DEADMAN’S TOME: MONSTERS EXIST
Edited by Mr. Deadman and Theresa Braun
Released July 7, 2017
Deadman’s Tome Publishing-Special Issue
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis
This a great collection of stories from exceptional writers, including Gary Buller, S.E. Casey, Mr. Deadman, Calvin Demmer, Philip W. Kleaver, and William Marchese. Remember these names! I think we’ll be hearing a lot from them in the future. New, up-and-coming authors are one of the reasons why I enjoy doing reviews! We all enjoy books by established writers because they’re the ones who got us into writing in the first place, right? But, when you read new writing, there is a freshness and extra ferocity. Along with that, modern elements like cell phones, Google, and today’s vehicles make these stories that much more REAL. Anyway, I think you get my point. It’s important to read new writers from smaller presses. If you don’t, you’re missing a lot!
Monsters Exist kicks off in fine style with “Master Vermin” by Wallace Boothill. Sometimes in an eager rush to build new, costly condominiums, a construction company might release something that was better off trapped where it was. In today’s world of quick property flips and house upgrades that happen in the course of a 45-minute TV program, everyone thinks it’s so damn easy. But you can’t just slap a brand new name on something and pretend its history doesn’t exist, unless you want to pay the price.
Gary Buller contributes “Wicked Congregation,” and it is a chiller of a story! Faeries don’t really look or behave like those cute little figurines for sale in gift shops. Especially not the ones in this story! These guys are winged terrors who demand their dues, or the rest of the town will suffer. Either do what’s required or pay the price. By the way, these little dudes don’t want cash. Uh-uh. What they want is flesh and blood human sacrifices that must be alive upon delivery. Well done!
After reading this anthology you may “Never Sleep Again,” the title of Calvin Demmer’s contribution and nightmare-inducing tale. A retired policeman is pulled out of retirement to help a young and very gung-ho officer figure out what is causing strange deaths. All the victims are killed while sleeping, usually on beds. They also are minus their hands and feet. The only clue is a small pile of dirt and the testimony of the retired officer, which everyone scoffs at. What a ridiculous explanation! They think the man is off his rocker when he uses a children’s bedtime song as a clue. Rubbish! But that’s too bad, because the threat is real.
Can a monster offer a solution to some of life’s miseries? In Philip W. Kleaver’s tale, “The Voice From The Bottom Of The Well,” it does. Not that you will think so in the terrifying beginning of the story. A ten-year-old girl is having escalating nightmares about a voice coming from a well hidden in the woods. While outdoors playing, she finds that the well is quite near her home. Not only that, but a voice inside of it keeps telling her how hungry it is. It wants MEAT! She tries asking adults for help, but they tell her that she’s loopy and to grow up! Especially one very unpleasant parent. Perhaps this parent can help after all…
But you’ll have to grab your own copy of Monsters Exist available from Deadman’s Tome Publishing to find out! There’s also a ton more good stories included in this special printing. But grab it fast, before they run out! I definitely encourage you to give this anthology a try and also consider works by the authors included. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go pick up some more meat and hi-protein dog food!
