News & Blog

Beneath the Surface by Simon Strantzas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Strantzas’s debut collection marks the arrival of a refreshingly different voice in the horror field. But make no mistake, these are tone pieces, more concerned with atmosphere than plot cohesion. You won’t find any Twilight Zone twists or monster mashes here. Instead, you’ll find stories of encroaching darkness, physical and emotional corruption, and cosmic futility. However, the tone remains too consistent throughout the collection, resulting in an unfortunate sameness to the stories and too much repetition of certain themes. Strantzas’s overly formal prose style can also put too much distance between the story and the reader to achieve the desired emotional effect. But as a debut, this collection of horror tales is quite accomplished and far more creative in its imagined terrors than most. I’m eager to read Strantzas’s follow-up collections to see how his themes and style have expanded, and where his impressive imagination will take me next.

View all my reviews

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an incredible novel! A fifteen-year-old autistic boy tries to solve the murder of a neighborhood dog, only to uncover a hidden truth far closer to home. Haddon’s attention to detail is astounding, and young Christopher’s voice — at once detached, methodical, and unexpectedly endearing — comes across as absolutely authentic. This novel really is a voice piece, a testament to how important voice is to a story, and Christopher comes alive on the page thanks to the use of a compelling and unusual one. I particularly loved the early scenes of Christopher’s detective work. As such, I was a little disappointed that the mystery was solved so quickly, though I get that it was necessary to do so in order to give proper motivation for subsequent events. Regardless, this is a very satisfying read, and when I finally closed the book I found myself beaming, delighted to have lived in its world for a short time.

View all my reviews

Marvels by Kurt Busiek

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I would give this one even more than 5 stars if I could. A glorious illustrated narrative with all the layers and complexity of a rich novel. Busiek writes a stunning tale of what is basically the history of the Marvel universe, from the appearance of the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner in its very earliest days to the death of Gwen Stacy in the 1970s, all from the POV of Phil Sheldon, an average man and newspaper photographer in New York City who’s always on the scene. Alex Ross’s paintings are gorgeous, lending the story an air of realism and high fantasy simultaneously. The amount of research that went into this amazing piece, not to mention the sheer number of easter eggs, shout outs, and cameos, makes it any comic-lover’s dream. At the same time, I don’t think I’ve ever read something involving super heroes that was so authentically human and so grounded in recognizable reality. Definitely one of the best graphic novels I’ve read to date.

View all my reviews

Locke & Key, Vol. 6: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The creature that calls itself Dodge has gotten ahold of the Omega key and plans to open the black door at the same time that the high school after-prom party is scheduled to take place in the caves. No longer trying to hide his presence, Dodge launches an all-out attack on Keyhouse, its denizens, and their friends. When all is said and done, not everyone will get out alive. Joe Hill’s LOCKE & KEY has been an amazing series from issue one — a single, cohesive novel in sequential art form. (And Gabriel Rodriguez’s incredible and evocative art has done it all kinds of justice.) Hill writes his characters so authentically I couldn’t help but care about them, and when some of them don’t make it to the end I was legitimately saddened by their loss. But still, this is a very satisfying end to a gripping and compelling story. I’ll miss hanging out with the Locke family.

View all my reviews