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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Oct 2, 2017 15:56:18 GMT
I have this one now! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!
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Post by dem on Oct 8, 2017 9:33:14 GMT
Shifted from the News section to it's rightful home. Paperbacks From Hell warrants inclusion in the Bibliographical Aids dept. on the strength of the author's commentary alone. That the credits provide details of all the paperbacks featured and, where possible, their cover artists, is a hugely welcome bonus.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Oct 8, 2017 11:24:15 GMT
It is an immensely useful and handsome book. I do have a problem, though, with the author's "humorous" style, and some details are incorrect. For instance, the synopsis of Elizabeth Engstrom's wonderful "When Darkness Loves Us" gets the central premise wrong in an odd way. Speaking of which, it seems "When Darkness Loves Us" has never been mentioned before on this board. If anybody has not read it, you should do so immediately. It is a classic.
Edit: It turns out it has been mentioned before. I blame the search function in the mobile version for my mistake.
Further edit: It also turns out I have been wrong about the central premise of "When Darkness Loves Us" before, so possibly it is again I who am at fault.
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Post by Dr Strange on Oct 8, 2017 12:00:54 GMT
I've just started on it, and I know what you mean about the writing style, but it hasn't bothered me too much so far. "Handsome" it certainly is.
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Oct 8, 2017 12:57:57 GMT
It is an immensely useful and handsome book. I do have a problem, though, with the author's "humorous" style, and some details are incorrect. For instance, the synopsis of Elizabeth Engstrom's wonderful "When Darkness Loves Us" gets the central premise wrong in an odd way. Speaking of which, it seems "When Darkness Loves Us" has never been mentioned before on this board. If anybody has not read it, you should do so immediately. It is a classic. Edit: It turns out it has been mentioned before. I blame the search function in the mobile version for my mistake. Further edit: It also turns out I have been wrong about the central premise of "When Darkness Loves Us" before, so possibly it is again I who am at fault. It is a wonderful story, however. |
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Post by dem on Oct 8, 2017 13:49:43 GMT
Maybe the biggest surprise (a pleasant one) is the reverential tone adopted for the entry on Charles L. Grant's Shadows anthologies, especially when compared to the open hostility displayed versus the Splatterpunks. Am a fan of both, though fair to say I find certain volumes of CLG's series a huge struggle (even if, belying their "quiet horror" premise, none of those I've read are entirely bereft of total full-on screaming nasty horrible horror moments). The easy-read, all action Splatterpunks seem far more in keeping with Paperbacks From Hell's 'Never be boring' ethos. Sure, back in the day Messers Skipp and Spector often came across as wannabe big, bad, poodle-permed HM rock Gods bent on making the Moral Majority's banned list, but to dismiss all thing Splatterpunk (bar Joe R. Landale) as merely "stupid and outrageous" is harsh. For this reader, the Skipp & Spec edited Book Of The Dead anthology is terrific, Richard Christian Matheson's Red is among the most upsetting horror stories ever written, and The Scream way more exciting than some of the pretentious bollocks which set the critics drooling and bewildered punters like me abandoning the genre "for ever!" circa 1990. That said, Mr. Hendrix's snipes at The Kill Riff are wickedly funny. "Splatterpunk books had no good guys and no bad guys, only a swarm of indistinguishable jerks dressed in black leather and camo .... The next crucial element in rock 'n roll-splatter books is the obligatory authorial revelation of his own impeccable musical tastes through his characters, who congratulate one another for liking the right bands." Hard for anyone who has endured Douglas E. Winters' short (but it seems so long) Less Than Zero to reasonably argue with the latter point. |
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Oct 8, 2017 15:25:34 GMT
It is a wonderful story, however. But here is the big mystery (and admittedly this may be more about me than about Ms Engstrom's story): There is evidence on this board that I reread it five years ago, and at the time noted that I had mistakenly remembered the protagonist falling into a well. Why is it, then, that when reading the synopsis in the Hendrix book, I thought, no, that is wrong, she falls into a well. Why do I persist in thinking she falls down a well? Could it be that the first time I read the story, she did in fact fall into a well? No other explanation seems reasonable, or appealing, to me. |
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Post by Dr Strange on Oct 8, 2017 15:53:25 GMT
But here is the big mystery (and admittedly this may be more about me than about Ms Engstrom's story): There is evidence on this board that I reread it five years ago, and at the time noted that I had mistakenly remembered the protagonist falling into a well. Why is it, then, that when reading the synopsis in the Hendrix book, I thought, no, that is wrong, she falls into a well. Why do I persist in thinking she falls down a well? Careful Jojo, or someone is going to offer you a psychoanalysis of that. |
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Post by mcannon on Oct 8, 2017 21:50:50 GMT
It is an immensely useful and handsome book. I do have a problem, though, with the author's "humorous" style, and some details are incorrect. I've been gradually working my way through the book, a chapter a day or thereabouts, and greatly enjoying it. I don't find the author's style off-putting, partially because I've read a few of his columns at Tor.com and am used to it, but also because it's offset with his knowledge of the subject matter and affection for it (well, most of it). I have spotted a couple of errors or disputable points, though. On page 81, authorship of "Watership Down" is attributed to Richard Harris, rather than Richard Adams - though a version written by the former might have been quite interesting.... On the following page, the author refers to 1974 as "The year that punk rock broke" - surely that would have been 1976? There were one or other occasions where I found myself thinking "Is that correct?", and there may well be others I've missed. Still, you have to expect a glitch or two in a book with this amount of information. And surely nit-picking is all part of the fun! A couple of days after PFH arrived, I received my copy of Kim Newman's collection of his "Video Dungeon" columns. I'm taking a similar approach to it, reading a few pages at a time, and already my "Ooh, I must see that!" films has become much, much longer. I think it would greatly appeal to most "Vault" members. Mark |
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rob4
Devils Coach Horse
Posts: 104
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Post by rob4 on Oct 18, 2017 17:09:08 GMT
On the following page, the author refers to 1974 as "The year that punk rock broke" - surely that would have been 1976? Mark you are right for the British version of punk rock, but the US version did indeed come to prominence around 1974 at the famous CBGB Club, New York, although it had been simmering even earlier than that. i'm getting this book for my birthday  if my wife remembers that is  |
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Post by mattofthespurs on Oct 19, 2017 16:54:17 GMT
The US version of punk is not punk and never will be in my opinion.
Punk started in 1976 and died in 1978. Sure a few bands limped along after it, most notably Crass and The Anti Nowhere League, but generally I think it had a short life span.
Damn you new romantics and casuals.
The Ramones...Pah!
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Post by dem on Oct 26, 2017 19:02:29 GMT
Mr Fanatic has just informed me that Grady Hendrix will be in London promoting Paperbacks From Hell at Forbidden Planet Megastore (Tomorrow evening, Friday 27th from 6pm) and Waterstones, Covent Garden on Monday 30th (6.30 pm). He is also aware of Sunday's Paperback & Pulp Fair on Sunday, so you never know .... |
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Post by andydecker on Oct 26, 2017 19:46:29 GMT
This sounds like a nice Friday evening. Have fun!
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Post by dem on Oct 27, 2017 11:54:29 GMT
This sounds like a nice Friday evening. Have fun! No chance for me tonight, but maybe Monday at Covent Garden, depending on what shape am in after the Pulp Fair. Should anyone on here attend either promo, please let us know how it goes! |
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Post by dem on Nov 7, 2017 18:12:08 GMT
As mentioned, spent a very pleasant and slightly surreal hour with the very charming Grady Hendrix at Waterstones, Covent Garden, last Monday evening. Due to some kind of balls up over the venue, the attendance was on the spartan side - the staff, a young fan of Grady's My Best Friend's Exorcism (who'd travelled from Salisbury), a little doggie in a red Halloween scarf, and me - so presentation scrapped in favour of an informal chat. Chat we must certainly did, taking in the 'When Animals Attack!' novels, Drew Laymark's The Medusa Complex, the works of Richard Allen, Peter Saxon, The Rats, Splatterpunks & Shadows, Paperback Fanatic, Shaun Hutson ("a really nice guy"), William W. Johnstone's The Nursery & Co., the previous day's pulp & paperback fair, Vault (!) and, of course, all things Paperbacks From Hell. It seems much was left out of the book due to space restrictions (some really good stuff by the sound of things, perhaps more of which anon), begging the question .... will there be a volume 2? Grady replied that he'd love to do one but is wary of repeating himself, so "we'll see." I'm sure the proposed presentation would have been brilliant but couldn't help thinking that things had turned out lovely just the way they were. Thanks to Grady, the Waterstone staff, friend John, the doggie, and, of course, Justin for both alerting me to the event and warning Mr. H. to look out for a "long haired guy in a leather jacket!"  |
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if my wife remembers that is 
