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The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene #1
Blood on the Page: The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene, Volume 1
“This is my gift. This is my legacy. This is my curse…”
BLOOD ON THE PAGE is the first book in a series collecting all of Brian Keene’s short fiction. Included in this volume are such critically-acclaimed and fan favorite stories as “Burying Betsy”, “Dust”, “The Resurrection and The Life”, “I Am An Exit”, “Fast Zombies Suck”, “Bunnies In August”, “I Sing A New Psalm”, and many more.
These are stories of love and hate. Trust and betrayal. Happiness and heartbreak. Truth and lies. Innocence and paranoia. Flying and falling. Unhappy endings and conspiracies of one. These are stories about zombies, ghosts, serial killers, and the most horrific monsters of all—ourselves.
BLOOD ON THE PAGE – the only thing we have to fear is… everything.
BLOOD ON THE PAGE is the first book in a series collecting all of Brian Keene’s short fiction. Included in this volume are such critically-acclaimed and fan favorite stories as “Burying Betsy”, “Dust”, “The Resurrection and The Life”, “I Am An Exit”, “Fast Zombies Suck”, “Bunnies In August”, “I Sing A New Psalm”, and many more.
These are stories of love and hate. Trust and betrayal. Happiness and heartbreak. Truth and lies. Innocence and paranoia. Flying and falling. Unhappy endings and conspiracies of one. These are stories about zombies, ghosts, serial killers, and the most horrific monsters of all—ourselves.
BLOOD ON THE PAGE – the only thing we have to fear is… everything.
264 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2013
49 people are currently reading
355 people want to read
About the author
Brian Keene
384 books2,987 followersBRIAN KEENE writes novels, comic books, short fiction, and occasional journalism for money. He is the author of over forty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and dark fantasy genres. His 2003 novel, The Rising, is often credited (along with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later film) with inspiring pop culture’s current interest in zombies. Keene’s novels have been translated into German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, French, Taiwanese, and many more. In addition to his own original work, Keene has written for media properties such as Doctor Who, Hellboy, Masters of the Universe, and Superman.
Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option. Keene also serves as Executive Producer for the independent film studio Drunken Tentacle Productions.
Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions, via Thunderstorm Books.
Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the World Horror 2014 Grand Master Award, two Bram Stoker Awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.
The father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.
Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option. Keene also serves as Executive Producer for the independent film studio Drunken Tentacle Productions.
Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions, via Thunderstorm Books.
Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the World Horror 2014 Grand Master Award, two Bram Stoker Awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.
The father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 15, 2015
Collections of short stories are often difficult to rate. Especially when - like Blood on the Page Vol 1 - they contain a wide variety of an author's works, often dating from their very early, rougher days as a writer.
But this also means there's likely something for everyone who enjoys any type of genre the author dabbles in. And after finishing Keene's large short story collection, I cannot imagine how anyone would not find at least one or two golden nuggets amongst these works. And for me, as an unashamed Brian Keene fanboy? Well, it was pretty much a rich vein of gold from beginning to end.
That said, there are always going to be stories that fail to hit the mark. For me, they happened to be the ones that I read toward the end of this book (as I rarely read a collection in the order they're presented in; choosing instead to skip around finding stories that are of a length I can read in one sitting). So THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE, TWO HEADED ALIEN LOVE CHILD, JOHNSTOWN and PORTRAIT OF A MAGUS AS A WRITER (INTERPOLATING MAGIC REALISM) did very little for me. Their themes were either too on the nose, too abstract, or simply seemed out of place for such a collection. (I might also mention while outlining my criticisms that there was some shoddy formatting through my paperback edition of the book. Paragraphs too regularly stopped mid-way across the page and continued as if they were a new paragraph on the next line. There were also a few typos which were missed in the final copy edit. Minor quibbles, perhaps, but I am nothing if not balanced when I write a review... Usually.)
That's just four stories, however, and Blood on the Page contains no less than 29 pieces of short fiction. Some, like HALVES and BURYING BETSY are pure genius in set-up, execution and pay-off. Others, like FULL OF IT and RED WOOD are straight-forward monster/gore mash-ups that revel in their carnage. Still others are introspective and thought-provoking, with none being more so than A REVOLUTION OF ONE and I SING A NEW PSALM. But all of these (and most I have not named) are well-written and interesting enough to be memorable on their own, and really, what more can a reader ask from a collection of short stories?
So the long story short is: Fans of short stories are recommended to give Keene a try. Fans of Brian Keene shouldn't even need a direction as to what they need to rush to their computers to do.
4 Writers Exposing Aspects of Themselves (and Not in the Illegal Way) for Blood on the Page: The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene, Volume 1.
But this also means there's likely something for everyone who enjoys any type of genre the author dabbles in. And after finishing Keene's large short story collection, I cannot imagine how anyone would not find at least one or two golden nuggets amongst these works. And for me, as an unashamed Brian Keene fanboy? Well, it was pretty much a rich vein of gold from beginning to end.
That said, there are always going to be stories that fail to hit the mark. For me, they happened to be the ones that I read toward the end of this book (as I rarely read a collection in the order they're presented in; choosing instead to skip around finding stories that are of a length I can read in one sitting). So THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE, TWO HEADED ALIEN LOVE CHILD, JOHNSTOWN and PORTRAIT OF A MAGUS AS A WRITER (INTERPOLATING MAGIC REALISM) did very little for me. Their themes were either too on the nose, too abstract, or simply seemed out of place for such a collection. (I might also mention while outlining my criticisms that there was some shoddy formatting through my paperback edition of the book. Paragraphs too regularly stopped mid-way across the page and continued as if they were a new paragraph on the next line. There were also a few typos which were missed in the final copy edit. Minor quibbles, perhaps, but I am nothing if not balanced when I write a review... Usually.)
That's just four stories, however, and Blood on the Page contains no less than 29 pieces of short fiction. Some, like HALVES and BURYING BETSY are pure genius in set-up, execution and pay-off. Others, like FULL OF IT and RED WOOD are straight-forward monster/gore mash-ups that revel in their carnage. Still others are introspective and thought-provoking, with none being more so than A REVOLUTION OF ONE and I SING A NEW PSALM. But all of these (and most I have not named) are well-written and interesting enough to be memorable on their own, and really, what more can a reader ask from a collection of short stories?
So the long story short is: Fans of short stories are recommended to give Keene a try. Fans of Brian Keene shouldn't even need a direction as to what they need to rush to their computers to do.
4 Writers Exposing Aspects of Themselves (and Not in the Illegal Way) for Blood on the Page: The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene, Volume 1.
June 25, 2015
Whether its due to my continuous disillusionment with horror or just continuous disillusionment with Keene, but this collection really ailed to impress. I read a lot of Keene's work over the years, but only lately have I become really aware of how much of it is a cult of personality thing. It's no longer just horror fiction, it's Keene's horror fiction. The author who refers to himself (through fictional implications)as magus and a golden boy. I'm sure certain autobiographical aspects are bound to slip into the work of any author, but in this case it's a blatant overkill. It's seems to be all about Keene's life and Keene's mythos of spooky PA. All the characters are versions of similar prototypes, really tough rural dudes projecting machismo left and right, tough living individuals with tough small lives, basically something right out of John Mellencamp's song or Keene's preferred Springsteen. Some of the stories were outright crap and it seems like the only reasons they were being published is because it's early Keene and has some inherent value for collectors or connoisseurs. If it's for comparison sake, it doesn't do much. The quality of writing hasn't come along that far. Not every author known for longer work can go short. Definitely the case here, exemplified by how the best stories in the collection are the longer ones. The short ones just seem to go for the crude obvious, the low hanging fruit and all that. And this isn't a terrible collection by any means, it's perfectly decent, it's occasionally entertaining, but it never wows or genuinely impresses and seems to be driven by ego over talent. I'm sure there are plenty of fans out there who really do think Keene sh*ts gold, but in the end of the day that's just a turd in a shiny wrapper. Fiction should be fictional, ideally, not just a therapeutic process offal. Certain amount of distance/mystery is required.
January 27, 2018
Първи том от събраните разкази на Барайън Кийн предлага доста от по-ранните му творби, включени в отдавна изчерпаната „A Little Silver Book of Street Wise Stories“, няколко от Tequila's Sunrise и непубликувани в сборници творби от деветдесетте години. Както показва и заглавието, обединяващата връзка в произведенията е автобиографичната. Няколкото авторски думи преди или след всеки разказ засилват връзката помежду им.
PORTRAIT OF THE MAGUS AS A WRITER – Чудесен избор за откриващ разказ. Метапроза за Кийн и електронната му муза, която посещава него и приятелите му писатели и има огромни изисквания.
CAPTIVE HEARTS – В света на Dead Sea една женица е завързала шефа си и парче по парче рани с него зомбясалия си съпруг. Скъсах се да се смея, когато прочетох, че е писан за антология с паранормални романси. Да мислят при подбора на авторите, ебаси.
JOHNSTOWN – Вдъхновен от няколко песни на Спрингстийн за родната на Кийн Пенсилвания, този разказ е поредното доказателство, че жанровите автори могат и с гъза си да напишат история, за която конвенционалните писатели се пънат с месеци, просто не искат. А, съдържанието – просто си пуснете „Johnstaun“, „The River“ или „Spare Parts“ на батко Брус.
DUST – Вече го бях чел и ревюирал в „Текилата“. Разкошен пропит с тъга призрачен разказ гравитиращ около 11 септември.
BURYING BETSY – Пак ще го цитирам: „Заровихме Бетси в събота. В понеделник я изкопахме и и позволихме да се прибере, обаче в сряда, тате каза, че трябва отново да я положим в земята.” Няма такова начало, няма такъв разказ!
FAST ZOMBIES SUCK – Забавен разказ, който директно пунтира зомбиобсесията ми. Задръстен зомби фен установява, че се е почнало. Само дето зомбитата пищят и бягат, когато стреляш по тях.
I SING A NEW PSALM – Малко наподобява Джонстаун с работническата си история от малкия град. Подредбата като църковен псалм, обаче кърти.
CAUGHT IN A MOSH – Един от най-ранните разкази на автора и съответно доста боклучав. Може би се вижда потенциал, но ако ми беше попаднал преди да изчета камара неща на Кийн, щеше да мине дълго време преди да подхвана нещо друго от него. Група хлапета отиват на рок фестивал, където млад изпълнител е вплел призоваваща магия в една от песните си. Появява се богът(или демонът) на танца и става мазало.
I AM AN EXIT – Разкошен финален обрат и първа поява на един от най-емблематичните образи от митологията на автора – Изхода.
THIS IS NOT AN EXIT – Тук серийният убиец от предходния разказ прави компромис с принципите си, за да разкара един истински боклук от лицето на земята.
THAT WHICH LINGERS – И за този съм писал. Интересна и различна призрачна история. Не знам защо всички я свързват с дебатите около абортите.
HALVES – Много, много добра. Осиновената котка всяка сутрин носи подаръчета на семейството, обикновено са части от подаръчета. Въображаемият приятел на малкото им момиченце хич не харесва навиците на любимеца. Има защо.
WITHOUT YOU – Пак ранна творба. Наистина ми вдъхват надежда тези отчайващи ранни опити. Един мъж решава да сложи край на жалкото си съществуване, само че е забравил брачната си клетва. „Събудих се сутринта и се застрелях два пъти“ – пак, няма такова начало.
COUCH POTATO – Сладурска зомби история със симпатична главна героиня. Отново в света на “Entombed” и “Dead sea”
FADE TO NULL – Пак е от Текилата и пак няма да я коментирам, но е супер. Алцхаймер е коварна болест, но наистина не знаем какво става в смаляващото се съзнание на засегнатия.
BABYLON FALLING – Тук вече имаме Кийн в целия му блясък. Група военни в Ирак попадат в плен на фанатизирани фаедини. Те ще бъдат използвани за призоваването на нещо древно и жестоко.
A REVOLUTION OF ONE – По-скоро манифест на отвратения от света човек, от колкото хорър. При всички положения е страхотно начало на постапокалиптичен сценарий. Все пак слабичък и предвидим.
FULL OF IT – Участник в Gross-Out Contest на Световната хорър конвенция. Тук не търсим литература, а вадим гнусомера. ФБР агент попада в плен на група паравоенни, които е следил. Решават да го удавят във външния кенеф, но даже не предполагат какви ще са последствията. Вкусноооо, макар и безсмислено :)
TWO-HEADED ALIEN LOVE CHILD – Когато Досиетата Х срещнат Гришам. Отново се смях много, въпреки че го бях чел.
BUNNIES IN AUGUST – Нетипична за автора, много изтръпнало-зловеща история. Една от най-добрите му.
THE WIND CRIES MARY – Надявам се с това да е изчистил вече зомби романса от системата си. Посредствено, но финалът беше добър и изненадващ, а умението на Кийн да ти направи героите симпатични с по две изречения тук е на върха си.
THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE – Да, Исус е вдигнал Лазар, но дали е човек това което ходи в тялото му? Сбойлер – прочетете „The Rising“.
STONE TEARS – Следващите три истории са в митологията на „Падината на Лехорн“, които допълват света на двете книги. В тази действието се развива преди първата „Dark Hollow“и ни показва младия Нелсън Лехорн те първа навлизащ в окултното. Връзката с романите е по-интересна от самия разказ.
RED WOOD – Няма такова начало. Група приятели отиват на лов около Падината, но там вече са започнали да се случват мистериозни неща. Никой от тях не очаква, не плячката, а самата природа да се превърне в преследвач.
THE GHOSTS OF MONSTERS – Действието е година след събитията в Ghost Walk. Двойка младежи си търсят местенце да се усамотят. Отново най-големите чудовища ходят на два крака.
SLOUCHING IN BETHLEHEM – История за раждането на друга емблематична за автора фигура – Проспър Джонсън. Наистина забавно заиграване с библията, макар и просташко. Докато серийния убиец на бебета Ирод обикаля града, в една канавка е заченато дете от ангел и надрусана проститутка, която се сдобива с втора девственост.
MARRIAGE CAUSES CANCER IN RATS – Качвам каквото съм написал при първото четене в „The Cage“: Това е нещо друго. Колко далече може да стигне психо-соматичното желание за самонаказание? Колкото е голямо престъплението, а при Кийн до потресаващи размери. Само да добавя, че след изчитането на този сборник, вече съм на ясно от къде идват нещата, чисто автобиографични са.
GOLDEN BOY – За��авна, но не само история за момче, което отделя по всякакви начини злато. Естествено, щастието съвсем не се връзва с цялата история.
PORTRAIT OF THE MAGUS AS A WRITER – Чудесен избор за откриващ разказ. Метапроза за Кийн и електронната му муза, която посещава него и приятелите му писатели и има огромни изисквания.
CAPTIVE HEARTS – В света на Dead Sea една женица е завързала шефа си и парче по парче рани с него зомбясалия си съпруг. Скъсах се да се смея, когато прочетох, че е писан за антология с паранормални романси. Да мислят при подбора на авторите, ебаси.
JOHNSTOWN – Вдъхновен от няколко песни на Спрингстийн за родната на Кийн Пенсилвания, този разказ е поредното доказателство, че жанровите автори могат и с гъза си да напишат история, за която конвенционалните писатели се пънат с месеци, просто не искат. А, съдържанието – просто си пуснете „Johnstaun“, „The River“ или „Spare Parts“ на батко Брус.
DUST – Вече го бях чел и ревюирал в „Текилата“. Разкошен пропит с тъга призрачен разказ гравитиращ около 11 септември.
BURYING BETSY – Пак ще го цитирам: „Заровихме Бетси в събота. В понеделник я изкопахме и и позволихме да се прибере, обаче в сряда, тате каза, че трябва отново да я положим в земята.” Няма такова начало, няма такъв разказ!
FAST ZOMBIES SUCK – Забавен разказ, който директно пунтира зомбиобсесията ми. Задръстен зомби фен установява, че се е почнало. Само дето зомбитата пищят и бягат, когато стреляш по тях.
I SING A NEW PSALM – Малко наподобява Джонстаун с работническата си история от малкия град. Подредбата като църковен псалм, обаче кърти.
CAUGHT IN A MOSH – Един от най-ранните разкази на автора и съответно доста боклучав. Може би се вижда потенциал, но ако ми беше попаднал преди да изчета камара неща на Кийн, щеше да мине дълго време преди да подхвана нещо друго от него. Група хлапета отиват на рок фестивал, където млад изпълнител е вплел призоваваща магия в една от песните си. Появява се богът(или демонът) на танца и става мазало.
I AM AN EXIT – Разкошен финален обрат и първа поява на един от най-емблематичните образи от митологията на автора – Изхода.
THIS IS NOT AN EXIT – Тук серийният убиец от предходния разказ прави компромис с принципите си, за да разкара един истински боклук от лицето на земята.
THAT WHICH LINGERS – И за този съм писал. Интересна и различна призрачна история. Не знам защо всички я свързват с дебатите около абортите.
HALVES – Много, много добра. Осиновената котка всяка сутрин носи подаръчета на семейството, обикновено са части от подаръчета. Въображаемият приятел на малкото им момиченце хич не харесва навиците на любимеца. Има защо.
WITHOUT YOU – Пак ранна творба. Наистина ми вдъхват надежда тези отчайващи ранни опити. Един мъж решава да сложи край на жалкото си съществуване, само че е забравил брачната си клетва. „Събудих се сутринта и се застрелях два пъти“ – пак, няма такова начало.
COUCH POTATO – Сладурска зомби история със симпатична главна героиня. Отново в света на “Entombed” и “Dead sea”
FADE TO NULL – Пак е от Текилата и пак няма да я коментирам, но е супер. Алцхаймер е коварна болест, но наистина не знаем какво става в смаляващото се съзнание на засегнатия.
BABYLON FALLING – Тук вече имаме Кийн в целия му блясък. Група военни в Ирак попадат в плен на фанатизирани фаедини. Те ще бъдат използвани за призоваването на нещо древно и жестоко.
A REVOLUTION OF ONE – По-скоро манифест на отвратения от света човек, от колкото хорър. При всички положения е страхотно начало на постапокалиптичен сценарий. Все пак слабичък и предвидим.
FULL OF IT – Участник в Gross-Out Contest на Световната хорър конвенция. Тук не търсим литература, а вадим гнусомера. ФБР агент попада в плен на група паравоенни, които е следил. Решават да го удавят във външния кенеф, но даже не предполагат какви ще са последствията. Вкусноооо, макар и безсмислено :)
TWO-HEADED ALIEN LOVE CHILD – Когато Досиетата Х срещнат Гришам. Отново се смях много, въпреки че го бях чел.
BUNNIES IN AUGUST – Нетипична за автора, много изтръпнало-зловеща история. Една от най-добрите му.
THE WIND CRIES MARY – Надявам се с това да е изчистил вече зомби романса от системата си. Посредствено, но финалът беше добър и изненадващ, а умението на Кийн да ти направи героите симпатични с по две изречения тук е на върха си.
THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE – Да, Исус е вдигнал Лазар, но дали е човек това което ходи в тялото му? Сбойлер – прочетете „The Rising“.
STONE TEARS – Следващите три истории са в митологията на „Падината на Лехорн“, които допълват света на двете книги. В тази действието се развива преди първата „Dark Hollow“и ни показва младия Нелсън Лехорн те първа навлизащ в окултното. Връзката с романите е по-интересна от самия разказ.
RED WOOD – Няма такова начало. Група приятели отиват на лов около Падината, но там вече са започнали да се случват мистериозни неща. Никой от тях не очаква, не плячката, а самата природа да се превърне в преследвач.
THE GHOSTS OF MONSTERS – Действието е година след събитията в Ghost Walk. Двойка младежи си търсят местенце да се усамотят. Отново най-големите чудовища ходят на два крака.
SLOUCHING IN BETHLEHEM – История за раждането на друга емблематична за автора фигура – Проспър Джонсън. Наистина забавно заиграване с библията, макар и просташко. Докато серийния убиец на бебета Ирод обикаля града, в една канавка е заченато дете от ангел и надрусана проститутка, която се сдобива с втора девственост.
MARRIAGE CAUSES CANCER IN RATS – Качвам каквото съм написал при първото четене в „The Cage“: Това е нещо друго. Колко далече може да стигне психо-соматичното желание за самонаказание? Колкото е голямо престъплението, а при Кийн до потресаващи размери. Само да добавя, че след изчитането на този сборник, вече съм на ясно от къде идват нещата, чисто автобиографични са.
GOLDEN BOY – За��авна, но не само история за момче, което отделя по всякакви начини злато. Естествено, щастието съвсем не се връзва с цялата история.
December 17, 2013
A great collection of Brian Keene's stories all in one place. Here is hoping that the publishers continue this series. One of the stories collected here in was published on a "T" shirt. Others were quite limited and impossible to find, till now.
December 29, 2024
Blood on the Page: The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene Volume 1 by Brian Keene is a great short fiction collection by the master of Extreme Horror. This collection features 29 short stories. One story was created for this collection as the other 28 were previously published. The collection surprised me all the stories don't have gore in them some I wouldn't even consider horror, but all the stories had heart and soul. The cover features an artist bleeding on the page of a book and that is what this collection is Keene bleeding his heart and soul on the page. I was astounded by how emotional I got reading works of horror. Bunnies in August was my favorite in this collection. That story will rip out your heart and watch it pulse its last beat. The story shocked me twice with twists, and at the end of the story, I cried as the character finally dealt with his regret and trauma. Captive Hearts was another favorite about a zombie love story it is messed up but beautiful under the right lens. Captive Hearts is not the only zombie love story there is also The Wind Cries Mary. This collection also features two stories about the Exit Serial Killer which are very good. This is my first Keene read but it will not be my last, since reading this book I have purchased The Rising, Dark Hollow, and Terminal. I purchased this book because I was getting more into my own horror short story writing, and I love reading short stories. Out of the 29 short stories I rated 12 - five stars, 9 - four stars, 6 - three stars, 1 - two stars, and 1 - one star. Each time I read a short story I would rate and give the story a mini-review. Blood on the Page: The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene Volume 1 was published on June 4, 2013.
Blood on the Page Short Stories Ranked from favorite to least favorite:
5 Star Reviews:
Bunnies in August is a heart-wrenching story about a father grieving over his son. The story also features bunnies who act as the innocent in the story. The story blends both elements expertly. The story is dark with twists and turns. I love the theme of being haunted by regret. This story might be my favorite. It made me gasp twice at the twists. Bunnies in August, I rated 5 out of 5.
Captive Hearts is a story of a man tied to a bed with a huge twist. I love that the story is ultimately about love just in a very messed up way. I liked the reveal of the relationship between the captive to the capture. The story will ruin the little piggies' nursery rhyme. This story was a 5 out of 5 story.
I am an Exit is a story about an injured man at an Exit of an interstate. The story really twists the helpful person narrative. This story is my favorite so far. The story flows so well. I was captivated the whole time. I am an Exit is 5 out of 5 stars.
The Wind Cries Mary is a love story that takes place during the zombie apocalypse. The story had a twist I did not see coming. The writing despite the gore is beautiful. The story is about the power of love told in a messed-up kind of way. The Wind Cries Mary I rated 5 out of 5 stars.
Burying Betsy is a tale about burying a little girl named Betsy. The girl is still alive just buried. The reason for the burial is terrifying. I liked the subtle way Keene expanded characters with tiny little details. I thought Burying Betsy is Keene's best dialogue in the collection so far. I rated Burying Betsy 5 out of 5 stars. I saw the twist coming but it was a good one.
That Which Lingers is a very clever story about a woman. The story is very short with a big twist. Reading this story I was like it would be cool if this happened, and then it did. The twist is a good one. I rated That Which Lingers 5 out of 5 stars.
Full of It is a darkly funny tale that is half Lovecraft and well... shit. The story is about a shit monster and it is hilarious. You can feel Keene smiling through this story up until the final line. The story was created for a gross-out event and it is gross. Full of it I rate 5 out of 5.
Red Wood is a good ensemble piece about a hunting trip gone wrong. The story was one of the longest but followed very well. There's a lot of Dark Hallow in the story. The dialogue for Smitty was great, I think everyone knows a guy like that. I thought the death scenes were written well and inventive. Great ending to the piece. Red Wood I rated it 5 out of 5.
Fast Zombies Suck is a humorous tale of a zombie-obsessed young man. He's ready and prepared for a zombie attack and a zombie horde happens to be on his street. There's a great twist at the end. Keene makes fun of his contributions to the zombie genre within the piece. Fast Zombies Suck was a clever short story 5 out of 5.
Waiting for Darkness is a super short story. That was originally to be written on a t-shirt. The story is about a boy trapped beneath the sand. The story for as short as it is packs a lot of story. The buried boy reveals a lot about why he is buried and what happened to his sister who was burying him. Waiting for Darkness is 5 out of 5. Shows the power of Keene's storytelling abilities.
Golden Boy is a story about a boy that can bleed and crap gold, along with other bodily fluids. The story is very inventive and has a dark ending. The story was short but what a premise. Golden Boy I rated 5 out of 5.
I Am Not an Exit is Keene revisiting the Exit serial killer. I like this character. This story wasn't as good as the first one, but still good. I'm eager to see Keene expand the character to a novel. In this story, the exit killer breaks his code to prove he is not an Exit killer. I Am Not an Exit I rated 5 out of 5.
Four Stars Reviews:
Halves is about a cat that keeps bringing just halves of dead things. The father covers it so his young daughter won't see. The day she does she calls the cat evil. The daughter says her imaginary friend is being stalked by the cat. A good creep imaginary friend story. The story was a bit long but good. Halves I rated 4 out of 5 stars.
The Ghost of Monsters is a story that takes place after Dark Hollow and Ghost Walk. The story is about a couple in the woods getting to know each other before they can do it the story has a good twist. The Ghost of Monsters I rated 4 out of 5.
Marriage Causes Cancer in Rats is a story of a man dying from cancer, but is cancer killing him or his guilt? I liked this story up until the end. I was a little confused by it. I enjoyed the set up then the reveal of what happened to the family. The mob was a fun work in the story. Marriage Causes Cancer in Rats I rated 4 out of 5.
A Revolution of One is a political rant/story. I'm up for a good rant, and it was a good one. The story comes at the end of the rant and makes it more sinister. The rant reminded me of Jeff Daniels's Newsroom rant. I could have had a little more story, but overall I liked this story. I rated it 4 out of 5.
Without You is a tale about life and marriage gone wrong. This tale was dark and I liked the ending. The telemarketer call I would have cut out, and didn't find necessary to the story. Keene can write the highlights of life or in this story the low lights so well. Where the reader gets a sense of what has taken the character here. Without You, I rated 4 out of 5.
The Resurrection And The Life is a story about Jesus and Lazarus and how it all ties to The Rising eventually. Tackling Jesus is hard but Keene nailed the voice and added a great tie-in to Judas's betrayal. The story was a bit long at parts interesting but dragged. The Resurrection And The Life I rated 4 out of 5.
Slouching In Bethlehem is a story of a homeless couple and an arrangement by a stranger. This story was a little odd in that it was told mostly from the man's point of view instead of the woman's. I thought the story was interesting but I wanted more from the story. I'm glad to see some of these characters in other works. Slouching in Bethlehem I rated 4 out of 5.
Dust is a story about 9/11 and dealing with grief. I felt the love that Laura had for Dallas. The story mixed being dark but also having a happy ending. The story did take me a little bit to get into at the beginning, but I was all there at the end. Dust is 4 out of 5 stars.
Caught in a Mosh reminded me of American Gods, a little, as a demon is called at a concert. When the demon is called things don't go as planned. The goriest story yet. I liked parts of it but the intro was too long. I would have cut out the parking scene. Caught in a Mosh 4 out of 5. The story was fun even if it wasn't great.
Three Stars Reviews:
Johnstown is a story about a poor town that pulls even the happiest people down. The story covers the life of a couple and the history of a town. I like how flooding and drought are worked in. How it relates to the story. This story is not horror just dark. I rate Johnstown 3 out of 5. Good character work and, a good metaphor, but the dialogue I felt was lacking and I wanted more from the ending.
Stone Tears is a story of an Indian hex. There's a twist at the end that was good. This story for some reason could not hold my attention. I liked the backstory scene with the boat captain and Nelson. This story features Nelson LeHorn from Dark Hollow and serves as a preamble to that story. I rated Stone Tears 3 out of 5.
I Sing a New Psalm is a dark tale about a man struggling with religion and God in particular. The story is told in first person. I liked the story idea but not the story. The idea is very relatable is God punishing me for not believing enough to see him. I Sing a New Psalm I rated 3 out of 5.
Portrait of the Magus as a Writer (Interpolating Magic Realism) is a story about writing and the blood you spill on the page. This story is about literally spilling blood through a muse and magic to write. I rated it 3 out of 5 stars. Pretty interesting story.
Couch Potato is a zombie story about a young daughter and her junkie mom in Baltimore. The story was good but ran a little long. The story plays with the zombie trope of zombies doing what they did as humans. Couch Potato I rated 3 out of 5 stars.
Babylon Falling is a story of soldiers in Iraq facing the elements and something else. I liked parts but ultimately I felt disconnected from the characters. This story was the longest in the collection so far. I do think the story had a very good end. Babylon Falling I rated 3 out of 5 stars.
Two Stars Reviews:
Fade to Null is a story about a woman trapped in a room or somewhere else. This has been my least favorite story in the collection so far. The twist is a hard subject to tackle. The story was weird but just okay. Fade to Null I rated 2 out of 5 stars.
One Star Review:
Two-Headed Alien Love Child is a government agent who watches an alien abduction. This is not that great of a story. There's something there but this story did not hit it. He said it was an early story and it is very juvenile. Two-Headed Alien Love Child I rated 1 out of 5 it is the weakest story in the collection so far.
Recommendation: Blood on the Page is a fantastic short story collection. Blood on the page is the 1st volume in a three-volume set. The stories are all over the place some are about zombies, failed marriages, alien encounters, serial killers, Jesus, war, and death. Almost all the stories have a lot of heart and you can feel the blood on the page. I recommend my followers should check it out. The collection could be triggering for some, as there are deceptions of torture, grieving the death of a child, zombies, and shit monsters. If you can handle all that the stories are excellent. I was not expecting to be blown away so much by Keene's writing, but I was.
Rating: I rated Blood on the Page: The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene Volume 1 by Brian Keene 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Blood on the Page Short Stories Ranked from favorite to least favorite:
5 Star Reviews:
Bunnies in August is a heart-wrenching story about a father grieving over his son. The story also features bunnies who act as the innocent in the story. The story blends both elements expertly. The story is dark with twists and turns. I love the theme of being haunted by regret. This story might be my favorite. It made me gasp twice at the twists. Bunnies in August, I rated 5 out of 5.
Captive Hearts is a story of a man tied to a bed with a huge twist. I love that the story is ultimately about love just in a very messed up way. I liked the reveal of the relationship between the captive to the capture. The story will ruin the little piggies' nursery rhyme. This story was a 5 out of 5 story.
I am an Exit is a story about an injured man at an Exit of an interstate. The story really twists the helpful person narrative. This story is my favorite so far. The story flows so well. I was captivated the whole time. I am an Exit is 5 out of 5 stars.
The Wind Cries Mary is a love story that takes place during the zombie apocalypse. The story had a twist I did not see coming. The writing despite the gore is beautiful. The story is about the power of love told in a messed-up kind of way. The Wind Cries Mary I rated 5 out of 5 stars.
Burying Betsy is a tale about burying a little girl named Betsy. The girl is still alive just buried. The reason for the burial is terrifying. I liked the subtle way Keene expanded characters with tiny little details. I thought Burying Betsy is Keene's best dialogue in the collection so far. I rated Burying Betsy 5 out of 5 stars. I saw the twist coming but it was a good one.
That Which Lingers is a very clever story about a woman. The story is very short with a big twist. Reading this story I was like it would be cool if this happened, and then it did. The twist is a good one. I rated That Which Lingers 5 out of 5 stars.
Full of It is a darkly funny tale that is half Lovecraft and well... shit. The story is about a shit monster and it is hilarious. You can feel Keene smiling through this story up until the final line. The story was created for a gross-out event and it is gross. Full of it I rate 5 out of 5.
Red Wood is a good ensemble piece about a hunting trip gone wrong. The story was one of the longest but followed very well. There's a lot of Dark Hallow in the story. The dialogue for Smitty was great, I think everyone knows a guy like that. I thought the death scenes were written well and inventive. Great ending to the piece. Red Wood I rated it 5 out of 5.
Fast Zombies Suck is a humorous tale of a zombie-obsessed young man. He's ready and prepared for a zombie attack and a zombie horde happens to be on his street. There's a great twist at the end. Keene makes fun of his contributions to the zombie genre within the piece. Fast Zombies Suck was a clever short story 5 out of 5.
Waiting for Darkness is a super short story. That was originally to be written on a t-shirt. The story is about a boy trapped beneath the sand. The story for as short as it is packs a lot of story. The buried boy reveals a lot about why he is buried and what happened to his sister who was burying him. Waiting for Darkness is 5 out of 5. Shows the power of Keene's storytelling abilities.
Golden Boy is a story about a boy that can bleed and crap gold, along with other bodily fluids. The story is very inventive and has a dark ending. The story was short but what a premise. Golden Boy I rated 5 out of 5.
I Am Not an Exit is Keene revisiting the Exit serial killer. I like this character. This story wasn't as good as the first one, but still good. I'm eager to see Keene expand the character to a novel. In this story, the exit killer breaks his code to prove he is not an Exit killer. I Am Not an Exit I rated 5 out of 5.
Four Stars Reviews:
Halves is about a cat that keeps bringing just halves of dead things. The father covers it so his young daughter won't see. The day she does she calls the cat evil. The daughter says her imaginary friend is being stalked by the cat. A good creep imaginary friend story. The story was a bit long but good. Halves I rated 4 out of 5 stars.
The Ghost of Monsters is a story that takes place after Dark Hollow and Ghost Walk. The story is about a couple in the woods getting to know each other before they can do it the story has a good twist. The Ghost of Monsters I rated 4 out of 5.
Marriage Causes Cancer in Rats is a story of a man dying from cancer, but is cancer killing him or his guilt? I liked this story up until the end. I was a little confused by it. I enjoyed the set up then the reveal of what happened to the family. The mob was a fun work in the story. Marriage Causes Cancer in Rats I rated 4 out of 5.
A Revolution of One is a political rant/story. I'm up for a good rant, and it was a good one. The story comes at the end of the rant and makes it more sinister. The rant reminded me of Jeff Daniels's Newsroom rant. I could have had a little more story, but overall I liked this story. I rated it 4 out of 5.
Without You is a tale about life and marriage gone wrong. This tale was dark and I liked the ending. The telemarketer call I would have cut out, and didn't find necessary to the story. Keene can write the highlights of life or in this story the low lights so well. Where the reader gets a sense of what has taken the character here. Without You, I rated 4 out of 5.
The Resurrection And The Life is a story about Jesus and Lazarus and how it all ties to The Rising eventually. Tackling Jesus is hard but Keene nailed the voice and added a great tie-in to Judas's betrayal. The story was a bit long at parts interesting but dragged. The Resurrection And The Life I rated 4 out of 5.
Slouching In Bethlehem is a story of a homeless couple and an arrangement by a stranger. This story was a little odd in that it was told mostly from the man's point of view instead of the woman's. I thought the story was interesting but I wanted more from the story. I'm glad to see some of these characters in other works. Slouching in Bethlehem I rated 4 out of 5.
Dust is a story about 9/11 and dealing with grief. I felt the love that Laura had for Dallas. The story mixed being dark but also having a happy ending. The story did take me a little bit to get into at the beginning, but I was all there at the end. Dust is 4 out of 5 stars.
Caught in a Mosh reminded me of American Gods, a little, as a demon is called at a concert. When the demon is called things don't go as planned. The goriest story yet. I liked parts of it but the intro was too long. I would have cut out the parking scene. Caught in a Mosh 4 out of 5. The story was fun even if it wasn't great.
Three Stars Reviews:
Johnstown is a story about a poor town that pulls even the happiest people down. The story covers the life of a couple and the history of a town. I like how flooding and drought are worked in. How it relates to the story. This story is not horror just dark. I rate Johnstown 3 out of 5. Good character work and, a good metaphor, but the dialogue I felt was lacking and I wanted more from the ending.
Stone Tears is a story of an Indian hex. There's a twist at the end that was good. This story for some reason could not hold my attention. I liked the backstory scene with the boat captain and Nelson. This story features Nelson LeHorn from Dark Hollow and serves as a preamble to that story. I rated Stone Tears 3 out of 5.
I Sing a New Psalm is a dark tale about a man struggling with religion and God in particular. The story is told in first person. I liked the story idea but not the story. The idea is very relatable is God punishing me for not believing enough to see him. I Sing a New Psalm I rated 3 out of 5.
Portrait of the Magus as a Writer (Interpolating Magic Realism) is a story about writing and the blood you spill on the page. This story is about literally spilling blood through a muse and magic to write. I rated it 3 out of 5 stars. Pretty interesting story.
Couch Potato is a zombie story about a young daughter and her junkie mom in Baltimore. The story was good but ran a little long. The story plays with the zombie trope of zombies doing what they did as humans. Couch Potato I rated 3 out of 5 stars.
Babylon Falling is a story of soldiers in Iraq facing the elements and something else. I liked parts but ultimately I felt disconnected from the characters. This story was the longest in the collection so far. I do think the story had a very good end. Babylon Falling I rated 3 out of 5 stars.
Two Stars Reviews:
Fade to Null is a story about a woman trapped in a room or somewhere else. This has been my least favorite story in the collection so far. The twist is a hard subject to tackle. The story was weird but just okay. Fade to Null I rated 2 out of 5 stars.
One Star Review:
Two-Headed Alien Love Child is a government agent who watches an alien abduction. This is not that great of a story. There's something there but this story did not hit it. He said it was an early story and it is very juvenile. Two-Headed Alien Love Child I rated 1 out of 5 it is the weakest story in the collection so far.
Recommendation: Blood on the Page is a fantastic short story collection. Blood on the page is the 1st volume in a three-volume set. The stories are all over the place some are about zombies, failed marriages, alien encounters, serial killers, Jesus, war, and death. Almost all the stories have a lot of heart and you can feel the blood on the page. I recommend my followers should check it out. The collection could be triggering for some, as there are deceptions of torture, grieving the death of a child, zombies, and shit monsters. If you can handle all that the stories are excellent. I was not expecting to be blown away so much by Keene's writing, but I was.
Rating: I rated Blood on the Page: The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene Volume 1 by Brian Keene 4.6 out of 5 stars.
March 11, 2023
(Read last year)
If you've not read this bestselling, award winning author, you should. Simply put, his vast selection of work spans well over two decades. From his zombie apocalypse epics like The Rising and the sequels to his Earthworm Gods series to Ghoul (my personal fave), Dark Hollow, Ghost Walk, and the more gritty psychological horror of Terminal, no one does horror fiction quite like Brian Keene. He's also been an advocate and champion for the genre for as long as he's been publishing with his early career newsletter and more recently his long running podcast. In his first volume story collection, Keene displays his immense talent for the short form with a wide array of dark, chilling, and gut wrenching tales spanning from early in his career to more recent. Bonus for the post story notes! Highly recommended!
If you've not read this bestselling, award winning author, you should. Simply put, his vast selection of work spans well over two decades. From his zombie apocalypse epics like The Rising and the sequels to his Earthworm Gods series to Ghoul (my personal fave), Dark Hollow, Ghost Walk, and the more gritty psychological horror of Terminal, no one does horror fiction quite like Brian Keene. He's also been an advocate and champion for the genre for as long as he's been publishing with his early career newsletter and more recently his long running podcast. In his first volume story collection, Keene displays his immense talent for the short form with a wide array of dark, chilling, and gut wrenching tales spanning from early in his career to more recent. Bonus for the post story notes! Highly recommended!
April 9, 2017
Very nice anthology, I really enjoyed most of these stories. This was a memorable collection, depressing and hard hitting but also fun. I'm looking forward to Volume 2.
June 6, 2021
Great selection of stories here by Brian Keene. Some of these stories tie into some of his novels. If you like short stories and horror, this book is for you.
July 20, 2019
I will start this brief review by saying that I have yet to read anything by Brian Keene that I haven’t loved. His take on zombies is a breath of fresh air, he has plenty of degenerate inbred horrors, he hates reality shows (haha). But I especially love his short stories. If an author can pack punches in novels, imagine the rabbit punches you get from a shorts collection! This collection includes the fabulous “Fast Zombies Suck” and two stories featuring Keene’s serial killer with honor The Exit.
The long and short of it (see what I did there?) is if you are a Keene fan, you need this. If you haven’t yet experienced Brian Keene imagination, do yourself a favor and in the words of Me. Keene himself: “Unf@ck that right away!”
The long and short of it (see what I did there?) is if you are a Keene fan, you need this. If you haven’t yet experienced Brian Keene imagination, do yourself a favor and in the words of Me. Keene himself: “Unf@ck that right away!”
July 17, 2013
I read two Brian Keene short stories before buying this book on Amazon. I loved both of them and I figured if two random Keene stories could knock me out then a collection of them had to be pretty good. I have had trouble reviewing collections of short stories in the past so I am going to try something different. I am going to review each story individually.
PORTRAIT OF THE MAGUS AS A WRITER - I would perhaps have liked this story less by itself, but as an opening to a collection it works. It is one of those stories about a writer and his "muse" and sets up the tales that follow pretty well. (Four Stars)
CAPTIVE HEARTS - There are a lot of zombie stories in this collection and this is one of them. Keene says it is a stab at paranormal romance but it does not resemble that genre on more than superficial terms which might be a good thing. (Three Stars)
JOHNSTOWN - This is story is inspired by the songs of Bruce Springsteen and sometimes captures that same sad ache that his songs do. (Four Stars)
WAITING FOR DARKNESS- A piece of "flash fiction" that works very well. (Five Stars)
DUST- This story invokes 9/11 and has a similar feel as Johnstown. Not really horror, yet cutting the way horror does anyway. (Four Stars)
BURYING BETSY- This is the only story I had read previously. On a second read I was bothered by some of the logic of the story but it wasn't anything I could not explain away. It still packs a wallop. (Four Stars)
FAST ZOMBIES SUCK- A pretty funny dig at horror fans. (Four Stars)
I SHALL SING A NEW PSALM- The story is cliche but the structure makes this one something special. (Four Stars)
CAUGHT IN A MOSH- Keene warns that this is an early story and it is immature writing. The punchline is pretty good, though it would have been better if the rest of the story was better written. (Two Stars)
I AM AN EXIT- Classic misdirection. (Four Stars)
THIS IS NOT AN EXIT- A sequel to the previous story that is not really necessary. (Three Stars)
THAT WHICH LINGERS- Keene says he did not intend for this story to be political but it is hard to imagine him not knowing it was a tough sell. I do not think it works at all because you can't help but think of it as a political statement. (Two Stars)
HALVES- This story is pure genius. It reminds me a little of the Neil Gaiman story The Price only better. (Five Stars)
WITHOUT YOU- This is another one where the story is meh but the writing makes up for it somewhat. Great first line. (Three Stars)
COUCH POTATO- I saw the ending coming a mile away but still really liked this story. (Four Stars)
FADE TO NULL- This starts off really fascinating and you expect great things but then it turns out to be obvious. Still worth it for the beginning. (Three Stars)
BABYLON FALLING- This is another great story by Keene. It actually offended me a little while I was reading it, which was a bit of the point. Keene wades into bad taste territory but the ending makes it clear where he stands. (Five Stars)
A REVOLUTION OF ONE- I hated this story. It is heavy-handed, obvious and a chore to read. I kept expecting some kind of clever twist but it never came. (One Star)
FULL OF IT- Cliche story well written once again. (Three Stars)
TWO-HEADED ALIEN LOVE CHILD- The title gives away the joke. (Two Stars)
BUNNIES IN AUGUST- This story is pretty creepy even though I had some problems with some of the story's logic. (Four Stars)
THE WIND CRIES MARY- Another zombie story. It is decent if not memorable. (Three Stars)
THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE- A bible story retold as a zombie story. This could have been better but it is still pretty good. (Four Stars)
STONE TEARS- The premise is more interesting than the story. (Three Stars)
RED WOOD- A standard horror story exceptionally well told. (Four Stars)
THE GHOSTS OF MONSTERS- This feels like we read this story already earlier in the collection. (Three Stars)
SLOUCHING IN BETHLEHEM- This feels like it is the beginning of a novel not a short story. (Three Stars)
MARRIAGE CAUSES CANCER IN RATS- Weird and creepy story but once again feels like more of the same. (Three Stars)
GOLDEN BOY- Keene says this is not a metaphor for anything but still a great idea for a story! (Four Stars)
I kind of wish I could give this collection 3 1/2 stars overall because that is where I think it deserves to be. About half of the stories are good or great, another half fair with a few outright duds in there. I am going to give it three stars but I like this more than most collections I have given three stars to, but it is still not as good as collections I give four stars.
PORTRAIT OF THE MAGUS AS A WRITER - I would perhaps have liked this story less by itself, but as an opening to a collection it works. It is one of those stories about a writer and his "muse" and sets up the tales that follow pretty well. (Four Stars)
CAPTIVE HEARTS - There are a lot of zombie stories in this collection and this is one of them. Keene says it is a stab at paranormal romance but it does not resemble that genre on more than superficial terms which might be a good thing. (Three Stars)
JOHNSTOWN - This is story is inspired by the songs of Bruce Springsteen and sometimes captures that same sad ache that his songs do. (Four Stars)
WAITING FOR DARKNESS- A piece of "flash fiction" that works very well. (Five Stars)
DUST- This story invokes 9/11 and has a similar feel as Johnstown. Not really horror, yet cutting the way horror does anyway. (Four Stars)
BURYING BETSY- This is the only story I had read previously. On a second read I was bothered by some of the logic of the story but it wasn't anything I could not explain away. It still packs a wallop. (Four Stars)
FAST ZOMBIES SUCK- A pretty funny dig at horror fans. (Four Stars)
I SHALL SING A NEW PSALM- The story is cliche but the structure makes this one something special. (Four Stars)
CAUGHT IN A MOSH- Keene warns that this is an early story and it is immature writing. The punchline is pretty good, though it would have been better if the rest of the story was better written. (Two Stars)
I AM AN EXIT- Classic misdirection. (Four Stars)
THIS IS NOT AN EXIT- A sequel to the previous story that is not really necessary. (Three Stars)
THAT WHICH LINGERS- Keene says he did not intend for this story to be political but it is hard to imagine him not knowing it was a tough sell. I do not think it works at all because you can't help but think of it as a political statement. (Two Stars)
HALVES- This story is pure genius. It reminds me a little of the Neil Gaiman story The Price only better. (Five Stars)
WITHOUT YOU- This is another one where the story is meh but the writing makes up for it somewhat. Great first line. (Three Stars)
COUCH POTATO- I saw the ending coming a mile away but still really liked this story. (Four Stars)
FADE TO NULL- This starts off really fascinating and you expect great things but then it turns out to be obvious. Still worth it for the beginning. (Three Stars)
BABYLON FALLING- This is another great story by Keene. It actually offended me a little while I was reading it, which was a bit of the point. Keene wades into bad taste territory but the ending makes it clear where he stands. (Five Stars)
A REVOLUTION OF ONE- I hated this story. It is heavy-handed, obvious and a chore to read. I kept expecting some kind of clever twist but it never came. (One Star)
FULL OF IT- Cliche story well written once again. (Three Stars)
TWO-HEADED ALIEN LOVE CHILD- The title gives away the joke. (Two Stars)
BUNNIES IN AUGUST- This story is pretty creepy even though I had some problems with some of the story's logic. (Four Stars)
THE WIND CRIES MARY- Another zombie story. It is decent if not memorable. (Three Stars)
THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE- A bible story retold as a zombie story. This could have been better but it is still pretty good. (Four Stars)
STONE TEARS- The premise is more interesting than the story. (Three Stars)
RED WOOD- A standard horror story exceptionally well told. (Four Stars)
THE GHOSTS OF MONSTERS- This feels like we read this story already earlier in the collection. (Three Stars)
SLOUCHING IN BETHLEHEM- This feels like it is the beginning of a novel not a short story. (Three Stars)
MARRIAGE CAUSES CANCER IN RATS- Weird and creepy story but once again feels like more of the same. (Three Stars)
GOLDEN BOY- Keene says this is not a metaphor for anything but still a great idea for a story! (Four Stars)
I kind of wish I could give this collection 3 1/2 stars overall because that is where I think it deserves to be. About half of the stories are good or great, another half fair with a few outright duds in there. I am going to give it three stars but I like this more than most collections I have given three stars to, but it is still not as good as collections I give four stars.
November 25, 2013
Complete collections are tough to rate. There are a lot of stories here from a lot of different phases of Brian Keene's career. Some of the stories are particularly cool because of their association with the mythos of his longer works. You can see him trying some things out that would make it into later works. You can watch his writing skill progress. For a Brian Keene fan, that is worth a lot. Some of the stories are great. Keene has a way of mixing graphic horror with dark humor. It's a great marriage when it works out. But there are also stories in this collection in which he was still trying to figure out exactly how to go about that. It's a spectacular insight into a single writer, with everything from flash fiction to longer short stories. Some of the stories, as Keene will admit, aren't as strong. But they are elements that add up to the sum of his career, and it has been a pretty good one so far.
June 11, 2013
This is an excellent collection of short stories. I'm a fan of Keene's longer works, but this collection contains some of the best writing I've yet to read from the man.
It's always difficult to give a collection a single rating, because no author on earth has ever been blessed with perfect consistency. I chose a four, because 1) that's my overall impression of the read, and 2) that's where I'd put the majority of the stories. Some were sublime, inching into 5-star territory. Others were more mediocre, earning a 2 or 3.
Unfortunately, some editorial errors made it into the final product - in particular a few misuses of apostrophes. Though jarring, there were only a handful, and they do not greatly take away from the experience.
If you are a fan of horror, gritty life experiences, and general creepiness, you owe it to yourself to give this one a shot.
It's always difficult to give a collection a single rating, because no author on earth has ever been blessed with perfect consistency. I chose a four, because 1) that's my overall impression of the read, and 2) that's where I'd put the majority of the stories. Some were sublime, inching into 5-star territory. Others were more mediocre, earning a 2 or 3.
Unfortunately, some editorial errors made it into the final product - in particular a few misuses of apostrophes. Though jarring, there were only a handful, and they do not greatly take away from the experience.
If you are a fan of horror, gritty life experiences, and general creepiness, you owe it to yourself to give this one a shot.
March 11, 2016
My experience with Brian Keene's novels has been hit or miss, so I expected more of the same from this short story collection. I usually prefer novels to short stories, so I was very surprised that I liked this as much as I did. For me, Mr. Keene's writing style is more effective in these shorter works. For diehard fans, there are plenty of links here to the ongoing Labyrinth mythos, but knowledge of that isn't necessary to enjoy the stories. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume.
March 27, 2014
Great collection of short stories by a master craftsman. WE can all relate to these stories, with the twists Brian spins on feelings and emotions we all encounter in our lives. I highly recommend reading this collection of character driven stories. This being volume 1, I can't wait for 2.
May 27, 2017
I've been known to be a Brian Keene fanboy, and I've probably said all there is that needs to be said about his early books being staples of my introduction into horror and zombies. I've also written repeatedly, about the steady decline of his books, along with his health, confidence, and personal life, and the fear that one of my all time favorite authors of the past had finally reached his zenith of greatness and would ever be the same again. I admit, that fear is still there when it comes to his full length novels (although the more recent Pressure was a small step in the right direction), but there's still no doubt that when it comes to short stories, Keene is still at the top of his game and still leaves me with faith that there's still a great author somewhere inside of him.
Blood on the Page is one of the reasons I still have faith in Keene. Now, while it's been noted that trying to give a short story collection an honest review is tough due to the nature of the hodgepodge of collected stories and the varying strengths and weaknesses (as well as length) of the collected works involved, it's still a fairly easy enough conclusion that Blood on the Page fully deserves every one of its four stars.
While the stories inside of this volume range the gamut from zombies, aliens, serial killers, and introspective (meta) fiction, the one thing that is constant is the consistency of strength in pretty much every single one. I can count only 3 stories that I found to be a bit on the lacking side ("Portrait of the Magus", "Fade to Null" and "Golden Boy" if you really want to know), while the rest were above-average to awesome.
Trying to pick out the ones that really stood out is kind of tough (since they were almost all stand outs) but if I had to chose, "Full of It" (because it harkens back to the glory days of Keene's gory and gross out brand of fiction), "Bunnies in August" (because it was just such a heart-rending tale), and "Red Wood" (just because it was a hell of a lot of fun to read).
There were one or 2 stories I have read before in other collections but it's still crazy that being a fan of Keene for so long, I've missed so many of his short stories. And that fact that this is only volume one of a 2 part series is pretty exciting.
Blood on the Page is one of the reasons I still have faith in Keene. Now, while it's been noted that trying to give a short story collection an honest review is tough due to the nature of the hodgepodge of collected stories and the varying strengths and weaknesses (as well as length) of the collected works involved, it's still a fairly easy enough conclusion that Blood on the Page fully deserves every one of its four stars.
While the stories inside of this volume range the gamut from zombies, aliens, serial killers, and introspective (meta) fiction, the one thing that is constant is the consistency of strength in pretty much every single one. I can count only 3 stories that I found to be a bit on the lacking side ("Portrait of the Magus", "Fade to Null" and "Golden Boy" if you really want to know), while the rest were above-average to awesome.
Trying to pick out the ones that really stood out is kind of tough (since they were almost all stand outs) but if I had to chose, "Full of It" (because it harkens back to the glory days of Keene's gory and gross out brand of fiction), "Bunnies in August" (because it was just such a heart-rending tale), and "Red Wood" (just because it was a hell of a lot of fun to read).
There were one or 2 stories I have read before in other collections but it's still crazy that being a fan of Keene for so long, I've missed so many of his short stories. And that fact that this is only volume one of a 2 part series is pretty exciting.
March 23, 2015
Blood On The Page contains many of Brian Keene's hard to find short fiction. Previously most of them have only been printed in expensive limited editions and lettered editions, so this book was a real treat for his less wealthy fans. Blood on the Page: The Complete Short Fiction of Brian Keene, Volume 1 is going to be the first in a promised series, which will eventually contain every novella, flash fiction, or short story he has ever written. This book delivers on the goods and runs slightly over 200 pages long, some of me personal favorites include The Resurrection and the Life which features Ob from The Rising series. There are other awesome guest appearances from Tony Genova from Clickers and Nelson LeHorn from Dark Hollow. At the same time this wonderful collection also acts as a scrapbook showcasing various snapshots at the different high and low points of Brian Keene's career. We get to see the man behind the legend in many different ways, by experiencing his fears, his passions, his love for his family, and his life through the characters in his book. Blood on the Page is a very fitting name for this series.
Throughout this collection many stories exist within the universes of his previous written novels. Readers who have read Clickers II: The Next Wave, Ghost Walk, or Dead Sea might recognize familiar faces or settings. The majority of these tales stand on their own and don't need prior knowledge of existing work to enjoy them. However if you are a fan of his preexisting material then your enjoyment will be greatly enhanced. This first installment contains the majority of short novellas that were already featured in Unhappy Endings, A Little Silver Book of Street Wise Stories, and Fear of Gravity. However those collections aren't really necessary since most of those novellas were either reprinted in this collection or will eventually be reprinted in the second or third volume in this series. One of my personal guilty pleasures is his authors notes that accompany each short in this book, usually acting as commentary or bonus material for each tale. I learned a lot about the author and how each piece of fiction came to be because of these small but very welcomed additions.
Brian Keene reveals a little about himself through each and every piece of fiction included in Blood On The Page. In some instances he reveals how the military plays a part in his heritage, in others, like a "Revolution For One", he lets us in on some of his political beliefs. I even saw myself connecting with him through his love for his pets in the novella called Halves. I found his work to be very intimate and I now know how writing can leave you feeling more vulnerable then I ever previously understood. (Even in a genre like Horror we can still find parts of ourselves and our love for each other. Who would of thought?)
As a fan I couldn't be more happier with this wonderful collection of ultra rare hard to find novellas. If you already couldn't guess this series easily gets a five out of five stars from me. Two of the stories in this collection are first and only known appearances of certain members of the Thirteen. (The villains who appear in many of Brian Keene's books, such as The Rising and Earthworm Gods series.) Blood On The Page also helps set up some of the ground work that will lead to his epic crossover Labyrinth series coming soon. (Titled The Seven.) Fans who read Tequila's Sunrise know why I am eagerly looking forward to the first installment of this crossover! If you are a loyal fan of the authors work or if you just like to follow the Labyrinth mythology then you can not go wrong with Blood On The Page.
Throughout this collection many stories exist within the universes of his previous written novels. Readers who have read Clickers II: The Next Wave, Ghost Walk, or Dead Sea might recognize familiar faces or settings. The majority of these tales stand on their own and don't need prior knowledge of existing work to enjoy them. However if you are a fan of his preexisting material then your enjoyment will be greatly enhanced. This first installment contains the majority of short novellas that were already featured in Unhappy Endings, A Little Silver Book of Street Wise Stories, and Fear of Gravity. However those collections aren't really necessary since most of those novellas were either reprinted in this collection or will eventually be reprinted in the second or third volume in this series. One of my personal guilty pleasures is his authors notes that accompany each short in this book, usually acting as commentary or bonus material for each tale. I learned a lot about the author and how each piece of fiction came to be because of these small but very welcomed additions.
Brian Keene reveals a little about himself through each and every piece of fiction included in Blood On The Page. In some instances he reveals how the military plays a part in his heritage, in others, like a "Revolution For One", he lets us in on some of his political beliefs. I even saw myself connecting with him through his love for his pets in the novella called Halves. I found his work to be very intimate and I now know how writing can leave you feeling more vulnerable then I ever previously understood. (Even in a genre like Horror we can still find parts of ourselves and our love for each other. Who would of thought?)
As a fan I couldn't be more happier with this wonderful collection of ultra rare hard to find novellas. If you already couldn't guess this series easily gets a five out of five stars from me. Two of the stories in this collection are first and only known appearances of certain members of the Thirteen. (The villains who appear in many of Brian Keene's books, such as The Rising and Earthworm Gods series.) Blood On The Page also helps set up some of the ground work that will lead to his epic crossover Labyrinth series coming soon. (Titled The Seven.) Fans who read Tequila's Sunrise know why I am eagerly looking forward to the first installment of this crossover! If you are a loyal fan of the authors work or if you just like to follow the Labyrinth mythology then you can not go wrong with Blood On The Page.
July 20, 2023
Like most short story collections this is a mixed bag, but Keene does a great job with most of the stories.
Some of my favorites included:
Fast Zombies Suck: A good, fun and brief zombie story with a nice twist.
Caught In A Mosh: Very fun 80s metal-themed gore fest, cheesy and entertaining
I Am An Exit and This Is Not An Exit: Two very good stories featuring Keene’s character The Exit who is very intriguing to me.
Halves: I think this one is my favorite of the whole bunch. Bits of Keene lore and great payoff.
Babylon Falling: Insanely gory military horror. Intense and well written.
The Resurrection and The Life: This one was just very unique, and I enjoyed the biblical horror since I haven’t read anything like that before.
Stone Tears: This one just resonated with me for some reason. Not much horror, just a good magic story.
Red Wood: Really, really liked this one. Gory fun that reminded me somewhat of Evil Dead. Good characters as well.
None of the other stories were bad, although some I didn’t really enjoy. Overall a good read and I want to explore more of Keene’s stories.
Some of my favorites included:
Fast Zombies Suck: A good, fun and brief zombie story with a nice twist.
Caught In A Mosh: Very fun 80s metal-themed gore fest, cheesy and entertaining
I Am An Exit and This Is Not An Exit: Two very good stories featuring Keene’s character The Exit who is very intriguing to me.
Halves: I think this one is my favorite of the whole bunch. Bits of Keene lore and great payoff.
Babylon Falling: Insanely gory military horror. Intense and well written.
The Resurrection and The Life: This one was just very unique, and I enjoyed the biblical horror since I haven’t read anything like that before.
Stone Tears: This one just resonated with me for some reason. Not much horror, just a good magic story.
Red Wood: Really, really liked this one. Gory fun that reminded me somewhat of Evil Dead. Good characters as well.
None of the other stories were bad, although some I didn’t really enjoy. Overall a good read and I want to explore more of Keene’s stories.
March 3, 2022
Blood on the Page is Volume One of one of the greatest living horror authors collecting a career's worth of published short fiction all in one place. Keene offers story notes to expand on how some stories fit into his mythos, what was happening in his life at the time, how the market it was originally placed in affected the final product, and perhaps most valuable - how being written early in his career shaped the piece. Most of the entries here are relatively short, sometimes only a few pages, but longer stories are thrown in to provide a little variety. Probably my favorite piece in the collection is one of the longer ones, "Babylon Falling," which I originally read in Silver Shamrock's Midnight in the Pentagram. It's no less brutal this time around. I also enjoyed "Fast Zombies Suck", The two Exit stories, "Caught in a Mosh", "Without You", "The Resurrection and the life", and "Marriage Causes Cancer in Rats" among others. Volume two, here I come.
June 22, 2020
I picked this up thinking it was a collection of horror short stories, but the horror is pretty light, it’s more serial killer/zombies/word gore horror than pure horror. The story ideas are pretty good (latchkey kid trying to survive zombie apocalypse with white trash addict mom, a Psalm from a church shooter, a Bible story redone in gnostic demonology), along with some unusual settings (Iraq Gulf War, 9/11 New York), but the characters and dialogue are pretty basic (generic bitchy wives/girlfriends, tired male banter). There are two more *volumes* of this guy’s stories. . .this one was enough for me.
November 7, 2018
An amazing collection of short stories! Highly recommend if you are a Keene fan, or a great introduction to Keene if you have not read him!
February 3, 2023
Great collection of short stories
February 21, 2017
a book of his short stories. Many of them are of zombies which makes the book boring, but some stories are good. I just tired of reading bout zombies.
April 3, 2015
Keene is an excellent writer of short fiction, a fact which is often overshadowed by his popular novels. This is the first volume of what promises to be his complete short works. I'd read many of them before, particularly in the recent Deadite Press titles, but several were new to me. It's a nicely representative collection, containing some very early works and pieces which represented (and overlapped) his various series. There are some straight horror pieces, a couple of bizarro stories, some humorous bits, and a nice contrast in lengths. I found that reading a couple of these stories between other books worked best for me. There were a few typesetting issues in places, but I'm looking forward to the next volume.
May 20, 2015
Blood on the Page (Volume 1) is a collection of short stories from horror author Brian Keene. For those of you familiar with Keene's work, many of these shorts take place in or are tangentially related to worlds previously created by the Author (e.g. LeHorn's Hollow and The Rising). Normally, with a collection of short stories I find myself skimming through or flat out skipping stories that do not retain my interest. However, each and every one of the stories in this collection were highly readable. Keene has a knack for being able to create characters, plot and resolution within a mere a few pages. Highly recommended.
August 22, 2013
This collection is pulled from various phases of B. Keene's career and you can see the steady progression of his writing skill. Regardless of when a story was written these all grab you because of B. Keene's distinctive voice. Fascinated by where he came from. Excited and intrigued to see where he goes with his stable of characters and the Labyrinth Mythos.
January 25, 2014
Some good short stories. I had read many of them previous before as they were attached to some of Brian Keene's earlier Deadite Press releases. I enjoyed re-reading the ones I had read already and enjoyed the new ones (new to me anyways). A good set of horror/supernatural short stories.
November 6, 2014
Finally compiling most of Brian's short stories. What a treasure trove.
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