Joseph Sale Month: Mallard’s Maze from Burnt Fur

When Phaedra witnesses an attack in her local park, it is the beginning of a mind bending night she will never forget.

Wow, this story is a trip! I honestly don’t know what to make of it.

This story appears in an extreme horror anthology themed around animals, to put it into some context.

I loved the dark details about Mallards (there were a few I hoped would be included but sadly weren’t), the otherworldly maze of the title and it’s denizens.

As with all Sale’s work, the writing is excellent, the pacing of the story is spot on, and there is a lot crammed into it’s short length.

Phaedra’s character is realistic and I appreciated the choices she made. I found the denouement slightly anticlimatic, but it made sense within the story presented, and everything was wrapped up satisfactorily.

This story is pretty out there, but I think it could have been pushed a bit further and into even darker territory. Maybe I just wanted to see more Mallard people, as I love ducks, dark side and all.

I award Mallard’s Maze…