The Winter Hunt and Other Stories by Steve Lockley, Paul Lewis, Paul Finch (introduction) - 2016

Oswaltwistle Lancashire: Parallel Universe Publications, 2016. Fine, as new copy. In stock now, straight from the publisher. Steve Lockley and Paul Lewis, a two-man, Swansea-based writing-team (though they have written individually as well, and excellently too) are contemporary authors in the best sense of the phrase. They are also hugely respectful of and clearly motivated by some of the great work done in the past. So often their stories, at first glance, may be kitchen sink in tone. By that, I mean they could be set on a drear council estate, or in a bus station café, or a second-hand shoe shop, or a seaside boarding house on a dull day in the off-season. But never be fooled by any of that, because these calm waters run very, very deep indeed. The Lockley/Lewis style is deceptively simple an easy and comfortable read, comprising beautiful, well-constructed prose that will carry you straight to the heart of the plot. Already, thats a sign of quality where Im concerned. But in addition, in terms of the subtext, these tales are never less than awe-inspiring, and I choose my words carefully. There are massive concepts at the heart of so much Lockley and Lewis. One minute you think youre reading about a weary shop-girl who spends all day worrying about her wayward brother and his car-thief mates, the next youre confronted by demonic forces and a winter storm so hellish they surely come from a place beyond time. A few minutes later, you think youre travelling with two single middle-aged women on a short holiday to the coast, but the next thing youre asking coast of what? What kind of edge have they ventured to here, and for Gods sake, why? Nothing is what it appears in the book you are about to read, but there is nothing complex here either. Think of these tales as contemporary, urban parables, often unapologetically horrific, and yet rich in heart and soul. They deal with issues that go far deeper than the events on the page, and yet the best thing is you dont have to go digging for that. Itll all be brought to you in due course. Contents are: Introduction by Paul Finch The Winter Hunt Gabriel Restrained Family Ties Lullaby The Woman on the Stairs Never Go Back Damp Last Day The Worst Part City of Woes Death Knock Playmates De Profundis Puca Muc Shadows in Paint The Winter Hunt was first published in F20, 2000 Gabriel Restrained was first published in Darkness Rising Two: Night's Soft Pains, 2001 Family Ties was first published in The Third Black Book of Horror, 2008 Lullaby was first published in Vivisections, 2003 Never Go Back was first published in British Invasion, 2008 Damp was first published in Chimeraworld #2, 2005 City of Woes was first published in Doorways, 2008 Death Knock was first published in At Ease with the Dead, 2007 Puca Muc was first published in Shrouded by Darkness, 2006. First.. Trade Paperback. Fine. Illus. by Joe Young (cover). Horror.