Boys in the Valley

BOYS IN THE VALLEY, Philip Fracassi, Earthling Publications, $50, ISBN: 978-1-7369284-0-0, reviewed by Barry Hunter.

This is the annual Halloween novel from Earthling Publications and Paul Miller has added another haunting addition to this much beloved series.

This time out, we get the story of Peter – who is sent to St. Vincent’s Orphanage for Boys. It is the turn of the century and times are tough. The boys depend on each other and those who disobey find themselves in the Hole. Discipline is strong here as it was in all Catholic orphanages at that time.

Peter has been allowed to help in their visits to obtain supplies from the Harris Farm. He has also gotten to know Grace; the farmer’s daughter and she loans him books on his visit and they are exchanging notes.

All appears to be gong well until the night the Sheriff and his posse stop at the orphanage seeking medical aid. Their prisoner had kidnapped a three-year-old girl and had done unspeakable things to her. The Priests try to perform an exorcism, only to have the injured man die after saying “we are Many”.

After this happens, the boys begin to form groups, some of the boys begin to mistreat the younger ones and it culminates in the mutilation and crucifixion of one of the boys. This is followed by a group of the boys trying to destroy the orphanage and kill anyone in their way.

Peter must become the protector of the children and must face the horrors of hell to fulfill his destiny.

Fracassi has written a book that is true to its setting. He has also added a brief look at blooming romance. He has written an odyssey through possession and madness that is tough to read. This is my first meeting with Philip Fracassi and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

 

Has it really been 20 years?

 

Brian A. Hopkins and Crossroads Press are releasing a new edition of THESE I KNOW BY HEART. This will be a welcomed addition to your collection and a terrific introduction to those who are just discovering the talent that is Brian A. Hopkins. Publication date to be determined.

The Demon Trappers Series is going to be available again

 Riley Blackthorn and The Demon Trappers series is being re-released with new covers. Here is the reveal of the first book's cover. It is being re-named to match the title used in the rest of the world.

Publishing date coming soon.

News of the Weird xcviii

 News of the Weird xcviii

Extreme Measures – In London, Ontario, a persnickety homeowner took matters into his own hands on 30 JUL when he ran his car into a neighbor who had been urinating on his lawn, BlogTO reported. The 38- year-old driver struck the victim, throwing him several meters and causing a gash on the back of his head. The driver was charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm, which could get him 10 years in prison. [BlogTO, 8/4/2021]

Sign of the Times – Jesse Jones of Raleigh, North Carolina, has adapted some of his infamous Halloween decorations for a different purpose: He has erected a 13-foot skeleton in his front yard with a sign attached that reads, "Not Vaccinated See You Soon Idiots!" WRAL-TV reported that Jones also set up some tombstones with messages directed at vaccine deniers. He lost his mother-in-law to COVID-19 and hopes his display will get people to focus on the recommendations coming from the CDC. [WRAL, 8/4/2021]

 Bright Idea – Toyota Motor Corp. publicly scolded the mayor of Nagoya, Japan, for "biting" an Olympic gold medal at an event celebrating medal-winner Miu Goto, a softball pitcher. On Aug. 4, Mayor Takashi Kawamura pulled down his mask and pretended to chomp on Goto's medal for photos, Reuters reported, but social media objected: Some suggested Goto get a replacement medal because of the germs transferred. Toyota was sterner: "It is unfortunate that he was unable to feel admiration and respect for the athlete. And it is extremely regrettable that he was unable to give consideration to infection prevention," a statement read. A chastened Kawamura made a televised apology, saying he would "reflect on" his actions. [Reuters, 8/5/2021]

 

News of the Weird xcvii

 

News of the Weird xcvii

Happy Accident – Barrington, N.J., resident Louis Angelino III, 27, works at a liquor store, but lately he’s been cleaning friends’ houses to make some extra cash. One day in June, Angelino was scheduled to clean the home of his friend Mark, NJ.com reported. He showed up, found the key under the mat, and spent 2.5 hours making the townhome sparkle. That’s when Mark called him to see if he’d been able to get the job done, and Angelino said, "I’m literally in your living room right now playing with your cats." But Mark replied: "Louis, I don’t have any cats." Turns out Angelino had written down the wrong address and tidied up a neighbor’s home instead. Mark left a note for Tom and Beth Motzel, explaining the mix-up. Tom arrived home before his wife and called her, saying, "You won’t believe it. Someone broke into our house and cleaned the entire thing, Swiffer and all." Beth has dubbed Angelino the Cleaning Fairy, and his business is taking off. [Politico, 6/17/2021]

Fixer-Upper – Sara Weaver and her husband found their dream farmhouse in Skippack, Pennsylvania, and bought it in December in a bit of a rush. They decided to forgo an inspection, but they did note that the seller's disclosure mentioned "bees in wall." It wasn't until the weather warmed, however, that the Weavers became aware of the extent of the bees. When Allan Lattanzi, a beekeeper in the area, came to remove them in late July, he eventually ended up with 450,000 bees, comprising three colonies. CNN reported that the Weavers paid $12,000 for the removal, which involved taking slate tiles off the outside wall one by one. Lattanzi estimates the bees had been there for 35 years; he had been called to the residence once before but the owner at that time didn't want to pay for the removal. When the Weavers took ownership, the house "was so dirty," Weaver said, "and now that I'm thinking about it, I originally thought it was dirt on the windows that I cleaned but it was probably honey because there were drip marks." [CNN, 8/2/2021]

Latest Religious Message – WXIX-TV reported that Charles Mullins, 65, was arrested on 3 AUG and charged with arson after a fire at his home in Boone County, Kentucky. According to police, firefighters were called to Mullins' home around 3:15 that morning. Mullins admitted that he started the fire by turning on the gas stove, pouring gasoline around the house and then lighting a piece of paper. Mullins said God had told him to start the fire and leave Kentucky, which he probably won't be doing for some time now. He was held on $25,000 bond. [WXIX, 8/3/2021]

Bad Behavior – Frontier Airlines flight attendants and passengers had to resort to duct tape on a flight from Philadelphia to Miami on 31 JUL, ABC6-TV reported. Maxwell Berry, 22, of Norwalk, Ohio, initially brushed his hand against a female flight attendant's backside, then spilled a drink on his shirt. He went to the restroom and emerged without his shirt, the police report said, and an attendant helped him get another shirt from his carry-on bag. Berry then walked around for about 15 minutes before groping the chests of female flight attendants. As a male flight attendant watched over him, Berry punched him in the face, at which point other passengers took matters into their own hands and restrained him in his seat with duct tape. He was taken into custody when the flight landed and charged with three counts of battery. [ABC6, 8/3/2021]

 

The Paratwa Trilogy (Liege-Killer, Ash Ock, The Paratwa) Out 26th October

 

The Paratwa Trilogy (Liege-Killer, Ash Ock, The Paratwa)

Christopher Hinz

Out 26th October

The Compton Crook Award-winning cult classic science fiction masterpiece, newly remastered and re-released with never-before-seen added material.

Two hundred years after a nuclear apocalypse forced humanity to flee Earth, stories are still told about the Paratwa - fearsome genetically modified killers who occupied two bodies, controlled by a single vicious mind. The legendary Paratwa Reemul, known as the Liege-Killer, was the strongest of them all.

Now someone has revived Reemul from stasis and sent him to terrorize the peaceful orbital colonies of Earth. Is this an isolated incident, or has the one who unleashed this terrible power announced a gambit for control over the entire human race?
 

“A genuine page-turner… Don’t miss it.”
– Locus

 Coming from Angry Robot books!