Susan Hated Literature

Archive for October 14th, 2007

Oct 14 2007

Wormwood

Published by Fence under Books

Author: Poppy Z. Brite
ISBN: 04402179890 DDC: 813.54
Read for the RIP Challenge
See Also:

“Can’tcha see the time is here for us to fine … Rivers, mountains, nothin’ can be far behind … Can’tcha see… You gotta find out this one for yourself… Can’tcha see…”
Throaty Carolina voice full of gravel and gold, growling deep, rising to a fluttering crescendo that skimmed over the terrible guitar playing.

I’ve said before that in most cases for me to really love a book I have to have well written/developed characters which is possibly why short stories don’t always grab me; they just don’t have the time or space to develop the characters. So is the case with these short stories by Brite. For the most part the writing is excellent. The stories themselves very atmospheric and, in the main, creepy and so perfect for the RIP Challenge, but I just didn’t care about the characters at all. In the first story maybe I could have gotten to like Ghost and Steve, I was pleased when they showed up in a later story, but most of the time I was quite disconnected from the writing.

That may sound too negative. It isn’t really meant to be, because there are stories that really work. Maybe I’m just not that into the stuff she writes, but two in particular I really liked; The Elder and The Sixth Sentinel. Others had parts that I liked, and she certainly has some style in her writing, but they just weren’t my cup of tea.

Tags: 7 Stars, 813.54, atmospheric, creepy, horror, Poppy Z. Brite, RIP Challenge, sff, short stories, Wormwood

5 responses so far

Oct 14 2007

Mr. Brooks

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir: Bruce A. Evans

Kevin Costner … Mr. Earl Brooks

Demi Moore … Detective Tracy Atwood

Dane Cook … Mr. Smith

William Hurt … Marshall

Marg Helgenberger … Emma Brooks

Danielle Panabaker … Jane Brooks

Matt Schulze … Thorton Meeks

This film I really, really enjoyed, but the problem is that if I say too much about it I might ruin it for you. So, in brief, Costner plays earl Brooks, a ceramic maker. A big name in the business community. But Mr. Brooks has another side to him; he likes to kill. He believes himself addicted to murder, and every now and then he falls off the wagon and his alter-ego, Marshall, gets what he wants, a murder. But on his most recent outing he makes a bad mistake and gets photographed at the scene. He know has to deal with the photographer as well as his own family issues.

Tags: 9 Stars, Bruce A. Evans, Dane Cook, Danielle Panabaker, Demi Moore, Kevin Costner, Marg Helgenberger, Matt Schulze, Mr. Brooks, multiple personality, murder, Raynold Gideon, serial killer, suspense, William Hurt

One response so far

Oct 14 2007

Black Sheep

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir & Writ: Jonathan King

Nathan Meister … Henry Oldfield
Danielle Mason … Experience
Peter Feeney … Angus Oldfield
Tammy Davis … Tucker
Glenis Levestam … Mrs. Mac

This is the story of Henry Oldfield, son of a prominent sheep farmer in New Zealand, who, following a tragic incident in his childhood, suffers from a fear of sheep. He returns to the farm to sell his share of the family property to his older brother Angus. But while there is discovers the terrible secret… Angus has been experimenting in order to create a new breed of sheep, The Oldfield, but things go a little wrong and before you know it the mutant killer sheep are terrorising the land.