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Fears Unnamed
In a remarkably short period of time, Tim Lebbon has burst upon the scene and established himself as one of the best horror writers at work today. He is the winner of numerous awards, including a Bram Stoker Award. Critics have raved about his work and fans have eagerly embraced him as a contemporary master of the macabre. — Perhaps nowhere are the reasons for his popularity more evident than in this collection of four of his most chilling novellas. Two of these dark gems received British Fantasy Awards, and another was written specifically for this book and has never previously been published. Together, these terrifying tales form a perfect showcase for this startling talent, a window into a world of horrors that once experienced, can never be forgotten.
337 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2004
5 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
About the author
Tim Lebbon
296 books1,540 followersI love writing, reading, triathlon, real ale, chocolate, good movies, occasional bad movies, and cake.
I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.
I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.
I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.
A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.
I'd love to hear from you!
I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.
I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.
I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.
A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.
I'd love to hear from you!
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 25, 2012
This is a collection of four novellas:
REMNANTS is about an archeologist, bored with his mundane existence and envious of his childhood friend who finds passion in simple pleasures, travels with him to a remote location and discovers an underground city. Extremely well-written and atmospheric.
In WHITE, a group of vacationers are stranded in a cabin during an unending snowstorm where mysterious "white things" lurk outside. Chilling, bloodcurding modern horror.
THE UNFORTUNATE, a man who is the only survivor of a plane crash discovers his "luck" comes with a high price. My favorite story in this collection.
NAMING OF PARTS is about a family struggling to survive in a world gone mad. Fun and gory zombie tale.
REMNANTS is about an archeologist, bored with his mundane existence and envious of his childhood friend who finds passion in simple pleasures, travels with him to a remote location and discovers an underground city. Extremely well-written and atmospheric.
In WHITE, a group of vacationers are stranded in a cabin during an unending snowstorm where mysterious "white things" lurk outside. Chilling, bloodcurding modern horror.
THE UNFORTUNATE, a man who is the only survivor of a plane crash discovers his "luck" comes with a high price. My favorite story in this collection.
NAMING OF PARTS is about a family struggling to survive in a world gone mad. Fun and gory zombie tale.
March 13, 2022
Fears Unnamed is a collection of four horror novellas that are all quite different in tone and execution, and the book showcases Lebbon's wide range of style quite well. The first one, Remnants, is the shortest of the four and is my least favorite. It has an interesting Lovecraftian archaeological set-up but veers into a metaphysical conclusion that I didn't enjoy. My favorite was the second story, White, which focuses on an interesting assemblage of secluded characters dealing with the end of the world in an apocalyptic snowstorm; grab a blanket and make some hot chocolate before reading. It's followed by The Unfortunate, a very original twist on the deal-with-the-devil theme that reminded me of Clive Barker's early work. The book concludes with a very well-done zombie-apocalypse/coming of age story told from the viewpoint of a twelve-year-old boy called Naming of Parts. It's a well-written and worthwhile collection.
Want to read
March 11, 2017This hardcover is copy 201 of 350 copies and is signed by Tim Lebbon.
October 21, 2012
4 Stars
Remnants : 3 Stars
the first story is about an archeologist and his best friend. This novella is more surreal and atmospheric horror than anything else. The ultimate find, the legendary city of the dead. This is a ghost story and a creature story in one. There is quite a bit of play on reality and what may be real or may be made up. I enjoyed the feel and the tension in this fast page turner.
"And it was dark by the sea, windy and wet, stinking of rotting sea life as beaches always do. This person stood with his back to the cliffs, staring out, watching the bursts of effervescence as waves broke and captured the moonlight. In one hand there was a gun, in the other a torch, and when the small rowboat came a short both would be pointing outward this night, and both used. But that chance did not arrive. The waves hid the sound of the shape creeping up behind him, out of the cave where it must have been waiting all day. When the knife curled around his throat and slid through his skin, the moon caught the spurting blood, right as breaking waves, and the betrayal tasted of salt--
White: 4 Stars
is a horror cross of John Carpenter's The Thing meets Dan Simmons' The Terror. Bloody, gory, and fun. This is a cool short story that will leave you wanting more. What are the white creatures? What do they want? Are they even real? I loved the cold isolation that the location offered up. It added to the feeling of doom and death.
".. Once on the inside, this room was now a part of the outside. As was Charley.
The area around the broken window was red and Charley had spread. Bits of her hung on the glass like hellish party streamers. Other parts had melted into the snow outside and turned it pink. Some of her was recognizable--her hair splayed out across the soft whiteness, a hand fisted around a melting clump of ice--other parts had never been seen before because they'd always been inside."
The Unfortunate: 4.5 Stars
Is ironically a story about a Lucky Man! The lone survivor of a plane crash. is saved by Angels?Demons?Monsters?God? The main character is saved and in turn agrees to a bargain with apparent supernatural creatures. He is told by them that he is "A Lucky Man", and that he is now in debt to them. Once he returns home, nothing is really the same. He is always being watched and can now see things that others cannot. This is a cool take on the "If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is!" Story.
This is a dark and sinister supernatural story that I really enjoyed. I loved the seedy underworld that is brought to light by these beings. The place of the crucifixion was awesome and scary.
"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, you know."
"On the way to the station he had seen the things three times: Once, a face staring from the back of a bus several cars in front; once, a shape hurrying across the road behind them, seen briefly and fleetingly in the rearview mirror; and finally in the station itself, a misplaced shadow hiding behind a high-level TV."
Naming of Parts: 5 Stars + (this story is worth the price to own regardless wether you read the other three)
This novella is simply a gem of a read. Naming of Parts is a post apocalyptic story that centers on point of view of a twelve year old boy. There is little backstory, a smidgen of world building, and hardly any explanations. But, it's short length is packed full of high tension and suspense as our young hero comes to grips in a world where everything's is dying and yet not staying dead. Lebbon has a colorful twist to the zombie genre as the undead begin to walk again. I loved how this story unfolded slowly and without spelling things out in black and white. This book is literally filled with grey...
As for being a zombie story. This novella excelled. I was sucked into Jacks point of view and I could not put the book down. The tension that is amped up by this novellas conclusion is palpable and I found my heart racing, my hands sweaty, and I found it tough to breath. This whole book of stories is worth purchasing just for the chance to read this awesome short story.
"They walked through the woods and nothing changed. Jack's dad held the shotgun and both hands but he at no cause to use it. Things were grayer today, blander, slower. It seemed also that things were deader. They found three dead people beneath a tree, not one of them showing any signs of movement. They looked as though they had been dead for weeks, but they still had blood on their chins. Their stomachs were bloated and torn open."
Once again, I feel that I have to mention that I truly feel that Tim Lebbon deserves a bigger audience and garners more respect. He is simply one of my very favorite authors of today that I am always looking forward to his next piece. Highly recommended.
Remnants : 3 Stars
the first story is about an archeologist and his best friend. This novella is more surreal and atmospheric horror than anything else. The ultimate find, the legendary city of the dead. This is a ghost story and a creature story in one. There is quite a bit of play on reality and what may be real or may be made up. I enjoyed the feel and the tension in this fast page turner.
"And it was dark by the sea, windy and wet, stinking of rotting sea life as beaches always do. This person stood with his back to the cliffs, staring out, watching the bursts of effervescence as waves broke and captured the moonlight. In one hand there was a gun, in the other a torch, and when the small rowboat came a short both would be pointing outward this night, and both used. But that chance did not arrive. The waves hid the sound of the shape creeping up behind him, out of the cave where it must have been waiting all day. When the knife curled around his throat and slid through his skin, the moon caught the spurting blood, right as breaking waves, and the betrayal tasted of salt--
White: 4 Stars
is a horror cross of John Carpenter's The Thing meets Dan Simmons' The Terror. Bloody, gory, and fun. This is a cool short story that will leave you wanting more. What are the white creatures? What do they want? Are they even real? I loved the cold isolation that the location offered up. It added to the feeling of doom and death.
".. Once on the inside, this room was now a part of the outside. As was Charley.
The area around the broken window was red and Charley had spread. Bits of her hung on the glass like hellish party streamers. Other parts had melted into the snow outside and turned it pink. Some of her was recognizable--her hair splayed out across the soft whiteness, a hand fisted around a melting clump of ice--other parts had never been seen before because they'd always been inside."
The Unfortunate: 4.5 Stars
Is ironically a story about a Lucky Man! The lone survivor of a plane crash. is saved by Angels?Demons?Monsters?God? The main character is saved and in turn agrees to a bargain with apparent supernatural creatures. He is told by them that he is "A Lucky Man", and that he is now in debt to them. Once he returns home, nothing is really the same. He is always being watched and can now see things that others cannot. This is a cool take on the "If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is!" Story.
This is a dark and sinister supernatural story that I really enjoyed. I loved the seedy underworld that is brought to light by these beings. The place of the crucifixion was awesome and scary.
"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, you know."
"On the way to the station he had seen the things three times: Once, a face staring from the back of a bus several cars in front; once, a shape hurrying across the road behind them, seen briefly and fleetingly in the rearview mirror; and finally in the station itself, a misplaced shadow hiding behind a high-level TV."
Naming of Parts: 5 Stars + (this story is worth the price to own regardless wether you read the other three)
This novella is simply a gem of a read. Naming of Parts is a post apocalyptic story that centers on point of view of a twelve year old boy. There is little backstory, a smidgen of world building, and hardly any explanations. But, it's short length is packed full of high tension and suspense as our young hero comes to grips in a world where everything's is dying and yet not staying dead. Lebbon has a colorful twist to the zombie genre as the undead begin to walk again. I loved how this story unfolded slowly and without spelling things out in black and white. This book is literally filled with grey...
As for being a zombie story. This novella excelled. I was sucked into Jacks point of view and I could not put the book down. The tension that is amped up by this novellas conclusion is palpable and I found my heart racing, my hands sweaty, and I found it tough to breath. This whole book of stories is worth purchasing just for the chance to read this awesome short story.
"They walked through the woods and nothing changed. Jack's dad held the shotgun and both hands but he at no cause to use it. Things were grayer today, blander, slower. It seemed also that things were deader. They found three dead people beneath a tree, not one of them showing any signs of movement. They looked as though they had been dead for weeks, but they still had blood on their chins. Their stomachs were bloated and torn open."
Once again, I feel that I have to mention that I truly feel that Tim Lebbon deserves a bigger audience and garners more respect. He is simply one of my very favorite authors of today that I am always looking forward to his next piece. Highly recommended.
July 4, 2014
Four horror novellas by Tim Lebbon. My first read by this author.
Remnants- An average working stiff looking for more excitement is invited to share in a secret dig site by a childhood friend turned adventurer/archaeologist. This one got off to an excellent start, and Lebbon has an incredible way with words. However, there was too little character interaction for my taste. The narration was atmospheric and at times creepy, but at 63 pages, this story got a bit repetitive. M. Night Shyamalan would've loved the ending.
2.5 stars
White- A small group struggles to survive at an old English abbey turned research station as the world experiences a possible apocalyptic event. As the incessant snow piles up, something is lurking outside. Equal parts terror and creativity, this story reminded me of John Carpenter's The Thing. Perhaps a bit repetitive in some parts.
4.5 stars
The Unfortunate- Horrible and horrifying in the true sense of the word horror. I'll skip the synopsis so as to avoid spoilers, but suffice to say that this one is gut-wrenching and great!
5 stars
Naming of Parts- A zombie tale from the perspective of young Jack. It was interesting to see how his understanding of the predicament developed. Well done in that respect. Whether or not the boy has some sort of psychic ability is purposely left vague.
4 stars
Remnants- An average working stiff looking for more excitement is invited to share in a secret dig site by a childhood friend turned adventurer/archaeologist. This one got off to an excellent start, and Lebbon has an incredible way with words. However, there was too little character interaction for my taste. The narration was atmospheric and at times creepy, but at 63 pages, this story got a bit repetitive. M. Night Shyamalan would've loved the ending.
2.5 stars
White- A small group struggles to survive at an old English abbey turned research station as the world experiences a possible apocalyptic event. As the incessant snow piles up, something is lurking outside. Equal parts terror and creativity, this story reminded me of John Carpenter's The Thing. Perhaps a bit repetitive in some parts.
4.5 stars
The Unfortunate- Horrible and horrifying in the true sense of the word horror. I'll skip the synopsis so as to avoid spoilers, but suffice to say that this one is gut-wrenching and great!
5 stars
Naming of Parts- A zombie tale from the perspective of young Jack. It was interesting to see how his understanding of the predicament developed. Well done in that respect. Whether or not the boy has some sort of psychic ability is purposely left vague.
4 stars
February 16, 2009
I have never read anything by Lebbon before, but when I received a newsletter from Borderlands Press, offering--among other goodies--this collection for less than half the price, it was too tempting to refuse;-)
JANUARY 5, 2009:
"White":
One of the best stories I have ever read with an apocalyptic background. (Not that I have read extremely many, but quite a score down the years, heh.)
It's a very atmospheric tale of doom for all mankind. Quite a feat since all we ever really read about for sure is what happens to an isolated group of people on the outskirts of nowhere (my term for it), in the wilds of Cornwall, UK.
Lebbon uses, to great effect, the novella length to establish a more intimate link between the reader and the characters in the tale--especially the protagonist/narrator & what happened to his wife shortly before everything went wrong with the world. So, in my opinion, he manages to write a novella just as it should be done: By going beyond the short story form (which basically aims at catching one mood/scenario etc. as perfectly as possible) and adding some more elements (in casu both the apocalyptic scenery and just enough characterization of persons & their history for it to be more complex), without adding so much that it approaches the novel's more expanded & complex possibilities.
To top it all, I was truly impressed by the way Lebbon describes without really describing the advancing horrors. Not a Lovecraftian tale at all, but the horror master would have been proud of this display of describing true horrors without really revealing how they look & how they really are or what their agenda is. Which makes it all the more horrific!
I am looking forward to reading the next novella, "Naming of Parts."
FEBRUARY 9:
"Naming of Parts":
This story didn't work well, in my opinion. Some of the reason for this is very likely that as a rule I don't much appreciate the zombie sub-genre. But that's not all. The main reasons are that I found the morality elements (warning notes) taking up too much space--too much at the fore; also, the protagonist sounded way too adult too me (he's 12 years old) and too often his thinking sounded forced, as if the author simply wanted this-and-that to be in the story, regardless of credibility in the context.
I did like the first 1/3 of the story, though. And the author did a fine job establishing a sense of family & family related problems, even in the face of the disaster.
FEBRUARY 12:
"The Unfortunate":
After being rescued by mysterious creatures, the protagonist finds himself to be constantly and unbelievably lucky. Or so it seems at first... Because of course there's a downside to it--and a rather dark one at that. This dual side is well-thought out, and while I think the "lucky/unfortunate" sides are a little too simplified, the point is still well said and presented in this story.
This novella's ending was a marvelous, thrilling, dark one. And in terms of composition this story is close to perfect, I think; from the opening scene to the final word.
If not for the overdoing of the whole "family bond" element (which was too sappy & rather moralizing for me) this would have been a near perfect novella.
Obviously, though, I nonetheless enjoyed the story, which piqued my curiosity early on (always a good sign) and continued to do so as the story unfolded (an even better sign, hehe). I really wanted to know what those rescuers of the protagonist were--as he asked himself, "fairies, demons, angels, gods?"--and to find out exactly what happened.
FEBRUARY 16:
"Remnants":
Interesting, if a little uneven, tale of archaelogist & his childhood friend (the narrator) finding the City of Dead somewhere in a desert.
The descriptions and the atmosphere worked quite well, but although the characters were believable enough there were times when their actions to me seemed forced and out of character--and that grated me in important scenes, spoiling the otherwise well-build tension and creepy mood.
On the whole I enjoyed this collection very much, but since one story is in the vicinity of 2 stars ("Naming of Parts"), two in the area of 3-4 stars ("The Unfortunate" and "Remnants") and one is a 5-star story ("White") I must also warn that it is somewhat uneven. Not surprising, since many collections are, but I am left with a weird, mixed feeling since this is obviously a writer with a magnificent sense of story telling and with a perchance for weaving genuine darkness.
I think I need to check out other stories by him--to find out exactly what his normal standard is. And, hehe, that's a recommendation of sorts too, isn't it?;-)
(I have copy #127 out of 350 of this limited edition. Signed by the author.)
JANUARY 5, 2009:
"White":
One of the best stories I have ever read with an apocalyptic background. (Not that I have read extremely many, but quite a score down the years, heh.)
It's a very atmospheric tale of doom for all mankind. Quite a feat since all we ever really read about for sure is what happens to an isolated group of people on the outskirts of nowhere (my term for it), in the wilds of Cornwall, UK.
Lebbon uses, to great effect, the novella length to establish a more intimate link between the reader and the characters in the tale--especially the protagonist/narrator & what happened to his wife shortly before everything went wrong with the world. So, in my opinion, he manages to write a novella just as it should be done: By going beyond the short story form (which basically aims at catching one mood/scenario etc. as perfectly as possible) and adding some more elements (in casu both the apocalyptic scenery and just enough characterization of persons & their history for it to be more complex), without adding so much that it approaches the novel's more expanded & complex possibilities.
To top it all, I was truly impressed by the way Lebbon describes without really describing the advancing horrors. Not a Lovecraftian tale at all, but the horror master would have been proud of this display of describing true horrors without really revealing how they look & how they really are or what their agenda is. Which makes it all the more horrific!
I am looking forward to reading the next novella, "Naming of Parts."
FEBRUARY 9:
"Naming of Parts":
This story didn't work well, in my opinion. Some of the reason for this is very likely that as a rule I don't much appreciate the zombie sub-genre. But that's not all. The main reasons are that I found the morality elements (warning notes) taking up too much space--too much at the fore; also, the protagonist sounded way too adult too me (he's 12 years old) and too often his thinking sounded forced, as if the author simply wanted this-and-that to be in the story, regardless of credibility in the context.
I did like the first 1/3 of the story, though. And the author did a fine job establishing a sense of family & family related problems, even in the face of the disaster.
FEBRUARY 12:
"The Unfortunate":
After being rescued by mysterious creatures, the protagonist finds himself to be constantly and unbelievably lucky. Or so it seems at first... Because of course there's a downside to it--and a rather dark one at that. This dual side is well-thought out, and while I think the "lucky/unfortunate" sides are a little too simplified, the point is still well said and presented in this story.
This novella's ending was a marvelous, thrilling, dark one. And in terms of composition this story is close to perfect, I think; from the opening scene to the final word.
If not for the overdoing of the whole "family bond" element (which was too sappy & rather moralizing for me) this would have been a near perfect novella.
Obviously, though, I nonetheless enjoyed the story, which piqued my curiosity early on (always a good sign) and continued to do so as the story unfolded (an even better sign, hehe). I really wanted to know what those rescuers of the protagonist were--as he asked himself, "fairies, demons, angels, gods?"--and to find out exactly what happened.
FEBRUARY 16:
"Remnants":
Interesting, if a little uneven, tale of archaelogist & his childhood friend (the narrator) finding the City of Dead somewhere in a desert.
The descriptions and the atmosphere worked quite well, but although the characters were believable enough there were times when their actions to me seemed forced and out of character--and that grated me in important scenes, spoiling the otherwise well-build tension and creepy mood.
On the whole I enjoyed this collection very much, but since one story is in the vicinity of 2 stars ("Naming of Parts"), two in the area of 3-4 stars ("The Unfortunate" and "Remnants") and one is a 5-star story ("White") I must also warn that it is somewhat uneven. Not surprising, since many collections are, but I am left with a weird, mixed feeling since this is obviously a writer with a magnificent sense of story telling and with a perchance for weaving genuine darkness.
I think I need to check out other stories by him--to find out exactly what his normal standard is. And, hehe, that's a recommendation of sorts too, isn't it?;-)
(I have copy #127 out of 350 of this limited edition. Signed by the author.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2017
A collection of four novellas - three reprints and one original. In all honesty, I enjoyed the original tale, Remnants, the least. It was shorter than the others and opened the book and while it was excellently written, it didn't move me so much.
The second story, White, was my favourite. Beautifully evocative and hauntingly bleak.
The Unfortunate was another high point, with an interesting twist on fate.
The last one, Naming of Parts, was brilliantly written but I've never really been a fan of zombie stories. This one did attack the idea a little differently though, and I enjoyed that about it.
All around a superb book and further proof that novellas are a great length for genre fiction, especially horror. And further proof that Tim Lebbon is a stellar talent.
The second story, White, was my favourite. Beautifully evocative and hauntingly bleak.
The Unfortunate was another high point, with an interesting twist on fate.
The last one, Naming of Parts, was brilliantly written but I've never really been a fan of zombie stories. This one did attack the idea a little differently though, and I enjoyed that about it.
All around a superb book and further proof that novellas are a great length for genre fiction, especially horror. And further proof that Tim Lebbon is a stellar talent.
February 14, 2011
All of the novellas in this book are entertaining and intriguing, but the last one in the collection, "Naming of Parts," is simply outstanding. It alone makes this book worth trying to find at a used bookstore near you.*
*Leisure Books has stupidly stopped publishing mass market paperbacks, so this book may become more difficult to find over the coming months.
*Leisure Books has stupidly stopped publishing mass market paperbacks, so this book may become more difficult to find over the coming months.
November 12, 2010
Terrific collection of longer short stories or novellas from Tim Lebbon, one of my favorite horror writers.
January 27, 2016
Extremely original and creative collection of four horror/dark fiction novellas. Great read!
June 14, 2023
This collection of stories started off rather weak but, gained momentum in each succeeding story.
To me this really didn’t feel like the Lebbon’s I read for his Aliens/Predator Rage War saga. In that series Lebbon’s flow and detailing of each scene was amazing. In Fears Unnamed some of the dialogue both internal and external felt really repetitive and some of the characters didn’t come to life. The stories were sort of left at a cliffhanger as well. Needless to say after reading Lebbon’s series about Aliens/Predator I was a little bit disappointed but, at least they were shorter stories and did improve throughout. 3 ⭐️
I hope the next time I pick up Lebbon’s there will be a shift towards his other writings.
To me this really didn’t feel like the Lebbon’s I read for his Aliens/Predator Rage War saga. In that series Lebbon’s flow and detailing of each scene was amazing. In Fears Unnamed some of the dialogue both internal and external felt really repetitive and some of the characters didn’t come to life. The stories were sort of left at a cliffhanger as well. Needless to say after reading Lebbon’s series about Aliens/Predator I was a little bit disappointed but, at least they were shorter stories and did improve throughout. 3 ⭐️
I hope the next time I pick up Lebbon’s there will be a shift towards his other writings.
August 13, 2019
Interesting if uneven stories. The first novella, about the hidden city of ghosts, was evocative and more of a tragedy than traditional horror. The second novella about the people holed up in the mansion waiting out a wintery apocalypse was a little trope-y and been-there-done-that, and the monsters didn't strike me as scary. I probably enjoyed the third novella the most, the one about the man who cheated death. It had an eerie, paranoid Twilight Zone-era atmosphere that I enjoyed. The last novella didn't keep my interest, I'm sorry to say. I wouldn't say that any of the stories collected here were bad, but some weren't as strong as others.
December 17, 2022
“Fears Unnamed” is a collection of four fantastical horror novellas by Tim Lebbon. EXCELLENT collection!! I loved each novella-they were all very different and interesting. Lots of creep factor and lots of horror. One of my favorite books of the year! Strongly recommend!
March 23, 2024
A reluctant 3 stars. Some short stories which were fairly well written, with "unnamed horrors" but they had very "limp" endings, where the stories sort of die out. I believe a good end is necessary for a story.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
April 26, 2019
I'm not a huge fan of short stories/novella collections, something about my OCD makes it easier to summarize and grade novels, but in this case I was happy to discover a new horror writer, and see what he has to offer.
Fears Unnamed is a collection of 4 unrelated novellas, whose topics and atmosphere go back and forth between horror and dark fiction. The book starts off with "Remnants", which happens to be the worst of the 4 stories, and thus not a very good choice for the opener. It's a rather boring and not at all scary account of two friends discovering the city of the dead somewhere in African deserts. There is a cool moment when they find bones which have no weight and are almost see-through: they are basically ghostly remains, in the full sense of that word. And there is a nice little nod to Lovecraft, with hellish relief carvings all over the city walls, but other than that the story quickly runs out of ideas, and pretty much goes nowhere.
"White" is a story of group of survivors stranded by heavy snows in a castle somewhere in English countryside. There seemed to be some kind of apocalypse out there in the world, so the survivors know they have nowhere else to go, and are not even hoping to get out of this alive, which is taking away some of the potential excitement, and essentially hurting the atmosphere of the story, rather than improving it. Anyway, there are some weird white creatures out there in the snow, and they are slowly killing off the pitiful, hopeless humans one by one. There was surely some potential in this story, but the execution was really strange. The monsters were sometimes just shadows, and sometimes devouring people and leaving just bloody puddles on the snow. Then they also used illusions and even had sexual relationship with one of the victims. Ooookay. So it all did not make much sense, and I especially hated the ending where
"The Unfortunate" is the least horrorish of the 4 novellas, in fact it felt like a pretty decent "Twilight Zone" episode, until the cheesy and rather ridiculous ending. It's about a guy who gets saved from a plane crash by some weird creatures, who offer him life and great luck, but at the expense of everyone around him having bad luck. Despite all the clues, and even other people who have had similar experience telling him what to expect from the deal he made, the guy reaaaally takes a long time to accept what is happening to him. And when he finally does, we get the climax and clumsy resolution of the story in about 4 pages :/
"Naming of Parts" is a classic zombie outbreak story, but this time told from the perspective of a 12-year old boy. While this seemed like a decent premise, once again the execution was not very good. The boy went from being afraid of the dark and crying for his mommy, to existential philosopher in about 12 hours; while the zombies went from aimlessly wondering around the countryside, to cutting brake cables on a car (!!), or setting a trap for humans (!!!), and finally to not caring at all, in about 24 hours. And they were also running, which I hate. Similar to snow monsters in "White", the zombies in this story seemed to have too many conflicting characteristics/abilities, and it really put me off. Lebbon has also bothered to give strong hints that the boy might have some kind of clairvoyance power, only to not use it for anything important during the story, and instead to save it for an unnecessary open ending, which felt totally meh.
So overall, despite some good ideas and some bright spots, I was not really impressed by this collection. Nothing was particularly bad, but nothing stood out as something special either. Horror fans can quickly read this book and move on to better stuff, while others should not even bother.
Fears Unnamed is a collection of 4 unrelated novellas, whose topics and atmosphere go back and forth between horror and dark fiction. The book starts off with "Remnants", which happens to be the worst of the 4 stories, and thus not a very good choice for the opener. It's a rather boring and not at all scary account of two friends discovering the city of the dead somewhere in African deserts. There is a cool moment when they find bones which have no weight and are almost see-through: they are basically ghostly remains, in the full sense of that word. And there is a nice little nod to Lovecraft, with hellish relief carvings all over the city walls, but other than that the story quickly runs out of ideas, and pretty much goes nowhere.
"White" is a story of group of survivors stranded by heavy snows in a castle somewhere in English countryside. There seemed to be some kind of apocalypse out there in the world, so the survivors know they have nowhere else to go, and are not even hoping to get out of this alive, which is taking away some of the potential excitement, and essentially hurting the atmosphere of the story, rather than improving it. Anyway, there are some weird white creatures out there in the snow, and they are slowly killing off the pitiful, hopeless humans one by one. There was surely some potential in this story, but the execution was really strange. The monsters were sometimes just shadows, and sometimes devouring people and leaving just bloody puddles on the snow. Then they also used illusions and even had sexual relationship with one of the victims. Ooookay. So it all did not make much sense, and I especially hated the ending where
"The Unfortunate" is the least horrorish of the 4 novellas, in fact it felt like a pretty decent "Twilight Zone" episode, until the cheesy and rather ridiculous ending. It's about a guy who gets saved from a plane crash by some weird creatures, who offer him life and great luck, but at the expense of everyone around him having bad luck. Despite all the clues, and even other people who have had similar experience telling him what to expect from the deal he made, the guy reaaaally takes a long time to accept what is happening to him. And when he finally does, we get the climax and clumsy resolution of the story in about 4 pages :/
"Naming of Parts" is a classic zombie outbreak story, but this time told from the perspective of a 12-year old boy. While this seemed like a decent premise, once again the execution was not very good. The boy went from being afraid of the dark and crying for his mommy, to existential philosopher in about 12 hours; while the zombies went from aimlessly wondering around the countryside, to cutting brake cables on a car (!!), or setting a trap for humans (!!!), and finally to not caring at all, in about 24 hours. And they were also running, which I hate. Similar to snow monsters in "White", the zombies in this story seemed to have too many conflicting characteristics/abilities, and it really put me off. Lebbon has also bothered to give strong hints that the boy might have some kind of clairvoyance power, only to not use it for anything important during the story, and instead to save it for an unnecessary open ending, which felt totally meh.
So overall, despite some good ideas and some bright spots, I was not really impressed by this collection. Nothing was particularly bad, but nothing stood out as something special either. Horror fans can quickly read this book and move on to better stuff, while others should not even bother.
February 18, 2015
This is a collection of 4 novellas, 1 of which is new to this collection.
REMNANTS (3 stars) - This was the new story for the collection, and it was very atmospheric and strange. A man follows his archeologist friend on an adventure that turns out to be much darker than he expected. Lebbon throws in some jealously of the archeologist, and it's a nice bit of tension. I enjoyed this, but it was the story was my least favorite of the 4. I felt like it should have been a bit shorter.
WHITE (4 stars) - I'd read this previously (see https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), and it's my favorite story of this collection, too. A group of friends barricade themselves in a house following recent apocalyptic events, to protect themselves from a savage snowstorm and the bloodthirsty creatures outside. There's a nice twist here, and Lebbon does a great job of leaving the creatures to the imagination.
THE UNFORTUNATE (3 stars) - This was a better story than my rating indicates, I'm just not a fan of really bleak tales (such as Pet Sematary). From the very beginning of this story I guessed how it would end, and reading a novella with no sense of hope for the lead gets a bit draining for me. But this was very well done, and Lebbon throws some very odd and evocative images in to keep this one memorable.
NAMING OF PARTS (3.5 stars) – I’m not usually a fan of zombie stories, but this had some interesting twists. The lead is a 12-year old named Jack, and the entire world is dying – not just humans, but animals and even plants. Just like humans, only a small percentage of each species lives, and the rest become undead. There are some other interesting twists that I won’t spoil. This is also a nice character study, and I really felt for Jack. Lebbon has written 2 sequels for this, Changing Of Faces (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...) and Shifting Of Veils (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...). I’m currently reading Changing of Faces and like it more than the first, and I’m really looking forward to the 3rd entry.
REMNANTS (3 stars) - This was the new story for the collection, and it was very atmospheric and strange. A man follows his archeologist friend on an adventure that turns out to be much darker than he expected. Lebbon throws in some jealously of the archeologist, and it's a nice bit of tension. I enjoyed this, but it was the story was my least favorite of the 4. I felt like it should have been a bit shorter.
WHITE (4 stars) - I'd read this previously (see https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), and it's my favorite story of this collection, too. A group of friends barricade themselves in a house following recent apocalyptic events, to protect themselves from a savage snowstorm and the bloodthirsty creatures outside. There's a nice twist here, and Lebbon does a great job of leaving the creatures to the imagination.
THE UNFORTUNATE (3 stars) - This was a better story than my rating indicates, I'm just not a fan of really bleak tales (such as Pet Sematary). From the very beginning of this story I guessed how it would end, and reading a novella with no sense of hope for the lead gets a bit draining for me. But this was very well done, and Lebbon throws some very odd and evocative images in to keep this one memorable.
NAMING OF PARTS (3.5 stars) – I’m not usually a fan of zombie stories, but this had some interesting twists. The lead is a 12-year old named Jack, and the entire world is dying – not just humans, but animals and even plants. Just like humans, only a small percentage of each species lives, and the rest become undead. There are some other interesting twists that I won’t spoil. This is also a nice character study, and I really felt for Jack. Lebbon has written 2 sequels for this, Changing Of Faces (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...) and Shifting Of Veils (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...). I’m currently reading Changing of Faces and like it more than the first, and I’m really looking forward to the 3rd entry.
February 24, 2015
Unfortunately I had to read this book in two halves with a months-long break in the middle. Bah! Life.
Fears Unnamed by Tim Lebbon is comprised of four stories:
REMNANTS takes place in a desert, where two friends make a discovery that I found both creepy and fascinating. I won't give it away. This was my favourite story out of the four as the landscape alone is frightening. The concept is original and the images that are still stuck in my head are fantastic.
WHITE takes place in a cabin surrounded by snow with mysterious creatures lurking outside. My least favourite, perhaps being a Canadian the trapped-in-a-snowstorm feels more like home and not really scary. I didn't like the characters as much in this one either, and I realize you're not really supposed to like them all and they go a tad nuts, but this was my one star off of perfect. Some of the horrific and graphic moments were awesome, and Tim's descriptions saved the story.
THE UNFORTUNATE is about a man whose life is spared, but what saved him might not have been the angels he first suspected. I'm afraid to say too much in the review about this story because it opens up so well that my quick summary will kill your experience. You really have to meet the Amaranth yourself to feel what Adam experiences as he moves forward after the plane crash.
NAMING OF PARTS is just damn fun. There are very few Zombie stories that I enjoy these days, but this one has some added details and quirky moments that I feel sets it apart.
As much as I wished I could have read the whole thing together, I don't feel I missed out as each story stands alone. They're memorable enough that they also compliment each other. A nice collection, well done!
Fears Unnamed by Tim Lebbon is comprised of four stories:
REMNANTS takes place in a desert, where two friends make a discovery that I found both creepy and fascinating. I won't give it away. This was my favourite story out of the four as the landscape alone is frightening. The concept is original and the images that are still stuck in my head are fantastic.
WHITE takes place in a cabin surrounded by snow with mysterious creatures lurking outside. My least favourite, perhaps being a Canadian the trapped-in-a-snowstorm feels more like home and not really scary. I didn't like the characters as much in this one either, and I realize you're not really supposed to like them all and they go a tad nuts, but this was my one star off of perfect. Some of the horrific and graphic moments were awesome, and Tim's descriptions saved the story.
THE UNFORTUNATE is about a man whose life is spared, but what saved him might not have been the angels he first suspected. I'm afraid to say too much in the review about this story because it opens up so well that my quick summary will kill your experience. You really have to meet the Amaranth yourself to feel what Adam experiences as he moves forward after the plane crash.
NAMING OF PARTS is just damn fun. There are very few Zombie stories that I enjoy these days, but this one has some added details and quirky moments that I feel sets it apart.
As much as I wished I could have read the whole thing together, I don't feel I missed out as each story stands alone. They're memorable enough that they also compliment each other. A nice collection, well done!
October 28, 2009
I do not remember when I last felt so torn about a book. Generally, a collection of stories or novellas by a single author can be counted on to be fairly consistent. But not this one. During "Remnants", I fell asleep 3 or 4 times. The story was amazingly boring and I would rate it 1 star. I did not like it one bit.
"White" was an improvement, but still a little slow. If it had been half as long, I might have wanted to rate it more than 2 stars. I almost quit reading after this story but I was feeling determined and am happy to have stuck with this book.
"The Unfortunate" was good, very good. The idea was fascinating and pretty original, at least based on my reading expereince. I was seriously creeped out.
"Naming of Parts" made this book worthwhile. This story was terrifying. It scared the crap out of me. As a zombie story told from the point of view of a child, my fears were certainly fed. I'd rate this story 4 stars.
"White" was an improvement, but still a little slow. If it had been half as long, I might have wanted to rate it more than 2 stars. I almost quit reading after this story but I was feeling determined and am happy to have stuck with this book.
"The Unfortunate" was good, very good. The idea was fascinating and pretty original, at least based on my reading expereince. I was seriously creeped out.
"Naming of Parts" made this book worthwhile. This story was terrifying. It scared the crap out of me. As a zombie story told from the point of view of a child, my fears were certainly fed. I'd rate this story 4 stars.
July 5, 2014
This is a great collection of four novellas. The first, "Remnants," is good. Nothing fancy. It's kind of reminiscent of old pulp stories. It's about a guy who discovers the City of the Dead in the desert, and he looks for his dead son there. It's good. "White," on the other hand, is incredible. The best in the book. It's a masterpiece of isolation. And it's pretty scary, too. It's hard to get to me, and this one did it. "The Unfortunate" is a close second for best in the book. A group of monsters--or angels?--grant a man a life of luck, but it comes with a price. The ending is just chilling. "Naming of Parts" is the weakest of the quartet, but it's still good. It's a zombie story, but it's well told. Lebbon is an amazing writer, and I can't wait to read more from him.
June 28, 2011
From what I have read of Tim Lebbon (The Nature of Balance, Face), I believe his strength is writing short stories and novellas. I was quickly worried when I started reading, because "Remnants" wasn't very special. However, everything got much better after that. The last three stories (especially "White" and "Naming of Parts") were very exciting and original. I definitely recommend this book if you interested in Tim Lebbon. He shows a lot of promise. Here are my ratings of the stories (1-10).
REMNANTS (5)
WHITE (8)
THE UNFORTUNATE (7)
NAMING OF PARTS (8)
REMNANTS (5)
WHITE (8)
THE UNFORTUNATE (7)
NAMING OF PARTS (8)
October 7, 2011
I'll be honest in that I don't think the entire book was worth four stars. I thought that the last two stories were worth that and bases my overall rating on that. The first story was a two, the second a three and the last two were, as I said before, fours. I thought they were all well written. I just didn't really get part of the first one and to be honest, I wasn't invested enough to try. The others stories were more understandable.
December 21, 2015
Four horror novellas, all of which are excellent. My favorite is the second story, "White", about a group of people stranded in a manor while unnamed things try to get in. Disturbing and gory. Second best is "The Naming of Parts", a zombie tale that evokes "The Death of Grass", amongst other things.
My hat's off to Tim Lebbon - awesome writing!
My hat's off to Tim Lebbon - awesome writing!
January 19, 2010
To be honest, I'm still reading this because my friend Jeff really liked it. I'm finding it predictable and well used and really need to give it back to Jeff. My fear? I will give it back before I finish it, and miss the good part!
November 16, 2011
My first Lebbon book, a mixed bag of horror novellas. He definitely has some literary skills, but sometimes the stories are either a bit too formulaic, or too abstract to cause genuine chills. I am not sure I will read anymore of his books.
March 10, 2015
Great stories that stuck with me .Very dark ethereal feel throughout. Highly recommended,my favorite book of short horror stories!
November 16, 2015
A bit tame in the horror department for me.
August 29, 2016
I'm not really a fan of short stories nor of horror stories.
Having said that, Tim Lebbon is a really good storyteller.
Having said that, Tim Lebbon is a really good storyteller.
March 15, 2014
Great collection of novellas. Personal favourite was White but there's not a bad tale here.
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