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Book Review: Hannahwhere by John McIlveen

Hannahwhere by John McIlveen
Crossroad Press, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1941408629
Availability: Paperback, Ebook

 

Hannahwhere is a rare treasure for a first novel. John McIlveen began his writing career in the horror genre, but his work has always danced on the edges of the magical. Although popular authors such as Stephen King and Neil Gaiman have experimented successfully with an array of genres and genre hybrids, a relative newcomer with a genre-blending book faces more of a challenge in drawing readers’ attention. John McIlveen has written a book deserving of that attention. The characters maneuver through the pages in fluid fashion, growing into people so believable that it is nearly impossible to contain them. The story and style will take your breath away, fracture your imagination, and carve open your heart.

Set in modern Boston, Hannawhere centers on young Hannah, who is found behind a dumpster, physically healthy but catatonic, two years after she and her twin witnessed a brutal murder in Nebraska. She has obviously been the victim of terrible trauma, and is trapped in an alternative fantasy world that is strange and claustrophobic, yet still inviting,  Hannah’s social worker, Debbie Gillan, enters and tries to save Hannah and find her twin, changing their lives and everything they thought they knew about reality. To say more about the plot would destroy the magic within the covers.

This creep down the rabbit hole will leave many in wonder, often with a tear in their eye. McIlveen has shown that boundaries are for those who refuse to knock the walls down… No such boundaries exist in Hannahwhere. Highly recommended.

Contains: mild horror involving children

Reviewed by David Simms

Posted on January 5, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: On Her Majesty’s Behalf: The Great Undead War, Book II by Joseph Nassise


On Her Majesty’s Behalf: The Great Undead War: Book II by Joseph Nassise

Harper Voyager, 2014

ISBN-13: 9780062048783

Available: Paperback, Kindle

 

This is the second book in The Great Undead War series (the first book is By The Blood of Heroes. Normally I would never start a story in the middle, but I jumped at a review copy of this novel because I have read and heard great things about Joesph Nassise’s work.

This isn’t just another post-apocalypse undead story; it hits several popular genre publishing trends at once. The Great Undead War is an alternate history/zombie/steampunk series. It’s a combination that in lesser hands could easily fail, but Nassise pulls it off.

In this novel, set during the Great War (World War I), the world is under siege from zombie hordes created by German chemical weapons. Our hero, Major Burke,  and his company, are given the job of getting into zombie-occupied London to rescue the royal family. They must battle their way through zombies: the shamblers of the first novel, and the more vicious shredders.

This short novel is a rare case where I could have handled another hundred pages. The pace is great, and the action moves quickly. The vibe is that of a military action novel, but it also succeeds as a horror novel. It is well written and thoroughly researched.

This is a great crossover novel. I highly recommend this book for readers who like adventure fantasy, zombie novels, steampunk, and military adventure fiction. Libraries should also have this available for young adult readers ages 14 and up– they will love it. I intend to go back and read the first book, and will be in line when the next one comes out.

Contains: Zombie violence

Reviewed by David Agranoff

 

Posted on March 17, 2015 by , Reply

New Resources: The Genre Blender (and some ghost stories)

Click here to visit the Genre Blender

So many stories cross genre boundaries, and are missed by readers of one genre or the other, when both might discover some new world or a previously unknown (to them) novel. That’s really a shame. A lot of quality fiction (and a lot of entertaining mindless reading as well) gets passed up by readers who would probably enjoy it.

Soooo… I am thrilled to be able to say that librarian Megan McArdle has taken the time to create a “genre blender” Yes, that is exactly what it is. Choose two genres, click on the blender, and get a list of books that might suit your reading habits (this doesn’t mean they’re identical– you still have to search through them to find which ones might be right for you– but it’s a great starting point and gives you a way to add to your TBR list.

Megan has a book coming out this fall on genre blends, as you can see above. Even if you don’t purchase it (and like most ALA editions, I’m guessing it doesn’t come cheap), I’m betting that her blog, Genrify, which is where the Genre Blender is located, will be updated with new titles over time, so if you read genre blends like historical horror or urban fantasy, it definitely will be worth checking out. Go play!

Postscript: I like her list of ghost stories, which you can find here, but she left off Chris Bohjalian’s The Night Strangers. What else would you add to that list?

Posted on November 5, 2014 by , Reply
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