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Book Review: Cradleland of Parasites by Sara Tantlinger

cover art for Cradleland of Parasites by Sara Tantlinger

Cradleland of Parasites by Sara Tantlinger

Rooster Republic, 2020

ISBN-13 : 978-1946335395

Available:   ( Bookshop.org | Amazon.com )

Sara Tantlinger has infected many horror fans with a burning passion for poetry, not an easy feat, and the exquisite entries into her newest collection are damn impressive.  I first encountered her work in Devil’s Dreamland, a book devoted to the unimaginable horrors of serial killer H.H. Holmes, both his murders and the monstrous, puzzle box house he created to feed the evil within him, and found myself falling back in love with the form.  It is a difficult task to imbue a reader with true dread and wonder for a single poem, let alone an entire collection. Only a few other poets I have read have riled up the beast within me repeatedly, to accomplish that dark grasp into the soul.

Tantlinger has now done it twice.

Readers of Cradleland of Parasites might draw some parallels to Poe’s “Masque of The Red Death” for obvious reasons, or recognize the nihilism of Thomas Ligotti, but Tantlinger delves deep beyond these influences to create a surreal, yet beautiful nightmare in this 104 page part examination, part love letter to the plague. Yet there’s life in these poems that transcends that macabre mindset and raises it to the art form it aims to be. Imagine Kathe Koja, Gwendolyn Kiste, or Catherynne Valente if they dove soul first into poetry. That image may not be adequate but it’s what is painted in my psyche upon slipping from one piece to the next.

The author treats disease as immortal, untouchable, and unbeatable, which in this world, obviously has plenty of merit. The poems that speak to the reader from the point of view of the plague doctors and victims are fierce, yet touching, but it is the ones in which the disease itself speaks its mind and sings its song where the full impact strikes, and pierces the soul.

It’s bittersweet that Sara Tantlinger released this during the pandemic of our times but it might just serve as a talisman of hope for life, or salve for the lingering doom that Covid brings.

That it is a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award speaks to the horror it evokes in readers’ minds. During this tumultous time, it serves as a fitting reminder of our own mortality, both special and irrelevant in the vast cosmos. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by David Simms

 

Editor’s note: Cradleland of Parasites is a nominee on the final ballot for this year’s Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in Poetry. 

 

Posted on May 4, 2021 by , Reply

Graphic Novel Review: Spectre Deep 6 by Jennifer Brody and Jules Rivera

Spectre Deep 6 by Jennifer Brody and Jules Rivera

Turner, 2020

ISBN-13: 9781684424139

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition ( Bookshop.org | Amazon.com )

 

Spectre Deep 6 tells the story of a diverse team of black ops called “Spectres”, an elite squad of soldiers who died in the line of duty and were reanimated by military scientists as ghosts. Their mission is to carry out various illegal or secret missions for the United States government in exchange for day passes to “haunt” their previous lives. When the team takes care of a target, the victim simply appears to have had a stroke, heart attack, or other naturally caused death. Unfortunately, these missions also exhaust the powers of the Spectre team, rendering them needing “recharge”. The spirits are locked in containment, located in a secret military bunker under Area 51 ((of course) when they are not on duty.

Brody and Rivera include a diverse cast of characters for Spectre Deep 6. Captain Bianca Vasquez was an undercover agent who died as she was searching for her missing husband. Now she is a member of the six-person Spectre squad, and during her day-pass time, haunts her daughter, who is in a foster home as a result of both of her parents being missing or dead. John Song is a sarcastic Asian-American soldier with a volatile temper. The cat-loving Kim Masters is a Black agent who takes no crap. Bart Bartholomew, who was a surfer in his former life, loves video games and deeply misses his best friend… and the feeling is mutual. Kacey Flame is a beautiful pink-haired transgender woman who haunts her old place to keep those who she cared most for out of her old space, in case they can’t accept her for who she wanted to be in life. James Sparks is a Black former aircraft engineer who discovered some nasty secrets his boss was keeping, and which resulted in his death. At times, the teammates most definitely do not get along, as their personalities clash over personal ethics and codes of honor, but they always manage to get the job done. Once Bianca’s missing husband Zane enters the picture, things get more complicated.

The story was a bit slow going at first, but after the first chapter the pace picked up considerably. I would recommend this for readers who enjoy a good sci-fi ghost story. The characters are well-developed in such a short time, and Brody and Rivera devote plenty of space for readers to get a handle on the characters and their motivations. Recommended.

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Editor’s note: Spectre Deep 6 is a nominee on this year’s final ballot for the Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel. 

Posted on May 4, 2021 by , Reply

Graphic Novel Review: Road of Bones by Rich Douek, art by Alex Cormack

cover art for Road of Bones by Rich Douek

Road of Bones by Rich Douek, art by Alex Cormack

IDW, 2020

ISBN-13: 9781684055982

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, comiXology  ( Bookshop.org | Amazon.com )

 

It’s 1953. Roman Ivanovich Morozov is a prisoner in the Siberian gulag of Kolyma for slandering Stalin, given 25 years of hard labor as punishment. He and his fellow prisoners are forced to work in harsh conditions. If the frozen environment doesn’t kill them, the guards certainly will. One evening, Roman is caught leaving food out for a domovik, a creature from fairy tales that protects a household.

This is survival horror at its finest. The story continually keeps the reader on their toes, wondering if the creature stalking the escaped prisoners is real or if it lives solely in Roman’s head. The isolation and paranoia the men experience both in and out of the gulag is intense. The artwork is excellent, but at times it is confusing to decipher who is communicating. I had to continually go back and reread a few sections to make sure I was keeping characters straight. It was somewhat easier to track at the beginning. The escaped prisoners have similarities in appearance. There are very subtle differences, including the color of different pieces of their clothing and even eye color. The landscapes and color choices are amazing. Even the panels when the men are sitting around the campfire are effective. The shadows are deep and definitely add to the oppressive atmosphere. Cormack is clearly a talented artist. Highly recommended.

This volume collects issues #1-4.

 

Contains: blood, cannibalism, gore

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Editor’s Note: Road of Bones is a nominee on the final ballot of this year’s Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel. 

Posted on May 3, 2021 by , Reply
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