Glyphotech and Other Macabre Processes

[R.P.Dwyer]

_Glyphotech and Other Macabre Processes_ was published in hardcover a few year ago. That edition is now out of print. Mark Samuels has joined the revolution in publishing and recently self published this book in paperback.

One thing that struck me about these stories is that they are, indeed, macabre, more so, in my opinion, than the stories of other writers in the field such as Robert Aickman and Thomas Ligotti.

There is some difference in the contents between the two editions. This book has:

Preface by Mark Samuels
Glyphotech
Sentinels
Patient 704
Shallaballah
Ghorla
Cesare Thodol: Some Lines Written on a Wall
Destination Nihil
The Vanishing Point
Regina vs. Zoskia
A Gentleman From Mexico

"Glyphotech" Corporate horror (I know that sounds redundant). The narrator's employer has motivational seminars which seems awfully like cult indoctrination. The narrator quits his job and becomes the target of a strange organization.

Two train stories: the Twilight Zone-style "Destination Nihil" and the excellent "Sentinels". In "Sentinels", a detective investigates the disappearance of a writer on the paranormal. One of this writer's books was on the dark, mysterious aspects of London's train system, which our detective explores in his search for the writer.

" The book was divided into several chapters, each specializing in a subterranean urban legend: (1) Cases of Posthumous Mutation in London in London Cemeteries (2) Derelict reverse Skyscrapers 1936-1957 (3) Mass disappearance of Persons sheltering in the Underground during the Blitz (4) Graffiti or Occult Symbolism? (5) Suppressed Eyewitness account during the Construction of the Underground Railways 1860-1976 (6) The Fleet Line extension to Fenchurch Street must be Halted (7) Secret Bunkers or Extermination Centres? (8) The deep level Platforms of the proposed Express Tube: Why they caused Insanity (9) The Hidden Shafts that connect Subterranean London."

"Vanishing Point" reminded me a little of John Carpenter's movie They Live. In "Vanishing Point", the protagonist is making plans for suicide when he sees a strange transmission on TV. The story has a Twilight-Zone style twist.

"Patient 704" and "Cesare Thodol: Some Lines Written on a Wall" uses the old horror trope of the insane asylum, nevertheless they are interesting stories.

In "Ghorla", the protagonist researches an obscure, dead pulp fiction novelist named Ghorla who had an interesting idea about consciousness in one of his novels. Ghoul's ideas about consciousness turn out to be horribly true.

"Shallaballah" is about a Punch and Judy show broadcast live after death.

"Regina vs. Zoskia" is a Kafkaesque story about a lawsuit against an asylum.

In "A Gentleman From Mexico" the British protagonist encounters in Mexico a writer who writes like Lovecraft himself. Not like an imitator. Could Lovecraft have been re-incarnated in this Mexican writer? Our protagonist, at the end of the story, winds up in an unusual state.

For me, the stories ranged from 4 to 4.5 stars.

[Frater_Tsalal]

Yeah, I was kind of sad to see that Mark had omitted "The Cannibal Kings of Horror" (along with Ramsey Campbell's introduction) from the 2nd edition. I can understand his reasoning re: the former, but maybe he could have updated the satire!

[luciferfell]

Well Campbell owns the rights to his intro.. and Mark, since this is him publishing it, most likely did not want to have to pay Campbell...

[Nemonymous]

This anthology was the subject of my first ever real-time review in 2008. It has the blame for starting me off on this personal rite of passage...

Here: www.nemonymous.com

Why was The Cannibal Kings of Horror not included?

[Lord Jim]

Quote Originally Posted by luciferfell

Well Campbell owns the rights to his intro.. and Mark, since this is him publishing it, most likely did not want to have to pay Campbell...

Ramsey actually offered his encouragement for using his intro in the reprint, on Mark's blog. Introductions are typically a freely given resource, as I understand it.

[Frater_Tsalal]

Quote Originally Posted by Prince James Zaleski

Why was The Cannibal Kings of Horror not included?

In the preface Mark states that the satire in that story has become, after less than a decade, "hopelessly inadequate," having been "wholly overtaken by even more outlandish developments."

[Raul Urraca]

Having just read "the white hands," I'm eager for glyphotec to come out on kindle. These story descriptions sound fantastic. Can't damn the Sam!

[Jeff Matthews]

Mark has updated the POD Glyphotech paperback with all new type set, plus two vignettes: "A Slave of Melancholy" and "The Advent of Strangers". Mine arrived from Amazon today. The Amazon page still appears as the 2016 edition, but you will receive the 2019 paperback.

Glyphotech and Other Macabre Processes: Mark Samuels: 9781539651727: Amazon.com: Books

 

Glyphotech and Other Macabre Processes: Mark Samuels: 9781539651727: Amazon.com: Books

The layout is the best this book has looked, including the original PS hardcover, and I look forward to reading these 2 vignettes which are new to me (one I know was only available in the Ex Occidente edition of Man Who Collected Machen).