Reaper's Walk, A Review

Reaper's Walk: Helstone is a terrific read that caught me by surprise. It's not because I was expecting a bad story that I found myself surprised, but because it is not often that a book manages to move its focus so far away from its premise successfully.

The blurb tells us about the dark witch Umaa and her pact with the devil to exact revenge against the white men who have enslaved her kin. It tells us how Harper's Town burned to the ground with everyone inside and how she refused to pay the Devil with her soul, instead offering that of her ten-times descendant. In modern era, Lita Harper is that descendant. Alerted by her grandmother of her dire situation, Lita will have to learn every secret held by the long line of witches in her family. A secret world of which she knew nothing a few weeks ago, now holds the only thing the Devil might be willing to trade for her soul. The clock is ticking for Lita and she must hurry before the same hooded figure with a scythe that claimed every soul in Harper's Town comes to collect hers.

The first half of the story is exactly what the blurb promised and its done exquisitely. The narrative is compelling, the characters relatable, and the atmosphere claustrophobic. Particularly outstanding is the section where the spirit of Umaa relives what happened to Harper's Town. Then a slew of new characters are introduced and the focus digresses. Slowly but surely the center of the action moves from the piece of land that used to be Harper's Town and its curse, to a set of powerful objects that will put the paranormal world upside-down.

The new characters are intriguing and interesting but the atmospheric ghost story feeling of the first half is traded for a fast paced action thriller by the time the climax has come. This is a case where what appeared to be a plot device ends up becoming the real plot, thus blindsiding the reader.

Now, some might feel betrayed by the author, fooled into believing it is a ghostly story only to be delivered a different one. Others, more relaxed, might simply enjoy the ride and take the change as the ultimate twist ending. Giving the continuum of the story, the consistency of the characters, and the fact that Reaper's Walk never stops entertaining, I feel inclined to call it the latter.

In any case, Reaper's Walk: Hellstone makes a great first installment for a series and I'll be waiting for what Franklin has hidden under his sleeve for Bloodstone, the promised second installment. If I were to point to the--non fatal--faults, I'd say the resolution to the original plot becomes almost a nuance. A necessary step in order to move down to the new main plot. That is not to say the conclusion of the story is not satisfactory. You see, when you construct two great stories, the blending of them might outdo each one individually.

For more about Don Franklin or Reaper's Walk, click on the link.

Best Five Horror/Scary Animated Shorts

I love the feeling of being scared, of having my heart missing a bit, of holding my breath and covering my eyes in complete and unashamed cowardice. Not in the real world, of course, but in the fantastical world of my imagination--You may doubt it but I'm not that crazy.--Whenever I want to kick back, relax, and have a fun time, my mind inevitably drifts to the genre. Books, TV shows, movies, short movies, anything and everything good enough to cause any of the things I told you before brings me joy. So, it is no wonder that many of my Friday Fun posts relate to the genre and I hope you enjoy them as much as me.

Today I want to share with you more awesome animated shorts. Most of them were made by small independent filmmakers just trying to reach viewers. In that aspect we, writers, are no different than the hordes of artists fighting to make a living off their art.--Not that I can call what I do "art" but you get my drift.--In an effort to bring what little recognition I can to those unknown artists, I highlight today five of the horror/scary/suspenseful animated shorts that have given me the most joy to watch. Hope they do the same for you and you decide to share their work with someone else.

5. IN SICKNESS - This short has been critically acclaimed for the message of love it conveys. Though not strictly horror, it has a preternatural element and it is indeed scary and sad--being that it talks about sickness and death.


4. THE LADY AND THE RIPPER - Another short that's not really horror but that deals with the theme of death, this time in lighthearted manner that will get more than a chuckle out of you.


3. THE GIRL WHO WAS FORGOTTEN - This one is more into the gothic spectrum and hauntingly beautiful. Not horrific at all and even a little sad.


2. THE PASSENGER - This short is scary and hilarious all at the same time. It made me jump a couple of times and what fun I had!


1. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS - In this case the subject matter gets darker dealing with domestic abuse and monsters--both, imaginary and real.-- It gave me the creeps and I hope it does the same for you. =)


Bonus. THE BLACKWATER GOSPEL - This short is not only scary and disturbing, but gruesome. The pacing is phenomenal, the writing amazing, and the animation a treat, so I couldn't pass it. I think it has a deeper message that is worth repeating but I do have to say it gets bloody towards the end. Totally worth it, still: Viewer be warned.

Have an awesome weekend, everyone!

The Ring Series. Spiral Book Review

Some time ago I reviewed Koji Suzuki's novel The Ring, the first of a four book series immortalized by the movies. I won't go into much detail about the first book, so you may want to follow that link if you're interested in the whole series. I'll just say I loved the book and reading it was a much more fulfilling experience than watching the movies. And that the ending has a twist you will never see coming. I double dare you. If you manage to tell me Sadako's secret, say, by page 220--out of 286 because I'm generous like that--I'm buying you any book you want. And that's a deal.

Now, back to the review. The Ring Series are different from most series in that they don't have many of the same characters from book to book; it also moves between genres, slowly going from horror in book one, to Sci-fi in book three.

In SPIRAL, book two in the series, Sadako is an important piece of the story, of course, but that's pretty much it. The rest of the characters are new. Time-wise, SPIRAL starts right after RING finished. It follows Mitsuo Ando, a man who lost his kid in a drowning accident and whose life has become unhinged as a consequence. Unable to cope with his loss, he hides behind his work as a Coroner. That's when he's faced with the corpse of his previous nemesis Ryuji Takayama, the professor who helped solve the mystery of the tape in book one. The mysterious circumstances of the professor's death intrigue him, and guided by what seems to be Ryuji's ghostly presence, Ando will find himself facing a horrific reality that threatens the future of mankind.

Suzuki's talent for setting the mood, creep you out of your sleep, and crazy-imaginative storytelling are evident once more. The characters grab you from the first page and make you feel their pain, flaws, and their terror as it becomes clear to them that the monster has just begun exerting her vengeance. Once you finish the book and think about it, you realize just how far the author has gone from the original premise and how deep he is getting into craziness. You can also call it Sci-fi, if you want to legitimize it. Truth is, many will find the story in this second book too far fetched and might hate it, but if you are tired of vampires, zombies, werewolves, and witches; if you are looking for out of the ordinary stories, then you can't miss SPIRAL.

If you ask me, I did like it. I thought Suzuki did an amazing job changing everything he made classic with RING and spinning a new different tale from it. I can't stress enough how neither of the subsequent books to Ring have anything in common with the movies. Not even with the japanese ones. SPIRAL will shock you once more and leave you with a very uneasy feeling under your skin.

Soon to come to this blog, a review of LOOP, book three of The Ring Series.

Pandora's Box, A Review

This time I'm reviewing Pandora's Box by Joanna Parypinski, published by Damnation Books. I came across this book on Facebook, as the author asked for people interested in reviewing her new book. It took me some time to jump in the boat as the cover art made me fret this was yet another vampire book. However, the blurb won me over and boy, am I happy I took the chance.

Pandora's Box is the story of Maria Vakros, a woman fighting her own demons in order to reclaim control of her life as she and her husband, a teacher by trade, start anew in the small town of Sickle Falls. Leaving behind the big city of Chicago, they buy a quaint old house in the nicer part of town with a beautiful view of the lake, but hiding in the shadows of the basement lies an ancient horror waiting to be unleashed. It has infected the whole town, even causing the previous owners untimely deaths.

The plot is well constructed, weaving five different stories without making it confusing nor heavy. At all times the narrative is fluid and interesting, the sense of doom and horror is well transmitted without the overuse of adjectives. The story starts slowly, building on the mystery and creating a menacing atmosphere, and though there are segments quite violent, it never gets too graphic or gory. I found particularly refreshing the rich vocabulary Parypinski uses, it has been a while since a book made me open a dictionary, and though I always thank an author who teaches me something, when the uncommon vocabulary forces you to interrupt the reading in order to look for a word, it gets in the way of enjoying the book. I mean, if you use obscure words that the reader can deduct from the general context, you're okay, but don't over do it or you risk looking like a snub. Now, Parypinski doesn't go to that extreme but once, so we won't hold it against her.

The characters are interesting and complex and each individual story builds to a final crescendo that has all kinds of unexpected turns. Parypinski's style is refreshing, almost poetic in her descriptions, giving the horrors depicted a tragic and twisted feeling. It is outstanding how much information the author manages to convey and still leave the reader craving for more, in particular when relating the story of the box, and yet the ending feels a bit abrupt; but knowing how difficult it is to find the perfect balance between giving closure to a character's story and simply going too far, I think Parypinski's decision to give the final word to one of the side characters is an interesting one that explains the insertion of the box's story and allows for a small moral very apropos.

I highly recommend Pandora's Box to every horror lover, even the squeamish ones as there's something for everyone in this mystery/horror. An outstanding story edited to perfection, Pandora's Box shows small presses can be every bit as professional as the Big Six.

For more information on the author, go to her website Pandora's Pen. If you want to add this book to your TBR pile, go here.

A New Blogfest, A Little Complaining, and a Book Review

Awesome blogger and writer Mina Lobo is having a hell of a good time at her blog, Some Dark Romantic, celebrating its first anniversary. Of course, a blogfest is in order and the theme of this one is: Resurrection. But don't fret, this celebration does not wander into the realms of the philosophical, instead it focuses on the road we as bloggers have travelled to get where we are. Remember that amazingly clever post you wrote back when nobody stopped by your blog? Well, Mina is inviting all of us who would like to resurrect a post like that. November 7th is the day for your old post to come back to life. There will be amazon gift cards for the winners, and it will be a lot of fun. If you are interested, check out the rules and details here. I'd love to read an old jewel of yours and can't wait to share mine with you.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled review. This time it is the turn of Carole Gill's The House on Blackstone Moor.


The House on Blackstone Moor is a beautifully written gothic novel full of suspense and plot twists. It is narrated by the main character, Rose Baines, the sole survivor of her family's massacre carried out by her own father. In fact, she's the one who discovers the bodies caked with blood and horribly twisted. When police arrives, they find the young woman in such a state of shock that it's decided she needs to be committed. So begins the difficult path this character has to travel in order to find her place in a world of darkness she can't escape.

You always hear how important it is to have a strong first page to draw in your readers; Carole Gill does that amazingly, showing off her gift to describe horrid scenes with simple, elegant words that serve so well to the gothic style. The story grabs you immediately, the characters are believable and very soon we root for this poor girl who has gone through such a terrible experience. The rest of the characters keep the action going and I never felt bored, though it is until three quarters of the book have passed that the first vampire is revealed as such. For a book described by its author as a story of vampirism, it is rather late in the game that vampiric lore is introduced. It is at this point that the darkest side of the story is unveiled, finally embracing its paranormal secrets.

The book is edited to perfection, letting the prose shine in all its romantic glory without grammatical mistakes or typos to distract us. Carole Gill is a gifted author I've been following for some time now, and even though I don't think The House on Blackstone Moor is her best piece, it succeeds in showing her great talent as a wordsmith and inventor of dark worlds. I can't wait for whatever else this author has in store.

DEAD: The Ugly Beginning, A Review

Zombies are everywhere these days, from the usual b-movies, to TV, to short stories, and lately even in novels. A lot of novels. But with such a deluge, authors are being forced to do the impossible: Reinvent a classic. Even traditionalists, honest-to-god-Romero-lovers are faced with the difficult task of surprising an audience that has been overwhelmed with pretty much the same beat-up story.

It is in this rarefied ambience that DEAD: The Ugly Beginning sets out to start a very ambitious saga. From the get go we are warned that we’ve been treated to the first of what will be a set of twelve books relating this particular zombie apocalypse. Then the action starts. The first third of the book is strong, plunging the reader right into the middle of the action. The characters are interesting, complex, and likable. Simply amazing. And the one-liners, Jesus! Brown is really at his best when crafting spunky dialog. The plot moves fast and there’s so much action, we can’t stop from turning the pages.

Brown’s characters are intelligent and act in a way consistent with their different backgrounds; they also make mistakes and pay for them dearly, which is a wave of fresh air in and out of itself. I found I was never able to foretell the next character that was about to die, adding to the fun.

As the story progressed, there were a few issues that took away from my original excitement. First, there are too many characters, some appear for a brief moment only to be dispatched by the undead, others are staples of the book which back stories are spread so far apart from one chapter to another, that we struggle to remember what was happening with them last time we came their way.

Also, whenever a character goes into a flashback, there is no change in the grammatical tense (say, going from past to present, for example) or point of view, and whatever is written in italics tends to change size from word to word, making the reading experience a bit confusing.

Now, I think there are enough clues pointing to a certain evolution in the zombie, though it is never clear and the characters don’t seem to pay attention to these changes. Is it possible that zombies can learn and are actually conscious, to some degree, of their situation? This would mean they have a low, but still threatening, degree of intelligence. It would certainly be a game changer and may send the surviving pieces of Human Race into a second purge that could very well end with it all. So looking forward to learn how well I read in between the lines!

Finally, I feel like I need to warn all the readers-to-be about the ending of DEAD. No, not spoiler alert should be issued, I’m not going to spill the beans about what’s going to happen to the most important character or ruin any possible plot twists. I just want you to know that DEAD, like so many serial books of our times, doesn’t have a neat ending with some sense of conclusion. It simply ends, leaving all plot lines open to continue in the second book of the series. And while it is a great selling strategy for your already captured audience, I wished we could leave this trend behind. What is it so unappealing about giving the readership some sense of resolution and still letting the door ajar just a bit so we can fathom what adventures may still await?

All nip-tuck aside, DEAD: The Ugly Beginning is a highly entertaining book. I loved the references to paramount pictures or phrases in the Zombie Lore, the sarcasm and intelligence of the narration, and the interesting plot ram-packed of action. I will be reading the second book in the series, waiting anxiously to know the fate of those fantastic characters I grew to love. Definitively a book to be read by every zombie fan who wants a bit of the classic with a lot of spark.

For more details about the book, click on the link.

Back to Our Regular Schedule...

The first review after the end-of-school-craziness is Midnight Movie Creature Feature, a b-movie inspired anthology edited by TW Brown featuring amazing monsters I thought were long dead, but are still surprisingly entertaining when its human counterparts live--or die--intelligently.

There are great stories in this anthology, but first I have a confession to make: I'm not a b-movie fan. In fact, I hate b-movies. I find them silly to the point of ridiculousness. I just don't find appealing movies that you watch in a theater full of people yelling and laughing at the screen. My kind of horror is the sort that robs you of your breath and makes you jump out of the seat at the slightest provocation.

There it is, I've said it. Now, you might be wondering what could have possessed me to read a b-movie inspired anthology. Well, for one, I've been hearing a lot about this sub-genre as many small publishers are currently taking submissions for their own anthologies. That got me curious, of course; how do you write a campy b-movie story? But, above all, I'm a consummate professional (well, maybe not so much but you can't blame me for trying). When it was required of me to review the book, I wasn't about to say no, but to tackle it with professionalism. I know what makes a good story, even if I don't like it, I can see it is well constructed, edited, and thought off. So I jumped in hoping I would learn more about this about-to-bloom horror twist.

Guess what, it won me over. I still hate b-movies, but these stories had me yelling at the characters on the pages more than once and my heart skipped a few beats (fine, lots). So I guess this should be good enough a commendation, right? Still, being a consummate professional (see?), I will go through the details of what makes Midnight Movie Creature Feature so good and, as always, I will choose the three stories that I enjoyed the most to specifically review. Hope you enjoy.

And the Dark Growls Back by Aaron Dries: This was the first story that truly grabbed me. It starts with a bang, we know something bad happened and our heroes are, firstly not so much heroes, but most importantly, their on the run. The pace of the story never slows down and the characters are appealing and well fleshed out. I won't ruin it for you but this story is quite different from the rest of the pack, which truly works for the best because it becomes like a final twist that I thought was brilliant.

From Rebirth to Reburial by M. W. Williamson: This is one of those stories that got me yelling "hell, yeah!" by the end. I was so pumped up! It might just be my eagerness to see more of the main character, but I think there's hope for a series out of Williamson's tale. And I'd be the first one in line to get the whole lot. The story is scary, twisted, and very human at its core. The pace fluctuates between ups and downs that play havoc with our hearts, and the backstory hints at a very complex character that we understand, though we are just scratching at the surface. Kudos to Williamson for crafting a simple monster story that, in the end, is much more than the sum of its parts.

North by M. J. Wesolowski: Now, as far as crafted tales go, I'd say North is the one that outshines the rest because of how quiet it is. It could very well held its own among the likes of T. W. Wright and Charles L. Grant, and if you add to the mix the fact that there is a monster at the core of the story, it is quite an accomplishment. The story develops slowly, building suspense as it goes and leaving you unable to breath until the whole thing ends and you are horrified by the final realization. The images described are beautiful, Wesolowski does an amazing job at letting us experience the isolation of the environment and uses it to its maximum potential, digging for the deep rooted need for societal secureness and fear of darkness inside us all. My absolute favorite of the whole.

All in all Midnight Movie Creature Feature is a very interesting read that won't let you feeling cheated out of your money. I did find a couple of stories that didn't resonate with me, one that I actually hated, but I'd say the anthology as a whole was well worth the hours I took out of my family time to read it. Look out for more of the authors and TW Brown, the editor of this anthology, who does an amazing job at selecting the stories and editing them. While it might sound as a given, these days finding not one typo and a good editorial job is less common that it should be. And gratefully acknowledged.

If you love the genre, get your copy and stock on the popcorn; if you don't, give it a try. You might find yourself stuffing your mouth with candy out of pure joy.

For more information on the book click here.

Day 23: W

So, we can see the end line from here. After a month long marathon, the last few posts are on the horizon and some of them are really hard to figure out (X & Y anyone??). Let's give it a last sprint and hope for the best.

Movie.

From Within (2008)
Directed by Phedon Papamichael.

Plot: In a small Maryland town, the suicide of an outcast teenager triggers a string of violent suicides. These suicides seem to stem from a curse which spreads when any person, who witnesses the suicide, is possessed by an evil force that appears as the person's doppelganger that only they can see. A young teenager, named Lindsey, thinks there is a connection of the events to Aidan, the outcast brother of the first suicide case. But Lindsay must race against the clock when she witnesses her mother fall victim, and must try to find a way to stop the curse before it kills her too. Meanwhile the God-fearing townspeople, led by a fanatic preacher with a connection to the events also, form a vigilante group to take the law in their own hands.

Review: Another independent movie that was released without fanfare and mostly floated to oblivion. Though the movie isn't perfect, I loved the unusual and mysterious plot. I found this movie while cruising the channels looking for something worth of my time, I watched the first fifteen minutes and I was hooked. That's how effective the premiss is. The director does a great job at making fresh the old setting of religious zealots in the farthest corners of the US, and there's something on the imagery of seeing your doppelgänger about to kill you that just makes my skin crawl. From Within has suspense, a few gruesome deaths, some soul liberating laughs, and a nice final twist. The perfect engagement for a rainy day.

Book.

The woman in Black by Susan Hill.
Published by Hamish Hamilton in 1983.

Blurb: A classic ghost story: the chilling tale of a menacing specter haunting a small English town. Arthur Kipps is an up-and-coming London solicitor who is sent to Crythin Gifford—a faraway town in the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway—to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of a client, Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. Mrs. Drablow's house stands at the end of the causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but Kipps is unaware of the tragic secrets that lie hidden behind its sheltered windows. The routine business trip he anticipated quickly takes a horrifying turn when he finds himself haunted by a series of mysterious sounds and images—a rocking chair in a deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child's scream in the fog, and, most terrifying of all, a ghostly woman dressed all in black.

Review: I first came in contact with the story as a stage adaptation in Mexico city. After being mesmerized by it, I became obsessed with the piece and researched it. It turns out it has been on stage in the famous Fortune Theater in Covent Garden, London, since 1989! Various countries have their own adaptations running to huge success for five years--like Madrid--to twelve years--like Mexico--. Surprised? Well, you shouldn't be. The Woman in Black is a ghost story that relies on Hill's command over the language, whose narration is an example in containment, character development, and setting atmosphere. Her flawless style serves perfectly the post Victorian-early Edwardian time she selected for the novel. Even that serves to a greater purpose as we see MC Arthur Kipps torn between an age of rationality and the Victorian superstitions of the past, turning Arthur in more that a mere narrator just spewing a ghost story, but a flawed, unfortunate soul we deeply feel for.

A to Z Challenge. Letter V

Movie.

The Visitors (1988)
Directed by Jack Ersgard.

Plot: Frank, Sara and their two children have recently moved into the house of their dreams on the countryside. For a moment they seem to be living their dreams but then they notice strange happenings in the house; the tapestries start to fall off in one of the rooms, in another nothing 'feels' right, and Frank is disturbed by mysterious sounds. As help from the outside ends with tragic consequences, Frank embarks on a quest to find out the truth himself.

Review: This is an obscure little film that most don't even know it exists. A Swedish odd ball, the film is highly atmospheric and claustrophobic. The way the director works around having basically no special effects is to use darkness to create a sense of doom and it works like a charm. By no means this movie can be compared with the greatest horror movies of all times but it is worth a look if you're tired of beaten down plots, empty characters, lots of sex, and CGI feasts. Great acting, believable characters that react just the way most of us would, and an eerie set will make your two hours a well invested time.

Book.

The Vanishment by Jonathan Aycliffe.

Published by HarperPrism in 1994.

Blurb: It promises to be an idyllic vacation -- a lovely old house on the Cornish coast where Peter Clare can finish writing a collection of short stories and where his wife Sarah can paint -- a place where they can try to rebuild their troubled marriage. The spectacular cliff overlooking the sea, the wild gardens and woodlands. But from the moment they enter Petherick House, Sarah feels the dark menace surrounding them. Peter dismisses Sarah's fears without another thought, until she disappears without a trace. Now, Peter can see the shadowy figures in the night and hear a child's desperate weeping, but the nightmare has only begun.

Review: Tell me this isn't one of the best blurbs you've ever read. I dare you. Though I haven't read The Vanishment, I just couldn't pass the chance to let you all know about such a high praised book. Everywhere you look there are four and five stars all over it. From what I know, it is a ghost story that won't scare you to death but that packs a high emotional charge. Atmospherical and with a dash of the supernatural, this is a read for even those who doesn't like horror books. Hope you enjoy it!

Horrors to the T

And the last week of the challenge shall commence with letter T. Enjoy!

Movie.

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
Directed by Jee-Won Kim.

Plot: Two sisters who, after spending time in a mental institution, return to the home of their father and cruel stepmother. Once there, in addition to dealing with their stepmother's obsessive and unbalanced ways, an interfering ghost also affects their recovery.

Review: Another old J-horror film that mostly nobody watched. A Tale of Two Sisters was latter given the Hollywood touch-up and released as The Uninvited but it failed to grab the attention of movie-goers. Why, you ask? Well, The Uninvited was a fair attempt and better done than most adaptations but A Tale of Two Sisters is based on a widely known Taiwanese folktale that has been adapted to cinema several times. Imagine a Bloody Mary movie for a Russian population who has never even heard about Bloody Mary. Half the fun is gone!

A tale of Two Sisters is the latest and more accomplished version of the tale. It is beautifully film. We see the events unfold through the eyes of the oldest daughter, who just got home from an extended stay on the hospital. This is the classic trick of an unreliable narrator used with extreme skill. The movie is confusing but it only adds to the thrill. It has been described as a psychological thriller, a ghost story, and a horror. Watch it and choose what works for you.

Book.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.
Published byWilliam Heinemann in 1898.

Blurb: One of literature's most gripping ghost stories depicts the sinister transformation of two innocent children into flagrant liars and hypocrites. Elegantly told, it is a tale of unspoken horror and psychological terror that creates what few stories in literature have been able to do, a complete feeling of dread and uncertainty.

Review: If you like gothic literature, you have to read James' best known novel. It is a testament to his skill and a necessary book for every lover of classic literature. The open ending and paranoid feeling of the whole story is what has made it endure. There is not enough that can be said to make it honor. Just read it.

Saturday starts with S

The A to Z Challenge in partnership with this blog proudly brings to you, our recommendations for letter S.

Movie.

Shutter (2004)
Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun

Plot: A young photographer, Thun, and his girlfriend, Jane, discover mysterious shadows in their photographs after fleeing the scene of an accident. As they investigate the phenomenon, other photographs containing similar supernatural images emerge and they find out that Thun's best friends are being haunted as well. As the supernatural surrounds them ever more threateningly, Jane starts to suspect her boyfriend has not told her everything. Soon it'll become clear to them that you cannot escape your past.

Review: First let me warn you: Stay away from the American version. I know, I know, Joshua Jackson is so cute, but trust me, not even his baby face and vulnerable eyes can salvage this disaster. With that in mind, let's talk about the Thai version. I saw this movie on the theater with a friend. The whole place was in utter silence, terrified to even put popcorn in your mouth. By the mid-point of the movie I was holding my legs and I didn't dare lower my feet even when I started to cramp, lest the monster under my seat grab them. Shutter is a wild ride full of surprises and a final twist to leave you horrified of back pain. I had a really hard time shaking that last image out of my mind.

Book.

Sineater by Elizabeth Massie.
Published by Pan Books in 1992.

Blurb: Winner of England's Bram Stoker Award, Massie's first novel works better as a convincing and original story about the potential horrors of backwoods religious fervor than as a traditional supernatural thriller. Young Joel Barker lives with a special stigma: his father, Avery, is the "sineater," chosen by their Blue Ridge Mountain religious sect to live alone in the woods and bear the sins of the community's dead. Though Joel is universally ostracized, Burke Campbell, the nephew of the sect's leader, Missy Campbell, befriends him in defiance of his aunt, whose mumbo jumbo he despises. When death and mutilation falls upon anyone who has dealings with Joel's family, Missy blames the sineater and mounts a crusade against him and his kin. The two boys set out to stop the sineater and to end the religious madness that is sweeping the town, only to discover that they may be seeking the wrong enemy.

Review: Sineater is an excellent novel deserving of the Bram Stoker Award recognition. Massie's storyline focuses on a tradition and is more realistic than supernatural. Religious fanatics like Missy Campbell really do exist in our world. Massie’s sharp eye for detail brings the characters alive. Sineater is not only a horror/mystery/coming of age novel that has a bit for everyone. The town must face the fact that their traditions are archaeic and unfounded. I travel quite a lot between Montreal and Southern Connecticut and we pass through many a small towns. The very detailed setting Massie protrayed made me avoid at all costs to drive at night on our last trip.

To the A, to the B... and We're on the R

Another week has passed us by. Uhf! Can you belief we're getting closer to the end of the challenge? Well, here are my R suggestions:

Movie.

Reincarnation (2005)
Directed by Takashi Shimizu.

Plot: Nagisa Sugiura (Yuka) is a young Japanese actress who comes face to face with a slew of ghosts. These restless spirits begin to appear when she signs on to star in a horror film which tells the true story about a crazed, local professor whose murderous rampage at a hotel left 11 guests dead, including his young son and daughter. The movie is being filmed at the very site where the killings took place.

Review: Like a lot of Japanese horror films, Reincarnation isn't told in a linear way. The story seems fragmented and confusing but that's part of what makes it scary. There aren't graphic, bloody scenes and the suspense is built around the ambiance and things you think you saw out of the corner of your eye. Very unsettling. At the end everything makes sense and the story comes round leaving the viewer with no questions but quite surprised.

Book.

The Ring by Koji Suzuki.
Published by Vertical in 2003.

Blurb: A mysterious videotape warns that the viewer will die in one week unless a certain, unspecified act is performed. Exactly one week after watching the tape, four teenagers die one after another of heart failure. Asakawa, a hardworking journalist, is intrigued by his niece's inexplicable death. His investigation leads him from a metropolitan tokyo teeming with modern society's fears to a rural Japan--a mountain resort, a volcanic island, and a countryside clinic--haunted by the past. His attempt to solve the tape's mystery before it's too late--for everyone--assumes an increasingly deadly urgency. Ring is a chillingly told horror story, a masterfully suspenseful mystery, and post-modern trip.

Review: Just before starting with the challenge I did an extensive review on this book and mentioned I'll review each book of the series separately. For the sake of this post I'll resume things by saying that there are four books in the series, The Ring, Spiral, Loop, and Birthday. I've read all but Birthday and my favorite by far was the first. It is similar enough to the movies adaptations that you'll recognize the plot, but the second part of the book is significantly different. And much better. The are no loose ends by the end of the story, everything fits nicely and is explained away, unlike the movies. Suzuki is known like "The Japanese Stephen King" and with this series he proves it right. He builds suspense like a master and you can't stop turning the pages. A must read.

If you want to know more about the books, movies, and my opinion, click here.

Horror by Letters: P

Movie.

Pontypool (2008)
Directed by Bruce McDonald.

Plot: In the small town of Pontypool, Ontario, the local radio station and its crew of three people start the day as usual, one sleepy story after another, but as the day moves on they receive reports of violence happening all over the region. This includes riots, people killing each other, and intervention from the Canadian Government. Soon they find themselves hiding in the station from the horror outside they keep reporting. If that was not bad enough, they can't figure out what's going on. 


Review: As we've been saying these days, modern horror seems to be all about blood and guts. Pontypool swerves away from that trend and goes back to the Jaws technique of not showing the monster. The whole first half we are left to guess what is happening and our imaginations run wild. Now, I like the resolution of the story but I know there are a lot of detractors who consider the second half to be awash, not me, though. I also give it even more credit for what they were able to pull off on such a short budget. Pontypool is claustrophobic, and scary. A true radio broadcast from hell.

Book.

Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay.

Published by F.W. Cheshire in 1967.

Blurb: Part drama, part mystery novel, Australian author Joan Lindsay wrote it in only four weeks. The plot focuses on a group of girls at an Australian women's college in the year 1900 who vanish during a Valentine's Day picnic at the site of an enormous rock formation. The novel's ambiguous ending has ensured the survival of the piece through various debates through the years.


Review: This story is quite well written and mysterious but its most important value is as one of the best hoaxes in history. Up there next to Well's War of the Worlds broadcast, Picnic at Hanging Rock is, to this date, believed to be a real story by many who later have to confront the reality of its falseness. Hanging Rock does exist in the Australian wilderness and Lindsay was clever enough to feed the ambiguity of her story, thus perpetuating the lie. If you are interested in learning more about this clever author, her book, and the consequences the novel has had, click here. But I bet I've peaked your curiosity enough to read the book. Oh, and remember to look for "The Secret of Hanging Rock" which holds the last chapter in the book which Lindsay decided to hold unpublished until three years after her death. Talk about building suspense.

Letter O

I know most of you know what the A to Z challenge is, but for those who just have no idea what I've been talking about throughout month, here it is. Every day there's a letter of the alphabet and I did a whole  lot of research to bring you the best horror movies and books you haven't heard about. Now, the letters that correspond to a few of the following weeks are really difficult (I'm talking to you O, P, Q) so bare with me if the books or movies are not so obscure. I was desperate.

With you, letter O.

Movie.

The Orphanage (2007)

Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona.

Plot: When her old orphanage goes on the market, Laura and her family settle in and plan to re-open it as a home for special-needs children. Husband and wife initiate a series of works in the house while their seven-year-old son, Simon, starts talking about five invisible friends that Laura thinks are his way of adapting to their secluded new house. When Simon disappears without a trace, his parents contact the police but to no avail. Laura is haunted by odd noises and strange visions. She is convinced that they aren't alone in the old manor and whoever is with them holds the clue to her son's disappearance. Produced and presented by Guillermo Del Toro, The Orphanage bears a vague resemblance to the ghostly Devil's Backbone.

Review: An excellent movie. Bayona's imagery wraps us in the tragic story of this mother and the derailment of her life. The Orphanage is, at its core, not a ghost movie, but a story about how the love between a mother and her son knows no boundaries. I was surprised at the emotionally charged ending but cheer up, the movie does have its very creepy side.

Book.

Once again, I was turned between two great books and I couldn't bring myself to cut one.

1. The Other by Thomas Tryon.

    Published by Alfred A Knopf in 1971.

    Blurb: Holland and Niles Perry are identical thirteen-year-old twins. They are close, close enough to almost read each other’s thoughts, but they couldn’t be more different. Holland is bold and mischievous, a bad influence, while Niles is kind and eager to please, the sort of boy who makes his parents proud. The Perrys live in the bucolic New England town their family settled in centuries ago and now the extended family has gathered at their farm this summer to mourn the death of the twins’ father in an unfortunate accident. Mrs. Perry never quite recovered from the shock and stays sequestered in her room, leaving her sons to roam free. As the summer goes on and Holland’s pranks become increasingly sinister, Niles finds he can no longer make excuses for his brother’s actions.

The Other is a landmark of psychological horror, Thomas Tryon’s bestselling novel about a homegrown monster is an eerie examination of the darkness that dwells within everyone.

    Review: A genuinely frightening story, The Other sweeps away the reader to the tranquil life of a Connecticut country town where everything can be hiding behind the facade of normality. The subtle prose plays with our fears and maximizes the creepiness effect. The Other is one of the most influential horror novels ever written. Its impeccable recreation of small-town life and its skillful handling of personality transference led to widespread critical acclaim for the novel, which was successfully adapted to film with the author himself writing the screenplay.

2. An Occurrence at Owl Creek by Ambrose Bierce.

    Published by The San Francisco Examiner in 1890.

    Blurb: The condemned man stands on a bridge, his hands bound behind his back. A noose is tied around his neck. In a moment he will meet his fate: DEATH BY HANGING. There is no escape. Or is there?

    Review: One of the forefathers of horror in general and a master at quiet horror, An Occurrence at Owl Creek is one of the most influential stories of Ambrose Bierce. This short story told in a jumping timeline and with the original twist of an ending has been adapted as a Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes and a number of movies, the most recent being 2008 The Escapist. You are missing a cornerstone if you haven't read it.

The N Details of Horror

The third monday of April is here and I can't believe we're past the mid-point of the challenge. Time is flying!! But I'll open the week with a bit of a trivia.

In recent years we have been inundated by the amount of remakes Hollywood has forced us to endure, usually in detriment of the original piece which often shares but a few threads with its 'newer' version. Well, it seems bad remakes were not invented by Hollywood. Here I share with you the first remake ever. The English version of The Haunted Castle, directed by George Albert Smith in 1897 and based on the French original of the same name. If you want to check the 1986 version, click here.



Movie.

Noroi: Te Curse (2005)
Director: Koji Shiraishi.

Plot: A documentary filmmaker explores seemingly unrelated paranormal incidents connected by the legend of an ancient demon called the "Kagutaba."

Review: You didn't really think I was going to forget about Japanese horror, right? Also know as J-horror its peak of interest hit around 2002, when The Ring exploited into western theaters and blew our minds. Recently it has been kind of forgotten, though it is still much well regarded. Noroi is a prime example of a good story that doesn't follow western standards for horror and yet delivers in scares and eeriness. Film as a mockumentary--another huge trend--it is an effective film that actually bothered with a story that makes sense.

Book.

Necroscope by Brian Lumley.
Published by Tor Books in 1992.

Blurb: From the undead vampire in the Romanian mausoleum, Boris Dragosani tries to draw an evil force so powerful he will gain supremacy in the ultra-secret paranormal agency he works for in Russia. His official job is as a Necroscope – his speciality is tearing secrets from the souls of newly-dead traitors.

And England too has her necroscope – her communicator with the dead. When Harry Keogh is recruited by the British Secret Service to take on the paranormal menace from behind the Iron Curtain, the stage is set for the most horrifying supernatural confrontation ever... 

Review: This is actually the first book in the series, a total of five widely popular books. Lumley style is quirky but interesting and makes you care for his characters. He has also develop a very intricate story surrounding his vampires--indeed, these are vampire books--making the collection one with the most complex backstories and mythology on the theme EVER.

A Horrific Ode to Letter L

Movie.

Lake Mungo (2008)
Directed by Joel Anderson.

Plot: Sixteen-year-old Alice Palmer drowns while swimming in the local dam. When her body is recovered and a verdict of accidental death returned, her grieving family buries her. The family then experiences a series of strange and inexplicable events centered in and around their home. Profoundly unsettled, the Palmers seek the help of psychic and parapsychologist, RAY KEMENY. Ray discovers that Alice led a secret, double life. A series of clues lead the family to Lake Mungo where Alice's secret past emerges. Lake Mungo is a mystery, a thriller and a ghost story.

Review: Nine out of ten people will say Lake Mungo is a truly scary, yet relatable film and it's not me making up this numbers, you can check IMDb for many more satisfied customers. The australian film is yet another 'mockumentary'. It is a mystery with so many twists and turns you never know what follows, then you add a touch of supernatural and you have the recipe for success.

Book.

Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker.
Published by William Rider and Son Ltd. in 1911.

Blurb: The story centers around Adam Salton who is contacted by his granduncle in England for the purpose of establishing as the last two members of the family. Adam travels to Richard Salton's house in Mercia and quickly finds himself in the center of some inexplicable occurrences. The new heir to the Caswall estate, Edgar Caswall appears to be making some sort of a mesmeric assault on a local girl, and a local lady, Arabella March, seems to be running a game of her own, perhaps angling to become Mrs. Caswall. There is something strange about Lady March, something inexplicable and evil.

Review: Once again I travel the less known path. I could have easily suggested Dracula but you all know that is a classic and it awesome. Instead I offer you something more from the same great mind. Lair of the White Worm is every bit as dark and gothic as its predecessor. Just remember our sensibilities are quite different from those of the Victorians, don't expect a contemporary horror.

A to Z Challenge. Letter K.

Todays suggestions, sponsored by letter K, are:

Movie.


Kilometer 31 (Km31) (2007)
Directed by Rigoberto Castaneda.

Plot:  After the tragic death of their mother when they were children, twin sisters Agata and Catalina Hameran developed a special skill, a way of communicating without speaking, a "link" between them. After a mysterious accident on Kilometer 31, Agata falls into a coma. Catalina, thanks to their "link", feels the pain and tragedy her sister was going through at the time of the accident. Following a series of supernatural events, Catalina realizes that her sister Agata is screaming for help from her unconscious state. With the help of Nuño, Agata’s long time friend, and Omar, Agata’s boyfriend, they soon discover that not only is Agata in a coma, but she is also trapped between life and death, between reality and a terrible netherworld of evil spirits and ancient legend.


Review: I'm sorry for throwing you a curve ball with this movie but I couldn't find another 'K' movie that was worth sharing. This is an awesomely scary movie with great special effects based on one of Mexico's most prevalent legend: La Llorona (The Crying Woman). It won several awards and has been internationally recognized but finding a copy with subtitles in english is hard. If you do, watch it; you will not regret it. If you speak/understand spanish, then you are in luck my friend.


Book.

The Keep by F. Paul Wilson.
Published by William Morrow in 1981.

Blurb: “Something is murdering my men.” Thus reads the message received from a Nazi commander stationed in a small castle high in the remote Transylvanian Alps. Invisible and silent, the enemy selects one victim per night, leaving the bloodless and mutilated corpses behind to terrify its future victims. 
When an elite SS extermination squad is dispatched to solve the problem, the men find something that's both powerful and terrifying. Panicked, the Nazis bring in a local expert on folklore--who just happens to be Jewish--to shed some light on the mysterious happenings. And unbeknownst to anyone, there is another visitor on his way--a man who awoke from a nightmare and immediately set out to meet his destiny.
The battle has begun: On one side, the ultimate evil created by man, and on the other...the unthinkable, unstoppable, unknowing terror that man has inevitably awakened

Review: I first encountered this book when I was about twelve. One of my favorite aunts lend it to me with the warning that she hadn't been able to read past the first chapter. It terrified her. Needles to say, I jumped at my chance and read it in a week. I was scared as hell but completely fell in love with the story. About ten years ago I found the book again and remembered the story as being one of the scariest I've ever read, so I gave it a second chance and was disappointed. The story is truly scary and has influenced my style as a writer in many, many ways, but in my mind it had grown disproportionally to a status no author can accomplish. I think this is a great read for those of you who doesn't like hard core horror but are interested in trying something stronger than mysteries/thrillers. Don't read it close to drafty areas (wind is an important clue on the story) and do not read at night. Have fun!

The A to Z Challenge. Letter J.

This was a hard one but, after days of search over the net, I prevailed. My selections for the day:

Movie.

Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Directed by Adrian Lyne.

Plot: New York postal worker Jacob Singer is trying to keep his frayed life from unraveling. His days are increasingly being invaded by flashbacks to his first marriage, his now-dead son, and his tour of duty in Vietnam. Athough his new wife tries to help Jacob keep his grip on sanity, the line between reality and delusion is steadily growing more and more uncertain.

Review: A surreal psychological thriller masterfully done. With this movie nothing is what it seems and reality is but a term. We follow a traumatized Vietnam war veteran who is finding out that his post-war life isn't what he expected it to be and things get truly weird and scary when horned creatures in the subway attack him and his dead son stops by to say hello. This film will freak you out and leave you wandering what the heck just happened. Not to be missed.

Once more the embedded code is not working but for those interested in watching the trailer, click here.

Book.


The Journals of Eleanor Druse. My Investigation of the Kingdom Hospital Incident by Eleanor Druse.
Published by Hyperion in 2004.


Blurb: The newly built Kingdom Hospital in Lewiston, Maine, is one of the most technologically advanced hospitals in the country. Unfortunately, it was erected on the site of a terrible tragedy -- a textile mill fire that killed dozens of workers, mostly children. And it appears that beneath the sheen of the new construction and scientific innovations of The Kingdom, an indecipherable and primal evil lurks -- and the soul of a trapped and helpless child cries out for solace.

Review: I, like many, watched engrossed the Kingdom Hospital miniseries and though I loved it, I felt kind of cheated by the many questions left unanswered. I know the series was based on Lars Von Trier's "The Kingdom" (a Danish miniseries) and if you know anything about Von Trier you know he is anything but a conventional storyteller. So, an adaptation from another show... we have seen this before and we know the original is probably better, but where does the book feature, you ask? Well, Richard Dooling was the man responsible of the adaptation along with Mr. King. He also wrote this book as Eleanor Druse, one of the patients of the haunted hospital. Asking what was first, the book or the miniseries is like going through the chicken/egg thing. Not wise. But for those, like me, who enjoyed the series and can't get enough of it, this will be a nice little extra. You're welcome friends.

New Sponsor! Letter I

Our second Tuesday of the challenge has arrived and with it comes more A to Z horror. Hope you like it.

Movie.

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
Directed by John Carpenter.

Plot: With the disappearance of hack horror writer Sutter Cane, all Hell is breaking loose...literally! Author Cane, it seems, has a knack for description that really brings his evil creepy-crawlies to life. Insurance investigator John Trent is sent to investigate Cane's mysterious vanishing act and ends up in the sleepy little East Coast town of Hobb's End. The fact that this town exists as a figment of Cane's twisted imagination is only the beginning of Trent's problems....

Review: I saw this movie a long time ago and it fascinated me. It was the first time that a movie storyline reminded me so much of the bulk of Lovecraft's work. It is not based on any single story but the feeling of confusion and, to some degree, madness brought to my mind many of his great stories. It is not a horror in the sense that there are ghosts or demons; it is not a violent or gory movie; heck, it isn't even about a killer. It is simply the story of a writer and his books, and a matter of answering one key question: who created whom?

Book.

I am Legend by Richard Matheson.

Published by Gold Medal in 1954.

Blurb: Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman, and child on Earth has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood. By day, he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn. How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?

Review: Not so long ago I did an extensive review of this book, should you want more detail, you can click here. But let's go over the basics. Most of us remember the story from a Will Smith movie, right? I did enjoy the movie very much and that was what lead me to read Matheson's book. Then, of course, I found out that the book had nothing to do with the movie. And I mean nothing. First, it is not a zombie story. It is post-apocalyptic indeed, but Norman truly is the last man on earth and the story is more about that fact. How do you deal with loneliness, with being the odd one, how do you survive your own memories of the ones you lost. In Matheson's world, during the day Norman is king and a hunter, but by night he is the pray and an ant.

And then there was G.

First I want to wish you all a happy Easter. May the Easter Bunny bring you many eggs full of candies and new publications. =)

Here are the selections for the day.

Movie.

Grave Encounters (2011)
Directed by The Vicious Brothers


Plot: Lance Preston and the crew of "Grave Encounters", a ghost-hunting reality television show, are shooting an episode inside the abandoned Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, where unexplained phenomena has been reported for years. All in the name of good television, they voluntarily lock themselves inside the building for the night and begin a paranormal investigation, capturing everything on camera. They quickly realize the building is more than just haunted - it is alive - and it has no intention of ever letting them leave. They find themselves lost in a labyrinth maze of endless hallways and corridors, terrorized by the ghosts of the former patients. They soon begin to question their sanity, slipping deeper and deeper into the depths of madness, ultimately discovering the truth behind the hospital's dark past...and taping what turns out to be their final episode.

Review: HOLY COW. This movie knocked my socks off. Another found footage film, and in the best Blair Witch style, the movie is claustrophobic and atmospheric. A perfect selection for a stormy dark night. If you like shows like Ghost Hunters, My Ghost Story, of Ghost Adventures, this will make your blood run cold.

Book.

Ghost Stories by MR James.
Published by Penguin in 1931.

Blurb: M. R. James is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature. One of James' most important achievements was to redefine the ghost story for the new century by dispensing with many of the formal gothic trappings of his predecessors, and replacing them with more realistic contemporary settings.
According to James, a story must "put the reader into the position of saying to himself: 'If I'm not careful, something of this kind may happen to me!'"


Review: MR James is not very famous in America, however he was quite a figure of his times. He was an English medieval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918), as well as of Eton College (1918–1936). Beyond his social stature and fame at the time, the reason why he is mostly remembered these days is his ghost stories, regarded as among the best in the genre. James redefined the ghost story by abandoning the formal Gothic clichés of the time and using more realistic settings. His endurance would surely come as a surprise to him but the fact that he can still scare you from your iPad is prove that he is one of the best.


Thanks for commenting! I'll visit you all soon.