Adam L.G. Nevill's Blog, page 20

A FEW LOCKDOWN & DEEP-FREEZE HORROR RECOMMENDATIONS

I recently finished a few ongoing TV series (Mr Mercedes 3, The Boys 2 & now watching The Stand as the episodes drop) but have turned most of my eyes back to horror films. So, here are a few lockdown & deep freeze recommendations. They come in no particular order of preference. Watch ’em all when you can:

Saint Maud – A grim, grey accumulation of madness and dread. Really good with a super ending. Been waiting to see this film for ages and it didn’t disappoint. A Blu-ray keeper for my library. (Sky Box Office)

Impetigore – atmospheric and ghastly folk-horror from Indonesia (from Joko Anwar who directed Satan’s Slaves, that reminded me of the Evil Dead; his horror films are looking to be must sees as and when he conjures them). (Shudder)

Anything for Jackson – comic but chilling occult horror. Not seen this level of infernal chaos since Hereditary. (Shudder)

The Wolf of Snow Hollow – really liked this quirky horror that has echoes of Fargo, Twin Peakes & John Landis. Humorous and entertaining. Ben Lovett soundtrack a bonus (Ben composed The Ritual score). (Amazon Prime)

La Llorona – not sure I’ve ever seen a film from Guatemala before, but I found this tale of genocide and shame eerie, sad and poignant. (Shudder)

Host – enjoyed the hell out of this and even experienced a few prickles along my scalp. Along with Unfriended & Unfriended Dark Web that I’ve really enjoyed, this seems to be a new subgenre (Zoom horror?) that has to be innovative to overcome the immense restrictions of the settings. And Host is now my favourite of the three. (Shudder)

The Mortuary Collection – Really well made (beautiful vivid colours & cinematography) and highly entertaining. Also grimly funny. (Shudder)

[Disclaimer, the management reserves the right to like films others dislike and . . . you know the rest . . .).

WYRD AND OTHER DERELICTIONS MAKES THREE YEAR’S BEST HORROR LISTS

The Wyrd parasite wriggles. Our membranes undulate in thanks to Mother Horror.

Sadie Lou Who: Best Collections, Anthologies, and Short Stories in 2020.

Wyrd wriggles and No One Gets Out Alive at Kendall Reviews. Featured in Gavin’s favourite horrors of 2020. We bow our horned heads in thanks.

The Red abides and the Old Creel yips its thanks to Read by Dusk.

I raise two blackened horns to Jim G Mcleod and Tony Jones Jones – Tony’s Top Horror Anthologies and Collections 2020. May your crops grow high next year! Gingernuts of Horror.

LOST GIRL FEATURED IN ‘LIVING IN THE END TIMES’ CONFERENCE 13 – 15TH JANUARY 2021

Really chuffed, not least startled, to see that my least popular novel (Lost Girl), is being discussed this week at an academic conference hosted by Cappadocia University.
‘Living in the End Times: Utopian and Dystopian Representations of Pandemics in Fiction, Film and Culture’

The paper/panel that includes ‘Lost Girl’ is entitled: “SARS CoV11 and Other Calamities in Adam Nevill’s Lost Girl – Kübra Baysal (Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Turkey).

“In the oddly realistic world of Lost Girl, originating from extreme weather conditions and the loss of natural balance, new strains of deadly viruses take hold of the world. Predicting the coronavirus pandemic and other calamities that actually came out to be true five years later, in 2020; such as the destructive wildfires in Australia or the heatwaves in Europe among others, Lost Girl is a noteworthy cli-fi novel with its realistic touch leaving a permanent wake-up call effect on the reader to change their anthropocentric way of living through an environmentally-conscious posthuman perspective.”

Though I’ve treated every book equally in intent and effort and quality control, I often think it’s the most serious book I’ve ever tried to write. I’d also class it as my most horrific & prescient horror novel.

If you’re not familiar with the novel (I began writing it in 2013), I include a global coronavirus pandemic in the story, that spreads from bat urine in a Chinese wet market. The book is set in 2053, so I was 34 years out, on the pandemic and Aussie wildfires and other stuff that’s already happened/happening. But when I researched the book (I began as long ago as 2006), I leant to the more radical scientific predictions for the earth’s climate (for 2070); that is the most sobering thing of all.
Anyway, the whole conference looks toothsome and is free to attend online. I’ve just registered HERE.

Jeff Vandermeer’s Annihilation is also discussed on the same panel.

MY NEW BOOK! ‘WYRD AND OTHER DERELICTIONS’.

By 2015, after researching my novel, ‘Lost Girl’, for a few years, I began, increasingly, to imagine a world without us in it (someone has to). ‘Lost Girl’ is about the consequences of runaway climate change, twinned with all kinds of other global catastrophes (including zoonotic spillovers from endangered ecologies & species).

Partly as a consequence of this preoccupation with extinction, I wrote a weird tale without characters, ‘Hippocampus’. Over the next few years, I then wrote another six of these “Derelictions”. Five of the stories I kept back for a planned themed collection, dedicated to the aesthetic of dereliction.

I collected all seven stories into my third collection of horror stories: ‘Wyrd and Other Derelictions’. And the book was published Halloween 2020, through my own imprint again: Ritual Limited.

Wyrdly, by 2020, this approach to horror stories, the very aesthetic of emptiness, no longer feels so strange. These “Derelictions”, uncannily, seem to have come into their own.

Folks who subscribe to my newsletter know all about the book. Some advanced reader copies have also landed with reviewers and kindly been shared in SM. So, it’s time I gave a heads-up about this new book on here too.

Wyrd has since been published internationally, in four formats: a high-spec’ limited edition hardback, trade paperback, eBook and audio-book.

The hardback is only available from my webstore and I have three copies from the 400 copy print run remaining; subscribers of my newsletter tend to order all of the hardbacks within a few weeks of presales starting (over 200 in the first 24 hours on Wyrd). The paperback, eBook & audio book are available at Amazon (ebook only available at Amazon and also included in Kindle Unlimited). If you want to collect future limited edition hardbacks, sign up. Once the hardbacks have gone, I sell the signed paperback edition.

The original cover artwork – the parasite – was created again by the marvellous Samuel Araya. Sam created the cover for ‘The Reddening’ too. I’ve also used the same team of freelancers and printers to create the three editions and Journalstone are producing the audio book. Lot of work from a lot of people on a long critical path.

Wyrd’ was ready to go at April’s Stokercon, but the pestilence fell. So, way back in March, I let subscribers of my newsletter choose a publication date and the majority opted for Halloween. So, that’s when it appeared in the world. The right season for us in horror.

It’s the kind of book I started my imprint for and I salute all in advance who embrace these unpopulated tales.

From the cover:

“Derelictions are horror stories told in ways you may not have encountered before.

Something is missing from the silent places and worlds inside these stories. Something has been removed, taken flight, or been destroyed. Us.

Derelictions are weird tales that tell of aftermaths and of new and liminal places. Each location has witnessed catastrophe, infernal visitations, or unearthly transformations. But across these landscapes of murder, genocide and invasion, crucial evidence remains. And it is the task of the reader to sift through ruin and ponder the residual enigma, to behold and wonder at the full horror that was visited upon mankind.

Wyrd contains seven derelictions, original tales of mystery and horror from the author of ‘Hasty for the Dark’ and ‘Some Will Not Sleep’ (winner of The British Fantasy Award for Best Collection).”

And I can tell you what the early reviewers thought of this most unusual horror collection too – I thank and salute them all with both horns!:

“WYRD and Other Derelictions is an inventive, fresh concept . . . I’m recommending it for horror fans who love getting sucked into elaborate exposition and world-building supplied with vivid imagery.” Cemetery Dance

“Recommended reading for any serious horror fan or for speculative fiction aficionados who crave intelligence in their weirdness.” Monster Librarian

“The imagery created is sublime and unsettling; symmetrically arranged stones, dimly lit rooms, buildings full of the dead … The power of suggestion has rarely been so effectively deployed.” Dark Musings

“Nevill guides us through ruined landscapes and describes the aftermath . . . Nevill then leaves it to the reader to piece together what happened. Each of these derelictions left me unsettled and I couldn’t put the collection down. 5 Stars.” Deadhead Reviews

“I thought it was terrific . . . Nevill’s already unmatchable back catalogue just got stronger, with many more shades of sinister.” Ginger Nuts of Horror

“I can’t recommend this collection of stories enough. This is experimental literary horror and the experiment has exceeded all expectations. Read this and enjoy the horrific scenes Nevill has laid out for you.” Horror Bound

“Quick, short blasts of nightmarish descriptions. Each of the stories details a scene that the reader seemingly stumbles upon . . . Completely unsettling.” Kendall Reviews

“If you need a bit of creepiness, if you want to travel a world essentially alone, if you want to experience the aftermath, then read this. 5 stars.” Sleepy Librarian

“I think that the first story in this book easily gets filed in my “scariest stories” section in my brain.

I give this book five huge stars.” Page and Parlour (Nightworms)

“This collection of short stories is unlike anything you have read before.” Gowsy (Nightworms)

“Unique, experimental, and majorly creepy.” She Reads With Cats (Nightworms)

“An ominous tour! Walking through these spaces where very bad things happened was so chilling yet so interesting. 5 Stars.” Marcy Reads (Nightworms)

“You are intrigued, you are disturbed, and you’re not quite sure what is going on . . . Each has at least one scene (usually the ending) that will haunt me for a long time. 5 Stars.” Reading Vicariously (Nightworms)

“Nevill manages to impose horror without even having a narrator or a dialog. Hell, there are not even ‘people’ here. Just the suggestion of the worst that happened at a moment in time. Think Polaroids of crime scenes with a supernatural twist and the reader floating around, inspecting, exploring, experiencing, reliving the moments.” Undead dad Reads (Nightworms)

“The first story gave me goosebumps and utterly creeped me out and that feeling remained for the rest of the book. I’d recommend Wyrd, but with two caveats: 1) be ready for nightmares 2) go slow… these stories deserve to linger. 5 Stars.” Reads With Dogs (Nightworms)

“This is an entirely unique collection of short stories! I would liken these stories to found footage horror films where you see events unfolding in real time. You don’t get closure as to why and how the events occur, nor what happens next.” Read By Dusk (Nightworms)

“Every story left me pondering what madness and terror had unfolded beforehand, long after I had finished each one. As always with Adam’s novels and short fiction, I was instantly drawn in and smothered (comforted?) by a big warm blanket of dread.” CJH Reads (Nightworms)

“The book strikes at the heart of everyone’s fears – the threat of the unknown. Of being wiped out of existence by the supernatural or powers beyond our control.” Sams Bookverse

TWO NEW FOREIGN EDITIONS – ‘THE REDDENING’ AND ‘NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE’

The Reddening has been translated and published in Russia by ASTREL. The first Ritual Limited title published in a foreign edition (& my sixth novel translated into Russian).

I suspected that when I went balls-deep on the indie route, I’d be forsaking the foreign rights sales that my trad’ published novels have attracted. But as three more translations of The Reddening are also forthcoming, I’m happy to have been mistaken.

And in France, No One Gets Out Alive, will soon emerge from a polythene shroud . . . The craziness of Knacker, Fergal, Stephanie and the Old Black Mag have really travelled this year. Published in 2014 but like an old curse this book has played a long and insidious game to spread its hideousness. A lot of news about this book coming next year.

I feared permanent harm to my mind while imagining & writing the story, so I was due!

2020 FILM & TV RECOMMENDATIONS

2020 has been an exceptional year for television. I’d be hard-pressed to pick my favourite series, though I am edging Raised by Wolves into pole position; a wonderful blend of science fiction & horror.

If your tastes are similar to mine, I wholeheartedly recommend the following too:

The Outsider

Channel Zero – Dream Door & Butcher’s Block (these two I hadn’t seen before this year but Candle Cover and No End-House are also terrific)

Kingdom Series 2

Bosch Series 1 – 6

The Mandalorian

Gangs of London

Castle Rock.

I’ve been recommending horror films all through the year in my SM, but my shortlist of the horror films I watched for the first time in 2020 and recommend would include:

Relic

Possessor

Antiviral

Vigil

Gretel and Hansel

His House

Sputnik

Underwater

Dead Center

Beyond horror, I recommend the war films:

Unknown Soldier (on a par with Saving Private Ryan)

Mosul

12 Strong

Mank

The Lighthouse

Parasite

All good.

2020 BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Okay, don’t breathe but it seems to be working again. So, when I checked my reading diary and totted up on NY Eve, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I’ve managed to read 101 books in 2020. Slightly higher than my yearly average. They’ve stacked up and I’ve been transported by some superb writing &storytelling this year.

I’ve photographed a stack of my highlights in horror/weird and the stack of highlights for everything else. Not all new titles; a couple I’ve even carted around with me for two decades. I don’t have the capacity to review them all but they all come highly recommended.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hey now my apologies for the delay in posting on here. This side of my site has had some technical problems and it needs an overhaul, so I didn’t risk posting in case I shut-down the entire website and webstore while publishing a book – it’s all connected.

So, here is a test, as much as an update, to see if this blog is still working.

My end of year newsletter has also flown, but if you don’t take it, I’ll repeat some of it here. And what a year, eh? I’m not sure what stank worse – the pestilence, or the incessant government incompetence. The two became inseparable & are set to continue. And then there were my epochal fears for America and what events there might mean for the rest of the world … Two drawing pins and a sharp stone in the same shoe … Oh, then the “EU Trade Deal”. There was no shoe, just bare soles on drawing pins.

But, on my speck of sand down here, on a professional level, I know that in hindsight, I needed the big pause button pressed on my participation in life. Back in January, I was on course this year for two literary festivals, four horror cons and some local talks at a museum and a book group. All of it scattered throughout 2020, plus a film shoot, a film festival and umpteen meetings in London. My participation in most of it was cancelled … and my abiding emotion was relief.

Instead, I’ve just put my head down and worked. I needed to publish and launch Wyrd in 3 formats and rewrite next year’s novel (I began my current novel-in-progress in 2019 but managed 6 drafts this year, with decent gaps between each draft). Throughout 2020 I’ve also needed to fulfil orders from my webstore that has nearly melted during the lockdowns … (thank you for your orders!) So, I’ve worked most days, or part of each day in 2020. It’s been intense but customers and readers seem happy, Wyrd is wriggling out there and I have another novel + film in the pipe. I’m counting major blessings that I was able to do all of this work on what I love and think of as a purpose in life.

I hope to publish the new novel on Halloween 2021 and there will be a film adaptation of ‘No One Gets Out Alive’ to watch sometime next year too. More news on these will flow in 2021.

Around work I’ve enjoyed some family time, a few paddles, some swims & walks. No one fell ill either. My work, the girls and living down here has been this year’s salvation. What I’m taking away from this year, though, is to not get involved in so much extra-curricular stuff again. To do anything thoroughly and completely will mean not doing other things at all. There is only so much sand in the hour-glass.

If you’ve had a hound of a 2020, I extend my sympathy and empathy and I hope some light is filtering onto your horizon right about now. Now, let’s all shoot-up the vaccine in 2021 and enjoy a massive bonfire of the vanities (using conspiracy theories and stupid ideas as kindling).

Keep those horns raised!

DIABOLICA BRITANNICA RAISING FUNDS FOR COVID 19 RESEARCH – I HAVE A STORY THEREIN.

‘Diabolica Britannica’ is a new horror anthology. Raising funds for covid 19 research. Delighted to have a story inside, practically a novella – ‘Call the Name’.

And there’s a book trailer!

Well done all at Dark Isles for pulling out tentacles and for putting this book and video together!

We salute you with both horns.

 

NEW FOREIGN EDITIONS – CZECH, FRENCH, RUSSIAN.

New French, Russian and Czech editions of my books are available in translation.

There are also another two novels currently being translated into Russian by the fabulous Astrel. Pegasus of Turkey and Astrel have now translated more of my books than any other publishers. We salute them with both horns!

Three of French editions have new cover artwork, but NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE is a recent publication. All from Bragelonne.

[image error]The Ritual[image error]Apartment 16[image error]No One Gets Out Alive[image error]Last Days

The Ritual is my first novel to be translated into Czech.

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And from Astrel of Russia:

[image error]No One Gets Out Alive [image error]House of Small Shadows [image error] TheRitual[image error]Last Days