Title: Terrifying Tales Unleashed
Author: Scott D. Gottschalk
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media, LLC
ISBN: 979-8-88622-324-8
Pages: 218
Genre: Short Stories
Reviewed by: Gabriella Harrison
Hollywood Book Reviews
Scott D. Gottschalk shares a compilation of nineteen short stories in Terrifying Tales Unleashed. These stories were written with the intention of causing fitful nights of insomnia due to their disturbing nature. The first story in the book is titled “Buried Alive,” and it is about a boy who develops an obsession with caves. A seemingly innocent spelunking desire soon becomes deadly when he throws all caution to the wind in his bid to be the first to map out an undiscovered cave deep within the wilderness of the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. Not all the stories end on a gruesome note, though. “Alien Experimentation” ends on a positive note with a boy who had been bullied for many years saving his town from an alien attack and being awarded a medal of honor for this achievement. There is a common theme of obsession driving the actions of the main characters of each story, which either results in a gruesome demise or, as in “Alien Experimentation,” a positive outcome.
The author seems to drive home the lesson that we should be careful what we allow to influence our actions. This book offers a beautiful blend of different genres like science fiction, horror, mystery, and adventure. The author also creates a splendid learning opportunity with these captivating tales by providing well-researched information about each story’s subject matter. Such as the different species of rats, their communication techniques, and habits in “Rat Damnation.” This particular story will appeal to animal lovers. Although, it ends on a very disturbing note. Some were disturbing, while others were even a bit humorous. I believe the concluding effect each story will have on readers will depend on their tolerance level.
I found all the stories creative and engaging. I liked the varied subject matter of each story, and the narration made it easy to enjoy all of them. I like that none of the stories seemed rushed or choppy due to their length. Instead, they are all well-developed. These stories will be good to tell at bonfires and provide a great way to kill time. They can be read in any order and finished at each reader’s preferred pace, as they are all unconnected, except for their common theme of obsession.
If you’re looking for a spine-chilling read, then Terrifying Tales Unleashed is a must-read. Overall, Scott D. Gottschalk’s Terrifying Tales Unleashed is a well-rounded collection of intriguing short stories.