Saturday 29 June 2013

Review: Night Voices - Robert Aickman

I've not reviewed any Robert Aickman books on this blog before, despite how much I admire his writing. The final Tartarus Press reissue of his work is a fine time to rectify that. Night Voices was originally published as a posthumous collection which gathered together Aickman stories not available elsewhere. This lovely Tartarus edition omits The Trains (which they reprinted elsewhere) but adds the novella The Model, a selection of Aickman's non-fiction writing, and Robert Remembered by Ramsey Campbell - a nice tribute.

It starts brilliantly - The Stains is a classic Aickman story, with his trademark slow build, exquisite prose, and tantalising symbolism. That sense that more is being implied that is said. It's a showcase of Aickman's ability to delineate a realistic, English setting and characters but yet evoke a faint, surreal sense of disquiet. I don't want to spoil the plot, but I will say the stains themselves are one of Aickman's more hideous little touches.

Just A Song At Twilight is almost as good; a shorter tale with an ending that took me by surprise. I like the fact that Aickman can still surprise me; that I don't yet know all his tricks and techniques. This is the first one I'll reread, seeking out all those tantalising Aickman details...

After that strong start, I have to say the rest of the short stories were definitely second-rate (the presence of The Trains is missed). Aickman, even second-rate Aickman, is always worth reading and his prose is always a pleasure, but I found Laura a somewhat derivative retelling of a common supernatural trope, and I must confess that all I took from a Rosamund's Bower was a sort of pleasurable bafflement. Mark Ingestre: A Customer's Tale is better, another of Aickman's patented 'strange stories' but not quite first-rate, covering themes Aickman did better in  his masterly The Swords. Nevertheless it's a suggestive tale and the historical setting is a nice change.

The novella The Model is an interesting read, but nothing like Aickman's other fiction, being a picaresque tale set in pre-revolutionary Russia, about a young girl who wants to be a ballerina. It's not a realistic piece, having a dream-like, fairytale atmosphere. It was a lovely journey, but I can't say I felt I actually arrived anywhere.

The non-fiction section of the book largely consists of Aickman's series of introductions to the Fontana Book Of Great Ghost Stories series, which he edited. Taken together, they form a virtual manifesto of the ghost story, which Aickman is at great pains to distinguish from the horror story. Although I disagree with a lot of what he says, the manifestos of geniuses are always fascinating. Suggestive ideas abound; I will quote just one:

"I should like to suggest that the now the word 'ghost' should be seen more as the German geist: that ghost stories should be concerned not with appearance and consistency, but with the spirit behind the appearance..."  

These essays are full of such gems, and any writers of horror (sorry, Robert!) are certain to find much to think over, much inspiration.

Overall, this book is like one of those rarities albums bands release when they're no longer together - interesting to the fans and obsessives, but hardly the best place to start for someone new. Night Voices contains much of Aickman's brilliance but, for this reader, some misfires and duds as well . If you're new to Aickman, start with Cold Hand In Mine or Dark Entries. But if you're already under his spell, you'll find nothing in this volume to break that spell; Aickman was one of the best there's ever been, it's simple as that.

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Richard Matheson, RIP


Duel, Richard Matheson and Steve Spielberg
I'm sure by now most of you will have heard the sad news about Richard Matheson's passing. The good guys over at This Is Horror have very kindly put up a small piece I wrote in tribute. If you liked Matheson's stories as much as me, I hope you'll check it out here.

Monday 24 June 2013

Not Long Now...




Not long at all now to the release of Falling Over from Infinity Plus. So I thought I'd tease you with the contents:

Falling Over
Fate, Destiny, and a Fat Man from Arkansas
Haunted
New Boy
The Time Of Their Lives
The Man Dogs Hated
Sick Leave
Drones
Public Interest Story
Epilogue: A Dream about Robert Aickman
Author Notes


“Good writing gives off fumes, the sort that induce dark visions, and Everington’s elegant, sophisticated prose is a potent brew. Imbibe at your own risk.”
Robert Dunbar, author of The Pines and Martyrs & Monsters

Monday 10 June 2013

Vortex by Robert Dunbar

On the day I was born, the headline in The Daily Mail was "WEREWOLF KILLER CAUGHT."

This is just one of many things I have learnt from Robert Dunbar's new book, Vortex.(UK | US)

Vortex is a non-fiction book, and it is Dunbar's personal exploration of the roots of many of contemporary horror's best known beasts, plus a few lesser known ones as well. From the Jersey Devil to vampires, from sirens and mermaids to were-creatures of all kinds, Dunbar examines the roots behind these legends - how the stories have changed over time, and how they have remained the same. There are also some chapters on film, the most interesting being the one about the theme of 'the other' in horror movies - which groups society marks out as its 'monsters'.

Regular readers will know that Dunbar is one of the favourite horror authors I've discovered in recent years, so I wasn't surprised to discover how well written Vortex is. However, the tone is very different to his dense, thoughtful fiction, being a witty and frequently self-mocking read. It's certainly no dry-as-dust academic piece; in fact given that half the time he's talking about real life cannibals or witch-burnings or mass-murders, it's a very gleeful book. My favourite section was that about The Jersey Devil, a monster Dunbar has made very much his own in an early novel, in a deliberate attempt to move away from the over-used, over-European monsters that still rear their heads in such a great deal of horror fiction. Being a boring old European myself, this was all new to me. Like many other parts of this book, I learnt a lot, and had a blast doing so.

So, a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable ride through some of the most horrific myths and real-life events imaginable. Very much recommended for anyone with an interest in Dunbar's work, or in horror fiction in general. There were some sections I wish were longer and went into more detail, but maybe I'm just wishing for a sequel.

Here's a little trailer to watch, for those who wish to do so:

Sunday 2 June 2013

And So It Begins

I started a new story today, with the new Laura Marling album on the stereo and the cat sleepily watching me from his chair.

It's actually based an idea I've tried to write before and failed - Other People's Ghosts is my take on the poltergeist theme, and especially the idea that these 'noisy spirits' are in fact manifestations of peoples' inner turmoil and stress. But the first version wasn't good enough to make the cut for The Other Room and nor have I ever shown it to anyone. It plot was just too obvious, the theme too unfocussed, and the whole thing too, well, crap.

It's always been a sore point that I've never done the idea justice, and now I've got some emotional detachment from the first version and the hours I poured into it, I'm ready to go back and fillet out what's useful from it, and discard the rest. I'm not rewriting the old version, but starting something fresh with the same basic idea. And I think one of the faults of the original version was it was too short - that this story needs to be at least novella length for it to work.

Now's a good time for me to be stretching myself and writing someone of longer length - I've probably got a book's worth of short stories doing the rounds with various magazines, so by the time Falling Over is out and everyone is sick of me banging on about it* a third collection should be shaping up nicely. So that gives me some time to work on Other People's Ghosts and see if I can make it work this time, and to see if it really does want to grow up to be a novella.

Oh, and the new Laura Marling album? Excellent.



* okay, maybe not quite that quick