Genre: Horror
Length: 87 Pages
Publisher: Hear Our Voice LLC
Release date: May 5, 2022
Synopsis:
Welcome to the dark world of Chad Miller. Presented before you are 15 dark, morbid, and sometimes humorous tales that explore the evil, depravity, and sickness that devours the human condition. Goodness and light exist in our world, but sometimes the darkness is inescapable, like a black hole, encompassing us all as we fall into the void.
We see an AI life form trapped in his computer cage, as the world has died around him. He’s in despair, his only eyes staring at his decaying creator as he’s forced to face the reality of eternal isolation.
Meet Ana. On the eve of her first day, living away from home in a college dormitory, she slumbers off to sleep on her first night. Ana receives a mysterious night visitor as he pulls up a chair to her bed, so that he can tell his tale. Ana’s father recounts the story of how he was stolen away from her life in a Nazi concentration camp.
And then poor Jared. He’s a pharmacist, overworked, never receiving a break. His overfilled bladder is ready to burst, but the demands of his job won’t allow even a minute for a bathroom run. See Jared’s horror in excruciating detail when his biggest nightmare comes true when he finally reaches the toilet.
The darkness is unavoidable, so pry your fingers from your eyes and take a peek inside. Enter if you dare…
My Review-
I had a great time reading this collection of shorts from Chad Miller. The Void is original, fresh and doesn’t fall into the trap of over used tropes. It touches on the themes of death, loneliness, and isolation. There are no losers here and as always, I love to see what a writer can do with a minimal amount of words. There are stories that span two pages and others that are a dozen. Short or long Chad Miller has a way with words and puts the reader in the driver seat along with the protagonist. I’ve picked my favorites from The Void, I’m sure you’ll have your own, to highlight and they are as follows in no particular order.
The Descent hit a variety of emotions for me. I was disgusted, angered, and felt sorry for the protagonist all within a handful of pages. Connection with the characters is an absolute necessity, and this was a quick and engrossing read that grabbed my attention, also a big plus. But the ending disappointed me with an abrupt halt to the story. The Helpless is a classic case of ‘short and sweet’. I was sucked in from sentence one, and the story was done before I knew it. Double hell, this was a fantastic story, all three pages! It is told from the perspective of a comatose patient. Sure, he can’t move or speak, but his hearing works as does his brain. And revenge is sweet when they don’t see it coming.
Nightmare at the Pharmacy was exactly that, and anyone who has worked retail can relate to this particular hell. I loved the witty writing and break neck speed in this story, but not the abrupt ending. This reader was left wanting more! DNR was a thought provoking look at life from an object that isn’t alive, in the traditional sense. What would being alive forever feel like when time is infinite and without meaning. A well done thought experiment, Chad. Kudos, sir. Survivor – like many before it, has death or dying waving to us from the background. Hey! I’m here, in case this is your only way out. And, to steal a famous quote, sometimes dead is better. To Death with Irony – Another fine tale where the death isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, but it’ just the way it should be.
Link to purchase the Void: 15 Creepy Tales
Chad Miller, Biography-
Chad Miller has a B.A in psychology from Syracuse University and a Pharm D. from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He lives in dreary Delaware with his girlfriend Natasha, her daughter Sasha, and his three children, Killian, Willow, and, Halina. His novel, The Prisoner of Fear will debut this fall. For other published works and information check out chadmiller-author.com
The Scary Reviews 