risingshadow

October 11, 2017

You’d be a fool to miss these brightly sparkling gems

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized camille andre, elizabeth story, ellen klages, jacob weisman, James Morrow, Jane Yolen, patricia a mckillip, peter s beagle, review, risingshadow, seregil of rhiminee, the asylum of dr caligari, the emerald circus, the forgotten beasts of eld, the new voices of fantasy, the overneath, Thomas Canty, wicked wonders

For RISINGSHADOW, Seregil of Rhiminee delivers six short reviews.

You’d be a fool to miss these brightly sparkling gems of fresh and imaginative speculative fiction, because they have something for everybody. Please, take a look at them and let yourself be entertained by good fiction and wonderful prose.

Ellen Klages: WICKED WONDERS

A wonderfully inventive, imaginative and original short story collection that contains exceptionally good stories. This collection demonstrates the author’s writing skills in a perfect way and lets readers wonder at her range of imagination.

Photo: Scott R. Kline

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this collection, because each of the stories is excellent (there are no bad stories). If you enjoy reading fascinating, witty and thought-provoking short stories and expect richly-drawn characters from your stories, this collection should be on your reading list.

Ellen Klages is clearly one of the most interesting authors working in the field of speculative fiction, because her stories are something different.

James Morrow: THE ASYLUM OF DR. CALIGARI

I was positively surprised by this novella, because it was unlike anything I’ve recently read due to the author’s idea of using a cult horror film as a basis for his story. This story was an extremely entertaining reading experience for me, because I’m a long-time horror fan who appreciates originality, inventiveness and satirical elements.

I liked the author’s writing style, and I enjoyed reading about how he used insightful and sharp dialogues in his narrative. In my opinion, the author’s way of using of satirical elements feels charmingly fresh. There’s something in his writing style that slightly reminds me of Brendan Connell.

Peter S. Beagle and Jacob Weisman: THE NEW VOICES OF FANTASY

THE NEW VOICES OF FANTASY wonderfully showcases the talents of many new authors who have gradually become famous for their stories and are on the brink of becoming established and respected authors. The authors featured in this anthology are: Alyssa Wong, Sofia Samatar, Brooke Bolander, Sarah Pinsker, Max Gladstone, Ursula Vernon, E. Lily Yu, A. C. Wise, Maria Dahvana Headley, Hannu Rajaniemi, Chris Tarry, Kelly Sandoval, JY Yang, Ben Loory, Amal El-Mohtar, Adam Ehrlich Sachs, Eugene Fischer, Carmen Maria Machado and Usman T. Malik.

Photo: Jill Roberts

This anthology is without any kind of doubt one of the best anthologies of the year, because it contains excellent stories that demonstrate the writing skills of many authors. In my opinion, this anthology is essential reading material for everybody who loves well written speculative fiction. No m<snip>atter what your taste in speculative fiction is, you’ll find something to love in this anthology, because the stories demonstrate how diverse and inventive speculative fiction can be at its best.

Patricia A. McKillip: THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD

Patricia A. McKillip’s THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD is one of my all-time favourite fantasy novels. It’s an eloquent and beautifully written fantasy novel that is one of the best fantasy novels ever written.

One of the reasons why I love and adore this novel is the author’s stunningly beautiful prose. The prose is so descriptive, elegant and delicate that it immediately charms those who enjoy beautifully written fantasy tales.

Photo: Stephen Gold/Wikimedia Commons

The cover image by Thomas Canty does justice to the beauty of the story.

To be short, this novel is an absolute delight that deserves to be read. (If you haven’t yet had an opportunity to acquaint yourself with the magic of Patricia A. McKillip, I strongy urge you to read this novel.)

Peter S. Beagle: THE OVERNEATH

THE OVERNEATH contains excellent and well written short stories from the author who has become famous for THE LAST UNICORN (he has also written other exceptionally intriguing works of speculative fiction, including SUMMERLONG and IN CALABRIA).

If you’re a fan of Peter S. Beagle, I’m sure that you’ll find this collection intriguing, because all of the stories are good. If you’re a newcomer to the author’s fiction, this collection serves as an excellent entry point to his stories.

Photo: Rina Weisman

I find these stories excellent, because they’re wonderfully written and feature intriguing happenings. It’s great that this collection has something for everybody (the stories range from fantasy fiction to steampunk fiction and there’s enough magic and wonders to satisty the needs of many fantasy readers).

Jan Yolen: THE EMERALD CIRCUS

THE EMERALD CIRCUS is a marvellous and entertaining short story collection featuring re-tellings and transformations of well-known stories. Each of the stories has plenty of entertainment values to those who are familiar with classic fantasy stories, fairy tales, myths and legends.

Photo: Jason Stemple

I enjoy the author’s prose and writing style, because she writes excellent prose and knows how to keep up the reader’s interest. She effortlessly creates a magical atmosphere that enhances the reading experience and highlights the happenings.

For more info on WICKED WONDERS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

For more info on THE ASYLUM OF DR. CALIGARI, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

For more info about THE NEW VOICES OF FANTASY, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover art by Camille André

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Thomas Canty

For more info on THE OVERNEATH, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

For more info on THE EMERALD CIRCUS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

March 15, 2017

HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE is a masterpiece

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized andrew wheeler, excerpt, hap and leonard, hap and leonard: blood and lemonade, hap and leonard: mucho mojo, Joe R. Lansdale, not our kind, pamela scott, review, risingshadow, seregil of rhiminee, sundanceTV', the antick musings of g.b.h. hornswoggler, the book lover's boudoir

With tonight’s premiere of SundanceTV’s HAP AND LEONARD: MUCHO MOJO and the recent publication of Joe R. Lansdale’s HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE, the Internet is a buzz.

Photo: Karen Lansdale

At RISINGSHADOW, Seregil of Rhiminee praises the book.

Joe R. Lansdale’s BLOOD AND LEMONADE is a masterpiece of addictive and stylistic storytelling. It’s satisfyingly pulpy entertainment to those who enjoy reading clever and vivid stories with memorable characters.

I was delighted to read this mosaic novel, because I enjoy Joe R. Lansdale’s Hap and Leonard stories. I find these stories amazing, because the author’s writing style appeals to my twisted taste in pulp fiction. I don’t normally read this kind of fiction very much, but Joe R. Lansdale’s stories are among the few exceptions that fascinate me.

BLOOD AND LEMONADE oozes steadily pulsing raw power that is rare in this kind of fiction. As experienced readers are aware of, there are way too many pulp and crime novels, in which the authors try too hard to reach for something fascinating, unique and wild, but fail miserably due to lack of vision and poor writing skills. Fortunately, this novel is something totally different, because it’s original and entertaining, and – what’s most important – it has style and substance that is lacking from other novels.

If you’re a newcomer to Joe R. Lansdale’s fiction, this novel may not be the best place to start reading his Hap and Leonard stories, but I see no reason why newcomers wouldn’t enjoy it. Because the stories are good and entertaining, they can be read and enjoyed without knowledge about the previously published stories.

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One of the main reasons why I love BLOOD AND LEMONADE is that it features excellent dialogue. I love reading the sharp, thoughtful and striking conversations between the protagonists, because the author excels at writing them in a lively manner. Another reason why I love this novel is the author’s sense of humour, because it’s delightfully amusing, insightful and twisted. It adds a nice flavour to the stories.

I give BLOOD AND LEMONADE full five stars on the scale from one to five stars, because it’s pure pulp goodness from start to finish.

I highly recommend BLOOD AND LEMONADE to Joe R. Lansdale’s fans, because it has everything you could ever hope to find in Hap and Leonard stories – style, substance, humour, insightful commentary, interesting happenings, fights etc. It’s a delightfully entertaining reading experience for those who love crime and pulp stories, but it will also appeal to horror readers.

Excellent and wonderfully vivid entertainment!

Pamela Scott of THE BOOK LOVER’S BOUDOIR enjoys her first Hap and Leonard book experience.

I’ve never really read Lansdale’s work before other than the odd story. I have seen some of the Hap and Leonard TV series and thought it was mad and brilliant so wanted to read BLOOD AND LEMONADE.

This is my first time reading a mosaic novel. I had no idea such a thing existed. I really enjoyed BLOOD AND LEMONADE which is really a series of stories delving into the past of Hap with occasional forays into Leonard’s past. I liked the way the book is structured with flashbacks of the past triggered by places Hap and Leonard visit or people they encounter. This works really well. I enjoyed all of the individual tales and how well they worked together. However, as I’ve not read anything about Hap and Leonard before I felt like something was missing or I missed something and didn’t get as much from BLOOD AND LEMONADE as a proper fan would. Nevertheless, I enjoyed BLOOD AND LEMONADE enough to read more of the author especially Hap and Leonard’s adventures. My favourite tales were Not Our Kind, Down by the Riverside, Blood Lemonade and The River of the Dead. The other stories were good but these appealed to me a bit more.

At THE ANTICK MUSINGS OF G.B.H. HORNSWOLLGGLER, GENT., Andrew Wheeler was thrilled to receive the book.

HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE is a follow-up to last year’s HAP AND LEONARD, which collected all of the stories about Joe R. Lansdale’s crime-fighting odd couple that had been published to that point. Well, Mamma Lansdale’s youngest son has been very busy this past year, because BLOOD AND LEMONADE contains thirteen more stories about Hap and Leonard (though I think one of them was the new story in last year’s book), all copyright 2016 or 2017.

You’d think there was a new season of a Hap and Leonard TV show hitting, or something!

SUNDANCETV is offering exclusive experts from HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE.

SundanceTV is heading back to Hap and Leonard’s teenage years in the exclusive digital release of “Not Our Kind,” a short story from Joe R. Lansdale’s most recent book HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE, which is now on sale via Tachyon Publications.

In the story, we meet up with Hap and Leonard back in high school, a time when their friendship is first blossoming. They join forces alongside Leonard’s Uncle Chester to defend themselves against some unsavory bullies.

This short story is the first of two stories to be featured exclusively on sundance.tv in anticipation of the Hap and Leonard: Mucho Mojo premiere, airing Wed., Mar. 15 at 10/9c on SundanceTV. The second release will be a never-before-seen Hap and Leonard adventure, “In the River of the Dead.” The story will first be available to those subscribed to the Hap and Leonard newsletter and doled out in weekly chapters throughout the run of the HAP AND LEONARD: MUCHO MOJO season.

For more info about HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

February 16, 2017

Peter S. Beagle’s IN CALABRIA is a masterpiece of magical realism

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized b&n sci-fi & fantasy blog, elizabeth story, fantasy, in calabria, jl jamieson, joel cunningham, nissi shawl, peter s beagle, pop culture beast, review, risingshadow, seregil of rhiminee, the last unicorn, the seattle review of books

The reviews keep rolling in for Peter S Beagle’s well crafted IN CALABRIA.

Photo: Rina Weisman

For RISINGSHADOW, Seregil of Rhiminee praises the book.

Peter S. Beagle’s IN CALABRIA is a lyrical, touching and exquisitely beautiful story set in Calabria. It’s perfect fiction for those who enjoy reading well-told literary stories, because it’s a magical tale for adults. It’s like a slice of real life that has been spiced with fantasy elements.

Before I delve into writing about this story and its contents, I’ll mention that it can be classified either as a short novel or as a novella. I personally classify it as a novella, because it is of novella length.

For a while now, I’ve admired Peter S. Beagle’s literary voice, because he writes beautiful fiction in his own unique way. I like his way of combining fantastical and realistic elements, because he does it extremely well and engages the reader’s attention from the very first page. In my opinion, this novella is an excellent example of his writing skills, because it’s a beautiful fable for modern readers.

IN CALABRIA is one of those novellas that are not meant to be read in haste (it is not intended to readers who skim through stories without taking the time to ponder their meaning). This novella is a relatively fast read, but please don’t let its length fool you into believing that it’s a simple story without depth. It’s anything but simple, because it features such themes as isolation and loneliness, which are explored in a delicate yet surprisingly strong way.

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One of the most important things why I love this novella is that the author writes lyrical prose. His beautiful prose is a pleasure to read, because his descriptions about the happenings are elegant.

Peter S. Beagle’s IN CALABRIA is a delicious and noteworthy masterpiece of magical realism for everyone who loves literary speculative fiction and enjoys reading beautifully written stories. It’s a captivating and rewarding story that should not be missed by fantasy readers, because it pulses with elegance and subtle beauty.

Highly recommended!

JL Jamieson of POP CULTURE BEAST finds the story to be the perfect Valentine.

Beagle writes a modern fairy tale with so much heart and grace, and rather than the world he writes being transformed by it, it’s the characters who are changed deeply and utterly by unfathomable events.

It’s always a pleasure to see a new Beagle novel, as he writes these wonderful tales that involve the supernatural–but are actually about the characters and the way they’re changed by fantastic events. He’s been at this a long time, and it shows in how well crafted the novel is. He’s created the perfect Valentine.

Pick this book up, you won’t regret it.

At THE SEATTLE REVIEW OF BOOKS, Nisi Shawl reviews the fantasy.

Peter S. Beagle’s story of an Italian farmer encountering a gravid unicorn, is reminiscent of his 1968 masterpiece THE LAST UNICORN. But the new book emphasizes the interior transformations caused by this mythical animal. A simultaneous affair between 50-ish widower Claudio Bianchi and a fierce motorcyclist young enough to be his daughter reads alternately as metaphor for the irrationality and vulnerability of love and as simple wish fulfillment. The unicorn colt’s sire, black and furious, appears near the book’s end as counterbalance to the dam’s white beauty, a compelling vision of the positive masculine principle lacking in Beagle’s early work.

Joel Cunningham of B&N SCI-FI & FANTASY BLOG announces the book’s release.

A master of fantasy returns with a new unicorn and a new story, set in the rural farmland of Calabria. Frozen by a past tragedy, Claudio lives a simple life with a few animals, writing poetry and barely surviving. He is astonished when into his life appears a unicorn, forcing him to remember the true freedom that all living things have lost in modern times. The unicorn attracts hordes of reporters and tourists, as well as animal rights activists and those who intend the creature harm. Claudio stoutly protects her, and when he helps her bear her foal, Claudio sees his own life returning to him, the birth of new possibilities. Anyone who loved THE LAST UNICORN knows the power of a Peter S. Beagle story.

For more info about IN CALABRIA, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

November 16, 2016

NIGHTMARES is the perfect tool for discovering the very best of modern horror

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized Ann Monn, anthology, becky spratford, booklist, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, diabolique, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, horror, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, review, risingshadow, seregil of rhiminee, sheila m merritt

A trio of fresh reviews for Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR.

For BOOKLIST, Becky Spratford praises the anthology with a starred review.

Building off her indispensable DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR (2010), which covered the years 1985–2005, Datlow has here collected the 24 stories that she has most enjoyed from 2005–15. Her task is aided greatly by the fact that the last decade has been a fertile one for the genre, with the emergence of incredible new voices and the decision by nongenre writers to give horror a try.

This volume is not only the perfect discovery tool for readers looking for the very best of modern horror, it should also be used as a collection-development tool by library staff.

Sheila M. Merritt at DIABOLIQUE is impressed by the collection.

NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR is a follow-up of sorts to editor Ellen Datlow’s DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR. Released in 2010, DARKNESS covered select short stories published between 1985-2005. NIGHTMARES deals with the period from 2005-2015, and largely contains tales by authors not included in the previous volume. Datlow stresses that the works chosen for NIGHTMARES are stories she loves. Indeed, there’s a subjectivity inherent in picking a story for publication. Subjectivity also comes into play when a reviewer singles out certain tales to praise from a collection.

<snip>

Editor Ellen Datlow has compiled works that display her ability to cull quality horror fiction, as well as her enthusiasm and esteem for the genre. Published by Tachyon, NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR is a pleasant reminder that horror’s short fiction “golden age” is ongoing.

At RISINGSHADOW, Seregil of Rhiminee reviews the book.

NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR (edited by Ellen Datlow) is a diverse and well-edited horror anthology that demonstrates what kind of terrors and mesmerising strangeness modern horror has to offer for readers who are looking for something dark, terrifying and unsettling to read. It doesn’t disappoint its readers, because the editor has done her best to gather as many different kind of stories as possible and has paid attention to quality.

<snip>

As many of us are aware of, horror fiction – and especially weird fiction – has become increasingly popular during the last decade. I think it’s great that several new and talented authors have emerged during the recent years and have taken their place alongside the old masters. This anthology allows readers to explore what kind of unsettling stories various authors have written.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

August 2, 2016

Each story in Michael Swanwick’s NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT is a work of art

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized Ann Monn, beelzebub, cheryl eddy, collection, elizabeth story, io9, michael swanwick, not so much said the cat, review, risingshadow, sam lubell, seregil of rhiminee, sfrevu, short stories, the dog said bow-wow

Reviews and recommendations for Michael Swanwick’s recently released collection NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT keep coming.

At IO9, Cheryl Eddy includes the book among her 15 Must-Read Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Arriving This August.

A second collection of short science fiction from the author of THE DOG SAID BOW-WOW, with tales that promise to include the Devil, time travelers, a horse with magic powers, and “a semi-repentant troll.”

Sam Lubell at SFREVU praises the collection.

Michael Swanwick is one of the best short story writers in the science fiction/fantasy field. He will be a guest of honor at this month’s Worldcon, MidAmeriCon in Kansas City. While he jokes that he has lost more major awards than any other science fiction writer, his display cabinet holds five Hugo awards, a Nebula, and a World Fantasy Award. Swanwick writes clear, elegant prose that is a joy to read, and excels at creating lifelike characters. Each story is a complete work of art.

<snip>

Perhaps the best reason to read short stories is the way they give a skilled writer many different canvases to display his talents. Not So Much Said the Cat tackles themes of love, identity, morals, and reality in varying settings and plots. Still, Swanwick’s style shines through in all of these and each story will make the reader think.

For RISINGSHADOW, Seregil of Rhiminee lauds NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT.

Ah, what a pleasure it was to read Michael Swanwick’s NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT. This magnificent collection was everything I hoped it would be and more, because it contained imaginative and well written stories. It wonderfully demonstrates Michael Swanwick’s strengths as an author and lets readers marvel at his vast imagination. It’s a collection that I can wholeheartedly praise and recommend, because it’s excellent.

<snip>

NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT is an excellent collection of imaginative and beautifully written stories that deftly explore various themes, issues and elements ranging from magic and robots to love and aliens. There’s something for everyone in this collection.

<snip>

I’m impressed by the author’s ability to blend science fiction with fantasy elements. He’s one of the few authors who succeed in combining these genres in a flawless way, because his stories are at their best wildly imaginative. He even manages to spice up some of his stories with a few horror elements.

I like the author’s storytelling skills, because he’s a masterful storyteller who takes his readers on a journey into fascinating places. He writes imaginative stories that offer plenty of food for thoughts.

<snip>

What makes these stories especially good and memorable is the author’s literary writing style, because he charms readers with his fluent and atmospheric prose. His prose is irresistibly beautiful, vibrant and vivid, but also strikingly effective.

If you’re a newcomer to Michael Swanwick’s fiction, you’re in for a special treat when you pick up this collection and begin to turn its pages. I’m sure that you’ll find each of the stories intriguing, because they’re well-created stories with lots of imagination.

I highly recommend Michael Swanwick’s NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT to speculative fiction readers. This magnificent collection is essential reading material to those who love quality and originality. The stories contained within its covers are simply marvellous and offer plenty of entertainment, excellent prose, memorable scenes and thought-provoking moments to readers. What more could you possibly hope to find in a speculative fiction short story collection?

Beelzebub celebrates all the kind words

For more information on NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

For more info on THE DOG SAID BOW-WOW, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

June 9, 2016

The nuanced INVADERS is excellent

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized a.v. club, alex mccown, anthology, invaders, invaders: 22 tales from the outer limits of literature, jacob weisman, review, risingshadow, science fiction, seregil of rhiminee, short stories

Jacob Weisman and friend (photo: Jill Roberts)

At the A.V. CLUB, Alex McCown enjoys Jacob Weisman’s satisfying INVADERS: 22 TALES FROM THE OUTER LIMITS OF LITERATURE.

Far from feeling like an assemblage of writers dabbling in the literary equivalent of baseball pros trying their hands at hockey, Invaders is a playful and imaginative exploration of what it means to write in the field of science fiction. The stories within contain a broad array of styles and narrative topographies; some of them merely utilize tropes or fanciful conceits as the background folderol to a more humanistic tale of love or pain, while others incorporate deep sci-fi premises in ways that suggest as profound an investment in the genre’s possibilities as an Iain Banks or a Charles Stross. And it’s a usefully diverse range of entries: Not all stories are equally effective, which is to be expected, but taken together, they illuminate the breadth of scope among authors not known for the form and the strategies they use to pursue these far-flung ideas.

<snip>

The standard pluses and minuses of a compilation apply—there are lesser stories, but even they add to the range of ideas, and are over quickly enough—and the hook of watching more traditional storytellers splash about in the weird end of the pool makes for a satisfying overall experience. No one’s reinventing the wheel, but they are sending it leapfrogging through space-time.

For RISINGSHADOW, Seregil of Rhiminee praises Jacob Weisman’s impressive anthology.

INVADERS: 22 TALES FROM THE OUTER LIMITS OF LITERATURE features 22 tales written by authors who have mostly written literary fiction, but have also occasionally tried their hands on science fiction. This anthology allows readers an opportunity to explore interesting, inventive and original stories that wonderfully demonstrate what can be achieved when literary authors write science fiction and concentrate on speculating about life, relationships and technology.

As this anthology demonstrates, literary fiction and speculative fiction go perfectly hand in hand. They have a lot to offer to each other, because they balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses in a perfect way.

<snip>

The writing in these stories is excellent and wonderfully nuanced. You won’t find bad prose in any of them. Instead, you’ll find a well-selected treasure trove of good and exquisite prose.

If you’re a fan of hard science fiction, this anthology may feel a bit strange to you, because many of the stories differ quite a lot from what you normally read. However, please persevere with it, because it’s worth reading due to its literary values and the fact that it offers something new to readers (I advise you to be open-minded when you read this anthology).

As a reader who loves the literary side of speculative fiction and expects good and well written prose from speculative fiction stories, I was impressed by this anthology. It was enjoyable to read these stories, because they were good. I think that this anthology will be of interest to many readers, because its diverse contents are entertaining and thought-provoking.

I recommend this anthology to everybody who loves literary speculative fiction and wants to read good and imaginative stories. Whether you’re an experienced science fiction reader or a newcomer to the genre, you’ll find something to enjoy in this anthology. It offers readers an opportunity to expand their awareness of speculative fiction in a subtly engaging way.

Highly recommended!

For more info about INVADERS: 22 TALES FROM THE OUTER LIMITS OF LITERATURE, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Goro Fujita

Design by Elizabeth Story

September 18, 2015

THE MONSTROUS will chill and darken your day in a terrifyingly sweet way

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, horror, interview, john coulthart, Kristin Centorcelli, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, my bookish ways, mythos, reiko murakami, risingshadow, short stories, spooky bloggery, teleread, the monstrous

With a month to go before superstar editor Ellen Datlow’s forthcoming anthology THE MONSTROUS rises from the depths, the positive press keeps rolling in.

Ellen Datlow with one of her favorite monsters

For RISINGSHADOW, Seregil of Rhiminee lauds the book and includes individual reviews of each story.

I’m glad I had an opportunity to read and review THE MONSTROUS, because it’s an excellent horror anthology. It will be of interest to readers who enjoy reading dark fantasy and horror stories. The stories range fascinatingly from dark fantasy flavoured horror fiction to explicit horror fiction, and from psychologically challenging horror fiction to disquieting and deeply disturbing horror fiction.

One of the best things about THE MONSTROUS is that it contains versatile stories. It gives a good overview of what contemporary horror fiction has to offer for readers, because it has something for everybody. No matter what your taste in horror fiction is, you’ll find much to enjoy in this anthology. (In my opinion, Ellen Datlow has done her best to select interesting and as versatile stories about monsters as possible to this anthology. It was fascinating to read about the different kind of monsters.)

By the way, if you’re wondering whether THE MONSTROUS is worth reading or not, I can say that it’s definitely worth reading. If you’re fascinated by monsters, this anthology is essential reading material for you, because you’ll have an opportunity to read about many different kind of monsters, some of which are the kind of beings that you’d never want to meet in real life.

The cover image, “Her Will (The Other Side)”, by Reiko Murakami looks beautifully unsettling. It’s a perfect cover image to this anthology.

THE MONSTROUS will chill and darken your day in a terrifyingly sweet way. When you begin to read it, you’ll most likely have problems putting it down, because all of the stories are intriguing and they may cause a few moments of unease and distress to readers.

Highly recommended!

Read the rest of Seregil of Rhiminee’s review at RISINGSHADOW.

TELEREAD praises the anthology and the editor.

In these dog-days of generic Lovecraftian smorgasbords, a collection entitled The Monstrous could easily evoke jaded expectations of yet more creaking tentacles and stale Yog-Sothothery. Even a name like Ellen Datlow, doyenne of horror/weird anthologists, might not conjure up greater hopes, though she did already cover this base with her LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS . So I’m happy to be able to report that this anthology manages to cast its net far wider than the waters off R’lyeh or Innsmouth, and snare a far more diverse catch of monstrosities, many from no particular mythos at all – or from very private and very unsettling personal mythologies.

Datlow has more backed-up expertise and accumulated assets than almost any other horror/dark/weird editor in the business. It certainly shows in this collection. It’s one of the most monstrous compilations around, and you may find yourself dreaming of its various manifestations for weeks or months afterwards (just not tentacled ones).

Read the rest of the review at TELEREAD.

Kristin Centorcelli at MY BOOKISH WAYS included THE MONSTROUS in her October 2015 Must Reads in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror.

While not directly related to THE MONSTROUS, Ellen Datlow is interviewed at SPOOKY BLOGGERY.

For more information on LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS, Tachyon visit the site .

Cover by John Coulthart

For more on THE MONSTROUS, visit the Tachyon page.

Illustrations by John Coulthart

Cover by Reiko Murakami

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

July 29, 2015

LED ASTRAY: THE BEST OF KELLEY ARMSTRONG is excellent escapism

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized collection, fangs for the fantasy, horror, kelley armstrong, led astray, led astray: the best of kelley armstrong, otherworld, paranormal romance, review, risingshadow, short stories, urban fantasy, vampires, werewolves

A pair of reviews for the impressive LED ASTRAY: THE BEST OF KELLEY ARMSTRONG.

(photo: Kathryn Hollinrake)

From RISINGSHADOW:

Reading Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong was an interesting and pleasant reading experience for me, because I hadn’t yet read anything by Kelley Armstrong (I was aware of her and knew who she is, but unfortunately I hadn’t had an opportunity to read any of her novels or stories). I’m glad I could read this collection, because I found myself enjoying it and was fascinated by the stories.

I don’t normally read urban fantasy, because I consciously tend to avoid it due to the sad fact that a lot of urban fantasy novels and stories are simply not worth reading. I’ve often been more or less disappointed with the low quality and poor entertainment values of many urban fantasy novels, because it’s very frustrating to read about shallow happenings and Barbie-and-Ken-like characters who fall head over heels in love with supernatural beings and have all kinds of sex with them without any kind of sense or style. Fortunately, this collection turned to be entertaining and was worth reading, because the stories were good and interesting.

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Now that I’ve read this collection, I have to mention that I’m convinced of Kelley Armstrong’s writing skills. She’s one of the few urban fantasy authors who seem to be at home in many different sub-genres of speculative fiction, which is rare. She knows how to entertain her readers and delivers good and addictive stories that easily hook her readers.

Kelley Armstrong has a nice way of surprising her readers with unexpected twists and turns. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists in these stories, because the author had added interesting twists to many of her stories. For example, “A Haunted House of Her Own” has an interesting twist at the end that works well.

What separates Kelley Armstrong from many other urban fantasy authors is her ability to add good characterisation to her stories. Her characters are interesting and they have lives and problems of their own that are of interest to the readers.

I give this collection strong four stars for its entertainment values. (To be honest, some of the stories deserve five stars, because they’re excellent.)

If you enjoy reading entertaining urban fantasy, you will most likely enjoy Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong, because it contain entertaining and fascinating stories. It will be of special interest to fans of Kelley Armstrong, but also to readers who enjoy urban fantasy and works by such authors as Charlaine Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison. If you’re into urban fantasy and want to read entertaining stories, I think that you’ll enjoy this collection. It’s a collection with an emphasis on entertainment and style.

My final words are:

Led Astray is a good short story collection for readers who enjoy reading urban fantasy novels and stories. It’s excellent escapism for urban fantasy readers!

FANGS FOR THE FANTASY:

I have to say that this book isn’t an easy read. It contains stories containing child abuse, rape, suicide and lots of terrible grief and tragedy. It’s not an easy read, but it is a powerful one which is truly excellently written. I can’t emphasise this enough, the writing is excellent and the emotional impact of the stories because of that is, at times, gut wrenching. Coming from the Otherworld series I never expected something so dark or a book that would throw in so many emotional gut punches – but I have to say I’m impressed, deeply impressed by almost every story in this book.

For more information on LED ASTRAY: THE BEST OF KELLEY ARMSTRONG, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

July 3, 2015

Reviews of recent Alastair Reynolds, Peter V. Brett, and Hannu Rajaniemi titles

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized alastair reynolds, brayan's gold, collection, demon cycle, elizabeth story, fantasy, hannu rajaniemi, hannu rajaniemi: collected fiction, lius lasahido, novella, open book society, peter v brett, review, risingshadow, science fiction, short stories, slow bullets, space opera, supernaut, the great bazaar, the great bazaar & brayan's gold, Thomas Canty

Photo: Barbera Bella (Alastair Reynolds)/Kasrsten Moran (Peter V. Brett)/(Hannu Rajaniemi)

OPEN BOOK SOCIETY lauds Alastair Reynolds’ SLOW BULLETS.

Alastair Reynolds’ SLOW BULLETS pontificates this and more in a pulse pounding novel that is easily the equal of any Arthur C. Clarke and Phillip K. Dick story rolled into one.

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Stylistically this is a masterpiece to behold. Slick and polished, SLOW BULLETS will please the palette of any reader of any genre, not just science fiction. Word economy is tight and nothing is wasted on the reader. Suspense, intrigue and the thought provoking instances that occur in time all play an equal part to the collective whole; adding in characterization, the whole is definitely more than the sum of its parts. All attempts at keeping the reader’s imagination open are left open wide and the book is better for it.

All in all, SLOW BULLETS by Alastair Reynolds, is a remarkable read. Fans of contemplative science fiction, like The Matrix, Johnny Mnemonic, or books like Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War or any Phillip K. Dick story, will find themselves treading familiar waters here. Make no mistake about it, though. SLOW BULLETS will more than likely garner a few more discerning readers. For a thought provoking read, look no further than SLOW BULLETS.

RISINGSHADOW praises Peter V. Brett’s THE GREAT BAZAAR & BRAYAN’S GOLD.

I give this collection strong 4.5 stars on the scale from 1 to 5 stars for its entertainment values, because I enjoyed reading the stories and the deleted scenes.

Peter V. Brett’s The Great Bazaar & Brayan’s Gold is an entertaining collection of two novellas. It’s a must-read collection for fans of Peter V. Brett because of its thrilling blend of traditional fantasy elements, action, magic and originality, but it’ll also please newcomers who haven’t read any of the author’s novels. If you’re looking for entertaining fantasy stories to read, you can’t go wrong by reading this collection, because it offers fantasy, demons, good characterisation, action and originality in one package.

Good and well written fantasy entertainment for adults!

And finally, SUPERNAUT reviews the sold out HANNU RAJANIEMI: COLLECTED FICTION.

The cover! I haven’t had a good cover conversation with myself in a long time, mostly unmemorable, or in the case of almost all non-fiction, not applicable (“blue-grey cloth hardback with gold-embossed serif type … mmmhuh.”) Collected Fiction, he got a good typeface finally, two in fact, nice mix of condensed serif (with drop shadow) and monospace. And then there’s theAlien/Borg/Ex Machina/face of hot white chick attached to spiky cyborg body with boobs. And arse! On a sort of Asian/Japanese-y sunset-red disc and swirly blue-green background. Plus a couple of Egrets flapping their feathers loose. Definitely in Questionableland. Kinda like it. Still questionable.

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And then I read The Jugaad Cathedral. This story is up there somewhere with Anne Leckie’s Ancillary Justice in its simplicity and sheer radicality. It has ideas I’ve read before (possibly in other Rajaniemi works, maybe in Charles Stross’ Rule 34 or Halting State), but it’s what he does with these, the outcome, that’s critical and glorious, and I wanted a whole novel of this, not just a mean barely score of pages. I often question the reality or substantiality of the internet, doing things like building websites, it often seems low on meaning or value or realness. It’s a question of perspective. To use what is there to affect physical things, to gain agency and control of one’s self through an abstract chain of seemingly trivial, childish, imaginary things, this makes it as real as any engine or apparatus.

I don’t want to spoil the story, so I’ll just say it made me smile and laugh and filled me with such happiness, and when I blab the fuck on about diversity and representation, it’s this kind of story I mean.

For more info about SLOW BULLETS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover art by Thomas Canty

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about THE GREAT BAZAAR & BRAYAN’S GOLD, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story.

For more info on HANNU RAJANIEMI: COLLECTED FICTION, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover art by Lius Lasahido

Design by Elizabeth Story