Screenwriter: Josh Hancock
In late 2016, I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing The Stone Man and Other Strange Stories, author Micah Castle’s first published collection of short stories. The seven stories in the collection are filled with grotesque and supernatural imagery, believable characters, and themes, illustrating the mundane aspects of life and the universal struggle between the unexplainable and the downright weird. Castle demonstrates a streamlined writing style that drew me directly into the Lovecraftian world of each story and had me reading the series with enthusiasm to the end. Therefore, with that wonderful memory in mind, I read the author’s second publication with great enthusiasm: Who is talking on the other side?Here, as in his first collection, Castle displays a keen eye for unforgettable detail in these ten bizarre and eerie stories.
Who is talking on the other side? Destined to become a permanent part of your nightmares. The eponymous story (and one of the best in the collection) tells the horror story of a young customer service agent who begins receiving terrifying email messages on her work computer. When the protagonist finally finds the source of the emails, the story goes from being an intriguing mystery to an all-out horror fest. By the climax, the imagery is extremely disturbing, and the protagonist’s discovery is as horrifying and painful as ever. When readers learn who (or what) is “talking from the other side,” they may never use a computer the same way again…
As in the rest of the series, Castle uses a concise writing style that gives the stories the feel and atmosphere of an urban legend or campfire story. Many of the stories are short, with minimal characterization and direct and gripping plot setups. While some readers might enjoy a deeper understanding of the main and secondary characters, others will enjoy the way the action and horror unfold swiftly. “Misplaced Trust” tells an unsettling birth horror story where every line rings true; “The House on Chestnut Street” takes a haunted house and turns it into a metaphysical nightmare of non-human monsters; and “Inside Out” depicts an otherworldly dimension with a simple conversation between two friends. My favorite story is “The Sound of a Silent Forest,” which has Blair Witch But it also has a psychedelic science fiction color. Castle’s impressive second volume is a perfect choice for readers who want something both familiar and otherworldly.
Sometimes the brevity of these ten stories doesn’t always work. For example, one of the more interesting pieces in the series, “The Note Under the Stone,” begins with the following sentence: “While walking to the dollar store to buy milk, Greg noticed a note under the stone. He decided to ignore it so that he No time was wasted, though, he thought, if it was still there on the way back, I would pick it up. “In this story and several others, the language is sometimes too bland; therefore, it is difficult to accept the characters and them. Weird environment.Likewise, many stories Who is talking on the other side? function more like urban legends, or could be turned into larger, richer, and even more effective pieces of fiction. In addition, nearly every story has multiple grammatical and mechanical errors that I hope the author will correct before full publication (I received a review copy of the series, so hopefully they will be fixed).
Micah Castle Who is talking on the other side? Everything a horror fan loves is covered: eerie locations, horrific discoveries, unfathomable creatures, characters caught up in horrific situations, and even some moments of philosophical insight. This new series is perfect for fans of HP Lovecraft or Karl Edward Wagner, as well as anyone who craves to enter a spooky, spooky, supernatural world. What horrors will happen on Winter Morning? What terrors lurk in the text of Johnny’s Story? The answers to these questions and more await those who are lucky enough to discover this emerging horror writer. To learn more about Mr. Castle, you can visit his website (here) and his Amazon page (here) to get your own copy of the work.
Rating: 4/5
