Finished 4 in November with one DNF.
1. Them by WH Chizmar was my DNF. An interesting premise that couldn’t overcome a poorly paced plot line. DNF
2. Halloween by Curtis Richards was the novelization of Carpenter’s famous 1978 film. A reread from 40 years ago, I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, this time. This edition from Printed in Blood was gorgeous, highly illustrated throughout, though there were some editing issues throughout the text. Story wise though, it still holds up after 45 years. 5 / 5
3. Dark Gods by TED Klein was an excellent collection of four novellas of Lovecraftian horror. Three of the stories were rereads - Children of the Kingdom, Petey, & Black Man With a Horn. Of the rereads, I thought Children was the best, an intricately plotted story with a kick in the guts ending. Petey was the least favorite of the rereads. The story has everything to be great, but ( similar to the first time I read it) things just didn’t come together at the end to make it a great read. Nadelman’s God was the only story I had not previously read, and it was also excellent, nearly as good as Children. 4.4 / 5
Children of the Kingdom - 5 / 5
Petey - 3 / 5
Black Man With a Horn - 4.5 / 5
Nadelman’s God - 5 / 5
4. Commodore by Philip Fracassi. Three young friends come across a strange car in a strange junkyard. Commodore left me thinking that Fracassi was trying to channel Stephen King in From a Buick 8. An enjoyable read, though not Fracassi’s best. 3.5 / 5
5. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King. A young, precocious girl stumbles (literally) upon a retired, middle aged Sherlock Holmes. Eventually Holmes takes the girl (Mary Russell) under his wing as her mentor. And of course, Holmes is not actually retired. The story ran a little long, but I did enjoy it. A good change of pace from my normal reading. 4 / 5
B
1. Them by WH Chizmar was my DNF. An interesting premise that couldn’t overcome a poorly paced plot line. DNF
2. Halloween by Curtis Richards was the novelization of Carpenter’s famous 1978 film. A reread from 40 years ago, I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, this time. This edition from Printed in Blood was gorgeous, highly illustrated throughout, though there were some editing issues throughout the text. Story wise though, it still holds up after 45 years. 5 / 5
3. Dark Gods by TED Klein was an excellent collection of four novellas of Lovecraftian horror. Three of the stories were rereads - Children of the Kingdom, Petey, & Black Man With a Horn. Of the rereads, I thought Children was the best, an intricately plotted story with a kick in the guts ending. Petey was the least favorite of the rereads. The story has everything to be great, but ( similar to the first time I read it) things just didn’t come together at the end to make it a great read. Nadelman’s God was the only story I had not previously read, and it was also excellent, nearly as good as Children. 4.4 / 5
Children of the Kingdom - 5 / 5
Petey - 3 / 5
Black Man With a Horn - 4.5 / 5
Nadelman’s God - 5 / 5
4. Commodore by Philip Fracassi. Three young friends come across a strange car in a strange junkyard. Commodore left me thinking that Fracassi was trying to channel Stephen King in From a Buick 8. An enjoyable read, though not Fracassi’s best. 3.5 / 5
5. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King. A young, precocious girl stumbles (literally) upon a retired, middle aged Sherlock Holmes. Eventually Holmes takes the girl (Mary Russell) under his wing as her mentor. And of course, Holmes is not actually retired. The story ran a little long, but I did enjoy it. A good change of pace from my normal reading. 4 / 5
B