Horror World Book Reviews
February, 2007

THE UNBLEMISHED by Conrad Williams
Review by Patricia Snodgrass

London has a secret. A secret hidden deep in its ancient past. It was invited, you see, and was sent into a stupor whenever those who summoned it was unable to contain it. But the secret is awakening from its long coma and it is very hungry.

I love British horror, and anytime I can find a apocalyptic British novel that’s as good as this one, my day is made.

The Unblemished begins with a road trip. Danya sits in the passenger seat reading the map. Her husband Oliver is apparently lost, but she's not really paying attention. She 's idly ruminating about daily minutia. When she does realize something is terribly wrong, it's way too late. She looks into the rear view mirror and finds horrors too great to imagine chasing after the car. But that's not the worst part. That happens after they chase down the car.

Everything goes downhill from there. We meet Bo, a Londoner and photographer by profession who spends his evenings in the local pub. He meets a man who gives him instructions to House of Flies. After a brief but horrible initiation, he becomes an unwitting messiah to a ravenous race of cannibalistic monsters. And sometimes t hey don't just eat their victims.

Later, we hear about are unexplained grave robbing, people disappearing off the streets, and a serial killer who thinks he's something akin to an angel of death. There are other people in the story too; Sarah and her friend Nick for example are searching frantically for her daughter. And there is something very wrong with Claire. Very, very wrong.

There is a wonderful boldness about Conrad William's writing. He writes with brilliant clarity. His tale carries a Lovecraftian atmosphere without ever using any of HPL's devices. It's good and spooky without going over the top. There is gore, but it's not for gore's sake. And the creatures he creates causes chills to clatter up your spine. And I am happy to say, this book is very difficult to put down.

The Unblemished is one of the best novels I've read in a while. It is most definitely award winning material. Highly recommended.

Earthling Publications

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THE TERROR by Dan Simmons
Review by Joe Kroeger

In my mind, Dan Simmons will always be thought of as one the “great writers” working in the field of mainstream fiction; The Crook Factory always will remain on my personal list of all-time favorite reads. Whether writing horror, suspense, historical or science fiction, he has proven himself repeatedly by writing novels that come alive with their crisp prose and rich descriptions that flow smoothly off the page with a natural cadence. This time Dan Simmons has returned with THE TERROR, a rich historical novel teeming with enough supernatural elements to satisfy any horror aficionado out there.

Setting his sights on the 1840’s Arctic expedition for the elusive Northwest Passage, Dan Simmons writes a comprehensive historical account of this doomed adventure with enough detail that you would swear he had been there himself. The Navel vessels, The Erebus and The Terror, were sailed into the frigid temperatures of the Arctic chasing the dream of the Northwest Passage only to be trapped as the frozen waters held the ships immobile within its crushing grip. This is where Simmons’ writing genius takes over, because something in this barren landscape is hunting and killing the crew one by one. His creation is a supernatural creature that seems to appear out of nowhere to kill with savage fury and human-like intelligence. As the crew fights for their lives, the reader is propelled through this massive volume at break-neck speeds until the final page is turned.

Starting deep in the thick of this suspenseful tale, Dan Simmons expertly move back and forth from the past to the present laying the groundwork of the novel at the same time that he ratchets up the tension. He tells the story through the eyes of a multitude of characters, each one a natural sounding narrator alive with their own personality and voice. You leave this novel with a feeling that you have actually lived through this ordeal side-by-side with his brilliantly drawn characters.

Even though this book is closing in on 800 pages, the writing is so smooth and brimming with poetic description that you barely are aware of the pages passing by. I even felt a slight disappointment as I reached the end knowing I would have to set the book aside. The writing that Simmons uses to describe the day-to-day life that these unfortunate people had to live through is so vivid that you will actually feel the cold creeping into your skin as the terror closes in on you.

For anyone who is already a fan of Dan Simmons, or if you have been waiting to test the waters, The Terror comes with my highest recommendation as a novel that far exceeded the brilliance and enjoyment that his writing is known for. Get your hands on a copy of The Terror by Dan Simmons and prepare to lose yourself in the rich atmospheric landscape that will leave you thankful you are in the safety of your own home.

Little, Brown and Company

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EVERMORE Edited by Stephen Mark Rainey and James Robert Smith
Reviewed by Joe Kroeger

There are a great number of anthologies within the horror genre that pay homage to an author that had a vast influence over the writers who followed in their footsteps. Whether it is a tribute to a specific writer, like H.P Lovecraft, or a specific author’s character, like Dracula or Frankenstein, the anthology needs to gather stories that stay true to the ideals of the original to succeed as a true tribute. Evermore, the anthology edited by Stephen Mark Rainey and James Robert Smith, succeeds perfectly to capture the true essence of the works of Edgar Allan Poe and the man behind the writing. Stephen Mark Rainey and James Robert Smith did an excellent job making sure only the best fiction was accepted to grace the pages of Evermore.

In Evermore, fifteen tales from some of the biggest or up-and-coming authors in the horror field are gathered together to show the vast variety of influences that Edgar Allan Poe had upon the genre. Whether it is a tale drawn from the worlds of Poe’s own creation or a fictional snapshot of the elusive writer’s life, these fifteen authors have a deep understanding of what made Poe such a successful writer of great horror fiction. Even if you feel you have read everything about Edgar Allan Poe, this anthology as a whole beautifully gives the reader a secret insight into Poe’s life seen through the eyes of a variety of horror writers.

Opening up the anthology, All Beauty Sleeps by Joel Lane haunts the reader with a rich narrative that shows the obsessive quality of Poe’s fiction as the narrator becomes consumed with the idea of death and life as seen through Poe’s writing. Reaching towards the other end of the spectrum, The Clockwork Horror by F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre takes Poe’s life and infuses it with a touch of science fiction. Though the tale contains a futuristic premise, the rich atmospheric writing and eloquent narration is a perfect example of Poe’s influence in stylistic writing.

Some of the other notable stories in this collection include the unique view that Tom Monteleone and Rick Hautala take in They Call Me Eddie. These two authors craft a pulpish tale that places Poe within the role of a Private Detective while still capturing the rich feel of one of Poe’s stories. With From The Wall, A Whisper, Kealan Patrick Burke gives his readers a glimpse of a writer teetering on the edge of insanity as he listens to the voices whispering within the walls. With Burke’s trademark writing style, this story is one of the most fulfilling and atmospheric pieces within this collection and perfectly captures the genius of Poe.

In Night Writing, Charlee Jacob takes his inspiration from numerous works of Poe’s and creates a tale of the writer as he finds himself seemingly lost and drifting through time. Tom Piccirilli offers up a dark haunting story that gives a rich viewpoint of Poe’s early childhood with Of Persephone, Poe, And The Whisperer.

The collection finishes up with an original and exquisitely written story that takes the reader down the path of Poe’s final days. The White Cat by Fred Chappell uses unnerving imagery and a unique voice to show the events of Poe’s death in a way that will stick within your mind long after the tale is done. I thought this story was the perfect ending piece to this anthology.

If you are a fan of Edgar Allan Poe or just enjoy losing yourself in rich atmospheric writing, Evermore, edited by Stephen Mark Rainey and James Robert Smith, is an amazing reading experience that will leave you wishing for more. I have no hesitation in giving this anthology my highest recommendations.

Arkham House

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THE WATER WOLF by Thomas Sullivan
Review by Patricia Snodgrass

Lane Anderson is a stringent nonbeliever. Abandoned by his hippy mother, Lane developed a hard cynical outlook on life that carried on well into adulthood. . In fact, he made it his life's work debunking faith healers, mystics and fortune tellers. After exposing a fake a faith healer during a tent revival, Lane finds his terminally ill mother among the throng of believers. He revives a querulous relationship with her.

Upon her death he comes across a stile that his father stole from a pylon in a murky Peruvian swamp. The stile is a clue to a vast underworld, but Lane is convinced it's another pseudo-archaeological con job and is determined to prove it.

His quest takes him to Cairo, and then to a little town in Connemara, Ireland, where he comes in contact with a vast subterranean world, and the very beast that killed his father twenty eight years ago.

There is a good reason why Thomas Sullivan was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. His writing is phenomenal. Each scene is a sensory delight. His characters are credible, the story easy to follow, the pacing impeccable. He shows us that the world isn't as cut and dried as the cynical Lane Anderson seems to believe.

Water Wolf is one of those books that you can read over and over again. I highly recommend it.

Onyx Books

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THE MEMORY TREE by John R. Little
Review by Ron Dickie

Who wouldn't want a second chance to go back and fix the things they deem wrong with their life? Who wouldn't want to be able to change the one event that seemed to taint the rest of our lives? Sam Ellis unexpectedly gets that chance, finding himself back in his childhood hometown in 1968, during the summer that would change his life and what he learns there will surprise you.

The method of his time travel is never explained, nor is it really needed. It's the choices he makes, and their consequences, that hold our attention. He does not appear back in 1968 as his then younger self, but as he is today, in 2007. A full grown man revisiting himself in the past, knowing full well what will happen to his younger self very soon. What would you do?

John R. Little weaves a compelling tale of second chances and the tricks that memory can play on us. Little's prose is tight, and well put together. He knows well in advance where he wants to take you, and he does so with great style and finesse. The themes he delves into are well-handled without becoming exploitative, which could happen easily in the hands of a lesser writer. He tells us everything we need to know, and waits until just the right moment to let us know WHY we need to know it.

Fans of Ray Bradbury may find some similarity in style here, but John Little is definitely a writer with his own unique way to tell a story. The Memory Tree is very highly recommended!

Nocturne Press

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ALL YOUR GODS ARE DEAD by Gary McMahon
Review by Joe Kroeger

Striving to make an exceptional name for himself within the horror genre, Gary McMahon has been busy getting his writing out there for everyone to see. His short stories have been peppered throughout an impressive number of magazines and anthologies, while his novella Rough Cut has amassed a great deal of positive reviews along with a number of awed fans. With the release of his new novella All Your Gods Are Dead, I expect Gary McMahon’s fan base to escalate beyond even his wildest dreams. This Lovecraftian styled novella, rich with stunning prose and dark imagery, will convince everyone out there that Gary McMahon in a major writer within the horror community.

This novella tells the story of Doug Hunter who, after six months, is still struggling to come to terms with the brutal murder and dismemberment of his brother. After receiving a cryptic email that hints at the events of his brother’s death, Doug travels to Leeds, the site where his brother’s mutilated body was found, to hunt for reasons behind his tragic death. His investigation eventually leads him to The Church of All Sufferance, a cult that deals with pain and suffering, and he soon learns the horrific plans the “Sufferers” have for the world.

All Your Gods Are Dead, like the rest of McMahon’s writing that I have come across, contains such a rich atmosphere to the prose you are literally pulled into the story as your senses are assaulted with his expertly crafted details. With the surreal quality that flows throughout this novella, I felt he brilliantly captured the rich H.P. Lovecraft style within his storytelling. His characters have a haunting distinction about them while his monsters remained brief glimpses within the darken corners of his prose until they are ready to present themselves to the reader. As the story unfolds, you feel yourself compelled to reach the end to see the true nature of the evil that McMahon has created.

The story is such a dark and disturbing tale that it plants itself deep within your mind right from the start only to remain there well past the final page. The way he use imagery of normal life slightly infused with his own surreal flavor will have you looking a little more closely at the people you pass in the street. He perfectly juggles quiet horror with the shocking jolts of terror, doling out whatever he deems necessary to keep the story moving. What you are left with is a chilling well-crafted tale that leaves you at the mercy of McMahon’s expert storytelling.

All Your Gods Are Dead comes with my highest recommendation for anyone who wants to read the best new fiction that the horror genre has to offer. His fresh voice and unbelievable writing ability never fails to disappoint my hunger for great horror fiction. If Gary McMahon keeps up his horrific pace he will surely find himself sitting at the “grownup’s table” with all the grand masters of the horror community.

Humdrumming

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GHOST ROAD BLUES by Jonathan Maberry
Review by Joe Kroeger

Every once in a while a book comes along that instantly brings me back to the heyday when the horror genre was flourishing and the bookstore shelves were brimming with epic horror novels capturing my attention with the chilling atmospheric magic contained within the pages. Ghost Road Blues by Jonathan Maberry is one of those books. With Maberry’s rich writing style and expertly plotted story, Ghost Road Blues is a novel that can proudly stand up with the masters of the horror genre.

Thirty years ago in Pine Deep, Pennsylvania, a serial killer known as the Reaper terrorized the town with a series of brutal slayings. After surviving that nightmare, the town became widely known as “the most haunted town in America” and, with a month to go before Halloween, evil is about to regain its grasp on the community once more. As three brutal killers turn up in Pine Deep, the community is once again drawn into a nightmare. However, all is not as it seems because behind the events of the evening lies an evil that was believed to be destroyed thirty years ago but has only grown stronger. As unseen forces influence the community, the town gears up for an epic battle between Good and Evil that will turn everyone’s lives upside down.

The first thing I should mention is that if you are looking for a story that ties everything up in a neat little package by the end of the book then Ghost Road Blues is not for you because this is the first book of a trilogy. However, I beg you not to let this bit of information dissuade you from getting your hands on this novel. Even though elements of the story are left hidden in the shadows for the benefit of the second and third books, the story is so expertly written that you will be thankful you got into this trilogy on the ground floor.

Jonathan Maberry’s writing has a rich refreshing voice that comes to life with a comfortable narrative quality and rich descriptive passages that literally pull you into the story. The page pass by in a blur as Maberry ratchets up the suspense while supplying you with enough horrific chills that you keep the house well lit while you read into the night. As the story progresses, Maberry develops his character so fully that you feel as if you have grown up in this town getting to know them throughout your life, and you will find yourself truly caring what happens to them. His grasp of small town life and the everyday horror within is reminiscent of early horror classics like Salem’s Lot.

Ghost Road Blues is epic horror on a grand scale that is guaranteed to save Jonathan Maberry a seat among the great writers within the horror community. If the rest of the trilogy lives up to the genius of the opening book then Maberry is sure to have an impact on the horror genre for years to come.

Kensington

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JAMES OF THIS WORLD By Steven Lee Climer
Review by Cesar Puch

Things are far from easy for young James Bradley. At 16, every major life decision has been made for him by his parents who have chosen his career and have set him up to marry Melody, the girl of their choice, as soon as James finishes high school. This pre-designed life appears a surety when the wealthy Alexandra Bensen, grandmother of James’ best friend, requests his help in a scheme that will eventually make him inherit an empire and be settled for life.

Little does James know, however, that Alexandra has other plans for him. For Alexandra is not what she appears. Inside a room in her mansion she keeps an assortment of creatures imprisoned in mirrors, otherworldly beings from a parallel world. Alexandra has waited very long to find the right vessel for the return of Victor, a vanquished being set on spreading corruption, which would eventually make both worlds collide. When James accidentally enters this room, he is suddenly pulled inside one of the mirrors and into this fantasy world where he must help the beautiful Soleil to regain the balance and foil Alexandra’s plans before it’s too late.

Steven Lee Climer’s “James of this World” successfully manages to capture the identity conflict many young adults go through. As James is close to finishing high school, he has to make sure he makes the right moves for surviving in the adult world. However these moves are not what he really wants, and so he lives in frustrating resignation. Climer paints a smothering scene where we feel how life is about to crush James. As the book advances, we witness an evolution as he learns about the need to dicover his true self and what he is all about. By the end, James not only makes a journey of self-discovery, but has to make a very difficult, very responsible decision that will shape the rest of his life.

At the same time, Climer takes a critical eye on our real world. The spreading evil is referred to as “Corruption” in the novel, and the destruction of this balance between the worlds is attributed to passions that are let lose with little rationalization. With this in mind, Climer’s character’s discuss James’ world, its conflicts and wars, and how these real threats are not that different from the fantasy ones. There is one particular scene in which James’ best friend is tempted and in consequence tainted by this Corruption. Although the event doesn’t seem to have an effect on the rest of the story, it remains as an example of how the evil bleeds into our world.

Climer’s imagery is vivid, with good descriptions that help the reader get into this magical world–one scene comes to mind, that of millions of magical birds imprisoned under the surface of a lake. But most importantly, these descriptions don’t drag too much to halt the pace of the novel, which can at times be a problem with the fantasy genre.

Although this is intended for a young adult audience, there are elements I’d say make the book suitable for the older end of the YA collective: profanity, teen sex (though nothing graphical), and somewhat mature conversations that brush on themes like hedonism.

“James of this World” is a pleasing read which approaches several coming of age issues through an interesting story. Young readers might be able to identify with several events in this novel. A good delivery from Climer.

Mardi Gras Publishing

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DAYS OF ALLISON by Eric Shapiro
Review by Joe Kroeger

After coming across a few positive recommendations online, I decided to get a hold of a copy of Days Of Allison by Eric Shapiro for myself. Reading this novella in one sitting, I found myself extremely thankful that this obscure title ended up coming across my radar. With the realistic narration and beautifully poetic prose, Eric Shapiro does an amazing job of pulling the reader into the world of his protagonist and holding them there until the shocking yet truly amazing ending unfolds. DAYS OF ALLISON is the best of science fiction and horror mixed together with a pinch of “The Twilight Zone” added in for good measure to create an unbelievable reading experience.

Louis, the main character of Days Of Allison, is a self-proclaimed loner living his life of solitude with very little human interaction. All that changes when his overbearing Mother purchases a life-like robot for Louis to have as a companion. From the moment that Allison, Shapiro’s expertly realized robot, enters Louis’s life, he realizes that nothing will ever be the same again. Shapiro lays out a perfectly crafted story that will have the reader questioning what constitutes life or if the soul truly exists only to have the rug pulled out from under them with an ending that will leave you reeling long after the book is set down.

With the opening line, “Allison and I were together for fourteen days”, Shapiro tips his hand and lets you know from the beginning that this will not end well for his protagonist. As you work your way through the story, you genuinely feel for the main character and his ideas about loneliness so much so that you find yourself hoping that events will turn out well for him. However, deep down you know he has dark times ahead. The reader does not go into this expecting a happy ending, but where the story leads will have you rethinking everything about the novella you just finished reading.

If you are hesitating at picking this novella up because you think this is well-covered territory then I am here to tell you that you have never been more wrong. DAYS OF ALLISON, though rooted in a familiar plotline, is a magnificent piece of fiction that was one the most original takes on the idea of artificial life that I have come across in a long time. This novella is destined to become required reading for anyone looking to enjoy a grand futuristic tale.

I highly recommend The Days Of Allison by Eric Shapiro for anyone who wants to lose themselves in the exceptional writing and breathtaking story of this remarkably well-developed novella by a writer who is sure to make a phenomenal impact in the horror genre.

Crosswing Books

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APPLE OF MY EYE By Amy Grech
Review by César Puch

Lust and deception come to the city in Amy Grech’s short story collection “Apple of My Eye”. Within its pages await a number of consenting adults, hungry for satisfaction and out for a thrill, like Gia, the protagonist of the story that lends its title to the book. The story is an effective character study of a young woman with a dark past who’s ready to share her secrets with a casual encounter. In a likewise erotic path, “Come and Gone” is a twisted glance at a man who seeks for ways to pleasure himself after his girlfriend decides to leave him. Grech’s characters are anything but shy and carry more than their share of obscure intentions under their skin.

Unfortunately, not every story is as effective as it could have been; most of the tales in this collection feel somewhat hasty.

There are some stories that I felt had a lot more to offer. In the disturbing “Crosshairs”, Grech tries to make an analogy between a twelve-year-old boy’s desire to make his father proud of his shooting skills and his sexual awakening. Grech weaves an interesting tale that parallels the boy’s arousal to the anticipation of becoming a better shooter, but the story takes a strange turn right at the end which again feels rushed and not that natural. I believe with a bit more work, “Crosshairs” could have been among the best. In “Prevention”, a man poses as his twin brother and proceeds to trick their ageing mother. Again, a great premise which didn’t quite work toward the end. “Snubbed” takes a look at two women who seek revenge on the man who raped one of them, but the tale doesn’t tap into their intentions as deeply as it could have. As a result, the story becomes simply a bloody episode of vengeance.

Other problems I found in “Apple of my Eye” have to do with the character’s reactions and decisions—which seem forced and less than believable—in an effort to move the story forward. Take for example the couple in “Raven’s Revenge” are ready to start a séance just because they heard a noise and found a window open; add to them the building’s super who in an instant is ready to perform as a medium. Grech’s characters (for example the teen in “Initiation” or the characters in “Cold Comfort”) tend to change their demeanors all of a sudden as the author tries to provide a twist, but it happens so out of the blue that the reader inevitably feels he’s missed something. To this I found some less than engaging dialogue (a scene from “Snubbed” comes to mind, where a woman tells her best friend, who has just been raped, “You’ve got to report this to the police and set the wheels of justice in motion!”) which is just distracting.

Not all of the stories in “Apple of My Eye” turn around sexual issues. “Rampart” is a supernatural tale about an old man who believes the walls of his castle are closing in on him. The female character in this story appears mostly an accessory, and her inexplicable reactions toward the end ruin the story for me. “Perishables”, my favorite of the lot, is a very short story about a man who loses his family during a nuclear attack, and what he is forced to do when time passes. “Initiation” deals with high school bullying while “EV 2000” takes the science fiction path with a blood-recollecting device obsessed with experimenting with humanity. But the one story which was really unexpected was “Damp Wind and Leaves”, a tender story of teen crushes set in Halloween time. This story almost stands as an island among a sea of twisted lust. It provided at once a chance to meet another side of Grech, as well as being treated to a slightly deeper treatment of the characters.

Grech has some good premises within these pages, although I feel they could have benefited form a little more work, a little revision of dialogue and the character’s actions. There are a couple of satisfying stories, which lead me to believe that Grech can pull it off well by polishing her craft a bit further.

Raw Dog Screaming Press

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THE SHADOW OF FRANKENSTEIN by By Stefan Petrucha
Review by William Gagliani

Whether adding to existing canons (The X-Files, Kolchak, Nancy Drew), or creating his own (Timetripper), Stefan Petrucha can always be relied upon to provide engrossing, entertaining, and inventive characters and plots. He strikes gold again in this new novel that's a tie-in to the Universal franchise monster movies we all grew up on. What a gig! You get to breathe new life in old monsters, create a whole new world in which to drop them, and put your own stamp on a milestone pretty much every horror geek can lay claim to, all while clearly having fun. What I'd like to know is, who's his agent, and will she take my calls?

Seriously, still the first thing we're looking for when we crack a novel is grand old entertainment, a good story well told. Here we're given some familiar bits reshuffled to tell a brand new story that's very much an heir to the original Universal movie canon. Sort of officially a sequel to the James Whale films Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, Shadow begins with Henry Frankenstein (Victor's son) fleeing to Britain in the 1930s. He's become obsessed with the same things as his father, and his creature has slaughtered a number of villagers and was supposedly killed in a laboratory explosion. Now Henry's also obsessed with learning about the man whose brain he implanted in the creature. Might the man's cruel nature have been preserved along with the tissue? Henry's wife is frail and on the edge of madness due to old Henry's obsessive compulsive monster-making, and the creature himself has managed to stow away on the steamer that takes them to post-Great War London. Yet another obsessive, a policeman from back home, is also on the trail, with his own agenda.

Now here Petrucha has great fun imagining the scene in which a new Jack the Ripper is slicing his way through Whitechapel whores. It's not long before Henry's strange habits (grave-robbing, etc.) land him in trouble with Scotland Yard, and he is after all a doctor... The creature, meanwhile, manages to befriend a pair of London prostitutes who think him retarded but somehow worthy of their help. It's not long before both creature and creator are wanted by the Yard in connection to the murders and other odd goings-on. And a bizarre symbiotic relationship between Henry and the Ripper begins when Jack realizes Henry may have achieved something momentous, sending us off to a perfectly cinematic, rip-roaring denouement.

Choosing to begin the novel in the creature's point of view is a master stroke, and the device carries us deeply into the plot. A small gripe is that the creature's point of view is regrettably abandoned halfway through and barely ever revisited, and it's arguably what renders the first half as poignant as Mary Shelley's original novel. In fact, Shelley's themes are well-explored here – who is human, who is a monster? At what cost does science play God? Among the three monsters portrayed, which are the worst? And one can't help flashing back to King Kong, too, when the creature runs amok in London and is chained into submission, after having also bonded with one of the prostitutes. Petrucha makes his details and dialogue believable and easily evokes the flavor of gaslit London with a Ripper on the loose (electricity hasn't spread to the alleys of Whitechapel). Anyone who has enjoyed the source material will likely find something to appreciate in this loving tribute that's a solid piece of writing in its own right. Cue the dramatic music and pop the corn – it's black and white movie night.

DH Press (A Division of Dark Horse Comics)

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PLAGUE OF THE DEAD (THE MORNINGSTAR STRAIN) by Z.A. Recht
Review by Dennis Duncan

The End of the World has begun. It is called Morning Star. A virus of unknown origin and is unlike anything the world has ever seen. Those who are infected are subject to fever, chills, and very violent behavior.

As the virus further takes hold, those who are infected become incoherent and insanely violent. Their only will in life is to destroy any human that isn't a carrier of the virus. Those who are infected will eventually die but the virus isn't done. It reanimates the carrier who then rises and walks the earth seeking warm human flesh. Destruction of the Brain is the only way to bring the carrier down for good.

Anna DeMilio of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases has studied the virus. She knows it has the power to destroy mankind, and she is trying to warn the world. She knows that if it isn't quarantined to Africa the whole world will soon be overrun. Her warnings aren't heeded in time, and after a military operation in North Africa fails to contain the virus, the entire world finds itself in the middle of a massive pandemic that can’t be stopped. All the major nations of the world start falling into chaos. The carriers are roaming the streets of all the major cities, and there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Anna, with the help of a reporter and a rogue NSA agent, escapes a burning Washington, DC in hopes of meeting up with a ragtag military unit. She looks to find a safe place to continue her research. She is on a mission to find a cure before all is lost. America is in chaos now and they all know that the journey ahead will be pure Hell.

I have said it time and time before, but I will say it one more time. I am a sucker for a good zombie story.

I have also come to expect nothing but the best from Permuted Press releases. They publish the best Zombie Fiction, so when I got my copy of Plague of the Dead I was expecting nothing but the best, and Surprise Surprise I was blown away once again. Plague takes off early and the action doesn't stop till the last page.

This book has some of the best action scenes you will find in a zombie story. The Suez Canal fight scene had me literally on the edge of my seat. I didn't want it to end. Mr.

Recht has written one hell of a story and I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that Plague is only the first installment of this story. He is going to make a trilogy out of this story and I can’t wait for the next installment.

I Highly recommend Plague of the Dead to all Zombie Fiction Lovers. Plague is 28 Days Later meets Dawn of the Dead. It has something for everyone. Go grab yourself a copy and I can promise you that you won’t be sorry.

Permuted Press

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TOMES OF THE DEAD: DEATH HULK by Matthew Sprange
Review by Joe Kroeger

Tomes Of The Dead: Death Hulk is the introductory novel from an exciting new series that takes the concept of the zombie novel to an inspiring new level. With the much deserved resurgence of zombie fiction hobbling back into the horror genre, it is nice to see books that push the envelope to bring a fresh and unique viewpoint back into a well-covered category. Each book in the series plans to look at zombies in a completely new light infusing the stories with enough original plots and nail-biting action to capture the reader’s attention. Matthew Sprange does a phenomenal job of writing a novel worthy to spearhead this hair-raising action-packed new series of zombie books.

Set in the midst of the Napoleonic war, Tomes Of The Dead: Death Hulk begins with the HMSWhirlwind awaiting orders while anchored of the coast to protect against a French invasion. The orders finally come down to Captain Havelock to set sail for the Cape of Good Hope to hunt down the French frigate Elita who has been causing trouble in that area. They quickly arrive and locate their enemy only to discover a second ship mysteriously tracking them from the distance horizon. Upon engaging the second vessel, they find themselves facing an army of zombies manning a ghost ship set on course of revenge that may cost Captain Havelock his life and the lives of his crew.

Matthew Sprange’s writing perfectly captures the details and language of the time period while weaving the tale with rich atmosphere and poetic descriptions. You lose yourself within the exotic locations, experiencing exactly what the author wants you to experience while surrounded by his well-developed characters. He keeps the action and suspense ratcheted up, expertly sneaking in enough of the back story so that the reader barely notices any lulls in the break-neck speed of the novel. By the time the final confrontations take place, you find yourself so involved within the novel that you are held prisoner by Sprange’s expert storytelling until the final page is turned.

The novel is a fun read, taking all the best of a rip-roaring high seas adventure to satisfy any suspense reader and throwing in enough decaying zombies to capture the attention of the most discerning horror fan. Sprange fills this novel with enough history to create an accurate view of that era while making the zombie aspect seem completely plausible to the reader. Any reader is sure to find some aspect of this book that they will thoroughly enjoy creating a novel that will please a wide range of tastes.

If you are looking for a novel that takes the run-of-the-mill zombie story and turns it on it’s head, then I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Tomes Of The Dead: Death Hulk by Matthew Sprange and lose yourself on a grand adventure.

Abaddon Books

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FLORIDA HORROR. Dark Tales from the Sunshine State Edited by Armand Rosamilia
Review by Mario Guslandi

If you think Florida is just a heaven for happy retirees, you’d better reconsider: with its alligators, swamps, hurricanes etc. the sunshine state is a dangerous place. Sceptical? Then you should read this book, published by the small Florida-based imprint Carnifex Press, featuring twelve terrific tales dealing with a variety of local horrors apt to give you the goosebumps.

Most of the contributors are either newcomers or scarcely known writers who face Florida’s darkest aspects with variable results. Some stories are ingenuous, but untidily written; others display a neat narrative style but lack of inspiration. On the other hand a bunch of tales are very good indeed and exhibit a superior quality compared with the average horror story you can currently find in genre book and magazines.

This is the case, for instance, of Don’t Look Back by Heather Lee Fleming, which, although occasionally burdened with a rather obscure symbolism, provides good entertainment by depicting strange events taking place in the infamous Bermuda Triangle.

A Tale of Trapped Tommy by Belea T Keeney is an excellent, suspenseful story where an unusual predator is loose in the Florida woods and swamps.

In John Hubbard’s gripping tale The Dog Man of Sopchoppy a murderous creature killing animals and people in the Florida wilderness back in the 40s makes an unexpected return.

British writer Gary Fry contributes Illusio, a compelling piece in which a family trip to Florida brings about unforeseen consequences.

In Lon Prater’s Even at The End, There was Gridlock a huge traffic jam on the interstate turns into an even worse nightmare. The story provides an effective rendition of the attitudes of drivers and passengers trapped in their cars under a blasting sun.

Gods and Reptiles by Ward Parker is a disquieting piece full of Lovecraftian echoes set on the shores of Florida Bay among weird-acting crocodiles and strange, alien worms.

Thus, fifty percent of the stories included in this anthology really hit the target, which is not bad at all for a book whose authors are comparative novices. Give it a try then, while waiting for the next volume that is going to explore the horrors from Louisiana...

Carnifex Press

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YOUNG OF HEART By Steven Lee Climer
Review by César Puch

“Young of Heart” is the first installment in a series directed at children between 7 and 12. In this collection, Steven Lee Climer puts together four horror stories which are hard to look at as a group because of how different each one is from the next. The tales go from the subtle to the graphic, from the straightforward to the more deeply developed.

Take “ High Lonesome Road”, where a young boy who goes hunting for fireflies ends up finding an old gentle woman in the woods who invites him to a very peculiar gathering. Although there are elements of the supernatural, the tale is very subtle, almost lyrical, with an underlying glance at themes like religion and inner peace. In contrast, the disturbing “When the Fat Lady Burns” doesn’t include a supernatural element but gives more than one chill with its twisted storyline. Here, a teenage boy is held at gunpoint by a strange woman who threatens to shoot his little sister dead if he doesn’t accept to marry the woman’s daughter (who is only seven years old) and “be the daddy to all her grandkids and maybe some more of her own”. Although the prose is simple, the situations, including bleeding gunshot wounds and a gruesome ending, could be a bit too much for the younger readers.

“The Comet” is a very straightforward little horror story about a young boy in a wheelchair who must battle a monster that lives in an abandoned roller coaster. This is the shortest story and it limits itself to telling the tale. It feels like the kind of story young kids would tell in the dark, holding a flashlight under their faces.

Finally, “Devil’s Food” is slightly longer than the rest and it does more of a character study of his young protagonist, an overweight outcast who is offered the possibility of becoming the person he has always dreamed of: a good looking, muscular, extremely popular kid. With Faustian traces, the story is more about the realization of who this boy becomes once he is on the other side of the teasing. Does he become another bully? Or does he sympathize with those who have to endure abuse like he once did. “Devil’s Food” is thus slightly deeper than the rest of the stories when it comes to character development.

The stories in “Young of Heart” share Climer’s vivid descriptions and fast pace, though at different degrees of complexity. Personally I would have liked to see a little more character development in The Comet’s unlikely hero; it would have resulted in a much more engaging story. Climer even takes the chance to pick up a stick and poke at sleeping beasts like racism or consumerism.

It would be interesting to see what future installments of “Young at Heart” are bringing. Although I found none of these stories boring, I did feel them dissimilar. However, I do feel Climer has what it takes to bring a balance to future installments.

Mardi Gras Publishing

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WEDDING BELLS, TORTURED SOULS by Angela Albee
Review by Joe Kroeger

If you are looking for a quick read brimming with haunting images that pull no punches, Wedding Bells, Tortured Souls by Angela Albee offers up a frightening tale with a fine-tuned plot moving at a break-neck speed until you reach the shocking finish. Albee has a poetry background and it really shows with her crisp prose and imaginative imagery flowing throughout the story.

Wedding Bells, Tortured Souls tells the story of Amber, a woman who begins having vivid dreams of a killer savagely murdering his victims that leave her emotionally distraught and physically drained. As the visions begin to infringe on her waking hours, she desperately seeks the help of her friend Natalie who is struggling with her own demons regarding a murder of an old classmate. As the story unfolds, secrets are revealed that lead the reader breathlessly to an ending that will haunt you with a “Twilight Zone” atmosphere.

Coming in at close to forty pages, this is a quick one-sitting read that may be better served contained within a collection of similar stories or expanding on the premise to create a longer novella length piece. After coming to the end of this story, I was left wishing that there was more to read, because I felt as if I was not ready to leave the book behind quite so soon.

As I mentioned before, with her poetry background, Albee’s prose if rich and packed with beautifully poetic imagery that really shows the reader the details of her story. The problem I found with this story lies within the dialogue peppered throughout. Where her prose is alive with exceptional writing, her dialogue seems to stiff and unreal. I found myself wondering if her finely drawn characters would truly be saying the dialogue she was putting in their mouths.

Aside from the slight flaws, I really did enjoy my time with this book as I was led through the story by Angela Albee’s brisk pacing and great understanding of how to shock and haunt with her words. I feel that Albee has a bright future ahead of her writing horror and suspense fiction and I look forward to the next story to come out of her imagination.

As I said, if you are looking for a fast suspenseful read, you can’t go wrong with Wedding Bells, Tortured Souls by Angela Albee.

Publish America

 

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