5 NOVELLAS by NATHAN SQUIERS
REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow
“MAGIC MURDERER”
OVERVIEW
The world of magic is unified by a single truth:
"The arts have tainted you."
For one man--a man corrupted by power and driven
by a lust to kill--the price of his pursuits for power has become both a reason
and a means of destroying lives. As this madman quickly discovers, the
potential for murder and maiming are almost infinite when a flick of the wrist
or a blink of an eye can rip flesh and snap bones, and the creative means of
slaughtering innocents is a blood-red and limitless sky.
With fragmented thoughts and distorted truths
festering in the twisted mind of this magical maniac, a sadistic killing spree
ensues. As his campaign of carnage takes its toll on a family there seems to be
no end to the bloodshed in sight…
… until he finds himself bathed in a Crimson
Shadow.
REVIEW
Shocking
and deliciously twisted – the way horror should be. I didn’t even try to make
sense of this story, but the author’s dark humor wasn’t lost on me, and the
main character’s deteriorating mind was written really well. Blood, guts, puppies
and ducks… Nathan Squiers, I want more!
PURCHASE LINK
“WICKED PAINTS”
OVERVIEW
Elizabeth has a gift. Every night, allowing her
mind to travel into dark and mysterious places, she sees a world of vampires
and creatures of darkness; a world she knows is real and feels compelled to paint.
But her gift--her talent--is going to be put to
the ultimate test when she dreams of Xander Stryker.
Driven by a need to depict her new subject in
all the horror and splendor that she felt in her dream, she resorts to the
unimaginable. Her need will pull her into the depraved depths of the very
supernatural world that she'd dreamt of for so long.
Is her mind prepared for the darkness of the
unseen world, and is her body capable of withstanding her own unnatural
motivations to create the perfect portrait...
A portrait of the legacy of the Crimson Shadow.
REVIEW
I
really enjoyed this novella. Delving into the darkest part of an artist’s mind,
this is a superb and imaginative piece of writing which will stay with the
reader long after reading the last sentence.
And I bet you’ll never look at spatulas the same again.
PURCHASE LINK
“JUST ANOTHER NIGHT”
OVERVIEW
A graveyard in the dead of night.
While most would avoid such an eerie setting,
for three friends looking for a safe place to toke up, it is the perfect place
to get high without getting caught. Unfortunately, for these stoners, fate has
given them more to worry about than nosey cops.
In the blink of a bloodshot eye, all hell breaks
loose... literally.
As forces beyond the friends' perception and
control turn a calm night in a marijuana-haze into a terror-filled bloodbath
all hope seems lost. But there's far deadlier beings roaming through the
headstones, and a Crimson Shadow soon eclipses the carnage.
Talk about the ultimate buzz-kill!
REVIEW
Twisted
and horrific; fans of the horror genre will love this. I read it in less than
twenty minutes, and can now warn my kids why smoking pot in a graveyard is
dangerous. A really short and quick read, I recommend this novella for readers
of the Crimson Shadow series as yet another example of how Xander Stryker kicks
butt.
PURCHASE LINK
“WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS”
OVERVIEW
Few would see Las Vegas--"Sin City":
the gambling capitol and center for greed, lust, gluttony, and debauchery--as
an ideal place for a dedicated Christian to vacation. However, with her closest
friends promising a relaxing getaway and an insistent husband, Rachel is given
no way to avoid the trip. Besides, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
At least that's what they say!
But when her vacation takes an unexpected turn
and finds her in the dark clutches of unholy forces, Rachel has no choice but
to carry her Hellish burden out of Sin City and back into the loving embrace of
her unaware and unsuspecting family.
Is Rachel strong enough to resist the dark
forces and see that her family remains free of their curse? Or will her faith
and dedication be warped beyond repair as a Crimson Shadow envelopes her world?
REVIEW
I
really enjoyed this short story, even though I’m sick and tired of the vampire theme.
What happened to the main character was unfortunate and sad, and I felt
genuinely sorry for her. I don’t know if I would’ve done the same if I was in
her shoes, but it does get you thinking.
PURCHASE LINK
“VICTIM”
OVERVIEW
"The scars we wear are a constant reminder
of what we've suffered through; of what we've survived. But the scars of every
fight, every sacrifice, and every mistake are only skin-deep."
For Xander Stryker, the "Crimson
Shadow", this truth is all-too obvious, and though his vampire body will
not scar easily, he still wears the reminders left behind from his human life.
And while it's simple to see the history of abuse and self-destruction on
Xander's body, it's the scars he wears on the inside that haunt him the most.
Despite having left the human race in a previous
life, with a little motivation from a helpless victim, he may still be able to
maintain his humanity.
REVIEW
In
my opinion, this novella serves as the perfect introduction to Xander Stryker,
and also the Crimson Shadow series. It gave me a glimpse into this character,
which I’ve grown to like in the span of a few pages, and although I’m no longer
a big fan of vampires, I’m curious now to read more of him in the Crimson
Shadow books.
PURCHASE LINK
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