Dollanganger #01 - Flowers in the Attic

Cleo Virginia Andrews (1923-1986), known as V.C. Andrews, was a commercial artist, illustrator, and portrait painter. In 1979 she struck literary gold when her first published novel, Flowers in the Attic, soared to the top of the bestseller lists just two weeks after its release. The book was adapted into a film by New World in 1987 and then again in 2014 by Lifetime. The novel spawned four sequels and spurred the author to write similar titles.

Corrine and her husband Christopher are living a tranquil suburban life in Pennsylvania in 1957. They have four children, Chris (14), Cathy (12), and twins Carrie and Cory (5). In the opening chapter of the book Christopher dies in a car wreck. Left penniless and struggling to pay the bills, Corrine makes a difficult choice to move her family back to her childhood home in Charlottesville, Virginia. But, it's a trip laced with danger, deceit, and deep scars. 

In later chapters readers learn that Corrine experienced a terrible childhood. Her father is a multi-millionaire and a Bible thumper. Corrine's mother is a physically abusive woman that instills rigorous discipline. Corrine was ousted from the family when she fell in love with Christopher. Returning to her childhood home means a reunion with her evil mother. The plan is for Corrine to establish a relationship with her father again so she can get back into the family's graces and, more importantly, the will. 

Corrine has never told her parents she has children. In an off-the-page meeting, Corrine and her mother agree to scurry the kids into the family's enormous mansion through a backdoor where they will secretly be tucked away into a bedroom that connects to the home's large attic. The idea is for this stay to be temporary with Corrine suggesting it could only be a night or two. Instead, the temporary stay evolves into a hellish three-year ordeal ripe with punishment, physical pain, and psychological torment.

Flowers in the Attic is told in first-person perspective from Cathy. She explains the day to day lifestyle the kids must endure as well as the changes that happen to each of them. Chris matures into a young man, Cathy reaches puberty, and the twins devolve into unhealthy children void of sunlight, proper diet, and vitamins. It's a road to ruin left to the reader to navigate through nearly 400 pages. The motivation to keep turning the pages is the idea that these kids may escape this horrible habitat. Additionally, the mystery involving what is actually happening with Corrine and her parents is just so compelling. I found myself consistently wondering just what is happening outside of the children's smothering residence while simultaneously finding the incest elements of the book truly disturbing.

The author tackles a number of domestic and social issues through the lives of these characters. The element of greed is presented in a way that it affects generations of people. This family tree has become so rotten despite possessing tremendous wealth and opportunity. The inclusion of incest is important as it demonstrates this ugly invasion into the sanctity of the innocent. The incest is symbolic for the greed affecting the family members – twisting and corrupting what should be wholesome. The idea of classes is expanded on here as well with the lower class scrounging for leftovers and morsels while surrounded by financial flourishes. Religion is presented in a negative way through “the grandmother” (name never given) and her insistence on quoting the Bible. The children, who initially are faithful, lose their faith through the dismissal of hope. 

Andrews was certainly a powerful storyteller and delivered a mesmerizing narrative with Flowers in the Attic. Despite terrible reviews at the time of publication the novel has inched its way into the upper echelons of all-time popular fiction. I enjoyed this very much and look forward to reading the sequel, Petals on the Wind. 

Get Flowers in the Attic HERE

Forgive the Executioner

I wasn't able to determine anything about author Andrew Lane. There is another writer named Andrew Lane with titles like Young Sherlock Holmes, Crusoe, and The Six Directions Sequence, but based on his date of birth in 1963 it would make him just a high school student in 1978, the year that Forgive the Executioner was published. 

This 225-page New English Library paperback introduces readers to Alan Paine, a married man with a young son and daughter. Living in West of England, Paine's father was British and his mother American. Serving the British military, Paine became an expert marksman and explosives specialist. After serving in the Vietnam War, Paine retired to a paper-pushing clerk working for the county on the nine-to-five grind. 

As the book begins, Paine's daughter is walking through the forest on the way home. She's attacked by three men, raped, and then shot. When Paine's wife and son go searching for her they stumble on the same three men and are rewarded with fatal shots to the head. 

In the following chapters readers learn that nearly two years has passed and Paine is now working under the alias Max Case as an explosives expert and assassin for the Irish Republican Army (IRA). By working within the IRA ranks he secretly creates “accidents” that kill his fellow soldiers. However, Paine's vengeance isn't strictly reserved for the IRA. He also uses his deadly role as a way to kill the opposing Protestants that vow to keep northern Ireland within British reign.  Paine doesn't care who he murders because he feels that the whole bloody war led to his family's death. 

Other than Paine, the other main character in the book is a woman named Siobahn. She's working for the Protestants as a double agent in the IRA. Her leadership leads to many IRA soldiers perishing under “mistakes”. Paine meets Siobahn and the two develop a romantic involvement. The book's finale involves Paine being ordered to break out the three IRA men that killed his family.

Forgive the Executioner is an unusual novel. At times it works like an effectively tight counter-terrorism novel with Paine planning and performing hits on an assortment of mid-tier terrorists. These scenes are presented well and deliver just enough violence to satisfy any vigilante-fiction reader. However, the book becomes so silly in parts that I often contemplated if Lane was writing satire. 

Several times in the book Case changes his look by simply cutting and dying his hair blonde and shaving. This miracle makeover gives him the ability to weave in and out of close compatriots as a different person. Often he fools people he has closely worked with in the past, including Siobahn, who he fools into believing he's two different people. It is this sort of nonsense that makes it unbearable to even suspend disbelief for enjoyment's sake. I get the 'ole face switcharoo bit from the pulp era, but this is 1978. 

My other issue is the over-the-top graphic sex. This book reads like a porn novel with Case plowing through pus...women...on nearly every other page. I get the hyperbolic sex scenes, but the women he's with nearly gasp themselves to death when he whips the manhood. 

My guess is if you enjoy workaday action-adventure paperbacks then Forgive the Executioner shouldn't be a far cry from plain 'ole titles like The Butcher and Nick Carter: Killmaster. Tepid recommendation, but good luck finding a copy. 

The Gauntlet

After reading several of Bryan Smith's blood-soaked horror novels the jury is still out for me. I disliked his collaboration with Brian Keene on Suburban Gothic. I liked his novel The Freakshow a little more. My favorite of the author's work is Deathbringer, although I read it before Paperback Warrior's creation. I keep seeing his books on Amazon and the descriptions just keep getting me to click, “Yes, I would like more terror and torture, take my money.” I don't know why or how his books consistently end up in my shopping basket. But here we are again with another Bryan Smith book, The Gauntlet, published in 2023 by Grindhouse Press. 

An average guy named Nick gets into an argument with a crazed neighbor. After the verbal confrontation, the crazed neighbor goes back inside and this suburban squabble is put to rest. However, Nick receives an online message from the crazy neighbor's wife Krista. She thanks Nick for standing up to her husband. As weeks pass both Nick and Krista end up in an online relationship. As The Gauntlet begins, Krista has ran out on her husband and married life, taking up with Nick on the road. Together the two head into the Pocono Mountains for an irresponsible quick vacation and to plan what awaits them when they return to reality in a few days. 

Running low on gas, with the next city in two hours, the two stop in rural Beleth Station. Pulling into this nowhere town the two notice that the streets are void of people. When they pull into a gas station Nick is attacked by a person wearing a mask and carrying a machete. After his blood hits the pavement Krista takes off running down the abandoned streets searching for help. What she discovers is a town that is opposed to outsiders. No one leaves, no one enters. When they do, they are forced to run a macabre late-night game called...you guessed it...The Gauntlet.

Bryan Smith's novel works like a combination of The Running Man, Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, and any of those violent Saw movies. The game is that Nick and Krista are forced into running through the town's snowfall barefooted to complete objectives – like getting to a phone booth that contains a pair of shoes. Or, to a warm car to rest for 15 minutes. But, the two are separated and must complete different challenges. There's a side-story about a guy named Sean hoping to join a rebellious group of citizens to overthrow this crazed small town government and their Dystopian leadership. 

The Gauntlet isn't a bad survival horror novel. If you are familiar with Bryan Smith's writing then you should already know he writes on the trashy side. There's offensive language, graphic sex, hideous torture, and gross-out violence. I hesitate to even deem this type of stuff “horror” because it is more action-adventure with depravity as the core. If that's your jam then you will certainly enjoy running The Gauntlet. Get it HERE.

Paperback Warrior Guest Appearance on Zak Skiver

I teamed up with Zak Skiver for a discussion on vintage fiction! Topics covered included a deep dive into the disturbing suspense thriller Flowers in the Attic, an overview of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, the differences in Conan in Robert E. Howard stories compared to the comic form, and Zak's newest novel New Town. Watch it HERE or stream below:

 

Vice Trap

I know very little about author Elliott Gilbert (1924-2000). His first novel, Don't Push Me Around, was published by Popular Library in 1955. The book was reviewed by paperback scholar Gary Lovisi in Paperback Parade #84 in 2013. Gilbert also wrote Too Much Woman for Beacon in 1961. But, the subject of this review is his 1958 Avon paperback Vice Trap. In 2025, the book was released as both a paperback and ebook by Stark House Press imprint Black Gat Books. This new edition preserves the original paperback art by Harry Schaare.

Vice Trap's locale is a key part of Gilbert's twisty narrative. The book takes place in California – my guess is San Diego – with an attention to the southern border with Mexico. It's here that Nick, the narrator, works odd jobs as a mechanic. Months ago he was busted by a narcotics agent named Madrid and spent time behind bars. Now, Nick plays poker, smokes a lot of weed, and pines for his ex-lover Lona. The problem is that Lona is now Madrid's girl.

In the book's opening chapters Madrid visits Nick and it is established that the two, despite the past bust, are at the very least cordial acquaintances. Madrid gets Nick to fence items for him to pay off some bills. Easy stuff like radios, cameras, etc. But, it's clear that Madrid probably stole these items from criminals he arrested or from an evidence locker. The fencing back and forth allows Nick to visit Lona and the two pick up their heated relationship again – behind Madrid's back. 

Madrid pitches to Nick a bank heist idea. Nick gets a couple of his friends together, including a charismatic guy named Sand-O. The deal is to knock off a bank during a rodeo parade. Madrid will volunteer to patrol the parade off-duty and make a cover for the guys to rob the place. Then Nick will need to floor the Ford across the border before the gates close. But, as these things play out in paperback heists, things go afoul and by the book's end there's murder and lots of hospital bills. 

Vice Trap was a pretty good crime-noir novel. The inner workings of drug deals for weed in the mid-20th century was fascinating, although now it seems rather laughable. Petty crimes leading to unrest. The bulk of the book focuses on Nick and Lona's relationship, their longing for peaceful days, and the reality that both are caught in life's sinking wheel rut. Madrid makes a great heel and Nick serves the role as a slacking rebel. But, the book is a slow burn at 178 pages. The heist pitch doesn't occur until the 60-page mark. If you want to submerge yourself in the druggie life of the 1950s there's plenty to keep your attention. Recommended. Get a copy HERE.

Ranking January Reads

The year's first book ranking video is now out! In this video, Eric ranks his top ten reads of January 2025. This is the widest span of reading in the show's history - the 1800s all the way to 2024! All ten books are presented here with capsule reviews, loads of amazing artwork, and tidbits about authors. Stream below or on the YT channel HERE.

Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles

Enjoying the first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, I decided to read and review another of the Holmes novels. The Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of the four Holmes novels authored by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. It was originally serialized in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 until April of 1902. It was published by George Newness as a hardcover in March of 1902.

It's interesting to read the history of the character and novel and how it scopes the existence of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Initially Doyle killed off Sherlock Holmes in the short 1893 story “The Final Problem”. After that story's publication, Doyle volunteered as a physician during the Second Boer War and abandoned writing about the character for eight years. The character's popularity led Doyle to write another Sherlock novel, setting this book two years prior to the character's death in “The Final Problem”. Later, Doyle brings the beloved sleuth back to life in “The Adventure of the Empty House” in a soap opera way that mandates readers suspend disbelief and just roll with it.

In The Hound of the Baskervilles, a Dr. James Mortimer visits Holmes and Watson and asks for their assistance in investigating a bizarre murder. He prefaces the details of the murder with the history of the Baskerville family. The most intriguing part of the lesson is that a Hugo Baskerville kidnapped a local farmer's daughter and then was apparently killed by a demonic hound when he attempted to retrieve the young woman after she escaped.

The central murder mystery concerns Charles Baskerville, who succumbed to death on the moors. Was it cardiac arrest? Frightened to death? The clue may lie in the mysterious hound prints found near Charles' corpse. Could this region truly be haunted by a demonic hound?

This third novel-length Holmes mystery is brimming over with atmosphere. The foggy moors, the black of night, and the pretense that something supernatural has draped itself over the small nestled community is simply riveting. Watson, void of Holmes for three-fourths of the novel, pours though the clues with an emphasis on brother and sister caretakers that have...an unusual relationship. An Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard becomes mixed up with the investigation along with an escaped convict from the local prison. 

While I haven't read many Holmes stories or novels, I can't imagine there is one better than this. The shades of Goth combined with the sensational chemistry between Watson and Holmes (later) is just an unbeatable combination. Whether there is, or will be, supernatural happenings in the series remains to be seen. I'm anxious to read more. The Hound of the Baskervilles is a mandatory read. 

Dragon Heart #01 - Viking Slave

I enjoyed my most recent reading experience of author Griff Hosker, East Indiaman, and wanted to try another of his books. Out of the many series titles, I decided to cool down with a frosty Viking saga. My pick was Viking Slave, the debut novel in the Dragon Heart series. The book was published in 2013 and kicked off the series that would include 22 additional installments. 

Viking Slave begins in 790 AD and introduces a young boy nicknamed Crow. He's shunned by his village and often bullied due to being the only dark-haired kid. He's not a true Saxon like his father. In the opening pages of the first chapter the Vikings (just called men from the north) invade the village and collar men, women, and children onto boats. 

In the Viking village, a leader named Butar takes Crow's wife as his slave woman and agrees to make Crow a slave of his household (slaves are called jarls). Harald renames the boy Gareth and places a responsibility on the young man to care for his elderly father, a once proud warrior named Ragnar. Gareth finds his new home and family a blessing compared to the harsh treatment he received from his former Saxon village. Because of his enthusiasm and work ethic, Butar takes a liking to the kid and quickly begins to think of him as his own son. 

In a traditional coming-of-age tale, Ragnar, now having only one arm, begins teaching Gareth life skills and sword-fighting. Gareth naturally takes to the sword and is able to prove himself at a young age by fighting off a pack of wolves. Eventually, Gareth rises in the ranks to become a viking warrior leading his own band of warriors on slave raids.

Without digging into the weeds of this 200-page book, the overall concept is Gareth proving himself in battle and separating from the original Viking village to carve his own path. His transition from young bullied kid to warrior, leader, husband, and father is such a pleasure to read. There are numerous genre tropes here – the power of the sword, rebellion, usurping leaders, revenge, loss, etc. - but that is really the basis of the historical adventure genre. It is to be expected. How the author navigates within the genre and story is key and I believe Hosker commands that ability and measures up quite nicely.

With my experience of East Indiaman and now Viking Slave, I am a Griff Hosker fan. Whether he proves to be a one-trick pony or is able to move beyond the coming-of-age narrative remains to be seen. But, based on small trial size Hosker can write his ass off and deliver a superb tale that filters out all of the fluff and padding. 200 pages is the perfect size and that is a real surprise considering bulky marketplace parameters on historical fiction. Viking Slave is a high recommendation. Buy a copy HERE.

Deathworld #02 - Deathworld 2 (aka The Ethical Engineer)

In Deathworld, readers were introduced to series star Jason dinAlt, a professional gambler who has psychic powers. By the book's end, Jason is living with his girlfriend on a mining planet called Pyrrus. Deathworld 2 begins on Pyrrus as Jason is watching a vehicle enter the planet's atmosphere and touch down. When he greets the ship he is captured by a crazed man named Mikah. Apparently Jason's casino winnings on the planet Cassylia (taking place in Deathworld) using psychic abilities has made him a wanted fugitive. Mikah's intention was to take Jason to Cassylia so he could pay for his crimes. But, in an attempt to escape, Jason smashes the ship's steering and the craft crashes on a barbarically neanderthal planet. 

Both Mikah and Jason are slaved by a warring clan and are forced to escape. However, their escape leads to another enslavement by a rival clan. Jason then tricks the clan and manages to escape only to be captured again by another rival clan. Do you see where this is going? Jason then manages to escape that clan, bring electricity to a rival clan and send a rescue beacon for a possible rescue. 

There are so many things wrong with Deathworld 2. I contemplate whether Harrison actually wrote this novel as a sequel to Deathworld. Perhaps he wrote the meat and potatoes of this novel and then carefully just changed the main character's name to Jason and added in a page or two at the beginning to bridge the books. This version of Jason doesn't seem to possess any psychic ability, but instead has an abundant knowledge of engineering – something that wasn't elaborated on in the series debut. Jason can create electricity and build spaceships while retooling complex engines and factory machines. If Jason was an engineer of this magnitude then there was really no reason for him to be a professional gambler/criminal in Deathworld. The characterization isn't uniform.  Additionally, Harrison just recycles the basic plot design – capture, trick, escape – repeatedly. There is also an injection of machismo and a philosophical debate on religion and faith. 

As much as I love Harry Harrison's writing style, Deathworld 2 is a real clunker. Skip this book. 

Dead White

The back cover of Alan Ryan's horror novel Dead White contains blurbs from fine authors like Peter Straub, Stephen King, and Whitley Strieber applauding the book. Here's news for you – they never read this book! It's not even remotely plausible that these talented wordsmiths read a single word of this lousy unedited poorly constructed excuse for a horror novel. If they read one chapter of this book they would have unanimously panned it as amateur nonsense. Somehow, Alan Ryan was able to get this novel through Tor's editing department, which clearly had no input as to the novel's structure, basic plot outline, or any pedestrian passerby say in what the cover should be. This book is absolutely horrible and somehow Tor allowed these 356 pages to escape a destiny of pulverized packing materials.

The book (using the term sparingly) is set in a rural upstate New York town called The Kill. Ironically, this is the same town featured in Ryan's first novel, the equally deadpan Hall of Shame-winner cleverly titled The Kill. A blizzard of epic proportions is hitting the town and most of the residents decide to seek shelter in the Centennial Hotel. The Kill haven't had a train in town for decades and the railroad station and tracks are abandoned now. But, a train of carnival clowns has just rolled up to create mayhem for The Kill. 

Anyone with any sense of storytelling talent can easily make this book work. It seems so simple. The town is sheltered in the Centennial Hotel. The carnival clowns show up and hunt the residents in the hotel's hallways and rooms. It would have been a wonderful survival horror novel with a handful of characters fighting the clowns while trapped in a blizzard. Would have. Could have. Should have. But, Alan Ryan doesn't do any of that. No, he completely circumvents this entire plot device to focus on day to day activities of the residents. Each chapter is the time of the day. For example, the chapter is 8:42 A.M. and a character that has no impact on the book's resolution or plot is making coffee and eating breakfast. That's it! Then the next time, a few minutes later, will be another character walking to the mailbox or tying their shoe. Nothing happens in the book until the last couple of pages – as senseless as they are.

I could make a half-hour video on how bad this book really is. I'm close to a comparison with Roadblaster, Swampmaster, or TNT as the epitome of negativity when it comes to vintage paperback fiction. Dead White is darn close to being one of the worst published books ever written. But, I'm propping it a few notches above the above-mentioned titles simply because the book would have worked in the hands of an actual author and an editor that didn't call in sick the week this pile of wood shavings somehow assembled into this disasterpiece of fiction. Alan Ryan – fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on you again. Damnit. Hall of Shame. Absolutely. If you want to purchase this drivel do it HERE so I can at least make a few cents off this hackjob. 

Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 113

In this episode, Eric heads out west to examine the career of Bill Gulick, a prolific western writer that contributed to the pulp western, adventure magazine, and paperback original market. In addition, Eric provides an emotional farewell to his friend, the late great Stephen Mertz, looks at the upcoming Hard Case Crime publications, and reviews a brand new crime-noir paperback from Black Gat Books. Stream below or on YouTube HERE. Download HERE.

That Hell-Bound Train

Robert Bloch (1917-1994) authored crime-fiction, horror, and fantasy over a writing career that lasted 60 years. Best known for Psycho, Bloch authored hundreds of short stories. I recently stumbled upon a collection of his work titled The Early Fears. The story I chose to read and review is “That Hell-Bound Train”, originally published in 1958 in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science-Fiction. 

The story's title comes from an old song that Martin, the main character, could remember his drunk father singing after returning home from his job at the railroad. Martin's childhood veered off course when his mother ran away with a traveling salesman and his father died on the rails. Martin hits the road to live life as a drifter, stumbling from town to town for years. But, his only consistent fixture in life was the railroad work – wherever he drifted he always worked the railroad jobs.

One evening a long black train appeared in the night and the Devil, working as The Conductor, welcomes Martin to board the train. It's implied that Martin's life of bad and unwholesome ventures has led to a one-way trip to a hot spot down south. But, Martin, in a last ditch effort to avoid an eternity of fire, asks for one of those special deals with the Devil. At first The Conductor isn't that interested in any more bargains. But, Martin comes up with an intriguing request that Old Scratch hadn't heard before.

Martin asks if he can have a watch that will allow him to stop time. The deal will allow him to stop time once, a timepiece that Martin will only use when he finds a place in his life when he is content and happy. When he finds that place in life, he will stop time and then enjoy happiness forever. The Devil provides him a railroad watch in a silver case and then agrees to get Martin later in life. There's no stopping Hell, just delaying it.

“That Hell-Bound Train” is just terrific and teaches a life lesson that no one will ever be truly satisfied. It's a flaw in the human condition. The need to always seek the next best thing. The notion that the newest and greatest thing can still be found if we don't stay content and keep working, buying, clawing our way to more and infinite more. It's the proverbial “the grass is always greener on the other side” cautionary tale. At 13 pages Bloch accomplishes more than some authors strive for their entire career. This one is a recommended read.

The Island of Doctor Moreau

H.G. Wells (1866-1946) is widely considered the father of science-fiction. He authored over fifty novels, some of which are still being adapted today into mixed media formats. Sci-fi, fantasy, and even horror writers often cite Wells as an influence on their work. His most popular novels include The Time Machine (1895), The Invisible Man (1897), War of the Worlds (1898), and the subject of this review, The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896). 

In the novel's beginning, Edward Prendick and two other passengers board a lifeboat as their passenger ship sinks into the southern Pacific Ocean. Eventually Prendick, a dehydrated starving husk, is the only survivor. A ship spots Prendick and rescues him, but in a wild turn of events Prendick is forced from the vessel and placed in a dinghy where he must face the very real possibility that his terrifying ordeal is recycling. Thankfully, a passenger on the ship named Montgomery takes pity on Prendick and allows him a stay on a very strange island. 

Prendick, who possesses a scientific education, learns that this eight-mile island is a type of laboratory owned by Dr. Moreau. Prendick remembers that he had read about Moreau's macabre experiments in vivisection and his subsequent banishment from England. Here on the island Moreau continues his work with the assistance of Montgomery and a surgically altered manservant named M'ling. 

Wells' narrative submerges Prendick into the Hellish world of a mad scientist with delusions of Godhood. Prendick learns that Moreau is surgically combining humans and animals. Disgusted and frightened he escapes Moreau's compound only to discover that the island hosts Moreau's terrifying lab result – beast folk. These beasts include humans merged with bears, dogs, sloths, hyenas, wolves, and ape. These beast folk have a bestial lust for Moreau which plays havoc on Prendick's escape.

The Island of Doctor Moreau is a horror novel like no other. Wells ignites a sense of terror as Prendick slowly pulls the curtains from Moreau's freakish lab and discovers the nightmarish prison that he has now joined. There's panic and then a heightened frenzy as Prendick attempts to disable Moreau and Montgomery while also becoming a new “god” for the Beast Folk. Wells easily transforms the mood from moments of somber solitude into grueling action and gun play. The finale is a type of role reversal that was fitting for the nature of the story. 

In a time when humans are now receiving animal organs to survive (ex. Towana Looney), The Island of Doctor Moreau is a grotesque vision of the future. Wells was ahead of his time in predicting favorable medical revolutions through painful trial and error. Gene edits and lab-created organs were a thing of the future but Wells was mired in the wonder. The author presents some trigger-points on Darwin's evolution, animal cruelty, and mankind's pursuit of an animal-state of freedom and survival – no gods, no masters. 

The Island of Doctor Moreau is a classic for a reason. Get your copy HERE.

Deathworld #01 - Deathworld 1

Thus far I've really enjoyed the science-fiction series installments by Harry Harrison. Titles like The Stainless Steel Rat, To the Stars, and Brion Brandd. I've mostly heard good things about his three-book series Deathworld. However, what really peaked my interest in reading the series was the commentary by Nick on the Book Graveyard channel and blog. He was lukewarm on the series debut and third installment, but trounced the second novel. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about so I jumped in with the debut, Deathworld. It was originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction in 1960 and published in paperback, hardcover, and contained in trilogy omnibus editions.

Jason dinAlt is introduced to readers as a professional gambler who possesses psychic ability. His gift allows him to win big consistently, a pattern that attracts an ambassador named Kerk from the planet Pyrrus. He funds Jason with a large amount of money to wager in a game of dice. Jason's reward for winning is to keep a portion of the pot. After successfully pulling off the casino job, Jason asks if he can join Kerk on his trip back to Pyrrus.

Pyrrus is a hostile planet where every living organism has evolved into instant human-killing. Blades of grass, animals, insects – everything is fatal to humans. However, Kerk and his people have committed their lives to eventually dominating the planet and killing these organisms. With money won by Jason, Kerk can purchase more weapons so his people can accomplish their mission. Jason is puzzled by the struggle and wants to learn and participate in the taming of Pyrrus.

After weeks of training, Jason is allowed to leave the safety of Kerk's habitat. But, as he explores this terrifying deathworld he learns there are other people on Pyrrus that don't behave in the same fashion as Kerk. These people possess a type of animal husbandry that allows them to live in harmony with the killer organisms. Is Kerk and his people the real problem? Or, do these weird people have a secret agenda in defying the planet's killer instincts?

Deathworld is an entertaining science-fiction novel that begins strong, has a solid second act, but falters a few steps in the grand finale. The book's resolution didn't make a lot of sense to me and I found Harrison short-cutting his plot design with an empty payout. It wasn't enough to detract from the book's enjoyment and made for a unique read regardless. Jason's behavior and characteristics – the stellar everyman – was similar to Jan Kulozik of Harrison's To the Stars trilogy. I recommend Deathworld and you can get it HERE. 

Hacking Mall

Shortly after Brian G. Berry authored the Chopping Mall novelization, the publisher, Encyclopocalypse Publications, pulled the book from store shelves and severed ties. Berry's first response? Write another horror/science-fiction hybrid set in a shopping mall in the 1980s. The end result is Hacking Mall, independently published in 2024. 

Berry places readers in a Dystopian-styled 20th century where the stock market has crashed, society has devolved, and most inner cities now bristle with jacked up criminals possessing military grade materials. Their higher-than-usual toughness warrants a special type of police force – Defender 2000.

Chapter 11 is a nightmarish flashback of how the book's main character, Alex Murphy, was badged and sent out into the world after four grueling months of police academy. He's partnered with Jackson and the two are investigating gunshots stemming from blocks upon blocks of ghetto tenements. The probe leads to a massive firefight in a meth lab. Alex barely survives the lab's explosion while his partner is seemingly incinerated within. 

In the book's present, Murphy, along with two other officers, have been selected to wear Defender armor. These “sleeves” envelop the men in bullet-proof steel, complete with internal advanced optics programmed to locate criminals. Integrated into the armor is an advanced weapons system including automatic guns, a laser sword, and the ability to release a toxin that creates horrific delusions and a lust for murder. 

As the narrative guns its way through neighborhoods overwrought with crime, Murphy and the other Defenders begin to lose control of their sleeves. The automatons abandon their predetermined set of coded instructions and force their users to kill both criminals and innocents. The machine-over-man scenarios appears periodically and disorients the officers. 

Arden Plaza Mall is a local shopping center that now houses a criminal empire ran by Kane, a lunatic with an aggressive penchant for rape and murder. When the Defenders are ordered to penetrate the mall, Kane and his army fight back using their own sophisticated weapons. Caught in the crossfire are innocent prisoners hoping the battle will provide a small window to attempt escape or for an uprising. The mall has its share of bad guys, but none compare to a behemoth cannibal nicknamed The Butcher. He performs exceptionally well as the ultimate final boss. 

Berry describes himself as a mood writer that loves 1980s B-movies. Hacking Mall pays homage to the low-budget trash films like Warrior of the Lost World (1983) and 1990: The Bronx Warriors (1982), but the most obvious influence is a more mainstream offering in Robocop. Berry's protagonist even shares the same name with the cybernetically enhanced Detroit police officer. There's also a character named Zed that just happens to be the name of a villain in the Full Moon riffraff titled Slave Girls from Beyond (1987) and the hero's name in Zardoz (1974)  . But, it wouldn't be a 1980s-styled action-adventure paperback without the CAR-15 automatic rifles, a mainstay in something like Stephen Mertz's long-running M.I.A. Hunter series of shoot 'em ups. 

Hacking Mall is an installment in Berry's series of stand-alone books titled VHS Trash. However, the waves and waves of baddies being obliterated by the heroes is like a side-scrolling arcade shooter (call it a NeoGeo Novel). It's excessive, exaggerated, and ridiculous – but that's the central appeal. To quote 1980s pro-wrestling personality Jim Cornette: “For the kind of people who like this type of thing, that's the kind of thing that those people like.” I'm one of those people. Hacking Mall is a nostalgic highly recommended romp. Get it HERE.

I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom

Jason Pargin is a humorous and deeply-creative author of science fiction and horror who came to prominence under his pseudonym David Wong. His latest novel is a stand-alone effort called I’m Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom from 2024.

The premise is simple introducing the two main characters and the book’s titular McGuffin. 26 year-old Abbott Coburn works as a rideshare driver for Lyft. He is summoned to a Los Angeles street corner by the app where he meets Ether and her large, black box - the kind that rock bands move their gear within. The woman explains she does not, in fact, need a ride to the airport but she can pay Aaron $100,000 to drive her and the black box to Washington, DC on behalf of her shadowy employer. The catch? He can’t know or discuss the contents of the box. It’s a secret mission.

Abbott is resistant, but she keeps increasing her money offer until he must say yes. Together they embark on a cross-country road trip with goons, Abbott’s father, and a retired FBI agent in pursuit. The nationwide hide-and-seek journey goes viral and becomes an internet phenomenon. There are plenty of action set-pieces and madcap twists along the way. The plotting is brisk, and Pargin’s prose is quite readable.

The best parts of the book are the monologues from the characters dissecting the human condition in our divisive and Internet-obsessed culture. The author has a lot to say about the world and brings those ideas forth through his characters. This is a smart person’s book shrouded in a comedic-adventure wrapping.

It’s also a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed this book so much, and I hope the author embarks on more standalone novels in future. Highly recommended. Get it HERE.

The Last Night to Kill Nazis

David Agranoff is a San Diego author, screenwriter, blogger, podcast host, and quite possibly the strongest advocate for Philip K. Dick's literary work than any other. His debut novel, The Vegan Revolution...with Zombies, was published in 2010. Since then he has authored nine novels including The Last Night to Kill Zombies. The novel was published in 2023 by Clash Books with vivid cover art by Joel Amat Guell.

In this military-fiction and horror hybrid, Agranoff utilizes a real event from World War Two as a foundation to craft this unusual tale. Heinrich Himmler, one of the most notorious figures of the war, was a powerful Nazi politician, Reich Commissioner, and Commander. He is primarily considered the organizer of the horrific Holocaust and second only to Hitler in terms of absolute evil personified. Shortly after Hitler's suicide, and hours before Russia's Red Army stormed his underground bunker, Himmler was able to escape with several other leaders into the countryside where they remained on the run for several days before being captured by British intelligence. While in detainment Himmler was able to fatally swallow his hidden cyanide pill.

Agranoff begins his novel as the Red Army is within striking distance. Himmler is able to escape with as SS Officer named Heinrich and a few other Nazi personnel. In the countryside, the group travel by truck to a mountaintop fortress to meet nearly 100 German officers that await a plane that will transport them to safety in Manchuria. It's in this seemingly impenetrable fortress where the book's second half takes place.

Hunting Himmler is a small counter-intelligence force lead by Noah, a Jewish fighter and ex-Army Ranger now serving the OSS (early CIA). His team hopes to penetrate and climb to the mountain fortress to kill every Nazi in the fortress. But, with over 100 Nazis occupying this defiant stronghold, what chance does his quartet have in facing these overwhelming numbers?

The answer is Count Reiter. 

In a thrilling enhancement to the breathtaking traditionalism of a World War Two adventure novel, Agranoff introduces a Dracula-like character named Reiter. His castle in the Carpathian Mountains was ransacked by the Nazis, who not only disturbed his domicile but also his centuries of sleep. Reiter wants vengeance and will stop at nothing to kill Nazis. But, in this book Reiter is being kept as a prisoner by the Allies. In a desperate bid to hunt and kill Himmler the Allies agree to a deal with Reiter – help them orchestrate a massacre on the last official night to kill Nazis in exchange for freedom. 

The Last Night to Kill Nazis is nothing short of remarkable. The book's first hundred pages is a type of dangerous road trip introducing Heinrich and his pregnant lover Alice, who both are equal main characters to Noah's opposition. The author masterfully utilizes short chapters, each time stamped, to tell individual stories and angles presenting Alice's experiences as well as Noah, Reiter, and Heinrich's. These punchy chapters help keep the book's 250-pages turning at lightning pace. Once these characters collide atop the mountain the narrative increases speed to match the staccato gunfire, pounding footsteps, and infernal screams as Nazis meet the Hellish Prince of Darkness. 

If Bram Stoker, Alistair MacLean, and Quentin Tarrantino collaborated on a project they surely would deliver this masterpiece. The Last Night to Kill Nazis is epic entertainment and comes with my highest recommendation. Get it HERE.

Paperback Warrior Jigsaw Puzzle Out Now!

Experience vintage action-adventure paperbacks like never before! The PW Jigsaw Puzzle is out now and designed by me! Get it HERE.

Snakehaven #01 - Doom of the Dark Delta

Author James Reasoner is mostly known for his western contributions in the Stagecoach Station, Longarm, Trailsman, and Wind River series titles. But, Reasoner has a sincere fondness for the pulps, evident with his blog reviews and commentary on the subject through social media. It is that admiration for the genre that prompted him to author a pulpy sword-and-sorcery series titled Snakehaven. As of this writing there are three installments – Doom of the Dark Delta, Fear on the Fever Coast, and Lair of the Serpent Queen. These are one-buck ebooks that weigh in at one-hundred pages give or take a font size. 

In Doom of the Dark Delta, readers learn that series hero Jorras Trevayle is from the land of Albrionne. His father is Lord Amaril and he has two brothers, both of which serve in a loyal and honorable way. Trevayle, being the brave-hearted iron-fisted hero, served as a soldier. On a mission to quell an uprising, Trevayle was betrayed by a superior officer and sent back to his land in chains. Lord Amaril, apparently torn on the matter, buried Trevayle in work – which is where this novella begins. 

Trevayle began a journey down the Gulf of Matoxia to have a contract signed by a plantation owner specializing in giant snakes. These enormous serpents are called Nloka Maccumba. His ship was taken over by pirates and Trevayle washes ashore on an island unknown to him. Immediately a naked woman burst from the swamp as warriors chase her. Trevayle, unarmed, joins the woman in running from these armed combatants. 

Later, he learns that this woman is the daughter of the plantation owner he was to originally meet. Trevayle is then thrust into a battle with a ruler named Ostrizahl as well as the giant serpents, savage troops, and even the woman's own allies. On this island Trevayle has no alliances, no allegiance, and often no weapons. Outnumbered, he must fight to survive this grisly ordeal. 

Through chases, sword fights, prison escapes, and damsel-in-distress rescues, Doom of the Dark Delta is a pulp-inspired sword-and-sorcery tale that is brimming over with nonstop action. With the shorter page length, Reasoner puts his skills to the test with quick character development that matches the fast-paced narrative. I'm imagining this is just as fun for the author as it is for the reader. Doom of the Dark Delta is just fantastic and highly recommended for anyone that loves a great men's adventure. Get it HERE.

Girl on the Beach

We've covered two prior novels by Bruce Cassiday, one stand-alone book, The Girl in the Trunk, and The Buried Motive, the first of two Cash Madigan novels featuring a Manhattan bonding investigator. Cassiday was a versatile writer that transitioned from the pulps to writing paperback originals in crime-noir, science-fiction, and gothics. I discovered a sleaze novel titled Girl on the Beach that Cassiday authored using the pseudonym of Max Day. The book was published by Beacon in 1960 and remains out of print at the time of this writing. 

The novel is set on the shores of fictional Seahaven, Connecticut (probably based on West Haven), specifically a makeshift two-story studio house brooding over Long Island Sound. Artist Shad Crispin makes a mediocre living selling his paintings to the local art community and trusts his business affairs to a sneaky agent. Shad is in a relationship with Cynthia, an independently wealthy woman who met him at his easel in Central Park and quickly installed him in Seahaven as her boy-toy. He lives and sleeps at the studio and Cynthia lives at her Village apartment. It works.

One frosty foggy night Shad sees a golden-haired girl laying on the beach and runs out to help her. After the thawing out, the gorgeous girl introduces herself as Lissa Cloud from the Iowa cornfields. Her explanation of swimming in the cold ocean at night is sketchy at best, but Shad goes with it. Obviously, there's a temptation here to jump little Lissa's bones, but Shad does the respectable thing and places her in the guest bedroom. Through the paper-thin wall, Cassiday enticingly describes Lissa's sexy unclothing to readers. Soon Shad awakens from the brink of sleep to find the vixen in his bed, confessing she is a virgin, and begging for love. Shad pisses himself off by throwing her in the guest bed and locking the door. 

The next morning Shad awakens to find that his sea nymph has disappeared. But, she took the opportunity to destroy his portfolio of nude paintings. Shad wants to know who the girl is and begins making a mini-investigation into her history. This is where things get interesting – Lissa may be a figment of Shad's imagination. Unable to corroborate his story, both his agent and lover believe that Shad made the whole thing up due to mental exhaustion. Instead of finding a detective, they begin searching for a psychiatrist. But, Shad later experiences another run-in with Lissa and begins to think she could be real.

I liked this crafty cozy mystery and enjoyed Cassiday's ability to transition nicely from a very tepid romance into a full-fledged crime-noir. Granted, there isn't a lot of locales trekked through the narrative, but I never became bored with the confined studio and tight atmosphere. The narrative's positioning in this small dwelling made the mystery aspect feel intimate. I also found Lissa – or the idea of Lissa – just sexy as Hell. 

Girl on the Beach isn't going to be anyone's literary mantle piece, but you could do a lot worse. Read the book for free HERE.

East Indiaman

Beginning in 1972, Griff Hosker became employed as an English and Drama teacher in northeast England. Upon his retirement after 35 years of service Hosker began his new life – a full-time novelist. He has authored over 150 books of historical fiction including over 25 series titles. He prefers his works to be self-published so he (and his family) have sole control of ownership, edits, and future reprints. I've been curious about his writing and decided to try his newest novel, East Indiaman. It was published in 2024 and is the first in a promised series. 

In the book's Prologue, William introduces himself to the reader in first-person narration. He's a boy without a family or home. His father died and his mother moved away to live in Java. As a wharf rat, William embarks on a life of theft and robbery to survive. After a successful string of crimes he learns that he chose the wrong victim. A notorious pirate is now after William to recover what was stolen from him. With no other recourse William hides on a ship headed north of the Canary Islands. 

In the early chapters William navigates the large boat and steals food and water from the crew and passengers. After stealing a crewman's coat William is eventually caught and brought before the Captain. Generously, they ask William to earn his own way by becoming a hard-working crewman working with sails and ropes. The experience humbles William and he eventually begins to see a life beyond criminality. After he makes a strong defense against pirates, William is asked to join a regiment of British troops – a type of special forces made up of former prisoners – to work for the East India Company.

William accepts the job and then East Indiaman really rolls into action. Through the book's second half William adapts to his new role as soldier, horseman, and killer. As he grows into a man he contends with the rigorous chores of rising through the ranks while in combat with nefarious village leaders, the enemy French regiments, and a secret mission to liberate a missionary family from a stronghold. 

Honestly, I wasn't sure how I would feel about Hosker's work and the fast and furious pace at which he writes and publishes his novels. Thankfully, East Indiaman is probably the best contemporary novel I've read this year. The book is expertly written in the first-person perspective and is presented as an epic adventure in a convenient 200 pages. Hosker successfully removes any fluff from his writing and sticks to the basics – tell a great story that is engaging while competently developing a character that adapts as the pages turn. This was such a treat to read considering historical fiction can lose itself in dense details that surround the plot. For validity, Hosker includes a list of his references to substantiate the story's locale and period as well as a brief history of the East India Company.

If you have the opportunity to try Hosker...please do. I also recommend a podcast interview that he participated in that gives some history on the author and his series titles HERE. I'm already reading another of his books and it is equally as entertaining. Highly recommended!

Get your copy HERE.

Ashton Ford #01 - Ashes to Ashes

There's no doubt that Don Pendleton took readers into some unusual places after writing a decade of The Executioner. Towards the end of Pendleton's involvement with Mack Bolan, he had already dabbled in science-fiction, political intrigue, and romance. His first real effort at hard-hitting crime-fiction were six books starring Joe Copp, a private investigator in the Mike Hammer style. But, it was the Ashton Ford series that really had people talking – good, bad, and indifferent. 

Ashton Ford, the psychic detective series, was published between 1986 to 1988. This six-book series stars Ford as a former naval intelligence officer that boasts in the opening chapter of Eye to Eye, the series debut, that he possesses all the talents of a spy. He has also had the good fortune of having a psychic ability. Apparitions and future visions are unveiled in a way he can't control. It is spontaneous, which is of little help in his profession as a private investigator.

Ford's newest client is Karen Highland, a wealthy woman on the verge of inheriting the billion-dollar trust left to her by her deceased grandfather. She comes to Ford because she wants to get laid. Seriously. Ford hangs around a New Age clinic and has discovered a way to create intercourse with women through telepathy. It's the ultimate high in a horizontal position. But, as Ford is explaining his qualms with dishing out the goods to a complete stranger, Karen's bodyguard is discovered dead.

Apparently, the dead bodyguard gets Ashford involved with the police and of course he needs to be better than they are in solving this murder. But, as he is introduced to Karen's suspicious doctor and trustees, there's another body – this one floating face down in the family's lavish pool. What's going on?

Ashes to Ashes is terrible. Don Pendleton can write a bad book and he proves it with this mediocre recycled private-eye plot. My issue isn't the recycling – God knows I read enough carbon copy gothic-romance novels – but it is the ridiculous pages and pages of New Age nonsense complete with detailed explanations of pseudoscience and the eternal struggle between God and the Devil. The character Ford is your typical West Coast private-eye. He drives a sports car, has a boatload of money, and women wanna screw him. Par for the course. The psychic thing comes into play twice, both of which are central to the resolution.

I can't recommend this book to anyone, but I'm sure it has a fair share of fans that are pleased with Pendleton's stark contrast between Bolan and Ford. I love horror novels, action-adventure, and crime-fiction, but the trio of sub-genres combined into this weird occult detective thing just didn't work for me. If you want to try it, get it HERE.

Midnight Vintage

Crystal Lake began publishing horror novels in 2012. In 2023 the publisher transformed into an entertainment company, complete with imprints and divisions like Crystal Lake Comics, Crystal Lake Games, Torrid Waters, and more. As of the time of this writing the company has published over 200 books. My first sampling of their work is the ebook short-story collection Midnight Vintage, a joint venture authored by Sean Eads (Trigger Point, The Survivors) and Josh Viola (The Bane of Yoto) with vibrant cover art by Skinner.

At roughly 338 pages, give or take a font size, the book offers 20 short-stories averaging about 20 pages per story. There is an excellent introduction by Stephen Graham Jones (The Only Good Indian, Night of the Mannequins) outlining the style and nature of the contained stories and a brief history of his friendship with both authors. I enjoyed the book and here are just a few of my favorites:

“The Making”

The narrative is presented in an unusual way with a transcript detailing an investigative conversation between a detective and a murder suspect. This transcript is embedded into a first-person perspective from Stradivarious Cooper, the murder suspect. Cooper explains he was a failed musician with a father serving time in prison. He accepts a bizarre job working for a doctor and his associates in a 3,000 square foot house that looks normal – except for the torture room in the basement. The doctor believes he can capture the proof of ghosts through Cooper violently abusing and murdering victims. The most horrible death insures a very real possibility that a ghost will emerge. However, as these things normally escalate in horror literature, the experiment bites the experimenter. This was a very good opening story that matched the style and intensity of the film Martyrs.

“Many Carvings”

In the book's intro, Jones describes this story as a type of EC Comics homage. I felt it possessed a Shirley Jackson's The Lottery vibe crossed with a more contemporary flavor like Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge. A young boy named Alaster lives in a small farming village. He is questioning why his father and brother haven't returned from “the market”. His mother grows sick and when she is forced to bed he journeys to a neighbor's house. Together the two venture to the home of a pregnant woman where they witness a very strange birth. Mixed into the narrative is a witch that grows pumpkins...in a field with no pumpkin patch. It's a unique story that had me guessing until the end.

“The Bidden”

Many of the stories in Midnight Vintage take place in the 1800s or early 1900s and involve small farming communities. This story is set on a cornfield and begins with a father named Wallace attempting to lacerate himself on corn stalks to feed his ghostly son John. The story then flashes back to the beginning to explain how John's mother Amanda gave birth to the son and the weird aftereffects of birth, growing corn, and the pain of loss and absence. It is easy to compare to the most popular corn-feel short of them all, Children of the Corn, but this works more like a country-fried Frankenstein story of creator and creation.

I also really enjoyed “Bright Rain” with its post-apocalyptic isolation mood. I sense that both of these authors are mood writers. Midnight Vintage isn't the first collaboration between the two. In 2024 Blood Bound Books published their novella Stolen Pallor. It's clear they have a wonderful chemistry in their storytelling. This collection is a testament to their synergy. Recommended!

Get the book HERE.

Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 112

Today's exciting episode reviews the life and career of a crime-fiction and pulp megastar named Stewart Sterling. He wrote over 400 pulp detective stories and is credited as the creator of the specialty detective formula. Sterling also wrote numerous paperbacks for publishers like Beacon, Fawcett Gold Medal, Dell, Ace, Pyramid, and Avon. Additionally, the fallout from the Brian G. Berry accusations, Eric reviews the new sword-and-sorcery novella Doom of the Dark Delta by James Reasoner, and much more. Listen to the episode below or on any streaming platform. You can also download HERE. If you prefer to listen on YouTube you can click HERE.

Listen to "Episode 112: Stewart Sterling" on Spreaker.

Sharpshooter Terror

Brian G. Berry is a contemporary horror, science-fiction, and action-adventure novelist that specializes in trash fiction. He has multiple series titles featuring stand-alone books like Slasherback, Chatter from the Tomb, and Splatter Madness. My first experience with Berry was his excellent Chopping Mall novelization, published by Encyclopocalypse Publications before being pulled from shelves for internal discord between the author and publisher (story HERE). In a recent interview with Berry, he suggested that one of his better books is Sharpshooter Terror, an installment in a series of stand-alone novels titled VHS Trash. I stepped into the crosshairs for a closer look.

Berry's ode to the VHS era places Sharpshooter Terror in the 1980s. In flashback scenes readers learn that Alan LaRue served in the Vietnam War in 1968. As a Screaming Eagle of the 101st, LaRue grew into the perfect soldier with a lack of obedience to skill set. He was fast-tracked to Recon School, joined Command and Control, and carried the war on his back in black ops missions hunting and assassinating NVA forces. After years of battle rattle, LaRue is eventually outnumbered in a firefight and is killed. But, that was just the beginning. 

LaRue's body is now a part of Project Night Stalker, a type of Universal Soldier program to create super troops impervious to emotion. Program. Assign. Kill. But, in a freak accident LaRue is dumped into the small rural community of Ashbury with scrambled programming that places every citizen on his kill-list.

LaRue's opponent is a man named Olson, an armed hunter seeking revenge for the death of his family. Mixed into the carnage is a type of First Blood scenario with the military working with the town's police force to try and bring in their man. There's cat-and-mouse tactics, lots of gunfire, and plenty of over-the-top violence. I appreciate that beyond the gory madness there's a really good narrative that should appeal to fans of 80s and 90s men's action-adventure paperbacks. Also, kudos to Berry arming LaRue with the .44 Ruger Redhawk with optics, the same legendary firearm used by Martin Stone in the glorious post-apocalyptic series The Last Ranger.  

Berry is an unrestrained author that charges into his literary lunacy Hellbent on shocking his readers. His writing style mirrors the 1980s cult cinema – those movies that went straight to VHS boxes hoping rental stores found enough sickos to rent them. We're talking about movies like Combat Shock, Deadly Prey, Escape from the Bronx, and The Last Hunter. I spent a good portion of my Dad's union pay renting these movies so I can appreciate Berry's homage with VHS Trash. Sharpshooter Terror is essentially one of these films in book format - the spillage of blood, brains, and bones on every page. 

Get your copy HERE.