Steve Stred has managed to write a killer shortish story that involves coming-of-age, a traumatic childhood, a new-found relationship between a kid and his step-dad. And oh yeah, some good old fashioned cosmic horror.

I really enjoyed this tale, and I’m quite annoyed with myself for taking this long to getting around to read it. But I’ve let myself off now, and you should, too.

Timmy is a kid who becomes obsessed with Daredevils, a weekly TV show where stuntmen ride bikes into fire and do backflips over stuff; you know the sort. One day while watching the show, he becomes enraptured by a mysterious biker dude who seems invincible, The One That Knows No Fear. Timmy is suddenly his number one fan, and rightly so.

When the show announces an upcoming tour, Timmy and bit-of-a-bastard step-dad go to check it out. What is it they say about never meeting your idols? It couldn’t be more true here.

I’ve never been to a live stuntman show, but reading this I feel like I have. The scenes were set perfectly, and when the finale slams home, well it really wasn’t what I was expecting, and in a very good way.

I’m saying no more, because you need to put on your crash helmet and devour this excellent and unsettling beast for yourself. But I’ll end with a word of warning. It is probably best to avoid meeting any of those celebrities you worship, because they may not be what they seem. In fact they almost certainly aren’t!

Categories: book review

Tags: book review, coming of age, cosmic horror, demain publishing, horror, short sharp shocks!, short story, steve stred, the one that knows no fear