Finished four this month.
1. Fever House by Keith Rosson was batshit crazy in the best way possible. Rosson’s take on the zombie apocalypse by way of a satanic ritual. The story started at a frenetic pace which it maintained all the way through. The most entertaining thing I’ve read in a while.
5 / 5
2. Carrie by Stephen King was a reread for me, though it’s probably been 40 years since I first read it. I remember from the initial reading thinking it was OK for a first novel, definitely not one of King’s best. My opinion of Carrie certainly went up on the reread. Fast paced, hard hitting, memorable characters (some of best in King’s illustrious career, IMO). Fifty years later Carrie still has an impact.
5 / 5
3. D7 by Philip Fracassi was a novella length story about a couple who stop at a honky tonk for a night cap, only to discover something strange going on in the establishment. I found the premise to be interesting, but brought down by a stereotypical reveal at the half way point and a surprise ending that didn’t work for me.
3 / 5
4. The Mad Butterfly’s Ball edited Preston Grassman & Chris Kelso was an insect themed anthology with over 30 stories in it. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for most of them. Too much whimsical fantasy, too many WTF endings. My favorites were by Nuzo Onoh (‘Eejele’ - a familial curse passed between mother & daughter), Arlton Eadie (‘Warning Wings’ - naval disaster averted by a moth) and HG Wells (‘The Empire of the Ants’ - classic eco-scify about a new strain of Amazonian ants that take over the world). Also good stories by Jeffrey Thomas, Tom Over, Thomas Disch, & EF Benson. Everything else was pretty forgettable.
2.5 / 5
B
1. Fever House by Keith Rosson was batshit crazy in the best way possible. Rosson’s take on the zombie apocalypse by way of a satanic ritual. The story started at a frenetic pace which it maintained all the way through. The most entertaining thing I’ve read in a while.
5 / 5
2. Carrie by Stephen King was a reread for me, though it’s probably been 40 years since I first read it. I remember from the initial reading thinking it was OK for a first novel, definitely not one of King’s best. My opinion of Carrie certainly went up on the reread. Fast paced, hard hitting, memorable characters (some of best in King’s illustrious career, IMO). Fifty years later Carrie still has an impact.
5 / 5
3. D7 by Philip Fracassi was a novella length story about a couple who stop at a honky tonk for a night cap, only to discover something strange going on in the establishment. I found the premise to be interesting, but brought down by a stereotypical reveal at the half way point and a surprise ending that didn’t work for me.
3 / 5
4. The Mad Butterfly’s Ball edited Preston Grassman & Chris Kelso was an insect themed anthology with over 30 stories in it. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for most of them. Too much whimsical fantasy, too many WTF endings. My favorites were by Nuzo Onoh (‘Eejele’ - a familial curse passed between mother & daughter), Arlton Eadie (‘Warning Wings’ - naval disaster averted by a moth) and HG Wells (‘The Empire of the Ants’ - classic eco-scify about a new strain of Amazonian ants that take over the world). Also good stories by Jeffrey Thomas, Tom Over, Thomas Disch, & EF Benson. Everything else was pretty forgettable.
2.5 / 5
B