Paperbacks From Hell: The Twisted History Of ‘70s and ‘80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix
This excellent tome explores the lost world of lurid paperback horror novels (and their even more lurid covers). This tome tells of their rise and fall and writes about horror novels I’ve read and novels I’d like to read. The novels covered many topics from satan to creepy kids to nature attacking to hauntings to mad scientists to the gothic to the genre killing splatterpunk and serial killers. Oddly the hefty strain of sexism apparent in the genre isn’t much dealt with.
Best Lines:
“Were-sharks were coming.”
“The more ominous end of the colour spectrum.”
“A dark castle with one light in the window, usually in the tower. Make the tower tall and thick.”
“Last seen stumbling around the ruins of London, which has been abandoned to the inevitable post apocalyptic motorcycle gangs.”
“People vomit their souls into toilets.”
“Christian cutlery.”
“Clown panics erupted.”
“Who might be telling the truth if everyone would stop dosing her with Thorazine for a second and listen.”
“Crabs enjoy nothing more than a nice rampage,”
~
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
This over hyped novel is a messy tale of alleged moral purity, respectability politics, grievances, societal interaction, a custody case, snotty teenagers, various nightmares of families, people who are impetuous and thrive on opposition and others with no sense of moral responsibility. Why is this set in the 1990s? Why is this so boring?
Best Lines:
“Bleeped-out tirades and plenty of chair throwing.”
“Guest’s wigs were pulled off.”
“As if she were a dog that might go rabid at any minute,”
~
Dead In The Water by Nancy Holder
Shipwreck survivors face horror. No.
~
The Education Of Jennifer Parrish/The Obsession Of Sally Wing by Russ Martin
There are 2 books in a doom-choked 7 part satanic panic series. They are lurid.
~
The Fog by James Herbert
Terrible.
~
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Not that good.
~
Resurrection Dreams by Richard Laymon
A teenage boy plays at being Frankenstein. Lurid.
~
Daughters Of Eve by Lois Duncan
Okay.