drakaina16's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I'm sorry to say I've had The Gulp on my TBR for around 2 years, and I never picked it up in all that time. I had no idea what I was missing. Strange things happen in Gulpepper, very creepy things. While there are some deaths and some really well done body horror, this book relies more on a weird, unsettling strangeness permeating the stories. The 5 stories all collide in the end and are continued in the next book (which I bought right away). 4.5 stars, rounded up.
brigitte66's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
katydidinoz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
deannachapman's review
4.0
raincorbyn's review
4.0
Why do we (or maybe just I?) find fucked up little towns with dirty secrets so alluring, if not cozy? Who wouldn't want to grab a drink at the Hotel California bar, a coffee in Twin Peaks, or to do the time in Jerusalem's Lot to become a barely tolerated interloper?
Alan Baxter shows us why, and how, so lusciously, believably, and at our own risk. In 5 intertwining stories, we learn the ins and outs of a small Australian fishing town that is easy to miss, and hard to leave. Maybe there are crime syndicates, Mum-shroom-trauma, Lost Boys, and fishing up eldritch horrors to scare you off, but I came away knowing which of the two pubs would be my local (Clooney's all the way!) and feeling a sick fondness for the ghastly denizens of the Gulp when they turn up over and over to wreck the protagonists' lives, and their own.
The pacing gave me pause for a bit at first, but I now think that was a good choice to depict the small town that is used to its own bullshit: nothing happens until it all does and then, whoops, "shit happens," and we all sweep it under the rug and carry on. Many ideas were set up, presumably to be expounded on in the next volume, and I'll be right there to read about em. I did think many characters' voices were quite similar, and that the more blatantly supernatural segments shone better than the crime stories. Yes, as many horror writers have shown us, it takes moral rot to let supernatural decay in, but I sometimes wished the stories interconnected thematically as well as plot-wise.
All that is to say though that this is a town Baxter invented, and which now is a place I believe in, have invested in, regrettably have a stakes in, and cannot wait to read about its future, ideally with it all falling into its own fetid ocean of garbage, blistery kelp, just-okay fish and chips, and human failure. You've got a new fan in me, Mr. Baxter!
pbanditp's review
5.0
This collection tells five tales about what goes on in the cursed town.
“The sign said ‘Gulpepper, population 8,000’” Torsten said. “That’s not a tiny hamlet”
“Did you saw the bit underneath?” Simone asked, “Someone writed it on”
“What bit?”
“It said ‘but the dead outnumber the living.”
Patrick laughed “well, isn’t that cheery”
This book is a great introduction to The Gulp, with 5 separate but connected stories, which create a Twilight Zone town with creepy tense vibes.
Alan Baxter has a way of writing that brings you right into the town. You will however, be glad that you are not in the town because The Gulp is not a place you want to be, especially after dark.
I look forward to more stories from The Gulp so I can visit with the man with no nose, the pale boy with long, weird, floppy arms and legs, maybe catch a glimpse of the sea witch or the four odd people that stare out at the ocean at night.
4.5 stars because I am so intrigued for more
Thank you to Alan Baxter for a copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.
antkneeomonster's review
4.0
rleigh78's review
5.0
Be very cautious when heading towards Gulpepper, because once you get there you may not make it out. The Gulp is an interesting place, to say the least. Once you find your way in, you might not even want to leave. You may not believe the things people are telling you about Alan Baxter’s odd little Lovecraftian waterside town; after all, how strange could it truly be?
Maybe you’re a trucker finishing up your last few days of training with a tired colleague on the cusp of retirement, and you get into an accident on your new route that requires an overnight stay. Just mind your business, buddy. Keep to yourself and don’t worry what’s going on around you. Or perhaps you’re a pair of teenage siblings finding yourselves suddenly orphaned and on your own. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Backpacking tourists in search of adventure and fun? Party like rock stars, eat well, and do some shots. If you’ve found a less-than-legal way to make a little cash, it might be wise to focus on the job at hand and keep your wits about you. More into pulling a few bream out of the water at your favorite tranquil fishing spot? There’s good fishing there in the Gulp’s cosmic waters.
Baxter’s stories are all connected, and they’re all part of what makes the Gulp so unusual. Go in as blind as possible, and be prepared to revisit once you notice recurring characters. The first story, “Out on a Rim,” sets the tone nicely and is the perfect introduction to Gulpepper (I’m nowhere near Australia but there’s a town in my state called Culpepper, and I was delighted at first to be able to associate. That elation quickly turned to horror.) There are patterns and characters that will return, so you’ll probably come back to this one to re-register what you vaguely recall when you’re reading the later stories.
I cannot decide which story is my favorite, but it’s either “The Band Plays On” or “48 To Go.” The last story is “Rock Fisher,” and though it’s horrific, Baxter imbues a lot of love and happiness throughout the grotesque imagery. It’s got quite a bit of hope, almost. Yes there is dread, and a lot of it...but it’s hopeful and almost optimistic.
Everything ties together – for the most part – in “Rock Fisher,” but that knot isn’t secured and we’re left on a bit of a cliffhanger. This is honestly for the best because although these stories do have a definite stopping point for the characters involved, there’s a big resolution being hinted at and they desperately need to continue. The beauty is that these stories are part of a larger story that could be wrapped up with one more book, or they could reach untold heights and then be settled in a third book. I just want more stories, because I’m invested now. Now I’m in the Gulp.
I may be able to ignore that little light leading into the next room.
Maybe I can stay away from the mushrooms.
But when that band starts playing and the tray of shots makes its rounds, I might not be able to say no for much longer.
n0rmann's review
4.0
bobmetal's review against another edition
5.0
Out on a Rim - A trainee truck driver is forced to spend the night in The Gulp, this goes to some very dark and violent places. 5/5
Mother in Bloom - Zack and Maddy are trying to cover up the death of their mother, but there's something growing where her body lies. A nice little body horror tale, there's a lot here that resurfaces throughout the rest of the stories. 5/5
The Band Plays On - Partying with a rock and roll band takes a very heavy toll. I loved and hated this story, hated it because it packs such an emotional punch, I could see the end coming and I didn't want it 5/5
48 to Go - Trying to recover the money lost in a drug deal leads to death, magic and Guinea Pigs. There's some pretty nasty stuff going on here, but there's a nice level of humour to Dace's attempts to get the money to pay back his boss. 5/5
Rock Fisher - A fisherman searching for his place in the world catches something that can answer his prayers, with extreme body horror. Loved it, its is probably the most horrific of the stories, that ending is something else. It also pays of a lot that was setup in the previous four stories
Amazing