Wolf & Magic Review By. Brooks Kohler

Book Review of WOLF & MAGIC by R. F. Cisneros

At some point in my wonder years, I watched An American Werewolf in London, a 1981 horror movie so terrifying to me then, I don’t care to watch it now. The scene where a dead man nonchalantly jokes while his cheek dangles in bloody shreds is one I shall not forget, and when I looked up images from the movie to help write this review, I had a bit of apprehension. Some might see this as a call to censorship, but I beg to differ. Instead of censorship, it is a call for better filmmaking because if a movie made before the advent of CGI has the ability to chill me to the bone in 2020, then why is it very few past 1990 have the same effect?

This book review is not about movies nor zombies with a witty sense of humor, but it is about werewolves, wizards, and suspense in city life.

Wolf & Magic: An Undead P. I. Novella is the story of Esteban, a wizard from the Southwestern United States, who visits a city to help a friend in desperate need. No sooner does he arrive than he finds himself pursued by werewolves bent on fulfilling a plan to set in motion a life altering event. The chase begins as Esteban hurries along busy streets hunting the pack while he himself becomes the target of their aggression. Forced against the wall, he finds himself challenged and needing to prove the staff is a mighty weapon.

From the start, the story feels a bit like a comic book, and when I learned more about Esteban’s character, it became clear why. The story’s not long, easy to read, and only takes a few hours to complete. Fast readers are going to love how the story moves quickly and recognize the comic book feel. I really appreciate the fact it has no chapters. I sensed the chapters, but there’s no need for them because the action continues from page to page with no time bouncing. If you can’t stand stories that make you keep a notepad handy to follow the plot, this story is going to delight you because all you need to do is kickback and read. It’s one of those if you mark the spot, you just start where you stopped stories.

Another thing that intrigued me about this story is I thought I knew the ending, and then it surprised me when I didn’t. It left me with the feeling of getting a good solid read in. I didn’t feel cheated or coaxed. In fact, I sat back in my chair and chuckled for thinking I knew the ending. To me, that’s the sign of a good writer. They have the ability to guide you along, make you think you’re in control, but then you realize their story, much like real life, is not predictable.

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Never Ending Love By. R. F. Cisneros

Never Ending Love
By. R. F. Cisneros

Thoughts of you run in my mind.
Wondering where we stand.
I look at my phone, wanting, hoping,
for the call to come.

The phone rings, my heart stops,
my palms sweat and I answer.
I hear the voice I’ve been longing
to hear.
You and I say what we must.
My soul is on fire.

As we speak of the past.
I realized how wrong I was to leave.
As we speak of the future.
I fear that ship has sailed.
I gather my strength and conviction.
I close my eyes and I ask the question.
I ask to be forgiven hoping the answer is true.
It hangs in the air like the
proverbial elephant in the room.

I can hear the smile on the other end, and
the answer comes in loud and clear.
Tears well up as the answer brings me to my knees,
and I thank God for letting us have this second chance.

Time passes as time does.
I now stand here in front of your name.
As I look down upon your resting place.
Tears well up and I smile and reminisce of the past,
and the second chance given to us.

I place a rose on the casket as it is lowered
in the last place, you’ll rest.
I look over to the fruit of our love and say that
“you’re in a better place, and one day we will be together again.

Lord Zurphs