A.R. Braun's Blog, page 4

#WriteMotivation Progress

I joined a group of writers on Google + called Write Motivation, and we’re supposed to set goals and blog about our progress. My goals were meant to be accomplished sometime in the summer, so I’ve only gotten so far. But what I’ve accomplished took a lot of work. Unlike most, I don’t have a lot of other things to do besides writing, but I’m limited money-wise. Here goes:

 

1. Finish Revision of 2nd Short-Story Book.

This one I’ve started, because I got the freelance edit done, so I’m making her changes. I’m not even halfway done, but that’s because I’m also revising a novel that I’m currently getting critiques on, which leads to the 2nd goal:

 

2. Finish Revision of the Novel.

It’s actually my sixth, as the first five were newbie crap. This one’s also going to take a while, because it has about 38 chapters and an epilogue, and I’ve only gotten critiques through chapter 33.  In my current critique group, one can post only one work a month, so if anyone knows of a crit group where one can submit once a week, feel free to tell me about it. I’ll be eternally grateful (well, maybe not eternally, but it sounds good).

 

3. Finish Getting Cover Done for 2nd Short-Story Book.

Can’t do this yet. The cover artist can’t work on it until July.

 

4. Finish Getting Formatting Done on 2nd Short-Story Book.

Can’t do this yet, either. I won’t be done with the revision until July.

 

By now, you’ve probably guessed that I’m self-publishing. I’ve also done a short-story submission to a magazine here in Peoria, IL that publishes horror, and it gave me the chance to show off my new letterhead (that has the same design as my business card) with the cover letter. It may or may not impress the editor, but it’ll make me look so professional–I hope. I’ll also be showing the letterhead off to agents when the novel’s done and I’m ready to query, Lord willing, for some of them still take snail-mail submissions.

 

Good luck to everyone in #WriteMotivation!

My 100 Scariest Moments

Any time a writer engages in an exercise that forces him to pare down, in any form, it’s helpful to his craft. Therefore, after reviewing Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments again, as well as 100 Scariest Moments, I’ve deleted every movie in my list that didn’t completely blow my mind, as well as most sequels–one is exemplary–and most remakes (two are amazing). Finally, I think I’ve come up with a sane favorite horror list. Any fright-movie compilation that’s closing in on 400 is too long, or 300 or 200, for that matter. Here goes:

 

The Shining (original version)
The Exorcist
Jaws
The Innkeepers
The Ring
The Evil Dead
The Spell
The Lost
The Night Flier
Inside
Carrie (original version)
Ginger Snaps
Megan Is Missing
Triangle
Night of the Living Dead
The Last House on the Left (original version)
The Girl Next Door (Jack Ketchum version)
The Serpent and the Rainbow
Phantasm
An American Werewolf in London
The Exorcist III
The Howling
One Dark Knight
Pet Sematary
Let the Right One In
Dracula (Francis Ford Coppola’s version)
The Wicker Man (original version)
Lake Mungo
Salem’s Lot
Alien
The Devil’s Advocate
The Last Horror Movie
Faces of Death
Tales From the Hood
The Omen (original version)
From Dusk Till Dawn
Scanners
The Craft
I Spit on Your Grave (original version)
Alice Sweet Alice
Mother’s Day (original version)
The Descent
Killer Party
The Thing (John Carpenter’s version)
Friday the 13th (original version)
Halloween (original version)
Jeepers Creepers
Wrong Turn
The Amityville Horror (original version)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (original version)
Cujo
Grave Encounters
House of 1000 Corpses
The Dead Zone
The Mist
The Servants of Twilight
‘Salem’s Lot
Dark House
The Rapture
Sliver
Rosemary’s Baby (original version)
They Live
Re-Animator
Dagon
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Frailty
Village of the Damned
The Birds
Psycho
Children of the Corn
The Sentinel (1977)
Species
The Demonic Toys
Piranha (original version)
Hostel
The Dentist
When a Stranger Calls
Natural Born Killers
Freaks
The Haunting of Julia
House on Haunted Hill (original version)
The Haunting (original version)
May
Insidious
Drag Me to Hell
The Possession
Poltergeist
Wait Until Dark
Trilogy of Terror
It’s Alive
The Unborn (original version)
Audition
Demons
The Brood
The Hills Have Eyes (original version)
Mr. Frost
The Silence of the Lambs
The Blair Witch Project
The Sixth Sense
The Entity

No More Than Two Sequels, If Any

Whenever any writer or screenwriter(s) have more than two sequels to a novel or a movie, to me, it comes across as milking the idea, picking up the check, phoning it in. Let me state that there are exceptions to the rule–Hellraiser, Wrong Turn, Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist (movies), Night of the Living Dead, and Ray Garton’s Frankenstorm series–but if you’re going to do it, it had better be incredible, at least if you want me to buy into it. And I know I’m not the only one who feels this way.

 

Why does there have to be any sequels? I was planning on never having a sequel until I came up with an idea I found exciting enough to write in a trilogy, but that’s a trio of novellas, not novels. And, many times, the first book/movie wasn’t even that great. But, if it is brilliant, why ruin it with overexposure?

 

The new cash cows are constantly thrown in my face: at this moment, Saw more than Nightmare on Elm Street, but there are so many great movies out there–just in the 1980s alone–that I could probably never watch them all. I’ve still gotta see Sweet Sixteen, The Curse, Fringe, The Incubus, and many more. So why am I going to shell out cabbage for your endless sequels?

 

This is not an attack, but a call to greatness instead of greed. There are so many great stories that the author or screenwriter(s) knew to keep as a trilogy or only have one sequel: The Exorcist (novels), Ginger Snaps, Evil Dead, Jeepers Creepers, Pet Sematary, The Descent, Poltergeist, and Basket Case. So what’s the mystery?

 

Please let me and the rest of the true fans of the genre respect you.

 

My List of the Top 250 Horror Films of All Time

This is something I do for fun periodically, as I’m constantly changing the list because I forgot a film or I saw a new one that was terrific. Usually, it’s a Top 200 list, but I’ve found more great films lately (not that they’re in abundance, mind you), so I increased the number. Not all of these are technically horror films; some are comedy-horror or sci-horror and some are TV episodes, but they freaked me out or entertained me in some way. Enjoy, and feel free to comment on whether you agree/disagree.

 

MY LIST OF THE TOP 250 HORROR MOVIES OF ALL TIME:

(First Fifty in Order)

The Innkeepers
The Shining (original version)
The Ring
Evil Dead II
The Evil Dead (original version)
The Spell
The Lost
Inside
Carrie (first version)
Ginger Snaps
Megan Is Missing
Triangle
Day of the Dead
Night of the Living Dead (first version)
The Last House On the Left (original version)
The Girl Next Door (Jack Ketchum version)
Omen III: Final Conflict
The Serpent and the Rainbow
Phantasm
The Exorcist III
The Exorcist
An American Werewolf In London
The Howling
One Dark Night
Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed
Pet Sematary
Let the Right One In (Swedish version, not Let Me In)
Dracula (Francis Ford Coppola’s version)
The Wicker Man (first version)
Lake Mungo
‘Salem’s Lot
Alien
The Devil’s Advocate
The Last Horror Movie
Dawn of the Dead (either version)
Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane
Diary of the Dead
Tales From the Hood
The Omen (either version)
From Dusk Till Dawn
Scanners
The Craft
I Spit On Your Grave (original version)
Without Warning
Mother’s Day (original version)
The Descent
Killer Party
Van Helsing
The Thing (John Carpenter’s version)
Alice, Sweet Alice
The Unseen
Halloween (both versions)
Halloween II
Friday the 13th (first version)
Amber Alert
The Funhouse
2,001 Maniacs
Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers II
Wrong Turn
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End
Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead
Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings
House At the End of the Street
The Amityville Horror (both versions)
Amityville II: The Possession
Scream
Evilspeak
Grave Encounters
Grave Encounters 2
It
Cujo
Firestarter
House of 1000 Corpses
The Dead Zone
Desperation
Storm of the Century
Mary Reilly
The Dark Half
The Mist
The Servants of Twilight
Phantoms
Damien: Omen II
The Descent: Part 2
Dark House
Slither
The Rapture
Sliver
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death
Rosemary’s Baby (first version)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (both versions)
Fright Night (both versions)
Dracula 2000
They Live
Re-animator
Dagon
Beyond the Wall of Sleep
Necronomicon: Book of the Dead
Hell Asylum
Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye
Carrie (first remake)
Dawn of the Dead (remake)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (first version)
Texas Chainsaw 3D
The Blob (first version)
Frailty
Orphan
Exorcism of Gail Bowers
Dead Alive
Blood Diner
Village of the Damned
Children of the Damned
Children of the Corn
Graveyard Shift
The Stand
Needful Things
The Sentinel (1977)
Independence Day
Aliens
Alien 3
Alien: Resurrection
Species
The Demonic Toys
Puppet Master
Piranha (both versions)
Hostel
Hostel: Part II
Hostel: Part III
The Devil’s Rejects
Satan’s Blood
Don’t Deliver Us from Evil
The Lair of the White Worm
Witchboard
Witchboard 2: The Devil’s Doorway
Urban Legends: Bloody Mary
Final Destination
Warlock
The Woman
The Dentist
The Dentist 2
Ice Cream Man
Dog Soldiers
Underworld
Underworld: Evolution
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Blade
Blade II
Blade: Trinity
Wolf
Queen of the Damned
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (first remake)
When a Stranger Calls (original version)
Natural Born Killers
Freaks
Nosferatu
New Nightmare
Saw
Lake Placid
Anaconda
Beyond Loch Ness
Carny
Strangeland
Wishmaster
Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies
The Haunting of Julia
Darkness Falls
The Woman in Black
Exorcist II: The Heretic
The Wicker Tree
Ghost Ship
House on Haunted Hill (original version)
The Haunting (remake)
Thir13en Ghosts
Mausoleum
Insidious
Drag Me to Hell
The Possession
Stephen King’s Silver Bullet
CrowsNest
Poltergeist
Poltergeist II: The Other Side
Nightwing
They Crawl
Arachnophobia
Amityville 1992: It’s About Time
Teeth
Home Movie
Trilogy of Terror
The Lurking Fear
The Keep
Demon Seed
The Unborn (either version)
The Unborn II
Skin and Bones (Fear Itself)
Dreams in the Witch House (Masters of Horror)
Jennifer (Masters of Horror)
Deer Woman (Masters of Horror)
Pro-Life (Masters of Horror)
Pelts (Masters of Horror)
The Black Cat (Masters of Horror)
Valerie on the Stairs (Masters of Horror)
Apt Pupil
The Grudge
Blessed
Audition
Forever Evil
The Last Exorcism
Dream House
Evil Dead (remake)
The Lost Boys
Copycat
Primal
The Brood
Shivers
The Conjuring
Sound of My Voice
The Revenant
Carrie (second remake)
Dark Night of the Scarecrow
Mortuary (1983 version)
What Lies Beneath
Mama
Shutter
Monkey Shines
Disturbing Behavior
30 Days of Night
30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust
The Crow
The Fury
Mr. Frost
Occupant
The Haunting of Helena
Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity 2
Paranormal Activity 3
Paranormal Activity 4
The Sixth Sense
The Faculty
Apartment 143
Sling Blade
Secret Window
Motel Hell
The Entity
Contracted
Dead and Buried
Odd Thomas
Prey
Basket Case
Basket Case 2
Basket Case 3: the Progeny

 

 

Thoughts on Supernatural Horror in Literature by H.P. Lovecraft (Guest Post by Joe Kovacs)

My friend Joe Kovacs has struck me not only as kinder than a brother, but an excellent critic of both horror movies and horror in the written word. With no further ado, here’s my good friend’s bio and guest blot post:

 

Joe Kovacs is a writer of literary and horror fiction pursuing representation for his novel, Billy Maddox Takes His Shot. He blogs at The Write Place and is active on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

 

Horror fiction typically gets short shrift in “serious” literature. As a former English graduate student, I quickly began to recognize what is acceptable to be accepted into the canon. One need only review the Modern Library Association’s list of top 100 novels of all time for a glimpse.

 

In 1927, Howard Phillips Lovecraft’s essay, Supernatural Horror in Literature, appeared for the first time in The Recluse, a one-time publication distributed by his friend W. Paul Cook.

 

This critical essay remains iconic even now and despite the passage of many decades.

 

In Supernatural Horror, Lovecraft highlights that primary quality people fear the most (i.e. the “unknown”) and bemoans the fact that too many people get so caught up in the tedium of daily task work that they lose all sensitivity to the power of imagination and to “rappings from outside”.

 

He then proceeds to investigate the history of supernatural horror literature, beginning with the popularity of the tradition of gothic horror in the 18th century.

 

With its dark, haunted castles, ambient dungeons and labyrinths, curses, deviant villains and helpless heroines, the gothic genre set a baseline for fear as a staple of popular literature. Modern readers likely would roll their eyes at improbable cardboard-cut out characters and contrived plot sequences that often frequent the genre, but the stories were well received 300 years ago.

 

Lovecraft then examines the kinds of weird fiction that subsequently evolved, including elements that make both cosmic and gruesome horror effective, and noting geographical strengths between Continental, British and American literature (dark realism – French; mysticism – Northern Europe).

 

In my opinion, Lovecraft could have more thoroughly examined the psychological basis of modern horror. But he rightly points out that a shift first occurred through Edgar Allen Poe’s ability to delve into and articulate the sources of horror that truly impact people’s minds. That is far different and a more advanced approach to horror, Lovecraft declares, than to simply throw a bunch of ghosts, ghouls and figures of nefarious malcontent on the page and hope they were scary, as was the case in earlier stories.

 

Despite the notable absence of supernatural horror in the MLA’s list of top 100 novels, certain stories have enjoyed a kind of wary esteem over the years though often because they play into larger themes more conducive to literary discussion.

 

Dracula is probably the most well-known example. The Bram Stoker story reflects in some capacity Western civilization’s fear of uncultivated societies and the taint of diseased blood from the East that must be avoided or, once it comes to London, destroyed.

 

Lovecraft turns to the nexus of history and horror by pointing out how the old religions and mythologies represented a kind of order creation for pre-civilized society, and that the witch trials of pre-revolutionary New England reflected the sanctimonious colonists’ fear of evil that might lurk in the virgin woodlands of the New World.

 

Despite a strong showing in Supernatural Horror in Literature, Lovecraft will never quite challenge the academic intelligentsia as does a writer like Stephen King. King’s writing reflects the strange intersection of horror and pop sensibility in a manner that leaves intellectuals who hope to define him gasping in frustration.

 

But King was not nearly the first horror writer and the use of the term “Lovecraftian” and the profound influence of the earlier writer on the modern master are often apparent in his writing. King has advertised in numerous interviews that his interest in horror partly began when he discovered of a book of Lovecraft’s stories in his parents’ attic when he was a boy.

 

To end where I started, horror fiction has never quite generated the respect it might deserve among readers of serious literature. Fortunately, Lovecraft’s essay has survived more than 85 years since first publication with astonishing influence. The essay’s critical examination of several hundred years’ worth of horror literature is still well-enough known and respected to serve as a kind of banner around which those who appreciate the impact and accomplishments of this genre of writing can gather.

 

Time will tell whether a larger audience of readers ever opens its eyes a bit wider.

Odd Thomas (the Movie)

Being a huge fan of the Odd Thomas book series by Dean Koontz, I was lucky enough to catch the film version of the first novel on Netflix this weekend. For once, a movie version of a novel amazed me with its perfection. Usually, the flick is too much like the book, or not enough like the book, or disappointing in the sense of what the director and co. could’ve done with it. Not this time.

 

Stephen Sommers wrote the screenplay and directed the film, although I find it confusing as to why he’d get screenplay credit when the film was basically identical to the book, with the exception of how much the movie used Odd’s eccentric writer friend, Ozzie Boone (not much). Oh, and Elvis’s ghost becomes a cardboard cutout. I suppose someone has to screenplayize the novel, though, so in a way I get it. Not being a huge fan of Ozzie in the stories, I didn’t mind his lack of airtime too much. It is a shame that Ozzie’s cranky cat didn’t get any screen time, though.

 

The film stars Anton Yelchin (what a name!) as Odd and Addison Timlin as Odd’s fascinating girlfriend, Stormy LLewellyn. You might recognize Anton from the remake (one of the few good ones) of Fright Night. He was excellent in that role, as he is in this one. The movie adds a nice dimension, giving supernatural speed to Odd’s culinary skills, whereas the book simply has him being an expert cook. Another plus is the creepy factor of the bodachs, the supernatural creatures only Odd sees who eat our fear and point to coming deaths, which genuinely frightened me. They’re like huge insects from hell.

 

My only complaint isn’t a complaint at all, but a tug of my heartstrings. I was hoping the film would let Stormy live–like the film version of The Ruins allowed Jenna Malone’s character Amy to escape, unlike in the book–but at the end, I found out the heartbreaking truth. Addison nailed Stormy so well that I was begging the film to let her survive. Sadly, I was disappointed, and had to fight the tears away before I lost the dude factor.

 

I wish all movie versions were like this. I’m assuming you’ve already seen it, as the DVD came out in March, and limited play in theaters happened in February. If through some fluke you haven’t, then I guess I just pulled a boner with this spoiler, but those not wanting me to give it away should’ve avoided this review. That’s what I do.

 

For once, cheers to the filmmakers. It figures that it didn’t get a theatrical release everywhere. Not cheesy and generic enough, I guess.

The Innkeepers

I hate to blog about movies since I should be reading more and never watching television–according to some successful authors–but since I’m writing a screenplay, too, I guess it’s all right. Just like you learn to write from reading, you learn to write screenplays from watching films.

 

It’s finally been done. I never thought I’d see a scarier film than The Shining (Stanley Kubrick’s version), but I finally have. I know, Stephen King doesn’t like Kubrick’s film, but I feel that, even though the movie didn’t stick to the book as much as King would’ve liked, Stanley was still a genius, and this film proves it. I’m going to assume we’ve all seen Kubrick’s Shining by now when I say that the most frightening part to me was when Jack Torrance does Dick Hallorann in with an ax, and that’s not in the book. Besides, what’s more frightening than a man going insane and trying to kill his family? But I’m getting off topic.

 

Along come The Innkeepers,  and me being a divorced man who lives alone finally paid off, for that’s one of the key reasons it scared the crap out of me. It’s about my favorite topic: ghosts, which is hard to do in the written word (who do you think you are, Shirley Jackson?), but is easier in films. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s a movie you’ve got to stick with, for the first half isn’t going to knock your socks off. It also doesn’t have many big names, if any, but Ginger Snaps taught us that that isn’t necessary, now didn’t it? I know I didn’t recognize anyone in The Innkeepers.

 

Not since The Ring was I so frightened I stayed up for hours freaking out–I was sure that little girl was going to come out of my TV and get me–but since I live in a building where many people die (perfect place for a horror author; I know, right?), and lately, more have departed than usual, the film really freaked me out. This is the number one thing a horror film should do: horrify. Then why do so few do that? Oh well, it’s fun searching for jewels in the rough. I guess.

 

If you haven’t seen The Innkeepers, enjoy. See it alone, in the dark, and preferably in a haunted house.

People Get What They Deserve

I’ve heard it a lot lately: “Give till it hurts.” Get in there, write more, read more, critique more, edit more, study more about the craft of writing, write more blog comments, get fifteen more grammar-and-syntax books when I’ve already got five. I’ve heard I’ll be on the right side of karma if I give . . . though I only get two or three critiques on my novel chapters lately.

 

Sorry, not happening.

 

I used to really bust my hump at this gig, and I mean editing the same tale four times in one afternoon, plus being online all the time to be a good friend to potential readers instead of shamelessly promoting–although I’ve seen bestselling self-published authors pimp their book on Twitter a lot–and taking lunch at my writing desk, in addition to working late at night (when I’m supposed to be reading and studying grammar and syntax) until every single human is best friends with me and wants to buy my book. Even readers that hate horror? Even non-readers?

 

I don’t mean to sound like an unprofessional dickhead, but I’ve gone above and beyond and not had great results. My book sells maybe one copy in a month after I’ve been online every chance I get. Hell, I can get that from Kindle Countdown Deals. Lately, I don’t even get enough critiques per novel chapter to know what the majority opinions are, but I’m told to write them ten a week. *Shakes head and laughs* I’m lucky to get one blog comment per post, but I’m supposed to comment on fifteen different blogs.

 

Can’t you see? That’s not fair to me, and I’m not going to reward slack work by busting my ass for nothing because all that gets published is way-past-overdone douchey vampires and zombies, books by celebrities, and crap because certain authors are trying to be everybody’s best friend instead of being human and making mistakes (not to mention making sure they’re talented first instead of trying to get out of doing their jobs). The film industry remakes everything instead of publishing a good, original novel and making a movie out of that.  It’s not going to help me to kill myself at this “career,” and I’m sure as hell not patting them on the back for driving with their eyes closed.

 

How about “Paying it forward”? Face it, people get what they deserve.

Writer Rules: Should There Be Any?

I’m often reminded in critique groups of certain rules writers must follow, like “show, don’t tell” (which is a given), then “enlightened” to new ones I was previously unaware of, such as “never use all caps or bold if going for publication with the big five,” but I see bestselling novels do it all the time. I’m told to outline if writing a novel, as opposed to a short story. The Elements of Style advises that if a writer is taking a long journey, he needs a map. I wholeheartedly agree. Then I find out both Stephen King and Joe Hill never use outlines, and then I read an article about how just an outline isn’t enough. You hear “write what you know,” but what author is worth his salt if he can’t come up with a character unlike himself? Do you have to have a story arc? And just what is that, anyway? Should you hate colons and semicolons like Jack Ketchum? Should you bust your hump on social media? It’s never worked for me. And should you care about plot, since Stephen King said it’s a dullard’s first choice? Therefore, what advice should one listen to,  and what instruction should one disregard? Should a scribe have any rules at all?

 

Damn! This is confusing!

 

It’s like The Devil’s Advocate says, the worst vice is “advice.” I’m certainly not the one to show a new writer the way to make it. But still, I say, if it makes sense, listen; if not, disregard it, but only if you can do so and still be successful (whatever your definition of “successful” is). Your primary concern should be to write the best tale you can, period. I hate to think of any writing advice as a “rule,” but some tips are steadfast, and one would be a fool to ignore them, like ”use the five senses.” The fact of the matter is that it’s a different experience for every writer, so one author’s way shouldn’t mimic another’s. Some scribes have to have a book contract with a big-five publisher to make a living, and another can become a bestseller by self-publishing, while still another prefers to write for a small press and keep his day job.

 

I found out the hard way that I needed an outline if I’m writing a novel, as my first one was all over the place and didn’t have structure. Yet some may feel that to know where you’re going is spoiling the surprise. I’ve seen authors get away with writing “alright” when they damned well know it’s supposed to be “all right.” I haven’t seen many authors who know to never start a sentence with “however” unless it’s in the sense of “however way you want to do this.” And when do you put the comma after the article instead of before it? Should you ever use a block paragraph?

 

The answer, therefore, is to do what works for you, and only follow the rules that are givens, where your writing will suffer if you don’t.

 

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

I took on this novel, hoping for a good story since they’re so hard to find. I knew I could count on Joe Hill. I’d enjoyed 20th Century Ghosts, Horns, and Heart-Shaped Box. What I found, however, was his masterpiece.

 

Even his father hasn’t written anything this high-quality since 1983, in my opinion. I’ve always thought Joe to be an entertaining writer, but not as good as his dad. He is like his father in this respect: he’s too smart to write about regular vampires at this moment, as they’ve been flogged like a dead horse. They both tell tales of psychic vampires, King having done this with Doctor Sleep.

 

NOS4A2 tells the tale of a mental vampire named Charles Talent Manx, an old man who needs the services of Bing Partridge, a younger, stronger apprentice who puts the children and parents they kidnap to sleep with a gas called sevoflurane, which carries a gingerbread odor. Manx feeds off the children’s agony, making himself younger, while Bing rapes the parents, and Bing serves him loyally because Manx has promised him an eternity in Christmasland, where it’s Christmas Eve and Christmas every day, where all the children eventually go . . . to become monsters.

 

The protagonist in this tale is a little girl named Victoria McQueen, or Vic, but her dad calls her “brat.” She stumbles onto Manx because she can open up a bridge to other parts of the world with her mind, and when she grows into adulthood, she’ll be the one with the best chance to bring Manx down, if she can survive the ordeal.

 

The characters were so realistic I thought they’d walk out of the pages, especially after Vic grows up. There are parts of the tome that are downright hair-raising, even blasphemous in one instance, which ups the ante eerily. The biggest thing the novel has going for it is Hill’s personality he obviously inherited from his dad. Plus, you’ve got to admire how Joe changed his last name because he didn’t want to succeed on the back of his father’s legacy. As is so often the case with Hill and his father, the tale runs a bit too long for my liking, but just like his dad, Joe can make the time fly by. And let’s not forget that clever title, so excellent it serves as an opening hook.

 

Pick up this volume, if you haven’t already, and you won’t be disappointed. It’s been nominated for the Stoker Award for 2013.