Disorders of Magnitude: A Survey of Dark Fantasy
By (Author) Jason V Brock
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
17th July 2014
United States
Tertiary Education
Non Fiction
Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000
Film history, theory or criticism
813.0876609
Short-listed for Bram Stoker Awards (Nonfiction) 2014
Hardback
336
Width 161mm, Height 234mm, Spine 28mm
630g
Over the past century or more, the genres of fantasy, horror, and supernatural fiction have increasingly expanded beyond literature and into an array of mediafilm, television, comic books, and art. Many of the leading figures in the field engage in multimedia enterprises that allow their work to reach a much wider public than the mere readers of books. In Disorders of Magnitude: A Survey of Dark Fantasy, Jason V Brock analyzes the intersection of literature, media, and genre fiction in essays, reviews, and pioneering interviews. Beginning with the pulp magazines of the 1920s, Brock studies such dynamic figures as H. P. Lovecraft, Forrest J Ackerman, Harlan Ellison, and the Southern California writers known collectively as The GroupRay Bradbury, Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, Rod Serling, and William F. Nolan. This collection also includes filmmakers Roger Corman, George Romero, and Dan OBannon, and such fantasy artists as H. R. Giger. Graced with dozens of photographs from the authors personal collection, this wide-ranging study offers a kaleidoscopic look at the multifarious ways in which fantasy, horror, and the supernatural have permeated our culture. Brockhimself a fiction writer, critic, and filmmakerconcludes the book with touching eulogies to the recently deceased Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen. Highlighting so many figures essential to the understanding of fantasy and horror, Disorders of Magnitude will appeal to fans of these fiction genres around the world.
Imagine your favorite late night college radio show. And the deejay is Jason V Brock, the author of this book, Disorders of Magnitude. You rely upon Jason to provide insights and intriguing facts as he connects the dots. Good, so far Well, it gets even better. Were talking about a multitude of connections, some from on high and some from on low. Its not easy to categorize it all but Brock manages to collect a lot of essential wisdom and in a very accessible presentation. The college radio analogy is fitting since Disorders of Magnitude falls under an academic book category. It is right at home as part of a college course. But it is also the perfect companion for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of where we are today in terms of the entertainment we consume, particularly dark fantasy. * Comics Grinder *
Jason V Brock is an award-winning writer, editor, filmmaker, composer, and artist. He has been widely-published online, in comic books, magazines, and anthologies, such as Butcher Knives & Body Counts, Simulacrum and Other Possible Realities, Fungi, Weird Fiction Review, Fangoria, and many others.