A Mirthful Collection Of Malevolent Fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  Girls, I am telling you, if anyone out there, who saw it, thought the film "Mr. Sardonicus" was brilliant--and it was-- then you must read this story collection, wherein the original story is featured, demonstrating it goes the movie one better.

                                   The highlight of the entire collection is what I call The "S" trilogy--"Sardonicus," "Sagittarius," and, my favorite, "Sanguinarius."  This last demonstrates what "Fifty Shades of Grey" could have been if a real writer had written it.  This story is as violent and sexual as they come, but not in the prurient or pornographic.  Russell uses language like Mario Bava uses visuals.  It was obvious whomever directed "Mr. Sardonicus" was replicating Bava's visual style. So does the imagery in Russell's prose.

                                      And, to think, Russell was an Executive and Fiction editor at...Playboy!!!!!!  I kid you not!!!!!!!!!!!  So, in retrospect, the eroticism, or aura of it, behind his tales is not so surprising at that. The real mystery is why he has seemed to be forgotten among horror writers, because this is the most mesmerizing collection of horror stories I have picked up, since Shirley Jackson at her best!  He should be in the pantheon with her.

                                       That Dorottya!  What a bitch!  But I just LOVED her!  This evil gypsy, featured in "Sanguinarius," outdoes Maria Ouspenskaya by miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         This book is a must!  If it turns out to end my book year, what a way to go out!!!!!!!!!  If not, it is the best recent example I have seen of where a book can be judged by its cover--as it lives up to it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!