Talk us through it
Robert Hood and Robin Pen return with their third, and what unfortunately would seem to be last, volume of giant monster tales. Daikaiju 3 contains sixteen stories of varying length including one from the pen of Robert Hood himself, a possibly weird cinematic yarn by Robin Pen, and to round out festivities a capsule look at the cinematic history of daikaiju up to the time of writing. Naturally there is also an introduction and contributor profiles. About the only thing missing is a dog on a tucker box but I figured a giant reptile made short work of that just prior to publication. Nick Stathopoulos provided the catching cover art work and the ever reliable Cat Sparks once again lodged the professional design and layout that graces the collection. Ready to do the monster stomp one final time?
Review"Dangerous life. For all you know , it intends to flatten your compound tonight." I'm now wondering if I was unduly critical of the second Daikaiju release given the excellent third volume I've just finished reading. At the time of reviewing the second instalment I did muse that maybe I should have left a larger gap between reading each book, and having done so for the third book was back with my daikaiju on and miserable as I finished reading as there is no fourth book in the serious. Much gashing of teeth and wailing was heard around my house I can tell you. It's not our policy to revisit anything at ScaryMinds, unless it's a new release, as that raises the spectre of revisionist reviewing*. I'm left with the feeling that I may have under sold Daikaiju 2 and if so then my full apology to Messers Hood and Pen, this review is dedicated to you guys.
With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound This time round I was given a good kicking by the opening two stories in the collection, Mamu, or Reptillion vs Echidonah by Sydney sider Nick Stathopoulos and One Night on Tidal Rig #13 from Melbournian Tess Kum. We are talking entirely different approaches to the subject matter, with each Author working uniquely in their own fashion. Nick Stathopoulos goes downtown Sydney, invokes the opera house of all things, and has something to say about the treatment of indigenous Australians in an altogether ironic fashion. Meanwhile Tess Kum returns us to the world of fantasy that see's giant crabs and fairy like people in conflict with humans in an industrial setting. Having picked myself up off the canvas I then had to endure a flurry of stories that pretty much sent me back down again. The styles are wide ranging but somehow it all seems to fit together for a comprehensive and enjoyable journey into the land of the Daikaiju. Please keep your hands inside the covers of the book at all time. What Hood and Pen have achieved over three books is something very unique in the history of Australian if not World speculative fiction publishing. The Daikaiju trilogy is something to treasure.
Helpless people on a subway train I was particular impressed with the risk taking involved in three stories that could have appeared pretty much as they were written in a by gone publication dedicated to Victorian, the era not the state, readers. Steven Savile, most recently noted as writing for Dr Who spin off Torchwood, goes all stiff upper lip and wonders what the result would be if the ravens left the White tower in A Madness of Ravens. The story presents us with a very different take on a daikaiju. Just to prove the city of Wollongong can host two excellent dark speculative writers Leigh Blackmore hits out with the south seas Lovecraftian yarn The Return of Zoth-Ommog. I'm always up for something involving the elder gods and Blackmore nails his story. And finally in a strange fusion of two different genres Queenslander Terry Dartnall manages to combine super sleuth Sherlock Holmes with a future British space deal that sounds like it arrived via the pages of the magazine Look and Learn. Wonder if that's still published? The Editors are to be commended for the inclusion of all three stories that add another dimension to the collection.
He picks up a bus and he throws it back down Naturally we are not being left on the shores of Island serious without provisions being supplied in the form of a number of ironic or comedic entries in Daikaiju 3. Hood and Pen as we have come to expect are not being precious about their concept and see the inherent humour in the idea of giant monsters. Oklahoma writer Tony Frazier in Out Of His League pits a has been superhero with a liking for beer against a Daikaiju menace. His Superhero uses an extensive knowledge of movies, and in a nice touch Night Gallery, to plan for his foe's demise. Not to be outdone Nick Fox and John Heeder go the nerd path with Action Joe To The Rescue which see's a giant G.I. Joe style figurine go head to head with an alien Daikaiju that sounds like it step right off the pages of a Conan the Barbarian saga. The editors keeping up their penchant for selecting the weird and wonderful there, absolutely loved the story.
Oh no, they say hes got to go Naturally, daikaiju being firmly steeped in Japanese sensibilities, we have a couple of stories with an Eastern flavour. Always a welcome inclusion in the series for mine, huge fan of the j-horror style. In A Calculated Sacrifice Michael Bogue, proving Arkansas isn't simply a redneck wonderland, has a surprise twist in the tale that had me smiling from ear to ear. While Kiel Stuart with Patient X visits the idea of honour and obedience, while wrapping things in a cosmic blanket that will have Sci-Fi fans happy with life, the universe, and their freshly pressed Star Fleet Academy uniforms.
Oh no, there goes Tokyo I've probably only touch the tip of the monster iceberg here, there are other themes differing reviewers would no doubt explore, but I would be amiss if I didn't draw the reader's attention to two quite different stories that for mine make a statement about what the Editors were trying to achieve overall with the three book series. Mikal Trimm's flash piece Terrapin Suite sees stoners contemplating the universe as cosmic forces arrive and define their place within it. The story is wonderfully constructed and captures what I'm sure are familiar by gone evenings for most readers. Please note ScaryMinds does not promote the use of recreational drugs in any form, just say "no" kids as you head down the pub. Wollongong horror legend Robert Hood finally puts his money where his mouth is and presents a daikaiju story of his own, it's been quite the wait Rob. Flesh and Bone is a worthy final statement in the series and presents a wholly new take on what daikaiju fiction can achieve. Loved the concept of giant monsters being the creation of man's fears, and yes was rocking on with the clear homage to The Forbidden Planet. Anyone else feel Hood should do a fourth volume of his own fiction?
History shows again and again Daikaiju! 3: Giant Monsters vs The World is available from amazon.com, but get in bloody quick as there's limited stock available. I didn't note any copies coming up on eBay last time I checked, Aussie fans are notorious hoarders or as we like to put it collectors, but keep checking just in case. At a pinch drop me a line via the contact form and I'll see if I can't sort something for you. No promises there.
Rinji news o moshiagemasu!
ScaryMinds Rates this read as ... - Excellent story collection that all lovers of Down Under horror, nay the horror genre, should
immediately seek out. I'm just bummed there's no fourth book on the horizon.
* - A revisionist review is a stain on the fabric of reviewing. There are two cases where this generally takes place. Firstly when a site suddenly starts
take advertising from a movie/book they had formerly panned and suddenly change their view on that movie/book, and secondly where some Reviewers find
they are alone in their views and rush to join the herd of online sheep. In both situations the institute of online reviewing is lessened. |
