Omens is a collection of twelve haunting tales by Richard Gavin, whose work is reminiscent of the subtle supernatural tales of Robert Aickman, and also of the eerie and unsettling tales of Thomas Ligotti.
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From Publishers Weekly
Introducing this collection of macabre fiction, Gavin (Charnel Wine) writes of his fascination with nightmares that make us feel as though we are being dreamed. The dozen stories he has gathered effectively convey that feeling through their disorienting shifts of perspective, outré imagery and twisted internal logic. In the Shadow of the Nodding God tells of a working-class drudge who's horrified to discover that the imaginary world he creates with collages has begun erupting into his everyday reality. The Pale Lover describes an esoteric bookstore whose pornographic wares hold the secret of a seductive succubus. The Bellman's Way unfolds as a traditional tale of supernatural menace in which a family newly moved to a rural neighborhood discovers the terrible price of refusing tribute to one of its bogies. Gavin writes in an old-fashioned style that suits the gothic horrors he conjures. Readers of antiquarian ghost tales and classic horror fiction will find this book a fine extension of those traditions. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
Introducing this collection of macabre fiction, Gavin (Charnel Wine) writes of his fascination with nightmares that make us feel as though we are being dreamed. The dozen stories he has gathered effectively convey that feeling through their disorienting shifts of perspective, outre imagery and twisted internal logic. In the Shadow of the Nodding God tells of a working-class drudge who is horrified to discover that the imaginary world he creates with collages has begun erupting into his everyday reality. The Pale Lover describes an esoteric bookstore whose pornographic wares hold the secret of a seductive succubus. The Bellman's Way unfolds as a traditional tale of supernatural menace in which a family newly moved to a rural neighborhood discovers the terrible price of refusing tribute to one of its bogies. Gavin writes in an old-fashioned style that suits the gothic horrors he conjures. Readers of antiquarian ghost tales and classic horror fiction will find this book a fine extension of those traditions. --Publishers Weekly
Finding horror collections and novels that embody a healthy balance of all that the genre offers can sometimes be challenging, but Richard Gavin's Omens offers something for every horror aficionado. And we're talking about the intelligent, quiet and disturbing without leaving out the powerful punches and gory goodies. Omens contains twelve short stories that cover a broad scope, from the supernatural, to the cerebral, to the occasionally gross (a few brownie points added). I've had writing instructors and mentors who've told me that good ideas are wonderful to have, but it's all about the execution. Gavin's execution has positives and some drawbacks. 'The Bellman's Way' was my favorite story for several reasons (including execution). Gavin succeeds at one of the most important tenets of horror, which is to create that sense of unease, dread, and hopefully a sense of loss. 'Daniel' reached me much in the same way, even though it is a completely different kind of tale. In this case, the story is cerebral, and seems to explain the desire for some to kill as being somewhat pathological, via the 'hell brain' (as I interpreted it, anyway). The varying themes are what separate the stories, but some stylistic monotony pulls them closer together. More on that in just a minute. 'The Bellman's Way' is so effective because of its execution, specifically its structure. Gavin knows the exact moment to chill the reader and he waits until that moment to attack. Still, a problem that exists in every story is an unconvincing sense of narration in both the prose and the dialogue. The first batch of stories are told in the first person, which means that the narrator should essentially be speaking casually. These narrators sound like high-flown British Lords. Gavin's stories are generally set in Ontario, where I've lived since birth, and I've yet to hear anyone speak the way these narrators do in casual conversation. The problem also exists in the stories told in the third person, mainly in the dialogue. Because of this, each story reads more or less the same, which brings them closer together, even though they are thematically different. Each story's theme is unique and different but we essentially have the same narrator through the entire book. Different variables influence my decision to buy a book. Sometimes it's the retail price, and other times another book on the shelf catches my fancy first. If you're torn, just remember that Omens offers a little something for almost everyone. If the supernatural is not your thing, there is the psychological and the violent. The key word that sums up the collection is dark. --Derek Clendening at FEARZONE.COM
Finding horror collections and novels that embody a healthy balance of all that the genre offers can sometimes be challenging, but Richard Gavin's Omens offers something for every horror aficionado. And we're talking about the intelligent, quiet and disturbing without leaving out the powerful punches and gory goodies. Omens contains twelve short stories that cover a broad scope, from the supernatural, to the cerebral, to the occasionally gross (a few brownie points added). I've had writing instructors and mentors who've told me that good ideas are wonderful to have, but it's all about the execution. Gavin's execution has positives and some drawbacks. 'The Bellman's Way' was my favorite story for several reasons (including execution). Gavin succeeds at one of the most important tenets of horror, which is to create that sense of unease, dread, and hopefully a sense of loss. 'Daniel' reached me much in the same way, even though it is a completely different kind of tale. In this case, the story is cerebral, and seems to explain the desire for some to kill as being somewhat pathological, via the 'hell brain' (as I interpreted it, anyway). The varying themes are what separate the stories, but some stylistic monotony pulls them closer together. More on that in just a minute. 'The Bellman's Way' is so effective because of its execution, specifically its structure. Gavin knows the exact moment to chill the reader and he waits until that moment to attack. Still, a problem that exists in every story is an unconvincing sense of narration in both the prose and the dialogue. The first batch of stories are told in the first person, which means that the narrator should essentially be speaking casually. These narrators sound like high-flown British Lords. Gavin's stories are generally set in Ontario, where I've lived since birth, and I've yet to hear anyone speak the way these narrators do in casual conversation. The problem also exists in the stories told in the third person, mainly in the dialogue. Because of this, each story reads more or less the same, which brings them closer together, even though they are thematically different. Each story's theme is unique and different but we essentially have the same narrator through the entire book. Different variables influence my decision to buy a book. Sometimes it's the retail price, and other times another book on the shelf catches my fancy first. If you're torn, just remember that Omens offers a little something for almost everyone. If the supernatural is not your thing, there is the psychological and the violent. The key word that sums up the collection is dark. --Derek Clendening at FEARZONE.COM
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