Commodore

“Commodore” by Philip Fracassi surprised me. The blurb suggests a Christine-like story, but in actuality, the horror is served up on more of a cosmic plate. The plot may be full of influences and nostalgic callbacks, but the terror and sense of space had a unique voice and captivating writing style.
 
Plot: The town of Sabbath is filled with unique folks who have a penchant for sticking around its borders. Why? I'm not sure. What I do know is that they have a gnarly junkyard with a black car settled within, and those who go and see the car might just not come back.  
 
The book is short. 100 or so pages. I enjoyed the idea behind the car and the kids who travel to go see it. It has a certain discovery aspect that I think most can relate to. The first time you go out exploring the neighborhood on your own, for example. Without giving too much away, the kids experience some pretty crazy things while locked inside the car. Sight, sound, and gravity are used by the author to really amp up the suspense. Those squeamish reading about peril in small, confined spaces may be in trouble, but you'll be fine if you can handle say, the T-rex car scene from Jurassic Park.
 
There are some loose ends, but I think the Sabbath town is setup to be expanded upon. Do not expect grand explanations, and I think you might enjoy the story. I would be interested in checking out some of the authors full length books in the future.