The Bloodstained Bricks

by

S.M. Sykes

An imaginative, horror-laced story set in the Land of Oz before the well-known visit by Dorothy Gale and Toto.

The Bloodstained Bricks by S.M. Sykes is a compelling and imaginative story set in the mysterious Land of Oz before the well-known visit by Dorothy Gale and her little dog, Toto. Told similarly to the style of the original book, Sykes has doubled down on that story’s elements of horror with monsters of a more modern vintage. Instead of “Lions and tigers and bears,” readers get “Monsters and Vampire and bats.” Oh my! 

The heroine of the tale is 17-year-old Dolly from Millsboro, Delaware, who ends up “over the rainbow” with her German Shepherd, Apollo, in much the same fashion as the movie: by tornado. However, her home is destroyed, and the boy from down the way, who had been trying to rescue her and the dog, is wrenched, unconscious, from his pickup and presumed to perish: a much more tragic and dark turn of events from the start. The heartache of the loss of her friend revisits Dolly throughout her ordeal in Oz. 

The plot follows the pair as they struggle to get to the person with the power to get her home. The story has a pair of amethyst slippers, but they cleverly transform into footwear that is more suitable for Dolly’s travel needs when the heels are tapped together. Apollo also proves to be way more helpful than that trouble-magnet Toto, protecting his mistress with fervor and the heft and attributes to actually do some damage. While the flying monkeys make appearances, they are on Dolly’s side this go-round. However, their replacements, sent by the evil leader of Emerald City, more than compensate for the monkeys’ about-face. Led by a mysterious, masked Vampire under the thumb of the cruel leader, they are pursued by a werewolf and a nightmarish creature called the “Semblance,” created from the re-animated body parts of the dead (think Frankenstein’s monster), who can regenerate if he becomes dismembered. The trio is seemingly unstoppable, and the pursuit becomes a battle of wits between Dolly and her remote helpmate, a Munchkin technological genius assisting her from his home in the target destination of Amethyst City known as “The Mechanic.” What follows is an exciting race for safety. 

While a little slow getting started, the action soon picks up, making for a suspense-filled tale, and there is some fun dialogue between Dolly and Vampire at times. However, I thought their second escape from the tower was a bit long and convoluted, and it really felt like an idea that was added on later. Also, there are still quite a few typos, missing words, and misused homophones. However, overall, the story is entertaining and somewhat nostalgic, and it ends with a twist and the option for a possible sequel that I would certainly want to buy and read. 

I recommend THE BLOODSTAINED BRICKS to readers of horror or dark fantasy, especially those who enjoy stories such as fairytale retellings. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.