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The One That Knows No Fear
The One That Knows No Fear: stuntman extraordinaire. For young Timmy Wilson, this stuntman is his only reason for living. Every Saturday he watches as The One That Knows No Fear cheats death. Now, the stunt show is coming to his hometown and Timmy can't wait to watch him perform in person.
A coming-of-age, cosmic horror story set in the 1970s, The One That Knows No Fear will keep your heart pounding long after the stunt has finished.
Writing about The One That Knows No Fear, author Steve Stred said of his protagonist Timmy Wilson: “The story really focuses on him. This is a boy who wishes for a father figure to be in his life and because it’s not there, he attaches to this specific Daredevil, the one they call ‘The One That Knows No Fear.’ Timmy really is an innocent kid who just wants to believe that adults are saints, which we all know is far from the truth.”
A coming-of-age, cosmic horror story set in the 1970s, The One That Knows No Fear will keep your heart pounding long after the stunt has finished.
Writing about The One That Knows No Fear, author Steve Stred said of his protagonist Timmy Wilson: “The story really focuses on him. This is a boy who wishes for a father figure to be in his life and because it’s not there, he attaches to this specific Daredevil, the one they call ‘The One That Knows No Fear.’ Timmy really is an innocent kid who just wants to believe that adults are saints, which we all know is far from the truth.”
- GenresHorror
62 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2019
About the author
Steve Stred
81 books617 followersA multiple-award nominated author, Steve Stred lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and son.
Known for his novels, ‘Mastodon,’ ‘Churn the Soil,’ and his series ‘Father of Lies’ where he joined a cult on the dark web for four years, his work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.
His novel ‘Mastodon’ will be translated into Czech and Italian over the next few years.
He is an Active Member of the HWA and can be found at stevestredauthor.ca
Known for his novels, ‘Mastodon,’ ‘Churn the Soil,’ and his series ‘Father of Lies’ where he joined a cult on the dark web for four years, his work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.
His novel ‘Mastodon’ will be translated into Czech and Italian over the next few years.
He is an Active Member of the HWA and can be found at stevestredauthor.ca
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 10, 2020
This is my fifth Short Sharp Shocks book from Demain Publishing and my introduction to Steve Stred's work.
THE ONE THAT KNOWS NO FEAR lands comfortably in my favorite horror sub-genre, coming-of-age. Young Timmy is a sweet boy who loves to watch his favorite show Daredevils on Saturday mornings. He is enamored with all the brave stuntman but his favorite is The One Who Knows No Fear--a man who attempts the most impossible stunts and always manages to land on his feet. How is he able to cheat death??
I am impressed with the authenticity of Stred's child protagonist. The narrative is immediately absorbing. There was this honest and sincere aspect to the storytelling that rang true for a child of Timmy's age. Oftentimes, authors create a child's POV that feels too wise beyond their years so it was refreshing that Timmy was so realistic.
As a stark contrast, however, was Timmy's Step-dad, Michael. I had trouble buying into Michael's character because his behavior was so inconsistent. I 100% get the theme of the story: Sometimes monsters are heroes and heroes are monsters. It's clear that the dynamic between Timmy and Michael served as a vehicle to support the theme but due to the short length of this story, Michael's inconsistencies were back-to-back and hard to accept.
That being said, I loved this story. I think it's imaginative, gripping, endearing, and scary. I enjoyed it very much. Highly recommend.
THE ONE THAT KNOWS NO FEAR lands comfortably in my favorite horror sub-genre, coming-of-age. Young Timmy is a sweet boy who loves to watch his favorite show Daredevils on Saturday mornings. He is enamored with all the brave stuntman but his favorite is The One Who Knows No Fear--a man who attempts the most impossible stunts and always manages to land on his feet. How is he able to cheat death??
I am impressed with the authenticity of Stred's child protagonist. The narrative is immediately absorbing. There was this honest and sincere aspect to the storytelling that rang true for a child of Timmy's age. Oftentimes, authors create a child's POV that feels too wise beyond their years so it was refreshing that Timmy was so realistic.
As a stark contrast, however, was Timmy's Step-dad, Michael. I had trouble buying into Michael's character because his behavior was so inconsistent. I 100% get the theme of the story: Sometimes monsters are heroes and heroes are monsters. It's clear that the dynamic between Timmy and Michael served as a vehicle to support the theme but due to the short length of this story, Michael's inconsistencies were back-to-back and hard to accept.
That being said, I loved this story. I think it's imaginative, gripping, endearing, and scary. I enjoyed it very much. Highly recommend.
November 30, 2019
I loved this novella! Timmy loves watching Daredevils, his favorite show that shows death defying feats. His favorite performer? The One that shows no Fear! Seems to escape death, time and time again. Timmy is struggling coming to terms with his father’s death and a new relationship with Michael, his mothers boyfriend, it’s been rocky at best. Then Mr. Fear and Daredevils are coming to town for a show locally! Timmy and Michael have some tickets for some bonding time.. the show is amazing then something goes horribly wrong.. the motorcycle phenomenon is in trouble.. or is he? No spoilers. This book goes from 5mph to 1000mph in seconds and when the horror is revealed you feel like you’ve just jumped 100 burning buses! Mr. Stred never fails in his amazing story telling in all his books, this novella has it all, I could have read 100 more pages! Highly recommended! Enjoy!!
November 28, 2019
Steve is an author on the up. I've followed his career since book 1 and take great pride in calling him my friend.
Steve writes from the heart with characters you care for in situations that feel painfully real, and then the twisted horrors start to creep in.
This latest novella ticks all the boxes for all you #StredHeads out there, although I should add this is surprisingly tame in it's gore compared to previous titles.
I loved the characters in this short but felt they needed more flesh on their bones. For me there were gaps in the relationship details and occasional time jumps that I'd have appreciated filling out.
In fact, I'd have liked this to be bulked out to a novel. All the pieces are solid and plotted well enough to work as a Short Sharp Shock! but this particular reader wanted to know more about these characters and of the mythology of the horrors revealed as the story progressed.
This may read as a negative review but it's anything but. Steve has created a story I wanted more of, characters I wanted to know more about and a Daredevil I want to see jump through flaming rings at least a few more times.
Steve writes from the heart with characters you care for in situations that feel painfully real, and then the twisted horrors start to creep in.
This latest novella ticks all the boxes for all you #StredHeads out there, although I should add this is surprisingly tame in it's gore compared to previous titles.
I loved the characters in this short but felt they needed more flesh on their bones. For me there were gaps in the relationship details and occasional time jumps that I'd have appreciated filling out.
In fact, I'd have liked this to be bulked out to a novel. All the pieces are solid and plotted well enough to work as a Short Sharp Shock! but this particular reader wanted to know more about these characters and of the mythology of the horrors revealed as the story progressed.
This may read as a negative review but it's anything but. Steve has created a story I wanted more of, characters I wanted to know more about and a Daredevil I want to see jump through flaming rings at least a few more times.
November 30, 2019
Well, Steve does it again, this time in a Short Sharp Shocks Book. Timmy is a little boy who misses his father and needs the love and validation of his stepdad Michael. Timmy believes he has found a mutual fascination with his stepdad in the antics of a daredevil stunt rider named The One Who Knows No Fear who miraculously escapes death with each death defying jump. But Timmy and Michael find out way more then they bargained for and it involves tentacles! A great short read bringing together characters you can empathize with and an unspeakable horror that just might leave you with nightmares!
December 10, 2019
A pleasure to read a Steve Stred book that I haven’t worked on in some capacity.
A quick, easy read that’ll be nostalgic to anyone who grew up in the 80s, with some cosmic horror thrown in for good measure.
Feels almost like the prequel to a larger story, so maybe if we all ask him nicely, Steve will write it? 😁
A quick, easy read that’ll be nostalgic to anyone who grew up in the 80s, with some cosmic horror thrown in for good measure.
Feels almost like the prequel to a larger story, so maybe if we all ask him nicely, Steve will write it? 😁
January 28, 2020
One of the best things to have come out of 2019 in my reading and reviewing was the discovery of Steve Stred – a writer who blew me away with a few tales of dark fiction including The Stranger and his brilliantly disturbing and deliciously woven masterpiece Piece of Me. So, when I heard that he had a tale in Demain Publishing‘s Short Sharp Shocks! series I just had to get hold of a copy.
Demain Publishing have been releasing Short Sharp Shocks! for a while now (March 2019) and it’s just such an interesting idea. It helps relatively unknown authors get published whilst also introducing them to a wider audience and helping to give them much needed exposure to the horror genre. Out of the many that I’ve read so far, each one delivers on the quality front and it’s great to see short stories / novellas getting the recognition they deserve and finding publication in print and digital formats in stand alone books and not crammed into an anthology. So, if you’ve not yet discovered them… what are you doing reading this, get on over there now and find your next read!
The One That Knows No Fear is a story that was literally dripping with nostalgia and horror in equal measure, it seemed to be dripping from the very pages (well I read it on a Kindle, but if I were reading it in print I’m sure it would have left a greasy bloody stain in my palms) – so with both the nostalgia and the horror elements firing on all cylinders it made for one hell of an enjoyable ride.
Seeing as this is a short story, I’ll try to refrain from any possible spoilers – as the real delight of this tale is seeing how things pan out for our cast of characters and what becomes of their individual fates.
Our main protagonist Timmy is a young boy who loves nothing better than sitting in front of the television watching Daredevils a show dedicated to thrill seeking stunt drivers. He watches it every week, glued to the screen watching people defy death – flying through the air, leaping over or through fire, driving into concrete walls, juggling chainsaws whilst riding a bike with no hands – full on bat-shit crazy shenanigans. His life is changed one day when he watches the show reveal a new stunt man – The One That Knows No Fear.
Timmy watches on as the stuntman Mr. Fear continually gets his stunts wrong, week-in, week-out Mr. Fear is seen crashing on jumps, being sliced apart by helicopter blades and even burnt alive – but by the end of the episode he shocks the audience by simply walking away from the carnage, intact and still breathing as if nothing has happened. Timmy is enraptured, knowing that the show is coming to his town pretty soon he’s desperate to watch it live… to see Mr. Fear in the flesh and see how he’s able to cheat deaths clutches time and time again, but that would involve getting his step father to take him… and that’s a conversation he just doesn’t see going too well.
The relationship between Timmy and his step father was expertly written by Stred and you can really feel the tension and anger there – the resentment that Timmy’s step father has towards him, is at times palpable and also believable – making this relationship one of the hidden gems of the story – and this relationship dynamic is also brought to a heart rending conclusion.
The One That Knows No Fear is a terrific short story and one that left me wanting more, so if this was ever turned into a longer story I’d be first in line to grab a copy (I understand that there is a longer manuscript – will this ever see the light of day? I guess Steve Stred is the only one who knows that answer).
There are a few of the supporting characters that I’d love to have learnt more about, their backgrounds, what happened to them to make them the way they were – especially that of the fantastically dark and macabre creation that was Mr. Fear… but apart from that, it’s another sound offering from Steve Stred and one that you’d do well to pick up!
Demain Publishing have been releasing Short Sharp Shocks! for a while now (March 2019) and it’s just such an interesting idea. It helps relatively unknown authors get published whilst also introducing them to a wider audience and helping to give them much needed exposure to the horror genre. Out of the many that I’ve read so far, each one delivers on the quality front and it’s great to see short stories / novellas getting the recognition they deserve and finding publication in print and digital formats in stand alone books and not crammed into an anthology. So, if you’ve not yet discovered them… what are you doing reading this, get on over there now and find your next read!
The One That Knows No Fear is a story that was literally dripping with nostalgia and horror in equal measure, it seemed to be dripping from the very pages (well I read it on a Kindle, but if I were reading it in print I’m sure it would have left a greasy bloody stain in my palms) – so with both the nostalgia and the horror elements firing on all cylinders it made for one hell of an enjoyable ride.
Seeing as this is a short story, I’ll try to refrain from any possible spoilers – as the real delight of this tale is seeing how things pan out for our cast of characters and what becomes of their individual fates.
Our main protagonist Timmy is a young boy who loves nothing better than sitting in front of the television watching Daredevils a show dedicated to thrill seeking stunt drivers. He watches it every week, glued to the screen watching people defy death – flying through the air, leaping over or through fire, driving into concrete walls, juggling chainsaws whilst riding a bike with no hands – full on bat-shit crazy shenanigans. His life is changed one day when he watches the show reveal a new stunt man – The One That Knows No Fear.
Timmy watches on as the stuntman Mr. Fear continually gets his stunts wrong, week-in, week-out Mr. Fear is seen crashing on jumps, being sliced apart by helicopter blades and even burnt alive – but by the end of the episode he shocks the audience by simply walking away from the carnage, intact and still breathing as if nothing has happened. Timmy is enraptured, knowing that the show is coming to his town pretty soon he’s desperate to watch it live… to see Mr. Fear in the flesh and see how he’s able to cheat deaths clutches time and time again, but that would involve getting his step father to take him… and that’s a conversation he just doesn’t see going too well.
The relationship between Timmy and his step father was expertly written by Stred and you can really feel the tension and anger there – the resentment that Timmy’s step father has towards him, is at times palpable and also believable – making this relationship one of the hidden gems of the story – and this relationship dynamic is also brought to a heart rending conclusion.
The One That Knows No Fear is a terrific short story and one that left me wanting more, so if this was ever turned into a longer story I’d be first in line to grab a copy (I understand that there is a longer manuscript – will this ever see the light of day? I guess Steve Stred is the only one who knows that answer).
There are a few of the supporting characters that I’d love to have learnt more about, their backgrounds, what happened to them to make them the way they were – especially that of the fantastically dark and macabre creation that was Mr. Fear… but apart from that, it’s another sound offering from Steve Stred and one that you’d do well to pick up!
December 1, 2019
Stred Gives New Meaning to Daredevil
This short novella shows the best of Stred and his imagination. Primarily a drama between a young boy and his neglectful step-father, the two finally bond over a traveling stuntman show. However, in true Stred form, things turn dark and gruesome when The One Who Knows No Fear reveals his true form.
This short novella shows the best of Stred and his imagination. Primarily a drama between a young boy and his neglectful step-father, the two finally bond over a traveling stuntman show. However, in true Stred form, things turn dark and gruesome when The One Who Knows No Fear reveals his true form.
December 8, 2019
I've read some other things by Steve Stred, but I enjoyed this long(ish) short story more than the others. Set in the late 1980s, it perfectly captures the anxieties of a little boy obsessed with a TV show about stunts, whilst at the same time he is belittled by his stepfather who is both cruel and deeply unpleasant to him. Soon his favourite TV show is going on tour and he has the chance of seeing his top stuntman "The One That Knows No Fear" in the flesh and the story moves from 1980s nostalgia into the realms of horror. It wasn't a long piece, but I found it very engaging with believable characters and a far-out horror element.
December 9, 2019
**Review originally posted HERE on Sci-Fi & Scary. Thanks to the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Novelettes are always a bit of a weird one for me. More meat than a short story, but not quite as much as a novella, I often find myself not totally satisfied with my reading experience. That was the case with The One That Knows No Fear.
Timmy is a typical ten-year-old boy, obsessed with watching daredevil stunts and desperate for his stepfather’s love. When the opportunity presents itself for Timmy to see his favorite daredevil, Mr. Fear, in person, he’s thrilled when his stepdad agrees. But when a stunt goes wrong, they learn that maybe there’s something more sinister lurking beneath Mr. Fear’s helmet…
I always enjoy Stred’s writing style, and this is no exception. Everything has a very homey, wholesome vibe, right up until it very, very much doesn’t. Timmy’s innocence really lends itself well to building tension in the story. It had me doubting whether the horror is real or the product of a kid’s overactive imagination as the carnage ramps up around him. There’s a brief element of cosmic horror, but the true terror lies in the aftermath. Personally, I would have liked a bit more drawn out horror action, but I also thought this was a really interesting direction to take and enjoyed it.
My one gripe with this book relates back to its length again. I didn’t really mind the slow buildup of the first half of the book, but I did feel like I got simultaneously too much and too little info about the characters to really connect. There’s a fair bit of time spent on Timmy’s past and his relationship with Michael, but all a bit too superficial for me to fully invest in later events. I think in a shorter format, I would have overlooked a more surface-level character development, but I wanted more depth and emtion from the number of pages dedicated here.
While I didn’t absolutely love this one, I liked my time with it and thought the direction Stred took with the horror element was fun and unexpected. This was definitely the tamest of Stred’s works that I’ve read so far (not to say it doesn’t have its disgusting moments, just not “the sound of hundreds of popping eyeballs” level moments) so for anyone looking for a less gory entry point into his works, this would be it.
Novelettes are always a bit of a weird one for me. More meat than a short story, but not quite as much as a novella, I often find myself not totally satisfied with my reading experience. That was the case with The One That Knows No Fear.
Timmy is a typical ten-year-old boy, obsessed with watching daredevil stunts and desperate for his stepfather’s love. When the opportunity presents itself for Timmy to see his favorite daredevil, Mr. Fear, in person, he’s thrilled when his stepdad agrees. But when a stunt goes wrong, they learn that maybe there’s something more sinister lurking beneath Mr. Fear’s helmet…
I always enjoy Stred’s writing style, and this is no exception. Everything has a very homey, wholesome vibe, right up until it very, very much doesn’t. Timmy’s innocence really lends itself well to building tension in the story. It had me doubting whether the horror is real or the product of a kid’s overactive imagination as the carnage ramps up around him. There’s a brief element of cosmic horror, but the true terror lies in the aftermath. Personally, I would have liked a bit more drawn out horror action, but I also thought this was a really interesting direction to take and enjoyed it.
My one gripe with this book relates back to its length again. I didn’t really mind the slow buildup of the first half of the book, but I did feel like I got simultaneously too much and too little info about the characters to really connect. There’s a fair bit of time spent on Timmy’s past and his relationship with Michael, but all a bit too superficial for me to fully invest in later events. I think in a shorter format, I would have overlooked a more surface-level character development, but I wanted more depth and emtion from the number of pages dedicated here.
While I didn’t absolutely love this one, I liked my time with it and thought the direction Stred took with the horror element was fun and unexpected. This was definitely the tamest of Stred’s works that I’ve read so far (not to say it doesn’t have its disgusting moments, just not “the sound of hundreds of popping eyeballs” level moments) so for anyone looking for a less gory entry point into his works, this would be it.
December 23, 2019
This was an excellent installment in Demain's Short Sharp Shocks - Stred spins a captivating tale from the first page. It's a compelling character driven story, that builds excitement for the Daredevil performance - though you don't know what's coming, you know it's going to be creepy. There were some brutally well done scenes - the bus jump in particular got me. And for me, what set it apart were the family elements, and the ending. I really enjoyed this short tale.
August 20, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this short story! It brought back many memories, growing during the 70s and 80s. Watching shows, such as, Twilight Zone and Tales From the Dark Side, anything creepy I could find.
This was so nostalgic and fun to read! Made me smile!
First story I've read by Steve Stred, certainly looking forward to reading more!
This was so nostalgic and fun to read! Made me smile!
First story I've read by Steve Stred, certainly looking forward to reading more!
April 16, 2020
The One That Knows No Fear: stuntman extraordinaire. For young Timmy Wilson, this stuntman is his only reason for living. Every Saturday he watches as The One That Knows No Fear cheats death. Now, the stunt show is coming to his hometown and Timmy can't wait to watch him perform in person.
A coming-of-age, cosmic horror story set in the 1970s, The One That Knows No Fear will keep your heart pounding long after the stunt has finished.
Writing about The One That Knows No Fear, author Steve Stred said of his protagonist Timmy Wilson: “The story really focuses on him. This is a boy who wishes for a father figure to be in his life and because it’s not there, he attaches to this specific Daredevil, the one they call ‘The One That Knows No Fear.’ Timmy really is an innocent kid who just wants to believe that adults are saints, which we all know is far from the truth.”
This is the latest title I've read from Demain publishing and although each story is unique I've loved them all. So far I've read; The Town That Feared Dusk by Calvin Demmer, The Forest is Hungry by Christopher Stanley, Cinders of a Blind Man Who Could See by Kev Harrison, An Invitation to Darkness by Hailey Piper,and Last Meal in Osaka by Gary Buller. And they're all great!
So I did have high expectations for this, and wasn't disappointed!
Despite being a short story this tale had real emotional depth, in places it was really touching between Timmy and his stepfather with a good helping of 1970's cosmic horror!
The tale centres around a young boy, Timmy, who never really knew his father and desperately wants to connect with his step-father who has absolutely no interest in him at all. Timmy doesn't give up and they form an unlikely bond whilst watching a stunt show every Saturday evening. They are both captivated by the One Who Knows No Fear as he attempts the most dangerous stunts in the world.
When it is announced the stunt show will be touring the United States including their home town, Timmy's step father buys them tickets. It's their first father/son day out. Timmy is beyond excited for what will surely be an amazing day. He really feels like he is gaining a father.
However this is a horror tale. When it is unleashed it really takes you by surprise. It's easy to forget that something bad will happen as the first half of the story is incredibly heart felt and touching which makes the second half that much more brutal and terrifying.
I don't want to give away spoilers but I loved the horror element. It's a really fun and original tale to read. Can't wait to read more from Steve Stred!
A coming-of-age, cosmic horror story set in the 1970s, The One That Knows No Fear will keep your heart pounding long after the stunt has finished.
Writing about The One That Knows No Fear, author Steve Stred said of his protagonist Timmy Wilson: “The story really focuses on him. This is a boy who wishes for a father figure to be in his life and because it’s not there, he attaches to this specific Daredevil, the one they call ‘The One That Knows No Fear.’ Timmy really is an innocent kid who just wants to believe that adults are saints, which we all know is far from the truth.”
This is the latest title I've read from Demain publishing and although each story is unique I've loved them all. So far I've read; The Town That Feared Dusk by Calvin Demmer, The Forest is Hungry by Christopher Stanley, Cinders of a Blind Man Who Could See by Kev Harrison, An Invitation to Darkness by Hailey Piper,and Last Meal in Osaka by Gary Buller. And they're all great!
So I did have high expectations for this, and wasn't disappointed!
Despite being a short story this tale had real emotional depth, in places it was really touching between Timmy and his stepfather with a good helping of 1970's cosmic horror!
The tale centres around a young boy, Timmy, who never really knew his father and desperately wants to connect with his step-father who has absolutely no interest in him at all. Timmy doesn't give up and they form an unlikely bond whilst watching a stunt show every Saturday evening. They are both captivated by the One Who Knows No Fear as he attempts the most dangerous stunts in the world.
When it is announced the stunt show will be touring the United States including their home town, Timmy's step father buys them tickets. It's their first father/son day out. Timmy is beyond excited for what will surely be an amazing day. He really feels like he is gaining a father.
However this is a horror tale. When it is unleashed it really takes you by surprise. It's easy to forget that something bad will happen as the first half of the story is incredibly heart felt and touching which makes the second half that much more brutal and terrifying.
I don't want to give away spoilers but I loved the horror element. It's a really fun and original tale to read. Can't wait to read more from Steve Stred!
August 22, 2020
Steve Stred knows how to grip a reader. Right from the opening pages, when the young boy at the heart of the story is watching daredevils on television, I was intrigued. What I liked most about this novelette, were the descriptions of the not-quite death-defying stunts. Did the stuntman survive? Could he possibly have survived? It seemed like the answer was 'no' and yet, through the boy, I saw him walk away. Naturally, I concluded that the boy must be an unreliable witness...and then I remembered this is a horror story.
I also liked the boy's relationship with his stepfather, and how that develops through the story, giving the story more depth and helping me care about the characters. And I thought Stred did a fantastic job of submersing us in the action towards the end.
All in all, another great addition to the Short Sharp Shocks! series and a writer to watch.
I also liked the boy's relationship with his stepfather, and how that develops through the story, giving the story more depth and helping me care about the characters. And I thought Stred did a fantastic job of submersing us in the action towards the end.
All in all, another great addition to the Short Sharp Shocks! series and a writer to watch.
April 3, 2020
I really love the premise of this story. Stred proves that horror can be found in the most bad ass places. His descriptions of the dare devil on Timmy's television set puts us right there with him. The tension builds as we wonder how it is that this guy seems to survive the most death-defying stunts time and again. Something's wrong, and it's almost as bad as Timmy's relationship with his step-father (which sucks pretty bad). When the two of them bond over a live show, waiting on the edge of their seats for the final act, we know the shit is about to hit the fan. And, of course it does in the most gruesome way! Stred does a lot with this short word count, but could surely have turned this into a full length novel. What a ride...
June 30, 2020
Unique and cool! This short novella is the kind you have to do in one sitting.
July 31, 2021
Steve Stred has managed to write a killer shortish story that involves coming-of-age, a traumatic childhood, a new-found relationship between a kid and his step-dad. And oh yeah, some good old fashioned cosmic horror.
I really enjoyed this tale, and I’m quite annoyed with myself for taking this long to getting around to read it. But I’ve let myself off now, and you should, too.
Timmy is a kid who becomes obsessed with Daredevils, a weekly TV show where stuntmen ride bikes into fire and do backflips over stuff; you know the sort. One day while watching the show, he becomes enraptured by a mysterious biker dude who seems invincible, The One That Knows No Fear. Timmy is suddenly his number one fan, and rightly so.
When the show announces an upcoming tour, Timmy and bit-of-a-bastard step-dad go to check it out. What is it they say about never meeting your idols? It couldn’t be more true here.
I’ve never been to a live stuntman show, but reading this I feel like I have. The scenes were set perfectly, and when the finale slams home, well it really wasn’t what I was expecting, and in a very good way.
I’m saying no more, because you need to put on your crash helmet and devour this excellent and unsettling beast for yourself. But I’ll end with a word of warning. It is probably best to avoid meeting any of those celebrities you worship, because they may not be what they seem. In fact they almost certainly aren’t!
I really enjoyed this tale, and I’m quite annoyed with myself for taking this long to getting around to read it. But I’ve let myself off now, and you should, too.
Timmy is a kid who becomes obsessed with Daredevils, a weekly TV show where stuntmen ride bikes into fire and do backflips over stuff; you know the sort. One day while watching the show, he becomes enraptured by a mysterious biker dude who seems invincible, The One That Knows No Fear. Timmy is suddenly his number one fan, and rightly so.
When the show announces an upcoming tour, Timmy and bit-of-a-bastard step-dad go to check it out. What is it they say about never meeting your idols? It couldn’t be more true here.
I’ve never been to a live stuntman show, but reading this I feel like I have. The scenes were set perfectly, and when the finale slams home, well it really wasn’t what I was expecting, and in a very good way.
I’m saying no more, because you need to put on your crash helmet and devour this excellent and unsettling beast for yourself. But I’ll end with a word of warning. It is probably best to avoid meeting any of those celebrities you worship, because they may not be what they seem. In fact they almost certainly aren’t!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews