Archive for the ‘Deadstock’ Category

The Deadstock Black Lands Connection

For the past couple of months — since my interview with The Ginger Nuts of Horror, to be exact — I’ve received a few e-mails from people asking about my Weird Western novella, Deadstock.

In the interview I revealed that Deadstock is, in actuality, a Black Lands story, a fact that has confused some people as I’ve never mentioned this before.

The truth is, I only revealed this information because Jim Mcleod at Ginger Nuts of Horror happened to ask me, seemingly out of the blue, if there was a connection between Deadstock and the Black Lands. I’m not sure why he asked the question — perhaps Jim has some sort of psychic ability he hasn’t told me about — but I can tell you I gave serious thought to not answering it.

Why? Because while Deadstock is indeed a Black Lands story, it does not feature my supernatural detective Felix Renn and there are no overt references to the Black Lands.

The reason I never mentioned this before is because I wanted Deadstock to stand on its own without piggybacking on the success (however meager it may be) of the Felix Renn stories. I also didn’t want to take advantage of readers who might expect more of a connection to the Black Lands-verse than there actually is.

The connection is there, I can assure you, and it will become more apparent in the Deadstock prequel, Zero Fill, and especially in the sequel, Land of the Never-Rising Sun (a title that probably reveals more about the connection to the Black Lands than anything else).

So does that mean readers be left out of the Black Lands loop if they don’t read Deadstock? Absolutely not.

Of course, it is my opinion, extremely biased though it may be, that reading Deadstock will add to the overall enjoyment of the Black Lands series as a whole.

BEKs and Deadstock reviewed

A couple of new reviews have rolled in over the past week or so. The first is for Deadstock and it comes from the fine folks over at Sonar4 Landing Dock Reviews:

A highly recommended read for fans of ghouls, zombies and old west supernatural tales and not as graphic as one would expect. Kudos for the writer. 

Read the full review.

The other review is for “Black-Eyed Kids” and it comes from Gef Fox at Skull Salad Reviews:

Whoa Nelly, this one was a dark treat to read. The first two books certainly had their fair share of sinister vibes, but there was more–how do I put it?–rollickingness. No that’s not right. Maybe sardonic tone is what I mean. Felix is the kind of guy who will let his world-weary side shine through. This time around there isn’t a lot of room for that, because his life is in imminent danger even more than the last two times. The story is the most intense of the three with a threat that Felix comes to believe he can’t defeat. Everything plays out really well with an episodic quality I’ve come to expect and appreciate from Ian’s work.

I think this would have to be Ian’s strongest effort yet of the three novellas published so far, which bodes well for future iterations, including a Felix Renn novel that’s apparently in the works. If you enjoy gritty urban fantasy, this should be right up your alley.

Read the full review.

Thanks to both reviewers for the kind words, and for taking the time to read (and review) my work!

The Black Glove reviews Deadstock

Anthony Servante over at The Black Glove has posted a really excellent review of my Weird Western novella Deadstock. Here’s an excerpt

“The novella captures the West with descriptive details of the desert, the small town, and the Groom ranch. The dialog also echoes what we have come to expect from western-speak without relying on clichés. Because the visage of the old west looms so large and accurate, the sci-fi and horror elements work within the framework to create a good counter-balance between the normal west and the weird west. Deadstock is a welcome addition to the Weird Western tradition. Dryden and Raisy can be placed with confidence alongside Joe R. Lansdale’s Jonah Hex, Ray Krank’s Ghost Rider, and Lon Williams’ Lee Winters. I look forward to further rides into the Weird West with Ian Rogers.”

Read the full review.

This is one of the most insightful reviews of my work to date. Servante pointed out things in my story that surprised even me. He also provides a nice introduction and overview of the Weird Western genre. A great way to start of my 2012. Thank you, Anthony!

Deadstock was published by Stonebunny Press and is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca. There’s also an e-book version available for the Amazon Kindle.

Ginger Nuts on Deadstock

The Ginger Nuts of Horror reviewed my Weird Western novella Deadstock. Here’s a short excerpt:

“…it’s fast paced gripping tale, that will hook you on page one and keep it’s claws in you until you turn over the final page. Seriously folks Ian Rogers has a great talent for writing highly entertaining stories.”

Read the full review.

I’m really glad that people seem to be digging this story as it’s my first foray into a new genre. It certainly makes me want to write more tales about Sam and Raisy. If only there were more hours in the day!

First review of Deadstock

Colum McKnight at the excellent website DreadfulTales.com has reviewed Deadstock. Here’s an excerpt:

Proper setting and placement are absolutely essential to the well being of a well crafted Weird West novel. If these things aren’t handled properly, the author stands on the precipice of another genre altogether, namely Steampunk. Rogers handles this task brilliantly and expertly, keeping the realism directly steeped in a properly historical context, and limits himself to that time periods alone. Add the weight of a supernatural element and BAM! what you have in your grubby little hands is one of the best Weird West pieces you’ll ever read.

Read the rest of the review.

That’s right, folks: one of the best Weird West pieces you’ll ever read. I’d say straight from the horse’s mouth, but according to the review, Colum is actually afraid of horses. So instead I’ll say straight from the mouth of a damn fine reviewer. Big thanks to Colum and Dreadful Tales!

Deadstock is available on Amazon.com and as a Kindle e-book.

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What are the Black Lands?

The Black Lands is a dimension filled with supernatural creatures that lies next to our own world. This alternate reality is the setting for a series of stories by Ian Rogers.

To find out more about the Black Lands, read the history.