Product Description
This Halcyon Classics ebook contains 'This Crowded Earth,' a dystopian novel set in a decaying future Earth.Written by Robert Bloch, author of 'Psycho,' this work is a classic among Bloch's best forays into science fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not Free SF Reader
A collection of Lovecraftian tales and others of that ilk.


Wolfshead : The Black Stone - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : The Valley of the Worm - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : Wolfshead - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : The Fire of Asshurbanipal - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : The House of Arabu - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : The Horror from the Mound - Robert E. Howard


A Cthulhoid type venture.Not somewhere you want to be.Fairly proficiently done.



3.5 out of 5


Dragonslaying, Norse reincarnation style.Not quite to the standard of his other stories, I think.



3 out of 5

Hanging around Spanish noble types is bad for your health.This time, it took a while to work out whether this gentleman Was Don Leopard, or Don Lupin.The latter was the case, and causes quite a few problems.




If you suspect a priceless gemstone with a magic-type name may be connected to cthulhoid alien monsters, well, I would suggest that trying to rob your local jewellery store bare-handed is a less hazardous activity than the acquisition of such an artifact.



3.5 out of 5


As dreams of the woman Lilitu haunt the warrior Pyrrhas, necromancy is in his future, it would seem.



3.5 out of 5


If an old priest tells you that the body in the tomb is an undead Spanish nobleman, and you happen to be a credulous cowboy, next time, believe him!



3.5 out of 5

Not Free SF Reader
A collection of Lovecraftian tales and others of that ilk.

Wolfshead : The Black Stone - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : The Valley of the Worm - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : Wolfshead - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : The Fire of Asshurbanipal - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : The House of Arabu - Robert E. Howard
Wolfshead : The Horror from the Mound - Robert E. Howard


A Cthulhoid type venture. Not somewhere you want to be. Fairly proficiently done.


3.5 out of 5


Dragonslaying, Norse reincarnation style. Not quite to the standard of his other stories, I think.

3 out of 5


Hanging around Spanish noble types is bad for your health. This time, it took a while to work out whether this gentleman Was Don Leopard, or Don Lupin. The latter was the case, and causes quite a few problems.

3.5 out of 5



If you suspect a priceless gemstone with a magic-type name may be connected to cthulhoid alien monsters, well, I would suggest that trying to rob the mafia bare-handed is a less hazardous activity than the acquisition of such an artifact.

3.5 out of 5


As dreams of the woman Lilitu haunt the warrior Pyrrhas, necromancy is in his future, it would seem.

3.5 out of 5


If an old wise guy tells you that the body in the tomb is an undead Spanish nobleman, and you happen to be a credulous cowboy, next time, believe him!

3.5 out of 5 ... Read more

Product Description
"The contributors (including Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Christopher Lee) constitute a who's who of modern SF and horror writers. In all, a good selection of (20 of) Bloch's (best short) stories accompanied by plenty of good feeling about a lovable man."--Booklist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A touching tribute to a great writer
Robert Bloch: Appreciations of the Master is a wonderful tribute to a top writer, combining fond reminiscences from Bloch's friends and peers with several of the stories that won him his well deserved reputation as one of the top genre writers of the last century.I recommend you read this book along with Bloch's charming autobiography, Once Around the Bloch.Together, they serve as a reminder of the great loss the horror, mystery and suspense genres suffered when Bloch passed away.

Master
I just want to say that if you like King, Poe, Christie, and Hitchcock, then BUY THIS BOOK!

Review of Robert Bloch: Appreciations of the Master
Robert Bloch: Appreciations of the Master Edited By Richard Matheson and Ricia Mainhardt TOR Books, 1995, 382 pp.; $24.95 (hc) Review by Scott David Briggs Although Robert Bloch: Appreciations of the Master has been in release for some time, it is certainly a volume that should not go unnoticed, just as its subject should not, and will not, go unremembered, and thus this review.I only met Robert Bloch once, at the first NecronomiCon in August, 1992, a convention held (at the time) near Salem, Massachusetts, honoring all things Lovecraftian and those personalities who have carried on the Lovecraftian tradition in their respective fields, be it fiction, literary, criticism, art, etc. Bloch was Guest of Honor that year, along with artist Gahan Wilson. At one point, Marc Michaud of Necronomicon Press (and a convention organizer) asked me at one point if I wanted to come help escort Mr. Bloch from his hotel suite to one of his autograph sessions, and I eagerly agreed. I was able to speak with Bloch for only a few minutes (and I was probably tongue-tied from meeting a living legend and an idol of mine as well), but in that brief time I realized that all the tributes in this recent book are accurate; Bloch was one of the sweetest, most gracious authors in this field, or indeed, any field.His enviable body of work stands well on its own, and this loving tribute, assembled by author Richard Matheson and Bloch's agent, Ricia Mainhardt, ably serves to demonstrate his immeasurable importance and influence. Matheson and Mainhardt have gathered some of the most famous names in the Horror/Fantasy/Science Fiction field to honor the late Robert Bloch, who passed away in Fall 1994, bringing to a close a creative career which had spanned well over sixty years.Such luminaries as Stephen King, Peter Straub, Arthur C. Clarke, Harlan Ellison, Christopher Lee, Ray Bradbury, and Ramsey Campbell speak at length here about their idol (and, in some cases, mentor) Bloch, and how and why the man came to be such an important influence upon their own careers, and unquestionably the Fantasy/Horror/Suspense fields as a whole. Such relative newcomers as film/television director Mick Garris, artist/writer Neil Gaiman, and horror critic/author Douglas E. Winter round out the impressive list, demonstrating that Bloch's touch extends far beyond the so-called Golden Age into the present. This tribute volume also serves as an invaluable coda of sorts to Bloch's delightful autobiography, Once Around the Bloch, published only a few years ago. While the majority of these recent tribute books are hastily thrown together, shoddily edited affairs, intended merely to generate cash from the reputation of the person or persons being honored, Appreciations of the Master cannot, happily, be said to be in this regrettable category.As the tribute volume becomes an ever morecommon marketing category for publishers, so does the overall value of such books decrease, given the overkill of hundreds of them flooding an already saturated market.This is truly one of the most valuable tribute volumes, full not only of heartfelt, insightful, informative testimonials, but also of a generous assortment of some of Bloch's best short fiction, chosen by many of those paying homage to the author.Any collection of Bloch's that includes "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper" or "Notebook Found in a Deserted House" has to be good, even if, it must be confessed, the fairly hokey Lovecraftian "it's at the window!" ending seems dated and unbelievable now.It is conceivable that many of Bloch's fans that know only his novels (including his most well-known, Psycho) aren't as familiar with his masterful short fiction, and they could certainly do worse than to start off with this collection, and then proceed to the recent five-volume edition of Bloch's short fiction, published several years ago by Citadel Press. One delightful new surprise to be found here is a rare non-fiction essay of Bloch's entitled "The Clown at Midnight," in which the author, penning this particular essay in the early 1960s, explains just why he feels that most modern horror films miss that mark of terror which many of the classic ones never do, and Bloch's best fiction almost never does either.The essay makes fascinating reading even if you've never read Bloch's work before at all, or you violently disagree with his conclusions.I'm not sure if Harlan Ellison would agree with this assessment, but it seemed to this reviewer upon finishing Bloch's essay that much of the raw material for Ellison's nonfiction career can be glimpsed in what Bloch accomplishes here; that Ellison himself is present in this volume suggests such an influence even more strongly. "The Clown at Midnight" is startlingly pertinent to the lamentable state of the horror/suspense film from the 1960s through today; it is hard to believe that the essay itself is over thirty years old.Bloch rejects most modern horror films, finding them long on blood and gore, and short on character, plot, and scares that aren't merely shock effects.This essay should be required reading for all now and future horror film directors, including (one almost regrets to mention) Mick Garris, included ironically in this volume, and director of several lackluster, none-too-frightening Stephen King miniseries'. Garris' admiration of Bloch is unquestionable, but his own work could surely use a lesson or two from Bloch's own career.Many of the personal tributes included with the volume are illuminating, and some are downright unique, especially the one from Peter Straub in which he describes how, as a young aspiring horror author growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he used to delight in watching Bloch on early television in the 1950s, on a show entitled "It's'A Draw."Straub doesn't go into detail about the contents or subject matter of the show, or even Bloch's role in it, but it's clear that Straub recalls the show (and Bloch's appearance on it) with great affection.That Straub has evolved into one of our most highly-regarded modern masters of horror fiction puts such a synchronicitous event as this in a whole new light. It's unusual that Straub's first exposure to Bloch's work was as host of a television show, but the fact that Bloch made an impression with every aspect of his creative energies, whether it was his writing, screenwriting, acting, is simply astonishing.The ultimate value of Appreciations of the Master is that it doesn't neglect Bloch's widely heralded gift for humor, as well as his better-known gift for suspense and terror.His infectious sense of humor is the thing that most people who knew him treasure him for, and it is almost certainly the primary quality that Bloch himself would have liked us to remember him for, most of all. ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring a never-before-published short story from Stephen King and edited by the world-renowned and award-winning author of "Psycho", Robert Bloch, this collection includes 22 masterworks harvested by the Horror Writers Association. Stephen King toe-tags a stiff who's still very much alive, and going under the knife, in "Autopsy Room Four". Richard Christian Matheson clocks the final minutes of a man at the mercy of monsters in "Please Help Me". Charles Grant shadows a lost soul looking for a place to rest in "Haunted". Ads in "Fangoria". Online promo.Amazon.com Review
The late, great Robert Bloch (author of Psycho) was a masterof macabre humor: he was fond of clever, grisly one-liners, often usedas twist endings. He also liked to write about psychotic andpsychopathic killers. This solid anthology, put out by the HorrorWriters Association (HWA) and completed after Bloch's death, honorshis legacy with 22 tales about murderers and crazies of variousstripes. A good many of the stories, most memorably Esther Friesner's"Lonelyhearts," have Blochian twists at the end. The weakestof the bunch have no other flaw than predictability, and thestrongest, such as Ed Gorman's powerful "Out There in theDarkness" are classics of traditional storytelling. You'll findexcellent stories here by Denise M. Bruchman, Del Stone Jr., Edo vanBelkom, Gary A. Braunbeck, and others. Stephen King contributes alittle gem of a tale in which the narrator finds himself in an autopsyroom: "It fits. It fits everything with a horrid prophylacticsnugness. The dark. The rubbery smell.... Dear God, I'm in a bodybag."

Note: the two previous HWA anthologies are Under the Fang,edited by Robert R. McCammon, and Peter Straub'sGhosts, edited by Peter Straub. --Fiona Webster ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A few good ones one bad one.
I was given this anthology as a housewarming gift in 1998 by my ex-girlfriend when I was living in Iowa, and it is one of the few books that surived the move from Iowa back to Illinois.The story that I will say is the best hands down is by Stephen King,"Autopsy Room Four" is the story that proves that Stephen King is still the genre's reigning guy.

But the story that is hands down the worst and the author of it has a crappy personality too is David Nial Wilson.Blameless is the worst one in there and that story deserves a one star -- I think Wilson needs to quit the genre all together.

This anthology is one of the reasons I am also doing anthologies too, and one author that I think encouraged me the most is Ed Gorman and seen one of the contributors on AuthorsDen.I read that contributors story too and I will say is one of those that rocks.Ed Gorman and the guy who wrote the story mentioned are two of the most approach able writers in the anthology. Wilson had a hissy fit when he learned of Reality Check: An Anthology Of Horror -- so I will never recommend any story of his to anyone.One of my publishers hate the guy too.

All in All Bloch is a good writer and a good editor, but every editor has that story they wish they thought twice about publishing.The one that is in that catagory is Blameless one of the worst thought out stories I've read and the characters are cardboard.

Don't let them get me, Mommy, please?
Starting off with Stephen King's `Autopsy Room Four', a story that, believe it or not, I have never read of his.An excellent view of what it is like for one man to almost become a corpse before his time, Robert Bloch's `Psychos' keeps up this pace with some stunningly unique and frightening tales of murder and mayhem.

Charles Grant's `Haunted' turns the tables of a secretive killer and the strangely heroic form of a bum.
Ed Gorman's `Out There In The Darkness' tells a tale of middle class vengeance against the dregs of society, a cult that takes care of their own.
Brent Monahan's `Doctor, Lawyer, Kansas City Chief' takes us to the limits of where an angry man will go to track down drunk drivers.
Del Stone Jr. writes `Lighting The Corpses, a tale of an ethereal madman who lights up fires of hopelessness.
Clark Perry's `Deep Down There' will keep you out of caves for the rest of your life, and Gary Jonas's "So You Want To Be A Hitman' takes you on a road-rage ride with a true psychotic.

My Favorites, along with `Autopsy Room Four', would be Lawrence Watt-Evans `Grandpa's Head', giving us a tiny glimpse of family history, Ester M. Friesner's `Loneyhearts' with lessons on how to stalk and find just the right mate for you, Edo van Belkom's `The Rug' gives sinister menace to an everyday item, and Gary A. Braunbeck's `Safe' is a chilling Columbine type tale of unexplainable madness.

There are more tales of terror by Richard Christian Matheson, Denise M. Bruchman, Dominick Cancilla, Cindi Geddes, Yvonne Navarro, David Niall Wilson, Richard Parks, Stephen M. Rainey, Jane Yolen, and Billie Sue Mosiman.Twenty-two tales in all, plus notes about the authors in the back.The introduction was done by Horror Writer's Association, for even though Robert Bloch started this editing project, he sadly died before its completion, leaving behind a legacy of some of the best horror ever written.

While some of the stories do not actually center around actual psychos, they all tend to leave that feeling of madness poised in the gray matter between your ears, threatening to sink deeper the longer you ponder these tales.`Psychos' is a true masterpiece collected by Horror Writers Association, and a definite not-to-be-missed trip into the insanity we horror aficionados crave so much.Enjoy!

A solid collection from the premier horror writers out there
This is a collection of 22 original stories presented by The HorrorWriters Association.In the U.S., there are two editions: a paperback andthe limited hardcover put out by Cemetery Dance Publications.I suggestpicking up the hardcover and I'll explain why later. The big draw to thisone is Stephen King's original appearance of AUTOPSY ROOM 4, a story abouta guy who is not dead but the Dr.'s performing the autopsy think otherwise. This is one of the better King shorts in a long while and is a fun read.The best story is Gary Braunbeck's SAFE, a story about how a town tries tocope and understand a mass murder.It is told through the eyes of arelative of the murderer who was saved in the melee and how he is dealingwith the reprucussions of the event years later.It is an emotionallywrenching piece and is still reverberating in my body still, a few daysafter reading it. Ed Gorman treats us to a "What If" story.Whatif a neighborhood watch group actually killed a thief and the thief'saccomplices try to enact revenge?It's a great premise and Gorman deliversa stunning story. Clark Perry also tells a story of childhood guilt thatstill haunts the living.This one was written so well I actually missed anappointment because I was so engrossed in the character's lives.I wishmore of Mr. Perry's stuff would see the light of a day.A very talentedwriter. Other standout stories are put out by Yvonne Navarro, David NiallWilson, Del Stone Jr. Cindie Geddes and Richard Christian Matheson.Therereally was not a story I didn't enjoy in here.A very good collection andone not to be skipped. Now for the reason I suggest the hardcover edition.Cemetery Dance Publications has made this book look very unique. And it hasnothing to do with the Eric Powell cover, even though it is great andalluring.It has to do with the inside of the book. Obviously, RichardChizmar took great care in designing the pages, as they are decorated withlittle illustrations by Jason Van Hollander.At each page corner there arethese creepy characters and at the end of each story a little hauntedhouse.The end papers also have some great illustrations by AllenKoszowski that show the face of the late Robert Bloch and some of his andothers' characters. A very nice looking edition that you'll appreciate foryears to come. Highly recommended and highest recommendation for buying thehardcover edition.

A Poor Anthology. There IS Better Out There
This anthology failed to impress me. Most of the stories were truly poor not worth the time to read. There are a couple of exceptions. Most notably where Denise M. Bruchman's "Lesser of Two Evils" and Edo vanBelkom's "The Rug"; I would readily give these two stories fivestars each. The two worst, most dissapointing works in the collection wereRichard Christian Matheson's "Help Me" (a true waste of space),and--brace yourselves-- Stephen King's "Autopsy Room Four"; bothof these works were pathetic sensationalism--I've not read any other R.C.Matheson (though I'm a fan of his father's), but I KNOW King can do muchbetter.

Don't waste your time or money. Check it out from the libary toread the contributions of Bruchman and Belkom; bother with nothing else.

Perfect length
I normally do NOT like short stories.This collection was, however, just great.Although I wouldn't give every individual story in the book five stars, I truly did enjoy every one. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent
The Kidnapper is one of Blochs' great achievements. Weighing in at a mere 216 pages, the engrossing tale starts with a bang and ends with an even bigger one. Written in the first person, you can't help but like the main character slightly, though obviously his deranged outlook and frequent using of people leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Rarely is a book written through the first person with this sort of character, but it's an eye awakener into the mind of a sociopath out for his own sake. Perhaps inspired by get rich schemes, this is the ultimate attempted scam gone wrong, an ideal warning against easy money never being earned the criminal way.

One thing that propels this book forward into the fast-read category is the high suspense ratio. Action does not begin on the first page and it takes a bit to get to the actual kidnapping, instead having various scenes between characters which would feel slightly boring if it weren't for the witty phrasing and unusual exchanges. Stakes always feel high when the actual crime gets done, everything desperate from day one, with each person taking a turn panicking. Disaster after disaster strikes to where - again - it's nearly funny, with Steve still seeming almost likable.

BETTER THAN PSYCHO
THIS PREDATES PSYCHO BY SEVERAL YEARS, AND IS THE BETTER BOOK BY FAR. WHILE SEVERELY DATED,IT IS STILL RELEVENT TODAY........A SMALL TIME LOSER COMES UP WITH A ''FOOLPROOF'' PLAN........HE ENLISTS THE HELP OF HISGIRLFRIEND AND A FACTORY COWORKER.......HES CONVINCED HES LOOKED AT EVERYPOSSIBILITY, AND THAT NOTHING CAN GO WRONG........BUT OF COURSE ITDOES......HORRIBLY.DESPITE THE DESPERATE STEPS TAKEN BY THE KIDNAPPER,BLOCHSAYS THAT WE ALL MIGHT HAVE A BEAST INSIDE OF US..........WHILE NOT ASPOWERFUL AS ''NIGHT-WORLD'',THIS IS A CLOSE SECOND........

Robert Bloch's darkest nightmare
Of all the tales Robert Bloch told this is the one that reportedly disturbed him the most.It is the darkest, nastiest look into the human heart of darkness that a person seems capable of.The fact that Blochgives the narrator such a breezy and funny voice (an RB trademark) onlyincreases the horrific gut punch this novel delivers.Robert Bloch was amaster, this book shows you why. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

"...even death may die."
As any fan knows, there's no shortage of Lovecraftian material these days. If anything, there's far too much of it, with an inevitable dilution of quality. It's sad, then, that this wonderful homage & tribute to Lovecraft by one of his acolytes is out of print.

Robert Bloch is a well-known name in both horror & film circles -- "Psycho," anyone? But he began as a fan & literary friend of HP Lovecraft, to the extent that they both featured (and killed off) versions of each other in a brief series of Mythos stories. And decades after Lovecraft's death, Bloch wrote this fine novel, which works as both a Mythos story brought into the 1970s, when it was written, and as a memorial for his mentor & friend.

Quite simply, in a series of linked novellas, various people discover that Lovecraft wasn't writing fiction -- he was writing fact. Secondary characters are killed off in gruesome ways, duplicating the deaths in Lovecraft's stories, right down to the italicized taglines. There's a touch of fond parody here, and one can easily imagine Bloch's smile in writing those passages, no doubt thinking how Lovecraft himself would have been pleased by them.

But there are chills & shocks in plenty here, too! All of Lovecraft's work warns about the return of the Old Ones & their renewed domination of humanity. Bloch follows that warning to its logical, terrifying end, with quite a few twists along the way. Well-written, fast-paced, appropriately frightening -- Bloch does a fine job that entertains the reader & honors his friend. For all Mythos fans, highly recommended!

Pastiche of the best kind
Strange Eons is Robert Bloch's homage to his old mentor and correspondent, H.P. Lovecraft. Taking names and incidents mentioned in Lovecraft's tales, Bloch (best known for the novel Psycho) weaves a story surrounding three individuals who run afoul of the otherworldly monsters of the so-called Cthulhu Mythos. (In brief, the Cthulhu Mythos is the name given to a fragmentary mythology as reflected in most of Lovecraft's fiction; he posits an array of godlike beings so horrible and alien to human conception that running into one is likely, even if one is lucky enough to survive the encounter, to drive a person insane. Cthulhu, a giant being with the head of an octopus, is the most well-known of these creatures.)

The title is taken from a famous Lovecraftian couplet: "That is not dead which can eternal lie/ and with strange eons, even death may die." The story begins when Albert Keith, an eccentric art collector, purchases the literally ghoulish painting described in Lovecraft's story, "Pickman's Model." From that point, he (and others) begin to deduce that Lovecraft's stories were not fiction, but thinly-disguised prophecies and warnings to the human race. As they investigate, the novel gives us a kind of Cliffs Notes overview of Lovecraft's major themes.

Bloch's novel is fast-paced, which is unusual for this kind of supernatural fiction. Typically, atmosphere and evocative description dominate, neither of which necessarily lend themselves to quick reading. This marks the book's biggest departure from Lovecraft's style and tone, but what he loses in 'period authenticity', Bloch makes up for in plot twists, with each new revelation uncovering another Lovecraftian icon--the Shining Trapezohedron, or the people from Innsmouth. Added to that is Bloch's gift for naturalistic dialogue (a gift Lovecraft himself lacked) and characterization.

The biggest problem with the novel is deciding who its audience is. Die-hard Lovecraft fans might not like the direction Bloch took with some characters (such as a hip, jive-talking preacher--the book was written in the '70s, after all), nor would most of them need to have the background explained to them. Those unfamiliar with Lovecraft might wonder why so much of the book is devoted to someone else's writings. Nonetheless, the solidity of the plot and the fast pace of the storytelling are worthwhile in their own right.

If you're a fan of Lovecraft and don't mind the radical departure in tone, or are a fan of supernatural investigation in general, Strange Eons is a great short read and a tribute to the man who gave Bloch so much inspiration in his early days.

An addition to the Mythos..........
If you do not understand the title of this review, you'll most likely get lost from the start reading this novel.

Strange Eons is an attempt to seek "closure" to H.P Lovecrafts outstanding cycle of stories "The Cthulu Mythos". While being an excellent addition to the many many stories written on and/or about the mythos, in Strange Eons, the style of Robert Bloch (an outstanding writer of horror and the macabre) just doesn't seem to carry the superlative finesse that H.P. Lovecraft himself posessed completely. If you are, in fact a lover of Howard Phillips writings, by all means grab this one !!! If not, I highly recommend them to those that truly enjoy this genre.

Beware the Old One!
Strange Eons is a trio of tales that chart the awakening of Cthulthu, the slumbering, dreaming Elder God of H.P. Lovecraft's mythos.Fans of the C.M. will want to snag this and gobble it up.Recommended.

For Lovecraft Fans Only
I couldn't resist the opportunity to be the first to review a book, albiet an obscure one.Everyone knows of Psycho from the superb Hitchcock film, but few know that it was originally a book, and even fewer know that theauthor was a member of the "Lovecraft Circle."(Most of thesepeople don't even know who H.P.Lovecraft is).Here, written 20 years afterRobert Bloch's phenomenal hit Psycho is Strage Eons, the ultimate homage tothe works of Howard Phillip Lovecraft!And here over 20 years after thisbook was written is the first commentary on it for Amazon.com!First ofall, only fans of Lovecraft's works will really understand this book. Throughout the book are parallels to Lovecraft's original stories and eventhough these parallels are explained to the main characters who, like mostof the public, are unfamiliar with Lovecraft's writings only a reader ofLovecraft will find the fun in them.This story, I think, is really meantto be more for fun than for genuinely disturbing the reader, whichLovecraft's writing tried and succeeded at.Bloch's writing style can'ttouch Lovecraft's and his characters are flat and dimensionless but overallits a fun read and I recommend it to fans of The Great Old One.Its alittle unfortunate that the genius behind Psycho couldn't make a great bookto pay homage to the Master, but its still worth a look. ... Read more

Product Description
This special collection hearkens back to the best creepy, eerie horror comics of yesteryear, only these feature the added bonus of being adapted from stories by horror literature legends Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson, David J. Schow and Paul F. Wilson by comics luminaries like Ashley Wood, Ted McKeever and many more. Completely Doomed features the Eisner-nominated "Blood Son" by Wood and Chris Ryall, and 15 other adapted tales of wretched excess and predestined downfall, all presided over by the macabre madame, Ms. Doomed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A RIDE INTO HELL
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2687P6Q4AM126 Doomed is a great horror anthology of stories in graphic novel ( or comic book...) , form. The drawings and stories work together expertly to produce a chilling air of eeriness, and as you read you find yourself drawn into the stories, feeling the nightmare that the victims feel as their worlds shatter around them. Many of the stories start out with a person in a seemingly normal situation, at work, or at home, or driving ... who quite suddenly finds himself in a setting where someone or something is trying to destroy them.Some of the tales have a strong moral to them, and some have none at all. The drawings and stories are expertly done, these are tales crafted by genuine artists including adaptions of stories by great horror novelists Robert Bloch and Richard Matheson. My video is meant to show you the style of the art work, the types of stories in the book, and the intensity of the imagery. I recommend this book only to fans of horror or suspense and advise caution regarding giving the book to anyone under 13 years of age.

- Mike S.

Nostalgic Anthology Greatness in Modern Form
I originally purchased this book to complete my collection of works featuring the art of Ashley wood: my eye caught on the instantly recognizable Wood-cover of "Completely Doomed." I didn't even know what the book was about: I literally judged the book by its cover. IDW and Ashley Wood have been a dynamic pairing thus far, and so I took it on good faith.

If you like anthologies such as Tales from the Crypt or The Twilight Zone, this book is completely up your alley. The format is what you would expect from the previously mentioned titles: it is 240 pages of short story anthology horror from some of the best writers and illustrators in the business. Some of the names include Ashley Wood (duh), Robert Bloch (the guy who wrote the original Psycho), and Richard Matheson (writer and contributor for The Twilight Zone). It's all told in black and white, but that doesn't matter. It keeps that old school, pulp-comic vibe and is grossly entertaining down to the very last page.

I'd talk about some of the short stories, but they're so well-written and, at times, so shocking in their finales that it would do you a great disservice if I were to spoil them here. If your intuition is telling you that this looks like a great read for those dark and stormy nights, you should heed that call.

Doomed? Maybe. Great?Absolutely.
I purchased this book because I was interested in reading "classic" horror/macabre fiction from Robert Bloch and Richard Matheson, as well as newer work from authors with disparate sensibilities, F. Paul Wilson and David Schow.I actually didn't realize this was not a text-based anthology, but a graphic-novel style anthology of short stories, from Doomed magazine.

But what an incredibly lucky accident. The stated goal of Completely Doomed was to bring back the feel of the "creepy" comics like Tales from the Crypt, an effort seen a few years back with Stephen King's "Creepshow."This volume met that goal admirably.The b/w artwork is outstanding, in a Frank Miller vein, with menace in the shadows, and film noir desperation bleeding from every panel.Several artists are involved, and their styles are disparate enough to create real visual interest.

The art is supported by very nice adaptations of the underlying stories, and the narrative drive of "good stories, well told" run through each piece.I loved reading an older story from Bloch with echoes of a Leave it to Beaver world gone mad, juxtaposed with the post-apocalyptic Nosferatism view from Horror's younger crowd. I would call out specific tales, but the truth is, I thought they all worked well when considering the author's era.I particularly enjoyed the early incarnations of motifs that have become classics...evil bugs, voodoo curses, tricky doppelgangers, and old deserted places with strange bespectacled men that you SHOULD NOT VISIT (but do.)

The book ends with a gallery of Doomed magazine covers.Several of these are exquisite, beautiful paintings that rival or surpass Norman Rockwell for detail, motion, and evocation of emotion.If horror short stories are your cup of tea (or maybe more accurately, cup of blood), then you'll enjoy this graphic anthology.

Advisory things:The gore is there, but very consistent with the "creepy comic" genre.It's artfully done, and hidden in shadows for the most part.There is some nudity, but artful and not pornographic.A small dose of implied sex, nothing explicit.(And, of course, because the genre requires it, if you have sex, you die.)

Best of its kind since EC
This collection of horror stories has excellent art and great writing. If you love the old EC Archive comics such as ShockSuspense Stories and Tales From The Crypt, this collection is for you. Great price because you get a lot for the money.

A THROWBACK TO 1970'S HORROR MAGS
The bronze age of comics is the most overlooked of the various comic book eras.It doesn't have the historical significance of the Golden Age, the panache of The Silver Age's rejuvenation of comic books, or the gritty realism of the Modern Age.But one thing that the Bronze Age could boast, that none of the other eras could, was the great black & white horror magazines of the 70's.Because they were magazines and not comic books, they did not have to be submitted to the dreaded Comics Code Authority, and were able to do stories which would not have been permitted under the code.Magazines like Creepy, Eerie, and Vampirella boasted impressive artistic talents, including many veterans of EC Comics:Reed Crandall, Al Williamson, Wally Wood, Frank Frazetta, and Johnny Craig.These magazines, along with those put out by Skywald during the same period continue to be enormously popular among collectors and horror fans.

IDW Publishing has certainly channeled the spirit of those great old magazines with Doomed Magazine, a throwback to the 1970's both in style and substance.Completely Doomed is a 240 trade paperback collecting some of the best work from Doomed featuring the work of legendary horror writers Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson, David J. Schow, and Paul F. Wilson.Like Creepy and Eerie, Doomed has its own host presiding over the stories and supplying introductions, the lovely Ms. Doomed.Artists contributing to the book include:Eduardo Barreto, Toby Cypress, Mike Hoffman, Nat Jones, Ted McKeever, Tony Salmons, and Ashley Wood.As you page through the book you'll note that all of the artists are working in a style similar to those old mags.The art is all in glorious black and white with very liberal uses of zip-a-tone or screentone, which is almost a lost art among today's comics.I've always enjoyed the uses of zip-a-tone for creating textures and gradients that you don't get with mere pencil and ink.

The first story in the book is Matheson's "Blood Son" adapted by Chris Ryall with art by Ashley Wood.Jules is a strange little boy...a quiet loner whose first word was "Death!"When Jules turns 12 he discovers Bram Stoker's Dracula, and becomes obsessed with it...very obsessed!

Scott Tipton adapts Matheson's story "Crickets" with art by Mike Hoffman.Hal and Jean Galloway are enjoying the last couple of days of their vacation at a lakeside resort when they meet a strange man who claims that crickets talk to him.The crickets call out names to him...the names of the dead!

"Slasher" by F. Paul Wilson is one of those tales with a twist ending in the great EC tradition.A man's daughter is murdered and he is out for revenge.An FBI agent informs him that the killer is an important witness in a federal trial and cannot be touched until SHE testifies.But this man's revenge cannot wait...Great story!

"Cuts" by F. Paul Wilson and Ted McKeever is a grisly tale of retribution when a writer wants revenge on the director who skewered his book when it was adapted into a film.

I've mentioned only a handful of the sixteen stories in the book.Trust me there's not a dud among them.Doomed has virtually channeled the spirit of Creepy and Eerie in this collection.


REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON ... Read more

Product Description

Harry Collins is an ad-executive in a future Chicago on an Earth whose population has exploded beyond imagining.

Crazed by the pressures of overcrowding, he seeks escape with a suicidal leap from a skyscraper. Stopped, he is hustled off for psychiatric treatment in a odd encampment where he meets an falls in love with an accommodating nurse named Sue.

But who is the strange Dr. Leffingwell, performing experiments on the premises?

Harry's horrific discoveries in the secret lab cause him to flee into the outside world -- flee into the forces that would help change and shape this tortured world.

But then, years later, when his assassin's rifle is trained on Dr. Leffingwell himself, he is halted by the mutant product of that fateful lab.

His own son.

Here is an exciting work of science fiction by an acknowledged master of suspense and horror, Robert Bloch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Enjoyable ride
Robert Bloch is quintessentially known as the author of stunners like "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper" and "A Toy for Juliette". The stories presented in this collection are paler compared to them, but still they are enjoyable in terms of lucidity, irony and humour (there is a surprisingly generous sample of the latter, esp.in the stories like "How bug-eyed was my monster?" and "Beep no more, my lady"). Stories like "Secret of the Observaory" and "Red Moon Rising" have become stale, but the funnier stories are evergreen. Recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
The Castle: it looms over the streets of modern Chicago.Its stone walls conceal a maze of secret passageways and hidden rooms, private laboratories and concealed trapdoors.The Castle is home to G. Gordon Gregg, physician-murderer.His victims are young, beautiful women.His methods are swift, scientific and painless, his crime perfect.Until a newspaper reporter becomes suspicious. Investigating Dr Gregg, Crystal finds herself falling in love with the charismatic surgeon, despite the danger.It id that love that seals her doom - for what G. Gordon Gregg loves, he kills... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Bland
The main downfall of the story is not that it's not readable - it certainly is - but that the pacing is snail slow and seems to drag on and on. It would have been much better suited as a shorter story, or else where more action (even if invented) took place. His writing style is as enjoyable as ever, and Bloch fans should still read this one if they run into it. Suspense is there in moderate doses, but not with enough frequency to save this book from the to-be-traded pile.

Bloch not quite at his best
Like Psycho, Bloch based this novel (however loosely) on real-life events.American Gothic focuses on the career of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who lured victims to his "castle."Bloch's version is appropriately chilling, and carries his typical stamp of suspense.

However, Bloch isbest known as a short story writer, and for good reason.His storiesshine, while his novels tend to drag.This book is no exception.Hiswriting style is much better suited to shorter fiction, and the plot andatmosphere of American Gothic are not well sustained throughout the lengthof the novel.If you are a Bloch fan, then by all means read it.If,however, you are a horror lover, something faster-paced may be more to yourliking. ... Read more

Product Description
After graduating from college, Lori returns home only to lose her parents in a fire. In the wake of this tragedy, unusual events begin to unfold, starting with the discovery of a girl named Priscilla Fairmount in an old high school yearbook who looks just like Lori. But the yearbook is from before Lori was born! Now, suspected by the police for being involved in the fire, Lori begins a descent into madness, convinced that her "twin," Priscilla, is attempting to take over her mind...unaware of the brutal role she herself may be playing in the events which now shape her fate.From Robert Bloch, the master of American horror, Lori is a cerebral and terrifying read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The old master still had it...
Here's a reprint of one of Robert Bloch's last novels.It is very readable, and moves rapidly, with a high level of suspense maintained throughout.It also contains quite a bit of forced humor, most of which doesn't work.The plot made almost no sense to me, and the motivations of many of the key characters are absolutely incomprehensible.Just to give two examples: (1) Two opposing "psychic" forces act, one to prevent, one to support fortune teller Nadia Hope in her frantic effort todeliver a college yearbook to the main character, Lori.It makes for a suspenseful few pages, but makes no sense at all in terms of what we learn later about what's going on.(2) Lori's psychiatrist's behavior toward her makes almost no sense at any point in the novel in terms of what he apparently hopes to accomplish with her, as revealed toward the novel's end.Lori herself is quite annoying and it is a bit difficult to care too much what her ultimate fate might be.Indeed, Bloch leaves her ultimate fate completely up in the air... we never hear from her again after a certain crucial moment.

There's no hint in this trade paperback edition, riddled with misprints, that the novel has been published before... 1988, hardback, 1990 paperback.

I think that a final rewrite by Bloch might have helped quite a bit, but it's an enjoyable read, and will keep almost any reader on the edge of his or her seat to the very last page.Bloch's career as a fictioneer goes all the way back to the heroic era of H. P. Lovecraft, and Bloch changed effectively with the times, while maintaining his mission to keep readers scared! ... Read more

Product Description
"The Man Who Returned" (1934) by Edmond Hamilton; "Spider Mansion" (1942) by Fritz Leiber; "A Question of Etiquette" (1942) by Robert Bloch; "The Sea Witch" (1937) by Nictzin Dyalhis; "The Strange High House in the Mist" (1931) by H. P. Lovecraft; "The Drifting Snow" (1939) by August Derleth; "The Body-Masters" (1935) by Frank Belknap Long; "Pigeons from Hell" (1938) by Robert E. Howard. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Old Fashioned and Uneven
Pyramid Books published three paperback anthologies of stories from _Weird Tales_ in the early 1960s: _The Unexpected_ (1961), _Weird Tales_ (1964), and _Worlds of Weird_ (1965). All three credit Leo Margulies as the editor. But according to _The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction_ (1995), Sam Moskowitz ghost edited the last two. This seems likely. The first book consists of more modern-- and generally better-- stories. The latter two books are more old fashioned and uneven in quality. But perhaps they come a bit closer to giving the reader the flavor of the magazine during its golden years.

_Weird Tales_ (1964) consists of eight stories published between 1931 and 1942. The stories are: Edmond Hamilton's "The Man Who Returned," Fritz Leiber's "Spider Mansion," Robert Bloch's "A Question of Etiquette," Nictzin Dyalhis's "The Sea Witch," H.P. Lovecraft's "The Strange High House in the Mist," August W. Derleth's "The Drifting Snow," Frank Belknap Long's "The Body Masters," and Robert E. Howard's "Pigeons From Hell". Only the Leiber and the Bloch were not purchased by Farnsworth Wright, the greatest editor of _Weird Tales_.

Let us dispense with several stories straightaway. The Howard is absolutely awful-- from its ridiculous title to its silly plot to its purple prose to its blatant racism. The Derleth is less offensive, but it is little more than a stock variation of a vampire story. The Long is a heavy-handed science fiction satire of the sort that became obsolete after the thirties. The Bloch is mildly amusing but trite and fairly predictable. The other four stories, however, deserve a bit more attention.

Nictzin Dyalhis was a chemist and short story writer who sold a small handful of stories to _Weird Tales_ over the years. I believe that he has been somewhat overrated as an author, but "The Sea Witch" is still a good story-- a pleasant romance with well-rounded characters.

I am not a keen admirer of H.P. Lovecraft, especially his dream stories. But "The Strange High House in the Mist" is one of his better yarns; and the sights that you will see through the leaded bulls-eye windows will stay with you, even if they slip away from the mind of the hero. It is a sort of companion piece to "The Terrible Old Man".

The plot of the Hamilton story is outlandish and unbelieveable if you stop to think about it. But it is still a nicely done character study. It begins where a lot of Edgar Alan Poe stories end. A man returns from the grave. But he then discovers that his life was not what he thought it to be.

"Spider Mansion," like "Pigeons From Hell," is an Old Dark House story. Most ODH tales are patently ridiculous, and so it is here. But this dish is served up with panache and style and a poker face. Leiber actually gets away with his nonsense. This is the most entertaining story in the anthology.

How much you will enjoy this book will depend on how much affection you have for what was billed as "the unique magazine". If you have a weakness for ghosties and ghoulies and things that go bump in the night, for cemeteries and haunted houses, for slavering batrachian monsters in shuttered rooms, and for eldrich horrors waiting in jungle temples for luckless travelers... Well then, you may find that this book will provide you with a pleasant hour or two. ... Read more

Product Description
This Crowded Earth is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Robert Bloch is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Robert Bloch then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Dennis Etchison, Charles L. Grant, Susan Shwartz, and others explore the dark, disordered side of the human psyche in seventeen stories that range from the comically macabre to the deeply disturbing. Reprint. K. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Anthology suffers from the curse of sameness.
Psyho-paths features across the board (from black humored over to simply pitch black horror noir) stories from many talented and respected writers in the dark fantasy genre.The book does start off well with the hilarious Bloch roast "Them Bleaks", but then proceeds to slide rapidly downhill from there.The big problem for me being the core sameness of each story, even if there was a twist it revolved around revealing that one character was, gasp!, a PSYCOPATH!This is a problem that cannot be avoided in theme anthologies and, I believe, how attached you are to the particluar theme dictates just how successful the anthology will be for you in the end.The only other tale that really tickled my fancy was Charles Grant's, which contains the bare bones idea for his road predator novel "Jackals".Recommended solely to psycho stories buffs and those hardcore fans that will read anything by the writers they they idolize.

Dont walk this path late at night..
It's difficult to review a compliation without doing a review of each story but let me just say that this book is chock full of chills!The storys all mesh well together along the theme of "psychos" and each little gem is a great way to steal a few minutes of time for yourself during the middle of a hectic day.. or night.You will find that you may never look at the cute little boys next door or that poor stranger needing directions ever again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Classics of the Supenatural
Edited by Peter Haining.

Whenever I come across a book with the name Peter Haining, I know that it's a collection worth considering. Haining has edited dozens of anthologies on horror, crime and fantasy and his selections are usually preceded with a knowledgeable introduction informing the reader about the author and the background to the story.

This collection, originally called "Ghost Movies," but also published as "Classics of the Supernatural," follows his usual high standard and authors include James Herbert, M.R. James, John Carpenter, Robert Bloch, Daphne Du Maurier, Shirley Jackson, Nigel Kneale and others.

The premise of this collection is to present original stories on which famous motion pictures are based. Similar to "Reel Movies," a collection by Sebastian Wolfe. Unfortunately,the volume is soured by the fact that he hasn't been able to obtain all the original source material. Some movies were based on novels or scripts, so they are not reproduced here. Instead, he's substituted a similar story by the same author to represent the omission.

So you don't really get the original stories for "Haunted," "The Old Dark House," "The Uninvited," "The Haunting" and "Beetlejuice." This may dissuade some readers from the collection. The "Ghost Movie" title is also a bit misleading as many stories don't feature ghosts.
The ratings below are out of five.

"Halloween's Child" by James Herbert.
A substitute story for the film "Haunted." A driver encounters a strange creature on a lonely road on Halloween night. Gripping little chiller. (5/5)

"Night Sequence" by J.B. Priestly.
A substitute story, with a similar premise, for the film "The Old Dark House." A couple seek refuge in an old house when their car breaks down at night. Dated but amusing ghost story. (3/5)

"Sir Tristram Goes West" by Eric Keown.
Original story for the movie "The Ghost Goes West." A stowaway ghost causes mischief. Disappointing. (2/5)

"A Smoky Lady in Knickers" by Thorne Smith.
An early Topper story to represent the film "Topper." Light, amusing fluff abouta couple of ghosts who are husband and wife. (3/5)

"Samhain" by Dorothy Macardle.
A substitute story for the movie "The Uninvited." Atmospheric, creepy story about the festival of the dead. (4/5)

"The Extraordinary, Horrible Dummy" by Gerald Kersh.
Original story for one part of the anthology film "Dead of Night." The segment about a ventriloquist and his dummy. Surprisingly ordinary. (3/5)

"Casting the Runes" by M.R. James.
Original story for "Night of the Demon." Two men are brought together by supernatural occurrences. Dated. (2/5)

"The Bus" by Shirley Jackson
Substitute story for "The Haunting." An elderly woman's bus journey takes some strange turns. Memorable chiller. (4/5)

"The Trespassers" by Nigel Kneale.
The BBC television production "The Stone Tape" was a screenplay but it's concepts were first explored in this short story by the same author. Unspectacular poltergeist-in-the-house tale. (2/5)

"Lucy Comes to Stay" by Robert Bloch
Filmed as a segment for the movie "Asylum." Classic psycho-thriller that plays with reality (5/5)

"Don't Look Now" by Daphne Du Maurier.
Original story for the Nicholas Roeg feature film of the same name. Visually and psychological treat. (5/5)

"Harlequin" by John Carpenter.
Original story from which "Halloween" was devised. Very different from what you'd expect but satisfying in its own right. A rare gem. (5/5)

"Halley's Passing" by Michael McDowell
Substitute story for "Beetlejuice." A cold, calculated serial killer has a hidden secret. Original and surprising. (5/5)

Overall, a solid collection weakened by some lesser stories but worth purchasing for those rated 5/5. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Bloch always a joy to read, no matter what the time.
While Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, wrote many novels and screenplays, his biggest area of success was in the short story.Whether it be horror, psychological suspense, satire, or out and out comedy, Bloch never fails to entertain.Any collection of his work guarantees well spent reading time.Highly recommended.

pretty good book
A collection of short stories from the original master of horror and suspense Robert Bloch. Most of them were pretty decent, nothing too big or great, but a few stand-outs nonetheless. I'd have to say the best story was the first one, and the book at least kept my attention. Thumbs up. ... Read more