|
|
Post by dem bones on Sept 24, 2010 8:40:49 GMT
Charles Black (ed.) - The Seventh Black Book Of Horror (Mortbury Press, September 2010)  Paul Mudie
Reggie Oliver - Minos Or Rhadamanthus
Joel Lane - Morning’s Echo
John Llewellyn Probert - It Begins at Home
Gary Power - Flitching’s Revenge
David Williamson - Rest In Pieces
Rog Pile - Walk To The Sea
David A. Riley - Romero’s Children
Paul Finch - The Green Bath
Steve Rasnic Tem - Telling
Stephen Volk - Swell Head
Alex Langley - Walking The Dyke
Anna Taborska - The Creaking
James Stanger - Bernard Bought The Farm
Claude Lalumière - Ted’s Collection
Craig Herbertson - New Teacher
Tony Richards - The In-Betweenersjust a stub to get things going while i recover from latest epic hangover. i'm sure several of you picked up a copy of 7th Black Book at FantasyCon - in fact, i've seen photographic evidence to prove it - so if anyone would care to get us started?
|
|
|
|
Post by marksamuels on Sept 26, 2010 0:03:12 GMT
Thanks to my friend Miss Taborska, whom I saw tonight, having enticed her to come along and meet the rest of that old gang of reprobates who still dare to socialise with me--I've now got a copy of this gem, and am looking forward to reading it at the earliest opportunity...  Mark S. |
|
|
|
Post by David A. Riley on Sept 26, 2010 11:38:12 GMT
I haven't read all the stories yet and, in my usual meandering manner, I have not read any of them in order, apart from the first!
Thana Niveau's story The Pier is beautifully atmospheric, bleak, doom-laden and grim. Who, having met her, would expect something like this? Okay - just about everybody, I know! I think we'll be seeing a lot more of her stories. Which won't be a bad thing at all. Recommended. Just about put me off going on any more piers, though.
What can I say about Reggie Oliver's Minos or Rhadamanthos? It's a strange, eleoquent, atmospheric tale which only RO could write today, I'm sure. It's also perhaps the most disturbingly sexual story of his I have so far read. Definitely not something M. R. James would have written, even though it is set in a similar period. James with a perverse twist?
Paul Finch's The Green Bath is another sexually disturbing story. I love PF's stories. His characters are always so well drawn you get immediately involved with them. Some of the images in this story are nastily haunting. I like the twist at the end of the tale. For once not completely downbeat. Which is unusual in The Black Books!
That's all so far, but I'll not stop till I've read them all. And going off what I have read so far, another cracking collection. Nice to be in such talented company.
|
|
|
|
Post by David A. Riley on Sept 26, 2010 11:40:18 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by David A. Riley on Sept 26, 2010 14:41:40 GMT
On reading elsewhere that these are possibly the nastiest stories in the book, the next two I've read are Walking the Dyke by Alex Langley and Bernard Bought the Farm by James Stanger.
Walking the Dyke is a clever little story with a very brutal ending. I enjoyed it mainly, I think, because of its horror genre references. As always with something like this I am left wondering if this is a dig at certain real people in the genre and also whether the author has used a pseudonym.
Bernard Bought the Farm is unrelentingly horrific and I could well understand anyone with a slightly weak stomach not finishing this. It's like an Animal Farm version of Hostel. All credit to James Stanger in being able to think up what takes place in this horrific story, in which there is no supernatural, just unremitting human sadism. Well written, horrific and about as strong as you can get. It'll be a while, though, before I want to read anything quite like this again. All credit to Charles for having the guts to publish it.
|
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Sept 27, 2010 8:48:22 GMT
Could resist no longer and made a dent in this yesterday. After The Windowlicker Maker, thought I'd go for something perhaps a little more refined which, obviously, didn't work out at all. I reckon James Stanger must have set himself a challenge to top Graham Masterton's notorious Eric The Pie and Alan Temperley's Love On The Farm with the unforgettable Bernard Bought The Farm which is arguably the most revolting story in the Black Book to date. Well done that man! Will try and bash out some notes later but of those read - Romero's Children, The Pier, It Begins At Home, New Teacher, Walking The Dyke and Corpsie's aforementioned farmyard favourite - there's not been one that didn't hit the spot. Zombie Apocalypse will have to remain on the back burner a little while longer.
|
|
|
|
Post by David A. Riley on Sept 27, 2010 9:04:38 GMT
I've taken a break from the latest Black Book to read through Allyson Bird's Wine and Rank Poison. Johnny Mains has asked me to send my cpy to him afterwards to do a review for Prism, but I don't know whether I dare.  |
|
|
|
Post by corpsecandle on Sept 27, 2010 10:30:18 GMT
Bloody Hell :/ First of can I say thank you to David A.Riley and Demonik for what they have said, being a utter fledgling in the horror world I value positive things said by those who have done what I wish to. Also it was a great observation to mention "Eric The Pie" as this short story had been burned into my head when I first heard about it causing trouble for a certain horror magazine. I really am a decent bloke however and from another forum I think some may think this was written in order just to be disgusting, honestly it's not I just wanted to be the Black Book so much I really put down any boundaries I had before. I have never read "Kowlongo Plaything" or "Love on The Farm", as some thought this might be a homage to it. Y'know I half feel really pleased with this story and half like I am trouble at school for drawing something I shouldn't in my excercise book (that's actually happened). Still enough of me talking about my own bloody story, thank you again even if you never want to read the tale again.  |
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Sept 27, 2010 13:00:48 GMT
Alex Langley - Walking The Dyke: Contance Baines is a reviewer for highbrow publication The Canon's Scrapbook and the perhaps more populist Gore Macabre - her mission: to educate thickos about what does and what does not constitute classic supernatural fiction. To research the career of neglected ghost story author the late D. M. Mortimer, she visits his old haunt The Goats Head in Swainbury where a stranger in black kindly offers her a guided tour of Mortimer locations. Coincidentally, Mortimer's house now belongs to horror hack Alexandria Waite who Constance recently slated in Gore Macabre for her "badly written, poorly researched sexist crap. Pulp horror of the worst kind - the type that gives horror a bad name" (form an orderly queue, etc.). Needless to say, Alex doesn't think so much of Constance's review. References to Alex White, "Charles Braunstone"s Suitable Applicant and lesbians with big tits? Yes, i think there may be some truth to your 'pseudonym' suspicions, David. This one seems to have attracted some flak elsewhere; personally i love it.
David A. Riley - Romero’s Children: Twenty years after the OM (Old Methuselah) eternal youth wonder-drug hit the street, and those who either resisted it's lure or simply were yet to be born now have to live with the consequences - a world full of drooling cannibal zombies. Fortunately, these undead are of the ambling, mindless variety and easily picked off with a shot to the head. But while stocking up on tinned food supplies from the remnants of a Wal-Mart, ageing loner Jack and punky young survivalist Candice chance upon Lucy who can not only talk but seems to have shaken off the effects of the drug. Against his better judgement, Jack brings her home and cleans her up ....
John Llewellyn Probert - It Begins at Home: Any story that references Charles Birkin's A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts is not going to be a laughter fest so no surprise that this is one of Lord P.'s grimmest offerings to date. Paul Reynolds has just had the fruits of his latest photographic assignment trashed by his manager Derek Martin on the grounds that his images of malnourished children are not sufficiently striking to appear in the Disaster In Tazmania advertising campaign. What your Middle Englander wants to see is full-on starvation porn - they'll not loosen their purse-strings for anything less. Martin sends him to his odious accomplice Greg Phillips to learn the ropes so that when he's given a contract to highlight elderly abuse in care homes he'll be better prepared to come up with the goods.
James Stanger - Bernard Bought The Farm: East Sussex. The rise and fall of sadistic pervert Bernard Crombe and his equally depraved henchman, Saunders, whose careers end abruptly when they fall foul of farmer Norton and his son when they attempt to acquire Dernhurst Farm on the cheap. Page upon page of unflinching cruelty, bestiality, sodomy and eye-watering torture - try reading it while you're stuffing tour face with a grease-dripping bacon sandwich (though, preferably, not in my company). Proper horror gone completely nuts. Very well done, corpsie!
|
|
|
|
Post by David A. Riley on Sept 27, 2010 13:15:11 GMT
It Begins At Home by John Probert makes me wonder just how much truth there is in it. Unlike most of the other stories in this book, this could just possibly be based on fact - disturbingly.
I did wonder, towards the final paragraphs, whether it would peter out a little, but then came that final line. Bleak isn't the word for it. I think John Has learned some lessons from all that reading of Birkin recently!
|
|
|
|
Post by Craig Herbertson on Sept 27, 2010 14:04:35 GMT
It Begins At Home by John Probert makes me wonder just how much truth there is in it. Unlike most of the other stories in this book, this could just possibly be based on fact - disturbingly. I did wonder, towards the final paragraphs, whether it would peter out a little, but then came that final line. Bleak isn't the word for it. I think John Has learned some lessons from all that reading of Birkin recently! Haven't read this one yet but I do think that because we are used to John's stylish humor when he does bleak and dark it's all the more chilling. Looking forward now to being worried sick.  |
|
|
|
Post by Johnlprobert on Sept 27, 2010 14:20:45 GMT
It Begins At Home by John Probert makes me wonder just how much truth there is in it. Unlike most of the other stories in this book, this could just possibly be based on fact - disturbingly. I did wonder, towards the final paragraphs, whether it would peter out a little, but then came that final line. Bleak isn't the word for it. I think John Has learned some lessons from all that reading of Birkin recently! Haven't read this one yet but I do think that because we are used to John's stylish humor when he does bleak and dark it's all the more chilling. Looking forward now to being worried sick. Hey - thanks everyone! As always the Vault warms the cockles of my icy heart. |
|
Thana Niveau
Devils Coach Horse
We who walk here walk alone.
Posts: 109
|
Post by Thana Niveau on Sept 27, 2010 14:26:46 GMT
As always the Vault warms the cockles of my icy heart. I thought I did that. No, don't get up. I know where the attic is... |
|
|
|
Post by Johnlprobert on Sept 27, 2010 14:33:17 GMT
As always the Vault warms the cockles of my icy heart. I thought I did that. No, don't get up. I know where the attic is... At this time of day you're supposed to be in there anyway... |
|
|
|
Post by David A. Riley on Sept 27, 2010 14:40:17 GMT
|
|
