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Horrorology: The Lexicon of Fear
In the Library of the Damned, hidden away amongst that vast depository of ancient wisdom, there exists a certain bookcase where the most decadent, the most blasphemous of tomes sit upon a dusty shelf.
And amongst those titles—that should never be named—there is one volume that is the most terrible, the most hideous of them all.That book is the Lexicon of Fear.
But, long ago, some of its pages were ripped from the binding and spirited away by a lowly student of the ancient science of Horrorology, who was determined the secrets contained therein would one day be shared with the world.
And now that day has come. These are the words that comprise the very language of horror itself, and the tales they tell are not for the faint-hearted. But be warned: once you have read them, there is no turning back. Soon, you too will know the true meanings of fear...
Featuring stories from Clive Barker, Robert Shearman, Michael Marshall Smith, Pat Cadigan, Mark Samuels, Joanne Harris, Muriel Gray, Kim Newman, Ramsey Campbell, Reggie Oliver, Angela Slatter and Lisa Tuttle.
And amongst those titles—that should never be named—there is one volume that is the most terrible, the most hideous of them all.That book is the Lexicon of Fear.
But, long ago, some of its pages were ripped from the binding and spirited away by a lowly student of the ancient science of Horrorology, who was determined the secrets contained therein would one day be shared with the world.
And now that day has come. These are the words that comprise the very language of horror itself, and the tales they tell are not for the faint-hearted. But be warned: once you have read them, there is no turning back. Soon, you too will know the true meanings of fear...
Featuring stories from Clive Barker, Robert Shearman, Michael Marshall Smith, Pat Cadigan, Mark Samuels, Joanne Harris, Muriel Gray, Kim Newman, Ramsey Campbell, Reggie Oliver, Angela Slatter and Lisa Tuttle.
416 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2015
18 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Jones
277 books344 followersStephen Jones is an eighteen-time winner of the British Fantasy Award.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 23, 2023
مجموعة قصص رعب لا بأس بها. بعضها طويل جدا وذلك لم يناسبني نوعاً ما.
تستحق القراءة لعشاق الرعب وتناسب كقراءات منفصلة بين وقت وآخر.
تستحق القراءة لعشاق الرعب وتناسب كقراءات منفصلة بين وقت وآخر.
October 20, 2015
A patchy collection...
This collection of short horror stories has contributions from some of the best-known names in contemporary horror writing, many of whom also showed up in a previous Stephen Jones anthology, Fearie Tales:Fearie Tales, which I thoroughly enjoyed. So I have to admit to feeling a little disappointed with this one. A few of the stories are good, but most are middling and one or two are frankly poor.
The blurb is a rehash of Stephen Jones' introduction, which is written in the form of a Lovecraft pastiche, telling of how the stories to come were stolen from a book called The Lexicon of Fear in the Library of the Damned. This led me to think that the stories were going to be weird tales in the Lovecraftian tradition, but in fact they're not. There's no over-arching theme to the collection – each one is straight horror and unconnected to the rest. That's not a problem – in fact, personally I prefer horror to weird – but I feel the blurb could be misleading.
The stories range from a few pages to near novella length. Some contain huge amounts of foul language – the lazy author's friend – and one, by Clive Barker, is little more than an excuse to be so sexually explicit it comes close to being porn. And there are a couple of gore-fests, although oddly these are two of the better stories despite the blood and guts elements. Many of the stories have good, imaginative premises, though some are followed through better than others.
Here's an idea of some of the ones I enjoyed most:
Guignol by Kim Newman – Set in Paris at the tail-end of the 19th century, this is one of the major gore-fests. A series of gruesome murders have been committed in the Pigalle area, but because the victims seem to be poor and are often unidentified the police are making little effort to solve the case. So an unlikely group of three women, working for a mysterious man as a kind of dark version of Charlie's Angels, are hired by an unknown client to investigate. It seems there may be a link to the Théâtre des Horreurs, where nightly performances set out to shock the audiences with displays of graphic blood-soaked horror. But are these performances, or could some of the actors be appearing for one night only? And are there powerful people protecting the show from investigation in the murder case? Graphic and gruesome, but also well written and gives a good feel for the period and the whole Grand Guignol atmosphere.
Nightmare by Ramsay Campbell – a retired couple are on a trip to revisit some of the places the man remembers from his youth. They turn off the road in search of a great viewpoint he has fond memories of, but find that a village has been built there in the meantime. The villagers are unwelcoming, in a Wicker Man kind of way, but the man is determined to find his viewpoint...whatever the cost. The writing of this builds up a great atmosphere of tension leading to a satisfyingly scary climax. I must say this was pretty much the only story in the book that I found truly spine-tingling – a very traditional horror story but written with enough skill to stop it from feeling stale.
Ripper by Angela Slatter – The story of the Jack the Ripper investigation but with a couple of twists. The protagonist is Kit, a young police constable, but unknown to anyone she is actually a woman in disguise, who has taken the job to earn extra money to look after her mother and invalid brother. And the Ripper has a reason for taking trophies from his victims – he believes that they will give him access to supernatural powers. I always enjoy Slatter's writing, and in this one she has created an interesting character in Kit. Women and witchery is a theme she returns to often and this is no exception. Plenty of gore again here, but it would be hard to do a Ripper story without it!
So some good stuff here, but overall the quality is too patchy for me to give a wholehearted recommendation to the collection as a whole. My 3-star rating is an average of the ratings I gave to each individual story, which included a couple of 5s, a couple of 1s, and the rest falling between 2 and 4.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Quercus.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
This collection of short horror stories has contributions from some of the best-known names in contemporary horror writing, many of whom also showed up in a previous Stephen Jones anthology, Fearie Tales:Fearie Tales, which I thoroughly enjoyed. So I have to admit to feeling a little disappointed with this one. A few of the stories are good, but most are middling and one or two are frankly poor.
The blurb is a rehash of Stephen Jones' introduction, which is written in the form of a Lovecraft pastiche, telling of how the stories to come were stolen from a book called The Lexicon of Fear in the Library of the Damned. This led me to think that the stories were going to be weird tales in the Lovecraftian tradition, but in fact they're not. There's no over-arching theme to the collection – each one is straight horror and unconnected to the rest. That's not a problem – in fact, personally I prefer horror to weird – but I feel the blurb could be misleading.
The stories range from a few pages to near novella length. Some contain huge amounts of foul language – the lazy author's friend – and one, by Clive Barker, is little more than an excuse to be so sexually explicit it comes close to being porn. And there are a couple of gore-fests, although oddly these are two of the better stories despite the blood and guts elements. Many of the stories have good, imaginative premises, though some are followed through better than others.
Here's an idea of some of the ones I enjoyed most:
Guignol by Kim Newman – Set in Paris at the tail-end of the 19th century, this is one of the major gore-fests. A series of gruesome murders have been committed in the Pigalle area, but because the victims seem to be poor and are often unidentified the police are making little effort to solve the case. So an unlikely group of three women, working for a mysterious man as a kind of dark version of Charlie's Angels, are hired by an unknown client to investigate. It seems there may be a link to the Théâtre des Horreurs, where nightly performances set out to shock the audiences with displays of graphic blood-soaked horror. But are these performances, or could some of the actors be appearing for one night only? And are there powerful people protecting the show from investigation in the murder case? Graphic and gruesome, but also well written and gives a good feel for the period and the whole Grand Guignol atmosphere.
Nightmare by Ramsay Campbell – a retired couple are on a trip to revisit some of the places the man remembers from his youth. They turn off the road in search of a great viewpoint he has fond memories of, but find that a village has been built there in the meantime. The villagers are unwelcoming, in a Wicker Man kind of way, but the man is determined to find his viewpoint...whatever the cost. The writing of this builds up a great atmosphere of tension leading to a satisfyingly scary climax. I must say this was pretty much the only story in the book that I found truly spine-tingling – a very traditional horror story but written with enough skill to stop it from feeling stale.
Ripper by Angela Slatter – The story of the Jack the Ripper investigation but with a couple of twists. The protagonist is Kit, a young police constable, but unknown to anyone she is actually a woman in disguise, who has taken the job to earn extra money to look after her mother and invalid brother. And the Ripper has a reason for taking trophies from his victims – he believes that they will give him access to supernatural powers. I always enjoy Slatter's writing, and in this one she has created an interesting character in Kit. Women and witchery is a theme she returns to often and this is no exception. Plenty of gore again here, but it would be hard to do a Ripper story without it!
So some good stuff here, but overall the quality is too patchy for me to give a wholehearted recommendation to the collection as a whole. My 3-star rating is an average of the ratings I gave to each individual story, which included a couple of 5s, a couple of 1s, and the rest falling between 2 and 4.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Quercus.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
July 5, 2025
This is why I’m so iffy on short story collections. They can either be amazing or only hold a few gems amongst the ruins. Sadly this one was the latter kind.
October 8, 2016
Audience: Those who enjoy the more eerie, thoughtful and developed horror stories over usual gory, messy and shocking style. (There is gore in this book! Just very sporadic)
Summed up in a few words: Light on horror, heavy on story.
Author Info: There are many contributors to this tome of horror stories, 12 dedicated authors have each put forward a story centred around a theme or element of horror. Stephen Jones has then edited them all together to produce Horrorology, accompanied with the vivid and shocking imagery produce by Clive Barker. All these authors have a significant presence in the book scene today, my favourite being Joanne Harris, thank you for writing!!! Also Clive Barker's illustrations added an imposing and memorable edge to this book.
Book/Summary:
Horrorology is a collection of stories torn from the Lexicon of Fear itself. Stories that contain the language of horror. Stories that will drive you insane, scar you for life and consume your subconscious. 12 authors have put forward their version of a pure horror story, all linked by different elements of horror, terror, fear and gore. Horrorology wants you to know the true meaning of Fear.
REVIEW
Story/Plot/Narration: There is a vast spectrum of stories to enjoy here. I love horror short stories, they are my naughty treat in a world of fantasy, science fiction, non-fiction and the many other genres I enjoy. I was both impressed and overwhelmed by the depth of content here. On the one hand, these stories are all unique and detailed, but on the other, they are tame, sometimes boring and other times too detailed. The difference between the story sizes, the subject matter and the writing styles was disorientating (which can be expected in short story books) and combined with the fact that the stories are so hit and miss, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I should have.
As with all short story books, there is something for everyone who enjoys all aspects of the horror genre. I was impressed with the originality of some of these stories, especially the story involving people freezing to death in a heat wave. There are some remarkable stories here, like a group of women trying to uncover the truth about a stage show that may be killing people as part of their act. There are also some less compelling additions, for example a girl who seems to be able to kill clowns or a popular guy losing all his fans/friends, these types of stories don't really entertain me very much.
Genre/Writing Style: Horrorology ranks in the middle of all the horror short story anthologies I have read. It is memorable, each author bringing something new to the book in each chapter, but I think the positioning of the stories affected my enjoyment a bit too much. Having the longest chapter as the second to last entry really dragged out the last few hours of me reading the book and I ended up frustrated instead of inspired. If you like variety then this is definitely for you, there many variations of language, view points, tones, graphic imagery and themes for the reader to enjoy.
Joanne Harris, one of my favourite authors, wrote a beautiful piece about a boy seeing his mother again after she dies in a tragic accident, it was chilling, haunting but also heartfelt. The element of fear here was the fear of heartache, the boy refusing to return to the house in which he saw his mother, until 60 years later. Then we jump to the other side of the spectrum, with a story set right in the middle of the Jack The Ripper murders, with events surrounding gore, magic and fear of secrets being found out.
Characters/Settings: This being a very character driven set of stories, the settings to a backseat, influencing the characters actions occasionally. I seem to be overly focused on the variety element of Horrrorology, mainly because that was one of my favourite parts to the book. JTR London was gritty, grimy and scary, Kansas City was hot and mysterious and France was macabre and political. A tragic cast of characters from a girl who doesn't understand why she is surrounded by death, to a man experiencing his after life. A vast array of characters in many different environments.
Overall Opinion: I would recommend this book to other horror lovers. Just because I choose intensity over depth and detail when it comes to horror, doesn't mean others won't love this book. Though I don't think it delivered on the scariness it promised, these stories are original, detailed and varied.
Summed up in a few words: Light on horror, heavy on story.
Author Info: There are many contributors to this tome of horror stories, 12 dedicated authors have each put forward a story centred around a theme or element of horror. Stephen Jones has then edited them all together to produce Horrorology, accompanied with the vivid and shocking imagery produce by Clive Barker. All these authors have a significant presence in the book scene today, my favourite being Joanne Harris, thank you for writing!!! Also Clive Barker's illustrations added an imposing and memorable edge to this book.
Book/Summary:
Horrorology is a collection of stories torn from the Lexicon of Fear itself. Stories that contain the language of horror. Stories that will drive you insane, scar you for life and consume your subconscious. 12 authors have put forward their version of a pure horror story, all linked by different elements of horror, terror, fear and gore. Horrorology wants you to know the true meaning of Fear.
REVIEW
Story/Plot/Narration: There is a vast spectrum of stories to enjoy here. I love horror short stories, they are my naughty treat in a world of fantasy, science fiction, non-fiction and the many other genres I enjoy. I was both impressed and overwhelmed by the depth of content here. On the one hand, these stories are all unique and detailed, but on the other, they are tame, sometimes boring and other times too detailed. The difference between the story sizes, the subject matter and the writing styles was disorientating (which can be expected in short story books) and combined with the fact that the stories are so hit and miss, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I should have.
As with all short story books, there is something for everyone who enjoys all aspects of the horror genre. I was impressed with the originality of some of these stories, especially the story involving people freezing to death in a heat wave. There are some remarkable stories here, like a group of women trying to uncover the truth about a stage show that may be killing people as part of their act. There are also some less compelling additions, for example a girl who seems to be able to kill clowns or a popular guy losing all his fans/friends, these types of stories don't really entertain me very much.
Genre/Writing Style: Horrorology ranks in the middle of all the horror short story anthologies I have read. It is memorable, each author bringing something new to the book in each chapter, but I think the positioning of the stories affected my enjoyment a bit too much. Having the longest chapter as the second to last entry really dragged out the last few hours of me reading the book and I ended up frustrated instead of inspired. If you like variety then this is definitely for you, there many variations of language, view points, tones, graphic imagery and themes for the reader to enjoy.
Joanne Harris, one of my favourite authors, wrote a beautiful piece about a boy seeing his mother again after she dies in a tragic accident, it was chilling, haunting but also heartfelt. The element of fear here was the fear of heartache, the boy refusing to return to the house in which he saw his mother, until 60 years later. Then we jump to the other side of the spectrum, with a story set right in the middle of the Jack The Ripper murders, with events surrounding gore, magic and fear of secrets being found out.
Characters/Settings: This being a very character driven set of stories, the settings to a backseat, influencing the characters actions occasionally. I seem to be overly focused on the variety element of Horrrorology, mainly because that was one of my favourite parts to the book. JTR London was gritty, grimy and scary, Kansas City was hot and mysterious and France was macabre and political. A tragic cast of characters from a girl who doesn't understand why she is surrounded by death, to a man experiencing his after life. A vast array of characters in many different environments.
Overall Opinion: I would recommend this book to other horror lovers. Just because I choose intensity over depth and detail when it comes to horror, doesn't mean others won't love this book. Though I don't think it delivered on the scariness it promised, these stories are original, detailed and varied.
November 12, 2015
Another of those fat anthologies by Stephen Jones. This one a bit hit and miss.
Accursed by Robert Shearman: was a contrived and bloated story about a woman, Susan, who has the “gift” of killing clowns. We see how she killed three in the past just by staring at them in circuses. Hmmm! When her sister dies, she takes on her niece and eventually they go to the circus together to discover the kid has a gift too ... story dragged on and on. Seemed to be trying to give us a subtext. If so, the writer bungled it.
Afraid by Clive Barker: Clive Barker’s is the worst of the lot. A woman discovers her lover is not human but decides to stay with him because the sex is good and he has a big cock. Very short, semi-pornographic and pathetic, with Barker’s usual twisted morality. Not really horror.
Afterlife by Michael Marshall Smith: another bloated one that had the worst ending in the book, the equivalent to “it was all a dream”. Man’s wife leaves him for her boss. He suffers a mid life crisis, or something, and buys a bike to go on a road trip. The writing was too abstract and puffy. The ending was cheesy. A long-winded ultimately pointless story. Not really horror.
Chilling by Pat Cadigan: couple of journalists investigate "frozen bodies" phenomena. It was all boring dialogue from the start and I lost interest long before the end. This was the only one I did not finish.
Decay by Mark Samuels: some guy working for Hermes X (this shadowy organisation isn’t properly explained, like the one in Kim Newman’s story) is paid to stake out two individuals who seem to have something to do with inventing a reality warping device or something or other; why and what he intends to do about it is left up in the air a bit. It’s all a bit vague and definitely not horror. Mercifully short.
Faceless by Joanne Harris: a short, poignant story about loss, but again I wouldn’t call it horror. Enjoyed the writing in this one.
Forgotten by Muriel Gray: old-fashioned seeming story about a fame hungry little twitter-celeb tosser who speaks a kind of mocked up inaccurate London slang and badly treats a couple of potential groupies and is punished for it by a witch who is never successfully described. The only line I liked was this: “the nonstop broadcasting of the self an exhaustive full-time occupation” Sounds like the twitter generation to me.
Guignol by Kim Neman: this one was the weirdest of the lot. Long and descriptive with rich characters. For me there was too much historical stuff. Felt a bit self-indulgent. The Angels of Music isn’t really explained, unless I was missing something obvious. In what seems an occult version of Charlie’s Angels or a parody, with Erik as Bosley (or is it Charlie?), three weird female assassins investigate the reason behind missing people and mean to stop the perpetrator. Guignol (with his Punch swazzle) and his gory show, both brilliantly described, as is the fin-de-siecle Parisian streets, is suspected. The story has some of the best writing you’ll find in horror fiction.
Nightmare by Ramsey Campbell: Campbell does his usual understated, stylistic vignette(ish) thing that he’s been doing for years over and over in countless other short stories. You know what’s going to happen but you go along with it. Not scary or horrific though.
Possessions by Reggie Oliver: some bloke clears away his dead uncle’s things, only to discover he was a photographer of some repute who invented a weird camera. The writer never elaborates on the camera. The protagonist becomes obsessed with a girl in one of the uncle’s pictures, of course, and traces her to an old people’s home, and ... a ridiculous ending. The writing is pedestrian and isn’t scary or even spooky.
Ripper by Angela Slatter: yet another alternative ripper story set during the reign of Jack the Ripper, with some historic characters like Inspector Abberline. Enjoyed this one, because the writing and pacing was pretty good (did notice some errr ... typos? At least for the writer's sake I hope they were typos)Again not scary.
Vastation by Lisa Tuttle: Tuttle’s story was probably the one I enjoyed the most. A scholar’s faith is shaken by a demon he sees, or thinks he sees. His daughter sees it too but reacts admirably differently ... at first. The only problem I had with this story which had some great writing was the ending. The ending was just ridiculous and not credible at all. I know it’s called Vastation and I know what it means, but I didn’t need the theme "axed" into my face at the end.
Accursed by Robert Shearman: was a contrived and bloated story about a woman, Susan, who has the “gift” of killing clowns. We see how she killed three in the past just by staring at them in circuses. Hmmm! When her sister dies, she takes on her niece and eventually they go to the circus together to discover the kid has a gift too ... story dragged on and on. Seemed to be trying to give us a subtext. If so, the writer bungled it.
Afraid by Clive Barker: Clive Barker’s is the worst of the lot. A woman discovers her lover is not human but decides to stay with him because the sex is good and he has a big cock. Very short, semi-pornographic and pathetic, with Barker’s usual twisted morality. Not really horror.
Afterlife by Michael Marshall Smith: another bloated one that had the worst ending in the book, the equivalent to “it was all a dream”. Man’s wife leaves him for her boss. He suffers a mid life crisis, or something, and buys a bike to go on a road trip. The writing was too abstract and puffy. The ending was cheesy. A long-winded ultimately pointless story. Not really horror.
Chilling by Pat Cadigan: couple of journalists investigate "frozen bodies" phenomena. It was all boring dialogue from the start and I lost interest long before the end. This was the only one I did not finish.
Decay by Mark Samuels: some guy working for Hermes X (this shadowy organisation isn’t properly explained, like the one in Kim Newman’s story) is paid to stake out two individuals who seem to have something to do with inventing a reality warping device or something or other; why and what he intends to do about it is left up in the air a bit. It’s all a bit vague and definitely not horror. Mercifully short.
Faceless by Joanne Harris: a short, poignant story about loss, but again I wouldn’t call it horror. Enjoyed the writing in this one.
Forgotten by Muriel Gray: old-fashioned seeming story about a fame hungry little twitter-celeb tosser who speaks a kind of mocked up inaccurate London slang and badly treats a couple of potential groupies and is punished for it by a witch who is never successfully described. The only line I liked was this: “the nonstop broadcasting of the self an exhaustive full-time occupation” Sounds like the twitter generation to me.
Guignol by Kim Neman: this one was the weirdest of the lot. Long and descriptive with rich characters. For me there was too much historical stuff. Felt a bit self-indulgent. The Angels of Music isn’t really explained, unless I was missing something obvious. In what seems an occult version of Charlie’s Angels or a parody, with Erik as Bosley (or is it Charlie?), three weird female assassins investigate the reason behind missing people and mean to stop the perpetrator. Guignol (with his Punch swazzle) and his gory show, both brilliantly described, as is the fin-de-siecle Parisian streets, is suspected. The story has some of the best writing you’ll find in horror fiction.
Nightmare by Ramsey Campbell: Campbell does his usual understated, stylistic vignette(ish) thing that he’s been doing for years over and over in countless other short stories. You know what’s going to happen but you go along with it. Not scary or horrific though.
Possessions by Reggie Oliver: some bloke clears away his dead uncle’s things, only to discover he was a photographer of some repute who invented a weird camera. The writer never elaborates on the camera. The protagonist becomes obsessed with a girl in one of the uncle’s pictures, of course, and traces her to an old people’s home, and ... a ridiculous ending. The writing is pedestrian and isn’t scary or even spooky.
Ripper by Angela Slatter: yet another alternative ripper story set during the reign of Jack the Ripper, with some historic characters like Inspector Abberline. Enjoyed this one, because the writing and pacing was pretty good (did notice some errr ... typos? At least for the writer's sake I hope they were typos)Again not scary.
Vastation by Lisa Tuttle: Tuttle’s story was probably the one I enjoyed the most. A scholar’s faith is shaken by a demon he sees, or thinks he sees. His daughter sees it too but reacts admirably differently ... at first. The only problem I had with this story which had some great writing was the ending. The ending was just ridiculous and not credible at all. I know it’s called Vastation and I know what it means, but I didn’t need the theme "axed" into my face at the end.
October 31, 2015
I was totally thrilled to win a copy of this book. The cover suggested a very scary journey ahead of me. Then when I actually opened it and scanned the list of authors, I saw my initial opinion had been correct.
I do not read many horror novels, but I listen to loads at night via audio books, and most of the writers here were familiar to me. A few I have read novels by; Michael Marshall Smith, Muriel Gray, Joanne Harris and Lisa Tuttle.
This is a book to dive into, rather than read it from cover to cover.
If you are looking for a book to read this Halloween night this would be a perfect read. A hardback book which would make a super gift for an reader who enjoys a touch of the scary!
I do not read many horror novels, but I listen to loads at night via audio books, and most of the writers here were familiar to me. A few I have read novels by; Michael Marshall Smith, Muriel Gray, Joanne Harris and Lisa Tuttle.
This is a book to dive into, rather than read it from cover to cover.
If you are looking for a book to read this Halloween night this would be a perfect read. A hardback book which would make a super gift for an reader who enjoys a touch of the scary!
December 9, 2015
I thought it was a good book, and I found the stories really interesting would definitely recommend
March 5, 2017
Standout stories for me were those from Robert Shearman, Pat Cadigan and Angela Slatter.
March 18, 2017
lots of small stories I could really get my teeth in to. loved it.
March 6, 2021
Wonderful collection of horror stories, from the old school of Barker, Tuttle and Campbell. The reason why I love horror
July 2, 2024
"Пролог" і "Епілог" більш захоплюючі, ніж 12 оповідань між ними. Чекала більшого. Деякі твори нуднуваті і майже всі закінчуються, ніби обриваються, без якогось пояснення, що ж там. Відкриті фінали це одне, а непояснення - зовсім інше.
May 9, 2019
Check out my blog Latif Reviews for my reviews
Favourites are:
Afterlife by Michael Marshall Smith, Chilling by Pat Cardigan, Decay by Mark Samuels, Forgotten by Muriel Gray, Guignol by Kim Newman, Nightmare by Ramsey Campbell, Possessions by Reggie Oliver
and Ripper by Angela Slatter
Overall Average Rating: 3/5. Below is a review for each story.
Accused by Robert Shearman
Rating: 3.5/5
This story was bizarre yet simple at the same time. Susan Pitt believes she is cursed or rather has a ‘gift’ of killing clowns at a circus, with her mind, which makes it three clowns at three stages of her life. She doesn’t take much notice of this gift until her sister Connie dies of cancer and takes care of her niece Ruth, who mentions to Susan ‘that the people we kill come back to us’. Since the third clown’s death Susan avoids going to the circus, but when Ruth insists on going (and so does Greg, Susan’s husband) she has no choice but to confront her fears.
It’s fairly well written with a good plot twist. Although a short story, Shearman took his time to create a not so confident character like Susan who, despite dealing with hardships of going through her parents’ divorce and her sister’s death, Susan manages to hold it all together, despite the fact she starts to hallucinate the clowns she thinks she’s killed. It’s a brilliant start to this anthology about fear, but not the best one. It did drag on at times. I do look forward to reading more of Shearman’s work.
Afraid by Clive Barker
Rating: 2/5
Marianne and Vigo are a hot, passionate couple. But things turn a bit weird when she figures out he’s not a human and wants to run away. Vigo (I think) is a demon/vampire thing who gives her an ultimatum. If she stays he’ll reveal what he is and she can never leave him but if she walks away now then she can never come back. Jeez, what’s a girl to do?
This was just soft porn with twisted morality. This gets the lowest rating because it wasn’t scary and sort of stupid, I mean, you run-like-hell-away from your demon lover. Right…? Well. I suppose you don’t when he’s so good in bed and has an alluring big package. I’ve read Barker’s The Thief of Always, (one of my favourites), but this one was just WTF?
Afterlife by Michael Marshall Smith
Rating: 4/5
Robert is going through a mid-life crisis. His wife has left him for her boss. So, he gets a motorbike and goes on a road trip, trying to finding meaning in his unsatisfied life. He meets Hecate, Kate for short, a red-haired woman at a bar who just wants him to give her a lift to someplace. After a few pages, you get the idea that Robert is dead and that he’s taken over (I think) Death’s job to collect souls when peoples’ time comes to an end, forever riding on his motorbike which he refers to as his ‘pale horse’.
The writing is abstract so you don’t get it till the end. It wasn’t scary, more like the Sixth Sense sort of deal. It was way better than the previous story.
Chilling by Pat Cadigan
Rating: 3.5/5
Journalists Lucy and MillieLou investigate a series of frozen bodies (like frozen to the core) during a heatwave of June 1980, Kansas. They discover a pattern, where essentially the more people that are frozen to death in the summer, the milder the winter would be. If not, then you’re in for some terrible winter storms.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I mean, jeez, this one was unnecessary long. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, and I nearly lost interest. Maybe it’s saving grace was what Lucy had to sacrifice something when she touched a frozen corpse. She was warned by the MD.
Decay by Mark Samuels
Rating: 3.5/5
Riaz is working for Hermes X, a shadowy organisation (not explained well) and is paid to stake out two individuals who seem to have something to do with inventing a reality warping device (or something along those lines). It does not end well for Riaz.
This story was very vague and at times confusing, but the only saving factor was the ending. I would have given the story a higher rating. Apart from that, I will be sure to check out Samuels’s other works.
Faceless by Joanne Harris
Rating: 4/5
It’s a short, poignant story about loss. The main character (MC), is recalling the death of his mother. He also feels haunted by her and the Small Thing, an entity, that appears from the corner of his eyes. Sixty years later, he’s gone back to the house, recalling memories and encountering the Small Things.
The ending is ambiguous as you don’t know if he is dead and has gone home. The style of writing was good, really emoting of what grief is like, like no matter what happens, you always find your way home.
Forgotten by Muriel Gray
Rating: 5/5
Darren Lowry is a self-obsessed, arrogant, nasty, social media, fame attention seeking guy who is taught a lesson by a witch he meets at a club. When he insults a pair of girls, who are his fans, the witch curses him; he is to be forgotten by everyone he meets. For someone like Darren who’s obsessed with followers, this is his just deserts. He becomes frantic when the people he meets on the street start to forget they were in a conversation with him. Once he accepts that this is a part of him, he kills a man and ends up in a psychiatric programme. But by then the curse is lifted and everyone knows who he is… a murderer.
This story was full of swear words, which I was not expecting. Other than that I enjoyed this story. It was short, simple with a good moral ending and speaks to the age we live in. I’ll be sure to check this author out.
Guignol by Kim Newman
Rating: 5/5
It’s basically the Charlie’s Angels in the 19th century, Paris. Three female assassins, Kate, Clara and Yuki, (dubbed as the Angel of Music) are hired to investigate a series of gruesome murders committed in the Pigalle area. The victims are poor and often unidentified by the police. Evidence points them to the Théâtre des Horreurs, a gore-fest, nightly performances set out to shock the audiences with displays of graphic blood-soaked horror. Guignol (pronounced genyo’l), the leader and star, is the epitome of slash horror, and the three assassins wonder if the show is just a show, or are the killings are actually happening, in front of an unsuspecting audience. And are there powerful people protecting the show from the investigators?
This is one of the first longer stories out of this collection. Descriptive rich characters and consistent with the Grand Guignol atmosphere, it’s well written and pretty close to the horror promised in this collection. I’ll definitely be reading Newman’s work The Angel of Music along with his Anno Dracula series.
Nightmare by Ramsey Campbell
Rating: 4.5/5
Violet and Lawrence, a retired couple, are on a trip to revisit some of the places Lawrence remembers from his youth. They arrive to a great viewpoint, only now the area is populated. It’s a village, with its inhabitants unwelcoming to the couple. Then Lawrence goes missing and Violet is beset with finding her husband.
You get a Wicker Man vibe to it, with a tense build up to the climax. It’s a classic horror story of dreaded fear and a twist that leaves you feeling satisfied. I look forward to reading more of Campbell’s work.
Possessions by Reggie Oliver
Rating: 4.5/5
The MC is cleaning up his dead, maternal uncle’s things, in the old flat. He learns that his uncle Hubert Villier was a photographer in the 70’s and that he invented a weird 3d camera that never made it to mass production. The MC remembers his uncle in his last days but they never had a connection. Then the MC becomes obsessed with a girl in one of the uncle’s pictures whose name is Leila Winstone, an aspiring actress (known for her Hammer Horror flicks). She was in an unhealthy relationship with the uncle. The MC tracks her down to an old people’s home where she freaks out.
I wanted to give this a 5 because I loved the ending (although predictable) but the way the story is told was slow paced. As far as the scary aspect goes, well it wasn’t scary really.
Ripper by Angela Slatter
Rating: 5/5
You know what this one is about. Welcome to the Whitechapel murders in 1888. It’s Jack the Ripper investigation but with a couple of twists. Protagonist PC Kit Caswell (unbeknownst is actually Katherine a woman in disguise) is assisting Edwin Makepeace and Inspector Abberline on the Ripper case. Kit learns from Mary Jane Kelly that Jack is taking trophies from his victims as he believes that they will give him access to supernatural powers.
I loved, loved, LOVED this one! The second longest story in this collection. Kit is instantly a likeable character who has to pose as a man, to earn extra money and to look after her ailing mother and invalid brother. It has themes of women roles in a male-dominated society and witchcraft, about a case simple that can’t be solved because it has deep supernatural roots. The murderer is revealed and although he is vanquished, Kit has to deal with her cover being blown.
I enjoyed Slatter's writing as it was rightly paced and I wasn’t bored at all. In fact, I wish to know and read more about Kit’s adventures because the last page left with a possible sequel. I’ll definitely be going to check her work out.
Vastation by Lisa Tuttle
Rating: 5/5
On the 2nd October 1881, in Poughkeepsie, New York, scholar Robert Augustus Lowry sees a demon in his house. His daughter Minnie sees it too but reacts differently, if not oddly admiringly this thing. Things escalate pretty quickly at Minnie is left with a bloody house and has to stage a break-in.
Vastation means ‘the purification of someone or something by the destruction of evil qualities or elements; spiritual purgation’ or ‘devastation’. I had to clear that up because as I was reading this story, I had no idea what had happened. It like flew right past my head. This one was freaky and seamlessly done that I didn’t realise when ‘the change’ happened. Tuttle’s writing was fantastic and I’ve added her to my future author of work I got to read list.
Summary
I love reading short stories in general, but the horror genre is something I usually put off because it’s not really my cup of tea. Although a majority of the stories failed to scare me (the illustrations were perfect), there were a variety of writing styles, tone, unique and detailed stories as you would expect in an anthology. Guignol and Ripper, although long and detailed, were the best in this collection. Accursed, Possession and Vastation had great plot twists. I was not a fan of Afraid.
If you're looking for a variety of language, themes, viewpoints, tone and authors then Horrorology has it all. But honestly, it’s not the best collection I’ve read.
Favourites are:
Afterlife by Michael Marshall Smith, Chilling by Pat Cardigan, Decay by Mark Samuels, Forgotten by Muriel Gray, Guignol by Kim Newman, Nightmare by Ramsey Campbell, Possessions by Reggie Oliver
and Ripper by Angela Slatter
Overall Average Rating: 3/5. Below is a review for each story.
Accused by Robert Shearman
Rating: 3.5/5
This story was bizarre yet simple at the same time. Susan Pitt believes she is cursed or rather has a ‘gift’ of killing clowns at a circus, with her mind, which makes it three clowns at three stages of her life. She doesn’t take much notice of this gift until her sister Connie dies of cancer and takes care of her niece Ruth, who mentions to Susan ‘that the people we kill come back to us’. Since the third clown’s death Susan avoids going to the circus, but when Ruth insists on going (and so does Greg, Susan’s husband) she has no choice but to confront her fears.
It’s fairly well written with a good plot twist. Although a short story, Shearman took his time to create a not so confident character like Susan who, despite dealing with hardships of going through her parents’ divorce and her sister’s death, Susan manages to hold it all together, despite the fact she starts to hallucinate the clowns she thinks she’s killed. It’s a brilliant start to this anthology about fear, but not the best one. It did drag on at times. I do look forward to reading more of Shearman’s work.
Afraid by Clive Barker
Rating: 2/5
Marianne and Vigo are a hot, passionate couple. But things turn a bit weird when she figures out he’s not a human and wants to run away. Vigo (I think) is a demon/vampire thing who gives her an ultimatum. If she stays he’ll reveal what he is and she can never leave him but if she walks away now then she can never come back. Jeez, what’s a girl to do?
This was just soft porn with twisted morality. This gets the lowest rating because it wasn’t scary and sort of stupid, I mean, you run-like-hell-away from your demon lover. Right…? Well. I suppose you don’t when he’s so good in bed and has an alluring big package. I’ve read Barker’s The Thief of Always, (one of my favourites), but this one was just WTF?
Afterlife by Michael Marshall Smith
Rating: 4/5
Robert is going through a mid-life crisis. His wife has left him for her boss. So, he gets a motorbike and goes on a road trip, trying to finding meaning in his unsatisfied life. He meets Hecate, Kate for short, a red-haired woman at a bar who just wants him to give her a lift to someplace. After a few pages, you get the idea that Robert is dead and that he’s taken over (I think) Death’s job to collect souls when peoples’ time comes to an end, forever riding on his motorbike which he refers to as his ‘pale horse’.
The writing is abstract so you don’t get it till the end. It wasn’t scary, more like the Sixth Sense sort of deal. It was way better than the previous story.
Chilling by Pat Cadigan
Rating: 3.5/5
Journalists Lucy and MillieLou investigate a series of frozen bodies (like frozen to the core) during a heatwave of June 1980, Kansas. They discover a pattern, where essentially the more people that are frozen to death in the summer, the milder the winter would be. If not, then you’re in for some terrible winter storms.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I mean, jeez, this one was unnecessary long. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, and I nearly lost interest. Maybe it’s saving grace was what Lucy had to sacrifice something when she touched a frozen corpse. She was warned by the MD.
Decay by Mark Samuels
Rating: 3.5/5
Riaz is working for Hermes X, a shadowy organisation (not explained well) and is paid to stake out two individuals who seem to have something to do with inventing a reality warping device (or something along those lines). It does not end well for Riaz.
This story was very vague and at times confusing, but the only saving factor was the ending. I would have given the story a higher rating. Apart from that, I will be sure to check out Samuels’s other works.
Faceless by Joanne Harris
Rating: 4/5
It’s a short, poignant story about loss. The main character (MC), is recalling the death of his mother. He also feels haunted by her and the Small Thing, an entity, that appears from the corner of his eyes. Sixty years later, he’s gone back to the house, recalling memories and encountering the Small Things.
The ending is ambiguous as you don’t know if he is dead and has gone home. The style of writing was good, really emoting of what grief is like, like no matter what happens, you always find your way home.
Forgotten by Muriel Gray
Rating: 5/5
Darren Lowry is a self-obsessed, arrogant, nasty, social media, fame attention seeking guy who is taught a lesson by a witch he meets at a club. When he insults a pair of girls, who are his fans, the witch curses him; he is to be forgotten by everyone he meets. For someone like Darren who’s obsessed with followers, this is his just deserts. He becomes frantic when the people he meets on the street start to forget they were in a conversation with him. Once he accepts that this is a part of him, he kills a man and ends up in a psychiatric programme. But by then the curse is lifted and everyone knows who he is… a murderer.
This story was full of swear words, which I was not expecting. Other than that I enjoyed this story. It was short, simple with a good moral ending and speaks to the age we live in. I’ll be sure to check this author out.
Guignol by Kim Newman
Rating: 5/5
It’s basically the Charlie’s Angels in the 19th century, Paris. Three female assassins, Kate, Clara and Yuki, (dubbed as the Angel of Music) are hired to investigate a series of gruesome murders committed in the Pigalle area. The victims are poor and often unidentified by the police. Evidence points them to the Théâtre des Horreurs, a gore-fest, nightly performances set out to shock the audiences with displays of graphic blood-soaked horror. Guignol (pronounced genyo’l), the leader and star, is the epitome of slash horror, and the three assassins wonder if the show is just a show, or are the killings are actually happening, in front of an unsuspecting audience. And are there powerful people protecting the show from the investigators?
This is one of the first longer stories out of this collection. Descriptive rich characters and consistent with the Grand Guignol atmosphere, it’s well written and pretty close to the horror promised in this collection. I’ll definitely be reading Newman’s work The Angel of Music along with his Anno Dracula series.
Nightmare by Ramsey Campbell
Rating: 4.5/5
Violet and Lawrence, a retired couple, are on a trip to revisit some of the places Lawrence remembers from his youth. They arrive to a great viewpoint, only now the area is populated. It’s a village, with its inhabitants unwelcoming to the couple. Then Lawrence goes missing and Violet is beset with finding her husband.
You get a Wicker Man vibe to it, with a tense build up to the climax. It’s a classic horror story of dreaded fear and a twist that leaves you feeling satisfied. I look forward to reading more of Campbell’s work.
Possessions by Reggie Oliver
Rating: 4.5/5
The MC is cleaning up his dead, maternal uncle’s things, in the old flat. He learns that his uncle Hubert Villier was a photographer in the 70’s and that he invented a weird 3d camera that never made it to mass production. The MC remembers his uncle in his last days but they never had a connection. Then the MC becomes obsessed with a girl in one of the uncle’s pictures whose name is Leila Winstone, an aspiring actress (known for her Hammer Horror flicks). She was in an unhealthy relationship with the uncle. The MC tracks her down to an old people’s home where she freaks out.
I wanted to give this a 5 because I loved the ending (although predictable) but the way the story is told was slow paced. As far as the scary aspect goes, well it wasn’t scary really.
Ripper by Angela Slatter
Rating: 5/5
You know what this one is about. Welcome to the Whitechapel murders in 1888. It’s Jack the Ripper investigation but with a couple of twists. Protagonist PC Kit Caswell (unbeknownst is actually Katherine a woman in disguise) is assisting Edwin Makepeace and Inspector Abberline on the Ripper case. Kit learns from Mary Jane Kelly that Jack is taking trophies from his victims as he believes that they will give him access to supernatural powers.
I loved, loved, LOVED this one! The second longest story in this collection. Kit is instantly a likeable character who has to pose as a man, to earn extra money and to look after her ailing mother and invalid brother. It has themes of women roles in a male-dominated society and witchcraft, about a case simple that can’t be solved because it has deep supernatural roots. The murderer is revealed and although he is vanquished, Kit has to deal with her cover being blown.
I enjoyed Slatter's writing as it was rightly paced and I wasn’t bored at all. In fact, I wish to know and read more about Kit’s adventures because the last page left with a possible sequel. I’ll definitely be going to check her work out.
Vastation by Lisa Tuttle
Rating: 5/5
On the 2nd October 1881, in Poughkeepsie, New York, scholar Robert Augustus Lowry sees a demon in his house. His daughter Minnie sees it too but reacts differently, if not oddly admiringly this thing. Things escalate pretty quickly at Minnie is left with a bloody house and has to stage a break-in.
Vastation means ‘the purification of someone or something by the destruction of evil qualities or elements; spiritual purgation’ or ‘devastation’. I had to clear that up because as I was reading this story, I had no idea what had happened. It like flew right past my head. This one was freaky and seamlessly done that I didn’t realise when ‘the change’ happened. Tuttle’s writing was fantastic and I’ve added her to my future author of work I got to read list.
Summary
I love reading short stories in general, but the horror genre is something I usually put off because it’s not really my cup of tea. Although a majority of the stories failed to scare me (the illustrations were perfect), there were a variety of writing styles, tone, unique and detailed stories as you would expect in an anthology. Guignol and Ripper, although long and detailed, were the best in this collection. Accursed, Possession and Vastation had great plot twists. I was not a fan of Afraid.
If you're looking for a variety of language, themes, viewpoints, tone and authors then Horrorology has it all. But honestly, it’s not the best collection I’ve read.
March 4, 2025
"Жахослов" насправді дуже класна збірка, просто не всі оповідання пасують одне до одного, чим створюється т��кий невеличкий (і я гадаю, намірений) дисонанс, через який, мабуть, і така невисока, як на мене, загальна оцінка збірки.
Втім оповідання там цілком собі ранжуються від непоганих до класних, і якраз про останні я хочу трішки розказати, це такі маленькі шедеври.
"Ґіньйоль" Кім Ньюмен
Загалом мені Ньюмен зазвичай здається трохи нуднуватим, в нього така, я б сказала, трохи дидактична манера тягнути і тягнути оповідання, насичуючи його деталями, подробицями, моральними аспектами та багаточисельними відсилочками, і в певний момент сприймати це стає надзвичайно важким.
Проте "Ґіньйоля" це не стосується, це справді класне, жаске оповідання в стилі ідеально дібраного постмодернізму, де всі великодочки на своїх місцях та не перевантажують сприйняття. Історія спецзагону Янголів Музики, трьох незвичайних жінок, в кожної з котрих є свій унікальний хист та унікальна зброя (не завжди в прямому сенсі) - отримують завдання з'ясувати, хто стоїть за вбивствами в Парижі, і до чого тут легендарний Гран Ґіньйоль, театр, відомий своїми кривавими перформансами, про які ширяться чутки, що іноді кров, котра там ллється - зовсім не бутафорська, в жодному разі.
(і обов'язково треба читати прикінцеві примітки, бо впізнати всі відсилки самотужки майже нереально)
"Забуття", Мюрієль Ґрей
Фентезійно-містична історія, як відьма провчила нахабного молодика, вдаривши його по найбільш болісному для нього місцю. Нескладний сюжет, але дуже приємно, майже казково написаний.
"Потойбічність", Майкл Маршалл Сміт
Іще одна містична історія, цікава і напрочуд щемка. Я впізнаю почерк Майкла Маршалла Сміта, мене завжди дивувало, як письменник, що створив собі ім'я як автор в основному доволі жорстких трилерів - у малій формі найчастіше повертається до містики, причому, як би так дібрати визначення - ліричної. Такої, що торкає, аж до мурашок. В цьому оповіданні ця "мурашечність" теж є. І я цілком вітаю захоплення пана Сміта саме містикою, тому що цей жанр потребує величезної делікатності та бездоганного смаку.
"Проклята", Роберт Ширмен
Ще одна класна історія, про жінку, яка має один-єдиний, проте унікальний талант. Вона вміє вбивати клоунів, і хто скаже, що це не варто уваги? От і вона теж так думає.
Оповідання абсолютно шикарне, нарочито просте, але із безліччю крутезно моторошних дрібниць та деталей, до яких можна повертатися та перечитувати, отже, аж дуже раджу.
"Різник", Анджела Слеттер
Ще одна історія на тему невмирущого жахіття Джека Різника, тероризувавшого нещасних жінок Вайтчепеля. Здається, ну що іще можна написати про Різника, після безлічі творів, йому присвячених, від публіцистики до трилерів та навіть жахів.
Але ж - це Анджела Слеттер, як я зазвичай кажу друзям, якщо бачите щось Анджели Слеттер - просто беріть не глядячи, ви не будете розчаровані.
Тому я не буду тут навіть використовувати трішки клікбейту, просто знову скажу - будь ласка, читайте, ви не будете розчаровані.
"Холоднеча", Пет Кедіґан
Екологічний горор, як він є, принаймні, зараз він смакує достоту так. Історія, як страшного, пекельного літа, коли сонце опалює крихкі людські життя, де надто багато води та надто мало можливостей для спротиву природі - хтось раптом таємничо помирає через змерзання.
Звісно, авторчин меседж торкався трохи іншої природної перверсії, але після останнього літа, він сприймається вже геть інакше.
Втім оповідання там цілком собі ранжуються від непоганих до класних, і якраз про останні я хочу трішки розказати, це такі маленькі шедеври.
"Ґіньйоль" Кім Ньюмен
Загалом мені Ньюмен зазвичай здається трохи нуднуватим, в нього така, я б сказала, трохи дидактична манера тягнути і тягнути оповідання, насичуючи його деталями, подробицями, моральними аспектами та багаточисельними відсилочками, і в певний момент сприймати це стає надзвичайно важким.
Проте "Ґіньйоля" це не стосується, це справді класне, жаске оповідання в стилі ідеально дібраного постмодернізму, де всі великодочки на своїх місцях та не перевантажують сприйняття. Історія спецзагону Янголів Музики, трьох незвичайних жінок, в кожної з котрих є свій унікальний хист та унікальна зброя (не завжди в прямому сенсі) - отримують завдання з'ясувати, хто стоїть за вбивствами в Парижі, і до чого тут легендарний Гран Ґіньйоль, театр, відомий своїми кривавими перформансами, про які ширяться чутки, що іноді кров, котра там ллється - зовсім не бутафорська, в жодному разі.
(і обов'язково треба читати прикінцеві примітки, бо впізнати всі відсилки самотужки майже нереально)
"Забуття", Мюрієль Ґрей
Фентезійно-містична історія, як відьма провчила нахабного молодика, вдаривши його по найбільш болісному для нього місцю. Нескладний сюжет, але дуже приємно, майже казково написаний.
"Потойбічність", Майкл Маршалл Сміт
Іще одна містична історія, цікава і напрочуд щемка. Я впізнаю почерк Майкла Маршалла Сміта, мене завжди дивувало, як письменник, що створив собі ім'я як автор в основному доволі жорстких трилерів - у малій формі найчастіше повертається до містики, причому, як би так дібрати визначення - ліричної. Такої, що торкає, аж до мурашок. В цьому оповіданні ця "мурашечність" теж є. І я цілком вітаю захоплення пана Сміта саме містикою, тому що цей жанр потребує величезної делікатності та бездоганного смаку.
"Проклята", Роберт Ширмен
Ще одна класна історія, про жінку, яка має один-єдиний, проте унікальний талант. Вона вміє вбивати клоунів, і хто скаже, що це не варто уваги? От і вона теж так думає.
Оповідання абсолютно шикарне, нарочито просте, але із безліччю крутезно моторошних дрібниць та деталей, до яких можна повертатися та перечитувати, отже, аж дуже раджу.
"Різник", Анджела Слеттер
Ще одна історія на тему невмирущого жахіття Джека Різника, тероризувавшого нещасних жінок Вайтчепеля. Здається, ну що іще можна написати про Різника, після безлічі творів, йому присвячених, від публіцистики до трилерів та навіть жахів.
Але ж - це Анджела Слеттер, як я зазвичай кажу друзям, якщо бачите щось Анджели Слеттер - просто беріть не глядячи, ви не будете розчаровані.
Тому я не буду тут навіть використовувати трішки клікбейту, просто знову скажу - будь ласка, читайте, ви не будете розчаровані.
"Холоднеча", Пет Кедіґан
Екологічний горор, як він є, принаймні, зараз він смакує достоту так. Історія, як страшного, пекельного літа, коли сонце опалює крихкі людські життя, де надто багато води та надто мало можливостей для спротиву природі - хтось раптом таємничо помирає через змерзання.
Звісно, авторчин меседж торкався трохи іншої природної перверсії, але після останнього літа, він сприймається вже геть інакше.
August 7, 2019
Like all anthologies, some stories shine brighter than others. Here, maybe two weeks out from finishing it, what I remember most are the stories set up like a joke, all buildup until the last paragraph and ending on a "punchline."
I disliked most of those. That probably colors my rating a bit.
The rest of the stories were pretty good. Without going back, I'd say the opening story ("Accursed," by Robert Shearman) was my favorite. Kim Newman's always hit-or-miss with me, maybe more misses than hits, but I liked "Guignol" as well.
I disliked most of those. That probably colors my rating a bit.
The rest of the stories were pretty good. Without going back, I'd say the opening story ("Accursed," by Robert Shearman) was my favorite. Kim Newman's always hit-or-miss with me, maybe more misses than hits, but I liked "Guignol" as well.
March 1, 2018
It has some interesting short stories but nothing I would call ground breaking. I think the addition of Clive Barker's name on it makes the book appear more interesting than it is. Can't say it was a great read but it wasn't bad either.
August 17, 2024
Average collection of stories. Some were bearable, but a most were hard to get through. Not quite horror either. The best thing about this book was the illustration. Not particularly worth reading otherwise
July 25, 2021
very mid collection with some of them being very boring but i really liked 'chilling, 'forgotten' and 'ripper'
October 25, 2023
Some of these short stories seemed repetitive and boring, some of them were fun and engaging. It's an anthology where anyone could find a story to their taste though.
August 30, 2024
Uneven story quality but an enjoyable read
May 25, 2022
My favorites are Chilling, Forgotten and Ripper but most of the stories are really good! The only one I didn't quite like was Faceless, and Guignol was a bit too long for a short story but the anthology is definitely worth reading through
October 14, 2018
The stories were all good, although one I felt was too long to fit in this collection, and a couple had endings so ambiguous I found them almost nonsensical, I enjoyed them overall.
I didn’t think they were scary enough to warrant the overdramatic epilogue and prologue pretending these stories were stolen from hell and leaked to the world, or something. A touch melodramatic!
I didn’t think they were scary enough to warrant the overdramatic epilogue and prologue pretending these stories were stolen from hell and leaked to the world, or something. A touch melodramatic!
February 5, 2023
Another very fine horror anthology from Stephen Jones - I do remember enjoying most of the stories in this anthology but I can't remember what the particular point of the anthology was. Still it gave me many happy and amusing hours of reading.
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