Book Release Reviews

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1988

John is attempting to get his life back on track after the death of his first wife. He has a new wife who adores his young son from his previous marriage, and events appear to picking-up. That is until his son Lenny begins suffering violent nightmares. Unearthly noises and damage to the walls in the form of what looks like deep gouges leads John to believe his son is emotionally rebelling against what happened to his mother. However, when a black demonic creature emerges from Lenny’s dreams it kills his father’s new wife and paralyses his father from below the neck down.

John is rushed to hospital, where he is examined and told an operation may return the use of his arms to him. He befriends a female scientist researching parapsychology and arranges for his son to be tested. But the creature emerges again and wreaks havoc in an enclosed space, including killing a nun. At his wits end, John is visited by a strangely androgynous figure calling itself Springer. He is introduced to a motley group of paraplegics who congregate in the gardens of the hospital. Here, he is told of the incredible legacy of Night Warriors, who fight demons within people’s dreams.

The group learns that each of them had ancestors who were Night Warriors bestowed with certain powers and abilities. Now they will become the new Night Warriors and seek to destroy or incapacitate the demon possessing the dreams of Lenny. For individuals who are disabled this is a hugely exciting opportunity to have free movement. However, there is a very real danger of death, or becoming trapped within a dream forever. John has more motive than most: he simply wants to save his son.

Although many Graham Masterton readers will disagree with me, this first sequel knocks spots off the original Night Warriors book. It can be read as a standalone novel and is slightly less about the supernatural warrior versions of themselves and much more in touch with the normal human characters. In this manner we bond much more with John and the reality of the natural world. The early sequences of the story have the effect of a (then) modern supernatural or Exorcist-type demonic possession tale, and leaves the Night Warriors element until we are fully sympathetic to the protagonist and his son. This works really well, dragging you willingly into the narrative.

There are some quirky characters, such as Chief Molyneux, who excepts that it's sometimes necessary to look beyond the obvious, and Sergeant and Inspector Clay, twins - one of which is a sensitive. Again, some situations happen which seem over-convenient for the plot, but it does smooth out the story and allow events to motor along. There's a nice touch, too, involving the main Night Warrior from the first book, but rest assured that this is a totally standalone book.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: Arrow Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1985

Sheriff Jack Smith’s sleepy town has a rude awakening when two fishermen on a lake discover a human body with its skin meticulously removed. Furthermore, the post mortem reveals that the skin had been removed prior to death. When a panicked hitchhiker turns up at the station with a story of his escape from a refined gentleman’s car after the driver spoke incessantly about wanting his skin, Jack realises this isn’t an isolated event. He connects the driver to an elaborate but run-down family house which had been abandoned for years, but is refused entry. But then his inquisitive underling takes matters into his own hands and subsequently goes missing.

Vincent Pearson is the owner of a fine art gallery. His assistant Edward is visited by a quaint older but still alluring woman, Cordelia Gray who is very interested in acquiring a certain century-old Waldegrave painting of a family sitting around a long table. They meet at a restaurant and, when he fails to show up for work, Vincent discovers the man’s dead body crawling with maggots – even though he couldn’t have been deceased that long. The painting in question has been in the hands of his own family since the days of his grandfather. It is sent away to an art expert but refuses to be restored. It is in terrible condition and the recently returned family near to Sheriff Jack is desperate to get their hands on it, as it has kept them young for more than a century. In the meantime, they are skinning people alive in order to slow their own degradation.

Jack and Vincent become unlikely allies and they both have to learn pretty quickly that there are ‘more things in heaven and earth…’ But why was Vincent’s grandfather insistent the painting should remain with him? And what is the connection between Vincent’s family line and the Grays? 

All the way back to 1985 this time for the next choice in my marathon reread of early Graham Masterton horror novels. If the later release Prey was his take on an H.P. Lovecraft tale, Family Portrait is his own version of Oscar Wilde’s A Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). 

Although Family Portrait has a couple of likeable central characters in Vincent and Jack from different class systems who have to work together to one goal, and the story rattles along at a smooth pace, it isn’t as intriguing and compelling as many of his other books. The reason for this is almost certainly due to diminishing returns: mainly, the idea isn’t a new one. How can you slowly build-up the suspense surrounding a ‘monster’ when its nature is already known via the classic book?
 

Masterton likes to take the reader right into the subject matter; the relevant key characters went into the wall in Walkers, into the mirror in… er, Mirror and, similarly, follows the Gray family into the painting here. I have a couple of problems with the plot. It’s unlikely that the family would go away for so long because of a threat by Vincent’s grandfather to destroy the painting, when it turns out he is connected to the painting himself – especially as the painting and the family would immediately deteriorate. Why return now for the painting? And how would the condition of the painting help them now, particularly as it cannot be restored? Perhaps their closeness to the painting revives it as well as them? None of this is explained.

I found myself relating much more with Sheriff Jack than the poncy, refined Vincent, as Jack is much more salt-of-the-earth. Nevertheless, the opposites seem to attract in terms of a team-up. so, in my opinion, not up there with The Wells of Hell, Pariah, and Heirloom, for example, but an exciting romp, all the same.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: Mandarin

Format: Paperback

Published: 1992

The recently divorced David Williams takes his young son to the Isle of Wight where he has accepted a live-in job renovating for sale an old Victorian house which used to be an orphanage. Heavy scrabbling and scratching movements in the attic lead him to believe there are rats, but a frightening confrontation in the darkness leaves him of the firm opinion it is something much more than an ordinary rat. Residents from the area are all aware of a rat creature known as Brown Jenkin. Furthermore, David catches glimpses of a figure with a tall hat in the grounds, and is terrified by an apparition in the corner of his bedroom. The strange geometric angle of the roof has David speculating on whether there might be a hidden space in the roof. It certainly seems to be borne-out when the local rat catcher suffers a fatal ‘accident’ in the attic. It seems the old tradesman isn’t the first person to die at the house. A dilapidated chapel contains the graves of several children of the same age, who died suspiciously. There is a link between parallel times and an ancient evil that predates mankind. David is obliged to confront the evil in more than one time period. He has the companionship of a beautiful young woman, but is she even everything she appears to be?

Prey is yet another title devoured in my mammoth re-read of early Graham Masterton horror novels, and this one is another powerful and compelling read. Again it drags you along at a relentless pace behind wild horses; a real page-turner. It begins like a traditional contemporary ghost story linked to the Victorian era and gradually becomes something more feral, and certainly eldritch. Masterton grounds the story by setting it in the real life location of Bonchurch on the Isle of Wight. Any lover of classic horror fiction will not fail to notice the connection of the great H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dreams in the Witch House, with the geometrically impossible angle to the roof. The writer goes one step further by recreating Lovecraft’s Brown Jenkin rat creature and the familiar to the ancient witch Keziah Mason, who is also present – although Masterton slightly changes her name. What proves this is Masterton’s fully-fledged Lovecraftian tale is the fact he makes the mighty but relatively unseen presence of Yog-Sothoth – one of the Old Ones or Elder Gods, and the father of Cthulhu – the background menace. There are also connections to Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror, and a namecheck of Randolph Carter from The Statement of Randolph Carter. Furthermore, there is an early scene which reminded me of M.R. James’s A View From a Hill – a very creepy story.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with being influenced by – or paying tribute to – the grandmasters of horror fiction. The fact that these works are in the public domain and other writers can borrow from their catalogue of greats, simply means the originals will remain available and hugely popular indefinitely. I have even set some of my own stories in the worlds of Lovecraft, James, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Brothers Grimm. This book begins with some restraint, but I urge you to stick with it because it very soon rockets away, leaving you holding on for dear life.  

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: Warner Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1991

Lloyd Denman reflects on the perfection of his life. He owns a very successful, upmarket fish restaurant and is about to marry the young woman of his dreams. However, fate intervenes and his world is abruptly turned upside down. His fiancé Celia Williams, who is supposed to be touring with an orchestra in another city, is locally witnessed calmly dousing herself with petrol before setting herself ablaze. When a bus full of people burns with the passengers sitting calmly in their seats, the police believe it to be some sort of suicide pact. But Lloyd suspects a connection and teams-up with Kathleen who lost her husband on the bus. The only witness is a blind boy from a nearby Indian reservation. Events come to a head when Celia appears to Lloyd, different and frightening. Apparently a salamander – a fire creature halfway between death and human immortality, she tells him they can still be together, but Celia has no reservations about burning people to death in agony to get what she wants. She is a member of a cult led by a strange and dangerous man called Otto, who was one of Hitler’s closest aids. The plan is, through ceremony, to create a master race of immortals who will rule the world forever. Lloyd attempts to intervene, but is he out of his depth?

Another title in my mammoth reread of early Graham Masterton horror novels, and this one cleverly joins the two premises of a then contemporary re-emergence of a Nazi master race and the 18th century mythology of the salamander – a creature born in fire. After the shocking death of Celia, Lloyd begins to catch glimpses of someone he is certain is his dead fiancé. This is nicely played-out and even links with an epilogue of sorts. You have to wonder at the foolishness of an otherwise intelligent protagonist when, on the run, he phones his restaurant and tells his friend who runs it where he is going to be staying. It confirms how likeable Lloyd is when you find yourself exclaiming Idiot! in your head as you read. But people can make the simplest of mistakes and, let’s face it, the bad guys have to catch up with the reluctant hero for there to be a climatic showdown.
 

It’s not all horror; there’s an endearing moment when, held against his will, Lloyd shows sympathy for a master race experiment gone wrong – an individual chained and used as a slave because he’s lacking in intelligence. When he learns the man has no name, Lloyd creates one for him, the sentiment resulting in the man helping Lloyd to escape. Other unusual characters incorporate Otto himself, an ex-aid to Hitler who eats bugs and can start fires with his mind, and his sadistic partner who has passed through the salamander stage and is now immortal. Then there is the blind Indian/Native American boy – a link back to Masterton’s earlier books, not least The Manitou – who, through a totem doll, can produce some useful ancient magic. The hymn in question relates to a previously lost music work by a renowned composer. It is utilised by Otto for the ceremony to create his new master race, though there is a missing end piece he is unaware of and that can change everything. I am loving revisiting these Masterton horror works. I have them all (including some rarities). Some people say the memory cheats; I for one have enjoyed these no less than I did when they were originally published.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1985

Henry is a retired professor who lives in a small property on the seafront. When he discovers the body of a woman on the beach, at the same moment as a surfer dude called Gil and a young woman called Susan, it will be a union of strangers whose lives will be irrevocably changed by this and subsequent events. Cavities in the dead woman’s body are filled with carnivorous eel-like creatures which savagely attack a policeman before disappearing into the sand. From this moment the trio’s movements are shadowed by a curiously androgynous figure known as Springer, who reveals to them that the eels are the seed from an ancient demon that has escaped its bonds and is creating offspring by seducing and impregnating women. If that isn’t unbelievable in itself, they are also informed they are each descended from Night Warriors who fight evil entities by entering the dreams of innocent affiliated individuals. Springer is the agent of Ashapola, a powerful force for light – a sort of god of gods – who cannot directly take action but gives different armour and weapons to Night Warriors. Thus the three become Kasyx, Tebulot and Samena.

In dreams or nightmares the environments, events and people are dangerously unpredictable. Tracking the eels/seeds is dangerous enough, but their first venture forth ends disastrously with Susan held captive and trapped within the dream. It is necessary to research their foe and find the location where it was held by a religious order. However, far from being wet behind the ears, the demon is aware of their presence and seeks to go on the offensive. Can the trio dispatch or entomb the beast once more? And how instrumental will an aged professor who hits the bottle be in a centuries old battle against almost unstoppable evil?

This is the first novel in what would become known as the Night Warriors series, spawning the sequels Death Dream, Night Plague, Night Wars and The Ninth Nightmare. It was certainly an original and exciting premise decades before superhero movies became such momentous events. Masterton was apparently told by an American screenwriter that A Nightmare on Elm Street was inspired by Night Warriors; there is no hard evidence to suggest this, but it seems likely. The author himself describes it as Alice Through the Looking Glass for adults. Indeed, it’s a curious balance of the horror of daytime bare-faced reality and the ambiguity and uncertainty of dreams. Of course, in a tale such as this the two seem equally interwoven. Nevertheless, the Night Warrior-travels through dreams – although inventive – are significantly harder to gel with. In other words, you find yourself investing more in the real world and the characters’ natural identities than the armoured dream versions, because the Night Warriors are really only going to react one way according to their Ashapola-given powers. So, it’s telling that Henry makes a huge sacrifice, which is much more of a human act.

Check out my other reviews of early Graham Masterton horror novels – including The Manitou, Revenge of the Manitou, Charnel House, The Devils of D-Day, The Wells of Hell, The Pariah, The Sphinx, The Heirloom, Mirror, Ritual, The Hymn, Djinn and Edgewise. Masterton remains my favourite horror writer of all time, by far – and he’s still writing impressive stuff, which is quite an achievement in these times of an extremely saturated market. Try some of them out. You won’t be sorry.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1989

Jack Reed owns a car repair company. When a small figure flits across the road in front of his car, he stops and searches the surrounding area, thinking it might have been a child. Here, he discovers a grand, secluded, but run-down building called The Oaks. He is quickly drawn to it and has plans to renovate it as a country club. When revisiting with his son, Randy, the boy disappears. A distressed Jack searches the the grounds from top to bottom. Subsequently, he learns that The Oaks was an asylum for the criminally insane. Sixty years ago, everyone connected with the place simply walked out after it was discovered that the psychotic inmates simply vanished from their individual locked cells.

The most dangerous psychotic killer was Quintus Miller, and with the help of a professor who has an unhealthy interest in ancient Earth magic, Jack is amazed to find out that The Oaks was built on a junction of ley lines and that Miller and the other patients used that Earth magic to move into the walls and attempt to escape along the ley lines. Now Randy has been pulled into the walls and is being held to ensure Jack's help in helping them escape the grounds. Miller intends to kill hundreds of people by pulling them into the ground, in order to appease the mythical Awen and escape the walls. Jack is desperate to save his son but realises the only hope he has is by attempting to enter the walls himself.

The Walkers has certain similarities to Ritual and Mirror; not the setting or storyline but in terms of certain plot strands. In both this book and Ritual, the protagonist’s boy is taken; it’s a way to ensure the father is drawn back to the action/horror. After all, if the main character is able to walk away from the danger early on, we wouldn’t have a story. Similarly, Jack is obliged to find the secret to entering the walls to reclaim his son in the same way that Martin Williams has to enter the demonic Mirror to recover his landlord’s grandson in that book. There has to be an invested interest in the key character putting him/herself in dire peril.

As is common with horror stories, there are questions left unanswered, such as how Jack gets out of the walls with his son when the criminally insane people are unable to. There is also a question of why the women are often attracted to the mainstay although, again, this is used as a companion to converse with and jointly experience the tribulations. Nevertheless, this is another enjoyable tale from Masterton which begins with a haunted house scenario and evolves into a pagan/contemporary fantasy without ever losing touch with the essential horror element. I love his horror books – particularly the early ones – and have read all of them since The Manitou, his first. You can’t help but get pulled into the narrative and dragged along for the ride. This one is not as strong as some of the others but it’s compelling all, the same. The Pied Piper excerpt to draw the crazies back into the grounds of The Oaks again is inspired. The artwork for these releases is also excellent.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1988

Charlie McLean is a travelling restaurant critic. On this particular stage of his journey he is accompanied by his son Martin, fundamentally to catch-up on lost time and prove to himself and his ex-wife that he can be a good father. However, they struggle to find a connection. Whilst dining in a below-par eatery called The Iron kettle, during a rather ominous full-on thunderstorm, Martin believes he sees a little hunched figure standing out in the rain. Charlie passes it off as a trick of the light but when he is finishing-up, Martin goes out to the car and Charlie sees his son apparently conversing with the dwarfish figure – which he later denies. Armed with a warning not to visit the nearby exclusive French restaurant Le Reposior (The Resting Place), Charlie becomes obsessed with doing so – even to the point of entering the grounds and making a nuisance of himself. After a sexual liaison with a woman in the local town of Allen’s Corners, he arrives back at his lodgings to discover that Martin and all of his belongings are missing. Furthermore, no-one admits to having seen him in the first place. It’s as it Martin never existed.
 

Pinning-down the local sheriff, Charlie discovers that Martin isn’t the first person to vanish from the area. Indeed, it has happened many times. Each has ‘willingly’ joined the Celestials, a cult based at Le Reposior and other locations, who allow sections of their body to be severed, cooked and eaten by other members in order to be closer to God. As willingly allowing your body to be eaten little-by-little is not illegal, there is little the authorities can do, especially as many of the locals are actively involved. He learns that this activity is considered a form of purity which is leading to a culmination of the thousand times thousandth person to be consumed – which will be Martin. Thereafter, it is believed God will be present and reward the only survivor. Charlie attempts to break Martin out but is himself held captive against his son’s safety. He realises Martin will not be harmed until the designated day, so escaping to consider his plan of action seems the only logical decision. However, the hunched figure is hot on his trail, and Charlie reluctantly accepts that the only possibility of affecting the proposed outcome is to return to the cannibalistic restaurant.

This novel has a little of everything. We have a shadowy hunched figure with psychotic tendencies, an oppressive and dangerous cult of religious cannibals, a small local town with a cover-up conspiracy of silence, an ex-wife who demands to know where her son is, and there is even a graphic sexual scene which is more than a little creepy.

Masterton dips more than one toe into a subject distasteful to us all. The scenes of civilised cannibalism (if there is such a thing!) cause the reader to cringe whilst essentially detaching  from events. After all, a writer doesn’t need to elaborate on such a subject for it to have an effect. This is a very enjoyable book. You’re hooked from the opening pages and it pulls you along like being dragged through the woods behind a horse. You feel as if you’ve been through the grinder (no pun intended), and that is because Charlie remains a victim of circumstance; whatever he does or doesn’t do seems to have little or no effect. That feeling of events being well beyond his control doesn’t stop the protagonist trying – his son’s life is at stake, after all – and this invests the reader.

There is something happening all the time in this tale, and every scene is conducive to the plot. One of the strongest sequences - which could so easily have been dull in the wrong hands - is the escape chase, a fight and flight moment wherein the writer plays with the reader's emotions. A rollercoaster ride with a final twist.

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: Titan Books

Format: Hardback

Published: February 2024

Titan Books publishes Iron Man 2: The Art of the Movie, by John Barber – a professional comic book editor and writer, and former Editor in Chief of IDW Publishing. This is the 2nd of 24 official Cinematic Universe Infinity Saga film title quality coffee table books, reissued as a resized matching set. The book arrives in the format of a landscape hardback book with photographic colour pages, retailing at £29.99. Inside, it covers every aspect of the artwork and design involved in the preproduction and the film itself – from preliminary sketches, through fully-rendered 3-D imagery, storyboards and set designs, hero and villain weapons, technology and, of course, the various armours. The photos are accompanied by descriptions and explanations which incorporate commentary from the creators – including comic book fan-favourite Adi Granov.
 

Marvel Studios have released some astonishingly intricate, exciting, and inventive films over the years, until they ran out of ideas and cut corners in more recent years. The first Iron Man was named number one in the new MCU, and what a film that was. Even now it is considered the best or one of the best in the entire Marvel canon. I have it on 4K and it still gets an airing every now and then because, in all aspects, it’s simply stunning: a veritable feast of sound and vision. Not so Iron Man 2. In the sequel the balance was completely out. However, this is about the art and design, rather than the script, and there is a nice sense of the structure of design – from initial sketches to the finished project.
 

The one major problem with this attractive book is that it will surely appeal to a very niche market. Those who love The Infinity Saga films will have seen them at the cinema and will possibly have their own Blu-ray or 4K copies. But will they want a book about the art and design of a single film? Possibly, if they are fanatical about the film. It’s worth considering that many disc releases of films contain extra features covering the behind-the-scenes making-of the movie. So, one book release for each of the 24 films… That is close to £720 squids worth of books, if people want to collect them all! Perhaps a bigger book covering all of the films would have proved more attractive.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2024)

Publisher: Star (W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd)

Format: Paperback

Published: 1983

John Trenton and his wife Jane buy an antiques shop in a little coastal town called Granitehead, near Salem. When Jane and their unborn child are killed in a car accident, it's enough that John is stricken with grief and has been alienated by his mother-in-law, but he begins to suffer evil and harrowing manifestations of his dead wife. She urges him to kill himself so that they can be together again. However, he isn't the only person experiencing these apparent visitations from deceased relatives - and a few have actually been killed in an impossibly gruesome manner.

Meanwhile, John bids for and wins an unusual painting depicting a sinister distant galleon off the local coast. The losing bidder wants the painting badly and begs John to sell. It turns out that this is the only representation of the John Dark which was lost at sea at the time of the Salem Witch Trials. It was notorious for a mysterious cargo, and had all references removed from the records. The man is financing a boat with sounding equipment and divers to locate the galleon, which is thought to have been lost in a storm shortly after setting sail from the coastline. He hopes to salvage the thought-to-be precious cargo.

When John comes into contact with a reclusive professor and his rather strange valet he learns more than he bargained for. It materialises that the giant skeleton of an Aztec demon called Mictantecutli was stolen from Mexico and sealed into a large copper container which would contain its powers. The plan had been to use the demons abilities, but it was thought to have influenced the Salem Witch Trial and, when it was found to be too destructive, the captain took to sea in a savage storm and the galleon was sunk. Over the course of three hundred years, the container has begun corroding and Mictantecutli's influence is beginning to escape - and that had begun with deadly spectres to influence prospective salvage people to release the cargo.

But has John struck a disastrous deal with this ancient and unscrupulous devil?

This is a return to my marathon reread of early books by my favourite horror fiction writer Graham Masterton - following titles such as The Manitou, Revenge of the Manitou, The wells of Hell, Charnel House, The Devils of D-Day, Sphinx, and others. They say that the memory cheats; that what you enjoyed in your younger days seldom stand the test of time. Not so here. I've never held any trust in that belief, anyway. I have thoroughly enjoyed revisiting these tales, and The Pariah is another gem.

Unlike most ghost stories, this is not a slow burner. Masterton keeps the reader hooked by always having something significant take place. There are the increasingly violent visitations, the blinding of his mother-in-law, the impossibly gruesome death of an elderly neighbour by what appears to be her dead husband, the near-death edginess of the first dive down to the sunken vessel, the unearthly violent attack during a sexual liaison,  and the final clash with the demon Mictantecutli.

There is an increasing sense of hopelessness inherent in this tale. In the early chapters John is an unwitting victim of the terrifying events and, even when he begins to build up a picture of what what he is up against, there remains the feeling that nothing can be done to keep the demon captive - and it will escape and cause untold death and disaster whatever the characters do or don't do. Of course, the demon's promise of properly returning John's beloved wife to him causes the anxiety of whether he will ultimately do the right thing.

The ending is somewhat ambiguous, and the fact John doesn't get the girl bases the story closer to reality - at least as far as characterisation goes.

Highly recommended.

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1988

Martin Williams is a screenwriter mainly of episodes from long-running TV serials, but his obsession is Boofuls, a Hollywood musical star of the 1930s. Martin has written a script for a musical documentary of the boy's short life. However, no one connected with the film industry is prepared to go anywhere near that idea, because all the public remember with distaste is Boofuls' tragically horrific end when his guardian grandmother inexplicably chopped him into pieces.

When Martin learns of some furniture for sale which had been in the house where Boofuls lived, he purchases a very unusual mirror with money he doesn't really have. But from the moment he hangs it on the wall of his apartment his life turns into a living nightmare. Firstly, the reflection of his sitting room shows differences to the real world. It begins as innocently as a ball appearing as a different ball in the mirror but, when a cat disappears, an extremely feral one emerges to attack him.

Events escalate out of control when Martin's landlord neighbour's grandson goes missing after getting into his apartment and speaking to an 'imaginary' friend. A boy emerges from the mirror who not only looks like Boofuls, but fifty years later, unbelievably, is Boofuls. The boy demands that he needs to remake the film he never completed the first time around. But why is he so insistent... and so sinister?

Martin uncovers a secret coven from the 1930s which involved Boofuls and several other stars from the time - all of which were prepared to make a pact with the Devil in return for sustained fame and fortune. Furthermore, the pact is about to be fulfilled and unleash the the power of evil upon the world. But Martin must also enter the demon world inside the mirror, in an attempt to rescue his landlord's grandson, Emilio.

This was another bestselling book from Graham Masterton - in my opinion, the best horror fiction writer since the classics of old (H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, M.R. James, Arthur Machen, etc.). In this one you have to wonder why the protagonist doesn't smash the mirror after the incident with the cat. Or, at least, throw it out or sell it on. But if these sort of characters didn't remain in a haunted house or enter a forbidden locked room, for example, we wouldn't have a story. Masterton navigates his way around this problem by having Martin Williams remembering the money he paid for the mirror, and then selfishly thinking he can finally get his screenplay off the ground, initially not completely sensing the wrongness of the situation. By the time that Emilio is swallowed by the mirror it is too late to take that action without losing him forever.

Again, there are plenty of set-pieces in this book to keep the horror and suspense crowd happy. I particularly liked the diversions from the mirror itself, such as the pieces of the Devil secreted in the lockers of a derelict hotel, a connection with two priests who attempt to aid Martin and, particularly, the effect watching the new Boofuls film has on the viewers en masse.

This is a simple concept very well executed with multiple horrific scenes which enhance this tale of terror without over-complicating it. You could say the devil is in the detail! It incorporates a flowing but compelling writing style - as with the majority of his horror fiction. It doesn't leave you wanting more, because stories are essentially about triumph over adversity, and there's plenty of adversity to go around in his fictional world. Let's say instead that I've always looked forward with vigour to his next book - particularly in these early years.

In some victories there are consequences, and Masterton remembers this by having his key character changed someone by his experience. What else can I say, aside from read it!

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Original review by Ty Power 2024)

Publisher: The Folio Society

Format: Hardback

Published: 2023

The London Folio Society publishes a special edition hardback version of Dune: Messiah, by Frank Herbert. The science fiction book saga Dune ran to six books (initially!); Dune: Messiah was the second, and so this follows The Folio Society’s special release of the opener. It is a stunning book to behold; lovingly constructed. It’s bound in printed and blocked metallic cloth and set in Dante with Helvetica Neue and Black Tulip display. There is a gorgeous Frontispiece, 7 beautiful colour illustrations (one of them a double-page spread) by talented Dune fan Hilary Clarcq, and 10 black and white chapter headings. There is also an Endpaper map by Martin Sanders. The book cover design is something special which sets the tone for the quality of this release and its classic content. The Printed Slipcase is thick, heavy and shaped in the same manner as its predecessor. Further, this edition contains Herbert’s little used ‘Death Cell Interview’ prologue – which works as a catch-up of the events in the first book, Dune. If you are a fan of Frank Herbert or science fiction in general, you are going to need this in your collection.

If you are a follower of sci-fi then you will surely be aware of Dune – if not through the books, then surely awareness of the 1984 and more recent films and the TV series. You’ll at least know about giant worms and spice! So, I won’t recap on the first book, except to say that Paul Atreides is born the Muad'Dib and has the power of prescience. He is tutored by his mother and by the end of the book becomes Emperor of the Known Universe. By the beginning of Dune: Messiah, Paul has ruled for 12 years. However, a devastating galaxy-wide war is triggered by his ascension, as the religious order and the politicians clash and he is powerless to stop it. Even some of his friends scheme to have him removed from his position. But Paul’s possible visions of the future could mean that the death of billions and the destruction of multiple planets may be the only path to enlightenment and man’s assured place in the universe.

I read the first three books in this series when I was in my twenties, alongside other ground-breaking SF authors such as Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Alan Dead Foster, Orson Scott Card, Isaac Asimov and many others. I lapped them all up. It’s always difficult returning to loved titles, because there is always a chance you will become disillusioned; your treasured memories of a classic becoming tarnished. However, the favourites I have reread have only reaffirmed my original assessments. They are not loved by legions of fans for no reason. I found this one compelling from the outset. Whereas Dune is more of a grand adventure, Messiah seems more character-driven, with no out-and-out hero or villain. We all have shades of grey, after all (no, not those ones!). It is at times downbeat: the pressures of office don’t even come close, but the whole is captivating and, arguably, better than its predecessor – although Dune sets-up the boundaries without which Messiah would not have worked half as well.

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2023)

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Paperback

Published: 2023

Harper Voyager books republishes Forward the Foundation – the final novel of the epic science fiction Foundation Series, completed shortly before the author’s death. Isaac Asimov was born in Russia in 1920 and brought to the USA by his parents three years later, where he grew up in Brooklyn and attended Columbia University. He quickly became the most prolific SF writer of his time. By the time of his death in 1992, aged 72, he had written hundreds of novels and short stories, including the iconic I, Robot – the first book to state The Three Laws of Robotics, and had been presented with the Hugo Award four times and the Nebula once. As well as science fiction, he also wrote detective mystery stories, a four volume History of North America, encyclopaedias, a biographical dictionary, textbooks, and a two-volume autobiography.
 

In Forward the Foundation, Hari Seldon is perfecting his theory of psychohistory to secure humanity’s place among the stars. However, the Galactic Empire is on the point of collapse and the players compete in a struggle to control Seldon – and therefore psychohistory. Seldon fights to keep it from their grasp before they can utilise it as a weapon or a form of control.

Although I was more into Asimov’s Robot stories and consider I, Robot, The Naked Sun, and The Caves of Steel to be essential reading, no one can deny the impact of the Foundation saga – not just for science fiction aficionados but for lovers of ‘people’ stories. Forward the Foundation and the other books in this story arc have lost nothing over the years in their ability to suck the reader directly into the environment and overall plot through the characters, which instantly come alive. Asimov was a very knowledgeable man and a timeless storyteller; a bright spark which burned brightly throughout his life and left us too early. The Foundation series has been attempted both on radio and TV but, much to my frustration – as with many other adaptations of excellent novels – they never live-up to the magic of the original writings. If you love SF, perhaps you will already be aware of these, but for general lovers of culture, destiny, and invention (not to mention strong characterisation) you could do much worse than to try these out.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2023)

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Paperback

Published: 2023

Harper Voyager books republishes The Currents of Space – the second book of the Galactic Empire Series and the precursor to the ground-breaking epic science fiction Foundation books. The author, Isaac Asimov, was the most prolific SF writer of his time. By the time of his death in 1992 he had written hundreds of novels and short stories, including the iconic I, Robot – the first book to state The Three Laws of Robotics, which contemporary scientists still adhere to today. He was presented with the Hugo Award four times and the Nebula once. As well as science fiction, he also wrote detective mystery stories, a four volume History of North America, encyclopedias, a biographical dictionary, textbooks, and a two-volume autobiography.

In Currents of Space, a man without a memory slowly recovers fragments of his past. He knows that a cataclysmic disaster is imminent, and that the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance. But there are individuals who would prevent this revelation at all costs. Who can be trusted in a two-world hierarchy where the extravagant Squires of Sark rule over the lowly Florinians, who labour perpetually for their masters. Rebellion is considered impossible; but both worlds are equally in peril.

I was raised on a staple diet of science fiction writers such as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Philip K. Dick, Orson Scott Card and Alan Dean Foster. I lapped-up everything I could lay my hands on, before smoothly moving onto the next. When presented with this reprint from 1952, I had no idea if my tastes had changed over the years. I read a lot of classic horror and mystery now and so suspected I would find this difficult to return to. How wrong can you be? I was sucked-in from the very first page. Asimov primarily wrote ‘people stories’ wrapped-up in a tantalising SF setting. His background in science (he was a doctor of biochemistry, an instructor at the Boston University of Medicine and, ultimately, Associate Professor, before leaving to concentrate full-time on his writing) grounds the story with more realism than many SF books could.

Nevertheless, no matter how tantalising this novel is, hindsight tells us that The Currents of Space is only a teaser. The best is yet to come with the Foundation saga – considered by many to be the best SF book series ever.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2023)

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Paperback

Published: 2023

Harper Voyager publishes The Book Eaters, the debut novel by Sunyi Dean, an autistic fantasy fiction author living in Yorkshire. It is available in paperback, eBook and audio formats. Hidden from the outside world are six Book Eater families located in North England and the Southern border of Scotland. Their knowledge and sustenance comes from ‘eating’ books. The ancestral lines are dwindling, and so young women are married for only short periods of time to produce offspring, before being put through the process again. One such case is Devon Fairweather, who is married-off to another family. However, when her second child is born a Mind Eater – who consume people’s minds and souls to survive – she is forced to escape the clutches of the families in order to protect him. Mind Eaters are usually killed upon birth or become mindless ‘Dragons’ handled by the controlling Knights. The richest of the families cultivate a drug to repress these natural tendencies and Devon wants access to its resources. However, the family want something in return.

This is an original concept variation on the vampire or werewolf myth. I like the structure of alternate chapters: one describing the upbringing and family environment of Devon, the other her more contemporary existence in hiding and on the run with her son – seeking-out suitable victims and then disposing of their bodies. I prefer the former, which has a Victorian or even Edwardian feel to the grand houses and family hierarchy. The knights act as a private police force to the families, and their Mind Eater ‘guard dogs’ offer them a much darker aspect. Most of the narrative flows between momentous set-pieces; however, there are a few moments that seem strung-out somewhat. The story borrows from many references but still manages to find its own voice. Again, we have the story of an empowered young woman, but basically it portrays the lengths a mother will go to in order to protect her child. It isn’t a case of right or wrong, it’s more about justice and the consequences of a mother’s actions.

This is a fiction book well worth taking a chance on – particularly if you enjoy a mix of historical and contemporary drama.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2023)

Publisher: Magpie Books

Format: Hardback

Published: 2023

HarperCollins Publishers releases If I Have to be Haunted, the debut novel by Miranda Sun. Chinese American Cara Tang is just trying to get through high school, but that is the least of her problems. She is a Ghost Speaker, which means she can not only see the ghosts of dead people and prospectively help them find their way but, within a month of Halloween when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest, actually interact with them on more of a corporeal level. Her mother wants her to suppress these abilities and lead a normal life; for the selfish reason of not getting on with her own Ghost Speaker mother – whose spectre, incidentally, resides in the attic and converses with her granddaughter. When Cara comes across the body of Zach Coleson – the blond, blue-eyed, privileged and deeply annoying swimming star of the school – she makes the ultimate mistake of reacting to his ghost. Much as she hates his very existence, Cara feels she can’t refuse him help. When it is discovered Zach was bitten by a white snake of fable, which can take human form, they learn that there is a slim chance Zach can return to life. Thereafter, nothing will remain the same as they are obliged to enter the highly dangerous liminal world. Cara needs to find her own way in life and fate has a way of presenting a path, but it is the right one?
 

As you might expect from the opening of my synopsis, there is very much a Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibe in attendance in this book – particularly the empowered young woman preparing for college. There are a number of other influences too, including horror, fairy stories, dark fantasy, and more contemporary children’s fantasy tales. A loose affiliation with the Harry Potter franchise can’t be denied, and there is certainly a connection to the popular wizard-type fantasy books of the 1980s and 1990s. This definitely spans many borrowed situations which Miranda Sun makes her own. Two consecutive dangers to life include a cannibal who wants to eat Cara and a part of the landscape that becomes a monster. Some of the situations seem based in young children’s fiction, whilst others are more adult without being too bloodthirsty. In all, I believe the book fits comfortably into what is normally termed Teen Fiction. The liminal world seems to work like a trial, in the same manner that much of Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth was an allegory for a girl’s coming of age.
 

Whichever references you many read into the tale, you can’t deny it’s an impressive debut from Miranda Sun.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2023)

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Paperback

Published: 2023

A secret government department protects crown and country from magical forces and otherworldly entities. Four best friend witches are caught at the centre of the apocalypse, but the greatest threat is to emerge from within their solid unit...

Juno Dawson is a bestselling novelist, screenwriter, journalist, and columnist. Her books include Clean, This Book is Gay, and Meat Market (for which she won the 2020 YA Book Prize). She writes for television, with multiple shows in development, and occasionally turns her hand to acting too, with appearances in Holby City and I May Destroy You. She has also appeared on Pointless Celebrities, ITV News, Channel 5 News, Newsnight, This Morning, and BBC Women’s Hour. In 2014 she became a School Role Model for the charity Stonewall. Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, published by Harper Voyager, was the #1 Sunday Times bestseller.
 

Countless reviews have sung its praises and much acclaim has followed. Hmm… Every opinion is, of course, subjective and, unfortunately, I can’t get on with this at all – much as I’ve tried. The premise is intriguing and made me assume it would be similar to the excellent Newbury & Hobbes Investigation books by George Mann. However, its approach is quite different. I started and abandoned this book three times; I just couldn’t warm to the central character or situations.
 

Not one to admit defeat too easily (I very seldom don’t finish a novel), I even attempted plunging into the middle section, hoping to get hooked or drawn into the heightened excitement of the plot, but it wasn’t to be. I simply felt no empathy or interest. Having read some traditional classic novels recently, maybe I was still in that frame of mind.

Opinions are as individual as anything in life. I am one person and plenty of other reviewers have written favourably of this release. Juno Dawson has turned her hand to many successful media outlets, so what do I know. I would suggest you give the book a try if you are in any doubt (perhaps download a cheaper electronic version – although I still prefer a physical book). According, I think it’s fair to offer-up an average score.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2023)

Publisher: Abrams Cernunnos

Format: Hardback

Published: 2022

Abrams Cernunnos releases the large format hardback book Clive Barker’s Dark Worlds, by Phil and Sarah Stokes. The London-based long-time friends and official archivists of Barker’s work are writers and researchers who oversee his official website, immense personal collection of manuscripts, art and more. According to Barker himself, they “have an encyclopaedic knowledge of who I am and what I’ve done [and] understand me better than almost anyone on the planet.” Clive Barker, of course, is one of the UK’s masters of horror. He is undoubtedly most known for writing The Hellbound Heart, and thereby creating the notorious character of Pinhead. He adapted this, directing himself the ground-breaking 1987 movie Hellraiser, which would spawn several sequels. However, this heavy 352-page book of quality-paper text and photos incorporates his books, films, early theatre work and fantastic macabre artwork...

This is an excellent tome which will take pride of place on any horror lover’s bookshelf. It’s particularly interesting to me, as I was fascinated by Barker’s early short story collections and novels. After an opening section on Hellraiser to whet the appetite of those who only know him from that film, we soon get enjoyable short chapters on his Books of Blood collections of short stories (check out the film Midnight Meat Train from these anthologies; a very underrated, brilliant adaptation), his first novel The Damnation Game, the bizarre fantasy Weaveworld, The Great and Secret Show, and Nightbreed (another severely overlooked movie version). This is a book from the Stokes, but also from Barker himself. It’s written from the heart which could only have originated from personal insight and knowledge. Consequently, interspersed with these many chapters on his book and film projects are sections on his background and childhood, his theatre group company, poetry and prose, his personal life and, most touchingly, fighting through a series of long illnesses.

Of course, every essence of Barker’s work is covered: Pinhead and the Hellraiser story, the early artwork of The Thief of Always, the creation of Candyman, erotic short stories, video games, comic books, the Books of Blood movies, and his resurgence into novel writing. There is so much reading here, and it’s enabling me to catch-up with what the great man has achieved in more recent years. But it’s not just the text that is proficient; this all-colour book features a plethora of photographs, sketches, and in many cases fantastic full-page representations of his surrealistic horror fantasy artwork, which you have to see to believe. 

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2022)

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Paperback

Published: 2023

Harper Voyager publishes the paperback version of The Firemane Saga Volume Three: Master of Furies. Raymond E. Feist is an international bestselling writer of dark fantasy fiction – perhaps best known for his Riftwar and Serpentwar books. He has captivated and enthralled readers for forty years, with his compelling storylines and well-rounded characters. His first book, Magician, was voted in the top 100 novels of all time and is an epic that fans return to again and again. Master of Furies follows King of Ashes, and Queen of Storms, in the Firemane trilogy...
 

When one of the established five kingdoms is invaded, the King of the legendary Firemanes is slaughtered, thereby ending the line. However, unknown to the aggressors, his baby son is spirited away to another land to a strict organisation that trains youngsters to be assassins, agents and spies. Suspecting nothing of his past, Hatushaly forms a bond with the female Hava and another boy. Their destinies are to be inextricably linked. Declan Smith is a blacksmith’s apprentice who quickly gains the status of Master Smith when he becomes one of a rare few who can forge an unbreakable sword using the secret sand of a hidden location. He builds his own forge at Beran’s Hill and takes a wife, only for the inhabitants to be massacred by invaders. With his wife dead, Declan vows to track down and destroy the raiders – a sentiment shared by Baron Daylon Dumarch, whose family is slain whilst fleeing the area. Whilst certain parties suspect the existence of a living Firemane offspring and strive to identify him as a target, the objectives of Hatushaly, Hava and Declan converge on a hidden island where riches through piracy and resources through intelligence networks are collected for the fightback to save their lands. Furthermore, certain individuals are in place to reveal to Hatushaly his true identity and to train him to use his inherent powers of the furies – which involves travelling along and manipulating the filaments of energies which power all existence. That is when a curious half-serious, half-idiosyncratic robed figure arrives seemingly out of thin air to bring forward Hatushaly’s training and to warn those on the island that the true threat they face is by far the greatest the world of Garn has ever faced.
 

The above synopsis from memory covers all three books and so should bring prospective (or forgetful) readers of the Firemane Saga up-to-speed. I have avidly followed Raymond E. Feist’s literary career from Magician (one of my favourite books) up until Magician’s End – more than 30 books later (I have a signed hardback copy of both of these extraordinary reads). All of these stories have been set on or around the world of Midkemia (including the Kelewan Empire books). Who can forget such lovable characters as Pug, Jimmy the Hand, Martin Longbow, and Amos Trask? That is why when it was announced these entertaining reads had come to an end and there would be a completely new trilogy, I was one among many fans who were far from happy. It undoubtedly helps that I read the hardback copy of this upon its release. Perhaps it is because of this previous love of Pug and co. that I found King of Ashes – the first of the Firemane Saga – so hard to get into. It seemed somewhat slow compared with the veritable plethora of previous tales which had seemed to read themselves. However, sometimes you have to invest yourself in a book for it to slowly plant its seed and flower. This third volume is definitely the strongest of this trilogy and, if anything, Hava – who becomes an expert at stealing enemy ships – and Declan (a swordsman as well as a smith) are stronger characters than the main protagonist, Hatushaly. Regular followers of Feist’s excellent books will be overjoyed at the brief return of a loved character from earlier books, thought to be lost. Here’s hoping the Midkemia stories continue with Pug’s son, Magnus. 

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2023)  

Publisher: Titan Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 2023

Titan Books publishes the paperback short story collection, Multiverses: An Anthology of Alternate Realities, edited by the Shirley Jackson Award-nominated Preston Grassmann. This is said to be the first anthology dedicated to multiverses and other realities – ideal for fans of science fiction, fantasy or the just plain weird! There are contributions by bestselling authors such as Clive Barker, Ken Liu, Ian McDonald, Alix E. Harrow, Charlie Jane Anders, Alastair Reynolds, Annalee Newitz, and others. The book is divided into the sections Parallel Worlds, Alternate Histories, and Fractured Realities, and incorporates 304 pages in total. The paper grade is lower and thinner than some previous releases from Titan, but for a paperback collection of author styles to investigate it’s more than adequate...
 

I should just mention, before we get onto the stories themselves, that there are two contributions from Clive Barker, but neither are fictional tales. They are poems: one is practically over before it starts, and the other isn’t much longer. Neither are particularly impressive. I’ve enjoyed several Barker novels over the years, but it is somewhat misleading to use his name here as a pull.

I have always found it curious how it inevitably takes a while to settle comfortably into a different style from that what you’re used to reading. Superhero films and comics have made this sub-genre more commonplace these days – perhaps for first time since the crazy days of Philip K. Dick. As you might expect, there are some diverse concepts collected here; some more blatant science fiction jaunts, while others hint at much more subtle but potentially disastrous changes from the norm. Whilst there is a handful of intriguing gems, there are equally the inevitable few that paint an inventive fable only to flounder with the denouement – as if the time has abruptly run-out in a school essay-writing lesson and they have no idea how to end. Additionally, it’s curious how invariably the idea of Hitler and/or the Nazis rear their heads in multiple universe stories (I think Ray Bradbury started that with A Sound of Thunder).

The stand-out example in this genre for me is 'Nine Hundred Grandmothers', by Paul Di Filippo wherein the protagonist wastes his life taking and dealing dimensional drugs, only to be plagued by other versions of himself and alternate members of his rich, well-to-do family attempting to prompt him to change his ways. The ending is also somewhat ambiguous. Other notable examples include 'Banish', about the dilemma of operating to save the life of a war crimes killer who is still alive in another reality, but has not yet become that criminal; 'Crunchables', which explores the hazardous mundanities of doing a shop-run when other realities spontaneously impose themselves on established areas; and 'A Witch’s Guide to Escape', about a foster child who loses himself in the reality of fictional settings.

Whilst not exactly grabbing me as must-have compilation, Multiverses does have its moments of spontaneity and originality. Take a punt on it; this is how you sometimes build a long-time affiliation with an author or writing style.  

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2023)  

Publisher: Titan Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 2022

Titan Books publishes What Moves the Dead, by T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon), the award-winning author of Digger and Dragonbreath. She doubles as an illustrator based in North Carolina, USA. She has been nominated for the Ursa Major Award, the Eisner Awards, and has won the Nebula Award for Best Short Story and the Hugo Award for Best Novelette (for 'The Tomato Thief'). Her debut adult horror novel, The Twisted Ones, won the 2020 Dragon Award for Best Horror Novel. As with that novel and its follow-up, The Hollow Places, What Moves the Dead is also a retelling of a classic tale – in this case, the great Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher...
 

Alex Easton is a retired Lieutenant in the military, who receives word from his childhood friend, Madeline Usher, that she is dying. Along with his trusty horse Hob and his trusted old-soldier aide, Angus, he makes his way to the dilapidated ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania. He finds his old campaigning soldier colleague Roderick Usher a nervous wreck and generally in tatters at the effect of a supposed curse on the family name and the terrifying changes that have taken hold of the already frail Madeline. She speaks in strange voices at night, and appears to converse with the dark tarn nearby. Fungal growths possess the local wildlife, and it seems whatever is controlling them has a hold of Madeline herself. But is Roderick’s sister alive or dead – it seems to be a fine line. Alex attempts to get to the truth and bring a halt to the malady with the help of a female British mycologist and an out-of-his league American doctor.
 

Having devoured both Poe’s story and Roger Corman’s film, I can’t help but picture Roderick Usher as Vincent Price in his tortured portrayal (Price was excellent in virtually everything he did in front of the camera). This book is an intriguing slant which carried me along for the ride and kicked around uselessly, in equal measure. I enjoyed the perspective of the ex-soldier, Easton, although too many reminiscences of the old days felt like wading through treacle at times. Nevertheless, on the whole, the plot – although centred in a small area – motors along. In fact, the house and tarn add to the claustrophobic atmosphere. The strongest aspect of this book is the representations of the characters. They are almost caricatures: the posh English mycologist, the presumably Scottish aged veteran, the practical but pensive American doctor… Even the horse, Hob, has referred idiosyncrasies. There are also amusing observations on the English and Americans, in particular.
 

The book is tightly paced, cranking-up the tension in increments, like the rack in another classic Poe tale, but refuses to outstay its welcome. Well worth checking out. 

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2022)  

Publisher: Titan Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 2022

Titan Books publishes Isolation: The Horror Anthology, 20 chilling stories from modern masters of horror, including: Joe R. Lansdale, Mark Morris, Ramsey Campbell, Lisa Tuttle, M.R. Carey, Ken Liu, Tim Lebbon, Alison Littlewood, Owl Goingback and others. The theme is inspired by the lockdowns during the Covid-19 period and explores loneliness, loss, separation, remoteness, confinement and insecurity. The collection is edited by Dan Coxon, an award-winning editor and writer based in London. His anthology This Dreaming Isle was shortlisted for both a Shirley Jackson Award and a British Fantasy Award. His debut collection Only the Broken Remain was nominated for two British Fantasy Awards. His fiction has appeared in Black Static, Nightscript, The Lonely Crown, Not One of Us,and the Terrifying Ghosts anthology. He is an editor at award-winning publisher Unsung Stories...

This is a timely collection of stories featuring subjects we can all relate to. It would have been nice to have a series of horror stories based purely on family segregation as a result of the global pandemic. This would have proved more claustrophobic and explored how differently individuals are affected by essentially the same experience. However, this book looks at wider aspects of insecurity. It is natural, as a reader, to navigate towards the tried and tested authors and other names you may recognise. Thus, I headed straight to 'The Long Dead Day', the contribution from one of my favourite writers, Joe R. Lansdale. His Hap and Leonard books are amazingly good fun, and others out there include Bubba Ho-Tep, Cold in July, and The Bottoms. I must admit I’m disappointed with this one: a pretty standard family turning into zombies piece.

Next was Mark Morris. 'Friends For Life' has elements of a Wicker Man story. It flows well, is enjoyable to read, but is a little predictable and would have benefitted from a late twist. Ramsey Campbell’s 'The Blind House' follows a man who has cut himself off from the outside world and edits other people’s novels. Lisa Tuttle’s 'Fire Above, Fire Below' has a girl picking-up on what people say and making predictions on events which always come true. Inevitably, she ends-up being spirited away by the military to help in their catastrophic war. Some elements of this remind me of my own short story called 'The Needs of the One', which you can read on my website adarkandscaryplace.com – I also have 'The Hospital Garden' on there, which ideally fits the themes of loneliness and isolation.

What I’m getting at here – amidst all the plugging of my own material – is that if you’ve come to expect higher quality from the writers you know and love, it’s reasonable to be more critical. It’s my own personal moan and I’m certain most people will not notice the difference and wonder what I’m wittering on about. But it does mean the other contributors proved to be more of a revelation for me. The bottom line is that, although not perfect, this is a solid and diverse collection. 

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2022)  

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Hardback

Published: 2022

Harper Voyager publishes Silverweed Road, by Simon Crook. This is a once quiet suburban street wherein a different horror lies behind every door – all linked to the bizarre darkness and evil in the woods. The tales relate to a predatory swimming pool; a deadly game of cat and mouse with a jackdaw; a revengeful haunted urn; an ancient gold ring seeking sacrifices when it is removed from its original location; a darts player making a pact with the devil – and many others. There is also an underlying theme of loss, loneliness, obsession, greed and revenge. Simon Cook has been a film journalist for over 20 years, visiting sets and interviewing people both in front and behind the camera for Empire Magazine. He is described as a new and exciting voice in literature. The neighbours will be dying to meet you – in both senses of the word...

I like the idea of separate horror stories being linked by one location; however, what I don’t like is that the reader is required to invest so long into the book before there is anything but the slightest evidence of a connecting factor. Detective Chief Inspector Jim Heath notes a few comments between each story, but we don’t actually learn anything about what we have just digested – only that these cases were never solved. Some of the stories are a little drawn-out, such as the opener, whereas others are more taught and enjoyable. It would have been an improvement, I believe, if the slightest snippet or hint of the connected evil was revealed in the first or second story and then that knowledge was incorporated exponentially into subsequent tales – so that the stakes become increasingly higher.

There are some decent ideas here, even though there is little sense of menace or atmosphere. In horror, ‘style’ creates chills and thrills, suspense, anticipation, eeriness, etc. Just look at John Carpenter’s excellent original Halloween film and compare it to some of the lacklustre ‘hack and slash’ sequels. The reader also needs to relate in a sense to the characters, or s/he just doesn’t care if they live or die. As Silverweed Road is an early enterprise in Crook’s fiction writing, I’m certain it will be no time at all before the writer finds his feet.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2022) 

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Hardback

Published: 2022

Hodder & Stoughton releases the hardback of House of Silence, the second novel by Patricia Marques, and second in the Inspector Reis Series following The Colours of Death. A certain percentage of the population is marked as ‘Gifted’ with telepathic, telekinetic or empathic abilities, and Inspector Isabel Reis is one such person. She and her partner Aleksandr Voronov investigate a woman’s body discovered in a river outside of Lisbon. It is Marta Nunes, a youth centre worker – and also one of the ‘Gifted’. This minority of people is often viewed with suspicion, and it is found the victim is connected to a number of missing women, all of whom were telepathic. Time is of the essence to trace where the young women went as it is just possible some may still be alive. But had Marta been helping the girls or mistreating them? The author is half-Angolan and half-Portuguese. She was born in Portugal and moved to England when she was eight. She lives in London, and holds an MA and a BA in Creative Writing...

Whilst I admit to not having read the acclaimed first book in the series, I found this one to be a competent storyline suffering from two intrinsic problems. Literally-speaking there is nothing wrong with using the present tense in the narrative, but with the past tense so instilled in story-writing through the ages I found this new angle difficult to get past. It is virtually compulsory for scriptwriting, and so it isn’t the dialogue which grates but rather the descriptive actions, which come across like stage directions far from being comfortably natural in a book of fiction. I thought I would get used to it but I didn’t, so it made for a somewhat removed experience. In other words, I found it impossible to immerse myself in the story. This is just my own opinion; Patricia is the one with an MA and BA in writing, so what do I know!

The other problem is the pairing of the main characters. In police dramas there is so often a necessary pairing that it is essential the players are completely different to each other in terms of traits, mannerisms and opinions, so that there is a created friction – to make them recognisable caricatures rather than ciphers, which is so often the case. Although Reis and Voronov appear to be of diverse backgrounds they still come across as very similar; she suffers at the hands of other people’s emotions, and he keeps an eye on her welfare, being the only real differences detectable for most of the book. I’m reminded of the pairing of Graham Masterton’s DS Jamila Patel and DC Jerry Pardoe (from Ghost Virus and The Children God Forgot), which works much better both in plain sight and subtly. He is a down-to-earth, plain-speaking Londoner, who uses humour to fend-off all ills, and she is a quieter, more formal Pakistani woman who is modern-thinking whilst having been raised with traditional spiritual beliefs.

What can I say? Although, it didn’t flow for me, and failed to drag me along for the ride, I wouldn’t turn anyone away from giving it a try. Or maybe it would be a better idea to begin with the previous novel, The Colours of Death. 

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2022)

Publisher: The MIT Press

Format: Hardback

Published: 2022

The MIT Press publishes Tales From a Robotic World: How Machines Will Shape Our Future, by Dario Floreano and Nichola Nosengo. Floreano is Director of the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). He is co-author of Evolutionary Robotics and Bio-Inspired Artificial Intelligence. Nosengo is a science writer and science communicator at EPFL. His work has appeared in Nature, The Economist, Wired, and other publications. He is the Chief Editor of Nature Italy. The book features stories from the future of intelligent machines – from rescue drones to robot spouses – and accounts of cutting-edge research that could make it all possible...
 

Chapter titles/subjects include: 'Robots in the Lagoon'; 'The Really Big One'; 'Our First Martian Homes'; 'Drones and the City'; 'Love and Sex with Robots'; 'A Day in the Factory of the Future'; 'The First Nobel For Robotics'; 'Microsurgeons’ Fantastic Voyage'; 'Life as it Could Be'; 'How to Compete with Robots'; 'Inventing an Industry'; and 'What Could Go Wrong, Or the Ethics of Robotics'. The sections incorporate mitigating the effects of climate change, providing health care, reducing traffic, love and companionship, swarm robotics, wearable robots, and even biohybrid robots.
 

This is an intriguing idea, but I’m not sure the mix of accounts of cutting-edge research and fiction works, as it’s neither one or the other. Initially, I was looking forward to Asimov-like robot stories. Instead, I felt to a certain extent that I was being preached to, with an almost text book scenario and a possible fictional future tacked onto the end. Robotics is a cold subject, and so this feeling extends throughout the book. There is very little dialogue inherent, with even this coming across as very formal. Fiction is all about ‘people stories’ where warmth and familiarisation is necessary amidst change and anxiety. For anyone interested in the advances of robotics there is much to learn here, but the book just doesn’t draw you in – and for that reason I think an average score is fair.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2022)  

Publisher: Titan Books

Format: Hardback

Published: November 2021

A Transylvanian nobleman called Count Dracula arrives at 221B Baker Street seeking the help of Sherlock Holmes in finding his kidnapped wife Mina. Holmes is obliged to reassess his opinions about the outré; what until recently he discounted as fiction. But is Dracula a monster or misunderstood after the misconceptions of Bram Stoker’s novel. It isn’t long before it is discovered a much more dangerous vampire exists – one with intelligence and reasoning, who has discovered a way to manipulate the stages of transformation into a creature of the night. One who is creating his own army of associates. Watson suffers a life-changing situation and struggles to keep his dignity, particularly when faced with his lost wife – now an unscrupulous and bloodthirsty vampire. But just who is the Mariner Priest...?
 

It’s always a welcome surprise to receive an attractive hardback book for review, and particularly one which is set in my favourite writing period of the late 19th Century and the early 20th Century. Titan must be commended for their presentations. Much of the classic gothic horror originates from this era, in the form of H.P. Lovecraft’s peerless weird fiction, Edgar Allan Poe’s tales of terror, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (to give it the short title). Of course, two other examples are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Bram Stoker’s Dracula – which are represented in this novel. Like James Lovegrove, for example, Christian Klaver is no stranger to setting his original tales in this period. This is the first instalment in his The Classified Dossier series, wherein Holmes and Dr Watson come across characters from Gothic literature, such as the aforementioned Dracula, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Dorian Gray. The idea here is that Sherlock Holmes is dead, and Watson is given permission to release some written-up adventures which had been kept under wraps because of their bizarre, grotesque and horrific nature.
 

The prose is presented in four parts: 'Count Dracula; The Innsmouth Waler'; 'The Adventure of the Lustrous Pearl'; and 'Old Enemies' – which are all linked, although they initially appear not to be. The title of the third part might suggest a crossover into Thomas Preskett Prest’s A String of Pearls – featuring Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – but this proves to be a red herring. 'The Innsmouth Waler', however, plunges unremorselessly into the depths of H.P. Lovecraft’s Damon cult, based on his stories Shadow Over Innsmouth and Dagon. As a big Lovecraft fan this is probably the most enjoyable section for me. A fake waler makes a sea crossing in record time due to a large something – or several large somethings – pulling the boat from beneath the ocean. The crew are running with putrid water and smelling of foul fish, as in HPL’s Innsmouth inhabitants, and water-based humanoid creatures make a brief ‘appearance’.
 

There are moments in the book when it does get a little bogged-down in exposition – irrespective of whether it is relayed in dialogue between characters or not. Nevertheless, Dracula telling his back story is really interesting, because we learn which facts from Stoker’s novel are true and which are fiction within fiction, you might say. There is a host of characters, some suspicious at best and some out-and-out abominations, so it’s wise to concentrate on the five main players. One being the mysterious Mariner Priest. Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts will no doubt not be surprised by the grand unmasking. But it doesn’t spoil the romp, which is scattered with exciting set-pieces.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2021)

Publisher: Head of Zeus Ltd, London

Format: Hardback

Published: February 2021

Detective Constable Jerry Pardoe is investigating a fatal stabbing in the Pakistani community of London when he is instructed to team-up with Detective Sergeant Jamila Patel of Tooting Police to investigate the accounts of a sewers team of experts. Gemma and her associates had been down below ground, checking out a huge fatberg, when their lights had gone out and strange ghostly figures had appeared. One of their number was dragged away screaming before the others could make their escape. They are interviewed separately, but each of the accounts match perfectly. The discovery of a severed hand prompts Jerry and Jamila to carry out their own search with Gemma’s sewer crew. But this time the lights impossibly turn green and they are assaulted by flying objects which turn out to be ancient keys.
 

Meanwhile, a number of women are giving birth to angelic-faced but hideously deformed babies. Those that are terminated are finding their way back into the wombs of fertile young women. The creature have deformities which would not allow them to live, but somehow they are alive and in many cases vicious. A surgeon is attacked and killed in a hospital whilst carrying out a termination, by a green gaseous female figure. The detectives are determined to uncover a very natural and normal basis for these astounding events, but they have crossed swords with the supernatural before and, as events progress, they are forced to accept the crazy development that a centuries old witch who was sealed with rituals and a number of demonic padlock keys has escaped from her resting place. But how do you stop a murdering and dismemberment spree when the perpetrator is not solid matter and, as the consort of Satan, is imbibed with some of his powers?
 

Whilst rereading some of Graham Masterton’s early horror novels – the reviews of which are on this site – it’s very welcome indeed to embrace new material now that he has finished with the Katie Maguire crime thrillers and returned to what he does best. The Children God Forgot is a stand-alone novel, but features the same two police detectives who were in Ghost Virus. Whether this is done for the sake of the writer’s own familiarity or in the hope a TV series or films might be optioned is not clear. However, one major bullseye he achieves here is that not matter now outré the plot may become it is grounded by the most down-to-earth, say-it-as-it-is, Londoner in DC Jerry Pardoe. His irony, mild sarcasm and observations on life are both humorous and endearing. I just love his character. It’s a nice combination too, with the more straightlaced Jamila Patel – even though she occasionally mentions the myths and legends of her ancestors’ country.
 

The story motors along at a fair rate of knots – particularly the last two-thirds, and there is evidence of a trait Masterton employed in his early works, which is to set-up the next scene while the previous one is playing-out in order to build anticipation. There is a moral dilemma in this one, too, involving abortion. When does it become acceptable if the child is not expected to live, or if it will be in constant distress and require 24-hour care? The author is careful here not to give the witch the moral high ground, as the moment she realises she can’t possess some of the children she isn’t above destroying them with the justification: If I can’t have them then no one can. I would have given this book full marks, as it’s a very enjoyable and engrossing read, but the finale is set up with our main character knowing what is required and there is no outright resolution. The conclusion is left wide open, with more than a hint that Pardoe and Patel have made no real difference. If this isn’t being prepared for a sequel then the outcome is a little disappointing.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2021)

Publisher: London Folio Society

Format: Hardback

Published: May 2022

The London Folio Society releases The Tombs of Atuan, by Ursula K. Le Guin, originally published in 1971 - the latest in a long line of quality hardback book reprints. It is book two in the acclaimed Earthsea Cycle, following A Wizard of Earthsea (1968), which has also been republished by the Folio Society. The book is bound in printed and blocked cloth, and set in Garamond with Ducinea Serif as display. There are 184 pages, and seven full-page colour illustrations (both on the cover and spaced throughout the book) by David Lupton. In addition, there are printed map endpapers, and it is present in a heavy-duty plain slipcase.
 

In The Tombs of Atuan, the High Priestess of the Nameless ones, Arha, dies in her present body. But she has lived on in previous forms, so a search is carried-out for a female child born the moment of the priestess’s death. The girl is identified and taken when she is five years old to be retrained in her duties. She soon comes into conflict with the Priestess of the God Kings. Solace comes with exploring the labyrinths of the Nameless ones in complete darkness. However, she is shocked to find a forbidden man searching for a lost artifact in the tombs, and he might just be a wizard.
 

The Tombs of Atuan is, lengthwise, more of a novella than a fully-fledged novel. It would certainly have had significantly more of an impact at the time of its release in the concept days of fantasy – before the popular mass market sword & sorcery of the 1980s – than it might today. The concept is good and taut, with the pressure of Arha’s role bearing down on her young soul, and the darkness, uncertainty and prospective danger of the tombs creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. However, I will say that although the character Ged had already been established in A Wizard of Earthsea, there is insufficient happening in this volume to sustain the length by today’s standards.
 

The presentation of this Folio edition, however, is a different matter. It is exquisitely produced, with artwork genuinely fitting for the prose style. These publications are becoming well-sought after, and this will look good on anyone’s bookshelf alongside other releases such as Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist, H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories, H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine and The Island of Doctor Moreau, and Pierre Boulle’s Planet of the Apes. All of these I have reviewed, and can be read on my site. 

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2022) 

Publisher: London Folio Society

Format: Hardback

Published: 2020

The London Folio Society releases Pierre Boulle’s classic novel Planet of the Apes in hardback, with strong slipcase. La Planete des Singes was first published in 1963. It was first published in Britain the following year – translated from the original French by Martin Secker & Warburg – and given the title Monkey Planet. This book follows the 1964 edition, with minor emendations. It is translated by Xan Fielding, with illustrations by David De Las Heras, and an introduction by Frans De Waal. There are 172 pages of good quality thick paper, and wide outer margins.
 

Ulysse Merou, Professor Antelle and his assistant Arthur Levain, a physician, travel to the star system of Betelgeuse and, when investigating an interesting planet called Soror, their shuttle craft crash lands, stranding them there. A group of naked humans approach the men with curiosity, but seem animal-like in their reactions. None of them can speak. A hunt suddenly ensues; several people – including Arthur – are killed, and many others caged and sent to different areas by gorillas in uniform, who are intelligent and speak with authority like men. Ulysse loses touch with the professor, but is caged with a beautiful but primitive woman. He soon learns about a hierarchy of supercilious orang-utans, the more articulate and reasoning chimpanzees, and the mostly brusque and brutal gorillas. He builds-up a rapport with Zira, a female chimpanzee behavioural scientist. His goal is to be on an equal footing with the simian race, but when Nova – the woman he had been caged with – falls pregnant and gives birth to a son, it quickly spreads fear of a potential new race of intelligent humans.
 

When I was young it seemed as though Planet of the Apes was on TV all of the time. In fact, this series had only around 13 episodes, but there were five feature-length films which used the same award-winning make-up effects. If nothing else, check out the original Planet of the Apes film, starring Charlton Heston. It’s not only a science fiction classic, but an all-time film classic. It is phenomenally good. Of course, that film deviates in some respects from this book, for the sake of dramatic impact.
 

The book begins with a, frankly, superfluous scene in which a couple are enjoying a holiday away from it all in a small spacecraft. They collect a message in a bottle drifting in space, which contains the written accounts of Ulysse. It is read by the male with constant interruptions and debate about the content. This section is messy and difficult to get a handle on. The only reason it exists is for an extra revelation at the conclusion.
 

Once the book settles down to a first-person account of Ulysse’s plight, you are drawn straight into the action. It’s a real page-turner. It’s not all shouting and charging about though. There are periods of poignant introspection: on the treatment of other animals, the moral dilemma of investigative surgery, and the question of authority over cognizance. Very soon I found myself dismissing the imagery of Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowell, and appreciating the original book on its own merits.
 

The ending is also very different to the film. Our hero and his new family make it back to the orbiting spacecraft he arrived in (wouldn’t the orbit have decayed over this period?), only to encounter another shock. Charlton Heston’s character doesn’t even get to leave the planet before he is met with an astounding and quite different revelation (I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen the film).
 

This is a good classic to add to your collection. London Folio should be commended for bringing so much addictive literature back to the masses in such an attractive style. The illustrations are simple but strikingly effective. I love the uniformed gorilla on the front cover of the book, with a back view on the reverse cover. If I have a niggle, it’s that there is nothing printed on the slipcase. I realise it’s there primarily to protect the book, but the title on the spine would have been nice, because now the book has to be displayed on a shelf open-ended, so that you can see the title on the spine of the book. 

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2020)  

Publisher: London Folio Society

Format: Hardback

Published: 2019

The Folio Society, London publishes the classic Something Wicked This Way Comes, by premium Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Mystery writer Ray Bradbury. Originally published in 1962 by Simon & Schuster, this luxury 2019 reprint by permission of the Bradbury Estate is presented in hardcover, with good quality paper and wide margins. There are seven hauntingly beautiful red, yellow and black full-page illustrations by Tim McDonagh which are spaced throughout the book – including a skeletal carousel horse which adorns the hard slip case. There is an introduction by comedian, actor and Bradbury fan Frank Skinner, and an Afterward by Bradbury from 1999 called Carnivals, Near and Far.
 

William Halloway and James Nightshade are 12-year-old neighbours and best friends. They spend all their time together and know each other implicitly, but are as different as chalk and cheese, the sun and the moon. When a lightning rod salesman turns up and warns the boys of an approaching storm, it seems to be a portent of things to come. The atmosphere becomes palpable as a dark carnival arrives just out of town. The boys witness a man riding the carousel backwards and becoming a young boy himself. The friends’ teacher is enticed and lost in the Hall of Mirrors. They have seen too much. Mr Dark, The Illustrated Man sends the Dust Witch and then brings the carnival parade to town with the sole intention of finding the hiding boys. How can they win through against the dark powers of The Skeleton, Mademoiselle Tarot, The Dwarf and Demon Guillotine? Perhaps they need an unexpected ally…
 

Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) is one of my top ten favourite writers of all time. His output was prolific and highly impressive. Furthermore, he couldn’t have been a better ambassador for the profession. Best known for short story collections such as Long After Midnight, The Small Assassin, The October Country, Dark They Were and Golden Eyed, I Sing the Body Electric, and The Golden Apples of the Sun (to name but a few), he also wrote a handful of timeless novels including Dandelion Wine, Fahrenheit 451, The Silver Locusts (The Martian Chronicles), and Something Wicked This Way Comes. The last time I read this book (I still have the paperback) I was in my teens or maybe early twenties. Around that time, I couldn’t get enough of Bradbury, and devoured everything that was available. To my young and enquiring mind Bradbury’s prose was full of magic and poetry of phrase. Everything was wondrous and bright, and mystical and dark.
 

In Dandelion Wine and certain short stories Ray Bradbury created a boy character called Douglas. To all intents and purposes Douglas was Bradbury himself, remembering his young and innocent days when everything was larger than life. You could say that in this story Bradbury is Will Halloway, the wide-eyed, sensible and cautious opposite to his neighbour and best friend, Jim Nightshade (the excitable and reckless half). They absorb everything around them as if seeing it for the first and last time. To modern day readers the first few pages will seem slow, but Bradbury is quickly setting the scene in his favoured month of October in a small town, and introducing the partnership of Will and Jim while things still seem mundane – so that the coming oddities will appear that much more pronounced. It soon takes off and a series of set piece events sweep you along for the ride. The Hall of Mirrors, the Dark Carousel, Will’s clash with the Dust Witch, Mr Dark and his mysterious Freaks, and particularly Will’s dad’s novel defence against the Dust Witch, and his marked bullet when he volunteers to shoot as part of a fixed stage performance; there are so many tense, exciting and sometimes humorous moments that it’s difficult to do justice to the whole. But it is in no way complicated or forced. Magical is the word.
 

You might think this is solely a children’s book, however, the inclusion of Will’s father serves as a link between the generations, bridging the gap. So, we get the thoughts, opinions and reactions of Charles Halloway as well as the boys. This is a book which spans any age gap. It is highly recommended for the Folio Society’s tribute to Bradbury and one of his major works. 

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2019) 

Publisher: London Folio Society

Format: Hardback

Published: 2019

The London Folio Society republishes seminal science fiction writer H.G. Wells’ classic novel The Time Machine, first published in 1895. The format is hardback, with a protective slip-case. It is bound in blocked buckram and set in Founders Caslon. There are 288 pages on good quality heavy paper. The book contains an attractive Frontispiece and seven illustrations by artist Grahame Baker-Smith. There is also a new introduction by well-known science fantasy writer Michael Moorcock. The Island of Doctor Moreau – also by Wells – is included in this edition. These are two of the most ground-breaking novels in history, for their sheer originality and talking points.
 

In The Time Machine, a Victorian scientist builds a machine which takes him to the far future date of 802,701 AD. The peace-loving Eloi are descendants of the human race, but they are afraid of their own skins and particularly the darkness below ground. Here dwell the Morlocks, the other half of the old human race. When his time machine goes missing he is obliged to enter the darkness. This is a great story, well told. It originated the phrase ‘time machine’ and began endless debates surrounding the actual depiction of time, whether it can be manipulated, and the possible consequences of doing so.
 

In The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), Pendrick survives a sinking ship when he is picked up by another vessel taking supplies and animals to a remote island. Here he is abandoned to confront the disgraced Moreau, who attempts to justify extreme vivisection experiments on people and animals. Alongside Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this is the ultimate science versus morality tale, which remains highly relevant today with cloning and genetics a reality.
 

Herbert George Wells was born in Bromley, England (not a million miles from my humble abode). He was known as the grandfather of Science Fiction. He studied under the renowned biologist Henry Huxley. He also wrote The Invisible Man (1897), The War of the Worlds (1898), First Men in the Moon (1901), and The War in the Air (1908). Additionally, he wrote a number of fiction short stories. Less known are his manifestos about society and maintaining peace. He died in 1946, pleased I’m sure that he got to see the end of World War II.
 

The two novels depicted here undoubtedly made the most impact in terms of getting the world talking. I love the formal and gentlemanly prose of the late 1800s and early 1900s. No latter-day whizzes and bangs here. But then that really is the point. They are classic and shouldn’t be changed. This is a very well-presented book. The fact that only one illustration represents The Island of Doctor Moreau makes me think this second story was added as an afterthought. I’m simply glad it was added at all. 

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2019)

Publisher: London Folio Society

Format: Hardback

Published: 2017

The Folio Society of London has released two versions of this collection: the Limited Version which is bound in eco-simulated leather, blocked with a design by the artist Dan Hillier, who also produces six illustrations, eight mandalas. The version received for review is the Core Edition, bound in cloth blocked with a design by the artist. It is set in Italian Old Style with Goudy Forum as display, and incorporates 472 heavy pages and 18 stories, with a title page spread and six black and white illustrations inspired by the weird and bizarre and ultimately brilliantly dark stories of HP Lovecraft. Endpapers spot varnished with a design by the artist, gold gilt page tops, and a printed metallic slipcase 10” x 6.75”. There is a very entertaining and informative preface by author, comic writer and all-round eccentric Alan Moore.

There is something to be coveted about a quality, lovingly constructed hardback book (it’s better than coveting your neighbour’s ass!). This is a very nice book, and any new publication of the stories I know and love so well is always cause for celebration in my opinion. Lovecraft is easily in the top three horror fiction writers of all time, and I would even venture to say was quite possibly the greatest. He dubbed his own style as Weird Fiction, but is possibly better described as Cosmic Horror.

Now, you would think with a publication format as unique as this we might be expected to be offered the complete works of this great writer. Instead, we have what turns out to be a quite diverse collection of his tales. Every fan will undoubtedly have their own favourites and that’s to be expected; however, I have some reservations about some of the choices presented. Possibly, the notion is to vary the types of story to show originality of style and content. Nevertheless, certain more well-known examples are always going to have more impact on the untried reader.

The inclusion of those seldom represented in Lovecraft collections has to be commended, but Celephais (featuring a dream city which might just be real), and Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family (a potted history of relations involving a white ape race), may just leave newcomers somewhat cold without the context of other stories. Herbert West – Reanimator is more well-known because of the film, and this is precisely the reason why I’m not keen on the then contemporary variation on the Frankenstein theme.

I like the inclusion of The Outsider, Cool  Air, and The Statement of Randolph Carter – all effective stand-alone tales of the macabre. But the best examples are left until last: no collection should be without the mesmerising The Call of Cthulhu (uncovering the background to a small idol of the greatest and most terrible of the Ancient Ones), then we have The Colour Out of Space (wherein an object is uncovered which corrupts the land and anyone living on it – a keen personal favourite), The Whisperer in Darkness (correspondence to a man studying a frightening phenomenon), and The Shadow Over Innsmouth (I love this one too, in which a little sea port is overrun with humanoid sea mutants who worship or fear a god).

As the book contains large areas of blank page around the print, you wonder if more content could have been added. I realise At the Mountains of Madness is pretty much a novel, but it would have been nice to see the excellent The Strange High House in the Mist, The Shadow Out of  Time, and The Dunwich Horror. Still, any true book collector with cash to spare will lap this book up and perhaps see it as an investment. I very much enjoyed revisiting these timeless classics.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2017)

Publisher: London Folio Society

Format: Hardback

Published: 2017

William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist novel gets a brand new publication courtesy of the Folio Society. This format is a cloth-bound hardback set in Warnock Pro with Mason Serif display. There are 368 thick white pages, and 13 full page colour illustrations by Jeremy Caniglia. The book is presented in a Spot UV slipcase.

This is a republication of the 2011 40th Anniversary Edition, which features certain refinements and additional material by the author. As Blatty admits, he was forced by the scriptwriting offer to rush his original ending. So this was his chance to put things right. Not that anyone noticed a lacking in its first release. It was a sensation and instant bestseller. As well as its expressive and graphic imagery this prose also emerged at a time that added to the overall impact. The end of the Summer of Love and the stark reality that was the Vietnam War woke up the populace to the fact that perhaps everything isn’t right with the world after all.

The extra material includes a new character, but it doesn’t upset the balance. It’s in the form of a dream wherein a priest/demon appears to Father Karras. It’s creepy and somewhat surreal.

I’m happy to report the effect of the book over the years hasn’t really lessened, as I feared it might. The only thing I would say is I couldn’t help picturing the film as I read it. This is unavoidable really; however, as the William Friedkin movie is one of the best ever made there is no real harm done.

I’ve always respected well-constructed books to the point of obsession – particularly nice hardback collections. This example is a beauty. The materials are good quality, it feels relatively heavy in your hands, and the illustrations – sort of sepia effect photographs with an eerie otherworldly aspect to them – are perfect for the subject matter. A very nice release for genuine book lovers everywhere. A timely decision too, as The Exorcist stage play hits the West End of London.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2017)

Publisher: Star Books (W.H. Allen)

Format: Paperback

Published: 1975

Karen Tandy is a young woman who develops a large tumour on her neck in just two days. She sees an expert, Dr Hughes, who discovers through x-rays that it consists of tissue and bone, and shifts its position sometimes. He arranges for a surgeon to cut it out the following morning. That night she visits Harry Erskine for help. Harry is a charlatan clairvoyant, preying on the insecurity of rich old ladies. Karen tells him about a recurring dream or nightmare she is having involving a village of huts and a distant threatening galleon. Feeling that she is genuine, Harry urges Karen to take a note of her surroundings and the flag on the ship when she has the nightmare that night.

Harry visits Dr Hughes the next day and relays the dream to him. Initially skeptical, Hughes admits he has run out of ideas, and agrees when Harry suggests finding a medium for some answers. Mrs Karmann holds a seance for Harry and two friends, but an evil spirit comes through, materialising as a head rising out from the centre of a wooden table. It resembles a Red Indian. Harry learns that medicine men had great powers and could be reborn. Meanwhile, Karen Tandy is under the control of the thing on her neck. She has to be isolated because she is becoming threatening, speaking somebody else's words and moving around when she shouldn't be able to. 

An anthropologist refers Harry to Singing Rock, a modern day medicine man, who tells him that Gitche Manitou is the Great Spirit. What they are dealing with here is, in the same sense, the manitou of a powerful ancient medicine man. They can be reborn a limited number of times, becoming more powerful on each occasion. This is Misquamacus from the mid-seventeenth century, who wants his revenge on the white man race which slaughtered his people. The ship in Karen's dream was that of Dutch settlers who made promises to the Native Americans before slaughtering them. 

Misquamacus is born stunted in growth by the earlier x-rays taken of Karen's neck. Disoriented, he still has the power to summon the Star Beast, which Harry is forced to face alone. But that is the least of Harry's problems. As his power grows, Misquamacus summons The Great Old One. Singing Rock tells Harry that if they don't do something this will be the beginning of the end. This is like the Christians fighting Satan himself. The Great Old One is also known as the Great Devourer, which speaks for itself. They return to the basement of the hospital to confront it.

Singing Rock has explained that there is a spirit in everything: the water, the earth, the air, and even the rocks - and these can be used to aid us. Harry reasons that if there is a potentially helpful spirit in everything then they must also be present in objects. He proposes to fight ancient magic with modern science by attempting to call the manitou of the large and knowledgeable police computer - Unitrak. Singing Rock attempts to summon Unitrak's manitou, but admits it is white man's magic. Harry is obliged to improvise. He implores in every way he can, and just as Misquamacus and the Great Old One reach him the blinding light, electricity and numbers of Unitrak blasts forth, sending the Great Old One back to whence he came, and turning Misquamacus into a blackened husk.

It is over. Against all the odds they have survived, and so has the human race. Even Karen is still alive - although it will take time and patience for her to heal, both in body and mind.

For this revisit to early Graham Masterton horror novels we go right back to the beginning. This is where it all started. The Manitou showed its pedigree, having an immediate reaction by becoming a bestseller and spawning a 1978 film adaptation starring Tony Curtis as Harry Erskine, Susan Strasberg as Karen Tandy, Michael Ansara as John Singing Rock, and Burgess Meredith as Doctor Snow (another Doctor). This is the first time that Masterton delved into world mythology, bring 'impossible' situations realistically into a contemporary setting. This proved to be a deep fountain of knowledge that he would return to regularly.

It's a novel idea that if all natural things have a spirit, then why shouldn't modern man-made objects. It opens-up a potential new world of terrors and previously unknown allies. The book's prose flows pretty smoothly, with little or no time for reflection. Therefore, don't expect any padding. It gets in, tells the story and gets out again. There is a mention in the book that the Great Old One is the terror of faces that appear in the grain of wooden wardrobes. This is an early reference to what would become the sequel, Revenge of the Manitou. The Great Old One's appearance in The Manitou is described as squid-like, which is undoubtedly a homage to H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu.

I have been enjoying these re-reads of Graham Masterton's early horror output, and am very happy that, after a few years of writing police suspense thrillers set in Ireland, that he has returned to horror with books such as The House of a Hundred Whispers, and The Children God Forgot.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Original Review Ty Power 2021) 

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1979

John Hyatt, a sanitation inspector, is visited by an old man called Seymour Wallis who has bought an old house and is convinced it is breathing. Taking along a colleague called Dan, he visits the house that night. They hear the breathing , and when the phenomenon is challenged the breathing becomes quicker and heavier, culminating in Dan being thrown across the room. Visiting his work colleague in hospital, John learns that Dan has been breathing heavily at odd moments. For an instant he has intense red eyes.

John calls in on his friend and one-time lover Jane Torres where she works in a little bookshop. He persuades her to visit the house, along with the hospital doctor and another colleague engineer called Bryan Corder. Seymour tells them the breathing has stopped. It has transferred to Dan, who is now in a coma. They search the house - passing a large bear with a woman's face that Jane finds vaguely familiar - and Bryan checks out the chimney. He hears a non-human heartbeat, before becoming trapped and screaming in panic. When the others pull him out his entire head has been stripped of flesh. John is later told the man is still alive, but only through his strange irregular heartbeat. Looking for the missing Jane, John goes back to speak with Seymour, only to find him hugely bloated and apparently dead. The post mortem shows he has twenty-two pints of blood in his system. The blood of some species of dog.

Jane has been looking into the Red Indian legends of Big Monster and First One To Use Words By Force. They had a motto that translates as 'Return', meaning they will come together again piece by piece. It seems that something has been smuggling itself out of Seymour's house a bit at a time. First breathing, then heartbeat, and now blood. Jane is advised to go to Round Valley and talk to one of the medicine men. John goes along. The old medicine man is George Thousand Names. He confirms Jan's research and states that the Bear Maiden was the catalist. He gives the vital advice to separate the three parts into different hospitals, use the painting in the house to locate the hair (and keep it away from FOTUWBF), and to keep women away from the parts - as the Red Indian demon trickster Coyote is partial to female flesh.

The drive back to the hospital and, while George Thousand Names is trying to convince the police lieutenant of the very real threat from Coyote, Dan and Bryan - whose physical forms have conjoined together - break through the isolation glass. A policeman and another doctor are killed by the incomplete Coyote, before the others escape. The strange concoction of flesh and bone passes them by to search for his blood, currently in the body of Seymour. George Thousand Names tells the others that if Coyote doesn't get within one moon's rising he'll be banished back to the underworld.

Jane has been sent to the house to try and remove the wolf-like door knocker - the face of Coyote. Coyote manages to fine his blood at the expense of Seymour's body. Meanwhile, George Thousand Names freezes and shatters the door knocker with a ritual, but Jane has been attacked by Coyote and become the Bear Maiden. All George and John can do now is to prevent Coyote getting Big Monster's shorn-off hair and becoming whole.

They trace the location - through pictures in the house - to the cables of the Golden Gate Bridge. But Coyote is at the house, too. Coyote traces Big Monster's powerful hair to the bridge, where it is entwined in the cables. He is now all-powerful and immortal, but John lures the demon with the Bear Maiden, before snatching the hair and placing it on his own head. The power almost destroys his mind, but he controls it long enough to send Coyote back to hell, and then throws the hair into the waters below.

Here we are with another random choice in my marathon re-read of Graham Masterton's early horror novels. Again, the pace is relentless. The author returns to the Red Indian culture of The Manitou (and to a lesser extent The Wells of Hell). It is also the start of a running theme of featuring a wolf's head door knocker in many of his books. This, I believe was a nod of recognition to his regular readers.

Many of Masterton's books contain such vivid scenes that you can picture them instantly in your mind. Consequentially, they would make great films - particularly now that legendary monsters and spiritual beings has be competently created using CGI. The narrative flows very smoothly, making this relatively easy reading, and has lost none of its impact over the years (41 and counting!). Although the characters are very much of their time - smoking like troopers and drinking lots of whisky to settle the nerves - the book emerged in a era of creature horror fiction which he and James Herbert helped create, and is the real deal amidst a then sea of bandwagon mediocrity.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Original Review Ty Power 2020)  

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1979

Mason Perkins is a self-employed plumber in New Milford. He is called to the Bodine residence to check discolouration in the water. Taking a sample to the Health Department, Dan Kirk analyses it and discovers micro-organisms which under the microscope resemble sea horses with a rudimentary respiratory system, which secrete large amounts of a substance that colourises the water. Mason and Dan find a mouse in the lab which has drunk the sample of water and developed a carapace and crustacean-like spikes. Not able to contact the Bodines, they go to the seemingly empty house, where they find serious water damage - particularly in the boy's bedroom - and an impossibly high tide mark on the walls. They find the apparently drowned boy, and a carapace in the bathroom twice the size of a crash helmet.

They bring in the local police. A medical examiner finds a tough carapace on the child, along with spikes along his back. The organisms in the water are found to date from prehistoric times, making it astonishing they are still alive. Mason returns home to find a hysterical missing boy from the neighbourhood in his house. He is at the point of unconsciousness but tells Mason he has spoken to Alison and Jimmy Bodine in the darkness of the woods. He couldn't see them properly and they spoke with strange, frightening voices. They want to meet with Mason - with no police present.

Mason and Dan check out the well at the Bodine residence. It is continually seeping water. A neighbour tells them that none of his ancestry have ever drunk the well water due to a warning nursery rhyme. He comes from a book which he has in storage. Mason goes to meet the Bodines , who he can't see clearly in the darkness. They have both been transformed into something else, and he is attacked by what was Alison. Dan precipitates their escape by hitting her with Mason's pipe wrench and hearing the breaking chitin. They tell the police what happened, and they dispatch a search party for the Bodines. Dan is later dozing on his sofa when one of the creatures breaks a window and copious amounts of water impossibly fills the room. He only narrowly escapes drowning.

Mason recovers the book from storage; it is leather-bound and dates back to the late 1700s. There is a page about the wells, and a rhyme of warning from the Red Indians: "Ye beast-gods have tentacles like unto sqiddes & claws like unto lobsters, & above all exude ye odour like unto ye rottige fishes." At a nearby town a family has been slaughtered in their car, the roof cut-off like a huge tin-opener. Someone has spotted one of the creatures in the woods nearby, and the police drive to the location, followed by Mason, Dan and Rheta, Dan's colleague who Mason has aspirations on. Mason tries to talk to the creature that used to be a friend, but nearly dies again in the process. The Sheriff fires a rocket launcher at it, and it bounces on the ground, penetrating the underbelly of the otherwise heavily armoured creature.

They are told they will need a spirit clairvoyant or medium when the Sheriff arranges to drill down into the Bodine's well. They convince Mrs Thompson who turns out to be a descendant of the person mentioned in the book who traversed the caverns of the beast. But the awakening beast creates a psychic projection of itself and creates a flood from nowhere in her house. Mrs Thompson is killed by a falling weather vane (shades of The Omen).

The drilling has already started when Mason and Dan arrive at the Bodine residence. Mason is persuaded by the Sheriff to go down and check-out what's there, but all three of them agree to be lowered down one-by-one. They find a cavern with a natural balcony overlooking a lake. A large crab creature rises to confront them. The Sheriff shoots-off its eye stalks, but before he can bring the rocket launcher to bear, he is dragged into the water and crushed by its pincer claw. Mason, seeing the near loss of their only weapon, throws himself at the creature, but is dragged under the water. He manages to fire the rocket launcher, and fights his way to the surface only to find himself in a lower cavern where sits the huge black maggot creature known as Quithe, Chulthe, or Satan. It seduces him, showing visions of all the monstrosities it will inflict on the earth under its new regime.

Using the distraction of a floating dead body, Mason dives down and finds the waterway to the higher cavern. It has been decided by Dan and a police deputy to blow-up the cavern so that the water all runs down to the lower, dry caverns, thereby stranding Chulthe, who is a creature of the water. Without a check to confirm the success of the ploy, Mason is taken to hospital to recover and return to his normal life.

As a life-long horror fan, I've read many authors; however none can touch Graham Masterton, who not only has a captivating writing style but has an extraordinary gift of being able to take myths and legends from different cultures and times and placing them in a contemporary setting with real authenticity. From the moment I first discovered and devoured his debut bestselling novel, The Manitou, I have been a convert and devoured every horror novel he has written. Inevitably, some are better than others, but they never fail to captivate me. It is only recently, when he returned to horror after a string of police thriller novels, that I decided to embark on a marathon re-read of early Graham Masterton horror books. The Wells of Hell is my first selection.

You'll find that there is no padding in Masterton's books; he simply gets on with the story, making the majority of them fast-moving - which, of course, also keeps the tension taught, whilst still allowing for the odd tidbit of humour to humanise the characters and ground them in near-reality. In this one no one believes anything unless they see it with their own eyes. The creatures are kept in darkness much of the time, as Masterton realises that fear of the unknown has the most power. This is a new realisation of the devil borrowed, it seems, from H.P. Lovecraft's Old Ones or Elder Gods - and in particular Cthulhu - as the main name for the devil utilised in this story is Chulthe.

The character of Mason Perkins is your everyman tradesman. Although many people in reality would turn their  back and run a mile if presented with this horror, it helps that the people in the town appear to know each other well. This places a moral obligation to help friends and associates in trouble. At times, Mason seems to lead a charmed life, nearly losing his life on at least a handful of occasions. Whilst coming across as a reluctant hero, the reality of the character is that he goes with life's events, trying to ride them to the best possible conclusion, rather than reinventing the wheel. This makes the relative open-ended climax somewhat more realistic. Our hero doesn't even get the girl. It's clever to have a conventional solution to a supernatural terror, too.

One of the most striking points of this impressive book is that there is always a forward plan of events. It's almost mapped-out like story-boarding in a film. But rather than happen one at a time, they overlap. A piece of information is planted to follow-up later, or there is someone to visit. Or a significant horror takes place off-page, so-to-speak. All these these things happen while something else is taking place, leaving intrigue for the reader to chew on. This also helps the narrative to flow and the story race to catch-up.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to lovers of 1970s and 1980s pulp horror, although Masterton is head and shoulders above most of the hack writers from this period. The majority of his books are available for easy eBook download. Try this one out. You won't be disappointed.

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Original Review Ty Power 2020) 

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1979

Dan Cook is an American cartographer who is in France researching for a friend's book on the Normandy D-Day landings. He comes across a long-abandoned rusting Sherman tank which has the rural locals living in fear. They say it causes bad luck. Madeleide is a farmer's daughter who is convinced the tank was responsible for her mother's death. Many  others say they hear voices emanating from within. Dan talks to father Anton, a priest in his nineties, who informs him that at the bridge of  Le Vey in July 1944, thirteen mysterious black tanks smashed through the German lines, killing hundreds of Hitler's troops, before moving on. At no time had any of the hatches opened, and it was discovered afterwards that they were sealed - as is this one which was left behind.

When  Dan suggests opening up the tank to see what is inside, he is warned of the consequences - least not by Eloise, Madeleide's father's housekeeper. Others are grateful for his strength to do something about  the evil they have lived under for years. Madeleide and Father Anton go  with him. Eloise chooses not to go, but gives him a ring of hair from a  firstborn child who was sacrificed to Moloch centuries ago when devils plagued Rouen. It shows that you have already paid your respects to the  evil.

Dan  uses tools from the farm to chisel away the welding from around the turret. Inside, he finds an ancient sack which feels like it contains loose bones. Father Anton instructs him to put it in a medieval chest he has in the cellar of his house, and they lock it in for the night. Dan later hears a disturbance and checks on Father Anton. The priest's entrails have been ripped-out and the demon from the tank uses the man's body like a puppet. When Antoinette, the priest's housekeeper, runs from her room, every knife and blade in the vicinity flies towards her and she is killed.

The demon announces itself as Elmek - sometimes known as Asmorod - the devil of knives and sharp edges. It threatens the life of Madeleide, telling Dan they must transport the chest to England and find the Reverend Taylor, with whom Elmek has past experience. The plan is to find the brethren twelve demons and, when they are together, to raise the more powerful Adramelech.

Dan and Madeleide find the Reverend Taylor in England. He gives them an English language version of L'Invocation des Anges, that describes the identities of the thirteen demons and how to invoke their corresponding angels. The other demons are in an unofficial military building in London, so - threatened by small demonstrations of Elmek's power - they push on. The building is in the charge of Lieutenant Colonel Thanet. The sacks are laid out in the cellar. Madeleide seems to come into her own. She tells Dan she will release each demon, thereby identifying it, and he should read-out the passage in the book invoking the appropriate angel to combat it.

When they have all been revived and the demons have called-up Adramelech - the Grand Chancellor of Hell - Thanet tries to bargain with it. When he realises he can't pay the price he runs for the stairs and is engulfed in flame. Madeleide finally understands her purpose when she learns she is the reincarnation of the martyred girl given to Adramelech by General Patton in exchange for help against the Germans, using the tanks. But this time she is possessed by the deceitful angel Hod, who can bring down the invoked angels. The demons are destroyed but only a mortal can banish Adramelech with proof of the existence of Christ. Eloise had given Dan the last help she was able, and Dan steps forward and banishes the master demon by opening the tin and throwing the ashes of Christ's  seamless robe over it. Dan is informed by Hod that Madeleide will be reincarnated again, with no memories of these events. She deserves a happy life, free of fear and responsibilty.

This is the second random choice (Following The Wells of Hell) in my marathon re-read of Graham Masterton's early horror novels. In my opinion, he is unsurpassed in reliably writing a string of outstanding and gripping horror tales - the majority of which are unmissable. His writing style is fast-paced and tightly edited, with no padding and  unnecessary exposition. In this one, the demon presence is mainly made known through its actions and influences. It is only seen in its real form in the climatic scene in the cellar. By doing this Masterton keeps the villain hidden - or at least faceless until the end.

It's  quite a psychoanalytic horror. The fact that the locals had been living in fear of the evil in the tank, most seem uncharacteristically ready to open the tank - even though it might unleash an even greater evil on them. When Dan and Madeleide are crossing the English Channel, Dan briefly has the idea of throwing the chest into the sea. I think this  would be the logical solution for most intelligent people, and there isn't a proper explanation why this isn't done. Ironically, in a subsequent unrelated novel, Masterton returns to this quandary and this time offers a convincing argument - almost as if this moment had been playing on his mind.

You could be excused for calling this a book version of a road movie;  however, it isn't so much a journey of discovery as a threatening obligation. The main character is very much a product of the 1970s, as he hardly ever eats but smokes like a trooper. This is both comfortable and compelling reading. I have off-loaded many of my books over the  years - as I have so many - but I've held onto my favourite authors and still have all the original paperbacks of Graham Masterton, among others. Like records, they form a part of your life. Masterton was one of the writers that you could say I grew up with. Do yourself a favour and share in the experience by downloading a copy.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Original Review Ty Power 2020)

Publisher: Telos Publishing

Format: Paperback

Published: 1977 (2010)

Harry Erskine attends his godfather's funeral at a gothic-style old house near the seafront. Here he meets a mysterious and beautiful woman who seems as interested as him as to the circumstances surrounding Max's death. His Godmother, Marjorie, is determined to have the house burnt to the ground, as per her late husband's instructions. It seems Max was an avid collector of ancient Persian artefacts, and that one particular piece drove him to cut off his own face. The pot that Harry vaguely recalls from childhood visits has been heavily sealed within a turret of the house, and adorned with ancient spells and mystic symbols. Was Max insane, or simply being extremely careful? He  had been convinced that the vessel was that which Ali Baba had held contained the forty thieves - a powerful djinn which could unleash forty representations of gruesome death. Harry and the woman Anna must determine whether the danger is real - particularly as someone in their midst has selfish and ultimately catastrophic ambitions...

This is a reprint of a book first published back in 1977 by Star. It was only Masterton's second horror fiction release, following his debut bestseller, The Manitou. The key protagonist from that book was retained here; Harry Erskine is a charlatan clairvoyant, a sort of lovable rogue who obtains money from  vulnerable but rich old ladies, who are quite happy to be complimented and informed of impending good fortune. This was significant in The Manitou, because Harry is very sceptical of the  supernatural world, but his natural order is turned on its head by bizarre events. As far as The Djinn is concerned, it doesn't need to be Harry, as there is no direct connection to his unscrupulous trade, and he should be less dismissive of events beyond the natural order.

Graham Masterton has always possessed a smooth, flowing narrative which makes for comfortable reading. He often utilises metaphors to prevent the need for long descriptive passages. So his stories inevitably rattle along at a cracking pace. A particular skill he incorporates in abundance is the knack of selecting a nasty myth or legend from anywhere in the world and setting it very convincingly into a contemporary setting. His earlier books, like this one, settle on a central theme that doesn't allow itself to be diverted by pointless story threads. Consequentially, now we are a decade into the twenty first century, some people may consider it to be restrictive in terms of action and events. This could be referred to as gentlemanly horror, with a professor, an old-school doctor, and plans of strategy conducted in a posh restaurant. This scenario would certainly work well as part of a TV anthology series.

This new  edition of The Djinn is published by Telos, whose pages are always of  good quality, although the thin cover makes it prone to bending slightly out of shape unless you are very careful. The book contains an exclusive introduction from the author, describing the origin of the story and Middle-East Djinn legends.

Having appreciatively experienced every book in his extensive horror arsenal over the years, I was pleased at the prospect of revisiting a book I still possess but haven't read since its original publication. I can honestly report that I thoroughly enjoyed the read, and it immediately started me considering re-reading some others from his  early years. Perhaps Telos will be able reprint more. Charnel House  anyone? Or The Wells of Hell? What about The Devils of D-Day? Or perhaps...

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

Publisher: Star Books (W.H. Allen)

Format: Paperback

Published: 1978

At a cocktail party for the new Secretary of State, Gene Keiller meets a stunning and immaculate woman called Lorie Semple. He immediately wants to get to know this mysterious and exotic conundrum, but finds her polite and a little standoffish. She reluctantly agrees to Gene driving her home, albeit following her watchful chauffeur Mathieu, an expert in the martial art of Kravmaga - using any means necessary to utterly destroy your opponent. They stop in front of some gates, So Gene doesn't even get to see the house. Curious, he later tries to climb the gates and gets over the top, only to be driven back by vicious guard dogs. 

Becoming obsessed with seeing her again, he instructs his Private Secretary and ex-partner Maggie to find out everything he can about Lorie and the family mansion. To him, she is being very guarded, like there is something of value or a terrible secret harboured by the family. Lorie is part-Egyptian but describes herself as Ubasti. Her businessman father died. Gene decides to sneak into the grounds at night to see if he can catch a glimpse of what Lorie is being so secretive about. He manages to get to the house and begins to climb the ivy when ravening beasts pull him down and attack him.

He wakes up the next day in the house, injured but otherwise intact. He is being nursed by Lorie's mother, a striking woman in her own right. She doesn't want any publicity and neither does Gene, so they decide to pretend the incident never happened. Lorie's mother believes her daughter should enjoy herself and date more. Gene takes Lorie to a politician friend's house party. When all of the women are talking together, Gene confides in a psychiatrist pal, who concludes that she must have a nasty or even traumatic experience in the past and is trying to avoid this relationship going down the same path. She had told Gene that he must never ask her to marry him, so the psychiatrist logically concludes that directing the relationship in this unwanted direction is the only way of revealing her stigmatism.

Lorie has a good time at the party, and Gene drives them to his apartment to have hamburgers and salad, and drinks. Gene sees Lorie through the crack in the kitchen door shoving raw meat into her mouth like a ravening beast. He decides to overlook the event, as even he likes rare steak. They are relaxing afterward when Gene professes his love for her. She leaves, but Gene later receives a phone call from her mother telling him that her daughter loves him too.

They later marry, but Lorie is reluctant to undress in front of him in the evening. When she does it is to reveal three sets of breasts, the second pair half-size, and the third the beginnings of breasts. This, she says is what it means to be Ubasti. Gene is stunned. He stops by work and gets Maggie to research what she can on the Ubasti. It dates back to Egypt in the dynasty of Ramases III and the origin of the Sphinx. They were said to have bred from the joining of lions and women. The female offspring had physical and practical characteristics of both.

Gene returns to the mansion and lies next to Lorie at night, his mind in turmoil. Lorie thrashes around in her sleep and becomes very feral. Scared, Gene backs away across the room and watches as Lorie pads on all fours across the room and leaps out of the window, disappearing across the grounds.When he reluctantly allows her back into the room, she is covered in blood. She has attacked and eaten a sheep to avoid hurting him. Disgusted and wanting to leave, he is persuaded by Lorie and her mother to stay. He still loves her but can't quite trust her yet. There is a secret which the women still won't share with him, and Matheiu attempts to warn him on a couple of occasions.

After a visit to the circus at the request of Lorie, Gene is taken to see the alpha lion and she venerates herself before it. Via Maggie, Gene learns about the Lion God Bast who sought to preserve the race by having the Ubasti women mate through generation alternately by lion and human male. Lorie's mother mated with a human male - who turns out to be Matheiu. It is Lorie's turn to mate with a lion. As Gene tries to escape, Lorie and her mother - in bestial form - pin him down, and he soon learns he is to be a gift for the alpha male lion.

Unfortunately, they is very little horror content in this one. It was a rare dip in the otherwise very high standard of Graham Masterton's work. He had began to dabble in political thrillers and historical sagas, and this feels more like an amalgamation of the two than an outright horror. The premise would have lent itself well to a short story, but is far from sustaining enough for a full-length novel - and as a result feels a little stretched-out. Not the lightening-fast pace of The Wells of Hell, The Devils of D-Day - or indeed The Manitou which started it all.

My feelings and ultimate opinion from the initial reading all those years ago have not changed, and I'm left a little cheated because I'm aware of the very high standard of the majority of his other horror novels. of course his writing style on this one is as smooth and strong as the others. Gene is a chain-smoking character, which was very common in those days. There is also an outdated look on women, who are only there, it seems, to support powerful men. This was not Masterton's own opinion but an insight into accepted attitudes at the time. Don't blame history just because we live in enlightened times. There is though the delicate touch that Gene's perfect partner is right there in front of him all along, in the form of Maggie.

I would assume that Masterton quickly learned not to mix genres. From this moment he kept the aforementioned genres very separate. To some extent they were even targeted at a different readership. Bear in mind that this was released in 1978, the year before The Devils of D-Day, The Wells of Hell, and Charnel House.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Original Review Ty Power 2020)

Publisher: Sphere Books

Format: Paperback

Published: 1981

Rick Dellatolla is an antiques specialist who lives with his wife Sara and their young son Johnathan at Rancho Santa Fe, in North San Diego County. They are well-off, so when an antiques house clearer turns up with a van full of unnoteworthy items, he gives the man short thrift. But he has an extraordinary mahogany chair with a smirking, wolf-like demonic face, interlinked snakes and apple, and a back incorporating countless terrified falling figures. Rick can see the potential value of the item, but is somewhat surprised and suspicious when the seller, Grant, is prepared to let it go for well below its worth. He attempts to authenticate the house clearance by phone, but all knowledge of the chair is denied. He returns outside to find his wife and son in a mesmeric state, and no sign of Grant or his van.

The heavy chair is dragged into the garage and locked-up, but the next day it is in the house's library. Grant has been killed in an accident, and his lawyer threatens legal action if the chair is returned. The snakes of the chair come alive as Rick attempts to return it to the garage. Eight hours pass in an instant, and all the vegetation around the house withers and dies. Rick drives the chair to a lake and throws it from a height. He nearly goes over, too, when his hands suddenly become attached to the chair.

An English collector called David Sears arrives at the house and takes a great interest in the chair - which has returned of its own accord, none the worse for wear. Rick tries to let the man take it, but the family dog is killed by a strange scuttling bug which then disappears down the back of the chair. He sets about destroying the chair by swinging an axe at the wolf face. However, there is a scream as a deep cut opens on the boy Jonathan's face. Through shock, the boy falls into a coma. A malevolent voice in Rick's head tells him he will never be rid of the chair until he accepts what the chair has to offer.

It seems the chair originates from the 18th Century, when it was commissioned by a nobleman destitute gambler to give him 'The Luck of the Devil'. He became rich thereafter, and each known owner has become a success, but has had to suffer the hideous death of someone close to them. David Sears still wants the chair. His ulterior motive is to ask the chair to make his dead wife alive and well again. In return, he will use his influence with the Defence Department to borrow a missile for testing purposes, and then fire it at building full of Convention Delegates. 

The chair is prepared to release itself from Rick into Sears's hands, as this will give the devil almost enough souls to exert his dominion over the Earth. Johnathan wakes up in hospital, but another - this time belevolent - voice tells Ricks that the child has been protected. Apparently, the devil cannot influence an 'innocent'. The voice pointedly informs Rick that the chair cannot control an innocent boy such as Johnathan.

Rick, Sara and Johnathan bluff their way onto the property of David Sears. The chair is there, and so is the missile ready to fire. There is mere moments left after it is fired before hundreds of people are killed. Rick leads Johnathan to the chair, and the boy knows instinctively to sit in it. Helped by an undisclosed force of good, the chair's power is negated and the missile redirected back to strike the house. David Sears is killed, along with his aids in the devastation. The chair and most of the building is destroyed. Now Rick and Sara just need to tell a believable tale to the authorities to explain what has happened. 

This is another title in my marathon re-read of early Graham Masterton horror novels. The Heirloom is another gem. I remember not being able to put this book down the first time I read it, and I'm happy to say that my reaction is pretty much the same all these years on. It's a rollercoaster ride of love, oppression, fear and self-sacrifice. Again, there is absolutely no padding. A succession of increasingly anxious events ramp-up the terror, as one man attempts to protect his family from events well beyond the realms of everyday life. Rather than resort to clichéd characterisations of protagonists hitting the bottle or delving into depression, Masterton has Rick Dellatolla as an ordinary - if upper middle-class - father doing what anyone realistically would to rid his life of this evil. 

There are several nice touches in this story which help widen the threat whilst maintaining a claustrophobic atmosphere. One of them is the paintings in Rick and Sara's house which subtly change and become more eerie as pressures rise. There is a scene wherein a priest tries to help but is killed by the chair, and David Sears uses blackmail to get Rick to help him. Everything is portrayed very realistically until the last moments when Johnathan is used by a force for good to scupper the devil. Many films have used this ambiguity since that perhaps God or one of his agents has intervened - but we shall never know for certain.

Graham Masterton's output was prolific during this early period in his career, and so it's quite remarkable that his novels were regularly of such a high standard. I can't wait to re-read another from his back catalogue.

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Original Review Ty Power 2020) 

Publisher: Severn House

Format: Paperback

Published: 2007

After winning the custody of her two young children from her ex-husband, Lily Blake is assaulted in the middle of the night and narrowly escapes being burnt alive. Her children are kidnapped and, when the FBI fail to find them, turns to John Shooks, a shady Native American Private Investigator. He in turn takes her to George Iron Walker, a Sioux shaman, who summons up a hunter forest spirit called a Wendigo. For payment he demands a piece of land sacred to the Mdewakanton Sioux, which the company Lily works for is selling for development. Too late, she discovers that the Wendigo is effectively cannibalistic and kills her ex-husband. She tries to call the deal off, but once the spirit is set on its path it can't be stopped. When she fails to secure the piece of land too, the Wendigo begins to attack everyone close to her. With no other choice, Lily is forced to go on the offensive, but the Wendigo exists in only two dimensions, so it can turn edgewise and seem to disappear...

Graham Masterton is a prolific writer of thrillers, short stories, historical fiction and even non-fiction (allegedly!) sex manuals, but is best known for his horror fiction - and with some justification. I have been an enthusiastic follower of his work in this genre since the heady days of The Manitou (his first offering in this field which was published to great acclaim in 1976 (I have the Star paperback from 1977) and hit the bestsellers list. Since that time Masterton has authored a veritable plethora of high-quality horror tales. His foremost skill, I believe, is the enviable ability to take a legend with supernatural qualities and place it in a modern and believable setting so that the whole feels entirely convincing. Unlike Stephen King, who can bore the pants off you with pages of pointless descriptive passages, Masterton utilises vivid metaphors so that you can picture exactly what he means in one or two sentences.

With Edgewise, Graham Masterton returns to familiar territory with the use of Red Indian (or Native American spirits and human guides (or Shamen) both good and bad. There are some similarities to the aforementioned The Manitou, with a vengeful spirit and an even more powerful entity waiting to enter from the sidelines and take its revenge on the white man for betrayals and so many deaths. However, this is an individual tale in its own right which motors along at a cracking pace, with characters which rise from the page with a life of their own. There's only one other writer I've come across who can consistently conjure relatable players in this way, and that is Raymond E. Feist. This book also benefits from at least two false endings, so there is no fizzling out at the conclusion.

A new paperback division of Severn House is welcome indeed. With many of Masterton's books in recent years appearing in hardback format for library distribution only, people such as myself, who like to own each title for their collection, have found it difficult to locate a copy outside of the publisher or major outlet. I long for a return to the days when I can walk in to any good book shop and simply pick-up one of his new books. Manitou Blood and the latest Night Warriors book were exceptions. Perhaps this new trade paperback division from Severn is the result of public opinion.

In short, a highly enjoyable read (if a little over-priced), with a comfortable writing style and edgy plot. Graham Masterton has come home (no, he really has; he's returned to live in Britain!). 

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2007)  

Publisher: Applause Books

Format: Hardback

Published: 2017

The Art of Horror Movies is a 256 page full colour hardback book, published by Applause Theatre & Cinema books. It is edited by Stephen Jones and contains a Foreword by An American Werewolf in London director Jon Landis. The creative team behind The Art of Horror has collected together more than 600 images depicting original film posters, plus commissioned representations via posters, books and magazines, and advertising – in differing artistic styles through the ages...

The moment I turned the first main page of this book I was met with an impressive full-page pallet oil painting of the Boris Karloff Frankenstein monster. Even better, we have a list of the 58 featured artists and, opposite, a quite stunning Creature From the Black Lagoon in acrylic and oils by Drew Struzan. This is even before entering the main body of the book. The volume is divided into nine chapters covering the silent movies period to recent years, each with a potted history feature by recognisable names. So we have 'The Sinister Silents' (Sir Christopher Frayling), 'The Thrilling Thirties' (Tom   Weaver), 'The Frightening Forties' (Barry Forshaw), 'The Fearsome Fifties' (David J. Schow), 'The Stylish Sixties' (Kim Newman), 'The Satanic Seventies' (Jonathan Rigby), 'The Evil Eighties' (Lisa Morton), 'The Nasty Nineties' (Anne Billson), and 'The 2000s Maniacs' (Ramsey Campbell).

But this is about the artwork, and there’s plenty of it. Standout examples include a Wes Craven and Freddy Krueger cover for Dark Side magazine by Rick Melton, a crazy psychedelic oil painting of Edward Scissorhands by Nicky Barkla, a stunningly good acrylic of Chucky from Child’s Play by Jason Edmiston (and an equally nice Michael Myers by the same artist), Vincent Price from Madhouse looking suitably menacing by Basil Gogos, and another Price from Masque of the Red Death by Frank Kelly Freas, a quite lovely oil portrait of Hammer regular Michael Ripper by Les Edwards, The She Creature by Vincent Di Fate, a quirky tribute to some of the 1950s B-Movie classics by Doug P’gosh, and a boy’s cinema reaction to that unforgettable moment in The Man Who Laughs by (again) Les Edwards. There are also some montages such as the lovely graveyard scene featuring Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, Bride of Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Werewolf, the Invisible Man, Phantom of the Opera, Creature From the Black Lagoon, King Kong and many more (this one by Doug P’gosh).

These are just a fraction of what is on display. Many styles of artwork make this a very balanced representation of the genre and many decades covered. It’s interesting to study the many film posters; most are great examples of the respective era, and some are crazy cartoony images which bear little resemblance to the film being promoted. Most of this stuff is incredibly sophisticated and detailed work which can only inspire multiple wows of appreciation.

True fans of horror through the ages cannot fail to treasure this beautiful book. Buy it if you can; you won’t regret it. I can’t recommend this highly enough.

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2017) 

Publisher: Titan Books

Format: Hardback

Published: 2019

Titan Books publishes Harryhausen: The Lost Movies, by BAFTA nominated filmmaker John Walsh. It is an attractive full-colour hardback covering the unmade film projects connected to the brilliant stop-motion effects artist Ray Harryhausen, whose impressive career spanned more than 60 years. He was an assistant to King Kong’s Willis O’Brien on the ape movie Mighty Joe Young (1949), and during his lifetime designed, created and crafted such timeless classics as Jason and the Argonauts (1963), Clash of the Titans (1981), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), Earth Vs the Flying Saucers (1956), The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953), It Came From Beneath the Sea (1955), 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957), and many more.

This book – separated into batches of years – offers a brief story behind each unrealised film, punctuated by stunning sketches, artwork, models and photographs. There is a Foreword with comments from Directors John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), John Boorman (Deliverance), Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), and the brilliant Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth).

John Walsh was a fresh-faced, 18-year old new starter at film school when he first met Ray Harryhausen, the master of bringing inanimate objects to life. They struck-up a friendship which spanned the years. Walsh made a documentary film about the life and work of the man, and Harryhausen made Walsh a trustee of the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation. When the legend died in 2013 (aged 93) Walsh was offered exclusive access to the great man’s archive. The first revelation that struck me when opening this delightful book was the sheer number of prospective films Harryhausen has been involved in which never saw the light of day. Shocking.

The film titles are headed with the category ‘Unused Idea’, ‘Turned Down By Ray’, or ‘On The Cutting Room Floor’. ‘Unused Ideas’ started with Creation (1930) and ended with The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad: Return to Colossa (2007). There were so many of these that didn’t get the green light, and you kind of wonder what magic Ray Harryhausen would have weaved on such titles as Dante’s Inferno (1941), War of the Worlds (1949), Conan (1969), When the Earth Cracked Open (1971), and Sinbad and the Seven Wonders of the World (1981). It is testament to Harryhausen’s status and tight scheduling that he could pick and choose his work, and turned down such momentous films as Moby Dick (1956), Night of the Demon (1957), The Land That Time Forgot (1974), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), The Princess Bride (1982), X-Men (1984), Dune (1984), and The League of Gentleman’s Apocalypse (2005).

‘On The Cutting Room Floor’ showcases many of his classic movies wherein certain scenes were cut, either at the script stage or in pre-production, due to budgetary, time or technical restrictions. These are accompanied by many never seen before photos of Ray working with his models. These include The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), Mysterious Island (1961), First Men in the Moon (1964), One Million Years B.C. (1966), The Valley of Gwangi (1969), Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), as well as those mentioned at the top of this review. The concept artwork accompanying all of these projects is simply amazing, and proves just how much work goes into a film which might not even be made.

Any fan of Ray Harryhausen and/or monster and fantasy movies – particularly of the 1950s – is going to love this book. It has been designed to comfortably dip in and out of, but you’ll probably find yourself reading through it from the beginning to get more of a feel for the timeline and what was possible when. That is after you’ve revisited his classics. Harryhausen is one of those people who occasionally pop up in history to achieve the right thing at the right time, and that we’ll never see the like of again. Celebrate his momentous career with this fantastic, eye-opening book. You won’t be sorry.

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2019)

Publisher: Eibonvale Press

Format: Paperback

Published: April 2019

Eibonvale Press publishes The Illiterate Ghost (Fictions of Fear, Absurdity and Madness) by Alan Price, with Cover Art by David Rix. This is a Chapbook of only 62 pages, incorporating 16 mostly very brief tales on wide-margin pages. Alan Price, from London, is a poet, scriptwriter, short story writer and film critic (and impending novelist). He has had a TV Film broadcast on BBC2, and won a film festival award...

I’m not a fan of Chapbooks, as you’re unable to invest any time or commitment to the prose. I prefer short stories of upwards of 5,000 words, wherein you can relate to the protagonist, and there is time and opportunity for plot development and characterisation.

Of the stories on offer here, only two are longer than four pages (sides) of fairly large print. 'Egg Timing' sees a man arrange for his ashes to be placed in an egg timer and sent to his daughter who has moved away – so that he can be closer to her. 'Okura’s Tree, William’s Bridge' follows the sexual relationship of a Western man and an Asian woman. The premise here is that if a part of the body is fixated on to the point that it disappears, then the couple would be obliged to bond in other ways more social and intellectual.

Other tales include: 'Death of a Pig', wherein a human is put on trial by a court consisting entirely of animals; and 'Swimmer', which explores the phobia of another swimmer bumping into you and potentially causing your drowning. The ideas are there, but it’s all too fleeting. Personally, I wouldn’t purchase something like this. I prefer much more meat on the bone. I have considerable respect for books and am horrified if I witness a person mistreating one in any way. This, I’m afraid, will not encourage people to cherish the wonder of a book – one of the greatest gifts there is.

Verdict: 4 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2019)

Publisher: Titan Books

Format: Paperback

Published: September 2017

Kim Newman is a home grown writer, film historian and reviewer. His novels include An English Ghost Story, The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School, and the critically acclaimed Anno Dracula. This release – subtitled The Collected Reviews – brings together around 500 of his critiques of low-budget films originally written for Empire film magazine. It is published in paperback and eBook formats by Titan Books...

Being a long-time horror reviewer myself, I can’t miss the opportunity to say I already have three Graveyard Horror Reviews eBooks available (check out my website adarkandscaryplace.com for details). Now I’ve blown my own trumpet I’ll move on by saying that, in my opinion, Newman is probably the most entertaining televisual film reviewer after the good Doctor himself, Mark Kermode. He has an eccentricity which is compelling. Each time I have seen him on TV or raving on a movie DVD documentary I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the sheer enthusiasm for his subject.

Therein lies the problem. It seems I have been spoilt somewhat by this personal view of how it should be. I realise that many of these films are awful (nearly all of them are awful); however, it doesn’t help that Newman’s reviews come across as dry. Yes, he points out their faults but it would have been so much better had he had a little fun with them. People want to read film reviews, and there are countless horror film fans out there; so how about making it less of a formal reference and more of a fun read?

The reviews are compartmentalised into ten chapter-categories: Confinements and Dangerous Games (Tied Up in the Basement or Hunted Through the Woods), Criptids and Critters (Bigfoot, Mermaids, Gill-Men, etc.), Famous Monsters (Frankenstein and Dracula), Found Footage, Hard Case Crime, High Adventure (Lost Kingdoms and Fabulous Voyages), Secret Agent Men (And Women), Serial Killers and Cops, Weird Hippie Shit, and Wildlife (Fish and Reptiles).

My view is that, while many horror fans will be happy to incorporate Serial Killer movies as a sub-genre, they would be less likely to pull Hard Case Crime and Secret Agents to their bosoms. With this many reviews I think the categories would have worked much better as alphabetical chapters, A to C, D to F, etc. For one thing it would mean not so many very similar films being encountered together (you can get sick to the ‘eye teeth’ of Dracula, and Frankenstein can become a ‘pain in the neck’), and the reviews would be easier to look-up via a single index rather than a categorised one.

In truth, I’d rather buy a DVD with which I can watch the charismatic Mr Newman telling me (like a mate down the pub) about these movies he’s seen.

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2017)

Publisher: Palazzo

Format: Hardback

Published: September 2019

Palazzo Editions Ltd, London, publishes Stephen King At The Movies, by Ian Nathan. This is a large format hardback book incorporating 224 good quality glossy pages of mostly colour photos and interesting information on every film and miniseries adaptation of King (and early pseudonym Richard Bachman) that made it to screen. Stephen King, of course, is the international best-selling author of countless horror and thriller novels – including Carrie, The Shining, Pet Sematary and It. Ian Nathan is the writer of non-fiction books such as Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, and Tim Burton. He is the former editor of Empire film magazine, and contributes to top-tier newspapers The Times, Independent, and Mail on Sunday.

Although separated into the five chapters: Auteurs and Mind Games, Monsters and Children, Angels and Devils, Dreams and Nightmares, and Number One Fans – this book essentially runs through the film adaptations chronologically beginning with Carrie (1976) and ending with Doctor Sleep (2020), the sequel to The Shining. Between two and eight pages are dedicated to each film, dependant on the number of photo representations and the success/popularity. It is laid out in a pleasant, easy reading format which invites front to back reading or the occasional dipping in perusal. It’s a good reference; not an intensive study, but certainly containing back stories or inside information King film fans may not have come across before.

I am not a follower of Stephen King on the printed page. I don’t like his writing style, and his books are heavy in needless descriptive passages and exposition. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate some of his ideas. More than a handful have been reimagined for the big screen in a very impressive and enduring manner. But there are many more turkeys than peacocks (for example, Maximum Overdrive, Dreamcatcher, Rose Red, Cat’s Eyes). This is where the casual or inquisitive film lover comes in; he or she can get the lowdown on what is hot and what is not. If you’re a horror fan such as myself, you may want to track down some of these outings based on the recommendations (the author’s top 84 King films are listed at the back of the book). It’s all objective, after all, as I dislike intensely the movie version of The Shining, but love the miniseries. I also have a fondness for some which are not generally highly rated, such as 1408, Salem’s Lot (1979), Christine, and The Dead Zone. The Shawshank Redemption, Misery, The Green Mile, Stand By Me, and the original Carrie cannot be denied as minor classics.

There is much to appreciate here. For me, it is the brief but revelatory text, but for others it could just be a happy reminder of what is missing from their collection and what is to come (there is a little section called Forthcoming King  which informs us of what is in the pipeline). If you’re a newcomer to the Stephen Kingdom you might also notice recurring themes: a writer as the central protagonist (Misery, The Shining, The Dark Half, Secret Window, Bag of Bones), Child Monsters (Carrie, Firestarter, Children of the Corn, Pet Sematary), Mystical or maniacal machines (Christine, From a Buick 8, Maximum Overdrive, Trucks).

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2019)

Publisher: Reel Art Press

Format: Hardback

Published: October 2017

Most  Reel Art Press releases Frankenstein – The First Two Hundred Years, by Christopher Frayling. It is an 11 x 9 inch full colour hardcover book chronicling the classic patchwork monster in all forms of media. There are more than 200 images, many of them full page.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – like Bram Stoker’s Dracula – is an ageless horror/science fiction/moral tale which has resounded through the ages. Ask anyone to name a well known horror novel and this one is likely to get a mention in most cases. It first saw the light of day in 1818 but it wasn’t until the tale was adapted as a stage play that it captured the public imagination. Since then there has been more than ninety adaptations alone between 1931 and 2016.

Of course, the iconic image most people still relate to is the  Universal Pictures black and white version starring Boris Karloff. But that is just the tip of the iceberg; this book covers Universal sequels, Hammer Films, and more modern representations. Furthermore, stage plays are covered, as are advertisements and even pastiche. Some people might have forgotten The Munsters, for example; but who could forget The Rocky Horror Picture Show which incorporates Frank N Furter (played brilliantly by Tim Curry) who creates a muscle man in his laboratory.

The first thing that draws me to this book is the smell. There is nothing like the smell of a newly printed hardback book. Other true bibliophiles will agree with me, I’m sure. The history of the Frankenstein scenario is a compelling one. Even so, it could very well have been heavy-going. I was ready to dip in and out of it, as you might with most reference works. However, the narrative doesn’t bog you down, preferring instead to offer only the facts. It’s a lovely touch to see Mary Shelley’s  original handwriting for the creation scene.

Where this tome really succeeds though is through the quality of its images. Full page glossy photos of Karloff’s Frankenstein monster, Bride of Frankenstein, Der Golem, Robert De Niro’s creature from the Kenneth Branagh directed Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Curse of Frankenstein with Christopher Lee as the monster, Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, the 2011 stage play with Benedict Cumberbatch, and even Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein. A very well presented book. 

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2017)  

Publisher: FAB Press

Format: Trade Paperback

Published: September 2018

Following the Frightfest Guide to Exploitation Movies, and the Frightfest Guide to Monster Movies, comes the third in the series from Fab Press: the Frightfest Guide to Ghost Movies. This volume is written by Axelle Carolyn – film set and review journalist, short story and screenplay writer, and director of shorts and her first feature, Soulmate. She also penned the very enjoyable It Lives Again! – Horror Movies in the New Millennium. There is also an introduction by Andy Nyman, co-writer and co-director of the British release Ghost Stories, based on the popular West End play. This is a large format softback book incorporating 240 pages of full colour glossy paper. 200 of the most memorable ghost movies from around the world are ‘surveyed’ here in an uncomplicated but precise manner – beginning in 1921 with The Phantom Carriage and ending in 2018 with The Lodgers and Winchester (starring Helen Mirren).

This is a book which is appealing to the eye for many reasons. A striking image from John Carpenter’s The Fog adorns the cover, and inside the sheer number of quality photographs and representations of film posters or DVD covers is impressive. Of course, this means there is less room for text, as there is generally one film per page covered. I have heard some criticism of the first two books that there is too little information on each movie, but I think this book is targeted just right, as the horror film buffs, like myself, will use this as a reminder and reference for cast and crew. Less seasoned viewers will surely find this a delight, as a pointer towards those films worth seeking out. Newcomers to the genre will not want to be bogged-down with excessive data which they can find elsewhere if need be.

Doing this allows more films to be covered. They’re not all here, but every ghost or supernatural tale committed to film – which is ground-breaking, unusual or just popular is honoured with basic credits and a paragraph or two of text. A few of my favourite films make an appearance here, including the aforementioned The Fog (1980), the science fiction chiller Event Horizon (1997), and the original Pang Brothers version of The Eye (2002). That’s inevitable, I suppose. Popular films covered in this category include: Poltergeist, The Shining, Insidious, The Others, Sleepy Hollow, The Frighteners, and Ghost. Light-hearted examples include: Casper, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, and ParaNorman. All time classics include: The Sixth Sense, The Entity, Ghost Story, The Changeling, House On Haunted Hill, and Dead of Night. Foreign stunners include: Ring, Fragile, The Grudge, The Eye, The Devil’s Backbone, and Diabolique – to name but a few.

This is an attractive and well-presented book, which has made me think about possibly seeking out the other two volumes. Those of you who appreciate a good hardback can order a limited copy directly from www.fabpress.com

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2018) 

Publisher: Ad Lib

Format: Hardback

Published: November 2020

Ad Lib Publishers Ltd. (based in London) releases Serial Killers at the Movies: My Intimate Talks with Mass Murderers Who Became Stars of the Big Screen, by Sunday Times Bestselling True Crime Author Christopher Berry-Dee. He is a noted writer and criminologist, and the country’s number one true-crime author. His previous books include Talking With Psychopaths and Savages, Talking With Serial Killers, and Talking With Female Serial Killers. This is a 218-page very nice solid paperback format, with a striking cover image by Alamy. The cover design is by Simon Levy Associates...

My Immediate reaction to seeing this book was to assume that it covered fictional as well as true life killers. Consequently, I wanted to know why Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger and Chucky  were not included. However, the main purpose of this book is to compare a selection of high-grossing movies with the true life facts which inspired them, to reveal which ones are close approximations and which are grossly exaggerated or total re-imaginings. For this  concept Christopher Berry-Dee utilises his experiences interviewing various ‘serial killers’ and researching the crime investigations and forensic evidence. Essentially, the idea is intriguing, because we all know that the truth is seldom allowed to get in the way of a good story. Some of the films covered are The Silence of the Lambs, The Amityville Horror, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Psycho, Seven, and Zodiac.

It sort of works whilst failing in some aspects, too. For example, a few very different films have been based on the exploits of Ed Gein. So, there are two chapters based on the same killer, for the reason of exploring the movie aspects. I think it would have been better to flip this idea upside down, so that each chapter concentrated on a killer or a murder, and then to study the books and films supposedly based on the subject. The way it is now, it appears obvious the author knows much more about some movies (it’s only natural), whilst skimming over others and not touching on some at all. Similarly, some incidents are explained in detail, while others are barely mentioned. It offers a rather unbalanced whole.

Nevertheless, this volume is not without merit. Although I already knew some of this data, the devil is in the detail. I was surprised by some revelations, and the book kept me interested. It is clear that Berry-Dee wears his heart on his sleeve, because at times he is rather opinionated in the text, rather than the impartiality I expected. In the chapter about The Amityville Horror, you can feel his seething anger at his determination that there was nothing that happened in the house apart from a man killing his family. I have mixed feelings about how this book is constructed, rather than the content itself. However, it is worth reading. 

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2020)

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: Hardback

Published: October 2018

The Oxford University Press publishes Sleeping With the Lights On: The Unsettling Story of Horror,  by Darryl Jones – Professor of English and Dean of the Faculty of  Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Trinity College Dublin, where he teaches nineteenth century literature and popular fiction. His other books include, the Oxford World’s Classics M.R. James's Collected Ghost Stories, and the previously reviewed Arthur Conan Doyle’s Gothic Tales, and Horror Stories: Classic Tales from Hoffmann to Hodgson.

Unlike the latter two releases, this one is not simply edited by Jones but an exploration of the horror phenomenon in all its forms. And therein lies the rub. Any non-fiction text or auto/biography hinges decisively on how the information is put across. For example, an  autobiography might describe I went there and I did this, which is dull compared with a series of interesting and humorous anecdotes which place you squarely in the action. Similarly, here I  feel I’m being dictated to. Jones is a lecturer, so I suppose that’s only to be expected. However, rather than mixing it up and dealing with horror as a whole, this book pigeonholes everything. We get separate sections on Monsters, the Occult and the Supernatural, Horror and the Body, Horror and the Mind, Science and horror, and Horror Since the Millennium.

I think that many devotees of the fiction horror genre will know much of this information already. Those parts which might otherwise come as a revelation are written in such a stiff manner that you might subconsciously put up a mental wall and not take it in anyway. Of course, there are some writers (Kim Newman being one of them) who I feel are much more interesting in person than in print – Darryl Jones could be one of them.

I have inferred that this is a case of design over substance, and the design is very nice. It’s a pocket-size hardback book. Much of the front cover is cut out in the shape of a light bulb to tie-in with the title. Through the cut-out you can see a silhouetted zombie scene in black and red. The pages are very nice quality, too. With such a nice presentation, I feel this book is a missed opportunity to make it a more saleable release.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2018)

By Kathyrn Harkup (Mary Shelley)

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: Hardback

Published: February 2018

Bloomsbury Sigma publishes Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, one of the most influential and moral novels of all time. It is said  to have single-handedly kick-started the genre of Science Fiction and, along with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, spawned more adaptations than any other book. This offering explores the background and influences of the masterpiece of fiction, referencing breakthroughs of the time. It is written by Kathryn Harkup, a professional chemist and author who splits her time between talks, demonstrations, and writing for The Guardian. She is the bestselling author of the mystery tale A Is For Arsenic.  This is a very nicely presented hardback book with a striking red and  black cover design depicting Doctor Frankenstein’s tools of the  trade.

This book is split into three parts – Part 1: Conception (Enlightenment, Development, Elopement, Nascent); Part 2: Creation (Education, Inspiration, Collection, Preservation, Construction, Electrification, Reanimation); Part 3: Birth (Life, Death). There is also an Epilogue, and a Timeline of Events.

After an introductory overview of the book, I would have to say that the early sections are much more enjoyable. These read like a biography, telling a linear timeline of events from Mary’s origins and upbringing, her relationship with Shelley, through that fateful meeting of minds and the horror/ghost story competition, the reactions to her tale, and the ultimate publication of her ground-breaking book. But it also goes beyond this point. Although the background to the story is reasonably well-known, it is significantly more in depth than we are accustomed to without ever becoming dull. For example, there was a real Castle Frankenstein. Although there is no evidence she visited the castle, Mary would have passed nearby on her travels and certainly heard the tales of illicit attempted experiments to transfer souls.

The latter sections cover body science through the ages. It wasn’t just electricity and the power of sunlight/solar energy. Experimentation was the key here, much of it clandestine but without which we would be much more in the dark. Breakthroughs are explained, along with the problems surrounding them. Unorthodox methods were more common than anything authorised. But then tampering with the human body was at that time tantamount to playing God.

This is a book of two halves, for the reasons I’ve just pointed out. The science of Frankenstein takes a backseat to Mary Shelley’s story, so treat this as her biography and you won’t be disappointed. However, I don’t think casual horror fans will see much of interest inherent. Better that they just read Frankenstein; it’s an all-time classic which deserves to live forever.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2018)

Publisher: Palazzo

Format: Hardback

Published: September 2019

Palazzo Editions Ltd, London, publishes Stephen King At The Movies, by Ian Nathan. This is a large format hardback book incorporating 224 good quality glossy pages of mostly colour photos and interesting information on every film and miniseries adaptation of King (and early pseudonym Richard Bachman) that made it to screen. Stephen King, of course, is the international best-selling author of countless horror and thriller novels – including Carrie, The Shining, Pet Sematary and It. Ian Nathan is the writer of non-fiction books such as Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, and Tim Burton. He is the former editor of Empire film magazine, and contributes to top-tier newspapers The Times, Independent, and Mail on Sunday.

Although separated into the five chapters: Auteurs and Mind Games, Monsters and Children, Angels and Devils, Dreams and Nightmares, and Number One Fans – this book essentially runs through the film adaptations chronologically beginning with Carrie (1976) and ending with Doctor Sleep (2020), the sequel to The Shining. Between two and eight pages are dedicated to each film, dependant on the number of photo representations and the success/popularity. It is laid out in a pleasant, easy reading format which invites front to back reading or the occasional dipping in perusal. It’s a good reference; not an intensive study, but certainly containing back stories or inside information King film fans may not have come across before.

I am not a follower of Stephen King on the printed page. I don’t like his writing style, and his books are heavy in needless descriptive passages and exposition. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate some of his ideas. More than a handful have been reimagined for the big screen in a very impressive and enduring manner. But there are many more turkeys than peacocks (for example, Maximum Overdrive, Dreamcatcher, Rose Red, Cat’s Eyes). This is where the casual or inquisitive film lover comes in; he or she can get the lowdown on what is hot and what is not. If you’re a horror fan such as myself, you may want to track down some of these outings based on the recommendations (the author’s top 84 King films are listed at the back of the book). It’s all objective, after all, as I dislike intensely the movie version of The Shining, but love the miniseries. I also have a fondness for some which are not generally highly rated, such as 1408, Salem’s Lot (1979), Christine, and The Dead Zone. The Shawshank Redemption, Misery, The Green Mile, Stand By Me, and the original Carrie cannot be denied as minor classics.

There is much to appreciate here. For me, it is the brief but revelatory text, but for others it could just be a happy reminder of what is missing from their collection and what is to come (there is a little section called Forthcoming King  which informs us of what is in the pipeline). If you’re a newcomer to the Stephen Kingdom you might also notice recurring themes: a writer as the central protagonist (Misery, The Shining, The Dark Half, Secret Window, Bag of Bones), Child Monsters (Carrie, Firestarter, Children of the Corn, Pet Sematary), Mystical or maniacal machines (Christine, From a Buick 8, Maximum Overdrive, Trucks).

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2019)

Publisher: Reel Art Press

Format: Hardback

Published: October 2017

Most  Reel Art Press releases Frankenstein – The First Two Hundred Years, by Christopher Frayling. It is an 11 x 9 inch full colour hardcover book chronicling the classic patchwork monster in all forms of media. There are more than 200 images, many of them full page.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – like Bram Stoker’s Dracula – is an ageless horror/science fiction/moral tale which has resounded through the ages. Ask anyone to name a well known horror novel and this one is likely to get a mention in most cases. It first saw the light of day in 1818 but it wasn’t until the tale was adapted as a stage play that it captured the public imagination. Since then there has been more than ninety adaptations alone between 1931 and 2016.

Of course, the iconic image most people still relate to is the  Universal Pictures black and white version starring Boris Karloff. But that is just the tip of the iceberg; this book covers Universal sequels, Hammer Films, and more modern representations. Furthermore, stage plays are covered, as are advertisements and even pastiche. Some people might have forgotten The Munsters, for example; but who could forget The Rocky Horror Picture Show which incorporates Frank N Furter (played brilliantly by Tim Curry) who creates a muscle man in his laboratory.

The first thing that draws me to this book is the smell. There is nothing like the smell of a newly printed hardback book. Other true bibliophiles will agree with me, I’m sure. The history of the Frankenstein scenario is a compelling one. Even so, it could very well have been heavy-going. I was ready to dip in and out of it, as you might with most reference works. However, the narrative doesn’t bog you down, preferring instead to offer only the facts. It’s a lovely touch to see Mary Shelley’s  original handwriting for the creation scene.

Where this tome really succeeds though is through the quality of its images. Full page glossy photos of Karloff’s Frankenstein monster, Bride of Frankenstein, Der Golem, Robert De Niro’s creature from the Kenneth Branagh directed Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Curse of Frankenstein with Christopher Lee as the monster, Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, the 2011 stage play with Benedict Cumberbatch, and even Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein. A very well presented book. 

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2017)  

Publisher: FAB Press

Format: Trade Paperback

Published: September 2018

Following the Frightfest Guide to Exploitation Movies, and the Frightfest Guide to Monster Movies, comes the third in the series from Fab Press: the Frightfest Guide to Ghost Movies. This volume is written by Axelle Carolyn – film set and review journalist, short story and screenplay writer, and director of shorts and her first feature, Soulmate. She also penned the very enjoyable It Lives Again! – Horror Movies in the New Millennium. There is also an introduction by Andy Nyman, co-writer and co-director of the British release Ghost Stories, based on the popular West End play. This is a large format softback book incorporating 240 pages of full colour glossy paper. 200 of the most memorable ghost movies from around the world are ‘surveyed’ here in an uncomplicated but precise manner – beginning in 1921 with The Phantom Carriage and ending in 2018 with The Lodgers and Winchester (starring Helen Mirren).

This is a book which is appealing to the eye for many reasons. A striking image from John Carpenter’s The Fog adorns the cover, and inside the sheer number of quality photographs and representations of film posters or DVD covers is impressive. Of course, this means there is less room for text, as there is generally one film per page covered. I have heard some criticism of the first two books that there is too little information on each movie, but I think this book is targeted just right, as the horror film buffs, like myself, will use this as a reminder and reference for cast and crew. Less seasoned viewers will surely find this a delight, as a pointer towards those films worth seeking out. Newcomers to the genre will not want to be bogged-down with excessive data which they can find elsewhere if need be.

Doing this allows more films to be covered. They’re not all here, but every ghost or supernatural tale committed to film – which is ground-breaking, unusual or just popular is honoured with basic credits and a paragraph or two of text. A few of my favourite films make an appearance here, including the aforementioned The Fog (1980), the science fiction chiller Event Horizon (1997), and the original Pang Brothers version of The Eye (2002). That’s inevitable, I suppose. Popular films covered in this category include: Poltergeist, The Shining, Insidious, The Others, Sleepy Hollow, The Frighteners, and Ghost. Light-hearted examples include: Casper, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, and ParaNorman. All time classics include: The Sixth Sense, The Entity, Ghost Story, The Changeling, House On Haunted Hill, and Dead of Night. Foreign stunners include: Ring, Fragile, The Grudge, The Eye, The Devil’s Backbone, and Diabolique – to name but a few.

This is an attractive and well-presented book, which has made me think about possibly seeking out the other two volumes. Those of you who appreciate a good hardback can order a limited copy directly from www.fabpress.com

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2018) 

Publisher: Ad Lib

Format: Hardback

Published: November 2020

Ad Lib Publishers Ltd. (based in London) releases Serial Killers at the Movies: My Intimate Talks with Mass Murderers Who Became Stars of the Big Screen, by Sunday Times Bestselling True Crime Author Christopher Berry-Dee. He is a noted writer and criminologist, and the country’s number one true-crime author. His previous books include Talking With Psychopaths and Savages, Talking With Serial Killers, and Talking With Female Serial Killers. This is a 218-page very nice solid paperback format, with a striking cover image by Alamy. The cover design is by Simon Levy Associates...

My Immediate reaction to seeing this book was to assume that it covered fictional as well as true life killers. Consequently, I wanted to know why Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger and Chucky  were not included. However, the main purpose of this book is to compare a selection of high-grossing movies with the true life facts which inspired them, to reveal which ones are close approximations and which are grossly exaggerated or total re-imaginings. For this  concept Christopher Berry-Dee utilises his experiences interviewing various ‘serial killers’ and researching the crime investigations and forensic evidence. Essentially, the idea is intriguing, because we all know that the truth is seldom allowed to get in the way of a good story. Some of the films covered are The Silence of the Lambs, The Amityville Horror, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Psycho, Seven, and Zodiac.

It sort of works whilst failing in some aspects, too. For example, a few very different films have been based on the exploits of Ed Gein. So, there are two chapters based on the same killer, for the reason of exploring the movie aspects. I think it would have been better to flip this idea upside down, so that each chapter concentrated on a killer or a murder, and then to study the books and films supposedly based on the subject. The way it is now, it appears obvious the author knows much more about some movies (it’s only natural), whilst skimming over others and not touching on some at all. Similarly, some incidents are explained in detail, while others are barely mentioned. It offers a rather unbalanced whole.

Nevertheless, this volume is not without merit. Although I already knew some of this data, the devil is in the detail. I was surprised by some revelations, and the book kept me interested. It is clear that Berry-Dee wears his heart on his sleeve, because at times he is rather opinionated in the text, rather than the impartiality I expected. In the chapter about The Amityville Horror, you can feel his seething anger at his determination that there was nothing that happened in the house apart from a man killing his family. I have mixed feelings about how this book is constructed, rather than the content itself. However, it is worth reading. 

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2020)