THEM – W.H. Chizmar (review & interview)

When it comes to the next generation of authors, certain names come to mind: H.G. Well’s son, Anthony West, Roald Dahl’s daughter, Tessa Dahl, Stephen King’s two sons, Joe Hill and Owen King, and Richard Chizmar’s son…William “Billy” Chizmar.

Billy, as he’s known to his friends, has quite an impressive list of credits to his name. He’s worked with his father, best-selling author Richard Chizmar, on various books and films such as Widow’s Point, Murder House, Trapped, and several short story collections, and Billy has written many short stories of his own, the release of THEM is his “debut novel” and sure terrorize you, establishing his name further in the literary world.

THEM is a science fiction/horror story uniquely told through the eyes of a lone survivor of an apocalyptic America after a secret government project gone wrong, and through a series of flashbacks that explain how the initial project started and how it went off course.

While attempting to transport matter across the universe, the government hopes to encounter alien lifeforms. What they don’t anticipate is THEM…a life form that takes over Earth, eating and killing any living being in its path! A lone survivor treks up the East Coast in hopes of finding other survivors and looking for the answers he seeks. His journey takes him through an aftermath that’s more frightening than he could have imagined.

THEM has amazingly detailed art that further enhances the story. It lends to the experience of what the reader sees and feels. As the first novel by W. H. Chizmar, I can only imagine he will have the reader looking for more of his stories, and we all hope that will happen soon.

I found the story an interesting mix of science fiction and horror, which was also suspenseful and terrifying. William Chizmar had all the ingredients that made it the perfect alien invasion. The story is detailed and realistic enough to paint a desolate future. I found myself hoping this scenario would never come true.

As a debut novelist, William Chizmar not only brings the story full circle but leaves enough to the imagination that perhaps there could be more to come. We’ll have to wait and see.

For those who love a good science fiction/horror read, this book is for you. THEM by author W. H. Chizmar.

I wanted to recommend bookstores and online booksellers as I generally do that, however, when I went online to do so I found that all the sites I visited were SOLD OUT. That’s a sign of a GREAT book. Hopefully, there will be more books available soon in other stores/online. Keep checking for a paperback that may be released as well.

I had the honor and privilege of interviewing W. H. Chizmar (Billy) and discussing his thoughts on his new novel, THEM…

Anthony Northrup – Your latest new book release is called, THEM! What can you tell us about this latest tale without spoilers?
William Chizmar – THEM is the first novel I’ve ever written, but it’s right in my comfort zone. There are a handful of little people and a “whole lot of big monsters” wallowing in the end of the world, just trying to make the best of it.

AN – How long was the writing process and when did you first begin/end?
WC – I started THEM in the spring of 2020, shortly after my penultimate year of college came to a (un)ceremonious end. I’d take my laptop outside once online classes had finished and write for a few hours. I can’t remember exactly when the story of the Scorpions first began, but I was captivated by them immediately. A very rusty short draft was completed by summer’s end, which I printed out and carried around in my briefcase my whole senior year, pulling it out and marking it up whenever I had a spare half-hour. I continued to make revisions after I graduated, however, my then-untitled novel fell to the wayside once I began to focus on my Patreon page and the accompanying short stories. Yet, I never stopped thinking about it. In 2023, THEM debuted on my Patreon page via monthly serials, and Lividian’s limited version coming in September will feature even more corrections and additions made that winter.

AN – The book is told in two narratives. Why did you choose to tell the tale in that form?
WC – It didn’t feel like my choice. The story arrived as two distinct voices from the same sorry world, from the moment I started. It’s a book about difference and commonality, and it needed those parallel tracks for the reader to follow and watch derail.

AN – I had a very strong “creature-feature” vibe the whole time I read the book. What type of research did you do for this book? Did you watch old black & white creature feature films to prepare for it? If so, which were they, and which are your favorites?
WC – Big time. 1954′s THEM! is high on the list, of course. I borrowed the giant-killer-ant movie’s title (minus the excellent, enthralling punctuation), and it was the second true creature feature I saw as a kid, right behind the original version of The Blob. Tarantula, Godzilla, and King Kong, all come to mind as visually influential films, along with more modern ones like The Host, Cloverfield, and Jaws. As for reading research, H.G. Wells’s War of the Worlds, Stinger by Robert McCammon, Stephen King’s The Mist, the works of W.B. Yeats, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, Birdbox by Josh Malerman, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and I Am Legend by Richard Matheson each were particularly insightful into monsters and apocalypse throughout literary history.

AN – I also noticed a lot of nods to Stephen King and his works throughout the book. Die-hard fans will catch this. Was this on purpose and are you a big Stephen King fan?
WC – For sure! King is one of many authors I give a few nods to. All authors are, on some level, thieves, and I feel it’s best to admit when you’re trying to build off their words. Off the top of my head, I think there are also allusions to William Faulkner, Kate Chopin, Cormac McCarthy, James Joyce, and a few others if you can find them!

AN – I also felt there may have been some influence from Stephen King’s The Mist. Is that safe to say?
WC – Yes! One of the main characters even mentions reading The Mist and later watching Frank Darabont’s adaptation. I wrote a paper in my junior year of college comparing King and Darabont’s versions through an environmentally critical lens. It was one of my better ones, and many ideas I elaborated on would inform my writing of THEM.

AN – This feels a little like an open-ended story. Will we see a sequel anytime, or possibly a film adaptation?
WC – I know what the sequel will entail when I write it, but that’s a big “when!” I’m in no rush for now, and there are plenty of other stories asking for my attention. As for a film adaptation, I haven’t thought that far!

AN – There are some frightening and creepy scenes in this book. Were there any scenes in particular that you enjoyed writing most? If so, what were they?
WC – The very first few pages. The first time the man sees the Nightwalker (actually, anything with the Nightwalker). The Metro tunnels. The Epilogue.

AN – This book has a limited number of copies printed. Will fans be able to get a chance to get this book another time with a larger reprint? If so, when can they expect it?
WC – I’m hoping for some movement on the paperback front once the limited edition gets out in people’s hands. No news yet!

AN – What would you want readers to take away from reading and experiencing your story?
WC – I’d like them to think about what’s special and what isn’t special about being human.

AN – Lastly, what’s next for Billy Chizmar?
WC – As for what’s next? I’ve locked myself in the Widow’s Point lighthouse once again writing with my dad, the salt, and the ghosts.

We certainly look forward to returning to Widow’s Point, William, and hopefully seeing a sequel to THEM. Until then, continue checking online for new release dates for a reprinting of THEM by author W. H. Chizmar

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