Saturday is Horror Day #227 - Locked

 Locked

Eddie Barrish (Bill Skarsgärd) means well. He generally has good intentions. But somehow things always seem to get in the way. Such as when it's his turn to pick up his daughter Sarah (Ashley Cartwright) from school but his car is in the shop and he doesn't have the money to pay for it to be fixed and the shop owner refuses to take his word for it that he will pay him or extend him credit.

Eddie is at the end of his rope and desperate. His ex has warned him what will happen if he doesn't fulfill 

his duties as Sarah's father. His promises are empty and she is fed u with them. He does everything he knows how to do to get the almost $500 he needs... and then he spots the luxury SUV sitting alone in a parking lot.  Looking vulnerable. And it's unlocked. What else is a guy to do but take it?

But life is not quite so easy....

Eddie finds himself, to his dismay, locked inside the car. Panicked - and on a time schedule - he tries to get out, but to no avail. Then the screen begins to light up with a call, one that is marked Answer Me. He ignores it the first few times, but finally he's forced to answer it. To his dismay, he discovers himself speaking with the car's owner,  William (Anthony Hopkins), who tells me he is tired of having his car stolen and the police doing nothing about it. So he's taken matters into his own hands. And now, if Eddie wants out, he's going to have to play William's game.

I have to confess that when I saw that this film had both Bill Skarsgärd and Anthony Hopkins, I knew I wanted to see it, no matter what it was about. And I'm glad I did. It's a psychological thriller about two men at the end of their ropes. Eddie is just the unlucky one who falls in the fed-up William's trap. Seriously, who would leave such an expensive vehicle unlocked, alone in a parking lot? But Eddie is desperate, so he isn't using what common sense he might possess. Eddie goes through an ordeal in his attempts to simply exit the car, and William is relentless in his methods - including taxing Eddie, and withholding food and drink, torturing him with music, etc. I was never sure how things would work out, and I found myself very invested in finding out. Both men do an excellent job of portraying their characters. Despite one reviewer who blared something about Pennywise vs Hannibal Lecter, that is far from the case. Eddie is no Pennywise and William no Lecter. I found the movie very enjoyable, I'll give this film 4 Stars.

Wednesday Briefs: Don't Look Back #18(4.2)

 Welcome one and all to the Wednesday Briefers! Every Wednesday, we offer you our flash fiction - stories between 500 and 1000 words, inspired by a prompt or prompts. A little something to get you through hump day and on to the rest of the week!

Last week, in Don't Look Back, Lee decided they needed a day out, after Marshall's bad night. His plans continue today. Join them, why don't you, and see what's up! Then don't forget to check out the other Briefers and see what's going on with them. Their links follow my tale. Enjoy!

Don't Look Back #18 (4.2)

Marshall loaded the back of the beat-up old black pick-up with their fishing gear. Although the sedan was better for going out of town, the Chevy truck was their ride around town. He loaded the coolers, too: one for the beer and food they’d pick up, and one for any fish they might catch—they always caught fish, that was a given. And oh the things Lee could do with them. Made the mouth water.

Of course, he didn’t forget the blanket. Or the lube. Could never be too careful.

They stopped by the grocery store to pick up lunch. Lee liked to tease Marshall that the girl who worked in the deli had a crush on him. Marshall claimed that was just Lee’s excuse to make Marshall place their order. Although it was true she usually added a little something extra for good measure. Marshall said she did it for the both of them, but Lee only laughed. Besides, not like the whole damn town didn’t know they were together, so how could she not know he was unavailable? They never hid that from anyone, and they were accepted for who they were by everyone.

All right, maybe they didn’t know everything, but they didn’t need to. Folks in Burnham didn’t pry. Even so, they were a close-knit community where it counted.

As they were checking out, Marshall noticed Lee’d picked up something that didn’t quite go with the rest of their selections. He gave Lee a skeptical look.

“What?”

“What’s that for?” He motioned to the bear-shaped bottle, just before the girl put it into a bag.

“It’s honey,” Lee replied helpfully. “You know, the stuff that comes out of bee hives?”

The checker snickered. Marshall scowled, even as Lee assumed his smart-ass face.

As if to atone for her laugh, the checker added, “Honey’s good for both baking and cooking. My daughter loves it on her peanut butter sandwich.” She gave him a wide smile, and Marshall couldn’t help but return that smile.

When he looked back at Lee, Lee’s only comment was, “You’ll find out,” which told Marshall nothing, so he gave up trying.

They picked up some bait from Jose’s stand, exchanged a little chitchat with Jose, and invited him to come down and fish with them sometime. He said he would and wished them luck.

The pond was at the far end of their property—far enough it was easier to take the truck than walk there—and it’s where they did most of their fishing. It was big enough to take a small boat. They had a two-seat aluminum jon boat they kept under a tarp by the pond. Sometimes they liked to spend a lazy afternoon in the boat, poles in the water, relaxing together. Roy liked to join them when he could.

Today, though, they were going to stick to the shore.

There were some good-sized bass in the pond, as well as a family of ducks who liked to squawk at the two men for invading its territory, but they weren’t averse to eating the popcorn or bread that was thrown their way by those same two men, either.

Marshall and Lee carried everything from the truck to their usual spot beneath the jacaranda tree that grew near the pond. Planted by a previous owner, it was a good twenty feet tall, and even now was covered in bluish-purple blossoms. Marshall spread out the blanket while Lee straightened out the tackle. By the time he was done, Marshall was lying on top of the blanket, naked, beside the thermos of coffee they’d brought.

“Hot already?” Lee arched a brow, and Marshall grinned at the double entendre.

“Always for you.”

“Sure it’s not for Kelly in the deli?” Lee teased, stripping off his own clothes and adding them to the pile of Marshall’s at the edge of the blanket.

“I’m sure,” Marshall insisted, crawling across the blanket on his hands and knees to where Lee stood, watching him. “She’s missing something very vital to my happiness, if you know what I mean.”

“No, what do you mean?” Lee made a point of gripping his hardening cock, pumping slightly, his eyes fixed on Marshall.

“You know exactly what I mean. You’re touching it.”

“Is this something you want?”

“That’s something I always want.” Marshall had reached Lee’s feet, and applied tender kisses to the top of first one foot and then the other. He looked up into Lee’s eyes, trying to gauge his desire. He could go for it, and maybe he’d reach the prize he sought, but he had a feeling Lee had something else in mind. He just didn’t know what, but he knew Lee would let him know.

“Maybe if you’re a good boy, I’ll give it to you. Later. For right now, I want you on your back. And no touching.”

Marshall had quickly obeyed the first command, and was well on his way to breaking the second when Lee spoke. Marshall pouted, but he didn’t touch himself, much as he wanted to.

Lee dropped to his knees beside Marshall’s head. “My good boy,” he murmured, just before he claimed his mouth with a kiss so passionate it stole Marshall’s breath.

Marshall closed his eyes and fell into the intensity of Lee’s touch, at the fire in Lee’s eyes, reveling in the intimacy that was theirs. Opening them once more, he stared up into the canopy of purple above them and caught his breath.

“Just relax, and don’t move. I’m doing everything right now,” Lee whispered. He began to kiss Marshall in all of his favorite spots: behind his ear, under his jaw, the corners of his mouth. As he began to trail kisses down Marshall’s neck, Marshall understood exactly what was going on, and why. He relaxed into the blanket, allowing Lee his way. Not that he didn’t all the time, anyway, but today was special.

Lee was making today all about Marshall. God, he loved Lee.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

Book Review: One Piece, Vol 25: The 100 Million Berry Man by Eiichiro Oda

 

One Piece, Vol 25: The 100 Million Berry Man    

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: January 5, 2010

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action Adventure/216 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Luffy and crew are seeking the way to the sky island known as Skypiea. They travel to the east coast of Jaya Island to speak with a man with big dreams – Mont Blanc Cricket. On arrival, they are impressed by his huge home, until they discover it is just a façade for a much smaller building. Is this a warning about the kind of man he is? There they find a children’s book called Noland the Liar. Sanji remembers hearing the story as a child in the North Sea. They are confronted by Mont Blanc Cricket himself – the Last Boss of the Monkey Mountain Allied Force! Thinking they’re after his gold, he attacks! Turns out the monkeys they ran into previously are under Cricket’s command. They learn that Cricket is a descendant of Noland the Liar, and he is determined to clear his family name!

Cricket tells Luffy and the others what he knows about the island in the sky, beginning with a strange phenomenon known as the Imperial Cloud, when “day suddenly turns into night.” Then he explains about the Knock Up Stream, which is their only chance of getting up to the sky island, but sounds very risky! Usopp is all for giving up the attempt, but is Luffy swayed by the danger involved? Of course not! According to legend, they need to find the South Bird in order to find the Knock Up Stream, which is located to the South. Unfortunately, their compass won’t work there, which is why they need to rely on the South Bird! Good luck in finding it!

Of course, as with any enterprise Luffy is involved in, there are challenges to be overcome. The Knock Up Stream only appears so often, as Mont Blanc Cricket tells them they need to find the bird before sunrise! Which, of course, entails trying to locate it in the dark! In the meantime, the two monkeys have offered to repair the Merry Go before they will need her to find Skypiea. Luffy and the others break up into teams, to have a better chance of locating the mysterious bird, but time is not on their side!

Meanwhile, back in Mocktown, the pirates are beginning to figure out just how valuable Luffy is! And some familiar figures make an reappearance.

This volume of One Piece is certainly action packed. Luffy is fixated on the idea of going to the island in the sky – and what Luffy wants, he usually gets! I thought it was hilarious that when anyone mentioned Noland the Liar, people would look at Usopp! I have no doubt this island exists and that they will get there! Seeing some old friends was the icing on the cake! Another great volume, looking forward to more!

 

 

Wednesday Briefs: Don't Look Back #16(4.1)

 Halleleujah and Happy Hump Day! Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Briefs! We are a group of authors who enjoy writing flash fiction between 500 and 1000 words in length, inspired by one of a number of prompts, either written or visual.

This week, in Don't Look Back,  Marshall has a bad night, and Lee makes it better. Don't forget, my story contains mature themes and may not be for everyone. I hope you enjoy it! And don't forget to check out the rest of the Briefers, whose links follow my tale!

Don't Look  Back #16(4.1)

The dreams were variations on a theme. He was just a kid, under her control once more, and she’d left him alone—again. Locked him in a closet, one of many she used to contain him. She always claimed it was for his own good. Told him she just wanted to keep him safe. Even at the age of eight, Marshall didn’t believe her. But he was helpless to do anything about it. Everywhere they went, this became the norm of their lives. Running from place to place, never staying more than a few months in any one location.  A different town, a different man.

Each place had one thing in common with the one before—the closet where she’d lock Marshall when she left. Trouble was, she sometimes stayed away for days at a time. Like she’d forgotten he existed.

“Where’s Dad? When are we going home to Dad?”

“Soon,” she kept promising him, but soon never came. He asked her once too often and she finally exploded, screaming, “Never!”

By the time he was thirteen, he understood she was playing an adult version of Hide and Seek. Keep Marshall away from Lee. He just didn’t understand why, and she wouldn’t tell him.

The darkness of the closets was the worst part, even beyond being hungry or thirsty, or being forced to piss in a corner. That he could handle, but the rest…  In his dreams, the darkness reached out for him with hungry clawed hands, awful creatures that wanted to hurt him, keep him away from the father who loved him.

Marshall’s eyes snapped open, but the darkness persisted, and he knew he was still inside the dream, and he began to scream…

A light clicked on. Strong arms enveloped him, held him close. A soft voice murmured in low soothing tones. Gentle hands stroked down his back, stopped his trembling. “Shhh, shhh, I’m here, I’m here.”

Marshall’s heart raced and his breathing was ragged, but he was becoming aware of himself and the world around him once more. He wasn’t in any closet; he was safe, with Lee, in their bed. It had been nothing but a bad dream, as usual.

He took deeper breaths, calming down, embarrassed at letting a dream get to him like that. He felt like a baby for overreacting. Not that Lee would ever make him feel that way.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, burying his face in Lee’s chest, rubbing his cheek against the familiar softness of Lee’s chest hair. Marshall hated nights like this.

Lee tilted Marshall’s head back so their eyes met. “Don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault, not at all.”

Marshall knew where the blame lay, but that name was never spoken between them. Ever.

“I was dreaming about… and then I woke up, and it was still dark, and I… I guess I panicked.” He took a long shuddering breath.

“Light in the hall must have gone out. I’ll take care of it.”

Marshall clutched at Lee tightly, as if afraid he meant right that minute. “No, don’t leave me,” he murmured, his voice riddled with anxiety.

Five years. Five long years they’d been separated.

His mother had turned up unexpectedly when he was eight years old, after being gone for months, and snatched Marshall away. She must have been watching them, waiting for just the right moment. Marshall barely remembered the house he grew up in. He didn’t find out until later it was somewhere in rural Georgia. Marshall had been playing out in the yard one day when a strange man grabbed him and shoved him into the backseat of a car, with his mother.

That’s when the nightmare began.

She didn’t dare put him into school. Never let him talk to anyone.  Wouldn’t give him any books, although occasionally he found one. He’d sneak it into his room when she wasn’t looking, and devour it as quickly as he could.

The men she lived off of treated him like another piece of furniture and never questioned anything his mother did. But they paid the bills, put up with her ways, and told her she was pretty. He heard her tell one of them her kid’s father was dead. Marshall didn’t believe that, even if those assholes seemed to. His dad wasn’t dead. He knew it.

As Marshall grew older, he became more and more determined to escape his captivity and find his way back to his father. He had no real idea where his father was, or how to get to him, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. He was just watching for the right opportunity. He was thirteen, and not the naïve little boy he’d once been.

Then one night, when he least expected it, a miracle happened. They were living in Fargo. It was always bitter cold there, and Marshall hated the cold with his whole soul. That night, his mother yelled at him to take the trash can to the curb for the next day.

He dragged the can through the foot of fresh snow that had accumulated during the day. Despite the cold, he stood a moment, watching his breath steam into the crisp night air. At that moment, a strange sedan pulled up. The back door opened, and Marshall saw the face of the man he loved most in the world.

“Jump in. Quick!”

Marshall hadn’t thought twice about it. He leapt into the car and the driver peeled out like he was trying to set a record at the Indianapolis 500. And Marshall had never looked back.

“Want to talk about it?” Lee offered, but Marshall shook his head.

“Just hold me, please.”

Strong arms held him close, and Marshall knew he was safe, and loved. Lee’s lips brushed the top of his head.  “Go back to sleep.”

Marshall nestled against him, until sleep claimed him once again.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Wednesday Briefs: Don't Look Back #17(4.2)

 Happy Hump Day! Welcome to the Wednesday Briefers' flash fiction. Little bits of fun, in stories that range from 500 to 1000 words, a great way to celebrate Wednesday!

Last week, as you'll recall, Marshall had a bad night, but Lee was there to hold him tight. This week, see what Lee has planned for him. Remember, this story contains mature themes, it isn't for everyone. Don't forget to see what the rest of the Briefers have done. Their links follow my tale. Enjoy!

Don't Look Back #17 (4.2)

When Marshall opened his eyes, he found the bedroom to be sunnier than usual. What the hell? Why hadn’t the alarm gone off at its normal time? He looked to Lee for answers, but the other side of the bed was empty. He felt the sheets. They were cool to the touch. Lee obviously hadn’t slept in quite as much as he had.

He rolled to a sitting position, set his feet on the floor, and yawned. He shouldn’t be tired if he’d slept in—accidentally or not. Then he remembered the reason he hadn’t slept very well. And he realized Lee had shut off the alarm to let him sleep in. His heart swelled, and he felt tears prickle his eyes. He swiped at them and took a deep breath.

Coffee. That’s what he needed. And Lee. Not in that order. After that he’d get to work at his computer.

He debated throwing on a pair of shorts, but decided against it. He’d get dressed after his shower. It wasn’t uncommon for both of them to run around in “the altogether” in the privacy of their home.  Marshall sure wasn’t about to complain about the chance to see Lee naked more often. And he didn’t hear Lee putting up a fuss, either.

 As he started down the stairs, Marshall inhaled deeply. The seductive smell of bacon filled the house. Oh man, Lee was making breakfast. He shivered in anticipation. Normally, breakfast was fast and easy. About the fanciest they got was toasting muffins or bread to go with their coffee. But when Lee was in the mood, he could cook up a breakfast that put most restaurants to shame.

Marshall couldn’t help the shit-eating grin that stretched from ear to ear as he approached the kitchen. This already promised to be a great day.

Lee stood at the stove, his back to Marshall, giving Marshall a full dead-on view of his magnificent backside. Mmm, what a sight first thing in the morning. Marshall’s cock twitched, blood rushing south in a hurry. Lee wore an apron, but that was all. The man was too smart to cook bacon without some protection for delicate parts that would object to being spattered with hot grease, tasty or otherwise.

Marshall padded silently up behind Lee, kissed one bare shoulder then the other, his hands cupping Lee’s ass.

“’Bout time you got up, sleepyhead,” Lee teased. But Marshall knew he wasn’t mad, especially since he pushed back against him, grinding his ass into Marshall’s growing erection.

“You shoulda woke me.” Marshall glanced at the stove and his mouth watered. Just what he’d hoped for—Lee’s famous bacon, eggs, cheese, peppers, and jalapeno breakfast. When he was a kid, Lee used to joke if this didn’t put hair on his chest, nothing would. Marshall would run to the bathroom after he ate and look in the mirror, hopeful to find the same dark chest hair Lee had, but the only thing that greeted him was bare, smooth flesh. Until he hit puberty, anyway. And even then, the hair was fine and red. But by then he didn’t mind as much.

Lee finished stirring and removed the large spoon from the skillet before he moved it to another burner and turned off the heat. “Untie this thing, willya?” he asked, and Marshall gladly complied.

 Lee removed the apron and slung it over one of the kitchen chairs. He pulled Marshall into his arms and kissed him gently. “I had an idea. I was thinking that after we eat, we can go out to the pond and do a little fishing. Weather’s supposed to be good. There’s nothing pressing for today that can’t wait until tomorrow. We can stop by the deli and pick up some of that cold fried chicken you like so much, get some sides to go with it. A cold twelve pack. What do you think?”

“Sounds like a terrific idea.” Just the kind of day to chase the frights away. He pressed closer to Lee, his hand snaking between them, attempting to snare Lee in its grasp. Lee caught the wandering hand and pulled it away with a grin.

“I thought… maybe, after breakfast?” Marshall suggested hopefully, but Lee was already shaking his head.

“Nope, not now.” At Marshall’s crestfallen expression, he added, “But bring the big blanket,” and Marshall smiled again. Even better. Lee wanted to make love outdoors. That was more than all right with Marshall.

“Roy’s gonna join us later, close to lunch time.”

Marshall wasn’t surprised. This was pretty much standard operating procedure after one of his bad nights. His two knights rallied around him and made everything all right. It had been this way ever since they rescued him and made sure she would never find him again. There had been more bad nights then, but Lee had been incredibly patient, and never complained—either about losing sleep or having to deal with Marshall. Those nights were fewer and farther apart now.

They sat down to eat, and Marshall was in heaven. Lee had made biscuits too, little buttermilk rascals, dripping in butter; they literally melted in his mouth.

“I’ll get the gear ready,” Marshall volunteered once he’d scraped his plate clean, rinsed it, and set it in the dishwasher. “What do you think—fly or bait?”

“Let’s take both, see which works better. Them bass can be tricky sons of bitches. We can run by Jose’s and pick up some bait on the way.” Jose lived down the road a little ways. During the summer he sold bait from a small stand in front of his house. Most of his customers were locals, but it was just a sideline to bring in extra income, and to keep his teenage son, Jesus, busy.

Marshall bent over and wrapped his arms about Lee’s neck, pressing their cheeks together. “You’re the best,” he murmured.

“Don’t forget that.” Lee swatted Marshall’s ass and grinned.

To be continued

Now go visit the other Briefers and see what's up!

Saturday is Horror Day #226/Vertigo

 Vertigo

John "Scottie" Ferguson is a former San Francisco cop who left his position, in large part as a result of his severe vertigo. Feeling rather at odds with himself, he sits at home, his best friend and companion Marjorie 'Midge' Wood (Barbara Bel Geddes), who is also his ex-fiance.  She is trying to cheer him up, lift him out of the doldrums, give him purpose, but so far her efforts are to no avail - even when she makes it clear she still has feelings for him. But he doesn't take the bait, assuming he is even aware of her attempts. Then his friend Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) approaches him with a job he'd like Scottie to do - namely, follow his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak). Not that he thinks she is cheating on him, nothing like that, but he is concerned about her, thinks she has changed, and wants to know what is going on with her and is she in any danger because of it.

Scottie follows the woman, and soon discovers that she has a strange routine, beginning with the art 

museum where she sits and stares for hours at a painting of a woman. Oddly, he begins to notice similarities between her and the woman - a necklace that Madeleine wears that looks like the one in the  painting, the way Madeleine wears a curl in her hair just like the subject of the painting, whose name turns out to be Caroline Valdez. Scottie looks into the history of that woman as he continues to tail Madeleine, discovering the other places she goes, such as the restaurant where she regularly dines alone, and the small hotel where she has a room, but never sleeps there.

Scottie ends up following her to San Francisco Bay where, to his horror, he watches her throw herself into  the Bay. He dives in after her and rescues her then takes her to his apartment to recover. The next day  she disappears and the cycle continues.... until he finds himself in the position of falling in love with her and his emotions vie with his sense of duty to his friend. Until things escalate beyond his power to control...

Vertigo is an Alfred Hitchcock film from 1958, but this is the first time I've watched it. Surprising, considering how much I enjoy Hitchcock films. It's definitely a psychological thriller, and I was surprised at some of the twists and turns, to my amazement. It's very well-done and fast paced and yet not too fast, building up tension but in an almost sensual way, aided by the excellent sound track and directions.

I read that the film did not do well at the box office largely because of the audience's perception of Jimmy as a villain, and they were used to seeing him as wholesome characters . But I disagree. I don't believe Scottie was the villain here, there are better candidates for that role. I have to say I am not really enamored of Kim Novak and her acting, but I suspect I am in the minority there. I don't think she expresses emotions very well, and the big reason she was cast is because she fit the type of Hitchock's "blondes", as we now know. 

That being said, I think this film was beautifully done, had an interesting and engaging story, a great cast - you may remember Barbara Bel Geddes from Dallas, she played Miss Ellie, the Ewing matriarch - and also Ellen Corby, who was Grandma Walton on the Waltons, appears as a hotel manager. I very much enjoyed this film and would highly recommend. I'll give this film 4.5 Stars.

 

Parable of the Talents      

Author: Octavia E. Butler

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

American release date: August 20, 2019

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Dystopian Fiction/448 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

Five years have passed since the establishment of the Earthseed community known as Acorn. Although off the beaten path, the residents are still unhappily aware of what is happening in the rest of the world, including the Dovetree massacre which took place too close to home for comfort. A disturbing new player on the political scene is the senator from Texas, Andrew Jarret, who is a throwback to an earlier time and does not like current times or religious tolerance Olamina knows this man will be a nightmare if he ever steps into the national political arena.

Despite everything, Acorn is thriving, and the community is becoming stronger, acquiring new vital equipment, such as a truck, as well as new members, their numbers swelling. Olamina’s husband, Bankole, who is 57 to her 18, is a physician, a skill much in demand. He wants to move to a larger, more established town where they will be safer, especially once Olamina learns she is with child. But she refuses to leave Acorn, and he won’t go without her.

Olamina is shocked to learn one of her brothers is alive and begins to search for him. She is able to find him, and he is not doing well. She buys him from the slaver who has him and takes him back to Acorn. Eventually she learns the story of what happened the day their lives fell apart. But he has changed—he doesn’t care for Earthseed… and he has his own Destiny.

Things go from bad to worse when Jarrett is elected President. What was once a bad dream becomes a true nightmare in every sense of the word. Jarrett’s Crusaders are fanatics who are determined to stamp out the unholy – aka those who don’t agree with Jarrett’s vision. Olamina knows of the collars, and how people are controlled through their use. But she learns firsthand how they work when Acorn is raided by those who stand for Christian America, and the people of Acorn are sent to a re-education camp. But it’s really a prison, and they are all cruelly collared, a distinct form of torture. The children are separated from the adults and sent to places unknown, including Olamina’s baby Larkin. Some people die. And life just got incredibly difficult.

Parable of the Talents is the sequel to Parable of the Sower, in which Olamina’s tale continues. In this book, for the first time we get to hear other voices, including those of Larkin, Bankole, and Marcos. It is an eerily timed vision of some of the things that are happening in America today. I’ll be honest and say I almost gave up reading halfway through the book. I felt triggered for reasons I won’t go into. I think it’s safe to say this is not an easy read. And honestly, the more I read, the more I came to dislike Olamina and Earthseed. There are no heroes here, I think everyone sucks.