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X: A Collection of Horror
Ten slices of dark fiction, including three stories exclusive to this collection, plus an introduction and extensive notes.
List of Contents:
Introduction: That's Entertainment
A Hell of my Own Creation
A Thin Disguise
Monkey Man
The Awful Truth
Mr. C
Fame / Infamy: A Deconstruction
Another False Dawn
The Night Everything Changed
The Devil & Jim Rosenthal
Club Culture
Afterword
List of Contents:
Introduction: That's Entertainment
A Hell of my Own Creation
A Thin Disguise
Monkey Man
The Awful Truth
Mr. C
Fame / Infamy: A Deconstruction
Another False Dawn
The Night Everything Changed
The Devil & Jim Rosenthal
Club Culture
Afterword
131 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2014
32 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
C.M. Saunders
65 books75 followersChristian Saunders, a constant reader who writes fiction as C.M. Saunders, is a freelance journalist and editor from south Wales. His work has appeared in almost 100 magazines, ezines and anthologies worldwide including Fortean Times, the Literary Hatchet, ParABnormal, Fantastic Horror, Haunted MTL, Feverish Fiction and Crimson Streets, and he has held staff positions at several leading UK magazines ranging from Staff Writer to Associate Editor. His books have been both traditionally and independently published, the latest release being Tethered on Terror Tract Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 12, 2020
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. Unfortunately, there is still always a risk of slight spoilers despite my best efforts. If you feel something in my review is a spoiler please let me know. Thank you.
I'm generally not big on short stories. But for me, they are super hard to rate. Some of the stories were pretty good, while some of them kinda sucked. So right in the middle is how we are rating this one. It was a really short read with a collection of even shorter stories. At least one of them I thought would make a good novel in itself, and I can also think of one that just seemed stupid and pointless. So I really do have some mixed feelings about this book.
I'm generally not big on short stories. But for me, they are super hard to rate. Some of the stories were pretty good, while some of them kinda sucked. So right in the middle is how we are rating this one. It was a really short read with a collection of even shorter stories. At least one of them I thought would make a good novel in itself, and I can also think of one that just seemed stupid and pointless. So I really do have some mixed feelings about this book.
March 19, 2020
There's some really great ideas in here. And they're all very well written. But like I feel with most shorts, I wish they had been longer. There were a couple of stories that started getting great, then they stopped. The first story hooked me in but trailed off into an open ended nothing. Still, there's great thoughts in here. Just know that you'll have to use your own imagination if you wonder too much about what happened after
August 23, 2014
Each of these morsels remind me of party snacks you get at a fancy cocktail party. Short, sweet, or sour, meaty and leaving you wanting to grab more and more.
I called them "tone poems" because each one evokes a visceral reaction from inside you as you read it. Sometimes you don't know exactly why, or even if you have understood the stories on a cerebral level, but churning in your gut is the twist of the knife of the well written fiction-ettes.
hard to put down. I highly recommend!
I called them "tone poems" because each one evokes a visceral reaction from inside you as you read it. Sometimes you don't know exactly why, or even if you have understood the stories on a cerebral level, but churning in your gut is the twist of the knife of the well written fiction-ettes.
hard to put down. I highly recommend!
July 24, 2025
These stories were as frustrating as watching a 16+ age rated movie with my Gran. She turns it off when it gets to the good bits...
As a hardcore Stephen King, Riley Sager etc fan, I love horror. This is not a collection of horror - it has maybe 3 very brief moments of grossness, but not once was I in the slightest bit scared. They are like random chapters from what COULD be really great horror stories, but they just don't get there. Its more a collection of weirdo's doing weird things.
(These aren't the story names its just how I remember them).
1. Marcus - I've forgotten this already, and I read it 1 hour ago... nothing happened. *After going back to check, its the make-up wearing weirdo... the scariest thing he does is leave the house with a knife...
2. Sneeze dream - Not horror in the slightest, more mild sci-fi. Slightly better than #1 but still nothing really happened.
3. Monkey Man - Just a rehash of the same old kid scared of the monsters under the bed. Nothing happened... not horror.
4. Computer guy - this was my favourite, and was quite good. Still not horror though - conspiracy theory, thriller. And I laughed at the ending, that surprised me in a good way.
5. Mr C - what??
6. Fame - predictable and not horror.
7. Neighbours - this was he only story I'd consider horror. Slasher style kind of horror. It was good with a few "ewww" moments.
8. Shed guy - not horror. Guilty conscious angry guy.
9. Devil child - WTF??
10. Club guy - quite good.
I'm giving it 2 stars, simply because it does not meet my expectations of horror. I imagine people who don't like the gross, violent, paranormal, scary as hell stuff would call this horror.
There good bones there for some really good stories, and could be expanded on, and still be a short story.
I wont be reading anymore of the series I'm afraid.
As a hardcore Stephen King, Riley Sager etc fan, I love horror. This is not a collection of horror - it has maybe 3 very brief moments of grossness, but not once was I in the slightest bit scared. They are like random chapters from what COULD be really great horror stories, but they just don't get there. Its more a collection of weirdo's doing weird things.
(These aren't the story names its just how I remember them).
1. Marcus - I've forgotten this already, and I read it 1 hour ago... nothing happened. *After going back to check, its the make-up wearing weirdo... the scariest thing he does is leave the house with a knife...
2. Sneeze dream - Not horror in the slightest, more mild sci-fi. Slightly better than #1 but still nothing really happened.
3. Monkey Man - Just a rehash of the same old kid scared of the monsters under the bed. Nothing happened... not horror.
4. Computer guy - this was my favourite, and was quite good. Still not horror though - conspiracy theory, thriller. And I laughed at the ending, that surprised me in a good way.
5. Mr C - what??
6. Fame - predictable and not horror.
7. Neighbours - this was he only story I'd consider horror. Slasher style kind of horror. It was good with a few "ewww" moments.
8. Shed guy - not horror. Guilty conscious angry guy.
9. Devil child - WTF??
10. Club guy - quite good.
I'm giving it 2 stars, simply because it does not meet my expectations of horror. I imagine people who don't like the gross, violent, paranormal, scary as hell stuff would call this horror.
There good bones there for some really good stories, and could be expanded on, and still be a short story.
I wont be reading anymore of the series I'm afraid.
March 26, 2025
My Introduction to C.M. Saunders
This is the first ebook by Christian (C.M.) Saunders that I have read. Some of the stories are excellent; some are not so great. I really enjoyed the last story, “Club Culture”. It stood out as a cautionary tale to those who subject themselves to one-night stands.
There are other good stories in this collection. I noticed that Saunders has at least 5 collections after this one. I will read more of his collections as I love horror short stories.
This is the first ebook by Christian (C.M.) Saunders that I have read. Some of the stories are excellent; some are not so great. I really enjoyed the last story, “Club Culture”. It stood out as a cautionary tale to those who subject themselves to one-night stands.
There are other good stories in this collection. I noticed that Saunders has at least 5 collections after this one. I will read more of his collections as I love horror short stories.
January 25, 2020
A great collection of stories and quite an eclectic mix. What was really enjoyable about then is that the majority of the stories were more in line with ‘real horror’ i.e. real incidences of things that could potentially happen, which is something that is often hard to find in the horror genre. I don’t think I necessarily have a favourite, although many will stick with me for some time.
May 11, 2020
I think the first of the collections I read was X3 and I'm glad I started with that one. If I had started with this collection I may have never have given the other 'X' collections a chance. It is pretty cool to see how far this writer has come though. That's why I gave it 2stars instead of one.
April 11, 2021
Absolutely a great read
Absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves a great mix of stories that will get under your skin and stay with you after your done reading them. Loved this and so will anyone who reads it.
Absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves a great mix of stories that will get under your skin and stay with you after your done reading them. Loved this and so will anyone who reads it.
August 19, 2023
Interesting bunch of stories
I loved the first story and the last one the most. The first reminded me of AHS and the last of Cat People. Definitely a recommendation for those wanting short horror stories with bite
I loved the first story and the last one the most. The first reminded me of AHS and the last of Cat People. Definitely a recommendation for those wanting short horror stories with bite
December 7, 2024
interesting title as X
Collection of horror stories. Quick read as only 130 pages. Couple of stories are disturbing as creepy too. I thought it was different kind of collection. Overall pretty good book
Collection of horror stories. Quick read as only 130 pages. Couple of stories are disturbing as creepy too. I thought it was different kind of collection. Overall pretty good book
February 15, 2018
3.5 Stars
February 4, 2022
There were a couple of good stories inhere. I was expecting scary. There was some darkness but way less than I expected. I was underwhelmed.
September 29, 2016
Great bunch of short stories.
June 6, 2020
Review: X: A Collection of Horror by Christian Saunders. 2* 05/04/2020
Some of the stories I enjoyed and others I could have done without. I find that in a lot of short story books. Some were well written, entertaining, psychological terrors while others never got close to the genre. In the Afterward the author explains his inspiration for each story and its foundation which was a little helpful to some of the stories.
There are some stories that are touching on the dark side of human nature, the unavoidable emotions and strange states of a characters mind, and a few twists that jumps out at the reader when you think you have it all figured out….
Some of the stories I enjoyed and others I could have done without. I find that in a lot of short story books. Some were well written, entertaining, psychological terrors while others never got close to the genre. In the Afterward the author explains his inspiration for each story and its foundation which was a little helpful to some of the stories.
There are some stories that are touching on the dark side of human nature, the unavoidable emotions and strange states of a characters mind, and a few twists that jumps out at the reader when you think you have it all figured out….
March 14, 2014
Like a beautifully planned and well executed meal.
The cover, an amuse bouche, giving the reader a taste of the spine-chilling morsels to come.
The introduction, an appetizer of smart and witty proportion that allows the reader to experience the author’s voice in contrast of what’s to come. He invited me in, handed me a coffee (I am a coffee lover but feel free to insert wine here), charmed me, made me giggle and put my mind at ease… until…
10 delectable courses of diverse yet complementary flavours of creepy that slowly edge onto your mental palate before biting you back, remaining with you long after the meal is over. My favorites being; A Thin Disguise, The Awful Truth and Another False Dawn.
The afterword, rich and decadent dessert, like chocolate cheesecake; no matter how full you may be you have to have it. It adds to and finishes the experience, leaving you feeling satisfied yet still wanting more.
If this is how C.M. Saunders began his writing journey I can’t wait for the rest of the X collection, this is a must read for any horror fan. I couldn’t put it down.
The cover, an amuse bouche, giving the reader a taste of the spine-chilling morsels to come.
The introduction, an appetizer of smart and witty proportion that allows the reader to experience the author’s voice in contrast of what’s to come. He invited me in, handed me a coffee (I am a coffee lover but feel free to insert wine here), charmed me, made me giggle and put my mind at ease… until…
10 delectable courses of diverse yet complementary flavours of creepy that slowly edge onto your mental palate before biting you back, remaining with you long after the meal is over. My favorites being; A Thin Disguise, The Awful Truth and Another False Dawn.
The afterword, rich and decadent dessert, like chocolate cheesecake; no matter how full you may be you have to have it. It adds to and finishes the experience, leaving you feeling satisfied yet still wanting more.
If this is how C.M. Saunders began his writing journey I can’t wait for the rest of the X collection, this is a must read for any horror fan. I couldn’t put it down.
March 8, 2014
Yes, another by C.M Saunders. I binge read authors I like. What can I say?
I’ve always enjoyed horror fiction, but my favorite books are those that don’t go straight for the gore. That’s not scary. Authors that dig deep and dare to force the reader into uncomfortable situations and remind us of thoughts we try to avoid thinking are the true talent in this genre. In X, Chris Saunders shows he’s one of those talents.
He begins with an introduction, which is something I usually attempt to read but end up skipping. I didn’t skip this one. It found it very entertaining.
Moving onto the meat of the book: A Thin Disguise is probably my favorite of the bunch, with The Awful Truth running a close second, but each story in this collection lurks in your head long after you’ve finished reading. (As good horror stories should do.)
In the Afterword, Saunders discusses the inspiration/origins of each story, which I always enjoy reading. He also makes confession about his feelings about women at the end of it, which I think is kind of interesting. *Insert evil laugh here.*
The verdict: Yes, you should read this book.
I’ve always enjoyed horror fiction, but my favorite books are those that don’t go straight for the gore. That’s not scary. Authors that dig deep and dare to force the reader into uncomfortable situations and remind us of thoughts we try to avoid thinking are the true talent in this genre. In X, Chris Saunders shows he’s one of those talents.
He begins with an introduction, which is something I usually attempt to read but end up skipping. I didn’t skip this one. It found it very entertaining.
Moving onto the meat of the book: A Thin Disguise is probably my favorite of the bunch, with The Awful Truth running a close second, but each story in this collection lurks in your head long after you’ve finished reading. (As good horror stories should do.)
In the Afterword, Saunders discusses the inspiration/origins of each story, which I always enjoy reading. He also makes confession about his feelings about women at the end of it, which I think is kind of interesting. *Insert evil laugh here.*
The verdict: Yes, you should read this book.
March 24, 2015
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
These stories were **insane**!! I actually had to put my iPad away at one point because I decided it'd be a good idea to read a couple in the middle of the night. BIG mistake! There were even some that I read more than once because they were just *that* good. I recommend this to anyone who wants a good scare, but definitely keep the lights on (unless you really wanna freak out!).
5 stars
These stories were **insane**!! I actually had to put my iPad away at one point because I decided it'd be a good idea to read a couple in the middle of the night. BIG mistake! There were even some that I read more than once because they were just *that* good. I recommend this to anyone who wants a good scare, but definitely keep the lights on (unless you really wanna freak out!).
5 stars
September 13, 2016
A short little book with some good stories, well thought out and executed in a way that will make the reader feel uncomfortable in the best possible way. There were a couple of stories that felt like filler,which was a pity in a book this short, and a few silly spelling mistakes that frustrated me but as as a whole I enjoyed it.
March 16, 2014
Must read. Great dark fiction.
August 9, 2014
** 3.5 Stars **
Great collection of short stories to take you out of your comfort zone.
Definitely worth the read!
Great collection of short stories to take you out of your comfort zone.
Definitely worth the read!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews