Creature Feature Tomb of Horror

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Entertainment doesn’t have to be bad for your brain, TombRats, and to prove it, I’m offering two monstrously entertaining books with intellectual kick!

PARADOX RESOLUTION: A SPIDER WEBB NOVEL by K.A. Bedford

Time travel. It’s a very tricky concept what with light speed considerations and paradox problems. However difficult time travel might be as a concept, science fiction writers from H. G. Wells to the present have always been keen on imagining what might happen if time travel were possible. K.A. Bedford puts a grand spin on time travel with PARADOX RESOLUTION, a lively examination of time travel set in future Australia. Spider Webb is a working class guy retired from the Western Australian Police Service, now working as a time machine repairman at a repair franchise. However, the time machine repairing business is becoming obsolete as the machines have become less bulky and complicated, now miniaturized and more cheaply replaced than repaired. Times are tough and making a buck is a difficult endeavor. So, when Spider’s boss approaches him with a shady deal that will pay a huge amount of money, Spider is intrigued. It seems that the boss-man’s secret, highly illegal, souped-up hot-rod of a time machine has been stolen and, Spider, being a former cop could be very helpful in finding and returning the illegal machine. Oh, small detail: the machine could destroy the universe if it falls into the wrong hands. Although he could be imprisoned for life, Spider decides to take on the job, because not only is he desperate for the money, but his estranged wife--a sculptress who is slowing going mad--needs a favor, a favor that propels Spider into the icy wastelands of the far future. This is radically cool science fiction that borders on hard SF, but the plot and characterizations are so compelling that the reader can kick back and revel in the hardwired fun.

REFLECTIONS IN A GLASS DARKLY: ESSAYS ON J. SHERIDAN LE FANU edited by Gary William Crawford, Jim Rockhill, and Brian J. Showers

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu was an Irish writer of the Victorian era (1814-1873) who is now generally recognized by horror fans for a handful of classic tales such as “Carmilla”, Green Tea” and “Uncle Silas”, chilling, brilliant examples of supernatural horror which still appear regularly in anthologies of genre fiction. But there is so much more to appreciate about the author and his art. As the editors point out in their Introduction, Le Fanu is only now gaining due recognition as “the father of the English ghost story”, and acknowledgment as a significant literary figure who deserves wider and deeper modern readership. The editors, each prominent Le Fanu scholars, have compiled a volume of fascinating materials regarding every facet of Le Fanu’s life and works. The first section contains biographical memoirs accompanied by reproduced portraits of the author, even a photo of a reputed plaster death mask! Reading on, you will find period reviews of Mr. Fanu’s fiction and criticisms by M. R. James, V.S. Pritchett, E. F. Benson and others. Special topics that illuminate Le Fanu’s influences upon film and fiction and those who influenced his fiction are discussed in Section III, followed by sections containing contemporary reviews and in-depth studies of individual works by celebrated writers past and present. Modern readers will certainly recognize John Langan, Victor Sage, and Jack Sullivan. Many of the essays included in this collection have never before been published. REFLECTIONS IN A GLASS DARKLY is erudite and scholarly, yet never dusty or tedious. This is an engaging, absorbing, and beautifully realized portrait of J. Sheridan Le Fanu and his essential contributions to the oeuvre of weird fiction.

We're getting into the holiday season, so I thought I’d bring you a couple of great scary novels that are scary good fun! Enjoy!

THE WOWZER by Frank Wheeler Jr.

Here’s a graphically horrific Southern Gothic set in the Madison County hills of Arkansas, where folk legends about a gigantic panther-like creature that stalks the Ozarks are still told by the old folks. Those who wander too deep into the woods tend to end up dead with their heads torn off. Locals worry that they might be the Wowzer’s next victim, but county sheriff’s deputy Jerry isn’t particularly concerned. Not only is Jerry a lawman, he’s also a part-time enforcer for the local drug cartel, a brute of a man who doesn’t mind busting heads and breaking legs. Jerry’s decade-long stint with the cartel is coming to an end, but he realizes the Ozark mobsters aren’t just going to pay him off and let him out of his contract, and things just aren’t going well for Jerry is general. His girlfriend, who became his girlfriend after he saved her from a fire, has fled the state after seeing a rather disturbing psychological profile of her boyfriend. Seems that deputy sheriff Jerry isn’t quite right in the head, and all those tale of deep-woods decapitations might lead right back to Jerry, who truly enjoys the wet-work. A war for drug turf is ready to begin and, Jerry, whose complete lack of conscience, is the ultimate killing machine. This is scary, sardonic, hard-boiled country noir that reads like a hilarious, horrific hybrid of Jim Thompson and Edward Lee. Gut-churning graphic scenes and an often laugh-out-loud narrative told in a backwoodsy patois combine to make THE WOWZER, the author’s first novel, a deeply enjoyable read for hard-core crime/horror/thriller fans.

THE HAUNTED by Michaelbrent Collings

I’m a sucker for a good haunted house story, and bestselling author Michaelbrent Collings, with nods to Shirley Jackson and Stephen King, has crafted a tale about one particular house on a hill that haunted house fans will love. The narrative follows a happy young couple, Cap and Sarah, who are expecting their first child and, like many expecting couples, dream of the perfect home to begin family life. Their search brings them to an old house on a hill—a house surrounded by a lush “army” of trees that seem so protective. Best of all, the price is right—exceptionally inexpensive for a house with such…character---so Cap and Sarah buy the house and move in with dreams of a perfect future. They have absolutely no reason to believe that anything is wrong with the place. Although their new home has stood vacant for many years, it has most certainly not been empty. Something very dark and sinister stalks the hallways, and it is not long after Cap and Sarah move in that they begin experiencing all manner of strange occurrences: disembodied voices, wispy figures in 19th century garb, moans and chanting, and so much more. It becomes clear that the couple is in mortal danger and their unborn child’s soul is at stake. Finely crafted with an overarching atmosphere of dread, this is a haunted house story with a twist ending that will make you squeal with horrified delight. The author draws the reader into the tale, tightening the screws of suspense ever tighter until the final excruciatingly enjoyable page. For more about the author and his fiction, visit www.michaelbrentcollings.com.

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About the Tomb Keeper (Or, who is this person of mystery)

J. L. (Judy) Comeau is an award winning short story writer whose work has appeared internationally in major horror and dark fantasy anthologies such as the Borderlands series, Best New Horror, The Years' Best Horror, the Hot Blood series, and the Dark Voices series in the UK. She is an active member of the Horror Writer's Association, and she lives in the Washington, DC area where she also teaches short story writing. Click on FIREBIRD to read one of her most anthologized stories.

To learn more about the Horror Writer's Association, just click on their logo!