Niteblade

Posts Tagged ‘horror’

                 On the Verge of Madness by George Wilhite

                           Book Review by A. R. Braun

On the Verge of Madness by George Wilhite contains echoes of H. P. Lovecraft that reverberate through the short stories throughout, but with a fresh approach and lively dialogue. The nine short stories in the volume weave a colorful—and sometimes bloody—collage of the macabre, raising fear in a unique voice.

The first three tales follow the same storyline. The book starts off with a foreword by Arthur Chaldean about his nephew Victor’s disappearance after his wife went missing. Arthur found a collection of notebooks that comprised Victor’s journal, and Arthur provides the narrative necessary after each series ends, lending an air of realism to the story. When the diary begins, the expectation has been forged so brilliantly one can’t wait to find out what ensues.

In “Checks and Balances,” an alcoholic named John must face the toughest part of Alcoholic Anonymous’s twelve-step program, step eight: apologizing to those he’d hurt when drunk. Some forgive him easily, others hold a grudge, but none are waiting to tear him apart like his wife. On the way to her house, he’s tempted to crawl back into the bottle and must match wits with a sinister force offering an easy way out. In “The Gangster’s New Clothes,” a hit man finds out what it’s like to step into his victims’ shoes. Literally.

On the Verge of Madness left me mostly satisfied from beginning to end with clever storytelling and strong characters that made me care. Only one story, “A Plea from the Cradle,” didn’t blow me away and left me scratching my head. Still, way over 500 is a great percentage, and I recommend this tome to all horror aficionados.

Tremble with fright as movie monsters rendered in terrifying hues disturb your fitful sleep. Wake up screaming when classic horror villains invade your troubled dreams. Enter the nightmare world of Laurene Alvarado’s Pavor Nocturnus.

Always an artist, but never diligently so until fairly recently, Laurene began painting seriously in 2009. Now she may spend ten or more hours a day with brush in hand working on her acrylic creations. She loves painting at night, drawing energy from the midnight hush.

A great fan of horror, for her first collection Laurene decided to paint a number of the classic characters of horror. After the triple-viewing of The Exorcist during an all-night painting session led to a nightmare so vivid that Laurene woke up screaming, she found a name for her collection – Pavor Nocturnus, meaning “night tremors”.

Laurene draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including movies and music. She immersed herself in all things horror while working on the pieces for Pavor Nocturnus, watching horror movies and listening to horror movie soundtracks while she painted. Laurene lists Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, and every Disney animator that has ever lived among the artists who’ve inspired her. She strives to be known for her use of colour as well as her eye for detail and her ability to capture the essence of her subjects. Acrylic is her favourite medium, which makes a perfect match for an artist with such an appreciation of the limitless power of colour.

Laurene’s next collection, The Golden Age, will feature legendary actors and actresses from cinematic history. More of Laurene’s work can be seen at LAURENE*ALVARADO.

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                                            Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist

                                                   Book Review by A. R. Braun

Hiram Grange is an unlikely hero. With a penchant for loose women, drugs and booze, who would expect him to be a demon hunter? But that’s exactly what he is, fighting to keep the demons in hell and off the streets. A long-haired, gun-toting protagonist who loves hard-loving, young chicks? You know I’m all over this series!

In Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist by Robert Davies, Hiram shows up with his cohorts, preventing a demon named Giblis from entering our world. He does so, but not without sacrificing the life of his now worst enemy’s girlfriend, a lithe, supple beauty. The other survivor gives him The Scorpion’s Kiss, a bomb blast of a drug stash, hoping it will do him in. Hiram must go up against the Occultionist’s Tower, a deadly corporation helping the demon, Giblis, come back into the world . . . and now he’s hunting Hiram, the man responsible for preventing his entry last time. Will Hiram have to drink The Digital Eucharist, a symbiotic potion primed to take the conscience of man away, to gain entry and fight the demon?

I enjoyed the raw humor and the subject matter. It wasn’t a bad novella by any means. Some of the description at the end I felt a bit anticlimactic. Everything else was rock solid, nothing boring and tedious. There’s plenty of gripping, gory details and amazing artwork throughout the graphic novella. The non-cumbersome ninety-seven page read held my attention throughout. It’s definitely the best graphic novella since Stephen King’s Silver Bullet. I could have done without the author’s comment at the end, saying mimetic writing is for wimps when talking about writing of lobster girls and laser beams. Seeing as two other writers wrote the first two books, this comment doesn’t make sense to me. Otherwise, a quick, fun read that kept my attention.

A. R. Braun

Come see incredibly intricate images of horror and the macabre. Spy surreal scenes of the the uncanny and the bizarre. Find transforming lycanthropes, terrifying monstrosities, and plague personified in the wonderfully detailed art of Scott Nellis.

Based in Brighton on the southern coast of England, Scott is a graduate of the University of Brighton with a BA (Hons) in Illustration. An artist that immerses himself in his work, Scott uses pen on paper to produce his elaborate creations. He often draws on a fairly large scale; his works typically range in size from A4 (8.3 x 11.7 in) to larger than A1 (23.4 x 33.1 in). As for artistic influences, Scott says that global and personal subjects, fantastical realms, the sub-conscious, and social conditioning all play a part in influencing his art.

More of Scott’s work can be viewed at Scott Nellis Illustration.

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Here’s a special Halloween treat for all those that love pen and ink or charcoal artwork, with a little bit extra. No tricks here; within the House of Chamberlin dwell lusty vampires, hungry werewolves, macabre musicians, and deadly dragons. Therein you may find creatures of darkness rendered in black and white, perhaps with just touches of added colour to better bring out their eerie and often bloodthirsty natures. As you stumble further down its halls, this strange artistic abode of the fantastic and horrific might  even surprise you with a flash of full-colour brilliance.

And who is master of this weird and wild house? An Alaskan with an interest in comic books and cartooning, Ric Chamberlin is the creative soul residing at the heart of the House of Chamberlin. Ric utilizes pen and ink, pastels, and charcoal to create his marvellous works of fantasy, horror, and whimsy.

Now, enter through those doors and enjoy!

More of Ric’s art can be seen on his DeviantART Site:
Ricky-Roo302.

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Meet a master at depicting dreadful demise, crimson-tinged terror, creatures thirsting for human blood, and classic characters of horror. Discover the deliciously dark and expertly rendered paintings of horror artist Jerrod Brown, if you dare.

A traditional artist and a southpaw who has been painting and drawing for nearly forty years, Jerrod produces everything from murals to illustrations, from monstrous portraiture to genre book covers. Currently residing with his wife and daughter in Jacksonville, Florida, Jerrod works out of his home studio. In addition to selling works straight out of his studio, Jerrod also sells originals and prints at various galleries and conventions. He also received honorable mention in the 2008 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards Artist of the Year.

Inspired by a multitude of horror movies and the artwork found in the classic genre magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland, Jerrod’s love of all things horror simply screams from the canvases of his darkly wonderful works. Being strictly a traditional artist, Jerrod strongly advocates the use of brush and palette over the use of keyboard and mouse. And his artistic creations contain a unique spirit not found in “cookie-cutter” digital work.

More examples of Jerrod’s art, along with purchasing information, can be found here:
http://www.myspace.com/jerrodbrown

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Enter a twilight realm where deepening gloom stirs dark emotions, where
sinister forces lurk within every shadow, where the Grim Reaper awaits
around every corner. Encounter scenes where glimmers of light hold no hope
of salvation, serving instead as stark illumination of a diabolic fate.
Become hopelessly enthralled by the dark art of Daniele Serra.

A professional illustrator residing on the Mediterranean isle of Sardinia,
Daniele Serra's work has seen international success. His art has appeared
in various European, Australian, and American publications. He has
illustrated the works of authors such as Brian Stableford, Rain Graves,
and Steven Savile. He has also created images for DC comics, and his art
has been displayed in various Italian exhibits. A book of Daniele's darkly
sensuous artwork, entitled Illusions, is available through Black Coat
Press.

Daniele uses pencils and watercolours to create his scenes, then blends
these macabre visions digitally. He masterfully combines and contrasts
light and shade in provocative ways, instilling a disturbingly seductive
quality into his art. He deftly drags the viewer into a world of horror
and dread, a place ruled by darkness and death.

More examples of Daniele Serra's work, as well as purchase information for
Illusions, can be found on his web site:
http://www.multigrade.it/

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