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Demons & Devilry
Hersham Horror Books Presents
5 original stories from the minds of:
Peter Mark May
Thana Niveau
John Llewellyn Probert
David Williamson
Stuart Young
The Fourth anthology in our PentAnth range brings you five more satanic and demonic tales that hearkens back to an age when Dennis Wheatley was the king of horror.
5 original stories from the minds of:
Peter Mark May
Thana Niveau
John Llewellyn Probert
David Williamson
Stuart Young
The Fourth anthology in our PentAnth range brings you five more satanic and demonic tales that hearkens back to an age when Dennis Wheatley was the king of horror.
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 25, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 11, 2014
I am constantly amazed at the number of small presses out there that keep churning out hit titles. These independent companies show versatility and strength with their selections, but they also keep the bigger publishing houses on their toes. Hersham Horror Books is a perfect example. The owner, Peter Mark May, is a heck of an author and a nice guy to boot; likewise, his company puts out excellent anthologies that are well written and entertaining. DEMONS & DEVILRY is the latest addition to their impressive canon.
In case you are unfamiliar with Dennis Wheatley, he was an author in the early and mid 20th century who wrote a series of ‘black magic’ books. These titles were considered controversial for the subject matters they embraced. They contained things like sadism (directed primarily at women), Satanism, vulgar racism, and many other topics considered taboo. For this reason, many consider him the founding father of Satanic horror writing.
I’m a sucker for stories about demons and devils; they just draw me in and captivate me for some reason. Heck, the first short film I ever made was a horror short titled CALL NOT THE DEVIL, based on an old Danish proverb. So as you can see…the subject matter is one I enjoy.
Every story in DEMONS & DEVILRY is written well and flows at a nice pace. The authors go to great lengths to convey a lot of story in such a small space, and they each do a first rate job. And as with Hersham’s previous titles, the quality of writing is superb. Each tale is carefully crafted and each writing voice unique.
My favorite story in this collection is “Little Devils” by Thana Niveau. In this piece, a small group of kids disobey instructions and enter a construction worksite to trek around an unfinished building. What they didn’t count on, however, was interrupting an unholy ritual. Niveau does a perfect job of blending the innocence of childhood and pre-teen adolescence with dark and unknown forces. The result is an engrossing tale that will make you squirm.
DEMONS & DEVILRY is an excellent collection of stories, and every horror fan should add this title to their libraries for sure. But be warned: you might not be the same after you read these terrifying tales of the occult! The book is available now in a variety of formats.
In case you are unfamiliar with Dennis Wheatley, he was an author in the early and mid 20th century who wrote a series of ‘black magic’ books. These titles were considered controversial for the subject matters they embraced. They contained things like sadism (directed primarily at women), Satanism, vulgar racism, and many other topics considered taboo. For this reason, many consider him the founding father of Satanic horror writing.
I’m a sucker for stories about demons and devils; they just draw me in and captivate me for some reason. Heck, the first short film I ever made was a horror short titled CALL NOT THE DEVIL, based on an old Danish proverb. So as you can see…the subject matter is one I enjoy.
Every story in DEMONS & DEVILRY is written well and flows at a nice pace. The authors go to great lengths to convey a lot of story in such a small space, and they each do a first rate job. And as with Hersham’s previous titles, the quality of writing is superb. Each tale is carefully crafted and each writing voice unique.
My favorite story in this collection is “Little Devils” by Thana Niveau. In this piece, a small group of kids disobey instructions and enter a construction worksite to trek around an unfinished building. What they didn’t count on, however, was interrupting an unholy ritual. Niveau does a perfect job of blending the innocence of childhood and pre-teen adolescence with dark and unknown forces. The result is an engrossing tale that will make you squirm.
DEMONS & DEVILRY is an excellent collection of stories, and every horror fan should add this title to their libraries for sure. But be warned: you might not be the same after you read these terrifying tales of the occult! The book is available now in a variety of formats.
December 9, 2013
Not having read any Denis Wheatley I can't comment on how closely the stories within evoke or parody his style so I'll give my thoughts on the stories in their own right.
The Abhorrent Man - Peter Mark May
A well written if slightly formulaic story of archeological discovery and ancient curses. The authors research shines through and provides much to hold the reader's interest.
Little Devils - Thana Niveau
A wonderfully creepy story of children entering a building site and encountering more than they bargained for. There is a great 'anytime, anyplace' feel to the story and the climax went against my expectations.
The Devil in the Details - John Llewellyn Probert
A superbly entertaining and funny story that doesn't take itself at all seriously and is all the more successful for it as a less than competent practitioner comes up against all manner of obstacles. The highlight of the collection.
The Scryer - David Williamson
As with 'The Abhorrent' this was a rather standard, formulaic story which is further hampered by a repeated plot hole which I thought was going to create a twist ending but was never addressed; how can the protagonist be the last of his bloodline when he has a daughter?
Guardian Devil - Stuart Young
The big disappointment for me as I normally enjoy Young's slightly mischievous stories. Here it felt overblown and too crammed full of weird names and strange mythology. A story I found a little too grim, uninteresting and a struggle to finish.
The Abhorrent Man - Peter Mark May
A well written if slightly formulaic story of archeological discovery and ancient curses. The authors research shines through and provides much to hold the reader's interest.
Little Devils - Thana Niveau
A wonderfully creepy story of children entering a building site and encountering more than they bargained for. There is a great 'anytime, anyplace' feel to the story and the climax went against my expectations.
The Devil in the Details - John Llewellyn Probert
A superbly entertaining and funny story that doesn't take itself at all seriously and is all the more successful for it as a less than competent practitioner comes up against all manner of obstacles. The highlight of the collection.
The Scryer - David Williamson
As with 'The Abhorrent' this was a rather standard, formulaic story which is further hampered by a repeated plot hole which I thought was going to create a twist ending but was never addressed; how can the protagonist be the last of his bloodline when he has a daughter?
Guardian Devil - Stuart Young
The big disappointment for me as I normally enjoy Young's slightly mischievous stories. Here it felt overblown and too crammed full of weird names and strange mythology. A story I found a little too grim, uninteresting and a struggle to finish.
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