Dana Fredsti author of Plague Town and Comic Con panelist reviews Where the Dead Fear to Tread

Self described "Writer, swordfighter and crazy cat lady" on Where the Dead Fear to Tread

The first words that come to mind after reading Where the Dead Fear to Tread are "bleak" and "relentless." The world of William Chandler starts out dark and grim and M.R. Gott is not afraid to make it darker and grimmer with every page. The pace in the first half of the novel is slow but steady as Gott introduces characters and starts weaving various plot elements together with a careful eye for description. The third person present narrative is an interesting choice, something I found distracting at first. But it works and once I settled into the story, it definitely adds to the author's distinct narrative style. Lots of action and gore, monsters and creepy atmosphere (my favorite scene is in an old asylum and is one of the most disturbing and atmospheric things I've read in a long while), with a vigilante hero, a kick-ass female detective, and assorted interesting secondary characters. This book cries out to made into a graphic novel a la Sin City!

Four Stars

Dana Fredsti joins Max Brooks and other fantastic writers, for a panel celebratingeverything zombie At Comic Con 2012

NOT WITH A BANG, WITH ABITE
Thursday, July 12, 1:15 –2:15 p.m., Room 6A

Panelists: Dana Fredsti (Plague Town), Max Brooks (World War Z), Jeyn Roberts (Dark Inside), Michael Spradlin (Blood Risers), Mira Grant (Blackout), Diana Rowland (Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues),Stephen Blackmore (City of the Lost),Susan Dennard (Something Strange and Deadly)  -- Panel led by HornerJacobs (This Dark Earth).

Great prophets, religious scriptures, andscientific evidence points to apocalypse in 2012…but these authors envision theend of the world in the form of a zombie pandemic.  With their decaying, disintegrating, andsometimes flesh-eating tendencies, zombies have lurked their way into sciencefiction and fantasy novels and are here to stay.  Doomsday takes on a whole new meaning whenlosing limbs and lumbering across the earth are involved.  Learn how to survive everything from zombieinvasions to viral zombie infections.

PLAGUE TOWN novel will be available at a signing after the panel and at TITAN (BOOTH 5537).

Heraldedas “Sexy, weird, creepy, over-the-topzombie goodness” by Jonathan Maberry (PatientZero), DanaFredsti’s Plague Town is the first ina new urban fantasy series of zombie novels introducing Ashley Parker – anass-kicking heroine for the zombie generation whooffers up heavy doses of action, humor, and romance in the vein of PatriciaBriggs and Charlaine Harris.

Dana Fredsti   danafredsti.com  is a San Francisco-basednovelist and screenplay writer whose past works include Murder for Hire: ThePeruvian Pigeon.  As an actress shehas appeared in various horror films, and worked on Sam Raimi's Army ofDarkness as an armourer's assistant, sword-fighting captain, andsword-wielding Deadite.  A past presidentof the Sisters in Crime, Northern California chapter, she is a blogger who hasdone numerous podcasts and radio appearances, and is available for interviews.  

Wood by Robert Dunbar

Overview;

"Blessed is the creature that knows its purpose."

Woods surround a blighted section of a nameless city, and after dark something creeps forth into the streets, something that preys upon humans ... and may ultimately replace them.

One winter night, it begins to stalk a runaway girl.

The monster just made its first mistake.

“...watched human beings do things to one another-right here I this alley more often than not- that approached levels of savagery of which few animals could boast.”

Review;

Wood by Robert Dunbar is a moody atmospheric horror tale that excels like almost no other work in creating a living breathing setting.  This is combined with Dunbar’s amazing ability to create characters with a real sense of depth, without resorting to any tired clichés.  Dunbar’s prose is also some of the strongest in horror fiction bar none.  The story follows Rosaria’s escape from Juvenile detention to check on her ailing Nanna.  What follows are her encounters with a series of odd happenings and entities.  It would be fair to compare the narrative setup as being similar to a fairytale. 

What is clear is that Rosaria is being stalked by a creature or entity that is kept masterfully in shadows for the story’s bulk.  Here is Wood’s only failing, I found the reveal to be entirely underwhelming.  Perhaps this is because the tension was drawn so tight there was no reveal that I would have found satisfying.  While the Novella still ends on a high note the creature’s reveal was just underwhelming. 

In the End;

In Wood Robert Dunabr has creates an eerie setting that you can almost reach out and touch populated by well-constructed characters and events.  While the creature reveal didn’t work for me personally I would still recommend this novella.   

In the Grind House Tradition...Night of the Living Dead(1990)

With a screen play from George A Romero, a young enegetic Tony Todd and a bad ass Barbara played by Patricia Tallman, and direction from Tom Savini The Night of the Living Dead remake is a solid horror flick.  While not as scary or even gory as the original (massive cuts were made by the MPAA, would relish a chance to see Tom Savini's original cut) it is a fast fun entertaining flick.  Savini orchastes the scenes of chaos amazingly well and Todd, Tallman and Tom Towles also give great performances. 

Click any of the images to stream the film for free. 

Random fact Savini was supposed to do effects on the original, but was drafted and sent to Vietnam instead. 

Lyriq Bent plays Lyriq Rigg in Where the Dead Fear to Tread

...read(s) like a wild B-movie which, in the right hands, could be adapted into one hell of an RPG video game or a horror mini-series like True Blood, the book is a dark fantasy with a cast as big and as bold as its plot....It’s an interesting read that may get more interesting as the series continues, and who knows? It could be a future movie or video game franchise hit that you can brag about having picked up when it was just a humble indie e-book. Give it a chance and you may be surprised to find out Where the Dead Fear to Tread.

Robert Hibbs of Ravenous Monster

When writting Where the Dead Fear to Tread I had one actor in mind as perfectly embodying my Character.  Lyriq Bent to play Lyriq Rigg.  I saw Mr. Bent play Officer Daniel Rigg, and everything from his appearence to his demeanor was perfect.  In a place as Mr. Hibbs describes where the property is optioned he would be my first choice. 

"“Figured you’d want first crack at these punks,” Officer Lyriq Rigg jokes in a pre-emptive, defensive tone.

Kate’s cold gaze wordlessly prods the man’s dark skin, pronounced cheek bones and broad shouldered figure."

From Where the Dead Fear to Tread

"He is a broad shadowed silhouette with pronounced cheek bones.  He holds her eyes as he speaks with a confidence beyond his rank. 

“Madam, I am Officer Lyriq Rigg.  You appear injured please allow me to take you to the hospital.” 

Lyriq’s hand supports Tabitha’s arm.  As she rises his opposite hand supports her waist as he brings her to her feet."
From Where the Damned Fear Redemption

 

Urban Gothic by Brian Keene

Overview; 

On their way home from a concert six surbanites find themselves lost in Philadelphia with a broken down car.  When they are approached by a group of young black males they flee for safety into an old abandoned house. 

“Kerri had the impression that if she reached her hand out, the darkness would bbe a tangible thing, capable of sticking to her fingers like tar.”

Review;

 Brian Keene’s Urban Gothic is a brutal nearly nonstop grueling horror experience.  Before the first chapter is complete the six kids are in the house, and shit hits the fan.    There is absolutely no safety once in the house.  The teens are in constant danger with the smallest of respites between the attacks from the deformed humanoids within. 

The atmosphere of the story is the real star in this novel.  Every aspect of the house from the sounds smells and feels (the kids frequently find themselves in total darkness) are thoroughly and fully realized.  The creatures dwelling within are some of the most heinous creations in horror fiction bare none. 

One aspect of the story I appreciated the most was the will to survive of the entire cast.  There were no throwaway kills from the cast and it created a much bleaker atmosphere when the kids do everything right (except going into the house) and still end up dying horrible deaths. 

The kids were also a clear weak point as they were not as well developed as the casts of most of Keene’s other works. This is clearly an effect of starting the horror with such speed and fervor, but I can see it irritating some readers.  That is not to say the cast are 2D stock characters.  Their backgrounds are slowly filled in, however compared to other Keene novels they were the least defined characters he has created to my knowledge. 

The story bounces between the kids trapped within the building and the teens outside who are the indirect cause of their flight, trying to save them.  This was one of the most interesting aspects of the novel and was an interesting  technique to break up the near constant action from within the house. 

In the end;

Brian Keene’s Urban Gothic is one of the most relentless tense grueling horror novels I have ever read.  With an atmosphere I could reach out and touch combined with a tough group of survivors this novel will not disappoint those looking for a brutal action packed survival tale. 

Ravenous Monster Reviews Where the Dead Fear to Tread

"It could be a future movie or video game franchise hit that you can brag about having picked up when it was just a humble indie e-book. Give it a chance and you may be surprised to find out Where the Dead Fear to Tread."

Click above for Robert Hibbs full review.