Theresa Derwin's terror-tree.co.uk

Zom-B & Zom-B Underground
Author: Darren Shan
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Page count/size: 217/212pp
Release Date: 27th Sept 2012 & 3 Jan 2013
Reviewer: Theresa Derwin

Darren Shan, successful children’s horror author, has launched this new zombie 12 part series for kids (and discerning adults). The first novel, Zom-B, starts in the Irish village of Palliskenry as young 11 year old Brian Barry searches amidst the zombie attacks for a responsible adult to save him, instead coming across a horrific creature whose version of salvation is to kill the boy. That is ‘Then’.
‘Now’ finds teenager B watching the outbreak disbelievingly on the TV news, scorning the news with Mom & Dad. And Dad is a class act by the way; regularly beating up Mom & B and supporting racist and bigoted political groups. Because of B’s Dad’s racism, B has a ‘secret friend’, Vinyl, a black boy named as such because his Dad works in a retro record store.
A good portion of the book is spent building up the tension as B tries to avoid falling into the same racist trap as Dad, whilst still ending up bullying kids. B is a confused character, loving and hating Dad at the same time, ashamed of Dad’s racism, whilst also longing for acceptance. This brings a whole new and interesting dimension to the novel, which surpasses the level of a good zombie romp, whilst still retaining this vibe.
There are some great visual horror touches to the book, particularly in B’s dream sequences, which are really quite creepy and in Zom-B Underground, the teenager’s first encounter with the strange Mr Dowling.
Visually, both books are strong as well, boasting fine interior artwork to illustrate key passages.
B Smith is, as mentioned earlier, a complex character, reminiscent of the likes if Danny McCoyne from David Moody’s Hater series; flawed, yet likeable.
There is so much more to this book than I expected there to be. With a couple if neat twists, some age appropriate visceral horror and laugh out loud humour, Shan again proves he is a top notch children’s writer.

This brings me on neatly to Zom-B Underground, the second book in the series released Jan 2013. This book starts with a quick summary of the events in the first book, before launching in with B Smith awakening after these events. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I’m keeping this short & sweet. B wakes up in some sort of military complex, held prisoner underground and interrogated by doctors and the military. Eventually let into a relaxation area, B meets similar teenagers trapped in the underground complex. B has some difficult choices to make as the book progresses, and as with the first book, there is plenty of action, horrific moments and great character development.
I look forward to the next installment.

Domain of the Dead
Author: Iain McKinnon
Publisher: Permuted Press
Page count/size: 252pp
Release Date: 23rd Nov 2009
Reviewer: Theresa Derwin

Featuring an introduction by horror author David Moody, this post zombie apoc novel jumps right in with the action, as lead female Sarah, holed up in a warehouse with a number of other survivors, hears a helicopter, a sign of hope for the disillusioned and starving group. This could be their only escape of chance, so a meeting is held and they decide the only possible way forward is to leave the sanctuary of the warehouse, where only four weeks supply of food remains, and hunt down the helicopter. Some of the group is rescued by the crew of the research ship Ishtar, assigned to find a cure, and they are brought there for safety
Professor Cutler, the obligatory arrogant, chauvinistic and genius scientist believes he has the answer. The character being, to be blunt, a dick, means his actions are somewhat predictable, though he does make the reader raise a wry smile in reaction. Sarah is a strong female lead and McKinnon has a distinctive narrative voice as he delivers an action packed, yet character driven, adventure.
The emotional aspect of this novel is welcoming; this isn’t just about guns against the walking dead (WDs), it’s about survival, loss, grief and companionship. McKinnon, through one of the doctors, also provides logical, scientific reasoning for the virus.
The novel leaves us with a cliff-hanger; though at firsts I was concerned McKinnon had forgotten about a number of characters stuck on the mainland, it appears he was teasing the reader ready for this cliff-hanger. Definitely left open for the sequel Remains of the Dead, which I look forward to reading, this novel is not only fun, it is memorable.

To get you in the mood for Hallloween, I have a guest blog from successful horror author David Moody, who talks about . . .
DETACHMENT
David Moody
How many times have you been watching a movie or reading a book and you’ve found yourself screaming at the characters to not go down a particular dark hallway, or to stay away from a certain locked room? We curse these mindless idiots who stumble around in the dark for our entertainment, almost applauding when they get their inevitable comeuppance. Countless whole franchises are built on the premise that stupid people will be killed. Without these morons there would be no chainsaw massacres in Texas, no nightmares on Elm Street, and Friday 13th would be just like any other Friday down at Camp Crystal Lake.
But you know what? I think maybe we should go a bit easier on these gullible victims, and here’s why: there’s an enormous difference between doing and watching. In the heat of the moment, if it was you with your back to the wall, maybe you’d make the same fatal decisions they do. We’re watching from a distance. We have the benefit of detachment.
Have you ever been caving? Spelunking, some folks call it. I used to love it, back in the days when I had a). spare time and b). no responsibilities. I’d think nothing of suiting up and disappearing down into a hole in the ground with a load of mates for endless hours of crawling, squeezing and climbing through the cool darkness and eerie subterranean silence.
It was only when I got home and thought about what we’d been doing, that I realised how dangerous it could have been, and it was only then – post-event – that the nerves set in.
I remember a particular occasion – I was in the middle of a party of ten or so, and we had to get through a low tunnel to get any further forward. And by low, I mean low, as in crawling on your belly to get through. And did I mention the stream? Picture the scene… (I’m six foot tall and weigh about fifteen stone, by the way): ten similar-sized blokes, facedown, crawling over rock and mud through a passage no more than a metre wide, filled with running ice-cold water, and with just a few centimetres clearance above our heads. You had no choice – once you’d started to crawl, you had to keep going. There was no way of turning back, even if you wanted to – no space to turn around, and people directly behind and in front. I can still vividly remember the frequent banging of my safety helmet on the low rock ceiling above me, and the way my battery pack would often snag and stop me moving forward. I remember the lack of light – only being able to see the soles of the boots of the guy in front of me and a little of the surrounding area, often having to keep my head down because there wasn’t even enough room to look up. I remember the discomfort at the cavern’s lowest points, when the water and low ceiling combined to leave just enough room to keep breathing and drag myself through…
At the time, it was an adrenalin rush, and getting through and out the other side was an enormous buzz. But it was only afterwards that I started to question what the hell we’d just done. I remember getting home and having nightmares about that cave. Even now, many years later, writing about it has made me feel really uneasy because, with the benefit of hindsight, I’m thinking ‘what if?’ What if I’d got stuck? What if someone else had got stuck? What if we’d all been trapped down there? Can you imagine the horror – wedged underground, lamp batteries fading, claustrophobia building, numb with cold, bodies cramped, unable to even stand up… It really doesn’t bare thinking about, and maybe that’s why your mind keeps such thoughts at bay when you’re actually in danger. Dwell on the risks and you’ll start to panic. Start to panic and you’re probably screwed.
Like I said earlier, when we’re watching a movie or reading a book, we have the benefit of detachment. We’re separated from the action and, to an extent, the real emotion. So maybe we should give the protagonists of the horror stories we love a break? They’re running on nervous energy – fight or flight, sink or swim. Mark my words, they’ll feel it later when they stop and look back at what they’ve been through. That’s if they survive, of course!

Trust
Author: David Moody
Publisher: Infected Books
Page count/Size: pp
Release date: 23rd July 2012
Reviewer: Theresa Derwin

First published in 2001 by Moody’s own imprint Infect Books, Trust has been revisited by the author and re-released this month.

Tom Winter is an out of work lazy guy with a difference – he doesn’t need to work, having inherited money from his deceased parents. He is out running one day in the village of Thatcham, when rain, thunder and lightening strike to reveal something massive and black moving through the air followed by jets. The locals are in awe and panic at what appears to be an alien craft. ‘Why’ Tom wonders, have aliens come to what he calls the ‘arse-end’ of everything.

From the moment the aliens are announced, to the moment that Earth must take on over three hundred refugees who cannot get back to their own planet without more aliens arriving, Tom is sceptical and cynical about their motives. This, despite the fact that the majority of humanity, brother Rob and girlfriend Siobhan included, have no qualms about the visitors and are in fact optimistic about the advances they bring.

But for Tom, there is always a doubt. He comes across as whiney, annoying and literally, the doubting Thomas of the novel, who cannot easily accept their presence. Yet Moody excels at creating, pardon the pun, moody characters who are flawed, but who seem incredibly realistic. Tom is such a character, and his mood becomes worse as brother Rob befriends alien Jalla, taking him home.
Laced with humorous observations, and a slow creeping sense of unease and paranoia, Trust is a spectacular piece of fiction and a prime example of what David Moody does. He is a unique writer, creating fear and discomfort in the reader and giving a brilliant payback with the ending.

Trust me on this (ahem) this is worth investing your pennies in; a great slow burning journey into fear.

Starting Friday 6^th July 2012 and running all weekend with events up to Thursday 12^th July, the 2012 Shock and Gore festival organised by the bods at the Electric Cinema, Birmingham, kicked off with a showing of Theatre of Blood starring Vincent Price (1973).

I attended a number of the events at the festival last weekend, and the Electric Cinema had put a lot of effort into making the festival fun and atmospheric, with Halloween-esque decoration throughout the cinema and staff behind the bar dressed in blood drenched garb.

Inbred

I started my Saturday evening with the Birminghampremier of the film Inbred with a Directors Q & A. Alex Chandon’s new film, which will be released officially in October, was a masterpiece of horror comedy.

Four young urban offenders and their care workers embark on a community service weekend in the remote Yorkshirevillageof Mortlake, which prides on keeping itself to itself. Visiting the local pub, they quickly realise they’ve made the wrong holiday choice, a minor incident with some local inbred youths rapidly escalating into a blood-soaked, deliriously warped nightmare for all involved. You can view the trailer at Inbred Trailer Official HD 2012 – YouTube.

The young cast is remarkable, whilst the actors playing the ‘inbreds’ are hilariously OTT. This is a film well worth watching.

Following the film viewing, director Alex Chandon took part in a Q&A (he was interviewed by Electric owner Tom Lawes) giving viewers the chance to ask him questions about his film making career.

Chandon first had the idea eleven years ago creating a treatment, which was originally quite ambitious. Not all of the imagery managed to make it into the final product, though Chandon was particularly pleased to see the decapitation scene included.

In his 1997 film Pervirella, a certain Jonathon Ross, who had a small cameo in the movie, described the Director, Chandon, as “a strange, wild hairy bloke gesticulating a lot.” That description seems to summarise Chandon quite aptly. He certainly came across as passionate and lively during his Q&A, as he talked about Cradle of Fear and other projects, the use of red camera, low budget film making and his post production work.

Watching Inbred, I had to wonder how American audiences would react to such a thoroughly British film. Would they get the jokes?

According to Chandon, Inbred was actually sold to our American cousins last week and although the accents may be a bit of a challenge to them, they “pi***d themselves laughing” at this gem of a movie. Germany was apparently the hardest sell. In fact, the blending of horror and comedy was discussed as Chandon shared an anecdote about a showing of Bad Lieutenant where only himself and a friend laughed out loud at a particular scene with Harvey Keitel, and director Abel Ferrara wanted to know why no-one was laughing. It seems only Chandon and co got the joke.

OMG! Paddy Dingle . . . with a Chainsaw!

Talking about the script, 80% of it was written brilliantly by Chandon with some neat suggestions by Jo Hartley, who “gave me loads of advice about letting people embellish dialogue”. Room was left for improvisation, especially in the delivery of performances. Whilst the kids and care workers were encouraged to play it straight, the ‘inbreds’ played magnificently by actors including Dominic Brunt (Paddy Dingle from Emmerdale) were told to go as OTT as they liked, to really ham it up big style, which I can assure you they did. And it worked wonderfully! The film was inspired by the likes of League of Gentleman, Deliverance and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. In fact, it really is like Texas Chainsaw Massacre with a dose of Shaun of the Dead all set in an English,Yorkshire village.

So what actually scares Chandon? Films such as Session 9 and Jacob’s Ladder are up there with Exorcist and Jaws. And Chandon really wants to do something scary next, but his humour keeps breaking through.

Is Chandon happy with the final product? Quoting another famous director, he says “a Director never finishes a film, he just gives it up.” But with Inbred, Chandon is about as pleased as he can be, which is 99% of what he imagined. There will always be some mistakes, which no-one really notices, but the director always will.

As far as this writer is concerned, 99% happy with the film should be enough for Chandon, because truth be told, it’s destined to be an effing cult classic!

The Awards

Nicolas Cage, yes the Nicolas Cage took centre stage at the close of Saturday night. Don’t get me wrong, he didn’t come to Brum, but he did have a place of honour as the Shock and Gore awards included awards such as the ‘Nicolas Cage award for worst film 2012’ and the ‘Nicolas cage award for taking the pay cheque’. Yet the best part of the awards and subsequent showing of films, was the winner of the short film award. This was French flick Baby-Sitting, which was a sublime piece of horror.

Other events taking place were the late night showing of The Evil Dead or the chance to see mad magician Dr Gore in action, both of which were spectacular fun.

This Is Horror

Sunday evening kicked off in style with an evening of horror writers presented by Jasper Bark and This is Horror. Featured guest writers doing readings include David Moody, Sam Stone and John L Probert. According to host Jasper Bark, the reading went really well with a “very dramatic and vivacious performance from John L Probert, a very glamorous turn from Sam Stone and an understated, but nonetheless really gripping reading from David Moody. All three authors gave very considered and intelligent answers to the questions I posed, both individually when I interviewed each of them after their reading, and then again when we ended with a group discussion of horror in general.”

This was followed by Moody introducing Tod Browning’s classic film Freaks, and the re-showing of the 1991 episode of Ghostwatch.

Bark, who caught the Ghostwatch event said it “was terrifying and Stephen Volk’s Q&A afterwards was highly illuminating. Especially as he told us that it was the only programme to be mentioned in the British Medical Journal for causing Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in children. Many of those children were now adult members of the audience.”

All in all, this was a great festival and there is still more to cpme, s it finishes Thursday with a horror quiz. Be sure to get in there quick and book some tickets!

Theresa Derwin