Beware The Shadows

So I’m very busy these days. I’m wrapping up a foreign trip more or less around the world. I’ll be posting pictures from the spookier places on the itinerary, including a more detailed post on Chernobyl. At the same time, my reading list is expanding more every day. Lee Thompson, one of my favorite new authors, just sent me an advanced copy of his new book, Gossamer: A Story of Love and Tragedy. And I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy (hey, being an author has its perks) of Graeme Reynold’s High Moor 2: Moonstruck, the sequel to High Moor, one of my favorite books of the last few years and the best werewolf book I’ve ever read. And I am reading The Immortal Body by William Holloway, a book I’ve only not finished because I have no time these days. It’s a great addition to Lovecraftian fiction (and I am only half-finished). If you are a fan of that kind of book, you need to pick this one up immediately. It’s great.

Oh yeah, and I am working on the sequel to That Which Should Not Be. Like I said, busy time.

More reviews to come. In the meantime, pick up some of these books and support Indie horror authors. You’ll only regret it at night when you lay your head down and try to go to sleep…

I am really excited about this book, and I think you are going to like it. The review is here. Check it out.

Whether you’re a fan of the paranormal, the unknown, simply appreciate a good solid collection of short stories or wish to expand your horizons on further works of any of these authors, I encourage you whole heartedly to apply to one, Limbus Inc.

Ronald Malfi’s Floating Staircase was nominated for a 2012 Bram Stoker Award in the Best Novel category and for good reason. Ghost stories can be hard to pull off (I mean, they’ve all been told, right?). But somehow, Malfi manages to infuse his story with a tension and air of horror that is all too often missing in lesser novels.

Travis Glasgow is a writer (stories about writers are a sub-genre in themselves it seems) who’s seeking a new start with his wife, Jodie. What better place than Westlake, across the cul-de-sac from his brother? But Glasgow carries a secret—years before, he was responsible for his younger brother’s death. Perhaps it’s appropriate, then, that the home he has bought also has a dark story to tell—that of the son of the previous owners, a young boy who mysteriously disappeared in the lake, never to be found. And now, Glasgow is convinced that the same boy’s spirit haunts the house, seeking justice for his death.

Malfi is a genius when it comes to characterization. There’s really no other way to put it. The man doesn’t write his characters, he somehow brings them into the world. They are as real as you or I, and we live their struggles through Malfi’s books. And that is where the horror comes in. I’ve had more chill bumps from Malfi’s writing than every horror movie I’ve ever seen combined.

Malfi’s “Mourning House” was one of the best pieces of writing I have come across in years. With Floating Staircase, Malfi has officially become my favorite horror writer. I can’t wait to read more.

5 Stars

I like Benjamin Kane Ethridge. He’s a fantastic writer, and a nice guy to boot. When I found out I’d be working with him on Limbus, Inc., I decided that I would do a little research on the guy, and what better way than to read his latest, Bottled Abyss. I was not only impressed—I was surprised as well.

Here’s the book’s description.

Herman and Janet Erikson are going through a crisis of grief and suffering after losing their daughter in a hit and run. They’ve given up on each other, they’ve given up on themselves. They are living day by day. One afternoon, to make a horrible situation worse, their dog goes missing in the coyote-infested badlands behind their property. Herman, resolved in preventing another tragedy, goes to find the dog, completely unaware he’s on a hike to the River Styx, which according to Greek myth was the border between the Living World and the world of the Dead. Long ago the gods died and the River dried up, but a bottle containing its waters still remains in the badlands. What Herman discovers about the dark power contained in those waters will change his life forever…

Bottled Abyss is different from your average horror novel. Somehow, both the protagonist and the antagonist turn out not to be who you think they are, and nobody really does what you expect. In fact, there’s not really a bad guy at all. And then, about three-quarters of the way into the story, things get weird on a cosmological scale. What does that add up to? Not only an incredible read, but one that will leave you pondering it for weeks to come—the sign of something like literary genius.

Bottled Abyss is a book I would recommend to anyone who is willing to break out of the ordinary mold and enjoy something truly extraordinary. I don’t know that it is for everyone, but as with most things, that’s the ultimate compliment. 

5 Stars

http://bibliorex.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/book-review-that-which-should-not-be-by-brett-j-talley/

My previous point still stands.

Over at The Bookworm’s Lair. Interestingly, he wasn’t a huge fan of That Which Should Not Be, something that I have found to be quite common. People who love TWSNB are disappointed in The Void. People who didn’t like it love The Void. I wonder why? Any theories? An excerpt from the review:

It’s no exaggeration to say that THE VOID is one of the best horror novels I read in 2012 (yes, I’m a bit late in writing this review in February 2013). I had previously read Brett Talley’s previous novel, THAT WHICH SHOULD NOT BE, a fun contribution to the Cthulhu Mythos that ties a few other horror tropes to Lovecraft’s world in interesting ways, but it in no way prepared me for what I could expect from his latest. THE VOID is, in my experience, a rare beast: a science fiction novel that successfully blends the genre with strong horror elements.

This is Pripyat.

It was built in 1970 as the model Russian town, meant to show the success of Soviet Communism to the world. Its residents were well-off, well-educated, and young (the average age was only 26). They never faced the supply-shortages that other subjects of the Soviet Empire often encountered, and in fact, their greatest challenge was getting their kids into the best Kindergarten.

On the 26th of April, 1986, Pripyat had a population of nearly 50,000 people. On April 27, 1986, the Soviet Union ordered every one of them to evacuate. They were told to take money, their identity papers, and enough food and clothes to last them three days. They were told the evacuation would be a temporary measure. They were told that they would be able to go home by the end of the week. They never returned, and the name of Pripyat has faded into obscurity. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that you have never heard of Pripyat.

You know it by a different name.

Chernobyl.

To be continued…

1. Take nothing with you.

2. Leave nothing behind.

3. Do not eat or drink outdoors.

4. Do not smoke.

5. Do not touch the vegetation.

6. Do not sit or place any items on the ground.

7. Avoid low-lying areas.

8. Stay on the path and do exactly what your guide tells you.

9. All visitors must wear clothes with maximum coverage; i.e., no shorts, skirts, short-sleeved shirts, or open-toed shoes.

10. Upon leaving the zone, wash all clothes and exposed surfaces thoroughly.

Hey guys. I haven’t been posting as much lately. You can thank the Chinese government for that (they insist on censoring wordpress). More evidence that Communism sucks. Anyway, I am beyond their reach now, and I have a special treat for you. I’m going somewhere very interesting tomorrow. I’ll be out of communication for two days, but I have prepared some hints for the interested about where I’ll be. See if you can figure it out. Until I return…

Check it out here. I know I am biased, but I think Limbus, Inc. is going to be huge!

I picked up the first book in something called the Singularity Cycle today. Here’s the description for The Immortal Body:

Detective John Mitchell thought he understood murder. But that all changes when monsters are born during a faith healing at a local church.

Psychic Medium Sarah Lynn Beauchamp thought she understood the dead, but the dead have a new plan for her.

SAS veteran Dr. Menard thought the War was through with him until an unspeakable evil returns from the depths of a forgotten time.

Behind it all, a mysterious figure lurks, controlling the actors from the shadows, ushering an end to reason, sanity and the world as we know it.

Sounds interesting, and I’ve heard good things in the grapevine. I’ll let you know what I think later.

For so many reasons.

Brett J. Talley’s addition to the Lovecraftian Mythos is simply brilliant. A must read for any H. P. Lovecraft fan.

I searched for weeks for a free download of this novel, until I read the author’s website and his response about someone similar searching for a free download. I felt shamed and actually bought the book. It was one of the best investments I have made in a long time, and made me rethink how I support authors. In the future Mr. Talley, you have my money, I just want more stories from you.

“Limbus, Inc. is a brilliant concept that lets writers share a world while allowing their imaginations free rein. Ethridge, Mayberry, Nassise, Petty, and Talley take full advantage of all that creative elbow room and serve up some tasty stories. Do not miss this.”

“Limbus, Inc. is the best shared world anthology I’ve come across in the last twenty years. It was absolutely outstanding – five perfect stories from five of the top names in the business. Even the best shared world anthologies can, at times, play a little fast and loose with continuity, but not so Limbus, Inc. Editor Anne C. Petty has put together such a flexible, yet finely realized world here that the five voices she’s brought together sound like a choir warmed up in hell. This book is going to set the bar for shared world anthologies for a long time to come. Mark my words.”

Pre-order Limbus, Inc. Now!

“The five novellas in Limbus, Inc. are the kind of horror fiction I love most: Smart, scary, funny, edgy, melancholy, and set in a world I recognize all too well. The most frightening elements here aren’t alien princesses with insatiable appetites, ancient murder cults, or shapeshifting assassins, but desperation, hunger, neverending wars, and a wealthy class all too eager to prey on the rest of us. Limbus, Inc. isn’t just kickass – it’s five kinds of kickass.”

Pre-order Limbus, Inc. Now!