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Charnel Wine
Dark Regions Press is proud to present Charnel Wine: Memento Mori Edition, which contains the original collection in its entirety as well as five previously unpublished tales, a new introduction by the author, and cover art by renowned illustrator J.K. Potter.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
100 people want to read
About the author
Richard Gavin
86 books178 followersA resident of Ontario, Canada, Richard Gavin is the author of many acclaimed works of horror and the occult, including Charnel Wine, Omens, and Primeval Wood. His non-fiction appears frequently in the pages of Rue Morgue magazine and other journals. Richard’s latest collection, The Darkly Splendid Realm, will be released by Dark Regions Press in autumn 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 13, 2012
I had previously read Gavin's Darkly Splendid Realms (Dark Regions Press) and absolutely loved it... which ultimately compelled me to get this earlier published collection of his tales. While I thoroughly enjoyed this collection as well, I think it is safe to say that these earlier tales perhaps don't see the same level of polish as his most recent tales published in Darkly Splendid Realms.
Many of these tales are brief and a bit slight for my tastes... perhaps not quite as slight as a vignette (actually some were vignetteish), but many of the stories are very very short. Nevertheless, all were thoroughly enjoyable (obviously some better written and more compelling than others.
A few that really stuck with me and left very strong impressions are as follows:
"The Lodge": a lovely distressing piece, focusing on the terror filled memories of a childhood incident... hinting at how loved ones disappeared into the abyss. Very effective elliptical ending to this one.
"The Physics of Unseen Puppeteers": Fantastic homage to one of our contemporary masters of the weird tale (Ligotti). Both this piece and the previous one involve a nice elliptical revisiting of childhood memory/place.
Any of the Valzer stories: I was first introduced to Dr. Valzer in one of the stories contained in the Darkly Splendid Realms collection. I remember thinking that Dr. Valzer was definitely a character that I would have loved to have seen more of... lo and behold. Gavin has a few more earlier Valzer stories here that further portray this very strange character in different scenarios... pursuing his bizarre agendas. Dr. Valzer is neither a hero nor anti-hero... simply a strange explorer of the void. I would definitely love to read more stories involving this character.
Certainly recommended to anyone who has already gotten a taste of Gavin's work... and for those that have yet to read Richard Gavin... this would be a fine place to start.
Many of these tales are brief and a bit slight for my tastes... perhaps not quite as slight as a vignette (actually some were vignetteish), but many of the stories are very very short. Nevertheless, all were thoroughly enjoyable (obviously some better written and more compelling than others.
A few that really stuck with me and left very strong impressions are as follows:
"The Lodge": a lovely distressing piece, focusing on the terror filled memories of a childhood incident... hinting at how loved ones disappeared into the abyss. Very effective elliptical ending to this one.
"The Physics of Unseen Puppeteers": Fantastic homage to one of our contemporary masters of the weird tale (Ligotti). Both this piece and the previous one involve a nice elliptical revisiting of childhood memory/place.
Any of the Valzer stories: I was first introduced to Dr. Valzer in one of the stories contained in the Darkly Splendid Realms collection. I remember thinking that Dr. Valzer was definitely a character that I would have loved to have seen more of... lo and behold. Gavin has a few more earlier Valzer stories here that further portray this very strange character in different scenarios... pursuing his bizarre agendas. Dr. Valzer is neither a hero nor anti-hero... simply a strange explorer of the void. I would definitely love to read more stories involving this character.
Certainly recommended to anyone who has already gotten a taste of Gavin's work... and for those that have yet to read Richard Gavin... this would be a fine place to start.
April 19, 2011
Charnel Wine Memento Mori is a short story collection by Richard Gavin. It was originally published by Rainfall books in 2004. Now it’s back out in this new edition and a few more stories have been added.
The first story is “Charnel Wine” a nice short story that explores the concept of resurrection. Another story that is loosely connected to the overarching theme of charnel wine is “Parting the Veil,” another well executed story that will leave you reevaluating your perspective on life and death.
In my eyes, the standout story has to be “Mrs. South.” It’s about an artist named Graham who is researching his family’s history and tending to his ailing mom at the same time. As he delves further into his family’s mysterious past, dreams, and art collide in a chilling fashion. After I finished this story I was so disturbed I had to sit there and stare off into space before I could continue my day.
Gavin’s style is poetic, but not overly so. The stories themselves are dark and vary in content, themes, and perspectives. This is great simply because I’ve always held the view that short story collections are a platform for showing off your talents in a variety of ways and Gavin is no one trick pony.
Charnel Wine is an impressive short story collection that still holds up to this day. Gavin’s stories are chilling and at times reminiscent of greats such Thomas Ligotti or M.R. James yet his voice is entirely his own.
The first story is “Charnel Wine” a nice short story that explores the concept of resurrection. Another story that is loosely connected to the overarching theme of charnel wine is “Parting the Veil,” another well executed story that will leave you reevaluating your perspective on life and death.
In my eyes, the standout story has to be “Mrs. South.” It’s about an artist named Graham who is researching his family’s history and tending to his ailing mom at the same time. As he delves further into his family’s mysterious past, dreams, and art collide in a chilling fashion. After I finished this story I was so disturbed I had to sit there and stare off into space before I could continue my day.
Gavin’s style is poetic, but not overly so. The stories themselves are dark and vary in content, themes, and perspectives. This is great simply because I’ve always held the view that short story collections are a platform for showing off your talents in a variety of ways and Gavin is no one trick pony.
Charnel Wine is an impressive short story collection that still holds up to this day. Gavin’s stories are chilling and at times reminiscent of greats such Thomas Ligotti or M.R. James yet his voice is entirely his own.
July 7, 2011
A slim volume (180 pages only) full of stories distinctive for their short, compact and refreshingly haunting take on horror, its different manifestations around us in the shape of loss, and overwhelming pathos. Not exactly my kind of book, but I had to praise it because of its almost lyrical simplicity in describing some our innermost horrors, and that too in their most hideous forms! The contents of this "Memento Mori" Edition are: -
*) Author's Foreword to the New Edition
1) Charnel Wine
2) Reflections From The Abyss
3) Mrs. South
4) Fragments of a Primordial Gnosis
5) The Lodge
6) Berenice's Journal
7) View From a Ghost Ship
8) The Tides that bind.
9) Parting The Veils
10) Heirlooms
11) Porcelain & Pretty Lace
12) The Physics of Unseen Puppeteers
13) The Folly
14) Forewarming: The Good Doctor's Eternal Return
15) Flowers of Delirium
16) The Master's Posthumous Sermon
17) Leavings of Shroud House: An Inventory
18) Acolytes of Reaping
19) The Churchyard Chrysalids
20) Soiled Throats, or, The Litany of the Maggot
21) The Whimper of Those Long Lost
22) Fruit From the Barbarous Garden
23) Texts
24) Feet of Clay, Head of Fire
25) Night's Grand Mockery
26) The Clutch of Other
27) They Have to Take You
28) The Alchemy of Slumber
If this is going to be your first exposure to this prodigiously talented and skilled author (as with me), then sip this wine very-very slowly, and give yourself enough time to develop your own nightmares!
*) Author's Foreword to the New Edition
1) Charnel Wine
2) Reflections From The Abyss
3) Mrs. South
4) Fragments of a Primordial Gnosis
5) The Lodge
6) Berenice's Journal
7) View From a Ghost Ship
8) The Tides that bind.
9) Parting The Veils
10) Heirlooms
11) Porcelain & Pretty Lace
12) The Physics of Unseen Puppeteers
13) The Folly
14) Forewarming: The Good Doctor's Eternal Return
15) Flowers of Delirium
16) The Master's Posthumous Sermon
17) Leavings of Shroud House: An Inventory
18) Acolytes of Reaping
19) The Churchyard Chrysalids
20) Soiled Throats, or, The Litany of the Maggot
21) The Whimper of Those Long Lost
22) Fruit From the Barbarous Garden
23) Texts
24) Feet of Clay, Head of Fire
25) Night's Grand Mockery
26) The Clutch of Other
27) They Have to Take You
28) The Alchemy of Slumber
If this is going to be your first exposure to this prodigiously talented and skilled author (as with me), then sip this wine very-very slowly, and give yourself enough time to develop your own nightmares!
November 13, 2010
Pretty good short stories although I was disappointed that this book wasn't as good as some other books that I have read from this publisher.
A word about the publisher-
Dark Regions Press has been around for a while though I am now just discovering it.So far I have ordered a few books from them and have been delighted with the books as a whole.Of course some are better than others but I am never disappointed by them.
If you are looking for very good horror and some Sci-Fi and fantasy look no farther.I can tell already that I am going to spend a fortune buying more books from them directly.
A word about the publisher-
Dark Regions Press has been around for a while though I am now just discovering it.So far I have ordered a few books from them and have been delighted with the books as a whole.Of course some are better than others but I am never disappointed by them.
If you are looking for very good horror and some Sci-Fi and fantasy look no farther.I can tell already that I am going to spend a fortune buying more books from them directly.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews