Meet Brad.A quiet, hardworking man who goes about his daily routine with joy.He works as a telemarketer, trying his best to sell poorly made, over-priced products to the unsuspecting people on the other end of the phone.Brad doesn’t mind though, it’s a means to an end.Life’s about to change for Brad. Now that Father has anointed him the Chosen one, the one to open the gates and allow them to … the gates and allow them to flock into the Black Heavens.
Eternity awaits.
But is Brad ready to perform on the big day?
“’Ritual’ is a fast and thrilling dive into the depraved mind of a man and his dogma. It draws you into the horrors of a mysterious cult, and doesn’t let go until the very last page. I loved this story.” -Sonora Taylor, author of “Without Condition” and “Little Paranoias: Stories”
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Ritual by Steve Stred is a tale of extreme horror and blind faith, centered around a man being groomed to be the chosen one for his community.
This is the most graphic and brutal thing I have ever read from start to finish. While I enjoyed the flow of the story, and I can’t wait to see where the tale goes next the next two books in the Father of Lies Trilogy, this is one that I absolutely won’t be returning to. Killer work, Steve!
Ritual is must-read for fans of extreme horror!
This story is not for the squeamish. The book contains extreme content that even I found unsettling. It is intensely atmospheric, brutal and relentless. Like a lot of Stred’s books, the story is incredibly compelling. Although this is a short read, you go on a kind of journey with the character’s which makes RITUAL truly unputdownable. Lucky for you, the entire The Father of Lies trilogy is available AND Stred is releasing a new book which combines all three novellas as well as some bonus content.
RITUAL!
Brutal! Dark! Cults! Short! Novella! Twisted! Messed Up! Weird! Devils! Biblical! Ceremonies!
This was so much brutal, twisted fun AND can easily be read in one sitting, which is what I did. The protagonist Brad is so painfully ordinary that when things start going downhill, you’re pulling for him, weirdo that he is. At least, you’re pulling for him up to a certain point, anyway, and then you’re more likely to be physically backing away from the book, except your eyes are glued and you must go on to see what happens next.
In short: RITUAL Gets medieval on your ass!
Highly recommended for fans of warped, sick horror such as myself!
*I was provided an e-copy of this novella in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!
RITUAL by author Steve Stred, is a fast-paced novella that takes you into some deeply uncomfortable situations, without warning. We have a common worker, Brad, who strictly adheres to his routine day-to-day. He’s someone you wouldn’t think twice about in passing. He goes to work, reads his bible, visits the “Father” of his church, and goes to bed at a regular time, and doesn’t like disruptions to his schedule.
Sounds mundane enough, doesn’t it?
However, throughout these little excerpts of Brad’s routine, we see the darker, more uncomfortable things that are not your “ordinary” life patterns. Stred describes events in the same, matter of fact tone he uses throughout the novella: whether it’s when Brad is selling overpriced television sets at work, or the nature of the visits with Father.
Brad, while seen as a nondescript, everyday man, has been chosen for a role that the average person would never think of. And Stred delivers all the gory details of this for his readers to digest. This isn’t your average horror novella. This is a unique style that delivers its chills throughout, increasing the tension even when you don’t think it can get any higher.
Steve Stred is an author I definitely look forward to reading more from!
Recommended.
We all know “horror” has many subgenres. This one I’d file under demonic as well as DISTURBING. Stred plays on many of today’s sexual controversies in the church…and we are sickened, as we should be! In this book, “sick and twisted” is an everyday occurrence. To say any more would be to spoil it. If you like what I’ve said so far, you’ll enjoy RITUAL.