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Relic of Death
When two mob enforcers take care of a hit in the suburban countryside, they stumble onto a seemingly abandoned house. While searching the place, they find a simple leather briefcase full of what they think are priceless diamonds.
But things are never as they appear…
For the briefcase is a bringer of death. This ancient evil, once contained for centuries, is now unleashed. Those who come in contact with it will be granted their greatest desires at the even greater cost of their lives.
"David Bernstein delivers a fast-moving tale of desire and destruction that gives new meaning to the words, “Be careful what you wish for.” Relic of Death twists reality and will leave you reflecting on your own personal Achilles heel long after you finished reading…" —Allan Leverone, author of Mr. Midnight
"A fascinating, unpredictable, ever-shifting tale of greed and desperation. Highly recommended!" —Jeff Strand, author of Pressure
"Relic of Death doubles as a powerful parable and a terrifying story. Proving himself to be a prodigious new talent, David Bernstein creates a blood-soaked canvas where dreams change to nightmares and hope transforms to dread." —Jon Bassoff, author of Corrosion
But things are never as they appear…
For the briefcase is a bringer of death. This ancient evil, once contained for centuries, is now unleashed. Those who come in contact with it will be granted their greatest desires at the even greater cost of their lives.
"David Bernstein delivers a fast-moving tale of desire and destruction that gives new meaning to the words, “Be careful what you wish for.” Relic of Death twists reality and will leave you reflecting on your own personal Achilles heel long after you finished reading…" —Allan Leverone, author of Mr. Midnight
"A fascinating, unpredictable, ever-shifting tale of greed and desperation. Highly recommended!" —Jeff Strand, author of Pressure
"Relic of Death doubles as a powerful parable and a terrifying story. Proving himself to be a prodigious new talent, David Bernstein creates a blood-soaked canvas where dreams change to nightmares and hope transforms to dread." —Jon Bassoff, author of Corrosion
- GenresHorror
99 pages, ebook
First published June 24, 2014
2 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 21, 2014
When their car breaks down, two hitmen find a safe in a cabin in the woods. Inside the safe is a briefcase full of diamonds and soon the hitmen are at odds. But is the briefcase more than a briefcase?
I got this from DarkFuse via Netgalley.
The DarkFuse novella series keeps barreling forward, mowing down all other novella series in its path. This entry, Relic of Death, is more crime than horror, centering around a tried and true crime fiction MacGuffin, the mysterious briefcase.
This particular briefcase, however, drives people to madness and death, appearing to contain what the possessor wants the most. I have to think that it may have been inspired by the mysterious briefcase from pulp fiction.
The Relic of Death travels from owner to owner, leaving blood and insanity in its wake. What more can you ask for in a mysterious briefcase? Four out of five stars.
I got this from DarkFuse via Netgalley.
The DarkFuse novella series keeps barreling forward, mowing down all other novella series in its path. This entry, Relic of Death, is more crime than horror, centering around a tried and true crime fiction MacGuffin, the mysterious briefcase.
This particular briefcase, however, drives people to madness and death, appearing to contain what the possessor wants the most. I have to think that it may have been inspired by the mysterious briefcase from pulp fiction.
The Relic of Death travels from owner to owner, leaving blood and insanity in its wake. What more can you ask for in a mysterious briefcase? Four out of five stars.
June 11, 2020
Two hitmen discover a briefcase with an extremely valuable content in a deserted cabin in the wood. They disagree who keeps the share and from then on something incredible evil is triggering a chain reaction with different characters involved (the characters are well carved!). Whoever has the briefcase is doomed. What is the briefcase about? Why does it need a keeper? And what about winning and losing in this remarkable story? I absolutely enjoyed this fast paced tale that soon turned from conventional into supernatural. The only missing point is that there were too few details about the evil content of the briefcase. Otherwise a thrilling read like a movie. Highly recommended!
May 5, 2020
This was a fast paced book filled with twists and turns throughout the book!
The story revolves around two hit men that break down out in the middle of nowhere and they are trying to find a place where they can make a phone call. They come upon what appears to be a house that has seen better days. They try everything they can to break into the house, but they have a hard time as it is reinforced for some reason. They finally do break in and they ransack the house seeing what they can take. There is not much of anything worth taking in the house except for an old briefcase. When they open it, they are speechless as the case is full of diamonds.
The men start a chain reaction of disaster after opening the briefcase as things happen where the briefcase ends up changing hands multiple times within few days. The briefcase manipulates the minds of the people that come in contact with it and gives them their desires for a price. The stakes are high and their lives take a turn for the worse as the briefcase makes its rounds from person to person. Four stars for this one.
The story revolves around two hit men that break down out in the middle of nowhere and they are trying to find a place where they can make a phone call. They come upon what appears to be a house that has seen better days. They try everything they can to break into the house, but they have a hard time as it is reinforced for some reason. They finally do break in and they ransack the house seeing what they can take. There is not much of anything worth taking in the house except for an old briefcase. When they open it, they are speechless as the case is full of diamonds.
The men start a chain reaction of disaster after opening the briefcase as things happen where the briefcase ends up changing hands multiple times within few days. The briefcase manipulates the minds of the people that come in contact with it and gives them their desires for a price. The stakes are high and their lives take a turn for the worse as the briefcase makes its rounds from person to person. Four stars for this one.
June 26, 2014
4.5 stars, rounded up!
This novella was my first read from David Bernstein, and I was very pleased with the purchase! The story is a series of "scenes" involving different characters that come into contact with this mysterious relic. Each scene leads perfectly into the next, giving you enough information about each of the individuals involved to become "invested" in their outcome. The relic, naturally, is the central theme that binds them all together.
The separate story lines woven together in this way made for a very fast-moving novella. The ending, while not entirely unpredictable, was still sudden enough to get my attention and impress me with a very well-rounded tale. I will be looking up more from David Bernstein.
Highly recommended!
This novella was my first read from David Bernstein, and I was very pleased with the purchase! The story is a series of "scenes" involving different characters that come into contact with this mysterious relic. Each scene leads perfectly into the next, giving you enough information about each of the individuals involved to become "invested" in their outcome. The relic, naturally, is the central theme that binds them all together.
The separate story lines woven together in this way made for a very fast-moving novella. The ending, while not entirely unpredictable, was still sudden enough to get my attention and impress me with a very well-rounded tale. I will be looking up more from David Bernstein.
Highly recommended!
May 11, 2016
When two mafia hit men have their luxury SUV breakdown in rural upstate NY after disposing of a body, they come upon a house on a dirt lane. They beat on the door to no avail. No one is home. The door is reinforced and won't budge. They try to shoot their way in. No dice. They end up bludgening the door open with the blunt end of a splitting maul. Once inside, they find a safe that is just begging to be cracked. Inside, they find only a briefcase. However, this briefcase is full of diamonds. What the hit men thought was their lucky day only turns out to be the beginning of death and destruction for all who possess the briefcase.
Bernstein takes us down a rabbit hole where the naughty briefcase goes from person to person in a roller coaster ride of mayhem that will remind you of shades of the Twilight Zone, Tales From the Darkside, and Friday the 13th the Series. Great story and highly recommended.
4 1/2 Temptations out of 5.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
Bernstein takes us down a rabbit hole where the naughty briefcase goes from person to person in a roller coaster ride of mayhem that will remind you of shades of the Twilight Zone, Tales From the Darkside, and Friday the 13th the Series. Great story and highly recommended.
4 1/2 Temptations out of 5.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
June 27, 2014
I like this book so much that I bought another one of his books(The Tree Man) to read next month. The story start out with two hit men coming off a job and their SUV lost power. They get out and walk, come to a little dwelling and find out nobody's home and the doors locked. Once inside they find a safe in the basement. They open the safe and find a briefcase full of diamonds. Will stop here don't want to say too much. Only that the briefcase plays a big part in the story. Very well written and kept me wanting to read more. I liked the ending and how everything came together. Kudos to DarkFuse for bringing new authors to me that I probably wouldn't have come across. I gave Relic of Death 4 1/2 stars. Can't wait to read Surrogate in October.
June 21, 2014
Relic Of Death is a brilliantly conceived and executed horror novella. Many times a novella will leave me wanting more on some level. More story, more character development, more of something. Relic Of Death is perfect, just where it is.
It's difficult to give a story synopsis without revealing too much. As you can tell from the beautiful cover (Darfuse always has exceptional covers), it has something to do with a mystical suitcase.
The story is told through a series of vignettes as the object changes hands violently over time. Before it all becomes too repetitious, Bernstein reveals the truth about the Relic Of Death and gives the tale some closure, for now.
This is my first time reading David Bernstein, it certainly won't be my last. With clear, crisp prose, he delivers page after page just what the story calls for. No fluff, no wasted words.
Relic Of Death is another winning entry in the Darkfuse novella series. My bookclub membership is the best money I've ever spent with a small press.
Official release date is June 24, 2014. Relic Of Death will be available in a variety of formats and if you have an Amazon Prime membership you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Highly recommended!
It's difficult to give a story synopsis without revealing too much. As you can tell from the beautiful cover (Darfuse always has exceptional covers), it has something to do with a mystical suitcase.
The story is told through a series of vignettes as the object changes hands violently over time. Before it all becomes too repetitious, Bernstein reveals the truth about the Relic Of Death and gives the tale some closure, for now.
This is my first time reading David Bernstein, it certainly won't be my last. With clear, crisp prose, he delivers page after page just what the story calls for. No fluff, no wasted words.
Relic Of Death is another winning entry in the Darkfuse novella series. My bookclub membership is the best money I've ever spent with a small press.
Official release date is June 24, 2014. Relic Of Death will be available in a variety of formats and if you have an Amazon Prime membership you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Highly recommended!
July 5, 2014
Relic of Death was my first read from David Bernstein, an author I’d not heard of before and another intriguing novella from the Darkfuse stable.
Sal Diamente and Bruno, two Armani suited, Rolex wearing hitmen have just made Danny “The Blade” Kilpatrick dig his own grave, bullet to the head, fill in the hole and they’re back on the road to Brooklyn. A quarter of a mile after dumping the evidence into the river, the SUV breaks down leaving them stranded, no phone calls of course, Sal is too clever for that. The only option left – They walk.
An hour later, they come to empty residence that is heavily fortified, someone’s put a lot of effort into stopping people breaking in, interesting and it’s now almost a challenge to see what’s in that house. One sledgehammer and some heavy swings later leads to an old fashioned safe hidden in the basement. Getting into that safe is now all that exists in their world.
The only thing in the safe is a briefcase and it’s filled with diamonds and that leads to a test, one of friendship, a test of loyalty as their minds sink to unfathomable depths. Their future depends on the decisions they now have to make and Sal thinks his friend is going to ruin it all.
The briefcase contains what the Keepers call the Relic of Death, it feeds on your inner most desires and corrupts them, leaving death in its wake. The story introduces various characters, giving us enough history to care what happens to them as the briefcase passes from one to the next. A Relic that once in the possession of man will leave a path of destruction behind it.
Relic of Death is certainly a dark enjoyable story and a decent introduction to David Bernstein’s work.
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
Sal Diamente and Bruno, two Armani suited, Rolex wearing hitmen have just made Danny “The Blade” Kilpatrick dig his own grave, bullet to the head, fill in the hole and they’re back on the road to Brooklyn. A quarter of a mile after dumping the evidence into the river, the SUV breaks down leaving them stranded, no phone calls of course, Sal is too clever for that. The only option left – They walk.
An hour later, they come to empty residence that is heavily fortified, someone’s put a lot of effort into stopping people breaking in, interesting and it’s now almost a challenge to see what’s in that house. One sledgehammer and some heavy swings later leads to an old fashioned safe hidden in the basement. Getting into that safe is now all that exists in their world.
The only thing in the safe is a briefcase and it’s filled with diamonds and that leads to a test, one of friendship, a test of loyalty as their minds sink to unfathomable depths. Their future depends on the decisions they now have to make and Sal thinks his friend is going to ruin it all.
The briefcase contains what the Keepers call the Relic of Death, it feeds on your inner most desires and corrupts them, leaving death in its wake. The story introduces various characters, giving us enough history to care what happens to them as the briefcase passes from one to the next. A Relic that once in the possession of man will leave a path of destruction behind it.
Relic of Death is certainly a dark enjoyable story and a decent introduction to David Bernstein’s work.
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
June 12, 2014
The following is based on an eARC obtained through NetGalley courtesy of DarkFuse Publishing.
An energetic and easily consumable tale of a cursed object that sows death and discord wherever it goes. The concept itself is fresh and interesting, even if the reader gets little time to know any one particular character before the object changes hands. This makes it difficult to properly join and empathise with the characters before their contribution to the story is done, and as such, lessens the impact of the horror that befalls each of them.
Still, after the excellent The Tree Man, Bernstein does enough here to maintain my interest in his works.
3 to 3.5 Serious Needs for Relic of Death.
An energetic and easily consumable tale of a cursed object that sows death and discord wherever it goes. The concept itself is fresh and interesting, even if the reader gets little time to know any one particular character before the object changes hands. This makes it difficult to properly join and empathise with the characters before their contribution to the story is done, and as such, lessens the impact of the horror that befalls each of them.
Still, after the excellent The Tree Man, Bernstein does enough here to maintain my interest in his works.
3 to 3.5 Serious Needs for Relic of Death.
August 9, 2014
A couple of thugs lost in the woods and looking for a phone, stumble upon an ancient force in a remote cabin and unwittingly throw it in the car. That’s when it starts talking to them.
It’s just a briefcase. It holds whatever you desire. If you want what’s inside (and trust me, you do), you will have to pay the price. Go ahead and open it. You know you want to.
Written and paced well, Relic of Death is a solid novella from David Bernstein and Darkfuse.
It’s just a briefcase. It holds whatever you desire. If you want what’s inside (and trust me, you do), you will have to pay the price. Go ahead and open it. You know you want to.
Written and paced well, Relic of Death is a solid novella from David Bernstein and Darkfuse.
June 30, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
In Relic of Death, after their car breaks down, two hit men find refuge in an abandoned house nearby. They search the place, stumbling upon a briefcase that holds priceless diamonds. While they think they got the hit of their lifetime, the suitcase holds a secret much darker and much more sinister. The briefcase brings death and despair to everyone who touches it, promising them the one thing deeply desire, but killing them when they try to achieve it.
The briefcase travels from owner to owner, but all stories flow from one scene into the next, and they make for an intriguing story. The writing was great too, and highly atmospheric. The story moves fast, and the pacing never flows down.
I didn’t find it that scary though, and I had hoped it would be slightly scarier. It’s an intriguing read though, and the characters were well-developed even if they got little screen time. A solid read for fans of supernatural horror.
In Relic of Death, after their car breaks down, two hit men find refuge in an abandoned house nearby. They search the place, stumbling upon a briefcase that holds priceless diamonds. While they think they got the hit of their lifetime, the suitcase holds a secret much darker and much more sinister. The briefcase brings death and despair to everyone who touches it, promising them the one thing deeply desire, but killing them when they try to achieve it.
The briefcase travels from owner to owner, but all stories flow from one scene into the next, and they make for an intriguing story. The writing was great too, and highly atmospheric. The story moves fast, and the pacing never flows down.
I didn’t find it that scary though, and I had hoped it would be slightly scarier. It’s an intriguing read though, and the characters were well-developed even if they got little screen time. A solid read for fans of supernatural horror.
June 25, 2014
Really loving all of David's works. He never fails to spin a creative and imaginative story. This one seems a little like it should be an episode of Twilight Zone. Read in one sitting, enjoying myself for an hour. As it travels from character to the next I was intrigued where it might end up. Given a copy by DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2014
A mysterious briefcase holds a dark power over those who dare to open it. Inside is the viewer’s deepest desire, wealth, gems, you name it, but ownership comes with a price. Blood, death and paranoia become frighteningly real in the presence of the briefcase. From the hands of two clichéd hit men to the hands of a young orphaned girl, horror touches their life.
An old man has been the keeper of the briefcase until it is stolen from his home and freed to ruin the lives of those it touches. Has he found the one person who may be able to withstand its pull and become the next keeper or will its reign of terror continue in the name of human greed?
A fast read that contains more thrills than books with twice the number of pages, Relic of Death by David Bernstein will hold you trapped like a rat, as the victims pile up. Go ahead, pick it up, you know you want to!
I received an ARC edition from DarkFuse in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: DarkFuse
ISBN: 9781940544403
Genre: Dark Adult Fiction/Thriller
Print Length: 214 pages
Available from: Amazon
An old man has been the keeper of the briefcase until it is stolen from his home and freed to ruin the lives of those it touches. Has he found the one person who may be able to withstand its pull and become the next keeper or will its reign of terror continue in the name of human greed?
A fast read that contains more thrills than books with twice the number of pages, Relic of Death by David Bernstein will hold you trapped like a rat, as the victims pile up. Go ahead, pick it up, you know you want to!
I received an ARC edition from DarkFuse in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: DarkFuse
ISBN: 9781940544403
Genre: Dark Adult Fiction/Thriller
Print Length: 214 pages
Available from: Amazon
January 3, 2016
Review: Relic of Death by David Bernstein
David Bernstein has long been one of the horror authors I rely on to always hit the target [I still can't forget his WITCH ISLAND--tres scary!] In RELIC OF DEATH, itself a champion piece, the actual protagonist--actually, antagonist, is the title character: at the moment, a seemingly innocuous simple briefcase, the kind seen accompanying businesspersons worldwide. So why then is it locked in an old-fashioned safe, in the cellar of a rundown farmhouse in the rural wilds of upstate New York? We will discover that through the perspectives of a number of different individuals--business partners; marital couple; landlord-tenant; parents and child. Taut plotting creates a seamless tapestry of scenarios that will thrill, chill, and terrify.
David Bernstein has long been one of the horror authors I rely on to always hit the target [I still can't forget his WITCH ISLAND--tres scary!] In RELIC OF DEATH, itself a champion piece, the actual protagonist--actually, antagonist, is the title character: at the moment, a seemingly innocuous simple briefcase, the kind seen accompanying businesspersons worldwide. So why then is it locked in an old-fashioned safe, in the cellar of a rundown farmhouse in the rural wilds of upstate New York? We will discover that through the perspectives of a number of different individuals--business partners; marital couple; landlord-tenant; parents and child. Taut plotting creates a seamless tapestry of scenarios that will thrill, chill, and terrify.
April 12, 2014
A cursed briefcase and a whole lotta melodramatics.
While Bernstein's novella wasn't horrible, it wasn't the best book I have reviewed for DarkFuse. The concept of the story was good. The problem was in the character development as almost being "cliched". This ended up detracting from the story because the superficial way the characters presented themselves was almost laughable. I was reminded of a "B" movie.
On that note, because it was so entertaining in the "humorous" aspect, I ended up enjoying it. However, I don't think that was the reaction that was hoped for.
While Bernstein's novella wasn't horrible, it wasn't the best book I have reviewed for DarkFuse. The concept of the story was good. The problem was in the character development as almost being "cliched". This ended up detracting from the story because the superficial way the characters presented themselves was almost laughable. I was reminded of a "B" movie.
On that note, because it was so entertaining in the "humorous" aspect, I ended up enjoying it. However, I don't think that was the reaction that was hoped for.
June 20, 2015
I seem to be in a minority when it comes to Bernstein's books. I didn't love Apartment 7C and this one, while not as preposterous, didn't sing for me either. Relic is a suitcase which offers its finders that which they desire the most...at an ultimate price. Decent concept, average execution. Bernstein's writing is like a B movie at best, very bland. Just primarily unpleasant humans doing unpleasant things to one another, nothing to love, nothing to care about, nothing of a literary quality at all. Entertaining enough, just barely, to pass an hour.
June 24, 2014
RELIC OF DEATH is one of those stories that contain many other stories. You must must follow the thread to find out where it leads. I love that type of tale. It starts with two Mafia hit men and wends it way down the line to....but that would be telling! Just know that there are riches involved and see if you can figure out who will end up with them.
I gave this highly recommended novella 4.5 stars but rounded up to 5.
I gave this highly recommended novella 4.5 stars but rounded up to 5.
November 20, 2014
Cursed objects are a well-worn device in the horror genre. From the dusty artifact in “The Monkey’s Paw” to the spooky sponge in It Came From Beneath the Sink, a multitude of diverse authors have put their own spin on the trusty trope. There’s nothing inherently wrong with trotting out a cliched theme, but without adding something new, it’s just that—a cliche. In Relic of Death, David Bernstein revisits the idea of an enchanted object, but fails to add anything new to the idea, while bungling what little is there. The result is a mangled mess of a book that misses the mark in multiple ways.
Relic of Death begins with a couple of organized crime thugs fresh from a cold-blooded kill, headed back home before they can be connected to the crime. Things go awry when their car breaks down, which is when things go awry for the novella as well. The hit men don’t seem to know what they’re doing from one minute to the next, despite seeming like pros when they make their kill. They’re not meant to be dolts: the plot is just out of the author’s control, and the rest of the sequence makes little sense. It’s a mishmash of a chapter as the characters and the author battle it out. Nobody wins.
Bruno won’t let his partner use his cell phone to call for help, insisting that they walk. Once they encounter a house which they suspect is a drug den, they break the door down, despite remarking earlier that they don’t want to call attention to themselves, then put on gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints around the house only after they’ve used an axe. Their main focus then is on finding a phone (now it’s okay to make a call?), so they can “sit and relax” until help arrives. (Because a drug den you’ve broken into is a safe place to kick back?) They turn off the lights so they’ll have “the element of surprise,” hoping, I suppose, that the drug lord won’t notice they’ve chopped down the door. The thugs comb the house for valuables—the professional hit men now ostensibly petty thieves—and find a briefcase full of diamonds, the death relic of the title.
Like most cursed objects, the briefcase spells trouble for anyone who encounters it. Bernstein puts the relic in new hands for each chapter of the novella, introducing us to a parade of cardboard characters, each more cartoonish than the last. The smacked-out junkie, the unemployed single woman, and the lecherous landlord are devoid of any realistic features that aren’t hackneyed (though several of them have poor bladder control). Even the minor players seem straight from the funny pages of 1930. “You no make your home back here,” says a Chinese shopkeeper to the addict, before he attacks him “with the speed of a striking cobra.”
The writing style is as clunky as the plot, with awkward phrasing (“Interest captivated—for why he did not fully understand—he watched the woman…”) and jumbled sentence construction. “Sal’s shoulders slumped,” Bernstein writes, “His breath feeling as if it had been knocked out of him.” (Breath has feelings?) The axe from chapter one, perhaps out of a superstitious fear of word repetition, is referred to as the “wood-splitting tool.” The fear of word repetition doesn’t apply to a set of keys, though, which he feels the need to say are illegally made about 92 times in a row. It’s laughable.
“He also had copies of all the apartment keys, having made the copies illegally.”
“He grabbed his ring of copied keys…”
[Okay, not so bad, but then immediately after …]
“ ...he found Sandra’s apartment and stuck the illegally made copy into the dead bolt lock and opened it.”
[Then …]
“He put his ring of illegally copied apartment keys in the desk drawer.”
At this point, seriously … can he just say “keys?” (Perhaps “door-unlocking tool” would be more to his style.)
Even more awkward are instances where the author uses profanity. It may be that Bernstein is a very young writer, but the words come off like wrong notes. If you’ve ever heard an adolescent trying a “bad” word for the first time, it’s a similar effect. The crude or sexual passages read as if they’ve been penciled in because the author thinks they have to be there, but he’s reluctant. (A supposedly explicit text message reads: “I long for you to fill me.”)
Every DarkFuse title can’t be something like Bassoff’s Corrosion, but I’m a bit surprised to see them publish something of this caliber. I hope that their recent successes with some of their titles don’t make them get too anxious and become lax about what they choose to put their name on, but it appears that they may be publishing too much, too fast. With more careful curation, they could become a big name in horror.
With some serious—and I mean serious— editing, Relic of Death might be worthy of inclusion in a self-published anthology. As a stand-alone title: it’s just not up to snuff. DarkFuse can do better.
Relic of Death begins with a couple of organized crime thugs fresh from a cold-blooded kill, headed back home before they can be connected to the crime. Things go awry when their car breaks down, which is when things go awry for the novella as well. The hit men don’t seem to know what they’re doing from one minute to the next, despite seeming like pros when they make their kill. They’re not meant to be dolts: the plot is just out of the author’s control, and the rest of the sequence makes little sense. It’s a mishmash of a chapter as the characters and the author battle it out. Nobody wins.
Bruno won’t let his partner use his cell phone to call for help, insisting that they walk. Once they encounter a house which they suspect is a drug den, they break the door down, despite remarking earlier that they don’t want to call attention to themselves, then put on gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints around the house only after they’ve used an axe. Their main focus then is on finding a phone (now it’s okay to make a call?), so they can “sit and relax” until help arrives. (Because a drug den you’ve broken into is a safe place to kick back?) They turn off the lights so they’ll have “the element of surprise,” hoping, I suppose, that the drug lord won’t notice they’ve chopped down the door. The thugs comb the house for valuables—the professional hit men now ostensibly petty thieves—and find a briefcase full of diamonds, the death relic of the title.
Like most cursed objects, the briefcase spells trouble for anyone who encounters it. Bernstein puts the relic in new hands for each chapter of the novella, introducing us to a parade of cardboard characters, each more cartoonish than the last. The smacked-out junkie, the unemployed single woman, and the lecherous landlord are devoid of any realistic features that aren’t hackneyed (though several of them have poor bladder control). Even the minor players seem straight from the funny pages of 1930. “You no make your home back here,” says a Chinese shopkeeper to the addict, before he attacks him “with the speed of a striking cobra.”
The writing style is as clunky as the plot, with awkward phrasing (“Interest captivated—for why he did not fully understand—he watched the woman…”) and jumbled sentence construction. “Sal’s shoulders slumped,” Bernstein writes, “His breath feeling as if it had been knocked out of him.” (Breath has feelings?) The axe from chapter one, perhaps out of a superstitious fear of word repetition, is referred to as the “wood-splitting tool.” The fear of word repetition doesn’t apply to a set of keys, though, which he feels the need to say are illegally made about 92 times in a row. It’s laughable.
“He also had copies of all the apartment keys, having made the copies illegally.”
“He grabbed his ring of copied keys…”
[Okay, not so bad, but then immediately after …]
“ ...he found Sandra’s apartment and stuck the illegally made copy into the dead bolt lock and opened it.”
[Then …]
“He put his ring of illegally copied apartment keys in the desk drawer.”
At this point, seriously … can he just say “keys?” (Perhaps “door-unlocking tool” would be more to his style.)
Even more awkward are instances where the author uses profanity. It may be that Bernstein is a very young writer, but the words come off like wrong notes. If you’ve ever heard an adolescent trying a “bad” word for the first time, it’s a similar effect. The crude or sexual passages read as if they’ve been penciled in because the author thinks they have to be there, but he’s reluctant. (A supposedly explicit text message reads: “I long for you to fill me.”)
Every DarkFuse title can’t be something like Bassoff’s Corrosion, but I’m a bit surprised to see them publish something of this caliber. I hope that their recent successes with some of their titles don’t make them get too anxious and become lax about what they choose to put their name on, but it appears that they may be publishing too much, too fast. With more careful curation, they could become a big name in horror.
With some serious—and I mean serious— editing, Relic of Death might be worthy of inclusion in a self-published anthology. As a stand-alone title: it’s just not up to snuff. DarkFuse can do better.
June 27, 2014
Bernstein’s latest book starts off in the back woods of New York state and two mobsters from Brooklyn who are up to no good. At 51, Sal is older than most mobsters. His daughter, Melinda, has breast cancer. Although it’s been caught early, there’s always a chance that things might get worse. He feels he should have it, not her. So, basically, he’s got a lot of things on his plate. He’s paranoid about any traces of DNA being tied back to him, so he carries around Ziploc bags in which to put his discarded cigarette butts.
They break into a high-security house in the middle of the woods and go into the basement where they find a safe, which Sal has a lifetime of experience cracking. What he finds inside is a briefcase filled with diamonds. But after the discovery, he starts to develop even worse paranoid thinking patterns, becoming convinced that only he must make off with them and that he should get rid of his partner, Bruno. The diamonds seem to have a supernatural hold on him.
The briefcase goes to a drug addict, then to a newly unemployed and soon-to-be-homeless woman, her disgusting landlord (disgusting is putting is mildly. There’s a reason Bernstein is good at gross-out horror), and each time it changes hands, with the exception of these three, who all see money in the briefcase, the ‘treasure’ inside changes depending on what the owner’s deepest desire is.
Eventually, the briefcase ends up in the hands of Gus, the son of the sleazy landlord, who it turns out has a cheating, manipulative, loathsome wife. She has shacked up with her lover, a high power attorney, and threatens to ensure she gets full custody of Jezebel, her daughter with Gus. This leads to the original owner of the briefcase with the high-security home in the first part of the book coming out of the woodwork so to speak. This leads to the big reveal of what the ‘relics of death’ are, how they work, why people see them and bad things happen when they come into possession of the briefcase.
A non-stop action thrill-ride, if you like your books with a breakneck pace that keeps you reading anxiously until the last page, pick up Relic of Death. If you’ve enjoyed his previous work, you’ll dig this one, too.
(Originally appeared on Darkeva's Dark Delights: http://thedarkeva.com/2014/06/27/book...)
They break into a high-security house in the middle of the woods and go into the basement where they find a safe, which Sal has a lifetime of experience cracking. What he finds inside is a briefcase filled with diamonds. But after the discovery, he starts to develop even worse paranoid thinking patterns, becoming convinced that only he must make off with them and that he should get rid of his partner, Bruno. The diamonds seem to have a supernatural hold on him.
The briefcase goes to a drug addict, then to a newly unemployed and soon-to-be-homeless woman, her disgusting landlord (disgusting is putting is mildly. There’s a reason Bernstein is good at gross-out horror), and each time it changes hands, with the exception of these three, who all see money in the briefcase, the ‘treasure’ inside changes depending on what the owner’s deepest desire is.
Eventually, the briefcase ends up in the hands of Gus, the son of the sleazy landlord, who it turns out has a cheating, manipulative, loathsome wife. She has shacked up with her lover, a high power attorney, and threatens to ensure she gets full custody of Jezebel, her daughter with Gus. This leads to the original owner of the briefcase with the high-security home in the first part of the book coming out of the woodwork so to speak. This leads to the big reveal of what the ‘relics of death’ are, how they work, why people see them and bad things happen when they come into possession of the briefcase.
A non-stop action thrill-ride, if you like your books with a breakneck pace that keeps you reading anxiously until the last page, pick up Relic of Death. If you’ve enjoyed his previous work, you’ll dig this one, too.
(Originally appeared on Darkeva's Dark Delights: http://thedarkeva.com/2014/06/27/book...)
June 28, 2014
In this novella, David Bernstein binds together a series of suspenseful vignettes with the storyline of a briefcase stolen by two hit men. Saying anything more than that the briefcase has a supernatural power and an immediate connection to the owner would be a spoiler, as far as I’m concerned. Despite a wide range of POVs, the author delivers deeper character development than most novellas afford, each person having a different reaction to the briefcase. The grittier side of New York City is portrayed with an accuracy that only a long-time resident can do well. Any David Bernstein fan will love this story, any new reader will be a fan when they finish.
June 11, 2014
This was an enjoyable, fast-paced read with an interesting premise that, in my opinion, could have been fleshed out more. A series of interconnected stories follows the 'Relic of Death', an object that offers the holder whatever they want or need - but with a terrible price to pay. While the overall story arc was interesting and the characters were unique (Max was especially disgusting), the ending felt rushed, with a rather large info dump crammed into the space of a few pages.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a couple of hours' worth of entertainment
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a couple of hours' worth of entertainment
April 21, 2014
When 2 mob enforcers discover a house in the woods acting as a stronghold for something hidden inside, their need to investigate leads them to a seemingly harmless suitcase. But all is not as it seems and they unwittingly unleash an ancient power onto the streets of Brooklyn.
A psychological novella which deals with greed, desire and humanities lust for something that is always slightly unobtainable.
A psychological novella which deals with greed, desire and humanities lust for something that is always slightly unobtainable.
December 11, 2016
Intriguing novella of an ancient artifact of purely evil nature in the guise of a harmless looking briefcase. The story follows the trail of this evil as it falls into the hands of random people and brings only death and destruction. Several short stories are woven into one tale. I highly recommend this excellent read.
April 28, 2014
A very scary novella
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/relic-... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/relic-... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
March 20, 2021
2 mob hitmen find a mysterious briefcase that can summon any material posession that its owner could ever want.
Are you in need of cash? Open up the briefcase and you'll see millions of dollars in cash right in front of you. Are you currently being attacked and have no way to defend yourself? Open up the briefcase and a sub-machine gun will appear before you. Are you about to get your freak on, but can't get it up? Open the briefcase and you'll see 20 bottles of Cialis pop up right before your eyes.
I know.....this briefcase sounds amazing, but it wouldn't be a horror novel unless there was some type of Twilight Zone twist involved. The downside to this magical briefcase is that it brings death and destruction to anyone who possesses it, so as the book goes on we see unfortunate individual after unfortunate individual find this briefcase and be excited to have all of their wildest dreams come true, only to be hit by a car or have a piano fall on their head - Final Destination style.
Now the book was decent enough and I especially liked the stories involving the last 2-3 people who wielded this briefcase (Blair deserved it btw), but I feel like we didn't get enough time with these characters, and the book would've been better off if we followed one main protagonist as he/she actually got to enjoy the contents inside the briefcase while simultaneously trying to cheat death repeatedly, until giving up and choosing to destroy the briefcase once and for all.
Relic of Death had a great concept, but what couldve been a great novel wound up feeling like a decent short story collection.
Im giving this book 3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐
For in-depth video reviews, please subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/UptownHorrorRev...
Are you in need of cash? Open up the briefcase and you'll see millions of dollars in cash right in front of you. Are you currently being attacked and have no way to defend yourself? Open up the briefcase and a sub-machine gun will appear before you. Are you about to get your freak on, but can't get it up? Open the briefcase and you'll see 20 bottles of Cialis pop up right before your eyes.
I know.....this briefcase sounds amazing, but it wouldn't be a horror novel unless there was some type of Twilight Zone twist involved. The downside to this magical briefcase is that it brings death and destruction to anyone who possesses it, so as the book goes on we see unfortunate individual after unfortunate individual find this briefcase and be excited to have all of their wildest dreams come true, only to be hit by a car or have a piano fall on their head - Final Destination style.
Now the book was decent enough and I especially liked the stories involving the last 2-3 people who wielded this briefcase (Blair deserved it btw), but I feel like we didn't get enough time with these characters, and the book would've been better off if we followed one main protagonist as he/she actually got to enjoy the contents inside the briefcase while simultaneously trying to cheat death repeatedly, until giving up and choosing to destroy the briefcase once and for all.
Relic of Death had a great concept, but what couldve been a great novel wound up feeling like a decent short story collection.
Im giving this book 3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐
For in-depth video reviews, please subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/UptownHorrorRev...
October 31, 2019
an interesting enough concept that fails in its execution, from the cast of horrible, unlikeable characters (horrible in both personality, and in the handling of them) to the writing made subpar by constant repetition and inconsistencies. from the beginning, the plot makes little sense, primarily because the motivation that the hitmen have for entering the house is in search of a phone.. directly after one of them pulled out a cell to call for help. I almost turned away from the book then, but decided to push through, since it's short, but honestly I was just bored and slightly disappointed. maybe in a movie format this would be more palatable, but as a book, it just doesn't work, from this author at least.
February 2, 2024
Fun little short story novella where each story is connected to the next by the eponymous Relic of Death.
The Relic of Death contains something different for everyone.
But regardless of what actually lay inside, it always contains just enough rope by which each owner “hangs” themselves.
The Relic of Death contains something different for everyone.
But regardless of what actually lay inside, it always contains just enough rope by which each owner “hangs” themselves.
August 30, 2014
This is the story of a briefcase, that is the harbinger of death, chaos and evil. With the ability to grant its possessor their greatest desires, death and mayhem follow in its wake. It is found in a seemingly empty house by two mob enforcers, they look inside and find millions of dollars worth of diamonds. They steal it, and from there it passes from person to person until the Keeper (the owner of the house) can find it again and lock it back up.
This was an interesting concept. It was many stories within one story that linked up at the end. Each new section followed on from the previous flawlessly and you were never in any doubt as to who was where and when. The pace flowed at a cracking pace, and I read it in one sitting, after only intending to half as I needed an early night! I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it totally as a quick, chilling horror read.
This was an interesting concept. It was many stories within one story that linked up at the end. Each new section followed on from the previous flawlessly and you were never in any doubt as to who was where and when. The pace flowed at a cracking pace, and I read it in one sitting, after only intending to half as I needed an early night! I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it totally as a quick, chilling horror read.
August 3, 2014
(I received a free copy of this book from Net galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Two hit men finishing a job stumble on a briefcase that is filled with money. Greed eventually becomes their undoing and the case falls into the possession of another person...and then another...and another...
This story was okay. A series of short stories tied together by the briefcase. The morals of the story i.e. greed and consequences are neatly done and the different characters were well chosen.
The one thing I would have liked to see is the central story (WHAT the briefcase is) to run through the middle of the story, rather than crammed in at the end. It lost a little momentum and the ending wasn't a good as it could have been.
Paul
ARH
Two hit men finishing a job stumble on a briefcase that is filled with money. Greed eventually becomes their undoing and the case falls into the possession of another person...and then another...and another...
This story was okay. A series of short stories tied together by the briefcase. The morals of the story i.e. greed and consequences are neatly done and the different characters were well chosen.
The one thing I would have liked to see is the central story (WHAT the briefcase is) to run through the middle of the story, rather than crammed in at the end. It lost a little momentum and the ending wasn't a good as it could have been.
Paul
ARH
July 25, 2014
This book is about greed and how it effects each person that finds the briefcase. The briefcase was stolen and each new person that opens it finds something different. Each new finder discovers how evil the briefcase is but by then it is to late. The storyline is okay the characters could have been better but all in all it is an okay book,
I received this book in return for an honest review*****
I received this book in return for an honest review*****
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