The Transfiguration of Mr. Punch

The Transfiguration of Mr. Punch is a beautiful and unusual book that that was published by the small specialty imprint, Egaeus Press. It is described as a literary triptych, and I believe that is an accurate representation of the three novellas contained in the work. The three novellas in question have three different authors: Charles Schneider, D.P. Watt, and Cate Gardner. Before I get into a review of each one, I should first explain what Punch and Judy shows are for those who may not know. Punch and Judy is a traditional English puppet show that, while intended for children, is actually quite violent. Add to that the creepy nature of the traditional Punch puppet, and you have the perfect subject for three horror novellas. Here is a link for a YouTube clip of a Punch and Judy show, and one for the Wikipedia page.

Charles Schneider starts off the storytelling with his essay, The Show That Must Never Die. This was a well written fictional essay that contains a few interesting stories about the origins of Punch and Judy and the writer of the essay's own conclusions about what all of this means. While it does have a satisfying ending, for me the reading to get there was a bit tedious at times. I think that is more of a reflection of my own personal tastes rather than any fault of Schneider's. I am not fond of an essay format used in fiction, so this was my least favorite of the three novellas, but I am sure some people will love it.

The second novella has a big change in style and format, as D.P. Watt writes a story that contains several stories within the story. Memorabilia was as well done as it was creepy. It starts off with the reader getting to see one side of a conversation of someone who is selling some Punch and Judy memorabilia to a second character that isn't really given a voice. It allows the reader to imagine a sort of play where there is the main character talking to someone unseen, just off stage. This main character then introduces several vignettes where the stories within the story are played out. These vignettes were excellent; my favorite is titled "The Mechanised Eccentric".  This one entails a Punch-like figure that has been brought in as a tutor for a class of art students who are then to put on a play of their own. Things become more sinister as the story progresses, and the ending is one that has really stayed with me.

The third and final novella, This Foolish & Harmful Delight, is by one of my favorite writers, Cate Gardner. I always have high expectations when I pick up something by Cate Gardner, and she certainly does not disappoint here. The story begins in hell, where Punch and Judy have been living along with a mountain of body parts and a man named Stijin. I won't say more than that about the plot as this is a story that is best left for the reader to discover all on their own. Gardner's sense of the whimsical mixed with the horrific is perfectly blended here. Her unique style completely immerses the reader in the terrifying world that she has created where Punch and Judy, as well as all of the other characters, are indeed transfigured. This novella was my favorite of the three and I think I may just have to sit down and read it again.


I am highly recommending this book, and as of right now, it is still available from Egaeus Press. It is a limited edition book, so when they're gone, they're gone. But if it is no longer available I would recommend seeing what else they do have in stock as this was a well crafted, well edited book. It is a lithography printed, sewn hardcover with pictures of Punch and Judy on the colored end-papers.

I give it five cocktails.

You can purchase this title by clicking here for as long as the title is in print. 

The Stone of Sorrows

The Stone of Sorrows is the third and final installment of the Age of the Flame series, by Greg James. As with the second novel in the trilogy, this one picks up where the last book ended. James once again sucks the reader into an interesting world that is populated by some dark creatures as well as those who are fighting for good. I don't want to say anything about the plot as I don't like spoilers, but I can say that the writing remains strong as with the first two novels. James also introduces some more weird creatures that would be at home in any good horror movie, but he holds true to the fantasy genre with the way they are written into the story. Overall this was a very satisfying ending to the story and I would recommend all three books (they should be read in order) to anyone who is looking for a good, entertaining read with some very strong female characters. 

Note: Even though it says on the Amazon page it is recommended for older teens, I would say it is appropriate for teens aged about 11 or 12 and up, and is a fantastic book to read along with your kids. Adults will enjoy this YA fantasy series. You can read my review of the first book in the series by clicking here.

I give it five cocktails. 

You can purchase this book by clicking the following links: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble

Of a Feather

Anyone who reads this book that also suffers from ornithophobia will probably not want to leave their house for a week, and I'm sure they will suffer nightmares. As the title suggests, this book features birds, all sorts of birds, who are not our benign feathered friends. But they are not really what this story is about; it is about adolescence. That confusing time in everyone's life where things never seem to go smoothly. In fact, sometimes events lead up to make things go horribly wrong.

Of a Feather follows several central characters, and one thing I really enjoyed about Ken Goldman's writing style was that he gives equal time to each one. The reader gets to see the genesis of a psychopath, everything that leads up to him becoming a monster. On the flip side, Goldman also shows what happens to essentially good people who are pushed too far. And even though he is writing about a generation younger than my own, Goldman manages to capture everything that is universal about being a teenager. I think anyone of any age can relate to what these characters are feeling and thinking. The technology and slang might be different, but the emotional ups and downs will never change. Goldman fleshes these characters out quite well as we follow along a bloody horror story that will continue to haunt the reader long after they put it down.

This is Ken Goldman's first novel, but I hope it won't be his last. This is a solid, entertaining read, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else he will come out with in the future.


I give it four cocktails.

Click these links to purchase: Amazon US,  Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble

Baby Boozer

Ever have one of those days where you come home and you just want a drink? Well, I had a day like that, but, alas, no wine and no beer in the fridge. So I turn to my liquor cabinet, and I see that I have some vodka and St. Germain. Now normally I would mix those two with some sprite, but I am all out of sprite. So I looked to see what I did have in the fridge, and there is apple juice. I have apple juice thanks to my baby who can now start drinking the stuff. Bless that child and her plant made sugar water. Since I was going sweet with this cocktail (by default), I also added some orange liqueur, and the Baby Boozer was born. It came out quite tasty.

Baby Boozer:

2 oz. Vodka

1 oz. Ste. Germain*

1 oz. Orange Liqueur (you can use Cointreau, but I buy the cheap stuff and it came out fine here.)  

2 oz. Apple Juice

Add to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour.

*If you don't keep St. Germain on hand, (I know not everyone does), you can just substitute an extra shot of vodka. This will make it less sweet and give you an excuse to serve it in a martini glass. Unless you have a nifty glass that is rounded on the bottom like me. Who wouldn't want to use a glass you can spin around without your drink spilling? I'm easily entertained.

Buried A Man I hated There

Buried A Man I Hated There is a story of loss and the kind of grief that can destroy lives if left unchecked. The novel focuses on three characters whose lives intertwine at various points and are all suffering from the loss of a loved one. 

Jack Maddox is alive but living like a ghost in a personal hell of his own creation. Heidi seems normal on the surface, but is hiding an obsession. Dr. Bernard avoids dealing with his grief by trying to reclaim his youth, and, in doing so, crosses a line.  Pepper presents three lives torn apart by loss and lays bare emotions that most people want to keep buried. He slowly peels away the layers of the characters until we can see what is real, not just the social mask that they put up for everyone to see.

 This is an emotional read; I cried several times. It forces the reader to examine their own lives and think about what it could be like to lose everything that matters. What is left? That answer is different for everyone, and as Pepper shows in this novel people fall apart in different ways and sometimes you can put the pieces back together. Highly recommended. 

I give it five cocktails.

You can purchase this book by clicking the following links: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble

Fading Light: An Anthology of the Monstrous

Fading Light is an anthology about fear; fear of the unknown monster. Monsters can take all shapes and forms; from what has become the  almost mundane zombie, to the overdone vampire that isn't really scary anymore. Nothing so common will be found between these pages. No, here the monsters run the gamut from animals from other dimensions to intelligent life forms that have been slowly plotting against us. I found myself sucked in to each of these nightmare worlds but some kept me up at night more than others.

Wrath, by Lee Mather was the story that had the greatest impact on me. I think that was in part due to the subject matter but also a testament to Mather's excellent skill as a writer. I don't want to go into too many details and possibly give away the ending, but this is a story of religious horror that packs quite an emotional wallop and had me questioning what I would do in a similar situation. 

Darktide by Mark Lawrence is a story that deals with the consequences of exploring too deep, of awakening something that has been dormant for a very long time. This one really scared me. Most stories I read don't, but this one explores the idea of an unknown coming for not only you, but your whole family and what you have to do to protect them. And how do you protect yourself and loved ones from something that you not only don't understand, but can't do anything about? 

Degenerates by D.L. Seymour is one I really enjoyed. It is set some years after H.P. Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror, which is a story I would recommend reading first if you are not familiar with it. Seymour manages to pull off a suitably Lovecraftian tale with a twist ending that I didn't quite see coming.

Light Save Us by Ryan Lawler was one of my favorites due to the gore and action that kept this story moving at a fast clip. It had that horror movie feel that gets your heart pounding and makes you want to scream at the characters to look out for the monster that is sure to come at them, or yell at them to not go out alone where you know the danger lurks.  

There was one story in this anthology that stood out from the rest because it was actually quite humorous rather than dark and scary. Gef Fox just plain had fun with Where Coyotes Fear to Tread, and I think the reader has fun right along with him. There are two unwitting heroes stuck in Tennessee when the monsters come and then find themselves on a mission to save the world. 

This is a large anthology and I found that I liked almost every story in here. For anyone looking for something a bit different that will touch more on the reader's fear of the unknown, they have a winner with this one. I wouldn't read it right before bed or you may find yourself sleeping with the lights on. 

I give it five cocktails.

You can purchase this book by clicking the following links: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble

Pink Martini (The drink, not the musical group. This is a blog about booze, after all.)

        So, for any of you follow this blog regularly, or as regularly as I post, you probably figured out that I had a baby recently. I am now the proud parent of a five month old girl. I love her very much, even though she occasionally makes a scream/sound that has been described as the Devil's weed-eater. Or I guess what lawn equipment in hell would sound like. This is a sound she makes when she is happy, which brings me to my new favorite cocktail recipe! (I was going to get to it eventually.) It is a pink martini, simple to make and perfect for the summer. You just need your favorite vodka, some coconut rum, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice.


Directions:


Add 1 1/2 oz of vodka (I would stick with plain, unflavored vodka, but if you like a super sweet drink go for a citrus flavor or you can always double up on the coconut.)

1 1/2 oz of coconut rum (I like Bacardi, but Malibu works fine as well.)

Splash of cranberry juice.

Splash of pineapple juice.

(Obviously a splash will vary depending on who is mixing the drink, but again if you like it sweeter just add more fruit juice.)

All of this goes into your cocktail shaker with some ice. Shake then pour and serve!

     If you want to get fancy, you can add a fruit garnish of cherries or a pineapple slice. If you are making these by the pitcher you might have more fun with the cherries since they provide a stem to play with after you eat the garnish. Although I have yet to meet someone who can tie a knot with one of those, but it's fun to watch people try.


Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and can find the time to enjoy this light libation.