Ebenezer Scrooge: Ghost Hunter by J.S. Barnes - Book Review

 

'Seven years have passed since the events of A Christmas Carol, seven years since the night when Ebenezer Scrooge took to a life of philanthropy and kindness. But there is another side to Scrooge. Those afflicted by spirits and hauntings know of him as a man who can help rid them of the unquiet dead. Alongside his trusted companion and friend, Captain Ambrose, Scrooge faces off against malevolent poltergeists and supernatural wickedness.

'So when Louisa Fell invites him to investigate her family home in the east of England, he is more than happy to oblige. But the mysteries at the Fell house are deep and terrifying, and the more Scrooge uncovers, the more he risks awakening the ghosts of his past, his present, and things yet to come.'

I have to make an embarrassing confession, despite A Christmas Carol being one of my favourite Christmas stories, I've never read the original story all the way through. Instead, my love of the story comes from all of the various adaptations and stories that borrow inspiration from it that have been made over the years; with the Muppet version honestly being the one that I think is the best. 

Despite that failure on my part, when I saw that a new book was being released that would show us that in the years since he was visited by ghosts and changed into a better man Ebenezer Scrooge has been hunting unruly and cruel ghosts in order to help other I was instantly hooked by the prospect. Thankfully, the broad cultural knowledge of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge seems to be all that someone would need in order to jump into this delightful ghost story, making it a must read for anyone who's ever loved the story however you've experienced it.

Set several years after the events of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge has spent the intervening years helping the people of London as best he can, trying to make up for the terrible things that he's done in the past. Part of this has been the establishment of The Club of Decent-Hearted Gentlemen, a place where people can come to request aid from Scrooge and others like him who are tying to do better. It's here that Scrooge is approached by a young, pregnant widow named Louisa Fell, who needs help with a frightening issue.

It transpires that Louisa has recently been left an old house by her uncle, who has passed away. The house, in a small Northfolk coastal town, has a reputation for being haunted, and Louisa's own experiences there as a child have chilled her to this day. It also seems that her uncle has some very strange stipulations in his will, ones that seem strangely engineered to make it so that Louisa has to move into the house or face destitution. Having heard that Scrooge has experiences with the supernatural, and the desire to help those in need, she begs him to take the case. Whilst Scrooge believes this will likely just be another usual haunting, he soon discovers that there are dark, powerful forces as work; forces with their eyes set on Louisa Fell.

As someone with a soft spot for Victorian era fiction, particularly horror and dark fantasy, I knew from the outset that I was likely going to really enjoy Ebenezer Scrooge: Ghost Hunter; just the title alone was enough to put the book on my 'must read' list. Thankfully, J.S. Barnes brings enough of the dark and gothic atmosphere of the era and injects it into the narrative to create something that at time feels very grounded and normal, but can take a sudden turn into the frightening without warning, delivering a chilling narrative that you can't help but get swept up in.

One of the main reasons for this is the mystery that's established early in the book. Louisa Fell isn't just coming to Scrooge because she's got a ghost in her house, but because She has no other choice but to move into this incredibly haunted building as life seems to have given her nothing but bad luck, taking away everyone that she loves and cares about, leading to her facing the choice between a house that terrifies her or the workhouses. Along with a string of deaths and terrible circumstances that have plagued Louisa is the unusual fact that her uncles will is incredibly specific, stating that the recipient of his estate must be in desperate financial straits, they must have a child or be pregnant, and that they must stay in the house for at least five years. With mysterious deaths and the oddly specific will it's hard to not want to know more, and Barnes manages to hook you despite the book holding back most of the horror until at least half way through.

Barnes also fills the book with some great new supporting cast to both assist and hinder Scrooge in his mission. Due to his age, Scrooge seems to have been given a younger, more action oriented assistant named Captain Ambrose, a former soldier who is indebted to Scrooge. This is a fantastic addition, as Scrooge was already in his late fifties in the original book, putting him in his sixties here. Whilst this isn't hugely old, nor does it stop him from doing everything, it makes sense to have a much younger person aiding him, one capable of handling danger, chasing down villains, and protecting Scrooge if needs be. There's something of a Holmes and Watson feel to their relationship; which isn't a complaint.

Alongside our protagonists are an ensemble of mysterious, and sometimes creepy characters who are out to make things difficult. There's a celebrated psychic medium who at first seems to warn Scrooge not to travel to the house to help Louisa, and soon becomes a more sinister presence in the book, there's the older woman who's been taking care of the haunted house in the years since Louisa's uncle passed who has vague warnings and ill omens to share; and then there's also Louisa's uncle himself, who may be trying to manipulate events from beyond the grave.

Whilst the book is something of a slow burn in the sense that we don't actually go the the haunted house and experience the dark things there until later sections, the book never feels like it's missing out on anything. There's always something happening across it's multiple narratives to keep you engaged, with new scenes either servicing the story or helping to shape and inform the characters. Barnes does a fantastic job at using every page well, not wasting a single moment.

Ebenezer Scrooge: Ghost Hunter is delightfully crafted, creating an engaging mystery, interesting characters, and a continuation of Scrooge's story that I really hope to see more of. I didn't know that the ideal follow-up to A Christmas Carol was Ebenezer Scrooge fighting ghosts, monsters, and the forces of hell, but now it's all I want to see with the character.

Ebenezer Scrooge: Ghost Hunter is available now from Titan Books for 18.99

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Monstera by Delilah S. Dawson - Book Review

 

'When Lucy McClintock moves into a dreamy Victorian in downtown Savannah after years of suffering under the rule of her overbearing grandfather, she feels like she’s won the lottery—well, outside of the creepy landlord. She soon notices a glorious green haven in the backyard and meets her downstairs neighbor, Saskia, a weightlifter who lives in a magical apartment overflowing with plant life and beautiful artwork. Naïve and lonely Lucy is drawn to strong and secretive Saskia, and as the two women grow closer, they discover they share more than just an apartment building…'

I've read a few of Delilah S. Dawson's book by now, and am always excited whenever I have a book with her name on it come across my desk. The description of Monstera was one that definitely interested me, as I've found that more nature focused horror has been having some fantastic work made recently, and I am always happy when a book of any genre has a more queer focus. However, I was quite surprised by what I actually found in Monstera.

When Lucy moves into a new home she feels like shes getting something of a new lease on life, the opportunity to finally spread her wings and become herself, having finally broken away from an overbearing family. Things aren't perfect by any means, as she has to deal with a landlord who oozes with casual misogyny and homophobia, but for the most part Lucy remains positive; especially when she meets one of her neighbours, Saskia.

Much of the book is given over to the relationship that forms between Lucy and Saskia, the slow burn romance that builds. t's somewhat delightful to see Lucy, a young woman whos' still somewhat sheltered and naïve in the real world, fall into a situation where she's having to deal with it all for the first time and falling in love whilst she does so. That sense of being mostly overwhelmed, but drawn to this other person so fully that they're all you can think about is one that I'm sure a lot of us will be familiar with; especially if you're queer.

Monstera is mostly this cosy sapphic romance, and that's not a criticism at all. The relationship between our two leads is a delightful one, and I very quickly found myself invested in the two of them getting together and finding love. Where my criticism comes in is that I almost forgot that this was also a horror story. The horror elements are pretty lacking throughout the majority of the book, and only really rear their head in the last handful of chapters. Whilst this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it did end up with the book feeling somewhat disjointed, almost like Dawson spent so long making this lovely cosy queer romance story and suddenly remembered that it was also supposed to be a horror and threw some things in at the end. I'm sure that's not how things happened, but because it felt like there wasn't a strong horror presence throughout it had that feel to it.

Cosy horror is definitely a thing, and I've seen it presented in video games more than anywhere else, where spooky elements can be blended together with relaxing gameplay quite well. I think that this is perhaps the first time I've come across it in a book, and it was an unusual experience for sure. I don't know if Dawson managed to blend these two genres well as I've not got a huge amount of experience with it, but I'd describe Monstera as an enjoyable if somewhat unusual read. Monstera is a pretty quick read, and has a lot of really enjoyable elements to it, so I'd definitely recommend picking it up and giving it a try yourself.

Monstera is available now from Titan Books for £14.99.

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Incarnate by Alma Katsu - Book Review

 

'Beauty doesn’t fade. It feeds. Dorothy Wagner has spent her whole life wanting nothing more than to be seen. But after failing to make her mark (any mark, really) as an influencer, she takes a job at a company focused on cutting-edge deepfake technology. And there, in secret, she creates her salvation. 

'Isabella: an impossibly gorgeous girl who takes social media by storm. Dorothy’s code is brilliant, and Isabella seems real, so real that she garners millions of followers. Brands beg to partner with her. Everyone wants to meet her IRL. The adoration—and the cash—flows in. Dorothy is finally happy. She’s getting all the attention she ever wanted—isn’t she? 

'Then the cracks begin to show. Dorothy can barely stay ahead of the partnership requests, and love letters and the rabid fans filling her DMs trying to track Isabella down. All this time working in secret with all this pressure is getting to Dorothy—she can’t tell where she ends, and her creation begins. And when someone gets a little too close to her secret, a violent confrontation sends Dorothy on the run, forcing her to confront what she’s willing to sacrifice to keep her secrets.'

If you spend any time on social media it's impossible for you not to be aware of 'influencers', people who have small celebrity followings seemingly for no reason. These influencers don't tend to create anything but a brand centred on themselves. They're the kind of celebrity where no one can actually tell you what they're a celebrity for, they just are. They flood their platforms with photos and videos sharing their opinions, of their heavily curated depiction of a daily life, and it nets them sponsorships and fans offering them money. It's a community that millions aspire to break into, yet almost all will fail at.

This is the life that Alma Katsu takes a look at in her latest book, Incarnate, which follows Dorothy Wagner, a young woman who's become used to being ignored, overlooked, and even the focus of bullying throughout her life. She wants more for herself, but doesn't have the confidence or self worth to really push for it. When Dorothy comes to work for a for a company with cutting edge deep-fake and effects technology that allows them to create digital doubles of people Dorothy decides to use the tech to create Isabella, a fake avatar for her to use to finally get what she wants.

Thanks to her ability to make Isabella whatever she wants, Dorothy is soon able to make her into the most popular new internet celebrity influencer. She's getting dozens of sponsorship offers, and more fan mail than she can keep up with, but she's loving the ability to finally live out her fantasy life; even if it is through a fake avatar. However, as things continue the line between her and Isabella begin to blur with horrifying results.

The internet is a wonderful vehicle to explore themes of horror, especially ones that connect to deeply personal themes such as identity, and desire, and Katsu uses it wonderfully in Incarnate. Those familiar with The Portrait of Dorian Grey will likely see some similarities here, and that's definitely not a bad thing, and if anything I'd say that Katsu has done a wonderful job at creating a more modern, updated spin on the story that will appeal to younger readers especially.

Incarnate is able to wonderfully pair together psychological horror, exploring themes of loneliness, self esteem, the desire to be popular, with body horror, with neither one of them taking full centre stage but instead working in tandem to create a narrative where you never feel fully comfortable or safe. Some of this discomfort also comes from how well Katsu is able to portray social media and just how insidious it can be. This is unsurprising considering Katsu's former role as a Social Media Researcher for the US government, and makes you come away questioning just what disturbing things she might have learned about social media's affects on people.

I dare say how you experience social media, your exposure to it, and your own views will likely shape just how much you enjoy Incarnate, and how much the horrors of the book will hit home for you. As someone who uses it very little, but has seen some of the worst sides of it, I feel that Katsu has done a great job at translating these horrors well, and created a truly twisted tale.

Incarnate is available now from Titan Books for £9.99

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The Hammer Story: Revised and Expanded Edition by Marcus Hearne & Alan Barnes - Book Review

 

'Established in 1934, Hammer Films is one of the most renowned and prolific independent production companies in the world. Hammer’s productions encompass almost every genre, but it remains best known for the ground breaking reinvention of cinematic horror that was a phenomenon on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1950s. The unique formula that became known as Hammer Horror was perfected in such classics as The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1958) and The Mummy (1959). Over the next 20 years numerous sequels and similarly acclaimed films such as The Devil Rides Out (1968) made Hammer one of the most recognisable filmmaking brands in the world.

'The Hammer Story is the only authorised history of the company and was compiled with unlimited access to its archive. The book is lavishly illustrated with rare promotional material and previously unpublished photographs. Now with an additional 32 pages continuing the story of Hammer as it came back from the dead in 2007 and began producing new horror films for a modern audience'

I'm not old enough to have experienced the heyday of Hammer Horror, though I was aware of it growing up thanks in large part to my mother and grandmother having watched numerous Hammer films together on a Friday night whilst alone in the house; stories they'd tell that would end out with the power going out at a frightening moment that made them scream, or one of my uncles suddenly appearing at a window with fake fangs, or shoving a hand through a window to grab them whilst wearing a monster glove. Honestly, with those stories I think part of why I never sought them out before I did was because it seemed like watching a Hammer Horror came with some kind of frightening event.

Despite this, my first experience with Hammer Horror was in 2012 with the release of The Woman in Black. Being a fan of horror in general, and gothic Victorian horror in particular, I could tell that it was going to be a movie that ticked a lot of my boxes. And it ended up being the scariest film I watched that year. I'd still say that it's probably one of my favourites. My housemate at the time, who I watched the film with, suggested we try out some other Hammer movies, and from there I've now seen a decent number of them (though by no means the entire catalogue).

Thanks to my interest in Hammer, when I saw that Titan Books was bringing out a revised edition of The Hammer Story, I knew that I'd want to read it. Covering every film that Hammer has ever made, in chronological order, the book charts the legacy of one of the most respected horror film production companies there has ever been; now fully up to date to include several films from the revival era of Hammer Horror, including the already mentioned The Woman in Black, and Let Me In, a remake of the Swedish Let The Right One In.

With the US dominating most of movie culture in the Western world, it's sometimes easy to overlook British cinema, but if there's one thing that The Hammer Story really puts into perspective is that whilst the studio didn't always produce amazing movies it certainly helped to shape what modern horror is, and is perhaps one of the most important forces in horror. Thanks to the book going in chronological order readers get to see this happen as you move from film to film, witnessing the increased budget, creativity, and star power that the studio attains as it goes from success to success.

Of course, anyone who knows about Hammer will say that some of this is largely down to two names in particular, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing; both of whom would star in multiple films, both alone and together, and would become the iconic faces of Count Dracula and Victor Frankenstein respectively, with several films in each character's series. It's no surprise then that the two of them share the cover of the book together, as these characters, as well as being the only two people given their own chapters in the book; the other chapters being dedicated to eras of the studio.

As the book progresses through each film we get behind the scenes accounts of the production, from how the films were pitched and written, to stories from the set, and looks at how they were marketed and received by the public. These accounts are accompanied by production stills, promotional artwork featuring some amazing painted posters, as well as documents that were never released to the public, creating a surprisingly detailed account of each film over a handful of pages.

This new Revised and Expanded Edition has an additional thirty pages since the last printing of the book; the previous release being 2007. These new pages include the modern Hammer films, Wake Wood, The Resident, Let Me In, The Woman in Black, The Quiet Ones, The Woman in Black: Angel of Death, The Lodge, and Doctor Jekyll. It's interesting to see that these modern movies don't quite go into as much detail as the older films, perhaps with so much of the behind the scenes stuff being covered by home release extras, online videos, and Internet articles that there's not a whole lot that can be said here that isn't easy to find elsewhere. It could also be that despite the age of the older movies there's just more documentation from the productions that made it to the archive, more internal memos and letters that are now just emails sitting in the cloud somewhere on a modern production. 

It's also very striking how Hammer has operated at different points when everything is laid out as it is here in the book, especially in regards to the modern movies. Despite a couple of decent successes, the modern Hammer movies just didn't quite land the same way that they did back in the day, and even attempts to recapture some of that magic, such as having Christopher Lee appear in The Resident, or making movies that tap into the Gothic horror era via The Woman in Black or their new take on Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Hammer just never managed to become the powerhouse that it once was.

As someone who loves the stuff around movies, who'd watch through the making-of documentaries more times than the film, and would listen to audio-commentary tracks whilst working on some hobby or the other, I love these kinds of books. To be able to sit down and just go through the history of an entire production company, or to be able to go to specific movies as and when the urge takes me to read about them again or see the extra documents and artwork included is such a joy. Reading through this book, along with Titan's other recent Hammer release, The Hammer Horror Omnibus, has resulted in me wanting to go through a great deal of the Hammer movies for the first time.

Whether you're a lifelong fan of the franchise, or someone like myself who has a passing interest and wants to learn more, The Hammer Story: Revised and Expanded Edition makes for the perfect book to add to your shelves, no matter if it's joining your collection of Hammer memorabilia, or your gateway into a whole new world of cinema. This lavishly produced and gorgeous coffee table book is well worth the price of admission at a frankly bargain price.

The Hammer Story: Revised and Expanded Edition is available now from Titan Books for £29.99.

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Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, The Making of the Classic Film by John Tenuto & Maria Jose Tenuto - Book Review

 

'Go behind the scenes of one of the most beloved entries in the Star Trek saga with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – The Making of the Classic Film. This definitive companion takes fans deep into the heart of the 1986 production that brought humor, heart, and humpback whales to the final frontier.

'Packed with exclusive interviews, rare photographs, and untold stories from cast and crew, this book reveals how director Leonard Nimoy and the creative team crafted a legendary time-travel adventure. From the challenges of shooting on location in San Francisco, to ground-breaking special effects needed to create the animatronic whales, to the environmental message that still resonates today, this insider account celebrates the risks and rewards of boldly going in a new direction. Whether you’re a lifelong Trek fan or a film history enthusiast, discover the artistry and camaraderie behind a film that helped redefine what a Star Trek movie could be.'

I've enjoyed Star Trek for most of my life, having grown up watching several of the season air on BBC in the evenings and trying my best to follow along week to week at a time when if you missed an episode it would be years before you could see it again. Despite my love of the franchise I have to admit I never really cared for the Original Series as much. The bright colours, the campiness, and the stories never really grabbed me as much as the 90's shows; especially Deep Space Nine. That being said, I did enjoy the films that came out of the crew of the original Enterprise, and despite everyone saying The Wrath of Khan is the best one I've always preferred The Voyage Home. And now as the film reaches it's 40th anniversary I'm more than happy to get the chance to dive into Titan Book's gorgeous new making of book, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - The Making of the Classic Film.

Perhaps the most fun of the Original Series films, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is the one that people will immediately remember because of the whales. The simple concept of 'Earth needs whales' that then sees a rogue Enterprise crew taking their stolen Klingon Bird of Prey back in time to 1980's San Francisco to steal a couple of whales, is a large part of the success of this film compared to the three that came before it. The first was incredibly dull, the second was great but left some viewers feeling a bit left behind as it was a sequel to a specific episode, and the third was dealing with the fallout of the second. Then along some the fourth film, one that asked a very simple but important question, 'what if we just had fun?'. That sense of joy, those memorable moments of the crew interacting with a new time period, and the jokes throughout the movie helped cement The Voyage Home as one of the best films the franchise had to offer.

Taking a look back at a film made forty years ago, however, presents a few problems; especially as so many of the original cast, and even the behind-the-scenes crew, are sadly no longer with us. With so many important figures in the creation of the film gone the Tenuto duo make the choice to focus on one person in particular, Kirk Thatcher, who worked as associate producer off-screen, and was the iconic bus punk Spock knocks unconscious on-screen. Having worked so closely with Leonard Nimoy during the production, Thatcher is able to give an astonishing amount of insight into the movie, providing details and stories that would otherwise be lost to time. A few of the surviving cast and crew do add their voices to the book, including actors George Takei and Robin Curtis, and effects artists and graphic designers Ken Ralston and Michael Okuda.

The opening chapter for the book deals with the pre-production aspects of the film, discussing the various drafts, scripting issues, and even casting changes that the film went through. I'd heard that Eddie Murphy had been intended to be in the movie, and would have filled the role that Catherine Hicks would go on to play; however, it's not until reading through this book that I found out that whilst Murphy was indeed intended to be involved, it was in a very different version of the film. The early versions of The Voyage Home are quite different, and the more I learned about it here the more glad I was that Murphy did eventually drop out and the script went in a different direction as what we ended up with definitely1 sounds like a more coherent and cohesive idea. 

After we learn about the genesis of the film we move onto characters, though not the main cast. This chapter opens with the more important characters, introducing us to new character Gillian Taylor, who would play a pivotal role in the saving of Earth, before focusing a little bit on some returning characters such as Saavik, Janice Rand, Nurse Chapel, and Sarek. From here we get a whole host of supporting characters, and a look at some of the special make-up effects, and puppets, that would be used to flesh out the world of Federation HQ. As someone who loves being able to take a proper look at what is essentially background elements in the movie this part of the book was absolutely fantastic, and I adored getting to actually take the time to appreciate the hard work the effects team put into bringing these various alien species to life. 

The rest of the book covers what you'd expect from a making of, dealing with concept art, the creation of sets and props, location shooting and the issues that would arise from doing so, and costuming. There's a significant part of the book given over to the whales, two of the most important characters in the film. I never knew that the footage of the whales used during the majority of the film were not of actual animals, but creations of ILM, and seeing how these puppets were created, and the effort that went into filming them underwater in such a way that they apparently even fooled whale experts, is honestly quite astonishing to see and will change how I look at these scenes in future re-watches of the film. 

My favourite parts of the book are the small asides that are included. These small snippets, often presented in their own box to show that they're an additional insight rather than part of the main text, tend to give us tiny stories that make the film feel a little bit more personal, or give us a view of things that could have been. A couple of my favourites are Thatcher reminiscing on how Nimoy loved both acting in and directing the film, but how much of a toll it took on him, as well as talk about a scene that would have had Sulu briefly meet one of his ancestors in the form of a small boy, but the scene fell apart due to the child actor being unable to perform on the day. These are the kind of insights that give the whole project more depth and charm, and I loved them for that.

One of the things that is reiterated throughout the book is how much that Nimoy wanted the film to matter. He didn't want just another Star Trek adventure, but something that discussed important things in the world. The environmental message of The Voyage Home was what he landed on, and is one that was not only important at the time, but is oh so much more vital today. It's sad that the simple message of 'protect the Earth now to save it for the future' that this film wrapped up in it's packaging of sci-fi adventure and humour was so lost on people that it didn't make much of a difference; but despite that it still makes the movie feel relevant now, and because of that I can't help but feel that The Voyage Home will continue to connect with audiences in ways that the other Original Series films don't.

Whether or not The Voyage Home is your favourite of the series or not, and if not odds are that it'd be your second favourite behind The Wrath of Khan (unless you've a real outlier), this behind the scenes book offers a ton of reasons to give it a read. The deeper look at the production of the film, and the personal stories provided by cast and crew make this an engaging and entertaining read, and the print quality of the book makes this a fantastic coffee table tome that would look great on anyone's shelf.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, The Making of the Classic Film is out now from Titan Books for £39.99.

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Giger's Alien by H.R. Giger - Book Review

 

'Originally published in 1979, Giger’s Alien is the ultimate illustrated diary on Giger’s involvement in the making of the movie Alien and its titular monster, the Xenomorph. The classic status of Alien, the movie, is in large part due to Academy-Award winning artist and designer H. R. Giger. This book provides a complete illustrated record of the months of painstaking work that went into designing the most frightening movie monster of them all.

'This perennial bestseller takes the form of a high-quality illustrated diary, featuring sketches, original paintings, on-set photographs and stills from the finished movie; this is an exquisite blend of words and pictures. A must-buy for fans of H.R. Giger, Alien and science fiction films in general.'

I grew up watching the Alien franchise, thanks in large part to some uncles who probably should have known better letting me see things I shouldn't have, and parents who had a more relaxed view on allowing me to be exposed to certain media that I knew wasn't real. Because of this, not only did I end up becoming quite a weird child, but I became fascinated with the titular Xenomorph from an early age, recognising that even in the decades that followed the release of the original 1979 film there were very few movie monsters that came close to it. 

The Xenomorph wasn't just a frightening monstrosity, one that would be an damn near guaranteed death sentence if you ever found yourself around one, but it was also one of the most beautiful. It's mixture of human, insect, and biomechanical traits, some of which that evoked bizarre sexual elements, made it feel like a creature from some dark, sexual nightmare. The Xenomorph managed to be so incredibly alien, so different from what pop culture had prepared audiences for, that the first time it appeared on screen it changed things forever.

Spawning from the brain of now renowned Swiss artist H.R. Giger, the creature was a testament to creativity. Where other sci-fi artists were creating bug-eyed monsters, Giger was tapping into something truly unique; and that uniqueness was exactly what Ridley Scott, Director of Alien was looking for to make sure that his upcoming science fiction movie wasn't lost in the slew of Star Wars clones and cash-ins. Giger's Alien, which was originally published in 1979, is made up from diary entries and notes made by Giger himself, beginning with a sudden call from Dan O'Bannon, who knew from the failed attempt to adapt Dune, who asked him to contribute to his latest sci-fi film.

Over the course of Giger's Alien was get to see Giger going from someone unsure of the process of filmmaking, to being on the set of the movie in Pinewood Studios, frantically decorating the the space jockey so that it's ready for filming, or locking himself away to hastily create a practical Facehugger that could be used to impregnate actor John Hurt. We get to see through Giger's own words how much of that nervousness fell away, often being replaced by frustration as a man used to marching to the beat of his own drum found himself having to operate under the studio's mandate, creating to their specifications and timetable.

There's often a sense of frustration that seems to come through in Giger's writing, especially once production actually enters full swing and he's having to stay in England throughout. He's someone who comes across as not being used to being asked for changes, where his artistic vision is normally absolute, but now he's being asked to go against that, creating by committee instead. It's somewhat sad, but you can almost hear the tiredness in his voice as you read the words he's written, and get the sense that despite Alien making him an international name, and one of the most famous artist of the modern era, he at times probably hated it. This does go against the way he would talk in interviews over the years, usually having such a positive outlook on it, but as these are his words at the time they feel so much more genuine, more raw, in how they come across; and thus it makes this a strangely personal book at times.

Alongside Giger's thoughts, the book contains a number of behind the scenes pieces, ranging from preliminary sketches, to more finalised designs, to the construction of sets and monsters, and things that never made it to the screen. All of this artwork comes from Giger, the evolution of certain designs showing how boldly different the film could have been, whether that is a Facehugger that's some huge creature, the Chestburster that resembled some horrific plucked bird, or the eggs originating in a breast-like silo structure rather than the derelict spacecraft. A lot of these images are ones that I've seen before, through various documentaries and behind the scenes features on DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film, so it's the photographs, taken by Giger's girlfriend of the time, Mia, that took centre-stage for me.

These photographs chronicle the practical process of the film, following along as Giger constructed the alien landscape that the astronauts would trek across from bone and chicken wire, ultimately becoming a full-sized set. There are photographs of the iconic derelict alien craft being constructed from Styrofoam before having all of the gorgeous detailing added to it. And there are photographs of the construction of the Xenomorph itself, of the complexity of the suit that was made by hand, scrapped and refined over and over until the iconic creature came to life. These photographs offer a unique perspective into the making of the film, and alongside Giger's words, create a narrative that I'd not heard before; a brutally honest account of the creation of one of the most important science fiction horror films ever created.

Perhaps my only criticism of the book is that it feels like it ends somewhat abruptly. The final entry from Giger is from the filming of the movie, after the Xenomorph suit has been created and is being used on screen. Giger is talking about how his work is still continuing, as he's spending the nights after each day's filming repainting and repairing the costume, making sure that his creature remains as horrifically beautiful as possible. The next page jumps forward in time, to after the film's release. This final entry, written by Mia, describes the night that she and Giger attended the Oscars, where he and the other members of the Alien team wins the award for Best Visual Effect. She talks about the almost child-like excitement and happiness that Giger experienced upon his win; something sharply at odds with his emotions during the production. It's a lovely way to end the book, but it does almost feel as if some pages have been excised thanks to the sudden change.

Giger's Alien has been lovingly recreated, a huge, coffee-table book that's designed to be read through once, but leafed through over and over again. The artwork inside the book is going to be a major draw for a lot of people, and might be the reason that some folks pick it up to begin with. However, it's also a personal account of Giger's time on the film, one that shows some of the worst parts of the production for him, an account that almost makes the making of the film sound like a horror story unto itself. Giger's Alien is a must-have book for any Alien fan, one that will make you appreciate the beauty of Giger's creations even more.

Giger's Alien is out now from Titan Books for £39.99

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The Hammer Horror Omnibus by John Burke - Book Review

 

'Hammer Films set the benchmark for horror cinema, creating some of horror's most enduring icons. Back in print after decades, discover these seminal novelisations from the studio's classic era of macabre storytelling, with a new foreword by TV showrunner Stephen Gallagher and a new afterword by horror legend Ramsey Campbell.

'The Gorgon - Directed by Terence Fisher, the master of Gothic cinema. what is the terrible secret of the village of Vandorf, where a murderer's victims turn to stone? The Curse of Frankenstein - The film that first united Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and Hammer's first colour horror film, that launched the studio's golden age. Baron Frankenstein creates a grotesque monster - and is himself condemned to death for the creature's killings.

'The Revenge of Frankenstein - The sequel to The Curse of Frankenstein, dubbed a 'high-grade horror film' by Variety. Escaping the guillotine Baron Frankenstein repays the dwarf who aids him - giving him a new body. But his creation is a killer, worse - a cannibal! The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb - The sequel to the smash-hit The Mummy. From the Egypt of 3000BC to the London of 1900 comes the monster that would not die!'

Hammer is a British icon, one that has become so ingrained in the country that even if you've never seen one of the films you can't help but know about them, even if that's something as simple as the iconic image of Christopher Lee as Dracula. It's not hard to see how the studio became the juggernaut that it was, however, when you consider the sheer volume of films that they produced. As well as movies, Hammer commissioned novelisations of their films. As the foreword of the book laments, the practice of creating book versions of popular movies has become something of a lost art over the last couple of decades as films go from cinema to home release so incredibly quickly; and those that are made tend to be for more hardcore fans and unique collectors than the much wider audience that used to invest in the cheap, mass produced paperbacks of movies people had to wait years to see again. This new omnibus printing from Titan Books brings together four classic adaptations, offering a whole new audience the chance to experience them decades later.

The four films collected together in this omnibus are a bit of a strange mix, having originally been created to coincide with the release of 1964's the Gorgon, the four stories do not really have any thematic linking, and other than featuring the first two entries in Hammer's ever expanding Frankenstein series, there's no obvious reason why any of these were picked out. That being said, the collection does give us a decent bit of variety, not just in story but in artistic style too.

The first story in the collection, The Gorgon is perhaps the most important as it was the reason for the omnibus having originally been created, and it does show how sometimes these film to book adaptations can lead to the reader getting an alternative version of their movie thanks to creative changes that take place on set after the script is sent to the book adaptor. For example, in the film version of The Gorgon has the titular monster be Megaera whilst the book uses the original version Medusa. This difference highlights how something tiny can alter how you'd view the final product, as in the film the gorgon being a character from myth who wasn't one of the three gorgon sisters feels out of place, like the writer knew enough about Greek myth to know a name from it, but didn't realise they'd used it wrong. In contrast, whilst the central plot still feels somewhat silly in the book version, it does at least feature the correct character. 

Sadly, I found the adaptation of The Gorgon to be somewhat lacking at times, and despite it's very short length I often found myself becoming a bit bored with events. Characters were so flat as to have barely any dimension at all, and the story was at times a bit meandering and dull, and despite being a horror story there was almost no tension or horror to be found.

In contrast to this opening story, the next two included in the collection are so much better done. The two Frankenstein tales make the bold move of not being written in the third person, as you would come to expect from a film novelisation, but are told from the perspective of Victor Frankenstein himself, recounting his story. This not only evokes the feeling of the original story, and other horror fiction of the era, but it means that whilst the book is able to be vague on details, and can jump from scene to scene as the film does, it still feels like it's giving the reader a lot more to sink their teeth into as John Burke is able to put so much more personality into the narration.

This shift to the perspective of the villain also puts the reader into an interesting position as you can come away from the adaptation with a very different outlook to having just watched the film. Victor Frankenstein is the one taking us on this journey, and whilst you can still judge him harshly for his poor choices and evil acts you cannot help but want to go along with him to see what happens next.

The final story in the collection, The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, goes back to third person narration, and manages to avoid some of the dullness of The Gorgon likely due to the fact that whilst the film it's based on isn't that great, it's at least not dull. It also helps that the lack of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in the second Mummy film isn't felt here, as you can just imagine the two of them in any of the roles that you want.

Somewhat schlocky in nature, this second The Mummy story is perhaps more enjoyable in it's book form, as the silliness of it's ancient cult, living dead mummy, and con-men out to make money, make the story feel like a pulp tale, one not designed to be taken too seriously, and I was largely able to switch off my brain and just go along with all of the silliness and schlock.

The Hammer Horror Omnibus is a rather delightful collection, one that is very much a throwback to a different time of films. Whilst there are definitely some highs and lows throughout the book, with the opening story being the weakest and the one that you really need to push through to get to the good bits, overall it was a very enjoyable experience to be able to go back and read these stories without having to hunt through charity shops or internet sites. For fans of Hammer Horror, and people who may remember reading these stories when they were kids who want to experience them all over again, this new printing is a fantastic way to add these stories to your collection.

The Hammer Horror Omnibus is out now from Titan Books for £10.99.

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Worst Man by Brandt & Stein - Graphic Novel Review

 

'On a remote island, far from the distractions of the internet and modern life, we gather here today to celebrate the union of Domino McElligott and Battista Lovely... unless Radcliffe Raleigh can stop it! A professional 'Worst Man', Rad is hired by the Mother of the Bride, the merciless tech mogul Valentina McElligott. With the price of failure being his life and less than 32 hours till “I do", will Rad survive his biggest job yet!'

Weddings are a chaotic affair, often listed as one of the most stressful and lifechanging events someone can go through; often only topped by with a marriage breakdown, the loss of a loved one, or someone finding themselves in prison. Considering it's pretty much the only thing that people happily sign up for that's on the list of most stressful life events it's a wonder so many weddings go as smoothly as they do. Yes, this is in large part thanks to people taking years to plan the event in some cases, and having a whole host of people to help you along it, but there's one very important thing that helps a wedding run smoothly; there's no one there trying to make sure that it doesn't. So what would happen if you're days away from your dread day and a professional relationship wrecker turned up? Well, that's what the delightful new graphic novel Worst Man hopes to answer.

Radcliffe Raleigh is a man with a very special set of skills. Like the myth of how casino's will deploy a 'cooler' to ruin someone's winning streak to save the house big bucks, Radcliffe is a cooler for romance, a man who can insert himself into people's lives and wear down a relationship to breaking point. This is a pretty awful ability compared to most skills you could have, but luckily Radcliffe swore to only ever use his skills for good, using them to help break apart doomed relationship. He thinks that he's able to help relationships fall apart years before they're meant to, letting those involved skip all the extra heartbreak and drama by getting it done early. Or at least that's how he justifies it to himself.

However, there was one time that Radcliffe broke his own rule, when shady tech billionaire Valentina McElligott (picture an even more evil looking Maye Musk) hires him to break up her daughter Merritt and her girlfriend Galetea. Despite trying his best, spending six months becoming friends with the two women, Radcliffe is unable to bring himself to try and break them apart, seeing two people genuinely in love in a relationship that works. Instead, he walks away from the job. Unfortunately, Valentina McElligott isn't a woman who is used to being refused, so when she comes to Radcliffe a second time, telling him that he has less than two days to wreck the wedding of her youngest daughter, Domino, this time it comes with the stipulation that failure will end up with him being killed.

With his life literally on the line, Radcliffe now finds himself on a remote island hotel resort with his accomplice, Nat, using every trick in his arsenal to try and ruin the big day. But when the best man, the handsome Christopher Kafka, arrives on the island determined to make sure that things go without a hitch Radcliffe not only has to work twice as hard, but finds himself falling for the man who's out to ruin his plans.

The blurb for Worst Man pitches the book as a cross between White Lotus and Glass Onion, and I have to shamefully admit that whilst I am aware of both of these things I have no idea what they're like, so went into the book somewhat blind on what to expect. However, I was very quickly pleasantly surprised to find that at it's heart Worst Man is something of a farce comedy. This is a situation that's completely unbelievable, one that is filled with people who act so unnatural and bizarre that if you ever found yourself surrounded by them you'd assume you're being set-up, in a series of events that are so over-the-top reality could never align to have them actually happen. But, despite that level of ridiculousness the book works, and works in large part because of how wild it is.

The very concept of someone who's hired by people to ruin the relationships of other people, and who believes that they're not an awful person for doing so, is a bit of a big hurdle to get over, but Radcliffe manages to charm the reader incredibly quickly, making him more of a dashing rogue over terrible person. The opening of the book gives us a wonderful introduction into the character as he's handcuffed to a chair and told to explain everything, the black eye he's sporting presumably proof that if he doesn't things will get worse. Despite this he slips his cuffs, relaxes into the chair, gives some witty banter, and begins his story as if his safety is of no concern. His charisma feels incredibly natural, and makes this one questionable protagonist you can't help but root for despite his awful goals.

This is also the tone for most of the book, charm and whit that seeps off the pages as the story keeps on getting weirder and weirder. The cast of characters are mostly larger than life, which not only helps to heighten events, but makes it much easier to keep track of who people are and their motivations. The bride, Domino, is a bundle of nerves, constantly worried that things are going to go wrong and that her awful mother will somehow make her life worse. The groom, Battista, is so determined to make sure he doesn't see his bride before the wedding and give them bad luck that he's going to spend 36 hours blindfolded, bashing into everything on the island. One of the maids of honour is a sports and fitness obsesses germaphobe who loses her mind if she gets a cut because microbes will get inside her and kill her, whilst the other is your stereotypical social media rich girl, to name just a few of the whacky characters.

The jokes come pretty thick and fast in Worst Man and the story definitely benefits from being told in graphic novel form as it's allowed the creators to utilise visual gags that end up giving some of the better laughs in the book. There are a few moments that I think work even better than they would in a live action as the image is allowed to linger on the wild facial expressions or the silly background gag that would just be something that'd happen so fast on screen that you'd miss it if not looking out for it. In that regard I think that the creative team of Brandt & Stein have done a phenomenal job at creating  a story that's not simply just enjoyable, but one that's genuinely funny.

As well as writing the book, Brandt & Stein create the art, and I have to say that the style of Worst Man is quite lovely. The characters all have their own very clear visual identity, and the colours chosen for the book very much accentuate the style of art, creating something that's both filled with energy and feels wonderfully cosy at the same time. It's a style that works in this more indie style of comic, yet also showcases how the creators have also worked on titles such as Power Rangers or their recent work in DC's Justice League Dream Girls Pride special series.

Speaking of Pride, Worst Man has some great representation throughout. Not only is one of the main romance plots a queer one, featuring two men, but there's a prominent lesbian couple, as well as a non-binary character. Queer representation is something that the creators feel strongly about, and whilst they have said that they can't speak much on the struggles or identities of people of colour, they go out of their way to make their projects diverse, allowing as many readers as possible to see themselves in those stories, and as such the book features a decent range of POC characters too.

Worst Man is a silly, over-the-top romantic comedy that is hard to put down. Despite how dense the book is, with every single panel being used to it's maximum potential, I read the entire thing in a single sitting because I just wanted to see how everything unfolded, having quickly become invested in these characters and their ridiculous lives. Even if romantic comedy graphic novels aren't usually the thing you go in for (they're not my usual comic read), I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised by taking a shot on Worst Man.

Worst Man is out now from Titan Comics for £21.99.

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The Star Trek Archive: 100 Objects and Stories from the Final Frontier by Ben Robinson - Book Review

 

'Through fascinating photographs and insider facts that span the entire 60-year history of Star Trek and the various films and spin-off series it has inspired across the decades, readers will discover the significance of each object and its place within the beloved franchise. Filled with anecdotes from cast and crew, revealing behind-the-scenes photographs, concept art, and film facts, this is a must-have for Star Trek fans.'

Star Trek is one of those franchises that feels like it's been around forever, so when you hear that it's celebrating it's 60th anniversary it almost comes as a surprise because if you're anything like me you've never really considered its age; it's simply something that always has been. Having grown up watching re-runs of the Original Series on the BBC, and being old enough to appreciate the first airings of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, Star Trek always felt like a firm part of my childhood. I have strong memories of the first time that I saw Picard transformed into Locutus, when Worf moved onto Deep Space Nine and war broke out with the Klingons, and the day that Seven of Nine joined the crew of Voyager.

Star Trek was core to some very early memories of mine, it was something that I bonded with my peers about, and was a vehicle for me to find common ground with adults and realise that most grown-ups enjoyed escapism as much as kids did. Over the years I came to own most of the shows on either VHS or DVD, watching through them multiple times. I'd get the chance to meet and interact with some of the stars, including some now lost to us such as the wonderful René Auberjonois, and the lovely Leonard Nimoy, whose signed portrait I drew now hangs proudly on my wall. Star Trek has meant a lot to me over the course of my life, and I love learning more about the things that mean something to me; as such, Titan Book's latest release, The Star Trek Archive: 100 Objects and Stories from the Final Frontier, is the perfect read.

The book, by Ben Robinson, takes a look at some of the more iconic items from across the multiple shows that have appeared on screen over the last sixty years. With only a limited amount of space in the book, I can't imagine how difficult it would be to pick out only the small fraction of items that appeared here, having to leave behind so many things that fans would be clamouring to know more about. Where's Quark's Dabo wheel, the 90's era tricorder, the Defiant, the Delta Flier, and on and on? In all honesty, the book could be twice as thick and it still wouldn't even scratch the surface of the amazing props, make-up, and models that the franchise has given us over the six decades since it's creation. What we do get, however, is a mix of the iconic, the unusual, and the sometimes forgotten, but all of which get given the attention and love that they deserve.

Split into chapters that cover the main era's of the franchise (the shows), we begin with the Original Series, where we get some of the more memorable items, such as the three dimensional chess set (which I kind of still really want despite not knowing how you'd play this particular version), the iconic Lirpa that Spock and Kirk fight with in one of the most memed and referenced TV action scenes to ever exist, and even the adorable tribbles. Of course there's the absolutely necessary items that have to be included, the flip-up communicator, tricorder, and even Spock's ears, but it's the choices to include the Saurian Brandy bottle and Spock's Vulcan lute that makes me wonder how Robinson is picking these items, and if it might be down to personal preference for favourite episodes.

Surprisingly, there's a brief chapter that covers an era with little to no Star Trek, the 1970's. Only a brief few pages, it's worth the inclusion for the Spock Helmet alone, a piece of bizarre merchandising that became a beloved joke to the point where it made its leap to the screen in Lower Decks. Following this we move onto the Original Series films. A lot of fans will admit that these films are something of a mixed bag, with even Star Trek star Simon Pegg once saying in his sitcom series Spaced 'every odd numbered Star Trek movie is shit'. The book only briefly touches upon the first film, discussing Jerry Goldsmith's music before quickly moving on to give several pages to The Wrath of Khan, one of the most popular of the series of films. There's a decent focus on the Klingons in this section, as it was these films that introduced some of the biggest and most lasting changes to the iconic aliens, giving them their distinct new look with their forehead ridges, their new costumes, a huge revamp to the Bird of Prey, and even the origin of the Targ. As someone who isn't a huge fan of the movies, I have to give Robinson credit for the choices he made in this section, focusing on the more important parts, and the most popular films.

The Next Generation was where my love of Star Trek was really solidified, and is the entry point to many a lifelong fan. The chapter that covers TNG opens with the most important item, the new Enterprise, before discussing other iconic redesigns, such as the new badge form of the communicator, Geordi's Visor, the almost future predicting Padd tablet computer, and the drastically redesigned phasers. Some items from some key episodes also make the4 cut, such as the flute Picard receives in the amazing episode 'The Inner Light', and the prosthetics used to turn Picard into a Borg in 'The Best of Both Worlds'. Once again there are some strange choices for inclusion considering some of the items not here, such as a Dixon Hill novel, or the Echo Papa drone device (from an episode I honestly cannot even remember), but at lest the latter has an interesting story as to how the model was made from literal junk at the last minute.

The chapter for The Next Generation movies is quite small in comparison to that given to the Original Series, and completely excludes the last two films. Instead there's a single page given over to Generations, likely because the film just reused sets and props from the series but with worse lighting to make it seem like a movie. The item chosen for this film is the Picard family album, a key item from one of the most important scenes in the movie, and a pivotal scene in the entirety of Picard's time in the franchise, that is not really given much attention in the movie because of the importance of everything else in the scene. There are a few pages that also look at First Contact, though I did feel that this was too brief as it's my personal favourite of the Star Trek films.

Whilst The Next Generation revived the Star Trek concept and updated it Deep Space Nine threw the rulebook out the window and did everything different. It stayed in the same place, forcing the show to have evolving storylines that built on what came before, it asked moral questions by having it's second in command be a terrorist/freedom fighter (it's all about perspective), and even brought war to Star Trek for the first time. Deep Space Nine was bold in it's storytelling chances, but also in it's designs, taking us way from Federation aesthetic to that of the Cardassians. The book addresses this with a look at the design and creation of Deep Space Nine itself, as well as the first real interlocution of money into the franchise in the various forms of Latinum that the show would include, as well as Cardassian tech, and religious objects in the form of the Bajoran Orbs. Deep Space Nine could (and I'd argue should0 get a whole book going into the design of the sereies, and whilst we don't get long with it here the objects chosen to focus on are some of the most iconic, and the most important. Even the inclusion of the pulpy sci-fi magazines from the episode 'Far Beyond the Stars' which might not seem too important at first glance matter hugely, as it brings attention to what might be the best episode of Star Trek ever made.

The section on Voyager is perhaps one of the most interesting in the book, but only because it feels delightfully unhinged; though likely because Voyager itself was so all over the place. The show with some of the most potential for dramatic, encaging serialisation, the series absolutely fumbled the ball on what it could have been; thankfully we got an even better version of what it could have been when Ronald D. Moore left the show to create Battlestar Galactica because he couldn't make the most out of Voyager's potential. This chapter picks some unusual items, and on one page you can get Janeway's coffee mug, a fairly plain looking metal mug, and the next is Nelix's bizarre and ugly chef's hat, or the nightmarish salamander creatures that Janeway and Paris turned into and had babies together in one of the most outlandish and repressed episodes of the show. The fact that Robinson even gives a whole page over the Harry Kim' ensign pip, discussing how he never got promoted and how this became a running joke and plot point in Lower Decks says to me that Robinson is the kind of fan who gets how outlandish the franchise is, and kind of loves it.

Enterprise, a show that gets way too much hate, sadly only gets a few pages and includes items like the jumpsuit uniform, the phase pistol, and Doctor Phlox's Osmotic Eel, yet misses so many of the things that made Enterprise on of the most striking shows design-wise. Thanks to a somewhat shaky start, Enterprise wasn't given much of a chance by a lot of viewers, but I think grew into a great show. Much like Deep Space Nine, I think that Enterprise could fill a whole book and more, and it's a hug shame that it has such a small chapter here.

The newer Star Trek series, Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds, Starfleet Academy, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and even the Kelvin Timeline films get what would be one chapter length for the other shows between them, and a lot of stuff has to be excluded in order to not make the book even longer. I'm hoping that this is in part because the older series are the more iconic ones, and that Robinson feels there's not a huge amount of objects from these shows that stand up against the others, but I can't help but feel some of the lesser known and important items could have been removed from the other chapters to give more room to these ones. 

I don't envy Robinson's job here, no matter what items you pick there's no way to make everyone happy. I'd even argue that you can't make anyone happy, as there will always be that one thing that has to be left out because picking just 100 things from the entire franchise feels like an impossible riddle. For the most part there are some fantastic picks here, and those that I wouldn't have chosen are probably dear favourites of other fans. As it is, there's a ton of great stuff in the book, and Robinson goes into fantastic detail on each item, giving the reader background information to go along with it, both in universe info and behind the scenes production facts.

If you're a fan of Star Trek and love diving into the franchise this book is one that you're going to want to have a look through. It's size makes it something that can really go into detail, and Titan have printed in with a great deal of care and attention that makes this a fantastic coffee table book.

The Star Trek Archive: 100 Objects and Stories from the Final Frontier is out now from Titan Books for £39.99.

 

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Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle - Book Review

 

'Fashion influencer by day and grave-robber by night, Poppy Stringer is on call when Eddie Michaels—a flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar and queer icon—unexpectedly dies. All Poppy has to do is retrieve Eddie’s body from the medical examiner’s office, but what starts as a routine delivery quickly goes off course when Eddie wakes up. Poppy must fight for her life in a blood-soaked night of carnage and fabulous entertainment all across Palm Springs.'

Most people who've heard of Chuck Tingle will think of works such as Bigfoot Sommelier Butt Tasting, or Pounded in the Butt by My Handsome Sentient Library Card Who Seems Otherworldly but in Reality Is Just a Natural Part of the Priceless Resources Our Library System Provides. As such, I'm not really going to judge people too harshly when you mention you're reading a Tingle book and they just laugh about it. However, despite these more unusually titled books, Tingle has created some interesting queer focused horror novels that stand apart from his other work as something that a lot of people should be taking more seriously.

Fabulous Bodies is Tingle's latest piece, and centres on online influencer Poppy Stringer, a young single mother living in Palm Springs, who's trying to juggle curating a successfully curated social media presence alongside raising her young daughter, Marlo. But social media doesn't always pay the bills, especially when you're trying to make the world think you're living a life of wealth and success. So Poppy has a side hustle, stealing dead bodies. We're not talking about grave robbing, however, as Poppy uses her refrigerated truck, fake uniforms, and various disguises to nab recently deceased bodies from morgues to sell to shady folks who want them for organs, as test subjects, target practice, and other things best left not thought about. 

Poppy has no problem with her bodysnatching though, these people are dead, and anything about them that's important is long gone now, so why not make some money off what's just an empty body? When Poppy receives a mysterious phone call asking her to steal a specific body, a request that comes with $50,000 as a pre-payment and the promise of a total pay out of $5,000,000, she's hard pressed to think of a good reason not to; even when she learns that it's the body of famed rockstar and her own personal idol Eddie Michaels, who was just killed in a freak accident. Picking up the body and heading out to deliver it to the client, things are smooth sailing until the most unexpected thing happens; Eddie wakes up. A literal living corpse, the undead Eddie makes a deal with Poppy for her to accompany him for the night, driving him around as he engages in a mission to get out of his deal with the devil. What could possibly go wrong?

Whilst I've not read any of the weird romance work from Tingle I've read some of their serious stuff, and one thing that I enjoy about Tingle's writing is his style is the ability to blend together very serious subjects, overt horror elements, and weird fun. Fabulous Bodies is no exception to this, and I'd probably describe the book more as a very dark comedy than anything else, with their weird 'buddy cop' style mismatched duo in the driving seat of the narrative. There are moments where you get caught up in Poppy's life, in her struggles to juggle everything she's trying to do with her life, then Tingle does something truly shocking and twisted and things go full horror for a few scenes, reminding you that whilst you're having fun there are terrible things that are happening in this book.

Thankfully, no matter how awful things become Eddie is there to bring things back to being fun, despite often being a source of the horror. The undead rockstar ends up being one of the most fun parts of the book, and whilst I found myself never wanting to be stuck on an awful road trip with him like Poppy, I can't help but admit there are times it seems like it'd probably be quite fun. 

As with any of Tingle's work there's a great deal of social commentary within the pages of Fabulous Bodies. The book deals with the struggles of being a single parent, or how difficult it can be to raise a child on your own whilst trying to pay for everything and keep the family afloat and still be fully there and present for your child. There's also the more overt focus on social media, and how much it's taken over people's lives and leads to fully fake lives that people live, specially curated moments designed to project this false image that no one can really live up to. There are moments when we see Poppy processing the news of the death of Eddie, but decides that her tears and ruined make-up will make for the perfect post, before crying for the camera all over again once she realises she can take more photos in front of the image of Eddie she has on one of her walls; or there's her posing with her drink at lunch, trying to look fabulous before she then has to go back to discussing her friends cancer treatment. These scenes are small moments, but are a great spotlight on just how twisted things have become when you're chasing likes and follows.

There's a lot of fun to be found in the pages of Fabulous Bodies, moments that you almost have to go back and read again because they feel so ridiculous, shocking, and twisted at times. Poppy and Eddie make for a wild duo, and their interactions are some of the best moments in the book. Whether you're a fan of Tingle's work, or just learning that he does more than ridiculous romance books, Fabulous Bodies is a great time.

Fabulous Bodies is available now from Titan Books for £9.99.

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