I squeezed in a read of Strange Worlds before 2011 ended. That was a great way to end the year. Yes, we authors didn't get to preview each others' tales until the book was out.
I'll refrain from a review because I'm one of the writers, but Charles Gramlich has a good review with thumbnail sketches of the tales. (and, a copy of the book to give away!)
I will say that I believe we're in good company and if you want to read a great and varied anthology of new sword-&-planet tales with great illustrations, please check it out. I really dug the variety of the stories. There are echoes and homages to the past with plenty of original things going on, too.
I started reading Southern Gods by John Hornor Jacobs (from Nightshade Books) and it is a doozy of a start.
Riffing off The King in Yellow, Jacobs has recreated the South of 1951, but instead of a book that drives men crazy, it is a song - well, a group of songs, by a certain Ramblin' John Hastur, and a phantom pirate radio station that plays the records. That name should tell you enough. It's cosmic Lovecraftian horror meets the deep blues, working in the whole "bluesman who dealt with the devil" motif. It's great so far.
I'm glad your children have avoided the stomach bug. Those things can be rough, especially on kids.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the writing. I hope you finish the novel and get the stories out of your head. Preferably into a format where the rest of us can read them.
I enjoyed Strange Worlds and hope there's a followup volume.
I'm hoping to get to Southern Gods before the end of the month. A few other titles I'm committed to reading first.
The King in Yellow is a real masterpiece. One of my favorite works of all time.
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