The Daily Monocle

For four years Mr. And Mrs. Darcy have been living in wedded bliss... and then disaster strikes. While taking an amiable stroll together in the countryside, Fitzwilliam is caught off guard and bitten by a young unmentionable, and by all reasonable accounts, is doomed.

Of course Elizabeth won’t give up that easily. Lady Catherine de Bourgh says there are rumors of a cure rising in London. To save her husband, Elizabeth will take up the katana again... but at what cost?

Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith is the third book in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies romantic zombie comedy (RomZomCom) trilogy.

Hockensmith’s take on the stricken Regency England is quirky and fun, but still offers a more realistic and modern vision than the original PP&Z. With Austen’s original prose out of the way, Hockensmith suddenly has the ability to exert full control over the story. What emerges is a surprisingly thought-provoking foray into not only the customs and tendencies of the Regency era, but a sociopolitical commentary on the issues of the time that adds a level of depth previously unseen in the trilogy.

Stylistically, Hockensmith’s prose isn’t steeped in pseudo-Regency vernacular. It isn’t as “true,” I suppose one could say, to the times and situations, but still preserves the base integrity of Austen’s intentions with the original Pride and Prejudice--that is, to show a vivid, romantic representation of England in the early 1800’s... it’ just that this England has been overrun by zombies.

Dreadfully Ever After’s real strength lies indelibly in it’s characters. Kitty and Mary Bennett in particular finally get a chance to shine. Kitty rises above being the shadow sister of the promiscuous Lydia Wickham; Mary--though still a little stiff--emerges as a thoughtful and intelligent feminist sort. Even Darcy’s cousin, Anne seems a little more alive (and creepier than ever, but that’s another matter entirely).

Dreadfully Ever After’s weakest point is it’s plot line. And while the plot itself isn’t necessarily tepid, it is convoluted. A little on the predictable side--a little slow at parts. The backbone of the story is definitely its characterization, but that doesn’t mean the plot is bad by any means. Just not as deep as it’s characters.

Strong as a standalone, but stronger in the context of the trilogy, Dreadfully Ever After is another delightful romp in stricken Regency England. Hockensmith offers readers an alternate view into history that, while stylized and fun, still presents a thought-provoking commentary. Definitely a fun summer read for the eclectic beach reader, and a fresh take for zombie fans.

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Strictly speaking, horror is one of the most widely-disputed genres. What truly makes a book scary? What will send chills down the reader’s spine? One author’s guts-and-gore fest won’t appeal to another’s psychological horror cravings. And let’s not forget about the audience that demands zombies and tales of the undead without comedic effect. In a word, umbrella-term horror simply won’t suffice.

Enter Crucified Dreams, an alleged collection of urban horror edited by writer and anthologist Joe R. Lansdale. Comprised of reprinted short stories by legends (such as Stephen King) and relative new-comers alike, Lansdale has attempted to define horror as he sees fit.

Crucified Dreams ranges from the visceral, to the psychological--from the tangible, to the supernatural. For example, Harlan Ellison’s stunning “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs” (which opens the anthology) provides both psychological and graphic visual representation of what is the popularly perceived horror genre (murder, dark beings, etc.). Norman Partridge’s strange western-esque “The Mohave Two-Step” isn’t so much horror as it is highly strange and borderline surrealist. And the various crime stories sprinkled liberally through the volume don’t seek so much to scare the audience, as they do provide a gritty sort of context that filters through the page and into the real world.

Standout stories include the aforementioned Ellison tale; “The Evening The Morning and the Night” by the late Octavia Butler; and “The Quickening” by Michael Bishop.

And what makes each of these stories special? Quite simply, the single element that makes anthologies like this one so tricky to pinpoint in the first place: each author’s own personal brands of horror. While Ellison prefers to stick with the most basic interpretation of “urban horror”, Butler expands her horizons into something more akin to a zombie-style epidemic (which, admittedly, would be most dangerous in a city setting) and Bishop’s hapless main character falls into a Tower-of-Babel-like situation with nothing but his wits to guide him.

Interestingly enough, although each of these stories has it’s own unique flavor and style, they’re all connected by the elements which make up the foundation of a horror story: isolation, deprivation, panic, and pain.

Operating on a wide spectrum of definition, Crucified Dreams allows authors to explore their own personal writing style, while adhering loosely to the genre at hand. Readers need to keep in mind that this “loose” adherence is what defines the anthology; that arguably, no two stories are in the same specific genre or sub-genre. At the same time, this very element is what makes Crucified Dreams so interesting: it’s like an self-sufficient eco-system of horror, where new “breeds” create themselves on every page.

Ultimately, Crucified Dreams isn’t necessarily a volume of “urban horror”; its stories aren’t especially scary, as much as they are thought-provoking and engaging. And honestly, the truly striking stories in this anthology are a bit scarce. Nevertheless, Crucified Dreams is an enjoyable foray into the seedy underbelly of city life, and does provide some thoughtful material for the reader who’s willing to pick and choose.

***

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College dropout, Sam LaCroix, flips burgers for a living at the local fast food joint. But when a wayward potato attracts the attention of a man called Douglas, Sam's life is turned completely upside down. You see, Douglas is a necromancer—a man who raises the dead for the highest bidder. And as it turns out, Sam is a necromancer too, albeit a weak one. Now he has to figure out how to harness his power and stay on Douglas' good side—or else.

In this delightfully absurd debut novel, Lish McBride weaves a tale that is at once hilarious, and chilling.

Sam's character is quirky and well-defined. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer is written primarily in the present-tense, first person, and so we as readers have a visceral relationship with the main characters. Sam, in particular, is full of human unpredictability and emotion, as is Douglas. The other characters—with the possible exception of Brooke—are distinctly secondary characters, but still manage to be necessary elements of the novel.

The plot is, in a word, delightful. It does have its creepy moments; some scenes were absolutely chilling. But the mild scare factor is tempered by a healthy dose of black humor and sarcasm. And although the plot is somewhat predictable, it's still a wonderful read, and is only occasionally tempered by prose that is paced a little too quickly.

Now, I have to say that the writing was one of my favorite parts of the novel; it continually surprised me with a sort of shifting style that keeps the reader engaged. McBrid's style is very easy to read, without being patronizing. Like a lot of up-and-coming authors, McBride's prose alternates between first-person present tense, and third-person past tense. It's clear that the author is more comfortable in the first-person, but still manages to write well in both.

As a reviewer, I feel that it's my job to review the prose rather than the cover art. And yes, I abide somewhat by that age-old adage to never judge a book by it's cover. However, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer has beautiful cover art, and I feel that it warrants a mention. The red-on-black opaque, vector-style is visually striking and stands out when lined up with the other books at the bookstore. And let's face it; in a world progressively becoming more and more visually focused, cover art plays a huge part in consumer reaction.

Lish McBride has presented a wonderful debut novel that holds much potential. The author leaves the ending open in the possibility of a series. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer will delight fans of books of the mildly creepy. This is not a book for fans of hardcore horror. However, if you're looking for something fun, but dark—a great story to read by flashlight--Hold Me Closer, Necromancer is probably the perfect book for you.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer hits shelves tomorrow! Be sure to check it out at your local bookstore.

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