An All-Pervading Sense of Dread: 20 Tales of Terror

by H.T. Waite

A daughter, mourning her deceased mother, finds something disturbing at the end of a childhood videotape.

A Massachusetts occultist attempts to revive his dead lover, with devastating consequences.

A woman has a series of unusual encounters involving animated meat.

An extremely lonely man buys some unusual companionship.

AN ALL-PERVADING SENSE OF DREAD brings you horror stories for your darkest nights. This collection has every flavor of horror. Read... if you dare.

Genres: Horror, Anthologies

190 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 17, 2025

Reviews

[Reshma Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

siiiiiiiighhhhhhhh. Terror? More like boredom.

[Milt Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded to 4. Waite's second collection may not be as good or exciting as the first volume, but there are many stories worth reading and enjoying. This time there's an emphasis on the occult and the mysterious: most stories are inconclusive and ambiguous, written in an old-fashioned, flatly descriptive style. The creepypasta elements remain as strong as ever: most stories are narrated in first person, character development is wholly missing, and the endings are designed to impress rather than provide closure. Nevertheless, if you liked the first volume, you're certainly go to enjoy this one, even if it's not equally exciting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mattie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some very inventive ideas in these stories, spread out through a lot of classic scary story fodder and retreads.

The writing is DRY, absent of any artistry. Get ready for some creepypasta-level prose, and don’t expect any poetic allusions or descriptions. The narrator-characters are nearly interchangeable in their mannerisms and speech, and the language is basic. If each story was half as long, both would be fine - we’re just trying to get to the jump scare here. But some of these (short!) stories feel like they drag on forever.

It’s possible that the author, in a creepypasta turn, was aiming for down-to-earth prose, narration from a believable, normcore person who doesn’t know they’re in a horror story. If so, I think this book really highlights what I struggle with when a piece of horror media reaches for “believable authenticity” - like with the slew of found footage material out there these days: there’s so much effort being put into coming off as casual, believable, average, neutral (so as to heighten the horror when it hits), that the effect is like a boredom-induced sleep aid. There’s so much effort to appear real by way of what’s average and normal that there’s no room left for artistry.

I would say that this author is an expert on what’s scary - it’s impressive how many different stories, different ideas for what can be spooky are gathered here – but I don’t think they can truly pull off horror for me. Quantity over quality.

That said, I gotta give laurels. The Intruder has a great spook, truly nightmarish, and there are bits and pieces throughout the other stories that are interesting ideas, and could be really frightening if one borrowed them for a horror role-playing game or the like.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this as a collection of horror stories, each one was unique and worked with the story being told. H.T. Waite has a strong writing style and was glad it was so well done.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Meghan Kurth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super short

The stories are decent, but most of them are so short barely have time to get into it and then it's over. This also makes them easily forgettable. Hard to remember the stories that are just 2 pages. There is talent here, it just needs to be expanded on a bit more.

[Smutty Demi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An original and unique way of writing, which took some getting used to. Stories were good and held attention well. I definitely enjoyed reading this book

[Vanessa Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have always loved thrilling horror type of stories, loved this book too.it has suspense and thrill elements all over.

[Nathanael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun collection of short horror stories, a mix of different subgenres from cosmic horror to werewolves.

[m k · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5/5

its honestly impressive to only write 3 good stories out of 20