Bloodtype Online

SK Books 

    When it comes to book titles this one really doesn't leave much to the imagination; it does exactly what is says on the cover. That's right, you've got Mr Skin's 501 top movies honouring the exposure of female flesh, as long as they are available on an official US release and playable on Region 1 DVD player. Bloody fantastic stuff if you ask me. 

    As well as the 501 Greatest movies there is also Mr Skin's personal top 69 and the top 69 movies that are not currently available on DVD. It's all quite exhaustive stuff, alongside cover art for each movie, although not all the art is from the US release, there is a brief rundown of the plot in most cases but more importantly it gives the lowdown on who flashs what and what they flash. Indeed, in what must have been some seriously extensive "research" there is a breast, butt and bush count for each flick. 

    The list of movies contained is incredibly varied as well, you have everything covered, from Grindhouse to Arthouse, Blaxsploitation to Nazisploitation, Low Brow to High Brow, Horror, Comedy, Drama, you name it it is probably covered in one shape or form here. From the likes of Cannibal Holocaust, Bloodsucking Freaks and the Ilsa flicks to more mainstream faire such as Doc Hollywood, American Pie and Road Trip plus many inbetween. In fact reading this has made me want to search quite a few of these out, being the pervert that I am. 

    Alongside the movies though there are also loads of interesting tidbits of information about the various directors, film companies and actresses etc. Not to mention a guide to some of Dr Skin's quite inventive play on words, such as "furburerage" and "skingoria". That's the main thing that holds this guide together and that is the fantastic humour that is prevalent throughout. So many films guides are just lists of movies, but there is nothing that really glues everything together. Here though, aside from checking which movie has the highest boob count, I can guarentee that you will be laughing along as you read. 

    The Skintastic Video Guide is a quite splendid reference guide that I wholeheartedly recommend you pick up. Whether you are seriously interested in the contents, and judging by some of the movies listed i'd reckon that the nudity was the only redeeming point, or whether you you just want a fun and informative read, you really can't go wrong. Although I will just add that Straw Dogs was set in Cornwall and not Scotland which is at the complete opposite end of the UK. Not that that matters as there is more information here than should be humanly possible to gather, and credit must be given to all involved for taking the time and effort to compile it. 

Great book. 

Rating - ****

- Jude Felton

Infected Books 

    Aside from the short story Home, which featured in The Undead: An Anthology from Permuted Press, Hater is my first real foray into the work of author David Moody, who is probably best known for his Autumn series of novels. I can safely say that it won't be my last visit to his work though as Hater was a rip-roaring read, which drew to and end far too quickly if you ask me. Mind you there is an advert at the end of the book stating that there will be a conclusion to the Hater story. Even without the knowledge of a follow-up though Hater does stand alone as an exciting, and at times, quite brutal work of fiction that may not be all that far removed from reality. 

    The book is set in an unnamed town in England that is being rocked by a series of seemingly unprovoked acts of violence. People are attacking others completely out of the blue, some victims know their attackers, some don't. What is clear though is that the assailant senses something about the victim that instills a deep fear within them. Of course the media see these as crimes of hate, thus dubbing them Haters. No one, it would seem though, has any idea where these attacks stem from or why. All people have managed to ascertain though is that absolutely anyone could attack at any given time. 

    Thrown into this mess is Danny McCoyne, an average kind of guy who hates his job, but can't be bothered to do anything about it, and loves his family, even when they try their hardest to wind him up. The story is told from his perspective as he relays the initial shock at the attacks; some of which he bears witness to, and the increased paranoia that sweeps his town and the country, to the eventual breakdown of civilzed life and his coming to terms with what to do next. 

    When I first read the back cover of Hater I was initially struck with a sense of 28 Days Later, but those thoughts were soon dispelled once I started reading it. The Haters, of the title, aren't maniacal infected monsters, just everyday folk like you or I, there is no physical change, and to the best of my knowledge no monkeys were harmed during the writing of this book. Of course there are elements of similarity between the stories, as there is to a degree with some zombie stories. To me though this was a far more human tale with a more direct reflection on society than mere social commentary. This becomes increasingly apparent the further into the book you delve. 

    What really appealed to me about Hater though, apart from the great story and at times leg-crossing inducing violence, was the manner in which the story is told. Danny's story is so matter of fact and to the point, there is so much I could relate to in the way that he tells the story; his job, families, saturday lunch down the pub etc. it was quite refreshing that is for sure. Hater isn't fantasy horror, it is everyday horror that a good many people can no doubt relate to; albeit in a slightly exaggerated but not impossible kind of way. 

Hater is a damned good book that I recommend searching out a copy of. It's a brisk 230 odd pages that will leave you wanting more. 

You can find out more about this and other books by David Moody at www.djmoody.co.uk 

Rating - ***  

- Jude Felton

    After viewing the trailers and previews of the movie version of The Ruins I decided that I would rather read the book first. I still want to see the movie despite the mixed reviews, (at the time I writing this I haven't but when I do I will write an accompanying review piece), as after reading this I can see how it is very film friendly. However, it does leave me in a awkward situation, as with any other film adaptation; the book is invariably better than the movie, so you face disappoinment. But, if you watch the movie first then read the novel a certain amount of the book's impact will be lost on you. You can't win can you? 

    Anyway, to the book itself which is admittedly a good read but not one that is without a serious amount of flaws. It's pulp horror dragged out over 500 odd pages, but these pages will fly by in no time at all despite these flaws. 

    The story follows four Americans, Jeff, Amy, Eric and Stacey, who are vacationing in Mexico. Whilst there they befriend Mathias, a German, and Pablo, Juan and Don Quixote, three Greeks using pseudonyms, and by all accounts they are having a great time. That is until it comes to their attention that Mathias' brother has gone walkabout with a girl he met. All they have to go on about his location is a note and a map that he left. His destination being an archealogical site at the top of a hill out in the middle of the jungle. 

    Mathias obviously wants to go and find him, so the Americans, along with Pablo, all agree to travel with him thinking that they will only be gone for a day and that it will be an adventure. Oh, it was an adventure alright! Despite warnings from cab drivers, local Mayan villagers and the fact that the trail was hidden from sight, they follow the map to their destination. Once there though things start to go wrong, and after an accident they realize that they are trapped on the hill with no escape. It seems that the hill has very unhospitable plant life, which wants them dead. 

    The Ruins starts off at a charge and never really lets up. The reader is told the story through the perspective of each of the Americans in turn and Smith amps the tension, and sense of desperation, up superbly. For the first couple of hundred pages or so that is. Then it all starts to get bogged down a little in repetition, with each of the characters going the same thought processes and complaints. Granted it is all well written, and the sense of horror and dread, and doom, are conveyed exceptionally well, but a little more depth to the events would have been welcomed. For me the only real plot point that is developed properly is the vine, which is their main problem. Smith reveals more about it bit by bit, with each revelation bieng more terrifying than the previous one. 

    I would have liked to also have seen a little more exploration into the ruins themselves, which are sorely lacking despite the title, as well as about the vine itself. Of course there is the possibility of this in a sequel, or prequel, should one ever arise. 

    By the time I had got to the end, which was predictable and a little surprising at the same time, I was just left feeling slightly robbed and a little underwhelmed. On the plus side though The Ruins does have some superbly crafted scenes of tension, more than its fair share of incredible gruesome scenes and is all held together by some incredibly vivid storytelling, there is no doubt that Smith is a fine writer despite my criticisms. 

    I'll just finish by saying that The Ruins could have either been a hundred or so pages shorter to cut out some of the repetition, or slightly longer to enable a little more exploration into the events. It is a bloody good read, but there are so many better horror novels out there that I'd recommend before this one. 

Rating - **1/2