I'm not very familiar with graphic novels and the form. The Sandman Series by Neil Gaiman introduced me to the genre and I'm hard-pressed to not compare the two series.
30 Days of Night was certainly creepy and horrifying. The artwork gave a morbidly creepy atmosphere. The artwork gave a nightmarish quality to the story and with the fact that Alaska and the polar regions go through long periods of light and dark makes them vampire playgrounds.
I'm surprised by how short this work was, but it was part of a trilogy. However, it was the right length to explore the vampire myth in a modern setting. The vampire in this graphic novel was sentient, violent, and physically strong. The vampire in the work was eerie and coupled with the artwork adds a level of morbidity.
Rating: 4.5/5
Friday, December 9, 2016
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Relic Review
I certainly enjoyed this book. The suspense was eerily similar to a Stephen King novel, while the violence teetered and the edge of ultra-violence.
Dr. Frock is one of my favorite character's. He has great instincts and much better judgement than the authorities. He had the clarity of sight to see what others refused to see though evidence proved them wrong. Margo, Dr. Frocks protege in a sense, is also an enjoyable character: her character is handled very well. Margo does shine given her circumstances in the novel, something other thriller authors may not understand.
The suspense is something that must be looked at. I found the suspense in the novel at times unbearable. Most of the novel was suspense, which the suspense was very calculated. Throughout the novel when the killings occur, the suspense does let up and rewards the reader. The suspense is like a trail of candy for some other treat that leads to the end: methodical and planned.
I did find the setting inside of a museum to be interesting. Inside the confines, the museum became a prison or a diner for the Mbwun. The confines if the museum, get smaller as the novel progresses, which certainly adds to the methodical suspense.
Rating: 4/5. An entertaining read with solid research done to support the plot.
Dr. Frock is one of my favorite character's. He has great instincts and much better judgement than the authorities. He had the clarity of sight to see what others refused to see though evidence proved them wrong. Margo, Dr. Frocks protege in a sense, is also an enjoyable character: her character is handled very well. Margo does shine given her circumstances in the novel, something other thriller authors may not understand.
The suspense is something that must be looked at. I found the suspense in the novel at times unbearable. Most of the novel was suspense, which the suspense was very calculated. Throughout the novel when the killings occur, the suspense does let up and rewards the reader. The suspense is like a trail of candy for some other treat that leads to the end: methodical and planned.
I did find the setting inside of a museum to be interesting. Inside the confines, the museum became a prison or a diner for the Mbwun. The confines if the museum, get smaller as the novel progresses, which certainly adds to the methodical suspense.
Rating: 4/5. An entertaining read with solid research done to support the plot.
Friday, November 25, 2016
The Blob (1988): Review
I'll be honest: I hated the beginning of this film. I didn't find any sort of three-dimensional quality in any of the characters, even through most of the film. I loathed the hetero sexism and chauvinistic approach the many of the male characters had toward woman. Good riddance sleezeball!
I could have also done without the creepy reverend, like holy Christ that was great acting and great casting.
Another aspect of this film I didn't care for, but I contradict myself on: the lack of diversity. I understand that this is a rural setting, but I disliked the fact the only human antagonist was African American.
Moving on.
I really did like Brian Flagg (Kevin Dillon). Rebel without a cause, but that is only a surface value assessment of his character. He's not like every one, not like these sleezy, predatory, high school skirt chasers. The Blob was the real hero in this tale from that perspective.
I did see a parallel to The Color Out of Space", but all else was different. In keeping to the time period, the 80's were certainly a time of political unrest given that communism was still on the minds of many American's.
Rating: 4/5
I could have also done without the creepy reverend, like holy Christ that was great acting and great casting.
Another aspect of this film I didn't care for, but I contradict myself on: the lack of diversity. I understand that this is a rural setting, but I disliked the fact the only human antagonist was African American.
Moving on.
I really did like Brian Flagg (Kevin Dillon). Rebel without a cause, but that is only a surface value assessment of his character. He's not like every one, not like these sleezy, predatory, high school skirt chasers. The Blob was the real hero in this tale from that perspective.
I did see a parallel to The Color Out of Space", but all else was different. In keeping to the time period, the 80's were certainly a time of political unrest given that communism was still on the minds of many American's.
Rating: 4/5
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Lovecraft Stories: Review
Lovecraft is known (and infamous) for his tales, which are often linguistically dense. Lovecraft's tale, The Outsider, is among his best, as is The Call of Cthulhu, and Pickman's Model. What is striking about these three pieces in their connecting elements. The element that connects these three pieces is that one doesn't actually see the monster through the narrative. Granted the reader does not see the monsters, they do get a glimpse at the end.
The Outsider is one of those mind-bending pieces that one has to work on. Lovecraft does very well with his creepy settings (See Dagon, At the Mountains of Madness). This is perhaps one of Lovecraft's most technical stories, not just with language, but what does does with both. It reads a bit like poetry, and it may have worked in poetic verse. What makes this work tick, what gives it that impact is the one-two punch of the ending.
The Call of Cthulhu is one of those pieces that feels like it goes on longer than it really is. Perhaps that's its creepy-factor, but one of the aspects of the piece is that fact it unravels as it goes on, and given the world-wide scale, it could have been ten times the length. What makes Cthulhu such an effective monster is that, we only understand so little about it, but we understand the scope of its abilities: to influence the minds of humanity. Cthulhu is one of those monsters that puts the others to shame.
Pickman's Model is more tame than the other two pieces by Lovecraft. The creepiness is there and the ending is what Lovecraft's tales are known for. What makes this such an effective piece, like The Outsider, Lovecraft makes great use of the environment and time settings and adds in the unknown, which isn't supernatural, or not on the surface. Lovecraft leaves out more than enough to keep a reader on edge and it's not because of his maddening use of language.
Rating: The Outsider-4/5; The Call of Cthulhu-4.5/5, Pickman's Model-4/5
The Outsider is one of those mind-bending pieces that one has to work on. Lovecraft does very well with his creepy settings (See Dagon, At the Mountains of Madness). This is perhaps one of Lovecraft's most technical stories, not just with language, but what does does with both. It reads a bit like poetry, and it may have worked in poetic verse. What makes this work tick, what gives it that impact is the one-two punch of the ending.
The Call of Cthulhu is one of those pieces that feels like it goes on longer than it really is. Perhaps that's its creepy-factor, but one of the aspects of the piece is that fact it unravels as it goes on, and given the world-wide scale, it could have been ten times the length. What makes Cthulhu such an effective monster is that, we only understand so little about it, but we understand the scope of its abilities: to influence the minds of humanity. Cthulhu is one of those monsters that puts the others to shame.
Pickman's Model is more tame than the other two pieces by Lovecraft. The creepiness is there and the ending is what Lovecraft's tales are known for. What makes this such an effective piece, like The Outsider, Lovecraft makes great use of the environment and time settings and adds in the unknown, which isn't supernatural, or not on the surface. Lovecraft leaves out more than enough to keep a reader on edge and it's not because of his maddening use of language.
Rating: The Outsider-4/5; The Call of Cthulhu-4.5/5, Pickman's Model-4/5
Thursday, November 10, 2016
"Let Them Fight" (For Love!) Godzilla (2014) Review
Where to begin. . . My inner fanboy is screaming!
I liked. I really did.
Aside from being overly critical of the plot, which was cookie-cutter, but there was something about how the characters were handled that struck a cord. Yes, I didn't expect much since this was an action film, but my statement about character stands.
The monsters are the REAL characters (to me at least). I got a Lovecraftian feel from the monsters. They are older than any known extinct creature, and that Godzilla is a force of nature itself to maintain balance is an interesting concept. I couldn't help but build a parallel to the Weapons of Final Fantasy 7. Godzilla is NOT a force of good, though its actions are beneficial to a degree, its role in the film is what places Godzilla into a neutral role.
The "love birds" as I will name them, are also neutral to a degree. Their destructive prowess and ability to feed on radiation and draw a strange form of nourishment can place them in the evil spectrum. (They're not bad, just misunderstood, to borrow a phrase from Hagrid from the Harry Potter series). I find an amusing parallel between the "love birds" and angler fish: the male is always the smaller.
Atomic Breath for the win!
Not to go too much into the plot, which does a nice job of adding to the suspense. Though, comparing this film to the 2016 version, there is equal parts political interest and the nuclear bomb (or two) thrown into the mix, raises the stakes and a mushroom cloud, just for good measure!
Rating: 4.5/5
I liked. I really did.
Aside from being overly critical of the plot, which was cookie-cutter, but there was something about how the characters were handled that struck a cord. Yes, I didn't expect much since this was an action film, but my statement about character stands.
The monsters are the REAL characters (to me at least). I got a Lovecraftian feel from the monsters. They are older than any known extinct creature, and that Godzilla is a force of nature itself to maintain balance is an interesting concept. I couldn't help but build a parallel to the Weapons of Final Fantasy 7. Godzilla is NOT a force of good, though its actions are beneficial to a degree, its role in the film is what places Godzilla into a neutral role.
The "love birds" as I will name them, are also neutral to a degree. Their destructive prowess and ability to feed on radiation and draw a strange form of nourishment can place them in the evil spectrum. (They're not bad, just misunderstood, to borrow a phrase from Hagrid from the Harry Potter series). I find an amusing parallel between the "love birds" and angler fish: the male is always the smaller.
Atomic Breath for the win!
Not to go too much into the plot, which does a nice job of adding to the suspense. Though, comparing this film to the 2016 version, there is equal parts political interest and the nuclear bomb (or two) thrown into the mix, raises the stakes and a mushroom cloud, just for good measure!
Rating: 4.5/5
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Review: Snow by Ronal Malfi
Words are difficult to come by in review of this novel, hence a brief review.
A largely negative aspect of this novel was in the beginning and ultimately the characters. Being stranded at an airport during a blizzard and wanting to see ones son can drive some people to challenge Mother Nature. But, Todd Curry's personality needed more refining: he acted too much like an atypical male; the elderly couple felt like tag-a-longs and even liabilities; Kate was basically a damsel in distress. Most of this novel was just a reaction to everything.
I did enjoy the monster, particularly the little girl without a face. I liked the monsters but they didn't leave much of an impression.
One aspect of the monsters that I did find interesting was that they had some "tourist trap" set up, hence adding intelligence to the creatures. The aspect of the monsters being part of nature itself was interesting, but I didn't stand out in my head all that much.
Malfi's novel had promise, if only it had gone through closer editing.
Rating: 2/5.
A largely negative aspect of this novel was in the beginning and ultimately the characters. Being stranded at an airport during a blizzard and wanting to see ones son can drive some people to challenge Mother Nature. But, Todd Curry's personality needed more refining: he acted too much like an atypical male; the elderly couple felt like tag-a-longs and even liabilities; Kate was basically a damsel in distress. Most of this novel was just a reaction to everything.
I did enjoy the monster, particularly the little girl without a face. I liked the monsters but they didn't leave much of an impression.
One aspect of the monsters that I did find interesting was that they had some "tourist trap" set up, hence adding intelligence to the creatures. The aspect of the monsters being part of nature itself was interesting, but I didn't stand out in my head all that much.
Malfi's novel had promise, if only it had gone through closer editing.
Rating: 2/5.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
It's Weird and Pissed Off: John Carpenter's 'The Thing' Review
John Carpenter isn't known for happy feel-good horror films. The Thing is no exception.
Carpenter creates a setting which allows for extreme tensions, and not simply due to the deadly and isolated location: Antarctica. He hints at a major flaw in humanity itself: self-loathing. Humanity has a distrust of others due to their country of origin, skin color, and other factors beyond its control. In a sense, in the context of the film, humanity tries to separate itself, to be homogeneous. In the beginning of the film, after the helicopter crash, a clear sign or geographic ignorance is displayed when one character didn't distinguish between Norwegian and Swedish. Hence, a major flaw in several characters.
Tension rises at the beginning when all forms of communication fail. Radio communication is vital to the base, so for that to fail signals future failures. Speaking of communication: several characters are guilty of lack of communication simply due to their egos. Each character is certainly guilty of having an ego, but is overshadowed by creeping fears.
The introduction of the Thing, does have certain parallels to the Lovecraft novella At the Mountains of Madness. The Thing has properties similar to that of the Shoggoths, the slave race of the Elder Things, whom rebelled against their creators, nearly destroying the entire civilization. The Thing can imitate living organisms; even their personalities to a limited extent. The Thing is much more terrifying, even to the extent some will commit suicide out of fear of being assimilated by the Thing.
The nature of the Thing is worthy of terror and awe. It has no discernible true form and its cells act on their own, so in a sense, the Thing is a microbe which absorbs which life form it comes into contact with. Dr. Copper (Richard Dysart) calculated that the Thing could imitate every human being on the planet in 27,000 hours, roughly 3 years. With the current population of Earth at 7,500,000,000, the Thing could imitate 6,666,666 people per 24 period.
This information increases the tension among the crew and drives them to the brink of madness with despair and fear.
During their battles with the Thing, it proves to be difficult to kill. It isn't just instinct, it has intelligence.
Rating: 5/5
Carpenter creates a setting which allows for extreme tensions, and not simply due to the deadly and isolated location: Antarctica. He hints at a major flaw in humanity itself: self-loathing. Humanity has a distrust of others due to their country of origin, skin color, and other factors beyond its control. In a sense, in the context of the film, humanity tries to separate itself, to be homogeneous. In the beginning of the film, after the helicopter crash, a clear sign or geographic ignorance is displayed when one character didn't distinguish between Norwegian and Swedish. Hence, a major flaw in several characters.
Tension rises at the beginning when all forms of communication fail. Radio communication is vital to the base, so for that to fail signals future failures. Speaking of communication: several characters are guilty of lack of communication simply due to their egos. Each character is certainly guilty of having an ego, but is overshadowed by creeping fears.
The introduction of the Thing, does have certain parallels to the Lovecraft novella At the Mountains of Madness. The Thing has properties similar to that of the Shoggoths, the slave race of the Elder Things, whom rebelled against their creators, nearly destroying the entire civilization. The Thing can imitate living organisms; even their personalities to a limited extent. The Thing is much more terrifying, even to the extent some will commit suicide out of fear of being assimilated by the Thing.
The nature of the Thing is worthy of terror and awe. It has no discernible true form and its cells act on their own, so in a sense, the Thing is a microbe which absorbs which life form it comes into contact with. Dr. Copper (Richard Dysart) calculated that the Thing could imitate every human being on the planet in 27,000 hours, roughly 3 years. With the current population of Earth at 7,500,000,000, the Thing could imitate 6,666,666 people per 24 period.
This information increases the tension among the crew and drives them to the brink of madness with despair and fear.
During their battles with the Thing, it proves to be difficult to kill. It isn't just instinct, it has intelligence.
Rating: 5/5
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Beware the Moon: American Werewolf in London Review
The werewolf is a creature of, one can say, fuzzy origins. Landis's film doesn't go so far into the folklore, at least not directly. The modern setting in the film makes the origins of this creature obscure and in essence, the modern settings nearly render the origins almost meaningless simply to to the fact that superstitions hold less and less power as time moves on. What Landis does, is expand on the origins and examines how superstitious folklore and modernity interact.
The Slaughtered Lamb is host to superstition: the regulars there are stuck between superstition and modernity and with good reason; the pentagram does have its roots in Paganism, a religion that predates Christianity. Landis's werewolf combines with American and English sensibilities, which sets up a dynamic film. Granted the film isn't confined the one place, the sense of loneliness does cast a shadow.
David Kesler (David Naughton) is an American traveler, who is stricken by the curse of the werewolf. Landis does a wonderful job of handling Kesler's character. Kesler is dynamic in the sense he has the incredible sense of self that sways back and forth, yet doesn't seem to want to break, yet it fractures in key points. Perhaps in his madness he finds his saving grace: love. Nurse Gallagher is commendable for her efforts, and indeed the efforts of Dr. Hirsch deserve credit, but when faced with the supernatural forces, which belief in the supernatural only exists in small pockets of the human population.
Going further into the conflict between supernatural and modernity. This conflict, modernity and the supernatural, is long standing, to be sure. What Landis does to address the conflict, or at the very least, attempt to examine these two forces, is force the two to meet. A supernatural creature rampaging in London, where money is always a main concern, a werewolf only made things worse. The mere presence of it took several lives; an insurance nightmare.
However, Landis goes another step further, perhaps another direction altogether. Kesler is visited by his friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) and his victims. Landis expands on the werewolf, namely its human counterpart/half. The curse of the werewolf wears down on its unwilling host. One could claim Kesler, as a werewolf, walks the line between life and death, also adding to his mental burden.
Rating: 5/5
The Slaughtered Lamb is host to superstition: the regulars there are stuck between superstition and modernity and with good reason; the pentagram does have its roots in Paganism, a religion that predates Christianity. Landis's werewolf combines with American and English sensibilities, which sets up a dynamic film. Granted the film isn't confined the one place, the sense of loneliness does cast a shadow.
David Kesler (David Naughton) is an American traveler, who is stricken by the curse of the werewolf. Landis does a wonderful job of handling Kesler's character. Kesler is dynamic in the sense he has the incredible sense of self that sways back and forth, yet doesn't seem to want to break, yet it fractures in key points. Perhaps in his madness he finds his saving grace: love. Nurse Gallagher is commendable for her efforts, and indeed the efforts of Dr. Hirsch deserve credit, but when faced with the supernatural forces, which belief in the supernatural only exists in small pockets of the human population.
Going further into the conflict between supernatural and modernity. This conflict, modernity and the supernatural, is long standing, to be sure. What Landis does to address the conflict, or at the very least, attempt to examine these two forces, is force the two to meet. A supernatural creature rampaging in London, where money is always a main concern, a werewolf only made things worse. The mere presence of it took several lives; an insurance nightmare.
However, Landis goes another step further, perhaps another direction altogether. Kesler is visited by his friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) and his victims. Landis expands on the werewolf, namely its human counterpart/half. The curse of the werewolf wears down on its unwilling host. One could claim Kesler, as a werewolf, walks the line between life and death, also adding to his mental burden.
Rating: 5/5
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Alien in the Belly: "Alien" Review
First: R.I.P H.R Giger.
Upon first glance at the technology presented in the film, aside from the time it was made, gives a sense of crude yet advanced technology. The ship doesn't quite compare to the ships used in other science-fiction settings. That aside, the crude technology adds a certain amount of tension with the several malfunctions during the film. Couple that with extreme isolation (space) and there's an easy recipe for disaster.
Speaking of disaster: character. The range of character was great. Ripley (Weaver) played a rather strict yet resourceful woman, something her male counterpart Dallas (Skerritt) didn't seem to take well to. The concerns about payment is brought up several times. The dynamic in characterization extends into professional and personal behavior, which considering the long isolation these characters endure, even in the company of the rest, their own traits give them depth and a sense of realism.
In a Lovecraftian lens, this certainly does have the "tentacles" about it. The devil is certainly in the details: the ship is by far more advanced that the ship used my the main characters. This odes to Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness: the human trait of curiosity, things far more ancient than human endeavor could hope to understand, and genetic engineering right out of theory and Science Fiction.
The monster was a monstrous monster and not just due to its appearance and strength, the acidic blood is a major obstacle in challenging it in any meaningful way. Even should it die, it would do severe damage to who or what engaged it in combat. The alien is eerily similar to Rawhead Rex, Clive Barkers monster: both possess incredible strength and are older than the human mind could even conceive. Both monsters are creatures from a place where time is subjective, if not useless.
Rating: 5/5
Upon first glance at the technology presented in the film, aside from the time it was made, gives a sense of crude yet advanced technology. The ship doesn't quite compare to the ships used in other science-fiction settings. That aside, the crude technology adds a certain amount of tension with the several malfunctions during the film. Couple that with extreme isolation (space) and there's an easy recipe for disaster.
Speaking of disaster: character. The range of character was great. Ripley (Weaver) played a rather strict yet resourceful woman, something her male counterpart Dallas (Skerritt) didn't seem to take well to. The concerns about payment is brought up several times. The dynamic in characterization extends into professional and personal behavior, which considering the long isolation these characters endure, even in the company of the rest, their own traits give them depth and a sense of realism.
In a Lovecraftian lens, this certainly does have the "tentacles" about it. The devil is certainly in the details: the ship is by far more advanced that the ship used my the main characters. This odes to Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness: the human trait of curiosity, things far more ancient than human endeavor could hope to understand, and genetic engineering right out of theory and Science Fiction.
The monster was a monstrous monster and not just due to its appearance and strength, the acidic blood is a major obstacle in challenging it in any meaningful way. Even should it die, it would do severe damage to who or what engaged it in combat. The alien is eerily similar to Rawhead Rex, Clive Barkers monster: both possess incredible strength and are older than the human mind could even conceive. Both monsters are creatures from a place where time is subjective, if not useless.
Rating: 5/5
Friday, October 7, 2016
Another Yo-yo for the Fire: "Night of the Living Dead" Review
I'd be hard-pressed to find anything wrong with this film.
This was basically a perfect set-up. The character's breathed-for a while, of course. Ben (Played by Duane Jones) is interesting in his own right and significantly different than his counterpart, Harry Cooper (played by Karl Hardman). Ben and Harry are both correct in their approach to dealing with the outbreak: Ben was more proactive, while Harry was fear-based. Granted, Harry does earn his fair share of sympathy in the film, his inflexibility and hyper-masculine tendencies dampen any chance in reconciliation. Ben in the other hand, has those same masculine tendencies, but his flexibility in perilous situations is what places Ben in stark contrast to Harry.
Now, onto the monster at hand: the zombies. The make-up is what is to be expected in early horror films.This adds a greater depth to the terror of the film. Each zombie has a story: just look at their clothing, and the occasional heroine needle.
All things considered, and there are many, this is close to perfection in the horror genre.
Rating: 5/5
This was basically a perfect set-up. The character's breathed-for a while, of course. Ben (Played by Duane Jones) is interesting in his own right and significantly different than his counterpart, Harry Cooper (played by Karl Hardman). Ben and Harry are both correct in their approach to dealing with the outbreak: Ben was more proactive, while Harry was fear-based. Granted, Harry does earn his fair share of sympathy in the film, his inflexibility and hyper-masculine tendencies dampen any chance in reconciliation. Ben in the other hand, has those same masculine tendencies, but his flexibility in perilous situations is what places Ben in stark contrast to Harry.
Now, onto the monster at hand: the zombies. The make-up is what is to be expected in early horror films.This adds a greater depth to the terror of the film. Each zombie has a story: just look at their clothing, and the occasional heroine needle.
All things considered, and there are many, this is close to perfection in the horror genre.
Rating: 5/5
Thursday, October 6, 2016
World War Z: A Review
A zombie Apocalypse is an even many look forward to partaking in or
not. I did enjoy this book. It hit on numerous key emotional notes done
so by interviews. It is a very interesting take on zombie literature in
the 21st century, considering real-world implications. However, some
flaws in the story are noticeable.
The key flaw in this narrative style is repetition. Brooks does a great job in creating a believable fictional narrative, however the major drawback to this technique is repetition of narratives. Brooks writes very well, but the dialogue just doesn't seem to come from real people: the paragraphs go on, but is it reasonable for those people who likely have PTSD to be able express their experiences during the conflict so easily? Perhaps not.
An alternative view of the narrative is that it was meant to be unreliable. It is reminiscent of War of the Worlds, though more contained and more emotionally visceral. Additionally, in terms of mood/tone, it is similar to early Lovecraft: it is virtually the same throughout.
Though, the audio book version packs more of a punch than the book version.
Rating: I don't know if I can give this a solid rating, though it would range from 3.5/5 to 4/5
The key flaw in this narrative style is repetition. Brooks does a great job in creating a believable fictional narrative, however the major drawback to this technique is repetition of narratives. Brooks writes very well, but the dialogue just doesn't seem to come from real people: the paragraphs go on, but is it reasonable for those people who likely have PTSD to be able express their experiences during the conflict so easily? Perhaps not.
An alternative view of the narrative is that it was meant to be unreliable. It is reminiscent of War of the Worlds, though more contained and more emotionally visceral. Additionally, in terms of mood/tone, it is similar to early Lovecraft: it is virtually the same throughout.
Though, the audio book version packs more of a punch than the book version.
Rating: I don't know if I can give this a solid rating, though it would range from 3.5/5 to 4/5
Thursday, September 29, 2016
"The Yattering and Jack" by Clive Barker
Barker has an interesting twist on a demon. We tend to view demons as supernatural beings possessing supernatural powers which boggle the mind, but with Barker, the mind behind The Hellbound Heart, does something rather interesting: he creates a modern parable.
The Yattering in a low class demon, capable of creating small time poltergiest activity and act only within a set system of rules and is overseen by Beezelbub. In a way, this tales is a retelling of the trails of Job in the Bible. Satan could cause every malady and misfortune to Job, but could do nothing to physically harm him enough to cause Job to die. The Yattering is charged with causing with bringing Jack's soul to Hell, but cannot kill Jack, though can splatter a pussy (cat) all over the household. The Yattering is cause for all sorts of terrible events in the home all in attempt to cause Jack to go insane.
However, this is were the parallels to the trials of Job end. Hell wants Jack's soul, but Jack won't give it willingly. In a twist of character development, Jack is almost nonchalant, even apathetic to an extreme degree while the Yattering seeks his destruction. "Che sera, sera" is Jack's answer to just about everything the Yattering does, which translates to "what will be, will be". Clearly the man doesn't aspire to much. Maybe.
Jack's near apathetic and seemingly nihilistic character doesn't give him any development--maybe. The plot is turned over on its head and similar to a parable there are multiple layers to this yarn. Reading this tale at a surface level will only serve to confuse a reader and condemn them to everlasting torment.
Rating: 5/5
The Yattering in a low class demon, capable of creating small time poltergiest activity and act only within a set system of rules and is overseen by Beezelbub. In a way, this tales is a retelling of the trails of Job in the Bible. Satan could cause every malady and misfortune to Job, but could do nothing to physically harm him enough to cause Job to die. The Yattering is charged with causing with bringing Jack's soul to Hell, but cannot kill Jack, though can splatter a pussy (cat) all over the household. The Yattering is cause for all sorts of terrible events in the home all in attempt to cause Jack to go insane.
However, this is were the parallels to the trials of Job end. Hell wants Jack's soul, but Jack won't give it willingly. In a twist of character development, Jack is almost nonchalant, even apathetic to an extreme degree while the Yattering seeks his destruction. "Che sera, sera" is Jack's answer to just about everything the Yattering does, which translates to "what will be, will be". Clearly the man doesn't aspire to much. Maybe.
Jack's near apathetic and seemingly nihilistic character doesn't give him any development--maybe. The plot is turned over on its head and similar to a parable there are multiple layers to this yarn. Reading this tale at a surface level will only serve to confuse a reader and condemn them to everlasting torment.
Rating: 5/5
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Fuzzy Cycles: King's "Cycle of the Werewolf"
Don't mind the hairballs or the dismembered corpses, those are just for show. Maybe. King's werewolf tale is certainly nothing less than chilling, despite a fuzzy exterior.
In King's tale, the evil exists without rhyme or reason, save maybe to feed. Perhaps this evils origins date so far back, it escapes human understanding. There is a rhyme this this evil: every full moon.
In more depth, King creates a sense of dread in Tarker's Mill. Of course King could have expanded the story, but that would have taken away from it. The town is certainly small, and with the narrative weaves, it feels outright claustrophobic. Sorry, I'm trying not to "fan-boy" too much.
Anyway, onto the teeth of the matter! With this tale, we get character. Yes, they may seem "cookie-cutter" but at the core, these are people, every day people going about their lives. When terror is introduced, you get more flavor to these characters. They each react differently, as anyone else would react to strange violent murders occurring in a small town.
Rating: 5/5
In King's tale, the evil exists without rhyme or reason, save maybe to feed. Perhaps this evils origins date so far back, it escapes human understanding. There is a rhyme this this evil: every full moon.
In more depth, King creates a sense of dread in Tarker's Mill. Of course King could have expanded the story, but that would have taken away from it. The town is certainly small, and with the narrative weaves, it feels outright claustrophobic. Sorry, I'm trying not to "fan-boy" too much.
Anyway, onto the teeth of the matter! With this tale, we get character. Yes, they may seem "cookie-cutter" but at the core, these are people, every day people going about their lives. When terror is introduced, you get more flavor to these characters. They each react differently, as anyone else would react to strange violent murders occurring in a small town.
Rating: 5/5
Thursday, September 15, 2016
A Monster with Intelligence: "Rawhead Rex" Analysis and Review
Clive Barker is certainly a storyteller worth his words and all the blood and guts. Rawhead Rex is a piece that I could rave about for quite some time. It's certainly worth the praise. Rawhead Rex is a monster worthy of fear, not just for being nine feet tall with two rows of teeth and its insatiable appetite for the flesh of children. Rawhead Rex possesses intelligence, not just instinct.
Rex is an ancient creature, older than the Christian faith as stated by Father Coot. This does add another level to Rex. How does one go about putting an end to such an ancient monster? Rex has weaknesses, of course: bullets can damage him, as can fire. Rex understands his own weaknesses, which adds a truly terrifying aspect to him.
A monster can be only as frightening as its visage and its cruelty, right? Wrong. Rawhead Rex is a monster with an intelligence, granted that intelligence in limited. What is also outright frightening about Rex is that his intelligence could be greater than what is seen in in the story. The reader is given an insight into the mind of a monster, a monster which adapts to its environment. Rex is a monster with human qualities.
Barker does something similar with his other work, Hellraiser. In it, evil is ancient and seems to be beyond the ability of humanity to understand through the context of religion. Rex and Pinhead aren't even fazed by a crucifix, but by other objects, like Lemerchand's Box and the Talisman used against Rex. What contrasts these stories is how each of the antagonists are defeated.
In further comparison, Lovecraft does something similar. Lovecraft removes the context of Christianity from the horror tale, something Barker does to a degree. However, Barker gives Christianity limitations. A cross wouldn't slow Rex down, but fire and enough bullets could. This is were the comparison ends, unfortunately. Lovecraft was heavy handed in his madness, Barker is not.
Rating: 5/5
Rex is an ancient creature, older than the Christian faith as stated by Father Coot. This does add another level to Rex. How does one go about putting an end to such an ancient monster? Rex has weaknesses, of course: bullets can damage him, as can fire. Rex understands his own weaknesses, which adds a truly terrifying aspect to him.
A monster can be only as frightening as its visage and its cruelty, right? Wrong. Rawhead Rex is a monster with an intelligence, granted that intelligence in limited. What is also outright frightening about Rex is that his intelligence could be greater than what is seen in in the story. The reader is given an insight into the mind of a monster, a monster which adapts to its environment. Rex is a monster with human qualities.
Barker does something similar with his other work, Hellraiser. In it, evil is ancient and seems to be beyond the ability of humanity to understand through the context of religion. Rex and Pinhead aren't even fazed by a crucifix, but by other objects, like Lemerchand's Box and the Talisman used against Rex. What contrasts these stories is how each of the antagonists are defeated.
In further comparison, Lovecraft does something similar. Lovecraft removes the context of Christianity from the horror tale, something Barker does to a degree. However, Barker gives Christianity limitations. A cross wouldn't slow Rex down, but fire and enough bullets could. This is were the comparison ends, unfortunately. Lovecraft was heavy handed in his madness, Barker is not.
Rating: 5/5
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Cookie-Cutter Breading Ground: A Review of "Breeding Ground" by Sarah Pinborough
This will likely be a short review, likely the shortest I have written. "Breeding Ground" is certainly a fun novel, but riddled with several issues, among them is the writing itself and characterization. I wanted to like Matthew Edge, but I wanted more.
The first issue with this novel is the over-saturation of detail. Granted, the devil is in the details, but when more time is spent on environmental detail, it takes away from the story. Pinborough, to her credit, does well creating environments that are alien yet familiar in the apocalyptic tale. However, she does take away from her own story. Where Pinborough does well is the beginning: the attention to detail coupled with the first person perspective, does create an atmosphere of dread. After the first few chapters, the over-attention to detail weakens her narrative. At times, her usage of language creates misdirection, I found myself deep in a word soup.
The second issue, and the greatest weakness, is characterization. I wanted to care for these characters whom fate has nearly crushed. They can certainly be forgiven for their weaknesses during a time of utter chaos and upheaval of their lives; their survival instincts are what drive them and under extreme stress, the less savory aspects of characters come out. This does take away from any sympathetic response I may have had. I wanted to sympathize with Matthew, but I just could not bring myself to do so. He was a cookie-cutter male.
With all due credit and respect to Pinborough, she does create a good foundation for her characters, but she came up short in generating a sympathetic response through development. She generated a great deal of fear. Fear versus sympathy in a Horror tale is a tricky balance to strike.
Rating: 2/5
The first issue with this novel is the over-saturation of detail. Granted, the devil is in the details, but when more time is spent on environmental detail, it takes away from the story. Pinborough, to her credit, does well creating environments that are alien yet familiar in the apocalyptic tale. However, she does take away from her own story. Where Pinborough does well is the beginning: the attention to detail coupled with the first person perspective, does create an atmosphere of dread. After the first few chapters, the over-attention to detail weakens her narrative. At times, her usage of language creates misdirection, I found myself deep in a word soup.
The second issue, and the greatest weakness, is characterization. I wanted to care for these characters whom fate has nearly crushed. They can certainly be forgiven for their weaknesses during a time of utter chaos and upheaval of their lives; their survival instincts are what drive them and under extreme stress, the less savory aspects of characters come out. This does take away from any sympathetic response I may have had. I wanted to sympathize with Matthew, but I just could not bring myself to do so. He was a cookie-cutter male.
With all due credit and respect to Pinborough, she does create a good foundation for her characters, but she came up short in generating a sympathetic response through development. She generated a great deal of fear. Fear versus sympathy in a Horror tale is a tricky balance to strike.
Rating: 2/5
Thursday, September 1, 2016
A Mockery of Death: A Review of "The Funeral" by Richard Matheson
Matheson's The Funeral is Gothic satire, a melding of Poe and Twain. In the beginning, a heaviness is present in the text, oddly similar to The Raven; though any one of Poe's pieces would make a fair comparison. In the satire aspect, Matheson's The Funeral draws parallels with works like The Mysterious Stranger, but only for how the subject matter is handled.
In The Mysterious Stranger, Satan has this indifferent attitude towards life and death, much like Asper. Satan's indifference to human life was polar opposite of Asper's. Asper wanted a proper send off, with his monster friends at the viewing. Which certainly does at another layer to this tale.
Matheson employed several monstrous archetypes: Ygor, and a few vampire's in the group, of which Asper is one. Asper's ability to die may likely have drawn him to the funeral parlor. It is possible to infer that Asper has a fascination with death and the whole spectacle of it. Though it is more of a given than in inference; however, no other information is given that Asper was never given a proper send off, hence why it stands as inference.
Rating: 4/5
In The Mysterious Stranger, Satan has this indifferent attitude towards life and death, much like Asper. Satan's indifference to human life was polar opposite of Asper's. Asper wanted a proper send off, with his monster friends at the viewing. Which certainly does at another layer to this tale.
Matheson employed several monstrous archetypes: Ygor, and a few vampire's in the group, of which Asper is one. Asper's ability to die may likely have drawn him to the funeral parlor. It is possible to infer that Asper has a fascination with death and the whole spectacle of it. Though it is more of a given than in inference; however, no other information is given that Asper was never given a proper send off, hence why it stands as inference.
Rating: 4/5
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
I Am Legend Review
Matheson's novel seems like it can easily be a 'contemporary' piece written in the early 2000's. The sense of isolation is as dense as the vampire's fluids. Some aspects of the novel are certainly challenging, namely the use of the-last-man-on-Earth trope. Granted this trope was handled quite well, it proved a tough aspect to get through.
Admittedly, I enjoyed this novel. The apocalyptic sub-genre of Horror still holds strong today, Matheson's novel, should it be compared to The Mist, would prove challenging, due to mainly how the main characters are handled in the events of the respective stories. Neville has been in survival mode for several years when he is introduced. In order to survive the utter annihilation of the human race, he holed himself in his home, which turned into his own prison on more than one level. His home turned into a psychological torture chamber, his entire life was spent in that space. Worse: he's a prisoner of his own mind, the confines of his skull turned into his own prison during his years in near isolation.
In order to compare this piece to King's The Mist, each main character must be examined. Drayton (The Mist) is certainly an everyday man, much like Neville. They parallel in certain ways: each has lost any form of familial support, Neville more so. Each character is driven to extremes in order to survive and protect their family. However, the comparisons end there. Neville, by a margin is certainly the more tragic character: his had to kill his own family and in the end he was meant to be killed.
Neville's character was certainly realistic, but was 'cookie-cutter', though this criticism is from 'contemporary' sensibilities, Neville's character is not without merit. One could draw parallel's, but in terms of writing, Matheson's novel does leave something to be desired. I am Legend, seems like a piece made too short. Is Neville killed or not? It Matheson does lead one to believe Neville does meet his end. What did make Neville a legend? Does he think of himself a legend for how long he has survived? Or has he gone mad?
Madness is ever present in this novel and is exquisitely handled. One would go mad if they had to slay their own family and burn their corpses, one would go mad if all they had known had devolved into a vampire utopia. But, the madness lies in Neville's seemingly selfish character. When he takes Ruth, he does in caveman fashion: he bludgeons her and takes her home. As comical as this seems, this does show how much his psyche has deteriorated over time. Perhaps Neville's madness was a saving grace from him in the end as he meets his end. He had to resort to child-like fantasy to cushion his fall into madness. Perhaps he met his end with a smile?
Rating: 3.5/5
Admittedly, I enjoyed this novel. The apocalyptic sub-genre of Horror still holds strong today, Matheson's novel, should it be compared to The Mist, would prove challenging, due to mainly how the main characters are handled in the events of the respective stories. Neville has been in survival mode for several years when he is introduced. In order to survive the utter annihilation of the human race, he holed himself in his home, which turned into his own prison on more than one level. His home turned into a psychological torture chamber, his entire life was spent in that space. Worse: he's a prisoner of his own mind, the confines of his skull turned into his own prison during his years in near isolation.
In order to compare this piece to King's The Mist, each main character must be examined. Drayton (The Mist) is certainly an everyday man, much like Neville. They parallel in certain ways: each has lost any form of familial support, Neville more so. Each character is driven to extremes in order to survive and protect their family. However, the comparisons end there. Neville, by a margin is certainly the more tragic character: his had to kill his own family and in the end he was meant to be killed.
Neville's character was certainly realistic, but was 'cookie-cutter', though this criticism is from 'contemporary' sensibilities, Neville's character is not without merit. One could draw parallel's, but in terms of writing, Matheson's novel does leave something to be desired. I am Legend, seems like a piece made too short. Is Neville killed or not? It Matheson does lead one to believe Neville does meet his end. What did make Neville a legend? Does he think of himself a legend for how long he has survived? Or has he gone mad?
Madness is ever present in this novel and is exquisitely handled. One would go mad if they had to slay their own family and burn their corpses, one would go mad if all they had known had devolved into a vampire utopia. But, the madness lies in Neville's seemingly selfish character. When he takes Ruth, he does in caveman fashion: he bludgeons her and takes her home. As comical as this seems, this does show how much his psyche has deteriorated over time. Perhaps Neville's madness was a saving grace from him in the end as he meets his end. He had to resort to child-like fantasy to cushion his fall into madness. Perhaps he met his end with a smile?
Rating: 3.5/5
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