TORMENT: A Gothic Anthology

by Juniper Lake Fitzgerald

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY comes to you from a creative collaboration of authors sharing gothic stories ranging across the genre from the horrific to the romantic. 

The Gothic: Having a prevailing atmosphere of mystery and terror, characterized by grotesque, macabre, or fantastic incidents.

Featuring:

Our Cavalier Consecrate - DemonApologist

The Rot Beneath -Marat Earendel

Emerge - Bailey Elizabeth

Omen - Juniper Lake Fitzgerald

Just Like Old Times - Tyler Isaac

Ichor - Artemy Mandus

Dance Macabre - T. L. Morgan

Nothing But the Blood - Tabitha O'Connell

Where the Stars Have No Reach - Bay Shuford

Best and Brightest - W. Payne Sillavan

A Bloom of Daffodils - Ezra Wren

Published March 10, 2026

About the author

Juniper Lake Fitzgerald is an author of Queer Dark Fantasy & Gothic tales.
She is also an illustrator with a passion for bringing characters to life.
Her work focuses on the raw, tragic and complex nature of being alive.
She can be found through ardentgrove.carrd.co

Reviews

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic anthology. I loved the variation in the stories and how some left me with more questions than answers given.

I would mention each story individually but I was so invested I forgot to make notes as i read 😅 . But they were all amazing and drew you in in very different ways.

[Jake Vanguard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've already read works from 6 of 11 contributors, so I knew this anthology wouldn't disappoint - and I was right. Every story has its own unique flavor, coming together as a wonderful mix of gothic literature.


Our Cavalier Consecrate - DemonApologist
Sesteranth deserves better 😭 Love the setting & prose, how gloomy and destroyed the world is. Also, such a satisfying end.

The Rot Beneath -Marat Earendel
F* Abaś (he does not deserve the "Master"). Absolutely love the diary recount of how life led to being turned, it's the perfect way to tell this tale.

Emerge - Bailey Elizabeth
My favourite piece from the Bailey yet! Edith is a fascinating character, and I love how the reader can't be sure what's real and what's not

Omen - Juniper Lake Fitzgerald
Love how there's nothing truly named. Not the soldier, the omen, or the battle. It's all ominous and yet so clear.

Just Like Old Times - Tyler Isaac
Not sure what to think. Quite different to the previous stories in a more modern-day setting. Begs to be interpreted?

Ichor - Artemy Mandus
Love this. The setting. The eeriness. The whole relationship and regrets. The eye-stuff. It's always the eye stuff.

Dance Macabre - T. L. Morgan
Exquisite gothic vibes, just as expected. Yes, please.

Nothing But the Blood - Tabitha O'Connell
Misogynistic oppression clad in religious "devotion" is extremely hard to read for me, but the discomfort while reading also means a lot of emotions are transported.

Where the Stars Have No Reach - Bay Shuford
Surprisingly different. Space and aliens? Fascinating!

Best and Brightest - W. Payne Sillavan
I am, once again, utterly confused after reading Payne's work. Which is honestly what I love about these stories. Visceral, mind twisting, and this time, with creepy children.

A Bloom of Daffodils - Ezra Wren
A nod to the tale of Narcissus, of seeing and describing the environment with other (or no) words we know, and a protagonist who's as tragic as they're pitiful.

[Levi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this anthology in exchange for an honest review. Being familiar with the works/online presence of a majority of the authors included here, I expected a fascinating collection, and it did not disappoint! It's difficult to even pick a favourite story; each time when I finished one of them, I was thinking to myself "I think this will be my number one", and then I started the next one only to find myself engrossed in it, reconsidering my previous stance. Each story created its own microcosm that caused me to exist in it as I was reading — the characters are wonderfully diverse and twisted, and each author builds the atmosphere in their personal, yet equally gripping way.

If I were to pick three favourites, though, I would go for "Ichor" (problematic protagonist and a combination of religious and medical horror, always a dear combination to me), "Best and Brightest" (a somewhat meta narrative that recreates the feeling of old-school gothic without becoming trite), and "A Bloom of Daffodils" (interesting, experimental character perspective, a dark exploration of desire and isolation, AND a wonderful retelling of the myth of Narcissus??? Sign me up!), but every other one left its mark on me (my reading app can attest, I have so many quotes highlighted).

Overall, a stellar collection, and I feel honoured for having read it, especially considering that I'm generally a picky reader!

[Norbez Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY is a very unique collection of stories, and I am grateful for it broadening my definition of what “gothic literature” can be. There are definitely some real standouts in its pages, but also a few stories that needed more refinement. I am overall glad I read it, as it has introduced me to some new authors whose work I would love to read more of in the future.

I did an extremely detailed review (over 7k words) of the anthology and its stories here: https://norbezdoes.wordpress.com/2026...

[Talli Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I have a story featured in this anthology. My review is based on the collection as a whole.

This is a truly excellent selection of Gothic fiction. Ranging from contemporary to sci-fi to just plain bizarre, each of these stories hits the mark of the Gothic genre with creeping dread and unique spins. I loved them all.