Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books/Quercus
SYNOPSIS:
In the Library of the Damned, hidden away amongst that vast depository of ancient wisdom, there exists a certain bookcase where the most decadent, the most blasphemous of tomes sit upon a dusty shelf.
And amongst those titles - that should never be named - there is one volume that is the most terrible, the most hideous of them all.That book is the Lexicon of Fear.
But, long ago, some of its pages were ripped from the binding and spirited away by a lowly student of the ancient science of Horrorology, who was determined the secrets contained therein would one day be shared with the world.
And now that day has come. These are the words thatcomprise the very language of horror itself, and the tales they tell are notfor the fainthearted. But be warned: once you have read them, there is noturning back. Soon, you too will know the true meanings of fear . . .
Featuring stories from Clive Barker, Robert Shearman, Michael Marshall Smith, Pat Cadigan, Mark Samuels, Joanne Harris, Muriel Gray, Kim Newman, Ramsey Campbell, Reggie Oliver, Angela Slatter and Lisa Tuttle.
REVIEW:
If there’s a fan that loves horror at Falcata Times, its Lady Eleanor and with Halloween being her favourite holiday she always looks forward to this time of year, buying up films and books to feed her need throughout the year. (Especially for Christmas.) So when this title with artwork by Clive Barker as well as being edited by Stephen Jones landed she couldn’t wait to get her hands upon it and run to her duvet of protection.
I had high hopes for this book from a selection of modern horror authors, as not only do I love the chance to try some authors that I may not have had the pleasure of spending time with but also knowing that I have pure talent from authors I love. What occurs within is a book that has a whole heap of talent within and whilst some of the tales left me feeling very flat as I hated the overuse of bad language (almost as if it was there to fill a word count, rather than entertain.) Whilst there are some cracking stories (I love Kim Newman) what always makes me happy about compendiums is that I can dip into them to get a horror fix when I need it, whether its on my way to work or during lunch or even to help me relax for bed.
All round, its an OK book and if you want to try some established names that are new to you alongside favourites, it’s a good way to spend your cash so you can make requests (or perhaps threats) for your Christmas list. Hopefully you’ll enjoy this fearful experience and at the end of the day, However because not every title gave me the goosebumps or chills I wanted it has a lower rating.
No comments:
Post a Comment