Adam L.G. Nevill's Blog, page 3

MY 2024 READING HIGHLIGHTS: FICTION

In fiction, my reading this year has been eclectic. It has roamed, but these were my highlights.

I reread a few favourites from my youth, including this excellent volume of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories, edited by Stephen Jones, and including some illustrations by the fabulous Les Edwards. Howard was a terrific writer with the senses and instincts of a poet. He was one of the first writers to make me want to write stories too.

Conan Doyle's 'The Lost World' was an absolute pleasure to read again, as was Sapper's 'Island of Terror'. That very volume our Dad read to us when my brother and I were boys.

I haven't read as much contemporary horror as usual but I really enjoyed Paul Tremblay's 'Horror Movie', Nathan Ballingrud's 'Crypt of the Moon Spider' and 'William' by Mason Coile (the latter on my kindle).

You just can't beat a really well-researched, well written and expertly plotted thriller. 'I Am Pilgrim' by Terry Hayes filled me with dread. John Connolly's 'The Nameless Ones' had me gripped. Organised crime and terrorism - Serbian witchcraft in the Connolly too - and compelling stories.

I thought 'Yellowface' by R. F. Kuang was exceptional and probably the best depiction of traditional publishing that I experienced in my time as an editor (glad to be out of it!). I read the novel on holiday, on my kindle.

As a writer, my admiration of George Simenon's hard novels continues. As a reader, my enjoyment matches my admiration. 'The Hand' was my favourite and reminded me of John Cheever. Similar milieu, similar precision, similar exceptional characterisation.

The rest are in the stack.

On kindle:

 

MY 2024 READING HIGHLIGHTS: NON-FICTION

Some of my reading highlights from 2024. I've read as much non-fiction as fiction this year.

Anyway, plenty of military history, mostly continuing my fascination with the Pacific War. 'Band of Brothers' (European theatre of war) and 'With the Old Breed' (US Marines in the Pacific Islands) were exceptional and left me feeling a bit spent, in awe of the civilian soldiers of that generation, but also immensely grateful for having 1969 as my birth year.

With the West currently under immense pressure from within and without, I read more current affairs than usual in '24. One of the greatest advantages of the West is its flexibility, but it is also fragile and I think that every adult should read 'Putin's People' by Catherine Belton, to really get a sense of what is being undermined and what we're up against. I read this on my Kindle. I love big, controversial positions from engaging essayists and few match Douglas Murray.

And more Classical literature for me too this year, which I find more absorbing as I get older. My reading included the works of two Roman emperors. Caesar's 'The Conquest of Gaul' has been on my shelves for years, but even to a modern ear, it's an absolute page-turner.

The Stoic and emperor, Marcus Aurelius, has been a great comfort. I've come across quotes from his writings for decades but finally read all of 'Meditations' slowly and carefully. Though these journals were never written for an audience - they were his private thoughts and musings - they truly carry the wisdom of the ages. The later books in 'Meditations' contained my favourite passages.

Other highlights are in the stack.

RAMSEY CAMPBELL: SERVING HORROR FOR 60 YEARS.

In the final days of RAMSEY CAMPBELL: 60 YEARS OF SERVING HORROR, organised by Flame Tree Press, I add my humble postscript. But there are few better ways to mark such an impressive career milestone in horror, than by showing your collection of the author's books (in this case, a library). And I own more of Ramsey's books than I own books by any other author.And after running some numbers, I calculated that I have read Ramsey for 40 years and known him for 20 years. Ramsey's not only a master of horror and the weird tale, but of language too. And consistently. He's also an inspiration, guiding light and friend to many of us in horror. It's been a privilege to read Ramsey, listen to his speaking engagements and to get to know him.There are only a handful of writers of the weird who, purely by reading them, have altered or warped my perception, and long after I'd closed one of their books; as if I was then seeing the world through the writer's imagination, or the pages were laced with a hallucinogenic (or curse!). Ramsey is one of these writers. M. R. James, Robert Aickman, M. John Harrison and Thomas Ligotti have also succeeded in doing this to me. Only the very best in the field, in other words.I also occasionally find myself stricken by Ramsey Campbell "moments". They can be baffling experiences and always occur when dealing with strangers. I feel that I have stepped into one of Ramsey's stories, or scenes, and have diminished control in a hyper-real situation, while I grasp for an understanding of what is happening around me. These moments feel uncanny, premeditated, often sinister.The first Campbell book I read was Obsession, as a teenager; the last was The Lonely lands, as a grey bearded 55 year old. The new novel, The Incubations, awaits.Can I pick a single favourite title? I may be asked for one. I cannot, but I do have favourites, and why does it always have to be one? All of the short story collections are a given, and of the novels:The Nameless, Midnight Sun, The Darkest Part of the Woods, The Grin of the Dark, The Kind Folk, Born to the Dark, Seven Days of Cain.Massive congratulations on your big 60, Ramsey![And now to the horror of reshelving my clumsy flat-lay of books. I hope to be finished by March '25].

HAPPY GOAT HORROR - TOP TEN HORROR NOVELS OF THE YEAR 2024

Kayleigh's top equal horror novel of 2024 was All the Fiends of Hell, twinned with Tim Lebbon's Among the Living and Rachel Harrison's Black Sheep.

And for this generosity I am immensely grateful and flattered - it's been a strong year for horror fiction.

I pushed the boat out with this novel, so I'm as relieved as I am delighted that the book has become popular with horror readers, and worldwide too. Readers are the most important people in the room for me, and you have kept me airborne.

You can check out Happy Goat's 2024 book recommendations here.

 

HORROR DNA: TONY'S TOP READS OF 2024 - INC' ALL THE FIENDS OF HELL!

"Adam has appeared on more of my annual lists than any other author, and is in top form with All the Fiends of Hell."

And for this we shriek our thanks!

Tony’s Top Reads of 2024 - Horror DNA

CRIMINOLLY'S 10 BEST HORROR READS OF 2024

Favourite horror title of 2024 lists are landing out there. And I'm making my own TBR lists from some of the suggestions.

I'm also very flattered and grateful to see 'All the Fiends of Hell' manifesting on a few shortlists. Including, CriminOlly's 10 Best Horror Reads.

Fiends was his #1 horror novel read in '24, so I bow my cowled head in thanks and extend my vaporous arms to embrace him!

MY FAVOURITE TV SHOWS WATCHED IN 2024 ARE ...

And my favourite TV shows watched in '24 are:

Landman (Paramount)Mayor of Kingstown S3 (Paramount)Lioness S2 (Paramount)Dune: Prophecy (Sky Atlantic)House of the Dragon S2 (Sky Atlantic)Penguin (Sky Atlantic)Severance (Apple)The Morning Show S:1-3 (Apple)Master of the Air (Apple)Slow Horses S4 (Apple)​Sugar (Apple)Ripley (Netflix)Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

MY FAVOURITE HORROR FILMS WATCHED IN 2024.

My favourite horror films of 2024 (not all were released this year but I watched them for the first time in '24).I watched a few hounds, because that's the nature of the beast, and I felt underwhelmed by a couple that were hyped. But, overall, it's been a very good year.Longlegs was my favourite film but not by a wide margin, because the competition was high. As I said in my newsletter, I found the film and its ideas disturbing, infernal and oddly plausible. Much like other A24 produced films (Hereditary, Midsummar, Talk to Me) the film was not only innately strange but also possessed a transcendent quality. As did Heretic, which I also loved.Curiously, nuns seemed to dominate the year.And I was impressed with the prequels, origin stories and sequels in a way that I didn't expect to be.So, with the exception of Longlegs, in no order of preference, I recommend:Long Legs (Cinema)Smile2 (Cinema)Heretic (Cinema)The Substance (Cinema)Alien Romulus (Cinema)Quiet Place Day One (Cinema)The First Omen (Cinema)Blink Twice (Sky)Abigail (Sky)Oddity (Shudder)In a Violent Nature (Shudder)The Stranger (Netflix)Sister Death (Netflix)Apartment 7A (Paramount)Disappear Completely (Prime)Immaculate (Prime)

THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR VOLUME 16 - A NEW STORY INSIDE.

Despite loving the form, these days I struggle to find the capacity to write short stories. I used to write 3 or 4 each year, then about 2, then a single story. But not one in '24.

My story 'Rock Hopping' from 2023, however, is available to read in Ellen Datlow's The Best Horror of the Year: Volume 16.

An honour and thrill for me to see it placed in this legendary series.

NEW FOREIGN EDITIONS

The creeping dread is crossing borders. In 2024, a few of my horrors began speaking in other tongues.

The long short story, or maybe it's a novella - 'Call the Name' - has been translated into Italian by Zona 42.

Cunning Folk is casting curses in German (superbly illustrated by Sam Araya), published by Buchheim Verlag.The Ritual has a Ukrainian edition, published by Navchalna Knyha.
And Banquet for the Damned has enjoyed its first translation - into Turkish - produced by my longtime publisher in Turkey: Pegasus.
A two horned salute to all of the editors, translators and publishers involved, and to the readers who open these books.