I WILL WANDER ON
Ron Prasad
iUniverse (2024)
ISBN: 978-1663266477
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (11/2024)
In “I Will Wander On: Terrifying Tales of Life, Love, & Death,” talented author Ron Prasad has created a collection of fifteen short stories. Each one is thought-provoking and will leave the reader feeling unsettled, as they did me. Prasad’s skillful storytelling takes us into a world where the living and the dead intertwine in haunting ways.
My Spinal Girl is the first story in the collection. It is also my favorite. Set against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse, the protagonists have found refuge in a still-fortified Costco. They are feeling pretty secure until they encounter “Lilith,” a zombie who has retained a sense of awareness. Lilith can control a zombie horde. This does not bode well for the surviving humans.
As a fan of zombie and post-apocalyptic novels, I found this story to be extremely unique and unnerving. I always thought that Costco would be the best possible place to be during a zombie apocalypse, but now Prasad has made me think differently. I will need to resort to my plan B which involves a deserted island! My Spinal Girl really showcases Prasad’s ability to create an inventive plot that readers will still manage to find relatable.
Prasad also has a knack for crafting his short stories with a depth that leaves them feeling more complex like a novella, with both detail and character development, rather than a tale that just takes place over a few short pages. Readers will see common themes of love, hate, revenge, and the quest for power resonating through each story, yet they will still be presented in a unique way. It doesn’t matter if they are alive or dead, each character is driven by their own motivations that reflect the darker aspects of humanity. Prasad highlights this in his tales. This makes the horror even more impactful. Despite the diverse settings and themes, all the tales share an undercurrent of existential dread. This creates a stronger feeling of a visceral connection to the characters as they struggle. While unnerving and unsettling, I found myself unable to stop reading!
I found “I Will Wander On” to be a masterful collection of horror stories that go way beyond the genre’s typical boundaries. Readers will find themselves confronting their fears while they are exploring the darker sides of the human experience. Prasad’s stories are not only entertaining, but they will also challenge readers to take a closer look at their own fears. I cannot wait for the second volume in this series!