Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror

by Kenneth W. Cain (Editor), Tim Meyer (Editor), Eric LaRocca (Contributor)

Where do we go when we dream?

Since the beginning of time, people have argued the meaning of dreams. Are they symbolic visions that hold great meaning and personal significance? Are they portals into other worlds? Or are they just a series of random events our mind shows us when we fall asleep? Whatever the case, this much is true—the mind can be a scary place to venture, even for a few hours.

NEVER WAKE is an anthology of dream horror, bringing you several mind-bending tales of nightmares, hallucinations, and phantasmagoria from some of the hottest talent in horror fiction. But don’t worry—when you (wake up screaming) flip the last page, just remember to tell yourself, “It was only just a story…”

Unless it wasn’t.

Featuring an introduction from Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann and stories Cynthia Pelayo, Philip Fracassi, Gwendolyn Kiste, Eric LaRocca, Lee Murray, Todd Keisling, Laurel Hightower, and many more!

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 8, 2023

About the author

Kenneth W. Cain first got the itch for storytelling during his formative years in the suburbs of Chicago, where he got to listen to his grandfather spin tales by the glow of a barrel fire. But it was a reading of Baba Yaga that grew his desire for dark fiction. Shows like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and One Step Beyond furthered that sense of wonder for the unknown, and he’s been writing ever since.

Cain is the author of The Saga of I trilogy, United States of the Dead, the short story collections These Old Tales and Fresh Cut Tales, and the forthcoming Embers: A Collection of Dark Fiction. Writing, reading, fine art, graphic design, and Cardinals baseball are but a few of his passions. Cain now resides in Chester County, Pennsylvania with his wife and two children.

Reviews

[Bon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy release day! Thank you so much to Joe from Crystal Lake Publishing for contacting me directly with a copy of this anthology to review! Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror will be out September 8th.

Our dreamscapes can be a double-edged blade; some dreams so good we don't want them to end, but others horrific, immersive panoramas we can't wake from on our own. That's the rare time the morning alarm or a demand for food from the cat can be a blessing. Many of the characters in this anthology of dreamlike horrorscapes are not so lucky to wake from their nightmarish unconsciousness.

I was excited to see familiar names in the table of contents, like Laurel Hightower, Eric LaRocca, Cynthia Pelayo, and even an introduction from Sadie Hartmann. An outstanding roster. There were so many chilling takes in this collection, too many to mention, but several stood out.

Eric LaRocca's "Not Every Living Thing Will Rot Away" is a gruesome tale of a couple who find more ways to hurt each other than taunts or neglect. In Lee Murray's "The Seven-Year War", a debilitating sleep condition takes over Bridget's life, an elaborate D&D-style dreamscape her only refuge from grim reality. TJ Cimfel's "Thank You For Participating" was a legitimately terrifying epistolary consisting of feedback forms during a sleep study that is far from usual.

Cynthia Pelayo crafted a beautifully self-destructive story in "Nighttime Ritual", her nameless, longing protagonist desperately chasing a dream figure in "Nighttime Ritual". Catherine McCarthy's "Our Darkest Thoughts are Inked in Carbon" featured the tragic ruminations of a woman stuck recovering in a hospital bed, painkiller-induced sleep allowing regret to simmer.

Navigating an emotional range from terror to sorrow and everything in between, this is a delightfully varied anthology exploring the intersection of sleep and horror.

TWs (not an exhaustive list): desire for death, self harm, child death, gore, violence and grisly injury descriptions

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dream horror. The second I heard Crystal Lake was putting out an anthology centered around dream horror, I knew I needed it. And I was right! Never Wake is a collection from the phenomenal duo of Kenneth Cain and Tim Meyer. Featuring an intro by Sadie Hartmann and an amazing TOC, it will definitely not disappoint!

The authors within these pages took the theme of dream horror to weird, horrific, and devastating places. Some of the stories landed perfectly, and some were almost too insane to follow. However, they were all highly enjoyable reads.

I would recommend this to readers who like to be immersed in multiple worlds, timelines, and settings while being scared, or punched in the gut with emotion.

Thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing for sending me an ARC to review.

[Mother Suspiria]

A varied, engrossing anthology of Dream Horror, NEVER WAKE assembles nightmarish visions and fantasical works of imagination to haunt your waking hours. These liminal tales effectively capture the weird, unreal/surreal, horrific (and sometimes dangerous-seeming) nature of slumber.

[Brennan LaFaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Meyer and Kenneth W. Cain have compiled nearly 300 pages of nightmares and dreamscapes. A wonderfully curated mix of known entities and new names to tap into other planes and beg the question of what is real and what's not. Featuring notable entries from Lee Murray, TJ Cimfel, Cina Pelayo, Todd Keisling, and Philip Fracassi among many others, Never Wake is bound to make sure you don't feel safe, even under your own covers.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I couldn’t make sense of it. Bad enough my father turned my childhood into a nightmare, but now his nightmares had become my dreams."

"Because when I close my eyes I cease to exist on this plane."

"The dream world is real. It’s not blips of the real world, or a composite of stress. The dream world is as real as the waking world. More so."

The three quotes above, all from stories in this anthology, made me think. About how scary the dream (nightmare?) world can be. About how in control we are of our dreams (nightmares?). About the things that live on the edge of our consciousness -- only coming to life when we are asleep.

The stories in this collection, all by accomplished authors, cover a wide array of dream (nightmare?) themes and settings. Some are rather fantastical. Many are horrific. I've always been a fan of the short story form (often wishing I was talented enough to write them myself, but, alas, I don't have the writing gene or whatever is required), and this collection is a welcome addition to my library.

Kudos to the authors, editors, and Crystal Lake Entertainment for creating a collection I couldn't put down. And that will, most likely, affect my ability to sleep soundly for a few days (at least).

[Dawn Colclasure · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the first story, especially how it was written. It has a magical, folksy feel to it. There is a bit of horror and gruesomeness but it is not overdone. All of the stories had that same kind of feeling to it. Nothing in the stories is overdone; they all have that “just right” measurement about them. And some of the stories are a little confusing, but I kept reading, because dreams ae like that. But there is a method to the madness. Sticking with a story even when it was confusing rewarded me in the end with “A-ha! That’s what it was.” It’s hard to pick one story that I liked. I LOVED both the first and last stories the most. There are so many good stories in this book! And they are definitely stories that stayed with me long after I finished reading them. I really enjoyed reading this book and I commend the editors on their selections of stories. I commend the writers, too, for writing brilliant tales. Well done!

[Maryanne Chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Never Wake an anthology of dream horror by many acclaimed horror writers. I read this almost in one sitting it was so freaking good! The stories just hooked me in then thoroughly creeped me out. Excellent book, highly recommend!💖

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first anthology. I have never really been interested in reading short stories because I like the depth a novel has. I must say that I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed these quick horror reads. My favorite story was Specter by Phillip Fracassi. I love the idea of objects being haunted and this story was great. All these stories will be in my sleep tonight, in some way or another. Thank you for the opportunity to read this amazing book of stories. Read this book if you like the subject of dreams.

[Candace Nola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never Wake is a brilliantly curated anthology of fever dreams pulled from the deepest voids and the darkest abyss. Nightmares from beyond our realm, hovering just out of reach in the midnight hours. Those monsters that keep us captive in our beds, too paralyzed to breathe, fear seeping from our pores and cold sweat soaking the sheets. Some will rise screaming in the night while some may never wake. You’ve been warned. The abyss is waiting. 4.5 stars

[Catherine McCarthy]

As someone who has always had powerful, memorable dreams, I loved this anthology. I enjoyed every single story, but what struck me most was the diversity of voices. Because of that, there's something to suit all tastes in horror fiction here, from the more literary/speculative to pure genre.

[Chiara Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing collection of short horror stories centred on dream horror! I don't dream often so I was really intrigued to see how the theme of dreaming was going to be explored by this line up of great authors.

I was surprised by how varied these stories were and how original! There were maybe a couple I really didn't feel connected to but most of them did really affect me in some way and got me thinking.. be it about dreams, mental health, sleep, relationships, the future.. Just so many opportunities to reflect that were inspired by the many wonderful stories!

I think my mind was so captivated by some of these that I did have related dreams, or perhaps nightmares?

The writing styles were also varied, ranging from poetic to stream of consciousness, to literally dream-like.. I have favourites obviously, but I won't say which as I think they were all amazing anyway!

If you like varied, unique and very well written anthologies of short horror stories, I highly recommend you to read this one!

One of my favourite quotes was:
"Life and death, and what is death but sleep? Because when I close my eyes I cease to exist on this plane".

Thank you to Crystal Lake Publishing for the opportunity to read it and this is my honest review.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stressful day? Forget your worries with these 20 exquisite tales of dream horror.

Usage: Take 2-3 stories before bed. If you wake up screaming during the night, take 1-2 more.

NEVER WAKE is not guaranteed to be safe even if used as directed, and is extremely habit forming. The effects of this book can last even after you wake up the next day and include but are not limited to: fear of closing your eyes, tingling along your spine, and the ability to hear things scratching through your bedroom wall coming to get you.

[Steve Rufle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read as an ARC with no expectation of a positive review. Really enjoyed the vast majority of dreams by multiple talented writers. Makes you think about your own dreams, or are they?

[Dawn Colclasure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing spooky stories!

This book was my introduction to dream horror and what a fantastic ride! I loved reading these stories and will reread many of them. I really liked the first story, especially how it was written. It has a magical, folksy feel to it. There is a bit of horror and gruesomeness but it is not overdone. All of the stories had that same kind of feeling to it. Nothing in the stories is overdone; they all have that “just right” measurement about them. And some of the stories are a little confusing, but I kept reading, because dreams ae like that. But there is a method to the madness. Sticking with a story even when it was confusing rewarded me in the end with “A-ha! That’s what it was.” It’s hard to pick one story that I liked. I LOVED both the first and last stories the most. There are so many good stories in this book! And they are definitely stories that stayed with me long after I finished reading them. I really enjoyed reading this book and I commend the editors on their selections of stories. I commend the writers, too, for writing brilliant tales. Well done!

[Sonia Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of stories are truly horrific, but in a fantasy kind of way - I hope! It is gory, horrific and disturbing at times, but also with a charm and beauty at other times. A wonderful eclectic, well written collection, that is a must read for any horror fan.

[Michael Gladish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loaded with nightmare inducing tales. Kristin Peterson starts off with a disturbing story of friendship, death and worse. You won't soon forget it! Eric LaRocca adds his take on relationships and, as usual, it made my skin crawl. Many other excellent stories, including a poignant "The Seven - Year War" by Lee Murray. Well worth the time to read, and the time lost waking at night to remembered frights.

[Janel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror” … This was most definitely a page turner! Nightmares, hallucinations, paranoia, etc…I never knew the myriad of ways that dreams and the like could instill fear. Some of the authors featured in this anthology are some whose works I’ve enjoyed before, others were new to me and I’m so glad I had this opportunity to find them. As a whole, I can’t pick favorites here as the entire book is fantastic! I’m positive this is one that I’ll read over and over again. This is a must read for horror fans everywhere! I was originally sent a copy of this book by @crystal_lake_publishing for free in exchange for my honest review. However, I enjoyed it so much that I went back and purchased a copy as well. It’s THAT good! Read it. You won’t be sorry.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Stephen Woodworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The anthology of nightmares you've been dreaming of is here!



Because they are an undiluted and unfiltered distillation of the human subconscious, dreams have been a subject of horror fiction for as long as the genre has existed. Premonitions, hallucinations, out-of-body experiences…one would think every variation on the theme has been exhausted. NEVER WAKE, the new anthology from Crystal Lake Publishing, demonstrates just how wrong that assumption is.

Crystal Lake is one of the best and most creative horror specialty presses out there. After loving their fantastic CLASSIC MONSTERS UNLEASHED anthology, I eagerly anticipated NEVER WAKE, and I was not disappointed. The list of contributors is as diverse as the book's contents, ranging from Stoker and World Fantasy Award-winning veteran Steve Rasnic Tem to the hot young turks of the genre like Gwendolyn Kiste and Eric LaRocca. The plethora of talent ensures an innovative array of compelling voices and visions.

In Kiste's story "Leonora Drive," for example, incarnated nightmares infest the waking world of a small town like a plague of locusts, spawned by the suppressed love of two lesbian high-school sweethearts.

Steve Rasnic Tem's trademark lyricism is at its most haunting in "P is for Phantasies," in which a son comes to a better, if unwelcome, understanding of his late abusive father by experiencing the dead man's dreams.

The obsessive desire to make contact with a mysterious dream figure manifests itself in radically different fashion in two of the collection's other most memorable tales. In Cynthia Pelayo's "Nighttime Ritual," the narrator goes to appalling lengths to remain asleep in a vain attempt to reunite with a idealized lover she once glimpsed in a dream, while in Pedro Iniguez's "Feast of the Dreamer," a fugitive small-time criminal performs a gut-wrenching—in the most literal sense—ritual to escape into a dream-world overseen by the ghastly Apostle of Bloat.

Several of the stories also play with the narrative form. Among these, my favorite is TJ Cimfel's "Thank You for Participating," which uses the novel epistolary format of an online questionnaire for a participant in an experimental sleep medication trial. The final, creepy twist of this one blew my mind almost as much as the pills messed with the psyche of the protagonist.

These are just a few of the standouts in a uniformly excellent collection. If you're the kind of dreamer who enjoys a good nightmare, then grab this book now! Restful sleep is overrated, anyway, and you'll want to stay up all night with this volume.

—Stephen Woodworth, author of the NY Times bestseller THROUGH VIOLET EYES

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchanged for my review and I wish I could give it a better one but the book was 50/50 for me.

I love the theme of the anthology, dreams and anything related has always fascinated me and I was really excited to read the book.

I wasn't scared by any of the stories, but I don't really get scare by horror so I value them on how excited I get to get to the ending.

As a whole the book presents enough good stories to get 2.5 stars, the variety of POVs used gave it enough for 3.

I give stars to each story when I read anthologies, so here it goes.

5 stars - Love them. They had me holding my breath at times.

Permanent Ink
Thank you for participating
Prayers to chthonic gods
Specter

4 stars - I like them. They were really good.

The seven year war
Leonora drive
Oneirophobia > The twist, oh the twist!

3 stars - I kind of got but have to read again because I feel I went over something really interesting.

Armingraaber > also full of twists!

2 stars - Good stories, entertaining.

Sleep weiland dream of dark things
Feast of the dreamer
Nighttime ritual

1 star - I loved the world and they have an interesting concept I just don't like the story itself. They just seem like the boring version of something that could have been more interesting.

The looking glass pillow
Our darkest thoughts are inked in carbon
Memory dipped in sepia
P is for phantasies

0 stars - I either didn't understand them or had so much trouble even visualizing the setting that everything seemed to happen in a vacuum making the stories not enjoyable.

She who brings the rain > I have no idea what happened.
Not every living thing will rot away > I think I go it but the "mind movie" was blank.
Labyrinthine > It frustrated me because I don't speak music so I just kept thinking how long until the story is over.
Careful on the ice > I have zero memory of what this story was about.

[Dave Stall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy a good horror story anthology, and this is one of the better ones. Of course, as with any collection, some stories are better than others, depending on personal preference. These, to me, are the cream of the crop for this anthology: 1) "Sleep Well and Dream of Dark Things" by Laurel Hightower. A mother seeking to save both her son and herself from Dreamwalkers in the shelter of nightmares. 2) "The 7 Year War" by Lee Murray. A very touching tale about a young woman caught between dreams of duty to her queen in a mythical realm while trapped inside her own body in the waking world. 3) "Thank You for Participating" by T. J. Campbell. A sleep study goes horribly wrong. 4) "The Looking Glass Pillow" by Angela Liu. The scariest thing about this tale is that it might give The My Pillow Guy ideas. 5)"Permanent Ink" by Michelle Tang. A neat tale of revenge from the grave. Death may not last forever, but tattoos do. 6) "Feast of the Dreamer" by Pedro Iniquez. Some people will do anything to escape suffering, both endured and inflicted, in their life. 7) "Oneirophobia" by Todd Keisling. Preparation for and protection from a dreamland predator. 8) "Prayers to Chthonic Gods" by Lyndsey E. Gilbert. Revenge upon the cruelest god of all, Somnus. 9) "Our Darkest Thoughts are Inked in Carbon" by Catherine McCarthy. A hard story to read, definitely the most tragic in this collection, of a mother's grief for her lost children. 10) "Leonora Drive" by Gwendolyn Kiste. My favorite of the anthology. A neat little tale of nightmares and love. Which is stronger? Also, a tale of validation reclaimed. 11) "Specter" by Philip Fracassi. The best story of the lot. A plot of spiteful revenge from beyond the grave, thwarted by a young girl. All in all, a great collection of dream stories and all of them avoided the stale tropes of HP Lovecraft's dream world, which is refreshing.

[Clay Vermulm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featuring an introduction from Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann and stories from Cynthia Pelayo, Philip Fracassi, Gwendolyn Kiste, Eric LaRocca, Lee Murray, Todd Keisling, Laurel Hightower, and many more talented authors this collection is absolutely chilling from beginning to end. This anthology does a great job of including multiple sub-genres of horror while conforming seamlessly to the anthology theme of dreams.

Whether you prefer the dark fantasy and sci-fi of Angela Liu and Joe Koch, or the gruesome body horror brought to the page by Eric Larocca and Pedro Iniquez, this collection is sure to have a story for you.

My personal favorites were “Specter” by Phillip Fracassi and “Thank You for Participating” by TJ Cimfel. “Specter” follows the terrifying journey of a young girl who, after receiving a dream journal from her grandmother, starts to experience chilling paranormal phenomena. “Thank You for Participating” uses the unconventional format of telling an entire horror story through a survey/questionnaire for a sleep study (with a fantastic twist at the end).

Never Wake is a must-read for any lover of paranormal horror with a rich variety of stories and some of the most talented authors the contemporary genre has to offer! Go pick up your copy from Crystal Lake Publishing RIGHT NOW!

[Paula Cappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nightmare fiction has been Gothic for decades, seducing us to sleepwalk in others’ dreams and Never Wake is a resonating wave. This anthology is a mind-craft of deep secrets so very dark, deliciously complex, and filled with villainous phantoms. From a masterful cast of strong voices in horror, they write from the underbelly, little horrors that are as clever as they are wicked. Like Steve Rasnic Tem’s P is for Phantasies, an impeccable psycho-sphere of a son having his dead father’s dreams but with a twisty ending that rips into the heart. Specter, by Philip Fracassi, unfolded like an under-the-covers grim fairy tale. I read Angela Liu’s, Looking Glass Pillow in one big gulp. In Feast of the Dreamer, Pedro Iniguez creates a ghoul who feasts on the dead, seeking escape in an ‘occulted realm.’ OMG.

Each story creates its own dark corner shivers. If literature is the world, Never Wake is a visit to the beloved demons and asks you to embrace your inner monsters. The editors, Cain and Myer, have mined a trance-like journey into the supernatural and psychological hollows of sleep. —Paula Cappa is an avid book reviewer and author of supernatural mystery novels and short stories.

[Siobhan Falen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of twisted dreams/nightmares captured from a variety of authors and well worth a read or two.

It's beautifully done. I loved how the writings styles were not "dumbed down" but were beautiful, dark, made you think. This was a double-edged sword though because if you read it while half awake, you may miss important details. I made this mistake a few times and had to reread a few spots to get properly caught up.

These tales had an otherworldly feel to them and drug you down different paths than one would expect. I think "Dream Horror" is a fantastic way to describe it because that's how it felt, very dreamy, astral, and horrific.

I received a digital copy with a request for an honest review but enjoyed it enough I will be ordering a physical version. Well worth adding to the collection.

[E.M. White · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to the team at Crystal Lake Publishing for graciously sending me an ARC of this anthology for review. I have no affiliation with Crystal Lake whatsoever, nor any incentive to review this book positively.

I'd give this 4.5 stars if I could, but this was certainly a better-than-average experience as far as horror anthologies go. Admittedly, a few stories didn't quite work for me on the basis of premises, plotting, or consistency. But there are many impressive pieces here, both from already familiar names (Angelia Liu, Eric La Rocca) and names that were new to me (most notably Michelle Tang). Generally, the stronger stories here impressed me with their imagination, prose, and proper endings, whether I was able to predict those endings or not.

[Brandon Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first saw the proposal for this anthology, I didn't realize how varied stories based on dreams could be. Some of the stories are existential, some of them premonitions and some of them are waking dreams. I got lost in these stories, each very different from the rest.

I was impressed with the mix of styles and perspectives.

Overall, I believe Eric LaRocca wrote my favorite story. I won't spoil anything, but this story hit close to home for me as I was in a relationship that I also felt trapped in.

5/5!

[Aaron B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never Wake

I was excited to read this anthology edited by Mr. Tim Meyer and Mr. Kenneth Cain as it contains stories by several authors whose work I have admired in the past. The theme is dreaming and the stories in this collection present 19 imaginative and enjoyable works.

Never Wake begins with an introduction by Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror) that sets the reader’s expectations. Several of the authors in this anthology are noted for short story collections or novels in Ms. Hartmann’s recent book,101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered. Of particular note is the story Specter by Philip Fracassi. Finding a new-to-me story by this author is always exciting and the nightmarish theme of this collection is well-represented here by a true Granny Gone Wild.

Excellent short fiction by Pedro Iniguez (Feast of the Dreamer), Eric Larocca (Not Every Living Thing Will Rot Away), Todd Keisling (Oneirophobia), Lyndsey E. Gilbert (Prayers To Chthonic* Gods) and fourteen others make this anthology a bargain for collectors of these authors.

Five Stars: AB sez check it out.
Included in Kindle Unlimited if you have it.

*Public Service Announcement: The “CH” in chthonic is silent; pronounced “thon-ic.” I had to look it up too.

[N.J. Gallegos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always love an anthology. There are some notable standouts for me: Laurel Hightower, Cynthia Pelayo, Gwendolyn Kiste, Catharine McCarthy.

Going in to the anthology, I didn't quite know what to expect but each author had a unique take.