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Laird Barron (Laird)
Username: Laird
Registered: 05-2008
Posted From: 71.212.77.161
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 11:49 am: | |
Here are some titles I read and very much enjoyed in 2008, although some were published earlier -- or are pending, as the case may be.
In no particular order:
The Little Sleep -- Paul Tremblay; I read the ARC of this twisted and inventive take on a noir/ mystery novel about a narcoleptic private detective. Not horror, but certainly dark.
The ARC of Mr. Gaunt and Other Uneasy Tales -- John Langan; John's stories are exceptional examples of literary horror. He does an excellent job with the frame story. Disclaimer: John is one of my dearest friends, but that friendship resulted from my keen admiration for his early work in F&SF. Get his collection; it's going to disappear from the shelves in short order. I also got ahold of his as yet unpublished novella, The Beautiful Thing that Awaits Us All. One of thee best cosmic horror pieces I've read, ever.
The Autopsy and Other Tales -- Michael Shea; I wrote the intro and was honored to be asked. Michael is another writer I befriended due to following his work since my teens. Superlatives come cheap, but if you love horror, this pricey omnibus is without question an essential purchase. He's easily one of the top five authors of contemporary horror.
Bull Running For Girls -- Allyson Bird; a nice debut horror collection
The Fungal Stain -- Wilum Pugmire; baroque, Lovecraftian short stories. Extremely weird, decadent stuff.
Can't Buy Me Faded Love -- Josh Rountree; rock & roll themed collection
Between Here and the Yellow Sea -- Nic Pizzolatto; non genre collection. Spare, heartbreaking work. I hope to God he publishes more.
Selected Poems -- Charles Simic; a poetry god, his imagery evokes bleakness and hope by turns. His black humor can be searing.
Inferno -- Ellen Datlow, editor; I enjoyed the Hell out of this. In particular: An Apiary of White Bees by Lee Thomas; Lives, by John Grant; Ghorla, by Mark Samuels; The Monsters of Heaven by Nathan Ballingrud, and The Bedroom Light by Jeff Ford. I urge anyone who hasn't encountered Ford to give him a go. He writes a lot of fantasy and his darker works are superb. A former student of the late John Gardener.
In the hopper:
Radiant Dawn -- Cody Goodfellow; he writes very dense, unorthodox horror stories. Great stuff, and the novel is fascinating from what I've sampled.
Beneath the Surface -- Simon Strantzas (who needs no intro here; I quite enjoy what I've read of Beneath the Surface.
Anyway, some of these may be of interest to my fellow RCMB members.... |
Laird Barron (Laird)
Username: Laird
Registered: 05-2008
Posted From: 71.212.77.161
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 11:53 am: | |
Sorry, that should be John Gardner. |
Allybird (Allybird)
Username: Allybird
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 79.70.61.121
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 02:13 pm: | |
Thank you Laird. I really appreciate the mention! |
Huw (Huw)
Username: Huw
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 61.216.36.122
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 02:22 pm: | |
A good list (the ones I've read, at any rate), to which I would add The Best of Lucius Shepard and The Imago Sequence (by some bloke who posts here)... |
Laird Barron (Laird)
Username: Laird
Registered: 05-2008
Posted From: 71.212.77.161
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 03:30 pm: | |
Ally: I'm happy you got the Lansdale mention. ;)
Thanks, Huw -- I haven't read the Shepard collection, but I do love his work. |
Allybird (Allybird)
Username: Allybird
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 79.70.61.121
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 03:31 pm: | |
Thank you! :>) |
Simon Strantzas (Nomis)
Username: Nomis
Registered: 09-2008
Posted From: 99.254.209.182
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 06:24 pm: | |
Thanks, Laird. I hope you like the rest of the book. |
Simon Strantzas (Nomis)
Username: Nomis
Registered: 09-2008
Posted From: 99.254.209.182
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 06:26 pm: | |
I wish that Shea book wasn't so freakin' huge and expensive. I just can't justify it right now. I'm looking forward to the Langan book, though. |
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