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Urban Horrors
A collection of horror stories set in urban and suburban locations includes contributions by Ray Bradbury, Fritz Leiber, Joyce Carol Oates, John Cheever, and others
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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159 people want to read
About the author
William F. Nolan
372 books241 followersWilliam F. Nolan is best known as the co-author (with George Clayton Johnson) of Logan's Run -- a science fiction novel that went on to become a movie, a television series and is about to become a movie again -- and as single author of its sequels. His short stories have been selected for scores of anthologies and textbooks and he is twice winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Special Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Nolan was born in 1928 in Kansas City Missouri. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute and worked as an artist for Hallmark Cards. He moved to California in the late 1940s and studied at San Diego State College. He began concentrating on writing rather than art and, in 1952, was introduced by fellow Missouri native (and established writer) Ray Bradbury to another young up-and-coming author, Charles Beaumont. Moving to the Los Angeles area in 1953, Nolan became along with Bradbury, Beaumont, and Richard Matheson part of the "inner core" of the soon-to-be highly influential "Southern California Group" of writers. By 1956 Nolan was a full-time writer. Since 1951 he has sold more than 1500 stories, articles, books, and other works.
Although Nolan wrote roughly 2000 pieces, to include biographies, short stories, poetry, and novels, Logan’s Run retains its hold on the public consciousness as a political fable and dystopian warning. As Nolan has stated: “That I am known at all is still astonishing to me... "
He passed away at the age of 93 due to complications from an infection.
Nolan was born in 1928 in Kansas City Missouri. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute and worked as an artist for Hallmark Cards. He moved to California in the late 1940s and studied at San Diego State College. He began concentrating on writing rather than art and, in 1952, was introduced by fellow Missouri native (and established writer) Ray Bradbury to another young up-and-coming author, Charles Beaumont. Moving to the Los Angeles area in 1953, Nolan became along with Bradbury, Beaumont, and Richard Matheson part of the "inner core" of the soon-to-be highly influential "Southern California Group" of writers. By 1956 Nolan was a full-time writer. Since 1951 he has sold more than 1500 stories, articles, books, and other works.
Although Nolan wrote roughly 2000 pieces, to include biographies, short stories, poetry, and novels, Logan’s Run retains its hold on the public consciousness as a political fable and dystopian warning. As Nolan has stated: “That I am known at all is still astonishing to me... "
He passed away at the age of 93 due to complications from an infection.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 21, 2023
One of my favorite early 90s horror anthologies, I'd put this up there with the first couple Borderlands volumes as far as having a consistent level of excellence from beginning to end. But while Borderlands contained all-new stories, Urban Horrors consists entirely of reprints covering the early 40s to late 80s. And look at the names: Beaumont, Lansdale, Campbell, Shirley Jackson, Leiber, Etchison, Ray Russell, Bradbury, Oates, both Mathesons, Philip K. Dick...
All the stories here take place in modern cities and suburbs, as opposed to secluded mansions, forests, etc. The forefather of urban horror is undoubtedly Fritz Leiber, whose "Smoke Ghost" is a deserved classic in the field, about a man who keeps seeing some strange, bag-like shape shifting around among the rooftops while he's riding the elevated train at night in Chicago. He also feels like he's being watched. Etchison's "Talking in the Dark" is a dark and twisted story that shows you why it may not be a good idea to meet your favorite author, especially if you don't know what his "research" consists of.
"The Chimney" is one of Ramsey Campbell's most chilling tales, about a young boy with a paralyzing and seemingly irrational fear of the fat old man who supposedly comes down the chimney every Christmas. But maybe he was right. Philip K. Dick's "The Father Thing" is another story about a young boy's irrational fear, this one being the fear that his father is an imposter, one who replaced his real father. One of my favorite PKD stories. Richard Matheson's "Prey,"which was adapted for the 1975 made-for-TV movie Trilogy of Terror, is a classic tale of a cursed Zuni hunter fetish doll.
One obscure tale, "The Tunnel Ahead" by Alice Glaser, who as far as I know has never written another piece of fiction after this 1961 story, is possibly my favorite of them all. It helps if you know nothing at all of the story beforehand, only that a family's seemingly mundane roadtrip turns into a nightmare once they enter a long tunnel. It's truly disturbing, but I don't think it will be nearly as effective if I say anything more. Just read it.
Those are just a handful of my favorites, but there's really no dud in the bunch, and even authors that I'm not normally a fan of, like William F. Nolan and J.N. Williamson, provide very good stories here (Nolan's "The Pool" is especially spooky). Unlike some other anthologies from the era, it can still be had pretty easily and cheaply. Somehow Amazon -- not one of the other sellers that sell there -- is still selling new copies of the original 1993 mass-market. It's well-worth getting if you're in the mood for some top-notch horror.
4.0 Stars
All the stories here take place in modern cities and suburbs, as opposed to secluded mansions, forests, etc. The forefather of urban horror is undoubtedly Fritz Leiber, whose "Smoke Ghost" is a deserved classic in the field, about a man who keeps seeing some strange, bag-like shape shifting around among the rooftops while he's riding the elevated train at night in Chicago. He also feels like he's being watched. Etchison's "Talking in the Dark" is a dark and twisted story that shows you why it may not be a good idea to meet your favorite author, especially if you don't know what his "research" consists of.
"The Chimney" is one of Ramsey Campbell's most chilling tales, about a young boy with a paralyzing and seemingly irrational fear of the fat old man who supposedly comes down the chimney every Christmas. But maybe he was right. Philip K. Dick's "The Father Thing" is another story about a young boy's irrational fear, this one being the fear that his father is an imposter, one who replaced his real father. One of my favorite PKD stories. Richard Matheson's "Prey,"which was adapted for the 1975 made-for-TV movie Trilogy of Terror, is a classic tale of a cursed Zuni hunter fetish doll.
One obscure tale, "The Tunnel Ahead" by Alice Glaser, who as far as I know has never written another piece of fiction after this 1961 story, is possibly my favorite of them all. It helps if you know nothing at all of the story beforehand, only that a family's seemingly mundane roadtrip turns into a nightmare once they enter a long tunnel. It's truly disturbing, but I don't think it will be nearly as effective if I say anything more. Just read it.
Those are just a handful of my favorites, but there's really no dud in the bunch, and even authors that I'm not normally a fan of, like William F. Nolan and J.N. Williamson, provide very good stories here (Nolan's "The Pool" is especially spooky). Unlike some other anthologies from the era, it can still be had pretty easily and cheaply. Somehow Amazon -- not one of the other sellers that sell there -- is still selling new copies of the original 1993 mass-market. It's well-worth getting if you're in the mood for some top-notch horror.
4.0 Stars
Want to read
October 2, 2017This hardcover is numbered 166 of 500 copies and is signed by Robert W. Lavoie (illustrator), James Kisner, J. N. Williamson, John Maclay, Joe R. Lansdale, Martin Greenberg, William F. Nolan, Richard Matheson, R. C. Matheson, Ray Bradbury, Dennis Etchiison, Ramsey Campbell.
September 27, 2007
This collection of short stories brings together masters of horror:
Shirley Jackson, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, and William F. Nolan.
My favorite short stories are "Prey" by Richard Matheson (one of my favorite authors) and "The Father-Thing" by Phillip K. Dick.
They use the techniques of horror, suspense and drama to create masterpieces!
Shirley Jackson, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, and William F. Nolan.
My favorite short stories are "Prey" by Richard Matheson (one of my favorite authors) and "The Father-Thing" by Phillip K. Dick.
They use the techniques of horror, suspense and drama to create masterpieces!
Read
April 14, 2008Anthology,Horror
December 27, 2010
Some real gems are located in this little book.Some of the stories are well anthologized but others were unknown to me.
August 16, 2013
good collection of horror stories from the 1980s
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews