Movie Review: Let the Right One In (2008) directed by Tomas Alfredson Oskar, like a lot of twelve year olds, has problems. His parents are divorced (and Dad has a drinking problem), and he’s being bullied at school. Having a strong interest in serial killers, Oskar has taken to carrying a knife and fantasizing about solving… Continue reading Movie Review: Let the Right One In
Tag: blood
Manga Review: Smashed
Manga Review: Smashed by Junji Ito Who’s ready for another big collection of horrific tales from one of Japan’s best scary manga creators? I know I am! The volume opens with “Bloodsucking Darkness” about a girl with an eating disorder and the well-meaning boy who tries to help her with his swarm of vampire bats.… Continue reading Manga Review: Smashed
Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales
Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales compiled by Stefan Dziemianowicz The definition of “thriller” is a little loose in this fun anthology, though most of the stories do have at least some suspense. It feels more like the compiler picked a bunch of the public domain stories he liked, but didn’t have a strong… Continue reading Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales
Manga Review: Kitaro Meets Nurarihyon
Manga Review: Kitaro Meets Nurarihyon by Shigeru Mizuki Quick recap: Kitaro is the last surviving member of the Ghost Tribe, a once populous group of yokai (Japanese spirits/monsters.) His father lives on in the form of an eyeball and advises the young fellow. Together with his untrustworthy friend Nezumi-Otoko (“Rat-Man”) and sometimes other friendly monsters, Kitaro… Continue reading Manga Review: Kitaro Meets Nurarihyon
Comic Book Review: Snake Tales
Comic Book Review: Snake Tales edited by Mike Howlett Ophiophobia (fear of snakes) is a common phenomenon (Hi Mom!) and has plagued humanity from ancient times, even appearing in the Book of Genesis. Even humans not afflicted with undue fear of the legless reptiles tend to distrust them, and snakes are often cast as villains… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Snake Tales
Book Review: The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2014
Book Review: The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2014 edited by Paula Guran Even the fastest, most dedicated readers can’t read everything that’s published each year. Not even in relatively limited genres like fantasy or horror. That’s where “Year’s Best” collections come in handy. Someone or several someones has gone through the enormous pile… Continue reading Book Review: The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2014
Magazine Review: Thrilling Mystery March 1936
Magazine Review: Thrilling Mystery March 1936 by various Thrilling Mystery was a pulp horror magazine created by Thrilling Publications; I’ve been unable to find publication history details in a quick search. It specialized in “weird menace” tales, which had supernatural trappings but were ultimately revealed as having non-supernatural (but not necessarily plausible) explanations. It did… Continue reading Magazine Review: Thrilling Mystery March 1936
Audio Review: If We Were Villains
Audio Review: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio Eleven years ago, seven drama students entered their fourth year at the prestigious Dellecher Classical Conservatory. Now, a decade after the end of that school year, one of those students, Oliver Marks, is being released from prison. Former police detective Colborne has never entirely bought the official… Continue reading Audio Review: If We Were Villains
Manga Review: Cells at Work!
Manga Review: Cells at Work! 01 by Akane Shimizu It’s red blood cell AE 3803’s first day on the job. She’s just delivered her first package of oxygen to the outer limbs, and is about to take a package of carbon dioxide back to the lungs. Unfortunately, she gets caught up in a pneumococcus invasion. White… Continue reading Manga Review: Cells at Work!
Book Review: A Memory This Size and Other Stories: The Caine Prize for African Writing 2013
Book Review: A Memory This Size and Other Stories: The Caine Prize for African Writing 2013 Introduction by Lizzy Attree The Caine Prize is awarded to a short story written by an African author (which primarily means one born in Africa–all the authors in this volume are from Sub-Saharan Africa), published in English in the… Continue reading Book Review: A Memory This Size and Other Stories: The Caine Prize for African Writing 2013