I have mentioned before (in my literary essay on the importance of the horror genre) that the modern horror genre may be the closest creature we have in contemporary literature to the classical tragic formula that was present in the Greek and Roman eras. The ultimate difference is that horror replaces the elements of deity and philosophy with the supernatural, the demonic, and the horrific.
I recently had the privelage of reading an advanced copy of Z. Rider's upcoming horror novel Suckers. Rider's work may be the most classically tragic horror story I have read in a number of years. Suckers manages to create an almost perfect balance between the tragic, real life, and the modern macabre.
Suckers is a story about Dan and Ray, two rock musicians who have been best friends since their years in high school. The two of them, along with a third band member--Jamie--are in a semi-successful band named Two Tons of Dirt--aptly named because two tons is the amount of dirt that goes in the grave on top of a coffin when you die.
At the beginning of the novel Dan and Ray are walking to their hotel from a show when they are attacked by a small bat-like creature in an alley way. Dan is bitten by the creature but ultimately decides that it isn't worth going to the hospital because it would bring unwanted publicity to the band.
However, as the days of their tour creep by Dan begins to feel worse and worse. He has headaches, a strange buzzing in his neck, a an uncontrollable urge to drink blood. His condition becomes a significant danger to everyone on the tour bus and the horror has just begun.
Ray and Dan work to try to keep Dan's "infection" at bay while it seems the rest of the world around them begins to fall into disarray--a strange apocalypse that seems far more real than the overly popular zombie stories we've become plagued with.
Suckers has a specific tone of the everyday mundane mingled with the harsh brilliance that the horror genre has to offer. Every chapter manages to feel like an every day occurrence that is uncannily similar to the reading audience. This mundane normality manages to create a disturbing comfort for the reader that is all too easily jostled when horrible things happen. The dynamic of the normal with the horrible created by Rider creates a impressive and stress inducing tension throughout the entirety of the novel.
Dan and Ray as the lead character's truly manage to carry the weight of the entire book. I felt sympathy for these two men and could honestly relate to their relationship and emotional intimacy.
Suckers also manages to be one of the most realistic and original novels I have read this year. The normal trite clichés of horror seem present, and yet they are realized anew through Rider's unique and engaging style. Her vampiric style lore completely reimages both the zombie and vampire concepts into one new creature that seems almost reminiscent of the Alien franchise. The use of new ideas keeps an element of mystery in the novel that is often lost in the repetitive cookie cutter novels the plague the literary market. (Although I do enjoy those books on many occasions as well.)
The one downside to the novel is that the normality of Rider's tone can make sections of the story feel slightly dragged out even if they don't seem unnecessary.
I recently had the privelage of reading an advanced copy of Z. Rider's upcoming horror novel Suckers. Rider's work may be the most classically tragic horror story I have read in a number of years. Suckers manages to create an almost perfect balance between the tragic, real life, and the modern macabre.
Suckers is a story about Dan and Ray, two rock musicians who have been best friends since their years in high school. The two of them, along with a third band member--Jamie--are in a semi-successful band named Two Tons of Dirt--aptly named because two tons is the amount of dirt that goes in the grave on top of a coffin when you die.
At the beginning of the novel Dan and Ray are walking to their hotel from a show when they are attacked by a small bat-like creature in an alley way. Dan is bitten by the creature but ultimately decides that it isn't worth going to the hospital because it would bring unwanted publicity to the band.
However, as the days of their tour creep by Dan begins to feel worse and worse. He has headaches, a strange buzzing in his neck, a an uncontrollable urge to drink blood. His condition becomes a significant danger to everyone on the tour bus and the horror has just begun.
Ray and Dan work to try to keep Dan's "infection" at bay while it seems the rest of the world around them begins to fall into disarray--a strange apocalypse that seems far more real than the overly popular zombie stories we've become plagued with.
Suckers has a specific tone of the everyday mundane mingled with the harsh brilliance that the horror genre has to offer. Every chapter manages to feel like an every day occurrence that is uncannily similar to the reading audience. This mundane normality manages to create a disturbing comfort for the reader that is all too easily jostled when horrible things happen. The dynamic of the normal with the horrible created by Rider creates a impressive and stress inducing tension throughout the entirety of the novel.
Dan and Ray as the lead character's truly manage to carry the weight of the entire book. I felt sympathy for these two men and could honestly relate to their relationship and emotional intimacy.
Suckers also manages to be one of the most realistic and original novels I have read this year. The normal trite clichés of horror seem present, and yet they are realized anew through Rider's unique and engaging style. Her vampiric style lore completely reimages both the zombie and vampire concepts into one new creature that seems almost reminiscent of the Alien franchise. The use of new ideas keeps an element of mystery in the novel that is often lost in the repetitive cookie cutter novels the plague the literary market. (Although I do enjoy those books on many occasions as well.)
The one downside to the novel is that the normality of Rider's tone can make sections of the story feel slightly dragged out even if they don't seem unnecessary.
Summing it Up
Z. Rider's Suckers is a brilliant and original take on the popular apocalypse genre. Rider does horror right by making us comfortable in her world, making us care about her characters, and than feeding us the horror spoonful by spoonful until we are uncomfortably, sickly stuffed on the dark imagery that her brand of apocalypse has to offer. This book proves why independent horror and author's need more recognition in the genre of horror fiction.
Deaths: X
Language: 4
Gore Factor: 4
Sex Factor: 3
Scare Factor: 4
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 4.5
Deaths: X
Language: 4
Gore Factor: 4
Sex Factor: 3
Scare Factor: 4
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 4.5
To learn more about my rating system click here.
Suckers comes out on February17th 2015. Preorder your copy today and you can get $3 dollars off the retail price.
Suckers comes out on February17th 2015. Preorder your copy today and you can get $3 dollars off the retail price.