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Shadows from Here
SYNOPSIS
A man consumed by ambition; An idol from a faraway place; A girl sings, and is spirited away; A tycoon lives forever; Five shadows haunt an innocent man; A dead soldier yearns to be remembered; A painter sees the end; A man not like others; A forgotten place moans in our woods.
These are stories from home These are Shadows from Here
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Writes Singaporean horror. Grew up on ghost stories. Tried reading Hemingway, loved Melville very much; but put them all down when he reached Lovecraft.
His tales draw often from Singaporean history and culture. His themes stretch across Asia and beyond, sometimes to other shores.
Join him. Connect with him at: www.facebook.com/raymuschang
A man consumed by ambition; An idol from a faraway place; A girl sings, and is spirited away; A tycoon lives forever; Five shadows haunt an innocent man; A dead soldier yearns to be remembered; A painter sees the end; A man not like others; A forgotten place moans in our woods.
These are stories from home These are Shadows from Here
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Writes Singaporean horror. Grew up on ghost stories. Tried reading Hemingway, loved Melville very much; but put them all down when he reached Lovecraft.
His tales draw often from Singaporean history and culture. His themes stretch across Asia and beyond, sometimes to other shores.
Join him. Connect with him at: www.facebook.com/raymuschang
124 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2016
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 7, 2016
A short story collection consisting of 8 stories. The aim is to evoke terror and the author has accomplished this.
The horror that the reader is supposed to feel comes from the atmosphere set up by the opening, and it is something Mr Chang does very well.
My personal favourites from this collection are 'Golden Boy', 'Homecoming', 'The Five Shadows' and 'Songbird'.
My only real gripe is that some of the stories could have been longer. But that is more of a nitpick really.
The horror that the reader is supposed to feel comes from the atmosphere set up by the opening, and it is something Mr Chang does very well.
My personal favourites from this collection are 'Golden Boy', 'Homecoming', 'The Five Shadows' and 'Songbird'.
My only real gripe is that some of the stories could have been longer. But that is more of a nitpick really.
November 18, 2017
I picked this up in the "local authors" section of a bookstore in Singapore, somewhat at random, and it proved to be a good choice, both in terms of being loaded with Singaporean flavor and atmosphere, and in terms of it being an enjoyable collection of creepy stories.
Author Raymus Chang does a great job of presenting the contrasting nature of Singapore, the modern business hub steeped in the old cultures of Malaysia and China. Many of the stories have references to the mythologies of those cultures, and the dynamic of the old and new cultures particularly stands out in the opening story, "Golden Boy", and in the tale of a curse that must be given away, "The Five Shadows".
I also really enjoyed the tragic and romantic supernatural story, "Songbird", centered arount Getai singing, and the rituals for the dead. "Do Not Bring This Back" was a nicely disturbing story of a strange artifact that included a descriptive trip to Thailand. And the final story, "The Beginning and the End", had a decidedly Lovecraftian feel to it.
I did find some of the stories to be on the predictable side, but the excellent descriptive language and cultural elements kept them interesting.
Author Raymus Chang does a great job of presenting the contrasting nature of Singapore, the modern business hub steeped in the old cultures of Malaysia and China. Many of the stories have references to the mythologies of those cultures, and the dynamic of the old and new cultures particularly stands out in the opening story, "Golden Boy", and in the tale of a curse that must be given away, "The Five Shadows".
I also really enjoyed the tragic and romantic supernatural story, "Songbird", centered arount Getai singing, and the rituals for the dead. "Do Not Bring This Back" was a nicely disturbing story of a strange artifact that included a descriptive trip to Thailand. And the final story, "The Beginning and the End", had a decidedly Lovecraftian feel to it.
I did find some of the stories to be on the predictable side, but the excellent descriptive language and cultural elements kept them interesting.
May 10, 2016
This book is surprisingly easy to read and easy to understand. Love how each story seem to build its level of horror and let my imagination run wild.
The only downside for me is its slightly short ...maybe I'm just greedy for more!
The only downside for me is its slightly short ...maybe I'm just greedy for more!
May 19, 2016
I personally enjoyed the entire book.
The stories were engaging and the English was clear and easy to read.
Only wished that there were more stories in the book, so that I could have enjoyed more.
Hahah.
The stories were engaging and the English was clear and easy to read.
Only wished that there were more stories in the book, so that I could have enjoyed more.
Hahah.
May 22, 2016
I've been reading Singaporean literature actively, and I find that this book stands out distinctively from the horror offerings in the local scene. The finesse, ingenuity and spook are one of a kind. This is a remarkable debut, and this book has set a new benchmark for the genre.
May 19, 2016
Engaging stories that made me re-read them twice!
Hope the next book will be released soon!
Can't wait :P
Hope the next book will be released soon!
Can't wait :P
June 8, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyed reading Shadows From Here. First class atmospheric horror without the use of gore and excessive violence in a familiar Singaporean setting. Looking forward to your next book :)
May 27, 2016
A promising new writer in the Lovecraftian/Le Fanu vein. Cannot wait for his next offering.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews