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Arcane Sampler
Twelve stories of weird chills! The performers in a traveling carnival suddenly find themselves in mortal danger from their latest exhibit.- A Bible salesman discovers a reclusive family who worships something older... and closer.- A good Samaritan stopping to give roadside assistance encounters something far more dangerous than a flat tire.Plus nine more tales of the chilling and macabre! This issue contains “Hazards” by Justin Pollock, “Darnell Behind Glass” by Jeff Crook, “The Mine” by Jason V. Shayer, “Ricky and the Elder Gods” by S.M. Williams, “Gingerbread and Ashes” by Jaelithe Ingold, “Dear Management” by Tom Wortman, “In the Place Where the Tree Falleth” by Michael Lutz, “Laundry Night” by Stephen Hill, “Hello Operator” by Donny Waagen, “Courting the Queen of Sheba” by Amanda C. Davis, “A Requiem for Tarsenesia” by William Knight, and “The Hole” by Rob Errera.[originally published as "Arcane #1"
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
75 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 27, 2011
There is a new dog in the hunt for short horror fiction and its name is Arcane. I finally got a chance to read the inaugural issue, which was made available in late spring. With a subtitle of Penny Dreadfuls for the 21st Century, the tone is made readily apparent, which is a welcome change over some of the ambiguous titles of magazines and other short fiction markets.
Issue #1 contains a brief introduction by its editor, Nathan Shumate, as he lays out the format of the book is irrelevant compared to the subject matter. From there, readers are treated to twelve short stories from various authors. Rather than long established authors, Arcane features new voices, up-and-coming and a couple brand spanking new. As for the horror, there's a hodgepodge of styles and intensity. Where one story holds nothing back and reveals a visceral scene, another story takes a more lighthearted approach even revealing the absurdity of the situation.
When it comes to the more visceral side of things, there's Stephen Hill's "Laundry Night" with its shadowy laundry room in the lower ranks of a condominium. It's not a splatter-fest, but it's one of the more--if not the most--graphic stories in the collection. For lighter fare, there's Tom Wortman's "Dear Management", which is told via memos from a new employee to his superiors as he contends with a foul stench in his office. Most stories, however, offer a creepy vibe with varying levels of suspense and intrigue. A couple of my favorites come from Amanda C. Davis, whose "Courting the Queen of Sheba" offers a historical piece set in the early 20th century as a traveling carnival--I'm a sucker for stories involving carnivals and sideshows--and its latest attraction, a mummified corpse heralded as The Queen of Sheba. Another especially enjoyable story was S.M Williams' "Ricky and the Elder Gods", which offered two points of view in nearly real time, as one character hunts the other only to have the tables turned midway through the tale.
Like any periodical, it's a matter of hit-or-miss as you read each story, some resonating more than others, and invariably coming across one or more that fall flat. It's the nature of the short story collection. For an upstart magazine like Arcane, it's nice to see one more home for the pulpy goodness that comes from speculative fiction. There's a nostalgic quality to some of the stories, while others offer a taste of the present. While there isn't anything within its pages I would say advances the horror genre, the authors highlighted show that they are deftly carving out their own niche with some entertaining spine-tinglers.
Issue #1 contains a brief introduction by its editor, Nathan Shumate, as he lays out the format of the book is irrelevant compared to the subject matter. From there, readers are treated to twelve short stories from various authors. Rather than long established authors, Arcane features new voices, up-and-coming and a couple brand spanking new. As for the horror, there's a hodgepodge of styles and intensity. Where one story holds nothing back and reveals a visceral scene, another story takes a more lighthearted approach even revealing the absurdity of the situation.
When it comes to the more visceral side of things, there's Stephen Hill's "Laundry Night" with its shadowy laundry room in the lower ranks of a condominium. It's not a splatter-fest, but it's one of the more--if not the most--graphic stories in the collection. For lighter fare, there's Tom Wortman's "Dear Management", which is told via memos from a new employee to his superiors as he contends with a foul stench in his office. Most stories, however, offer a creepy vibe with varying levels of suspense and intrigue. A couple of my favorites come from Amanda C. Davis, whose "Courting the Queen of Sheba" offers a historical piece set in the early 20th century as a traveling carnival--I'm a sucker for stories involving carnivals and sideshows--and its latest attraction, a mummified corpse heralded as The Queen of Sheba. Another especially enjoyable story was S.M Williams' "Ricky and the Elder Gods", which offered two points of view in nearly real time, as one character hunts the other only to have the tables turned midway through the tale.
Like any periodical, it's a matter of hit-or-miss as you read each story, some resonating more than others, and invariably coming across one or more that fall flat. It's the nature of the short story collection. For an upstart magazine like Arcane, it's nice to see one more home for the pulpy goodness that comes from speculative fiction. There's a nostalgic quality to some of the stories, while others offer a taste of the present. While there isn't anything within its pages I would say advances the horror genre, the authors highlighted show that they are deftly carving out their own niche with some entertaining spine-tinglers.
April 5, 2012
Right out of the gate, through the introduction, editor Nathan Shumate makes it clear that he's not a big fan of the themed anthologies prevalent in speculative fiction. The themes tend to be too restrictive to readers and writers alike, with the end results often presenting a collection of stories too closely resembling one another. Well, such an accusation cannot be heaved at Arcane, which presents as eclectic an array of stories as I've read in a while.
Arcane weighs in with thirty stories, some flash fiction, a couple teetering on novella-length, and all of them striking their own chord. A few of the names are familiar, but most are brand new to me and I give Nathan credit for finding some very promising writers who should be on the rise in the years ahead.
One of the familiar names is Milo James Fowler with a weird western tale called "El Diablo De Paseo Grande." I've developed an affinity for weird westerns over the last year or so and this one didn't disappoint. The hard-bitten posse on the trail of a predatory and parasitic creature was a good mix in personalities, and the thing wearing the proverbial black hat was just damned cringe-worthy.
Another name, one I suspect will become very familiar to horror readers soon enough, is Damien Walter Grintalis. I've had the good fortune to check out her short fiction over the last couple years, as if periodically shows up on various e-zines and websites. With "The Web of Legends," I am almost positive I read an early incarnation of the story during a flash fiction contest we both participated in, and back then I thought it was really good. In this anthology, with a little spit and polish, it's just about perfect.
Another story that fits the weird western mold--sue me if I seem a bit biased--is "Tied" by D.T. Kastn, an author whose work is new to me. The protagonist, Lidy, a Calamity Jane type of gunslinger was really enjoyable to read, especially as her vulnerabilities shined through in her interactions with the man she's captured named Paul.
The anthology offers a real mixed bag as far as genres go, and there is definitely something for everyone, from those weird westerns, to fantasy, some science fiction, and don't forget the horror. I didn't gravitate towards all of the stories, and there were a couple I just had to skip over out of disinterest, but with thirty to choose from I had a wellspring of quality yarns to read. Anthony J. Rapino had a a good story with "Destination Unknown," as well as Gemma Files with a novella called "Black Bush" that is so good it reminded me I need to hurry up and read the next book in her Hexslinger series.
I remember when Arcane initially started as a periodical before switching to an annual anthology format. While the method of delivery has changed, the quality of stories hasn't, and it's one of the better anthologies I've read that gives a stage to authors on the rise. Personally, I'm not at all opposed to themed anthologies, in fact I've read a couple this year that have been downright amazing. With that in mind, there is something to be said for a book that can offer a motley crew like this.
Arcane weighs in with thirty stories, some flash fiction, a couple teetering on novella-length, and all of them striking their own chord. A few of the names are familiar, but most are brand new to me and I give Nathan credit for finding some very promising writers who should be on the rise in the years ahead.
One of the familiar names is Milo James Fowler with a weird western tale called "El Diablo De Paseo Grande." I've developed an affinity for weird westerns over the last year or so and this one didn't disappoint. The hard-bitten posse on the trail of a predatory and parasitic creature was a good mix in personalities, and the thing wearing the proverbial black hat was just damned cringe-worthy.
Another name, one I suspect will become very familiar to horror readers soon enough, is Damien Walter Grintalis. I've had the good fortune to check out her short fiction over the last couple years, as if periodically shows up on various e-zines and websites. With "The Web of Legends," I am almost positive I read an early incarnation of the story during a flash fiction contest we both participated in, and back then I thought it was really good. In this anthology, with a little spit and polish, it's just about perfect.
Another story that fits the weird western mold--sue me if I seem a bit biased--is "Tied" by D.T. Kastn, an author whose work is new to me. The protagonist, Lidy, a Calamity Jane type of gunslinger was really enjoyable to read, especially as her vulnerabilities shined through in her interactions with the man she's captured named Paul.
The anthology offers a real mixed bag as far as genres go, and there is definitely something for everyone, from those weird westerns, to fantasy, some science fiction, and don't forget the horror. I didn't gravitate towards all of the stories, and there were a couple I just had to skip over out of disinterest, but with thirty to choose from I had a wellspring of quality yarns to read. Anthony J. Rapino had a a good story with "Destination Unknown," as well as Gemma Files with a novella called "Black Bush" that is so good it reminded me I need to hurry up and read the next book in her Hexslinger series.
I remember when Arcane initially started as a periodical before switching to an annual anthology format. While the method of delivery has changed, the quality of stories hasn't, and it's one of the better anthologies I've read that gives a stage to authors on the rise. Personally, I'm not at all opposed to themed anthologies, in fact I've read a couple this year that have been downright amazing. With that in mind, there is something to be said for a book that can offer a motley crew like this.
June 11, 2011
An absolutely excellent collection of short horror stories. There was nothing included that didn;t scare or thrill me in some way, and I'm very pleased to be reading right from the first issue.
Horror fans will love this start-up magazine.
Horror fans will love this start-up magazine.
August 21, 2019
“Imagine if all of the “cool kids” from the original Weird Tales — H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, etc. — has been writing continuously from that day until this; what would they be producing?” asks the blurb on their website. The answer is in Issue #1, available both in beautiful hardcopy as well as in various electronic formats.
The stunning cover by artist Dan Verkys, suggests some manner of shark/human hybrid, a suitable image from an imaginary tale that might easily have made the pages of the magazine. It is followed by an introduction from the editor musing about magazines and anthologies and a dozen chilling tales reminiscent of the best of the pulps.
“Hazards,” by Justin Pollock, is a straight forward account of paranormal events, both riveting and colorful, told by the traumatized Good Samaritan who stopped to aid a fellow motorist parked on the side of the road in the dead of night.
“Darnell Behind Glass,” by Jeff Crook is the sad story of a lonely man who has sacrificed literally everything to own a run down highway convenience store, and how he goes about discovering just exactly how much is everything.
“The Mine,” by Jason V. Shayer, is told from the point of view of a mischievous adolescent who returns to the abandoned mine where his father disappeared. His rakish plans soon go far astray when he accidentally discovers just what those odd smelling vapors that forced the place out of business are all about.
“Ricky and the Elder Gods,” by S. M. Williams is a fast paced adventure told counterpoint, about a homicidal fool who has brazenly summoned two monstrous humanoids expecting to gain all manner of power and wealth for indulging their bloodthirsty whims and an odd young woman with singular talents, a refugee from a cult dedicated to exterminating the brutes.
“Gingerbread and Ashes,” by Jaelithe Ingold is the bittersweet tale of what became of the fairytale children, as told by an arthritic Hansel searching for a lost Gretel fifty years after their misadventures with the wicked witch—my, how one’s perspective changes with age.
“Dear Management,” by Tom Wortman, is a series of mostly terse memos from a recent college graduate to his home office chronicling his escalating efforts to rid his office of the overwhelming reek emanating from the seemingly pristine ductwork. His initial gratitude and enthusiasm wane noticeably during his absorbing ordeal.
“In the Place Where the Tree Falleth,” by Michael Lutz, follows a slightly disingenuous door-to-door salesman peddling an easily understandable version of the Holy Bible—admittedly devoid of the poetry of the King James version—as he encounters a family of devout backwoodsmen living in a crumbling mansion atop a wooded knoll. These are devoted to their own back-to-nature religion, the exact nature of which is left to the imagination of the reader. All of them have the salesman’s number from the get-go, leaving the terrified peddler’s wondering what use they might actually have for him.
“Laundry Night,” by Stephen Hill: it’s Tuesday, laundry night, and poor Rita must contend with a colicky baby, a beer swilling unhelpful husband, a claustrophobic condo, a stinky laundry room, a strange old grouchy neighbor and a pimple faced useless security guard as she accidentally solves the gruesome riddle of what happens to those missing socks in the dryer.
“Hello Operator,” by Donny Waagen, is quite simply, a nightmare. A nameless man, trudging home through a dubious neighborhood, broke, his cell phone dead, stumbles upon a pristine phone booth, seemingly a godsend, or is it?
“Courting the Queen of Sheba,” by Amanda C. Davis, recounts the tale of a 19th century American traveling circus, and the unexpected side show attraction they come by, a female mummy, named the Queen of Sheba by her late owner. Poor girl, three millennia later, she’s still hungry….
“A Requiem for Tarsenesia,” by William Knight takes place in an alternate reality, in which a feudal society maintains itself by placating monstrous beasts with cacophonous symphonies until a seven year old girl is caught in a tug of war between her father, a master lute maker and the head of the theocratic oligarchy.
“The Hole,” by Bob Errera, is a brief tale about a sentient hole in the earth with an unearthly allure.
So what’s not to like about that?
The stunning cover by artist Dan Verkys, suggests some manner of shark/human hybrid, a suitable image from an imaginary tale that might easily have made the pages of the magazine. It is followed by an introduction from the editor musing about magazines and anthologies and a dozen chilling tales reminiscent of the best of the pulps.
“Hazards,” by Justin Pollock, is a straight forward account of paranormal events, both riveting and colorful, told by the traumatized Good Samaritan who stopped to aid a fellow motorist parked on the side of the road in the dead of night.
“Darnell Behind Glass,” by Jeff Crook is the sad story of a lonely man who has sacrificed literally everything to own a run down highway convenience store, and how he goes about discovering just exactly how much is everything.
“The Mine,” by Jason V. Shayer, is told from the point of view of a mischievous adolescent who returns to the abandoned mine where his father disappeared. His rakish plans soon go far astray when he accidentally discovers just what those odd smelling vapors that forced the place out of business are all about.
“Ricky and the Elder Gods,” by S. M. Williams is a fast paced adventure told counterpoint, about a homicidal fool who has brazenly summoned two monstrous humanoids expecting to gain all manner of power and wealth for indulging their bloodthirsty whims and an odd young woman with singular talents, a refugee from a cult dedicated to exterminating the brutes.
“Gingerbread and Ashes,” by Jaelithe Ingold is the bittersweet tale of what became of the fairytale children, as told by an arthritic Hansel searching for a lost Gretel fifty years after their misadventures with the wicked witch—my, how one’s perspective changes with age.
“Dear Management,” by Tom Wortman, is a series of mostly terse memos from a recent college graduate to his home office chronicling his escalating efforts to rid his office of the overwhelming reek emanating from the seemingly pristine ductwork. His initial gratitude and enthusiasm wane noticeably during his absorbing ordeal.
“In the Place Where the Tree Falleth,” by Michael Lutz, follows a slightly disingenuous door-to-door salesman peddling an easily understandable version of the Holy Bible—admittedly devoid of the poetry of the King James version—as he encounters a family of devout backwoodsmen living in a crumbling mansion atop a wooded knoll. These are devoted to their own back-to-nature religion, the exact nature of which is left to the imagination of the reader. All of them have the salesman’s number from the get-go, leaving the terrified peddler’s wondering what use they might actually have for him.
“Laundry Night,” by Stephen Hill: it’s Tuesday, laundry night, and poor Rita must contend with a colicky baby, a beer swilling unhelpful husband, a claustrophobic condo, a stinky laundry room, a strange old grouchy neighbor and a pimple faced useless security guard as she accidentally solves the gruesome riddle of what happens to those missing socks in the dryer.
“Hello Operator,” by Donny Waagen, is quite simply, a nightmare. A nameless man, trudging home through a dubious neighborhood, broke, his cell phone dead, stumbles upon a pristine phone booth, seemingly a godsend, or is it?
“Courting the Queen of Sheba,” by Amanda C. Davis, recounts the tale of a 19th century American traveling circus, and the unexpected side show attraction they come by, a female mummy, named the Queen of Sheba by her late owner. Poor girl, three millennia later, she’s still hungry….
“A Requiem for Tarsenesia,” by William Knight takes place in an alternate reality, in which a feudal society maintains itself by placating monstrous beasts with cacophonous symphonies until a seven year old girl is caught in a tug of war between her father, a master lute maker and the head of the theocratic oligarchy.
“The Hole,” by Bob Errera, is a brief tale about a sentient hole in the earth with an unearthly allure.
So what’s not to like about that?
April 11, 2025
All of Shumate's book cover's look like artwork for books from The Dollar General. And his writing has zero substance. I hope Mr. Shumate has learned it's time to just give up on his literary aspirations, don the Jack-in-The-Box hat, and learn the art of flipping hamburgers.
February 12, 2020
Just wow. Not very good.
July 21, 2023
This book is not arcane. It's DULL. And what a lousy cover. The blue font is tacky as hell. Looks like something you'd see in the bottom-bin at the Dollar General.
June 20, 2011
Arcane is a quarterly magazine with a focus on weird horror, the supernatural, and the fantastic. This is the first issue and it’s a collection of twelve chilling short stories.
Here’s a taste of three out of the dozen:
-“Darnell Behind Glass” by Jeff Crook: the owner of a seedy convenience store finds that he may have sacrificed more for his store than he previously thought
-“Gingerbread and Ashes” by Jaelithe Ingold: a fresh but haunting perspective on the Hansel & Gretel fairytale told by an aged Hansel
-“Courting the Queen of Sheba” by Amanda C. Davis: a mummified Queen of Sheba delivers a show to 19th century sideshow audience in more ways than they bargained for
I haven’t read as much horror compared to other genres of speculative fiction, so forgive me if I don’t get my horror references right.
In terms of where these stories fit in speculative fiction, most of them are set in the present or not so distant past in this world. The exceptions are “Gingerbread and Ashes” and “A Requiem for Tarsenesia”—which is a fairytale interpretation and a high fantasy world respectively.
If I could describe the broad stroke of this issue, “eldritch abomination apocalypse” should do the trick. About half are cosmic horror stories complete with tentacley things and Elder Gods, while the other half is a mix of creepy stuff in general. They have different themes and settings, but they all evoke a brooding and disquieting mood in the reader. This collection is generally more psychological than splatter horror, so they are best savoured in a quiet and dimly-lit environment where the reader can soak up each word and let the dread creep in.
This is an enjoyable and fantastic issue. All the stories are chilling and fascinating with rich and dark atmospheres. Here is a snippet from “A Requiem for Tarsenesia” by William Knight:
[“Play, Ishtra,” he said.
She started. Hesitantly at first, but soon she found her father’s rhythm, focusing only on the sweet notes of the dulcimer, allowing it to blend and intertwine with her soft soprano chalumeau.
Across the way, Mrs. Elbridge began to sing, a mournful descant, rising above the symphony. Her withered frame rocked under her heavy shawl. She sang of times forgotten, of rolling green hills and an unbroken mantle of flowing forests. Of a sun with only one child on earth, when men roamed the night sward unafraid.
In the distance came the howls, unmelodic and frightening.]
Some stories are more grim and sombre, while others revel in black humour and the weird. Arcane has diverse mix of stories and they kept me engaged throughout.
While I said there’s more psychological than splatter horror, there is one notable exception: “Laundry Night” by Stephen Hill. I can honestly say it features one of the most delightfully disgusting scenes I’ve ever read in my life. It’s just visceral, bile-inducing horror. There’s no other way to put it. I loved every word. I want to share my favourite scene, but it would just spoil the story. Best for you to just buy it and read it. Trust me.
There are about three stories in this collection that are interesting and quirky, but didn’t thrill me as a horror story. Maybe I have a high tolerance for eldritch abominations, but the descriptions of them were so familiar that I just saw them as “purple monster with tentacles story device” than a disturbing alien other. These are well written, but they didn’t reach me emotionally. These stories are in the minority, so I still consider this a great issue to a promising horror magazine.
Arcane: Issue #1 is an excellent issue with some of the best stories I’ve read this year. I recommend it for horror enthusiasts everywhere. While there’s a minority that didn’t thrill me as much, the quality is consistent, and there are some absorbing and disturbing gems that I suspect would affect my long-term psyche. The stories I found the least thrilling are the ones at the beginning of this issue—so if you’re not engaged by what you read in the sample, the other stories will not disappoint.
Note: a free review copy was provided by the author.
Here’s a taste of three out of the dozen:
-“Darnell Behind Glass” by Jeff Crook: the owner of a seedy convenience store finds that he may have sacrificed more for his store than he previously thought
-“Gingerbread and Ashes” by Jaelithe Ingold: a fresh but haunting perspective on the Hansel & Gretel fairytale told by an aged Hansel
-“Courting the Queen of Sheba” by Amanda C. Davis: a mummified Queen of Sheba delivers a show to 19th century sideshow audience in more ways than they bargained for
I haven’t read as much horror compared to other genres of speculative fiction, so forgive me if I don’t get my horror references right.
In terms of where these stories fit in speculative fiction, most of them are set in the present or not so distant past in this world. The exceptions are “Gingerbread and Ashes” and “A Requiem for Tarsenesia”—which is a fairytale interpretation and a high fantasy world respectively.
If I could describe the broad stroke of this issue, “eldritch abomination apocalypse” should do the trick. About half are cosmic horror stories complete with tentacley things and Elder Gods, while the other half is a mix of creepy stuff in general. They have different themes and settings, but they all evoke a brooding and disquieting mood in the reader. This collection is generally more psychological than splatter horror, so they are best savoured in a quiet and dimly-lit environment where the reader can soak up each word and let the dread creep in.
This is an enjoyable and fantastic issue. All the stories are chilling and fascinating with rich and dark atmospheres. Here is a snippet from “A Requiem for Tarsenesia” by William Knight:
[“Play, Ishtra,” he said.
She started. Hesitantly at first, but soon she found her father’s rhythm, focusing only on the sweet notes of the dulcimer, allowing it to blend and intertwine with her soft soprano chalumeau.
Across the way, Mrs. Elbridge began to sing, a mournful descant, rising above the symphony. Her withered frame rocked under her heavy shawl. She sang of times forgotten, of rolling green hills and an unbroken mantle of flowing forests. Of a sun with only one child on earth, when men roamed the night sward unafraid.
In the distance came the howls, unmelodic and frightening.]
Some stories are more grim and sombre, while others revel in black humour and the weird. Arcane has diverse mix of stories and they kept me engaged throughout.
While I said there’s more psychological than splatter horror, there is one notable exception: “Laundry Night” by Stephen Hill. I can honestly say it features one of the most delightfully disgusting scenes I’ve ever read in my life. It’s just visceral, bile-inducing horror. There’s no other way to put it. I loved every word. I want to share my favourite scene, but it would just spoil the story. Best for you to just buy it and read it. Trust me.
There are about three stories in this collection that are interesting and quirky, but didn’t thrill me as a horror story. Maybe I have a high tolerance for eldritch abominations, but the descriptions of them were so familiar that I just saw them as “purple monster with tentacles story device” than a disturbing alien other. These are well written, but they didn’t reach me emotionally. These stories are in the minority, so I still consider this a great issue to a promising horror magazine.
Arcane: Issue #1 is an excellent issue with some of the best stories I’ve read this year. I recommend it for horror enthusiasts everywhere. While there’s a minority that didn’t thrill me as much, the quality is consistent, and there are some absorbing and disturbing gems that I suspect would affect my long-term psyche. The stories I found the least thrilling are the ones at the beginning of this issue—so if you’re not engaged by what you read in the sample, the other stories will not disappoint.
Note: a free review copy was provided by the author.
February 2, 2012
Okay, you're going to have to humor me a little with that five-star rating. This anthology is of special import to me because it houses the first fiction story I ever sold and had published: "God of the Kiln." If that's not worth five stars, what is?
However, a more sober assessment would peg this between 3 and 3.5. That is due, in part, to the fact I'm not a horror or creepy story kind of reader. A number of the offerings in here (like "Corporautolysis" by Christopher Slatsky) have been cited warmly by a number of blogs and review sites, but just leave me cold because they are REAL horror stories. Others I just didn't get into ("Incident at the Geometric Church" by David McGillveray, for one).
However, a number of them really appealed to me. S.M. Williams' "Legacy" is a companion piece to his story "Ricky and the Elder Gods," which appeared in the Arcane Sampler that was published last fall (when editor Nathan Shumate was still contemplating a quarterly magazine rather than an annual anthology). His sour, tough-as-nails protagonist, June Temperence, is reluctantly called back to deal with the family business -- riding herd on Lovecraftian nightmares that slip through from their realm into ours. He sets the scenes with grim realism and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Great stuff.
And that is the strength of Shumate's anthology; he has a truly disparate collection of stories, ranging from the freaked-out to the subtly disturbing, so that under the rubric of "penny dreadfuls for the 21st century" he can still offer something to satisfy readers of many stripes. I'm pleased as punch to be part of it.
However, a more sober assessment would peg this between 3 and 3.5. That is due, in part, to the fact I'm not a horror or creepy story kind of reader. A number of the offerings in here (like "Corporautolysis" by Christopher Slatsky) have been cited warmly by a number of blogs and review sites, but just leave me cold because they are REAL horror stories. Others I just didn't get into ("Incident at the Geometric Church" by David McGillveray, for one).
However, a number of them really appealed to me. S.M. Williams' "Legacy" is a companion piece to his story "Ricky and the Elder Gods," which appeared in the Arcane Sampler that was published last fall (when editor Nathan Shumate was still contemplating a quarterly magazine rather than an annual anthology). His sour, tough-as-nails protagonist, June Temperence, is reluctantly called back to deal with the family business -- riding herd on Lovecraftian nightmares that slip through from their realm into ours. He sets the scenes with grim realism and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Great stuff.
And that is the strength of Shumate's anthology; he has a truly disparate collection of stories, ranging from the freaked-out to the subtly disturbing, so that under the rubric of "penny dreadfuls for the 21st century" he can still offer something to satisfy readers of many stripes. I'm pleased as punch to be part of it.
May 8, 2012
Nathan Shumate's ARCANE anthology brings together thirty uniquely imagined stories. Some are strangely humorous, others are outright bizarre, and many are truly frightening. The only thing they have in common is excellent writing.
These stayed on my mind after finishing the book:
--In Eric Francis' Far Eastern tale, "The God of Kiln," a priest leads the Blossom People in a fanatical display of devotion that earns his god's displeasure.
--“Lady of the Crossroads” by Christine Lucas, takes us to ancient Greece where a village woman reluctantly honors her pledge to the Goddess to spare the men from war.
--In "It's Not the Boys in This Family That Have to Worry," Brady Golden has us cheering for the women, but in the end, wondering if maybe the men were right.
The horror index ranges from gently chilling--"The Web of Legends" by Damien Walters Grintalis--to shocking--"A Cappella" by Jonathan S. Pembroke. Grintalis' bittersweet tale reveals how the moon-spiders came to protect a village, and the cost. I'd love to see Pembroke's musicians' world with sentient instruments expanded to novel length.
ARCANE's not without some quirky love stories.
--A mortician who's passionate about his work finds a perfect mate, who tests his love, in "The Best and Bitt'rest Kiss" by S.K. Gilman.
--A necromancer overcomes commitment issues when his beloved is threatened by Templars in "Kiss of Death" by Jeremy Zimmerman.
This anthology offers something for everyone. Well worth a read!
These stayed on my mind after finishing the book:
--In Eric Francis' Far Eastern tale, "The God of Kiln," a priest leads the Blossom People in a fanatical display of devotion that earns his god's displeasure.
--“Lady of the Crossroads” by Christine Lucas, takes us to ancient Greece where a village woman reluctantly honors her pledge to the Goddess to spare the men from war.
--In "It's Not the Boys in This Family That Have to Worry," Brady Golden has us cheering for the women, but in the end, wondering if maybe the men were right.
The horror index ranges from gently chilling--"The Web of Legends" by Damien Walters Grintalis--to shocking--"A Cappella" by Jonathan S. Pembroke. Grintalis' bittersweet tale reveals how the moon-spiders came to protect a village, and the cost. I'd love to see Pembroke's musicians' world with sentient instruments expanded to novel length.
ARCANE's not without some quirky love stories.
--A mortician who's passionate about his work finds a perfect mate, who tests his love, in "The Best and Bitt'rest Kiss" by S.K. Gilman.
--A necromancer overcomes commitment issues when his beloved is threatened by Templars in "Kiss of Death" by Jeremy Zimmerman.
This anthology offers something for everyone. Well worth a read!
June 16, 2012
In his introduction, Mr. Shumate explains why he dislikes themed anthologies. Many times, the stories in them are too similar and predictable. He continues on and tells us that Arcane has no theme aside from being a collection of stories that unsettle the reader in some way. He also states that all the stories are good. While I didn't like them all, they are all well-written and entertaining. And yes, they were all a bit disturbing in one way or another, and most of them were more than a little bizarre.
As in every anthology I've read, I had my favorite stories. Arcane starts off strongly with Joe Mirabello's "We Belong to Her." Angelita brought to mind similar children I've see in public... thankfully, none of them have her abilities (at least I hope they don't). "Mallecho" by Stephen Willcott was a story about a disturbing rite of passage and made me think twice about the rituals in my own life. Josh Strnad's "Visiting Hours" brings home the importance of letting go of the past. If I had to choose an absolute favorite it would be "The Delivery" by A.A. Garrison. It's a tale of addiction, love, and the collapse of society.
Overall, the anthology kept me entertained. The editing was solid and the stories well-written. With the wide range of styles and subgenres among the 30 stories, there's at least a little something for everyone.
As in every anthology I've read, I had my favorite stories. Arcane starts off strongly with Joe Mirabello's "We Belong to Her." Angelita brought to mind similar children I've see in public... thankfully, none of them have her abilities (at least I hope they don't). "Mallecho" by Stephen Willcott was a story about a disturbing rite of passage and made me think twice about the rituals in my own life. Josh Strnad's "Visiting Hours" brings home the importance of letting go of the past. If I had to choose an absolute favorite it would be "The Delivery" by A.A. Garrison. It's a tale of addiction, love, and the collapse of society.
Overall, the anthology kept me entertained. The editing was solid and the stories well-written. With the wide range of styles and subgenres among the 30 stories, there's at least a little something for everyone.
January 13, 2014
This is a collection of thirty different stories that range from short one or two pages to novellas. And, unlike most anthologies, they really have nothing to do with the other stories. A few authors sound familiar, but the best thing is how Nathan Shumate found unheard of, promising authors for this collection. I hope to find more books from some of the unknown authors.
These stories range from strange westerns to fantasy to horror. I admit that I didn’t read all of them through. I’m not really an anthology person, but I have to say that I really liked this collection of stories. There is a story for almost anyone. And being that this was the first in the periodical, I tip my hat to Nathan Shumate. Keep up the hard work hunting for great stories and unknown authors. I can see this easily being the launching point for many indie authors.
These stories range from strange westerns to fantasy to horror. I admit that I didn’t read all of them through. I’m not really an anthology person, but I have to say that I really liked this collection of stories. There is a story for almost anyone. And being that this was the first in the periodical, I tip my hat to Nathan Shumate. Keep up the hard work hunting for great stories and unknown authors. I can see this easily being the launching point for many indie authors.
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