This story left me scratching my head a little. There were things I liked and didn’t like in equal measure. Thinking back I still can’t decide what I think.

Bullet Tooth, the character, is an otherworldly, malevolent beast who feeds off the violence, pain, and suffering of us mere humans. So what better place for him to munch than present-day Chicago with the gangs and their guns?

Caleb is a dude who is smack bang in the middle of this gang culture, but the life isn’t really him. He enjoys art and has a real talent for it. We are introduced to him as he grieves for his best friend, another tragically killed in the wars on the streets. When Caleb purchases an old VHS tape from the go-to guy for rip-off movies, he inadvertently unleashes old BT upon the world.

The concept is great, the violence flows, and the characters were engaging enough for me to at least go with them for the ride without particularly liking them, Caleb aside. But I dunno, I just wanted more.

At certain points the tale builds the tension, daring you to turn the page. And in others, the action explodes in your face, but with little time for you to fully digest the magnitude of what is going on. And the ending was a little disappointing for me.

The dialogue here sounded too out of place at times, I just couldn’t picture gang members talking like this.

I sound like I’m being a downer on this book, but I still did enjoy reading. The prose is engaging and the descriptions vivid, and it was obviously written with passion. Bullet Tooth is one nasty bastard, too, which is always a big plus in a horror story.

Whilst this isn’t a book I will be telling the world about, it has invoked an interest in reading more of Grant Wamack. Hopefully then I shall be shouting his name from the rooftops!

I received a free copy of this from Book Sirens.

Categories: book review

Tags: book review, bullet tooth, death, gang culture, grant wamack, guns, horror, violence