Ed Crocker (Author of Lightfall)

Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing Dark Bloom by Molly Macabre (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dark Bloom, a character-driven zombie apocalypse horror with a focus on the two protagonists’ journey of trauma and healing, has two intriguing ideas going for it. The first is laughing zombies—oh, I see I have your attention—and the second is the id ...more
Aug 19, 2025 09:12AM · 2 likes · like · see review
Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing Demon's Tear by R.E. Sanders (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Demon’s Tear by R E Sanders reminded me of a successful blind date on a runaway train. It took some risks, I wasn’t sure where it was going, but it all came together beautifully and now I want more. It begins as a fairly standard military epic fantasy ...more
Aug 05, 2025 10:16AM · 1 like · like · see review
Ed Crocker and 3 other people liked Trinity's review of Lightfall (The Everlands Trilogy, #1): "I am obsessed with vampires and Jay Kristoff. Tell me a book is similar to Empire of the Vampire and I am already sold. Now, a world where humans no longer exist and the vampires are fighting to survive... even better. Ed did not let me down. While th" Read more of this review »
Jul 20, 2025 06:21PM · see review
Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing The Gryphon King (The Chaos Constellation, #1) by Sara Omer (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Fantasy is mad, isn’t it. Take The Gryphon King, the first instalment in the new dark epic fantasy trilogy ‘The Chaos Constellation’, out from Titan on July 8. Only in such a genre can you go from reading about a blade-wielding princess on a carnivor ...more
Jul 11, 2025 04:26AM · 7 likes · like · see review
Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing We Like It Cherry by Jacy Morris (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Arctic survival horror is its own terrifying niche, as exemplified by excellent efforts such as The Terror by Dan Simmons or (Ant)arctic stunner All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes. Its common themes are brutal conditions (nice toes, shame if you los ...more
Jun 30, 2025 09:37AM · 2 likes · like · see review
Ed Crocker answered Jeremy Britton's question: When can we expect the second installment of the Everlands? Thanks for your question Jeremy. Release date hasn't been announced or confirmed yet, but I'm hoping for some time in 2026...
Jun 22, 2025 04:01PM · 1 like · like
Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing Death of a Clown by Catherine McCarthy (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Welsh horror author Catherine McCarthy is always unpredictable. From cosmic folk horror to gothic horror to whatever puzzle box her last novel The Last House on Lacelean Street was, you never know what you’re going to get, but you can be sure it will ...more
Jun 05, 2025 09:41AM · 1 like · like · see review
Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing Parasitic Omens: A Gods of Dallalmar Story by Jessica A. McMinn (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Parasitic Omens, a short novella introduction to the intriguing new gaslamp fantasy horror world of Jessica McMinn (author of the grimdark fantasy series Gardens of War and Wasteland) is one of those stories that, for a certain kind of nerd, tantalis ...more
May 26, 2025 11:38AM · like · see review
Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing I Can Fix Her by Rae Wilde (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Like all great horror authors, the messages of Rae Wilde’s books work for both a specific and a universal audience. From her triumphant revenge tale Merciless Waters through to her resplendently incel-baiting-titled collection I Do Not Apologize for ...more
May 25, 2025 07:59PM · 1 like · like · see review
Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing The Sundowner's Dance by Todd Keisling (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Grief is a powerful theme in horror. So is getting old and facing that consistent dresser the Grim Reaper. And your neighbours being a bit creepy? Classic. Two-time Bram Stoker award-nominated author Todd Keisling’s retirement-community-gone-weird ta ...more
May 22, 2025 11:35AM · 3 likes · like · see review

Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing

Dark Bloom
by Molly Macabre (Goodreads Author)

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Dark Bloom, a character-driven zombie apocalypse horror with a focus on the two protagonists’ journey of trauma and healing, has two intriguing ideas going for it. The first is laughing zombies—oh, I see I have your attention—and the second is the id Dark Bloom, a character-driven zombie apocalypse horror with a focus on the two protagonists’ journey of trauma and healing, has two intriguing ideas going for it. The first is laughing zombies—oh, I see I have your attention—and the second is the idea that life before a zombie outbreak might not be that great for everyone and the life that comes after, while terrifying in other ways, might, just might offer some kind of redemption and recovery. I don’t know what you call this trope—"the apocalypse was good for me?”— but I always like it, and here it’s done brilliantly, and in this creepy giggling-zombie-infected landscape a pair of brilliant character studies showcase a strong debut from a really exciting new horror talent.

The two characters in question are Kate, who pre-outbreak has suffered almost unimaginable trauma at the hands of her sadistic abusive boyfriend, and Nick, a marine haunted by the sights of war and his guilt of actions during it. Kate has an understandable total loss of trust in men, and severe self-esteem issues; Nick, though initially seeming like your typical strong, silent ready for the apocalypse warrior, is soon evidently in need of a self-perceived redemption. Macabre examines these traumas skilfully, convincingly and intensely, and the nervous chapters where they meet and Kate must warily work out whether and how to trust Nick, while Nick himself slowly navigates how to behave around someone with clear trust issues, are compelling and well written. And the flashbacks to pre-outbreak, particularly for Kate, are deeply disturbing; Macabre does not flinch from the horrors just as she lingers on the healing from them.

But if you’re thinking this a pure character study with a zombie outbreak as coincidental backdrop, be assured that though Kate and Nick’s journey of healing is very much front and centre, it takes place amid a fast-paced, action-packed journey of seeking safety through the wilds of zombie America, in the mold of The Walking Dead’s “oh look, here’s a new bunch of humans, wonder when that will go wrong” template but instead of stretched out till it tests your patience (take that, successful TV show) it’s given a vibrant, edge-of-your-seat feel to it as you wonder who will get these new groups first, the zombies or each other. Achieving this balance of deep character trauma study with tense, whiplash-paced action is no mean feat, especially for a first book, and speaks of huge promise for this author.

As for the zombies themselves, who I teasingly referenced earlier, they are extremely creepy—weird stilted limbs, a sense of cunning and the genuinely unnerving habit of laughing as they chase you, and Macabre proves deft at writing impactful violence and gore. There’s some intriguing hints as to deeper strategy behind the infected, and like a lot of zombie tales I wish we’d got a bit more of this than hints, but I can’t fault Macabre for keeping the spotlight on Nick and Kate when their journeys are so well crafted.

Overall, this is a startlingly effective debut that perfectly balances fast-paced zombie apocalypse action with a compelling tale of trauma and healing. The horrors are blooming, but so, on this evidence, will Macabre’s writing career. ...more

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Demon's Tear
by R.E. Sanders (Goodreads Author)

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Demon’s Tear by R E Sanders reminded me of a successful blind date on a runaway train. It took some risks, I wasn’t sure where it was going, but it all came together beautifully and now I want more.

It begins as a fairly standard military epic fantasy Demon’s Tear by R E Sanders reminded me of a successful blind date on a runaway train. It took some risks, I wasn’t sure where it was going, but it all came together beautifully and now I want more.

It begins as a fairly standard military epic fantasy with a compelling set up: the country of Banahgar, one of the many varied kingdoms in the Jantakai, or Land of the Twin Swords, is isolated from the rest, and living its best life with a sort of Gaelic/Scandinavian-inspired people. It has a military whose different divisions have glorious names like Claihedehmore and Claihed and Sverlaeggare, and the people really like their swords, and I mean really like their swords. The warriors all have “Sword-Names” like The Dusk Wolf and The Bear’s Claws and The Moon’s Balls (one of which I might have made up). The author is clearly obsessed with swords, and this comes across brilliantly on the page, with move-by-move sword fights that you suspect the author could pull off in real life and characters described as changing their hold on a greatsword so they can wield it more effectively in a small room.

Into this sword-loving mix comes Eain Connow. Currently in charge of shaping up new recruits to be hardy warriors, but plagued by his family legacy of his grandfather being a traitor, he’s faced with the ultimate challenge when Banahgar is invaded by their old foes down south, and he must escort his charges up north to warn the country. At this point I thought I knew what I expected: a Bernard Cornwell-style entertaining romp in a high fantasy land. Eain would prove himself against the invaders! Banahgar would prevail (eventually).

But then… Sanders does something interesting. He goes wide, and switches narrative, not once but over and over again, showing us many of the other countries of the Land of the Twin Swords, and many of its characters, interweaving plots left, right and centre, and building up a larger Wheel of Time-esque plot involving (among others): the eponymous Demon’s Tear, a powerful gem an ancient demon needs to cement its comeback; the thieves who’ve stolen the gem; the heroes who will eventually come to protect them; and a whole other bunch of characters who they all encounter on their journey (and that’s not to mention the occasional scenes back in Banahgar of course).

It’s a bold choice—especially as, although this is not his debut, he’s still very early career—and in the hands of a less confident author, it would have ended up messy and convoluted, and wishing we’d stayed with those sword-loving folk in Banahgar. But you know what? I absolutely loved it. For three main reasons.

First, this is a fascinating world. Across the varied country alliances that make up The Land of the Twin Swords, Sanders inserts wild elves, dwarves, forest people, giants, and just enough mythology around them to make us desperate to find out more, and then in human terms paints some very distinct lands, including one which I’m pretty sure (note: not that sure) is meant to be Welsh-inspired, which you don’t see that much.

Second, Sanders doesn’t just take risks with the jumping around, he takes risks with the pace; for a long segment of the book the action just stops completely so a main character can get over their post traumatic stress in a farmhouse full of disparate folk; fifty pages of cosy fantasy just randomly inserted, but it works.

Third, Sanders is just a great storyteller. Whether it’s the frequent tales of the world characters tell round a campfire or the small scenes of characters who don’t appear much but you feel will appear a lot in subsequent books, Sanders is never boring, at once economical with the prose so the pace is fast but also able to focus on a character’s development beats when he needs to. It’s a great balance.

And then, just as I wondered if we weren’t bouncing around a bit too much, he brings many of the threads together in a fun ending involving a town ruled by gangs and the thieves attempting to play them off against each other, completing the book’s move from military fantasy to magic fantasy all the way to Locke Lamora. Let’s get this straight, this is clearly a first book in a series setting up the bigger plotlines for the next one. But when it’s this much fun? I’m fine with that.

Overall, this is a devilishly ambitious sweeping fantasy epic, part Wheel of Time, part Bernard Cornwell, whose numerous moving parts are kept from collapsing by Sanders’ secret weapon: he’s a seriously great storyteller. An addictive start to a promising series. ...more

Ed Crocker and 3 other people liked Trinity's review of Lightfall (The Everlands Trilogy, #1):

"I am obsessed with vampires and Jay Kristoff. Tell me a book is similar to Empire of the Vampire and I am already sold. Now, a world where humans no longer exist and the vampires are fighting to survive... even better.

Ed did not let me down. While th" Read more of this review »

Ed Crocker rated a book it was amazing

The Gryphon King (The Chaos Constellation, #1)
by Sara Omer (Goodreads Author)

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Fantasy is mad, isn’t it. Take The Gryphon King, the first instalment in the new dark epic fantasy trilogy ‘The Chaos Constellation’, out from Titan on July 8. Only in such a genre can you go from reading about a blade-wielding princess on a carnivor Fantasy is mad, isn’t it. Take The Gryphon King, the first instalment in the new dark epic fantasy trilogy ‘The Chaos Constellation’, out from Titan on July 8. Only in such a genre can you go from reading about a blade-wielding princess on a carnivorous pegasus—in essence a flying murder horse—to being embroiled in the kind of intriguing court politics and plotting that requires 44 entries in the character glossary (I counted).

With this new series, debut author Sara Omer, on record as being inspired by previous epics such as George R R Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books and Samantha Shannan’s Roots of Chaos duology, has decided she wants it all: the monsters, the myths, the court politics, the bi/sapphic/poly slow burn, the battles, the lengthy meal descriptions. But rather than collapsing under its own heady ambitions, The Gryphon King soars into the air like one of its murder horses, offering one of the most original and exhilarating fantasy experiences you’ll have this year.

The plot, heavily inspired by both the myths and history of Southwest Asia, particularly its Turkic peoples, concerns Bataar, known as the Gryphon King, so named after his unlikely defeat of a terrifying gryphon as a teenager which is described in a terrifically tense opening scene. In adult form he is an unstoppable conqueror whose armies expand across the continent, from the Red Steppe of his home to the mighty Ottoman-flavoured eastern kingdom of Dumakra. Despite his successful invasion of its capital, he must now contend with the harpy knights, the irrepressible daughters and attack guard of the previous ruler who ride the pegasuses you met in my opening paragraph. Nohra in particular seeks to get revenge on Bataar for her father’s death, but when monsters and plotters attack the kingdom, she must work together with her enemy while dealing with her mixed feelings for him.

One of the many impressive things about The Gryphon King is how the mix of monster-fighting action with royal court shenanigans is never jarring and balanced well. The monster scenes are electric and written with a kinetic sense of tension and violence any time the gryphons descend from the skies (other monsters of a demonic and seafaring nature also appear, thrillingly) and battle scenes are well-choregraphed awe-inducing spectacles—how can they not be with harpy knights on pegasuses swooping down with sickle blades on the infantry below?

The court scenes, meanwhile, are fascinating, particularly as this is not your old Western royal court but one inspired by the Ottoman harems, i.e. the Sultan’s royal family that included not just his multiple wives and their children but also his concubines and their children. These scenes are also enhanced by an admirable dedication to building the visual sense of an extravagant court life. A good example being one obsessively described meal featuring “cubes of jelly flavoured like roses and pomegranate […] covered in powdery sugar”, “orange yolks glistening in bread bowls full of melted cheese”, “cuts of lamb in a gingery sauce”, and “scoops of ice cream in copper bowls topped with chopped pistachio and drizzles of honey”, and… [okay Ed, we get it, you were hungry when you read that scene]. It’s not just food though; there is a rich tapestry of lore, inspired by Islamic and pre-Islamic mythology and religion. This is immersive epic fantasy.

But the characters in The Gryphon King are a success, too, thanks to a pleasing sense of moral ambiguity immersed with sensuality. Take the two POVs. Bataar is spurred on by the injustices meted out to his people and the wish for peace and a better world. But as usual with such world-conquering figures, bloodshed follows him, and his POV is a tantalising mix of kindness and intelligence with ruthless calculation. Pegasus-riding Nohra meanwhile is vengeance personified, an unstoppable force, yet Omer breaks down her barriers in brief but electric scenes of sapphic tension between her and Bataar’s wife Qaira, a slow burn plotline which will surely explode in book 2 and raises the possibility of an f/f/m poly situation, and if you’re confused at this point I have no doubt Omer is here to educate you. Sexuality is fluid, reflecting not just the historical reality of the empires that inspired this series—being straight, historically, is very late—but a desire to use these relationships to build character and subtlety and give us warmth amongst the darkness.

Overall, The Gryphon King is a majestic melting pot of monsters, Machiavellian moves, moral murkiness, and mouthwatering meals that is a fantastic advert for the power of immersive epic fantasy. A showstopping debut. ...more

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We Like It Cherry
by Jacy Morris (Goodreads Author)

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Arctic survival horror is its own terrifying niche, as exemplified by excellent efforts such as The Terror by Dan Simmons or (Ant)arctic stunner All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes. Its common themes are brutal conditions (nice toes, shame if you los Arctic survival horror is its own terrifying niche, as exemplified by excellent efforts such as The Terror by Dan Simmons or (Ant)arctic stunner All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes. Its common themes are brutal conditions (nice toes, shame if you lost them) and a thrilling race for survival mixed with often surreal supernatural elements and questions of race, culture, and identity. We Like It Cherry by Jacy Morris, out 31 July, has all these elements, but is at once its own thing and has found its perfect home with horror indie press Tenebrous, the pioneers and provocateurs of the Weird in horror. And thus we have a frankly glorious creation; at once a harrowing, thrilling tale of survival in an utterly unforgiving landscape whole also a mind-altering, surreal fable of what is important in life and how a completely alien society can help us find it.

The plot concerns Ezra Montblanc, who hosts a reality series Indigenous Insider, where he immerses himself in the cultures of various indigenous tribes. Despite his initial ambitions it’s quickly become clear this is a cynical enterprise, and moreover Ezra, in a relationship with his cameraman Stu, fears the consequence to his fanbase of coming out as gay. After a chance encounter with a member of the Winoquin tribe, who live an undisturbed existence in a remote part of the Arctic, he is invited with his documentary team to witness a rare ritual on a remote glacier. But the chance of a lifetime soon turns into a race for survival for him and his team against a supernatural horror bent on revenge.

The first thing to say is that this tale is unspeakably tense. From the moment they arrive on the glacier–following a marvellously nerve-wracking scene simply to access it—things go downhill very fast, and each page is a new descent into breath-stealing horror, both of the utterly gory kind (no spoilers, but consider the title) but also of the sheer brutal sense of the environment. The cold here seeps out of the page and into your bones, and Morris doesn’t shy away from vividly painting its effects, even as he’s busy with the most outlandish forms of gore and slasher-esque action.

But, perhaps most impressively, Morris maintains this perfect balance between the thrills and the utterly impressive and alien sense of a different world and different culture, with values we cannot understand but, in some sense, possibly should. The Winoquin find our concepts of the desire for fame, the shame of love, the individualism of society, even the grief of death, utterly bizarre and have no time for them, and Morris expertly weaves this sense of a culture and philosophy clash among the frantic survival horror and surreal supernatural elements. Yes, there is a sense of revenge and Western guilt here; the glacier won’t exist soon due to climate change, and nor will their nearby lands, but more than that, there is a sense of the ending of something, and of the need to understand that before it goes.

This leads to some of the book’s best scenes, where our protagonist Ezra, realising, possibly too late, the utter falsity of his life pre-glacier, is forced to deconstruct all the social constructs of the West even as he is battling against the supernatural and the cold in one of the year’s most brutal and awe-inspiring settings. If you can spare some time from being utterly engrossed in the increasingly desperate race for survival, then you may well start questioning your own life and values—I certainly did—and be thankful you don’t have to risk your toes, or your existence, to do so.

A near-perfect survival horror, as nail-bitingly tense as it is body-bitingly gory, elevated further by the questions it asks of Western identity and its fake social constructs. Genuinely unmissable. ...more

Ed Crocker answered Jeremy Britton's question:

When can we expect the second installment of the Everlands?

Thanks for your question Jeremy. Release date hasn't been announced or confirmed yet, but I'm hoping for some time in 2026...

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Death of a Clown
by Catherine McCarthy (Goodreads Author)

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Welsh horror author Catherine McCarthy is always unpredictable. From cosmic folk horror to gothic horror to whatever puzzle box her last novel The Last House on Lacelean Street was, you never know what you’re going to get, but you can be sure it will Welsh horror author Catherine McCarthy is always unpredictable. From cosmic folk horror to gothic horror to whatever puzzle box her last novel The Last House on Lacelean Street was, you never know what you’re going to get, but you can be sure it will throb with a vivid sense of atmosphere and a keen sense of humanity. But with Death of a Clown, out now from Sobelo Books, McCarthy has ventured from horror to literary dark fantasy. However, her horror fans need not fear: while the chills have gone, this is a gloriously imaginative triumph, maybe her crowning glory yet, and one that will only fail to move you if your heart has been replaced by a particularly obtuse brick.

The story concerns Chester Brown, a clown raised in a clown society and a clown quarter of an alternative London, destined to perform. Only problem is, he doesn’t want the life anymore—the performing, the humour, the culture—and seeks to start afresh. With the help of a mysterious journal he finds, he leaves his clown life behind on the journey of a lifetime to travel the cultural heart of Europe to try and see if he can really reshape his destiny or else be trapped by his origins.

As you can probably guess by my attempted plot summary there, this is a journey of self-discovery and freedom from an oppressive life that you no longer feel—or never really felt—truly a part of, and McCarthy is a perfect author for such a tale. Her language is clear yet wonderfully evocative and descriptive, and the constant dance between dark poignancy and warm hope that characterises much of her writing makes Chester a character you will root for and be fascinated by.

It’s the choice of this alternate world clown society that also sets this book apart. On the one hand, you might think the use of clown worldbuilding – the sacred church of razzmatazz, the clown god Cholly, the scared order of tragicomedy, the clown quarter of London, next to the magician’s quarter—is at odds with a subtle, serious dark fantasy of self-discovery, and can only be played for laughs. But of course, as McCarthy explores in depth here, humour has always been allied with tragedy—as the term tragicomedy implies—and it’s McCarthy’s use of a humour-filled society rather than a dour one that aptly shows how it’s not the tone that’s important, it’s the sense of freedom from dogma or forced culture that matters. This clown society might be constantly laughing, but it’s a warped form of repressive humour, the opposite to true wit, and she smartly shows how even a society free from literally imprisoning you can feel like a prison of conformity.

It reminded me of the joke about a clown—stop me if you’ve almost certainly heard this one before—who goes to the doctor about his depression. “The great clown Grimaldi is in town tonight,” the doctor says, “Go and see him! That should sort you out.” The man bursts into tears. “But doctor,” he says, “I am Grimaldi.” Chester’s condition is Grimaldi’s and all the jokes in the world can’t free him from a life he doesn’t belong.

Another clever move is that we see firsthand Chester’s attempts at a new career – writing—in the form of a selection of his stories that break up the main narrative. From the sinister—a repressive society where questions are banned unless you want your mouth to be stitched—to the poetic—a character discovers their father was a tree (I might have described that too matter-of-factly) these reflect the themes of conformity, self expression, and rebirth that the book is about and also, rather wonderfully, reflect the changing emotions of Chester himself. As he starts to hope he can change and even hope he might find love, the tenor of the stories change, a subtle and wonderful narrative device.

As the second half of the book moves away from his prison to his journey, we our immersed in the culture and romance of the renaissance heart of Europe. Paris and Florence, those bastions of the arts, are evocatively described, and I felt as though as I was in some dream version of them, a gentle paradise of cultural possibility. McCarthy skips between artists real and imagined to paint the canvass of Chester’s self discovery, all the while seeding the intriguing mystery of who wrote the journal that has directed Chester’s journey and what his aims are. These are breathless, beautiful, wonderful chapters, with a compelling romance at the core, concerned with of the joy of immersing yourself in a new world and culture and suggesting that ultimately, the only person who can change yourself is you.

Overall, it’s impossible not to be deeply moved and inimitably inspired by the journey of self-discovery of Chester Brown the conflicted clown. McCarthy’s foray into literary dark fantasy has only reinforced her label as a rising star of British speculative fiction. ...more

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Parasitic Omens: A Gods of Dallalmar Story
by Jessica A. McMinn (Goodreads Author)

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Parasitic Omens, a short novella introduction to the intriguing new gaslamp fantasy horror world of Jessica McMinn (author of the grimdark fantasy series Gardens of War and Wasteland) is one of those stories that, for a certain kind of nerd, tantalis Parasitic Omens, a short novella introduction to the intriguing new gaslamp fantasy horror world of Jessica McMinn (author of the grimdark fantasy series Gardens of War and Wasteland) is one of those stories that, for a certain kind of nerd, tantalises with the comparisons. The author describes it as for fans of TV's Supernatural and From Software's cult classic video game, Bloodborne. As an uber fan of the first and someone who respects the vibe of the second while never having been good enough to master the gruelling game mechanics to actually play it, I was more excited than a rat who’s won a holiday in a cheese tower block. A read of the synopsis brought two more comps to mind: the Witcher (a game series I am good enough to play) and The Dresden Files, albeit a more eldritch version of the urban fantasy detective series. That’s a lot of great comparisons, and often with such things disappointment awaits. But boy has McMinn knocked this ball of body parts and viscera straight out of the haunted park.

The plot concerns the town of Copperton, an town of the occult and the monstrous in which the creature investigator and permanently broke Lawrence Reed plies his trade. When he’s faced with the mystery of a girl found dead in the forest with something previously undiscovered having crawled out of her, he decides, against the advice of his colleague, to proceed with the investigation, which threatens to take him to some pretty dark places and seriously violent ends.

The first thing to say is that this is a prime example of how to establish a vivid, grim, fleshed out world (the emphasis on flesh) in a short page length. From the grime of Lawrence’s and the population's living conditions to the catalogue of creatures he’s investigated previously to the sense of doom-laden atmosphere that stalks this semi-forsaken land, this is wickedly efficient and impressive worldbuilding. I could really see myself riding around as Geralt of Riveria being told to investigate the presence at the local manor by a concerned peasant with just enough coin to hire a Witcher.

McMinn also leaves a mark with her protagonist. As any good noir/urban fantasy/mystery writer knows, there is something gold in the concept of a private eye character, on the edge of penniless, desperately needing that good-paying job while also wanting to do right by that moral instinct eating at him. It’s narrative heroin, but also easy to descend into cliché. McMinn steers it well into the path of complexity rather than caricature, and I was genuinely desperate for the long-suffering Lawrence to get his due. The subtle antagonistic-friendly push and pull of his relationship with the woman he procures jobs from is nicely done too, as is the appearance of a feisty, deftly written fae character who I can’t say much about with spoilers but I expect to become a firm fan favourite if we see this series blossom.

But many readers will be here for the horrors as well as the characters, and McMinn does not disappoint on these grounds either. Mutilated bodies are vividly described; hellish, eldritch creatures make haunting appearances, and the lingering sense of cosmic unease hangs over it all, with themes of the evils of humans as well as monsters ever-present. I desperately want to see what horrors McMinn has in her toolbox for future efforts—someone petition her for the next one to be a full-length novel (the use of “0.5” for the novella’s full description suggests my wish may be granted).

A manual for how to do a fantasy horror mystery right, Parasitic Omens is the eldritch-flavoured amalgamation of the Dresden Files and the Witcher you didn’t know you needed. I want a full length novel of this series more than I want the knees of a 25-year-old. ...more

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I Can Fix Her
by Rae Wilde (Goodreads Author)

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Like all great horror authors, the messages of Rae Wilde’s books work for both a specific and a universal audience. From her triumphant revenge tale Merciless Waters through to her resplendently incel-baiting-titled collection I Do Not Apologize for Like all great horror authors, the messages of Rae Wilde’s books work for both a specific and a universal audience. From her triumphant revenge tale Merciless Waters through to her resplendently incel-baiting-titled collection I Do Not Apologize for My Position on Men, Wilde has developed, through her queer horror, an unapologetic, raw, feminism which examines the freedom that comes with being allowed to be imperfect. But Wilde’s work has also covered universal themes of rage and love and self-hatred. Nowhere is this more true than her latest effort, I Can Fix Her, out from Clash Books June 3, a literary horror time-travel lens into a toxic queer relationship trapped in a grim space-time purgatory that also functions as a trauma-hallucinogen thought experiment for anyone, queer or not, who’s wasted part of their life trying to love or be loved in a relationship that all your friends know is inexplicable masochism. This one really fucked me up, and I love it deeply for that.

It begins with Johnny spotting her ex-girlfriend, Alice, at the local café, complete with a sense of déjà vu. Angry about their break-up, she’s compelled to give her ex a second chance and soon she’s back at Alice’s apartment. What happens next is a week, all spent in the apartment, where it quickly becomes clear that nothing is what it seems, reality is not behaving normally, and Johnny’s goal of changing the toxic cycle that drives their relationship will be harder to achieve than she realised.

I don’t know if I’ve given that plot justice, but rest assured, I Can Fix Her is not just two people talking about their relationship for a week, although given Wilde’s sublime prose and dialogue I’d still read that book in a shot. Rather, it’s a perverse cyclone of fever nightmare logic, symbolic imagery whose cleverness won’t become apparent until you’ve read the denouement, ultra visceral gore, and a descent into cosmic madness. I imagined much of it like the scene from the film Inception where dream logic is introduced and buildings arch into the sky at impossible angles, complete with Hans Zimmer horns blaring out the sapphic chain of self destruction.

But if that sounds too abstract, be assured there’s a distinct theme tunnelling its way through I Can Fix Her like a possessed tapeworm: how one person in a relationship can hammer their head against the other, desperate to change them, unwilling to see their own self-hatred, unwilling to accept that the only change is to leave. Wilde has ruthlessly identified how pathological this form of relationship is; how perverse it can be; how it turns love into this violent, self-immolating thing that defies sense. If you know you know, and this book’s coming for you. That said, it’s a mistake to make it too universal and forget this is a sapphic relationship. These women are fucking up in plain sight—that’s the point. Queer women will see further angles than I as Captain Straight of the USS Man did. Nonetheless, this book captured my past sins more than anything I’ve read for a while, regardless of the author’s intent.

And then there’s the denouement, which ties things up narratively and thematically. As much as I loved what prefaced it, I needed this ending—a cold, clear-eyed, heartbreaking counterpoint to the abstract madness before it, pitch-perfect dialogue encapsulating the cyclical inevitability of our toxic delusions. It’s a brilliant ending—if anyone accuses this book of being confusing, then they fell asleep before this. It introduces the idea, perhaps even more revelatory than the themes discussed earlier, of the divisibility of the self; how you can watch yourself from afar, knowing what you’re doing is wrong even as you’re compelled to do it. How one day, your future self will wonder if that was ever really you who fucked up so badly. Is it hopeful? Is it depressing? Who knows—maybe that’s the point.

Overall, with I Can Fix Her, Rae Wilde has taken risks and absolutely no prisoners. If you’ve ever been in a relationship where you’re both bad for each other, then this nightmarish groundhog day of surreal narrative genius is coming for your jugular and trust me—you need to bleed. ...more

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The Sundowner's Dance
by Todd Keisling (Goodreads Author)

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Grief is a powerful theme in horror. So is getting old and facing that consistent dresser the Grim Reaper. And your neighbours being a bit creepy? Classic. Two-time Bram Stoker award-nominated author Todd Keisling’s retirement-community-gone-weird ta Grief is a powerful theme in horror. So is getting old and facing that consistent dresser the Grim Reaper. And your neighbours being a bit creepy? Classic. Two-time Bram Stoker award-nominated author Todd Keisling’s retirement-community-gone-weird tale The Sundowner’s Dance combines these all into one poignant, heartfelt yet also gloriously sinister and freaky melange that creeps its way into your heart before exploding into a surreal, cosmic haze and asks the big questions about life, death, and, as we shall see, introverts.

Our protagonist is Jerry Campbell, a grief-stricken elderly widower who, haunted by memories of his wife, buys a new home in a retirement community, Fairview Acres, for a fresh start. Although the neighbours seem nice enough, if a bit odd, there’s strange noises on his roof at night, a bleeding woman screaming about worms on his porch, and an overly friendly chairman of the community association who keeps inviting him to the endless and bizarrely energetic all-night parties. Oh and there’s a massive stone in the park that seems to be at the centre of everything.

The set up to The Sundowner’s Dance is impressive. The first quarter does a delicate balance of grief horror—I found Jerry’s struggles to deal with the memories of his wife particularly moving, made more complex by his battle to deal with his anxiety in her absence—with neighbours-acting-weird suspense. That tingling, deep unease of these suburban-paradise-gone-wrong tales makes these early sections strong.

What proceeds from that is a strange ride of cosmic, grisly discoveries about neighbours and increasing high stakes on a cosmic level. Keisling loves a nightmarish tableau, and there’s some grotesque images that might put you off spaghetti for a few centuries.

But for me the most satisfying part of The Sundowner’s Dance was the unerring thematic commitment to the explorations of grief and aging. There is a strong sense overhanging this tale of the strange no-man’s land the elderly enter when their life partner dies and they must face an entirely new world, and new choices, even as their health fails and their years dwindle. We see one of these choices—challenge the concept of death and aging itself—play out in this book, and you’ll no doubt be stunned to find out it’s not as rosy as the brochure promises.

But impressively, there’s another meaty theme here distinct from growing old that really resonated with my millennial bones. Jerry is an introvert, and finds the never-ending peer pressure of his neighbours as wearying as any introvert reading this would find it (I got empathetic anxiety at some of his neighbours’ prodding.) There is a sense here of a group of people thinking they know best for the freaky introvert without ever seeking to try and understand them, and those of us who have felt this peer pressure from extroverts their whole life to “join in” will find Jerry’s plights here just as thematically satisfying as the revelations on death.

That said, this is ultimately a book about facing aging, grief, and death the right way, and to this end Keisling packs a hell of an ending that pulls no punches while being undoubtedly beautiful. The finish is strong on this one.

Overall, for all its retirement community mystery and cosmic creepiness, The Sundowner’s Dance is an elegiac reflection about one man’s confrontation with the pain that most of us will face and the fate that all of us will endure. A heartfelt creepfest that packs a punch. ...more

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