Book Review: Welcome to Necropolis by Bryan Killian

Welcome to Necropolis by Bryan Killian

Paperback, 344 pages

Published March 2015 by Deadite Press

A couple of things before I get into this book. I might not seem like the target audience for this book. Yes I was into Zombie movies before the Walking Dead made them mainstream. I grew-up Romero zombies, low budget Italian zombie affairs ranging from Tombs of the Blind dead, Burial Ground and of course Fulci movies. In my own Zombie novel I savaged the growing zombie mainstream with satire, and I admit nine times out of ten I roll my eyes at the idea of another zombie novel. Then I sat on a panel talking horror with Bryan and decided I had to read his work.

Lets be clear I don't root against zombie novels, infact I had David Wellington's Positive as my number five read of the year. I also had a read reading experience with Killian's Welcome to Necropolis. I choose it as my flight read heading home to Indiana and as such read it in two sittings.

Split into two parts the first in the hours just after the zombie outbreak, and the second part taking place weeks later. Of the two parts of the novel, the second half to me was more interesting. Killian does some interesting things with the set up of the zombie apocalypse, most notable were the chapters that followed Ruth a nurse at a elder care facility. What happens after that is the unraveling of Redding California, the city providing the window into the end of this world.

Killian gives the characters weight and for my money I was most connected to Ty and his gold lab Sugar. The second half becomes more of a survival story as the city has split into factions some surviving in a office building others in a convention center. The strength of this novel is less in the zombie tropes as it is in the heartfelt sorrow I felt for the characters in the closing pages. Without spoilers I will just say the strong moments of the book came in the final pages.

That emotional richness is so important to building terror, I know Killian is working on a follow-up but I am most looking forward seeing what other direction he explores in horror. Super glad he is a part of the San Diego Horror community.

Book Review: Skyrizer by Cody Goodfellow (based on a concept by Phillip Buchanon)

Skyrizer

Written by Cody Goodfellow, based on a concept by Phillip Buchanon Paperback, 222 pages

Published October 2015 by Octocanon

Look I don't need to be shy about certain facts. Cody Goodfellow is one of my favorite writers of my generation, genre wise I think he is criminally underrated talent. Had he come of age as writer in the 80's horror boom there would probably be a industry based on his imagination. In his team-ups with splatterpunk legend John Skipp we got a tiny glimpse of what he could do with another property. So this novel is not an established franchise but that doesn't matter. For this Goodfellow fan it was a chance to see what the mad genius did playing with the toys in someone else's sandbox.

Based on a concept by the Raiders former 17th over-all pick in the NFL draft Phillip Buchanon. Skyrizer is a short but fun read. The story of seventeen year old Mason McCoy. He has climbed a building with the intention of ending it all. Life is not easy in the Chicago projects, he didn't want to end up in prison like his father but a gang is after him. Everything changes when a mass of shooting stars turns him into something else. High above the city he learns the power to fly is just the beginning. He has a job to to do. Save the city, and be the father he never had.

Look it's a simple story but executed with flair that comes with a Cody Goodfellow touch. I don't know how Buchanon and Goodfellow found each other but I am glad they did. This is not the bat-shit crazy mad scientist prose we Goodfellows have come to expect. I personally found it a enjoyable reading experience in part because it is stretch for the author to restrain himself and tell a straight forward story.

This is a superhero story but under the surface I get the feeling Buchanon wanted to express the importance of responsibility that comes with being a hero. It was Goodfellow's job to handle the gee whiz stuff, and he did. I think fans of Phillip Buchanon the football player should support his vision, fans of Cody Goodfellow will have fun watching this dude put on a different suit.

If there is a negative, it is how the book is being marketed and designed. I think a bio with Buchanon's story, Goodfellow's background on the book could help get interest. I think it should be on shelves at libraries. A super hero story with heart from a former NFL player Skyrizer is neat book.

My Top Ten Books/Reads of 2015

2015 was another great year for reading. Here is how my list works. I base the list on anything and everything I read in the year. If it is a new release or from 1936 it doesn't matter. I didn't plan it this way but all top ten were from 2015 or 14 this time. Might be the first time that has happened to me as I read a lot of old school sci-fi and horror. All ten books are masterpieces and a lot of really good novels didn't make the top ten.

10-Love is the Law by Nick Mamatas

It paints a more edgy hardcore mystery than books with double it's word count and sales. This book however deserves the hype. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? please. Dawn is character that doesn't just look out of place in society, she is out of place in the Long Island basement punk rock shows too. A follower of both Trotsky and Crowley, who finds her mentor in communism and magik murdered. Short but intense read.

9-The Fold by Peter Clines

The whole novel hinges on a "Oh shit" moment that is 200 or so pages into the novel. Clines manages to create enough interesting characters and seed enough mystery that it carried me through. I suppose he will lose some readers before getting to that big Oh shit moment. I personally feel the pay-off makes the ride worth it all. If you are new to Clines I would start with his novel 14 or his classic zombie super hero crossover Ex-heroes.

8-The Least of My Scars by Stephen Graham Jones

The concept is weird, and is often the case with bizarro literature you just have to ride with it. It gets weirder as it goes but SGJ pays off the reader quite nicely. His prose here is lean and deliberate, if you pay attention to things like story construction and wordsmithing then you can’t go wrong. It is a well done piece of work on several levels. I mean it's about an agoraphobic serial killer, seriously.

7-A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

It is a book that will be debated by those who read it for years to come. The writing is deceptively good. I read this in part because months ago many people were declaring it the horror novel of the year. I liked it a lot but think some of the hyperbole surrounding it hurt the book with me. Not Tremblay's fault he hit all the right notes. Long after I closed the book, I was still thinking about it,and my opinion changed. It was better than I first thought. For reasons that are a total spoiler.

6-The Border by Robert R. McCammon

The Border reads and feels like a McCammon novel from the 80's. That my friends is a super wonderful thing. In tone and story this book feels like a perfect blend of two of his classics Swan Song and Stinger. It is absolutely a horror novel set against the end of the world. Stinger was unique in the RRM Catalog because it was the most science fiction of all his works. Until the The Border that is.

The Border is a Science Fiction end of the world horror novel that will appeal to fans of McCammon and kinda feels like putting on a great classic album or movie.

5-Postive by David Wellington

This is a tale of survival and a coming of age for a young man whose arc finds him accepting responsibility he never dreamed of. Not a zombie novel more of a survivor novel. Taking place 20 year after the zombie apoclayse, this road novel has a simple concept but was very effectively told.

4-The Death House by Sarah Pinborough

I read three excellent novels by Pinborough, all three were masterpieces in their own right. The Death House was next level good. It is true that a novel called The Death House is in fact a beautiful story. Some of the most beautiful stories are told in the darkest of settings and that is the case here. It is the Yin and Yang of darkness and beauty that makes this story special. With Blurbs from Stephen King and Neil Gaiman don't take my word for it.

3-Skullcrack City by Jeremy Robert Johnson

This book is like nothing else you have ever read but everyone loves a comparison right? JRJ wears his influences on his sleeve, but not to crutch level. If you forced me I would say it felt like a way weirder take on Carpenter’s They Live if William Burroughs and Clive Barker worked on the script and Cronenberg directed. It is the only one of the books on this year's list I plan to re-read soon. Intelligent bizarro that ends the world and threatens reality.

2-The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

Mitchell himself has called this a collection of novellas but he is being unfair to his own book, it is a novel it simply has a unconventional structure. That will lose many readers as it feels like the story that takes a few hundred pages to come together. The reality is the story is all laid out at the beginning but the Mystery and weirdness is such that you miss it. You'll find yourself looking back and realizing it was there all along.

The Bone Clocks is part horror, part speculative fiction and fantasy. One could even argue that it is a bit of a vampire novel, to the point Mitchell has a character say "Don't say the V word" at one point. In the end genre is a distinction Mitchell clearly gives zero fucks about. Yes this is fantastic writing and it elevates itself over most genre fiction but honestly that is all it is a VERY GREAT sci-fi/fantasy/ horror novel. I think you should read.

Number one is...

The Silence by Tim Lebbon

This novel is in the tradition of British dystopias ranging from Day of the Triffids to 28 Days Later. The Silence is a high concept monster novel that creates terror in the reader by milking every drop of the idea. There is a moment 2/3 of the way through the narrative that was the most brutal scene I have experienced since the ending of the Mist. I knew this scene was coming, it was obvious and Lebbon gave the reader plenty of warnings. Despite all the warnings reading it still hit me like a gut punch. Lebbon never misses beat, using the concept to ramp up the horror.

My Top Ten Radio Shows and Podcasts of 2015

My Top Ten Radio and Podcasts of 2015!

Before I do movies and books this year I had a top ten I wanted to do for the first time. I listen to a lot of radio/ podcasts while walking, commuting to work, cooking and various other stuff. I have varied interests so this list includes sports, entertainment and news. I listen to less music than early points in my life, and I admit I often have at least one headphone in listening to one of these shows.

10. The Horror Show with Brian Keene (podcast): Author Brian Keene and Co-host Dave Thomas talk about all things horror. They do good interviews with authors and filmmakers. I often like shows they hate but there is a lot of practical advice for writers.

9. The Nerdist Writer’s Panel (podcast): If you are a fan of the golden age of story-telling in television or enjoy discussions about creation of story, then this podcast is worth a listen. This podcast hosted by writer Ben Blacker has some of the best writers in Television. Many are straight interviews but most are recordings of panels from conferences. Q and A with Jeff Goldsmith is also great but less consistent with new episodes.

7-8. The Lightning round/ Bolt Talk (podcast) As a total nerd for all things Chargers listening to not one but multiple podcasts devoted to the team is weekly thing during the season. Bolt Talk hosted by Ray and Loren is great, with a community feeling to it. Some of the callers and Chat room commentors have been a part of the show forever. But if you want to break down the x’s and O’s really get nerdy with Chargers football Garrett and Jamie on Lighting Round is a must listen. Serious Chargers nerds should listen to both.

6.Serial(lNPR podcast) Yeah I got hooked like everyone else. Serial was based on a fascinating story, maintained mystery through out and didn’t provide answers. I loved it. Excited to dive into season 2.

5. WTF with Marc Maron(Podcast): OK sometimes he annoys me but Maron gets the best guests and does fantastic interviews with actors, writers, musicians, comedians and Presidents. What I like about the show is that MM often asks great questions about the process of creating his guest’s art.

4.The Ross Tucker Football (Podcast): My favorite nationally based football podcast, hosted by former Buffalo Bills lineman Ross Tucker. But it’s not just any Ross Tucker podcast… Never mind inside joke for loyal Tuck-heads. Ross always has a smart take on football and I like his personality, he makes me laugh. I am in my fifth year of following football through Ross, going back to his days on ESPN’s Football Today Podcast.

3.Dread Media (Podcast): Covering horror fiction, movies, and comics this podcast is a must list for me weekly, yes you read that right weekly. Desmond Reddick is a teacher, dad, writer and manages to put out this podcast pretty much every week. I have listened to a good amount of the over 500 episodes. It doesn’t hurt that he peppers the podcast with metal songs normally themed to watch the horror film reviewed. I have been a guest a few times on DM and consider important to keep up with the horror underground.

2. The Dave and Jeff Show (7-10am mornings am 1360 xtra sports)

For pure sports talk in San Diego I enjoy Dave and Jeff. They have been my morning commute since the day they came back on the air. While Dave Palet has gained the nickname El diabol because he generally takes the negative opinion. These guys are likable, Jeff Dothseth is witty and makes me laugh a few times every morning. Let’s face it as a San Diego sports fan we need a good laugh. The best thing I can say about their show is they feel like friends, if no reason we take the piss out of each other on twitter.

I mean the station cut the show an hour earlier in the year and several fans rallied on twitter to get our hour of Dave and Jeff back.

1. Scott and BR (1090 AM San Diego weekdays 3-6 pm):

I have listened to this show since I lived in Portland and downloaded it as a podcast. I have admit I used to not be a huge fan of this show. Scott kaplan is a former NFL kicker and his sidekick is 80 era Charger linebacker Billy Ray Smith. They were off the station for awhile after Kaplan made offensive comments on air. As pure sports talk the show is OK. The news updates come from the underrated presence of Linda Whelmby. The three of them have a great interplay and dynamic that often makes me laugh, but in a normal sports talk year they wouldn’t make my list.

So why is Scott and BR my favorite listen of the year? Faced with possibility of the Chargers leaving San Diego, the show has become something else. For three hours a day the Scott and BR show has become a part of the story in San Diego. Scott Kaplan has become a warrior fighting for San Diego and the fans. The musical chairs in the LA stadium battle has become a crazy house of cards style battle with this show becoming ground zero.

Much more than sports radio, at times the show has become community activism and the voice of a frustrated fan base in the worst Chargers season ever. Award worthy it has become a next level experience.

Book Review: The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

Hardcover, 624 pages

Published September 2014 by Random House

Man Booker Prize Nominee for Longlist (2014)

World Fantasy Award for Best Novel (2015)

Specsavers National Book Award Nominee for UK Author of the Year;

Audible.co.uk Audiobook of the Year (2014)

Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction (2014)

In the last couple years I have soured on big sprawling epic novels, anything over 400 pages always seems to have a hundred pages or so that feel like padding. In the late 90's it was impossible to publish a short novel, and I normally enjoy 250-300 page novels best. Coming in at 624 pages I almost passed on the Bone Clocks, but I was interested for three reasons. 1) I loved the film of Cloud Atlas 2)It won the World Fantasy Award for best novel and 3) I am plotting geek that enjoys stories with many levels, and multiple stories weaving together.

The Bone Clocks is a sprawling book that the author admitted is more a collection of novellas, really 5 100 page novellas with a epilogue. That maybe a over simplification as it is one story just broken up into different point over views. Each novella hops around 10 years into the future starting in 1984, and ends up 2044. The first novella's POV character returns time and again through the story but only takes center stage again in the last two novellas.

Mitchell himself has called this a collection of novellas but he is being unfair to his own book, it is a novel it simply has a unconventional structure. That will lose many readers as it feels like the story that takes a few hundred pages to come together. The reality is the story is all laid out at the beginning but the Mystery and weirdness is such that you miss it. You'll find yourself looking back and realizing it was there all along.

This novel is clearly on that line between what is considered high literature and genre. Think of novels like Mary Dorian Russell's The Sparrow which was a pure Science Fiction novel but was never marketed using genre infact the publisher avoided it like it was a contagion. It was science fiction, it was also horror but it never got placed in the genre ghetto and was treated as something more artistic. I think the Great Brian Evenson is an author who writes great horror fiction author but is thought of as literature. Good for him, he is that good, but these distinctions are of course a bunch of bullshit. The authors know it too.

The Bone Clocks is part horror, part speculative fiction and fantasy. One could even argue that it is a bit of a vampire novel, to the point Mitchell has a character say "Don't say the V word" at one point. In the end genre is a distinction Mitchell clearly gives zero fucks about. Yes this is fantastic writing and it elevates itself over most genre fiction but honestly that is all it is a VERY GREAT sci-fi/fantasy/ horror novel. I think you should read.

So I went into the novel cold, not knowing anything about the plot or concept. I think if the above aspects of the novel sound interesting than stop right here. mild spoilers ahead. The main character is Holly Skyes who we meet at a teenager in 1984. Her parents are upset that she has a older boyfriend, she decides she is going to runaway from home with him only to find out he is sleeping with her best friend. Holly can't go home and gets a job on a farm. She isn't there long when she discovers that her little brother went missing at the same time. That is where the mystery begins. The story takes us all over the world and into Holly's elder years. It is a interesting journey.

Is it my favorite novel of the year? Not even close, but it maybe the best I read all year. Those are two very different things.

Book Review: The Death House by Sarah Pinborough

The Death House by Sarah Pinborough

Paperback, 320 pages

Published in the U.S. September 2015 by Titan Books (first published February 2015)

I am not even sure where to start. Pinborough has become one of my favorite authors who is enjoy a very well deserved success. the first novel of hers I read was a novel called "A Matter of Blood" which was a blacker than black noir that kicked off the fantastic Dog Faced Gods Trilogy. Some might find it hard to imagine such a beautiful story coming from the same mind, but SP has written a variety of novels. And yes it is true that a novel called The Death House is in fact a beautiful story. Some of the most beautiful stories are told in the darkest of settings and that is the case here. It is the Yin and Yang of darkness and beauty that makes this story special.

One impressive thing is the very intentional lack of world building in this novel. There is almost no background on the world beyond the walls of the Death house and the isolated island that has become a prison for the characters. Children who failed a blood test. Found to be "defective" in a world we are told they can't be a part of, torn from their families they have to learn to live together. Toby our narrator has memories about his past life but we don't hear much about it at all. That annoyed me at first, but after finishing the novel I realize the feeling isolation required this and it was a sign that we were in the hands of superior story-teller who knows very well what the hell she is doing.

Toby lives with the other defectives in the Death House, hidden from the world they know they will live there until they die. It will happen to them all, the blood will drain from their eyes and they will suffer. When they get sick they are taken to sanatorium and a memorial soon follows.

Sounds pretty sad, but this is the story of the children learning live and love in a world of misery and disease. The first 100 pages didn't hook me, but based on the strength of my experiences with Pinborough's past work I kept reading and I am thankful that I did. The last 100 pages more than made up for my hesitation at the start. The ending was powerful and just another sign that Sarah Pinborough is one of the best we got.

Book Review: The Border by Robert R. McCammon

The Border by Robert R. McCammon

Hardcover, 441 pages

Published May 2015 by Subterranean Press

There are few authors who I think are as consistently solid storytellers as McCammon. Considered one of the greats of the 80's horror explosion he has won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award for classics like Swan Song, Gone South and Boy's Life. I think it is fair to say RRM is one of the best genre authors. Transcending the genre in the last few years his output has been mostly in historical mysteries.

The Border was generally believed to be RRM returning to the style of novel that made him a bestselling, award winning powerhouse. Certainly he has produced excellent works in recent years. His first return to the modern setting was in 2011 was with the fantastic novel "The Five." This was a big deal I mean Stephen King said it was the best novel of the year and McCammon's best. I reviewed it at the time saying "The Five is a novel about the tapestry of Rock and roll, the universe of live music, what it all means. The Five works on many, many levels. It's a masterpiece written by a man who has a few of those." The novel is a thriller but not quite horror, RRM did however return to the genre once before The Border in the 2013 horror western novella I Travel by Night.

None the less it is true that The Border reads and feels like a McCammon novel from the 80's. That my friends is a super wonderful thing. In tone and story this book feels like a perfect blend of two of his classics Swan Song and Stinger. It is absolutely a horror novel set against the end of the world. Stinger was unique in the RRM Catalog because it was the most science fiction of all his works. Until the The Border that is.

The Border is a Science Fiction end of the world horror novel that will appeal to fans of McCammon and kinda feels like putting on a great classic album or movie. I went into the novel as blind as possible reading nothing but the title before diving into it. That made for a interesting choice since we are dropped into the novel mid-action with no info-dumps and it is hard at first to get your footing. I mean what the hell is going on?

This was intentional as we meet a boy on the run from two different alien races in battle over the skies of Colorado. He doesn't know who or where he is so it is appropriate POV that we are confused. Once he is saved by a group of humans surviving in an apartment building he takes the name Ethan. The survivors are concerned that he is alien, certainly he has no business being alive. We learn that earth has become the center of a battle between two species that two years after they arrived no one even knows. Humans call the aliens Gorgons and Cyphers. No one is sure why they are at war with each other, but the entire human civilization is on edge of death. Ethan is not sure who he is, he picks the name at random but he quickly shows powers that are nothing short of magical. He believes he can save the human race but he has to follow visions on a journey across the wasteland.

An amazing thing happened when I was reading this book. I was 200 or so pages into it at the time. Before I left for work I got into a online debate with people here in San Diego that were disturbed by the idea that we as community might be taking in 300 Syrian refugees. I tried very hard to explain that the people were caught in the middle of civil war, their lives destroyed. I tried get these people to understand what that would feel like. To feel empathy.

An hour later sitting on the bus heading to work I opened The Border to read and it hit me. Intentionally or not that is what McCammon was expressing. In this novel humans caught in between forces of a war and have lost their civilization itself. In post America people who once enjoyed privileges of this society were struggling to survive. They could use some of that empathy. While this novel seems to be going back to a style that McCammon used in the 80's his growth as a writer is super clear. Both The Five and The Border present excellent stories, but also a subtle political messages that was not there in the older novels. All done without a preachy tone.

I also get the feeling had McCammon written this book in the 80's it might have been twice the length, in that sense we get a more tightly told tale. McCammon breaks rules, but he gets away with it. He shifts POV sometimes without a break from one paragraph to the next. This sometimes confuses me. It is something he has always done. That is one tiny nitpick with the man's style. This novel is excellent with RRM's trademark pacing a strong characterization. The Border is a must read for fans or Robert R. McCommon, and anyone who enjoys a good end of the world epic.

Book Review: Mycroft Holmes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Anna Waterhouse

Mycroft Holmes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Anna Waterhouse

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published September 2015 by Titan Book

I maybe read this book for the wrong reasons. Kareem is one of my favorite basketball players. I love the NBA, and even though I have adopted the Blazers and hate the Lakers I always loved Kareem. I mean he is a cool cat. Besides being the game's all time greatest in total points, he invented his own unstoppable shot. He is 7'2, super political, smart as a whip, trained with Bruce Lee, fought Bruce Lee on screen and was in Airplane. I had heard that he was a big Holmes nerd and that I respect too. It had been since I was a teenager that I followed the tales of Baker Street but I loved that one of the best NBA players had written a novel and I had to check it out.

I know he didn't write this one alone, I am sure Anna Waterhouse knew that she would get overshadowed by her famous co-author.It is hard not to be over shadowed by a figure as tall and KAJ. None the less KAJ is know for being a serious Holmes expert who has author essays on the character before. I can't help but wonder how much was written by Kareem but I think this story came very much from the man. After watching interviews I was convinced to pick up the book because I sensed his passion for the subject.

I admit I had never heard of Sherlock's "smarter" older brother. At the time of this story Sherlock is a teen who we only briefly meet. 23 year old Mycroft Holmes is of course the focus of the story. Fresh out of college Mycroft is drawn into a mystery of disappearing children on the island of Trinidad, the birthplace of his best friend a black man Cyrus Douglas and his fiancee Georgiana. As they take the long trip across the Atlantic the mystery begins.

The first hundred pages are somewhat slow suffering origin story dilemmas, The authors do a good job of world building, which I enjoyed enough to keep reading. The story picks up steam when Cyrus and Holmes take to the sea. In many was it seems like a interesting story could have been told simply as a mystery on the ship.

None the less the story gets even better, one of my favorite aspects of the book was the fully realized Trinidad of the period. It feels well researched, of course I know nothing of the time or the character. It feels right to me. I enjoyed the writing which I felt flowed and the story worked perfectly. I am sure KAJ has it in him but I would love to see what he could do with a novel about a athlete living through the late 60's. I know he probably already wrote that book and it is not fiction. I'll read it. Eventually.

I think this is a must read for Kareem fans and Holmes nerds. It is excellent in many ways, the mystery unfolds at a perfect pace and the twists work through out. If the book had weaknesses to me they were ones that I admit might be personal preference. The conclusion of the mystery did not go to the dark places that I thought was coming to due to the setting. While Mycroft was a fine Character I like his sidekicks more than him. Cyrus was a great character and was perfect to explore some of the racial issues of the time. My favorite thing in the novel was Huan the Chinese immigrant who had a gang of martial artists in Trinidad called "The Harmonious Fists." I would love a whole novel about them and I thought they were not used enough in the third act.

For the record I wish I had more authors doing a sky hook to add to their book reviews.

Book Review: Internecine by David J. Schow

Internecine by David J. Schow

Hardcover, 341 pages

Published August 2010 by Thomas Dunne Books

I am a huge of David J. Schow, and have been for many many years. His short story collection Seeing Red is one of the best single author collections I've ever read. I met David at a signing for the Midian Unmade tribute anthology here in San Diego and he was charming. I liked him as much as person.

So I decided it was time to go back and catch up on his thrillers. So I started with this 2010 novel. The story of Conrad Maddox an ad executive in LA who hates his life. He calls the people living their normal lives "The Walking Dead" and very much thinks of himself in those ranks. That is until he finds a briefcase full of guns. This sets off a series of events that drags Conrad into the internal conflict of an international crime ring.

This novel has a Hitchcock man on the run style story however it doesn't globe hop, it is confined to the city of Los Angeles. Schow shows great passion for his city through out the 341 pages, one neat aspect of the novel are nuggets of LA history spread through-out the book. A scene doesn't just take place on Muholland Drive, but DJS very effectively weaves in the street's history and that of the person it was named for. In many ways it was my favorite aspect of the novel.

Conrad is a man in over his skates, shot a gun once years ago and now is in the middle of fire fights. Exchanging verbal jabs with hired killers and gangsters. How he handles this is well told through a very personal first person narrative. Schow is playful with the rules of writing, showing all his cards and often breaks the fourth wall to good effect. I think the suspense is lacking here compared to some of his other works. What makes the novel enjoyable is how the characters interact and how Schow plays with convention.

The negative is that this novel is not a easy breezy read, you can end up scratching your head from time to time trying to figure out what Schow is doing, but if you pay close attention you will be rewarded.I don't think it is Schow at his best, but Schow is such an amazing writer you still end up with a very fun piece of work.

Book Review: The Silence by Tim Lebbon

The Silence

by Tim Lebbon

Paperback, 363 pages

Published April 14th 2015 by Titan Books

Some times the best movies of all time come out in the wrong year. It is hard for me to believe for example that Boyhood didn't win best picture, but none the less Birdman came out the same year. Personally I would have voted Boyhood but you know most critics thought Birdman was the better film. I mean both were great right? Why do I bring this up?

This has been an amazing year for horror. For myself I think of Jeremy Robert Johnson's Skullcrack City, Sarah Pinborough's Murder and Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts all as contenders for horror novel of the year. That said I just closed the final page of a book that simply floored me.

All those novels will come in second at least because they all came out the same year as Tim Lebbon's The Silence. This novel is in the tradition of British dystopias ranging from Day of the Triffids to 28 Days Later. The Silence is a high concept monster novel that creates terror in the reader by milking every drop of the idea. There is a moment 2/3 of the way through the narrative that was the most brutal scene I have experienced since the ending of the Mist. I knew this scene was coming, it was obvious and Lebbon gave the reader plenty of warnings. Despite all the warnings reading it still hit me like a gut punch.

The Silence is classic monster novel, while the world ends with frightening monsters it is the full realized family at the center of the story that makes this novel so great. The story kicks off with a live television broadcast of a caving expedition that unleashes these vicious flying creatures, blind rabid like bats called Vesps. They are deadly reproducing fast and spreading across Europe quickly toward the British home of our main characters. The Vesps are blind, after having been dormant in the earth for millions of years. Unleashed they are hungry and hunt by sound.

The challenge for the survivors living in a quickly disintegrating society is to stay silent. It is a matter of survival, even the sound of a voice can be enough to bring the Vesps upon you. You can't drive, too much sound. You can't scream that will bring them on you. Lebbon uses these rules to build suspense masterfully.

Set in the English countryside the main POV of the story is Ally a disabled Teenager whose spent most of her childhood deaf after a terrible accident. Ally's family do as most families would they run looking for safety and have to go to incredible lengths to survive. Along the way their limits are tested, and through it all they have to contain their urges to scream, cry or panic. Lebbon never misses beat, using the concept to ramp up the horror.

Her Father Huw is often the hero of the story but in tragic and realistic manner which serves to guide the reader through the horrors that will have anyone with a heart cringing and considering putting the book down. I am sure many will not make it past page 207.

Lebbon balances the personal with the global using the internet and Ally's Ipad as a story telling tool, I am sure this is the first time I have seen the internet effectively weaved into a end of the world narrative. The internet is used here much like newspaper clippings in King's Carrie. This is effective in many ways, Lebbon manages to dump information without hurting the narrative, and uses the tool to unfold the story right up to the very last page.

The Silence is a must read for fans of end of the world novels, monster novels or family horror. I can't recommend this enough. Absolute horror masterpiece.

Book Review: Jupiter War by Neal Asher (The Owner Book Three)

Jupiter War by Neal Asher (The Owner Book Three)

Paperback, 356 pages

Published May 2014 by Night Shade Books

2013 in England

Neal Asher is a British Science Fiction who i consider to be one of the best writers whose work is entirely published in this century. His future is a weird, ultra violent place. Lots of gun battles, and cyborgs, all kinds of utter weird. Most of his novels take place in the Polity universe including my personal favorite The Skinner. This trilogy takes place in a separate universe one was was introduced in short stories Asher published in the past.

The story of Alan Saul a one time human, now he is the owner. Full integrated into the Argus Space Station, his mind controls the ship, he has become something much more than human. After disrupting the plans of a meglomanic dictator who intended to kill off the majority of Zero asset humans on earth Saul is taking the blame in the public. He is heading out into deep space with a stop off at Jupiter to power up. His enemies on earth have one last chance to stop him.

The elephant in the room is how political this trilogy is. I love a good political analogy in Science Fiction and since most sci-fi writers are liberals or left I mostly agree with them. Asher and I however do not see the world the same way. Even though I roll my eyes at many of the messages in this book, I enjoy the story. I like Asher's stories even if I think his views are dead wrong.

Each of the chapters started with a little bacck ground that was written as if A historian was setting up the events and this is where Asher really expresses his views. One of those came in chapter 9 (page 153) where Asher suggests the idea that people trying to make the world a better place are basically just coming for your freedom and want to ruin your life.

As a committed environmentalist and animal rights activist I could not disagree with it more, but it is a relevant in a discussion with this book. Weather it is the dictator Serene Galahad's iron grip on earth or Alan Saul fighting with his feelings after becoming part machine the theme of personal freedom was throughout the book. Yes Galahad is evil for trying to kill off the human race but isn't over population still a problem. It is not Asher's just to offer an alternative, he is just telling a story.

I really enjoyed the story of a man becoming a super human through a technological meld with a ship and and this trilogy looks as if it expand. I will read them of course. If however you are new to Asher I will always suggest The Skinner first.

Prince of Darkness screening in the Church where it was filmed

The year I discovered horror in my life was 1987. Living in Indiana as a kid I was starting 8th grade already reading Stephen King and Clive Barker. Obsessed with our local horror host Sammy Terry and reading Fangoria every single month. Walking down to our comic shop 25th century Five and Dime on the Tuesday it came out to get it. My favorite filmmaker was John Carpenter who I knew from first from Starman a sci-fi romance that was a movie my mother and I bonded on before she died. I was looking forward to and following the fango coverage of Prince of Darkness and Hellraiser for months. I had to get my father and later a family friend to take me as I was too young for the R-rated movies.

To this day they are two of my favorite horror films which of course got better as I got older and could fully understand them. Prince of Darkness however is my favorite horror movie no doubt. Carpenter's The Thing may be better and I am sure if I really thought about it there are better horror movies, but it is a my personal favorite.

It is very Lovecraftian, cosmic horror with lots of Science fiction melded in. It is scary moody, great score. Love it.

So on October 29th 2015 almost three decades later I with my friends Marty, Larry and Anthony to a screening of Prince of Darkness at the church (now a converted theater house)where the movie was filmed in Little Tokyo.

What an amazing experience. Driving up to the church and seeing it was a jaw dropping experience alone. There it was.

Then we parked by the back where one of my favorite scenes was filmed walked the alley where Zombie Alice Cooper stabbed a dude with a bike frame.

The movie screened in the same room where the scientists set up their control room. So this very room is where we watched the movie.

The East west players who run the theater smartly set up the front doors for pictures...

Remember this..."This is not a dream... not a dream. We are using your brain's electrical system as a receiver. We are unable to transmit through conscious neural interference. You are receiving this broadcast as a dream. We are transmitting from the year one, nine, nine, nine. You are receiving this broadcast in order to alter the events you are seeing. Our technology has not developed a transmitter strong enough to reach your conscious state of awareness, but this is not a dream. You are seeing what is actually occurring for the purpose of causality violation." Also you can hear myself and other San Diego horror professionals disscuss this Prince Of Darkness on the horrible imaginings podcast recorded live on stage at the New Central Library's Halloween event in San Diego. about 1 hour and half in we talk Prince of Darkness. You should listen to the whole thing why not. http://www.hifilmfest.com/newspost/147halloweenspecial/

Book Review:The End of All Things by John Scalzi (Old Man's War #6)

The End of All Things by John Scalzi (Old Man's War #6)

Hardcover, 380 pages

Published August 2015 by Tor Books

I have tendency to read classic science fiction still. I generally like the old school best. I have not been as serious about keeping up with the modern works outside of a few authors. John Scalzi is one of those authors, he is one of the most loved and respected modern sci-fi writers for a couple reasons. He has built two brands one with his novels which feel both modern and old school at the same time, and of course his popular blog helped too. When I say modern and old school at the same time it is hard to explain.It is the feeling I get reading his books. They feel fun, besides the humor he slips in Scalzi never shys away froma little gee whiz factor.

The End of All Things is the 6th book set in the Old Man's War universe. The first three books were a contained trilogy, all three of which I loved. The second book The Ghost Brigades is to me the strongest of the six, but all are worth worth reading. After the trilogy he pulled a trick Orson Scott Card did with the Ender's series and re-wrote parts of the story from a different POV.

Scalzi has had sucessful books out of this universe I reviewed the hilariously meta Redshirts here, so it is not like he needed to go back to this well. There are important universe building reasons for the last two books which are short story/ novella collections set in the Old Man's universe. This book feels like a close out to the story or at least an era in the QMW universe.

This book is made up of 4 1/2 novellas. Four new novellas and an alternate draft of the first novella. This book had much more of a single novel feel than the last collection The Human Division. There is a clear point A and Point Z and one narrative flow despite the radical shift in POV.

My favorite of the novella's was Can Long Endure which had the military sci-fi tone of the OG Old Man's War novels. The second novel was a bit of slog compared to the pace the rest of the book had. That novella had a complex political background story and was thick with twists and turns. Not bad but compared to the fun of the third novella it just seemed overly complicated.

If you are a fan of the Old Man's War universe it is a no-brainer, if it sounds interesting but you have not read any of the books... Well start at the beginning. the trilogy is must read sci-fi.

Book Review: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published June 2nd 2015 by William Morrow

I was interested in this book from the first time I saw it sitting on the shelf at Mysterious Galaxies. I picked it up, read the dust jacket and made a note to read it at some point. Then I heard Brian Keene say it was one of his favorites of the year, and Listened to a great interview he did with Tremblay on his podcast. I heard several others say it was on their best of the year list. This is a great problem for an author to have but suddenly the hype machine was spitting out praise to a crazy level.

At this point anything less than mind blowing was going to feel like a let down. So my initial rating on good Reads was 3 stars. I felt like the hype was a bit over the top. The book didn't grab me right away and without the hype I may not have kept reading but I did. I am glad I did because not only did I enjoy it but a curious thing happened. The longer I thought about the book the more I enjoyed it.

Long after I closed the book, I was still thinking about it,and my opinion changed. It was better than I first thought. For reasons that are a total spoiler. Normally I don't do spoilers in a review so after a good amount of non-spoiler You'll get a warning. Then it's on.

A Head Full of Ghosts is a very interesting horror novel, that is meta-horror at times. It is the story of Merry whose family is in crisis. Her older sister Majorie is having problems. Her father who recently found god believes she is possessed. Why not? Majorie is not denying in fact she is playing along or is she? Things get really intense when her exorcism becomes the subject of a reality TV show.

Told through first person accounts, blog entires and various other tricks. Those things were my least favorite part of the story. I know that is a personal thing but the shifting narrative takes me out of story often. Tremblay however is very talented story teller and it is no doubt he found a neat way to attack a tired subject in the genre. He pulls it all off. The hype may become a problem for this novel but it delivers over all. This books works on levels of subtext I can get along with. It is likely that you may miss some of it. See it through, because in the end it is a nearly perfect masterpiece. I am going to raise my rating to 4 stars.

OK, OK. This book is that good. Tremblay blew fresh air into a tired trope of the genre. I can't tell you why that is the hard part.

OK SPOILERS:

!

!

!

WARNED. OK A Head Full of Ghosts is a great horror novel that I think will be open for interruption. How you judge this story will depend greatly on how close you read it. Honestly I put the book down and it wasn't till hours after I finished it that I didn't consider it. My first thought was that Majorie was not possessed at all. I still don't think that she ever was possessed. She had issues for sure, she could have been "possessed" by the idea of it. The media influencing her seems more likely. She at a young age knows everything about exorcism movies. When I closed the book the first time, that was my assumption.

Upon thinking about the book I started remembering details about the younger sister Merry and my thoughts changed. It seems that Tremblay was subtlety pointing out that it was Merry all along that was possessed. That she manipulated her sister, to taking the all the blame for the poisoning of their parents. The cold in the room, the fact that everything happened when she was in the room. to me that is what happened. A fantastic ending that is open to debate and I assume everyone reads this will debate the ending. That alone makes it a great novel.

Book Review: Fear City (Repairman Jack The Early Years #3) by F.Paul Wilson

Fear City (Repairman Jack: The Early Years #3)

by F. Paul Wilson

Hardcover, 368 pages

Published November 2014 by Tor Books

Mystery and thriller writers have a tendency to write series of books with a central character. Often you'll have characters like Jack Reacher or Alex Cross that start interesting but a dozen books later you feel the author (or who ever ghost writes for them) is using carbon copy paper to set up their paint by number stories. F.Paul Wilson has written two dozen or more Repairman Jack novels including this early years trilogy and YA novels about his childhood and yet I have never not one time been disappointed. Wilson was Trailblazer in horror with a series character, now other writers have series like Jonathan Maberry has Joe Ledger, Weston Ochecs has Seal Team 666 but no one has created the interconnected universe that Wilson has created with his Secret history of the world saga.

There is no reason to read this book alone it is one thread woven into one of the more elaborate fabrics in the history of storytelling not just Horror fiction. I know that sounds like hyperbole but it's not. Consider that 41 novels and short stories take place in the Secret History. Two different series The Adversary Cycle and Repairman Jack series weave in and out of each other. RMJ#1 and #15 are at the same books as Adversary Cycle books #3 and #6. F.Paul Wilson can plot a story like Russian chess masters set up check mates.

Fear city is the third in a prequel trilogy that manages to create a interesting stand alone Jack story while weaving into the larger story, tying directly to a book more than dozen Repairman Jack novels later. We see the early years, where Jack makes alot of connections that lead to him creating a his "Fix it" business.

Wilson can't kill his lead, and since we know Jack will live he has to create tension in the other characters. If you have read as many of these books as I have every time a character is likable you know they are in trouble. Wilson brings the pain here again. Wilson weaves the real life events of the first World Trade center bombing into his saga. That is actually important to the mythology, considering the events of 9/11 and the destruction of the towers plays a role in the later Repairman Jack novel Ground Zero.

If you are a fan of this series you will not be disappointed. We see how Jack gets his first ad, makes connections and loses one of his first loves. It informs how he develops as character. Besides that you get a good thriller. This is before Jack is pulled into the supernatural mystery that will over take his life, but it delivers.

Fear City by F. Paul Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mystery and thriller writers have a tendency to write series of books with a central character. Often you'll have characters like Jack Reacher or Alex Cross that start interesting but a dozen books later you feel the author (or who ever ghost writes for them) is using carbon copy paper to set up their paint by number stories. F.Paul Wilson has written two dozen or more Repairman Jack novels including this early years trilogy and YA novels about his childhood and yet I have never not one time been disappointed. Wilson was Trailblazer in horror with a series character, now other writers have series like Jonathan Maberry has Joe Ledger, Weston Ochecs has Seal Team 666 but no one has created the interconnected universe that Wilson has created with his Secret history of the world saga.

There is no reason to read this book alone it is one thread woven into one of the more elaborate fabrics in the history of storytelling not just Horror fiction. I know that sounds like hyperbole but it's not. Consider that 41 novels and short stories take place in the Secret History. Two different series The Adversary Cycle and Repairman Jack series weave in and out of each other. RMJ#1 and #15 are at the same books as Adversary Cycle books #3 and #6. F.Paul Wilson can plot a story like Russian chess masters set up check mates.
Fear city is the third in a prequel trilogy that manages to create a interesting stand alone Jack story while weaving into the larger story, tying directly to a book more than dozen Repairman Jack novels later. We see the early years, where Jack makes alot of connections that lead to him creating a his "Fix it" business.

Wilson can't kill his lead, and since we know Jack will live he has to create tension in the other characters. If you have read as many of these books as I have every time a character is likable you know they are in trouble. Wilson brings the pain here again. Wilson weaves the real life events of the first World Trade center bombing into his saga. That is actually important to the mythology, considering the events of 9/11 and the destruction of the towers plays a role in the later Repairman Jack novel Ground Zero.

If you are a fan of this series you will not be disappointed. We see how Jack gets his first ad, makes connections and loses one of his first loves. It informs how he develops as character. Besides that you get a good thriller. This is before Jack is pulled into the supernatural mystery that will over take his life, but it delivers...

Book Review: Murder by Sarah Pinborough

Murder by Sarah Pinborough

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published January 2015 by Jo Fletcher Books

Sarah Pinborough is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers, hailing from England I have gotten the impression that she has more of name for herself over there. Her career started off as more of traditional horror novelist dealing with ghosts and monsters. She still deals with these topics but her more recent works that I have read show a growth in developing high concept with a quick pace. Everything I have read has been top notch to the point that I sound hyperbolic when I talk about it. I consider her Dog Faced Gods trilogy to be one of the best things I have read in the last decade. Putting her up there with my favorite writers of our generation like Cody Goodfellow and Jeremy Robert Johnson. Unnaturally talented.

I first read her Dog Faced Gods trilogy, this series of books are my second time going into the Pinborough world. The first book Mayhem is a early leader in the best book of the year. Really since I read both I consider them as one work at this point. I am not sure if it was the surprise but Mayhem felt stronger to me of the two.

Mayhem/Murder is the story of Doctor Thomas Bond. He was involved in the real life investigation of the Jack the Ripper and Torso murder killing in late 19th century England. Mayhem is a great serial killer novel about (in part) but it has more to it than just a procedural. I am not a ripper expert (although I have friends who are) and was not aware of the Thames Torso Killer. Another very different killer operating in the area at the same time. The main character of these novels is Thomas Bond, a real life surgeon who worked for Scotland yard investigating both of the murders.

In Mayhem Bond is a troubled man who is addicted to opium, this takes him to the Opium dens in the seedier sides of London. There his mind is exposed to something that leads him to a dark truth connecting the murders. in Murder we are years removed but the events still haunt him. Without spoiling the first book Murder explores the evil behind the acts while dragging Bond even closer to the madness. Pinborough does a great job detailing history and getting the vibe of the era. The novel is historical horror that eventually gets supernatural.SP explores the real life events in the first novel and adds a supernatural explanation for the grizzly details.

Murder is pretty solid follow-up and ends the story in heartbreaking fashion. It is amazing how quickly the story wraps up but Pinborough has a skills. Her pages turn, the pacing in these novels are brisk. Normally stories set in this era feel stuffy but but the tone never goes that way. Told in clippings, and shifting point of view first person narratives this novel uses story telling tricks I normally do not enjoy. But damn if they don't work. If there is a weakness here it is one big one. Normally Pinborough's quick pace is strength but sometimes major events of the story just fly by so quick I feel like she could have slowed it down, and expanded on some of the suspensful moments and played with our heart strings even more.

None the less I think this is a fantastic novel. It is shelved as mystery, but to me this is a horror novel. One of the best of the year. Not nearly as strong as the first book was.

Meet Weddle of the Goddamn Killing Machines (Pre-order now!)

Meet Weddle of the Killing Machines:

Weddle (30) Origin is a source of debate. A feral kid arrested in the Utah wilds he washed out of the U.N. Speecial forces for breaking the jaw of a superior. Small but lightining quick on his feet. He has grow into his role as a team player. Jarvis says: His strength is fearlessness and sheer insanity. He was always dangerous, but unpredictable since he found god.

Favorite weapon: Anything that kills

Code Name: Dubs AKA Live Wire

Wanted:War Crimes, Assault and Battery, Extreme torture, and seventy-three counts of Murder..

Goddamn Killing Machines

A 210-page science-fiction book

What would you do if you were given the chance to wash away your sins? What if all you had to do was go on a near-impossible mission across space and time, and your only other option was being executed along with everyone you hold dear?

Nick Jarvis faces this dilemma. He is a mercenary wanted for war crimes in every corner of our solar system. His name strikes fear even in those who are paid to be fearless. His team, known across the colony worlds as the Goddamn Killing Machines, has been captured and is set to face trial throughout the solar system. The mission sounds simple enough: track down and capture the one free member of their team. The catch? He’s the only merc more feared than Jarvis himself, and he is hiding on a would-be colony world whose very eco-system is hostile to human life.

When they arrive on the alien world, the cruel truth is revealed. Jarvis and his squad have been duped into a journey that lasted hundreds of years, not the weeks they were promised. And still, a darker truth remains unrevealed. What is their real mission? Who is the real target? Who are the real killing machines? This cliché-busting military sci-fi story is action packed, but also has the character development and atmosphere necessary to create a thick sense of paranoia. In short, Goddamn Killing Machines is a 1980s action movie filtered through the lenses of Phillip K. Dick and John Shirley influence.

Why Pre-order Goddamn Killing Machines here:' https://www.inkshares.com/projects/goddamn-killing-machines 'Goddamn Killing Machines' is available for pre-order through the above link. When you sign up for InkShares, you automatically get 5 bucks credit, making the pre-order only 4.99 (or, like, $25 bucks for the multiple copies, name in the back package). When many have created an account, They got ANOTHER 5 bucks somehow. Essentially just got this book for free (maybe it's 5 free credits for signing up, and 5 free credits for subscribing to the newsletter or something)...all I know is that I still have one whole penny left after pre-ordering! So please take a moment to support this project! It'll only be an e-book when 750 people order, and won't be hard copy unless 900+ more people order. That's probably gonna be tough, but I think we can do it! " I would add we may only need two hundread or so pre-orders to win the nerdist contest. ‪#‎jointhekillingmachines‬ So please help me out with this project. Here is a 20 minute conversation about GKM. The first few minutes is a explanation of the Nerdist contest and how Inkshares work.

Book Review: Positive by David Wellington

Positive by David Wellington

Hardcover, 437 pages Published April 2015 by Harper Voyager

This book is right up my alley, think back to a time when the word epic was not abused and over used. This novel is a post apocalyptic epic is the tradition of doozies like The Stand and Swan Song. Many will see the word Zombie on the cover and give-up because there are so many zombie re-treads. Of course the cover also has road pirates, death cults and the promise of new world being rebuilt. I'm sold.

Every time someone releases a good zombie novel the thing you always hear "A new twist" " or "if you are looking for a Fresh take on zombies." I could say both those things here but that is besides the point. The zombies are more of Maguffin this could have been 20 years after a virus, nuke event... or alien invasion. This is a tale of survival and a coming of age for a young man whose arc finds him accepting responsibility he never dreamed of. Not a zombie novel more of a survivor novel.

We meet Finn the main character who was born "after the crisis" considered a second generation in New York city. 99%of the world's population has died or "Zombied out." Finn has a good life as far as he has ever known. He fishes in the flooded subways, and dodges a zombie from time to time. New York City is a pretty safe place. The biggest fear is someone positive for the virus becoming a zombie in the walls. In this novel a the virus that turns persons into zombies can lie dormant for up to 20 years, and at 18 Finn's life is throw into chaos when his mother goes Zombie. Knowing it is likely to be positive for the virus Finn is tattooed with a + and exiled out of the city.

Finn suddenly after a sheltered life in the city has to navigate the wilderness and the various dangers that come with that. Along the way Finn meets several interesting characters and a few of the sections could have made stand-alone novels on their own. Finn learns that being positive in this world makes him and his fellow carriers outcasts. The thrust of the novel is survival and rebuilding.

If there is a negative for me it comes in the inherit weakness of first person. We know Finn will live, and alot of the story is over told. I am aware that is a personal bias so I did not count that against the book. The thing is I found the story suspensful, and interesting. I was turning pages and concerned for Finn's fate. I liked the concept and set-up. Overall I thought this book was worthy of being compared to classics in the genre and that I don't do lightly.

At times Finn seems a little too smart and goody goody, but I think Wellington did a good job of preparing the reader by making his growth so defined over the pages of the book.

The marketing department got me on this book. David Wellington is an author I had meant to check out for years. I was browsing books at the library and the cover alone had me interested. I decided I had to read this one. It is always a nice feeling to discover a new writer, and I think I will read more wellington in the future.

Meet Cason of the Goddamn Killing Machines (Pre-order now!)

Meet Amanda Eden of the Killing Machines:

CASON (30) Tracker. Zero Gravity combat. Geneticly modified to have superior sense of smell, direction and hearing. Born in lower LA, drafted out of an offenders program. Agreed to upgrades for military service and to avoid jail time. Jarvis says: Nose like a bloodhound. Tough bastard, who has survived more brutal acts than he has any right too. That is how he got his code name.

Favorite weapon: Survival knife

Code Name: Bad Penny

Wanted:War Crimes, Assault and Battery, colony tax evasion and sixty-five counts of murder.

Goddamn Killing Machines

A 210-page science-fiction book

What would you do if you were given the chance to wash away your sins? What if all you had to do was go on a near-impossible mission across space and time, and your only other option was being executed along with everyone you hold dear?

Nick Jarvis faces this dilemma. He is a mercenary wanted for war crimes in every corner of our solar system. His name strikes fear even in those who are paid to be fearless. His team, known across the colony worlds as the Goddamn Killing Machines, has been captured and is set to face trial throughout the solar system. The mission sounds simple enough: track down and capture the one free member of their team. The catch? He’s the only merc more feared than Jarvis himself, and he is hiding on a would-be colony world whose very eco-system is hostile to human life.

When they arrive on the alien world, the cruel truth is revealed. Jarvis and his squad have been duped into a journey that lasted hundreds of years, not the weeks they were promised. And still, a darker truth remains unrevealed. What is their real mission? Who is the real target? Who are the real killing machines? This cliché-busting military sci-fi story is action packed, but also has the character development and atmosphere necessary to create a thick sense of paranoia. In short, Goddamn Killing Machines is a 1980s action movie filtered through the lenses of Phillip K. Dick and John Shirley influence.

Why Pre-order Goddamn Killing Machines here:' https://www.inkshares.com/projects/goddamn-killing-machines 'Goddamn Killing Machines' is available for pre-order through the above link. When you sign up for InkShares, you automatically get 5 bucks credit, making the pre-order only 4.99 (or, like, $25 bucks for the multiple copies, name in the back package). When many have created an account, They got ANOTHER 5 bucks somehow. Essentially just got this book for free (maybe it's 5 free credits for signing up, and 5 free credits for subscribing to the newsletter or something)...all I know is that I still have one whole penny left after pre-ordering! So please take a moment to support this project! It'll only be an e-book when 750 people order, and won't be hard copy unless 900+ more people order. That's probably gonna be tough, but I think we can do it! " I would add we may only need two hundread or so pre-orders to win the nerdist contest. ‪#‎jointhekillingmachines‬ So please help me out with this project. Here is a 20 minute conversation about GKM. The first few minutes is a explanation of the Nerdist contest and how Inkshares work.

Meet Amanda Eden of the Goddamn Killing Machines (Pre-order now!)

Meet Amanda Eden of the Killing Machines:

Amanda Eden(27) Former multi-gold medal Gymnast, rose to championship level under the thumb of her mother who was recently jailed for vehicular manslaughter under the influence of alcohol . In attempt to rebel against her parents Eden accepted a kickboxing match, and choked out her competition in 14 seconds. Recruited five days later by Col.Nick Jarvis to join his mercenary crew.She has admitted that she originally left for training and upgrades entirely to upset her parents, that she stayed because she found the adrenaline addicting. Jarvis says: Every crew needs an Eden. Beautiful, deadly. She may not have joined for the right reasons but she is natural born killer. Her internal rage is nothing to mess with.

Favorite weapon: Pulse rifle with energy and lead-based ammo.

Code Name: Phoenix

Wanted:War Crimes, Assault and Battery, and fifty-three counts of murder..

Goddamn Killing Machines

A 210-page science-fiction book

What would you do if you were given the chance to wash away your sins? What if all you had to do was go on a near-impossible mission across space and time, and your only other option was being executed along with everyone you hold dear?

Nick Jarvis faces this dilemma. He is a mercenary wanted for war crimes in every corner of our solar system. His name strikes fear even in those who are paid to be fearless. His team, known across the colony worlds as the Goddamn Killing Machines, has been captured and is set to face trial throughout the solar system. The mission sounds simple enough: track down and capture the one free member of their team. The catch? He’s the only merc more feared than Jarvis himself, and he is hiding on a would-be colony world whose very eco-system is hostile to human life.

When they arrive on the alien world, the cruel truth is revealed. Jarvis and his squad have been duped into a journey that lasted hundreds of years, not the weeks they were promised. And still, a darker truth remains unrevealed. What is their real mission? Who is the real target? Who are the real killing machines? This cliché-busting military sci-fi story is action packed, but also has the character development and atmosphere necessary to create a thick sense of paranoia. In short, Goddamn Killing Machines is a 1980s action movie filtered through the lenses of Phillip K. Dick and John Shirley influence.

Why Pre-order Goddamn Killing Machines here:' https://www.inkshares.com/projects/goddamn-killing-machines 'Goddamn Killing Machines' is available for pre-order through the above link. When you sign up for InkShares, you automatically get 5 bucks credit, making the pre-order only 4.99 (or, like, $25 bucks for the multiple copies, name in the back package). When many have created an account, They got ANOTHER 5 bucks somehow. Essentially just got this book for free (maybe it's 5 free credits for signing up, and 5 free credits for subscribing to the newsletter or something)...all I know is that I still have one whole penny left after pre-ordering! So please take a moment to support this project! It'll only be an e-book when 750 people order, and won't be hard copy unless 900+ more people order. That's probably gonna be tough, but I think we can do it! " I would add we may only need two hundread or so pre-orders to win the nerdist contest. ‪#‎jointhekillingmachines‬ So please help me out with this project. Here is a 20 minute conversation about GKM. The first few minutes is a explanation of the Nerdist contest and how Inkshares work.

Meet Nick Jarvis of The Goddamn Killing Machines (Pre-order now!)

Meet Nick Jarvis of the Killing Machines:

Nick Jarvis (31) U.N. off world Special Forces. Son of General Mick Jarvis who was killed during a Martian colony battle. Suspected of having illegal genetic enhancements, affecting speed, agility and mental processing. Recon and intell gathering expert. Left the U.N. forces to form his own independent tactical unit after battle on the Io ended up cuasing more than dozen deaths of unarmed civilians. He worked for enough governments to avoid prosecution before the torture of the Titan senator committed by two members of his team.

Favorite weapon: Two gold plated pistols stolen from his long time Competitor General Cody Marvin.

Code Name Ronin.

Wanted:War Crimes, Assault and Battery, and seventy-three counts of murder.

Goddamn Killing Machines

A 210-page science-fiction book

What would you do if you were given the chance to wash away your sins? What if all you had to do was go on a near-impossible mission across space and time, and your only other option was being executed along with everyone you hold dear?

Nick Jarvis faces this dilemma. He is a mercenary wanted for war crimes in every corner of our solar system. His name strikes fear even in those who are paid to be fearless. His team, known across the colony worlds as the Goddamn Killing Machines, has been captured and is set to face trial throughout the solar system. The mission sounds simple enough: track down and capture the one free member of their team. The catch? He’s the only merc more feared than Jarvis himself, and he is hiding on a would-be colony world whose very eco-system is hostile to human life.

When they arrive on the alien world, the cruel truth is revealed. Jarvis and his squad have been duped into a journey that lasted hundreds of years, not the weeks they were promised. And still, a darker truth remains unrevealed. What is their real mission? Who is the real target? Who are the real killing machines? This cliché-busting military sci-fi story is action packed, but also has the character development and atmosphere necessary to create a thick sense of paranoia. In short, Goddamn Killing Machines is a 1980s action movie filtered through the lenses of Phillip K. Dick and John Shirley influence.

Why Pre-order Goddamn Killing Machines here:' https://www.inkshares.com/projects/goddamn-killing-machines 'Goddamn Killing Machines' is available for pre-order through the above link. When you sign up for InkShares, you automatically get 5 bucks credit, making the pre-order only 4.99 (or, like, $25 bucks for the multiple copies, name in the back package). When many have created an account, They got ANOTHER 5 bucks somehow. Essentially just got this book for free (maybe it's 5 free credits for signing up, and 5 free credits for subscribing to the newsletter or something)...all I know is that I still have one whole penny left after pre-ordering! So please take a moment to support this project! It'll only be an e-book when 750 people order, and won't be hard copy unless 900+ more people order. That's probably gonna be tough, but I think we can do it! " I would add we may only need two hundread or so pre-orders to win the nerdist contest. ‪#‎jointhekillingmachines‬ So please help me out with this project. Here is a 20 minute conversation about GKM. The first few minutes is a explanation of the Nerdist contest and how Inkshares work.

My Top Tweleve TV Shows of 2014-15

So at the end of the year I do a best of list for books and movies. I wanted to do the same with TV shows because I believe TV is becoming the most exciting media being produced. However Janurary is not the time for TV. Since the emmys are this weekend and the new shows are launching I am going with the Jewish calendar.

Some of the shows I watched but didn't rank. The final season of Falling Skies, The Brink, Constantine and The Last Ship.

12. True Detective season 2

OK, I know I will mostly be alone on this opinion. Yes the first season felt ground breaking, yes it had amazing performances by two actors really unmatched last year. As someone who read the Thomas Ligotti books that were “homaged” in the first it really took me out of the story.

I personally enjoyed the California setting of the second season. I thought Colin Farrel was great. Yes Vince Vaughn was kinda weak. I actually found the story more interesting however I know many hated it.

11. Intruders Season 1

Intruders on BBC America was a very under the radar show from X-files Vet Glen Morgan. That is all I knew going in. The less you know the better before watching this the better. The first four episodes is some of the best supernatural mystery I have ever seen on TV. The villains are super scary including the single best child actor performance of all time no doubt. Once the mystery unravels a bit, so does the story/ show a bit. I enjoyed all the way but the first four episodes were great.

10.Defiance Season 3

I watched the first two seasons of this show and enjoyed them as corny fun. I feel this show improved in major ways in this third season. They seemed to have stripped down the budget but it helped take the show back to story telling basics. The story arcs of the characters are really well done, more than once creating situations for the characters that seemed helpless. The alien cultures are really well done on this show and slowly inching into quality sci-fi fiction rather than dumb fun.

9. Bates Motel season 3

The third and best season so far of Bates Motel is really powerful suspense. The tension is built on the audience's knowledge of Noman Bates outcome. The writing and direction is top notch but the thing that makes this show amazing is the performances of Vera Farmiga and Freddy Highmore. In my opinion Vera Farmiga is award worthy in this show. She creates a Norma Bates that balances being alluring and scary at the same time.

The first two seasons focused a bit too much on side stories that I found to be besides the point. Thankfully they cut those down this year.

8. The Affair Season 1

The Affair is a showtime drama that uses the story telling structure of Kurasawa's Roshomon to excellent effect. In this show we see two wildly different versions of a extra-marital affair. Very straight forward story that hints a deeper mystery than we actually never see. Much of the drama and tension is is created by knowing the other person's point of View. OK Ruth Wilson (Luther) and Dominic West (The Wire) carry the show with amazing performances. Also liked seeing Fringe vet Joshua Jackson.

7.The Leftovers Season 1

This show was sneaking good. From Lost writer Damon Lindeloff based on a novel by Election author Tom Perrotta . The story starts with a rapture like event but from that point on it is mostly a straight drama. A Slow burn with excellent characters I found this show to be very good. It got to the number 7 spot for two reasons. The third episode is amazing featuring an unbelievably good performance by former Doctor Who star Chris Eccleston, that episode stands alone and is worth seeing. One episode has a teaser that is some of the best horror I have seen on screen. I had a hard time watching.

6. Orphan Black Season 3

BCC America is a better sci-fi channel than syfy for sure. This show is developing a pattern the last two season both got stronger each week toward the end of the 10 episode run. Of course the show is worth watching for Tatiana Maslany's performance as 4 sometimes 5 different clones. It was seriously justice that she got an emmy nod. No performance on TV is as nuanced. Great story, execution and a show you can't miss.

5. Humans Season 1

This British remake of a Swedish Sci-fi show recently had a run on AMC. Another sneaky good show. Covering many of the same topics of the film Ex-machina, but in long form. Set in a near future England when everyone has their personal robots. It feels like a episode of Black Mirror. Great characters, excellently directed and written. The show is often gut wrenching, heart breaking and never dull. Must see for serious Sci-fi viewers.

4. Doctor Who Season 8

I am a huge fan of Peter Capaldi as the Doctor. I prefer Stephen Moffet as a show runner for Who. I never liked Clara as a companion. This season blanced everything I love about Doctor Who. Great storytelling, weirdness, smart humor and Capaldi made the doctor feel alien again.

3. The Strain Season 2

I know a lot of you gave up after the really bad acting in the pilot. I kept watching because I am a fan of the novels, and I'm glad I did. The Strain is excellent horror, a slow burn vampire apocalypse that actually tells the story slower and more patiently than the Del Toro/ Chuck Hogan novel. My favorite aspects of the show is the deep mythology, and suspense built by the atmosphere. The make-up of the vampire master was really bad, but they seem to have fixed that as well. It is far from perfect but I love it. Fantastic Vampire horror that makes vampires that ultra predator they should be.

2. Better Call Saul Season 1:

The best written series of the year. I think everyone wanted this show to be as good as Breaking Bad but I don't think anyone expected it to be as good as it was. Dare I say that it might be better? Like Breaking Bad it blends Character driven stories through equal parts comedy and drama. It was perfectly tied into the prequel nature of the show yet managed to introduce plenty of characters worth investing in. Damn it was good.

1. Sense8 Season 1

I loved almost every minute of this show. The Wachowskis are hit or miss for sure. When they are on (Bound, the Matrix or Cloud Atlas) they make daring and original stuff. Sense8 was a fantastic on every level it was excellently plotted, character based sci-fi action, drama and times hit every button. The word epic has been abused but this is epic storytelling/TV. Has anyone ever attempted a show with this kinda scope 8 cities, 8 leads told over international canvas, not concerned about being different with diversity in race, sexuality and culture. Like the first Matrix Sense8 felt like a comic book origin story. Will they do a better job delivering on that promise? We need a second season netflix!!!!!