The Gulp by Alan Baxter - Aug. 3

[Alan]

inciminci and I will be starting The Gulp August 3rd if anyone would like to join in.

[inciminci]

I now finished the first two stories and they are AWESOME! In both stories I felt completely immersed and I love the creepy atmosphere of the town, almost a Lovecraftian seaside town isn't it? (view spoiler)[Even though I prefer supernatural horror and was expecting something supernatural in the first story, that eye scene was so effective it still haunts me! (hide spoiler)]
I have only read The Roo by Baxter and that one was sort of tongue-in-cheek really, so I'm genuinely impressed by Baxter writing serious horror. I'll do my best to keep up and finish swiftly.

[Alan]

I may not start until tomorrow, so don't rush yourself to get through it. But don't hold back on my account either.
Read it...but don't read it!!! :P

[Alan]

Finished the first story. Definitely more solid straight up horror than The Roo. Kind had an Innsmouth vibe, and more old-school kind of small town terror going on.

[inciminci]

Read it...but don't read it!!! :P"
Haha, alright, I can do that.
I'll just drop my opinions here as I finish the stories.

[Alan]

Just finished "Mother in Bloom". That was so much like an old school Creepshow kind of story. And I couldn't help but think of:

[Alan]

After "The Band Played On" (Plays?) I need a brief break from the book. There was no subtlety about it. It was clear where the plot was going from the early stages of the story, and having that dread hanging over you like the Sword of Damocles until the inevitable conclusion nearly 50 pages later was really tense on the nerves.

[inciminci]

Alan wrote: "Just finished "Mother in Bloom". That was so much like an old school Creepshow kind of story. And I couldn't help but think of:
"

Yeah Mother of Bloom was OK, but the weakest for me so far. Although I really love the trope funghi in horror and really enjoy the revival in especially movies, that's how I fell about this story. The end was too ambiguous too. Every time there is, like, a mushroom or slime or any kind of substance that keeps on swallowing things I think about that King story where that green thing from outer space keeps expanding and expanding - I forget the title of that story but it was one of the short films in Creepshow too, as you rightly pointed out the similarity. I like that Baxter turns that upside down here, the mushroom isn't expanding at tall, it grows back, if that ever makes sense. It's a nice twist.

[inciminci]

Alan wrote: "After "The Band Played On" (Plays?) I need a brief break from the book. There was no subtlety about it. It was clear where the plot was going from the early stages of the story, and having that dre..."

Yeah, I see what you mean, this one was quite something, wasnt it? Having read the first story, it was clear that strangers are doomed and in the end they actually got away better than I would have thought. I was expecting real carnage.
(view spoiler)[I like how with each story the picture of Gulpepper is being completed a little bit with new elements while there are also recurring things - eg. the man without the nose and the lanky people keep coming back while in the third story there's so much new information on the curse and Colonel Gulpepper and The Fall? How weird a concept is that, The Fall? I also like how so far in each story the focus is on a new horror trope, mafia, mushrooms, vampires, while keeping that eerie Lovecraftian undertone. I'm curious what comes next.
I really enjoyed the references in here, although I'm not sure they're meant as references, like the band's "makeup" reminded me of the King in Yellow's "No mask? No mask!" line. The other allusion was to The Lost Boys, and he even mentions that. (hide spoiler)]
I'm happy to be reading this book, really enjoying it so far.

[Alan]

This book is a lot like Josh Malerman's Goblin. The stories are stand alone, but have recurring elements and each explores another corner of Gulpepper. Kind of like when a rock band does a concept album.
My fave pop-up in every story - Have you seen Daniel?

[inciminci]

I didn't even realize missing Daniel is THAT Daniel until now :D. That's too funny!
And I didn't read Goblin but will add it to my TBR now, I like the storytelling style.

[Alan]

"48 to Go" As Dace is passing the beach he sees four people - "An old man, a middle-aged man and woman, and a young girl....Strange bunch to be there so late at night..."

[Alan]

Soooo "48 to Go" was the usual trope, ne'er do well gets in big trouble with his "boss", takes desperate measures to get righteous again, runs into horror shit he never could have imagined. But it didn't go the way I expected. Verrrrry interrrrresting...

[Alan]

OK, finished. "Rock Fisher"....that was some cosmic horror, I tell you what. Not the ending (?) I was expecting at all.

[inciminci]

"48 to Go" - this was such a mess of situation, I can't believe it turned out the way it did.
(view spoiler)[ Dace totally got away with everything! Even Mr. Carter! This story had so much potential but just left so many things unanswered that it kind of bothers me. The guinea pigs? The Fall? Who is Ms. Blumenthal? I guess I just need to accept the Gulp is weird and full of people and non-people who act like in a horror movie and that's it. I hope that at least The Fall will be explained in the end. (hide spoiler)] Baxter could have written a whole book on the events of this story.
One more to go for me.

[Alan]

The Fall answers some of those questions.

[inciminci]

Finally finished and I like the ending a lot, especially (view spoiler)[ all of them making a final appearance (hide spoiler)], that was fun. BUT I wish more things were explained because I am really curious now. I hope Baxter expands this into some kind of weird universe, I would read more stories set in here.
Thank you for the buddy read, this book was awesome!

[Alan]

Yeah, the end was a nice tie up and at the same time open door for a sequel. If there are further adventures in The Gulp, we're there.

[inciminci]

Yes!

[inciminci]

Hey friendo Alan, I just saw there's a second Gulp book; The Fall: Tales From the Gulp 2
Have you read it already? If not, would you be up to buddy reading some time in May?

[Alan]

I have such a backlog of library books and ARCs I just wouldn't have time to read it right now.

[inciminci]

OK, no problem!