m an instant fan. Longtime readers of Keene told me that this book, SHADES features a mythos from Keene’s Labyrinth Series, which I haven’t read. This story is also set in a fictional town from Geoff Cooper’s books--which I also haven’t read but I’m mentioning it because that knowledge is not a requirement in order to enjoy this novella but I’m sure fans of both authors will love the easter eggs peppered throughout. SHADES is an accessible, magical tale with supernatural elements that I believe readers of all ages will enjoy.