What do you think?
Rate this book
A Feast of Infinite Rot
"Every tale is born in truth, just as every tree comes from a seed. And so it is in these tales that we learn about life, fiction and fact both leading us along. Which road you choose to follow, which details you choose to believe, I leave up to you, dear listeners."
And so begin three dark tales at a nameless inn on the edge of the New World. Three stories told in lieu of gold, payment for refuge and a feast. Three tales that may reveal or conceal a storyteller's darkest secrets.
- The Hag's Reckoning -
At forest's edge lives a twisted woman, a creature the children will soon learn to fear. When a prank goes wrong and accusations of witchcraft are spoken, a cruel vengeance is unleashed and a dark reckoning comes.
- The Elder of Aldritch -
A dying vineyard serves as the staging grounds for experiments that seek to unlock the energies of the earth. An arcane scientist, a spoiled son, the perfect wine, and an imperfect murder.
-The Timberman's Daughter -
A traveling tutor, a beautiful daughter, and a forbidden love turned to terror on one bloody night.
A fusion of dark fantasy and horror, A FEAST OF INFINITE ROT is a novella of intelligent tales of terror all tied together by a traveller whose eyes have seen twisted horrors few would believe. Savored by themselves or devoured altogether, these stories are sure to leave the reader unsettled.
Come in from the cold world outside.
Savor the smell of spiced meat and mulled wine.
And sink your teeth in to A FEAST OF INFINITE ROT.
And so begin three dark tales at a nameless inn on the edge of the New World. Three stories told in lieu of gold, payment for refuge and a feast. Three tales that may reveal or conceal a storyteller's darkest secrets.
- The Hag's Reckoning -
At forest's edge lives a twisted woman, a creature the children will soon learn to fear. When a prank goes wrong and accusations of witchcraft are spoken, a cruel vengeance is unleashed and a dark reckoning comes.
- The Elder of Aldritch -
A dying vineyard serves as the staging grounds for experiments that seek to unlock the energies of the earth. An arcane scientist, a spoiled son, the perfect wine, and an imperfect murder.
-The Timberman's Daughter -
A traveling tutor, a beautiful daughter, and a forbidden love turned to terror on one bloody night.
A fusion of dark fantasy and horror, A FEAST OF INFINITE ROT is a novella of intelligent tales of terror all tied together by a traveller whose eyes have seen twisted horrors few would believe. Savored by themselves or devoured altogether, these stories are sure to leave the reader unsettled.
Come in from the cold world outside.
Savor the smell of spiced meat and mulled wine.
And sink your teeth in to A FEAST OF INFINITE ROT.
155 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2012
12 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Van Wey
20 books576 followersAndrew Van Wey was born in Palo Alto, California, spent part of his childhood in New England, and lived in South Korea for over a decade.
When he's not writing, Andrew can be found mountain biking, playing video games, or hiking with his wife and their sheepdog Arthas. He loves education, geeking out about D&D and fountain pens, and collecting tattoos.
Visit him online at: www.andrewvanwey.com to sign up for early previews and special offers!
When he's not writing, Andrew can be found mountain biking, playing video games, or hiking with his wife and their sheepdog Arthas. He loves education, geeking out about D&D and fountain pens, and collecting tattoos.
Visit him online at: www.andrewvanwey.com to sign up for early previews and special offers!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 12, 2022
This tale was so dark and delicious that I ate it right up. A traveler arrives at an inn. To pay for the night, he is requested by the old hag who runs the inn to tell three tales. He does, not expecting to get back what he has handed out in life. I’ve always loved fairy tales and this was about the best I’ve ever read, so good that I’ve bought two more of Mr. Van Wey’s stories. You get what you sow. That’s what this story’s all about. I loved it.
January 16, 2013
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Autumn
Andrew Van Wey is one of horror’s new avant-garde. Not the overtly graphic type, but the kind that creeps up on you from behind and whispers coldly in your ear.
A Feast of Infinite Rot is a compilation of sorts that is tied together by the storyteller himself, a traveller. A weary man finds himself in a secluded Inn with only the staff and all they require for payment for his food and lodging is that he tells them three stories. He claims that all of these stories are based on real events in his life and he invites them to sit back and bear witness.
Each of these short stories will give you a good case of the chills in and of itself but lurking in the background is a twist that you will never see coming.
I really enjoy Van Wey’s subtle style and they way he leads the reader right where he wants them to go. I would recommend reading this book at high noon in the middle of a sea of people. You’ll feel safer that way…
http://openbooksociety.com/article/a-...
Andrew Van Wey is one of horror’s new avant-garde. Not the overtly graphic type, but the kind that creeps up on you from behind and whispers coldly in your ear.
A Feast of Infinite Rot is a compilation of sorts that is tied together by the storyteller himself, a traveller. A weary man finds himself in a secluded Inn with only the staff and all they require for payment for his food and lodging is that he tells them three stories. He claims that all of these stories are based on real events in his life and he invites them to sit back and bear witness.
Each of these short stories will give you a good case of the chills in and of itself but lurking in the background is a twist that you will never see coming.
I really enjoy Van Wey’s subtle style and they way he leads the reader right where he wants them to go. I would recommend reading this book at high noon in the middle of a sea of people. You’ll feel safer that way…
http://openbooksociety.com/article/a-...
December 6, 2012
Right off the back I knew this was going to be a good story. I loved the author’s writing style and it was so easy for me to imagine what was happening. As the story progressed I was drawn in even more, wondering what each of these stories had to tell. They were dark and gruesome but yet so enticing to see where things were going to go.
Nothing could have prepared me for the ending though! I was just speechless as I flipped through the final pages. I had to just sit there for a moment to soak in what had actually happened. Even now I’m still just baffled.
The novella keeps you interested throughout the entire story and then near the end you start creeping towards the front of your seat. And finally the seat is just ripped out from beneath you and you’re just sitting there wide eyed and a dropped jaw.
A gruesome and wonderfully told story and a great introduction to Andrew Van Wey’s writing style.
Nothing could have prepared me for the ending though! I was just speechless as I flipped through the final pages. I had to just sit there for a moment to soak in what had actually happened. Even now I’m still just baffled.
The novella keeps you interested throughout the entire story and then near the end you start creeping towards the front of your seat. And finally the seat is just ripped out from beneath you and you’re just sitting there wide eyed and a dropped jaw.
A gruesome and wonderfully told story and a great introduction to Andrew Van Wey’s writing style.
December 31, 2012
The stories within the story are what made this book a 5 for me. They're twisted fairy tales before Disney has a chance to clean them up. I guessed part of the ending, but not the whole thing. The middle stories sucked me in so much that the ending was left as enough of a surprise. This author is a great storyteller just like the protagonist in this book. If you like dark and magical tales, this book is perfect for you.
September 15, 2016
wow... amazing.
Recommended for anyone who loves a great tale.
Recommended for anyone who loves a great tale.
September 14, 2020
This book is artful, atmospheric and well written. The author is obviously well read in some of the old masters. The ambience and sense of setting he establishes in the very first chapter would have made Poe proud. The story is delivered in a calculated antique style that is never allowed to make it difficult to read, but succeeds in suffusing it with an atmosphere shared by works of yore. Kudos to Mr. Van Wey on a well crafted piece of art.
April 15, 2025
can't find it to read sad :(
February 3, 2013
Another great book by Andrew Van Wey. Completely different than his last two, but it draws you in immediately and keeps you interested all the way through. The book is very creepy and a must-read for horror buffs, and there is a great twist at the end that you won't see coming (as in all of Van Wey's books). Again, I highly recommend this book and any book by Van Wey. I can't wait for the next one!
February 3, 2013
Bet you cannot complete the plot of this book after reading the first few pages. Van Wey really disguises where we are going with the plot and this is certainly one of the things that makes it so enjoyable. Won't tell you of the finish, but that is an exceptional twist. Enjoy it, I did.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" and "Wesley's Ways"
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" and "Wesley's Ways"
January 16, 2013
No one does creepy quite like Van Wey!
Full review on Open Book Society...
http://openbooksociety.com/article/a-...
Full review on Open Book Society...
http://openbooksociety.com/article/a-...
October 16, 2014
A Feast of Infinite Rot
Author: Andrew Van Wey
Publisher: Greywood Bay
Date: 2012
Pgs: 106
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
A traveller walks a haunted road through a series of stories. He tells his tales, storytelling in payment for a place to lay his head and food for his hungry stomach. Witchcraft in the forest, an old woman hermit twisted by life, and a childish prank lead toward vengeance and a reckoning. Magic and science collide in a dying vineyard. A wine made perfect with arcane science, spoiled children, and a murder grace the story of the Elder. Forbidden love turns to terror and blood as a tutor comes calling. The traveller has seen and felt things. He is haunted by these tales and he shares them in a unsettled little inn amongst the tavern dwellers. Food, wine, and a good story told in a dark night.
Genre:
Adventure
Fantasy
Fiction
Horror
Short stories
Thrillers
Why this book:
Came to me through a read for review program.
__________________________________________________________________________
The Traveller:
Favorite Character:
The Traveller is a great character. Weary of the long travels he has taken, ready to settle down, but wanting to get to a tropical land where the gods may be strange, but, hopefully, the clothing is reduced...or optional.
Least Favorite Character:
The two challenged men, the one in the field and the one carving the ham...I already suspect that they were previous visitors who fell victim to the inn and her mistress.
Hmm Moments:
As world weary and well travelled as the traveller seems to be, he should see that there is more to the inn where he’s found lodging than meets the eye. Where are the pigs? Where did all that ham and bacon come from? Pumpkins...cats? Not nearly as suspicious as he should be, I think. Has a very Hansel and Gretel feel.
_________________________________________________________________________
The Hag’s Reckoning:
Least Favorite Character:
Viktor is a fool. He learned the wrong lesson when the crone caught him stealing from her garden, threatened him, and, then, let him go. He’s the worst kind of “valiant” knight from their game of Knights and Giants.
The Feel:
The Salem witch trials feel is predominate with a bit more of that Hansel and Gretel feel from the previous story.
Favorite Scene:
The jawbones and the flaming woman. Wow. Just wow.
Hmm Moments:
That’s a well constructed tale.
In light of the other things that he has encountered, his easy discounting of the carved geode as a mythical device makes you wonder at the Traveller’s sense of self preservation.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
This could totally go to the screen, big or small.
__________________________________________________________________________
The Elder of Aldricht:
Favorite Character:
The Traveller caught up in circumstances beyond his control...all because he was lured in by one of those geodes with dancing lights inside.
Least Favorite Character:
The Elder’s son is a dandy and an ass.
Favorite Scene:
The son’s cold reckoning. Wonder if it was the Elder following the Traveller as he made his run for the rune stone wall...or if it was something else.
Pacing:
The pace of this short was great.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
I am left wondering if it was just the Elder or if something else was there with him. Would have been out-of-character for him to try to get the Traveller to stay whispering over his shoulder as he ran.
Hmm Moments:
The Elder’s laboratory being bigger on the inside than seemed possible based on how the house was laid out. I love a good Doctor Who reference.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Would be awesome.
Casting call:
John Malkovich would be great as The Elder. Keanu Reeves could be awesome as The Elder also.
Maybe Jonah Hill as the Elder’s son.
__________________________________________________________________________
The Timberman’s Daughter:
Favorite Character:
In this tale, both the Traveller and the Timberman’s Daughter are great characters cloaked in love not to be a tragedy. Very Romeo and Juliet.
Least Favorite Character:
I thought of Clement as a Disney villain while reading the tale...until we got to the climax and I realized how un-Disney he was.
The Feel:
This was a tragedy beginning to end. I could feel it coming from the moment the Traveller mentioned their divergent social standings.
Favorite Scene:
His book saving her from the killing blow even though cleaved almost in two.
Pacing:
The flow of this story is awesome. The three tales that the Traveller tells are all well paced.
Hmm Moments:
The illusions that the moment thrusts upon us and we accept.
“...when the mind tired it often left the door open for the supernatural.”
...ain’t it the truth.
Wow...just wow. The perceived juxtaposition is more than that. All the darkness of his past is coming for him.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
This one while I liked it probably wouldn’t lend itself to a screenplay as well as the others. Though, if this were taken as a vignette within the larger Traveller story, it would work on the big screen.
__________________________________________________________________________
Last Page Sound:
There’s a mirroring and a juxtaposition between the stories the Traveller is telling and his three dinner companions...and the guy out in the field who he saw first when he approached. Being the worldly man that he is, it seems that he should have noticed.
I wanted the Traveller’s tales to be true...more true than what they turned out to be.
But everyone’s truth is different.
Author Assessment:
Great stuff. I’ll definitely read other stuff from Andrew Van Wey.
Editorial Assessment:
Well edited. No complaints.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
instant classic
Disposition of Book:
e-Book
Would recommend to:
friends, family, kids, colleagues, everyone, genre fans
Author: Andrew Van Wey
Publisher: Greywood Bay
Date: 2012
Pgs: 106
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
A traveller walks a haunted road through a series of stories. He tells his tales, storytelling in payment for a place to lay his head and food for his hungry stomach. Witchcraft in the forest, an old woman hermit twisted by life, and a childish prank lead toward vengeance and a reckoning. Magic and science collide in a dying vineyard. A wine made perfect with arcane science, spoiled children, and a murder grace the story of the Elder. Forbidden love turns to terror and blood as a tutor comes calling. The traveller has seen and felt things. He is haunted by these tales and he shares them in a unsettled little inn amongst the tavern dwellers. Food, wine, and a good story told in a dark night.
Genre:
Adventure
Fantasy
Fiction
Horror
Short stories
Thrillers
Why this book:
Came to me through a read for review program.
__________________________________________________________________________
The Traveller:
Favorite Character:
The Traveller is a great character. Weary of the long travels he has taken, ready to settle down, but wanting to get to a tropical land where the gods may be strange, but, hopefully, the clothing is reduced...or optional.
Least Favorite Character:
The two challenged men, the one in the field and the one carving the ham...I already suspect that they were previous visitors who fell victim to the inn and her mistress.
Hmm Moments:
As world weary and well travelled as the traveller seems to be, he should see that there is more to the inn where he’s found lodging than meets the eye. Where are the pigs? Where did all that ham and bacon come from? Pumpkins...cats? Not nearly as suspicious as he should be, I think. Has a very Hansel and Gretel feel.
_________________________________________________________________________
The Hag’s Reckoning:
Least Favorite Character:
Viktor is a fool. He learned the wrong lesson when the crone caught him stealing from her garden, threatened him, and, then, let him go. He’s the worst kind of “valiant” knight from their game of Knights and Giants.
The Feel:
The Salem witch trials feel is predominate with a bit more of that Hansel and Gretel feel from the previous story.
Favorite Scene:
The jawbones and the flaming woman. Wow. Just wow.
Hmm Moments:
That’s a well constructed tale.
In light of the other things that he has encountered, his easy discounting of the carved geode as a mythical device makes you wonder at the Traveller’s sense of self preservation.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
This could totally go to the screen, big or small.
__________________________________________________________________________
The Elder of Aldricht:
Favorite Character:
The Traveller caught up in circumstances beyond his control...all because he was lured in by one of those geodes with dancing lights inside.
Least Favorite Character:
The Elder’s son is a dandy and an ass.
Favorite Scene:
The son’s cold reckoning. Wonder if it was the Elder following the Traveller as he made his run for the rune stone wall...or if it was something else.
Pacing:
The pace of this short was great.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
I am left wondering if it was just the Elder or if something else was there with him. Would have been out-of-character for him to try to get the Traveller to stay whispering over his shoulder as he ran.
Hmm Moments:
The Elder’s laboratory being bigger on the inside than seemed possible based on how the house was laid out. I love a good Doctor Who reference.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Would be awesome.
Casting call:
John Malkovich would be great as The Elder. Keanu Reeves could be awesome as The Elder also.
Maybe Jonah Hill as the Elder’s son.
__________________________________________________________________________
The Timberman’s Daughter:
Favorite Character:
In this tale, both the Traveller and the Timberman’s Daughter are great characters cloaked in love not to be a tragedy. Very Romeo and Juliet.
Least Favorite Character:
I thought of Clement as a Disney villain while reading the tale...until we got to the climax and I realized how un-Disney he was.
The Feel:
This was a tragedy beginning to end. I could feel it coming from the moment the Traveller mentioned their divergent social standings.
Favorite Scene:
His book saving her from the killing blow even though cleaved almost in two.
Pacing:
The flow of this story is awesome. The three tales that the Traveller tells are all well paced.
Hmm Moments:
The illusions that the moment thrusts upon us and we accept.
“...when the mind tired it often left the door open for the supernatural.”
...ain’t it the truth.
Wow...just wow. The perceived juxtaposition is more than that. All the darkness of his past is coming for him.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
This one while I liked it probably wouldn’t lend itself to a screenplay as well as the others. Though, if this were taken as a vignette within the larger Traveller story, it would work on the big screen.
__________________________________________________________________________
Last Page Sound:
There’s a mirroring and a juxtaposition between the stories the Traveller is telling and his three dinner companions...and the guy out in the field who he saw first when he approached. Being the worldly man that he is, it seems that he should have noticed.
I wanted the Traveller’s tales to be true...more true than what they turned out to be.
But everyone’s truth is different.
Author Assessment:
Great stuff. I’ll definitely read other stuff from Andrew Van Wey.
Editorial Assessment:
Well edited. No complaints.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
instant classic
Disposition of Book:
e-Book
Would recommend to:
friends, family, kids, colleagues, everyone, genre fans
November 19, 2021
Short Story Review of A Feast of Infinite Rot
I love this type of eerie and dark horror story. It’s written in an old timey style of writing which very much adds to the creepiness. (Reminds me a bit of Edgar Allen Poe for whatever reason) The author is excellent at describing the scenery/setting-I could easily imagine everything he wrote and felt like I was walking with the Traveler.
I definitely recommend reading this story if you like horror stories.
I love this type of eerie and dark horror story. It’s written in an old timey style of writing which very much adds to the creepiness. (Reminds me a bit of Edgar Allen Poe for whatever reason) The author is excellent at describing the scenery/setting-I could easily imagine everything he wrote and felt like I was walking with the Traveler.
I definitely recommend reading this story if you like horror stories.
September 1, 2013
Woohoo! Mr. Van Wey did it again! I read Forsaken and loved it so I decided to give this one a try too. I’m glad I did. This story, or stories within the story, was twisted, imaginative and entertaining.
First, I love the titles of these books. They give me a chuckle and I get excited to read the book. When I was a little girl I would watch westerns with my Dad. I still like the themes of lone characters finding their way through danger and make it through the world. This may be part of the appeal of this book for me.
The main story starts describing “a traveler”. A bit odd, since the character isn’t even given a name; makes it a bit difficult to grow attached to a character without a name, right? I felt some sort of benevolence toward the Traveler for some unknown reason. The story continues to describe the Traveler as he struggles through the elements with a horse. He is trying to cross a river bank and the efforts are taking their toll. It seemed to be a Western setting to me but something was wrong with it. Fog was mentioned but I found myself picturing fog, it being dusk and the Traveler being weary. The Traveler describes the river as “…autumn branches grasping above the torrent like fingers, desperate and dying”. Not too spooky but kind of Alfred Hitchcockish.
The Traveler comes to an Inn where he hopes for lodging and a meal and perhaps a prostitute. After washing up and being served dinner, the Traveler and the head of the Inn begin to discuss payment. In return for the lodging and the meal the traveler is to tell three stories to the people that live and run the Inn. Though the residents are a bit odd, an old woman without teeth and a sloped back, a young woman with dirty hair that hides her eyes and a simpleton that mutters and laughs to himself; the Traveler is happy to agree to the small payment. The short stories now begin.
The Hag’s Reckoning is a story of a witch in cahoots with the devil. Young boys are caught stealing vegetables from the witch’s garden and she scares the dickens out of them. To get her back the boys come up with an idea to frame her with jaw bones that they are going to dig up from the cemetery.
Another odd point, I never thought of witches having a green thumb nor have I thought that kids would willingly steal vegetables. Obviously, it is taken place in a different time since young boys are allowed out late at night and able to dig up corpses without a blink of an eye.
The Elder of Aldritch, my favorite, is about Vineyard Owner that is going bankrupt. The Elder comes upon the Traveler stealing from him but ends up employing him to rebuild the stone fence around the grapevines. The son of the vineyard owner is lazy, arrogant and doesn’t like the Traveler sleeping in the barn or being at the house. The son is spending all the money and not contributing to the vineyard.
This was my favorite because of the themes. The son’s feeling of entitlement, the Elder being kind, intelligent but incapable of influencing his child. Greed, violence and the power of money all play a role but I won’t give away the end.
The Tiberman’s Daughter is about love lost. It is a common love tragedy. Rich versus poor; the righteous versus immoral but you don’t know which characters hold which attributes.
There are conversations between the stories that the Traveler tells. The residents ask questions and the Traveler gives explanations about the stories themselves and tidbits about his life. Each short story is a part of the Traveler’s life with a bit of exaggeration to make the story better, he says. Again, I won’t say ore so I don’t give away the end which I started to figure out but was still surprised by most.
Read the book on a rainy night with a glass of wine, red wine, of course.
http://booksbeliefsattitude.blogspot....
First, I love the titles of these books. They give me a chuckle and I get excited to read the book. When I was a little girl I would watch westerns with my Dad. I still like the themes of lone characters finding their way through danger and make it through the world. This may be part of the appeal of this book for me.
The main story starts describing “a traveler”. A bit odd, since the character isn’t even given a name; makes it a bit difficult to grow attached to a character without a name, right? I felt some sort of benevolence toward the Traveler for some unknown reason. The story continues to describe the Traveler as he struggles through the elements with a horse. He is trying to cross a river bank and the efforts are taking their toll. It seemed to be a Western setting to me but something was wrong with it. Fog was mentioned but I found myself picturing fog, it being dusk and the Traveler being weary. The Traveler describes the river as “…autumn branches grasping above the torrent like fingers, desperate and dying”. Not too spooky but kind of Alfred Hitchcockish.
The Traveler comes to an Inn where he hopes for lodging and a meal and perhaps a prostitute. After washing up and being served dinner, the Traveler and the head of the Inn begin to discuss payment. In return for the lodging and the meal the traveler is to tell three stories to the people that live and run the Inn. Though the residents are a bit odd, an old woman without teeth and a sloped back, a young woman with dirty hair that hides her eyes and a simpleton that mutters and laughs to himself; the Traveler is happy to agree to the small payment. The short stories now begin.
The Hag’s Reckoning is a story of a witch in cahoots with the devil. Young boys are caught stealing vegetables from the witch’s garden and she scares the dickens out of them. To get her back the boys come up with an idea to frame her with jaw bones that they are going to dig up from the cemetery.
Another odd point, I never thought of witches having a green thumb nor have I thought that kids would willingly steal vegetables. Obviously, it is taken place in a different time since young boys are allowed out late at night and able to dig up corpses without a blink of an eye.
The Elder of Aldritch, my favorite, is about Vineyard Owner that is going bankrupt. The Elder comes upon the Traveler stealing from him but ends up employing him to rebuild the stone fence around the grapevines. The son of the vineyard owner is lazy, arrogant and doesn’t like the Traveler sleeping in the barn or being at the house. The son is spending all the money and not contributing to the vineyard.
This was my favorite because of the themes. The son’s feeling of entitlement, the Elder being kind, intelligent but incapable of influencing his child. Greed, violence and the power of money all play a role but I won’t give away the end.
The Tiberman’s Daughter is about love lost. It is a common love tragedy. Rich versus poor; the righteous versus immoral but you don’t know which characters hold which attributes.
There are conversations between the stories that the Traveler tells. The residents ask questions and the Traveler gives explanations about the stories themselves and tidbits about his life. Each short story is a part of the Traveler’s life with a bit of exaggeration to make the story better, he says. Again, I won’t say ore so I don’t give away the end which I started to figure out but was still surprised by most.
Read the book on a rainy night with a glass of wine, red wine, of course.
http://booksbeliefsattitude.blogspot....
July 10, 2018
This was an excellent old school story of horror. A traveler from England is running from his past in the new country of colonies when he runs across an old inn in which he can grab a meal, a good nights rest, and maybe a woman's company. The old woman who runs the inn tells him that since he is the only guest, he can pay his way with story telling. Three good tales will cover the night. He tells them one by one, but not the way they truthfully happened. After the tales are told, he finds that this is no normal inn, and he is not going to walk away. Scary as all get out. Even Stephen King was spooked by this one.
March 17, 2015
The best campfire tales are those born from a hint of truth.
A lone traveler happens upon a desolate inn on his journey through the New World. Inside he meets three strange people: a bent-over crone, a shy, mute girl, and a cackling village simpleton. Their price for letting him stay the night? Not coin, not anything in barter, but three tales. You see, the traveler is a storyteller, and he's more than happy to spin a yarn or three from his many travels abroad in order to earn his keep. But with each tale the night grows darker, the strangers more agitated, and the traveler? He'll realize there's something not quite right about this inn on the edge of nowhere, and that a lie is still a lie no matter how much you've convinced yourself otherwise.
A Feast of Infinite Rot is great atmospheric horror that's more than the sum of its parts. The three tales our autonomous traveler tells his hosts aren't random ghost stories. Each is a twist on something the narrator has experienced, but they all tie in to an overall arc. This is more than a gathering of novelettes thrown together to fill out an anthology as they're intimately tied to not only the traveler, but the inn itself. As creepy as they are clever, each story furthers events along as our nameless, faceless storyteller does his best to entertain the occupants of the inn.
Van Wey uses a more formal and cozy style for this one, which lends an even chillier feel to the book. The writing flows, it's descriptive, and has a period quality to it, making the reader feel as if they're sitting among the four characters in front of the fire, listening while the storm rages outside. The stories are dark, detailed, well-paced, thoughtful, and delightfully cold and gruesome. This isn't a book of gratuitous gore and shock. It's a well-crafted decent into madness and black souls.
If you're looking for something that will send chills up and down your back, I highly recommend this one. It's bound to stick with you after you've turned the last page.
A lone traveler happens upon a desolate inn on his journey through the New World. Inside he meets three strange people: a bent-over crone, a shy, mute girl, and a cackling village simpleton. Their price for letting him stay the night? Not coin, not anything in barter, but three tales. You see, the traveler is a storyteller, and he's more than happy to spin a yarn or three from his many travels abroad in order to earn his keep. But with each tale the night grows darker, the strangers more agitated, and the traveler? He'll realize there's something not quite right about this inn on the edge of nowhere, and that a lie is still a lie no matter how much you've convinced yourself otherwise.
A Feast of Infinite Rot is great atmospheric horror that's more than the sum of its parts. The three tales our autonomous traveler tells his hosts aren't random ghost stories. Each is a twist on something the narrator has experienced, but they all tie in to an overall arc. This is more than a gathering of novelettes thrown together to fill out an anthology as they're intimately tied to not only the traveler, but the inn itself. As creepy as they are clever, each story furthers events along as our nameless, faceless storyteller does his best to entertain the occupants of the inn.
Van Wey uses a more formal and cozy style for this one, which lends an even chillier feel to the book. The writing flows, it's descriptive, and has a period quality to it, making the reader feel as if they're sitting among the four characters in front of the fire, listening while the storm rages outside. The stories are dark, detailed, well-paced, thoughtful, and delightfully cold and gruesome. This isn't a book of gratuitous gore and shock. It's a well-crafted decent into madness and black souls.
If you're looking for something that will send chills up and down your back, I highly recommend this one. It's bound to stick with you after you've turned the last page.
February 17, 2015
This book has an interesting premise - I love stories where the narrator is not to be relied upon and you need to decide for yourself where he's pulling your leg or embellishing. It makes for a great way to introduce supernatural elements into what otherwise seems to be a realistic tale. Definitely adding Andrew Van Wey's new books onto my watch list...
November 15, 2014
Absolutely loved this book. Beautifully written gothic horror with a big twist to finish. I highly recommend this one. Won't be the last I read of Mr Van Wey.
This review was written before I started to take my reviewing seriously. I would need to re-read the book to give it a serious, detailed and fair review so the above review was what I posted at the time.
This review was written before I started to take my reviewing seriously. I would need to re-read the book to give it a serious, detailed and fair review so the above review was what I posted at the time.
December 9, 2014
Great reading
Twists and turns, each story is interesting and the writer develops each story into a whole. Would have loved a longer ending. Well worth the time and money. A fast read.
Twists and turns, each story is interesting and the writer develops each story into a whole. Would have loved a longer ending. Well worth the time and money. A fast read.
May 14, 2013
I enjoyed the stories and the writing, but it was not as frightening for a horror novel as I was expecting. If I could, I would give it a 3.5.
November 4, 2015
A traveller pays his lodging with three spooky tales of his past. This is a very entertaining ghost story. It reminds me of old EC horror comics. Definitely worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews