The Seaharp Hotel

Greystone Bay #3

by Charles L. Grant (Editor), Chet Williamson (Contributor), Robert E. Vardeman (Contributor)

A collection of stories dealing with Greystone Bay's SeaHarp Hotel, where the flowers have eyes and the curious volumes in the library literally grab the reader

Genres: Horror, Anthologies

294 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1990

About the author

Charles Lewis Grant was a novelist and short story writer specializing in what he called "dark fantasy" and "quiet horror." He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Geoffrey Marsh, Lionel Fenn, Simon Lake, Felicia Andrews, and Deborah Lewis.

Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons, a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", and another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," the latter telling of an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.

Reviews

[Graham P · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small step up from the 2nd installment, 'Doom City'. This time the fictitious Greystone Bay is given a sharper focus -- 'The Seaharp Hotel' is an elaborate and stately old hotel along the ocean, and every story here takes place in the rooms and hallways beneath the gabled roofs. There are far too many stories of the aging character coming back to Greystone Bay -- to die, or on the run from some guilt-ridden past -- and halfway through the collection, the reader may stiffen up with boredom as the story lines become repetitive and somewhat empty. However, there are some nuggets. Nancy Holder's 'Ami Amet Deli Pencet' is a moody thriller about amnesia, and spirits submerged deep in the watery graves of one's subconscious. Holder has a knack of conjuring surreal images without over-flourishing the language. Steve Rasnic Tem's 'Aquarium' shows the authors mastery of subdued horrors, things seen from the corners of the eye, and by the end, the reader feels unsettled but really can't pinpoint why. There are some pulpy renderings here that are solid. Thomas Monteleone's 'No Pain, No Gain' is a bluntly lurid tale of parasites and the grue associated with symbiosis. Al Sarrantonio's 'The Coat' adds to the 'possessed garment' tale and keeps the darkness in the right places. Besides the mediocrity and one-note blandness to some of these tales, it is required reading for the 'Greystone Bay' quartet. The next and final book is 'In the Fog' and I have the inclination that this one will return to the widescreen form of the 1st.

[Marsi W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Greystone Bay Chronicles. Unlike the others, this one focuses on stories surrounding the Seaharp Hotel. The tales are quirky and fun.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

a nice little book. I was frustrated by the lack of details about the history of the place and what was locked in that room mentioned in the first chapter by the main writer Charles Grant.

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Much stronger than the second installment, "Doom City."

[Bill Borre]

"Blood Lilies" by Robert E. Vardeman - Alan checks into the hotel and discovers that the gardener is tapping guests to feed his plants with their blood.