Song of Kali by Dan Simmons

This is a bit of a cheat in that I've already reviewed Dan Simmons's Song of Kali here on the blog but I've just discovered that the fabulous folks over at Open Road Media are releasing a new ebook edition this very week.

Bobby Luczak is sent to Calcutta in search of a poet who has been missing and presumed dead for eight years. Reports suggest that not only may the man still be alive, but that there are unpublished works to be found as well. Bobby's wife and infant daughter accompany him on his trip, but Calcutta is by no means tops on the list of family destinations in the 1970s. Luczak begins to suspect that the reports may be part of a scam, but the truth is far more disturbing.

Song of Kali was originally released in 1985 and went on to earn Simmons his first World Fantasy Award. As I mentioned in my original review, the book is a slower build. There were moments where I wondered how on earth the book could actually be considered horror! And yet, sticking it through is incredibly rewarding and I highly recommend the read. I will warn you, however, that the book is truly horrific and highly unsettling.

If you're an ebook reader then you should really get to know the folks at Open Road Media. They're committed to bringing fantastic older titles out in digital edition for new readers (and fans!). This week alone - in addition to Song of Kali - they're releasing a ton of Greg Bear backlist, Aaron Elkins, Harlan Ellison, Dave Duncan... the list literally goes on and on. And that's just for this week's releases. The company launched back in 2009 and has a truly impressive list of titles. I definitely recommend checking them out if you're looking for something "new" to add to your ereader.

And since Song of Kali is one of my all-time favorite horror reads of course that's the one I'd suggest picking up today (though Thomas Tryon's titles have caught my eye, as have their Robert McCammon offerings).