October - Horror Month

[Nesacat]

Oh yes I would indeed. A couple of chapters have appeared elsewhere as short stories. The Homecoming and The April Witch.

Here is what Amazon has to say about From The Dust Returned:
The Family have lived for centuries in a house of legend and mystery in upper Illinois -- and they are not like other midwesterners.

Rarely encountered in daylight hours, their children are curious and wild; their old ones have survived since before the Sphinx first sank its paws deep in Egyptian sands. And some sleep in beds with lids.

Now the house is being readied in anticipation of the gala homecoming that will gather together the farflung branches of this odd and remarkable family.

In the past-midnight stillness can be detected the soft fluttering of Uncle Einars wings. From her realm of sleep, Cecy, the fairest and most special daughter, can feel the approach of many a welcome being -- shapeshifter, telepath, somnambulist, vampire -- as she flies high in the consciousness of bird and bat.

But in the midst of eager anticipation, a sense of doom pervades. For the world is changing. And death, no stranger, will always shadow this most singular family: Father, arisen from the Earth; Mother, who never sleeps but dreams; A Thousand Times Great Grandmere; Grandfather, who keeps the wildness of youth between his ears.

And the boy who, more than anyone, carries the burden of time on his shoulders: Timothy, the sad and different foundling son who must share it all, remember, and tell...and who, alone out of all of them, must one day age and wither and die.


.... and yes I cry every single time

[j. d. worthington]

Yes, From the Dust Returned is a "fix-up" novel (how I hate that term) which, in part, includes several stories Bradbury wrote over the years, though at times they have been considerably revised in this context; but the basic premise is the following of the Elliott family's experiences. I wouldn't call it his best, myself, but I do think it has some stunning aspects to it, and can be a very moving and evocative work. I would also say that, as a Halloween selection, it is a very good choice....

[Fried Egg]

Ah yes, I have read "The Homecoming" in the "October Country" collection.

Another book to add to the list...

[dlsevern]

Originally Posted by thatollie

I'm thinking either of those two or Drood. As for the King, I haven't decided on that either, might be It, might be Blaze, or maybe Carrie.

I have found a list of the Thompson.

Blaze isn't horror at all, try Full Dark, No Stars

[dlsevern]

I'm going to start off October with Michael Slade's Headhunter, then I'll move on to Simmon's Carrion Comfort, and if I still have time after that I'll finish off the month with Robert Bloch's Pleasant Dreams.

[Connavar]

I will read:

The Machineries of Joy by Ray Bradbury(Wicked novel was gone from the library)
The Wine-Dark Sea by Robert Aickman

Thats it for me, im reading two lit classes at once. I read mostly only books about literary theories by lit scholars,philosophers,linguist scholars than actual fictional lit.

I spend time in the world of Roland Barthez, Gèrard Genette and co.

[Extollager]

Originally Posted by Connavar

once. I read mostly only books about literary theories by lit scholars,philosophers,linguist scholars than actual fictional lit.

I spend time in the world of Roland Barthez, Gèrard Genette and co.

Oh mercy.

I artfully dodge away down my alley whenever I see Theory coming towards me.

[thatollie]

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

That's quite a nice selection there. I would imagine "The Mysterious Mansion", by Balzac, is a variant title for "Le Grande Bretèche", which is certainly an unsettling story (that final moment is particularly nasty), but I have no idea what the Gautier is....

Anyway, thanks for that... looks quite entertaining!

It could be La Morte Amoureuse, I'll tell you once I've read it.

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by thatollie

It could be La Morte Amoureuse, I'll tell you once I've read it.

Given the nature of that story, I rather doubt it, as such a title as "The Dreamland Bride" would be completely misleading. "Spirite", perhaps, might fit... but that's a short novel; though this could, of course, be a self-contained excerpt from it.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by Extollager

Oh mercy.

I artfully dodge away down my alley whenever I see Theory coming towards me.

I like Genette theories, the way he writes make sense but Barthez, other french theorist write so cute, fancy style to give me a headache.

I look forward to reading actual novels again

[j. d. worthington]

Not to take things too far off-topic, but... I'd say there's a good deal more to Barthes (and to Derrida) than they are sometimes given credit for by most readers. And I'm not sure one could really explain what they're getting at without that approach....

[D_Davis]

Picked the final three books for the month:

Sleepwalker, by Michael Cadnum
Nearly People, by Conrad Williams
Kwaidan, Lafcadio Hearn

So all of the horror in October will be from new-to-me authors. Looking forward to it.

[Fried Egg]

Originally Posted by D_Davis

Picked the final three books for the month:

Sleepwalker, by Michael Cadnum
Nearly People, by Conrad Williams
Kwaidan, Lafcadio Hearn

So all of the horror in October will be from new-to-me authors. Looking forward to it.

What happened to the other two you mentioned (earlier in the thread)?

[D_Davis]

Originally Posted by Fried Egg

What happened to the other two you mentioned (earlier in the thread)?

Still reading - I just added the final 3, for 5 books total.

[Connavar]

I read Kwaidan not so long ago and thought they were wonderful ghost stories from japanese folklore. I must read more Hearn.