For fans of Brian Keene this is likely to be one of those books you've been waiting a while for. Before Deadite Press released this edition it had only been released in a limited edition hardback and on a collection called Conspiracy of One - both of which are out of print and only available on the likes of e-bay for larger sums of money.[return][return]As the book description says it follows a group of electronic store employees who are locked in a storage cage in the warehouse whilst a madman goes to work at the front of the shop. He then takes the employees out to the front one at a time leaving the remaining hostages to wonder what is really going on. With a good chunk of the book taking place in the warehouse it follows the reactions of the remaining members and how they interact with each other and deal with what is happening. It also leave both them and the reader to wonder what the madman has in store for them. [return][return]Fans of Keene's previous works will enjoys the links this has with the mythos which features in his others works whilst not being too confusing for anyone who has never read a Keene book before.[return][return]Whilst the book could of happily been released on it's own both Deadite and Brian Keene have added 3 bonus short stories called “Marriage Causes Cancer In Rats,” “Lest Ye Become,” and “Waiting For Darkness” - these have been released before but are now out of print so it is good to see them being added to give readers better value and to give fans more access to his other works.[return][return]The book is a good read for fans of both Keene and horror and it's good to see his work being made more accessible so I highly recommend you add this to your books collection. ( )

I am a huge fan of Brian Keene. I read everything he writes and waited for this one to be available in e-book. Plot-wise, a stranger enters a high end electronics shop and takes the workers hostage, locking them in "the cage" in the warehouse. Taking them out one by one and leading each one to an undisclosed fate, the stranger leaves the panic-stricken remainders to wonder what will happen to them when they are chosen. Tense. Very realistic. Keene is a master of portraying people under stress. I wasn't entirely happy with the ending but that may be just me. I felt that it seemed like a part of another, larger story that isn't told. ( )

THE CAGE is a tense story that covers a very stressful situation. Keene infuses the story with good characters and a naturalness that enables the readers to be trapped along with the characters.

The story follows the employees of Big Bill's Home Electronics as they are taken hostage. The bad guy walked in right at closing time and at gunpoint forced the eight employees into the back storeroom. Proclaiming that he only needs six of them, he then locks them in a security cage so that he can do Something up front.

With regards to the action that occurs in the story, there is not a ton more than my summary above. But, as I also mentioned the story stays tense and stressful the whole way through. I felt for these characters as they faced their challenges and mystery. However, at the same time, it was easy to feel swindled by the book. At 101 pages, it is a significant size that you expect a full story. The ending though makes it abundantly clear that there is a lot more story to be told. A lot! This is one chapter in Keene's Labyrinth: a promised multi-volume epic, the story behind how all of his books tie together into one multiverse. THE CAGE could viewed as a prologue into the epic. Or maybe it would be better to consider it as an extra scene that enriches the total story, sort of like the post-credit scene in many Marvel movies. No matter how you look at it though, fans will consider this a significant puzzle piece of the Labyrinth. New readers should go to THE RISING so that they may be properly indoctrinated and become a Keene fan. ( )

For fans of Brian Keene this is likely to be one of those books you've been waiting a while for. Before Deadite Press released this edition it had only been released in a limited edition hardback and on a collection called Conspiracy of One - both of which are out of print and only available on the likes of e-bay for larger sums of money.

As the book description says it follows a group of electronic store employees who are locked in a storage cage in the warehouse whilst a madman goes to work at the front of the shop. He then takes the employees out to the front one at a time leaving the remaining hostages to wonder what is really going on. With a good chunk of the book taking place in the warehouse it follows the reactions of the remaining members and how they interact with each other and deal with what is happening. It also leave both them and the reader to wonder what the madman has in store for them.

Fans of Keene's previous works will enjoys the links this has with the mythos which features in his others works whilst not being too confusing for anyone who has never read a Keene book before.

Whilst the book could of happily been released on it's own both Deadite and Brian Keene have added 3 bonus short stories called “Marriage Causes Cancer In Rats,” “Lest Ye Become,” and “Waiting For Darkness” - these have been released before but are now out of print so it is good to see them being added to give readers better value and to give fans more access to his other works.

The book is a good read for fans of both Keene and horror and it's good to see his work being made more accessible so I highly recommend you add this to your books collection. ( )

As the remaining employees of Big Bill's Home Electronics store are being herded into The Cage, the gunman states that he only needs six. Confusion sets in quickly.What does he need these six people for? As the hostages try to find some logic in an illogical situation, they must confront their darkest fears and try to figure out a way to escape. One-by-one, each employee is lead away from The Cage never to be seen again. Will anyone survive the night? Or will they all surrender to the evil that has invaded their lives?

The Bottom Line: The realization that what happens to the employees at Big Bill's Home Electronics store could happen to anyone who's ever worked an evening shift gave me shivers. Brian Keene's new novella, "The Cage", is sure to give you nightmares. I know because that's what I got, which is the fun part of horror, isn't it? Fans of Keene and horror in general will appreciate this quick read. The black and white illustrations by Keith Minnion enhance the dark tone of the book perfectly. Due to the violence and strong language, this book is recommended for adults who love horror.

This review first appeared at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog: http://minibookbytes.blogspot.com/ ( )