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The Nightmares on Elm Street: Freddy Krueger's Seven Sweetest Dreams
TO SLEEP...
“It's getting awfully late. The sun will be rising soon. And you say you still aren’t tired? How’s that? You’re…trying to stay awake? You’re afraid to begin…dreaming? You’re scared you might run into…me?
…PERCHANCE TO SCREAM…
“But I’m already in the book you’re holding! I’m here in all my twisted glory, in seven grotesque tales by the masters of the macabre, including Nancy A. Collins, Bentley Little, and Tom Elliott. Stories about my bone-chilling past, my devilish present—and the horrifyingly vile plans I have for the future.
AYE, THERE’S THE RUB!
“What’s that? You thought I said—plans for your future? Well, now that you mention it…I can see you’re getting drowsy now. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“It's getting awfully late. The sun will be rising soon. And you say you still aren’t tired? How’s that? You’re…trying to stay awake? You’re afraid to begin…dreaming? You’re scared you might run into…me?
…PERCHANCE TO SCREAM…
“But I’m already in the book you’re holding! I’m here in all my twisted glory, in seven grotesque tales by the masters of the macabre, including Nancy A. Collins, Bentley Little, and Tom Elliott. Stories about my bone-chilling past, my devilish present—and the horrifyingly vile plans I have for the future.
AYE, THERE’S THE RUB!
“What’s that? You thought I said—plans for your future? Well, now that you mention it…I can see you’re getting drowsy now. I’ll be waiting for you.”
296 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1991
3 people are currently reading
324 people want to read
About the author
Brian Hodge
149 books462 followersBrian Hodge, called “a writer of spectacularly unflinching gifts” by Peter Straub, is the award-winning author of ten novels of horror and crime/noir. He’s also written well over 100 short stories, novelettes, and novellas, and four full-length collections. His first collection, The Convulsion Factory, was ranked by critic Stanley Wiater as among the 113 best books of modern horror.
He lives in Colorado, where he also dabbles in music and photography; loves everything about organic gardening except the thieving squirrels; and trains in Krav Maga, grappling, and kickboxing, which are of no use at all against the squirrels.
He lives in Colorado, where he also dabbles in music and photography; loves everything about organic gardening except the thieving squirrels; and trains in Krav Maga, grappling, and kickboxing, which are of no use at all against the squirrels.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 7, 2025
This anthology is a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple real gems here that make it worth picking up for Elm St. fans, as long as you don't pay any of the ridiculous prices online. Seven authors contribute stories, and all are novelettes or novellas save one (Sallee's). While there was just one clunker here, only two* really stuck with me.
The first, Brian Hodge's "Asleep at the Wheel," is an utterly gruesome road trip tale where a goth band obsessed with the Krueger murders (they're called The Nancy Thompson Gravewatch) are brutally terrorized in their dreams by Freddy while making the move to Athens, Georgia (due to the burgeoning music scene there. I don't know about you, but when I think goth, I think The B-52's and Vic Chesnutt). Lots of ultra-gory scenes in this one, and Jim Morrison makes an appearance! Maybe. I’m not telling. Very disturbing story, but still fun. Think early Barker at his most depraved. I'm not a big gore hound, but I can certainly appreciate it when done well.
Even better, imo, is "Dead Highway, Lost Roads" by Fangoria editor Philip Nutman. It’s 66 pages broken up into 31 short chapters. It features Alice Johnson from Elm St. Parts 4 & 5 and her son Jacob, "The Dream Child," and they’re trapped in a nightmare hellscape with some escaped serial killer. This guy's murdered 257 people over the years, which is almost as unbelievable as any supernatural shenanigans. That number’s so ridiculous even notorious child murderer Gilles de Rais would probably say, “Hey, guy, stop being an asshole.” But the impressive kill count must have been a blow to Freddy's self-esteem because he ends up appearing in the dream as well to show who's boss. This was a blast straight through, and by far the most imaginative story here.
William Relling Jr's "Le Morte de Freddy" is worth mentioning if only because it's reminiscent of The Dream Warriors (my favorite film in the franchise), and also takes place in a mental institute where teens are being experimented on in order to cure them of their nightmares. Nothing too special, but worth reading. Same goes for Bentley Little's "Miles to Go Before I Sleep," about a school janitor who, after finding Freddy's glove by happenstance, slowly starts to change, unwittingly entering students' dreams and doing not nice things to them. I need to revisit this one, as I seem to appreciate it more now than I did while reading. Maybe I didn't give it a fair shake, since my expectations were low, having not been impressed with the little Little I've sampled in the past.
The other stories are serviceable other than Tom Elliott’s. Something about his style, both here and in his 1989 novel The Dwelling, just doesn't jive with me. YMMV. It's about a pen, and it has a naked lady on it. An ink pen, not an enclosure for animals. That's about all I remember, even though it's only been a few weeks since I read it.
Oh yeah the pen is evil/possessed or something, and--just never mind it doesn’t matter.
Overall, I'd say this is essential for Elm St. fanatics only. Probably worth checking out for fans of Hodge and Nutman too. And I guess Little and Nancy Collins as well (since they're likely the biggest draws here), though Collins' tale was disappointing, as Freddy's dialogue (and there's a LOT of it) came off as inauthentic. He was like a different character altogether. But it was well-written, and I've dug a few of her other stories in the past, so I’ll still be checking out more of her stuff.
3.5 Stars.
*Maybe three stories if I count the Bentley Little.
The first, Brian Hodge's "Asleep at the Wheel," is an utterly gruesome road trip tale where a goth band obsessed with the Krueger murders (they're called The Nancy Thompson Gravewatch) are brutally terrorized in their dreams by Freddy while making the move to Athens, Georgia (due to the burgeoning music scene there. I don't know about you, but when I think goth, I think The B-52's and Vic Chesnutt). Lots of ultra-gory scenes in this one, and Jim Morrison makes an appearance! Maybe. I’m not telling. Very disturbing story, but still fun. Think early Barker at his most depraved. I'm not a big gore hound, but I can certainly appreciate it when done well.
Even better, imo, is "Dead Highway, Lost Roads" by Fangoria editor Philip Nutman. It’s 66 pages broken up into 31 short chapters. It features Alice Johnson from Elm St. Parts 4 & 5 and her son Jacob, "The Dream Child," and they’re trapped in a nightmare hellscape with some escaped serial killer. This guy's murdered 257 people over the years, which is almost as unbelievable as any supernatural shenanigans. That number’s so ridiculous even notorious child murderer Gilles de Rais would probably say, “Hey, guy, stop being an asshole.” But the impressive kill count must have been a blow to Freddy's self-esteem because he ends up appearing in the dream as well to show who's boss. This was a blast straight through, and by far the most imaginative story here.
William Relling Jr's "Le Morte de Freddy" is worth mentioning if only because it's reminiscent of The Dream Warriors (my favorite film in the franchise), and also takes place in a mental institute where teens are being experimented on in order to cure them of their nightmares. Nothing too special, but worth reading. Same goes for Bentley Little's "Miles to Go Before I Sleep," about a school janitor who, after finding Freddy's glove by happenstance, slowly starts to change, unwittingly entering students' dreams and doing not nice things to them. I need to revisit this one, as I seem to appreciate it more now than I did while reading. Maybe I didn't give it a fair shake, since my expectations were low, having not been impressed with the little Little I've sampled in the past.
The other stories are serviceable other than Tom Elliott’s. Something about his style, both here and in his 1989 novel The Dwelling, just doesn't jive with me. YMMV. It's about a pen, and it has a naked lady on it. An ink pen, not an enclosure for animals. That's about all I remember, even though it's only been a few weeks since I read it.
Oh yeah the pen is evil/possessed or something, and--just never mind it doesn’t matter.
Overall, I'd say this is essential for Elm St. fanatics only. Probably worth checking out for fans of Hodge and Nutman too. And I guess Little and Nancy Collins as well (since they're likely the biggest draws here), though Collins' tale was disappointing, as Freddy's dialogue (and there's a LOT of it) came off as inauthentic. He was like a different character altogether. But it was well-written, and I've dug a few of her other stories in the past, so I’ll still be checking out more of her stuff.
3.5 Stars.
*Maybe three stories if I count the Bentley Little.
September 7, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book but I didn't really care for at least two of the stories in the book, because it didn't really involve Freddy Krueger.
The introduction at the beginning of the book is helpful, if you have been living under a rock and somehow don't know who Freddy Krueger is.
Asleep at the wheel (5 stars)
This story was well written, it was easy to relate to and I like the band that is in the story and they type of music they write. Since I haven't read any Freddy Krueger novelizations before I was surprised and impressed by how gory and disturbing the way the characters die in their dreams.
I am really glad that I read this story I really liked it and the characters as well, although I think there should be a trigger warnings, because some of the characters are cut on their wrists or wrapped in barbed wire and bleeding from their wrists.
The way Luna and Rowan are killed are especially graphic and very violent. The way Luna is killed is excessively violent are really fucked up. I would only recommend this book to fans of horror films and fans of Freddy Krueger because it is quite gory.
I liked the description of Jim Morrison in this book, before he killed Pamela because he tricked her. The way the the main characters are killed is unique, interesting and fucked up. I wish this was made into a short film, it would be interesting to watch.
Briefcase full of blues (3 stars) I personally didn't like the plot of this story it was confusing, and didn't really relate much to Freddy Krueger, I don't even know what the gender of the character would be due to the way they were brought up, technically they are one specific gender but brought up as the opposite gender. I don't want to spoil the story for people who have not read this book yet but, I didn't enjoy reading it.
Miles to go before I sleep (5 stars) This story is about a married man that has a daughter that is a janitor at a school. Tha man doesn't like his job or his life, by chance he finds Freddy's knived glove and he is already wearing a red and green striped sweater, he kills some of the students at the school in their dreams, they are afraid of the janitor whenever they see him, but he doesn't understand exactly why that is. Eventually he kills his wife with Freddy's knives finger glove.
Le morte de Freddy (3 stars) A doctor is trying to help the Elm street teenagers that are all dreaming about Freddy Krueger by using experimental sleep methods to cure them of their nightmares but it is dangerous and no one has attempted to do the same before him.
Dead highway, lost roads (5 stars) This story is about a serial killer that was abused by his mother at a young age, until eventually he kills her to get revenge/justice for the way he was mistreated by his mother. The serial killer has learned to lucid dream (the ability to control your dreams or control the environment in your dreams) he enters the "dead highway" and this is eventually how he escapes from confinement when he is being transferred to another facility because he is awaiting his execution for murdering 257 people over a fifteen year period.
Close my eyes and I'll kiss you (4 stars) This story is about convicted murders on death row, that have a close relationship, i'm not sure if either man likes the other since they just hint at that being part of the story. One of the murderers feels remorse for killing a women and starts having nightmares. He does whatever he can to avoid falling asleep.
Not just a job (4 stars) A teenaged boy needs to find a job, by chance a vacancy mysteriously appears in the newspaper, eventually he starts having nightmares and sees Freddy who wants to recruit him. He finds out that his dad isn't who he thought he was, he turns out to be a serial killer.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book, but I would have liked it more if all the stories were actual gory, disturbing stories. I appreciate that not all the stories are the same thing regurgitated over and overt, the origins of Freddy Krueger as a child killer went into creepy/ disturbing detail into how, when or possibly why he kidnapped young children and killed them.
I can't remember which story it was in, ut it goes into creepy detail about how Freddy Krueger lured female children with barbie dolls and male children with tonga trucks which made me feel sick, but the crimes he committed were never proved due to lack of evidence so he got away with murder. This enraged the parents of the victims, so they decided to get revenge by beating him up and setting him on fire without and escape, to ensure he burned to death, only for him to return and take revenge on their children!
The introduction at the beginning of the book is helpful, if you have been living under a rock and somehow don't know who Freddy Krueger is.
Asleep at the wheel (5 stars)
This story was well written, it was easy to relate to and I like the band that is in the story and they type of music they write. Since I haven't read any Freddy Krueger novelizations before I was surprised and impressed by how gory and disturbing the way the characters die in their dreams.
I am really glad that I read this story I really liked it and the characters as well, although I think there should be a trigger warnings, because some of the characters are cut on their wrists or wrapped in barbed wire and bleeding from their wrists.
The way Luna and Rowan are killed are especially graphic and very violent. The way Luna is killed is excessively violent are really fucked up. I would only recommend this book to fans of horror films and fans of Freddy Krueger because it is quite gory.
I liked the description of Jim Morrison in this book, before he killed Pamela because he tricked her. The way the the main characters are killed is unique, interesting and fucked up. I wish this was made into a short film, it would be interesting to watch.
Briefcase full of blues (3 stars) I personally didn't like the plot of this story it was confusing, and didn't really relate much to Freddy Krueger, I don't even know what the gender of the character would be due to the way they were brought up, technically they are one specific gender but brought up as the opposite gender. I don't want to spoil the story for people who have not read this book yet but, I didn't enjoy reading it.
Miles to go before I sleep (5 stars) This story is about a married man that has a daughter that is a janitor at a school. Tha man doesn't like his job or his life, by chance he finds Freddy's knived glove and he is already wearing a red and green striped sweater, he kills some of the students at the school in their dreams, they are afraid of the janitor whenever they see him, but he doesn't understand exactly why that is. Eventually he kills his wife with Freddy's knives finger glove.
Le morte de Freddy (3 stars) A doctor is trying to help the Elm street teenagers that are all dreaming about Freddy Krueger by using experimental sleep methods to cure them of their nightmares but it is dangerous and no one has attempted to do the same before him.
Dead highway, lost roads (5 stars) This story is about a serial killer that was abused by his mother at a young age, until eventually he kills her to get revenge/justice for the way he was mistreated by his mother. The serial killer has learned to lucid dream (the ability to control your dreams or control the environment in your dreams) he enters the "dead highway" and this is eventually how he escapes from confinement when he is being transferred to another facility because he is awaiting his execution for murdering 257 people over a fifteen year period.
Close my eyes and I'll kiss you (4 stars) This story is about convicted murders on death row, that have a close relationship, i'm not sure if either man likes the other since they just hint at that being part of the story. One of the murderers feels remorse for killing a women and starts having nightmares. He does whatever he can to avoid falling asleep.
Not just a job (4 stars) A teenaged boy needs to find a job, by chance a vacancy mysteriously appears in the newspaper, eventually he starts having nightmares and sees Freddy who wants to recruit him. He finds out that his dad isn't who he thought he was, he turns out to be a serial killer.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book, but I would have liked it more if all the stories were actual gory, disturbing stories. I appreciate that not all the stories are the same thing regurgitated over and overt, the origins of Freddy Krueger as a child killer went into creepy/ disturbing detail into how, when or possibly why he kidnapped young children and killed them.
I can't remember which story it was in, ut it goes into creepy detail about how Freddy Krueger lured female children with barbie dolls and male children with tonga trucks which made me feel sick, but the crimes he committed were never proved due to lack of evidence so he got away with murder. This enraged the parents of the victims, so they decided to get revenge by beating him up and setting him on fire without and escape, to ensure he burned to death, only for him to return and take revenge on their children!
August 28, 2025
Le Morte De Freddy > Miles to Go Before I Fall Asleep > Not Just a Job > Asleep at the Wheel > Close My Eyes and I’ll Kiss You > Dead Highway, Lost Roads > Briefcase Full of Blues
It was alright. Last three ranked were fucking misses and dragged on for too long.
It was alright. Last three ranked were fucking misses and dragged on for too long.
July 10, 2014
***1/2
The stories in editor Martin H. Greenberg's collection are probably better than what you'd expect from something called "Freddy Krueger's
Seven Sweetest Dreams." To be fair, this sort of book appeals to a very specific fan, one who enjoys slasher movies, reading, and possibly reading slasher stories. It's hard to imagine a casual horror fan or reader picking up a book based on the "Nightmare On Elm St." series. And so, this book was written specifically with fans in mind, which is great.
This collection gives us seven stories, the first of which, Brian Hodge's "Asleep at the Wheel," is about a goth-rock band departing their shared home for the alterna rock scene in Athens, GA. Said home is the old residence of Nancy Thompson, nemesis of Freddy Krueger, and the band unfortunately takes some bad magic from the house with them on their ill-fated trip.
Second is Tom Elliott's very bizarre "Briefcase Full of Blues," which has a twelve-year-old kid being gifted a pen which rotates, and when you look down one end, you see a woman slowly taking off her clothes. The pen came from his friend's father's business, and there's something evil going on with these pens, thousands of which are about to be sent out for sale. Freddy appears in this story, but is back-up to the real villain, the kid's father. Some interesting trans-gender themes in this story.
Bentley Little, the most known author in this collection, gives us the third story, "Miles To Go Before I Sleep," in which the janitor of a high school slowly becomes possessed by Freddy, taking out kids in their dreams.
The best in the book are stories #4 and #5. The first of these, "Le Morte de Freddy," by William Relling Jr., directly references the events of the third film in the series, "Dream Warriors," and involves a crazy plan to circumvent Freddy's crimes via time travel. It's better than it sounds.
After that is "Dead Highway, Lost Roads," written by "Fangoria" writer Philip Nutman. Split into 31 short chapters, each named after a rock or metal song, this 65-page story carries on the adventures of Alice, heroine from the fourth and fifth "Elm St." films. Her car is involved in a multi-vehicle accident. One of the other vehicles is a prison transport van, containing a serial killer responsible for 257 deaths. He, Alice, Alice's son Jacob (the "Dream Child"), and Freddy wind up in one big nightmare landscape. This is the most exciting stories in the book, and would have made a good follow-up to the fifth movie. Freddy is at his scary best, while also cracking the kind of jokes viewers expected by the time Alice showed up in the series.
Following that one is the shortest of the bunch, Wayne Allen Sallee's "Close My Eyes and I'll Kiss You," about an inmate on death row being stalked by Freddy in his dreams. And the final story, "Not Just a Job," by Nancy A. Collins, finds Freddy at his most talkative, interviewing a kid in his early twenties, whose father Freddy influenced on a killing spree years before.
Some of these stories are better than others, though none are bad. This book goes for about twenty bucks, used, on Amazon these days, and is worthwhile for anyone who felt that nine movies just didn't give them enough Freddy Krueger.
The stories in editor Martin H. Greenberg's collection are probably better than what you'd expect from something called "Freddy Krueger's
Seven Sweetest Dreams." To be fair, this sort of book appeals to a very specific fan, one who enjoys slasher movies, reading, and possibly reading slasher stories. It's hard to imagine a casual horror fan or reader picking up a book based on the "Nightmare On Elm St." series. And so, this book was written specifically with fans in mind, which is great.
This collection gives us seven stories, the first of which, Brian Hodge's "Asleep at the Wheel," is about a goth-rock band departing their shared home for the alterna rock scene in Athens, GA. Said home is the old residence of Nancy Thompson, nemesis of Freddy Krueger, and the band unfortunately takes some bad magic from the house with them on their ill-fated trip.
Second is Tom Elliott's very bizarre "Briefcase Full of Blues," which has a twelve-year-old kid being gifted a pen which rotates, and when you look down one end, you see a woman slowly taking off her clothes. The pen came from his friend's father's business, and there's something evil going on with these pens, thousands of which are about to be sent out for sale. Freddy appears in this story, but is back-up to the real villain, the kid's father. Some interesting trans-gender themes in this story.
Bentley Little, the most known author in this collection, gives us the third story, "Miles To Go Before I Sleep," in which the janitor of a high school slowly becomes possessed by Freddy, taking out kids in their dreams.
The best in the book are stories #4 and #5. The first of these, "Le Morte de Freddy," by William Relling Jr., directly references the events of the third film in the series, "Dream Warriors," and involves a crazy plan to circumvent Freddy's crimes via time travel. It's better than it sounds.
After that is "Dead Highway, Lost Roads," written by "Fangoria" writer Philip Nutman. Split into 31 short chapters, each named after a rock or metal song, this 65-page story carries on the adventures of Alice, heroine from the fourth and fifth "Elm St." films. Her car is involved in a multi-vehicle accident. One of the other vehicles is a prison transport van, containing a serial killer responsible for 257 deaths. He, Alice, Alice's son Jacob (the "Dream Child"), and Freddy wind up in one big nightmare landscape. This is the most exciting stories in the book, and would have made a good follow-up to the fifth movie. Freddy is at his scary best, while also cracking the kind of jokes viewers expected by the time Alice showed up in the series.
Following that one is the shortest of the bunch, Wayne Allen Sallee's "Close My Eyes and I'll Kiss You," about an inmate on death row being stalked by Freddy in his dreams. And the final story, "Not Just a Job," by Nancy A. Collins, finds Freddy at his most talkative, interviewing a kid in his early twenties, whose father Freddy influenced on a killing spree years before.
Some of these stories are better than others, though none are bad. This book goes for about twenty bucks, used, on Amazon these days, and is worthwhile for anyone who felt that nine movies just didn't give them enough Freddy Krueger.
June 19, 2012
It's a compliation.
So some stories are good and some are bad, some authors know who Freddy is and some barely researched enough to write a few pages' tale. The book is worth buying for Fred Heads based purely on the stories by those who got it right.
'Asleep At The Wheel' is a particular stand out.
So some stories are good and some are bad, some authors know who Freddy is and some barely researched enough to write a few pages' tale. The book is worth buying for Fred Heads based purely on the stories by those who got it right.
'Asleep At The Wheel' is a particular stand out.
April 10, 2014
I bought this book back when Freddy ruled the big screen (and the small screen, if you include the short-lived TV series).
The stories are a good for a creepy read; just before bedtime.
The stories are a good for a creepy read; just before bedtime.
September 21, 2015
1."Asleep At The Wheel" by Brian Hodge *****
2."Briefcase Full Of Blues" by Tom Elliot **
3."Miles to Go Before I Sleep" by Bentley Little *****
4."Le Morte De Freddy" by William Relling Jr. ****
5."Dead Highway, Lost Roads" by Philip Nutman ****
6."Close My Eyes and I'll Kiss You" by Wayne Allen Sallee **
7."Not Just a Job" by Nancy Collins ***
Okay I'm going to explain my ratings. I rated the whole book a five star because I LOVED this book. There will be times when you feel like your watching the good ol' Nightmare movies then there will be times when you feel like your watching a decent Freddys nightmares tv show episode then you will have times when you feel like your watching one of those WTF Freddys nightmares episodes. I will say Freddy is in all of the tales.
2."Briefcase Full Of Blues" by Tom Elliot **
3."Miles to Go Before I Sleep" by Bentley Little *****
4."Le Morte De Freddy" by William Relling Jr. ****
5."Dead Highway, Lost Roads" by Philip Nutman ****
6."Close My Eyes and I'll Kiss You" by Wayne Allen Sallee **
7."Not Just a Job" by Nancy Collins ***
Okay I'm going to explain my ratings. I rated the whole book a five star because I LOVED this book. There will be times when you feel like your watching the good ol' Nightmare movies then there will be times when you feel like your watching a decent Freddys nightmares tv show episode then you will have times when you feel like your watching one of those WTF Freddys nightmares episodes. I will say Freddy is in all of the tales.
January 6, 2025
I can’t believe I’d never heard of this book before. Not that I was missing much. Martin H. Greenberg’s name is on a lot of fun anthologies, but this ain’t really one of them. Shane, because I’d love to read more Freddy Krueger short stories. (Even if they’re no better than these ones, probably!)
Most of these are okay, I guess, but just barely, because most of them deviate too far from what I think a Freddy Krueger story should be (i.e., Freddy terrorizing Elm Street teens in their dreams.) It’s like the authors didn’t want to go the obvious route but instead they almost all turned in stories going the same non-obvious route. The majority of them focus not on Freddy but on another killer. The ones I liked best all hew closer to the lore and vibe of the movies.
Asleep at the Wheel - A fledgling rock band rents out Freddy’s old house, then the night they leave Springwood in their new van someone falls asleep at the wheel. Enter: Freddy. One of the best stories for two reasons 1) it’s a proper ANOES story and 2) it doesn’t take liberties with the character or concept.
Briefcase Full of Blues - Two little boys discover some unsettling things about their fathers. Not a bad story but it went too far afield from the remit for my taste.
Mikes to Go Before I Sleep - At work a school janitor discovers a glove made of knives and also inexplicably starts wearing a red and green sweater. Gee, where could this be going? Little was the only name I recognized and I expected a lot, but he too went off in his own direction. Not bad, just not what’s on the tin. Next!
Le Morte de Freddy - Kids are dying in their sleep again and a (new) psychiatrist tries to figure out why. This one’s a direct sequel to Dream Warriors. And it gets way too fantastical, just like the comic book sequel to Dream Warriors did (time travel???). But before that the story is pretty good, if not groundbreaking. Bonus points: the only serial killer here is Krueger!
Dead Highway, Lost Roads - A serial killer’s transport crashes while taking him to get his just desserts. This one’s a sequel to Dream Master. Alice is married and she gets caught up in some crap with Freddy and the serial killer. It has moments of interest but it’s crazily unfocused. The literary references were one too many (Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Three Musketeers.) More editing was called for. Though I will read Nutman’s Wet Works, probably.
Close My Eyes and I’ll Kiss You - Yet another story featuring a new serial killer getting contacted by Freddy. Also, the second in a row to feature a serial killer on death row. I was enjoying this at first and then it went nowhere fast.
Not Just a Job - A deadbeat twentysomething learns about his father’s true profession, in his dreams, from uncle Freddy. Hm… I wonder what “profession” that could be! Oh. This one was shaping up to be more what I was looking for, then it veered into something else altogether (and by something else I mean something like four of the last six stories.) Freddy here is looking for an apprentice, not a victim.
Most of these are okay, I guess, but just barely, because most of them deviate too far from what I think a Freddy Krueger story should be (i.e., Freddy terrorizing Elm Street teens in their dreams.) It’s like the authors didn’t want to go the obvious route but instead they almost all turned in stories going the same non-obvious route. The majority of them focus not on Freddy but on another killer. The ones I liked best all hew closer to the lore and vibe of the movies.
Asleep at the Wheel - A fledgling rock band rents out Freddy’s old house, then the night they leave Springwood in their new van someone falls asleep at the wheel. Enter: Freddy. One of the best stories for two reasons 1) it’s a proper ANOES story and 2) it doesn’t take liberties with the character or concept.
Briefcase Full of Blues - Two little boys discover some unsettling things about their fathers. Not a bad story but it went too far afield from the remit for my taste.
Mikes to Go Before I Sleep - At work a school janitor discovers a glove made of knives and also inexplicably starts wearing a red and green sweater. Gee, where could this be going? Little was the only name I recognized and I expected a lot, but he too went off in his own direction. Not bad, just not what’s on the tin. Next!
Le Morte de Freddy - Kids are dying in their sleep again and a (new) psychiatrist tries to figure out why. This one’s a direct sequel to Dream Warriors. And it gets way too fantastical, just like the comic book sequel to Dream Warriors did (time travel???). But before that the story is pretty good, if not groundbreaking. Bonus points: the only serial killer here is Krueger!
Dead Highway, Lost Roads - A serial killer’s transport crashes while taking him to get his just desserts. This one’s a sequel to Dream Master. Alice is married and she gets caught up in some crap with Freddy and the serial killer. It has moments of interest but it’s crazily unfocused. The literary references were one too many (Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Three Musketeers.) More editing was called for. Though I will read Nutman’s Wet Works, probably.
Close My Eyes and I’ll Kiss You - Yet another story featuring a new serial killer getting contacted by Freddy. Also, the second in a row to feature a serial killer on death row. I was enjoying this at first and then it went nowhere fast.
Not Just a Job - A deadbeat twentysomething learns about his father’s true profession, in his dreams, from uncle Freddy. Hm… I wonder what “profession” that could be! Oh. This one was shaping up to be more what I was looking for, then it veered into something else altogether (and by something else I mean something like four of the last six stories.) Freddy here is looking for an apprentice, not a victim.
August 23, 2021
1. Five band members rent 1428 Elm street and one of them dreams of Nancy and watches her as her stomach with four horizontal cuts open with tiny bald headed children. Then they go on a road trip and Freddy will visit each of these people with one being sucked into a car cassette player and blood spewed out, another sees Jim Morrison the man of her dreams turn into a fetid burn victim who stabs her stomach, another cut from crotch to throat. Freddy will kill peoples dreams/desires and kill them.
2. Boy learns that he is a girl, his mum is inside a pen. Bloody bonkers, not much Freddy.
3. A janitor will find Freddy's glove and start wearing a red and green sweater and fedora hat. He will then start to change and dream about killing his daughter's friends from the school he works at. He dreams of preying on kids with barbie dolls and tonka trucks to get into his van as he drives around the country. Finally he will stalk his daughter.
4. A number of patients are dying (think dream warriors) and a doctor consults with another doctor who had patients who all dreamed about Freddy and some died horribly. The doctor will go into the dream world to fight Freddy and come back 40 years older. The closest to the movie in these 7 stories. Loved hearing Nancy and the history of Freddy explained. Really captured the Nightmares vibe.
5. Serial killer with a 257 kill count on the way to the electric chair in a prison bus will collide with Alice from Dream Master, pizza delivery van, etc and each person when unconscious will face Freddy. One a chronic nose picker and eater will get his mouth stuffed full of mucus and a chain smoker will have his mouth stuffed with cigarettes as his chest, lungs explode black carcinogenic tissue. Alice's son Jacob will also face Freddy and Alice will survive.
2. Boy learns that he is a girl, his mum is inside a pen. Bloody bonkers, not much Freddy.
3. A janitor will find Freddy's glove and start wearing a red and green sweater and fedora hat. He will then start to change and dream about killing his daughter's friends from the school he works at. He dreams of preying on kids with barbie dolls and tonka trucks to get into his van as he drives around the country. Finally he will stalk his daughter.
4. A number of patients are dying (think dream warriors) and a doctor consults with another doctor who had patients who all dreamed about Freddy and some died horribly. The doctor will go into the dream world to fight Freddy and come back 40 years older. The closest to the movie in these 7 stories. Loved hearing Nancy and the history of Freddy explained. Really captured the Nightmares vibe.
5. Serial killer with a 257 kill count on the way to the electric chair in a prison bus will collide with Alice from Dream Master, pizza delivery van, etc and each person when unconscious will face Freddy. One a chronic nose picker and eater will get his mouth stuffed full of mucus and a chain smoker will have his mouth stuffed with cigarettes as his chest, lungs explode black carcinogenic tissue. Alice's son Jacob will also face Freddy and Alice will survive.
October 17, 2019
It’s reoccurring themes of manipulation and women hating feel misplaced and grow tiresome incredibly quick but when this book doesn’t focus on new serial killers with uncomfortable issues and starts having fun with its own Nightmare on Elm Street premises it can be incredible. Some stories would even still feel complete without the Freddy Krueger aspects like Briefcase Full Of Blues but that was a really interesting premise. Asleep At The Wheel and Le Morte de Freddy were good and felt like episodes in the Elm Street catalogue and even Dead Highway, Lost Roads had it’s Clive Barker-ian moments but the other 3 stories were either pretty unpleasant and horrible or went nowhere.
September 12, 2021
Philip Nutman's story was my most favorite in the bunch.
October 5, 2021
I had only seen the movie and the books are always going to be better than the movies.
February 17, 2022
I wish that some of these stories had been developed into Freddy movies. Lots of good ideas and stories here.
June 27, 2016
Pure shit, but some are entertaining enough. I don't think half of the writers were familiar with Freddy. The second story is completely incoherent. Freddy is this kids dad and he never died and made his mom be a hooker and pretended the kid was a girl and made magic pens? I'm not sure. Fuck this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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