Horrors! 365 Scary Stories – A Full Year of Horror
12/09/2017 – 12/15/2017
The horror short-short isn’t easy to master, but more than 100 of the genre’s critically acclaimed authors & hottest up-&-comers have taken a stab at it in Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, an anthology that contains a short tale for every day of the year. Steve Rasnic Tem, Wm F. Nolan, Tom Piccirilli, Yvonne Navarro, Peter Atkins, Brian Hodge, Martin Mundt & 166 others give you short, sharp shocks.
If you missed the first post you can find it here.
The end of the year approaches and Horrors will be winding down. Although I am looking forward to doing something new with you guys I will also miss reviewing this book with you. It’s been very fun and I’ve loved chatting with you guys (and sometimes the authors!) about the stories.
Voices in the Dark – Steve Resnic Tem
Synopsis:
Brian keeps hearing voices in the night. Ever since he was little. Voices that keep asking him “Where is it? Why is it? What is it? Who is it?” Brian finds out who it is…it’s him.
Review:
I have no idea what in the heck this story was about. seriously. It was the voices and Brian seeing himself in bed. Was he dead? Out of body experience? I have no idea.
Waiting Up for Father – Greg van Eekhout
Synopsis:
A creation of his Father/Master he strives to be perfect but is always disappointing. Father/Master creates a new child. A female, flawless and beautiful. As quoted in the book “It takes Father decades to create his children. It takes a mere second to become a monster.”
Review:
An interesting take on the Frankenstein tale (although that name is never strictly mentioned) the creation is jealous and destroys the ‘perfect’ replacement. And waits for Father to come home. It’s unclear whether or not he is waiting to kill him or for his punishment.
Wall Art – Shikhar Dixit
Synopsis:
They watch from the walls. Watch as you love, argue, hate and eventually kill. then they make room for you.
Review:
I’m not crazy about the title because it doesn’t seem to fit but the story is creepy as all get out. It gives a new spin on haunted/possessed houses.
Welcome Home – Juleen Brantingham
Synopsis:
While caring for her ailing mother the narrator takes this opportunity to get a writing career going. Her mother suggests speaking with the elderly woman who gives dolls for charities. An elderly woman whom the children used to be terrified of and as she steps into her parlor vague memories start to surface. The dolls may not be what they seem.
Review:
Lesson learned – do not mess with older ladies or they’ll turn you into something unnatural. Although, as the narrator recounts her misdeeds she didn’t seem very nice.
The Well – Adam Troy-Castro
Synopsis:
As a man lives his comfortable, law-abiding life of contentment the spectre of the murder he committed as a child. He doesn’t know what drove him to push his best friend down, nor step on Jackie’s clutching hand. However, he feels fairly comfortable in his life. But he will pay. And it will be Jackie’s turn.
Review:
A very powerful beginning and ending. Very good.
Western Moves – Michael Scott Bricker
Synopsis:
Ricky is unsure whether to be a ‘cowboy’ or an ‘indian’. He doesn’t know how to use a bow and arrow and Dad’s gun is so much realer than his.
Review:
The story would have been horrifying enough without the bizarre “ghost Indian” interjections. They really don’t fit.
White Beauty – Cynthia Ward
Synopsis:
The unicorn approaches the maiden, knowing that the mortal men are nearby. Little do they know that the beautiful beast is not a cow to be led to slaughter, nor whom it serves.
Review:
I love unicorns and an evil unicorn story is awesome. I will fully admit to geeking out at the unicorn in Cabin in the Woods. It’s definitely original. If I read more fantasy I might see more of them but, although I love dragons and unicorns, fantasy holds little interest.
Favourite of the Week:
Definitely White Beauty by Cynthia Ward. I told you, I love a good unicorn story. Generally they’re amoral at worst, vain and silly. Not usually literally from the depths of Hell.
Join us again next week as we count down the last two weeks of Horrors!
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GracieKat was the first co-host of Sci-Fi & Scary, Lilyn’s partner-in-crime, and sub-head of the Kali Krew. She reviews horror books, movies, and games for the site. She also does a weekly Focus on the Frightful feature, and is the site list-maker. She is also in control of the Sci-Fi & Scary podcast which will relaunch soon.