Michael Noe's Blog, page 23
June 21, 2015
Clown Fellas
I received the latest CMII novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've just finished an advanced copy of the latest CMIII novel and I have to admit I'm still not sure what to write. I've been a fan of bizarro for almost five years and I often wondered what would happen if mainstream publishers decided finally start releasing bizarro titles. We now have the answer. Carlton's latest release is being published by the Random House imprint Hydra, and I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand this Carlton Mellick III. The guy's an underground legend and I delved into this with the idea that it would be an instant classic. Problem is this doesn't feel like a Mellick book. This is being touted as Urban Fantasy and yeah, I guess it fits, but this is the guy who gave us surreal classics like The Haunted Vagina, and the Menstruating Mall. I was expecting the usual surreal Mellick that writes these bizarro fantasies that often mess with your head.
Clown Fellas is a new direction and a new style that some will love, and others will keep checking the cover just to make sure it's who the cover says it is. These are six novellas that center around the Bozo family who are clowns and also in the mafia. This is exactly why Mellick is a legend and while some elements of his style seem watered down the story telling is top notch, This is a writer trying to branch out and try something different, but I kept waiting for the old Mellick to emerge, but he just doesn't. If you have a fear of clowns this is certainly a book to avoid. These aren't your typical clowns and each novella shows a different side of the Bozo family.
I found that each novella was well written, and if anyone deserves mainstream success it's Mellick. Clown Fellas is an interesting take on the mafia genre. If anyone was going to create a clown mafia it would be this guy. This may be a newer style for Mellick but it's an easy read that you quickly become absorbed in. I did have mixed feelings about this one and still do but as I look at each novella I can see that Mellick's style in Clown Fellas really fits what this book is about. Is it violent? Of course but you expect that from a book like this and while I hate the idea that mainstream publishers have finally discovered bizarro fiction I wonder how safe and watered down it'll become.
While it may not be my favorite Mellick book it is an interesting 3 star read. I didn't exactly hate it but I didn't love it either. The idea is solid but in the end it just seemed to run out of steam. This will be officially released on July 14 and you can pre-order this now but so far it's a Kindle only release.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QP3RO8W?tag=randohouseinc7986-20
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/clownfellas-carlton-mellick-iii/1120871638?cm_mmc=affiliates-_-linkshare-_-vd9*lkiwnd8-_-10%3a1&ean=9780804179355&isbn=9780804179355&r=1
http://carltonmellick.com/
May 24, 2015
Whore - Matt Shaw
What can I say about Matt Shaw that hasn't already been said? You could say that he's sick, twisted, and yes even brilliant. Whore is one of the titles in the black cover series and I've begun to notice that more and whore writers are presenting these covers which tells you that Shaw is doing something right. Right off I should warn you that this is not your typical paint by the numbers piece of fiction. Shaw grabs you by the throat and when he's done choking the life out of you he just tosses you in a corner and waves good-bye.
Whore is a jarring work. This is reality based fiction at its finest and Shaw offers no apologies at all for what he's written and that's how good fiction should be. Even at its darkest point you can't help but feel drawn to the title character. This is a woman who feels justified in what she's doing, but is she? That is the question here. Shaw writes dark brutal fiction but the draw here is the story itself. This is one of those books that takes a multitude of risks and they pay off well. Whore isn't just an extreme novel. It's a story full of twists and turns and an ending that will totally blow your mind.
I'm a huge fan of splatterpunk, or if you prefer extreme horror, and I'm a huge fan of Shaw's because he has a writing style that transcends the genre. Whore is addicting and shows that even with controversial subject matter he can craft an addicting piece of fiction. These are stories that are filled with violence and sex but running through all of that is a clever pacing that blends in all the extreme elements so that they become an integral part of the story. These bad things happen because of the actions of someone else. This is a look at the dark side of human nature and it's not all unicorns and rainbows. Shaw likes to expose the dark side of the soul and as a reader you have a front seat to everything that the main character feels and was subject too.
So, as I write this review the question is do you want to read Whore? It's certainly not for the faint of heart or the weak. If you're not a horror fan the obvious question is a resounding no, but for those who like their fiction dark and a bit twisted you'll enjoy this a great deal. This is a gritty, realistic based novel that shows us that monsters do exist. They wear human faces and live among us. You should read this because it transcends the typical extreme horror tag and presents a dark shot of realism.
http://www.amazon.com/Whore-Matt-Shaw/dp/1503286606
http://www.mattshawpublications.co.uk/
May 21, 2015
Salem's Vengeance
I received a free copy of this from Netgalley and I have to be honest and admit that I'm not a fan of historical fiction, but being a horror writer I am intrigued by the Salem Witch Trials and have read countless books regarding the subject both fiction and nonfiction. As I began to read Vengeance I was immediately pulled into the story. Galvin certainly did his research and it shows in his writing. It's a well thought out book that truly captures the era that the story takes place. This is also the first book in a trilogy which usually means a lot of back story so that the next two books have something to hinge upon. The first book is how the author captures your attention and Salem's Vengeance does that.
As a whole the book is hit or miss. By the second half of the book it begins to falter a bit but Galvin manages to pull you back in through the mysterious journal that Sarah is given. Who wrote the journal? That is the big question and as the story unfolds you begin to see just why Sarah is so important. The main theme here is vengeance and Galvin plots the story in such a way that when he does reveal something it's quite shocking. We begin to see people as they once were, and we see that no matter how much you try to escape your past it's always there. You can't escape it.
The shadow of Salem looms over these characters and Galvin expertly melds true historical events with fiction. It all blends together seamlessly, but sometimes the book does drag a little in the middle and I found myself skimming a little because there was nothing important happening. The book did keep me guessing and even though I'm not big on historical fiction or even trilogies this was one that was well thought and handled its subject matter well. That alone makes the book worth checking out but for fans expecting a dark tale filled with horror you're not going to find it here.. Overall there is a bit of creepiness but not so much that you'll want to sleep with the lights on. Salem's Vengeance is a novel for people who want an interesting story and enjoy popular fiction.
I think that's why the book seemed to drag so much for me. It's an ordinary story that will appeal to reader's of by the number fiction. This is the kind of book that some will find edgy, but it's really not. There are tons of books like these being pumped out and I was hoping that Salem's Vengeance would frighten me a little or at least make me think a little. It just didn't do that. Don't get me wrong it's not a bad book at all, and fans of popular fiction will drool all over this but to me it was good, but nothing memorable.
May 18, 2015
The Mind Is A Razor Blade
I got a copy of this from Max himself and in all honesty I can't say that I simply read his latest novel, I devoured the damn thing in two days. Hands down this is easily one of my favorite books and if you've never heard of this guy you should just stop reading for a second and just buy the book. The influences here are too many to name but if you like dark noir fiction, or ever wonder what Dark City would look like if David Lynch directed it you have a pretty good idea of what you're in for. Booth just doesn't write in one genre. He experiments in many and it all flows seamlessly. You have elements of bizarro and splatterpunk making out with science fiction, but it never bogs down the plot. If anything all of these different genres make the overall story that much better, and stronger.
The strength of Razor Blade is Booth's writing style. You are sucked into the story and truly get a sense of what Bob is feeling. We all know that Bob has no memory but the detail that he puts into it makes you feel the frustration and as he slowly begins to get his memory back you feel the same relief that he does. The action is well placed and as the story gains momentum the pages begin to fly by as Bob begins to discover who was. There are quite a few surprises here and the pieces in which Bob begins to regain his memory you begin to see that Bob isn't a perfect guy, He is a bit flawed but he has a chance to redeem himself and start fresh.
For the reader this is the perfect novel that we all want to read, It balances the action and while there is a bit of violence it's not enough to detract from the story. If anything if you were Bob you would do the same thing too. It's also a bit dark but that's exactly what you want from a book like this and for those that like bright happy shiny fiction you're going to probably turn your nose up at this and hit the the light fluffy section. This is the perfect beach, or front porch novel and if I had to pick 5 books to take with you on summer vacations this is one that I would recommend. Now that you've read my review go buy the book already.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mind-Razorblade-Max-Booth/dp/9197972517
May 16, 2015
The Ghost
The premise to Andrew Lowe's debut novel sounds pretty exciting. When I saw it on Netgalley I was instantly intrigued and wanted to check it out. The problem is that the premise makes the book sound more exciting than it actually is. This is one of those novels that show a great deal of promise but never gains a great deal of momentum. I've read books with the same themes and they're executed a lot better than this one is. Don't get me wrong. Andrew Lowe is a talented writer, but the book limps along and I really felt obligated to finish it just to see what happens. The book is just boring and the end left me feeling as if I had just wasted three days of my life.
The main character isn't all that exciting. He's a bit flawed and we watch as his life slowly unravels but it isn't really because of his past. It's because he's such a flawed person. This is a character that really has no depth and you don't really care about him at all. Every other character in the novel is supposed to create this big climax but you don't get to find out what it is until the book's nearly finished. If the book had been set up differently it could have been an exciting novel but Lowe is all about creating the atmosphere and what led up to the current events. This could have been explained a lot sooner and even strengthened the story, but that never happens. The book is called Ghost and when I finally I found out why I just didn't care.
This is Lowe's first novel it shows a lot of promise but it's still a first novel and one you can't really classify. Yes, we all know that boys can be cruel, and I can see the need for revenge, but when I'm reading a novel like this I want characters that I can relate to. I want something to excite me, and pull me in. Lowe has the talent to do that, but in Ghost there really is no momentum. If there's a message somewhere I must have missed it, and who knows maybe someone else reading it can tell me what I may have missed.
Ghost for what it's worth is just an okay novel. You could do worse I guess, but if you're a fan of stories that interweave the past and present this one's for you. I do know that if Lowe releases another novel I'm going to read it just to see if he's improved. I wanted to like Ghost but in the end it just frustrated me.
May 10, 2015
All Hallow's Eve Review
All Hallow's Eve is an interesting novel for a variety of reasons. It's not your typical Laymon novel. By this time people knew what to expect from him so this to me felt as if he were showing the critics that he was capable of creating a novel that was void of its usual mayhem. Eve is Laymon's attempt at a straight horror novel and surprisingly it works. Laymon proves here that he is a great story teller, but there is the usual references to sex, but not as much as say Come Out Tonight. These are still Laymon characters and when I say that I don't mean that to be derogatory at all. Laymon's characters are all a little flawed and show us that everyone has a darkside. All Hallow's Eve is no exception except for the fact that the action is a bit subdued and a lot of the darker, more horrifying aspects are stripped away so you get a chance to see just how good Laymon is without the mayhem.
A lot of people will tell you that this is by far the weakest Laymon novel and in some regards I disagree. To me it feels as if Laymon was once again trying to tap into mainstream success and in order to do that he had to change his style a little and there's nothing wrong with that. The novel itself is interesting and the house serves as a sort of catalyst for what's to come. There's enough there to keep you guessing and along the way we can see just how much the house actually plays into the overall plot. Laymon knows how to craft a story, and he's able to do this with a minimum amount of gore and sexual overtones.
If you're just getting into Laymon though this isn't the place to start because it isn't like any of his other novels. Another thing that keeps this from being a perfect novel is the ending. You finally get to the moment and then Laymon unleashes hell. This is a classic set up but the ending is just weak. It felt as if it were an afterthought or something Laymon came up with simply because the deadline was approaching, I have no idea how or why this was able to slide past the publishers but it did. It was the only dull spot in an engaging novel.
In terms of Laymon this is a decent four star effort that proves that he has enough talent to pull of a classic horror novel. The pacing is perfect and the characters are the kinds of people we expect to see in a Laymon novel. While he may have written this to silence the critics All Hallow's Eve is one of my favorite Laymon novels even if the ending was a bit weak. Once you finally get inside The Sherwood House Laymon lets loose and then we get to see what he's known for. Those last few pages are what made me a Laymon fan. He should have been huge but for some reason he never was and that is something I will never understand, He was a huge influence on my writing and All Hallow's Eve is a great novel that Laymon fans and non fans should read.
May 5, 2015
Vampire Strippers From Saturn
I know what you're thinking. Another vampire novel? This isn't you're ordinary run of the mill vampire tale though. Bilof's has a knack for invading other genre's and blending them all together into something unique. With Strippers you have horror, sci-fi, and bizarro melding together with excellent results. As a writer you just need to take risks and Strippers is the kind of book that will at times seem to make no sense at all, but as the story progresses you begin to see pieces fall into place and the story overall is like an B-movie from the fifties force fed a bunch of really good drugs and allowed to run amok.
I loved the overall idea of the novel. The strippers are here to destroy earth but nothing is ever easy and this is where the book really shines. We encounter a variety of characters that give it a nice bizarro edge and I should point out that it has a kick ass sound track that you can cue up as you read the novel. Strippers is original and while the strippers may be called vampires we find out that they don't act like your traditional vampires and use a strip club for their coven.
If you like your novels quick paced and gory then this is the book for you, but if you like your stories to follow a clear cut path then you may not like this. What made this novel so enjoyable was the fact that you truly have to pay attention. It's a complexly written novel that requires patience. Bilof has written a novel that ushers in a great deal of chaos while being truly original. There isn't just one genre that this fits into, but that's why I'm a fan, I know that when I read one of his books all the rules simply disappear and you're given something that doesn't pander to just one type of reader.
Simply put Vampire Strippers From Saturn is a great novel when it's in the right hands. People will either love it or hate it and there are some that will get it while others simply won't. How much you enjoy this novel depends on what's sitting on your bookshelf. If you only read the latest best sellers odds are you're going to dislike this which is unfortunate because Strippers is a great novel. Bilof doesn't pander to styles or trends. He walks in and makes them his own.
http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-Strippers-Saturn-Vincenzo-Bilof-ebook/dp/B00TVT5S26/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1424651121&sr=8-2&keywords=vampire+strippers
http://vincenzobilof.blogspot.com/
May 1, 2015
Time Of Grace Review
I have to be honest and say that this is the first time I've read one of Catt's books and I can assure you that this won't be the last. This is a well written novel that isn't exactly a straight up horror novel but it does contain some supernatural elements that add a bite to the story. The thing I loved about Time Of Grace was Catt's writing style. Written in the first person but you feel as if you know these characters and as the story unfolds the key elements feel almost real and I was shocked as the story progressed, Anytime I read a book that starts of strong I always expect it all to fall apart at some point, but this never did.
Catt's a talented writer that knows how to hook her readers and this one has big giant meaty hooks. Sometimes a book doesn't have to be overly detailed with romance, or gore to be effective. All you really need is a good story . Time Of Grace is not just a good story, It's a great story and I will even go as far as saying the book is simply amazing.
For fans of great books this one is one you simply have to pick up. David's story is one of loss, obsession, and the realization that something dark exists, but everyone else is oblivious to what it is. Time Of Grace starts of as a normal tale and then halfway through Catt stomps on the gas and takes a left turn. The ending at first seemed a bit sudden and it really pissed me off but as I read it again it truly fit the overall theme of the book. There was no other way that it could end any other way and have the same impact. Do yourself a favor and pick this up. You'll thank me later.
www.cattd.com
http://www.amazon.com/Time-Grace-catt-dahman-ebook/dp/B007MRP9NC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
April 25, 2015
The Lords Of Salem
The Lords Of Salem - Rob Zombie With B.K, Evenson 4/5
For fans of Rob Zombie’s The Lords OF Salem there’s a lot more to love with the novelization. While some films allow authors to adapt their films into books Zombie has taken a new approach and allowed the book to compliment the film. What that means is that seeing the movie and then reading the book are two different experiences. The book is more detailed than the film and you get another aspect to the story. There are some scenes that are in the book that don’t exist on film. While it’s okay to watch the film and not read the book, but if you’re a fan of the film you’ll want to read the book.
It widens the history of the witches and you see what happens and why they’re seeking their revenge. The book gives more detail to the characters in a way that the film couldn’t and sometimes because of this the book does drag a bit The book may even be written by Zombie himself, but B.K. doesn't do a bad job with the outline that Zombie has given him. The problem may just exist in translating Zombie’s ideas into a book that fans want to read. There is a great deal of detail here and I think that this overabundance of detail to make the book an extension of the film makes it hard to keep it a reasonable length. I enjoyed the book, but sometimes wished it were shorter.
I saw the film first and didn’t even know that a hardback existed and as I sat down to read it I was immersed in the story and it showed that having a novel that bridges the gaps that your film creates is both good and bad. If you’re a fan of horror The Lords is a pretty good novel, but if you hated the filml odds are you’ll hate the book. There’s no way to urge people to this buy this book unless they haven’t seen the film. The one thing that’s missing is the violence that permeates through Zombie’s work. There is a bit of violence here but not as much as I was expecting. The film is a lot more violent than the book and a lot of things that the fillm does the book can’t duplicate.
Don’t get me wrong. Despite the laggy parts of the book I still enjoyed it. The Lords Of Salem is one of my favorite horror films and in my opinion the best thing he’s ever done. The book has a lot to live up too. I think that’s what the book itself is. A preview of the film. It wants you to see the film and once you do the entire story is presented. It all makes sense and you see just how amazing this film is. As a horror fan there’s a lot that Zombie and Evenson do right. They don’t sell out and go the modern horror route. They stick to classic horror that no one even touches anymore and the undertones of dark horror mix in well with Zombies tale of revenge. We all know what Zombie is capable of but sometimes it just doesn’t translate well written down.
April 8, 2015
Metal Up Your Nose!
Anyone knows me or follows me on Facebook knows that metal and horror are two of my favorite subjects. I wanted to do a listing of some of my favorite metal albums but shit, that’s such a hard thing to write about and everyone has their own opinion on the greatest albums ever, but I have always wanted to throw out some of my favorite metal albums just to see if it would shock people. Let’s face it people know that I’m a huge hair metal fan, but what they may not know is that I love heavy metal. Fucking love it! As a fan of horror metal just kind of fit right in. Other kids would be out playing sports and I would be in my room either reading or banging my head. I hated sports and still do so anyway here are a few of my favorite metal albums. Also there really is no order here but people appreciate numbers for some reason. How about we do a nice fat ten?
1. Miss Crazy II – This came out in 2008, but sounds like it could have come it at the height of hair metal, but it’s far heavier. Led by Marcus Allen Christopher this is a band that should be huge. Just from the opening of Mow you can’t help but bang your head, and those vocals! This is one of those albums you listen to and then you’re mouth drops open.��
2 & 3 Iron Maiden – Number Of The Beast & Piece Of Mind. When people ask what a perfect metal album is you can play them these. This is what perfection is. The band was finally moving into their own here and the Bruce era was just beginning and while Beast was the building blocks, Mind was where the band finally knew where they wanted to go. This is a band that compliments each other well. Everything works together and that’s what makes these albums so damn good.
4. Steeler is an interesting band because they really only had one album, but holy shit what an album and what a lineup! Ron Keel on vocals, Gregg Chaison on bass, Bobby Marks on drums, and Ynwie Malmsteen on guiter. The sound of the record isn’t all that great but it’s worth a listen because it’s a ground breaking record in terms of what hair metal would soon become.
5 & 6 ��I have to be honest and admit that I was never a huge fan of Black Sabbath when Ozzy sang. I just didn’t see the appeal until I heard Heaven And Hell and it was like the sky opened and God himself said: “Do you hear that?” The first song I ever heard was falling Off the Edge Of The World off of Mob Rules, but then I heard Children Of The Sea and my brain melted. What Sabbath lacked all along was a vocalist that complimented the rest of the band. Heaven And Hell showed that Black Sabbath were far more than plodding doom metal. Heaven And Hell should have been the death of Sabbath but instead it was a rebirth. This was a band that branched out and took a few risks and they paid off extremely well. Then Ronnie was gone and it ripped a hole in the space time continuum. Then I heard Born Again and all was right in the universe. Ian Gillan was the vocalist for Deep Purple and while they still had the same plodding doomy riffs there was a bit of heaviness lacking on Heaven and even Mob Rules. It was as if the band were trying to totally bury their past and move into a heavier direction. With these two albums we knew that without Ozzy the band was far better. We all knew that as a vocalist he was lacking in a lot of important areas. The band was stuck and now with Dio and Gillan they were free to explore and these two albums are proof of that
7. Warlock has always been a favorite band. Doro Pesch may not be the perfect vocalist but their album Triumph And Agony was the perfect album and found the band at their creative peak. The anthemic All We Are pummels you and it just doesn’t stop. This is one of those perfect metal albums that every band strives for. Some never get a chance to create it, but Warlock’s fourth album finally got them the attention they had always deserved.
8. ….And Justice For All was the last decent Metallica album and for as many issues as it has it will always be the album that allowed Metallica to move forward. I have always felt that this was their heaviest and darkest record, Master may have been their most popular album, but this was their chance to prove that they could move beyond that and create something better. This was a band on the verge of greatness. We all knew that they were great musicians and Justice to me proved that. You have a band that has finally matured and Justice just punished the listener with its heaviness.
9. Persistence Of Time will always be my favorite Anthrax record. Among The Living proved that Anthrax could build on the foundation that Metallica and Slayer had built and created something unique. Persistence was the album that took everything that Anthrax was and intensified it. Angrier, and even darker. It was a mature record that proved that as a band it was possible to move in a new direction and add a few different styles to their sound and Belladonna never sounded better. It took me a few listens until I understood just how great this record is. Some dismiss it but to me this is by far their greatest record and everything that State Of Euphoria could have been if they had merely taken the time and not rushed through it.
10. Shout At The Devil was the Motley Crue album that was all about attitude and proof that a glam metal band could be heavy as fuck. Their second album is perfect and has a swagger about that the band has never been able to duplicate. You want a perfect metal album? This is it. Nikki Sixx may not be the gratest song writer in the world but for Shout it didn’t matter. These were songs that dripped with attitude and showed you that you can’t judge a book by its cover. The first time I heard this i was in awe and it’s one of those albums that stands up well no matter what decade you listen to it in.
