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ljpopa's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jeanne25's review
4.0
This was my first book by the author. I loved the various styles of writing he used in the stories. The characters were vivid. The stories were engaging and they flowed really well. I don't recall any grammatical issues. (Thank you, that is so distracting!) I don't scare easily but I did find many stories disturbing. While there were a few chuckles here and there, many stories ended in a manner that was uncomfortable. I really enjoyed this ride and will be looking for more from the author.
motherhorror's review
4.0
This review originally appeared in the Sept/Oct 2019 issue #56 of SCREAM Mag
According to Matthew V. Brockmeyer’s author bio, he lives in the redwoods of Northern California which makes me happy I moved away from that area and two states away to Washington because Brockmeyer scares me. I mean, I’m sure he’s a normal guy. I bet he puts his pants on one leg at a time. He probably eats his dinner with his family and uses a napkin. He’s probably a well-adjusted, kind-to-strangers-type-of-guy as most horror authors tend to be--
However, these stories of his in UNDER ROTTING SKY are appalling.
They’re wicked.
Disturbing. Unsettling. Foul. Dark. Ugly.
And you can’t stop reading them. That’s maybe the most horrifying aspect of this story collection. As much as the words on the page startle you and repulse you, Brockmeyer’s effortlessly stylistic and literary prose completely and utterly mesmerize you.
Take for instance the first story, MINE. At first blush, it feels like a coming of age story as you follow a young boy dressed in a wolf suit named Max who lives in poverty with his older brother and his overweight, housebound mother. Something dark is lurking around the edges of the story. You feel the tension as you read it. You fear the worst as the young boy fixates on a female classmate. The story comes to a close and you don’t feel nervous anymore because your worst fears are realized and now you know. Now you’re just disturbed by what you just read and more disturbing than that is your desire for more stories like that one.
Why did I finish this whole collection if the tales were that morose? That disgusting? You’ll see. Try to pry your eyes away from the story of a junky haunted by a ghost.
Close the book on the legend of a witch so powerful, she can turn a boy into a pig. A lifeguard with a sexual agenda. Twins possessed by demons who terrorize their father. I’m purposefully not disclosing the more harrowing bits about these stories.
Twenty different tales and I swear, each one darker than the last.
If I’m honest with myself, I had zero issues with Brockmeyer’s ability to write. That much is obvious--skills abound. But I struggle to rate it the highest score only because some of the stories were so foul, I skimmed over some of the more gruesome bits or I skipped to the ending. But I only did that three times that I remember and one time I just plain didn’t like the story. It’s this reader’s opinion that this collection will be too visceral, too unflinching for some but for most horror fans, this is a home run and fans will want to keep Brockmeyer’s name on their list of ones to watch.
4 out of 5 skulls
Sadie Hartmann
According to Matthew V. Brockmeyer’s author bio, he lives in the redwoods of Northern California which makes me happy I moved away from that area and two states away to Washington because Brockmeyer scares me. I mean, I’m sure he’s a normal guy. I bet he puts his pants on one leg at a time. He probably eats his dinner with his family and uses a napkin. He’s probably a well-adjusted, kind-to-strangers-type-of-guy as most horror authors tend to be--
However, these stories of his in UNDER ROTTING SKY are appalling.
They’re wicked.
Disturbing. Unsettling. Foul. Dark. Ugly.
And you can’t stop reading them. That’s maybe the most horrifying aspect of this story collection. As much as the words on the page startle you and repulse you, Brockmeyer’s effortlessly stylistic and literary prose completely and utterly mesmerize you.
Take for instance the first story, MINE. At first blush, it feels like a coming of age story as you follow a young boy dressed in a wolf suit named Max who lives in poverty with his older brother and his overweight, housebound mother. Something dark is lurking around the edges of the story. You feel the tension as you read it. You fear the worst as the young boy fixates on a female classmate. The story comes to a close and you don’t feel nervous anymore because your worst fears are realized and now you know. Now you’re just disturbed by what you just read and more disturbing than that is your desire for more stories like that one.
Why did I finish this whole collection if the tales were that morose? That disgusting? You’ll see. Try to pry your eyes away from the story of a junky haunted by a ghost.
Close the book on the legend of a witch so powerful, she can turn a boy into a pig. A lifeguard with a sexual agenda. Twins possessed by demons who terrorize their father. I’m purposefully not disclosing the more harrowing bits about these stories.
Twenty different tales and I swear, each one darker than the last.
If I’m honest with myself, I had zero issues with Brockmeyer’s ability to write. That much is obvious--skills abound. But I struggle to rate it the highest score only because some of the stories were so foul, I skimmed over some of the more gruesome bits or I skipped to the ending. But I only did that three times that I remember and one time I just plain didn’t like the story. It’s this reader’s opinion that this collection will be too visceral, too unflinching for some but for most horror fans, this is a home run and fans will want to keep Brockmeyer’s name on their list of ones to watch.
4 out of 5 skulls
Sadie Hartmann
0hfortheloveofbooks's review
5.0
“Because [darkness] is there, that's why. Because there is no denying it. Because looking away is being a coward and lying to yourself. And to not acknowledge it would be to give it more power.”
These stories were bloody and emotional and disturbing and beautiful. Multiple times as I'd come to the end of another story I'd think “ok this is my new favorite.” Every story completely blindsided me. I thought I knew where they were going yet Brockmeyer surprised me every time. I'm not going to lie, a couple stories were horrific; they made me intensely uncomfortable yet it's evident how much thought he put into his craft and the stories are not solely for shock value. He has a clear goal in mind, a purpose, and as crazy as the story is, it never gets muddled down or confused.
The first story, Mine, was the best introduction to this short story collection anyone could ask for, and when all is said and done, it is one of my favorites by far. It was reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are which is one of my favorite children's books. (And we need to take a moment to appreciate the cover art! Daniele Serra killed it with his macabre Max.) I loved how Brockmeyer took a beloved children's book and made it decidedly unchildlike. It's like when King took something so comforting to me - The Wizard of Oz - and made it dark and creepy. It really crawls under your skin and stays with you.
A lot of these stories were inspired by children's tales. But these were anything but watered down Disney fairy tales. These were some DARK and twisted fairy tales. These stories explored the dark side of childhood, the unhappily ever after, the princess isn't saved at the end (the princess is hacked into bloody pieces and fed to the birds more like it). But there was a balanced mix between these fairy tales and real life horrors. Some of my favorites include:
Carried Statues - it speaks volumes to a writer's ability when he can pack such an emotional punch into two pages
A New Man - this story was about a man looking for love and acceptance...with a twist. It made my skin crawl. And that ending!
Have a Heart - I literally said out loud “yeah Brockmeyer have a heart!”
Under Rotting Sky - so melancholy and sad
The Gym Teacher - I thought this story was a perfect ending to the collection. It encapsulated many different ideas of horror.
Whether the stories were of the supernatural, Lovecraftian horror variety or the very human, very real, dirty, grimy horror each story shines a light on the dark side of life lurking in the shadows or hiding in the gutters, to show us monsters walk among us.
A huge thank you to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
These stories were bloody and emotional and disturbing and beautiful. Multiple times as I'd come to the end of another story I'd think “ok this is my new favorite.” Every story completely blindsided me. I thought I knew where they were going yet Brockmeyer surprised me every time. I'm not going to lie, a couple stories were horrific; they made me intensely uncomfortable yet it's evident how much thought he put into his craft and the stories are not solely for shock value. He has a clear goal in mind, a purpose, and as crazy as the story is, it never gets muddled down or confused.
The first story, Mine, was the best introduction to this short story collection anyone could ask for, and when all is said and done, it is one of my favorites by far. It was reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are which is one of my favorite children's books. (And we need to take a moment to appreciate the cover art! Daniele Serra killed it with his macabre Max.) I loved how Brockmeyer took a beloved children's book and made it decidedly unchildlike. It's like when King took something so comforting to me - The Wizard of Oz - and made it dark and creepy. It really crawls under your skin and stays with you.
A lot of these stories were inspired by children's tales. But these were anything but watered down Disney fairy tales. These were some DARK and twisted fairy tales. These stories explored the dark side of childhood, the unhappily ever after, the princess isn't saved at the end (the princess is hacked into bloody pieces and fed to the birds more like it). But there was a balanced mix between these fairy tales and real life horrors. Some of my favorites include:
Carried Statues - it speaks volumes to a writer's ability when he can pack such an emotional punch into two pages
A New Man - this story was about a man looking for love and acceptance...with a twist. It made my skin crawl. And that ending!
Have a Heart - I literally said out loud “yeah Brockmeyer have a heart!”
Under Rotting Sky - so melancholy and sad
The Gym Teacher - I thought this story was a perfect ending to the collection. It encapsulated many different ideas of horror.
Whether the stories were of the supernatural, Lovecraftian horror variety or the very human, very real, dirty, grimy horror each story shines a light on the dark side of life lurking in the shadows or hiding in the gutters, to show us monsters walk among us.
A huge thank you to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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