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Book Review: The Big Bad 2
Book Cover from Amazon
The Big Bad II, an anthology published by Falstaff Books.
BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON
Everybody loves the bad guys, and this second edition of The Big Bad brings you more to love! A collection of best-selling fantasy and horror writers brings you twenty-four all-new tales of vampires, demons, ghosts, zombies, and the most terrifying monsters of all – humans. Crack open the pages, if you dare, and explore two dozen tales of humor and horror by some of the brightest names in the business!
MY REVIEW
Much more consistent in story quality than the first book (but slightly less daring), Mr. Hartness and Ms. Leverett seem to have their strides with their second anthology of Big Bad.
So often we see the put-upon minority, the bad guys, get trampled, locked up, even killed by good guys and government agents (unless, of course, those are the bad guys). It is a pleasure seeing them not only survive, but thrive … I think.
Feels like Justice to Me by Edmund R. Schubert may be one of the best justifications I have ever read for someone doing something unusual. An amazing character piece! This one is a five star. It’s about half-way through the anthology.
And Stuart Jaffee for his Portrait of a Psychopathic Man wins the “what was I thinking reading this anthology at midnight” award. Really I was reading this anthology at midnight – WHAT was I THINKING?
Quick rundown on some of the other 24 stories
A Family Affair – by Selah Janel – So nice to see a son take after his mother. I can see him growing up to be just like her … she should be worried.
Old Nonna – by Gail Z Martin – A lovely twist of an ancient Russian story transferred to mountain folk everywhere.
A Day in the Life – by James R. Tuck – Some days are better than others, even for the fiends of Hell. But you know, a good working environment can help make the difference.
Overkill – by Sara Taylor Woods – Word of advice, don’t make a Southern waitress from a redneck bar angry. She will bless your heart.
A Fitter Subject for Study – by Sarah Joy Adams – All in the name of science. (I can soooo see this as the first stage of a Call of Cth game. … Little surprised the editors choose to have two letter-based shorts, but they are both horrific fun.)
Ghost and Sands – by Jay Requard – Another short about Mr. Conjer whom we met in the first Big Bad Anthology. Pleased to see him still in business.
The House on Cherry Hill by Emily Lavin Leverett – Some old houses are more than just money pits.
Phone Home – by E.D. Guy – A sci-fi! So much of the horror genre is historic or contemporary; so nice to see one proving bad guys continue to destroy humanity in the future.
I Think of Snow – by J. Matthew Saunders – This author’s beautiful language perfectly capture a love interest (ummm, maybe not the right description).
and finally …
The Cully – by D.B. Jackson – A Sephira origin story … enough said, if you like the Thieftaker series.
Flash: Three to the Chest
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Rating: Mature (Language)
“Fuck, fuck, fuck … out of bullets.” Neville cursed as his gun clicked empty. The laboratory cabinet continued to shake as he ducked behind it. His opponents did not have the same ammunition limitations. Fortunately the metal cabinet had been built to handle exploding experiments.
The altercation had turned the laboratory into a war-zone, toppling even the heavy marble tables. One of which Younger was curled behind. “Damn it, Neville. You’re a vampire. Just stand up, take three to the chest and reload.”
Looking at his unarmed human companion wincing as a ricochet chipped the marble beside his face, Neville deadpanned, “Wrong caliber.” He tucked his favorite piece back into the ankle holster. “How about you … can’t you do whatever the fuck it is you do?”
“Thought you wanted some of the coven to still be alive, or at least undead, at the end. Quinn can’t be head vamp without followers.”
“Like you are that powerful,” Neville sneered. “The two fucks over there with their thralls are over four hundred years.” Neville looked around for better cover. He could hear some of the bullets pinging the inside of the cabinet now. They had pierced the front doors.
“If you are sure…” Younger commented.
The cabinet exploded in a rain of chemicals and glass as Neville dashed between several thin metal desks to join Younger under cover. Someone had broken out a shotgun with amour piercing rounds. “Fuck, yeah I’m sure. Just do it!” he screamed.
…. When the smoke cleared, Neville stared at Younger. He tried to remember the last few minutes, but fragments of icy fire and hungry darkness wouldn’t form into coherent thought. It was like someone had obscured his memory after a feeding; something not possible while he was the coven’s enforcer for Quinn.
“Okay, I stand corrected.” He stepped between the rapidly decaying bodies of the ancients they had been fighting, approaching his suddenly scary mortal ally. At least Neville hoped he was an ally. “Fucking powerful. How the Hell…?”
“Don’t ask, don’t tell, and don’t repeat, my friend.” Younger smiled enigmatically.
Sirens could be heard between the rubble resettling and liquid drips. “Riiiight.” Neville shook his head. “Well, Quinn owes you one and so do I.”
“Think you can cover this?” The scourge waved his hand at the wreckage.
Neville pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket, a quick glance at the time indicated it was only four AM. Dawn was still a ways off. “If I can’t, I got people who can.”
“Okay, I’ll be going then. Just remember next time to ask the bad guys to provide the same caliber bullets.”
Laughing Neville agreed, “I’ll do that.”
(words 447 – first published 5/22/2013; republished in new blog format on 6/04/2017)
Other Cool Blogs: Magical Words May 13, 2014
Image courtesy of Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Characters Who Matter
Found it! I remember this post – it has hung on the edges of my mind as a MUST for writing since the first time I read it. Now I have it again, and I am not letting go (mwahahaha).
But I will share.
Darynda Jones. Magical Words May 13, 2014. How I Make My Characters Unforgettable.
A lot of people talk about characters needing likability. More importantly, reader need to connect to the character before anything happens to make them disconnect. Disconnect too soon and they won’t read. Don’t have a disconnect and the narrative becomes boring instead of tension driven; readers do not want Mary Sue, a perfect person.
What Ms. Jones defines is how to get that connection and how soon.
<A writer> must create empathy BEFORE introducing any negative flaws in <the> character, anything that will distance us from the reader.
There are five ways to create empathy: (Need to use AT LEAST two of these.)
Sympathy
Jeopardy
Likability
Power
Humor
Read the full post here: http://www.magicalwords.net/specialgueststars/darynda-jones-how-i-make-my-characters-unfogettable/
Art Projects: Drawn Thread
Drawn Threadwork made my May
This month I taught a class on Drawn Threadwork. Related to the class I ended up making a couple of towels as examples, to work beside my students, and to drum up additional interest in the class.
First towel completed (May 19) – 15 hours
I love Drawn Thread embroidery because of its speed; this 17 inch by 30 inch towel took under 15 hours to complete when many of my embroidery projects can take over 100 hours. The four lines of drawn threadwork include Hound’s Tooth, Interlacing (Variation), Zig-Zag, and Interlacing (Basic).
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Second towel completed (May 26)
The lines are as follows(top to edge of fabric) – Hound’s tooth bottom; Hound’s tooth top; drawn thread 2 lines; drawn thread 4 lines; Double ladder interlace (6 gather for each ladder); drawn thread 4 lines; drawn thread 2 lines; Zig zag; Hound’s tooth top.
All white fabric untouched are 6 lines wide. All gathers are 8-thread gathers unless stated otherwise.
And enough of that for a while. Hopefully my students enjoyed the class as much as I did prepping for it.