Scenes From The Second Storey (2010)

Sex :
Violence :
Editors Amanda Pillar, Pete Kempshell
Publisher Morrigan Books
Length 246 pages
Genre Collection
Blurb None Listed
Country

Disclaimer: Please note this review reflects the opinion of the team at ScaryMinds and should in no way be construed as representing the views of the AHWA Shadows Award Judges. This review is for the edification of ScaryMinds readers and does not constitute a “literary criticism” or any other criteria the Shadows Judging panel may take this year.

While I'm personally involved in the Shadows Awards this year I would point out that my review following in no way reflects my opinion of the source material from an Awards perspective.

Review

“Don't quote scripture at me, heathen! I am offering these souls mercy.” - Reverend

Mark S. Deniz was so taken by the God Machine's album Scenes From The Second Storey he decided a book with each story based on a track from the album would be a fitting tribute. Naturally from a seemingly simple idea the more complex notion of two collections, one out of North America and one featuring Australian writers, emerged. Having too much on his plate Deniz handed over the editing of the Aussie edition of the book to Amanda Pillar and Peter Kempshell in order to focus on the North American edition. This review covers the Down Under version though arguably it would be worth while getting both versions to complete your collection.

So the collection contains thirteen original stories by Australian authors, if for the moment we consider Paul Haines to be an Aussie (a bone of contention here in the ScaryMinds bunker). The number of stories being determined by the number of tracks on the actual the album which just so happens to match a rather cliched horror figure. Not too sure there was anyway around this beyond getting a couple of Authors to devise stories based on the same track. But anyway the pertinent point here for Readers is that the stories are all original published for the first time. We also get the obligatory Author biography, requirement for a sampler collection in my opinion, and interestingly each Author's thinking behind the story they devised based on the album track they were given. Mark S. Deniz provides a Foreword, giving the reason you have the book in your hands and pitching the companion collection. I would actually be interested in hearing from any Americans who dived into the Down Under collection to see how it stacks up against the North American counterpart. Clearly at ScaryMinds our remit doesn't extend to foreign collections, wonder if we could somehow claim Morrigan Books as a Down Under publisher? Overall top marks to editors Pillar and Kempshell for the professional presentation and content, I didn't note any clangers while reading the book which shows, I think, the dedication that went into getting this collection to market.

One of the interesting things I'm finding this year is that the so called “small press” end of the publishing market is producing some of the best cover artwork, with dark genre presses pretty much being a step ahead of their main stream competitors. Morrigan Books certainly haven't been lacking in producing some great looking books and Scenes From The Second Storey is no exception. Considering the collection is the equivalent of a concept album, now there's something I never thought I would write, the cover artwork by Reece Notley is superb in getting across the look and feel of the collection. A red/black background with off white writing, and a stylised representation of old fashion typewriter type hammers, (compliments to www.explainthatstuff.com for what you call those letter things). It's a sombre almost noir cover that matches the feeling of the stories in the book. The spine also looks great in your bookcase for the collectors out there reading.

Amanda Pillar & Pete Kempshall pull off a collection that does justice to the God Machine's album

To the stories themselves, a universally good selection comes to mind with some outstanding efforts that will no doubt be pushing hard for inclusion in “year's best” collections in due course. While I generally hate to highlight a few stories from a great collection it's a requirement to getting a review happening, and with this collection I really had a hard time restricting myself to just three stories, most if not all of the tales had me by the shirt front for various reasons. I blame Pillar and Kempshell for their Author selections. Kirstyn McDermott, who is writing some outstanding prose in 2010, throws on a particular nasty effort in She Said. This story resonants with it's themes about not holding yourself responsable for your actions and a pretty bleak ending that speaks volumes about what has gone down prior to the storyline. One of those short stories where the reader is immersed in the plot after it has kicked off. Home sees Martin Livings delivering a poignant tale that twists and turns but which remains sombre throughout as the reader is gradually drawn into a particular well draw image of things lost and I guess a longing for a return of innocence. And finally Cat Sparks delivers a modern fable in The Piano Song that rams home a Down Under horror concept of not accepting your place in the order of things, for Sparks a bit of chaos is the preferred option. I was also getting a slight wink at the Reader aimed at the whole insipid celebrity culture thing we have going down presently. Strangely after two years of writing reviews for ScaryMinds this is the first Cat Sparks story I've actually read, what's that about?

I would suggest buying the collection as there a whole bunch more Authors between the covers and different stories are going to appeal to different people on other grounds. I had a lot of fun with the collection and simply devoured it, and coincidentally have ordered the God Machine's album as a result. A superb collection that surprises with it's outstanding content.

If after a copy then point your browser at the official page. Yes you can order online and the collection comes at you with a low $20 (plus P&H).

And hey here's a film clip from the God Machine's album ...

ScaryMinds Rates this read as ...

  A collection that goes to the soul of Australian dark genre dreaming.