Fun story about a private eye in a world that has an ever increasing number of superbeings – so much so they have formed their own virtual international nation. Including his ex-wife. He’s just a normal guy with a camera, a car and a gun in a very specialised investigatory niche. Especially as he is still alive after following all these supers around.
Mad scientists and killer robots abound in this romp. A pleasing find!
3.5 out of 5
Tags: 3.5, original heroes, z novel
Fun story about a private eye in a world that has an ever increasing number of superbeings – so much so they have formed their own virtual international nation. Including his ex-wife. He’s just a normal guy with a camera, a car and a gun in a very specialised investigatory niche. Especially as he is still alive after following all these supers around.
Mad scientists and killer robots abound in this romp. A pleasing find!
3.5 out of 5
Fun story about a private eye in a world that has an ever increasing number of superbeings – so much so they have formed their own virtual international nation. Including his ex-wife. He’s just a normal guy with a camera, a car and a gun in a very specialised investigatory niche. Especially as he is still alive after following all these supers around.
Mad scientists and killer robots abound in this romp. A pleasing find!
3.5 out of 5
Two crime books and a horror book, three crime books, two horror books and a crime book, or whichever way you want to look at it. I’ll go with the first one. In this omnibus all three books are good with The Skull Ring the pick of the three.
You also get an essay, an extra and two short stories, Dead Air and Beggar’s Velvet. So you can call it a collection as well, if you like. Or omnicollection is good, too, like some of Baen’s classic reprints. An excellent deal however you look at it is to be found in this title.
Mystery Dance : Disintegration – Scott Nicholson
Mystery Dance : Crime Beat – Scott Nicholson
Mystery Dance : The Skull Ring – Scott Nicholson
A couple loses offspring in a fire. A wife’s investigation brings to light what is really going on with twin brothers – one her husband – their wealthy family, violent past, lovers and the twisted relationship between them.
3.5 out of 5
A reporter ends up in a small town. It is not as dull as he thinks as murders begin to happen.
Circulation boosting murders and soon this story is of much greater interest.
3.5 out of 5
This is a solid novel of the good old Satanist menace variety.
The protagonist has a dysfunctional love life, and is in therapy for her issues. We come to realise that there is something a little off about her as the novel goes along, and she just may be a rather unreliable narrator.
With a title like this novel bears you hope it just won’t involve one woman’s descent into madness, that would be way too mundane and boring. Thankfully it does not.
Her own mental problems also do not mean that a Satanist group doesn’t want to sacrifice her to the dark lord, and it does involve some rather odd jewellery.
Her paranoia and stress and instability is somewhat justified, and she has little evidence that any of the men around her can be trusted, or worse actively are working against her.
3.5 out of 5
4.5 out of 5
A couple loses offspring in a fire. A wife’s investigation brings to light what is really going on with twin brothers – one her husband – their wealthy family, violent past, lovers and the twisted relationship between them.
3.5 out of 5
A secret agent assassin finds out that she isn’t the only one. In fact, there are six other women trained as she has been – identical down to the fingerprints.
Only problem is one of them is worth than a ruthless killer under orders. Also a psychopath. Which means she wants there to be only one sister left. And none of the overly nice good girl stone cold assassins. And she won’t stop anywhere, even nukes.
With the odd Jack Daniels and Harry McGlade cameo to lighten it at times you get a fine spy thriller.
4 out of 5
An excellent anthology of good horror stories at 3.60, with a couple reaching greater heights.
Gateway Drug : Timing Chains of the Heart – Scott Nicholson
Gateway Drug : In The Family – Scott Nicholson
Gateway Drug : The Cutting Room – Shane Jiraiya Cummings
Gateway Drug : Work In Progress – Scott Nicholson
Gateway Drug : Invisible Bullets – Scott Nicholson
Gateway Drug : Sung Li – Scott Nicholson
Gateway Drug : Black – Tim Lebbon
Gateway Drug : The Devil’s Doormen – Scott Nicholson
Gateway Drug : Skin – Scott Nicholson
Gateway Drug : Hounds of Love – Scott Nicholson
You can See Paradise By the Dashboard Light. Sometimes you run it over and it doesn’t die though.
3.5 out of 5
Mum didn’t appreciate all the death stuff.
3.5 out of 5
The not quite dead ones, servant.
4 out of 5
Frozen Painted women.
3.5 out of 5
Murder is easy if you are a ghost.
3.5 out of 5
China doll volcano knife.
3.5 out of 5
Murder Avoidance Queen.
3.5 out of 5
Mum does the big D for me to Rock.
3.5 out of 5
Just a couple of major organs to fix…
4 out of 5
Pet cemetery monster affection.
3.5 out of 5
4.5 out of 5
A brain smashing digesting falling out on a boat.
3.5 out of 5
Pet cemetery monster affection.
3.5 out of 5
Mum does the big D for me to Rock.
3.5 out of 5
Murder Avoidance Queen.
3.5 out of 5
China doll volcano knife.
3.5 out of 5
The not quite dead ones, servant.
4 out of 5
Mum didn’t appreciate all the death stuff.
3.5 out of 5
One year murder deal renege.
3.5 out of 5
Sort of stuffed.
3 out of 5
At 3.38 this group of horror works is his strongest collection, with one very strong story.
Ashes : Homecoming – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : Haunted – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : The Christening – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : She Climbs A Winding Stair – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : Must See To Appreciate – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : Silver Run – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : The Three-Dollar Corpse – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : The Night Is An Ally – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : The Rocking Chair – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : Invisible Bullets – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : The Endless Bivouac – Scott Nicholson
Ashes : Last Writes – Scott Nicholson
Definitely not mice.
3.5 out of 5
Son fade.
3 out of 5
Ghost Stamey baby save.
3.5 out of 5
Wreck arrival.
3.5 out of 5
House breathers.
3.5 out of 5
The Engineer and the Jilted Lady.
3 out of 5
War money.
3.5 out of 5
Executed boy back.
4 out of 5
Nasty smell.
3 out of 5
Murder is easy if you are a ghost.
3.5 out of 5
Watching the dead line.
3.5 out of 5
Poe Mary.
3 out of 5
3.5 out of 5
Poe Mary.
3 out of 5
Watching the dead line.
3.5 out of 5
Murder is easy if you are a ghost.
3.5 out of 5
Nasty smell.
3 out of 5
Executed boy back.
4 out of 5
War money.
3.5 out of 5
The Engineer and the Jilted Lady.
3 out of 5
Son fade.
3 out of 5
Wreck arrival.
3.5 out of 5
Ghost Stamey baby save.
3.5 out of 5
Definitely not mice.
3.5 out of 5
“It owned her.
Maybe it—the fear, the darkness, The Creep—wouldn’t take her this morning, but she knew it was out there.
No, not out there. In here.
In her head.
The worst place of all. This was an inside job all the way. The monster rummaged in the rooms of her mind, hid in cramped closets, staked out the shadowed corners of her psyche. What scared her most was the knowledge that she had built that monster herself, bit by bit, sewn it from scraps of memory and the threads of what-if, imagined it to life. The cellar of her head-house was a Frankenstein laboratory for bringing strange creatures to life.”
3.5 out of 5
The old get to go back and solve your own murder story.
3.5 out of 5
The old get to go back and solve your own murder story.
3.5 out of 5
Another 3.30 type anthology from Nicholson – with one dead sheep standout.
Zombie Bits : A Farewell to Arms – Scott Nicholson
Zombie Bits : Bleeding Ink – Scott Nicholson
Zombie Bits : Need – Scott Nicholson
Zombie Bits : Survivors – Joe McKinney
Zombie Bits : Carnival Knowledge – Scott Nicholson
Zombie Bits : Murdermouth – Scott Nicholson
Zombie Bits : Eat Me – Scott Nicholson
Zombie Bits : A Matter of Taste – J. A. Konrath
Zombie Bits : The Meek – Scott Nicholson
Zombie Bits : Comic script: Murdermouth 1 – Scott Nicholson
Zombie Bits : Zombie Apocalypse Survival Scorecard – Jonathan Maberry
Zombie Bits : You’ll Never Walk Alone – Scott Nicholson
Too many zombies to kill, so guess my kids get eaten.
3.5 out of 5
Sons of Lazarus story.
3 out of 5
Want Page.
3 out of 5
Hell it is, like a turtle shell.
3.5 out of 5
Zombie Freak showing.
3 out of 5
Finishing her bones.
3.5 out of 5
Munch out, honey.
3 out of 5
No vegie zombies.
3 out of 5
Zombie sheep food, mate.
4 out of 5
Story directions.
4 out of 5
Apocalypse possibilities.
3 out of 5
This is pretty bad and gray Daddy.
3.5 out of 5
3.5 out of 5
This is pretty bad and gray Daddy.
3.5 out of 5
Zombie sheep food, mate.
4 out of 5
Munch out, honey.
3 out of 5
Finishing her bones.
3.5 out of 5
Zombie Freak showing.
3 out of 5
Hell it is, like a turtle shell.
3.5 out of 5
Want Page.
3 out of 5
Sons of Lazarus story.
3 out of 5
Too many zombies to kill, so guess my kids get eaten.
3.5 out of 5
“Peter Orullian: Let’s get underway by having you give us a snapshot of your work to set the stage for our conversation: genres you write in, recognitions, etc., publishing vitals, if you will.
Ted Chiang: I write science fiction short stories. I have a collection of my stories, STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS, published by Small Beer Press, and I recently had a novella, THE LIFECYCLE OF SOFTWARE OBJECTS, published as a standalone volume by Subterranean Press. As for recognitions, I guess you mean awards? My work has won four Nebulas, four Hugos, and four Locus awards.”
4 out of 5
http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2012/01/interview-the-lifecycle-of-software-objects-by-ted-chiang.html
Tags: 4.0, interview, z non fiction
“Peter Orullian: Let’s get underway by having you give us a snapshot of your work to set the stage for our conversation: genres you write in, recognitions, etc., publishing vitals, if you will.
Ted Chiang: I write science fiction short stories. I have a collection of my stories, STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS, published by Small Beer Press, and I recently had a novella, THE LIFECYCLE OF SOFTWARE OBJECTS, published as a standalone volume by Subterranean Press. As for recognitions, I guess you mean awards? My work has won four Nebulas, four Hugos, and four Locus awards.”
4 out of 5
http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2012/01/interview-the-lifecycle-of-software-objects-by-ted-chiang.html
A young Chicago detective gets involved when the operations of a crazy bookie crime boss spiral out of control as his underlings frame a hard man – who does not take it lying down.
Many criminals to become terminally challenged in this one as two drinks team up. Tequila Abernathy and Jack Daniels.
3.5 out of 5
A horror anthology this time, however only a 3.22.
Head Cases : Fear Goggles – Scott Nicholson
Head Cases : Beggar’s Velvet – Scott Nicholson
Head Cases : The White House – John Everson
Head Cases : Heal Thyself – Scott Nicholson
Head Cases : Metabolism – Scott Nicholson
Head Cases : Letters and Lies – Scott Nicholson
Head Cases : The Weight of Silence – Scott Nicholson
Head Cases : Wee Robbie – William Meikle
Head Cases : Do You Know Me Yet? – Scott Nicholson
Dark now.
3 out of 5
Dust end.
3.5 out of 5
Hammer down.
3 out of 5
Century past.
3.5 out of 5
This city, she definitely out to get me.
3.5 out of 5
Burn round.
3 out of 5
SIDS problem.
3 out of 5
Slab birth horror.
3.5 out of 5
Write revenge someday.
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Write revenge someday.
3 out of 5
Slab birth horror.
3.5 out of 5
SIDS problem.
3 out of 5
Burn round.
3 out of 5
Century past.
3.5 out of 5
Hammer down.
3 out of 5
Dust end.
3.5 out of 5
Dark now.
3 out of 5
On the proper colour of gelatin and the right pie for dealing with death.
And for dealing with dead people that want to deal with you.
3 out of 5
This time a crime story anthology with a couple of guests. At 3.31 again the same quality as the last two.
Curtains : Dog Person – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : Dead Air – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : How to Build Your Own Coffin – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : The Name Game – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : Good Fences – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : The Agreement – J.A. Konrath
Curtains : Kill Your Darlings – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : Making Ends Meet by Simon Wood – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : Sewing Circle – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : Nothing Personal But You Gotta Die – Scott Nicholson
Curtains : Watermelon – Scott Nicholson
Can’t live without her, even with bacon.
4 out of 5
Night Owl killer caller.
3.5 out of 5
Blood and nails.
3.5 out of 5
After me under any.
3.5 out of 5
Hippie fix.
3 out of 5
Burning gambling debt.
3.5 out of 5
Definitely nuts.
2.5 out of 5
Parent housing problem.
3 out of 5
Blanket kid.
3 out of 5
Blanket kid.
3.5 out of 5
Wife knife.
3.5 out of 5
3.5 out of 5
Wife knife.
3.5 out of 5
Say hi to Pete.
3.5 out of 5
Blanket kid.
3 out of 5
Parent housing problem.
3 out of 5
Definitely nuts.
2.5 out of 5
Hippie fix.
3 out of 5
After me under any.
3.5 out of 5
Blood and nails.
3.5 out of 5
Night Owl killer caller.
3.5 out of 5
A science fiction collection with a largely shared setting. Again, of consistent and equivalent quality to Flowers at 3.32.
First : The Way of All Flesh – Scott Nicholson
First : Floating Cathedral Song – Scott Nicholson
First : Penance – Scott Nicholson
First : Reckless Osmosis – Scott Nicholson
First : Narrow is the Way – Scott Nicholson
First : The Shaping – Scott Nicholson
First : Doomsday Diary – Scott Nicholson
First : Tellers – Scott Nicholson
First : The Taste of Clouds – Scott Nicholson
First : Angelorum Orbis – Scott Nicholson
First : Honesty – Scott Nicholson
First : Zero Meets Rainbow in Heavy Gravity – Scott Nicholson
First : A Socketful of Blather – Scott Nicholson
First : Shifting Sands of Memory – Scott Nicholson
Warrior creation.
3.5 out of 5
Temple Aeolus.
3 out of 5
Soldier or grandma, all gonna get it.
3.5 out of 5
Plug burn.
3 out of 5
Tapeworm rocked.
3.5 out of 5
Sculpting trial.
3.5 out of 5
Mass suicide special.
3.5 out of 5
Time withdrawal.
3 out of 5
Jetcar freedom.
3.5 out of 5
Twin claws of guilt.
3.5 out of 5
Kiss me time travel lies. With leopardskin.
3.5 out of 5
Story out of finish.
3 out of 5
Go-Boy viz, Keats.
3.5 out of 5
Spirit Spy destroy.
3 out of 5
3.5 out of 5
Spirit Spy destroy.
3 out of 5
Go-Boy viz, Keats.
3.5 out of 5
Story out of finish.
3 out of 5
Twin claws of guilt.
3.5 out of 5
Jetcar freedom.
3.5 out of 5
Time withdrawal.
3 out of 5
Mass suicide special.
3.5 out of 5
Sculpting trial.
3.5 out of 5
Tapeworm rocked.
3.5 out of 5
Plug burn.
3 out of 5
Temple Aeolus.
3 out of 5
Warrior creation.
3.5 out of 5
Highly consistent spooky short story collection at 3.30.
Flowers : The Vampire Shortstop – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : Thirst – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : When You Wear These Shoes – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : Invisible Friend – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : The Night the Wind Died – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : Scarecrow Boy – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : Luminosity – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : Wampus Cat – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : The Boy Who Saw Fire – Scott Nicholson
Flowers : In the Heart of November – Scott Nicholson
Spiked end of kid game.
3.5 out of 5
Rain girl unhappy.
3.5 out of 5
Go places.
3 out of 5
Crazy-brain dummyhead half-dead.
3.5 out of 5
Storm girl.
3 out of 5
Your turn for just hanging around.
3.5 out of 5
Maker Moon.
3.5 out of 5
Appalachian monster Barry food.
3.5 out of 5
Dad is a sun eater.
3 out of 5
Dead friends.
3 out of 5
3.5 out of 5
Dead friends.
3 out of 5
Dad is a sun eater.
3 out of 5
Appalachian monster Barry food.
3.5 out of 5
Maker Moon.
3.5 out of 5
Storm girl.
3 out of 5
Crazy-brain dummyhead half-dead.
3.5 out of 5
Go places.
3 out of 5
Rain girl unhappy.
3.5 out of 5
We’re not aliens, just werewolves.
3 out of 5
A reporter ends up in a small town. It is not as dull as he thinks as murders begin to happen.
Circulation boosting murders and soon this story is of much greater interest.
3.5 out of 5
The US government has a demon in a hidden complex. Or what may be a demon, but could be an alien. People work there that are desperate enough have agreed to work on studying this thing that eats whole sheep like hamburgers and as it turns out is really smart, knows many languages and has incredible genetic modification abilities. And is not really killable.
Hence the Presidential plan – nuke the place if it turns out that it can get loose. And a manipulative demon certainly will have a shot at doing that when it can solve all sorts of genetic problems for those it would like to suborn.
Also talks in creepy sibilant sentences. Fun stuff.
3.5 out of 5
A baby almost dies at birth until a slight sign of life leads some medics to decide to try and save it, sickly and weak life thought it may have.
The boy grows up and gets along in an overpopulated and ruined world, eventually becoming involved with movers and shakers – and theri desire to find a brilliant biologist who wants to do things like enable humans to eat cellulose, or other modifications.
And of course if you make the poor less dependent those on power aren’t too keen on the idea.
3.5 out of 5
That’s enough killing and eating the ex, really. Let’s get married.
3.5 out of 5
Another of the Crouch gun collections. This one has several good stories.
SIX IN THE CYLINDER : PERFECT LITTLE TOWN – BLAKE CROUCH
SIX IN THE CYLINDER : SERIAL – BLAKE CROUCH
SIX IN THE CYLINDER : THE NEWTON BOYS’ LAST PHOTOGRAPH – BLAKE CROUCH
SIX IN THE CYLINDER : THE METEOROLOGIST – BLAKE CROUCH
SIX IN THE CYLINDER : UNCONDITIONAL – BLAKE CROUCH
SIX IN THE CYLINDER : THE PAIN OF OTHERS – BLAKE CROUCH
Tourist sacrifice.
3.5 out of 5
Crazy ride, crazy driver.
3.5 out of 5
Short camera.
2.5 out of 5
Tornado chase.
3.5 out of 5
Deathbed dead reason.
3 out of 5
Deathbed dead reason.
3.5 out of 5
3.5 out of 5
A four story collection, all average – which also explains the Fully Loaded title of another.
Four Live Rounds : Remaking – Blake Crouch
Four Live Rounds : On The Good Red Road – Blake Crouch
Four Live Rounds : Shining Rock – Blake Crouch
Four Live Rounds : Four Live Rounds – Blake Crouch
Daughter kill query.
3 out of 5
Abduction wait.
3 out of 5
Eat him and move on.
3 out of 5
Bad brother.
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
This is a solid novel of the good old Satanist menace variety. I like it rather more the second time around.
The protagonist has a dysfunctional love life, and is in therapy for her issues. We come to realise that there is something a little off about her as the novel goes along, and she just may be a rather unreliable narrator.
With a title like this novel bears you hope it just won’t involve one woman’s descent into madness, that would be way too mundane and boring. Thankfully it does not.
Her own mental problems also do not mean that a Satanist group doesn’t want to sacrifice her to the dark lord, and it does involve some rather odd jewellery.
Her paranoia and stress and instability is somewhat justified, and she has little evidence that any of the men around her can be trusted, or worse actively are working against her.
Now I am not much for screenplays but interesting as an added bonus. This would actually make a pretty cool Hammer House of Horror movie certainly.
4 out of 5
Ouija planchette, Daddy.
3.5 out of 5
Human Legacy Project and Democracy Device protection.
3.5 out of 5
Me and the kid definitely might get eaten by a bear. Like the puppy.
3.5 out of 5
