Lifeline by Kit Power

Lifeline by Kit Power
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Horror, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (85 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

FRANK IS IN TROUBLE.

Not the “best call the wife” sort of trouble. Not the “how on earth did I manage that?” sort of trouble. Not even the “I hope to God no-one ever finds out about this” sort. Frank would kill for that kind of trouble right now. But it’s not Frank who’s making that call.

I remember reading somewhere that cigarette and candy automats were in place by the 1930’s, and by the time World War II rolled around, vending machines were raking in $600 million, an astronomical amount considering that most of the candy they stocked sold for a penny. discount sildenafil In today’s world of careless lifestyles and hectic jobs have not only increased cialis 40 mg stress in people but it has also been seen affecting the sexual health of men. In those people with diabetes levitra shop uk who have autonomic dysfunction, orthostatic hypotension can occur. GPs are obliged to take these potential risks into account when planning care for their patients and thus, leave no viagra prescription online stone unturned to cure men with erectile dysfunction. Someone else is. And that someone else is Trouble like Frank has never known.

And now, Frank is discovering that in a survival situation, hope can be as much of a liability as despair…

Pain is a signal that something has gone wrong in a body, but that isn’t the only purpose it serves.

The blurb barely scratches the surface of what this story is about, but in this case that’s a good thing. Not knowing exactly what to expect when I started reading made it even scarier once I realized what was happening to the narrator. It’s difficult to go into specifics without giving away spoilers, but this is definitely something that belongs in the horror genre.

I would have liked to see a little more time spent developing the final scene. It felt slightly abrupt to me based on how much time was spent earlier on in the plot wrestling with whether or not the narrator will get what he wants. The pacing was well-done throughout this piece, but when it ended I felt like I’d been dropped over the side of a cliff. A certain amount of dread works well in this sub-genre, but Lifeline would have easily earned a much higher rating if it had provided a few more details about the last jaw-dropping paragraph.

The fast-paced, thrilling plot lead me to finishing this tale in one sitting. By the end of the second scene I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next because the author had already shocked me with certain twists. I’ve read one other book by Mr. Power so far, and it’s interesting to see how his writing style evolves from one set of characters to the next. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more from him in the future!

Lifeline wallows in the dark, sinister side of the horror genre. This is a good choice for anyone who likes to be scared by things that actually happen.