To the best of my knowledge Driftglider is out of print and only available, in limited quantities, through Shocklines. That may potentially be the most disturbing thing about this book. How a master of surreal macabre like Jeffrey Osier has managed to remain an untapped talent is beyond me.

I first encountered Osier’s beguiling “Resurrection of Banana Boy” in an old issue of The Urbanite, and this book picks up right where “Banana Boy” left off. Very few writers in the independent press can create such an intense atmosphere of dread from the outset of a story, nor do many indulge in explorations of the truly inexplicable. Combine with these elements Osier’s penchant for mining childhood traumas and fears. This created, for me at least, the first true return to horror reading in quite a while. The dread fostered by these stories are further augmented by twenty-three pages of bizarre illustration supplied by the author.

Drifterglider is a carefully constructed psychological experiment conducted in a forgotten children’s ward, where all the patients are terminal. The doctor on call is not a madman, he’s in full control of his actions, a fact that makes him all the more dangerous. Fans of dark surrealism/bizarre horror should purchase this before it’s gone for good.

RATING: **** out of 5 *'s

$9.95
Montilla Books

—John Edward Lawson

Not too long ago a good friend passed me this treasure trove of true and utter depravity. I love it. And so will you, if traditional smoothing, Frenching, or any other kind of rational physical interaction bores you. Believe me, folks, the title is the literary understatement of the century.

The plot of this sequel (my God, what was the original like?) revolves around William Gravel, a British battle magician on forced leave from the S.A.S. Whiling away his time in Hollywood, maybe or maybe not dabbling in assassination while on “vacation,” Gravel picks up a job playing bodyguard to a celebrity as he attempts to penetrate the underground world of snuff. What they encounter is actually far more demented than such run-of-the-mill porn. Things take one decidedly nasty turn after another until Gravel finds himself trapped in a die-or-die situation.

If you have a taste for gritty pulp detectives, gore/explosions/sex, and some stunning visuals, then by all means rush to your local purveyor of insanity and buy this one. You won’t be sorry. Meanwhile, I’m going to go hunt down more of Ellis’ creative derangement.

RATING: **** out of 5 *'s

$9.95
Avatar Press

—John Edward Lawson

In this strange, highly provocative novel we are presented with a future where men run extinct and women run the world; where biologically engineered sex toys are used for pleasure and breeding; where zombies exist, and rapists are a constant threat.

“Razor Wire Pubic Hair” is definitely not your average book. Full of explicit sex and violence, we are assaulted with images that are normally found only in the most bizarre nightmares; or dreams, if you are into that sort of thing: bondage, piercings, hermaphrodites, giant vaginas swallowing slaves whole, a woman with variously sized vaginas in unexpected parts of her body, and of course, razor wire pubic hair. Add to this an unusual writing style, “I’m not at all feminine, I argue with my eyebrows.” and “She continues contort-curling around my torso, wrapping our bodies squeeze-together…” and you have an extremely toxic mixture of surrealism and Absurdism, BDSM and horror, sci-fi and fantasy.

Does “Razor Wire Pubic Hair” succeed in what the author is attempting to accomplish? I think it does, admirably; especially since Mellick is able to keep this novel from slipping into the ridiculous, and when the rapists come a knockin’ you find yourself caring about what happens to at least a few of the characters. “Razor Wire Pubic Hair” is available through Double Dragon Publishing

-Gary West

“Blood Electric” is easily one of the strangest, most difficult books I have ever read. Relying on a dizzying array of images written in an experimental language that at times borders on the nonsensical (“The spiritual mode of the sickly period respiration that fecundates the schizo of ToKAGE the blood-intestines//Emotion unstable script::of amoeba that analyzes the love of self//”), Siratori nevertheless draws you deftly into a world more machine than human, more relevant with each passing day than most of us would care to admit. Beginning with “<<I record the vital-icon+our chromosome form escape of the suck=blood chromosome::the horizon of the body fluid=murder like the dog that was done to nude gene=TV/spasm//” you are taken on a journey into the coming to consciousness of an artificial intelligence that will take your breath away, or leave you screaming on an abandoned pathway of your own subconscious. Violence, sex and the technological horrors of the not-so-distant future await you with fervent intensity within these pages; fear “Blood Electric,” or revel in its complex message of technology gone mad—whichever, I implore you to read this book with an open mind and untainted eyes, and discover for yourself what all the fuss is about. “Blood Electric” is available from Creation Books www.creationbooks.com More of Kenji Siratori’s work can be found in the May 2003 issue of The Dream People.

-Gary West

When I first read "The Nut Lady's Cabin" back in the defunct Earwig Flesh Factory I knew Forrest was a special talent within the independent press. Later, I came across "DownStream Flow: A Fugue" and "Return from Abaddon" in Flesh & Blood magazine—more delicacies for the mind. Then I was lucky enough to discover this chapbook collection, which not only includes the three stories mentioned above, but a slew of others that set Agurrie on a literary plateau all his own.

Richly woven text such as this is rare these days, and the author pulls it off with style. Malevolent undertones maintain high tension throughout the book, even as absurdist undercurrents flow around the twisted sci-fi/fantasy framework. I dislike using those terms to describe such a unique vision, as there's nothing generic to be found here. Imagine an ultraviolent incarnation of "Punch and Judy" dismembering each other to keep children in a mesmerized state, ignoring the corpses of their parents festering beside them. Or a farming technique that relies on the blood of angels. Or a crystal-enclosed Earth birthing insectoid infants and mutant gorillas to do battle with decidedly Victorian gentry.

The Butterfly Artist is not the bomb, despite its explosive text; it is merely the siren warning of an impressive career in the making. Watch, wait, and seek out his next detonation.

Published by Flesh & Blood Press
Available from Project Pulp and Shocklines.

More of Forrest Aguirre’s fiction can be found in our July and December 2003 issues.

-John Lawson

“If words could kill, I guess these would be the stuff knives are made of.” So proclaims Detective John Murdock in his introduction, and that’s just what this dark poetry collection is. The four unique serial killers outlined here have not only gotten away with their crimes, but they’ve written deadly poetry about their deeds. Sometimes crawling with dark humor, at others somber and even sympathetic, the poems were discovered and collected by Detective Murdock to document “the four that got away.”

It is ambitious to create a volume of work written in four different voices, but Kurt Newton pulls it off—much like a mad genius peeling back the reader’s skin to expose their fears. While it is certainly compelling reading throughout, it is only at the very end that one can truly appreciate the devious creative mind at work here. After such a stunning revelation I had to go back and reread the book again. If you’re a fan of dark poetry you will go out and buy this book right now.

Publishished by Dark Vesper Publishing, ISBN: 0-97222957-0-4 Available at Shocklines.com.

-John Lawson

The mere mention of Martha Stewart brings to mind immaculate cleanliness and criminal charges; Arnzen has captured both here perfectly. The ink is sparse, and what scraps you come across are condensed missives of ill intent left behind purposefully. You see, the author has carved from his mind a guide to housekeeping for murderers, and this book is a scavenger hunt through his convoluted yet well-kept estate of gray matter.

And here, brains have more than just one use, as exemplified in poem nine: “Dried brains make the best sponges./I learned this from my late grandmother/who still/reminds me.” Indeed, the mind is a terrible thing to waste—but reading this book of poetry is no waste of time. As always, Arnzen’s wordplay and off-the-wall concepts entertain.

From sharpening knitting needles to formal table settings, blood patterns in your carpet to curious dessert tips, Dying covers all the basics every killer—or fan of dark literature—could ever want to know. My only complaint would be that it’s all over with too soon, but luckily the author has many other titles to feed from when the bloodlust sets in.

Published by Tychon Publications, ISBN: 1-892321-06-6
Available at Shocklines.

-John Lawson

 Cthulhu sex is defined, on the contents page, as "1. A magazine intended for connoisseurs of horror and erotica. 2. The sexual intercourse of Cthulhu. 3. The enormous sexual organs of Cthulhu. 4. Religiously inspired group psuedopodiphia."

Scared yet? You should be.

CSM boasts a terrifying array of talent, from breathtaking artwork to an exceptional editorial eye, depraved literary detonations to beautiful layout and design. Every time I see an issue of CSM I'm surprised all over again, and can say without any reservation that this is the highest quality erotic horror—or horror in general—publication out there.

Standouts in this issue include "The Dung-Hag, the Dead Dwarf and the Tailor's Son or, For Womb the Bell Tolls" by Mark McLaughlin, "The Embalming Room" by Laura J. Moore, the somewhat experimental "Wrong Window" by Perry McGee, and the hard-boiled tour-de-force "Beyond" by Brian Knight and Durant Haire. The centerfold artist is Shelley Eichholz, and other visual stimulation is provided by Dan Moran and Ilkka Lesonen.

Cthulhu Sex issues and subscriptions are available through Cthulhu Sex or Shocklines.

-John Lawson

Let’s start this off by saying I’m not a big fan of crime thrillers or mysteries, but I’m a sucker for true crime. Which is how this reads, in a certain way, because Curran conjures up such a detailed vision of the underworld of crime that it is a reality unto itself. By the time you’re done with Street Rats you’ll not only have a solid understanding of the Milwaukee crime world, but how the Russian Mafia operates, how the surveillance detectives do their jobs, how the criminal biker gangs fit into organized crime—heck, you’ll be able to organize your own million-dollar heist!

Did I mention I’m also a sucker for intriguing characters? Yes sir, and Tim Curran delivers them in abundance. Any single one of these people could be the focus of another entire novel: Jimmy “Blades” Circurro, Harry Swain, Tony “Black” Zirra, Crayfish the dirty detective...the list goes on and on. I couldn’t wait to keep reading and find out what happened to these characters.

The plot itself revolves around an armored car robbery worth more than $15,000,000. Does it go bad? Yes. Is there betrayal and redemption? Do people get tortured and murdered? Oh yes! Crime hounds take note. At times I felt like the action didn’t quite live up to the buildup, while at others I was really caught off guard.

Being familiar with Curran’s unique imagery-laden brand of horror it was interesting to see him operating with a more “mainstream” voice. A good read, and a good writer to keep an eye on.
Available from Publish America and Amazon.com.

-John Lawson

When I first saw that this volume contained only six poems I was a bit disappointed. Then I began to read and instantly received an education in the art of storytelling in verse. From subjects such as familial cannibalism to supernatural street urchins, the horrors lurking in abandoned mills or our own gardens, Newton weaves a unique tapestry adorned with every shade of darkness.

The title poem focuses on a family with an unwelcome guest. When little Robert and Darla find a giant white salamander inside a strange black rock they decide to keep it as a pet. Their parents aren’t sure what to make of the creature, but Grandma Vaida knows how such things were dealt with in the old country. The others fail to heed her warning of “You must bring it back!” and all manner of terror follows.

It’s hard to come across chapbooks so beautifully made—any books, for that matter—and so reasonably priced. The artwork itself could be framed and mounted on your wall. This signed and numbered edition is 50 pages long and available for the sum of $5; get them while you can!

Available from Yellow Toad Press and Shocklines.com.

-John Lawson

Combining the old west with modern day and setting the whole mess in Slovakia is something I think only polycarp kusch would attempt. It is hard to imagine that anyone else would have the balls, or be crazy enough, to try and pull it off. But the polycarp did, and he does – pull it off, that is.

The story begins with four tough hombres, Raoul, Little Raoul, Raoul and conjoined twin Raoul (who lives in the second Raoul’s armpit) riding across the plains on their trusted steeds, three hardy but much endangered pandas. From this point, “The Treasure in El Alameda’s Belly,” takes us on a ride like no other. From an unnamed town (formerly called Bamboo) in central Europe to El Alameda and beyond we are treated to a motley crew of characters only a mother could be proud of and adventures beyond the normal realms of believability.

Highly Absurdist and very well written, this novel challenges the pretensions of modern literature and brings us back to our childhoods, when anything was possible and most everything was fun.

“The Treasure in El Alameda’s Belly” is available at AVANT PULP

-Gary West

 In his poem, "In My Mind", Kevin Donihe writes: Horns honk/—a man dives/into a glass/of water/and dies/on impact." When opening Osteoporosis the reader dives off the edge of what is accepted as reality and finds themselves falling through Donihe's darkness, never quite sure when the inevitable impact will strike.

Poems like "Last Day Photo Op" dance like the pin wheeling clowns in Donihe's mind, spinning in unexpected and dangerous directions. The subject matter, however, is always grim, usually with a morbid focus on corpses and decay. The overall grim atmosphere is augmented further by the accompanying illustrations from Marcia A. Borell, Teri Santitoro, and Courtenay Pogue; the publisher put effort into creating beautiful design and layout, including crematory ash-colored paper.

Osteoporosis is available through Sam's Dot Publishing or Project Pulp.

More on Kevin L. Donihe can be found in the Underground Author Series in the June 2003 issue of The Dream People.

-John Lawson

While much of the writing in “I.M. Internet Message” lacks maturity, conciseness, and at times leaves you wishing that it would come to an end already, there are a few sections of this paperback that show some potential.

Set in the small, backwater college town of Brandley, North Carolina, Simpson-Woods’ first novel takes us into the all too familiar world of the vampire. Lily Wagoner is a not-so-typical student who has her own show at the college radio station and spends much of her free time corresponding, via the Internet, with a mysterious man she knows only as BAtt. When BAtt mentions that he will be in a neighboring town and wonders if Lily would like to meet him, she readily agrees, and so begins her journey into a dark world that will involve most of her friends, and reveal parts of her past that are better off left buried.

Overall, I think “I.M. Internet Message” would have been much more interesting had the vampires been left out, and a more believable, and more sinister, villain been used in their place. But that just might be me. In the end I can’t rate this book higher than a four (out of ten) and I can’t picture very many people thinking they got their money’s worth after shelling out what I consider a ridiculously high cover price of $19.95

“I.M. Internet Message” is available through Amazon.com www.amazon.com

-Gary West

Tim Curran is quickly becoming one of the bright new stars of the horror community, and his latest chapbook, “Headhunter,” will surely propel him to even greater heights. Consisting of a novella (“Headhunter”), and a longish short story (“Friday Night Freak Show, Open All Night”), this is one of the most pleasurable books I’ve had the privilege of reading in quite some time.

“Headhunter” throws us back into the Vietnam War with a ferocity and tenacity that is almost unbearable. If you listen closely you can almost hear the bullets whizzing by your ear and see the destruction of a once beautiful country while reading this story of a correspondent trying to come to grips with an inhuman terror that has nothing to do with the NVA or the Chinese.

In “Friday Night Freak Show, Open All Night” we’re treated to an altogether different type of tale. In this story, a carnival is coming to town and Cecil McCabe is real excited, even if his friend, Henry, isn’t. Chock full of bizarre and humorous characters, it’s hard to believe this is written by the same author as “Headhunter.” Much lighter and funnier than its predecessor, “Friday Night…” shows us Curran’s impressive range as a writer without the expected drop off in quality.

“Headhunter” is available through Dark Animus

-Gary West

Outside Baton Rouge, Louisiana something is lurking in the swamps. It isn’t human, and anyone or anything that comes into contact with it will soon perish. Such is the premise for M. F. Korn’s novel, “Skimming the Gumbo Nuclear.” Or so it seems.

Few writers as this are able to capture a community as well as Korn has in the story of a young college student who, while out on a make-out session with a co-ed, stumbles across a large eel-like creature eating…something. From the campus life of Louisiana State University to the oil refineries, chemical factories and nuclear power plants that dot the landscape, this talented writer takes us headlong into the lives and fears few of us living outside the Bayou knew existed. And in doing so will opens our eyes to the havoc we play on the environment, and the consequences that will one day haunt us.

Stretching over several years, “Skimming…” also delves into how we humans, supposedly the superior beings on this planet, have allowed greed and the succeed at allcosts attitude it breeds to not only corrupt the system we live in, but forces us to question our future roles as viable, productive citizens.

I encourage anyone with a conscience who is looking for an excellent read to order this book immediately and take a taste of what this Cajun master of the strange has to offer.

“Skimming the Gumbo Nuclear” is available through Double Dragon Publishing
www.double-dragon-ebooks.com

-Gary West

“Donor” is an eighteen-chapter  ‘novel-in-verse’ that reads like a dreamscape operetta straight from the subconscious mind. Non-narrative and nonlinear, Lundwall is able to take the mundanity of everyday life and transform it into a landscape both surreal and all too familiar. Beginning with “remember this/there is a vehicle/ hearts beat across/ the dashboard/in flashes of red” and progressing into such phrases as “the calling of certain pages/ leads one from room to room/walking along the corridor/ i can feel the fingertips/ of the bodies that faded/ into the walls
and behind them” it is difficult not to lose yourself
in the superior musicality of this piece and remember that you are reading a story – albeit a story that seems to have no true, concrete form. Stocked with powerful imagery and an underlining sense of foreboding, I found “Donor” to be a profound testament to the unique talents of a relatively new poet who most assuredly will be heard loud and clear for years to come.

“Donor” is available at Get Underground

-Gary West

This book is as gruesome and action-packed as any you are likely to find in bookstores today, complete with a kick-ass female FBI agent and a devilishly intelligent serial murderer as her nemesis. Williams has an extensive vocabulary of the vulgar which he uses to the full extent to describe the horror of what happens when a bunch of institutionalized serial killers manage to take over the asylum.

Williams has packed a lot of interesting ideas into a compact and quick read. Especially ambitious is his attempt to bring to life so many extreme characters. Although the ringleader of the madness, Soren Cabal, is fascinating I sometimes missed the intimacy of exploring the pathology of one specific madman. But having an asylum full of killers is what really puts the action over the top.

To order got to www.killerasylum.com

-Jennifer Barnes

Dark Surreal is an art chapbook featuring the work of two fascinating contemporary artists. David Anthony Magitis and Keith Wigdor have compiled a surreal feast for the eyes rich in color and image. Both artists display a range of styles but each has a very individual vision.

Wigdor's work is quite experimental, from vibrant digital landscapes to quirky collages, it's abuzz with weird and fantastic ideas. According to Wigdor, "...the art that you will see in this book is my attempt at the Destruction of Logic, the real "Demon" that tortures us all." The great energy in Wigdor's work seems to be generated from contrasting images as well as rich patterns and textures. Wigdor has worked mostly in the digital realm and all of the internet is his gallery.

Anthony Magitis, working in a more traditional format, creates a truly mind bending reality of his own. My favorites feature slick alien creatures that are raw yet antiseptic. They defy bodily boundaries and merge with one another in a twisted mass of pulsing organs and orifices. Just like the unknown these forms are both beautiful and terrifying, magnetically repulsive yet mesmerizing.

To purchase a copy contact Kwigd144@aol.com

www.keithwigdorsurrealism.com

-Jennifer Barnes

Imagine, for a moment, a world where hockey sticks are sharpened to a knife-like edge, where cheerleaders aren't cute and cuddlyÉor alive, where death rears its ugly head in more than one arena, and you'll have an idea of the world Michael Arnzen has constructed within the pages of "Sportuary."

Alternating his usual disturbing short poetry with equally disturbing haiku (or as the author likes to call them, "haikruel") Arnzen tackles virtually every sport imaginable in this deliciously twisted collection. From baseball ("Satan's the Catcher") to "Really Really Badminton" to fishing ("Hot Buttered Chum") "Sportuary" leaves no stone unturned, no reeking body completely buried. And with such memorable lines as "so my friendly opponent sucks/ the carcass through the sockets" and "bodies writhe in chlorine orgies," it is easy to see why many of Arnzen's readers consider him a master of the macabre.

"Sportuary" is the culmination of what could happen if sport and the win at all costs attitude it breeds were to go unchecked, and the dark side were to take over. Plus, it is one hell of a fun read.

"Sportuary" will be available August 15th from CyberPulp Digital Paperbacks http://cyberpulp.netfirms.com/index2.html

-Gary West

From the beginning of "Realism" it is clearly evident that the author is telling the story of two people--lost souls in a world not of their own choosing--who for better or worse, come together and try to make a go at happiness. From their first meeting to their first sexual encounter to their eventual life together, Lady and Turtle are subjected to all the happiness, disappointment and anger that people deal with every day in an attempt to keep their relationships from crumbling.

With lines such as "Four breasts meet/ Eye to Eye/ Not satisfied/ With seeing" and "the freezing of people/ naked devils//sexy poses" Levitsky plunges us into the seething waters of the early rush of sexual excitement, where nothing is quite what it seems and everything is a joy to behold. With "I'd like some schmear. Fear me. TEE HEE." and "As two they are one are slippery are ennui." we are shown the maturation process of the relationship, where everything becomes more comfortable, more at ease, less excitable.

I found this collection of poetry to be a very good barometer of what to expect from Rachel Levitsky in the future. For one, I can hardly wait to read more of her work.

"Realism" can be found at Duration Press http://www.durationpress.com/bookstore/index.htm

-Gary West

I'm not going to pretend that I understand much of the poetry contained in this e-book collection—I don't. I'm also not going to tell you that because I don't "get" a lot of his work Hugh Tribbey isn't a good poet. I’m not that arrogant. What I am going to say concerning JUVJULA DETOURS is that I'm glad I read it, and that I encourage you to should read it too.

I think Tribbey's poetry can best be described as expressionistic language poetry. With lines such as "green stink of chirping dark gnarls protection” and “I. etSt     Hec Ows iN f(rom)/ PastURE.is/ shAPEless/ aNd, immOBLE." Tribbey challenges convention and pushes the limits of reality. With "If some deerskin of Great Mystery Power amused not your life,/ Then you, old timer of stars, should fall." and "camera cramped sentiment i/ ndifferent rhizomes reward e/ rly terrible version surges af" he brings us a little closer to what we are used to, without falling completely back to commonplace literature.

While some of the work in JUVJULA DETOURS reminded me of e. e. cummings, most of the rest struck me as completely original and extremely interesting: an enticing combination deserving of admiration that makes this book well worth the time.

JUVJULA DETOURS is available at http://xpressed.org/

More of Tribbey’s work can be found in “The Best of The Dream People Poets” and in the Underground Author Series in the Feb./Mar. 2003 issue of The Dream People.

-Gary West

In this very short one act play, Jesse Glass leads us into a conversation between three men interred in caskets awaiting burial, while above a large movie screen projects alternating images of everyday life and the results of war. Poetic and powerful, the dialogue can best be described as surreal and somewhat disjointed as the three corpses talk about a variety of subjects. Mothers, god, blood, children, clowns, bowel movements and mud dominate the topics that at times are mixed, melded and twisted to where they are barely recognizable. By employing this type of metaphoric wordplay Glass is able to take us into a realistic realm that shows how war affects everyone involved, and how something as mundane as mushroom soup can bring you to your knees with fear.

"Closed Casket" is one of the most enjoyable and satisfying plays I’ve ever read, and I strongly recommend you read it.

"Closed Casket" is available at http://xpressed.org/

Having previously read quite a few of kusch’s stories, I was nevertheless pleasantly surprised by the work presented in "Decline in the Human Life Cycle." The polycarp — as he is sometimes called — always seems to bring something new and unusual to the table, and the nine short pieces in this collection are no exception.

Beginning with "The Dog Who Ate Buttons" (a double entendre title) on through to the finale, "Hyram and the Fish Who Spoken French" (a Latvian catches a fish who speaks French -- or does it?) kusch manages to capture a slice of daily life and mangle it not unrecognizable, but instead shows us a deeper, more poignant meaning to the banalities of our existence. From the tale of an old man’s last days to the tongue-in-cheek diatribe concerning the inadequacies of dyslexics to the telling of why towels secretly hate us, this under appreciated writer bounces from one subject matter to another with the ease and fluidity of a seasoned professional. Highly recommended.

"Decline in the Human Life Cycle" can be found at www.bizarrebooks.com

Kusch’s serialized fiction piece "120 Days of the Bunny" is available on the links page.

-Gary West

In "Lap Danced By The Muse" Ms. Relf combines sex, music, food and a sometimes-rocky relationship with her muse to take us on a whimsical dance through the life of a poet.

Though not always pretty and rarely flashy, the poems that make up this attractive chapbook are nevertheless refreshing and honest. Embodying the spirit of creation, they speak volumes of what the writing life often entails: loneliness, frustration, doubt, desire, etc., while at the same time reveling in the act of living, the struggle of putting idea to paper. No better example of the loneliness and frustration theme can be found in the opening poem, "In Search of a Kinder Muse": "She’d leave for days at a time, return to me/ with the usual signs: that bitch’d been with/ someone else, and She had the nerve to tell/ me I needed to write Her an ode!" In "I Don’t Drive" and "A Different Desire: Ode To A Muse," you come face-to-face with desire: "I haven’t been fucked for a long time/ no one’s made love to me, either" "I want you, but not in the usual way/ of flesh-to-flesh/ come—let us peel away skin." And in my favorite piece, "A Romantic Lobster Dinner," you’re witness to an unusual moment of perceived passion: "it was getting warmer, but/ I snuggled closer/ arched my back to meet your hand/ all that mattered was your hand on my back/ your hand/ circling/ your hand/ soothing."

All in all, "Lap Danced By The Muse" is an excellent read, and a fitting triumph for a talented poet.

"Lap Danced By The Muse" is available through www.WritersMonthly.US   Terrie Relf’s work can also be found in THINGS THAT SING WITH SALTY WINGS. 

-Gary West

The only similarities I could find in the two stories comprising this very short e-book were an in-your-face writing style and none too subtle sexual references. Other than that, these stories couldn’t be much farther apart.

The first tale, "Shitty Kitty," begins with Santa Claus attempting to talk the Missus into a "quickie" before taking off on his yearly gift-giving expedition. From here the story takes a detour and, in a purely absurdist twist, begins anew with a writer having toilet problems with his old lady’s cat.

In the title story we’re brought face to face with what is perhaps every man’s second most frightening prospect. More of a horror story than its predecessor, "Vagina Dentata" nevertheless conjures surrealistic images that haunt the mind long after reading; and sends a shiver straight up your spine to imbed itself into the base of your brain, where primeval nightmares dwell.

All in all, the selections here are well conceived, well written and a hell of a lot of fun. They also give example to Diaz’ wide range as a writer, a talent to be reckoned with.

More of Abel Diaz’ work can be found in the archived issues of The Dream People as well as the chapbook, "Hell on the Installment Plan."

"Vagina Dentata" is available through bizarrEbooks.

-Gary West

The strength of this work can’t be found in any single facet alone; the author has managed to create a monolithic superstructure and thrown sanity from the heights. Although a relatively new writer, satan165 proves his moxy time and again throughout this five-story collection. Each story plunges us into a world insanely out of synch, yet curiously not much different than our own.

In the story “Thief” an armed robber menaces a hapless convenience store employee until a couple walks in on the scene. They chastise the duo because the robber is simply using his finger for a gun, yet the ending provides a twist that takes the story a step beyond absurd. The grim “Burn” would easily find a home in any self-respecting horror publication, while the stories “Lunch” and “Toner” offer a Burroughs-meets-Palahniuk look at everyday life. To attempt to describe “6-Pack” might give this humble reviewer indigestion (warning: do not make the mistake I did by reading this story after eating!).

While many simply go for the gross-out, or give a bare bones description of the action, satan165 plants us firmly in his world with vivid descriptions, all while imbuing the text with rich characterization. Keep an eye on satan165 and hope that he offers up more of his patented literary garbage soon.

Junk is available through bizarrEbooks.

-John Lawson

With lines such as "her spatula thighs," "the frying wilderness" and "zodiac carnation/ hip thunder dream," you’re transported into a surreal landscape where nothing is quite what it seems. And with "an alter within/ an anvil a dialogue" you’re able to get inside the poet’s head and, on a purely instinctual level, almost grasp the full meaning of his vision.

An added bonus to this collection is the fact that none of the poems in "wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t" are titled, giving the impression that each line is part of the larger whole, that instead of a group of separate poems you are reading one long poem; a part of Lundwall’s life transposed onto your own consciousness.

To say I only just liked the work in "wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t" would be an understatement. It’s not often I read a poet whose depth and purpose I find completely satisfying, and whose work inspires me the way Lundwall’s does. Happy reading.

(Lundwall’s poem, "The Deciphering," appears in the June issue of The Dream People.)

"wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t" is available through xPress(ed).

-Gary West

This book proved to be one of the most impressive novels I’ve come across in the small press. Not only is the author possessed by a poet’s tormented soul but he is well-versed in the theological canon. Thomas deftly combines both strengths to illuminate a Hell unlike any other envisioned yet.

Letters from Hades is a travelogue documenting one man’s descent into an afterlife of eternal torment. From his reeducation at Avernus University to desolate forests and volcanic plains of torment, the narrator’s journey confronts us with profound theological quandaries, brutally amputating the “theo” bit and beating us with the “logical”. Eventually a chance encounter with a savaged demon sets off an extraordinary chain of events, culminating with mass chaos in the city of Oblivion.

Thomas is unusually gifted at creating disturbing scenarios, and this—his first novel—gives him an opportunity to indulge his singularly lurid ability. As I read his work I can’t help thinking that it embodies the best elements of both fantasy and horror, further augmented by his own unique vision. For days after reading it this account of the afterlife continually haunted my thoughts (even my dreams!). I vigorously recommend this book for anyone with an interest in speculative fiction.

A continuance of his Hades series is featured in the Unknown Pleasures chapbook available in The Dream People store.

Letters from Hades is available from Bedlam Press/Necro Publications trade paperback $14.95 ISBN 1-889186-32-5 (also available in hardcover and deluxe hardcover).

-John Lawson

Long one of my favorite writers, Chimera once again delivers his own uniquely pungent mix of surrealism, erotica and splatterpunk in this collection of 32 short stories that asks the question: "What would happen if you transplanted animal mores, needs and instincts into contemporary cultural settings?" The answer can scarcely be summed up in the few examples I have set below, but I hope to at least give you an idea of what to expect.

First off we have "Shrapnel Girl" where a middle-aged man stalks the woman of his dreams…and of his nightmares. Set in the grungy back streets of what can only be Los Angeles, this tale invokes the almost always-irrational thought process of a man who is obsessed and obsessive.

In "Misogynistiqe" we are warned about the dangers of adultery and deception, and how sometimes art imitates life.

"She Gives Me the Fear" chronicles a man’s hellish descent into madness and the results of that fall.

My favorite piece in this collection is the experimental and bizarre "Dog Murder."  Focusing on what can happen when humans and animals are brought together through unnatural processes this story is strangely reminiscent of H. G. Wells’ "The Island of Doctor Moreau," and just as fascinating.

Overall, "Animal Instincts" is an excellent read and I highly recommend it but be forewarned, it’s not for the faint of heart and it may cause the beast within you to come bubbling to the surface.

More of Hertzan Chimera’s work can be found in The Dream People archives section including the "Animal Instincts" story, "Tourette’s Widow." (April 2002)    "Animal Instincts" is available through Double Dragon Publishing.

-Gary West

When I first received "Black Moon Rising" for review I had more than a few reservations concerning the content. Werewolves have been done, and redone, in literature and on screen to the point where very little else can be said about them that hasn’t been said already. But when I read a blurb calling this novel "a terrifying, fast paced, and graphically violent work which reinvents the werewolf mythos for the new millennium," I thought what the hell, maybe Ashton has something new to add. For the most part, I was disappointed. The basic plot line ­ young adults go camping, one is attacked by werewolf, survives, becomes werewolf ­ is pretty standard stuff.

But that’s not say the book is entirely bad. Other than the basic plot and a couple of slow sections, Ashton does show talent; especially considering this is his first novel. The characters are mostly believable, the description is good and there are a couple subplots that are more than a little interesting. I think if this book had been in a more capable editor’s hands, with a few timely suggestions and better proofreading, it could have possibly succeeded in what Ashton was trying to do.

"Black Moon Rising" doesn’t quite reach the heights it promises, but if you’re in the mood for a mostly typical werewolf tale with a few interesting subplots then by all means read this book.

"Black Moon Rising" is available through Amazon.com

-Gary West

AAAIIIEEE!!! has me convinced that Jeffrey Thomas is the next name in horror. This collection of stories is possibly the most entertaining book of indie fiction I've read (its main rival being Thomas' earlier collection Punktown). These short stories have the innovation and fresh perspective of Bradbury, the perverse car crash magnetism of early Clive Barker and the layered depths of Lovecraft.

Normally I prefer novels to short stories but Thomas has the knack for creating a complete world with dynamic characters in only a couple pages. Thomas' range is amazing, from the darkly romantic tale of an angel "Fallen" to the truly bizarre "Family Matters" his fiction is always compelling and thought-provoking. Nor is Thomas without a sense of humor. Take for instance,"Psychometric Idol" his tale of a quirky pop star resembling Michael Jackson who acquires artifacts (like the skeleton of the elephant man) so as to convert them to nutritious and inspiring shakes.

I can't recommend the work of Jeff Thomas enough. If you are looking for innovative, top-notch fiction in a dark vein then go directly to Jeff Thomas' site (www.necropolitanpress.com) and order one of his books. You can also order AAAIIIEEE!!! from Amazon.com

-Jennifer

You will encounter contradictions, illogical situations and unnecessary roughness should you decide to test the limits of the Kafka Effekt. I personally know at least one person who has become obsessed with this work and does nothing at all without first consulting this enigmatic, yet prophetic text.

This collection of mind-bending short stories is in the absurdist and surrealist tradition. Take for instance the tragic account of Hogan Marsupial, a very serious man who tries to become a comedian. Also meet Dr. Thunderlove a pediatrician whose eyes are on stalks like a lobster and says to his fearful patients, "If you can't handle my eyeballs right now, when you grow up—how do you expect to handle the real world?"

Wilson is a master of exposing the horrors of mundane life. From the fear of public urination to the frustrations of simply trying to communicate with another person Wilson's odd tales are discomforting more from their familiarity than their strangeness.

For info on how to get Wilson's novel go to the Eraserhead Press website or order through Amazon.com.

-Jennifer

Mercer’s play centers around four men on their first night of freedom after escaping from the Abilene State Penitentiary: Tex, a career criminal with a long list of assaults; Ernie, prison cook and coward; Milton, a misunderstood man whose crime was stealing false teeth; and Harmony, a classically trained singer with a secret.

It doesn’t take long before realizing this play is not your typical run-of-the-mill escaped convict story. Set in an unknown desert (Texas?) the men decide to get a little rest before continuing on their journey to freedom. As the night moves on they build a fire, have a bite to eat, then proceed to argue over who’ll have first watch. After the argument, two of the men fall asleep…for a while. At this point the play speeds up, all hell breaks loose and a bloody melee ensues that leaves no one standing.

From here the playwright decides to play with our heads a little by restarting "Abilene" (beginning again just as the men are finishing their meal) and by slightly changing the direction of the play. And Mercer doesn’t stop there: he repeats this pattern a couple more times until Harmony’s secret is revealed and the play comes to a decisive, and eye opening, end.

Though "Abilene" isn’t the best play I’ve ever read and I’m quite certain it will never appear on Broadway, it is an entertaining read with a lot going for it and is one play I would happily pay good money to see.

("The Sweetwater Theatre Company has produced Abilene" on stage in New York City, Cincinnati, Nashville and Louisville.)

For info on how to get a copy of "Abilene" e-mail the author at this address: editor@punktzine.com

-Gary West

Subtitled "Tales of the Big Top and the Bizarre," Buburuz’ paperback anthology deals with the darker side of carnivals, circuses and sideshows in a manner that will send chills up your spine and, for those of you with a weaker constitution, turn your hair white.

The first things you notice about "Side Show" is the fantastic cover art by Chad Savage (aptly entitled "Here Kiddie, Kiddie, Kiddie") and the quality and care this publication has been given. Long known for being an outstanding editor, Ms. Buburuz once again struts her stuff.

Once inside "Side Show" you will find 38 stories and poems by many of the most prolific and respected writers currently working in the small press. A short list includes: Brian Rosenberger, Tim Curran, Michael Arnzen, J. L. Navarro, Kevin Donihe, and I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, if you’re a reader of horror you will recognize these names and many of the others residing here.

There’s no way I have the room to describe every story and poem featured, but here are a select few:

In Jarret Keene’s "High Striker" an attempt by an upper class snob to impress his girlfriend goes terribly wrong inside the Mirror Maze. Tao Rae Tasmaine takes us into the mind of a freak in "I Juss Wanna Hode Hans and Bee Happee Sum of Theez Daz in Floreeda", and challenges us to decipher the intentional misspelling of almost every word. And Tyree Campbell shows us we shouldn’t be to quick to dismiss an old man’s predictions in "Spookum Doodles." Add to this a few poems by Donna Taylor Burgess, Julie Shiel and David Bain and you have the recipe for a wild and fun carnival ride into hell. Hold onto your hats!

"Side Show" can be found at iUniverse

-Gary West

Freakcidents
by Michael A. Arnzen

“Come one, come all/ see the Amazing Pin Cushion/ a prodigy of a piercings and pain” … watch in amazement as “Calimari-faced kids/ play tag in the carnival parking lot” … grimace as “Inky the Hemophiliac Clown/ picks a scab above his lips” … enter, if you dare, into the pages of  Michael Arnzen’s wickedly fun surrealist sideshow: “Freakcidents.”
 
Arnzen seems to have a penchant for creating bizarre characters we can care about despite their grotesque appearance or inhuman behavior. He also has a talent for reflecting in these creatures something all too familiar to us: ourselves. From the sword swallowing circus freak with throat cancer to the boy trapped in a test tube who wants nothing more than a little privacy, we recognize those things about us (the dissatisfaction of our own appearance, the loneliness of being labeled an outcast, etc.) that we struggle with in our daily lives and, in our weaker moments, would pay too high a price to change.
 
In “Freakcidents” Arnzen challenges us to look past the physical and psychological atrocities of our own lives and focus, instead, on the realization that most of us are much better off than the poor unfortunates who inhabit the darker side of this talented poet’s twisted imagination.
 
 
Freakcidents is available from DarkVespers Publishing.

-Gary West

UNPLUGGED has been billed as an anti-novel and believe me it delivers. Sure you've read plenty of books with anti-heroes but how about anti-villains of the polite and genteel variety? UNPLUGGED is an ambitious novel, dense with layers of meaning and rife with irony. Sakowski has a gift for illustrating the absurd.

Follow our "hero", The Man, as he makes his way through countless ridiculous and chilling situations. Picture a kingdom of marionettes ruled by an Emperor, a penguin of course. Meet half-crazed citizens clutching their most prized possessions close to them, their misfortunes. Sounds a bit like your average cocktail party in the modern day.

Stylistically UNPLUGGED is like an amputating scalpel under operating theater lights. Razor sharp and clinical, Sakowski's words cut to the heart of the matter while casting glittering reflections on countless topics. The combination of stripped bare prose with complex images and ideas creates a dizzying effect which makes you wonder how such a slim volume can contain so much. Put this one down on your reading list, twice.

For info on how to get Sakowski's novel go to the Eraserhead Press website or order through Amazon.com.
ISBN: 0-9713572-2-6
152 page trade paperback
$9.95

-Jennifer

Once in a while you stumble across a poet who opens your eyes to new and exciting possibilities. Who inspires in you an almost urgent need to take a closer look at this crazy existence of ours and laugh at the absurdity of it all, rather than wallow in the widespread insanity that seems to be afflicting the world today.

For me, Jonathan Hayes is such a poet.

From the jazzy Beat Generation-esque "ba-da bam a bang boom!" riff from "Echoes from the Sarcophagus" to the surreal absurdism ("his insane inane brain/ rained dribble riddles") that mesmerizes you while reading (and re-reading) "Saint Paul Hotel," Hayes delivers a punch that is sometimes eloquent, sometimes brutish, sometimes beautiful and sometimes ugly, yet always manages to reveal a truth that lays hidden from the rest of us, and leave it quivering in the street for all to admire.

So if you’re interested in reading something fresh with a little bite to it, something to take your mind off the ills of the world and maybe bring a smile to your face, then "Echoes from the Sarcophagus" and "Saint Paul Hotel" are for you. Enjoy.

For info on how to get these 2 PDFs e-mail Jonathan Hayes directly at this address; jsh619@earthlink.net

-Gary West

"Atrocitas Aqua" is an anthology containing 16 murky stories of waterlogged terror. The tone is set with Justin Stanchfield's Bone Lake, a hauntingly romantic tale which deftly switches between modern day and frontier past to tell two stories at once. Halo of Blood by Jason Brannon is fraught with high seas suspense featuring madness, sharks, pirates and voodoo...not necessarily in that order.

You'll find plenty of tales about deadly beasts that make water their home. Perhaps the best of these is Walt Hicks' The Swamper which sheds just enough light on the swamp to scare you silly. For a lesson in the power of desire mixed with vengeful spirits look no further than Peggy Shumate's Living Doll: Jewel of Lost Souls.

The creepy tentacled world of H.P. Lovecraft rears it's ugly head in Black Thorn by Christopher Fulbright. Steve E. Wedel tells an equally mysterious tale of calamity in When the Lady of Byblos Calls which proves even the water within the human body holds fear.

Although the quality of the writing and the ideas is not consistent in this the collection the stand out stories are well worth the read.

Atrocitas Aqua is available both in e-book and paperback from Double Dragon Publishing.

-Jennifer

Shall We Gather at the Garden
by Kevin L. Donihe

"23 Poems" the poetry chapbook by Elias Siqueiros is not a fancy production but who needs illustrations when Siqueiros' fantastical imagination is available? This slim, staple-bound volume contains enough compelling images to keep a mind entertained for weeks. A magnetic current of pain and beauty seem to pull the volume together.

The purity of some moments in the verse is like that constriction in your throat when your in the presence of something so beautiful it hurts. Siqueiros creates a collage of unexpected images that tend to haunt. For instance in "Starstruck" he talks of a stranger being "pinned down to the street/with a mustache." Although this may not be logical there is a certain surreal truth to it.

Although Siqueiros' work might be considered experimental he has a sure instinct for creating a flow of words without adhering to a strict form of meter and rhyme. For instance in "Every Corner Rises" the poem seems to race as you near the end and lines like "the blond who spoke hesitantly/of the black wingspan of her home" are so enchanting that the subtle off-rhyme of 'blond' and 'home' are not noticed but only felt.

Siqueiros is one of the most skilled poets we've come across at The Dream People with a diversive vocabulary of images at his disposal he can bypass conventional meanings and go straight to the feeling. Watch for a poem from his chapbook,"Love's Bestiary", to appear in our April issue.

To get a copy contact the author at Selqrs1@aol.com, checks and money orders accepted.

- Jennifer