Ex Cathedra Reviewed on Countgore.com
Ex Cathedra recently received a great review from horror writer J.L. Comeau, on Count Gore’s Tomb of Dark Delights:
This delightfully dark collection of short stories was my introduction to the seductive writing talents of Rebecca Maines, and these eleven toothsome slabs of terror are just what’s needed for a long, dark night. But beware, sleep may be impossible after sampling this deliciously frightful fare.
The term ex cathedra can refer to, among other
definitions, ‘a divinely revealed doctrine…’ and these stories are each truly revelations. While the overview of this collection concerns faith, personal power and human fallibility are at the heart of the volume.
These tales travel through time, following formidable women throughout the ages and into the future as they are placed in situations that test the depths of the human soul. One of my favorites is “Plowshares”, set in medieval times, about a woman who must stand up and defy not only her husband, but the Divine Being, in order to save her son. In “Lockdown”, modern-day inner city dwellers are trapped in a totalitarian nightmare from which no one, not even one very brave summer school teacher, is exempt. “The Canterbury Path” leaps into the far future in which an insectile alien being becomes an ordained Episcopal priest who subsequently instructs his superiors about what one must be willing to sacrifice in a true attempt to follow The Word.
This thoughtful, intelligent and finely wrought selection of disturbing stories delves beneath the surface of the human soul and twists into the dark territory beyond. It is a stunning, gorgeous collection. For more information about the author, you will find her fascinating blog at http://www.maines.org/blog.html.
Review written by J.L. Comeau, horror writer and Count Gore reviewer. Originally appeared in Count Gore’s Tomb of Dark Delights. Reprinted with permission.
