With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer

by J.R. Hamantaschen

The follow-up to his critically acclaimed collection, You Shall Never Know Security, J.R. Hamantaschen returns with another collection of his inimitable brand of weird, dark fiction. At turns despairing, resonant, macabre and insightful, these nine stories intend to stay with you.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Weird Fiction, New Weird, Collections, Anthologies

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2015

Reviews

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is partly a review and partly evidence to be sent to the police after i am totally murdered. i, of course, will be totally murdered at the time, so if someone could forward this for me while i'm all decomposing and stuff, i'd appreciate it.

i may have met the author of this book once or twice. i've read his first book - You Shall Never Know Security, we've had some chats over peanut butter, and he knows that i am not a fan of lovecraft because of my inability to process that style of horror writing that is suggestive rather than specifically defined. and so when j.r. asked me to read this, his second book, i tried to probe him a little with questions of "on a scale of one to suuuupereldritch, how lovecrafty is this??" and he was all "nooooooooo, this is not lovecrafty at all."



so, it opens with a story in which all kindsa dreamsy ineffably horrific things happen to a group of girls, and i'm raising a single eyebrow, which i can't even do, so i'm just looking surprised instead of skeptical, and THEN there i am, 54 pages into the third story in the book, which is all about the ethical dilemmas of social work and i'm really getting into it, like i'm watching a law and order episode and then OUT OF NOWHERE, it turns into the MOST lovecrafty of ALL lovecrafties, and then later there's a story ABOUT A LOVECRAFT CONVENTION!!

no one likes a liar, hamantaschen. if that's even your real name….



there is also a story about how poop can save your life.

but none of that is important since - hello - i'm dead over here! what's important is the story titled Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story which title is essentially a true confession, detectives. sorry i'm dead and you have to work this case and all, but let me help you out a little with some lit crit/evidence.

i am choosing to read this story, in which a goodreads reviewer named karen is stalked and attacked and to whom many horrible bloody things happen as a direct threat against my person so if i EVER die EVER, it was definitely murrrrrderrrr and it was definitely j.r. hamantaschen. someone notarize this shit.



so, in this story, a top goodreads reviewer who enjoys books with titles such as Mounted by the Monster and i have read seven titles in that series , I, Whorebot my review for I, Slutbot , and The Maiden and the Deer Gods my review for The Maiden and the BEAR Gods , who calls out a hilarious typo in one of them: She felt it contract and spurt hot liquid deep into her worm which is verbatim what i did here and whose profile picture is …decked out for Fall, the lower part of her face covered by red-and-orange crumpled leaves … and is "chesty," although fifteen pounds overweight. which - fuck you, story! i hope you make lots of friends in prison!



so anyway, this "sexy goth librarian" reviewer wins a book through the goodreads firstreads program, and it's really bad. it's in her beloved bizarro-sphere, but it's ineptly written and shocking for shocking's sake only and boring boring boring.

The genre she was reviewing, of course, was largely fatuous trash, but she made an effort to separate the wheat from the chaff. I mean, there's something to be said about trash done right.

so, karen reads as much as she can before she gives up in disgust and she's faced with that horrible dilemma when given "a free book for an honest review." She hated writing bad reviews, although she did it if a book was unbearably twee or pretentious, in which case she could be scathing. this one is just "bleh," so karen pushes it down in the review stack, but then the author gets impatient and starts harassing her with threatening emails and this pisses karen off and there are retorts and then the author loses his fucking mind and shit escalates in a really bloody way.

now, there are some descriptors here in which it is clear that it is NOT ME:

*i am not a high school senior. (but i once was)
*i do not live in rhode island (but i did when i was a high school senior)
*my room is not messy
*i do not own a kindle
*i do not say "coolio," i just cook like him
*and back to that fifteen pounds too chubby?? imma FUCK YOU UP, story!

there are also some inaccuracies about the way goodreads works, but for the most part, this is definitely about me and what the author is going to do to me if i don't give him fast, glowing reviews. also, a later story takes place in the neighborhood in which i now live. THE STORY IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!

and so because it took me so long to review this book after reading it, i'm assuming he's right outside my apartment RIGHT NOW and he won't listen to any excuses about how it's just that reviewing short story collections is the WORST and the MOST DRAINING of all possible reviews and what is that noise?? NOOOO NOOOOOOOO STOOOOP NOOOOOOO



call the cops, kids.

(3.5 stars - but it's not the book's fault that i am in such short story burnout right now.)

come to my blog!

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm Writing A Review and I Have No Idea if I Can Do This Book Justice, But I'm Going To Try.

J.R. Hamantaschen has done it again. I just finished reading his second collection of short stories, and I feel ... weird. This author is gooood. I can imagine him sitting in a coffee shop, sipping a beverage and covertly observing life around him. I believe that he takes in every detail and stores it away for future reference. I believe that he is a keen observer, because J.R. Hamantaschen knows people. He knows how they speak, he knows how they think, and he knows what they fear. He understands existential angst, and he turns unnamable fears into monsters. These stories are about everyday people who are unsure of themselves and of the situations they find themselves in. We can identify with these characters, because we all live in this ambiguous world, and none of us have the answers. This book may make you feel uncomfortable, but it's worth every moment. Like me, you may even find yourself laughing aloud at the author's quick wit. Highly recommended.

[Paul Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer by J.R. Hamantaschen is a bit of a mouthful of a title and I was expecting big things from this book which is probably an unfair way of approaching it. I've seen lots of positive things about With A Voice from friends and also from his first short story anthology You Shall Never Know Security.

My favourite story with a quite apt title was Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story about a goodreads reviewer who receives a free book from a local author, the author starts hounding for a review and things are turning nasty but I wasn't prepared for this nasty. A bestseller beckons but in bloody unlikely and brutal circumstances, after reading this you'll think twice before leaving a negative review, I guarantee it.

Another favourite was I’m A Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better , starting off with a pretty normal date between Robin and Bryce at the good old Deer and Fox, rudely interrupted by Bryce overcome with desperation for a trip to the white house to drop some visitors in. Embarrassment doesn't cover it and the clocks ticking, how long will she wait, gotta get off, help. No need to worry though, well, tell a lie, there's every need to worry at what's going down in the dining area. It's all gone mental, there's a strange bloke who's controlling all kinds of monsters and ripping people to shreds, monsters are referred to as minions but these ain't little yellow funny fuckers. These are demons but before and after the carnage is some consuming emotional shenanigans and a little toilet humour. I did enjoy this with the violently weirdish interlude that certainly changes tact.

'He wanted an adjustment to his face, something to scare the shit out of people right before he killed them — wanted his mouth to spread out like the wings of a manta ray, little suckers and teeth embedded into his checks. But he couldn’t will that, for some reason.'

I found With A Voice to be a bit of a mixed bag, for the most part the stories started off walking down Normal Avenue with intriguing characterisation, well written and sometimes delightful prose that deserves to be fully appreciated and absorbed. You're just getting used to what's occurring and thinking where it's going because there's considerable time spent on the setup when quite suddenly we turn off Normal Avenue and abruptly head down Weirdfuckingville Alley. Which is not a negative slant it's just something different to wrap your head around.

Now it's a good job there's an easy to use dictionary on kindle because I'd swear J.R. Hamantaschen is making sweet, sweet love to and then battering his thesaurus with his third leg because at times it was like showing off with I know some big words that you'll never understand kinda writing. Call me thick if you like but if you immediately know without looking what this lot means then congratulations you need a fucking life platitudinous, meretricious, Cognitive dissonance, solipsistic, stentorian, didactic tone and finally, enunciation inchoate. Joking aside do you ignore or interrupt the flow, I interrupted and just thought, why man?

So on the whole we've got some seriously weird, dark fiction that even now I'm still in two minds about, I can appreciate it but I don't think I'll ever truly love it. There's certainly brilliance here, a touch different maybe, the more I think back the more I like it, it just takes some assimilating and some smaller titles would be good.

Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...

And http://www.shelfinflicted.com/2016/01...

[Zoeytron · Rating 4 out of 5]

'His elbows shook and clicked and chattered like they were filled with rattling dice.
This was going to be great.
This was going to be awful.'

For your consideration, nine short stories that define originality. A simple dinner date turns a very dark corner. A social worker with a possible prejudice against owl-faced men wrestles with his conscience. A mask fashioned out of a diaper, a 'pungent turn of phrase', people with attitudes of superiority, and those full of disenchantment; self-doubt, moral deviations, depression, dreams. Is it ultimately going to matter if you are a good person? Nope, not inside of these pages.

My favorites were I'm a Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better and Vernichtungsschmerz. This is horror done right.

[Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway, for the record. I went into this book fairly blind, not having read the author's work before - and I pride myself on being in touch with what's happening in small press horror/dark fiction. Somehow, Hamantaschen had slipped under my radar. So I registered for and won With a Voice That Is Often Still Confused But Is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer, one of the more inventive and evocative titles for a book that I've seen. Hamantaschen's titles are, to some degree, works of art in and of themselves.

Not knowing what I was getting into, I found myself in a cloud of depression and gore. Now, I'm not too keen on depression and gore, though I've read and written my share of horror. I'm more bent on the weird and the eerie than I am on the outright horrific, so I had a little bit of apprehension about the stories contained herein. Depression reigns supreme here, outright nihilism. And there is more than a fair amount of gore here, which is just not my thing.

That said, I did find a lot to like here. It's kind of like visiting a museum that I'm not entirely enamored of, but finding the occasional painting or sculpture that trips my trigger. There are enough interesting details that I was never so put off by the stories that I wanted to give up reading the collection. There were a fair amount of grammar errors, but I edit professionally, so those are going to stick out to me. I'm not such a snob, though, that they got in the way of appreciating some of the fine thought and good workmanship that went into the book. Just annoyances, really. "A trifle," as Ligotti would say.

I liked, but didn't love "Vernichtungsschmerz". The central conceit - the chance to be rescued from an eternity of suffering - was well-conceived and laid out. In practice, though, this story of four childhood friends could have been written without the third friend and been better for it. The concept was stretched a bit too thin for me. A solid three star story.

"A Related Corollary" is a sharp, deep dive into the depressive mind. A good explication on what it feels like to be shrouded in depression and, specifically, how the logic of cynicism oppresses while simultaneously giving a sense of empowerment. More a philosophical exploration than a true "story", but I enjoy philosophical deep-dives. Four stars.

I quite liked "The Gulf of Responsibility". It had some issues - overly detailed descriptions and one sidelong character relationship that had absolutely no bearing on the story at all - but I really liked it. Conspiratorial, surreal, horrific, with an unexpected, but inevitable ending. The social issues here are handled with a bit of paranoia that is justified by the context of the story. Four stars.

"Big with the Past, Pregnant with the Future" is outstanding! This is the kind of subtle, understated story I love, one that doesn't explain too much; One that lets the unstated carry the story - the darkness in the background that is the abode of dread. Five stars, and I wish there were more like this in the collection. A testament to what good editing can do to keep a story from being overwrought.

"Soon Enough this will Essentially be a True Story" was good, not great. Frankly, I'm not a huge fan of gore horror. And, truth be told, I'm almost certain I know who the character "Karen" is modeled after (she is one of my Goodreads friends, but I have a few, and, no, I'm not telling you who I think it is - if you dig through the other reviews of this book, you'll know), so it seemed a little . . . indulgent? Three stars and now I fear for my life for giving it that rating. You'll know why after you read the story.

"I'm a Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better" is A) funny, B) trite and silly, C) poignant, or D) all of the above. The correct answer is D) all of the above. This story runs the gamut of emotions, a run that will leave most people uncomfortable. For this evocative, yet intentionally insipid story, four awkward stars.

"Cthulhu, Zombies, Ninjas and Robots!; or, a Special Snowflake in an Endless Scorching Universe," takes cynicism and elitism to a new level. If you've ever been to a convention where geeks hang out, or if you happen to be one of those geeks, you'll find some awfully familiar things here. But you'll also find one awful thing that you (hopefully) have never found at such a convention. A nice twist on what it means to be "Lovecraftian". Four stars.

"Oh Abel, Oh Absalom" is a satisfying story with a nod back to "The Gulf of Responsibility," a nice trick that Jon Padgett used to great effect in The Secret of Ventriloquism. Massive conspiracy, a bad guy stuck in a bad place, with more cosmic horror than the other stories, but not quite as pedantic as some seemed. Four stars.

So, if you, like me, sometimes look at what seems to be a rather ordinary painting, but can appreciate the deft use of chiaroscuro or the way a swatch of color flashes out just so at a certain angle, and if you tend toward the strange more than the awful, there is definitely something here for you. Maybe four stars worth, as there was for me. Keep peeking into those hidden corners to find that beautiful something . . . but don't stick your finger in there.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

So right off the bat, I’m thinking “With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer” better be f’n good because I’m already exhausted just trying to remember the title. From this point forward I will call it “WaVtiOSCBiGELaC.” Sh*t, no. (It looks cool that way though.) Maybe I’ll just go with the author’s name because that’s got to be easier. Seriously? Hamantaschen? Damn. I can’t catch a break.

Ok. I hereby dub this one, J.R.’s short story collection “With a Voice…”

Done. Now I feel better.

Vernichtungsschmerz – "Come with me, Julia, come with me." Maybe there really are rainbows and sunshine in here…Nope.

A Related Corollary – Megan isn’t feeling well and Cathy isn’t helping. A depressing and short, short.

The Gulf of Responsibility – Social work is a noble profession. Sometimes. At least Alex is trying.

Big with the Past, Pregnant with the Future – Lawyers are scum. (Unless you are a lawyer, then just other lawyers are scum.)

Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story – Karen digs monster porn (who doesn’t?) and entering GoodReads giveaways (Gross). I may have that backwards. Maybe not.

I’m A Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better – Bryce the IBS man meets a monster or “The Shitters and the Critters.” A love story.

Cthulhu, Zombies, Ninjas and Robots!; or, a Special Snowflake in an Endless Scorching Universe – Malcolm is walking the Cthulhu Con in the uncaring universe and is having a great time. Just doing a little test work.

Oh Abel, Oh Absalom – Vernon gets out of the frying pan and into the fire. I wasn’t too sad about it either, really.

“It’s Not Feelings of Anxiety; It’s One, Constant Feeling: Anxiety” – Miles is living the American dream, except he may not want it. At least he has a cool name.


“With a Voice…” is a very well written and eclectic collection - from dark to old school to lighter fare. Even the lighter stories get pretty dark, but I wasn’t interested in reading this for the sunshine and rainbows anyway. Every one of these tales brings something different to the party, but they all shine in their own right. 4+ Stars!

J.R. was kind enough to send me a copy of this super long titled collection of short and mildly short, shorts and I appreciate it. I am glad it didn’t suck ;-) He did not even request that I read and review, but I am anyway out of plain ole common courtesy and I don’t want him to go all KatMandu on me. Thanks, J.R!

[Lee Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really dug this collection. Reminded me of an early Clive Barker. I may (or may not) write a longer review in the future, but either way... if you dig intelligent dark fiction, give this guy a chance.

[Paul Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's some true strength going on in the current underworld of horror fiction (see Matthew Bartlett, Dynatox Ministries, etc).
J.R Hamantaschen's second collection might just lead the charge.
While distilling Dark Gods-era T.E.D. Klein, Hamantaschen succeeds in adding his own mixture of transgressive attitude, antinatalist philosophy and endearing melancholia.
Standouts on a first read are his larger works::
"Vernichtungsschmerz"
"The Gulf of Responsibility"
"It's Not Feelings of Anxiety; It's One Constant Feeling: Anxiety".
Something else exists among the many standouts here, a tale that had me wondering whether I was reading the manifesto of a serial killer with an ingenious plan: "Soon Enough This Will Eventually Be A True Story".
Touché, Hamantaschen, touché.

4.5/5 stars.
HIGHLY recommended.

[Seregil of Rhiminee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at Risingshadow.

J.R. Hamantaschen's With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer is an excellent follow-up to the author's debut collection, You Shall Never Know Security (2011). It's one of the most impressive dark fiction collections of the year, because it's fascinatingly different from other collections and contains beautifully written stories.

Before I delve into the contents of this collection, I'll say a few words about dark fiction. If there are readers out there who are not aware of what dark fiction means, I can mention that it means fiction that focuses on death, fear and the darker side of human nature. Dark fiction can be classified as horror fiction, but it is sometimes used to distinguish certain stories and novels from mainstream horror fiction.

With this collection, J.R. Hamantaschen cements his place at the top of contemporary dark fiction, because it's a landmark collection of dark prose and a magnificent glimpse into human condition. In my opinion, the author has developed quite a lot as an author and tells intriguingly dark stories in a bold and confident way.

J.R. Hamantaschen has a voice of his own and he dares to use it in an imaginative way. He demonstrates that the boundaries of dark fantasy and horror can be pushed and stretched into interesting directions by approaching well-known elements in a new way and avoiding the most typical plot twists. He approaches darkness and weirdness in his own unique and subtle way, because he entertains and shocks his readers with realistic stories that have been coated with a particularly interesting touch of death and impending doom.

This collection contains the following stories:

- Vernichtungsschmerz
- A Related Corollary
- The Gulf of Responsibility
- Big with the Past, Pregnant with the Future
- Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story
- I'm a Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better
- Cthulhu, Zombies, Ninjas and Robots!; or, a Special Snowflake in an Endless Scorching Universe
- Oh Abel, Oh Absalom
- "It's Not Feelings of Anxiety; It's One, Constant Feeling: Anxiety"

All of these stories are insightful, astonishingly effective and well written dark fiction stories for adults. They're raw and compelling stories that reflect the darker side of human nature and shine light on the things that are normally left unmentioned.

The prose is good, evocative and striking, and at times it even has a distinct poetic edge to it. I have to mention that I'm sensing an intriguing touch of Thomas Ligotti, T.E.D. Klein and Clive Barker in this collection, because there's something in these stories that slightly reminds me of their stories.

By the way, I recommend reading these stories in order, because some of them are connected to each other.

Here's more information about the stories and my thoughts about them:

Vernichtungsschmerz:

- This is a story about Julia, Clare, Venice and Lynn who are confronted by death and their own mortality. Julia sees a dream in which a strange cosmic being offers her a painless exit out of existence. The being tells her that it is there to help her and she doesn't have to fear anything...
- Death comes in different forms to the characters in this story. The author writes unflinchingly about death and what kind of feelings are associated with it. He shows that death can be peaceful or painful. He even goes as far as to describe what a dying person feels.
- The ending is brilliant and will impress many readers.
- If you're not fluent in German, I can mention that the title of this story means literally "annihilation pain", "pain of annihilation", "destruction pain" and "pain of destruction". If I'm not mistaken, "Vernichtungsschmerz" is a medical term used by German doctors to describe the amount of pain some patients with serious diseases feel.

A Related Corollary:

- A story about Megan and Cathy who meet each other in a teahouse. Megan is feeling depressed and Cathy tries to console and help her...
- This is one of the best stories about depression I've ever read, because the author handles all the imporant issues that are related to depression in a perfect way.

The Gulf of Responsibility:

- This is a story about a social worker, Alex, who is Gloria's caseworker. Gloria is pregnant and is thinking of having an abortion. Her financial situation isn't good, but she gets by. Alex becomes increasingly interested in Gloria's possible income, because she may have not mentioned everything to him...
- The author writes about Alex's life and work in an excellent way and makes him a three-dimensional character with his own problems and worries. Alex's social worker-client relationship with Gloria is handled well, and so is his personal relationship with Caroline.
- This story contains excellent commentary and thoughtful speculation about life, social welfare, income and abortions.
- The ending is interesting.

Big with the Past, Pregnant with the Future:

- A well written story about Michael, who's a first year law student at Yale.
- The author writes well about such issues as GPA and LSAT and their importance to certain people and institutions. He also writes about race and racial issues in an excellent way.

Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story:

- A story about Karen who's a high school senior. Karen likes to hang out at Goodreads. She reads and reviews books that are "somewhat" different from normal books and contain weird happenings. The books she reads are mostly trash, but she likes them. When she begins to review a book by a weird person, her life soon turns into a nightmare...
- The author's approach to online happenings and websites feels delightfully fresh.
- Sex and sexuality are handled in an excellent way in this story, because the author pays attention to them by writing about how Karen feels about sex and what kind of sex she has.
- In my opinion, one of the most interesting things about this story is that the author writes about what it feels like to write reviews.
- I have to mention that it's a been a while since I've read a story as clever and brilliant as this one, because it's a brilliantly disturbing glimpse into the life of a teenaged girl who spends time online and reviews books.
- The atmosphere reminded slightly of "The Cutest Girl in Class" (written by Quentin S. Crisp, Brendan Connell and Justin Isis).

I'm a Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better:

- A story about Bryce who's out on a date and has bowel problems that cause him embarrassment. When he goes to the bathroom, things take a turn for the worse and something unexpected and brutal happens at the restaurant...
- In my opinion, the author writes surprisingly well about Bryce's feelings about dating and exceptionally boldly about his bodily functions.
- This is a well written story with a touch of pitch black humour.
- The ending that is something a bit different (I think that the ending will impress readers).

Cthulhu, Zombies, Ninjas and Robots!; or, a Special Snowflake in an Endless Scorching Universe:

- In this story, Malcolm attends a Con of Cthulhu Convention and observes things...
- This is a brilliant and amusing story, because the author writes about what kind of commercialism and enthusiasm is related on H. P. Lovecraft's stories and Cthulhu Mythos. The author nicely focuses on the commercial aspects of Cthulhu fandom and tells how far people have gone in their worship of Lovecraft's Cthulhu stories.
- As a big fan of Lovecraftian weird fiction, I have to mention that I enjoyed this story very much, because it was something totally different and contained sarcastic and ironic humour. I'm sure that this story will be of special interest to those who love Lovecraftian weird fiction.

Oh Abel, Oh Absalom:

- A story about a Puerto Rican man, Vernon, who is getting out of prison. When he gets out of prison, he is contacted by a group men who seem to have a lot of influence and power...
- The author writes well about Vernon's life, his decisions and what he has done to deserve a prison sentence.
- This is a powerful and well written story that has a connection to one of the previous stories, "The Gulf of Responsibility".

"It's Not Feelings of Anxiety; It's One, Constant Feeling: Anxiety":

- A story about Miles who is the father of a small boy. Miles has to deal with feelings related to responsibility, family life, children and being a father...
- The author writes perfectly about Miles' life and feelings. He pays quite a lot of attention to Miles' feelings and makes him an intereting character.
- This is an excellent story (it's a perfect final story).

These fascinatingly dark stories are firmly rooted in reality. The human condition is being explored in them in a mesmerising and memorable way, because the author is aware of the fact that life can simultaneously be beautiful and cruel. The terrifying beauty, ugliness and darkness of everyday life is diplayed in glorious and harsh realism in these stories without sugarcoating.

You'll find a wealth of observant prose, insightful comments and sharp social commentary in these stories. The author writes about many different themes and issues - death, depression, social problems, sex, sexuality, dating, family life etc - in an excellent way without resorting to clichés. He seems to be able to write about all kinds of things and doesn't shy away from difficult material.

One of the best things about this collection is that the author writes about the characters, their lives and their feelings in an effortless way. He's exceptionally good at creating believable and strong characters, because his characters feel realistic and have lives of their own that are filled with sadness, loneliness, pain, loss, melancholy, despair and anxiety. He gives his characters distinct personalities and brings them fully to life by writing about their feelings in a realistic way.

The characters seem to be almost helplessly drawn towards darkness and doom that threatens their everyday life. By writing about the characters in this way, the author ensures that his readers are drawn to the characters and their fates and can't turn away their eyes from the bad and terrifying happenings.

The author focuses nicely on writing about what the characters feel and what happens to them. Reading about the characters' feelings is captivating, because there's real human emotion in all of these stories. Nothing feels artificial when you read about the characters and their feelings.

The quality of the prose is stunningly good. I enjoyed reading the author's prose, because he writes fluent and excellent prose. He pays attention to small details and writes well about the characters. He effortlessly unearths the horrors that lurk in our minds and hide beneath the surface of everyday life. He gives his readers a fascinating disturbing glimpse into a world where eveything is not okay and dark and disturbing things can - and will - happen to people.

When you read this collection, you'll notice that there's a wonderfully unsettling and satisfyingly weird atmosphere in all of the stories. In my opinion, the author manages to evoke genuine feelings of unease and dread in the reader, which is a talent that only a few dark fiction authors have. I'm sure that these stories will linger on the reader's mind for a long time after the last page is read, because it's almost impossible to stop thinking about the characters and the happenings.

If you like dark fiction and have never heard of J.R. Hamantaschen, now would be a good time to start reading his stories, because he's one of the best and most original authors in the field of dark fiction. I sincerely hope that he continues to write more stories, because it's a pleasure to read his dark stories.

J.R. Hamantaschen's With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer is an exceptionally good and original dark fiction collection that deserves to be read by fans of the darker side of speculative fiction. It's a perfect marriage of literary fiction and dark fiction.

If you value quality, good prose and interesting stories, you'll enjoy this collection. If you've ever read anything by such authors as H.P. Lovecraft, Nathan Ballingrud, Thomas Ligotti, Laird Barron, Clive Barker, Richard Gavin, T.E.D. Klein, D.P. Watt, Quentin S. Crisp and Brendan Connell, I urge you to read this collection. (By the way, if you find this collection interesting, please take a look at the author's debut collection, because it's also an excellent collection.)

Highly recommended!

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

That doozy of a title is borrowed from a Communist League manifesto of 1847: "... the angry masses of the proletariat are in motion and are demanding their liberation from the fetters of money rule, from the fetters of the bourgeoisie, with a voice that is often still confused but is becoming ever louder and cleared." I was going to say that this isn't a particularly Marxist work, but I suppose if you think about it, cosmic horror is kind of the reductio ad absurdum of Marx's dictum that people make their own history, but not in circumstances of their own choosing. If it's true of the materialist social forces that surround us, it's just as true of the vast, uncaring universe, whether or not it's populated by unknowable horrors.

Hamantaschen excels at painting the day-to-day lives of his dissatisfied protagonists, slogging through work and play and relationships before outer (or inner!) corruption sets in. The prose is a very folksy/ultra-contemporary style (not at all what you would expect from the title) that matches the world of the everyday quite well, although sometimes (in the dialogue especially) it's a little TOO true-to-life. Throughout, the voice is simultaneously smirky and put-upon, indignant at the state of the world and the characters' travails.

Overall, a solid self-published collection of dark stories by an author with a distinctive voice.


Vernichtungsschmerz
German for "to be annihilated with pain," so we're in very cheery territory right off the bat. In New York, four high school friends live typical lives of suburban resentment and discontent, complete with painful teenage banter and pop culture references. Their paths diverge after dream visits from some omniscient being who offers to spare them the unknowable horror of death by immediately wiping them from existance. If life is a net negative, why suffer through it at all? One reason
might be to learn new words, which is how the being proves its real-ness/separation from the psyche of the dreamers (as it knows the meanings of words they don't), and agency - making choices as a real/separate entity - is an important consideration here. Aleister Crowley's "The Testament of Magdalene Blair" (1913) covered similar ground, using a vague intervention (a telepathic link between a married couple) to explore the abject misery and unending pain of death (shades of Poe, as well). I don't think he took it in quite such an anti-natalist direction though, although it's been several years since I've read it.

A Related Corollary
The most straightforwardly-realist of the bunch, a case study of depression and the balance between social networks and selfishness as two friends converse in a diner.

The Gulf of Responsibility
A New York social worker, passively going through the motions of life and career, gets embroiled in some shady goings-on when he investigates a client who seems to be pregnant more often than she should. That set-up triggered some alarm bells for me, but the character was treated sympathetically, and I enjoyed where the story went - sometimes it's best to accept that a boring life is a good life, and to leave well enough alone.

Big with the Past, Pregnant with the Future
An email leak at Yale law prompts a (passing) black student to reflect on a spooky moment from his past. He dreads confronting the school pariah, a class-reductionist anti-identity politics asshole. What does it mean to profit from past injustices wreaked on your family? Rather open-ended, stretching out the tension rather than resolving it.

Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story
The extremely online story of a Goodreads reviewer targeted by a serial killer whose book she disparaged. None of that is my thing but, you know, this was a well-constructed story in terms of ratcheting up tension and people who like this sort of thing, etc.

I'm A Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better
The indignities of being on a date with someone you met online give way to an astoundingly lengthy interlude about the indignities of gastrointestinal distress. Then, monsters attack, summoned by a recently-fired cook undergoing some sort of mutation/break with reality. The cook not being particularly imaginative, said monsters are vague pastiche drawn from video games and movies - Ghouls and Ghosts, Super Mario Brothers, Futurama, Critters, etc. An absolutely fantastic denouement follows all that violence. The only thing keeping me from unreservedly recommending this one is the astounding length of time focused on shitting. I get it, thematically, but...

Cthulhu, Zombies, Ninjas and Robots!; or, a Special Snowflake in an Endless Scorching Universe
There's a pretty big disconnect between the actual content of Lovecraft's writing and cutesy fan culture and commodification, huh?

Oh Abel, Oh Absalom
The low point of the collection, a sequel to one of the other stories that adds nothing to the prior tale except worse dialogue and a bizarre fixation on colorism.

"It's Not Feelings of Anxiety; It's One, Constant Feeling: Anxiety"
A reunion with an old friend prompts an anti-natalist sellout to reflect on parenthood, family, and career, coinciding with strange happenings on the part of his toddler son. Ennui gives way to something worse, and this story beautifully synthesizes a lot of what's gone before in the collection. I would say it's the heart of the book, but heart is entirely too gentle and positive a word. "Existence had not been his fault."

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

between 4 and 5, rounded up. This book is one I really didn't appreciate fully until stepping away from it for a while. There is a longer version at my online reading journal; or if you just want the "what did I think" thing, here you are:

There are nine stories in this bizarre but really, really good anthology, and from the moment it opens with a big bang in his "Vernichtungsschmerz" until the final page of "It's Not Feelings of Anxiety; It's One Constant Feeling: Anxiety," the book is simply unputdownable. Actually, if he'd given the name of the last story to this collection, it wouldn't be far off the mark -- this book is just loaded with anxieties of all sorts, and while not quite as dark, there's a general feel (at least to me) of some of Ligotti's work running underneath these stories. Then again, the story about the goodreads reviewer "Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story" had enough of a funny, snarky, sarcastic edge that just made me laugh. I'm not one to generally think serial killer stories are laughable, but the main character reminds me of so many people on goodreads and on other social media as well who produce an out and out eye roll when I see their posts -- and the author caught that vibe spot on. Well, that and the book titles ...

I'm not going to go into each and every story here -- many people writing online have done that, but this book is most definitely something readers should experience for themselves. I will say that the beauty of this collection is in the author's ability to take mundane, normal situations and twist them so that by the time I was not even midway through each one, I started getting those stomach knots that for me tend to signal some sort of impending doom on the horizon.

I defy anyone to come away from this book without even a slight frisson of horror or creepiness running up his or her spine; like the very best modern dark fiction/horror/weird fiction authors out there, Hamantaschen has a way of commenting on our societal anxieties and fears without having to spell it out or get in one's face about it. The thing is, a reader won't clue into just how uneasy this author makes him/her feel until that twisty but personal moment in every story that resonates with having been there, seen that -- and that's seriously how it should be, in my opinion.

Oh yeah. I'm definitely passing on my recommendation to anyone who will listen.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.R. Hamantaschen’s debut collection, You Shall Never Know Security, was a very well-regarded one in the horror and weird fiction communities. The followup, With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer, further proves that Hamantaschen is the real deal. Hopefully he’ll bring us many more stories.

“Vernichtungsschmerz” shifts between dreams and consciousness, the crux of the plot hinging on a literal life or death decision. Julia, a high school junior, is visited in a dream by a being that offers her a choice: live out the rest of her life knowing the truth about death, or follow the being into death, voiding her existence painlessly and immediately. The truth, as it turns out, is that death is a subjectively eternal agony, “… every nerve and molecule of your being, flayed, in perpetuity.” After Julia makes her choice, the gauntlet is passed to her three closest friends, and the rest of the story follows them as their own choices play out.

The glimpse into depression offered in “A Related Corollary” is painful, but primal in its honesty. It’s a scant few pages describing, ostensibly, a couple of friends sharing drinks. What it really defines is the bleak interior landscape of a woman caught in an ineffable blackness. The sadness, hopelessness, and alienation of depression are painstakingly described, and likewise the paradox of being simultaneously engaged with the world and seeing reality for what it truly is.

In “The Gulf of Responsibility”, a social worker who’s mildly disillusioned with the mundanity of his life draws himself unwittingly into what may or may not be a grand conspiracy involving some sort of death cult (it’s essentially a mystery story, so the less said here, the better.) As it turns out, sometimes when you’re paranoid, they are out to get you. The conclusion works as well as it does partly because the main character is more or less an everyman who makes the simple decision to live a little. As he says, “I made myself care. I should have just minded my business, like everyone else. No one really cares. I just wanted something to do. I wanted to feel like I was doing something, well, like I was doing something productive. I’m so stupid.” A later story in the collection, “Oh Abel, Oh Absalom”, expands on this one with a different main character.

In “Big with the Past, Pregnant with the Future”, the accidental leak of the admissions materials of roughly half the first-year students at Yale Law School dredges up an otherworldly, traumatic event from one student’s past. The politics of academia meet personal horror, and if anything is certain, it’s that nothing ever can be.

“Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story” begins innocently enough and becomes the literary equivalent of a book reviewer’s worst nightmare. Karen, a top Goodreads reviewer (and fervent entrant of contests) wins a book in a giveaway. Five minutes later she gets an email stating the book has been sent. After reading some of the book, she realizes she doesn’t like it and decides not to leave a review. From here on the author makes himself known in an increasingly disturbing manner, and it’s clear he’s a volatile individual. Murderous, even. As all of the stories in the collection do, this one works on multiple levels. There’s the sheer terror of being stalked and threatened, and the eventual gore factor. Beneath the lurid surface it looks at the precarious balance between validation-seeking and the importance of privacy in the digital age.

While the previous story had some nasty gore, “I’m A Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better” has it by the bucket-load. In a considerable change of pace from the previous stories, this one is set up as a standard revenge tale and ends up being a blood-drenched, riotous love letter to horror b-movies and retro video games, with a side of laugh-out-loud scatalogical glee. The strains of ineffectuality and estrangement that mark the collection as a whole are still at play here, but “play” is the operative word.

“Cthulhu, Zombies, Ninjas and Robots!; or, a Special Snowflake in an Endless Scorching Universe” takes a scathing look at a Cthulhu convention. Explored here is the absurdity of reducing Lovecraft’s mythos to a series of trinkets, clothing, and pornography, the lauding of his work despite his personal beliefs, and the paradox of capitalizing on his philosophy in fiction while avoiding it in everyday life.

Depression is the focal point once more in the final story, “It’s Not Feelings of Anxiety; It’s One, Constant Feeling: Anxiety”. Here we have a man who seems happy enough with his lot in life, but scratch the surface and we find he’s merely going through the motions. There’s something to be said about caring enough to go through the motions, of course, but this too can fall apart under the right circumstances. These circumstances are front and center here, as the main character’s feelings of despair and futility are given tangible form. The end result is far from pleasant.

Put simply, With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer is a brilliant and vital addition to the landscape of dark fiction. Hamantaschen has an impressive eye for detail, for the absurdities, imperfections, grit, and so often unvoiced thoughts, gestures, and actions that mark us as human. There’s a pitch-perfect balance here between emotional depth and philosophical questioning. The supernatural is deftly combined with urban malaise, personalized fears and anxieties, and an undefined, deeper darkness encroaching from all corners. It’s not often a collection of this caliber comes around.

Highly recommended.


review originally posted at hellnotes.com

[solitaryfossil · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Four A’s: Angst, Anger, Agony, Anxiety.

Another great collection from J.R. Hamantaschen, dark fiction shorts done so right. From the screamingly funny story with a nod to goodreads reviewers, to the wonderful takedown of H. P. Lovecraft (I hate his writing/entire being with a Purple Prose Passion) and the goofy Cthulhu Mythos (eye roll), to the final piece that sums up Anxiety perfectly - this collection is the best I’ve read in a long while. Highly recommended.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I really liked about these stories was the writing. Much of this book was enjoyable to read and the author has a good command of the language, using vocabulary in the correct context and well. Most of the characters were well fleshed out and I liked the tone of most of the stories.

The first story in the book (no, I'm not going to type that title) had a very creative idea about what happens to your body when you're dead. It was an interesting tale about dreams. It portrayed the interaction between several high school friends in a believeable way. The ending was perfect. I would say it was the best tale in the book and was placed well by being first.

The Gulf of Responsibility had a nice twist to it, but I got bogged down by some of it. Definitely a unique tale when all told.

Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story is about winning a physical copy of a book on Goodreads and will creep you out! When I told my son about it he said I'd better write a good review because the author does indeed have my address...

The last story in the book may not be for the parents of babies among the readership. I read all of the stories, but have nothing to say about the ones I haven't addressed.

This book is strictly adults only for sex and violence.

This is one of those "it's not you, it's me" books. There were many positives I could say about the writing, but in the end, these stories weren't my type. I didn't like the way many of them ended or some of the weird (I know they said it would be and I often like weird) parts in them.

(I received this book in a goodreads giveaway.)

[Rachel Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

review to come (at work atm)

[Elysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally received J. R.'s first book, You Shall Never Know Security, in a Goodreads giveaway and after reviewing and rating it, I decided to read his second book as well!

Unfortunately, this book took me longer to get through than the first one (I think I just needed a break from the horror genre) but picked it up again as soon as I was ready to get back into my horror/weird fiction collection. I'm grateful though, as I thoroughly enjoyed the stories.

Like the first collection, I wouldn't entirely consider this horror, but considering Goodreads' limited genre selection, I understand why it's categorized as so. It's more like "Weird fiction," with stories that are uncomfortable, supernatural, and/or chillingly real, philosophical, and thought-provoking. Just like the first collection of stories, in true J. R. Hamantaschen fashion. While I'm comparing the two, the editing is much better in this one and it's clear that he was more in control of the collection.

There are nine stories in all, but here are the ones which made the most impact on me

Vernichtungsschmerz A sort of IT/Freddy Kreuger monster haunts a group of four girls. There is no happiness here.

The Gulf of Responsibility This one may have been my favorite. A social worker investigates the suspicious behavior of a client. This one had me feeling like I was reading about the author himself.

Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story Perhaps written for the fans specifically? Sort of made my heartbeat quicken when I received messages on Goodreads... and avoid the Giveaways section a bit.

I’m A Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better absolutely "weird fiction" worth reading. Reminded me of Jordan, When Are You Going To Settle Down, Get Married And Have Us Some Grandchildren? from "You Shall Never Know Security."

[Samuel Minier · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's important to note that this is dark/weird fiction as opposed to "just" horror fiction - the focus is much more on the feelings and experience of dread as opposed to a linear plot detailing a specific Big Bad that "scares" you. Having said that, there are still a number of very disturbing/scary images here, including a Lovecraftian monster reveal that still causes chills even after multiple readings. Hamantaschen's endings are fairly subjective (but always interesting) experiences, so readers looking for tight clear explanations will likely be disappointed (and given Hamantaschen's bleak/darkly-comic view of the world, he's probably happy to exorcise readers of delusions such as "explanation" anyway). If you watched True Detective Season 1 and ever wondered "What in the hell is he talking about?" when Matthew McConaughey would wax philosophic, pick up this collection.
*******SLIGHT SPOILER*******: a couple of these stories have been previously published but are presented here with new details that indirectly link them together. I have to say, I'm not sure how I felt about this. While the linkage made sense in terms of the story details, to me this connection threatens to delude the overall sense of existential randomness that usually pervades Hamantaschen's work. On the other hand, Lovecraft (as Hamantaschen's literary great-grandfather) inserted some linkages between his stories that certainly didn't weaken their sanity-blasting power ...

[John Gustafson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. About halfway through, there's an unflattering portrayal of the sort of person who would enter a Goodreads giveaway. And shortly afterward, there is some unpleasant business with knives. So there's that.

Truth is, there are some good ideas here. The above-referenced story is kind of brilliant in its own way, nicely capturing a particular sort of uncomfortable intimacy between readers and authors that's particular to the internet. Reifications of depression have some creative and discomfiting results. And there are some eldritch monsters with nebulous motivation but plenty of ruthlessness, and I've always found that to be a good look on a monster.

But there are some wretched ideas here, too: a surprisingly noxious treatment of rape, a juvenile fascination with shit, and some tasteless representations of the poor among them (There's also a weird fascination with "political correctness" that keeps popping up. Huh.) Worse, those ideas, good and bad, are almost exclusively the engines for narrative. Character development is pretty poor throughout, particularly for women, who are mostly differentiated by their proximity to sex. Hamantaschen tries gamely to compensate for flat characters and narrative through florid language, and it doesn't work. There's some talent here, but mostly there's a need for a very good editor.

[B.P. Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

What are we reading?: With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer.

Give me the short version: What heads did you never expect to see the inside of? Alright. Welcome aboard.

I didn't know much about JR Hamantaschen of the restless reputation before I started reading but I must say I'm not surprised. Mr Hamantaschen inhabits a breathtaking array of humanity under duress with the ease others might use changing coats. He will take you along flapping helplessly in his wake and it's not always a comfortable ride. It shouldn't be. But it is a fascinating one.

I love a collection where every story demands a respectful pause to taste and turn over what you just read, digest or expel. These are not words to burn through greedily. The uncanny and mundane jostle for dominance, the realisation creeping in that your hope is not universal; others stand on a thinner crust.

Favourite bit: There were worse people in the world than him. He was good, he tried, he was here, he consoled himself.
He slept.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories got its hooks in me fairly quickly and soon enough I found myself a few hours later wondering where the time went. Not that it was in any sense wasted time as there isn't much filler in this collection, just solid gloomy/horrible/macabre tales. Sure, there are enough author tics to fill a bingo card (hipster bashing, protagonist mentions his height, character named Manny, someone calls someone "son", certain physical descriptions, awkward "word of the day" inserts) but that made the reading experience all the more endearing to me. The title of this book is perfectly fitting as Hamantaschen clearly has synthesized a lot of modern horror and modernity in general to form the basis of his writing, but there is a unique voice and storytelling manner that shines through. In between serious meditations on anxiety, depression and suicide, there are adrenaline inducing moments of old school slasher horror as a teenage girl tries to escape someone she ignores on Goodreads. A date goes from bad to worse as a man takes a hellish dump only to emerge to find a restaurant splattered with gore and a disgruntled line cook conjuring monsters from video games and bad movies to get his grizzly revenge. Which then turns into a relationship drama of all things. In another piece, possibly my favorite, the whole bullshit co-opting of the Cthulu mythos really gets the screws put to it by a sinister man attending a Cthulu themed convention. Basically, Hamantaschen is at his best when reality and unreality rub up against each other and are blurred together. The characters here are drawn so true to life that the worst nightmare for them is not being confronted by the horrible insectoid monsters, but that life will go on for them and they have to live with that after the story ends. They are stuck in limbo, an endless loop of anxiety or boredom or pain; one wishes they were swallowed up or stabbed by the bad guy in the end just to stop what comes next. And when our hope for the future slowly begins to spoil into an inky morass of despair, that's where the true horror is found.

[Cavak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hamantaschen surprised me with this collection of short stories. Without wishing to spoil, most of the supernatural occurrences act as a setup or event to propel the story forward rather than actually scaring me. I'm a tougher cookie than most regarding fictional horror unfortunately, so take that with a grain of salt in regards to your personal reading preferences.

What surprised me in this book was the perspective into a younger author's thought process. Most of the literature I have been reading as of late originates from an older generation so it was refreshing. The reviews, introduction, and dedication at the start of the book made me chuckle a bit. Its attitude was like, "Yeah, yeah, no one wants to read these anyways so let's just get on with it." It was very human in that regard.

Supernatural elements aside, many of the protagonists in the short stories are often used to address the darker aspects of topics often ignored in modern American society like death, depression, loneliness, apathy, and obsessive commercialism. If you ever wanted to read about "irony" or "hipsters" in the eyes of a younger writer, by the way, this would be a fine place to start. Each story has a sarcastic and darkly comical tone to it that entertained me at times. I liked that two stories had continuity with one another. I think if they were fleshed out a bit more, they could have been combined to make an interesting novel.

I think that there might be a significant generation gap with the readers who may enjoy this book. There is a lot of name dropping of real world places and media; if you aren't of a certain age, the poignancy of these references might completely fly over your head. The writing style is rough and a little rushed at times, like Hamantaschen expected readers to get where he was going by that point and perhaps got flustered to get to the ending. Many characters speak with the same "voice" and feel somewhat flat too. If you're picky about grammar or excessive cursing, your tolerance might be tried here and there. This is not exclusive just to Hamantaschen, but there is a prison setting in one story that is so wonderfully misinformed about its realities at times that I had to do my best to stretch my imagination with it.

Still, this was an enjoyable passion project that I didn't regret reading. I think of it as the chronicles of depression in different flavors but with a horror twist. I'd be interested in knowing what Hamantaschen thinks of these stories ten years from now.

If you're curious about Hamantaschen's thoughts for this book like I was, please check out an interview with him done by The Writer's Beard here: https://youtu.be/3hTFTDf1DL0

I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to be given a review copy of J. R. Hamantaschen’s second collection, With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer. Let’s jump into this review… and hope nothing creepy-crawly or eldritch is waiting on the other side. I’m going to focus on the stories which I found to be standouts.

Because there is plenty of cosmic horror to go around in these short stories. Vernichtungsschmerz puts the reader in the grip of a world where nightmares, reality, and psychology combine to offer up a chilling concept. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I can’t get too specific… but this reminds me of a Freddie Kreuger/Lovecraft mashup. The ending was a misanthropic gut punch.

The Gulf of Responsibility was an eerie workplace satire. I’m not the best audience for stories that focus on bureaucracies; I find most of them to be too dry for me. I’m also not a huge fan of satire. The horror was a bit too low-key and businesslike for me. The deep dive into Alex’s mind was the best part of this story.

In Soon Enough This Will Essentially be a True Story, a well-known and beloved Goodreads reviewer named Karen – yes, a fictional version of our karen – is stalked by an author who wants a review. This story was both uncomfortable and fun. Cool slasher action and strong characterization of the fictional Karen made this my favorite story of the bunch.

Some of the stories had exciting concepts but would have benefited from more layered characters. In the Cthulhu, Zombies, Ninjas, and Robots! piece, the CthulhuCon was described in riveting detail. I loved it. I would have loved it even more if I’d been given more information on who Malcolm was.

Horror readers who want something experimental and odd will find plenty to like in Hamantaschen’s latest collection. There’s gore, humor, smart social commentary, and some laugh out loud funny parts – if your sense of humor tends toward the twisted.

A note on the book itself: high quality printing, clear font, gorgeous cover art. It will look sweet on your bookshelf!

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nihilistic, depressing, harrowing, and so beautifully written it makes me a little crazy, because I am almost positive J. R. Hamantaschen doesn't know how talented he is.

Firstly, I will say that the trade paperback is hefty, with a lovely abstract cover illustration, and a nice texture. It's well edited, with none of the glaring errors one often sees in smaller press publications. Truly, a nicely produced book.

Then, the next thing you will immediately notice is how well developed the characters are. J. R. takes time to illustrate the small details that are so important to bringing a character to life. I felt his affection for his people throughout his writing, and it increased my own affection for them. I find that, particularly in horror or speculative fiction, this sort of development can be lacking, which ultimately never ushers me past the "who cares?" point. With J. R.'s stories, one cares very much; I find it difficult not to rush to learn what happens to them, savouring the depth of each story. A wonderful problem to have.

And now the plots. Nightmarish. Somehow based in the mundane circumstances we're all familiar with, but which have veered badly off-road into confusing and hellish territory. Lovecraftian in some aspects, yes. I would also venture a tentative comparison of Hamantachen's "Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be a True Story" to Stephen King's "Big Driver", in that one watches a truly likeable character spiral into a terrible and terrifying situation; hoping for a miraculous rescue, knowing there will be none, and wondering how such ostensibly nice people can write such frightening, awful things. This story made my stomach ache, in a masochistically pleasureable way.

Ok. So to say this is a must read is an understatement. Not for everyone, certainly; but what is? It's slightly gonzo, without being derivative, and it is certainly not pointless. It is intelligent writing that needs no apologetic "genre" amendment. In short, good writing. Period.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot of quiet human horror that reminds me of Shirley Jackson or Daphne du Maurier, with a touch of the grotesque like Flannery O’Connor. The collection opens with “Vernichtungsschmerz” which translates to the pain of annihilation. This is a nihilistic meditation on the cosmic irrelevance of high school and college. Clark Ashton Smith said of this, “in the days when the world begins to bleach and shrivel, and the sun is blotched with death. Socialist and Individualist, they'll all be a little dirt lodged deep in the granite wrinkles of the globe's countenance.” J.R. keeps good company.

This line from “A Related Corollary” really drives home the quiet horror of depression and crippling self-doubt, “So those pills that offered painless relief stayed stored on the shelf, out of the strength of her reach, high atop the altar of platitudes.” “The Gulf of Responsibility” explores the self-harm we wreak on our relationships. Even if we’re happy we can’t refrain from fixing something until it’s broken. “Big with the Past, Pregnant with the Future” explores the nearby territory of identity and belonging.

There’s lots of chewy misanthropy in “Cthulhu, Zombies, Ninjas and Robots!; or, a Special Snowflake in an Endless Scorching Universe” which explores the impacts of what the modern generation has wrought upon the legacy of H.P. Lovecraft through the lens of an unreliable curmudgeon and wrapped in delightfully purple prose. For example, “hipsterdom already seemed to have infiltrated Lovecraft, a miscegenation more horrifying than anything the great scribe had dreamed up. Lovecraft bars, Lovecraft beers, Lovecraft hoodies and beanies…” For what it’s worth, I’ve had the Innsmouth Olde Ale from Narragansett Bewing Company and it’s a rather tasty strong English ale…nothing but the best Anglo Saxon brews for Howie. I just wish it got distributed in Georgia.

[William Bitner Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading “With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer” by J.R.Hamantaschen. I was lucky enough to win a print copy of this book on Goodreads.com and I’m so glad I did. Thank you J.R.Hamantaschen for this experience. This is my first read by JRH and my or my what a trip. This is a collection of short stories that are dark, weird, bizarre, fantastic, intriguing and thought provoking. Reading for me should always be a learning experience, and this was indeed that kind of experience. JRH is a wordsmith par excellence, and my dictionary has been expanded exponentially after this read. This was most imaginative and unlike anything I’ve ever read. I was just fascinated by each and every line. I have my eyes open for more of this author's work. What a way to end a year, as this is my final read for 2016.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading "With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer" reminded me of the sort of non-sequitur nightmares I used to have while taking Delsym for the flu. Every so often, there would be something recognizable as "normal" and then I would be dragged back into the horrific. It's a good thing, in terms of the book, if you like your weird with a side of dark and disturbing. I don't, however, recommend taking Delsym. For anything. Unless you like waking nightmares. Reading "With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer" while having taken Delsym could be interesting but I'm pretty sure my insurance wouldn't cover whatever resulted.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

*i received this book free as part of a goodreads giveaway*

I was super excited to have won this book. The title was catchy, the cover was unique, and the synopsis really had my interest.
Now, it was not MY definition of "dark and macabre" but the author was still able to hold my interest even though most of the stories centered around one genre that I've never had much interest in. So kudos to that! I did enjoy how they were all kind of tied together in a very small way, so I definitely recommend reading the stories in order. However, if you are the type to read short stories just willy nilly any which way, I'm not sure we could be friends anyway...

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is dark, uncompromising and very different.
It's like a study into the deep and hidden parts inside our minds. The parts that most ignore and push away, and try to continue on with life despite that fact that we know at our very core that there is no point, we are insignificant and life holds no hidden meaning.
Despite the depressing themes of the short stories, there is still humour and characters you can relate to and I really enjoyed the fact that their thoughts were explored with disturbing thoroughness.
This is an extremely impressive collection which really made me think, especially about mental health and how we are all affected in such different ways.

[Jan Brughmans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection by J.R., it is the first I read of his works but I am definitely looking into more now.

What I really enjoyed were the twists in the different stories, building up to something unexpected, as well as the variety of sub genres throughout, ranging from what I would describe as young adult slasher (set in the present day), to a brooding dark city-wide mystery (reminiscent of T.E.D. Klein's Children of the Kingdom) to more internalized feelings of horror and dread within the mundane of marriage, work and parenthood.

Definitely grabbing his first (You Will Never Know Security) or third (A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe) collections next!

[Danielle]

I just started this book but had to begin the review with a comment on the cover...absolutely gorgeous. Seriously, put this baby on your tabletop, it's a masterpiece! The back cover would be just as majestic had it not had that barcode mucking it up, but whatever. Leave it topside. Behold its splendour.


That's all...

for now...