User blog:ChristianWallis/Curation Blog No 2

So here’s another curation of recent stories that I think deserve attention! Once again I’ve placed an emphasis on novelty, and I’d like to reiterate I can’t read everything so I’m sure I’ve missed plenty of good ones. Feel free to make known pastas that you think deserve some attention, whether old or new. Now let’s get on with it.

Bad Drainage by Toadvine – I like to see a sci fi story now and again and I enjoyed this writer’s take on it. It’s weird and strange but filled with some great and novel imagery. The idea is similarly original and worth your time. What I liked most about this story was its oppressive atmosphere and its well realised setting. This story is worth your time because it’s got an original premise and pulls the sci fi story off really well, and it’s got a lot of well-constructed mood and atmosphere.

Watch the News by JF Sindel – So a while ago I wrote a blog about psychopaths but to be honest this story does a damned good job of outlining what one is without all that extra work. God damn it touches on just about everything that makes serial killers so unsettling, and why they’re strangely captivating. The style and overall tone is charismatic and pulls you in and it mirrors the plot and theme, and you can feel the narrator’s bubbling disdain and anger. It’s worth your time because it’s a deeply authentic take on the psychopathic killer’s mind set and it’s an effortless read.

USS February by Killahawk – Killahawk has been around for a while, but this is the first story of theirs that I’ve read and it’s great. God knows I love The Thing and this does plenty to fulfil that nostalgic memory and more. It’s original, fun, and creepy as hell. And again, this is a sci fi story and we don’t see too many of those. This is worth your time because it’s a fun and interesting read and gives you a first person ride through a classic and scary sci fi premise.

Mother’s Lunches by Doctorbleed – Like Lovecraft? That’s all I really want to say, but I will go on anyway to say that this is a different take on a familiar idea and pulls it off successfully. It gets a lot right and is worth your time because it’s unique, got a fun twist, and is unsettling in a way that is human and personal. This is a great way for the writer to take a classic Lovecraft influence and help pull it in a direction that is distinct from the usual Lovecraftian tale.

Exhausted by Anarchic Operations – I haven’t mentioned A_O’s work yet but it’s well worth your time. I’ve picked Exhausted because it’s their most recent work but Venomous is also a great and original idea. Whichever you choose to read you’ll find both stories great and original tales. In particular I’d like to highlight Exhausted’s weird subject matter that reminds me of Stephen King. It’s fun and worth your time because it’s a great use of the diary format and pairs it with an original idea and solid execution.

Special mention: Motherhood by Scardycat – Fuck spiders. Did you know that 100% of spiders are sexually attracted to under-18’s? Sickening. Absolutely sickening.

