Heather Richters helicopter crashes in the Sahara desert and she finds refuge in abandoned WWII military outpost together with Owens a victim of another plane crash. But when night falls in the desert does she realize that her luck about surviving the crash perhaps was premature...

This is a very short story, not that horrifying, but still a good read. I wasn't sure for a while where the author was going towards the end of the story. But the ending made perfect sense to the story.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! ( )

I received an ARC ebook of this novella from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Greg Gifune, with my favorites so far being “Saying Uncle” and “A View from The Lake.” This is another fine novella from Gifune and another great publication from Darkfuse.

I don’t usually focus too much on plot in my reviews as the book synopsis usually provides that. Also, there is always more going on in a Gifune story than the actual plot events. Plot-wise, the story deals with the present while looking backward to the events in the life of Heather and Owens, both soldiers, and what lead them to this oasis. Owen has been there for awhile. Heather is the new arrival. Both are victims of plane crashes. They are, however, not the first visitors by any means. Weaponry and other artifacts, some of it ancient, show that people have been here for a very long time.

Some plot details are necessary. A natural spring of fresh water in the desert should be a heaven. Actually it is quite the opposite. While people have been saved by the water source, there is a cost. Every night the place is overrun by nightmarish creatures intent on slaughtering the people taking shelter there.

That is the basic story line, but really it begs more questions than it answers. Additionally, as we learn more and more about the history of the occupants of the oasis, we begin to question everything about this place, which appears to have a purpose--and it isn’t providing fresh water to stranded travelers. To go much further would be to spoil the tale, but suffice it to say that Gifune’s story works on several levels and provides an interesting take on very old concepts, including guilt, punishment, and redemption.
( )

Heather Richters helicopter crashes in the Sahara desert and she finds refuge in abandoned WWII military outpost together with Owens a victim of another plane crash. But when night falls in the desert does she realize that her luck about surviving the crash perhaps was premature...

This is a very short story, not that horrifying, but still a good read. I wasn't sure for a while where the author was going towards the end with the story. But the ending made perfect sense to the story.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! ( )

Review copy

First, let me mention that I am a fan of Greg Gifune. In the last few years, I've read six of his works, from short stories to novellas, to full length novels and I have not been disappointed. I will continue to seek out his stories, because he's one of the best in the genre.

All that being said, Oasis of the Damned left me dry. An oasis in the middle of the Sahara desert where Owens is the last member of a military group that had crashed nearby, that is, until Heather Richter shows up, herself the sole survivor of a helicopter crash

When night falls, Owens and Richter must fight for their lives against an enemy that is legion.

"'You've seen nothing,' he snapped. 'You got no idea the kinds of things they can do, the things they'll show you, they--they get in your head and you can't get them out because they know what we love and what we hate. They know what scares us, what breaks us down and make us vulnerable.'
Richter squared her stance. Exhausted as she was , she'd had enough of his cryptic nonsense. 'I asked before. I'll ask again. What the hell are these things?'
'You asked, I told you.'
'You said they were ghouls.'
'That's right, straight of of Hell.'
'I don't believe in Hell.'
'Hell doesn't care.'"

As you can see, the writing is top notch. It's the story that didn't do anything for me. It could be me. Maybe it's allegory, I've never been very good with allegory. Your experience may vary.

Oasis of the Damned is part of the ongoing novella series from Darkfuse and is available now at Amazon.com. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read this one at no additional charge. ( )