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     Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
I finished this mighty tome on the bus yesterday. So here's my thoughts on the contents INTO - You can't beat a bit of MMS. Astute as ever. The Hurting House by Mike O'Driscoll - Perhaps the story closet to its source material, or one of them anyway. I liked this quite a lot, the ending was ambiguous but that really worked. Reminded me that sexual jealousy is a theme that runs through quite a lot of Poe's stories. The Places They Hide by Mark Morris - I like Mark's stuff quite a bit but I thought that this was one of his weaker stories. The idea just seemed a bit old hat to me even if it was well constructed. Save the Snutch by Antony Mann - An intelligent and amusing tale. I like the idea of a monster built out of rumors. And I also like the send-up of the more vociferous animal rights campaigners. Bottom Feeders by Mel Cartagena - Unfortunately I felt that this was a bit cliche and didn't do anything particularly new with the vampire genre. The idea of psychic vampires is a bit ho-hum. Not my cup of tea but may be to some people's taste. A Ripple in the Veil by Tim Lebbon - Beautiful and another reason why Lebbon is one of the most exciting genre names out there. His tribute to a genre great was carefully crafted. Idiot Hearts by Steve Saville - Yeah I rather liked this. Reminded me a bit of Jonathan Carroll. Saville's got a nice style and sense of pace. A Night on Fire by Joel Lane - Very good indeed. Gets to the intensity of Woolrich's prose and plots. A literary punch to the face. Doctor Jackman's Letters by Greg Beatty - Pretty good, although for a story about mad science I though that the scientist could be a bit madder. Unfinished Business by Chico Kidd - I've never read any other stories in this series so was utterly lost I'm afraid. Didn't feel so much as a tribute to any specific genre trope as some of the other stories. It was pretty well written but right over my head. Once Seen by Conrad Williams - The Unseen being the heart of the story. Clever and well thought out. A fitting tribute to that which man is not meant to know. Earth, Water, Oil by Jon Hartless - Well paced but a bit run of the mill plot wise. Sitting Tenant by Nicholas Royle - I love a proper haunted house tale an Royle doesn't dissapoint. The undercurrent of violence that underlies this story spreads like a nasty and insidious stain. Making Ivy by E. Sedia - I thought that this SF/Fetish story worked rather well. Not sure that Wells would have exactly dug it, but I did. The Cubicle Wall by Dominick Cancilla - Truly the 21st Century Yellow Wallpaper. Very clever and the suspense and madness builds to a great crescendo. The descriptions of the wall people and their interactions with one another are superb. The Good Unknown by Stephen Volk - A belter of a ghost story set in the depressing world of Hollywood. A story about the power of stories. Excellent. The Strange Case of Jack Myride and Company by Gary Fry - I really liked the idea and the plot was worked out well. I felt the philosophical discourse was a bit over heavy at times and a simplification could have benefited the piece. Overall I enjoyed it though. The Pregnant Sky by Andrew Hook - He is the king of miserabalist SF and I'm sure that Kafka would have loved this. Sad,bitter and affecting. Evidence by Gene Stewart - A rather good crime story. I liked it and thought that the cruelty of the characters was well portrayed. The Jam of Hypnos by Rhys Hughes - Mad as cake! A joyous story of confectionary and Gods. While My Guitar Gently Weeps by Gary McMahon - Dark and gritty. The atmosphere is so thick you can almost taste it. A thread of pain runs through that ties it all up. A dark poem of a story. Where Angels Come In by Adam L. G. Nevill - ZOWIE! This story utterly blew me away and is the stand-out piece in the collection. The seductiveness and otherworldyness of the supernatural is just beautifully portrayed. The prose is considered and lyrical. Being lost in the house with the boys was dreamlike and terrifying. I read this while walking home as I couldn't put it down after getting off the bus. I really need to get me a copy of Banquet of The Damned now. The Volkendorf Exhibition by John Llewellyn Probert - A viciously humorous tale from the good Doctor. Makes me wonder what's hanging on his walls. Turbulent Times by Allen Ashley - The other king of miserabalist SF. It's a clever idea and it works. A good story. The Pale Lover by Richard Gavin - I've never read any de Maupassant but I thought this story was well written, if a little dry at times. Living Room Zombies by Kevin L. Donike - Fun enough but it didn't do a huge amount for me. Felt a bit like Shaun of The Dead lite. The Scent of Nostalgia by Neil Ayres - Sexuality and hunger for violence, well potrayed. Goodbye by Robert Swartwood - A small idea becomes rather compelling. An interesting take on the power of words. One Man Show by Simon Clark - I wasn't quite sure where Clark was going with this. It almost worked but it feels that it missed it by a slight margin. Papa Loaty by Donald R. Burleson - Love the American Gothic atmosphere but not sure that the central image or idea really worked for me. I found it hard to visualise the creature. Well written though. Just Behind You by Ramsey Campbell - I was totally wrong footed by the ending. Ramsey manages to pack so much terror and tension into a short story. As usual some of the people themselves are worse than the entity. A story about things falling apart, quite literally at times. Overall a brave and well put together collection. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
Nice review, mate. Thanks for the kind words regarding my contribution. The stand-outs for me were Ramsey, Burleson and Adam Neville. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.215 |
Thanks, Jon! | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.74 |
Away with you all and buy Banquet of the Damned! | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
You're welcome. Is Banquet of the Damned one of the latest re-issued by Virgin or is it still only in the PS edition? | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.215 |
It's out with Virgin. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
And a very good novel it is, too! | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Woohoo! That shall be my next book purchase then. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.215 |
>>>I felt the philosophical discourse was a bit over heavy at times and a simplification could have benefited the piece. You're absolutely right. I've learnt a few things since then. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Really liked the idea of the multiples and the clones though. That was well portrayed and the plotting was pretty tight. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
Thanks. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.149.134.59 |
Much appreciated, Jon. I can't remember now how I felt about most of the stories, but I did like most of them and loved quite a few. Rhys Hughes on unusually good form. Andrew Hook and Gary McMahon doing what they do best, i.e. being very pissed off indeed. Richard Gavin moving so far beyond his early stories it was hard to believe this was the same writer. Very nice book. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
And not a single comment about the font size, Jon. At last a real man reads the book.  | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
AGHHHH MY EYES MY EYES! What problem with the font size? What you talkin' about?  | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
You see, these Southerners are built to last. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Can you rename Gray Friar Press, Big Northern Books? | ||
| John_l_probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.208.214.33 |
Thanks very much Jon! Viciously humorous - oh yes that's me. And Banquet for the Damned is excellent - go & treat yourself. | ||
| Niki Flynn (Niki) Username: Niki Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 78.32.69.29 |
Yes, buy Banquet - a stunning debut! And (sorry - pedant alert!) there's no "e" on the end of his name. His story "The Ancestors" is my favourite, though I don't know where it's published. Lots of good stuff in Progeny, but I haven't read everything, so I can't comment beyond saying I loved Nevill's, Probert's and Fry's. Oh, and the one by that Campbell guy wasn't bad either. | ||
| John_l_probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.208.214.33 |
You have excellent taste, Miss Flynn | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
Yeah, thanks, Maam. | ||
| Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin) Username: Richard_gavin Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 65.110.174.71 |
Joel wrote: "Richard Gavin moving so far beyond his early stories it was hard to believe this was the same writer." Thank you, Joel. "The Pale Lover" was one of the stories where I began to feel that I was hitting my stride, so to speak. I was finally able to convey the atmospheres that address the themes I'd been struggling at for some time. Jonathan wrote: "...I thought this story was well written, if a little dry at times." Whadda ya mean "dry"?!?!? Just kidding, Jonathan. I'm glad you enjoyed the story, and do check out Guy de Maupassant. You won't be disappointed. Best, Richard | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
Jonathan got a copy of PP hot off the press, Richard. The ink hadn't set. | ||
| Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin) Username: Richard_gavin Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 65.110.174.71 |
Phew! Thanks, Gary. I *knew* the perceived dryness just had to be due to the book's production since there's no possible way it could've been my writing.  Best, Richard | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.216 |
The thing is, Jonathan is a southerner and despite his frankly superb eyesight, his sense of touch is all to cock. Don't know how he manages to turn the page, to be honest. |