Steve Capone Jr.'s Blog: Author Blog, page 2
February 11, 2024
New Horror Review: What Feasts at Night, by T Kingfisher
After rating Kingfisher's "What Moves the Dead" as my top book of the year in 2023, I was excited to read its followup, "What Feasts at Night." I was not disappointed.
Early 20th c. Alex Easton returns from the big city to a hunting cabin passed down to him by his family to find an eerie silence has beset the place and its caretaker has disappeared. While searching for all logical explanations for the disturbing turns of events after his arrival, Easton finds himself threatened by the same forces that overwhelmed the old caretaker.
Kingfisher is a master of mood-setting wordplay, of dark humor and cheery characterization, and of unspooling dream sequences as though I were living them myself. I found myself unsure what was real and what was imaginary, what was rational and what was believable, and what I'd be thinking in Easton's shoes. I finished the short volume quickly and am telling everyone I know to look out for this book.
What Feasts at Night
Early 20th c. Alex Easton returns from the big city to a hunting cabin passed down to him by his family to find an eerie silence has beset the place and its caretaker has disappeared. While searching for all logical explanations for the disturbing turns of events after his arrival, Easton finds himself threatened by the same forces that overwhelmed the old caretaker.
Kingfisher is a master of mood-setting wordplay, of dark humor and cheery characterization, and of unspooling dream sequences as though I were living them myself. I found myself unsure what was real and what was imaginary, what was rational and what was believable, and what I'd be thinking in Easton's shoes. I finished the short volume quickly and am telling everyone I know to look out for this book.
What Feasts at Night
January 31, 2024
Review of New Space Horror Book, Ghost Station
Spoiler-free review.
Once a year or so, I read a book that grabs me outside of reading sessions. I'll find myself thinking about it while I'm driving home, while I'm grading papers, or while I'm cooking dinner. I read this one electronically, and if it were an audiobook I'd have been done in two days instead of twenty, so strong was the call to continue. That I finished this book in such a short time during Sundance Film Festival (for me: 14 feature length and 10 short films in ten days, taking precedence over all other creative inputs) would be a shocker with most books.
All that is just to say that I read this book because I *needed* to read it. After I finished S.A. Barnes' last novel, Dead Silence, I immediately (and frequently) wondered, "When's the next one coming out?" And after I began Ghost Station, I wanted to know, "What's coming in the next scene?" It was like that from beginning to end, for this reader.
Barnes' tension-building skillset is top notch and teaches me as I read. She does characterization like the pro she is, and her characters' choices are always informed by their prior experiences in ways that, if not clear immediately, are not clear for good reason (and will be revealed later in the story, as pacing demands). I took note while reading of places where Barnes had her characters thinking something but doing something else, being overtaken by fears in believable ways, and dealing with interpersonal conflict in ways that made the fantasy of the story disappear into character-based realism (this is a good thing).
I read an ARC through NetGalley, and I'm glad I got that opportunity. I will read whatever S.A. Barnes puts out next, as well. I'm already wondering what it'll be!
Ghost Station
Once a year or so, I read a book that grabs me outside of reading sessions. I'll find myself thinking about it while I'm driving home, while I'm grading papers, or while I'm cooking dinner. I read this one electronically, and if it were an audiobook I'd have been done in two days instead of twenty, so strong was the call to continue. That I finished this book in such a short time during Sundance Film Festival (for me: 14 feature length and 10 short films in ten days, taking precedence over all other creative inputs) would be a shocker with most books.
All that is just to say that I read this book because I *needed* to read it. After I finished S.A. Barnes' last novel, Dead Silence, I immediately (and frequently) wondered, "When's the next one coming out?" And after I began Ghost Station, I wanted to know, "What's coming in the next scene?" It was like that from beginning to end, for this reader.
Barnes' tension-building skillset is top notch and teaches me as I read. She does characterization like the pro she is, and her characters' choices are always informed by their prior experiences in ways that, if not clear immediately, are not clear for good reason (and will be revealed later in the story, as pacing demands). I took note while reading of places where Barnes had her characters thinking something but doing something else, being overtaken by fears in believable ways, and dealing with interpersonal conflict in ways that made the fantasy of the story disappear into character-based realism (this is a good thing).
I read an ARC through NetGalley, and I'm glad I got that opportunity. I will read whatever S.A. Barnes puts out next, as well. I'm already wondering what it'll be!
Ghost Station
January 23, 2024
Kickstarter Campaign for Max in The Capital of Spies!
From January 16th through February 10th 2024, we're running a publishing campaign through Kickstarter for Max in the Capital of Spies. For those looking for additional goodies beyond a mere copy of the book—which releases March 8th 2024—this is for you.
Here's the link to the campaign!
Right now, the campaign is funded and sitting just above the first stretch goal reward level, and we'd love to reach additional stretch goals!
So far, all backers have gained a live book release event online.
Next, we're aiming to do a pizza party together—remote, of course—for which I'll prepare by recording a "how to" video for the best derned pizza you can make. Then we'll do a live pizza party event and do a Q&A during the cooking process.
Thanks so much for your support!
- Steve
Currently Reading: SA Barnes—Ghost Station
Here's the link to the campaign!
Right now, the campaign is funded and sitting just above the first stretch goal reward level, and we'd love to reach additional stretch goals!
So far, all backers have gained a live book release event online.
Next, we're aiming to do a pizza party together—remote, of course—for which I'll prepare by recording a "how to" video for the best derned pizza you can make. Then we'll do a live pizza party event and do a Q&A during the cooking process.
Thanks so much for your support!
- Steve
Currently Reading: SA Barnes—Ghost Station
