Post by Absinthe on Nov 12, 2013 15:40:12 GMT -6
by Patrick Rutigliano - 4 Stars
Daryl Handy has never been lucky. Cursed with an awkward appearance and unmarketable skills, his life is a constant struggle. However, an assassin bearing a grudge—and Daryl’s face—is about to prove he could have done far worse. Driven by a hatred that spans dimensions, only Daryl’s death will satisfy his double, and not even other worlds offer any place to hide…
The title with ‘Deaths’ in plural foreshadows the plot of Patrick Rutigliano's novella The Untimely Deaths of Daryl Handy, but you could never imagine just how far into terror the story will take you. Daryl is just a mess, not just physically but emotionally and psychologically. We all have met people like him. Most of the time we feel pity for them or just want to get away from them because they make us feel…sad?…disgusted? Well, hang onto your hat, Patrick will take you into Daryl’s world and you may not be able to escape. Gabe, a young comic book geek who collects medieval pewter figures and spends time collecting moss for their battleground, lives next door to Daryl Handy and he too, gets pulled into Daryl’s crazy world. Is it psychosis or is it something much more sinister? It is up to the reader to determine, and I can guarantee a reckless and horror-filled ride.
Patrick’s story pulls you in at the very beginning and you won’t want to stop reading, believe me I tried a couple of times. The laundry and the dishes had to wait. This is quick fix horror at it’s best. I love a story that stays with you a long time after you lay it down, and the Untimely Deaths of Daryl Handy will leave you pondering for a good long while after you finish the story. This is a self-published novella, and the editing is great. The character development is very good, there is one character (the only female in the story) that at first I despised, but it made me really think and re-evaluate how I as a Mother too, would react in her situation. Any story that illicits emotion, good or bad is definitely a plus! The story flows like a swollen river over flowing it’s banks, just be careful you don’t drown. The switching between Daryl’s personas was sometime daunting, but this deserves a solid 4 stars. It’s a good horror tale!
I love the cover art which is by Gary McCluskey.
Daryl Handy has never been lucky. Cursed with an awkward appearance and unmarketable skills, his life is a constant struggle. However, an assassin bearing a grudge—and Daryl’s face—is about to prove he could have done far worse. Driven by a hatred that spans dimensions, only Daryl’s death will satisfy his double, and not even other worlds offer any place to hide…
The title with ‘Deaths’ in plural foreshadows the plot of Patrick Rutigliano's novella The Untimely Deaths of Daryl Handy, but you could never imagine just how far into terror the story will take you. Daryl is just a mess, not just physically but emotionally and psychologically. We all have met people like him. Most of the time we feel pity for them or just want to get away from them because they make us feel…sad?…disgusted? Well, hang onto your hat, Patrick will take you into Daryl’s world and you may not be able to escape. Gabe, a young comic book geek who collects medieval pewter figures and spends time collecting moss for their battleground, lives next door to Daryl Handy and he too, gets pulled into Daryl’s crazy world. Is it psychosis or is it something much more sinister? It is up to the reader to determine, and I can guarantee a reckless and horror-filled ride.
Patrick’s story pulls you in at the very beginning and you won’t want to stop reading, believe me I tried a couple of times. The laundry and the dishes had to wait. This is quick fix horror at it’s best. I love a story that stays with you a long time after you lay it down, and the Untimely Deaths of Daryl Handy will leave you pondering for a good long while after you finish the story. This is a self-published novella, and the editing is great. The character development is very good, there is one character (the only female in the story) that at first I despised, but it made me really think and re-evaluate how I as a Mother too, would react in her situation. Any story that illicits emotion, good or bad is definitely a plus! The story flows like a swollen river over flowing it’s banks, just be careful you don’t drown. The switching between Daryl’s personas was sometime daunting, but this deserves a solid 4 stars. It’s a good horror tale!
I love the cover art which is by Gary McCluskey.
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