This week, I’m sharing Tomb space with my friend and fellow Creature Feature denizen, Stefanie Von Guest! Stefanie is beautiful and exotic, and she enjoys one of horror’s hottest new subgenres: Bizarro!

You’ll love her review. Thanks for hanging out with me, Stefanie; you really class up the joint! Next, I’m reviewing a popular dark fantasy novel that contains a reference to none other than our own beloved Count Gore De Vol! Check it out!

I KNOCKED UP SATAN’S DAUGHTER by Carlton Mellick III
I KNOCKED UP SATAN’S DAUGHTER is a recent novel by the Bizarro genre's leading author Carlton Mellick III. This book is a perfect start if you haven't read any of his previous works as it blends bizarre twists with humour and a lot of blood and gore. The story follows Jonathan Vandervoo who lives a carefree life in a house built out of legos.( Strange things like this are common in this genre!) However Jonathan's life is soon turned upside down when he discovers he has impregnated Satan's daughter, Lici. Now Jonathan must marry Lici in order to keep her hellish parents happy, but his family don't quite agree with his choice of bride. This demonic romantic comedy is perfect for anyone looking for a fun and quick read. I definitely recommend it and rate it with a very high 9 out of 10! You can find out more about Mr. Mellick by visiting his website at www.carltonmellick.com. Or alternatively you can go right ahead and purchase the book directly from Amazon.com by clicking on the cover graphic.

 

 

WITCHES ON THE ROAD TONIGHT by Sheri Holman
When Count Gore De Vol told me he had met the award-winning author of WITCHES ON THE ROAD TONIGHT at a recent convention and that he was referenced in her most recent novel, you know I had to read it! And it’s a very dark ride, TombRats, believe me, very dark indeed. The story follows a timid Appalachian boy, Eddie Alley, who grows up in an impoverished rural community during the years following the Great Depression. Eddie’s mother, Cora, is rumored to be witch and Eddie’s childhood is shrouded by the jeers and bullying he is forced to endure. One day, a sophisticated New York writer and his alluring female photographer/companion arrive in town looking for a story, and their car grazes Eddie as he sprints into the road to evade his tormentors. The couple drives Eddie home, and it isn’t long before the writer becomes enchanted by Eddie’s strange, wild-hearted mother. Thus, a tragedy becomes inevitable. Eddie, however, has become enthralled by the writer's glittering tales of New York and show business, and three decades later finds Eddie employed as a late night horror host called Captain Casket, just like Count Gore De Vol, who is one of Eddie’s heroes. But Eddie’s dark Appalachian childhood refuses to recede into the past, in fact, it arises afresh in his daughter, Wallis, who is becoming very much like her sorceress grandmother, Cora. Decades of secrets and terror have been knotted deep in Eddie’s heart, but the past is unraveling and returning with a vengeance. This is entertaining dark fiction that will put a chill in your bones. For more about the author, please click on www.SheriHolman.com.

 

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Last week I featured two big wham-bam books for moviegoers, so this week we’re going to change course and take a look at two erudite and polished literary gems from the world of dark fiction perfect for reading on a dark, storm-tossed night.

ANTHROPOMORPHISMS by Bruce Boston
Award-winning darkscribe Bruce Boston is one of my favorite poets, and my favorite pieces from among his wide-ranging canon of dark poetry are his anthropomorphic poems in which he imagines that creatures and objects other than humans have taken charge of the world. These thirty seven poems are witty, funny, frightening, thought-provoking, strange and incredibly enjoyable. For instance, “If robot people were the world there would be far fewer mistakes.” Indeed. Or, “If the world/ were werewolf people/it would be a hairier world/ than you know.” How about: “If can people were the world/ we would eventually/ be emptied and crushed.” These are just the beginning stanzas of longer contemplative poems that extract the very essence of the things and beings that have become the world. You’ll encounter worlds ruled by assassins, bone people, birds, champagne, dogs, gargoyles, ghosts, dragons, knives, and even lice! This is a volume of poetry to which I will return again and again for the sheer pleasure of the stunning insights, cunning wordplay and delightful, sometimes horrific and often disturbing imagery. Marge Simon’s illustrations perfectly complement these entertaining poems. Not to be missed is her drawing of a lice person lounging in a chair, legs crossed casually, reading a book with martini glass upraised! I absolutely adore this collection! Bravo! For more about the author/poet/editor Bruce Boston, his online resting place may be accessed via www.BruceBoston.com.



INSUFFICIENT ANSWERS: ESSAYS ON ROBERT AICKMAN edited by Gary William Crawford
I’ve long been a fan of Robert Aickman’s strange dark fiction, disturbing stories that seem to link the brooding Lovecraftian style to the emergence of modern weird horror as written by Richard Matheson, Charles L. Grant and Ramsey Campbell, among others. As editor Gary William Crawford notes in his superb introduction, “Indeed, Aickman is as ghostly and enigmatic as some of his stories.” Mr. Aickman’s short stories are strangely modern and old-world at the same time, forming a disturbing rift where lonely souls drift through bizarre landscapes that are at once wholly recognizable yet utterly alien. In the opening essay, author Philip Challinor examines Aickman’s story “Ringing in the Changes”, an often anthologized tale that describes the horrific trajectory of a couple who marry impulsively after a whirlwind affair and the terrible honeymoon trip that follows in an inexorable linkage of love and death. Rebekah Memel Brown’s essay about one of Aickman’s most impenetrable tales, “The Train”, unearths a wealth of information about Aickman’s views regarding the burgeoning sexual freedom of women in the mid-twentieth century. Finally, Isaac Land provides insight into Aickman’s socio-political background with his essay “Orphans of the Social Storm: Robert Aickman’s Twentieth Century.” Combined, these three thoughtful and scholarly essays provide a deeper understanding of an important author of speculative fiction whose life has seemed heretofore as mysterious and indefinable as his marvelously strange stories. Cover art by the incomparable Marge Simon. For more about this fascinating chapbook and others, please visit www.gwcgothicpress.com.

 

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This week, TombRats, I’m reviewing two film tie-in books created as companions to the phenomenal new horror movie in theaters now, THE CABIN IN THE WOODS. A lucky winner will receive both of these books from Creature Feature, so be sure to enter Count Gore’s contest this week—for information about the contest, keep reading and good luck in the contest!

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS: THE OFFICIAL MOVIE NOVELIZATION by Tim Lebbon
Veteran horror and dark fantasy author Tim Lebbon has crafted a marvelous novelization of the exciting new horror film with a fast-paced story and in-depth narrative that broadens the storyline while adding depth to and a greater understanding of the characters and terrors of the movie. Without giving away the carefully guarded secrets of the plot, I will tell you that the story begins with five college friends who head off to the titular cabin in the woods recently acquired by a family member of one of the two pretty girls who are accompanied by their male companions: a letter-jacket jock, a math geek and a stoner. When they arrive at the cabin, it turns out to be a tumbledown, swaybacked old shack surrounded by a tangle of wild trees and undergrowth—hardly what they were expecting. They decide to make the best of it, however, and, after a bit of dance, drink and toke, a trap door leading to a dark cellar slams open behind them. And so the fun begins. Does this sound like your classic teen slasher film? Don’t bet on it, my friend, because you will lose that bet. Nothing is at it seems, and the rabbit hole goes far deeper that you can imagine. Mr. Lebbon captures the fun and horror of the movie and, even you see the film, this novel will give you a deeper understanding of the characters, motivations and events. It’s a wild, dark ride indeed. For more about the author, you may visit his online presence at www.TimLebbon.net.

 

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS: THE OFFICIAL VISUAL COMPANION
This is a huge, glossy companion book to the movie that completes the experience of the star-packed film and the cool novelization. It contains the entire screenplay of the film by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Serenity) and Drew Goddard (Cloverfield), absolutely stuffed with an incredible number of full-color photographs and diagrams of scenes, shooting, sets and behind-the-scenes tech from one of the wildest and straight-on fun monster movies ever! Also included are interviews with producer Joss Whedon and director Drew Goddard, character biographies, conceptual art, and interviews with the special effects team that created an homage to monster movies to end all monster movies. You will also discover loads of inside information about things that were shown in the film that you probably didn’t even notice because it all moved so fast onscreen. This is the perfect companion to one of the most secretively created and highly anticipated horror films ever made, and it will give you all the inside info on the film before you see it again when it arrives on DVD!

To enter the Count Gore’s THE CABIN IN THE WOODS contest in which both of the above books will be awarded to a lucky winner, head upstairs to the Game Room and enter NOW! Entering is absolutely free! Do it!

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This week, TombRats, I’m presenting a couple of fantasy/horror novels that will have your knees knocking, guaranteed!

REVENGE by Gabrielle Faust and Solomon Schneider
This is a lavishly written, deeply involving novel that references world legend, religion and lore plotted at breakneck speed, hooking the reader in the jaws of the narrative from page one. Poor Marcus Glenfield. He has alienated his fiancé, who begged him to seek counseling for his depression, but he can’t seem pull himself out of the cloud of despair that stalks his every waking moment. The mere act of dragging himself to his dull office job has become hell on earth. Yes, he thinks life is hell; that is, until he commits suicide and finds himself in literal Hell, where he becomes a demon very appropriately named the Demon of Regrets. It turns out that hell is quite an officious place ruled by the evil Belial, the Prince of Wickedness, a rather intolerant demon who is searching for a consort. When word reaches Marcus that Belial’s choice of consort is none other than his former fiancé, Brenda, Marcus explodes with a fit of rage that greatly offends Belial, who sends Marcus plummeting into the deepest regions of Hell. This incident catches the interest of Lucifer, who is planning a rebellion in Purgatory that will cause the planes of existence separating Heaven, Earth, Limbo, Purgatory and Hell to evaporate, causing a tumultuous new environment combining all planes into a single horrific milieu from which God and Satan are banished forever. Lucifer’s minions manage to kidnap the child born of the union between Belial and Brenda, a very powerful child indeed. And they have managed to sneak Marcus into Purgatory to help with their planned uprising. Now Marcus must choose between Lucifer and Belial. Not an easy choice. Written with grand brio and style, REVENGE is a finely crafted novel for fans of phantasmagorical horror. For more information, check out these web sites: www.gabriellefaust.com and www.revengenovel.com.


NERVES by John Palisano
John Palisano’s NERVES is strung tight like a high-tension wire that thrums with action and suspense. This is weird horror fiction with a Lovecraftian demeanor and science fiction thriller pacing. A young man named Josiah awakens with the power to raise the dead, and his first act as a new being is to go to battle with the evil Ogam, witch and vampire, who has plagued Josiah’s family for generations. Ogam had tricked them with gifts and powers, but he had also cursed them. Far across the world in Istanbul, Josiah’s brother Horace discovers that he has been imbued with new powers as well—he has gained the ability to cause death of any living being just by being in the presence of his victims. Horace fled America to escape his family legacy, but his new power informs him that he can no longer evade his destiny. Josiah realizes that he and his brother must join together as a team to defeat the evil that has their mother in its thrall, weakening her mind, confining her to her bed. By combining his power to grant life with Horace’s power to cause death, Josiah is sure that his family’s curse can be broken. A bizarre road trip with many unexpected twists and turns commences across a world that is ours, yet very much otherworldly. Lightning paced, scary and utterly strange, Mr. Palisano has crafted an intriguing tale that keeps the reader guessing and entertained throughout. Fans of weird horror rejoice! NERVES will rock your socks off! For more about the author, you may visit his online presence at www.johnpalisano.com, and be sure to watch the cool NERVES book trailer--jam-packed with raves from celebrated horror authors--at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN87D1oVgJE  

 

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Although I’m not generally a fan of series fiction, there are some major exceptions. This week, TombRats, we’re taking a look at two books in the lightning-paced, rough-and-tumble Jackelian steampunk adventure series from author Stephen Hunt!

THE RISE OF THE IRON MOON by Stephen Hunt
Although this is the third installment of a four-book series, THE RISE OF THE IRON MOON is the first book in the series I read, and it is easily a stand-alone novel that will send you looking for the first two novels, THE COURT OF THE AIR and THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE WAVES. Blending fantasy, hard science fiction, steampunk and thriller genres, Mr. Hunt has crafted a fascinating, fast-moving novel that centers upon the orphaned girl Purity Drake, who was born into captivity in the Royal Breeding House. After accidentally killing one of her guards, Purity escapes and runs for her life in the company of her rescuer, a stranger who tells her that he is also fleeing capture by the powerful ancient forces of evil that conquered and enslaved their nation. Purity decides that she will fight, too, and it soon becomes apparent that Purity possesses powers of which even she was previously unaware. No longer merely an odd little royal child in captivity, Purity, with the help of her rescuer, devises a plan to attack and kill the nearly indestructible Army of Shadows that has overrun her homeland. Filled with steampunk tech, automatons, mecha-humans and non-stop action, THE RISE OF THE IRON MOON is an adventure that recalls the grand fiction of Jules Verne updated for modern readers.

 

 

SECRETS OF THE FIRE SEA by Stephen Hunt
This is the fourth installment of Stephen Hunt’s breathlessly exciting steampunk series. As with the first three novels, this is a stand-alone steampunk thriller that can be read independently of the previous three books. This novel is set on the island continent of Jago, an island surrounded by deadly molten magma that flows and ebbs like an ocean. Jago is home to young Hannah Conquest, an orphaned girl who has enjoyed a carefree childhood—a childhood that will quickly come to an end when her sweet-natured guardian, Archbishop Alice Grey, is viciously decapitated. It turns out that Alice Grey had secret information, and the killer—who apparently believes Alice passed her secrets on to her ward—is now trying to kill Hannah. A power struggle is underway on Jago and, with the help of a gritty, wayward detective and his steam-man automaton assistant, Hannah begins to sift through the clues Alice left behind in order to stop the insurrection. Filled with amazing steam tech and memorable characters, SECRETS OF THE FIRE SEA is rousing, involving adventure that never sags or slows down from first page to last.

For more about the author, please visit his wildly popular, interactive site, www.SFcrowsnest.com, where you will find his personal website, his blog, games and more!

 

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This week, TombRats, I have two moody, evocative new novels from two of my favorite darkscribes. These tales are filled with terror, loss, remembrance and longing—perfect late night reading for fans of beautifully wrought horror fiction. Enjoy!

INTO THE RED by Sandy Deluca
Just as Danie’s life has become calm and predictable, the horrific murder of her beloved older brother, Josh, brings up persistent memories of her past—a past she had struggled mightily to put behind her. Josh and Danie were raised in the comfortable middle class suburb of Long Island City, growing up to be teens who seemed as ordinary as any others in their high school; that is, until the strange, outsider kid in high school, Peter Vela, became friends with Josh. Peter introduced Josh and, later, Danie, to arcane black magic rituals that culminated with the use of knives, cutting and much bloodletting. When Josh is found slashed to death years later, Danie’s thoughts reel back to the devastating days of sharp knives when she was obsessed with pain, blood and Peter Vela, who became her lover. It had taken all of her will to break free of Peter, only to allow herself to fall into the arms of bad boy Tommy DePardo, an acquaintance of Peter’s. When Danie tried to break away her destructive relationship with Tommy, he retaliated violently against Danie, an act for which Josh and Peter took his life. Danie. Josh and Peter eventually moved on with their lives, and, as often happens with teenage friends, Peter drifted away from them. Danie managed to push the past deep down, but it never really went away. With marriage to her steady, dependable fiancé William only months away, Josh’s death brings everything back to the surface. Danie feels the past tightening around her…bringing with it a strange longing. And then Peter returns. Moody, dark and deeply scary, INTO THE RED is the story of a love triangle with razor-sharp edges. For more about this devilishly talented author/artist/editor, please visit www.SandyDeluca.com.

LULLABY FOR THE RAIN GIRL by Christopher Conlon
This is the story of a man who cannot seem to stop the bleak, spiraling free-fall his life has become. The novel opens with a thunderstorm during a power blackout during which Ben, a former writer who has become a high school teacher, is comforting the frightened young girl in his care as water drips from the leaking roof and ceiling into buckets and pans Ben has placed to catch the rain. Ben sits by the girl’s bedside in the candlelit gloom, recalling the day the girl first showed up in his classroom to escape the rain outside, and how she came to be the centerpiece of his dreary life. She is the Rain Girl. Ben is a woeful man who sleepwalks through the world like an automaton, and it occurs to him that everything he has become has been due to his embrace of “…this habit of melancholy.” Told through a dreamlike collection of interconnected surrealist stories, Ben’s past melds into his present, recalling promising relationships that turned to dust, an ugly divorce, a girlfriend’s suicide—incidents that turned Ben inward and brought his career as an author to a halt. A delicate architecture of overarching dread through which Ben moves is ever teetering and threatening to collapse around him. And then the Rain Girl arrives, entering his heart and his home, an ailing child who creates a diversion in his endless trudge through the long days and nights. Will she be his salvation or his final damnation? Will the rain ever stop? LULLABY FOR THE RAIN GIRL is a wrenching, lyrical meditation on the horrors we create by choice, a heart-heavy look at the worst—and best—that we can be. For more information about the author/poet/editor/playwright, click on www.ChristopherConlon.com.

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