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The Diogenes Club #(Egyptian Avenue)
The Mammoth Book of the Mummy
The Mammoth Book of the Mummy presents a collection of classic and contemporary tales on the legendary monster. From the classic Egyptian mummies to modern psudo-mummies and mummies from other cultures, this will include stories by new and established writers like Kage Baker, Ramsey Campbell, Gail Carriger, and more.
Contents
Introduction: My Mouth Has Been Given to Me That I May Speak • by Paula Guran
Private Grave 9 • (2003) • by Karen Joy Fowler
The Good Shabti • (2015) • by Robert Sharp
Egyptian Revival • by Angela Slatter
The Queen in Yellow (The Company Short Fiction) • (2002) • by Kage Baker
On Skua Island • (2001) • by John Langan
Ramesses on the Frontier • (2013) • by Paul Cornell
The Shaddowwes Box • (2011) • by Terry Dowling
Egyptian Avenue (The Diogenes Club series) • (2002) • by Kim Newman
The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn't, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar (The Parasol Protectorate Universe) • (2013) • by Gail Carriger
The Night Comes On • (1998) • by Steve Duffy
American Mummy • by Stephen Graham (I)
Bubba-Ho-Tep • (1994) • by Joe R. Lansdale
Fruit of the Tomb: A Midnight Louie Past Life Adventure (Midnight Louie series)] • (2012) • by Carole Nelson Douglas
The Chapter of Coming Forth by Night • (2000) • by Lois Tilton and Noreen Doyle
The Mummy's Heart • (2013) • by Norman Partridge
The Emerald Scarab (Kamose the Magician) • (2001) • by Keith Taylor
The Embalmer • by Helen Marshall
Tollund • (2013) • by Adam Roberts
Three Memories of Death • (2013) • by Will Hill
Contents
Introduction: My Mouth Has Been Given to Me That I May Speak • by Paula Guran
Private Grave 9 • (2003) • by Karen Joy Fowler
The Good Shabti • (2015) • by Robert Sharp
Egyptian Revival • by Angela Slatter
The Queen in Yellow (The Company Short Fiction) • (2002) • by Kage Baker
On Skua Island • (2001) • by John Langan
Ramesses on the Frontier • (2013) • by Paul Cornell
The Shaddowwes Box • (2011) • by Terry Dowling
Egyptian Avenue (The Diogenes Club series) • (2002) • by Kim Newman
The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn't, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar (The Parasol Protectorate Universe) • (2013) • by Gail Carriger
The Night Comes On • (1998) • by Steve Duffy
American Mummy • by Stephen Graham (I)
Bubba-Ho-Tep • (1994) • by Joe R. Lansdale
Fruit of the Tomb: A Midnight Louie Past Life Adventure (Midnight Louie series)] • (2012) • by Carole Nelson Douglas
The Chapter of Coming Forth by Night • (2000) • by Lois Tilton and Noreen Doyle
The Mummy's Heart • (2013) • by Norman Partridge
The Emerald Scarab (Kamose the Magician) • (2001) • by Keith Taylor
The Embalmer • by Helen Marshall
Tollund • (2013) • by Adam Roberts
Three Memories of Death • (2013) • by Will Hill
480 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2015
14 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
Paula Guran
97 books211 followersPaula Guran is senior editor for Prime Books. She edited the Juno fantasy imprint from its small press inception through its incarnation as an imprint of Pocket Books. She is also senior editor of Prime's soon-to-launch digital imprint Masque Books. Guran edits the annual Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror series as well as a growing number of other anthologies. In an earlier life she produced weekly email newsletter DarkEcho (winning two Stokers, an IHG award, and a World Fantasy Award nomination), edited Horror Garage (earning another IHG and a second World Fantasy nomination), and has contributed reviews, interviews, and articles to numerous professional publications.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 15, 2017
The Mammoth Book of The Mummy is a collection of mummy stories but not the kind you see in the movies. This is not mummies that get out of coffins and chase people around moaning. These are fiction archeology stories/mysteries or Egyptian historical fiction stories with twists and turns. All exciting and many very suspense-filled, some just thought provoking. All are excellent. Great collection all dealing with mummies in some fashion. The beginning of the book gives a brief history of mummies. Large selection of various authors and types of stories. Thanks NetGalley, great read!
November 5, 2022
I enjoyed every story in The Mammoth Book of the Mummy. Ironically the two stories that really stand out in this collection are two stories I had already read: Bubba Ho-Tep by Joe Lansdale and The Mummy’s Heart by Norman Partridge. I happily reread them. Top notch anthology and that’s a wrap.
December 10, 2017
Anthologies are tricky beasts, as every editor would readily admit.
If you succeed in taming all of them into their designated or lucky positions, you get a wonderful read, maybe occasionally marred by a few drab or boring works, which one may simply choose to overlook.
On the other hand, if the editor was being driven by a pompous choice or his/her (God forbid!) ideology while making the selections, the hapless reader is bound to get a very-very raw deal.
I have had both. A lot.
Fortunately, Paula Guran belongs to that very select group of editors who read a lot, and try to provide the readers with actually readable stories, rather than ideologically tilted or otherwise nonsense. This book also didn’t frustrate.
What have we got here?
(*) “Introduction: My Mouth Has Been Given to Me That I May Speak” by Paula Guran: A lovely piece that gives a succinct overview of Mummy Literature in English literature, with special emphasis on various thematically oriented anthologies on the subject.
1. “Private Grave 9” by Karen Joy Fowler: A strangely poetic story told against the backdrop of emotions, hysteria, and history. Good, but wouldn’t read it again.
2. “The Good Shabti” by Robert Sharp: A tight story that presented two timelines in a thrilling format, making it simultaneously a science fictional work and a murder mystery full of intrigue. Very Good.
3. “Egyptian Revival” by Angela Slatter: A..W..E..S..O..M..E! I mean, if I try to say anything more, I would probably ruin it.
4. “The Queen in Yellow” by Kage Baker: You know, I truly hadn’t read any ‘Company’ story before I had read this one! But WHAT a way to begin that journey! Please savour this wonderful story, and DON’T rush.
5. “On Skua Island” by John Langan: I have had the privilege of reading this story in Langan’s seminal collection, and it succeeded in utterly terrifying me, again, with its erudite & precise prose, and strangely vivid portrayal of … No, you HAVE TO read this absolutely gem of a story to appreciate it, without wasting time over my piece.
6. “Ramesses on the Frontier” by Paul Cornell: I kept trying to fit this story into one of those convenient pigeonholes like comedy, farce, political peace, surrealism, etc., and utterly failed. An unconventional piece, and as good (and as un-re-readable) as the first story.
7. “The Shaddowwes Box” by Terry Dowling: Ah! This was a satisfyingly chilling piece, written in beautiful & ornate prose befitting a modern master in nuanced horror. Very Good.
8. “Egyptian Avenue” by Kim Newman: This story was also an old friend, whom I had come across in Newman’s brilliant Diogenes Club collections. Very Very Good.
9. “The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn’t, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar” by Gail Carriger: A brilliant prequel, as well as totally mouth-watering appetizer for the Parasol Protectorate series, this story is one of the high points of this already immensely enjoyable collection.
10. “The Night Comes On” by Steve Duffy: Once upon a time, Steve Duffy used to give us such classic ‘Jamesian’ horrors, but then he abandoned those ways! What a loss that has been can be understood only after reading this book.
11. “American Mummy” by Stephen Graham Jones: A dud.
12. “Bubba-Ho-Tep” by Joe R. Lansdale: Elicited a few chuckles, but nothing like it was supposed to happen, according to all the blown up hyperventilated praise showered upon this piece by faithful Lansdalophiles.
13. “Fruit of the Tomb: A Midnight Louie Past Life Adventure” by Carole Nelson Douglas: An absolute stunner! And it’s all the more enjoyable if you are a cat-lover.
14. “The Chapter of Coming Forth by Night” by Lois Tilton & Noreen Doyle: Very Good. Not as good as some of the dazzling & meta pieces mentioned above, but very good nevertheless.
15. “The Mummy’s Heart” by Norman Partridge: Crap. Somehow, this overhyped author has succeeded in scattering only drivel across every anthology bearing his name, and yet he keeps getting awards like one gets mosquitoes in our parts! Perhaps he employs a Lot No. 249 type Mummy to do his bidding just before awards are announced. Who knows!
16. “The Emerald Scarab” by Keith Taylor: Very Good. It succeeded in making me interested in the entire ‘Servant of the Jackal God’ collection.
17. “The Embalmer” by Helen Marshall: Rot.
18. “Tollund” by Adam Roberts: Brilliant. This is a story that truly deserves repeat readings just to get hold of all its alternate-world glory.
19. “Three Memories of Death” by Will Hill: A beautiful, heart-wrenching, and totally non-genre yet utterly riveting story of mortality & feelings.
In short, when you have only three duds, and one or two sub-par stories, while majority of them beckon you to read them again & again, is there any reason to be miserly in starring the review?
Highly Recommended.
If you succeed in taming all of them into their designated or lucky positions, you get a wonderful read, maybe occasionally marred by a few drab or boring works, which one may simply choose to overlook.
On the other hand, if the editor was being driven by a pompous choice or his/her (God forbid!) ideology while making the selections, the hapless reader is bound to get a very-very raw deal.
I have had both. A lot.
Fortunately, Paula Guran belongs to that very select group of editors who read a lot, and try to provide the readers with actually readable stories, rather than ideologically tilted or otherwise nonsense. This book also didn’t frustrate.
What have we got here?
(*) “Introduction: My Mouth Has Been Given to Me That I May Speak” by Paula Guran: A lovely piece that gives a succinct overview of Mummy Literature in English literature, with special emphasis on various thematically oriented anthologies on the subject.
1. “Private Grave 9” by Karen Joy Fowler: A strangely poetic story told against the backdrop of emotions, hysteria, and history. Good, but wouldn’t read it again.
2. “The Good Shabti” by Robert Sharp: A tight story that presented two timelines in a thrilling format, making it simultaneously a science fictional work and a murder mystery full of intrigue. Very Good.
3. “Egyptian Revival” by Angela Slatter: A..W..E..S..O..M..E! I mean, if I try to say anything more, I would probably ruin it.
4. “The Queen in Yellow” by Kage Baker: You know, I truly hadn’t read any ‘Company’ story before I had read this one! But WHAT a way to begin that journey! Please savour this wonderful story, and DON’T rush.
5. “On Skua Island” by John Langan: I have had the privilege of reading this story in Langan’s seminal collection, and it succeeded in utterly terrifying me, again, with its erudite & precise prose, and strangely vivid portrayal of … No, you HAVE TO read this absolutely gem of a story to appreciate it, without wasting time over my piece.
6. “Ramesses on the Frontier” by Paul Cornell: I kept trying to fit this story into one of those convenient pigeonholes like comedy, farce, political peace, surrealism, etc., and utterly failed. An unconventional piece, and as good (and as un-re-readable) as the first story.
7. “The Shaddowwes Box” by Terry Dowling: Ah! This was a satisfyingly chilling piece, written in beautiful & ornate prose befitting a modern master in nuanced horror. Very Good.
8. “Egyptian Avenue” by Kim Newman: This story was also an old friend, whom I had come across in Newman’s brilliant Diogenes Club collections. Very Very Good.
9. “The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn’t, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar” by Gail Carriger: A brilliant prequel, as well as totally mouth-watering appetizer for the Parasol Protectorate series, this story is one of the high points of this already immensely enjoyable collection.
10. “The Night Comes On” by Steve Duffy: Once upon a time, Steve Duffy used to give us such classic ‘Jamesian’ horrors, but then he abandoned those ways! What a loss that has been can be understood only after reading this book.
11. “American Mummy” by Stephen Graham Jones: A dud.
12. “Bubba-Ho-Tep” by Joe R. Lansdale: Elicited a few chuckles, but nothing like it was supposed to happen, according to all the blown up hyperventilated praise showered upon this piece by faithful Lansdalophiles.
13. “Fruit of the Tomb: A Midnight Louie Past Life Adventure” by Carole Nelson Douglas: An absolute stunner! And it’s all the more enjoyable if you are a cat-lover.
14. “The Chapter of Coming Forth by Night” by Lois Tilton & Noreen Doyle: Very Good. Not as good as some of the dazzling & meta pieces mentioned above, but very good nevertheless.
15. “The Mummy’s Heart” by Norman Partridge: Crap. Somehow, this overhyped author has succeeded in scattering only drivel across every anthology bearing his name, and yet he keeps getting awards like one gets mosquitoes in our parts! Perhaps he employs a Lot No. 249 type Mummy to do his bidding just before awards are announced. Who knows!
16. “The Emerald Scarab” by Keith Taylor: Very Good. It succeeded in making me interested in the entire ‘Servant of the Jackal God’ collection.
17. “The Embalmer” by Helen Marshall: Rot.
18. “Tollund” by Adam Roberts: Brilliant. This is a story that truly deserves repeat readings just to get hold of all its alternate-world glory.
19. “Three Memories of Death” by Will Hill: A beautiful, heart-wrenching, and totally non-genre yet utterly riveting story of mortality & feelings.
In short, when you have only three duds, and one or two sub-par stories, while majority of them beckon you to read them again & again, is there any reason to be miserly in starring the review?
Highly Recommended.
April 10, 2022
The Mammoth Book of the Mummy, edited by genre stalwart Paula Guran, collects together 19 stories (in which we get a decent variation on the book’s theme) about mummies – Egyptian and otherwise – including three new tales. There is a mouth-watering array of authors on display, including Karen Joy Fowler, Kim Newman, Stephen Graham Jones, Joe Lansdale, John Langan, Helen Marshall, and Angela Slatter.
Of all the genre tropes – or themes to base an anthology on – mummies is probably the one that I have the least interest in. Much as I’m interested in history, the Egyptian era feels a little too distant to appeal, and I’ve never found the mummy films particularly frightening or engaging. So I went into the book with low expectations and not a great deal of enthusiasm. And to its credit, the book was a pleasant surprise, containing several great stories and wide enough variation to prevent them theme from becoming boring.
The book opens with a very interesting introduction from the editor. Guran sets out her intentions and gives us a fascinating overview of the history of the mummy, both in fact and fiction. She even illustrates how the transition occurred from fact to fiction, and what triggered the public’s interest in Egyptian mummies. The introduction also sets out Guran’s justification for choosing the stories, and her attempts to offer tales not just focused on Egyptian mummies, and she also generously provides an overview of other mummy anthologies and offers recommendations for further reading. However it’s fair to say that there is a rather uneven quality to the stories. Some simply did not work for me at all. But I’d put that down to my tastes, rather than the stories themselves, because there was nothing particular wrong with them, and they were originally published in auspicious magazines and anthologies. My favourites were from John Langan, Stephen Graham Jones, Helen Marshall, Joe Lansdale, Kim Newman, Norman Partridge, and Steve Duffy. The book is worth it for the SGJ story alone. It’s difficult to say that this collection is an essential entry into the already extensive genre anthologies that are published each year, but the stories that really worked for me really worked, and there were only one or two that I had previously read, so you may enjoy this is you’re looking for something quite different to the usual fare.
Of all the genre tropes – or themes to base an anthology on – mummies is probably the one that I have the least interest in. Much as I’m interested in history, the Egyptian era feels a little too distant to appeal, and I’ve never found the mummy films particularly frightening or engaging. So I went into the book with low expectations and not a great deal of enthusiasm. And to its credit, the book was a pleasant surprise, containing several great stories and wide enough variation to prevent them theme from becoming boring.
The book opens with a very interesting introduction from the editor. Guran sets out her intentions and gives us a fascinating overview of the history of the mummy, both in fact and fiction. She even illustrates how the transition occurred from fact to fiction, and what triggered the public’s interest in Egyptian mummies. The introduction also sets out Guran’s justification for choosing the stories, and her attempts to offer tales not just focused on Egyptian mummies, and she also generously provides an overview of other mummy anthologies and offers recommendations for further reading. However it’s fair to say that there is a rather uneven quality to the stories. Some simply did not work for me at all. But I’d put that down to my tastes, rather than the stories themselves, because there was nothing particular wrong with them, and they were originally published in auspicious magazines and anthologies. My favourites were from John Langan, Stephen Graham Jones, Helen Marshall, Joe Lansdale, Kim Newman, Norman Partridge, and Steve Duffy. The book is worth it for the SGJ story alone. It’s difficult to say that this collection is an essential entry into the already extensive genre anthologies that are published each year, but the stories that really worked for me really worked, and there were only one or two that I had previously read, so you may enjoy this is you’re looking for something quite different to the usual fare.
February 1, 2017
Editor Paula Guran's Mammoth Book of the Mummy is as good as her Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror series.
In this anthology I especially liked Kim Newman's Diogenes Club story, “Egyptian Avenue.” This story is set in the 1970s, and features the mod psychic investigator Richard Jeperson. Kim Newman's personification of evil, Derek Leech, plays a minor offstage part in this story, but I find Leech (and his similarity to an unnamed media mogul) one of the most interesting characters Newman has created. In fact, I'll take this opportunity to urge readers who like these stories to find “Another Fish Story” in Weird Shadows over Innsmouth, which shows Leech as a hero—almost. But it requires putting the fictional Derek Leech next to a real-life, evil force.
I really liked “Egyptian Revival,” by Angela Slatter, an alternate history private eye story.
A humorous story that was very good was “Fruit of the Tomb: A Midnight Louie Past Life Adventure,” by noted detective writer Carole Nelson Douglas. This is the story of Heart of Night, a cat detective, a member of the Sacred Breed. Other cats, such as Ampheris, Counter of the Royal Vermin, help Heart of Night (so named for his ebony color) solve a mystery.
If you haven't seen the film Bubba Ho-tep, directed by Don Coscarelli, you'll want to read the story of the same title by Joe R. Lansdale that inspired the film. (The film sticks closely to the plot of the novella.) Anyone who grew up watching President Kennedy, Elvis Presley, and the Lone Ranger on TV in the sixties will be moved.
Paula Guran gives us a scientific description of the ancient Egyptian mummification process and a relatively detailed history of the “waves of Egyptomania [that] have washed over the West.” Guran also outlines the history of the Mummy in film and literature, pointing to a lot of other anthologies and books the horror fan will want to look at.
(Thanks to Prime Books and Edelweiss for a digital review copy.)
In this anthology I especially liked Kim Newman's Diogenes Club story, “Egyptian Avenue.” This story is set in the 1970s, and features the mod psychic investigator Richard Jeperson. Kim Newman's personification of evil, Derek Leech, plays a minor offstage part in this story, but I find Leech (and his similarity to an unnamed media mogul) one of the most interesting characters Newman has created. In fact, I'll take this opportunity to urge readers who like these stories to find “Another Fish Story” in Weird Shadows over Innsmouth, which shows Leech as a hero—almost. But it requires putting the fictional Derek Leech next to a real-life, evil force.
I really liked “Egyptian Revival,” by Angela Slatter, an alternate history private eye story.
A humorous story that was very good was “Fruit of the Tomb: A Midnight Louie Past Life Adventure,” by noted detective writer Carole Nelson Douglas. This is the story of Heart of Night, a cat detective, a member of the Sacred Breed. Other cats, such as Ampheris, Counter of the Royal Vermin, help Heart of Night (so named for his ebony color) solve a mystery.
If you haven't seen the film Bubba Ho-tep, directed by Don Coscarelli, you'll want to read the story of the same title by Joe R. Lansdale that inspired the film. (The film sticks closely to the plot of the novella.) Anyone who grew up watching President Kennedy, Elvis Presley, and the Lone Ranger on TV in the sixties will be moved.
Paula Guran gives us a scientific description of the ancient Egyptian mummification process and a relatively detailed history of the “waves of Egyptomania [that] have washed over the West.” Guran also outlines the history of the Mummy in film and literature, pointing to a lot of other anthologies and books the horror fan will want to look at.
(Thanks to Prime Books and Edelweiss for a digital review copy.)
April 10, 2017
Full disclosure: I was given an ARC of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review
As the characters flag up in John Langan's "On Skua Island" (one of the short stories collected here), the mummy has never been subject to the same level of interpretation as the vampire, the werewolf or even the zombie. Despite its longevity, it has never managed to be much more than a stock monster.
So what a treat this was. Through the small mountain of stories collected here, we get various takes on the mummy as a cultural object: as a representation of colonialism, of the uncanny, of revenge and redemption, of science, and maybe even of love and obligation.
Like any short story collection, there are better entries and worse ones, but the best here are worth the cover price by themselves. For me those include Kim Newman's "Egyptian Avenue" (a Jason King style pastiche of 60s Victoriana that's got me excited for the promised reissue of The Man from the Diogenes Club), the aforementioned "On Skua Island" (possibly the most genuinely horrific story in the collection), and "Tollund"by Adam Roberts (a brilliant alternative history tale in which a group of Egyptian archaeologists travel to colonial Jutland and fall foul of a bog mummy).
Highly recommended for horror fans, Egyptophiles and those in need of a weighty read to get them through a few docile millennia.
As the characters flag up in John Langan's "On Skua Island" (one of the short stories collected here), the mummy has never been subject to the same level of interpretation as the vampire, the werewolf or even the zombie. Despite its longevity, it has never managed to be much more than a stock monster.
So what a treat this was. Through the small mountain of stories collected here, we get various takes on the mummy as a cultural object: as a representation of colonialism, of the uncanny, of revenge and redemption, of science, and maybe even of love and obligation.
Like any short story collection, there are better entries and worse ones, but the best here are worth the cover price by themselves. For me those include Kim Newman's "Egyptian Avenue" (a Jason King style pastiche of 60s Victoriana that's got me excited for the promised reissue of The Man from the Diogenes Club), the aforementioned "On Skua Island" (possibly the most genuinely horrific story in the collection), and "Tollund"by Adam Roberts (a brilliant alternative history tale in which a group of Egyptian archaeologists travel to colonial Jutland and fall foul of a bog mummy).
Highly recommended for horror fans, Egyptophiles and those in need of a weighty read to get them through a few docile millennia.
March 11, 2017
This was a collection of stories about mummies from various authors. I tried several stories but I wasn’t able to get into any of them. The book just wasn’t for me.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
March 11, 2017
The Mummy. What does that noun, “Mummy”, conjure in your mind? In my very strange mind, I get side by side pictures. One is the mummy I saw in the Smithsonian when I was in 7th grade (many, many years ago). The other is of the fantastic, wonderful Boris Karloff so very expressive while wrapped in linen. The new mummy movies have not changed that second image for me.
When the reader thinks about mummies in literature, the reader has to put effort into it. There just are not a plethora of mummy stories, not like vampires, werewolves or zombies. That may be because not many writers tried to work with them. Thank goodness Paula Guran collected nineteen short stories that expand and twist the typical mummy in such a way that while preserving the time honored concept allows a creative spin that leaves the reader hanging on for dear life.
The authors and stories in the book are:
* That I May Speak (Introduction to collection), Paula Guran - Guran does an excellent job of navigating the world of mummies both in film and literature.
* “Private Grave 9”, Karen Joy Fowler
* “The Good Shabti”, Robert Sharp - This story cuts between Ancient Egypt and the not too distant future. The sense of dread builds in both ages until there is a clash that I did not see coming. Great story.
* “Egyptian Revival”, Angela Slatter - This was one of my favorites. Imagine a strong, feminine Private Investigator in the Ancient Egyptian religion is proven to be real. Antiquities are now not just collectibles, they are possible gateways to immortality. A fun story. I will be adding the author to my list of new authors to check out.
* “The Queen in Yellow”, Kage Baker - Mummies and time travel. Oh and cyborgs.
* “On Skua Island”, John Langan - This one was creepy in a “they need to make this into a movie” creepy. Very good non-Egyptian mummy.
* “Ramesses on the Frontier”, Paul Cornell - I have read several books by Paul Cornell and he never disappoints. His Ramesses trip through the underworld is funny and unique and an excellent story.
* “The Shaddowes Box”, Terry Dowling
* “Egyptian Avenue”, Kim Newman - This one was really cool. I have read several of Kim Newman’s books involving his Diogenes Club. This story has that wonderful blend of supernatural and Scotland Yard. A very enjoyable story.
* “The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn’t, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar”, Gail Carriger - My favorite of the collection. It does have a werewolf who isn’t, a mummy and a cat in the jar. It also has a character that I haven’t decided what he is and an author who I already put one of her books on hold at my local library.
* “The Night Comes On”, Steve Duffy - I enjoyed this one also. I will check out the author’s other work.
* “American Mummy”, Stephen Graham Jones - This was a good story set in the modern day southwestern USA.
* “Bubba-Ho-Tep”, Joe R. Lansdale - I did not see the movie that was based on this story. It did not really do anything for me but then again I am not an Elvis fan.
* “Fruit of the Tomb”, Carole Nelson Douglas - I loved this story. Having become a first time cat owner seven months ago, I can truly appreciate the worship of cats. Heart of Night is worthy of that worship.
* “The Chapter of Coming Forth by Night”, Lois Tilton & Noreen Doyle
* “The Mummy’s Heart”, Norman Partridge
* “The Emerald Scarab”, Keith Taylor
* “The Embalmer”, Helen Marshall - Not your typical mummy and two children I never want to cross paths with.
* “Tollund”, Adam Roberts
* “Three Memories of Death”, Will Hill - Another one of my favorites. A beautiful, touching story.
The Mammoth Book of the Mummy, which I received from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review, blew up the all my previous conceptions of what a mummy is. I discovered several new authors and broaden my imagination. I highly recommend The Mammoth Book of the Mummy. I hope to see other authors try their hand at this neglected beautiful genre.
When the reader thinks about mummies in literature, the reader has to put effort into it. There just are not a plethora of mummy stories, not like vampires, werewolves or zombies. That may be because not many writers tried to work with them. Thank goodness Paula Guran collected nineteen short stories that expand and twist the typical mummy in such a way that while preserving the time honored concept allows a creative spin that leaves the reader hanging on for dear life.
The authors and stories in the book are:
* That I May Speak (Introduction to collection), Paula Guran - Guran does an excellent job of navigating the world of mummies both in film and literature.
* “Private Grave 9”, Karen Joy Fowler
* “The Good Shabti”, Robert Sharp - This story cuts between Ancient Egypt and the not too distant future. The sense of dread builds in both ages until there is a clash that I did not see coming. Great story.
* “Egyptian Revival”, Angela Slatter - This was one of my favorites. Imagine a strong, feminine Private Investigator in the Ancient Egyptian religion is proven to be real. Antiquities are now not just collectibles, they are possible gateways to immortality. A fun story. I will be adding the author to my list of new authors to check out.
* “The Queen in Yellow”, Kage Baker - Mummies and time travel. Oh and cyborgs.
* “On Skua Island”, John Langan - This one was creepy in a “they need to make this into a movie” creepy. Very good non-Egyptian mummy.
* “Ramesses on the Frontier”, Paul Cornell - I have read several books by Paul Cornell and he never disappoints. His Ramesses trip through the underworld is funny and unique and an excellent story.
* “The Shaddowes Box”, Terry Dowling
* “Egyptian Avenue”, Kim Newman - This one was really cool. I have read several of Kim Newman’s books involving his Diogenes Club. This story has that wonderful blend of supernatural and Scotland Yard. A very enjoyable story.
* “The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn’t, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar”, Gail Carriger - My favorite of the collection. It does have a werewolf who isn’t, a mummy and a cat in the jar. It also has a character that I haven’t decided what he is and an author who I already put one of her books on hold at my local library.
* “The Night Comes On”, Steve Duffy - I enjoyed this one also. I will check out the author’s other work.
* “American Mummy”, Stephen Graham Jones - This was a good story set in the modern day southwestern USA.
* “Bubba-Ho-Tep”, Joe R. Lansdale - I did not see the movie that was based on this story. It did not really do anything for me but then again I am not an Elvis fan.
* “Fruit of the Tomb”, Carole Nelson Douglas - I loved this story. Having become a first time cat owner seven months ago, I can truly appreciate the worship of cats. Heart of Night is worthy of that worship.
* “The Chapter of Coming Forth by Night”, Lois Tilton & Noreen Doyle
* “The Mummy’s Heart”, Norman Partridge
* “The Emerald Scarab”, Keith Taylor
* “The Embalmer”, Helen Marshall - Not your typical mummy and two children I never want to cross paths with.
* “Tollund”, Adam Roberts
* “Three Memories of Death”, Will Hill - Another one of my favorites. A beautiful, touching story.
The Mammoth Book of the Mummy, which I received from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review, blew up the all my previous conceptions of what a mummy is. I discovered several new authors and broaden my imagination. I highly recommend The Mammoth Book of the Mummy. I hope to see other authors try their hand at this neglected beautiful genre.
November 14, 2025
Pühakutepäeva kavatsesin mina tähistada muumiaraamatuga, mille olin juba ammu sihikule võtnud. Kuller tõi selle mulle reedel töö juurde kätte ja tegelikult ma tahtsin üksnes pakendi ära visata. See oli viga: niipea, kui raamatu lahti tegin, jäingi lugema. Panin arvuti miskit jama välja printima, ise muudkui lugesin... ja tööpäeva lõpp saabus nagu lennates. Juba mitu aastat pole minuga niimoodi juhtunud. Reklaamiboss (kes minu arvates on endiselt tumedate jõududega mestis) lahkus 2 tundi varem nagu tavaliselt, nägi, et mina töötan nagu loom, ja noogutas – pane samas vaimus edasi!
Mammutiraamatuid on mul mitu tükki ja enamasti on nendega palju vaeva nähtud – nii ka seekord. Juba eessõna oli üllatavalt asjalik. Võiks arvata, et muumiavärk pole teema, mida saaks kuigi kaugele arendada, aga tuleb välja, et saab küll, üsna kaugele.
Nojah, eri lugude tase oli... erinev, kuid suurem osa oli igati nauditav. „Head ušebtit“ olin varem eraldi lugenud ja seekord jätsin vahele. Ilmselgelt ülekonstrueeritud jutt, kuigi ühe asja oli autor ära tabanud: korralikus muumialoos peab muumia üles ärkama.
Karen Joy Fowleri „Private Grave 9“, John Langani „On Skua Island“ ja Gail Carrigeri väga-pika-nimega-lugu on need, mida mina soovitaksin.
Mammutiraamatuid on mul mitu tükki ja enamasti on nendega palju vaeva nähtud – nii ka seekord. Juba eessõna oli üllatavalt asjalik. Võiks arvata, et muumiavärk pole teema, mida saaks kuigi kaugele arendada, aga tuleb välja, et saab küll, üsna kaugele.
Nojah, eri lugude tase oli... erinev, kuid suurem osa oli igati nauditav. „Head ušebtit“ olin varem eraldi lugenud ja seekord jätsin vahele. Ilmselgelt ülekonstrueeritud jutt, kuigi ühe asja oli autor ära tabanud: korralikus muumialoos peab muumia üles ärkama.
Karen Joy Fowleri „Private Grave 9“, John Langani „On Skua Island“ ja Gail Carrigeri väga-pika-nimega-lugu on need, mida mina soovitaksin.
April 3, 2019
Stand-out stories for me included:
American Mummy by Stephen Graham Jones--as always, delightfully dark, unexpectedly wicked, and grounded in the seedy motel in the desert so vividly it felt like I was there
On Skua Island by John Langan--major scholarly love for this one as a medievalist and book history nerd; the sort of mummy story Lovecraft would write
The Mummy's Heart by Norman Partridge--I can't stop thinking about this one. It was the story that made me feel the same visceral fear of mummies that I had when I was a child, and I wasn't ready for it to end. Mixed feelings about the conclusion, but the voice and the central premise really can't be beat. First-person narrator made me think of the cadence of southern literature.
Bubba-Ho-Tep by Joe R. Lansdale--unlikely elderly heroes battling a mummy invader using only their nursing house surroundings and their wits; lots of irreverent first-person voice here that I loved
American Mummy by Stephen Graham Jones--as always, delightfully dark, unexpectedly wicked, and grounded in the seedy motel in the desert so vividly it felt like I was there
On Skua Island by John Langan--major scholarly love for this one as a medievalist and book history nerd; the sort of mummy story Lovecraft would write
The Mummy's Heart by Norman Partridge--I can't stop thinking about this one. It was the story that made me feel the same visceral fear of mummies that I had when I was a child, and I wasn't ready for it to end. Mixed feelings about the conclusion, but the voice and the central premise really can't be beat. First-person narrator made me think of the cadence of southern literature.
Bubba-Ho-Tep by Joe R. Lansdale--unlikely elderly heroes battling a mummy invader using only their nursing house surroundings and their wits; lots of irreverent first-person voice here that I loved
March 3, 2018
I had a blast reading this book. It has a great range of short stories that steps away from the typical archetype people come across in pop culture. i.e - cursed mummy comes back to life to resurrect his lost love. I really appreciated how the book had stories pertaining to different kinds of mummies, not just Egyptian ones (even though that's what drew me to the book in the first place).
'The Good Shabti' by Robert Sharp and 'On Skua Island' by John Langan were the real high lights for me. This book has something for everyone: there is horror, there is comedy, historical fiction etc there is sci fi and more - It gives us various scopes on mummies as cultural objects
'The Good Shabti' by Robert Sharp and 'On Skua Island' by John Langan were the real high lights for me. This book has something for everyone: there is horror, there is comedy, historical fiction etc there is sci fi and more - It gives us various scopes on mummies as cultural objects
March 17, 2017
I'm not typically a sci-fi fan BUT.......I love MUMMIES!!!!!
This book is a collection of stories about mummies--past, future, romantic, plain old MUMMY MAYHEM! They're all stories from this century, so don't think this is a book about mummies from "olden times" I thoroughly enjoyed most of the stories, there were only about 2-3 that I personally was a little underwhelmed, but majority was great " mumminess" ( my own made up mummy word)
If you're in love with mummies, this is the book for you. I enjoy mummies the way many people enjoy zombies. This is a unique collection of stories with no repetitive type stories. Each unique in many ways. I never thought I'd read a story about romance & mummies, this is just one example of how different each story is told. You won't become bored with this selection. Plus, since this is a collection, most stories can easily be finished for a little fright night before bedtime, or while commuting to work ( as long as you're not the driver of course)
I'd highly recommend this book for those like myself that are in love with mummies, horror, sci-fi, or just for something different, perhaps
I received a digital copy from Net Galley and Diamond Book Distributors. In return I've written an honest, and maybe mummified, review. Happy mummy reading to all!!
This book is a collection of stories about mummies--past, future, romantic, plain old MUMMY MAYHEM! They're all stories from this century, so don't think this is a book about mummies from "olden times" I thoroughly enjoyed most of the stories, there were only about 2-3 that I personally was a little underwhelmed, but majority was great " mumminess" ( my own made up mummy word)
If you're in love with mummies, this is the book for you. I enjoy mummies the way many people enjoy zombies. This is a unique collection of stories with no repetitive type stories. Each unique in many ways. I never thought I'd read a story about romance & mummies, this is just one example of how different each story is told. You won't become bored with this selection. Plus, since this is a collection, most stories can easily be finished for a little fright night before bedtime, or while commuting to work ( as long as you're not the driver of course)
I'd highly recommend this book for those like myself that are in love with mummies, horror, sci-fi, or just for something different, perhaps
I received a digital copy from Net Galley and Diamond Book Distributors. In return I've written an honest, and maybe mummified, review. Happy mummy reading to all!!
September 6, 2017
I won a copy of this book.
I took my good old time with this book -reading a story or two here and there. I very much enjoyed the 19 stories in this anthology of Mummy stories. "The Good Shabti" is my personal favorite, but there are others that are just as good. Paula Guran does a great introduction to the book, explaining the history of the Mummy and how we came to be intrigued by it. It was a fun read.
I took my good old time with this book -reading a story or two here and there. I very much enjoyed the 19 stories in this anthology of Mummy stories. "The Good Shabti" is my personal favorite, but there are others that are just as good. Paula Guran does a great introduction to the book, explaining the history of the Mummy and how we came to be intrigued by it. It was a fun read.
October 15, 2020
I love Mummy stories but I just couldn't get through this book cause for every good story there was a stupid one. There were some genuinely creepy ones and ones with excellent twists but I don't think I am a fan of short stories
October 31, 2017
A fun collection of mummy stories. If you're into things like The Curse of the Mummy, you'll love this collection.
March 13, 2017
The Mammoth Book of the Mummy is a compilation of short stories that feature, well, what else but, mummies. Some of them are from Egypt, some are not. Some of the stories are scary, like John Langan's "On Skua Island" and some are not. As with most compilations, many of the stories are reprints but there are also a couple of originals. I found several of the stories to be particularly notable and I've given a few details.
In "The Good Shabti", Robert Sharp postulates what would happen if sometime in the distant future science figured out a way to reanimate a mummified body that had been dead and buried for millennia. More suspenseful than scary, right up until the very end.
"The Queen in Yellow" by Kage Baker features operatives from The Company who have been sent back to retrieve something from a dig run by esteemed archeologist Flinders Petrie.
John Langan's "On Skua Island" is scary. It starts with a group of people around a dinner table talking about Bram Stoker's Dracula which segues into a conversation about mummies. Flashback, twenty-five years to an expedition to Skua Island where an archeologist interested in Viking lore digs up much more than he ever bargained for and barely escapes to tell his tale.
Terry Dowling's "The Shadowwes Box" is reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe.
"Egyptian Avenue" by Kim Newman is more of a story adjacent to mummies than actually about mummies, but it certainly fits with the theme of the book. The action occurs in an old graveyard in London, and I really can't say any more without spoilers. I will say, this story is absolutely worth reading and one of my favorites.
Gail Carriger has an entry set in the steampunk universe of her popular Parasol Protectorate series. This is another story well worth the price of admission.
Carole Nelson Douglas' "Fruit of the Tomb" features a distant ancestor of her popular Midnight Louie character. Heart of Night is perhaps the first feline detective. He solves the case and becomes one of Pharoah's inner circle.
My overall favorite, probably because I'm a big fan of the movie is Joe Lansdale's "Bubba Ho-Tep". If you haven't seen the movie, well, Elvis and JFK, save the world.
Oops, I almost forgot. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. This was actually one that I chose from among their available books because I'm a big fan of horror.
In "The Good Shabti", Robert Sharp postulates what would happen if sometime in the distant future science figured out a way to reanimate a mummified body that had been dead and buried for millennia. More suspenseful than scary, right up until the very end.
"The Queen in Yellow" by Kage Baker features operatives from The Company who have been sent back to retrieve something from a dig run by esteemed archeologist Flinders Petrie.
John Langan's "On Skua Island" is scary. It starts with a group of people around a dinner table talking about Bram Stoker's Dracula which segues into a conversation about mummies. Flashback, twenty-five years to an expedition to Skua Island where an archeologist interested in Viking lore digs up much more than he ever bargained for and barely escapes to tell his tale.
Terry Dowling's "The Shadowwes Box" is reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe.
"Egyptian Avenue" by Kim Newman is more of a story adjacent to mummies than actually about mummies, but it certainly fits with the theme of the book. The action occurs in an old graveyard in London, and I really can't say any more without spoilers. I will say, this story is absolutely worth reading and one of my favorites.
Gail Carriger has an entry set in the steampunk universe of her popular Parasol Protectorate series. This is another story well worth the price of admission.
Carole Nelson Douglas' "Fruit of the Tomb" features a distant ancestor of her popular Midnight Louie character. Heart of Night is perhaps the first feline detective. He solves the case and becomes one of Pharoah's inner circle.
My overall favorite, probably because I'm a big fan of the movie is Joe Lansdale's "Bubba Ho-Tep". If you haven't seen the movie, well, Elvis and JFK, save the world.
Oops, I almost forgot. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. This was actually one that I chose from among their available books because I'm a big fan of horror.
September 17, 2017
Love this book. It was so much more than I was expecting. Well, so different from what I was expecting. I was thinking I was getting an anthology of horror stories. I mean, what other genre do you expect from a fiction book that’s all about mummies?
This book had a little bit of everything in terms of genre. You’ve got your Horror, your Urban Fantasy, your Mystery, some Romance, some…Historical Fiction? Yep, you get a lot for one book. And I found that pretty much every story warranted being printed, though one of my least favorites was the very first one. I’ve seen this happen a lot with anthologies, and I don’t know if my taste is just different than most or what.
Anyway, for sure worth the read for anyone who has mixed interests in genre and loves a good anthology. I would even like to have this one on my shelf to read over a few more times.
**I was given a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
This book had a little bit of everything in terms of genre. You’ve got your Horror, your Urban Fantasy, your Mystery, some Romance, some…Historical Fiction? Yep, you get a lot for one book. And I found that pretty much every story warranted being printed, though one of my least favorites was the very first one. I’ve seen this happen a lot with anthologies, and I don’t know if my taste is just different than most or what.
Anyway, for sure worth the read for anyone who has mixed interests in genre and loves a good anthology. I would even like to have this one on my shelf to read over a few more times.
**I was given a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
March 27, 2017
with the 19th story being 3.75 stars the average comes out to 3.22
Some hits, some misses, as with most anthologies really
Full review on my book blog Here.
Some hits, some misses, as with most anthologies really
Full review on my book blog Here.
April 2, 2017
I think the idea here was to demonstrate the literary interest and value of the mummy as a locus for fiction, as opposed to werewolves, vampires, and zombies. It felt more like the anthology demonstrated the limitations of the form: there's a lot of shambling (including a mummified-cat story) and a bunch of stories set in ancient Egypt, or else in the 1920s. (Almost all of them reference Egypt, with a few exceptions.) And the invocations of the 1920s tend to be all the same: intolerant imperialist with an Intolerant Imperialist Name stomps all over history and culture and gets his comeuppance. It's easy, and boring after 2-3 such stories. Or maybe it just dramatizes the fact that it's harder to write an interesting mummy story. The exceptions, for the most part, think through the metaphorical resonances of the idea rather than strictly giving us Egyptians or Brits excavating tombs: Norman Partridge's story, Kim Newman's. And Kage Baker's introduced me to her wonderfully droll Company novels, one of which I started after finishing this. But I think I'm good for now on mummies.
April 15, 2017
The book is full of excellent mummy stories. The editor has outdone herself in choosing the stories for this anthology. I knew some of the authors and some I didn't. I always enjoy reading anthologies as I usually find new authors that I will want to read more of. I think that this is a great book of mummy stories. Don't expect it to be the usual mummy story. It isn't. Read it. It's great!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Net-galley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Net-galley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
December 9, 2018
I received a copy of this book as part of a giveaway for donating to Worldbuilders.
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