A Distant Silver Melody
K. L. Young
Strange Aeons (October 17, 2024)
Reviewed by Andrew Byers

Writer and filmmaker K.L. Young has released a new novella, A Distant Silver Melody, based on his as-yet-unproduced screenplay Killer’s Moon. The release date is no coincidence: my understanding is that October 17 is the biggest supermoon of the year. That’s very appropriate as it turns out. You see, Young is a long-time fan of werewolves, and, given the title and cover art, you wouldn’t be wrong if you hazarded a guess that this one is a werewolf story. It’s also a very nice variant of the classic plot from Richard Connell’s famous 1924 short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” which you have undoubtedly encountered in one form or another, since it has been the inspiration for countless books and films over the last century.

A Distant Silver Melody is a breathtaking short novel that would certainly form the basis for an excellent movie. Here’s the basic premise: A man is introduced to a hunt club of wealthy eccentrics by his friend. The members, all seasoned hunters with their own individual motivations, meet annually for a very special hunt, a true test of their skills, the exact nature of which is initially unclear to the new member. Typically, they hunt a person. Someone not very nice, like a serial killer. This year, in this high-stakes horror-thriller, the hunters aren’t just tracking any ordinary prey—they are after a werewolf, and the tables quickly turn as the true terror of the hunt unfolds. The isolated setting of an immense private forest adds to the sense of dread, with the desolate landscape offering no escape from the horror lurking just out of sight. As the hunt progresses, the story takes unexpected turns, transforming into a deadly game of cat and mouse where the lines between predator and prey blur in terrifying ways.

The hunters themselves are well-drawn characters, each bringing their own personalities and skills to the hunt. Young effectively uses their diverse motivations to build tension, with the power dynamics constantly shifting as they face the growing realization that they may have underestimated their prey. The dialogue crackles with tension, especially as distrust begins to creep in among the hunters. The novel’s pacing is relentless, with action sequences that are both brutal and suspenseful, pulling readers through a whirlwind of bloodshed, betrayal, and terror. One of the standout aspects of this novel is its portrayal of the werewolf as both a fearsome antagonist and a complex character in his own right. Rather than a mindless beast, the werewolf has its own motivations, intelligence, and a cunning that makes it more than a match for the hunters.

Like Young’s previous prose, this is a lean, taut thrill ride. And, as with Young’s most recent book, The Secret Language of Spiders, this is a book that cries out for a film adaptation. In the tradition of great survival horror, A Distant Silver Melody taps into our deepest fears— confronting the unknown, being hunted, and having to fight for your life against something that is larger and stronger and far more terrifying than you are. The novel’s blend of intense action, tension, and supernatural elements ensures it will resonate with fans of both classic thrillers and modern horror alike. With its chilling atmosphere, well-drawn characters, and shocking twists, Young’s novel is a fresh, gripping take on a familiar story, guaranteed to leave readers breathless until the final, haunting pages. Highly recommended.