Horror World Book Reviews
December, 2006

 

DARKNESS WAKES by Tim Waggoner
Review by William Gagliani

When Aaron Rittinger spots his attractive neighbor entering an unmarked door at a strip mall late one night, it shouldn't awaken such lust. But it does, partially because Caroline Langdon, besides being attractive and flirtatious, is also taking a young companion into the doorway rather than her husband. The fact that mild-mannered veterinarian Aaron immediately imagines it's a sex club behind that door says a lot about him. A lot that is proven almost immediately as he approaches and tries the doorknob himself. Alas, it's locked -- and his curiosity is both stymied and further stimulated. Unable to think of anything else (and certainly not his wife and kids), Aaron runs into Caroline while jogging and makes a play by alerting her to his witnessing of her indiscretion, if that's what it was. Next thing he knows, Aaron is being invited to see what's behind the door, and to participate.

Aaron is right, there's a sex club in that strip mall. But the members of Penumbra are a strange lot, couples whose sex shenanigans hide a much darker secret. While Aaron wants to know the secret, he will also rue the day he decided to allow himself to find out. Before long, Aaron is back there, indulging his wildest sex fantasies while his family sleeps – but soon he's involved in an incident that truly changes everything. For there's an inner door at Penumbra, and what's behind that door is something Aaron cannot imagine, something hungry. And Penumbra's members are ready and willing to feed it whatever it needs in order to be rewarded with even more sexual gratification than they can muster on their own. But, as in everything too good to be true, this adventure rapidly deteriorates when his veterinary assistant learns of his "affair" with Caroline and shows her disapproval. For Caroline is desperate to lure Aaron further into a web of deceit, and there is only one way to do it. Meanwhile, from outside the lights, a stranger waits and watches – and brings hapless innocent people back to his private club, too, a club whose main goal is the overthrow and reclaiming of Penumbra.

Waggoner's imagination spins another surreal tale of lust and obsession, taking Aaron from respected member of the community to near-depravity in a couple short days. While more grounded in the everyday (and therefore much more effective) than Pandora Drive, and not quite as surreal as the near-perfect Like Death, Darkness Wakes paints a completely convincing portrait of a man whose mid-life crisis drives him to do the very things he knows he should not do, but which he cannot help himself from. Even knowing the downward spiral he has taken, each and every choice Aaron makes takes him lower and lower, until he is completely ensnared in his own lies and actions.

Waggoner perfectly channels Aaron's self-aware curiosity-turned-desire as he sets up this protagonist to find himself caught between two groups of dangerous, demented and depraved opportunists. Caught between, perhaps, but more than capable of holding his own, whatever his fate may be. While it seems Aaron's wife is especially (overly?), amazingly clueless in the face of his careless abandonment to his darkest desires (not even noticing when he stays out all night), the ride is so fast you don't see the rivets until it's way over. The tone is pitch-perfect, including Aaron's self-doubt and even guilt, but showing how he can talk himself past those obstacles. This is one dark bullet to the testosterone tank, and quite a bit more unpredictable than it first appears. Another winner from the twisted mind of Tim Waggoner, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Leisure Books

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FEROCITY by Stephen Laws
Reviewed by Joe Kroeger

Stephen Laws breaks the traditional horror novel mold with his new novel Ferocity. Flawlessly blending the rich atmosphere of a finely crafted horror story with the action packed ride of a well thought out thriller, Ferocity is a novel that grabs a hold of your every last nerve until well after the final page is read.

Even after a couple years, Cath still mourns the loss of her husband to a mugger’s act of violence. She thought escaping to a small town near the Northumberland Moors would help her to deal with her grief and help get her writing back on track, but she still finds herself having trouble dealing with it two years later. As her path crosses with Drew, the nearest neighbor, Cath begins to realize that the legends of a creature that prowls the moors may be more fact than fiction. Add into the mix a group of killers who take them hostage, and you have a novel that takes off like a shot and does not let up until the final pages.

Laws’ writing is tight and rich with atmosphere making this a pleasurable reading experience as your nerves go into overdrive. His prose switches effortlessly from the quiet horror sequences to the all out action giving the reader a smooth ride through the nerve-racking story. With the fusion of horror and suspense, this novel is sure to satisfy any lover of a great thriller as well as the most discerning horror fan.

I highly recommend getting your hands on Ferocity by Stephen laws to experience a fresh outlook on the classic horror novel.

Leisure Books –Due January 2007

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BLUE DEVIL ISLAND by Stephen Mark Rainey
Review by Ron Dickie

World War 2 contained enough horrors for those that lived through it as it was. As if fighting the Japanese over the Pacific wasn't bad enough, Stephen Mark Rainey throws something different and decidedly deadly at the boys of the Blue Devils air squadron.

Stationed on a remote Pacific island, the men of Blue Devil squadron quickly realize that their island base is inhabited by something that doesn't want them there. Something that kills swiftly and mercilessly.

Combining genres can be a tricky maneuver, but Rainey does it here quite effectively. Seen as a WW2 novel with a bit of horror thrown in, it works. Conversely, seen as a horror novel with a bit of war action thrown in, it also works.  Don't try to force this book into one pre-conceived slot, it's just a damn fine novel, period. Rainey's writing is top-notch, and his action scenes drag you along by the throat. You'll have to force yourself to breathe during some of the aerial fight scenes.

Stephen Mark Rainey has crafted an exciting, compelling read. You don't need to be a WW2 buff to enjoy it either, it appeals to anyone who enjoys thrilling reads. Pick it up, read it, then go out and find more of Mr. Rainey's fiction, you will not be disappointed.

Five Star Press

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ORANGEFIELD by Al Sarrantonio
Review by Michael Myers

Something is wrong in the town of Orangefield and signs point to Samhaim, the Celtic Lord of Death, as the likely culprit. Horrorween was my first foray into Al Sarrantonio’s Orangefield, a town bursting at the seams in pumpkins that is prominently featured in his fiction. I enjoyed the book, which was well written with strong narrative prose and sharp dialog. I really like the idea of a town so perfect for Halloween. It’s a great setting that is ripe for Samhaim to wreak havoc in.

The book opens with children’s author Peter Kerlan, suffering from writers block and a failing marriage and a huge hornet problem. The sudden disappearance of his wife coincides with a visit from Samhaim who helps kick start Peter’s creative juices, but at what cost?

Next there is the case of Jody Wednt, a young boy who, alone at home, spies a mysterious Pumpkin Boy walking through the pumpkin fields behind his home. Ignoring his mother’s instructions to not leave the house, Jody takes off after the Pumpkin Boy and goes missing. Detectives Grant and Schneider of the Orangefield police force must battle past and personal demons as they hope to find Jody alive.

Finally there is the story of Samhaim trying to free the Dark One through the use of several minions he has recruited in Orangefield. This storyline is the longest of the three and follows these minions, each as different from one another as could be, as they work towards realizing Samhaim’s goals.

My main issue with Horrorween is the strong feeling that rather than a novel, the book is really a collection of three novella length storylines. These stories play out one after another, with little, other than Samhaim’s involvement, to tie them together. Personally I would rather have had the book marketed as a collection of related stories then to have the author try to combine them into one novel. I think this weakened what are three well written storylines, each of which I enjoyed as a separate entity. Regardless, I enjoyed *

the book enough to plan on taking another trip to Orangefield next Halloween.

Leisure Books

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FUNNY STORIES OF SCARY SEX by Jeff Strand
Review by Angela Bennett

This neat little chapbook by White Noise Press contains two hilarious sex stories by Jeff Strand.

Warning, this is not a chap to be read in public, on the bus or in the subway – even jaded New Yorker's gave me strange looks as I read this on my commute to work!

In Werewolf Porn, an unemployed call center employee gets a job working as a porn movie actor. The director's hook is to make the ultimate bestiality movie staring, Carl the Werewolf.

Sex Potion #147 a young woman visits a gypsy fortune teller who sells her a sex potion to make her more attractive to the opposite sex. Unfortunately, it also makes her the object of desire to a serial killer.

I laughed out loud several times while reading this, begging even more strange looks from my fellow commuters. Jeff Strand blends humor and horror and comes up with a perfect brew.

White Noise Press just keeps putting out the best in short horror. The stories, presentation and Keith Minnion's artwork make these little chaps worth the price of admission.

White Noise Press

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THE CELLAR by Richard Laymon
Review by Dennis Duncan

Its called Beast House. People from all over flock to see it. It has a dark and murderous history. For the last seventy five years people who have dared to live within its walls have met horrible fates. They have been found butchered and partially eaten. The locals don't believe that the murders were the work of any man. They believe it was The Beast. It lives in the house and it waits. It waits and hungers for some unlucky soul to venture in at night.

Donna and her daughter Sandy are on the run. They are on the run from Roy, Donna's ex-husband. He's been in prison for abusing and raping Sandy. He has just been released and Donna knows that he will be looking for them, so she and Sandy have hit the road. They hope to find a place were Roy will never find them. They will soon learn that Roy isn't the only thing they have to worry about. They have fled one danger only to find themselves face to face with another. Beast House.

I am a huge Laymon fan. I have enjoyed almost every story of his I've read. I was expecting big thing from The Cellar and I wasn't disappointed. I was drawn in on the first page and stayed hooked until the shocking end. The Cellar is the fastest paced Laymon novel I have ever read. I must warn though that there is a lot of graphic sex and violence. There is one particular scene of pedophilia that was very hard to read. This book isn't for everyone. No punches are pulled in this story. The Cellar is Hardcore Horror make no mistake about it.

I recommend The Cellar to anyone who loves a hardcore and fast paced horror story. There are a number of sequels to The Cellar and I can't wait to get my hands on them. I look forward to seeing were this story goes next. Go grab a copy of The Cellar and see if you have the stomach for it. You won't be sorry.

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SHADOWS OVER SOMERSET: A CAIRNWOOD NOVEL by Bob Freeman
Review by Patricia Snodgrass

Welcome to the world of Cairnwood Manor. Leland Cairnwood, the family patriarch is dying. The standard family vultures are circling, but there are other more sinister creatures waiting, and hoping for his demise. The family's only hope lies in Michael Somers, Leland's great great grandson, to continue the family's, ahem...business...

But things don't always go as planned and things are not looking good for the Cairnwoods, or for their knight protector, Garrick Ward.

My main complaint with Shadows Over Somerset is the book design.. The story was difficult to follow because of the small type and minimal space between scene shifts. I lost track of the story a number of times because of this. A less adventurous reader would give up.

Further, Shadows Over Somerset has too much of everything. Too many characters, too much plot, and too much unnecessary description. For example, Caroline Tremble stands on the porch of her family cabin calling for her son. She is concerned that he may have wandered off and fallen into the river. This otherwise good scene is obscured because the author loses focus on the character and chooses instead to discuss how she was glad to get out of the city and then spends another paragraph describing the cabin. It seemed that she wasn't all that concerned about her kid and made me feel less concerned as well.

I'm not saying that Bob Freeman is a bad writer. Far from it. He writes quite well, and all the problems I had with the book are correctable. With a little time and correction, I could easily see Shadows accepted by a large mass market publishing house.

Black Death Books

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VAMPIRE APOCALYPSE by Derek Gunn
Review by Dennis Duncan

In a time not to far from now the world as we know it is gone. Civilized society is collapsing because The worlds oil resources have dried up. War breaks out all over the globe for what little oil remains and once mighty nations fall. Cities and rural towns have become insular and have lost contact with each other.

The world has no idea that Vampires exist and that they have been waiting hundreds of years for this day.

They soon rise from the shadows and before anyone can react the war is over. The Vampires are now the new rulers of the world. They keep humanity enslaved behind walled cities. Humans are bred like cattle for their blood and are keep under the control by a serum that makes them like zombies. The Vampires can't survive during the day so they use Thralls - humans who have been bitten but have not yet crossed over to keep the humans from rebelling.

Not all humans are enslaved though. A small band of rebels fight on hoping one day to take the world back from the Vampire masters. They make daring raids on cities rescuing people and getting much needed supplies. They soon discover a new method of killing the vampires that might turn the tide of the war. They think that victory is within their grasp, but a botched raid has let the vampires know the location of their hideout. They will have to take a stand and fight against overwhelming odds in order for humanity to have a chance. If they fail the world is doomed.

Vampire stories have always been hit and miss with me so when I started Vampire Apocalypse I really didn't know what to expect. Three hours and two numb legs later I could say that this story was definitely a HIT. Mr. Gunn has written a action packed, blood soaked thriller that will keep you hooked until the last page. Vampire Apocalypse is like From Dusk till Dawn meets Red Dawn. Action from beginning to end. I am shocked by how much I enjoyed this story. Mr. Gunn has made vampire stories fun again. The genre has been stale for a long time and its about time someone gets it right. This story also begs for a sequel and I can only hope that Mr. Gunn has one in store for us sometime soon.

Vampire Apocalypse is a must read for anyone who likes a great apocalyptic story. It is a fast fun read that never disappoints. Mr. Gunn has made a big splash with this book and I cant wait to see what he gives us next.

Black Death Books

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THE LITERARY SIX by Vince A. Liaguno
Review by Mark Justice

Twenty years ago, six college students, all aspiring writers, dubbed themselves The Literary Six and planned their revenge against a cruel teacher, using evidence of plagiarism and compromising photographs of the teacher’s son.

Twenty years later, The Literary Six reunite. None of the sextet has seen their life go according to plan. And none of them suspect that someone is stalking them, planning bloody vengeance for the terrible thing the six did twenty years earlier.

Vince Liaguno’s debut novel is a slasher film in print, albeit with a bit more depth and protagonists that are more mature than your typical summer camper.

As the six friends come together again, the author does a good job of introducing each cast member and allowing the reader to see how time has wreaked havoc on their dreams. One of the strengths of The Literary Six is in the characterizations of the principals. It’s obvious that Liaguno cares for most of these characters and that empathy carries over to the reader, making the harrowing events of the reunion all the more chilling.

That said, The Literary Six is far from a perfect book. There are examples of First Novel-itis all over these pages. From an unfortunate fondness for exclamation points to the occasional clunky phrase to some made-for-tv movie dialogue, there’s a lot here to throw the reader out of the story. But Liaguno’s love for the genre and his strong sense of plot provide the juice to carry the story through the rough patches, ultimately resulting in a visceral, satisfying tale of revenge.

With The Literary Six, Liaguno shows a lot of promise, enough to convince this reader to take a chance on his next novel.

Outskirts Press

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BAD SEASON by Dennis Latham
Review by Dennis Duncan

Something evil stalks the Owenton Hollow in rural Kentucky. The locals call it the Bad Season and they will tell you not to let the sun go down on you when your there. Something evil stalks the hollow on hot summer nights. People who venture there at night are never heard from again. It's been keep a secret because the locals don't want the media to come to their town.

Owenton has a booming marijuana business and they are afraid the media attention will bring the DEA. They bury their dead and hope that the outside world will never find out their dark secrets. Outsiders are starting to build houses on the edge of the hollow and they know it's just a matter of time before all hell breaks loose.

David Larkins is a retired Marine and veteran of the Vietnam War. He has come to Owenton to see his friend Les Campbell who has a cabin on the edge of the hollow. He arrives to find Les missing and the back porch of the cabin destroyed. He talks to the local police and they tell him the story of the hollow. They also tell him that it isn't safe to be there at night and the best thing for him to do is leave when the sun starts setting. David doesn't believe in monsters and fairy tales and he is determined to find out what happened to his friend. He will soon learn that he should have taken their advice. David, along with a group of strangers, will find himself fighting for his very life against an ancient, evil entity that destroys any living creature that ventures in its home. It is evil incarnate, and it wont rest until all of them are dead.

Beware the Bad Season

I must admit I didn't know what to expect when I started The Bad Season. I had never read any of Mr. Latham's work before, but the premise caught my eye, and I tore into it with high hopes. To say my hopes were exceeded doesn't do this book justice. Simply put I could not put The Bad Season down. I started it on a Friday night and was done by Sunday. The only time I put it down was to sleep, eat, and watch my Vols play football. Mr. Latham has written a story that I will never forget. I don't have one complaint about The Bad Season. It is as close to a Perfect Horror Story as you will get. The action is intense and there is plenty of gore.

I have found my favorite horror story of 2006 and it is The Bad Season. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all horror fans. I can guarantee that if you give Mr.

Latham's book a chance you won't be sorry. Thank you Mr. Latham. You have a fan for life.

Clocktower Books

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CANNIBALS by Rex Bowman
Reviewed by Joe Kroeger

Rex Bowman’s debut novel, Cannibals, is a thrilling novel of desperation and terror that keeps hold of you until the last horrific page. Entering the scene with such an exotic thrill-ride, Bowman is sure to cement his place among the other top thriller authors.

Six teenagers on a luxury cruise find themselves witnesses to a murder and set adrift on the ocean with no food or water eventually landing on a deserted island. Just when you think that things couldn’t get any worse, they discover the island is home to a couple warring tribes of cannibals that see them as the next meal. Rex Bowman perfect portrays the desperation and fear as the teenagers use whatever means necessary to stay alive.

Bowman’s writing is trimmed down and clean with expertly written prose that moves with a pace that matches the action packed plotline. He perfectly doles out the shocks at an even clip so the reader never experiences a lull in the nail-biting tension. The further you progress into the story, the more you desperately anticipate what is to come and are eventually left breathless with the riveting action-packed conclusion.

With characters that seem to live and breathe and rich description that transports you into the story, Cannibals is an excellent example of how to write a top on the line thriller. Bowman writes an action novel with enough horrific elements inside to satisfy any horror fan.

If you’re in the mood for an exciting read that that will grab a hold of you until you reach the final page, I strongly recommend the shocking horror and thrilling action of Cannibals by Rex Bowman, an author who is sure to make a big splash in the thriller genre.

Strider Nolan Media

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HORROR'S CLASSIC MASTERS: REMASTERED by Kurt S. Michaels
Reviewed by Joe Kroeger

I began reading Horror's Classic Masters: Remastered with a cautious sense of uncertainty, agreeing with the majority who I’m sure believe that the classics are best left in their natural state. However, I must admit, after reading the first couple stories, that I was pleasantly surprised with Kurt S. Michaels’ quality of writing and ability to perfectly capture the ideas and atmosphere of the original stories. I found myself relishing each tale as I finished the book.

The idea behind the Horror's Classic Masters: Remastered anthology is that Kurt S. Michaels has taken a number of the classic horror tales by such authors as Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne or Bram Stoker and rewritten them with a refreshing up-to-date language and writing style in an attempt to modernize these great works of literature. Having had trouble enjoying the classics for the majority of his youth because he saw them as a struggle to get through, Michaels saw an opportunity to present these classic short stories to an audience that would otherwise shy away from these difficult to read works. I believe he succeeds with flying colors.

Like I’m sure of number of you have, when I was younger I did the heavy lifting and struggled through the dry text of an otherwise brilliant horror story with more of a sense of getting it out of the way then fully enjoying the experience. Michaels has shown these tales in a refreshing light that had me enjoying them on a whole new level. His crisp clean writing flows beautifully over the page perfectly capturing even the smallest element of the classic stories. He even succeeds in capturing the underlying atmosphere that made them great. He writes these stories without sacrificing even the most insignificant details of the original plotline.

The Horror's Classic Masters: Remastered anthology is perfect for anyone just discovering the classics or someone who would love a fun read that offers up a new perspective on an old story. I highly recommend giving Kurt S. Michaels a chance to change your view on classic literature.

With a second volume coming soon, I look forward to find out what classic tales Michaels takes on next.

Strider Nolan Media

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ROUGH CUT by Gary McMahon
Reviewed by Joe Kroeger

Gary McMahon, an emerging new voice in the horror field, has released his first, and hopefully not last, novella length work with the publication of Rough Cut. With his magical writing rich with atmosphere and imagery, this novella is well worth the price of admission.

The story follows Jude St Clair, son of a famous 70’s slasher horror movie actress, as he uncovers the past while writing a biography of his Mother’s controversial life. In his research, he discovers rumors of the existence of a lost film entitled “Charred Image”. The hunt for the fable movie begins as Jude delves deeper into a dark past, stirring up ghosts that are better left alone.

If the story alone is not dark and haunting enough for you, McMahon’s writing raises an already horrific story to new levels of desperation and fear. He takes even the normal surroundings and envelops them in darkness with his quiet atmospheric writing. With his expertly written prose, McMahon leads the reader deeper into his characters desperate search not only for the existence of the mythical film but into the darkness of his very own past. Even with the short novella length, this book packs an intense emotional wallop that makes this a must read for any horror fan. And believe me, McMahon does not pull any punches. He serves up every horrific image in its full glory for the reader to experience.

As you get lost in the darkness of this story, you feel as if you are not alone because the characters are so expertly fleshed out that you desperately care about the fate that befalls them. Even the ghosts of the past than McMahon creates seem to have a life of their own as they drift off the page to haunt your mind long after the book is closed.

Any fan of the quiet atmospheric horror of Charles L. Grant or Ramsey Campbell can safely pick up this book with the certainty that Gary McMahon can stand up proudly with the masters of the genre. Rough Cut is an expertly crafted tale by a writer who understands the horror genre.

Pendragon Press

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THROUGH THE GLASS DARKLY by R. Thomas Riley
Reviewed by Joe Kroeger

With the growing popularity of small press publishing, there are a number of new voices emerging in the horror genre these days, but there are a select few that come in the field screaming and shouting, demanding to be heard. One such author is R. Thomas Riley with his new short story collection, Through The Glass Darkly.

Through The Glass Darkly is one of those short story collections that captures the true essence of the horror genre displaying the breadth and depth of the authors imagination. Riley does not hold back on the horror as he leads the readers through tales that feature monsters, both the imaginary and human kind, and horrific circumstances that can occur either in the darkest corners of the night or the brightest sunny day. Nowhere is safe in the imagination of R. Thomas Riley.

Even though all these stories are “No Holds Barred” horror, Riley expertly uses his writing technique to reach his readers in a variety of ways. After reading a story rich with the vivid technicolor of horrific imagery you could move on to a story that haunts you with quiet atmosphere where the chills slowly settles into your bones. From splatterpunk to psychological, from a snapshot of real life horror to a “Twilight Zone” unreality, these stories show the genius of a writer who can adapt his writing to wherever the story takes him.

A couple of the stories that really stood out from the rest are Black, a story that literally tears at your heart strings with its brutal look into the reality of abuse, and Hum, in which a writers imagination comes to life with horrific results. Each story has a little something that sticks with you long after the collection is done.

Through The Glass Darkly is a collection that works an all levels and is a must read for the lover of grand horror fiction. If these stories are a snapshot of R. Thomas Riley’s talent then he has a rich future ahead of him in the horror gene.

Nocturne Press

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CHASING THE DEAD by Joe Schreiber
Reviewed by Joe Kroeger

If you are holding back from reading Joe Schreiber’s debut novel, Chasing The Dead, because you are assuming it is just a rehash of the same old “family member kidnapping” scenario, you are gravely mistaken. Even though the book begins as a thriller, I was pleasantly surprised as the story quickly evolved into one of the most original and haunting horror stories I have come across in some time.

The novel opens with Sue Young receiving a phone call from a stranger letting her know that he has kidnapped her child but does not want money. He only wants to lead her out into a vicious snowstorm and the worst nightmare of her life. What follows is both a thrill ride and a gruesome tale that is as finely crafted as any horror novel that has come before it. To give away any more of the plot would be a disservice to anybody coming to this novel for the first time. One of the great pleasures of this novel is the surprise of slowly discovering what really lies ahead as you follow Schreiber’s character through the storm-ridden night.

Coming in just over 200 pages, this novel is a tightly compact story that gets right to the point only letting the reader in on what is absolutely necessary to keep the forward momentum rolling. Joe Schreiber’s writing is fresh and clean with just enough rich description to beautifully, or horrifyingly, paint the picture within the readers mind. With the tight writing, there are no wasted passages or plot lines to bog down this thrilling and horrific story. This is storytelling in its truest form.

Joe Schreiber takes on one of the main staples of the horror genre (again, to tell would ruin the surprise) and successfully turns it on its head with a completely original tale. I highly recommend getting your hands on Chasing The Dead and getting in on the ground floor with a writer who is sure to climb the ranks with some of horror’s greatest authors.

Ballantine Books

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