Eutopia: A Novel of Terrible Optimism By David Nickle Review

By David Nickle
Publisher ChiZine Publications
ISBN: 978-1926851112
Review by Jim Cherry
Review posted 1/25/2011


I’m not the best judge of horror, but I’ve read Lovecraft, Poe, King, and good writing is good writing. Good writing carries over to a book regardless of genre. And there’s plenty of good writing in David Nickle’s “Eutopia.”

“Eutopia” is set in the early 20th century and explores the world of American utopian movements, and the almost instantly corruptible science of Eugenics, how easily our desires for a utopian society can be exploited and corrupted no matter how idealistic the original intent.

The story is told from the point of view of two protagonists. The first is Dr. Andrew Waggoner a negro doctor in the frontier town of Eliada, Colorado in 1911. Eliada is a town set up by idealistic and charismatic leader Garrison Harper, a city that he’s built out of the wilderness on the principles of Compassion, Community, and Hygiene. As we meet Waggoner he’s about to be lynched by the local Ku Klux Klan. But first they hang a mysterious figure known as “Mr. Juke” for the rape and murder of a young woman. As Juke is being hanged, Waggoner has a vision of Juke either being a monster or beautiful. Just as the Klan is about to lynch Waggoner he’s rescued by Sam Green, one of the Pinkerton men hired by Harper. As Waggoner recuperates in Eliada’s hospital he learns “Mr. Juke” had survived hanging, although Waggoner doesn’t see how that is possible. But there isn’t time for Waggoner to investigate as a plot is discovered that the Klan wants to finish their job on Dr. Waggoner.

The second protagonist is Jason Thistledown, a lad of sixteen whose mother has died of disease. He discovers the rest of the town has been killed by the disease and, he’s the sole survivor. As Jason waits out the winter on the farm and is unsure about what to do with his mother’s body his previously unknown Aunt Germaine appears. Aunt Germaine is on her way to Eliada having recently been in New York gathering Eugenics information in prisons. After Jason and Aunt Germaine arrive in Eliada her motives for bringing Jason there become suspect as she allows Jason to be put overnight in “quarantine” with “Mr. Juke” and the secret that town harbors reveals itself and spreads throughout the populace.

At first I had a difficult time figuring out what, if any genre “Eutopia” fell into. Was it going to be a novel with a science fiction twist? Steampunk? Or something else entirely? Nickle takes his time setting everything up, and soon, “Eutopia” revealed itself to be of the horror genre. Nickle lets the novel reveal itself through the characters and the events that befall them. The narrative moves with a Lovecraftian twist, a little Greek mythology and hillbilly lore thrown in. Nickle lays out these strings and neatly weaves them into the thread of his story and keeps the tension going and the reader wanting to see what will happen next. Set in the early 20th century, Nickle has the voice of the people and the manner of the times down.

The horror is more implicit than explicit, there’s no big ’reveal’ scene where a monstrous nightmare vision is thrown at the reader for shock or a visceral reaction. Nickle sets the tone at early 20th century creepy. The tone is more of a pins under your skin feeling, or the feeling of a spider walking across your hand, that keeps you in a state of ecstatic uncomfortableness. The closer I got towards the end, the more it kept me reading to see how this could possibly be resolved. What higher praise or expectations can you have for a book?

“Eutopia” will be released by ChiZine Publications on May 3rd, 2011.

Jim Cherry is the author of The Last Stage www.jymsbooks.com

Classsics Mutilated Edited By Jeff Conner Review

Edited By: Jeff Conner
Publisher Idea and Design Works, llc
ISBN: 978-1600108303
Review by Jim Cherry
Review posted 1/24/2011


“Classsics Mutilated” is an anthology of 13 short stories that takes some literary classics and mashes them up with a twist of horror, that crosses genres, characters and the lines between them.

Mutilated is kind of a misnomer for these stories, there’s nothing mutilated or even stitched together about these stories. They’re more a fusion of genres that enhances the originals. Like alternate histories in writing a good mashup you have to have a good command of the material, balanced with a respect for the original while maintaining a sense of the irreverent about it. Hopefully, the new story, besides being entertaining will also provide a better understanding or insight into the original, and these are well written stories.

Some of the standout stories for me were:
“Death Stopped for Miss Dickinson,” which takes the literary assessment of Emily Dickinson courting death in her poetry from the figurative into the literal. Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes a story that takes the fine lacey poetics of Dickinson and creates a story worthy of Dickinson.

“Quoth The Rock Star” has Jim Morrison entering the world of Edgar Allan Poe and “The Raven” as they battle it out for possession of a soul. The author of “Quoth,” Rio Youers, writes one of the best descriptions of a Doors concert I’ve ever read. Youers interlaces Morrison’s lyrics into the prose to create effect, tone and even real power in using Morrison’s motif’s and imagery in the telling of the story and will give Doors fans a rush of recognition.

In “From Hell’s Heart” Nancy Collins has Captain Ahab from Moby Dick fused with H.P. Lovecraft. I was never a big fan of Lovecraft when he was big in the mid-70’s because he always backed away from describing the horror, but Nancy Collins takes that extra step and describes Lovecraft’s indescribable.

“Frankenbilly,” is a western homage to the B-movie. It meshes “Frankenstein” with the 60‘s classic “Billy the Kid Versus Dracula.” While successfully serving the flavor of a western and a B-movie, without degenerating into B writing.

For rock fans that want to continue in vein of “Quoth The Rock Star,” Mark Morris’ “Vicious” has Sid Vicious on tour in the U.S. meeting up with a Voodoo priestess or two, and definitely maintains Vicious’ attitude and outlook towards life.

“Twilight of the Gods” has Norse mythology going to high school and meeting the 90210 world. An apt tongue in cheek look at The Gods.

The H.G. Wells story “The Island of Dr. Moreau“ never seemed to work in concept either in Wells’ work or in the movies. But in “The Happiest Hell on Earth,” John Skipp and Cody Goodfellow have Moreau working much better when he meets up with a Walt Disneyesque Hollywood impresario.

In “Classics Mutilated” there is a quotient of fun in the stories, a joie de vive in the writing, that you can even see in titles like “Anne-Droid of Green Gables.” “Classics Mutilated” is a good for anyone who likes literature and/or horror and is looking for a little different perspective on either. A reading of “Classics Mutilated” will bring back fond memories and may even send you back to the originals.


Jim Cherry is the author of The Last Stage www.jymsbooks.com

Gone with the Dirt:Undead Dixie Anthology Edited by Jessy Marie Roberts Review

Edited by: Jessy Marie Roberts
Pill Hill Press
ISBN: 978-1617060427
Review posted 01/21/2011

At the time of the civil war, many lives were lost. But could there have been a possibility of the undead helping in bring about a different war?

That is what Gone with the Dirt:Undead Dixie lets the reader into. There are 26 stories about the south, the civil war and the undead. Included in this collection is also a play.

What brings this collection to stand by itself is the idea that undead could have walked about the earth during the time there were 'southern bells' and men were fighting their brothers during one of the deadliest wars ever fought.

Out of this collection the story that stands out the most is 'Deliver the Yankee Coffin' by Kelly M. Hudson. Here is the story of how there maybe a possibility Lincoln allowed the undead attacks to occur and how those around him dealt with this choice. The story is built around a different and beautiful background. The characters based on real names, serve their purpose by dealing with these attacks, emotions running high and proving that this story is one of the best of the old south.

The only odd thing about this collection was that amongst all the short stories there was a stage play script included. Not that I mind I love plays, but for some reason that seemed out of place. However, it is an anthology and anything can go.

I would buy this to take a different look at the old south. Read the characters as they venture into something so extreme, that even holding their rifles up high will not stop the fear in their eyes.

Strange Little Band By Nancy Brauer and Vanessa Brooks Review

by: Nancy Brauer and Vanessa Brooks
Triptych
ISBN: 978-1456301255
Review by: Gina Desory
Review posted 01/18/2011

Strange Little Band starts out with a person named Daniel from a company named Triptych who arrives at the home of Shane Myers. He inquires about the boy and the parents inform him he has been adopted. Shane has fights, the parents tell Daniel that Shane found out his was adopted and they don't know how he did.

The story then continues on with Addison Harris who is pregnant. She was inseminated with the sperm of a Dr. Myers, who is Shane at the Triptych company. Shane does not realize at first that Harris is carrying his baby. Most of all, some don't realize what Shane really is, half-alien, half-human or what will happen to this baby.

Strange Little Band has an interesting premise of having a baby who no one knows what will happen because he is from a half alien father. The company of Triptych is a strange company where several unusual things occur and secrets are kept.

The only problem I had with this story is the jumping around constantly from one scene to the next. At times I had to reread areas to make sure I knew where I was in the story. I won't say that made the story bad, because the story was interesting. It was just hard at times to keep track of the flow of the story.

Strange Little Band is a story in which unusual things occur, secrets are up in the air and a half-alien man makes you wonder what actually goes about with the people you thought you knew.

Felix and the Sacred Thor by James Steele Review

by: James Steele
Eraserhead Press
ISBN: 978-1936383238
Review posted 01/17/2011

Flex has an attraction to horses. His guidance counselor even suggested he go into ESMS. There were so many others that wanted what he wanted as a job, that people would stand in line for a chance to work as a Equine Stress Management Specialist. Until the day that he was able to try a horse after several others have failed.

The angels played their music as he tried to feel underneath the horse, but as he did he felt the sheath deep inside to find the universe waiting there and what he thought was the horse's organ. The horse then explains that the organ was his sacrifice for the greater good. It is called 'Thor.' Felix soon discovers the power of Thor, attacking toasters and what it means to be what he is.

Felix and the Sacred Thor is certainly Bizarre in the extreme. When you have something such as 'Thor' smacking people around, customers at a retail store and becoming a weapon of enlightenment for Felix, you have stepped into the world of Bizarro fiction.

Though there is a lot of sexual innuendo in this book that sometimes reminds me of Clerks II when the one woman basically said, it is so weird , but I can't look away. That of course is not a direct quote from the movie, but you can see basically what it means. This story is so far into the realm of weird that you go 'what the?' but you can't pull away from reading it. The character of Felix alone will want you to come back and read more. This is one story that should not be forgotten in the mists of book shelves, but one that does stand on its own, even in the world of Bizarro fiction.

Flip this Zombie by Jesse Petersen Review

by: Jesse Petersen
Orbit Press
ISBN: 978-0316102957
Review posted 01/16/2011


The married, arguing, sarcastic , zombie fighting team of Sara and David are back in Flip this Zombie by Jesse Petersen. This time they have dealt with the zombie infection for awhile and have opened their own business of killing zombies. Through word of mouth, people who are looking for their kind of work leave posts at the survivor camps and David and Sara look for them. In exchange for their services, they get needed supplies. One day Sara reads a post that just asks them to meet at a location. They do that and discover it is a scientist working on what he claims is a cure.

They are tempted by simple things like warm showers and fresh clothes to catch zombies for this scientist to test on. But is this scientist what they are hoping for or a deranged man who wants to keep the infection going and what is this new bionic zombies they have heard of?

Ms. Petersen once again brings back the favorite couple from Married with zombies, Sara and David. Through the charming aspect of their marriage, their battles of the past disappear, somewhat. They are funny, yet strong and laughter, along with interesting new concepts brings Flip this Zombie in its own place. The mad scientist is a nice touch with giving the couple something to possible look forward to instead of just chopping off another zombie head.

Flip this Zombie you will flip over with the sarcasm, the new ideas and just the plain charm that Ms. Petersen's pen can give a reader.

The Sherlockian by Graham Moore Review

by: Graham Moore
Twelve Press
ISBN: 978-044657259
Review posted 01/14/2011

The Sherlockian tells the tale of Harold White a Sherlock Holmes obsessed fan who finally gets into one of the most elite Sherlock Holmes groups. A member of this group has the last part of Arthur Conan Doyle's diary, the author of Sherlock Holmes. He ends up being murdered and Harold starts to investigate the same way Sherlock Holmes would do and he takes along a reporter who ends up playing his 'Watson.' Funded by a relative who wants nothing more than the diary itself, they start a wild adventure.

During the time that Harold is going on in his present dealings of 2010, you get glimpses into Arthur Conan Doyle as he struggles with his fame based on Sherlock Holmes and ends up solving a murder himself taking the tactics from his stories to help find the killer.

What was most enjoyable about The Sherlockian, is that even though the chapters skipped back and forth between Harold and Doyle, you were never lost. It was interesting to see what a diary would cause in a group that was so wrapped up in an author's character and to be able to see Doyle and his mission to destroy his beloved character and ending up using him to solve a murder.

With delightful characters and a setting that makes you feel you are in a Sherlock Holmes tale, you will want to cherish this story, get involved in the mystery and want to investigate along with the characters.