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Beyond Dimensional Veils: A Collection of Short Cosmic Horror and Supernatural Stories
“A powerhouse debut from a new voice in Lovecraftian fiction.”—Spencer Hamilton, author of Sister Funtime
Peel back the thin skin between our reality and cosmic horrors in the regions beyond. In those unfathomable depths you’ll find…
Sinister books that drive family men to murder. Cannibal cults from the darkest corners of the earth. A creepy doctor in a sinister asylum. An abomination that stalks the wasteland during World War I.
These and other tales examine the dark forces lurking just outside our world Beyond Dimensional Veils .
Praise for Beyond Dimensional Veils
“A short story collection in a league of its own, with a definitive Twilight Zone vibe throughout.”—D.A. Butcher, author of Eyes of Sleeping Children
“A great modern example of cosmic horror.”--Michael R. Goodwin, author of Smolder
“Harkening to a Lovecraftian style … Durrant manages to create mystery and dread of the unknown from the first story to the last.”—Michael Benavidez, author of When Angels Fail
“I really enjoyed Kyle's collection and how unique every story was.”—Kyra R. Torres, author of Hot Pink Satanism
“I honestly thought the book was brilliant.”—Carla Elliot, contributor to Parasite Gods
“From puzzling books, to time travel mysteries to cult-like isolated communities … there is plenty in here to satisfy most readers who have even a passing interest in the genre.”—Ian J. Middleton, author of Ominous
Peel back the thin skin between our reality and cosmic horrors in the regions beyond. In those unfathomable depths you’ll find…
Sinister books that drive family men to murder. Cannibal cults from the darkest corners of the earth. A creepy doctor in a sinister asylum. An abomination that stalks the wasteland during World War I.
These and other tales examine the dark forces lurking just outside our world Beyond Dimensional Veils .
Praise for Beyond Dimensional Veils
“A short story collection in a league of its own, with a definitive Twilight Zone vibe throughout.”—D.A. Butcher, author of Eyes of Sleeping Children
“A great modern example of cosmic horror.”--Michael R. Goodwin, author of Smolder
“Harkening to a Lovecraftian style … Durrant manages to create mystery and dread of the unknown from the first story to the last.”—Michael Benavidez, author of When Angels Fail
“I really enjoyed Kyle's collection and how unique every story was.”—Kyra R. Torres, author of Hot Pink Satanism
“I honestly thought the book was brilliant.”—Carla Elliot, contributor to Parasite Gods
“From puzzling books, to time travel mysteries to cult-like isolated communities … there is plenty in here to satisfy most readers who have even a passing interest in the genre.”—Ian J. Middleton, author of Ominous
- GenresHorror
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2021
36 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Kyle J. Durrant
15 books49 followersKyle J. Durrant was born in 1997 and raised in East Anglia, though has probably spent most of his life exploring other worlds. He fell in love with writing at the age of ten and hasn't stopped since.
When not writing, he tends to sit in varying stages of existential dread, or delves into video games, books and movies relating to whatever obsessive fixation he is in at the time.
Kyle has written copious amounts of notes relating to his fictional worlds, which drastically outnumber his completed stories.
Follow him on Instagram: @kylejdurrantauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 8, 2022
"It was a simple, sunny day until old Jim stepped out of his house in a blood-soaked raincoat"
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Spoilers / Review for Beyond Dimensional Veils by @kylejdurrantauthor
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The second book club choice over at @theindiehorrorbookclub was Beyond Dimensional Veils by Kyle J Durrant. Cosmological horrors awaited us within. Let's discuss a few (not enough space) of the tales that we read!
.
- Whispers in the Water - Old Jim Taylor steps out of his house in a blood soaked rain coat one day before jumping in front of a moving vehicle. Why?! ... A dark opening tale which introduces something which springs up a number of times in this collection. Dark, but brilliant. 5/5 ⭐
- Abomination - In the trenches of World War One, our narrator was driven mad by an unspeakable terror... I liked the WWI setting which made a great backdrop for a great story! 4.5/5 ⭐
- The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill - Mary Dunhill went missing one day. But she returned. Years later... A small town mystery tale. A lot to like here. Kyle really manages to hook you with this curious tale! 5/5 ⭐
- K'HRB, Mother of Hunger - Marcus' grandfather told Marcus about his experiences during WW2 in Polynesia. Marcus is fascinated and begins exploring. He befriends a group who worship K'HRB, Mother of Hunger!... The isolated island elements works very well. It gets a bit weird but I really liked it! Bizzare but brilliant! 4.5/5 ⭐
- The Madness Behind Their Eyes - Victor Hyde is curious about madness so goes to Foxworth Asylum... An uncomfortable atmosphere with the asylum that works very well. You have to keep going with this one to see what's to come. It gets very unexpected but works very well. 5/5 ⭐
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There's more that await but here's some of my favourites. But how about you guys? Have you tried this one? Do we share any favourites? Thank you to Kyle for signing my copy the other week!
.
Spoilers / Review for Beyond Dimensional Veils by @kylejdurrantauthor
.
The second book club choice over at @theindiehorrorbookclub was Beyond Dimensional Veils by Kyle J Durrant. Cosmological horrors awaited us within. Let's discuss a few (not enough space) of the tales that we read!
.
- Whispers in the Water - Old Jim Taylor steps out of his house in a blood soaked rain coat one day before jumping in front of a moving vehicle. Why?! ... A dark opening tale which introduces something which springs up a number of times in this collection. Dark, but brilliant. 5/5 ⭐
- Abomination - In the trenches of World War One, our narrator was driven mad by an unspeakable terror... I liked the WWI setting which made a great backdrop for a great story! 4.5/5 ⭐
- The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill - Mary Dunhill went missing one day. But she returned. Years later... A small town mystery tale. A lot to like here. Kyle really manages to hook you with this curious tale! 5/5 ⭐
- K'HRB, Mother of Hunger - Marcus' grandfather told Marcus about his experiences during WW2 in Polynesia. Marcus is fascinated and begins exploring. He befriends a group who worship K'HRB, Mother of Hunger!... The isolated island elements works very well. It gets a bit weird but I really liked it! Bizzare but brilliant! 4.5/5 ⭐
- The Madness Behind Their Eyes - Victor Hyde is curious about madness so goes to Foxworth Asylum... An uncomfortable atmosphere with the asylum that works very well. You have to keep going with this one to see what's to come. It gets very unexpected but works very well. 5/5 ⭐
.
There's more that await but here's some of my favourites. But how about you guys? Have you tried this one? Do we share any favourites? Thank you to Kyle for signing my copy the other week!
August 28, 2021
Beyond Dimensional Veils is a short story collection, but it all connects. We start by meeting Jim Taylor, wandering his neighborhood covered in blood, maybe some type of coral? When inspectors get to the house, it's covered head to toe in this coral/muck/fungi. This fungi/coral follows us through the rest of the stories.
While I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection, a few of my favorites stand out: The Sudden Disappearance of Mary Dunhill, It Wants You to Sleep, K'hrb, Mother of Hunger, and The Madness Behind their Eyes.
Kyle J. Durrant is an author to watch. If you love cosmic horror like I do, give Beyond Dimensional Veils a chance.
Thank you Kyle for allowing me to read your short story collection! I received a free eBook of this collection, but it is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
While I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection, a few of my favorites stand out: The Sudden Disappearance of Mary Dunhill, It Wants You to Sleep, K'hrb, Mother of Hunger, and The Madness Behind their Eyes.
Kyle J. Durrant is an author to watch. If you love cosmic horror like I do, give Beyond Dimensional Veils a chance.
Thank you Kyle for allowing me to read your short story collection! I received a free eBook of this collection, but it is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
March 21, 2021
"They come not in awe; they come to us hungry, curious and divine"...
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Durrant's way with words struck me immediately as a highlight; his descriptions are constructed beautifully and his suspense is spectacular. Every tale will have you holding your breath. He may as well be holding your head under cold saltwater as you read, as if from the Book of Coral itself...
.
Some of my favourite stories:
WHISPERS IN THE WATER - The perfect introductory tale to Durrant's terrifying universe and the Coral Coated Book.
K'HRB, MOTHER OF HUNGER - A man travels to forgotten islands of Earth in search of knowledge, and encounters a strange cannibal cult.
THE MADNESS BEHIND THEIR EYES - Set in an asylum for the criminally insane, but there is something unsettling about the place, practices, patients, and Doctor Howard.
VULTURES - A drunken walk home turns terrifying. "Mother always told me not to take the shortcut down Bleak Wood Lane".
CAST AWAY - A man washed up on an island has forgotten his name and terror awaits.
.
A short story collection in a league of its own, with a definitive Twilight Zone vibe throughout. I love how Durrant interlinks these stories into the same universe - no easy feat! Every tale drags you by the hair into the twisted shadows of Durrant's imagination. Durrant's hooks are sharp and barbed: "It was a simple, sunny day until old Jim stepped out of his house in a blood-soaked raincoat." I love his "exploration of humanity's insignificance in the cosmic hierarchy", at the end, which, like the tales within, will leave you pondering about the creatures beyond the veil of our reality and about our own existence. These Lovecraftian tales are set in modern day England, and as all great Horror does, they suggest the presence of terrifying beings, while inciting nightmares! This book is a superb, 5⭐ effort, from an up-and-coming author.
.
Durrant's way with words struck me immediately as a highlight; his descriptions are constructed beautifully and his suspense is spectacular. Every tale will have you holding your breath. He may as well be holding your head under cold saltwater as you read, as if from the Book of Coral itself...
.
Some of my favourite stories:
WHISPERS IN THE WATER - The perfect introductory tale to Durrant's terrifying universe and the Coral Coated Book.
K'HRB, MOTHER OF HUNGER - A man travels to forgotten islands of Earth in search of knowledge, and encounters a strange cannibal cult.
THE MADNESS BEHIND THEIR EYES - Set in an asylum for the criminally insane, but there is something unsettling about the place, practices, patients, and Doctor Howard.
VULTURES - A drunken walk home turns terrifying. "Mother always told me not to take the shortcut down Bleak Wood Lane".
CAST AWAY - A man washed up on an island has forgotten his name and terror awaits.
.
A short story collection in a league of its own, with a definitive Twilight Zone vibe throughout. I love how Durrant interlinks these stories into the same universe - no easy feat! Every tale drags you by the hair into the twisted shadows of Durrant's imagination. Durrant's hooks are sharp and barbed: "It was a simple, sunny day until old Jim stepped out of his house in a blood-soaked raincoat." I love his "exploration of humanity's insignificance in the cosmic hierarchy", at the end, which, like the tales within, will leave you pondering about the creatures beyond the veil of our reality and about our own existence. These Lovecraftian tales are set in modern day England, and as all great Horror does, they suggest the presence of terrifying beings, while inciting nightmares! This book is a superb, 5⭐ effort, from an up-and-coming author.
March 9, 2021
BEYOND DIMENSIONAL VEILS is the debut collection from indie author Kyle J Durrant and I have been *hyped* to read this thing ever since he won the Parasite Gods short story contest from Blood Rites Horror a few months back. (That winning story will be publishing in an anthology of the same name in just a few days!)
And this book delivered.
Personally, I’m a big fan of cosmic Lovecraftian weird fiction, especially in short story form, but I think this particular book will appeal to all horror fans. (Early reviews concur with this sentiment.) Durrant’s writing is both easily digestible and uniquely styled. His stories move quickly and his characters don’t sit around navel gazing. In short, it’s a damn fun read.
The collection kicks off with “Whispers in the Water,” which grabs you immediately with that opening line and then quickly shows you the author’s unique world-building, with coral-covered books and diamonds and mysterious dimensional rips. I loved how these stories slowly begin to stitch together to form a complete tapestry. I hope Durant plans on visiting this world many more times!
Favorite stories:
Abomination
It Wants You to Sleep
The Madness Behind Their Eyes
Vultures
Cast Away
Overall, I cannot express just how immensely impressed I am with this author’s debut. I highly recommend you grab a copy and see for yourself.
Thank you for the ARC, Kyle! This was easily a five-star read.
And this book delivered.
Personally, I’m a big fan of cosmic Lovecraftian weird fiction, especially in short story form, but I think this particular book will appeal to all horror fans. (Early reviews concur with this sentiment.) Durrant’s writing is both easily digestible and uniquely styled. His stories move quickly and his characters don’t sit around navel gazing. In short, it’s a damn fun read.
The collection kicks off with “Whispers in the Water,” which grabs you immediately with that opening line and then quickly shows you the author’s unique world-building, with coral-covered books and diamonds and mysterious dimensional rips. I loved how these stories slowly begin to stitch together to form a complete tapestry. I hope Durant plans on visiting this world many more times!
Favorite stories:
Abomination
It Wants You to Sleep
The Madness Behind Their Eyes
Vultures
Cast Away
Overall, I cannot express just how immensely impressed I am with this author’s debut. I highly recommend you grab a copy and see for yourself.
Thank you for the ARC, Kyle! This was easily a five-star read.
October 24, 2021
I’ve never read Lovecraft and I’m not sure I’ve read any ‘cosmic horror’ prior to this short story collection, so it’s possible this just isn’t the genre for me. While a couple repeating words felt excessive, I had no big issues with the writing, and I understand the repetition could be intentional and an effective tool with other readers. I did enjoy The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill and K’Hrb, Mother of Hunger, but I wasn’t able to connect with the other stories in the collection.
March 28, 2021
This collection of short stories is a great modern example of cosmic horror. In the tradition of Lovecraft, Durrant crafts his stories in broad, far-reaching strokes that envelope you, all while adding his modern flair.
A highly recommended read, and a great debut from an Indie Horror author to watch.
A highly recommended read, and a great debut from an Indie Horror author to watch.
May 14, 2021
Durrant delivers a heavy dose of cosmic horror from within this collection of stories.
Harkening to a Lovecraftian style (minus the racism, sexism, all other isms, of course) Kyle Durrant manages to create mystery and dread of the unknown from the first story to the last. Weaving a mythos styled rotation of stories, where he goes back and fills in minor details of previous stories, we are given a modern set of gods and monsters to fear.
Ranging from the shorter flash fiction-esque stories that tell enough to raise hairs but give nothing of the mystery away, to fully fleshed unknown relics and gods, the stories never tire or bore. Kyle manages to shift styles accordingly, hitting Clive Barker styled beats (K'HRB MOTHER OF THE HUNGER) only to follow it up with true Lovecraftian styled horrors (J'ZAN'DIOS).
As with most cosmic horror, the effectiveness lies in the prose. Turn of phrases appear and blend in with the unusual, creating a vague enough picture of what should scare us, without revealing its truth and allowing ourselves to become calm with it. The writing is smooth, the stories constructed are absolute top notch.
All in all this is a great release of short stories that capture a modern flair merged with horror classics.
Harkening to a Lovecraftian style (minus the racism, sexism, all other isms, of course) Kyle Durrant manages to create mystery and dread of the unknown from the first story to the last. Weaving a mythos styled rotation of stories, where he goes back and fills in minor details of previous stories, we are given a modern set of gods and monsters to fear.
Ranging from the shorter flash fiction-esque stories that tell enough to raise hairs but give nothing of the mystery away, to fully fleshed unknown relics and gods, the stories never tire or bore. Kyle manages to shift styles accordingly, hitting Clive Barker styled beats (K'HRB MOTHER OF THE HUNGER) only to follow it up with true Lovecraftian styled horrors (J'ZAN'DIOS).
As with most cosmic horror, the effectiveness lies in the prose. Turn of phrases appear and blend in with the unusual, creating a vague enough picture of what should scare us, without revealing its truth and allowing ourselves to become calm with it. The writing is smooth, the stories constructed are absolute top notch.
All in all this is a great release of short stories that capture a modern flair merged with horror classics.
November 28, 2021
Every story in this collection was laced with brilliance, IMO. Durrant writes with an amazing philosophical air. I've rarely come across a writer that can consistently grip me from the first line. But Durrant has it down to an art. His stories are dimensions of poetic commentary wrapped in descriptive and alluring proses. I also love how he varied his writing style between first and third person, as for me, a reader, I prefer to have that mixture--I like that I could be both, in the head of the narrative, intimately, and to also be, just an observer.
This book is a collection of must reads, IMO. I highly suggest picking up a copy.
Beyond Dimensional Veils
This book is a collection of must reads, IMO. I highly suggest picking up a copy.
Beyond Dimensional Veils
October 13, 2021
Whispers in the Water - I loved She Carries the Cosmos by Kyle J. Durrant so I came into this collection with high hopes. This first story is a lengthy one and I always thought that I preferred shorter... well short stories. I am being proven wrong each time I turn around. This one was compelling from beginning to end. I also liked the inclusion with one of the characters never referred to as he or she but rather they/their. Filled with gruesome images and haunting scenes this one will definitely be one I revisit. 💧💧💧💧💧/5 drops of water
J'zan'dios - This was a super short story but I felt so emotionally invested in the tale of J'zan'dios. At the same time I was apprehensive due to the implications that came with the essence of it.
🌌🌌🌌🌌🌌/5 lifeless voids
Abomination - At first I wasn't sure if this story connected with me. We are in the head of somebody that experienced something so horrific that it caused them to not being able to function or communicate properly. This is evident throughout the story where we get glimpses of what was witnessed but no clear picture. 🤯🤯🤯🤯/5 blown minds.
The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill - Disappeared without a trace. Stepping through a tear in reality, finding shimmering diamonds that are off limits. While there was a conclusion to this story that was very frustrating I loved that certain information was withheld because we are not worthy of knowing it. 💎💎💎💎/5 sparkling forbidden diamonds
It Wants You To Sleep - This one stressed me out! From the spongey ground that Ray had to try to run on to the foul, misshapen beast that pursued him. So glad I'm going home to go to bed after I read this one! Another homerun! 🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺/5 vaguely canine heads
The Music from Beyond the Door - I was getting The Tell-Tale Heart vibes from this one at the beginning. Where other stories have put me on edge, this one put me at ease, it felt like a palate cleanser. 🚪🎶🎶🎶/5 melodies beyond the door
K'hrb, Mother of Hunger - One of the longer stories so far, this one had me hooked from beginning to end. It felt like it was five pages long because I could not stop reading, I needed to find out what happened next! 🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛/5 jugs of sour milk
Diamonds of the Void - Following our reviews of The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill, Kyle let us know that there was a follow up story in the collection. Each story after that I entered with eager anticipation of that follow up and I was not disappointed. A few more answers were gleaned from the pages of this story and that ending is haunting and so clever! 🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢/5 poorly placed buildings
The Coral-Coated Book - I love the follow ups in this one. Especially this time because I did not see it coming at all! This story was so effective and filled me with an immense sense of dread because of the earlier story in the collection. I knew something bad was going to happen, I just didn't know what it was. 👁👁👁👁.5/5 plucked eyeballs
The Madness Behind Their Eyes - Asylums are never good places to end up. If you have the choice to voluntarily visit one for any reason other than a loved one being in there, don't fucking do it. Even if a relative is locked up make sure it's one of the ones you actually like before you visit. This never ends well. The setting and Durrant's writing style had me on the edge of my seat throughout this story. ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡/5 electro shock therapy sessions.
Vultures - Some towns have that one street that people just avoid. Either it is a bad part of town or just gives everybody the creeps. This was a fun story about poor drunken decision making. I really liked the vultures that we are introduced to. I would love to get more of their story. 🪶🪶🪶🪶/5 vulture feathers
Cast Away - Lighthouses are inherently creepy which is funny because they serve as a beacon of salvation. I didn't know where this story was going but I loved the journey that it took me on. 🏐🏐🏐🏐.5/5 Wilson volleyballs
Why Us? - Talk about a feeling of existential dread! I feel like I've been staring up at the stars, contemplating my existence while feeling so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I love that this last entry has me thinking and questioning everything. 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯/5 underused, blown minds
Overall this collection is one that I wish I had read sooner. Many of the stories kept me thinking far after I finished them and I always appreciate that in a story. Kyle J Durrant has a way of crafting tales with complex themes that don't completely go over your head. 🌠🌠🌠🌠.5/5 cosmic gold stars for this! Go read it!
J'zan'dios - This was a super short story but I felt so emotionally invested in the tale of J'zan'dios. At the same time I was apprehensive due to the implications that came with the essence of it.
🌌🌌🌌🌌🌌/5 lifeless voids
Abomination - At first I wasn't sure if this story connected with me. We are in the head of somebody that experienced something so horrific that it caused them to not being able to function or communicate properly. This is evident throughout the story where we get glimpses of what was witnessed but no clear picture. 🤯🤯🤯🤯/5 blown minds.
The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill - Disappeared without a trace. Stepping through a tear in reality, finding shimmering diamonds that are off limits. While there was a conclusion to this story that was very frustrating I loved that certain information was withheld because we are not worthy of knowing it. 💎💎💎💎/5 sparkling forbidden diamonds
It Wants You To Sleep - This one stressed me out! From the spongey ground that Ray had to try to run on to the foul, misshapen beast that pursued him. So glad I'm going home to go to bed after I read this one! Another homerun! 🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺/5 vaguely canine heads
The Music from Beyond the Door - I was getting The Tell-Tale Heart vibes from this one at the beginning. Where other stories have put me on edge, this one put me at ease, it felt like a palate cleanser. 🚪🎶🎶🎶/5 melodies beyond the door
K'hrb, Mother of Hunger - One of the longer stories so far, this one had me hooked from beginning to end. It felt like it was five pages long because I could not stop reading, I needed to find out what happened next! 🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛/5 jugs of sour milk
Diamonds of the Void - Following our reviews of The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill, Kyle let us know that there was a follow up story in the collection. Each story after that I entered with eager anticipation of that follow up and I was not disappointed. A few more answers were gleaned from the pages of this story and that ending is haunting and so clever! 🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢/5 poorly placed buildings
The Coral-Coated Book - I love the follow ups in this one. Especially this time because I did not see it coming at all! This story was so effective and filled me with an immense sense of dread because of the earlier story in the collection. I knew something bad was going to happen, I just didn't know what it was. 👁👁👁👁.5/5 plucked eyeballs
The Madness Behind Their Eyes - Asylums are never good places to end up. If you have the choice to voluntarily visit one for any reason other than a loved one being in there, don't fucking do it. Even if a relative is locked up make sure it's one of the ones you actually like before you visit. This never ends well. The setting and Durrant's writing style had me on the edge of my seat throughout this story. ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡/5 electro shock therapy sessions.
Vultures - Some towns have that one street that people just avoid. Either it is a bad part of town or just gives everybody the creeps. This was a fun story about poor drunken decision making. I really liked the vultures that we are introduced to. I would love to get more of their story. 🪶🪶🪶🪶/5 vulture feathers
Cast Away - Lighthouses are inherently creepy which is funny because they serve as a beacon of salvation. I didn't know where this story was going but I loved the journey that it took me on. 🏐🏐🏐🏐.5/5 Wilson volleyballs
Why Us? - Talk about a feeling of existential dread! I feel like I've been staring up at the stars, contemplating my existence while feeling so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I love that this last entry has me thinking and questioning everything. 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯/5 underused, blown minds
Overall this collection is one that I wish I had read sooner. Many of the stories kept me thinking far after I finished them and I always appreciate that in a story. Kyle J Durrant has a way of crafting tales with complex themes that don't completely go over your head. 🌠🌠🌠🌠.5/5 cosmic gold stars for this! Go read it!
June 1, 2021
A powerhouse debut from a new voice in Lovecraftian fiction.
October 22, 2021
I am not a fan of this genre, too Lovecraftian for me and I just can't get into it. I did however really enjoy The Sudden Re-appearance of Mary Dunhill and K'hrbb.
June 15, 2024
3.5 stars.
The strongest work appears near the beginning, with the standout stories already discussed in other reviews. The best by far is The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill. All interconnected, this is an interesting collection.
The strongest work appears near the beginning, with the standout stories already discussed in other reviews. The best by far is The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill. All interconnected, this is an interesting collection.
March 2, 2021
I am so glad that I've read this dark and slightly disturbing collection of stories - I honestly thought the book was brilliant ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I wasn't sure if 'Beyond Dimensional Veils' was going to be my sort of book, but as soon as I started it I knew I was going to enjoy it. The first story in the collection is 'Whispers in the Water' - this was definitely the right story to open the book with.
"It was a simple, sunny day until old Jim stepped out of his house in a blood-soaked raincoat."
'Whispers in the Water' was one of my favourite stories in the collection. The others that I really liked were 'The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill', 'The Music From Beyond the Door', 'Diamonds in the Void', 'Vultures', and 'Cast Away'. Although, all of them were very good.
While reading each story, I can't say why exactly, I had memories of the fear I felt whenever I used to watch old horror movies - films such as 'Asylum' (1972) with Robert Powell or 'Whistle and I'll Come to You' (1968). I think it's because a lot of the classic movies tended to hint at something sinister, but we never knew what it actually was, which is always more terrifying. Kyle similarly hints at something beyond our comprehension, all the way through the book, brilliantly linking each story together, but it's something that humanity can never fully grasp.
Kyle finishes the book with 'Why Us?', which isn't really a story, but is an intriguing and insightful "exploration of humanity's insignificance in the cosmic hierarchy".
I'm very happy that I can add this book to my collection. Loved it. There were a few grammatical errors, but I still thought it deserved 5 stars.
I wasn't sure if 'Beyond Dimensional Veils' was going to be my sort of book, but as soon as I started it I knew I was going to enjoy it. The first story in the collection is 'Whispers in the Water' - this was definitely the right story to open the book with.
"It was a simple, sunny day until old Jim stepped out of his house in a blood-soaked raincoat."
'Whispers in the Water' was one of my favourite stories in the collection. The others that I really liked were 'The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill', 'The Music From Beyond the Door', 'Diamonds in the Void', 'Vultures', and 'Cast Away'. Although, all of them were very good.
While reading each story, I can't say why exactly, I had memories of the fear I felt whenever I used to watch old horror movies - films such as 'Asylum' (1972) with Robert Powell or 'Whistle and I'll Come to You' (1968). I think it's because a lot of the classic movies tended to hint at something sinister, but we never knew what it actually was, which is always more terrifying. Kyle similarly hints at something beyond our comprehension, all the way through the book, brilliantly linking each story together, but it's something that humanity can never fully grasp.
Kyle finishes the book with 'Why Us?', which isn't really a story, but is an intriguing and insightful "exploration of humanity's insignificance in the cosmic hierarchy".
I'm very happy that I can add this book to my collection. Loved it. There were a few grammatical errors, but I still thought it deserved 5 stars.
October 20, 2021
I've read a lot of indie horror in the last couple of years, a LOT, and almost nobody tries to write cosmic horror. Despite it being one of my favourite kinds of horror, the reason behind this is that it is the most difficult kind of horror to properly pull off.
This collection of short stories by Kyle J. Durrant might be on the top three best cosmic horror books I read in the last couple of years.
The stories are both original and varied (which is way rarer than you might think,) the prose is not only very good but it is consistent as well and the pacing is top-notch: it keeps you guessing, but at the same time when something happens it makes sense, rather than feeling like something that springs out of the floorboards suddenly as a cheap "deus-ex-machina" in a ham-fisted attempt to drag the story forward.
Also, some elements are recurring enough to allow Durrant to carve up his own literary world, which is admirable.
My one negative note is that (not surprisingly, given the genre) sometimes Durrant is a tiny bit too much Lovecraft-derivative (luckily without the raging racism,) though I think most of the time it was an homage. Still, the man is still very young, I am definitely looking forward to what else he will cook up in the future.
This collection of short stories by Kyle J. Durrant might be on the top three best cosmic horror books I read in the last couple of years.
The stories are both original and varied (which is way rarer than you might think,) the prose is not only very good but it is consistent as well and the pacing is top-notch: it keeps you guessing, but at the same time when something happens it makes sense, rather than feeling like something that springs out of the floorboards suddenly as a cheap "deus-ex-machina" in a ham-fisted attempt to drag the story forward.
Also, some elements are recurring enough to allow Durrant to carve up his own literary world, which is admirable.
My one negative note is that (not surprisingly, given the genre) sometimes Durrant is a tiny bit too much Lovecraft-derivative (luckily without the raging racism,) though I think most of the time it was an homage. Still, the man is still very young, I am definitely looking forward to what else he will cook up in the future.
February 26, 2022
This was cool. And as much as I'd like to leave the review at that, it probably requires a little more explanation.
So, this was cool, for two main reasons which are somewhat related. The collection of short stories broadly falls under the umbrella of Cosmic Horror. A genre that, until recently, I've not been overly fussed with as I kind of lumped it under grammatically challenged, indescribable creatures doing inter-dimensional things. And while there may be some of that in the collection here, there is so much more, which has really opened my eyes to what the sub-genre can offer.
From puzzling books, to time travel mysteries to cult-like isolated communities (a personal favourite), there is plenty in here to satisfy most readers who have even a passing interest in the genre.
My only criticism is that a number of the stories deserved to be novella or novel length. A lot of ground can be covered in a few pages and sometimes it would have been cool to delve a little deeper into the plot points. But hey, maybe that means we'll get an extended version of these stories in the future.
So, this was cool, for two main reasons which are somewhat related. The collection of short stories broadly falls under the umbrella of Cosmic Horror. A genre that, until recently, I've not been overly fussed with as I kind of lumped it under grammatically challenged, indescribable creatures doing inter-dimensional things. And while there may be some of that in the collection here, there is so much more, which has really opened my eyes to what the sub-genre can offer.
From puzzling books, to time travel mysteries to cult-like isolated communities (a personal favourite), there is plenty in here to satisfy most readers who have even a passing interest in the genre.
My only criticism is that a number of the stories deserved to be novella or novel length. A lot of ground can be covered in a few pages and sometimes it would have been cool to delve a little deeper into the plot points. But hey, maybe that means we'll get an extended version of these stories in the future.
June 26, 2021
I have been lucky in 2021. The books I've been reading by fellow indie authors have been astounding. This is no exception. I need to say that this is one of my favourites. A book comes along you didn't know you needed. I sped through this collection with ease, and it was a pleasure.
The cosmic. The weird. The downright terrifying. The strangely beautiful. This book has it all. Kyle's writing is suburb, poetic and of a high vocabulary. I know that isn't for everyone, and some might find their reading speed laboured, but this is right up my alley and I enjoyed every single story. From the horrible and ravenous outcome from visiting a hidden island tribe, to the mysteries of sudden disappearances; from a being that stalks you in your sleep, to the absolutely beautiful story of discovering a safe and peaceful void in your cellar, cocooning you with strange and heavenly music. I loved it all, and that's saying something, because I am not usually one for cosmic horror.
The thing I enjoyed the most was that some of these tales link up, which means they probably all do, all set in the same baffling universe. This is only one of two horror collections by indie authors I have seen to do this (the other is written by Yours Truly hehe). I have found a literary brother in Kyle J Durrant, and I'm excited to see what other horrors lurk in his cranium.
This is only my second or third 5 star rating this whole year. This book achieves everything it sets out to do. Buy it.
The cosmic. The weird. The downright terrifying. The strangely beautiful. This book has it all. Kyle's writing is suburb, poetic and of a high vocabulary. I know that isn't for everyone, and some might find their reading speed laboured, but this is right up my alley and I enjoyed every single story. From the horrible and ravenous outcome from visiting a hidden island tribe, to the mysteries of sudden disappearances; from a being that stalks you in your sleep, to the absolutely beautiful story of discovering a safe and peaceful void in your cellar, cocooning you with strange and heavenly music. I loved it all, and that's saying something, because I am not usually one for cosmic horror.
The thing I enjoyed the most was that some of these tales link up, which means they probably all do, all set in the same baffling universe. This is only one of two horror collections by indie authors I have seen to do this (the other is written by Yours Truly hehe). I have found a literary brother in Kyle J Durrant, and I'm excited to see what other horrors lurk in his cranium.
This is only my second or third 5 star rating this whole year. This book achieves everything it sets out to do. Buy it.
July 8, 2021
This is the first book I read on kindle, rather on my phone, and that is extremely rare. I don't like reading on my phone, it gives me headaches. But this book was so damn entertaining and awesome I couldn't stop reading.
It made me want to own a kindle of my own. So Mr. Kyle J. Durrant, know that your collection made me appreciate kindle and I will get one for my birthday!
Now about the book, this collection was beyond-pun intended- my expectations. Spooky, visceral, I cannot believe this is a debut collection. Lovecraftian horror is NOT easy to write. You my friend, did a splendid job.
It made me want to own a kindle of my own. So Mr. Kyle J. Durrant, know that your collection made me appreciate kindle and I will get one for my birthday!
Now about the book, this collection was beyond-pun intended- my expectations. Spooky, visceral, I cannot believe this is a debut collection. Lovecraftian horror is NOT easy to write. You my friend, did a splendid job.
November 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW: Beyond Dimensional Veils by Kyle J Durrant.
WHISPERS IN THE WATER
A cracker of an opener, this story sets up a bloody & surreal mystery. Dripping with atmosphere & damp cosmic weirdness.
J’ZAN’DIOS
Less a story than an interlude, this short piece sets up a cosmic (you will hear that word a lot) mythology I hope will be revisited?
ABOMINATION
The horrors of a WW1 battlefield is beset by an abomination that stalks the wasteland, driving one soldier towards insanity. This story is vividly described & leaves you wanting more (in a good way).
THE SUDDEN REAPPEARANCE OF MARY DUNHILL
This interesting story takes a birds-eye view of an odd phenomenon taking place in a small town, where people disappear for six years before returning from the void beyond. The cosmic mysteries deepen...
IT WANTS YOU TO SLEEP
Nightmare logic is the name of the game here, with a man being pursued in his dreams by something horrible and every night, it gets closer. Short but sweet(ly creepy).
THE MUSIC FROM BEYOND THE DOOR
A sensory exploration of some strange cosmic music makes for an exciting delve into the unknown. I hope it leads to more later...
K’HRB, MOTHER OF HUNGER
A return to more traditional storytelling, this tale features a remote tribe, their goddess, big ass maggots & some good old flesh munching.
DIAMONDS OF THE VOID
This story answers the mystery at the heart of the Mary Dunhill story & is suitably bizarre & out there & concludes with a blackly comic stinger.
THE CORAL-COATED BOOK
The book is back. A less horrific, more personalised tale of the book from the first story, which could even be a prequel? I could read a whole book on this book....
THE MADNESS BEHIND THEIR EYES
Who doesn’t love a good bit of asylum horror? Throw in a creepy doctor, the patients, plus some even more sinister shit & you’ve got the makings of a good spooky yarn.
VULTURES
A drunk person takes a shortcut down a forbidden path where something awaits. A nice sting in this tale as well.
CAST AWAY
Another strong story, this one has Dagon / Shadow Innsmouth vibes as it dabbles in aquatic horror with a shipwreck, a lighthouse and deep sea entities. Really liked this one.
WHY US? OR AN EXPLORATION OF HUMANITY’S INSIGNIFICANCE IN THE COSMIC HIERARCHY
More of a treatise on cosmic horror than a story, this short piece conveys the author’s ideas and intent with these stories. Could’ve easily gone at the beginning but works at the end.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
As a cosmic horror collection, the book is a good read, but some of the genre's tropes, such as less than memorable characters & atmosphere & strangeness over plot, can get a bit much. Some pieces read more as interludes or snippets of a larger story and aren’t as memorable as the longer pieces. But the ideas on display here prove the author is not just dabbling in the genre - he gets it through and through. My favourite stories are the most traditional pieces, such as Whispers in the Water, K’hrb & Castaway. Recommended for fans of cosmic horror / Lovecraft (minus the racism of course). I’m eager to see where Durrant goes from here - he is a talented writer indeed with a prodigious imagination.
4 coral coated books out of 5.
WHISPERS IN THE WATER
A cracker of an opener, this story sets up a bloody & surreal mystery. Dripping with atmosphere & damp cosmic weirdness.
J’ZAN’DIOS
Less a story than an interlude, this short piece sets up a cosmic (you will hear that word a lot) mythology I hope will be revisited?
ABOMINATION
The horrors of a WW1 battlefield is beset by an abomination that stalks the wasteland, driving one soldier towards insanity. This story is vividly described & leaves you wanting more (in a good way).
THE SUDDEN REAPPEARANCE OF MARY DUNHILL
This interesting story takes a birds-eye view of an odd phenomenon taking place in a small town, where people disappear for six years before returning from the void beyond. The cosmic mysteries deepen...
IT WANTS YOU TO SLEEP
Nightmare logic is the name of the game here, with a man being pursued in his dreams by something horrible and every night, it gets closer. Short but sweet(ly creepy).
THE MUSIC FROM BEYOND THE DOOR
A sensory exploration of some strange cosmic music makes for an exciting delve into the unknown. I hope it leads to more later...
K’HRB, MOTHER OF HUNGER
A return to more traditional storytelling, this tale features a remote tribe, their goddess, big ass maggots & some good old flesh munching.
DIAMONDS OF THE VOID
This story answers the mystery at the heart of the Mary Dunhill story & is suitably bizarre & out there & concludes with a blackly comic stinger.
THE CORAL-COATED BOOK
The book is back. A less horrific, more personalised tale of the book from the first story, which could even be a prequel? I could read a whole book on this book....
THE MADNESS BEHIND THEIR EYES
Who doesn’t love a good bit of asylum horror? Throw in a creepy doctor, the patients, plus some even more sinister shit & you’ve got the makings of a good spooky yarn.
VULTURES
A drunk person takes a shortcut down a forbidden path where something awaits. A nice sting in this tale as well.
CAST AWAY
Another strong story, this one has Dagon / Shadow Innsmouth vibes as it dabbles in aquatic horror with a shipwreck, a lighthouse and deep sea entities. Really liked this one.
WHY US? OR AN EXPLORATION OF HUMANITY’S INSIGNIFICANCE IN THE COSMIC HIERARCHY
More of a treatise on cosmic horror than a story, this short piece conveys the author’s ideas and intent with these stories. Could’ve easily gone at the beginning but works at the end.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
As a cosmic horror collection, the book is a good read, but some of the genre's tropes, such as less than memorable characters & atmosphere & strangeness over plot, can get a bit much. Some pieces read more as interludes or snippets of a larger story and aren’t as memorable as the longer pieces. But the ideas on display here prove the author is not just dabbling in the genre - he gets it through and through. My favourite stories are the most traditional pieces, such as Whispers in the Water, K’hrb & Castaway. Recommended for fans of cosmic horror / Lovecraft (minus the racism of course). I’m eager to see where Durrant goes from here - he is a talented writer indeed with a prodigious imagination.
4 coral coated books out of 5.
October 14, 2021
ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴅɪᴍᴇɴsɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴠᴇɪʟs by @kylejdurrantauthor
I still need to let the cosmological dust drop down on our earthly plains to get the right feeling for this amazing set of stories! But here I am nonetheless to give you, mere mortals, a book review!
Kyle and I have talked about his love for Lovecraft and these stories truly prove this love for one of thé original cosmo-horror-author! But in my opinion there are echoes of Clive Barker’s Books of Blood (and Hellbound Heart) in these stories as well, and a little bit of Rick & Morty… yes, I find a certain kind of cosmological humour as well in the horrors!
My absolute favourites in this collection are: ‘Whispers in the Water, Abomination and the sudden disappearance of Mary Dunhill and I need to point out ‘K’HRB, mother of hunger’ as well!
If you love Lovecraft and Barker, get this book and savour all these tales of psychiatric institutions, giant bugs and vultures and black holes leaving you stranded on the worst parts of nowhere!
I still need to let the cosmological dust drop down on our earthly plains to get the right feeling for this amazing set of stories! But here I am nonetheless to give you, mere mortals, a book review!
Kyle and I have talked about his love for Lovecraft and these stories truly prove this love for one of thé original cosmo-horror-author! But in my opinion there are echoes of Clive Barker’s Books of Blood (and Hellbound Heart) in these stories as well, and a little bit of Rick & Morty… yes, I find a certain kind of cosmological humour as well in the horrors!
My absolute favourites in this collection are: ‘Whispers in the Water, Abomination and the sudden disappearance of Mary Dunhill and I need to point out ‘K’HRB, mother of hunger’ as well!
If you love Lovecraft and Barker, get this book and savour all these tales of psychiatric institutions, giant bugs and vultures and black holes leaving you stranded on the worst parts of nowhere!
March 28, 2021
Originally posted over at my personal blog site, Night Terror Novels
“Locked in a lightless limbo, exiled from reality, the ever decaying J’zan’dios defies the laws of the void, for life should not endure beyond the realms of reality.”
– Kyle J. Durrant, J’zan’dios
👾I received a physical ARC of this story in exchange for a fair review!👾
I’ve followed the author of this collection on Instagram for a little while, and it was through that platform that I initially heard about this book, and noticed that Kyle was seeking early reviewers for it. I’ve always been a fan of the sub-genre of horror that this anthology explores, so I cast my name into the ring for the pool of pre-release readers. I was very excited to receive a copy of this book from the author.
Beyond Dimensional Veils (2021) offers an appropriately spooky total of thirteen stories of varying lengths and narrative focuses. All of them feature elements of cosmic or eldritch horror in some way, shape or form (or, perhaps more fittingly given the themes, in one single form, one hideous, many-eyed and multi-limbed, utterly unknowable amalgamation). I found each of these stories to be engaging and unique, and taken as a whole, this is a fantastically strong debut anthology from the author.
Speaking on his style of writing, I feel that Kyle has a strong and unique author’s voice, one that is oftentimes quite reminiscent of the classic writers of this genre. It is more pronounced in some stories than others, but the distinctness of the narration flow throughout the entire collection to some degree. It sometimes brought to mind the styling of H. P. Lovecraft, beyond the similarities in terms of the content, and other writers of that era, such as that found in E. F. Benson’s works. I thought that it gave the stories a really enjoyable, retro fashion, and evoked the feeling of reading a vintage horror story, which I just loved.
In my opinion, I felt that every story brought something new and refreshing to the book, but if I were made to pick three personal favourites, my highlights would’ve been those titled J’zan’dios, The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill and K’hrb, Mother of Hunger. Speaking of the titles, they were all excellent and followed this same imaginative trend. The latter story, which concerns a man visiting an isolated Melanesian tribe and discovering the eponymous deity that they worship, was one I particularly loved. It was a delectably dark tale of an unsavoury appetite influenced by the mysterious entity at its centre, K’hrb.
Despite the stories all belonging to the same cosmic horror theme that runs throughout the book’s pages, the author also offers a real diverse range of characters and settings, so I think there's something here for every horror fan. Several of the stories linked together with one another too – an aspect I also enjoyed a great deal, as it unified the anthology and made it function as more of a complete whole, beyond being just a collected work of creepy and unsettling narratives.
I would have loved to have seen a good number of the shorter stories fleshed out even further, but in my eyes that is the mark of a great tale – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it can only ever be a good thing to want to see shorter stories expanded. I really do hope that Kyle decides to revisit some of these otherworldly beings and entities in future projects, as they are brilliant in both concept and execution. As Kyle himself suggests in the afterword, perhaps these stories reached out to him from beyond these dimensional veils, and demanded their tales be told? If so, I very much hope some of them do in again in the future.
Overall, this was a really accomplished debut collection, filled to the brim, and positively set to burst, with ingenuity and pure imagination. It’s clear from the first page to the last that this is a sub-genre Kyle is hugely passionate about, and that is reflected in each and every story. These are tales of gods and monsters, of places known and familiar, and those that are unknowable and impossible to comprehend. By turns magical, wondrous and horrifying, each tale offers a glimpse into realms outside our own – and each is an absolute joy to experience.
VERDICT: Beyond Dimensional Veils is an extremely imaginative collection. It simultaneously harks back to the Victorian masters, while also remaining fresh, timely, and hugely original. There is an insane amount of creativity and inventiveness on display in this anthology, and it left me extremely excited to read more from Kyle. A powerful, captivating debut.
It’s a ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from this reviewer, and a humongous thank you to Kyle J. Durrant for providing the physical ARC and giving me the chance to read and review it early.
Book Information
Title(s): Beyond Dimensional Veils
Author(s): Kyle J. Durrant
Publisher(s): Self-published
Original Publication Date: 1st March, 2021
Page Count: 237 pages
Format Read: Physical
Advance Review Copy (Y/N): Y
Website(s): https://kylejdurrant.weebly.com/
“Locked in a lightless limbo, exiled from reality, the ever decaying J’zan’dios defies the laws of the void, for life should not endure beyond the realms of reality.”
– Kyle J. Durrant, J’zan’dios
👾I received a physical ARC of this story in exchange for a fair review!👾
I’ve followed the author of this collection on Instagram for a little while, and it was through that platform that I initially heard about this book, and noticed that Kyle was seeking early reviewers for it. I’ve always been a fan of the sub-genre of horror that this anthology explores, so I cast my name into the ring for the pool of pre-release readers. I was very excited to receive a copy of this book from the author.
Beyond Dimensional Veils (2021) offers an appropriately spooky total of thirteen stories of varying lengths and narrative focuses. All of them feature elements of cosmic or eldritch horror in some way, shape or form (or, perhaps more fittingly given the themes, in one single form, one hideous, many-eyed and multi-limbed, utterly unknowable amalgamation). I found each of these stories to be engaging and unique, and taken as a whole, this is a fantastically strong debut anthology from the author.
Speaking on his style of writing, I feel that Kyle has a strong and unique author’s voice, one that is oftentimes quite reminiscent of the classic writers of this genre. It is more pronounced in some stories than others, but the distinctness of the narration flow throughout the entire collection to some degree. It sometimes brought to mind the styling of H. P. Lovecraft, beyond the similarities in terms of the content, and other writers of that era, such as that found in E. F. Benson’s works. I thought that it gave the stories a really enjoyable, retro fashion, and evoked the feeling of reading a vintage horror story, which I just loved.
In my opinion, I felt that every story brought something new and refreshing to the book, but if I were made to pick three personal favourites, my highlights would’ve been those titled J’zan’dios, The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill and K’hrb, Mother of Hunger. Speaking of the titles, they were all excellent and followed this same imaginative trend. The latter story, which concerns a man visiting an isolated Melanesian tribe and discovering the eponymous deity that they worship, was one I particularly loved. It was a delectably dark tale of an unsavoury appetite influenced by the mysterious entity at its centre, K’hrb.
Despite the stories all belonging to the same cosmic horror theme that runs throughout the book’s pages, the author also offers a real diverse range of characters and settings, so I think there's something here for every horror fan. Several of the stories linked together with one another too – an aspect I also enjoyed a great deal, as it unified the anthology and made it function as more of a complete whole, beyond being just a collected work of creepy and unsettling narratives.
I would have loved to have seen a good number of the shorter stories fleshed out even further, but in my eyes that is the mark of a great tale – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it can only ever be a good thing to want to see shorter stories expanded. I really do hope that Kyle decides to revisit some of these otherworldly beings and entities in future projects, as they are brilliant in both concept and execution. As Kyle himself suggests in the afterword, perhaps these stories reached out to him from beyond these dimensional veils, and demanded their tales be told? If so, I very much hope some of them do in again in the future.
Overall, this was a really accomplished debut collection, filled to the brim, and positively set to burst, with ingenuity and pure imagination. It’s clear from the first page to the last that this is a sub-genre Kyle is hugely passionate about, and that is reflected in each and every story. These are tales of gods and monsters, of places known and familiar, and those that are unknowable and impossible to comprehend. By turns magical, wondrous and horrifying, each tale offers a glimpse into realms outside our own – and each is an absolute joy to experience.
VERDICT: Beyond Dimensional Veils is an extremely imaginative collection. It simultaneously harks back to the Victorian masters, while also remaining fresh, timely, and hugely original. There is an insane amount of creativity and inventiveness on display in this anthology, and it left me extremely excited to read more from Kyle. A powerful, captivating debut.
It’s a ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from this reviewer, and a humongous thank you to Kyle J. Durrant for providing the physical ARC and giving me the chance to read and review it early.
Book Information
Title(s): Beyond Dimensional Veils
Author(s): Kyle J. Durrant
Publisher(s): Self-published
Original Publication Date: 1st March, 2021
Page Count: 237 pages
Format Read: Physical
Advance Review Copy (Y/N): Y
Website(s): https://kylejdurrant.weebly.com/
March 2, 2021
I always tread lightly with any book that promises cosmic/Lovecraftian horror. It's not generally my kind of thing and I have DNF-ed several books over the years due to this. So I went into this book a bit warily.
But I have to say, that while the stories in this book certainly are full of cosmic horror, they're also full of enough...I don't know what to call it- general horror? - that they kept my attention.
Here there are beings from the stars and the seas, stories of blood and gore and sacrifice as well as stories of beautiful mystery and awe.
My one complaint is Durrant's tendency to overuse the same adjectives - sometimes the same one twice in one sentence. But I also have to say that he sure knows how to craft an opening line:
"It was a simple, sunny day until old Jim stepped out of his house in a blood-soaked raincoat." (Whispers in the Water)
"Something lurks in the shadows of the bedroom; an invisible presence that oozes an energy of unmistakable malevolence." (It Wants You to Sleep)
"Mother always told me not to take the shortcut down Bleak Wood Lane." (Vultures)
Several of the stories reference bits of stories earlier on, a certain coral-crusted book crops up multiple times.
My favorite stories were easily 'The Madness Behind Their Eyes', in which a writer researching an asylum gets more than he bargained for - this story gave me actual goosebumps; and 'Vultures', which details a shortcut gone terribly wrong.
The final entry in the book, 'Why Us? or An Exploration of Humanity's Insignificance in the Cosmic Hierarchy' is, I personally believe, best read in Rod Serling's voice, a la The Twilight Zone intro.
In fact, that's what these stories reminds me of: a much more horrific version of Twilight Zone episodes. So if creepy cults and eldritch gods sound like your cup of tea, definitely check out this collection.
But whatever you do, don't open the Coral Crusted Book.
But I have to say, that while the stories in this book certainly are full of cosmic horror, they're also full of enough...I don't know what to call it- general horror? - that they kept my attention.
Here there are beings from the stars and the seas, stories of blood and gore and sacrifice as well as stories of beautiful mystery and awe.
My one complaint is Durrant's tendency to overuse the same adjectives - sometimes the same one twice in one sentence. But I also have to say that he sure knows how to craft an opening line:
"It was a simple, sunny day until old Jim stepped out of his house in a blood-soaked raincoat." (Whispers in the Water)
"Something lurks in the shadows of the bedroom; an invisible presence that oozes an energy of unmistakable malevolence." (It Wants You to Sleep)
"Mother always told me not to take the shortcut down Bleak Wood Lane." (Vultures)
Several of the stories reference bits of stories earlier on, a certain coral-crusted book crops up multiple times.
My favorite stories were easily 'The Madness Behind Their Eyes', in which a writer researching an asylum gets more than he bargained for - this story gave me actual goosebumps; and 'Vultures', which details a shortcut gone terribly wrong.
The final entry in the book, 'Why Us? or An Exploration of Humanity's Insignificance in the Cosmic Hierarchy' is, I personally believe, best read in Rod Serling's voice, a la The Twilight Zone intro.
In fact, that's what these stories reminds me of: a much more horrific version of Twilight Zone episodes. So if creepy cults and eldritch gods sound like your cup of tea, definitely check out this collection.
But whatever you do, don't open the Coral Crusted Book.
October 27, 2021
“We have had many names, but none we choose to keep. We are simply what we are; we are the things that speak, now, into your mind. You hear our many voices, for your mind is now opened to us.”
“Beyond Dimensional Veils” is a short story collection. I love when short story collections have stories that are interconnected and build on each other and this collection has a lot of those. A coral coated book that promises it’s owner all that they could possibly desire, but doesn’t really deliver, appears repeatedly as does a rip in space where people just disappear through and return years later.
Cosmic horror isn’t for everyone. There are generally no neat conclusions or happy endings. Ordinary people become play things of inter dimensional entities with powers beyond our dreams, and even those that survive rarely come through the experience with their sanity intact. If, on the other hand, you are a fan of cosmic horror then you’ll love this book, as it delivers buckets of that oily creepiness. Some of my favourite stories were “The Madness Behind Their Eyes”, “K’hrb, Mother of Hunger”, and “Whispers in the Water”, but I enjoy all of them. There’s a little snippet of very dark humour that had me chuckling to myself. The story J’zan’dios made me feel sorry for an interdimensional monster, that’s a hard thing to do.
Overall I really enjoyed the collection and would recommend it if cosmic horror is your thing.
“Beyond Dimensional Veils” is a short story collection. I love when short story collections have stories that are interconnected and build on each other and this collection has a lot of those. A coral coated book that promises it’s owner all that they could possibly desire, but doesn’t really deliver, appears repeatedly as does a rip in space where people just disappear through and return years later.
Cosmic horror isn’t for everyone. There are generally no neat conclusions or happy endings. Ordinary people become play things of inter dimensional entities with powers beyond our dreams, and even those that survive rarely come through the experience with their sanity intact. If, on the other hand, you are a fan of cosmic horror then you’ll love this book, as it delivers buckets of that oily creepiness. Some of my favourite stories were “The Madness Behind Their Eyes”, “K’hrb, Mother of Hunger”, and “Whispers in the Water”, but I enjoy all of them. There’s a little snippet of very dark humour that had me chuckling to myself. The story J’zan’dios made me feel sorry for an interdimensional monster, that’s a hard thing to do.
Overall I really enjoyed the collection and would recommend it if cosmic horror is your thing.
June 8, 2022
4.5/5
I finished this a couple of days ago and couldn't think of the right words for my review so here's my brain dump.
I was really surprised by how much I really enjoyed this collection.
It's exactly what I want from short stories. I really like fiction based around The Old Ones, Eldritch horror type stuff and this is that. And I love stories where things aren't outright scary, things are just a bit off and unsettling. And there was elements of that here too.
If you've ever wanted to try books based on the type of stuff Lovecraft wrote about but find his work too hard to get into (and you really need a pickaxe to break into it) then really try this.
The writing is great. The stories are varied but have a cool thread running through them.
I can definitely confirm I'll by buying all of Kyle's horror stories going forward!
I finished this a couple of days ago and couldn't think of the right words for my review so here's my brain dump.
I was really surprised by how much I really enjoyed this collection.
It's exactly what I want from short stories. I really like fiction based around The Old Ones, Eldritch horror type stuff and this is that. And I love stories where things aren't outright scary, things are just a bit off and unsettling. And there was elements of that here too.
If you've ever wanted to try books based on the type of stuff Lovecraft wrote about but find his work too hard to get into (and you really need a pickaxe to break into it) then really try this.
The writing is great. The stories are varied but have a cool thread running through them.
I can definitely confirm I'll by buying all of Kyle's horror stories going forward!
May 23, 2021
I’ve never read cosmic horror before, and I admit I’m generally not the most fond of short story collections, but this collection blew me away (to a place beyond dimensional veils) and I devoured it. I kept reading each story and thinking, “this one is my new favorite,” but then I’d move onto the next and think the same thing because they were all so well done. The creativity in each story was mind blowing, and to be complemented by such beautiful prose was only the cherry on top. This was one of my favorite reads of the year, and I can’t wait to read more by the author in the future!
October 26, 2021
I haven’t read much Cosmic Horror in my life, but, from what I have read, I don’t think it’s for me. Which is how I felt about “Beyond Dimensional Veils” by Kyle J Durrant. While I appreciated Durrant’s ability to start a story off in a gripping way, and to set a dark and atmospheric tone to his tales, I thought the stories were a bit too abstract and emotionless. These stories were heavy on description and light on character development and dialogue. This made me feel a bit detached from them, and I found myself unable to connect to what I was reading.
October 26, 2021
A great book of short stories of scifi horror. Definitely recommend.
February 16, 2022
Fantastic collection of short stories pushing the boundaries on weird and wonderful horror!
September 10, 2022
I'm relatively new to cosmic horror, my only experience being some Lovecraft stories, but this collection blew me away.
Kyle has put together a stunning collection of haunting, disturbing tales from the dark corners of other realities. His coral-coated book mythos is a worthy successor to Lovecraft's necronomicon and I love how it holds his universes together like a diseased glue.
Most of these stories are bleak, dark and disturbing, but there are happy moments, funny moments, and most importantly, each story leaves you thinking about what's really out there. Kyle explores the horrors of war, insomnia, and the afterlife amongst many other poignant themes.
All the stories in here are fantastic in their own right, but my favourites were J'Zan'Dios, The Madness Behind Their eyes, Diamonds of the Void and Cast away.
This was my first time reading Kyle's work but it certainly wasn't my last, and I snap up his stories as soon as he churns them out. Highly recommended if you like any style of horror or just something that makes you nervous to turn off the lights!
Kyle has put together a stunning collection of haunting, disturbing tales from the dark corners of other realities. His coral-coated book mythos is a worthy successor to Lovecraft's necronomicon and I love how it holds his universes together like a diseased glue.
Most of these stories are bleak, dark and disturbing, but there are happy moments, funny moments, and most importantly, each story leaves you thinking about what's really out there. Kyle explores the horrors of war, insomnia, and the afterlife amongst many other poignant themes.
All the stories in here are fantastic in their own right, but my favourites were J'Zan'Dios, The Madness Behind Their eyes, Diamonds of the Void and Cast away.
This was my first time reading Kyle's work but it certainly wasn't my last, and I snap up his stories as soon as he churns them out. Highly recommended if you like any style of horror or just something that makes you nervous to turn off the lights!
March 28, 2022
Reading Lovecraftian/cosmic horror is often - I find - a slog, so I can’t imagine what it’s like to try and write it. However, Kyle J Durrant seems to take it in his stride with this hugely impressive collection of weird, disturbing horrors and things with apostrophes in their names. The writing here is atmospheric, disorientating and, in short, really rather good. I did find myself having to limit how many of these I devoured in one sitting, because the terrors here are so thick and other-worldly that it’s a lot to get your head around - but I enjoyed just about everything here. My particular standouts were Whispers in the Water, The Sudden Reappearance of Mary Dunhill, and The Madness Behind Their Eyes. I’m looking forward to explore more of Kyle’s work in the future!
January 1, 2022
Imaginative and well-written cosmic horror short stories. I didn’t have a reason to rate less than 5 stars. Excellent book
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