Author Archives: JD DeLuzio

Novel Review: Curious Toys

Hell Gate’s ominous white pavilion looked more like a church than a ride: a church with an enormous red devil perched on the roof… The devil was plaster and lath, but Pin’s mother still crossed herself every time she walked past.

A little late but fit for the season: this novel, released last year by much-lauded, cross-genre writer Elizabeth Hand manages to be a mystery, a postcard to Chicago’s long-gone Riverview Park, a tribute to outsider artist and writer Henry Darger, a coming-of-age story, and a tour of hell. If you don’t know Hand’s work, she has published fourteen novels, and won Nebula, World Fantasy, Shirley Jackson, and International Horror Guild Awards. She’s also written several licensed works for the Star Wars, X-Files, Twelve Monkeys, and other franchises.

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Novel Review: Rosemary’s Baby

The night was mild and balmy and they walked; and as they approached the Bramford’s blackened mass they saw on the sidewalk before it a group of twenty or so people gathered in a semicircle at the side of a parked car. Two police cars waited double-parked, their roof lights spinning red (35).

Ira Levin’s influential novel remains quite readable, and makes a devilish companion piece to the Halloween season.

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Discovery Review: “Far From Home”

Discovery‘s first season drew fire for (among other things) diverging from the expectations of many fans. Season Two engaged in damage control, addressing apparent inconsistencies and bringing in Christopher Pike’s crew, who proved so engaging that they’re getting their own series. This season takes the crew into the post-Federation future, but the second ep wants very much to assure us, this is Star Trek after all.

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October Countdown: Cry of the Werewolf (1944)

When we think of werewolf films– at least, those from before an era where sexy beasts populate YA novels and their spin-off series– we’re likely thinking either of old-school horror (The Wolfman, Werewolf of London) or later cult classics tinged with humour (An American Werewolf in London, Ginger Snaps).

For this week’s Halloween Countdown, we’re examining two less-well-known works, and we’re starting in 1944, which heard the Cry of the Werewolf.

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October Countdown: Silver Bullet (1985)

Stephen King’s astonishing oeuvre gets raided regularly by Hollywood, resulting in cinematic gems and absolute turkeys. Silver Bullet hits a mark between the two. Our second lycanthropic throwback for this week’s Halloween Review features redneck hero Gary Busey, lost boy Corey Haim, and Canadian icon Megan Follows in a small town that has come to fear the full moon….

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October Countdown: 2020

Awoooooo!

We should have had the Best Halloween Ever this year. October 31, 2020 falls on a Saturday with a full moon, a triple convergence that will not happen again for a long, long time. It’s also both a blue moon and a Hunter’s moon, though neither is uncommon when the full moon coincides with All Hallows Eve and Samhain. As a bonus, in many places in the northern hemisphere, the time is changing during the Witching Hours to Daylight Savings, providing everyone with some borrowed time. We’d planned a party, which we’ve had to cancel. I imagined visiting a local haunted attraction or Pumpkin Patch in the afternoon, and then an evening of ghoulishly groovy tunes whilst the costumed kids trampled fallen leaves and begged for candy, and our good-naturedly crazed neighbour ran his charity haunted house, complete with a maniac running after people, chainsaw in hands.

Instead, we have a lingering pandemic, and an American election that is proving scarier than any disease. And where one of the candidates has tested positive for the disease he’s spent a year downplaying.

Since 2020 keeps growing stranger, no one should be especially surprised that some guy dressed like the Incredible Hulk just vandalized Donald Trump’s star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

One tradition continues unabated. The Bureau-cats run our annual October Countdown, which this year sees little in the way of new horrors. We will, however, unearth some excellent views (and one read) to chill and delight you….

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