Brutal and uncompromising, sometimes quirky, and even humorous at times – loved it!
Despite being new to this author, I knew I was going to like this collection right from the opening story, 'Life on a Double Decker Bus,' a highly original snapshot take on the Zombie theme, which is no mean task given the current tsunami-like glut of Zombie themed tales.
In many ways, some of the stories read like snapshots of possibly longer stories, especially Carnivalland, and yet they’re still surprisingly satisfying. I was reminded somewhat of the sort of stories that used to feature in the old Hammer and Amicus horror anthology films like Vault of Horror, Doctor Terror’s House of Horrors, and the quirky horror style of Tales of the Crypt, and I was wondering if perhaps the ‘Dark Thoughts’ title was little misleading? How wrong could I have been! No sooner had I settled myself into what I thought would be a collection of quirky, entertaining, though somewhat oddball horror tales, without warning they took on a much darker tone as brutal retribution and depraved torture replaced the gentler style of the first two stories. Other themes include cannibalism, monsters from Hell, a Tarantino take on the Wizard of Oz, and quite possibly, the most extreme retribution for animal cruelty I’ve yet read. Even with the less extreme stories, there are no happy endings or satisfying conclusions, just the grim horror of the situation, often leaving the reader pondering on the character’s immediate fate or future?
If I had one criticism, as much as I enjoyed all the stories here, I’m not convinced they collectively gel well in the same book. The bloody horror of ‘The Way of the Streets’ and I’ll Give Ye Foie Gras, Ya ****’ really don’t sit comfortably along the first two stories, much like watching a double-bill of horror films where the first is comically camp like Vincent Price’s ‘The Monster Club,’ but followed by say, ‘Hostel,’ or ‘I spit on your grave.’ I think it only fair to point out, some of the content is extreme, gratuitous, and even depraved at times, but it’s presented in context and is mostly appropriate to the particular story at the time, but even so, it won’t be to everyone’s taste. Regardless though, I can honestly say there wasn’t a single story here that was either disappointing or ‘weaker’ than the others: brutal and uncompromising, sometimes quirky, and even humorous at times, but all highly original and utterly entertaining … definitely an author I’ll be returning to.