Classic Tales of Horror from Canterbury Classics. A short review of a great collection of tales in a high quality leather hardback form.

 

Classic Tales of Horror, from Canterbury Classics.

    This isn't my usual review. There is simply too much within this book to break down each short story or novella that makes up its entirety. I bought this book purely out of the desire to possess many of the stories within its pages that I had never gotten around to reading. It was worth the price simply for the excellent quality of the book. At over 900 pages, this is a massive selection of stories, and many of them are well known, but others are less so. Some are only a couple of pages long, while others run for several chapters, each of them possesses its own style, but each fits the overall theme. I have my favorites, such as The Pit and the Pendulum, but there were many that I read for the first time. I enjoyed The Turn of the Screw, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, and The Willows by Algernon Blackwood. Many of these stories are from the late 19th century and the early 20th century, and the language used can be a little jarring for those who have not read books from those time periods before.

    As I said earlier, this isn't the typical review. It is hard to give the contents a review, and with such a great variety of works, it becomes hard to provide an overall grading. So I'll do my best and rate this book on the quality of the product, the overall quality of the range of contents, and the selection of stories. The leather seems of good quality with a simple but well-designed cover. There were no signs of damage, and the material appears hardy and well maintained.  It is a chunky book with fifty-five stories within. That is more than I had expected, and they are well-written and great examples of the genre. There are some of my favorite stories within, which makes me a little biased, but even without those, I found this product to be a great read. I would recommend this to any horror fan, and it would be a greater recommendation to those that prefer works reflecting an earlier period in history. 

    This is an easy eight out of ten for me. The contents alone are worth the price and will satisfy any horror fan. Give this book a go if you are looking to add a collection of short stories to your book collection or if you are just looking to find some elusive tales that you might not have come across yet. If you can recommend any other classic collections of stories, let me know. Always looking for new books to add to my personal collection. 

Midnight Mass, a limited series on Netflix. A deep look at religion and the depths we will go to shift it to fit our own narrative, with obvious supernatural elements that are hard to miss.

 

Midnight Mass, a review.

    I was unsure what to expect from this series. I had expected that it would be good, but I remained uncertain about what kind of horror story it would be. I had thoroughly enjoyed The Haunting of Hill House, and Dr Sleep and hoped it would be just as good. Thankfully, that proved to be the case. I will say, that there was a touch of disappointment regarding the monster within the story, but it was handled in such a different manner that it proved a minor issue. Mike Flanagan has created a story that has specific themes that work well and a great deal of growing tension and worries throughout. As someone that has never been much of a churchgoer, and an agnostic, I found some of the scripture worship hard to listen to, but it fits in well in the overall narrative. This is a story that is centred around Catholicism. Flanagan has stated that he worked the story around the experiences from his own life. Faith in America very much has different connotations to what I have experienced over here in the UK. At its heart, this is a vampire story. It is worth noting that there are spoilers ahead. Read at your own discretion.

    The story begins with the event that leads to Riley Flynn's incarceration, a head-on collision that leaves a young woman dead. Flynn is barely hurt, sitting drunk on the roadside, watching the ambulance crew fail to save the young woman. It quickly follows his first night in prison and the image of the dead girl watching him as he attempts to sleep, the flash of blue and red light reflected on the glass shards embedded into her flesh. The story jumps to Crockett Island, back to Riley's family, and the day before his return to his childhood home. The local populace is barely over a hundred people, houses are standing empty, and the heyday of this island is long past. As a fishing village, there is little to do, and the local church is awaiting the return of the Monsignor. Here we get our first introduction to Bev Keane, a character that most will love to hate or just plain hate. As Bev looks for the Monsignor, the viewer watches a man come onto the island dragging a large old-fashioned chest with him. At this point, we have no clue that this is Father Paul, new to the island and here to replace the ageing Monsignor Pruitt. Bev leaves the dock after speaking to Sturge, assured that the Monsignor had not arrived. We flashback to Father Peter entering a house, dragging the chest in, and as he rests, something knocks from within the chest. Soon it is Riley's turn to return to the island, his mother waiting for him at the dock as he disembarks. It is evident from his manner and body language that Riley is hesitant to have returned to the island, that much has changed during his sentence in prison. They walk through the small village, faces familiar seen by both. With greater hesitation, Riley returns to his home and enters behind his mother. Before Riley's return, his brother, Warren, had joined two other boys as they smoked pot and spent time on the nearby island. Surrounded by innumerable cats, and for a moment Warren saw something in the dark, a figure with glowing yellow eyes. In an instance, it is gone, leaving them thinking it is but his imagination.

    The first Sunday, Riley is forced to join his family at Sunday service, a condition of his parole, as stated by his father. The relationship between father and son is strained. Riley's actions and years of distance have not made it any easier, though Ed does try. We are introduced to Sheriff Hassan during this episode, along with the wheelchair-bound Leeza and her parents. These will all play greater roles as the story unfolds. It is at the church service that we are introduced to Father Peter. He moves to give a sermon, introducing himself to his new flock and explaining that the Monsignor had taken ill and was recovering on the mainland. It is worth noting that this is his first time taking mass, and he had already filled the wine before the seminary boys would have. Throughout this encounter, he is welcoming and speaks as though he knows them. This is explained by Father Paul supposedly having spent time with Monsignor Pruitt during his sickness. He focuses on Riley, noting that he hadn't taken the sacrament. Riley explains that he isn't in a good place with his faith and that his time in prison has changed his opinion on such things. At the mass, Riley had spotted an old flame, Erin Greene. She had also just returned to the island. Erin is pregnant and living alone, having taken her mother's position as a teacher in the school on the island. Unlike Riley, Erin is still certain in her faith and proves one of the few people he can truly open up to. As we move into the end of the episode, a storm moves in. During this storm, Riley sees a figure in the rain on the beach. Believing it to be the Monsignor, he rushes out into the storm but the figure eludes him and vanishes. During this scene, the figure moves in an ungainly manner, and it is easy to see that its eyes glow with low yellow light.

    The next episode opens up with the beach covered with the corpses of cats, picked at by seagulls as the local sheriff attempts to discern what the cause could be. This is a strange occurrence, as it appears they have all been drained of blood and had their necks snapped. As things continue, there are more strange events, from the image of something flying over the island to the slow regeneration of the people of the village. There are darker events also, the death of Joe's dog in a grizzly fashion poisoned with a hotdog, laced with rat poison. It is easy to discern who the culprit is, at least to the viewer, but it is hard to prove for the Sheriff as he investigates the matter. I'd like to highlight how evil Bev's character is. I'm not talking evil genius kind of evil, or even serial killer evil. The woman is the worst kind of banal evil, petty, small, and utterly hateful with this mindset that she is utterly in the right. Her righteousness and the twisting of her religion to her own ends are brilliantly portrayed on screen by Samantha Sloyan. She sluts shame, Erin, pointing out how wonderful Erin's mother was in comparison, and throughout any interaction, she uses scripture to justify her and others' actions. The woman is wonderfully petty and vicious whilst hiding behind a mask of civility and self-righteousness. We learn more about Riley's argument against God and his issues with his faith as he begins his AA sessions with Father Paul. The two men start delving into matters, such as Riley's anger at himself and God. Riley's alcoholism is the primary matter here, and Riley is angry at the person he became when he drank. Riley remained angry at the things he had done when under the influence. He was stuck with the knowledge that he had been the one that had fed that part of himself instead of fighting against it. What the drunk persona did was his responsibility, ultimately. Though these conversations work well, with Father Paul often countering Riley well with his own arguments, I felt that the conversations between Erin and Riley worked better. They were simply more heartfelt. The connection between these two lost souls is strong. They fit well together, and without Erin's influence, Riley might remain lost and aimless. This is highlighted in the previous episode as she helps him find some sense of purpose again. Telling him that waiting out the storm is his purpose for that day. For me, the writing for these characters is strong throughout, making them feel real and giving the story higher stakes. 

    I won't do a complete breakdown of each episode. I will stick to an overview. Things take a strange turn as we reach the end of the second episode, and a miracle occurs. Leeza is beckoned to take the sacrament, with Father Paul moving away from her, and she is forced to rise from her wheelchair. As she does, the congregation looks on, stunned. We flash to the next episode and watch as Father Paul takes ill, rushes from the church, and back to his own home, throwing up blood. It appears the miracle has taken something from him, but the issue is not as simple as it appears. It is here that Bev spots something in his home, something left over from the Monsignor. The word of the miracle quickly spreads, with Leeza up and about after a quick look over by Sandra, the local doctor. Here we begin to see the beginnings of religious fervour, and that theme grows as the series continues. Bev clings to Father Paul closer now. She believes that he is on a mission from god. This worship will falter in time, but for now, Bev is his most loyal follower.  As this episode unfolds, we see Father Paul giving a confession, and we learn the story of Monsignor Pruitt. We learn of Pruitt's journey into the desert, of his stumbling onto the ruins, of his encounter with the 'Angel.'. It is obvious to the viewer that this is not an Angel, the winged horror feeding on the old man's blood as he lies helpless beneath it. It is here that we see the creature feed the Monsignor its blood. And we discover that Father Paul is Monsignor Pruitt. The blood of the creature has rejuvenated him, returning him to the point of his prime. In the present, Father Paul has taken ill, growing worse throughout the episode. As the episode reaches its end, we watch as he falls to the floor, vomiting blood, and having some kind of seizure. Father Paul dies in front of Bev and the Mayor, laying on the floor utterly still. Within a few moments, he comes awake, back to life, it appears. For any fan of vampire horror, it is obvious what has happened and what will come next. It does follow a familiar route, but the use of religion as justification for what happens is a unique twist. It has become obvious that those that have taken the sacrament are getting younger in appearance. This could appear to be a good thing, but this implies that they have been imbibing the blood of the creature. Brought back to life, Father Paul is suffering from terrible hunger and a sudden aversion to sunlight. Things spiral from this point, as the bloodlust leads to Father Paul feeding, the death of Joe at his hands, and his new belief that this is God's will and he must spread it to the rest of his flock. Riley, unfortunately, discovers that Father Paul is lying to him after he slips up a lie about Joe. This leads to Riley turning up in the hall just as the creature is refilling the wine bottle. The last thing we see is the creature feeding on Riley before the episode ends. 

    The story speeds up now, with a returned Riley eventually revealing the truth to Erin. An Erin, who is struggling with the disappearance of her child and the mysteries of death, and where we go afterwards. There is far more to that storyline than I have relaid here, and it is a touching scene between Riley and Erin, as they both explain what they believe happens at the time of death.  This is all relevant, as it plays into his tale, along with the trust Riley puts in Erin. Riley relays all that has happened to him, what he has become and what danger lies in waiting for all those on the island. He tells Erin all of this because he believes she is strong enough to save others, and he needs her to truly see the danger she is in. As Riley has been telling his story, the sun has begun to rise, and the sky grows brighter with every moment. This is why he had brought her to sea so that she would see what would happen to him in the sunlight. Riley, as he passes, sees the young woman he killed, restored and smiling at him beatifically, beckoning him to join her.  Erin, however, watches as Riley is immolated by the sunlight, turned to dust within seconds. Her horrified scream is utterly convincing. Katie Siegel did a fantastic job.

    As we ramp up to the last two episodes, Father Paul is convinced that all should join him, safe from death as God wishes. He is utterly wrapped up in the premise that the Angel is enacting God's plan. This is where things take a turn, and we begin to see a growing separation on the island. Erin gathers a small group to herself, determined to save more, even as Father Paul is preparing a surprise for the Midnight Mass. Bev remains close to his side, and she has gathered more power as the congregation has grown, insinuating herself well in everything that is to come. As things reach the inevitable climax, it is great to see how everything devolves. The whole scene becomes one of bloodlust and horror. The scenes of wilful suicide are a little uncomfortable, and the religious mania is somewhat unpleasant to watch. In many ways, this entire storyline is akin to how cults work and the utter belief that leads to terrible deeds. Erin fights to save those she can, Sandra's mother shoots Father Paul in the head and she is, in turn, quickly slain by his Angel. As they hide in the rectory, they discover Bev hiding, the woman preaches at Erin before Erin shoots Bev in the chest. Quickly they flee into the night as the madness plays out in the church. Bev soon rises and takes over the events, Father Paul still recovering from the gunshot to his head and throwing open the doors, counter to his plan. Bev is convinced that those who did not come to church should face judgment. As this continues, Leeza, Warren, Annie, Sandra, Hassan, and Erin take refuge in Sandra's house. They make a plan to burn the docks, sure that the plan is for those turned to reach the mainland, to spread this infection. Before they can make for the docks, they are attacked, the windows are smashed in, and a Molotov cocktail hits the floor around them. It is at this point that Annie, Riley's mother, makes them flee. Heading to confront Bev by herself. The rest flee, and after telling Bev what she thinks of her, Annie slits her throat. Driven by their hunger, Sturge and Bev feed on the fresh blood, and the others have the time they need to flee the house without pursuit. After returning to her senses, Bev becomes convinced that the town should burn and begins to set other buildings alight with Sturge's aid. The small group of rebels manages to set the docks alight, the children fleeing from the island in a small paddle boat, and soon the whole island is burning. Growing desperate, Bev calls the flock back to the church in hopes that they can all hide from the spreading fire and the threat of the rising sun. Of course, things are not so simple, Father Paul has realized his mistake, and the last of the rebels, Erin and Hassan, have begun to pour gasoline on their sanctuary. Erin is attacked by the Angel, fed upon as she slowly cuts up its wings, and Hassan is shot. It is his son who sets the blaze, taking the last sanctuary from the recently turned. Now there is nowhere to go, and the sun will rise within minutes. Erin continues to slice up Angel's wings, enough that it might not be able to flee the sun, as the last of her blood is drained. We don't know if the Angel is slain by the sun, but all those on the island are turned to dust by the rising sun.

    Midnight Mass is a brilliant series that works off of a familiar premise. The overview I have given does not do it justice, and I highly recommend that you give it a watch. This is a vampire story at its heart, but one done through the lens of religion. The characters are well-written and convincing. Riley's struggle with his return to the island and adjusting to life out of prison feels real. Erin's deep faith and joy in her pregnancy have a certain strength, a strength that runs true, even when she is robbed of her child. Father Paul's misguided belief in the Angel comes from his fear of death, his regrets, and his desire to gain a second chance with his daughter. Everything is twisted to suit that end, to such a degree that he utterly believes in something that is obviously foul and evil. Bev is one of the best-acted characters in the series, a hateful woman that drives her own destruction. There are many great moments that I have not mentioned. I have tried to not give everything away, in case you decide to give this a watch. This is an amazing series from Flanagan, and I can't wait to see what he does next.

    I give this an easy 4.5 out of 5 stars, with a recommendation to any fan of horror. If you enjoyed Flanagan's other work, then you should definitely give this a watch.

Dark Hollow. The second book in the series of Charlie Parker novels. A review of the story and the deepening mythos being hinted at in this brilliant detective/supernatural blend.

 

Dark Hollow by John Connolly, a review.

    This begins with a series of events that appear unrelated to one another. A sting turned bad, and the suicide of an old woman near the town of Dark Hollow. Unfortunately, though that is not the case, one proves to impact the other. Charlie Parker finds himself in the middle of something he cannot escape as the events spiral outwards and bring an old evil back into the world. 

    I always enjoy the novels following Charlie Parker. For me, Connolly's writing style drags me in and keeps me engaged even after reading the book several times. Parker feels so real, his world almost tangible, and those he interacts with leave a lasting impression of their own. Connolly always does a good job of building the tension throughout his books, as we, and Parker, learn more about what the detective faces. We meet Parker still dealing with the aftermath of the confrontation with the Travelling man and all that occurred, still haunted by his deceased wife and daughter. We catch him just as he is dealing with a new case and pinned with a knife cutting into his cheek. Parker is not having a good day as he attempts to deal with one, Billy Purdue. He has come to get child support from the brutish young man, an attempt to help Purdue's ex-wife and child, and things have not gone well. The novels are written largely in the first person, and we get everything from Parker's point of view. His internal monologue often has me smiling as the detective comments on his own stupidity or that of others around him. Billy Purdue is trouble from the get-go and proves to be at the center of everything that unfolds around Parker. From this simple interaction, Parker managing to get out of it relatively unscathed, things spiral rapidly. It isn't long before Parker finds himself dealing with the Mob, assassins, and worse, the detective reeling from one murder to another. Somehow, it all revolves around Purdue, from the sting to the sudden unexpected deaths of his ex-wife and child. Parker is driven by his sense of principle, unwilling to let their deaths go as he moves from one line of inquiry to another. This aspect of Parker is probably the most compelling. Parker isn't driven by anger or hate but by empathy and compassion. This single factor means that he can't turn away from what is going on around him.

    Parker doesn't believe that Purdue is responsible for his family's death, no matter how it looks. He begins to think that he may have inadvertently caused it through his dealings with the Mob boss Tony Clean. The thing is, more people begin to turn up dead, ones that Tony Clean would not know about, people from Billy's past. As Parker delves deeper into these mysteries, more problems arise, and it is only through the arrival of his friends, Louis and Angel, that we learn of them. The relationship between these three men feels very real. Louis and Angel have Parker's back at every turn, and without them, he would fall afoul of the dangers that lurk out in the dark. Connolly does well at wrapping up Parker's family history as part of the tale, events in his grandfather's past that impact the things Parker is now up against. It all feels very organic in its presentation and the way it takes place within the novel. Faced with another complication, Parker, finds himself looking for the daughter of old friends. Ellen Cole has gone missing, having last been seen, with her boyfriend, heading Northwards. This doesn't feel like a coincidence to Parker, but he is unsure which party could be responsible. The story builds rapidly, further complications added as he arrives in the town of Dark Hollow, old wounds reopened, and more dangers than the detective had anticipated. Throughout it, Parker continues to be haunted by half-seen figures and the specters of his dead wife and child, the anniversary of their deaths creeping upon him. Again Connolly does a good job of weaving in elements of the supernatural, of another world that exists alongside our own. Again and again, a singular name comes up, Caleb Kyle. Kyle is a figure of dark legend, a tale of darkness and fear that is supposed to be nothing more than the bogeyman. Parker knows that there is more to that name than that. Years ago, his grandfather met such a man and was left horrified by what he discovered in his wake.

    The theme of this book seems to be of the past influencing the present, of old evils that corrupt and live on far longer than they have a right to. Again Parker is left changed by these encounters. How could he not be? There is enough character development here to warrant the changes, enough to keep readers interested in how Parker may change in future novels. As someone who has read many of them, it is worth continuing on with the series.

    This book easily gets a 4 out of five. This should be higher, but I have to compare it to the rest of the series, and in comparison, 4 seems the right number. I would recommend it to any fan of detective novels or horror/supernatural books in general. Let me know if you think the same.

Stephen King's Storm of the Century. A film that looks at what price will we pay for safety, and an evil that has walked the world for centuries.

 

A review of the mini-series Storm of the Century, a screenplay written by Stephen King.

    I watched this mini-series for the first time just after leaving school. Being from Wales means I was nearing my eighteenth year and enjoying college. It is safe to say it left an impression. I've rewatched it several times since then, and it remains one of those films I can just put on and never get bored of. It is not a light watch, and there are things that you will miss in the first viewing. Like most of King's work, it follows everyday folk dealing with the unexplained and forces beyond their understanding. Unlike a lot of his work, this was not a book at any point. To my surprise, King wrote this screenplay purely for television, and it took me a while to discover that fact. The events unfold on the island of Little Tall off the coast of Maine, an entirely fictional place, by the way. Like many of King's works, it seems that he likes Maine as the setting for his story, and it is one that I am used to reading about over the course of his career. As the title implies, a storm is moving in on the island, and the people there will have far more to endure than just nature's wrath.

    The film opens up with a monologue from our main protagonist, Michael Anderson, a snow-covered town on the screen, as he speaks. He relays to us his philosophy on life and the cost of the events on the island without giving too much detail. The speaker is an older, wiser version of the man we are about to meet, the townsfolk going about their business as the threat of the storm looms closer. But before we can meet our protagonist, our antagonist is introduced. A man by the name of Andre Linoge. His first act is to strike down an old woman as she answers the door to him. This will not be the last death at his hands, though it is the most direct. Making himself comfortable in her house, he waits for others to find him, and we are left to wonder at this cold killing. As Linoge, Colm Feore is chilling, his every word is spoken with a ruthless mockery, and his knowledge of the townsfolk is unsettling. His counterpart is Mike Anderson, played by Tim Daly, and we meet him in the town market as the townsfolk prepare for the storm, buying what groceries they think they'll need. Daly is good at portraying a good, decent man that is caught up in something beyond his comprehension. Daly does a good job at holding his own in light of Feore's performance though the other always remains the center of attention when onscreen. 

    Mike is brought home to deal with a minor dilemma, even as Linoge is discovered, sat comfortably in Martha Clarendon's armchair. Young Davie Hopewell will be sent running from the house, terrified by the seated Linoge. Davie flees to the center of town, running into Robbie Beals, the town manager, as he rushes out to calm the panicked youth. Davie relays his story causing Robbie to go and investigate on his own. As Mike continues to get the town ready for the incoming storm, Robbie wanders into the house where Linoge sits in wait. Here we get a taste of the strange power of Linoge, the stranger telling Robbie of his mother's passing and where he was during it, speaking of things he should not know. Finally, he tells Robbie that his mother waits for him in hell, that she's turned cannibal, and Beals flees the house. Calling for Anderson, Mike being the town constable, Robbie pulls in others to this strange encounter. Throughout it all, Linoge sits in place, waiting for them to arrive, the storm continuing to move in around them, snow falling heavily down as they gather. Arriving at the house, Mike finds Robbie holding his pistol and looking towards the house, a thick blanket of snow covering the ground as they prepare to move in and deal with this threat. Leaving a shaken Beals behind them, Mike and Hatch enter the house and find the body of its deceased owner. They find Linoge in the chair, though neither spots him at first, and he remains calmly seated as they move in. Throughout this encounter, Linoge seems unafraid, though guns are pointed at him. He is calm, his tone lightly mocking, and he acts as if everything is playing out the way it is meant to. There is an air to this man that makes Hatch and Mike deeply uncomfortable, yet he comes with them willingly, putting on the handcuffs and being led out into the storm. As they leave the house, Mike asks the stranger his name, and Linoge answers him, saying little else before they move through the falling snow to their truck. From this moment onwards, things will only get worse for the people of Little Tall.

    From this moment on I'll give a brief overview of the film, as giving too much information away would possibly ruin a potential viewing by any of you would-be readers of this blog. As Linoge is taken to the town jail, the storm grows worse, and Linoge begins to iterate that if they give him what he wants, then he'll go away. This is something that is repeated throughout the mini-series. Frustratingly, he gives little else away as he is moved into the cell after some drama and strangeness within the market. It is here that we get another hint of this man's unnatural nature, that he is far more than just some random stranger that has come to their town. He has a purpose here, though he does not tell Mike what that is. Linoge just smiles and lets Mike place him in the cell. They believe he is safely held there and draw up a shift to watch over him, several of the townsmen joining Mike and Hatch in keeping watch. It is shown that Linoge's influence can reach further than any of them could imagine. All the while, the storm rages around them, the snow falling down in such intensity that it becomes a blizzard. As the night draws on, two of the men commit suicide, Linoge somehow influencing them to commit the acts, each of them writing notes that state, 'if you give me what I want, then I'll go away.' Mike is investigating the house as this occurs, seeing things within the house that shake him. I enjoy the brief flashes of Linoge's mask slipping, the eyes turning red, the fangs, and the way he moves and talks to those around him. You can feel his contempt for the townsfolk as he speaks of their secrets, seeing only the bad in them, the moments where they let their darker selves influence their choices. More deaths occur as Linoge influences a murder and another suicide. Even from his cell, he is killing the townsfolk with ease.  It isn't long before the storm reaches its peak, and Linoge finally shows them what he is. The tension of these two events leaves the townsfolk shaken and afraid, but he is far from done with them.

    The first night leads into dark dreams, the entire town dreaming the same dream, Linoge showing them what may happen if they don't give them what he wants. He tells them of Roanoke, of the word Croatoan, and the history of that place. He threatens that the same thing will happen to the people of Little Tall. All awake, shaken, and it isn't long before more events begin to occur. The day plays out, and as the Lighthouse is about to be swept away, the townsfolk go out into the storm to watch, something that seemed strange to me even in my first viewing. As they watch, several of them vanish, pulled back by some unseen force, before they all flee back to the town hall, panic overtaking them. From this moment, the series moves quicker, the tension building and strange things happening around the children. Soon we discover what Linoge wants, and this is where the series begins to look at how fear shapes our decisions. This is what works best, the threat of death, against another horrible choice that no one would want to make. This premise works so well, as you have a character that sees this as caving into the bully, capitulating to fear, and allowing evil to live on past what it should be able to. Mike stands alone against Linoge as he puts his case forward, revealing what he is to them and making his demand. As good as his arguments are, Mike is fighting against their fear, and there is little chance that he will succeed in making them see beyond that fear. It is easy to see their reasoning, but they seem to lack the foresight of what they are truly doing. Mike seems the only one to see how inherently wrong one decision is. I won't spoil what that choice and decision are, but this is the moral center of the series and a look at what people will do to ensure their safety. I could spout off about the moralistic dilemma, but I would risk ruining the end of the series.

    This is a good mini-series to watch if you like things by Stephen King. It has King's patented layers of tension and mystery, the evil that is otherworldly and far beyond those that it comes against. For me, it is the performances that carry the series they could have easily have become too camp or overdone. Colm Feore is brilliantly chilling throughout. He has an easy menace to him that is made even more disturbing when he smiles. All the actors do a great job, though the accuracy of the Boston accent varies greatly. Give this a watch if you can, and recommend any others of similar vein if you have any suggestions.

    The series is an easy 4.5 out of 5 for me. Available on youtube for those in any region.

    

Necroscope, by Brian Lumley. A whirling story of Vampires, psychics and Thatcher's Britain. One of the most brilliant and bizarre books to come across my path.

 

Necroscope, by Brian Lumley. A quick review.

    I love horror stories, which is something of a given, as this is a blog about horror and such. More than anything, I love stories that gross out, marvel, and surprise the reader in equal measure. Necroscope is one of those books that caught me utterly by surprise. I went into it expecting a certain kind of horror story and got something else entirely. The book follows Harry Keogh, a unique individual, with a talent, unlike any other. It is pretty obvious, from the outset, that this is a book about vampires, but the setting and characters are not the usual ones. The story is set during the time of the cold war, and we are introduced to the Soviet Union's Necromancer as he digs through a corpse to gather details from his 'interrogation'. It is a vivid encounter that paints a detailed picture of what lengths this man will go to. This is the world of psychics and espionage, of men and women with abilities that their countries use to give them an advantage over their enemies. This is where we are introduced to E-branch. A place in London where their leader speaks with a spectral figure, the aforementioned Harry Keogh, who relays the events that play out in this story. It is made clear that Keogh is unlike anyone else, he possesses a singular ability to speak to the dead. The dead do not pass on to another world in this book but exist in a space where they continue on. The dead do the things they did in life but are now free from the constraints that life put on them. Until Harry's arrival, they have dwelt alone, lost to their own thoughts. His coming rekindles something in them, awakens them to the rest of the dead around them. The dead are Harry's dearest friends, they will do all they can to protect him, even going so far as to scramble free of their burial places to save him. Harry is a unique character shaped, as much by the dead, as by the living. The book is filled with interesting characters, the living, with their goals and desires, the dead who exist only through Harry's interaction with them, and the undead.

    Ah, the undead. The version contained within these pages is unlike any I had come across up until this point.  Here the undead is a hybrid species, a parasite that infects the host and twists them into something akin to a living disease. Forget the night dwellers of old, these creatures are foul perversions that live off the desires of their hosts and heighten them beyond anything in life. Even those long dead still cling to a sort of unlife, forever looking for a way to infect others, and gain some semblance of a life back for themselves. This plays into how the story unfolds, how the main antagonist pursues his own goals, and the events that will lead E-branch to clash with their soviet counterparts. Lumley does the horror and mystery well, a tension kept throughout the novel, as Harry builds to his confrontation with Boris Dragosani. The manipulation of Boris by, the Wamphyri, Thibor Ferenczy, is one of the highlights of the book and hints at just what the Wamphyri are capable of. I hate to give too much away, it spoils the read, in my opinion, but the unusual nature of the Wamphryi hints at them being something other than a supernatural entity, despite how highly they think of themselves. 

    The book is worth a look for any fan of cosmic horror, espionage thrillers, and vampire novels. It is set during the cold war and takes an alternative look at those events. I enjoyed the unique spin on the Wamphyri, how they came to be, and the look at the creatures that inspired the vampire myths of old. Harry Keogh is a strange, almost sad, character and isn't your typical protagonist. The whole story unfolds well, there is little unnecessary filler, and the tension remains throughout. I would recommend this to any horror fan, but with a caveat. Like others in the genre, Lumley does not hide from the explicit, in many forms, and is thoroughly meant for adults only. If such things don't put you off, then it is worth delving into the realm of the Necroscope. 

1408 The film review. A look at the film based on the story by Stephen King.

 

1408 A review. 

    1408 isn't your typical horror movie, and for me, that makes it something special. Starring John Cusack as the lead, the novelist Mike Enslin, it is a film that looks more at the psychological effects of horror. This is not a slasher horror or typical haunted house-like scenario. The film takes place, largely, within the confines of hotel room 1408, but there is enough outside said room to leave you with a few questions on what is real and what is entirely in Mike's head. The film opens up with Mike driving in the rain and stopping off at a small hotel for the night, the novelist investigating the reports of paranormal activity and reviewing how believable they are. This is so he can add them to the next book in his long-running series of paranormal investigations, something that he seems almost reluctant to do. Mike comes across as a weary character, intelligent but bored of the world around him, with no real belief in the very subject he investigates. Mysteriously, he is sent a postcard with room 1408 written on it, and he is intrigued enough that he begins to investigate the Dolphin Hotel and said room. Meeting with the inability to book the room, his curiosity is piqued further, and he begins to look for a way to stay the night in 1408. Eventually, with aid from the lawyer from his publishing house, he finds a loophole, and Mike has his in. 

    Upon entering the Dolphin, the manager is called to deal with the booking, and we are introduced to Samuel L. Jackson's character, a debonaire man with poise and a well cultured, practiced, approach to dealing with individuals such as Mike. He starts with an opening intended to convince Mike to take another room, an upgrade that he ensures Mike he will like, but our lead is resolute and continues to ask to take 1408. At this point, they move onto the manager's office, and the conversation continues. Mike is offered an expensive bottle of whisky as part of a bribe as the manager seems eager to keep Mike from the room, and it soon becomes evident that he truly believes that Mike would be in danger within 1408. L Jackson's performance throughout is solid, you can feel his concern and conviction as he speaks, Mike remaining steadfast, though thrown slightly, as he is informed of the additional, natural, deaths that have occurred in the room. Deaths that he had not been aware of in his own research into the room over the Dolphin's long history. This detail comes with a file, one that Mike is eager to look into, and he attempts to manipulate the other man into believing he will stay out of the room as long as he can have access to the file. However, Mike takes his drink and asserts that he still wants to stay in the room, frustrated the manager tells him to take the file anyway, that 'he won't want to stay in the room after he reads the damned thing'. Mike becomes combative after the manager mentions his work and his surprise at Mike's character in meeting him, highlighting his first novel, one that he rather enjoyed. Mike states he is unfazed by everything he has heard here and is determined to stay in the room, knowing that there is nothing out there to be afraid of, no ghosts or ghouls exist. 

    We cut now to the lobby, the manager brings out a metal key, and Mike comments on the use of a key being a nice touch to the mystique. He is informed that the electronic keys simply don't work in that room. Again Mike is dismissive, stating that he is unimpressed with their specter. The manager laughs at this and states that he has said no such thing about a ghost or specter. When asked what it is then, he merely states, 'It is, an evil f*@king room.". Mike is thrown a little by this. Together they go up to the fourteenth floor in a nearby elevator,  Mike commenting that it must be dirty in there. The manager relays that the room gets a light turnover once a month, that it is treated like a room filled with poison gas, maids work in pairs and the door remains open at all times, the stay no longer than ten minutes at a time. Again we are informed, that accidents happen and that a few years back a maid got locked in the bathroom and after a few minutes, she had been found to have removed her own eyes. Though surprised Mike seems reluctant to truly believe what he is told, he is far too much of a skeptic to fall simply for what he is told. The manager leaves him at the elevator, he does not go onto this floor except that time of the month, and Mike wanders off reading through the file. 

    After a slight detour, Mike finds himself in 1408, and it fails to reach his expectations. It simply looks like any other room in such a hotel. He begins to believe he has been tricked and quickly sets about getting himself ready for his overnight stay. It is interesting how the room begins to work on Mike. It starts subtly, with an increase in temperature, and the mints on the bed. I found it a nice little touch. Mike is bewildered at first, but he quickly sets about running through how it could have been done, moving through the room in the belief that someone else must be there. Things quickly begin to spiral for Mike, an incident leading to the injuring of his hand as the window slams down onto it and then the tap blasting through scalding water as he attempts to clean the wound. The room is attacking him to mess with his equilibrium, it is throwing him from one event to the other, working to unbalance him as other elements are brought to bear. Mike begins to believe that he has been drugged by the Manager, not ready to face the idea that what he is experiencing is real, far better to believe he is dealing with a drug trip. He is quickly trapped in the room, the handle coming away from the door, and he begins to experience moments from his own life. His daughter on the tv, his father in the bathroom, and we begin to discover elements to Mike that we had not been privy to before. The room continues to work on Mike, making him see a woman attempting to attack him, showing a version of himself in a room in the building opposite, and soon making him believe that there is no way out of the room. This is to force a belief of isolation, to take away any hope of escape. Again the room isn't attacking him directly, it is crumpling the bedrock of his belief in what is real, as it attempts to break both his spirit and his mind. The hardest hitting of these attacks is those that concern his daughter, Katy. It is shown, through various flashbacks, that she passed at a young age. A loss that Mike has not recovered from. As a viewer, we are often left to wonder, if the room is merely showing him painful images of his past, or if it is actually using Katy somehow. It is unclear, at times, just what the room is capable of.

    As the hour unwinds, Mike finds himself suddenly free of the room, emerging from the water at a point we have witnessed earlier in the film. Mike had gone surfing and had been knocked from his board and rendered unconscious, this time awakening in a hospital bed. Mike believes his time in the room had merely been a bad dream, a vision that he had escaped from, and finds himself renewed, his life taking on a redemptive arc as he begins to write about old wounds and the experience within 1408, his life is once more on track. Unfortunately, he can never shake the feeling that he will awaken once more to the nightmare, and soon, that proves to be the case. This is done very well, and it goes on long enough that you start to believe that it might have all been a dream, up until the moment the very walls come down around him. Again, the room is all there is, Mike sure that he had been out, and he finds himself facing what appears to be the image of his daughter. Here it is left ambiguous as to whether this is Katy, or the room merely showing him a facsimile of her, as he holds her in his arms, and she begs to stay. As Mike falls to rage, he finds himself on the bedroom floor with everything back to as it had been with the phone ringing. The room offers Mike the chance to checkout, commit suicide, or live the hour over again. The room shows him others doing so as he wanders about the room, even threatening his separated wife before Mike finally comes to his own conclusion to this encounter. Mike, finally, taking the route of a less selfish man, decides to take out the room, and spare any others from this hell he has endured. Making a homemade Molotov cocktail, he sets the room ablaze, himself trapped within, and calmly sits smoking his last cigarette as the room begins to burn around him. Finally, to ensure the room's demise, Mike tosses the ashtray through the window, the surge of oxygen causing the fire to erupt and spread to the rest of the room. Mike is last seen on the room floor, laughing hysterically, as we hear Katy speaking to him. 

    I always liked the premise that the room is simply evil, that it cannot affect a death but rather pushes the guests into taking their own lives, madness being the only other option. It is a unique twist that I have rarely seen done elsewhere. A lot of this film rests, squarely, on Cusack's shoulders, and he does a great job. He emotes the terror, confusion, and anger of Enslin brilliantly and conveys his loss and pain equally well but with more subtlety. This one is for people that enjoy more cerebral horror as it lacks any of the cheap gimmicks that work in other horror films to keep the film moving forward. It is very much a character study and looks at what evil is and how it can manipulate. I would recommend that anyone give it a look but if you're after blood and guts, give it a miss.

    I'd give it a 4 out of 5 personally, but I could easily see why it might not be everyone's cup of tea. Let me know what you thought of the film and any others that you might recommend. TTFN, and have a good one.

Breach of Peace by Daniel Greene, a review

 

Breach of Peace by Daniel B. Greene, a review

    The Dishevelled Goblin, the youtube agent of Chaos that is Daniel Greene. I first came across his work on Youtube during the madness of the pandemic as it began to unfold. I'd say that was fortuitous timing, or merely happenstance. Either way, it led me to one of the most entertaining Book Tubers on the platform. Daniel has a unique sense of humour and a genuine love of the fantasy genre, both come through in his videos and make him such a standout amongst the many reviewers now on Youtube. His skits alone are worthy of seeking out, especially the Brandon Sanderson writing one. His latest 'interview' with 'Disney' is an amusing parody that had me chuckling hours later. Throughout this journey, Daniel had expressed his desire to write a number of Novellas before moving forward with his own full-length novels. This was to be the first in a trio but Daniel's second outing has now blossomed into a full novel. I'll discuss that later, for now, I'll concentrate on his first outing as a published author. 

    The story begins with a murder, a rather grisly one in fact. Now, this has been highlighted in certain reviews but I found it no worse than many of the scenes in any modern horror book. This murder is of an important family, people of worth within the Empire. Here we are brought into contact with Khlid, one of the investigators, as she starts to look into the killings. Khlid is one of three investigators in this murder case, Samuel, her husband, and Chapman being the other two. It is clear from the outset that Chapman is not well-liked, there is an arrogance to the man that instantly makes him hard to deal with but that arrogance is partially earned. He is intelligent, markedly so, and able to make quick deductions with a deep insight but his people skills are rather lacking. Khlid and Samuel have something of a reluctance to working with him but they do so regardless, this case is far too important not to. Now I don't want to give too much away as this is primarily a detective novel, to state too much would give away elements of the mystery of the book. I will say that the story unfolds well, with some twists and turns some will see coming but they are executed well enough that it will do little to spoil your enjoyment of the book. 

    For a first outing, this is a solid offering. Daniel's writing hints at a much bigger world than we are exposed to and there is more than enough here to entice the reader back to see how the story will progress. I enjoyed his character work and the hints of what goes on behind the scenes of this new and dark world he is presenting to us. Sure it is not perfect but for a first published Novella, it is a damn good introduction. I am looking forward to what his next offering will bring, and with it now being a full-length novel I am more enthused than I was initially at the idea of the second Novella. I hope Daniel continues to unfold this world to us, I, for one will be eager to read more. Give it a go and see what this interesting young talent has to offer.

    I'd rate it 3.5 out of 5. A good first published book with tons of potential moving forward, can't wait to see what he has in store.  Let me know what you think in the comments and give Daniel's Youtube channel a look if you enjoy good reviews of the fantasy genre. 

Every Dead Thing Review

 Every Dead Thing by John Connolly review.

    Every Dead Thing is the first in a series of novels by John Connolly that detail the strange and often tragic tale of Charlie Parker, a man cursed by events beyond his control. It begins with an evil that walks right into his life, destroying everything he holds dear. Charlie Parker begins the novel as a broken man, working on the side of a man named Benny Low. The events from this moment lead into a complication that leads Charlie invariably back to the loss of his wife and daughter and the man that took them from him. Parker is largely a broken character throughout the length of this book having committed certain acts whilst in the pursuit of this killer before events of this novel take place. He is no longer a police officer and many of his former officers believe him to be dangerous and potentially a killer, rumours of his exploits following the deaths of his family have reached many of them. This is a dark tale about loss, revenge, and a twisted killer with hints of the supernatural dashed in here and there, enough that you will be unsure if they are real or not. 

    For me, Connolly's characters are one of his stronger points, with Parker consumed with his guilt at the death of his family, his rage simmering ever beneath the surface as he searches for a way to move on. The Travelling man is a perverse and yet interesting killer with motives that will surprise and sicken in equal measure. Rachel Wolfe is a strong, intelligent, woman that sees the pain that Parker is in and during their time working to catch the Travelling man, professional interest turns to something more. It would be criminal not to mention Angel and Louis, a pair of side characters that in my mind are two of the best in the entire series. Angel the former thief who feels he owes Parker for a former kindness and Louis a man that is enigmatic by nature with lethality to him that speaks more than the man does. Parker comes to rely on these two more than most with former friendships falling apart as he pushes on in his mission to hunt down the Travelling man. 

    The prose is another strong point, it often seems to flow with ease, so much so it that allows you to go whole chapters without realising, it all seems so effortless. Connolly creates a world that is at once so familiar and yet deeply unsettling and grim. To me, Connolly merges the detective genre well with supernatural elements that aren't overt at first, a subtlety to their presence that makes you wonder if it is merely Parker's guilt at play. For me this is a brilliant first entry with only a minor flaw in its pacing, I often feel that the climax kind of rushed up there at the end, and would highly recommend it to both horror and crime fans.

I give Every Dead Thing 4 out of 5. Would recommend it to all.

If there are any similar books you would like to recommend feel free and let me know how you felt about this debut of the series in the comments.