He seemed to approach the horror genre in a different, novel way. His book was 99 cents and a few minutes later I was reading it.
His collection The Other Room is simply riveting. For whatever reason, I'm not much on the scary side of horror. It's more the unsettling, bizarre, surrealist side of horror that I like. And that's what Everington delivers here.
The title story is about an average bloke at a business conference who finds his hotel room key also opens the room next door. Strange thing about that room -- it's a mirror image of his. Later, when he hears people having sex in this other room, he becomes envious of them. But exploring the universe of the other room turns out to be a costly mistake.
This is Everington at his best -- putting his character on an elevator going straight to purgatory as he dismantles reality piece by piece.
"The Watchers" is another gem about a girl who morphs to everyone's idea of attractiveness. But instead of a blessing, it's a curse, as she has no fixed identity and only sees a sort of blur in the mirror. Another startling idea that matures into a very fine story.
And, for writing process nuts like myself, Everington includes a bit at the end about how he came up with each story. This is a brilliant collection that anyone with an interest in this particular genre should pick up.
sounds intriguing. great idea to round of with the inspiration. can't say i'm definitely in the queue, but can't say i'm not either. it's a good review, the kind that stirred my curiosity (but then, look what happened to the business man in the hotel!).
ReplyDeleteYou're a silver tounged, leisure suited, wrap around Italian shades, pointy toed shoes, grab 'em by the balls devil, Mr. C. Rhatagin. Everington added to my Kindle now. Cool.
ReplyDeleteAJ I must print that out backwards and staple it to my head. Then every time I look in the mirror I can remember I'm actually cool.
ReplyDeleteMuch thanks for this review... I would say I stumbled across it randomly, but the truth is I had an attack of hubris and was googling my own book.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the author notes at the back; not sure anyone else has yet...!
I wish more writers would put author's notes in their books. Growing up and for many years as an adult, I'd never met a writer and those notes were my only window into what a writer's process is. When I found notes I thought were helpful, I'd read them over and over in an attempt to learn what they knew.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds brilliant - off to buy a copy. Thanks, Chris! :)
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