The Lion at the Gate tells the tale of school chums who encounter graffiti-or is it? This has a very clever twist! One of the interesting things about this book was the introduction and the personal notes preceding each of the stories. I found it fascinating how some odd incident ignited the creative spark. Many [of these tales] feature ironic twists that remind me of [Stephen] King’s short story work, specifically NIGHT SHIFT, with a smattering of 'The Twilight Zone' thrown in for good measure."

A Sliver of Darkness is a collection of short stories written by the fabulous C.J. Tudor, and while I rarely actually read short stories, I knew I had to read these. They were all well-formed, and like with all short stories, I did end up enjoying some more than others even though every single one was either a 4 or 5-star rating on its own. My favorites were Runaway Blues, Gloria, Final Course (which had great horror vibes), and The Copy Shop with a couple of others not too far behind. There are a total of 11 stories in all, and each one starts with an introduction from Tudor. This idea of including where each of them came from was completely brilliant, and I loved hearing how each one came to be included in this book. Remember, Commander, a Stigma Stone is used just like any other skill. There's nothing else you need to know now that you've remembered how to fit the stone itself.Every single short story in this book worked for me!!!!!! True, there were ones that I enjoyed more than others, but everyone was enjoyable (and fun)! Some were darker than others, but all were original, well thought out and creepy. I usually get upset with short stories due to feeling that just as they were getting good, they end. But here I thought Tudor ended them at the appropriate times. She provides the thrills and chills in her imaginative stories. Another favourite is The Copy Shop which is very funny, with a broken vase, a cat and the odd miracle or two. C.J. Tudor has banded together some CREEP on high alert. Each of these stories goes off into a different direction and a different level of intensity. She's crafted ideas based on unfinished work sitting on the sidelines begging for attention. Tudor has breathed life into them as only she can. And she points out how life experiences and heavy personal loss changes us drastically. We are not the same as we were just a few years ago. The world itself speaks to this from the impact of the pandemic. We see through different eyes. More leery and more distrusting of outcomes. In The End of the Liner we meet Leila, now 75. It’s a dark sad tale of survival and though enjoyable it’s not hard to figure out. Tudor prefaced each short story with her real life experiences that inspired her to write them. I enjoyed reading tidbits about her life in Nottingham, England where she once worked as a dog walker. She was a natural writer without any specific school training for it, and marveled at the compensation when her short story offerings would be accepted by magazines and such. It could amount to weeks of dog walking!

In "The Lion at the Gate," a strange piece of graffiti leads to a terrifying encounter for four school friends.Perhaps I should explain. Jucleas and I are not the only links in this chain. Someone is looking for you, Player.

One of the biggest challenges when writing a collection like this is keeping things fresh and exciting from story to story. Well, this collection does just that, whilst simultaneously writing with such flair that makes each story a joy to read. Story 10&11 | “Dust & Butterfly Island” – A dust storm covers an old hotel that holds some interesting secrets. Dust was probably my favorite one. (I think I have said this like 5 times previously) So crazy, but brilliant. Butterfly Island holds a being that may or may not be welcoming to castaways. This one was SO great. The author says this was her favorite to write. This was one of the best ones to read! Overall, this was an entertaining, if not memorable, collection. On the plus side, it set me up to be excited to read Tudor’s next book, The Drift. If you are in the mood for something such as a thriller chiller, with ingredients of horror, a bit disturbing with added notes of dark humour, then these eleven stories are for you! They are all good, most are post apocalypse depicting dark futures, some are cleverly bonkers and have a good twist.You were the Brigade General of a secret legion in service to Lady Ariel, a legion known only to a select and fortunate few as the Mirage Legion. A Sliver of Darkness brings something to mind. What scares me, scares you. The mind blasts thoughts throughout our psyche at a rapid speed. We don't even have to touch the tangible outright to configure thoughts of horrid darkness, slimey ooze, hairy things brushing our ankles, and sounds forming ear worms like creaking stairs and ghoulish howls. If you are a fan of psychological horror (Catriona Ward fans I’m talking to you), A Sliver of Darkness is a must read! Since the book includes eleven stories and since they are short, I don’t think I’m up to the task of reviewing intelligently (do I ever?), so I will just say that they were comprised in equal measures of quirky, gory, zombie, flesh eating, cultish, horror, fantasy, futuristic, sci-fi, and even a dash of dystopian for good measure. I also let out my villanelle laughs aloud after reading “Copy Shop! “I wish they could provide me their service! I could send them my entire in-law team to be fixed!

The first story follows an old woman on a cruise ship that is anything but a fun holiday and made for an excellent start to the collection. The story was unsettling and had an air of mystery around it, however it was a little predictable. The concept was interesting and it would make for a great full length novel where the characters could be more developed and the plot furthered. I’m Not Ted, in which everyone wrongly thinks the narrator is Ted, who seems to be living the narrator’s dream life. I found these stories to be unique and entertaining. It's pretty clear Tudor has entered her dystopian/post-apocalyptic era and I'm not mad about it. Overall: I literally devoured those brilliant works! They’re juicy, funny, gory, dark, unusual pieces of extraordinary mind! Time slips. Doomsday scenarios. Killer butterflies. C. J. Tudor’s novels are widely acclaimed for their dark, twisty suspense plots, but with A Sliver of Darkness, she pulls us even further into her dizzying imagination.Eleven tales that are not all of the spine-tingling variety but are definitely Stephen King territory. Each story has a satisfying conclusion and a bit of a twist' Scotsman Dust – How a Stepmother is rewarded for taking care of her stepchildren? …and, maybe a few others along the way