Literary Horror discussion

Join us for our monthly book for the month of Halloween: Nadia Bulkin's new collection Issues With Authority!

A couple reviews:
https://theblogwithoutaface.com/2025/...
https://the-line-up.com/recent-horror...

Issues with Authority is available on paper and as an e-book. Let's start close to next weekend.

Footnote:
Bulkin's book won our October poll by a hair. Fans of Carson Winter or Alex Gonzalez, do feel free to start Buddy Reads. Or we can roll them over to November's poll.

I read the first story this morning. The narrator was fun, even though I thought it dragged a bit after the reveal. I did like the ending and all the cults. I'm predicting that it won't be my favorite of the three, but it was a fun way to start the collection.

I enjoyed the first novella ("Cop Car") as well. I tend to like fiction that's not so plot-driven, and the writing was a little chatty for my taste (though not inappropriate in context). But Bulkin does a good job, and it was pretty engaging.

Vanessa, I agree the narrator's voice was well executed, and I like how they kind of slip discreetly into the story. Also agree that things were a bit less interesting after the reveal. (It hardly seemed necessary?)

Of the stories in Bulkin's earlier collection, my favorites were the ones set in Indonesia, with plots rooted in its dark politics. "Cop Car" has a similar setting as well.

I enjoyed the first novella, as well. I don't think it's up there with Bulkin's best writing, but there was a lot to chew on. Bill, as you pointed out, "Cop Car" has its roots in dark politics, in particular the massacres that took place in East Timor in 1999.

I think one the central, and darkest of dark, ideas was summed up in the passage about how not killing a million people might have actually been worse, leading to a protracted civil war and even more suffering. It's an argument that no one short of a demon would make, because no one with any decency wants to support genocide and ethnic cleansing. Even if it may be the path of least pain in the long run.

I'm not such a fan of Bulkin's Americana stories, like the 2nd novella "Your Next Best American Girl". My reaction is similar to how I felt after Mona Awad's Rouge . I appreciate what the author is saying, but I'm not sure I need all those pages.

So how's everyone doing with the book? I'm ready to start the third novella, but am happy to wait if people need more time.

And in case you're looking ahead to November:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I just finished the second one. I'm all for body horror / beauty industry tales, but this one didn't wow me.

I plan to read the 3rd one today, depending on how much I get done before the Mariners game.

I came to say that the third novella has been kind of creepy so far, but I guess I never said anything about the second one. I thought the second novella was pretty good. It covered some familiar territory, but I liked how big it got at the end. I thought the addition of Excoriation Disorder was interesting, but I'm also biased from having it.

I'm about 30 pages into "Red Skies in the Morning", and enjoying it a lot more than the 2nd novella. Another of Bulkin's American stories, but the narrator's grumpy big sister voice is beautifully done. Being a fan of horror involving media artifacts, I'm obviously intrigued by the paracontagions. I'm not sure I have a good grasp of all the details, but that's ok! I much prefer struggling in the fascinating dark, to having all the boring mechanics spelled out. What's with the "shell" though? I suppose I'll find out. Or not.

I'm not getting bites for November's monthly read. Happy to skip it, but December is often a good month to skip as well, soooo...

I just finished the 3rd story, and absolutely loved it. I've come across several stories that have indirectly or directly dealt with the COVID pandemic, but none so wholly original and that so concisely captures the discord and dissension. Especially in the US with people frequently violently expression their 'opinions'. WIth Bulkin's trademark weirdness as the cherry on top.

I just realized that the premise of the 3rd novella is similar to the Ring movies. Bulkin does more with it though.

I didn't read it as a comment on COVID, but I can totally see it.

I was a bit surprised by the ending. But with the dark turn our world has taken in the last year, it's not unreasonable to consider such choices.

Bill wrote: "I just realized that the premise of the 3rd novella is similar to the Ring movies. Bulkin does more with it though...."

Yeah, definitely with the "seven days to live if you don't pass it on" premise.

November poll is up!
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

Please vote by Sun 11/2. (I'm trying to get this started soon, before people get distracted by Thanksgiving.)