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Post by Steve on Aug 14, 2009 3:42:33 GMT
I'll have a go at a proper review of this tomorrow but for now I'll just get the preliminaries out of the way; The Fungus ( US title: Death Spore) Harry Adam Knight, Star 1985  It started small, a tiny fragment in a London laboratory. Now it covers the entire city...
THE FUNGUS It grows on you
It begins as a tiny patch on your skin. And then it spreads...
Some it kills quickly - they are the lucky ones.
It's a plague that cannot be halted. A creeping horror that threatens all mankind -
THE FUNGUSHarry Adam Knight, as we know, was a pseudonym used predominantly by John Brosnan, sometimes in conjunction with Roy Kettle. There were four HAK books; Slimer (1983), Carnosaur (1984), this one, and Bedlam (1992) - five if you count the American edition of Worm (1987), originally published, like Tendrils (1986), under Brosnan & Kettle's other joint pseudonym, Simon Ian Childer. As best as I can make out, Brosnan did much of the actual writing. Carnosaur and Worm may have been all Brosnan's own work. If you're not familiar with the SIC/HAK stuff but the name John Brosnan rings a bell, it may be because he was a regular contributor to House of Hammer magazine and later Starburst. No great surprise then to see someone from that same magazine, possibly even Brosnan himself, declaring Harry Adam Knight 'the new Stephen King'. While he may not quite have turned out to be the new Stephen King, it's perhaps worth noting that, rather like King, almost everything Brosnan wrote as Harry Adam Knight was made into a film. Beginning in 1993 with a Roger Corman produced Jurassic Park rip-off loosely based on Carnosaur, HAK's movie career continued with a couple of low-budget British productions based on Bedlam ('Beyond Bedlam' AKA 'Nightscare', 1994) and Slimer ('Proteus', 1995). Of these last two, 'Beyond Bedlam' is possibly slightly better remembered as it provided an early opportunity for Elizabeth Hurley to prove she couldn't act. There's an interesting post on IMDb recalling an article by Brosnan about the premiere of 'Beyond Bedlam', which Hurley didn't attend, in which he notes that "during the screening, when her character was head-butted by Keith Allen, a loud cheer went up from the film crew". Brosnan and Roy Kettle had met through a shared passion for science fiction. Both produced fanzines and were active in SF fandom, particularly an irreverent and high-spirited group in the early '70s, based mostly around London, who became known collectively as 'Ratfandom'. Kettle went on to a distinguished career in the civil service which earned him an OBE. The only other collaborations between the two that I know of appear in the Stephen Jones & Neil Gaiman edited poetry anthology, Now We Are Sick, which includes one poem each by Knight and Childer. Coming Soon: The Spreading... |
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Post by dem on Aug 14, 2009 8:53:20 GMT
Thanks for all the background info, Steve. The only one i've had the pleasure of is Worm, the jolliest 'When Animals Attack - But from inside' romp I've read to date. I'm sure you'll have a good time with The Fungus and look forward to your review. I love that "The New Stephen King". Presumably Tendrils had "Shove off Clive Barker, ya pretentious git!"- Starburst |
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Post by Steve on Aug 14, 2009 14:31:17 GMT
[Best viewed as part of the original thread rather than '30 most recent posts' so you can see the cover posted yesterday]
A month or so back my landlady left a bottle of that flavoured mineral water stuff in the little kitchenette just next to my bedroom and something started growing in it. It grew to about two inches across, faintly resembling a furry white pom-pom that sort of hung there suspended in this clear sticky fluid. The other day she threw it out which left me somewhat saddened. I hadn't actually got as far as naming the fluffy growth but I was secretly hoping that it was some new form of life previously unknown to science and that, left to its own secret devices for long enough, drawing strength and sustenance from its sweet surroundings, it might one day become sentient.
These things do happen.
Which brings me to The Fungus.
If the title didn't already make it clear enough, you only really need to take one look at the cover to see what we're dealing with here. But just in case you were still in any doubt, the authors provide a helpful dictionary definition of fungus before you get started on the book proper;
Fungus, n. Mushroom, toadstool or allied plant including moulds; (Bot.) cryptogamous plant without chlorophyll feeding on organic matter, thing of sudden growth (that'll be what I had in my kitchenette); (Path.) spongy morbid growth or excrescence; skin disease of fish.
This last pathological definition is the most relevant to our purposes here (well, the "spongy morbid growth or excrescence" bit, not so much the fish).
Quick question about that cover while we're on the subject, have another look and tell me, does it instill overwhelming feelings of horror or hilarity?
(If you're anything like me you'll be irresistably drawn to what's coming out the bloke's nose - somebody get that man a nasal hair trimmer, now!)
I don't know if anyone here has ever had a fungal infection? I haven't personally but I'd suspect that unless you have, you wouldn't necessarily find the idea of rampant fungal growth all that disturbing. I mean it's not like spiders, say, or rats, which are evil little nibbly bastards at the best of times. This is possibly the biggest obstacle faced by anyone writing a 'nature in revolt' type horror novel based not on fauna but flora. However, I have to say that Brosnan and Kettle pull this one off with considerable skill and charm.
Fungus is fun.
I believe Brosnan suffered at times from depression and the worldview in the Knight/Childer books does tend towards the gloomy with little in the way of sympathetic characters. However unlike, let's say... James Moffatt, his pulp works are a joy to read from start to finish. If you've yet to read Slimer or Carnosaur, you really should be looking to put that right as soon as.
Now then, This fungus.
I knew I was going to enjoy this from the very first page, a short taster of what was to come (and not disimilar to the short extract you get at the start of Slimer - in fact the whole book shares similarities to both Slimer and Carnosaur, except with mushrooms instead of genetically-modified sharks or dinosaurs). See what you make of this;
"Lang crawled into bed and put out the light. He tossed and turned but he couldn't sleep. He felt itchy all over, his feet especially. With a sigh he sat up and switched on the light. He pushed back the covers and frowned. Then he laughed. No wonder his feet were itching - he was still wearing his socks.
Then he frowned again. He had taken them off. He distinctly remembered doing so. In fact he didn't even recognise these socks. He was positive he didn't own a pair this colour, grey with a red pattern.
He reached down to take them off - and his fingers sank into the fluffy pulp that was now his right foot..."
They had me at the socks.
The Fungus is split into three parts, of which my favourite has to be 'Part One: The Spreading' (the authors can't really top that, Part Two has the rather more prosaic title of 'The Journey', and the third part the even less imaginative, 'Part Three' - don't give up now, lads, only 60 more pages to go!).
'The Spreading' is text book stuff, bite-sized chapters introducing various ill-fated individuals all with one thing in common - they're about 5 pages away from becoming fungus fodder.
Norman Layne hates everybody, especially scroungers and 'blacks'. What is the world coming to when you can't even pop up the West End and pick up a forstner-bit brace tang? Norman, you see, is not a happy man. Trapped in a loveless marriage he find solace only in carpentry. Watch out for that dry rot in your workshop though, Norm.
Barbara and Shirley are lesbians from Chiswick. They're not happy but the sex is great (for them I mean). Or at least it would be if Shirley hadn't picked up that nasty case of oral thrush. Ready for another quote?
"The thrush fungus which had grown at an accelerated rate throughout both their bodies during the night... grew between their legs to form furry yellow diapers and covered their ears like huge, fluffy ear muffs."
(Blimey, I'm never going to have lesbian sex if that's what happens!)
Derrick Lang you already know about from the introduction. He's the one with the socks. An obese racist, the nearest he comes to any kind of sporting activity is terminal athlete's foot.
"'Christ...' he moaned, 'I've been poisoned... that bloody Indian restaurant...'
He got quickly out of bed and took two steps towards the phone before his left leg snapped at the shin with a sound like a piece of celery being broken."
Next up is pub landlord (Yay!), Eric Gifford. Surly and pot-bellied with a charming way of rubbing up against his young female staff "accidentally on purpose like", Eric would be the first to admit (if he hadn't just exploded across pages 28-29) that taking any part in a Yard of Ale competition while heavily constipated is not a particularly good idea.
"Then, slowly at first but then much more quickly, Eric Gifford began to ferment."
Linking all these unfortunates together is a tall mystery blonde who in some way comes into contact with each of them. She is, in fact, Jane Wilson and we're first introduced to her by name in chapter 5 when we interrupt her in a laboratory clutching a two-foot mushroom to her "large but firm breasts". I don't think I'm giving too much away when I say that she's been trying to develop a fast-growing protein rich food source which could put an end to world hunger - or get horribly out of control and end up destroying mankind, you know, "not with a bang but with a Quorn fillet".
Of course something like that is bound to play havoc with your personal life, hence Jane's 'trial separation' from Barry;
"All you're ever really thinking about are your precious fungi. Hell, the only way now I could turn you on would be to dress up as a f**k**g fungus myself..."
Would it have killed you to try, Barry? I mean there always has to be a little give and take in any relationship.
Yes, The Fungus really is that good. As bizarre as anything by Edward Jarvis and at times little short of genius. Read it, why don't you.
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Post by dem on Aug 14, 2009 18:47:16 GMT
They had me at the socks. They had me at 'The Spreading'! Thanks for the review, Steve. The Fungus sounds every bit as good as i hoped it would be, each successive vignette outdoing the preceding one. I've had a fungal infection and it was by no means pleasant, though not quite as bad as the 'Harry Adam Knight' strain, just dead itchy and your skin goes all inflamed and dry and scabby and flakes off, but a tube of Canesten should see you alright. Certainly can't recall any sprouting of mushrooms, mind. Jeez, tell me Jane and Barry get back together or i won't be able to function for worry. The cover certainly doesn't instill "overwhelming feelings of horror" in this reader but then offhand, i can't think of any that ever have. The ones i most rate either make me laugh or have me admiring their strange beauty, other than that it's indifference, but never horror to be honest with you. Old fungus face here put me in mind of the screaming gal from the Star edition of Ramsey Campbell's The Height Of The Scream. Same artist do you reckon? |
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Post by marksamuels on Aug 15, 2009 9:08:58 GMT
Steve You have made my morning with this description  Great stuff! As they used to say on Tiswas: THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT Mark S. |
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Post by Steve on Aug 15, 2009 12:15:16 GMT
I've had a fungal infection and it was by no means pleasant, though not quite as bad as the 'Harry Adam Knight' strain, just dead itchy and your skin goes all inflamed and dry and scabby and flakes off, but a tube of Canesten should see you alright. What, no huge fluffy ear muffs? Thanks for the Canesten tip, I'll bear it in mind if anything breaks out. How's your arm by the way? Artist is uncredited but it's a Star book from around the same time so I suppose it's possible. Not sure it looks like the same artist to me when you compare the two side by side but there is something familiar about the Fungus cover. The artist's style I mean, rather than any facial resemblance to anyone I might know. As they used to say on Tiswas: THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT Happy to make your morning, Mark. The Fungus is a great read in the tradition of everything that has made Vault great over the years and I recommend it to everyone here. If 'Harry Adam Knight' and 'Simon Ian Childer' aren't Vault legends yet, they really should be. |
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Post by kooshmeister on Apr 27, 2011 22:56:31 GMT
(If you're anything like me you'll be irresistably drawn to what's coming out the bloke's nose - somebody get that man a nasal hair trimmer, now!) I think it makes him look like he's got a mustache. Fungus-stache! |
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royk
Crab On The Rampage
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Post by royk on Feb 1, 2014 11:23:22 GMT
Hi. I was co-author with John Brosnan of THE FUNGUS - well, SLIMER, TENDRILS and BEDLAM too (and, non-horror THE DIRTY MOVIE BOOK). As Steve suggests, John wrote CARNOSAUR and WORM himself. I wrote the HAK and SIC contributions to NOW WE ARE SICK. The only other HAK material around is THE HAK LETTERS, a series of spoof letters written (really) to famous people and corporations offering them a mention in a forthcoming book if they would make a contribution to a charity. Some even replied. I came across VAULT OF EVIL a while back and have visited it previously as a guest. Lots of enjoyable stuff here. Takes me right back. But, most recently, I came here because I was doing an article for a small (non-horror) fanzine about writing with John and looked here for some proper reader views on THE FUNGUS. Co-incidentally, a very small American publisher, Bruin Books, wanted to reprint THE FUNGUS and asked for an introduction. I used an extract from the fanzine article (the fanzine itself isn't available electronically) to form the basis for the introduction. As it mentions VAULT OF EVIL I thought I should share it here even if no-one notices! It's fully visible using Amazon's Look Inside feature goo.gl/pAS6V1I don't know the posting etiquette here but hope I've got it right. Roy Kettle |
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Post by dem on Feb 1, 2014 11:57:30 GMT
Vey pleased to hear from you, Mr. Kettle, and thanks for mentioning our lousy forum in the Fungus reissue. I hope friend Steve gets to see the above as he was responsible for the review - a very wonderful celebration of the novel, I'm sure you'll agree. Do Bruin plan to reissue any of your other collaborations with Mr. Brosman?
Thank you for registering, and I hope you enjoy your time with us.
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royk
Crab On The Rampage
Posts: 10
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Post by royk on Feb 1, 2014 14:33:42 GMT
Vey pleased to hear from you, Mr. Kettle, and thanks for mentioning our lousy forum in the Fungus reissue. I hope friend Steve gets to see the above as he was responsible for the the review - a very wonderful celebration of the novel, I'm sure you'll agree. Do Bruin plan to reissue any of your other collaborations with Mr. Brosman? Thank you for registering, and I hope you enjoy your time with us. I thought Steve's review and follow-up comments were great, obviously. Always good to see informed enthusiam - more of my own reader enthusiasm and participation goes on science fiction these days. The "new Stephen King" quote you mentioned was, as Steve suspected, one of John's inventions in his Starburst column. You take the cover quotes where you can - thank you Clive Barker. The guy at Bruin is thinking of doing more HAK/SIC books. His company uses CreateSpace (which I didn't realise until I got the proof) and POD has led to a whole new world of publishing from when John and I were writing, of course. And looking at the copies that arrived today, there are a couple of mistakes, one of which is down to me and the other seems to be a printing process thing that didn't happen with the other two non-horror books I got from Bruin. Apparently, the mistakes can be easily remedied - a big change from the more familiar process - though it means taking the book down from Amazon for a short while. Roy |
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Feb 1, 2014 16:02:53 GMT
The guy at Bruin is thinking of doing more HAK/SIC books. His company uses CreateSpace (which I didn't realise until I got the proof) and POD has led to a whole new world of publishing from when John and I were writing, of course. And looking at the copies that arrived today, there are a couple of mistakes, one of which is down to me and the other seems to be a printing process thing that didn't happen with the other two non-horror books I got from Bruin. Apparently, the mistakes can be easily remedied - a big change from the more familiar process - though it means taking the book down from Amazon for a short while. A while back I bought Bruin's edition of Deliver Me from Eva and was pleased with the product--for a POD book, it was quite attractive. |
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royk
Crab On The Rampage
Posts: 10
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Post by royk on Feb 1, 2014 17:19:45 GMT
Yes, I got a copy of FEELS LIKE RAIN, by Edward Anderson which looked very good and, especially for a 600 page POD paperback, was well bound and felt solid.
Roy
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droogie
Devils Coach Horse
Posts: 101
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Post by droogie on Feb 1, 2014 20:46:20 GMT
Hi Roy,
I sent you a message a few hours ago, so please check your mailbox and reply whenever you have a chance.
Thanks,
Darrin
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royk
Crab On The Rampage
Posts: 10
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Post by royk on Feb 2, 2014 16:49:09 GMT
Got it now, Darrin, and replied.
Does some notification come up if there's a message?
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droogie
Devils Coach Horse
Posts: 101
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Post by droogie on Feb 12, 2014 3:08:00 GMT
Just received the new BRUIN edition of The Fungus today. To all the U.S. readers on this forum: It is well worth the price of 15 dollars, as the book has nice production values, original cover art and lots of bonus material (thanks to Roy K.). It's an oversized softcover and looks great on the shelf next to the HAK paperbacks.
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