Den of the Wererats by Terry Miller
JONATHAN AND PAUL ARE NEW TO PORTSMOUTH, OHIO. TO STRENGTHEN THEIR PACK, THEY SOON RECRUIT KELLY AND DEVIN. THE FRESHLY TURNED PACK MEMBERS ADJUST AND SETTLE IN. BUT BEFORE LONG, SECRETS BEGIN TO UNRAVEL THEIR UNITY. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS, RAVEN, A NEW PROSPECT, HAS A SECRET OF HER OWN—A SECRET THAT WILL CONFRONT EVERY PACK MEMBER WITH HORRORS THEY NEVER IMAGINED.
Trigger Warning: This book contains subject matter that may be sensitive to certain readers.
AustraliaMore like Terry KILLER!
I suppose I should preface this with the fact that I have been fortunate to strike up an online friendship with the author for a few of years now; our digital paths crossing due to friends we had in common and our original interactions on their posts making it clear early on that we share similar thoughts and ideals, and a love of heavy metal and horror in all it's forms of media, not to mention a dark (bordering on concerning) sense of humour! So as seasoned horror aficionados both, I think it's fair to say that even before I'd read any of Terry's work I already had an idea of what to expect from him and knew it would be right up my alley. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed! What preconceived notions I had were that I would enjoy a macabre tale of gore-soaked horror, visceral and violent, fraught with disturbing visuals conjured by my own mind at the whim of the words conjured by his. My only small critique would be that there wasn't a great deal of character depth, and the descriptive elements of the story were a little too thin for me to really sink my teeth into (pun intended) resulting in me not developing any real feelings for the characters to be able to revel in their successes or failures. However I do stress that this is by no means a negative as I understand that these things were intentionally kept minimal to allow the story to move forward at pace, not only to keep the format short but to maximise the sick, twisted fun unfolding before me, rather than get bogged down in details, for which I applaud Miller. For it's a difficult thing to do, to curb your enthusiasm for descriptive writing at which he is clearly adept, and I can tell he's dying to revel in himself. So without spoiling anything, what you get with 'Den of the Wererats' is great short horror story that kicks off from the very start and never lets up, and to me seems to me to be an allegory about the baser instincts of mankind - those darker, truly perverse proclivities that we attribute to the most morally bankrupt members of society whom we just love to see get their comeuppance - which at a mere 65 pages is impressively jam-packed with themes of betrayal, vengeance and karma, all deliciously wrapped in violence, gory visuals and utter filth. Not to mention it's also full of fantastic musical references for fellow metalheads like myself, and even a small nod to my favourite film of all time, The Lost Boys, which I assume was intentional but even if not, is a cool little coincidence! I absolutely loved this and can't wait to read the follow-up 'Wererats Underground'! I highly recommend 'Den' and Terry Miller's writing in general, for already seasoned horror fans looking for a satisfying little fix of the ol' ultraviolence... but perhaps not for those only taking their first steps into the genre because well, if you're looking for a horror story that eases you into it, this is not the one for you and you should probably start with Dean Koontz or Stephen King. Not to get too punny for my own good, but this one goes right for the jugular!
United StatesSqueak Squeak MF
This was a fun story all around. Every corner you turned took you somewhere you really weren't expecting. Bloody, with great characters, this one is definitely worth reading.
CanadaMothers Milk
Great idea and well written. Blood and gore added in just the right spot to flush out a great story. This one takes you on a brutal journey then hits the brakes and takes a hard turn at the end. Just when you thought I was safe to trust a Mother! Great read.
United StatesGather Around Readers Of Splatter…It’s Feeding Time
Horror Bookworm Reviews Den Of The Wererats by Terry Miller https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/ A recruitment of sorts emerges into disturbing reality as a fiendish friendship converts into selfish ulterior motives. These intentions feed a morbid necessity to not only exist but to increase needed numbers. Call it a gift, call it a curse, Jonathan and Paul have a secret they want to show you. Terry Miller takes the reader on a journey into shadows where creatures possessing beady eyes, pointy teeth and sharp claws desire an endless appetite for flesh and meat. This novella of nastiness offers up an infested combination of a vicious species of rat and human form. Structured with a foundation of extreme violence and gore, Den Of The Wererats is infested with revolting beasts of the night. The only thing worse…is the offspring. What a great take on the Were-Mythos. From the raw foul smells to the sound of crunching bone to the taste of sweat and salty meat, the disgust and sexual depravity is such that the author doesn’t leave any of the five senses unturned. Rounding out this complete package, Miller includes a sinister soundtrack of Ministry, Lordi and Rob Zombie. A great representation of what Den Of The Wererats stands for. Gather around readers of splatter…it’s feeding time. This is one hell of a creature feature that all horror bookworms can really sink their teeth into. If it’s one thing that author Terry Miller has taught me…a rat is never satisfied. An oddly alluring five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation that does not disappoint.
United KingdomIt bites!!
I've read and thoroughly enjoyed a few of Terry's works now, which have all been short, shorts. Den of the Wererats is a novella, and I'm so happy that Terry is writing longer stories, because he's bloody good at it! Fingers crossed for a full novel one day When Kelly decides to take a shortcut through an alley, little does she know, her life is about to change, but in a way she never would've thought possible! And when Devin loses his job, he wants to seek revenge on his old boss, and he gets the perfect opportunity, also in a way he'd never have thought possible! A den of Wererats need to recruit more members to make sure their species doesn't die out, and in particular, they are in need of a new Momma rat, and what it takes to get a new Momma rat is pretty damn devious and brutal. With a tense, bloodthirsty and barbaric build up to a big bonfire party of sex, drugs and carnage by the river, they have a real smorgasbord of new recruits….but did they make a mistake with one of the recruits..?? (This particular part reminded me of the bonfire scene in The Lost Boys, but with rats!! ) This was a quick, fun, addictive read, with a good twist ending! And a great concept too, we've had werewolves, now its time to let the wererats loose!!