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Graphic Novel Review: Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir, art by Christina “Steenz” Stewart

Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir, art by Christina “Steenz” Stewart

Oni Press, 2018

ISBN-13: 9781620104705

Available:  Paperback

 

After losing her job at the library due to her failing mental health, Celeste “Cel” Walden lands an archivist job at the Logan Museum, previously a sanitarium. The position, she finds out quickly, is a bit odd. She is required to live on site, keep strange hours, and work with a secretive supervisor, among other things. There are also mysterious noises that can be heard through the vast halls at night, making the environment creepier than it is during daylight hours. Cel also experiences losing time, strange and unsettling dreams, and fainting. She can’t afford to lose this job: how is she going to cope with the strange goings-on that are occurring around her? Who is the mysterious girl, Celine, haunting Cel’s dreams, and eventually, her waking hours?

Cel’s fear and apprehension of mental health treatment, and the stigma that is attached therein, resonated with me. Between losing her beloved library position as a result of her failing mental health and what she “sees” of Celine’s experiences in the sanitarium, Cel’s experiences provide a lens for viewing the history of mental health care, particularly for young women. I had my own negative experience with the mental health care system, so I understand fully Cel’s apprehension. I think Weir has captured that fear well in this book. While there is much good that mental health care can do for those who need it,  it’s difficult to trust it when you have had a potentially harmful experience. Compound that with the stigma placed on those who cope with mental health issues, and it is perfectly understandable why Cel’s reaction is appropriate to the character. Even as her boyfriend Kyle and others try to reassure her, she still struggles, sometimes to the point of falling into cyclical logic that tells her she is broken. For me, Cel was extremely relatable.

While Archival Quality isn’t strictly horror, it has the elements of a fantastic ghost story. It would be a great book for YA and adults alike. Since it is set in an archive, I think archivists and fellow librarians would be interested in this book just for the setting. Steenz provides fantastic artwork to Weir’s story. It’s simplistic and colorful, while not being overpowering. I particularly love the depiction of Cel’s supervisor Holly and her style. Steenz and Weir make a wonderful creative team, and I look forward to seeing what they do in the future. Recommended.

 

Stay tuned for an interview with the creators of Archival Quality!

 

Contains: references to mental health and outdated, harmful practices/”cures” previously used in mental health treatment.

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on April 12, 2018 by , 1 comment

Kickstarter for Soft Matter from The Dark North

We recently reviewed The Dark North– Volume 1 from international publisher The Dark North. They currently have a Kickstarter going for their second project, Soft Matter. If you are interested in more information, the press release is below.

A link to the Kickstarter is here.

NEW SCIENCE FICTION FROM THE DARK NORTH

 

SOFT MATTER

 

A Stunning Blend of Science Fact and Fiction

 

Following the successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for the narrative art book The Dark North – Volume 1, the same team is dipping their toes in uncharted waters with science fiction novel Soft Matter, by Swedish debut writer Pär Karlsson.

 

It’s a chilling story about a Swedish family, where the son – a soldier – ends up in an irreversible coma, and the father – a respected neurosurgeon – loses everything but his mind. A top secret medical facility in the United States offers them a startling solution, and their decisions will end up affecting them for the rest of their lives.

 

In a stunning blend of science fact and fiction, psychology and existentialism, Soft Matter explores what it is to be human, even if your body isn’t your own.

 

2018 marks the 200 year anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – the first science fiction novel – and we at the Dark North only saw it fitting to bring these eternal questions into new light. Pär’s tragic – but also inspiring – tale of a family in ruins makes something of a Frankenstein for the 21st century.

 

For Soft Matter, Pär did extensive research in the fields of neuroscience and psychology and put these scientific fields in the face of a terrifying opportunity. The result is a mesmerizing story, with a premise that may very well end up a reality in our near future.

 

The Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Soft Matter will go live on April 11.

 

 

Scandinavian Talent is an International Matter

 

Based in Stockholm and Los Angeles, The Dark North is an international publisher with one, simple goal: to bring Scandinavian talent in the fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror (and everything in between) to the rest of the world.

 

Since the dawn of the Swedish gaming wonder at the turn of the century, Scandinavia is breeding ground to some of the finest artist and writers on the globe. We hunt for treasures in the desk drawers of concept artists. We search for unpublished, fantastic writers in the far corners of the North. And we truly and sincerely believe that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

 

With The Dark North – Volume 1, we started a journey that took a few of these artists over the Atlantic and straight into the publishing powerhouse of Dark Horse Comics in the USA. Volume 1 currently has an Amazon Vine rating of 4.5 out of 5 and has received stunning reviews worldwide.

 

One can only wonder where this will lead, with Soft Matter and beyond.

 

Reviewers and journalists, feel free to contact us for digital review copies of the novel and press photos.

 

Robert Henrysson, +46 (0) 73-343 91 90, E-mail: henrysson74@gmail.com

Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/darknorth/343207490

Facebook: facebook.com/darknorthart/ Web: darknorthart.com

Posted on April 12, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: Songs of Dreaming Gods by William Meikle


Songs of Dreaming Gods by William Meikle

Macabre Ink, 2017

ISBN-13: 978-1946025951

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook

 

Haunted house stories have been overtaken by tropes and lazy writing, and in most cases, should be boarded up. In recent years, however, a few have managed to introduce something new. Books such as House of Leaves, The Unseen, and The Haunted have introduced new wrinkles to the sub-genre. Songs of Dreaming Gods is one of these: it’s far more than a haunted house story. It is a solid read that stretches the imagination: readers may have to flip back a few pages occasionally to be certain they’ve caught all the nuances and plot twists. Is it horror? Definitely. But it’s not contained by the genre.

Those familiar with the works of William Meikle know that the author conjures up some pretty freaky designs for plot and setting (The Hole and Fungoid quickly come to mind).  In Songs of Dreaming Gods, we see that Meikle has once again done an extraordinary job in the telling of the story and in the layering of both the house and characters. Reading the book is like peeling an onion, or opening Russian nesting dolls.

A trio of local cops are called to the house where a bloodbath has occurred. Several bodies, or what’s left of them, are discovered in an old house. What’s been done to them is unlike anything one would expect from any human being, or animal. The trio realize that this is unlike any crime they have yet encountered. Doors that led to the stained floors where the forensic team should be now open up to another room not in their reality. Each of the investigators come to the house with their own wounds, mentally or physically, and face different doors, each which lead to scenes and realities that break down what each has known in his or her life. Once the characters go deeper into the house, and themselves, the reality they knew cannot be retrieved. All they can hope for is to escape with whatever the house allows them.

Songs of Dreaming Gods is decidedly different from most recent haunted house reads. With its fast-paced plot and complex structure, Meikle’s latest is a welcome addition to the sub-genre. Recommended.

Reviewed by Dave Simms

Posted on April 11, 2018 by , Reply
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