Title: Beast of BurdenAuthor: Judith Sonnet
First Published: August 20, 2023
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 140
Genre: Coming of Age, Horror, LGBTQ, Splatterpunk, Supernatural
Format: Ebook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating:
Synopsis:
After their bassist decides to quit the band, Geriatric Genocide is low on morale. They want to be the next big thing in metal ... but the remaining members are just stuck at home. Growing old ... but not growing up.
It's decided that they will go into the forest for a photoshoot, which should lift their spirits ...
But things go wrong for the band members (Virtue, Mort, and Rufus) when they are forced into a cave. A dark place, where something evil, ancient, and hungry lurks!
From the twisted mind of Judith Sonnet, the author of NO ONE RIDES FOR FREE, comes a love letter to metal, horror, and unbreakable friendships. A coming of age story, laced with gory and demonic depravity!
Get the Book: AmazonReview
Beast of Burden was a total surprise to me, and a book that I’ve become fond of. The book is an unapologetic love letter to metal music and follows a band of misfits facing the harsh reality of growing up and looking back on the wild dreams of youth. Geriatric Genocide is an indie metal band that never made it big facing a crisis when one of their band members decides to leave the band and enter the world of working adulthood. The remaining members are shocked, feeling betrayed and abandoned, not yet ready to give up on the good old days of music and adventure.
I really loved how the story explores that difficult phase between adolescence and adulthood, the fear of change and losing one’s identity by conforming to regular society. I feel in love with each of the characters and felt so protective over them, especially the main narrator, Virtue. His hesitation to take that next step forward is keenly felt. The story of course gets dark and the encounter in the woods was terrifying, and the bittersweet ending was absolutely perfect.
This was my second Judith Sonnet book and the one that made me fall in love with her writing. I started with No One Rides for Free, one of my first forays into extreme horror and felt only lukewarm, and I’m so glad that I gave her books another chance as she has quickly become a favorite. This is an easy recommendation for fans of coming of age horror with a good dose of splatterpunk.
Quote
“Clyde had grown up and left Geriatric Genocide behind, and Virtue was peculiarly jealous of him. At least Clyde was acting his age. Virtue still felt like a kid.”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Judith Sonnet
Judith Sonnet (she/her) is a horror and splatter author from Missouri, although she currently resides in Utah… where she spends every day reading, writing, watching Italian horror movies, and listening to loud music. She’s a trans woman, an abuse survivor, and is thankful to be involved in the horror community. Noteworthy publications include No One Rides For Free, The Clown Hunt, Something Akin to Revulsion, and Summer Never Ends, all of which are available on Amazon. TOXIC is her Godless debut.
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