FANGTASTIC TALES OF WEREWOLF SAVAGERY - Review and Interview With The Author
It’s WEREWOLF WEEK on Horror Bound! Why? Because WHY NOT?! Werewolves never get as much love as Zombies or Vampires and we’re here to bring them more attention. All of this week we’ll be pumping out werewolf themed content. Join us all over social media as we celebrate!
La Lluna Plena – the Full Moon – that beautiful and mysterious celestial body which stirs within us all those deep, dark emotions we do our best to subdue and control. For some of us, her influence runs deeper, much deeper. We all walk beneath her maddening rays, yet, while most may shrug off the notion that inside us all resides a beast – a savage wolf – there are those of us who embrace the monster within and ride that lunatic wave with abandon each time she casts her gaze upon us.
Some see it as a blessing, others…a curse. To be bitten, and fall prey to murderous urges beyond our control, or to have the good fortune to be born into the pack, or perhaps even to whisper words of spell in order to evoke the lycanthropic gift, there are more than a few ways to cast aside the human skin and let loose the wolf within. Those ways are explored throughout this collection of werewolf terrors.
Suspend disbelief, dear reader, because whether you care to admit it, or continue to live in ignorant bliss, we walk among you. We smell the blood as it courses through your veins and taste your fear on the breeze. We long to see the life drain from your quivering flesh as we gorge. Beware the Full Moon, as you are about to enter the world of the Werewolf.
I have three words for you: Circus. Clown. Werewolf. If you want to know if you should pick up Toneye Eyenot’s book FANGTASTIC TALES OF WEREWOLF SAVAGERY the only thing you really need to know is that the first story, a novella, is the story of a circus clown who turns into a werewolf. There is really nothing else I need to tell you, so go order the book now then come back to finish reading this review.
Alright, now that you’re back let me give you a little bit more info about the book you bought. The novella is titled Blood Moon Big Top and, as promised it revolves around Marbles the clown. He walks past a child that looks hurt or sick or homeless and tries to help the kid, but when he does, the kid bites Marbles on the arm and thus begins his transformation from human to werewolf. At first, no one, including Marbles, knows what happened to him. Because they think he is sick, he ends up at the hospital but he leaves to go back to the circus. Then it appears that he is close to death and he is taken to the hospital where he dies. But his death is short lived as he wakes up in the morgue hungry for meat. What follows is the gruesome tale of Marbles attempt to return to the circus while also feeding his werewolf-like hunger.
I’ve talked on the blog before about my love for Richard Laymon as my guilty pleasure horror reading. This story felt a lot like Laymon to me in a lot of ways. Because of the length, there is no room for side plots and other secondary characters. The violence is, well, violent and bloody but also makes sense given the character we are following through the story. And I loved the very Laymon-esque stop to take a shower after killing people and getting covered in blood. The climax too, when Marbles finally gets back to the circus makes me recall a few Laymon novels as well.
Again, the first story is the highlight of the book and worth the purchase price alone. But there are other stories that follow it, two of which I think stood out the most. “Hunter’s Moon” and “Dire.”
Both stories obviously deal with werewolves, but they give a different perspective on them and it’s refreshing to see the mythical creatures presented in so many different ways.
“Hunters Moon” is probably my favorite of all the stories other than the novella. It involves soon-to-be-werewolves driving around and collecting humans and holding them in cages. They collect thirteen humans in all. Then on the night they change, the werewolves release the humans out into the forest and tell them to run, letting them know if they survive the night they are free to go. I loved the premise of this, the werewolves setting up their own hunt prior to their change. My only problem with this story was that it left me wanting more.
“Dire” Tells the story of a cat burglar who goes into a museum in order to steal a fossil for someone who is paying him. When the burglar goes to bring the fossil to the man who asked him to, you can tell right away there is something off with the guy. Naturally, he turns into a werewolf and attempts to do what most werewolves do. This story had a different feel to it than some of the others but it was a nice change of pace.
Overall, this was a good collection of stories. Some were better than others but I started this by talking about circus clown werewolves and I’m going to end it the same way. I mean come on, it’s a circus clown werewolf, how can you say no to that?
This one gets a strong 3/5 from me.
It's werewolf week here on Horror Bound, so we're so glad to have your book included in that. Where does your fascination for werewolves come from?
The werewolf has always been my ‘spirit animal’. The beast within each and every one of us is perfectly represented by this magnificent monstrosity. When that beautiful celestial body takes pride of place in the night sky and casts her gaze down upon us, some of us are compelled to ride that lunatic wave with abandon. Cast aside the human skin for a spell and let the beast run free.
The wolf, in general, has always been my favourite animal, the most majestic of creatures. Living in Australia, it’s a terrible shame we don’t have them here in our forests. It would be a dream come true for me to encounter them in the wild.
Where does the inspiration come from for these stories, specifically the wicked character Marbles?
Literally, from my passion for wolves. That, and all the werewolf lore from books and movies over the years have had a huge influence on me, even before my journey into writing began.
Ah, Marbles…poor Marbles. He holds a special place in my wolven heart, even though I put him through Hell in Blood Moon Big Top. There is so much werewolf fiction out there, both in movies and books. Some, absolutely aaarrrooooooooooosome! Some, absolutely terrible. After writing several short stories on the beast, it was my intention to write something a little more substantial, and a little bit different to all the other werewolf fiction out there. Coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, is quite a rampant phobia, even among many of the Horror authors and readers frequenting Facebook. It seemed to be the obvious choice to pair the Clown with the Werewolf, and take a fresh, new and terrifying approach to the lycanthrope trope haha.
It was originally published through a small press, but I pulled all my books and went down the self-pub route, creating Luniakk Publications as my brand to release through. Novel writing has always been a huge struggle for me – novellas are my sweet spot – so that’s how Blood Moon Big Top came about. Revised, revamped and re-released to lead this pack of snarling, howling tales of lycanthropic mayhem.
What are your favourite werewolf movies or books?
Damn hahaha :D That’s a hard question indeed! The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould is my ‘bible’. The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers runs right behind. Then there’s some of the more recent, particularly indie books. Blood and Rain by Glenn Rolfe – aaarrroooooosome story! Hellhound by Lou Yardley, simply fangtastic! There are so many more, far too many to mention.
Movies, damn. American Werewolf in London, of corpse. Silver Bullet, Late Phases, The Howling, Little Dead Rotting Hood, The Company of Wolves…damn, could go on forever haha. One in particular that stands out for me is a movie from 2013 called Wer. That has pushed its way to the top of my fav list.
If you had to turn into some sort of creature every time the full moon hits, what would you choose? Could be a wolf, or could be an elephant or a llama...the choice is yours....
There’s a fav meme that reads, “Always be yourself. Unless you can be a werewolf, then always be a werewolf.” Hahahaha. That’s my answer.
Anything coming up that you want to promote or hint at? Something we can expect from you in the future?
Just before this release, late last year my novella, Wolvz: Whispers of War was rereleased through Luniakk. It has been doing quite well, still selling better than all my other books. Maybe later in the year, but for now, nothing werewolf coming in the immediate future. An Occult Horror novella is in the works at the moment, tentatively titled ‘Still, Silent, Black’.
Also, struggling through Book III in my Sacred Blade of Profanity series. The first 2 are unpublished now, awaiting rerelease through Luniakk. Gonna hold off a bit though until Book III is closer to completion. Planning to release all 3 later in the year, if all goes to plan. This book has been a bit of a thorn in my side for far too long. It’ll be good to hit ‘The End’ on this one haha.
Fangs so much for having me along for the ride this werewolf week! It has been an honour and a pleasure to be involved! Hails ‘n’ howls!
Check out the book on Goodreads and add it to your “to be read” list HERE
Follow Toneye Eyenot on TWITTER and FACEBOOK
Check out Luniakk Publications HERE and on TWITTER and on FACEBOOK
To purchase the book CLICK HERE
Want more spooky reads? Just click below:
Review by Joe
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Interview by Charlotte
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