Intensive Scare

by Karl Edward Wagner

11 • Introduction: Trust Me. I'm a Doctor • essay by Karl Edward Wagner
15 • The Dead Line • (1979) • shortstory by Dennis Etchison
28 • The House of Horror • [Jules de Grandin] • (1926) • novelette by Seabury Quinn
53 • Casey Agonistes • (1958) • shortstory by Richard McKenna [as by Richard M. McKenna ]
66 • The Body-Snatcher • (1884) • shortstory by Robert Louis Stevenson (variant of The Body Snatcher)
87 • The Autopsy • (1980) • novella by Michael Shea
132 • Back to the Beast • (1927) • shortstory by Manly Wade Wellman
140 • The Incalling • (1978) • novelette by M. John Harrison
169 • The Case of Lady Sannox • (1893) • shortstory by Arthur Conan Doyle
180 • The Needle Men • (1981) • shortstory by George R. R. Martin
201 • The Shifting Growth • (1962) • shortstory by Edgar Jepson and John Gawsworth [as by John Gawsworth ]
206 • Camps • (1979) • novelette by Jack Dann [as by Jack M. Dann ]
236 • Herbert West—Reanimator • (1922) • novelette by H. P. Lovecraft (variant of Herbert West: Reanimator)
271 • The Little Black Bag • (1950) • novelette by C. M. Kornbluth

Genres: Horror

303 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 2, 1990

About the author

Karl Edward Wagner (12 December 1945 – 13 October 1994) was an American writer, editor and publisher of horror, science fiction, and heroic fantasy, who was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and originally trained as a psychiatrist. His disillusionment with the medical profession can be seen in the stories "The Fourth Seal" and "Into Whose Hands". He described his world view as nihilistic, anarchistic and absurdist, and claimed, not entirely seriously, to be related to "an opera composer named Richard". Wagner also admired the cinema of Sam Peckinpah, stating "I worship the film The Wild Bunch".

Reviews

[Phrique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decided to spoil my bedeviled attention span with yet another great anthology; this time of medical horror. This was a very well ranged assortment of stories spanning from the 1890’s to the 1980’s. All equally entertaining and shutter-inducing by their own merits. Some classics thrown in with some honorable mentions as well. This was actually a surprise library find that had a short story I wanted to read but I ended up reading the whole thing & very glad I did.

My favorites:
“The Autopsy” by Michael Shay
“The Case of Lady Sannox” by Arthur Conan Doyle
“The Needle Men” by George R.R. Martin
“Herbert West-Reanimator” by H.P. Lovecraft
“Back to the Beast” by Manly Wade Wellman