Plunder The Tomes #2
January 1999 28 Churchill Close, Calne, Wiltshire. SN11 8EN.

Welcome once again to the Creepy Library with your haunted host Jim Xavier. Come and see what literary delights I have brought back from the haunted realms of the fantastic. Read on, if you dare....

First through my library door this time is the third issue of David Price’s Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque #3 which features a cover by Iain Maynard and interior illustrations by Des Knight, Steve Lines and Wendy Down. Fiction is by Paul Finch, John B. Ford, D. F. Lewis, Catherine J. Gardner, Peter Tennant, Simon Bestwick, David Cowdall, Mark R. Richie, Paul Bradshaw and John Saxton. There is a supplement titled Yellowed Pages which contains reviews and the letters of comment. A strong collection of stories.

The Dark Fantasy Newsletter #2 has three pieces of short fiction (Paul Bradshaw, Geoff Jackson and Ron Unsworth) a lot of poetry (Robert Monk being the only poet who bothers to make his work actually rhyme) and short reviews, plugs and submission guidelines for a wide variety of small press magazines (invaluable information if you are a writer). There isn’t much artwork, just a piece each from Des Knight and Cathy Buburuz, both of which are fine examples from these two very distinctive artists. Inside the layout is clean and clear (but I find the typeface a little taxing on the eye). Issue #3 corrects this with much clearer typefaces and headings, magazine titles, publishing details in red or blue print, making it much easier on the eye. Once again the usual mix of small press news, reviews and submission details, with fiction and poetry from the likes of Elsa Wallace, Sean Russell Friend, Gill Hamper, Jim Dewitt, Neil Fulwood, Steve Sneyd, Julian Henly, Robert Monk, Paul Bradshaw, Marie Williams and Geoff Jackson. Artwork by Cathy Buburuz, Des Knight, Cathy Buburuz and Marge Simon is uniformly good but I especially like the piece by Des Knight.

Terror Tales #3 from John B. Ford is the penultimate edition of this ever improving collection of ghost, horror and supernatural tales. Perfect bound this time (it seems that the excellent production values of Enigmatic Tales are having an influence) with impressive front and back cover by Steve Lines. Not much artwork inside though, which is a great pity as there is a wealth of excellent fiction. Colin Langeveld produces another of his atmospheric illustrations for Peter Wykes’ poem The Ghosts of Winnats Pass and Mark Hetherington turns in an excellent piece for Mr Dawson’s Church Story by Maynard and Sims. There is also a piece each by Des Knight and Iain Maynard. The fiction is excellent, favourites being Dark Mirror by Sue Phillips (a tale of a mysterious black mirror and a strange world beyond), Anna Franklin’s Incubus (if you’ve got one don’t let on....) and the gruesome Together Forever by Marie Farrimond. Other writers included this issue are David Price, Peter Smith, Paul Finch, Muriel Smith, Paul Bradshaw, Joe Rattigan, Andrew Richardson, Simon Bestwick, Paul Bradshaw, David Cowdall, and Pendragon. There is no letter column this time around, which is a shame as letter columns provide a magazine with character and it’s always interesting to read what other people think of the previous issue. More artwork would have been nice, but it does look like there’s a dearth of decent artists out there. Just look at this issue: 15 writers and 5 artists. Where are all the illustrators? Anyway, Terror Tales #3 is an excellent collection and recommended!

Terror Tales #4 arrived just before Christmas with the announcement that it is to be the final issue as John is going to concentrate on his own fiction and on his first novel. A fine issue to bow out on, with Mark Hetherington’s splendid cover continuing the ‘EC comic’ theme began with the cover of #3. He also provides the back cover illustration and one for the Lovecraftian The Fog in the Reading Room by John Travis. Colin Langeveld contributes another of his atmospheric illustrations for Where the Dead Will Speak by Joe Rattigan and Des Knight two gives us two of his distinctive pieces. Iain Maynard and Steve Lines also contribute an illustration each. The fiction is once again excellent and we have over 100 pages packed with tales by the likes of J. Rogerson, Martyn Blake, Paul Bradshaw, Paul Kane, Pendragon, Emma Hooper, Simon Bestwick, John Davis, John Saxton, David Toast, Michael Kennedy and many, many more.

The Heliograph #4 takes you back (or sideways) to a Victorian age that never was to meet gentleman detectives Dr. Leyland Kilmarnock and Barrington Smythe as they pit their wits against the cursed ‘Gentlemen in Black’ and ‘The Avenging Angel’. I love these stories and I will be sending off cash for back issues immediately. A bit of Holmes and Watson, a pinch of Fu Manchu, a dash of Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines mixed with Jules Verne and a Victorian scientific optimism. There are Strange inventions that never were (but should have been) and dastardly villains intent on foul deeds, thwarted by heroes who sally fourth from their drawing rooms shouting "The game’s afoot!". Great stuff!

Sackcloth and Ashes #2 lurks behind a great ‘demon in torment’ cover by Dave Frode with another impressive collection of fiction, well presented and illustrated. Best piece of art by far is a computer enhanced photograph by Lisa Fillingham which is suitably grotesque and horrific, closely followed by a Des knight illustration in his unique style. My favourite piece of fiction this issue is Survivor Syndrome by Simon Bestwick. Other authors include Tim Lebbon, John Galloway, Paul Finch, Emma Hooper, Ian Hunter, Paul Bradshaw and Peter Tennant. The magazine is rounded off with a letter column, poetry and editorial discussion.

Enigmatic Tales goes from strength to strength with consistently high production standards and a steadily increasing page count. Issue #3 has a strong collection of supernatural, ghost and horror stories, highlights being Paul Joyce’s The Fleshing Rooms (with an excellent accompanying illustration by Gerald Gaubert) and A Letter to Lovecraft by Peter Tennant. There’s also excellent fiction from A. F. Kidd, David Cowdall, Nigel Brown, Paul Finch, David Christopher, Martyn Prince and many more. Colin Langeveld, Gerald Gaubert, Steve Lines and Cathy Buburuz provide the illustrations. An first rate publication, not to be missed!

Zest #4 is a well produced fiction magazine concentrating on Science rather than Horror fiction, which makes for a refreshing change. I wonder why it is that most small press writers seem to write horror or supernatural stories? Anyway, this issue includes fiction from James Lecky, David Cowdall, Richard Reeve, D. F. Lewis, Geoff Jackson and Peter Tennant but could do with more artwork in its pages, the only piece (other than the 2001 cover art) being another fine example of the work of Des Knight.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Fairy (Jan ‘99) is a music magazine from New York which comes with a compilation cassette. Basically what you get is a collection of reviews of various bands recent releases and then a tape giving you a sample track from each band. A great idea and a good way to get to hear new music. I got hold of the album by The Gotohells titled "Burning Bridges", a hybrid of The Stooges/Ramones/Dead Boys/Johnny Thunders which may not be original but certainly sounds great blasted out LOUD!

John M. Peters sent the first issue of his new music magazine The Borderland and a promising debut it is too. Flickers ‘n’ Frames may be dead but some of the style and feel of that magazine is here. Covering an eclectic range of music from mainstream to underground, we have articles on underground cassette labels, Jeff Downes on his top ten soundtracks of 1998, and a wide variety of book, CD, cassette and vinyl reviews. John is looking for more writers so why not get in touch. He’s also looking for review material so if you have just released a CD or record, send him a copy.