DARK CHANNEL by Ray Garton

New Age religion is old news, but when DARK CHANNEL was written, it was scary news. When you read this book, keep that in mind.

Back in the late seventies and eighties the New Age religious movement swung into full force, gathering up disheartened Christians everywhere. Some were innocent “peace and love” types, while others were motivated by greed or worse, sacrifice. Mercenaries made a killing rescuing brainwashed college kids from cults and the U.S. Government stormed a peaceful commune in Texas that just happened to have a stash of weapons in their basement (depending on where you read your headlines). Garton plunges the reader into this kind of danger zone with DARK CHANNEL and he lets you know that there is something evil behind antagonist Hester Thorne’s little mountain religious movement. Don’t get thinking it’s that simple though. Garton knows how to spin a yarn and he’s not slopping the typical Man vs Supernatural crud on his readers that was so prevalent at the time of the book’s release.

There are many protagonists because it only takes one crazy person with an army to destroy the world and a group of desperate people to stop them from succeeding. Which is why he gives us, Lizzie Dayton, formerly Hester’s punching bag who becomes an unrecognized saint to the unfortunate. Jordan Cross, private investigator with a knack for disguise, a wounded heart that makes it difficult for him to interact with any woman, and is still coping with his parents’ zealous appreciation for the Word. His partner Marvin, who plays devil’s advocate in times of religious crisis and is one of the real heroes of the story. Lauren Schroeder who goes to Hester’s mountain retreat to track down her husband because he ran off with their son. Joan, an ex-cult member and Coogan, a gas station owner who’s afraid that something horrible has happened to his grandchildren. Have I mentioned the horrible demon/monster that crushes people’s heads in? Now that, was an excellent addition to the story and is one of the places that Garton really shines.

The story travels at an even pace that doesn’t lend itself well to devouring but is perfect for spreading out over a longer reading period. Is it scary? Yes, I believe it is. Out there… there are a lot of crazy people who look sane, they say they’re sane and some of what they say sounds sane but they hold in their hands the ability to bring complete and total destruction down on us; all under the guise of “the Greater Good”. It scares the living crap out of me, especially when a few of these people in question run countries and major religions. There are millions of people that believe these nutjobs are right on the money. Garton reminds us of this years later. He does it well and with a practised ease.

If you’ve read Garton’s work before, as I have, don’t hesitate to add this one to your collection. BUT, if you are new to his work, pick up LIVE GIRLS or RAVENOUS first and then run to the store to pick up DARK CHANNEL. And don’t go into it expecting the ole B&G (blood and guts) treatment, it’s disturbing in a different way than visual shocks. This book is fundamentally shocking and will no doubt stay with you long after the spine breaks and the pages fall out.

DOLL GRAVEYARD – directed by Charles Band

“Doll Graveyard”, directed by Charles Band is a film that comes across with the slick production quality of a movie made with money (the sound quality actually surpasses $100 million budget films I’ve seen). I like a movie I don’t have to struggle with to hear the dialogue over the over-blown special effects and soundtrack. Shot on high-quality film with decent lighting made it clear that the director cared about the way this film looks.

Here comes the unfortunate part…

The plot is your basic angry spirit, cool kids picking on a nerd, revenge type, so don’t go buying this one for twists and thinking. The acting is of the college level drama class grade but doesn’t try to be more than that, which fits well with this movie but doesn’t bring any higher emotions into play. Other than nerds who sympathize with Guy Fillbrook (Jared Kusnitz), the picked on little brother, you can’t expect to get too emotionally involved with the characters. In addition there are a few bad bloopers in the film that bring a laugh and cringe, the most horrendous of these being when big sister DeeDee’s (Gabrielle Lynn) friend Olivia (Kristyn Green) has her face munched on by one of the dolls and the bloody gore is in the shot before the doll’s teeth make contact.

That’s the bad parts. Here’s the good parts:

Approaching this film with only entertainment in mind, you’ll have a fun time with it. It’s a “B” horror film at it’s best, maybe it lacks the comedic over-the-top acting of an actor like Bruce Campbell but it has the heart and soul of a cult classic like “Evil Dead” and the dolls – a German soldier with spiked helmet, an evil Mongol/Samurai, a sweet little girl doll with a cracked face full of ceramic teeth and a voodoo-ish African tribesman complete with nasty spear and nosebone – are creepier than anything I’ve seen in the “Puppet Master” movies. The sound is great and the images are sharp. If you enjoyed “Dead Silence”, “Demonic Toys” or the aforementioned “Puppet Master” movies, you should see “Doll Graveyard” to bring back the memories of why killer dolls can make your skin crawl while at the same time have you asking the question; “They’re only dolls, why don’t they just kick or stomp them?”

PATIENT ZERO by Jonathan Maberry

It’s a day at the beach for Det. Joe Ledger until three federal agents show up. He’s supposed to be getting his ducks in a row after a Special Task Force raid that required him to shoot and kill four suspected terrorists. The agents have come to escort him to a job audition, where he meets Mr. Church, head of the Department of Military Sciences (DMS) – and Javad, a terrorist he put two slugs into during the raid. He knows his world has gone crazy when he’s told to kill the same man for the second time in a week.

In Jonathan Maberry’s “Patient Zero”, the suspense begins with word one and is strengthened by the novel’s back and forth point-of-views, switching from Joe’s perspective in the first person to everyone else in third person. Joe’s portion reads like a journal, while the other parts have the feel of being narrated with Joe’s voice. Maberry knows how to write, and the stylistic approaches he uses at times boost the power of the story but even this awe-inspiring talent couldn’t keep some of the shorter chapters from seeming unnecessary, the pace maybe quickened without them. It’s only one of two complaints I have about the book and only a small way because looked at differently the scenes do benefit the flow of the story if each chapter is viewed as punch and parry, knocking the reader back on their heels or deflecting them away from reaching to close to the truth that lay at the end.

Joe Ledger is a secret agent/hero waiting to happen. Maberry seems to favour these kinds of protagonists and that isn’t a bad thing. As a writer who knows his business, he makes Joe strong after revealing that everyday is a struggle to overcome his past, and Joe isn’t always happy with who he sees in the mirror. Bring in a supporting cast of characters like his psychiatrist/friend Dr. Rudy Sanchez, the good-looking but reserved Grace Courtland, the enigmatic Mr. Church and a team of trained killers under his leadership and you have all of the tools you need to make Joe Ledger an American Hero…

Well I guess you need an imminent disaster and evil genius right? Here’s where my other complaint comes in. Post 9/11 fiction fostering hope and fear has become overwrought and preachy at times, when it needs to be more subtle. There is outrage, anger and fear in this form of fiction but I think that at times it is forgotten that there have been other tragedies of terror in the history of the world that are just as likely to repeat themselves. The Holocaust never ended and takes new forms in different countries around the world under varying ideologies everyday. At the same time using the 9/11 fears helps to flesh out a purpose and necessity for the organization that has recruited Joe to save the nation. Understandable and possibly necessary but I would have been happier with a little less introspection on the direction of American society and more attempting to understand the religion and reason of the enemy. Speaking of the enemy… Maberry has created some amazing antagonists that you can hate and respect at the same time. Sure, they plan on releasing a plague across the world that brings the dead back to life but they are determined and play the heroes like puppets. You have to give kudos to a writer that can finish a novel with you, the reader cheering for some of the bad guys to win. Of course it’s not the ones we would readily identify as terrorists though.

In the end, I’d recommend that anyone read this book if they are looking for a good read and a good time. If you’re a patriotic American it’s a definite read. If you’re a Canadian like this reviewer read it the way you watched “Saving Private Ryan” and just enjoy the experience.

THE REACH by Nate Kenyon

(Possible spoilers ahead. Not really but you can’t say I didn’t warn you.)

In the basement of the Wasserman Children’s Psychiatric Facility a secret is hidden; her name is Sarah Voorsanger. She is a very special girl, how special and how far her caregivers will push her is something psych student Jess Chambers will find out with devastating results.

“The Reach” is Nate Kenyon’s second offering from the powerhouse horror publisher Leisure Books. Leisure has revitalized the paperback horror industry and one of the ways they’ve done that is by bringing in new voices into the fold, Nate Kenyon’s writing is a shining example of why horror readers should be rejoicing. With “The Reach”, Kenyon pays tribute to Stephen King’s “Firestarter” while at the same time distinguishing himself from the earlier work with his own unique voice. And Sarah is no Charlie (though almost as if to wink at the reader, Kenyon names a secondary female character Charlie). Where as King’s loveable little girl is easy to identify with and get close to Kenyon’s is isolated for the first part of the book, showing how hard it can be for children left to a financially burdened and hardened psychiatric system.

Jess Chambers is brought in by a professor at her school to help connect with Sarah. Through Jess’s interaction with her academic mentor, the enigmatic Professor Jean Shelley, and her new patient we find out that the young student has a past rife with mental illnesses (alcoholic mother) and disabilities (autistic younger brother) that have pushed her to work harder at everything she does. Jess is a character Kenyon makes the reader care about but she also functions as a tool for the writer to express some loose views on the treatment of the mentally handicapped as well as an in-depth knowledge of psychiatry as it relates to the paranormal. On the flipside of the coin he gives the reader Dr. Evan Wasserman, head of the facility and Sarah’s primary psychiatrist/caregiver/enemy, who “diagnosed” Sarah as having a schizophreniform psychotic disorder. Wasserman is a man we can hate — until he is exposed as the victim of misplaced love and an unfortunate pawn in the grand corporate scheme of things that come to pass.

There are just over a handful of characters involved in what quickly reveals itself to be a tightly woven mystery that Jess must navigate herself through if she has any hope of saving Sarah from having her growing power exploited by corporations and self-motivated medical professionals. At times the journey is emotional, making the reader’s eyes water and at other times disturbing to read the depths of human darkness. Kenyon knows how to keep a balance between character and setting that brings on a chilling atmosphere, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat and afraid to put the book down. With each page I needed to know what happens next. I was horrified to find myself no different than Sarah’s enemies, wanting to see her push those powers to their limits. And when the suspense came to its climax with a scene befitting a Hollywood action blockbuster Sarah’s “reach” still touched me in the midst of chaos and destruction.

So far Nate Kenyon has not produced a work I wouldn’t recommend and “The Reach” is no exception. Read it if you’re looking for a story that reminds you of King’s older works but own it because the characters and the writing will make you want to read it again and again.

NEVERWHERE by Neil Gaiman

Where does the line between reality and fantasy lie? The answer is firmly in the hands of a master dark fantasy writer like Neil Gaiman. Neverwhere follows protagonist Richard Mayhew three years after making one of the biggest decisions of his life as he moves from a small town to the great city of London. He’s managed to land a decent job with a securities firm, somehow convinced an ambitious young lady that his shaggy head was worth waking up to in the morning and then a door opened up, dumping a bleeding Underworld heiress on the sidewalk.

The whole world turns upside down from that moment on in the novel as Richard follows this very special girl through London Below, a place where people speak to rats and baronies have been formed by the people who slip between the cracks. Gaiman is the type of master world-builder that has been rare since the days of Tolkien. The reader can’t help but get carried away on this wild ride; smelling the aromas, seeing the grime and the beauty and most importantly coming to like beyond a doubt all of the characters for their quirks and eccentricities. Even the most fleeting roles in this grand play catch your eye and a piece of your heart. The cruel and amusing duo of Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, assassins for hire who are disappointed by how little blood they are allowed to shed. The Marquis de Carabas, a thief, a cheat and a trixter, whose allegiance is questionable though his charm in undeniable. Hunter, an amazon of the beautiful persuasion with a quiet strength and a feline agility. Then there is Door, a girl who has lost her entire family to murder and betrayal who brings Richard to London Below in her search for answers.

It’s hard not to get completely swept up in the mystery and intrigue of this tale. I’ve never been to London myself, never had a real interest to, except after reading Neverwhere there is a part of me that is curious to visit and find out if there are birdmen on the rooftops, sewer people in the sewers, an earl of Earl’s Court or shepherds at Shepherd’s Bush. It seems like a dangerous place. The words draw you and I doubt anyone can deny that a small portion of your rational mind is pushed aside in the hopes that Gaiman’s London Below exists somewhere along the tube stations. He weaves so much of the real London in with his creation that you come to realize you’re actually learning about the place. I don’t know about other readers – I enjoy a little education with my fun and if a writer can teach me something new I respect him/her all the more.

What it all comes down to at the end of Neverwhere is an experience to be remembered and revisited every once and a while to remind you that there is magic left in the world.

Welcome to Spine Busters

Spine Busters is another online resource for book reviews with the occassional movie or magazine thrown in to keep things exciting. At the moment this gig is a one-man show with the possibility of inviting a few others to play in the future.

I’m the guy the collectors cringe at. You see people like me holding a paperback on the train to work or on the bus, in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, pages of the book held back by the thumb and pinky finger, uncaring that the book’s spine in giving under the strain. If people like me read a book more than twice we risk losing pages when the glue gives out. I believe a book isn’t truly enjoyed unless its spine bears the tell-tale crinkles of being broken by intense reading. A book with this marker shows the reader was so engrossed in the words written that they carry it everywhere with them and can’t put it down, reading it while eating a sandwich or drinking a coffee. That’s the way I read my books.

I’m first and foremost a horror fan. My tastes have ventured into sci-fi and fantasy, mystery and suspense, with a hint of thriller added to the mix. If you’re here for romance… you need to keep browsing somewhere else. Most, but not all of the books I’ll be reviewing have been purchased by myself using my own funds. Some however, may come from publishers who have contacted me to do a review with the understanding that my reviews are honest and unbiased. Good reviews cannot be bought here with money, bribes or gifts. If a publisher has given me a book I will state so in the review and I state now that despite the new blibber-blab rules about blogger review sites keeping material sent for reviews I will be keeping those books sent to me because I love books and the only way sending me a free book will get you a good review is if the work is good. Sending me stuff does mean I will eventually review it and maybe a bit faster than if I had to spend my own money on it because I have a very long list of books I am already intending to spend my money on. Okay? We’re clear? Keeping books I’m sent doesn’t mean compensation for a review no matter what the uppity flim-flams in the suits say because the publisher is taking the risk of a bad review when they send it to me, the same way some books I buy will get bad reviews.

Lastly, reviews are opinions. One person’s opinion. It’s okay if you don’t agree with it. If you’re a writer I’ve reviewed and you don’t like what I said about your hardwork feel free to contact me and we can discuss it but it probably won’t change my mind. I will tell you, as a writer myself, I can sympathize with having someone knock your baby and call it retarded (or whatever the PC term is nowadays) but I’m just one guy. There are bound to be other guys and girls who loved what you wrote — if there isn’t, hopefully you’ll get them and me with the next book. Okay? We clear?

On with the reviews…