Books (482 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1 on 20 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by kaos-king (antius777) (View user info) at 2008-04-24 16:33:08 EDT
Took in some books the last few weeks...
Curtains Of Blood by Robert J. Randish - One of the more interesting bits of fiction based on Jack The Ripper. This one surrounds a number of other individuals that just happened to be present in 1888 London, other famous individuals. Bram Stoker is the manager of the Lyceum Theater, the place where celebrated actor Henry Irving is performing "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde." When Scotland Yard shuts down the production out of fear that the play is urging on the Whitechapple Killer, Stoker sets out to solve the crime on his own. In need, he turns to a trusted friend in his literary circle; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
An entertaining read, the book captures the essence of the time period without being too heavy-handed. It's amusing to picture Stoker and Doyle, both early in their careers, running about and absorbing everything that would eventually play out into their writings. Well researched, all the familiar names and locations are present, now a backdrop to the authors.
Flesh Gothic by Edward Lee - A group of paranormal investigators have been hired by a wealthy eccentric's widow to discover what happened in Hildreth House. Thirteen people died one evening there in the most horrific ways imaginable, thirteen of her husband's employees. Her husband's body was never found. What the investigators first assume was simply an act of savage murder soon becomes clear; there is evil in Hildreth House, one far older than they could possibly hope to understand.
Lee creates vivid characters and paints some of the most gruesome imagery ever. Never quite "shock value," and always used for necessity, it never the less toes the line. Gore, depravity and sexual violence are cranked up full.
Black Dawn by D. A. Stern - Starting in Los Angeles, an uncontrollable fire rages outward. As it spreads, it sends before it a wave of energy not unlike an EMP. Civilization is thrown into chaos, seemingly all mechanical devices rendered inert. Then the madness begins, random men and women suddenly overcome with violent urges. And back within the flames of LA, a ancient dark god rumbles wake.
Yeah, it's pretty much Stephen King's The Stand, but no where as good.
100 Hair-Raising Little Horror Stories by Sarrantonio & Greenberg - An incredible collection packed into slightly less than 500 pages. Many of these tales by today's standards would be considered "flash fiction." Authors run from Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft all the way up to F. Paul Wilson, Dennis Etchison and Ramsey Campbell. There are even selections from Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and Nathaniel Hawthorne. While not every story could easily be classified as "horror," I'm not entirely sure what the editors were using as criteria. Regardless, this is easily one of the best collections of "short" short stories I've ever read.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. This concludes my book report section...
(boredom)
User Reviews
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2008-04-25 20:59:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2008-04-25 08:32:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Books
Submitted by woolfe (user info) at 2008-04-25 08:03:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
wow, quite a range of genres there.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2008-04-25 04:59:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Books are old, man. What we need is some sort of media that goes directly into your brain through your junk.
Wait, what are we talking about?
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2008-04-25 00:04:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2008-04-24 17:46:10 CDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by FATMANTPK (user info) at 2008-04-24 18:31:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I would never imagine anyone here for reading anything above Swank.
I am a Stephen King fan myself
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C'mon, Fatman, We'uns in Colaraida is edjumkated...
Stephen King is excellent, in spite of dipshit comments by pretentious assholes around here.
you'll find no bigger fan of mr king's work than I but his last two books have been dreadful.
Cell was readable, just about, Liseys Song (I think that was the name) remains the only book I've not finished. it was absolute crap.
'smucking'
but then i can image you probably liked that better than the stand with your 'taste'.
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2008-04-24 23:17:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2008-04-24 20:20:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Have you ever read The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien?
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that's wonderful.
Submitted by shitfuck (user info) at 2008-04-24 22:52:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I think the ending needed more spontaneous combustion.
And tits.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2008-04-24 21:25:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm reading Doctor Zhivago right now. I love it, but damn those Russian names.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2008-04-24 20:20:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Have you ever read The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien?
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2008-04-24 18:46:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by FATMANTPK (user info) at 2008-04-24 18:31:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I would never imagine anyone here for reading anything above Swank.
I am a Stephen King fan myself
=================
C'mon, Fatman, We'uns in Colaraida is edjumkated...
Stephen King is excellent, in spite of dipshit comments by pretentious assholes around here.
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2008-04-24 18:43:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Antius, I dug through the dusty bookshelves in the back room a few days ago and I re-read some old stuff:
"The Word For World Is Forest" Ursula K. Leguin.
"Sackett" Louis L'Amour.
"Waystation" Clifford Simak
"Milo Talon" Louis L'Amour
"Vaneglory" George Turner
All of them are great stories, crossing genre lines like crazy. A good book is a good book, regardless.
Submitted by FATMANTPK (user info) at 2008-04-24 18:31:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I would never imagine anyone here for reading anything above Swank.
I am a Stephen King fan myself
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2008-04-24 18:13:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by GangsterSquid (user info) at 2008-04-24 17:07:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I suppose this sort of writing is all fine and well...but KK do you ever branch out?
You know, historical fiction, non-fiction, satire, etc?
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Yeah, sure...
I'm a big fan of Chuck Palahniuk and Michael Crichton. I've been getting more into James Ellroy, too.
Always a huge fan of Piers Anthony. Terry Goodkind is the only "traditional" fantasy author I can really stand. (minus Weis & Hickman)
I really dig what would be considered 'historical referance books.' You know, like, Time-Life History of Egypt kinda shit.
Biographies can be really hit or miss. Depends on the author I think more than the subject.
I'm simply not a big fan of "modern realism fiction."
Submitted by Darth_Famine (user info) at 2008-04-24 17:34:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by GangsterSquid (user info) at 2008-04-24 17:07:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I suppose this sort of writing is all fine and well...but KK do you ever branch out?
You know, historical fiction, non-fiction, satire, etc?
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2008-04-24 17:07:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
These look good, Thank you
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2008-04-24 16:52:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Gore, depravity and sexual violence are cranked up full.
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I'll read that one. :)
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2008-04-24 16:45:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
http://www.brianruckley.com/winterbirth.htm
http://www.brightweavings.com/books/ysabel.htm
Submitted by CobyLlamar (user info) at 2008-04-24 16:38:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I like what you read. I'm into the same genres. You should check out 'The Pale Blue Eye,' or 'The Dante Club,' if you haven't already done so.
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2008-04-24 16:37:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. Disturbing.