literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Michael Gambon's Most Unforgettable Role
For those who grew up with the Harry Potter movies, they likely see Michael Gambon's face as the apotheosis of warmth and wisdom. Taking over the role of Professor Albus Dumbledore upon the death of the beloved Richard Harris, though, it was no easy task he had before him trying to fill those shoes. Famously, though, Gambon didn't even attempt to. He didn't read the books, and he didn't allow his approach to the character to be tainted by Harris's prior portrayal.
By Ben Ulansey3 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Horned God" ed. by Michael Wheatley
Full Title = The Horned God: Weird Tales of the Great God Pan edited by Michael Wheatley “Though horror and revolting nausea rose up within me, and an odour of corruption choked my breath, I remained firm. I was then privileged or accursed, I dare not say which, to see that which was on the bed, lying there black like ink, transformed before my eyes.” "The Great God Pan" by Arthur Machen
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Minor Hauntings" ed. by Jen Baker
Full Title: Minor Hauntings: Chilling Tales of Spectral Youth edited by Jen Baker When I first read this title I did not mind that it probably was not going to be as haunting as it claimed as it was a compilation by the British Library Tales of the Weird. With these, I am more interested in whether the stories have managed to capture my imagination and stay true to their theme whilst also being compiled as to not be overly similar so that I cannot tell them apart. Yes, it is a strange set of criteria but I think that this book really did the trick. I was also shocked at how haunting spectral youth can actually be. I never knew that ghostly children could scare anyone - it was more or less hauntings happening to children like The Turn of the Screw that I found terrifying. This book really opened my eyes to more possibilities for ghost stories.
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Looking Glass Sound" by Catriona Ward
"The leaves of the sugar maple whisper—under it, there’s a high-pitched whine, a long shrill note like bad singing…it sounds like all the things you’re not supposed to believe in—mermaids, selkies, sirens…’What’s that sound?’ It seems like it’s coming from inside of me, somehow. Dad pauses in the act of unlocking the door. ‘It’s the stones on the beach. High tide has eaten away at them, making little holes—kind of like finger stops on a flute—and when the wind is in the east, coming over the ocean, it whistles through."
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Sheep's Clothing" by Celia Dale
I read a Celia Dale book before and I have to admit I did not quite like it as much as I thought I would. It was on a recommended list after I had finished reading Mrs March. The book was called A Helping Hand and it was sub-par in comparison to Mrs March. I had therefore put Celia Dale off for a while until I ran into Sheep's Clothing which sounded quite interesting from the storyline but failed to impress when it came to writing style.
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Dark Half" by Stephen King
I have read an awful lot of Stephen King over the years and to this day, I have never gotten over the reading experience of Salem's Lot when I was a teenager. It was basically being viscerally frightened by something I knew could not be true - but I was scared anyway. It set me up for life when it came to my horror addiction, it also made me wonder about what actually made people scared. It got me interested in othering and that is what I find The Dark Half is mostly about in some weird way. Othering and pain. I ended up basing a lot of the work I did on my degrees on these ideas and in a way, it was mostly thanks to the experience of reading Salem's Lot. As I read The Dark Half recently, I am reminded of those times in my life where I came to those conclusions about myself.
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Burnings" by Naomi Kelsey
"If a rich man said so, she was a witch." The concept for this book is brilliant: the witch trials and the quintessential era of uncertainty for women. The storyline is just this: it's the 1570s and there are two settings, one is Denmark and one is Scotland. We have two separate narrators who seem at first to have very little in common with each other until their political worlds start to intertwine. From graphic depictions of horrendous violence against women to the political atmosphere of the day that keeps everyone in their told place, this book has some brilliantly explored themes and ideas.
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Library of Greek Mythology" by Apollodorus
It is not every day that I decide to change my usual path of reading modern horror but I was recently realising that I miss the old days where I read mainly the classics, or classical stuff. My horror addiction is not recently but is far more pronounced than it used to be and for a while now, I have missed the lingering flavour of something more academic. I decided to give The Library of Greek Mythology by Apollodorus a go since it had been sitting on my academic TBR for quite a long time (I am actually embarrassed to say how long). Not quite the depth I would usually choose but enough to get me restarted and recharged again. So I apologise if you do not want me exploring my passions of academic literature like I once did a while back, but here we are. You're going to get it anyway. That doesn't mean the other books will go anywhere, but I think I need to tone down the amount of horror I'm reading and make sure I'm balancing my mind correctly.
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Geeks
5 Great Horror Stories Not by Poe
When we talk about horror short stories and how much they scare us, we cannot do that without talking about Edgar Allan Poe. Though the stories like the terrifying twins in The Fall of the House of Usher scare us as much as Montressor's scheme in The Cask of Amontillado. Though the beating Tell Tale Heart terrifies its readers as much as the elusive Premature Burial and The Raven has definitely scared more than one soul upon a midnight dreary. There are scary stories that are just as frightening not written by Edgar Allan Poe too. So let us explore 5 horror stories not by Edgar Allan Poe for a truly spooky Halloween.
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Geeks
