Stalled Ox, A (Book)
Kelly Gerlach
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Written by Dean Moses
Published by Black Hill Press
Okay, let’s talk about A Stalled Ox for a moment. I’ve read a lot of horror stories (like… A LOT of horror stories), and generally I can predict what will happen, the direction that the story will move in, and who will be left at the end. That said, I’d like to give a slow clap to Dean Moses for throwing me off track in A Stalled Ox. From the first sentence, I was hooked – how can you not be when a cult leader called “God” is the primary focus of the initial dialogue?
The story is simple: Humans have messed up the world (shocking); we’re out of livestock and have no meat to eat. Try as scientists may, cloning isn’t working, and even household pets are on the endangered list. “God” has stepped in as a leader of a very elite group (aka a cult) that seems to be flourishing, even under dire conditions.
Enter Agent Howard Harrington, who is tasked with finding out who this “God” guy is and how he’s been supplying meat to his followers without the government knowing. Headed undercover with another agent, Harrington is met with more than he bargained for and horror that won’t be easy to forget.
Moses’ writing style is great. The story kept me entertained, and the characters were real enough to make me care about what happened to them. There were several supporting characters that I could relate to, which only added to the tension as I waited to find out what fate had in store for everyone. I cringed several times, had shivers more times than I care to admit, and may have had (okay, did have) a nightmare about a specific scene in A Stalled Ox.
If you like your horror more on the psychological side with a bit of blood and gore, pick up A Stalled Ox ASAP.
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Book
Categorized:Reviews
