Basic Black: Tales of Appropriate Fear | |||||
Terry Dowling | |||||
Ticonderoga Publications, 364 pages | |||||
A review by Mario Guslandi
I don't care much for hard SF, thus my previous encounters with Dowling's work have not always been
satisfactory. Here, on the other hand, the writer is exhibiting the darker side of his work, a type of
refined, highbrow horror which makes the stories irresistibly fascinating.
Fine examples are "The Daemon Street Ghost-Trap," an unusual ghost story revisiting, under a new light,
the classical themes of the haunted house and the family curse, and "Downloading," a creepy, superb
psychological detective story hinting at much, explaining precious little, but disquieting in the extreme.
"The Bone Ship" is another excellent, chilling tale where revenge finds its way through the centuries,
while, in the odd "La Profonde," vengeance takes place on railroad tracks.
The weird, powerful "One Thing About the Night" describes how fighting with shadows in a room full of mirrors
can indeed be a frightening experience.
In the subtle, well constructed "Beckoning Nightframes," a female writer is obsessed with the bizarre
movements of the curtains of a deserted shed while in the disturbing "They Found the Angry Moon" two petty
criminals get their punishment from supernatural forces.
The collection doesn't include any misfires, the quality of the stories is consistently top notch, but some
material is absolutely superlative.
"The Bullet That Grows in the Gun" is the intriguing, tense, extraordinary report of a scientific experiment
involving an apparently absurd theory about materialization. An unforgettable tale graced by excellent storytelling
and superb characterization.
The mysterious, disquieting "The Saltimbanques" conveys unease from the very beginning by depicting how magic
visits a small town through a group of weird carnival people.
"Jeanny Come to Play" is a gripping, offbeat noir featuring twin sisters, freak shows, an abusive father and a
puzzled psychiatrist. The story develops like an unsettling maze of truths, lies, hidden family secrets and
forbidden games. Simply outstanding.
In the amazing, spellbinding "Cheat Lights," a second-hand camera with an undeveloped film inside starts a
surprising quest for an elusive source of light.
Basic Black: Tales of Appropriate Fear is not to be missed by any (dark) fiction lover.
Mario Guslandi lives in Milan, Italy, and is a long-time fan of dark fiction. His book reviews have appeared on a number of genre websites such as The Alien Online, Infinity Plus, Necropsy, The Agony Column and Horrorwold. |
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