MONK PUNK Edited By A. J. French www.staticmovement.com
TORMENT By Greg Chapman www.damnationbooks.com
Having never come across the term, “Monk Punk,” before, I was delightfully informed in the introduction by D. Harlan Wilson that it is a further development of the other fiction punks, cyberpunk, splatterpunk and steampunk. Monk punk does what it says on the tin; it portrays Monks of various types, shapes and sizes, and it plays with genres, developing a new strain of fiction, sometimes familiar but always unique. With a deft touch, French has brought together a wide ranging collection that explores the far reaches of this new sub-genre. Many of these stories provide an exotic eastern feel, whether they are set in the past, present or future, whether they are horror, fantasy or SF. The defining factor is the presence of spiritualism and a Monk figure. Inventive and exciting, this collection sometimes feels like a really good pulp tale with the adventure and enticement of a new discovery. My personal favourite story was the editor’s own contribution, “The Path of Li Xi,” but there is not a duff story in here. French has produced a remarkable collection. A riveting benchmark in genre fiction and a Monk Punk anthology to be proud of. By Adrian Brady
When she was just a little girl, Jessica witnessed her father kill her mother during an exorcism. Fanatically religious, Deacon Mackinnon believed his wife to be possessed by demons, although she had been diagnosed with Manic-Depressive Disorder. Now married to David and mother to Alex, the family has come to Scotland to check out her father’s estate, left to her by his recent death. But there are evil things in the house, and the townspeople are reluctant to talk to her about her father. Was he a monster or just insane? And what is going on in the basement of her father’s house? Torment was a quick read; too quick, in fact. It seemed like it was just getting started when it ended. I know it was a novella and not a novel; however, if the story had been a little longer, it would’ve been more satisfying. The demon was defeated too easily; loose ends wrapped up too neatly. But it was very well-written; the author did a great job with description, mood and sense of place. I just wish there had been more to the story. By Sheri White
DOA - EXTREME HORROR ANTHOLOGY Edited By David C. Hayes and Jack Burton www.bloodboundbooks.net
For those of you unaware of Gary McMahon, you are missing out on one of the hottest horror writers the UK has ever produced. McMahon’s diverse and intense short fiction can be found in many places, but his two-story collection from Screamingdreams entitled Different Skins is perhaps the most memorable. One is a full-out rocking ghost story, the other is a moving and deeply disturbing tale of loss. McMahon is now making the move to fulllength novels with his third book (the first in a trilogy) from his third publisher, with The Concrete Grove. Set in a Northumberland Council hell-estate,
As its title states, this offering from Blood Bound Books, edited by David. C Hayes and Jack Burton, gathers together some of the most extreme and obscene horror out there into one truly sickening volume. Believe me when I say, no taboo is left unscathed and no stone left unturned in this anthology’s quest to turn stomachs. “To Be Filled In By The Subject” by J. Grant takes the form of an official report documenting the effects of various kinds of physical and mental torture on a human test subject. A very innovative approach, its cold indifference makes the tale all the more shocking. Elsewhere there are demons and dismemberments, blood-soaked psycho-killers, demented artists, necrophiliacs, and cannibals. A special mention should go to J.W. Scnarr’s thoroughly disturbing little tale “Frogger,” about a jilted husband with an eighties video game fixation. By C.M. Saunders
THE CONCRETE GROVE By Gary McMahon www.solarisbooks.com