SuperNOIRtural Tales

The Black Lands #0.5

by Ian Rogers

Felix Renn is a private investigator in a supernatural world, an alternate reality where a dark dimension called The Black Lands co-exists alongside our own. Travelling to and from The Black Lands is dangerous — and illegal — but that doesn’t stop some of the creatures that reside there from crossing over into our world from time to time.

In this collection of stories, Felix encounters a variety of terrifying entities, including ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and the deadly Black-Eyed Kids. In a world where paranormal has become the norm, each new case may be his last.

With an introduction by Mike Carey, author of The Girl with All The Gifts and writer for the DC/Vertigo comic book series Lucifer, Hellblazer, and The Unwritten.

THIS IS A BLACK LANDS NOVEL/NOVELLA COLLECTION. While it is entirely standalone and not at all necessary to enjoying the book, we'd encourage you to read SYCAMORE, also in the Black Lands universe!


Praise for The Black Lands
“Private investigator Felix Renn is a masterful creation—arch, world-weary, clever and tenacious. Fans of Jim Butcher and Richard Kadrey will be enthralled with the world of the Black Lands.”
—Nick Cutter, author of The Troop and The Queen

“Indomitable PI Felix Renn is back for another case and I’m delighted to follow him once again into the fray. Rogers’ writing is pure gold.”
—Laird Barron, author of Not a Speck of Light (Stories)


About the
Ian Rogers is the author of Family, Sycamore, The Underwood, Grey, and Every House Is Haunted. His novelette, “The House on Ashley Avenue,” was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and is currently being adapted into a feature film produced by Sam Raimi. Ian lives with his wife and two cats in Peterborough, Ontario. For more information, visit ianrogers.ca.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fantasy, Mystery, Occult Detective, Collections, Urban Fantasy

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

Ian Rogers is the author of the award-winning collection, Every House Is Haunted. His novelette, “The House on Ashley Avenue,” was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and is currently being adapted into a feature film produced by Sam Raimi. His debut novel, Family, was published by Earthling Publications. He is also the creator of the Black Lands series. The first book, Sycamore, was published by Cemetery Dance Publications.

Ian's short fiction has appeared in several publications, including Tor.com, Cemetery Dance, Broken Pencil, and Shadows & Tall Trees. His work has been selected for The Best Horror of the Year and Imaginarium: The Best Canadian Speculative Writing.

Ian lives with his wife and two cats in Peterborough, Ontario. For more information, visit ianrogers.ca.

Reviews

[mark monday · Rating 3 out of 5]

if you like the lightly hard-boiled UF horror of Sandman Slim, then this is probably a 4 star book for you. the subgenre is just not my jam, which is not a reflection on the author's skills or the book itself.

the central concept of "The Black Lands" was fun and full of potential: since the end of WWII, portals have been opening up across the world leading into and out of a dimension of Always Dark, complete with giant moon, unusually colored grass, bloodthirsty trees, and various fan favorites including those of the lycanthropic and vampiric persuasion. the world as the characters know it is one fraught with danger, monsters, disappearances, "influences", and a lot of ignoring the possibility of death coming easily to anyone, anywhere. juicy stuff, and by "juicy" I mean "bloody".

Rogers' writing style is crisp, calm, and smooth. dialogue and our protagonist's internal thought processes combine the classic noir style with post-Buffy snark - not my favorite in tone or delivery, but certainly not problematic either. there is no whiff of the sort of amateurishness that would sometimes explain why a book as polished as this one is so under-read. it's strange. a book like Hounded (ugh) is rated by over 65,000 people; this one is currently rated by under 40. is popularity a roll of the dice? is it the stupid title?

three of the stories were okay. central concepts and characters including our hero - private investigator Felix Renn - are introduced, vicious creatures and humans do their thing and are eventually dispatched, booze is drunk, and on we go. two pieces stood out for me. the first of them, "Black-Eyed Kids", gives us a couple eerie tykes stalking humans who have the nerve to make Black Land business their own business. the kids' goals and modus operandi for settling up were surprising.

the second stand-out, the novella "The Brick", was a great experience. this thoroughly absorbing tale concerns a haunted house in England, a grandmother and granddaughter somehow linked to the Black Lands, a search for a missing person, a horrifying monster stalking its prey and attempting to pass into our world, an island refuge, and a possessed brick. a possessed brick. this brick was fantastic, a real clutch performer, and I want one. the novella features a brief and scary trip into the Black Lands. I would like more of that. my hope for more incursions into this dimension of creepiness may tempt me to read the follow-up novel that will apparently be coming soon. and speaking of scary, reading this novella late at night actually gave me some goosebumps. a rare occurrence! I've read a lot of horror throughout my life and so anything that causes me to wonder nervously what it would be like to be stalked by some red-eyed being that taps on windows, groans and growls and shows me its shadow, intent on breaking through into my own comfy dimension to rip me to shreds... well, kudos for that. I like being scared.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felix Renn is my new favorite detective. He's moody, a bit of a wise ass and a total lone wolf. This collection of short stories follows our protagonist as he works some very unusual cases dealing with a dark dimension called, The Black Lands.
The first story, Temporary Monsters, indicated that I would enjoy the rest of the collection--the dialog is so perfect, witty, dry, full of sarcasm--what every good noir needs!
These stories sort of reminded me of like a very noir style of X-Files. I particularly enjoyed the first half of the story 'Ash Angles' which takes place during Christmas time--I love spooky tales around the holidays and Ian Rogers really developed that snowy, festive season layered with the perfect amount of darkness-such a great contrast.
I love, love, LOVED the BEKs (Black Eyed Kids) because those were some creepy monsters/beings we're unfamiliar with that came straight from Rogers' imagination. Really cool.
After each story, Ian tells a little "behind the scenes" tale about it and then at the end, we got a history of the Black Lands. I wish more authors would do that--Show us glimpses of the thought process and why certain stories were told. Really adds a lot to the collection and getting to know more about an author is always a plus.
I guess I gave it 4 and not 5 stars because I really wanted more from the book--this needs to be a novel so bad. I felt pulled out every time a story ended and a new one was beginning. But that's my only complaint--just that I wish these were more developed.

[Michael Neeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need more Felix Renn! This is a super-fun supernatural detective story. Dark, hilarious, an absolute page-turner.

[Matthew Gillies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review has been a long time coming, so here it is.

What Terry Pratchett did for fantasy with his Diskworld series, and Douglas Adams did for science fiction with the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Ian Rogers has done for horror with his novel SuperNOIRtural Tales.

Fusing the sardonic humour of the epic noir tales of Raymond Chandler and the gothic horrors of H.P. Lovecraft, Rogers has created a compelling mythos full of bloody good gore, mystery and biting wit that makes this novel hard to put down.

Right from the first story Temporary Monsters to the folkloric My Body, Rogers shows off a flare for acerbic humour, original storytelling and a mythology that only causes a desire to learn more about the Black Lands and how Renn can handle what it spits out.
This novel is just the beginning for an author who should be placed on a pedestal with the likes of Christopher Moore, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.

All I can say is Ian Rogers is an author I have become a fan of for years to come. Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing what he has in store for years to come.

[Tim Mcgurrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by a friend and it was a very solid read, merging two of my favourite genres: horror and detective. Felix Renn is the kind of protagonist you want to keep reading about and the final short story is much too short. I want more.

[Patrickmalka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to write this up for a while now. Let me begin by saying this collection is absolutely fantastic and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys both noir and supernatural lit. The fact that these stories combine the two in a richly imagined and well fleshed out alternate reality should not deter readers who prefer one or the other (or none of the above for that matter).

The content has been summarized beautifully else where (especially in the story notes included for each story, written by the author) so I won't spend too much time on that. I'd rather focus on the two things I think make these stories a cut above.

First, the characters. Every single person that crosses paths with our main man Felix Renn, no matter how fleeting their role is in the story, feel very real and fully realized. I've rarely had the impression that the author could tell me this much more about every single character, but simply chooses to reveal only the details needed. Like the best noir writing, we really are given what we need to know and not a whole heck of a lot more. All killer, no filler. Which means we the readers have so much more to play with. Anticipation builds. Reveals are exactly that and never feel cheap or out of left field. The sheer variety of characters we meet in this relatively small catalog of Felix Renn stories is pretty astounding and good, bad or ugly, I love them all. Related to the characters is the dialogue. Oh man the dialogue. Have you ever read dialogue so finely tuned and funny that it changes the tempo and voice you read in? We learn in one of the stories that Felix's ex hates stand up comedians. I refuse to believe that the author shares that opinion because he clearly knows what it's like to write a line that needs to read funny (and usually does).

Second, the incredulity. These stories take place in a world where monsters are common yet, we still see how people treat this reality as inconvenient and are all too willing to dismiss the affected as crazy. This very human trait is well on display in these stories and it makes for intense interactions. I can think of a variety of connections I can make to the real world, with its own kind of monsters and more importantly their victims, but I don't think I really need to. Suffice it to say, it provides these stories with an extra punch to the gut you don't necessarily expect.

I highly recommend these tightly woven, intricate but always entertaining stories to everyone who enjoys a well told detective story. Or a great twist on a monster story. Or an intriguing character study. Or a psychological tale of a man from whom the world expects more than even he thinks he can deliver. Or a good story that plays with morality's gray areas. Or...you get the picture. Read this book.

[J.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I should start this off by saying that Ian and I have been online pen pals of sorts, ever since we were both published in the same magazine many years ago. But as my recent Laird Barron debacle shows, I am an honest reviewer and if I don’t like something, I say so.


I might also be partial to these stories because I’m partial to the genre itself. Maybe I’m the ideal audience – someone who is interested in dipping his toes into reading “urban fantasy” or “supernatural noir” or whatever the genre is called, has a bit of experience reading in the genre, but not too much experience as to be jaded. Really, other than Jim Butcher and one or two other authors, I don’t really know much about this genre.


All that being said, these stories are fun to read. They are quaffable. What I found most impressive about these stories is that they are progress naturally and smoothly. I downed them pretty quickly, and what’s also satisfying is that the stories – largely novellas – get progressively longer and better. On first blush, Felix Renn, the protagonist, sounds clichéd: a divorced, snarky, loner-type PI, who just so happens to find himself in-over-his-shoulders. But the character is written well and the snappy dialogue actually is snappy. I don’t want to use clichéd bullshit like “he’s playing with archetypes,”; it’s more like he recognizes that archetypes exist for a reason – they are satisfying and reassuring – and the writing is engaging enough to particularize the archetypes so you get invested in the action.

As mentioned, I don’t know that much about this genre. I do know that I’ll be picking up a copy of the debut novel whenever it comes out.

[Nicholas Kaufmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a collection of Felix Renn adventures! These stories are so much fun. Renn, a wisecracking Toronto P.I. who keeps getting dragged into cases involving supernatural creatures and the mysterious, encroaching dimension known as the Black Lands, is a character I've enjoyed following for a few years now, and look forward to following for many more. Word has it there's a Felix Renn novel in the works. Consider me first in line when it comes out.

[T.E. Grau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some things just go together. Peanut butter and chocolate. Lowell and Hardy. Salt and vinegar. Noir and the Supernatural.

As for the latter, I mean, why not? Noir often (mostly?) centers on investigations of something unexplained, something dark and deadly. These are the exact same concepts which anchor Supernatural Fiction. As such, "Paranormal Investigators" have proliferated for years in various media, from television, film, to dozens and dozens of books. What sets Ian Rogers' collection SuperNOIRtural Tales (Burning Effigy Press) apart isn't the genre, but it's what he does with it, how deftly he handles it, and most importantly, where he takes it, which is to the Black Lands.

Many writers of dark fiction will entertain, but the writers who become important are the ones who CREATE, carving out that new real estate from the jungle that ends up one the permanent map. Lovecraft did it with his limitless cosmology of amoral Elder Gods. Jeffrey Thomas has done it with Punktown. Ian Rogers does it with the Black Lands, which is a major development in Horror Fiction, ripe with endless possibility as a dimension of werewolves and vampires and creepy children and killer trees (yes, you read that right - and it works). This dimension that exists parallel to our own, accessible by portals that are opening up with increasing frequency all over the world, is a surface that is just barely scratched at this point in SuperNOIRtural Tales - a title which seems a bit clumsy at first, until you read the stories, and then it starts to grow on you, as it totally fits.

The book is somewhat of a "concept collection" (think concept albums, with less four chord harmonies and a lot more blood) made up of four interconnected, consecutive tales (and a fifth that is related but stand-alone) centering on Felix Renn, a wise-cracking, world weary private investigator who falls backwards into becoming the go-to PI for any and all supernatural occurrences. And in Rogers' contemporary Toronto, there are many, and none of them are tame.

After a glowing introduction by Mike Carey (author of the Felix Castor novels and writer for the DC/Vertigo comic book series Lucifer, Hellblazer and The Unwritten), "Temporary Monsters" starts the collection, introducing the reader to Felix, his ex-wife/failed actress/now secretary Sandra, and the monsters that have leaked out of the Black Lands and are running amok in our world, and - in this case - have infiltrated the film and television industry in Toronto. This is the weakest piece in the book, but also serves as the baseline for each story that comes after it, which incrementally increase in scope - and quality of writing - as if Rogers warmed to the tales as we do. The overall effect is a raising of all stakes, a gradual elevation of tension and horror through "The Ash Angels" and "Black Eyed Kids" that comes to a head with the arrival of "The Brick," which is a major, meaty piece of writing - a beautiful, tragic, and legitimately scary story that marks the high point of the book, and a major contribution to contemporary Supernatural Fiction.

Rogers' style is a perfect fit for this sort of fiction, as his writing is clean and straight ahead, without a lot of jazz hands, while also dashing the stew with a necessary amount of sarcasm and bone dry, black humor. But there is also a depth of character, and a firm respect for what makes both good Horror and good Crime Fiction. Like a mellow scotch, Rogers' writing is the ideal blend of the spooky and the restrained, the shocking and the procedural, striking a balance that serves this sort of mash-up perfectly.

In the end, both Noir and the Supernatural are celebrated in SuperNOIRtural Tales, and will hopefully continue in new Felix Renn stories and novels to come. As a fanboy of both, who loves his Reeses, I'll be waiting.

[Gef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felix Renn is a private detective in a world where monsters are real. Now, that little sentence doesn't really set Felix Renn apart from other characters in the urban fantasy genre, but the world Ian Rogers has created with his Black Lands mythology does.

I became aware of Ian Rogers' work a couple years ago, thanks to the Man Eating Bookworm, back when the first three stories in this collection only existed as chapbooks. It's heartening to see them brought together for convenience and a chance at a wider audience, because Felix Renn is a character everyone should meet at least once.

I've already reviewed the first three stories in the Black Land series, but if you haven't read those yet, then here is a little catch-me-up. In "Temporary Monsters," we're introduced to Felix Renn as he's called to investigate the same movie star he killed in self-defense when said actor had a supposed psychotic break and started behaving like his latest role: a vampire. This story pretty much set the ground rules for the series, showing monsters are real and the authorities have known about it for some time. "The Ash Angels" followed it up with a Christmas tale that has Felix trying to figure out what's causing the snow angels made of ash popping up around Toronto. Then there's "The Black-Eyed Kids" that brings the Black Lands into full view with a couple of the creepiest kids you'll ever want to meet, straight from the infernal dimension itself.

When I read those stories the first time around, I thoroughly enjoyed them, but the novella that follows in this collection really showed me that Felix Renn and his supporting cast really deserve a bigger stage. "The Brick" introduces us to Jerry Baldwin, a real-estate agent that specializes in haunted houses, and his ... well, his haunted brick. At face value, the premise sounds a little too quirky, but the humor of having a brick with a ghost in it helping out Felix solve a case is tempered with the utterly unsettling history of where the brick comes from. What starts out as a missing daughter mystery ramps up page by page until Felix finds himself tussling with ghosts, gangsters, and something even worse from the Black Lands.

For me, "The Brick" was the treat from this collection simply because I had read all of the other stories, but that didn't mean they weren't fun to revisit. That includes the first Felix Renn story that I remember reading in the Chilling Tales anthology (edited by Michael Kelly). It's not a Black Lands story perse, but the mood is pitch perfect with the other stories in the collection. It's a gumshoe tangling with the grotesque. If that's not enough to get you interested, I don't know what will. Ian Rogers has a deft hand at blending horror, humor, and whodunits, which helps his stories stand out in a crowded field. And to top it off, there is even a handy history guide into the world Ian has created. Kind of like a mini-concordance.

Back before these stories were collected in one book, I heartily recommended them. Now, with SuperNOIRtural Tales, there's no excuse not to jump on the Black Lands bandwagon.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been waiting for this collection since at least 2020, when I first got wind of it thanks to the author's notes in Rogers' incredible "Every House is Haunted" collection of horror stories. Having read "Sycamore" last year, Felix Renn's first novel-length adventure, I learned with some excitement that "SuperNOIRtural" was soon coming out again by Cemetery Dance - and it was only a matter of time till I could read this much anticipated re-release of such a difficult to find book.

The collection was worth the wait. In fact, it's so good, were I still a teenager I'd probably get obsessed with Felix and spend months writing my own fan fiction about the dark entities lurking in the Black Lands, trying (and failing, of course) to meet Ian Rogers' wonderful prose, razor-sharp dialogue, quick wit, and complex plotting!

The collection contains five stories, three of them once upon a time published separately as chapbooks, a novelette, a short story, and a brief historical account of the discovery of the Black Lands (a parallel dimension populated by monsters and supernatural beings). Insightful story notes are also included. The protagonist of all stories is Felix Renn, a private detective with a golden heart and a quirky sense of humor, living and practicing his craft in a world where the supernatural is completely real. Renn takes on cases of missing people, and very often (if not always) stumbles upon some connection to the Black Lands. The first four stories are prequels to "Sycamore," the last story is a sequel.

The opening story, "Temporary Monsters," introduces Felix via a complicated tale of a number of movie stars suddenly turning into horror monster icons and attacking people. It also introduces his ex-wife, soon to be his assistant, paranormal agencies, weary cops, and hints at the seventy-year old lore of the Black Lands.

"The Ash Angels" is a Christmas horror tale, throwing a genuine conundrum across Felix's path, and having him going around in circles to solve it. "The Black-Eyed Kids" (shown on Ben Baldwin's creepy cover) reveals a lot more about the world of the Black Lands, and also makes it clear that the evil beings there have taken notice of Felix's involvement. The kids are truly a creepfest and I'd gladly read more about them!

The cast gets even larger with "The Brick," a novelette about haunted houses and monsters getting through to our world via portals and targeting people. The story also introduces a favorite character of mine, seen elsewhere as well, the real-estate agent who's selling haunted houses. He gives Felix a brick (yes, seriously) from a really bad haunted house, and what follows pits Felix and the brick (yeah, I'm serious) against ghosts, monsters, gangsters, and a mob enforcer named Donto (yeah, I kid you not!). Trigger warning: a 2010 Dodge Charger gets much maligned. Incredibly, the story never actually derails into horror comedy: it's a real nasty piece of work!

Finally, the closing story is a supernatural tale, where Felix has to investigate what's going on with a little girl he sees standing alone crying on the side of the road. A sad story with no connection to the Black Lands as such (I think), but engagingly written and powerfully told right to the end.

I highly recommend "SuperNOIRtural Tales" to fans of urban fantasy, cosmic horror, monster stories and creature features. My only complaint is that now that I've finally had the chance to read it and finish it, I have to wait another year for Felix Renn's second novel! Ah, well...

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, after my intro to Felix in Sycamore, I managed snag another visit with him. And I'm greedy it's still not enough for me 😭.

I saw someone say Sandman Slim and it hit me like a ton of bricks, that's it, I loved those books and that vibe is here.

Felix is my new ( to me because apparently I live under a rock) favorite horror dective, I need a shirt, I need more books, I didn't think anyone could take the place of Roland Deschain in my heart, but im getting worried here.

Im trying to book another ticket to the Badlands soon, so hurry up Ian!
The Black Eyes kids 👀.

I'll be back Felix, I swear!

[A.C. Hessenauer]

Fantastic collection!

I can't say enough good things about this collection of little novellas and short stories featuring Felix Renn & The Blacklands. If you're a fan of noir detective thrillers, the supernatural, and gothic horror, get your hands on this book. I loved all of it, but the haunted brick was my favorite character. Roger's prose is descriptive, but not overly so. His main character has mastered dry humor, throwing out a witty comment or turn of phrase at the best moments. This collection is a peek into a world you won't want to leave. I'll be moving Sycamore, a full length novel set in the same universe, up on my reading list. I give it five ghostly figures shrouded in darkness, and look forward to reading more from Rogers.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every House Is Haunted, Ian Rogers’ ReLit award-winning debut collection, is a recent favorite of mine. It was a wonderful read, yet left me craving more. What better book to read next than this follow-up collection?

The aptly titled SuperNOIRtural Tales is a collection of five previously published short works that fuse noir with horror to create something refreshingly unique. Each story is told from the perspective of Felix Renn, a private investigator with a tendency to attract the supernatural. This would likely be bad enough in itself, but things are a little more complicated.

Felix’s world is our own, with one major difference: The Black Lands, a strange and dark dimension residing alongside this one. The Black Lands are populated by a host of bizarre, terrifying creatures that make their way over here through Portals, causing mischief, mayhem and more than a little bloodshed.

Rogers drops details here and there about the origins and topography of the Black Lands, and they’re intriguing and often used to chilling effect. He’s proven himself to be adept at balance in this regard, never revealing too much or too little. The world he’s created is well-realized and populated with a great bunch of characters.

Felix Renn isn’t the stereotypical hard-as-nails gumshoe. On the contrary, his humanity is what makes him so endearing. He comes across as an average guy who repeatedly finds himself in, and stumbles his way through, some very strange, dark and life-threatening situations.

There’s a strong sense of humor throughout the book, a big part of which comes from the well-drawn cast of secondary characters. Felix’s ex-wife/current assistant Sandra, for instance, is a great foil for Felix. The banter between the two is hilarious at times. These moments of levity are much appreciated, at times feeling almost necessary, because when things get scary, Rogers doesn’t hold back.

The horror escalates from the first story to the penultimate (the last story is a short and chilling little piece in its own right, but somewhat anticlimactic, placed as it is after the brilliant novella The Brick).

The Brick is easily the highlight of the collection. It’s a creepy and effective haunted house tale, a terrifying monster-battling romp, and a strikingly poignant family saga that asks some probing questions regarding self-sacrifice. This one had me laughing, tearing up and nearly jumping out of my chair in equal measure.

Another standout piece, The Ash Angels, is a bittersweet story that takes a new angle on the old horror trope of characters facing their greatest fears. It’s not fear the characters face here. It’s their personal sorrows, anxieties and uncertainties being amplified and turned into psychological time-bombs.

All of the stories here are well-crafted and work on multiple levels, and the mythos Rogers has created is both very frightening and very fun. Readers of horror, crime fiction and urban fantasy will find much to enjoy, and if you’re as enamored with the whole thing as I am, you’ll be pleased to know that a Felix Renn novel is currently in the works.

originally posted at http://www.hellnotes.com

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This wasn't like walking into a horror movie, I decided. Horror movies weren't real. This was like walking into a nightmare. Nightmares weren't real either, but they felt real when you were in them."

Supernatural Noir is now apparently a genre I love. SuperNOIRtural Tales by Ian Rogers is now one of my favorite books. I had previously read his short story collection, Every House is Haunted, and was mesmerized by its darkness, sometimes bleakness, yet unrivaled beauty in the writing and the stories themselves. After falling in love with Every House is Haunted it was a no-brainer to pick up SuperNOIRtural Tales. And SuperNOIRtural Tales is just as good, albeit different. SuperNOIRtural Tales is told in first person point of view which can be tricky; usually plot takes precedence to beautiful descriptive language. Yes, most of the stories were heavily plot driven but emotion and characterization were not sacrificed.

Felix Renn is my new favorite supernatural detective. He's actually my first and only favorite supernatural detective because I've never actually read supernatural detective stories before. But I love Felix Renn regardless. I loved his sharp wit, dark humor, his sass! But he's also brave, loyal, and smart; even if he was usually in the wrong place at the wrong time. The dynamic between Felix and his ex-wife-turned-business-partner Sandra was hilarious. Their dialogue was the perfect amount of love and loathing and added some comic relief to otherwise dark situations. It was humorous but it also felt genuine which gave their relationship and the story as a whole more authenticity. Sandra is unapologetically her and definitely not afraid to put Felix in his place. But she also revealed glimpses of her sweet and tender side. In the story, Black Eyed Kids, Rogers gave his readers a real look at how Felix felt about her. That really went a long way to round him out. He is not just some flat character with witty lines, he has depth. He is occasionally lonely, scared, and vulnerable.

While Rogers characterization is spot on, his world building was fantastic! I love the Black Lands! He created this world steeped in darkness. In the span of six short stories, just 215 pages, Rogers unfolds bit by tantalizing bit the mystery, the lore, the history, the creatures of another dimension a little too close for comfort to our own. These Black Lands, the lands of perpetual night, are filled with both known horrors and horrors yet to be discovered. He explored the classic monstrosities of vampires and werewolves and gave birth to a few monsters my darkest nightmares couldn't create; namely the Whyver and those Black Eyed Kids.

The Whyver, that inhuman evil with the fire eyes was terrifying and The Brick was right up there for a favorite story but in the race for favorite supernatural abomination, the winners are the Black Eyed Kids. They were nightmare-inducing. Children are supposed to be innocent beings yet there was nothing innocent about these children. Rogers really preys on human nature with the Black Eyed Kids, that of his characters and also his readers. As decent humans, it should be that if we see a child in need or distress, we help it. But abiding by human nature may just get you horribly slaughtered if we rush to help a Black Eyed Kid. However horrifying these kids are, it was still refreshing to know they do follow rules. Not any we follow but they do have standards to meet!

So now that I've finished SuperNOIRtural Tales, I will be sitting here pining for another Felix Renn story. Short story, novel, anything. I'm ready for another trip to the Black Lands!

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an utterly absorbing collection of stories following private investigator Felix Renn in a world where the barrier between the normal and paranormal is pretty flimsy.

The mythos of this world is fascinating and seamlessly integrated into the stories, as I read I was eager to learn more and more.

I think that the main thing I’d like to say about this collection is that it’s fun, great pacing; witty (and often funny) dialog and a perfect balance between noir and horror made this such an enjoyable read.

I’d undoubtedly recommend this book and I can’t wait until we see more of Felix Renn in Sycamore, Ian’s first full length novel set in this universe.

[A. Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was vaguely terrifying. I had to stop during "The Brick" story and remind myself that my house is not haunted.

Now, this collection started off a little weaker than it ended. I do like some of the things that Rogers did with vampires and werewolves in the first story but I think it's when he strays from the overused supernatural creatures into more creative uses, then the book really picks up. (That said, I loved the last story! Saw the ending coming but it was still awesome.)

I had to get used to the writing style to a certain extent. Rogers does describe rather everything that's happening in one sentence moves sometimes. Like, "I popped the clasps [on the suitcase] and opened it. It was packed full of women's closing, a small makeup bag, another for toileties, and a couple pairs of shoes. I also found a piece of ribbon. IT was blue with a pattern of yellow moons and stars. The same one Aubrey was wearing in her school picture." -- it just ends up feeling mildly stilted to me. (There are other moments where it shows through more, I just couldn't pick one out in the 30 seconds of page flipping I gave myself.)

It might be that I'm not familiar enough with the noir genre to be used to this style of narration. But, considering I usually shy away from first-person-narration, the fact that I read and really enjoyed this book, should tell you something.

And Rogers comments about writing a whole Felix novel? Have me very excited!

[Tyler Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

SuperNOIRtural Tales is a series of short stories about Felix Renn, a private detective in Toronto. The stories take place in an alternative universe, where another dimension called The Black Lands was discovered at the end of WWII. The Black Lands is home to the monsters that find their way to our dimension through portals that are popping up around the world. Felix may not want anything to do with The Black Lands, but the creatures from The Black Lands always find their way to Felix.

I don't usually read supernatural or noir stories, so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed SuperNOIRtural Tales. I liked how the world didn't change that much after the discovery of The Black Lands. It is just business as usual, with The Black Lands being an added element rather than something that dominates everyday life. Felix Renn is flawed and sarcastic, but also resilient and brave. Ian Rogers writes all his characters in an empathetic way, so it is easy to see the motives of everyone. To be honest, I never thought I would emphasize with a brick, but Ian Rogers somehow managed that. His creatures from The Black Lands are just the right amount of horrifying and spooky (I do not recommend reading The Black Eyed Kids before bed).

Overall, these stories were intriguing, mysterious, and compelling.

[Justyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a signed copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I was intrigued by the concept of a short fiction collection of a private investigator dealing with the supernatural. I'm a fan of all of these elements and Supernoirtural Tales didn't disappoint in its execution. There are four novelette/novella length stories and one short story. I liked the author's notes after each story detailing his inspiration behind each piece. At the end there is a short history of the Blacklands. I like the sense of world building throughout the stories and for short fiction it gives it a novel-length feel. The stories are a good mix of mystery, horror, suspense and humor which made for a very entertaining and page turning read. My favorite stories were "The Brick" and "Black-Eyed Kids" though each story was enjoyable in its own way. I usually don't get involved in series, but Felix Renn is one I'll be following.

[Christopher Irvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ian Rogers knows how to write a Private Investigator. I’ve read a lot of “Supernatural PI” fiction (both long and short) over the years (from Steve Niles’ Criminal Macabre to Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files and short stories in collections such as Weird Noir) and what struck me about Roger’s novellas is his ability to wrap the mundane PI work around the supernatural. “Real World” PIs work insurance fraud, messy divorces, missing people… did I mention insurance fraud? It’s not the most exciting stuff, but in beginning his stories in ‘normal’ case work and then layering the supernatural over top (along with a great sense of humor), Rogers strikes an excellent balance and delivers on both plot and character development. His “Black Lands” are a great concept and feel natural to the world, never forced into a story. Looking forward to Rogers taking Felix Renn on a novel-length adventure.

[Nicole Lavigne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up SuperNOIRtural Tales after hearing Ian read at the Ottawa ChiSeries from his work in progress novel set in the same world and with the same characters. The reading was brilliant. Ian had the audience in stitches and then hanging off the edge of our seats when things turned dark. The reading was recorded and well worth the watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NR1l...

I loved this collection. A witty and dark world of the noir PI mixed with even darker supernatural world where vamps and werewolves are only the beginning and the least of your worries. A great read. I can't wait for the novel and more Felix Renn stories.

[Lisagoegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and scary and interesting to ruminate over. I heard Ian read from this and promptly bought it.

[Carson Buckingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I must say that I am always delighted to read anything by Ian Rogers. His writing is nothing short of brilliant, and I never feel anything but honored to review his work.

SuperNOIRtural Tales is no exception. This is a collection of six stories, of which I am hard-pressed to find a favorite, as they are all so beautifully written. They are not the thin gruel of so many short stories I‘ve read lately, but rather, are jam-packed with fascinating characters, ideas that I wished I had had first, and the philosophy of dealing with a hostile dimension right next door to ours—a hostile dimension that can enter ours through portals that have appeared all over the world. This hostile dimension has been named ‘The Black Lands,’ and the moniker is quite appropriate, as there is no sun there and everything wants to kill you (much like the wildlife in Australia). But the supernatural creatures that do make their way across often cannot be put down with regular bullets, or bullets at all, which complicates matters.

One of the folks dealing with such complications is Private Investigator Felix Renn. He doesn’t try to find supernatural cases, but they always seem to find him—well, hey, a flat fee plus expenses when he can get them isn’t anything to walk away from, and that’s the reason he is dubbed the Supernatural Detective, or ‘Super Dick’ for short. He just loves that name…

In these stories, Rogers has created a brand new genre—Supernatural Noir. Picture Mickey Spillane in Madame Lalaurie’s mansion, and you’ve pretty much got it. And the wisecracks and banter are reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor at their best. My two favorite genres are combined like a Cordon Bleu Mille-Feuille, and are just as delicious.

Here’s what you get:

“Temporary Monsters” – Some Hollywood actors will do just about anything to have an edge over the competition.

“The Ash Angels” – Christmas Eve has been the night of many suicides, and Felix Renn finally finds out why—and it’s not depression.

“Black-Eyed Kids” – They come from The Black Lands, and they want you to let them in…and they won’t go away until you do. Creepy…very creepy.

“The Brick”—There is so much action packed into this story that you’ll find it hard to believe it’s only 96 pages long. With the rich quirkiness common to Raymond Chandler, it had me on the edge of my seat right to the end. What starts out as a missing child case takes on Black Lands complications when Felix is loaned a brick taken from Rosedale Cottage—a place that “makes Shirley Jackson’s Hill House look like the Playboy Mansion” according to Jerry, the local real estate agent who only sells haunted houses. He tells Renn that the brick will help him with his case. Ohhhhhkkkkkaaayyyyy.

“My Body”—was a sort of sweet, sort of sad little story about a child Renn finds on the side of the road late at night. I shed a tear or two. Nicely done.

“The History of the Black Lands” – is so believably written that you’ll think it’s true. A fascinating ending to a book that made me eagerly anticipate Felix Renn’s next foray into the Black Lands mythos.

Ian Rogers also has another book out about Felix Renn and The Black Lands—and just as excellent as SuperNOIRtural Tales—it’s called Sycamore. But I recommend reading SuperNOIRtural Tales first. I have reviewed Sycamore on Hellnotes.

Should you be interested in reading more about Felix Renn and the Black Lands, here’s where to go: www.theblacklands.com

You will most definitely want to get a copy of this book for yourself and pick up a few more for Christmas gifts that those on your list are sure to treasure.

6 out of 5 stars! I mean it!

[Derek Newman-Stille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ian Rogers twists and warps the natural world in his Black Lands stories, taking normal experience, normal reactions, and normal people and placing them into contexts where they are forced to face trickles of the weird drifting in from otherworldly portals from the monstrous Black Lands. This is a world where children, for generations told that the monsters that they imagined under their beds are now real and are taught how to cope with the monstrous in their school. A world with governments like ours who are coping with a populace afraid of invisible, sudden, and unexpected threats and are coping (much like ours) by keeping details secret and doing horrible things in their belief that they are preserving the public interest. Where in our world, government secrets, the policing of people, and militarism are focussed on issues like ideas of global threats like nuclear militarisation, the spread of viruses, environmental degradation, and ideas of border security, the borders of Ian Rogers’ world are that of the Black Lands, a realm of the monstrous where everything is potentially a predator, where secret agencies cover up public dangers, where disappearances could be related to the supernatural or to those who might be considered a public threat, where military groups are sent into the ‘enemy territory’ of the Black Lands, and where the Black Land portals can be considered a spreading taint that can appear without warning. Like in our world where the permanent, nascent fear of catastrophe has permeated aspects of social and political life, the Black Lands is highly politicised and represents the anxious currents of the world surrounding unknowable threats.

To check out my more detailed review, you can go to http://speculatingcanada.wordpress.co...

[Canavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

✭✭✭

“The Brick” (2013) ✭✭½
“Temporary Monsters” (2009) ✭✭✭½
“My Body” (2011) ✭✭✭½
“The Ash Angels” (2009) ✭✭✭
“Black-Eyed Kids” (2011) ✭✭✭½