Trapdoor

A Christmas Tale of Terror

By: Roma Gray

Narrated by: Terry F. Self

Length: 11 mins

Publisher's summary

An Apocalyptic Christmas Short Story

Giant trapdoor spiders have launched an assault against the human race and appear to be winning the war. Civilization crumbles, and all hope begins to fade.

Nonetheless, even during these terrible times, Christmas still manages to arrive. John, trapped on a farm with his only surviving daughter, desperately tries to find a way to give his little girl some type of holiday joy. To his surprise, John soon discovers Christmas miracles might, in fact, be real as the perfect present arrives on their front doorstep.

The only problem is, he may have to race against time to salvage this miracle before the spiders snag it in their deadly traps...

©2017 Roma Gray (P)2017 Roma Gray

Short but mighty

I knew ;this was a short story, but when it ended as my heart started pumping with anticipation... I was wondering what would he find behind the trap door? I was shocked it was done. But then, given the circumstances of the entire story, I couldn't see any other conclusion. Good job Roma Gray. You kept me in suspense. That combined with the excellent narration and good writing style, earn it a five-star rating for me. Thanks for the opportunity to listen.

Fantastic story

What made the experience of listening to Trapdoor the most enjoyable?

It was a perfect little nugget. I am not always a fan of the short story because it feels like it ends before you could settle in and really begin. But this story did not disappoint. It was the perfect bridge into the next book I listen to.

What did you like best about this story?

Even for a short story everything you needed was there. In 11 minutes i knew all I needed to know about the scene and the characters. I felt I knew John and his life's goals.

Which character – as performed by Terry F. Self – was your favorite?

The only character that we meet in the story was John.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Life is a trap

Quality!!

Another quality story by Roma Gray.
This is a short story with a big ending!!
The voice actor is perfect.

So unique!!

The combo of Gray and Self is spot on once again!!! Such a unique tale. I want a whole book on these spiders!!!

Original

This a very clever and original short story. It is well written, concise and disturbing. Worth listening to.

Anything but Spiders!

I almost didn't read this one. There is one thing in this world that scares me, and that is SPIDERS! If it was any longer, I might not have finished. I still have nightmares!

Loved this story!

I was given a free copy of this audiobook for an honest review.

While it was sad, it was also a cool short story. It was a different take on the post-apocalyptic theme with the human race being killed off by spiders. I could see this being rewritten into a longer story and I'd be interested in listening/reading that! I'd recommend this to others.

They don't come down the chimneys

How do you celebrate Christmas when the world has been overrun by eight legged freaks? Very carefully. This story revolves around a man wanting to give his daughter a nice christmas, in spite of the arachnid spawned end of the world. Gray does a great jog setting up the apocolytic yuletide treat in just minutes, and sets about showing you that sometimes, the greatest gift you can give is yourself.

I really enjoyed this brief romp, and could stand to see it more fully realized in a bigger setting a novella maybe? Gray has a smart punchy style that pulls you in immediately, she hits the ground running, and hits you hard at the end. Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.

A great short story that will give you the creepy crawlies.

Arachnophobia suffers beware

Roma Gray’s imagination never ceases to amaze me. I swear the woman must have vivid nightmares and often reading her stories, I have bad dreams myself. This story occurs in a world where giant spiders have taken over the world. Although a bit different in execution, the story reminded me of ‘A Quieter Place’ where you don’t want the creatures to hear you or know you’re there.

John has survived in this horrifying world with his daughter as they are protected from the insects. The decision to try to get a Christmas tree in order to create a special day proves disastrous.

This short story fits with Ms. Gray’s horror oeuvre and I enjoyed it. Terry F. Self narrates many of Roma’s stories and he does a great job. I enjoy his work and look forward to listening to more of these books.

Great Story, Fast Read

I've listened to Roma Gray's work before, though this particular narrator was new to me. I enjoyed the story itself very much. While very short, she still manages to create room for suspense, intrigue, and a bit of fear. And spiders, of course, are something very few of us actually enjoy, much less aren't creeped out by. Especially smart ones, which these are.

The narrator, Terry Self, does a nice job with his tone, and particularly with action scenes. However, whether it's through his natural cadence or editing, it's just too fast. There are no spaces for the listener to absorb anything, every sentence, phrase, word, comes at a very rapid rate. We wouldn't necessarily need a slow, brooding recital, but I'd love to hear the story more moderately paced.

I look forward to exploring more of Roma's work!

*I was provided a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.