DARK BITES

REVIEWING  ZOOPRAXIS   A Collection by Richard Christian Matheson Written by Richard Christian Matheson Published by Gauntlet Press Whether you’re an established RC Matheson connoisseur or you’ve just discovered his work, Zoopraxis is sure to satiate any fan of raw, visceral literature. Waiting to oblige such cravings are thirteen brand new stories with nine more gathered from various years best anthologies and the like. With introductions from John Shirley and Chet Williamson, Gauntlet Press presents a macabre world full of Twilight Zone inspired chills with plenty of introspective twists worth revisiting.  Helping to bring us closer to the heart of each tale is cover artist extraordinaire, Harry O’Morris. Harry’s black and white designs provides a cohesive yet subtle visual interpretation to kick off each story. As a bonus, the author includes a personal anecdote coinciding with the origin of each tale.  The additions of Harr...

The surname, Matheson, was one immediately familiar to me through the extensive, boundary pushing works of legendary Richard Matheson . I had only discovered his eldest son, Richard Christian’s, work through my review of Stephen King’s Battleground and fast became aware of RC’s talent. Popping his name into Google and IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base) I fast became aware of how RC had, despite my previous ignorance, greatly contributed to a sizable chunk of my childhood media culture. The A-Team. 3‘OCLOCK HIGH. Three’s Company. Knight Rider. Tales From The Crypt. The Incredible Hulk. You get the idea. Hell, even his younger brother, Chris Matheson, helped shape my media influence with his BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, which almost never got made, but I digress. You get the idea. The point is much like his father, Richard Matheson, RC Matheson has more than likely influenced your brand of entertainment to some degree as well while carving out his own path towards being refe...