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     Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
There probably is already a thread on this but I'm far too lazy to find it. Anyway, I've been reading through the works of some RCMBers of late and so here are my comments on the first book what I finished, next on the pile is other Gary's Rain Dogs and then Ally's Bull Running For Girls, both of which I'm looking forward to immensely. Anyway, the stories in GF's tome - WORLD WIDE WEB Beautifully reflective of the Lovecraftian novella in its structure, absolutely spot on there. I really liked that this tale was also about the discovery of horror literature by a young man. Starting on the trashy stuff and moving on to more unusual territory. Reminded me of my own discovery of horror fiction. The tension between the parents and the fact that they don't realise how much they really are adding to the encroaching horror - both emotional and cosmically - is very well done. I'm also a sucker for anything involving caves and the underground, hence the sense of claustrophobia as Adam discovers the cave paintings was very unsettling. The pay-off of the story is nicely delivered and that's not very easy to do when you're talking about unnamable/unknowable entities. UNNATURALLY SELECTED The prejudices of Charles that drive this tale, add a blackly comic effect to the whole. He seems as much disturbed by the fact that disenfranchised youths now have this new disturbing ability as he does by the ability itself. I like it, and the dryness of the warring academics is also very funny. SERVANT OF THE ORDER Reminded me a little bit of Cold Print, although the fleshy monstrosity is revealed at the beginning of the story here to a certain degree. The shabby carnival also added a nice hint of Bradbury to the proceedings. THERE IS ONE TOO MANY OR TOO FEW Again the unameable, that tricky skill of portraying a massive horror without diminishing its power by making it obvious. I like the device of the guy recording his impressions on dictaphone as it replaces the Lovecraftian protagonist scribbling away, depicting his terror, as something batters down his door and creeps up the stairs. IN THE WORLD Why can't all Estate Agents meet such a horrible doom? A decent parallell world story with an added Lovecraftian frisson. OUT OF BODY, OUT OF MIND The lone artist or thinker is certainly a Lovecraftian protagonist and I think your aspiration to blend complex philosophical thought with supernatural fiction is admirable. I felt, at times, a little lost though. Occasionally the tale slipped into metaphysical discussion and felt a little bit like an essay, although the effectiveness of the horror did its bit to lift that. I think you're close to achieving what you want with this story, I just think that you need to be slightly looser with the philosophical aspects. At the moment they feel a little bit incongruous, but less so than some of your earlier fiction that I have read and I do think it's a good track to take, just one that needs some work. Hope this doesn't sound too harsh. Bear in mind when it comes to academia and philosophy I'm a bit of a dunce, so other readers may have come away from this tale with much more a sense of the whole, if you see what I mean. BODYING FORTH More warring academics. Quite liked this one, felt slighter than the others though. Anyhew, there's my 10ps worth. For what its worth. Back to the manuscripts. Jon | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.20.31.211 |
Hey, thanks, mate. And you're absolutely right about Out of Body... It is heavy handed, but I wrote it as a kind of experiment. My later stuff is getting far less thematically explicit, as you suggest. Delighted you liked the book. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 06-2008 Posted From: 86.145.36.243 |
Interested to read another review of this book. Thanks. Here's one I did earlier.  http://weirdmonger.blog-city.com/world_wide_web_and_other_lovecraftian_upgrades_ _by_gary_fry.htm A similar view of Out of Body... Great minds think alike. | ||
| Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.151.125.173 |
I enjoyed WWW...But The Impelled is streets ahead. If you haven't read it Jonathan, do so, it's great. gcw | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 06-2008 Posted From: 86.145.36.243 |
But The Impelled is streets ahead. ============== I think it is different. Here is my review of IMPELLED: http://weirdmonger.blog-city.com/the_impelled__other_headtrips_by_gary_fry.htm |