louyardley's review
5.0
"Four" is a fantastic concept. A novella made up of four separate short stories, so fantastically put together that you're never quite sure where the next hit is going to come from... Or if the threat is real.
The pacing is perfect, with Blakey-Novis knowing exactly when to be spooky, when to throw in a bit of light-hearted comedy and when it's time for a spot of violence. The characters are well-rounded, interesting and, above all, realistic.
"Four" is a quick read. One that will leave you crying out for more. Luckily for us, there appears to be a sequel on the horizon.
The pacing is perfect, with Blakey-Novis knowing exactly when to be spooky, when to throw in a bit of light-hearted comedy and when it's time for a spot of violence. The characters are well-rounded, interesting and, above all, realistic.
"Four" is a quick read. One that will leave you crying out for more. Luckily for us, there appears to be a sequel on the horizon.
loram's review
4.0
This is the fourth of a four book series of anthologies with stories based on the elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water.
Although Fire is still my favourite, I think this one showed the most variety of ways in which to use the Water element in the stories. Out of the twelve stories, I would say seven of them were outstanding; Final Demand, which is about a sacrifice to a beast that lives beneath an island, High Tide, about a woman who inherits her aunt's seaside cottage but the real horror is her controlling mother, Water Goblins, about some seriously scary creatures that come out of the river when survivors of an apocalypse fish for food, Forsaken, based on an actual legend and delves into the world of madness, Home, about a ghostly girl murdered in a well, The Wreck of the Cartegena, a shipwreck story that leads to a real feeling of hopelessness and Test AIB4.1 Iteration 82345, about a scientific experiment that threatens to drown the subjects of the tests.
The series as a whole has been way above average and I'm glad I've got them in paperback because I think I'll be reading several of these stories again! Highly recommended for any Horror fan.
Although Fire is still my favourite, I think this one showed the most variety of ways in which to use the Water element in the stories. Out of the twelve stories, I would say seven of them were outstanding; Final Demand, which is about a sacrifice to a beast that lives beneath an island, High Tide, about a woman who inherits her aunt's seaside cottage but the real horror is her controlling mother, Water Goblins, about some seriously scary creatures that come out of the river when survivors of an apocalypse fish for food, Forsaken, based on an actual legend and delves into the world of madness, Home, about a ghostly girl murdered in a well, The Wreck of the Cartegena, a shipwreck story that leads to a real feeling of hopelessness and Test AIB4.1 Iteration 82345, about a scientific experiment that threatens to drown the subjects of the tests.
The series as a whole has been way above average and I'm glad I've got them in paperback because I think I'll be reading several of these stories again! Highly recommended for any Horror fan.
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