Piercing the Darkness

by Craig Cook (editor/Introduction), Joe R. Lansdale (contributor), Christopher Golden (contributor)

An All-Star Anthology Benefitting the Children’s Literacy Initiative. Featuring N.Y. Times bestsellers Jonathan Maberry, Joe R. Lansdale, F. Paul Wilson, and Christopher Golden. Plus new, never-before-published stories from James A. Moore, Jeff Strand, Ronald Malfi, and others. Twenty-eight of the biggest and brightest names in horror have gathered to shine their light upon an ever-increasing darkness—children’s illiteracy. Join them as they take you down into the depths, and hope you make it to the light on the other side. David Bain, Gary A. Braunbeck, Kealan Patrick Burke, Sandy DeLuca, Robert Dunbar, Greg F. Gifune, Christopher Golden, Janet Joyce Holden, Gerard Houarner, Jonathan Janz, Brian Keene, Jack Ketchum, Joe R. Lansdale, Jonathan Maberry, Ronald Malfi, Elizabeth Massie, C. Dennis Moore, James A. Moore, Gene O’Neill, Monica O’Rourke, Gord Rollo, Mary SanGiovanni, Lucy Snyder, Jeff Strand, Tim Waggoner, F. Paul Wilson, Simon Wood, T.T. Zuma

Genres: Horror, Anthologies, Thriller

420 pages, Paperback

First published February 6, 2014

Reviews

[Checkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A full throttle action/monster story. A lean and tightly plotted novel with little to no padding. That's okay because there are times I just want a story in which the characters (of course they won't all make it) have to do a lot of running, gunning, screaming, sweating, killing and dying and I haven't even got to the Humans yet. Fun little novella.

[Hunter Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A monster lover's delight! Non-stop action and creatures that'll make you cry for your mommy.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of action and great monsters! Very fast read. It was really easy for me to picture this as I read. It would make a great movie! Really enjoyed it!

[Phil Volatile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raegan Butcher is the best of both worlds--prose and poetry! This book was a lot of fun. I was fortunate enough to obtain an early copy of his book, A Night of the Chupacabra, so reading this book was getting a second dose of the monsters in a different storyline--I also learned more about the creatures. This book is an easy read but a good one. Before Butcher's chupacabra books, I'd never read any monster books before. That being said, I don't want this to come off an as insult or something, but this book made me think of the movie Demon Night and other movies where people are trapped inside someplace, trying to survive the night. Overall, I think it's a solid story written very well and further showcases Butcher's talent as a writer.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fast and fun read! An exploitation film in paperback form.

[Beauregard Shagnasty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chock full of monsters, guns, tension, and wry dialogue.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL star line up! It doesn’t get any better than this, in "Piercing the Darkness" you have the likes of Joe R Lansdale, Jack Ketchum, F. Paul Wilson, Elizabeth Massie, Lucy A. Snyder and way too many more to list! This anthology edited by Craig Cook was put together to benefit The Children’s Literacy Initiative. Twenty Eight amazing stories some previously published, some written just for this collection, all superb!

The Children’s Literacy Initiative works with schools to help children become better readers. Their goal: “to close the gap in literacy achievement between disadvantaged children and their more affluent peers.” A very worthwhile goal indeed!

Gord Rollo introduces us to 'Timothy Meeks'. It is said in the Bible that the meek shall inherit the earth, but Timothy doubts that it was him the Bible was talking about.

'Cooked' by Jonathan Marberry is a sweet story of revenge but not in the telling, the telling is love.

In 'Quiet Bullets' by Christopher Golden we find that death comes in all forms and for 10 year old Teddy it’s a cowboy dressed in black.

'The Fierce Stabbing and Subsequent Post-Death of Scooter Brown' by Jeff Strand shows us that saying sorry isn’t always enough; no matter how much you’re willing to pay!

Such a sad tale is found in 'Searching' by Monica J. O’Rourke.

Ever wonder how the seasons change, why does Spring creep in slowly one year and hits us full on the next? Check out 'Cannonball Lycanthrope' for Janet Joyce Holden’s take on the weather.

Brian Keene’s 'The Viking Plays Patty Cake' reminds us that no matter what, family matters.

C. Dennis Moore really knows how to leave you feeling squeamish. If 'Pest Control' doesn’t creep you out, then I don’t think anything ever will.

There are so many more great stories all of which deserve praise. Please pick up a copy, you won’t be disappointed and you will be helping a worthy cause. I must also note that this was a brilliant move on Craig Cook’s part. What better way to raise awareness for literacy than through literature. Enjoy!

[Karl]

Table of Contents:

009 - Introduction
011 - "KING OF SHADOWS" by Joe R. Lansdale
043 - "QUIET BULLETS" by Christopher Golden
063 - "HAVEN by Kealan Patrick Burke
077 - "BRAVE GIRL" by Jack Ketchum
087 - "DEALING WITH MAMA LILA" by Sandy DeLuca
099 - "HUSBAND OF KELLIE" by T.T. Zuma
103 - "OBEDIENT FLIES by Greg F. Gifune
119 - "EXIT STRATEGY by Tim Waggoner
123 - "ABATTOIR BLUES" by James A. Moore
143 - "CANNONBALL LYCANTHROPE" by Janet Joyce Holden
153 - "THROWING MONSTERS" by Jonathan Janz
175 - "THE FIERCE STABBING AND SUBSEQUENT POST-DEATH VENGEANCE OF SCOOTER BROWN" by Jeff Strand
183 - "THE HOUSE IN CYRUS HOLLER: A Will Castleton Adventure" by David Bain
217 - "COOKED" by Jonathan Maberry
231 - "MIZ RUTHIE PAYS HER RESPECTS" by Lucy Snyder
239 - "LETTING GO" by Mary SanGiovanni
255 - "THE VIKING PLAYS PATTY CAKE" by Brian Keene
261 - "SHADOW CHASER" by Simon Wood
273 - "THE FOLLY" by Robert Dunbar
293 - "SPIDER GOES TO MARKET" by Gerard Houarner
303 - "PEST CONTROL" by C. Dennis Moore
325 - "I’M SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS" by Ronald Malfi
331 - "TIMOTHY MEEK" by Gord Rollo
349 - "TRAPS" by F. Paul Wilson
359 - "SEARCHING" by Monica O’Rourke
363 - "FIRE" by Elizabeth Massie
377 - "DANCE OF THE BLUE LADY" by Gene O’Neill
389 - "DINOSAUR DAY" by Gary A. Braunbeck
409 - About The Authors

[Rena Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent anthology of stories for an awesome cause. It's always great when authors get together for a charity they stand behind, and it's even better when all the stories are good reads. There wasn't a single one that I found even slightly disappointing. The book has a nice variety from the slightly unsettling to the disturbing. Greg. G. Gifune's "Obedient Flies" is one that I thoroughly enjoyed and stands out because it got under my skin. "Pest Control" by C. Dennis Moore is another one. "The House in Cyrus Holler" by David Bain, and "Spider Goes to Market" by Gerard Houarner. These are just some of my favorites. Every story is a great, and I highly recommend this.

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one weird as hell book but quite full of action and suspense.

I moved through this one pretty quickly as the author's writing style made it very easy to picture the scenes unfolding in front of the readers, the monsters in this book were vicious and violent and bloody.

I ended up liking most of the characters in this one especially Love and Torres and I enjoyed their battle with the monsters to save their lives. This could have benefitted a lot from being a full length novella imo because just the way it was , I did feel like I could have used more details about the monsters themselves.

4 stars.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is "Assault on Precinct 13," except with chupacabras instead of gangs. Good through most of it, but the ending was kind of yuck.

[Bruce Kessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very action oriented creature feature book... Non stop suspense from this book made it a very entertaining read! Available right now free on Smashbooks...definitely got my money’s and times worth! This author also has written a 4 volume set of Chupacabra mayhem which is on sale (SB) for the remainder of this year. Cant wait to get these books and start reading.

[Susan]

King of Shadows • (2006) • novelette by Joe R. Lansdale
Quiet Bullets • (2009) • shortfiction by Christopher Golden
Haven • (2003) • shortstory by Kealan Patrick Burke
Brave Girl • (2002) • shortstory by Jack Ketchum
Dealing with Mama Lila • shortfiction by Sandy DeLuca
Husband of Kellie • shortfiction by T. T. Zuma
Obedient Flies • (2000) • shortstory by Greg F. Gifune
Abattoir Blues • shortfiction by James A. Moore
Cannonball Lycanthrope • shortfiction by Janet Joyce Holden
Throwing Monsters • shortfiction by Jonathan Janz
The Fierce Stabbing and Subsequent Post-Death Vengeance of Scooter Brown by Jeff Strand
The House in Cyrus Holler: A Will Castleton Adventure by David Bain
Cooked • shortfiction by Jonathan Maberry
Miz Ruthie Pays Her Respects by Lucy Snyder
Letting Go • shortfiction by Mary SanGiovanni
The Viking Plays Patty Cake • shortfiction by Brian Keene
Shadow Chaser • (2005) • shortstory by Simon Wood
The Folly • (2009) • shortfiction by Robert Dunbar
Spider Goes to Market • (1997) • shortstory by Gerard Houarner
Pest Control • shortfiction by C. Dennis Moore
I'm So Sorry for Your Loss • shortfiction by Ronald Malfi
Timothy Meek • shortfiction by Gord Rollo
Traps • (1987) • shortstory by F. Paul Wilson
Searching • shortfiction by Monica O'Rourke
Fire • (2010) • shortfiction by Elizabeth Massie
Dance of the Blue Lady • (2005) • shortstory by Gene O'Neill
Dinosaur Day • shortfiction by Gary A. Braunbeck
Exit Strategy • shortfiction by Tim Waggoner

[Seth Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed a lot of the stories in this collection. It is a veritable powerhouse of modern horror authors. Brian Keene, Joe Lansdale, and Tim Waggoneer to name just a few have contributed stories to this anthology. As with all short story collections, some of them are really good and some are not. I only found myself bored/unsatisfied with two or three stories, which given the number of tales gathered is not bad at all. If you enjoy a wide range of horror stories and styles, then this collection is a perfect fit for you.

[Kimmyh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good mix of Dark Fantasy and Horror tales, obviously, personal tastes will dictate that you'll probably like some more than others, but, if you are a fan of the old anthology shows, such as the Twilight Zone you should enjoy this.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great short stories here and it's for charity. Go buy it