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aaronj21's Reviews (912)
While it’s always a treat to read a collection of horror stories, it’s a particular pleasure to read an anthology of “weird fiction” or cosmic horror. I’m surprised more collections like this don’t exist given the increase in interest in cosmic horror recently but hopefully this delightful assortment is a sign of things to come.
This offering was as chilling in its delivery as it was broad in scope; from unknowable entities that live in radio static, to cursed linguistics, to massive eldritch deer guardians, this collection has it all. While there were no slouches in this anthology by any means, a few titles stood out to me as exceptionally good and I’ll briefly mention them here.
In “You Have Joined the Livestream” some unscrupulous ghost hunters go up against forces far beyond their understanding, all while their online audience watches on. This story had a fascinating conceit and a gratifying, spine-chilling pay off. The characterization was spot on and in a brief span of time the story manages to pack quite a punch. Easily one of my favorites in this book, this story reminded me of what it felt like to be a kid and read a new Goosebumps book. I mean that in the best possible way.
The story “24 Points” had my attention even before I started since it was written by S.A. Cosby, a phenomenal author whose book “Razorblade Tears” was as close to perfect as any novel is likely to get. Cosby’s foray into short fiction did not disappoint either. The tale follows a young boy with his father and uncle as they hunt bucks in the Virginia woods only to have the tables turned on them and become prey themselves. This story was a masterclass in brevity and how to artfully dole out exposition when dealing with cosmic horrors that are, by definition, beyond human comprehension. Despite its relative simplicity, this story was profoundly upsetting in the best possible way.
Finally, the last story in this anthology “Beggars Can’t Be Choosers” was one of my favorites for the sheer brilliance of its basic plot. I won’t spoil the tale by giving away that set up here but suffice to say it’s one of the most original, most terrifying ideas I’ve come across in recent memory. I didn’t realize what was happening until the end but when I did I was shocked and oddly satisfied. It was a brilliant story and a great choice to end on.
“Beyond the Bounds of Infinity” offered a great selection of new and refreshing takes on the cosmic horror genre. The stories in this collection show why this specific type of horror is so enduring and powerful. I’d recommend this title to anyone who likes horror in general by especially fans of Lovecraftian horror and weird fiction. A book like this is necessary, both to reinvent the genre for a new generation of readers and to show that cosmic horror can and is moving on from the more unsavory aspects of some of its founding authors (looking at you H.P.).
This offering was as chilling in its delivery as it was broad in scope; from unknowable entities that live in radio static, to cursed linguistics, to massive eldritch deer guardians, this collection has it all. While there were no slouches in this anthology by any means, a few titles stood out to me as exceptionally good and I’ll briefly mention them here.
In “You Have Joined the Livestream” some unscrupulous ghost hunters go up against forces far beyond their understanding, all while their online audience watches on. This story had a fascinating conceit and a gratifying, spine-chilling pay off. The characterization was spot on and in a brief span of time the story manages to pack quite a punch. Easily one of my favorites in this book, this story reminded me of what it felt like to be a kid and read a new Goosebumps book. I mean that in the best possible way.
The story “24 Points” had my attention even before I started since it was written by S.A. Cosby, a phenomenal author whose book “Razorblade Tears” was as close to perfect as any novel is likely to get. Cosby’s foray into short fiction did not disappoint either. The tale follows a young boy with his father and uncle as they hunt bucks in the Virginia woods only to have the tables turned on them and become prey themselves. This story was a masterclass in brevity and how to artfully dole out exposition when dealing with cosmic horrors that are, by definition, beyond human comprehension. Despite its relative simplicity, this story was profoundly upsetting in the best possible way.
Finally, the last story in this anthology “Beggars Can’t Be Choosers” was one of my favorites for the sheer brilliance of its basic plot. I won’t spoil the tale by giving away that set up here but suffice to say it’s one of the most original, most terrifying ideas I’ve come across in recent memory. I didn’t realize what was happening until the end but when I did I was shocked and oddly satisfied. It was a brilliant story and a great choice to end on.
“Beyond the Bounds of Infinity” offered a great selection of new and refreshing takes on the cosmic horror genre. The stories in this collection show why this specific type of horror is so enduring and powerful. I’d recommend this title to anyone who likes horror in general by especially fans of Lovecraftian horror and weird fiction. A book like this is necessary, both to reinvent the genre for a new generation of readers and to show that cosmic horror can and is moving on from the more unsavory aspects of some of its founding authors (looking at you H.P.).
Clever Girl is the feminist analysis of the hit 1993 movie Jurassic Park that you didn't know you needed. Starting from the premise that this classic dinosaur film can actually tell us a lot about how our culture views women, monstrosity, and nature, this brief read is full of incisive insights and presented in a wryly humorous, pop culturally informed style. This book certainly made me rethink one of my favorite films and has primed me to evaluate media more critically as a result, all while keeping me interested and entertained.
You know what you’re getting into when reading something by Eri LaRocca. At least you really should, reading something by this author without having the stomach for it would be like your most squeamish friend wandering blithely into a showing of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. While this collection of stories was in much the same vein as his other work (Things Have Gotten Worse Since Spoke, You’ve Lost a Lot of Blood, etc.) the short novella format really allows his horror to come through even more effectively. You have just enough time to feel like you’re living in the world of the story and when something terrible and stomach churning happens and the tale culminates it feels like eating a nice French pastry or bite of perfectly proportioned sushi, just enough for a mouthful. Everything LaRocca writes is disturbing, sure, but All the Parts of You That Won’t Easily Burn and the eponymous This Skin Was Once Mine are viscerally upsetting in an incredibly specific and unique way. The audiobook narration for this collection was also spot on, every narrator was absolutely in their element and their delivery helped make the stories hit home. I'd recommend this audiobook to anyone who thinks they can handle it and also doesn’t mind missing a bit of sleep.
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Just what I was looking for, a novelization of the events leading up to the Trojan War that helps you remember characters and mythological context for the events of the Iliad.
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Perfectly passable, though not as good as the first in the series.
The author made the frankly baffling choice to remove any supernatural or mythological elements from the story of the Trojan war. I generally don't care for this trend in media dealing with stories that initially had fantastical elements. You know the ones, oh here’s a story about centaurs but they’re just normal humans that are really good at horseback riding, here’s the kernel of truth that inspired something epic and magical. I tend to think it doesn’t add anything to the story and that usually the supernatural elements were there in the first place for a darn good reason. This decision is all the more confusing since the first book in this quartet DID have supernatural elements. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite actually appeared in the Judgement of Paris, Achilles’ mother is literally a sea goddess, the gods exist and take a direct role in mortal affairs, just as they did in the mythology. The absence of textual supernatural elements in this second book honestly does a disservice to the source material.
The author made the frankly baffling choice to remove any supernatural or mythological elements from the story of the Trojan war. I generally don't care for this trend in media dealing with stories that initially had fantastical elements. You know the ones, oh here’s a story about centaurs but they’re just normal humans that are really good at horseback riding, here’s the kernel of truth that inspired something epic and magical. I tend to think it doesn’t add anything to the story and that usually the supernatural elements were there in the first place for a darn good reason. This decision is all the more confusing since the first book in this quartet DID have supernatural elements. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite actually appeared in the Judgement of Paris, Achilles’ mother is literally a sea goddess, the gods exist and take a direct role in mortal affairs, just as they did in the mythology. The absence of textual supernatural elements in this second book honestly does a disservice to the source material.
I’d heard about Emily Wilson’s award winning translation of the Odyssey and my curiosity was piqued enough to try her translation of the Iliad, by far my favorite of the two epics. After reading her work I may well read her Odyssey too despite my general apathy for the story, it’s just that good.
Wilson delivers a beautifully rendered translation that feels vibrant and immediate even though we all know how the story ultimately ends. The introduction and supplementary materials were interesting as well and shed new light on an epic I thought I knew pretty well.
In addition to reading, I listened to an audiobook adaptation of this specific translation performed by Audra McDonald. I can’t say enough good things about McDonald’s ability as a voice actor here, every aspect of the poem from the more mundane (the catalog of ships) to the most exciting (Achilles duel with Hector) is made better by her impassioned performance.
Wilson delivers a beautifully rendered translation that feels vibrant and immediate even though we all know how the story ultimately ends. The introduction and supplementary materials were interesting as well and shed new light on an epic I thought I knew pretty well.
In addition to reading, I listened to an audiobook adaptation of this specific translation performed by Audra McDonald. I can’t say enough good things about McDonald’s ability as a voice actor here, every aspect of the poem from the more mundane (the catalog of ships) to the most exciting (Achilles duel with Hector) is made better by her impassioned performance.
Eric Larocca, the only modern horror writer I'm aware of whose name doubles as a trigger warning, has done the unthinkable, he's written something more viscerally upsetting than his debut Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.
In At Dark I Become Loathsome our main character Ashley Lutin, (a glaring reminder that protagonist and hero are two very different literary concepts) buries people alive temporarily to give them a new outlook on life. This starting point, though it is disturbing in concept and portrayal, is the least offensive thing in this book. Readers who make it through this novel will look back with fond nostalgia on the opening of the book when they thought live internments would be the most shocking thing committed to paper here. As more of Ahley's life story is uncovered we find that this nocturnal activities stem from the loss of his wife and his increasingly futile search for his young missing son. This personal tragedy is intertwined with Lutin's feverish fascination with the darkest examples of human immortality and leads him down a twisted path that might just offer some answers about his missing kid but will certainly damage him even further in the process.
While I've previously praised Larocca's shorter fiction, this more traditional (at least in length) shows the author in fine form. He showcases once again his uncanny ability to mingle extremely disturbing content with compulsively readable prose, proving yet again that his skills as a writer extended beyond mere shock value.
This aptly titled work certainly makes one feel something approaching loathsome while also managing to tell a compelling story that begs to be read to the finish.
In At Dark I Become Loathsome our main character Ashley Lutin, (a glaring reminder that protagonist and hero are two very different literary concepts) buries people alive temporarily to give them a new outlook on life. This starting point, though it is disturbing in concept and portrayal, is the least offensive thing in this book. Readers who make it through this novel will look back with fond nostalgia on the opening of the book when they thought live internments would be the most shocking thing committed to paper here. As more of Ahley's life story is uncovered we find that this nocturnal activities stem from the loss of his wife and his increasingly futile search for his young missing son. This personal tragedy is intertwined with Lutin's feverish fascination with the darkest examples of human immortality and leads him down a twisted path that might just offer some answers about his missing kid but will certainly damage him even further in the process.
While I've previously praised Larocca's shorter fiction, this more traditional (at least in length) shows the author in fine form. He showcases once again his uncanny ability to mingle extremely disturbing content with compulsively readable prose, proving yet again that his skills as a writer extended beyond mere shock value.
This aptly titled work certainly makes one feel something approaching loathsome while also managing to tell a compelling story that begs to be read to the finish.
Laura Keating's collection of short horror fiction reads like nothing so much as summer camp ghost stories or those old Goosebumps books aged up for a more mature audience, and I mean that in the best possible way. Mixing elements of horror, dark humor, and ironic consequences, these stories are complete, self contained and satisfying tidbits. My personal favorites were the first tale, "Field Notes on the Failed Expedition to the Sixth Theatere", "It's a Helluva Thing, Bill", and "The Quiet Yard". In all three of these stories, the conceit of the tale is refreshingly unique and the execution particularly capable and entertaining. I would gladly read more by this author.