Shadows 5

by Charles L. (edited by) [Tanith Lee Grant (Editor)

This anthology contains: Renewal by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro; The Gorgon by Tanith Lee; Stone Head by Steve Rasnic Tem; Pieta; and Following the Way by Alan Ryan; Boxes by Al Sarrantonio; And I'll Be With You By and By by Avon Swofford; Dark Wings by Phyllis Eisenstein; Estrella by Terry L. Parkinson; Singles by Marta Randall; and The Piano Man by Beverly Evans.

Genres: Horror, Anthologies, Short Stories

182 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1982

Reviews

[scoffs, calumnies, etc. · Rating 3 out of 5]

these anthologies are always grab bags and i read them in the hope that one or two of the stories in them is not total garbage. By that standard, you know, this was above average. if you find it at a library book sale it's worth having. story by story -
"The Gorgon" - pretty good but disappointed that medusa wasn't real. If you introduce a medusa, i'm sorry, you have to make that shit real 3/5
"Stone Head" - i've already forgotten this one ??/5
"Pieta" - Italy seems messed up 2/5
"Boxes" - this one is just really weird and spooky 5/5
". . . By and By" - if i wanted family drama i'd read a franzen novel. i don't, and i won't 2/5
"Dark Wings" - good but im subtracting a point for the extremely eye-rolling button ending 3/5
"Estrella" - what the hell is this one even about 4/5
"Singles" - classic 80s shit + we love to see it 5/5
"The Piano Man" - unfortunately fails to be scarier than the song 3/5
"Following the Way" - what is it with catholics? this eye-rolling button ending really worked for me and was hilarious 4/5
"Renewal" - don't know about the whole Saint-Germain story arc but this is like 1/3 of the book and i hate vampires. also the Nazi doesn't die at the end. very disappointing!!! 2/5

[Jeff McIntosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles L. Grant was the spearhead of the "quiet horror" movement back in the 80s....think of a scalpel cutting rather than a brick....

His sensibilities extend to the "Shadows" series, running 10 volumes, plus the final edition "Final Shadows" in 1991.

As with every anthology, some stories "do it" for you, others don't.....I found upon re-read, I enjoyed the stories "Siingles" and "Renewal" to be the best, with "And I'll be with You By and By" coming in a close third.

And, just a quick note....if you haven't read any of the Comte de Saint Germain stories/books by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro...you're missing a treat.


Jeff McIntosh

[Victoria Fuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the end of the day I didn't find this collection particularly exciting, which is unfortunate, because I wanted it to be.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid addition to the series, ending with a Saint-Germaine story.

[Blackjack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last year, I stumbled onto the Shadows 2-5 paperbacks while going through a chest of books from my mid 1980s college years. It really was like unearthing buried treasure. :) I just wish I had kept buying the anthologies; I apparently stopped after #5.

Shadows 5 (at least read now as a 44 year old vs. a college age guy) is my favorite now. I'm particularly fond of "There'll Be With You By and By" and "The Piano Man." Both probably would've made fine Twighlight Zone TV episodes.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

More short stories, many from relatively unknown writers.

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous, as always.