Review: Drills and Chills?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 15, 2014
Extraction by Barbie Shannon is a short story thriller centering on an episode in the life of Sally Myers, who is scheduled for a dental appointment at the office of Dr. Shelby. Her experience, or harbinger of events to come, conjures up images of the nuances and anxieties of dentistry from flicks such as Marathon Man to the dark satire of The Dentist. A missing cap from a back tooth forces her to make the trip, and when she overcomes her primal fear of having her oral cavity invaded, the ether-induced sojourn begins.The theme of paranoia resonates throughout the novel as the author takes us through every dark fantasy entertained by patients from the ages of six to sixty-six. Fears of being held against one's will, the dentist drilling too deep or too long, being too enthusiastic or relentless - you name it, Sally's dealing with it. When you think of all the snaggle-toothed or gap-toothed people we encounter in daily life and wonder why they never got their problems solved, after reading this you have to wonder. Perhaps they've been there and decided not to do that.Shannon's tale is a highly entertaining quick read that can be shared with friends and family of all ages. Bring a copy to the dentist's office and leave it in the magazine rack - it'll be the prank of the year.