High Moor 2....Low Moor 2!

I thought long and hard about writing a review for High Moor 2 especially as I had previously read and awarded a 5* rating to the original High Moor. I have also noted that reception on the whole for HM2 has been positive but this does not mean that I must concur, and any star rating system to be of value should always contain honest reviews. In short I did not enjoy HM2, I thought the story had little merit and was more reminiscent of a B horror movie than a tightly plotted thriller. The story, for what it is worth, concerns a pack werewolves hunting "rogues" in order to hide and deny the existence of "The Lycanthrope" This involves much dashing around and gnashing of teeth and tearing of flesh, as the main participants indulge in bloody conflict. I particularly disliked the character of Connie (but equally I am sure some reviewers loved her) with her irritating and strong Glaswegian accent, however if the purpose was to give her presence more prominence then I suppose in that respect it did succeed. When I think of The Wolf's Hour by Robert R McCammon and The Wolfen by Whitley Strieber, I begin to understand just what it is that I demand from a werewolf novel. The Wolf's Hour is an amazing epic 2nd WW adventure and the werewolf element is secondary to the main plot....but it works beautifully. The Wolfen is one of those rare reads that certainly demands a lot from the reader and invites him to understand and in some ways be sympathetic to the desperate plight of the lycanthrope...just look at this amazing description of a werewolf family at play, living their lives and surviving as a unit in a world out to destroy their very existance..........

 “Now she was down, she was pushing her nose past cloth, slick hot flesh, feeling the vibration of subvocal response in the man, feeling his muscles stiffening as his body reacted to her standing on it, then opening her mouth against the flesh, feeling her teeth scrape back and down, pressing her tongue against the deliciously salty skin and ripping with all the strength in her jaws and neck and chest, and jumping back to the wall with the bloody throat in her mouth. The body on the bench barely rustled as its dying blood poured out….Now her job was over,she dropped behind the wall and ate her trophy. It was rich and sweet with blood. Around her the pack was very happy as it worked….Then the pack ate in rank order. The mother took the brain. The father took a thigh and buttock. The first mated pair ate the clean organs. When they returned from their duty the second mated pair took the rest. And then they pulled apart the remains and took them piece by piece and dropped them in the nearby lake…When this was done, they went to a place they had been earlier, a great meadow full of the beautiful new snow that had been falling. They ran and danced in the snow, feeling the pleasure of their bodies, the joy or facing headlong across the wide expanse, and because they knew that no human was in earshot they had a joyous howl full of the pulsing rhythm they liked best after a hunt…..

Maybe HM2 is a different type of story and perhaps it is somewhat unfair of me to compare it to established bestsellers....nevertheless a good story is a good story and I would not be honest with myself if I did not share with you my truthful thoughts. I do not deny that those readers who awarded 5* where totally honest in their enjoyment but I beg to differ and show a different interpretation, I did not enjoy and to that end I have submit this review.

A great western adventure story by Heath Lowrance

My second read by Heath Lowrance and I really enjoyed. It evokes the images and sound of the old west with a great hero Gideon Miles the lone black sheriff dispensing justice in a world full of hate and racial prejudice. I love the very clear lines of distinction between what is right and what is wrong and what needs to be righted! Miles is searching for a wanted man in Little Ridge Montana and in so doing encounters an unexpected evil from the past in the guise of Lars the Swede and his ever present sidekick Christian. We are taken on a great and fast adventure, and in so doing learn and understand the values and what makes the man Gideon Miles. A superb short read and highly recommended...pardner!

When the world of horror meets the world of the cowboy..

When I was a youngster, like all young men, I was infatuated by the story and lifestyle of the cowboy and the open plains of the wild west. I remember the sharpness of The Rifleman with Chuck Connors, the strength and personality of Clint Walker as Cheyenne, and the dark brooding quality and humour that James Drury instilled in the role of The Virginian with his ever present and helpful pardner Trampus. I loved reading the graphic novels of Zane Grey, and the world best selling authors J T Edson and Louis L'Amour. "That Damned Coyote Hill" brings to life the smells and sounds of the good old wild west; the lone stranger entering town (seeking out the murderers of a young girl) the townsfolk equally friendly and suspicious, and the dry arid landscape that forms the backdrop to a story bristling with tension and the ever constant fear of violent, instant death! If we add to this mix an element of horror, the rather odd appearance of the residences of Coyote Hill, with their elongated fangs, and the ferocious large coyotes...an ever present terror ready to rip a man's throat out and devour his bloodied remains...then we have a first class short story for the discerning lover of the western who enjoys just a dash of horror :)

Dead Broken by Gerard Gray

How often do you the reader get presented with the phrase "brilliant..could not put it down" "had to finish" Dead Broken is one of those books when you pick up, start reading, you will want to continue and not stop until the unpredictable and surprising conclusion. Peter Murphy has suffered a great trauma, he was attacked and badly injured both mentally and physically so he has had to take some time out, rest from work and stay at home with his wife Karen and two children...but he doesn't help out at home instead spending his time playing computer games or buying unwanted items on ebay. One such purchase is a book and with this book comes an introduction to Steven man of evil and the brother of a priest accused of murder. This is much more than a straight forward crime story, it explores the deteriorating relationship of two people Karen & Peter living on the edge, and with the greatest of ease progresses into horror most foul and a scene reminiscent of the horror movie Saw....The style of writing is easy on the eye, the story never lets up, the elements of horror and crime are finely balanced to produce a top notch and highly enjoyable first book by Mr Gray. As we progress into the horror theme there are some great and memorable opinions and conversations...."When you're young the world is your oyster, you're a loose cannon free to roam wherever you choose. You can go around the world, join a band, hang around on a street corner drinking with your mates, anything, you have no ties. Then you get older, find a wife, buy a house, have kids and settle down. All you want to do at the end of the day is come home, close your door and relax with a glass of wine in the firm knowledge that both you and your loved ones are snug, cosy and warm. You're no longer a loose canon; your goals in life have changed. In short, you want stability, but what threatens stability? I'll tell you what. Loose cannons threaten stability. Anything that threatens your family and home threatens stability. The youth haven't changed over the years Peter, you have. You're middle aged, just like the rest of society. The youth are no more a threat to you now than they,ve ever been" I also thought that the interaction between Murphy and his dead father a beautiful addition...here we have a man unable to communicate with his wife but can strike up a conversation with his deceased dad, who was committed to an asylum, and the reader is further left to ponder sometimes on what is reality, what is a dream and could Peter Murphy himself be responsible for the recent murders....a delicious mix and intrigue! I actually downloaded this ebook as a freebie to my kindle and was truly amazed by the ease and quality of the writing all elements in the story coming together creating a memorable and highly enjoyable read....I look forward to future books by this author.

Good old fashioned horror!

Good old fashioned horror and what a great little read with some super memorable characters. An ancient evil "The Giver of Dreams" has taken up residence in Greely's Cove and it's growing stronger, maturing through it's cycle of hunger and feeding, moving with practiced diligence toward's its goal..reproduction. Along the way The Giver of Dream is collecting and devouring the residents of Greely's Cove...can it be stopped...can this evil in the form of Dr Adrian Craslowe be destroyed only time and a hero in the form of Carl Trosper hold the key. Carl has returned to Greely's Cove on the unfortunate death of his wife Lorna, to look after his son Jeremy who unknown to him has been recruited and is under the evil spell of Craslowe....enter the players: Hannie Hazelford an eccentric old witch who fights the evil with her own special magical powers, Robbie Sparhawk, a forensic psychic who is present in Greely's Cove to help solve the mystery of the disappearing residents. The real star of this story however is Mitch Nistler ex con and assistant embalmer. Mitch has very few social skills, a rather bad drinking problem and very little luck with the ladies until one evening he decides that this luck must change and he will have the love of a beautiful woman..even if this woman is dead! "After wrapping Lorna Trosper's beautiful body in a clean sheet, he moved one of the massive black hearses out of the garage and drove his burbling, rust-cratered El Camino into its place. He then gently laid the body into the cargo bed of the half-car, half pick-up truck and covered it with a sheet of plastic to protect it from the rain. Back to its place went the hearse. The mortuary went dark as he shut off the last light. The garage door rattled closed, and Mitch Nistler, feeling both weary and exultant, drove away into the black night, bound for home with his woman"....and one night in the not too distant future Mitch arrives home somewhat drunk knowing that he has a beautiful woman somewhat dead, all alone and to himself in his home...and the unspeakable happens! Mitch is also involved with the unsavoury Corley "the cannibal" Strecker and as the story progresses and Mitch's life spirals out of control we begin to see and understand the fate that "The Giver of Dreams" has in store for Mitch. Mitch is a wonderful sad, comic character which gives a real touch of class to this horrific yet highly enjoyable tale of growing evil. Will good overcome evil and will Carl finally reunited with his lost son Jeremy, all is set to be revealed in this good old fashioned horror story told with immense descriptive power by Mr Gideon. I cannot understand why horror books of such brilliance are out of print..thank goodness for the power of the web..and we can still all with a few clicks find and enjoy such exciting reads as Greely's Cove.