by Bill Ectric
First off, two thumbs up to author for having name as cool as Figbar Tobar! Bill Ectric. Is that pen name or real deal? We believe to be real deal. But no matter. Whole point of review is Bill Ectric's new novel, Tamper.
To begin review, name of novel is great! Tamper. Old Shaver term from early days. Big question Bill Ectric book answers to Joe Reader is this:
On day-to-day level, how does influence of Shaver Mystery affect everyday life of man on street? What appears as simple coming of age story set in bucolic small town Amerika (Hansburg, Virginia) reveal influence of Shaver Mystery saga on average Joe - or, in Lithuania, average Dzo.
Bill Ectric knows his stuff when comes to Shaver! Story all about guy named Whit - big Shaver fan. Lives with parents in average house in average small town with new K-Mart store. But Whit knows tamper abounds everywhere. This due to fact that family home built over mysterious cavern, inhabited by...well, Figbar not going to spill can of beans.
Whit edits own fanzine, too, called Astral Beat, that tells about strange goings-on like ghosts, orbs and things of that nature. But living over evil cavern has colored life of Whit big time.
At some point, Whit meets guy name of Olson Archer, author of "Screaming Skulls of the New World." Turns out, Archer knew Shaver. Was colluding on book with Shaver, too, titled "Labyrinths of the Damned." Here is excerpt from intro of said book:
"My collaboration with Richard
Shaver ended sadly and abruptly
when Mr. Shaver passed away on
November 5, 1975. I am indebted
to Mr. Shaver, not only for his
published literature, which is now
collectively referred to as the
Shaver Mystery, but also for
granting me access to his extensive
private journals, his collection of
rock books, and the many long
conversations we shared.
"In 'Labyrinths if the Damned,' I
have attempted to build on Mr.
Shaver's work and to integrate his
theories on cavern-dwelling Cryptid
humanoids with other related
phenomena."
Whew! Almost sounds like real thing! Makes this reviewer want to run out to buy copy! Of course this book total fabriction of Bill Ectric, but believable if you live in Montauk Project time-warp. Humble reviewer suspects Mr. Ectric big fan of Shaver, having many accurate bits throughout book on fabled welder-turned-writer.
Coming of age tale eventually morph into scary trip to Malta and descent into Hypogeum, where, as Shaver fans know, bunch of kids disappeared many years ago in vast tunnel system.
Hero then encounters dero (hmm, Figbar never put these two English words together before..."hero - dero." Look strangely similar, no?). Anyway, book hero encounters dero thus:
"Through the opening, I saw a humanoid creature,
at least eight feet tall, cloaked in some kind of moldy
animal fur. The thing had eyeballs that split open
horizontally, leaving no buffer between its optic nerves
and the outside world. The sun would have been
unbearable for such a creature.
"I sensed that all this creature saw in me was a living,
pliable, victim, to bend and break at its own whim...
The creature gripped my entire face with a massive,
calloused hand. The thing's other hand closed tightly
around my throat, as though it meant to twist my head
off. I tried in vain to pull away, unable to see, unable to
breathe, holding on to both of the creature's arms,
struggling to stop them from pulling me apart."
Pretty gruesome stuff! But not everything this gruesome in book. Has couple sex scenes, too. But not as hot as dero priestess sex stim scene in "Beyond Lemuria - Mt. Shasta and the Shaver Mystery."
This reviewer believe "Tamper" great change of pace for readers craving to know how "other half" express the Shaver Mystery vision quest.
Book filled and bubbling over with Shaverian references; more than other novels Figbar ever reads before. Therefore, we give Bill Ectric three thumbs up for newest contribution to Shaver Mystery: "Tamper."
Not sure where you can buy book, but Shavertron editor put Bill Ectric link on "Links" page, this issue, under "Bill Ectric's Place" so easy enough to contact author. Way to go, Bill Ectric! See you on Abebooks!
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