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Dark Screams: Volume Three
Peter Straub, Jack Ketchum, Darynda Jones, Jacquelyn Frank, and Brian Hodge contribute five gloomy, disturbing tales of madness and horror to Dark Screams: Volume Three, edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar of the celebrated Cemetery Dance Publications.
THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub
A mere child yet a precocious writer, young Freddie records a series of terrifying encounters with an inhuman being that haunts his life . . . and seems to predict his death.
GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum
When an award-winning horror writer on the downward slope of a long career receives an invitation to address the Essex County Science Fiction Group, he figures he’s got nothing to lose. He couldn’t be more wrong.
NANCY by Darynda Jones
Though she’s adopted by the cool kids, the new girl at Renfield High School is most drawn to Nancy Wilhoit, who claims to be haunted. But it soon becomes apparent that poltergeists—and people—are seldom what they seem.
I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank
Charlie Pearson has a crush on Stacey Wheeler. She has no idea. Charlie will make Stacey see that he loves her, and that she loves him—even if he has to kill her to make her say it.
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge
When Marni moves in next door, the stale marriage of Tara and Aidan gets a jolt of adrenaline. Whether it’s tonic or toxic is another matter.
Praise for the Dark Screams series
“A wicked treat [featuring] some of the genre’s best . . . Dark Screams: Volume One is a strong start to what looks to be an outstanding series.”—Hellnotes
“The editors have set themselves a high bar to meet in future volumes. . . . It’s going to be a solid series.”—Adventures Fantastic
“Dark Screams: Volume Two [is] a worthwhile read and a great entry to this series. If this upward trend in quality continues, we are sure to see amazing things in the volumes to come.”—LitReactor
“Five fun-to-read stories by top-notch horror scribes. How can you lose? The answer: you can’t.”—Atomic Fangirl
THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub
A mere child yet a precocious writer, young Freddie records a series of terrifying encounters with an inhuman being that haunts his life . . . and seems to predict his death.
GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum
When an award-winning horror writer on the downward slope of a long career receives an invitation to address the Essex County Science Fiction Group, he figures he’s got nothing to lose. He couldn’t be more wrong.
NANCY by Darynda Jones
Though she’s adopted by the cool kids, the new girl at Renfield High School is most drawn to Nancy Wilhoit, who claims to be haunted. But it soon becomes apparent that poltergeists—and people—are seldom what they seem.
I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank
Charlie Pearson has a crush on Stacey Wheeler. She has no idea. Charlie will make Stacey see that he loves her, and that she loves him—even if he has to kill her to make her say it.
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge
When Marni moves in next door, the stale marriage of Tara and Aidan gets a jolt of adrenaline. Whether it’s tonic or toxic is another matter.
Praise for the Dark Screams series
“A wicked treat [featuring] some of the genre’s best . . . Dark Screams: Volume One is a strong start to what looks to be an outstanding series.”—Hellnotes
“The editors have set themselves a high bar to meet in future volumes. . . . It’s going to be a solid series.”—Adventures Fantastic
“Dark Screams: Volume Two [is] a worthwhile read and a great entry to this series. If this upward trend in quality continues, we are sure to see amazing things in the volumes to come.”—LitReactor
“Five fun-to-read stories by top-notch horror scribes. How can you lose? The answer: you can’t.”—Atomic Fangirl
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First published May 12, 2015
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About the author
Brian James Freeman
100 books149 followersBrian James Freeman sold his first short story when he was fourteen years old and now writes full-time thanks to the support of his patrons on Patreon. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, three kids, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and an English Pointer. More books are on the way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
May 8, 2017
I received an email from this publisher, inviting me to Net Galley to download this book. Since I read the first two volumes and enjoyed them, I hopped right over to NG and downloaded this bad boy. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped.
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero by Peter Straub: I love Peter Straub or perhaps I should say I lurve him? Ghost Story was my favorite book for over two decades. But the story in this collection? I couldn't make heads or tails of it. It reminded me of Flowers for Algernon, but at least in that book, I could make out what was being said. What use is a story if you can't even read it? 2*
Group of Thirty by Jack Ketchum:
I love Jack Ketchum too, though his books often contain difficult subject matter. This was rather tame for Ketchum. I enjoyed it, but it didn't knock my socks off. 3.5*
Nancy by Darynda Jones: I thought this one started out good, but the ending was too pat and deus ex machina-y for me. 3*
I Love You Charlie Pearson by Jaquelyn Frank: I liked this one quite a bit-a boy stalking a girl until she turns the tables. (It's been done before, but I still enjoyed it.) 4*
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away by Brian Hodge: I love Brian Hodge and I enjoyed this story of urban explorers and ugly discoveries. I'm not sure if I'm imagining it, because I haven't seen anyone else mention it, but I believe this story has some connection to Whom the Gods Would Destroy. As a big fan of cosmic horror, which is what I choose to think this story is about, I gave it 4*.
I averaged out the 5 stories and came up with a 3 star rating. I found this collection slightly disappointing considering the heavy hitting authors contained within. However, I 'll happily check out volume 4, mostly because I'm afraid I'll miss something great!
Overall this is a decent collection of stories, but I can't give it my full recommendation.
*I received this book free from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This is it.*
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero by Peter Straub: I love Peter Straub or perhaps I should say I lurve him? Ghost Story was my favorite book for over two decades. But the story in this collection? I couldn't make heads or tails of it. It reminded me of Flowers for Algernon, but at least in that book, I could make out what was being said. What use is a story if you can't even read it? 2*
Group of Thirty by Jack Ketchum:
I love Jack Ketchum too, though his books often contain difficult subject matter. This was rather tame for Ketchum. I enjoyed it, but it didn't knock my socks off. 3.5*
Nancy by Darynda Jones: I thought this one started out good, but the ending was too pat and deus ex machina-y for me. 3*
I Love You Charlie Pearson by Jaquelyn Frank: I liked this one quite a bit-a boy stalking a girl until she turns the tables. (It's been done before, but I still enjoyed it.) 4*
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away by Brian Hodge: I love Brian Hodge and I enjoyed this story of urban explorers and ugly discoveries. I'm not sure if I'm imagining it, because I haven't seen anyone else mention it, but I believe this story has some connection to Whom the Gods Would Destroy. As a big fan of cosmic horror, which is what I choose to think this story is about, I gave it 4*.
I averaged out the 5 stories and came up with a 3 star rating. I found this collection slightly disappointing considering the heavy hitting authors contained within. However, I 'll happily check out volume 4, mostly because I'm afraid I'll miss something great!
Overall this is a decent collection of stories, but I can't give it my full recommendation.
*I received this book free from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This is it.*
August 3, 2016
I got a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Holy shit Dark Screams keeps getting worse every volume. I just remembered that I didn't even finish the second one because it was so bad. I apparently requested for the fourth volume. I'm really hoping it would turn out better than this. I don't think I'll ever finish the second volume though, it was just so boring.
There are 5 short stories here. I gave two of them a 4, one of them a 3, and the other 2 a 1 star rating. The first short story was awful as fuck. I can consider it as the worst short story I have ever read. I know the author tried to be witty by using a weird ass language, but it didn't work for me. It was too fucking annoying to begin with. I can't believe Peter Straub wrote that piece of crap. I heard amazing things about him, but that short story was just garbage.
I gave Group of Thirty and I Love You, Charlie Pearson a 4 star rating. Both were really good and had a good set of characters. The first one had a creepy vibe to it, but the ending made it lose one star. ILCP was typical young-adult scare. The plot was simple and the ending was not that bad. Both stories made me bump the 1 star rating to 1.5, nicely rounded up to 2.
Short review because I don't want to seem to rant about how much I hate this. Let's keep it short, this was a weak volume. Nothing compared to the first one.
1.5/5 stars. I'm giving the series one last chance with vol.4. I'm not sure if there will be succeeding volumes, but if the fourth one sucks, then it's goodbye to the series in general.
Holy shit Dark Screams keeps getting worse every volume. I just remembered that I didn't even finish the second one because it was so bad. I apparently requested for the fourth volume. I'm really hoping it would turn out better than this. I don't think I'll ever finish the second volume though, it was just so boring.
There are 5 short stories here. I gave two of them a 4, one of them a 3, and the other 2 a 1 star rating. The first short story was awful as fuck. I can consider it as the worst short story I have ever read. I know the author tried to be witty by using a weird ass language, but it didn't work for me. It was too fucking annoying to begin with. I can't believe Peter Straub wrote that piece of crap. I heard amazing things about him, but that short story was just garbage.
I gave Group of Thirty and I Love You, Charlie Pearson a 4 star rating. Both were really good and had a good set of characters. The first one had a creepy vibe to it, but the ending made it lose one star. ILCP was typical young-adult scare. The plot was simple and the ending was not that bad. Both stories made me bump the 1 star rating to 1.5, nicely rounded up to 2.
Short review because I don't want to seem to rant about how much I hate this. Let's keep it short, this was a weak volume. Nothing compared to the first one.
1.5/5 stars. I'm giving the series one last chance with vol.4. I'm not sure if there will be succeeding volumes, but if the fourth one sucks, then it's goodbye to the series in general.
April 17, 2015
I may not get any more review copies of Dark Screams after this review, but damn…this collection is a mess. I expected much, much more from the line up of authors. (Or at least the three that I was familiar with.)
THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub
I really like Straub, but this was a total f*ckin’ train wreck. Mercifully, it was fairly short. 1 Star
GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum
Reminded me a bit of James Newmans’ “Animosity”. It was just ok, but not really what I was expecting from Ketchum. 2 Stars
NANCY by Darynda Jones
This one was ok for a YA short, I guess, but I was unprepared for a YA story. 1.5 Stars
I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank
Another YA. 1.5 Stars
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge
By far the best written tale in this installment, but took too long to go anywhere and kind of lost me at the end. 2.5 Stars
I may have judged these stories a little harder than I might have for a collection series such as this one, but I am really expecting better selections from Dark Screams. I am very disappointed and cannot recommend this volume. I hope that the next installment is better. This works out to a whopping 1.7 stars so I will round up to 2, but it feels more like a 1 :(
THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub
I really like Straub, but this was a total f*ckin’ train wreck. Mercifully, it was fairly short. 1 Star
GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum
Reminded me a bit of James Newmans’ “Animosity”. It was just ok, but not really what I was expecting from Ketchum. 2 Stars
NANCY by Darynda Jones
This one was ok for a YA short, I guess, but I was unprepared for a YA story. 1.5 Stars
I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank
Another YA. 1.5 Stars
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge
By far the best written tale in this installment, but took too long to go anywhere and kind of lost me at the end. 2.5 Stars
I may have judged these stories a little harder than I might have for a collection series such as this one, but I am really expecting better selections from Dark Screams. I am very disappointed and cannot recommend this volume. I hope that the next installment is better. This works out to a whopping 1.7 stars so I will round up to 2, but it feels more like a 1 :(
April 28, 2015
2.5
DARK SCREAMS: Volume Three is a collection of five short stories, edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar. Unfortunately, I felt that the quality of stories in this volume was overall far below the quality of stories of its two predecessors.
A quick rundown of the stories:
1. "The Collected Stories of Freddie Prothero", by Peter Straub: This started with an interesting premise, but fell flat well before the conclusion, with near impossible to translate passages. 2*
2. "Group of Thirty", by Jack Ketchum: No surprises (or interest) here. 1.5*
3. "Nancy", by Darynda Jones: This one, I felt, had some genuinely good moments, for a YA story. There were a few too many convenient happenings--especially nearing the ending, but overall a better read than the average here. 3*
4. "I Love You, Charlie Pearson", by Jacqueline Frank: Another YA story, and my least favorite in the bunch. I just didn't connect to any of the characters, or even care about their motivations. Bad writing, errors, etc. 1*
5. "The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away", by Brian Hodge: The single shining star in this collection--it reminded me strongly of his novella, WHOM THE GODS WOULD DESTROY. Brian Hodge's use of words and atmospheric descriptions really put you "into" the story. A very deep, "mental" tale that seeps into you consistently as you read. 4*
I'm hoping that Dark Screams Volume Four will pick up some more engaging tales.
*I was given a free e-copy of this collection from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
DARK SCREAMS: Volume Three is a collection of five short stories, edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar. Unfortunately, I felt that the quality of stories in this volume was overall far below the quality of stories of its two predecessors.
A quick rundown of the stories:
1. "The Collected Stories of Freddie Prothero", by Peter Straub: This started with an interesting premise, but fell flat well before the conclusion, with near impossible to translate passages. 2*
2. "Group of Thirty", by Jack Ketchum: No surprises (or interest) here. 1.5*
3. "Nancy", by Darynda Jones: This one, I felt, had some genuinely good moments, for a YA story. There were a few too many convenient happenings--especially nearing the ending, but overall a better read than the average here. 3*
4. "I Love You, Charlie Pearson", by Jacqueline Frank: Another YA story, and my least favorite in the bunch. I just didn't connect to any of the characters, or even care about their motivations. Bad writing, errors, etc. 1*
5. "The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away", by Brian Hodge: The single shining star in this collection--it reminded me strongly of his novella, WHOM THE GODS WOULD DESTROY. Brian Hodge's use of words and atmospheric descriptions really put you "into" the story. A very deep, "mental" tale that seeps into you consistently as you read. 4*
I'm hoping that Dark Screams Volume Four will pick up some more engaging tales.
*I was given a free e-copy of this collection from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
April 10, 2015
I liked the first two Dark Screams volumes and thought that at least two of the stories in each of them were excellent. I can't say as much about Dark Screams: Volume Three, though I will try to sum it up.
THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub: This might have worked if you could understand half of it. The stories are supposed to start out when the kid was five. Although they end when he is 8 or 9 the writing is only slightly more intelligible and it's still mostly just nonsense.
GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum: This was the best story in the collection. Although far from gripping, it actually sounds like it was written by an adult and I liked the premise.
NANCY by Darynda Jones: Too "After School Special" for me. A new girl, a weird girl and a very unrealistic haunting.
I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank: Bad writing. Drawn out. The story line would have been decent but the build up isn't there and the climax is a let down. Another teen special.
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge: Too long. Too little happens. Very anti-climactic ending. It was like the ramblings of someones diary but without the format to make you think you were reading something you weren't supposed to.
I wasn't impressed with this one but I am looking forward to whatever Dark Screams puts out next because they have put out some awesome stories in the past and they have a great lineup of authors.
I received this book as an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub: This might have worked if you could understand half of it. The stories are supposed to start out when the kid was five. Although they end when he is 8 or 9 the writing is only slightly more intelligible and it's still mostly just nonsense.
GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum: This was the best story in the collection. Although far from gripping, it actually sounds like it was written by an adult and I liked the premise.
NANCY by Darynda Jones: Too "After School Special" for me. A new girl, a weird girl and a very unrealistic haunting.
I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank: Bad writing. Drawn out. The story line would have been decent but the build up isn't there and the climax is a let down. Another teen special.
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge: Too long. Too little happens. Very anti-climactic ending. It was like the ramblings of someones diary but without the format to make you think you were reading something you weren't supposed to.
I wasn't impressed with this one but I am looking forward to whatever Dark Screams puts out next because they have put out some awesome stories in the past and they have a great lineup of authors.
I received this book as an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
June 1, 2023
Overall rating- 3.4- rounded down.
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero by Peter Straub- 1 star- I'm sorry, but what was this?? I couldn't even read most of it since its unintelligible. There was some sort of story here, but I couldn't find it.
Group of Thirty- by Jack Ketchum- 5 stars- Now this is more my speed. This isn't exactly what you think it is- unless it is. Haha
Nancy- by Darynda Jones- 4 stars- cool ghost story that wasn't predictable.
I Love You, Charlie Pearson by Jacquelyn Frank- 3 stars- good middle of the ground story with a nice twist.
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away- by Brian Hodge- 4 stars- good progression of this slightly longer short story. This was cosmic horror/end of the world.
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero by Peter Straub- 1 star- I'm sorry, but what was this?? I couldn't even read most of it since its unintelligible. There was some sort of story here, but I couldn't find it.
Group of Thirty- by Jack Ketchum- 5 stars- Now this is more my speed. This isn't exactly what you think it is- unless it is. Haha
Nancy- by Darynda Jones- 4 stars- cool ghost story that wasn't predictable.
I Love You, Charlie Pearson by Jacquelyn Frank- 3 stars- good middle of the ground story with a nice twist.
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away- by Brian Hodge- 4 stars- good progression of this slightly longer short story. This was cosmic horror/end of the world.
January 16, 2016
There's always a story that shines in the DARK SCREAMS anthologies: in number 3 my dark star candidate is NANCY bu Darynda Jones. This story opens in a high school in the most haunted town in America – ever wonder who decides that and how? I sure do. Anyway, a new girl comes to town and finds out just why the strangest girl in school is shunned. She's psycho, all right, among other things...
The other surprise was Jack Ketchum's entry. Ketchum, known for writing extreme horror, penned a story that anyone could read. It was a great story, I enjoyed the ending immensely. Glad to see that Jack is back. Heh.
A twist of an ending by an unknown to me author was I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON, by Jacquelyn Frank. This was another story that took place in a high schoolas a story of love taken too far.
Brian Hodge, who writes such terrific science fiction offered up THE LONE ONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY. After reading the story, The story was about a group of free-runners – what they find while out exploring can only be explained by someone like Hodge. I love this guy.
Then we have THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub. This was the only story previously published and the only story didn't like. It was centered around a young prodigy who in the opinion of 'some' wrote amazing stories. The fact they were incoherent is another story.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The price point is excellent making buying it for even one story well worth the outlay of your hard earned dollar.
I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review.
The other surprise was Jack Ketchum's entry. Ketchum, known for writing extreme horror, penned a story that anyone could read. It was a great story, I enjoyed the ending immensely. Glad to see that Jack is back. Heh.
A twist of an ending by an unknown to me author was I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON, by Jacquelyn Frank. This was another story that took place in a high schoolas a story of love taken too far.
Brian Hodge, who writes such terrific science fiction offered up THE LONE ONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY. After reading the story, The story was about a group of free-runners – what they find while out exploring can only be explained by someone like Hodge. I love this guy.
Then we have THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub. This was the only story previously published and the only story didn't like. It was centered around a young prodigy who in the opinion of 'some' wrote amazing stories. The fact they were incoherent is another story.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The price point is excellent making buying it for even one story well worth the outlay of your hard earned dollar.
I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review.
January 17, 2020
A mixed bag both in content & narration. A couple made it all worthwhile.
Table of Contents
"The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero
Introduction by Torless Magnussen, Ph.D." by Peter Straub: This might be better as text. In audio, it sucked. It's about short stories written by an 8 year old & they're read, so the narrator pronounced misspellings & used a child's voice. It was tough to make a lot of it out & I really didn't care. The idea of an 8 year old author who awes critics is tough to swallow. Finally, it lost me & I skipped the rest. Maybe some day I'll like something Straub writes, but I haven't yet.
"Group of Thirty" by Jack Ketchum: A fairly successful author dealing with fans, old age, & a loss of desire to write. Really excellent!
"Nancy" by Darynda Jones: was a pretty good ghost story.
"I Love You, Charlie Pearson" by Jacquelyn Frank: It's nasty being in the head of a stalker, but a there's a twist. Not particularly believable, but satisfying - sort of.
"The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away" by Brian Hodge: didn't go where I expected. Not bad, but not great, either.
Table of Contents
"The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero
Introduction by Torless Magnussen, Ph.D." by Peter Straub: This might be better as text. In audio, it sucked. It's about short stories written by an 8 year old & they're read, so the narrator pronounced misspellings & used a child's voice. It was tough to make a lot of it out & I really didn't care. The idea of an 8 year old author who awes critics is tough to swallow. Finally, it lost me & I skipped the rest. Maybe some day I'll like something Straub writes, but I haven't yet.
"Group of Thirty" by Jack Ketchum: A fairly successful author dealing with fans, old age, & a loss of desire to write. Really excellent!
"Nancy" by Darynda Jones: was a pretty good ghost story.
"I Love You, Charlie Pearson" by Jacquelyn Frank: It's nasty being in the head of a stalker, but a there's a twist. Not particularly believable, but satisfying - sort of.
"The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away" by Brian Hodge: didn't go where I expected. Not bad, but not great, either.
April 16, 2015
I received an ARC copy of this e-book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I did not enjoy this installment nearly as much as One and Two. I didn’t think that there were any really strong stories in the whole volume.
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero by Peter Straub
I love the writing of Peter Straub but didn’t like this at all. It was an idea that didn’t work, at least not for me. Sort of metafiction in approach, it is basically the diary of child, written as a child would write and it just fell flat for me due to the fact that I just couldn’t understand what was going on.
Group of Thirty by Jack Ketchum
I never thought that I would find a Jack Ketchum story to be preachy but this one was, at least to me. It seemed to me to be a middle finger salute to the people that criticize his work and I bet something similar (although not nearly as dark and threatening) has happened to him when he reads or discusses his work in public.
Nancy by Darynda Jones
With few exceptions I don’t like Y/A and particularly do not like Y/A horror. This story was teen lit from the start and the story line fell off the rails into a totally unbelievable trite mess by the end.
I Love You, Charlie Pearson by Jacquelyn Frank
Another Y/A short story. Predictable but slightly better than the story before it.
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away by Brian Hodge
I am a fan of Hodge’s style of quiet cosmic horror and would recommend his Darkfuse Novella “Whom the Gods Would Destroy” as a great example. While this was my favorite story in the bunch, and I enjoyed the narrative, I just didn’t feel that it had the punch of his other work.
I did not enjoy this installment nearly as much as One and Two. I didn’t think that there were any really strong stories in the whole volume.
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero by Peter Straub
I love the writing of Peter Straub but didn’t like this at all. It was an idea that didn’t work, at least not for me. Sort of metafiction in approach, it is basically the diary of child, written as a child would write and it just fell flat for me due to the fact that I just couldn’t understand what was going on.
Group of Thirty by Jack Ketchum
I never thought that I would find a Jack Ketchum story to be preachy but this one was, at least to me. It seemed to me to be a middle finger salute to the people that criticize his work and I bet something similar (although not nearly as dark and threatening) has happened to him when he reads or discusses his work in public.
Nancy by Darynda Jones
With few exceptions I don’t like Y/A and particularly do not like Y/A horror. This story was teen lit from the start and the story line fell off the rails into a totally unbelievable trite mess by the end.
I Love You, Charlie Pearson by Jacquelyn Frank
Another Y/A short story. Predictable but slightly better than the story before it.
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away by Brian Hodge
I am a fan of Hodge’s style of quiet cosmic horror and would recommend his Darkfuse Novella “Whom the Gods Would Destroy” as a great example. While this was my favorite story in the bunch, and I enjoyed the narrative, I just didn’t feel that it had the punch of his other work.
April 26, 2015
I have to say, this series seems to be headed in the wrong direction. The last entry in the series had one fairly inscrutable story, as does this one, but in the case of this one it at least wasn't the longest story in the book. In this book it was Peter Straub's entry, and while I admire both the author and editors for trying to put something different out there, it just didn't work for me. The premise was a collection of stories written by a young boy, with the spelling and grammar yo would expect, but it just wasn't close enough to English for me to even decode, which just left me frustrated.
My favorite story was the last, by Brian Hodge, and it was really the lone bright spot in this anthology. It was weird and a little surreal at times, like much of Brian's work.
The remaining stories were just sort of pedestrian. Jack Ketchum's entry seemed pretty cliched. Darynda Jones' story started off strong, but seemed to collapse under the wait of plot twists down the stretch.
These anthologies are hitting the market quickly, and I might humbly suggest it would be better to slow the pace a little and take a little more care in story selection, if the current trend in quality continues. I know that the editors know quality fiction, and have brought a ton of it to many thankful readers, me included!
My favorite story was the last, by Brian Hodge, and it was really the lone bright spot in this anthology. It was weird and a little surreal at times, like much of Brian's work.
The remaining stories were just sort of pedestrian. Jack Ketchum's entry seemed pretty cliched. Darynda Jones' story started off strong, but seemed to collapse under the wait of plot twists down the stretch.
These anthologies are hitting the market quickly, and I might humbly suggest it would be better to slow the pace a little and take a little more care in story selection, if the current trend in quality continues. I know that the editors know quality fiction, and have brought a ton of it to many thankful readers, me included!
April 18, 2015
ARC for review. I'm one for two on these short story collections, so I'm very hopeful!
Well, BOO! This makes the score 1-2 to the negative for the "Dark Screams" anthologies.
Like the others, this contains five stories, and unlike the others all are copyright 2015.
"The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero" by Peter Straub - this began as an absolutely great construct, reminiscent of Flowers for Algernon and I was so looking forward to reading it.....until the collection itself. Annoying and senseless. Why is Straub always so disappointing to me?
"Group of Thirty" by Jack Ketchum - his gore is often a bit much for me. Here, that wasn't the problem.....just the dullness. I found the idea of the revealed pseudonym interesting in that I know that Ketchum was "outed" at some point.
"Nancy" by Darynda Jones - honestly, this read like a mediocre young adult entry. Disappointing.
"I Love You, Charlie Person" by Jacquelyn Frank - the standard teenage love gone wrong, then wrong again - we've seen it before, before it was written well.
"The Lone one and Level Sands Stretch Far Away" by Brian Hodge - at least this was a new look at our pre-apocalyptic times, though I have to admit that I do not understand the actions of one of the primary characters at all....at least I bought that all of the characters were real and sincere. All told my favorite of the book, but that was faint praise indeed.
Sigh. C'mon "Dark Screams".....show me another good 'un!
Well, BOO! This makes the score 1-2 to the negative for the "Dark Screams" anthologies.
Like the others, this contains five stories, and unlike the others all are copyright 2015.
"The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero" by Peter Straub - this began as an absolutely great construct, reminiscent of Flowers for Algernon and I was so looking forward to reading it.....until the collection itself. Annoying and senseless. Why is Straub always so disappointing to me?
"Group of Thirty" by Jack Ketchum - his gore is often a bit much for me. Here, that wasn't the problem.....just the dullness. I found the idea of the revealed pseudonym interesting in that I know that Ketchum was "outed" at some point.
"Nancy" by Darynda Jones - honestly, this read like a mediocre young adult entry. Disappointing.
"I Love You, Charlie Person" by Jacquelyn Frank - the standard teenage love gone wrong, then wrong again - we've seen it before, before it was written well.
"The Lone one and Level Sands Stretch Far Away" by Brian Hodge - at least this was a new look at our pre-apocalyptic times, though I have to admit that I do not understand the actions of one of the primary characters at all....at least I bought that all of the characters were real and sincere. All told my favorite of the book, but that was faint praise indeed.
Sigh. C'mon "Dark Screams".....show me another good 'un!
April 25, 2015
I received this from the publisher in advance for review. Another great collection of five shorts that will have you reading in one sitting. For me, all were worthy of praise. The Peter Straub was a bit hazy, but once you put your mind to the prose as the boy ages his language becomes clear. A eerie tale. Jack Ketchum's tale put me in the area of Harvest Home by Tom Tryon, but with a twist. Reading Darynda Jones for the first time ,has me wanting more of her tales, another fine choice by the editiors. Jacquelyn Frank is another I will be looking for, with her tale of "how deep is your love", as Charlie discovers. Brian Hodge puts the reader in the shoes of runners, as they discover new adventures in exploring a world gone by. A reminder of Davind Morrell"s Creepers. Recommended read.
April 8, 2015
Five stories – one good one – Jack Ketchum’s dark laughter contribution – a Peter Straub that doesn’t quite work – a sort of s-f/fantasy take on Richard Matheson’s classic ‘Born of Man and Woman- and three others by writers I am unfamiliar with and will remain so – those three tales need rewriting and border on amateurish.
Yet Jack Ketchum’s rich dark joke of a tale may be worth the price of admission.
Yet Jack Ketchum’s rich dark joke of a tale may be worth the price of admission.
April 29, 2015
3* Received from Netgalley.
Not as good as Volume 2. The Peter Straub and Jack Ketchum stories aren't terrible but they are pretty minor in scope, even for short stories. The next two stories, "Nancy" and "I love you, Charlie Pearson" are not good. They seem cliche and more meant for the young adult reader.
The last story by Brian Hodge is by far the superior story of the collection, I thought it was very good, original and dark.
Not as good as Volume 2. The Peter Straub and Jack Ketchum stories aren't terrible but they are pretty minor in scope, even for short stories. The next two stories, "Nancy" and "I love you, Charlie Pearson" are not good. They seem cliche and more meant for the young adult reader.
The last story by Brian Hodge is by far the superior story of the collection, I thought it was very good, original and dark.
March 25, 2021
My second Dark Screams collection (I enjoyed Volume One, haven’t got Two yet) and I enjoyed this overall. There was a broader selection of stories with a touch of the experimental (in the Straub story especially) that I find interesting. Also, a little YA horror, a high school obsession gone wrong that I found interesting, a writer writing about a writer, and a slow burn cosmic horror. For me, all the stories worked well, though each were flawed. Straub’s contained a mimicking of a child’s language that felt overwrought, Hodge’s took a while to get going, a couple of endings felt rushed. My favourite was Ketchum’s as it felt like a good balance of menace and tongue-in-cheek humour.
Overall, this is again well worth a look, though not as strong as Volume One. I’m excited to check out another Dark Screams soon.
Overall, this is again well worth a look, though not as strong as Volume One. I’m excited to check out another Dark Screams soon.
October 22, 2018
3.5* THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub
2.5* GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum
3.5* NANCY by Darynda Jones
3.75* I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank
4.25* THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge
3.5* Overall
2.5* GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum
3.5* NANCY by Darynda Jones
3.75* I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank
4.25* THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge
3.5* Overall
May 12, 2015
I have to give this anthology props for size. It fit perfectly into my thirty-minute lunch break. Sometimes these shorter works aren't quite long enough or are just a bit too long, which can be slightly unsatisfying. Unfortunately, everyone's reading speed differs so that aspect might not work quite as well for other people.
"The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero" by Peter Straub
The biggest name in DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME THREE leads off the anthology. I mostly skimmed this story. I love pseudo academia, so I liked the introduction to the stories of Freddie, analyzing what certain terms might mean and such. But the barely literate or coherent style of the stories themselves just isn't my thing. I gave it a quick shot, but nothing drew me in so I didn't force it.
"Group of Thirty" by Jack Ketchum
"Group of Thirty" was my favorite story in the anthology. A local horror writer goes to speak to a writer's group, who start getting aggressive and interrogating him about the heinous acts he writes about. The story felt timely and I enjoyed the unexpected turn the climax took. The narrator's weariness not only set the tone but also worked well with the plot.
"Nancy" by Darynda Jones
This is the story that drew me to the anthology. I really enjoy Jones' grim reaper novels, which are laugh-out-loud funny paranormal romance/fantasy. I was quite curious about how she would approach horror. "Nancy" isn't edge-of-your-seat scary, but it does explore some of the worst aspects of human nature. It also has a refreshingly nice popular girl character, which isn't something I expect to find in a horror anthology.
"I Love You, Charlie Pearson" by Jacquelyn Frank
Frank is another author not known for horror, so it is interesting that she wrote the most typical horror story in DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME THREE. Charlie Pearson, the narrator, is a twisted stalker, and the story contrasts human and supernatural monstrousness. It isn't a revelatory theme, but the final paragraph is creepy enough to carry it.
"The Lone and Level Strands Stretch Far Away" by Brian Hodge
The anthology closes with the uneven "The Lone and Level Strands Stretch Far Away." The descriptions of urban exploration, exploring abandoned buildings, are top notch, especially when the parkour group disturbs a building perhaps left best alone. Meanwhile, narrator Aiden's boredom with his wife Tara and growing attraction to new next door neighbor Marni (of course growing because of Tara's unfounded suspicions of an affair hounding him) is so boring and predictable. I wanted more horror and less lame-o relationship drama featuring an unsympathetic dude.
I mostly enjoyed the stories in DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME THREE, but don't go in expecting intense horror. These stories are rather gentle and tame. You'll be able to sleep with no problem after reading them.
"The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero" by Peter Straub
The biggest name in DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME THREE leads off the anthology. I mostly skimmed this story. I love pseudo academia, so I liked the introduction to the stories of Freddie, analyzing what certain terms might mean and such. But the barely literate or coherent style of the stories themselves just isn't my thing. I gave it a quick shot, but nothing drew me in so I didn't force it.
"Group of Thirty" by Jack Ketchum
"Group of Thirty" was my favorite story in the anthology. A local horror writer goes to speak to a writer's group, who start getting aggressive and interrogating him about the heinous acts he writes about. The story felt timely and I enjoyed the unexpected turn the climax took. The narrator's weariness not only set the tone but also worked well with the plot.
"Nancy" by Darynda Jones
This is the story that drew me to the anthology. I really enjoy Jones' grim reaper novels, which are laugh-out-loud funny paranormal romance/fantasy. I was quite curious about how she would approach horror. "Nancy" isn't edge-of-your-seat scary, but it does explore some of the worst aspects of human nature. It also has a refreshingly nice popular girl character, which isn't something I expect to find in a horror anthology.
"I Love You, Charlie Pearson" by Jacquelyn Frank
Frank is another author not known for horror, so it is interesting that she wrote the most typical horror story in DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME THREE. Charlie Pearson, the narrator, is a twisted stalker, and the story contrasts human and supernatural monstrousness. It isn't a revelatory theme, but the final paragraph is creepy enough to carry it.
"The Lone and Level Strands Stretch Far Away" by Brian Hodge
The anthology closes with the uneven "The Lone and Level Strands Stretch Far Away." The descriptions of urban exploration, exploring abandoned buildings, are top notch, especially when the parkour group disturbs a building perhaps left best alone. Meanwhile, narrator Aiden's boredom with his wife Tara and growing attraction to new next door neighbor Marni (of course growing because of Tara's unfounded suspicions of an affair hounding him) is so boring and predictable. I wanted more horror and less lame-o relationship drama featuring an unsympathetic dude.
I mostly enjoyed the stories in DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME THREE, but don't go in expecting intense horror. These stories are rather gentle and tame. You'll be able to sleep with no problem after reading them.
April 20, 2015
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero (Peter Straub)
While the introduction to the short stories had me intrigued, the stories themselves were disappointing. There was too little progress recognizable in the writing of the boy, whose first story was supposed to be written at the age of five, the last three years later. At one point, I thought it was getting somewhere, a tale of a boy haunted by a stranger or maybe abused by a familiar person, but that idea was lost just like the story was lost on me. For a child being able to already write down stories at the age of five, it seemed unlikely that he then stopped developing his writing skills and stayed with that poor expression. 1 star.
Group of Thirty (Jack Ketchum)
While I usually don't care about the order and read the stories of an anthology as they come, I deliberately saved this one for last, feeling that Jack Ketchum wouldn't let me down. While I did not expect it to be that funny and ironic, I relished this story like I would my favorite chocolate out of a box of pralines (which I also always save for last). The story easily could have ended with a much more expected bloodbath, but the way the situation turned around and the author (both Ketchum and the main character) thumbed his nose at his pretended fans was so much sweeter. 5 stars
Nancy (Darynda Jones)
If the anthology was aimed at YA, I would easily give this story 5 stars. Like the series mentioned in the story itself, 'Nancy' could have easily been told as an episode of "Goosebumps". It was a smooth but unexciting read without surprises, which might work to introduce younger readers started to the horror genre. However, while i did enjoy the well-written simplicity, this story made no lasting impression. 3.5 stars
I Love You, Charlie Pearson (Jacquelyn Frank)
Just like the previous story, this one seemed a bit out of place and more effective for YA readers. Reading this one, I had a constant nagging feeling of déjà vu, like I already knew the story from a movie or somewhere. 2.5 stars
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away (Brian Hodge)
The last story was a very quiet one, and I was really impressed by it. It flowed smoothly and effortlessly towards a baffling, but fitting ending which left me stunned and thinking about it long after. This is how a good short story should work. 4 stars
The third volume fits without difficulties into the Dark Screams anthology series, however I hope the fourth part will bring a louder voice to horror again.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
While the introduction to the short stories had me intrigued, the stories themselves were disappointing. There was too little progress recognizable in the writing of the boy, whose first story was supposed to be written at the age of five, the last three years later. At one point, I thought it was getting somewhere, a tale of a boy haunted by a stranger or maybe abused by a familiar person, but that idea was lost just like the story was lost on me. For a child being able to already write down stories at the age of five, it seemed unlikely that he then stopped developing his writing skills and stayed with that poor expression. 1 star.
Group of Thirty (Jack Ketchum)
While I usually don't care about the order and read the stories of an anthology as they come, I deliberately saved this one for last, feeling that Jack Ketchum wouldn't let me down. While I did not expect it to be that funny and ironic, I relished this story like I would my favorite chocolate out of a box of pralines (which I also always save for last). The story easily could have ended with a much more expected bloodbath, but the way the situation turned around and the author (both Ketchum and the main character) thumbed his nose at his pretended fans was so much sweeter. 5 stars
Nancy (Darynda Jones)
If the anthology was aimed at YA, I would easily give this story 5 stars. Like the series mentioned in the story itself, 'Nancy' could have easily been told as an episode of "Goosebumps". It was a smooth but unexciting read without surprises, which might work to introduce younger readers started to the horror genre. However, while i did enjoy the well-written simplicity, this story made no lasting impression. 3.5 stars
I Love You, Charlie Pearson (Jacquelyn Frank)
Just like the previous story, this one seemed a bit out of place and more effective for YA readers. Reading this one, I had a constant nagging feeling of déjà vu, like I already knew the story from a movie or somewhere. 2.5 stars
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away (Brian Hodge)
The last story was a very quiet one, and I was really impressed by it. It flowed smoothly and effortlessly towards a baffling, but fitting ending which left me stunned and thinking about it long after. This is how a good short story should work. 4 stars
The third volume fits without difficulties into the Dark Screams anthology series, however I hope the fourth part will bring a louder voice to horror again.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
May 12, 2015
I received this ebook free from Net Gallery for an honest review. I had read the first two entries in the series and quickly grabbed a copy. With at least three known quality authors I jumped right in to devour it and … for, some reason, it took about three weeks to finish.
I have been a Peter Straub reader since day one and really loved his early creations. He doesn’t do a lot of short fiction (maybe a couple dozen) but most of what I’ve read I’ve liked. That is, until I came upon “The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prohero.” I read it twice, with a day or so in between, figuring it needed a little time to jell. Maybe there is a big concept there, involving fear, identity, creativity, evil and the unknown but I couldn’t get beyond (not the fragmented, child-learning to write, inability to really describe) the idiocy of the academic whose lifework is this “prodigy” study. Maybe Straub was writing a satire but I don’t think so. This was the single reprint story in the collection.
Jack Ketchum is noted for his in-your-face, take-no-prisoners execution so “Group of Thirty” is a change of pace. The writer who has pretty much dried up accepts the predictable invitation from a small literary gathering to speak about his work. Easy money but not quite what he imagined. Could it be a round-about Ketchum tale after all? Not really, but I actually liked this one quite a bit.
Darynda Jones' “Nancy” had the most clichéd situation: teenage girl ostracized in high school by the clique. But there was the somewhat interesting setting of the most haunted town in the country, a narrator who seemed to have a backstory, the really strange, put-upon girl, the ghost, and the twist. I liked it better that I thought I would.
At first I felt that “I love you, Charlie Pearson” by Jacquelyn Frank was a teenage take on a Richard Laymon tale but I’m afraid it wasn’t. The POV of a teenage stalker who is totally clueless was fun, with the twist at the end really pinpointing his complete oblivion. It gave me a laugh.
The best tale for me this outing was Brian Hodge’s “The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away.” Well-written and smoothly told, the story creeps up on you. The atmosphere is there, an almost seen presence. The narration is somewhat slow but I’m sure that was intentional. I like cosmic horror and that’s the center of this work. And the ending is, fittingly, so bleak. Ah, that final image of the seeming breath sucked back down into the darkness…
At first I didn’t like this volume as much as the two prior but on reflection it does seem to have a lot going for it. I am looking forward to starting the next one, which I already have on my kindle.
I have been a Peter Straub reader since day one and really loved his early creations. He doesn’t do a lot of short fiction (maybe a couple dozen) but most of what I’ve read I’ve liked. That is, until I came upon “The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prohero.” I read it twice, with a day or so in between, figuring it needed a little time to jell. Maybe there is a big concept there, involving fear, identity, creativity, evil and the unknown but I couldn’t get beyond (not the fragmented, child-learning to write, inability to really describe) the idiocy of the academic whose lifework is this “prodigy” study. Maybe Straub was writing a satire but I don’t think so. This was the single reprint story in the collection.
Jack Ketchum is noted for his in-your-face, take-no-prisoners execution so “Group of Thirty” is a change of pace. The writer who has pretty much dried up accepts the predictable invitation from a small literary gathering to speak about his work. Easy money but not quite what he imagined. Could it be a round-about Ketchum tale after all? Not really, but I actually liked this one quite a bit.
Darynda Jones' “Nancy” had the most clichéd situation: teenage girl ostracized in high school by the clique. But there was the somewhat interesting setting of the most haunted town in the country, a narrator who seemed to have a backstory, the really strange, put-upon girl, the ghost, and the twist. I liked it better that I thought I would.
At first I felt that “I love you, Charlie Pearson” by Jacquelyn Frank was a teenage take on a Richard Laymon tale but I’m afraid it wasn’t. The POV of a teenage stalker who is totally clueless was fun, with the twist at the end really pinpointing his complete oblivion. It gave me a laugh.
The best tale for me this outing was Brian Hodge’s “The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away.” Well-written and smoothly told, the story creeps up on you. The atmosphere is there, an almost seen presence. The narration is somewhat slow but I’m sure that was intentional. I like cosmic horror and that’s the center of this work. And the ending is, fittingly, so bleak. Ah, that final image of the seeming breath sucked back down into the darkness…
At first I didn’t like this volume as much as the two prior but on reflection it does seem to have a lot going for it. I am looking forward to starting the next one, which I already have on my kindle.
August 7, 2015
The third installment of the DARK SCREAMS anthology series offers up a variety of authors and tales to tantalize even the most jaded reader.
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero by Peter Straub
===============================================================
Peter Straub is generally considered to be a literary horror writer, and I generally agree with this sentiment. He begins this short with his usual aplomb with the preface to the collection that follows.
Group of Thirty by Jack Ketchum
===============================
Jack Ketchum is, without a doubt, one of my favorite writers. His command of language and his choice of subject matter are a chilling combination of horror and reality. He writes compelling psychological horror that often comes from the actual horrors human beings perpetuate on each other. "Group of Thirty" reads like it is a transcript of his own nightmare.
Nancy by Darynda Jones
======================
This is the first piece I've read by Darynda Jones, and I am impressed. I am hoping that her homages to well-known items in horror and speculative fiction were intentional, because they really gave the story a depth that I quite enjoy. You know that feeling that you're in with the in-crowd? I look forward to reading more just like this one.
I Love You Charlie Pearson by Jacqueline Frank
==============================================
Here is another new voice for me; I do so enjoy discovering writers that are new to me. There are those we love from afar and those we love right to their very core. The gamut of love and obsession gets a brand new twist here.
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far by Brian Hodge
===================================================
My first impression of this story was that it wasn't a horror story at all, then the horror of nihilism reared its subtle head by first disguising itself as minimalism. I may have said too much.
Although I am familiar with the name Brian Hodge, I haven't, as yet, read much of his work. There is nothing like a longish short story to whet one's appetite for more of the same. I do look forward to reading more by this author.
With the exception, perhaps, of the Peter Straub offering, which was not to my liking, I can surely recommend DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME 3 to the most discerning readers of both supernatural and psychological horror.
This review is based on the pre-release copy provided by NetGalley and Cemetery Dance in exchange for a review. Unfortunately, I was left off the initial reviewer list, so my review is offered after publication.
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero by Peter Straub
===============================================================
Peter Straub is generally considered to be a literary horror writer, and I generally agree with this sentiment. He begins this short with his usual aplomb with the preface to the collection that follows.
Group of Thirty by Jack Ketchum
===============================
Jack Ketchum is, without a doubt, one of my favorite writers. His command of language and his choice of subject matter are a chilling combination of horror and reality. He writes compelling psychological horror that often comes from the actual horrors human beings perpetuate on each other. "Group of Thirty" reads like it is a transcript of his own nightmare.
Nancy by Darynda Jones
======================
This is the first piece I've read by Darynda Jones, and I am impressed. I am hoping that her homages to well-known items in horror and speculative fiction were intentional, because they really gave the story a depth that I quite enjoy. You know that feeling that you're in with the in-crowd? I look forward to reading more just like this one.
I Love You Charlie Pearson by Jacqueline Frank
==============================================
Here is another new voice for me; I do so enjoy discovering writers that are new to me. There are those we love from afar and those we love right to their very core. The gamut of love and obsession gets a brand new twist here.
The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far by Brian Hodge
===================================================
My first impression of this story was that it wasn't a horror story at all, then the horror of nihilism reared its subtle head by first disguising itself as minimalism. I may have said too much.
Although I am familiar with the name Brian Hodge, I haven't, as yet, read much of his work. There is nothing like a longish short story to whet one's appetite for more of the same. I do look forward to reading more by this author.
With the exception, perhaps, of the Peter Straub offering, which was not to my liking, I can surely recommend DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME 3 to the most discerning readers of both supernatural and psychological horror.
This review is based on the pre-release copy provided by NetGalley and Cemetery Dance in exchange for a review. Unfortunately, I was left off the initial reviewer list, so my review is offered after publication.
June 6, 2015
Third time's a charm for the Dark Screams anthology series.
After an exceedingly strong opener, followed by a tepid secondary showing, I wasn't at all sure where this third volume would land. I should have known the likes of Ketchum and Straub would not steer me wrong.
It begins with Peter Straub's "The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero," which was a breakaway from the usual fare in so much that the style in which the story was told had as much to do with the subject matter as the story itself. Compiled as a collection of short fiction penned by an acclaimed young prodigy in the literary world, the stories are disquieting both in their rough hewn presentation and the gradual escalation of grimness in what they are trying to convey.
"Group of Thirty" by Jack Ketchum had a neat Hitchcockian vibe to it, and offered a little more in the way of humor than what I'm used to from Ketchum. A bit pat of an ending, but really good at setting the hackles up, as a despondent genre writer is invited to a speaking engagement for rabid fans that winds up a little more precarious than he would have preferred.
Then there are a couple stories I've read others describe as YA horror, which is accurate enough I suppose if you consider Donnie Darko and The Grudge to be YA horror. "Nancy" by Darynda Jones has the new girl in school trying to befriend the outcast in school, but in doing so finds out that the girl who believes she's haunted may not be so crazy after all. Then Jaquelyn Frank's "I Love You Charlie Pearson" goes a little more psycho thriller with its tone, with a crush gone wrong ... oh so very wrong. The two stories are pretty good, solid pacing and plenty of tension, and manage to hold their own among the two previous stories by the vets.
Then along came "The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away" by Brian Hodge. The more atmospheric, brooding story of the bunch, and maybe the most crisply written. It's a slower pace than just about any story in the anthology series so far, but it's easy to get swept up in it. I suppose when it's the preamble to the apocalypse, rather than the apocalypse itself, things won't feel so hectic.
All in all, a strong outing. The blending of the familiar and the new seems to serve itself well, with people coming to the series for the big names getting treated to some new names in horror along the way. I'm keen to see what the fourth installment has in store.
After an exceedingly strong opener, followed by a tepid secondary showing, I wasn't at all sure where this third volume would land. I should have known the likes of Ketchum and Straub would not steer me wrong.
It begins with Peter Straub's "The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero," which was a breakaway from the usual fare in so much that the style in which the story was told had as much to do with the subject matter as the story itself. Compiled as a collection of short fiction penned by an acclaimed young prodigy in the literary world, the stories are disquieting both in their rough hewn presentation and the gradual escalation of grimness in what they are trying to convey.
"Group of Thirty" by Jack Ketchum had a neat Hitchcockian vibe to it, and offered a little more in the way of humor than what I'm used to from Ketchum. A bit pat of an ending, but really good at setting the hackles up, as a despondent genre writer is invited to a speaking engagement for rabid fans that winds up a little more precarious than he would have preferred.
Then there are a couple stories I've read others describe as YA horror, which is accurate enough I suppose if you consider Donnie Darko and The Grudge to be YA horror. "Nancy" by Darynda Jones has the new girl in school trying to befriend the outcast in school, but in doing so finds out that the girl who believes she's haunted may not be so crazy after all. Then Jaquelyn Frank's "I Love You Charlie Pearson" goes a little more psycho thriller with its tone, with a crush gone wrong ... oh so very wrong. The two stories are pretty good, solid pacing and plenty of tension, and manage to hold their own among the two previous stories by the vets.
Then along came "The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away" by Brian Hodge. The more atmospheric, brooding story of the bunch, and maybe the most crisply written. It's a slower pace than just about any story in the anthology series so far, but it's easy to get swept up in it. I suppose when it's the preamble to the apocalypse, rather than the apocalypse itself, things won't feel so hectic.
All in all, a strong outing. The blending of the familiar and the new seems to serve itself well, with people coming to the series for the big names getting treated to some new names in horror along the way. I'm keen to see what the fourth installment has in store.
February 5, 2016
In Dark Screams volume 4, the editors bring together more thrills and chills with a super fun mix of horror big wigs and two ladies who are best known for their paranormal tales! They do hold their own quite well, I have to say! Here's the full TOC:
Peter Straub: The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero
Jack Ketchum: Group of Thirty
Darynda Jones: Nancy
Jacquelyn Frank: I Love You, Charlie Pearson
Brian Hodge: The Lone One and Leven Sands Stretch
Straub's tale of a boy who seemingly foretells his own death first appeared in the 2013 Cemetery Dance collection, Turn Down the Lights. The remaining stories are all brand spanking new to the collection. Ketchum's piece is about an author who comes head to head with a strange set of fans (hopefully this one isn't the least bit autobiographical!) while Darynda Jones gives us a fabulous ghost story. Frank's "Charlie Pearson" is a twisted tale of love and obsession, and Hodge forces us to consider whether urban decay might be catching.
Brian Hodge and Darynda Jones take the top spots in this one for me. Seriously, ghosts and the end of the world? I'm down for that!
Peter Straub: The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero
Jack Ketchum: Group of Thirty
Darynda Jones: Nancy
Jacquelyn Frank: I Love You, Charlie Pearson
Brian Hodge: The Lone One and Leven Sands Stretch
Straub's tale of a boy who seemingly foretells his own death first appeared in the 2013 Cemetery Dance collection, Turn Down the Lights. The remaining stories are all brand spanking new to the collection. Ketchum's piece is about an author who comes head to head with a strange set of fans (hopefully this one isn't the least bit autobiographical!) while Darynda Jones gives us a fabulous ghost story. Frank's "Charlie Pearson" is a twisted tale of love and obsession, and Hodge forces us to consider whether urban decay might be catching.
Brian Hodge and Darynda Jones take the top spots in this one for me. Seriously, ghosts and the end of the world? I'm down for that!
April 15, 2015
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I did not care too much for Dark Screams: Volume Two, but there were a few decent stories in it, so I decided to try Volume Three. Unfortunately, I did not really care for many of these stories at all. I enjoyed the last story the most, but unfortunately, I was disappointed in that story by its underwhelming ending.
I did not care too much for Dark Screams: Volume Two, but there were a few decent stories in it, so I decided to try Volume Three. Unfortunately, I did not really care for many of these stories at all. I enjoyed the last story the most, but unfortunately, I was disappointed in that story by its underwhelming ending.
June 11, 2020
Once again, a marked disappointment. I've given it 3 chances, and this series has just not been worthwhile by any stretch.
THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub
1 star. Unreadably awful. Straub's attempt at mimicking a barely literate child's poor spelling was entirely inaccurate (I'm speaking as a K-12 teacher, I know how 5 year old's actually spell and it ain't like this) and unfathomably tedious. I didn't bother.
GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum
1 star. Self indulgent. I think this story finally broke my tolerance of writers writing about writers. The build up was lacking, the twist was disappointing, and the horror was non-existent.
NANCY by Darynda Jones
4 stars. This was the only story that came close to being good in this book. At least it had something actually happening and it bothered to give the back story. But, there were several key plot holes left unfilled and some mysteries that ought to have been explained, at least in some way, to make sense of what happened.
I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank
1 star. A dull read. The ending came out of nowhere and made no sense whatsoever. The whole story felt forced, and more like a cliche caricature than a description of something that was happening.
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge
1 star. There was an element of something interesting in this, but nothing ever came of it. The horror took such a tiny background role that I couldn't classify this as even being horror.
THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO by Peter Straub
1 star. Unreadably awful. Straub's attempt at mimicking a barely literate child's poor spelling was entirely inaccurate (I'm speaking as a K-12 teacher, I know how 5 year old's actually spell and it ain't like this) and unfathomably tedious. I didn't bother.
GROUP OF THIRTY by Jack Ketchum
1 star. Self indulgent. I think this story finally broke my tolerance of writers writing about writers. The build up was lacking, the twist was disappointing, and the horror was non-existent.
NANCY by Darynda Jones
4 stars. This was the only story that came close to being good in this book. At least it had something actually happening and it bothered to give the back story. But, there were several key plot holes left unfilled and some mysteries that ought to have been explained, at least in some way, to make sense of what happened.
I LOVE YOU, CHARLIE PEARSON by Jacquelyn Frank
1 star. A dull read. The ending came out of nowhere and made no sense whatsoever. The whole story felt forced, and more like a cliche caricature than a description of something that was happening.
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY by Brian Hodge
1 star. There was an element of something interesting in this, but nothing ever came of it. The horror took such a tiny background role that I couldn't classify this as even being horror.
November 28, 2024
Five Stars for Dark Screams: Volume Three
Admittedly I picked up this anthology solely for the Darynda Jones piece, but when I opened it to Peter Straub, I remembered that I once liked something I had read of his, and then it was on. And each story was better than the last. Darynda's was great - like everything she writes, but I think my favorite is the last one. Without getting too deep into spoiler territory, I have been fascinated by urban exploration since I first heard of it 20 some years ago. If I'm being totally honest, it would go back much further than that. I've loved old buildings my entire life. I've loved gothic tales for as long as I've known what they were. And somewhere in the midst of all that is the house that was around the corner from my grandma's house that was abandoned and my cousins and I could no longer resist the urge to check it out when we noticed the door was open. I may have been 10 at the time, but so much about the experience has never left my mind. I'm babbling, but this story brought it out.
Overall, surprisingly, I think Peter Straubs's story was the weakest, which is not an insult to him but a huge pat on the back to all the other authors involved. A couple were new to me but I will be following up on some of their other works.
Anthologies can be rather hit or miss for me - this one is a home run!
Admittedly I picked up this anthology solely for the Darynda Jones piece, but when I opened it to Peter Straub, I remembered that I once liked something I had read of his, and then it was on. And each story was better than the last. Darynda's was great - like everything she writes, but I think my favorite is the last one. Without getting too deep into spoiler territory, I have been fascinated by urban exploration since I first heard of it 20 some years ago. If I'm being totally honest, it would go back much further than that. I've loved old buildings my entire life. I've loved gothic tales for as long as I've known what they were. And somewhere in the midst of all that is the house that was around the corner from my grandma's house that was abandoned and my cousins and I could no longer resist the urge to check it out when we noticed the door was open. I may have been 10 at the time, but so much about the experience has never left my mind. I'm babbling, but this story brought it out.
Overall, surprisingly, I think Peter Straubs's story was the weakest, which is not an insult to him but a huge pat on the back to all the other authors involved. A couple were new to me but I will be following up on some of their other works.
Anthologies can be rather hit or miss for me - this one is a home run!
June 7, 2019
Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar return as editors in this third volume of Dark Screams, a series of anthologies consisting of five stories a pop, written by some terrific authors. So far we've seen tales by the likes of Stephen King, Graham Masterton, Norman Prentiss, Robert R. McCammon and more fantastic writers. These books have been nothing but delightful, so my expectations of the latest entry were naturally high.
You can read Steve's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Steve's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
December 10, 2019
The Third Collectio was a bit of a let down to be honest.
I enjoyed 1 and 2 but this collection already began bad
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prother by Peter Straub who is a good writer by the way but not this short story. It sucked. At first I thought that the reason I was hardly able to understand what the boy was saying was because English is not my first language but I was not the only one that thought it was bad and unreadable.
Group Of Thirty by Jack Ketchum Enjoyed the ending but not that good either. Just okay.
Nancy by Darynda Jones was another just okay story.Young adult
I Love you, Charlie Pearson by Jacqueline Frank Thankfully I did enjoy this one. Maybe not original ending but I liked it.
The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away By Brian Hodge. This story intrigued me at first but after a while the writer lost me.
Just 2.5 stars but I will be nice and give it 3
I enjoyed 1 and 2 but this collection already began bad
The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prother by Peter Straub who is a good writer by the way but not this short story. It sucked. At first I thought that the reason I was hardly able to understand what the boy was saying was because English is not my first language but I was not the only one that thought it was bad and unreadable.
Group Of Thirty by Jack Ketchum Enjoyed the ending but not that good either. Just okay.
Nancy by Darynda Jones was another just okay story.Young adult
I Love you, Charlie Pearson by Jacqueline Frank Thankfully I did enjoy this one. Maybe not original ending but I liked it.
The Lone One and Level Sands Stretch Far Away By Brian Hodge. This story intrigued me at first but after a while the writer lost me.
Just 2.5 stars but I will be nice and give it 3
February 17, 2018
Another great volume of bizarre short stories
Although I wasn't as impressed with this volume as I was with the first two, it is still an impressive read. I like the diversity of the stories -- material that is new and ideas that are just plain bizarre. Because of that, it was a satisfying read. I am a fan of Richard Chizmar, and his compilations of these stories is impressive. Although the volumes are marked as 'horror' stories, I find them creepy in an entertaining kind of way. Fun stuff!
Although I wasn't as impressed with this volume as I was with the first two, it is still an impressive read. I like the diversity of the stories -- material that is new and ideas that are just plain bizarre. Because of that, it was a satisfying read. I am a fan of Richard Chizmar, and his compilations of these stories is impressive. Although the volumes are marked as 'horror' stories, I find them creepy in an entertaining kind of way. Fun stuff!
April 14, 2020
Overall 3.5/5
1/5 The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero: didn't care for, just not my kinda thing
2.5/5 Group of Thirty: good but not great, a good way to get one's mojo back though
3/5 Nancy by Darynda Jones is not as good as her Charlie Davidson series but a decent short overall
3/5 I Love You, Charlie Pearson: definitely takes obsessive to a new level & ends in an unexpected way
3/5 The Lone One & Level Sands Stretch Far Away: definitely makes one question life as well as thinking about the things that we can't see moving in the dark
1/5 The Collected Short Stories of Freddie Prothero: didn't care for, just not my kinda thing
2.5/5 Group of Thirty: good but not great, a good way to get one's mojo back though
3/5 Nancy by Darynda Jones is not as good as her Charlie Davidson series but a decent short overall
3/5 I Love You, Charlie Pearson: definitely takes obsessive to a new level & ends in an unexpected way
3/5 The Lone One & Level Sands Stretch Far Away: definitely makes one question life as well as thinking about the things that we can't see moving in the dark
June 27, 2021
My favorite stories from this the third volume of Dark Screams were “Group of Thirty” by Jack Ketchum by Jack Ketchum and “The Lone and Level Sands Stretch Far Away” by Brian Hodge. These 2 short stories are well worth the price. The other 2 short stories were entertaining. The Peter Straub short story I just didn't get.
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