Ian Rogers (2)

So, to be transparent right up front: I know Ian Rogers, and we've shared a publisher. And I'm also kind of dreading writing the rest of this review, to be honest.

I've read all of Rogers' stuff, and I've enjoyed it—all of it—immensely. So, it honestly saddens me to say that this one was only...okay.

We catch up very quickly with Charles and Sally, last seen (I believe) in Rogers' excellent story from [b:Every House is Haunted|15904026|Every House is Haunted|Ian Rogers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348710890l/15904026._SX50_.jpg|21550289]. But, funny enough, I don't recall being irritated by Charles in the previous story, but this time, I found him officious and irritating in his mannerisms. And I'm afraid I didn't like the new character, Toby, very much.

The story, as a whole, didn't hang together all that well for me. There was a lot of information tossed out in the first two-thirds just to set the stage (which went a long way to creating that officious view I had of Charles and the dislike of Toby).

The last third, where the story kicks into gear, was a mite too vague for me. A lot of things being tried by Sally and Toby that they'd never tried before, but they happened to work. There was also some (again, my opinion here) silly behaviours going on. Sally's out of her body investigating, but neither Toby nor Charles are paying much attention to the safety of her unguarded physical body. Just didn't work for me, when Charles had been overstressing his experience and observation skills just a little while before.

Overall—and quite surprising for the calibre of writing I've come to expect from Rogers—it just seemed like a long, slow build up with very little payoff. Overall, it was absolutely not terrible, and if you've read any of his previous stories regarding the Mereville Group, it's worth the read, but it's nowhere near the best that I've read from Rogers.… (plus d'informations)

This just needs to be said: Felix Renn kicks ass.

I'd previously read about half of this book through the first three Felix Renn chapbooks published by Burning Effigy. Temporary Monsters was fun. Ash Angels was bleak. And Black Eyed Kids was scary as hell. There's one particular scene that scared the shit out of me, and there's really only a couple of times a story has done that to me. The only other time I believe I was as scared as I was with BEK was when Danny Torrance met the woman in Room 217 in The Shining.

So this time out, I got the excellent introduction by Mike Carey, a short story called My Body and the centrepiece of this collection, The Brick. Only Ian Rogers could make a brick a partner to a PI. And not only does he pull it off, he absolutely smokes it. I loved the longer form story format for this one, as it allowed Rogers to roll in additional characters and locales while building to an unforgettable climax with the monster of the piece, the Whyver, which is just brilliant.

If you haven't read anything by Rogers, then do yourself a favour and grab both SuperNOIRtual Tales from Burning Effigy Press and Every House Is Haunted from ChiZine. You won't be disappointed.… (plus d'informations)

Full disclosure: I am a friend of Ian Rogers and we've both been published by the same publisher (Burning Effigy). That being said, I'm still going to be completely honest and forthright in my review.

Reading any short story collection is an interesting experience for a reader. Instead of getting a single, all-encompassing insight into the author, you're treated to several different facets which, to me, put that author into a better perspective.

In Every House Is Haunted, you can't look at this as though you're diving into a package of cookies. Instead, this is like attending a chili cook-off: yes, they're all chili (horror stories), but some are smooth, some are spicy, some aren't quite to your taste, and some you love. Ian Rogers, at his worst, is still a writer that entertains and challenges the reader. At his best, he's terrifying, and terrifyingly good.

In fact, at one point, I finished a story, turned to my wife and said, "I really hate Ian Rogers." When she asked why, I stated it was because he was such a great writer. His characters are real, they're believable. The dialogue is natural. The details he picks out are intriguingly perfect. But it's the man's sheer imagination that blows me away.

Reading the stories, you do get a sense that he has his certain tropes: worlds hidden behind doors, rifts, dimensions, phases. Characters that aren't quite in step with those around them. Shadowing agencies that study the weird. They all show up again and again, but in each iteration, they're new, they're different and they're fascinating.

There's some absolute standouts in this collection. Personally, I don't think he tops the first story in the collection, Aces. It simply defies expectations and kicks all kinds of ass. However, there's other gems scattered throughout Ian's House: The larger world hinted at in Cabin D, the simplicity of The Nanny, the wistful relationship in Leaves Brown, the fun of The House on Ashley Avenue, the absolute unflinching brutality of The Cat, the sparsity of Hunger, the slow build of The Inheritor, and, in this hardcover edition, The Secret Door that seemingly sums up so many of the previous stories.

This isn't a book to run through quickly. Take your time in each section of the house. Look at each area slowly and carefully. Rogers' writing will reward you for your time.

… (plus d'informations)