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Book Review: David Moody’s Praised ‘Hater’

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Being adapted into a feature film by Guillermo del Toro, Bloody Disgusting’s Jess Peacock sat down and read David Moody’s widely praised “Hater”, which is bow available at book stores everywhere. The thriller is about an epidemic of random violence in which ordinary people strike lethally without warning or remorse. Check out Peacock’s review inside.“Hater” by David Moody

You have undoubtedly seen the faces and stories: The mother who suddenly drowns her two children in the bathtub. The dedicated father who shoots his family before turning the gun on himself. We ask how such seemingly well-adjusted people could suddenly turn so violent and so heinous as to brutally murder those they hold most dear? We reassure ourselves that we could never harm the ones we love, that we are above such societal aberrations. What would happen to our world, however, if half of the population did exactly that?

Hater, written by David Moody, throws society into a chaotic tailspin after violent assaults by ordinary citizens, tagged Haters by the media, skyrocket. No rhyme or reason can explain who will suddenly attack, or who the victims will be. Before long, nobody can be trusted, and civil unrest quickly spreads in a riveting tale that is part 28 Days Later, part The Crazies.

Moody personalizes the rapidly deepening paranoia by primarily focusing on the first person narration of Danny McCoyne, an everyday schlub struggling to support his young family with a monotonous, low paying city job (his daily routine is only slightly less horrific than the Haters). As the violent attacks spread, McCoyne holes up inside his home with one eye on the frustratingly vague news reports and the other on every potentially suspicious action of his wife, kids, and father-in-law.

The looming division within McCoyne’s family is reflected in society at large. From gays vs. straights, liberals vs. conservatives, and religious fundamentalists vs. everyone else, we are growing increasingly wary and antagonistic of anyone who does not think exactly as we do. Moody simply upgrades these ideological clashes into physical attacks, highlighting the danger society is faced with when nuance and empathy are exchanged for a strict black and white, us versus them worldview.

While based in the U.K., Hater has presciently tapped into the current political and cultural zeitgeist in the United States. Abhorrent rhetoric, while always existing in American society, has reached a critical mass coupled with mainstream legitimacy as of late. While aggressive lines have already been drawn symbolically in our culture, one must wonder how long we can keep the logical next step at bay.

Without spoiling the fun, it must be noted that Hater takes a sudden sharp turn part way through the novel, forcing the reader back on his heels and elevating the story from clever horror fare to an ingenious psychological and spiritual metaphor. However, at the risk of leaving too many clues, a deeper discussion on the importance of the twist will have to wait for the upcoming Dog Blood (book two) review.

While the journey of Hater from self-published phenomenon to pet production project of genre powerhouse Guillermo del Toro could easily outshine the power of the story, Moody has managed to invest in his novel a message of modern importance that should continue to resonate for years.

Score 4/5 Skulls

Visit Jess Peacock’s Crawlspace Online

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SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!

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As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.

Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:

Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.

Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.

Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.

Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.

Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?

Also check out:

The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.

Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.

And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.

These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.

Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

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