Book Review: DRACULA'S DEMETER by Doug Lamoreux *** and a 1\2 out of *****

Bram Stoker’s seminal horror novel, Dracula, has inspired numerous sequels, prequels, re-imaginings, and stories focused on side characters from the book. What makes Dracula’s Demeter by Doug Lamoreux in some ways special, is its focus on the vampire count’s journey from his homeland to England onboard the Russian schooner, the Demeter. Stoker only dedicated a small portion of his novel to the events that take place on the Demeter, but Lamoreux uses every ounce of detail that Stoker provides and runs with it, creating an entertaining, compelling, if a bit stilted, novel, that is filled to the brim with nautical minutiae.

Lamoreux fleshes out the five characters only briefly mentioned in Stoker’s original book, and creates an original character of his own with a clever twist. And although it is a bit hard to tell who’s who in the first third of the book, by the second half, as events speed up and the violence escalates, the characters come into their own, especially the Scottish cook, and the English stowaway. Lamoreux’s version of Dracula himself is also notable, as this Count is no romantic figure. Lamoreux takes Dracula back to his original form, depicting him as a powerful, vicious, disgusting, brutally violent monster with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

What stops the novel from becoming a horror classic is Lamoreux’s almost sole focus on storytelling. This is the kind of book that is almost all story, without enough emphasis on character. While the cast is likable enough, aside from the previously mentioned cook and stowaway, none of the characters really shine. Also, the book’s tone is slightly inconsistent, with the first two thirds playing out like a violent Gothic horror story, with graphic violence and a somewhat playful tone; while the last third of the story takes a darker, grimmer aspect. And Lamoreux’s choice of eschewing the epistolary format of the original novel, disconnects it stylistically from its source material, to a large degree.

But faults aside, Dracula’s Demeter is a fun, richly textured, Gothic horror novel, and is a must for fans of Stoker’s classic tale.

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Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

ZOMBIE BIGFOOT: In a bravura performance, author/narrator Nick Sullivan (@NicktheSullivan), turns a fun, tongue-in-cheek adventure/horror novel, into a wild, hilarious ride, that is sure going to please audiophiles. And is there a sequel? Zombie Billionaire, maybe? #audiobook pic.twitter.com/NajOw2oeFL

— Ahmed Khalifa (@AFKhalifa) December 12, 2021

Book Review: THE VOICE OF THE NIGHT By Dean Koontz. *** and a 1\2 out of *****

© Berkley

First published in 1980 under the pseudonym Brian Coffey, and later released under his own name in 1991, The Voice of The Night is one of Dean Koontz’s best, yet least known, novels. It is one of his most understated books, and his only coming-of-age tale.

The story, about Colin, a 14 year-old outcast who befriends Roy, the coolest kid in town, only to find out that his new friend might be a psychopath, isn’t original, but Koontz has a lot more on his mind than delivering a mere suspense novel, although The Voice of The Night works quite well as one.

Koontz, who has been very open about his childhood traumas involving parental abuse, writes here with a candor, with an urgency, that is rare in his work. On the surface, this is a compelling page-turner about a child’s loss of innocence, and the realization that the world is a much darker place than previously imagined. Colin, a “geeky” teen, who spends his time reading horror and sci-fi to escape his loneliness, is a wonderfully drawn character. He is likeable, vulnerable, and real. Which makes his rude awakening all the more heartbreaking. Slowly, as Roy reveals one layer of his psyche after another, Colin starts to see what his friend, and the world, are really like. Ghouls, monsters, and aliens are good for a brief glimpse into a darkness imagined, but true human evil is an abyss.

This is heartfelt stuff, as Koontz vividly and realistically paints an honest picture of a lonely, alienated boy, starved for attention and companionship. His father is an aggressive, gruff man, who bullies his son for being sensitive; and his mother is a self-involved, absentee parent who doesn’t really make the effort to understand the complex nature of her son and his worries.

Koontz’s writing here is solid, unfussy, and, for the most part, confident. The dialogue flows smoothly, capturing the combination of innocence and vulgarity that is unique to teenage conversations. And his command of atmosphere is impressive, conjuring an evocative feel for the small California town, its beauty, its dark secrets, with a few clear sentences, unlike the verbose, and occasionally trying, style he would later adopt in many of his novels from the mid 1990s onward. The plotting is a bit bumpy, and Roy is never fully realized as a believable villain. While the ending, though hard-hitting, is a bit rushed. But the closing lines are both moving and disturbing.

The Voice of The Night is one of the few novels where Koontz faces the dark full on, with only a glimmer of hope. It is one of his rawest, darkest books, and one of the best American horror coming-of-age novels to come out of the 1980s, preceding, and, in many ways, surpassing, the Stephen King novels dealing with similar themes that would make King one of the most popular writers of all time. Highly recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

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Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Film Review: CRY MACHO (2021) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

© WB\Malpaso

Clint Eastwood returns as actor and director with Cry Macho (2021), a sweet, gentle, and charming little film, which, in its own modest, easy-going way, achieves so much with seemingly little effort. But although Eastwood is a notoriously fast worker, his movies, with very few exceptions, are almost always a smooth ride, and easy on the eyes. Cry Macho is a prime example of these trademark qualities of an Eastwood film.

Cry Macho tells a simple tale: 1980. Texas. Mike Milo, a washed-up rodeo star and horse breeder, reluctantly agrees to help his ex-boss and benefactor to bring his half-Mexican teenage son home and out of his abusive mother’s reach. So he crosses the border to rural Mexico, finds the troubled boy, and, together, they journey back to Texas. But their journey takes an unexpected turn or two. The plot is little more than a collection of road-trip movie cliches, and the script, especially some of the dialogue, doesn’t really add much that is fresh or original to the mix. But Eastwood is a smart, restless filmmaker, and it’s easy to see why he was attracted to the material, despite its shortcomings. In his hands, Eastwood turns this tired script, which has been floating around Hollywood for decades, into an exercise in charming filmmaking.

From the endearing performance of most of the cast, especially Natalia Traven as Marta, the lovable den mother; and Eduardo Minett as Rafo, with his tough kid posturing and moving dedication to his pet rooster, Macho; and, of course, Eastwood himself, who gives himself one of his most likable characters in a long time as Mike Milo, everyone involved seems to be having a blast.

And, in many ways, Milo’s character, and the film itself, is spiritually linked to one of Eastwood’s favorite films, 1980’s Bronco Billy, about the leader of a wild west show, a middle-aged dreamer who loves show business, the old west, and horses. Milo could be Bronco Billy gone to seed. A burnt out man who has lost his hopes and dreams, and who, by befriending the teenage Rafo, a hopeless outcast like himself, starts to find his way again. No wonder Eastwood uses the same font he used on the Bronco Billy poster for the Cry Macho titles.

Cry Macho is a film out of time. A film that would have been right at home in the early 1980s or 1990s. Now, it’s understandable that it struggles to find an audience, at a time when nihilism is trendy, and negativity is bankable. But Cry Macho, despite its flaws, is a spellbinding, humane film that feels old and new at the same time, and is Eastwood’s best film in years. Highly recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

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Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer  

Book Review: UNCLE SILAS (1864) by J. S. Le Fanu **** out of *****

(c) Penguin Classics

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu was a master of Gothic horror and suspense. Henry James and M. R. James were both admirers of his work, and his vampire novella Carmilla (1872) is considered one of the most influential horror stories ever written, predating Bram Stoker's Dracula by decades. Most of Le Fanu's work is either forgotten or dismissed now, which is unfortunate, since he was a good prose stylist, and a master of atmosphere.

Uncle Silas (1864) is considered by many, including M. R. James, to be Le Fanu's masterpiece. While that is arguable, Uncle Silas is indeed one of Le Fanu's best, as it features all of the main ingredients of his special brew: a likable heroine; terrifying villains; plenty of intrigue; and an incomparable mastery of atmosphere.

It tells the tale of an adolescent girl named Maud Ruthyn, an heiress living with her reclusive father, Austin Ruthyn, in their mansion at Knowl. After her father's sudden death, she becomes the ward of her uncle, Silas Ruthyn, a once infamous gambler, and who now claims to be a devout Christian, living a quiet, secluded life in his mansion, Bartram-Haugh. But soon after moving in with him, Maud begins to sense that something is amiss, with her uncle Silas behaving strangely, even sinisterly, while Bartram-Haugh, with its history of murder, seems to be haunted by an air of menace and evil.

As is obvious from this synopsis, the plot is typical of the “sensational Gothic” novels of the time. But the plot isn't really the main attraction here, although it is well constructed and intriguing enough. What grips the reader and makes the novel near unputdownable despite its creaky characterizations and often distracting Gothic melodramatics, is Le Fanu's complete command of mood and his uncanny ability to suggest terrifying things with nary a wasted word. Below the surface of this seemingly dated story is plenty of bite. Using the Gothic melodrama as his launching pad, Le Faun touches upon such topics as child abuse, psychological torture, sadism, religious hypocrisy, and absolute evil. Although Maud, and, to a lesser extent, her young cousin Milly, are likable, sympathetic heroines, it is the villains that linger in the memory: Madame de la Rougierre, a despicable, twisted governess who takes pleasure in torturing Maud; and Uncle Silas, a strange, imposing, and almost supernatural figure, whose passive malice is a terrible marvel to behold, as it unfolds chapter after chapter. And, like Dracula in Stoker's classic, Le Fanu keeps his main villain off the page for most of the novel's duration, with each appearance being more disturbing than the one before it.

Then there's the climax, which M. R. James described as one that “can hardly be forgotten.” While I don't agree with Mr. James on the potency of the ending, which I felt was a bit rushed, Le Fanu still makes it work, with a nighttime murder that, despite being hardly surprising, is brutal and disturbing. But again, the plot, including its conclusion, isn't really the thing with Uncle Silas. It is the journey that Le Fanu takes us through, page after page, chapter after chapter, that is darkly enjoyable, like an expertly guided tour of a haunted house. Or a haunted mind.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Video Version:

 

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

New Episode of The Dark Fantastic Podcast Now Available

In this episode:

- Your host, A.K., talks about the secret behind successful creative partnerships in film and TV.

- The mystery behind the magic of TWIN PEAKS. Who is responsible, David Lynch or Mark Frost? A brief history of the making of the TV show.

- An interview with author and TV historian David Bushman (CONVERSATIONS WITH MARK FROST), in which David and myself come up with what may be the definitive answer to the question: "Will there ever be more TWIN PEAKS?"

- A recording of Poe's ANNABEL LEE.

- Easter Egg: THE HIGHWAY, a new short story.

- Book Trailer: BAD DREAMS, a novel by A. Kale, available on Amazon.

Listen to the episode:

Listen to "Episode 6: Lynch, Frost, and The Future of Twin Peaks. Guest: Author/TV Historian David Bushman" on Spreaker.

10 Great Horror Novels You (Probably) Don't Know About

Horror fans are always looking for something new to watch, read, or listen to. There are “best of” lists aplenty, with each list focusing on a certain sub-genre or category. With this list, I am going to include ten books that I greatly admire, for several reasons, and which I think haven't got their due. I think even ardent fans of the genre will find a number of surprises included here.

1- CUTTHROAT by Michael Slade: Cutthroat by Michael Slade, is a superbly entertaining thriller. Violent, atmospheric, bizarre, and highly original, this novel about a special team of Canadian investigators hunting a seemingly invincible assassin, crosses genres with surprising ease, and ends with one of the strangest climaxes I've ever come across.

New Episode of THE DARK FANTASTIC PODCAST now available

 In this episode:

- Ahmed Khalifa talks about what makes certain albums, songs, and compositions timeless.

- An interview with author, musician, and music historian Herb Powell, co-author of I AIN'T STUDDIN' YA, the autobiography of Bobby Rush.

- A recording of Shelley's TO: MUSIC, WHEN SOFT VOICES DIE.

- Easter Egg: THE WIND, a new short story!

- Book Trailer: BAD DREAMS, a novel by A. Kale, available on Amazon.

Subscribe to the podcast at Spreaker, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the episode:

Listen to "Episode 5: Timeless Music, The Blues, and The Great Bobby Rush. Guest: Author/Musician Herb Powell" on Spreaker.

Book Review: A SECOND COMING (1900) By Richard Marsh. *** and a 1\2 out of *****

Listen to the review here:

Listen to "Book Review: A SECOND COMING (1900) By Richard Marsh" on Spreaker.

It is hard to imagine that A Second Coming (1900) by Richard Marsh, a heartfelt, thought-provoking, and haunting novel about the second coming of The Christ, was written by the same man who gave us the forgettable Gothic-Horror of The Beetle (1897). Where The Beetle was bland, tame, and crudely written, A Second Coming is philosophically challenging, often fiery, and even sporadically elegant.

Marsh takes a fascinating concept, the second coming of Jesus Christ in Victorian England, and uses it as a launching pad to tackle - with searing intelligence and compassion - hypocrisy, corruption, injustice, socialism, and the failure of organized religion. Christ, or The Stranger, as Marsh calls him in the book, arrives suddenly and quietly in London, and soon after, begins to perform one miracle after another, quickly gathering a few disciples. But his arrival, like the last time he came to Man, produces shock waves through British society, as The Stranger's actions and words challenge the way things are, highlighting the hypocrisy and cruelty at the heart of the modern world.

Marsh's take is passionate and angry. He takes Victorian society, and modern society in general, to task, showcasing the contradictory way many people view religion; the arrogance of religious hierarchy; and the anger and selfishness at the heart of almost all ideologies, especially socialism and anarchism, which Marsh skewers.

One wonders why this book, with its timeless philosophical musings and its focus on compassion, isn't more well-known. That's not to say that this is a great novel. It's not. Marsh's almost impressionistic descriptions are too sparse for their own good, with the writing often coming off as myopic, and his tendency to focus on dialogue, gives the book a stagy quality that can be unappealing to some readers. But the novel's strength lies in its readability, its passionate heart, and its affecting portrayal of The Stranger/Jesus Christ.

From its captivating opening chapter to its somber final scene, A Second Coming is an unforgettable, well-told tale, and more timely than ever. Highly recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Sherlock Holmes: The Death and Life (2009) [Audio Drama]. *** and a 1\2 out of *****

 

Funny, disturbing, and original, this audio drama, written by @DStuartDavies, is a treat for Holmes/Conan Doyle fans. It has a bizarre concept, and a tour-de-force performance by Roger Llewellyn. Available to stream at Spotify here: https://t.co/fBSaeAfswf #sherlockholmes #drama

— Ahmed Khalifa (@AFKhalifa) November 13, 2021

 Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

The Overview: 30 DAYS OF NIGHT: DARK DAYS - THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF WOLF MEN - CUTTHROAT

(C) Sony Pictures

Film Review: 30 Days Of Night: Dark Days (2010): I liked the feature film adaptation of the graphic novel 30 Days Of Night, but I didn't love it. The film was suspenseful, atmospheric, even occasionally frightening, and stylishly directed by David Slade. But the characters weren't that appealing, and the vampires pretty annoying. The sequel, 30 Days Of Night: Dark Days, is a far better film, in my opinion.

Co-scripted by Steve Niles (the author of the original graphic novel, and who wasn't involved in the making of the first film) and stylishly directed by Ben Ketai, Dark Days, is far more loyal to the source material, and the characters much more well-defined. The pace is better, and, despite the much lower budget, the atmosphere is thicker and the fright-factor higher.

Following the adventures of Stella Oleson (Olemaun in the graphic novel) and her quest for vengeance for the death of her husband, Eben, the film's pace never lets up while never sacrificing characterization for cheap thrills. Kiele Sanchez shines as Stella, a strong-willed warrior struggling with depression and trying to stave off madness with all her will. Working with a low budget and a good script, director Ben Ketai manages to do what David Slade couldn't in the first film, which is tell a good story, as the film is visually compelling, tightly edited, and dramatically effective at the same time.

Fans of the original film (not the original graphic novel) may scoff at the smaller scale and shift of focus and tone. But fans of the original graphic novel and good horror films will probably enjoy this ambitious low-budget effort for what it is: one of the best vampire films of recent years.

New Episode of The Dark Fantastic Podcast now available, featuring Author/Narrator Nick Sullivan

On this episode of THE DARK FANTASTIC PODCAST:

- Your host, Ahmed Khalifa, talks about movies that are better than books, including Psycho (1960) and

The Grapes of Wrath (1940).

- An exclusive interview with author and audiobook narrator Nick Sullivan, whose latest book DEEP DEVIL is out now.

- A wonderful reading of Keats's poem THE LIVING HAND, by Winston Tharp.

- Easter Egg: THE FACES, a chilling Halloween short story, dramatized, and featuring sound effects.

Listen here:

Listen to "PSYCHOS AND SILVER BULLETS: A Post-Halloween Special Episode. Guest: Writer Nick Sullivan" on Spreaker.

THE OVERVIEW: The Whole Wide World (1996) - Chasing The Boogeyman - The Guardian Angel

© Sony Pictures Classics

The Whole Wide World (1996): Compelling, often moving biography of one of pulp fiction's true pioneers, Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan, Kull, and Solomon Kane, and a huge influence on the writings of Lovecraft. It follows his complex relationship with teacher/writer Novalyne Price, as Howard struggles with his unhealthy attachment to his mother and his deep-rooted misanthropy. Renee Zellweger steals the film with her charming, layered, and subdued portrayal of Novalyne Price, while Vincent D'Onofrio gives an impassioned if sometimes overbearing performance as Howard. The film will appeal most to fans of Howard's incomparable writings, but it is also a touching, poignant, and tragic love story. The conventional if steady direction by Dan Ireland is too low-key for its own good, but this is a good story, well-told.

New episode of The Dark Fantastic Podcast, featuring Sherlock Holmes Author/Expert, David Stuart Davies

In this new episode:

• 
  A.K. talks about the outcry against classic literature, and questions why classic "genre" fiction isn't considered "fine" literature.
• An interview with Sherlock Holmes expert and best-selling author/editor David Stuart Davies (Sherlock Holmes: The Tangled Skein and Sherlock Holmes: Revenge from The Grave [2022]).
• Revisiting INNER SANCTUM (1948).

• Easter Egg: a new short story.

Listen to the episode here:

Listen to "Episode 3: Sherlock Holmes Returns, and A Defense of "Genre". Guest: David Stuart Davies" on Spreaker.

Book review: A Sherlock Holmes Double-Bill: THE TANGLED SKEIN vs. THE ITALIAN SECRETARY

© Wordsworth

Arthur Conan Doyle's creation of sleuth extraordinaire Sherlock Holmes revolutionized detective fiction and continues to do so to this day. I doubt there is a single writer of crime or detective fiction who hasn't read some or all of the work of Doyle and has been influenced by it, by the clinical attention to detail, the strong sense of atmosphere, the sharp dialogue, and above all, the sense of fun.

Although Doyle had retired Holmes a long while before the author's own death, writers continue to churn out pastiches; some are good, some are bad and some are brilliant. The Tangled Skein and The Italian Secretary fall somewhere between good and brilliant.

The Tangled Skein by David Stuart Davies focuses on Sherlock Holmes facing the lord of the undead himself, Dracula. And although the premise sounds ludicrous and could even be considered an insult to Doyle's work, the resulting book is neither. Author and Holmes expert David Stuart Davies captures Doyle's tone and style almost perfectly and weaves a tale full of action and mood. It is a well-told tale that stays true to the mythos and features dialogue that could have been written by the master himself. Where the book falters a bit is in the mystery aspect. In trying to combine the mythologies of both Doyle and Bram Stoker's work, Davies veers more towards the plotting style of Stoker, with more action than intrigue. Although that makes it a rousing thriller , full of atmosphere and foreboding, it also makes it a not very good mystery. But there is an added bonus here. Davies ingeniously adds the very neat twist of making this story a direct sequel to The Hound of the Baskervilles. Something that avid Holmes readers will find delightful. I did.

Film Review: SO LONG AT THE FAIR (1950) **** out of *****

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Listen to "Movie Review: SO LONG AT THE FAIR (1950)" on Spreaker.

© Gainsborough Pictures

Reportedly admired by Hitchcock, who later adapted it twice for his TV show, Hitchcock Presents, So Long At The Fair (1950) is a highly effective period thriller.

The plot is a familiar one by now, variations of it appearing in many movies and TV shows, most famously in Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes (1938). A young woman, Vicky, and her brother Johnny, travel to late 19th century Paris to attend the Exposition Universelle. Shortly after arrival, Johnny feels ill and retires to his hotel room early. The next day, Vicky wakes up to discover that her brother is nowhere to be found, his room gone, and that no one in the hotel seems to remember him ever being there. Has she gone mad, or is there something more sinister at play?

Fans of Hitchcock, and classic mystery fiction for that matter, will probably guess the solution to the puzzle long before the credits roll. But directors Terence Fisher and Anthony Darnborough keep things moving at such a brisk pace and with such technical elegance, that even if the viewer knows the outcome, the film remains absorbing and suspenseful. Most of the weight lies on Jean Simmons' shoulder as Vicky, and she handles it with aplomb, even if aspects of her performance are a bit of their time. And Cathleen Nesbitt as Madame Hervé, the conniving hotel owner, is a terrific villain. A young Dirk Bogarde is unimpressive, not having yet blossomed into the British art-house icon he would become in the 1960s and 70s.

Co-director Anthony Darnborough mainly worked as a producer throughout his career, but Terence Fisher would later become the wizard behind some of the best British Horror films of all-time, with his groundbreaking work with the iconic Hammer Studios, and elements of his controlled, visually fluent style are present here.

Even if the ending doesn't have the impact it should after more than an hour of superbly crafted build-up, So Long At the Fair remains a terrific thriller, and with a running time of just over 80 minutes, is a fast-paced watch. Highly recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Introducing THE DARK FANTASTIC PODCAST

If you're a constant visitor to this website, then you know it's dedicated to all things movies, books, and TV, especially hidden gems in all genres.

We have now launched The Dark Fantastic Podcast, an expansion of what is featured on the site, with exclusive audio short stories, and interviews with writers, filmmakers, and creators in all fields.

This latest episode, features Ahmed Khalifa talking about why he thinks Dean Koontz is, in some ways, better than Stephen King; a brief history of pulp fiction's greatest character, The Shadow; and an exclusive interview with author Will Murray, whose latest book, Master of Mystery: The Rise of The Shadow, is out now. Enjoy!

Listen to "Episode 2: Dean Koontz Returns and The Shadow Rises, W\Author Will Murray" on Spreaker.

THE OVERVIEW: Malignant (2021) - The Noise by James Patterson and J.D. Barker - L.A. Times by Stuart Woods

Listen to this review:

Listen to "The Overview II: Malignant - The Noise - L.A Times" on Spreaker.

The Overview: A collection of shorter reviews of books and movies.

© WB Pictures.

Malignant (2021) *** out of *****: It can’t be stressed enough how weird a movie Malignant is, and not in a good way. Directed and co-written by James Wan, the man who basically re-invigorated the horror genre in 2010 with his stylish and brilliantly inventive Insidious, Malignant is a movie that could only have been made by someone like Wan. Wan, thanks to his numerous billions-grossing blockbusters like Furious 7, The Conjuring series, and Aquaman, has the cache to arm-twist studios into giving him a few million dollars to make whatever he wants. Malignant is the result. It’s a fun movie, but it’s also self-indulgent to the point of silliness, and the climax is nothing short of ludicrous. The fault lies with the messy script - there’s almost zero characterization - and Wan’s operatic approach, an homage to the Giallo genre, which is gratingly flamboyant. A spectacular misfire.

Book Review: RODERICK HUDSON (1875) By Henry James **** out of *****

© Harper Classics

I first discovered Henry James as a teenager. After watching a film adaptation of The Turn of The Screw and becoming fascinated with the story, I bought a cheap TOR paperback copy of the novella, and devoured its prose with ever-increasing joy and awe. It was my first introduction to James, and, in turn, to fine literature. Reading Henry James for the first time is, for people of a certain temperament, an epiphany. His stylistic choices, command of atmosphere, uncanny psychological insight into his characters, and, above all, his restraint, is a marvel to behold.

Roderick Hudson (1875), what Henry James considers to be his first novel (although he'd written a short novel, Watch and Ward four years prior), is a joy to read. It might not be the best introduction to his work (Washington Square, or a collection of his short stories would serve that purpose better), but it is fascinating nonetheless. Reading it, particularly the first version, not the revised one Henry James did for the New York Edition, is akin to watching an artist admirably struggle to hone his craft in front of one's eyes.

At first, Roderick Hudson looks like a simple, even frivolous, tale about the rise and fall of the eponymous young sculptor. But like most of James' work, his book's plot are deceptive, beginning as one thing, and slowly morphing into another. Here, James, like Hudson, keeps refining his sculpture, adding layers, definition, detail. By the end of the book, the characters are fleshed out, their nuances laid bare, and their fates wonderfully unraveled.

Roderick Hudson is somewhat unique in James' oeuvre in that, here, he quite clearly loses control of the novel's tone more than once, veering into melodramatics typical of the era. Even the tragic ending, as effectively shocking as it is, is somewhat abrupt, flawed. In the 1907 preface to the New York revised edition, James criticizes Roderick Hudson, saying it lacks "verisimilitude" and that the "time-scheme" is inadequate. But these blemishes don't take away from the overall effect of the book, which is of a fascinating journey through the minds and hearts of three compelling characters: Hudson; Mallet, Hudson's benefactor; and Christina Light, who would reappear in James work as the Princess Casamassima.

Next, James would go on to write The American (1877), a better, more assured novel, with a splendid third act, and which benefits greatly from the lessons he learned writing Roderick Hudson.

Video version:

 

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Book Review: STORIES. Edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio. *** and a 1\2 out of *****

I fell out of love with short story anthologies a long time ago. There are dozens of them published every year, and only a handful that are worth the paper they are printed on. The deciding factor, always, is the editor. Stories, an anthology of tales that span many genres, but with a special focus on the fantastic, and edited by author Neil Gaiman and author and veteran editor Al Sarrantonio, is, for the most part, one of the better ones.

In his introduction to the collection of stories, Neil Gaiman says that all good stories, regardless the genre, have to have this one factor: While turning the pages, the reader has to keep asking him/herself, "And then what happened?". Out of the 27 stories included here, 16 had me asking that question as I lost myself in the tales. 16 out of 27 ain't bad, right? So, in my book, that makes this collection a success.

Out of these 16 stories, stand-outs include "The Truth Is A Cave In The Black Mountains" by Neil Gaiman, a thrilling story of revenge and magic; "Unbelief" by Michael Marshall Smith, a clever little tale about a hitman, with a neat twist; "The Stars Are Falling" by the incomparable Joe R. Lansdale, a touching and highly atmospheric story about a man who returns from a war to discover that the life he left, including a loving wife and a son, no longer exists; "Polka Dots And Moonbeams" by Jeffrey Ford, a wonderfully weird tale about two lovers stuck in time, that hops genres with astounding ease; "Leif In The Wind" by Gene Wolfe, a disturbing Sci-Fi tale that manages to pull off in 13 pages what many writers fail to achieve in a novel; "The Therapist" by Jeffrey Deaver, a clever tale about a psychopath who thinks he's possessed; "Parallel Lines" by Tim Powers, an entertaining ghost story; "The Cult Of The Nose" by Al Sarrantonio, a superb psychological horror story, and the best tale included here; "Stories" by Michael Moorcock, a touching and compelling tale about the lives of writers; "The Maiden Flight of McCauley's Bellerophon"  by Elizabeth Hand, a wonderfully moving story about a group of friends who set out to recreate a film for a dying friend; and "The Devil On The Staircase" by Joe Hill, a frightening tale about a boy from a poor village who comes face to face with a devil, and how that encounter changes him forever.

So if you are in the mood for a bunch of good short stories, some of them true examples of the art form, then look no further. Stories is it.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2013 - 2021.

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Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

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Book Review: FORTITUDE By Hugh Walpole. **** out of *****

Reading Hugh Walpole is a strange and wonderful thing. Sometimes he's brilliant (The Prelude to Adventure), sometimes he's good (Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill), and sometimes he's barely passable (Jeremy). Fortitude (1913), Walpole's homage to the works and styles of Dickens and Henry James, is nearer to brilliant on that spectrum.

It follows the life of one Peter Westcott, from his boyhood to the onset of middle-age, tracking his attempt at transcending a hard life, including a disturbed, abusive father, poverty, and, ultimately, succeeding as an author. The plot is layered, sprawling, even meandering at times, but Walpole is at his most ebullient here, driving vigorously onwards through a breakneck narrative, pulling the reader with him.

I guess it would be considered sacrilege to call Fortitude as good, or even better than, a lot of Dickens' coming of age tales, but Walpole comes close. He also attempts to mimic James' psychological mastery, but here, he doesn't really succeed, although his characters are interesting enough, some even fascinating. The protagonist, Peter Westcott is a flawed character if ever there was one, and in the hands of a lesser, and less humane, writer, he would have been thoroughly unlikable, but Walpole makes him not only compelling, but sympathetic as well.

Aside from the sheer storytelling joy of Fortitude, with its twists, turns, and occasional forays into hackneyed melodrama, Walpole is aiming for something more, something higher. Like in this exchange between Westcott, after the successful publication of his first novel, and Henry Galleon, arguably a thinly disguised surrogate for Walpole's idol, Henry James. Galleon says to  the young author: "Against all these temptations, against these voices of the World and the Flesh, against the glory of power and the swinging hammer of success, you, sitting quietly in your room, must remember that a great charge has been given you, that you are here for one thing and one thing only ... to listen..." The whole of Galleon's speech, is sublime, in fact; and sublime is what Walpole, in his own flawed way, achieves with this novel.

Fortitude is unputdownable, moving, sensational, unabashedly melodramatic, somber, and, in the most surprising of ways, uplifting. A great book that deserves to be rescued from the shadows of obscurity.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

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Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

THE OVERVIEW: The Notch by Tom Holland - Trapped by J.A. Konrath - The City of The Dead (1960)

Introducing The Overview, a round-up of short reviews of movies, books, and everything in between.

The Notch by Tom Holland *** out of *****: Tom Holland, the Master of Horror behind Fright Night (1985), Child's Play (1988), Thinner (1996), among others, makes his fiction debut with The Notch, an entertaining if unremarkable novel of speculative fiction, about a ten year-old boy who appears out of nowhere, has the ability to heal and bring the dead back to life, and seems to have brought an apocalyptic plague with him. The high-concept plot starts promisingly enough, but soon falls into a kind of rhythm that is less than compelling. The large cast of characters is adequately drawn, but none are memorable, and the story doesn't really go any place special. But Holland is a born storyteller, and his short chapters keep one reading till the satisfying conclusion. But fans should know that, what The Notch isn't is a horror novel.

Book Review: NIGHT SHIFT. By Stephen King *** and a 1\2 out of *****

What to do with the dilemma that is Stephen King? A prolific author, an assured stylist, and a man whose prose is so readable it is almost hypnotic. But there's also that other Stephen King, the one who writes interminable books that go nowhere, who is so politically correct to the point of blandness, and who flirts with crassness with seeming glee. Yes, I am conflicted about Stephen King. I love a lot of his work, but I also, well, don't like a lot of it. That wasn't always the case. As a younger man, I used to be a die-hard fan, saving much needed money to buy as many books of his that I could find, salivating over any movie poster that featured his name, and defending him to high-brow poseurs who called him a hack.

I still defend his work to these philistines, though, at least his earlier books. You see, I've come to realize that there are three epochs in the career of the King. There's early King (1974-1978), books that were mostly written before, but published after, he found success. All of those are great (including The Long Walk, Carrie, Salem's Lot). There's post-success King (1979-1987), books that were written and published after his breakout success with the movie adaptation of Carrie (1976). These include the much overrated The Shining, the masterpiece that is The Stand, the haunting The Dead Zone, the middling Firestarter, the awful Christine, the terrific Pet Sematary, and the masterwork that is Misery. And, lastly, there is post-fame King, books published after he became a household name all over the world (1988-Present). This period is the most problematic of all. It includes good books (Duma Key, The Colorado Kid), ok books (Cell), and books that are just terrible (the bland Mr. Mercedes, and the almost unreadable The Institute).

Which brings me to good, old, Night Shift (1978), King's very first short story collection, and a true box of wonders. In Night Shift, King showcases all his strengths, weaknesses, styles, and obsessions. From the blood and thunder Gothic horror of the opener, "Jerusalem's Lot" (a prequel to the novel Salem's Lot), to the pulpy, overheated, but terrifically entertaining horror of "Graveyard Shift" (about giant rats and exploited workers) and "The Mangler" (a truly ridiculous story about a killer laundry machine), to the forgettable but atmospheric prequel to The Stand, "Night Surf".

There are also a handful of truly original and masterfully told tales of terror and suspense. Like the disturbing "I Am The Doorway", about a man who may or may not be possessed by an alien force that just wants to kill for pleasure; "Strawberry Spring", about a man who violently kills college students in a fogbound campus; the Hitchcock Presents homage that is "The Ledge"; and "One For The Road", a terrifying and somber sequel to Salem's Lot.

But the standout is "The Last Rung on The Ladder", a heart-wrenching tale of innocence, love, and loss, about the toll time takes on the bond between a brother and a sister, and the vows they made to each other as children only to abandon them as adults. This story is a wonderfully written piece of literature, and, arguably, was the first indication that King had the ability to write masterfully in any genre, and so is a precursor to such beloved classics like the novellas "The Body" and "Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption", both featured in the collection Different Seasons.

So, if you find yourself disappointed with King's uneven output in the past two decades, travel back in time and pick up a copy of Night Shift. It features a number of duds, but it also has some stories that will chill your bones and warm your heart, and remind you that there once was a king named King.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

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Book Review: THE SHADOW: CRIME, INSURED. By Walter B. Gibson *** out of *****

One of the more famous The Shadow tales, Crime, Insured, has a wild premise: crooks in New York are getting bolder, more reckless, so The Shadow investigates, ultimately discovering that there's a master criminal actually selling crime insurance, protecting crooks if their plans fail. It's a far-fetched premise, bordering on silliness, and the lack of any memorable villains make this a somewhat slow-going story. It does, however, feature a great twist, and it is one of the few tales where The Shadow seems to be in real danger. A diverting read for fans, no more, no less.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Book Review: CUTTER AND BONE By Newton Thornburg **** out of *****

Published in 1976, when the radical movements and optimisms of the 1960s and 1970s were in their death throes, Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg is a powerful if grim novel about losing one's way.

The main characters are Bone, a jobless hunk in his thirties who just doesn't know where to turn after deciding to quit his job and leave his wife and kids behind, and Cutter, a one-armed, one-legged Vietnam vet who seems to have left his soul and the better part of his sanity back in Saigon. Together, along with Cutter's common law wife, Mo, an attractive ex-hippie who spends her days walking around stoned to the gills, Cutter and Bone go through life aimlessly, not always remembering where they've been, and not really caring where they're going, with Bone living off wealthy older women, and Cutter getting by on his welfare checks. That is, until Bone happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, becoming a witness to the dumping of a young hooker who's just been murdered by a middle-aged man. From there, things slowly spiral out of control, as Bone becomes embroiled in a cat and mouse game with Cutter, who seems to be slowly losing himself to an obsession only he can understand.

But it is almost fruitless to write a plot synopsis for Cutter and Bone, as the plot really isn't the thing. It's the characters, their psychology, and Thornburg's mastery of mood and pacing. Thornburg writes with a clarity and a passion that is hard to resist, pulling you into a story that gets darker and darker as it goes along, and one that is peopled with characters who aren't exactly likable but are fascinating nonetheless.

Much has been said about the book's seemingly fiery politics, with Cutter's rants about the corruption of America bordering on hyperbole. Some critics and readers claim that Cutter and Bone is a leftist, anti-capitalist novel, others argue that it has a conservative bent, with its obvious disdain for hippies and radicals. But Thornburg, who was a fiscal republican, doesn't seem interested in partisan politics as much as in life choices and their price. His characters are all lost, broken outcasts who just can't seem to belong or find their way. Bone, in particular, is written as a man who has lost almost everything in exchange for his independence. And the one time he makes any kind of attachment, with Cutter and Mo, it leads to disaster. And Cutter is a man so angry at his country, the world, and himself, that ultimately he loses himself in a complex mystery that just might be of his own invention. Or is it?

Cutter and Bone is considered to be Thornburg's masterpiece, and it is easy to see why. It is far from a perfect novel – the dialogue is often clunky, and the politics too overheated – but it is original, unforgettable, and passionately written. It has the one quality that most writers strive to achieve even once in their career: After the last page is turned, the book lingers in the mind, its words echoing, its images refusing to fade.

* The novel was adapted into a feature film, Cutter's Way, released in 1981.

Watch or listen to the video version of this review, here:

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Flashback Review: CUTTER'S WAY (1981) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

A hidden gem from the 1980's, Cutter's Way (1981), based on Newton Thornburg's novel Cutter and Bone, is too good to be forgotten.

Starring Jeff Bridges and John Heard, and directed by Ivan Passer, the film is part psychological thriller, part character study, and part buddy movie, and is an atmospheric and intelligent thriller with a twisty plot and a moody, enigmatic quality all its own.

The plot: Richard Bone (Bridges), an unemployed, womanizing scoundrel, is wrongfully suspected of murdering a teenage girl. Not knowing what to do, he seeks help from his best friend, Alex Cutter (Heard), a disabled Vietnam veteran with a terrible temper and occasional paranoid delusions. Together they try to uncover the identity of the real murderer before it's too late for both of them.

The plot, though original enough, is not the main thing here. What sets this movie apart and makes it a unique thriller, are the performances (especially Heard's as Cutter) and the stylish, nuanced direction by Ivan Passer. The enigmatic and shocking ending is also great.

Although it downplays the novel's complex themes and politics in favor of a more streamlined approach, many of the book's characters are wonderfully brought to life by a great cast and stylish direction. A dazzling paranoid thriller that deserves to be rediscovered.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021. (An earlier draft was published on Bitlanders.com)

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

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Book Review: THE PRELUDE TO ADVENTURE by Hugh Walpole *** and a 1\2 out of *****

Hugh Walpole (1844-1941) was a prolific writer with a readable, compelling style, but whose sensibilities were somewhat limited. Almost all his books feature tortured, alienated characters, Gothic atmospherics, and a cynical, often downbeat undertone.

Inspired by Francis Thompson's haunting poem "The Hound of Heaven", The Prelude to Adventure (1912) features all of Walpole's signature ingredients, but what sets it apart is that, here, Walpole's main character is not lost, but found. Here, his lead character, a college student by the name of Olva Dune, a man who commits a murder in a moment of rage and then hears the voice of God calling him, is a man who has always felt out of step with the world until the moment of his crime, when he finds God, or rather, when God finds him. From there, the story focuses on Dune's struggle with that revelation, as well as his guilt and his fear of being unmasked as the killer. It's an unputdownable book written with surprising urgency by Walpole, who usually takes his time setting things up. It's also a successful cross-genre novel if ever there was one. It's a detective story, a Gothic tale, a spiritual meditation, and a love story all in one. 

What makes the novel's effectiveness all the more surprising, is that its flaws are so apparent. Other than Dune and another character (Bunning, a lost soul who idolizes Dune), the rest of the cast are little more than sketches, and the plot progression and psychology are often clumsy. But work the novel does. It's a spellbinding book which aches with spiritual longing and the struggle to understand one's own darkness. No wonder Carl Jung praised it. It's a unique, fast-paced, moving story that ends on just the right note. Highly recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

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Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

The Dark Fantastic is sponsored by VHS Books:

Book Review: MR. PERRIN AND MR. TRAILL By Hugh Walpole *** and a 1\2 out of *****

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Listen to "Book Review: MR. PERRIN AND MR. TRAILL. By Hugh Walpole" on Spreaker.

Hugh Walpole's third novel, Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill (1911), considered by many, and by the author himself, to be his best work, is a strange, somber, meandering, and unforgettable piece of literature.

Revolving around a feud between two school masters in a public school in Edwardian England, the book starts out as a slow-burn social drama about the tedium and oppressive nature of everyday life in the public school system, depicting an affecting if not exactly compelling series of incidents that almost outstay their welcome. But then the book's tone shifts to something much darker and much more fascinating, as it focuses on one of the character's headlong dive into regret, rage, and, inevitably, madness. Here, the book, which flirts with Gothic undertones from the beginning, transforms into a disturbing psychological drama, with the screws tightening faster and faster, till the poignant ending.

Walpole's prose ranges from sublime to serviceable. It has been noted by several scholars and students of his work that Walpole was an unfussy writer, to a fault, writing quickly and seldom revising the first draft. The outcome of such a method does the novel a disservice to some extent, with the pacing of the book, especially in the first half, being too unsteady, and the tonal lurches are also a distraction. But by the second half the narrative threads coalesce into a satisfyingly unnerving whole, with scenes of psychological torment so vivid they push the book right to the edge of a Gothic horror story.

The book has two endings, the original one published in Britain, and a revised one for the later American editions. Both endings are interesting, yet each is problematic in its own way. The original ending, though melodramatic, is more effective, more poignant, and much darker. The revised ending is clumsy, heavy-handed, and borderline didactic, but its more hopeful tone might appeal to some readers.

Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill is a flawed piece of psychological fiction, with a cynical bent that can be hard to take at times. But, in the end, it is a novel that has stood the test of time, as there's emotional truth buried within its pages, and its depiction of a middle-aged man undergoing a calamitous transformation is harrowing and memorable. Recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Book Review: THE SHADOW: FOXHOUND. By Theodore Tinsley *** out of *****

Written by Theodore Tinsley (in place of the character's creator Walter B. Gibson), Foxhound is an entertaining and fast-paced thriller. Unlike Gibson, who always shows restraint when it comes to violence, Tinsley's writing is edgier and more lurid, and his portrayal of The Shadow as more fallible and vulnerable is interesting, since Gibson rarely allows The Shadow to falter.

While Tinsley's prose is lean and his pacing is gripping, his writing lacks style, and Gibson's penchant for puzzle-like plots and noirish/Gothic atmospherics is missed.

All in all, a solid entry in The Shadow cannon, and Tinsley's contributions bring a freshness to The Shadow's story. Recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the independent feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer