31 Days of Horror: Day 7-- Review: Locke And Key 5: Clockworks

I have great love for the Locke and Key series by Joe Hill and 
Gabriel Rodriguez.  Click here to access my review index and read detailed reviews of the first four installments in the series.

I am all in on this series.  In fact, I went as far to proclaim national library conference back in March:

While there are physically more series, some of the best horror writing in general, series or not, is happening in the format of the graphic novel.  This has a bit to do with the fact that horror lends itself nicely to the visual form; you can say a lot with pictures in horror.  However, it is not only the fact that these works are illustrated that makes them better.  I have been finding that the most interesting characters and the richest story lines are coming out in the comic format.  I am not alone in this opinion.  Take for example the most recent Eisner Awards for the entire comics industry and click here to see that Joe Hill won for best overall writer of any comic, for his horror series, Locke and Key.  In my opinion, there really isn't a better horror series, in any format, right now than Locke and Key.

Now to Clockworks specifically.  This is the fifth installment in the series, and as Joe Hill announced, there will one more cycle of comics to be bound as the hardcover, Omega next year and then a 7th installment compiling all of the side, historical stories of the Locke family and their history with the keys (some of which I have bought on my own at my local comics store and read already).

Speaking of, that is what Clockworks focuses on--the history.  When we left the Locke family in the 4th volume: Keys to the Kingdom, Zack/Dodge has possessed the youngest Locke, Bode, although no one knows that; they all think they killed Zack/Dodge.  But Clockworks does not advance that story line at all.  Instead, Hill introduces a key that opens an old clock.  The clock takes the 2 older Locke children, Tyler and Kinsey, back to the past.  Interestingly, the clock only goes up to 1999, so the kids cannot see their future, which of course was their first instinct.

So as readers we not only go back with the kids to the start of it all, in the 1770s, but we also go back just one generation.  The story focuses on Ben and Miranda Locke (Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode's parents) in their own time.  The clockworks key allows all of us to see why Dodge turned bad, why Ben and Miranda ended up together, how the keys moved into the next generation, and why Tyler and Kinsey are running out of time to stop the insanity on and for all.

With Clockworks Locke and Key continues to be the very best horror series in any print format.  With this 5th book, Hill concentrates on character development.  By going into Ben and Miranda's story not only do we get valuable information about these key characters, but the story is advanced.  It takes a lot of discipline as a writer to hold off on many of the key details this long into a series.  But now, with only 6 chapters to go, the characters have all been given further depth AND the stage has been set for an epic showdown between the Locke kids and some seriously evil magic.

Locke and Key is also excellent because the story is not predictable.  Joe Hill is THE BEST horror writer today and this series solidifies that.  He adds things to his story lines that are unpredictable but not out of left field. Hill is able to honor the tropes of horror while adding his new spin. The main theme of the entire series is as old the horror genre--the seduction of evil magic.  Even though you want to use it for good, very bad comes when you unleash an evil power. We are used to this story line, but the way Hill executes it is unique and original.

Finally, as good as Hill's stories are, Rodriguez's art is amazing.  He is able to convey emotion in his drawings.  When you are dealing with supernatural elements, it is easy to go over the top, but his art is restrained, much like a good horror story.  We get enough to keep us unsettled throughout, and then he gives us the payoff at the big action moments with bright, complex drawings with enough gore to portray the horror, but nothing too gross.  I also love the way he has portrayed Kinsey's fear throughout the series.  These creatures come into play in this installment.  Which brings me back to Hill's awesome character development.  He is so good at writing complex characters, that even a main character's fear is a memorable character.

Three Words to Describe This Book:  compelling, complex characters, unsettling

Readalikes: You can use this link to see the numerous read alike options that I have given for this series in the past.  I have mostly given graphic novel suggestions, but today I want to offer suggestions for people who really like that the story is happening in both the present and the past.  So here are some other compelling, unsettling, and character centered novels that tell a story in 2 time periods.  All links are to reviews if available:

• The Unseen by Alexandra Sokoloff
• The Keep by Jennifer Egan (which I read before I started either blog)
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diana Setterfield
• Either Centuries of June or The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue

31 Days of Horror: Day 13 -- What I'm Reading: Locke and Key 4

Anyone who reads either of my blogs know that I am a huge Joe Hill fan.  In the new book, I outright proclaim him as the 21st Century King of Horror.  Here is what I have said about Hill on NoveList:

Joe Hill writes novels, short stories, and graphic novels. His work features extremely flawed but genuinely likable protagonists who are forced to confront their dark sides as they battle evil. A Hill tale also sets the stage with a menacing atmosphere from the first lines. Readers are also drawn to Joe Hill because he mines their modern lives for fear. Hill captivates readers with this ability to use the best of the time-tested horror traditions while injecting a shot of the new to keep things freshly frightening.

 Recently I read the newest entry in his Locke and Key series, Keys to the Kingdom. Keys to the Kingdom also garnered Hill a 2011 Eisner Award for Best Writer.

Here is the gist of the series.  It follows the three Locke children as they deal with their father’s murder, their alcoholic mother, and a supernatural being who is stalking them. These are typical 21^st Century American kids; they listen to iPods and text each other, but they also live in a creepy, isolated, old house, filled with keys that can do magical and dangerous things. While they live in modern times, the feud between their family and the supernatural being out to collect all of the keys and destroy them has been going on for generations.

Click here to access my horror review index which includes my reports on the first three entries in the series including readalike options.

Specifically, Keys to the Kingdom continues where we left off, with the Locke children using the keys they have found to battle a force out to destroy them however, in this installment the kids finally figure out that the physical manifestation of this force is masquerading as their best friend. The kids also begin turning on each other throughout the course of the book.  The biggest key of them all is in play and causing problems, and things turn much, much darker.

This books packs a punch.  It also takes a drastic and absolutely terrifying turn in the final pages.  I was shocked and got chills.  This is a big deal because at this point, it takes quite a bit to shock me.

As usual, the illustrations by Gabriel Rodriguez are gorgeous. The drawings and the over all visual feel of Keys to the Kingdom has a darker palate that also underscores the overall change in the series' tone.  The wonder and awe that marked the start of the series as the kids discovered the power of the keys, best illustrated in Vol 2: Head Games, is gone.  The rich and colorful drawings that accompanied that volume are replaced by grays, black, and lots of red blood.  But it makes sense because the burden of the keys and the peril faced by the Locke family are all building to a climax.  The illustrations perfectly reflect the overall feel of the book.

As I was reading Keys to the Kingdom, I was not enjoying it as much as the first 3.  It felt plot heavy for the first 2/3's.  But when I finished it, I totally  understood what Hill was doing.  He purposely ropes you into complacency thinking that nothing new is going to happen and then...BAM!...everything we knew and counted on is changed...for the worse.  It was brilliant and shocking.  This is horror storytelling at its best. I loved it.

I cannot stress enough how much darker the series has become.  Yes, it has always been a horror series, but you always felt that good would win out in the end.  After Keys to the Kingdom, I am not so sure about that anymore.  For me, this is fine.  It actually will add to my enjoyment as I continue to read the series, but for some readers, it may be a bit too much to take.

Three Words That Describe This Book: dark, compelling, unsettling

Readalikes:  Specifically for Joe Hill, I suggest the following in the new book:

Fans of Hill’s writing who want to read more may also enjoy the horror novels of Jonathan Maberry, Stephen King, and Peter Straub, who are also highlighted in this chapter.  These horror authors all write character centered horror that is rooted in the reader’s real-life experiences.  The chilling suspense of Tom Piccirilli is also a great choice for Hill readers.  Piccirilli began as a horror writer and has continued to keep a supernatural element in his works.  Like Hill, Piccirilli has flawed but sympathetic protagonists, placed in frightening situations, with modern details.  Another whole collection option for Hill fans is the psychological suspense of Peter Abrahams.  Like Hill, Abrahams excels at leading his protagonist into a bad situation, while readers squirm as they watch it all spin out of control.  The ultimate question with both of these authors is whether or not the protagonist will make it out alive. It is important to note here that both Piccirilli and Abrahams are NOT horror authors, but they would still greatly appeal to fans of Hill.

In my review of the 3rd book, Crown of Shadows I said:

The graphic novels of Hill's father's Dark Tower books make for a good suggestion here. Also anything by Neil Gaiman from Sandman to The Graveyard Book (and everything in between) would work for fans of the Lock and Key Series. Also try Alan Moore and Frank Miller in graphic novels, and Bentley Little, Robert McCammon, or Peter Straub in novels.

I would also suggest the new graphic novel series, American Vampire by Scott Snyder, Stephen King and Rafael Albuquereque (which I will review in  a few days), Jonathan Maberry's Pine Deep Trilogy, or Leopoldo Gout's Ghost Radio. All three of these suggestions are original horror stories which push at the edges of horror conventions to extremely successful results.

For more graphic novel options that are original, dark, and compelling, I would also suggest that you try the Chew series of graphic novels which follow Tony Chu, a detective with the power to receive psychic impressions from whatever he eats or the Y Last Man series of gns by Brian K. Vaughan set in a time when a plague of unknown origin kills every mammal with a Y chromosome, Yorick Brown discovers that he is the only male left and embarks on a transcontinental journey to discover why.

Review: Locke and Key-Crown of Shadows

Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez have been collaborating on one of the best horror stories I have ever read, in any format for the last three years. Check that, the ongoing story of the Locke children is one of the best stories I have read anywhere.

These Locke and Key comics come out all throughout the year and then IDW puts out a beautiful bound edition every fall. This edition, the third, is entitled Crown of Shadows. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Lock and Key storyline I will recap.  The 3 Locke children and their mother move back East to their ancestral home after their father is murdered. Turns out their father's murderer was put up to the job by an evil spirit who has been stalking the family for hundreds of years. The old family home is full of magical keys which the spirit is after. Each book deals with one of the keys.  Click here and here to read about the first two installments.This time, the key can be used to control the shadows in the house. In this case, they are used to try to destroy the kids. We also find a key to a cabinet that when you put something broken in it, the item will come out repaired. Which leads to a heart-wrenching scene when the mother puts the father's ashes in the cabinet.

The story is taking an even darker turn here.  The scene when the kids are battling the shadows is seriously scary. Kinsey, the sister almost dies in another scene, and the mother has hit rock bottom. The last installment, Head Games, was a bit more philosophical. The key there opened up people's heads and let them remove any bad thoughts. The characters had conversations about how important memories really are. To start this book, Kinsey has removed her fear in the last book and Bode, the little brother, has his memory of the war against the shadows removed for his own good.

We also get more into the history of the house and the Locke family at the end of this installment; more than we have ever seen before. This history also foreshadows the keys (and problems) to come. Things are going very badly for the Locke family, but I could not look away.

Here is an excerpt of what I said about the series when I read the second installment, Head Games:

Rodriguez's drawings are both beautiful and unsettling, sometimes at the same time. Joe Hill has written another compelling story and we are even treated to a bit of foreshadowing as to what keys may be found next. This is a clever, original, and unsettling graphic novel. There is blood, violence, and heartbreaking murders here; but the story is compelling and the Locke kids themselves will keep even a more timid reader turning the pages.

Crown of Shadows is a bridge installment of the story. I did not enjoy it as much as Head Games, but I understand that is because it is setting up future story lines.I appreciate that Hill is taking his time with the story, slowly revealing the details, and still entertaining me along the way. I am literally itching for the next one, but know I will have to wait another year. Arrrggggghhhhh.

The Locke and Key story is so appealing because it combines original story telling, compelling characters, a really scary, evil villain for whom time is not a factor, all with some of the most beautiful, heart-wrenching, and frightening drawings I have ever seen. The two parts of this story-- the words and the pictures-- perfectly play off of each other. I read a lot and can be picky, but I have rarely read anything as good as this series.

Three Words That Describe This Book: dread, original, compelling

Readalikes: As I said previously here:

The graphic novels of Hill's father's Dark Tower books make for a good suggestion here. Also anything by Neil Gaiman from Sandman to The Graveyard Book (and everything in between) would work for fans of the Lock and Key Series. Also try Alan Moore and Frank Miller in graphic novels, and Bentley Little, Robert McCammon, or Peter Straub in novels.

I would also suggest the new graphic novel series, American Vampire by Scott Snyder, Stephen King and Rafael Albuquereque (which I will review in  a few days), Jonathan Maberry's Pine Deep Trilogy, or Leopoldo Gout's Ghost Radio. All three of these suggestions are original horror stories which push at the edges of horror conventions to extremely successful results.

31 Days of Horror Day 3-- Revamped and More Useful Review Index

This first week of October I am focusing the blog-a-thon on how to get the most out of me and my expertise now and all the year through.

Today I am focusing on my long standing and constantly updated Review Index which I have made even more useful. Here is the direct link to the NEW AND IMPROVED Horror Review Index, but I have also attached it below.

There is nothing more important for me to do than make sure you know about as many books as possible. Over the years I have heard from library workers, readers, and authors that my professional reviews, in official library journals, have gotten those titles on library shelves. I have seen data that shows that before I reviewed a book it was in 10 libraries nationwide and then after my review.... 50 the first month after, and hundreds more a few months out.

I am not writing this to brag, not at all. In fact, I am writing this to let you know I wish I could give you more options, but I am only 1 person and reviewing horror is only part of my job. I already do 3-6 titles a month. However, I can give you more official and professional options for reviews both to develop your collections AND to give you as many suggestion options at your fingers tips as I possibly can.

That is what I have done with the Horror Review Index. Today’s post is to remind you to use it to find suggestions and to let you know I have made it even more useful by quickly routing you to many more titles by reviewers I trust. They have the Becky seal of approval.

Now get out there and start suggesting scary reads. It’s October 3rd already. I know they are just beginning to shamble in.  Soon, the hordes will be descending. I’ve got your back though.

HORROR REVIEW INDEX:

Here is an author index to all of the reviews appearing on this blog (or before this blog began on RA for All) with the links leading you to the review itself.

But, because I am only 1 person, and I cannot possibly get to every book that could be a good fit for your patrons, I also offer the following links to Becky approved horror reviews:

• This Is Horror’s review archive: This British based site is the best regular review source for horror. Sometimes their titles overlap with mine, but because all they do is horror, they are able to get to many more than I can.
• Tor.Com’s Horror coverage contains many reviews and not just about books they have published. This link will also lead you to essays about horror, essays that also will give you more titles to suggest.
• LitReactor’s Bookshots reviews are amazing, and while they are not all horror per se, they are almost all titles with an oppressive atmosphere. Most of the reviews here are horror or horror -adjacent. But these reviews are also super useful to you, the library worker because they directly address who the title is best for by using a question and answer form. You can literally read the review to your patron in 2 minutes or less and decide together if it is a good choice. Bookshots are also a great conversation starter if you don’t know how to talk to your horror patrons. Try it out for yourself.

Between this index of my reviews [below] and the links to the others [above], you have thousands of choices of excellent terrifying reads for your patrons. No more excuses that you just don’t know what to suggest. I have given you plenty of options for every type of potential reader.

And remember, it doesn’t matter how old the book is. A great title from 5 years ago is still a good read for someone. Dig through the backlist. Here’s an example.

BECKY’S REVIEWS

• Adams, John Joseph and Douglas Cohen, eds. What the #@&% is That?: The Saga Anthology of the Monstrous and the Macabre (2016)
• Anderson, Kevin J.  Death Warmed Over (2012)
• Baker, Jacqueline.  The Broken Hours: A Novel of H.P. Lovecraft (2016)
• Barker, Clive. Scarlet Gospels (2015) [guest post by Jack Phoenix]
• Barlow, Toby. Sharp Teeth (2008) ed note: scroll to middle of post for review 
• Barron, Laird. Swift to Chase (2016)
• Bell, Alden. The Reapers Are the Angels (2010) 
• Boone, Ezekiel.  Skitter (2017)
• Brogden, James.  Hekla's Children (2017)
• Browne, S. G. Breathers: A Zombie's Lament (2009) 
• Browne, S.G.  I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus (2012)
• Burke, Kealan Patrick.  Kin (2012)
• Chesterton, R.B.  The Darkling (2013)
• Chizmar, Richard.  A Long December (2016)
• Colon, Christopher, ed. He is Legend: An Anthology Celebrating Richard Matheson (2009)
• Cronin, Justin.  The City of Mirrors (2016)
• Cronin, Justin. The Passage (2010)
• Cutter, Nick.  Little Heaven (2016)
• Cutter, Nick.  The Troop (2014)
• Davidson, Andy.  In the Valley of the Sun (2017)
• Datlow, Ellen, ed. Black Feathers: Dark Avian Fiction (2017)
• Datlow, Ellen, ed.  Nightmares: A New Decade of Modern Horror (2016)
• Datlow, Ellen and Lisa Morton, eds. Haunted Nights (2017)
• Deady, Tom.  Haven (2016)
• Donohue, Keith.  The Motion of Puppets (2016)
• Dunbar, Robert.  Wood (2012) 
• Duncan, Glen.  The Last Werewolf (2011) 
• Ethridge, Benjamin Kane.  Bottled Abyss (2012)
• Everson, John.  NightWhere (2012)
• Faherty, JG.  Ghosts of Coronado Bay (2011)
• Farris, John. High Bloods (2009)
• Ford, Jeffrey. A Natural History of Hell (2016)
• Forry, Lauren.  Abigale Hall (2017)
• French, Aaron, ed. The Gods of HP Lovecraft (2015)
• French, Aaron.  The Time Eater (2017)
• Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book (2008)
• Garza, Michelle and Melissa Lason.  Those Who Follow (2017)
• Girard, Geoffrey.  Mary Rose (2017)
• Girard, Geoffrey.  Project Cain (2013)
• Golden, Christopher.  Ararat (2017)
• Grant, Mira.  Blackout: Newsflesh Trilogy Book 3 (2012) 
• Grant, Mira.  Deadline: Newsflesh Trilogy Book 2 (2011)
• Grant, Mira. Feed: Newsflesh Trilogy Book 1 (2010) 
• Gout, Leopoldo. Ghost Radio (2008)
• Hill, Joe. Horns (2010) 
• Hill, Joe. The Fireman (2016)
• Hill, Joe. Strange Weather (2017)
• Hill Joe, and Gabriel Rodriguez. Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft (2008) 
• Hill, Joe and Gabriel Rodriguez. Locke and Key: Head Games (2009)
• Hill, Joe and Gabriel Rodriguez. Locke and Key: Crown of Shadows (2010) 
• Hill, Joe and Gabriel Rodriguez.  Locke and Key: Keys to the Kingdom (2011) 
• Hill Joe and Gabriel Rodriguez.  Locke and Key: Clockworks (2012)
• Hill, Joe.  NOS4A2 (2013)
• James, Russell. Q Island (2015)
• Janz, Jonathan.  Children of the Dark (2016)
• Jodan, Lee F.  Coronation (2012)
• Keene, Brian. Castaways (2009)
• Keene, Brian.  Pressure (2016)
• Kenyon, Nate. The Bone Factory (2009) 
• Kenyon, Nate. Sparrow Rock (2010) 
• King, Stephen.  Doctor Sleep (2013)
• King, Stephen.  Full Dark, No Stars (2010) 
• King, Stephen.  Joyland (2013)
• King, Stephen and Richard Chizmar. Gwendy's Button Box (2017)
• Klinger, Leslie S. The New Annotated Frankenstein (2017)
• Kozeniewski, Stephen.  Hematophages (2017)
• Kraus, Daniel.  Rotters (2011)
• Lansdale, John L.  Zombie Gold (2016)
• Littlewood, Alison.  A Cold Season (2013)
• Limbus Inc. (2013)
• Lukavics, Amy.  The Women in the Walls (2016)
• Maberry, Jonathan.  Dead of Night (2011)
• Maberry, Jonathan. Ghost Road Blues (2006) ed note: scroll to bottom of post for review
• Maberry, Jonathan. Patient Zero (2009) ed note: scroll to bottom of post for review 
• Maberry, Jonathan.  Rot and Ruin (2010)
• Maberry, Jonathan and George A. Romero.  Nights of the Living Dead (2017)
• MacLeod, Bracken.  Come to Dust (2017)
• Malerman, Josh.  Bird Box (2014) 
• Mamatas, Nick.  I Am Providence (2016)
• Manderino, John.  But You Scared Me The Most (2016)
• Marion, Isaac. The Burning World (2016)
• Marion, Isaac.  Warm Bodies (2011)
• Masello, Robert. Blood and Ice (2009) 
• Masterton, Graham. Basilisk (2009)
• Masterton, Graham.  The Devils of D-Day (1978)
• McCammon, Robert.  The Last Train From Perdition (2016)
• Merbeth, K.S. Bite (2016)
• Mitchell, David.  Slade House (2015)
• Morris, Keith Lee.  Travelers Rest (2016)
• Morton, Lisa.  Netherworld (2014)
• Oates, Joyce Carol. The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror (2016)
• Ohno, Nuzo. The Sleepless (2016)
• Owen, Lauren.  The Quick (2014)
• Percy, Benjamin.  The Dark Net (2017)
• Percy, Benjamin.  Red Moon (2013)
• Pessl, Marisha.  Night Film (2013)
• Phoenix, Jack.  The Tormentors (2013)
• Rawlik, Pete.  Reanimatrix (2016)
• Rector, Jeani.  What Fears Become: An Anthology From the Horror Zine (2011)
• Roux, Madeleine.  Allison Hewitt is Trapped (2011)
• Seeley, Tim and Mike Norton. Revival Vol 1 (2013)
• Seeley, Tim and Mike Norton.  Revival Vol 2 (2013)
• Silverberg, Robert, ed. This Way to the End Times: Classic Tales of the Apocalypse (2016)
• Snyder, Scott, Stephen King and Rafael Albuquereque.  American Vampire (2010)
• Snyder, Scott.  American Vampire 2 (2011)
• Sokoloff, Alexandra. The Unseen (2009)
• Stratford, Sarah Jane. The Midnight Guardian (2009) 
• Trombetta, Jim.  The Horror! The Horror! (2010)
• Vandermeer, Jeff.  Annihilation (2014)
• Whitehead, Colson.  Zone One (2011)
• Wilson, F. Paul.  The Tomb (1998, edited reprint) 
• Wilson, Jeffrey.  The Donors (2012)
• Wilson, Jeffrey.  Fade to Black (2013)
• Wolff, Nicholas. The Binding (2016)
• Wynne, Douglas.  The Devil of Echo Lake (2012)
• Zeltserman, Dave.  The Caretaker of Lorne Field (2010)

Becky on the Five Things to Know in Horror

Back in April I was part of a presentation on the top things to know in top genres for Booklist and NoveList. The genres were Thrillers, Horror, and Science Fiction.

The video is now available for anyone and everyone to view.

Click here for the video [horror is second]

Click here for the handout

This is an excellent resource for collection development for all three of these genres. I also provide a quick tutorial at the end of the genre specific presentations about how to use NoveList to stay up to date in ALL genres.

Finally, I have reposted my horror specific portion of the handout here on the horror blog so that it can be searchable in the future. I strive to make this blog a useful tool for those helping horror readers in a library setting. But please note, the written resource makes more sense if you watch the video too.

**********************************************

Becky Spratford on Horror: 

“Horror is a story in which the author manipulates the reader’s emotions by introducing situations in which unexplainable phenomena and unearthly creatures threaten the protagonist and provoke terror in the reader.”

Five Classic Authors 

* Stephen King (The Shining)

* Dean Koontz (Odd Thomas)

* Anne Rice (Interview with a Vampire)

* H P Lovecraft (Cthulhu Stories)

* Ramsey Campbell (Nazareth Hill)

Five Must-Read Books (To understand 21st Century Horror) 

* The Rising by Brian Keene

* The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle

* John Dies at the End by David Wong

* The Keeper by Sarah Langan

* The Terror by Dan Simmons

Top Five Trends in Horror 

*Weird Fiction Re-Emerges As a Subgenre: Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer; Kelly Link

*Science Fiction and Horror Team Up: Justin Cronin Passage Trilogy; David Wellington

*Horrific Women: Tananarive Due and Sarah Pinborough

*A Return to a Pulp Sensibility: Richard Laymon and Brian Keene

*Horror on Audio: Ghost Radio by Leopoldo Gout and Locke and Key by Joe Hill

Five Up and Comers 

* Joe Hill (NOS4A2)

* Jonathan Maberry (Rot and Ruin)

* Sarah Pinborough (Mayhem)

* Jonathan Janz (Children of the Dark)

* Paul Tremblay (A Head Full of Ghosts)

Becky’s Five Favorites [Besides NOS4A2] 

* The Ruins by Scott Smith

* House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

* Bird Box by Josh Malerman

* Anything by Shirley Jackson

*The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell

31 Days of Horror-- Day 1: Librarians Meet the Horror Writers Association

Welcome to 31 Days of Horror 2012.  While last year, I focused on my book, this year I will be mixing guest posts with reviews and giveaways in an attempt to connect horror writers with librarians.

As I say in my bio, I am a proud member of the Horror Writers Association, but this year my pride swelled.  I used my connections as a member and reached out to a wide range of horror writers, from bestsellers to newer authors, and they were all more than generous with their time, writing posts for me to use this month.  Many of them also passed on books for me to giveaway to you.

Stay tuned because those giveaways start later this week.

So I hope you enjoy my month long barrage of horror posts geared toward the librarian and average reader brought to you by those of us in the horror industry-- those of us who are immersed in the genre all the year through.

We begin today with a post by Rocky Wood.  He is the current President of Horror Writers Association and author of the Bram Stoker Award® winning, Stephen King: A Literary Companion (McFarland, 2011) and the graphic novel, Witch Hunts: A Graphic History of the Burning Times (McFarland, 2012).

I asked Rocky to write a post to librarians about how the Horror Writers Association can help them. The HWA is working very hard to court librarians.  They have even committed to an ALA booth at the National Conference in June.  So, here's Rocky....

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Many librarians may not be familiar with the Horror Writers Association. Established in 1985 by writers such as Dean R Koontz and Joe R Lansdale, the HWA today has around 800 members around the globe, although a majority are North American. Icons such as Stephen King and Richard Matheson are long term members, as are such up and coming genre names at Jonathan Maberry, and the vast majority of today’s horror writers. It has a wide ranging website and also a public blog, ‘Dark Whispers’ at www.horror.org/blog.

One of the HWA's missions is to encourage public interest in and foster an appreciation of reading in general, and horror and dark fantasy literature for adults, teens and even children. To that end, our members take part in public readings and lectures whenever possible, we publish a newsletter for booksellers and librarians, and we are now providing libraries with links to recommended and new works by our members (more of which later). Many of these books are by award-winning authors and others by break-through writers you might not yet be aware of. We are particularly involved in promoting authors who are receiving break-through status with readers, as well as local authors for local communities.

Horror and so-called dark fiction, and its many sub-genres such as paranormal fiction, post-apocalyptic tales, urban fantasy, zombies, werewolves and vampires are more popular than ever. This is particularly so in the crucial and rapidly growing ‘young adult’ reading group – and we all know young adults in our libraries are looking for new and scary stories. ‘New’ to them, of course, could be a classic horror tale from Poe or Shirley Jackson, or the latest Nancy Holder book. One of the areas the HWA concentrates on is the graphic novel – and this of course is one of the most compelling ways to attract and engage young readers. Whether it be ‘The Walking Dead’ or Joe Hill’s ‘Locke and Key,' young people are fully immersed in this form.

We know that not all publishers market their wares as horror, and not all readers realize they are reading ‘horror’ or dark fantasy – but there is no doubt that ‘Twilight’, ‘Harry Potter’, ‘The Hunger Games’ and such titles all contain horror tropes. We are not concerned with the definition – we are concerned with generating more readers for writers, libraries and publishers – whether in traditional printed books or the electronic versions.

Horror is the oldest genre in literature – it goes right back to the first tales told around the cave-man’s fire, through the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’, through much of Shakespeare (‘Hamlet’, ‘Macbeth’), through the gothic novel and on to the famed ‘greats’ of horror such as Edgar Allen Poe, H P Lovecraft and Shirley Jackson. It is always popular, whatever it is called. There are always new generations of readers to discover such classics as Jackson’s ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, Poe’s ‘The Tell-tale Heart’, Stevenson’s ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ and King’s ‘Salem’s Lot’ or ‘The Shining’. But, while every librarian will know these classics, how do you keep up with the latest developments in the sub-genres and the new, interesting authors and tales that will compel your school-aged or adult readers? There are of course, some great RA services, but no-one knows the horror and dark fantasy genre better than HWA.

I would also make the point that HWA doesn’t just specialize in the obvious – novels and young adult novels. Our members write both short and long fiction, poetry, edit anthologies and write non-fiction. As an example I have written five popular books about Stephen King for those readers who are interested in more than just his stories. One of these books, ‘Stephen King: Uncollected, Unpublished’ (Fourth Edition, Overlook Connection Press, 2012) concentrates on King’s lesser known works, many of which would be of obvious interest to librarians looking to freshen their ‘same old’ King collections. Another, ‘Stephen King: A Literary Companion’, examines King’s position in literature and provides interesting information about every one of his 300 odd pieces of fiction, for instances the inspiration for ‘The Body’ (made into the movie, ‘Stand By Me’) or characters such as Carrie White.

We find that many libraries are under-represented in the dark fantasy/horror genre. Certainly, the popular series such as ‘The Hunger Games’ or ‘Twilight’ will be in place but what about the newly popular series such as Jonathan Maberry’s ‘Rot and Ruin’. Or the latest and best in adult short fiction, edited by such experienced genre editors as Ellen Datlow? We also have strong representation in fiction by female writers – including Nancy Holder, Nancy Etchemendy, Lisa Morton, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Kelley Armstrong and many more. HWA supports such initiatives as ‘Women in Horror’ month.

A major initiative is our ‘Halloween Haunts’ – running in parallel with this very blog this scary month of October, it appears at with new entries every day at www.horror.org/blog, and a range of giveaways for the public. We use this to educate readers, promote the latest in the genre, analyze the genre’s history and of course, entertain. And we also run a monthly Horror Writers Roundtable, where experts discuss such topics as the legacy of Ray Bradbury, book promotion and the popularity of cross-genre writing. Those discussions allow public feedback and you may find them of value.

The HWA offers a one-stop shop for librarians interested in expanding their knowledge of horror and dark fiction, and what is hot in that space at www.horror.org. Among the many resources that can be found there are:

• A listing of the latest Bram Stoker Award winners. The iconic Bram Stoker Awards are the peak Award in the genre, and will guide you to the best in recent horror novels, short fiction, fiction collections, non-fiction, anthologies and even poetry!
• The Bram Stoker Award reading list – this is a live compilation of the latest publications under consideration for the Awards – consider it a near real-time study of what’s hot in horror and dark fiction. This is certainly the only such list anywhere on the internet.
• A listing of all the Bram Stoker Award winners and nominees going back through 1987 – a treasure trove of material for the great names in the genre, such as Ramsey Campbell, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Peter Straub, Joyce Carole Oates, Ray Bradbury and Neil Gaiman. 
• A guide to getting a horror author to visit your Library; and much more. 

The HWA is also some of the few genre writers’ groups that offers membership to Librarians – an ‘Associate’ status for those who really want to engage with the genre. Our members delight in attending readings, signings and discussion groups at Libraries and we are always available to answer questions about the genre.

We have a dedicated Library Committee – chaired by J G Faherty* (author of ‘The Ghosts of Coronado Bay’), always working to improve our services to the Library sector; and have formed an initial relationship with the American Library Association to appear at upcoming ALA events; where we can meet you personally.

So, there’s a wide review of why you as a Librarian might want to engage with the Horror Writers Association – perhaps just sampling our online material; or perhaps involving yourself in direct contact with our advisers or members. We’re not that scary, really!

* Readers of RA for All: Horror will hear from Faherty himself and I will review The Ghosts of Coronado Bay both later this month.

Best Horror of 2010

Over on the Readers' Advisor Online, Cindy posted this list of the Best Horror of 2010:

Laird Barron – Occultation
Robert Jackson Bennett – Mr. Shivers
Justin Cronin – The Passage
Ellen Datlow, ed. – Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror (short stories)
Stephen M. Irwin – The Dead Path
Stephen King – Full Dark, No Stars
Jeff Lindsay - Dexter Is Delicious
John Ajvide Lindqvist – Handling the Undead
Dan Wells – Mr. Monster
Dave Zeltserman – The Caretaker of Lorne Field 

For the record, not all of these titles are horror in the strictest definition of the genre, but they will all appeal to your horror fans.  I also highly recommend Handling the Undead and Full Dark, No Stars on Cindy's list.  I have not reviewed these books personally, but they are good.

I am happy to see them recognizing horror not only at Halloween, but to their list I would like to add a few others.  Here are my personal favorite horror and horror-esque titles that I read in 2010.  All links are to my full reviews.

• The Passage by Justin Cronin (this was the absolute BEST book I read all year)
• Horns by Joe Hill
• Locke and Key: Crown of Shadows by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
• Feed by Mira Grant
• The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
• Sparrow Rock by Nate Keyon

Other 2010 titles I would suggest to horror readers would be: 

• Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
• Dweller  by Jeff Strand
• A Dark Matter by Peter Straub
• Darkness on the Edge of Town by Brian Keene
• Pariah by Bob Fingerman
  

Finally, I keep a review index of horror titles I have reviewed on this blog.  It is in the right gutter of every page of the blog.  Click here to access it right now.  These are only my original reviews.

Do you have a favorite that I forgot from 2010?  Share it with me by leaving a comment.

Review: American Vampire

Before Halloween I read the first bound issue of American Vampire, the brand new graphic novel series written by Scoot Snyder and Stephen King and illustrated by Rafael Albuquereque.


There was much excitement surrounding the release of this book.  First, it is Stephen King's first origin straight to graphic novel story.  But, second, and even more important and exciting, American Vampire marks the solid return of the super evil vampire.


Can you tell I liked it?


Here is the basic plot info.  The story is told in two time periods.  The "present" of the story is 1925 Hollywood and follows a young starlet, Pearl, as she tries to make it big in the movie industry.  The flashback sections of the story happen a generation ago, in the Wild West.


What you need to know before you begin, is that the uniting force between these 2 stories is Skinner, who has become a "new world vampire," and is out to get the "old world vampires" who cannot stand sunlight and seem to control all of the money and power in the American West.


Skinner appears to have no weaknesses. He is vampire through and through, but he can be out in broad daylight.  But over the course of the book we see him learn about his own limitations. He is evil, but has a sense of justice.  As the story goes along, he turns Pearl, and the two are just beginning what I hope will be a long journey of terror and destruction, all in the name of a warped sense of justice.


In terms of appeal, this is a stunning book.  The main color scheme and style is well represented in the cover image above.  The drawings of Pearl and Skinner in full vampire mode are terrifying.  It was disconcerting how much I liked them despite how evil they look. I liked this, but those looking to totally sympathize with Skinner and Pearl may be disappointed.


This is a violent and disturbing book, where people are murdered and decapitated. Innocent people die and there is no truly good hero.  This is a true work of horror.

Interestingly, there is a huge appeal factor in the setting.  Many people like to read anything and everything about the Wild West and/or the Golden Age of Hollywood.  Obviously, some readers may need a word of warning about the violence here, but I book talked this to a reader who was only mildly interested until I mentioned the setting, and then he couldn't wait to start reading it.

Three Words That Describe This Book: vampires, western, violent

Readalikes: If you want to read more horror graphic novels check out the Locke and Key series by Joe Hill, The Walking Dead series by Robert Kirkman, or the Hellboy series by Mike Mignola.

I also felt that my alternating love and disgust for Skinner and Pearl reminded me of Ig in Horns by Joe Hill.

For more scary vampires you can also try The Passage.


For those who want to try a western, if you haven't read Louis L'Amour before, go to the library and check out Hondo.  There is a lot of similarity here.  I have had students read Hondo in the past.  Click here to see what they have had to say.

For those who liked the Golden Age of Hollywood setting and its focus on the underbelly here, try Niagara Falls All Over Again by Elizabeth McCracken.  Trust me, it might not be horror, but it is a dark look at the entertainment industry.

What I'm Reading: American Vampire 2

Boy, I have been on a sequels kick recently.  Here we have another installment of what is a great vampire graphic novel series.  American Vampire Vol. 2 by Scott Snyder continues the set-up presented in the first volume.  We are dealing with new world vampires who can cavort in the daylight.  Their only weakness is still a secret to many. Click here for more on the first book.

Again we have the VERY evil Skinner, but this time we have moved forward a decade and are in Las Vegas of the Depression Era.  The men in charge of building the Hoover Dam are being killed by a vampire.  Is it Skinner? The local lawman teams up with Federal vampire killers to solve the case, but the fight becomes very personal.

The alternating story finds Pearl, Skinner's protege, living as normal a life as possible with her love Henry (a human) in rural California.  Pearl was a vicious killer, but has left that life behind.  As the novel closes, Pearl's former best friend (turned vampire) is out for revenge.

Volume three promises more of the same only this time during WWII.

While one of the obvious appeals here is the joy of a story with truly scary and evil vampires (Skinner got more evil in this book; I did not think that was possible), what I also love is how the story explores American history of the early twentieth century as it scares your pants off.

The drawings are again vivid and detailed, with brutal killings.  Black and red are the dominant colors.  The story also jumps around, with lots of foreshadowing, so you have to pay attention to the box that appears at the top of the page and identifies when you are in a new town or time period.

We barely see the old world vampires here, but I am not sure that they are gone.  Skinner, our American Vampire, is definitely doing better than his old world only out at night rivals, but as the book ends, his hold on Vegas is slipping.  But as usual with Skinner, when he is down, he is never out.  Stay on your toes.

Read this series if you like graphic horror with mean, vicious vampires.  Stay away if you like your vampires to be sweet and romantic.

Three Words That Describe This Book: evil vampires, American History, violent

Where This Book Took Me (Summer Reading Feature): The American West of the 1930s.

Readalikes: Previously I suggested these books:

If you want to read more horror graphic novels check out the Locke and Key series by Joe Hill, The Walking Dead series by Robert Kirkman, or the Hellboy series by Mike Mignola. 

I also felt that my alternating love and disgust for Skinner and Pearl reminded me of Ig in Horns by Joe Hill. 

For more scary vampires you can also try The Passage. 

For those who want to try a western, if you haven't read Louis L'Amour before, go to the library and check out Hondo.  There is a lot of similarity here.  I have had students read Hondo in the past.  Click here to see what they have had to say.

To this list of suggestions I would also add anything by Brian Keene.  He doesn't write about vampires, but he has the same level of violence as well as a similar feel to his story lines.  He writes bloody, fast-paced horror which tends to feature zombies, but not always.  He has great character development, and no one can describe a body being dismembered better.  Try Castaways.

Halfway to Halloween: Reader's Shelf Guest Column

Here is the link to my annual celebration of Halfway to Halloween in Library Journal.

Please consider celebrating at your library. It is a wonderful time to remind people that they loved reading horror in October, so why not try one now?  It is also a great time to start looking at your collections ,replacing classics, ordering award winners, and checking on upcoming titles.

I have copied the full column below too.

Halfway to Horror: Halloween Previews | The Reader’s Shelf, April 15, 2015

Ahh, April, the beginning of spring. Flowers budding, birds returning from their winter sojourn, and…time for monsters, hauntings, and havoc! Why not? Halloween is a mere six months away. Bring the holiday fun by promoting “Halfway to Halloween” with this collection of titles currently lurking in the stacks.

Readers looking for plenty of ambiance to set a horrific tone but without the gore can try Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Egan’s The Keep (Anchor. 2007. ISBN 9781400079742. pap. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9780307386618). This gothic novel follows two estranged cousins who reunite to renovate an Eastern European castle. The combination of their strained relationship and the eerie edifice is atmospheric enough, but then Egan ups the ante with the addition of Ray, a convict in a prison writing program, who is the actual author of the cousins’ journey. The story-within-a-story frame presents an oppressive and anxiety-driven narrative that carries an intensifying sense of dread.

Although quiet and anxious terror can make an impact, there is something to be said for an all-out pulp fiction bloodfest, as long as it is accompanied by solid story­telling. In Castaways(Eraserhead. 2011. ISBN 9781936383931. pap. $11.95; ebk. ISBN 2940014008419), by Brian Keene, the contestants and crew of a Survivor-esque reality television show are caught in a fight for their lives as an indigenous tribe of murderous human monsters populates the island on which their games take place. Isolated even further by a violent storm, the characters are forced to switch from competing for prize money to battling for survival in Keene’s grisly and satirical page-turner.

While Keene is parodying current times, Sarah Pinborough has found inspiration for her disturbing stories hiding out in history. The first book of her “Dr. Thomas Bond” series,Mayhem (Jo Fletcher: Quercus. 2014. ISBN 9781623650865. $24.95; pap. ISBN 9781623658762. $14.99; ebk. ISBN 9781623650872), takes place during the same period as the activities of Jack the Ripper. Pinborough uses the dread of her setting to great advantage in telling an equally ghastly tale of another killer who stalked London, also leaving body parts of women strewn all over the city. This macabre, well-plotted, and gripping mystery offers an unsettling peek into the face of true evil.

Those who would rather look to the future than wallow in the past might turn to Jonathan Maberry’s critically acclaimed and compelling near-future, post–zombie apocalypse YA series beginning with Rot & Ruin (S. & S. Books for Young Readers. 2001. ISBN 9781442402324. $17.99; pap. ISBN 9781442402331. $11.99; ebk. ISBN 9781442402348). Benny lives in a safe zone where the law dictates that every person age 15 and a half must select an occupation in order to contribute to society. Nearing his deadline, Benny accompanies his brother, a bounty hunter, outside the safe zone to see what that job is like. The decision turns Benny’s entire life upside down—not just because he has to combat hordes of ­zombies, but because he is forced to confront his own preconceived notions about the only world he has ever known.

The best horror stories of the last ten years are those in Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s graphic novel series “Locke and Key,” which starts with Welcome to Lovecraft (IDW. 2008. ISBN 9781600102370. $24.99; pap. ISBN 9781600103841. $19.99; ebk. ISBN 9781600102370). The Locke children are typical 21st-century kids. Well, except that their father was murdered, their mother is finding solace in alcohol, and a wicked, supernatural being has been trying to destroy their family for generations. The Lockes live in a creepy, secluded historic home filled with hidden keys that do magical and dangerous things. The children collect the keys and learn how to harness their powers, leading to an epic showdown. The series combines a realistic and chilling plot with fantastic characters and art that is both beautiful and scary.

In Scott Smith’s The Ruins (Vintage. 2008. ISBN 9780307390271. pap. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9780307266040), four American friends vacationing in Cancun, Mexico, meet a German tourist who enlists them in the search for his brother, who went missing on a trip to the Mayan ruins. Despite warnings from the locals, the five climb an ominous hill covered in flowering plants—a hill that ends up holding them captive. Forced into a mortal struggle with a monster, they soon regret their decision to enter the jungle. Smith’s petrifying, original, and gruesome story never lets up and is sure to make readers regard even the most common of houseplants with a touch of fear.

This column was contributed by Becky Spratford, a Readers’ Advisory and Teen Librarian at the Berwyn Public Library, IL. She is the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, 2d ed. (ALA Editions, 2012), and a proud member of the Horror Writers Association. For more horror suggestions from Spratford, visit raforallhorror.blogspot.com

Neal Wyatt compiles LJ’s online feature Wyatt’s World and is the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Nonfiction (ALA Editions, 2007). She is a collection development and readers’ advisory librarian from Virginia. Those interested in contributing to The Reader’s Shelf should contact her directly at Readers_Shelf@comcast.net