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Dark Visions: A Collection of Modern Horror; Volume One
Somewhere just beyond the veil of human perception lies a darkened plane where very evil things reside. Weaving their horrifying visions, they pull the strings on our lives and lure us into a comfortable reality.
This Bram Stoker Award®-nominated volume of horror includes thirteen disturbing tales of dread from some of the most visionary minds writing horror, SciFi and speculative fiction today. DARK VISIONS uncovers the truth behind our own misguided concepts of reality.
FEATURING:
MISTER POCKETS: A PINE DEEP STORY by Jonathan Maberry
Pine Deep is a typical small town, but one with a dark and troubled past. For young Lefty Horrigan, it's just another ordinary day until there's a mysterious murder and he comes face-to-face with the town's very strange hobo. Has The Trouble returned to "the most haunted town in America?"
COLLAGE by Jay Caselberg
What would you do if you lost your one true love? Most of us will be faced with that question at some point. Unless we're the one lucky enough to get out first. Love hurts. But does it have to hurt this much?
THE WEIGHT OF PARADISE by Jeff Hemenway
For years, humans have tried to live without pain. For Alfie this means fighting off the leukemia that's killing him, while hoping for a cure. But sometimes it's important to be careful for what we ask.
THREE MINUTES by Sarah L. Johnson
Orphaned John doesn't have a future. Awakened each night by the same horrifying nightmare, he takes to late-night swims in order to avoid the Dream Eater that plagues his sleep. His goal: hold his breath underwater, for only three minutes until his nightmares go away.
SECOND OPINION by Ray Garton
Author Greg hasn't had a bestseller in years. But he believes he has just the right story to revive his career. In need of a fresh set of eyes, he shares it with a friend who offers him a bit more than a second opinion.
THE LAST ICE CREAM KISS by Jason S. Ridler
The mind of a disturbed child is filled with dark and dangerous hallways. There are passages that shouldn't be walked, doors better left unopened and rooms whose secrets are best never revealed.
SCRAP by David A. Riley
Childhood should be a time for innocent days spent playing in the sun. But for two abused brothers coming to grips with life on their new English estate, an adventure opens the door into a world of evil and sets in motion a chain of events from which there seems no escape.
WHAT DO YOU NEED? by Milo James Fowler
John wakes up in a motel room in the 1970s. But the problem is, it's not the '70s. What is he doing here? How long has he been here? And whose is the terrifying voice on the phone?
THE TROLL by Jonathan Balog
Summer's over and the school year has begun. Marty's life will once again be filled with the drudgery of bullies and homework, until he hears a voice from beneath a bridge. Once he meets the troll, life becomes a lot more interesting.
DELICATE SPACES by Brian Fatah Steele
There are places the world over where the veil between the living and the dead is paper thin. It's only when the dead choose to step through that it's a problem.
RAINING STONES by Sean Logan
A series of gruesome murders plagues San Francisco while memories of an absent father point an alcoholic reporter in a direction he may not want. Are Lonnie's dreams mere hallucinations, or will they lead him down the path into a dark world of religious fanaticism?
SHOW ME by John F.D. Taff
There's something wrong with Joe, and everyone knows it. But that doesn't mean this college junior is off limits when it comes to trying to get into his pants. Beware, once you know Joe, you won't be the same again.
THANATOS PARK by Charles Austin Muir
Horrors exist beyond the barrier of human perception. We sometimes hear them in the drone of a world humming along. Or we stumble upon them in the dark, unable to grasp the magnitude of our false reality.
This Bram Stoker Award®-nominated volume of horror includes thirteen disturbing tales of dread from some of the most visionary minds writing horror, SciFi and speculative fiction today. DARK VISIONS uncovers the truth behind our own misguided concepts of reality.
FEATURING:
MISTER POCKETS: A PINE DEEP STORY by Jonathan Maberry
Pine Deep is a typical small town, but one with a dark and troubled past. For young Lefty Horrigan, it's just another ordinary day until there's a mysterious murder and he comes face-to-face with the town's very strange hobo. Has The Trouble returned to "the most haunted town in America?"
COLLAGE by Jay Caselberg
What would you do if you lost your one true love? Most of us will be faced with that question at some point. Unless we're the one lucky enough to get out first. Love hurts. But does it have to hurt this much?
THE WEIGHT OF PARADISE by Jeff Hemenway
For years, humans have tried to live without pain. For Alfie this means fighting off the leukemia that's killing him, while hoping for a cure. But sometimes it's important to be careful for what we ask.
THREE MINUTES by Sarah L. Johnson
Orphaned John doesn't have a future. Awakened each night by the same horrifying nightmare, he takes to late-night swims in order to avoid the Dream Eater that plagues his sleep. His goal: hold his breath underwater, for only three minutes until his nightmares go away.
SECOND OPINION by Ray Garton
Author Greg hasn't had a bestseller in years. But he believes he has just the right story to revive his career. In need of a fresh set of eyes, he shares it with a friend who offers him a bit more than a second opinion.
THE LAST ICE CREAM KISS by Jason S. Ridler
The mind of a disturbed child is filled with dark and dangerous hallways. There are passages that shouldn't be walked, doors better left unopened and rooms whose secrets are best never revealed.
SCRAP by David A. Riley
Childhood should be a time for innocent days spent playing in the sun. But for two abused brothers coming to grips with life on their new English estate, an adventure opens the door into a world of evil and sets in motion a chain of events from which there seems no escape.
WHAT DO YOU NEED? by Milo James Fowler
John wakes up in a motel room in the 1970s. But the problem is, it's not the '70s. What is he doing here? How long has he been here? And whose is the terrifying voice on the phone?
THE TROLL by Jonathan Balog
Summer's over and the school year has begun. Marty's life will once again be filled with the drudgery of bullies and homework, until he hears a voice from beneath a bridge. Once he meets the troll, life becomes a lot more interesting.
DELICATE SPACES by Brian Fatah Steele
There are places the world over where the veil between the living and the dead is paper thin. It's only when the dead choose to step through that it's a problem.
RAINING STONES by Sean Logan
A series of gruesome murders plagues San Francisco while memories of an absent father point an alcoholic reporter in a direction he may not want. Are Lonnie's dreams mere hallucinations, or will they lead him down the path into a dark world of religious fanaticism?
SHOW ME by John F.D. Taff
There's something wrong with Joe, and everyone knows it. But that doesn't mean this college junior is off limits when it comes to trying to get into his pants. Beware, once you know Joe, you won't be the same again.
THANATOS PARK by Charles Austin Muir
Horrors exist beyond the barrier of human perception. We sometimes hear them in the drone of a world humming along. Or we stumble upon them in the dark, unable to grasp the magnitude of our false reality.
ebook
First published September 17, 2013
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
515 books7,840 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a NYTimes bestselling author, #1 Audible bestseller, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, 4-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, comic book writer, and producer. He is the author of more than 50 novels, 190 short stories, 16 short story collections, 30 graphic novels, 14 nonfiction books, and has edited 26 anthologies. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was a Netflix original series starring Ian Somerhalder. His 2009-10 run as writer on the Black Panther comic formed a large chunk of the recent blockbuster film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. His bestselling YA zombie series, Rot & Ruin is in development for film at Alcon Entertainment; and John Wick director, Chad Stahelski, is developing Jonathan’s Joe Ledger Thrillers for TV. Jonathan writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and action; and he writes for adults, teens and middle grade. His works include The Pine Deep Trilogy, The Kagen the Damned Trilogy, NecroTek, Ink, Glimpse, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series, The Wolfman, X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate, The Sleepers War (with Weston Ochse), Mars One, and many others. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird, The X-Files, Aliens: Bug Hunt, Out of Tune, Don’t Turn out the Lights: A Tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Baker Street Irregulars, Nights of the Living Dead, Shadows & Verse, and others. His comics include Marvel Zombies Return, The Punisher: Naked Kills, Wolverine: Ghosts, Godzilla vs Cthulhu: Death May Die, Bad Blood and many others. Jonathan has written in many popular licensed worlds, including Hellboy, True Blood, The Wolfman, John Carter of Mars, Sherlock Holmes, C.H.U.D., Diablo IV, Deadlands, World of Warcraft, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Predator, Karl Kolchak, and many others. He the president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, and the editor of Weird Tales Magazine. He lives in San Diego, California. Find him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 5, 2014
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I have a longstanding love affair with the small horror press. They’re like neighborhood bookstores: Some last, the majority fail (ultimately), but most of them are amazing while they last. And like that corner bookstore, they each have their own personality, though ostensibly they are all dealing in similar content.
Enter the first installment of Dark Visions from Grey Matter Press.
They certainly know how to plunge into the darkness: the anthology series begins with an original story from Jonathan Maberry—yes, that Jonathan Maberry. Best of all, his contribution, “Mister Pockets,” takes us back to a place I know and love so well: Pine Deep.
For those unfamiliar, Pine Deep is the small town in rural Pennsylvania that was the setting for Maberry’s first three novels, including Bad Moon Rising, the bad-ass conclusion to the trilogy that any horror fan should begin reading immediately. This is a place that knows how to celebrate Halloween—and there is plenty to be afraid of here. I loved this world that Maberry created, and I was ecstatic to return.
Like all anthologies, there is a little something for everybody, and not every story will be your cup of tea. The important thing is that the quality level is high and consistent throughout, and Dark Visions is certainly a cut above your average anthology.
There is one story in particular that I would like to single out, “The Weight of Paradise” by Jeff Hemenway. This is easily the best new horror story I read this year, and perhaps of even the past few years. It is thoroughly original, dark and morally complicated, the hallmark of great horror fiction. Unless the voting is rigged, this story should win many awards and be anthologized for years to come.
There are plenty of other dark delights as well, and I’m excited for the second installment, scheduled for a summer release.
I have a longstanding love affair with the small horror press. They’re like neighborhood bookstores: Some last, the majority fail (ultimately), but most of them are amazing while they last. And like that corner bookstore, they each have their own personality, though ostensibly they are all dealing in similar content.
Enter the first installment of Dark Visions from Grey Matter Press.
They certainly know how to plunge into the darkness: the anthology series begins with an original story from Jonathan Maberry—yes, that Jonathan Maberry. Best of all, his contribution, “Mister Pockets,” takes us back to a place I know and love so well: Pine Deep.
For those unfamiliar, Pine Deep is the small town in rural Pennsylvania that was the setting for Maberry’s first three novels, including Bad Moon Rising, the bad-ass conclusion to the trilogy that any horror fan should begin reading immediately. This is a place that knows how to celebrate Halloween—and there is plenty to be afraid of here. I loved this world that Maberry created, and I was ecstatic to return.
Like all anthologies, there is a little something for everybody, and not every story will be your cup of tea. The important thing is that the quality level is high and consistent throughout, and Dark Visions is certainly a cut above your average anthology.
There is one story in particular that I would like to single out, “The Weight of Paradise” by Jeff Hemenway. This is easily the best new horror story I read this year, and perhaps of even the past few years. It is thoroughly original, dark and morally complicated, the hallmark of great horror fiction. Unless the voting is rigged, this story should win many awards and be anthologized for years to come.
There are plenty of other dark delights as well, and I’m excited for the second installment, scheduled for a summer release.
December 16, 2013
Dark Visions: A Collection of Modern Horror, Volume One, is a publication of Grey Matter Press, a small publisher of all genres of horror. The anthology has no theme — something of a rarity these days, when most anthologies are restricted to a particular type of monster (zombie, werewolf, vampire; you know the drill). Few of the writers who contributed stories to this anthology are known to me, though there are a few big names. It’s a solid collection of stories, edited by Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson to fine effect.
The anthology opens with one of the strongest stories. “Mister Pockets” by Jonathan Maberry is set is his PINE DEEP universe, several years after the events of the trilogy that launched Maberry’s career (Ghost Road Blues, Dead Man’s Song and Bad Moon Rising; it’s a good trilogy, and I recommend it). Lefty Horrigan is so named because his father wants him to be a baseball player, and he somehow thinks that naming his kid “Lefty” will do the trick. But Lefty hates baseball, and he hates his stupid name. He’s twelve and fat, but isn’t bullied about it; in farm county, which is where Pine Deep is, being fat is no barrier to doing a hard day’s work on a tractor or in a milking shed. One thing Lefty has is a big heart. One day he gives a candy bar to the hobo called Mr. Pockets, who reacts rather oddly to the gift. It frightens Lefty, though he’s not really sure why. But Lefty has just made the smartest move of his short life, as he finds in an afternoon that he will never forget.
The tale that will probably stay with me the longest is “The Weight of Paradise” by Jeff Hemenway. Sophie is a brilliant scientist who has discovered a cure for — well, for death, really. It seems like the treatment she’s come up with will treat anything, will make disease irrelevant. There’s a lot of testing to be done yet, but Sophie can’t wait, because her lover, Alfie, is dying of leukemia. Rather than wait, because waiting will simply mean that Alfie dies before her new drug is available, Sophie injects Alfie. And it works. It’s not that he’s cured, exactly, but his metabolism has slowed down so dramatically that the disease is no longer killing him, and never will. In fact, he’ll never die. And neither will she, because she’s given herself a hefty shot, too. It’s only six months later that the drawback to the drug becomes apparent, an unbearable agony, pain akin to withdrawal but much worse. The only way one to stop it is to make a new convert, and then inject their blood immediately after the conversion into oneself. The consequences are obvious if one does a little arithmetic. But it gets worse. What does an absence of death really mean? Think about being in an accident and breaking everything but being unable to die. Hemenway has thought about it, at length, and the result is a chilling story that makes me surprisingly glad that immortality is not yet an option.
There are plenty of good stories here to keep you awake at night. In “Second Opinion,” Ray Garton tells a story of writer’s block that outdoes anything I’ve ever read on the theme. The first sentence gives you an idea of the horrors that await: “Do you know what it’s like to cut up your best friend with a hacksaw?” “Scrap” by David A. Riley is a long story about a haunted subdivision in an English town. Jonathan Balog’s adolescent hero bargains with a troll for some help with a bully in “The Troll,” but finds that the price for revenge is higher than the troll described. Charles Austin Muir tells a dark tale about “Thanatos Park,” an abandoned housing project that is now home to a fungus one would rather not breathe. And while those are the highlights, there really isn’t a clunker in this anthology; each story will turn your blood to ice.
4 stars rounded up from 3.5. Originally published at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The anthology opens with one of the strongest stories. “Mister Pockets” by Jonathan Maberry is set is his PINE DEEP universe, several years after the events of the trilogy that launched Maberry’s career (Ghost Road Blues, Dead Man’s Song and Bad Moon Rising; it’s a good trilogy, and I recommend it). Lefty Horrigan is so named because his father wants him to be a baseball player, and he somehow thinks that naming his kid “Lefty” will do the trick. But Lefty hates baseball, and he hates his stupid name. He’s twelve and fat, but isn’t bullied about it; in farm county, which is where Pine Deep is, being fat is no barrier to doing a hard day’s work on a tractor or in a milking shed. One thing Lefty has is a big heart. One day he gives a candy bar to the hobo called Mr. Pockets, who reacts rather oddly to the gift. It frightens Lefty, though he’s not really sure why. But Lefty has just made the smartest move of his short life, as he finds in an afternoon that he will never forget.
The tale that will probably stay with me the longest is “The Weight of Paradise” by Jeff Hemenway. Sophie is a brilliant scientist who has discovered a cure for — well, for death, really. It seems like the treatment she’s come up with will treat anything, will make disease irrelevant. There’s a lot of testing to be done yet, but Sophie can’t wait, because her lover, Alfie, is dying of leukemia. Rather than wait, because waiting will simply mean that Alfie dies before her new drug is available, Sophie injects Alfie. And it works. It’s not that he’s cured, exactly, but his metabolism has slowed down so dramatically that the disease is no longer killing him, and never will. In fact, he’ll never die. And neither will she, because she’s given herself a hefty shot, too. It’s only six months later that the drawback to the drug becomes apparent, an unbearable agony, pain akin to withdrawal but much worse. The only way one to stop it is to make a new convert, and then inject their blood immediately after the conversion into oneself. The consequences are obvious if one does a little arithmetic. But it gets worse. What does an absence of death really mean? Think about being in an accident and breaking everything but being unable to die. Hemenway has thought about it, at length, and the result is a chilling story that makes me surprisingly glad that immortality is not yet an option.
There are plenty of good stories here to keep you awake at night. In “Second Opinion,” Ray Garton tells a story of writer’s block that outdoes anything I’ve ever read on the theme. The first sentence gives you an idea of the horrors that await: “Do you know what it’s like to cut up your best friend with a hacksaw?” “Scrap” by David A. Riley is a long story about a haunted subdivision in an English town. Jonathan Balog’s adolescent hero bargains with a troll for some help with a bully in “The Troll,” but finds that the price for revenge is higher than the troll described. Charles Austin Muir tells a dark tale about “Thanatos Park,” an abandoned housing project that is now home to a fungus one would rather not breathe. And while those are the highlights, there really isn’t a clunker in this anthology; each story will turn your blood to ice.
4 stars rounded up from 3.5. Originally published at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
October 7, 2013
I picked up this collection because I was familiar with one of the authors and really enjoy his work. I was rewarded by discovering a bunch of new great authors whose work I will now be picking up. This was a well put together collection. While I enjoyed some stories more than others, all of the stories were worth reading. All 13 stories portrayed unique dark visions, yet they all worked together well. The collection was well balanced, nothing felt out of place. This is exactly why I pick up these collections and why more authors should be involved in them. Not only did I enjoy this reading experience, but I will now be reading work by 3 or 4 other authors whom I would have never discovered otherwise. This collection is definitely worth reading. Well done.
November 6, 2013
Creative authors provide readers with materials to create a running picture inside their minds. Dark Visions has gathered a group of these talented authors, honed the tone of these rolling scenes and assembled a collection of tales worthy of a shrewd reader. Many of the Dark Visions stories contain surprising plot twists, most deviate from the expected gore and violent path that some horror tales wander. Come, sit by the fire and begin your journey, enjoy!
July 25, 2016
Dark Visions: A Collection of Modern Horror, Volume One, is a publication of Grey Matter Press, a small publisher of all genres of horror. The anthology has no theme — something of a rarity these days, when most anthologies are restricted to a particular type of monster (zombie, werewolf, vampire; you know the drill). Few of the writers who contributed stories to this anthology are known to me, though there are a few big names. It’s a solid collection of stories, edited by Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson to fine effect.
The anthology opens with one of the strongest stories. “Mister Pockets” by Jonathan Maberry is set is his PINE DEEP universe, several years after the events of... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The anthology opens with one of the strongest stories. “Mister Pockets” by Jonathan Maberry is set is his PINE DEEP universe, several years after the events of... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
July 29, 2016
Loved reading this book!!
May 17, 2014
Dark Visions - Volume One is one of the first anthologies released by the stellar horror publishing company Grey Matter Press. A few weeks ago I posted a review of their latest, Ominous Realities, and mentioned that they are putting out some of the best anthologies around. After having just read Dark Visions - Volume One, I still stand by that statement. Edited by Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson and nominated for a 2013 Stoker Award, Dark Visions - Volume One contains thirteen horror short stories that immediately grab your attention and refuse to let go.
I am a huge fan of horror short stories because I love seeing an author build a complete world full of vibrant scenes and characters in such limited space. It builds tension and keeps you turning the pages until you reach the final conclusion, often leaving a sense of ambiguity that allows the story to linger long after it is finished. Dark Visions- Volume One delivers all of the best traits of the format and a diverse selection of authors to create a must-read collection.
Just like Ominous Realities, this collection features writers that I already enjoy and writers that I have not heard of before. There were a few stories from the writers I discovered in Dark Visions that really stuck with me in a profound way and I wish were novels instead of short stories (though that's just me being greedy).
Jeff Hemenway's story, "The Weight Of Paradise", is an absolutely stunning story and ranks as one of my more recent favorites. The story focuses on Alfie, a man who was diagnosed with leukemia and near death before his scientist girlfriend Sophie discovers a cure. While the discovery helps cure him of his disease, it has horrible consequences for everyone involved.
I can't speak for the author's motivations for writing the story or his inspiration, but this story instantly made me think of a certain type of horror monster as soon as I read it. Alfie and his friends share some remarkable similarities to these monsters, but there is a fresh and horrifying twist that makes their origin unique (if I am right in my assumption). The story itself is well-written and engaging, but it is the ending's emotional sucker-punch that really makes "The Weight of Paradise" shine.
"Second Opinion" by Ray Garton is probably the scariest story I have ever read involving writers since Joe Hill's "Best New Horror". Garton wastes no time in grabbing your attention by starting his story with a simple yet horrifying question - "Do you know what it's like to cut up your best friend with a hacksaw?". What follows is a haunting recollection by an author named Greg, where he explains just what drove him to murder his best friend. What really scared the hell out of me with this story was the fact that it was, for the most part, plausible. Garton throws in a dash of the supernatural, but most of the story is something that could realistically happen in real life. I always wanted to be a writer, but after reading Garton's tale, the prospect scares me!
Milo James Fowler's "What Do You Need?" is the haunting story of a man named John who wakes up in a mysterious room devoid of any windows, doors or other means of escape. There is little in the room except basic necessities, an ominous television broadcasting nothing but static and a telephone. The telephone does not seem to work in any capacity until finally a voice asks, "What do you need?" There is no other communication from the person on the other line, despite John's multiple requests for answers, just the same phrase every single time he picks up the phone.
I loved "What Do You Need?" for its psychological elements. I couldn't even begin to imagine being trapped in an inescapable situation, and Fowler does an excellent job putting the reader into John's shoes and conveying the desperation someone would feel in that situation. Another reason I probably connected so much with this story is it had the atmosphere of a classic "Twilight Zone" episode and that is one of my favorite TV shows of all time.
Brian Fatah Steele's "Delicate Spaces" focuses on a small group of paranormal researchers who are drawn to the Rayburn Hotel in order to investigate the numerous reports of unexplained phenomena that occur there. Most of the incidents seem to occur in the back hallway of the hotel where two mysterious items are stored. The items in question are a decorative mirror and a tapestry with an abstract design that hangs on the wall directly opposite the mirror. Most of the sightings that originate from the Rayburn Hotel occur when visitors look at the tapestry in the reflection of the mirror, causing them to see things that are not really there. Many of the sightings are seemingly harmless, until a woman says she sees an army in the tapestry and flees the hotel.
After not experiencing any of the alleged activity during their stay, one of the researchers decides to conduct a last-ditch experiment in the hallway with low-frequency generators. This experiment leads to the shocking revelation of what exactly is occurring at the Rayburn Hotel and it is definitely something you will not see coming. I don't usually get scared that easily, but after reading "Delicate Spaces", it is only a matter of time before the events of the story wind up in my nightmares!
I also loved "Mister Pockets" by Jonathan Maberry and "Show Me" by John F.D. Taff. These stories were the ones I was looking forward to reading the most when I first received Dark Visions and they were every bit as good as I hoped. This is an absolute "must read" anthology chock full of scary tales and you are guaranteed to find at least one new author you will love!
I am a huge fan of horror short stories because I love seeing an author build a complete world full of vibrant scenes and characters in such limited space. It builds tension and keeps you turning the pages until you reach the final conclusion, often leaving a sense of ambiguity that allows the story to linger long after it is finished. Dark Visions- Volume One delivers all of the best traits of the format and a diverse selection of authors to create a must-read collection.
Just like Ominous Realities, this collection features writers that I already enjoy and writers that I have not heard of before. There were a few stories from the writers I discovered in Dark Visions that really stuck with me in a profound way and I wish were novels instead of short stories (though that's just me being greedy).
Jeff Hemenway's story, "The Weight Of Paradise", is an absolutely stunning story and ranks as one of my more recent favorites. The story focuses on Alfie, a man who was diagnosed with leukemia and near death before his scientist girlfriend Sophie discovers a cure. While the discovery helps cure him of his disease, it has horrible consequences for everyone involved.
I can't speak for the author's motivations for writing the story or his inspiration, but this story instantly made me think of a certain type of horror monster as soon as I read it. Alfie and his friends share some remarkable similarities to these monsters, but there is a fresh and horrifying twist that makes their origin unique (if I am right in my assumption). The story itself is well-written and engaging, but it is the ending's emotional sucker-punch that really makes "The Weight of Paradise" shine.
"Second Opinion" by Ray Garton is probably the scariest story I have ever read involving writers since Joe Hill's "Best New Horror". Garton wastes no time in grabbing your attention by starting his story with a simple yet horrifying question - "Do you know what it's like to cut up your best friend with a hacksaw?". What follows is a haunting recollection by an author named Greg, where he explains just what drove him to murder his best friend. What really scared the hell out of me with this story was the fact that it was, for the most part, plausible. Garton throws in a dash of the supernatural, but most of the story is something that could realistically happen in real life. I always wanted to be a writer, but after reading Garton's tale, the prospect scares me!
Milo James Fowler's "What Do You Need?" is the haunting story of a man named John who wakes up in a mysterious room devoid of any windows, doors or other means of escape. There is little in the room except basic necessities, an ominous television broadcasting nothing but static and a telephone. The telephone does not seem to work in any capacity until finally a voice asks, "What do you need?" There is no other communication from the person on the other line, despite John's multiple requests for answers, just the same phrase every single time he picks up the phone.
I loved "What Do You Need?" for its psychological elements. I couldn't even begin to imagine being trapped in an inescapable situation, and Fowler does an excellent job putting the reader into John's shoes and conveying the desperation someone would feel in that situation. Another reason I probably connected so much with this story is it had the atmosphere of a classic "Twilight Zone" episode and that is one of my favorite TV shows of all time.
Brian Fatah Steele's "Delicate Spaces" focuses on a small group of paranormal researchers who are drawn to the Rayburn Hotel in order to investigate the numerous reports of unexplained phenomena that occur there. Most of the incidents seem to occur in the back hallway of the hotel where two mysterious items are stored. The items in question are a decorative mirror and a tapestry with an abstract design that hangs on the wall directly opposite the mirror. Most of the sightings that originate from the Rayburn Hotel occur when visitors look at the tapestry in the reflection of the mirror, causing them to see things that are not really there. Many of the sightings are seemingly harmless, until a woman says she sees an army in the tapestry and flees the hotel.
After not experiencing any of the alleged activity during their stay, one of the researchers decides to conduct a last-ditch experiment in the hallway with low-frequency generators. This experiment leads to the shocking revelation of what exactly is occurring at the Rayburn Hotel and it is definitely something you will not see coming. I don't usually get scared that easily, but after reading "Delicate Spaces", it is only a matter of time before the events of the story wind up in my nightmares!
I also loved "Mister Pockets" by Jonathan Maberry and "Show Me" by John F.D. Taff. These stories were the ones I was looking forward to reading the most when I first received Dark Visions and they were every bit as good as I hoped. This is an absolute "must read" anthology chock full of scary tales and you are guaranteed to find at least one new author you will love!
August 29, 2014
http://www.thehorrorhoneys.com
Twitter: @jbrivard
Short stories can be a tough format and it's not always my favorite genre, but when done right, a book of short stories can be just the thing, and Dark Visions definitely was very engrossing (sometimes with the emphasis on gross). The collection, a quick read at just 13 stories, is put out by Grey Matter Press, and I have to say I love the implied optimism in the "Volume 1" of the title.
Things get off to a quick start with Jonathan Maberry's "Mister Pockets" a small town story that reminded me in all the best ways of Stephen King's work. This twisted tale focuses on a hapless chubby 12 year old nicknamed "Lefty" by his baseball-loving dad. Lefty lives in a town called Pine Deep, which has previously experienced something they now call "The Trouble". They are in no hurry to experience it again, and all the neighborhood kids know not to be out after dark. The titular character, Mister Pockets, is the town's only homeless person, and Lefty notices that despite his personal filth, Mister Pockets "had the whitest teeth. Big and white and wet". Throw in some more tooth imagery and a random John Goodman reference, and this story had me hooked.
Other standout stories for me included "The Weight of Paradise", by Jeff Hemenway, which posits a mysterious drug that makes you immortal, if only you can keep finding fresh people to pass it along to. Unfortunately for some of the recipients, when you decide to opt out, it's not so easy. Sarah L. Johnson's "Three Minutes" had a dreamy quality that quickly turned nightmarish, and a highly memorable main character in foster kid John, whose attempts to hold his breath underwater for a full three minutes have unforeseen consequences. "Second Opinion" by Ray Garton may have been my favorite story, a tight study of a writer desperate to find the perfect ending for a story, no matter what he has to do to make it happen. David A. Riley's "Scrap" had a gritty cinematic feel - the story of two down-and-out brothers looking for scrap metal to steal and sell, until they venture into a part of town best left untouched.
Milo James Fowler's "What Do You Need?" was another page-turner, with a narrator trapped in a hotel room that has no connection to the outside world, other than a disembodied voice at the other end of his phone asking only "What Do You Need?" whenever he picks up the receiver. This one would have made a great "Twilight Zone" episode. And it's followed up by another strong entry in Jonathan Balog's "The Troll", in which a bullied middle-schooler finally meets the troll under the bridge, and is thrilled when it seems all of his dreams will shortly be coming true thanks to the troll's "helpful" suggestions. "Delicate Spaces" (Brian Fatah Steele) describes a world in which some spaces (in this case, a specific hotel hallway) radiate with evil - and who among us hasn't felt that chill on the back of their neck in one room or another in our lives? "Raining Stones" (Sean Logan) had an apocalyptic bent and a terrific ending.
The collection moves on with "Show Me" by John F.D. Taff, another story that could easily have been a "Twilight Zone" or "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" entry, featuring a college student who is mostly a mystery, other than campus gossip about his supposed sexual endowment. Last up is "Thanatos Park" by Charles Austin Muir. Although not my favorite story, this entry had beautifully descriptive language in its telling of two paranoid losers living near the worst part of town and watching the dregs of humanity roll by.
Hardcover Honey Verdict: Four creepy Bookworms out of Five for horror lovers - and I will be waiting for Volume 2 even if it does keep me up at night!
Twitter: @jbrivard
Short stories can be a tough format and it's not always my favorite genre, but when done right, a book of short stories can be just the thing, and Dark Visions definitely was very engrossing (sometimes with the emphasis on gross). The collection, a quick read at just 13 stories, is put out by Grey Matter Press, and I have to say I love the implied optimism in the "Volume 1" of the title.
Things get off to a quick start with Jonathan Maberry's "Mister Pockets" a small town story that reminded me in all the best ways of Stephen King's work. This twisted tale focuses on a hapless chubby 12 year old nicknamed "Lefty" by his baseball-loving dad. Lefty lives in a town called Pine Deep, which has previously experienced something they now call "The Trouble". They are in no hurry to experience it again, and all the neighborhood kids know not to be out after dark. The titular character, Mister Pockets, is the town's only homeless person, and Lefty notices that despite his personal filth, Mister Pockets "had the whitest teeth. Big and white and wet". Throw in some more tooth imagery and a random John Goodman reference, and this story had me hooked.
Other standout stories for me included "The Weight of Paradise", by Jeff Hemenway, which posits a mysterious drug that makes you immortal, if only you can keep finding fresh people to pass it along to. Unfortunately for some of the recipients, when you decide to opt out, it's not so easy. Sarah L. Johnson's "Three Minutes" had a dreamy quality that quickly turned nightmarish, and a highly memorable main character in foster kid John, whose attempts to hold his breath underwater for a full three minutes have unforeseen consequences. "Second Opinion" by Ray Garton may have been my favorite story, a tight study of a writer desperate to find the perfect ending for a story, no matter what he has to do to make it happen. David A. Riley's "Scrap" had a gritty cinematic feel - the story of two down-and-out brothers looking for scrap metal to steal and sell, until they venture into a part of town best left untouched.
Milo James Fowler's "What Do You Need?" was another page-turner, with a narrator trapped in a hotel room that has no connection to the outside world, other than a disembodied voice at the other end of his phone asking only "What Do You Need?" whenever he picks up the receiver. This one would have made a great "Twilight Zone" episode. And it's followed up by another strong entry in Jonathan Balog's "The Troll", in which a bullied middle-schooler finally meets the troll under the bridge, and is thrilled when it seems all of his dreams will shortly be coming true thanks to the troll's "helpful" suggestions. "Delicate Spaces" (Brian Fatah Steele) describes a world in which some spaces (in this case, a specific hotel hallway) radiate with evil - and who among us hasn't felt that chill on the back of their neck in one room or another in our lives? "Raining Stones" (Sean Logan) had an apocalyptic bent and a terrific ending.
The collection moves on with "Show Me" by John F.D. Taff, another story that could easily have been a "Twilight Zone" or "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" entry, featuring a college student who is mostly a mystery, other than campus gossip about his supposed sexual endowment. Last up is "Thanatos Park" by Charles Austin Muir. Although not my favorite story, this entry had beautifully descriptive language in its telling of two paranoid losers living near the worst part of town and watching the dregs of humanity roll by.
Hardcover Honey Verdict: Four creepy Bookworms out of Five for horror lovers - and I will be waiting for Volume 2 even if it does keep me up at night!
April 3, 2014
If you like horror, and you like short stories, go get a copy of Dark Visions 1: A Collection of Modern Horror, an anthology of original short stories, edited by Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson. It's available on Amazon, here. A few notes about a couple of the stories to show you why it's so good:
--Mister Pockets, by NYT bestselling author and multiple Stoker Award-winner Jonathan Maberry.
Very effective short story about a "twelve-year old fat kid" who is barely beginning to understand his place in the world, and where others think his place is. His place at present is in a town that's just recovering from The Trouble. Nobody talks about it, but it happened, and it may be happening again. What's The Trouble? Well, suffice it to say that the kid goes one-on-one with a very pretty and very alluring vampire-like thing, and he would've been done for had he not earlier given a candy bar to a strange-smiling homeless man, nicknamed [see title]. (Great title, by the way.)
Maberry may be one of the more successful horror writers I've not heard of before. The short author bio before the story lists an unbelievable amount of writing this man has been paid for since 1978. If that sounds a little like envy on my part, it's because it is.
The Weight of Paradise by Jeff Hemenway
Creepy story about scientist-wannabes who find a cure for cancer. By doing so, the cured become immortal. But, as it turns out, forever comes for a price, and it's painful. If you're familiar with the genre, you've seen this sort of morality tale before, but not as well-done as this. It's a horror tale with the wistful sadness of some of Jack Ketchum's short stories. That's a good thing.
Incidentally, it's always cool to see that a professional author has been published in the same magazines as you. In this case, Hemenway's been in Big Pulp, the same good folks who recently purchased the rights to my story, "The Zombie's Lament." Another author, later in the collection, will soon be published in Space and Time, as I was. Cool deal, man. Good for the old ego.
The Troll by Jonathan Balog
A 20-page story that reads like 10, which is one of the things I look for in a slightly-longer short story. (I like my short stories short--10 pages or fewer--and I tend to write very short ones, too.) Anyway, the troll of the story looks more like a metrosexual pimp, but what he tells the 12-year old narrator to do is a bit more. Though he does pimp the kid out, if I may be so bold. The troll is quite a bit like Pennywise the Clown, except when the story's done, the reader may wonder who the real troll was--the troll, or the narrator? A good study of adolescent evil. Very well-written, and very quickly read.
Delicate Spaces by Brian Fatah Steele
Perhaps my favorite so far in this collection. A group of paranormal researchers answer a dare for free rooming at a hotel that wants to drum up business, hoping they'll stay longer. Very realistic dialogue and action make the reader feel like he's observing the middle of something, just being dropped right in there. What they see before they're about to leave will catch the reader breathless. Very professionally written and described; you'll feel this frightening incident could actually happen.
There are 13 stories in all, and there's a lot to like here. So, suffice it to say, if you like your horror in small pieces, you'll like this book as much as I did. Again, it's available here at Amazon. The Kindle is only $3.99, and a new paperback starts at $11.94. It's worth it.
Lots more book reviews at stevenebelanger.blogspot.com.
--Mister Pockets, by NYT bestselling author and multiple Stoker Award-winner Jonathan Maberry.
Very effective short story about a "twelve-year old fat kid" who is barely beginning to understand his place in the world, and where others think his place is. His place at present is in a town that's just recovering from The Trouble. Nobody talks about it, but it happened, and it may be happening again. What's The Trouble? Well, suffice it to say that the kid goes one-on-one with a very pretty and very alluring vampire-like thing, and he would've been done for had he not earlier given a candy bar to a strange-smiling homeless man, nicknamed [see title]. (Great title, by the way.)
Maberry may be one of the more successful horror writers I've not heard of before. The short author bio before the story lists an unbelievable amount of writing this man has been paid for since 1978. If that sounds a little like envy on my part, it's because it is.
The Weight of Paradise by Jeff Hemenway
Creepy story about scientist-wannabes who find a cure for cancer. By doing so, the cured become immortal. But, as it turns out, forever comes for a price, and it's painful. If you're familiar with the genre, you've seen this sort of morality tale before, but not as well-done as this. It's a horror tale with the wistful sadness of some of Jack Ketchum's short stories. That's a good thing.
Incidentally, it's always cool to see that a professional author has been published in the same magazines as you. In this case, Hemenway's been in Big Pulp, the same good folks who recently purchased the rights to my story, "The Zombie's Lament." Another author, later in the collection, will soon be published in Space and Time, as I was. Cool deal, man. Good for the old ego.
The Troll by Jonathan Balog
A 20-page story that reads like 10, which is one of the things I look for in a slightly-longer short story. (I like my short stories short--10 pages or fewer--and I tend to write very short ones, too.) Anyway, the troll of the story looks more like a metrosexual pimp, but what he tells the 12-year old narrator to do is a bit more. Though he does pimp the kid out, if I may be so bold. The troll is quite a bit like Pennywise the Clown, except when the story's done, the reader may wonder who the real troll was--the troll, or the narrator? A good study of adolescent evil. Very well-written, and very quickly read.
Delicate Spaces by Brian Fatah Steele
Perhaps my favorite so far in this collection. A group of paranormal researchers answer a dare for free rooming at a hotel that wants to drum up business, hoping they'll stay longer. Very realistic dialogue and action make the reader feel like he's observing the middle of something, just being dropped right in there. What they see before they're about to leave will catch the reader breathless. Very professionally written and described; you'll feel this frightening incident could actually happen.
There are 13 stories in all, and there's a lot to like here. So, suffice it to say, if you like your horror in small pieces, you'll like this book as much as I did. Again, it's available here at Amazon. The Kindle is only $3.99, and a new paperback starts at $11.94. It's worth it.
Lots more book reviews at stevenebelanger.blogspot.com.
April 22, 2014
Another quality anthology from Grey Matter Press with Maberry's 'Mr Pockets', Jonathan Balog's "The Troll", and David Riley's 'Scrap' being the stand-out stories for me.
As with Ominous Realities, I like the fact that these stories are short, punchy, and varied, with a lot of originality on display.
As with Ominous Realities, I like the fact that these stories are short, punchy, and varied, with a lot of originality on display.
February 27, 2014
Absolutely terrifying! From "hobos" to authors to gargoyles, this book did not disappoint! If you're looking a good scare, this is the book to read! Filled with short stories that leave the heart pounding and the reader looking over his shoulder, I can't recommend it highly enough!
March 21, 2014
This stunning anthology reads like an alternative secret menu from Alice’s Restaurant of Horror… there’s nothing like variety in a menu that comes from some of the best word chefs in the world… dark soul stirrers that take you from one end of the spectrum of gustatory horror to its most opposite extreme. Bookending this anthology, the contrast of the offerings will surprise you: the innocent perspective of a pubescent child witnessing ancient and treacherous horrors yet discovered by murderous mercy due to a miniscule act of compassion and kindness – to final words and images of dangerous delicacies that require a significant degree of daring to look up at the possessed waiter and accept your sentence. Don’t order the salad – the one with the spores – even if it is government approved. Between the bookends it was one shadow after the other – relentlessly in pursuit of my sanity and second opinion (something we all can do with at some point) – which was willingly relinquished over and over again to the beast.
Beyond the metaphors and similes I use to describe my personal experience with this collection, I found the ability of these authors to carry me into a world of Dark Visions uncanny, causing a lust to grow within… so I kept reading. I wanted to know what lay beneath the next shroud. I wanted to step into the darkness again, to be spun around and thrown into another whirlwind of anxiety generated by the quality of this collection of exploding seeds of evil – seeds of bad dreams and cold sweats. I can clearly see why Dark Visions One was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. Well done, Grey Matter Press, for such an astute compilation process culminating into this disturbing collection. And you just keep doing it…
Beyond the metaphors and similes I use to describe my personal experience with this collection, I found the ability of these authors to carry me into a world of Dark Visions uncanny, causing a lust to grow within… so I kept reading. I wanted to know what lay beneath the next shroud. I wanted to step into the darkness again, to be spun around and thrown into another whirlwind of anxiety generated by the quality of this collection of exploding seeds of evil – seeds of bad dreams and cold sweats. I can clearly see why Dark Visions One was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. Well done, Grey Matter Press, for such an astute compilation process culminating into this disturbing collection. And you just keep doing it…
Currently Reading
February 8, 2026"What Do You Need?" by Milo James Fowler - John finds himself in a locked room with a tv set and a phone and no recollection of how he got there. He panics as the only contact he has is a voice on the phone asking him what he needs but eventually he grows accustomed to the routine of requesting meals and entertainment material that arrive through a sliding panel behind a closet door. One day he picks up the phone to place an order and hears "You have what we need." The panel opens wider than it ever has and three men enter the room and remove all objects including John's clothes, beating him when he resists. They leave him naked on a concrete floor in the dark as he hears screaming in the adjoining room and the cycle begins again with a new specimen.
"Second Opinion" by Ray Garton - This story is about writers encountering a cursed unfinished story that motivates them to kill one another in an effort to finish the story which they are sure will restore their fame.
"Collage" by Jay Caselberg - This story gets its title from a serial killer's collection of victims.
"Second Opinion" by Ray Garton - This story is about writers encountering a cursed unfinished story that motivates them to kill one another in an effort to finish the story which they are sure will restore their fame.
"Collage" by Jay Caselberg - This story gets its title from a serial killer's collection of victims.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2014
What a fun, delightful, and imaginative collection (is that morbid to say of a horror anthology?). I read the Kindle version and was at the 100% mark in no time at all. Dark Visions is everything it promises. Readers of horror will enjoy it. I'd also recommend this collection to those interested in the craft of the short story and those looking for their first foray into the genre.
February 21, 2014
I really liked Jonathan Maberry's tale, but didn't care for the ones after it. I glad this volume introduced me to Maberry's work, though, for I see on Amazon that he's a Bram Stoker winner for best first novel.
July 15, 2014
An absolute can't miss anthology.
March 19, 2015
it was pretty good. i especially liked mr pockets
August 22, 2016
Great anthology!
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