Book Reviews
Indie Book Review: Dead Hunt, by Kenn Crawford
Kenn Crawford’s Dead Hunt began as a weekend project for his daughter. Initially intended for the screen, the Indie author came across the power of the audio book and quickly developed Dead Hunt into every media aspect possible.
She hurt. Her battered foot pleaded helplessly as she stumbled down the abandoned dirt road. A thick, humid mist hung in the still air. On one foot, she wore a white athletic sneaker; her other foot wore only a blood-soaked sock.Exhausted legs carried her wounded feet across sharp rocks, almost dragging them. Every other step broke the deafening silence with a soft, squishing sound as her tender foot met the hard, unforgiving road.The rising sun glared its cruel intentions of another scorching hot day.Her bleeding foot tarnished the road with each cruel step, leaving a Hansel and Gretel-like trail behind her. Her blank stare resembled something between an unknowing daze and an all-knowing fear.Remnants of the makeup and blush that once highlighted her pretty face were now covered with dirt and dried blood.The tracks of yesterday’s tears streaked her dirty cheek.
Professor Patrick Heslin has but one goal in his life following the loss of his daughter, Robin, three years earlier; bringing her back to life. He thought he had the key with the Formula 25-41 he had developed, a chemical compound which theoretically should reanimate dead tissue. However, test after test fail and one day, in a fit of rage, Heslin smashes a beaker full of 25-41 against the wall and some of the liquid drips out the window into the world beyond. As it turns out, the formula does work, in a fashion.
DEAD HUNT, Kenn Crawford’s first novel, is of a genre which I don’t usually delve into, what I would consider young adult horror. However, I found myself entertained as I read this “zombie thriller” which recounts the predicaments a handful of teenagers are faced with after unknowingly placing themselves in the midst of countless living dead on a remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia. The storyline flows well, the characters are believable and the descriptions of people, places and things convey adequate imagery. Crawford’s dialogue and narrative tends towards clichés at times which adds a comedic touch to the book. Overall, I found DEAD HUNT to be an imaginative, enjoyable read with a clever twist at its conclusion.
