HorrorScope

Review: Assassin by Tom Cain

2009-11-09T21:02:00.000+08:00

Sam Carver is an ex-assassin who did jobs for MI6. He's retired from the game now and advises others who are potential targets. However, an old enemy is setting Carver up by duplicating his modus operandi, first offing a people trafficker in Dubai and then arranging a 'car accident' for a shady financier in the U.S. The race is on as Carver tries to clear his name while on the run, get the woman he loves and stop the American president (an Obama-alike character) from being assassinated.

It's times like this when a reviewer is tempted to dig out all the old cliches - a thrill ride, non-stop action, a real page-turner. In this case, they're true. This book won't change your life or make you see the world in a different light. It will keep you entertained for the couple of hours it takes to rip through the story. Especially towards the end the chapters get quite short and it has a similar effect to a breathless friend trying to blurt out an exciting anecdote.

This is the third book in the Sam Carver series (though no prior knowledge is required to enjoy the story) and the actions scenes are handled slickly. There is a passing nod to the serious issue of people-trafficking, but the thrill of the chase is the thing here. Characterisation is adequate for this style of book and not allowed to get in the way of the plot. In short, Assassin does everything it says on the label. More Clive Cussler than John LeCarre. And sometimes that's enough.

Assassin is published in Australia by Bantam Press.

News: Vincent Lyce's Final Curtain

2009-11-07T12:30:00.003+08:00

Vincent Lyce’s Final Curtain is horror-themed performance that features a mix of comedy, music, and murder served with a delicious dinner. Recently described as “Rocky Horror meets Carry-On”. Ex wives, illegitimate sons, and fans alike will gather to celebrate the illustrious career of Vincent Lyce.

Venue: Queen's Loft, Southbank (Melbourne).

Date: Saturday November 14.

Time 7.30pm (duration ~3 hours).

Bookings $80 (includes a three course dinner designed specifically for the evening).
Call Queens Loft on 9698 8011 (Advance bookings essential)

Full details at http://vincentlyce.com.

Source: Bare Elements Productions

News: Richard Harland's Advanced SF workshop

2009-11-04T21:00:00.000+08:00

Award-winning horror and fantasy author Richard Harland (Worldshaker, The Black Crusade) is running a two-day Advanced Fantasy and Science Fiction workshop at the NSW Writers Centre in December.

The course develops the skills of speculative fiction writing to an advanced level and covers character arcs and creating characters in groups; point of view; first-person narrators; sequencing (the right events in the right order); twists and emotional reversals; pacing; using chapter and section breaks; interactive dialogue; ‘free indirect discourse’; naming; and effective style (especially for action scenes). Also, submitting short stories; presenting a novel-length MS; and gaining access to agents and publishers.

Date: Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, 10am – 4pm
Cost: NSW Writers Centre Members $195, Members’ Concession $165, Non-Members $250

Bookings: NSW Writers Centre.

Source: NSW Writers Centre

News: Ticonderoga Publications book sale

2009-11-04T19:30:00.004+08:00

Western Australian independent SF press Ticonderoga Publications is having an online book sale. The sale runs until 8 November or until stock runs out.

Ticonderoga titles are on sale at 20-25% off the regular price, and free postage is offered (within Australia) for purchases totalling more than $100.

Titles on sale include the second edition of Stephen Dedman's dark collection The Lady of Situations, Magic Dirt, the best of Sean Williams, and the anthologies Fantastic Wonder Stories and The Workers' Paradise.

For details, visit www.indiebooksonline.com and click the 'Specials' link on the right.

Source: Ticonderoga Publications

News: Writers Boot Camp seeking horror scripts

2009-11-04T09:51:00.003+08:00

Writers Boot Camp, a US company that trains screenwriters and television writers, has established monthly $5000 script development fellowships (one each for film and TV scripts), which are "monthly competitions designed to scout and support new writers." This month, Writers Boot Camp is accepting horror film and supernatural TV series projects.

Writers Boot Camp alumni have written or created 30 major movies and at least 100 television series, including Rounders, Blades of Glory, Freaky Friday, Wonderland, Mad Men, Entourage, The Office, Sex and the City, and Burn Notice.

Candidates need the following to apply for a fellowship:

An original idea for a feature film or television series pilot.
One scene (no more than three pages) conveying the entertaining potential of your idea.
A short paragraph on your goals and completed online application with fee.
A commitment of at least 10 hours per week for your creative and writing process through Online Professional Membership.

Fees to submit projects proposals are:

US$54 Evaluation for Film or TV Project
US$75 Evaluation for both Film and TV
US$99 Evaluation for both Film and TV plus all three diversity/inspired categories.

The deadline is November 5 (tomorrow - US Western time zone), so if you have a horror script in development and wish to apply, visit www.writersbootcamp.com/Fellowship, or email Dana@writersbootcamp.com.

Source: Writers Boot Camp

News: World Fantasy Award Winners 2009

2009-11-04T06:33:00.001+08:00

The 2009 World Fantasy Awards were presented at the World Fantasy Convention held in San Jose, California over the weekend. Two Australians were honoured with awards, Margo Lanagan in the category Best Novel (tied result), and Shaun Tan in the category of Best Artist.

World Fantasy Award Winners 2009

Lifetime Achievement: Ellen Asher & Jane Yolen
Best Novel (tie): The Shadow Year, Jeffrey Ford (Morrow) & Tender Morsels, Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin; Knopf)
Best Novella: “If Angels Fight”, Richard Bowes (F&SF 2/08)
Best Short Story: “26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss”, Kij Johnson (Asimov’s 7/08)
Best Anthology: Paper Cities: An Anthology of Urban Fantasy, Ekaterina Sedia, ed. (Senses Five Press)
Best Collection: The Drowned Life, Jeffrey Ford (HarperPerennial)
Best Artist: Shaun Tan
Special Award – Professional: Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant (for Small Beer Press and Big Mouth House)
Special Award – Non-Professional: Michael Walsh (for Howard Waldrop collections from Old Earth Books)

The judges for 2009 were: Jenny Blackford, Peter Heck, Ellen Klages, Chris Roberson & Delia Sherman.

Source: www.worldfantasy2009.org

Review: Ba'al

2009-11-03T16:04:00.003+08:00

Ba’al [aka Ba'al: the Storm God] (US/Canada-2008; dir. Paul Ziller)

Existing somewhere in the vast mid-range of cinematic quality, Ba'al is an entertaining B-film that aspires to originality (or maybe just deviation from the norm of low-budget genre films), even if in the end little is achieved beyond a fairly competent use of its meagre resources. A diverting mix of Indiana Jones-style archeological adventure fantasy, caper thriller and disaster flick, the direct-to-video monster movie at times feels like two films woven somewhat tenuously together -- though to be fair the script strives to divert our attention from the fact that the two character sets involved never meet, one group being confined to a meteorological command centre and only experiencing the larger events of the film via monitor screens.

In the primary plot thread a famous if unstable archeologist masterminds the theft of rare Sumarian scrolls that he plans to use to find and excavate four amulets. These artefacts are not only of great historical value but may hold the key to unleashing a terrible ancient power -- the power of the Storm God Ba'al, exiled from the world for millennia by his more beneficent father, El. Naturally the ethically unstable professor draws into his search a younger, better-looking and more heroic archeologist and a beautiful esoteric-language expert, who together give him the extra information he needs to bring his quest to fruition. With the discovery of each of the amulets, Ba'al gets more powerful, a revitalisation signaled by the sudden appearance of mega-storms that not only draw power from the Van Allen Belt but are sentient, every now and then (when dramatically useful) manifesting a savage face with glowing eyes -- the likeness of Ba'al himself.

There is a minor plotline involved here as the mad archeologist has implicated his younger comrade in the theft and resulting murder and the latter is being hunted by an investigating government agent. This thread doesn't come to much, but it's there to add suspense and variety for a while -- and it does this without much elaboration. It ends quickly when the Federal agent, who has captured the innocent protagonist, comes face-to-face with Ba'al and thereupon decides there may be more to events than he'd been led to believe.

In the second major plot thread a rogue (but spunky) meteorologist tries to convince her typically boneheaded military ex-superiors (why exactly is the military in charge of weather monitoring?) that the mega-storms appearing over various parts of the globe are of apocalyptic potential -- though they only believe her when a surveillance plane is destroyed and vast storms rip through various major cities. As the climax looms, separate mega-storms begin to join up and threaten to plunge the world into total annihilation.

With reasonable acting that only in some instances borders on caricature, Ba'al's narrative drive builds effectively, working an archeological mystery-solving scenario that is vaguely credible, at least in fantasy terms -- even if real archeologists rarely find themselves running around the world furiously digging up ancient relics while being chased by ancient deities. The military/meteorological disaster thread is rather less convincing, partially as a result of the limited budget. If Emmerich's climate-change blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow left you unconvinced politically, the minimalist political decision-making processes of Ba'al certainly aren't going to win you over. But that's the B-film world (whether big-budgeted or not) -- and it lets the plot zoom along with the appearance of an occasional CGI lightning strike, tornado or snarling cumulus deity.

The film does falter somewhat as it nears the end, the narrative threads becoming rather ragged and the solution to the protagonist's problems too easily dealt with. Yet as B-exploitation films go, Ba'al isn't bad at all, being both technically competent and relatively spectacular -- to be scorned if only multi-million dollar digital FX as seamless and detailed as those of Hellboy 2 will do, but more than tolerable for those willing to adjust their expectations according to realistic budgetary possibilities, script flaws notwithstanding.

Reviewed by Robert Hood

Review: Midnight Echo Issue 1

2009-11-02T17:22:00.004+08:00

Review: Midnight Echo Issue One

Midnight Echo is the magazine of the Australian Horror Writer’s Association (AHWA). The inaugural issue is edited by Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond and features sixteen offerings of short fiction, several artworks and one interview.

This issue features an assortment of fiction, from longer length short stories to flash fiction and a poem. Also included is one of the most innovative interviews I’ve read (New Blood: Shell Game: An Encounter with Dave Hoskin by Steven Studach). The reader should also note amongst the fiction Drowning by Alice Godwin, which won the AHWA short story competition.

Overall, the quality of fiction in this issue is impressive, but there are several stories that clearly stand out from the others.

Stephen Dedman’s Broken Images is one of the pieces more grounded in the real world, its story set in New Orleans and revolving around voodoo. The grounding in reality gives this story real impact.

They Live Under the House by Felicity Dowker is a dark little story where the monsters are never revealed. While there is some predictability to the plot that detracts slightly, the hints at hidden darkness are more than enough to make this story stand out.

Honeytime by Brendan Duffy and Andrew Macrae is, perhaps, the most surreal piece in this issue. It reads like a fragment of a nightmare, with some truly disturbing and stomach-turning images that will linger in the reader’s mind long after the magazine has been closed.

Cactus by David Conyers is a story at once grounded in reality and yet completely surreal. One of the most original pieces in the magazine, it displays a mastery of imagery.

Paul Haines' Taniwha, Swim With Me is another story that hints at hidden darkness. Haines has a particular talent for cracking open the walls of reality just enough to show the darkness beyond.

Pale Dark Solider by Deborah Biancotti is another standout. Biancotti writes prose as though it was poetry, manipulating language and reality to create something truly creepy.

The final standout story is one of the shortest in the issue: Martin Livings' Piggies. Livings is a author who has the ability to use very few words and a few striking images to create something that will linger. Don’t eat while reading this one.

Overall, Midnight Echo issue one is a credit to the editors and the AHWA, collecting a group of very talented authors of dark fiction. It’s amazingly good value.

Midnight Echo can be purchased from the AWHA as a pdf or hard copy.

Book Review: Zombies for Zombies

2009-11-02T14:32:00.004+08:00

David P. Murphy, Sourcebooks Inc., 2009

So you've been bitten by a zombie. Bummer. But there's no need to panic. Yes, your life will be undergoing a major transformation, but this doesn't have to be the end-all it once was when the Disaster first hit...

Following a recent unfortunate incident - widely reported - in which Australian horror writer Robert Hood was viciously mauled by zombies, I immediately rushed out to buy myself a copy of Zombies for Zombies, a publication that serves both as a motivational- and a 'life'-skills guide to those making the often painful and confusing transition from life to undeath; chiefly because Rob knows where I live, but also because this handy tome - completely coincidentally set out in the style of (and even visually resembling) the famed Dummies' Guide series - is the guide you want by your side when those weird brain-cravings start to hit.

Among the many aspects of zombie existence covered extensively in this publication are:

* How to dress for your new lifestyle.
* Fitness ideas for keeping you somewhat energetic.
* New skin-care regimes to help ward off that 'rotten flesh' look.
* How to overcome that damned zombie social stigma. And;
* Sex.

You'll also find a wealth of information that may, confusingly, appear at first to be little more than a vast mass of infomercial and product placement, but which is, in fact, Highly Useful Brand Information aimed exclusively at Undead Consumers. Honestly.

Any reviewer mistaking this guide for a work of fiction would no doubt comment upon the 'fact' that the author has managed to inject a genuine sense of unease into this publication, due largely to some deft world-building that goes well beyond the 'same old' established by previous 'apocalyptic' zombie fiction and cinema, as well as via increasingly-common and heavily-veiled 'suggestions', as one progresses through the guide, that all is not as sunny as one might believe in this 'fictional' world. Fortunately, of course, this book is non-fiction, so we can completely discount any comments by the author regarding 'communication failures' at an increasing number of Containment Facilities. Ha-ha-ha. Ahem. Nothing to see here.

Zombies for Zombies is a damn good read (and none of its myriad sponsors have paid me to say that), so run out and buy a copy while you can still run.

Must go. Doorbell. That'll be Rob...

Dymocks Southland Bestselling Horror Titles for October 2009

2009-11-01T15:48:00.002+08:00

Dymocks Southland is a general bookshop in Cheltenham, Victoria, boasting an extensive range of genre stock. Below are listed the top 10 bestselling horror titles for October 2009.

1. Night Watch - Sergei Lukyanenko
2. Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters - Austen / Wilson
3. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies – Austen / Grahame-Smith
4. House of Night (Complete Series) – PC & Kristen Cast
5. Vampire Academy (Complete Series) – Richelle Mead
6. Demons Not Included - Cheyenne McCray
7. Edgar Allen Poe (Collection)
8. Last Motel - Brett McBean
9. Vampire Diaries (Complete Series) - L. J. Smith
10. Evernight – Claudia Gray

Dymocks Southland also publishes Dymensions, a monthly SF, fantasy and horror newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

Cinema Review: The Box.

2009-10-31T15:21:00.001+08:00

Love or hate the work of Richard Kelly, there is no denying this writer/director has had a huge impact on the celluloid world. 2001’s Donnie Darko was the film hundreds of movie geeks the world over had been waiting for: an utterly original dark portrayal of a troubled youth (Jake Gyllenhaal) set in the 80’s that is now a cult phenomenon. Although it borrowed motifs from other films, nobody had seen anything quite like it before. The eccentric editing and camera angles, hallucinatory sequences, and the ability to raise more questions than provide answers all added up to an unforgettable movie experience and is rich enough for many repeat viewings. His follow up Southland Tales is an apocalyptic futuristic film that received less-than-stellar attention, critically and commercially, but does have a small cadre of admirers. It is apparent that with The Box, Kelly is trying to move out of the alternative and somewhat into the mainstream.

But his definition of ‘mainstream’ is probably not what you might think. Aside from having some familiar faces (Cameron Diaz, James Marsden and Frank Langella), this movie is utterly mired in weirdness. Based on Richard Matheson’s short piece Button, Button – things start of subtly creepy and delve into that weird and wonderful dominion where we try to decipher a challenging and complex series of intrigues like a Russian doll piece. And this is a good thing. The Box requires your unmitigated participation. Nothing is overtly ‘done to you’. It’s up to you the viewer to connect the dots and find your own way to revelation.

Norma and Arthur Lewis are happily married suburbanites in 1976 with a young son. They are awoken one night by their doorbell ringing and find nothing but a package that contains a small wooden box with a button on top. Initially, the bearer of the gift disappears, and we are slowly introduced into their lives. Author works for NASA in development; Norma is a teacher with a secret. While somewhat mundane as this progresses, I loved this aspect of it. It’s like taking a short trip inside Richard Kelly’s skull: his own father worked for NASA, and the decade is pulled off with precision: the houses, automobiles, and fashion almost induce aching nostalgia. Of course, the mysterious stranger returns, and informs the couple that if they press the button they will be awarded one million dollars tax-free. The price is that someone that they do not know will die. Simple as that. Except its not, and the consequences are more far reaching than either of them can imagine.

There is a slight carnival feel to The Box. Like King’s Needful Things we have the dark, forbidding stranger that is almost gentlemanly in nature but isn’t altogether human. If you’re familiar with Donnie Darko and Southland Tales you’ll see many of the same faces from those films. Toward the end the same effects are ratcheted up as we cross into other realms of experience. There’s a touch of humor … and the feeling of being in suburbia but ensconced in the otherworldly is hard to describe. Performances are solid, especially those of Cameron Diaz and Frank Langella. The music (composed entirely by Arcade Fire), is used to fantastic effect and becomes a pivotal part of the crescendo toward the end.

Before The Box terminates from our screens, I feel it wise to have one more screening. Richard Kelly has obviously designed it this way and there is still so much to explore …

Review by Matthew Tait

(And a Happy Halloween from me too)!

News: Transcript of the AHWA chat with Clive Barker

2009-10-31T13:47:00.006+08:00

On the 31st October at 1pm, the Australian Horror Writers' Association was honoured to host a special members-only Halloween chat with the legendary Clive Barker at the AHWA Member’s Chat Room (www.australianhorror.com).

Clive Barker is the author of the Books of Blood, The Hellbound Heart, the Books of the Art, the Abarat Quintet, and Mister B. Gone, among many others. Clive has written, directed, and produced movies such as Hellraiser, Nightbreed, Candyman, and Midnight Meat Train. To explore Clive’s work and philosophy, visit his official site Revelations.

This live chat was available to AHWA members only.

A transcript of the chat is now available in the Articles section of the AHWA website.

The AHWA would like to thank Clive Barker for generously giving of his time, and sharing his insights into his own work and the creative process. The association also wishes to thank Chat Room Moderator Felicity Dowker for her excellent facilitation of this online event.

Not yet a member of the AHWA, but interested in participating in future chats with industry guests? Learn more about the benefits of joining the Australian Horror Writers' Association.

Source: AHWA

Review: The Kill Crew by Joseph D'Lacey

2009-10-31T12:29:00.002+08:00

‘The Kill Crew’ (Stonegarden.net Publishing, 2009) is a post-apocalyptic novella from UK horror author Joseph D’Lacey, recent winner of The British Fantasy Society’s Best Newcomer Award.

My review of Joseph’s previous novel, ‘Garbage Man’, stated that, whilst very well written in most parts, it felt like it had been a novella extended with unnecessary filler prose. Such comments were mostly directed at the publisher/editor, but left me wondering what such a tale would have been like as a shortened, tense, breathless read. ‘The Kill Crew’ is a fantastic indication of Joseph’s ability to write in such a format. I barely paused while digesting the unravelling horror in this 80-page tale.

The story is largely centred on Sheri, who narrates the terrible condition she lives through after an apocalyptic event. Sheri and roughly two hundred souls live in a walled-off city block, doing their best to survive and praying eventual nightfall is staved off a little longer. That’s when a handful of the survivors must become ‘Stoppers’, armed with any weapon they can find to leave the block, ‘crewing’, and take down as many ‘Communters’ – zombie-like creatures – as possible, in order to maintain their safety within the block limits. But it is not that simple, because Joseph D’Lacey has a wonderful writing ability to really creep into the minds and circumstances of his characters. Surviving, for Sheri and the others, is becoming increasingly hard. They know they are fighting a war they can’t win, because more and more Commuters seem to be arriving daily.

Then, one night, on a particularly bad mission, everything changes. The Commuters are becoming organised, no longer just wandering shells – much like the vampires in the movie version of ‘I am Legend’ (in the novel they were quite organised). Something strange is happening to them, connected to the growth of black plants that have sprung forth from the apocalyptic fallout.

There is nothing too entirely groundbreaking in the post-apocalyptic side of things. What draws the reader in is the wonderful characterization of Sheri and comrades. They were not soldiers before the apocalyptic event, but they had to quickly turn into them to survive – some can’t though (there is a lottery for crewing if there aren’t enough volunteers), and some cannot live with their knowledge after a crewing, seeing what they could eventually be turned into, resorting to suicide.

As the novella moves on, an increasingly grim mood overwhelms the survivors. They realize their time is running out; it is this opportunity that Sheri and two others seize to tempt fate and see if they can move beyond their usual city limits.

I thoroughly recommend this novella, my confidence in Joseph D’Lacey definitely reinstated. ‘The Kill Crew’ is a gripping read, and will have you wondering just how you would handle yourself if the world suddenly came to an end.

Review by Craig Bezant
(Happy Halloween!)

Review: Paranormal Activity

2009-10-31T10:29:00.005+08:00

Paranormal Activity – Writer/Director Oren Peli. Starring Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat

A ghost story set in suburbia to do to the bedroom what The Blair Witch Project did for the woods. Shot in the same hand-held camera point of view as Blair Witch (but not as shaky, thank god), Paranormal Activity is a truly terrifying invitation into the home of Katie and Micah. A typical young couple, their story is told through the composition of home video footage. Character development is constructed through playful banter and suggestive dialogue, played out as natural as anyone’s home movies would be. Though it seems strange, unexplained events have been happening in their home and in the age where everything is caught on camera, Micah has decided to film at night in hopes of discovering the origin. He teasingly suspects they are haunted and wants to catch a ghost on film. Each evening the camera is set up on a tripod in their bedroom with a full view of the room, capturing the two sleeping. It is here the horror starts.

The camera is set. The lights go off. The couple sleep in bed. This is the normality of everyday life easily assimilative, a truly terrifying scenario that you will dread when the time comes each night. We know something is going to happen and must be an escalation of the previous night. The anticipation of this certainty is the simple and thrilling aspect of this supernatural thriller. After activity happens, the couple watch the tape too. They learn what happens while they sleep after viewing the footage we have just seen, and show us their reactions to it.

Soon they enlist the help of a psychic, used to give the audience the rules and structure of the poltergeist. They are told not to taunt the presence by filming. It enrages it further. And they cannot run, it will follow them as it’s connected to Katie. We learn Katie has been having paranormal experiences most of her life. A brief history of the ghost’s possible source is given although never fully explained. Mystery is key.

Nothing overly original every really happens and there are no big bloody gore scenes. But the tension is always there once the lights are turned off and the couple go to sleep. The performances are believable but it’s not about the acting, not about the effects. It is about the scares. And there’s plenty here. Essential viewing in a cinema where everybody is holding their breath. Destine to long hold a place in horror movie history.

Reviewed by Troy King.

Review: Stephen King – Under The Dome

2009-10-31T08:12:00.006+08:00

Stephen King literally returns to his roots with has latest novel, Under The Dome. The western Maine setting of Chester’s Mill may as well be Lisbon Falls, where he attended school in the mid 1960s; or the Castle Rock of The Dead Zone fame. Long time King fans will enjoy the constant references to such familiar locations as Castle Rock, Harlow, the TR90 (Bag of Bones) and Derry, as well as the Maine Yankee feel. In fact, those with a keen eye will tracks dozens of references to other King stories, even a specific reference to the movie version of The Mist.

Of course Under the Dome is King’s third shot at this story – having lost the original manuscript in 1976 and failed to make the second attempt (The Cannibals) works to his satisfaction. In September King published the first 61 pages of that tale (which is only superficially similar) at his official website. Hardcore King fans will want to read that but it has little real connection with this new novel.

With no warning an invisible Dome descends on Chester’s Mill, separating it from the World, and setting off a series of human interplays that may destroy the town and all in it. As is generally the case with King’s fiction, it is the choices his characters make, under pressure (or not), and the way they respond that will reveal the true horror. The source of the Dome, although a minor part of the tale, is largely irrelevant. The isolation it imposes, which releases the worst impulses of the town megalomaniac, is not.

King is the master of the very long novel, and this is his longest since his apocalyptic masterpiece The Stand. While not to the impossibly high standard of that novel, Under The Dome is one of his King’s better recent offerings – masterfully manipulating a huge cast of characters ranging from the short-order cook living with his Iraq tour of duty guilt, through the tough local newspaperwoman, to a host of dour Yankees – a type the author always portrays so realistically (having lived with them all his life). The antagonist, used car lot owner and petty politician ‘Big Jim’ Rennie, is crooked, manipulative, an egomaniac Christian, and all too believable as he sets about creating a not-so-petty dictatorship. The ka-tet of locals who stand against him, led by the cook, now reinstated as a US Army officer, finds themselves caught in a series of moral dilemmas ordinary enough to present as totally believable, yet dangerous enough to present as life-threatening.

Reminiscent most of King’s Needful Things this novel demonstrates just how thin the veneer of civilisation can be, all the time humanising the horror to the individual level in a manner that shines a light on King’s empathy for the individual. Readers who recall King’s uncanny ability to put readers in the mindset of young teenagers (Stand By Me, It) and even canine characters (Cujo, The Dark Tower) will not be disappointed. In the universe of King tales, the book falls more with The Dead Zone, Dolores Claiborne and Bag of Bones, than say The Shining or Lisey’s Story.

He uses his strong foreshadowing skills, which also assist in suspending any disbelief about the Dome’s origins, to create deep tension from the opening scene – a tension that rapidly escalates to such a level by mid-telling that the reader literally cannot put the book down. Under the Dome delivers a non-stop ghost train ride of emotion as the situation in Chester’s Mill escalates towards the inevitable final confrontations. Fans of dark fiction will enjoy the book; King’s legion of fans will simply gobble it up.

Under The Dome
Stephen King
Hodder, 880pps
To be released 11 November 2009

HorrorScope is delighted to celebrate Halloween with this contribution from very special guest reviewer Rocky Wood.

Melbourne based author Rocky Wood is a Bram Stoker nominated author of non-fiction, and an expert on the works of horror master Stephen King. Wood’s latest book is Stephen King: The Non-Fiction.

Review © Rocky Wood, 2009.

News: Reminder - AHWA Halloween chat with Clive Barker today!

2009-10-31T08:03:00.005+08:00

Members of the Australian Horror Writers Association are reminded there is a special members-only Halloween chat with the legendary Clive Barker today (31st October) at 1pm (Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time). The chat will be hosted at the AHWA Member’s Chat Room at www.australianhorror.com.

Clive is the author of the Books of Blood, The Hellbound Heart, the Books of the Art, the Abarat Quintet, and Mister B. Gone, among many others. Clive has written, directed, and produced movies such as Hellraiser, Nightbreed, Candyman, and Midnight Meat Train. To explore Clive’s work and philosophy, visit his official site Revelations.

This live chat is available to AHWA members only.

Members can join in the chat simply by logging into the members area of the AHWA site and from there accessing the member chat room. The chat will be moderated and every effort will be made to ensure as many members as possible get their chance to ask Clive a question.

AHWA members planning to participate are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the chat room before the event. Queries can be directed to the AHWA chat room manager Felicity Dowker (felicitydowker@hotmail.com), although please allow reasonable time for reply before the chat session. Technical guidance cannot be provided while the chat is in session.

Source: AHWA

News: Within His Reach from Tasmaniac Publications

2009-10-31T07:55:00.001+08:00

Tasmaniac Publications are proud to announce the forthcoming release of Within His Reach by Steve Gerlach!

Arnold Enright has been a prisoner for the past six years, confined to a cell not of his own making. Sentenced to viewing his world's reflection in a mirror and with little hope of escape, he is a man whose whole existence can be measured in feet and inches, his only companion the relentless wheeze of an iron lung.

In this hopeless life of scientific dead-ends, Arnold Enright is left to ponder, to regret, to constantly remember what was, and what might have been. Forever praying for an escape route and a way to end it all, Mr Enright is about to discover his prayers have been answered, but in a way he could never have imagined.

"Within His Reach is a gripping story, reminiscent of a top-drawer Twilight Zone episode. Steve Gerlach grabs you right at the start and holds you breathless until the very last line. I can imagine the spirits of Rod Serling and Charles Beaumont nodding their approval over this powerful novella--it's a terrific piece of work."

--Christopher Conlon, Bram Stoker Award finalist for Midnight on Mourn Street, Starkweather Dreams

~~~

"I've read and enjoyed everything Steve Gerlach has published but I never imagined he had the talent, the soul, and the insight to write a story like Within His Reach. This is a wonderful tribute to Rod Serling --deeply moving, heartbreaking, even. It's an emotional roller-coaster I'll be thinking about for a long time.

I can't recommend it highly enough."

- John R. Little, Bram Stoker Award winning author of Miranda, The Memory Tree and The Gray Zone

Within His Reach
by Steve Gerlach
Introduction by William F. Nolan
Artwork by Alan M. Clark

180 signed & numbered
soft covers
$14 US

26 Lettered hard covers
Leather-bound, slip cased
and signed by
Steve, William and Alan
$80 US - SOLD OUT

Free shipping within the US & AUS

Pre-order now via: bugme@tasmaniacpublications.com for a March 1st 2010 release.

Source: Tasmaniac Publications

News: ScaryMinds review milestone

2009-10-31T07:39:00.003+08:00

ScaryMinds are celebrating! This Australian horror webzine, which is dedicated to critiquing, reviewing and discussing horror fiction, has reached the hundred review milestone! Top this off with two recent interviews with celebrated Australian Dark Genre Authors! Shane Jiraiya Cummings talks about writing in Western Australia and turning professional in The Sharp End of Horror, and Rocky Wood welcomes you to the Kingdom!

Source: Jeff Ritchie

News: Eclecticism #10

2009-10-31T07:30:00.004+08:00

The Eclecticism E-zine reaches double-digits! Friday 30th October 2009 marks the release date of the 10th issue. Time has certainly flown for this Australian-run e-zine!

Issue #10 will feature the theme ‘Inanimate Reanimate’, with contributors Mark McAuliffe, Lynley Stace, Amy Mackiewicz, Sally Houtman, Suzanne Nielson, Alex Walls, Melissa Mercado, Nicholas Messenger, and Dam Frederick Hellmons.

It’s a great read, so be sure to clear your schedule – you don’t need those after-work drinks! Download the free online magazine!

MADE IN AUSTRALIA - INCORPORATING THE WORLD

Source: Craig Bezant

News: Theatre Of Blood opens tonight!

2009-10-30T18:00:00.003+08:00

Sydney's new late-night horror theatre opens tonight at 11pm in the foyer of the Newtown Theatre, bringing us up to the witching hour - and into Halloween! Theatre of Blood!

The first performance is already sold out, but tickets are still available for subsequent Friday nights, including a special show on Friday 13th of November... so get booking!

Theatre of Blood is a late-night horror theatre in the tradition of the Grand Guignol. Each Friday night at 11pm, in the foyer of the Newtown Theatre in Sydney, be thrilled with a one-hour program of three short plays. Every three months, there’s a brand new selection of plays to entertain, titillate and frighten you senseless…

THEATRE OF BLOOD
Season #1 opens October 30th
11pm Friday nights @ Newtown Theatre
Tickets $19 / Concession $15
Bookings: 8507 3034 or clic k here

See the mainstage show at the Newtown Theatre as well and pay only $35 for both shows!*

Come in a gothic or horror costume and pay concession prices!*

Source: Steve Hopley

Review: SAW VI

2009-10-29T15:10:00.000+08:00

Well, here we are again. Another year, another installment in the SAW franchise released around Halloween. It’s hard to believe just how far down the track we’ve come since two little known boys from Melbourne burst into the mainstream in 2004 via their giddy, forcible and ultimately intelligent take on bolstering the horror genre. And let’s not take anything away from them here: the original SAW was a labor of love and showcased what ardor for a certain field can accomplish, giving us all who work in the industry and live in Australia some hope. Leigh Whannel and James Wan were the local boys who made good. I’m sure there are many of you now that swear black and blue you have no time for a SAW film - including the original - but I’m also sure you secretly experience fission when there is the inevitable announcement that another chapter is coming our way.

SAW VI has all the trappings of the previous two films, but this time has a new director at the helm with Kevin Greutert, a novice at being at the top but still someone who has worked extensively before on the franchise in the lower echelons. And this is apparent … in a somewhat positive way. In our sixth outing there are less flash-backs and less music-filmclip techniques like giddy and dramatic white light sequences during scenes of carnage. It all adds up to a much less nauseating experience in my opinion. But that’s not to say that blood is not in abundance; quite the contrary: the archetypal opening game will have you cringing and holding your breath. Human life here is no more sacred than it is in war: the bodies pile up like meat in an abattoir … and many times I wondered how far I’ve evolved as a human being when hardly batting an eye-lid.

Detective Hoffman has come full circle and surfaced as the one to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But as his new game slowly unpeels, so does the trail that leads back to him. While an unexpected survivor emerges from a previous film, John Kramer’s ultimate strategy begins to unfold around the CEO and employees who work for Umbrella Health … an Insurance company that was charged in the past with overseeing Kramer’s claim to battle cancer. Revelations come thick and fast; the content of a bequeathed box is revealed and Kramer’s wife Jill comes to the forefront

There were a couple of perks I found here: for those of you that have a personal aversion to current Western politics and criminal elements of government and huge corporations, watching their predicament can almost give birth to a malign satisfaction. A worthy scourge of the world that was almost deserving of their fate. And let’s face it: I think you really have to hand it to the writers. At times SAW can be mind-bending when trying to follow a coherent narrative. The screenplay was obviously worked to breaking-point trying to keep things consistent. And we have here a franchise that is still pulling in thousands to the big-screen. Many of the monsters who stalked the screens in the eighties have no claim to such fame.

The pitfalls? Again, we are offered nothing that is ultimately new. And nothing that gives credence to the genre we all love so much. In the end, I have the same feeling as I did in my previous review for Sorority Row. If you want to catch a few thrills on Halloween, by all means pay for a ticket. If not, wait for the DVD. If you abhor everything that SAW stands for, perhaps wait for the up-coming Paranormal Activity.

SAW VI is at cinemas everywhere now.

Review by Matthew Tait

Review: Gomorrah (Italy, 2008)

2009-10-27T22:05:00.000+08:00

Directed by Matteo Garrone. Starring Toni Servillo, Salvatore Cantalupo, Gianfelice Imparato

You might think there would be nothing more to say about the culture of organised crime in Italy. Gomorrah manages to inject a little vitality into the gangster flick and come at it from a slightly different angle. Its five stories look at the effect of the mafia on the the grassroots level of society in Naples. It paints a squalid and depressing picture.

Don Ciro's job is to pay families affiliated with the mob who have members in prison. As the situation in his neighbourhood deteriorates, he has trouble identifying who he should be loyal to. When he decides he wants out, he discovers in no uncertain terms that he has to 'buy his life'. Toto is a mere thirteen-year-old boy who is seduced by the glamour of gangster life. He ends up having to make a life and death decision which will affect those close to him. Pasquale is a tailor who decides to moonlight at a Chinese-run clothing factory with drastic results. Two small-time hoods, Marco and Ciro, get ideas above their station, ripping off drug dealers and stealing an arms cache. And finally, there's Franco who runs a toxic waste disposal business and employs new graduate Roberto, whose eyes are opened to the reality of the world.

If all of this sounds confusing, it's not that difficult to follow in the film. All the stories are affecting to some extent. That was the problem for me. I wanted a bit more depth. Any of these stories could have been developed into a full length feature without sacrificing the potency of the story. Perhaps it would have worked better as a mini-series where the stories could have had time to breathe and open out. Still, it's a refreshing antidote to many Hollywood films which manage to condemn the Mob, while glorifying the lifestyle. The last shot of the film is bleak and lingers in the memory, whatever your opinion of the characters involved.

This movie had a run in arthouse cinemas earlier this year and was widely praised. It is a good film, though maybe not the classic it has been breathlessly deemed in some circles. Still, it's worth a look. The Naples tourist authority certainly won't be promoting it anytime soon.

The DVD contains an interview with director Matteo Garrone by David Stratton from ABC1's AT THE MOVIES, deleted scenes, 5 STORIES: a 60-minute making-of documentary , an interview with author Roberto Saviano, cast interviews and the theatrical trailer. It is released in Australia by Madman Entertainment.

Competition: Saw VI and The Box

2009-10-26T23:59:00.000+08:00

HorrorScope is proud to present not one but two competitions for current release horror films. HorrorScope readers can enter the draw to win double passes to the following films:

SAW VI

The story continues after the events of Saw V, where Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) walks out of the glass box and leaves no trails leading to him as Agent Strahm's murderer. Forensics have yet to discover Strahm and his missing body when a young teenager is found to be the latest survivor of the Jigsaw games. The survivor, known as Garett, reveals the circumstances of his trap to Hoffman, who interrogates him. At this point, Hoffman is shocked to find Garett was targeted, even though Garett did nothing wrong in his life to make him a candidate for being "tested". Fearing that he may make himself too obvious or that Garett could soon discover his secret, Hoffman throws him into a vast game in which hopefully his secret will die with Garett. However, we have yet to realize that Garett's role in the games may have an unexpected turn of events in the Saw franchise ...

In cinemas now!

www.saw6film.com

THE BOX

Norma (Cameron Diaz) and Arthur Lewis (James Marsden), a suburban couple with a young child, receive a simple wooden box as a gift that bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. A mysterious stranger delivers the message that the box promises to bestow its owner $1 million with the press of a button. But pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world; someone they don’t know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the cross-hairs of a startling moral dilemma and must face the true nature of their humanity.

In cinemas October 30.

www.iconmovies.com.au/thebox

To enter the drawn, simply email your name, postal address, and the name of the competitions you wish to enter (Saw VI or The Box - or both!) to ozhorrorscope@gmail.com.

Conditions:
1. Closing date October 31.
2. Prizes drawn randomly.
3. Open to Australian residents only.

News: AHWA Halloween chat with Clive Barker

2009-10-26T22:49:00.006+08:00

The Australian Horror Writers Association is delighted to announce a special members-only Halloween chat with the legendary Clive Barker!

Date: Saturday, 31st October (Halloween)

Time: 1pm (ADST) (duration: 1 hour)

Venue: AHWA Member’s Chat Room (www.australianhorror.com)

Clive is the author of the Books of Blood, The Hellbound Heart, the Books of the Art, the Abarat Quintet, and Mister B. Gone, among many others. Clive has written, directed, and produced movies such as Hellraiser, Nightbreed, Candyman, and Midnight Meat Train. To explore Clive’s work and philosophy, visit his official site Revelations.

This live chat is available to AHWA members only. If you are a member and you wish to participate, please RSVP by October 30 to ahwa@australianhorror.com

Members can join in the chat simply by logging into the members area of the AHWA site and from there accessing the member chat room. The chat will be moderated and every effort will be made to ensure as many members as possible get their chance to ask Clive a question.

AHWA members planning to participate are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the chat room before the event. Queries can be directed to the AHWA chat room manager Felicity Dowker (felicitydowker@hotmail.com).

This is a golden opportunity to chat live with a horror legend. If you're an aspiring Australian horror writer, editor, or fan and you're not yet an AHWA member, now is the time to consider joining. Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime event (or any of the upcoming live chats with the biggest names in international horror)! To join AHWA, visit the Membership section of the AHWA site. New memberships will be fast tracked this week to ensure interested new members can join the chat.

[Edit: Chat time amended to 1pm Aus Eastern Daylight Savings Time]

Source: AHWA

News: George Ivanoff at Dymocks Southland

2009-10-26T13:07:00.004+08:00

Local genre author George Ivanoff will be appearing at Dymocks Southland next month, signing copies of his latest book, Gamers' Quest.

Date: Sat 2nd November
Time: 11.30am - 12.30pm
Free Event, no registration necessary
Tel: 03 9584-1245 (ask for Chuck)

George has long been a favourite with genre fans, having published more than 35 novels for YA readers, and many short stories (including for the Doctor Who: Short Trips range) in various speculative genres. Do please join us on the 7th to celebrate George's latest exciting foray into fantastic fiction.