Visions through a Shattered Lens [Hardcover]

Gerard Houarner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 27, 2002

Gerard Houarner, author of Painfreak, The Beast That Was Max and I Love You and There Is Nothing You Can Do About It, is quickly becoming one of the finest horror authors in print today. This limited edition hardcover showcases him at his best and is sure to be a valuable collector’s item in years to come.

Houarner’s second Delirium collection features more than 140,000 words of fiction (428 pages), including eighteen short stories and three novellas. Cover artwork and foil stamp design by Colleen Crary. Eleven of the twenty tales are original! Plus, both editions contain special story introductions from the author! Each edition is signed by both Crary and Houarner and numbered.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his fourth story collection, native New Yorker Houarner (Painfreak, etc.) offers 20 tough, uncompromising horror tales, nine of which are previously unpublished. Notable entries include "Finding the Lost Children," which plays off Egyptian mythology (especially cats); "Bui Doi," in which the supernatural invades Vietnamese street gang culture; "The Chain-Lynched Man," which builds on the real-life horror of lynching postcards; and "Children in the Moonless Night," which effectively uses an African setting. Nearly as good are the title story, with its artist's vision as nightmare; "On the Road," an indictment of the American love affair with the car; and "Mutilation Missionary," a screed against the Roman Catholic Church-not for the squeamish. "Out of the Shadows" uses the Lovecraftian pantheon for its character-centered plot without being too derivative. Finally, "Things I Wish I Had Not Seen," a grim portrait of an emotionally tortured Arab immigrant, and "Signs of Death," a potent but controlled visionary piece, draw on September 11 and its aftermath. No reader is likely to enjoy all the stories, with their mostly urban settings and in some cases overly familiar themes, but there's something here for every taste in adult horror.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 428 pages
• Publisher: Delirium Books (August 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929653336
• ISBN-13: 978-1929653331
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,303,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For horror fantasy and supernatural fiction enthusiasts, January 4, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Visions through a Shattered Lens (Hardcover)

Visions Through A Shattered Lens is an impressive 428-page compendium of memorable short stories by Gerard Houarner, showcasing him as a truly talented writer at the top of his form. This outstanding anthology includes: Visions Through a Shattered Lens; Find The Lost Children; Bui Do; The Chain-Lynched Man; Children In The Moonless Night; Signs Of Death; Born From The Womb Of Forever; On The Road; The Unborn; Out Of The Shadows; Like Tears, Cast In The Steps Of Her Mother; The Precipice, In Moonlight, Offers Its Depths; Bone House; Those Who Cast The Shadows; Dead Ground; Mutilation Missionary; Clown Fish; Bones Of The Maker; The Changeover; Things I Wish I Had Not Seen. Enhanced with a one-page biography for those unfamiliar with Gerard Houarner, Visions Through A Shattered Lens is very highly recommended for horror fantasy and supernatural fiction enthusiasts, - and for any discriminating reader who appreciates the discovery a genuine literary talent.