Carnies
Written by: Martin Livings
Published by: Lothian Books Australia
Page Count: 400
ISBN 13: 9780734409690
ISBN 10: 0734409699
Where to buy:
From the author, QDP, and other fine retailersPublishers Comments:
The small south-west Australian town of Tillbrook has a secret, one that has been kept for over a hundred years; the Dervish Carnival, which has been there for a century, is run by people who are neither human nor animal, but live in the woods and howl at night. But when David Hampden, a journalist on the downward slope of his career, visits the town with his younger brother, unemployed photographer Paul, that secret is threatened. When Paul is seduced unknowing into their world, David will get him back, whatever the cost. And the cost may be both their lives… and possibly even more.Carnies is a contemporary Australian supernatural thriller by debut novellist Martin Livings, and is described by the author as “an old fashioned horror novel, harkening back to the days when scary books were fun.” Containing equal helpings of horror, action and humour, Carnies is a sideshow haunted house of a novel, with dark twists and turns, sudden drops, surprises, shocks and delights.
So roll up, come to the carnival. You’ll never be the same again… if you survive!
About the Author:
Martin Livings was born in 1970 in Perth, and has lived there pretty much ever since. He stumbled into both IT and speculative fiction at an early age, and has used the former to finance the latter whenever necessary. He is currently living in London with his partner, funded by a grant from the Australia Council to work on a new novel. When not writing, he reads far too few books and watches far too many horror movies. Martin’s first short story was published in 1990. Carnies is his first published novel.
Hello Ghouls and Boils,
This evening we present a terrorific tale called “Carnies”, written by Martin Livings. It is not often a werewolf tale comes across my desk, but I instantly knew which Monster-Loving Minion I would assign this to. So without further ado, I will let Alanna tell you all about it. Enjoy, my fiends!
Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Covert
In my classic horror pantheon, the tragedies I find in some of the creatures intrigue me as much as the horror of their actions: Dracula had his lost love; Frankenstein’s monster had not only his child naiveté but also loss of his creator; Larry Talbot and his lifelong curse as the Wolf Man.
The current characterization of classic horror icons into the mainstream reminds me of a translation process, in that I am now revisiting another generation of imagery and background that affected me profoundly when I was first exposed to them with different dialogue. The curse stigma has been replaced (mostly) by acceptance; the lone figure has been replaced by either a tribe or a pack. Storylines offer more complexities and nuance with this integration of the supernatural with the ordinary day-to-day, and Carnies by Martin Livings does this well.
One thing off the bat I liked is that this is an Australian story, and I appreciated the opportunity to read a thriller from a perspective that is not U.S., U.K. or continental Europe. The main characters being brothers foreshadows the tragedy element that I like so much, but it does take a fun turn into some delightful carnage that only canines can provide.
The story’s prologue introduces the reader to some of the “carnies” from the title to segue into the first encounters with the Hampden brothers, David and Paul. The two couldn’t be more different, David the apparently responsible, married older brother who works for a newspaper and Paul the unemployed photographer getting over a breakup with his girlfriend. An opportunity to do an investigative report on the Dervish Carnival in the Tillbrook area brings these two together to take part in events that will change their lives forever. Tillbrook’s “secret” relationship with the carnival and the performers goes back a century, and the brothers begin to realize their destiny in their coming to the Dervish and what it will mean to the people outside the town. To be sure, the outcome for both is unexpected and makes for a fun read. I loved the ending, and I am interested in seeing if that is the last word or if the book means to continue from that point with a sequel. I have to say I hope Mr. Livings leaves it – as that made, for me, a satisfying conclusion.
Final Thoughts:
The modernization of supernatural characters such as werewolves has been well received, and seems to receive a lot less antagonism than the current reactions to certain types of vampires. Carnies by Martin Livings was fun to read, and I liked how he pulled on the heads of his characters so that even the most anticipated actions were still plot bombs that make for a good page turner. I give this a 3.5 out of 5.Alanna Quinn, Minion(Reviewer)
