This feature provides reviews of individual short stories. This meme was created by 365 Days of Reading. I wont be posting these every Saturday, but I will be as much as I can.
This week I have moved this post to Sunday. Tonight I'm going to once again chat about Vampires Don't Sparkle. This weeks story is The Darkton Circus Mystery by Elizabeth Massie.
Title: Vampires Don't Sparkle
Story: The Darkton Circus Mystery
Author: Elizabeth MassieWhat would you do if you had unlimited power and eternal life? Would you…go back to high school? Attend the same classes year after year, going through the pomp and circumstance of one graduation after another, until you found the perfect date to take to prom? Would you…spend your days moping and brooding, finding your only joy in a game of baseball on a stormy day? Or would you…do something else? The authors of this collection have a few ideas; some fanciful, some humorous, and some as dark as an endless night. Join us, and discover what it truly means to be “vampyre.” Edited by Michael West Foreword by Michael West “A New Life” by J. F. Gonzalez “What Once was Flesh” by Tim Waggoner “The Darkton Circus Mystery” by Elizabeth Massie “Robot Vampire” by R. J. Sullivan “Beneath a Templar Cross” by Gord Rollo “The Weapon of Memory” by Kyle S. Johnson “The Excavation” by Stephen Zimmer “Skraeling” by Joel A. Sutherland “Dreams of Winter” by Bob Freeman “Dracula’s Winkee: Bloodsucker Blues” by Gregory L. Hall “I Fuck Your Sunshine” by Lucy A. Snyder “A Soldier’s Story” by Maurice Broaddus “Rattenkönig” by Douglas F. Warrick “Vampire Nation” by Jerry Gordon “Curtain Call” by Gary A. Braunbeck A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to cancer research institutions to fight the real horrors of Cancer.
I'm very excited about this story, loved reading it. Come on what's not to love; vampires, a circus, and a great ending, equals an amazing story. Even though its short and I wished it was a lot longer, I enjoyed reading it immensely.
The Darkton Circus Mystery revolves around...well the circus mystery, which is in the back of a traveling trailer. In the beginning of this story, we find out that the owner of the travailing circus has picked up his daughter for the trip and he tells her under no cicumstances should she go in the back because there is a huge snake in there, what do you think she does? What do you think is actually in there?
I don't want to give any more of the story away, just know the ending of this short story isn't what I was imagining as I read the story! A perfect ending to this fangtastic story.
The way author Elizabeth Massie tells this story makes you beg for more of the story after the last page is turned. The plot is perfectly set up and the characters, well let's just say they are deliciously portrayed. The dad is well, brutally blunt, angry, and doesn't show his daughter any love. The daughter, Kelly, well she is one that just begs for attention and love. I think they were both perfect characters for this story.
The only thing I have against this book, is I would have loved to see each story have its own cover. I keep wondering what would be on the cover for these stories, especially this one.
I can't wait to read more short stories in this great book. If you like Vampires then this anthology is perfect for you. But fair warning, they aren't the sparkly kind of vampires. They are kick ass brutle ones that will suck the blood out of any human. ;)
I would give The Darkton Circus Mystery a:
I loved this story!
Stay tuned for the next story in this book, it will be posted on June 15th.
