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Harmland:
WHISKEY, GUNS, AND SINHarmland is a collection of noir horror stories by the author of Killing Trail and Cold in the Light. It Guns, and They'd all forgotten Jessi. As the motorcycle landed, Jessi sidestepped and clubbed her pistol across the rider’s face. He wore no helmet and the barrel of the Smith & Wesson tore him a wider mouth. The Finest Two lovers are found buried in a swampy grave. The worst is yet to come.The Grey Scientific research can be murder.The He thought it was just a large toad until it killed a bird. Then he made the mistake of following it into the woods.The A modern Cthulhu Mythos tale. And other bonus stories.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
77 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2012
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Charles Allen Gramlich
41 books290 followersI grew up on a farm in Arkansas, and I fully intend to retire right back to that same farm. But not yet. I came to Louisiana in 1986 to teach Biological Psychology at Xavier University in New Orleans. I've been there ever since, although I now live in a semi-rural area outside Abita Springs, Louisiana.
My primary writing interests are in Fantasy and Horror, which are the genres where my books and most of my short stories fit. I also write nonfiction, however, and poetry.
My primary writing interests are in Fantasy and Horror, which are the genres where my books and most of my short stories fit. I also write nonfiction, however, and poetry.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 27, 2022
Another great book by Charles Gramlich. I have to say one of the stories did give me night mares. Do not read after dark. Also one story was very familiar to me as I had been in that very place. Made it very creepy… or froggy 😉
June 21, 2012
Another most excellent set of stories. What I've always liked about Charles' stories is you can never be quite sure where he's headed. It's like driving down a highway and going around a curve to find yourself in a completely different place than you thought you would find.
The stories are a mix, noir and horror, although as with a lot of his work, they tend to bleed together at times.
Some favorites:
WHISKEY, GUNS, AND SIN: slightly different from the version that appeared in the ezine BEAT TO A PULP.
THE TOAD: I recognized some autobiographical elements in this tale. Good thing the fantastic elements were fiction.
THE VIVARIUM: Charles' venture into Lovecraftian horror. I'm no expert. I've read Lovecraft but it's been many years and he was not a favorite. I did catch a few references to a particular Comic universe hidden within.
THE FINEST CUT is one of those tales I mentioned that strike out in directions I could never have imagined.
The rest are pretty good as well, some flash pieces that have personal significance to Charles.
Quit enjoyed this one. Worth a look.
The stories are a mix, noir and horror, although as with a lot of his work, they tend to bleed together at times.
Some favorites:
WHISKEY, GUNS, AND SIN: slightly different from the version that appeared in the ezine BEAT TO A PULP.
THE TOAD: I recognized some autobiographical elements in this tale. Good thing the fantastic elements were fiction.
THE VIVARIUM: Charles' venture into Lovecraftian horror. I'm no expert. I've read Lovecraft but it's been many years and he was not a favorite. I did catch a few references to a particular Comic universe hidden within.
THE FINEST CUT is one of those tales I mentioned that strike out in directions I could never have imagined.
The rest are pretty good as well, some flash pieces that have personal significance to Charles.
Quit enjoyed this one. Worth a look.
November 15, 2017
Harmland is a strong collection of horror and noir short stories by Charles Gramlich. He notes in the introduction that he resisted the advice to brand himself by limiting his writing to a particular genre. I'm glad he ignored the advice, for he's a gifted writer who has a lot to say about many things, and he shows his skill in many formats and genres. Harmland is a prime example.
Harmland is a collection of tight stories (in the best sense of the term) that contains dialogue and description that are lean yet evocative. Gramlich writes about the places where he has lived, from the Ozarks to the northshore of Lake Pontchartrain. He knows the areas well and is able to use location as if it were a character of its own to explore the themes of his tales. It gives realism to a genre that inherently calls for the willing suspension of disbelief.
The first two stories pull the reader in quickly: "The First Cut" and "The Grey Inside." What most of the stories have in common is that they veer right when you think they're going left. Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed, the author gave me a ending that I didn't see coming. Every story has a great payoff, and that's what this genre is about.
There's a longer tale, "The Vivarium," that is excellent. There's also a very short entry titled "The Hiss of Angels" based on a difficult time in the author's life. Both lend diversity and authenticity to Harmland.
This is a collection through which you can browse and pick a story or two to read at your leisure. But once you start, you may find that you want to keep turning the pages. After all, the title of the collection is called Harmland, and if you like horror stories, well, that says it all.
Harmland is a collection of tight stories (in the best sense of the term) that contains dialogue and description that are lean yet evocative. Gramlich writes about the places where he has lived, from the Ozarks to the northshore of Lake Pontchartrain. He knows the areas well and is able to use location as if it were a character of its own to explore the themes of his tales. It gives realism to a genre that inherently calls for the willing suspension of disbelief.
The first two stories pull the reader in quickly: "The First Cut" and "The Grey Inside." What most of the stories have in common is that they veer right when you think they're going left. Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed, the author gave me a ending that I didn't see coming. Every story has a great payoff, and that's what this genre is about.
There's a longer tale, "The Vivarium," that is excellent. There's also a very short entry titled "The Hiss of Angels" based on a difficult time in the author's life. Both lend diversity and authenticity to Harmland.
This is a collection through which you can browse and pick a story or two to read at your leisure. But once you start, you may find that you want to keep turning the pages. After all, the title of the collection is called Harmland, and if you like horror stories, well, that says it all.
May 18, 2018
I'm not even sure how I ended up with this on my Kindle (a free offer that sounded good, maybe) but I am so glad I did. Gramlich's stories are the perfect blend of noir and horror that creep you out in such a good way.
I think my favorite in the collection is "The Vivarium." Love the twist at the end.
One of the things that appealed to me was that there was no pattern. Some stories involved a supernatural element, some were more fantastical, and some were believably realistic, even though the creep factor was front and center.
I don't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who likes dark fiction, horror, Lovecraft, and stories that keep you turning the page. The only reason this took me two days to finish was because I started it too late the first night and needed sleep.
I think my favorite in the collection is "The Vivarium." Love the twist at the end.
One of the things that appealed to me was that there was no pattern. Some stories involved a supernatural element, some were more fantastical, and some were believably realistic, even though the creep factor was front and center.
I don't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who likes dark fiction, horror, Lovecraft, and stories that keep you turning the page. The only reason this took me two days to finish was because I started it too late the first night and needed sleep.
November 8, 2013
4.5 stars. This collection sucked me in from the very first story. Although the introduction maps the progression as running from noir to horror, the line between the two was very thin for me. Vivid, uncomfortable stories that don't tie up neatly but instead leave you worrying about what would have happened next.
June 21, 2012
This is my newest collection. I'm pretty happy with it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews