Review: Teggie: Lucy's Story by Roger David Francis

I was really intrigued by this book.  I had never heard of the legend of Teggie in Lake Bala.  I have to say that this version of Teggie is truly horrifying and evil.  That part of the book was excellent, as was Ben's descent under Teggie's control.  Where the author lost me was Lucy.  It is her story - as she watches the man she loves obsessing over a monster and behaving in worse and worse manners.  A great story.  BUT.... She turned out to be a protagonist I truly despised.  She repeatedly made excuses for Ben, thinking he will "get over it", even as things progressed to more and more hideous violence.  Making excuses.  HOPING he would be able to fight Teggie's influence.  Passive and pathetic.  Even as Ben was nastier and nastier to her and others.  After crimes were being committed.  It was a visceral feeling. Grrr...  I was glad when it was over so I wouldn't have to deal with her any more. 

That said,  Ben's descent and Teggie were great.  Additionally, the book has many other Teggie/Lake Bala tales which were quite interesting as well.

Review: This World is Full of Monsters by Jeff Vandermeer

A writer finds a letter on his doorstep which is the beginning of an invasion by otherwordly creatures starting with a story-creature.  Filled with evocative images and a very strong sense of surrealism and wonder.  It is life and death and transformation and becoming and growing and all sorts of wonderful and terrifying things. This is a Tor.com original story.  To me it is a perfect example of how you can tell a complete story in a short story and not be needing more.  It truly let's you mind wander and ask questions and just wonder.  And yeah - be creeped out as well.  

Terri

TV review: The Mist

I really enjoy the Limited series that have been coming out recently (formerly called mini series. LOL)  I was excited to see that The Mist had been made for tv.  I have loved it ever since the Original Novella a long time ago.  That said, since then, there is another version of the novella and the 2007 Movie.  All of which have different endings etc...  That is one thing I find fascinating, that the story could be told so many ways.

So, as for the TV show on SPIKE, really enjoyed it.  Definitely updated for the new century with lots of interesting characters.  Absolutely loved Frances Conway (as always).  There was also a really good buildup as the people start turning on each other. 

The thing I hated was that it ends without explaining anything.  All the explanations have been set up but it is another predictable cliffhanger season ending which is now quite common.  They are trying to set it up so there is a season 2.  Manipulative and frankly, annoying.  I feel like something called a LIMITED series, should be finished at the end.  This also happened with The Family and other limited series.  Then guess what?  It is not picked up for the second season!  So there will never be answers.

Have closure for an enjoyable  viewer experience -- don't try and force a second season by such cheap storytelling.  Then if there is a second season, you can BE CREATIVE and find another way to start off.  A really good writer certainly can do that - instead of cheap tricks.

Terri

Review: Snowy Pines by Chris Snider

Carson is forced to make an unthinkable decision and his wife is horrified and angry with his choice.  She later agrees to see him in person and he drives across country to see her.  When in Colorado, he is in an accident in the snow and taken to Snowy Pines hospital where horrifying things happen and he is caught up in a curse which he has to break.

Emotional and frightening, it is a story of strength and forgiving oneself.

Terri

Halloween and movies

One of the things I really love about Halloween time is the availablity of fun horror movies to watch.  Often things like Dracula and various Vincent Price movies (LOVE The Tingler).  Or maybe An American Werewolf in London -- one of my all time favorite movies. 

This weekend was a mix

One was House of Dark Shadows which sort of condenses and reimagines much of the tv show.  I love Dark Shadows and when a LONG time ago the SYFY channel (formerly SCIFI) showed Dark Shadows in its entirety.  I recorded it every day on good ole VHS tapes and watched it all.  So so fun.  That said, it has been ages since I watched the movie.  Wow - what a body count.  Condensing the show show much more of the dark Barnabas Collins rather the conflicted one.

Then I watched Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter.  more fun than I expected.  

And finally, M (the remake - not Fritz Lang's brilliant one).  It was good.  They explained on TNT that they tried to use more modern psychology (1950-ish) for the murdered in an effort to explain the compulsion etc...  BUT the psychology was outdated and didn't make as much sense.  Solid acting and interesting idea to have the mob hunting down the killer etc... but just not as horrifying IMHO as the original.

So almost Halloween now and probably won't have much time to watch any others.  After all, I still need to watch last night's Walking Dead (I lost power for a few hours last night).

But hey - I still love the movies this time of year and have filled up my DVR with a lot of them so I can keep watching...

Terri

Review: Dinosaur Lake by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Henry Shore is the Chief Park Ranger at Crater Lake in Oregon. After a series of earthquakes unearth some fossils of an unknown species of dinosaur, other strange things start happening. Some people and their boats disappear, and animal carcasses and unusual tracks are found on the lake's islands. Stories begin to circulate of a lake monster. 

Of course, being an ex-cop, Henry takes the stories with a grain of salt until he and a paleontolgist send to examine the fossils see the creature and realize not only that it is real, but that if it can't be contained, a lot of people are going to die. The dinosaur is smart, cunning, and hungry and he and his team have to find a way to stop it. 

Some of the characters seem a bit too stereotypical -- Mad scientist, Vulture-like journalists from the Inquirer, Ineffective bureaucrat and so on. That said, I still liked/hated them and they moved the story along for me in a fast-paced and interesting way.  This is an absolutely fun monster vs. man story.

Terri

Review: The Halloween Mask and Other Strange Tales by David Stuart Davies

File Size: 219 KB

 

Print Length: 128 pages

Publisher: The History Press (September 15, 2014)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

ASIN: B00JIE89PC

An Anthology of dark tales by a new-to-me author who is very skilled at his craft.  Some of my favorites include:  'The Key', 'The Lady in the Garden' and a very fun Sherlock Holmes story (This author is VERY good at Holmes Stories I have discovered) - 'Sherlock Holmes and the Ghost of Christmas Past'.

Then I have to discuss his story 'The Books' which, though NOT a vampire tale, reminded me very much of Jonathan Harker's journey and first night in Dracula's castle.  Similar elements such as the storyteller being dropped off reluctantly at the end of the path to the Lodge and his arrival to a note, wine, fire and so on, brought back that foreboding feeling I felt when reading Dracula for the first time.  Is it homage?  Or too similar?  I found I didn't care, it still took me where I needed to go in my mind.

And finally, my favorite story in the book: 'The Oldest Ghost Story-Writer in the Land'.  A very hold horror writer is invited to appear as a guest on a television adaptation of one of his stories on Halloween.  My two favorite descriptions follow:

"This was real and all the more terrifying because he didn't know why he was frightened.  For a moment, his body turned to ice and his heart began to race.  He blinked furiously, gasping or breath."

and

"I am a Relic.  that's how I have been treated today.  Some old curiosity from a bygone age who's been wheeled out for his novelty value.  The oldest living ghost-writer in the land."

Well written words that manage to convey atmosphere and feelings without slapping you in the face with it.  Horror at its best.

I will definitely be reading more by this author!

Terri