Advent Ghosts 2024: A Christmas Star

 The TV weatherman had predicted a snowstorm, but Cecil and his grandson savored a clear night outside. A Christmas miracle? Perhaps, but only if you set the bar low, or appreciated the little things.

“What’s that?’ Timmy enquired indicating a pulsing purple orb.

Cecil chuckled “Haven’t you been listening to my stories? Must be the star of Bethlehem.”

“Umm, is it getting bigger?”

Cecil frowned, the orb now had a streaky tail and was hurtling downwards at top speed.

“Timmy, inside now.” Grandpa ordered trying his darndest to forget another story which had just come to mind. One about dinosaurs.

Advent Ghosts 2022: Silent Night

 The Tailor smiled at your snowy beard as she sowed buttons onto your crimson coat. You smiled back, a half-conscious response. You knew exactly what she was thinking. ‘He looks just like Santa Claus’.

The store-clerk nodded approvingly as you handed him an oversized sack. The same thoughts were flashing through his brain and it was second nature to encourage them.

The man at the gun shop was different. Didn’t even bother to glance up from his copy of ammunition weekly as he handed you the silencer. You smirked, ‘Silent night’ indeed. At Christmas red was better camouflage than black.

Advent Ghosts 2022: I told you so

 A bill outlawing Christmas presents? You were ecstatic. No more hard-earned money siphoned to corporations.

I wanted to get our son something small anyway. You waved away my concerns, pronounced it was like pulling off a band-aid.

There was that Academic on TV warning about an ancient manuscript and gift-giving keeping evil spirits pacified. As Christmas approached his message never changed but he grew disheveled, desperate to be heeded. You scoffed.

Christmas morning. The bedroom door burst open, revealing the silhouette of our son, blood-stained knife in hand, eyes rolled back in his skull.

‘I told you so’ isn’t enough.

Advent Ghosts 2021:The Cracker

 Multihued lights spiraled their way around the Christmas tree mesmerizing the families clustered around the restaurant’s sea of tables. Jeff ignored them, mechanically chomping down on a mouthful of ham. Christmas had been his life for the decades he’d worked at Hallmark crackers. ‘Budget cuts,’ explained his boss, an upstart who couldn’t tell a cracker snap from tissue.

Jeff chuckled. Safety checks were another victim of those cuts. Scattered explosions would bury Hallmark under an avalanche of lawsuits.

“Buck up mate.” A jovial fellow exclaimed, offering a cracker.

The blood drained from Jeff’s face when he discerned a familiar logo.  

Advent Ghosts 2020: Christmas Lights

 “Oh, look how pretty the lights are John!” Sarah exclaimed, practically bouncing in her boots.

Seemingly endless rows of fairy lights lit up the house like the constellations on a clear night.

“Can we take a closer look?”

“I don’t see why not?” John shrugged, “That’s what Christmas lights are for right?”

The creature hunched in the shadows as still as the mountains it had outlived, cold eyes intently staring as it’s prey ambled closer. It was a trick almost as old as the creature itself and had served it well in the depths. Food always came to the light.

Advent ghosts 2019: The Deal

Martin flopped into bed. The sheets engulfing him and dispelling whirling thoughts of litigations.

"Did you put the milk and cookies out?" Sarah asked "Timmy will be devastated if you haven't.

"All sorted" Martin lied.

An empty glass and a few sprinkled crumbs and Timmy wouldn't know the difference.

Santa was furious. Somehow these short-lived mortals kept the memory of their deal alive, binding him with libations through guest rights that no Fae could break. Although perhaps not here. Santa smirked as he spotted the bare kitchen counter. He stalked towards the child's bedroom, licking his lips all the way.

Review: The Core by Peter V. Brett

Having captured the lead mind demon Alagai Ka and discovered that queen demon is set to lay a new set of queens leading to a civil war of sorts between that demons that will result in humanity's destruction, Arlen, his wife Rena and Ahmann hatch a desperate plan to have Alagai Ka lead them to the core and stop it. While they are gone the leaders of the rest of humanity need to try and keep their people alive through sustained attacks by the demons.

Pacing has been an issue in the middle books in this series but is well handled in the finale. I found a good balance between the main and secondary plots. I also found Brett cleverly introduced material for outrigger series without compromising on what was happening in this one.

It was particularly interesting to see the issue of faith addressed particularly between the interactions between Arlen and Ahmann. For me this was the strongest development in Ahmann's character throughout the entire series.

Overall a well balanced finale. 8.5/10.