Bradley Convissar

Bradley Convissar's DOGS OF WAR is a new take on a ghost story, one with twists at every turn and easy to read. I was fascinated by the detail given with regard to the horrific elements of the story. Told in first person, the objective and subjective views of the main character are spot on, unlike many first person accounts in other books where the views are a distraction and asides are all too often. The dogs themselves are anthropomorphic in their actions, but not to the point of being show more unrealistically so. The ferocity of the animals is easily understood thanks to firm character building.

There were times in the book that Convissar's writing reminded me of Poe or Verne. While set in the present, there is a distinct Victorian feel to his work and I look forward to reading more.

All in all, DOGS OF WAR is a well-written ghost story that drags the reader into a feeling of comfort before stabbing him or her in the heart with horror. show less

Convissar twists sex, religion and the paranormal to create four original horror tales that nudge the boundaries of good taste in Pandora’s Children: Book 3: Death Bleed Into Life.
My enjoyment of each story varied, based on both theme and style. I thought ‘A Matter of Faith, A Matter of Balance’ had the tightest narrative, but the inspiration for the story was the most disturbing for me. Of the four I liked ‘The Transfer’ least, the plot was fairly transparent and the ending made show more my skin crawl, but not in a good way. ‘Madame Penitent’ reminded me of Steven King’s early short stories with a young man on a road trip, encountering a strange building on a deserted road. The plot of ‘Just Meat’ is closest to a traditional ghost story and I thought the idea was interesting but the execution could have been a little less sentimental.
In general, this is a well written collection of short stories that are as darkly entertaining as they are discomforting. Convissar’s enthusiasm for his craft is evident in his introduction and I think he achieves his goal of writing engaging short stories that rely on psychological manipulation of perception more than descriptive shock value, in each instance. The tone and content makes these stories more suitable for an adult audience, and likely more appealing to a male reader. Pandora’s Children Book 3 is a quick read that delivers the dark chills it promises, I can only hope the stories of Death Bleeds Into Life don’t surface in my nightmares. show less

Pretty intriguing thriller with a twist on possession. Centers on Molly Blackburn, a woman who while alive was abused in the most horrible ways possible, and when dead is intent on making every man she encounters pay for that abuse.

SPOILER AHEAD:

I do find it somewhat troubling that the man who must carry the agent of her destruction comes across as somewhat misogynistic. One could get the message that women really need to stay in their place and take whatever comes their way...

This book is very interesting as it's not what you would think of as horror. Most of this book deals with real life horrors, things that can happen to any of us in our lifetime.

I am so glad I read this book. Some stories did make me a tad uncomfortable, but not because they were poorly written. I was uncomfortable because I could kind of relate some times.

There are a few typos and grammar mistakes, but there aren't too many as to take away from the book.

I'd definitely recommend this book.