This webzine is full of Graham Masterton book reviews. The reason is that I love this horror author so much and I read really a lot of his novels, almost everything he wrote. Well, the time has come for ‘The Pariah’ to be read and grace the pages of this webzine. John Trenton lives in Granitehead, a little New England place near famous Salem, where all those witch trials took place and people were executed. John lost his wife Jane and unborn son in a tragic accident short while ago. But, Jane is not lost and somehow connects with John and talks to him through her scary apparitions. John has an antique store and buys a painting of long lost ship called ‘David Dark’ which apparently sunk in the waters near Granitehead. John realizes that he is not the only one who sees dead relatives in Granitehead and grisly deaths start to happen to those who see the dead. John realizes with help of local historians that there is something in the sunken ship which causes dead to rise and must try to stop it.
I can safely say that this one is one of Masterton’s best works I have read yet and I have read many believe me. This is constant chilling atmosphere, grey New England is a perfect place for horror to happen and finale is just epic and fighting the demon is something best I have read ever. John and other characters are fluidly written, there is no filler pages or boring parts that you read in order to get to the interesting ones again. No, this one is tour de force in horror novel. There are some really gory parts and there are some explicit sexual parts like we are used to with Masterton works. This is a mixture of gothic ghost story, demons, gore and walking dead. Just perfect!
Earth Island Books continues to amaze with great book releases with roots in punk rock and hardcore scene. This time, it is a collection of essays by Ray Stuart, guy who grew up in punk rock scene writing fanzines, reading, traveling and this book is a train of thoughts. Ray is actually describing situation in UK in last couple of years from his personal point of view, his stand about UK’s main themes like education, religion, Boris Johnson, Brexit, NHS, Covid lockdown and death of Queen Elizabeth and new King Charles and so on. I know, essays sometimes are boring to read but this collection is so personal, so great to read just like I am reading a fanzine with personal and political features in it. I learned a lot about the author through these essays and the book itself. So, it is time for you to check this one out and read for yourself some food for thoughts. Good one indeed.
Many of you who read this webzine will know already that I love horror in movies, as well in literature. Graham Masterton is besides King, John Saul, James Herbert and Dean Koontz one of my favorite horror authors. I just finished another one of his books and it is an awesome read about Japanese demon Tengu, the strongest of Japanese demons and crazy secret organization bent on revenge for Hiroshima and Nagasaki, trying to bring havoc with super soldiers possessed by this demon and couple of people trying to stop them before it is too late. The book is a mixture of body horror, maniacally murdering mayhem and gore with classic intense political thriller with horror elements. I love Masterton’s writing, how his novels are quick and fluid and easy to read, but at the same time intense and hard to let go once you start to read them. I especially love bleak and dark atmosphere that goes throughout this book and the ending is done very well. I recommend this one although it is not one of his top three books.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 