Review: An intriguing collection of dark tales
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 5, 2013
Having already read 'The Cult of Me' by Michael Brookes, I knew I was in for something dark with this collection of four tales.  'The Yellow Lady' sees a grave robber encountering a ghost after stealing her locket from her grave.  'This Empty Place' describes the life and death of the universe from the perspective of Death.  'Forced Entry' is a chilling story told entirely through radio messages as a team enter a suspected hostage situation.  'The Reluctant Demon' tells the tale of a demon trying to pass his exams and do his sire proud.This is an intriguing collection which I raced through in an evening.  Each tale has an unexpected element to it and this is what makes the book interesting.  Quite often the supernatural or evil component becomes the victim to the real human figure.  It's an unusual angle to take!  A human abuses the power of the locket in 'The Yellow Lady', Death in the second story almost invites pathos and you might even feel sorry for the poor demon in the final story!  'Forced Entry' differs from the other three stories in that we don't see the evil.  It is up to the reader's mind to imagine the horrors from the clips of speech.  Arguably that story is the most chilling because of that.I recommend this book to all fans of darker stories.  It's an enjoyable collection of shorts and you'll race through them eager to find out how each finishes.  What stands out for me is that everything here is turned on its head.  Where will your sympathies lie?  And which is worse:  evil itself, or the being that manipulates the evil to their own purpose?