Black Static

Listed below are the books received for review since the last update, which was back on 24 January 2010.

Of particular interest is the new book by Adam Nevill, the former head honcho of the late, lamented Virgin horror line, and a fine author in his own right. I was well impressed with Adam's first horror novel, Banquet for the Damned, which I reviewed in the pages of The Third Alternative, and it's great to see him back in the horror fold with Apartment 16. The book also has a stunning cover - don't take my word, check it out on amazon.

Another prodigal son returned to the house of horror is Simon Maginn (cue the slaughter of yet more fatted calves), who had some four novels published back in the heyday of yesteryear, most notably Sheep, which was filmed as The Dark, starring Sean Bean and Maria Bello (seldom have ovines seemed so minatory). Simon appears in Pendragon's WHC release, Feral Companions, alongside Black Static contributor Gary Fry. The book is a double novella outing. I've already read the Maginn, and it is sweet. Follow the link below to download an excerpt from the Pendragon website (but they don't show you the stonking good cover art).

I could go on to tell you how pleased I am to receive new books by Douglas Clegg (a reissue of a novel that I believe is set in the same world as Isis, Clegg's novella which I reviewed back in #13) and Brian Lumley, plus a hardback reissue for WHC from Screaming Dreams of Against the Darkness by John Llewellyn Probert.

I could, but it's nearly my lunchtime, and I'm a growing boy in need of sustenance, so you'll just have to amuse yourselves by contemplating the horror goodness that lies in store.

The Standard Offer and Disclaimer - If anyone wants to query with me the suitability of their book(s) for a review in Case Notes, then I can be contacted by writing to whitenoise@ttapress.com and, as ever, an expression of interest in seeing the book does not guarantee that a review will be done. We receive many books and space is limited.

June 2010

• Linda Castillo - Pray for Silence - Macmillan paperback (ARC)
• Nicci French - Complicit - Penguin paperback (ARC)

May 2010

• Adam Nevill - Apartment 16 - Pan paperback (ARC)

April 2010

• Douglas Clegg - Neverland - Vanguard Press paperback (ARC)
• Jon Mayhew - Mortlock - Bloomsbury hardback (ARC)

March 2010

• Brian Lumley - Necroscope: The Lost Years: Harry and the Pirates - Solaris paperback
• Dan Wells - Mr Monster - Headline paperback
• John Llewellyn Probert - Against the Darkness - Screaming Dreams hardback (ARC)
• Simon Maginn & Gary Fry - Feral Companions - Pendragon Press paperback (ARC)

February 2010

• Simon R. Green - Damned If You Do in the Nightside - Solaris paperback

January 2010

• Edited Patrick Millikin - Phoenix Noir - Akashic paperback