"You haven't heard from Nicole lately, have you, Jimmy?" - Frank

The bad boy of Aussie speculative literature is back with another collection of short stories aimed at making the reader uncomfortable with their cosy environment. Paul Haines delivers twenty stories from differing periods of his career and is unapologetic in doing so. That's just as well really considering the amount of body fluid splattering the page as the Author doesn't hold back on what could be viewed as a jaundiced view of the human race.

"The Last Days" in the title unfortunately turned out to be more correct than some of us supposed with publisher Brimstone Press announced they were closing their doors as copies of Haines' book went to Press. So if you ever wanted a collector's item than look no further. If The Last Days of Kali Yuga proves to be Brimstone's swan song, and hey I'm not convinced - resurrection is alive and well in the dark genre, then they sure as hell picked a top note to go out on. The whole package simply spells out Brimstone at their publishing best, the book not only contains some of the best stories you are likely to be decapitated by, but the whole publication screams out professionalism and a dedication to the final product. Brimstone will be missed but with Paul Haines' book they have left an epitaph that is both fitting and a statement about their ideals.

You might already be noting that when you dive into a Paul Haines collection you are not being presented with tales of vampires, things that go bump in the night, or lycanthropes howling on mist shrouded moors. Haines has altogether darker fish to fry, does that metaphor even work? - and is more at home with your standard human monsters that may or may not live in the same suburb as yourself. The Author whisperers convincingly that the monsters are on Elm Street, just outside your front door, waiting for it to open. From memory the only traditional horror story in the collection is The Light In Autumn's Leaves, a sort of Monkey's Paw tale that demonstrates Haines ability to capture the quiet desperation of those bordering on the grey lands of madness.

I guess the other element of the Author's work that should be commented upon before sucking the marrow from the bone is the modern fairy tale quality that seeps into some stories. Haines would have been quite happy I believe jamming with the Brothers Grimm on some of the more gruesome of their tales. While Hamlyn clearly takes a classic children's story from out of Europe and then twists it into more blighted territory, Taniwha, Swim With Me while being less obviously a fairy tale, still works for me in a similar fashion to the traditional didactic tales the Grimm Bros documented. You will need to read the collection in order to form your own opinion there, and no doubt there are better examples of this aspect of Haines writing.

Of course those of us who are veterans of Haines previous collection, Slice of Life, are waiting on the urban nightmare world the Author can drag you into without breaking a sweat. And naturally Paul Haines doesn't disappoint with this aspect. Father Father perhaps takes us places some readers may not want to go, it's Haines burying the knife into your brain to the hilt, and then twisting it with gleeful delight. While Her Collection of Intimacy will prey on you long after you have read the story. In these and similar stories Paul Haines is demonstrating a remarkably brilliant ability to suggest, to lead the reader by the hand into dark woods, and then leave them alone to their own devices. If you wanted causation for nightmares, then Haines provides exhibit "A" with some of the more devious tales contained in this collection.

Naturally if Paul Haines was your typical speculative fiction writer I could leave it all alone right here and now, but no, he goes out of his way to provide the left field unexpected elements that make reading a Haines collection a harrowing journey into dark unexplored territory. Okay we might be running an unapologetic dark genre site here, and if you want to be PC then fuck off right now you're in the wrong place, but even I was put on my arse by Haines' absolutely stunning Wives, that left misogynistic country in it's dust. The story is perverse, entertaining, and likely to raise strong opinions over the dinner table. It also shows an Author able to coin dystopian futures with the best of them. And if that isn't enough to whet your appetite for the disturbing, try getting your mind around They Say It's Other People or High Tide at Hot Water Beach. Paul Haines snuck on up on my smug little bunker, tossed in a grenade, and then sat back counting coup. Expect the unexpected, thrill to the strange byways the Author will take you down, but be warned we're talking a strong voice here.

Guess I should mention in most Paul Haines story there's no shying away from the purely physical, yes sex rears its head, body fluids flowing from various sources - the religious right are no doubt firing up the bonfires even as you read, and no backward steps being taken from the abyss. Haines isn't so much forcing the reader to stare in there as shoving them over the edge. If after a PR novel, then you are in for quite a shock yo.

I thought I had a handle on Paul Haines, but he turns out to be more slippery than your average taniwha, The Last Days of Kali Yuga came at me from surprising angles and knocked my expectations out of the equation. I was rocking with this collection and am already sweating on something new from Paul Haines in the coming year. Full recommendation, one of the best collections of the year that will renew any sagging faith you might have in the dark genre. Paul Haines once again demonstrates why he is one of the best horror Writers we currently can offer from this part of the world.

With the demise of Brimstone I'm actually in some difficultly pointing out where you can score the collection. First place to check would be Paul Haines official site. Then I guess you could hit the various online Aussie Indie book retailers, and Amazon. Failing there, then eBay is your friend.