lukesanby's reviews
21 reviews

Cabal: The Nightbreed by Clive Barker

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This was a reread, but I had only a vague memory of the story that I forgot major key plot points and characters, so I regard this as a first time read. I started this book at Download 2023, the short sub-chapters were ideal for moments of much needed rest. I assume any camping/festival would give the same experience. I also bought a new, inexpensive edition because the one I own is cumbersome and attached to a longer novel. This edition is badly made, with the printing being worst of all. Lines of text have the top and bottom shifted a few pixels out from each other. Not illegible but irritating. There are a few missing letters in the middle of words leaving blank spaces. Even the first page has two mistakes “sstage” and “bades,” where “stage” and “based” were more likely intended. However, unlike my original copy, this one has beautiful illustrations. 

Clive Barker is a master of the horror story, and part of that is using the horror elements to explore more than appears on the page. What the Breed represent is always bubbling up, but on this reading, I found the exploration of how normal people as a group can become part of an evil action,
but here Barker subverts my expectations and shows us that these people do revolting things because that is what they believe. They are not let off the hook with some justification of manipulation or groupthink or any mitigating factors. They decide on a target and inflict terror. This is prominent in Chapter 22 Triumph of the Mask.


‘I see no massacre.” (p220).

The ending of this story is of course emotional and tender. It is the only part I really remember from first reading it.
The description of the Breed having to hide themselves more than ever as they wait for a new home where they may once more be safe should be as painful as it is.
The LGBT+ subtext is powerful; communities having to hide from a world that wants to do direct harm to them. Many groups of people will feel the truth of this story, but in 2024
the forced diaspora, ethnic cleansing, destruction of culture and community are ever more present in my mind.
 


 Quotes 


Dead men were bad lovers (p79)

Flesh could not keep its glamour, nor eyes their sheen […] But the monsters were forever (p188)
 

He saw their terror, and took strength from it. They stole such authority for themselves, these people. Made themselves arbiters of good and bad, natural and unnatural, justifying their cruelty with spurious laws (p217)

They obeyed because obeying was simpler than not (p222)


Music

 
  • Cradle of Filth — Midian [obviously] 
  • In Flames — Soundtrack to Your Escape 
  • Lacuna Coil — Comalies 
  • In Flames — Come Clarity 
  • In Flames — Foregone 
  • In Flames — Clayman 
  • In Flames — A Sense of Purpose 
Uncanny Magazine Issue 55: November/December 2023 by Lynne M. Thomas, Monte Lin, Michael Damian Thomas

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

  • [Naomi Kritzer] 4.5⋆     Before the pandemic it might have been difficult to imagine a community banding together this closely without the cliché of someone with a strong personality vying for control with extreme violence. This is the much more realistic vision for what might happen and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 
  • [Jeffrey Ford] 2⋆           I did not enjoy this story. The frenetic fight scene in particular slowed it to a crawl. 
  • [Kel Coleman] 5⋆          This story, with the help of the song I was listening to as I read it, sent me back to being 16. The use of your Other rings so true to me. ~1 
  • [Cecil Castellucci] 4⋆    Interesting to find the word “proctor” rather than “invigilator”, I quite like it. The story wrapped up a little fast, but it was otherwise satisfying. 
  • [Marissa Lingen] 3.5⋆   Just as I got excited for the road trip it ends? I would enjoy more with these characters. 
  • [Chelsea Sutton] 4⋆      The use of poetic structure and formatting for the soliloquy sections was very effective. The frustration of the play chosen being the one which opens her up in a vulnerable way is universally relatable. 
  • [Ana Hurtado] 3.5⋆       I’m not sure I understood this story. But the ending was pretty. 
  • [John Scalzi] 4⋆ I guess I’m watching Speed Racer this weekend? 
  • [Amanda-Rae Prescott] 4⋆        Like all great essays, I finished this one wanting to have a discussion with the writer. I hadn’t thought about the potential for very interesting Afrofuturism settings/plots with Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor. A great perspective and understanding, but I would have liked to know how both the legal framing of the BBC remit (and its binding responsibility to have diverse programming, which it fails to provide), the current BBC Commissioner and Tories dedicated to bringing an end to the BBC will affect this era of Doctor Who. 
  • [Paul Cornell] 4⋆          Very well informed. I tend to find ghost stories uninteresting, but this has made me want to try these ones. This stirred up some emotions once I realised these were the ghost stories my mum loved to watch at Christmas. 
  • [Lee Mandelo] 5⋆         Everything about this article gave me a sense of validation in my own observations surrounding the current “anti-” climate. I enjoyed the insights and further reading opportunities. 
  • [Carlie St. George] 4.5⋆            I didn’t think I liked this poem, but days later I’m still thinking about it. It accuses the reader; it confronts their hypocrisy? Then follows up with a revelation, rather than forgiveness, as a gift to the reader. 
  • [Tehnuka] 4⋆    The last six lines are powerful, and manage to pack in many concepts succinctly. I spent an embarrassing amount of time googling mannikkūdu to no avail, only to find as I finished there was a glossary at the very end. 
  • [Lora Gray] 5⋆  The third stanza stands out as beautiful, as much as the fifth is sad and a little existential. The form demands a frenetic reading, and is confronted in the first line of the fourth stanza, ultimately convincing you to change how you read the rest of the poem. 
  • [Angela Liu] 4.5⋆          Effectively paints a disturbing picture. I’ve come back to this poem multiple times since finishing it. 

Overall

Uncanny has a penchant for interesting literature. Sometimes it leans out of my areas of true passion for a whole issue like this one, and yet the storytelling and writing are so well done it does not disappoint. It is my favourite magazine for SF/F short fiction. 


Music

 
  • Beltaine — Rockhill 
  • In Flames — Come Clarity [song] ~1 
  • Eluveitie — Helvetios 
  • Eluveitie — Origins 
  • Eluveitie — Slania 
  • Eluveitie — Evocation 1 
  • Eluveitie — Everything Remains 
  • Eluveitie — Ategnatos 

Mort by Terry Pratchett

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adventurous funny lighthearted sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This is one of my favourite Discworld stories. This audio adaptation is excellent, and the perfect story to listen to whilst on a walk or doing housework. 

There are two things which stood out to me this time more prominently than ever before. First, is how endearing it is when Mort asserts his name when he is called anything but his given appellation. Secondly, Death as performed here made him so much sadder than I remember.
Chapter 36 gave me a particular insight into Death’s loneliness that I felt deep down. I really do not remember being so emotionally affected by his story when I read it 20 years ago.
 
This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay

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challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective fast-paced

4.25

Having watched the TV adaptation and listened to Adam in a few interviews and podcast appearances, I was worried I’d know the stories. For the most part that is true, but equally there are many small entries that are just as impactful as the ones you are expecting. 

This being an audiobook, read by the author, helped to highlight the humour. He has great timing, but that timing is not only reserved for the funny. I was left at times with an uncomfortable, voyeuristic feeling when he narrates some of the difficult parts of the book. Maybe it is the duty of a member of society to bare witness to some of the trauma medical professionals endure daily, and if so this book is unflinching in the way it turns on a heel to deal the heartbreaking reality of life and death. 

The final part, detailing the junior doctors strike will make you mad, especially if you remember listening to the way politicians treated them and their plea. But from the perspective of 2024, “post”-COVID, it will magnify that fury. With the existential crisis facing the NHS, this might soon be a quaint history book of the time when the UK had accessible healthcare for all. Reading this book now should come with a warning for overwhelming dread. 

Parsnips, Buttered: How to baffle, bamboozle and boycott your way through modern life by Joe Lycett

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

The best feature of the audiobook is it being narrated by Joe. What might have been funny on the page is elevated by the performance and timing of a seasoned comedian. The only drawback is that if you have seen much of his stand up or TV appearances, you will be familiar with many of the stories he tells in this book. Some are, however, extended or clearly “cut” from his routine from the time. 

This was a perfect listen on a dreary day of boring housework. 

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

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adventurous funny lighthearted tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Reviewing Terry Pratchett in 2024 seems redundant. You have either read at least one of his books, or you know what to expect. And this book is no exception. 

Tropes are turned on their head, the genre is lovingly skewered, it is all a lot of fun. But Terry Pratchett never shies away from horrible or evil characters, and some awful things can happen. 

The most important thing to mention is that I listened to the audiobook this time. Indira Varma is perfect for this series, much better than the old voice actor who was unbearable. 
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

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adventurous dark funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was the third book in a row to use a first-person present tense, I was fatigued. I understand for many people it puts them in the moment more deeply, more intensely. It creates a distance for me and slows everything down. This is prominent during the fight scenes where the immediacy drops off. (It may just be me, so if FP,PT works for you it will work well here). 

There is a unique mastery of the craft in the way the author uses vernacular I have never heard, I do not understand, but the way they have weaved it through dialogue and internal thoughts makes the meaning clear. I’m sure I am missing nuance and a wider understanding, but that is something to explore on a re-read. 

The only time I struggled was with the Bruh Fox references. I spent too long thinking it was an in-textual story being referenced and the context would be revealed later on. Eventually, when I realised it wasn’t going to be revealed, I looked it up. It is rare that major American culture doesn’t reach the UK if only in an off-hand way. 

I thought the layers of evilness was a special touch. Initially I was wondering if it was meant to be supernatural-as-metaphor, but it explored the subject matter through the horrors of the supernatural and the terrors of the real world. I also appreciated how unique the sword was, with an obstacle in using it. 

The moments of humour and joy are obviously needed. But really, it is how true to life they feel. The banter and in jokes put you amongst a group of friends or comrades better than many books of a much longer length. That connection directly influences how impactful the story of each of those characters is. Given that, I was left wanting to spend even more time with these characters, but only a skilled writer could leave me with that and at the same time entirely fulfilled. 

Music


  • Cradle of Filth — Cruelty & The Beast (Re-mistressed) 
  • Beltaine — Rockhill ~1 
  • Cradle of Filth — Gothic Romance ~2 
 
~1 Tracks 4 reele and Mary B are stand out accompaniment. 
~2 During the fight at the start of Chapter 5, this song fits well. 
Necrosis by Rayne Havok

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

This book is short enough that it could take a single sitting to finish. It took me seven. For much of the story my eyes rolled hard enough to break my ability to read on. 

Some frustrations from the start really soured my experience, 
·        It is written in first person present tense, a combination I detest, and 
·        Although negligible, I found the text distracting. For some reason it is both inter-paragraph double spaced AND first line indented. Pick one. Both is ugly. 

A better person could look beyond these complaints to enjoy the story for what it is. But the writing annoyed me frequently. 

A particular description on page 9 is forever stuck in my head for its’ clunkiness, 
 
The neon light above the door … the reddest red neon they could probably find … the crack around the door is also red, 

It felt repetitive and redundant at the time, but that is unfair. 

All of this is never more prominent than the erotic scenes. Some are meant to titillate. They do not. The way the characters think and talk about body parts is utterly revolting and I am not convinced that was the intension. 

I am entirely convinced that these scenes were meant to be erotic that I half expected to have tense shifting, repetitive verbiage and unnecessary backstory dropped in the middle of a paragraph. Deciding to read these scenes with intentionality improved the experience. 

Having said all of that, Chapter 10 has incredibly paced dialogue. It was the point I started to enjoy reading this book, but it was also the point where I could finally imagine finishing it. 

The twist is as good as everyone has said. It really is why you should go in with no information about the story and the plot. To say this was a satisfying ending would be an understatement.


 
It expertly holds your hand through Cunningham’s paternalism and guides you to a place where you want to save Tula. Obviously, both are instincts born from a toxic male-saviour complex, but this story subverts them to provide the antidote with a revenge earned through Tula’s superior intellect and wisdom.


Everything about this book, from its physical existence to its literary identity is distracting. If you can finish it in a single sitting, maybe a two-hour reading session, you will enjoy your time with it and the ending. Otherwise, you will share my frustrations when you read such a satisfying ending, marred by pages of missed potential. 

 

Music 


  • Cradle of Filth — Cruelty and the Beast (remistressed) 
  • Beltaine — Rockhill 

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
I don't even enjoy his work as an impressionist anymore, so not sure why I thought I'd like his audiobook narration. 
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
I couldn't understand anything the narrator said, so I'm switching to the physical book. I somehow own this book in all three formats of audio, digital and physical.