Genre: Horror
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd
Publication Date: 7th April 2015
Pages: 81
MY REVIEW:
A copy of Boom Town was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Glenn Rolfe in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.
Eckert, Wisconsin has a history. 1979 saw reports of a unique UFO encounter. 30 years later and strange rumblings around town have people baffled. Some think they are earthquakes. Some think they are caused by underground earth dwellers. Some think the UFO left something behind. Two kids, Brady and Kim, discover something after the latest “boom” to hit the town. They take it upon themselves to try and discover what’s going on after Brady gets ill from touching some blue sludge. The blue sludge is the least of their worries.
This is the second short one I have read from Glenn Rolfe within a week or so. This, for me was without doubt the best. This has all the hallmarks of old “aliens landing on earth” films of our youth. I’m thinking back to the original 1953 War of the Worlds here. It has that sort of colourful atmosphere about it. It’s really good.
Brady and Kim are only twelve but have a certain maturity about them that makes you like them straight away. You can’t help but feel they are out of their depth in the story but at the same time, if anyone can solve the mystery then they can.
You get a little insight into their lives and neither of them have had an easy time of it up to this point. They have been best friends for years but something is blossoming between them and it’s quite sweet to read. What they have to deal with when the latest boom hits tests that part of their lives and they have to put everything on the line.
Mysterious things start to happen all over town. People and animals go missing and those that get “captured” slowly get sucked into an alien world of death and destruction as “something” starts a rampage to take over the world.
When the story takes off they get joined by Brady’s cousin, Kellen and, together, they try to save the town. This last section of the story is very well written. It’s tense. It will have you shifting in your seat as your heart rate quickens. If will have you reading with one eye closed and it will make your jaw hit your chest.
It’s a sad ending but in a way this proves something to me. Mr Rolfe is not going to be a story writer with, sometimes unnecessary, happy endings where all the heroes survive. This to me is a good thing. Horror isn’t nice. It’s not fluffy kittens and people do die. I’m just not telling you who.
You will be able to read this one in a couple of hours. It is very entertaining and has left me with an appetite for more of Glenn Rolfe’s writing. Looking forward to more of the same.
General rating:
★★★★ Close to perfect.
Horror rating:
★★★ Creepy but no jump out of my seat moments.
You can buy Boom Town here:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Synopsis:
Terror from below! In the summer of 1979, Eckert, Wisconsin, was the sight of the most unique UFO encounter in history. A young couple observed a saucer-like aircraft hovering over Hollers Hill. A blue beam blasted down from the center of the craft into the hill and caused the ground to rumble for miles. Now, thirty years later, Eckert is experiencing nightly rumbles that stir up wild rumors and garner outside attention. The earthly tremors are being blamed on everything from earthquakes to underground earth dwellers. Two pre-teens discover a pipe out behind Packard’s Flea Market uprooted by the “booms” and come into contact with the powerful ooze bubbling from within. What begins as curiosity will end in an afternoon of unbridled terror for the entire town.
Glenn Rolfe is an author, singer, songwriter and all around fun loving guy from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King and Richard Laymon. He and his wife, Meghan, have three children, Ruby, Ramona, and Axl. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness.
His novellas, ABRAM'S BRIDGE and BOOM TOWN, will be published by Samhain Publishing in 2015, followed later in the year by his novel, BLOOD and RAIN.
Pick up a copy of his debut novel, THE HAUNTED HALLS, available now from James Ward Kirk Publishing, or a copy of his short story collection, SLUSH.
You can see more of Glenn at his website.
Glenn's author page is here.
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd
Publication Date: 7th April 2015
Pages: 81
MY REVIEW:
A copy of Boom Town was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Glenn Rolfe in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.
Eckert, Wisconsin has a history. 1979 saw reports of a unique UFO encounter. 30 years later and strange rumblings around town have people baffled. Some think they are earthquakes. Some think they are caused by underground earth dwellers. Some think the UFO left something behind. Two kids, Brady and Kim, discover something after the latest “boom” to hit the town. They take it upon themselves to try and discover what’s going on after Brady gets ill from touching some blue sludge. The blue sludge is the least of their worries.
This is the second short one I have read from Glenn Rolfe within a week or so. This, for me was without doubt the best. This has all the hallmarks of old “aliens landing on earth” films of our youth. I’m thinking back to the original 1953 War of the Worlds here. It has that sort of colourful atmosphere about it. It’s really good.
Brady and Kim are only twelve but have a certain maturity about them that makes you like them straight away. You can’t help but feel they are out of their depth in the story but at the same time, if anyone can solve the mystery then they can.
You get a little insight into their lives and neither of them have had an easy time of it up to this point. They have been best friends for years but something is blossoming between them and it’s quite sweet to read. What they have to deal with when the latest boom hits tests that part of their lives and they have to put everything on the line.
Mysterious things start to happen all over town. People and animals go missing and those that get “captured” slowly get sucked into an alien world of death and destruction as “something” starts a rampage to take over the world.
When the story takes off they get joined by Brady’s cousin, Kellen and, together, they try to save the town. This last section of the story is very well written. It’s tense. It will have you shifting in your seat as your heart rate quickens. If will have you reading with one eye closed and it will make your jaw hit your chest.
It’s a sad ending but in a way this proves something to me. Mr Rolfe is not going to be a story writer with, sometimes unnecessary, happy endings where all the heroes survive. This to me is a good thing. Horror isn’t nice. It’s not fluffy kittens and people do die. I’m just not telling you who.
You will be able to read this one in a couple of hours. It is very entertaining and has left me with an appetite for more of Glenn Rolfe’s writing. Looking forward to more of the same.
General rating:
★★★★ Close to perfect.
Horror rating:
★★★ Creepy but no jump out of my seat moments.
You can buy Boom Town here:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Synopsis:
Terror from below! In the summer of 1979, Eckert, Wisconsin, was the sight of the most unique UFO encounter in history. A young couple observed a saucer-like aircraft hovering over Hollers Hill. A blue beam blasted down from the center of the craft into the hill and caused the ground to rumble for miles. Now, thirty years later, Eckert is experiencing nightly rumbles that stir up wild rumors and garner outside attention. The earthly tremors are being blamed on everything from earthquakes to underground earth dwellers. Two pre-teens discover a pipe out behind Packard’s Flea Market uprooted by the “booms” and come into contact with the powerful ooze bubbling from within. What begins as curiosity will end in an afternoon of unbridled terror for the entire town.
His novellas, ABRAM'S BRIDGE and BOOM TOWN, will be published by Samhain Publishing in 2015, followed later in the year by his novel, BLOOD and RAIN.
Pick up a copy of his debut novel, THE HAUNTED HALLS, available now from James Ward Kirk Publishing, or a copy of his short story collection, SLUSH.
You can see more of Glenn at his website.
Glenn's author page is here.
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