My First October 2024 Post

 

It's time for a reading update. But before that, just a reminder that advance voting for the British Columbia provincial elections started today. Advance voting covers 10 - 13 and then 15 & 16 October, except Thanksgiving Monday and then the official date for final voting is October 19. Information on voting can be found at this link. I voted this morning on the first day of advance voting and it was busy but the process was simple and easy. Vote! It's important. Your vote is always important.

So with that unpaid announcement out of the way, here is my first update of October.

Just Finished

(I've finished 3 books thus far in October and gave up on one other)

1. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive #1). I did not finish this book. I did read about a quarter of it.

"I've been working on The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson for six months and am now half way through it. But I've decided to give up on the story. I do enjoy fantasy but I'm still struggling to get into this story. I'm sorry about that.

Sanderson has created a different, interesting world but I don't think I've grasped it. And after reading about half of it, I've given up. I'm sorry about that and I'm sure many other people have totally different thoughts about it. I don't even know if I can explain what I've read so far. A war between two groups, little spirits that show up when there is blood spilled, or storms come through, or different emotions come out. Swords and armor made of some sort of shards that appear when needed during battle.. 

There you go. That's sort of what I've gathered so far. Oh, and visions.... So please feel free to try it. Don't go with my thoughts. But for me, it's a DNF with No Rating (NR)"

2. The Extinction Parade, Vol. 1 by Max Brooks (2014).

"The first book I read by American author Max Brooks was World War Z. It was a neat surprise, a documentary like look at the zombie invasion, told from a variety of perspectives. I also enjoyed The Zombie Survival Guide and, no, I don't keep it in my emergency supplies cabinet.. I don't, nope. I am currently enjoying his take on the Sasquatch massacre of a community (at least I think that's what is going to happen) in Washington after the eruption of Mt. Rainier (Devolution).. Now I've just finished his graphic novel, The Extinction Parade, Volume 1, and it is indeed graphic.

The story is told by a female vampire from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The vampires are hearing and discarding stories of an invasion of the subdead (zombies). From what she says, this has happened many times over Earth's history. The vampires aren't concerned as they feel that the humans (solbreeders) always manage to destroy the zombie incursions. There is an interesting monologue about how the times are changing and making it more difficult for the vampires to hunt the way they did in the past; the rise of a middle class being part of it.

But with this zombie invasion, the humans are on the back foot and the vampires are really enjoying their hunting of the humans. No secrets are necessary because the humans are, of course, somewhat preoccupied. As a side note, it seems that zombies can't see vampires, them being the undead and all that.

Gradually, the vampires realize that if they don't do something to help the humans, there won't be any left for them to live off. And then what???

It's a short action-packed, bloody graphic novel, beautifully drawn and powerfully inked. And an interesting concept and story to boot. Nobody to really empathize with, but a tense, interesting story. (3.5 stars)"

3. Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy by Arthur le Bern.

"Do you believe in coincidences? Well, as I was enjoying reading Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy by Arthut La Bern (1966), one of our movie channels decided to show it. So I've got a nice look at both and can compare. Of course, not that that really matters because this is a book review. But hey ho.

Frenzy is the story of Dick Blamey who flew bombers during WWII and is now a divorced, angry man who has just been fired as a bar tender in a local in Covent Garden, London. The owner saw him taking a drink and accused him of stealing product, even though Dick tells him that he had planned to pay it into the till. Dick has also just learned that one of his crewmates from the War, has just committed suicide while in prison. Dick is depressed and relatively penniless.

He goes to visit his ex-wife, Brenda, who runs a marriage agency nearby where she helps couples find each other and then get married. Dick has an argument with Brenda. She sends away her secretary and then she invites Dick to dinner at her club. After they part ways, Dick spends the night in a Salvation Army hostel but discovers that Brenda has left him some money, sliding it into his pocket. He gets himself a hotel room in a fancy local hotel, calls the barmaid, Barbara, where he had worked and asks her to bring him his belongings. (Dick had lived above the bar). He and Barbara have a nice time together. But poor Brenda isn't so lucky. The next day she is attacked, raped and strangled by a client in her office.

And that's where the story takes off. The police look for the murderer, considering Dick a person of interest. Dick, believing they will arrest him, can't cope with the idea of going to prison, gets help from an old friend and heads off to Paris to hide out. The real murderer continues to murder. As you can imagine, Dick is arrested, there is a trial and I'll let you read it (or watch the movie) to see how it all wraps up.

As a murder mystery, it's very well-written. It's short, succinct and gives you a nice insight into the characters and ends up being a tense crime novel. I think that maybe they spent too much time on the trial itself, especially the judge's summation of the case. The movie spent more time on the investigation, which I prefer. There are subtle differences in the story as opposed to the movie, especially the characterization of Hetty, the newly wed wife of Dick's old mate. And as I said, the trial is more of a focus.

Still, an enjoyable murder mystery that moves along at a good pace and keeps you involved. (3.5 stars)"

4. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (2023).

"My first exposure to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus was the TV series based on the book. In fact I didn't realize it was a novel until I saw a copy in my local book store. Surprised, I decided to buy it and give it a try. My wife and I had stopped watching the TV show after the bus thingee as it was a bit of a shocking surprise. Now that I've read this wonderful book, I will definitely get back to the TV show.

The story follows Elizabeth Zott, a chemist working at Hastings Research Institute, in California, in the '60s. She had moved to Hastings after quitting her university work in UCLA. An incident there with one of her professors made her quit school and try to get a job. 

Even though Zott is smarter and more capable than most of the other chemists working at Hastings, she is treated as no more than a lab assistant by her male counterparts. While there she tries to work on her own pet project, abiogenesis (*Sp), the basic building blocks of life. While trying to find more beakers for her lab, she goes into another chemists office, that being Calvin Evans, a brilliant chemist, previously nominated for the Nobel Prize.

Calvin only went to Hastings because of the weather, so he could continue his rowing. Calvin is quirky, private, holds grudges. The initial meeting with Zott doesn't go well, but they soon discover they have a 'chemical' attraction and begin to work together on Calvin's projects and also develop a physical, personal relationship. Much jealousy from the other male chemists who now feels Zott is playing above her station. As well, the female employees at Hastings, especially the Personnel lady, Miss Frask, also resent Zott because she isn't in their normal mold and they feel she is trying to sleep her way to the top.

Tragedy strikes. Zott is fired. She discovers she is pregnant. How will she support her new child, Madeline and continue her chemistry work? She builds a lab in her kitchen, does piecemeal work for her male counterparts from Hastings, correcting their errors, etc. She meets a producer at the local PBSish station and somehow is offered a job to fill in the open mid-afternoon slot. The show will be called Supper at Six. Little do they know that this show will be life changers for the two of them and also of the thousands of women who will watch the show. 

More than a cooking show, it's chemistry in the form of cooking. It's sociology, philosophy, anything and everything. And it affects all the women who watch. Fascinating.

Really, the story is almost too rich to describe. It made me think of the joy I had reading The World According to Garp back in my university days. The story is filled with wonderful characters. Zott is beautiful, intelligent, uncompromising and a boulder running over anyone in her way, trying to survive the misogynist 60's. (Is it any different today???) Her daughter Mad, is precocious, intelligent, drives her Grade 1 teacher crazy with her intelligence and questions. The stray dog that attached himself to Zott, named 6:30, is a bomb sniffing school drop out with a 600+ word vocabulary.

And everyone who comes into contact with Zott is affected in one way or the other. It's a rich, emotional, funny, tragic, complex story. The ending might have been a bit pat, but then again, how do you end such a great novel. I loved it so much. (5.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

(October is horror month but not everything I'm starting will be horror)

1. Tales of Gooseflesh and Laughter by John Wyndham. Wyndham was one of the first Sci Fi authors who grabbed my attention.

"An original collection of short stories. Chinese Puzzle, Una, The Wheel, Jizzle, Heaven Scent, Compassion Circuit, More Spinned Against, A Present From Brunswick, Confidence Trick, Opposite Number, Wild Flower."

2. If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin (1974). My first attempt at one of his books.

"In this honest and stunning novel, James Baldwin has given America a moving story of love in the face of injustice. Told through the eyes of Tish, a nineteen-year-old girl in love with Fonny, a young sculptor who is the father of her child, Baldwin's story mixes the sweet and the sad. Tish and Fonny have pledged to get married, but Fonny is falsely accused of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Their families set out to clear his name, and as they face an uncertain future, the young lovers experience a kaleidoscope of emotions — affection, despair, and hope. In a love story that evokes the blues, where passion and sadness are inevitably intertwined, Baldwin has created two characters so alive and profoundly realized that they are unforgettably ingrained in the American psyche."

3. The House at the End of Lacelean Street by Catherine McCarthy (2024).

"It's midnight and in the midst of an ice storm when Claudia Dance boards the bright yellow bus to Lacelean Street, a destination she has never heard of. She has no coat, no luggage, and no clue as to why she left home. In fact, she has no memory of her past whatsoever, and yet she feels compelled to make the trip. She will come to realize that salvation lies within the red-brick house at the end of Lacelean Street, a salvation granted by the strange power that dwells within. Sanity will be questioned, limits tested, and answers revealed... But at what price?"

New Books

1. The Girls in the Cabin by Caleb Stephens (2023).

"A dad will do anything to keep his daughters safe. But the phone lines are down. The roads are blocked. And the woman in the cabin is hiding a terrible secret . . .

This camping trip is Chris’s last chance to repair his relationship with his daughters, Kayla and Emma. Nothing’s been the same since they lost their mom. But things go wrong as soon as they get to the mountains.

When they make camp, nine-year-old Emma runs off into the woods. By the time they find her, there’s a snowstorm rolling in. And Emma’s leg is badly broken. They need to find shelter, fast.

They think they’re safe when they come across an old farmstead. The woman inside welcomes them in from the howling blizzard and straps up Emma’s leg.

They settle down for the night, but when Chris wakes at dawn and looks over . . . Emma is gone.

And this family’s nightmare is only just beginning."

2. Alley Kat Blues by Karen Kijewski (Kat Colorado #6 / 1995).

"She's a hard-boiled Sacramento P.I. with a soft spot for the unlucky, the unloved, and one special cop named Hank.  Her name is Kat Colorado, and in her business curiosity can be more than an occupational hazard--it can be murder.

Kat Colorado knows the dangers of letting a case get too big a piece of your soul.  But some cases don't give you a choice, like the death of twenty-two-year-old Courtney Dillard.  Kat found her battered body on a dark Sacramento freeway, an apparent hit-and-run victim.  Courtney's mother is convinced her death was no accident, and hires Kat to find the truth.  As sweet and good-hearted as she was, Courtney had no shortage of enemies, Kat learns. And they make no secret of their belief in blood vengeance.

Kat's also looking for the truth about her relationship with Hank, who's wrestling with his own soul-eating case.  A serial killer is stalking the Vegas Strip, and Hank's investigation is taking him over the line.  His obsession could cost him both Kat and his career--while Kat's could cost her her life."

3. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (2014). I've enjoyed the other two graphics I've read by Carroll.

"A fantastically dark and timeless graphic debut, for fans of Grimm Tales, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and the works of Neil Gaiman

'It came from the woods. Most strange things do.'

Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss.

These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.

Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there..."

4. Lost in Taiwan by Mark Crilley (2024).

"In this exciting graphic novel about stepping out of your comfort zone, a traveler finds himself lost in Taiwan with no way of finding his brother—but he soon learns that this forced disconnect is helping him explore and experience the big wide world around him.

THIS WASN’T PAUL’S IDEA.

The last thing he’s interested in is exploring new countries or experiencing anything that might be described as “cultural enrichment.” But like it or not, he’s stuck with his brother, Theo, for two weeks in Taiwan, a place that—while fascinating to Theo—holds no interest to Paul at all.

While on a short trip to a local electronics store, Paul becomes hopelessly lost in Taiwan’s twisting, narrow streets, and he has no choice but to explore this new environment in his quest to find his way back to Theo’s apartment.

In an unfamiliar place with no friends—and no GPS!—there’s no telling what adventures he could happen upon. And who knows? Maybe it turns out he has friends in Taiwan, after all."

5. Smol Tales from Between Worlds by Ai Jiang (2023).

"This edition of TFBPresents features a varied collection of short fiction from rising star, Ai Jiang.

Hopping from fantasy, to horror, to literary pieces and more, Smol Tales From Between Worlds announces a major talent that is just getting started.
"Jiang is widely considered to be one of the most exciting young voices in science fiction, fantasy, and horror."
– Dark Matter Magazine

TFBPresents focuses on the fiction of a single author per edition, complete with author notes on each story and a wide-ranging interview, it's a must-have publication for fans of genre fiction."

So there you go, folks. I hope you get some reading ideas with these selections. Have a great October and remember VOTE!!!

Horror - Part Six (The Final) - Ten Books I Might Read in October

Tomorrow is October 1st, Hallowe'en month, Horror month... yada yada. This will be my last post on the subject. I'll highlight ten books that I might consider reading in October. All very short so maybe I'll get most of them.

Ten Books I'll Try to Read in October.

1. John Wyndham - Tales of Gooseflesh and Laughter.

"In this volume, the first collection of John Wyndham's short stories to be published in America, there is a running thread of humor which appears in almost all the stories - sometimes subtle, sometimes erupting into hilarious farce. But the book is much more than a matter of mirth, Mr. Wyhndham has a neat hand for unexpected chills, and brings to his short stories all the skill for which his novels are well known."

"An original collection of short stories. Chinese Puzzle, Una, The Wheel, Jizzle, Heaven Scent, Compassion Circuit, More Spinned Against, A Present From Brunswick, Confidence Trick, Opposite Number, Wild Flower."

2. Max Brooks - The Extinction Parade, Volume #1 (2014).

"Max Brooks, the best selling Zombie writer in history, unleashes an all-new horror epic! As humans wage their losing fight versus the hordes of the subdead, a frightening realization sets in with the secretive vampire race: our food is dying off. This is the story of the vampire's descent into all-out war with the mindless, hungry hordes of the zombie outbreak as humanity tries to survive them all! This collected edition contains the entire first chapter of Extinction Parade (Issues #1-5) and a massive undead cover gallery!"

3. Ness Brown - The Scourge Between the Stars (2023).

"Ness Brown's The Scourge Between Stars is a tense, claustrophobic sci-fi/horror blend set aboard a doomed generation ship harboring something terrible within its walls.

As acting captain of the starship Calypso, Jacklyn Albright is responsible for keeping the last of humanity alive as they limp back to Earth from their forebears’ failed colony on a distant planet.

Faced with constant threats of starvation and destruction in the treacherous minefield of interstellar space, Jacklyn's crew has reached their breaking point. As unrest begins to spread throughout the ship’s Wards, a new threat emerges, picking off crew members in grim, bloody fashion.

Jacklyn and her team must hunt down the ship’s unknown intruder if they have any hope of making it back to their solar system alive."

4. Mary Shelley - Frankenstein (1818).

"Mary Shelley's seminal novel of the scientist whose creation becomes a monster.

This edition is the original 1818 text, which preserves the hard-hitting and politically charged aspects of Shelley's original writing, as well as her unflinching wit and strong female voice. "

5. Catherine McCarthy - The House at the End of Lacelean Street (2024).

"It's midnight and in the midst of an ice storm when Claudia Dance boards the bright yellow bus to Lacelean Street, a destination she has never heard of. She has no coat, no luggage, and no clue as to why she left home. In fact, she has no memory of her past whatsoever, and yet she feels compelled to make the trip. She will come to realize that salvation lies within the red-brick house at the end of Lacelean Street, a salvation granted by the strange power that dwells within. Sanity will be questioned, limits tested, and answers revealed... But at what price?"

6. Ira Levin - The Stepford Wives (1972).

"For Joanna, her husband, Walter, and their children, the move to beautiful Stepford seems almost too good to be true. It is. For behind the town's idyllic facade lies a terrible secret--a secret so shattering that no one who encounters it will ever be the same.

At once a masterpiece of psychological suspense and a savage commentary on a media-driven society that values the pursuit of youth and beauty at all costs, The Stepford Wives is a novel so frightening in its final implications that the title itself has earned a place in the American lexicon."

7. Keith Roberts - The Furies (1966).

"The rule of the wasps. It all started with a nuclear test that went wrong. The test cracked the bed of the sea, raised a volcano the height of Vesuvius where before there had been a five-mile Deep...

Then the Furies struck - monstrous and deadly wasps nearly the size of man.
Their nests sprang up all over the world. They descended and slaughtered humanity at will. Breeding in their nests by the billions, they began enslaving the earth..."

8. Shirley Jackson - Dark Tales (2016).

"Step into the unsettling world of Shirley Jackson this autumn with a collection of her finest, darkest short stories, revealing the queen of American gothic at her mesmerizing best.

There's something nasty in suburbia. In these deliciously dark tales, the daily commute turns into a nightmarish game of hide and seek, the loving wife hides homicidal thoughts and the concerned citizen might just be an infamous serial killer. In the haunting world of Shirley Jackson, nothing is as it seems and nowhere is safe, from the city streets to the country manor, and from the small-town apartment to the dark, dark woods...

Includes the following stories: 'The Possibility of Evil'; 'Louisa, Please Come Home'; 'Paranoia'; 'The Honeymoon of Mrs Smith'; 'The Story We Used to Tell'; 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice'; 'Jack the Ripper'; 'The Beautiful Stranger'; 'All She Said Was Yes'; 'What a Thought'; 'The Bus'; 'Family Treasures'; 'A Visit'; 'The Good Wife'; 'The Man in the Woods'; 'Home'; 'The Summer People'."

9. Caitlin R. Kiernan - Black Helicopters (Tinfoil Dossier #2 / 2015).

"A dark jewel of a novella, this definitive edition of Caitlin R. Kiernan’s Black Helicopters is the expanded and completed version of the World Fantasy Award-nominated original.

Just as the Signalman stood and faced the void in Agents of Dreamland, so it falls to Ptolema, a chess piece in her agency’s world-spanning game, to unravel what has become tangled and unknowable.

Something strange is happening on the shores of New England. Something stranger still is happening to the world itself, chaos unleashed, rational explanation slipped loose from the moorings of the known. Two rival agencies stare across the Void at one another. Two sisters, the deadly, sickened products of experiments going back decades, desperately evade their hunters.

An invisible war rages at the fringes of our world, with unimaginable consequences and Lovecraftian horrors that ripple centuries into the future."

10. Waubgeshig Rice - Moon of the Crusted Snow (Moon #1 / 2018).

"A daring post-apocalyptic thriller from a powerful rising literary voice.

With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow.

The community leadership loses its grip on power as the visitors manipulate the tired and hungry to take control of the reserve. Tensions rise and, as the months pass, so does the death toll due to sickness and despair. Frustrated by the building chaos, a group of young friends and their families turn to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping their community thrive again. Guided through the chaos by an unlikely leader named Evan Whitesky, they endeavor to restore order while grappling with a grave decision."

There you go, some horror reading ideas for you if you want a quickie. Enjoy October!

Horror - Part 5 - Top Ten (ish) - Continued

Good morning! Well, let's see. Yesterday I provided a list of books in the horror genre that I have really enjoyed. Call it a top ten (well, actually there were a few more) list. As I scrolled through my book lists to see which books I might like to read in October I found a few more favorites. So I've put off providing a list of books I 'plan' to read in October and instead provide a few more favorites for you to consider. Enjoy!

1. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (1910). Another of the classics of the horror genre.

"I've never seen either of the movies based on The Phantom of the Opera by French writer, Gaston Leroux. Well, in fact, I guess I've seen one, a very loose remake starring Paul Williams, The Phantom of the Paradise, but I don't know if that counts. I've once seen the musical and enjoyed it immensely.

Having said all that, I was interested in finally trying to read the book. I had found an interesting edition published in 1985 by the Dorset Press and decided to buy it.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the story when I started it. It was a bit of a slow burn at first, with a mite of difficulty getting into the flow of the translation. But once I got going and more in depth into the story, I found the story increasingly interesting. The last half moved along at breakneck pace and there was considerable tension and excitement.

The narrator of the story is researching the stories of the 'Opera Ghost' who had haunted the Paris Opera House. He persuaded the managers to maintain Box 5 for him, demanded a payment of 20,000 francs a month for his use. (why would a ghost need money, you ask? Good question). Deaths are attributed to him, a soprano in the opera loses her voice during a show and is replaced by Christine Daae, who the 'ghost' fancies. The owners sell the opera to two new managers and ensure they are aware of the conditions of keeping the 'ghost' happy. Of course, they don't believe the stories, with consequences.

Christine has another admirer, Viscount de Changy, who tries to save her from the ghost, Erik. Along with the Persian, an old acquaintance of Erik, the two must make a mad race through the cellars of the Opera in a last ditch attempt to save Christine from the ghost / Phantom of the opera. I enjoyed the story more and more as it moved along and as we discovered more about Erik and where he came from. All in all, after a bit of a slow start, it was a most enjoyable story. (4 stars)"

2. Nobody True by James Herbert (2003). Yes, another James Herbert story. I guess I do like his story-telling.

"I had previously only read The Fog by James Herbert before I started Nobody True. The basic premise is that the narrator of Nobody True, one James True is a successful ad executive, a husband and father and is also able to perform OBE's (out of body experiences). While on an OBE one night, he returns to his body to find that he has been brutally murdered (this is quite graphically described).

My first thoughts on starting the story was, 'heck, this is a long 'un'. It takes a little while to get to the crux of the story. (It is told in the first person, if you are interested). We learn about True's childhood, his poor relationship with his mother, a bicycle accident in which he suffers a head injury and finds himself observing his body from the outside. This starts his exploration of OBE's (there are neat little footnotes throughout the story that elaborates on things that James discovers over the course of his life, about these experiences). True becomes a successful graphic designer and forms a small, successful advertising agency with two friends. Later in his life, one of his partners wants to sell their business to a bigger agency, there is an argument and at this point True, alone in their hotel room, has an OBE and as mentioned previously, returns to find his body desecrated. 

True's partner is suspected as well as a serial killer who has been committing similar murders, with some key differences. True now without a body, finds himself wandering around London, visiting his wife and daughter, his mother, the police and also finds himself drawn to a basement apartment where he meets the person who might actually be the serial killer. From this point the story takes off. It's gruesome at times, as True describes the killer's actions, but at the same time also fascinating. True meets with other spirits at a seance and is told he must stop the killer. I had ideas about this, but will let you form your own as you delve into this story. 

There are neat twists and turns that are unexpected (to me anyway) and also some very emotional moments that caught me up as well. I wasn't expecting much from this story and it too me awhile to get through it (I partially blame it on the fact that I have a few books on the go at once), but I'm glad that I stuck with it and spent a couple of hours this morning finishing it off. Excellent, well-paced, well-written and totally entertaining. (4.5 stars)"

3. Everything's Eventual, 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King (2002). I could have easily did a whole blog about Stephen King. He's written so many classics of the genre. But I haven't been reading his books for a number of years. This collection highlights King's expertise with the short story.

"At one time I was a voracious consumer of anything written by horror author, Stephen King. When Rose Madder, Dolores Claiborne and some others came out I kind of lost interest in his books for awhile. I still read and enjoyed The Green Mile and The Gunslinger series. Lately I've tried a few, Under the Dome was ok. When I saw Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales, I thought I'd give it a try as I've tended to enjoy King's short story / novella writing. He has a knack for getting you right into the story and grabbing your attention.

Everything's Eventual was excellent. There wasn't a story that I didn't enjoy. Some grabbed me more than others but they were all excellent. Some stood out for me. The Little Sisters of Eluria featured Roland, the Gunslinger on his quest. In it he meets up with a dangerous group of nuns. The story drew me right back into Roland's world and introduced a wonderful character, Jenna. The title story, Everything's Eventual introduced a fascinating hit man and reminded me of Firestarter, The Dead Zone with their characters who used the powers of their minds. 1408 was probably the scariest story, featuring a haunted hotel room.. Excellent and downright scary. Riding the Bullet was also excellent, dealing with the devil; creepy and tense.

King's way with words and story crafting are well on display in this collection. It brought me right back to my earliest enjoyment of his works. I'll have to start searching through his books more now.. (4.5 stars)"

4. Web by John Wyndham (1979). Two of my all-time favorite Sci-Fi / Horror stories are by Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids. I've read most of his work and was glad to discover this later story.

"John Wyndham was one of the authors who got me started on my enjoyment of Sci-Fi. I think the 1st I ever read by him was The Day of the Triffids, loved it. And then The Chrysalids, also loved it. Over the years, besides rereading the first two, I enjoyed his others as well. He had a very understated way with telling his stories, but still created tension, interest, even fear. More recently, I've discovered he wrote other books, some early works published under pen names and two later books that were discovered and published by his estate. Web was published in 1979, 10 years after his death.

I'd have to say this falls more under the horror genre than Sci-Fi. A wealthy philanthropist wants t create a perfect society and buys an island in the Pacific where he wants to set up a colony. A group of men, women and children are selected and head to the island where they will establish a colony and see what they can create. The island originally was inhabited by a tribe of cannibals. Over the years, they were attacked by German troops trying to establish a Navy base during the War; taken over by the British commonwealth but left relatively on their own. In the '60s, there were nuclear tests nearby and due to risk of radioactive fallout, the island was purchased by the British government and the islanders moved to a new island for their safety. The medicine man lays a curse on the island.

Moving ahead, many years later, the radioactivity has been reduced to acceptable levels and the island is purchased by Lord Foxfield for his colony. The first half of the story deals with a brief history of the island and the voyage to it. The last half deals with the events that take place on the island and the discovery that the colonists are not alone. You can maybe guess who else lives there from the title??? Yes you're quite right, a group of cannibalistic web designers.. No, you're wrong.

I won't go into the story any more than that, but suffice it to say that it was definitely creepy and made my skin crawl as I got into it. That has something to do with my fear of..... well, read it. The story focuses on two main characters; the narrator Arnold Delgrange, a man who had lost his family in a car accident and wants to try something to wake up his life, and Camilla Cogent, a biologist. She was my favorite character, down-to-earth, smart, imperturbable, such a strong character. The story moves along nicely, in an under-stated way, and holds your attention. Some excellent discussions between Arnold and Camilla, about 'balance of nature', the role of man, etc. And a creepy, scary story. (4 stars)"

5. House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski (2000). Style over substance? Definitely unique.

"House of Leaves by American author Mark Z. Danielewski is difficult to describe. It's definitely a unique, strange, fascinating story; extremely stylized. Basically (can you say 'basically' when referring to this story), you've got a documentary movie about a 'haunted' house, an author's review of the film and the events and another person's efforts to put together the notes from the middle person, when that person dies and leaves his apartment a clutter of trash. Oh wait, you've also got a running commentary by the latter about his own life and the impact of the book on it. (Simple?)

Documentarian Navidson moves with his wife and two young children to a house on Ash Tree Lane somewhere in Virginia. One day they discover that when they open a closet door in the front hallway, that there is a dark hallway that wasn't there before. This is the basis for this story. It begins a series of films by Navidson, aided by friends and family as they explore the house, and discover that the interior is ever changing, in size and shape. It's freaky and spooky. The interior of the house doesn't match the exterior. The group begin to explore this dark, new interior, hiring an explorer and his companions to help. The movies that are made are obviously turned into a cult documentary that is shown in theaters (made me think of the video in The Ring). The whole interior of the house made me think of Lovecraft's weird worlds under houses and in caves and such.

The story follows the various investigations, explorations, tragedies that result. All of this has been the subject of a book, put together by a blind author, Zampano. Zampano dies in his apartment, which is cluttered with his notes, drawings. This brings Johnny Truant into the picture. He takes over the apartment and begins to collate Zampano's notes and as he puts it all together, provides footnotes and also his own insights into his life and also the effect that living in the apartment has on his own well-being. You can see his descent into insanity through the course of the novel.

It's a fascinating, at times spooky story. What is also fascinating is how the layout of the book often mirrors the various journeys into the depths of this creepy house. As hallways narrow, the writing on the pages narrows, as the ceilings disappear, the writing crowds the top of pages, etc. At times I think the story is more form over content but the story never stops being unique. If you don't mind a bit of trek through this expansive tome, you'll find a story worth trying out. Give it a try. (4 stars)"

6. The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson (1956).

"In 1957, Richard Matheson wrote the screenplay for The Incredible Shrinking Man, a favorite Sci-Fi movie of mine. In 1969, it came out in book form and is every bit as entertaining, scary and surprisingly, thoughtful as the movie. 

The story starts with Scott Carey, out on a boat with his brother. His brother is sleeping below deck and Scott experiences a tingly fog. Move to Chapter 2 and Scott is racing across his basement floor being chased by a black widow spider.  *shudder* We move to Scott's past to a segment entitled "68" and we realize that Scott is informing his wife Louise that he seems to be shrinking.

The story moves back and forth between Scott's present, with him trying to survive in his basement, being the size of a spider and then into his past as he remembers events that bring him to his current position as resident of Louise's basement.

It's a fascinating story and Matheson portrays Scott's emotional turmoil excellently; his anger at his situation, his frustration at doctor's not being able to help him, his desire to be with his wife but the realization that his increasingly shrinking size makes that impossible. There is also well-crated terror as Scott tries to find water and crumbs of food in the basement, at the same time avoiding the spider which hunts him. (There are also other situations that are so well presented throughout the story).

Scott's emotions are so well described, even his sexual frustration, his finding comfort and companionship with a 'little person' one night. It's a surprisingly rich story, the concept fascinating and the depth of the story so well crafted and described. Well worth reading. Try the movie as well as it is quite excellent. (4.5 stars)"

7. The Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi (2010).

"Floating Staircase is my first exposure to the novels of Ronald Malfi. I chose it as one of my Oct challenges, that being Horror month. It doesn't really qualify as pure terrifying horror, but it was definitely a ghostly, creepy thriller. It will make me further explore Malfi's stories.

Travis Glasgow is a horror author with a number of books to his credit. They seem to follow or at least be related to a tragic event in his childhood, in an accident that resulted in the death of Kyle. This impacted Travis's life drastically, affecting his relationship with older brother Adam and also those with his father and mother. Travis and wife Jodie have been living in London as he tries to get his life back in order. As the story starts, they are moving to Westlake, Maryland, renting a house near his brother's, trying to re-establish a relationship with Adam and his family. (Adam is a local police officer in Westlake)

They soon discover that a tragedy also took place in their new home, that being the death (disappearance?) of a young boy the previous year. The accident, if it was one because no body was ever found, seems very similar to that of Travis's younger brother. The house seems to be 'haunted' by the presence of Elijah and Travis begins a long downward spiral as he tries to find out what actually happened in the house.

The story is a slow burn but once it gets going, it's a tense ride. There is lots of repressed anger within Travis and it begins to affect his writing, his relationships with Jodie and Adam, and his overall health. It's all presented intelligently and frustratingly (I found myself angry with Travis for not getting on with his life, but that's how effective it was written). The main focus of course is Travis, but his relationship with Adam and Jody are also well-developed (especially that with Adam) and the introduction of elderly local reporter Earl is a nice addition.

All in all it was an intense, entertaining story, with the ghostly presence in the house a spooky, creepy addition. I ended up enjoying the story very much. The ending was confusing, let's say and left me wondering what it exactly meant. But that was no bad thing, necessarily. If you've never tried anything by Malfi, give this a check. (4.0 stars)"

8. MaMa by Ruby Jean Jensen (1983).

"MaMa by American horror author, Ruby Jean Jensen was my first exposure to her work. Over her life, she wrote 20+ novels. Now when you look at her picture, you don't necessarily see a horror author, maybe the neighbour lady who works in her garden cutting her roses? Well, I'll tell you... 

Mama was originally published in 1989. The story follows Elsea, newly widowed with three children: Stephanie, the oldest, Tommy, the middle child and Dorrie, the youngest. The family, due to financial difficulties, is forced to move back home, to live rent-free in Elsea's grandmother's old house. It is already furnished and is a grand old house, with an attic filled with all sorts of wonders, even including old dolls and toys.

All is going well. They meet author Corrie who lives just up the road and helps them adjust to their new surroundings. The older children begin school. Elsea, trying to find a way to earn money, begins to write a romance novel. And Dorrie spends her time in the attic, quietly playing with these dollies and other toys, especially one decrepit, one-eyed celluloid doll. It seems that Dorrie has a certain power. Her breath is bringing the toys back to life. (and they aren't necessarily very nice toys).

Tommy becomes aware of what is happening and begins to panic about the safety of the family and what he can possibly do to protect them. That is the premise of this creepy story. It's a slow burn, but gradually the tension mounts as Tommy becomes more terrified and embroiled in his battle to protect Dorrie from these 'soul-sucking'? toys. Emma Jean Jensen presents a well-written family, trying to adjust to a new life and adjust to new circumstances. The horror building in their home adds to the pressures on all of them. It's a neat story, lots of tension, breath holding moments (especially as we get to the climax) and a suitably satisfying ending. (4.0 stars)"

9. Linghun by Ai Jiang (2024). One of my most recent reads.

"Linghun is a novella, along with a couple of short stories and one essay, by Canadian author, Ai Jiang. I was pleasantly surprised by it, such great writing.

In Linghun, Wenki and her mother and father move to the town of Home. Normally when a home is vacant in this town (or more just a street I guess), there is an auction so the Lingerers (more on them later, if I remember) can try to buy one. In Wenki's case, they bought the house from cousins who moved out.

So the reason people move to Home is to try to make contact with the spirits of dead family members. In Wenki's case, it is her older brother who died when Wenki was just a youngster. Wenki's mother is desperate to find Tianqi and basically ignores Wenki and her sympathetic husband. Wenki must try to live a normalish life by going to school, which basically lives in the past and the last class of the day is a round table where the children tell of the success or lack thereof in seeing their dead kin.

The story is told between three characters, Wenki of course. There is Liam, a fellow student, a Lingerer. So, Lingerers are families who move to Home but can't afford a home and basically live in the yards of those who have homes, hoping to acquire a home through the auction. (Think of The Lottery, but darker, when you think of the auction process) The third character is Mrs., an older mysterious woman who lives across the street from Wenki.

It's a strange story as these varied people try to find ways to see their dead kin, some successfully, some not. Wenki and Liam basically want to leave, try to get back to a normal existence. Will they be able to? The discussion of death, coping / or not, living for the present or the past and making it such a fascinating story, a page turner, impressed me deeply. Ai Jiang elaborates on her thoughts on this matter in a follow-on essay and then also provides to short stories; Yongshi and Teeter - Totter just for additional enjoyment. Beautiful writing, dark setting, super story / stories. (4.5 stars)"

There you go. Some more reading ideas for you if you plan to try some horror for October. Enjoy!

Horror - Part 4 - Top Ten (ish) Non - Series

It's a cloudy Saturday morning and I'm achy from my run. Clyde is sleeping in his bed. His glucose levels have been fairly good since we've had a new glucose monitor installed. Jo is relaxing on the couch, so it's a nice quiet start to Saturday.

So for today's BLog I'm going to look at the non-series books I've enjoyed and try to provide a Top Ten list... maybe a couple more. We'll see. They're not in any particular order, mostly from 5 - star ratings down to some 4 - star books.

1. Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales by H.P. Lovecraft (2008). I found this book in a used book store in Kingston, ON.

"An excellent collection of the stories of H.P. Lovecraft, from Dagon, originally published in 1919 to The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath, 1943. There are themes throughout, the Old Ones, the area of Arkham, Mass, the Miskatonic University, the Cthulu, etc. The stories are creepy, more so than outright terrifying, but still, leave you feeling nervous and chilled. Some are excellent; the Mountains of Madness, The Dunwich Horror, the Haunter of the Dark, the Thing on the Doorstep. Excellent to be provided the opportunity to explore Lovecraft's worlds and stories under one book. (5 stars)"

2. Boy's Life by Robert McCammon (1991). I tried this finally after reading other folks' reviews of the book. They weren't kidding. It was excellent.

"Boy's Life by Robert McCammon ranks up there with books by other authors; To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. All great coming of age books that draw you in, tug at your heart, leave you emotionally drained.

This is the story of Cory Mackenson, a young boy growing up in Zephyr, Alabama. It's basically a year in the life, commencing when he and his father (a milk delivery man) see a car drive into Saxon Lake. Jake's dad jumps into the 'bottomless' lake to try and save the driver and discovers that the man is not only dead but handcuffed to the steering wheel and had been beaten up.

This incident with haunt both Cory and his father throughout the book. Cory will try to discover who murdered the man. His father will be haunted by dreams of the man. We follow Cory and his friends, Johnny, Ben, and Davy Ray as they go to school, get involved in boyhood adventures and deal with many traumas.

It's a fascinating, rich, tense, excellent story. McCammon draws you into Cory's life and grabs your heart strings and also keeps it pumping when things get tense. There are normal events that many of us experience growing up but it is also a very gritty story, with violence and ratcheted tension that will strain Cory, his friends and his family. Lovely characters make the story even richer, with my personal favorite being The Lady. There is too much going on to get into any real detail. Just know that you will fall into the life of Cory and be somewhat bereft when the story ends. But still glad that you got to experience it. (5.0 stars)"

3. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (1954). This book has been used as the basis for at least two movies.

"I Am Legend is a collection of horror short stories and one novella by author Richard Matheson. I am Legend was the basis for at least two movies; The Omega Man (1971) and I Am Legend (2017). Other stories remind me of episodes of The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery. Prey was made into a TV movie (part of Trilogy of Terror) starring Karen Black as Amelia, in a truly terrifying story of a young woman terrorized by an African tribal doll.

Every story was interesting; some very scary and even some humorous (The Near Departed and The Funeral).

It was interesting to finally read I Am Legend. I found it closer to The Omega Man, which starred Charlton Heston. Robert Neville is, as far as he knows, the last man on Earth. The rest if peopled by either vampires and people who still live but suffer from the effects of a virus that make them 'seem' like vampires; they aren't dead but still need blood and suffer from many of the effects of vampirism. Neville lives in a world of nightmare, trying to drown the memories of his past with drink and spending days killing these creatures. His life is turned upside down when he meets Ruth. (I'll leave you to read the story to find out about this incident). It was an excellent story and interesting to compare to my memories of the movies.

The other stories included stories with killer dolls, voodoo spells, strange funerals, haunted houses, etc.; all interesting and page turners. A pleasantly satisfying and enjoyable read. (4 stars)"

4. Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton (2004). This was a bit of a change of pace from The Outsiders.

"S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders has long been a favorite book of mine. I've read it 4 or 5 times over the years. The movie based on the book was also excellent, one I can watch again and again. Since that time I've not read any others of her books until recently when I tried quite a different novel, Hawkes Harbor. I'd seen a review of the book by a member of my Goodread's book group and it sounded quite interesting.

Hawkes Harbor in some ways is light years away from The Outsiders but at the same time you can see S.E. Hinton's writing style in this story, the character driven story-telling, the growth of the characters, the touching quality of the story itself.

The story revolves around Jamie who finds himself in a mental hospital in 1965. Through the course of the story we learn of Jamie's past, from his life as a sailor / pirate (in some ways) and as an adventurer. He is a companion and compatriot of Kell who is a crafty, imaginative fella who always has a plan to get money. He's somewhat successful and seems to have money all over the world. At the same time, there is a more current story from Jamie's past and it is a jump to the left in genres, from psychological story to a vampire-driven story.

It's all quite fascinating, especially Jamie's relationships with Kell, with Dr. McDevitt, the psychiatrist treating him at Terrace View Asylum, Delaware and with It (aka Grenville Hawkes), his 'mentor' and boss at Hawkes Harbor. It's a somewhat difficult story to describe; is it a vampire led story or is it a personal odyssey of a troubled, damaged but wonderful character in this story.

The novel is at times frightening, dramatic and touching. I found it pleasantly surprising as I went through the novel, how successfully this transition between moods and genres was accomplished. It was a great novel to enjoy and by the end it left me feeling sad and happy at the same time as the story was resolved for Jamie and even Grenville. I'm so glad to have discovered this excellent novel. Thank you, S.E. Hinton (4.5 stars)"

5. The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (1886). I read this back in 2011. It stands the test of time.

"I'd never read before and can't say that I actually have ever seen the movie from beginning to end. So I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the story and smoothly it flowed. It was a very quick read and held my attention. I was surprised that the story was actually told for the most part from the perspective of Mr. Utterson, a friend of Dr Jekyll, and that Jekyll and Hyde for that matter for the most part are somewhat peripheral to the story. Until the end. On the whole, a very enjoyable story and I highly recommend if you've never read before. (4.5 stars)"

6. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Boot (2006). A surprisingly good book. Nothing at all like the movie.

Another book I read before I started doing reviews. This is the synopsis.

"It began with rumors from China about another pandemic. Then the cases started to multiply and what had looked like the stirrings of a criminal underclass, even the beginnings of a revolution, soon revealed itself to be much, much worse. Faced with a future of mindless, man-eating horror, humanity was forced to accept the logic of world government and face events that tested our sanity and our sense of reality.

Based on extensive interviews with survivors and key players in the 10-year fight-back against the horde, World War Z brings the very finest traditions of American journalism to bear on what is surely the most incredible story in the history of civilization." (4.5 stars)

7. The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert (2006). This was the first book by Herbert that I tried. I got it after Jo and I had enjoyed watching the TV mini - series based on the book. (Just as an aside. I've enjoyed any book I've tried by Herbert thus far)

"Very enjoyable ghost story. Not perfect by any means; somewhat too long maybe, but it read nicely, there was tension, an interesting concept and I enjoyed the characters. It built slowly at first, but found its pace quickly and built to an excellent climax. I'd seen the BBC adaptation first and wanted to find the book to see if it was as enjoyable. Happily, it was. A nice Hallowe'en month book. (4.0 stars)" Definitely one of my earlier reviews. LOL

8. The Troop by Nick Cutter (2014). A Canadian story.

"A good, solid horror story a la Stephen King's earlier books. 5 boys and their scout master leave their town on Prince Edward Island to spend the weekend on a smaller island off the coast. It's to be a scouting adventure weekend, hiking, map reading, etc. Unfortunately for them, another boat lands on the island, bringing an escapee from a lab who is infested with experimental worms. That is the gist of the story; the army and navy are involved in sealing off the island, the boys are isolated, trying to fend off the worms and a psychotic member of their troop. Interesting story, good solid horror. (4.0 stars)"

8. The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum (1989). This one really gave me the creeps.

"I really don't know how to review The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. I had similar feelings about it as I did In Cold Blood and it left me asking the same question... Why??

So the basic story, it's based on a true story. It's set in a small neighborhood in small town New Jersey, like Happy Days or Leave it to Beaver, where all the families and kids know each other. Except these kids sometimes play The Game.. 

Into this mix are thrown are thrown Meg (the oldest) and Susan (the youngest), survivors of a car crash that killed their parents. Susan has been crippled by the accident, bearing the scars and also forced to wear braces on her arms and legs.  They are moving in with their aunt Ruth, single mother of Willie, Donny and Woofer. Ruth is world weary, a lady who the kids like because she gives them beer and cigarettes and treats them like adults.

The story is told from the perspective of Davey, next door neighbor and Donny's best friend. Davey's parents are in the process of breaking up (not relevant or relevant?) and he has a crush on Meg. He becomes aware that Ruth seems not to like either Meg or Susan and these feelings are echoed by her sons.

The story escalates from here, quite quickly and in a graphic, violent way. Under Ruth's guidance the boys and other neighborhood kids begin to abuse and torture Meg, locking her in the basement and taking turns committing increasingly violent acts on her. Davey is both an unwilling and willing participant, an observer more than anything.

It's a horrifying story with intimations of Lord of the Flies about it. The story was so very well written and the tension is ratcheted right from the very beginning. But it also left me feeling numb and cold and like In Cold Blood, left me wondering how people can be such monsters and even why the story needs to be told? But it drew me in at the same time, almost like Davey in some ways, one of those observers who slow down at traffic accidents. If you like horror, this story has it all. (4 stars)"

9. The Other by Thomas Tryon (1971). 

"The Other is my first exposure to the work of American author, Thomas Tryon. It was originally published in 1971. Based on this story, I'm now looking forward to reading more of his books. I currently have Harvest Home on my bookshelf and have heard it's also quite excellent.

So let's see. The Other follows twin boys, Niles and Holland Perry as they grow up in their family's ancestral home in Connecticut. As the story progresses, we discover that it's a home of many tragedies. Their father died in 'mysterious' circumstances. Their mother, Alexandra, is isolated in her bedroom, suffering from her husband's death and is rarely seen, other than by Niles who brings her books, spends time with her.

Also living and working at the home are grandmother, Ada, a Russian immigrant, their uncle George and Aunt Valeria and son Russell, plus pregnant sister Torrie and her husband Rider. Working there are Winnie, chief cook and bottle washer and Leno, their gardener. There are many secrets that we begin to come aware of as the story progresses. Was Holland involved in his father's death? Was Holland involved in the death of Ada's cat? We see the story mostly from Niles' and Ada's eyes. Niles seems the 'normal' twin, but what is in the tin box he carries around in his shirt? Why does he have his father's ring? While Holland seems to be plotting things at all times, to satisfy his 'boredom?', Niles is a follower, or is her really? Ada and Niles seem to have a close relationship; they play a game of trying to see inside objects.... it's difficult to explain.

As the story progresses, there are other tragedies which I won't describe so you can discover them yourself. The question is always.. were they accidents or not? There is an underlying tension and creepiness throughout the story, leaving you in a constant state of unease, wondering what will happen next... Oh, and who is the older individual who is in some sort of 'institution' and is an alternate narrator... Mysterious...

It's a fascinating story, nebulous at times as you try to grasp what is actually happening, but so well written and described. The characters, especially Niles and Ada are well-presented and made so very interesting. The story moves along nicely, alternating between 'normal' daily life and increasing the tension slowly but steadily. Excellent story. I'm looking forward to reading more of Tryon's work. (4.5 stars)"

10. The Mystery of the Sea by Bram Stoker (1902). An early classic of the genre.

"Bram Stoker is most famous for his classic, Dracula. I have to say I've never read it as I've been kind of intimidated by the look of it. (Silly reason). I had previously read his Jewel of the Seven Stars, a mummy story. The Mystery of the Sea is my 2nd attempt at his work and I quite enjoyed.

The story starts off on one tangent, very mystical / ghost story, with the protagonist, Englishman Archibald Hunter, followed by a strange Scottish spiritualist, Gormala MacNeil. Archie sees the ghosts of sailors who have died off the coast of Cruden Bay, where he vacations and plans to have a house built. Amongst these spirits are ghosts of the Spanish Armada. Archie also saves Marjory Drake, a wealthy American, and her companion, Mrs Jacks. 

The story slowly changes into an adventure and romance as Archie and Marjory begin a search for hidden Armada treasures. It's a slow burn as Archie tries to break down the code of a document he has found, so he can try to locate the treasure. As well, a group of kidnappers are on the hunt for Marjory and Archie must fend them off as well as American detectives trying to protect Marjory.

It sounds a bit convoluted but as the story wanders about at the first portion, it quickly begins to take off. The search for the Armada's treasure is fascinating and dangerous. The threats from the kidnappers quickly endangers Marjory's life. The story moves from mystical (although even that plays a part later on) to a thrilling adventure, a la John Buchan's best. The characters are excellent. I liked Archie's ability to break down codes, his loyalty and love for Marjory and his steadfastness and dependability. Marjory is a joy, a strong, independent, intelligent woman. Gormala is difficult to understand with her strong Scottish accent and is somewhat a caricature, but she comes through very much in the end. All in all, I was surprised how the story turned out, pleasantly so. It was an excellent adventure. Maybe I'll try Dracula some day. (4 stars)"

11. The Magician by Somerset Maugham (1908). Maugham is an excellent story teller, no matter what genre.

"I've enjoyed a few books of W. Somerset Maugham, ever since I tried The Razor's Edge one of my all-time favorite books. He's got a varied catalogue, excellent fiction, spy novels, etc. The Magician was originally published in 1908 and is an interesting horror novel.

Set in Paris, English surgeon Arthur Burdon, a man who believes in facts, has come to Paris to learn the French surgery techniques. Also in Paris are his fiancé, Margaret Dauncey and her companion, Suzie Boyd.. As well an old friend Dr Porhoet lives in Paris. Porhoet is very different from Arthur as he is a man who delves into the old alchemists and magicians, keeping an open mind on fantastical concepts and practices. Arthur does not believe in things that can't be proven scientifically. As this group interacts, into their mix comes Richard Haddo.

Haddo is a larger than life character, both in size and personality. Neither Arthur nor Margaret like him on initial contact. Dr Porhoet knows him from his research as Haddo is a self-proclaimed magician who has researched many of the same people. There are many odd things about Haddo, particularly the negative power over animals. Haddo seems to show up in their lives on a daily basis, insulting people, telling fantastical tales.

An incident at Margaret's apartments causes the story to take a strange twist. Haddo is bitten by Margaret's dog and strikes it, thereby causing injury to the dog. Arthur takes exception and reacting to Margaret's shock and anguish, he strikes Haddo and gives him a sound beating. Haddo's reaction will cause pain and anguish to both Arthur and Margaret and the story will degenerate from there into fantastical realms.

It's a slowish paced story with excellent description and character development. As the story moves into Haddo's actions against Arthur and Margaret, the pace picks up and the tension ratchets until a final explosive conclusion. It's quite a different story from what I'm used to by Maugham but you still get a flavor of his excellent writing style, character development and story-telling. An excellent horror story and an excellent story. (4 stars)"

12. Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin (1967). Great movie and an excellent book.

"I've seen the movie a couple of times and I found it was very respectful to this book. The book seemed very familiar but it didn't make it any less interesting. Basically, Rosemary and her husband, Guy, a budding actor, move into the Bramford, an old apartment building in New York. An old friend tells them that the building has a bad history but they move in anyway. Shortly after their arrival, a new acquaintance of Rosemary commits suicide by jumping from her apartment. The young couple make friends with the Castevets, old neighbours on their floor and strange things begin to happen; Guy suddenly becoming successful, Rosemary becoming pregnant (having strange 'dreams' during the sex act), etc. The book has a eerie feel to it, even thought it is told very matter-of-factly and this feeling gets stronger as the book progresses. Excellent story, one you won't really want to put down. Even if you've seen the movie, it's worth reading (4.0 stars)"

13. The Bad Seed by William March (1954). This has also been a play and a movie.

"I've been reading The Bad Seed by William March as part of my October Hallowe'en horror selections. It's a book I'd not heard of. There was a movie based on the book and when I read the intro, I discovered that there was also a play. The Bad Seed was March's most well-known book and he died shortly after its publication.

Basically the story is about Rhoda Penmark and her mother Christine. They live in a town in Alabama while Richard, Christine's husband, is away in South America on business. Rhoda is a strange girl, acquisitive, seemingly without emotion. One of her schoolmates, a young boy, who won a penmanship pin that Rhoda felt she should have received, dies while the class is on a school picnic. This is the incident that starts Christine on a journey of doubt and suspicion towards her daughter. Did Rhoda kill the boy?

We also meet Christine's friends her landlady, Mrs. Breedlove, and Leroy, the irritating janitor / handyman, who has an ongoing battle of wills with Rhoda. The people surrounding Christine are all somewhat strange in their own right. Christine's voyage of discovery includes research into serial killers and she finds out things about her own past that further disturb her. 

While the story is not terrifying in any right, it still has an overriding creepiness and uneasiness. It is difficult to put down as you want to discover further about Rhoda and Christine and also to find out how the story will be resolved. Very interesting and spooky. Appropriate for Hallowe'en month. (4 stars)"

14. The Fog by James Herbert (1975). This is the 2nd book by Herbert.

"I have previously read James Herbert's The Secret Of Crickley Hall, a tense, spooky ghost story and enjoyed very much. I started The Fog as one of my October month horror stories. It didn't disappoint. 

Firstly, the movies of the same name have nothing to do with this book. The story is simply that an earthquake strikes a village in rural Wiltshire and as an after-effect, releases a deadly fog. This fog affects people caught in its midst, affecting their brains, making them insane. 

One man, Holman, a government Environmental inspector, survives the catastrophe and the effects of the fog and works with the government; firstly, to discover why he survived and, secondly, to explore the fog to find out where it came from and why it strikes people and animals in such a manner. The story is so well-paced and also so creepy and scary that you will fly through its pages. Some of the scenes are graphic but effective. Excellent thriller. I can see why Herbert is England's number one chiller writer. I will definitely check out more of his work. (4 stars)"

and...

15. Classics of the Macabre by Daphne du Maurier. An excellent collection of short stories, including The Birds.

"Classics of the Macabre is a collection of short stories by Daphne du Maurier. I had previously read another collection; The Blue Lenses and other books by du Maurier; The House on the Strand and Rebecca and the more I read, the more I've enjoyed her stories and writing style.

Classics of the Macabre contained a couple of stories I'd already read from The Blue Lenses, but I scrolled through them again to remind myself about how much I'd previously enjoyed them. This book contained 6 of her short stories; Don't Look Now, The Apple Tree, The Blue Lenses, The Birds, The Alibi and Not After Midnight. I was particularly interested reading The Birds as I've enjoyed the movie many times. It didn't disappoint and had a similar theme to the movie (obviously, I guess), but was more focused on one particularly family in England. The ending was also not quite so optimistic.

 

Each story was interesting, not scary really, just odd and strange. Don't Look Now is set in Venice and tells the story of a young couple getting over the loss of their daughter and people they meet who seem to have the ability to see spirits. The Apple Tree tells of a husband who ignores his wife even to her death and is haunted by an apple tree (his wife's spirit?????). The Blue Lenses (a favourite) tells of a woman who has an eye operation with interesting after effects. The Birds tells of an invasion of England by birds, birds and more birds. The Alibi is another tale of a husband is tired of his life and wants something more exciting... and finds it. Not After Midnight is the story of a man's visit to Crete on a solitary vacation who is caught up in a strange situation.

du Maurier is an excellent story teller and her tales are always unique. Well worth trying (4 stars)"

So there you go. I could have added others to the list and I'm sure you could as well. But hopefully this will give you a few ideas if you want to explore the horror genre. Looking at some books on my bookshelves that I might try in October as  my next post. Enjoy your weekend.