One of Andy Duncan's influences, is Howard Waldrop. Andy is another southern writer, and an exceedingly fine one. Did I say fine? I meant incredibly exceptional. Beluthahatchie And Other Stories is his debut collection, published by Golden Gryphon in 2000, with an introduction by Michael Bishop, an afterword by John Kessel, and story notes by the Author. Andy Duncan is not someone you read quickly. Not because it is work to read him, but because you don't want to miss anything. The detail in his characterization, the ease of description, and all the subtle nuances of his language, all make for a truly hearty, and thoroughly enjoyable "meal". And when he wants to, he captures that authentic southern flavor like few can. Stories about the devil, a tale about Patton (from which I actually learned somethings about the General that I never would have known), stories of horror, alternate history... but all having one thing in common. Not only magnificent story telling, but the creation of characters we believe and care about. Although I would not have missed any of these stories for any amount of money, my favorite would have to be Liza And The Crazy Water Man. Maybe because of the music history that went into it. Maybe because it is a love story in the end. It could be because of the unique take on the problems of recording. Or it just might be that I truly loved these characters. I can say no more.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
2 Reviews: Beluthahatchie, & Howard Who?
Story telling is an art. For me, it is The Art. A story can be told with pictures, the written word, the oral word, or any other way you like. But it is the story I love. One of America's truly iconic southern storytellers, is the wonderful writer Howard Waldrop. I have read some of his stories over the last 10 years or so, but just recently I managed to read Howard Who? for the first time. The debut collection was first published in 1986, and was then reprinted a few years back in a very attractive paperback by Small Beer Press. It collected 12 stories of the Author's, along with an introduction by George R. R. Martin, and included story notes by the Author. Saying that Howard Waldrop is a master story teller would be stating the obvious. It is easy to see the southern influence of his language, but his twists and turns in his mostly alternate history plots are all his very own. There are no so-so stories here. They are all wonderfully unique. There is evidence of the long extinct dodo bird showing up in Mississippi in The Ugly Chickens. In Der Untergang des Abendlandesmenschen, there is a vampire, cowboys, and nazis, making the destruction of said vampire into quite another thing entirely. Ike At The Mike turns Elvis Presley into a politician, and Eisenhower into a musician. Dr. Hudson's Secret Gorilla is about a mad scientist. Wait! it's about a gorilla with a machine gun. A smart gorilla. Well, you'll have to decide. "...The World, As We Know't," well if the title doesn't give it away, it's about the end of the world, but not in a way you would expect, exactly. Green Brother is a wonderful Native American tale. But once again, a completely unique take on history as we never knew it. This is one of my favorites. But don't let that mislead you, I loved them all. You get the idea. This a collection that should be missed by no one who loves a good story. Trust me.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Mr. Gaunt & Other Uneasy Encounters by John Langan
I have always had a weakness for the classic ghost story. And one of the most recent writers of such, is John Langan. He has been influenced by the storytelling of writers like M. R. James, and Henry James. His debut collection, Mr. Gaunt and other uneasy encounters, was published by Prime in 2008, and received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly, as well as high praise from Elizabeth Hand, Lucius Shepard, Realms of Fantasy, among others.
The collection has an introduction by Elizabeth Hand, and contains 5 stories, all but one of which, are of novelette or novella length. It also includes story notes by the author. The first tale is a unique one, about a different sort of Mummy, "On Skua Island". "Mr. Gaunt" tells a story of curious children and a rather stern manservant, but I can say no more about that. Let it suffice to mention that it was atmospheric, and did get its measure of tension, as well as a couple of pints of blood. "Tutorial" is a tale about learning how to write according to the rules, and what might happen if you don't. And I think you might want to stick to the rules. And then there's "Episode Seven: Last Stand Against The Pack In The Kingdom Of The Purple Flowers", a gripping post-apocalyptic story, that in part was influenced by Dale Bailey's "The End Of The World As We Know It", which was published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. "Episode Seven" would have been an interesting basis for a graphic telling, although not at all necessary for to truly enjoy it. And finally, there is "Laocoon, or The Singularity", which happens to be about the dangers of taking home a seemingly abandoned statue from an alley, and trying to make it into art. I can't say anymore about that, either. But do let me say, that it is nothing like any Trojan Horse tale you have ever heard. In his story notes, the author does say, along with "Episode Seven", he did work in a lot of popular culture that he grew up with, like Marvel Comics and Star Wars. Enough about that.
The amazing thing about this collection is that I really cannot, for the life of me, pick a favorite. I loved every one. I will probably not be able to pass up anything yet to be published by John Langan. Just what I need. Another author whose books I can't resist. Damn.
Anyroad, I already have a first edition of his debut novel, House Of Windows, which I haven't read, yet, but will soon, I imagine. In the meantime, I would have to say that this collection foretells of wonderful things to come.
The collection has an introduction by Elizabeth Hand, and contains 5 stories, all but one of which, are of novelette or novella length. It also includes story notes by the author. The first tale is a unique one, about a different sort of Mummy, "On Skua Island". "Mr. Gaunt" tells a story of curious children and a rather stern manservant, but I can say no more about that. Let it suffice to mention that it was atmospheric, and did get its measure of tension, as well as a couple of pints of blood. "Tutorial" is a tale about learning how to write according to the rules, and what might happen if you don't. And I think you might want to stick to the rules. And then there's "Episode Seven: Last Stand Against The Pack In The Kingdom Of The Purple Flowers", a gripping post-apocalyptic story, that in part was influenced by Dale Bailey's "The End Of The World As We Know It", which was published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. "Episode Seven" would have been an interesting basis for a graphic telling, although not at all necessary for to truly enjoy it. And finally, there is "Laocoon, or The Singularity", which happens to be about the dangers of taking home a seemingly abandoned statue from an alley, and trying to make it into art. I can't say anymore about that, either. But do let me say, that it is nothing like any Trojan Horse tale you have ever heard. In his story notes, the author does say, along with "Episode Seven", he did work in a lot of popular culture that he grew up with, like Marvel Comics and Star Wars. Enough about that.
The amazing thing about this collection is that I really cannot, for the life of me, pick a favorite. I loved every one. I will probably not be able to pass up anything yet to be published by John Langan. Just what I need. Another author whose books I can't resist. Damn.
Anyroad, I already have a first edition of his debut novel, House Of Windows, which I haven't read, yet, but will soon, I imagine. In the meantime, I would have to say that this collection foretells of wonderful things to come.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Review of Last Exit for the Lost
Yeah, I'm still here. Well, this will be my first post on this blog in 2 years. Although I have been posting regularly on my other blog, English Confusion, at www.goingtotea.blogspot.com, which was actually started for the ESOL students that I tutor (I prefer the title Facilitator). I will be posting book reviews to this site, however. So, allow me to post one now. It's probably all the time I have. Eddie (King Edgar to you) is napping on my neck behind my head, but that probably won't last long, and then hell will be raised. I have truly spoiled him. He does believe he is the King.
I love all speculative fiction: science fiction, dark fantasy, alternative history, magic realism, slipstream, etc., etc. But I have always had a soft spot for horror, particularly the bizarre, the weird, the atmospheric. The kind that has no need to depend on gallons of blood and violence galore. The subtle tends to burrow much deeper under my skin.
And I do have a warm place in my heart for Tim Lebbon. But I don't believe his are the stories for those suffering from severe depression or any form of paranoia. Many of his stories and novellas are collected in "Last Exit for the Lost", a signed limited edition published by Cemetery Dance. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, it is only available on the secondary market since it was sold out by the publisher. It has an introduction by Joe R. Lansdale, 17 previously published works of fiction, and 2 that are original to this collection: The Evolutionary a short story, and Nothing Heavenly, a novella.
I had read a fair number of the stories in their original publications, or in "year's best of" collections. But I re-read them all with definite relish. And, I enjoyed every single one. I'm not sure I can claim one single favorite, but if I had to, I would probably go with In Perpetuity. In this novella, a father loses his daughter to an evil collector with magical powers, and has to perform a seemingly impossible task to get her back. Along the way he runs into other strange, and not so strange, characters who are also trying to complete difficult quests for the same collector. It is a not so simple tale on the nature of love, desperation, and what it is to be human. The 2 original works round out the collection wonderfully. The Evolutionary is about a very special boy, who gets a visit from a very special man, who comes from a rather distant place. And finally, Nothing Heavenly would seem to be about a war where humans are caught in the middle. But as usual in the stories of Lebbon, things aren't always what they seem. Like I said, I love this guy.
Anyroad (anyway, if you like), I will give no more away. Above, you can see Eddie asserting his claim to the crown. Yup, he's the King. He's already woken, demanded a head rub, which I had to give him using my nose (he has a thing about fingers), and then made it clear he wished to be conveyed to the interior of his cage, where he is now continuing his nap.
Final comment: if you enjoy literate horror fiction and dark fantasy, you can do a whole lot worse than the scribblings of Tim Lebbon. Since reading his novel The Nature Of Balance, I have never missed the opportunity to read anything of his I can get my hands on. And that, as they say, is all I have to say about that.
I love all speculative fiction: science fiction, dark fantasy, alternative history, magic realism, slipstream, etc., etc. But I have always had a soft spot for horror, particularly the bizarre, the weird, the atmospheric. The kind that has no need to depend on gallons of blood and violence galore. The subtle tends to burrow much deeper under my skin.
And I do have a warm place in my heart for Tim Lebbon. But I don't believe his are the stories for those suffering from severe depression or any form of paranoia. Many of his stories and novellas are collected in "Last Exit for the Lost", a signed limited edition published by Cemetery Dance. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, it is only available on the secondary market since it was sold out by the publisher. It has an introduction by Joe R. Lansdale, 17 previously published works of fiction, and 2 that are original to this collection: The Evolutionary a short story, and Nothing Heavenly, a novella.
I had read a fair number of the stories in their original publications, or in "year's best of" collections. But I re-read them all with definite relish. And, I enjoyed every single one. I'm not sure I can claim one single favorite, but if I had to, I would probably go with In Perpetuity. In this novella, a father loses his daughter to an evil collector with magical powers, and has to perform a seemingly impossible task to get her back. Along the way he runs into other strange, and not so strange, characters who are also trying to complete difficult quests for the same collector. It is a not so simple tale on the nature of love, desperation, and what it is to be human. The 2 original works round out the collection wonderfully. The Evolutionary is about a very special boy, who gets a visit from a very special man, who comes from a rather distant place. And finally, Nothing Heavenly would seem to be about a war where humans are caught in the middle. But as usual in the stories of Lebbon, things aren't always what they seem. Like I said, I love this guy.
Final comment: if you enjoy literate horror fiction and dark fantasy, you can do a whole lot worse than the scribblings of Tim Lebbon. Since reading his novel The Nature Of Balance, I have never missed the opportunity to read anything of his I can get my hands on. And that, as they say, is all I have to say about that.
Friday, January 22, 2010
A moment please...
A quick update. I have neglected this blog for too long. I promise to continue tales about Harry as well as my present bird responsiblity, Edgar, in the not too far future. Life at the moment is quite a pleasant frenzy. Besides taking care of Edgar, I am currently leading 3 conversation groups a week for english learners who are mostly Chinese with some Haitians and South Americans, I am still buying & selling books on ebay & I am beginning to use another auction site on Horror Mall, & also I'm taking a class in learning Chinese (Mandarin) on Saturday mornings as well as trying to learn to recognize & write Chinese characters. Edgar is not always happy with my schedule, but I do try to give him all the attention I can. Cockatiels are very social.
As always, I never have enough time to read. Two of the books I read most recently are Vessels by Kealan Patrick Burke & In the Midnight Museum by Gary A. Braunbeck. Both authors seem to me to be underrated, & deserve much more attention. In the Midnight Museum was published by Necessary Evil Press, & is an excellent book that proves Braunbeck has the ability to bring his characters to life which makes the story much more poignant to the reader. I can not recommend it highly enough.
Vessels also is an excellent story, & although it can be read as a stand alone, it continues the story of Tim who was the protaganist in The Turtle Boy as a young boy who sees the dead, & makes it possible for them to come back to get vengeance, but without any intent on his part. His story as a young man is continued in The Hides, & finally in Vessels. All of these are excellent stories & can be read by themselves, but I think it's necessary to read them all to fully appreciate Tim's story. Kealan Patrick Burke plans on finishing Tim's story with a full length novel. Even with the incredibly large back reading list I have, I will definitely make time for it when it is published.
That's all for now. Happy reading to all!
As always, I never have enough time to read. Two of the books I read most recently are Vessels by Kealan Patrick Burke & In the Midnight Museum by Gary A. Braunbeck. Both authors seem to me to be underrated, & deserve much more attention. In the Midnight Museum was published by Necessary Evil Press, & is an excellent book that proves Braunbeck has the ability to bring his characters to life which makes the story much more poignant to the reader. I can not recommend it highly enough.
Vessels also is an excellent story, & although it can be read as a stand alone, it continues the story of Tim who was the protaganist in The Turtle Boy as a young boy who sees the dead, & makes it possible for them to come back to get vengeance, but without any intent on his part. His story as a young man is continued in The Hides, & finally in Vessels. All of these are excellent stories & can be read by themselves, but I think it's necessary to read them all to fully appreciate Tim's story. Kealan Patrick Burke plans on finishing Tim's story with a full length novel. Even with the incredibly large back reading list I have, I will definitely make time for it when it is published.
That's all for now. Happy reading to all!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Too many books, too little time...
To continue about Harry...many moons ago, a couple of years after first coming down with an auto-immune disease (not to worry: although incurable, it is not fatal), I was resting on a couch at my mother's house when I heard an incredible racket outside. When I finally managed to drag myself out there, I beheld a brightly colored grey, white & yellow cockatiel with orange on it's cheeks trying gamely to hold off a cat intent upon lunch. Whether the cat had damaged his flight feathers, or he was exhausted from flying a great distance, he was not attempting to fly off. Being sick & somewhat foggy in the head, I had no idea what to do, so I attempted to have the bird get on the back of my hand, of which he was having none of. He now believed I also was an enemy he would have to fight off alongside the cat. I picked up a stick to poke at the cat, and the bird made straight for it, hopped on and walked his way to my shoulder. That's how I was adopted, and how I saved his life. In return he helped to keep me alive. For although as I stated, my disease is not fatal, it does have a high suicide rate, and Harry came into my life during a very rough stretch for me. Suicide was never far from my thoughts. I don't really think I would have put an end to myself regardless, but having Harry to care for and to keep me company made it much easier to not consider it seriously.
Currently I just finished reading Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club, which I most thoroughly enjoyed. I have always liked historical fiction, be it mainstream, slipstream, sf or fantasy. Or all the above. Particularly when the author has done his research and the setting & dialogue seems authentic, which in this case it does. It is a little slow going in the beginning, but does pick up. I look forward to reading his next, The Poe Shadow.
Other books I have read of interest recently include both William Gibson's Pattern Recognition as well as Spook Country. I have been a fan of his writing for a long time, and although I did really enjoy Spook Country, reading Pattern Recognition was a truly wonderful experience for me. The voice and character of his protagonist struck a chord somewhere within. I read Robert Dunbar's The Pines, and it's sequel The Shore. I love horror, more for it's atmosphere than anything else, and although I enjoyed both books, I really appreciated The Shore. Of course, having read The Pines added greatly to that appreciation. I also very much enjoyed James A. Moore's Harvest Moon which was published by Cemetery Dance. I have also always enjoyed this author's work, and while this story is not one of terrifying fear, it was a helluva' lot of fun.
Of final mention for the moment are two works, one short & one novel. The novel is not a new one, The Grave by the late Charles L. Grant, Charlie to most of his friends. I never meet him, but I do know a number of his friends, of which there are many. I have always liked Charles Grant's writing and have read many of his books as well as books he edited. The Grave is a fine example of how easy he makes it seem to do such a wonderful job of painting a picture with words. This was an author who could suck you in to beautiful tranquil scene and then slowly turn it on you, and then still surprise the hell out of you in the end. I love this guy. The short work was titled When Dark Descends, published by Borderlands Press. Originally it was a science fiction story by Thomas F. Monteleone that just wasn't working for him, and he brought it to Charles Grant who turned it into a Lovecraftian tale of horror. It then proceeded to be lost for an eon or two, and then was discovered again and published in a very nice limited edition. It was an excellent collaboration and although short, a very enjoyable story.
Enough for now. Edgar, my current cockatiel master, is getting restless and wishes a snack. Until next time, most pleasant reading to all...
Currently I just finished reading Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club, which I most thoroughly enjoyed. I have always liked historical fiction, be it mainstream, slipstream, sf or fantasy. Or all the above. Particularly when the author has done his research and the setting & dialogue seems authentic, which in this case it does. It is a little slow going in the beginning, but does pick up. I look forward to reading his next, The Poe Shadow.
Other books I have read of interest recently include both William Gibson's Pattern Recognition as well as Spook Country. I have been a fan of his writing for a long time, and although I did really enjoy Spook Country, reading Pattern Recognition was a truly wonderful experience for me. The voice and character of his protagonist struck a chord somewhere within. I read Robert Dunbar's The Pines, and it's sequel The Shore. I love horror, more for it's atmosphere than anything else, and although I enjoyed both books, I really appreciated The Shore. Of course, having read The Pines added greatly to that appreciation. I also very much enjoyed James A. Moore's Harvest Moon which was published by Cemetery Dance. I have also always enjoyed this author's work, and while this story is not one of terrifying fear, it was a helluva' lot of fun.
Of final mention for the moment are two works, one short & one novel. The novel is not a new one, The Grave by the late Charles L. Grant, Charlie to most of his friends. I never meet him, but I do know a number of his friends, of which there are many. I have always liked Charles Grant's writing and have read many of his books as well as books he edited. The Grave is a fine example of how easy he makes it seem to do such a wonderful job of painting a picture with words. This was an author who could suck you in to beautiful tranquil scene and then slowly turn it on you, and then still surprise the hell out of you in the end. I love this guy. The short work was titled When Dark Descends, published by Borderlands Press. Originally it was a science fiction story by Thomas F. Monteleone that just wasn't working for him, and he brought it to Charles Grant who turned it into a Lovecraftian tale of horror. It then proceeded to be lost for an eon or two, and then was discovered again and published in a very nice limited edition. It was an excellent collaboration and although short, a very enjoyable story.
Enough for now. Edgar, my current cockatiel master, is getting restless and wishes a snack. Until next time, most pleasant reading to all...
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Still Alive, Still Reading...
Many moons have passed. Harry was a cockatiel who saved my life, or at least kept me alive. I had to have him put to sleep because of what the vet believed was probably a brain tumor. He started having seizures about a year and a half ago. We were trying to find a medication that would limit the seizures and wouldn't prevent him from maintaining his equilibrium. A couple of months later he began to slowly lose control of his motor skills until he couldn't stand on a perch, and finally he wasn't able to eat. Having him put to sleep was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Next time I will tell of how Harry came into my life, how I saved his life, & how he saved mine.
Now, a book review. One of my favorite author's is Connie Willis, whether she is telling a serious and dramatic tale, or one of romantic comedy. One of the best collections I have ever read was the Winds of the Marble Arch, published by Subterranean Press. All the stories were high caliber. It was not inexpensive, I believe I paid $95, and was worth every penny. I have also closely followed her time travel novels & stories from The Doomsday Book to the more recent To Say Nothing of the Dog. The first was an award winning novel about going back to the plague years, & the last a wonderful romantic comedy of errors. I highly recommend all her books. Until next time, be well, read 'em if you got 'em.
Now, a book review. One of my favorite author's is Connie Willis, whether she is telling a serious and dramatic tale, or one of romantic comedy. One of the best collections I have ever read was the Winds of the Marble Arch, published by Subterranean Press. All the stories were high caliber. It was not inexpensive, I believe I paid $95, and was worth every penny. I have also closely followed her time travel novels & stories from The Doomsday Book to the more recent To Say Nothing of the Dog. The first was an award winning novel about going back to the plague years, & the last a wonderful romantic comedy of errors. I highly recommend all her books. Until next time, be well, read 'em if you got 'em.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Between Books
I started reading when I was very young. I read everything I could get my hands on. At that time, I read my fair share of nonfiction, but fiction has always been my love. I even read all the Readers Digest condensed books I found around the house. Over the course of time I found a great affinity for fantastic literature, including horror, science fiction & fantasy.
I had a high school teacher who assigned the class to read A Clockwork Orange. It blew me away. I had never read anything like it. I have read a lot of the classics, not just in sf like H. G. Wells, but also Steinbeck, Faulkner, Shakespeare, Chekov (not sure if I'm spelling his name right), Joyce, etc., etc. It was A Clockwork Orange, however, that started me on "genre" literature.
The next book I remember reading that set the hook even deeper, was The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin. I was living in an old (late 1600's/early 1700's) farm house with 3 friends, and going to college. And yep, the house was haunted, but that's another story. Of course, while going to school there is very little time to do much pleasure reading, as any student will tell you. So it wasn't until years later that my education in other worlds & realities began in earnest.
More next time.
I had a high school teacher who assigned the class to read A Clockwork Orange. It blew me away. I had never read anything like it. I have read a lot of the classics, not just in sf like H. G. Wells, but also Steinbeck, Faulkner, Shakespeare, Chekov (not sure if I'm spelling his name right), Joyce, etc., etc. It was A Clockwork Orange, however, that started me on "genre" literature.
The next book I remember reading that set the hook even deeper, was The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin. I was living in an old (late 1600's/early 1700's) farm house with 3 friends, and going to college. And yep, the house was haunted, but that's another story. Of course, while going to school there is very little time to do much pleasure reading, as any student will tell you. So it wasn't until years later that my education in other worlds & realities began in earnest.
More next time.
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