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Indigenous Speculative Fiction and Horror Reads to Check Out
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Back Cover: Humanity has nearly destroyed its world through global warming, but now an even greater evil lurks. The indigenous people of North America are being hunted and harvested for their bone marrow, which carries the key to recovering something the rest of the population has lost: the ability to dream. In this dark world, Frenchie and his companions struggle to survive as they make their way up north to the old lands. For now, survival means staying hidden—but what they don't know is that one of them holds the secret to defeating the marrow thieves.
Cherie Dimaline is an award winning indigenous author, activist, and member the Georgian Bay Metis Community in Ontario. In a 2017 article with Publishing Perspectives, Dimaline discusses the importance of keeping “indigenous” as an identifier:
“Because we are the people of story, it is a great honor for me to be called a Métis writer. It denotes a title, an honor, and a certain knowledge. In fact, I feel demoted when I’m referred to as only a Canadian writer. My community has struggled and survived, and I’m enormously proud to be able to carry our voices forward. I can’t speak for every writer, but for myself, I am a writer. But being called an Indigenous author is like having a PhD at the end of your signature.”
Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones
Back Cover:
Blackfeet author Stephen Graham Jones brings readers a spine-tingling Native American horror novella.
Walking through his own house at night, a fifteen-year-old thinks he sees another person stepping through a doorway. Instead of the people who could be there, his mother or his brother, the figure reminds him of his long-gone father, who died mysteriously before his family left the reservation. When he follows it he discovers his house is bigger and deeper than he knew.
The house is the kind of wrong place where you can lose yourself and find things you'd rather not have. Over the course of a few nights, the boy tries to map out his house in an effort that puts his little brother in the worst danger, and puts him in the position to save them . . . at terrible cost.
Stephen Graham Jones is an award winning author whose bio starts like this:
“Stephen Graham Jones was born in Midland, Texas in 1972. As an infant, he got knocked out by a ceiling when a family friend threw him too high into the air and, before he was even one, he had more than 100 stitches in his face. Another time, the fire department had to be called to get his head unstuck from the highchair. It’s so easy to get hurt.”
He’s worth checking out. Buy Mapping the Interior here.
Deer Woman: An Anthology
Back Cover: Based on the true stories of Indigenous women throughout the world, Deer Woman: An Anthology is an extension of the Deer Woman: A Vignette, comic book that itself is a powerful expression and weaves the stories of Deer Woman into a modern narrative of the struggles of Indigenous women in North America. This anthology features the work of more than a dozen Native women sharing stories of survival, empowerment, and healing. Edited by Elizabeth LaPensée and Weshoyot Alvitre and featuring the work of: Patty Stonefish, Allie Vasquez, Mia Casesa, Darcie Little Badger, Tara Ogaick, Kimberly Robertson, Barbara Kenmille, Maria Wolf Lopez, Tatum Bowie, Jackie Fawn, Rebecca Roanhorse, Carolyn Dunn, Nashoba Dunn-Anderson, and more, this anthology is an important addition to the current conversation about violence against women, especially Native women.
Black Owned Bookstores to Support
This list is by no means complete. I’ll be updating it periodically, but here is a jumping off point. Please consider supporting black owned businesses including these black owned bookstores:
CANADA
A Different Booklist (Toronto) Twitter
Knowledge Bookstore (Brampton) Twitter
Nile Valley Books (Toronto) Twitter
EUROPE
Presence Africaine Editions (Paris)
USA
Black Stone Bookstore and Cultural Center (Ypsilanti, Michigan)
Brave + Kind Bookshop (Decatur, Georgia) Instagram
Cafe Con Libros (Brooklyn, NY) Twitter
Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Center (Instagram)
Eye See Me (St Louis, MO) Twitter
Eso Won Books (Los Angeles, CA) Twitter
Frugal Bookstore (Boston, MA) Twitter
Fulton Street Books and Coffee (Tulsa, OK)
Harriet’s Bookshop (Philadelphia, PA) Twitter
The Key Bookstore (CT) Facebook
Loyalty Books (Silver Springs, MD) Twitter
Mahogany Books (Washington, DC) Twitter
Semicolon (Chicago, IL) Twitter
Sister’s Uptown (New York, NY) Twitter
Source Booksellers (Detroit, MI) Twitter
Eden by Tim Lebbon #BookReview
3 Star Book Review
I have a confession. This is my first time reading Tim Lebbon. I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for a review, and I’m so glad I got the chance to experience Eden. I haven’t read a lot of climate change fiction, so this was a bit of a change for me. Here’s the back cover:
From the bestselling author of The Silence comes a brand-new supernatural eco thriller. In large areas of the planet, nature is no longer humanity's friend...
In a time of global warming and spiraling damage to the environment, the Virgin Zones were established to help combat the change. Abandoned by humanity and given back to nature, these vast areas in a dozen remote locations across the planet were intended to become the lungs of the world.
But there are always those drawn to such places. Extreme sports enthusiasts and adventure racing teams target the dangerous, sometimes deadly zones for illicit races. Only the hardiest and most experienced dare undertake these expeditions. When one such team enters the oldest Zone, Eden, they aren't prepared for what confronts them. Nature has returned to Eden in an elemental, primeval way. And here, nature is no longer humanity's friend.
Sounds pretty cool, right?
This is an wild thriller where the Earth gets a chance to fight back against humanity. The Virgin Zones are have been given back to the Earth as a sort of apology for the centuries of abuse we’ve caused. There’s a lot guts and gore, and once bodies start splattering the pages, it’s a red dash to the finish. The second half of the book had a lot to look forward to, and I was much more engaged during those life-or-death moments than the moments of exploration in the first half.
It’s an interesting concept. Groups of adventure seeking extremists independently race across the Virgin Zones for bragging rights as well as to be the first to discover the hidden beauty of Earth untouched by man. But how much exploring and appreciation of the Earth can they do while they’re running thirteen miles a day? It seemed odd to me that these people would take so much risk to get into the Zone and then race, literally, from one side to the next. Also, they had conversations while running. Granted, these are supposed to be high endurance runners, but I know that even at my physical fitness peak, I wasn’t in the mood to have ominous heart-to-hearts while navigating a running path.
In addition to the slow paced nature of the first half, I also wasn’t sure if the “villain” really hit home. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, which was a nice surprise, but at the same time, I was a bit disappointed. I appreciated the attempt to try something new. You’re not going to get killer plants swinging their roots out of the ground and pulling the explorers into the dirt. But what we did get just felt a little…underdeveloped. It’s like the premise was so close to being fleshed out, but never exactly reached full potential.
Also, while I’m not usually a fan of epilogues, I would have liked one in this book. There were introductions to each chapter that suggested there might be something else that happened at the end, but we aren’t given any insight into it. Instead, the last two chapters felt rather abrupt considering all the action that led up to them.
With all that said, I did get a perverse enjoyment out of the death scenes. As a horror writer and avid reader, I loved that the author didn’t hold back. We experience each squish and gash the characters do. But overall, I’m not sure this book worked for me.
That’s just my opinion. Give it a read and decide if it works for you!
Burnt Fur: Twisted Tales of Horror edited by Ken MacGregor #BookReview
Back Cover
Sit. Roll over. PLAY DEAD...
There are no good boys in this anthology, only twisted, deviant, and burnt encounters with animals, humans, and creatures that blur the line between the two.
Violent pigs, killer ducks, horny bees, and much worse fill these pages with tale after tail of hair-raising horror.
Slip into your Fursona and ride the dark wave of horror that is Burnt Fur.
You may never go back to wearing your normal skin again!
3 Star Review
Where do I even begin? I say this with lots of love. These stories are MESSED UP! What in the world did I just read? So. Much. Grossness.
Okay, let me back up. First, I was very excited to be approached to review this collection. I mean, just look at the back cover. It promises a unique brand of horror that I don’t have a lot of experience in. Well, it delivered in the most disgusting and distributing way. This absolutely will not be everyone’s cup of terror. The stories cover pretty much every trigger warning imaginable and some I’m sure where created just for this anthology. (Gang raped by killer bees is a common trigger warning, right?) So if you’re prone to queasy stomachs, or prefer your horror subtle, you’ll probably want to skip this one.
BUT if you proudly wave your horror freak flag and want a trip through the wonderful world of bizzaro country, buckle up and allow me to wet your appetite.
The collect starts relatively tame with a “The Moon in Her Eyes” by Sarah Hans. ( Please keep in mind the word “relative.”) This is one of the few more serious pieces and far less disturbing than what follows. Enter “Mallard’s Maze” by Joseph Sale. “Did you know: Female mallards have phantom vaginas so only
the most dexterous, or freakish, males can impregnate them” (20). This is just one little nugget of knowledge that gets sprinkled over this twisted tale as the protagonist finds herself being hunted by a killer. I can’t…I don’t even…Honestly, I’m not even sure what to say without giving away the climax. This is the story that really sets the tone for the rest of the book. You’ll find plenty of furry action, plenty of penetration, plenty of blood and bodily fluids, and plenty of images that will burrow into your brain and never leave. Seriously, the bee rape scene in “A Concubine for the Hive” by Rue K. Poe (I should note that the woman enjoys it, but that doesn’t make it any less vomit inducing) will forever be buzzing in my brain. “Five Nights With Teddy” by Thurston Howl equally left behind a sour flavor with a bear man thrusting his member upon a man wolf, and “6 Dicks” by Rachel Lee Weist…well, I mean…who wouldn’t desire to wear a suit made of dick skin?
When it comes to explicit sex or violence, I always ask, “Is it necessary?” If not, it runs the risk of being stuck into the story for shock value only. I’m not sure the explicit nature of these stories added to the plot or characters. They’re shocking, for sure, but they were a little too over-the-top for me.
Look, this collection is W-I-L-D. It’s also well structured with incredible writers who hold nothing back. Overall, I don’t think I’ll dip my toe back into this particular horror brand anytime soon. I found it all a bit too disturbing for my taste, but the characters are well developed, the plots and tone of each story are crafted with care and precision, and it’s clear these writers are all incredibly talented.
If this sounds like something for you, check it out HERE.
5 Horror Tropes That Need To Die #HorrorFan
5 Horror Troupes That Need To Die
Ah, horror tropes. These common plot devices are what keeps the horror world revolving. We all have our favorites, and there’s many to pick from. We’ve all watched as the pretty young victim runs up the stairs to evade a killer, despite the front door being mere feet away. We’ve enjoyed the long dark hair creepy child hell bent on revenge, and we’ve snickered as a large group of teenagers decide their best chance of survival is to split up.
But when is it time to bury a trope? When do we stand united and say, “If I have to watch one more useless small-town sheriff brush off a bloody teenager’s first hand account of murder, I’m done!” The answer will be different for everyone, and I would love to know which tropes make you roll your eyes in frustration. For now, I’ll share mine. Here are five horror troupes that I believe need to die:
#1 The Virgin vs. The Slut
Image from Pure available on Hulu
If you follow me on twitter, it’s probably not a surprise that I can’t stand this troupe. Surely, as a society, we can move past female shaming, especially when it’s always the woman’s virtue being examined under a microscope rather than the man’s. Yet, movies still employee this common plot point which basically says only those “pure” deserve to live.
I recently watched Pure on Hulu. It’s about a group of teenage girls and their fathers who attend a yearly purity retreat. Basically, their entire worth is based on whether or not they’ve “sinned” with the opposite gender. It’s not just sex that will damn their souls. Even a small peck on the lips is enough to send these “sluts” to eternal damnation. When I started watching, I was certain I’d made a terrible mistake and prepared myself for the virgins to win the day. Yet, this movie fights the troupe in a very feminist “in your face” sort of way. More movies need to do this.
#2 The Black Guy Dies First
Image from Us
I mean, do I really need to go into this one? Can we all just stop with the token black guy who dies instantly? Can we just stop with token minorities in general? Come on, Hollywood. Do better. And I suppose they’re taking baby steps in the right direction. Jordan Peele has been kicking butt in the horror industry. The 2019 Blumhouse production Sweetheart, available on Netflix, features Kiersey Clemons, who masterfully carries the entire plot on her shoulders. Nia DaCosta directs the upcoming remake of Candyman.
#3 Not Making Sure The Bad Guy is Dead
For the love of all that is holy in horror movies, PLEASE MAKE SURE THE BAD GUY IS DEAD! I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I won’t tell you which movie I watched, but I recently enjoyed horror film where the protagonist stabbed the villain, the villain tumbled and appeared dead, but just to be safe, the protagonist beheaded the villain. I literally cheered.
I understand why this trope exists. An “I’m back from the dead” villain not only adds tension, but it also creates a never ending horror franchise (I’m looking at you Halloween). At the same time, it makes the protagonist look ridiculous. There is usually some huge climax where the protagonist and the villain finally have their big show down. They get pretty beaten up, and then the protagonist does one final stab to the chest, or one final shot of the gun, and the villain “dies.” Okay, fine, but then the protagonist turns their back, or worse. They drop their weapon and approach the “dead” body. I mean, really? Any “bad ass” credibility the protagonist gained is now quickly replaced with “you’re an idiot” points. Plus, we’ve all seen enough movies to know that the villain will get one last swing at revenge, so is this plot point really surprising anyone?
#4 Vampires
What We Do In The Shadows
Okay, before everyone #cancels me, let me explain. I actually love vampire stories. I drooled over Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire, watched and rewatched Blade, and have seen pretty much ever version of Dracula. The vampire sub-genre of horror can be a lot of fun. It can also be overdone and stale.
Presenting vampires in a new and interesting way is challenging. Added to that is the Twilight franchise, which saturated the market for so many years that vampire fans, such as myself, couldn’t stand the thought of seeing one more vampire movie. It was too much. So it became a challenge for writers and producers to reinvent the vampire and make this trope fresh.
For me, it’s fallen flat with one exception. I love What We Do In The Shadows, a TV show that follows the life of three traditional vampires and one emotional vampire as they navigate daily life. It’s funny, original, and a great way to revamp a much used horror subject.
Another fresh take is the feminist horror movie A Girl Walks Home At Night (2014). This is about skateboarding vampire who preys on abusive men.
Oh, and if you just want a good laugh, check out Vampire’s Kiss (1988) staring Nic Cage.
#5 The Bathroom Mirror Jump Scare
If you’re opening the mirror of your bathroom’s cabinet, beware. Something is behind you. It’s such a common jump scare that it’s basically become a horror rule. Scary things seemed drawn to the bathroom. Creepers. Let me have “me” time! Sheesh! And for goodnesssakes, stop writing messages with your fingers on my foggy mirror. Do you know how hard it is to keep glass clean?
Okay, those are my picks. Now it’s time to tell me what you think! Remember, we’re all different with different tastes and preferences. I mean no offense to anyone who enjoys these tropes.
Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer #BookReview
Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer
5 Star Review
Back Cover: Each year, people all over the world celebrate special festivals and days, shining light on what they wish to remember and revere. But sometimes, inhabitants of the dark arrive with the desire to disturb proceedings. Dark Celebrations is a collection of twelve short stories... and the holidays will never be the same.
Calvin Demmer weaves a collection of deliciously wicked short stories centered around everyone’s favorite times of year. Witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts and mummies are just some of the many monsters gracing the pages of this engaging and frightful collection. There is truly something for every horror fan.
The collection contains twelve stories with a common connection of holiday horror and young adult protagonists. Most of the heros in the story are in their late teens, early twenties and completely unprepared to encounter terrors waiting for them. While some stories contain more guts and gore than others, they all build tension from the first paragraph to the last.
My favorite story was story four entitled “Thanks Sinning.” This is based around the Thanksgiving holiday. DeShawn WIlliams sits at a bar contemplating his new life path. He finds himself caring for his mother and younger sister while his father fights in Iraq. Meanwhile, a fight breaks out over a mysterious and beautiful woman, who later sits nexts to DeShawn and propositions him with sex. Flash forward, and they are in a cabin, getting it on, and she stops to ask, “Want to play a game?”
DeShawn knows better than to get mixed up with this unpredictable woman, but he’s persuaded to go along with it. Big mistake. Things unravel quickly, and DeShawn realizes that evil comes in all forms. I won’t spoil anything, but I think people will have different interpretations of the ending, which makes the story even more fun.
I also enjoyed the first story “Hungry Ghosts” which follows Lara Adams as she participates in the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival. It starts with a set of rules for surviving the festival, and all horror lovers know that if a story sets rules, they’re going to be broken. For Laura, the price is deadly.
All the stories display solid plots and stellar character development. I sat down to read just one or two stories and ended up finish the whole book. It’s a quick and frightful read. Please, give it a try!
You can buy it here!
As a trigger warning, there was some domestic violence in story nine “She Will Rise”. It’s ending was a bit haunting, but it also served as a warning.
Sole Survivor by Zachary Ashford #BookReview
Sole Survivor by Zachary Ashford
Back Cover:
An uninhabited island… Several hundred hidden cameras… Ten contestants who think they’re stranded… One man employed to thin their numbers…
One predatory species determined to feed…
For the contestants of television’s latest prime-time reality show, the plane crash is a mere inconvenience on their way to fame and fortune. Unfortunately, there’s no rescue coming. Instead, the producers have other ideas, like watching them find the island’s killer creatures for themselves…
Like watching them die.
5 STAR Review
This book sinks its teeth into you and doesn’t let go! Like ever book in the Rewind or Die series I’ve read so far, it’s an action-laced, gore soaked, love song to camp 80s/90s horror. Sole Survivor revolves around a deadly game show where contestants are crashed onto an island and must fend off blood thirsty koala bears. Each character gets their fifteen minutes of fame as they face the island’s terror, but it’s more than just rabid large teeth marsupials threatening the contestants.
This is the extra sauce to the already blood drenched plot that makes Sole Survivor stand out. Not only do the contestants run from monsters, they are running from each other and the monsters lurking within the darkness of their minds (one specific character’s mind, but I won’t say who). I read it in one sitting and didn’t breath until the final sentence.
I wanted more! The last scene made me want so much beyond that final conclusion. Will there be a sequel? I certainly hope so! This is a perfect escapism read and one that will give you all the thrills of a fun 90s horror flick.
The Apocalyptic Mannequin by Stephanie M. Wytovich #BookReview
The Apocalyptic Mannequin 5 Star Review
Summary
The Definition of Body is Buried
Doomsday is here and the earth is suffering with each breath she takes. Whether it’s from the nuclear meltdown, the wrath of the Four Horsemen, a war with technology, or a consequence of our relationship with the planet, humanity is left buried and hiding, our bones exposed, our hearts beating somewhere in our freshly slit throats.
This is a collection that strips away civilization and throws readers into the lives of its survivors. The poems inside are undelivered letters, tear-soaked whispers, and unanswered prayers. They are every worry you’ve had when your electricity went out, and every pit that grew in your stomach watching the news at night. They are tragedy and trauma, but they are also grief and fear, fear of who—or what—lives inside us once everything is taken away.
These pages hold the teeth of monsters against the faded photographs of family and friends, and here, Wytovich is both plague doctor and midwife, both judge and jury, forever searching through severed limbs and exposed wires as she straddles the line evaluating what’s moral versus what’s necessary to survive.
What’s clear though, is that the world is burning and we don’t remember who we are.
So tell me: who will you become when it’s over?
Review
We’re in the middle of coronovirus social distancing. I’m keeping myself and my family tucked away in our home, and I figured this would be the perfect time to catch on some light reading. Enter The Apocalyptic Mannequin. I’ve had my eye on this collection of poems since it started swirling around social media, and when I got a chance to review it, I jumped at the opportunity. What followed was a heavy experience through the end of days like none other.
Wytovich is a master of horror poetry. Her prose drips off the page with a deep visceral connection to readers. Perhaps it’s because of the current virus, but these poems tugged at my deepest fears and created an eerie landscape of humanity at the end of its reign. This reads much like a warning with strong feminist vibes. Our narrator is plagued by a nuclear disaster which leaves the Earth in ruins and people struggling to find a new way of existence as the power goes out, the survivors become savage, and everyone begins to fend for themselves. The poem that impacted me the most was “Saints Don’t Spread Their Legs.” Here’s a brief excerpt from that piece:
I stopped drinking holy water at fourteen,
told my father that the knives in my back made it hard to sleep,
how the visions in my head brought locusts in my room,
their chirps a reminder that with spread legs and evil thoughts,
my body, my chapel was constantly being watched ( Wytovich 46).
Brilliant, yes?
The structure and composition of the poems read more like a novel, which is great for anyone intimidated by poetry. There’s a familiar storytelling prose connecting each piece and weaving you from start to finish. Once you begin, you won’t be able to set it down. If you’ve never read horror poetry, this is the place to start.
5 stars!
You can purchase The Apocalyptic Mannequin HERE!
The Empties #ComicBook #Review
The Empties Comic Book Review
The Empties: You are who you eat.
When a housewife contracts a flesh-eating illness, she and her husband rekindle a love that is literally all-consuming!
Synopsis
A chef has a simple desire - he wants to be happy and he wants his wife to be happy too. But just because his wife has a roof over her head, it doesn’t mean that she’s happy or fulfilled. There’s something missing in her life, and even she can’t put a finger on what it is. That is, until she develops an insatiable hunger for flesh!
Writer: Kristen Renee Gorlitz
Artist: Eli Powell
Letters: Marshall Dillon
Cover Art: Jeanne Vadeboncoeur
Graphic Design: Zimri Mayfield
Phew, this is one intense read! This comic takes you on a wild spin through a zombie uprising. Unlike other stories of impending undead doom, the main focus of The Empties is the unsteady marriage between a Michigan couple, Helen and Derrick, who are trying to reconcile their future during a mysterious epidemic. The zombie backdrop serves as an eroding setting to the pair’s once happy union.
My first impression of comics typically manifests after glancing over the artwork. The Empties contains vivid and dynamic black-and-white images that reach out and capture the reader’s focus. There’s a juxtaposition of death and gore in contrast to the serene scenes displaying human connection and vulnerability expressed by Helen and Derrick.
The story worked with the art to bring the characters to life. There was only one part of the story that confused me, but it wasn’t enough to derail the tension. Overall, readers get to examine love and commitment within a zombie setting. The story examines questions such as what makes a house a home? What is the definition of love? How far will you go to salvage your marriage? Also, keep in mind that there’s mature content, and it may not be suitable for young readers. Neither the story nor the art shy away from horror!
Readers can get the first series for free HERE!
My rating: 4 Stars