On Mon, 21 Jul 1997, Maryelizabeth Hart wrote:
> Robin and the gang:
>
> Since Robin brought Tepper into the Poppy Z. discussion, anyone out there
> read her three horror novels? Seems like some people did? And while I know
> Tepper is discussed on the list a lot, I don't mind revisiting her, rather
> than referring people to the archives. It might be fun for newbies to take
> a peek at the archives just to get a feel for what has been discussed...
>
> I am NOT obsessive about Tepper. Everyone has _Beauty_ in a galley,
> original hardcover, trade paperback, U.S. mass market, and U.K. mass
> market, right?
Why of course, Maryelizabeth! I thought they were just handed out
when you started graduate school! :)
I've read all three of Tepper's horror novels, in addition to her
fantasy and mystery work, and I have to say that I find her horror work a
fine example of the genre. I went through a phase as an 18 and 19-year-old
clerical type, with a long bus ride to work every day, where I devoured
horror novels. I lost my taste for them when the job ended, so it's been
awhile since I looked at anything recent - hence I've not read any Brite
at all. The thing that I noted most about Tepper's horror was that the
books scared the living shit out of me!!
Yet when I return to them even now and try to point out to myself
exactly what was so frightening about them, there's not much that's really
specific. Yes, there is the gruesome discovery of the rotting, skinned
corpses in _The Bones_ and the whirlwind maze in _Blood Heritage_ and the
sinister, muffled presence in _Still Life_, but what makes Tepper's
horror, and her other novels, so good, is her ability to cast a mood that
draws a reader in rapidly and completely. In the case of her horror
stories, that mood is effectively, chillingly dark.
I've been passing up the offers to talk Tepper because I'm heading
away on holiday soon and have heaps of work to do, but I couldn't let this
one go!
edrie
Edrie Sobstyl
School of Arts and Humanities JO 31
University of Texas at Dallas
P.O. Box 830688 Richardson Tx
75083-0688 USA
(972) 883-2365
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