Alan Ryker

It’s been fifteen years since Aaron’s brother Bobby mysterious disappeared from his room. But when Aaron’s mother dies he returns home to the funeral. Will he finally find out what happened to his brother all those years ago?

I decided to request this book from NG after reading some reviews of this book. It’s not a long story, but it didn’t need to be longer since it managed to tell the story quite well without unnecessary dragging out the story. It was a good read and I liked the story. It just wasn’t scary. Perhaps it is because the boogeyman wasn’t something that scared me as a child? I was more afraid of clowns and witches (Thank you Stephen King and Roald Dahl) than the boogeyman. I’m not even sure we have something similar to the boogeyman here in Sweden. Sure closets can be scary, but I was more afraid of dolls (Watching the Child’s Play does that to you) looking at me, so I used to hid them in the closet. But that’s it.

But the story was well written and I will without a doubt read more books by Alan Ryker!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!… (plus d'informations)

One of the best vampire stories that I have read in a while. Economical prose, yet detailed enough to provide good characterization. Upon reviewing Ryker's bio I discovered that he writes both literary fiction as well as dark fiction. No surprise once I had read this very well written short novel. Ryker clearly not only knows how to fashion a well-paced, exciting horror novel with good characters, settings, and imagery, but he has the chops to tackle other genres as well.

And the best part is that the vampires are old school nasty, unattractive predators. The story line follows these dangerous creatures, and some equally dangerous and aggressive humans, down a path that I think is original. Clearly the capacity for mindless cruelty goes both ways.

If you like well written horror stories and you hate the "sparkly" type of romantic vampire, then this is the book to read. After I finished, I bought the sequel.… (plus d'informations)

Ryker expands his canvas for the follow up to Burden, Kansas---which was excellent. With the survivors from the first tale he takes the show on up the road a bit and involves a neighboring community that has a different sort of vampire problem. New characters add life to the story and moving the vampire up the evolutionary scale a bit make for a compelling story line.

Well written, great characters, told with a sense of the rapid pace that a story of this type requires, and you have a very good vampire/vampire slayer novel. Alan Ryker, who just added to his reputation with the excellent novel The Hoard, is one of the new crew of top notch dark fiction writers.… (plus d'informations)

Yet another great Darkfuse novella title. Best club out there. Gotta give props where they are deserved. I am just a member though, so I am just giving this information out to spread the news. Let's call it a public service announcement.

Alan Ryker is so close. Within a very short time he going to write a breakout novel. He is a well known secret among discerning dark fiction readers but that won't last. He is just too good.

This is the fourth book that I have read by Ryker. The first two were the Vampires of the Plains series which brought back the viscera and viciousness to the breed that has been missing since they were domesticated in the Twilight series. Even the cover is wickedly cool. After that I read The Hoard--one of the most original and discomforting books that I have read in years. That book literally makes you itch.

Now Ryker puts aside the horror and gives us a mystery told in a very original way. The story is told by four different characters in four separate, overlapping parts in third person omniscient perspective--which has the effect of slowly bringing the entire picture slowly into focus. Hitchcock would have really liked this story.

But it would just be a clever plot device if it weren't for the characters---and Ryker's hand contains all thirteen cards of that suit. From the damaged and chemically detached shop worker styling the hair of dolls, to the child trapped in the body of a seven foot tall monster of a man, to his self sacrificing nurse who truly cares for him, each character paints with different yet equally vibrant color.

If you have never read Alan Ryker before, then start here. You will definitely get a feel for his voice and skill. Beyond that, it is a hell of a good story and I am sure that you will be back for more.

… (plus d'informations)