Book Review - The Gulp: Tales From The Gulp 1 by Alan Baxter

        Be very cautious when heading towards Gulpepper, because once you get there you may not make it out. The Gulp is an interesting place, to say the least. Once you find your way in, you might not even want to leave. You may not believe the things people are telling you about Alan Baxter’s odd little Lovecraftian waterside town; after all, how strange could it truly be?

        Maybe you’re a trucker finishing up your last few days of training with a tired colleague on the cusp of retirement, and you get into an accident on your new route that requires an overnight stay. Just mind your business, buddy. Keep to yourself and don’t worry what’s going on around you. Or perhaps you’re a pair of teenage siblings finding yourselves suddenly orphaned and on your own. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Backpacking tourists in search of adventure and fun? Party like rock stars, eat well, and do some shots. If you’ve found a less-than-legal way to make a little cash, it might be wise to focus on the job at hand and keep your wits about you. More into pulling a few bream out of the water at your favorite tranquil fishing spot? There’s good fishing there in the Gulp’s cosmic waters.

        Baxter’s stories are all connected, and they’re all part of what makes the Gulp so unusual. Go in as blind as possible, and be prepared to revisit once you notice recurring characters. The first story, “Out on a Rim,” sets the tone nicely and is the perfect introduction to Gulpepper (I’m nowhere near Australia but there’s a town in my state called Culpepper, and I was delighted at first to be able to associate. That elation quickly turned to horror.) There are patterns and characters that will return, so you’ll probably come back to this one to re-register what you vaguely recall when you’re reading the later stories.

        I cannot decide which story is my favorite, but it’s either “The Band Plays On” or “48 To Go.” The last story is “Rock Fisher,” and though it’s horrific, Baxter imbues a lot of love and happiness throughout the grotesque imagery. It’s got quite a bit of hope, almost. Yes there is dread, and a lot of it...but it’s hopeful and almost optimistic.

        Everything ties together – for the most part – in “Rock Fisher,” but that knot isn’t secured and we’re left on a bit of a cliffhanger. This is honestly for the best because although these stories do have a definite stopping point for the characters involved, there’s a big resolution being hinted at and they desperately need to continue. The beauty is that these stories are part of a larger story that could be wrapped up with one more book, or they could reach untold heights and then be settled in a third book. I just want more stories, because I’m invested now. Now I’m in the Gulp.

        I may be able to ignore that little light leading into the next room.

        Maybe I can stay away from the mushrooms.

        But when that band starts playing and the tray of shots makes its rounds, I might not be able to say no for much longer.