Tag Archives: books

(book) John Saul – Suffer The Children

John Saul (born 1942) is one of my favorite horror authors. His books are numerous and a bit similar to Stephen King works but with one big difference. There are many Saul’s novels that have no happy ending and are pretty bleak and depressive. Also, many of his novels deal with families, children and, how should I put it, ordinary people in ordinary situations that become horror due to some curse or other reason. This time story takes us to little Californian town by the ocean where lives family Conger who were once the richest and most influential family of that time. But, there is a curse on that family which involves suicide, accidental death, eerie family portrait and two daughters who roam at night through the woods and in the ancient cave. Then children start to disappear and something evil lurks around.

Book is divided into three parts, kind of intro, past and present represented in last two or three chapters. This is a slow one, with couple of gory scenes and kind of sad ending, not to spoil it right now. This is not Saul’s best work in my opinion from what I read until now, but it is a decent horror novel. No nudity, a little gore and mainly suspense and mistery. Okay one.

(book) Blood Fire Death – The Swedish Metal Story

I wanted to get my paws on this one for a long time. Thanks to Rockmark Zagreb, I ordered my copy and got it, read it in less than a week. This book written by long time journalists Ika Johannesson and Jon Jefferson Klingberg came as something of a surprise for me. I thought that this will be another history of metal scene, from its start to nowadays, but boy was I surprised. This book consists of chapters which are stories for themselves about some of the most known or infamous members of the Swedish metal scene. I will mention the opener, story of Nifelheim twins, then story of Entombed and its divide in two bands, of course dark and impressive late Jon Nodtveidt of Dissection’s story. What would be story about Swedish metal without Dead of Morbid and Mayhem who ended his life in 1991 and is an icon of black metal scene. One of the absolute highlights for me was also story of Niklas Kvarforth and his Shining, his disappearance, the infamous gig with new singer Ghoul hehe, misantrophy and hatred. The book ends with story of melodic metal from more known bands like Hammerfall and Sabaton to less known underground power metal. Last chapter is Watain, band which I respect very much and who keep the flame of black metal burning bright. I recommend this book to all metalheads out there but also the ones who love extreme music and interesting stories.

(book review) Lonely Boy – Tales from a Sex Pistol

I admit that punk rock 77 style and all those early bands except maybe Damned are not my thing, nor they have ever been. I grew up into more of California skate punk and hardcore bands, and all that British punk legends were just too boring and slow with their punk rock anthems and disgusting vocals, like Johhny Rotten, singer of Sex Pistols, his goat like singing is still something that makes me puke.

So, I decided to learn more and get this book, written by guitarist of Sex Pistols, one of the most known and legendary first wave punk bands ever. In this book, he deals with his life, from upbringing as poor boy, lonely and abused, to playing with Pistols and all the wild years of punk, drugs and rock n roll, to his later work and bringing himself up from the gutter to host popular radio show and deliver some solo work and guest guitar playing to some of the biggest rock stars. Book is divided into three parts, before Pistols, during and after. What I do mind about this man is total rock star attitude, spitting on all punk ideals and proclaiming that all punks who stick to the ideals and free philosophy are losers and that all is about money and nothing is about music. The guy is obnoxious, full of himself and I totally dislike him. But, like they say, never trust a junkie, huh? Okay book about an asshole who has illusions of grandeur.