Mick Garris

I've been a fan of Mick Garris movies since the 1994 ABC miniseries THE STAND. However, I'd never read much of his fiction until I picked up the Encyclopacalypse release of his A LIFE IN THE CINEMA audiobook earlier this year. THESE EVIL THINGS WE DO, like A LIFE IN THE CINEMA, is a collection. Unlike A LIFE IN THE CINEMA, this collection contains a smaller selection of works: four novellas and a novel.

Garris' famed involvement with Stephen King in film might naturally lead you to believe that he would emulate King in print. This is not the case. As Garris himself points out, he's been writing stories since age 12, before he discovered King, and has thus had plenty of time and space to develop his voice. The big thing about that voice (and the storytelling in general) that struck while reading THESE EVIL THINGS WE DO is that it feels uniquely Californian, the same way King's early work feels uniquely New England. It's not just the dialogue and the descriptions of landmarks and scenery that make it feel that way; it's the characters themselves, the way they relate to the world around them, and often the situations in which they find themselves: a plastic surgeon's slab, a famous spouse's bedroom, the desert, a private webcam, the streets of LA...

All of the above is not to say that you need to be Californian to relate to these stories (no more than you need to be from Maine to enjoy King or from Texas to get Joe Lansdale). Garris' characters, no matter the evil they do, are relatable on multiple levels.

Of the five stories contained within THESE EVIL THINGS WE DO, my favorite turned out to be "Tyler's Third Act," a tale about an entertainer who decides to make some, er, self-sacrifices to revive his washed-up career. Unfortunately, what you put out into the world, you can lose ownership of once the fans descend. Without spoilers: Tyler allows one fan to get too close.

Overall, I enjoyed this collection. Recommended for any horror fan, but particularly for fans of body horror given two of the five tales from this volume specifically revolve around it.… (meer)

I just listened to the brand new Encyclopocalypse Publications audiobook edition of this book, and I loved it. Most of us know Mick Garris as a writer/director of film (particularly the 1994 television adaptation of Stephen King's THE STAND). This volume proves he's also a talented author.

Sex and violence and camera rolls dominate the short horror stories that comprise this collection. Most of the stories predate the turn of the millenium (and it shows in some places), but they remain as enjoyable now as they no doubt were upon initial publication. Of all the stories, my favorite was "Forever Gramma," which appears late in the book. "Baby Shower," "Starfucker," and "Joy" also stood out to me. Garris' work is juicy--gooey, even--and full of flawed or fallible characters horror fans can embrace.

The audiobook features narrations by Garris himself, Joe Lansdale, Steven Weber, and the late Miguel Ferrer, whose familiar pleasing baritone was wonderful to hear again. Encyclopocalypse has performed wonderfully in bringing these stories together. It was an easy listen. I managed all five hours in a single sitting. My one wish is that Lansdale could have been the narrator on "Forever Gramma." This is not a criticism. Garris does a wonderful job reading this work. I just think Lansdale's gruff voice fits that particular story's narrator.

I'm looking forward to reading more of Garris' stories in his upcoming Fangoria anthology release.… (meer)

THESE EVIL THINGS WE DO is chock full of disgusting, weird, obsessed people. I loved every second of it.

This is a collection of novellas followed by a final short novel. Each one of them is unique:

FREE-Are there any moms out there that can honestly say they've never thought of just walking away? Maybe just jumping into their car and driving away for awhile? This is the tale of one woman who did.

UGLY-A story of a really terrible plastic surgeon. Well, he's a good surgeon, but a terrible person. And ugly people do not have the right to live, tarnishing his personal scenery.

TAYLOR'S THIRD ACT-This was my favorite novella. It was totally insane but kind of hilarious all at once. (view spoiler) I'm pretty sure that statement won't reflect well on me, but hey: it was funny!

SNOW SHADOW-A student and a professor both fall for the same teacher. That never ends well.

SALOME- This novel was a tragic story of a marriage turned bad. But even if spouses can no longer stand each other, that doesn't mean they no longer love each other, does it? This had an excellent mystery at its core and it was fun to unravel.

Prior to being offered this ARC from Fangoria, not gonna lie: I hadn't heard of Mick Garris. I've since researched him a little bit and now I'm not sure how I've never come across his name before. I've surely come across some of his films, (now that I know they were his.) Regardless of his film work, this volume stands as evidence that the man can write a horror story. Or 5, as the case may be.

HIGHLY recommended!

*Thanks to Fangoria for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*… (meer)