Madness and Greatness Can Share the Same Face

by Amanda Headlee

The line between madness and greatness is as delicate as a golden silk thread.It's a tricky balancing act to dance upon this fragile line for those seeking greatness. An outsider may perceive the endeavor as wandering a road toward insanity and crumbling dreams. However, in the eyes of the beholder, they don't see themselves as walking a tightrope between genius and insanity but rather paving a road to success— where no expense is spared.Madness and Greatness Can Share the Same Face is a collection of thirteen dark fiction tales that spiderweb across space and time to explore the line where, with a step, one can be pitched into the realm of greatness or depths of madness.Come into a twisted universe that follows two women's harrowing lives living with a monster in "The Voiceless". Take a boat ride with a lonely lobsterman who rediscovers his son only to lose him again in "Of Sharks and Dreams". Understand the depths of a father's love for his daughter during an apocalyptic catastrophe in "Carrion Eaters". Watch as a genetic scientist's obsession with a creature in his dreams mutates into a horrific nightmare in "The Faunling". And experience the freedom a young woman finds when faced by a God in "Where the Elk Roam".Watch your step as you dance upon the thin line between madness and greatness

220 pages, Paperback

Published September 2, 2024

About the author

Amanda Headlee is the author of Till We Become Monsters, This is How a Villain is Made, Madness and Greatness Can Share the Same Face, and several short stories. A devoted connoisseur of cosmic and psychological horror, she is often found unraveling the universe’s darkest secrets—preferably with a steaming cup of chai tea in hand.

As a wandering wonderer, Amanda spends her free time riding one of her many bikes or hiking the Appalachian Mountains. She shares her Pennsylvania abode with a plethora of exotic plants and a horror-loving pup named Sprout.

Reviews

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

To call this JUST a collection of short horror stories wouldn't really do it justice. It is that, sure, but the connections weaved throughout these stories makes it almost read like the thoughts a mad scientist's inner demons.

These tales of monsters, madness, and other worldly horrors are unsettling because they start with the premise that these are already accepted things in the worlds they inhabit. Suspension of disbelief comes easily and you get swept up in the narratives.

Whether based in a wooded area, a genetics/DNA testing lab, or even the corners of outer space, each one is telling different parts of a much larger story. One of a world going mad, of greedy people unleashing things we were never meant to see, with terrifying results.

As you read, you might hear the creaking of your home or faint sounds from outside. And you'll wonder if these are normal or something nefarious. It's just fiction... right? RIGHT?!?

This collection will have you wondering how long until things done in secret escape to our own reality, if it hasn't happened already that is.

This is a fantastic book to read on a stormy night that will fill you with dread. I highly recommend it.

[Xochilt Avila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love finding story collections from the same author; each tale stands alone as its' own delicious snippet, but it gives you time to breathe and process. Some of the stories ARE connected, but they still stand as their own wonderful, individual experiences.

Amanda Headlee is a wonderful author that does incredible work building atmosphere and tension. The way she builds the worlds around her characters, oof, it is delicious, spooky and decadent. "Of Sharks and Dreams" transported me to a smoggy, eiree seaport town where the worst can happen. "Carrion Eaters" made me feel hungry and sick at the same time. Other favorites include, "Little Maise," "Identity," and "The Faunling."