Badass Horror will bitch-slap you in the face, kick you in the teeth, and burn cigarette holes in your couch. These seven stories, written by some of the finest writers of modern fiction, will dull the pain that Hubert Selby Jr.'s death left in your bitter heart.
(Critical) Mick Halpin Interviews Gerard Brennan
Added on: 13 Apr 2008
"Mick Halpin offends snooty critics by offering reviews that non-intellectuals will groove to. UNRULY REVIEWS. The rules of proper diction can bite my ass."
After reviewing PODCE, the man took the time to interview Gerard. Get on over there and have a look.
Critical Mick on PODCE
Added on: 06 Apr 2008
"Gerard-Brennan's first publication, Possession, Obsession and a Diesel Compression Engine, squashes the mad side of Belfast down into a pamphlet small enough to be hidden between the pages of almost any other book. Any snooty black turtlenecks will deduce you are engaged in superior contemplation of recondite criticism, when in fact your clever boots are kicked up on a joyrider tour through the funhouses of Northern Ireland."
"If Robert Rankin was from Northern Ireland and had been reading a lot of R. Scott Taylor and Paulo Coelho, PODCE is the book he would write."
"The freshness of the voice in this collection of stories is very welcome, as is the cut-throat pace with which the action happens. These are not sprawling tales of morality and comeuppance, rather these are punch to the groin (in some cases literally) bits of story where everybody needs to be on their toes, the reader included."
Gerard has just launched a new blog. Crime Scene NI is primarily devoted to the post-Troubles boom in Northern Irish crime fiction, and is also highly interested in all Irish, Euro and international crime fiction.
Possession, Obsession and a Diesel Compression Engine
Added on: 03 Dec 2007
Gerard's chapbook containing six humorous horror short stories has officially been released.
You can pick it up in print format here or in PDF format here.
What are you waiting for?
Arts Council Funding
Added on: 16 Nov 2007
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has generously decided to fund Gerard's current work in progress, PIRANHAS; a novel about crime in post-Troubles West Belfast.
Gerard is bowled over by this incredible news and would like to take this opportunity to thank the Council.
PODCE Release Postponed
Added on: 25 Jun 2007
Due to unforeseen difficulties, Gerard's chapbook, Possession, Obsession and a Diesel Compression Engine, will not be released in June as originally stated. Instead, Baysgarth Publications have pushed the date back to December 2007.
In the meantime, you can read an early taster in the Literature section of the site. Blood Bath is the opening story of the collection and a good example of what to expect.
Enjoy.
Possession, Obsession and a Diesel Compression Engine
Added on: 31 May 2007
A short collection of six humorous stories by Gerard Brennan. PODCE will be published in chapbook form by Baysgarth Publications in June 2007.
Wordsmiths Forge Literary Agency
Added on: 24 Apr 2007
It's official. Bill Jeffrey, of the Wordsmiths Forge Literary Agency, will represent Gerard's first novel, FIREPROOF.
Gerard Brennan likes to write dark fiction, usually with a liberal dose of black humour. He doesn't mean to offend, but doesn't really mind if he does. Most of his work is not suitable for children. You have been warned.
Although Gerard has developed a high opinion of himself and his work, it actually is worth a look. His story, Pool Sharks, which appears in the 2006 horror-crime fiction anthology, BADASS HORROR, has met with some very positive reviews.
What happens when you’re challenged to a game of pool to the death? You drink some more whiskey and whoop their asses. This was an excellent story with fantastic pace and atmosphere, and solid characters.
What I liked about this story is that it felt real; I was there on the pool table, feeling every lash and the action and dialogue didn't seem contrived.
This story just oozes gritty violence. I loved it from the first page to the last. The author has no qualms over explicit details and language. It’s harsh, aggressive and bites the reader in punishment for opening the cover without asking nicely. A suitable opener. This is Badass.
What originally sold me on the anthology was Gerard Brennan's "Pool Sharks" - a story about a night playing pool that turns violent. Brennan has an ability to pack a lot of action into very few words. It reminded me of the scaled down, back-to-the-basics, let's kill the 5 hour guitar solo once and for all aesthetic of 70s punk. Brennan doesn't waste time on meaningless characterization or cliché atmosphere. He says what he has to say and moves on and the overall effect is extremely powerful
