Horror Books

From beginning to end I was drawn into the lives of all the caratures. Being from Kentucky and visiting Shakertown, I was able to use my imagination and see different sides of how they lived. It brought out both the pros and cons to their living. I also liked how a woman in that time was able to be strong and go with her "beliefs".

I have read many of Ms. Giles books and this one is by far my favorite! She truly reached out to me and because of her book I am contemplating converting to Shakerism! She makes the characters come alive, feel their feelings, and even though she shares it from a point of view against Shakers, she lets you form your own opinion. I worked at a Shakertown but nothing was as moving to me as this book!

I found this book in the attic covered under piles of dust. I did not know what it was about as it did not have a cover or anything telling what the book was about. I decided to give it a try and was immediatly submersed in the world of the 1800's. I could not put the book down after the first page. it took me about 2 days to complete the whole book. The author, Giles, is very descriptive and exciting writer. Usually i do not like to read books set in the 1800's, but this book is excellent. It is about the life of Rebecca Fowler. It starts with her early life chasing the man she loves and evovles as Rebecca does into her life story. It talks of life in the wilderness and then life while she is involved in a Shaker community and life thereafter. This is an excellent book and i cannot wait to read more book written by Giles.

I read this as a child, and again as an adult. I re-read it after I went to the Shaker community in Northern Kentucky and enjoyed it much more, but give me "Hannah Fowler," "Six Horse Hitch" or "Johnny Osage" (all by Janice Holt Giles) anytime! She is a terrific author who has done better than this effort. But, it is still a good story...worth the read.

I was traveling across the country on the Sunset Limited, and this book kept my imagination going through every town we passed on our journey. While my body was riding the rails, my mind was entering a new dimension of horror. Shroud has published a gripping assortment of extremely intelligent and frightening yarns. It's well worth the money. Take it on a trip, and you won't be bored! You will, however, get your mind blown away.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from cover to cover. The intensity and scary nature of these short stories was as much entertaining as it was thrilling. I would highly recommend this anthology to everyone who enjoys a book filled with fantasy and intrigue.

...never, but as a fan of Lovecraft I admit I was initially drawn to the book by the fantastic cover art.

Thankfully this book is more than just a pretty face. Like Frankenstein's monster this little grimoire was cobbled together from different pieces and assembled nicely for your reading pleasure (13 different short stories, various authors).

I won't post any spoilers but if your tastes occasionally tilt towards the dark, the macabre, the spooky or the unknown then you will find some reading pleasure lurking in this book.

Upon finishing the book my interest was piqued, I checked the site listed on the back. (Shroud publishing)This was their first publication, quite impressive for first timers.

The site indicates that they do publish a magazine (I will be checking that out) and that there are plans for a second book to be published, with 13 more stories. No date listed for the next release but the cover looks great.

I have had the pleasure of reading this anthology cover-to-cover and I would have to say that it includes some of the most entertaining (and chilling) horror stories I have ever read. The book begins with a tale by Scott Christian Carr called "Thorguson" about a sunken submarine with its dying captain slowly losing his grip on sanity. The tale had a discernible Lovecraftian feel about it that I enjoyed immensely. Some of my favorites include the bizarre Japanese-themed story "The Drawer" and Burrow's "The Deep End" about an eery deep south trailer park given to ancient rites and rituals. I would highly recommend this book to those that enjoy Stephen King stories or other modern horror masters such as McCammon, Keene, or Ketchum.

I have long been a fan of the works of the late Howard P. Lovecraft, and when I discovered a roleplaying game set in his horror universe existed, I knew I had to get it. From the modules to the setting books and creature compendiums, CoC has been a never-ending delight for my inner horror gamer. I highly recommend this sourcebook, along with every single other CoC sourcebook, module, and rulebook. Call of Cthulhu is definitely worth it!

I found this to be an excellent "modern-day" resource for the "Call of Cthulhu" role playing game. Fans of other settings for the game probably won't find it as interesting, or as useful, but if you like to play your "CoC" in the "here and now," this is definitely a must-have resource.

Chaosium's summary text for this product reads: "What secrets lie within the Devil's Triangle? Why was the Mary Celeste abandoned after it passed through the triangle's waters? What caused the disappearance of an entire flight of Avengers in 1945? Why do electronics fail in the triangle for no apparent reason? Now, the answers can at last be revealed.

"'The Bermuda Triangle' is a 1990s sourcebook centered around the famous mystery of the Devil's Triangle. It acts as a guidebook to the entire Caribbean region, detailing not only Bermuda, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and other nearby islands, but also exposing the mysteries of Rha'thylla, the Sargasso Sea, and more. Guidelines are included for running entire Caribbean campaigns. The book concludes with 'The Privateer's Diary,' a scenario."

This book is a great addition to any CoC collection. Not only does it provide tons of information on the people, politics, and customs of the Bermuda triangle and surrounding areas, but it is loaded with useful creatures, ideas, theories, etc. It has many charts that all keepers should find useful, such as one that randomnly chooses a sea animal. And, to top it all off, it comes with a scenario that I cant wait to throw on my investigators. It is well worth the cost, and then some!

This book is very good if you enjoy the modern adventures for this game. I really liked it because i am very interested in the Bermuda Triangle. I won't tell you any of the story because it would ruin the fun of the game. I wouldn't reccomend this book if you enjoy long campaigns like Beyond th Mountains of Madness (which took me a couple of months to complete with my friends). I would highly recommend this book to anyone except people who like the 20's or 30's adventures.

After a series of volumes in which happiness abounded and things were looking up, this installment represents a turning point in the story and a return to darker times. At the end of the previous volume, Guts swiftly defeated Griffith and abandoned him and the Band of Hawks. Guts did this in an effort to seek his destiny and his dream instead of just following Griffith's. But now he is already having doubts, especially since for the first time in his life he had a group of people he could call friends.

Griffith has been greatly affected by Guts' departure but is still pursuing his dream, and in the process he is getting romantically involved with Princess Charlotte. But there will be repercussions from his actions. In the meantime, Casca, who had started developing a friendship with Guts, misses him greatly, as does a good portion of the Band of the Hawks.

There are two things that make this an outstanding volume in this superb series. First, the story speeds forward into darker times with an intensity seldom seen, but also manages to insert some interesting elements in the process. Second, you will get to witness one of the most awaited moments of the series, and one which allows the creator to show his magnificent ability for detailed and vivid drawings.

Once again, we get a healthy dose of violence and gore, but this installment contains a much higher concentration of sexual scenes than any of the previous ones. There are even elements of incest, and some of the allusions get bolder and bolder. Moreover, some of these elements are efficiently used in helping understand better the psyche of the characters. Fans of the series will likely find this volume to be one of the best in the series so far.

I was able to get a great price on these New Beserk books but it took around 8-10 days before I received them.

If you've found yourself tiring of high school comedies & ninja kids, but still want engaging graphic storytelling, then do yourself a favor & give this series a try.

By volume 9, Miura's style is at it's height. This volume is the end of the beginning, so to speak - the good times of comraderie, romping around as a mercenary gang, climbing up the midland social ladder - are coming to a sudden and violent end. Griffith's ambition may destroy the hawks once and for all...

The series is now almost to the point where the Anime left off..and believe me, you want to see what happens next.

Background (general series) info: In the feudal era, a time of demons and knights, one man refuses to let anyone else control his destiny. Gatsu, a mercernary who recently left the infamous "Band of the Hawk," wanders and trains to become even stronger. As the protagonist of the series, Guts approaches battle with a mixture of savagery and cunning that is utterly destructive.

This issue: Guts has just left his post in the mercernary group, the Hawks. To do so, he defeated Griffith in a duel. Upon gaining his freedom, he wanders alone into the woods, confronted by the Knight of Skeleton. Strangely, this awesome figure utters advice that he believes will save Guts' life. Something incredibly ominous approaches. Something is about to happen that will change the lives of Guts, Caska, and Griffith forever.

If you enjoy a good plot, you cannot go wrong with Berserk. It is such a strange and skillful blend of fantasy and realism that you become completely submerged in it. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys action and supernatural intrigue.

I loved this book. It's one of my all time favorites and I was so crazed to hear that it was out of print. Everyone should read this book and it is so unfair that people can't get it now! I can't wait for the next Janice Harrell book and I just hope the next is as good as the last.

Janice Harrell keeps up her pace with book 2 "The Betrayal". You become more involved with Joanna and Penn, digging deeper and deeper into the secret that Penn and his group of friends share. Now its time to tell Joanna about it, and now she's apart of it. This book is very suspenseful and keeps you guessing...of course another cliff-hanger ending leaves you to track down #3 "The Escape" (I hope to find the last one in my local library!)

This book was one of the best I have ever read. I can't wait to see what happens in the last one. It has a weird change of events that keeps you interested.

Joanna has now discovered what really happened to Laurie. But it's even more complicated then it seems. She is growing closer to Penn, but she doesn't even know if he's told her all her secrets. And one of the group, Casey, is blackmailing the others. Stephen, Laurie's killer, is about to snap. Joanna can only pray Casey isn't his next victim. There was a lot of suspense in this book, but it's probably been wrongly labeled as a horror story. It's more mystery/suspense.

What kid doesn't like R.L. Stine? My boy read it a couple of times and will probably read it more. It's a hard cover - it'll last forever! Really happy with this purchase.

The perfect collection of scary stories. My grandson and I cuddle in a large chair with the lights turned down. I read each story with character voices which he loves. There's not a boring story in the bunch. We have a wonderful time.

I would also recommend Scary Stories: The complete 3-Book Collection by Alvin Schwartz.

This is a really good book. It gives you a full picture in your head about what each author is talking about. I recommend this book for you.

On the threshold of R.L. Stine's favorite holiday, Halloween, he's come out with a wonderful new book that is like a witches brew with multiple ingredients. The main ingredient in BEWARE is 'scary'. Added to the mix of scary stories, are some funny ones, tantalizing poems, a horror-comic, spooky illustrations, and like a cherry-on-top of an ice cream sundae, are R.L. Stine's intriguing introductions. I really liked reading an assortment of thrilling stories, R.L. Stine's favorites by different authors,the two he wrote himself, and two he retold. The scary ones definitely gave me chills. I now have a new appreciation for rats, ferris wheels, halloween costumes, elevators, witches, ghosts, and all kinds of creatures that can surface from one's imagination. Everyone will have their own favorites...Another cool thing are the spiders and cobwebs that trickle down each page while you read...This is a great book for both children and adults who like twists and thrills.

The Big Punch is a stunning debut novel. It's not for the faint of heart, but if you like dark, surreal fiction and that you won't soon forget then you must read "The Big Punch". Louis Maistros is an author whom I think we'll all be hearing much more about in the future.

... well, it's Raymond Chandler meets William Burroughs. Sort of. Not your usual Stevie King clone, but a really twisted, gory (yet hilarious) surreal caper. If you dig the likes of Caitlin Kiernan and Poppy Brite (or the above mentioned authors), buy it now.

Louis Maistros' THE BIG PUNCH is stunning-a frenetic, darkly comic voyage through mindscapes of characters who, from page one, we instantly care about. It delivers train-driven wallops to the gut in atmosphere, pacing, mood, and style. The voice is original, fresh, unhurried-all marks of seasoned veterans. As a first novel, it stands head and shoulders above the crowd. But it doesn't just stand, it taunts. The sheer weight inherent in Maistros' noir fiction coupled with his deft cutting hand when using more horrific elements make for a smooth, technically flawless treatment of what dark fiction should be all about.

The writing is crisp, clean, and relentless; the characters deep and fully realized.

THE BIG PUNCH is a novel you will not soon forget.

Loved it! A page turner. Truly chilling, like taking a stroll through hell on earth. Loved the orange haired rat, Ida Mae and Becky, the blind man, Janice, of course the Black Delia, and naturally Jack. Great cast of characters, too many to actually mention all of them. And the voice was incredible, very distinct, humorous but not overly done that it took away from the horror yet enough that it didn't pull me too down into these awful happenings. Wonderful balance. Very unique story, an original I'd say. I've never read anything quite like this. The Horsemen was something I was not familiar with. The Big Punch itself, or theater, I had some inkling of a memory but was surprising pleased to have discovered that these underground theater shows was also called the Big Punch. And the main character Jack--what can I say about Jack--he's my hero, even if he is slightly flawed.

I enjoyed this novel very much. It was sad, or more accurately, melancholy like a John Coltrane song. But don't let that statement mislead you. It was well written and enjoyable. Mr. Haughton delivers a tale that is as unique as it is engaging. I will anxiously await his next novel.

After reading this book, and then reading the above Publisher's Weekly review, I can only wonder: What hungover grad student is doing that magazine's book reviews? This novel mixes humor and pathos in a way that mirrors real life. As Dickens, Twain, and now John Irving understand, tragedy and comedy walk hand-in-hand with us through each day. Hautmann realizes and conveys the same thing. This is a book that will linger in your soul for a long time. I've bought it for my friends who have everything, and I've heard no complaints.

In Naples, Florida, one year has passed since young Casey Cooper lost his beloved wife Ginny. Stunned and feeling guilt for living and culpability in his mind for causing her death, he remains in mourning as an urban hermit with only alcohol and jazz as his companions. His friends have written Casey off and his family is on the verge of excommunicating him as his depression overwhelms anyone who dares to enter his personal space. Only Ginny's cat Mashed Potatoes remains a companion though he often forgets to feed the feline.

Suddenly out of nowhere Eleanora enters Casey's life singing with a voice and a look that make her an identical twin of Billie Holiday. No one else sees this enigmatic Eleanora with even Casey wondering if it is the bottle, his mental state, BILLIE'S GHOST or a real person? Still Casey does not care as Eleanora with the jazzy voice moves in with him. She provides him with a reason to rejoin the living as she boosts his self esteem.

This is a very simplistic yet deep tale that provides several messages to the audience to include accentuating the positive in relationships because though mankind imposes but God disposes without warning and grieving is exclusively a lone act. The three key players, Casey, his deceased wife, and Eleanora are cleverly designed to provide insight into how far someone can fall when a loved one is lost early and abruptly in life and that grieving and recover are customized within a powerful character study.

Harriet Klausner

"Billie's Ghost" is a whopper of a love story, ghost tale, and mystery all wrapped up in a deceptively small package. Enter the tropical paradise of Naples, Florida, a Gulf of Mexico resort blending old, historic bungalows and fabulous high-rises. A young widower is struggling with his grief, virtually sinking into oblivion, when Eleanora appears, a sultry, salty, hard-drinking, beautiful black woman. Discover how she changes the life of this man forever and decide for yourself if she is real or not! You will be fascinated by her humor, allure, and compassion. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of ravishing southwest Florida, a region engaged in its own struggle to balance the conservation of wildlife habitats and the preservation of its history, against a burgeoning population. At the conclusion, you will rejoice and chuckle, and always wonder!

I loved this book! It was exciting and the ending suprised me. I have had the pleasure of meeting this author and she is just as interesting as her book, if not more so.

I am hoping she will write again. I would love to see a prequel to this novel. Paul is a very sexy and enticing character and he keeps you wondering what will he do next.

This book is very well written and definitely not an average ghost story. Makes you question how much of this was based on true accounts.

You first need to read the section "about the author" before going further into the book. Then ask yourself, is this fiction or not?
A good story that could easily be made into a movie or short film. Each chapter pulls you to the next one. It flows from the real to the surreal without any hiccups. Makes you wonder how much is really fiction here.
A book worth reading and an ending that you may expect but then again.................

The first review practically said it all. I am hoping the author is working on part two. I'm ready to read more by C.X. Alexander. The ending is not what you expect, and the author should get extra stars for that!

This book kept me invloved from the very start. You fall in love with the charecters, you become mesmorized with the story telling. This book will keep you interested with the ghosts, the characters, the mystery, and after several chapters you'll wonder if it is a love story, a ghost story, or a love story about ghosts. It is very intense, it's not a book for children as there are many scenes in this book that you'll want to try out with your lover. It has a surprise ending and you'll not want to put this book down until the very last page is read! One of the best "scary" books I have ever read!

It is said that the greatness of a writer lies in his/her breadth and vision. If this is true, then Fritz Leiber has proven himself one of the greatest fantasists to grace 20th century fiction. The stories in this volume represent a precisely chosen set of pieces that demonstrate this fact. Leiber shows skill in science fiction (Spider Mansion), suspense (The Phantom Slayer), horror (The Thirteenth Step), and those genres that lie in between (The Dead Man). His ability to transcend and simultaneously perfect genre is paralleled only by Bradbury. This ability contributes directly to his strongest attribute, his vision of what he wants to do with a story. Many current (and to be honest, past) writers in fantasy literature have made the mistake of putting genre before story (e.g., a writer who ONLY writes science fiction). This tendency of putting genre before story is perhaps the greatest fault in all of fantasy literature. This tendency is absent in Leiber. For Leiber, story is paramount, genre is secondary (if even a consideration at all). Even in his early, semi-Lovecraftian pieces, such as The Dreams of Albert Moreland, story never becomes secondary. Leiber has a vision he wishes to present. Though it must be admitted that his vision never approaches (at least in this selection of stories) the magnitude of a Lovecraft, it must also be admitted that very few writers ever do approach that magnitude (with certain notable exceptions such as Ligotti). Yet, Leiber never sacrifices that vision and this refusal to sacrifice that vision results in some truly outstanding pieces of weird fiction. It must be admitted that sometimes that vision is flawed and so the story as a result is flawed as in the case of The Creature From Cleveland Depths. But on the whole, that vision is usually highly effective or even years ahead of its time. For example, in Lie Still, Snow White, Leiber presents a story that predates the "erotic horror" genre by decades and surpasses all but one or two stories that genre has produced up to the present. Had genre been a consideration for Leiber, that story might never have seen the light of day. John Pelan has truly done a service by giving us such a clear display of the literary powers of one of weird fictions greatest practitioners.

Fritz's other stories from Mouser Series to the Horror novellas' of "Our lady of Darkness" and "Conjures Wife", are better known, but these short stories entertain too.
From the preisient title story "The Black Gondolier" to the classic Gothic Horror of decay and science gone wrong of "Spider Mansion" come into Leiber's mind and enjoy the 'dark' side of science fiction horror. 90% of the 18 stories are worth reading and re-reading.

This edition is a trade paperback reprint of a hardback titled THE BLACK GONDOLIER & OTHER STORIES published in a limited numbered edition of 460 by Midnight House in 2000, now out of print, difficult to find and quite expensive; it's a treat finding this reasonably priced version.

Co-editor John Pelan writes "...Leiber belongs to that pantheon of great writers that have shaped and molded the field of fantastic literature in the latter half of the twentieth century." As far as I'm concerned, Fritz Leiber reposes at the pinnacle of this literary hierarchy: he is a writer of major importance whose long career is awe inspiring. Whether it's science fiction, fantasy or horror, his writing is of the highest order: cliche free, varied and fine to the point of being prose poetry. Such a shame that so little of his short fiction remains in print. Another reason to rejoice at the publication of this book.

In it you'll find the following stories:

"The Black Gondolier"-A story set in Venice California about the diabolic plans for humanity being hatched by petrolium.

"The Dreams of Albert Moreland" - The tale of a chess master engaged in a match against a dark power.

"Game for Motel Room" - In which a man finds that the "woman" with whom he has a tryst isn't what she seems and whose jealous husband's revenge could be world shattering.

"The Phantom Slayer" - A man inherets his dead ex-cop uncle's boarding room and belongings which includes a police uniform and the files from an unsolved serial killer case; in his dreams the man wanders the streets in his uncle's uniform and witnesses murders.

"Lie Still, Snow White"-a necrophiliac ruminates about his obsession to his next victim.

"Mr. Bauer and the Atoms" - Mr. Bauer fears that the atomic powers contained within his body could destroy the world.

"In the X-ray" - A girl's evil twin sister gives her a final embrace.

"Spider Mansion" - How has the midget Malcolm Orme become a giant? What is the mysterious rustling and clicking that comes from the closed living room and why does it so frighten Mr Orme's servants and wife?

"The Secret Songs" - Two drug addicts visit their interior worlds: he in his slumber and she via TV, glue and glitter.

"The Man Who Made Friends with Electricity" - Mr. Leverett is delighted to rent a house next to high tension electric transmission lines because he THINKS electricity is his friend until he discover that it, or is it they, isn't/aren't true blue American/s.

"The Dead Man" - A love triangle involving a doctor, his wife and his expeiment's subject who possesses the ability to manifest diseases through hipnosis.

"The Thirteenth Step" - A twelve step meeting has an unexpected visitor.

"The Repair People" - Welcome to the repair shop where two "Repair People", a journeyman and an apprentice, extract, rearrange and reinsert the dream wrapped souls into blobs. Or is is slobs?

"Black Has Its Charms" - An alcoholic wife castigates her husband and tells him why he should murder her.

"Schizo Jimmy" - Are modern witches merely persons who are carriers of insanity; typhoid Marys spreading pshchosis?

"The Creature from Cleveland Depths" (Erroneously titled "The Lone Wolf" in the table of contents.) - Gusterson a surface dwelling inventor/novelist dreams up "ticklers" which prove to be more "helpful" to dwellers down under than expected.

"The Casket Demon" - Film star Vivian Sheer is fading and only the notoriety given by fighting her family's demon will substantiate her.

"Mr. Adam's Garden of Evil" - Taggart Adams, publisher of "Kitten" skin magazine, has a sinister secret in his subterranian garden.

My brief "high concept" renderings of these stories does them little justice because the manner of Leiber's story telling and the variety of voices and approaches he uses are so much more that can be described in one sentence synopsis.

Buy this book and be amazed and delighted.

Fritz Leiber is one of the all-time greatest writers of the weird tale. Short stories like 'The Dreams of Albert Moreland' are justifiably classics of the genre. I would say that his OUR LADY OF DARKNESS is my favorite horror novel ever.

BUT A MAJOR CAVEAT FOR THIS EDITION:

This paperback eReads edition is one shoddy production. My copy has poorly printed, somewhat blurry text (if you look closely at a given printed letter, you will see small white gaps all through it) that is headache-inducing. There are also numerous typos. And, even though I am very careful with my books as I read them, this one is getting a rolled spine quite easily.

I believe that THE BLACK GONDOLA was originally published in hardcover form by John Pelan's Midnight Press, along with two other volumes (HORRIBLE IMAGININGS and THE SMOKE GHOST - very nicely done but now out of print and hard to find). Leiber remains a master whose works deserve to be printed in superior editions. Paging Centipede Press, Night Shade Books, Subterranean Press...