Monday, December 2, 2013

The Hand That Feeds by Michael W. Garza


The book opens up with eight year old Alex digging himself out of a grave.  Pining over the loss of his parents, he realizes that he has no use of his legs and drags himself along the earth to find them.  His mother, hearing his cries, does what any mother would do.  She searches for and finds him.  His father, more alert to the situation, though still loving his son, and afraid of its effects on his wife, attempts to take what little control he can over this strange, but engaging situation.
If the chilling cover won’t haunt you, the imagery that the author manages to kick up will.  Michael W. Garza is a very descriptive writer.  This author was lost more than once, while reading this book.  In the haunting emotion and visual portrayal of the father, John, as he tried to find reason among madness. 

As I read the book, I found myself lost in thoughts of what I would do in this same situation.  John, not entirely onboard with his wife’s desire to feed their now zombie son, is forced to face his own humanity.  His struggle to protect his family, as well as his own life, is haunting. 
Another chilling piece to this tale is how John interacts with society as the world around him goes mad.   Garza manages to encompass both the empathetic and the self-preserving personalities of many of his characters as the reality of what is happening engulfs this small town. 

My only complaint about this book was that some of the situations that we were lead into resulted with predictable endings.  This was a minor flaw, however, because the story, as told, was definitely entertaining and worth the cost of the cover.
In short, this is definitely a book that keeps the pages turning and the reader looking to dark corners for unexpected movements.  If you are looking for a quick read that incorporates a classic scare, this book may be for you.  You can pick the book up at Amazon.com at the following link: 

Author to Author asks you, how far will a mother go to protect her child, even when she knows that he has already been lost to her?  And, secondly, how far will a husband go to protect his wife?  The Hand That Feeds brilliantly answers both of these questions with a cliffhanger ending that will leave you chilled. 

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