Edward G.
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This is a new book I just read. It's a collection of gothic short stories, and I thought it was very good. Below is what I posted on my review site and sent to The Midwest Book Review. I haven't read any of Brandon Massey's novels, but he seems like a good writer to me.
I hope this is the place to post a review of a book. If I should do so in another part of the forum, please let me know.
Has anyone in here ever read anything by Brandon Massey?
Title: Darker than Night
Author: Brandon Massey
Publisher: Dark Corner Publishing
ASIN: B004TSOT8S
Format: Kindle E-book, Nook E-book
Release Date: March 24, 2011
List Price: $4.99
Genre: Horror
Audience: 16 years and older
Paper Page Count:
Reviewer: Edward Gordon
“Darker than Night: A Collection of Horror and Suspense Short Stories” by Brandon Massey (Dark Corner Publishing, March 24, 2011) contains some of the best gothic short stories I’ve read in a long time. They’re every bit as original as the stories by Stephen King in his collections, “Night Shift,” “Skeleton Crew,” or “Just After Sunset,” but Massey’s stories come with a mocha flavor.
Brian Massey, now living and writing from Atlanta, Georgia, is one of only a few African Americans working in the horror genre, and the tales he spins in “Darker than Night” feature African American characters. But none of the stories excludes anyone of any race from reading and enjoying them, because he draws his stories out of the events that happen in everyone’s everyday life. Okay, maybe not the vampire and werewolf stories—those don’t happen in anyone’s life, but Massey certainly makes you believe they could.
Unfortunately, I can’t go into each story in this review, but four of my favorites include “The Sting,” a story about a pompous lawyer who meets his match at a Mississippi backwoods family reunion. I guarantee you’ll remember this story every time you see an old witch hanging around--or for that matter a bee buzzing around your backyard.
In “Granddad’s Garage,” we find only those who can appreciate history without having to plunder every bit of it for cash end up being blessed with an incredibly long life. In this superbly written story we encounter a man sorting through the garage of his recently deceased grandfather who really was older than the hills.
Then there is “The Last Train Home,” this is one of the suspense stories, and it will keep you creeped out on the edge of your seat from the first meeting of Tanya and Jamal until the deadly last. Anyone who’s ever overlooked a character flaw for the sake of a pretty face will want to read this one and learn its lesson.
Finally, “The Monster” will make you long for such a beast under your bed. A monster to one little boy may well be an angel to another. Who says evil has to be all bad? The dark humorous disgust and nail-biting suspense in this story mix with a great results. I think you’ll find you really can’t stop reading this one once you start. Thank God it’s short!
Brandon Massey is the author of “The Other Brother,” “Vicious,” “Don’t Ever Tell,” “Cornered,” and his latest novel, “Covenant.” I haven’t read those novels yet, but based on my introduction to his work through “Darker than Night,” my guess is that those would be a great read, too.
Nevertheless, you’ll want a copy of “Darker than Night” on your Kindle for those times when only a great short story will do. I’m glad I got mine. If this book were available in hardcover, I’d buy it again.
I hope this is the place to post a review of a book. If I should do so in another part of the forum, please let me know.
Has anyone in here ever read anything by Brandon Massey?
Title: Darker than Night
Author: Brandon Massey
Publisher: Dark Corner Publishing
ASIN: B004TSOT8S
Format: Kindle E-book, Nook E-book
Release Date: March 24, 2011
List Price: $4.99
Genre: Horror
Audience: 16 years and older
Paper Page Count:
Reviewer: Edward Gordon
“Darker than Night: A Collection of Horror and Suspense Short Stories” by Brandon Massey (Dark Corner Publishing, March 24, 2011) contains some of the best gothic short stories I’ve read in a long time. They’re every bit as original as the stories by Stephen King in his collections, “Night Shift,” “Skeleton Crew,” or “Just After Sunset,” but Massey’s stories come with a mocha flavor.
Brian Massey, now living and writing from Atlanta, Georgia, is one of only a few African Americans working in the horror genre, and the tales he spins in “Darker than Night” feature African American characters. But none of the stories excludes anyone of any race from reading and enjoying them, because he draws his stories out of the events that happen in everyone’s everyday life. Okay, maybe not the vampire and werewolf stories—those don’t happen in anyone’s life, but Massey certainly makes you believe they could.
Unfortunately, I can’t go into each story in this review, but four of my favorites include “The Sting,” a story about a pompous lawyer who meets his match at a Mississippi backwoods family reunion. I guarantee you’ll remember this story every time you see an old witch hanging around--or for that matter a bee buzzing around your backyard.
In “Granddad’s Garage,” we find only those who can appreciate history without having to plunder every bit of it for cash end up being blessed with an incredibly long life. In this superbly written story we encounter a man sorting through the garage of his recently deceased grandfather who really was older than the hills.
Then there is “The Last Train Home,” this is one of the suspense stories, and it will keep you creeped out on the edge of your seat from the first meeting of Tanya and Jamal until the deadly last. Anyone who’s ever overlooked a character flaw for the sake of a pretty face will want to read this one and learn its lesson.
Finally, “The Monster” will make you long for such a beast under your bed. A monster to one little boy may well be an angel to another. Who says evil has to be all bad? The dark humorous disgust and nail-biting suspense in this story mix with a great results. I think you’ll find you really can’t stop reading this one once you start. Thank God it’s short!
Brandon Massey is the author of “The Other Brother,” “Vicious,” “Don’t Ever Tell,” “Cornered,” and his latest novel, “Covenant.” I haven’t read those novels yet, but based on my introduction to his work through “Darker than Night,” my guess is that those would be a great read, too.
Nevertheless, you’ll want a copy of “Darker than Night” on your Kindle for those times when only a great short story will do. I’m glad I got mine. If this book were available in hardcover, I’d buy it again.