Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas Book Review

 The second horror novel from this highly acclaimed author. Vampires of El Norte takes place during the Mexican-American war, and centres on the romance between Nena - daughter of a ranchero - and Nestor (a vaquero) who returns to his true love, following a long absence. As a historical romance, Vampires works very well indeed, taking a childhood friendship that blossoms into a love that's hard to deny, even in the face of testing circumstances. There's also a supernatural element to this story, which initially whetted my appetite. Although the titular vampires are not front and centre for much of the book, when they do appear, it's to devastating effect , and their presence is never too far away. 

The story is engaging, right from the word go, with strong characterisation, detailed backstories and vivid descriptions of the locale which capture a war-torn region mixed in with paranormal activity of a truly horrifying nature. There's also interesting commentary on colonialism and class, making this a book that provokes deep thought on many levels. Vampires of El Norte is tailor made for those who appreciate historical romances, with a delicious twist of otherwordly terrors. It's perfectly paced, but a read to be savoured with concentration and  reflection amply rewarded.

This paperback edition will be published in the UK 24th October  2024 published by Rebellion . Solaris Books Imprint.

Longlegs. Film Review

 I went into this one knowing very little about its story, having avoided teasers/trailers and reviews. I was aware of 'early bird' comparisons with Silence of The Lambs via social media posts, and that Longlegs had been labelled '"he scariest film of the decade".  Did I find it scary? No. The only film that really scared me was my first viewing of The Exorcist which was shown on a double bill with Exorcist II at a local cinema. This was at the age of 17 when I had already seen a good number of films on the big screen. However, I did find Longlegs to be enormously unsettling, with a feeling of dread inhabiting every minute of the running time.

FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) is assigned to a case known as 'The Birthday Murders' and her tense, nervy character can be related to subconscious suppression of childhood memories. Harker possesses unreliable psychic abilities; an 'asset' that's all the more chilling when we realise just where her powers came from. Monroe delivers a terrific performance here, as does Nicholas Cage as a facially scarred instrument of pure evil.

The cinematography by Andres Arochi Tinajero is exceptional, working in tandem with a soundscape that's never less than completely unnerving.Together, they fully succeed in getting right under the skin and staying there. Director Osgood Perkins installed several moments of dark humour into this film, but at the 2 screenings I attended, not a single person laughed. Maybe we had temporarily forgotten how?

I will not go into any plot details for the benefit of those who can't get to a cinema and are awaiting a physical media release or streaming. What I will say is that Longlegs is certainly worthy of your most earnest attention and that multiple viewings are required to plumb its hidden depths and to better appreciate just what am achievement this is.

I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft. Book Review.

 Endlessly  fascinating two volumes by the finest Lovecraft scholar S.T. Joshi Here, Joshi provides in depth analysis and often controversial opinions on Lovecraft’s life and work: we can read about Lovecraft’s formative years; his precarious health( the failed marriage( those famous letters and, of course the stories themselves.

Racist beliefs have long blighted Lovecraft’s name and it’s a crying shame held those opinions, but he often comes over as a charming and stimulating companion. Personally, I feel the author is a little too hard on some of Lovecraft’s work but the wonderful thing about all art is that it often divides opinions.

A word about Lovecraft’s voluminous correspondence: many think that Lovecraft would have written a lot more stories if it wasn’t for the urge to instigate and respond to mountain’s of mail. I fully agree with the author that this is probably not the case. Those letters made him the writer that he was. Some excerpts from this lifetime of communication are included here and make for engrossing study.

An absolute must-read for those interested in weird horror fiction, mixed with scfi and fantasy.

Immaculate. Film Review.

 Directed by Michael Mohan, Immaculate is a wonderful throwback to 70s exploitation horror cinema,

boasting some positively wince-inducing moments as Sister Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) joins an Italian convent, aiming to assist with caring for nuns facing their final days. Cecilia herself once 'died' for seven minutes, during an ordeal on a frozen lake and thus began her dedication to God.

It's not very long before Cecilia discovers the convent harbours dark secrets, and although its premise is hardly new, Immaculate breathes fresh air into the genre, and more than caters for the gorehounds amongst us with some gruelling set pieces.

Sydney Sweeney has garnered much praise for her performance, and rightly so, going through the full range of emotions, and successfully capturing the true horror behind the convent walls.

This is exactly the type of film that will reward multiple viewings, allowing better appreciation of the nuances of Sweeney's performance and further highlighting Mohan's assured direction.

With the timely release of the excellent Late Night With The Devil, Horror cinema is in a very good place.