Sins of the Sirens

There is a new trend toward collections / anthologies that feature a smaller number of authors, and a larger amount of work for each in the book. Earlier this year I reviewed “Five Strokes to Midnight,” which was such a collection. “Sins of the Sirens” is another.

This book is a very attractive trade paperback published by DarkArts Books.

Thebook is edited and introduced by Mr. John Everson, whose vision brought this grouping of darkly erotic tales together.

My first thought in reviewing this book is that there is a level of deeply honest eroticism and fantasy to these stories that you seldom see in fiction. These aren’t stories for the faint of heart. They are also not stories men should read if they have to stand up in public. They ARE stories that will stick with you.

I’m going to take this story by story – which I rarely do anymore. I believe that the collection warrants it. I’ll definitely be recommending both collection and several stories contained within for awards this year.

First up is Loren Rhoads with her tail “The Angel’s Lair,” which was the first “Siren song” story that led John to put this book together. This story defies classification. I would call it “High Urban Fantasy,” if that makes any sense. The issues dealt with are classic. A succubus has set out on a quest to seduce an Angel. The Angel is torn between the needs of the flesh it inhabits and the noble purpose to which he aspires. There is ambiguity on the issue of whether falling in love with the succubus and giving in to his desires is sinful, or even wrong. There is DEFINITE question who seduces and captures whom. This is a story of high ideals and blazing intimacy. Very powerful stuff.

Loren follows this with “Still Life With Broken Glass” – a story that combines artistic vision and erotic pleasure. It’s a story of love starting to wither, and new love blooming…of sacrifice for art’s sake – and of course, being Loren, it’s got a rather morbid twist.

Though the table of contents says it comes BEFORE that last story, third up is “Sound of Impact,” which explores infidelity. Also darkly erotic, this one twists a slightly different direction — and the setting is unique.

The final story in this first segment is “Last Born.” It’s a tale of dark magic and pleasure. It’s a story of revenge, as well. While very different from her first three entries, this piece rounds off the Loren Rhoads segment of the book nicely, lightening the intensity just slightly before you plunge on to the work of Maria Alexander.

The first of Maria’s stories is “Pinned.” This is a tale of Voodoo and revenge. It’s built around a very believable world of erotic cutting and needle play, the first of many stories in this book that inspired me to write my essay “Fiction Valence – It’s Not Just the Edge, it’s WHICH Edge,” the point of which being that when you have knowledge of a world that – for most readers – is far out on the edge – you have the ability to seek an even further edge. The BDSM elements of this story ring true.

Next, Maria presents a sort of Victorian dark fantasy of Absinthe and other worlds titled “The Dark River In His Flesh.” This is a vast departure from the earlier stories in the book and provides a dark bridge to her final story, “The Last Word.”

This story – while having a faint hint of Harry Potter to it – is a keeper. A man at an estate sale comes across a fine old book with blank pages. When he begins to write in it, particularly about the woman who has scorned him, and the boss he hates, things get interesting…the book, you see…writes back.

Next up is Mehitobel Wilson. New for this volume (and a story she tells me John had to beat her with a pitchfork to get her to write) is “Heavy Hands.” The power in Bel’s fiction is in the introspective, almost claustrophobic reality of her character’s ‘worlds’. In this story, a guy with a dead end job starts experiencing the touch of hands that do not exist. The hands shift, as the story shifts. I won’t get further into it than to say that this one is deeply disturbing, and carefully wrought. Of the new fiction in this volume, this is my clear favorite.

Also from Bel we get Close, which is a story so despicably erotic that you feel like showering after reading it. What if you were in a hotel room and there was a compartment under the bed? What if someone enjoyed…staying there at night? And what would he see – feel – hear?

Next from Bel we get “The Wild,” a story about a woman who appears on the surface to be almost agoraphobic, but whose eroticism and needs are smoldering beneath the surface. What she’s actually seeking – WHO she’s actually seeking – comes out slowly through the course of the story and winds to a very satisfying conclusion. In many senses of the word.

The last entry in Sins of the Sirens from Mehitobel Wilson is “Parting Jane”. This is a surreal story of captivity, helplessness, rebellion and strength of spirit. It touches on the baser side of a great number of character’s motivations while drawing you helplessly into the plight of a young girl. Another very strong story.

Last, but certainly not least, we come to the fiction of Christa Faust. If you are not familiar with Christa and her work, you haven’t been paying attention over the years. In this collection she presents three stories. Each of them points back to that essay I linked above…there are worlds beyond worlds and Christa has intimate knowledge of a great many of them. She is able to take you places, and go places, that most authors don’t understand or would shy away from. There are no punches pulled here.

In “Love La Llorna,” we find a couple in Mexico on vacation, one a Mistress, the other her submissive partner. Out on the town, the woman is confronted by the apparition of a young woman, stinking and wet from a river plunge, holding her dead infants. Before returning to her rooms, she purchases some pirated DVDs and drops into a world of obsession revolving around a final sequence that does not seem to belong in one of the movies. Her world, and her relationship dissolve quickly, and the ending of this one is tight, and brutal.

“Firebird” is the second and longest story in the book by Christa. It’s a sort of Bladerunneresque trip through heavy addiction, love, revenge, and some forms of decadence that – while definitely beyond our capabilities now, would be less surprising in the future than they should be.

Finally – “Tighter,” another of the stories Mr. Everson states as inspiration for this volume – he heard this one read by Christa at a convention. This is a white hot erotic ride. The protagonist is a magician – an escape artist. Imagine being able to escape almost anything…and having your one burning obsession to be bound. Tighter, so tight you cannot escape. Imagine you meet someone with such a binding… This story will not be easily forgotten. And again, this is not a story for men to read in a public place where they might have to stand up…

That is true, of course, of most of this book. In conclusion, this is a very strong, very intense and emotionally charged collection from some of the most talented ladies of darkness working in the horror and speculative fiction fields today.

Look for interviews with all four ladies in the coming days…and for God’s sake – click that book cover above and BUY THIS BOOK.

-DNW

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