What are you currently reading?

[sholloman81]

Light horror, often with touches of humor. Very readable. That description suggests lightweight, and in a few books he bumps against that qualification, but in others those features work in tandem to create something very heartfelt and immersive, as in MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM. He has a particular lane in the road, and he drives it well, but if you're looking for something more graphic and edgy, you're not going to find that in Hendrix's stuff.

I've read them all, and would list recs in this order:

1). MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM
2). THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB'S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES
3). HORRORSTOR
4). THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP
5). HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE
6). WE SOLD OUR SOULS (my least favorite, and the one that in a podcast Hendrix said almost torpedoed his career)

I don't know where WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS will fall, since I haven't read it yet, but reviews and comments suggest it will probably replace the #3 slot, if I had to guess.

Btw, his non-fiction guide to '70s and '80s mmpb horror, PAPERBACKS FROM HELL, is absolutely essential reading.

Thanks for this info! I'm sure that I will read him sometime soon and am definitely aware of who he is via the Paperback from Hell Book, I've just always held off reading his actual novels as I've always been under the impression that they would be jokey, which isn't really my thing; however, your usage of "light humor" has me much more intrigued.

[dannyboy121070]

Ok, confession time, I've yet to read anything by Hendrix. How would you describe his stuff?

At this point, I'd be hard-pressed not to number him high up on my list of favorite authors. I've loved everything of his that I've read, even his Kung-Fu movie book. (Haven't read the new one or FINAL GIRL yet.)

[RonClinton]

Ron, what was the podcast you mentioned? I’m always looking for something to listen to on my rather long commute.

Hmm, I *think* it was This Is Horror. Hendrix has been on two or three times, so I can't tell you which particular episode it was (Googling it it's probably episode 251 or 501), but he talked briefly about how WE SOLD OUR SOULS did not come easy nor did it do well (and, again, this was my least favorite so I can't say I am surprised by either admission) and that it tanked his career streak at this point and that he was unsure how to rebound. Something like that. But clearly he found his way, and like Koontz, has since done one type/tone of story but it's a type of story he does well. SOULS was far too indulgent and serious, and -- at least based on that book -- that's not what he does particularly well. Then again, I'm not much of one for the horror / rock-'n-roll mashup thing, so I probably wasn't the correct target audience anyhow.

[brlesh]

Finished The Devil’s Pocketbook by Ross Jeffery.

An engaging and genuinely creepy first half that was marred by an increasingly ridiculously second half.

After TDP, started back on The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers.

Took another break from TKIY and started Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank this morning.

Thirty pages in and really enjoying it so far.

B