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Horror Library, Volume 1
This runs the entire spectrum of dark fiction. This book embraces the genre, paying diligence to the traditional spine tingler, the supernatural, the haunted, the dark satire and the gritty modern thriller. Thirty dark tales, each by a different story teller.
- GenresHorror
223 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 23, 2021
I’m a big fan of anthologies, especially indie horror. These stories take chances. Some fail, some succeed, but it’s exciting to read new ideas and voices. Publisher Dark Moon Books has taken over the series and re-released the older volumes that were put together by former publishers and editors (Cutting Block Books and Cavender). I received an ARC of the new re-released 2021 edition from Dark Moon Books.
Quick star rating on each story, just my personal preference:
“Palo Mayombe in Matamoros” by Boyd E. Harris = 3 stars. Well written, but vicious. Graphic torture. Triggering.
“Oren’s Axe” by Jed Verity = 3 stars. WTF?
“Flamenco Amputee” by Paul J. Gitschner = 4 stars. Another WTF?, but good.
“Little Black Box” by Eric Stark = 5 stars. Funny and surreal. Tense.
“Lemonhead” by Vincent VanAllen = 4-1/2 stars. I feel this one, I really do.
“Garces Circle” by CJ Hurtt = 5 stars. I liked this. It was quick and simple.
“The Grove” by Michelle Garren Flye = 4 stars. Pretty good
“One Small Bite” by John Rowlands = 4 stars. Gruesome, though well written, 1st person POV body horror.
“Momma’s Shadow” by Mark E. Deloy = 2-1/2 stars. Okay, not really my cup of tea.
“A Hell of a Deal” by Marcus Grimm = 5 stars. Great story, a devil’s bargain. Simple premise, but felt like this could happen.
“The Mattress” by John Peters = 5 stars. Best story in the book. True horror based on a random sexual encounter that goes very bad. This could have gone in a horror issue of Playboy!
“Under the Floorboards” by Cordelia Snow = 2 stars. Disliked. Another one, not my cup of tea.
“A Sunny Day Turns Dark” by Chris Perridas = 2 stars. Ditto…
“The Remembering Country” by Kevin Filan = 3 stars. I didn’t care for this too much, but it had good depth and layering of plot.
“Snowbound” by Ian R Derbyshire = 3 stars. Another victim, subject of horror twist.
“Helping Hand” by Curt Mahr = 4 stars. Well written cautionary tale, but victim is a child! Trigger-warning advised.
“Dark and Stormy Wishes” by Bailey Hunter = 4 stars. Every character is just bad (in a “horror” way!)
“One Button Eye” by Jason Robert Beirens = 2 stars. Eh, another one, not my cup of tea.
“Las Brujas del Rio Verde” by M. Louis Dixon = 5 stars. One of the best stories in the book! Scary, real, haunting.
“The Puppet Show” by Rick J. Brown = 5 stars. Traumatizing! Very sad, well written.
“Surrender” by Vince Churchill = 4 stars. Well written, but I don’t know… A sort of rape fantasy driven by infection. Definite trigger warnings. Mixed feelings about it.
“Wings with Hot Sauce” by Fran Friel = 4 stars. Simple tale, even the devil has problems! Funny.
“And Mother Makes Five” by John Mantooth = 5 stars. Great story that had tons of unexpected twists. This one could definitely be made into a series.
“Insensitivity” by Sunil Sadanand = 4 stars. This is another one that needs trigger warnings… It’s vicious, traumatic. Well written and gets under your skin, but still…
“The Mother” by John Lovero = 5 stars. Loved this story. It went all over the place, and really haunting in a strange, sad way.
“A Violent Descent into Livid Territories” by Esteban Silvani = 3 stars. The horror of cheesy insurance salesmen!
“Shadows” by D. X. Williams = 5 stars. Great story. Totally horrific as are family-based tragedies. Death of a child.
“The Exterminators” by Sara Joan Berniker = 3-1/2 stars. Quick setup. Strange, well-written. But another where bad things happen to a child!
“Skull Farmers” by Matt Samet = 4 stars. More graphic horror, dual perspective, victim and psycho serial killer.
“Scavenger Hunt” by R.J. Cavender = 2 stars. Editor included his own story, and it was more graphic torture. Concept behind it was decent though.
Overall 4-1/2 stars for variety of ideas, taking chances. Good stories mixed with bad, but a lot of great writing!
Quick star rating on each story, just my personal preference:
“Palo Mayombe in Matamoros” by Boyd E. Harris = 3 stars. Well written, but vicious. Graphic torture. Triggering.
“Oren’s Axe” by Jed Verity = 3 stars. WTF?
“Flamenco Amputee” by Paul J. Gitschner = 4 stars. Another WTF?, but good.
“Little Black Box” by Eric Stark = 5 stars. Funny and surreal. Tense.
“Lemonhead” by Vincent VanAllen = 4-1/2 stars. I feel this one, I really do.
“Garces Circle” by CJ Hurtt = 5 stars. I liked this. It was quick and simple.
“The Grove” by Michelle Garren Flye = 4 stars. Pretty good
“One Small Bite” by John Rowlands = 4 stars. Gruesome, though well written, 1st person POV body horror.
“Momma’s Shadow” by Mark E. Deloy = 2-1/2 stars. Okay, not really my cup of tea.
“A Hell of a Deal” by Marcus Grimm = 5 stars. Great story, a devil’s bargain. Simple premise, but felt like this could happen.
“The Mattress” by John Peters = 5 stars. Best story in the book. True horror based on a random sexual encounter that goes very bad. This could have gone in a horror issue of Playboy!
“Under the Floorboards” by Cordelia Snow = 2 stars. Disliked. Another one, not my cup of tea.
“A Sunny Day Turns Dark” by Chris Perridas = 2 stars. Ditto…
“The Remembering Country” by Kevin Filan = 3 stars. I didn’t care for this too much, but it had good depth and layering of plot.
“Snowbound” by Ian R Derbyshire = 3 stars. Another victim, subject of horror twist.
“Helping Hand” by Curt Mahr = 4 stars. Well written cautionary tale, but victim is a child! Trigger-warning advised.
“Dark and Stormy Wishes” by Bailey Hunter = 4 stars. Every character is just bad (in a “horror” way!)
“One Button Eye” by Jason Robert Beirens = 2 stars. Eh, another one, not my cup of tea.
“Las Brujas del Rio Verde” by M. Louis Dixon = 5 stars. One of the best stories in the book! Scary, real, haunting.
“The Puppet Show” by Rick J. Brown = 5 stars. Traumatizing! Very sad, well written.
“Surrender” by Vince Churchill = 4 stars. Well written, but I don’t know… A sort of rape fantasy driven by infection. Definite trigger warnings. Mixed feelings about it.
“Wings with Hot Sauce” by Fran Friel = 4 stars. Simple tale, even the devil has problems! Funny.
“And Mother Makes Five” by John Mantooth = 5 stars. Great story that had tons of unexpected twists. This one could definitely be made into a series.
“Insensitivity” by Sunil Sadanand = 4 stars. This is another one that needs trigger warnings… It’s vicious, traumatic. Well written and gets under your skin, but still…
“The Mother” by John Lovero = 5 stars. Loved this story. It went all over the place, and really haunting in a strange, sad way.
“A Violent Descent into Livid Territories” by Esteban Silvani = 3 stars. The horror of cheesy insurance salesmen!
“Shadows” by D. X. Williams = 5 stars. Great story. Totally horrific as are family-based tragedies. Death of a child.
“The Exterminators” by Sara Joan Berniker = 3-1/2 stars. Quick setup. Strange, well-written. But another where bad things happen to a child!
“Skull Farmers” by Matt Samet = 4 stars. More graphic horror, dual perspective, victim and psycho serial killer.
“Scavenger Hunt” by R.J. Cavender = 2 stars. Editor included his own story, and it was more graphic torture. Concept behind it was decent though.
Overall 4-1/2 stars for variety of ideas, taking chances. Good stories mixed with bad, but a lot of great writing!
April 29, 2013
Several months after 9/11, a single star dropped from the sky and must've hit R.J. Cavender clear smack on the noggin, invoking the desires which festered in his mind to probe the internet for others of the literary like-minded and consequently put together a network from which he grew in stature. The resulting afterbirth of this inevitably led to the formation of a group of talented horror fiction writers crowned "The Terrible Twelve" by R.J., an innovative web presence, and the entity/anthology that was to become +The Horror Library+. Not long afterwards, its first published volume chanced to fall under my scrutiny.
With the contributions of 30 authors, some of whose works outside of this collection I've truly admired, and superb editors, I'd say this volume is essential for any personal horror library. It presents examples of some of the best damn talent out in the field today, based on these tales alone in my opinion, some talent that currently has yet to be discovered by the industry as a whole but well deserves to be, as well as some currently making their marks in horror literature as I write this.
This anthology, I might add, comes in handy on that camping trip where you have to read at least one good scary story around the fire. Just close your eyes, open the book and point. And there you have one.
With the contributions of 30 authors, some of whose works outside of this collection I've truly admired, and superb editors, I'd say this volume is essential for any personal horror library. It presents examples of some of the best damn talent out in the field today, based on these tales alone in my opinion, some talent that currently has yet to be discovered by the industry as a whole but well deserves to be, as well as some currently making their marks in horror literature as I write this.
This anthology, I might add, comes in handy on that camping trip where you have to read at least one good scary story around the fire. Just close your eyes, open the book and point. And there you have one.
April 4, 2021
This was the first volume in the excellent series, +HORROR LIBRARY+. An anthology of all-original stories that really pushed the boundaries of what horror means. Some of the stories were gruesome, some shocking, some--frankly--disgusting, but they represent personal visions of what horror is, and what it means. Highly recommended for those interested in progressive horror short fiction stories!
July 19, 2021
A definite “must read” for fans of indie horror. The variety is immense. There will be stories you dislike, as with any antho, but by the same token, if you like horror short stories, you’re guaranteed to love something in here. Good discoveries await!
October 13, 2021
Naturally, you may not be terrified of all the stories served up in the +Horror Library+ series, but you’re virtually guaranteed to cringe from some of the selections. First published by Cutting Block Books and editor R.J. Cavender, the seven-volume series has been re-edited, redesigned, reformatted and reissued under the Dark Moon imprint from two-time Bram Stoker Award winner Eric J. Guignard, who promises to keep the best contemporary indie horror alive with a forthcoming volume.
He was kind enough to send me e-books of each volume in the series to date to review, so let’s dive in!
First, know that none of the authors here are household names. That doesn’t mean they are not talented wordsmiths with vivid, and sometimes twisted imaginations that will make you quiver, gasp, or flinch in fear. A search on Amazon reveals some have gone on to publish additional works and, if you pick up enough horror literature, you are bound to see their names crop up every once in a while on the table of contents pages.
You never know what you’re going to get in a non-themed collection like this – there are thirty stories alone in Volume One -- whether it’s a bizarre alien encounter with sluglike beasts or a grisly story of dismemberment and torture.
Fair warning: Some works are exceedingly graphic and tackle any number of taboos from sex to torture, incest to child abuse, and more.
Cavender makes an unusual decision in leading off the book with one of its grisliest, unnerving selections, “Palo Mayombe in Matamoros” by Boyd E. Harris. The story offers one possible, terrifying scenario accounting for the 1,100 random deaths of taxi drivers throughout the world over ten years beginning in 1997 in what’s touted as a piece of creative nonfiction. Harris, who goes on to co-edit a later volume in the +Horror Library+ series, pulls no punches as he graphically depicts the torture and dismemberment of the story’s main character. With no plot to speak of and no escape for the main character, it’s a torture to read.
In fact, if you were not a stalwart reader of horror, you’d close the book here. But in doing so, you would miss much more interesting and haunting stories – and authors -- deserving of your time.
As odd as it may be to admit, that’s part of the fun of a collection like this: reading an adventure that challenges your sensibilities or morals, forces you to confront your fears, and dares you to look upon the darker side of humanity.
Just remember, if you don’t like one story, skip on ahead to the next.
The highlights
Like many anthologies, some stories naturally stand out more than others.
Take, for instance, “Oren’s Axe” by Jed Verity, in which the titular character discovers a grotesque oddity at his doorstep in the dead of night. Wracked by disgust and fear at the sight of the thing, Oren is moved by its plight and surprises the reader by showing his compassion for the thing, first by snipping away a set of sutures over its lips, and second by giving it fresh water to slake its thirst. But as noble as his intentions are, as often happens in the case of horror stories, he is shocked by the thing’s sudden, unexplained outburst of violence toward him.
Or, consider “Little Black Box” by Eric Stark, in which the seemingly innocent appearance of a small black box in place of the daily newspaper heralds a mysterious, inescapable invasion. The fear comes not so much from the boxes themselves – they don’t do anything other than grow in number – but in the unknown origin of the cubes and the stark realization that there is nothing anyone can do to escape them. “Who’s afraid of a little black box?” his lead character asks. Who indeed?
A simple mosquito bite leads to another unforgettable calamity in John Rowlands’ entry, “One Small Bite.” The ensuing outbreak is eerily reminiscent of the current pandemic’s spread. It hits a little too close to home during these harrowed times, but that’s what makes it so powerful.
“The Mattress” by John Peters is another story that will linger long after reaching the end. It’s a modern-day update on an age-old story of a succubus whose unyielding sexual assaults makes a long-lasting impression upon her victims. At the very least, you’ll think twice about ever buying a “slightly” used mattress again.
“Flamenco Amputee” by Paul J. Gitschner offers up a strange audition by prisoners willing to risk life and limb to impress a panel of judges to earn their freedom.
A shadow-like spider skulking around a mother recently risen from the dead is an eerie Creepshow-like tale of love and family sacrifice in Mark E. Deloy’s “Momma’s Shadow.”
Marcus Grimm entertains readers with a cautionary tale when making the deal of a lifetime in “A Hell of a Deal,” while eerie wishmaster Heman Black solves problems in a unique way in “Dark and Stormy Wishes” by Bailey Hunter. And in “The Exterminators,” Sara Joan Berniker reminds readers to read the fine print on their contracts.
A Boy Scout learns sometimes virtuous deeds are not worth that little badge in Curt Mahr’s shocker, “Helping Hand.”
The main character in Kevin Filan’s “The Remembering Country” is forced to recall an incredible secret about the beast within him.
And, in one of my favorites, M. Louise Dixon leaves readers in awe with a tale of giant worms in “Las Brujas Del Rio Verde.”
Sleep with the lights on
Oftentimes, there is little in the way of explanation for what transpires in each story, which is what makes short horror like this so incredibly weird and exciting. The answers are left to the readers’ own imagination.
By the same token, most stories end on a shocking or tragic note. These are not tales where the final girl prevails in the end, nor should they be.
These are tales that will make you go to sleep with the lights on, if you dare sleep at all.
He was kind enough to send me e-books of each volume in the series to date to review, so let’s dive in!
First, know that none of the authors here are household names. That doesn’t mean they are not talented wordsmiths with vivid, and sometimes twisted imaginations that will make you quiver, gasp, or flinch in fear. A search on Amazon reveals some have gone on to publish additional works and, if you pick up enough horror literature, you are bound to see their names crop up every once in a while on the table of contents pages.
You never know what you’re going to get in a non-themed collection like this – there are thirty stories alone in Volume One -- whether it’s a bizarre alien encounter with sluglike beasts or a grisly story of dismemberment and torture.
Fair warning: Some works are exceedingly graphic and tackle any number of taboos from sex to torture, incest to child abuse, and more.
Cavender makes an unusual decision in leading off the book with one of its grisliest, unnerving selections, “Palo Mayombe in Matamoros” by Boyd E. Harris. The story offers one possible, terrifying scenario accounting for the 1,100 random deaths of taxi drivers throughout the world over ten years beginning in 1997 in what’s touted as a piece of creative nonfiction. Harris, who goes on to co-edit a later volume in the +Horror Library+ series, pulls no punches as he graphically depicts the torture and dismemberment of the story’s main character. With no plot to speak of and no escape for the main character, it’s a torture to read.
In fact, if you were not a stalwart reader of horror, you’d close the book here. But in doing so, you would miss much more interesting and haunting stories – and authors -- deserving of your time.
As odd as it may be to admit, that’s part of the fun of a collection like this: reading an adventure that challenges your sensibilities or morals, forces you to confront your fears, and dares you to look upon the darker side of humanity.
Just remember, if you don’t like one story, skip on ahead to the next.
The highlights
Like many anthologies, some stories naturally stand out more than others.
Take, for instance, “Oren’s Axe” by Jed Verity, in which the titular character discovers a grotesque oddity at his doorstep in the dead of night. Wracked by disgust and fear at the sight of the thing, Oren is moved by its plight and surprises the reader by showing his compassion for the thing, first by snipping away a set of sutures over its lips, and second by giving it fresh water to slake its thirst. But as noble as his intentions are, as often happens in the case of horror stories, he is shocked by the thing’s sudden, unexplained outburst of violence toward him.
Or, consider “Little Black Box” by Eric Stark, in which the seemingly innocent appearance of a small black box in place of the daily newspaper heralds a mysterious, inescapable invasion. The fear comes not so much from the boxes themselves – they don’t do anything other than grow in number – but in the unknown origin of the cubes and the stark realization that there is nothing anyone can do to escape them. “Who’s afraid of a little black box?” his lead character asks. Who indeed?
A simple mosquito bite leads to another unforgettable calamity in John Rowlands’ entry, “One Small Bite.” The ensuing outbreak is eerily reminiscent of the current pandemic’s spread. It hits a little too close to home during these harrowed times, but that’s what makes it so powerful.
“The Mattress” by John Peters is another story that will linger long after reaching the end. It’s a modern-day update on an age-old story of a succubus whose unyielding sexual assaults makes a long-lasting impression upon her victims. At the very least, you’ll think twice about ever buying a “slightly” used mattress again.
“Flamenco Amputee” by Paul J. Gitschner offers up a strange audition by prisoners willing to risk life and limb to impress a panel of judges to earn their freedom.
A shadow-like spider skulking around a mother recently risen from the dead is an eerie Creepshow-like tale of love and family sacrifice in Mark E. Deloy’s “Momma’s Shadow.”
Marcus Grimm entertains readers with a cautionary tale when making the deal of a lifetime in “A Hell of a Deal,” while eerie wishmaster Heman Black solves problems in a unique way in “Dark and Stormy Wishes” by Bailey Hunter. And in “The Exterminators,” Sara Joan Berniker reminds readers to read the fine print on their contracts.
A Boy Scout learns sometimes virtuous deeds are not worth that little badge in Curt Mahr’s shocker, “Helping Hand.”
The main character in Kevin Filan’s “The Remembering Country” is forced to recall an incredible secret about the beast within him.
And, in one of my favorites, M. Louise Dixon leaves readers in awe with a tale of giant worms in “Las Brujas Del Rio Verde.”
Sleep with the lights on
Oftentimes, there is little in the way of explanation for what transpires in each story, which is what makes short horror like this so incredibly weird and exciting. The answers are left to the readers’ own imagination.
By the same token, most stories end on a shocking or tragic note. These are not tales where the final girl prevails in the end, nor should they be.
These are tales that will make you go to sleep with the lights on, if you dare sleep at all.
April 24, 2021
This was the first volume in the excellent series, +HORROR LIBRARY+. An anthology of all-original stories that really pushed the boundaries of what horror means. Some of the stories were gruesome, some shocking, some--frankly--disgusting, but they represent personal visions of what horror is, and what it means. Highly recommended for those interested in progressive horror short fiction stories!
July 1, 2016
Really enjoyable collection of shorts, off hand I can't think of any that were duds. Looking forward to Volume 2.
February 23, 2022
I didn't enjoy this one all that much. I love the cover, but the content didn't do much for me. A lot of these weren't even stories. They were more like vignettes, and almost all of these stories didn't seem to have much of a point. There's some great gore, but there isn't a lot of reason for it, and I struggled to care about almost all of these characters. There were some decent stories. Some slight creepiness. Ultimately, I can't recommend this one.
July 20, 2021
This is a robust volume of quality dark fiction. While I didn't feel like there was a standout story to rave about, I was struck by how consistently good each story was, which is incredible given the number of stories contained in this anthology.
January 19, 2025
The first book in an ongoing series of horror anthologies. All are written by indie authors. This collection is fantastic. Not one story did I find less than good. This is rare in an anthology, especially an indie piece of work. A wide variety of horror sub-genres are represented and the stories never disappoint. I will be continuing with the series.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews