Horror Aficionados discussion

I just read a Lansdale short in the Anthology "The Living Dead". It was a piece entitled "Deadman's Road". Very well written take on zombies from the western literature perspective. Has anyone read much more of his works?

Yes, I don't like them at all.

I really like him William. His Hap & Leonard series is a rip roaring, action filled, riot. Other than ebay or Amazon, his novels are very hard to find in your used book stores. I met him at a book signing here last summer, very nice guy & funny. His "Freezer Burn" is a thriller/fantasy about a freak show. His "The Bottoms" is a wonderful coming of age tale. He has written sci-fi, mystery, horror & I think he does them all well.

i really like Lansdale for his fast paced easy read approach. has anyone seen the movie they adapted from his short ' Incicent On and Off A Mountain Road'? i hesitate to watch it, because i really like the short story.

Like most of the "Masters of Horror" series, it was terrible.

Now, that I don't necessarily agree with. There were a good number of great episodes in the "Masters of Horror" series and "Incident On and Off A Mountain Road" was one of the best ones in the first season, as a matter of fact. Also among the great ones were "Dreams In The Witch House," "Haeckel's Tale," "Cigarette Burns," "Imprint" and "Dance of the Dead."

I read his first horror novel, 'The Razor God.' It was scary and even have black and white comic pictures of some of the scenes. Very dark and well written. His most loathesome short story was 'By Bizarre Hands.' a story that I can not read without wanting to cry and throw up at the same time.

I'm going to look for that short story, Patrick. I'm in the mood to cry and throw up simultaneously. Thank you!

ETA: You can hear the author reading "By Bizarre Hands" at this link: http://www.goatley.com/hunter/lansdal...

I really liked The Bottoms and I'm about 1/3 through Leather Maiden, which is also very good. That's all I've read, but I have a difficult time putting them down. Neither is horror, but they both involve very good storytelling and interesting characters.

Don't forget the Drive In books A "B" movie with
blood and popcorn. Bubba-Ho-Tep the book and the
movie are both awesome. One of my favorite short
stories On The Far Side of the Cadillac Desert
with Dead Folks.

Has anyone ever read The Nightrunners? I just ordered it on Amazon for a pretty ridiculous price because I've heard a ton of hype about it. Is it true?

Dang! I haven't read "Bizarre Hands" yet. Will get to it soon. I'm intrigued by all this Lansdale love.

He wrote a book called Bad Chili with a character named Jim Bob? That's my cup of tea right there. Got consistently high ratings, too.

He is an acquired taste. His writing is very un-PC, he seems to relish in poking fun at rednecks, gays, blacks, handicapped, mexicans, dumb women, you name it he pokes fun at it. One of his books scared me so much I feared being home alone for a few days but damn if I can remember the title. It started out with a family asleep and a home invasion that ends horribly. Anyone recall the title? It was a frightening book.

The Hap & Leonard books are funny in their twisted way and By Bizarre Hands is just horrifying.

I just reserved The Nightrunners, but it's included in a book called The God of Razors. It contains The Nightrunners and stories inspired by the story.

I'm having to get By Bizarre Hands through ILL.

Tressa, I never ceased to be impressed with your library system. I’m involved with two different library systems, and I still can’t find most of the rare stuff you do.

Rusty, not only am I very lucky to have been working in my library system since 1989, I'm also lucky to have access to the materials in the city's 20 branches and the county's 19 municipal libraries.

It's very rare that I can't reserve an item and have it routed directly to me in two days. Back in the early '80s we started a One County, One Card cooperative, and most library systems in the country don't have that.

I am VERY thankful we have ILL, which borrows books from all over the world. I rarely have to buy a book that I just want to read but not add to my collection.

Tressa wrote: "Rusty, not only am I very lucky to have been working in my library system since 1989, I'm also lucky to have access to the materials in the city's 20 branches and the county's 19 municipal librarie..."

I knew I should have been a librarian.

Rusty, you wouldn't even have to work at a library to get access to any of the things I use. It's for all our patrons. We even allow DVD reserves and route them.

King Dinösaur wrote: "BarkLess, that book is "Cold In July", which I keep mixing up with "Savage Season", a Hap and Leonard book. When I listed "Savage Season" earlier, I meant "Cold In July". "

That's it, thank you!

William wrote: "I just read a Lansdale short in the Anthology "The Living Dead". It was a piece entitled "Deadman's Road". Very well written take on zombies from the western literature perspective. Has anyone re..."

Joe is far and away my favorite author. He is the only author who I will buy, no questions asked. If I walk into a store with $25 in my hand, with all intent on buying something else, if I see a new Lansdale, that is what will be bought.

Bubba Ho-tep!

Need i say more?

Somebody probably already posted it, but Lansdale released a "Best of" story collection in February. I just bought it and have yet to read it.

I read parts of a short story collection of his in high school after I asked the librarian if they had anything with zombies.

I really liked "On the Far Side of Cadillac Desert with Dead Folks."

has anyone checked out this collection yet?

I haven't checked it out, yet, but I have read everything by Lansdale (or a majority), and I can't see how it could be less than amazing. I picked up the DRIVE-IN collection that was just released.

I haven't read a new Lansdale novel in years but I love this early stuff (fortunately now back in print from Vintage Crime):

I love Joe. Mind you I have only read to of his novels. The Bottoms (one of my favorite books), and Leather Maiden, which was good. But from these two readings I have the desire to read the following.

Savage Season, Mucho Mojo, Two Bear Mambo, Bad Chilli, The Nightrunners, Cold In July, Lost Echoes, and A Fine Dark Line.

The Nightrunners is excellent.

I love the whole Hap & Leonard series. The Bottoms is also a favorite - reminded me a little of McCammon's A Boy's Life.

Joel Arnold

Bob wrote: "Savage Season, Mucho Mojo, Two Bear Mambo, Bad Chilli, The Nightrunners, Cold In July, Lost Echoes, and A Fine Dark Line. ."

You should read 'em. I haven't stumbled across a Lansdale book I haven't enjoyed.

I couldn't get into the Nightrunners. I heard lots of good things about it, but most of the characters struck me as unsympathetic. The situations the protagonists were in were horrific, but something felt like it was missing....which is odd, because I think Lansdale is one of the best short story writers EVER. I didn't feel his underlying personality as a writer in Nightrunners like I do in most of his other work.

Freezer Burn is a lot of fun. Much in the style of those old Gold Medal paperbacks - it takes place in a traveling side show. Cold in July is good that's been mentioned above. One of my favorite short stories is "Steppin' Out, Summer '68" about the dumb things guys do to impress each other. His collection High Cotton might be easiest to find and very much worth it. And by all means, read The Drive-In if you get a chance. He's revisited it in two sequels.

i bought the drive-in trilogy collection at b and n a month ago, wow deja-vu, i swear i've discussed this before.

I have those first 2 Drive-ins in the little Spectrum paperbacks, but I've been thinking about picking up the new trilogy. When was the third volume originally released?

Just arrived from Amazon, "The Complete Drive-In", all three novels. By Underland Press. Should be fun reading!

Mark, I was just looking on fantastic fiction, & it doesn't mention the third one, ( The Bus Tour ).

But.....it does show two new Hap & Leonard novels coming out next year!!! Whoo-Hoo.....

The Bus Tour was a limited edition, I think. Very few copies around.

Anybody read FLAMING LONDON??? I had no idea this was out there! It's Joe's take on WAR OF THE WORLDS! It looks like a riot! Plus, he has the new one, FLAMING ZEPPELINS! I hate how his stuff sneaks into the small press, and much of it never sees the mainstream. It makes collecting his stuff rather difficult.

Also, for those fans of his, Hisownself is actually Tweeting now:
http://twitter.com/joelansdale

Huh...according to his Tweets...FLAMING LONDON and FLAMING ZEPPELINS are one in the same. Then there is ZEPPELINS WEST. Oh man...it is all so confusing.

Crap. Oh well, I will still eventually get it, due to it being Joe.

I believe he is crossing it with THE MAGIC WAGON, which is an outstanding book.

Hap and Leonard are American classics! Love those two. ;)

My favorite of his is "My Dead Dog Bobby". I'm also happy his book "Savage Season" is being made into a movie. Gotta reread that one before the movie comes out.

Kewl.....hadn't heard the first Hap & Leonard was going to be a movie. Great series!

I am still waiting for the Bottoms to be made into a film. In the right hands it could be really good.

Lee I heard about it recently. Don't know how close it is to being finished or even if it's filming yet. I know I'll go to the movies to see that one. :)

Me too....I looked on IMDB....says next year.

King Dinösaur wrote: "Joe R. Lansdale is a national treasure. Highly recommended: "The Nightrunners", "Savage Season", "Zeppelin's West", "By Bizarre Hands", "Dead in the West", "The Bottoms", "The Boar" and, as edito..."

Yep. The term "national treasure" is exactly how I often describe Lansdale to people. He's a born storyteller.

Just got the Cowpunk anthology Lansdale edited - Razzored Saddles.

And I met him at a book signing, D....a very good guy also!

I've read The Bottoms and Lost Echoes. Both books were excellent.

I just finished Captains Outrageous and Rumble Tumble on audio and if you haven't listened to them this way I highly recommend you do. The narrator does an amazing job with the characters and the humor.

I finally read my first Joe R. Lansdale book(The Bottoms)and I was really impressed. Just recieved 4 more books of his in the mail today. Whoo Hoo!

What other ones did you get, Tim?