David Herter's October Dark from Earthing Publications

I have always been a fan of Earthling Publications. I first met Paul (the Founder & Force behind Earthling) at a Jonathan Carroll reading in Boston. I ended up with one of his first publications by default, because Mr. Carroll (who's publisher was also present) felt he couldn't accept a gift of the same. Lucky for me.
I have managed to acquire many of Earthling's publications, including all of the Halloween Series of novels, and never have been disappointed. Having a humongous ( really, I'm not kidding) back reading list, I still have not read the entire series. But besides Paul's ability to obtain quality work from high caliber authors, he manages to consistently maintain a high production value. Which is to say, each book is artistically beautiful. And, no. He's is not bribing me(or even paying me, for that matter) to say any of this.
Now, moving on to David Herter. I am happy to say I own most of his work, although again, I have read little of it so far. But I plan on reading it all. I have read October Dark just recently, Herter's addition to Earthling's Halloween series. This is not a fast, breezy read. Due to the staggered timeline, and the author's combination of actual cinematic history with the addition of creative cinematic history, I found it necessary to take my time with the unfolding story. And it was worth it. I read it over the course of several days, and although day to day life proceeded as well, at no time could I have prevented myself from picking the book back up when a free moment presented itself. A coming of age tale, a horror story, a tale of strange friendships, along with a quite unique blend of dark magic, human and monstrous villain(s). And after reading this wonderful book, I will never think of the art of movie-making in exactly the same way.
This is a wonderful tribute to Ray Bradbury, and as the author himself mentions, was inspired in large part by Something Wicked This Way Comes. There are also tips of the hat to several film makers, as well as others, including I believe, H. P. Lovecraft. I consider October Dark to be a magnificent novel, and if I might be so bold, a modern classic.

Vacation, & Home, by Matthew Costello

I don't know why I love apocalyptic novels, but I always have. Therefore, it is no big surprise that I did really enjoy 2 novels I read recently by Matthew Costello. The second, Home, was a sequel to to the first, Vacation. You can read both as stand-alones, but in each case, you will not be able to fully appreciate them.
Vacation establishes the setting in a not very distant future, where there has been a breakout, and spreading, of what are termed can-heads. These barely human creatures are cannibals similar to zombies, except they did not rise from the dead, and they are definitely not slow, or stupid. But they do crave human flesh, preferably live, it would seem. And due to this mutation, which no ones seems to know the cause of, the world has changed, mainly in the realm of security. People live in gated communities protected by electrified fences, as are major highways, as well as other precautionary measures. I don't want to give away too much, but the novel is about an overworked NY cop who is taking his family on vacation to what is advertised as a secure family resort. As in all good zombie-type stories, the monsters aren't always just the ones you think they are.
Now, as I said, I really did enjoy Vacation, but what made me truly glad to have read it, was reading Home. Home, the second novel, is the icing on the cake, the cheese on the cheeseburger (and damn fine cheese, too), the point on the dagger, etc. I really can't tell you much about Home without giving away a real spoiler of Vacation. But I can say, not only did I have a great appreciation for this second novel, but it definitely made me appreciate the first one much more. As in Vacation, Home has twists and turns that will definitely grab your attention. I was not disappointed. If you read Vacation, you would be doing yourself a great disservice by not reading Home. And that, is all I have to say about that.  

More Than Midnight, by Brian James Freeman

I don't know if writing short stories takes more finesse than longer fiction, but it is definitely a different kind of writing, and not all writers do it well. In a novel, you can spend a good deal of time building up the atmosphere, as well as developing your characters. In a short story, you have no time you can waste, and every word has to count.
I have enjoyed Brian's long fiction, the novella Blue November Storms, and his short novel The Painted Darkness. Both of which are fine examples of the mastery he exhibits over the written word. And for me, it's all about the story. Brian James Freeman doesn't disappoint.
More Than Midnight is a collection of 5 stories, with an introduction by Michael Koryta. I had read 2 of the stories previously in the anthologies they had originally been released in. But to be honest, I never mind re-reading a good story. In fact, I almost always find it makes me appreciate the story even more than the first time I read it. And that, folks, is one of criteria for an outstanding story.
There are no "Missed the Mark" stories here. I liked them all. For me, the difference between a good story and a great story, is where the story leaves you. If everything is tied up in a neat bow, well, that's not as memorable as one that leaves you thinking, about what happens next, about the final state of the character/characters, and about possiblities hinted at. And these are definitely stories that don't just put a chill in your blood, but leave you pondering. I will tell you that my favorite story was Answering the Call. But between you and me, if you read any one of these stories, you're gonna' want to read the rest. Of course, if you're into romance stories, these are most likely not for you. Although, there is a touch of romance in the 4rth story, Pulled Into Darkness. But I don't think it would be the kind a romance lover would appreciate. Trust me.  

One Bird, A Lot of Books

My Master, Eddie, a spoiled but sweetheart of a cockatiel, is waiting patiently (only a little yelling) for me to give him some undivided attention. So, I will try to get at least one book review in here as succinctly as I can. Review to follow in a separate post.