Tag: Horror

Book Review: ‘Silver Nitrate’ by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s ‘Silver Nitrate’ is my latest read of 2025.

Moreno-Garcia first popped onto my radar with the release of ‘Mexican Gothic’ (which I’ve still yet to read). So, when I found ‘Silver Nitrate’ on the shelf, I grabbed it – and not only because that red cover oozes coolness.

‘Silver Nitrate’ follows Montserrat, an awkward sound editor. She’s in love with her childhood best friend, the washed-up actor Tristan. Together, they discover his new neighbour is a horror director from years past. For unknown reasons, he never finished his final film. Now, the director wants Montserrat and Tristan to help him complete it. Things go awry from there.

I had a good time with ‘Silver Nitrate’. The setting of ’90s Mexico is very cool and original. The childhood friends who always loved movies and horror resonated with me. And the idea of Nazi sorcerers is always creepy. The book is easy to read and doesn’t overstay its welcome. That said, I do have a few complaints.

I thought the genre was going to be horror when I went in. But, despite one or two scares (a couple of which were quite fun), the book itself isn’t terrifying. In fact, it wanders over to fantasy, sci-fi, and romance. I’d say it’s a romance novel wrapped in horror wallpaper.

Additionally, very few of the characters popped for me. Tristan, despite his interesting backstory, is whiny and annoying. Montserrat has her moments, but sometimes acts out for no clear reason. Abel was fun, as was the other guy who likes tropical décor (I forget his name). Speaking of forgetting, the main villains were all forgettable. We’ve all encountered these nefarious, lurking-in-the-shadows cult types before. Plus, there never felt like there would be any real repercussions if our heroes failed, only a vague ‘end of the world.’

These caveats didn’t stop me from enjoying ‘Silver Nitrate’, but they did make it disappointing. Judging by the cover and the blurb, this should have been a home run for me, yet it wasn’t. In the end, ‘Silver Nitrate’ didn’t quite cast the spell I hoped for. But it was fun enough to keep me curious about Moreno-Garcia’s other worlds.

I’m especially eager to check out ‘Mexican Gothic’.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆

Book Review: ‘Hunger’ by Rodman Philbrick

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Rodman Philbrick’s (writing as William R. Dantz) ‘Hunger’ is my latest read of 2025!

I am part of several horror reader circles, and the theme of aquatic terrors has come up. As a fan of movies like ‘Jaws’ and ‘Deep Blue Sea’, it piqued my curiosity. Someone recommended ‘Hunger’, saying it was like ‘Deep Blue Sea.’ It seemed like a no-brainer for a breezy summer read, so I was in. Yet, it took me a few minutes to find a copy. I didn’t know that ‘William R. Dantz’ was Rodman Philbrick’s pen name, or that newer editions bore his real name. But find it I did.

The setup is classic sci-fi horror. Six mutant sharks break out of their caged-in cove and escape to the deep blue sea. (See what I did there?) The lab that created these creatures goes into panic mode, scrambling to reclaim them. Meanwhile, a local couple running a dive boat have been caring for two dolphins that fled from the same lab. It doesn’t take long for the carnage to begin.

I had an absolute blast reading ‘Hunger’. I wanted a fun B-movie horror novel, and that’s what I got – a high-quality B-movie horror novel, at that. The chapters from the sharks’ perspectives are fantastic. Philbrick captures the thought processes of these intelligent, primal animals. There are also some creepy moments, like the photographer exploring a shipwreck. And the chapter ‘What a Father Does’ gave me goosebumps with its moving, emotional quality. That last one caught me off guard.

As I said in my review of Steve Alten’s ‘Meg’, do you judge a book against other books, or do you judge it for what it’s trying to do? This novel is not Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’, nor is it trying to be. It’s a book about a bunch of mutated sharks ripping things up in a gory, spooky mess. And in that regard, it excels.

Are you looking for a fun summer scare? Do you, like me, have a salachian obsession? (That’s ‘shark’ for those of you who didn’t grow up reading/watching anything with a dorsal fin on the cover.)

Well then, look no further than Philbrick’s ‘Hunger’.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆

Book Review: ‘What Moves the Dead’ by T. Kingfisher

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T. Kingfisher’s ‘What Moves the Dead’ is my latest 2025 read.

This book has been on my radar for a while, often cropping up in online horror circles. Given its short runtime, I decided to give it a go on the train to and from Vienna. It’d breeze by and cleanse my palate after the heavy Margaret Atwood I’d finished a day prior.

The story follows Alex Easton, a retired soldier who receives word that an old friend is dying. They travel to the secluded House of Usher, where nothing seems quite right. The still lake has a matte surface, mushrooms emit foul odours, and the Ushers are no longer who they used to be. ‘What Moves the Dead’ takes inspiration from – or is a retelling of – Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’. But, having not read much of Poe’s work, I can’t comment on how it twists the original.

What I can say is that ‘What Moves the Dead’ is delightful (if I can call it that) – a fast-paced horror romp. As expected from its 150-odd pages, Kingfisher’s tale wastes no time and carries little fat. It’s concise and to the point, understanding well what the reader wants from it. I loved the grotesque visuals of the hares and the unsettling descriptions of Ms Usher.

Sure, I’d have liked a bit more characterisation of Easton and the supporting cast, but this is both a minus and a plus. What the novella lacks in depth, it makes up for in momentum and eerie thrills.

If you’re after a quick, grisly read without the commitment of a full novel, I recommend ‘What Moves the Dead’.

I’m looking forward to reading parts two and three of the trilogy soon.

Book Review: ‘Burnt Offerings’ by Robert Marasco

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A chilling classic from the ’70s, Robert Marasco’s ‘Burnt Offerings’ is my latest read of 2025.

I picked up a secondhand copy from one of my favourite local bookstores. Having seen it featured in Grady Hendrix’s ‘Paperbacks from Hell’, I’d wanted to read it for a while.

The novel follows the Rolfe family, desperate to escape another summer in the Bronx. It seems like a dream when they discover a countryside mansion available to rent for a low price. The only catch? The elderly Mrs Allardyce comes with the house. She always stays in her room; the Rolfes only need to bring her three meals daily. But no one ever sees her. And as the summer wears on, the house changes the family in unsettling ways.

As an avid fan of ’70s and ’80s horror – Stephen King, James Herbert, and the like – I adored ‘Burnt Offerings’. It has everything I want from the genre: dark characters, a creeping sense of dread, and a wild storyline. Its 200–300 pages flew by like the classic King novels I devoured as a teenager.

Uncomfortable, creepy, and entertaining, ‘Burnt Offerings’ is a must-read if you like horror.

Book Review: ‘Ghost Story’ by Peter Straub

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Peter Straub’s Ghost Story is my first read of 2025!

I started this book around Halloween last year, but finishing it took me a while. I picked it up after reading Stephen King’s high praise. And I’ve also enjoyed the books the two co-wrote (‘The Talisman’, ‘Black House’). I adore King’s slow-burn, small-town epics, so I went into this one expecting the same.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me.

Like King, Straub sets up a town’s worth of characters and a curious supernatural mystery. The atmospheric, snowy setting lingers on every page. The prologue, in particular, hooked me: a man kidnaps a young girl for reasons we don’t yet understand. But after that strong start, the story began to lose its grip on me.

The narrative shifts to a group of older men telling ghost stories. Straub punctuates this with extended, meandering explorations of the town and its people. While this setup has potential, I struggled to stay engaged. The pacing felt slow, with stretches where little happened. Some plot points felt underdeveloped or convoluted. I also found the dialogue and character behaviour hard to connect with.

I wanted to love this book. I gave it my all, but I struggled to stay invested. Even the conclusion, which Straub built up over hundreds of pages, felt anticlimactic.

That said, I see why others might enjoy it. Straub’s writing creates a strong sense of place, and the atmosphere is perfect for a cold night. Yet, it lacked the urgency and tension that makes a slow-burn story rewarding.

I wish it had lived up to its initial promise.

⭐⭐☆☆☆

Book Review: ‘Caliban Cove (Resident Evil, #2)’ by S.D. Perry

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For the final book of my 2024 reading challenge, I picked up S.D. Perry’s ‘Caliban Cove (Resident Evil, )’.

Having enjoyed Perry’s first ‘Resident Evil’ novelization, I wanted something lighthearted and easy. With its evil corporations, secret labs, and hordes of zombies, this book was a no-brainer. Pun intended.

Unlike most of Perry’s Resident Evil books, ‘Caliban Cove’ is not tied to a specific video game. There is no ‘Caliban Cove’ game – this story is Perry’s creation. Free to craft her own story, she takes us on a new romp with Rebecca Chambers, the rookie medic from the first story. The story follows the events of ‘The Umbrella Conspiracy’. Perry dives straight into the action.

Like its predecessor, ‘Caliban Cove’ is fast-paced and easy to read, making it a breeze to fly through the pages. I appreciated Perry’s creativity with new monsters and villains, bringing some freshness. That said, the ending felt rushed, and I wanted more details about some of the creatures. While keeping your big bads in the shadows can build suspense, having some payoff at the end is nice.

Although weaker than book one, ‘Caliban Cove’ is still fun – it’s good cheesy action to turn your brain off.

Book Review: ‘The Umbrella Conspiracy (Resident Evil, #1)’ by S.D. Perry

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I picked up ‘The Umbrella Conspiracy (Resident Evil, )’ by S.D. Perry, for my next read of the year.

I’ve loved the ‘Resident Evil’ games since my older brother got ‘Resident Evil 3: Nemesis’ in the early 2000s. I’ve since devoured every game. With ‘Resident Evil 3’ day at the end of last month, I wanted to delve back into Raccoon City. But I didn’t have the time to replay the games. So I thought, ‘Why not try the novels?’ I’ve heard other fans talking about them in horror circles, and I’m a big fan of trashy books and B-movie horror.

The book follows – surprise, surprise – the S.T.A.R.S. members as they investigate trouble in Raccoon Forest. People have been disappearing, sometimes turning up eaten. Perry opens the novel with the S.T.A.R.S.’s Bravo team going missing, leaving the Alpha team to investigate. It doesn’t take long until a zombie shambles onto the page, and from there, the book follows the game’s beats. We even get P.O.V.s from Jill and Chris – the first game’s two playable characters – along with the rest of the cast.

The book follows the game’s story much more than its silver-screen counterparts. It might do too well, describing the maze-like corridors and endless puzzles. But I understand that Capcom must’ve insisted Perry do this. This adherence might also be a plus for those who felt the movies should have stuck to the source material.

I went in expecting it to be enjoyable but flawed – after all, I have a soft spot for the movies – but it turned out decent. It’s not ‘The Shining’ or anything, but who would expect that from a video game novelisation? The characters are as we remember them, with some embellishment. The settings are all there, and the atmosphere is suitable. The puzzles fit into the story, and all the monsters appear – even if killed “off-screen”.

Perry’s book scratches the itch (itchy, tasty) well if you want to return to the Spencer Mansion.

Book Review: ‘Es wächst und wächst und wächst…’ by R. L. Stine

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R. L. Stine’s ‘Es wächst und wächst und wächst…’ is my penultimate read for my 2024 reading challenge.

I decided to pick up another after reading a few Goosebumps books in German to help me learn the language. I needed something easier after struggling with ‘Der kleine Prinz’ earlier in the year.

The book follows Evan, a boy whose parents left him with his old aunt as they leave town searching for a new house. Evan, who is very reluctant to do this, brings along his best pal, an old dog named Trigger. He soon meets a young girl of the same age named Andy, who shows him a dusty old toyshop with an irascible owner. The pair discover a strange tin with the word ‘Monsterblood’ (‘Monsterblut’) on the label. But, upon purchasing this treat, Evan learns it does not stop growing.

The story is classic Stine – fun, with likeable characters and easy-to-hate bullies. The book has plenty of peril, but you always know the heroes will get out of it (although, as a kid, I didn’t know this!). As my friend promised me upon gifting me ‘Der kleine Prinz’, I found the German in this book much more accessible. Some bits were tricky and required a dictionary, but I got through it. It’s getting more accessible – I’ll move on to the Fear Street novels in German soon.

‘Es wächst und wächst und wächst…’ is a great horror book for kids and is an excellent book to help adults learn a new language.

Book Review: ‘The Stand’ by Stephen King

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For my latest read of 2024, I dove back into Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’.

As with most of King’s work, ‘The Stand’ is something I read as a teen and wanted to revisit. A monster of a book, I began this while on holiday in Finland over the summer. It took me from mid-July to last week to finish. When I was a kid and had no commitments, I could burn through a tome like this in a week. But those days are long gone.

You might stick with a book this long for one of two reasons: either it drags, and you dread picking it up, or you love it so much that the length doesn’t matter. ‘The Stand’ definitely falls into the latter camp. It’s an absolute triumph and one of King’s best.

The book begins with a catastrophe at a military base. What follows is a pandemic that ends almost all human life. A few smatterings of survivors remain, left to rebuild how they see fit. Groups form around two individuals who the survivors dream about. Mother Abigail, a 108-year-old black woman, serves as a force for good. Randall Flagg, an evil figure with supernatural powers, is hellbent on destruction. King writes so many characters that it’s hard to pinpoint a single protagonist. But there are clear groups of ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’, and the large cast adds depth and complexity.

The intro is electric, with that cloying, inescapable destiny thing that King does so well. As soon as the wheels start to fall off – and the body count rises – King doesn’t let up. After this, the tempo slows, and we get to know our wide cast. The characterisation of this wide range of people, from good to evil, is astonishing. As things become more complex, you can’t help but feel their losses and celebrate their wins. Nobody does this like King. You’ll be so hooked when the magical elements – e.g. prophetic dreams – come in that you won’t mind the shift to fantasy. ‘The Stand’ is a glorious book from one of the best to do it.

It’s a long read, but every single page is worth it.

Book Review: ‘The Walking Dead, Vol 2: Miles Behind Us’ by Robert Kirkman

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For my next read in 2024, I read Robert Kirkman’s ‘The Walking Dead, Vol 2: Miles Behind Us’.

I purchased ‘Compendium One’ at the start of the year and breezed through the first volume. As you could have predicted, I adored it because I love all things zombie. My obsession with the undead will never die (pun intended). But, with the usual relentlessness of life, I didn’t get around to continuing.

After finding some time on my hands, I recently blasted through the second volume. And it’s brilliant. The story continues with Rick and Co’s struggle to survive in a zombie-infested world. The volumes don’t quite line up with the season breaks of the show, but they match, more or less.

The story deviates from the TV show, but these changes are pleasant surprises. Some of the big moments I remember from the show are there, and some aren’t. And there are a few new ones. I can say the same for the characters, too. It’s fun seeing where the showrunners stuck to the script and where they made their tweaks.

But I have to praise the artwork. It’s sublime and gory. You can’t tear your eyes away from some of the gruesome images on the page. The use of black and white for scenes involving blood and viscera was a clever one. It reminds me of one of my favourite movies, George A. Romero’s ‘Night of the Living Dead’.

I aim to dive into the third volume soon, as I’m having a blast.