A review by shelleyrae
Dead Man's Eye by Shaun Jeffrey
3.0
Joanna's corneal transplant is not the outright success she had hoped for, a too-long stitch continues to irritate her shaky vision but doesn't explain the dark mist that seems to infiltrate the victim of a tragic accident she witnesses. To reassure herself, Joanna visit's the victim in hospital but it becomes evident that something is amiss with the injured man and Joanna is determined to discover what is hiding in the shadows.
Dead Man's Eye is a mix of supernatural horror and thriller packed tightly into a story of novella length.
Joanna makes for an appealing heroine as she stands against the encroaching evil. I thought her motivations credible and we learn just enough about her to be firmly on her side. I was less convinced by the inconsistencies in character of her boyfriend, Stephen, but his impact on the storyline is relatively minor so is easy to overlook. The portrayal of Lincoln, and his possession by Malachi, was well written, from Lincoln's puzzlement to Malachi's menace. I was however uncomfortable with the rape scene that seemed unnecessary and gratuitous to illustrate Malachi's evil.
The storyline of Dead Man's Eye is in general well thought out, though not particularly original. Others have mentioned it's similarity to a film ("The Eye")and the concept has appeared before in fiction. However that doesn't take away from the experience of reading this novella which a fine example of the genre. The only thing that concerned me was the purpose of the repeated visits to the other recipient of the transplant which seemed superfluous, achieving nothing in terms of advancing plot or character. The conclusion will not be to everyone's tastes but I quite like the open ended threat it leaves open to interpretation.
Dead Man's Eye is a fast paced combination of action and creeping dread that makes for a quick read in the tradition of an old fashioned horror story.
Dead Man's Eye is a mix of supernatural horror and thriller packed tightly into a story of novella length.
Joanna makes for an appealing heroine as she stands against the encroaching evil. I thought her motivations credible and we learn just enough about her to be firmly on her side. I was less convinced by the inconsistencies in character of her boyfriend, Stephen, but his impact on the storyline is relatively minor so is easy to overlook. The portrayal of Lincoln, and his possession by Malachi, was well written, from Lincoln's puzzlement to Malachi's menace. I was however uncomfortable with the rape scene that seemed unnecessary and gratuitous to illustrate Malachi's evil.
The storyline of Dead Man's Eye is in general well thought out, though not particularly original. Others have mentioned it's similarity to a film ("The Eye")and the concept has appeared before in fiction. However that doesn't take away from the experience of reading this novella which a fine example of the genre. The only thing that concerned me was the purpose of the repeated visits to the other recipient of the transplant which seemed superfluous, achieving nothing in terms of advancing plot or character. The conclusion will not be to everyone's tastes but I quite like the open ended threat it leaves open to interpretation.
Dead Man's Eye is a fast paced combination of action and creeping dread that makes for a quick read in the tradition of an old fashioned horror story.