JUDAS TREE
BOOK REVIEW

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E.C. McMullen Jr.
RUMOR

RUMOR: People are dying to know the truth

E.C. McMullen Jr.
PERPETUAL
BULLET

"'Some People' ... may be the standout story in the book."
- John Grant, Infinityplus

E.C. McMullen Jr.
WILLOW BLUE

"'Willow Blue' will burrow under your skin and stay there long after you've put the book down."
- Jeffrey Reddick, Creator of
FINAL DESTINATION

IN OTHER BOOKS
E.C. McMullen Jr.'s
short story
CEDO LOOKED LIKE PEOPLE
in the anthology
FEAR THE REAPER

"This Ray Bradbury-esque is one of the most memorable and one of the more original stories I've read in a long time."
- Steve Isaak,
Goodreads

HORROR 201:
The Silver Scream

Filmmaker's Guidebook
featuring
RAY BRADBURY,
JOHN CARPENTER,
WES CRAVEN,
TOM HOLLAND,
E.C. McMULLEN Jr.,
GEORGE A. ROMERO,
and many more.

And In
CINEMA
E.C. McMullen Jr.
Head Production Designer

MINE GAMES
(Starring:
JOSEPH CROSS,
BRIANNA EVIGAN,
ALEX MERAZ,
ETHAN PECK)

Dept. head
Special Effects Make-Up
(SFX MUA)

A SIERRA NEVADA
GUNFIGHT
(MICHAEL MADSEN & JOHN SAVAGE).

Production Designer

UNIVERSAL DEAD
(DOUG JONES,
D.B. SWEENEY,
GARY GRAHAM)

Art Director

THE CRUSADER
(COLIN CUNNINGHAM,
GARY GRAHAM)

Review by
Regina Mitchell

SIMON CLARK
REVIEW PAGE

JUDAS TREE

- 1999
USA Release: May 8, 2000
By Simon Clark
New English Library Ltd
423 pp. Trade Paperback

The Greek island of Voros is

"nothing more than the top of a once-great mountain that sank beneath the sea."
There are no stores, no vehicles, no television or radio.
The island is a community unto itself.
And every inhabitant has a story.

Amelia Thomas is recovering from an accident when she receives an invitation to stay with her mother at The Palms, her villa located on the island. She arrives to find a different Voros than what she expected. It is not a large, touristy beach but rather the tip of a mountain with only a dozen villas spread over it.

Visit the official
SIMON CLARK website,
NAILED BY THE HEART

Voros is not a friendly island, everything is steep and craggy, populated by Judas trees. Everything is a bit off on Voros, including its inhabitants. And when the storms come, the fierce Gregale, it is impossible to leave . . .

One of Simon Clark's strong points is the use of setting and atmosphere. These elements are showcased in JUDAS TREE. His description of Voros and The Palms are what makes the story. You do not just read about the island, you visit it. You smell it. You live there for the time it takes you to read the book and when you're done it does not go away. This is what horror writing is about, what it should be.

JUDAS TREE is perhaps the best novel I've read all year. It is intriguing and mysterious. It captivated me from the first word. I picked it up intending a quick look but was compelled to read the whole thing.

Part Alice in Wonderland, part Hill House and all Clark, JUDAS TREE is a book that should not be missed. If you are looking for an action-packed hardcore novel, this is not the book for you. But if you are in the mood for a supernatural horror novel in the tradition of Shirley Jackson, don't wait - pick it up now. Unfortunately it is only for sale in the UK (that means you have to buy it on-line all you nonUkers - Feo), but it is more than worth the price (the total came to $16 for the paperback).

I give it 4 BookWyrms.

BookWyrm