![[GUEST POST] “10 Wonderfully Weird Novels You (Probably) Haven’t Read” by Jack Haringa](https://i0.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/jack_haringa.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
GUEST POST by Jack Haringa You have before you an inevitably eclectic list; anything with the above title was bound to be idiosyncratic as well as a little personal. There are lots of weird novels out there, everything from Katherine Dunn’s GEEK LOVE to J.G. Ballard's HELLO AMERICA, and many of my friends have read a good chunk of the best known of them. So I set myself the task of constructing … [Read more...]
[BOOK REVIEW] “Man Down” by Roger Smith a Bleak yet Riveting Thriller Novel
![[BOOK REVIEW] “Man Down” by Roger Smith a Bleak yet Riveting Thriller Novel](https://i0.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/feature_man-down_roger_smith.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
Reading “Man Down” is a bit like slowing down your car to appreciate a particularly gruesome car accident before the authorities get there to cover the bodies and retrieve limbs from the middle of the lane. But, while “Man Down” is an extremely violent and visceral book, it is made compelling by Smith’s fine handling of plot and suspense, and his ability to inject nuance and complexity into a … [Read more...]
[BOOK REVIEW] “Paradise Sky” by Joe R. Landsdale, a Western Novel that Explores the Truth and Tall Tales of African American Cowboys in the Old West
![[BOOK REVIEW] “Paradise Sky” by Joe R. Landsdale, a Western Novel that Explores the Truth and Tall Tales of African American Cowboys in the Old West](https://i0.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/feature_paradise-sky_joe-landsdale.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
You wouldn’t think that taking a moment to appreciate a woman’s well-formed derriere could go so horribly wrong, but in Joe R. Landsdale’s fantastic Western novel, “Paradise Sky”, it’s that simple (if somewhat mischievous) act that throws Willie Jackson into a bloody life of soldiering, battling hostile Apaches, gunfighting, accidental cannibalism, and revenge … all while riding a horse named … [Read more...]
[BOOK REVIEW] “A Head Full of Ghosts” by Paul Tremblay Takes ‘Possession’ Horror to a New Level
![[BOOK REVIEW] “A Head Full of Ghosts” by Paul Tremblay Takes ‘Possession’ Horror to a New Level](https://i2.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/feature_head-full-of-ghosts_paul-tremblay.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
Ambiguity’ really isn’t a word that gets a lot of use in a positive book review. But, with regard to Paul Tremblay’s excellent novel, “A Head Full of Ghosts”, the lines of intentional ambiguity running throughout this book don’t confuse the reader but rather propels the story and builds an irresistible suspense in this quiet horror novel with a more literary bend. And there’s the dreaded … [Read more...]
[BOOK REVIEW] “Devil’s Pocket” by John Dixon a Powerful Sequel to “Phoenix Island”
![[BOOK REVIEW] “Devil’s Pocket” by John Dixon a Powerful Sequel to “Phoenix Island”](https://i1.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/feature_devils_pocket-john_dixon.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
Second books in series can be dangerous territory for both the reader and writer. All too often, the writer “blows out” all the creative energy in the first book, leaving the second and following books … well … lacking. Considering the exceptionally strong start provided by John Dixon’s “Phoenix Island”, his book two in the young-adult-targeted series titled “Devil’s Pocket” (released August 4, … [Read more...]
[BOOK REVIEW] “Phoenix Island” by John Dixon an Action-Packed Adventure
![[BOOK REVIEW] “Phoenix Island” by John Dixon an Action-Packed Adventure](https://i1.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/feature_phoenix_island-john_dixon.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
John Dixon’s “Phoenix Island” is a compelling first-in-series novel for many reasons, but perhaps the most prominent is its ability to effectively straddle the adult and young-adult (YA) reading market. I’ve read several YA novels where I was led to believe that the author pulled off this feat, only to discover that the validity of the claim ranged from a bit off the mark to entirely fanciful. … [Read more...]
[MOVIE REVIEW] “Aftermath” (Poklosie) a Quiet but Powerful Film
![[MOVIE REVIEW] “Aftermath” (Poklosie) a Quiet but Powerful Film](https://i2.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/movie_poklosie_poster.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
This 2012 Polish-language drama tells a tense and moody story centering on brothers Jozek (Maciej Stuhr) and Franek (Ireneusz Czop), who slowly uncover an ugly secret dating to World War II. The film deftly shows them struggling to revise their long-held beliefs regarding their family, neighbors, and the history of their culture. Good acting, writing, and direction are all prominent in this … [Read more...]
[BOOK REVIEW] “Tin Men” by Christopher Golden a Taut, Futuristic Thriller
![[BOOK REVIEW] “Tin Men” by Christopher Golden a Taut, Futuristic Thriller](https://i1.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/feature_tin-men_christopher-golden.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
In short … I couldn’t put it down. If that’s all you need to know, then go ahead and buy it now. But, if not … “Tin Men” represents Christopher Golden’s first foray 1 (to my knowledge) into the genre of a futuristic military thriller, and provides a solid, action-driven plot that explores a possible future for modern ground warfare through the eyes of a wide range of characters in multiple … [Read more...]
BITE SIZE: A Horror Short Story by John D. Harvey
BITE SIZE is a short story I wrote a while ago. Though my pre-readers and others liked it a lot, it never found a home. So, I released it on Kindle to experiment with self-publishing a digital edition. It's free on Kindle and perma-free on Smashwords. KINDLE (FREE) http://amzn.to/18xfMeL SMASHWORDS (FREE) http://bit.ly/1wwOEHj ============= DESCRIPTION: Crunch is always hungry. … [Read more...]
[MOVIE REVIEW] “Lawless” (2012) starring Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, and Shia LaBeouf
![[MOVIE REVIEW] “Lawless” (2012) starring Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, and Shia LaBeouf](https://i2.wp.com/www.johndharvey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/feature_movie_lawless.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
"Lawless" (2012) tells the violent true story of a trio of bootlegging siblings, the Bondurant brothers, in rural Virginia during the Prohibition era. This Southern Gothic crime drama is based on the novel by Matt Bondurant (the grandson of Jack Bondurant, played by Shia LaBeouf in the film) titled "The Wettest County in the World". It is a gritty and brutal story of the three brothers guarding … [Read more...]