Category Archives: Fiction Reviews

Review – “Phantasy Moste Grotesk” by Felicity Dowker

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Maybe it’s because I’m British, but recently so many great stories have fallen into my lap that I’ve had nothing to moan about, and I’ve kinda missed it.groteskI thought the opportunity might come with this little chapbook from Corpulent Insanity Press, purchased on a whim simply because I liked the title and cover. But it wasn’t to be.

Phantasy Moste Grotesk is an exceptional novella, a colourful and emotive horror tale that rubs its hands gleefully whenever you pull a face in distaste.

It follows the tale of Josh, whose evening with a takeaway pizza and a book is upset by the arrival of a ghastly, black-eyed kid at his front door. Along with his troubled ex-girlfiriend, he visits a circus tent that has mysteriously sprung up in a nearby playing field: a sinister carnival that promises monsters moste grotesk and phantastique.

That we certainly get. The tale is a claustrophobic descent, just as notable for the emotional destruction that ensues as well as the twisted attractions within the big top’s yellow canvas walls. I think the carnival theme can be precarious ground for horror and dark fantasy writers. There’s a danger of unoriginality and cliché, and because the opportunity is there to really let the imagination go, there’s a risk of exposing oneself as not being able to pull the punches when the golden chance has presented itself.

Felicity Dowker’s story avoids these pitfalls with a sneer. There’s some vividly sick images that cling in the memory (the ferris wheel is stunning), but more important is the way some of the horrors entwine with the characters and the deeply personal anguish of their plight. This chapbook seems to give an actual taste of madness, not just somebody’s guess as to what it might be like.

I’ve no complaints. It begins with a wheel-spin, slows to let you get your breath back, then slowly accelerates, faster and faster until by the climax, you’re clinging to the pages, appalled and intrigued in equal measures.

If you’ve missed out, then keep your eye out for Felicity Dowker. I hope, actually I’m sure, that we’ll be seeing a lot more of her deliciously sour prose in the future.

Review – Nemonymous #9: Cern Zoo edited by DF Lewis

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The latest in editor D.F. Lewis’s Nemonymous anthology series, in which the authors are listed but not attached to the particular stories, is a cauldron of interesting ideas. Whether sf, fantasy or just plain strange, the 24 literary stories should provide something of interest to anybody with a love of the written word.N9This volume being loosely themed around the title Cern Zoo, we have several tales featuring animals (of the real, the supernatural and the fantastic) and several references to CERN and the Large Hadron Collider. But what really brings this anthology together is colourful imagination and crisp writing.

There are 2 tales set in British pubs – “Artis Eterne” and “City of Fashion” – both of which bring an extraordinary establishment to life. From the spooky, silent man propping up the bar in the former, to the claggy, dripping walls and clasutrophobic heat of the latter, these are memorable settings, animated by the weird and wonderful people who frequent them.

Of the title-themed stories “Mellie’s Zoo” is an evocative and convincing journey into a dusty, abandoned zoo through the eyes of young girl and the childhood monsters that lurk within the rusty cages, herself and possibly us all.

“Window to the Soul” depicts an uneasy future in which neuro-technology offers tremendous reward but with ultimately depressing consequences.

“Salmon Widow” is a rich and very human tale about an elderly lady and her visits to a quaint country retreat. Ghosts, memories and longing collide in a tale full of strong characters and powerful imagery.

In the excellent “Turn the Crank” – more of a traditional horror piece – buskers and entertainers find their high-street routines shattered by the arrival of a creaky old organ-grinder and his creepy, stuffed monkey.

Also worthy of special mention is “Devourer of Dreams”, a dark and unsettling story about a boy’s discovery of an exotic monstrosity owned by his father, and the terrible price that can come with the promise of success. It’s a serious theme tackled by a gruesome imagination.

That’s only a fraction of what’s on offer, and all the nemonymous authors involved have brought something worthy to the feast. Many can be read at face value or should you choose to, enjoyed for their satire and metaphor. This is an intelligent anthology devoid of cheap thrills, but the scattering of flash throughout is nicely arranged to bring humour and a pleasant diversion from the heavier stories.

Cern Zoo is a banquet. A cornucopia of flavour and texture, of many courses and layers. Just beware of the cockroaches lurking in the salad.

Review – “The Golem” by Edward Lee

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I picked up this book hoping for some gory, supernatural fun, and that I certainly found, but a lot more besides.

It follows the story of Seth and Judy, a middle aged couple fresh out of rehab and escaping the darkness of their pasts by relocating to an old farmhouse on the quiet Maryland coast.GolemBut their peace is short-lived thanks to corrupt cops, drug dealers, and a local Jewish history of occult slaughter that appears to involve the reanimation of corpses into terrifying, murderous rape-machines of lore known as Golems.

The book switches between the present and the 1880s, nicely filling in the history and origins of the troubled town as we go along. While the first half is more gently paced, with enough intrigue and interesting characters – both pleasant and vile – to keep the interest from waning, the second half suddenly explodes. After that, the novel doesn’t pause for breath as everybody is sucked down into gruesome nightmare, and the conclusion is unexpected and wonderfully dark.

The Golem has plenty of Lee trademarks. I expected bodies to be torn asunder, swathes of blood, skulls, imaginative violence and nasty behaviour, and wasn’t disappointed. This is Ed Lee after all.  But despite all the supernatural brutality, it was Judy’s achingly human story that kept me glued to the pages. Despite the horrors that surround her, she has to battle personal demons and is trapped in a descent that is convincing and tragically inevitable.

There’s a few typos on the editing side, but other than that, it’s a very accomplished novel from a master of no-holds-barred fiction. Genre fans will devour it.

Review – “Zombie Punter” by Zoe E. Whitten

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This short novel hooked me from the off.A couple of friends who’ve long-discussed what they’d do in the event of a zombie apocalypse find their techniques put to the test when they awake in the middle of a new age of undead carnage. This tale has plenty of genre tropes that are pleasingly delivered, some great fights and interesting new ideas on zombie science.

The relationship of the two friends is convincing, developing with a few surprises, and the author tackles issue such as religion, revenge, sexuality and survival with a wise and experienced voice. Throw in plenty of grisly action and a sense of humour, and you’ve got a very entertaining way to spend an hour or so.

Zoe E Whitten

Review – Black Static #10

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As ever, this excellent magazine from TTA press is the product of keen editorial eyes.Static 10The selection of book/film reviews and genre articles are tight and informed. Amongst other things, Christopher Fowler talks about B-movies, Stephen Volk discusses Amicus films and the state of modern horror, and there’s a Q&A with Thomas Ligotti. Oh, and congratulations to Allyson Bird for a positive review of her brilliant collection “Bull Running For Girls”

The fiction selected for Black Static is always impressive. Christopher Fowler starts with a jazz-infused tale of voodoo set in post-katrina New Orleans. The traditional tropes of such a story are given such colour that they  intrude from the page in a blaze of seamless storytelling.

“The Chair” by Gary McMahon is a short, open-ended tale about a troubled young boy, his disturbed mother and missing father. It bears all the trademarks of the author’s work I have grown to love; a bleak atmosphere, pathos and prose to savour.

“Washer Woman” by Scott Lambridis is a vivid tale of war in which a miserable group of soldiers encounter a village peasant woman who appears to be some kind of assistant of death. The sense of place is impressive and ultimately rather depressing, but it rescued me from losing any sense of enjoyment by the traditional supernatural.

Maura McHugh’s “Vic” concerns a sickly young boy confined to his room and the nightmares that normalcy might conceal. The tragic humanity and immediate empathy makes the tale strong, something that most of Black Static’s stories achieve.

“Beacuse Your Blood Is Darker Than Mine” by James Cooper is a very dark ride, so vivid is the POV of a young girl we follow through a traumatic series of events populated by the chilling, almost carnivalesque members of her family.

The  last story, “Eastlick” by Shannon Page, finishes the fiction very nicely: an adolescent coming of age story with a sting in the tail.

The writing is slick and faultless throughout, and while the stories may be less concrete and conclusive than some tastes may prefer, they have sharp narrative voice, genuine feeling and a nightmarish quality that is seldom captured so well.

Recommended.

Jeff Carlson – Plague Year

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The latest in a string of apocalypse novels on my TBR pile.

plague year

A nanotechnology designed to cure cancer runs amok and wipes out most of the world’s population. As the nanos destruct at altitude, the survivors are scattered atop mountains and hope seems to lie with some scientists aboard the international space station in orbit.

An uninspiring cover hides a well-told tale that begins rather slowly, padding out the characters and background , and at one point I almost lost interest, but it gathers speed towards a taut and unputdownable finale.

It’s an interesting take on the end of the world and the way the survivors descend into greed, deception and fear is believable and chilling, carried by some fantastic action and haunting and original scenes of armageddon.

Fans of the genre will be glad they stuck with it.

Review – “The Culled” by Simon Spurrier

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My wife bought this Afterblight book from Abaddon Books in a recent apocalyptic-fiction phase of which I wholeheartedly approve. I rattled through it, and it’s definitely one of those addictive stories where you anticipate the next chance to pick it up and dig in.CulledIt’s five years since most of the world’s population has been decimated and we find a new social order in the hands of a sinister cult called the Clergy. Our enigmatic protagonist (and narrator) takes us on a brutal adventure through the shanties and clans of New York. He isn’t an entirely pleasant creature, and deliberately so, and proves to be increasingly fascinating the more we learn.

The characters present all our traits, from the reassuring to the heinous, giving the book an extraordinary sense of humanity; the triumphs and the flaws. This makes the extreme violence all the more shocking, yet at the same time, sometimes understandable.

It’s a very colourful tale that manages to be a homage to the familiar (there’s plenty for fans of  Mad Max and Escape from New York here) while also treading fresh, unexplored ground. The pace is relentless and it’s all tied up nicely at the end in a manner that should be irritatingly contrived, but instead just cements a solid story.

This novel has certainly thrust Abaddon books to the forefront of my attention. If you’re not a fan of the tribal, post-apocalyptic futures, you’ll probably think it’s good. If you are, you’ll love it.

Review – “Hawg” by Steven Shrewsbury

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“Hawg is one wild ride…” begins Bryan Smith’s blurb on the cover, and if I had to sum up this novel in five words, they’d be what I’d choose.

In the rural community of Miller’s Fork, a feral tusked beast is on the rampage, raping and slaughtering his way across the countryside.HAWGThe cast of characters includes a gang of tough bikers, a bewildered police force, some tenacious kids and a farmer who likes his religion dipped in fire and brimstone.

These folks come across as very real, producing some great dialogue and often also a sense of fun. The occasional grin-inducing, theatrical lines of dialogue are self-aware and saved for just the right moment.

But it’s not all smiles.  There’s extreme violence, an impressive body count and one scene in which a pair of kids are trapped and terrorised by the terrifying Hawg had me holding my breath. The gore is in-yer-face, but pleasingly not at the expense of story.

I have a couple of negatives. In the first half of the book, I had to flick back a couple of times to keep up with who was whom. The second gripe was a Hawg chase through a printworks. It was a blast at first –  a joyous slab of carnage –  but went on for just a couple of pages too long and  I was getting bored by the time it finished, which was a shame.

But overall, this book is bang on. There’s some visceral ideas, nods to the genre and a strong sense of place. In fact, the pace and vision of Hawg would translate perfectly into a movie. The film-makers would need a stout cast, a talented director and truckloads of fake blood and offal to do it justice.

You know you want to. Hawg needs to play.

Graveside Tales

Steven Shrewsbury

Review – Bust Down The Door and Eat All The Chickens #8

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The Journal of Absurd and Surreal Fiction #8

I know you shouldn’t judge books by their covers (or indeed titles), but I’ll confess it’s the reason I bought this one. Well, look at it. You’re telling me you’re not intrigued?

Maybe it was because of my illogical impulsiveness that my hopes weren’t high.

Like most publications, some of the stories are better than others, but  what did strike me is that in every case, the level of writing is unusually high. The editor clearly has an eye for quality prose.bdtdaeatc8

Anyway, the highlights.

“Bang Bang” by Adam Breckenridge is a great little story about a powerful man with the freedom to dispose of anyone who bothers him. The repetitive inevitability of his trigger finger was really making me laugh by the end.

“We Witnessed The Advent Of A New Apocalypse During An Episode Of Friends” by Blake Butler is by far the darkest of the 11 stories within. The title describes it perfectly and we see a gradual intrusion of nightmare into the whimsical, familiar, laughter-track world of Rachel, Chandler and co. It’s creepy and vividly disturbing, shared by both the cast and their TV dinner audience. I read it through twice, and may do again.

“Castle Cesare” by Rhys Hughes is probably my favourite. This historical, Italian tale describes a man who becomes trapped upon a vast and realistic orrery, one of those mechanical devices that depicts the solar system with models of moving planets. It has humour, tension, imagination and a brilliant, uncontrived punchline.

There’s also a story by D. Harlan Wilson, and his words glow from the pages, as always.

Overall I was very pleasantly surprised by this mixed bag of the imaginative and the bizarre. A quality journal from a keen editorial eye to which I’m tempted to subscribe.

Visit the Absurdist Journal site here…

Review – We Fade To Grey, edited by Gary McMahon

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This anthology of British supernatural horror novelettes from Pendragon Press proves there are some small press publications out there that can go toe-to-toe with the heavyweights of the genre. All 5 stories are beautifully written and slick as a fresh werewolf pelt, yet their shadows envelope you in different ways.We fade to grey

Paul Finch kicks off the grim proceedings with “The Pumping Station”. This features a trio of young quad-bikers who experience a countryside accident leaving them at the mercy of an unspeakable menace. This story is so vividly evoked that you will feel the rain on your face, the cold mud and hot blood against your skin. The arrival of the aforementioned menace actually sent a shiver down my spine, something that hasn’t happened for some time, and I salute this tale of creeping doom.

While the Pumping Station was an exercise in escalating terror, the strength of Stuart Young’s “Bliss” begins with humour and camaraderie amongst its characters in an uncomfortable atmosphere. We find a young Iraq war veteran, back home and attending his murdered father’s funeral. After the locals start turning nasty, he is drawn deeper into trouble with his brother until the whole situation resembles an ultra-violent, X-rated episode of Doctor Who. Although I detected a Lovecraftian vibe at the end, this is probably the least “horror” of the bunch. But it’s also the most fun.

“Heads”, written by the anthology’s editor, proves Gary McMahon is a writer to watch. It’s back to the full blown horror as we meet the narrator, one half of a middle-aged couple, devastated by several miscarriages in their attempt to start a family. After they discover some creepy folklore artefacts buried in the garden, an unexpected pregnancy arrives and the tale accelerates into nightmare. McMahon’s prose is a rare treat. His attention to detail in human interaction creates characters you can see and feel, and the couple’s grief and fear is quite palpable.  This makes for a very intense descent.

“The Mill” by Mark West is next to rumble out of the darkness. A man who has lost his wife to cancer suffers strange dreams and discovers through a bereavement support group that he is being drawn towards something sinister. Something centred around an old abandoned mill. Dealing with grief, suicide and desperation, this one grabs your heart-strings and twists. Extra kudos to the author for being able to write dream sequences that aren’t dull.

The last tale by Simon Bestwick is a grim slab of post-apocalypse. “The Narrows” is told by a teacher attempting to save himself and a few surviving pupils and fellow staff from a nuclear fall-out. Their journey through a network of flooded subterranean tunnels is intolerably bleak and will remain in your head for good. Breath-squeezingly claustrophobic yet at the same time very poignant and moving, this isn’t one to read to your kids. Or to anyone afraid of the dark. Or scared of the supernatural. Or a nuclear holocaust. Well, anybody in fact. Other than the ne’er-do-wells who actually like  this kind of thing. Like me.

So there it is. We Fade To Grey sets the bar high from the off and doesn’t pause for breath. I normally only like the supernatural in small doses, but this imaginative collection packs such a wallop – both emotional and visceral – that I didn’t care one bit. All five authors weave genuine human pathos with blood and don’t then go and spoil everything with a happy ending. Brilliant. Grab one while you can.

Order here from Pendragon Press