The October Music by A. C. Cross — A December review

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I picked up The October Music by A.C. Cross after the season to read it was over, but if you’re a horror fan year round, then the title's inferred reading season doesn’t really matter. Personally, I found this collection of flash fiction perfect for this holiday season, where getting in a little bit of reading on a daily basis can be difficult amidst the Thanksgiving through New Year hustle and bustle.

And because I’m writing this review in the midst of the same hectic hustle and bustle, here’s a recap of my review from GoodReads: 

I know, I know. I’m reviewing this one in December. It doesn’t make this any less of a great read. I enjoyed this collection of predominantly flash fiction pieces throughout the busy end of year holiday season because this is the time of year when you might not get the time to focus on a lengthy story but you still want time to get some reading in. Each short story is inspired by a song, or a song title. Hence, the title of the book. And while many of the songs may be familiar, the stories themselves are original in their own right. It’s clever. And entertaining. And it’s just right for a quick read at night before turning off the light—even if the work is horror themed.

I can’t stress this enough. If you know that reading is good for you, but your busy life doesn’t give you the time, pick up an anthology collection. It’s a reasonable commitment to reading, and this one is perfect for it.

*I will also admit, if A.C. Cross happens to peak in on his reviews, that I read that last story in the voice of Laslo Cravensworth, for some reason, and doing so gave it just the right gravitas… 😉

You can find A. C. Cross's book on Amazon, of course. Or you can check out this link here.

The Haunting of Hill House -- by Shirley Jackson -- The book that sets the stage for modern day Gothic Horror

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It took me way too long to tick this one off my TBR list, having weened my horror teeth on Stephen King and maybe Anne Rice instead. My earliest introduction to Jackson was in high school, with her short story The Lottery, and that one stuck with me enough to know I would have to get to her greater work. So... here we are.

Shirley Jackson's genre defining work sets the stage for most Gothic horror novels to come after it, so if haunted house stories are your go to read, this one is a must in terms of foundational classics. It's that simple, without laying out the details of the story. It’s a short and easy read, and no—you can’t watch the Mike Flanagan series on Netflix and say you've "read it." The series isn’t an adaptation. It's more like a sequel. This book is more like the backstory.

I also believe that the title is a bit of a play on words. Hill House might not necessarily be a haunted house in as much as it is a house searching for a lonely spirit to haunt it. And that’s where our main character Eleanor steps in. I'm not going to explain the plot. You might generally say it's about a group of the first paranormal investigators, sans infrared cameras and detection meters, but it's also about more. It's about the young woman Eleanor looking for where she fits in life. The story can feel a bit meandering at times, but it makes sense by the end because we are not supposed to focus on the house as much as we are on Eleanor.

Anyway, it's a renowned read for a reason, so if you haven’t read it, go check it out. Or refresh. Then go enjoy the Netflix series, because Flanagan did a great job with broadening the scope of the book's tone and ideas. 

2054: A Dystopian Future that Vaguely Mirrors Our Current Divide

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While this novel, by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis, is set in 2054, the premise of this futuristic telling of the fate of our world tackles some very now topics. I find that part of the book a worthwhile reason to check it out. You've got scientists chasing after the definitive discovery of the Singularity, where technology and biology will one day merge to create some utopia of existence that shouldn’t be ours to be had. It touches on political upheavals because two sides of a broken government system can’t find common ground. It touches on world domination and control, while racing to utilize this new technology in astounding, and also horrific, ways. It starts with the assassination of a controversial president, without clearly picking a political side. 

All of this is rolled into an intriguing idea for a futuristic story that doesn’t really stray far from current events and news, and yet the story itself—the characters within it— felt emotionally distant for this reader. It didn’t gel for me like I had hoped. Let’s be transparent, though. This book is a sequel, and I didn't read the first one. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I started with the first of the series, 2034. It still has some really intriguing setups, and it touches on the dangers within the new technologies of AI and remote gene manipulation, and that might be reason enough to give it a try. I’m a horror aficionado more than I am a sci-fi one, although sometimes the two genres cross over enough for me to fall in love. This one is more political thriller set in a futuristic world. If you’re deeply into sci-fi or political thrillers in general, this might be the read for you. Click the cover image above for where to buy it online.

The Eris Ridge Trail, by Larry Hinkle -- A short read about a long trip through a cosmic horror world

 

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I received a HWA read request in my inbox for this little cosmic horror piece, and I chose to check it out for the oddest of reasons: the author's name happens to be a name I recognize from my high school days. We weren’t necessarily friends—or enemies, for that matter. Or even in the same graduating class. And as I write this, I’m not convinced that @thatscarylarry is even the Larry I had a passing knowledge of. It’s plausible though. And that’s kinda weird.

Much like the novella in question, The Eris Ridge Trail, by Larry Hinkle, is kinda weird in a cosmic/weird tales kind of way. It’s an imaginative story of a random group of people (and their dogs, in some cases) who individually get lost in different locations across the country, while on the same named trail. They find each other in this weird new world that seems to be otherwise desolate, and that randomly shifts through time, sometimes at photo shutter speeds.

Each character among this ragtag group is also in a state of being lost within the trajectory of their lives, and because of it, they gravitate to becoming a much needed family. They learn to depend on each other in a world full of constantly shifting unknowns.

It's a cleverly written piece and a quick read at just under 200 pages. The characters are relatable and likable enough and, of course, the dogs are adorable saints and saviors to some degree. That having been said, I didn’t feel like there was much of a character arc for any of them—no real epiphany for them to come to. The horror aspect was mostly situational, and not really the result of anything derived from deep character flaws. Mistakes are made throughout their combined attempts to return home, but I felt like the reason why this was happening to these characters in particular was left unanswered.

The horror aspect of the story as a whole was atmospheric, with a couple of gory parts that were relatively brief. Overall, this is a pleasant novella length story from a promising newish voice.

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Mercury in Retrograde -- by Rachel Stuart-Haas -- A Review for the Astrologically Curious

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With a title that might equate to clickbait (a discussion on Mercury in Retrograde is but a small part of this book), this little review on how to read and utilize astrology in your life is actually a good starter companion for the astrologically curious. It also doubles as a bit of a self help book, pointing out ways that astrology might help us better understand ourselves and find ways to accept who we are—and who others are. It's not deep reading, but it helps put an astrological chart in perspective for the novice.

I have always been interested in astrology on a surface level. I was introduced to it by a hometown astrologer who did up a chart in my high school years. She was the mom of a friend, and some people thought she was a witch. Now, I’m drawing up a character based on the woman in my latest writing project, and having this book (gifted to me by one of my own kids) helped me understand the craft of astrology just enough to bring the character to life.

It touches on Mercury retrogrades and what they actually mean, sure. It even explains the actual physics of a retrograde regarding the movement of planets (because my other kid, who took astronomy and earth science classes in college, wanted to make sure I knew—I did. Without the help of this book, but still, it’s good to see an astrology book not dismiss it.). But it touches on a broader scope of what things mean in your chart too—the planets, the sun, the moon, conjunctions, sextiles and trines, even an asteroid or two.

Like I said, it doesn’t go deep. It touches on the basics with short, easy to read passages for the astrology curious. It’s worth checking out if you are, indeed astrology curious.

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