Tales of the Macabre, Vol. 1, Newton Webb
Newton Webb is an author who was new to me when I read this and Nestor Lynch (review at Goodreads or see below.hj) Webb’s a good short-form horror writer and this collection is packed with a galaxy of evils, secrets, perversions and other bad things to choose from. From among the 16 stories, I particularly liked Rock Bottom (Aussie backpackers in Nepal get more than they bargained for out of a tuk tuk ride), Smoke in the Sewers (ancient evil meets modern crime in 19th century London), The Platinum Service (eff around and find out) and for old time’s sake, The Tokoloshe (timeless evil things in modern Johannesburg). His range is wide and imagination vivid enough that most horror fans will probably find at least one gem here to treasure.
Smirk factor: Acceptable: 1 pt (10 smirks in 272 pages; borderline overdone.)
Immersion factor: Full-body: 2 pts
Writing quality: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Character/plot development: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Innovative/interesting: Average: 1 pt
Total: 7/10 (3.5 stars, rounded up to 4)
The Magnificent 8, Christopher D. Schmitz
Schmitz’s mug shot.
This is a freebie from one of the more peripatetic and versatile indie authors I’ve read in the last year or two. This is of indeterminate length (the ebook doesn’t have page numbers) but probably closer to a long short story than anything else. The characters are from the Starship Adjudicator series – and I have to admit that I thought that was a job description at first, leading to some puzzlement about what’s involved in adjudicating starships – and this is a sort of heist-cum-SF-horror story. As a stand-alone, it’s okay although a bit confusing initially because there’s a larger context that’s not immediately evident. Worth reading, though, because it turns into an exciting and fun, if slightly over-the-top, trip into hidden danger and fast-paced excitement.
Smirk factor: All clear: 2 pts (1 smirk, appropriately used)
Immersion factor: Shallow water: 1 pt
Writing quality: Average: 1 pt
Character/plot development: Average: 1 pt
Innovative/interesting: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Total: 6.5/10 (3.25 stars)
Shrouded Loyalties, Reese Hogan
The protagonist serves on a…submarine?...that can “shroud”, a way of quickly traversing long distances across a war-torn world. But there are a couple of catches, including the presence of a mysterious alloy or metal which attracts attacks from mysterious monster-like creatures. The enemy comes in various, apparently omnipresent flavors. Strong female character and a Lovecraftian aspect didn’t quite carry the story. There’s no real backstory up front so the context comes out in dribs and drabs. And despite some promising elements, there wasn’t an immediately evident hook to make me want to power through the confusion. DNF. Sent back to the depths 18% done.
Smirk factor: All clear: 2 pts (2 smirks in 373 pages)
Immersion factor: Damp: 0.5 pts
Writing quality: Below-average: 0.5 pts
Character/plot development: Below-average: 0.5 pts
Innovative/interesting: Below-average: 0.5 pts
Total: 4/10 (2 stars)
Tales from the Sehnsucht Series Part 1: The Manderian Halden, Keyla Damaer
Tales from the Sehnsuch Series Part 2: The Manderian Directorate
Keyla Damaer is a highly imaginative author and has created a detailed, interesting and largely non-human setting, lovingly detailed through the two-part “Sehnsucht Series.” Coming right after I gave up a multi-month long effort to read Shrouded Loyalty because I had trouble figuring out the context and backstory, I was concerned that the same thing would happen here. This was easier to follow, and Damaer deserves props for making the alien world come alive in such a detailed way. At the end of the day, the universe and the characters in it didn’t resonate very strongly for or with me, but it was a worthwhile read and an interesting peek into a detailed, imaginative SF universe.
Smirk factor: Acceptable: 1 pt (6 smirks)
Immersion factor: Shallow water: 1 pt
Writing quality: Average: 1 pt
Character/plot development: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Innovative/interesting: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Total: 6/10 (3 stars)
Nestor Lynch, Newton Webb
"Nestor Lynch" starts with an interesting idea: what if the heir to a dying industrial company refused to accept that the company was doomed, and tried to resuscitate it -- against the expert advice of the company's management? And, to make it more interesting, what if the heir appeared to be a completely bad fit for the new role? And, to be still more interesting, what if there was a dark and shadowy conspiracy waiting to strike?
All of these things are true -- and there are drones, an ancient secret, and a love interest!
This is the second Newton Webb I'd read, after his "Tales of the Macabre, Vol 1" so I was excited to see what was on offer. The good news is that there's nothing dramatically wrong with the book: it's a fun, if slightly implausible, mystery.
The less good news is that it loses a star for character and plot development. Both came across as being decent--but I think it was within Webb's talents to both make the characters more detailed and give them more depth. The plot is serviceable, but suffered from being relatively predictable. There was a lot of raw material here which could have made this sing with a bit more polishing.
This was a good read and worth your time -- I hope to see a lot more from Webb in the future.
Smirk factor: Acceptable: 1 pt (Subjective rating — unindexed)
Immersion factor: Chest-high: 1.5 pts (Parts were immersive, parts bone-dry)
Writing quality: Average: 1 pt
Character/plot development: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Innovative/interesting: High: 2pts (Heavy industry and stone circles and love, oh my.)
Total: 7/10 (3.5 stars, rounded to 4)