Book Reviews: The Fiends In The Furrows + The Antares Maelstrom 👹👺👹👺👹👺👹👺👹👺👹
The Fiends In The Furrows: An Anthology Of Folk Horror edited by David T. Neal & Christine M. Scott
You reap what you sow. Cthulhu mythos is now passe, folk horror is the coming thing.
Introduction
What exactly is folk horror?
Sire Of The Hatchet
Why are there US spellings in this? A woman is called a witch. No formidable intellect went into this tale of a grim destructive situation. This was a ludicrously empty tale of morally compromised people and a ye olden days village full of pain and misery.
Best Lines:
“Cathedrals of filth.”
“His family, too, was scum.”
“Harlot pews.”
Back Along The Old Track
I've read this before. This is an excellent tale of inbreeding and horror in a small English village.
The Fruit
An orchard grows monstorous fruit and causes suspect intentionality. This is okay but causes no lingering fear.
Best Line:
“We find it closer to our doors than we remember.”
The Jaws Of Ouroboros
An iffy tale of standing stones.
The First Order Of Whaleyville's Divine Basilisk Handlers
Folk horror is English NOT American. This is a gormless tale of snakes and unfulfilled expectations. This has the unenviable distinction of being stupid. It does not masterfully evoke horror.
Best Line:
“Neither of the Loom brothers ever defended or sought veneance for me,”
Pumpkin, Dear
A man murders he wife but she comes back. This is a boring tale of a boring doomed couple and a woman submitting to sex with losers. I cannot express enough contempt for this story that causes cumulative weariness.
The Way Of The Mother
A village resists modernization and practices ghastly rituals. Isolation and disregard bodes ill. This has no reputable qualities and is not entirely coherent.
Leave The Night
Truly mediocre.
Revival
They royally messed this one up. This causes no palpable appreciation.
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Star Trek The Original Series: The Antares Maelstrom by Greg Cox
The final frontier erupts into a 'gold rush' for a rare mineral, there are unsubtle political issues and will someone stop Cox before he writes another medicore 'ST' novel. This medicore 'ST' novel even has an unsubtle homage to Brexit FFS!
Best Lines:
“Lurking menaces.”
“PUT DOWN YOUR FISTS AND WEAPONS AND CEASE HOSTILITIES.”