Review:THE CHILDREN OF OLD LEECH edited by Ross E Lockhart & Justin Steele (Word Horde)

As I've recently stated, I've been trying to catch up and read all of Laird Barron's works.  The man's writing is magnificent; it draws you in and doesn't let you go easily.  I've found myself more than once reading the last page, closing the book and then simply laying there, absorbing what I'd just read.  Embracing the weird.  Relishing the dread.

Apparently I wasn't the only one so transfixed.  Ross Lockhart, editor extraordinaire from Word Horde, and Justin Steele, author of the wonderful blog The Arkham Digest, have gathered together a stellar list of speculative fiction writers to pay tribute to the inimitable Mr Barron.  With The Children of Old Leech, Lockhart and Steele have not only assembled a brilliant collection of dark, weird fiction but they also present a truly fitting homage to a writer whose imprint on the horror and weird fiction genres is epic.

Each story in The Children of Old Leech leads you deeper and deeper into the "carnivorous cosmos" of Laird Barron; all the authors here have crafted glorious tributes to the master, faithfully plumbing his Mythos to create a truly stunning collection.  Each story is indeed worthy of its own review; here are my favorites:

The Harrow by Gemma Files opens the collection with a dark story that descends into true horror at the end.  Sets the bar high for the following tales, loved it.

Orrin Grey is a writer who I find myself enjoying more and more. Walpurgisnacht continues that trend, telling the story of a revel held for a retiring artist that turns into quite another kind of celebration.

Snake Wine by Jeffrey Thomas takes us to Vietnam and an ex-pat pub owner from Melbourne who is seduced by an exotic young woman  What follows after their night of passion is an increasingly sinister mystery told with frightening imagery.

Both Love Songs from the Hydrogen Jukebox and Firedancing feature protagonists that are caught up in the rapturous spell of their worldly mentors, leading them to higher places and unknown fates.  In Love Songs, T.E. Grau perfectly captures the feeling of the 1950s and delivers a truly horrifying climax. Meanwhile, in Firedancing,  Michael Griffin presents a dark tale of art, relationships and enlightment. A nice one, two punch.

Reading Cody Goodfellow's Of a Thousand Cuts made me squirm.  Which for me is the sign of a story that is really getting under my skin with its imagery and language.  A good sign.  Excellent story, masterful storytelling.

And finally, my favorite jewel in this dark treasure chest, John Langan's Ymir.  The story acts a continuation of Barron's classic "Hallucigenia" and revisits the story of Wallace and Helen Smith and the mysterious Choate clan brilliantly.  Langan channels Barron here so completely and the climax is so stunning that the reader is left breathless.

The Children of Old Leech is a triumph for Lockhart and Steele, and a tremendous gift for purveyors of dark fiction.  Look for this volume to be on multiple "best of" lists this year.  Mr Barron would be proud!

Happy reading!

Review: SWORD AND MYTHOS edited by Silvia Moreno-Garcia & Paula R Stiles (Innsmouth Free Press)

SWORDS AND MYTHOS is the latest anthology from Innsmouth Free Press, combining tropes of heroic sword and sorcery with classic Cthulhu Mythos elements.  I'd been looking forward to reading this since I first heard of it's coming out and was pleased to be able to include it in my "Year In Weird".  It is a very strong collection of stories and essays that excels in not only paying homage to the classic sword and sorcery genre but also explores the Mythos in new and original ways; many of the stories include non-traditional protagonists and take place in unusual settings.  For me, themed anthologies are normally a mixed bag but with SWORD AND MYTHOS I was reading gem after gem and it was hard to pick out my favorites.  Here are the stories that stayed with me:

Jon Carver of Barzoon, You Misunderstood by Graham Darling is a powerful prose poem that brilliantly brings to life a faraway world with vivid, alien imagery...

The Wood of Ephraim by Edward M Erdelac is for me the stand out piece in the collection.  Erdelac firmly places his tale in the time of King David and writes the creepiest, most gruesome of the entries here that kept me turning page after page to get to the end, only to turn around and start it over again...

Truth Is Order and Order Is Truth by Nadia Bulkin is a beautifully written tale that incorporates Father Dagon and Mother Hydra into the story of Princess Dhani and her search for the land of her dead mother, fabled Jungkuno... 

The Bones of Heroes by Orrin Grey is a short, dark tale the real horror hiding behind the story of a child abducting witch...

The Serpents of Albion by Adrian Chamberlin brings the Cthulhu and Arthurian mythologies together in a wonderful mash up that cleverly reimagines the fall of King Arthur to Mordred...

In Xochitl in Cuicatl in Shub-Niggurath by Nelly Geraldine Garcia-Rosas (translated from the Spanish by Silvia Moreno-Garcia) is exotic tale of warriors, blood sacrifice and ancient gods. I should definitely look for more from this author...

The collection is rounded out by informative essays from G W Thomas, Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Paula R Stiles that detail how, in many cultures and media, "sword and mythos" has really been around for awhile.

SWORD AND MYTHOS is a great collection of stories that answers the question "What if..." by blending the Cthulhu Mythos throughout history, across the oceans and on other worlds, taking the beloved Mythos in new, wonderful directions.  I cannot recommend it enough; it's a must read for lovers of weird fiction and disciples of Cthulhu both!

Happy reading!

Review: HANG WIRE by Adam Christopher (Angry Robot)

I don't know how Adam Christopher does it.

First the genre-bending, retro-futuristic Empire State books, then the technicolor action of Seven Wonders; with each novel, Christopher gets better and better.  I repeatedly find myself wishing I could peek into his brain, just to see how he wrangles all these wildly original ideas into the words that keep me glued to the pages of his books.  Again, I don't know how he does it.

With Hang Wire, Christopher keeps the reading fun going, this time giving us an urban fantasy novel that brings gods, a traveling circus and a serial killer all to the rolling streets of San Francisco.  Readers that are familiar with Christopher's work will find more of the same enjoyment here; if you're experiencing Adam Christopher for the first time-Welcome!-and make yourself comfortable, since you will be kept reading in your seat til the book is finished.  

Hang Wire starts off with a bang-an explosion, actually-which gets the action going right from the gate, and Christopher keeps the pace up throughout the book, using a multiple POV narrative that is perfectly suited to telling this story.  There isn't too much time spent on world building here, Christopher preferring to dole these details out to us piece by piece, so we are left to find things out when the characters do.  Also with each chapter, we are given more and more of the characters' histories, oftentimes traveling back in time and place as the story progresses.  I found myself enjoying these characters very much and felt they were fleshed out fully as Hang Wire unfolded.

Typical of Christopher's work, there is alot going on in Hang Wire, so please take your time and read carefully.  You definitely don't want to miss anything and trust me, it will be worth it.  Christopher's strength is in his storytelling, which is always superior, and the manner in which he keeps all the plot lines woven together is masterful.  Everything comes to an action packed climax in the end and Christopher fits all the pieces together nicely.

Hang Wire is another feather in Adam Christopher's cap.  It is a great, fun book and perfect summer reading.  Pick up a copy and take it with you everywhere you go.  You won't be sorry!

Happy reading!

Review: JUST SO YOU KNOW I'M NOT DEAD by Anonymous-9

JUST SO YOU KNOW I'M NOT DEAD is a short collection of three stories that is highly entertaining and also serves as a great introduction to Anonymous-9's writing.  Incredibly, this is the first time I've had the pleasure of reading this author's work but I can tell you now, very soon I shall be placing her other works near the top of the Reading List.

I came across this collection while searching for "weird" fiction to read for my "Year In Weird" feature.  I knew Anonymous-9 as an acclaimed writer of mystery and noir fiction but the closing story here, "Dreaming Deep", is an homage to the old master himself,  H.P. Lovecraft.

"Dreaming Deep" is a moody story that I feel nicely captures the atmosphere Lovecraftian fiction ought to have; a story where something dark and incomprehensible is happening off stage, yet still manages to permeate the action going on right before our eyes.  What really happened to the young boy lost at sea?  The local folk believe it to be the work of a serial killer but the boy's father knows the truth...and he is locked away in an asylum.  It would be awesome if 9 decided to continue this story elsewhere, or at least write more in this genre; she is as adept here as she is in her noir fiction.

And speaking of which, let's talk about "Triangulation".  I did predict the outcome of the story but still had a blast getting there.  For being such a short piece, 9 still manages to build tension as she goes, and before you know it, sadly for we the readers, the story is over.  I felt the way 9 has written here very cinematic and I could easily see this piece at home in a Tarantino movie.

"2,984,000 Pounds of Pressure" is the middle story in the collection and again, the suspense ratchets tighter and tighter as someone from the protagonist's past stumbles back into his life and he realizes whichever decision he is about to make will change his life forever.  To say more would spoil the story but I have to say, I loved the final choice that the character makes.

JUST SO YOU KNOW I'M NOT DEAD is a wonderful little gift that Anonymous-9 has given to us; as a thank you, as an introduction, as a reminder that she is someone to watch out for.  Preferably over your shoulder, of course.

Happy reading!

Review: THE IMAGO SEQUENCE (Night Shade Books)

In a word, WOW.

I have read Mr Barron's work on many occasions in various anthologies and enjoyed each piece so much, I decided it was time to explore the man's writing more thoroughly.  The Imago Sequence, published in 2007, is Barron's first collection.

WOW.

As I've said before, I am no expert in the field of "weird" fiction, but I do know when I've read a book that is special, and one that I am going to keep with me long after the spine is cracked and the pages are yellow.  The Imago Sequence is such a book.

What Barron does with this collection is slowly envelop his readers with an increasing sense of dread and horror, each tale like taking step after creeping step into the dark woods of the Pacific Northwest that feature in so many of his stories.  Barron is an expert wordsmith; his writing is unearthly and he dips his pen in noir, psychological and cosmic horror, and the weird.  The stories here are chilling and disturbing, and the horror here goes far beyond mere slasher and gore.  These stories stay with you, embedded in your memory for a good, long while.  My favorites:

"Old Virginia" opens the collection and also sets the tone for the entire set.  A government experiment has gone horribly awry and humankind are pawns in a game way beyond its ken...

"Procession Of The Black Sloth" is an atmospheric stand out in the collection.  It is a creepy, Chinese phantasia complete with ghosts and witchcraft...

"Bulldozer" is a type of Weird West story, with a Pinkerton detective hot on the trail of a mysterious serial killer...

"Hallucigenia"  is another story with Barron's signature brand of cosmic horror; the imagery here is surreal and unsettling.  Probably my favorite piece in the collection.

"The Imago Sequence" brings the collection to a close, and involves a series of photographs that are surrounded by mystery and the occult...

As a dark fantasy/horror collection, The Imago Sequence is amazing, truly one of the best such collections I've read in a long time.  With each story I finished, I was reminded of how excited I was reading Clive Barker's Book Of Blood for the first time.  Barron is showing here the same flashes of brilliance and is firmly establishing his own mythos with these tales.  As a collection of weird fiction, it is for me a great introduction of what heights the genre can reach, going beyond pastiche and into modern day classics.  If it isn't already, this volume needs to be on your bookshelves.

Happy reading!

Review: I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Andrew Wolter

It has been too long since we've heard from one Andrew Wolter.

The man is a prolific writer with many, many irons in the fire right now but just in time for the holidays, he has found the time to time to bestow a scary little stocking stuffer upon us, I'll Be Home For Christmas.

I'll Be Home For Christmas is the story of Jessie Sutter, all alone in the family home after the death of his mother, dealing with the first Christmas since her passing.  Christmastime holds the fondest memories of his childhood for him, because it was a time when the family acted as a family; no fighting, no screaming, only peace.

Wolter savors every word he writes and just as swirling wine in a glass releases the wine's bouquet, his storytelling swirls around us, enveloping us in his words.  You will keep reading til the end, as I did, as Jessie recalls a surreal meeting with Santa, the secret that Santa gave him and the reason why his hair and beard are white.

I'll Be Home For Christmas is a delicious little tapas of a tale, a tasty morsel to tide us over til Wolter's next big book and you will devour it in one sitting.  It's dark, it's glam...it's Christmas.

Happy Reading!



(This counts towards the 2013 Horror Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader)

Review: BUDDY by Brett Williams (Zoe Books)

I read Buddy by Brett Williams based solely on Mr Williams' reputation, and I am glad I did.  In all honesty, there were several moments reading this story that made me cringe, or plucked unmercifully at my heart strings, but Mr Williams' skill as a writer was not to denied and I soldiered through til the end.  Buddy is a harrowing read, and not one for the faint of heart.

The story opens with our young protagonist, Danny James, saving a young puppy from attack by rats.  The vermin have already injured the dog but Danny rescues it and wanting to heal it from its injuries, sneaks it into the house to nurse it back to health.  Dogs are not allowed in the house, so Danny has to hide the puppy, which he names Buddy,  in his room, the better to avoid the wrath of his mother and her boyfriend.  We also find out that Danny's brother Tom bullies him at every turn, so Danny and Buddy spend alot of time in his bedroom.  Unfortunately, Tom finds out about Buddy and threatens both the boy and his dog daily, making life a living Hell for the young companions.

Again, Buddy is a hard read but it is fast paced and Williams knows how to keep you in your seat, hanging on every word.  There were plenty of times I wanted to put the book down for a minute, if only to shake off the emotions the story was wringing out of me but I didn't.  The material is not easy to stomach but Williams writes with a very sure hand, telling a story of abuse and love and companionship and trust that hits home all the more harder because stories like this are happening everyday, these things are real.  And that's the real horror.     


(This counts towards the 2013 Horror Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader)

Review: THE WOKEN GODS by Gwenda Bond (Strange Chemistry)

I don't usually read too much Young Adult fiction, unless word of mouth is so rampant that my interest can't help but be piqued.  But when one of my favorite publishers Angry Robot started releasing daring, new YA fiction under its Strange Chemistry imprint, I threw caution to the winds and took a chance.  First came Blackwood by Gwenda Bond, then Shift by Kim Curran and I thought to myself, now here was YA fiction that I could sink my teeth into and really enjoy!  There were no angst ridden teenage girls or pale, tragic vampire teen heartthrobs in sight, just more great speculative fiction  in the glorious Angry Robot tradition, and I started to read all the SC titles that I could get my hands on.

And along came The Woken Gods.

When I was younger, and due to my father's influence, I read alot of books on mythology and ever since then have always enjoyed reading fiction that integrates those familiar myths and legends.  So I was very interested in The Woken Gods from the start.  And I can report that it is a novel that I enjoyed very much; full of enough adventure to keep me satisfied but leaving me wanting more from the promise I feel went unfulfilled.

The premise is awesome: gods from the earth's mythologies are very real and have returned to earth.  All the major pantheons are here and Bond chooses to keep the gods among us as they should be; mysterious, aloof and certainly beyond the understanding of we mere mortals.  In Washington, D.C.,where the novel takes place, there are liaisons from each pantheon that interact with the Society of the Sun, an organization created to deal with the newly awoken gods.

Also in Washington live Kyra Locke and her father, a "librarian" with the Society.  Only, unbeknownst to Kyra, he isn't really a librarian at all and has made off with an ancient relic that the Society would like to have returned to it...

Both the action and fantasy sequences in The Woken Gods are well written, and once the pacing of the book picks up, keep it moving right along.  For me, it is a book with a slow introduction; there is alot of information and back story that Bond has to impart to us to get the party started and sometimes the expositions got to be quite lengthy.  After a few chapters, however, the narrative found its legs and I dived right in.

Kyra and Oz, the two main characters, are well developed and they and their supporting cast kept me engaged throughout the book.  I do feel that The Woken Gods is just the first adventure that we will share with them, since the climax of the book feels open ended and I believe that there is plenty more of this world that Bond can explore.

I would honestly recommend The Woken Gods to anyone who are looking for something different in the YA field, or who are just looking for a great read.  I was entertained and am now left wanting to see what happens next...happy reading!



(This counts toward the Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Reading Challenge 2013 hosted by Book Chick City)

"UNDER COLLAPSING SHELF", a Mini-Death Tale

As a thank-you for reviewing This Is How You Die: Stories Of The Inscrutable, Infallible, Inescapable Machine Of Death, contributor 'Nathan Burgoine wrote a "mini-death" tale for each of the reviewers, picking a card from that dread machine himself.  My review is here and this is the death that was dealt to me.  I am especially chuffed by it because 'Nathan could have had no idea ahead of time, but the though of this particular death would terrify me, so I was tickled and traumatized at the same time!  Thank you, 'Nathan!

"In return for his lovely review of This is How You Die, here's the fourth "mini-death" thank you story. The reviewer drew "UNDER COLLAPSING SHELF" from my remaining cards, but you can get a result from the http://www.machineofdeath.com/ site, too.

If you want a mini-death tale of your own, just write a review of This is How You Die wherever you'd like, and link it back to this page for me (or my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/apostrophen).

UNDER COLLAPSING SHELF

Finding a house without them had been too tricky, so in the end, he took a generous part of his inheritance and had a small home of his own design built. A perk, he supposed, of being an interior designer.

A retired interior designer.

Thanks to the world of e-reading, he didn’t miss his books, and thanks to online streaming, he didn’t miss his movies. Shoes and sweaters were placed on the floor, or inside hollow bench-seats that run along all the glass windows that faced the other side of the valley. He had similar ones installed in the kitchen – the other most challenging room, given the limitations. Top-load freezers and fridges.

Reselling, if it ever came to that, would be a bitch.

Still, it wasn’t the weirdest home that had been built since the machines had appeared. He’d heard of a woman who’d received SPLINTER as her result, and had a house built entirely of adobe and stone. 

He smiled, and went out to sit on the stone deck. There was no cover – that felt a bit too similar to him – and besides, it was a cool night with no rain. He drank some wine, and relaxed, and opened his portfolio. He set to work with a pencil, sketching out a rough idea for a Thai-Japanese fusion restaurant that had hired him to design their tables and chairs.

He only noticed the first tremor when it caused his pencil to scratch a line he hadn’t intended. He looked up when it happened again, frowning. He picked up his phone and thumbed the screen, moving to the social networks. The hashtags crossed his screen even as he watched.

#Earthquake.

He raised his eyebrows. It was his first in the new home. He refreshed the screen, and one of the hashtags was linked to an article. He tapped the screen.

It was a history of the earthquakes in the coastal areas, due to the nearby fault line and the continental shelf.

He dropped the glass of wine, and it shattered as the earthquake began in earnest."

Yes, I hate earthquakes...happy reading!

Review: THIS IS HOW YOU DIE edited by Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo and David Malki ! (Grand Central Publishing)

In 2010, there was quite a lot of buzz around a new anthology entitled Machine of Death which collected stories exploring a single premise; a machine that could predict, without fail, the manner in which you would die.  All it needed was a sample of your blood and a tiny slip of paper would have your ultimate fate written on it.  I myself never read it but definitely had it on the ever growing TBR pile.  Then this year, the editors unleashed upon the world a sequel, This Is How You Die: Stories of the Inscrutable, Infallible, Inescapable Machine of Death.  Word of mouth was that this volume was even bigger, better and not to be missed.  So I gave in to the siren song, threw caution to the wind and picked up This Is How You Die.

The collection opens with the heartbreakingly brilliant Old Age, Surrounded by Loved Ones by 'Nathan Burgoine.  Burgoine is now on my list of go-to writers that I know will deliver a great story; I have yet to be disappointed.  Also, the story wasn't what I expected at all; Burgoine has written an emotional story about sisters that will require tissues after reading it.  If you're not teary eyed after this, then you have no heart to break.  

Other favorites:

Execution by Beheading by Chandler Kaiden is a thriller that features three children who, upon hearing a rumor about someone who is different, go to extremes to collect a rare "Cause Of Death" card from their machine...

Apitoxin is a very clever spin on the book's premise by John Takis, who places his tale right in the hands of none other than Sherlock Holmes.  Apitoxin is both a wonderful tribute to the famous detective and a well written mystery that was great fun to read.

Monsters from the Deep, editor David Malki !'s contribution to the anthology, is a weird, creepy tale complete with aliens and a delightful Lovecraftian atmosphere.

Lake Titicaca by editor Matthew Bennardo instantly reminded me of The Body and Goonies, with kids a little afraid of what they're doing but too excited not to go off and have an adventure.

Be warned: This Is How You Die is indeed a long book but the stories are so varied and encompass so many genres that you will continually be pulled along to keep reading, unwilling to put the book down. And with a collection like this, that is exactly what you want; great story after great story that keeps you glued to the page til the last sentence is read.

Then you start over again.

Happy reading!

Review: GHOSTS IN GASLIGHT, MONSTERS IN STEAM edited by Evan J Peterson and Vincent Kovar (Minor Arcana Press)

Another queer horror anthology, with the added bonus of steampunk?!  Count me in!

Ghosts in Gaslight, Monsters in Steam is the new anthology in the Gay City Anthology series from Minor Arcana Press and the Gay City Health Project based in Seattle.  The series "produces vibrant, multi-disciplinary collections comprised of fiction, comics, poetry, photography and art" that raise awareness of the Gay City Health Project.  This volume, the first one I've had the opportunity to read, features a steampunk/queer monster theme and boasts fiction, poetry and some great illustrations.

The book is divided into two "acts"; "Victorian Venom" and "Modern Monsters", and for me, the stories progressed from good to great, making for a very strong second half.  The highlights for me:

Evan Peterson's introduction.  It really sets up his process behind editing the book and what to expect inside, and also had me recalling my younger self, growing up gay and being drawn to that otherness that all LGBT people feel at one point in their lives...

Medium Mechanique by Catherine Lundoff is a wonderful story that successfully blends the steampunk and horror theme of the book with the desperation of wanting to be with that lost love just one more time...

Anthony Rella's The Heart of the Labyrinth offers a mystery, a bathhouse and what secrets lie deep in its core.  Excellent storytelling here!

Monster Movie by Rebecca Brown is a moving remembrance of loving, and even sympathizing with, those classic movie monsters as young person, and knowing what it feels like to be different...

B.E.M.s by Gregory L. Norris is a fun, clever tale that is both light hearted and entertaining and pays homage to classic shows like Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone.

Splinter by Ryan Crawford is a weird tale that takes place in the woods...please do not hike in the forest at night.  You've been warned!

And lastly, Steve Berman brings the collection to a satisfying close with what I think is his most horrifying piece to date.  Boasting the most gruesome villains I've encountered in awhile, Feeding Desire is worth the price of admission alone, with its mix of suspense, burly men, and...meat.  LOVED IT!

Ghosts in Gaslight...is being released in July and you can find out more info here at Minor Arcana's website.

Happy reading!

(This counts towards the 2013 Horror Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader)

Review: PACIFIC RIMMING by Tom Cardamone (Chelsea Station Editions)

Tom Cardamone's writing is addictive.

I was first introduced to his work last year when I had the pleasure of reviewing the Lambda Literary Award winning Green Thumb.  Since then I've sought out his other work and recently crossed paths with the filthy, gorgeous Pacific Rimming.

Pacific Rimming chronicles the sexual adventures of a nameless narrator who loses himself in drugs, the Manhattan gay club scene and his obsession with Asian men.  He forms no attachments, preferring to move from one night stand to one night stand, attending only the bars and clubs where he knows he can indulge his paticular fetish.

This novella is worlds away from the speculative cataclysm of Green Thumb.  Cardamone keeps this tale firmly rooted in 1990s New York City. And there is a grittiness and immediacy to his writing here that envelops the reader; you can feel the tingle of the drugs, smell the smoke and sex.

Pacific Rimming is yet another example of an artist who writes with a sure hand, comfortably at home in any genre he chooses to write in and navigating with ease the language that each tale needs to be told in.  I'm very thankful to Chelsea Station Editions for bringing this book back into print, since it is not to be missed.  If your looking for an unapologetic, graphic slice of the sexual underground and enjoy writing that will place you firmly in the story, then Pacific Rimming is the book for you and Tom Cardamone is the man that will bring it to you.

Happy reading!

Review: GHOSTS IN THE ATTIC by Mark Allan Gunnells (Evil Jester Press)

I love me some Mark Allan Gunnells.

He is an author whose work I enjoy reading again and again; whenever I'm immersed in one of his novels or  numerous short stories, I am never disappointed.  His writing is always a feast for the imagination.  And Ghosts In The Attic is no exception.

Trying to list my favorites from the choice morsels here was made nigh impossible by Mr Gunnells, as the stories range from great to excellent, but I managed to whittle it down to the gems:

The collection opens with 911, a poignant ghost story with its origin straight out of 9/11.

Another stand out for me is The Delivery Boy, a great thriller about a seemingly crazy pizza delivery boy that ends with a bang!

Wasted On The Young starts out pretty straight forward then takes an unexpected turn that brings the story to a creepy end.

The crown jewel of the collection, The Ghost Of Winnie Davis Hall, is a lovely, haunting story about belief and myth.  In it, we meet a ghost who over the years has become lost, and now only wants to find her place in the world again.  Beautiful!

Circular is a graphic tale about grief and desperation that can lead to obsession.  Very creepy!

A Stranger Comes To Lipscomb Street and Finders Keepers are both love stories at their core, yet surreal and weird.

Ghosts In The Attic is another superb collection by an author who injects his writing with thoughtfulness and heart.  Even his "horror" stories are emotive, and those collected here are wistful and wicked.  Probably my only complaint is that the majority of these stories are very short and while that makes for quick reading, when I am reading Mark Allan Gunnells, I want to be lost in the writing for as long as possible.

Happy reading!


(This counts towards the 2013 Horror Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader)

Review: HUSTLER RAVE XXX by David Caleb Acevedo and Charlie Vazquez (Tincture)

Admittedly, I do not read poetry often. However, when an author whose work I respect and enjoy releases a new collection of poems chronicling the joys and pains of the street hustler, I will sit up and take notice.

With Hustler Rave XXX: Poetry of the Eternal Survivor,  Charlie Vazquez and David Caleb Acevedo have put together a collection that makes for erotic, compulsive, and at times, poignant reading.  Each author puts a magnifying glass to what transpires between these hustlers and their "johns", illuminating what is more often than not a tragic, lonely and dangerous existence.  Acevedo, in his introduction, is very open about his own past as a hustler and pulls some very graphic imagery from his experiences and Vazquez's pieces also sear themselves into your brain; these poems combine to give voice to the countless young men that have found themselves on the streets.  They are cautionary tales.  They are memorials.

As is often the case with poetry, several readings may be needed to help interpret the meaning behind the words on the page, and Hustler Rave XXX is no different.  Each time I reread the poems, I learned a little more and my heart broke a little more for these poor souls out there on the streets.  I found myself hoping that somehow, these eternal survivors would know their stories were being told and that they were not forgotten.

I'll end this review with a thank you to the authors, for bringing to light such a controversial subject and handling it with both honesty and heart.

Review: NIGHT SHADOWS: QUEER HORROR edited by Greg Herren and J.M. Redmann (Bold Strokes Books)

Nowadays the horror and urban/paranormal fantasy genres seems replete with anthologies centered around one theme or another; shapeshifters, vampires, zombies-they all have had the starring role.  But it's harder to find a good, solid anthology that just has "horror"as its central idea, and harder still when the theme is "queer horror".

I haven't read such a book since 2002 when Michael Rowe's Queer Fear came out.  That book, along with its successor Queer Fear 2, was an ambitious and critically acclaimed collection that thrust "queer horror" into the spotlight and filled a vacancy in the horror genre that hadn't been occupied before.  Now Night Shadows: Queer Horror continues that fine tradition with a fresh, new collection of stories that encompass many facets of horror, not just the fanged and furred kind.

I am a big fan of anthologies but I am always prepared for each one I read to be a mixed bag;there are always some stand outs and some clunkers.  This time, however, I found that each story was a worthy entry and the collection as a whole made for happy reading.  Here are my favorites:

The Zealous Advocate by Carsen Taite; a well written, bloody revenge story...

Matinee by Vince A. Liaguno is another juicy revenge story and also an ode to the slasher horror films of the 80s...

Capturing Jove Lunge by Steve Berman was for me the most erotic entry in the book; a darker, pulpy tale  ..

All The Pretty Boys by Michael Rowe is another of the sexier entries here, a seductive werewolf story...

Filth by 'Nathan Burgoine is one of the creepiest stories I've read in a long time.  I literally felt my skin crawl as I read it...my favorite of the bunch!

Blackout by Jeffrey Ricker is an eerie ghost story, well told by the author who keeps the tension mounting throughout the entire piece.

As I said, each of the stories here are good, solid tales but these listed here are for me well worth the price of admission alone.  Night Shadows: Queer Horror does an excellent job of exploring and celebrating the gay horror genre and will appeal to fans of horror from every walk of life.

Happy reading!


(This counts toward the 2013 Horror Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader )

Review: THE SUMMER OF WINTERS by Mark Allan Gunnells (Evil Jester Press)

Readers of this blog will know that I am a very enthusiastic fan of Mark Allan Gunnells.  Ever since he came out with Asylum, his awesomely original take on the zombie apocalypse, I have been addicted to this man's writing.  I know that anytime I open a Mark Allan Gunnells book that I am in for a great story with memorable characters and powerful storytelling.  And The Summer of Winters is no exception.

Told in flashback, it is the story of Mike Guthrie during the summer of 1983.  He is eleven, a scrawny and awkward adolescent that gets bullied at school and has no friends.  His father has abandoned the family and his mother has to work twelve hour days at a textile plant to support Mike and his younger brother Ray.  It is during this summer that Mike meets his new neighbor, Paige Moore.

The Moores move into the house next door to the Guthries, and Mike hasn't ever met anyone like Paige before.  She takes a liking to him immediately, and in asking him to be her "guide" around town and to show her the sights puts Mike in a position he hasn't been in before; the role of friend and playmate.  Paige's enthusiasm for adventure is contagious, and Mike finds himself attempting things he would never had tried before, such as interacting with the other local kids.  He also develops a crush on Paige's older brother, Brody.  But Mike's summer of fun and new found friendship is soon brought to a terrible halt by the death of nine-year old Sarah Winters.

The Summer of Winters is an intimate coming of age story that is laced throughout with a quiet horror.  Gunnells tells Mike Guthrie's story with a very precise hand; he perfectly captures both the local color of the area, plus the thoughts and feelings of an eleven year old boy, with the twin emotions of dread and loss that young Mike experiences speeding the story right along to its chilling climax.

With The Summer of Winters, Gunnells cements his reputation as a master storyteller.  It is a poignant tale of horror and loss that will reverberate with its readers for a long time to come.


(This counts toward the 2013 Horror Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader )

This Is Halloween: SEQUEL by Mark Allan Gunnells

Marl Allan Gunnells first came to my attention when I heard about Asylum, his zombie apocalypse novella that placed the action in the middle of a gay bar.  This idea sounded too good to be true to me; I mean, could the author pull off such an original approach without the story coming across as mere drivel?

So I read Asylum.

And it was great!  Not only had Mark created a terrifying, action packed zombie tale but he had also written an original, fresh piece of queer horror that proved to me that this was a writer to watch.

Then I read Tales From the Midnight Shift, Volume 1.

An awesome collection that shows off Mark's originality and range as a writer, Tales confirmed for me that Mark has talent to spare and that he was going to be one of my "go-to" authors when I wanted fresh, new horror.

And now Mark Allan Gunnells brings us Sequel...

Sequel is an homage to all those creepy 80s slasher films like Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc.  And it is a pitch perfect one.  Clearly, Mark is a big fan of the genre and his reverence shows through with every word. All the tropes are here: psycho killer, small town, helpless victims...and Mark has centered the plot around the 10th anniversary of a cult horror film.  A major studio has green lit a sequel, reuniting the cast from the original.  But even before the new film goes into production, the killings start happening.  The studio scrambles to save its film and the remaining cast lives in fear as the body count continues to rise...

Mark writes the kind of horror I like; it's thoughtful, fast paced, more "chills and thrills" than "blood and guts" and always rises above the fray.  He creates characters that you become invested in, and keeps the tension ratcheted up, so you wind up reading the entire novel in one sitting, on the edge of your seat the whole time.

I enjoyed Sequel very much and it is a great tribute to the masked killer genre.  Because the story stays true to the classics, there were points in the story that I was able to predict.  But Mark is able to throw in some original twists that I enjoyed and the ending had me rooting for (what else?) a sequel!!  What better time of year to pick up a creepy, scary read like Sequel than right now?!  Or any of Mark's books, for that matter; you can see my thoughts on Asylum here and Tales here.  It would be scary NOT to!

Happy reading...and unpleasant dreams!



(This book counts as 3/10 in the 2012 Horror/Thriller Reading Challenge hosted by Sweeping Me.)

Superhero Month: SHERO by Jack Wallen

SHERO by Jack Wallen is a fun, breezy yet still superheroic adventure with a very different kind of hero.

Shero, the hero(ine) of Wallen's story, is an intrepid crime fighter and member of the Society of Superheroes, doing it all and then some in fabulous couture and three inch heels.  Shero is dedicated to protecting the innocent and being an exemplary leader in the SSH...until it's all turned upside down and she doesn't know who she can trust or where to turn to.  Now instead of fighting crime and keeping the citizenry safe from VILE, the group of supervillains at odds with the SSH, Shero must clear her name and figure out who in the Society has it in for her and why.

Wallen has done an admirable job of creating a colorful, over-the-top comedic take on the superhero genre and seasoned it with the tropes one would find in more traditional  adventures.  Shero is not your ordinary crime fighter; she is a transgendered superhero top to bottom and embraces herself totally and is also accepted by society.  From her custom made, Kevlar coated black dresses to her poisonous fingernail polish, there is no shame in her game!  And her compatriots are just as colorful, with their code names and awesome super powers.  There are leagues for both the heroes and villains in this story, double crosses and secret histories.  Clearly,Wallen has read more than a few comics in his day, and has turned out a new adventure here with a very clever twist.

I really appreciated that Wallen was able to try his hand at telling a superhero story, especially with a protagonist such as Shero, and keep it fun and light.  Just because there are gay characters in a story, too often  it seems that the story will wind up in the gutter, with said characters winding up in the sheets.  Wallen never takes it there and decides instead to titillate his readers, even in the scenes that involve the sensual temptress, Mephistopheles.

In fact it's with the scenes between Mephistopheles and Shero that I had a small issue with.  It's stated that she is irresistible and she and Shero do have a past from years before but I felt that with a protagonist that is unapologetically transgendered, would this be the lover that Shero would really be with?  Ultimately though, this is a superhero story, and I didn't think twice about it as the story rushed to it's climax.  Wallen leaves the door wide open for a sequel (do I smell franchise?) and I'd be more than happy to see what shenanigans Shero will get into next.

This is NOT your classic superhero adventure but something different.  Shero is a different kind of superhero indeed but still embodies what makes a person a superhero in the first place; she is honorable, forthright and true.  And most importantly, true to herself.  Pick up your copy here and you will enjoy Shero's adventures as much as I did.

Happy reading!

Superhero Month: BEAT TO A PULP: SUPERHERO edited by David Cranmer, Scott D Parker

This was my first foray into the BEAT TO A PULP (BTAP) series, edited by David Cranmer.  He initially created the BTAP e-zine as a way to present well written stories that recalled the old traditional pulp adventures and now there is also a series of books that compile even more of these same great stories.  I came across the series while exploring more pulp and noir reading, after finishing 8 Pounds by Chris Holm and I'm very glad I took the chance and got myself a copy of Beat to a Pulp: Superhero.

This volume, edited by Cranmer and Scott D.Parker doesn't just deal with the traditional "superhero"; as a matter of fact, most of the stories deal with ordinary people rising to the occasion and doing heroic things.  So while not exactly what I was expecting, given the title, the excellence of the stories was very much what I      was expecting and I found myself enjoying this anthology very much.

There are thirteen tales in this volume; I will highlight my favorites:

The collection kicks off with a firecracker of an introduction by Parker that really sets up the tone and theme of the book; you can also read it here as a teaser!

Jake Hinkson's The Long Drop places superheroes squarely inside the New York City police department.  Cooper, a NYPD officer, wakes up in a hotel room, with no memory of how he got there or why there is a severed head in the shower.  Hinson introduces a gritty, alternate reality that I'd like to see him explore further, where people with super powers have been accepted in society and builds the tension nicely as Cooper tries to unravel the mystery of who has set him up and why...

The Revenge of the Red Avenger called to mind the innocent kids from Stand By Me and The Sandlot; Billy and Carole are just a young boy and girl who are best friends and share a love of comic books.  They decide to become heroes, like the ones in  their comics, so they can find and fight crime in their neighborhood. Kevin Burton Smith packs an emotional wallop with this story, turning a tale of carefree innocence into one of tragedy with a powerful climax.

The femme fatale of the group, Sandra Seamans, also presents an emotional story with Moon Mad.  Molly hides from the moon at night, safely amongst the nooks and crannies of the city, because the moon brings her bad "dreams".  Then one night, Molly's memories won't be denied and she has to relive a terrible past in order to save a group of innocent girls.  Seamans made me care very much about Molly and while I guessed the ending, it was no less sad for me when the story was over.

Benoit Lelievre gives us Doberman: Third Party Law Enforcement and introduces us to a mercenary called upon by a politician to save his twin sons from a madman.  The story is just the right amount of violent and the protagonist reminded me of in some ways of Frank Castle, the Punisher.  Lelievre writes a dark story and I hope he chronicles more of the Doberman's adventures.

And finally, to round out my list of favorites, is Chad Eagleton's Somewhere Beyond the Pavement.  It is another tale of young kids finding themselves in dire circumstances and having to find the inner strength to fight.  To live.  The way Eagleton writes the story, switching from the children, to their father, to the villains and back again really creates a thrilling edge-of-your-seat story and a made it my favorite entry in the collection.

I enjoyed this collection very much and will definitely be seeking out more from the BTAP series, as well as other works from the individual authors.  It is a great collection, and each story is was highly readable; there wasn't a clunker in the bunch.  You can get Beat To A Pulp: Superhero here and when you do, plan on reading this action packed volume in just one sitting, it's that good!

Happy reading!

Superhero Month: SEVEN WONDERS by Adam Christopher

Adam Christopher exploded onto the scene with his debut novel Empire State, and  he is poised to make even more noise with his sophomore effort, Seven Wonders.  Seven Wonders is a big budget summer blockbuster action packed superhero movie, all of it brilliantly captured in novel form and with enough plot twists, secret identities and double crosses to satisfy even the most jaded of comic book aficionados.


Christopher sets his story in the "Shining City" of San Ventura, home to the last superhero team on earth, the Seven Wonders, who protect San Ventura and its citizens from the machinations of the last supervillian, the mysterious Cowl.  The Cowl is a criminal mastermind, with multiple powers at his disposal, and along with his sidekick Blackbird, he keeps the Seven Wonders on their toes.  We also meet Tony Prosdocimi, an average Joe who wakes up one morning to discover he himself has started to develop super powers. Christopher tells his tale through the POV of all these characters, and it moves the action along at a fast clip while illustrating the growth and changes each character goes through by the story's big climax.

Seven Wonders  greatly benefits from Christopher's knowledge of comic books; each chapter is as colorful and action packed as the panels would be if he were a comic book scribe.  The writing is concise, the pace is furious, and many of the chapters end with cliffhangers, compelling the reader to plow right along, unable to put the book down.  And the scope of the story gets bigger, keeping the reader engaged as the threat to San Ventura escalates to to a world wide call to arms to earth's other heroes, defunct and retired individuals still ready to band together and help the Seven Wonders protect the planet.

Adam Christopher has written a big love letter to the Golden and Silver Ages of comics with Seven Wonders.  His affection for the medium is evident, and he's taken that tried and true template and created something new that celebrates all the classic comic book tropes while also being a new and exciting entrant in the superhero genre.  It is truly just as exciting and daring as the other superhero blockbusters that preceded it this summer; it has the edge of your seat action of The Avengers, plus the chilling mystery of The Dark Knight Rises.

I firmly believe that Christopher has written the standard against which other superhero novels will be held  and is himself now coming into his own super-author powers.  Seven Wonders is a big, colorful joy to read and it shows that it was also a joy to write.  The author's love for the genre is stamped on each page and he has even left room for a sequel (or better yet, sequels!) as any good superhero adventurer should.  YES, believe all the hype, run to your favorite bookstore or click your favorite link and buy this book!  (Better yet, let me help!  BAM!  KA-POW!)  It just may be the most fun you're going to have this summer!