Burnt Tongues - Chuck Palahniuk

I rated this book 8/10
First published in July 2014

Burnt Tongues is a collection of transgressive stories selected by a rigorous nomination and vetting process and hand-selected by Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, as the best of The Cult workshop, his official fan website.

These stories run the gamut from horrific and fantastic to humorous and touching, but each leaves a lasting impression.

Some may say even a scar.

Quick, sick and addictive tales...

A collection of twisted short stories, collated and edited by Chuck Palahniuk. As expected, anything that Palahniuk puts his name to is going to be dark, disturbing and should be approached with caution!

This book is nowhere near as disgusting as 'Haunted' by the man himself, but the stories all have the ability to make you recoil in horror. At one point (somewhere near the middle) I had to put the book down for a few hours and collect myself (I think it involved a chicken satay stick...). There were one or two more tame additions that allowed time to breathe - and one story near the end I skipped altogether because it just wasn't interesting. The last tale is as good as the first, and will definitely leave a lasting impression!

Chuck Palahniuk's introduction was very interesting, in particular the quote "Young people want mirrors. Older people want art." The more I think about his comments on reading and re-reading, and growing to love the impression of a book that you didn't enjoy when you actually read it; the more I believe his comments to be true.

If you like the bizarre fiction that Palahniuk throws at us, then you're going to like the short works that he's pulled together for us here too.

Available at Waterstones

Under Ground - S. L. Grey

I rated this book 5/10...

The Sanctum is a luxurious, self-sustaining survival condominium situated underground in rural Maine. It's a plush bolt-hole for the rich and paranoid - a place where they can wait out the apocalypse in style. When a devastating super-flu virus hits the States, several families race to reach it. All have their own motivations for entering The Sanctum. All are hiding secrets.

But when the door locks and someone dies, they realize the greatest threat to their survival may not be above ground - it may already be inside . . . 

The idea of this thriller sounded perfect for me - millionaire families buying into an underground complex to escape a deadly virus on the surface. They end up getting trapped inside, and then the chaos begins when the bodycount starts to rise...

I was initially disappointed with the authors’ writing style (a collaboration between Sarah Lotz and Louis Greenberg). The characters aren't great and I didn't feel much depth to them, despite knowing their backgrounds and why they were there. The setting isn't well described and the tension is on the whole, a bit of a wash out. There were only two characters I thought felt genuine - James and Reuben. It doesn't feel much like there is a killer on the loose, but Brett, a brutal 18 year old who bullies his way around the complex, gets away with a LOT and that also didn't seem genuine given the circumstances. The book isn't scary or thrilling and reads a lot like teen fiction rather than (as mentioned in the blurb) a Stephen King/Michael Crichton mash-up.

I stuck with 'Under Ground' however because the pages were turning quickly enough and I'm glad that I did. After 250 pages of stumbling along, the style and the substance ramps right up. The tension is full on throughout the last 40 pages and the build up is actually worth the effort. James really comes into his own as a character and the ending is satisfying enough to not feel like a cop out. THIS is where the 'thrill' comes into play. I couldn't take my eyes off it and ended up sat in a car park, racing through to finish before I felt I could drive home from work.

I think that if the whole book had been written with the same tension and skill as the final section, I would have been able to give it 8 stars, but as it stands I will give it 5.

'Under Ground' will be published in July.

(Proof copy kindly given to me by Pan Macmillan in exchange for honest feedback)

Review also posted on Urbanista UK

The Girl with all the Gifts - M. R. Carey

I rated this book 10/10

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.

'The Girl with all the Gifts' is a zombie novel with a big twist, and the stereotypes that are assumed from the phrase 'Zombie Novel' should be overlooked in this instance. It's not your usual 'shopping centre siege' type of horror, and it doesn't really try to be.

This is more haunting and emotional, as it centres around children in particular. Set 20 years after the end of the world, Melanie is the young girl at the heart of this book, and her character is a strong one. The relationship between her and her teacher is disconcerting and eerie - the whole story has a strange feel to it that grips the reader all the same.

I would love to see the screenplay of this in the future. I think that Carey will do a great job of bringing his characters to life.

The Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris

I rated this 10/10

I understand now (though I haven't seen it) why the film adaptation of this book is raved about so much. After reading The Red Dragon, I wasn't expecting too much from this second book in the series, but I loved it and I can't believe it took me so long to bump this up to the top of my reading pile. I stumbled across this battered old copy on one of my parent's many bookshelves, and have since relocated it to my own. I intend to keep it - I don't think that they will mind...

Harris has the most fascinating writing style, and this is mostly shared with us through the character of Lecter. Lecter is absolutely terrifying and captivating at once, ruthless and intelligent, and one of the greatest characters I have stumbled across. A real pleasure to read around; blurring the lines between the notorious criminal and the insightful protagonist.

At the same time, Harris presents us with a handful of really strong female characters without losing any of the hard hitting action and without resorting to stereotypes. I really admire him for this - Harris is a brilliant author and I will be picking up the rest of this series, and watching the films soon!

Thinner - Richard Bachman

I rated this 8/10

Thinner; a supernatural thriller by Richard Bachman (AKA Stephen King). This provided me with some really addictive reading, the build up of suspense throughout is pretty special. We are introduced to Billy, who we quickly discover has been momentarily distracted from driving by his frisky wife. During this lapse of concentration, Billy manages to run over a gypsy's wife (or his daughter, as we find out later) who steps out into the road from between two parked cars. Billy leaves the courtroom later on after getting away with the accident scott free, and the old gypsy man curses him, simply with the word 'Thinner'.

"But I'm telling you Billy, you can't lose almost twenty pounds in two weeks just by exercising." - p31

And this is where the tale cranks up - Billy finds himself battling against time and enlisting a friend (Ginelli, my favourite character) to find the old gypsy before he dies a slow and painful death from seemingly inexplicable malnutrition. Along the way he questions his own life, his morals and the people that he loves before the book cuts off with a mind boggling ending!

Ginelli aside, 'Thinner' hasn't got a single likeable protagonist in it, and yet it kept me gripped right through to the last sentence. The characters are cold, aloof, self involved - but written with a depth and understanding that makes them wholly believable and well rounded. The book is easy to read, quick and engrossing - certainly one to pick up if you like bizarre plotlines and want something that isn't going to be a challenging read.  This is the perfect escape for the daily commute.

The War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells

No one would have believed in
the last years of the nineteenth century
that this world was being watched
keenly and closely by intelligences
greater than man's and yet as mortal
as his own.

Rated 5.5/10

My Thoughts: I wasn't hugely struck on this book. It could have been the rambling style of the narrative, the fact that I am very much a fan of character driven novels, or maybe because I was reading on my iPhone; which is nowhere near as enjoyable as flicking through a hard copy.

I loved the concept, and the story has inspired so many novels and films since Wells penned his masterpiece. And for that reason I'm giving The War of the Worlds an average score. But I just couldn't get into it.

I'll probably be slated for this!!!!

The Games - Ted Kosmatka

"The boy lay motionless in
the tube as the machine moved
all around him."

Rated 8/10

This stunning first novel from Nebula Award and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award finalist Ted Kosmatka is a riveting tale of science cut loose from ethics. Set in an amoral future where genetically engineered monstrosities fight each other to the death in an Olympic event, The Games envisions a harrowing world that may arrive sooner than you think.

My Thoughts: The Games was one of the many books that I found difficult to tear away from. I loved the theme of the title; genetic engineering, super computers, vaguely dystopian and very much appealing to the geek in me.

Although Vidonia didn't really appeal to me as a character (she seemed very much the 'token' lady, and her relationship with Silas was forced and unnecessary), most of the others were introduced with skill and I loved the way that Kosmatka gave us their little quirks and charms. Even the very minor characters (such as James Mitchell for example, who appears on just one page) were described without any kind of jarring awkwardness. Fair enough, the characters didn't 'grow' much during the course of events, but they were well rounded enough from the start to be interesting.

The one thing that let this book down was the fact that the first half of the novel was written with such style, suspense and a real building of tension that had me eager to turn pages - and then the last half of the book went obliterating that build-up completely, rip roaring to a speedy (and not entirely tied up) car-crash ending. I wanted more from it; I needed answers. It's as if Kosmatka had a really epic idea in place, but then ran out of space and had to bring it to a speedy close. I loved the scope of the plot that was set out before us, and then was disappointed to see it come to an abrupt ending.

And so, if you're looking for a neatly sculptured novel with developing characters and a steady plot line then you're in the wrong place. The Games is pure entertainment and nothing more.

The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey

There will be no awakening.

Rated 10/10

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

My Thoughts: This book was powerful from the very first sentence. It's a dark and gritty teen read (though it has a maturity in style that adults will enjoy too). Relentless and full of action throughout, I actually couldn't put it down. 

The characters are strong, very strong; and as they are children from the age of 5 upwards, they are battling with self-discovery alongside the inconvenience of a full on alien invasion. But not the cheesy, big-eyed, hairless, green life forms you might see in an old film or tv programme - we're talking something a lot more sinister than that. Something that could really make your skin crawl...

What struck me the hardest about this novel was Yancey's style. It's no holds barred, grown up writing; short, sharp, shocking. 

Packed full of violence, death and the urge for survival; this is a book for those not too faint at heart. If you love grit and grime then this could be for you - might be best not to read in the dark...

The Birthing House - Christopher Ransom

Conrad Harrison found the last
home he would ever know by
driving the wrong way out of Chicago
with a ghost in his car.

Rated 3.6/10 (readable)

The scariest novel since Stephen King's The Shining, The Birthing House grips from the first line to the terrifying final twist.

My Thoughts: A very strange read, but car crash writing that I could not put down. The characters are typical larger than life beings, not well written at all; and it basically comes down to the usual ghostly tale - man is all on his own in a brand new home - man sees strange goings on - man manages to completely ignore them and get on with life inside the haunted house. It's choc full of cliches -> pretty useless dogs, a young helpless girl and lots of sex for the sake of sex.

The subject matter of the hauntings is highly disturbing and confusing, and the main character also begins to get more and more deranged. You can never quite tell if it's the house that's haunted or his psychological state, but you can tell that he is not normal right from the very beginning, and there are a few passages that have you wondering about his sanity from the word go.

There are also some parts of this book that don't tie up, or seem to be a little pointless. Some of the characters are irrational - particularly the main character's wife Jo, who didn't feel real at all; and quite a few scenes come across as disjointed, unfinished or out of place. I'm still not sure as to what the Birthing House was actually meant to be back in the day, but I'm settling on a cult of some kind. There are so many questions left unanswered, (why didn't the dog get pregnant?!?! being one of them) and when I reflected on the book after finishing, I realised that there were so many loose ends that I couldn't remember them all!

All in all however, this is a very addictive read. A book that you just can't help but plough your way through despite all of the errors and insensitivity. Although the bare bones of the book are nothing out of the ordinary, it's the (patchy) padding round the outside that make it readable. If you're looking for something completely bizarre and you have a very open mind - this one might be for you! 

Those of a nervous disposition, new parents and pregnant ladies - keep your hands off!

Theme: 3/5
Plot: 2/5
Characters: 1/5
Setting: 2/5
Style: 1/5

Overall: 3.6/10

Red Dragon - Thomas Harris

Will Graham sat Crawford down
at a picnic table between the
house and the ocean and gave
him a glass of iced tea.

Rated 9.2/10 (brilliant)

A second family has been massacred by the terrifying serial killer the press has christened "The Tooth Fairy". Special Agent Jack Crawford turns to the one man who can help restart a failed investigation: Will Graham. Graham is the greatest profiler the FBI ever had, but the physical and mental scars of capturing Hannibal Lecter have caused Graham to go into early retirement. Now, Graham must turn to Lecter for help.

My Thoughts: I was drawn towards this book and was not disappointed. I liked that Will Graham is a protagonist with a dark side, and I love the character Lecter - the complete definition of intelligence, brilliance and pure, disgusting evil.

This book is twisted. It challenges us to get inside the mind of a vicious psychotic killer, and maybe, just maybe, empathise a little with him. It forces us to see where this evil stems from and to understand why he might feel the urge to do what he does. It's clever and evil and shocking all rolled up into 420 pages of brilliantly written, can't put down, crime horror.  It was just like reading my way through a film (ignoring the fact that films of this have been made as I haven't actually seen them yet). 

The only real hang up that I have was about the ending. It was awkward and didn't quite sit well with the build up of the rest of the book.

Theme: 5/5
Twisted serial killers and a race against time...

Plot: 4/5
One point knocked off for the ending, but the rest made for reading I just could not put down.

Characters: 5/5
Hannibal Lecter is one of the most prominent characters on both the big screen and on paper. With a cast of well-rounded, less than perfect characters, and another psychotic killer on the loose - not much more you can ask for!!!

Setting: 5/5

Style: 4/5
I love Harris' knack for dragging us into the minds of people that do things we would never even dream of!

Overall: 9.2/10

The Hunt - Andrew Fukuda

"There used to be
more of us."

Date Finished: 9th May 2012

Against all odds, 17-year-old Gene has survived in a world where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. The only remaining humans, or hepers as they are known, are housed in domes on the savannah and studied at the nearby Heper Institute. Every decade there is a government sponsored hunt. When Gene is selected to be one of the combatants he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow competitors whose suspicions about his true nature are growing.

My Thoughts: A lightly entertaining read, a vampire novel with a twist. The set up to this story was intriguing - humans living in danger every day amongst vampires; and now the vampires want to play a game!!!

I found the book to be mostly predictable, and it had so many convenient coincidences laced into it that I was distracted and couldn't completely enjoy it. The book is definitely plot driven as the characters seemed quite flat, and I didn't really feel for any of them.

Having said all of this, as a quick teen read it's not at all bad. With this being plot driven, I found the book to have pretty much non-stop action and so the pages turned quickly. I did have to read this through to the end, and although the conclusion wasn't great I understand that there will be more.

I RATED IT 5/10

Flu - Wayne Simmons

Date Finished: 3rd December 2011

There's a nasty flu going round. An epidemic, they call it. The posters say to cover your mouth when you sneeze, and throw away the tissue.

But such simple measures won't help.

Because when you catch this flu, armed police come and lock you in your house to die alone.

When you catch this flu, it kills you in days.

And two hours after it's killed you, your eyelids snap open again...

My Thoughts: I really did like this. It kept me on edge in the way that a good horror film would, and was well written - enough blood and suspense to keep me happy. The pages turned quickly and I was gutted when I misplaced the book for a few days right in the middle of reading!

The story is less about the flu virus (you don't get to find out any of the scientific details surrounding how it started) and more about survival - which was a major plus for me as I love survival tales.

There seemed to be a few things brushed over, and the odd bit that felt misplaced; but nothing that put me off reading at all.

I did have one major hang up with it. The female characters in this novel seemed so cliche. Neither of them initially knew how to work a gun (on the other hand, every male character instinctfully picks up a weapon and is a brilliant shot). They fall flat (and often fall over at the most inappropriate of times) and rely on the men to look out for them or to teach them how to look out for themselves.

I'm not usually one to go off on a rant about people portraying the stereotypical woman, as normally I wouldn't even notice. But this one had me a bit irritated because it was so blindingly obvious, otherwise it would have definitely been very high on my list of favourite apocalyptic thrillers.

All in all a great read! Just ignore the fact that the ladies are a bit of a nightmare situation.

I RATED IT 6/10

Blindsighted - Karin Slaughter

Date Finished: 18th October 2011

The sleepy town of Heartsdale, Georgia, is jolted into panic when Sara Linton, the town’s pediatrician and coroner, finds Sibyl Adams, a young college professor, dead in the local diner. As well as being viciously raped, Sibyl has been cut: two deep knife wounds form a lethal cross over her stomach. But it’s only once Sara starts to perform the postmortem that the full extent of the killer’s brutality starts to become clear.

My Thoughts: This truly was a brutally addictive read - the story had me hooked. I love the way that Karin Slaughter draws you right in to the lives of her characters and makes you want the best for them. I should never have read Genesis first, there's a MASSIVE spoiler in that one! Read this series from book 1 'Blindsighted'.

Slaughter has quickly become one of my favourite authors and I will be getting book 2 in as soon as I can. Not one for the faint hearted, you need to have a strong stomach for Slaughter - her crimes are absolutely shocking.

I RATED IT 10/10

Genesis - Karin Slaughter

Date Read: September 2011

Karin Slaughter weaves together moving, powerful human stories of characters as real as they are complex and unforgettable. At the same time she has crafted a work of dazzling storytelling and spine-tingling mystery; as three people, with their own wounds and their own secrets, are all that stand between a madman and his next crime...

My Thoughts: It really does make me wonder as to how Karin Slaughter comes up with the shocking and sickening acts of violence that laced her book. It made my skin crawl!

'Genesis' was tightly written, with some well-rounded characters (I loved Will) that are completely human with all of their flaws and qualities. I am a bit of a sucker for character-driven novels and that really helped me to devour the pages on my lunch breaks, often finding myself strolling back to work a little late.

Her horrific descriptions of torture were shocking, but only really used where necessary (she didn't just chuck it all in for the hell of it). It made me cringe - but didn't keep hounding on about it. However, definitely not a read for someone of a nervous disposition.

I honestly couldn't put the book down and I will definitely be reading more from her, probably starting from the very beginning.

I RATED THIS 10/10

Feed - Mira Grant

Date Read: August 2011

In 2014, two experimental viruses—a genetically engineered flu strain designed by Dr. Alexander Kellis, intended to act as a cure for the common cold, and a cancer-killing strain of Marburg, known as "Marburg Amberlee"—escaped the lab and combined to form a single airborne pathogen that swept around the world in a matter of days. It cured cancer. It stopped a thousand cold and flu viruses in their tracks. It raised the dead...

My Thoughts: This book was not worth ploughing through and unfortunately I gave up after 190 pages. Too much political tedium and information on teenagers blogging for me. There wasn't much action at all and I didn't care for any of the characters. It's a real shame because the front cover is pretty awesome and the blurb read pretty well.

I RATED THIS 1/10

Last Light - Alex Scarrow

Date Read: June 2011

It’s just a temporary halt in oil production – but within days, the implications are devastating. Andy Sutherland, a civilian engineer, is stranded in Iraq, determined to find a way home to his family. His wife, Jenny, never took Andy’s warnings about a potential oil crisis seriously but now, as she tries to reach her children, his words come back to her with terrifying clarity.

My Thoughts: Wow! Oil is cut off around the Earth, leaving billions of people fighting amongst each other to survive in a world of absolute chaos. This one is a really dark apocalyptic tale of survival, which is made all the more shocking because it is not entirely a distant issue. This is something that could quite possibly happen to us, and Scarrow explores this possibility with brutal depth and frightening conclusion.

I'm off to read book 2!

I RATED THIS 9/10

Heartshaped Box - Joe Hill

Date Read: May 2011

Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals...a used hangman's noose...a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, an item for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude cant help but reach for his wallet...

My Thoughts: A brilliant modern ghost story that had me hooked. It was ever so slightly awkward around the edges, but drew me in - and although it didn't really scare me at all (nothing to do with the book, I'm just not easily frightened), it was chilling and pretty tightly written.

I didn't find myself liking the characters at all, but the pages were turning and it's definitely worth a read. Not my usual choice when it comes to books as I'm not particularly bothered with ghosts so much, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I RATED IT 8/10

Outpost - Adam Baker

Date Read: February 2011

Kasker Rampart: a derelict refinery platform moored in the Arctic Ocean. A skeleton crew of fifteen fight boredom and despair as they wait for a relief ship to take them home. But the world beyond their frozen wasteland has gone to hell. Cities lie ravaged by a global pandemic. One by one TV channels die, replaced by silent wavebands. The Rampart crew are marooned. They must survive the long Arctic winter, then make their way home alone. They battle starvation and hypothermia, unaware that the deadly contagion that has devastated the world is heading their way...

My Thoughts: I read this as a proof read and I loved it! The main character is honestly told, she has her flaws but is a very strong character in a way that I haven't really happened across before. It's atmospheric and chilling, you really get a feel for the icy, metallic conditions that the book is set right in the middle of.

Sometimes this thriller had me thinking about what it would look like on the big screen or in a video game. Really gritty and edgy stuff - a fantastic debut. I can't wait to read more from Baker.

I RATED THIS 10/10

I am Legend - Richard Matheson

Date Read: February 2011

A terrible plague has decimated the world, and those who were unfortunate enough to survive have been transformed into blood-thirsty creatures of the night. Except, that is, for Robert Neville. He alone appears to be immune to this disease, but the grim irony is that now he is the outsider. He is the legendary monster who must be destroyed because he is different from everyone else.

My Thoughts: I can't believe I've never picked this up before! Richard Matheson manages to create a page-turning vampiresque classic using the inner thoughts of just one character for most of the book. It's a fantastic piece of work - dark, claustrophobic but constantly pushing forward until the shocking conclusion. You forget that this was written over 50 years ago.

I loved the film starring Will Smith, of course, but this book is entirely different - definitely worth reading.

I RATED THIS 10/10

Dark Matter - Michelle Paver

Date Read: June 2010

January, 1937. Twenty-eight-year-old Jack is poor, lonely and desperate to change his life. So when he's offered the chance to be the wireless operator on an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it. Five men and eight huskies, cross the Barents Sea from Norway by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp. Gruhuken. But the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease. One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He has to decide, stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, the point of no return - when the sea will freeze. And Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Something walks there in the dark.

My Thoughts: I read this as a pre-publication proof. Upon first putting this book down, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. Not much had happened. It wasn't really scary. It wasn't really suspenseful.

But when I continued to contemplate upon the matter, I realised that I actually really enjoyed it. It has a picturesque setting; it has a moody atmosphere; the characters are realistic (and there's a nice little twist to one of them that is revealed more fully towards the end).

I think I may have been unsure in the first instance because I was looking to get the wrong experiences out of it. This isn't a horror story and it doesn't have any action at all - it's one to sit back, relax and enjoy without any preconceptions.

I RATED THIS 7/10