I credit this anthology with shaping my love of literary horror. All of the stories are excellent, but John Collier's "Thus I Refute Beelzy" creeped m...moreI credit this anthology with shaping my love of literary horror. All of the stories are excellent, but John Collier's "Thus I Refute Beelzy" creeped me out to my core, and to this day I can't shake its simple, elegant intimations of supernatural evil.
And the evocative cover art by Edward Gorey was as influential on my appreciation of the macabre as the stories themselves.
This belongs on the shelf of everyone who appreciates literary horror. If you find a copy, grab it. You can thank me afterward. (less)
Another deftly paced novel from Flynn. I worked my way backward in her oeuvre after tearing through Gone Girl, and it was interesting to see how her s...moreAnother deftly paced novel from Flynn. I worked my way backward in her oeuvre after tearing through Gone Girl, and it was interesting to see how her style has evolved. I loved the dysfunctional small-town setting and even the minor characters were memorable. I can't say it's quite as successful as Gone Girl, but how could it be? Nonetheless, well worth the read for her acid-sharp characterizations and prose. (less)
A phenomenal and disturbing novel that makes extraordinary use of an unreliable narrator. There's an element of surreality that reminds me of Murakami...moreA phenomenal and disturbing novel that makes extraordinary use of an unreliable narrator. There's an element of surreality that reminds me of Murakami, and the final page floored me. Highly recommended. (less)
This is a very interesting book. Half survival story, half something I'd rather not reveal, it is one of the most visceral and brutal "pure horror" bo...moreThis is a very interesting book. Half survival story, half something I'd rather not reveal, it is one of the most visceral and brutal "pure horror" books I've read in years. I like the transition between the distinct halves of the story, but many people didn't—it is definitely a disorienting stylistic choice, but I admire the attempt to do something original. There are nods to Lovecraft and Machen, echoes of ancient, pagan evil, and the pace is unrelenting. But make no mistake—this is dark, dark, dark, and not for horror dilettantes. (less)
Another successful "literary" excursion into post-apocalyptic territory. The prose is tight and clipped, a bit unusual in sentence structure but it wo...moreAnother successful "literary" excursion into post-apocalyptic territory. The prose is tight and clipped, a bit unusual in sentence structure but it works. I blew through the novel in 3 days and found it very engaging and loved the characters. (less)
I read this in two sittings and was utterly blown away. It's by far the best book about the UFO/encounter experience I have read in a very long time (...moreI read this in two sittings and was utterly blown away. It's by far the best book about the UFO/encounter experience I have read in a very long time (possibly since the original Communion). Strieber has clearly done a lot of deep thinking about his experiences over the years, and the book is grounded in an agnosticism that I find refreshing and candid. There are more questions than answers here, but it cuts closer to the root of the mystery than dozens of other books on the subject.
The introduction by Jeffrey Kripal, Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Rice University, sets the perfect tone, correctly placing contemporary contact/encounter experiences like Strieber's among other historical mystical and transpersonal phenomena.
Fascinating and provocative and highly recommended.
A mixed bag, to be sure. I love books about esoteric history and the Western mystery traditions, but the book could have used footnotes, a better edit...moreA mixed bag, to be sure. I love books about esoteric history and the Western mystery traditions, but the book could have used footnotes, a better editor (there are multiple inexcusable typos), and a tighter focus. That said, it was an enjoyable, if occasionally frustrating, read, particularly if you view it as an exercise in "what if?" rather than "this is how it is." (less)
Incredible book. Giordano Bruno wrote that the sun was the center of the solar system, and that stars were other suns with planets and other beings......moreIncredible book. Giordano Bruno wrote that the sun was the center of the solar system, and that stars were other suns with planets and other beings... and was summarily burned at the stake. In an era where it was heresy to suggest that the Earth orbited the sun, or that the stars were anything other than lamps of God hanging in the heavens, it took great courage to speak otherwise. The Hermetica—a collection of ancient Egyptian metaphysical texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus—informed many of the pioneers of science, including Kepler and Galileo, but the influence of those texts is scrubbed from most histories. Why? Good question—and this book answers it.
But the second half is where it becomes exceedingly provocative, challenging the currently fashionable atheist/materialist scientism (epitomized by Dawkins, Gould, and the like) and positing that the universe has a built-in direction towards the evolution of consciousness and we aren't simply the lucky results of blind chance. Far from a Creationist manifesto, Picknett and Prince the findings of leading physicists, biologists, and cosmologists to show the evidence for something other than randomness in the creation of the known universe—a propensity for life to follow a path towards self-realization. And while metaphors used to explain quantum physics and other mind-boggling developments in science are frequently drawn from Eastern spiritual traditions, the authors point out that Western esoteric traditions also have much to offer in helping understand cosmic mysteries and the evolution of consciousness. Highly recommended. (less)
Loading...
