Studies
in Australian Weird Fiction 1
Edited
Benjamin Szumskyj
Web: http://www.equilibriumbooks.com/
Studies in Australian
Weird Fiction is a welcome
surprise to the field of Australian horror and weird fiction. It strikes a
perfect balance between articles, interviews and symposiums and covers a wide
and diverse range of authors and subjects in its approximately 200 pages.
The articles offered can be best divided
into introductions to obscure Australian fiction writers, analytical studies of
various authors and discussions of specific motifs within Australian horror and
weird fiction. There is also a comprehensive checklist of Australian Fantastic
literature through to 1960.
All of these articles are well written,
thoroughly engaging and thought provoking. There are some fascinating
introductions to Australian writers of the past such as Lionel Sparrow and
Vernon Knowles and an excursion into the weird verse of Christopher Brennan.
While it is hard to isolate specific personal favourites
among the articles, I found the introductions to obscure Australian writers fascinating.
James Doig’s article on Lionel Sparrow as a real eye
opener and it is great to see unknown writers being rediscovered and brought to
the attention of a larger audience.
(Readers interested in
this field should also look up “Australian Gothic An Anthology of Australian
Supernatural Fiction 1867 – 1939” edited by James Doig
which is also available from
The interview section of Studies in
Australian Weird Fiction 1 includes interviews with many significant Australian
authors and offers insight into their interests, writing careers and the nature
of their personal philosophies and how this affects their works.
There is also a celebrity columnist,
Robert Hood, which offers his reflections on the state of the nature of horror
in historical and modern terms..
The Symposium on Picnic at Hanging Rock
is especially informative giving a range of opinions and attitudes in regards
to this seminal work.
As an atheist I found the discussion of
Christians and horror rather out of place, I feel they intrude too often into
the world of literature and film and should keep their “vices” to themselves.
But that’s just my own opinion !
This is a volume packed with
content. There is no padding or excess,
it is filled to the brim with intriguing and thought provoking content. Every
article seems to mention new authors to be discovered new books to be read and
new ideas to contemplate. The only problem I can see is that I will spend the
next few months looking up and purchasing all the books recommended and will
then have to read them all !
This is a very impressive work and I hope
Volume 1 is the start of a long and successful series.