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Book Review: Moonlight Serenades by Thom Carnell

Moonlight Serenades by Thom Carnell

Crossroad Press; Macabre Ink, 2016

ASIN: B01FX26OEA

Available: Kindle edition

Moonlight Serenades, Thom Carnell’s collection of seventeen short stories, is pretty incredible. I had to take a step back from the book a few times just to be able to savor some of the tales. In “Wedding Day”, a man in mourning proceeds with what is to be one of the best days of his life, in a very different way. “Another One for the Fire” is a retelling of the opening scene of Night of the Living Dead through the perceptions of the character of Barbara, and is quite beautiful.  “I Stand Alone” is written in screenplay format, from the point of view of, seemingly, the last man on Earth, watching the world from his window, and venturing out only to collect supplies. But things are not as they seem in this black and white world. “Canto Carnascialesco” is the story of Billy and Elena, two teenagers on their first date at the carnival. Unfortunately for them, and all of the other carnival goers, things turn into a bloody mess. “Retribution” is an incredible revenge story told in first person. The question I think the author poses here is, how far would you go to avenge, or revenge, the death of your child? Carnell also includes three stories about Cleese, the hero of his previous book, No Flesh Shall Be Spared.

Two other stories really sat with me. “When I Fall in Love…It Will Be Forever” actually made me cry. Gene and Dottie are trapped in their basement after their home is overrun by zombies. Unfortunately, Dottie did not come away unscathed, and has turned. Gene is doing his best to feed and care for her, while keeping himself safe, but he misses his wife, especially after he flips through one of their photo albums. After contemplating life without her, he makes a life-changing decision.

I wasn’t too sure about “Clown Town” when I started reading, but it turned out to be my favorite in this collection. The story revolves around the “moidah” of a member of the Harlequin family. Carnell uses 1940s jazz and circus slang in this mystery story, which follows Detective Bumpo and Inspector Garbo as they investigate the scene in Marceau’s club and question the suspects. There’s even a little bit of intrigue, and a love story between Bumpo and Josephine, an employee at Marceau’s. I found it interesting how Carnell writes the various types of clowns, by dividing them into cadres or gangs. The story reads very much like the old time radio shows of the 1940’s, and I couldn’t help hearing the voices of Philip Marlowe or Sergeant Joe Friday in my head as I read this story. I hated to reach the end, not because of the conclusion itself, but because I want to read more about this world. I kind of fell in love with the world of these clowns. The other stories in this collection are just as powerful as the ones mentioned above.

Recommended, especially for readers who are drawn to stories that make them sit back for a few moments before starting on another. It’s been a week or so since I read this collection, and there are still tales that I think back on, and have revisited.

Contains: blood, revenge

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

 


Posted on September 4, 2016 by , 1 comment

Book Review: Borderlands 6 edited by Thomas and Olivia Monteleone

Borderlands 6: The Anthology of Imaginative Fiction, edited by Thomas and Olivia Monteleone

Samhain Press, 2016

ISBN-13: 978-1619234987

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

In 1989, Thomas Monteleone, already a stellar author in several genres, decided to publish an anthology series that bucked the trends. He compiled a collection of unique stories that stretched the parameters of horror and weird fiction. There are no tired tropes or recycled plots here. Monteleone was interested in publishing great stories, not just big names, and many of the best tales came from the minds of previously unknown writers, many of whom became rising stars. After a 12 year hiatus, Borderlands 6 follows suit, and succeeds just as well as the previous five volumes. Some stories will leave readers with a sense of wonder, and others with the best sort of unsettling feeling.

There are some big names: Jack Ketchum, David Morrell, Steve Rasnic Tem, Gary Braunbeck, and new sensation Paul Tremblay all make an appearance, as does John McIlveen, whose novel Hannawhere was a Stoker nominee this year. Braunbeck’s satiric take on “mart-type-box stores” is chilling in its pure weirdness. However, the success of the Borderlands anthologies comes from sharing hidden gems, and this volume is no different. Many of the best stories are by relative newcomers. “Cocoa”, by Bob Pastorella, is the oddest tale here, and lingers in the memory; “The Dress”, by Peter Salomon, is similar in its strangeness, and has a twist that is both organic and perfect; “The Palace Garbage Man”, by Bradley Mitchell Zerbe, feels both medieval and modern in its unique take on evil; and “In God’s Image”, by Sean B. Davis, a story that feels like a warped episode of The Twilight Zone hung around in this reviewer’s darkened imagination for days.

Olivia and Tom have done a fine job here in continuing the Borderlands legacy. Highly recommended for all fans of short fiction looking for something new and different.

Reader’s advisory note: This anthology may be a good way to introduce new authors to horror readers looking for a change.

Reviewed by David Simms


Posted on July 22, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: The Dark at the End of the Tunnel by Taylor Grant

The Dark at the End of the Tunnel by Taylor Grant

Crystal Lake Publishing, 2015

ISBN: 9780994679338

Available: Kindle ebook, trade paperback

I enjoy a good novel, but sometimes a solid collection of short stories is just as good, if not better. The Darkness at the End of the Tunnel by Taylor Grant contains ten short stories, each with unique storytelling elements.

There are a number of standout stories. “The Vood” is about a creature who hides and devours from the shadows. Grady lost his mother to this creature, and he has feared it since childhood. Growing up with it has caused problems for him, but a lifetime of preventing it from devouring him hasn’t protected Grady from himself. “Show and Tell” is the story of a sixth grader who is called into the guidance councilor’s office after his teacher finds disturbing artwork in his desk. The tale he tells of the pictures is equally disturbing…and deadly. In “Whispers in the Trees, Screams in the Dark,” Blake resents his father and his new wife moving them to a new city, where he has a hard time making new friends. He meets two boys who want to show him something remarkable in the woods; a woman with beauty surpassing that of anyone they have seen. But her beauty comes at a price. In “The Intruders”, Mason makes a discovery during his research for his true crime book after speaking with several serial killers. All of them have one thing in common: they hear voices. Now Mason can hear them, too. The last story in the collection, “The Dark at the End of the Tunnel,” concerns a man coming out of a decade in stasis to discover he has no memories. As they gradually come back, he’s haunted by disturbing hallucinations. Desperate for answers, he reaches out to his broker, Mr. Wheeler, and his doctor, Dr. Smythe.

Grant is a screenwriter and filmmaker, but Dark at the End of the Tunnel is his first short story collections, and it is fantastic. The characters are memorable, the gore is fantastic, and Grant’s storytelling skills are polished. There are certainly stories that have their share of monsters, but it’s the stories that make you take a look at the darker side of humanity that make it truly worth it to pick up this book. You won’t be disappointed. Highly recommended

Contains: body horror, gore, sexuality

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on June 25, 2016 by , Reply
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