Official Review: Tales from the Aether

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Tales from the Aether" by Matthew C. Woodruff.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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TALES from the AETHER: Extraordinary Tales of Dark Fiction, Dark Humor, and Horror is a collection of wildly imagined short stories by award-winning author Matthew C. Woodruff. The dark central theme aside, Woodruff’s twelve stories explore a plethora of emotions ranging from love to loss, fear, joy, hope, even incomprehension - as portrayed in the first story, ”The Dark New Year.” The stories are also set around certain holidays in the year.

“The Dark New Year” is the story of a young man who wakes up on New Year’s Day only to find his world shrouded in darkness, literally. In “The Alban Eiler,” two adolescent girls share the same fate on Easter, despite being born thousands of years apart. “The After Life” tells the lighthearted tale of a person whose mundane life was nothing compared to the afterlife that followed. “The Color of the Soul” is about a police sergeant with the peculiar ability to see a person’s soul. He gets a chance to see what his soul looks like on a Halloween night. These unique tales and more embody the author’s skill of examining the depths of fear in the human mind.

TALES from the AETHER was a well-written and executed book. The writing was straightforward, often witty depending on the story, and easy to follow. The stories appeared well-researched, which made them as relatable as they were entertaining. The inclusion of funny stories with lighter moments, despite the dark and ominous central theme, made for a compelling and balanced reading experience.

One of my favorite things about the book was the author’s use of powerful illustrations that aptly matched the haunting collection’s ominous mood. I also liked how quickly and deftly the author developed the characters and plot. Woodruff’s understanding of the art of the short story shone through with how quickly scenarios and critical characters were polished. Each story was immersive within the first few paragraphs, and each situation was enthralling in its own way.

I could hardly find anything to dislike about the book. It appeared professionally edited with minimal grammatical errors, which in no way detracted from the overall quality of the book. The character development, plot execution, and editing were all top-notch, earning this book a 4 out of 4 stars rating. If you enjoy character-driven stories of the horror and dark humor variety about individuals in wildly imagined worlds, you should not miss out on this book. It contains only rare borderline profanity and no sex scenes. A remarkable collection from a talented author, TALES from the AETHER is a book that can be read and enjoyed over and over again.

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Tales from the Aether
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[Laura Ungureanu]

This book gives me such an eerie feeling. It sounds marvelous. Thanks for the review!

[Laura Lee]

Wow, this sounds like a riveting book. I'm adding this to my to-be-read list. Thanks for an excellent review! My daughter in particular loves this type of story. I'm going to get it for her.

[Amberlily]

Interesting! I love short stories with a unique twist. I don't always have a hankering for dark stories, but when I do, this is the kind I'm into. Considering a buy!

[Rayasaurus]

This collection sounds very chilling. "The Dark New Year" sounds interesting to me personally, but I cannot generally read horror books or otherwise creepy books, so this one is not for me. Thank you for the top-notch review!

[Nerea]

Sounds like a perfect book to consider. I like that the stories are well-researched and are entertaining. Thank you for your well-crafted review.

[kdstrack]

I always enjoy reading your reviews. You describe the author's writing and tone with great clarity. I will pass on this one, though. These stories are too dark. Thanks for a great review!

[Shabram22]

The covor of the book really interested me but after reading your review I understand that this book is not for me. I'm not into horror stories. Thanks for your review!

[Wyland]

Even though there are dark, the realistic themes and lighthearted delivery makes them relatable to the human condition. I'd like to check them out. Thanks for the wonderful review.

[Maria Esposito]

While I'm not into short stories, your review sounds very insightful and does the book justice. Thanks!

[Laurina Michael Olowoniran]

This looks like a book of interesting stories. Would love to read this one. Congratulations to the author. Beautiful review.

[Leen282]

The first short story available as sample on Amazon is indeed rather black but intriguing. I like the descriptions of the other stories you mentioned. Goes on the to read list.

[PRECIOUSreads]

TALES from the AETHER: Extraordinary Tales of Dark Fiction, Dark Humor. What an intriguing title for a book? I am really excited to read this one based solely on its descriptions in this review. This collection of stories seem absolutely thrilling to read. thank you for that great review.

[tarafarah7]

Wow! Great review - thanks!!

Well-written and highly-engaging, today's BOTD is a collection of fictional short stories that explore the hidden fears of the human mind. Although it's not for me, readers who enjoy dark humor and horror will be drawn to the characters and events in each of these unique worlds. Thank you and congrats to the author on the outstanding review!!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This sounds like a thrilling read that is emotionally-charged and cleverly written. I like that the book is comprised of a variety of stories; complete with unique characters, and still has the ability to keep the reader engaged. It's neat how the stories take place during certain holidays. Thanks for the lovely review.