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Published: July 30, 2010
Words: 7277 (approximate)
Language: English
Ebook short description
A short story. Overcome by insomnia and depression, Mitch Haloa passes his days alone in his neglected home until he begins speaking to a mysterious voice that creeps within the forest behind his house; A voice that soon haunts his every thought, that prods at the cracks in his already fragile reality; that calls for Mitch to lose himself, to leave one darkness in favor of another...Extended description
Dreamland Crocotta is a short story about a depressed insomniac, passing his days alone. Alone, that is, until he begins speaking to a voice that creeps within the forest behind his house...Speaking toward depression and those deeper hateful urges that cling to us in our hardest times, Dreamland Crocotta is a study of the mind as much the supernatural, blurring the lines until a depth seeps from the shadows, a depth that reminds us that the truest battles are those from within.
"We're in... territory [of] mystery and mysterious places... We and the characters seem to move across boundaries, real ones involving the landscape, and emotional ones, where the lines between dream, fantasy, and reality get blurred." -Leslee Becker, Author and Professor.
Karl Pfeiffer is an aspiring novelist, journalist, paranormal investigator, lecturer, college student, and ghost hunter at the Stanley Hotel. Forever a romantic, he can't resist those things dark, epic, and mysterious, and this comes throu... (Read more)
Adult-content rating:
This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages. For more information, see the Support FAQ.
Tags
horror, paranormal, psychological, dark, creature, insomniaAvailable ebook reading formats
Single purchase gains access to all formats. How to download ebooks to e-reading devices and apps.| Format | Full Book | Sample First 50% |
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| Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices) | Buy | Download sample |
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Reviews
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Review by:
Susan Glover
on Sep. 05, 2010 :
Although this is a short story, it was great, not too exhaustive yet complete and compelling enough to keep you wondering how the story will end. The story follows an unemployed Mitch, a man at home alone, appearing to be awake for weeks on end, and clearly at odds with the downward spiral his life is taking. Through the use of vivid imagery, the reader tries to make sense of his deteriorating home, relationships and life. During his lowest points, Mitch is drawn to an evil force in the bushes behind his home. He doesn't know what it is, he can't quite see it, but it calls to him and haunts him often. What is this demonic force? Is this an actual being, taunting him from just beyond his reach? Or is it his own unstable mind, caused by a slow mental breakdown? Several family members try to get Mitch the help he needs, but he seems complacent enough to carry on as though nothing was wrong. During one pivotal conversation with his brother on the phone, it's easy to see Mitch's mental state. Mitch speaks simultaneously with both the brother and the demon he sees in the forest. It gets to the point where it was hard to tell whether the brother or the beast was responding. By this point, it was easy to feel sympathy for Mitch and feel how desperate his mind was becoming. The end was unique and climactic, as Mitch goes to extremes to rid himself of the beast that has been plaguing him. He feels confident his attack worked, yet logic tells you it's actually the beast that has won. It's a superb ending, the likes of which I'd find on shows such as the Twilight Zone. The story flips between first and third person a few times, not sure if this is deliberate, but considering the nature of the story, it's definitely appropriate and adds to the mystery of Mitch and the beast that plagues him. I'd definitely read more works from this author.
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review by:
David Hulegaard
on Aug. 29, 2010 :
From the first page, it becomes quite obvious that Karl is passionate about imagery and has an uncanny ability to put even the most intricate detail into words. As I read this story, it was as though a mini-movie played along in my mind's eye like a visual bookmark of my progression through the story. There are few characters in the story, but Karl is able to breathe life into them in a way that allows you accompany them on their journey.
The subject matter is dark, but not entirely unrelatable. We've all stood at a fork in the road at one time or another and contemplated the result that would accompany each path. Mitch's descent into the dark recesses of his own mind demonstrate how in life we are our own worst enemy. There are people around us that may try to throw us a rope as we drown in self-reflection, but we are nothing without our own strength from within.
Dreamland Crocotta is a brief, but entertaining, read that explores the human mind as it comes into contact with "the darkness." Karl has done a spectacular job in capturing the long downward spiral of Mitch's life, which progresses at a pace that is both easy to digest and challenging to stomach at times. Overall, a great piece of work by a very talented author.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)