 |
 |
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
Reviews and Blurbs
Below are the reviews of Midnight Tableau along with some author comments:
"Mike McCrann writes stories from the heart. Stories set in the real world, about real and potentially real situations, but most importantly of all, about real people. Mike's characters are identifiable humans, with all the failings and all the strengths associated with that state. Of course, these are still horror stories - they're dark, they're twisted, they're at times unimaginably chilling - but they go much deeper than that. There's no superficial scare-fare here. Mike McCrann's not in this to give you a quick buzz; though neither is he in it to lecture you. If anything, Mike's stories are like parables - dark, eerie parables - evocative and entertaining in themselves, but asking serious questions of the human soul, which we, the readers, may at some point feel it necessary to contemplate for ourselves." - Paul Finch, author of The Extremist, After Shocks, and Cape Wrath
"Midnight Tableau is a dandy, often evocative collection that shows a genuine affection for -- and respect of -- the horror genre, from a promising young writer whose work here pegs him as One To Watch. Worth its price for the closing novella alone, this collection offers a wide range of campfire-style stories, with something to please almost any horror lover." --Gary A. Braunbeck, Bram Stoker Award-winner and author of In Silent Graves, In the Midnight Museum, and Home Before Dark: The Collected Cedar Hill Stories, Volume 2.
"It's difficult these days for a new writer to find an audience. People have so many distractions to choose from that often they overlook quality in their search for immediate gratification. This is true with movies, music, and certainly books. That's where I come in. It's my job as reviewer to make sure you know what's good and what isn't. Take Michael McCrann's debut collection, "Midnight Tableau," for example. This is a book you'll definitely want to purchase if you love tight, sleek fiction with claws. Put down the mass-market paperback and snatch this one up. ...a very strong first entry by a great writer who deserves to find his audience. Those unsuspecting readers who haven't yet discovered McCrann's writing are in for a treat. Those of us who have discovered "Midnight Tableau" can only wait patiently for his next work."
"An excellent collection, wide ranging and well crafted."
"More frightening than any monster... McCrann's ability to carefully craft characters and situations that are believable in spite of the stories fantastical elements will win him fans among more mainstream readers as well." "In Michael McCrann's work I can see shades of the most popular modern horror writers. People such as King, Matheson, Koontz and Laymon. These are not comparisons I make lightly. And yet his dry, witty observations, his attention to detail, uncluttered prose and superbly rounded characters give it a style all of its own. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Midnight Tableau and found the mixture of thriller-writing, out-and-out horror and dark humour a breath of fresh air in today's market. Stories like 'The Rubbish Man', with its unnerving ending, 'Close Your Eyes, Sweet Angel' which introduces us to such a realistic setting and main protagonist you can't help but believe in the story, and 'The Lizard's Tale' were my favourites, but you'll find much here to satisfy any discerning palate. A new voice that should go a long way..."
"The tales tend to present very human characters. I find McCrann highly skilled at character development. I felt for many of these people as the events in their life took a turn for the terrible... McCrann has a lot of talent... This was a really great collection of stories. I was pulled into each story. I found the author to be quite adept at creating a creepy mood and drawing strong settings. Then the characters were able to build on the story till they could reach a peak. The stories had a lingering creepiness because most of them were dealing with human fragility. It is an enticing read. I recommend this for fans of horror but also for fans of quality fiction in general. I look forward to more writings from McCrann." - George Schaefer, reviewer for Rambles.Net, an online cultural arts magazine
"Mike McCrann really knows how to creep it up. Midnight Tableau is just the beginning of what promises to be a legacy of dark imaginings. Watch out for this guy in the years to come -- he's gonna make his mark." - Michael Arnzen, author of Play Dead and the Bram Stoker award-winning first novel, Grave Markings.
"Michael McCrann is a writer on the rise. His first short story collection, Midnight Tableau, is a testament to this. His stories adeptly tackle a variety of styles, from the surreal, to suspenseful, and, spicing things up, a bit of black humour. Most importantly, his stories are well-written, making this first collection a rather pleasant surprise from this new writer on the horror scene."
It’s always a pleasant discovery to find a new author able to write dark fiction in an appealing way, to deal with horrific themes without resorting to gore and carnage, to unnerve the readers without disgusting them with grand-guignolesque scenarios. Michael McCrann is such an author and this (Midnight Tableau) is his first, excellent collection of short stories... (Mike McCrann) is a tremendous storyteller. - Mario Guslandi, reviewer for Bookideas.com
"Michael McCrann's writing shows a lot of promise, displaying a range of good ideas and a strong sense of setting and character. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on him."
"Each story in Midnight Tableau is a well-polished gem of a story, sometimes familiar, sometimes exotic, but always entertaining to read." - Adam Pepper, author of Memoria. "Midnight Tableau is a very promising first collection. McCrann has a solid grasp of the genre and its nuances, and his short stories are smart and well-written." - Dru Pagliassotti, reviewer for The Harrow
"You know something is coming. You don’t know what that something is. But you know it’s gonna be bad. And you’re gonna be mighty uncomfortable sleeping from then on. That’s how good McCrann is at building suspense and then dropping his readers down into terror. Real life. Real situations. Could happen tomorrow – to me …or you. Just hope it doesn’t. Made up of eleven short stories and (my favorite) the novella, Coven of the Unwanted, this book is simply suspense and horror at its best!"
© Copyright 2004. All rights are reserved.
|
|
|
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
"McCrann will soon be linked to the other great suspense/horror authors and will soon be asked to join their club... Please don't keep the reader waiting, Mr. McCrann!!"