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Post by dem bones on Oct 20, 2007 13:41:46 GMT
Stephen Jones (ed.) - Mammoth Book Of New Terror (Robinson, 2004) John Picacio Stephen Jones - Introduction: Recreating The Terror
Brian Lumley - Fruiting Bodies Charles L. Grant - Needle Song Christopher Fowler - Turbo-Satan Dennis Etchison - Talking In The Dark Sydney J. Bounds - The Circus F. Paul Wilson - Foet Basil Copper - The Candle In The Skull Ramsey Campbell - The Chimney Phyllis Eisenstein - Dark Wings Graham Masterton - Reflections Of Evil E. C. Tubb - Mirror Of The Night Brian Mooney - Maypole Terry Lamsley - Under The Crust Lisa Tuttle - Tir Nan Og R. Chetwynd-Hayes - A Living Legend David J. Schow - Wake-Up Call Karl E. Wagner - The Fourth Seal Tanith Lee & John Kaiine - Unlocked Neil Gaiman - Closing Time Pat Cadigan - It Was The Heat Tim Lebbon & Brian Keene - Fodder Michael Marshall Smith - Open Doors Caitlin R. Kiernan - Andromeda Among The Stones Glen Hirshberg - Flowers On Their Bridles, Hooves In The Air Kim Newman - Amerikanski Dead At The Moscow Morgue or: Children Of Marx And Coca Cola David Case - Among The Wolves Charles L. Grant - Needle Song:When the ancient lady first moved into the 'haunted house' at 136 with her spartan possessions, it seemed as though she'd brought good fortune with her. The neighbourhood prospered: "The snowmen were bigger, the snow forts more elaborate and Eric's father came home twice with promotions and once with a car big enough to hold thousands ... Eric discovered he had a natural talent for musical instruments ... and his teacher told him in all honesty that one day he would be famous. Jackie Potter's family won a state lottery ... and there seemed nothing at all wrong in standing by the front window and listening to the piano drawing them closer ... It wasn't that way any more, and it was all because of a vampire witch who sucked them dry with her music."[/i] Eric and Caren are wise to the old girl's intentions and attempt to defeat her in psychic conflict. At turns reminiscent of Ray Bradbury and Philip K. Dick's The Cookie Lady. Sydney J. Bounds - The Circus: Arthur Bragg, a reporter whose career has been dedicated to exposing hoaxes and phonies, chances upon a travelling circus when his car breaks down in the West Country. The handwritten poster reads; "Before your very eyes, werewolf into man! See the vampire rise from his coffin! Bring the children - invest in a sense of wonder!" Dutifully, the Sunday Herald scribe attends the event, and it is a truly spectacular show. Along with the advertised attractions, ringmaster Dr. Nis introduces a mummy and an animated corpse. After the performance, an outraged Bragg confronts Dr. Dis in his caravan. He is not unexpected. Basil Copper - The Candle In The Skull: Little Kathy is blabbering on about how she's going to have a skull for Halloween, but her father Martin isn't listening - he never does, not having any time for the child who seems in some way uncanny. Besides, the brilliant scientist is preoccupied with his women trouble. Of late Janet has threatened to call at the house and make a scene in front of his wife Charlotte. There's only one thing for it: Charlotte will have to "disappear" and then the wretched Kathy can be put into care. Hearing a noise in his laboratory, he sneaks up on his wife from behind and bashes her with an iron bar, then dumps the corpse into the acid tank before returning to his room. But later, when he comes to, he hears Charlotte calling to him: has he only dreamt that he murdered her? Rushing to investigate, he takes a header down the cellar steps ... Kathy shows off her prize skull to her mother before setting out for trick or treat mischief. "Don't you think it looks like Auntie Janet?" she innocently enquires ... Pat Cadigan - It Was The Heat: New Orleans. At a hotel in the French quarter, a thirty-five year old businesswoman is seduced by a loa. Consequently, she is always freezing. She summons back her demon lover by sitting in the fire. Michael Marshall Smith - Opening Doors: Whenever the protagonist likes the look of a house, he knocks at the door, overpowers whoever answers and moves in, taking the identity of the husband or boyfriend. He's fed up posing as a TV repairman - he can't hack the job anyhow - so another change of scenery is in order. Christopher Fowler - Turbo-Satan: "Tower Hamlets, toilet of the world, arse-end of the universe ... no money, no dope, no fags, no booze, nothing to do, nowhere to go, no-one who cared if he went missing for all eternity ... I have absolutely nothing to look forward to ... I hate my life ..." My first thoughts on reading this was "some bastard's been reading my diary!", but then I remembered I don't keep one and besides, this is well written. It's Fowler's updating of the Deal with the Devil motif for the digital age with phony art student Mats discovering a hot-line to Satan on his mobile. At first, he makes a few sensible requests - "make the bus driver give me £10", etc. - but blows it when he starts trying to be clever. F. Paul Wilson - Foet: It's the must-have fashion accessory and, for all her anti-abortion campaigning, Denise is not going to be left behind. David Case - Among The Wolves: Another excellent Case novella, this one revived from the mighty Fengriffen And Other Stories: While researching the habits of wolves in the wild, ecologist Edward Claymore lost a leg when it was caught in a bear trap. Prior to hacking it off, he spent hours surrounded by the pack but showed sufficient guts and will to live for them to leave him be. The incident has coloured his thinking as to how society should deal with its burdens, the infirm, the weak and retarded. Is he in some way connected with the recent spate of sadistic murders under investigation by Inspector Smart and his team or is there some supernatural menace loose in the community?
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Post by dem bones on Apr 2, 2008 20:34:37 GMT
Just re-borrowed this from the library, so off we go again!
Karl E. Wagner - The Fourth Seal: Deliciously paranoid medical conspiracy horror in which a secret cabal of prominent surgeons not only withhold the cure for cancer but actually cultivated it (and several other fatal diseases) to begin with. As Dr. Thackeray patiently explains to a horrified Dr. Geoff Metzger: "Have you any conception of the money invested every day in cancer research ...? Do you think the medical profession can sacrifice this wealth, this enormous power, just for a humanitarian gesture .... Think of what kind of doctor you might be right now if some of those late and unlamented wild-eyed liberals could have done all they intended to this country and to the medical profession?"
Metzger is being sounded out for membership of their ancient order, but much depends on his initial reaction to these terrifying revelations.
David J. Schow - Wake Up Call: More medical misery. You needn't think you can run away from all the debt you've accumulated by "taking the cowards way out". As Mr. Maxwell discovers, the Government ain't prepared to let you get off that lightly any more. Utilizing advanced medical science and voodoo, the dead are revived to work off the outstanding sum in massive industrial foundries. Unfortunately, some of these slaves retain full memory and emotion, but that can't be helped. Twenty years should do it, then you're scrapped so what's the harm?
Ramsey Campbell - The Chimney: A little boy is terrified of the fireplace in his bedroom and, more-so, that Santa Claus struggles out from it every Christmas Eve to fill his pillowcase. With each passing year, the un-jolly fat fellow's face reveals itself in all its tormented, horribly charred glory. His father tries to cure him of his delusions by allowing himself to be caught delivering the presents in costume. Come the night when the house goes up in flames. Yet another Campbell classic!
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Post by carolinec on Apr 2, 2008 22:19:38 GMT
Ramsey Campbell - The Chimney: A little boy is terrified of the fireplace in his bedroom and, more-so, that Santa Claus struggles out from it every Christmas Eve to fill his pillowcase. With each passing year, the un-jolly fat fellow's face reveals itself in all its tormented, horribly charred glory. His father tries to cure him of his delusions by allowing himself to be caught delivering the presents in costume. Come the night when the house goes up in flames. Yet another Campbell classic! Ah yes, this IS a classic! I do believe I've heard or read somewhere about the magazine which originally commissioned this one asking for a scary Christmas-related story - and then refusing to publish it because it was just too horrible. ;D
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Post by David A. Riley on Apr 3, 2008 5:49:34 GMT
The Chimney is the only horror story that actually gave me a nightmare the night after I read it.
David
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Post by Johnlprobert on Apr 4, 2008 9:04:17 GMT
The Chimney is indeed a splendid story. You know, David, I think your Lurkers in the Abyss may be the only story to have given me nightmares. But I was very young when I read it
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Post by David A. Riley on Apr 4, 2008 10:18:01 GMT
It's good to scare the young. David
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Post by Johnlprobert on Apr 4, 2008 10:34:32 GMT
Well it turns us into such nice people, doesn't it?
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Post by robertmammone on Feb 10, 2010 10:56:49 GMT
Is this a whole new collection, a revision of a previously published collection? I'm a bit confused where it comes in the entire run of the Mammoth books.
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Post by dem bones on Feb 10, 2010 13:10:19 GMT
Yeah, this one was an original, in as much as you can say such a thing. in the great Robinson scheme of things, it's a sequel to Jones' The Mammoth Book of Terror from 1991.
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Post by robertmammone on Feb 13, 2010 1:55:30 GMT
Yeah, this one was an original, in as much as you can say such a thing. in the great Robinson scheme of things, it's a sequel to Jones' The Mammoth Book of Terror from 1991. Thanks for your help - just bought a copy from ebay and wanted to be sure what I was buying.
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Post by dem bones on Jul 13, 2018 11:56:51 GMT
R. Chetywnd-Hayes - A Living Legend: (Tales From Beyond, 1982). Bramfield Manor. Brian Radcliffe, a reporter on The Daily Reporter, is sent to secure an interview with Caroline Fortesque, a late-Victorian author of some repute. By his reckoning, the recluse is 117 years old, and her condition - when he finally persuades her sole companion, Jenkins the butler to allow him to see her - suggests he is not wrong. "Wouldn't she be better off dead? That ... that is nothing more than a slowly rotting corpse" he groans when confronted by the semi-mummified relic stinking out the bedroom, but ever-loyal Jenkins assures him that she has her good days when she's relatively sprightly and capable of speech.
During the night, Radcliffe encounters Cathy, a beautiful young girl in white. When he mentions this to Jenkins, the old man pleads with him to stay away from her and on no account allow any physical contact. Such is the power of Mrs. Fontesque's romantic imagination that's she's brought life to her characters and who knows what will happen if Radcliffe fails to heed the butler's warning?
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Post by Shrink Proof on Jul 13, 2018 14:12:09 GMT
I'd forgotten about this one, thanks for reminding me. The story I remember most is Brian Lumley's "Fruiting Bodies", probably because I used to have a job that, amongst other things, involved driving out to visit folk in isolated cottages and villages on the North Yorkshire coast. Exactly where the story is set. Exactly as happens in the story.
(Shudder...)
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Post by dem bones on Jul 13, 2018 18:16:50 GMT
I'd forgotten about this one, thanks for reminding me. The story I remember most is Brian Lumley's "Fruiting Bodies", probably because I used to have a job that, amongst other things, involved driving out to visit folk in isolated cottages and villages on the North Yorkshire coast. Exactly where the story is set. Exactly as happens in the story. (Shudder...) Just about to re-read Fruiting Bodies. Will see if I can scan in Stephen Fabian's impressive illustrations from earlier magazine appearance in one of the Weird Tales revivals. I much prefer those Stephen Jones' anthologies without a 'Years Best' ceiling.
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Post by dem bones on Aug 3, 2018 20:46:11 GMT
This one piles horror cliché upon horror cliché. It shouldn't work, but it's brilliant.
E. C. Tubb - Mirror Of The Night: A stormy night on the Appalachian mountains. Stranded due to the usual car breakdown, Stephen and Diana Aldcock seek shelter in a desolate mansion. He's an author, revelling in morbidity, she's a statuesque beauty who wishes she were somewhere far away from her husband. The walls of the the main hall are lined with sinister portraits of the former occupants - all of them male. Stephen insists the paintings depict "a decaying aristocracy, drifting into incest, perversion, degeneracy. Winding up as idiots. It's an old story." Diana decides he's sick in the head.
The sparring couple dine in the attic, Stephen raising a glass to their hosts, Diana, who is really fed up by now, refusing to do likewise. When the drunken fool gets fresh with her, Diana tells him where to get off. As she sleeps, the evil family climb out from the picture frames to collectively possess Stephen Aldcock. Much as he hates her right now, Stephen reflects that, all these years on from their wedding night, his wife still looks good enough to eat ....
Loved this one as well. Really nasty. Have read quite a few Brian Mooney stories recently and they've all impressed. Brian Mooney - Maypole: Anthea Moore, folklorist and successful author (Ancient Cultures, From Dark Memory & Co.), visits Bresslingham Market, East Anglia on a working holiday. When her car gives up the ghost, Anthea is obliged to spend a night in Naysham, a hamlet so obscure it doesn't register on the map. The friendly locals are insistent she participate in tomorrow's Pagan festivities.
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