Brian Keene’s novella Alone reads like a long lost Twilight Zone episode. You can almost hear Rod Serling’s narration; “Submitted for your approval, Mr. Dan Miller, who wakes up one day and finds that everyone he knows and loves–in fact, everyone on earth–has disappeared…” Keene gets this strange tale up and running quickly, and continues… Continue reading Alone by Briane Keene
We’ve all read gritty, NYC crime dramas and police procedurals before, but Joseph M. Monks’ Torn to Pieces, hits harder and cuts deeper than most. The chemistry between Detectives Jack Whelan and Burton Carver is similar to Joe R. Lansdale’s brilliant Hap Collins and Leonard Pine novels; I hope Monks has more Whelan/Carver tales to… Continue reading Torn to Pieces by Joseph M. Monks
Since this is my official book blog, I figured this is the appropriate place to post this column from October 2011 about the future of books. I still miss my books… Books are beautiful. Their construction is so basic — paper, ink, glue, and cardboard. But each is a doorway into another time and space,… Continue reading Toss The Bookshelf, Not The Books
Brian Keene has been both praised and criticized for writing books that read like the novelizations of yet-to-be-made B-horror movies. Giant bugs, weird aliens, zombies, and action, action, action — a Keene novel is like a raucous night at a ’70s drive-in creature feature. Personally, I like Keene’s style, maybe because I like bad B-horror… Continue reading Kill Whitey by Brian Keene
Scott Nicholson often writes about the strange burgs and creepy backwaters found along the Appalachian Trail, and Burial to Follow is no exception. I’ll admit, I didn’t understand everything that was going on in this novella – something about helping recently departed souls cross over by eating memorial pies – but Nicholson’s ability to create… Continue reading Burial To Follow by Scott Nicholson
Joe Lansdale is a master storyteller and Waltz of Shadows is no exception. Like many of Lansdale’s novels, this is a tale of family, and the bonds that tie us to one another. It’s also the story of death-defying thrill seekers, cheating husbands, corrupt cops, child pornographers, and a henchman with horrendous body odor. It’s… Continue reading Waltz of Shadows by Joe Lansdale
A man in a remote locale is driven insane my personal demons, delves into strange artistry, and turns on his family. Oh, and he needs to keep an eye on a potentially explosive boiler too. No, it’s not Stephen King’s The Shining, though Brian James Freeman has a character-driven, flashback-obsessed style similar to King’s.… Continue reading The Painted Darkness by Brian James Freeman
Geoff Cooper and Brian Keene know their stuff. Cooper’s Retribution Inc is one of the finest rock-n-roll horror stories I’ve read. And Keene’s The Rising and Terminal are two of the best novels written in years, both within the horror genre and without. Shades is a nice combo effort from Keene and Coop. Coop… Continue reading Shades by Brian Keene and Geoff Cooper
Sometimes good writers produce crappy novels. Such is the case with William Peter Blatty’s Elsewhere. Blatty is a master of supernatural and horror fiction. Hell, Stephen King might have remained a high school English teacher if Blatty hadn’t kicked the door to the horror genre open with The Exorcist in 1971. Blatty’s Legion is… Continue reading Elsewhere by William Peter Blatty
Minnion’s supernatural police procedural reminds me of the work of Graham Masterton. Minnion’s characters may no be wholly original — the emotionally unstable cop, his doting ma, his long-suffering gal, his trusted partner — but they’re lively, engaging, and they keep this story humming along. Kudos to Minnion for coming up with a truly creepy… Continue reading The Bone Worms by Keith Minnion