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Post by dem bones on Jun 7, 2014 6:45:59 GMT
Recently acquired a copy of this, so by way of celebration, a revival of an ancient thread from Vault Mk 1, Sep 1st, 2006 (!) Ramsey Campbell, Jack Dann & Dennis Etchison (eds.) - Gathering The Bones (Voyager, 2003) 
Steve Nagy - The Hanged Man Of Oz
Terry Dowling - The Bone Ship
Robert Devereaux - Li'l Miss Ultrasound
Kim Newman - The Intervention
Janeen Webb - Blake's Angel
George Clayton Johnson - The Obedient Child
Mike O'Driscoll - Sounds Like
Stephen Dedman - The Wind Sall Blow For Ever Mair
Lisa Tuttle - "The Mezzotint"
Tony Richards - The Lords Of Zero
Russell Blackford - Smoke City
Thomas Tessier - Moments Of Change
Gahan Wilson - The Big Green Grin
Gary Fry - Both And
Simon Brown - Love Is A Stone
Ray Bradbury - Memento Mori
Sara Douglass - The Mistress Of Marwood Hagg
Michael Marshall Smith - The Right Men
Rosaleen Love - The Raptures Of The Deep
Steve Rasnic Tem - Out Late In The Park
Peter Crowther - Bedfordshire
Scott Emerson Bull - Mr Sly Stops For A Cup Of Joe
Cherry Wilder - Finishing School
Fruma Klass - Jennifer's Turn
Adam L. G. Neville - Mother's Milk
Chris Lawson & Simon Brown - No Man's Land
Donald R. Burleson - The Watcher At The Window
Joel Lane - Coming Of Age
Tim Waggoner - Picking Up Courtney
Aaron Sterns - Watchmen
Melanie Tem - Gardens
Andrew J. Wilson - Under The Bright And Hollow Sky
Isobelle Carmody - The Dove Game
Graham Joyce Tiger Moth
About The Authors
About The Editors
560 pages. Thirty Four original stories from the World's Masters of Horror. Quite possibly the only horror collection available in my local library that doesn't have a photo of Sara MichelleGellar on the cover. Anyhow, Vicky and Rog have mentioned it and we have to start somewhere. From memory, the Thomas Tessier witchcraft job -strangely reminiscent of Russel Kirk's ... Stumps story in Uncanny Banquet - and Kim Newman's Kafka-esque The Intervention are very good indeed. There are probably a stack of other winners, but it's been a year or so .... Long overdue: The Hanged Man Of Oz Totally trippy tale based around the urban legend if you slow down the film "The Wizard Of Oz" it's possible to see a man hanging himself from one of the stage set trees. Michael's latest love Denise is obsessed with the movie and the myth, and Michael finds himself drawn into her obsession with terrifying consequences. Li'l Miss Ultrasound The first one I read and my favourite- a story which manages to be powerfully nasty and truly shocking without resorting to gore or violence. In an unspecified year in the future, women are encouraged to enter their unborn children into pre- natal beauty pageants. Twice champion Eudora is determined to make the treble, even if it means allowing the judge to indulge his breathtakingly warped sexual preferences. The Intervention Not the best Newman I've read but still a winner. A claustraphobic psycho- chiller in which a man is taken into captivity "for his own good", with the consent of his friends and family. Will he ever be able to admit that he has a "problem"? Blake's Angel Beautifully written (I've never come across Janeen Webb before but I'll be looking out for her) moving and unsettling little fable about a poet who purchases and cages an angel to act as his inspiration. Not your usual horror fayre, and probarbly not to everyone's taste, but I liked it. The Obedient Child Grandpa goes out on a revenge mission and takes little grandaughter along. Turns out she's pretty handy with a pair of garden shears. Sounds Like Larry works in a call centre, listening in to the conversations of his employees to ensure the customer service is up to standard. When he comes home at night, all he wants is peace and quiet. And he's determined to get it. Anyone who's ever worked in one of these places will recognise some of the emotions. "The Mezzotint" A nod to the James story of the same name. The mezzotint Mel suddenly becomes aware of on the wall of the house she shares with boyfriend Kieran doen't change, but her curiosity about it (and about him) lead her to uncover a dark secret. A modern day Bluebeard's Chamber- a warning to snoopers everywhere. The Lords Of Zero I really enjoyed this one- it reminded me of some Newman stories I've liked ("Dr Shade" being one). It could just be the depressing tough concrete estate setting, but I think it's also a mood that Richards captures here- a malaise if you like. Forced by circumstance to live in the aforementioned estate, Rob encounters the local hoodlums on his way to the pub one evening. He soon realises that there is another member of their gang, "a ninth figure", silent and unmoving. And what do they do all day? "Wait" is the answer.... More to follow. Well worth the wait, Vicky. I've been dipping in and out of this one as well. Lords Of Zero is maybe the best Tony Richards story I've ever read (and he regularly contributed decent work to the Fontana series), truly modern horror that put me in mind of Steve's Polish skinhead nightmare. Against The Mezzotint I wrote: "The M. R. James classic is given a Bluebeard twist as Mel decides to snoop on dubious boyfriend Kieran's computer files" - I know, I know: prefer your synopsis too. My absolute favourite to date is by a fellow I'd never heard of: Stephen Dedman's The Wind Sall Blow For Ever Mair. Have you tried that yet Sorry, I thought I'd best comment on these while they're freash in my head. SPOILER ALERTStephen Dedman - The Wind Sall Blow For Ever Mair: Minister of Police and Deputy Minister Sir John Brisbane ('Jack the Ripper', 'Randal the Vandal' or 'the headkicker' to opponents and colleagues alike) disappears after leaving his Office, never to be seen again. Several scandals have attached themselves to his name down the years - using an Aborigine's head as a football, hanging a second in his cell and instigating the gang-rape of a third - and the rumourmongers reckon that, his past catching up with him, he's absconded to Spain. The key to the mystery is a Scottish ballad covered by popular artist Karen Rose, the girl popularly believed to have been the victim of the rape. The narrator, journalist Michael Griffin, learns the truth at a charity football match which Karen is refereeing. Excellent. Scott Emerson Bull - Mr. Sly Stops For A Cup Of Joe: If you're going to hold up the local Quik Stop convenience store, make sure none of your hostages is a 350 lb. thrill-killer ... There are a number of excellent stories in this collection, but I think its the Australian and New Zealand contingent that have maybe impressed me the most so far, possibly because I've not encountered any of the authors' work before. One I was really struggling to give any kind of synopsis for was Steve Nagy's The Hanged Man Of Oz. Its not that I didn't enjoy it, just that I couldn't hack writing any kind of plot outline. Apparently, it's a popular urban myth that you can glimpse a shot of a hanged man in the film, although I'd not heard of it before now. Glad you took that one on, Dem. I enjoyed it but couldn't have summarised it as well as that. Here are a few more: Under The Bright And Hollow Sky Author Andrew J. Wilson presents us with a series letters, articles and transcriptions, found in a plastic bag on a bus. Written and collected by a William Anderson, all the pieces are about an author named Cranston M. Alderton, whose fiction appears to bear a resemblance to that of Lovecraft. Furthermore, upon reading the material, Wilson finds his own name mentioned- it Anderson has conducted an interview with him about Alderton, something he has no recollection of. Confused? You will be. This one took a couple of readings to sink in, but it's well worth the effort- one of my highlights of the collection. Mother's Milk Difficult to express why this is so creepy. The narrator and his "brothers" have become addicted to the milk produced by the grotesque "mother", the withdrawal symptoms being similar to those experienced by addicts of hard drugs. Some passages of this actually made me feel sick (which I suppose is a recommendation of sorts). Bedfordshire Another moving story. Thomas' wife Helen is dying, and he's not sure he wants to carry on without her. Interspersed with his diary extracts are his memories of his heartbreaking childhood- abused by an older boy at his school and by his father at home, his only escape is when he goes to "Bedfordshire", his nanny's word for the place you go when you are asleep. When Helen finally passes away, he begins to think it could be the escape he's looking for now- but dreams are not always pleasant. The Dove Game When Daniel stops to help a man dying in the wreck of a car, the man asks him with his dying breath to keep an appointment on his behalf. Daniel is to travel to Paris from his native Australia to meet a woman in the Smoking Dog Cafe, Rue de Gris, on the first of July, and give her a message. Amazing himself, Daniel decides to make the journey, which leads him to a very peculiar circus and a woman who wears a dress made of doves. Enigmatic and rather beautiful, this is another writer who's name I'll be looking out for. |
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Post by jamesdoig on Jun 7, 2014 8:40:46 GMT
Ramsey Campbell, Jack Dann & Dennis Etchison (eds.) - Gathering The Bones (Voyager, 2003) A lot of Australian authors there including Aaron Sterns, fine fellow that he is, who has recently found fame as the co-author of Wolf Creek 2, with my favourite nutter, Mick Taylor, played by the brilliant John Jarratt, who many moons ago was the young jackaroo in Picnic at Hanging Rock. |
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Post by dem bones on Jun 7, 2014 11:30:37 GMT
Ramsey Campbell, Jack Dann & Dennis Etchison (eds.) - Gathering The Bones (Voyager, 2003) A lot of Australian authors there including Aaron Sterns, fine fellow that he is, who has recently found fame as the co-author of Wolf Creek 2, with my favourite nutter, Mick Taylor, played by the brilliant John Jarratt, who many moons ago was the young jackaroo in Picnic at Hanging Rock. According to the introduction, "TALES OF TERROR FROM THREE CONTINENTS. This was a subtitle we three editors discussed for this anthology, and it pretty much sums up our intention for the book." I've particularly fond memories of the Dedman and Nagy offerings, while others evidently enjoyed at the time are now a complete blank so very glad for opportunity to revisit. |
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Post by dem bones on Jul 8, 2014 6:45:00 GMT
In order of preference ....
Sara Douglass - The Mistress Of Marwood Hagg: "They murdered you with mud?" Durham, Jan. 1583. in the aftermath of bloody battle, Edmund Lewkenor, Earl of Henley, gloats over the protracted and terrible death of the Catholic Earl of Chelmsford, who slowly drowns in the deadly quagmire. On learning of her lover's death, Lady Eleanor, indomitable mistress of the Castle, calls down a terrible curse upon the murderer, whose wife is with child ...
Lisa Tuttle - "The Mezzotint": Keiran's vagaries over the details of past relationships sets Mel to wondering what really became of her predecessors. And if that Mezzotint of a moonlit house has "always" hung on the wall, how come she never noticed it before. Is he a compulsive liar or something? Keiran's absence from home at a business function this evening provides opportunity for Mel to access his computer ....
Robert Devereaux - Li'l Miss Ultrasound: It is THE FUTURE and intrauterine beauty contests are the latest best thing ever to happen to the entertainment industry. Reigning champion Eudora Kelly is determined to lift the crown (and substantial cheque) for the third year in succession, but realises her previously all-conquering ultrasound man, Moe Bannerman has been overtaken new kid on the block Kip Johnson, the rising star of the foetus image manipulation scene. Johnson has already thrown in his lot with another desperately competitive expectant mother, first-timer Wendy Sales, and refuses to switch sides. Eudora isn't one to take "no" as any kind of answer.
Tony Richards - The Lords Of Zero: "These eight kids. They possessed - precisely nothing. They looked forward to nothing. They believed in nothing. Emptiness. Pure zero." Down on his luck, the narrator takes a flat on the notorious and decrepit Craven Estate. He soon becomes obsessed with a gang of close-cropped youths and their shadowy leader who hang around the five blocks. Menacing types for sure, but the kids trouble no-one - unless you happen to stray too near their secret shrine after dark.
Fruma Klass - Jennifer's Turn: It is THE FUTURE again, 2018 to be precise. With too many people and too little America, senior citizens - the over fifties - are cordially invited to undergo a compulsory FREE Annual check up to determine their continued entitlement to medical aid. It really doesn't do to fail the test.
Kim Newman - The Intervention: Keith has let down his wife and kids, his manager, his colleagues, his pals and ultimately, himself. Just how he's achieved all this is never explained (he genuinely doesn't know), but his nearest and dearest are not prepared to stand idly by and watch him throw it all away. An intervention is arranged for his own good.
George Clayton Johnson - The Obedient Child: The little girl's mother deliberately ran over his foot with a lawn mower, severing toes. Now, with the assistance of a stranger he's bribed to abduct the child, he plans to get even. He packs the garden clippers in the car boot.
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Post by dem bones on Jun 24, 2020 18:17:40 GMT
Steve Nagy - The Hanged Man Of Oz: Michael really fancies Denise Fleming - until, on their first date, she's a The Wizard of Oz trivia obsessive. She insists on pausing her copy on the fabled 'munchkin suicide' scene. Despite himself, Michael is astonished. "I can't believe it. It's a snuff film." Henceforth he's stalked by ghastly rotting phantoms of the Wicked Witch, Dorothy, Scarecrow, a stuffed Toto & Co., seemingly bent on driving him to self-destruction.
Steve Rasnic Tem - Out Late In The Park: Old timers attempt a game of volleyball in the park. It's either this, or fossilize as they await the bus to the next life. As with several SRC meditations, it is all a bit too deep for dullard likes of me to comprehend. "Some people, I believe, are paid for dreaming. But most, I think, are punished."
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Jun 25, 2020 12:13:32 GMT
Steve Nagy - The Hanged Man Of Oz: Michael really fancies Denise Fleming - until, on their first date, she's a The Wizard of Oz trivia obsessive. She insists on pausing her copy on the fabled 'munchkin suicide' scene. Despite himself, Michael is astonished. "I can't believe it. It's a snuff film." Henceforth he's stalked by ghastly rotting phantoms of the Wicked Witch, Dorothy, Scarecrow, a stuffed Toto & Co., seemingly bent on driving him to self-destruction. How does this compare to "Dreams of a Little Suicide" in Hell Comes to Hollywood? It sounds fun. I've always had a soft spot for Baum's Oz books (and, more recently, the Marvel graphic novel adaptations) though I think I'm highly unusual for having read several of them before ever seeing the film (which I didn't watch until my early 20s!). |
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Post by dem bones on Jun 25, 2020 19:54:06 GMT
How does this compare to "Dreams of a Little Suicide" in Hell Comes to Hollywood? It sounds fun. I've always had a soft spot for Baum's Oz books (and, more recently, the Marvel graphic novel adaptations) though I think I'm highly unusual for having read several of them before ever seeing the film (which I didn't watch until my early 20s!). My preference is for Dreams of a Little Suicide, though both have their creepy moments. |
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