Daniel Stalter's Blog, page 16
March 25, 2020
THE ACCIDENT
by Diane Hoh
Spoiler-Free Review
I wanted to add some diversity to my pulp horror nostalgia reading, and it just so happens that most of the Point Horror writers were women. I cant let R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike have all of the glory. First up is The Accident by Diane Hoh. I really wanted it to be better than it was. It had so many great horror elements and themes going for it, from human-ghost body-switching to brutal car wrecks and family secrets. Unfortunately, it...
March 16, 2020
YOU CAN’T SCARE ME!
Spoiler-Free Review
When a Goosebumps book feels like a tedious read, youve got a problem. You Cant Scare Me felt like a short story concept attempting to be a novel. The first 100 pages could have easily been nixed, and with a little added context the last few chapters would have made for a really cute short story. Which is to say that there were some great elements here, but they were unfortunately squandered. Eddie and his friends started out as...
YOU CAN’T SCARE ME
Spoiler-Free Review
When a Goosebumps book feels like a tedious read, youve got a problem. You Cant Scare Me felt like a short story concept attempting to be a novel. The first 100 pages could have easily been nixed, and with a little added context the last few chapters would have made for a really cute short story. Which is to say that there were some great elements here, but they were unfortunately squandered. Eddie and his friends started out as...
March 12, 2020
THE WHITE TREES
The White Trees is a beautiful two-issue fantasy miniseries written by Chip Zdarsky and brought to life by Kris Ankas gorgeous artwork and Matt Wilsons brilliant colors. The story features two excellent queer lead characters and explores themes of redemption and masculinity. It has the feel of a classic western mixed with a high fantasy epic. All of these elements weave together to make a simple but uniquely powerful story.
Read my full review on Geeks OUT.
February 27, 2020
MONTGOMERY 2019
There’s a lot to be said for the way we suppress the more painful parts of our history in this country. As Black History Month comes to a close, I have found myself reflecting on my trip last year to Montgomery, Alabama. I was there for work, but it gave me a unique opportunity to explore an important landmark of American History. I spent an afternoon touring the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. I got to walk along the bus route where Rosa Parks was famously...
February 13, 2020
BROKEN HEARTS
Broken Hearts was a twisted one, and that might be an understatement. It opens with a pretty brutal horseback riding accident, which sets a really somber tone for the rest of the book. I liked the way Stine used trauma, grief, and guilt as elements to weave the narrative. The story is jam-packed with characters who are completely incapable of seeing the world outside of their own narrow context. This worked well for a plot...
January 27, 2020
THE WEREWOLF OF FEVER SWAMP
This one started out really strong, got lost around the midway point, and then rushed its twist ending. There were a lot of things I liked in The Werewolf of Fever Swamp; particularly the swap setting and the main characters. I even liked the twist ending, but it left me with even more questions. I wanted to know more about Will, the Swamp Hermit, and Wolf. Each of them brought an air of mystery that was left unexplored. It’s...
January 20, 2020
THE SLEEPWALKER
Fear Street #6: The Sleepwalker
Spoiler-Free Review
I really enjoyed this one. It dove right into some really creepy shit and then delivered with its ending. It was exactly the sort of creepy atmospheric horror story that I live for; the kind that sticks around for awhile long after you’ve finished the book. The characters were well-developed, and the themes of mental health and trauma were well-executed. The only thing that really brought this book down for me was the last few pages and...
January 15, 2020
COMING INTO FOCUS
Back in 2018, I was diagnosed with ADHD. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has ever lived with me. Which is to say: if you’ve ever seen me start to pack a suitcase and stop to reorganize an entire bookcase midway through, then the diagnosis should make perfect sense. I honestly wish I had done something about it sooner, rather than just joking about it. I can’t help but think about how I could have been a much more...
December 31, 2019
DESIGN OF A DECADE
Lots of people were doing ten year photo challenges, and I got to thinking about who I was ten years ago. Then I decided to channel my best Janet Jackson and do my own Design of a decade, in spite of having no hits to speak of. The task was relatively simple; I chose one picture that I though summed up each year of the last decade. Then I wrote a short essay reflecting on the milestones, the heartbreaks, and the moments that defined me. I’m a different person than I was at the start of this...
