Seed. Ania Ahlborn.

Kindle Edition, 2011.

169 pp.

Available for $2.99 on Amazon

Synopsis

While driving home one night with his wife and two daughters, Jack Winters gets into an accident on a dark, lonely road. Jack totals the car, but no one is hurt. All seems well until one daughter becomes ill. What he thought to be the flu turns out to be something more sinister.

His wife, Aimee, sees something else. She knows something is wrong, but can’t pinpoint the exact cause until she uncovers Jack’s secret. By then, it’s too late.

The Review

In Seed, Jack watches his daughter deteriorate into someone he doesn’t know, or so he thinks. You will like and hate Jack at the same time. You like him for the person he tries to be, but you hate him for what he allows to happen to his family. For example, he’s a patient father and tolerant husband who puts aside his feelings to ease his wife and daughter’s fears. At the same time, he sees his youngest daughter transitioning into something sinister and does not attempt to stop it.  

Ahlborn manages to paint an eerie picture without all the gratuitous gore associated with horror. The story flows well, but there are several unresolved storylines. ~Spoiler Alert~ For example, we never really know or understand how Jack’s torment began, or why his daughter experiences the same torment. There’s no real understanding of what the menacing figure in the book wants or why it chose Jack. The graveyard and dark, lonely roads are two overdone clichés the book did not need. You may find yourself liking the minor characters more than the main characters. Jack’s best friend, Reagan, has a likeable personality. In fact, Reagan should have been a main character. His wife, Aimee, has a large role with no real purpose.

Ahlborn is no Stephen King, but this author manages to weave a tale of suspense filled with several “wow” moments you have to read to believe. She manages to keep you hooked until the very end. The final chapter leaves you wanting more from this author.