Steve Goodwin (ed.) - Filthy Creations #1. (2006)
"These would not be out of place in the old Pan Book Of Horror Stories" - Michel Parry
44 pages of horror fiction by Vault members.
Ripton Torn by Franklin Marsh
Tendrils by Roger B. Pile
Midnight Snack by Charles Black
Love by Steve Goodwin
The Horror on Dreadstone Moor by Franklin Marsh
Martyr's Window by Victoria J. Dixon
Artwork: Rog Pile, Adrian Salmon, Chrissie Demant. I thought I'd put this in this section as before it was locked away in the
FC section where, of course, nobody could see it unless they were logged in. Good promo tool, that!
Anyhow, I find it all but impossible to treat the work of my friends in as cavalier a fashion as I do everyone else's so I'll leave the comments to a dear friend of Vault's and beat it.
***
..... so I asked Michel Parry to run his eye over the six stories under consideration, and he kindly consented. Here (with his permission) is what he had to say. 1. Ripton Torn - Franklin Marsh
Well observed characterisation, accurately described. Ripton reads like any number of people encountered on the Goth/Vampire scene.
The set-up was intriguing. The resolution unexpected, perhaps a bit too abrupt. One felt Ripton deserved a more interesting adventure/fate than he met with here.
2. Tendrils - Roger B. Pile
I find this story has a lot of resonance - especially for someone who lives in a stubbornly damp house forever under siege by creeping mould! For such a short story it effectively makes use several identifiable fears: cancer, sexual threat, loss of love. It occurs to me the story might work even better without that ALIEN-like scene of the woman ingesting spores. Without such a 'rational explanation' the tale would be even more suggestive and intriguing.
3. Love - S.C. Goodwin
This put me in mind of the stories of Charles Birkin: a slice of kitchen sink drama, climaxing with a bloody slice of 'grand guignol'. The subplot involving the woman's father might have been developed in some way perhaps, and the husband's extreme actions seemed under-motivated. Should please fans of E.C. Comics though.
4. The Horror on Bodmin Moor - Franklin Marsh
The welcome return of Rip Torn in a very tongue-in-cheek story that satirises both Dennis Wheatley and The Munsters (or is it the Addams Family?) Doesn't really try for suspension of disbelief or any real menace or suspense but good fun that left me looking forward to the next episode....
5. Midnight Snack - Charles Black
This must be one of those Midnight Snacks that Zacherly was so fond off back when Ballentine led the way in horror anthologies! A very brief vignette that nevertheless packs in plenty of pun-ishment for the poor reader.
6. Martyr's Window - Victoria
Something a bit more serious, with a hint of M.R. James about it perhaps. Well-written with a good unexpected reversal. Maybe the female narrator should get together with the husband from 'Love': they seem well suited!
A good mix of stories of an impressively high standard. I'm surprised (and slightly disappointed) though at the lack of genuinely supernatural stories: VOE contributors seem to prefer physical horror to the Powers of Darkness. Indeed, a couple of these stories would not be out of place in the old 'Pan Book of Horror
Stories'...
These things are a matter of taste - or lack of it - of course, but if pressed I would have to give my vote to 'Tendrils' as my personal favourite. I hope the story gets wider attention.
I definitely look forward to more 'Filthy Creations'!
('Filthy' BTW seems a misnomer that gives the wrong impression of the contents. Maybe 'Evil Creations' would be more appropriate?)
Michel
As you can see, he put some thought into it and raises some interesting points along the way. Should the name remain the same? Is it top heavy with physical horror stories?
Over to you.***