Review: Tales of Sin and Madness

Tales of Sin and Madness

by Brett McBean

Date Published: January 2011

Publisher: LegumeMan Books

ISBN: 9780987049643

Format: 'B' trade paperback

Pages: 334

RRP: $23.95

Reviewed by Matthew Tait

A successful short story collection in the horror genre – when all the elements come together properly – is a rare and powerful thing. They are strange beasts, and unless a name is synonymous with a proven track record, very hard to get off the ground and into the collective hands of a reading public. Fortunately, an established history is something that Brett McBean has been working on for the past decade, so I was more than eager to put up my hand for Tales of Sin and Madness – a vast, Aladdin’s cave of stories that span many years.

One of things I usually do when reviewing such a collection is give an appraisal of each story … but you will understand (when reading it) that this will not work in this scenario. Like a feast of S. King stories, Brett has taken the time to provide lengthy notes at the end of each one. The resultant outcome of this is something like a delicious banquet that’s more on par with a classic album, each story finely dissected and put under a microscope so we can see the genesis behind each tale. Any detailed breakdown will only spoil what Brett has in store for you. And what he has in the offing here is one of the most entertaining pieces of Australian dark fiction to come along in years.

We start off with Brett taking a jaunt into Brian Keene’s zombie world of The Rising and reporting what he sees there. When then go into the twisted maze and minds of serial killers and find, more often than not, that it’s possible for our sympathies to lie with them. Personal standouts included Hearing the Ocean in a Sea Shell … a nicely executed fable of a rising elevator that’s like a macabre metaphor for past (sins) and a lifetime of transgressions. Also Christmas Lights – a short and melancholy funeral song that first appeared in the Festive Fear anthology.   

Throughout it all, you can feel the inspiration and personal homage’s to an author like Richard Laymon, but a reader will also hear a pertinent new Australian voice, one that isn’t bogged down in the past or feels dated in any way. On the surface - and taking off my professional voice for the briefest of moments – it’s no wonder that the stories here spoke to me: the author and I both live in the same country, are products of the same culture and grew up on a steady diet of the same literature. Brett McBean is the contemporary Australian voice for a new millennium and beyond.  

With all the interesting discussions about ebooks lately, one cannot help but think their future is still down the track a little ways. For every now and again an edition will come along that is perfect to hold in the hands and cherish: LegumeMan Books new release of Tales of Sin and Madness contains six more stories than the previous North American edition and is a definitive must-have for any horror disciple.  

Review: Unholy Magic

Unholy Magic
(Downside Ghosts #2)
by Stacia Kane

Date Published: July 2010
Publisher: Harper Voyager
ISBN: 9780007343256
Format: 'B' trade paperback
Pages: 346
RRP: $24.99

Reviewed by Stephanie Gunn

Unholy Magic is the second book in Stacia Kane’s urban fantasy series, Downside Ghosts.

In the world of this series, ghosts are real – in 1997, the dead rose en masse and killed half of the world’s living population. The ghosts were eventually forced back to the underworld by the Church of Truth, which then rose to totalitarian power. No other churchs or religions survived, their dogma essentially disproved.

Chess works for the Church as a Debunker investigating supposed hauntings She is also a drug addict, using pills as a means to cope with the memories of her past. She grew up parentless, moving through a series of abusive foster homes before she was taken in by the Church.

The first book saw Chess living as a high-functioning addict, managing to balance her addiction and work. It also saw her become enmeshed in a love triangle with two henchmen to drug lords, Lex and Terrible.

This book takes her deeper into her addiction and into both of these relationships. She is sent by the Church to investigate the haunting of a movie star and is also asked to investigate the murders of several prostitutes. Both cases dredge up her own past and reveal more about the men in her life.

This series continues to be gritty and real. Chess’ drug addiction and past are presenting with unflinching honestly – the reader gets to see her at several terrible lows and begins to really understand some of what drives her. Kane continues to be amazing at characterisation – Chess and Terrible in particular live and breathe all through this book.

Chess is a truly novel heroine in the field of urban fantasy. She isn’t special or chosen – she is one of many Debunkers, and while she has the use of magic, it’s made clear that it isn’t an easy path for her. She makes mistakes, sometimes many of them, and she is only just beginning to deal with them.

This is a rich, original world populated with compelling characters. The first book in the series gave the reader a glimpse into the world, and this one opens the door a little more. And yet it’s clear that there is much more to explore.

Highly recommended for readers of urban fantasy and genre fiction, especially if you’re tired of the trend of leather trouser wearing heroines with tramp stamps.

Unholy Ghosts is published by Harper Voyager.

Review: The Grudge: White Ghost & Black Ghost

The Grudge: White Ghost & Black Ghost
directed by Ryuta Miyake & Mari Asato

Date Released: 2009
Distributor: Madman Entertainment
Stars: Hiroki Suzuki, Ichirota Miyakawa, Koji Seto, Kuniteru Shigeyama

Reviewed by Tony Owens


This DVD package contains two separate stories loosely based on the Ju-On franchise. White Ghost tells the story of a family whose son is under extreme pressure to pass the bar examination. The family move into a new house which, unfortunately for them, is cursed and eventually the young man responds by killing the other household members before hanging himself. Other members of the public including a taxi driver, his daughter and a cake shop delivery boy fall victim to the curse as they come in contact with the doomed family.

This story follows the Ju-On template most closely with its familial slaying and episodic structure. It delivers some effective chills. A scene involving the son and a mirror in the new house and the delivery boy's conversation with the dead mother are particularly eerie. Where the director drops the ball, however, is with the 'white ghost' itself. It appears too often and its effect is subsequently diluted. Arthouse cinema buffs might be reminded of the murderous dwarf in Nicholas Roeg's 'Don't Look Now' when they see the ghost in the yellow hat and school uniform. And then there's the crazy grandmother with the basketball.

Black Ghost is an altogether different kettle of spooks. A nurse is looking after a young girl, Fukie, who has an internal cyst. This turns out to be the girl's unborn twin who is now out for revenge. Unsurprisingly, various people die in creative ways. There are some novel twists on the theme, however. Fukie's aunt has some rather vague mystical powers and is pressured by the mother to exorcise her daughter, with memorable results. Meanwhile, the nurse has a neighbour who is infatuated with her leading to dire consequences for all concerned. This second story is an interesting departure from the standard slaughtered family curse routine though the storyline is a bit confusing at times.

Both tales have the standard Ju-On scares - odd noises, half glimpsed figures scuttling down dark hallways and creepy ghosts crawling hither and yon. Despite the familiarity, they both manage to unsettle even if they never really manage to cause outright terror. There are cameos from Toshio, the young boy in the original film. It doesn't matter if you're not familiar with the original or the American remakes; these two stories stand alone and are enjoyable in their own right.

News: 2010 Australian Shadows Awards finalists

The Australian Horror Writers Association has announced the finalists of the 2010 Australian Shadows Awards.

The finalists are:

LONG FICTION

• Madigan Mine by Kirstyn McDermott (Picador Australia)
• The Girl With No Hands by Angela Slatter (Ticonderoga Publications)
• Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healy (Allen & Unwin)
• Under Stones by Bob Franklin (Affirm Press)
• Bleed by Peter M. Ball (Twelfth Planet Press)

EDITED PUBLICATION

• Macabre: A Journey through Australia's Darkest Fears, edited by Angela Challis & Marty Young (Brimstone Press)
• Scenes From The Second Storey, edited by Amanda Pillar & Pete Kempshall (Morrigan Books)
• Dark Pages 1, edited by Brenton Tomlinson (Blade Red Press)
• Scary Kisses, edited by Liz Grzyb (Ticonderoga Publications)
• Midnight Echo #4, edited by Lee Battersby (AHWA)

SHORT FICTION

• "Bread and Circuses" by Felicity Dowker (Scary Kisses)
• "Brisneyland by Night" by Angela Slatter (Sprawl)
• "She Said" by Kirstyn McDermott (Scenes from the Second Storey)
• "All The Clowns In Clowntown" by Andrew J. McKiernan (Macabre: A Journey through Australia's Darkest Fears)
• "Dream Machine" by David Conyers (Scenes from the Second Storey)

The finalists were determined by a judging panel consisting of Stephanie Gunn, Craig Bezant, and Jeff Ritchie. Guest judges Chuck McKenzie, Rocky Wood, and Kaaron Warren will read the finalists and determine the winners (announced on April 15). Winners will receive $250 and a trophy.

Source: AHWA

Review: Dark Faith

Dark Faith
edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon

Date Published: May 2010
Publisher: Apex Publications
ISBN: 9780982159682
Format: 'C' trade paperback
Pages: 392
RRP: $19.95 (US)

Reviewed by Tony Owens

Horror and faith often work the same streets. In horror, we suspend our disbelief in the hope of getting a really good scare, while faith involves suspending our disbelief in the hope of attaining some sort of salvation. Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon have compiled an interesting anthology that looks at the intersection of these two ideas. It's a fairly broad church they've constructed (pardon the pun), and on occasion, some of the stories seem to be only tangentially related to the theme.

"Ghosts of New York " by Jennifer Pelland is a touching hymn to those killed in the 9/11 attacks, trying to attach some meaning to the suffering of the ghosts who are unable to leave the physical location of their demise. Briane Keene channels the rage of a non-believer who takes revenge against an uncaring God in "I Sing a New Psalm". It's a clever little conceit that works because it doesn't go on too long. "He Who Would not Bow" is a taste of the Book of Revelations played out on CNN. It's a neat idea with a strong opening but the ending left me a little cold. "Zen and the Art of Gordon Dratch's Damnation" posits a God who is not quite as all powerful as he/she/it first appears, as the titular protagonist relies on Buddhist teachings to thwart his eternal tormentors.

Kyle S. Johnson's "Go Tell It on the Mountain" is one of the highlights for me. Its flippant, cynical approach to the Second Coming was as bracing as a cold shower after the seriousness of the other stories in this collection. "Different from Other Nights" is unusual in that it takes a Jewish tilt at the subject matter, unlike much of the rest of the collection which is more obviously of Christian origin. Despite its brutal climax, it's a gentle rumination on the Jewish Passover. "The Last Words of (Dutch Schultz) Jesus Christ" is a fascinating failure. It has two intriguing ideas shoehorned into one story, but the result is confusing and less satisfying than it should have been.

Matt Cardin prefaces Chimeras & Grotesqueries with a faux introduction to a found manuscript which was a little forced and unnecessary for my money. The story is strong enough to stand on its own without this metatextual fidgeting. Its story of a city falling apart certainly lives up to the second half of its title. "Paint Box, Puzzle Box" has a stoic Death chasing an artist through multiple universes created in the latter's artwork. The premise eventually outstays its welcome and could have done with a little trimming, but it is still a diverting narrative by D. T. Friedman. J.C. Hay's "A Loss for Words" is erotically charged and creepy at the same time. "Ring Road" by Mary Robinette Kowal throws Norse mythology and symbolism into the mix. Catherynne M Valente has a cute idea in "The Days of Flaming Motorcycles" with her zombie apocalypse which her protagonist pretty much just ignores and gets on with her life. The zombies begin to indulge in their own version of faith and worship winding down in a fairly inconclusive ending. The final story in the collection, "For My Next Trick I'll Need a Volunteer", is a freewheeling reboot of Raymond Chandler for quantum physics buffs as a private investigator and an unusual preacher work together to undo an unspeakable crime. If you're able to buy into the premise and overlook one or two glib plot devices, it's extremely enjoyable.

Overall, it's a pleasing anthology despite the fairly broad interpretation of the theme. It would have been interesting to see a wider display of faiths on show. For instance, where were the Muslim or Shinto horror stories? Do such beasts exist? But it's admirable that Broaddus, who is quite obviously a committed Christian, has included quite a number of stories that must have been close to the bone for him.

Review: Unholy Ghosts

Unholy Ghosts
(Downside Ghosts #1)
by Stacia Kane

Date Published: June 2010
Publisher: Harper Voyager
ISBN: 9780007352814
Format: 'B' trade paperback
Pages: 346
RRP: $24.99

Reviewed by Stephanie Gunn

This series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where the apocalypse was the rising of the dead from their graves en masse in 1997. The ghosts rose angry, and killed half of the living population of the world before they were banished back to the underworld by the Church of Real Truth. Other religions and government proved impotent against the ghosts, and as a result, dissolved, leaving the Church a totalitarian power. Now, the Church works to keep the dead where they belong. They also reimburse citizens who are victims of hauntings, as well as debunk fake hauntings staged for said reimbursement.

Chess is a witch working as a Debunker for the Church, investigated and debunking false hauntings, and banishing real ghosts when she encounters them. Chess also has a dark habit – she is a drug addict. This addiction has driven her into debt with her dealer, Bump, who asks her to repay him by banishing ghosts from an old airport that he wishes to use. This attempted banishment drags her deep into the darkness of Downside and her own addiction.

This is a truly original premise and setting for an urban fantasy series – Downside is gritty and real, populated by characters who live and breathe. Some readers could be initially put off by the protagonist being an addict, but Chess is written with sympathy, and her addiction works as a very real and valid choice for survival with her troubled background and the grim world she lives in.

There is a romance subplot, with the almost-usual urban fantasy love triangle involved. It is, however, a relatively minor subplot and is woven in well with the rest of the plots. At times, it does feel as though it’s been forced into the plot simply for the sake of having a romance, though all of the attractions that Chess have are, at least, solidly plotted.

Along with worldbuilding, Kane is particularly skilled at characterization. All of the Downside dwelling characters speak in a particular slang – something that can sometimes make reading a book difficult, but in this case, it feels natural.

The general plot is wrapped up neatly enough in this book, though enough is left hanging and unexplored to indicate that Kane has much more to explore in Downside and in Chess’ life and past.

Unholy Ghosts is a great beginning to a very promising series and worth a read even if you’re not usually a fan of urban fantasy.

Review: What the Night Knows

What the Night Knows
by Dean Koontz

Date Published: Jan 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780007326921
Format: ‘C’ trade paperback
Pages: 442
RRP: $32.99

Reviewed by Matthew Tait

The signs were good, and early word of mouth suggested a return to form. With the inevitable hit and miss ratio of a prolific author, it seemed What the Night Knows was not only a homecoming to the magic of the past but a transcendent step up the ladder – perhaps a piece of dark fiction that would be regulated to the status of classic and the author – whilst achieving greatness many books ago – would be held in even higher regard as a composer whose ability to consistently dispense works of art would not be questioned.

This optimism continued as I started my journey, and although difficult, I managed to steer away from the obvious influx of new reviews pouring in every day. The opening paragraph is pure Koontz, setting the stage for a power-play of epic scope where the author’s cerebral prose could be used to the full extent. Already, I had ascertained that the formula for What the Night Knows was going to be the same one applied to his previous foray, Life Expectancy, whereby we have a domestic lifestyle shattered by a series of malevolent dates over a certain time period. This worked for that particular book, and the ‘countdown’ or ‘ticking-clock’ effect is a tried and true prescription for a writer of suspense.

John Calvino is a homicide detective who has recently been alerted to an entire family’s slaughter committed by a young member of it, one Billy Ryan, whose confession and lack of remorse is only the tip of the iceberg that show startling similarities between these murders and ones that were committed twenty years previous. Although not the detective assigned to the case, John goes out of his way to initiate a meeting with Billy, and what he finds when coming face to face with him will not only confirm this correlation to past events but will open up whole new possibilities in regard to the perpetrator. For it was John’s family itself who were the victims all those years ago - his father, mother, and siblings all the violent work of one Alton Turner Blackwood. Although dead, it seems Alton’s curse might just live on in the form of Ryan … until Ryan dies, and then all Hell breaks loose.

At its core, What the Night Knows can be construed as a simple macabre tale – that of the invading spirit, one who is able to leapfrog through time and space (and individual to individual) to finish off what he started. Thankfully, one of the strengths of the book is that Koontz can make believers out of us, and he constructs a serious mythology. Quite easily, this aspect of spirit possession could have fallen into campy realms that resembled something like Friday the 13th: Jason goes to Hell or perhaps a rampaging liquid-metal cyborg. The upsurge of dread and malice we feel from Alton Blackwood is real and almost pervading. The snippets of his journal interspersed throughout the book give an intimate glimpse into a worthy evil.

As we progress, the first oddments of doubt start to wriggle in – and slowly turn into outright disappointment. Koontz, over the course of years, seems to have lost touch with his fellow humans. John Calvino is man with an attached family that is almost perfect in its world view (they also have hired staff). His wife, Nicolette, is an acclaimed and successful artist; his children Zach, Naomi, and Minnie are faultless and display none of the characteristics of normal children. What we have instead are character headspaces filled with nothing but 'Koontz-talk' whereby the author goes on rambling dirges that reflect his Republican politics and conservative philosophy.

In a brutal flipside, everyone else that surrounds them are positively evil - thieves, sexual deviants, and even child murderers. And each are ripe for spirit possession. I understand, on a narrative level, that antagonists must be created for the purpose of fiction, but when they are heaped on with such loving abandon, it becomes so unrealistic it’s almost laughable. What the author has tried to do here is step out of his comfort zone and make a story steeped in the supernatural and brimming with dark and horrible images almost 'Laymon-esque' in their ferocity. But he doesn’t succeed. Horror is supposed to be fun … but the depressing nature of this novel had me audibly sighing at every available turn. When the final act came about, the unthinkable occurred: I didn’t care whether or not I finished the final pages. As a reader, I was merely re-treading ancient ground from dozens of his pervious stories.

Sadly, the return to form never came about – and although I have unfailing respect for this author and will continue to read each new novel as it comes out, a wide gulf in the relationship between reader and writer has opened up in this instance.

Review: Decay #5

Decay #5
Edited by Darren Koziol

Date published: 2010
Publisher: Dark Oz Productions
Format: Comic
Pages: 52
RRP: $8.00

Reviewed by Shane Jiraiya Cummings

Decay issue #5 has been my favourite so far. The series started a little wobbly, but it has now established its identity as a good launching pad for new Australian horror artists and comic book writers. It's also a good place for more experienced Aussie comic book creators to hang out. This mix makes Decay well worth seeking out.

The opener is "Summit" by Alister Lockhart (writer and artist), who also provides this issue's fantastically creepy cover. Like his earlier story "Abel" in issue #4, Lockhart's "Summit" is an unrelentingly violent tale of the high fantasy variety. The art is particularly strong (on par with the best in the series so far), although some of the finer details were lost to the heavy shading. I suspect as a digital comic, this story would have leapt off the page, but the limitations of printed ink stymied the details a little. However, Lockhart's "How I Drew This Comic" article at the end of the issue is one of the most instructive and interesting "how tos" of the past five issues.

The story itself is one of those brilliant circular pieces that are deceptively hard to pull off. An unnamed champion sits at the top of a sacred mountain, with bizarre ape-like creatures for company while he awaits his next challenger to the 'throne'. "Summit" is brutal high fantasy on steroids, and when the battle eventually begins, it's one almightily bloody epic. Any duel where the first clash results in the champion tearing off the challenger's testicles is gonna get downright nasty - and that's exactly how it goes.

The contemporary language ("Hey faggot! You're sitting in my seat") was jarring when juxtaposed with fantasy-sounding phrases (eg. "I am the storm that shreds all flesh. I am a rain of stone and steel."), but on subsequent re-reads, it suited the macho tone of the story. Regardless, "Summit" is probably my favourite Decay story to date.

The next installment of Darren Koziol's "OzZombie" features a new artist to the serial, Keith Backhouse. Like Stewart Cook did with the second part of "OzZombie" in issue #4 (replacing regular illustrator Thomas Green), Backhouse has managed to capture the tone of Green's artwork while making the story his own.

Like I said in my issue #4 review, "OzZombie" is realist fiction (the protagonists are stumbling from one goal to the next), but this installment felt truly aimless. Fortunately, it was only six pages, but in those six pages, the characters decide (after risking the journey into Adelaide to find their ute and supplies) to leave Adelaide the next day. There's no action in this installment, just a lot of talking, Sally taking a pee, and a quick sex scene. If "OzZombie" was a graphic novel, these would be the pages an action-starved reader would skip. Again, I'm hoping "OzZombie" is building up to something awesome. After seven installments and lots of aimless going here and there, my interest in the story is beginning to wane.

"Hybridos the Lost Planet" is the latest contribution from leading Aussie horror duo SCAR. SCAR do weird chimaera monsters very well, and in this story, that's essentially all there is: humans battling chimaeras on the mysterious world of Hybridos. After colonists are stranded on the planet, their descendants battle the hordes of creatures in a multi-generational war they feel they cannot win. When a mutant brood queen offers them a Devil's pact, the reigning battle-scarred human Empress forces her people into an unpalatable alliance - until rebels attempt to derail her plans.

Like other SCAR stories, "Hybridos" is one where the reader simply sits back and marvels at the bizarre parade of creatures. The characters are all hardy stock-standard warriors, and with no standout protagonist, there's really no one to empathise with. As with other SCAR stories in Decay, this is a big picture story. With no one to root for, this story becomes eye candy, with plenty of impalings and dismemberments but little else. Unfortunately, if there had been more of an identifiable protagonist, "Hybridos" could have been brilliant - particularly with more pages to expand on the characters' daily struggles. If this story was graphic novel length, I'd fork over the cash to read it.

The last story, "Maximum Terror", is a creepy four-pager written by Tanya Nicholls and illustrated by Travis Hendrix (in a manner similar to Nicholl's usual art style). A 'Circus Infinitus' story (some of which were seen in earlier Decay issues), "Maximum Terror" features a terrifying maze of mirrors. The story has some great visuals (e.g. the different disturbing manifestations in the mirrors), and the punchline is cute!

There are all the usual interstitial fillers in this issue of Decay, too. The reader is greeted by a couple of disturbing 'hosts', "Splatt the Zombie Cat" (which I'm finding stranger and stranger), a new letters page ("Dead Letters"), and a couple of photo spreads: one from the Mad Max museum in Silverton and another from Melbourne's Armageddon expo.

With this issue, Decay has embraced prose fiction, too. Jason Paulos (of Eeek! fame) has illustrated a flash fiction story: "Letters at 2am: Winters Mourning" by Ricky Hutcheson. Paulos's sketch is great, but the story itself is, regrettably, clichéd and requires additional polish (e.g. there were a couple of typos and incorrect use of words: "grew closer" instead of "drew closer"). It's only one page of the issue, but personally, I'd rather see this page devoted to art rather than hastily written prose (unless Decay solicits prose of a more professional standard).

The Decay comics are available from most good comic book stores. More information on the series is available from Decay's recently created website.

This review is part of the 2010 Australian Horror Comics review series by Shane Jiraiya Cummings. To read other reviews in this series, search for the Labels 'Oz Horror Comics'.

Review: The Children

The Children
directed by Tom Shankland

Date Released: 2008
Distributor: Icon Film Distribution
Stars: Eva Birthistle, Stephen Campbell Moore, Jeremy Sheffield, Hannah Tointon

Reviewed by Tony Owens

Elaine and new hubby Jonah bring their three children for a post-Christmas holiday in the English countryside. They stay with her sister's family. Four adults, four kids, and one surly teen who'd rather be at a friend's party. The parents get drunk, bicker about child raising strategies, and get on each other's nerves. In the meantime, the children have come down with some bug, which is slowly turning them into violent psychopaths. Things come to a head when Uncle Robbie is killed in a freak sled incident. No, really. The surviving adults, rather than uniting in the face of the pre-adolescent threat, continue to fight amongst themselves. Meanwhile, those pesky kids are out for blood.

There's a long tradition of evil kids in horror cinema. Think back to Village of the Damned, The Bad Seed, The Exorcist (and if you really want to draw a long bow, Home Alone). Tom Shankland has directed an effective addition to this illustrious lineage. The adults are fine in their roles, not all of which are sympathetic. Hannah Tointon in particular does well in the initially thankless role of Casey, who rises to the occasion when things get really grim. The child stars are surprisingly good, by turns cute, heartbreaking and toe-curlingly creepy.

The film is not without flaws, however. Some of the editing makes it hard to work out what's going on at times. Whether this was an artistic decision or the results of cuts made to get a desired rating is hard to discern. I found the character of Paulie to be problematic as well. As an autistic boy, he has seemingly been put into the story for added 'weirdness'. A bit unnecessary considering the story involves abuse of adults by their offspring. Then there are some muddled subtexts about abortion, vaccination and the fear of childbirth, though I may just have imagined that.

These are only small blips though as the film builds to an inevitable nihilistic climax. It's pretty harrowing at times, particularly if you're a parent. And it has one of the best tag-lines of recent times - 'You brought them into this world. They'll take you out.'

Review: Legends: Beasts and Monsters

Legends: Beasts and Monsters
by Anthony Horowitz

Date Published: July 2010
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 9780330510158
Format: ‘B’ trade paperback
Pages: 116
RRP: $12.99

Reviewed by Peta Freestone

Before Anthony Horowitz created both Alex Rider and the equally renowned Power of Five books, he embarked upon a very different project. Over three months of doctor-ordered bed rest during a bout of glandular fever, he retold 35 traditional tales with the aim of engaging young readers with the world’s classic stories. These retellings would later become the Kingfisher Book of Myths and Legends. More than two decades later, this volume has been refreshed with the ‘Legends’ series - half a dozen shorter volumes organised by theme.

Beasts and Monsters is the first Legends instalment. It includes five short stories based on myths of fiendish creatures, from the Greek sphinx and gorgon to dragons, sea serpents and banshees. The book concludes with a fun section on beasts and monsters from lesser known folklore, challenging the reader to find the one amid the ten that Horowitz fabricated himself.

Despite the history of the project, Beasts and Monsters is at first glance a book of the now. As is also the case with the upcoming volumes in the series, the cover design is slick, with holographic byline and splattered title text. A menacing rather than mythic dragon looms from the shadows, promising today’s reader that they’re in for an exciting ride.

What’s unfortunate is that this bargain is not entirely kept, with the abridged stories failing to re-imagine the myths with tension, spooks or scares. Indeed, Thomas Yeate’s illustration of Perseus striding through a crowd of frozen, dead-eyed gorgon victims outshines Horowitz’s tales as one of the creepiest moments of the book. There are few signs that the stories have been updated for today’s readers, to whom the well-mannered narrative voice and stilted dialogue will seem dated.

Beasts and Monsters is at its best when it steps off the well-beaten trail of classical Greek and English culture. ‘The Incredible Spotted Egg’, a Cheyenne Indian myth of anthropomorphic antics and slapstick humour is reminiscent of the fun and wonder of Kipling’s Just So Stories.

Even better is ‘The Washer at the Ford’ – the story of Oscar, one of the poet-warriors of ancient Ireland’s fianna. Horowitz created this tale of a hero’s fateful encounter with a banshee specifically for the 2010 release. It shows. There’s much to like in this rendition, with its fleshed-out historical setting, a lyricism that will appeal to readers of all ages and a troubling sense from the first page of our warrior’s impending doom. With ‘The Washer’, Horowitz gives us a glimpse of ‘a book that might have been’, one where older readers could connect anew with familiar characters and the pathos of their situations, and younger readers could lose themselves in a strange new world.

On the whole, however, Beasts and Monsters presents a bit of a conundrum in terms of target audience. The publisher is clearly aiming to ignite the interest of the middle grade (aka tween) market, though many readers in the older section of this group (say, 10 years and above) will find Horowitz’s versions of the classics simplistic. On the other hand, the dry humour often used to lighten up the tales, such as the political satire of St George and the Dragon, will be hard-pressed to thrill younger readers. Parents may also be concerned with leaving some of the more advanced concepts (think Oedipus’ marriage to his own mother) for younger readers to ponder alone.

That being said, if you like reading with the children in your life, Beasts and Monsters could be a good pick. In some ways similar to a Disney or DreamWorks animation, there’s plenty for young minds to marvel at and some opportunities for a wry chuckle from older relatives and friends.

Review: Bloodmoon

Bloodmoon
directed by Alec Mills

Date Released: 1989
Distributor: Madman Entertainment
Stars: Leon Lissek, Christine Amor, Ian Williams

Reviewed by Tony Owens

A crazed serial killer is hunting down the students of St Elizabeth's School for Girls and garrotting them with a barbed wire noose. The local cop balances his family life with professional duties as he tracks down the murderer. The headmistress cheats on her milquetoast of a husband with the local stud. In the background, Sister Mary-Ellen seethes as her girls wander off into the local bush with the boys for all manner of depravity unbecoming of good Catholic girls. So who is the homicidal loony? Is it the nymphomaniac Virginia Sheffield, the sexually frustrated Myles Sheffield, or maybe, the nun whose sense of morality is confronted by the decadence all around her.

This cheesy little exploitation flick is very much a product of its pre-Scream time. The plot is pretty much join-the-dots slasher material. The young lead couple are appealing though no great shakes in the acting stakes. The adults take great delight in chewing up the scenery and spitting it out in great bloody chunks. Compared to a lot of films in this genre the gore is relatively restrained. Connoisseurs of female mammary glands are well catered for. By my estimation, an actress disrobed every ten minutes or so in the first half of the film.

And yet, this is an enjoyable little time killer. No-one really seems to be taking the material too seriously and the fact that it was shot on the Gold Coast means that we get to enjoy a little bit of the Aussie vernacular. Interestingly, and maybe with an eye to the American market, the heroine is a Texan. All can be forgiven though, because her boyfriend is a great Aussie hunk with a ute. The killer is revealed fairly early in the piece but the carnage is so good natured that it would be churlish to point out that this sort of thing had been done dozens of times before in the eighties, often to better effect. So sit back, relax, enjoy the big hair and the musical stylings of Vice (who look a bit like Whitesnake if Robert Smith had applied their make-up).

Review: Decay #4

Decay #4
edited by Darren Koziol

Date published:: 2010
Publisher: Dark Oz Productions
Format: comic
Pages: 52
RRP: $8.00

Reviewed by Shane Jiraiya Cummings

With issue #4, the Decay series has found its feet. The addition of Glenn Lumsden (with a striking 'Dead Kelly' cover), Greg Holfeld (who provides host 'Frankie' and his dinosaur pal 'Dino'), and Alister Lockhart (writer and illustrator of the story "Abel") to its artist stable was a masterstroke on editor Darren Koziol's part.

Editor Koziol has two tales in this issue (actually, technically three as the reader is treated to two installments of "OzZombie"). The first is "Blood Red Rose Coloured Glasses" (illustrated by Tanya Nicholls). This story is one of Koziol's better efforts, although as with some of his earlier works, it drags on for a few pages too long. This 14 page story probably could have been condensed into an 8-pager, although to be fair, plenty of action happens in these 14 pages - it's just that it began to feel laboured towards the end (which, given the subject matter, might have been the point).

"Blood Red Rose Coloured Glasses" is the story of two soldiers, Gregor and Armand, who rescue damsel Regan from the clutches of a South American dictator. As previously mentioned, there is action aplenty - and the central conceit: that Armand's warped, extreme optimistic perception makes his a super soldier - is a compelling one, particularly as it leads to some disturbing consequences when teammate Gregor is wounded.

I'm surprised I haven't heard of Alister Lockhart before, but then again, I may not move in the right circles. Lockhart's contribution to issue #4 is "Abel", and it stands out for two reasons: 1) the illustration work is excellent, bringing to life the grandeur of epic fantasy adventure, and 2) the story itself was intensely satisfying, with the sort of delightfully wicked twist that typifies the best of comics like Decay.

"Abel" follows the eponymous hero as he sets out to rescue an unnamed damsel in distress who is trapped high on a mountain. Driven by dreams and a psychic compulsion, the quest takes a toll on the hero before he even has his confrontation with the damsel's captor.

The fight scenes in "Abel" are great and the intensity on Abel's face leaps off the page. Even better than the artwork was the twisted sense of humour that pervades the story. It begins with a fairy tale feel and ends with a twisted (very twisted) happy ending.

At 18 pages, the two installments of "OzZombie" (written by Darren Koziol) dominate issue #4. They kind of propel the story forward: We move from an amusing fight scene in a country town supermarket (illustrated by series regular Thomas Green) - refreshingly, the first in which the protagonists are in any real danger - and then head into the dead heart of Adelaide (with the art duties taken over by Stewart Cook), where the protagonists find the ute that offers them temporary salvation.

Perhaps "OzZombie" is zombie storytelling in its most realistic form. The characters are constantly fighting off the zombie hordes, and when they're not, they are scratching their heads wondering what to do. It's survivalist fiction of the first order: there is no master plan, no magic 'get out of jail free' card that will solve their problem. Which is all great, but unfortunately, the world of storytelling (as different as it is from real life) requires something more focussed to entertain. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm looking forward to where "OzZombie" is going, but having read six installments so far, it seems to be in circles.

The changeover of artist with "OzZombie: Adelaide" (from Green to Cook) was a breath of fresh air. Green's artwork in the installments to date has been sketchy and rough, but it suited the nature of the story. Cook does a fantastic job of emulating Green's style but interpreting the story his own way. The sketchiness is still there, but with it, Green has added heavy blocks of shading that add real menace to the story.

Aside from these stories, there is another installment of the "Splatt the Cat" series (although this one left me scratching my head), the usual complement of 'hosts' (which is probably one of the Decay series' most enjoyable aspects), and several pages of black and white photos from the Supanova and Avcon conventions. The cosplay outfits at these conventions get better every year!


This review is part of the 2010 Australian Horror Comics review series by Shane Jiraiya Cummings. To read other reviews in this series, search for the Labels 'Oz Horror Comics'.

Review: Bullet

Bullet
(Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter #19)
by Laurell K. Hamilton

Date Published: July 2010
Publisher: Headline
ISBN: 9780755352586
Format: 'C' trade paperback
Pages: 256
RRP: $32.99

Reviewed by Stephanie Gunn

Bullet opens on Anita as she attempts to live a “normal” life – settled with her boyfriends and even attending a school dance recital for a friend’s young child. Normalcy can only last so long for Anita as a new group of weretigers pressure her, and the presumed-dead Mother of Darkness reaches out for her again as Anita’s power grows.

One thing needs to be said upfront about this book: it contains a lot of sex and violence. Perhaps more sex than in any of the previous books, with one particular sex scene going on for several chapters. And like most of the more recent books, there’s kink, group sex and same-sex encounters.

There is also a lot of focus on Anita’s many relationships, and the relationships that her lovers have with each other. Unfortunately, the focus on sex and relationships really weakens the overall plot of the book, to the point where this really reads as a series of novellas that have been mashed together into a larger book. And more unfortunately, there is a serious lack of any kind of character development through any of this. Anita has gathered many powers, but in many respects she reads like a childish character, not the kind of strong woman that so many powerful supernatural beings should be attracted to.

There are other problems with characterisation in this book. In particular, Richard does a complete one-eighty in his attitude towards his relationship with Anita. Without sufficient foreshadowing, this feels very much like him being forced to act for the sake of forcing a plot point and, hence, feels very weak and unbelievable.

Anita is also becoming a worrisome character on another level. In this book, we see her really beginning to display some psychopathic tendencies. This could have been an interesting development (for example, if examined as a result of the powers that she has developed/gathered) except, as usual, everything is brushed aside and dealt with via sex.

This series began with very strong potential – Anita was an interesting character who had the potential to become extremely strong. However, Hamilton’s reliance on sex as a plot device has really weakened this to the point where much of this book reads like soft porn. It would be refreshing to see Hamilton strip this series back to where it began and really work on some character development and plot.

If you’re into this series for the relationships and sex, you’ll likely enjoy this latest instalment. But if you’re looking for gritty, character-based urban fantasy, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

News: Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival - January 2011 edition

Welcome to the Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival, January 2011 edition.

Events

• Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty is hosting a discussion on retro futurism and fandom, the theme of the con. Dealers' room prices are public, and retro futurist fanzines are in focus.
• Alisa Krasnostein blogged about the Natcon dealers' room.
• Kyla Ward performed in Suckers, a new play written by Larry Waldenberg and directed by Helena George for Short and Sweet 2011 - and she has the chops to prove it.
• Sean Williams has some work eligible for Hugo Awards.
• Jenny Blackford blogged about attending the World Fantasy Convention in Columbus, Ohio - living in the past part 1, and part 2. [edit 8.2.11]
  
  

Podcasts

• Galactic Suburbia podcast launched episode 23.
• Jonathan Strahan wrapped up the Boxing Day Super Mega Podcast.

Industry Overview

• Dymocks Southland announced their bestselling zombie titles for 2010.
• Fantastic Planet spruiked their bestselling authors for 2010, bestselling titles for 2010, and bestsellers for December.
• Infinitus Bookshop shared their bestsellers for 2010.
• Chuck McKenzie presented his excellent annual genre bookselling year in review.
• Scenes From The Second Storey garnered a great review.
• Sarah Parker offered brief thoughts on ebooks and publishing.
• Ripping Ozzie Reads got serious about getting an agent.
• Rowena Cory Daniels contemplated eBooks and indie/self-publishing.
• Ian Irvine presented a guided tour of book promotion.
• Robert Hood reviewed Australian comic book Zorro Vs Zombies.
• Matthew Chrulew reviewed Apex's Dark Faith anthology.
• Ian Mond reviewed Edward Teach - Angælien Apocalypse.
• Scenes From The Second Storey was reviewed at Scary Minds.
• Russell B. Farr was disheartened by Wikipedia's coverage of Australian speculative authors.
• Margo Lanagan directs your attention to the Faber Academy novel writing course.
  
• Gillian Polack has a range of workshops and courses open for enrollment in early 2011.

Story Craft and the Writing Life

• Gillian Polack explained why writers should talk to historians, and solved Gollum's biggest problem!
• Alan Baxter extolled writers to write what they want to read.
• Carol Ryles offered strategies for writing emotion.
• Voyager authors Kim Falconer, Tracey O'Hara, Nicole Murphy, and K J Taylor blogged on how to make a hero hard without making them TOO hard...
• Will Elliott considered the 'idea' as one small part in the creation of a story.
• Peter M. Ball shared his writing process notes.
• Kim Wilkins considered the relationship between music and words.
• A number of notable genre writers have been communally blogging at Fantasy Writers On Retreat. (Categories include: drunk writers, poo talk, someone please rescue me, and too drunk to select categories.)
• Alan Baxter blogged visual evidence.
• Kaitlyn Fall proposed ten ways to turn "f-it" into effort.

'Tis The Season

• Chuck McKenzie unwrapped a rather amusing zombie Christmas haul editorial.
• David Carroll scored big time in the cryptic clue competition in honour of David Astle's Puzzled.
• Duncan Lay wrote around the Christmas tree.

The Overflowing Waters

As Queensland was flooded out, the literary community mobilized for a number of fundraising efforts. These included:

• Ocean Hearted: poetry book.
• 100 Stories for Queensland.
• After the Rain: Fablecroft turned around a limited e-version of this anthology for charity purposes.
• An auction site, offering signed books, manuscript assessments and other goodies, at Authors for Queensland.
• Writers On Rafts, an initiative of the Queensland Writers' Centre.
• Avi (from Of Science & Swords bookshop) and his famous tentacles performed at a stand-up comedy fundraiser.
• There is a Facebook Writers' Auction.
  

The QLD Government flood information page may be helpful for those wishing to directly donate to relief organisations, and for those wishing to volunteer.


Writers Reflect On The Floods

• Angela Slatter wrote of the aftermath and cleanup, and shared amazing flood photos.
• Dirk Flinthart had a remarkable flash flood photo to share.
• Peter M. Ball blogged about his submerged surrounds.
• Jason Nahrung asked folks to spare a thought for devastated Queensland.

2010 Reflections and 2011 Projections

• HorrorScope staff compiled a 2010 recommended reading list.
• Shane Jiraiya Cummings blogged a 2010 reflection, and proposed a grand experiment with ebook publication.
• Lee Battersby declared - that's that!
• Lyn Battersby reminisced on 2010.
• Tansy Rayner Roberts blogged a year in reading, and in broad strokes.
• Ian Mond gave 2010 the review treatment.
• Lisa Hannett published a 2010 wrap-up post.
• Angela Slatter blogged a year in review.
• Aidan Doyle dusted off 2010.
  
• Laura Goodin blogged a year of transformations.
• Trudi Canavan blogged her plans for 2011.
• Paul Haines blogged his 2010 reading, and some good reviews.
• Margo Lanagan shared her 2011 writing plans.
• Marianne de Pierres shared her writing plan, and asked others to share theirs - an interesting comments thread.
• Tansy Rayner Roberts blogged her writing plan.
• Tehani Wessely blogged her top reads of 2010.
  
  

Recent and Forthcoming Publications

• Tracie McBride promoted the print edition of Big Pulp and The Spectrum Collection.
• Craig Bezant's Dark Prints Press anthologies opened to submissions.
• Fablecroft announced an ebook version of Worlds Next Door.
• All the Love in the World from the Sprawl anthology will be reprinted in the forthcoming Years' Best Science Fiction #16.
• Angry Robot are open to submissions in March.
• Angela Slatter launched a Booktrailer for Sourdough and Other Stories.
• More Scary Kisses unveiled the table of contents.
• Martin Livings announced a forthcoming collection from Dark Prints Press.

Interviews

• Marianne de Pierres interviewed Rowena Cory Daniels.
• Rowena Cory Daniels interviewed Marianne de Pierres and Dirk Flinthart.
• Gillian Polack interviewed Mary Victoria.
• Benjamin Solah published an interview with publishers Jodi Cleghorn and Trevor Belshaw about 100 Stories for Queensland.

This blog carnival has been compiled by Talie Helene, and is hosted at HorrorScope: The Australian Dark Fiction Blog.

Thanks to Ms. Nyssa Pascoe and Dr. Gillian Polack for submission of many handy links.

Review: Managing Death

Managing Death
(Death Works #2)
by Trent Jamieson

Date Published: 2010
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 9780733624841
Format: A
Pages: 375
RRP: $19.99

Reviewed by Chuck McKenzie

Steven de Selby has a new job - Australia's regional Death. And frankly, he kinda sucks at it. The fact that he's recently averted a regional Apocalypse, and is having to deal with the murders of almost everyone he loved, garners him no slack whatsoever from his management team: there's a company to rebuild, and a major corporate function to organise. And, on top of that, someone is trying to assassinate him - and if they succeed (which seems more than likely) the resulting Apocalypse is going to be more than regional...

The direct sequel to Jamieson's brilliant Death Most Definite, Managing Death is every bit as good as its predecessor; the plot, which begins on a deceptively low key, rolls along at a gripping pace, and the characterisation - along with the recognisably Australian setting - gives the novel's fantasy world an unsettling foundation of reality. Factor in a dose of Lovecraftian horror, some wonderfully dry humour, and Jamieson's deft balancing of big-scale disaster against personal tragedy, and you have one of the most engrossing and enjoyable paranormal novels of recent times. The Death Works series is almost certain to become regarded as a classic of the genre, and fans of darker fare owe it to themselves to acquaint themselves with Jamieson's unique take on urban fantasy.

News: The Grand Conversation on ebooks

Western Australian horror author Shane Jiraiya Cummings has recently released seven ebooks on Amazon and Smashwords in what he calls the "Grand Experiment". Shane will be documenting his progress and sales every month this year on his website.

The titles released in Shane's Grand Experiment are the ebook version of his flash fiction collection Shards, the novellas Requiem for the Burning God and The Smoke Dragon, and four themed collections that comprise the Apocrypha Sequence (Deviance, Divinity, Insanity, and Inferno). Their prices range from free (The Smoke Dragon) through to $2.99.

To coincide with his Grand Experiment, throughout February, Shane is hosting a "Grand Conversation on ebooks". Contributors to the discussion so far have been Smashwords founder and CEO Mark Coker, Alan Baxter, Keith Stevenson, Martin Livings, and Cummings himself. Many more bestselling authors, editors, publishers, readers, and booksellers will be taking part.

Shane has invited anyone with an interest in ebooks (especially people with an alternative point of view such as those opposed to ebooks or who have had little experience with ebooks) to participate by submitting a guest blog post. Interested parties can email Shane Jiraiya Cummings at shane@jiraiya.com.au.


Source: Shane Jiraiya Cummings

Interview: Will Elliott

Interviewed by Gary kemble

Will Elliott is back with Shadow, the second book of the Pendulum series (Harper Collins). Elliott burst onto the scene in 2006 with The Pilo Family Circus, which won a swag of awards. With Pilo and memoir Strange Places under his belt, and his fantasy series well underway, you probably think Elliott has it made. But read on, and you might be surprised.

Can you tell our readers a little bit about Shadow?

The Wall at World's End is destroyed, but in its place is a veil, separating Levaal from its twin world. Some questions from book one are answered, such as who is Stranger and where does she get her power. New characters are introduced, for instance the dragon Dyan, and Strategist Blain, a powerful wizard who defects from the castle to try and form a new empire with Eric's help. Also we meet a new entity named Shadow, a creation of Vous's subconscious mind and fears.

How did you find writing Shadow compared to writing Pilgrims? Is it like writing one massive story, chopped up into pieces, or was the experience different for book two (and book three, World's End, for that matter)?

Yeah I regarded it as one long story, which needed major events at each climax point. I felt during the writing that book two was stronger than the first, probably since I had a little more breathing room to write it and knew more about the setting.

You've now published an acclaimed debut novel (The Pilo Family Circus), a very personal memoir (Strange Places), two books of the Pendulum fantasy series, and you have another novel, Nightfall, waiting in the wings. You've previously said you wouldn't describe it as a 'career', but where do you feel you're at in your journey as a writer?

I'll answer this one bluntly, if I may... I'm tired of doing this for less than half of minimum wage. Working on a book is an endeavour which takes over my life while it's in progress, especially in the rough draft phase. I obsess over it, stay up for long stretches, exclude most other aspects of normal life. It's not an option to do it part-time, especially with this poisonous brain medication I'm required to take. I have ample ideas and if it were feasible I could write 8-10 books over the next decade, maybe more. But circumstance is making it necessary to walk away and do something else. I won't shed too many tears either. Most of my last decade has been spent sitting before a PC screen in a room with no aircon, just chump change to my name. Kind of loses its appeal. There will be booing and hissing from the sidelines for this attitude, I invite them to try it for a decade and see how romatic it feels, especially with brain meds thrown in.

It must be annoying to put a book out only to be asked 'what's next?'... but I'm going to ask anyway! Last year you hinted there might be a fourth book in the Pendulum series. How do you feel about this now?

The series is wrapped up now. There was definitely the possibility of a 4th book, I really didn't know how it was going to pan out when making those comments. I'd say I'm finished with that world for the moment. Some ideas are emerging for a new fantasy setting. I'm still sort of on hiatus after finishing World's End, waiting to hear from publishers as to where they stand on new projects. I have two unpublished standalone novels which could be salvaged with a bit of renovation, stuff produced around the same time of Pilo. Structurally they're pretty much in place, they just need face lifts & paint jobs. A new trilogy is an option too, if there is to be a roof overhead for the next 12-18 months I'll be able to write it.

You also mentioned the possibility of a short story collection. Any word on this?

It won't be happening any time soon, I really only have enough suitable material for half a collection. I'd need to devote maybe three months to writing new short stories for this to happen, and that's just not feasible at present.

There's been talk that short stories are in vogue with publishers. Have you seen any evidence of that where you stand?

None at all. I'm not exactly a finger-on-the-pulse type, but this is the first I've heard of it.

I see that Shadow is also available as an ebook. (And then I went back and discovered your entire back catalogue is also available in digital formats). Do you get any info on sales of your books in terms of uptake of ebooks?

No. As a general rule I will be the last person in the industry to be given information on how my books have done.

And regardless of that, do you think ebooks are all they're cracked up to be, or will 'dead tree' versions be with us for a while yet?

Personally I prefer a traditional book and cannot see them disappearing too quickly, but who knows. What surprises me is how audio books have not taken off in Australia, as they have in Germany and the US.

News: 2010 Bram Stoker Award preliminary ballot

The US Horror Writers Association has just announced the 2010 preliminary ballot for its annual Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement in Horror Fiction. A number of Aussies were fortunate enough to have made this year's ballot (highlighted in bold).

Superior Achievement in a NOVEL

• VIPERS by Lawrence C. Connolly (Fantasist Enterprises)
• SIREN by John Everson (Leisure)
• HORNS by Joe Hill (William Morrow)
• IT CAME FROM DEL RIO by Stephen Graham Jones (Trapdoor Books)
• SPARROW ROCK by Nate Kenyon (Leisure Books)
• DESPERATE SOULS by Gregory Lamberson (Medallion Press)
• THE FRENZY WAY by Gregory Lamberson (Medallion Press)
• ROT AND RUIN by Jonathan Maberry (Simon & Schuster)
• APOCALYPSE OF THE DEAD by Joe McKinney (Pinnacle)
• EMPIRE OF SALT by Weston Ochse (Abaddon)
• DWELLER by Jeff Strand (Leisure/Dark Regions Press)
• A DARK MATTER by Peter Straub (DoubleDay)

Superior Achievement in a FIRST NOVEL

• MR. SHIVERS by Robert Jackson Bennett (Orbit)
• FREEK CAMP by Steve Burt (Steve Burt Creations)
• THE MAN OF MYSTERY HILL by Tracy L. Carbone (Echelon Quake)
• BLACK AND ORANGE by Benjamin Kane Ethridge (Bad Moon Books)
• CARNIVAL OF FEAR by J.G. Faherty (Graveside Tales)
• A BOOK OF TONGUES by Gemma Files (Chizine Publications)
• AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET by Gregory Hall (Belfire Press)
• MADIGAN MINE by Kirstyn McDermott (Picador Australia)
• CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES by Lisa Morton (Gray Friar Press)
• SPELLBENT by Lucy Snyder (Del Rey)

Superior Achievement in LONG FICTION

• THE DOCTOR, THE KID, AND THE GHOSTS IN THE LAKE by Mort Castle (F Magazine)
• REQUIEM FOR THE BURNING GOD by Shane Jiraiya Cummings (Cthulhu's Dark Cults)
• THE PAINTED DARKNESS by Brian James Freeman (Cemetery Dance)
• CHASING THE DRAGON by Nicholas Kaufmann (Chizine)
• DREAMS IN BLACK AND WHITE by John R. Little (Morning Star)
• DISSOLUTION by Lisa Mannetti (Deathwatch)
• BLEMISH by Joe McKinney (Dark Recesses #1)
• THE SAMHANACH by Lisa Morton (Bad Moon Books)
• JADE by Gene O'Neill (Bad Moon Books)
• INVISIBLE FENCES by Norman Prentiss (Cemetery Dance)

Superior Achievement in SHORT FICTION

• THE BEHELD by Paul Bens (Dark Discoveries #160)
• RETURN TO MARIABRONN by Gary Braunbeck (Haunted Legends)
• SURPRISE! by G.O. Clark (Dark Valentine 2)
• SEMINAR Z by J. Comeau (Dead Set: A Zombie Anthology)
• THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS by Brock Cooper (The New Bedlam Project)
• THE FOLDING MAN by Joe R. Lansdale (Haunted Legends)
• 1925: A FALL RIVER HALLOWEEN by Lisa Mannetti (Shroud Magazine #10)
• SURVIVORS by Joe McKinney (Dead Set: A Zombie Anthology)
• BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN by Weston Ochse (Dark Discoveries #16)
• ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE by David Sakmyster (Horror World)
• TROOT by Margaret B. Simon (Null Immortalis)
• THE DAYS OF FLAMING MOTORCYCLES by Catherynne Valente (Dark Faith)
• FINAL DRAFT by Mark W. Worthen (Horror Library IV)

Superior Achievement in an ANTHOLOGY

• DARK FAITH edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon (Apex Publications)
• HORROR LIBRARY IV edited by R.J. Cavender and, Boyd E. Harris (Cutting Block Press)
• CTHULHU'S DARK CULTS edited by David Conyers (Chaosium)
• HAUNTED LEGENDS edited by Ellen Datlow and Nick Mamatas (Tor)
• THE NEW DEAD edited by Christopher Golden (St. Martin's Griffin)
• BLACK WINGS edited S.T. Joshi (PS Publishing)
• EVOLVE: VAMPIRE STORIES OF THE NEW UNDEAD edited by Nancy Kilpatrick (Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy Publishing)
• NULL IMMORTALIS edited by D.F. Lewis (Megazanthus Press)
• DEAD SET: A ZOMBIE ANTHOLOGY edited by Michelle McCrary and Joe McKinney (23 House Publishing)
• SCENES FROM THE SECOND STOREY edited by Amanda Pillar and Pete Kempshall (Morrigan Books)

Superior Achievement in a COLLECTION

• OCCULTATION by Laird Barron (Night Shade Books)
• BLOOD AND GRISTLE by Michael Louis Calvillo (Bad Moon Books)
• THIS WAY TO EGRESS by Lawrence C. Connolly (Ash-Tree Press)
• WHAT WILL COME AFTER by Scott Edelman (PS Publishing)
• FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King (Simon and Schuster)
• LITTLE THINGS by John R. Little (Bad Moon Books)
• A HELL OF A JOB by Michael McCarty (Damnation Books)
• A HOST OF SHADOWS by Harry Shannon (Dark Regions Press)
• FUNGUS OF THE HEART by Jeremy Shipp (Raw Dog (Screaming Press)
• HELLFIRE AND DAMNATION by Connie Corcoran Wilson (Sam's Dot)

Superior Achievement in NONFICTION

• WEIRD ENCOUNTERS by Joanne M. Austin (Sterling Publishing)
• TO EACH THEIR DARKNESS by Gary A. Braunbeck (Apex Publications)
• SHADOWS OVER FLORIDA by David Goudsward and Scott T. Goudsward (Bear Manor Media)
• THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE HUMAN RACE by Thomas Ligotti (Hippocampus Press)
• WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE by Jonathan Maberry and Janice Gable Bashman (Citadel)
• MASTERS OF IMAGINATION by Michael McCarty (Bear Manor Media)
• LISTEN TO THE ECHOES: THE RAY BRADBURY INTERVIEWS by Sam Weller (Melville House Publications)

Superior Achievement in a POETRY Collection

• DARK MATTERS by Bruce Boston (Bad Moon Books)
• LOVE CRAFT by Bryan Dietrich (Finishing Line Press)
• CHEMICKAL REACTIONS by Karen L. Newman (Naked Snake Press)
• WOOD LIFE by Rich Ristow (Snuff Books)
• WILD HUNT OF THE STARS by Ann K. Schwader (Sam's Dot)
• DIARY OF A GENTLEMAN DIABOLIST by Robin Spriggs (Anomalous Books)
• SAVAGE MENACE AND OTHER POEMS OF HORROR by Richard L. Tierney (P'rea Press)**
• VICIOUS ROMANTIC by Wrath James White (Bandersnatch Books)

** Australian publisher. 


HWA Active (i.e. professional level) members will now vote on the preliminary ballot to determine the finalists.




Source: HWA