Realms of Fantasy / Metrophilias

The October issue of Realms of Fantasy seems to already be making its rounds. In it Matt Staggs reviews Metrophilias, saying:

“While the subject matter at the heart of this daring experiment in fiction will ensure that it isn’t for every reader, the lyricism of Connell’s prose, and his ability to employ the same unflinchingly to the portrayal of the most outre expressions of human venality, is worthy of recognition. This collection should, at the least, cement Connell’s reputation as fantasy literature’s reigning Neo-Decadent.” 

A couple of reviews

Unpleasant Tales has had a couple of reviews recently.

At Hellnotes Mario Guslandi says: “You can hardly ask more from a single book by a single author.”

And Zack Kopp, the Denver Books Examiner seems to have enjoyed it as well.

Blind Swimmer

A new anthology from Eibonvale Press is due for release in the coming weeks. It is called “Blind Swimmer” and holds a story of my own as well as work from Nina Allan, Gerard Houarner, Rhys Hughes, David Rix, Allen Ashley, Jet McDonald, Douglas Thompson, Terry Grimwood, Alexander Zelenyj and Andrew Coulthard.

Unpleasant Tales Review

Seregil of Rhiminee gives a very positive review of Unpleasant Tales at Risingshadow.net, from which I have extracted the following quote:

“What I like most about Brendan Connell is that he’s able to write about different kind of obsessions, perversities and weird happenings without flinching (he doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects). He doesn’t stop where other writers would stop, but goes full speed ahead and doesn’t look back. He’s also able to turn a perfectly normal story to a visceral story with just a few sentences and words.”

Historical Novels Review / Metrophilias

The Historical Novels Review did a piece on Metrophilias in their August issue, from which I quote:

“To say these stories are quirky wouldn’t do them justice. They are weird, sometimes darkly humorous, wild, sexual, and unpredictable.”

Two reviews

1) Paul Kincaid talks about Metrophilias over at Big Other, saying:

“It is a writing of hints and suggestions and moods, it is prose that aspires to the state of poetry.”

2) And Stephen Theaker takes on Unpleasant Tales on the Theaker’s Quarterly blog. I quote:

“On the whole, these stories live up to the book’s title extremely well. “For an artist, all experiences are exquisite”, claims the protagonist of “The Tongue”, and this collection pushes that idea to its limit. The artists here are experimental to the fullest horrific extent of the word, though I hesitate to give examples; best discover them yourself for the complete effect.”

Metrophilias, Black Static

The new issue of Black Static has a review of Metrophilias, very positive, in which the reviewer, Peter Tennant, says:

“[Connell] is a master of language, an endlessly inventive wordsmith who writes with a poet’s eye and vision, so that each story is as remarkable and distinctive for the way in which it is told as for the content.”

Split second film reviews

Shura: Very good, though somewhat heavy. A bit gruesome.

Gallants: A very stupid Chinese kung-fu film. Worth a miss.

Police Adjective: Meaningful. But by far the slowest film I have ever seen. And that is saying a good deal.

Cash on Demand: Great little British noire.

The Fury. Dull.

The Damned United. Amusing. Worthwhile for anyone who likes football (or doesn’t).

Love in a Puff. A decent romantic comedy.

Fortapàsc: One of the better recent Italian films.

Black Ransom. Another Hong Kong thriller. Good, but full of the usual clichés.