Gemma Files

Reading this book was the literary version of walking on the wild side. The dark and wild side.

This was my first experience reading Gemma Files' work, but it won't be my last. I've read comparisons to Ligotti and Barron, and even though I think they're comparable, I think Ms. Files holds a distinct spot of her own. IN THAT ENDLESSNESS, OUR END contains a wide array of stories and among the ones I enjoyed most were:

THIS IT HOW IT ENDS. I kind of felt a science fiction vibe with one. Maybe I show more was duped?

BULB In light of the power outages going on in Texas right now, it's easy for me to imagine that something might be living in the grid.

THE PUPPET MOTEL The title of this alone is creepy, but add in the sound, a tone perhaps, "an inhuman frequency." A sound beckoning for you to...

COME CLOSER. What happens when that spooky house in neighborhood keeps somehow moving?

CUT FRAME Picture old school Hollywood, featuring the dark and mysterious star of B movies, Tamar Dusk.

ALWAYS AFTER THREE In their apartment in an old building where renovations are never over-where is that smelling coming from? And why does it only start stinking after 3:00 am?

VENIO Draw your door and tell your story! (Really loved this one!)

I responded to most of these tales on a visceral level. There is a constant...hum, a certain..tone, that permeates all of the stories in this volume. It sneaks past the factual, logical, Spock-like portions of my brain and speaks directly to that emotional portion, that portion that senses things, that senses things aren't right. It's unsettling and disturbing and I loved every freaking second of it!

My highest recommendation!

*Thank you to Grimbscribe Press and to the author the paperback ARC in exchange for my honest review. This is it.* show less

Gemma Files sets home and family against and within the mythic in her collection Invocabulary. The poems in this collection pull from a wide range of western mythologies, folktales, and later works, ranging from biblical figures and those from Greek and Nordic myths to Little Red Riding Hood and Golems which appear alongside poems that reference Lovecraft and Sweeney Todd. The variety makes for a deeper view into the themes of horror in the book, and it also makes the poignant moments more show more affecting. Among the strongest poems in the book are those that take a more contemporary voice, such as "The Black Telephone," "Onion Boy," and the wonderful "Build Your Own." For readers of speculative poetry or poetry that explores the relation of myth to how we see our present world, this is a worthwhile read. show less

This was intriguing from the start, and before you know it, you're deep into the story and reluctant to stop reading. There are moments in this that will make your skin crawl, and raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Although these are short stories, and you could easily stop after each one, there's something that pulls you along, wanting to read the next one. I can't say I have a favorite, although they are unique, there's a unifying thread and all were equally enjoyable. I was show more fascinated by the characters, and settings chosen. Files has an excellent talent for vivid descriptions and keeping tension high as you read. This book is a must for any horror lover! show less

From the very first story, this collection had me hooked and speeding forward. Gemma File's gorgeous descriptions combined with her haunting concepts makes for a collection which feels far more rich than the average short story collection. Most of the stories here are on the longer side, and deservedly so--I loved sinking into each concept and world, and feeling the reality she brought to each new horror. In a few cases, I finished a story only to want to immediately re-read and show more re-experience it.

I'd absolutely recommend this to horror lovers. show less