Insanity By Increments: Stories

by Alaric P. Cabiling

Just released on Amazon.com and iBookstore, Alaric Cabiling’s Insanity By Increments is literary short fiction at its finest. Alaric Cabiling dazzles the reader with a contemporary rendition of the Gothic fiction template. Fans of James Salter and William Trevor will love Insanity By Increments. Offering beautiful effusive language and unforgettable characters, the stories in Insanity By Increments will shock and delight readers for years to come.

Genres: Short Stories

136 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2015

About the author

Author Alaric Cabiling's influences as a writer range from Gothic fiction writers, Edgar Allan Poe, and Mary Shelley, to modern-day dark fantasy writers, Ray Bradbury, and Harlan Ellison. Cabiling’s work in fiction includes the critically-acclaimed short story collections, Insanity By Increments, Redefining Darkness, and The Claws of Perdition. Cabiling uses effusive language and Latin Magic Realism to render your perception of reality askew, and has been compared to authors such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Alfred Hitchcock. Cabiling plans to publish more fiction in the future, including contemporary horror and contemporary literary fiction for fans of mainstream literature. In his spare time, Cabiling enjoys music, arts, and culture. He is also a big electronics buff and tech geek. He lives and writes in Manila, Philippines.

For more information on Alaric Cabiling's work, please visit his website/blog:
http://www.alariccabiling.wordpress.com/

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern literary short fiction is not unusual: many attempt it; relatively few do it well - especially in the style of the gothic horror approach so aptly explored by Poe, Hawthorne, and other greats. That's why it's such a pleasure to read Insanity by Increments: it takes some of the methods and madness of these greats and moves a step further, presenting nine short stories of contemplation and quiet horror.

Take 'Once Found, Once More Forsaken', for example (the first story in the collection). The protagonist has slept through a storm and is expecting the arrival of his brother, a wealthy wanderer, that morning; but his chance encounter with an old schoolgirl introduces a sense of danger, and what transpires next is anything but a congenial family visit.

Surreal moments, gently simmering mysteries, a woodland replete with death and growing horror - all this is gently woven into a story that opens with a receding storm and evolves into exquisitely challenging horror.

'Omens of Winter' is another heart-pull: it opens with a family dilemma and, once more, time is taken to paint scenes properly, right down to the creak of a door as a last generation stands strong against what is to come.

All are well-done, replete with psychological tension throughout. If it's nonstop staccato action that is desired, look elsewhere. If it's the slow simmer of a buildup that injects readers into the sights, sounds, and circumstances of all kinds of horror and insanity, choose Insanity by Increments: it's a deliciously complex treasure trove especially recommended for fans of literary Gothic fiction who want modern scenarios and representations in the context of a genre that receives (regrettably) little attention these days.

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t often read short stories as I prefer more character and plot development than short stories can offer. But sometimes a short story collection will catch my eye, like this one did. Who could resist that title?

There are a total of nine short stories in this collection. The whole book was only about 120 pages on my e-reader so each of the stories was quite short. However, this author uses every word to wonderful effect, with no fillers whatsoever. To me, these were more mood pieces rather than stories with a beginning and ending. Things aren’t always spelled out in black or white but rather are hinted at. The author expertly sets up a dark atmosphere for each story, with subtle psychological suspense running through them. I see that the author’s first book “Darkest Day” is a book of poetry and I can certainly see the heart of a poet in this short story collection.

The next time I see a short story book, I won’t be so quick to pass it by as I very much enjoyed reading these short bursts of literary prose. I read the book almost straight through but did have to stop after each story to contemplate it a bit before moving onto the next one. Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher through Net Galley in return for an honest review.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insanity by Increments is an interesting read. Made up of nine short stories/ novellas, the book resembles snapshots of life or of the human condition. The snapshots are of the darker side of humanity and each story will make you think. Bleak landscapes and bleaker outlooks set the tone of the book.

What I liked: While I enjoyed all of the stories in this book, there were two that stood out for me.

Fraility was my absolute favorite out of the collection. It's the story of a photographer whose talent lies in photographing the macabre, the grotesque, and he has just been commissioned for something far outside the norm. It is, however, his speciality to document the decay of flesh and bone and his latest job is to photograph the work of a serial killer. As with most of the stories, Fraility is filled with sexual tension but this story is tempered with horror. The narrator tells us, " Fraility is mankind's incurable weakness. All of life is fragile to the core. ... My own frailty works twofold: first, I suffer from a starvation for life, a libido with an insatiable appetite. ... Secondly, I suffer a fascination for the beauty of death. ..."

Dulcinea is the story of Edward, a well renowned author who spends his nights drinking in a neighborhood bar. Affluent and handsome, he is bored and disdainful of his own success. One night a beautiful woman comes in a changes everything for him. That is, if she was ever really there at all.

What I didn't like: I love reading dark fiction, the darker the better. However, this book was more than dark. It bordered on depressing and at times I had a hard time reading it. That said, this is still a great read and a good collection od stories that will definitely make you think.

ARC provided by NetGalley
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[Helen Marquis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting take on the Gothic form, with some eerie tales, some tales of life on the downside of things and some tales of tragedy, which leave you feeling either down or disturbed, but none of which fail to stir emotions in the reader.
My favourites were "The Illusion of Progress", about a single parent father who lives for his young son, "Winter's Eden" about two students going to stay with their uncle and disabled aunt and "Hope Leaves" about a man whose wife is in a coma following an accident, all of which are imbued with heart break and tragedy.
On the more macabre side, the strange "Frailty" about a grave-robbing photographer working on a very strange assignment for a necrophiliac was decidedly attention-grabbing.
The writing style often belies the setting of the stories - I often felt that they were set in Victorian times due to the language and tone, only to discover they were far more contemporary, which added to the general sense of otherworldness.
The tales are subtle and eloquent - if you're looking for shocks and gore, then this isn't the collection for you. However if you want some wonderfully written tales from the darker side of life, then you should definitely investigate this further.

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insanity By Increments is a collection of stories by Alaric Cabiling that is dark yet also thought-provoking. From what seems like nothing more than a summer visit with relatives to a story of a macabre photographer (or perhaps his employer is the macabre one? Or the wife?).

What is particularly effective is the way that the darkness (and there are definitely different shades of darkness here) can inhabit both obvious places, say a room with a few corpses in it, as well as the common places of everyday life such as a family home. Perhaps what Cabiling really shows us is that the darkness resides within us, all of us to some extent. It is when that darkness tries to enter the material world that things can go from strange to downright horrific.

Highly recommended for those interested in the short story form as well as character driven stories. Perhaps one line from "Frailty" sums it up for me when reading Cabiling's words: whatever was not being said...couldn't be pretty.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick but well thought out book of short stories demonstrating how well (or poorly) people react and manage troubling situations in their lives. Some cope, some crumble and some seem still in the dark. We’ve met and may even know these people, but Cabiling takes us inside and wastes no time delivering the punch to the gut that accompanies many complications in life. Each empathic tale will touch you.

An advanced copy of this book was provided for an honest review.