Bob @ Beauty in Ruins
PLEASE NOTE: I'm rarely active here anymore, but please feel free to follow me on Goodreads, where I post regularly.
These are the chronicles of a book addict, a photo junkie, and an aspiring author, rewriting the very fabric of reality one page (and one snapshot) at a time. From the strange to the unusual; the abandoned to the abnormal; the haunted to the historic; the supernatural to the surreal; the forests of dark fantasy, the cemeteries of gothic horror, and the post-apocalyptic ruins of science fiction are the landscapes of my imagination.
Currently reading
Horror Review: The Dreaming Demon by Alex Avrio
Through a series of stories nested within stories, the memories of an old man, and the revelations of an ancient manuscript, Alex Avrio introduces us to the tale of The Dreaming Demon.
It's a relatively short tale, at under 50 pages, but Avrio packs a lot of story and atmosphere into it. His narrative pulls you in right away, hooks you with the promise of old fashioned adventure, and then sinks its fangs into you with some surprisingly effective supernatural horror.
This is a story that crosses several generations, following the siren song of the Dreaming Demon, the Aztec temple that serves as her final resting place, and the tribes who ensure nothing shall ever escape to threaten the world once again. The settings are fantastic and well-detailed, and the atmosphere is perfect for each nested narrative.
If you're looking for some old-fashioned chills in the vein of Poe or Doyle, then The Dreaming Demon is well worth a read.
1