October Staff Book Report: Bradley Englert
Each month we ask our staff to share their latest reading recommendations and give us a sneak peek into their reading habits by answering your favorite bookish questions. In October, we hear from Bradley Englert, Senior Editor, Orbit/Redhook. Read ahead for Bradley’s trusted horror recommendations, his favorite book cover and more.
Bradley Englert, Senior Editor, Orbit/Redhook
Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie
It’s October and that means pure horror recommendations. For me, horror is a year-round endeavor. It’s a favorite genre of mine, and if I’m not reading or watching something horror related, I’m certainly thinking about it. First on my recommended list is EPISODE THIRTEEN by Criag DiLouie. This a book that’s pure fun for horror fans. The idea is “found footage” in book form. (Yes, that’s me pitching an epistolary novel as found footage). A crew from a ghost-hunting reality TV show head out to the most haunted house in America. It turns out to be much more than they bargained for. If you dig found footage, then this one is for you. It’s an absolute blast and has genuine scares to keep you up at night.
The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
It’s sort of a spoiler (but not really, you find out in the fist 20 pages) to call this a perfect zombie novel, but it is. If you think zombies aren’t for you, or you think there’s no way to tell a new zombie story, have I got news for you: You’re wrong. M. R. Carey reinvigorated the genre with the story of Melanie, a young girl who knows that her caretakes are scared of her but can’t quite figure out why. It’s everything I love about horror: scary, thought-provoking, and utterly human. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I rarely make that claim.
Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
A collection of horror short fiction from South Korean author Bora Chung and translated by Anton Hur. The stories in this collection are surreal, haunting, mesmerizing, and everything in between. They play with genre, not all of them horror, and they quickly sear themselves into your brain. It’s not a collection to take lightly. The first story, “The Head”, confidently sets the tone for everything to come. You’ll know from there if you’re willing to venture down the chaotic rabbit hole that is Cursed Bunny.
It Rides A Pale Horse by Andy Marino
Continuing the trend of odd reads, if you’ve ever thought, “That book was pretty good, but I wish it was weirder,” I’m here to help. This is one of the most bizarre novels I’ve ever read, and I love every page. General premise: An artist, Lark, is hired by astronomically wealthy patrons. He goes to their house to learn more details about the job. It’s a gigantic compound in the middle of the woods. A security guard meets him at the gate and shows Lark a video of his sister being abducted in real time, and then Lark is handed a (very) demonic looking book. If Lark follows the instructions in the book, his sister will go free. That’s a lot of setup, but it’s the most solid-footing you’ll have for the rest of the book. Once Andy Marino gets going, the pace is relentless, and the eldritch horrors unleashed are just the beginning. It’s a surreal nightmare trip, but it’s also laugh-out-loud funny at times. And I promise, you’ll come back to me saying, “that was the weirdest book I’ve ever read.” But I hope you’ll enjoy the ride.
The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias
What starts as a “one last job” thriller quickly pivots into a descent into nightmare. THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME is a heartbreaking exploration of love, loss, odd friendships, and the harsh realities of our world. It’s a novel that won the Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker awards for a reason. This is a book that reminds me of why horror is such an important genre. It peers into the dark corners of life, and once your eyes have adjusted to that darkness, it doesn’t allow you to look away. This novel is one of my favorite recent reads, and if you’re up for the journey, I think you’ll find yourself ensnared in Gabino Iglesias’ extraordinary writing.
What is the weirdest thing you have used as a bookmark?
A Magic the Gathering card signed by a friend. We thought he was going to win the Pro Tour. He didn’t. He lost almost immediately. But he did lose to the person who won the whole tournament, so that has to count for something.
Do you have a go-to comfort read?
The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
I enjoy re-reading Joe Abercrombie’s works. They’re always a great reminder of why I love epic fantasy. Are they “comfort reads” well…if you’ve read Joe’s books, probably not! But they comfort me in a way.
If you owned a bookstore, what would you call it?
I really struggled to think of a horror pun for a bookstore name and came up empty. So, I’ll cheat and just say that there’s an indie bookstore in Kingston, NY called Rough Draft. It’s a bar and bookstore, and I’ve always thought the name Rough Draft was genius.
What is your favorite book cover from the past year why?
It Rides a Pale Horse by Andy Marino
I suggested it above, but IT RIDES A PALE HORSE by Andy Marino. I have to shout out the immensely talents Lisa Marie Pompilio (Orbit’s Art Director). Lisa really gets horror, and when I pitched this book to her, she understood what I meant when I said, “the horse should be spooky, but it should also feel elevated and almost literary.” It’s one of those cover designs that hit your inbox and you just sit quietly for a few moments because it’s exactly what you were hoping for but better than you imagined.
