The final From The Basement of 2020 has arrived, and The Basement Boys are going out with a bang. A radio-style bang, of course. But a bang nonetheless. How so? They interview rising action star Ellen Hollman, who is front and centre in the great new gender-breaking film Army of One. And she stars opposite Keanu Reeves in next year's much anticipated The Matrix 4! Ellen discusses being a female action hero and how she and her stunt team were able to craft epic fights on a minimal budget. She's also part of 87eleven Action Design, the team responsible for the dazzling action choreography seen in the John Wick films, so she talks about that too. This is a great conversation with a real class act, and we can't wait for listeners to hear it. That's not all; our very own Jason Hewlett wrote a book! That's right, he and We Want to Believe lead investigator Peter Renn penned the non-fiction book I Want to Believe: One Man's Journey into the paranormal, which is availa...

  If you were a child born in the 60's or 70's the phrase, " Little House on the Prairie " will bring back memories of the books and TV series about a small family who moves out west to start a life on the frontier. Those books and the TV series based on it, were written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, making her a household name and helped to set the standard for wholesome family entertainment back then. " Laura: The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder " by Donald Zochert is the biography of the famous writer.  I must confess that while certainly an interesting read for fans of the " The Little House " series, I doubt anyone else would find it all that fascinating. I know I didn't find it all that compelling. The style of writing isn't bad.  It was easy to read, and flowed nicely.  The subject matter is just a little out of date, and lacks relevance to most people's lives and interest these days. Basically, I just didn't care. If you're a fa...

  There are times when I just want to escape to the 1940's, and their larger than life heroes and villains.  Conspiracies and mobsters.  Spies and mad scientists.  Men of mystery and femme fatales. A message traced in blood reads, "The Devi's Horns"; a political boss lies paralyzed.  The city he controls now in the hands of killers; and The Avenger must decipher the bloody message... or die ! Kenneth Robeson- who brought the world Doc Savage also created Dick Benson- The Avenger.  A man of mystery with almost super human abilities, he is the sort of hero that could easily blend into the world of Doc Savage, and The Shadow. This book isn't very long- only about 160 pages, but is still an enjoyable escape from day to day life.  There are enough twists and turns in the story to keep me interested in uncovering the plot behind "the devil's horns".  It's not a deep story, but is a suitable way to pass a bit of time and relax to. I would certainly like...

  As October fades behind us, November looms ahead of us- and a day of Remembrance marches our way.  On November 11, people around the world will mark the end of World War One, and pay tribute to the soldiers that have given their lives so they can live in Freedom. But how did the world get plunged into a war that spanned the globe, and cost humanity more than 18 million soul?  School teaches us a fairly simplified version of the events that pushed us down the road to violence, while Margaret MacMillan shows us the web of events, cultures, personalities, fears, and ambitions that inevitably lead to the "War to End All Wars". " The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 " by Margaret MacMillan is a fascinating dig into everything that conspired, contributed, and combined to the initiation of the Great War.  She doesn't just investigate and describe the events- such as the "primary" trigger of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but also the personalities of the l...

  I have found over the years, that sometimes, reality can be more horrific than fiction.  This can truly be said of the Jack the Ripper killings... Using forensic techniques, Patricia Cornwell (author of the Scarpetta series), pieces together a case regarding the true identity of the infamous Jack the Ripper ... " Portrait of a Killer " is an interesting piece of non-fiction writing.  The style is fairly easy to follow, though some areas are a bit murky to understand due to use of technical jargon.  Cornwell's writing also flows nicely  too- with her being able to make even the drier parts interesting and engaging.  I liked the fact that she goes to to out of the way places in search of evidence to support her case, and she does a credible job of it too.  Credible, but not altogether convincing.  While her presentation of the evidence is persuasive and skilled, there is still reasonable doubt as to whether or not her suspect was actually Jack the...

  We all know it's coming.  We've seen the movies.  We've seen the Facebook tests.  We've seen it in the blank expressions of people shuffling off to their morning Starbucks... The zombie apocalypse.  Hoardes of the dead rising from their graves to feast upon the flesh and brains of the living.  We've seen the progression- from " Night of the Living Dead ", through it's dawn, and day until the world is the " Land of the Dead ". So, yeah- we all know it's coming.  The question is: "What do we do when it comes?"  Well, here's the answer: "Max Brooks' ' The Zombie Survival Guide ', that's what." This book, though obviously tongue-in-cheek, could very well be an honest to goodness survival guide.  It is well thought out, clear, precise, and logical in its approach to how one could survive a mass uprising of the feasting dead. " The Zombie Survival Guide " covers the "known facts" abo...

  Across the cultures, there abound tales of people transforming into animals and stalking the wood.  Such tales have been used to illustrate the duality of humanity... and simply to make you feel uneasy walking in the woods... Campers have been found mutilated in the woods near an Indian Reservation.  Legends about a spirit that transforms people into bloody thirsty bears are being whispered... and one man races to save the soul of the woman he loves from an ancient evil... " Crooked Tree " isn't that bad of a book.  It's not great, but is a decently diverting read.  The story has a good flow to it, and follows a fairly simple and logical progression of events, while still having a nice building of suspense throughout it.  The characters are interesting, relatable, and actually have roles other than gore fodder.  The characters aren't wasted, and used quiet well. I loved the idea of using an old legend of the First Nations as the premise for the ...

  Horror literature has been with us for almost forever- from tales about vengeful gods making it thunder, campfire stories about the beastie in the trees, to books about fanatical cults. Some horror authors seem to have been with us for almost forever too- from Bran Stoker, to Mary Shelly, to Stephen King, to Dean Koontz... An ordinary parking lot in southern California. Christine Scavello and her six-year-old son are accosted by a strange old woman.  "I know who you are," she snaps at the boy.  "I know what you are."  A scream, a threat- and then a grotesque act of violence.  Suddenly, Christine's pride and joy, her only son, is targeted by a group of religious fanatics.  They've branded him the Antichrist.  They want to kill him.  And they are everywhere... Dean Koont's " The Servants of Twilight " was my introduction to his writing back when I was in High School.  He was being hailed as the "next Stephen King", and this book was ...

  Faster and faster.  The world moves faster, the days are going by faster... but what better time to slow down a bit, and read? " Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything " by James Gleick is a fascinating examination of humanity's growing and insatiable need for more time- and it's pursuit of it.  He explores things from people's habit of punching the "Close Door" button in elevators in the vain hope that it'll close faster, to people who'll hit 88 seconds on the microwave instead of 90... simply because it's faster to hit 8 twice. This book delves and explores how we've come to possess a world that moves quickly... but in which we actually have less time to spare.  He examines the fact that the "time saving" devices we create, don't seem to be actually saving us time- but rather costing us time. Time that we could be using to live life to it's fullest. What affects on Society and humans does this acceleration...

There's a fascinating thing I've discovered over the years about historical figures- when you read about many of their exploits... you'd swear you were reading fiction... I'm going to start with doing something rare: discussing the cover of the book.  I love the cover art for the edition of Colleen McCullough's " Antony & Cleopatra " that I have.  It's elegant, stylish, and eye catching.  I especially love the font, the gold highlights, and the papyrus textured background. The story itself is great.  Based on the well-known relationship between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, this book follows it in a fairly realistic fashion, while adding depth to it, and the relationship between the members of the Second Triumvirate.  While the characters are made out to be a bit more plainer and average than they've been portrayed in most tellings, they are still fascinating historical figures to read about.  It's a pretty thick book, so it took me a f...

I have a love of mythology from around the word- and stories that deal with the mythological beings in them.  This week, let me take you back to the time of Ancient Greece... a time of the Minotaur... Thea watched their torch-bearing captors recede into the distance and leave them to the cave's darkness.  Her brother Icarus whispered, "Forgive me- I wanted to come to the Country of the Beasts, not to the Cave of the Minotaur." Then they heard a padding of feet (or hooves?), and the curdling bellow of an enraged monster.  It was the-bull-that-walks-like-a-man, a hybrid of man and beast, monstrous to the eyes, and roaring with cold malevolance. Thea began to feel her way along the walls; their dampness oozed like blood between her fingers.  She rounded a turn and looked up into the eyes of the Minotaur, and his red, matted hair... We all know about the Minotaur, right?  The man-beast that lived in a maze and craved the flesh of men?  Well, " Day of...

I love having friends that read books, because sometimes, they give you a tip on a book they think you might enjoy... And you wind up enjoying it... Following a bloody London seance and in the aftermath of a terrifying supernatural contact, a good doctor find himself the target of a malevolence born of the darkest nightmares.  But with stalwart companions by his side- including an extraordinarily intrepid investigator- he seeks to expose a dastardly band of nefarious criminals and a chilling conspiracy ained at the heart of England's future... and instead unearths a crime far more horrible than murder and experiences an adventure beyond the limits of imagination. " The List of 7 " takes the historical figure of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and plops in the middle of a rousing adventure.  There is mystery, suspense, intrigue, horror, action, drama and more wrapped in the pages of this book.  Mark Frost weaved a story that was engaging and captivating from start to fini...

Those who know me will tell you that when it comes to heroes (and many things in general), I tend to lean towards ones either created or inspired by the pulp comics and matinee serials of the 1930's and 40's.  One such hero that leads the pack for me (right next to The Shadow) is The Rocketeer... Cliff Secord is a racing pilot- making his living, and is happiest when breaking records, and riding the contrails of disaster.  After a shoot-out between thugs and the FBI destroys his plan, he finds the Cirrus X-3... a rocket pack. Now, he must race for his life as gangsters, federal agents, and Nazi assassins hunt for the rocket... and the only man brave enough to use.  Men have died for this weapon... Cliff is next in line... " The Rocketeer " is based on the 1991 movie, and is a pretty good adaptation.  It not only follows the movie closely, but manages to add little details, thoughts, etc without changing the overall narrative of the source material.  The...

It's summer, the sun is out... and my thoughts are already turning towards October and Halloween... When I was a kid, my Mom had a nice, varied selection of books in her collection.  One of them helped introduce me to the world of the paranormal... and haunted houses in particular- " Haunted Houses " by Richard Winer and Nancy Osborn. In it, the two detail the tales surrounding some of the most famous haunted houses- such as the Winchester Mystery Mansion.  They interview the home owners and caretakers of these places- and even spend the night at a few of them.  The chapters are just the right length to whet your appetite for more, and offer a wonderful selection from houses to cemeteries, and buildings in between. There is a bit of everything within the pages for everyone interested in hauntings.  All with some wonderful black and white photographs illustrating the eerie locations, and even items involved. I tend to grab this book to read every year (as w...

When most people think of me, they don't think of me being someone who might be interested in reading a romantic thriller. But you'd be wrong... The Cove is a quaint little postcard town made up only of old folk who sell the World's Greatest Ice Cream - a secret recipe that brings lots of tourists into town. Into The Cove comes Sally Brainerd, daughter of murdered Amory St. John of Washington, D.C., seeking sanctuary, and FBI Special Agent James Quinlan who's undercover and after her. He's got a murder to solve, and he believes she's the key. But is she really?   I was surprised and impressed by Catherine Coulter's book, " The Cove" .  The story is interesting, suspenseful, and well paced.  I had a hard time setting the book down.  In fact I could only put it down when cooking.  I even spent precious sleep time in order to read it.  There is a wonderful blend of suspense, drama, romance, mystery, and humour weaved throughout the book.  Th...

Sometimes, reality can be much more creepier and macabre than anything you find in a horror novel or movie... " Necropolis: London and Its Dead, " by Catharine Arnold is a wonderful examination of how the City of London has dealt with the question of burying its dead.  From prehistory, through Roman times, up through the Plague years, to the more recent Victorian era, the way London has dealt with the remains of its dead citizens has evolved... sometimes with a morbid twist. I had a hard time putting this book down once I started reading it.  The style is easy to follow, and flows smoothly from one subject to another- almost like a conversation at times.  She covers such things as Daniel Dafoe's observations of the Plague Pits, and what was done with Plague victims when they died, the emergence of the body snatchers who supplied medical schools with cadavers (few questions asked), and the beginnings of the funeral industry.  Arnold meshes all of these things, ...

You love cats, you love zombies -- now behold the adventures of Zombie Kitty! Zombie Kitty is dreamed up by SJ Meints -- otherwise known as Sarah Jane of We Want to Believe -- and illustrated by Jennifer Bedard. But what is it? In the publisher's own words: Zombie Kitty is a bright, stimulating book that is enjoyed by both children and adults. Written in a style that strengthens a child's vocabulary while keeping them entertained in a fun story and bright illustrations. This volume is about how Zombie Kitty finds his place in the world. Readers follow along as he explores a strange new city, meeting eccentric characters along the way. We encourage you all to purchase a copy of Zombie Kitty right here . At $22.99, it's a total bargain! You can follow SJ Meints on Facebook to keep up with all things Zombie Kitty, and the publisher's other creations. Source: SJ Meints

One of the things that horror does, is take something we often WISH for- and make us rethink that wish... After Bill Halleck accidentally runs over an old gypsy woman, a simple word is whispered to him- and his life becomes a living hell. The word is, "Thinner"... This book is one of Stephen King's earlier books, written under the name "Richard Bachman", but isn't what I would consider one of his better novels. The premise is interesting.  The old gypsy guy and the "fixer" friend of Halleck's are interesting.  The writing style isn't bad, and there's a decent flow to the words. The fault isn't with those things.  Rather, the problem for me lies in the character of Halleck, and the pace of the story.  I had zero sympathy for Halleck, so felt no real tension on his behalf.  Maybe if he had some redeeming qualities, and felt real remorse for what he did, then I might not have minded the slow pacing of the story.  As it was...

Not too long ago, Jay wrote a review of the 1983 film, " The Entity "- based on Frank De Felitta's book of the same name. Well, I figured that since I've read the original book, that I would review that this week... One of the things that horror stories are supposed to do is take the things we take for granted, and use them to make us wonder about how secure our lives really are... Carlotta Moran is a simple mother trying to raise her two children, and make ends meet.  A single, night of violence by an unseen assailant changes everything in Carlotta's life.  Soon, she won't know what's real, what's imaginary- where it's safe, or where it's dangerous.  Is the terror stalking her every night spawned by demonic forces... or is it something much closer to home? I'd seen the cover for this book many years ago, and was interested in that fact that it was supposed to have been based on a real case of sexual spectral assault.  At the tim...

As an avid reader, I was blessed to discover two modern masters of horror in 2019. I'd never picked up a book by Paul Tremblay or Scott Thomas until last summer, and both writers blew my mind by how they circumvented the genre's tropes, and crafted new and unsettling works of morbid art. On the surface, Scott Thomas takes the more conventional route. But he plays with the rules so well, and insists on doing his own thing. In Kill Creek, he played with the haunted house. In Violet... well, Violet is her own beast. Violet is about a mother and daughter coming to terms with the death of an unfaithful husband and father. In order to do so, they return to the summer home the mother took comfort in as a child, and slowly discover something is waiting for them. We've heard, read, and watched stories like this before, but few have pulled it off so effectively. The first half of Violet is an ultra slow burn. Almost frustratingly so. But the second half pays off every w...