Tag Archives: Horror

A Thing of Forms Unknown: Thoughts on C.S. Lewis and Horror with Chris Calderon

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Within a longer project on C.S. Lewis and the Ransom Cycle, I have outlined a chapter focussing on some instinctive horror elements in Lewis’ science fiction. I have written up the close readings for the piece, but am missing one … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Classical Mythology, Forms of Things Unknown, Horror, literary criticism, myth, Of Other Worlds, Ray Bradbury, Roger Lancelyn Green, Science Fiction, The Dark Tower, The Outer Limits | 6 Comments

Stephen King, Dawn of the Dead, and the Culture of 9/11

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I have talked before how I found Stephen King‘s On Writing in a bargain bin in the street, and how that discovery catapulted me toward a dozen years of constant writing since. The novel I sat down to write after reading … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged 9/11, Dawn of the Dead, George Romero, H.P. Lovecraft, Horror, Johnny Cash, Mel Gibson, mythology, On Writing, Sarah Polley, Stephen King, Supernatural Horror in Literature, The Blair Witch Project, The Passion of the Christ, Zack Snyder, zombies | 13 Comments

H.P. Lovecraft’s “Supernatural Horror in Literature”

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I am in the midst of an extended reading of Stephen King‘s Dark Tower Cycle, including the extra books that connect most intimately with King’s great mythic universe (see Mathew Olson’s essay here; I’m rereading ‘Salem’s Lot now with Wolves … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged 'Salem's Lot, Dagon, Danse Macabre, H.P. Lovecraft, Horror, literary criticism, literary history, Literary Theory, Stephen King, Supernatural Horror in Literature, The Dark Tower, The Wolves of the Calla | 19 Comments

Why I Didn’t Finish IT as a Teen

Posted on September 19, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

I was a couple of years older than the kids in IT when I picked it up the first time. The novel is filled with sexual content, gory violence, and profanity—very little of which was carried over to the Hollywood … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Writing, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged Carrie, fantasy, fire, Horror, IT, mimesis, realism, Stephen King, The Dark Half, The Dark Tower, The Eyes of the Dragon, The Green Mile, The Shining, The Stand | 14 Comments

The Mythogenic Principle, Or Why Reading Zombie Lit at the Beach is a Very Bad Idea

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

It’s one of the reasons watching horror films is so fun, isn’t it? Though the possibility that a serial killer who has spent too much time collecting comic books or reading 19th century engineering reports is hiding behind your couch … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Charles Williams, H.P. Lovecraft, Horror, I Am Legend, IT, Joss Whedon, Prince Edward Island, Reading, Stephen King, The Handmaid's Tale, The Mythogenic Principle, The Name of the Wind, WWZ, Zombieland, zombies | 7 Comments

A Scary Story-Within-A-Story by John Crowley

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

Many readers will know that I have a peculiar interest in the story within a story. Part of it comes with the discovery of “The Grand Inquisitor” in my early days. It remains my favourite nested story. I’ve blogged the … Continue reading →

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Memorable Quotes | Tagged books, Chucky, faerie, fantasy, Halloween, Horror, John Crowley, literature, Little Big, Story Within a Story | 3 Comments

A 3 Day Novel Contest Post-mortem: Thoughts After my 7th 3DNC

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

For the 7th consecutive year I have been a contestant in the International 3-Day Novel Writing Contest. This is literally the exercise of writing a full novel in 72 hours. No extensions, no extra time, no time outs. This is … Continue reading →