Review: The Savage Moor by Robert Fael

 Genre: Crime Fiction

Description:

“The Exmoor Beast is a creature of myth and mystery. Some think it's a phantom. Others that it's actually a big cat that escaped from a private collection. The bloody carcasses of deer and sheep found on the moor are often quoted as proof of its existence.

Now for the first time the Beast has taken human prey, and attacks seem to be intensifying. Ex MI5 agent Hollis is called in to investigate.

What he uncovers is more than just moorland myth. It's a clash between a quiet farming community, and big city gangsters. Things are becoming increasingly violent, and the bodies they find have been pulverized with incredible force. Shotguns may be no match for AK47s, but it seems the people of Exmoor have a surprisingly fearsome ally.”

Author:

“When he was a small boy Robert’s mother left him out in the forest, hoping the fairies would leave a changling in his place. Or maybe he’d be snatched by a she-wolf.

Is it any wonder he turned out a bit odd?

Actually Robert had a very ordinary upbringing in rural England. As an adult he traveled and has lived in several parts of Europe. His current home is near Valencia in Spain. When not working or writing you’ll probably find him in one of the region’s many fine seaside hostelries enjoying tapas and a glass or two of tempranillo.”

For more, visit Mr Fael’s website.

Appraisal:

While it is accurate to describe this novella as crime fiction, it has some elements that spice things up a bit, for example the rumors of the beast that rumor and myth indicate has been sporadically attacking people in the area where the story takes place. While there were some glimmers of where the story might go, it kept me guessing to the end. The basic story is entertaining and I’d give this book a ranking of at least four stars were it not for one significant issue. I’d be reading along and  stumble, throwing me out of the story, when I’d hit a missing or wrong word or some other proofreading miss. The number of proofreading misses I noticed were more than I’d find acceptable in a full-size novel and (depending on where you draw the line) this is either a long novella or a short novel, less than half as long as an average novel.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Way more proofreading issues snuck through than I find acceptable.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words