Recommended Reading List

Decadence & Decay

Whether its explored with celebration or fear, decadence has long been a subject explored within dark literature. It might be a family with a dark secret or an individual that crosses the boundaries laid down by society.

One of the best examples is Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, a man who can live out his excesses as all his aging is done by a painting. So the reality of his actions is never played out on his face. There might be a deal made to put off aging in return for power and youth, but decadence always takes its toll and in Wilde's book the picture suffers sustained decay.

In these books money and power often go hand in hand with decadence, the idle and the bored seeking sensation in a world where everything is easily bought. There is colour and drama. A sense of dangerous liberation that has its consequences, as though the balance between freedom and responsibility must always be maintained.

• J. G. Ballard - The Atrocity Exhibition This one should strictly be listed as a short story collection, though I have listed here as it reads more as a brilliant fractured novel. Dark and twisted, with diverse themes which read as a perfect example of the exhibition of the title. Themes which echo those from Crash, his recently filmed controversial novel. It concludes which an excellent piece comparing President Kennedy's Assassination with a Motor Race. [in print - US]
• Clive Barker - Cold Heart Canyon A wonderfully decadent novel set in the heart of Hollywood, where a powerful woman lives in a strange house with a secret. A hollywood star, at the peak of his popularity, finds himself drawn into the strange world of the Coldheart Canyon after a personal disaster. [in print - UK / US]
• Clive Barker - Galilee Barker's unique take on the family saga, this novel builds from fragmentary beginnings pieced together by a creating, into a very satisfying whole. A book brimming with interesting characters, that manages to dance between a multitude of genres without being trapped by any of them. The story centres around a conflict between two family that shifts through several generations. [in print - UK / US]
• William S. Burroughs - Naked Lunch A ground breaking novel that still has the ability to shock, and for once it is a novel that lives up to its notoriety. Burrough's beautiful prose is directed into the dark recesses of human experience, building into a grotesque yet masterful symphony of pure decadent strangeness. Definately not for the easily offended. [in print - UK / US]
• Angela Carter - The Infernal Desire Machines of Dr. Hoffman A bizarre and powerful novel set in a crumbling future dominated by the perverse Dr. Hoffman. Filled with stunning imagery and never once letting up on the relentless pounding of the senses; as in a lot of Carter's fiction, beauty and perversity live side by side, truly amazing. [in print - UK / US]
• M. John Harrison - Signs of Life A beautifully written contemporary novel set in the world of two men who work dumping illegal waste. The main character is drawn into that shady world by his friend and as the novel progresses they move into murkier waters, even as their relationships with their partners begin to disintegrate. [in print - UK / US]
• Matthew Lewis - The Monk An excellent gothic novel set in 16th Century Spain, centred around a Monk who becomes obsessed with a woman and finds himself thrown into a life of degradation and murder. Originally banned by the authorities, this is amongst other things an attack on the hipocracies of the Catholic Church, and the horrors of the inquisition. [in print - UK / US]
• George R. R. Martin - Fevre Dream Set mainly on a river boat in the American deep south during the middle of the nineteenth century this is a masterful vampire novel which moves along at a languid pace. The vampires are in the standard modern vein, moody and emotional, but the general atmosphere of the 1850's riverboat life makes the story that little bit more interesting, with it's backdrop of slavery and exploitation. [in print - UK]
• Graham Masterton - Family Portrait A retelling of Wilde's The Portrait of Dorian Gray but with an entire household entrusting their youth to an aging painting, a family as evil and decadent as they come, who also need a regular supply human skin to keep their illusion of youth. Filled with grotesque imagery this novel works really well, with an outsider gradually discovering the truths behind this hideous family. [out of print]
• Graham Masterton - The Hymn One of those novels about Nazism and ancient evil, this nevertheless brings something new to this subject. Tying in Wagner, ancient chants and a cult of Salamaders, this is an excellent novel that doesn't leave any loose ends. The opening of the novel is extremely powerful with the suicide of the main character's wife, and the novel follows his attempts to uncover the truth and the amazing secrets he discovers. [in print - UK / US]
• Graham Masterton - Mirror A novel about a man obsessed with a murdered Hollywood child star this manages to bring a lot of ideas together without overloading it unnecessarily. As with the best of Masterton's novels this gradually alters as it progresses, with distinct phases in the narrative, so it starts off as a novel about a haunted mirror and then shifts into completely different territory. An excellent horror novel. [out of print]
• Tanith Lee - Dark Dance Like a dark fairy tale, this finds a woman living a normal life eventually drawn into the dark and decadent bosom of her forgotten family. A large broody house gives a wonderly oppressive atmosphere against which the tale plays out. It feels as though it stretches back further in time, with echoes of the atmosphere of Bluebeard's Wife and other similar fairy tales with sexual overtones. [out of print]
• Robert R. McCammon - Usher's Passing Based on the true descendants of the characters in Poe's tale, this novel is an excellent and original work which slowly uncovers the dark secret behind the Usher family legacy. It is a compelling work all the way up to the superb ending, where all the truths are revealed and the story thus far is overturned by some genuinely surprising revelations. [in print - US]
• Michael Moorcock - An Alien Heat The first of the Dancers at the End of time trilogy which looks at the adventures of a group of powerful and decadent people at the end of time, specifically the tale of Jharek Carnelian and his attempts to woo a victorian time traveller. A well written, highly amusing story which is one of Moorcock's greatest achievements, filled with originality and brilliant flashes of humour. [in print - UK / US]
• Michael Moorcock - The Final Programme The first and most conventional of the Jerry Cornelius novels, starting out as a retelling of his The Dreaming City novella and then moving into completely different territory, leading through a hugh party to the end of the world. A great opening to an unconventional powerful series. [in print - UK]
• Michael Moorcock - A Cure for Cancer The second Jerry Cornelius novel it features an extremely unconventional plot and structure, with time and space becoming increasingly fragmentary as Jerry searches for a mysterious black box. This excellent novel combines snippets of real news clippings with a neverending parade of excellent imagery, as Jerry gradually loses control and events begin to take over. [in print - UK]
• Michael Moorcock - The English Assassin The third Jerry Cornelius novel and one which Jerry spends most of the time in a comatose state, as Catherine Cornelius and Una Persson become more central to the plot. This is an excellent and more consistant novel than its predecessor as the characters move through the twentieth century experiencing moments of conflict, as well as the end of the world several times, and quite naturally a party to dwarf all others. [in print - UK]
• Michael Moorcock - The Condition of Muzak The forth and final novel in the Cornelius quartet finally reveals the nature of the reality in which the main characters have been taking part, with an exploration of Harlequinade and the infringement of reality upon the games they have all been playing. An excellent closing novel to this powerful series. [in print - UK]
• Mervyn Peake - Mr Pye A unique visitor arrives in Sark, one who has the ear of our great "Pal" and does all he can to spread a positive influence through those on the island. Though when good deeds are rewarded Mr Pye finds himself out of sorts and has to do all he can to restore the balance. Even if it means turning to the dark side. [in print - UK]
• Kim Newman - The QuorumAn excellent modernised version of the Faust legend, where through a deal three members of a Quorum aquire wealth and prosperity provided they make the fourth's life a misery. The result of course is an eventual reversal of fortunes. A great novel that starts slowly but soon picks up speed as things begin to unravel. [out of print - UK]
• Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian GrayThis novel is one of the greats; following the story of Dorian Gray, a man who wishes for a painting to grow old in his place so that he can keep his youth and good looks. To his surprise the wish comes true and he throws himself into a decadent lifestyle whilst the picture takes the toll of his excesses. As time goes on his past gradually catches up with him and the ending when it comes is inevitable. A wonderful book. [in print - UK / US]

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