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Post by dem on Jan 3, 2017 15:00:34 GMT
David Williamson - The Chameleon Man & Other Terrors (Parallel Univese, 2016) Charles Black - Introduction
The Procedure
The Scryer
No Room at the Flat
The Sandman
The Too Good Samaritan
The Not So Good Samaritan
The Chameleon Man
The Switch
Rest in Pieces
Ashes to Ashes
Blind Date
Herbert Manning's Psychic Circus
The Boy
Ten Weeks
Din-Dins for Binky
A Reflection of the Times
And the Dead Shall Speak
Boys will be Boys
A Night to Remember
A Problem SharedArrived today direct from the impossibly industrious Parallel Universe, the long-overdue début collection from the Pan Horror/ Black Books man. A short introduction from Mortbury's finest - in defence of the Clarence Paget Pan's - is a welcome bonus. Expect a blow by blow account in the not too distant.
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Post by dem on Jan 15, 2017 8:05:41 GMT
Organ thieves R Us ... what became of Jack the Ripper .... the night they saw Revenge of the Bone-crunchers .... a vampire mirror .... helpline horrors .... a cosy family Christmas tale - welcome to the gory world of David Williamson. If you like your social commentary laced with macabre humour, you've come to the right place.
The Too Good Samaritan: (Clarence Paget [ed.], 30th Pan Book of Horror Stories, 1989). December 23rd, and Cathy is alone in the office, taking the despairing calls of the lonely and suicidally depressed. Our heroine is so moved by the plight of young Sarah - shut away in a gloomy mausoleum of a house since the loss of her parents and brother - that she agrees to pay a home visit when her shift ends at 7 a.m. The address Sarah gives is over on the dangerous side of town, but a friend in need is a friend indeed, and this one has psychopathic tendencies!
The Not So Good Samaritan: (Clarence Paget [ed.], 30th Pan Book of Horror Stories, 1989). An inversion of the previous story sees Arthur Benton, unemployed, phone the helpline whenever he fancies an argument. Just his luck that Roger, the guy who takes his call, is another Samaritan prepared to go the extra mile if it means preventing a client from taking their own life. As with The Too Good Samaritan (personal pick of the two), by end of page one it's no longer a question of what will happen but how gory will it get.
The Sandman: (Clarence Paget [ed.], 28th Pan Book of Horror Stories, 1987). A youth falls 60 feet from the crumbling cliff face, hitting the sand so hard he's buried to the neck. His every limb shattered, the luckless young man finds himself at the mercy of five year old idiot twin brothers.
The Procedure: (Tom Johnstone & Joel Lane [eds.], Horror Uncut!, Gray Friar, 2014). With the NHS teetering on the brink of collapse, Shaun McNab, who has a morbid fear/ healthy distrust of Hospitals, bites the bullet, opts to go private for his hernia operation. But can his credit card take the strain? Kindly chief surgeon Dr. King, the best in the business, is quick to reassure him that all is well, "You can trust me, I'm a Doctor!" So, no cause for alarm. Problem is, the demand for healthy organs far outstrips the supply, so King and his staff have been forced to take "tough decisions"
No Room At The Flat: (Clarence Paget [ed.], 30th Pan Book of Horror Stories, 1989). Barry's taken the job in London, so it's bye-bye cosy house on the moors, hello poky flat in the capital for wife Sarah and the kids. But not Shep, the family's faithful pet Alsation. Despite the tears of his loved ones, Barry resolves to have the old fellow put down but relents at the last and lets Shep loose in the fields. Some weeks later, an emaciated, terrified wreck of a creature arrives in the big city ...
Blind Date: (Peter Mark May [ed.], Alt-Zombie, Hersham Horror, 2012). Barry King has fixed it for his lary best mate, Norman Scrote, to take Hilda Thrashlightly to the Roxy on a blind date. As the only child of a millionaire chip-shop mogul, everyone knows Hilda is filthy stinking rich. Pity nobody warned Norman that she is also filthy, stinking, brain dead and hideously fucking ugly to boot. Norm's first impulse is to leg it, but the thought of all that lovely loot proves too great. So, slobbering in the back row of the movies on a Saturday night with the trog it is.
Ten Weeks: (Robert Helmbrecht [ed.] , Horrific Histories), Hazardous Press, 2013). The most infamous woman killer of his century pays dearly for a rare off day. Emily Jones, the classiest prostitute in a town steeped in diseased and ragged streetwalkers, will never know how lucky she was.
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Post by Swampirella on Jan 15, 2017 15:20:54 GMT
Organ thieves R Us ... what became of Jack the Ripper .... the night they saw Revenge of the Bone-crunchers .... a vampire mirror .... helpline horrors .... a cosy family Christmas tale - welcome to the gory world of David Williamson. If you like your social commentary laced with macabre humour, you've come to the right place. The Too Good Samaritan: (Clarence Paget [ed.], 30th Pan Book of Horror Stories, 1989). December 23rd, and Cathy is alone in the office, taking the despairing calls of the lonely and suicidally depressed. Our heroine is so moved by the plight of young Sarah - shut away in a gloomy mausoleum of a house since the loss of her parents and brother - that she agrees to pay a home visit when her shift ends at 7 a.m. The address Sarah gives is over on the dangerous side of town, but a friend in need is a friend indeed, and this one has psychopathic tendencies! The Not So Good Samaritan: (Clarence Paget [ed.], 30th Pan Book of Horror Stories, 1989). An inversion of the previous story sees Arthur Benton, unemployed, phone the helpline whenever he fancies an argument. Just his luck that Roger, the guy who takes his call, is another Samaritan prepared to go the extra mile if it means preventing a client from taking their own life. As with The Too Good Samaritan (which i preferred of the two), by the end of page one it's no longer a question of what will happen but how gory will it get. The Sandman: (Clarence Paget [ed.], 28th Pan Book of Horror Stories, 1987). A youth falls 60 feet from the crumbling cliff face, hitting the sand so hard he's buried to the neck. His every limb shattered, the luckless young man finds himself at the mercy of five year old idiot twin brothers. The Procedure: (Tom Johnstone & Joel Lane [eds.], Horror Uncut!, Gray Friar, 2014). With the NHS teetering on the brink of collapse, Shaun McNab, who has a morbid fear/ healthy distrust of Hospitals, bites the bullet, opts to go private for his hernia operation. But can his credit card take the strain? Kindly chief surgeon Dr. King, the best in the business, is quick to reassure him that all is well, "You can trust me, I'm a Doctor!" So, no cause for alarm. Problem is, the demand for healthy organs far outstrips the supply, so King and his staff have been forced to take "tough decisions" No Room At The Flat: (Clarence Paget [ed.], 30th Pan Book of Horror Stories, 1989). Barry's taken the job in London, so it's bye-bye cosy house on the moors, hello poky flat in the capital for wife Sarah and the kids. But not Shep, the family's faithful pet Alsation. Despite the tears of his loved ones, Barry resolves to have the old fellow put down but relents at the last and lets Shep loose in the fields. Some weeks later, an emaciated, terrified wreck of a creature arrives in the big city ... Blind Date: (Peter Mark May [ed.], Alt-Zombie, Hersham Horror, 2012). Barry King has fixed it for his lary best mate, Norman Scrote, to take Hilda Thrashlightly to the Roxy on a blind date. As the only child of a millionairre chip-shop mogul, everyone knows Hilda is filthy stinking rich. Pity nobody warned Norman that she is also filthy, stinking, brain dead and hideously FUCKING ugly to boot. Norm's first impulse is to leg it, but the thought of all that lovely loot proves too great. So, slobbering in the back row of the movies on a Saturday night with the trog it is. Ten Weeks: (Robert Helmbrecht [ed.] , Horrific Histories), Hazardous Press, 2013). The most infamous woman killer of his century pays dearly for a rare off day. Emily Jones, the classiest prostitute in a town steeped in diseased and ragged streetwalkers, will never know how lucky she was. Sounds great; it's at the top of my to-buy list! I bought it yesterday and will start it once I've finished "His Own Mad Demons" (David A. Riley).... |
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Post by dem on Jan 15, 2017 16:46:33 GMT
Sounds great; it's at the top of my to-buy list! I'm sure you will be familiar with the Black Book and Pan Horror content, Miss Scarlett, but no matter, the stories bear revisiting and there's still much else to enjoy about The Chameleon Man. To correct myself - this is not Mr. Williamson's "long overdue début collection" or whatever garbage I typed up top. Hazardous Press published a slimline (98 page) volume a few years back, as reviewed here by David A. Riley. For the record: Herbert Manning's Psychic Circus & Other Dark Tales (Hazardous Press, 2013)  George Cotronis
The Chameleon Man
The Switch
Rest In Pieces
Boys Will Be Boys
Ashes To Ashes
Blind Date
Herbert Manning's Psychic Circus |
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Post by dem on Jan 16, 2017 17:32:02 GMT
A Reflection Of The Times: Everyone thinks Sophie Parry, 23, is absolutely gorgeous - everyone, that is, except Sophie herself. Whenever she catches sight of her refection, all Sophie sees is a plain Jane with way too much blubber on her bones. But all that changes when she purchases the mirror with the engraved gilt-wood frame from a Guildford antiques shop. So, Sophie realises. Everyone was right all along! It's official. I'm lovely! etc.
Sophie is so enraptured by her beauty that all she can do is admire herself in the glass hour upon hour, day after day. The more she appraises her body, the lovelier it seems to get ....
The Chameleon Man: (Charles Black [ed.], Fifth Black Book Of Horror, Mortbury Press, 2009). Bubonic Plague, Leprosy, Smallpox, Swine flu ... you name it, Charlie Benton's body will mimic the ravages of the disease through every stage of its development. This is manna from heaven to Professor Watson who regularly showcases Charlie in puke-provoking demonstrations before a select audience of prominent scientists and brilliant medical students. Comes the night when, not content with having witnessed Charlie début his show-stopping instant-Quasimodo routine, some damn fool smart-arse student sets him the ultimate challenge .....
The Switch: (Charles Black [ed.], Sixth Black Book Of Horror, Mortbury Press, 2010). Escaped convict Joe Carter has cause to regret his remarkable facial resemblance to mass murderer Marco, 'The Silent Slayer', likewise on the run after skipping his appointment with the electric chair.
Rest In Pieces: (Charles Black [ed.], Seventh Black Book Of Horror, Mortbury Press, 2010). Undertaker Harry Jones has devised a fool proof plan for disposing of overbearing wife Valerie without drawing suspicion upon himself. Having first sliced and diced the old harridan, Harry evenly distributes the body parts among the coffins awaiting burial. What could possibly go right?
Boys Will Be Boys: (Charles Black [ed.], Eighth Black Book Of Horror, Mortbury Press, 2011). Even as a five year old, Morris is better read and far brighter than the vast majority of adults, although he's also something of an emotional vacuum. His father isn't the greatest help, keeping his distance from the 'monkey boy' he still blames for his wife's death (she died giving birth to him). But now, having found happiness in the arms of Jayne, Morris's charming young tutor, Dad is finally showing his son some affection. The boy is delighted, even more so when Dad informs him that Jayne is going to be his mummy. For once, a guaranteed happy ending ... just so long as Dad doesn't let on that Jayne's expecting a baby ....
Ashes to Ashes: (Charles Black [ed.], Ninth Black Book Of Horror, Mortbury Press, 2012). Steve Clark wakes to the most extreme case of eczema in dermatological history. Wife Ann is so appalled at her poor husband's condition, she doesn't stop to consider the obvious question: What if it's contagious?
The Boy: (Charles Black [ed.], Tenth Black Book Of Horror, Mortbury Press, 2012). He used to be mother's pride and joy, but with the birth of Clive, son #1 (he no longer has a name) is not so much relegated in her affections but actively persecuted. His father, who has never recovered from his WWII experiences, is no help: when he's not convalescing in a psychiatric ward, he's doing wife's bidding and beating son #1 with a belt. To make matters worse, Clive is the most despicable, whining snitch. Matters reach their grim and malodorous conclusion at the derelict sewage works.
A Problem Shared .... : The boys' "Let's get rid of father" project demonstrates teamwork at its finest.
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Post by dem on Jan 17, 2017 11:56:16 GMT
Herbert Manning's Psychic Circus: (Herbert Manning's Psychic Circus & Other Dark Tales, Hazardous, 2013). Health & Safety regulations, animal welfare concerns, and ever-diminishing audiences have good as done for the traditional Great British Circus. Even Herbert Manning, proprietor and ringmaster, sadly concedes that the game has had it's day, and tonight's show will be the last - until a flashy, somewhat sinister stranger pays him a visit. Stanley Tan, entrepreneur has money to burn and he plans to burn it on Herbert's Show provided the ringmaster is willing to allow him a free hand in booking the acts. It transpires that Mr. Tan has an eye for talent. Madams Ying and Yow - psychics of the non-bogus variety - prove such a draw that within weeks the revamped 'Herbert Manning's Psychic Circus' has moved upmarket. Herbert's remodelled show sells out the 20,000 seater o2 Arena. As befits the occasion, Mr. Tan's superstars deliver their most devastating performance to date.
And The Dead Shall Speak: (Charles Black [ed.], Eleventh Black Book Of Horror, Mortbury Press, 2015). More psychic shenanigans from beyond the veil. Tina and Craig's attendance of Madame Orloff's seance coincides with the medium's first genuine communication from the spirit world. Much to her anguish, a foul-mouthed somebody is taking advantage of her entirely bogus psychic powers to expose a murderer! Suspicion falls on the surly, sceptical Craig, but, for all his mood swings and secretive ways, is he capable of so heinous a crime?
Din-Dins for Binky: Yet another wonderful advertisement for the joys of married life. Victor operates the Pulveriser at the local pet-food factory. Wife Mary is a lazy, lard-arsed shrew. We think we know how this one is going to pan out, and we are correct.
A Night To Remember: (Herbert Manning's Psychic Circus & Other Dark Tales, Hazardous, 2013). Just when we least expect it, Mr. Williamson turns off the jokes to deliver the most harrowing piece in the collection. The narrator confides the horror story of his wretched life. The way he tells it, throughout his childhood, he suffered the most appalling abuse from the fists and boots of his bullying, drug-addled father while his mother turned a blind eye, not wishing to further upset the monster she'd married. Finally, the fatal night. Using his late grandfather's bayonet to escape from the under-stair cupboard he'd been locked in for several days, he crept to his parents' room to find them comatose on the bed ....
If only the facts bore out his version of events.
The Scryer: (Demons & Devilry, Hersham Horror, 2013). A mega-windfall from a distant relative delivers Dan Kelley and family from poverty and misery in the blink of an eye. Hardly has Dan's brain had opportunity to realise his good fortune than he, Irene, and their stroppy daughter Kelly, have vacated their mouldering flat on a South London sink estate to take up residence in a Suffolk Manor House. Fair play to the solicitor, Mr. Pink. He may be a creepy-looking old coot with a Bobby Charlton comb-over, but when he says "it's you lucky day!", he means it's your lucky day. But there's a catch. Dan is the last living descendant of Edward Kelley, Dr. John Dee's partner in necromancy, alchemy and Black Magic. As such, he is invaluable to a Satanic coven which just so happens to be presided over by the same benevolent Mr. Pink!
And there you have it. While several of the stories are sheer essence of 'Pan Horror: the gleeful sadism & gore years,' Mr. Williamson is capable of commendable restraint when the occasion demands. Very recommended.
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