September, 2013 Reviews

SEPTEMBER, 2013 REVIEWS

(NOTE: The "smell ratings" at the end of some reviews rate the actual SMELL of the book and have nothing to do with the story. Smell Ratings: 5 = excellent, 1 = odorless, 2-4 = you figure it out. Book Key: hc = hardcover / tp = trade paperback / mmp - mass market paperback / rarer forms described.) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SCHOOL THAT SCREAMED by William D. Carl (2013 Necon e-books / 178 pp / e-Book & tp)

Carl (author of the Werewolf Apocalypse series) delivers this grindhouse-style tribute to the euro-exploitation horror films of the 70s and 80s. And while there are a lot of "homage" type novels and novellas out there, this one throws several tropes into a bloody blender and spews forth a concoction that will challenge you to put it down.

 

Laura Pennington is the new student at Dolly Elliot's School for Girls. It's the place for the worst of the worst, a place where rich parents send their unmanageable teenagers where no one will find them. Located in the middle of a London forest, we learn it was once a convent with a a dark past, and is now home to ghosts that the staff and students see ... but when one student is admitted to a psychiatric ward and becomes possessed by a dead nun, new teacher Sarah Stallworth learns the dark secrets of the School and eventually teams up with a few of the girls to try and put an end to a most unholy reign.

With gruesome killings, demonic babies, possessed nuns, a fine cast of juvenile delinquents and a colorful staff, and in true euro-film style, a weird, wild conclusion that adds a fine dose of dark humor.

THE SCHOOL THAT SCREAMED recalls not only grindhouse cinema but also the early days of VHS-renting when everything and anything was available for your lurid enjoyment. Fans of this stuff don't want to miss it ... just stay far away from any mirrors while reading!

-Nick Cato

 

 





VORACIOUS by Wrath James White (2013 Sinister Grin Press / 136 pp / tp & eBook)

A fast, effective, sure-fire, dramatic weight loss treatment? Oooh! Involving a retrovirus? Umm … And pygmy shrew DNA? Well … But you lose HOW much weight HOW fast? Dang … But it turns you into a ravenous, cannibalistic, psychotic eating machine? Huh …

Gotta admit, it’s a tough choice. Obvious though it seems, there’s that little whispery voice of temptation … easy and effortless quick-fix … maybe if there was a temporary option, or reversible …

I remember some quiz going around a few years back, asking how much IQ you’d sacrifice for various degrees of weight loss, or, conversely, how much weight gain for an increased IQ. I never could give a satisfactory answer to that, since, really, my personal dream goal would be to weigh my IQ anyway.

Evil. It’s just evil. Our culture, our social pressures, obsessions with thinness and standards of beauty. Evil, and awful, and destructive, and damaging. The lengths people will go to – and have gone to – in hopes of attaining some perfect, elusive ideal. No matter how dangerous, or even deadly. Evil.

It makes, however, for one damn riveting read. Maybe not the healthiest one in terms of fostering the ol’ self-image, being a vivid reminder of how gross and disgusting it is to be fat, but also how gross and disgusting it is to be vain.

VORACIOUS opens with supermodel Leilani Simms, whose best years are already behind her at age thirty-six. Desperate to maintain her figure, she sought the help of a new and pricey clinic that promises results. Results are what she gets, all right. Results that have her, within a few days, reduced to a scrawny montrosity who’s already cleaned out the larder but is still starving for more. Much to the misfortune of the family cat … and her fiance …

Turns out Leilani is by no means the clinic’s only customer. Others – the rich and famous, celebrities, politicians – have made their own discreet visits. The characters range from sympathetic (the chubby daughter of a movie star) to reprehensible (the movie star mother of the chubby girl). At first, it’s all they ever dreamed of, the pounds just evaporating. But, before they know what hit them, they’re chowing down on their nearest and dearest, or attacking people live on television.

Bad. Very, very bad. Bad enough? Not hardly, when Wrath James White is at the helm. The hunger pangs are written so as to be physically tangible, the carnivorous wallowing in flesh and blood and entrails is vivid to say the least. And that’s still not all!

Because, see, the thing about viruses is that they’re adaptable … they’re voracious themselves … they mutate, and transmit … so then you’ve got an epidemic … and one that, thanks to our screwed-up mentalities, some people are going to actively WANT.

-Christine Morgan

 





READ THE END FIRST edited by Suzanne Robb (2012 Wicked East Press / 278 pp / tp & eBook)

READ THE END FIRST is an anthology of the apocalypse. Every story tells about the end of the world, no exceptions. Each story takes place in a different time zone, but begins at midnight in that specific time zone.

The best stories include "The Midnight Moon" by Gregory L. Norris that follows a young man pondering life as the moon crashes into Earth; "Like A Man" by Stephen North about monsters from below, genetically related to humans who have come to kill everyone on the surface; the very original "The Earth Died Screaming" by William Todd Rose about something—maybe a virus?—that caused everyone, everywhere to involuntarily drop to their knees screaming, eventually dying from starvation and/or the elements; "Blood and Soil" by Hollie Snider which is a truly scary story about environmental terrorists bent on killing everything and moving to a colony on Titan; "Testament" by Michael S. Gardner about a serial killer during the zombie apocalypse; and "Hammered and Nail" by Emma Ennis about an aggressively contagious form of tetanus with no cure.

Other notable stories include the very creepy "Stormfront" by Henry Snider about sick birds of all types attacking and infecting humans; "What Rough Beast?" by Patrick D’Orazio about two people hidden in the Church of the Nativity to be God’s prophets during the End Times; "Best Intentions" by Rebecca Snow about a man travelling to the past in the hopes of saving his people, but things go horribly wrong; and the heartbreaking and frightening "Not With A Bang" by Brooke and Scott Fabian about a family spending their last hours alive together before a destructive ant-matter wave destroys everything.

All of the stories are smartly written and suitably frightening. Suzanne Robb did a great job selecting for this large anthology. Also included is a great introduction by Graham Masterton titled "Armageddon Oudda Here!" and an essay by Joe McKinney titled "Modern Apocalypse: An Introduction" in which he compares apocalyptic literature, including the Bible and WB Yeats. If you like stories of the apocalypse, or stories with no hope then READ THE END FIRST is definitely one for your collection.

-Colleen Wanglund

 

 





MOUNTAIN HOME by Bracken MacLeod (2013 Books of the Dead Press / 134 pp / tp)

Joanie Myer is a retired veteran who served her country in Afghanistan and Iraq. She's a master sniper and just wants to live the rest of her life in peace at her isolated Idaho home. But someone else doesn't want her there and builds a diner right across the street in an attempt to drive her away.

But unfortunately for him, Joanie doesn't budge.

MOUNTAIN HOME is a seige/revenge thriller that gets in your face before the second page ends and never lets up. MacLeod slowly reveals what makes Joanie tick, and the suspense level is nearly non-stop.

Among the people Joanie has trapped, waitress Lyn goes from quiet worker to taking over the situation while somehow managing to help others in the process. We like her from the moment we meet her and cheer her on every second afterwards.

MacLeod's debut novel is a quick, well-crafted tale that reads as if it were written by a seasoned vet (full pun intended). Joanie Myer would surely give John Rambo much to worry about.

Great Stuff Here.

-Nick Cato

 

 

DARK MUSE by Dave Simms (2013 Fire and Ice / Melange Books / 214 pp / tp & eBook)

If someone did a YA novelization of a comic based on kids playing a Brutal Legend expansion with shades of Clive Barker and Silent Hill, the results might be something like this.

Every high school has its assortment of misfits and outcasts, the special ed students, the ones with emotional issues or troubles at home, and so on. Sometimes, they become friends. And, in this case, a shared love of music takes them a step further, into forming their own band.

Edgar "Muddy" Rivers is among them. He’s lost his mom, dyslexia makes it impossible for him to enjoy his famous father’s books, and his brother is a budding rock god. There’s also Poe, the mostly-blind girl with the abusive father … and Otis, with his medical problems … and Corey, from a bad part of town.

Together, they’re "The Accidentals," and when Muddy’s brother Zack vanishes under bizarre circumstances, their music teacher gives them a lead that sets them on a path to a crossroads between the world they know and a world they never suspected.

It’s a world where magic and music intersect, where some of the greatest musicians in history have drawn their inspiration. Where songs can be weapons and melodies power. It’s a dangerous world full of tricks, treachery, and musical monsters.

To save Zack, the Accidentals will need all their talent, courage and skill. They’ll find themselves in a battle of the bands unlike anything they ever faced at school. They’ll have to confront the fearsome Dark Muse, who seeks to control all.

Oh, yeah, and when there’s a little problem at the crossroads, they’ll have to deal with the forces of that other world spilling over into their own. No big, right?

I think I glean what the author was going for here, but, for me at least, it just didn’t really pan out. Maybe to someone more into music, it’d be a better match. I found it cool enough in premise but kinda lackluster in execution. Not badly written, just … not one that wowed me. YMMV.

　

-Christine Morgan

 PREVIEW:

 





THE GUNS OF SANTA SANGRE by Eric Red (to be released 11/5/2013 by Samhain Publishing / 280 pp / tp)

Tucker, Fix and Bodie are wanted men—rustlers, thieves, killers—hiding out in Mexico. Low on money and nowhere to go, the three gunslingers are hired to protect a small village by Pilar, who has disguised herself as a boy. The church in the village, Santa Tomas, which is now called Santa Sangre due to the massive bloodshed, has been taken over by werewolves and they are holding the villagers as a food source. Pilar needs the gunslingers to get the silver from the church so it can be melted down for bullets, and then they can kill the werewolves.

I have to say, I really like the trend combining horror with Westerns and THE GUNS OF SANTA SANGRE increases my confidence in this surprisingly popular sub-genre. Red’s story is well-written and moves at a very good pace—I felt as though I were reading a novella, it went so quick. Character development is excellent with real depth to all of the main ones, including Mosca, the leader of the werewolves. I could feel Tucker’s conflicting emotions. The gunslingers have committed many crimes over the years, but are they really bad men? I didn’t necessarily think so. Pilar is a strong and positive female character, following her duty to her people and her faith. There is some sexual content (for the squeamish) but it is in context with the story and the time. The origin story of the werewolves is brutal and heartbreaking and almost makes you feel sorry for them—almost. I thoroughly enjoyed THE GUNS OF SANTA SANGRE with its flawed heroes and the savagery of the werewolves. If you have yet to read a horror Western, this is a good book to start with.

-Colleen Wanglund

 

 



THE COLONY by Michaelbrent Collings (2013 CreateSpace / 244 pp / tp & eBook)

A pet theory of mine is that, sooner or later, we all want to destroy the world. Well, we writer-types, particularly of the action, horror or thriller varieties. And not DESTROY-destroy, as in, the actual physical planet. But, the world as we know it. Humanity. Civilization. That sort of thing.

Extinction event, global pandemic, natural disasters, zombie apocalypse, what have you … there’s such a go-big-or-go-home ambitious appeal about it that, sooner or later, we gotta give it a try. King’s done it more than once. So has Keene. I know that I hope to tackle it myself, one of these days.

But, right now, it’s Michaelbrent Collings’ turn. And he just WOULD have to be a booger about it, presenting THE COLONY in serial cliffhanger installments (not only that, but, he says it was his wife’s idea so don’t blame him). Volume 1 is "Genesis," and I barely had time to buckle my mental seatbelt before the pedal hit the metal.

You won’t get much of the leisurely intro and build-up here. A quick scene-setter to find out that Ken, our protagonist, is a high-school teacher, family man, generally decent all-around well-liked guy, and – hey what’s with those bugs on the window? is that plane crashing? – then BAM total crazy carnage time with students attacking each other in wild berserk rage and blood everywhere and there’s no time to question and there’s no time to think. Just react, and try to survive.

Poor Ken. One minute, it’s another normal day in the classroom. The next, he’s scrambling through body parts, looking for a way out. Not that he’ll find much help there, since whatever happened was not limited to campus. As far as he can tell, the entire city’s in chaos. The only goal burning in his mind is to find his wife and kids, who’d gone downtown to deal with some bank stuff.

As he sets out on his horrific and probably doomed journey, he finds a few other shocked survivors. The more details emerge, the more they mostly just add to the mystery. What’s with the swarms of ants and bees? What set off this crisis? It wasn’t a ramping up plague, it was immediate and out of nowhere. Why do the affected ones sometimes stop and do that creepy upward staring thing?

This is not one of those span-of-time books, either, with harrowing days of travel and shelter-seeking. From start to finish, in story-time, it all takes place in a single relentless, non-stop afternoon. A few hours. Maybe twice as long as it took me to read it in real-time.

The one problem with this volume – besides the abovementioned cliffhanger ending – is that it maybe could have benefitted from another good going-over for proofreading and some minor mistakes. This brings me to an agonizing place of wanting the next book NOW, while also not wanting it to be rushed too slipshod.

I mean, yes, I could have waited until the entire series was out before diving in. But that would mean having to wait until the entire series was out before diving in! Fortunately, Collings is almost as fast as he is good, so it shouldn’t mean having to suffer TOO long until the next one!

-Christine Morgan

 PREVIEW:

 





REDHEADS by Jonathan Moore (to be released 11/5/2013 by Samhain Publishing / 312 pp / tp)

Chris Wilcox’ wife Cheryl was murdered six years ago and he is determined to find her killer. In his quest, Chris along with his Private Investigator friend Mike, has uncovered a string of murders—over 30—all with the same hallmarks as Cheryl’s death. All of the victims were killed near a waterway that’s close to the ocean, all of the women were brutally killed and mutilated, and all are redheads.

Now Chris and Mike have the help of Aaron, whose wife was also murdered by the killer, and Julissa, whose sister is the latest victim. Armed with the DNA profile of whatever is responsible for all of these brutal murders, the four set out on an international manhunt to find it and kill it. The killer is aware of the foursome’s intentions and does what it needs to survive.

REDHEADS is an entertaining story that is both thriller and horror. I like the idea behind the reason for the killer targeting redheads, but I would have liked knowing more about the killer. Character development is pretty good for the four main characters and their chase of the killer moves at a swift and steady pace. While I liked REDHEADS overall, I was a bit disappointed in the minimal use of horror or the lack of development of the killer. When the group finally finds their quarry, the unveiling is rather abrupt and limited. REDHEADS makes a good read for fans of thriller revenge stories.

-Colleen Wanglund

 

 





KUTTER by Jeff Strand (2010/2013 (Cargo Cult Press LE hardcover, Amazon digital / 139 / 111 pp)

I’ve read a lot of books about serial killers and the one reaction I never expected to find myself having was “D’awwwww!”

 

Yet that’s what this one does. It’s bent. It’s adorable. It’s profoundly, twistedly, endearingly disturbing. It’s the timeless story of a guy and his dog. Sure, the guy has this bad habit of torturing and murdering women in his basement, but does that make him a monster?

 

Okay, well, yes. Yes it does. But that’s beside the point.

Charlie tries to be controlled about it, restricting himself to one victim every two months, choosing and disposing of them carefully, leaving no trace. The rest of his life is pretty much just marking time between victims. He’s got a humdrum job, co-workers he avoids, no friends, no family. He doesn’t care. All he cares about is the thrill of the hunt, the catch, the extended period of torture, the kill.

 

Until his latest victim up and dies too soon, which throws everything off-kilter. He wants another to make up for it. He’s frustrated, disappointed, unsatisfied and unsettled. It seems like too long to have to wait until the next, but, he’s got to keep to his routine or else he’ll be taking too big a risk.

Then, one winter day, he finds an injured Boston terrier under a bench in the park, and that’s when Charlie’s life really starts to change. Thinking that there might be a reward for someone’s lost pet, he takes the dog home and patches it up.

He’s never had a pet. He’s never needed or wanted a pet. He certainly is not about to get attached to some dog that he’ll probably end up having to take to the animal shelter anyway. He’ll buy it food, but not toys or treats. It’s going to stay in the basement. All right, it can stay upstairs but isn’t going to sleep on the foot of his bed … well, just this once … and what would a couple of toys and treats hurt?

Might as well give the dog a temporary name, too. Like Kutter, why not? And take it for walks. And – oh, hey, a cute dog is just the thing to make even Charlie seem less creepy and more trustworthy. Could be really helpful in getting close to prospective victims!

Funny, though … he’s been so busy with the dog, he almost forgot about his obsessive need to kill … just doesn’t seem as big a deal anymore … he’s getting along better at work … making friends … fixed up with a date … things are seeming pretty darn good.

Which of course is the cue for someone to respond to that ‘Found Dog’ poster after all.

KUTTER is the weirdest, sweetest, strangest peek into the psyche of a serial killer that I’ve ever read. It’s delightful. So wrong, but just so delightful!

-Christine Morgan

 

 





THE OTHER PLACE by Ken Knight (2013 Author House / 180 pp / tp)

Raleigh Garrett is a skinhead white supremacist who was just sentenced to one year probation for assaulting a mixed-race couple. Originally from North Carolina, Raleigh is stuck in Binghampton, NY for the next year of his life. He needs to find a place to live and a job or he’ll end up in jail. And his probation officer Deanna Marquez is a real hardass.
 

Raleigh gets a job with a landscaper and meets people that are friendly to him, even though they seem to know he’s a skinhead, especially young Sophie. Raleigh is even invited to an end of the summer barbeque at the home of a wealthy interracial couple. What Raleigh doesn’t know is that these people have plans for him related to some of his past crimes, as well as a horrible crime that he didn’t even know he influenced.

THE OTHER PLACE has an intriguing concept. Allow a person’s victims to get their revenge—but don’t tell him until it’s too late. Character development is good, as is the changes we see going on in Raleigh and how he begins to see everyone around him as people as opposed to race. There is quite a bit of gratuitous sex and adult language, so if that makes you squeamish then THE OTHER PLACE is not for you. Besides that, THE OTHER PLACE is a good example of speculative fiction.

-Colleen Wanglund

 

 





BAD SEEDS edited by Steve Berman (2013 Prime Books / 349 pp / tp & eBook)

We’ve dreamed up some damn scary monsters over the millennia, we humans. We’ve dreamed up dragons, giants, trolls, aliens, zombies, eldritch things from beyond time and space. Nature itself provides some mighty freaky, horrifying critters – scorpions, wasps, goblin sharks, to name a few. We’ve produced more than our share of psychos, serial killers, maniacs.

But, really, when you get right down to it, is there anything in all the world or our imaginations that can top the creepy little kid? The still and solemn gaze of their wide eyes … inexplicable silence from the nursery … the innocent laughter of a child … the lilting sing-song of a jump-rope chant … doesn’t that bring on the goosebumps?

Maybe they’re inhuman or undead, Damien, Samara, those blondies from the Village of the Damned. Maybe they’re just plain rotten, born or bent that way. Maybe circumstances show them at their worst, Lord of the Flies style. One way or another, they freak us the hell out.

Why? Is it because we know how close to the truth those fears really live? The truth that, basically, kids are evil? Most of them grow out of it, sure. Some never really dip into that potential. But it’s there. You were one, once. Think back. It can’t be just me, right?

At any rate: creepy little kids. 27 stories of them in one great book. Some are classics from the masters, "Children of the Corn" by Stephen King and Robert McCammon’s "Yellowjacket Summer," for instance. Others are all-new (including one of mine, stunned though I am to be in such company!)

Among my personal favorites are "My Name is Leejun" by John Schoffstall, Hal Duncan’s "The Disappearance of James H___," "If Damon Comes" by Charles L. Grant, and Gary Raisor’s "Making Friends."

Whether school’s in session or it’s summer vacation … trick-or-treaters at the door … hellraisers and mommy’s angel-darlings … tea parties, invisible friends, rites of passage, fairy tales … BAD SEEDS has enough twisted tots and toddlers to pack even the most overcrowded amusement park.

-Christine Morgan

 

 





BLOOD ON THE PAGE: THE COMPLETE SHORT FICTION OF BRIAN KEENE VOLUME ONE by Brian Keene (2013 CreateSpace / 264 pp / tp & eBook)

I had one big problem with this collection of short stories, which is, now I really want to go back and re-read again ALL the Keene books, when I’ve got so much ELSE that I’m supposed to be doing!

Some of these, I’d seen before. Others, I hadn’t. Some revisit the world of THE RISING (my mind wants to call it the Ob-verse), others return us to LeHorn’s Hollow. And some are entirely their own. They all, though, serve to remind just how and why this guy’s so cool.

"Portrait of the Magus as a Writer" hits way too close to home for us creative types with obsessive/destructive relationships with our muse; I know I’ve had mental conversations a lot like that, and I’ve experienced the effects it can have on real life.

"Golden Boy," which was a new one to me, is also one of my favorites. Always liked mythology, always did wonder about some aspects of the Midas legend, and this was both a fun and insightful way of looking at it.

Many of the stories involve children, and the threats thereto or loss thereof; these always pack a particular punch. "Burying Betsy" is creepy as hell. "Bunnies in August" is beautiful in its compelling agony.

These stories run the gamut from gut-wrenchingly serious ("Dust" and "Babylon Falling," for example) to the hilarious self-referential fun-poking ("Fast Zombies Suck"). Speaking of zombies, the author’s notes are just as fun, especially the ones where Keene keeps insisting that he’s done with zombies, he’s run out of stories to … well, okay, this one’s the last … no, this one … for reals!

While the e-book edition does have some formatting and other minor bloopers, the stories themselves are solid good reads. Even when the author himself cautions us to bear in mind that they’re from early on, so, don’t be too harsh … pff … early on, but still far and away better than a lot of what comes out.

So, yeah, BLOOD ON THE PAGE VOLUME ONE, good stuff! I’ll be waiting for Volume Two, and in the meantime, I think I need to make some space in the schedule for a re-reading binge!

-Christine Morgan

 

 

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH!



July, 2013 Reviews

JULY, 2013 REVIEWS

(NOTE: The "smell ratings" at the end of some reviews rate the actual SMELL of the book and have nothing to do with the story. Smell Ratings: 5 = excellent, 1 = odorless, 2-4 = you figure it out. Book Key: hc = hardcover / tp = trade paperback / mmp - mass market paperback / rarer forms described. Unless otherwise noted, all reviews are by Nick Cato)

WAITING FOR MR. COOL by Gerard Houarner (2013 Crossroads Press / 122 pp / eBook)

Houarner's Max the Assassin character returns in this novella that's chock-full of surprises and the expected gruesome violence. But we also see a side of Max we haven't in previous novels and short stories.

For those who may not know, Max is a super-assassin hired by the government to take on unusual and extreme cases. He also has a brutal demon living inside him who has an unstoppable blood lust, making Max a nearly indestructable killing machine when he lets the "beast" take over.

This time Max (along with his buddy Lee and two young neices who also happen to go on violent killing sprees--trust me, it works!) is sent in to break up a religious cult who have taken over a secret military compound. But Max is mistaken for another assassin, and as if this group of zealots aren't bad enough, there's also an underground group of pedophiles who have discovered the military compound houses a strange supernatural force, which they have managed to tap into to turn their young victims into soul-less killers.

For a novella, Houarner packs this one with epic levels of action, fighting, and splatter that will test even the most jaded of gorehounds. Yet on top of all the fun, what makes this story (and the entire series) work is the author's ability to make us care for both Max and the twisted demon that lives inside him. We hate ourselves for liking him/them, but like other classic anti-heroes, we just can't help it. Max fans will love this one to death.

You can start here if you've never read a Max tale before, but it hits harder if you've read some of his past stories (a great place to start is in Houarner's fantastic collection, A BLOOD OF KILLERS, which features several Max tales).





STRANGERS by Michaelbrent Collings (2013 Amazon Digital / 372 pp / eBook)

Who do you know? Who can you trust? How many of your ‘friends’ have you never met face to face? What about your neighbors, do you know them by name? What about your own family? Your nearest and dearest? Do you know them? Do you? Really?

We live in a world simultaneously both more connected and more isolated than ever before, and that’s the theme getting driven painfully home in the latest chilling thriller by the always-awesome Michaelbrent Collings (dude, seriously, you’re having spinal surgery in the middle of all this and you still write this well? unfair!)

STRANGERS is the story of Jerry Hughes, an ordinary upper-middle-class citizen, a doctor, a productive member of society, who’s living the American Dream with the nice house and wife and kids and dog and all the mod-cons anybody could wish for.

But, sometimes, the American Dream is a façade with pain underneath. Since the death of one of their children, the Hughes family have drifted further and further apart, just going through the motions. Relationships are strained. There’s excessive drinking, coldness, distance, arguments.

The only neighbor Jerry knows even by first name is Ted, the guy next door who complains about the kids’ music. The only regular visitor is Rosa, the cleaning lady. Privacy fences and security gates keep the rest of the world out, and that seems just the way they like it.


Until, after a night of forced dinner-and-TV family time, the Hugheses wake up to find that they can’t get out of their so-safe and so-private house. All the exits are blocked. All the communications gadgets on which we so rely these days have been sabotaged. The house is under someone else’s control, someone who is watching them and toying with them in a series of evil games.


If they hope to survive and escape, they’ll have to open up to each other, trust each other, reveal their darkest and innermost secrets. They’ll have to confront the truth, no matter how shocking and painful, no matter how much it might ruin everything they’ve ever cared about.


STRANGERS is another white-knuckled journey that demands to be read in one sitting. It’s all too plausible, and almost guaranteed to make you take some uneasy, paranoid looks at your live and the lives of those around you. Top-notch creepy, a win all the way!

-Christine Morgan

WORM by Tim Curran (2013 Dark Fuse / Kindle eBook)

In the town of Camberly, a black muck has begun to flood the streets and back up through the plumbing of the homes of its residents. As the stinking muck rises, the residents soon learn what is hiding in the black mess—giant worms and they are hungry. A handful of survivors on Pine Street make it to the old brick farmhouse of Marv O’Connor where they try to hold off the seething hoard with guns and bleach, but can they survive until morning?

WORM takes place over the course of one day in the lives of the unsuspecting residents of Camberly. It is hinted that the cause of the worm invasion is decades of all human waste—both manmade and organic. We see some of the residents in their final moments as they are devoured by the mutated creatures and cheer for the survivors as they discover how the worms can be defeated before it’s too late. Tim Curran has once again managed to make my skin crawl with this well-written and fast-paced novella. The action begins on page one and doesn’t let up until the final sentence. There is a reason Tim Curran is one of my favorite writers.

-Colleen Wanglund



REDEMPTION OF THE DEAD by A.P. Fuchs (2012 Cosco, Entertainment / 205 pp / tp & eBook)

The third installment in Fuchs' 'Undead World Trilogy' pits a group of survivors in Winnipeg against flesh-hungry zombies (some which are giants) while scrambling for shelter in the wake of the destruction of a safety bunker. The action comes fast and gory and a romantic side-plot isn't even able to slow things down.

What makes this one a bit different from the other zillion zombie novels out there is the origin of the undead: we discover an army of Satan's demons have found a portal to earth in which they create a storm that turns people into the living dead (make that the possessed living dead). The trilogy ends with a take on armageddon and the eternal struggle between angels and demons.

Despite some Hollywood-ish scenes dealing with Satan and hell, Fuchs makes it work in this fun combo of the LEFT BEHIND novels and any gut-ripping zombie film, complete with some heavy fire-power (both physical and spiritual) and lots of thoughts on the afterlife. A fine way to cap off the series.





PAGES TORN FROM A TRAVEL JOURNAL by Ed Lee (2013 Deadite Press / 98 pp / limited edition hc & tp)

Said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but it just can’t be said often enough … Ed Lee is a freakin’ genius. One of the most brilliant and erudite writers out there.

"But, grindhouse hillbilly torture porn," you might point out. "But, twisted unholy demonic perversity."

Yes, well, yes, okay, there’s that. However, it’s hardly just ANY grindhouse hillbilly torture porn and/or twisted unholy demonic perversity. Lee has a style, a wit, a vocabulary, and a way with characters and words, that takes his work far beyond that.

His Lovecraftian stuff, for instance. Maintaining the language and feel of the genre while adding to it such elements that about melt the brain.

Now, consider … Lovecraftian terms like ‘squamous’ and ‘cthonian’ and all those dense ten-dollar words, the stuffy and lofty style, the New Englandish puritanism.

And consider the rural backwoods, populated with good ol’ boys and Creekers and memorable Lee-isms along the lines of: "Yee-haw, I’se’re’gonna HUMP that HAID!!!"

Combine them. No, really. Combine them.

PAGES TORN FROM A TRAVEL JOURNAL is the result. In which a certain author, whilst on vacation, keeps a diary while facing an unscheduled stopover … deep in the heart of classic Lee country.

Welcome to Luntville, Mr. Lovecraft. Hope you enjoy your visit. Maybe drop by the carnival, where rumor has it a fellow can get more than just a look at the sideshow attractions. Maybe enjoy the local scenery, and partake of some quaint local customs. You’ll meet a lot of interesting people, that’s for sure. Probably get some ideas for new stories … if you get out.

Oh, Howie, Howie, Howie … you should have just stayed on the broken-down bus until the mechanic got there.

This one, packed full of easter eggs and references as it is, may not be the best recommendation for a new-to-Lee reader. But, to the veterans, it is page after page of cackling fanservice goodness in all its descriptive – oh, so very very descriptive – glory.

-Christine Morgan

PREVIEW:





OAK HOLLOW by Kristopher Rufty (to be released 8/6/13 by Samhain Publishing / 289 pp / tp & eBook)

Seventeen-year-old Tracey Parks has just discovered she’s pregnant and her boyfriend Brace has blown her off and left her on her own. Not long after, Tracey’s mother is brutally murdered and Tracey must now face an unsure future without her mom. Tracey’s dad has stepped into the role as sole parent, even though they haven’t had the closest relationship. Tracey’s grandmother Pamela has also shown up—a woman Tracey has never really met as her mother and Pamela had a very strained relationship. Pamela and her lawyer have informed Tracey and her dad that according to a document signed by Tracey’s mother years ago, Pamela is now Tracey’s legal guardian until her eighteenth birthday. The funeral is held in the weird little town of Oak Hollow and dad vows to do what he can to bring Tracey home to him.

Tracey meets some of the residents of her mother’s home town, including the sheriff, Harry, and Nick, a seemingly nice but quirky young man who shows a quick interest in Tracey. In his quest to bring Tracey home, dad discovers some unsettling things about Oak Hollow and its residents, including a demon-worshipping cult who need Tracey’s baby to reverse a curse placed on them all some years before. Dad and boyfriend Brace, who has had a change of heart, race to Oak Hollow to save Tracey, but can they make it in time?

OAK HOLLOW is a pretty good story with some very frightening aspects and some suitably bloody scenes.  While demon worship is a common trope in horror, Rufty adds an interesting twist to his novel, although I thought the execution was a bit lacking.  My biggest problem centered on Tracey.  It is stressed repeatedly that she is underage, yet there were sex scenes that focused on her, as well as descriptions of fantasies about her by clearly older men and I found them inappropriate.  I also felt that the interactions between Tracey and Nick were unrealistic for a couple of teenagers.

For the most part, character development was good, although I felt Tracey was portrayed as dumb, not realizing there was something wrong until it was too late when there were plenty of red flags for her to spot. Nick’s odd behavior alone should have tipped Tracey off, as well as the behavior of Pamela and some of the other residents. I felt it a bit misogynistic in the overall portrayal of Tracey—she could have been a strong heroine. There is one character—Detective Stiltson—who is, in my opinion, unfinished.  There doesn’t seem to be too much involvement of the investigation into mom’s murder and when dad goes to Stiltson for help, he explains that he is involved in another case and can’t spare the time.  Why have dad go to him at all?  It felt like a very big loose end.

The end was violent and dramatic, with plenty of gore and carnage and I appreciated that.  OAK HOLLOW is a quick read and its pacing is good, but I was disappointed with the book and its cohesion.  If you like demon worship then this is an average story that you might enjoy.

-Colleen Wanglund

PREVIEW:





THE LAST WHISPER IN THE DARK by Tom Piccirilli (to be released 7/13 by Bantam Books / 336 pp / hc & eBook)

In this sequel to THE LAST KIND WORDS, Terry Rand is back trying to find out why his ex-girl's man, Chub, became involved with a botched bank heist that left a few ex-cops dead. As he dives into the Long Island underworld, Terry dukes it out with thugs both old and new, deals with mob bosses and learns of a barbaric hitman whose weapon of choice is a long hyperdermic needle.

On top of his headaches is his sister Dale, who has become part of a hit Internet show that involves illegal activity. Terry tries to set her up with some real acting gigs in Hollywood but his thieving lifestyle and criminal aquaintances keep getting in the way.

We're also given a deeper look at the Rand family, and Piccirilli offers some surprises, especially by way of Terry's mother. There's plenty of slick dialogue, fight scenes, and all the grim happenings the author's fans have come to expect, wrapped around prose that's to die for.

"I wasn't here to make money. I didn't like making money. If I couldn't steal it I didn't want it." These thoughts from Terry Rand epitomize the cool tone of Piccirilli's latest modern noir thriller that will surely have readers thirsting for the third installment.

PREVIEW:





SAVAGE SPECIES by Jonathan Janz (to be released 9/3/13 by Samhain Publishing / 320 pp / tp & eBook)

It’s the grand opening weekend of a new state park. Everything’s going to be perfect. Campers, RVers, park rangers, partying students, and reporters are all on hand to enjoy the natural beauty, splendor and serenity that is Peaceful Valley.

Or they could be eaten by monsters. In a total messy screaming bloodbath. Which, you must admit, makes for a much more exciting tale than just a relaxing vacation in the woods.

See, something else called Peaceful Valley home before the developers moved in. Something that had lived there a long time, and feasted on previous settlers before being trapped underground. But, nobody pays attention to old legends, or listens, or believes. Not until it’s too late. Now, thanks to the work on the new park, they’ve been released.

Of course, they’re hungry … and not for hot dogs, beer, and s’mores.

One storyline follows Jesse, a journalist supposedly there to cover the event for a newspaper but mainly there to ogle and lust after his colleague, Emma. They get a few interviews in with the park manager, some of the campers, and a pervy old local, then settle in to party with the college kids.

The other storyline follows Charly, a young mother with a no-good bastard of a husband, a crush on the guy who built their house, and the horror of seeing her baby snatched out of his crib by something right out of a nightmare.

The two storylines intersect when Jesse and a handful of survivors of the campground massacre, and a rescue party helping Charly look for her baby, both end up in the subterranean lair of the creatures.

The descriptions of the action and carnage are gloriously gory, but the characters themselves are mostly irritating and their interactions often don’t make a lot of sense or ring very true. I found myself disliking pretty much all of them and wishing they’d hurry up and get slaughtered.

So, if you’re going to read this one, read it for the right reasons – dismemberments, eviscerations, decapitations, over-the-top violence and a body count well into the triple digits. Sometimes, that’s enough.

-Christine Morgan



SHIVERS VII edited by Richard Chizmar (2013 Cemetery Dance Publications / 410 pp / tp)

This latest anthology from the people at Cemetery Dance includes some very eerie short fiction from some of today’s top horror writers.

Some of my favorites include "Beholder" by Graham Masterton about a young girl believes she is very beautiful until she sees herself in the mirror and then decides how to get her beauty back from the beholders; "Zombie Dreams" by Tim Waggoner which speculates on the dreams of zombies; "The Departed" by Clive Barker, a heartbreaking story about the ghosts left behind in death; "Feel the Nosie" by Lisa Morton about soldiers whose senses are scrambled due to a strange weapon; "Echoes" by Don D’Ammassa about a man’s echoes of himself getting revenge; "Plant Life" by Greg F. Gifune about something growing in a couple’s garden—it’s reminiscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978); "Depth" by Rio Youers about a mysterious painting and its implications on a man’s life; and "Bovine" by Joel Arnold about an abusive husband whose wife dies and the body is protected by her herd of cows—this was truly disturbing to me because of those cows.

Other great stories include "Weeds" by Stephen King, the story featured in the film Creepshow (1982) about a weird alien invasion in the form of a meteor; "GPS" by Rick Hautala about a man headed to Florida being haunted by the GPS unit in his car; "The Baby Store" by Ed Gorman, a disturbing story about designer babies; "The Storybook Forest" by Norman Prentiss about what happens to some boys who break into an abandoned amusement park; and "Born Dead" by Lisa Tuttle about a baby born dead but continues to grow as though alive.

All of the stories are well-written and entertaining, although I was a little confused by "Sleeping with the Bower Birds" by Kaaron Warren and "As She Lay There Dying" by Brian James Freeman. Aside from that, SHIVERS VII should be added to any horror fan’s collection.

-Colleen Wanglund





POISONING EROS by Monica J. O’Rourke and Wrath James White (2013 Deadite Press / 232 pp / tp)

Do not be fooled or lulled into a false sense of security by the classy, literary-sounding title of this book.

There is not enough brain-bleach in the world. Not in the world. Not in the whole solar system, even if Jupiter and all the other gas giants were composed entirely of brain-bleach. The first few pages alone … NOTHING WILL ERADICATE THE IMPACT!!!

YOU WILL BE TRAUMATIZED AND SCARRED FOR LIFE. CANNOT BE UNSEEN!!! WHY DID I EVER LEARN TO READ I LOVE LANGUAGE AND LOOK WHAT THEY MADE IT DO OMG.

You know that episode of SOUTH PARK where the boys write the book that makes everyone who reads it barf their guts out? Yeah. No. POISONING EROS would make that book look like HOP ON POP.

If you can get through those first few pages, you might naively think it can’t get any worse. Or that you’ll go numb, be desensitized. Good luck with that.

This is the story of Gloria, former porn-star legend fallen on hard times. Age and addiction have taken their toll, until she’s reduced to doing, shall we say, nature documentaries. If a phrase like ‘dog and donkey show’ disturbs you, then, well, it’s probably already too late. Sorry.

After barnyard adventures, it’s not that much of a step down for Gloria to accept some even weirder jobs. Jobs of the paranormal activity type, for instance. Like ghost and possession porn, or giant demonic worms.

But Vlad, the charming fellow arranging these gigs for her, has something else in mind for Gloria. Something that will result in her ending up quite literally in Hell … and, honestly, for me at least, it was a relief.

Why that should be, I don’t know. The atrocities went on, amped to diabolical and otherwise physically impossible levels of degredation and mutilation; maybe that was part of it, the sheer impossibility and unreality. Or maybe too much of me had died inside by then.

Read it if you dare. You won’t be disappointed. You’ll be many, many other things, you might need therapy and/or self-medication later, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a bucket standing by, but you won’t be disappointed.

-Christine Morgan

THE STAFF OF THE HORROR FICTION REVIEW WISHES YOU A FUN-FILLED SUMMER!

NOTE: There were no "smell reviews" this month as everything reviewed by Nick was digital!







June, 2013 Reviews

JUNE, 2013 REVIEWS

(NOTE: The "smell ratings" at the end of some reviews rate the actual SMELL of the book and have nothing to do with the story.  Smell Ratings: 5 = excellent, 1 = odorless, 2-4 = you figure it out.  Book Key: hc = hardcover / tp = trade paperback / mmp - mass market paperback / rarer forms described.  Unless otherwise noted, all reviews are by Nick Cato)

BURIED A MAN I HATED THERE by Adam Pepper (2013 Innovation Haven / 163 pp / eBook)

Since losing his wife and daughter 10 years ago, Jack Maddox suffers from memory loss. His wife's twin sister, Heidi, meets with him once a year every Valentine's Day in an isolated field in Vermont. She tries to get him to move on with his life, but he refuses.

Back in Manhattan, Jack is a window washer, working at great heights with no fear. His favorite building is where Heidi works, and he spends much time cleaning her office window. He likes to work alone, but on occassion has to share his platform with a co-worker.

Heidi begins to date the head of a huge corporation, but she can't seem to give herself over to him. She becomes increasingly concerned with Jack and starts to display behavior as strange as his.

Then there's Jack's psychiatrist, Dr. Hawthorne, a real sleazeball who seems to be in the business just for the money. We learn he has also lost a young daughter, and seems to take things out on Jack (mentally, at least) during their sessions.  But his way of coping with things leads to the abuse of another patient and his eventual ruin.

BURIED A MAN I HATED THERE, while a thriller, is also a truly odd mystery. When I passed the 100th page I still had no idea where the author was going, and I didn't until the final few chapters. Pepper keeps you guessing from early on, and most of the time you'll be on the edge of your seat . If you're afraid of heights (like I am) you're in for a real freak-out, and the conclusion, while wrapped up nicely, still leaves room for contemplation.

Although a bit different from his previous offerings, BURIED should satisfy anyone looking for a tight, solid read.

FOUR ELEMENTS by Charlee Jacob, Marge Simon, Rain Graves and Linda Addison (2012 Bad Moon Books / 189 pp / tp)

FOUR ELEMENTS is a collection of poetry and short fiction by four women of horror who are all Bram Stoker Award winning poets. Each writer takes on one of the four elements of nature—earth, air, fire and water—and brings their own vision to each.

“Earth” by Marge Simon contains poems and stories that all deal with various consequences of people’s actions including war, desolation, destruction and death, including “A Time For Planting” about the consequences of love and lust and “Quake” about how short our time can be.

“Water” by Rain Graves which includes many pieces dealing with destruction through mythology, including a series of six poems, which I loved, titled “Hades and Its Five” that encompasses all of the myths of Hades, the river Styx and the ferryman.

“Fire” by Charlee Jacob that includes works dealing with death and destruction.  My favorite here is “Accidental Tourists” about a couple of voyeurs who find love at the scene of a horrific car accident and their many names for the color red—the color of life and death.  There is also a series of ten poems called “Reaching Back to Eden” that involve the consequences of the actions of Adam, Eve, Lilith and Satan.

“Air” by Linda Addison contains poems about the power of the wind to shape life and our environment as well as describing the soul as air versus the body.  “Lost in Translation” is one of my favorites here, about air as a hidden, living being.  “Upon First Seeing Ongtupqa” is a beautiful description about air moving through canyons, wearing away the earth and exposing millennia of past life.

All of the prose and poetry is dark, beautiful and vivid in its imagery. There is emotion behind the words that will draw a visceral response from the reader. All of the poetry by these four amazing women is so powerful you will find yourself reading FOUR ELEMENTS again and again.  I have already read through it twice.  If you are a fan of dark poetry then FOUR ELEMENTS is for you.

-Colleen Wanglund

SACRIFICIAL WITCH by S.D. Hintz (2013 Aristotle Books / 172 pp / eBook)

I went into this one not quite knowing what to expect and emerged from it not quite knowing what to think, but in the good way. The lingering, haunting, dreamlike way. The way that makes sense, since the main character never quite knows either, but is in no real position to find out. 

Murray, who never knew his father and just lost his mother to betrayal and murder, is sent to a tiny town to live with his grandmother. He he quickly realizes that nothing is normal. 

For one thing, he’s the only kid in a neighborhood of old folks. Old folks who aren’t the most welcoming; they range from weird to outright hostile. Even when he meets a friendly-seeming one, Murray’s recent past experiences have left him with some understandable trust issues. 

His own grandmother isn’t exempt from the weirdness, what with the way she doesn’t like to talk about why Murray’s mom left home, or his grandfather, or the curtained-off section of the attic where she forbids him to go. 

Mysterious feuds, strange gifts and booby-traps, a dog determined to take a chunk out of Murray’s hide, cryptic remarks from the local undertaker, nightmares, glimpses of a little boy signaling for help from the basement of the house next door … it just keeps getting more bizarre. 

And Murray, with the terrible helplessness of a child, is unable to demand answers or escape. Who’s going to listen to him? He’s only a kid. Who’s going to believe stories about witches and spells and sacrifice?

It’s a neat story, an interesting read, one that will lurk in the corners of the mind. Give it a look!

-Christine Morgan

PRIMEVAL: WEREWOLF APOCALYPSE BOOK II by William D. Carl (2012 Permuted Press / 274 pp / tp & eBook)

You know the term "popcorn movie?" Well, this second installment of Carl's BESTIAL saga is a definite "popcorn book," meaning the action is nearly non-stop and the monster-goodness never lets up.

After helping to take care of the Lycan Virus outbreak in Cincinatti in the first novel, General Taylor Burns and ace-sniper Nicole Truitt are taking some time off in New York. But almost as soon as they arrive at their Brooklyn hotel, all hell breaks loose in Manhattan: it seems over-sized rats are now carrying the Lycan Virus, turning both humans and animals into werewolves and mutated creatures. Nicole's girlfriend Sandy is in the city when the military quarantines the island by destoying all bridges and tunnels in an attempt to contain the outbreak. But Nicole and Burns manage to get a helicopter ride into the chaos to try and rescue Sandy and a small group of survivors.

Carl's plot may be simple, but like a good monster movie he delivers the goods at a relentless pace: swarms of mutated rats, lions, dogs, and a huge alligator wreak havoc both on the streets of the city and below ground, where most of the action takes place, and there's still plenty of room for the werewolves. Some of the violence is quite extreme, and I can't remember the last time I saw such gruesome scenes of child carnage before--but then again, this IS an apocalyptic tale so no one is safe!

This is the perfect novel to read on a Saturday afternoon if you're hungering for a thrill-a-minute monster-mash. Dare I say ... this is a real howl!

Smell Rating: 1

UNWHOLLY by Neal Shusterman (2012 Simon & Schuster / hc, tp. And eBook)

When I read UNWIND, a YA book loaned to me by my teenager, I discovered it to be THE creepiest and most chilling book I’d experienced in ages. As scary and disturbing as anything in the adult horror genre. And, of every dystopian near-future I’ve encountered in fiction, the most all-too-terribly-plausible. 

Welcome to a world where the pro-life/pro-choice debate tore America apart with war, and ultimately resulted in a law that made it legal for parents or guardians to decide to retroactively abort their children at any point between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. Those kids would be “unwound,” harvested for their organs and replacement parts. 

UNWHOLLY, the sequel, delves deeper into the history of that shattered nation, again while hitting all too close to the bone. Lack of educational and employment opportunities leading to a generation of disaffected young people with no prospects in a struggling economy … the underlying fear of “feral” teens … sound familiar? 

It’s also a society of convenience, ease, and entitlement that takes a blow when an amendment to the law reduces the unwinding age to seventeen. Suddenly, there’s less material available, making it harder to get those medical fixes or cosmetic upgrades. People don’t like that. Parts pirates have taken to obtaining the goods by whatever means available, including kids not even scheduled for unwinding. 

There’s resistance, inspired by the events of the first book. There’s a growing underground trying to save and free the kids. Those who designate a child from birth as a “tithe,” as a form of religion, are led to question their beliefs. 

Even among the refugee camp where AWOL unwinds hide out, dissention brews when a caste system forms between factions … those who were raised by their biological parents or as wards of the state, and those who were “storked” and abandoned as babies on strangers’ doorsteps. 

The book also takes the science of unwinding in a new and even more unsettling direction with the debut of Cam, the first-ever entirely composite human lifeform. He’s been created from the best of the best, the most beautiful of the beautiful, with the knowledge, language, and talents of all the donors who went into his making. A new height of humanity? Or a modern Frankenstein monster, an abomination that ought not to be?

An UNWIND movie is reportedly in the works. The third book in this not-to-be-missed series comes out later this year. Neither of which is soon enough!

-Christine Morgan

AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET by Gregory L. Hall (2010 Belfire Press / 296 pp / tp & eBook)

Rebecca is a runaway teen surviving in the back alleys of Orlando, Florida. One night she meets Renfield who takes her back to meet his gang of goth-"vampires" living in an abandoned theater. They clothe and feed her, and before long she becomes one of them. They spend their nights terrorizing tourists and living basically however they want, basically every young person's dream.

But Rebecca's new found family soon find their numbers dwindling: members of their clan are being found beheaded around the city, and they're now in a struggle to survive against an assailiant who believes Renfield and co. are actually the monsters they think they are.

For those of you (like myself) who are turned off even by the mention of the word "vampire," fear not: Hall's take on them is completely different. CHURCH STREET plays out like a gritty drama, complete with a realistic cast of troubled people trying to figure out their lives and relationships; it was refreshing to see goth culture portrayed in a non-sterotypical manner. Hall manages to deliver the suspense and thrills you'd expect from a horror novel, but this one goes a bit deeper than standard genre fare. There's some laughs, but nothing that takes you out of the story.

This is a seriously good read and one impressive debut novel.

Smell Rating: 3

YELLOW MOON by David Searls (to be released 6/13 by Samhain Publishing / 207 pp / tp & eBook)

A group of boys playing baseball in a park discover a drain and vanish when they explore it. The police in Cleary, Ohio also have their hands full when an influx of homeless-looking people start arriving around town.

The boys return from the drain that led to another dimension and have brought along all kinds of shape-shifting creatures as well as an odd yellow moonlight that bathes Cleary in dread.

Searls' short novel (originally published in 1994) may have been a slightly different riff on King's IT back then, but today it reads like a dime-a-dozen generic horror novel (and one that leaves several unanswered questions). I guess this is fun for newcomers, but veteran horror fans have read this many, many times before.

Smell Rating: 2

HOW TO DIE WELL by Bill Breedlove (2013 Bad Moon Books / 334pp / tp)

HOW TO DIE WELL is an entertaining short story collection by Bill Breedlove. 

My favorite stories include “The Lost Collection” about a strange little boy and his unique collection of murderous dolls; “Free to Good Home” about Mrs. Monroe, who has a special way of teaching a lesson to men who pretend to adopt animals then take them to labs for research—this one just about had me in tears; “It Ain’t Much to Brag About, But It’s All Mine” about a very lonely girl and the creepy pet she decides to bring home; and “Hospeace” about an elderly couple and their dog living out their last days in a fairly isolated home during a zombie apocalypse.

Other great stories include “The Shampoo of Prodigious Potency” about a young man getting what he wishes for from a magician whom he heckled off the stage—you really should be careful what you wish for; “When There’s Nothing Left of Me (A True Love Story)” is a funny and yet horrifying story about a man who continues to seriously injure and even maim himself to keep his love with him; “Drowning In the Sea of Love” is a hilariously wicked story about a young woman’s debut as a porn actress and how things on the set go horribly wrong; and “Highsmith Beach” about what can happen when a person’s personal prejudices come back to haunt them.

There were one or two stories that didn’t resonate with me, but overall I found Breedlove’s writing to be horrifying and amusing at the same time.  There were times when I laughed out loud and others where I squirmed in my seat.  I was thoroughly pleased with HOW TO DIE WELL and I look forward to reading more from Bill Breedlove.

-Colleen Wanglund

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (2013 William Morrow / 709 pp / hc, eBook, and audio)

Most of my friends spent the past couple weeks on tenterhooks for the new Trek movie, and/or Iron Man 3. For some, and they know who they are, and if you’re reading this you’re probably one of them, THE main can’t-wait event was the release of the new Joe Hill book. 

And justifiably so. This guy rocks. He’s got the talent and the skills, and most of all he’s got the spirit to just have fun with it, to enjoy the craft and the kick and the ride. It shows on every page. 

NOS4A2 is especially good at the having fun with it aspect. It’s peppered with in-jokes, fan service, nods, tributes, and various little treats that might jiggle the fourth wall but elicit grins while so doing. 

Summary-wise, it’s the story of Victoria “Vic” McQueen, aka The Brat (at least, to her father). As a kid, she discovers a knack for ‘finding’ things … when she goes for a ride on her bike in search of some missing thing, a bridge that shouldn’t be there will appear to take her right to it. Of course, nobody would believe the truth, so she also has to get creative about explaining her finds. 

One day, curious about this strange talent, she rides her bike across the bridge to meet a woman who tells her about others with similar gifts, or curses. Those gifts, or curses, tend to take their toll in physical, mental or emotional ways, something Vic’s already finding out for herself. 

Also out there is Mr. Manx, who drives a vintage Rolls with the license plate NOS4A2. With the help of a series of trusty henchmen, he’s been whisking children away to a magical place called Christmasland, where they will be happy forever. Needless to say, this has its darker side. 

Vic goes looking for him, finds him, and manges to survive and escape the encounter. Mr. Manx is caught and sent to prison. The scary story should be over, but, of course, it isn’t. 

Years later, Vic has managed to convince herself that the events of childhood were also the imaginings of childhood, and that her personal problems are solely the result of her just being crazy and screwed-up. She’s gone on with her life as best she can, a life that now includes a kid of her own. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Manx, NOS4A2’s driver, has gone from prison to the hospital, and then the morgue. And then he goes missing from the morgue. He’s got unfinished business and a grudge, and Vic is about to realize that she really was right all along. Only, now, it’s her child in danger, and the bike she used to get to her special bridge-to-anywhere is long, long gone. 

Top-notch writing, great characters, everything you’d reasonably expect from this author and more. Now we just have to bide our time, tap our feet, and wait for his next one!

-Christine Morgan

FEAST OF OBLIVION by Josh Myers (2012 Copeland Valley Press / 199 pp / tp)

Peter Weller (yes, THAT Peter Weller) is on his way to a book signing in a bunker in a desert-stretch of New Jersey. His book is about halibut (yes, the fish) conspiracies and only 10 hand-written copies exist.

After Peter answers Q&A from a select audience of halibut conspiracy fans, he signs the 10 copies for the chosen few, among them a strange English woman who requests to meet with him in private.

FEAST OF OBLIVION then becomes a dark-humored take on (not only) the end of the world, but the end of ... everything. Cock-full of an oddball cast (including Jean-Michel Pititesbaise), some really wild dreams, and enough craziness to satsify any fan of bizarro fiction.

Let's just hope Myers' "real" characters don't decide to sue him before someone makes a cult film version and he misses the premiere.

Smell Rating: 2

MACHINA MORTIS edited by Sam Gafford (2013 KnightWatch Press / 266 pp / tp & eBook)

It’s shamelessness time again, because this is another anthology in which I’m thrilled and honored to have a story. This book’s seen a hard road, too, having undergone some delays and upheavals and changes of publisher … and I’m glad the editor and so many of my fellow writers stuck it out to see it become a reality. 

After all, steampunk horror is just too damn cool a theme not to love! Steampunk! Horror! Clockwork and gears, gaslight and steam, machines of death! A dozen stories of clank and scream, blood and oil!

In “Last Flight of the Bismark,” Scott Baker serves up an airship full of zombies. Salena Moffat’s “Bedlam” brings moody and atmospheric madness. “Patterns,” by Drew Dunlap, pits an aged professor against horrors from beyond. Tonia Brown’s “The Thumping in the Basement” brings a new assistant to the employ of an esteemed doctor, but, what happened to the previous ones? “The Last of the Bad Few,” by Nathan Robinson, welcomes you to a steampunk utopian/dystopian nightmare where technology runs amok. 

Sam Gafford’s “Static” makes the threat of global war look comparatively mild when there’s also otherworldly menaces to contend with. In “Whitechapel Transfer,” by Theresa Derwin, the Jack the Ripper story gets an original and unexpected twist. “The Three Blind Men” by A.J. Sikes takes a slightly more fantastical tone in the form of some bumbling messengers of the gods. 

Travis I. Sivart’s “Nothing But a Dog: A Trio of Travellers Tales” combines steampunk and classic fairy tales in a weird Brothers-Grimm sort of way. “Clockwork Carousel” by Marie Andrews is a quaint and charming ride on a merry-go-round of creepy chills. In “The Black Banshee,” by Buck Weiss, we get lively pulp and paranormal adventure. Last but hopefully not least is my own “The Garretton Ghoul,” in which someone or something preys on the city’s downtrodden artists. 

If steampunk’s your thing, this one is bound to please and entertain. So, put on your goggles or adjust your monocle, and get it today!

-Christine Morgan

BOOK OF THE MONTH:

THE OBLIVION ROOM by Christopher Conlon (to be released June, 2013 by EVIL JESTER PRESS / 287 pp / tp)

Conlon's short story collection features six "Stories of Violation," and anyone familiar with his work knows what to be in for; those who aren't need to take note.

The opening tale 'The Oblivion Room' features a woman who finds herself captive in a pitch-black, brick cylinder. She attempts to survive by creating a mental memoir and eventually discovers a way to escape...sort-of. Claustrophobes be warned. In 'On Tuesday All The Rain Fell From The Sky,' a man murders his family then goes to work as if nothing happened. We're then taken on an emotionally-charged journey as he attempts to come to terms what he has--or hasn't--done. The ending will have you baffled until it sinks in.

'Skating the Shattered Glass Sea' deals with a man who visits his sister in a Behvaorial Health Center and the unusual bond they both share; 'The Long Light Of Sunday Afternoon' centers around an old man and how he handles personal ghosts (it also acts well as a latent end of the world story), and in 'Grace' a woman returns to the home where her step father abused and kept her locked in a closet as a child. She comes to terms with it all when she rediscovers a drawing she had done on the closet wall.

The main event here is 'Welcome Jean Krupa, World's Greatest Girl Drummer!' It tells the tale of Jeannie Crupiti, who is a self-taught demon on the drum kit. Set in the 1940s during WW2, she joins a band fronted by former jazz great Stanley Skye after sitting in with them one night, and the group begins a long but steady rise to the top. Told from the point of view of young guitarist Lester (undraftable due to being 4-F), we quickly fall in love with all the characters here, cheering them on and, like the band, become protective of young Jeannie, especially when her strange cousin arrives back from the war to roadie for the band. But secrets abound, and Conlon brings this impossible-to-put-down tale to a tragic but satiysfying conclusion. As a former drummer, I can say this is one of, if not THE best story I've ever read about drummers and band life on the road.

THE OBLIVION ROOM is a real treat. Conlon's tales go from flat-out terrifying to subtle, quiet horrors, but each one dark and thought provoking in their own ways. The writing is razor sharp and a real pleasure to read. Highly recommended and easily one of the best releases of 2013.

HITCHERS by Will McIntosh (2012 Night Shade Books / 301 pp / hc, tp, eBook & audio)

A wonderful exercise in contradictions, this story presents a take on life-after-death that manages to be terrifying and sweet, sad and funny, infuriating and uplifting, and many other conflicting or even opposite emotions blended into a satisfying 283 pages of cognitive dissonance. 

On the big-picture scale, it’s a world-shaking disaster: a terrorist anthrax attack literally decimates the population of Atlanta (side note: misuse of ‘literally’ and ‘decimate’ each on their own are pet peeves of mine, misused together they make me crazy, and what a tremendous relief to see it DONE RIGHT FOR ONCE!!! okay soapbox over)

Hundreds of thousands are killed. Bad enough. Worse, and very weird, is what happens next, as many of the survivors begin to experience strange instances of suddenly blurting out words in coarse, gravelly voices. The condition quickly progresses to a point that people are losing control of their own bodies, being taken over from within. 

PTSD, the experts say. Or some sort of personality disorder triggered by the events. Or people are going crazy. All reasonable enough explanations, and certainly anybody who’s suffering or witnessing the phenomenon is going to feel that way. But they soon come to realize they’re not crazy. They really are possessed, sharing their bodies with the spirits of the dead. 

These ‘hitchers,’ as they come to be called – though ‘stowaways’ or even ‘hijackers’ in some cases might be closer to the truth – have unfinished business, strong ties, or other reasons for wanting to cling to even this surrogate semblance of life. 

Large-scale though the premise is, the real story is small-scale and personal. Finn Darby, who’s been through some personal tragedies including the loss of his beloved wife, is finally getting his life back on track. He’s revived his grandfather’s classic comic strip – very much against his grandfather’s dying wishes – to great success. Then he finds himself the unexpected and unwilling host to his grandfather’s angry spirit. 

Finn is desperate to find a way to solve the problem before his grandfather fully takes over. Even as he’s working toward that, he realizes that his wife must be out there somewhere too, and they could be, in a way, together again. 

With the unlikely help of some fellow sufferers, including an aging rock star and a waitress with an interest in the occult, Finn has to wrestle metaphysical matters as well as his own feelings, all while struggling against his grandfather’s opposition.

Great book. Definitely worth a look, sure to provide a lot of unsettling food for thought on bodily autonomy, rights, and the afterlife.

-Christine Morgan

NEXT MONTH:

Gerard Houarner's Max the Assassin returns in WAITING FOR MR. COOL...

and the usual BOATLOAD of reviews...