Absolute Zero

by Marcel Feldmar, Anne Woods, William Jensen

Prepare to experience fear at its coldest. In a world where the temperature plummets, so too do the depths of terror. Absolute Zero is an anthology that delves into the chilling extremes of human experience, exploring the frigid landscapes— both literal and metaphorical— that push our minds and bodies to the brink. Inside these pages, the frost is not just a physical presence but an emotional one, as each story examines the icy grip of isolation, despair, and the unknown. Whether it’ s the suffocating stillness of a frozen landscape, the cold indifference of a malevolent force, or the harrowing consequences of a frozen mind, Absolute Zero takes readers to the very edge of what can be endured. Here, in these frozen worlds, the monsters are not always what you expect— and sometimes, they are the ones we carry inside.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

258 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2025

About the author

Marcel Feldmar was born in Vancouver, spent some time in Denver and Seattle, and ended up in Los Angeles with his wife and three dogs.
He has been a regular contributor to The Big Takeover Magazine since the mid 90’s, the author of the YA supernatural mystery Keys To The Sun, and a contributor to the cold horror anthology Absolute Zero. His enjoyment of great coffee and well-made cocktails helped lead the way to the urban fantasy noir novel, Awkward on the Rocks.
Marcel is also co-writing a comic book series and several short stories with musician Kirk Hammett.

Reviews

[Books_the_Magical_Fruit]

This collection had such potential but ultimately didn’t follow through. So many stories were disjointed and left me scratching my head. This also had more typos than I typically see in an eARC, which was distracting and frustrating. These are stories that need more work, more editing, more refining. DNF at 70%.

My thanks to Death’s Head Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this ahead of publication day. All opinions are mine.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published October 7, 2025.

3 stars.

“An anthology of cold horror - “ and oh, how I love dark tales set in cold climes….so forbidding! Put a scary story in Antarctica and I’m going to read it for sure. Set a horror tale up in a mountain climbing environment and I couldn’t be happier. Well, neither of those two scenarios exist in this book (but, hey, free ideas for next time) and, like most short story collections from multiple authors this was a bit of a mixed bad, though I really enjoyed two of the tales, suburbia gone wrong in “Blackberry Winter” by William Tender and a tale of three brothers in a storm, “ReSquall” by Bryan Holm. Not to mention that this was perfect reading material for Alaska, or it would have been had it not been having unbelievably high temperatures. It got into the 80s most days we were there and my husband and I got quite sunburned out by the pool on day! But, nope, no global warming AT ALL people, now let me distract you by telling you how we have the “hottest” country, but by that, I mean “cool.”

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can’t go wrong with a “cold/frozen” themed anthology. Most of the stories were great, I especially liked “Blackberry Winter”, where a Texas town is unprepared for a violent winter storm. “Wait Until Next Winter” was an atmospheric creature feature that had me glued to the pages. “The Squall” was a tragic family tale that really had me thinking about the consequences of teenage mistakes.

Lots of variety in this collection means that readers are sure to find a few stories to pique their interests. Cool cover (by Anthony Galatis) with a bunch of awesome authors!

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, the editors, and Dead Sky Publishing/ Death’s Head Press for a copy!

[Tabitha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the advanced copy.

Not going to lie, I was excited for this. I'm all about themed horror anthologies and I LOVE cold/snowy settings. This should have been a banger for me. Unfortunately I found pretty much all of the stories just ok.

I honestly don't think there was a standout in the bunch. I was left bored by most of them. None were terrible though, but I didn't really enjoy my time. Normally I'd have dnf'd a book that I felt like this about but with an anthology you just never know if the next story might just be great, so I persevered and finished the book.

I'm so sad this was a disappointment. I really, really wanted to like it.

[Spring (Infinite Ink Society) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A Frostbitten Buffet of Terror

Anthologies are always tricky to rate—like a horror-themed buffet where most dishes are deliciously unsettling, but a few are just… cold leftovers. ❄️ Still, Absolute Zero packs plenty of vivid, immersive tales that’ll freeze the blood right in your veins.

From ice-bound survival to bone-snapping blizzards, these stories drag you into brutally realistic cold-snap nightmares. One that will haunt me forever? The group trapped in a frozen-in town who start looting houses. It hit a little too close to home—straight back to 2020’s lockdowns and that Texas ice storm where we were all huddled under 14 blankets and regretting every life choice. 🥶

The horror here works because it’s grounded. You can imagine it happening—because it could. And that’s the kind of chill that crawls under your skin and stays there, whispering, “You’re not ready for winter.”

If you want your heart rate to spike while your fingers go numb, this one’s worth the frostbite. 🧊

Thank you to NetGalley and Death’s Head Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ingrid Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blackberry Winter.   A rare snow falls on Anson, Texas. A spot in the middle of Texas that rarely sees a cold winter let alone snow.  Almost immediately people start to panic when. They wake up and find I've, snow, and no electricity.  Texas isn't built for snow. Texas is rarely prepared for snow and just like all us northern suspect, these southerners can't deal.
In what would be a mild inconvenience to those of us in PA, they run out of food, can't drive on the snow and ice covered streets, have no plan at all
Within a week they have lost their very minds and the result looks like the end of days.
Insane to think people would freak that fast but her...there's a reason we hit the markets at the slightest mention of snow.

Another story of note is "The Squall" Three brothers make a poor decision to go out to see the power of the worse winter storm of the year at the spot where a young woman died years before. The 2 older boys have no fear, it is an adventure , but the youngest brother has heard stories of a ghost of the woman who has died.

Overall there are very good,  just OK, and bad stories within this collection. I personally found it tedious to read because the bad and OK outweighed the good.

Worth reading if you enjoy stories that involve extreme weather to help with the chills.
Thanks to @netgalley and Dead Sky Publishing | Death's Head Press for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion

[Raymie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m starting to think that a book that is just a collection of short stories is just not for me.

There a some really good ones, some okay ones and a lot of really bad ones. I think I skipped two stories because they just weren’t keeping my attention.

I think when it comes to horror I love the build up that is going to scare me.

Genre: Short Horror Stories
APK: Ebook
Pages: 258
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

[georgie⁎⁺˳✧༚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the advanced copy.

Such a fun way for me to end my winter season and I'm so glad I came across this as I had just been searching for more "cold" themed horror stories that weren't set in Christmas.

While I enjoyed some of the stories within this collection, there were others that I completely disliked. I was also a little disappointed by the use of the cold theme. I was hoping there would be more original ideas within, but most of the usage of "cold" was just the setting itself. I think I wanted more of the horror to be the cold itself rather than just a horror story set in the cold.

Highlights for me in this collection included:

The Final Report on the Gerrard Patrol by Matt Dodge.
My favourite one overall. Perhaps because it combined two of my favourite things, historical horror and an epistolary format.

Warm by Anne Woods.
My second favourite. I really enjoyed the writing in this story and was interested in hearing from the perspective of a ghost. I thought it was quite unique and presented a different angle to the cold" theme.

Blackberry Winter by William Jensen.
Perhaps the most well-written short story of the lot. If you enjoy Stephen King, you'll enjoy this one.

Children by G.M Garner.
Found it genuinely creepy but also the author made his characters feel real to me somehow in a very short amount of words, so perhaps's that why.

Find a Boy by David Rider.
I thought it was kind of silly but also interesting, which, really, is like 75% of horror anyway. So nail on head yadda yadda.

Wait Until Next Winter by Marcel Feldmar.
I commend the author for somehow condensing an entire book plot into a short story. There was nothing original about it, but I'm a staunch horror lover and sometimes there's enjoyment in familairity.


I'll be checking out all these authors other works if they have any for sure.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy for review.

So many good stories! I read this in the midst of a heat advisory/power outage with flooding. It helped as an amazing distraction and kept me cool.

My favorites:

Blackberry Winter by William Jensen.
Very surreal to read this during a power outage in summer. A family and neighborhood suffer a catastrophic power outage from a winter storm. Violence, mayhem and destruction follow.

Find A Boy by David Rider
This story took place around where I grew up so I knew a lot of the settings. A couple travels back home to meet the parents. Except he begins to remember that maybe he’s been here before. Very ominous and creepy.

Cold Case by Neil Williamson
Crime and police procedural. A cold case is reopened when a son discovers his dead father’s notes on the case. But interest leads to obsession as it always does with this particular case.

[Jess Reads Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an ARC vie NetGalley.

It’s quite difficult to rate an entire book made up of short stories from different authors. Especially so as this is my first encounter with most of the authors. With that in mind, here’s what worked for me.

I appreciate the cold, I really like snow. This was one of the reasons why I wanted to get a copy of this book to read. Show me the horrors that the cold can bring.

Most of the stories were creepy to some degree. Some were ghostly, some were monstrous, and some were…. more realistic than others (as in, bad people). I feel like there was a good mix there, and you’re likely to find the kind of horror you fear the most. Worth a read in my opinion.

Publication date: October 6, 2025
Publisher: Dead Sky Publishing

[Giniro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute Zero

Beautiful cover by Anthony Galatis to set the mood for this anthology. I'm having a bit of a moment of appreciation in the digital age to look and show thanks to all the wonderful people who make these books. The art, the typography, the authors that have come together to have their srories bound next to each other.

I want to read this in the winter, with a cup of cocoa and maybe a yule log on the tv. But alas, there is a thunderstorm trying ti's best to give me the spooky atmosphere I crave.

My favorite story is 'Children" by G.M. Garner
I am a urface reader, I don't read into stories that much so if you're looking for an indepth review, this is not it. I'm here got vibes andd to get spooked in my own way.

[Chiara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the advance copy.

I love anthologies because they allow you to discover new authors and get a taste of stories you might not otherwise read. Absolute Zero, a horror anthology with the theme of cold in all its shades, promised to be the perfect read for a scorching summer like the one we just had. Unfortunately, I was left quite disappointed. Some stories are good and manage to stand out from the rest, like “The Squall” and “Cold Cuts,” but the others don't really leave an impact on the reader. It's a light read for an afternoon spent under a beach umbrella or by the pool, but it won't give you the chills.

[Annie Reads The World · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This was a bit of a mixed bag as short story collections often are.

I was really intrigued by the theming of it and I was satisfied with the frozen wintery vibes I got. This would be a freat winter read in front of a fireplace.

Unfortunately none of the short stories truly blew me away, most of them were just okay. It was an enjoyable enough read, but don't expect anything too special.

[lfthndofdrknss · Rating 4 out of 5]

received as a NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review

This an exceptionally well curated anthology. each of the authors have vastly unique takes on the prompt and I don't think there are any true misses. The standouts for me were "The Guest in the Ice", "Find a Boy", "Wait Until Next Winter", "Warm", "Saturn" and "The Squall". In listing these I realize I've named most of the contributions but they were lovely to read.

[Erin Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Great collection to chill your bones. I enjoyed more than half of these stories except: Watch 'Em Freeze; Find A Boy; Cold Case; Warm; and Saturn. Blackberry Winter scared me the most for some reason. The Squall was the best story in the collection and while Cold Cuts was predictable I still loved it. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

[Mellissa Bushby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Absolute Zero was a bit of a disappointment.

Usually, I adore the frozen, cold and creeping dread trope tremendously, but somehow this just fell flat. I suppose it's a style of writing that isn't quite for me - it's not that it was bad, but it lacked the emotional presence and atmosphere I was expecting.

[Dan Mckeithan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most anthologies, stories can be hit or miss. I enjoyed the idea of stories set in the cold, but not as many hit as those that missed. Still it was worth my tie to explore some of the themes set herein, such as isolation, extreme cold, looting, and the idea of being stuck/abandoned.