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I'll Bring You the Birds from Out of the Sky
When Nona Conklin brings him a painting by the great-grandfather she never knew, gallery owner Timothy Randolph knows he's found the project of a lifetime: curating a spectacular cache of folk art hidden for decades in the mountains of her home.
"God never made a lazier man than Cecil Conklin. Never put a more slothful soul in a fella big enough to wrestle an ox to the ground."
The Conklin Collection is haunted and haunting, powerful in its brutal simplicity. What looks like the work of a fevered imagination begins to appear more and more like the desperate attempts of a man toiling at the edge of his limits to depict what cannot be depicted…
An underlying order as old as the hills, its thousand throats concealed beneath the roots and rocks, between the streams and trees, deep in the besieged mountains of Appalachia.
"My momma said it was their eighteenth summer when Cecil started shooting up like a weed again. That ain't normal."
But the most crucial painting of all is missing. And the only place it could be is the last place that should be searched.
"The rest, I think they always knew deep down Cecil was the one in trouble, that something was after him already. He never should've gone over the mountain."
I'll Bring You the Birds From Out of the Sky is a tale of art and obsession, of a dying heritage and cosmic horror, brought to rustic life with full-color paintings by artist Kim Parkhurst.
"God never made a lazier man than Cecil Conklin. Never put a more slothful soul in a fella big enough to wrestle an ox to the ground."
The Conklin Collection is haunted and haunting, powerful in its brutal simplicity. What looks like the work of a fevered imagination begins to appear more and more like the desperate attempts of a man toiling at the edge of his limits to depict what cannot be depicted…
An underlying order as old as the hills, its thousand throats concealed beneath the roots and rocks, between the streams and trees, deep in the besieged mountains of Appalachia.
"My momma said it was their eighteenth summer when Cecil started shooting up like a weed again. That ain't normal."
But the most crucial painting of all is missing. And the only place it could be is the last place that should be searched.
"The rest, I think they always knew deep down Cecil was the one in trouble, that something was after him already. He never should've gone over the mountain."
I'll Bring You the Birds From Out of the Sky is a tale of art and obsession, of a dying heritage and cosmic horror, brought to rustic life with full-color paintings by artist Kim Parkhurst.
97 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2017
40 people are currently reading
1866 people want to read
About the author
Brian Hodge
149 books460 followersBrian Hodge, called “a writer of spectacularly unflinching gifts” by Peter Straub, is the award-winning author of ten novels of horror and crime/noir. He’s also written well over 100 short stories, novelettes, and novellas, and four full-length collections. His first collection, The Convulsion Factory, was ranked by critic Stanley Wiater as among the 113 best books of modern horror.
He lives in Colorado, where he also dabbles in music and photography; loves everything about organic gardening except the thieving squirrels; and trains in Krav Maga, grappling, and kickboxing, which are of no use at all against the squirrels.
He lives in Colorado, where he also dabbles in music and photography; loves everything about organic gardening except the thieving squirrels; and trains in Krav Maga, grappling, and kickboxing, which are of no use at all against the squirrels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 23, 2018
I’ve been reading Brian Hodge now for a long time. He has pretty much always been a competent recountour of stories and an excellent short story writer. He fell victim to the collapse of the Horror collapse of the 90’s and has soldiered on.
In his latest excellent novella, “I'll Bring You the Birds From Out of the Sky” Mr. Hodge has chosen to mine a current popular theme utilized by weird and horror fiction, the backwoods mountains of West Virginia and the Appalachian Region.
What you get in this tale is the story of Timothy Randolph, the middle aged proprietor of the “Randolph Gallery of Folk Art”, eager to exploit the backwoods artists and craftsmen of the region. One day, Nona, a young college girl enters his shop carrying a primitive painting that was produced by her long ago deceased great grandfather. Timothy likes what he sees, and his interest grows as Nona tells him there are dozens more of the paintings tucked away in a shack back in her mountainous home.
The pair climb in to Timothy’s Lexus and head for the hills. As the story moves forward, interspersed with bits of interviews of the long dead artist who had led a strange and idiosyncratic life. we also learn more. On their journey to rediscover some of the missing paintings they discover the spores, the fungus, the strange truth of why the artist may have committed suicide. They discover worse than that.
An altogether excellent story and well worth seeking out.
This is one of one thousand signed copies, signed by Brian Hodge. The book is under sized and only 97 pages, yet nicely produced.
The 5 interior illustrations by Kim Parkhurst are quit appropriate.
In his latest excellent novella, “I'll Bring You the Birds From Out of the Sky” Mr. Hodge has chosen to mine a current popular theme utilized by weird and horror fiction, the backwoods mountains of West Virginia and the Appalachian Region.
What you get in this tale is the story of Timothy Randolph, the middle aged proprietor of the “Randolph Gallery of Folk Art”, eager to exploit the backwoods artists and craftsmen of the region. One day, Nona, a young college girl enters his shop carrying a primitive painting that was produced by her long ago deceased great grandfather. Timothy likes what he sees, and his interest grows as Nona tells him there are dozens more of the paintings tucked away in a shack back in her mountainous home.
The pair climb in to Timothy’s Lexus and head for the hills. As the story moves forward, interspersed with bits of interviews of the long dead artist who had led a strange and idiosyncratic life. we also learn more. On their journey to rediscover some of the missing paintings they discover the spores, the fungus, the strange truth of why the artist may have committed suicide. They discover worse than that.
An altogether excellent story and well worth seeking out.
This is one of one thousand signed copies, signed by Brian Hodge. The book is under sized and only 97 pages, yet nicely produced.
The 5 interior illustrations by Kim Parkhurst are quit appropriate.
September 13, 2019
A dark and beguiling story of Appalachia and the discovery of folk art produced by an outcast of the community. The paintings contain an ominous edge, and two friends and the owner of an art gallery travel to the deceased artist's home ground to discover his roots. What they uncover is way more than they bargained for, and the ramifications of what they find will change their lives forever. This book can be easily read in a sitting or two, and will keep you captivated, fascinated and fearful until the last page. The dread is palpable and will both enchant and repel. Brian Hodge is a master storyteller of the darkest possibilities of the universe.
January 5, 2018
I'LL BRING YOU THE BIRDS FROM OUT OF THE SKY, by Brian Hodge, is a story that captured my undivided attention immediately. I've been impressed by this author before, but each book of his stands out as so "original", that I'd have a difficult time in saying which was my personal favorite. I believe that it's his writing style combined with his incredible imagination, which makes his books so consistently good.
This particular tale showcased some incredible characterization to start, and only got better from there. When Nora Conklin--a young college student from a very remote, rural community--first walks into Timothy Randolph's "folk store", we get an instant, distinct impression of both characters through the observation of their meeting. Nora has brought a sample from the painting collection left to her by her great-grandfather--a man as enigmatic and mystifying as the fevered art he created.
". . . He never should've gone over the mountain."
In addition to the intricately drawn characters, Hodge weaves a tale of observation, superstition, emotions, obsession, and Lovecraftian elements into this intense story. The paintings of the long deceased Cecil Conklin stand out in a most unusual way. They had the power to instantly captivate--some viewers felt with madness, others still, with a type of genius creativity, trying to impart its secrets through the fevered paint strokes.
"Art of great power was like that. It hung on, waiting. It wanted to be discovered."
Besides the paintings, Hodge shows us the dying town where Nora comes from. In turn, it is both something that was once beautiful and still longs to be, and yet now nearly dead--the town dying out after the closing of its coal mining industry.
"Was--there's times I hate that word."
The real pull for me in this story were the characters, and their individual reactions to the "thoughts" inspired Cecil's art. It was the implied meanings behind his work and early death, rather than something blatantly stated to the readers that really tell this story. Hodge seems to go out of his way in avoiding a direct label for the paintings, as well as anything concrete that family and neighbors would attribute to Cecil's obsession. This was something each reader needs to get their own mental interpretation of.
". . . nobody should see the world that way at any age . . . "
I found this an almost poetic writing style, drawing visions and inferences from each minute detail seen through the characters' eyes. This is the kind of book I can see myself re-reading, and gleaming more perspective from each successive time.
"Who you are, you take it with you wherever you go . . ."
Highly recommended!
This particular tale showcased some incredible characterization to start, and only got better from there. When Nora Conklin--a young college student from a very remote, rural community--first walks into Timothy Randolph's "folk store", we get an instant, distinct impression of both characters through the observation of their meeting. Nora has brought a sample from the painting collection left to her by her great-grandfather--a man as enigmatic and mystifying as the fevered art he created.
". . . He never should've gone over the mountain."
In addition to the intricately drawn characters, Hodge weaves a tale of observation, superstition, emotions, obsession, and Lovecraftian elements into this intense story. The paintings of the long deceased Cecil Conklin stand out in a most unusual way. They had the power to instantly captivate--some viewers felt with madness, others still, with a type of genius creativity, trying to impart its secrets through the fevered paint strokes.
"Art of great power was like that. It hung on, waiting. It wanted to be discovered."
Besides the paintings, Hodge shows us the dying town where Nora comes from. In turn, it is both something that was once beautiful and still longs to be, and yet now nearly dead--the town dying out after the closing of its coal mining industry.
"Was--there's times I hate that word."
The real pull for me in this story were the characters, and their individual reactions to the "thoughts" inspired Cecil's art. It was the implied meanings behind his work and early death, rather than something blatantly stated to the readers that really tell this story. Hodge seems to go out of his way in avoiding a direct label for the paintings, as well as anything concrete that family and neighbors would attribute to Cecil's obsession. This was something each reader needs to get their own mental interpretation of.
". . . nobody should see the world that way at any age . . . "
I found this an almost poetic writing style, drawing visions and inferences from each minute detail seen through the characters' eyes. This is the kind of book I can see myself re-reading, and gleaming more perspective from each successive time.
"Who you are, you take it with you wherever you go . . ."
Highly recommended!
March 5, 2018
Brian Hodge is an outstanding writer and as such, how could I'LL BRING YOU THE BIRDS FROM OUT OF THE SKY be anything less than outstanding? In fact, if there was a word-I would rate this book higher than outstanding. How about exceptional? Yeah, let's go with EXCEPTIONAL.
In this novella length tale, we meet Mr. Timothy Randolph, an art dealer and curator of folk art. When Nona brings him a sample painting of her grandfather's, Timothy is intrigued and immediately sets off with her to see more of her grandpa's work. In the Appalachian mountains, they find a LOT more than they bargained for, and they will both be changed forever.
I didn't expect this tale to go where it did. Even in this short length of a story, Brian Hodge delivers the creeps on a magnificent scale. Not going to lie: I totally shuddered at the description of one character's . I even had to put the book down for a minute. Not for long though, because I had to see what happened next. (Even now, just thinking about it, I have goosebumps.)
That's it! That's all I'm going to say. If you've read Brian Hodge before, you already know what I'm talking about. If you haven't read Brian Hodge before, start here. At only $2.99 for the Kindle version of this, you can take a chance and you'll get to see what I'm talking about for yourself.
Simply, my HIGHEST recommendation!
Get your Kindle copy here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
*A HUGE thanks goes out to my friend Andi, who gifted me a beautiful signed copy which I'll treasure forever.*
In this novella length tale, we meet Mr. Timothy Randolph, an art dealer and curator of folk art. When Nona brings him a sample painting of her grandfather's, Timothy is intrigued and immediately sets off with her to see more of her grandpa's work. In the Appalachian mountains, they find a LOT more than they bargained for, and they will both be changed forever.
I didn't expect this tale to go where it did. Even in this short length of a story, Brian Hodge delivers the creeps on a magnificent scale. Not going to lie: I totally shuddered at the description of one character's . I even had to put the book down for a minute. Not for long though, because I had to see what happened next. (Even now, just thinking about it, I have goosebumps.)
That's it! That's all I'm going to say. If you've read Brian Hodge before, you already know what I'm talking about. If you haven't read Brian Hodge before, start here. At only $2.99 for the Kindle version of this, you can take a chance and you'll get to see what I'm talking about for yourself.
Simply, my HIGHEST recommendation!
Get your Kindle copy here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
*A HUGE thanks goes out to my friend Andi, who gifted me a beautiful signed copy which I'll treasure forever.*
July 15, 2018
When an art gallery owner receives an intriguing proposition to acquire the work of a reclusive folk artist long passed away, he jumps at the chance. This could be one of those rare finds Timothy dreamed of discovering. But the more he learns about Cecil Conklin from his willowy niece, and her obsessed boyfriend, after visiting the rural mountains he called home in West Virginia, the more he realizes he's in for much more than he bargained for. As they search for a crucial missing part of his bizarre and phantasmogoric collection, what the trio ultimately find will alter their lives forever.
Brian Hodge is one of the best imaginations writing today and if you haven't read his work, you should. Fans of cosmic horror will devour this dark gem.
Highly recommended!
Brian Hodge is one of the best imaginations writing today and if you haven't read his work, you should. Fans of cosmic horror will devour this dark gem.
Highly recommended!
January 12, 2021
3,5 Sterne
December 4, 2017
This just entered my top five reads of 2017! Brian Hodge is always wonderful, but this novella is a particular treat. He's written an Appalachian horror story that is not insulting to rural folk but rather acknowledges that people in the country have dreams and create art and want personal fulfillment and belonging. Of course, because it's Hodge, that all brings them face to face with something profoundly horrible (or perhaps beautiful). This book is fantastic!
December 11, 2017
Deeply satisfying!
January 2, 2018
I haven't read something by Brian Hodge in years. I discovered him back in college, when he was a part of the Dell/Abyss line of books, and he was one of those authors I would read, no questions asked. Life moved on, but I've always had a soft spot for him, so when I received this is a grab-bag of books from Cemetery Dance, I moved it to the top of my list.
The story is about an art dealer in New York who becomes aware of a folk artist when a young woman comes to his gallery to show him her great-grandfather's work. The work becomes an obsession of sorts, and as he learns more about the artist through recordings and the work itself, he finds himself making a trek across the mountain to the village where the artist lived near the end of his life. There, he finds secrets that reveal the truth behind the artwork, and ones that run even deeper.
Hodge has some brilliant turns of phrase in this story:
Her inheritance of earth and trees had come down as an heirloom of love given out of spite.
If Cecil Conklin has the devil in him, he forgot where he put him.
I don't remember these kinds of turns of phrase in his earlier works, but I might not have noticed them even if they were there. At the time, I was more interested in the horror than the writing, though I was still a stickler for a good story.
Also worthy of note is how many horror stories I've read this year that have been about Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the fungus that infects and takes over control of ants. It's shown up a few times, most notably in Caitlín R. Kiernan's Agents of Dreamland. I suppose it's a fashionable subject now, since it's both real and creepy, but I like that Hodge and Kiernan approach the subject in different ways. While Kiernan makes it a cosmic kind of horror, Hodge brings it back to Earth and makes it something more benign in intention. Either way, the stories are horrifying.
It's nice to see that Hodge still has it. I had already planned on re-tackling the Dell/Abyss books this year, and Hodge has (I think) three books in that list. I look forward to re-reading them with a fresh eye.
The story is about an art dealer in New York who becomes aware of a folk artist when a young woman comes to his gallery to show him her great-grandfather's work. The work becomes an obsession of sorts, and as he learns more about the artist through recordings and the work itself, he finds himself making a trek across the mountain to the village where the artist lived near the end of his life. There, he finds secrets that reveal the truth behind the artwork, and ones that run even deeper.
Hodge has some brilliant turns of phrase in this story:
Her inheritance of earth and trees had come down as an heirloom of love given out of spite.
If Cecil Conklin has the devil in him, he forgot where he put him.
I don't remember these kinds of turns of phrase in his earlier works, but I might not have noticed them even if they were there. At the time, I was more interested in the horror than the writing, though I was still a stickler for a good story.
Also worthy of note is how many horror stories I've read this year that have been about Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the fungus that infects and takes over control of ants. It's shown up a few times, most notably in Caitlín R. Kiernan's Agents of Dreamland. I suppose it's a fashionable subject now, since it's both real and creepy, but I like that Hodge and Kiernan approach the subject in different ways. While Kiernan makes it a cosmic kind of horror, Hodge brings it back to Earth and makes it something more benign in intention. Either way, the stories are horrifying.
It's nice to see that Hodge still has it. I had already planned on re-tackling the Dell/Abyss books this year, and Hodge has (I think) three books in that list. I look forward to re-reading them with a fresh eye.
February 23, 2018
Excellent novella taking place in the Appalachian Mountains. It involves an art curator, a young woman who has inherited "The Conklin Collection" of folk art painted by her suicidal great grandfather, and the missing piece of a trio of interconnected works. Interesting characters, plot and sensory descriptions make this a worthwhile read. Brian Hodge at his best. Highly recommended.
May 16, 2025
excellent cosmic and eco horror set in Appalachia
"I'll Bring You the Birds from Out of the Sky" (2017) by Brian Hodge is a novella published as a chapbook by Cemetery Dance. A friend recommended it to me based on my love for David Morrell's 1988 novella "Orange Is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity."
Both works detail the stories of protagonists attracted to painters who (they eventually discover) "found out" the true nature of a part of our world.
Both stories are careful reconstructions of a landscape weirder than the protagonists first imagine. Both depict the world that provoked and inspired a painter the protagonists study. Famously, "Orange Is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity" is about a man exploring a European landscape that inspired a painter similar to Van Gogh. The landscape eventually reveals that artist Van Dorn simply painted what he saw. Sublime terror, indeed.
"I'll Bring You the Birds from Out of the Sky" details the discovery of works by Cecil Conklin, a long-dead Appalachian mountain artist, unlettered and uneducated in any of the plastic arts, who made much with only (apparently) native wit and everyday flat surfaces that would hold pigment.
As "I'll Bring You the Birds from Out of the Sky" begins, Timothy Randolph, a folk art gallery owner in Richmond, is visited by Nona Conklin, a young woman from Buell, West Virginia. Nona presents him with a painting by her deceased great-grandfather, Conklin. Intrigued by the raw power and unique vision of the artwork, Timothy travels with Nona to her isolated family homestead to see the rest of Cecil's collection—seventy-three paintings found stored in an old family house.
As Timothy studies the paintings, he learns more about Cecil. He was a man considered lazy and strange by his community. He had a adeep, unsettling connection to the surrounding wilderness. Nona and her friend Lucas hope that showcasing Cecil's work could bring positive attention and perhaps economic benefit to their struggling region.
Timothy discovers that a crucial third panel of a triptych by Cecil is missing. Their search leads them to Broadwater Hollow, an abandoned settlement on the other side of the mountain where Cecil's wife, Olivia, was from. They find the missing panel in a dilapidated church, but it is being consumed by a strange, massive orange fungus that seems to permeate the entire valley. The fungus appears to kill and preserve birds and other small animals, and the graves in the church cemetery are empty, seemingly connected to the fungus below.
During their exploration, Lucas falls into a collapsing grave and inhales spores from the fungus. He begins to undergo a physical and mental transformation, growing larger and more primal, believing he is connecting with something ancient and powerful. It is a fate that reportedly also beffell Cecil.
Realizing the profound and dangerous nature of the fungus and its influence, and seeing Lucas's transformation, Timothy understands the dark inspiration behind Cecil's art. He makes arrangements for his gallery and Nona's future, then returns to Broadwater Hollow, drawn by the fungus. He ultimately surrenders to it, becoming a "servant" to the vast, ancient entity, while Lucas becomes a "wild man" who brings "bodies" to the hollow.
The story ends with Timothy absorbed into the collective consciousness of the fungus. Nona is left to grapple with the horrifying legacy of her family and the changes in those she knew.
"I'll Bring You the Birds from Out of the Sky" (2017) by Brian Hodge is a novella published as a chapbook by Cemetery Dance. A friend recommended it to me based on my love for David Morrell's 1988 novella "Orange Is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity."
Both works detail the stories of protagonists attracted to painters who (they eventually discover) "found out" the true nature of a part of our world.
Both stories are careful reconstructions of a landscape weirder than the protagonists first imagine. Both depict the world that provoked and inspired a painter the protagonists study. Famously, "Orange Is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity" is about a man exploring a European landscape that inspired a painter similar to Van Gogh. The landscape eventually reveals that artist Van Dorn simply painted what he saw. Sublime terror, indeed.
"I'll Bring You the Birds from Out of the Sky" details the discovery of works by Cecil Conklin, a long-dead Appalachian mountain artist, unlettered and uneducated in any of the plastic arts, who made much with only (apparently) native wit and everyday flat surfaces that would hold pigment.
As "I'll Bring You the Birds from Out of the Sky" begins, Timothy Randolph, a folk art gallery owner in Richmond, is visited by Nona Conklin, a young woman from Buell, West Virginia. Nona presents him with a painting by her deceased great-grandfather, Conklin. Intrigued by the raw power and unique vision of the artwork, Timothy travels with Nona to her isolated family homestead to see the rest of Cecil's collection—seventy-three paintings found stored in an old family house.
As Timothy studies the paintings, he learns more about Cecil. He was a man considered lazy and strange by his community. He had a adeep, unsettling connection to the surrounding wilderness. Nona and her friend Lucas hope that showcasing Cecil's work could bring positive attention and perhaps economic benefit to their struggling region.
Timothy discovers that a crucial third panel of a triptych by Cecil is missing. Their search leads them to Broadwater Hollow, an abandoned settlement on the other side of the mountain where Cecil's wife, Olivia, was from. They find the missing panel in a dilapidated church, but it is being consumed by a strange, massive orange fungus that seems to permeate the entire valley. The fungus appears to kill and preserve birds and other small animals, and the graves in the church cemetery are empty, seemingly connected to the fungus below.
During their exploration, Lucas falls into a collapsing grave and inhales spores from the fungus. He begins to undergo a physical and mental transformation, growing larger and more primal, believing he is connecting with something ancient and powerful. It is a fate that reportedly also beffell Cecil.
Realizing the profound and dangerous nature of the fungus and its influence, and seeing Lucas's transformation, Timothy understands the dark inspiration behind Cecil's art. He makes arrangements for his gallery and Nona's future, then returns to Broadwater Hollow, drawn by the fungus. He ultimately surrenders to it, becoming a "servant" to the vast, ancient entity, while Lucas becomes a "wild man" who brings "bodies" to the hollow.
The story ends with Timothy absorbed into the collective consciousness of the fungus. Nona is left to grapple with the horrifying legacy of her family and the changes in those she knew.
December 19, 2025
"It felt malignant. There was nothing of symbiosis about its place in the environment. It felt greedy and grasping and parasitical— as though, given enough time, this growth would choke every bit of life from the land, then spread beyond to take more."
A rare digital read for me due to scarcity of affordable, physical copies, I wish we had access somewhere to the original paintings by the incredible Kim Parkhurst.
A rare digital read for me due to scarcity of affordable, physical copies, I wish we had access somewhere to the original paintings by the incredible Kim Parkhurst.
September 26, 2025
Die Geschichte ist wahrlich nicht lange und trotzdem habe ich auf Seite 30 ca. überlegt das Buch abzubrechen. Ich habe mich gefragt, was ist das und warum ist es so zäh.
Doch dann nahm die Geschichte richtig anfahrt auf und hat mich mit ihrem verlauf überrascht. Das Cover ist wirklich genial, auch wenn man sich auf den ersten Blick fragt, was ist das für eine Gestaltung, aber es passt so super zu der Geschichte genauso wie der Titel.
Ich weiß gar nicht recht was ich zu der Geschichte sagen soll, irgendwie bedrückend, kein blutiger Horror oder so, aber trotzdem gruselig. Besonders wenn man bedenkt, dass es dieses Phänomen in anderen Formen so wirklich gibt. Ich formuliere es extra so, damit ich nicht spoilere ;-)
Trotz der wenigen Seiten habe ich beim Lesen nichts vermisst, man lernt die Charaktere kurz kennen und das reicht auch völlig um sich in die Handlung einzufügen.
Alles in allem eine tolle Geschichte, die mich mit ihrer Intensität überrascht hat. Die Atmosphäre wird im fortschreiten der Handlung immer bedrückender und dichter. Wirklich ein Leseerlebnis. Durch den etwas zähen Anfang werden es 4,5 Sterne.
Doch dann nahm die Geschichte richtig anfahrt auf und hat mich mit ihrem verlauf überrascht. Das Cover ist wirklich genial, auch wenn man sich auf den ersten Blick fragt, was ist das für eine Gestaltung, aber es passt so super zu der Geschichte genauso wie der Titel.
Ich weiß gar nicht recht was ich zu der Geschichte sagen soll, irgendwie bedrückend, kein blutiger Horror oder so, aber trotzdem gruselig. Besonders wenn man bedenkt, dass es dieses Phänomen in anderen Formen so wirklich gibt. Ich formuliere es extra so, damit ich nicht spoilere ;-)
Trotz der wenigen Seiten habe ich beim Lesen nichts vermisst, man lernt die Charaktere kurz kennen und das reicht auch völlig um sich in die Handlung einzufügen.
Alles in allem eine tolle Geschichte, die mich mit ihrer Intensität überrascht hat. Die Atmosphäre wird im fortschreiten der Handlung immer bedrückender und dichter. Wirklich ein Leseerlebnis. Durch den etwas zähen Anfang werden es 4,5 Sterne.
May 13, 2024
Brian Hodge is an elegant writer. A writer that makes you reread sentences to feel the words again.
“People had an urge to flee, if only they knew where to go. The paintings showed the place, but not the pathway. “
I’ll Bring You The Birds is a story about Timothy, an art gallery owner and Nona who brings in a painting done by her great grandfather Cecil. Nona is presented as an uneducated backwoods girl but is quite wise in her own way. Timothy is intrigued by the painting and more so when Nona says she has dozens more locked up in the old house Cecil used to live in before he committed suicide long ago.
The characters seem a bit flat and resigned to what comes to them but I guess that is expected in a 97 page novella. It started slow and the pace didn’t get too exciting except for a few scenes towards the end
“People had an urge to flee, if only they knew where to go. The paintings showed the place, but not the pathway. “
I’ll Bring You The Birds is a story about Timothy, an art gallery owner and Nona who brings in a painting done by her great grandfather Cecil. Nona is presented as an uneducated backwoods girl but is quite wise in her own way. Timothy is intrigued by the painting and more so when Nona says she has dozens more locked up in the old house Cecil used to live in before he committed suicide long ago.
The characters seem a bit flat and resigned to what comes to them but I guess that is expected in a 97 page novella. It started slow and the pace didn’t get too exciting except for a few scenes towards the end
March 24, 2024
A great cosmic horror novella whose prose is elegant and witty and full of unexpected turns; in a nutshell it has what is missing from the vast majority of modern horror fiction (which feels really blunt). The Lovecraft aura is evident; the stories that especially came into mind were "The Colour out of Space" and "Pickman's model." The protagonist is an art dealer who is presented with a painting created by the great-grandfather of a young woman, who then invites the dealer to her cottage high up in the mountains, where more of her ancestor's artworks lie.
Read
April 25, 2025Great art wants to be seen, but maybe not with that eye…
3.75⭐️
3.75⭐️
August 23, 2025
3.5🌟 Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads 🗣 🗣
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads 🗣 🗣
October 15, 2025
3.5 - It's not the story I expected but I still enjoyed it.
The characters, the plot, the atmosphere and even the writing style give off a subtle, calm, yet eerie vibe that captures the Appalachians very well.
There is no action here and there doesn't need to be. Most of the time is spent exploring the art and culture surrounding the Appalachians. Even the finale doesn't unravel into a panic-stricken situation but rather in a quiet acceptance of their fate.
The core of the novella is that it is an honest but critical love letter to the Appalachians. There are so many nuances and subtleties about the culture, history, people, folk tales and nature here that it would make the heart of any fan of Appalachian horror beat faster.
The “problem” is that I'm not such a fan.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a criticism. It's just that I really don't know anything about the Appalachians and their cultural influence on Americans (and presumably Canadians too?), so I missed a lot of the context and subtleties.
I looked it up after reading the book and it recontextualized a lot of it, but that's why I'm “only” giving it 3.5 points.
The characters, the plot, the atmosphere and even the writing style give off a subtle, calm, yet eerie vibe that captures the Appalachians very well.
There is no action here and there doesn't need to be. Most of the time is spent exploring the art and culture surrounding the Appalachians. Even the finale doesn't unravel into a panic-stricken situation but rather in a quiet acceptance of their fate.
The core of the novella is that it is an honest but critical love letter to the Appalachians. There are so many nuances and subtleties about the culture, history, people, folk tales and nature here that it would make the heart of any fan of Appalachian horror beat faster.
The “problem” is that I'm not such a fan.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a criticism. It's just that I really don't know anything about the Appalachians and their cultural influence on Americans (and presumably Canadians too?), so I missed a lot of the context and subtleties.
I looked it up after reading the book and it recontextualized a lot of it, but that's why I'm “only” giving it 3.5 points.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2022
3.5 stars.
Beautiful prose, decent plot. The 'antagonist' is pretty unique, and I liked the story beats and everything to do with the paintings. Unfortunately, the characters don't feel all that developed, so the book didn't have as much of an impact on me as it probably could have.
As an aside, it's kind of a pet peeve of mine when authors use grief as a substitute for a fleshed-out personality; not to say they shouldn't explore grief, but that characters need defining attributes beyond just 'depressed widower'. Embittered divorcees are often more compelling characters (in fiction) because it feels as if there are less constraints on how they 'should' be depicted. People going through a split, amicable or otherwise, can be toxic, aloof, indifferent, etc, and of course, mourning can take a lot of different forms too, hence why I get so annoyed when a story uses personal tragedy as a crutch to make up for a character's lack of depth and then doesn't do anything to explore it. But I digress.
Anyways, I still liked the book. It's short and sweet and the descriptions of the threat and the setting are pretty unique. If you're into them Lovecraftian vibes, check it out. I will definitely be purchasing more horror fiction by Hodge in the future.
Beautiful prose, decent plot. The 'antagonist' is pretty unique, and I liked the story beats and everything to do with the paintings. Unfortunately, the characters don't feel all that developed, so the book didn't have as much of an impact on me as it probably could have.
As an aside, it's kind of a pet peeve of mine when authors use grief as a substitute for a fleshed-out personality; not to say they shouldn't explore grief, but that characters need defining attributes beyond just 'depressed widower'. Embittered divorcees are often more compelling characters (in fiction) because it feels as if there are less constraints on how they 'should' be depicted. People going through a split, amicable or otherwise, can be toxic, aloof, indifferent, etc, and of course, mourning can take a lot of different forms too, hence why I get so annoyed when a story uses personal tragedy as a crutch to make up for a character's lack of depth and then doesn't do anything to explore it. But I digress.
Anyways, I still liked the book. It's short and sweet and the descriptions of the threat and the setting are pretty unique. If you're into them Lovecraftian vibes, check it out. I will definitely be purchasing more horror fiction by Hodge in the future.
June 19, 2025
Interesting slice of Appalachian themed cosmic horror
This was an interesting little novella setting some cosmic tinged horror in Appalachia. It moved slow but read quickly. I enjoyed the story and characters and setting, and I'd say my main complaint is I wish there was more. It felt like a story that could have grown more given the right nutrients.
This was an interesting little novella setting some cosmic tinged horror in Appalachia. It moved slow but read quickly. I enjoyed the story and characters and setting, and I'd say my main complaint is I wish there was more. It felt like a story that could have grown more given the right nutrients.
December 21, 2025
This may be the greatest cosmic horror story ever written. It should be your entry to the genre. It will change you, may make a genre fan of you and years yonder you may be searching piles of crusty books in increasingly obscure used bookstores looking for one more story… just one more tale like your first time with this here story.
June 10, 2025
Just a really cool modern cosmic horror story. Short, so it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Awesome ending.
October 17, 2025
mycological
network as lovecraftian
horror- great concept
network as lovecraftian
horror- great concept
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2022
This was an atmospheric, visually descriptive nugget of a story. I was instantly immersed, which is unusual for me with short stories or novellas. Although this genre was technically horror, it was a unique one. I would definitely read this author again.
January 8, 2018
This book was a charmer. It was a quiet story of a bored educated man with his life in the rearview helping two optimistic young adults understand their regional and familial history through some very unique pieces of art.
It's a short tale that's just as long as it needs to be. The story serves the horror--not the other way around.
Loved it.
It's a short tale that's just as long as it needs to be. The story serves the horror--not the other way around.
Loved it.
March 7, 2025
Als Timothy Randolph, Besitzer der "Randolphs Gallery für Heimatkunst", von der jungen College-Studentin Nona das Angebot erhält, die Arbeiten ihres längst verstorbenen Urgroßvaters Cecil Conklin zu erwerben, ist er durchaus interessiert. Zwar war der ehemalige Volkskünstler, der aus den Bergen von West Virginia und der Appalachenregion stammt, keine Berühmtheit, aber Nonas mitgebrachtes Kunstwerk fasziniert ihn direkt. Also machen sich die beiden kurzerhand auf den Weg in die Berge, da im geerbten Haus Dutzende weitere Gemälde lagern. Bei der ausgiebigen Sichtung fällt Timothy jedoch auf, dass ein wichtiges Stück in der bizarren und phantasmogorischen Sammlung fehlt. Zusammen mit Nona und deren Freund Lucas begibt sich das Trio über den Berg nach Broadwater Hollow, das seit Jahren als Geisterstadt gilt. Und dort finden sie nicht nur Conklins vermisstes Werk, sondern auch den Grund, warum in der Stadt nicht einmal mehr Vögel leben.
➸ Auch wenn ich erst zwei Bücher von Brian Hodge gelesen habe, kann ich durchaus schon behaupten, dass er für mich einer der besten Phantasten ist, die heute noch schreiben und auch mit dieser kosmischen Horrornovelle hat er mich erneut von dieser Meinung überzeugt.
"Ich hole dir die Vögel vom Himmel" hat eine ausgezeichnete Prosa, die selbst in ihrer Kürze Gänsehautmomente in großem Stil liefert.
Die interessant gezeichneten Charaktere verwebt Hodge auf eine sehr intensive Art und Weise mit der Story - Aberglaube, Besessenheit, eine leicht angehauchte Lovecraftsche Aura und unheimlich beklemmende Elemente runden das Ganze hervorragend ab.
Zudem vermeidet es der Autor die Gemälde, die trotz des hohen Stellenwertes nur grob beschrieben werden, direkt zu benennen, weshalb jeder Leser hier selbst interpretieren kann/muss.
Kurz gesagt hat dieses kleine Büchlein genau das, was der überwiegenden Mehrheit der modernen Horrorliteratur oft fehlt.
Für Fans des kosmischen Horrors gibt es auf jeden Fall eine große Leseempfehlung und auch für diejenigen, die es vielleicht noch werden wollen.
In "Ich hole dir die Vögel vom Himmel" kommt das Grauen zwar langsam und subtil, dafür bleibt es aber umso länger im Gedächtnis.
➸ Auch wenn ich erst zwei Bücher von Brian Hodge gelesen habe, kann ich durchaus schon behaupten, dass er für mich einer der besten Phantasten ist, die heute noch schreiben und auch mit dieser kosmischen Horrornovelle hat er mich erneut von dieser Meinung überzeugt.
"Ich hole dir die Vögel vom Himmel" hat eine ausgezeichnete Prosa, die selbst in ihrer Kürze Gänsehautmomente in großem Stil liefert.
Die interessant gezeichneten Charaktere verwebt Hodge auf eine sehr intensive Art und Weise mit der Story - Aberglaube, Besessenheit, eine leicht angehauchte Lovecraftsche Aura und unheimlich beklemmende Elemente runden das Ganze hervorragend ab.
Zudem vermeidet es der Autor die Gemälde, die trotz des hohen Stellenwertes nur grob beschrieben werden, direkt zu benennen, weshalb jeder Leser hier selbst interpretieren kann/muss.
Kurz gesagt hat dieses kleine Büchlein genau das, was der überwiegenden Mehrheit der modernen Horrorliteratur oft fehlt.
Für Fans des kosmischen Horrors gibt es auf jeden Fall eine große Leseempfehlung und auch für diejenigen, die es vielleicht noch werden wollen.
In "Ich hole dir die Vögel vom Himmel" kommt das Grauen zwar langsam und subtil, dafür bleibt es aber umso länger im Gedächtnis.
May 21, 2021
Oo, this is a really cool one. The writing is beautiful and clear, the Appalachian setting is great, there's a creeping sense of dread, and these characters were perfect.
I love these books where the protagonist genuinely feels like someone of their profession. In this case, we have an art curator who truly feels like an art curator. He reminds me very much of the professors I had while getting my fine arts degree. That realness is grounding, giving a great platform to build supernatural elements on top of.
I also like how the main character doesn't know everything, despite being middle-aged and educated. It's often the studious teenager that gives us the more scientific exposition. It's a small quirk that made everything feel more real, that made the team more cohesive. It's great.
Nona, the third character in this little trio, is fantastic, too. The way she behaves with Lucas—her wannabe sorta boyfriend—feels completely natural. And it made me like her. It made me care.
All of the characters are likeable and decently fleshed out. It's a short novella, so the breadth of characterization is minimal. Instead, each character gets one or two aspects of their personality that goes a bit deeper, and it worked. I was scared for them exactly when I was supposed to be.
The only reason I'm not giving this a full five stars is that it feels like there's supposed to be a twist or reveal at the end, but there isn't. Instead, we're given information that's already evident. We're shown what happens and then told about it, and the telling doesn't offer anything new.
Overall, I loved this. I'm totally stoked to check out more of Brian Hodge's writing.
I love these books where the protagonist genuinely feels like someone of their profession. In this case, we have an art curator who truly feels like an art curator. He reminds me very much of the professors I had while getting my fine arts degree. That realness is grounding, giving a great platform to build supernatural elements on top of.
I also like how the main character doesn't know everything, despite being middle-aged and educated. It's often the studious teenager that gives us the more scientific exposition. It's a small quirk that made everything feel more real, that made the team more cohesive. It's great.
Nona, the third character in this little trio, is fantastic, too. The way she behaves with Lucas—her wannabe sorta boyfriend—feels completely natural. And it made me like her. It made me care.
All of the characters are likeable and decently fleshed out. It's a short novella, so the breadth of characterization is minimal. Instead, each character gets one or two aspects of their personality that goes a bit deeper, and it worked. I was scared for them exactly when I was supposed to be.
The only reason I'm not giving this a full five stars is that it feels like there's supposed to be a twist or reveal at the end, but there isn't. Instead, we're given information that's already evident. We're shown what happens and then told about it, and the telling doesn't offer anything new.
Overall, I loved this. I'm totally stoked to check out more of Brian Hodge's writing.
July 4, 2022
4.5, might bump it up after some thought. very good, i haven't read ecological horror in awhile (or a lot of in general, i think; although i understand most people have this shelved as cosmic/lovecraftian as well), and this is a really good addition to the repertoire. i saw someone call it lead by the horror rather than the story, and i think that's a fairly apt way to describe it; but the backdrop meditations of localism, development, grief (which everyone knows i'm a sucker for by now), etc., doesn't take away anything from it. the atmosphere and imagery is thick and vivid, even amidst the horror what it has to say is quite poignant, and there are some gorgeous lines in this one:
it's a little bit of a pity that the illustrations do not come with ebook versions, but i understand the exclusivity. i'll be keen to check out more from brian hodge!
it's a little bit of a pity that the illustrations do not come with ebook versions, but i understand the exclusivity. i'll be keen to check out more from brian hodge!
August 1, 2024
Short and sweet.
Not anything mindblowing but I did enjoy this for what it was. There was some great imagery and the story was told well with a gradual unfolding sense of unease.
My favourite bits were the rumours and stories told about Cecil in between the main narrative, and imagining what the paintings looked like. Brian Hodge doesn’t go into too much detail about how they look, and also other certain things towards the end, and I think it’s all the better for leaving it up to your own imagination.
Not anything mindblowing but I did enjoy this for what it was. There was some great imagery and the story was told well with a gradual unfolding sense of unease.
My favourite bits were the rumours and stories told about Cecil in between the main narrative, and imagining what the paintings looked like. Brian Hodge doesn’t go into too much detail about how they look, and also other certain things towards the end, and I think it’s all the better for leaving it up to your own imagination.
January 15, 2025
No había leído nada, que sepa, de Brian Hodge, y esta novela corta venía bastante recomendada, merecidamente tras su lectura.
La historia sigue a un galerista de arte especializado en arte popular que recibe la visita de una chica cuyo bisabuelo parecía haber realizado, en secreto, una serie de obras que resultan muy curiosas e interesantes. El viaje a los Apalaches y lo que allí sucede será un viaje a un territorio muy lovecraftiano con algunos tintes que recuerdan, muy lejanamente, a soluciones posteriores de Mexican Gothic y un ambiente muy conseguido.
Se lee de una sentada, deja ganas de más y tiene una mezcla muy efectiva de terror rural y cósmico con algunos toques hasta de cuento popular.
La historia sigue a un galerista de arte especializado en arte popular que recibe la visita de una chica cuyo bisabuelo parecía haber realizado, en secreto, una serie de obras que resultan muy curiosas e interesantes. El viaje a los Apalaches y lo que allí sucede será un viaje a un territorio muy lovecraftiano con algunos tintes que recuerdan, muy lejanamente, a soluciones posteriores de Mexican Gothic y un ambiente muy conseguido.
Se lee de una sentada, deja ganas de más y tiene una mezcla muy efectiva de terror rural y cósmico con algunos toques hasta de cuento popular.
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