 |
| Credit: Pixabay |
We're already more than midway through November and so Thanksgiving is almost here. Before we know it, it will be Christmas! November is a short month (it has only 30 days unlike October, which as 31). Unfortunately, a short month can bring a short newsletter and so that may have to be the case with this month’s edition of “Night Creatures’ Call”. As with last month, the newsletter will probably not be out until the end of this month. I got a late start on it but I’m going to try to get back on schedule with the December edition and so release that at the beginning of the month. But even though November’s newsletter may be a short one, it will have the latest details on the progress of my upcoming short story collection, "Bad Apps". So, if you haven't subscribed to “Night Creatures’ Call” yet then you can do so here.
November also means the year's coming closer to its end. One thing I want to do for sure before the year closes is release “Bad Apps” which I meant to do back in August. So I’ll definitely be continuing to work on that. But I also thought it was a good idea to put a list together of the science fiction and fantasy books that I’m planning to read before the year ends. And so that’s what I’ve provided below. Some of these books I’m already in progress of reading and some I still have yet to read. The list is in no particular order.
To-Read Before Year’s End
"Out of Ganymede", Barry N. Malzberg: I think I had this one on my summer book list several months back. But I'm listing it here as well because I haven't finished it yet, mostly because I had put it aside to read other books. I resumed reading it about a week ago, picking up where I had left off between stories. It's one of the 1970s New Wave science fiction books (not so new anymore, but still good) that the late Harlan Ellison applauded. Many of the stories are, what the blurb calls, psychological science fiction.
"Again, Dangerous Visions", edited by Harlan Ellison: Speaking about Harlan, this is one that I think I had purchased at a book sale at CSU, Sacramento while I was attending school there several years ago. I read at least one of the stories and, since I've read all of the first volume, "Dangerous Visions" which was also edited by Ellison, I'd like to read all of the stories (and Harlan's super, as usual, introduction of course) in this one. The problem is I've misplaced it under my stacks of books and so I have to look for it. Actually, I have to continue looking for it; I've been looking since summer. I hope to find it soon because a third volume is set to come out soon.
"The Best of World SF Volume 1", edited by Lavie Tidhar: I won this one in a contest at a blog several months back and somehow it got lost in the mail after the contest host sent it out. However, it finally made its way to my PO box. This is an anthology of science fiction from all over the world, everywhere from France and Brazil to Ghana and Singapore. Most of the stories are by people of colour whose work has been left out of science fiction anthologies for too long. I've only read two so far but they were really good. The editor also has a really inspiring introduction.
“Chamber of Horrors”, Robert Bloch: This is a collection of stories by the author who wrote the novel "Psycho", which the movie of the same name was based on. I read it once before, but after I read "Shadow Over Innsmouth" by H.P. Lovecraft for Halloween, I didn't know what other horror to read that I have on hand and so decided to read this a second time. The stories in it are good and full of suspense although, unlike the typical horror story of Bloch's time (mid twentieth century) they are more mundane by comparison. He’s one of the writers who inspired Stephen King's stories.
"The City In the Middle of the Night", Charlie Jane Anders: I think I also had this one on my summer reading list. So why is it here? Because I haven't finished reading it. It's over a hundred pages and I mostly read it on Sundays, because I often prefer lighter reading on those days and when I say “lighter” I mean in terms of mood and not level of complexity or page count. So far it's been good, but the plot can be hard to follow at times and doesn't seem to be as clear focused as it could. However, there's been some really awesome monsters in it, some good, some bad.
"The Martian", Andy Weir: One of the most appraised works of science fiction of the century. It's supposed to be intelligently written and realistically portrayed. This is one that I have yet to read and hope to start reading before year's end.
“The Haunting of Hill House”, Shirley Jackson: I’ve wanted to read this one for years but haven’t been able to find a vintage edition at an affordable price. It inspired a movie in the 1960s and more recently, as you probably know, a Netflix TV series.
“Full Throttle”, Joe Hill: Hill is one of the best horror authors of the century. I read his “20th Century Ghosts” and now I have to read this newest of his collection of short stories. A couple of the stories were co-written with Stephen King.
A Book by M.R. James: Which book? I don't know yet but any book with his short stories that includes "Casting the Runes". That story was the one that a 1950s movie called "Curse of the Demon" was based on. I'd eventually like to do a Book-To-Movie on those two.
A Book by Algernon Blackwood: I’ll read any of his short story collections or novels. He's another good gothic horror writer that you don't hear about as much as Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley.
Part of the above list are stories that I plan to read before the end of the year. However, I probably won’t read all of them by them. The ones that I’m currently reading I’m going to try to finish before the year is out. What do you plan to read before the year ends? What are you reading now?
For those of you in the US, have a Happy Thanksgiving and
Until next time. . .
Comments
Post a Comment