Right from the outset of Brian McAuley’s Curse of the Reaper, it is quite clear that the author has a strong grasp of the slasher film.
We follow the dual stories of Howard Browning and Trevor Mane, two actors at different areas of the food chain.
Howard is verging on retirement, having played the titular Reaper across a number of films, while Trevor could potentially be taking the role for a planned reboot.
Curse of the Reaper feels like it takes place today, with commentary on toxic fandom, fan backlash over rebooting old properties plus the now overwhelming popularity of the convention scene. Add into this a supernatural element, which connects Howard, Trevor and the fictional Reaper and you have quite the melting pot.
While its genesis is within the slasher realm, Curse… attempts to create a wider story about addiction, letting go of your past and art imitating life.
It was a fascinating read that slasher and general horror fans will definitely lap up.
Curse of the Reaper by Bryan McAuley is available now in physical and digital book formats.
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