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Tales from The Lake Vol. 3
Dive into the deep end of the lake with 19 tales of terror, selected by Monique Snyman.
Tales from the Lake Vol. 3 features ghosts, monsters, assassins, alternate dimensions, creatures from the deepest depths and the darkest parts of the universe.
Join “Maybelle” by Mere Joyce in a world where books become real enough to cause both pleasure and pain. Avoid the sounds of “The Cruel” by Harper Hull, lest you want to come to a terrifying end. Travel across the world to see what terrors lurk in an abandoned hospital with “Hush” by Sergio Pereira.
This non-themed horror anthology is filled with suspenseful stories, terrifying thrillers, tragic tales, mystifying mysteries, and memorable adventures that will leave you wanting more. Let these modern urban legends prickle your imagination, share it around a campfire, and revel in the magic of Crystal Lake’s exceptional authors.
Foreword by the editor, Monique Snyman.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing: http://getbook.at/Lake3
Tales from the Lake Vol. 3 features ghosts, monsters, assassins, alternate dimensions, creatures from the deepest depths and the darkest parts of the universe.
Join “Maybelle” by Mere Joyce in a world where books become real enough to cause both pleasure and pain. Avoid the sounds of “The Cruel” by Harper Hull, lest you want to come to a terrifying end. Travel across the world to see what terrors lurk in an abandoned hospital with “Hush” by Sergio Pereira.
This non-themed horror anthology is filled with suspenseful stories, terrifying thrillers, tragic tales, mystifying mysteries, and memorable adventures that will leave you wanting more. Let these modern urban legends prickle your imagination, share it around a campfire, and revel in the magic of Crystal Lake’s exceptional authors.
Foreword by the editor, Monique Snyman.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing: http://getbook.at/Lake3
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2016
About the author
Monique Snyman
28 books137 followersMonique Snyman’s mind is a confusing bedlam of glitter and death, where candy-coated gore is found in abundance and homicidal unicorns thrive. Sorting out the mess in her head is particularly irksome before she’s ingested a specific amount of coffee, which is equal to half the recommended intake of water for humans per day. When she’s not playing referee to her imaginary friends or trying to overdose on caffeine, she’s doing something with words—be it writing, reading, or editing.
Monique Snyman lives in Pretoria, South Africa, with her husband and an adorable Chihuahua. She’s the author of the Bram Stoker Award® nominated novels, THE NIGHT WEAVER and THE BONE CARVER, and the upcoming South African horror series, DARK COUNTRY.
Monique Snyman lives in Pretoria, South Africa, with her husband and an adorable Chihuahua. She’s the author of the Bram Stoker Award® nominated novels, THE NIGHT WEAVER and THE BONE CARVER, and the upcoming South African horror series, DARK COUNTRY.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 21, 2016
Review: TALES FROM THE LAKE VOL. 3 edited by Monique Snyman [Crystal Lake Publishing]
Every anthology I've had the immense pleasure of devouring from Crystal Lake Publishing has been highest quality. The new Volume 3 is no exception: deep, heartfelt, thought-provoking and thoughtful, and literate. The 19 stories in this collection are not here just to raise chill bumps. They are explorations of the human condition (and various inhuman conditions). They will expand your imagination and extend your perspective. When finished, looking back, you will be thankful you read. [Includes a thoughtful and wise introduction by Editor Monique Snyman, plus 19 tales.]
Every anthology I've had the immense pleasure of devouring from Crystal Lake Publishing has been highest quality. The new Volume 3 is no exception: deep, heartfelt, thought-provoking and thoughtful, and literate. The 19 stories in this collection are not here just to raise chill bumps. They are explorations of the human condition (and various inhuman conditions). They will expand your imagination and extend your perspective. When finished, looking back, you will be thankful you read. [Includes a thoughtful and wise introduction by Editor Monique Snyman, plus 19 tales.]
November 2, 2018
The third volume of Tales from the Lake showcases delivers a great collection of talent from around the globe. One story can easily be set in a small town in Ireland while the next could be set somewhere in the Canada and the one after that in South Africa. This allows for a richness of language and mood—two of my favourite examples of this were in Matt Hayward's Rodent in the Room, and Sergio Pereira's Hush. As a horror anthology, the subjects in this collection are just as diverse as the authors' backgrounds, ranging from spiritual possession, to mythical beings, to alternate realities—each one surprising in its own way. I loved the premise of Mark Allan Gunnell's The Pigmalion Pigs and the intriguing turn it took half-way through. And I could not put down Sergio Pereira's Hush, with its eerie setting and dark historical background. I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology and I think other readers will, too, because it will give them a glimpse into the authors' unique dark realms.
August 25, 2016
I have read myself many a short story collection. Many of them had their share of great stories as well as a few duds and one or so that could've been better. However having taken this little trip to the lake I have found a collection of stories where there are no weak ones of any kind. I'll admit I favor some more than others but I won't say which as each and everyone deserves an avid readers attention.
Each one is weird and bizarre and manages to hook and pull you in until the end. In some instances when a story ends you find yourself disappointed not because the story was bad in anyway but because you wanted it to continue just to know what happened to the characters you were successfully made to root for.
Overall, like its predecessors Tales From the Lake Vol.3 is a worthwhile discovery and a must for fans of the weird, bizarre and the macabre.
Each one is weird and bizarre and manages to hook and pull you in until the end. In some instances when a story ends you find yourself disappointed not because the story was bad in anyway but because you wanted it to continue just to know what happened to the characters you were successfully made to root for.
Overall, like its predecessors Tales From the Lake Vol.3 is a worthwhile discovery and a must for fans of the weird, bizarre and the macabre.
August 25, 2016
Another great offering from Crystal Lake Publishing, see my full review here...https://horrornovelreviews.com/2016/0...
March 12, 2017
The first story, ‘The Owl Builder’, by D. Morgan Ballmer concerns two cousins, Travis and Ashlynn, discussing the whereabouts of Ashlynn’s missing mother and a local myth, the Owl Builder. As the story plays out, a sometimes-heated discussion regarding the character of the mother is interspersed with tales regarding “… That old feathered witch doctor …”. The dialogue is authentically written by Ballmer as he effectively builds the tension and draws us in until the mother’s fate and the Owl Builder’s role are revealed in one swift finale.
‘Tragedy Park’, by Chris Pearce, is a dark slice of urban horror set in a waterpark. There have been stories of kidnappings and disappearances from the park in the past, even deaths, and the main character, Finn, experiences moments of strangeness, including thinking everyone has left. The strangeness culminates in Finn taking a seemingly reluctant trip down the out-of-bounds “Black Vortex” slide with his two friends. But something weird happens halfway down … Pearce uses some delightfully dark imagery and the ending is suitably creepy.
‘Enclosures’ by Sumiko Saulson is told in the style and setting of an old-fashioned Weird tale. The narrator, Reginald Henry Moore III, regularly visits with his elderly grandfather, who resides in a large estate by a lake. The purpose of Reginald’s visits is less than admirable, as he hopes to curry favour in the hope that the old man will leave him an inheritance. What the old man leaves is his property by the lake, with the stipulation that it not be sold and he must stay there for one year. But he finds that he is not alone in the house. Saulson handles the narrator’s change of character very well, as he is forced to leave his old selfish ways in the past and fight for his very existence.
Monique Snyman has assembled stories from a diverse group of authors, some names more recognisable than others. She used an open call for submissions so that she could discover new authors and unique voices, as she explained in the foreword. While a few are still finding their feet in the world of publishing, most of the authors are accomplished wordsmiths and this is reflected in the quality of their stories. A wide range of horror, there is something here for everyone. A great addition to the Tales From The Lake series and the impressive back catalogue of one of the most well-respected publishers in the field.
To read the full review, please visit thisishorror.co.uk
‘Tragedy Park’, by Chris Pearce, is a dark slice of urban horror set in a waterpark. There have been stories of kidnappings and disappearances from the park in the past, even deaths, and the main character, Finn, experiences moments of strangeness, including thinking everyone has left. The strangeness culminates in Finn taking a seemingly reluctant trip down the out-of-bounds “Black Vortex” slide with his two friends. But something weird happens halfway down … Pearce uses some delightfully dark imagery and the ending is suitably creepy.
‘Enclosures’ by Sumiko Saulson is told in the style and setting of an old-fashioned Weird tale. The narrator, Reginald Henry Moore III, regularly visits with his elderly grandfather, who resides in a large estate by a lake. The purpose of Reginald’s visits is less than admirable, as he hopes to curry favour in the hope that the old man will leave him an inheritance. What the old man leaves is his property by the lake, with the stipulation that it not be sold and he must stay there for one year. But he finds that he is not alone in the house. Saulson handles the narrator’s change of character very well, as he is forced to leave his old selfish ways in the past and fight for his very existence.
Monique Snyman has assembled stories from a diverse group of authors, some names more recognisable than others. She used an open call for submissions so that she could discover new authors and unique voices, as she explained in the foreword. While a few are still finding their feet in the world of publishing, most of the authors are accomplished wordsmiths and this is reflected in the quality of their stories. A wide range of horror, there is something here for everyone. A great addition to the Tales From The Lake series and the impressive back catalogue of one of the most well-respected publishers in the field.
To read the full review, please visit thisishorror.co.uk
March 29, 2020
4.5
I can always count on crystal lake publishing as a ‘go to’ for dark fiction and fantasy needs. This specific collection didn’t let me down, though the first few stories lacked some of the imagination and creativity I usually crave. From there, I can only describe the stories as sublime and surreal. This most likely is a result of South African author/editor Monique Snyman, and you can Find some cosmopolitan and American contributions with tales ranging from magic bookmarks to the Scottish Kelpie.
As I previously stated, most of the stories have dark and distinct elements that you have to check out for yourself, but there are a couple that have clawing at the back of my mind this past week.
‘The Pigmalion Pigs’-Mark Allan Gunnells. An unusual and dreamy experience involving one man’s obsession of finding closure with his favorite children’s story.
‘Hush’-Sergio Pereira. The most gruesome offering (next to ‘Chemical Oasis’) and pretty scary, actually. Some partygoers end up in a tryst at an abandoned South African hospital, enveloped in witchcraft, slavery, and apartheid.
I can always count on crystal lake publishing as a ‘go to’ for dark fiction and fantasy needs. This specific collection didn’t let me down, though the first few stories lacked some of the imagination and creativity I usually crave. From there, I can only describe the stories as sublime and surreal. This most likely is a result of South African author/editor Monique Snyman, and you can Find some cosmopolitan and American contributions with tales ranging from magic bookmarks to the Scottish Kelpie.
As I previously stated, most of the stories have dark and distinct elements that you have to check out for yourself, but there are a couple that have clawing at the back of my mind this past week.
‘The Pigmalion Pigs’-Mark Allan Gunnells. An unusual and dreamy experience involving one man’s obsession of finding closure with his favorite children’s story.
‘Hush’-Sergio Pereira. The most gruesome offering (next to ‘Chemical Oasis’) and pretty scary, actually. Some partygoers end up in a tryst at an abandoned South African hospital, enveloped in witchcraft, slavery, and apartheid.
February 4, 2021
Some good, some adequate, some meh
There's some great stuff in here. The good and the adequate is enough to make it worth a read, but there are some stories that make it a bit of a slog.
There's some great stuff in here. The good and the adequate is enough to make it worth a read, but there are some stories that make it a bit of a slog.
July 14, 2018
Sadness
The last story is sadness itself. Yet, it's about coming home. Just awesome. I enjoyed this book very much, for sure.
The last story is sadness itself. Yet, it's about coming home. Just awesome. I enjoyed this book very much, for sure.
May 11, 2019
Unfortunately there weren't any real standout stories in this collection. Worse, after the first hundred or so pages the stories became quite difficult to read - the editing definitely should have been a lot better. I haven't read others in the series but if you're a fan you may enjoy at least some of this edition.
February 5, 2017
I wasn't impressed by this anthology, and it has nothing to do with how I didn't get a story in. I really wanted to like it; I'm not low like that. But I only cared for one story--The Pigmalion Pigs--and that's not the greatest average. I liked the cover, too, BTW.
April 3, 2026
Top stories were:
Tragedy Park
Woe, Violent Water
The Pigmalion Pigs
Effigy
The Monster of Biscayne Bay
Tragedy Park
Woe, Violent Water
The Pigmalion Pigs
Effigy
The Monster of Biscayne Bay
Currently Reading
July 13, 2024"The Pigmalion Pigs" by Mark Allan Gunnells - Joe recalls a childhood book as having a different title spelling and ending. He comes to regret his obsession over this difference when he returns to his parent's basement to find the book he remembers and encounters a doppelganger from an alternate history who agrees to exchange books with him. Joe finds himself in a new world where his mother is deceased, he's unemployed and divorced.
"The Monster of Biscanye Bay" by Roxanne Dent - Ishtikini kills the narrator's friends. He manages to set it ablaze but it comes again for him several years later in a different guise.
"The Cruel" by Harper Hull - Children at a school begin to make a strange wail when a fight and accident occurs and eventually the behavior infects the adults as well.
"Enclosures" by Sumiko Saulson - The soul of the narrator is evicted by the spirit of his grandfather so he takes up residence in the body of his lover.
"The Deeper I Go the Deeper I Fear" by Natalie Carroll - The narrator eludes a kelpie by hiding behind beach rocks until it retreats to its ocean lair.
"The Reaper’s Fire" by Kenneth W. Cain - Dana goes mad after her father dies in a cornfield fire and she burns her boyfriend Jesse to death.
"Maybelle" by Mere Joyce - wc
"The Monster of Biscanye Bay" by Roxanne Dent - Ishtikini kills the narrator's friends. He manages to set it ablaze but it comes again for him several years later in a different guise.
"The Cruel" by Harper Hull - Children at a school begin to make a strange wail when a fight and accident occurs and eventually the behavior infects the adults as well.
"Enclosures" by Sumiko Saulson - The soul of the narrator is evicted by the spirit of his grandfather so he takes up residence in the body of his lover.
"The Deeper I Go the Deeper I Fear" by Natalie Carroll - The narrator eludes a kelpie by hiding behind beach rocks until it retreats to its ocean lair.
"The Reaper’s Fire" by Kenneth W. Cain - Dana goes mad after her father dies in a cornfield fire and she burns her boyfriend Jesse to death.
"Maybelle" by Mere Joyce - wc
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews