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MockingQuantum
Jan 20, 2012



nate fisher posted:

This has to be one of the most ridiculous lines I have read in awhile, “Danzig filled the car, setting his mind at ease, the aural equivalent of a warm security blanket”.

Oh that line is from Devil’s Creek. It is a fun read, but it’s not that good. 300+ pages into it and the writer has made no effort to make you care about a single character (zero development). Also he wasted an opportunity with making town and its residents into interesting characters. At times I thought he was trying for a Salem’s Lot vibe but he missed the mark. The book just pushes the plot forward at its own peril.

I tried it and it didn't grab me, and based on this I think it was probably a good pass for me. I think I probably wouldn't have liked the direction things went with the kids in the book too, from what I've heard about it.

That said, I too find joy in blasting "Mother" when I hop in the car

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Fitzy Fitz
May 14, 2005




I'm 90% through Devil's Creek and I'm also not very impressed, but I'm going to finish it.

I honestly think the premise is really good, probably because it's something I thought about doing myself 15 years ago. Cosmic horror in the southern Appalachians. Great idea.

But yeah he just skipped all the character development. There's no tension at all. And the central elements that make it such an interesting premise are not really developed well.

What I do think it does well is capture the nostalgic return by the protagonist to his stagnant childhood hometown. That felt very authentic to me and I'm disappointed that the rest of the book didn't capture that feeling.

Thom and the Heads
Oct 27, 2010

Farscape is actually pretty cool.
I'm very close to finishing it and I'm finding myself really enjoying it. Fun book!

Big Mad Drongo
Nov 10, 2006

So Night Film sure gets transphobic in a hurry, huh?

The main character is a consistently racist, misogynist piece of poo poo, so I can deal with a lot of the stuff in here, but when they visit an ultra-exclusive night club that can only be found through riddles and requires an invite from an elite patron, it's the tamest party in the world except for the fact that some of the women inside are trans. This is apparently the reason for the insane security and secrecy surrounding the place, and enough to make it a den of otherwise indescribable hedonism.

Like, I know the main character is expected to overreact upon seeing a woman with an Adam's apple, but there is nothing else in the narrative to make this place worthy of being spoken of in fearful whispers. It's a lame nightclub with a vaguely weird/interesting layout, elevated to apparent bachannalia status by the mere existence of trans people.


Am I overreacting or missing something here?

the_enduser
May 1, 2006

They say the user lives outside the net.



Big Mad Drongo posted:

So Night Film sure gets transphobic in a hurry, huh?

The main character is a consistently racist, misogynist piece of poo poo, so I can deal with a lot of the stuff in here, but when they visit an ultra-exclusive night club that can only be found through riddles and requires an invite from an elite patron, it's the tamest party in the world except for the fact that some of the women inside are trans. This is apparently the reason for the insane security and secrecy surrounding the place, and enough to make it a den of otherwise indescribable hedonism.

Like, I know the main character is expected to overreact upon seeing a woman with an Adam's apple, but there is nothing else in the narrative to make this place worthy of being spoken of in fearful whispers. It's a lame nightclub with a vaguely weird/interesting layout, elevated to apparent bachannalia status by the mere existence of trans people.


Am I overreacting or missing something here?

Uh, from what I remember it was run by Russian mobsters or something to do with drug trade.

immolationsex
Sep 16, 2002
ASK ME ABOUT HOW I ENJOY RUINING STEAK LIKE A GODDAMN BARBARIAN
Brian Hodge, Dark Advent. I'm about a third of the way in and thinking of dropping it. The parallels between this and what I remember of The Stand (which also didn't much impress me) are obvious, and I think Hodge is even trying to imitate King's voice.

Am I correct in assuming things are heading for a showdown between the good guys (Jason, Caleb, the Cassandra girl whose actual name I've already forgotten) and the bad guys? With the Courier capering somewhere in the background, maybe steering the two parties towards an eventual showdown? Because I'm not interested in reading a further couple hundred pages of Travis the alcoholic wife beater and his goons rape and pillage their way across post-apocalyptic America. For gently caress's sake, he's even got a pet gimp literally called Pit Bull, who wears a spiked collar. I suppose I should be grateful they don't call themselves Master and Blaster.

Because if that's the case, I'm very disappointed in the author that also gave us Worlds of Hurt. Although, looking closer, it seems Advent precedes Hurt by 18 years, so I suppose he's developed quite a bit since then.

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

The shirt may be the best part...

Only registered members can see post attachments!

Rolo
Nov 16, 2005

Hmm, what have we here?
Mannequins are scary!

Big Mad Drongo
Nov 10, 2006

the_enduser posted:

Uh, from what I remember it was run by Russian mobsters or something to do with drug trade.

My problem is, unless something changes later in the book, the only difference between that place and any other lovely nightclub is that it has trans people. It's described as this insane party that defies belief and that gets used to build up the Cordova mythology, but what's actually shown is vanilla as hell.

They even call back to "I spoke to a lady there, or was it even a lady?" in a later chapter for no real reason.

The book is mostly pulpy fun, but that part left a bad taste in my mouth.

Xiahou Dun
Jul 16, 2009

We shall dive down through black abysses... and in that lair of the Deep Ones we shall dwell amidst wonder and glory forever.



Huh. I never got the read that the scintillating and spooky stuff was that there was trans people but just that it was weird and creepy in and of itself. I totally agree that it was kind of random and out of nowhere ("Uh okay there are trans people, sure? And?"), but I always felt it was more just cause it was a weird secret club that was supposed to be the ookilly spookilly part.

Also, while I like a lot about that book, like how the tone towards the end just grabs you, holy poo poo does it butcher some geography if you know the areas. "We're in a rush! Let's take the subway in a direction that requires like 5 transfers instead of using the car we have!" Lol.

immolationsex
Sep 16, 2002
ASK ME ABOUT HOW I ENJOY RUINING STEAK LIKE A GODDAMN BARBARIAN
I’m looking for (horror) fiction written from the perspective of an investigator, preferably an uninvolved outsider. I realised what a lot of the stories I’ve enjoyed have in common is a detached tone, and how they rely on the facts of the matter to paint the picture, rather than asking the reader to try from the beginning to empathise with a protagonist who acts as their stand-in. Telling the story from a third-person perspective is therefore almost a must.

It goes without saying that the best of these stories are subtle, letting the reader put the pieces together themselves, to form a picture of something disturbing. That’s not to say that the supernatural can’t have any place in the story, or even that unrealistic elements can’t be present from the beginning; see for example the SCP linked below. What I’m looking for is that dawning realisation that things are not as they seem, or that while things look bad, it’s actually much worse than was first let on. There doesn’t need to be a plot as such; just paint me a disturbing picture.

I wish I could remember more examples of what I mean, but here are some. I'll add to the list as I think of more.

Mark Danielewski - House of Leaves
China Miéville - A Second-Slice Manifesto (short story)
John Langan - Technicolor (short story)
The SCP about the Red Sea Object, here: http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-093
HF Arnold - The Night Wire
Jeff VanderMeer - The Area X trilogy

Patton Oswalt once featured on his blog a list of 31 stories for Halloween, but I can’t find the individual entries in that series. One of those stories fits the bill exactly: it was about a researcher performing some completely unethical but disturbingly imaginative experiments on human subjects, concerning ticklishness and the fear response (yes that sounds bizarre, but I’m sure I remember that correctly). The story is told as a series of study protocols or experimental session notes, or both. A detail that stuck with me is that he surgically modified his victims’ knees so they don’t lock, but hyperextend, making running almost but not completely impossible. Anyone remember that one?

So there it is. Every recommendation and pointer you can throw my way will be very sincerely appreciated!

VVV Yes I have, very good example, thanks.

immolationsex fucked around with this message at 20:37 on Aug 1, 2020

the_enduser
May 1, 2006

They say the user lives outside the net.



Have you tried the Area X series?

I wish there was a book series like the Control game or more SCP type stuff.

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

immolationsex posted:

I’m looking for (horror) fiction written from the perspective of an investigator, preferably an uninvolved outsider. I realised what a lot of the stories I’ve enjoyed have in common is a detached tone, and how they rely on the facts of the matter to paint the picture, rather than asking the reader to try from the beginning to empathise with a protagonist who acts as their stand-in. Telling the story from a third-person perspective is therefore almost a must.

It goes without saying that the best of these stories are subtle, letting the reader put the pieces together themselves, to form a picture of something disturbing. That’s not to say that the supernatural can’t have any place in the story, or even that unrealistic elements can’t be present from the beginning; see for example the SCP linked below. What I’m looking for is that dawning realisation that things are not as they seem, or that while things look bad, it’s actually much worse than was first let on. There doesn’t need to be a plot as such; just paint me a disturbing picture.


You'd probably dig Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg.

a foolish pianist
May 6, 2007

(bi)cyclic mutation

immolationsex posted:

Patton Oswalt once featured on his blog a list of 31 stories for Halloween, but I can’t find the individual entries in that series. One of those stories fits the bill exactly: it was about a researcher performing some completely unethical but disturbingly imaginative experiments on human subjects, concerning ticklishness and the fear response (yes that sounds bizarre, but I’m sure I remember that correctly). The story is told as a series of study protocols or experimental session notes, or both. A detail that stuck with me is that he surgically modified his victims’ knees so they don’t lock, but hyperextend, making running almost but not completely impossible. Anyone remember that one?

I'm thinking this one is Adam Corbin Fusco's “N0072-JK1: Study of Synaptic Response of the Organism to Spontaneous Stimulation of Vulnerability Zones. Photographic Analysis.” I remember it from one of the Pseudopod Flash from the Borderlands episodes: https://pseudopod.org/2015/09/18/pseudopod-436-flash-on-the-borderlands-xxvi-official-reports/.

EDIT: Apparently the Borderlands 5 anthology that has this story is 3 bucks on the kindle store.

Dr.D-O
Jan 3, 2020

by Fluffdaddy
So I read and loved Clive Barker's Cabal and wanted to share that it is a very anti-cop book, if that's something anyone is looking for in their horror.

Rolo
Nov 16, 2005

Hmm, what have we here?
I look for it everywhere so yeah.

And now I just learned that Night Breed was based on a Clive Barker book that got pretty good reviews. Dang I think I’ll get it.

escape artist
Sep 24, 2005

Slow train coming
https://silentmotorist.media/2020/08/03/hymns-of-abomination-secret-songs-of-leeds-a-tribute-to-matthew-m-bartlett/
There's gonna be an anthology with Langan, Evenson, Ballingrud... all doing stuff in Matthew Bartlett's world. Pretty loving cool but it begs the question - is Bartlett dying soon? How did he get a tribute like this so soon?

MockingQuantum
Jan 20, 2012



escape artist posted:

[url]https://silentmotorist.media/2020/08/03/hymns-of-abomination-secret-songs-of-leeds-a-tribute-to-matthew-m-bartlett/
There's gonna be an anthology with Langan, Evenson, Ballingrud... all doing stuff in Matthew Bartlett's world. Pretty loving cool but it begs the question - is Bartlett dying soon? How did he get a tribute like this so soon?

It's not too unusual, there was a collection of stories all inspired by/based in Barron's Old Leech setting a few years back. Or at least, I hope he isn't dying or something.

escape artist
Sep 24, 2005

Slow train coming

MockingQuantum posted:

It's not too unusual, there was a collection of stories all inspired by/based in Barron's Old Leech setting a few years back. Or at least, I hope he isn't dying or something.

I love the idea and I really hope he's healthy.

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

escape artist posted:

I love the idea and I really hope he's healthy.

I've not seen any chatter indicating anything is wrong with him. These kind of anthologies have been around for a while, but only recently have publishers started calling them tributes. Personally I think that's dumb because of this exact scenario (calling them tributes, not doing them at all).

immolationsex
Sep 16, 2002
ASK ME ABOUT HOW I ENJOY RUINING STEAK LIKE A GODDAMN BARBARIAN

Ornamented Death posted:

You'd probably dig Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg.
Thanks! Added to the list.

a foolish pianist posted:

I'm thinking this one is Adam Corbin Fusco's “N0072-JK1: Study of Synaptic Response of the Organism to Spontaneous Stimulation of Vulnerability Zones. Photographic Analysis.” I remember it from one of the Pseudopod Flash from the Borderlands episodes: https://pseudopod.org/2015/09/18/pseudopod-436-flash-on-the-borderlands-xxvi-official-reports/.

EDIT: Apparently the Borderlands 5 anthology that has this story is 3 bucks on the kindle store.
Thanks! Imagine trying to search for a title like that off a vague memory.

Thank you to to all you knowledgeable and generous people, you've put me on to a lot of interesting stuff over the years.

Clipperton
Dec 20, 2011
Grimey Drawer
spotted in tofino british columbia, it's a regular tourist gallery place but the name (and tentacles) made me unaccountably happy



with lovecraft's name in the nerd news again though it could lead to some pretty loving uncomfortable conversations for the owner

Rolo
Nov 16, 2005

Hmm, what have we here?
That has to be a little on purpose, right?

Clipperton
Dec 20, 2011
Grimey Drawer

Rolo posted:

That has to be a little on purpose, right?

It’s absolutely on purpose, we checked with the owner:cthulhu:

Bilirubin
Feb 16, 2014

The sanctioned action is to CHUG


Clipperton posted:

spotted in tofino british columbia, it's a regular tourist gallery place but the name (and tentacles) made me unaccountably happy



with lovecraft's name in the nerd news again though it could lead to some pretty loving uncomfortable conversations for the owner

disappointed its not a sex shop

alf_pogs
Feb 15, 2012


Bilirubin posted:

disappointed its not a sex shop

there's an infamous sex shop in my city called Lovecraft and it looks exactly like the sort of dive where you'd find a dude with a weird jaw, a strange odour and gills on his neck

SniperWoreConverse
Mar 20, 2010



Gun Saliva
how'd lovecraft get in the news i thought he's been dead for a while now

tetrapyloctomy
Feb 18, 2003

Okay -- you talk WAY too fast.
Nap Ghost
First glimpse of the HBO adaptation of Lovecraft Country looks promising.

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

SniperWoreConverse posted:

how'd lovecraft get in the news i thought he's been dead for a while now

The Cthulhu mythos won a Retro Hugo.

tight aspirations
Jul 13, 2009

Not as good as the hunchback mythos that won a Victor Hugo, then?

Lester Shy
May 1, 2002

Goodness no, now that wouldn't do at all!
https://twitter.com/NBallingrud/status/1291834740182528000

He says later in the thread that four of the episodes are based on stories from NALM, the other four are original stories by the show's writing staff.

Fate Accomplice
Nov 30, 2006




Is The Strain series worth reading? Wondering if I should read them before watching the series.

Bilirubin
Feb 16, 2014

The sanctioned action is to CHUG


Lester Shy posted:

https://twitter.com/NBallingrud/status/1291834740182528000

He says later in the thread that four of the episodes are based on stories from NALM, the other four are original stories by the show's writing staff.

Oh god that first story in NALM :(

Doctor Faustine
Sep 2, 2018
Picked up the Penguin Classics edition of Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe today. Never read Ligotti before and the discussion in this thread made me feel like I was missing out.

Count Thrashula
Jun 1, 2003

Peak Performance.

Buglord
AHHHHHH AAAAHHHH

quote:

He says later in the thread that four of the episodes are based on stories from NALM, the other four are original stories by the show's writing staff.

Ehhhh.

Neurotic Roleplay
May 20, 2005

anyone else reading the posthumous romero book “the living dead?” it’s a zombie novel, alright

Flaggy
Jul 6, 2007

Grandpa Cthulu needs his napping chair



Grimey Drawer

ketchup vs catsup posted:

Is The Strain series worth reading? Wondering if I should read them before watching the series.

Its okay-ish, it seemed like airport fiction, the show wasn't half bad, but suffered in the 2nd season. But to be fair, thats just my opinion.

Fitzy Fitz
May 14, 2005




Lester Shy posted:

https://twitter.com/NBallingrud/status/1291834740182528000

He says later in the thread that four of the episodes are based on stories from NALM, the other four are original stories by the show's writing staff.

I started reading NALM today and it's very good.

Rolo
Nov 16, 2005

Hmm, what have we here?

Fitzy Fitz posted:

I started reading NALM today and it's very good.

I’m excited to see how they do the first story with the waitress in live action.

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Fitzy Fitz
May 14, 2005




Rolo posted:

I’m excited to see how they do the first story with the waitress in live action.

Yeah part of that I'm sure could be really cool visually, but I hope they do the characters and setting justice. These feel kind of like Murakami stories set in the Southeast.

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