Vastarien: Vol. 5, Issue 2

Vastarien #12

by Jon Padgett (Editor), David O Bowman (Contributor), Romana Lockwood (Contributor)

A Literary Journal is a source of critical study and creative response to the corpus of Thomas Ligotti as well as associated authors and ideas. The journal includes nonfiction, literary horror fiction, poetry, artwork and non-classifiable hybrid pieces. Cover art by David Bowman. Contributors include LC von Hessen, Alina Măciucă, Steve Rasnic Tem, Venezia Castro, Charles Wilkinson, Amelia Gorman, Agwam Kessington, Anzhelina Polonskaya, T.M. Morgan, and many more! Internal art by David Thummler and Thijs van Ebbenhorst Tengbergen.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

264 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2022

About the author

Jon Padgett is a professional–though lapsed–ventriloquist who lives in New Orleans. He is the Editor-In-Chief of Grimscribe Press, which publishes Vastarien: A Literary Journal , a source of critical study and creative response to the work of Thomas Ligotti. Padgett’s first short story collection, The Secret of Ventriloquism, was named the Best Fiction Book of the Year by Rue Morgue Magazine.

Padgett’s voice has also become synonymous with the works of Thomas Ligotti. Padgett has lent his voice to numerous Thomas Ligotti works, including the recently released Penguin Random House audio version of Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe and various Cadabra Record releases, “The Bungalow House,” “The Red Tower,” “The Small People,” “Gas Station Carnivals,” “The Clown Puppet,” “Pictures of Apocalypse,” and “Mrs. Rinaldi’s Angel.” In addition to his work as a Ligotti narrator, Padgett has also narrated two Cadabra Records releases of his own work, “20 Simple Steps to Ventriloquism” and “Origami Dreams.” With his ability to channel Ligotti’s prose and poetry via the spoken word, Padgett is a singular figure in the world of weird storytelling.

Reviews

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird Lit Writers, AKA the last few roaming madmen whose families were nice enough to not have them committed. May the day come where the prophecy is fulfilled and Ligotti finally leaves his house to become our Charles Manson-style leader.

This whole volume was good, but I particularly enjoyed the tales by Grandpa Steve Rasnic Tem, Barbara A Barnett, Matt 'Bleach Cures COVID' Sadowski, Scott McNee, Steve 'I Hear Voices' Hargadon, Aaron Worth, Hobo Sarah Walker, and T M Morgan.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twelfth issue of Vastarien: A Literary Journal is, in a word, outstanding. From Romana Lockwood’s regular column, “Tenebrous Ramblings,” in which the very mundane interactions of the very esoteric are satirized, through the wealth of incredibly well postulated and well executed tales and poems which follow, Vol. 5, Issue 2 is a veritable feast, suitable for protracted nibbling, or, should it be your wont, one colossal pig-out.

[Ash Sandstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good variety and I enjoyed all of it.