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Clockwork Wonderland
Clockwork Wonderland contains stories from authors that see Wonderland as a place of horror where anything can happen and time runs amok. In this book you’ll find tales of murderous clockworks, insane creations, serial killers, zombies, and a blood thirsty jabberclocky. Prepare to see Wonderland as a place where all your worst nightmares come true. You may never look at classic children’s literature the same way again.
223 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2017
5 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Emerian Rich
40 books39 followersEmerian Rich was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1973, the only child of pastors. She lived in thirty-two different places by the time she graduated high school. With no siblings and no consistent peer relationships, the pen became an integral part of her life, granting her an inexpensive pastime that she could take with her anywhere. The characters in her stories became her friends and her journal, her only continuous confidant.Emerian is the author of Night’s Knights vampire novel, the Sweet Dreams Novel Series, HorrorAddicts.net, and Office Angst Podcast.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 21, 2017
There’s a comforting familiarity in these stories, since most of us have at least a vague understanding of Alice and what it means to be stuck in Wonderland. Although it’s usually passed off as an imaginative realm for children, the circumstances and imagery here are the stuff of adult nightmares. Themes of losing our innocence, questioning our sanity, and failing to elude the constant threat of time are things that affect us all. Mix in some grisly imagery and a string of bloodbaths, this collection has the right recipe for inducing the worst bad dreams.
If you have a penchant for Alice in Wonderland, you absolutely need to get your hands on this collection. Overall, I found the editing to be top-notch, which made for an enjoyable read. And, although not all stories stood out as strikingly crafted, there really isn’t a bad one in the bunch. There were common threads in most tales, which sometimes made them feel same-y. Yet, most held my attention with clever descriptions or plot twists at the end, making me want to keep flipping to the last page.
Here are a few that worked well for me. Ellis’ “Hands of Time” had me cringing at her gory depictions, which was a lot of fun. Saulson’s “My Clockwork Valentine” kept me riveted, wanting to know the answer to the mystery of the protagonist’s clockwork pacemaker and the key she needed to obtain to keep her alive. This is a beautifully written creepy fairy tale. Pyne’s “Blood will Have Blood” is a gruesome modern day horror with a skillful conclusion. Rich’s “Midnight Dance” is a fun romp with zombies and some magic jam, feeling like a twisted Groundhog Day that repeats over and over again. Coffman’s “King of Hearts” is a touching tale of a dad whose daughter inadvertently sends him to Wonderland. It’s his love for her and the help of a mysterious cat that help him get home. McGuire’s “Riddle” has a wallop of an ending, which really makes the story. Megaregee’s “The Note” is full of artful prose, which held my interest—that, and the gripping descent into insanity. Roger’s “Ticking Heart” is a fascinating telling of kind of a twisted parable about love and time. You’ll have to read it to find out which is ultimately victorious.
All in all, Clockwork Wonderland delivers a satisfying trip down the rabbit hole and into a warped and often bloody dimension of deliciously disturbing madness.
If you have a penchant for Alice in Wonderland, you absolutely need to get your hands on this collection. Overall, I found the editing to be top-notch, which made for an enjoyable read. And, although not all stories stood out as strikingly crafted, there really isn’t a bad one in the bunch. There were common threads in most tales, which sometimes made them feel same-y. Yet, most held my attention with clever descriptions or plot twists at the end, making me want to keep flipping to the last page.
Here are a few that worked well for me. Ellis’ “Hands of Time” had me cringing at her gory depictions, which was a lot of fun. Saulson’s “My Clockwork Valentine” kept me riveted, wanting to know the answer to the mystery of the protagonist’s clockwork pacemaker and the key she needed to obtain to keep her alive. This is a beautifully written creepy fairy tale. Pyne’s “Blood will Have Blood” is a gruesome modern day horror with a skillful conclusion. Rich’s “Midnight Dance” is a fun romp with zombies and some magic jam, feeling like a twisted Groundhog Day that repeats over and over again. Coffman’s “King of Hearts” is a touching tale of a dad whose daughter inadvertently sends him to Wonderland. It’s his love for her and the help of a mysterious cat that help him get home. McGuire’s “Riddle” has a wallop of an ending, which really makes the story. Megaregee’s “The Note” is full of artful prose, which held my interest—that, and the gripping descent into insanity. Roger’s “Ticking Heart” is a fascinating telling of kind of a twisted parable about love and time. You’ll have to read it to find out which is ultimately victorious.
All in all, Clockwork Wonderland delivers a satisfying trip down the rabbit hole and into a warped and often bloody dimension of deliciously disturbing madness.
October 3, 2017
Originally posted on www.swordsandspectres.wordpress.com
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.
Clockwork Wonderland is an incredibly fun and incredibly quirky short story anthology where every story is set in Wonderland or, at the very least, heavily features the characters from Wonderland. Each story also features clocks/time in a predominant fashion.
I won't lie, I went into this sitting on the fence, not expecting great things. After all, how many stories about time and Wonderland can you read before it all starts to feel quite 'samey'? Apparently lots and lots, as it never felt 'samey' to me. There was a pretty wide variety on offer from 'The Jabberclocky' to 'The Midnight Dance' (the latter being my personal favourite from the entire collection. Gotta love a Wonderland version of Groundhog day ... with zombies).
One thing that was incredibly strong through 95% of the stories were the endings. They were some of the best endings I have read in short stories. Ever. Heck, one even managed to tie into a very well-known fairy tale. That one had me grinning from ear to ear like a loon. Some seriously clever writing on show.
As with all short story collections; there were one or two I didn't enjoy. Some were down to the author's writing style and a couple were simply far too insane for me to understand what was going on, let alone have a chance of keeping up.
All in all, though, Horroraddicts.net have put together a pretty impressive little collection that is sure to have horror fans and Wonderland fans alike curious. If you fall into either category and would like to see the Wonderland characters you know and love in a hugely different light, I'd highly recommend getting Clockwork Wonderland.
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.
Clockwork Wonderland is an incredibly fun and incredibly quirky short story anthology where every story is set in Wonderland or, at the very least, heavily features the characters from Wonderland. Each story also features clocks/time in a predominant fashion.
I won't lie, I went into this sitting on the fence, not expecting great things. After all, how many stories about time and Wonderland can you read before it all starts to feel quite 'samey'? Apparently lots and lots, as it never felt 'samey' to me. There was a pretty wide variety on offer from 'The Jabberclocky' to 'The Midnight Dance' (the latter being my personal favourite from the entire collection. Gotta love a Wonderland version of Groundhog day ... with zombies).
One thing that was incredibly strong through 95% of the stories were the endings. They were some of the best endings I have read in short stories. Ever. Heck, one even managed to tie into a very well-known fairy tale. That one had me grinning from ear to ear like a loon. Some seriously clever writing on show.
As with all short story collections; there were one or two I didn't enjoy. Some were down to the author's writing style and a couple were simply far too insane for me to understand what was going on, let alone have a chance of keeping up.
All in all, though, Horroraddicts.net have put together a pretty impressive little collection that is sure to have horror fans and Wonderland fans alike curious. If you fall into either category and would like to see the Wonderland characters you know and love in a hugely different light, I'd highly recommend getting Clockwork Wonderland.
August 28, 2019
The Clockwork Wonderland anthology combines horror + steampunk + Alice in Wonderland. The stories are gruesome, full of gears and madness, as well as torture, murder, and stolen kisses. This is definitely NOT FOR KIDS. Sometimes the horror element is ascendant; other times it's the dark whimsy of the Wonderland books. I heard Emerian read "Midnight Dance" at BayCon and the story continues to be one of my favorites in this collection. Other standouts are Sumiko Saulson's "My Clockwork Valentine" and Michele Roger's "Ticking Heart." For my taste, there is one too many story where someone (often Alice) is kidnapped and forced to murder someone else in order to escape.
February 1, 2020
Alice in Wonderland and Horror thrown together
When reading Alice in Wonderlsnd it can be kind of creepy and twisted. This anthology gives you that and more. Clocks, your favorite wonderland characters new characters. This anthology is scary,creepy, creative,imaginative. The stories will keep you reading.
When reading Alice in Wonderlsnd it can be kind of creepy and twisted. This anthology gives you that and more. Clocks, your favorite wonderland characters new characters. This anthology is scary,creepy, creative,imaginative. The stories will keep you reading.
February 25, 2018
Amazing anthology of Alice in Wonderland stories that have been updated with a heavy steampunk theme. See all of the original characters in a completely new light. Enjoyable and entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews