The Seed

By Steve Wands

In this flash fiction tale of terror a sacrifice must be made and a hard lesson is learned. Sex can be a lot of things to a lot of people and to some its merely the means to an end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steve Wands
• Release date: May 21, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452380254

Steve Wands

STEVE WANDS is a comic book letterer working on top titles at DC Comics, Image, Vertigo, BOOM! Studios, Random House, and Kodansha Comics (to name a few). He also designs, inks, and illustrates for those, and other, companies. He’s the author of the Stay Dead series, and is a writer of short stories. When not working he spends time with his wife and sons in New Jersey. Oh, and he drinks a lot of coffee.Steve has just wrapped illustrating The Fallen for Cemetery Dance Publications, which is written by Bram Stoker Award winning writer Brian Keene, based on a story by Richard Chizmar and Jonathan Schaech, colored by Gabriel Cassata.His work appears in titles like the mega-hit manga Attack on Titan, All Star Batman, Batman, Cognetic, Black Road, Descender, Frostbite, The Flash, Trinity, The Spire, Gotham Academy, FBP, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Supergirl, Action Comics, Garfield, Adventure Time, Regular Show, Next Testament, Peanuts, Six-Gun Gorilla, and many others.

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Reviews for The Seed

[tiffy_reads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Creepy as hell. Will have you never looking at 6 year olds the same way again. Definitely scary and a good thriller.

[murdeson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was extremely good and it had a mysterious chill to it! It very much satisfied me as a girl who enjoys something scary to read!

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good, dark, scary read! The girl in this, Charlie, makes the girl in "The Bad Seed" look like a nun! Basically, she is dealing with the devil, just as her father before her. Can he help her in time? Or will the entire family be destroyed by the power of Mr. Scratch? It's a pretty tough story, with the father really suffering immensely as his little girl follows in his dark footsteps. And the ending was not something I saw coming or was even prepared for! If you like 'em dark, this book will fill your need. And it's a pretty quick read too!

[akmamma · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Seed takes many classic aspects of the horror genre and ramps them up enough that you cannot put this book down. Many have used a child as the protagonist of a tale of horror, but not many have accomplished such a tale from such a classical stand point. If you have children, you may start sleeping with the light on again.

[jjaylynny · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Needlessly dark and hopeless, and you know I usually love this kind of shit. A great sense of place and atmosphere, but relentlessly cruel.

[booknookretreat7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a creepy read!

A man and his family survive a terrible car crash, but from there things start getting sinister. The story wraps around one of the daughters becoming possessed by a demon as her family just thinks it is growing pains. The father realizes that he faced the same demon as a child and now he must face it again within his daughter.

The book moved at a fast pace and kept me entertained. Has twists and a gripping creepy factor throughout the whole book.

I would have given it five stars, but I wasn't happy with how the book ended. But all in all it was a really good read! Four stars for this one.

[charrlygirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn't know what to expect from this book. It was recommended by several other readers I trust, so I thought I would give it a shot.

It was very different from anything else I've read recently. The story was told through alternate chapters/sections going from the past to the present. I won't get into the story line as plenty of others already have. I will say that the ending of this book absolutely ROCKED!

I originally thought that perhaps "Seed" was the first of a series because by approximately 90% into the book the story showed no signs of winding things up. Then I sat down to read the final 10%, and things definitely wound up, just not in a way that I had EVER suspected. It was VERY original and that's what I am looking for most these days, originality.
I will be watching for anything else by this author.

[sumisbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

***SPOILERS AHEAD***It was okay...Jack's daughter Charlie is starting to act very strangeafter a car accident that was endured by the family. Strange things are also happening around the house that are scaring his other daughter and his wife. And he's starting to get a bit afraid as well.Okay the first part of this book was so slow moving! I feel like the beginning is all just the same information being repeated over and over again. the story doesn't finally start to pick up until over halfway through the book. And the book doesn't really start to get good until about five chapters till the end.When things finally do start to happen, it is all very typical and predictable for a demon possession story. I do like the flashbacks that Jack has though. They add depth to his character and are very well done and not disorienting to the reader in any way. The other characters really don't have the depth that Jack has but then again he's the main character so I can't complain.There are two things that I want to tip my hat to Ania Ahlborn for:One is the amount of detail in her books. For lack of a better way to put it, it is perfect. There is not too much and there is not too little and it leaves a lot to the imagination which makes it all the more horrifying.The second is that she never leaves a happy ending it seems. Anything and everything bad can and will happen in her books. As an aspiring writer myself, I write my short stories in this manner and I find it to be much more grabbing for the reader.This was not one of her best books but it was okay and a fun read. I would recommend it as one of her books.

[thereadingmermaid · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

***SPOILERS AHEAD***It was okay...Jack's daughter Charlie is starting to act very strangeafter a car accident that was endured by the family. Strange things are also happening around the house that are scaring his other daughter and his wife. And he's starting to get a bit afraid as well.Okay the first part of this book was so slow moving! I feel like the beginning is all just the same information being repeated over and over again. the story doesn't finally start to pick up until over halfway through the book. And the book doesn't really start to get good until about five chapters till the end.When things finally do start to happen, it is all very typical and predictable for a demon possession story. I do like the flashbacks that Jack has though. They add depth to his character and are very well done and not disorienting to the reader in any way. The other characters really don't have the depth that Jack has but then again he's the main character so I can't complain.There are two things that I want to tip my hat to Ania Ahlborn for:One is the amount of detail in her books. For lack of a better way to put it, it is perfect. There is not too much and there is not too little and it leaves a lot to the imagination which makes it all the more horrifying.The second is that she never leaves a happy ending it seems. Anything and everything bad can and will happen in her books. As an aspiring writer myself, I write my short stories in this manner and I find it to be much more grabbing for the reader.This was not one of her best books but it was okay and a fun read. I would recommend it as one of her books.

[dagon12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While I really liked SEED, I wasn't quite pulled into it as much as I would have liked. I'm not sure why because all the elements of a good horror book are there. And I was left with a creepy, spooky feeling through the whole book. However, for some reason, it felt like something was missing.Jack is driving home with his family late one night when something runs across the road and Jack ends up flipping the car. From that point forward, Jack's youngest daughter Charlotte starts to act differently. Things start happening around the house, things which awakens Jack's past. A past that Jack ran away from as a teenager and that now threatens to destroy his family.As I mentioned above, all the elements are there for a good horror story. An evil, unknown past. A menacing something that plays tricks on the family. A family being pulled slowly apart. Additionally, I really liked the ending; it was a perfect hopeful, sad, and tragic ending that followed the rules of the book. Looking back, it was also the ending that I should have predicted. Still looking back, I would have liked to feel a bit more. The events were tragic but at times they seemed disconnected from the characters. Aimee (Jack's wife) seemed like she was a strong character but she lost it pretty quick. In the end, I would still recommend SEED because it will haunt you. I do look forward to the next book I read by Ahlborn.

[tobinelliott · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There wasn't anything shockingly pioneering in this novel, but it had three things that most horror doesn't have:

First and foremost, it was very well-written. That alone elevates it above most of the dreck out there.

Second, the characters were not just engaging, but real. You know people like them. I do.

Finally, it build up a wonderful sense of dread throughout the course of the story that had a wonderful payoff at the end.

Where the hell has Ania Ahlborn been all this time? I just found out about her a month ago, but I'm telling you, if this is her worst book, I'm all in. She's great.

[equestrienne · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

It was a quick read; the prose was straight-forward and sensible; much more like King in style than Barron or Ligotti. Ahlborn even used one of King's favorite literary props for emotional manipulation, killing the family pet in a horrible way. This was so predictable and trite.

Then again, the same can be said for the overall story. I'm not a fan of possession themes to begin with, but decided to give this one a try as several reviewers I trust and respect had rated it highly.

Thumpingly unoriginal! As noted, the story was told in a straight-forward fashion......with no real build up of tension (no Turn of the Screw, as it were), no ragged unease scurrying around like a rat in the dark, and no sense of dread for the safety & sanity of this fictional family.

It was so transparent that when I first read about the main character's long standing estrangment with his own parents I thought, "That's because he killed them,"...............and guess what?

Also, as a mother, I have to admit that this book affected me in a negative way....... when the "possessed" child gets the dog killed she says something horrible like, "What's the big deal, it was just a fucking dog." That was a real trigger for me! I have never raised my hand to my own child, but I really wanted to smack the living shit out of that little bitch.......or worse.......how much does a demon-possessed girl child fetch in the flesh market? I mean really, a good book would never have forced me to think such things.......bad book, bad book!!!!

The characters aren't uninteresting, but they are unengaging. Actually, it comes in handy at the end of the book, they all end up dead (except for the one who ends up as a psychotic killer Minion of Satan........try and guess which one it is! Win valuable prizes!) and you don't have to feel bad about them. You can just close the book and sigh and think, "The next book I read will be better", move on with your life and forget you ever read it........it won't be difficult, I promise.

[stephanie_m-868484 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another very tense-making novel, possibly more so than Pet Sematary was. I was held spell-bound, until the end. (And at the ending, I was all, “wtf, dude....?!??!?). This novel didn’t seem to be quite as long as the afore mentioned though.
Interesting characters, very interesting storyline (but somewhat confusing), and some subtly slowly ratcheting tension throughout the novel.
Eric G. Dove is the narrator, and he was very good. I enjoyed his performance.
I’m still not sure how I feel about this novel, so I’m going to think about it for a while.
4 stars, and recommended.

[susancrowe01 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book should have been a 5 star but the reason I rated it 4. (and some may think this is crazy). The way the author called the children by both given name and nickname throughout the entire book. The girls are Charlotte (Charlie) and Abigail (Abby). At the beginning of the story it was very confusing. Not so much with Abby as with Charlie. At first I thought there were 3 kids. Ok, let everyone know that her name is Charlotte, once, and then call her Charlie the rest of the time. There were a couple of instances where she would refer to Charlotte and Charlie on the same page. That just bothered me. But other than that, the book was great !! The ending was perfect. Now there is a path for possibly having a Seed 2 or some kind of sequel. I would love to see that. I would say this is the scariest book I have read since Pet Sematary.

[deathsmistress · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was kind of like Paranormal Activity, but in the form of a book. Which is to say that it was a pretty spooky read.Honestly, I enjoyed this book very much. For me, the storytelling was solid. At one point I stopped reading and thought, man, that's some pretty spooky shit. The ending wraps up the story, but also gives the reader hope of a sequel. I hope there is because ill be the first to buy it.If you like scary, then you should give this book a go.

[1forthebooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It definitely kept me engaged as it read like a movie. I could actually picture it. Now that isn't to say that I got several nights of good sleep while reading it. Lol. It scared the living daylights out of me and I had a few nightmares. But that's another thing that made me enjoy it. Every time I would put it down my mind would wander back to it.

I got to the point where I was too scared to pick it up but I wanted to know how it ended and I must say, I was not disappointed. Two thumbs up! Grab a copy, if you aren't chicken!

[marksouza · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

With her debut novel, Seed, Anna Ahilborn delivers a horror thriller as dark as anything from the pen of Richard Bachman – and yes I know Bachman was a pen name for Stephen King’s dark, bare knuckles, no-holds-barred persona.Seed is the story of a young family in Louisiana struggling to get by. One of them carries a dark, infectious secret that threatens them all. After years of normalcy, a shape in the dark causes Jack Winter to swerve off the road with his family in the car resulting in a crash. His family is seemingly unharmed, but Jack is left to wonder if "it" still stalks him.The characters are richly drawn and the reader cares about them from the start, making the horror just that much more effective. The story starts like the shifting of sand on a hillside and quickly grows into an avalanche by the end taking all in its path. This novel takes no prisoners.

[katlb82 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It must be really difficult to write a horror story. After all, we are battered to the point of death with it in so many ways - movies, television, and books- that it’s easy to become a little immune and even a little cynical about the genre as a whole. A book must be so much more difficult – you don’t have any special effects, ghosties jumping out of the shadows in full surround sound in a dark movie theatre, or bimbos to shout ‘don’t go into the basement!’ at (and they are my favourite part!)I love horror, but it’s been a long time since I read one that was truly spooky and made more than a passing impression on me. For that alone, Ms. Ahlborn is already ahead of the game.I was sold right from the get-go – the fluid writing and vivid, but not overpowering, descriptions of the Deep South had me swatting imaginary mosquitoes and dreaming of fried chicken. The Winter’s are the average struggling-to-make-ends-meet family, which makes them all the more likable and believable – the kids are cute, Aimee is the loving mother and Jack is the father who just wants his family to be happy and safe while working hard to build a better life for his wife and kids.It’s difficult to write a review without a spoiler, so all I will say is if you love horror buy this book. You just may want to consider carefully whether you read it alone in the dark!

[stacey.turner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read Seed on the recommendation of another author, whose opinion I trust. She said she couldn't put it down and I was looking for a new book to read. So I bought Seed. And it was scary. What is it about small children being involved with evil that just creeps up out? Is it the taking of something that should be innocent and molding it into the ultimate horror that fascinates us? I'm not sure why it's so unnerving, but I will never look at a six year old quite the same again.Seed deals with some very interesting themes; demonic possession, murder and the idea that possession could be "inherited". I've never seen that particular idea done before. It makes for an engrossing read as you follow a father's quest to save his daughter from an evil he himself wrestled with as a child. The book is filled with some very creepy moments. The psychological horror mounts and the atmosphere is tense. I was (figuratively) on the edge of my seat. The book has some powerful elements.The writing is well done. The grammatical errors and typos are few, which for me is a big plus! But there were a few more things I would have liked to seen. We're never quite certain just where the demon came from or how the father got past it and lived an almost normal life for several years. There's a bit of ambiguity about how it all got started. And the ending is too quick.That said, I would still recommend the book. There are enough great elements to more than balance the ambiguity. There are some truly horrific moments, some awesome forethought and an all around creepy vibe. I'm very interested to see what Ania comes up with next.For fans of movies like The Omen or Case 39, for fans who like creepy children or for those of us who just like to be scared- Seed delivers the chills.