Two By Brian Hodge

The first couple of items that ended up on my wishlist were both books by Brian Hodge. Hodge is one of my favorite authors. I believe he’s only had one novel published in hardback (through a mainstream publisher at least). Mostly he’s published paperback originals and mostly they’ve been horror novels. Just about everything he’s ever published is out of print. Unlike many horror novelists Hodge is quite happy to end his stories bleakly and sadly. If I were to suggest what the prevailing mood in his fiction is, I’d say it was melancholy. None of his characters are heroic except by accident. They may be basically good people and they may do heroic things but none of them are larger than life.

Despite the lack of happy endings Hodge’s writing has a sense of humor (often very dry and very black) and an odd poetry. The rhythm is more blues and rock than pop, fitting since Hodge is also a musician. I’ll have to see if he has released any CDs.

Lies and Ugliness: a collection of short stories.

Dark Advent: one of Hodge’s early novels. And the only one I don’t own.