Book Review: Hot Zone by Steven Konkoly (2017) (October Horror Fest 30/31)

Author: Hot Zone
Book: Steven Konkoly
Year: 2017
Pages: 352
Part of Series: 1 of 3
Genre: Horror, Apocalyptic, Zombies
Reading Time: 19 October to 25 October 2021
Rating: 5 Stars

Why the high rating I cannot understand.

This was read as an audiobook in a couple of sittings. Unfortunately it didn't click to me as much as I hoped. I knew this was the first book and it feels like the first book. It's incomplete and it the story just began.

In this tale we get to know all our characters and the beginning of the "end". It sure looks like the zombie apocalypse or more akin to Hater by David Moody plague is being unleash. Bearing in mind that we are still on our "pandemic" it sure feels like this could have happen -- or not.

I can't understand the high praise to be quite honest since it dragged a lot. It gave too much information for things that had no interested. I don't know but it feels the writers wrote a full length novel probably 600 pages and someone said - okay lets do a trilogy. Write some more fillers and you've got a deal. Alas, this book was born.

Don't take me wrong - it's an interesting START of the apocalypse. Most zombie stuff skip this or give a micro feeling of the stuff. Here we've got visions from people on the ground and what they did before and so on. Maybe this could have been accomplish with flashbacks BUT it's fine. It's not bad. But don't expect the action and fluidity of others. Slow burning... I will hear the 2 and 3. Probably not now but in the next few months

Book Review: This Present Darkness by Frank E Peretti (1986) (October Horror Fest 29/31)

Author: Frank E. Peretti
Book: This Present Darkness
Year: 1986
Pages: 508
Part of Series: 1 of 2

Genre: Thriller, Horror
Reading Time: 13 October to 28 October 2021
Rating: 4 Stars

Here is a novel that I should have enjoyed more than I did.

This novel is 500 pages long where it should be 350 tops.

I will not dwelt much on criticisms a bout the message - angels vs demons (Christianity vs new age spirituality, Islamic faith and well any kind of philosophy without Christ).

A writer can write whatever they want. One thing to me is pandering to some fringe ideology when your novel has nothing to do with (just because you want to tick boxes) another is a writer saying he defends X or Y and writes about it. As a reader I may read it or not. My Choice!

So I will not dwelt much on that but there are some stuff here that I cannot stop feeling. If angels and demons exist then one must think what action they have on society or a person in particular. When I feel hate = is it because some demon of hate is inhabit me? I think not. (The same applies with good stuff). This removes responsibility from human and gives faith is seal another meaning no? After all, if demons and angels control and that's why you do X or Y then anything you decide, can you really say it was you?

Now about the novel, basically a group of people (commanded by demons) want to change a city to be their kingdom but, alas, you've got a priest and a journalist who are trying to thwart their plans. Now you've got 250 to 300 pages of repetitive actions until the final confrontation.

In the end, did the characters grow? I Think not because they were guided by demons and angels...

So, if you are Christian, you may even enjoy the comfort of knowing angels are always there. Anyone else will not enjoy- me thinks. And now I have book two, damnation...

Book Review: White Fire by Brian Keene (2006) (October Horror Fest 28/31)

I would like to address three topics

The first is that I love Brian Keene Labyrinth. I believe it's very interesting one since all stories are connected (sometimes only a glimpse , sometimes are the same characters and so on). So after reading 16 of his novels / novellas (besides Agatha Christie , Dan Abnett and Stephen King and RA Salvatore that's the highest one).

I bought this book this month with the intend of reading in October Horror Fest and I've read in one day - 106 pages in under 80m that's pretty good for me.

I was pondering buying some more of his books (although most of the remaining ones are expensive and now, just because of one thing I am on the fence) - Let me explain...

This is a retelling and expanded version. I cannot tell what is on the first edition of course but one thing I know he added in this version and so let me put it here

"...all the equipment Delaroz used to record his Alt-Right podcast. A Replica Nazi Swastika banner with a leering frog emblazoned upon it, which had hung from a the garage wall..."

This part here was added. How do I know? Well, first of alt-right is something new that didn't exist back in 2006 and the frog on swastika is far-left democrats assholes who made the frog a alt-right symbol. NOBODY HAS A NAZI SWASTIKA WITH A FROG! That's absurd. BUT, alas people think there is - so there must be. BUT the frog was considered a alt-right thing (LOL) only a couple of years ago not in 2006. Strange this character wasn't doing the OK sign!

Why did Brian Keene had to do this? WHY had he to include this image here? Was it to appease his far-left fan base (Which probably there aren't)? Was it like some wet dream seeing the "alt-right" suffering? Absurd

What more did you change? Did you change McCleod sex orientation as well making him gay to cross all dots of your agenda? Enfin...

I have nothing against McLeod being gay - he was probably in the beginning my favorite of the duo.

Oh well, apart from this rant that will keep me from buying more of his books because I 'm afraid he drops his political agenda like this - since it has no purpose at all. That depiction was one chapter where he was telling what a tornado did. It served no purpose but it made bluntly real that it was added in 2019 - probably in one of his fits against Trump and the frog.

What about the story you ask?

It's very short. Two guys are transporting some dicease through a place when a tornado hits releasing the virus. Then you've got the army and cdc response against the virus. The last 20 pages or so, it's where we connect the dots with his Labyrinth Mythos plus the "Purple Gas" incident which made me wonder what book was that. I remember Darkness on the Edge of Town but that a darkness that fallen not purple. I have Ghoul, Dark Hollow and Ghost Walk with me to read but I don't think any of them deal with it.

So we come to the end of the story. I will not spoil the ending BUT it was cool.

I hope this story was a bit bigger and dwelt more on - well everything. IT was rushed - OKAY VIRUS IS OUT - OKAY IS CONTAIN - ANCIENT MYTHICAL STUFF HERE - OKAY IS FINISH - OKAY the end...

About the writing and critics on the missing dots - it's true. There are a couple of instances where dots are missing and some words don't feel correct but I am not english native so probably not the best person to talk.

There are couple books I would love to read because I know they dwell more on the Mythos like the Complex, The Lost Level but I don't want to spend 20€ on a book which besides trying to tell a story is trying to insult our intelligence. All writers give their personal beliefs when telling tales and to me that's good and of course interesting- another is insulting a group of people or doing to just pandering and not be cancelled...

ANIME: FALL 2021 (WHAT AM I WATCHING?)

I am not doing this kind of stuff for some time so here we go...

There are some interesting animes this summer and I will be watching quite a few... So, let us see,

First of all the sequels:

Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu Part 2

Having enjoy this year the first season I had to try this one. Very different isekai to be honest. More epic fantasy than comic tipic fantasy tropes that fill the isekai genre.

The second I am going to watch is another sequel called 86 Part 2. The war is over so what now?

Lupin III: Part 6 - Why not?

Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Ressha-hen - second season - altholgh this is basically the movie divided in parts I Think. Since i didn't watch the movie to me it's golden. Pretty good anime in terms of fantasy.

Now for new animes in terms of enjoyment

Ousama Ranking - really interesting fantasy stuff. Very good main characters and story. Wit Studio it's one of those companies you know they will not fail.

Sekai Saikou no Ansatsusha, Isekai Kizoku ni Tensei suru - what if you were an assassin and died. Now what? So they give you two options - start over no memories OR start again in another world with all memories but still an assassin. You have to kill the hero of the tale. This very suprising. Sometimes you get an assassin that doesn't behave like one, being a kid with feelings and such. BUT, alas here he is really one.

Mieruko-Chan - What an interesting take. This is a girl who see ghosts BUT don't want so she tries to ignore them because giving in means something bad - or does it? The episode four had one heck of a twist. By the way - it's slice of life a bit of comedy and horror.

My Senpai is annoying - cool slice of life mix with comedy in a workplace. Some hints of romance Has the same vibes of Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii

Showtime!: Uta no Oneesan datte Shitai - the season not hentai erotica anime. Why is this kind of animes not hentai? They have sex in every episode. The only difference is maybe the graphic and timelenght. - Either way it's good.

 

Blue Period is an interesting slice of life about a young teen trying to decide what's best for his life - in this regard studying within art. Some romance and such but very good.

Muv-Luv Alternative - I am watching because I've watch the previous instalments but to be honest it doesn't feel right. I am undecided to drop it.

Shuumatsu no Harem - Well the world went kaput and all men died except you. So your punish for that is screw who do you want! How is this not hentai?

Still undecided

Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life suru Koto ni Shimashita

Shinka no Mi: Shiranai Uchi ni Kachigumi Jinsei

I still have to try

Heike Monogatari

Sakugan

Everything else I try and drop it OR at most I will maybe try if I see they are worthy but the first three epis didn't motivated me.

Movie Review: Hostel III (2011) (October Horror Fest 27/31)

 I did watch Hostel 1 and Hostel 2. This was is not good. You are leaving Czech republic and entering las Vegas - after all, which city in USSA is more focus on gambling, prostitution, debauchery and so on? A city of sin if there is one - I am not talking about killing or so but it's the definition of sin.

So have you ever watch that comedy movie where a group of friends go to party, get so drunk and miss one of them ? Well this is it. But the guy really suffered to extreme and it's not comedy. Unless you say comedy is tilting your head right to left saying... not this, this is repeat... honestly? and so on...

So the elite group is hunting and they hunt one of the friends, then the remaining try to find him but are capture. PLOST TWIST one of the guys is part of the elite group and is doing everything to kill his best friend because he is marrying his sweetheart - or piece of ass as he calls her.

Alas, another plot TWIST! he survives and arrives at home where the guy is comforting his bride and he is a sadistic himself! BAM!

Movie Review: All Light will End (2018) (October Horror Fest 26/31)

What a pointless movie.

You've got this girl who has night terrors and it's spook by everything.

20 Years Later this same girl publishes a book and becomes a hit but still she's got terrors and so she taking some weird pills. Well, then she and her boyfriend return to her house where her mother died - and she doesn't know how. Weird nightmares all around -what's real? what's not?

Well, killing start and voila, that thing you expected - yes. She killed her own mother, stole the book she had written about her daughter night terrors (she was giving her nightmares) and alas...killed a bunch of people.

Not good acting as well, her boyfriend and the guy trying to score with her are boring... the brother? Bleargh... 

I've seen this over and over and over after watching a thousand movies or more...

PS: Yeah quite literal since 2015 they were 920 - Mostly Horror.

Movie Review: Mirrors - 2008 (October Horror Fest 25/31)

 Mirrors was a good find. I was trying to find some more movies horrors and netflix suggested this one. Although it's old (2008) I had watch it or heard about it. 

Basicaly there is this policeman who is trying to overcome is internal problems (and work) and was sacked from the police. He then tries to work as a security guard but the place he is protecting is abandoned and the shadows really are long. 

The last watchman died in very particular instance and he, being a policemen at core tries to investigate it. He soons finds that not everything is natural and there are some supernatural elements.  First is just small stuff then starts to really have impact. He stars scaring his son and daughter plus his wife - beautiful Paula Patton. They were on a brink of being separated so  this didn't help.

Most of the novel we learn about the things in the mirrors and how they influence and kill everyone. Unfortunately some people starts dying, including his sister. 

The remaining movie goes in a blast while the watchman starts to find more about the mirrors and why they have daemons inside them. It all connects with some weird experiments to cure some mental diseases...

The ending is satisfying to be honest.

Book Review: Superman Red Son (October Horror Fest 24/31)

This is a horror story - no matter what anybody things of it.

First you've got a soviet superman who for the greater good kill and oppress people.

Then you've got Diana who is a lesbian and hates men - she doesn't even try to justify or say it's only a part - it's every male. Hateful speech right there.

Then you've got Batman who he a very cool kind of guy and tries to imprison superman while killing everyone else (mainly communists).

You've got Lois Lane who, in her 20 or so lines, most of them are of an entitled woman who says she is with the man because she wants and because he supports career. She says don't want to have kids because, well.. work. She is very independent! and Woman! Don't know how she is not so full woman she is a lesbian like Diana.

This is an horrific take on how you can destroy a legacy of 60 or so years because your politics. Go search Lois and Clark the tv show from the 90's. You've got Lois Lane a really independent woman and she is not entitled - SHE DOES HER WORK and that gives her admiration. Here you've got nada. You've a woman who is entitled because she is a woman.

No matter how you see it, this is a horror story. It's a horrible tale and demonstrates the downfall of comics. That's why comics are being substituted by manga. in stores. Manga don't try to teach you "the correct way" of thinking. Manga doesn't try to change you. Can't these fuckers understand that by giving in to the woke fringe ideology they are falling? Now superman is bisexual and his cry call is no longer the American way. 

Before coming here commenting - I have a wife, she is a blind woman. Yet still she works 8h in the office a day plus 20h per week doing other stuff (which I am not going to share). Yet she is never once said I am entitled to X or Y because I am woman or blind. She works harder than other people to have recognizing by her peers. REading on this movies and novels entitled people just because they exist or because they are gay or lesbian is absurd and truly inhumane. These people probably never had a bad day in life. So what you were called a faggott? Does that name calling diminish you? Then you should work harder to have your self-esteem up. Fuck off. You are not entitled to anything unless you work hard... Nobody should be.

Hollywood elite who are rich beyond belief sure loves communism - that ideology that hates rich people? How crazy are these guys?

Book Review: Anathemas - Anthology (October Horror Fest 23/31)

Author: Anthology

Book: Anathemas

Year: 2020

Pages: 351

Part of Series: Warhammer Horror

Reading Time: 10/10/2021 to 15/10/2021 (5 days)

Rating: 7 Stars

It's almost poetic that my 1000th book read (accordingly to goodreads) it had to be a horror Black Library novel.

For people who like info dump - here is something for you:

In terms of Genres I've read 374 (Sci-Fi); 233 (Horror) and 232 (Fantasy)

In terms of Black Library I've read 231 novels. So it's interesting that the 1000th book it's Sci-Fi and Fantasy at the same time (40K and Sigmar) plus they are horror stories.

Are these horror stories? Not all of them. Some are dark but most are not horror.

Hab Fever Lockdown by Justin D. Hill - 40K story - e first tale is told in second perspective . Horrific. Why? I really dislike that kind of narration unless you are you playing a game OR that choose your own adventure. The story it's about Australian lockdown measures due to some covid cases... what? No? It's about a plague being release on a hive? Ah okay, it sure like it was in Australia draconian laws..."

Suffer the Vision by Jake Ozga - where is the horror? They should invite horror writers to write horro tales.

A Threnody for Kolchev by Darius Hinks - t's again, not an horror story , unless you just find out that there cities and surrounding areas in Terra. I thought it was just a planet-city (with some very big palaces). I believe I've read this somewhere else... Go there!

These Hands, These Wings by Lora Gray he next tale s is a interesting horror tale to tell by the fireplace- BUH! Finally a horror tale

Vox Daemonicus by James Forster - have you ever wanted to learn how Night Lords recruited more space marines? Yes? Then go here.

Skin Man by Tim Waggoner - Interesting story about revenge & retribution. Very cool but not that horrific - althought the depictions of the Skin Man were unsettling- but if you want more horrible depictions go Tim C
urran.

A Deep and Steady Tread by David Annandale

The Thing in the Woods by Paul Kearney -This tale could easily, after changing some words, set in Sigmar World. But alas it's 40K. I must say it took me a while to understand that.

Mud and Mist by John Goodrich - The horrible tales of imperial guard guarding against tyranids. You've got yourself the commisar and the character level insanity and how far are you able to go to survive - temporarly? You want to learn that? Go here.

The Shadow Crown by CL Werner - I love CL Werner. But this tale didn't connect with me. Either because I don't know much about Sigmar World. I've added info in the book. I will return to it later on.

Runner by Alan Bao - Run Forest Run!. That's it. Imagine that you have to run 200 kilometres to warn another place of incoming miasma and plague... Now imagine your mind wondering of all the running and such. If you have ever wanted to make a really hazardous marathon times 5 - Oh you will be alone or ... Go here

Miracles by Nicholas Wolf - Have you ever wonder what would happen if you get mad, hallucinating and thinking you are seeing angels? Oh you've heard angels? Then go here.

Voices in the Glass by Richard Strachan - Have you ever gone to the Shadespire? No? Go there. (one of the weakest tales) I will be honest saying that I don't know much about this setting.

The Funeral by Darius Hinks - Ah very cool. Imagine you being so sure of yourself, so sure you are doing the right thing without any kind of repercussions . Now imagine that person you wrong - returns! Go there.

Overall, I would say that this is a good anthology of some sweet stories. BUT to be quite honest not all of them are horror.AT ALL.

The problem with horror is that it mixes with grimdark feeling of the 40K universe. So just by reading some passages - which I find truly horrific BUT they are not horror, disturbing, violent, psychological... Enfin, overall a good compilation. Some are good, some are not. To me, as previous said, the Sigmar tales are the ones I am not realy enjoying. Warhammer Fantasy was a very good place to tell dark gothic horror tales - Sigmar world is not. Sigmar are more focus on action, less on characters and ambience. I don't know much about it. Maybe I will enjoy it after reading some novels...

Movie Review: Don't Speak 2 (2021) (October Horror Fest 22/31)

This was the second movie in the series. Again we have the same main character - The Blind Man but different cast. If you remember the first one, the blind man was living alone and his house was attacked. But not all things are what they seem and the attackers become the attacked (is this a word?). 

This is how a blind man would fight and so on. With the series "See" we get some unrealistic blind people. Here is more real.

In this movie, he is living in another house and with a girl. He is training her and learn more about their life. She hates living so out there with no-one and he wants to protect her so he tries to isolate her - she doesn't understand that.

At half the movie a group of guys appear and start attacking his house. Great fight scenes and the group kidnaps her but the Blind Man is not defeated. He then thakes the fight to them.

We are then explain WHY he kidnaped her and who are her parents. The ending was quite emotional, because knowing the Blind Man is not "good" guy we still root for him. But unfortunately he  is killed.... or not. It will depend on the sales :D

Book Review: Nightfall - Daniel Barnett (Nightmareland 1) (October Horror Fest 22/31)

Author: Nightfall 
Book: Daniel Barnett
Year: 2020
Pages: 140
Part of Series: Nightmareland Chronicles #1 (of 12)
Reading Time: 18/10/2021 to 20/10/2021 (3 days)
Rating: 8 Stars

Well, it was a very odd novel. Pretty short with only 140 pages but fast paced. I've read it within 3 days - although I was reading other novel in-between.

So, what this is about? Well, first of all, this is the first novel in a 12 book series , and even the author says in the afterword, don't expect explanations and the whys in the first novel. This is something that will appear in due time - one thing that worries me is that the author is getting behind his schedule. When this book was out he said that he had written 5 novels. It's not 1 year and half later and still nothing was release apart from book 5. So, what is happening?  Or is he going to publish another 2 or 3 in one go? Who knows...

I would understand the thing of publish a novella length novel every 3 months or so BUT I can't understand the logic in terms of money to publish 5 in quick fashion and then nothing for a year... Nothing against authors taking their time - I wish he publish so I could read a novella 3 months. I don't like waiting a year for a novel. That's why I never read series that are not finish.

So, what's this book about? Well it's the setting stone for us to meet John Hawthorne. A 50/60's year old violent guy who is trying to live is life (almost in penitence) until this all the Sun Vanished situation. We also get more about Mariah a bartender and love(ish) partner of John.

This novel was indeed the setting and introducing the characters. Nothing else. We get a bit about the lives of people in this land without the sun. Nothing is explain. But it seems people are getting a bit.. crazy?

I will try reading the next 4 novellas in the next few months..

PS: Forgot to mention that this story first brought to my attention due to the vanishing sun... have you ever heard or follow the ARG Vanish Sun? It's very cool ARG. One of the first that brought me into this new world...

Book Review: Black Helicopters - Caitlin R. Kiernan (October Horror Fest 21/31)

Well, what we have here it's the second novel in the Tinfoil series.

I've read the first a couple of months ago and I didn't enjoy it. But I know Caitlin is well received as a Lovecraftian horror master but alas, I just couldn't get into it. The book is 200 pages long and it's boring and pointless. First of all, I may be at fault here. Maybe I am not erudite to fully understand the novel but I couldn't. Of course I understood the plot - overall it follows the first but I guess you can read it without having read the first - although it makes zero sense to start at book 2 of a series.

So what is the story and why I didn't enjoy it. - first of all the constant changing of timelines every chapter. This confuse me. Then you've got the plot itself and I couldn't understand anything. You've got spies in Dublin, you've got ships, you've got the black and white queen stuff, you've got the future where the writing was even more incomprehensible  (probably just saying that writing from the 1800 it's different from nowadays so probably the future will sound/read differently.

Bear in mind that by the descriptions I hope something more akin Lovecraftian but what I got was some weird stuff- probably Weird Fiction is all about? I didn't felt any kind of horror or fear - nada that I could say it's Lovecraftian. To mention Shoggoths and labelling as Lovecraftian it's like saying that anything has four tires it's a care. It doesn't work like that. It could be a wagon or anything in-between. The only connection is that a car and a wagon has four tires...

Then why the chapter with people speak in French? Damn... Those non-translated sentences... I thought okay they are talking in French and in-between someone will explain what it means... Well, nope.
Sucks to be you - who don't know French haha... 

Overall I will read the third one but coming from the 1 and 2 maybe i will be disappointed... I hope not.

Movie Review: Halloween Kills 2001 (October Horror Fest 20/31)

This is the second movie in the trilogy. I've seen some comments that this movie sucked and steer away fromt he first and so on... well I don't agree at all.

This movies follows the first one, as you are probably aware Myers were basically defeated by the trio of woman (grandmother, mother and daughter)... But this fucking Myers! He does not die. And we start one of the most bloodiest movies on the Halloween franchise to this day.

Having seen all Myers movies we get several stuff form it... First of all he was first just a mutant kind of guy who killed people but was "human". Then there were other movies that made me almost supernatural being.

Bear in mind that are four timelines this franchise really goes far in terms of scope and Myers is what you want him to be -and that's something Friday the 13th or nightmare on elm street didn't really got to do it.

This one we get him a bit supernatural and the police officer arrived to the conclusion that Mers just want to go home and will kill anyone who steps in his way.

Again , maybe the reasons to kill for Myers also changed. this movie they tried to get all the previous survivors and giving them a stage for the big finale (well for now since there were at least 2 endings already) Not as good as the first but not the worst. 7 out of 10

Book Review: Autumn - David Moody (October Horror Fest 19/31)

Author: David Moody
Book: Autumn
Year: 2001
Pages: 284
Part of Series: 1st of  6 books on the Autumn series
Reading Time: 8/10/2021 to 9/10/2021 (2 days)
Rating: 8 Stars

This was my second reading of this novel. I've read this novel when it was released online back in 2002. I was not working so i had no money. I didn't even read in English that much. I have no doubt that this was one of the 10 first books I read in english so there is a connection.

First of all let me say that this novel was written in 2001. If you know anything about zombie books I will say upfront that this was one of the first authors to write zombie stories. That's how important this is.

Is this the best book in zombie fiction? Nope. But you cannot deny the importance. It gave rise to a bunch of author horror writers write zombies. To put in perspective World War Z (2006), Mira Grant Newflesh (2010), Carry Ryan The forest of hands and teeth (2009); Walking dead (2004), Stephen King's Cell (2006); Joe Mckinney (2006) or Brian Keen (2007). BTW I am not saying that there aren't zombie books before - Resident Evil is one example, Lovecraft probably the first with Reanimator. But in terms of literature as zombies as plagues in book fiction this is it.

So credit should be given when credit is deserved - yeah!

Some spoilers, well full spoilers to be quite honest....

In this tale we follow three people Carl, Michael & Emma. In one instance 99% of the population of earth died. Survivors started to come together (where these 3 meet) and initial they are just buckle up waiting for rescue. Then some of the dead, started to rise (after some days). Those three characters start wondering that this was not a safe place and wanted to go to another place. They arrive at a empty farm where they amass food and other supplies and try to cope with everything. This is where the psychological part takes place and we see Carl falling deep and deeper in depression because he had lost his wife and child. As time progress the dead are changing, they seem now to follow some patterns, joining in bands and so on - still not attacking. Carl, starts pondering that maybe they should not be there and he goes back to where all it started where he finds everyone dead. He comes back but it seems the noise is drawing the dead - after all, with all silence a small noise echoed throughout the night. The dead are now thousands surrounding the house. Carl is almost delusional, without purpose to live, only to get revenge and die whilst the other characters want to live. Carl do something stupid like opening a door and its engulf by the dead but that gave possibility for Emma & Michael to escape and thus our story ends...

What is interesting about this?

Well, it's simple, it focus on characters psychological effects - most zombie fiction don't dwell more on the psychological effect of seeing everyone you love dead. This one really focus on that. It focus less on survival skills.

The writing is nothing to brag about - it is fast pace - I read 160 pages in 1h (which is awesome to me) and I notice some repetitions reading - It seems in Britain everyone says "Bloody Hell". It's your favourite swear expression?

Asking, is there a finish line ? Well yes and no. Its open ended but you can read and never read the second - I read this in 2001 and never read the second and still remember fondly of it.

Don't expect this to be like Brian Keene or some zombie movie. It's not. There is none or almost none zombie killing (by both parts). it's slow but good. Solid 4 stars. I cannot give a full 5 stars because , the writing is not the best there is, the characters sometimes behave some very "WTF" moments - like doing something that was not supposed to be that character that should be saying that (I notice this in the beginning when we've got 10 characters). Other thing was the action scenes which were confusing. Hey it was his first book. I will read the next 2 ( I can't seem to get the human condition which is 20€ plus - used)

Movie Review: The Crucifixion - 2017 - October Horror Fest (18/31)

Well here is an interesting movie about demons and exorcisms. You've got this priest who was convicted of killing some girl. A Newporter from the USA wants to investigate the issue and goes to Romania. There she tries to uncover what the meaning of all. If the priest is to blame, if it's something to do with church and other factors.

The meaning for this is that she has lost her mother several years before, and when she dying, the reporter found out a treatment that would have a great percentage of possibilities of surviving but her mother said that she was in gods hands and didn't make the treatment and dies.

Now she hates the church and all that entails. 

As the story progress we get to know more and more characters and that not everything is telling all that they know and not everything is at it seems.

This tale could be less supernatural and more human relations -church and the modernization of church (how they see exorcisms) but then it change and become more and more supernatural.

I enjoy the tale, mainly the development of the main character. Nice story that didn't try to shame or dump on the church. It tried to understand the church position.

Reading Challenge October Horror Fest (Half Month)

So, we've now arrive at half the month so how I going?

Well, I finish the following:

- Edward Lee - Trolley No 1852 (102) (3.88 rating)
- David Moody - Autumn (271) (3.66 rating)
- 40K & Sigmar Anthology - Anathemas (345) (3.61 rating)
- The Devourer Below 316 
- Alien: Sea of Sorrows 352
- Alien: River of Pain 352

(Total pages read so far 1738 - WHICH IS AWESOME!)

I am now reading the following:

- Caitlin R. Kiernan - Black Helicopters (202) (3.45 rating)
- Frank Peretti - This Present Darkness (508) (4.22 rating)

The following are to be read:

- Bentley Little - Summoning (542) (3.71  rating)
- Christine Morgan - The Night Silver River Run Red (212) (4.09 rating)
- Daniel Barnett - Nightfall - Nightmareland Volume 1 (141) (4.31 rating)

So with 1605 pages to go, that's around 100 pages per day - LET's GO!

Btw, the next month I will try reading more sci-fi novels. I've already chosen the following:

- Speaker For the Dead - Orson Scott Card - 378 Pages
- Alien Game - Rod Walker - 209 Pages 
- The Lost Fleet: Victorious - Jack Campbell - 330 Pages
- Artemis - Andy Weir - 302 Pages
- Blindsight - Peter Watts - 361 Pages
- Echopraxia - Peter Watts - 389 Pages
- Superluminary - John C Wright 472 Pages (3 novels - The Lords of Creations, The Space Vampires, The World Armada)
Total Pages 2441 
If I can I will add a 40K novel.

Movie Review: Like Dogs (2021) (October Horror Fest 17/31)

 Finally a good movie.

This story is set on an USA where you can make human experiments (Well you can do it today) but life-threathening psychological experiments. 

We start this movie with a woman being kidnapped and put on a penhold (for dogs) where she has little sapce to move and must eat, drink, poop and so on as a dog. Basically she is being trained to be a human-dog.

The first 20 minutes or so it's this girl being well treated like that (probably how you treat a dog). After a while this guy appears in another pen like the one she is and they start talking and conspiring in escaping. After a while he tries to escape but she intervenes and he is knock out.  We then see the first twist - she is the designer of the place and she wants to make broke him. She is being helped by a man and a woman scientists.

After a while they return her to the pens and she twists his mind so he thinks that everything was a hallucination. Another situation of escaping prompts the higher ups to close the project since they discovered that the guy was not a volunteer and had been taking drugs (given by the scientist).

She doesn't want her experiment to end and so knocks out the lead scientist and convinces the two colleagues to continue. BUT nothing else really work that way and a new twist comes out. It seems the male scientist is conducting his own experiences with all the guys that he think have wrong her. He also loves her and his twisting her to accepting his "love" obsession.

The ending we get yet another twist making this an interesting fast pace movie. 8 stars.

Btw, the main character has such a beautiful smile...

Book Review: The Devourer Below - Arkham Horror Anthology (October Horror Fest 16/31)

Author: Anthology (7 Authors)
Book: The Devourer Below
Year: 2021
Pages: 320
Part of Series: Arkham Horror Novels
Reading Time: 3/10/2021 to 6/10/2021 (4 days)
Rating: 5 Stars
 

Stories Within -

Running the Night whiskey -  Evan Dicken 

Shadows dawning - Georgina Kamsika

The Hounds Below - Josh Reynolds

Labyrinth - Thomas Parrot

All My Friends Are Monsters - Davide Mana

The Darkling Woods - Cath Lauria

Professor Warren’s Investiture - David Annandale

Sins in the Blood - Thomas Parrot

This was the first anthology in Arkham Horror series published by Aconyte

On contrary of most people here I didn't receive this book for free. I have to purchase them so my review will be , as always true... well to myself at least.

What can I say? This is a collection of short stories most of them interconnected by two things - one some characters do jump around from one tale to another and the monster of the week is Umôrdhoth and all stories are connected to him our his cultists.

To be quite honest there isn't a single story I should say it's brilliant. To be quite honest they all seem bland with except of Thomas Parrot duology (there are two linked stories). The last story joins most characters from other stories and finish (some kind of finish - status quo must be maintain as you are writing in a share universe).

Well, all of these stories had some characters that we can play as investigators and others as carts. They all have somekind of background and the writers, I believe, are free to conjure the rest and give adventures BUT maintainingthe status quo. So, an investigator cannot be killed or become crazy and so. When you make a character like that your main character as a reader you know nothing bad will happen and thus the tale looses a bit of magic. The same happens with the main villain (villains). If you kill them the game ends and Call of Cthulhu never ends.

So, what did I think of the stories...

Some were more revenge, others more investigation kind of stories, one was back in time story , one was a more in a perspective a of a cultist . The last tale is the best one of the bunch.

First of all, these authors know that this tales are set in 1920's? Yeah? Gay Rights were not a priority ye know? But at least two of our characters were gay (lesbian). Why had you the need to add lesbian characters in tales they have no meaning whatsoever?

Besides the lesbians in two stories, no other characters (I would say non-gay) mentioned their loved ones OR even their sexuality. But Lesbians? The authors had to say several times about them. You know what this means correct? Pandering. It's like now they can go on twitter and say - hey my story had a lesbian couple. Next one will have a POC and I will feel all the boxes and you shouldn't cancel me, right?

That's it.

That part was un-necessary, unrealistic (yeah people didn't care about gay people back in 1920's. If these authors thinking they are the fringe because they are advocating the rights of LGBT - I mean LGBT is everywhere nowadays, everyone defends their rights and revindication. You are not the fringe by writing stories of gays and lesbians - you are the norm. You are the estabelishment.

But overall they are just okish stories. Nothing to praise a lot but reading about the characters you usually play it was good. 

Movie Review: Black As Night - October Horror Fest (15/31)

 Dear White People,

No matter the movie comign out since 2017 or so, you are either the evil (99%) or at most you are crappy. 100% are racist, just because you exist. Just because you were born with that pigmentation. You probably are mysogist, hater of lgbt etc.

You are what you are because you are white.

Signed
Some black folk & LGBT community united (BLM?)

Well, the movie Black As Night is a amazon movie that delves deeper in the Katrina survivors (black people survivors) while being plague by Vampires.

You've got a black girl & lgbt hispanic friends who tangle themselves in a wide conspiracy where vampires are rising in great numbers and getting ready to take over the world. Alas, I was very interesting because it was a different approach. And on contrary you may believe I am not racist and I don't mind watching films with full black cast. What I hate is using tropes, woke, white-hateful plots just to further your goal.

What we have here is a black slave that is building an army to conquer the world (or New Orleans, whatever come first) and the two friends with the help of a third black character & a white know it all girl battle the evil. Again, all in all it was very interesting take on the vampire genre BUT the problem is the white hate that serve no purpose. Of course the ones who plague the vampires were white. You even have the white chick saying (after some comments) that "white people are terryfing". WTF? Amazon, have you gone so low that you this kind of hateful stuff?

Now white people let's make a movie where we have some hateful comments against black - like called them niggers (like most of the black characters do to one another) and complain they are evil and scary and unsafe? What say? Do you think this would sell? 

Enfin.. I cannot give this movie a good rating because of all the hate against white. If you had skip those parts (even if it was the white character part) this would be a solid 7. But, alas, this serve no purpose whatosever - no going forward , no plot place- nada. Just hateful racist...

In terms of plot it's copy paste from other movies out there, nothing new. Beforehand I thought they were going through some social stuff, like homeless, poor drug users kind of stuf - that would be mildy better but after 20m it's all garbage and focus on action. 

Movie Review: V/H/S/94 - October Horror Fest (14/31)

All of the stories within V/H/S/94 were bad. Well to be true not all but the vast majority. Bear in mind that this is 4 on the series.

Well, so what's the series about you ask? Well it's about "lost" tapes that are found and weave into a story meanwhile in-between all of stories you follow another story. (It's the classic story within a story).

The tale being told in-between the stories is about a group of people entering a house and discover a massacre and gore everywhere. Very dark.

The first tale and the only one that captivate me was a tale about a woman trying to get some audience for her show so she goes to the sewers with her cameramen to find a strange hybrid of rat+human. Alas all goes sideways (or else it wouldn't be here) and the ending was quite cool. The monster sure look like Alien.

The second tale it's a very gory and violent - at times I thought that I was seeing some images from a first person shooter videogame. And, we arrive at the last story and the White Supremacist dumb militia guys. It's so bad so cringe that really devalues all the remaining tales. Please stop doing this kind of shit. The time is wrong. Not all white people are supremacist. You know that? If you want to do somekind of interesting horror make some BLM members being horrendous and racist. That would be very interesting and different.

3 Stars for the lack on innovation. The first two VHS are far better - even that dreadful third is better than this... I wonder why the critics love it so much - oh I know, white men bad - since half of them are white it's a bit of oxymoron - probably they are just like that blind moron oxyen

Book Review: Trolley No. 1852 - Edward Lee -October Horror Fest (13/31)

Author: Edward Lee

Book: Trolley No. 1852

Year: 2010

Pages: 103

Part of Series: Solo 

Reading Time: 1/10/2021 (1 day)

Rating: 8 stars

I never enjoy reading erotica or pornographic scenes. I don't consider myself a conservative kind of guy but reading is different than watching (LOL) so I started this month of horror with the book that would made me less comfortable. Sometimes you have to indulge on that.

What we have here is a tale of Lovecraft himself - told in his perspective. What would Lovecraft had to do to survive if his horror tales were not sufficient? Well he would write pornographic horror tales of course - that's the premise of this book.

Lovecraft is struggling in terms of finance and a letter comes from the mail saying that if he writes a erotic story they would give him 500 dollars x 2 (bear in mind that this was 70 years ago so it was a lot of money). He then, being Lovecraft he makes a story with horror elements. Basically you've got a guy Morgan Philips (wonder where he got those names ?) goes to the city of new york to find his sister -after several time not knowing where she is he meets a guy called Erwin (Robert E Howard) who tells him of a place where he can try since it's a whorehouse - but it's a strange one riddle with mysteries and time bending stuff.

There, is where the majority of this tale passes and you've got all scenes of sex, it seems Lovecraft has a member with 12 inches that basically destroys everyone of the girls (5 of them in a row). It's like watching pornhub but reading in the same writing style of Lovecraft - and that's something I wanted to talk about - the writing - this was marvellous reading material - he change the way the characters spoke with such ease that was really a delight

" and after a few more moments of recapturing her wind, she manipulated herself around, to look flabbergasted at my still-stiff-as-a-baker's-pin-penis

"Did you come?"

I elevated a brow. " If by that you mean did I experience an ejaculatory release and sequent orgasm? No."

This is some example, it reminds me of one character of Walking Dead franchise way of talking...

Either way, good take - I will not be a fan of pornographic Lovecraftian tales BUT I am now a fan of Edward Lee. I bought the other two books he wrote in Lovecraftian tale "The Innswich Horror " And "The Haunter of the Thresholdold".

TV series Review: Freakish (2015/2016) October Horror Fest (12/31)

 I watch the all two seasons in 2 days. 10 episode each with 23 minutes it's an easy watch to be fair. 

Well what's the story and why didn't I ever heard about it? This story is about several people being trapped in a school after an explosion in a nearby chemical plant. This chemical didn't kill people but made them like freaks - zombies if you will (although alive not dead).

So must of the people initial try to leave only leaving 8 or 9 there. These boys and girls are all different yet feel all the same. You got the jockey, the nerd, the mysterious one, the rich one and so on. You understand the drill. 

So, the first impact you have with the characters it's one of hatred toward each one - for different reasons. There is not a single really "root" kind of guy/gal. All are crap. BUT to me that's no problem - after all these people have to do everything to survive and don't like all do-gooder people.

But as the days go by their difference become a strength (how poetic) as they have common goals. Unfortunately the changes are so major in only a couple days. People that are the most hateful enemies now are the best and change again and so on. It feels a teen drama at times - which it is since they are all teens. Then the dialogue makes no sense. This is high school almost all of them look they are at least 24 or so...

Unfortunately the drama focus a lot more on the romance than the plot because it really never got going - I mean we know the plant is responsible and you've got this guy who supposedly came to help but instead he was there to kill all witness while taking one of the survivors away (he was the son of some lead scientists) but we never really learn that why was he in school since he wasn't on detention- was it to investigate? was it on purpose? We never knew. Most storylines had no conclusion because the series was cancelled.

Is it worth watching? Nope.. Just because of the open storylines - it made me upset I bet you too. 

Movie Review: Terapia do Medo (2021) October Horror Fest (11/31)

Ora ora ora...

Here it is a good Brazilian movie , pretty predictable to be honest but good considering it's Brazilian) and completely screw because it try to be woke.

So, basically you've got this two sisters who play beach volley. They are twins and one has some supernatural elements with her (at least she thinks so). This last sister starts going to a psychologist to control her dark thoughts and something started to change within her. Later she has an incident and her boyfriend and manager dies. She becomes catatonic and the psychologist asks if the sister wants to start a new radical procedure which she accepts.

And thus enter supernatural stuff... and this movie stars to be boring.

So basically she is seeing a little girl and then a boy. What does it mean? Well it seems our adopted psychologist adopted mother had another a girl (Which we knew) and that girl died in the sea with the father.

But since not everything is at it seems, the girl seems upset killing other people while taking the body of the sister. Alas, after some mystery solving and visions we learn that the female child they had - was instead a boy! She or He was a hermaphrodite and they had to choose one of them and the mother choose a girl - unfortunately the memories remain. With the power of psychologist with hypnotises and sleep deprivation (among other non-legal stuff) the girl killed the father and then the mother killed the girl.

And thus ending the story... with the woman possessed with the girl spirit - or not.

Enfin

Woke plotline but not that bad overall. I enjoy it. I think the actress that made the two parts is very good. We know it's one real person and two fictionalized BUT she was portraying both.

Movie Review: There's someone Inside your house (2021) October Horror Fest (10/31)

 So you all know that movies can become crap due to woke media and this is one of them.

It's boring plot and it's fill of an agenda that destroy everything.

So, what should you expect from a woke movie?

White guys are either the Badies or crappy people - no redeeming qualities unless they are gay or some member of their community.
Black folk are always the good guys, marginalize by white folk and so on.
LGBT are usually the good guys and so on.

You get the picture right?

This movie is all of this tropes with a boring plot.

Stay way from his unless you are parte of this groups. If you are a white guy (normal not the ones that hate being white) then you will not enjoy this one.

No picture will be put here.

Movie Review: Tusk (2014) October Horror Fest (9/31)

 This one was a mix of comedy and horror. First I thought it was going to be the typical comedy & horror kind of stuff but after a while he turned full horror with a mix of drama.

You've got this podcasters who are always joking on people, sometimes always going to far. There's this video of a guy playing with his sword and accidently cutting his own leg. They try to have an exclusive of the "moron" to get more views. So, one of the guys go to the great white north (Canada if you don't know) and when he arrives to his house - it seems he killed himself for shame and such.

Upset he tries to find a story (Always being a jerk to everyone) and trying to get a story from a guy who has done interesting things - This guy is very fond of walruses - obsessed is probably the correct term.

Meanwhile his girlfriend is trying to better understand him and saying that he goes to far with his jokes. 

Well spoilers ahead - well basically the old man drugs the guy and slowly transforms him into a Walrus.
His girlfriend with the help of the other podcaster (who she is cheating with) go to Canada and finally uncover the mystery. In the last shot we see her feeding fish to a former podcaster- now-turned-walrus. 

Is this a good tale? It's worth the time to watch but nothing really to praise about. It's like IMDB 5.3. It doesn't deserves more or less. II would say I enjoy the change but that's it.

Movie Review: Risen (2021) October Horror Fest (8/31)

What a hell have I just watched? What a boring movie... pointless to be honest.

So, you've got a person that is investigating a meteorite in a place everyone died. USA official start investigating the deaths but then those people come back to life (life is a bit far fetch since there is no life within them). Then they start noticing something different like they were facing some particular way or such. They take one of the bodies north where they are facing and they discover a big tree (of some sort) and finally there is some action wtih those beings... Ah, not everything is at seems.

Then you've got a twist that everyone could figure it out. She was at Area51 when she was young and some being possessed her or such and then she built a radio and contact his home planet - and they came. 

There are pointless minutes of nothing happening (like walking and such)- I am not kidding when saying this is boring boring...

There are some other weird situations like she was on probation (Drinking) and she right the moment before she is talking with the president of USA and the probation officer call her saying - all is good you speaking on tv and working but I am going to report you to the police because you are not attending your meetings - wtf? 

"Mr President. This is happening and we are going to do some testing that may prove vital to humanity."
" Okay, let start right away"
"Today is not a good day. Tomorrow Mr President. I have a AA meeting today."
"But it's the fucking humanity at risk"
"Yes, but I may be contacted by the police if I missed..."

There's a reason this movie has a 3,2 on IMDB.

Oh and I am excusing the awful CGI. Oh my god. Did you have windows 95 while doing it? Damn..

Movie Review: Share or Die (2021) October Horror Fest (7/31)

 I don't know if I should give a 1 or a 10. I am in doubt...

So basically you've got here a spam message that's being sent to people. Either they confess something OR they share the message to anyone else or die. So far, so interesting, then it comes the teen drama, you've got a girl who dump a guy for something ; you've got that double holier girl of Instagram that makes posts all the time and such - you get the picture..

The acting is bad, the filming is like it's the first movie they make, the story is cliché - so as I said- society nowadays is as fake as you can get. People only care about what they seem to be and not what they are - so when dealing with death situations - you really can't expect people behave differently. 

There is even a situation where a girl dies and two of his "friends" make some comments to draw likes to her. Life is cheap and the personage you are on the internet - you turn yourself into reality. Basically that's it.

The ending was cliche… I didn't enjoy it at all. There is really no redeeming qualities to be honest. Sorry.

Movie Review: Two Evil Eyes (1990) October Horror Fest (6/31)

 Well, this was a collaboration of two horror directors - George A Romero & Dario Argento.

The first take was "The Facts int he Case of Mr Valdemar" and the second was "The Black Cat"

In the first take you've got this woman who has a dying husband but before he dies she wants to cash out some money so with the help of a medical officer they hypnotize him and start stealing his stuff. Unfortunately to them he dies in-between stealing and so they must prolong the lie so they can finish the procedure from assets to liquid money.

Alas, not everything goes how they want and the hypnotized - now dead guy keeps being alive, lost forever in another realm. People died and the story ends.

I know, nothing to do with the movie but... my blog!

The second take Black Cat is about a man, a decorated photographer of the macabre who goes a bit further even killing and hurting a black cat taking photos out of him. Meanwhile her wife discovers the book he publishes with those photos (who dumb must he be to photograph his own cat and publishing it) and after some struggle she dies killed by him. To hide all evidence, after all the cat had returned he walled them up and start doing stuff to cover his tracks. The police having some doubts on the disappearance they go his house but uncover nothing but in a turn of events due to a autograph something starts moving within the walls and the police return. He kills both policemen and try to escape the house but the Black Cat had a revenge for him and he dies.

Both stories are cool but really nothing to be proud of. The first one has an interesting concept and the second something more to even worsen the reputation of black cats.

In the second tale there is some nudity but unless you enjoy your dose of necrophilia don't bother - although the first tale there is moment where Adrienne Barbeau his kissing her lover and he puts her hand on her breasts (a bit strange how he did it) but nothing is shown - unfortunately.

She was a sex symbol from the 80's at 40 (for those who don't know)

Movie Review - Pentagram (2019) October Horror Fest (5/31)

 Well, after watching Soul I immediately started with this one since it was recommend. What a crappy movie my god.

Everything in it was bad - from the plot to the characters without any really bright light in acting.

You've got four people that commit a crime, robbing a diner and escaping to an abandoned house. there they find a guy doing some weird demonic crap where he needs a victim to get something from Beelzebub. A sacrificial lamb. Unfortunately, for him, the supposedly victim left the pentagram and she was killed by this demon and the guy within the lamb had to wait for the next victim (probably die of hunger).

There comes this four idiots who enter the pentagram and now they must either sacrifice one of their own OR die. Of course they do stupid stuff killing the only guy who could do the sacrifice..

Then one of the guys start turning against the others killing one of them and wounding another - the last one was basically in coma due to drugs ending with only two people alive (Brother and Sister). Then one sacrificed for the other leaving the last one free to escape the pentagram. 

The last scene two people (the ones that were robed) enter the pentagram to retrieve the money and had to go through as the previous ocuppants.

You have to watch it if you want to understand the level of bad acting, plot and quite frankly everything. There's a reason to have 2,6 rating in IMDB.

Not even a bit of nudity that goes a long way to save some movies to be total disaster... there is a woman in some undercloth that probably would shame my grandmother. That's it.

Movie Review - The Soul (2021) - October Horror Fest (4/31)

Is this a truly horror story? No. But it's premise its quite frightening.

The story starts in the future 2030 where there have been some advances in technology - nothing major. I only discover because of all indication 2031 or so.

Basically a hideous crime has been committed and a person is killed. Then the mystery starts... which is the main focus of this tale. A whodunit I believe it's called. We learn of the persecutor (a cancer man who is slowly dying) and his wife which is a investigator (she is pregnant) and we start learning about this tale. You've got several people saying what happen and all points out for the son of the killed man since he blames the death of his mother on his father. But, alas, not everything is what it seems. We are reminded again that we are in the future when they start talking about cure for cancer and soul transition to another body. 

In this novel there is a lot of Chinese/Taiwan folklore magic and a lot more of science. That's why I think this is a bit of horror take - its kind of horrific people transition from one body to another. 

Is this movie good? Yes

Is this boring? I struggled a lot in the beginning and thought it was very slow.

Is this a mystery novel with a lot of twists? Undoubtly. 

Advisable to anyone who wants to read some Asian mystery novel mix with sci-fi and psychological horror.

By the way - there are two version of the movie. One made for Chinese audience and other for the rest of the world. The Netflix version is the ROW not the Chinese. Since Chinese people really love order and such the ending is a bit different and therefore I am going into spoilers

Spoilers Ahead

Basically the wife of the persecutor hides some evidence to make his husband go through the trails against cancer but the persecutor finds out and after confronting the wife of the deceased (which is now the deceased - he made a soul swap) she is condemned to be in prison (after being swap with the persecutor). The wife of the persecutor, in the Chinese version tells everyone that she has hidden some evidence and she is incarcerated as well. In the Taiwan version (or ROW) this last part doesn't happen and she goes to see her husband (now in the body of the imprisoned female and he (she) say and do stuff the persecutor did. 

Oh the Chinese version doesn't have the same violence stuff the ROW has (although I don't know about the nudity).

Either way - advisable.