From School Library Journal
Grade 10 Up–Harris and Moore, along with a variety of artists, offer graphic adaptations of four of Ligotti&'s short stories. Harris&'s &The Gas Station Carnivals& is an evocative tale about a man looking for validation of childhood visits to bizarre carnivals, where he first encountered a nightmarish man whose hidden face could be his undoing. But does this man really exist or is he a result of &hideous magic&? In &The Clown,& also by Harris, the storyteller is haunted by &nonsense& that fills his head. Most terrifying is a lifeless marionette that appears before him with &dead eyes& and a &perverse expression,& and is &deemed to be capable of anything.& In Moore&'s &The Chymist,& a mad scientist performs sinister experiments on live human subjects, while a man in &The Sect of the Idiot& has visions of hooded beings not of this world, followed by a horrifying realization that they are not just dreams. Ligotti has been described as a master of contemporary horror, and the tales in this volume live up to expectation–sophisticated, horrific, and unpredictable. The artists&' full-color illustrations bring a different style and flavor to the book, and none disappoint. A new introduction by Ligotti prefaces each tale.
–Lara McAllister, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"I was sucked in to each tale with a firm, claw-like grip...a triumph. (Joblo.com )
"A fine, creepy read." (City Link (Florida) )
"A large and generally very impressive gathering of imaginative and stylish horror fiction . . . richly atmospheric. (Kirkus Reviews )
"[I]f Fox Comics continue to put out fantastic titles like "The Nightmare Factory" they will be a force to be reckoned with.(A-)." (Mania.com )
"[E]ntertaining from start to finish...These tales of terror exude waves of paranoia and pathos from every page...There isn't a story in this book that doesn't have the highest amount of professionalism added to it...a special compilation." (Ain't it Cool News.com )
"Provides a bitterly entertaining treat for those attuned to its storyteller's grim sentiments." (Boston Globe )
"The artwork was superb across the board...if you're a fan of Ligotti or the likes of Poe and Lovecraft, and you're looking for something to curl up to this fall to get you 'creep' on, then I'd recommend picking THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY up and giving it a whirl." (Myjoblo.com )
"Outstanding...moody and deeply disturbing...each of these four stories will elicit a deep visceral response in the reader." (Fearzone.com )
"If you're into horror stories, than I'd strongly suggest checking out THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY." (Thick Online.com )
"Joe Harris and Stuart Moore once again rise to the challenge of channeling weird horror sultan Thomas Ligotti's cerebral fiction into an illustrated format..."The Sect of the Idiot," is a genuine achievement and the jewel of this collection." (Rue Morgue )
"These twisted tales based on Thomas Ligotti's stories come alive in the hands of Ben Templesmith and Michael Gaydos, and others. Retaining unique styles, Ligotti's brand of psychological terror still permeates, oozing into your nightmares." (Wizard Magazine )
"The Nightmare Factory lives up to its title, cleverly manufacturing disturbing dreams for discerning horror comic readers." (Rue Morgue )
"I'd recommend picking THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY up and giving it a whirl." (Myjoblo.com )
"Beautifully, queasily rendered." (A.V. Club.com (The Onion) )
"Spooky...if you like your horror multi-contextual and intellectual, this is right up your shadow-filled alley." (Ain't it Cool News.com )
"Worth a visit...the artwork alone warrants a look." (Fangoria.com )
"Original and toys in macabre fashion with our nerves. Classy, evocative artwork." (Contra Costa Times )
"Moody art and ominous pacing create an air of creeping mystery that suits Ligotti's macabre tales." (Washington Post )
"[R]ich in psychological terror...The intriguing premises and the stylistic variety of the illustrations, from Michael Gaydos' dreamy paintings to Ben Templesmith's terrifying cartoons, make The Nightmare Factory a fine, creepy read. (City Link (Florida) )
"In a fall season typified by much more categorizable frights, Nightmare Factory provides a bitterly entertaining treat for those attuned to its storyteller's grim sentiments." (Boston Globe )
"Deliciously bleak. B+" (EW.com (Entertainment Weekly) )
"Fox Atomic triumphs with this resplendent and disturbing graphic novel adaptation .With enthralling precision and gorgeous illustrations, Mr. Ligotti's Gothic nightmares come to life on the visual plane in fever dreams that smolder on the page by means o (CountGore.com )
"The skillful art subtly, or not so subtly, pulls out the creepiness of the premises and plots." (Library Journal )
"The adaptations maintain the lyrical psychomania of Ligotti's prose, while the skillful art subtly, or not so subtly, pulls out the creepiness of the premises and plots." (Library Journal )
"Fox Atomic triumphs with this resplendent and disturbing graphic novel adaptation .With enthralling precision and gorgeous illustrations, Mr. Ligotti's Gothic nightmares come to life on the visual plane in fever dreams that smolder on the page by means of adroit adaptation and artistic derring-do.pitch-perfect.Each of the four stories is magnificently adapted and illustrated, capturing the very essence of Mr. Ligotti's dark visions. Famed writers and artists Joe Harris, Stuart Moore, Colleen Doran, Ben Templesmith, Ted McKeever and Michael Gaydos bring to Thomas Ligotti's work a splendid dark synergy that will thrill fans of dark fiction. Mr. Ligotti brings additional depth to the collection with personal introductions to each tale. More than a graphic novel, this is an event! Don't miss it!" (Amarillo Texas News )
"[E]ntertaining from start to finish...These tales of terror exude waves of paranoia and pathos from every page." (Ain't it Cool News.com )
"[A] resplendent and disturbing graphic novel adaptation...More than a graphic novel, this is an event! Don't miss it!" (CountGore.com )
"Templesmith's art posses the power to spread fear all by itself...and Doran, McKeever, and Gaydos do a splendid job." (Comics Buyer's Guide )
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