Book Review: QUICKSILVER By Dean Koontz ** and a 1\2 out of *****

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(c) Amazon.

Quicksilver is a problematic book to review, to say the least. It's Koontz mostly on autopilot, rehashing themes, ideas, and plotlines that he's always been obsessed with. It's a "tell" book, not a "show" book, meaning that Koontz tells the story mostly through dialogue. 

The plot is slight: a young journalist who suddenly finds his life turned upside down when two mysterious men in black try to kidnap him. From there, he is hurled into a strange adventure that involves guns, monsters, and horrific visions. Koontz basically uses this threadbare and tired concept to wax poetic on the horrors of nihilism, totalitarianism, and the weight of personal courage in times of mass evil. The tone shifts from funny, to preachy, to, ultimately, troubling violence, leading to a tepid ending.

Surprisingly, it builds to a somewhat dark last third that is relatively affecting, with a shift of tone that some might find jarring.

Overall, it's an uneven, overlong, forgettable novel, but one which has something of value to say, even if it takes its sweet time and oodles of self-indulgence on Koontz's part to get there.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2022.

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. He is also the host of The Dark Fantastic Podcast. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Book Review: HELLTOWN by Dennis O'Neil: *** and a 1\2 out of *****

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Part of the DC Universe line of novels that came out a few years ago, Helltown focuses on the origin story of one of DC Comics' lesser known but most intriguing characters, The Question. But that's not all this book is about. No. This is a damn fine novel that combines action, pop philosophy, atmosphere and strong, smooth writing to produce something truly enjoyable.

The story: Vic Sage returns to his hometown, Hub City, in search of his parents' identity (he was brought up in an orphanage), to discover that it has become a cesspool of violence and hatred run by criminals and corrupt politicians. Soon after his arrival he attracts the attention of the mayor and his thugs, which leads to him being beaten almost to death and rescued by a mysterious warrior who calls herself Shiva. He is then taken to an enigmatic mentor named Richard Dragon, who, at the request of Shiva, begins to transform Sage into a warrior. But Sage feels that something is missing in his life, questions that need to be answered. So he decides to return to Hub City, and, as a vigilante named The Question, find those answers, no matter what the cost.

The Question, as envisioned by veteran comic book writer Dennis O'Neil, is a complex, enigmatic character, that is both unique and reminiscent of the greatest characters to ever grace the pages of comic books. He is a conflicted character on a dark quest, an intriguing, norish hero. But what truly sets him apart are his flaws, his humanity, and his background. Here is a character that's neither rich nor formally educated, has no sidekicks or friends, no gadgets other than his costume and mask (that change color at will). He is human, has no superpowers, and isn't really a great detective. But that's what makes him interesting. O'Neil, who also penned the ground-breaking comic book series about The Question back in the Eighties, has a masterful command of the complex nature of the character and his inner struggles. He also anchors the story in reality, giving the book a gritty, somewhat bleak feel, which suit the character and his quest. And despite the appearance of Batman, who plays a major role in the story, he doesn't overshadow Vic Sage/The Question, which is a testament to O'Neil's strong writing.

Although the main villains of the book are borderline caricatures and the main mystery is so slight it's almost a McGuffin, this is a multi-layered, well-written, compelling book that is a must for fans of DC Comics, comic books, and mysteries. An overlooked gem

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2011- 2022.

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. He is also the host of The Dark Fantastic Podcast. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

New Episode of THE DARK FANTASTIC PODCAST!

In this episode:

- Your host, A. K., talks about rediscovering the black and white Hitchcock films of the 1920s and 30s, like Number 17 (1932) and Blackmail (1930).

- A tribute to the late, great David Williams, rhythm guitarist extraordinaire, who collaborated with every one from Michael Jackson, to Madonna, to Bryan Ferry.

© The Dark Fantastic Network. 2022.

Subscribe to the podcast at Spotify, Google Podcasts, Deezer, Podchaser, Audible, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to "Episode 13: Hitchcock in Black and White, and The Great David Williams (Pocket Edition)" on Spreaker.

Book Review: CAGE OF NIGHT By Ed Gorman. **** out of *****

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(c) PS Publishing

Ed Gorman is a master. During the 1980’s and 90’s, his books were constant “mid-listers”, which means somewhere in the middle of the bestseller lists. He never had a huge hit (like some of his contemporaries Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Dean Koontz), but his short, infinitely readable novels were – and still are – a treasure trove for the discerning reader. Cage Of Night is no exception.

Written in Gorman’s minimalist, smooth prose, and comprised of short, punchy chapters, this is a mesmerizing, haunting, and endlessly compelling tale about a young man returning from his sojourn in the military, to his small home town, only to get entangled with a seductive young woman, who may or may not be insane. And what is that entity dwelling in that old well that calls for him? To say any more about the plot would be unfair to the book and the reader, but suffice it to say, this is a brilliantly crafted tale of suspense, with a dash of Jamesian psychological horror to spice things up.

If you’ve missed Ed Gorman, you’ve missed something very special, and Cage of Night is a fine example of what this talented author has to offer. Highly recommended for fans of Dean Koontz, Ira Levin, Charles L. Grant, and Cornel  Woolrich.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2014 - 2022.

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. He is also the host of The Dark Fantastic Podcast. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Film Review: DEAD MARY (2007) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

(c) Peace Arch

This low-key, low-budget horror film is a strange creature. At a glance, it looks like an Evil Dead/Cabin Fever rip-off, with a bunch of young folk staying at a cabin in the woods for a long weekend, only to discover, after one of them is found brutally murdered in the woods, that there is an otherworldly killer amongst them. But as it turns out, Dead Mary is quite a bit more than that.

The film begins with a lengthy sequence introducing us to the cast of characters (which range from the unfaithful husband, to a guy who just broke up with his girlfriend, to the newbie girlfriend of one of the guys, who feels like an outsider, to the strong-willed young woman who flirts with the boyfriend of one of her friends), then shifts gears to become something similar to Invasion of The Body Snatchers, with a shape-shifting creature picking the characters off one by one. Then it shifts gears once more to become an apocalyptic thriller similar to The Thing. That's not to say that any of these aspects of the story is fully fleshed out or realized on a large scale. Far from it. This is a low-budget film, with almost no effects, and with minimal locations. So do the filmmakers pull it off? Yes. In spades.

Thanks to Robert Wilson's assured and stylish direction, which is pretty old-school, Peter Sheldrick and Christopher Warre Smets's solid script, and the young cast's earnest performances, the film turns out to be an effective and ambitious effort that manages to maintain the suspense throughout the whole running time, provide a couple of truly disturbing sequences, create an atmosphere of foreboding, and end on a darkly humorous and ambiguous note, things which many similar films with higher budgets fail to pull off (Cabin in The Woods, anyone?).

Although the plot is far from original, and the film has some pacing and script hiccups along the way, this is a minor classic that is entertaining and fresh.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2011-2022.

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. He is also the host of The Dark Fantastic Podcast. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

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