‘anoxic zone’, as mentioned in ‘The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 21’ ( 2010) by Stephen Jones, where ‘a large corporation creates the undead’ is the first award–winning novel by john g rees, as well as the first in his ‘Reuseable’ volumes – a dystopic view of the near future where Megacorp is attempting to take over the entire world. Taking people dead and alive (not for long if they want you) and turning them into ‘Reuseables’ that they can reuse again and again, for anything they want, from the wet work to the dry work, from the black work to the grey work – but either way it’s all work that not many people want to do, none the less have the skill to do.
You had to be GOOD to be taken by Megacorp – they didn’t want any stinkin’ apprentices (as Jake Strom would say), they wanted people who knew what they were doing. And that’s exactly what they got – a skilled body without a mind.
Usually…
But there were a few who somehow escaped the regulated insanity that controlled most of the reuseables. Somehow. Some escaped and actually devolved. Not a good thing, let me tell you… but others also escaped the mind control; worked it and played it for all it was worth; guess it was simply who the person was to begin with.
‘anoxic zone’ is john g rees’ first award winning novel, being a finalist in the ‘Horror’ Category in USA Book News ‘Best Books’ 2009 Awards.
In ‘Halocline’, rees’ second award winning horror tome, he brings us back to the same main bunch of characters (plus new ones, of course), but some years later. And what a scene ensues! The Silver IPPY Award 2011 for ‘Horror’ followed as well.
And then came ‘Black Tide’ published at the end of 2011, by john g rees’ own Black Water Books, here in Hawaii. A freaquel, if you will, this book takes us back to before Jake Strom was even sure what a Reuseable was! A 2012 Silver IPPY for Horror was awarded to this book in May. The reviews are in and they are good and gory.
john g rees now lives, writes and plays hard in Ka’u, the southern part of Hawaii Island. His personal history as a salvage diver, amongst other dramatic life scenes, has proved to be a true wellspring of horror for rees and his readers.
Take a vacation from the horror of everyday life and read the underwater epics of diver Jake Strom as he travels and travails form Hawaii to the Black Sea and back.
More words to come from this prolific local author john g rees.
See www.blackwaterbooks.com for more info.
j g rees 