Product Description
Based on the groundbreaking and legendary PC games from id Software that have been played by millions of hardcore fans, DOOM is a terrifying battle with the forces of Hell. A space marine's reassignment to the Union Aerospace Corporation's Mars research facility seemed simple, until the scientists' discoveries and experiments unlocked the gates to Hell itself. Now, in an epic clash against pure evil, he must fight to understand who is against him and what must be done to stop this nightmare from reaching Earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fun novelization that can stand on its own.
I do agree that the Doom movie (and therefore this novelization) isn't much like the Doom game. But after all 'Dafydd Ab Hugh' wrote a four book series based on the first two games and Matt Costello is currently putting out Doom 3 books. You can always read those for the 'true' Doom experience. For what it is, this novelization is a fun read.

I'm surprised how much I enjoyed John Shirley's adaptation of the Doom movie. Really. I picked it up because I wanted to blow off some steam with a nice, goofy read about space marines shooting monsters. I got that in spades.

What surprised me though, was that even with these meager ingredients, John Shirley's strength as a writer was able to shine through, polish it up a little and make it something better. The book is pretty compellingly written and worked well as a thriller for me. One of those books where I would tell myself 'one more chapter' before putting it down. He takes a pretty laid back, colloquial writers voice. It kind of felt like the story was being narrated to you by one of the soldiers themselves, though the book isn't written in first person.

Though there is plenty of action to be had in these pages, he also builds in a lot of suspense and tension. I also have to give him credit for trying to give his characters a little bit of depth. He doesn't quite pull it off. You are still reading about space marines who call themselves Reaper, Destroyer or Sarge, but I appreciated that he tried. It kept what really should have just been a hack job from being just that.

The book did have the same problem that the (fairly decent) movie had: the ending. The ending just seems to take the concepts the book was playing with a little too far. It makes the mistake of switching from sci-fi/horror to a sort of goofy super-hero brawl to try and pump up the adrenalin at the end.

Still, the novel is a fun, action packed and grisly weekend read. John Shirley seems to have been the perfect author for this project. He really added quite a bit to what should have been terrible. I have to say that I enjoyed Doom much more than my previous John Shirley experience Aliens: Steel Egg.

Doesn't deserve to be called "DOOM"
This book might be based on the movie, but neither have ANYTHING to do with the game. None of the monsters are from hell, they're all the horrible results of lab experiments gone wrong.None of the weapons look like the ones from the game except the BFG.It's an abysmal, insulting attempt at both a movie and a book of one of the most popular PC games ever.

Anyone who gives this book a good rating has NEVER played the game. If you really want to read books that cover the REAL storyline of Doom, read the books "Knee Deep in the Dead", "Hell on Earth", "Infernal Sky", and "Endgame" by Dafydd ab Hugh.The some of the books are even named after chapters of the video game, so that should tell you you're gonna get the REAL story.

Rip Roarin Yarn
Once again Shirley delivers the goods in this gripping, superbly characterized screen adaptation of the infamous 1st person shooter game that charmed our socks off over ten years ago. What is it exactly that you want out of a video-game-turned-movie novelization?I personally have less interest in a paint-by-numbers representation carefully shaded in to please fans than I am in simply reading a killer story w/believable characters, and that is exactly the author's approach in this satisfying homage to "shoot first ask questions later" pulp sci-fi horror.

It's a shame some folks don't seem to appreciate the simple literary approach of a rip roarin yarn the author has woven here, because if you can check your baggage at the door, you are in for one hell of an intensifying reading experience. This book is the literary equivalent of a sure-shot, one-clip barrage from a BFG emptied into the reader till he's effectively been rendered into so much pulped swiss cheese. I.e, it is best experienced in one sitting (if possible for a great part of its target audience, notoriously short of attention span), because it works like a pot of cold water put on a burner set on high:by the time you get to the last 10 percent, the narrative is boiling over with such fury the reader almost has to hold their breath to get through it all.

It is a sustained symphony of violence so adeptly handled by the author, that when the reader reaches the crescendo it is all one can do to refrain from tearing the pages out as you turn them. This is straight up pulp fiction at its finest, it transports the reader to another world of unbelievable horrors and action in a stylistic manner which renders the whole experience a sustained sense of realism, and that is all one could ask for in a narrative such as this.

Doomed plot
The Author did very well when you consider this is a book that is based on a screenplay that is based on a video game. Buy the book to support the author but if you have other books you like save your money and either buy it used or get it from the library.

DOOM


Far in the future an urgent distress signal is received from a UAC research station on Olduvai mars. Soon after an elite strike team comprised of some of the most battle hardened marines is sent to Olduvai to detain and neutralize the strange threat, but they will soon come face to face with the hellish nightmares unleashed on Olduvai by the scientists' unorthodox experiments. Olduvai...... a place where doom waits.

This is one of the best books I have ever read, because it has a great plot, action, and suspense. However it shouldn't be read by people under 14 because of sex, gore, violence, graphic descriptions, very strong language, and drug references. I would also recommend this for boys more than girls.


... Read more

Product Description
This edition makes available for the first time to a wider audience two historically important fifteenth-century English chronicles, with full scholarly apparatus and comprehensive introductions. The Dethe of the Kynge of Scotisgives full and graphic accounts of the murder of James I of Scotland in 1437, and the subsequent executions of his assassins; translated from a lost Latin narrative by John Shirley, it is edited from the only full text that has survived. Warkworth's Chronicle, usually ascribed erroneously to John Warkworth, master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, is a frequently-cited source for events in the Wars of the Roses between 1461 and 1473, and gives a contemporary assessment of the supposed murders of Edward, Prince of Wales, and of Henry VI by Richard of Gloucester.Professor LISTER M. MATHESONteaches at Michigan State University. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the most beloved child actresses of all time, Shirley Temple continues to delight fans of all ages with her timeless classic films. Shirley made her movie debut at the age of three and became a star in the 1934 film Stand Up and Cheer. Her ability to draw an audience to her films some seventyyears after they were made speaks volumes for this child star. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Temple bio
This is a biography of the famous 30's child starlet Shirley Temple. The book is nicely bounded and divided into 5 chapters.

Ch 1..Discovery
Ch 2..Baby Star
Ch 3..Star!
Ch 4..Uncle Billy
Ch 5..So This is Growing Up

There is a Chronology section that covers the years between 1938 and 2002. There is also a Selected Filmography section that covers her movies between 1932 and 1949.

Nice biography of Shirley Temple for the youngsters with 8 colored photos and an easy-going writing style.

Shirley Temple: Child Stars
Great book. My 2nd grade daughter used it for her book report and loved it. Great information. An easy read.

A rare biography of the child actress geared to grades 3-4
John Bankston's Shirley Temple appeared some time ago but deserves ongoing mention as a rare biography of the child actress geared to grades 3-4.Plenty of books on Shirley reach adult audiences: this 32-page title is a delight for kids who want to read about a notable successful child star. There could be more illustrations, but the value here is the information which is suitable for a report.

... Read more

Product Description
No writer combines the "delight in dread" with social consciousness and metaphysical meaning the way John Shirley does. Although In Darkness Waiting begins in much the same vein as many horror novels (mysterious deaths; a small town invaded by evil; plucky, attractive young lovers; the logical level-headed doctor; some salt-of-the-earth townsfolk...) by its end you will have discovered it is not "just another horror novel." With its exploration of the "insect" inside us all, In Darkness Waiting proves more relevant today than ever.Considering a read of In Darkness Waiting is like considering a trip through the Amazon with no weapons and no vaccinations and no shoes. It's like contemplating a journey in the Arctic clad only in your underwear. Or maybe it's more like dropping into one of those spelunker's challenges, those chilling pitch-black shafts into the Earth's crust-and when you get down there your light burns out and you remember the chitinous fauna of the cavern...

Unlike undertaking those endeavors, you can get through the harrowing pages of In Darkness Waitingalive (although we are not promising you'll remain unscathed.) Towards the end you'll discover one of the most extreme yet literate passages ever written. It may well be the most outré scene ever created.

But John Shirley wasn't after shock alone. Shock is never enough for him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great title=not one of his best, go with "Black Butterflies" first
Shirley is an exciting horror Sci-Fi writer- his stories fall into the vein of political satirist who uses horror and sci-fi themes to get his point across. Overall he is an exciting and descriptive writer who can fall into the trap of "underwriting"- things happen that he doesn't explain or develop enough. His short stories such as "Black Butterflies" suits him best cause of his short and to the point writing style. Unlike King (who can "over write" in his novels) Shirley throws you in and makes you struggle to keep up with the characters as he introduces many and than kills them off just as quickly. Shirley's themes of corporate greed, media addiction, and apathy gone wild really hits home with me so this may be the reason I give him high marks. It is nice to get some social critique while getting your socks scared off you. This book starts off well and than gets lost in the last 20% with a jumble of plot lines coming together that just seem to wind down rather than wrap up in an exciting manner= more confusion than is needed at the end of this book. With Demons you get two short novels in one book= the 2nd one called "Undercurrent" is better than the first cause Shirley is able to spend more time with the main characters so that you care about them more."Demons" falls short at times because Shirley introduces Major Plot items (the Golden Urn?) and doesn't really give you any background on the item. Where as in his other novel "Crawlers" has a horrible title but really is one of Shirley's best - -he nails the "teen" speak, makes you feel for most of the characters, and makes you feel like at any minute anyone is going to die= needed for this type of novel. If you like nasty/gross/tense horrors with a nice political/social commentary pick this one up ASAP and than read "Black Butterflies".

Not one of Shirley's best, but still a great read!
Bram Stoker award winner John Shirley never fails to use his fiction to express his socio-political feelings. For me this is enough to assure his novels will end up in my hands.While Shirley takes the time two write two faithful Hellblazer books and a Batman novel he has been taking the time to revise and update his novels from the 80's. First up in the back catalog of his horror novels is In Darkness Waiting.

Originally written in the mid 80's IDW has been updated in minor ways most telling in discussion of events such as the Iraq war. On the surface IDW seems like a 50's bug monster movie with a small town consumed by evil and what may seem like Typical Genre trappings. However the real essence of Shirley's novel is the way the author uses the monster story explore questions he has about the brutal nature of the world we live in.

Discussed in the foreword and in the prose of the novel is how Nazi guards could feel compelled to throw bread crumbs to pigeons with the death camps still behind them. While IDW has giant bugs who attack the scared towns people the monsters are human's themselves whose apathy and lack of empathy are exploited to create the monsters. Central to the theme is what is at the root of dehumization? What is the difference between the people who become monsters and the ones who live compassionate lives?
The book takes off when the town's people's empathy is transformed into living creatures that escape there bodies, and spread a virus of unbridled anger and hatred.There is a feast for hardcore horror fans, few horror novels have infants set on fire or gentals falling out of purses. Shirley uses almost every tool in the horror tool box to in the novel but to this reader the true horror of the storyis not found the hardcore events Shirley describes but in the issues that inspire the questions at the heart of the novel.

War, Death camps, Sweatshops, factory farms, Genocide, Police brutality, Gang land killings... It is amazing to read a novel that aspires to examine the issues of our times.

The novel itself. John Shirley is underrated, criminally so. His recent novels (Demons and Crawlers) are political horror masterpieces his recent collections including Black Butterflies contain some of the most extreme and intelligent work you'll find in the market. Where does IDW fit in? Even with the revisions I don't believe the book comes close to the excellence of prose and plot I enjoyed in Shirley's recent work. So what? Every artist grows and without In Darkness Waiting we would not have a foundation for demons.

The weaknesses of the book is found in some of the concepts which times come off as hokey. At the same time it is clear Shirley had tongue in cheek motivations that require black sense of humor in the reader. Did it work for me? Hell yeah.

The book is not a good introduction to John Shirley but for fans of his work it is required reading. After you have read Demons and Crawlers it's time to put it on your list.

The evil within
A great example of small town horror at its best, In Darkness Waiting tells the story of young Perry Strandman, who accompanies his Aunt June on a trip to the isolated town of Jasper, Oregon. June is traveling to the small hamlet to assist her friend Sandra Cummings in the care and treatment of her daughter Tetty, who has recently begun to display uncharacteristic violent tendencies.

Even as they enter Sandra's home, the pair can sense something's very wrong with Tetty, who must be restrained for fear of her doing damage to herself and others. Perry soon learns that the wrongness he feels permeates the entire town. Eventually, he learns the true cause of that wrongness, a truth so fantastic he can barely comprehend it. Accepting that truth allows him to survive even as the rest of the townsfolk slowly succumb to an internal evil that apparently only requires extreme anger to emerge.

Reminiscent of David Morrell's The Totem, In Darkness Waiting is, as Shirley himself notes in his fascinating introduction, an exploration of man's inhumanity to man, a search for an explanation of people's ability to dehumanize their fellow human beings to the point where their humiliation and torture become acceptable, even the norm. Unfortunately this tendency is not some historical or isolated oddity. Although Shirley cites the Nazi soldiers who killed millions of Jews as a primary example of this sickness, he can also refer to the recent atrocities which occurred at the Abu Gharib prison in Iraq to illustrate his point.

This being a Shirley novel, however, means that his search is approached in fictional terms, through the vehicle of story, rather than through an analysis of dry, clinical data. Taking this tack, Shirley combines elements of both quiet horror and splatterpunk to great effect, slowly creating a palpable sense of menace which culminates in one of the most horrific and surreal set pieces you're ever likely to read. Doing so, Shirley once again proves that his name should be included among the ranks of those considered as the modern masters of horror. If you haven't read this novel in its previous incarnation, then by all means do so now.

Gets To The Heart Of Horror
I was one of the few remaining, disintegrating legion who eagerly devoured this horror story shortly after it originally came out in an onyx paperback in '88 -- I probably read In Darkness Waiting about 4 yrs after that seemingly innocuous date.It was as fine and focused a dark gem of terror as one could covet, back in the day.Now through a fortuitous chance, seventeen years later, this somewhat overlooked novel gets the treatment it deserves, with a "Director's Cut" edition finely housed in a sturdy hardbound tome with as slick and glossily evil a cover jacket as could do justice to the dark interiors reflected within.Just as the title itself beckons, no -- dares the reader to lift the cover and embark, I implore any purveyors of the shades of literary darkness to place this tome as high on your priority list as you possibly can.
It is waiting to devour you.

Real fear
I have a voracious appetite for horror novels (as my wall of books will attest to,) and I can honestly say, out of the hundreds that I've read, this is one of the creepiest books ever. Few horror novels really get to me (most of them are just fun thrill rides through the dark,) but this one gave me the honest to God heebie-jeebies. The doctor's "Lord of Dark Corners" in the attic freaked me out. Do yourself a favor and track this book down. ... Read more

Product Description
In a secret government lab somewhere in Nevada, a young scientist cowers in darkness–waiting, listening, and calculating his chances of surviving the unspeakable carnage that has left him trapped and alone. Or almost alone.

Soon after, a covert military operation “cleanses” all traces of a top-secret project gone horrifically wrong.

Three years later, it begins again–when the quiet of a warm autumn night in a sleepy California town is shattered by a streak of light across the sky, the thunder of impact, and the unleashing of something insidious. Spreading, multiplying, and transforming everything in its path, this diabolical intelligence will not be denied until the townsfolk–and eventually, all living things–are conquered. Until they are all crawling. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

The Price we Pay
I read a *ton* of horror books, from pulp to classic, and most are a quick good read and soon forgotten.This book, however, got inside me and left me musing for days.The story is classic pulp horror: Some type of alien takes over mankind and converts us into their tools.In Shirley's story, these aliens are actually nanobots that were originally created by man in a secure environment (space) to help us medically by speeding up tissue reparation.The bots were designed to reproduce and work independently in cell renewal.And, of course, they got out of control, wound up on earth, and began taking over a small town until, a la John Saul, the kids save the day.

But there is an underlying theme throughout the book that far transcends the simple scary story.Shirley states it clearly towards the end of the book when he says that "Water is good for you, but too much can kill you.How do we know when we've had too much technology?"This idea is presented over and over again: when the kids are walking through their neighborhood at night and can see in their neighbors' windows and everyone is watching TV... When the story is told of people at a museum with video cameras viewing art through a lens...When over and over the characters are presented in front of their TV's, computers, phones - eerily just like us.

One of the best parts of the whole book is a simple dinner scene with a family talking about the kids' day at school: "Bert thought, They're so caught up in technology.Computers, MP3s, CD burners, downloading whole movies, laptops, augmenting their own videogame platforms with chips ordered on-line, doing most of their homework research on-line, spending hours in chat rooms and instant messaging - he'd heard kids talk about all that and more.He wanted to quote Thoreau. 'We are conscious of an animal in us, which awakens in proportion as our higher nature slumbers.It is reptile and sensual, and perhaps cannot be wholly expelled.'He wanted to ask them when they'd last looked beyond the digital landscape; when they'd really opened up to the sky and the sea and the forests, and to one another - and ask if it were possible that their obsession with the technology of distraction was deafening them to the message of God's creation.But Bert kept quiet.He kept his mouth shut because he knew he'd just come off as pompous, and because teenagers justly despised self-righteous lecturers.Too, teenagers knew that if they were addicted to all these things, it was because they'd been conditioned to them by adults who were just as bad; who reduced them to a consumer demographic.So Bert just smiled and nodded and said they did well to hone their skills."

An interesting mix of genre
This novel was a fun little read. For me, it was the first novel I have come across that was a mix of hard science fiction/horror with a strong flavor of cyberpunk thrown in. Now granted, reading this novel now, 4 years after it came out, it seems a little dated, but mostly holds up well. Yes, there are more than a few characters, wow, the author expects you to keep track, boo hoo.

As for the King/Koontz comments, I just don't get the King comments. Granted, a lot of the novel involves the characters and their lives, but that is it as most I can see about King. Shirley, as with most of his other works, at times really throws the novel into gear with the suspense, and the violence, 2 things I always love. Add to that, he works them into the story quite well, so on the whole, the novel works quite well.

If you enjoy science fiction, or horror, you will get a big kick from this work.

Stephen King, he's not!
If Mr. Shirley had cut out about one-third of the words, it might have been a reasonable read. The action would have been sustained. Ngaio Marsh, Charles Dickens used lots of words; but then Mr. Shirley is not in their class.

Once you realize what is happening, the author repeats and repeats the action in different situations. But it's not suspense from here on out, it's just repetition. He makes a good point about technology, but it's necessary to wade through too many useless words to discover the point.

Better than Most
Shirley is an exciting horror Sci-Fi writer- his stories fall into the vein of political satirist who uses horror and sci-fi themes to get his point across. Overall he is an exciting and descriptive writer who can fall into the trap of "underwriting"- things happen that he doesn't explain or develop enough.His short stories such as "Black Butterflies" suits him best cause of his short and to the point writing style.Unlike King (who can "over write" in his novels) Shirley throws you in and makes you struggle to keep up with the characters as he introduces many and than kills them off just as quickly.Shirley's themes of corporate greed, media addiction, and apathy gone wild really hits home with me so this may be the reason I give him high marks. It is nice to get some social critique while getting your socks scared off you."Crawlers" has a horrible title but really is one of Shirley's best - -he nails the "teen" speak, makes you feel for most of the characters, and makes you feel like at any minute anyone is going to die= needed for this type of novel.If you like nasty/gross/tense horrors with a nice political/social commentary pick this one up ASAP and than read "Black Butterflies".

Creepy Crawlers

:Wraps wings protectively around self and shivers:
Dude, I grew up reading horror novels and adored horror flicks. It's been well over 15 years since something has had the power to goose my bumps.John Shirley's Crawlers is it. Fifty pages into the book and it scared me so bad I had to walk away and call a friend, so what if it was 3 am?At least my friend is still human... or so I pray. Our story begins in a super secret (aren't they all?) government lab where all that is good and wholesome has gone awry. Crawlers have taken over the lab and are harvesting the remaining living scientists for *scrap* body parts. Their goal is complete assimilation. Yup, the Borg on crack,

True to form the government annihilates the lab in an effort to cover up the failed experiment. Unfortunately for the small Californian town of Quiebra, things suddenly don't seem quite so normal. It appears the mighty establishment didn't do to good of a job.People are acting oddly and in some cases disappearing. The adults of the town are being assimilated one by one and it's up to the children of the town and a few rag-tag straggler adults to discover what is going on in time to stop the travesty that is brewing. Even if they do succeed the authorities don't plan to leave any survivors. All hail civilization!

Through out the entire novel the message most prevalent is to think for yourself. Don't let anyone, most especially those in charge, think for you. All else leads to the unthinkable.

Crawlers is an excellent novel. Despite the fact that it scared me away for at least an hour I couldn't stay away. This to me means John Shirley is a force to be reckoned with. :leaves behind a Faery Queen ratingbefore jumping into bed and hiding under the covers:
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

JOHN SHIRLEY IS AN AUTHOR TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR!!!
SPIDER MOON by John Shirley is the tragic tale of Slim Purdoux, an ex-con who served a year-and-a-half in a Texas state penitentiary and who's now working as a book editor for a publishing firm in San Francisco.Slim's world begins to fall apart one morning when he's informed by his new boss that he can either accept a transfer to New York City-away from his ex-wife and son-or lose his job because of cutbacks within the company.Then, within the next hour, Slim discovers to his dismay that the child he loves so much has just died from drug poisoning.He naturally blames himself for the unexpected tragedy, but most of all he blames the people who sold his son, Frankie, the bad drugs.When Slim returns to work from the hospital to hand in his resignation, he's shocked to discover that another employee has gone on a wild shooting spree, killing several co-workers.One unfortunate event swiftly leads to another and the police suddenly think that it was our Texas cowboy doing the actual killing in the office building.Barely escaping with his life, Slim decides that he now has nothing to lose by going after the drug dealers who killed his boy, and he's prepared to do whatever it takes to collect some sweet revenge.Before the week is over San Francisco is going to find itself in the middle of a bloodbath that will make the shootout at the OK corral look like a beach picnic.SPIDER MOON is one of those pleasant little surprises that every reader hopes for when discovering a new author.Though short in length (170pp), it's a whirlwind of a novel that delivers with in-your-face intensity.I could feel the anger and frustration boiling beneath the surface as Slim Purdoux tries to keep himself from going ballistic at the drop of a hat.He has to force himself to pull it together just long enough so that his mission of revenge can be accomplished with deadly accuracy.To the author's credit, he knows how to keep the tension building within the story and the pace moving quickly toward its exploding climax.I couldn't help but find myself getting caught up in Slim's emotional anguish, and this led to me care about him.Also, I was amazed at the degree of sympathy that evolves for the street people that Slim gets involved with while hunting down the individuals who were responsible for Frankie's death.The character of Wendell clearly stands out.Even with Wendell's violent temper, crudeness, and street savvy, it doesn't take long for the reader to start liking him.All in all, SPIDER MOON proved to be one of those wonderful experiences that catch you off guard and causes you to anxiously search for other books by the same author.

Post-Modern Poe Strikes Another Daring Pose
Another great outre' outing by one of today's foremost Masters of the Macabre.Recommended for those who like their fiction daring and edgy.See also his short story collection, "Black Butterflies."

Street Level Realism Brought Into Unflinching Focus
This slim little book packs a whallop. The First Part alone has plenty enough memorable turns of phrase to please the Shirlian reader, or any other reader, for that matter. I was so caught up in Slim's odyssey of vengeance that I felt as if I were in the same state of mind he is. When everthing just stops mattering, and something primal awakens within you, and you are carried along with it, your former personality suddenly taking a back seat to this new, more focused you. I found myself relishing every page even as the dismay mounted as the remaining pages diminished by the minute. It's as if I was trapped in a locked vehicle skidding out of control and my seat belt was stuck: I could see the crash-test-dummy brick wall straight ahead of me and a part of my mind knew the collision was inevitable so the other part just resigned itself to the adrenalized thrill of the ride.
Whatever you wanna label this genre, "streetwise" or whatnot,let me just say that in my opinion, the author is in his element here. SPIDER MOON is the gritty, street-level, real deal. It is trim,wound tight, and written as if the author were dipping a scalpel into his own blood.John's book is decidedly 21st-century, written from a viewpoint that places the reader's perspective in the cradle of the bullet itself. It's as if upon reading this novella, I have been carefully picked up, loaded into Slim's .44 chamber, and thoughtfully fired down the barrel along w/the story, to become imbedded into the heart of all that has awakened Slim's sense of injustice in this world.
This book is a one-sit read at a fast-paced 170 pages.And one of the best things about it is, what a goddamned satisfying resolution! All I can say is "Thanks, John Shirley!" for providing such a necessary tale of redemption and oulaw justice. I am not kidding when I say that the whole story is effective enough to produce real tears in the reader...and I'm not talking about those old snuffly "sad" tears: I'm talking about that one droplet of saline squeezed out of a duct that has everything to do with "Right On!" and little to do w/the tearjerker mentality of artificially induced sorrow.
SPIDER MOON, despite it's straightforwardness & brevity (or because of it-?), will from now on sit on the highest shelf of my collection for me, because it says something so damn many of us have wanted to hear, have needed to hear, for a long time now. It's a crash course in poetic justice, and why the hell Quentin Tarantino doesn't collaborate with John Shirley, I'll never figure out.

you can only run as fast as you can
John Shirley has written a short novel that seems larger, which is surprising since it is a fast-moving suspense novel. There is a lot happening in it's 170 pages. Spider Moon is a story of vengeance and hard truths, dark and violent. But it is also about remorse, consequences and the price of redemption - which is sometimes very high. Though the story unfolds at a gallop, the characters are very well drawn (some are surprisingly sympathetic) and there is a wealth of details that add depth to the story without slowing it down. Although not for the easily offended, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark, well-written, and intelligent fiction.

It'll Catch You Up In Its Web (sorry)
This one hits uncomfortably close to home -- so close, in fact, it took me two weeks to read this short (170 pgs) novel because whenever I came upon a particularly "familiar" passage or disturbing scene, I had to put it down and focus on less depressing things.But I did finish it, and I enjoyed every last punch to the gut.And I cried.

John Shirley has written something extremely important here; he, in his usual no-holds-barred style, has written a cautionary tale that manages to horrify without being gratuitous, warn without being didactic, and move without being sentimental.

There is some lovely imagery within Spider Moon, as well, gorgeous lines like: "She was close to crying, as she rocked, the mournful creaking sound of the rocking chair making a torn paisley shape in my mind..."

The combination of rough, realistic dialogue, the sometimes heart-breakingly angry narrative and fluid, lyrical prose is unique and utterly perfect -- Shirley makes cold-bloodedness seem almost noble, almost beautiful, even when he makes clear that it is anything but.He does "Street" better than any author I've read thus far, and he does it with apparent empathy and masterful grace.

Much of Spider Moon will stay with me, and I'll probably find myself still thinking about it weeks from now -- it will linger, as many excellent books do -- but that last page will always, always haunt me. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A fantastic collection of razor-sharp stories.
John Shirley has several short storiy collections. This is his first, and one of my favorite collections by any author. To call these stories "Splatterpunk" is a bit of a misnomer. The stories are often brutal, but not in the masturbatorial, silly way many authors are limited to. Heatseeker hasscience fiction, horror, cyberpunk, genre-bending oddities like a Quill Tripstickler story... it is truly a great sampling of the styles and substance of John Shirley's work. Gritty, smart, and sharp enough to cut a lasting place as a favorite of everyone I knoow that has read it.

Best Collection since Trouble is My Business
Perfect starting point for those looking for where splatterpunk got its attitude. A dozen stories, polished like diamonds, cutting through the bull like a laser through warm butter. Like Hemingway on crank, Fitzgerald on bad acid, Shirley's heroes learn to kill with all the moronic glee of a gangster trying out his first machine gun ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One of the earlier private detectives in a magical setting
Ja-Lur, also known as Darkworld, is the only planet in the galaxy where magic works. According to Darkworld's natural laws, only a native Darklander can wield magical powers. Hojas Mor, a visitor to Darkworld, has somehow gained access to these powers. Now he's putting his own bid to take over Darkworld. The "Black Hole of Carcosa" the title refers to is in essence a black hole, which might or might not be the cause of Hojas Mor's sorcerous abilities.

Private eye Kamus is half-Darklander. As such, he has unreliable access to magic, though he prefers to lean on his deductive powers and suspect-shadowing skills. Having returned to Ja-Lur from two years of off-planet gallivanting, Kamus has just leased an office from which to manage his detective agency. Dagmar, assistant to the Overlord, sounds him out about a prospective case. Moments later, a giant's head belonging to the sorcerer Hojas magically manifests and threatens Kamus, warning him away. But, of course, Dagmar's case involves Hojas: specifically, Kamus must unearth Hojas's source of power. Things continue to get muddier and treacherous for the persistent Kamus as he resolutely sleuths on and strives to live up to the shamus credo of his hero, Humphrey Bogart.

Kamus of Kadizhar: the Black hole of Carcosa is the sequel to Michael Reaves's fantasy novel Darkworld Detective and is written in fun, tongue-in-cheek fashion by John Shirley, who currently is better known for his two more gripping novels,Demons and Crawlers. Kamus follows (or emulates) a long tradition of obstinate, wise-cracking, tough as teak private dicks, unwilling to let go of a case. For a native of another planet, Kamus persists in dropping references from Earth's pop culture, much to the puzzlement of his fellow Darkworlders. More whimsical, this novel is somewhat reminiscent of Glen Cook's Garrett series and Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. It's worth a look-see, if only to check out John Shirley in a lighter mood. A three and a half stars effort. ... Read more

Product Description
"...And the Angel with Television Eyes" explores the region where fantasy meets reality. This surreal journey of self-discovery and transformation at once questions the nature of our world, and redefines it in the context of 21st century pop culture and technology. It takes a writer of John Shirley's talent and audacity to bring together elements as disparate as Shakespeare, Nietzsche, on-line role playing games, soap operas, and classic mythology - binding them together, creating a heady mélange on, above, and below the streets of Manhattan.

"...And the Angel with Television Eyes" follows the life of Max Whitman, a successful, yet unfulfilled soap opera actor, as his life begins to fall apart. Strange, murderous events suck Max into a maelstrom that leaves him questioning first his own sanity, then the nature of reality. As he is dragged further into a battle between mythic forces that threaten to destroy him and his world, Max must first try and understand the nature of these forces and then find the strength to overcome them. At once a rousing adventure, and a bitingly insightful metaphor for our times, .And the Angel with Television Eyes is sure to keep you at the edge of your seat. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very weird and very good
Max Whitman is a moderately successful actor in present-day New York City. Cast member on a soap opera, he seems to have acquired a stalker who dresses exactly like his TV character. One day, the stalker is found dead in the middle of the street. Indications are that he was dropped from a great height.

In preparation for a big audition, Max agrees to spend some time in a sensory deprivation tank. His soul is taken to a place of tall buildings made of energy and hears voices talk to him like he is someone named Lord Redmark. Max also meets neon colored snakes in glass tubes, and harpies who look human, except for their wings of blue-black vinyl and mini-TV cameras for eyes. A door seems to have been opened between "here" and "there." Max starts talking like Lord Redmark, and, more than once, he is attacked, in midtown Manhattan, by these vinyl-winged harpies.

Quantum theory speculates about each physical body having an interrelated body made solely of subatomic particles, a "soul." Such bodiless beings do exist on their own, and they are called plasmagnomes. They are divided into two factions, one of which is ready to declare war on mankind. Man's computers, cell phones and other electromagnetic generators are causing real problems in the plasma world. Antoinette, a friend of Max's, does human-looking metal sculptures. More than once, he sees what looks like her sculptures coming to life. Max is taken deep beneath the streets of Manhattan, where he meets people who have turned into various beings. Their true, plasmagnome self has been awakened; Antoinette becomes one of them. To put it simply, reality is being turned upside down and pulled inside out.

John Shirley seems to make a habit of exploring parts of the human psyche that few other writers even wish to visit. In a way, this book is vintage John Shirley; very weird and very, very good.

Acid for my Imagination
I LOVED this book. The imagery and the mysticism fit together in such a beautiful dissonance, I couldn't put it down. John Shirley is an expert wordsmith. The way he described the sculptures, I felt like I could close my eyes, reach out and touch it in my mind's eye.

There were a few places where it moved a little slowly, but hey, what book doesn't have it's more plodding passages? I have to give this book 5 stars.

DON'T TOUCH THAT REMOTE
John Shirley constructs a concealed world, existing side-by-side with the world visible to the normal human eye.We all know that a similar world must exist within thesub microscopic, quantum realm of which we are all composed.Shirley populates his concealed world with creatures who feed off the souls of mankind.Environmentally, these creatures are vulnerable to the electromagnetic emanations man uses in his radios, cell phones, TVs and radar.Their message to mankind is `clean up your environmental act.'

Max, the main character, begins as a soap opera star whose ennui drives him to quit his TV role playing.He accepts the larger task of unraveling the role concealed within his being. The Angel with TV Eyes changes Max's perspective of his dream like visions describing a concealed world.At an earlier date Lord Greymark had been dissolved into pure information and implanted in the womb of Max's mother.Max's pursuit of a larger than life role triggers his revelation as Lord Greymark, a 12 foot entity concealed within the jaded actor's soul.Lord Greymark possesses great power that he uses to extinguish the fires of Thanatos, a character representing death and vowing destruction of all that is good in man.

Just as the pictures on a TV are converted from unseen waves, the vision of the Angel with TV Eyes flows via holowaves from within the quantum realm.This posits a reality which few can either detect or receive on their vision screen.By personalizing a character with TV eyes John Shirley creates an entity directed from within this hidden reality.A story that begins with a cast of bud-like human characters soon blossoms into a bouquet of revealed Spirits constructed of plastic, metal and electronic switches.As the evolution of man is expressed through DNA, so the Spirits evolve by means of vibratory packets-a non genetic form of evolutionary record keeping.Thus the author posits another method the unseen Spirits are using to throw the evolutionary dice.What the Spirits seek is the same as what man seeks-companionship.

Some hell of a ride
Admittedly this might sound like straining an old blurb cliché, but John Shirley's latest novel really IS a tour de force on the darker side of literature (dark but not without humor). It's one of those rare books so crammed with astonishing images, bizarre scenes and brilliantly written passages (some of them just begging to be read out loud) that it leaves you breathless and absolutely satisfied. On a stylistic level the author has combined the neo-baroque images of his earlier works with the condensed, razor-sharp language of his more recent fiction. Shirley always writes on the edge of reality but with such a controlled and experienced voice that he can make the most weirdest things seem natural and plausible. His menagerie of oddities is described as vivid as if the author has personally met the hybrids of ancient mythology and industrial materials which populate his novel: the vinyl harpies, Thanatos, the angel with television eyes and all the others. And if you think that the Weaver from China Miéville's "Perdido Street Station" was a strange fellow, wait until you meet Vega, the discoball guy who overdoses on e-guitar chords.
"...And the Angel with Television Eyes" has an unbelievably fast-paced plot, some cool narrative gimmicks (just look at the chapter titles) and also profits from its author's insider knowledge of the media business. Definitely some hell of a ride. ... Read more

Product Description
Zero is a young film maker who believes his whole life and career are mapped out before him. That is, until the night he and his friends walk into a rock club ... and are caught in a dazzling trap that spans worlds.

They are dropped onto a dreamlike planet whose surrealistic beauty cannot hide its grotesque reality. Fool’s Hope —a world, so stunningly bizarre, nightmares are irrelevant.Here, abductees — both human and alien — are pitted against a neverending succession of hellish parasites, carnivores, shape-changers, and symbiotes.

Yet the greatest enemy of all could be human. When former professor Harmon Fiskle is transformed by the Current — a roving mutagenic force — he is freed to pursue his megalomaniacal nature. He advocates a depraved policy of social Darwinism, and forges a grotesque alliance of Twists: men and women who have sacrificed their own humanity to become monstrous mutations of their former selves.

With an entire world at stake, only Zero can solve the mystery of Fool’s Hope ... if it isn’t already too late. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

As good as it is strange
This was a great read. Every now and again there is a book you regret picking up because you eventually realize you're not going to sleep much that night. I read this book in a single sitting on a school night back in college. A tale of kidnappings to strange places for sinister purposes... a test of character, mutation - inside and out. This book has it all. If you are a die-hard John Shirley fan, this book is probably one of the reasons. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1905, John Russell “Russ” Case brought the fledgling W. R. Case & Sons Company to Bradford, and it dominated the knife industry for the next century. From kitchen, hunting, and pocket knives to the V-42 Stiletto carried by U.S. Army soldiers in World War II, Case knives have been not only a tool but also a trusted companion for generations. Still handcrafted in Bradford, Case knives are the most collected knives in the world. W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company contains photographs of Russ Case and his family, the factory, special knives, Case collector events, and even the Case car. Rare finds from the Case archives, employees, and family members help chronicle the company’s incredible history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

John Shirley on a wild mental-power trip
I came across Transmaniacon in a bargain bin after reading John Shirley's Eclipse series. Impressed by his writing in Eclipse, I picked up this tattered paperback to give it a try. Transmaniacon must come from the dayswhen John Shirley was exploding forth with prose and just wrote it all downas quickly as possible. It's not as sharp as the Eclipse books, but it's anextremely imaginative story about a man given extraodinary mental powerswith which to carry out a dangerous mission. The easy afternoon read endsin a gigantic conflagration of psychic energy and crisis. It's worthchecking out if you're a fan of Shirley, to see his evolution as a sci-fiwriter, especially when you can get it for just a couple of bucks. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
All of the UFO myths and legends prove to be true in thisoutlandish novel by John Shirley.In fact, not one but two alienraces have visited the Earth, and it's not entirely clear whether thisis good or bad. Things really get intriguing when the Zetans--whohappen to have dropped off an ambassador in Roswell, New Mexico--hire a public relations man to discredit their rivals, the Meta. TheZetans have secretly been working with our government (unbeknownst tothe president) for years, seeking "only" to improve our lot inlife. But that's not all they've been up to... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

It's not soup yet.
I plowed through this novel because it reads pretty quick, but for me it didn't hang together well at all.Shirley scatters lot of references to other science fiction works through his book, which might contribute to my impression that the book is a pastiche of common SF plot devices and ideas.

There are apocryphal religious ideas that are handled better in Philip K. Dick, historical conspiracy ideas that come off much better in the Illuminatus! trilogy, gratuitous graphic violence, and competing aliens that had me wondering if this is some kind of Scientology thing.

The writing style has a pace and visual quality I associate with screenwriting, which is not bad, and I've read much worse dialog, but overall it was disappointing.

Kinetic and funny
"Silicon Embrace" is a demented alien invasion story and one of the better cyberpunk novels of the 1990s: loopy, graphic and ambiguously funny, drawing on fifty years of flying saucer lore and--ingeniusly--making it all interesting in unexpected ways. Shirley's hyperkinetic vision of a fractured, anarchic United States steeped in the mythology of the late 20th century is terrific. This novel is an overlooked must-read for students of that nebulous field we call "ufology." Like Robert Anton Wilson, Shirley bravely opens doors for the sheer literary pleasure of seeing what's on the other side, waiting and ready to pounce.

Shirley Delivers Again w/Silicon Embrace
Silicon Embrace was read in great, nourishing mouthfulls and satisfied my voracious
appetite for all that is Shirley.Although by the book's end it had subtly notched
by degrees from 'plausible' to 'fiction', that didn't really disappoint me because,
after all, the "Truth" is simply unknown to us, and perhaps, as Kant suggested, *unknowable*.
This didn't detract from the book's believability nor its sheer entertainment value.
The scenes with Sol, the remote-controlled ex-lover of Anja, brought the real Shirley
back for his avid fans, albeit somewhat brief in the overall narrative.
I also feel that the Zetans (or 'Greys') were not fully explained as to their overall
intentions quite enough. The gist was there; they needed us humans for a kind of
"bacteriological breeding ground", but I felt Shirley could've gone further into
their malevolence and microgenetic atrocities.


The prairie-squid "Ceph" was a nice touch, and the many references tieing
the plot into previous author's works (such as R.A.Wilson, Philip K. Dick, etc.)
were well thought out if rather brief. The bottom line is that Shirley has penned
a 'cautionary tale' about our government's involvement with extraterrestrials,
and it is with a sense of relief that I read Silicon Embrace as it exposed
our highest government officials being duped by the Zetans.


John Shirley has been one of my favorite of the 'new' writers
because he can cut through to the marrow of experience, translating it
into terms and sentences that not only can the average person relate to,
but more importantly, that the "not-so-average" (read: talented & gifted;
drug-user; conspiracy buff; etc.) can also relate to, oh-so-well.


He is one of those rare writers who can journey into the "dark heart
of the soul" *and* return to write about it coherently.I recommend John Shirley
to anyone looking for "something more" in their fiction; something most writers
are too afraid to confront openly on the naked page. Silicon Embrace:Buy it; read it.


Shaun Lawton(luciferal@gmail.com)slc, ut

Cyberpunk is dead... Long live science fiction!
John Shirley's Silicon Embrace is a great book with a lot going on. The story begins with both a nervous public-relations man, and a group of outcasts on the lamb. Between this and the quiet and somewhat happy ending we have: several aliens, a human hybrid being, a collapsed United States, UFO's, Jesus, secret facilities and enough attitude to knock you off your feet. John Shirley blends a plethora of conspiracy folklore with wit and style. He creates a story that invites both wild applause, and occassional stomache-churning despair. All in all, I liked it better than Cats!

Shirley confirms that your paranoid dreams are true...
Concerned about aliens, secret societies, and goverment conspiracies? In Silicon Embrace, Shirley weaves together these themes along with up-to the-minute pop culture references and older myths. You won't find any anwers, but he succeeds in blurring the line between fact and fiction. ... Read more

Product Description
A superbly illustrated study of the paintings and collages of British surrealist Richard Shirley Smith. ... Read more

Product Description
Artist turned inventor, he developed the telegraph and Morse Code. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Communicating the Details!
"Samuel F.B. Morse:Artist With A Message" passes as an 'okay'book IF you don't mind the author's over-emphasis on romance in the storyline.Samuel Morse, born in Boston, daydreamed a lot as a young boy--which is how the book starts.The firstborn among three boys, Samuel had a nurse who walks him to school daily for two years.She discerned his mind constantly focused on details--and so recommended an advanced borading school in Andover for him at age 7 (1799).
It's in Andover where he had more time for portrait-painting and other detailed drawing.By age 13, Yale University admitted him where he enjoyed popularity--probably because he also drew pictures of his classmates.An encounter with an exploding meteor propels him into a fascination with science before graduation at age 17.Undue emphasis is given to his romance at this point of the book.But his girlfriend agrees with his dad that he should NOT pursue a career as a painter."All artists are vagabonds these days!" laments his girlfriend.
He ignores the advice of both and gets encouraged by the famous artist Gilbert Stuart (who is not a vagabond!), thus doing graduate work in England for three years (1809-1812).The War of 1812 ensured a slow return to the USA.
It turned out to be a very meaningful trip because scientists on board this ship talked for days concerning the need to communicate better & faster across the Atlantic Ocean.
The rest, as they say, is history!Morse proceeded to invent the telegraph and its accompanying "Morse Code"--just in time for transcontinental & trans-Atlantic expansion.

Twelve years of rejection did not stop this man
... Given the older audience, I found this book to be well written and enjoyable for adults as well.A final chapter ends with a summary of the accomplishments of this man and what that means to our society today.It has nice illustrations, and includes an index.

Mr. Tiner combines an encouraging and inspirational story with layman's explanations for the experiments Mr. Morse conducted, which is his writing style for other books he has written for this series as well.In this way one comes away not only with the kind of story that encourages one to persevere, but also with a greater understanding of how the telegraph works if one did not already know.

Beginning as an extremely talented artist, Morse struggles to earn enough money to afford a house and be able to stay home with his family.He gains admiration, but very little money until he finally works on a highly profitable project.Unfortunately, his wife becomes ill and dies while he is away, and this information takes days to reach him.

His sorrow over his wife's death, and having earlier seen a war begin because communication was delayed, cause him to remember what he has learned about electricity.Then only a novelty in science, he designs a way to turn it into instant communication.For 12 years he works on the design and also seeks funding for the project, only to meet with either ridicule or admiration but no funding.At one point he nearly starves to death.Finally the government agrees to fund the project, and the rest, as they say, is history.The guiding force which helped keep him through these trials was his faith in God and the encouragement he drew from the Bible.

Inspiring true story of perseverance
This is a wonderful book!I would make it, and the other biographies by John Hudson Tiner, required reading for young people -- and highly recommended for adults, too.

We memorize cold facts in school like "Morse invented the telegraph" but rarely learn anything about the human drama behind the facts.Here is a famous American who nearly starved himself trying to get his idea off the ground, an idea he KNEW was revolutionary, that none of the "experts" one would support!It's a story of perseverance and courage that eventually paid off and changed the world.

This book is immensely better fare for young people than the mindless drivel on TV and video games.As far as it having a Christian flavor, so what?It's true.Morse is one of many Christians who changed the world--Newton, Kepler, Pasteur, and many others.Does that aspect make the story politically incorrect?Should historians neglect the driving force behind a man's work?Get real, teachers, and tell your students more about Morse and less about Madonna.There are some excellent role models in American history and this is one of them.

John Hudson Tiner makes the character come alive and captures the misery of rejection and the triumph of vindication.It is EASY reading for any student not held captive by teachers that don't teach them how to read.There's nothing like true stories of real people (good-bye, Harry Potter), to inspire, motivate and stimulate young people to become the achievers of tomorrow.Read this and all the others in the Sowers Series, as well Tiner's other excellent books.You'll not only be inspired, you will learn a great deal of amazing history the textbooks never told you.

Using this book in the elementary classroom
I teach third graders who read at a 5th-9th grade level. The first problem with this book is that, on the back, in huge, yellow letters, is, "Learn more about your Christain heros!Read what traditionaleducators try to keep from you!"Not a good thing to send home. This book was much too difficult for them, not just because of theunnecessarily thick language. It is very poorly written.The prose iswordy and full of characters who are only mentioned once and thenforgotten.The children claimed to like and understand this book, buttheir retention and actual understanding was nil. ... Read more