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The House by the Cemetery – John Everson

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The House by the Cemetery is meant for horror fans. You know who we are. We’re the ones that go to the midnight showings of classic Carpenter, Craven or even Argento or Fulci flicks. We have the wal-to-wall collections of horror Blu Rays. Halloween is our national holiday. And we go to haunted houses, no matter how crappy of an attraction they are. That’s us and that’s who Everson wrote The House by the Cemetery for. We get it. We understand the industry and HOUSE has everything that we love about it.

A dilapitated house sits vacant by an abandoned cemetery. Outside of thrill seekers, it’s been dormant for many years. But the rumors are passed down from generation to generation. This place was used for a cult killing by a group of witches back in the 1960s. Stories of ghosts hitchhiking nearby, strange happenings and haunted tales permeate the local legends for years. The house is a royal pain in the ass for the county. Law enforcement has to chase off ghost hunters and thrill seekers every year. So when a local entrepreneur comes calling and offers to turn the property into a haunted house attraction, the county jumps at the chance to alleviate this headache and score some bucks in the process. Mike, a down-and-out handyman, is hired to renovate the place so that they can turn it into the tourist attraction that it was envisioned to be. Wouldn’t you know it, Mike learns that every rumor has a grain of truth somewhere and you can’t keep a good witch down.

While HOUSE has a fantastic setting that is just screaming for a horror story to be written about it, the characters are the glue that hold this story together. Mike is a likable guy that you can easily relate to. Katie is that mysterious, flirtatious girl you’ve seen work her charm on numerous lonely guys, over and over. The cast and crew, putting together and running the attraction, all have personalities that we know like the back of our hands. It all feels comfortable and familiar. This is how Everson is able to pull this story all together. Sure, there are some parts where you kind of roll your eyes, maybe a character should ask a few more questions, but they’re not deal breakers. HOUSE is easily the best thing Everson has written. The guy has talent and you can see it in his past catalog. Hell, you don’t get a Bram Stoker Award for being a hack. But, for me, HOUSE is the story where he put it all together. Atmosphere, character development, dialogue, interesting storyline, an homage to the genre that I know and love, and suspension of disbelief. Some writers age like a fine wine. Here’s to hoping for an extended run of this particular vintage very soon. It’s intoxicating.
4 1/2 Secret Rooms out of 5
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Under The Fang – Edited by Robert R. McCammon

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Under The Fang is one I’ve seen on bookstore shelves many times throughout the 1980s. Its chock full of the decade’s horror stalwarts, yet somehow I never picked it up. On a trip to my favorite used bookstore, I came across it again and made sure not  to overlook it this time. Let’s see what’s between the covers:

 

The Miracle Mile – Robert McCammon

McCammon always serves up his readers platter after platter of stories with three-dimensional characters and layers of atmosphere. The Miracle Mile is no different. Survivors of the apocalypse try to find one last glimmer of joy from a favorite family vacation spot.

4 out of 5 stars
Dancing Nitely – Nancy A. Collins

After the Uprising, life as a vampire is very different. A glimpse in the life of Maldives the vampire as he goes out to the club. An entertaining look at how the undead’s world would be.

5 out of 5 stars
Stoker’s Mistress – Clint Collins

Bram Stoker thought he was writing a fictional tale about vampires. It’s a good thing for them that he didn’t know the truth.

4 out of 5 stars
Does The Blood Line Run On Time – Sidney Williams & Robert Petitt

Dugan joins the resistance after seeing the lead vampire destroy the only thing he loved in this vampire apocalypse. Absolutely loved the writing and the plot. Perfect.

5 out of 5 stars
Red Eve – Al Sarrantonio

Spoiled, loud-mouthed brats learn a new lesson…the hard way. An okay story that you could see the ending coming from a mile away.

3 out of 5 stars
We Are Dead Together – Charles DeLint

A young gypsy learns that it is better to be true to yourself then live your life as a lie. A moralistic scene rather than a complete story. Still a decent rendition.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage – Chet Williamson

Being together for all eternity has different meanings in a world ruled by vampires. Richard finds out this and what true love really means. Great story written with such eloquence by Williamson.

5 out of 5 stars
Advocates – Suzy McKee Charnas and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

What to do with a captured vampire that isn’t limited by sunlight and can feed off of other vampires as well as humans. Advocates touches on sociological questions that could possibly arise during the vampire apocalypse but then never really goes anywhere, no conclusion, nothing. Its too bad. A story with this good of writing shouldn’t end by the reading being indifferent and shrugging their shoulders before they move on to the next story.

3 out of 5 stars
Special – Richard Laymon

Falling in love with the prisoners is never a good idea in a vampire apocalypse, especially when the humans are supposed to only be around to be slaves and procreate. But, for Jim, the heart wants what the heart wants and for some reason Diane is special. A fun tale that I actually like from Laymon. The guy can flat out write when he’s not trying to be a horny 13-year-old.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Herrenrasse – J.N. Williamson

Harry is captured by the vampire that kills his family. Instead of disposing of Harry, the vampire decided to make Harry his human “pet” to keep him company. A confusing tale that tries to show Harry outwit his captor. Eh.

2.5 out of 5 stars
Duty – Ed Gorman

Keller doesn’t like his job, but someone has to do it in the vampire apocalypse. A great story where the delivery is the best part.

5 out of 5 stars
Midnight Sun – Brian Hodge

This one knocked my socks off. Think of John Carpenter’s The Thing with vampires instead of an alien.

5 out of 5 stars
A Bloodsucker – David N. Meyer III

A quick and fun little diddy about the price of fortune and fame in the vampire apocalypse.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Prodigal Son – Thomas F. Monteleone

A vampire scientist discovers a vaccine that will allow him to be exposed to sunlight. Following a successful trial of using himself as the first test subject, Vandemeer finds himself walking along the beach right before sunrise for the first time since he became a vampire. He meets a human and is surprised that his hunger doesn’t overtake him. What has this vaccine done to him? Monteleone’s solid delivery still doesn’t make up for a mediocre ending.

3 out of 5 stars
There Are No Nightclubs in East Palo Alto – Clifford V. Brooks

A group of humans are tired of being scared and suppressed by the vampires in the apocalypse. They learn to play instruments, form a band, and write songs of rebellion to try and feel less weak, less afraid. But in the apocalypse, you never know who you can trust, even yourself. A solid story with interesting characters and nice twist on the ending.

4 out of 5 stars
Juice – Lisa W. Cantrell

A bootlegger in the apocalypse finds that they have just as much to fear as the original ones did during prohibition. My first time reading Cantrell, a fairly well-known author from the eighties. Juice was creative and an engaging read. Cantrell doesn’t have an extensive catalog, but I will be grabbing what she did publish.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Behind Enemy Lines – Dan Perez

Here’s an author I’ve never heard of, but with Behind Enemy Lines, he dishes out an engrossing tale militaristic vampires versus a band of human rebels. I’m a sucker for great characters and Perez delivers.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars
UNDER THE FANG is one of the best anthologies you’ll run across. There are only a couple of clunkers in the 17 offerings. There were a few authors in there that I’d heard of but had never read yet. Now I’ve got a few more writers to look for in my used book store outings. And that’s going to be your best bet to find and pick up UNDER THE FANG, since it was released in the 1980s. I recommend that you do. It’s chock full of wonderful bloodsucking tales.
OVERALL = 4.11 out of 5 stars