Episode 90: Robert Jackson Bennett's Mr. Shivers

click to listen

The Two Mikes hop a freight to DOOM! as they learn about life on the rails in a Depression-era mythscape. 

It's Cocktail Time!

The Bindlestiff

In a cocktail shaker combine

• 2 shots of Applejack (or Calvados, if you're puttin' on airs)
• 1 shot of madeira wine
• dash of bitters
• 1/2 shot of dark rum

shake with ice and drain into martini glass (or a tin can, if you wanna go full hobo)

garnish with beans or jerky. Or don't

Special closing music: "Lucky Day" by Tom Waits

Episode 89: George R. R. Martin's Fevre Dream

click to listen

The Mikes explore an early work by an obscure author. We enjoy what must have been a refreshing take on the vampire myth in its day and wonder when Sookie Stackhouse is going to show up. (She doesn't.) We're inspired by the Big River setting to concoct a new/classic drink.

It's Cocktail Time!

The Black Sazerac

• Chill a rocks glass with ice
• In another rocks glass place brown (natural) sugar cube, a dribble of blackstrap molasses, and Peychaud's bitters. Muddle.
• Add two shots of single-barrel bourbon, stir with ice chunks.
• Take chilled glass, add a few drops of Pernod and swing out.
• Take lemon peel and rub on inside of glass to get it smelling nice and lemony
• Strain bourbon mixture into chilled glass.
• Enjoy!

Episode 88: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

http://archive.org/1/items/Episode88JoeHillsNOS4A2/Episode%2088%2C%20Joe%20Hill%27s%20NOS4A2.mp3

Returning again to one of Necronomipod's favorite authors, the Two Mikes take a ride with Joe Hill in his latest novel.  It's beginning to look at lot like Chirstmasland.

It's Cocktail Time

1-1/2 shots good vodka

1/2 shot Goldschlager

1 tablespoon pomegranate sees

4 chunks pink grapefruit

fresh rosemary sprig

Muddle pomegranate and grapefruit with the Goldschlager in the bottom of a rocks glass. Drop in an ice ball and add vodka. Garnish with rosemary sprig.

Episode 87, Nick Tosches's Me and The Devil

click here to listen

The Two Mike's gripe about a literary horror novel that just makes them both really dread getting old(er).

It's Cocktail Time

Raptor Raptator

Make a shot of espresso
In a separate small coffee or cappuccino cup, pour two shots brandy. Toss in an almond, sugar cube and a bit of orange peel. Ignite. Careful not to burn yourself or your stuff
After it's burned for a minute or so, quench the fire with the shot of espresso. Look carefully to make sure the fire is actually out.
Serve with cream and extra sugar to taste.

Episode 86: Adam Nevill's Last Days

click to listen

The Mikes read a book based on its cover and find the cover has NOTHING to do with the book. We discuss indirect narrative and binge-reading until you're scared and wind up giving the book a meh-plus.

It's Cocktail Time!

Strong Belgian

Take a Belgian sour or fruit beer

add one or two glugs of orange vodka

Enjoy!

Closing Music: "See the Flesh Fry" by the All Saved Freak Band

Episode 85 Scowler by Daniel Kraus

Click to Listen.

The Mikes head to the rolling hills of Iowa to see what horror is down on the farm in Daniel Kraus's YA book Scowler.  It sure enough ain't no visit to Green Acres where kids are brutalized, stuffed animals seek revenge and meteors fall out of the sky.  Keep Manhattan and just give me that countryside.

It sure is Cocktail Time!

White Special Drink

1 egg white ( very fresh)

1 1/2  shots of good Gin

1/2 shot of  Domaine de Canton

1/2 Shot of Creme de Violette

A squeeze of lime or  a scraping of vanilla bean one or the other, your choice. 

Put into a shaker with lots of ice.  Shake well to get the egg frothy.  Strain into martini glass and garnish with an orange peel. Chin Chin.

Episode 84: Kim Newman's Anno Dracula: Dracula Cha Cha Cha

click to listen

The Mikes join the party in Rome 1959, with Dracula and all the gang. Then Dario Argento shows up and the blood starts to splatter. We dig into this third (and final, for now) Anno Dracula book by Kim Newman. 

It's Cocktail Time!

Tea. Make yourself a cup.

Special closing music: "Tic Ti, Tic Ta," by Claudio Villa

Episode 83: Kim Newman's Anno Dracula: The Bloody Red Baron

 Click
The Two Mikes take to the sky and dogfight with Kim Newman's Anno Dracula: The Bloody Red Baron. They loved the first book in series and what the hell—they really dug the second. Who knows, maybe they will even want to read the third . . .


IT'S COCKTAIL TIME!

The Fly Boy

2 shots good British gin
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T Kirsch
1  dash bitters
1 dash Creme de Viollete
2 dashes Creme de Cassis

Shake with ice, strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a maraschino cherry. Chin, chin.

Episode 82, Kim Newman's Anno Dracula

click to listen

The Mikes are delighted to discover the inaugural book in Kim Newman's alternate history series in which Dracula comes to power in England and vampire Victorian culture is born. So glad we read this one.

It's Cocktail Time!

Victoria's Secret

In an ice-filled collins glass add:

• 2 shots Bombay or Bombay Sapphire Gin (as long as it has a picture of the queen on the bottle)
• 1 shot tuica (or if you can't find this Romanian plum liqueur, you can substitute Czech slivovitz)
• a couple dashes of Angostura bitters to pink it up
• Fill with tonic and garnish with long, curly orange peel

God Save the Queen!

Episode 81 - Michael Shea's The Extra

Click Here To Listen

The Two Mikes pay their SAG dues and get themselves hired on in Michael Shea's The Extra.  Fame-whore directors, renegade booksellers, and giant mechanical spiders are certainly thrilling but it sure enough ain't horror.

Cocktail Time!

Spider Venom

2 shots Rumchata
1 shot Kahlua
1 shot vodka

Pour over ice and garnish with a lemon twist. Chin Chin.

Episode 80: Daryl Gregory's Raising Stony Mayhall

click to listen

The Mikes revisit a favorite author and are reminded why he's a favorite. We ruminate (again) on the zombie novel and discuss why this is such a good one.

It's Cocktail Time!

Sweet Zombie Jesus

In a shaker combine:

• 1 shot light rum
• 1 shot dark rum
• 3 shots pineapple juice
• 1 shot blueberry juice
• 1 shot simple syrup
• 1 shot kombucha tea

Shake and pour into ice-filled Collins glass. If you'd like, float a bit of 151 rum on top and ignite. Be sure to extinguish completely before drinking, or you'll burn your

Chin-chin!

special closing music: "I'll Have a New Body" by Hank Williams

Episode 79: The Fog by James Herbert

     Click here to listen.

No it's not book that inspired John Carpenter's film or the by son of the guy who wrote "Dune."  The two Mikes quickly get over their initial disappointment and head into the brain-altering mist of James Herbert's early novel.

"Everyone talks about the weather but no one does anything about it."  - Mark Twain

Cocktail Time

Fog on the Brain

Combine in a shaker of crushed ice:

A shot of Canadian Mist
A Shot of Bernard Loiseau Apple And Earl Grey Liqueur
1 teaspoon of powdered sugar
The equivalent of one egg white

Shake well and pour into a martini glass.  Drink. Chin, chin.