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Book Review: String Them Up by William Sterling

Cover art for String Them Up by William Sterling

String Them Up, by William Sterling

Crystal Lake Publishing, 2023

ISBN: 9781957133591

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition

Buy: Bookshop.org |  Amazon.com

 

For horror fans, books like this are cotton candy for the brain.  There’s nothing especially memorable in the story, but there’s enough in the 158 pages for the equivalent of a quick sugar rush.  It’s pure entertainment, enough to make reading it worth it. Think back to the 80s, when there were a LOT of horror books published that were uuite enjoyable, if not especially original, and you get the idea (although since then, the average page count has gone down and the sticker price has come up. Readers with Kindle Unlimited are in luck if they want to check it out).

 

Speed synopsis: a cop loses his family in a tragic accident, moves to a small town with secrets in its past,, joins the police force with old friend, messy murders happen, and mayhem ensuest.  The End.

 

There’s enough spice thrown in the story mix of this for the reader to keep the pages flipping:: one poor fellow is found hung in a tree by his torn out ligaments and tendons. The toymaker, an eccentric hermit, is the standout character, although the other players carry their parts fine in the narrative.  The best part is undoubtedly the dolls that appear throughout the book, whether they are hanging in trees or dismembering people.  Dolls are always creepy when used correctly, and the author uses them very well. They add a nice touch of cold air to the book, enough to make your skin crawl a bit.  And, when the dolls go to work on people with fishhooks and line… (shudders and hides under the covers)  Toss in a dose of small town politics and secrets and a dash of crystal meth, and you have a quick, entertaining read that is worth the few hours of time needed for the investment.

 

Bottom line: this won’t shatter your senses, but it will keep you involved and get the job done.  It’s worth a look.

 

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

Posted on January 31, 2024 by , Reply

Book Review: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

cover art for The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno Garcia

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Del Rey, 2022

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593355336

Available:: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook

Buy: Bookshop.org |  Amazon.com

 

 

This reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau takes place on the Yucután peninsula in 1871 against the backdrop of the Yucután Caste War. A hacendero, Joseph Lizdale, hires the adventurer Montgomery Langdon, a functional alcoholic with a special set of skills that include hunting, taxidermy, and working with dangerous animals, as mayordomo for the isolated estate occupied by Doctor Moreau, who is researching creating human/animal hybrids as replacements for rebellious Mayan workers, his daughter Carlota, and the more successful hybrids.

 

Six years later, Montgomery is content in the company of the Moreaus and their hybrids and Carlota has grown into a young woman. Lizdale’s funding is drying up, and the doctor’s research is stalled. Eduardo and Isidro Lizdale arrive without the elder Lizdale’s knowledge demanding men to help chase down Mayan rebels. Carlota defuses the confrontation by inviting them in. She and Eduardo fall in love and he asks her to marry him. Change, and revelations, are coming.

 

The point of view alternates between Carlota and Montgomery. I really liked Montgomery’s voice and enjoyed his character. Carlota frequently grated on me probably due to her naivete and meekness, but she was kind and loyal. Watching their relationship develop was interesting- he was a more thoughtful man than he often appeared.

 

The monstrousness of Moreau and his work is evident to the reader early on but it’s only as Carlota realizes it that we really see it. The monstrousness of the hacenderos, even one as handsome as Eduardo, is easily revealed. The hybrids, who appear to be monsters to the humans, are less monstrous than their creator and those who wish to exploit them.

 

This is a fast, engaging, easy read. You don’t have to be familiar with the source material, but it did enhance my reading experience.

 

 

Reviewed by Kirsten Kowalewski

Posted on January 24, 2024 by , Reply

Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection by Junji Ito

Cover art for Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection by Junji Ito

Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection by Junji Ito

Viz Media, 2021

ISBN-13: 9781974719860

Available: Hardcover, Kindle, Comixology

Buy:  Bookshop.org | Amazon.com

 

 

Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection brings together twelve of the horror mangaka’s earliest works. In “Bio House,” a young woman is invited to a strange meal where the after-dinner digestif is a rather unwelcome surprise. “Face Thief” tells the story of Yumi Machida, a student who transfers to a new school where a girl changes her own face. In “Where the Sandman Lives,” Yuji doesn’t sleep. He asks his friend Mari for help, but what she sees as Yuji’s other half awakens is something she shouldn’t see. There is some really good body horror in this particular story. In “The Devil’s Logic,” classmates of school girl Kazumi Morimoto witness her throwing herself off of a building. One of them discovers why this seemingly happy girl decided to take her own life, only to be compelled to do so himself. “The Long Hair in the Attic” sees Chiemi fall into a deep depression after her boyfriend breaks up with her. She returns home to the news from her little sister that there are rats in the attic. When she wakes in the morning, she discovers a rat has become tangled in her long black hair, so she decides to cut it, with disastrous results. In “Scripted Love,” Takahashi has a bad reputation in a small theatre troupe, but Kaori ignores her friend’s warnings. When Takahashi does finally break her heart, Kaori takes the VHS and script he wrote for her and discovers her true love. A vengeful family hides an army deserter for eight years after the end of World War II in “Deserter.” Other stories in this collection are “The Reanimator’s Sword,” “A Father’s Love,” “Unendurable Labyrinth,” “Village of the Siren”, and “Bullied.”

 

While the stories in this collection are not the strongest in Ito’s career, they are well worth reading. The artwork is definitely early work as well, but it isn’t bad. There is still the good storytelling and excellent body horror Ito fans can expect. This is a must for collectors of his work, and libraries wanting to grow their manga collection. Recommended.

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on January 5, 2024 by , Reply
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