Location: United States
Member Since: Sep. 08, 2011
Alexis Hunter
Books
This member has not published any books.Smashwords book reviews by Alexis Hunter
- Children of the Moon: A Werewolf Anthology
on Sep. 13, 2011
There wasn't one story in this anthology that I did not absolutely love. I read the entire thing over the course of one weekend - flipping 'pages' on my ipod kindle app whenever I could get the chance. In my opinion, Misanthrope Press avoided one of the pitfalls of anthology publishing which many other publishers fall right into. I've read many an themed anthology where every story feels achingly familiar to the last, until each character becomes in the mind just a blend of the other. Those anthologies are hard to read through. Children of the Moon, I promise, is nothing like that. Each story involves werewolves, of course. But each tale is unique. Each character stands out, and there's quite a few twist endings to make you sit back and grin. What each story has in common is its rich detail, believable characters and clever twists on what can sometimes be a tired theme. After reading Children of the Moon, I find myself very impressed with the selection of authors, as well as with Misanthrope Press itself. Without a doubt I will be waiting and watching for their next published anthology - and I would recommend this and any work published by Misanthrope to anyone.
- Etched Offerings: Voices From the Cauldron of Story
on Jan. 01, 2012
A great story moves you - to tears, to laughter, to anger, or simply eliciting a muted sigh of awe. The stories contained within Etched Offerings moved me to both sides of the spectrum. Inanna Gabriel's 'Etched Offerings' (the story itself) filled me with awe. Full of swirling and beautiful words, Gabriel painted a very vivid picture and drew me in from the start. Ryan James Loyd's "Banana Thing" brought me to laughter halfway through the story, but managed to challenge and intrigue me as well as entertain. And "Empty Places" by Erin Searles...well, it just brought tears to my eyes and an ache to my heart. For those enjoy dark fiction, there's one or two dark stories within to satisfy that desire. What I'm trying to illustrate here is that there is a large variety of stories within this anthology, as I have come to expect of Misanthrope Press. While maintaining the same theme - Pagan Fiction - each story is different, unique and offers a different feeling for the reader. The one uniting thread through all of these stories is the gorgeous prose and vivid descriptions. Whether you subscribe to a pagan belief system or not, I believe you will enjoy these stories. I myself am not pagan, but I enjoyed every moment with this anthology - allowing myself to become lost in the imagining of it all. The beauty of magic and a love of the earth that can appeal to all people, I believe. In the end, Misanthrope Press stood and delivered that high quality, unique combination of stories that leaves me happy and wanting more.
- Act Three Scene Four
on Jan. 17, 2012
For me, "Act Three, Scene Four" was not so much about a monster as it was about the transformation of a man into a monster. The story is a fantastic horror novel, full of dark moments, moving characters and strong writing. Instead of focusing on over-the-top gory deeds and cheap thrills, Inanna Gabriel brings this story into play before the monster is made. The most intriguing part of this book is watching this slow transformation. The little things that all crush together like a snowball rolling downhill until you reach the inevitable end. Early on in the novel I figured out who the monster would be - but it didn't matter and it didn't spoil a thing. I still found myself irresistibly drawn onward as the transformation continued. By the time I had finished reading this novel my eyes hurt from staring at my iPod screen for so long, but I was too happy with the story to care. I could honestly see this as a movie. "Act Three, Scene Four" definitely excels in its creepy factor. There's a bit of gore, but nothing over the top. If you're a fan of horror, I think you'll enjoy this one for sure. As I said, captivating writing, interesting characters and a thrilling plot.
- Men of Five
on Jan. 17, 2012
Men of Five is an intriguing and exciting read for sure. Following the tale of a five man team sent on a reconnaissance mission to a foreign planet, this story had me speeding through the pages. The action drags you along, the mystery propels you forward, until you find yourself almost as desperate as Yerik to see what the strange structure is they've been sent to investigate. This novella has all the makings of a fantastic sci-fi story - the mystery of a deadly planet, a strong main character bent on a goal, a touch of romance that makes you root for the good guys even more, violence, bloodshed, and a nice twist of an ending to leave you satisfied. The writing itself is wonderful. Not too flowery, but with a knack for describing this world so that you can see it clearly in your mind. Brown has a way with words that will never leave you bored. All in all, it's a great read, especially for those who enjoy the sci-fi genre.