frank_atlas's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
ARC review. Thank you Bert for sending me an ARC!
This book had me feeling unsettled from the very beginning. “The Roots Grow Into The Earth” is so nicely written, descriptive, creepy, unsettling. A fantastic collection of short stories, but all connected. I cannot wait for more from Bert, he truly has the craft of writing down and is a fantastic story teller!! Disturbing body horror(without being too over the top for those who are not a fan of graphic content) and such chilling cosmic horror. Definitely pick this one up if you have a chance!
This book had me feeling unsettled from the very beginning. “The Roots Grow Into The Earth” is so nicely written, descriptive, creepy, unsettling. A fantastic collection of short stories, but all connected. I cannot wait for more from Bert, he truly has the craft of writing down and is a fantastic story teller!! Disturbing body horror(without being too over the top for those who are not a fan of graphic content) and such chilling cosmic horror. Definitely pick this one up if you have a chance!
bucher_freund's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
This unnerving short story collection leans heavily into the cosmic and the weird. Lechner's writing is poetic and emotional. His storytelling style can be ambiguous and meandering, which works in places, although I found some of the narratives confusing. However, this approach makes sense with the author's intent of creating melancholy and macabre moments of unreality and the unknown.
Favorite stories for me were Interstate, about a woman battling a cosmic evil on the side of a highway, His Castle Crumbles, about a man trying to hold together his reality through the worship of an otherworldly Patron, and the absolute stand out, The Orchestra, a beautifully violent tale of a transcendent piece of music that has a maddening effect on its listeners.
Favorite stories for me were Interstate, about a woman battling a cosmic evil on the side of a highway, His Castle Crumbles, about a man trying to hold together his reality through the worship of an otherworldly Patron, and the absolute stand out, The Orchestra, a beautifully violent tale of a transcendent piece of music that has a maddening effect on its listeners.
mcgbreads's review
3.0
I got this ARC from Hidden Gems Books and this review is, of course, voluntary.
A nice collection of horror stories that's very well-written. The writing is very descriptive, so it paints clear pictures and provides a lot of insight into what the characters are experiencing.
Not all of them were particularly horror-inducing to me personally, but a few of them were very off-putting. My favorite one would be "The Wall."
Also, I'd like to note that the influences the author mentions (Stephen King among them) are clear in his work, but he has his own style. Overall, I recommend this if you like cosmic horror!
A nice collection of horror stories that's very well-written. The writing is very descriptive, so it paints clear pictures and provides a lot of insight into what the characters are experiencing.
Not all of them were particularly horror-inducing to me personally, but a few of them were very off-putting. My favorite one would be "The Wall."
Also, I'd like to note that the influences the author mentions (Stephen King among them) are clear in his work, but he has his own style. Overall, I recommend this if you like cosmic horror!
loper100's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A great collection of dark fantasy and horror short stories, including two short novellas, that build on themes of body horror, abuse, and mental fatigue. Absolutely worth any fan of the genre's time.
More...