[Meli Hooker]

When James Newman announced the re-release of The Wicked and unleashed that 80s throwback cover people went nuts! And for good reason. The cover is full of good ole badassery

Reviews are rolling in with equal praise for the story which you can check out here.

I am happy to say the Book Club is taking on this nostalgic horror title this sweltering July. James is a veteran board member and he has been writing for a long time too. GradeCCCC is a big fan and from what he's told me Newman's work is very cinematic and he is a writer after the old school horror fan's heart. This is my first time reading Newman's work though, so I'm gonna pull up a chair next to my window air conditioner today and dig in! I had to get the paperback version though because that cover is too boss to pass up

You can pick up The Wicked at Shock Totem or Amazon.

Thanks to Dark Mark for the banner above. And if you missed it, here is a pic of the book:



James Newman's website
Shock Totem's website

Join usssssssss!

[Jonathan Janz]

This one sounds great! I might even be able to participate this time around...

[gauder]

Alright, it's in the queue. Just have to finish the first Repairman Jack book.

[Meli Hooker]

Fantastic! Hope to see you both back here soon.

Also, someone suggested a more clever name for the book club than just "Book of the Month Club." If anyone has suggestions that would be great. If it ends up being the new official name of the book club, I'll send you a literary treat

[Greg Lamberson]

Great choice, I have the original LE. Congrats, James.

[Meli Hooker]

Originally Posted by Greg Lamberson

Great choice, I have the original LE. Congrats, James.

Oh rad!

I'm making good progress and was really floored by the scene at the former Heller House with young Billy Dawson.

Really dark atmosphere, creepy prose, pretty sick sequence in general.
Pg 59 - 60, GOLD

[JamesN]

I look forward to standing in the shadows, eavesdropping on this discussion. I always welcome feedback (hearing what readers have to say, I mean, not the Mortuary member, although Feedback would be welcome in my home as well, as long as he brought with him a selection of tasty beverages).

Seriously, though . . . I can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts. Good, bad, as long as it's honest.


I also wanted to drop by to tell those of you who have read through at least the scene Meli's talking about (up through page 60), you might enjoy a short piece I wrote about how real life influenced that segment (sort of). Check it out if you get a chance -- it's the next-to-last most-recent post on my site.



J.N.

[Meli Hooker]

Originally Posted by JamesN

I also wanted to drop by to tell those of you who have read through at least the scene Meli's talking about (up through page 60), you might enjoy a short piece I wrote about how real life influenced that segment (sort of). Check it out if you get a chance -- it's the next-to-last most-recent post on my site.

Real life influence for that segment!? I don't know if I can handle it, but I'll check it out.

There are a lot of sick insect sequences I've been through so far. I'm at page 105.

You're giving me the creeps, Newman. Well played, sir. Well played.

[JamesN]

Originally Posted by Meli Hooker

Real life influence for that segment!?

Yeah, kinda. Not in the way you'd think, though.

You're giving me the creeps, Newman. Well played, sir. Well played.

Wonderful!



J.N.

[jmorey01]

Preliminary reports are making it harder and harder to sit this one out!

[Meli Hooker]

Originally Posted by jmorey01

Preliminary reports are making it harder and harder to sit this one out!

You can't! You shant! If you do, you're poo!

[Meli Hooker]

Originally Posted by JamesN

...you might enjoy a short piece I wrote about how real life influenced that segment (sort of). Check it out if you get a chance -- it's the next-to-last most-recent post on my site.

"a cross between human infants and giant hornets"

Nasty lil' bastards!

[gauder]

Loved it!

Showdown at the end was great.

Not sure how the question of the pregnancy really fits in with the rest of the story except maybe to provide a beginning atmosphere of unrest.

Will be adding this author to my favorites and checking out some more.

[Meli Hooker]

You're finished already!? Damn. I gotta catch up.

[Dark Mark]

Originally Posted by Meli Hooker

You're finished already!? Damn. I gotta catch up.

I am beginning this tonight. Many thanks Meli for the gorgeous copy that sits before me today (and for Cosmic Forces). It is without doubt the best looking novel I have seen for years and I'm itching to discover the wonders that lie betwixt its illustrious covers!

I will admit to attempting to peel off the price sticker on the back before realising that it was in fact part of the design

Observant members will be aware that I have a special love for pulp horror fiction of the late seventies and early eighties so I am looking forward to devouring this with relish. The thrill packed novels of my youth were smaller affairs and more easily hidden in a schoolbag or satchel away from the prying eyes of disproving and small minded adults, though I don't have to worry about them now apart from my mother-in-law and she doesn't scare me...much.

[Dark Mark]

I'm up to Chapter 8 already and I am pleased to report that the writing lives up to the wonderful promise of the cover. I'm loving this and reading it with a big grin on my face. I have it on Kindle too but I really wanted to experience the book as Gutenberg intended

[Meli Hooker]

I'm glad the books made it safely and you are enjoying the book so far.

I had a bit of a break this past weekend from reading The Wicked - working on finishing up the Laymon novel I started on vacation, Savage - but finished the "Bad Santa" sequence which was equal parts hilarious and disturbing.

[Dark Mark]

The only problem I have now having passed the halfway mark is that Amazon only have a five star rating and I want to give it 6.

I looked up references for

Spoiler Alert!

Moloch as I was aware that the entity based upon an actual deity/demon (depending on your point of view) and James clearly did base his activities on descriptions of his pecadillos which is cool

[Dark Mark]

I finished this tonight and I found it a note perfect hymn to the glorious horror novels of the eighties as well as being a great nail biting and at times stomach churning work of evil genius in it's own right. This book is a treat from beginning to end and the design alone is fabulous as like the text it perfectly evokes the classic era of paperback horror fiction that I know and continue to love so well. Hat's off Mr Newman for this most enjoyable read.

I'm adding this five star review to Amazon straight away and I would give it six stars were I able

[Meli Hooker]

I rushed home to catch up on my reading of The Wicked after seeing his Darkness' post on Chonebook dubbing this read best of the year. I was already enjoying this trip into a mad hell thus far, just getting caught up in all the real life crap and lost touch a bit last week.

Great sequence at pg 116 - 122 that is worthy of entry into Bad Santa fame... did I already mention that? Yeah, good stuff, but then there was this at pg 132-133:

Spoiler Alert!

The man's cold, cold fingers-fingers that were unnaturally long and spider-like-embraced the preacher's head. Gently, like the touch of a lover. Rhodes came in his trousers as the ancient thing's mouth opened, and the darkness embraced him.

I squealed "EEEEEWWWW!" out loud. What do you call that? SOL? This book is bringin' the SOLz

You're sick, Newman! Sick.

[Dark Mark]

Originally Posted by Meli Hooker

You're sick, Newman! Sick.

It takes a lot to make my toes curl but The Wicked did it repeatedly. The finale will have you holding your breath

[Tim Ward]

I've read the first five chapters. If you haven't yet, stop reading my post. (how's that to avoid spoilers?)

Man, James. There is some really sad stuff here so far. I use "sad" because you are doing a great job of making me care for the people these bad things are happening to. The relationship between David and Kate has a great mix of conflict and intimacy. I like how you include little things like whispered "I love you" and how David is trying to do what is best for Kate, in spite of his real fear of having a baby that will remind him of her tragedy. You are coaxing a difficult topic of abortion in a way that feels real on both sides, and so I don't see it as preachy, upsetting, or stale. I just read the bathtub scene and so now I've got a whole other sadness to deal with with these characters.

A raw, uncut response right now is that I can't wait for it to be over. I don't mean for that to be negative, but really, if it is this hard in the first few chapters, what do I have left in store? The strong emotional connection to David and Kate is crucial to me not putting this down in favor of a "happier" book, and that's coming from someone who likes Horror. (This is sounding negative, but I really don't mean it to be. Just talking it out and curious what other people think.)

[Meli Hooker]

Originally Posted by Tim Ward

I've read the first five chapters. If you haven't yet, stop reading my post. (how's that to avoid spoilers?)

spoiler in brackets + /spoiler in brackets

Also, Tim, I know exactly what you mean when you say you want it to be over. It's emotionally intense and I find myself wanting to get through certain parts to just get it over with. Just like in a movie when you know what is coming, whether there will be retribution or not, you have to get through it and that is extremely stressful even as a reader! Not meant to be negative at all and in fact is a testament to the writer's success in making these characters relatable.

There has been much grinding of the teeth and white-knuckle grips on this book... and very awkward, uncomfortable dreams.

I spoke too soon in my previous post about the shocking passage because right after that there were a few other really sick scenes. It's been a task tearing myself away each night to get some sleep!

I said this about Lee Thomas' Torn recently as well, but The Wicked is hazardous to your sleep!

[jmorey01]

There's a nice review of THE WICKED recently posted at Hellnotes

[Dark Mark]

Free today and tomorrow on Kindle!

The Wicked by James Newman

[Meli Hooker]

No shit!?! That's crazy. The world needs to know...

[Dark Mark]

You can see the evolution of the wonderful cover by Jesse David Young here on Shock Totem's website.