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Totentanz: A Macabre Triptych
Three short stories that delight in the macabre, the gruesome and the grotesque.
Channel a man finds himself isolated and alone in an unfamiliar post-Communist country, with only the television for company. But what are the images on Channel Six? What do they mean? Who is the man in the hospital bed?
a bite, a fever, and a man becomes trapped in the living prison of the undead. What horrors lie in wait for the sentient living dead? What gruesome impulses impel their rotting limbs?
The Great the world's greatest magician is giving his final performance, but why is he going into retirement? Can he really bring a woman back from the dead, as he claims? And just what role does the strange dwarf Azamat have to play?
This triptych of horror fiction will delight die-hard ghouls and fearful newcomers alike.
Around 9,500 words.
Channel a man finds himself isolated and alone in an unfamiliar post-Communist country, with only the television for company. But what are the images on Channel Six? What do they mean? Who is the man in the hospital bed?
a bite, a fever, and a man becomes trapped in the living prison of the undead. What horrors lie in wait for the sentient living dead? What gruesome impulses impel their rotting limbs?
The Great the world's greatest magician is giving his final performance, but why is he going into retirement? Can he really bring a woman back from the dead, as he claims? And just what role does the strange dwarf Azamat have to play?
This triptych of horror fiction will delight die-hard ghouls and fearful newcomers alike.
Around 9,500 words.
33 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2011
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 28, 2011
I'm a fan of Simon John Cox, and this little trick-or-treat of a book surprised and delighted me. He delivers the same quality of poetic symbolism, metaphor, and description as usual, but this time he does so in genres which are not typically known for their artistry. Including aspects of suspense, horror, and fantasy, I can see why this book was released so close to Halloween.
With the first story (my favorite), "Channel Six," Cox delves into the psychological roots of anxiety and the philosophical questions about life's purpose. And he does so in a style that reminded me of Orwell's 1984 and the thriller movie The Ring. I liked it so much, in fact, that I was sad it was only a story. I think it would make an excellent first chapter to a novel. The second story, "Z," is written in a different style, like straightforward, storytelling free verse. My interpretation is that it's from the perspective of a vampire, but it could be any demon that feeds on humans. The final story, "The Great Meliakoff," is about the rise and fall of a magician. With all the hocus pocus, it felt lighter than the previous two, but its conclusion was a punch line that rounded out this dark and truly macabre trio of short stories. Loved it.
With the first story (my favorite), "Channel Six," Cox delves into the psychological roots of anxiety and the philosophical questions about life's purpose. And he does so in a style that reminded me of Orwell's 1984 and the thriller movie The Ring. I liked it so much, in fact, that I was sad it was only a story. I think it would make an excellent first chapter to a novel. The second story, "Z," is written in a different style, like straightforward, storytelling free verse. My interpretation is that it's from the perspective of a vampire, but it could be any demon that feeds on humans. The final story, "The Great Meliakoff," is about the rise and fall of a magician. With all the hocus pocus, it felt lighter than the previous two, but its conclusion was a punch line that rounded out this dark and truly macabre trio of short stories. Loved it.
October 27, 2011
The stories in this collection experiment are different in substance and style, but one thing they don't lack is chills. I read this in bed, at night, on my kindle. And I found that mid-way through 'Channel 6' the hairs were standing on the back of my neck.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews