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Bookmark on DeliciousPublished: June 14, 2011
Words: 18987 (approximate)
Language: English
Ebook short description
Combining the talents of Stephen Bacon, Mark West & Neil Williams, "ill at ease" showcases three tales of the macabre. Childhood memories, a seemingly idyllic English town and a car seat found in a skip - all perfectly normal, on the surface at least. But underneath, darkness reaches out for the unwary.Extended description
Combining the talents of Stephen Bacon, Mark West & Neil Williams, "ill at ease" showcases three tales of the macabre.Childhood memories, a seemingly idyllic English town and a car seat found in a skip - all perfectly normal, on the surface at least. But underneath, darkness reaches out for the unwary.
‘This slim collection has a kind of menace that is like oil on skin: difficult to remove and persistent. Ill at Ease is a treat, and I hope it finds many readers.'
Conrad Williams, British Fantasy Award winning author of “One” and “Loss Of Separation”
‘The three chilling tales from "Ill at Ease" ably demonstrate that horror can be found in the most mundane places, and a sense of unease is always much closer than we think.’
Gary McMahon, author of “Pretty Little Dead Things” and “The Concrete Grove”
Adult-content rating:
This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages. For more information, see the Support FAQ.
Tags
horror, childhood, terror, clowns, stephen bacon, mark west, neil williams, scaresAvailable ebook reading formats
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Review by:
Matthew Fryer
on July 06, 2011 :
Penman Press present this eBook collection of three short horror stories from a talented trio of British horror writers. The title sums it up. These tales ooze with an askew feeling, where even the most ordinary of situations becomes alien and sinister: the essence of any good macabre fiction.
First to follow that vertigo-inducing cover is Stephen Bacon, and “Waiting for Josh” is one of his triumphs. Narrated by a man named Pete Richards, he revisits his hometown to see a dying childhood friend and discovers that there’s more to his lonely alcoholism than meets the eye. This author excels at first-person storytelling, and it works very well here, drawing us into the character’s mood and nostalgia as though it were our own. This also makes the chills more effective, and I defy anybody not to be moved by his haunting journey of guilt, loss and confronting horrible truths. This is poignant and mature writing, and I insist on a collection. Immediately.
Mark West maintains the standard with “Come See My House in the Pretty Town”. Here we meet David Willis, another man reconnecting with his past when he visits an old college friend who now lives the dream in a quaint country village. But as Mark West is writing this story, there’s to be no pleasure in the sunny, picture-postcard surroundings. Everything has a sinister edge, and he notches up the tension in small intriguing reveals about the character histories. When the real descent comes during a visit to the local fair, it’s a grim, breathless ride with a brilliant pay-off. Mark also scores extra for creating some truly scary clowns, whether they normally freak you out or not, and their first appearance is a simple but powerfully charged scene of lurking violence.
Although I wasn’t familiar with Neil Williams, he’s now a name I’ll remember. With “Closer than you Think” we meet Dave, an ordinary family man. When he spots a perfectly good car seat being abandoned at a rubbish tip by a strange, dull-eyed woman, he decides to take it home. But when he starts to use it for his young daughter, a series of strange and disturbing occurrences ensue. As the supernatural increases, the story becomes a tense family drama with some tight dialogue and oily, nightmarish scenes. Although it has less depth and more formula than the others, it’s a real one-sitting read that grips from the off and doesn’t let go. For me, the supernatural has to be really good to give me a chill – Gary McMahon and Paul Finch spring to mind – and I was happy to discover that Neil Williams also has the knack.
It might be a relatively short book, but “Ill at Ease” rises way above the mire. The theme of horror in the mundane is perfectly realised, mouldering constantly beneath the text and infusing it with a sour sensation of impending doom. It’s modern horror that understands subtlety, full of real characters and plenty of shivers. These three authors clearly take pride in their work, all writing with lucid, thoughtful prose, and the time and effort shows. As reader, there’s no jarring, no creases – just an effortless, entertaining read. With interesting author notes, it’s a great package and well worth a couple of quid. Highly recommended.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
amurray
on June 18, 2011 :
(no rating)
A terrific mini collection of dark, disturbing tales from 3 very talented authors. Real characters and a strong sense of location adds to the growing menace and unease as the stories unfold. Highly recommended
(reviewed the day of purchase)