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Book Review: Fungoid by William Meikle

Fungoid by William Meikle

DarkFuse, 2016

ISBN: 9781940544748

Available:  paperback, ebook

The end of the world starts with a rainstorm. Within the rain droplets are small fungoid spores. Every living thing they fall upon develops a fast-spreading infection that immediately reduces them to a itching, writhing mass of bleeding flesh as they scratch, and scratch, and scratch, to try to relieve themselves of the painful itch. Soon, the infection takes a more devious form, able to acclimate to anything the human population devises to protect themselves. The fungus is evolving.

This is a fast-paced read, full of suspense, intriguing characters, science, and a planet-wide apocalypse. It goes back and forth from the perspective of different characters with different motivations. Shaun is trying desperately to get to his family and will stop at nothing to do so. Rohit, a mycologist, observes firsthand what the infection does to the human body when a student voluntarily wanders outside when the droning sound of the fungus gets to him. The reader also sees what happens to a person’s mind from the perspective of one of the infected as it takes hold of Jim, and won’t let him go.

I think the only criticism I have is in regards to the way Rohit’s research of who may be responsible for the global catastrophe is presented. He goes to the university library’s databases, which is good, and discovers the list of who accessed the article previously. We librarians guard our patrons’ usage information with a passion, so this information wouldn’t be openly available. Otherwise, this book was fantastic. Meikle is a great storyteller, and I am most familiar with his Carnacki stories. In fact, there is a nod to the great detective of the supernatural in this book. Recommended.

Contains: some body horror

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

 

Posted on December 23, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia


 
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Thomas Dunne Books, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1250099082
Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition, Audible
 

Certain Dark Things is an excellent example of what a vampire novel can be. The characters are strong, the writing is fast-paced, and it paints a vision of a world we have not seen before. There is a ton of vampire fiction out there, much of it unreadable, but Silvia Moreno-Garcia brings a fresh take to the genre in this page-turner.

In the world of Certain Dark Things, the existence of vampires became public knowledge in 1969. Slowly, the vampires have become a part of society. There are a variety of species and sub-species of vampires, and many have evolved geographically and culturally. Reading it, there is a sense that we are seeing just the tip of the iceberg. The book comes with a glossary which explains the ins and outs of the vampires and their history. I found this unnecessary, and only referred to it once. Many of the details listed at the back of the book have little bearing on this story, but it is clear the author has this whole world thought out in great detail. World-building is clearly one of the book’s great strengths.

Domingo is a homeless teenager surviving on the streets of Mexico City, whose life changes hen he meets Alt, a vampire that comes from a Aztec background. Alt’s biology requires that she feed from the young, but she doesn’t have to kill to feed. Domingo is fascinated with her: he has read about vampires, but never met one. Although gangs of vampires and drug cartels battle beyond the city limits, within Mexico City, vampires are illegal. Why would Alt risk coming to Mexico City? This is what drives the narrative.

The novel is well structured. Moreno-Garcia uses multiple points of view, switching easily between them. Character development is also impressive. Ana, the police detective, has a story interesting enough to carry its own novel. Watching Domingo fall deeper and deeper for Alt, readers learn just how inhuman she is. Some of the strongest moments of the book happen between them.

Moreno-Garcia isn’t the first to write about Mexican vampires, but every dark fiction author deserves a chance to put their spin on the creature, using the unique set of tools they bring to the table, and she has created a clever and original story.  We can only hope she will choose to return to this world with a sequel. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by David Agranoff


Posted on December 20, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: B.P.R.D Hell on Earth volume 14: The Exorcist

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Volume 14: The Exorcist  by Mike Mignola, Cameron Stewart, Chris Roberson, and Mike Norton

Dark Horse, 2016

ISBN: 9781506700113

Available: Trade paperback, Kindle edition, comiXology ebook

 

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Volume 14: The Exorcist collects B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Exorcism #1–#2 and B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth #140–#142.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Exorcism was a 2 issue mini-series published from June to July 2012. The plot focuses on field agent Ashley Strode as she investigates a series of exorcisms in a rural Indiana town. After a failed exorcism, and angering the priest in control of the ritual, Agent Strode is deployed to a Mexican village after a demon commands her to release one of its brethren, or lose the soul of a child. Strode attempts to purge a demon from an aged, retired, exorcist, using a deadly rite that sends both of them into a spiritual hell.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: The Exorcist continues Agent Strode’s career. Strode is searching for missing children in a town called Yamsay, a small mining town that has fallen on hard times. She discovers the reason for the missing children in the abandoned, dilapidated house of the town’s founder, Eustice Coupland. His daughter, long deceased, tells Strode the story of her father’s secrets, and what happened to the missing children of Yamsay. What she doesn’t reveal is more sinister and dangerous than Agent Strode could ever imagine.

I was really impressed with the storytelling in this volume, especially when it comes to Agent Strode’s character development: she begins as a freshly minted rookie in the first story arc, and becomes a confident and capable field agent in the second. In The Exorcism storyline, she puts herself, and others, in danger: she can’t even bring herself to hand the priest the holy water, and then directly addresses the demon, who may or may not be lying to her. Her following interaction with the retired exorcist is what helps form her into the agent she becomes later. He warns her that she needs to be alert and trust in her abilities, especially when they enter the spiritual realm. In the second storyline, she’s working independently in Yamsay, and holds her own very well. I’m finding that I want to read more about her.

The book is also visually appealing. The demons, in particular, are unique and well-rendered. At the end of this volume is an artist’s sketchbook with notes about the creation of Ashely Strode, the demons, and more. This is a nice addition that allows you to see the creative energy that went into these storylines. Recommended.

Contains: some blood

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker



Posted on November 30, 2016 by , Reply
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