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Book Review: Eidolon Avenue: The First Feast by Jonathan Winn

Eidolon Avenue: The First Feast  by Jonathan Winn

Crystal Lake Publishing, 2015

ISBN 9780994679345

Available: print, Kindle ebook

Eidolon Avenue: The First Feast contains five novellas set on the first floor of an apartment building. Each apartment houses residents who have dangerous secrets revealed to the reader through the walls of the apartments.

The first story, and one of the best ones, is about a Chinese woman named Lucky, haunted by the dead she created over a lifetime. Poor and turned out of her family’s house as a child, she was left homeless and desperate. Yin Ying finds her and takes her to the home of Madame Xuo, where Lucky learns the secret of the inky black shadow that makes Madame invincible, but at a price. Another excellent story is the last one, focusing on a little girl named Umbra who can negatively impact the lives of those around her with a mere thought. I would have liked to read more about her.

The second and third stories are probably the most gruesome of the lot, and I didn’t really connect with them. It seems as though the author wanted to go for shock value, which he accomplished, and the gross outs were very effective. The second story in the book told of a tattooed drunk who left his drug addict mother to die. I get that the author was trying to convey that the main character was awful, but there was too much detail for me. I also didn’t find the ending very satisfying. The third tale is about a frat boy serial killer and his skeevy friend who follows him around as he’s killing, and playing with the corpses afterward. This is another story that seems to be going for shock value– it’s like he is trying to top himself from the previous one. It was a unique tale regardless.

The fourth story, about an elderly couple who consistently fail murder/suicide pacts every time they attempt it, is alternatively humorous, heart-wrenching, gross, and dark. Marta enlists the aid of a Mr. Peabody who proves to be more than he seems.

Despite my reaction to two of the five stories, overall I would like to see the continuation of the stories of this apartment building. According to the author, there are five total floors with the first covered. I hope he does continue this series. It will be interesting to see what else he creates within these walls. Recommended.

Contains body horror, gore, necrophilia, sex

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

 

Posted on March 25, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: You Shall Never Know Security by J.R. Hamantaschen

You Shall Never Know Security by J.R. Hamantaschen

West Pigeon Press, 2011

Available:  New Paperback, Kindle edition

ISBN-13: 9781466239920

 

You Shall Never Know Security is a collection of stories that can appropriately be described as dark, weird fiction. All of the stories draw some emotional reaction from the reader. They challenge the conventional definition of horror while using the very real feelings of human sorrow, fear, and guilt to build an expectation that always delivers something.

One of my favorite stories is “A Parasite Inside Your Brain”, about a woman who struggles with depression and a spider that has settled itself in her ear, lifting her mood. Which is the real parasite feeding off of her—the spider or the depression? “College” is about a student taking part in a psychology experiment that deals with morality and moral thinking; is it really just an experiment? “There’s Always Something In the Misfortune of Our Friends That Doesn’t Displease Us” describes the experience of an entity inhabiting a man who thrives on human conflict and witnessing awkward situations; it is a commentary on humanity and our fascination with bad news when it happens to others. The novella “There Must Be Lights Burning Brighter, Somewhere” starts with a senseless attack on a bar by an alien creature, and explores the feelings of survivor’s guilt in the aftermath.

Hamantaschen’s stories are beautifully written and quite brilliant in making the reader feel uncomfortable, sympathetic, and horrified all at the same time. There isn’t a bad story in the bunch. I thoroughly enjoyed You Shall Never Know Security and its play on human weakness and emotions. Highly recommended.

Contains: adult situations and graphic violence

Reviewed by Colleen Wanglund

 

Posted on March 18, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: Aberrations of Reality by Aaron J. French


Aberrations of Reality by Aaron J. French
Crowded Quarantine Publications, 201
ISBN-13: 978-0992883850
Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition

 

I love a good novel as much as anyone, but there is no greater way to get to know a writer than to read a collection of short fiction. A good short story collection will have stories that vary in length, tone and style, and can inform a reader about a writer’s potential range more than a single novel. Having read it, I can say that this is a well-written collection of razor sharp horror fiction.

 

French has a strong sense of what makes the weird tale work. His stories, while clearly influenced by early weird tale writers like Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, and Lovecraft, mine that vibe, while still feeling modern. There is subtle humor at times, and some stories take  on a nearly mystical feeling.  My three favorites in the collection were “Graffiti Ghosts,”, the creepy tale “When Clown Face Speaks,” and the thoughtful “The Four Transitions of the Soul Upon Death by David P. Reichmann,” but every story was excellent. Reality is always in question during this collection, but the quality never is. Every library serious about intelligent high brow horror must get this book. Highly recommended for adult readers of horror fiction and weird tales.
 
 

Reviewed by David Agranoff
 

Posted on January 14, 2016 by , Reply
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