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Hex Code and Others
Where does the nightmare begin and reality end?
Chaos is about to take over the world. The armies of the Elder Gods and the Great Old Ones are ready for the final, epic battle. Can Darius and the Spectral Squadron save mankind from certain doom? How far will Darius go for the sake of fame and fortune? Will he risk the loss of a friend? Of his sweetheart's love? Of his honor?
Is he willing to risk the existence of humankind?
One of the world's most famous horror writers is dead, leaving his magnum opus unfinished. A dedicated fan is planning to finish the epic - no price is too high. What malignant spirit is curling upward from his whiskey glass? In the Wonderworld amusement park, secrets of the world's most ancient mountains start to surface, and not all the screams in the park are of delight. An ivy-covered hall on a picturesque campus gives no hint of the torments visited upon the helpless creatures within.
Hex Code and Others features a novelette, three macabre short stories and four poems written by John Mayer, a new, exciting writer in the weird tale and pulp fiction tradition.
John Mayer is also the illustrator.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Mayer is most famous for being the boyhood friend of someone famous, horror and fantasy writer Karl Edward Wagner. They both tried their hands at writing in high school, but Mayer, more discouraged by the growing collection of rejection slips than was Wagner, soon found that he was just as happy illustrating his friend's tales of Kane. When Wagner's first novel, Darkness Weaves, was published, he persuaded his editor to include Mayer's illustrations, his first published artwork and the first depictions of the character for which Wagner was to become best known.
John Mayer knows the meaning of horror. He used to be an artist. Horror is trying to eke out a living in that profession. At last he has freed himself of Art's clinging tendrils, acquired a registered nurse's license, and is looking forward to an entirely new way of life.
Hex Code and Others is his first publication of fiction not in comic-book format.
Chaos is about to take over the world. The armies of the Elder Gods and the Great Old Ones are ready for the final, epic battle. Can Darius and the Spectral Squadron save mankind from certain doom? How far will Darius go for the sake of fame and fortune? Will he risk the loss of a friend? Of his sweetheart's love? Of his honor?
Is he willing to risk the existence of humankind?
One of the world's most famous horror writers is dead, leaving his magnum opus unfinished. A dedicated fan is planning to finish the epic - no price is too high. What malignant spirit is curling upward from his whiskey glass? In the Wonderworld amusement park, secrets of the world's most ancient mountains start to surface, and not all the screams in the park are of delight. An ivy-covered hall on a picturesque campus gives no hint of the torments visited upon the helpless creatures within.
Hex Code and Others features a novelette, three macabre short stories and four poems written by John Mayer, a new, exciting writer in the weird tale and pulp fiction tradition.
John Mayer is also the illustrator.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Mayer is most famous for being the boyhood friend of someone famous, horror and fantasy writer Karl Edward Wagner. They both tried their hands at writing in high school, but Mayer, more discouraged by the growing collection of rejection slips than was Wagner, soon found that he was just as happy illustrating his friend's tales of Kane. When Wagner's first novel, Darkness Weaves, was published, he persuaded his editor to include Mayer's illustrations, his first published artwork and the first depictions of the character for which Wagner was to become best known.
John Mayer knows the meaning of horror. He used to be an artist. Horror is trying to eke out a living in that profession. At last he has freed himself of Art's clinging tendrils, acquired a registered nurse's license, and is looking forward to an entirely new way of life.
Hex Code and Others is his first publication of fiction not in comic-book format.
- GenresHorror
192 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 12, 2013
Knowing something about my reading tastes, my friend Henrik was kind enough to offer me a review copy of this book; and now it seems that I'll have the honor of being the first person to review it here on Goodreads! I'm guessing that I'll be the first of many; even though it's often hard for small-press publications to get the notice they deserve, I'm hoping the quality of the contents and the built-in appeal of this volume will make it an exception.
I've classified this as science fiction, because Hex Code, the title novella (which makes up over 100 pages of the 177-page book) is definitely that. The rest of the contents, though, is more varied; one story is supernatural fiction, two are descriptive fiction, and there are also four short poems. Besides the consistent high literary quality of the material here, the unifying thread is an examination of the dark side of the human soul and the more somber aspects of modern social life. But they're examined from the perspective of a vision that's itself fiercely moral --even if the behavior of the characters often is anything but.
As I often do, I read the shorter pieces first, and Hex Code last (even though it's placed first in the book). This was probably a good thing; the latter is so powerfully emotionally evocative that the other stories and poems, if they were read afterwards, might seem a bit anticlimactic. Nonetheless, the three short stories here are very effective, well-crafted works of fiction that merit attention in their own right. "Darkride" is a brilliant ghost story with a twist, very much in the classic tradition that avoids explicit gore --but be warned that it is a "dark ride" indeed. "The Pain Lab" grows out of the author's strong convictions against cruelty to animals, and gives us a grim look at the thinking and practice of researchers who justify torturing their fellow creatures on utilitarian and "humanitarian" grounds. Yes, it's fiction --but its horrific quality comes from how true it is to life; it wouldn't surprise me to read about something similar in a newspaper. Mayer was a good friend of the late great Karl Edward Wagner, who figures posthumously in "The Man Who Collected Wagner." Set in KEW's home town of Knoxville, this one will appeal the most to those who've read a lot of Wagner's work and know a bit about his life, and/or those who are familiar with the atmosphere of an SF/fantasy fan convention. (Though if you're not familiar with the latter, this will give you a vivid cynical introduction to the sordid underbelly of one, complete with alcohol, pot, lechers on the prowl, petty jealousies and ego trips, and shallow cultural illiteracy galore --of course, here there's something even worse waiting in the wings!) But that's not a necessity for appreciating the story as a chiller.
Since I'm more into fiction than poetry, the latter didn't make as much of an impression on me; but it's accomplished poetry, mostly rhymed and not unnecessarily opaque. Two pieces are well-done poetry of the macabre and ominous, appealing by creating a menacing atmosphere ("The Room" has only four lines --but it doesn't need any more!) The other two, however, are more mainstream, being serious explorations of some of the more unhappy possibilities of real life.
If they're read first, these shorter works can be appetizers for the main course Mayer offers in the Hex Code, which is one of the most imaginative takes I've encountered (and I've read several!) on H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Actually, strictly speaking, it takes off from August Derleth's reinterpretation of the Mythos, with two contending pantheons of primeval demigods, one malevolent and the other more benign --or, at least, less nasty!- and seeking to restrain the former. (When you first start reading it, you're apt to feel that you're missing some key back-story, but stick with it; that's part of Mayer's artistry, and you'll soon catch on to what's going on.) This will have the most resonance for Mythos fans, and avid computer gamers, but you don't have to be either to really get into it (for instance, I played a few rounds of a computer game exactly once, back in the 90s, and you've seen how I rated this!). Excellent characterization, perfect pacing, and consummate literary craftsmanship make this a compelling read. Few writers bring out so potently the utter malignancy of the Great Old Ones, with their anti-love, anti-ethics world-view of total selfishness and egoism; but the horror isn't of an escapist variety, because, as Mayer reminds us, we live in a real world where this same world view has been adopted by hordes of human beings, including virtually all of the power elites. And he lays bare, with the same precision as the great classical authors, the many ways that humans can get caught up in serving self, ignoring our consciences and instincts, and justifying behavior we know we shouldn't be doing. The last chapters of the novella in particular are an agony of suspense, with your heart in your mouth for the fate of characters you've come to like (not to mention the world!). Mayer plays the reader like a fiddle, throwing our emotions back and forth like some carnival rides throw the body; two days after I've finished the read, I still have gaping holes in my viscera (okay, figurative, fortunately!) and nerves rubbed raw. That's a tribute to the power of the author's writing.
Hack critics typically sneer at "genre" fiction; it's the province, they tell us, of inferior writers (and readers), with nothing to say to the real world. As usual, they're wrong. Mayer shows himself here to be a writer of the first rank, exceptionally adept for one writing his first (hopefully of many!) book. And as the greatest fiction has always been, these are ultimately stories about good and evil --from the pen of a writer who's cast his lot with good-- and about what ideas shall inform our treatment of our fellow humans (and other creatures).
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the multi-talented Mayer, who has a background in art, also illustrated the book with several excellent full page drawings in black and white. These definitely enhance the visual appeal of the book, which is a good-quality hardcover (relatively rare these days from a small press!).
I've classified this as science fiction, because Hex Code, the title novella (which makes up over 100 pages of the 177-page book) is definitely that. The rest of the contents, though, is more varied; one story is supernatural fiction, two are descriptive fiction, and there are also four short poems. Besides the consistent high literary quality of the material here, the unifying thread is an examination of the dark side of the human soul and the more somber aspects of modern social life. But they're examined from the perspective of a vision that's itself fiercely moral --even if the behavior of the characters often is anything but.
As I often do, I read the shorter pieces first, and Hex Code last (even though it's placed first in the book). This was probably a good thing; the latter is so powerfully emotionally evocative that the other stories and poems, if they were read afterwards, might seem a bit anticlimactic. Nonetheless, the three short stories here are very effective, well-crafted works of fiction that merit attention in their own right. "Darkride" is a brilliant ghost story with a twist, very much in the classic tradition that avoids explicit gore --but be warned that it is a "dark ride" indeed. "The Pain Lab" grows out of the author's strong convictions against cruelty to animals, and gives us a grim look at the thinking and practice of researchers who justify torturing their fellow creatures on utilitarian and "humanitarian" grounds. Yes, it's fiction --but its horrific quality comes from how true it is to life; it wouldn't surprise me to read about something similar in a newspaper. Mayer was a good friend of the late great Karl Edward Wagner, who figures posthumously in "The Man Who Collected Wagner." Set in KEW's home town of Knoxville, this one will appeal the most to those who've read a lot of Wagner's work and know a bit about his life, and/or those who are familiar with the atmosphere of an SF/fantasy fan convention. (Though if you're not familiar with the latter, this will give you a vivid cynical introduction to the sordid underbelly of one, complete with alcohol, pot, lechers on the prowl, petty jealousies and ego trips, and shallow cultural illiteracy galore --of course, here there's something even worse waiting in the wings!) But that's not a necessity for appreciating the story as a chiller.
Since I'm more into fiction than poetry, the latter didn't make as much of an impression on me; but it's accomplished poetry, mostly rhymed and not unnecessarily opaque. Two pieces are well-done poetry of the macabre and ominous, appealing by creating a menacing atmosphere ("The Room" has only four lines --but it doesn't need any more!) The other two, however, are more mainstream, being serious explorations of some of the more unhappy possibilities of real life.
If they're read first, these shorter works can be appetizers for the main course Mayer offers in the Hex Code, which is one of the most imaginative takes I've encountered (and I've read several!) on H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Actually, strictly speaking, it takes off from August Derleth's reinterpretation of the Mythos, with two contending pantheons of primeval demigods, one malevolent and the other more benign --or, at least, less nasty!- and seeking to restrain the former. (When you first start reading it, you're apt to feel that you're missing some key back-story, but stick with it; that's part of Mayer's artistry, and you'll soon catch on to what's going on.) This will have the most resonance for Mythos fans, and avid computer gamers, but you don't have to be either to really get into it (for instance, I played a few rounds of a computer game exactly once, back in the 90s, and you've seen how I rated this!). Excellent characterization, perfect pacing, and consummate literary craftsmanship make this a compelling read. Few writers bring out so potently the utter malignancy of the Great Old Ones, with their anti-love, anti-ethics world-view of total selfishness and egoism; but the horror isn't of an escapist variety, because, as Mayer reminds us, we live in a real world where this same world view has been adopted by hordes of human beings, including virtually all of the power elites. And he lays bare, with the same precision as the great classical authors, the many ways that humans can get caught up in serving self, ignoring our consciences and instincts, and justifying behavior we know we shouldn't be doing. The last chapters of the novella in particular are an agony of suspense, with your heart in your mouth for the fate of characters you've come to like (not to mention the world!). Mayer plays the reader like a fiddle, throwing our emotions back and forth like some carnival rides throw the body; two days after I've finished the read, I still have gaping holes in my viscera (okay, figurative, fortunately!) and nerves rubbed raw. That's a tribute to the power of the author's writing.
Hack critics typically sneer at "genre" fiction; it's the province, they tell us, of inferior writers (and readers), with nothing to say to the real world. As usual, they're wrong. Mayer shows himself here to be a writer of the first rank, exceptionally adept for one writing his first (hopefully of many!) book. And as the greatest fiction has always been, these are ultimately stories about good and evil --from the pen of a writer who's cast his lot with good-- and about what ideas shall inform our treatment of our fellow humans (and other creatures).
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the multi-talented Mayer, who has a background in art, also illustrated the book with several excellent full page drawings in black and white. These definitely enhance the visual appeal of the book, which is a good-quality hardcover (relatively rare these days from a small press!).
April 27, 2019
One of the finest works of literature ever struck off by the hand of mortal man.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews