SELECT * FROM uv_BookReviewRollup WHERE recordnum = 597 Madmen's Dreams, by Eric S. Brown, D. Richard Pearce Book Review | SFReader.com

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Madmen's Dreams, by Eric S. Brown, D. Richard Pearce
Genre: Mixed Genre Anthology
Publisher: Permuted Press
Published: 2005
Review Posted: 6/7/2005
Reviewer Rating:
Reader Rating: 7 out of 10

Madmen's Dreams, by Eric S. Brown, D. Richard Pearce

Book Review by Susie Hawes

Have you read this book?

This is a deliciously disturbing collection of shorts by madmen Eric Brown and D. Richard Pearce. Many of the stories in this volume blend together so smoothly they seem like consecutive entries in the journal of a lunatic. Permuted Press has scored a hit this time. I gobbled it up in one setting.

After a clever introduction by Mr. Pearce, we're thrown headfirst into an apocalyptic hell. Poignant, creepy, with strong characterization and sharp, visceral detail, "What Rough Beast" is the perfect bite of terror to whet your appetite.

The book gets better. It's an eclectic mixture of science fiction, Lovecraftian doom, western tales of the macabre, contemporary horror, end of the world scenarios, and good old zombie gore bound togeather by a cord of tension that keeps the reader flipping pages to see what's next. In "The Adversary", we see a new side of Satan. "Stardown" invades our consciousness with visions of parasitic body horror. "And The Dead Shall Rise" examines a society of zombies.

Oh, yes. Zombies evolve. Bet you didn't know that. As the authors romp through a nightmare landscape of possibilities we discover that the old Horror Film stand-bys aren't really cliches. It's all a matter of perspective. Hollywood only allowed us a limited view. Mr. Brown and Mr. Pearce focus the lens wider, allowing us to see an infinite realm of possibilities.

The pace is quick, the character development strong, the worlds richly detailed. Madmen's Dreams captures your imagination and keeps it through a myraid of potential futures, filled with style, emotion and substance.

This is Mr. Brown's last planned horror anthology, although we hope he changes his mind. Mr. Pearce is an excellent partner and his style is as smooth and strong as Mr. Brown's. I hope to see more collaborations from these two. It isn't expected, but there's always a chance.

Hurry and get it, but be warned. These bite-sized tales of terror bite back.
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