Our Greatest Enemy: Five Horror Stories on Fatherhood

by Jordan Thiery

A father's scarred heart cuts deep the roots of the family tree. Included in this

Belt
William's father is speeding down a gravel road late at night. William can't remember anything from earlier that day, and he's worried for his mother...

Wrapped in Silk
Erik finds a spider in his apartment. Everything is fine... until the spider begins consuming everything he loves.

Inside a Concrete Box
At the lake with his son, Arthur finds a mysterious concrete box in the trees. There’s something inside... and it's coming for them.

The Transfiguration
Sam’s lost his family, his wife, his daughter. As he copes with his new life, he finds himself becoming... something else.

Our Greatest Enemy
As the world around him comes to an end, Adam contemplates space, life, and humanity with his father one last time.

173 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 22, 2024

Reviews

[Shannon Reviews]

This was an interesting take on horror on Fatherhood. I would have to say this was a first for me to read horror about father or mother hood. But it was really good. I would have to say the story that stuck out the most to me is Belt. It reminded me of some Twilight zone episodes. Belt is about a boy named William who after having a fight with his wife and William's mom. William's dad takes him on a truck ride, while William can't remember anything from earlier that day, and he's worried for his mother.

[Silver]

If I could figure out this website I would give this 4.5/5 stars (he knows what he did) BUT five stars isn't a stretch. While each story is its own story I still felt them loosely tied together in small ways and then the big connection pay off came with the final story. I'm not a father so I can only do my best to empathize and understand but from what I DO know I think this book is a gem. Jordan does a great job at capturing experiences he may or may not have experienced himself. Each story will leave you thinking in one way or another and I would LOVE to share my specific thoughts on each story but I don't wanna get into spoiler territory. Read this. You won't regret it.

[Brittney M]

This was such a good read!

Stories 2, 3, and 4 made my skin crawl for various different reasons, but it's still so so good!!

[Jamie]

Our Greatest Enemy is a wonderful debut short story collection and a real hidden gem. This humble little collection of stories reminds me why I love taking a chance on new authors, especially in the indie space. I really enjoyed the variety of horror subgenres in the collection, with the central theme of fatherhood and masculinity explored in each story. I felt a full range of emotions while reading, and one story in particular genuinely spooked me! It was hard to pick favorites because there was a lot to like. Inside a Concrete Box and The Transfiguration particularly are stand out stories.

Mild editing gripe which was really not a big deal, but I found a few repeated phrases in different stories, and the déjà vu distracted me briefly. Beyond that Thiery has a distinct narrative voice and his prose is wonderful. I can see Thiery going far and I’d be interested to see where his writing career takes him in the future.

Individual Story Notes:
♥ Belt: Wow, this story really kicks the collection off with a heavy story about the cyclical nature of abuse and a broken marriage. My heart absolutely bled for the main character, William, and the intense situation he finds himself in. I found the final pages of this story utterly heartbreaking. My only gripe is that it is a little heavy handed with the messaging.

♥ Wrapped in Silk: This one is a great allegory for the monstrous effects of depression. I thought I knew what I was in for with this story, but it far exceeded my expectations. As with the first story, this one also centers on a strong message about abuse, and I appreciated the underlying theme that parenthood is not for everyone.

♥ Inside a Concrete Box: A father and son go camping in the lonely woods, too lonely, too isolated. This one really, truly scared me! I really enjoy camping stories and encountering a loving father in this story was heartwarming and totally refreshing compared to the previous two stories. I read this story in bed in the dark and I was so creeped out and focused on the story, one of my children turned on a hall light outside of my door and it made me leap out of bed!

♥ The Transfiguration: This story was a strong contender for favorite. Sam is a broken man that loses his family despite trying to do everything right, and I rooted for him to the very end. The story was thrilling even when I knew what was coming, and it left me with an image that I won’t forget for a very long time.

♥ Our Greatest Enemy: Unfortunately my least favorite of the collection. I liked the conversation about the universe and man’s insignificance within the greater cosmos, which is a kind of horror on it’s own. It just didn’t land quite right for me. I did really appreciate that this story made references to what happened in two earlier stories, Belt and Wrapped in Silk, that added nicely to those endings.

[Leslie Lucille]

This debut collection was incredibly thought out and well written. I definitely had my favorites (I'm looking at you, Sam!), but I didn't feel like any of the five fell flat! I am confident there was something for everyone in these pages!

Although the collection has an overall theme of fatherhood, each story stands on its own two feet as unique and engaging! With different levels of horror and a nice spread of the realistic to the supernatural, I never found myself bored. I found myself going from feelings of shock to dread and then back again.

This debut from Jordan Thiery was an absolute win, in my opinion, and I will be anxiously awaiting more! Thank you for the opportunity to read your work!

[Sammi Dyer]

“Our Greatest Enemy” is a collection of frightfully unique fatherhood themed stories - Where “Sometimes Fatherhood is a Fate Worse Than Death” Written by Jordan Thiery. I loved all five stories in this chilling collection but my personal favorites were …
One- “The Transfiguration” Where when Sam seems to have lost everything; family, marriage, spouse, job and beloved pet. Adapting to this loss has something beyond imaginable occur. I am beyond shook with this story.
Two - “Inside a Concrete Box” Where a father and son take fishing trip to bond. They come across a concrete box and with that box comes a parent’s worst nightmare.

I highly recommend you grabbing and devouring this collection. It is a must have in any horror lover’s collection.

I’m also super excited to mention that Jordan Thiery has another collection of stories “Flesh Party” that will be coming December 1st and on the front of this book it’s stated “Don’t Be Scared They Only Want a Taste”. I seriously can’t wait to see what he has in store for us with this horror collection.

[Christina]

If you’re a fan of the Twilight Zone, Stephen King, and Goosebumps, then this short story collection based around Fatherhood is definitely for you.

I enjoyed all five stories, with my favorite being “The Transfiguration.” Watching a character spiral into madness is always unnerving and makes you feel like you can’t look away, making the book difficult to put down.

[Leslye Thiery]

Hard to believe this is a first published set! This is an amazing collection of 5 psychological horror with supernatural themed short stories. Each story had me pausing to absorb whether this was supernatural or actually some absurd form of someone’s reality! The character development in each story is incredibly well done. I found myself wondering if these characters were victims of a chaotic society or heros who have found peace after experiencing hell. I found myself processing and contemplating the horror of mental health, what it can develop into, and how it affects those who are vulnerable and powerless to it. Loved these short stories and look forward to reading more!