I usually enjoy a good book with a cult. Who knows why? I’m wired wrong, I guess. But there it is. Shaun Hutson’s book Chase is one of the rare exceptI usually enjoy a good book with a cult. Who knows why? I’m wired wrong, I guess. But there it is. Shaun Hutson’s book Chase is one of the rare exceptions. While not bad, it left me quite frustrated.
The two biggest issues had to do with plot.
1. Nearly the whole sequence of events which make up the thrilling middle and ending part of the book were entirely avoidable by going to either the police or the press. The reason for not going to the police is flimsy. There was never a reason given to not go to the press. And the protagonists has plenty of opportunity to do either. The fact that they are instructed a few times in the book to go to the police and that they see the press is aware of the events they get swept up in only made more frustrated with them.
2. The book has a twist ending that is meant to surprise and shock. Only problem is I that saw it coming from about half way in. I spent the last half of the book silently groaning “get on with it already” in my head.
Beyond these two points, the book was relatively well written. The protagonists seemed real. I would have personally liked more detail on the cult and why they had their usuals beliefs. It’s seems like a book of this length should have done some more story weaving on that point.
Finally, this wasn’t a problem with the book, but readers should be aware that much of the first half of the book is very hard to get through, especially if you’re a parent. In fact, it’s down right brutal. Bad things happen to kids in detail that will upset a lot of people. Just be warned. ...more
The Thorn Witch has the great virtue of being one of those short stories that doesn't have pretentions of being a book. It is short, does what it setsThe Thorn Witch has the great virtue of being one of those short stories that doesn't have pretentions of being a book. It is short, does what it sets out to do, doesn't stay around longer than needed, and wraps up at the right time. Many fantasy shorts have a tendency to get lost in doing world-building in their confined space. Oake just tells you what you need to know to enjoy the story. The bigger world is there, and you know it, but it isn't relevant and doesn't clutter up the tale that's being told. It's got a nice build up and a strong ending. I got this for free, but it definitely left me interested in reading more of Oake's works. ...more
I should start this review by saying I’m a huge fan of Ambrose Ibsen. His stories are not exactly groundbreaking, radical, or genre shattering. HoweveI should start this review by saying I’m a huge fan of Ambrose Ibsen. His stories are not exactly groundbreaking, radical, or genre shattering. However, they are always an excellent exercise in first-rate, classical scary stories. His haunted house tales in particular always creep me out and satisfy, even though they don’t break new ground. They are well written and send a classic shiver down your spine.
When I first came across “The Splendor of Fear” I bought it sight unseen. When I read the description, I was even more excited. I felt a haunted state park would give Ibsen more options to play with in his storytelling. Sadly, this became the first Ibsen story to disappoint me and leave me dissatisfied.
The story follows a young woman (Penny) who goes for a romantic camping trip with her boyfriend (Jared). The park they pick was once the site of a Newsom’s Landing, a town abandoned for over 100 years. The town was the location of one of the last witch hunts in American history. The witch was killed by a mob of townies. Within a couple of years everybody in the town moved away due to “disturbances”. Every year, on the anniversary of the witch’s death, terrible things would happen.
So far, so good. Where the author loses meme is in a series of strange choices made by the protagonist of her boyfriend in the first half of the book. They arrive at the park on the anniversary of the witch’s death, to find it abandoned. Even the park rangers are gone. It seems everybody knows to stay away on this particular date. When the couple call the ranger station, they are told that the Rangers will not come. That no one will come. They are even told that they can get their money back, and it is suggested they should come back another weekend. So why the hell do they go in? I don’t know. I wouldn’t. That would have been enough for me to pick the next park with a camp ground over.
As the protagonist begins to “see things“ and tell her boyfriend, he routinely dismisses her feelings. Why? She is competent and sober. So, he’s either a fool or an asshole. Either way, time to leave. The boyfriend, in fact, it routinely dismissive of the protagonists’ concerns. He even plays tricks on her which accentuate her worries, laughing them off. I wasn’t a quarter through this book before I lost all empathy for him and his fate. And apparently, I wasn’t supposed to feel that way, because a lot of it was dedicated to fear about his well being.
There are a variety of other decisions made by the couple in the first half of this novel which were maddening. At one point, an abandoned house in the woods - which they’ve already had bad experiences with and seems haunted by the ghost of the witch - is found lit with candles in the middle of the night. And the protagonist decides to go in, because it seems “inviting”. That’s confounding to me. The other nonsensical decisions would give away spoilers, so I won’t go into them.
Another major problem with the story is the antagonist, the witch Ellie Pomeroy. It seems that Ibsen cannot decide if she is pure unadulterated evil or an malevolent entity to be pitied. The storytelling seems to swingly from one extreme to the other without coming down on either side. Is she the Joker or is she Mr Freeze? We never really know.
Equally problematic is the resolution. We get the typical happy but slightly ambiguous ending of horror stories. That’s fine. We are led to believe that the happy ending is brought about by the actions of Penny and Jared. But, when the story is considered, they don’t actually do anything. The happy ending is no precipitated by any set of actions.
I am sorry to say, for the first time ever, I didn’t like an Ambrose Ibsen book. It just seemed sloppy and confused. All the right elements were here for another homerun, but they just don’t come together. ...more
One of Lovecraft’s simpler tales. It’s the story of a man - native to Appalachia - who seemingly went mad and killed someone. He is acquitted by reasoOne of Lovecraft’s simpler tales. It’s the story of a man - native to Appalachia - who seemingly went mad and killed someone. He is acquitted by reason of insanity and sent to an asylum. The man has incredibly intense and vivid waking dreams. A young doctor there does experiments on the man, trying to link their minds, so that he too may experience these dreams. He suspects - rightly it turns out - that they may be much more than just dreams.
This is Lovecraft at his simplest and most effective. No frill, but creepy as hell. It bringing you a vastly expanded sense of the universe and an equally diminished sense of your self in it.
One thing to add about this tale is that is argues somewhat against HPL’s notorious well known racism. The dreamer in the tale is a white, poor, unlettered Appalachian. It is clear that Lovecraft has an equally disdainful view of these white folk. A fair amount of his racism may really have been an almost equally unpleasant classism or grotesque snobbery. Just a thought. ...more
It’s hard to know where to start when reviewing this book. Let me just start by saying it is awesome. You need to buy it. Like now.
Ok. Got that out oIt’s hard to know where to start when reviewing this book. Let me just start by saying it is awesome. You need to buy it. Like now.
Ok. Got that out of the way. Let me highlight a couple of things that really stick out as reasons why I feel you should part with your hard earned cash.
1. Prudence Osgood - formerly Pru, now Os. She’s a queer (very queer), smart-talking, paranormal investigator with a troubled past. She suffers from depression, has more than a few substance abuse issues, and I totally fell in love with her within a few pages. Her differentness from the stereotypical Raymond Chandler knock-offs that haunt most investigative novels is a breath of fresh air. 2. The Trio - Os undergoes her journey with two companions, Audrey and Zack. Audrey is the estranged bestie who comes back into Os’ life with a back story that adds depth and complexity to the mystery and Os both. Zack is the techie geek no investigator can be without these days. He is loyal, loving, and the perfect companion for Osgood’s witty and snarky repartee. It seems these three are here to stay for sequels and that only makes me want to read them more. 3. The Mystery - I won’t say too much about this. I don’t want to drop spoilers. Suffice it to stay that it involves 80s Rock, vinyl LPs, occult symbolism, conspiracy theories, possession, and trans-dimensional beings. Beckett takes you carefully through the unraveling, teasing you along the way, and the brings it to a crescendo that does not disappoint. 4. The Ending- This deserves its own number. While the mystery is really cool and compelling from the get go, Beckett takes it to a place that lives more in the horror genre than mystery novels. (Particularly, I smell some strong Lovecraft aromas in this brew.) For me, a confirmed Lovecraft nerd, that made the novel go from damn good to freakin great.
This novel was fun as hell. It had a great mystery and better ending. It will make you want to read the next ones (coming soon, I hope). If you love it half as much as I did, your time and money will have been well spent. ...more
This is a decent, creepy short book relating to the West Virginia Mothman sightings.
It is not the most creative book you could hope for. It seems toThis is a decent, creepy short book relating to the West Virginia Mothman sightings.
It is not the most creative book you could hope for. It seems to have three basic objectives: (1) write a story based upon West Virginia local lore and mythology. It is part of a series of books striving to write one story for each state. (2) Write a story which educates people regarding the Mothman legend and it’s many theories. At times the book seemed to be contriving situations in order to educate the reader. This can be annoying if it isn’t done well and it wasn’t always done well. Luckily, the Mothman is such a great topic it didn’t matter much. (3) Write a story which celebrates geocaching in all it’s many splendors. I get it. Geocaching is awesome. It’s really awesome. Kids who do it are awesome. Really awesome. I could have maybe done with a little less celebrating, to be honest.
That said, the book does alright. It hits all the marks and is enjoyable. I read through it in a single day, so it’s not a huge commitment. It’s like popcorn. Enjoyable, filling, and you’ll come back for more in the future- even if it won’t be remembered as one of the greatest meals of your life. ...more
This book was something of a special surprise to me.
From the description and marketing, I thought I had this book pegged: a ghost hunter reality showThis book was something of a special surprise to me.
From the description and marketing, I thought I had this book pegged: a ghost hunter reality show that did not take itself seriously, which lands a gig in a real haunted house, doesn't think it is really haunted, slowly finds out it actually is haunted, the body count mounts, and a few survivors get out just when you think all hope is lost.
Yes, in a way, that's exactly what you get. However, you get an awful lot more. It's that "lot more" that makes all the difference. In stead of supplying the perfunctory ghost story, David Longhorn spins a vision of reality and intersecting worlds which is squarely within the cosmic horror tradition. My short, run-of-the-mill haunted house story slowly turned into a dark world building exercise right before my eyes... and it was great.
This has all the hallmarks of the Lovecraftian spirit. Lovecraft didn't really write ghost stories and - it seems - did not really care for them all that much. But this is exactly the sort of meta narrative he would have loved. You're left going to bed with he distinct feeling that the world is not safe, not right, and not going to go on well either. ...more
This novella was without a doubt one of the sickest, most demented, and perverse things I have read in a very long time. It say a great deal abTimothy
This novella was without a doubt one of the sickest, most demented, and perverse things I have read in a very long time. It say a great deal about me (none of it good, mind you) that I adored every page of it. I need help.
This is a tale about a miserable, unlikeable, abusive man who does clown parties for kids on the weekends. Not because he likes kids, but because he lives beyond his means in order to more effectively womanize. One thing leads to another and the zombie apocalypse arises. In stead of the average zombie, Timothy remains conscious within but not in control of his zombie body. He and his body are at odds with one another.
What ensues is a series of events which are as perversely and grotesquely accounted as possible. This book is absolutely not for the faint of heart. But what makes is fascinating is not only the totally unlikeable protagonist (and he is never likable), but the fact that he somehow undergoes a process of self-self-realization and fulfillment made possible by his re-merging with his zombie body self. That self-actualization is even more awful and perverse a person. There is no uplifting tale of redemption in these pages. But the descent (which is somehow also an ascent) is like a traffic accident. You can’t look away. You are drawn to it, even as you know it if wrong for you to be drawn to it.
I could not put this book down. I am a bad, bad man. ...more
“Casting the Runes” is one of M. R. James better known stories. It is often grouped together with his ghost stories, though there is no ghost in this“Casting the Runes” is one of M. R. James better known stories. It is often grouped together with his ghost stories, though there is no ghost in this one. The villain is an all-too-human knock off of Alastair Crowley bent on revenge for a petty academic slight. The villain uses a type of runic magic which results in a sort of cat-and-mouse game to the death. The story is clever, fun, simple, and an excellent example of there sorts of dark tales James was most famous for. This is a quintessential example of the lesser known tradition of British Weird Fiction. Great fun! ...more
This was my first Holly Black book. On the surface, this is a story about three childhood friends in their early adolescence, just on the cusp of goinThis was my first Holly Black book. On the surface, this is a story about three childhood friends in their early adolescence, just on the cusp of going their separate ways. They are dimly aware of this dynamic. When Zach insensitive father throws away the toys essential to their friendship, their breaking up is accelerated. The three friends have one last, final great adventure precipitated by a doll which may or may not be haunted.
I think, in the end, the story doesn’t quite work. Not in the way it is being told. If it is for early adolescent readers, then it would have been better to focus primarily on the mystery of the doll. Is it really haunted? It is not? Is Poppy just manipulating them all? If all of this is real, then how is it real? Ms. Black leaves most of these questions unanswered. In stead she focuses on the second dimension of the novel.
The second dimension of the novel is one that really cannot be fully grasped by the adolescents readers this book is marketed to. The kids in the story, their friendship rekindled by their adventure, are wholly unaware of what adult readers (and the author) know. Their childhood friendship is over. Their adventure - which never really was about the haunted (or not) doll - is actually all for nothing. One begins the long path to lonely and solitary teen years. The other two are off to begin their first forays into pre-adult sexuality together. As a “coming of age” story, this book is incredible depressing. The worst part of it is that few 12 year old readers will catch this.
So, Ms. Black leaves the tale that would have spoken most clearly to her audience for one they can only partially grasp, one that is only really understood by an audience she isn’t trying to reach. ...more
From the publisher description, The Sister Verse and the Talons of Ruin by Amelie C Langlois should have been everything I look for in a book. HoweverFrom the publisher description, The Sister Verse and the Talons of Ruin by Amelie C Langlois should have been everything I look for in a book. However, for reasons that are a little hard to place, I did not love this book.
The story starts with a police detective who seems pretty washed up and is having an epically bad day at the office. Early on it is clear he is living in a world a lot like ours, but which definitely isn’t out. The early chapters read almost like a dream sequence, skipping from one scene to another. Sometimes they are very jarring and it is unclear for a while what relation they have to one another. They evolve, pretty cleverly I think, into an encompassing world view involving monsters, alternate dimensions, and so much more. I really enjoyed the story and the way it spiraled out from small beginnings.
In terms of a world building epic, I think this book shows great promise. Few writers have the capacity to build worlds which are both very different and strangely compelling. Langlois clearly has the chops to make that happen. This is the first of a planned trilogy and it will be interesting to see how the world unfolds from here.
The promotional material links this book to Lovecraft and that’s a fair assessment. The writing has a formality which he would recognize and approve of. Also, the use of multidimensionality, alien monster gods, dream sequences, and more (which I can’t speak of without spoilers) would have pleased the Old Gentleman from Providence. If you like Lovecraftian story telling, you will find a lot to like in this book.
The mystery for me is why I didn’t fall in love with this book from page one. The main issue I had with the book was it’s pacing. The pacing is so relentless it will leave you mentally breathless. You go from fight scene, to car chase, to big reveal, to mass murder scene, to flashback, to assassination, to interrogation, to… The book doesn’t give you you a chance to pause and digest what happened before it gives you the next big shock to the system. At nearly 700 pages, it is already a big book. Yet, I was left with the impression that it must have once been a few hundred pages longer and was a little over-redacted. Personally, I can get frustrated with long descriptive paragraphs. Oddly, this is the first time I’ve ever read a book and wished there were more.
On a final note, readers should be warned that this book is pretty gory. Even within the realm of horror aficionados, the levels of blood and gore in this book are not for everyone. That said, I would like to add that I did not find the gore gratuitous. It was called for and added to the story Ms. Langlois was trying to tell.
*My thanks to NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.*...more
Kirk Battle's 70 page novella is a whole lot of fun. It should please both long time fans of the Lovecraftian-Cthulhu mythos and novitiates alike. It Kirk Battle's 70 page novella is a whole lot of fun. It should please both long time fans of the Lovecraftian-Cthulhu mythos and novitiates alike. It follows the journey of a Miskatonic University student who, taking a leave of absence, goes on a working voyage into the coldest, iciest regions of our planet. While there, he comes across - what else? - some sort of odd cultic object lodged in the ice. Hey, it wouldn't be a Lovecraftian story if someone didn't find an odd little statue connected in some way to the permanently frozen parts of our planet. There are rules people! Rules!!!
The majority of the story takes place on two islands just off "the Deep South", not far from antebellum Charleston. The islands are a plantation controlled by a wealthy slave holding family. The protagonist's ship gets stuck on a sand bar not far from the island with the manner house and he is forced to make landfall in order to seek what help is available. Our young student then gets suck into a world of cultists and cosmic horror that will be familiar to all lovers of the Cthulhu mythos. I have not read the sequel yet, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the statue found is the same one mentioned in Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu as being in Louisiana. (I could be wrong.)
There is a lot to love in this story. First of all, it should be highly accessible to folks who aren't big into Lovecraftian tales. It avoids the pitfalls of many Mythos writers, where they seem to assume you're a total nerd who's real 300+ Cthulhu short stories before you come to their tale. That's fine for the well initiated, but really off putting to most readers. There is a fun section where you get a brief primer on the Mythos. Even if you are a total Lovecraft nerd, you will still enjoy that part because there are a few fun ways that Battle has tweaked the over arching narrative of that shared world.
The Mythos has inherited a tradition of using very old fashioned ways of writing and vocabulary. It is tricky to do this well. Again, many Mythos tales can come off as stodgy, stilted, or inaccessible. Battle seems to be one of the few practitioners who knows how to do this well. You have all the flavor and feel of reading a nineteenth century university student's papers, but without any of the hangups modern readers would actually have doing it for real. ...more
Neverland is a tight, well ordered, nicely executed dark fantasy. While it may not be groundbreaking, it should happily satisfy the appetites of any lNeverland is a tight, well ordered, nicely executed dark fantasy. While it may not be groundbreaking, it should happily satisfy the appetites of any lover of horror or dark fiction. It definitely does not disappoint.
Neverland is the story of former police detective Mark Boyd and his son Abe. After a traumatic event, Mark decides to move to the small town of Button Creek, Oklahoma in search of a better, simpler life. As befits a scary story that takes place in a small town, Button Creek has dark secret. (Queue spooky background music here.) I leave it to you find out more about what that secret is. Saying much more would give it away.
One of Dosser’s best accomplishments in this story can’t be fully elucidated without spoilers. I will say this much: the “baddies” of this story are extremely well tread territory for dark fiction. I should have groaned when I realized where Dosser was taking me. I should have, but I didn’t. Instead, I became more excited for the journey ahead. Impressively, Dosser manages to bring something new, interesting, and even clever to an area of dark fiction where it is nearly impossible to do so.
There’s a lot that Dosser does right in his story telling. Any story set in a small town requires a fine and stead supporting cast of local characters. Dosser manages to avoid getting lost in countless pages of “world creation”, like Stephen King. (I adore King, but there are times when he might not need to add 300 pages of background on all his characters and their history in his books.) Instead, Dosser sticks carefully to the tale he’s trying to tell. You have all the hints you need to suggest a full-formed and real town. Yet the only characters you really meet are the ones you need.
This last one is a thing that matters mostly to me: Dosser’s tale is the perfect length for the tale he is telling. At 264 pages, there’s neither wasted space nor are you left wondering about plot points that don’t get wrapped up (or are sloppily wrapped up). He doesn’t complicate an already complete story with numerous sub-plots.
Prospective readers should be warned that there are a few pretty intense scenes in the book. In particular, the intensity of the opening scene can be upsetting to some readers.
For me, characters, plot, setting, narrative, story, themes, etc are what matters most to me. On this level, I thoroughly enjoyed Neverland. My only criticism of the book would be that it could have used a better editor. There were errors that on occasion distracted me....more
“Lost Hearts” is my first foray into the writing of M R James. It won’t be my last. I am deeply surprised by how dark and evil this story was given th“Lost Hearts” is my first foray into the writing of M R James. It won’t be my last. I am deeply surprised by how dark and evil this story was given the era in which it was written.
In the midst of good, proper, Edwardian culture, the plot revolves around a seemingly sane and rational practitioner of ancient blood rite magic on the children. It is what I imagine it would be like to read a testament from the likes of Jack the Ripper, but worse. It is shocking and disturbing and, for the horror fan, highly enjoyable and satisfying. ...more
Rudyard Kipling’s 1890 tale “The Mark of the Beast” involves (surprise!) Englishmen living in colonial India and encountering its deeper mysteries. ItRudyard Kipling’s 1890 tale “The Mark of the Beast” involves (surprise!) Englishmen living in colonial India and encountering its deeper mysteries. It is the first horror story of Kipling’s I have ever read. (Frankly, I didn’t know he has tried his hand at them.)
The story revolves around three Brits who are partying into the early hours of the morning. One gets a lot more drunk than the others. Wandering home, the drunkest diverts into a temple where worship to the god Hanuman is being offered. He desecrated the shrine in his drunken state. The other two remove him from the temple and prepare for a reprisal that doesn’t come.
Surprised that they got off free, they go home and discover than they were not intact let off as easy as they thought. In spite of their efforts to fine materialist and scientific explanations for the events that ensue, it is clear that the three Brits have brushed up against something dark, numinous, and dreadful. ...more
Andrew “The Weirdling”
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