| Title | : | Shock Totem 6: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0988272326 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780988272323 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 130 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2013 |
Soulmates connect through murder, love and revenge in P.K. Gardner's "For Jack." In "Orion," a young girl who has only known darkness makes the ultimate sacrifice--in blood. "No One But Us Monsters," by Hubert Dade, follows a man who is haunted and tormented by his own crippling fears. Mail hoarding, sin eaters, political horror,
Shock Totem 6: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted Reviews
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As much as I enjoy the stories published through Shock Totem, this might be the first time the nonfiction steals the show in an issue. Considering K. Allen Wood and John Boden interview Lee Thompson and Gary McMahon respectively, two of the most talented practitioners of the horror genre to come around in recent years, I should not be surprised. Throw in the fourth installment of John Boden's rock retrospective with Simon Marshall-Jones, plus John's editorial on inspiration and writerly influences, and the nonfiction elements to this periodical have never been better--and that's saying something.
The stories are still there, though. Oh yes.
Ryan Bridger's "She Disappeared" did a really haunting take on Alzheimer’s. It's a quick story, but the mood is set immediately, and I was reminded of my own grandmother when she succumbed to the disease a decade ago.
"Lighten Up" by Jack Ketchum was a surprisingly comical story involving a no-smoking bi-law in New York City. I don't tend to think funny when I think of Ketchum stories, so this was a really nice eye-opener to how funny the guy can be when he wants to be, and still sneak in that tinge of hackle-raising horror.
Lee Thompson's story, "The River," didn't wow me at first, but by the time I reached the end of it, with its ethereal terror and disorienting exploration of death, I remembered that this was Lee Thompson I was reading--and the bastard is just really, really good at what he does.
A couple other standouts were P.K. Garnder's "For Jack," a creepy love story of sorts, and John Guzman's "Magnolia's Prayer," which is another very quick, but very effective take on sin.
Honestly, people, if you aren't reading Shock Totem by now, this sixth issue is probably the perfect place to hop on the bandwagon. -
The inclusion of a Jack Ketchum story is merely a bonus. Shock Totem (any of the volumes) is THE horror mag to read.
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Very nice collection. First of the series I've ever read and found all stories well written. However, a few were just a little too esoteric for my interest. Several were too vague and did not specifically say what they were about or what they were trying to acheive. Way too much left to the reader's interpretation and I felt lost on one or two stories. After several, I swear I heard fingers snapping as if I'd just left a smug esoteric poetry/story reading club where everyone wore black turtlenecks and dark shades, even though it was night.
Liked:
For Jack - very original concept and story that was extra-ordinary. Gave me the creeps, but in a good way.
No One But Us Monsters - not scary, but thought provoking anxiety and fear
Cocktail Party - very twisted & what we all wish the outcome for certain decisions makers in DC
Magnolias Prayer - odd enough to make you go hm...
So-so:
Orion
She disappeared - just an essay, nice, but not dark, twisted or macabre - kind of wondered why it was in this collection
Lighten Up
Not so much:
Ballad of the Man with the Shark Tooth Bracelet (Meh)
The River - to esoteric for my tastes. (Heard snapping after this one for sure - not my kind of story or interest.)
I'll read the next release and may even go back to prior releases. There's enough good, straightforward set of stories to make it worth the purchase. -
Nothing disappointing here. This issue is worth every bite, fat and juicy, with gorgeously disturbing tales.
