What are you currently reading?

[Ben Staad]

Thanks for the review. I hadn't read that author either.

Best of luck on the re-read of The Long Walk. It's been awhile since my last read of that but I think it's held up well as a story.

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of L.P. Hernandez's "Only Gods No Chaos", a first-time author and read for me. Really enjoyed this collection. All of the stories were good and a few were great. My favorites were: Cemetery Joe, Hesitation Cuts, and Offerings to an Old God. Hoping to read another book by Hernandez sometime soon.

Am now reading the Centipede LE of Stephen King's "The Long Walk". Has been in my TBR pile forever and with the movie coming out soon, figured now would be a great time to give it a read. Been forever since I read this as a part of the Bachmann books.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of L.P. Hernandez's "Only Gods No Chaos", a first-time author and read for me. Really enjoyed this collection. All of the stories were good and a few were great. My favorites were: Cemetery Joe, Hesitation Cuts, and Offerings to an Old God. Hoping to read another book by Hernandez sometime soon.

Am now reading the Centipede LE of Stephen King's "The Long Walk". Has been in my TBR pile forever and with the movie coming out soon, figured now would be a great time to give it a read. Been forever since I read this as a part of the Bachmann books.

[mhatchett]

Yes, I love these kind of eerie, off-kilter, something's-not-quite-right-but-can't-pinpoint-precisely-what kind of reads -- when they're done well, which is all often not the case. I can only think of a few examples of books of that type that work...hopefully this'll be one of them. I'm about 25% of the way in, and I'm not sure it's going to meet the entire challenge...it starts off strong, but there's been an introduction of a kind of prosaicness that is either there to lull the reader into complacency before introducing more overt eeriness or, alternatively, steering the book in a more standard-fare horror direction. I hope it's the former.

Weird Western, Civil War, I'm in LOL!! I love this forum for all the great book tips and news. I can't believe I've been here for 14years. Guys, thanks for making this such a great space!

[brlesh]

I'm not reading this yet but I saw somehow recommend it so I'm giving this a try:

Frederic S. Durbin: The Country under Heaven

Louis L'Amour meets H.P. Lovecraft in this thrilling western epic about a former Civil War soldier wracked by enigmatic visions . . . Set in the 1880s, the story follows Ovid Vesper, a former Union soldier who has been having enigmatic visions after surviving one of the Civil War's most gruesome battles, the Battle of Antietam. As he travels across the country following those visions, he finds himself in stranger and increasingly more dangerous encounters with other worlds hidden in the spaces of his own mind, not to mention the dangers of the Wild West. Ovid brings his steady calm and compassion as he helps the people of a broken country, rapidly changing but, like himself, still reeling and wounded from the war. He assists with matters of all sorts, from odd jobs around the house, to guiding children back to their own universe, to hunting down unnatural creatures that stalk the night -- all the while seeking his own personal resolution and peace from his visions. Ovid's epic journey across the American West with a surprising cast of characters blends elements of the classic Western with historical fantasy in a way like no other.

I'm not familiar with the author so I'm just rolling the dice on this one. Wish me luck.

I’ve never heard of Durbin either, though that synopsis sounds very interesting.

B

[Ben Staad]

I'm not reading this yet but I saw somehow recommend it so I'm giving this a try:

Frederic S. Durbin: The Country under Heaven

Louis L'Amour meets H.P. Lovecraft in this thrilling western epic about a former Civil War soldier wracked by enigmatic visions . . . Set in the 1880s, the story follows Ovid Vesper, a former Union soldier who has been having enigmatic visions after surviving one of the Civil War's most gruesome battles, the Battle of Antietam. As he travels across the country following those visions, he finds himself in stranger and increasingly more dangerous encounters with other worlds hidden in the spaces of his own mind, not to mention the dangers of the Wild West. Ovid brings his steady calm and compassion as he helps the people of a broken country, rapidly changing but, like himself, still reeling and wounded from the war. He assists with matters of all sorts, from odd jobs around the house, to guiding children back to their own universe, to hunting down unnatural creatures that stalk the night -- all the while seeking his own personal resolution and peace from his visions. Ovid's epic journey across the American West with a surprising cast of characters blends elements of the classic Western with historical fantasy in a way like no other.

I'm not familiar with the author so I'm just rolling the dice on this one. Wish me luck.

[RonClinton]

Love to hear what you think. Had never heard of it and just checked it out on Goodreads. It sounds awesome.

Yes, I love these kind of eerie, off-kilter, something's-not-quite-right-but-can't-pinpoint-precisely-what kind of reads -- when they're done well, which is all often not the case. I can only think of a few examples of books of that type that work...hopefully this'll be one of them. I'm about 25% of the way in, and I'm not sure it's going to meet the entire challenge...it starts off strong, but there's been an introduction of a kind of prosaicness that is either there to lull the reader into complacency before introducing more overt eeriness or, alternatively, steering the book in a more standard-fare horror direction. I hope it's the former.

[sholloman81]

Starting a new read, one that’s been getting some buzz over the last year or so…hopefully it’ll live up to the hype: WE USED TO LIVE HERE by Marcus Kliewer.

Love to hear what you think. Had never heard of it and just checked it out on Goodreads. It sounds awesome.

[RonClinton]

Starting a new read, one that’s been getting some buzz over the last year or so…hopefully it’ll live up to the hype: WE USED TO LIVE HERE by Marcus Kliewer.

[dannyboy121070]

I'm reading a book called HAMPTON HEIGHTS, which was totally judged by it's cover and the Grady Hendrix blurb when I saw it in the Horror section at B&N a few weeks ago. It's a short novel comprised of 5 interconnected stories about a group of paperboys canvassing a creepy neighborhood for new subscribers. Kind of a Stranger Things vibe, and the author has made me laugh out loud on quite a few occasions so far. I'm just about done, and still not sure if I'd recommend it or not.

[brlesh]

Finished up The Devil by Name by Keith Rosson, which I Iiked a lot.

Not as fast paced as Fever House, but more intricately plotted.

Really enjoyed both books and Rosson’s definitely an author I will be on the lookout for in the future.

After The Devil by Name I started Grendel & Other Creatures from the Dark, the latest collection from Tony Richards.

So far I’m four stories in, and while the stories aren’t bad, they just aren’t grabbing my attention like Richards has done in previous collections.

Don’t know, maybe I’ll put Grendel aside for now and start my reread of The Stand later tonight.

B

[sholloman81]

You've been on a Thunderstorm tear lately!

Currently starting a book by a new (to me) author, Celia Dale. Valancourt has reprinted a couple of her "domestic crime/horror" books, and while I have both, the one I'm starting on at the moment is A HELPING HAND. I remain in the mood for something different, a little off-beat, and this one should punch that ticket.

Yeah, I've got at least two boxes of unread Thunderstorm hardcovers in my TBR area and was starting to feel a little guilty about that. Figured I should start reducing the size of that stack a little. I think after the current one, I may switch to something else as much like yourself, I'm now in the mood for something different.

Have never heard of Celia Dale or her books and will have to give her a google. Domestic crime/horror sounds fun!

[RonClinton]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of John Urbancik's "The Secret History of the Palace Theater". Not quite sure how to describe the story as it was a strange read for me (in a good way) and there was so much going on that I'm still not quite sure that I caught on to everything all or didn't miss some crucial details. Because of that, it feels like this book almost demands to be read more than once. In a strange way, this book also reminded me a little bit of Gaiman's American Gods as I was reading it. Would love to know what others think about this story but it doesn't look like anyone has reviewed it in Goodreads yet.

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of L.P. Hernandez's "Only Gods No Chaos", a first time author and read for me. Going in blind!

You've been on a Thunderstorm tear lately!

Currently starting a book by a new (to me) author, Celia Dale. Valancourt has reprinted a couple of her "domestic crime/horror" books, and while I have both, the one I'm starting on at the moment is A HELPING HAND. I remain in the mood for something different, a little off-beat, and this one should punch that ticket.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of John Urbancik's "The Secret History of the Palace Theater". Not quite sure how to describe the story as it was a strange read for me (in a good way) and there was so much going on that I'm still not quite sure that I caught on to everything all or didn't miss some crucial details. Because of that, it feels like this book almost demands to be read more than once. In a strange way, this book also reminded me a little bit of Gaiman's American Gods as I was reading it. Would love to know what others think about this story but it doesn't look like anyone has reviewed it in Goodreads yet.

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of L.P. Hernandez's "Only Gods No Chaos", a first time author and read for me. Going in blind!

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of "Abhorrent Existence" by John Baltisberger, a first time read and author for me. Book had lots of Kaiju fun, but I've also read a lot of books/stories very similar to it over the years; so, I wasn't quite as impressed as others might be. That being said, there were still lots of neat creatures, cool kills, and deplorable characters dealing with end of the world happenings. The author also seemed to have an underlying theme with each novella. Also, as always, Thunderstorm's production values were top-notch, but I did wish that there was some artwork included as I would have loved to have seen some images of the various Kaiju. Overall, while this story was nothing groundbreaking, it was still fun to read. Happy to have it in my Thunderstorm collection.

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of John Urbancik's "The Secret History of the Palace Theater". Going into this one pretty much blind...

[RonClinton]

I just finished John Williams' STONER, and it was just the kind of literary book I needed to recalibrate my reading rut from too much horror, too much crime, too much plot. I just needed something that really dived into character in a rich, poignant way, something that created introspection rather than tension, and this book is famously nothing but that.

Now I'm ready to dive into something dark and plot-driven, but not sure yet what that'll be. Maybe some mid-century macabre fiction from Valancourt.