Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Ben Maher-Jacobson

About Ben

I am a marketing writer and freelance journalist. Before making an unexpected mid-pandemic career shift, I spent 10 years working as a newspaper reporter, editor and columnist. I have a wonderful wife, three poorly behaved dogs, two bunnies and a chinchilla.  

I read primarily for entertainment, so I’m a big fan of thrillers and genre novels, particularly horror and science fiction. I also love to laugh, so I dig humorous fiction and non-fiction. For example, my love for Dave Barry’s humorous essays was a big reason I began working in newspapers. 

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here) 

Q & A

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A. The best book I read in 2020 was The Ruins, by Scott Smith. It’s about a group of young, adventurous tourists who stumble upon an archaeological site in Mexico. Naturally, things go horribly wrong and they are picked off, one by one, by murderous vines capable of imitating human speech. It might sound ridiculous, but it’s fast-paced and incredibly tense. And while the narrative shifts between viewpoints regularly, there are no chapter breaks to be found. Basically, it’s one nonstop nightmare until the satisfying – but not necessarily happy – ending.

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. We have a little library in our home. We have two squashy armchairs, either of which make an ideal spot for some Sunday morning reading. I like to park myself in a chair with a glass of diet soda, let one of the dogs jump up into my lap and then spend a few hours vegetating. That said, books, in my opinion, have such great value because of their versatility. Any location can be an ideal reading spot, as long as you’ve got the time, the space and enough light to make out the words on the page.

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?

A. I’m considering going through H.P. Lovecraft’s catalogue. I’ve avoided his work for years because I’ve heard so much about the author’s virulent racism. But I’ve really enjoyed a few Lovecraft-adjacent books recently – including the excellent Lovecraft Country, by Matt Ruff – that combine the eldritch horrors for which the author was famous with real-life social and political issues. I’d really like to check out the source material firsthand, especially now that I’ll be doing so as a reader who is more aware of the social and historical context in which Lovecraft operated.

Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?

A. Any fan of horror fiction must check out Adam Nevill. Like, right now. He’s fairly big in the U.K., but I don’t think he’s quite penetrated the American literary market in the same way. Which is crazy. The man writes the most descriptive, horrifying prose I’ve ever read. It’s dark, frequently disgusting, and so incredibly unnerving you have to read it to believe it.

Fortunately, I think Nevill’s day is coming in the United States. He wrote the book on which Netflix’s The Ritual was based, and the streaming service plans to debut an adaption of Nevill’s No One Gets Out Alive later this year. More attention to this incredible horror author can only be a good thing.

Q. What book has been the most challenging for you to read? How did it challenge you?

A. Reading is fun escapism for me. Any book can provide opportunities for introspection and personal growth, but I’d really rather just focus on monsters and jokes and explosions and the like. It’s rare that I’ll pick a book specifically for the challenge of it or to enrich myself or whatever.

Personally, I blame Wuthering Heights. While I don’t find it as insufferable as Madame Bovary (I changed my college major from English to communications after being forced to read that supposed “masterpiece”), Wuthering Heights completely soured me on anything that might even tangentially be considered classic literature.

Perhaps it’s because I first was forced to read it as an angsty and romantically frustrated 16-year-old, so the love triangle at the center of the book hit a bit too close to home. Or maybe it just didn’t have enough explosions. Either way, I was forced to read Wuthering Heights repeatedly over the course of my education, and I found new reasons to loathe it every time. 

Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?

A. For me, it’s all about the characters. Are they behaving in a way that is consistent with everything I’ve read and learned so far? Are they interesting and relatable? Is the dialogue believable, or at least in line with the overall tone of the narrative?

Once I’ve lost my grip on a character in a book, it can be really tough to come back. To me, that suggests that an author didn’t have a cohesive vision for their work. I want my stories to have defined beginnings, middles and ends. And you can’t have a satisfying and complete narrative if the characters aren’t realistic or, at the very least, true to themselves and the reality in which they exist.

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

A. I was fortunate to have very loving grandparents who made sure to read to my brother and I each and every night before bedtime. I’ve been a professional writer for more than a decade now, and my grandparents deserve much of the credit. Or blame.

Check out Ben Maher-Jacobson's book list

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Thursday, October 1, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Ryan Bankson

About Ryan

Ryan Bankson is a Library Assistant in the Circulation department at Carnegie-Stout Public Library and an infantry captain with the Iowa Army National Guard. He enjoys wandering around his haunted mansion, messing around in the woods, and devouring any book in sight.

Q & A with Ryan 

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)? 

A. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts. I'm a lifelong student of military history and Napoleon has been my personal hero for as long as I can remember. Roberts' comprehensive biography of the great soldier-statesman is the best of the many that I've read over the years. It's quite the tome, but readers cannot help but be amazed by Napoleon's accomplishments. 

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. In fair weather you'll find me on my porch with a book on my lap and cooler full of beer nearby. When the winter weather drives me inside, I do my reading in my chair in the study with a glass of brandy at hand. 

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?  

A. I'm excited for Joe Abercrombie's latest, The Trouble with Peace. This is to be the second in a new trilogy from this master of Grimdark fantasy. What's the Grimdark fantasy subgenre you ask? Think George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. These action-packed low fantasy novels feature a lot of 'gray areas' characters–not all good or all evil, black or white. Abercrombie's characters are morally ambivalent with mixed motivations, plenty of snark, and action-packed, fast-moving plots. If this sounds appealing to you, I recommend The Blade Itself, the first in Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
 
Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?  

A. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I enjoy novels that explore themes of immortality, and this classic from the prolific Oscar Wilde really makes the reader think about the cost of eternal youth.
 
Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?   

A. If I decide that a book isn't worth my time, I cast it aside to be returned to the library without a second thought. This could be within a few sentences, a few chapters, or after I've slogged through half of the book. One of the best things about having a library card is that you're not on the hook for the cost of the book if it isn't a good match for you. Your friendly neighborhood library has thousands more, all available for free.  
 
Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began? 

A. I started devouring Goosebumps, Strange Matter, and Spooksville books when I was in early elementary school, later gravitating to Harry Potter, The Wheel of Time, and A Song of Ice and Fire when I was older. As long as I've been able to read independently, I've been a voracious reader with very disparate tastes.

Check out Ryan Bankson's Favorites book list! 

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Staff Review: All My Colors by David Quantick

https://catalog.dubuque.lib.ia.us/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=250157
All My Colors by David Quantick is the story of Todd Milstead. Described as an egotistical a-hole— he’s a wannabe writer who talks a great deal more about writing and writers, than actually doing the work. His eidetic memory makes him able to quote books at length—a trick he uses at parties, mostly to the amusement of himself. When he finds himself quoting whole sections of a classic book nobody has heard of, All My Colors, he goes into a mania trying to track it down. When he fails to find any evidence of the book's existence, and he can’t get the story out of his head, a supernatural force seems to force him through the process of pounding it out on his typewriter in a few days—the physical toll of which is described in humorous, graphic detail. After a publisher picks up the story, and it becomes a bestseller during his book tour, the otherworldly madness begins.

I enjoyed All My Colors. It kept me turning the pages and had dark humor throughout. It very much had the feel of a classic horror story à la Twilight Zone, Tales From the Crypt, etc. where the person gets their comeuppance and through the horror or shock there’s a moral to be had. This made it familiar and fun, while fortunately original enough to be unpredictable. It also reminded me of some Chuck Palahniuk books—with a self-absorbed male slacker anti-hero (likable enough however), the delight the author takes of running the protagonist through the rungs, and the sarcasm. This is a light horror story, in that although there’s moments of gruesome detail, it’s infrequent and counterpointed with comedy. The supernatural suspense is key in keeping the story moving.

Although Milstead is described as a jerk, Quantick makes him likable. That’s partly because of his one-liners and partly because, although he behaves badly and makes some poor decisions, he’s grappling at being a better person—just like most of us. One complaint some may have is that the supporting characters, for the most part, are not so memorable, apart from perhaps a Middle-earth obsessed bookstore owner. They are all supporting characters to Todd, which I guess is sort of the point, but with uninspired female characters, any message about the effects of toxic masculinity come off as a little less than sincere.

Fortunately, I didn’t approach this book expecting any deep revelations. I expected a fun supernatural romp and a little escapism, both of which I received. Although there might not be anything transformative about the story, it provides a bit of ghoulish fun and excitement, and not a few laughs. If you’re looking for a horror story that doesn't take itself too seriously, All My Colors should fit the bill!

 ~ Ben, Adult Services

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Staff Book Review: "The Hunger" by Alma Katsu and "The Best Land Under Heaven" by Michael Wallis


This past winter I read two books about a topic in American history that still has the power to elicit a strong emotional response. The Hunger by Alma Katsu and The Best Land Under Heaven by Michael Wallis both describe the ill-fated Donner Party. The story lingers in our imagination and can instantly set an eerie mood as represented in our popular culture at the beginning of The Shining when Jack Nicholson’s character explains the story to his wife and little boy as they’re driving through the mountains. The short version is that a party of covered wagons gets stuck in snow in the Sierra Mountains and resort to cannibalism to survive.

The taboo and grisly nature of the story make these events ripe for horror stories. The Hunger by Katsu is one of these horror-interpretations, but a mighty good one! The Best Land Under Heaven is a narrative nonfiction. It was interesting to read the nonfiction before the fictionalized account because it gave me some sort of historical basis and litmus test to weigh the Katsu book against. Both of the stories were excellent reads as I really felt like I was in the head of these early pioneers. 

Katsu’s tale jumps right into the trip, later revealing backstory (or inventing it) only to develop characters. She chose to focus on only a handful to keep the storyline tight. We get romantic tensions, jealousy, machismo, and back-stabbing among the party. As I felt she took liberties with a lot of the characters, it was also clear that she did her homework, as many of the journals from the party have survived. As the party moves west and they encounter natural disasters, they begin to feel like some other kind of force is following them. As party members are attacked, and these attacks can be quite gruesome, we learn of some possession taking over these individuals. Fans of horror who like atmosphere will really enjoy the eerie setting and the suspense of the party being plucked one by one. Knowing even a little bit of details from the real story adds to the suspense as you wait to see how Katsu will arrive and resolve the final harrowing chapters. Although this tale is horrific, and she does take liberties with the characters—possibly making some nastier then they actually were—her attention to historical detail gives her story credence. The romantic tension between characters also adds another element of emotional depth.

As much as I enjoyed The Hunger, I feel the Wallis book was exceptional and one of the best books I read in 2017. This factual account of the disaster is far more terrifying than having a supernatural explanation. He ties the story with the theme of Manifest Destiny, the reason why even people of means left everything behind to seek more. We meet many historical figures along the way—including a young Abe Lincoln when he was a lawyer in Illinois. This book definitely moves at a slower pace— I mean they only averaged about 10 to 20 miles a day in covered wagons— but you get to follow the Oregon Trail and experience the awe and difficulties of traversing this country in the mid-19th century. The historical detail and the story of each character humanizes the tale and, in my opinion, makes it more satisfying than any of the sensationalism often reported around the event.

Neither of these books are comforting reads. Obviously one isn’t after that when they pick up a book on the Donner Party. They do have the power to transport one to another time in our recent history and put in perspective some of the motivations of settlers seeking better lives, for better or worse, and what they risked to pursue their dreams. These books, especially the Wallis text, paint a picture of the hardships they faced on a daily basis before even reaching the Sierras. While I’ll take the nonfiction over the zombie story, I can recommend reading either book. Though the setting can arouse a bit of romanticism in many, including myself, it’s difficult to take our modern comforts for granted when reading these books.

~Ben, Adult Services

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Bingeworthy TV: iZombie

iZombie, a zombie series for people who do not really like the zombie genre.  I am not a fan of The Walking Dead and I do not generally appreciate zombie guts and gore, but if you can make me laugh its all good.  My daughters recommended iZombie to me and after about 3 episodes I was hooked.
The premise is that there are zombies among us but if they are well fed, spray tanned and properly coifed you would never recognize them as the un-dead.  The main character is Liv, a newly minted doctor who had her life all figured out. Surgeon, check; hot fiance, check; awesome best friend, check.  Perfect life, not so fast.  One night at a yacht party there were some funky drugs being passed around and before you know the ship is blowing up and zombies are making a mess of things.  Liv gets scratched and when she wakes up on the beach she is deathly pale, has a white streak in her hair and is oddly starving for brains.  So her saga begins.
She ends up getting a job in the coroner's office because of the steady supply of brains and her co-worker quickly catches her having a snack.  But he's on board in keeping her secret and even begins trying to come up with a cure for zombism.  Liv discovers that she takes on the personality of the person whose brain she has eaten and suddenly she's a magician, a gambler or a dominatrix. Whoever she is channeling is usually very different than her true self.  With the visions she has while on each brain she is spurred to  begin helping a local detective solve crimes.  
The dialog is clever and often funny.  Watching Liv come up with new brain recipes is one of my favorite little bits of each show.  The show isn't all fun and games and there are some tense moments but overall this is more Zombieland than Night Of The Living Dead. I must say I have binged the whole series and am anxiously awaiting the new season!

~Michelle, Circulation

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

#ComicsWednesday: Through the Woods by Emily Carroll


When I was a kid I loved Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, but as I got older, I lost my taste for horror. I, however, love the creepy stories in Emily Carroll's collection Through the Woods.

Emily Carroll's beautiful art is what convinced me to read outside of my comfort zone. I'd first encountered her work in a blog where she and Vera Brosgol illustrated historical fashion. I was impressed by the way Carroll could give hints of a person with a personality and a story to tell from just a single image. That ability to capture emotion in her drawings is what takes Through the Woods from good to great.

The stories are creepy and well paced, with a striking use of color. Twisted lines, washes of gray, and deep black shadows with bright pops of color help to create the creepy atmosphere. This book is eerie and haunting, without being the gorefest so common in modern horror, although the red is sometimes blood. Most importantly, readers are given room to imagine what lurks in the dark spaces.
This book is a great pick for anyone who loves classic ghost stories, especially readers who might otherwise avoid contemporary horror. And if you find yourself wanting more, be sure to check out Emily Carroll's website, where she has several other comics available to read.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Staff Review: The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

https://catalog.dubuque.lib.ia.us/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=116883&query_desc=kw%2Cwrdl%3A%20the%20girl%20next%20doorThe Girl Next Door, by Jack Ketchum, is not a read for the faint of heart.  If, dear reader, you are disturbed by graphic depictions of torture, mutilation, violence, or psychological trauma you might want to opt for some feel-good pulp novel from Nicholas Sparks or his ilk.  If, however, you'd like to delve into the darkness that dwells within us all, check out this tale.

This masterpiece of the macabre is the literary equivalent of a snuff film with a 1950s suburbia backdrop.  Young David becomes infatuated with the titular girl next door, Meg, who has come to live with her aunt and cousins.  Her Aunt Ruth, a latent psychopath and mother of three, takes an instant dislike to the youthful, exuberant Meg.  This dislike quickly blossoms into hate and results in Aunt Ruth ordering her sons to tie Meg up in the basement.  Not content with simple mental abuse, Aunt Ruth turns to the physical and shanghais her sons and their friend David into helping.  David refuses to actually lay hands upon Meg, but he still finds himself fascinated by the brutality he watches her endure.  David wants to help Meg somehow, but he's afraid to take a stand against Ruth and her sons.  If they would inflict such pain on an innocent girl, what horrors might they have in store for David?

Did I mention this book was based on a true story?  Keep that in mind, buckle up, and dive into this torrid tale.

 ~Ryan, Circulation Department

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Staff Review: Little Girls by Ronald Malfi


As a connoisseur of all things creepy I’ve read my share of ghost stories and have pored over various dusty tomes by lamplight at the witching hour. That being said, Little Girls by Ronald Malfi, takes the incorporeal cake. A sense of foreboding permeates the narration from the first page turn and, as the reader delves deeper into the disconcerting story line, a feeling of dread unwittingly crawls up the spine.  

As the title implies, in Little Girls the ghostly menace happens to be the restless spirit of a child. What is it about the apparitions of children that so readily strike a chord in our collective disquiet? When those twins crawl out of the woodwork croaking “REDRUM” or some youngster or other becomes possessed by a malevolent specter, it’s downright unsettling. If you pair ominous kids with a decrepit old mansion that happens to be the scene of a recent suicide, you have the setting of Little Girls.  

Throughout the tale the reader is given reason to question the sanity of the protagonist. Is Laurie Genarro being plagued by the phantom of her childhood tormentor or is she slowly losing her mind in the wake of her father’s suspicious death? Luckily for us it can be a little of both as a person’s ghosts aren’t always things that go bump in the night. 

If, dear reader, you happen to live in a haunted old manor house, like myself, I don’t recommend that you stay up late into the night with this book clutched in your cold, clammy hands wondering about that odd thumping sound resonating from the attic.  

~Ryan, Circulation