This short story is a compelling introduction to a cast of characters who each grapple with their own challenges as they fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Dan Morgan shines in his role as the narrator, artfully bringing each character to life through distinct vocal performances that truly capture their personalities and temperaments. The story artfully balances moments of gripping action and gore with light-hearted banter and genuine camaraderie among the survivors, which adds depth to their relationships.
As the story unfolds, we follow Howie and his band of survivors after a harrowing day spent fending off a relentless horde of undead. As the sun begins to set, casting eerie shadows over the abandoned landscape, they realize the urgent need to find a safe place to shelter from the impending night. In their search, they navigate through the desolate remnants of a once-bustling town, finally arriving at an industrial estate. Here, they manage to break into a seemingly forgotten building and stumble upon an old, abandoned radio station, which offers both a refuge and a poignant reminder of the world that once was.
Inside the radio station, the group decides to record their thoughts and experiences for posterity, leaving behind a testament to their struggles and resilience. This moment of reflection serves not only as a coping mechanism but also as a means to connect with whatever remains of humanity.
Among them, we’re introduced to Howie, the group’s de facto leader who carries the weight of responsibility; Dave, who provides a witty counterbalance to the tension; and Meredith, the loyal dog, who adds warmth and comfort to their grim journey.
This engaging narrative has certainly piqued my interest in the series, as I find myself already invested in the characters and eager to follow their adventures further.
I recently delved into a captivating anthology that presents an impressive collection of stories, each showcasing the diverse talents of various narrators. While I found the overall experience enjoyable, I hesitated to assign it a perfect rating of 5 stars. After careful consideration and evaluation of each story on its own merits, my average rating settled around 3.7 stars. However, in keeping with the practice of rounding up, I ultimately decided on a final score that reflects my appreciation for the anthology as a whole.
The anthology is thoughtfully divided into three distinct volumes, and the first volume neatly contains eight stories of varying lengths. Each narrative offers its own unique flavor, aided by a talented ensemble of narrators who breathe life into the tales with their distinctive vocal skills. One of my personal joys while listening was attempting to guess the identity of each narrator based solely on their signature voices—a delightful challenge that added another layer to my listening experience.
Among the standout stories in this volume is “Suffer the Little Children,” masterfully narrated by the esteemed Whoopi Goldberg. This chilling tale centers on Mrs. Sidley, a long-serving teacher who begins to notice unsettling changes in her classroom, particularly in her students’ behaviors. Her initial attempts to maintain control spiral into a desperate struggle as she attempts to confront these disturbing developments, leading to a narrative that is as gripping as it is unsettling. I rated this story a respectable 3 stars, appreciating Goldberg’s ability to impart a sense of dread and urgency to the narrative.
Another noteworthy piece is “Crouch End,” brought to life by the iconic Tim Curry. In this story, we are introduced to an unassuming small town that conceals a menacing secret beneath its surface. As unsuspecting visitors wander through its streets, they are blissfully unaware that the town harbors dangers from which not all can escape. Curry’s compelling narration enhances the eerie atmosphere, skillfully drawing listeners into the tension of the unfolding plot. I was thoroughly impressed, giving this tale a solid rating of 4 stars.
Then there’s “Rainy Season,” narrated by the talented Yeardley Smith, which transports listeners to a quaint Maine town where the locals are acutely aware of the perils associated with a once-in-seven-year rain. Tourists, however, often dismiss the ominous warnings and venture out, leading to terrifying consequences as the dread of the coming rainy season looms ever closer. The sheer intensity and build-up of this chilling thriller deserved every bit of its 5-star rating, and I found myself completely engrossed in the impending doom.
“Dolan’s Cadillac,” narrated by the charismatic Rob Lowe, presents a riveting tale of revenge steeped in tension and dark undertones. Following the brutal murder of a man’s wife—who planned to testify against a ruthless mobster—the protagonist embarks on an elaborate, meticulous scheme to avenge her death. As the plot unfolds, the tension escalates remarkably, particularly as Dolan continues to navigate a life of anonymity, ostensibly evading the repercussions of his heinous actions. This powerful narrative struck a chord with me, earning a notable rating of 4.5 stars for its compelling storytelling and depth of emotion.
In “The House on Maple Street,” narrated by the accomplished Tabitha King, readers follow the Bradbury children as they return home after an extended summer abroad, only to discover something unsettling lurking within their family abode. As they grapple with this eerie and unexpected development, they craft a plan to use this strange phenomenon to confront the emotional turmoil that has taken root in their lives. This intriguing story resonated with me, leading to a thoughtful rating of 3.5 stars as I appreciated its blend of suspense and familial dynamics.
“Umney’s Last Case,” read by the renowned Robert B. Parker, draws listeners into a noir-inspired world where Clyde Umney, a hard-boiled detective, finds his reality shifting in ways that defy his understanding. His encounter with a character named Sam Landry, who shares a poignant reflection on life and the complexities of existence, propels Umney into an existential journey that explores the boundaries of fiction and reality. This complex narrative was engaging, and I awarded it a rating of 4 stars for its deep thematic exploration.
Stephen King also contributes a piece titled “Head Down,” which departs from the traditional short story format and instead presents an essay that delves into the nuances of Little League Baseball. As someone who has never held a particular fondness for baseball, I found this essay to be somewhat lengthy and tedious, leading to a rating of 2.5 stars. It simply did not resonate with me as much as the other narratives.
Lastly, we encounter “Brooklyn August,” which is presented as a poem exploring the theme of baseball. While it offers a unique perspective, it ultimately received a rating of 2.5 stars due to its specialized nature, which might not appeal to all readers or listeners.
In summary, this anthology delivers a rich tapestry of compelling narratives that cater to a variety of tastes. Most of the stories are engaging, and as a long-time admirer of Stephen King’s work, I found this collection to be a rewarding listening experience. I would strongly encourage fans of the genre to consider exploring this anthology, as it has something to offer for many, ranging from eerie thrillers to contemplative explorations of life.
In evaluating the collection, I would assign an average rating of 4.14 stars, which reflects my personal enjoyment of the individual stories contained within. As one might anticipate in an anthology of this nature, there are stories that shine brightly, others that falter, and a range of narratives that occupy the middle ground. With a total of twenty-nine stories of varying lengths and themes, readers are likely to find selections that resonate with their tastes. However, if you’re specifically seeking something frightening or suspenseful, I must advise against this book, as I found none of the tales genuinely eerie or terrifying. Though it features an ensemble of killers and a certain atmospheric quality, it lacks the spine-chilling thrills that typically accompany horror stories. The only thing that might send shivers down your spine would be the idea of encountering a man in a red suit during the dark of night.
Among the 29 stories, I discovered four that truly captivated me while the remainder fell into the category of mediocre.
One standout is “Tommy’s Christmas” by John R. Little, which presents a compelling twist on the holiday theme. The narrative follows a burglar disguised as Santa Claus who mistakenly invades the wrong home on what is supposed to be a joyous occasion. While the story doesn’t delve into the realm of horror, the clever twist at the end offers a satisfying surprise that elevates the overall experience.
Another noteworthy entry is “The Christmas Spirit” by Lisa Morton. This story explores the unraveling marriage of a couple who, in an effort to rekindle their connection, escape to the rustic country home of an aunt. Upon their arrival, they come across an old book that provides enjoyable entertainment until the plot thickens and complications arise. The story weaves a subtle gothic atmosphere throughout, effectively enhancing the emotional depth and tension as the couple’s adventure unfolds.
These stories, while not overtly scary, each offer unique elements that enrich the anthology, making them stand out among their peers.
‘Psychopathic Remix’ by J.C. Michael I found to be the most fun and macabre thing in this anthology. The Twelve Days of Christmas with a killer twist. I sang instead of just reading it and it was fun.
‘Deck The Halls by Xtina Marie is a nice poem that I liked and think that everyone else will too.
I found the above to be the most creative out the bunch though there were others that were good in their own way.
Based on an average of my rating it comes to 3.4 stars for the entire book.
I’ve revisited some familiar stories recently, and I’ve found that listening to audiobooks adds a unique dimension to the experience. The nuanced performances by various narrators bring elements of the tales to life in unexpected ways. Each narrator infuses their own style, which can significantly alter the listener’s perception of the story. The variety of genres—ranging from fantasy to science fiction, and even horror—makes each listen an adventure in itself.
**4.5 stars: ‘The Langoliers’ narrated by Willem Dafoe.** This story remains one of my top favorites, a gripping staple that never fails to entertain me. Dafoe’s vocal delivery is fantastic; he possesses a remarkable ability to build tension, which is crucial as the passengers begin to unravel the mystery of their predicament. The narrative follows a routine flight that unexpectedly descends into terror as the characters grapple with their bizarre situation: they’ve become lost in an unsettling limbo, with no clue as to the fate of the other passengers. The ensemble cast portrays a diverse array of personalities, each contributing to the overall tension and suspense as they navigate their harrowing circumstances.
**2.5 stars: ‘Secret Window, Secret Garden’ narrated by James Woods.** Unfortunately, this story has never resonated with me, and my feelings haven’t changed in this audio format. Despite my appreciation for the source material, Woods’ narration falls a bit flat—it lacks the engaging energy I hoped for. The plot centers on a tense standoff between a writer and an enigmatic figure who claims that the story has been stolen from him, leading to dangerous consequences. While this concept draws parallels to other King tales I’ve enjoyed, it ultimately fails to stand out, leaving me wanting more depth and excitement.
**4.0 stars: ‘The Library Policeman’ narrated by Ken Howard.** Upon starting this narration, I couldn’t initially place Ken Howard, but once I recognized his distinctive voice, I became completely immersed. His performance was a joy to listen to, effectively bringing the characters and their eerie world to life. This slowly unfolding tale lingers with an unsettling sense of dread. The local library, typically a sanctuary for readers, is depicted as a place harboring dark secrets and lurking dangers. Howard expertly balances the mundane and the sinister, making for a vampire story that surprises with an ingeniously hidden twist. The characters are intricately developed, each contributing peculiarities that enhance the overall chilling narrative.
**2.5 stars: ‘The Sun Dog’ narrated by Tim Sample.** While I couldn’t recognize Tim Sample’s face, his narration is solid; he delivers the story well, even if it didn’t particularly captivate my attention. The pacing here is slow, evoking a sense of anticipation as it connects to other stories within the King universe, which I find intriguing. The plot revolves around a boy who receives a seemingly perfect camera as a birthday gift, but like many King stories, it hints at underlying ominous themes. As the boy interacts with the camera, he begins to unravel a potentially malevolent tale that he wishes to leave unfinished. Although I appreciated the connections to other narratives, the story didn’t quite hold my attention as much as I had hoped.
Listening to these stories, especially if you’ve read them before, is likely to evoke similar feelings and nostalgia. Stephen King has consistently offered me gripping tales throughout the years, and I keep returning to his work because of the satisfaction it brings. If you haven’t yet explored his audiobooks, I wholeheartedly encourage you to dive in—you’ll likely find as much to enjoy in the spoken word as you have in the written page!
Because this is a short story collection I generally rate each story separately and then do an average. With that said, I give this 3.71 stars and have rounded it up to 4 for the sake of their system. I fell in love with the Zombie Fallout books after the first one that was given to me by my sister and have been enthralled ever since. This gives you plenty of the folks from the novels getting into general mayhem.
2 stars, ‘Fucking Pepperoni Pizza’. Michael decides to have a couple of slices of pepperoni pizza knowing that it does not agree with him. When it wakes him up in the night he starts to feel that something is not right. Then he sees something that he hopes is a pepperoni dream.
3.5 stars, ‘Mike in Trouble Again’. Tracy wants Mike to keep his promise to clean out the garage and he tries to get out of it. When he finally starts the work he manages to fall, hit his head, and end up in some alternate universe. Somehow he pulls BT with him and they are being stalked.
4 stars, ‘Michael’s Haunted Adventure’. Mike is asked to conduct a tour of a haunted location because of his own weird experiences with the paranormal. The Paranormal Examining Society has set up a tour of a haunted penitentiary and he is doing it for almost nothing. Turns out things are a lot more spooky than he planned for.
2.5 stars, ‘Through My Baby’s Eyes’. Mercury Jones was born to teenage parents who were forced into marriage. His father stayed around long enough to give him the bizarre name and then took off for parts unknown. His mother found solace in heroin and abandoned her son in that way. Raised by his grandparents he grew into a good young man but suffers from multiple ailments because of his fathers’ many vices. He has tried to live well for a long time and finally, it all catches up to him.
4 stars, ‘Mayan Prophesy’. Michael is trapped with Travis, Tracy, Henry, and Rylie (their bulldogs) in their home on Christmas Eve. The zombies come out of the woods and find their way into the basement where they start to make their way into the house proper. Mike does not have the time he did before and things look a lot more grim.
5 stars, ‘A Visit From That Bitch Eliza’. Okay, this is a poem set to a very familiar Christmas one. You will enjoy it.
5 stars, ‘Henry’s Story’. That bulldog who always seems to be in the right place at the right time gets his own little aside. He does what he does best, takes care of his human.
Most of the stories do not have a Christmas theme but there are two which do. I had been going for a Christmas novel but this still worked fine for me because I do love to deal with Michael Talbot and his penchant for trouble. You get Michael at his snarky best in pretty much each story not to mention BT who is always entertaining in his weird friendship with Mike. I think anyone who enjoys Zombie Fallout or any Mark Tufo novel will be happy with these tales.
After reading all the stories and giving each an individual rating I have averaged it out to 2.41 stars for this book. Some of the stories were better than others which is always the case when reading any type of anthology or short story collection. The problem for me was that I did not really find any that I felt truly could be called horror, at least by my standards of the genre. There were some creepy moments in say “Where Angels Come In” or “Mother’s Milk” both of which I liked and a few others. Then you have the ones that I could not figure out why they were even included here like “To Forget and Be Forgotten” which I could not even describe after reading because it did nothing for me or “Florrie” which pretty much gave me the whole story in the first two paragraphs so that I had it figured out right there.
I still want to read something else written by this author since this was my introduction to them. The characters and locales were fine. I could feel for them in a lot of instances and so the writing was not a problem. I would recommend this because though it did not scare or really give me chills that might not be the case for others.
This book has a parental advisory on the cover because of language but it is fairly mild in actuality. The stories themselves though could be a bit offensive to some people. There is no character development just descriptions of who the people are and what they are like. The language is rough but not totally crude like I expected it to be. These were not even shorts, more like micro stories. It was not scary or edgy or really even that interesting to me. It was however very much about the holiday and what it has become.
Our narrator is on the first floor of a families home as they sleep upstairs on Christmas Eve. He wants to be present for the arrival of Father Christmas, who he wants to see taken out for making Christmas about gifts. He wants it to go back to being about the religious day it had been before his advent.
It was a quick read.
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
My name is Jesus and I hate Christmas. I used to love it when it was all about me. It was, after all, my birthday, but then this big, fat cunt came along and stole the limelight from me by giving everyone else presents.
Oliver and Jumpy, Stories 37-39 (Oliver and Jumpy, the Cat Series, Book 13): Cat and kangaroo picture book series with bedtime stories for children
by Werner Stejskal
The illustrations are nicely done and something that children would really like because they can easily identify the animals represented. The story line is simple but not so simple that a child would find it not worth reading/listening to. The characters are upbeat and seem to have a good time with each other. There are subtle lessons to be learned about friendship and helping others.
I do not have any young children but the ones in my home said that would have liked this when they were younger. Because of this I would recommend for young children.
Time Kissed Moments 1 (Kiss Across Time #2.5)
by Tracy Cooper-Posey
All the stories are very well done and give background on the characters before, during, and after they met. There are multiple Star Trek references which take it up even higher in my eyes since I am a total Trekkie. The language is perfect for each character and helps to establish their personalities more solidly as they tell their stories to each other. There are seven stories in all telling a piece of the time for each of the immortal men who have become a part of Taylor’s life.
‘Time and a Punk or Two’ is about an 86 year old man about to catch a plane when he spots a man who looks like someone he knew in the war many years before. When two young punks come and take up the seats next to him they knock him to the ground and do not care. He decides that he will not take it and wants to confront them. The blond man who looks so much like his old friend comes to his aid and helps him to maintain his dignity. This was the perfect way to kick off the start.
‘Time and the Woman’ finds Alexander years after his encounter with Brody, Taylor and Veris having discovered their secret and made it his own. He meets Brody again after many years and though he has some idea of the future ahead of Brody, he still has many years before it happens. The woman Alex finds himself with is not someone he wishes to spend an eternity with. This was actually the perfect story to end on.
This is a ménage romance that has MMF, MM, and multiple sex scenes. If you are easily offended avoid this. But I love it all and this was a very nice reminder of why I fell in love with these characters to start with. I would recommend to anyone who likes vampires or romance.
Zombie Tales: Primrose Court Apt. 205
by Robert DeCoteau
This is one of three short stories set in the Primrose Court apartment complex. The story centers on a man with agoraphobia who has not left his apartment for ten year. We get his full background and the story of why he ended up there, and how he feels about his neighbors. What you do not have is any amount of zombies here really. Only on the last few pages do you get even a glimpse of zombie action.
If you want a tale of zombies running around eating people, do not read this. On the other hand if you like a narrative with limited carnage you may enjoy it.
All the books have a few chapters from the book “Don of the Living Dead” which is set in the same locale. They can be seen as a lead in to the major story. These books can be read in any order but I would say start here because it introduces you to the next characters you will meet.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Zombie Tales: Primrose Court Apt. 305
by Robert DeCoteau
Ok, this time I knew what was coming. The story here centers around a couple, their marital problems and how they play out. You have the same lack of zombies until the end of the story but a nice bit of karmic justice. There is not a lot to say about this since it has no major scenes of carnage or zombie rampage.
The story is good for what it is.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Zombie Tales: Primrose Court Apt. 502
by Robert DeCoteau
I liked this story more than the others because Tommy seemed so sympathetic. This placed you more directly into the world of the novel and gave a view of the start of the zombie onslaught from above. I say enjoy the short and go for the main event. I think it may be interesting to read the full length book.
"I have enough time to rest, but I don't have a minute to waste". Come and catch me with your wise words and we will have some fun with our words of wisdom.
Oliver and Jumpy, Stories 37-39 (Oliver and Jumpy, the Cat Series, Book 13): Cat and kangaroo picture book series with bedtime stories for children
Time Kissed Moments 1 (Kiss Across Time #2.5)
Zombie Tales: Primrose Court Apt. 205
Zombie Tales: Primrose Court Apt. 305
Zombie Tales: Primrose Court Apt. 502
Bookgirl 