Boreal: An Anthology of Taiga Horror

by Katherine Silva (Editor), E.M. Roy, Akis Linardos

Two sisters huddle in a cabin seeking protection from a dark force...
An engineer and an anthropologist search for their lost geologist partner on a derelict expedition...
A disgraced tracker investigates a desecrated shrine in a small village...

These are only a few of the stories found within BOREAL: An Anthology of Taiga Horror. 22 stories intermingle the dark and lonely forests of the taiga biome with odysseys of sorrow, grief and self-reflection that skirt the boundaries of life and death.

War-ravaged trees, hypnotic glades, and cold desolate mountains await you. Try not to get lost in them.

Featured in this anthology are:

E.M. Roy, Akis Linardos, Vincent West, Jon Gauthier, KL Massey, Nicole Lynn, J.R. Santos, Neil Williamson, Marisca Pichette, Ren Graham, J.S. Betula, Ally Wilkes, Daphne Fauber, Bryan Holm, Jonah Buck, Airic Fenn, Brian Rowe, H.V. Patterson, LB Waltz, SJ Townend, Sarah Musnicky, & Kuzma Mac.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies

214 pages, ebook

First published February 25, 2025

About the author

Katherine Silva is an ace Maine horror author, a connoisseur of coffee, and victim of cat shenanigans. Her favorite flavors of the genre mix grief and existentialism which she combines with her love of the New England wilderness in her works. She is a three-time Maine Literary Award finalist for speculative fiction. Katherine is also editor-in-chief of Strange Wilds Press. You can find out all about her work at katherinesilvaauthor.com.

For event booking or questions, please email Katherine at kasilva@katherinesilvaauthor.com

Reviews

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been one of my favourite anthologies to read. It’s dark, atmospheric, and each story is wondrously crafted to fit the themes of grief, existentialism, and self reflection. The settings are all placed in the taiga and boreal forests. From Katherine’s intro, the last page, it was an absolute pleasure to read and consume each word.

“What happens when humans intersect with these ancient woods? What kind of mirror do they become for us to reflect back on ourselves?”

From cryptids, sentient flora, ghosts, science experiments gone wrong, killers, cannibals, myths, cosmic anomalies, to legends and more; these tales will enrapture and captivate your heart, mind and soul. So often I saw myself directly in the plot as a side character following along.

Favourites from the collection included:
“Cabin Creatures” by E.M. Roy, “Gathering of the Dead” by Vincent West, “Nightmare in Kettle Park” by Jon Gauthier, “The Family Axe” by Neil Williamson, “In the High Places” by Ally Wilkes, and “Always Prepared” by Jonah Buck.

“Remember to keep a light with you at all times, tell a friend where you’ll be embarking. If you find yourself adrift in the verdant darkness, remember that you’re not alone. There’s always something lurking just beyond the light.”

[Sarah Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you go into the woods today.....

I'm obsessed with the wild woods, and I particularly love horror stories set in them. It's a a foreign kingdom with its own laws and magic completely separate from our world of civilisation.

There's so much to love about this anthology with a whopping 22 tales of horror there's something for everyone and I really enjoyed discovering new authors I've not come across before as well as the seasoned pros such as Ally Wilkes, S.J.Townend and H.V.Patterson. These tales draw in such a wide range of sub-genres within horror and I thoroughly enjoyed them all. Each tale is very unique keeping you glued to your kindle!

[Paul Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surrounded by life and filled with death. In the boreal biome, winters are long and the summers are cool, life is harsh and only the strong survive.
These 22 stories, much like the setting they take place in, are dark, remote, and mysterious yet they are arresting in their beauty. I could discuss every one of these bewitching tales but I will try to highlight those that made the biggest impact on me.
This anthology starts of with an exemplary story of how life and death coexist. CABIN CREATURES by E.M. Roy has so much tension and so much more I want to know.
TRUE NORTH by Nicole Lynn let’s you live the gorgeously written, poetic and graceful words that hide all the bodies.
You can help with the upkeep of a gingerbread house and try to keep the ghost from burning itself up in the creative and ethereal SOFT FIRE by Marisca Pichette.
IN THE HIGH PLACES by Ally Wilkes was loaded with multiple fears of mine, bringing home the phrase ‘frozen with inactivity’. It was very creepy and filled with the promise of malice.
Two of the stories I am hoping the characters and setting will become a full novel. The first, ROADSIDE CROSS by Bryan Holm was a well told supernatural tale. Sheriff Sabrina and the location are ripe for multiple adventures. Second was DESECRATIONS by Brian Rowe that needs at least one full novel. Daphne and their donkey Cornelius were a damn riot even while they were dealing with a group possessed by demons.
Luckily, A CLEARING NEAR VANAVARA by Kuzma Mac, was the last story in the anthology because the way the tale unfolded left me with such a book hangover.

[Wesley Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Katherine Silva for sending me an e-ARC copy of this anthology. Here are my thoughts!

In this collection, you find 22 stories of horror all taking place in the taiga biome all by different authors. There is a horror story for everyone in this collection, including monster horror, eco-horror, psychological horror and even a touch of cannibalism.

I haven’t read an anthology in a little while, but whenever I do I walk away pleased. It’s so engaging and inviting to read just a story from a whole bunch of different authors. I thought the theme of the taiga was a really smart way to bring these different writing and horror styles together. I hope there is space for exploring more anthologies with other biomes because I would read it, hands down!

Now with an anthology there will always be some stories that stick with you a little more than others. With this collection I would say there weren’t any I don’t remember or disliked. I certainly had favourites including Cabin Creatures, Nightmare in Kettle Park, Soft Fire, and For the Forests Were Made of Our Bones. And after reading this anthology I now have so many new horror authors to check out; that’s personally my favourite things about anthologies, is that it opens you up to new authors!

I can’t recommend this anthology enough and I will definitely be picking up a paper copy, and going back to reread these stories! Pick up your copy, publication day is February 25, 2025!

[Mary Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boreal is an anthology horror like no other. Perfect for those who enjoyed Never Whistle at Night and Out There Screaming.
I enjoyed the different tones of each story and how unique each voice was. While not every story worked for me, there is something for every horror fan. There are also many eco-fiction stories in this collection, which I really enjoyed.
My personal favorites were Roadside Cross by Bryan Holm, Always Prepared by Jonah Buck, and Waldeinsamkeit by Airic Fenn.

Additional note: there are accurate content warnings in the back of the book for those who need them.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to devour multi-author horror anthologies like brunch. Over time, they started to fall out of favor with me due to the wild tonal and quality swings, leading me to prefer my collections single author whenever possible.

Its good to see the occasional one that has a great theme and sticks to it consistently, as is done here. More importantly, all of these stories are of high quality, with me only disliking one among the whole group and finding another to not really fit the theme of the collection. Considering how many stories there are here, that is a damn fine record.

And a few of these stories really are top tier high quality. Stuff to cause you to go looking for more work by the author. Which I suppose is part of the intent.

[Matt M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boreal, an anthology of horror stories set in the taiga biome, is a well-crafted and versatile anthology. Like all anthologies, it had stories that worked for me a lot and some that didn’t quite work for me, but the range of writers and styles was great. There are stories here that are typical all-out horror stories and some that are more literary in nature. There are stories of isolation, creature features, sci-fi horror, eco-horror, existential horror, folk horror, identity, aging, trauma. All sorts of stories set in all parts of the world within the taiga biome. The stories in Boreal demonstrate the beauty and the dangers of the forest.

Check this one out!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always on a hunt for cool anthologies, and this one instantly caught my attention!

As if 22 short stories from 22 different authors isn't enough, this collection features an array of beautifully done, diverse narratives that revolve around the relationship between humanity and nature.

The dark, unforgiving surroundings of the taiga serve as the perfect setting for gruesome, chilling horror, but also allow for a sense of consolidation, comfort, and belonging.
The authors manage to portray this contrasting perception of the forest in their own ways, so the stories stand out from one another, but the anthology still has a unified feel.

While I might not have loved all the stories equally, I still found this book quite enjoyable and think it did a wonderful job at conveying all the layers ecohorror is able to offer.

(Thank you Strange Wilds Press for the ARC!)

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of arctic horror and someone recently very much on an indie publisher/ author kick, I was thrilled to be gifted a copy of Boreal: An Anthology of Taiga Horror by Strange Wilds Press.

This collection contains 22 short stories, linked with the far north, deep woods, and the uncanny horrors related to the liminal spaces between nature and humanity. Some standouts for me include: True North, Soft Fire, Always Prepared, and a surprising nonhistorical story by one of my favorites in this subgenre, Ally Wikes, with her contribution In the High Places. Nightmare in Kettle Park certainly brought the most disturbing tension and horror. One or two stories didn’t land so much with me, but that is to be expected from any anthology. Overall, I found the whole collection well curated and edited. I am excited to see more releases from Strange Wilds.

[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOREAL: An Anthology of Taiga Horror edited by Katherine Silva is a collection of dark and mysterious tales filled with suspense. With all the intense loss and longing, there is also a thin line of quiet hope in some that leaves readers thinking all will be well before being crushed again moments later.

Content Warnings: For those that need it, the back of the book contains wonderful content warnings!

I can’t help it, I always hope for a happy ending. There wasn’t much of that here…

Dark horror fans who aren’t afraid of some major isolation and creepiness, you gotta check this collection out!

Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/borea...

[David O'Mahony · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you go down to the woods today you’re in for a real delight.

With every story inspired by boreal forests, this anthology is a tour de force of how one idea can have a near infinite array of interpretations, even within the already fluid and adaptable horror genre. There’s a global feel too, with Slavic, European, and North American settings and themes.

In some, the forest is a backdrop, albeit a fundamental feature (eg, Cabin Creatures or Family Axe), in others the forest is a character in its own right (eg, For The Forests Were Made of Our Bones).

Others are beautiful, unique things: Every Mask, Another Cask is pure imagination; Gathering of the Dead has a note of hope amid human darkness; Waldeinsamkeit is a sort of dreamscape (is it a memory? Is it a fantasy?) on loneliness, endurance, and becoming part of something greater than ourselves. I could probably read that last one forever.

Outstanding work.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the premise of this anthology: 22 stories greatly varying in length and subject-matter, though all taking place, explicitly or implicitly, in the world's largest biome of "Taiga" or "boreal forest". That's mostly the area covering the northern regions of Russia (Siberia), Canada, Alaska, Sweden and Finland. The stories were refreshingly different and engagingly original. I didn't enjoy them all (dark fantasy is not my thing, and there were several stories of this kind inside), but there were several I consider worth praising, and for an anthology of this size, that's quite a feat!

I was hugely impressed by the opening story, "Cabin Creatures" by E.M. Roy: a queer horror story on the surface, a meditation on time, love, and the persistence of life in reality. It combines folk horror with the boreal setting, to portray the passing of time in a cabin. I unreservedly recommend it. "True North" by Nicole Lynn was a deeply emotional story of a father-daughter relationship with very strong occult vibes, set against a serial killer theme, with a killer ending. "Soft Pine" by Marisca Pichette had the greatest first line in the volume ("Inside my gingerbread house, there dwells a candy floss ghost.") and it felt like reading a poem in prose (if that makes sense!). "Hallowed Ground" by J.S. Betula had the most beautiful imagery in the volume, from bucks stuck on each other’s antlers to a pregnant doe shining divinely within a nest of bones. Ally Wilkes' "In the High Places" was a dense tale of friendship and betrayal, with a legendary witch-cult in the center; it had by far the creepiest ending in the volume! Daphne Fauber's "Patrimony" had the best final lines: "Her entropy engine, buried deep inside her, fired on all cylinders, and for once she knew what she owed her father. Ashes." Bryan Holm's "Roadside Cross" was the most balanced horror story of the volume, a ghost story with a twisty ending, about a boy who vanished on the way home from school; very entertaining, yet very sad at the same time. "Always Prepared" by Jonah Buck was the one story that dealt with the taiga biome directly (more precisely, with the fact that it's just 12.000 years old), instead of using it solely as background: the geologist of an expedition to Vilyuchinsk (in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula) goes missing, the rescue team discovers what happened to him, though they have reason to regret it. Awesome story! H.V. Patterson's "Practical Applications of Fungal Bioremediation" was the one sci-fi horror story in the volume, a somewhat predictable but magnificently told tale of scientists' exploiting plastic-eating fungi to help the planet. "Rules For Seeking Angels" by LB Waltz combined religious with post-apocalyptic horror to offer a superb story reminiscent of a fantasy quest, every step a wonderful image of death, disaster, and despair. SJ Townend's "He Has Not Seen A Bird Before" was a creepy love story between a man who destroys forests and a female being that belongs to them; and finally, the closing story, Kuzma Mac's "A Clearing Near Vanavara" turns a tale of alien invasion into a really unsettling parable of love, parasitism, memory, and the Tunguska Event; a meditation on the fragility of old age.

The anthology has great writing (with several stories employing the currenty popular "addressing the reader in the second person" technique), a strong emotional feel, fantastic mood, and a haunting and ominous atmosphere throughout. The premise worked better than I expected, and I can't wait for the next volume, covering a different biome. Highly recommended!

[The Blog Without a Face · Rating 3 out of 5]

BWAF Score: 6/10

Katherine Silva‘s Strange Wilds Press takes to the subarctic as she curates twenty-two wintry nightmares where the trees are not your friends and the past keeps chewing. It’s a themed buffet of isolation, grief, and weird folklore set across the boreal belt, with a table of contents that swings from creature terror to eco-gothic to outright human rot.

No spoilers, but a few standouts: E. M. Roy’s “Cabin Creatures” gives us a wendigo-adjacent brute and a cabin that remembers, then answers, which is metal as hell. “Every Mask, Another Cask” (Akis Linardos) turns an inn into a masquerade of hunger and identity; it’s boozy, feral, and oddly tender. Vincent West’s “Gathering of the Dead” is the gut-kick, a feminist folk-monster assembled from missing women that turns local “monster” lore back on the men who benefit. Jon Gauthier’s “Nightmare in Kettle Park” features the most upsetting al fresco cooking scene I’ve read this year; you will never trust an outhouse again. The intro also name-checks journeys like Santos’s “Cold White Teeth” and Ally Wilkes’ alpine dread, framing the anthology’s mission as survival in a biome that does not care if you’re having a moment.

The throughline is appetite. People, places, and things want: warmth, absolution, meat, meaning. Silva’s theme works because the taiga itself becomes a character, a long, needling silence that judges. Symbolism skews tactile: antlers shedding meat, bone-built beasts, carnival-bright auroras. The prose across authors stays crisp and cold, rarely fussy, often barbed.

Does it rip? Sometimes. Originality shows up in concept and image, but a handful of mid-list entries wobble or end on polite fades. Pacing is what you expect from anthologies: bangers, then a snowdrift, then another banger. Character work varies, though the best pieces sketch people fast and bleed them faster. Scare factor lands more uncanny than pants-ruining, with two or three legit disturb-your-sleep moments. Net result: competent, enjoyable, a few keepers, not a canonizer.

This is a wintry horror mixtape of grief, hunger, and hostile trees. Several excellent stories, a few shrugs, strong sense of place, and enough nightmare fuel to salt your driveway. You’ll shiver, highlight lines, and wish the middle third hit as hard as the openers and closers.

Recommended for: Readers who think a nice vacation involves snow, knives, and unresolved ancestral curses.

Not recommended for: Folks who call 50 degrees “freezing,” hate pine, and prefer their bathrooms unoccupied by chefs with briefcases.

[Jen Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent collection of stories! There is something for everyone in this anthology, as it has a wide variety of tropes. The ones that stood out for me are Cabin Creatures, Nightmare in Kettle Park & Hallowed Ground. These will make you think twice before going into the forest!

[Jules_withtheaxe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very original stories here but unfortunately none of them really resonated with me. I was expecting more creepiness and unexplained things going on in the woods. But instead it seemed like the stories here could have taken place almost anywhere.

[B P · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impressive anthology that covers a lot of ground within the constraints of the harsh, frigid, and unforgiving taiga. Creature features, ghost stories, body horror and even elements of the weird are to be found in the stories written here.

[Jacek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting anthology, with many of the stories being more slow-burn horror, and some even being more philosophical than out-and-out horror. Jonah Buck's story set in Kamchatka was one of the highlights.

[Varadia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is fine. It's fun. No story really hits it out of the park, and some of the themes are very very repetitive. Still, I liked getting to read the stories, especially from newer authors.

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Tom Rimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boreal: An Anthology of Taiga Horror, edited by Katherine Silva brings together a talented collection of voices. If you are looking for your next "by the campfire, summer read" this should be it.

[Coy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite reads of the Halloween season this year. Atmospheric collection of forest horror.

[Shanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Anthology of Taiga Horror. 22 stories intermingle the dark and lonely forests of the taiga biome with odysseys of sorrow, grief, and self-reflection that skirt the boundaries of life and death.
War-ravaged trees, hypnotic glades, and cold, desolate mountains await you. Try not to get lost in them.

This was a fantastic collection of creepy, desolate, and isolated stories that'll make you think twice before leaving the house. A couple of my favorites were Cabin Creatures by E.M. Roy, Soft Fire by Marisca Pichette, and Desecrations by Brian Rowe. There is definitely a couple that could be turned into full think books.