First, a confession: I'm cheating a bit. The book I REALLY want to review is the first Splatter Punks, but unfortunately the powers that be at Epinions have chosen not to feature this bloody bit of shock literature. [8/17: just found out that Splatter Punks is featured somewhere..oops.] So I'll review Splatter Punks 2 at the same time, and hopefully avoid being too long-winded.

Splatter Punks was the brainchild of Paul Sammon, a knowledgeable, if somewhat self-important, horror junkie. The term "splatter punk" embraces a mish-mash of slasher flicks, death metal, Anne Rice, and nihilism; a philosophy that goes for the jugular in dark and uncomfortable ways. Sammon's first collection, for the most part, does just that: the stories are often difficult to finish, and more than a few left me queasy.

There are some truly amazing literary gems to be found. It's a pleasure to read authors whose command of the language is such that it evokes a physical response. Clive Barker and Joe R. Lansdale are among those who demonstrate their considerable talents with pieces like "The Night They Missed the Drive-Thru," a gut-wrenching tale of teenagers who run afoul of the local rednecks. The shining jewel of the collection, however, is the one-page "Red." One of the finest pieces of horror writing I've ever read, this devastatingly brutal little story is justification enough for purchasing the compilation.

That being said, the compilation is at times scattered, with some dull moments that undermine the impact of the stories. Sammon's essay on horror, for example, was interesting but seemed a bit out of place amid the violently gory short stories. And there are a few stories that left me amused rather than disturbed: one involving a demon baby made me think of the Ally McBeal dancing infant - distressing, maybe, but not terrifying.

Splatter Punks 2 is a far more uneven, and therefore less satisfying, follow-up. This is disappointing since 2 is supposed to be a celebration of women, both as authors and subjects - and writers such as Poppy Z. Brite and Nancy A. Collins deliver with appropriately disturbing and/or bloody bits. Unfortunately, most of the stories seem to take a more science-fiction/fantasy slant than the first; maybe it's just me, but I can't really relate to vampire chicks and futuristic cops ("Pig"). The further into fantasy the stories fly, the less visceral they become for the reader. To add insult to injury, Sammon includes an interview with Brian de Palma, a director who, as one reviewer pointed out, is best known for such sexist classics as Dressed to Kill and Body Double. He offers no explanation as to its addition to a collection celebrating women, and it is thus jarring in its inclusion.

The saving grace of Splatter Punks 2, interestingly enough, is not fiction at all, but rather Jim Goad's "Calling Dr. Satan," an interview with Anton LaVey. A great author interviewing the self-proclaimed "Black Pope" is pretty much guaranteed to be interesting, and neither disappoints.

To sum up: Splatter Punks = good, sick introduction to extreme horror. Splatter Punks 2 = take it or leave it. And at the risk of sounding abrupt, I'm going to stop here (this review is long enough as it is).



Recommended: Yes