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Halloween Carnival
Halloween Carnival Volume 5
Richard Chizmar, Lisa Tuttle, Norman Prentiss, Kevin Quigley, and Peter Straub unmask monsters hiding in plain sight in an anthology of heart-pounding short fiction assembled by horror author and editor Brian James Freeman.
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
People think there’s some sort of mystical power that allows enchantments and witchcraft to come to life on Halloween night. But real magic obeys no calendar—and true evil strikes whenever it’s least expected.
SWING by Kevin Quigley
In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past.
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
People think there’s some sort of mystical power that allows enchantments and witchcraft to come to life on Halloween night. But real magic obeys no calendar—and true evil strikes whenever it’s least expected.
SWING by Kevin Quigley
In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2017
34 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Brian James Freeman
100 books150 followersBrian James Freeman sold his first short story when he was fourteen years old and now writes full-time thanks to the support of his patrons on Patreon. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, three kids, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and an English Pointer. More books are on the way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
October 19, 2020
I’ve been dragging my feet on this anthology series for years now. I was so excited to sink my teeth into some Halloween scares but they consistently disappointed me so I gave up. Now it’s Halloween month again and with one volume to go, I decided to dive back in and hope for the best.
Devil’s Night by Richard Chizmar - 🎃🎃🎃🎃
The newspapers reported the story of what happened that night but that’s not the whole story.
The tower house is still there, all these years later. Going inside was the last dare between childhood best friends.
An interview with a difference.
Death follows love. Every time.
Hat, a story from his childhood and all that jazz.
Content warnings include .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hydra, an imprint of Random House Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this anthology.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
Devil’s Night by Richard Chizmar - 🎃🎃🎃🎃
The newspapers reported the story of what happened that night but that’s not the whole story.
Halloween may be a night for make-believe ghosts and goblins, but you’d better be sure to turn on all the lights and lock your doors on Devil’s Night. Because that’s when the real monsters lurk …The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle - 🎃🎃🎃
The tower house is still there, all these years later. Going inside was the last dare between childhood best friends.
“Tell us the story about the tower house”The Halloween Bleed by Norman Prentiss - 🎃🎃🎃
An interview with a difference.
“What if Halloween … bleeds into other days? It doesn’t matter when the story is written, or when you read it. What matters is that it has an effect on you. It casts its spell.”Swing by Kevin Quigley - 🎃🎃🎃
Death follows love. Every time.
Most thought she was dancing because she was free, but I knew the real Jessica. She danced because she was trapped.Pork Pie Hat by Peter Straub - 🎃🎃🎃
Hat, a story from his childhood and all that jazz.
“Most people will tell you growing up means you stop believing in Halloween things - I’m telling you the reverse. You start to grow up when you understand that the stuff that scares you is part of the air you breathe.”While the stories included in this anthology were okay, I didn’t get the Halloween horror vibe I was looking for. I didn’t find any of the stories scary at all. I’m glad I finally made it through to the end of this series and there were some decent stories along the way, but overall I remain disappointed.
Content warnings include .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hydra, an imprint of Random House Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this anthology.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
October 4, 2021
very, very meh
November 1, 2017
4.5/5 stars!
In this, the last entry of the Halloween Carnival series, Hydra hands us a great group of stories that couldn't possibly be more different from each other. This is a good thing!
Richard Chizmar's DEVIL'S NIGHT, impressed the heck out of me. The only thing of his I've read is his collaboration with Stephen King. Now I'm going to have to read more of his work. 4*
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle was a neat little story with no explanation. The characters were very well drawn for such a short tale and I found myself thinking more about them after I finished the story. This one grew on me, but after the fact-if that makes any sense. ?Look, all I know is I'm not entering any houses with tower rooms, okay? 3.5*
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss was a twisty little tale, with half told secrets taking place between a learned man and his eager to learn interviewer. Little does he know that he isn't as smart as he thinks. 4.5*
SWING by Kevin Quigley. This was an excellent, sad and poignant tale and I enjoyed it. I just didn't see what it had to do with Halloween? 3*
PORKPIE HAT by Peter Straub. Let me preface this by saying Straub's Ghost Story was my favorite novel for a few years-I just loved it so much. Shadowland and Floating Dragon followed and I liked those too, and don't even get me started on how much I loved The Talisman. But since then, not much of his work has appealed to me. (Edited to add: I DID enjoy The Blue Rose trilogy.) Until now. I ADORED this story. It has jazz, musicians, a student/reporter/nobody, and a subtle back story packed with racism, double standards, adulterers fear and loathing. I loved how PORKPIE HAT unfolded like some kind of origami animal and I just had to have some peace and quiet to read it in its entirety. For me, this was the star of this collection. 5*
I didn't have time to read all of the Halloween Carnival entries, but of the ones I did read, this is my favorite. I like all kinds of dark fiction stories and I loved the variety here. I didn't think even one of them was a clunker, but of course your mileage may vary.
Highly recommended!
*Thanks to Hydra and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
In this, the last entry of the Halloween Carnival series, Hydra hands us a great group of stories that couldn't possibly be more different from each other. This is a good thing!
Richard Chizmar's DEVIL'S NIGHT, impressed the heck out of me. The only thing of his I've read is his collaboration with Stephen King. Now I'm going to have to read more of his work. 4*
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle was a neat little story with no explanation. The characters were very well drawn for such a short tale and I found myself thinking more about them after I finished the story. This one grew on me, but after the fact-if that makes any sense. ?Look, all I know is I'm not entering any houses with tower rooms, okay? 3.5*
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss was a twisty little tale, with half told secrets taking place between a learned man and his eager to learn interviewer. Little does he know that he isn't as smart as he thinks. 4.5*
SWING by Kevin Quigley. This was an excellent, sad and poignant tale and I enjoyed it. I just didn't see what it had to do with Halloween? 3*
PORKPIE HAT by Peter Straub. Let me preface this by saying Straub's Ghost Story was my favorite novel for a few years-I just loved it so much. Shadowland and Floating Dragon followed and I liked those too, and don't even get me started on how much I loved The Talisman. But since then, not much of his work has appealed to me. (Edited to add: I DID enjoy The Blue Rose trilogy.) Until now. I ADORED this story. It has jazz, musicians, a student/reporter/nobody, and a subtle back story packed with racism, double standards, adulterers fear and loathing. I loved how PORKPIE HAT unfolded like some kind of origami animal and I just had to have some peace and quiet to read it in its entirety. For me, this was the star of this collection. 5*
I didn't have time to read all of the Halloween Carnival entries, but of the ones I did read, this is my favorite. I like all kinds of dark fiction stories and I loved the variety here. I didn't think even one of them was a clunker, but of course your mileage may vary.
Highly recommended!
*Thanks to Hydra and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
November 18, 2017
4 of 5 Stars Review copy
During the month of October 2017, Brian James Freeman and the folks at Hydra, have gotten together to present a total of twenty-five Halloween tales of horror from twenty-five of the best genre writers working today. Every Tuesday during October there was a new volume in the Halloween Carnival anthology series.
Volume Five concludes the series with five tales of Halloween horror. The fun begins with...
Devil's Night by Richard Chizmar - "Tonight was Devils's Night. A night for mischief as my father used to say." A love triangle and a murder. I've read this short before. A great "What would you do?" mystery.
The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle - The Tower House was both foreboding and forbidden. All the more reason to visit on Halloween.
The Halloween Bleed (A Dr. Sibley Curiosity) by Norman Prentiss - "What if Halloween...bleeds into other days? It doesn't matter when a story is written, or when you read it. What matters is that it has an effect on you. It casts a spell." A well-crafted tale with a delightful twist.
Swing by Kevin Quigley - "Love is strange and death is an aphrodisiac."
Port Pie Hat by Peter Straub - The novella in this collection is another I've read before, but it also happens to be one of the best Halloween horror stories I've ever read. Hat is a Jazz musician and when a fan tries to conduct an interview he hears the horrifying story of a Halloween night in the 'the Backs."
Definitely recommended and somewhat sad to see this series come to a close.
Halloween Carnival Volume Five is published by Hydra, a division of Random House, and is available as an ebook.
During the month of October 2017, Brian James Freeman and the folks at Hydra, have gotten together to present a total of twenty-five Halloween tales of horror from twenty-five of the best genre writers working today. Every Tuesday during October there was a new volume in the Halloween Carnival anthology series.
Volume Five concludes the series with five tales of Halloween horror. The fun begins with...
Devil's Night by Richard Chizmar - "Tonight was Devils's Night. A night for mischief as my father used to say." A love triangle and a murder. I've read this short before. A great "What would you do?" mystery.
The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle - The Tower House was both foreboding and forbidden. All the more reason to visit on Halloween.
The Halloween Bleed (A Dr. Sibley Curiosity) by Norman Prentiss - "What if Halloween...bleeds into other days? It doesn't matter when a story is written, or when you read it. What matters is that it has an effect on you. It casts a spell." A well-crafted tale with a delightful twist.
Swing by Kevin Quigley - "Love is strange and death is an aphrodisiac."
Port Pie Hat by Peter Straub - The novella in this collection is another I've read before, but it also happens to be one of the best Halloween horror stories I've ever read. Hat is a Jazz musician and when a fan tries to conduct an interview he hears the horrifying story of a Halloween night in the 'the Backs."
Definitely recommended and somewhat sad to see this series come to a close.
Halloween Carnival Volume Five is published by Hydra, a division of Random House, and is available as an ebook.
October 31, 2017
Halloween Carnival Volume 5, by Richard T. Chizmar is the fifth (obviously) installment in Hydra's Halloween Carnival series. The four short stories and one novella in this collection, once again, featured a range of topics and emotions. Although in this one--particularly Peter Straub's "Pork Pie Hat"--I didn't feel the "Halloween theme" as strongly, despite it taking place on Halloween.
My personal favorites in this anthology were:
--"Devil's Night", by Richard Chizmar: Honestly, I think I've enjoyed every tale I've read by this author lately. This story embodied multiple emotions, and ended on a VERY unexpected note.
--"The Halloween Bleed", by Norman Prentiss: I need to read more of his stories featuring Dr. Sibley! This one really got to me, in a "mental" sense, evoking a strong Halloween connection.
Overall, not my favorite in the series, but worthwhile reading for those two stories alone. As in any collection, individual tastes vary greatly!
My personal favorites in this anthology were:
--"Devil's Night", by Richard Chizmar: Honestly, I think I've enjoyed every tale I've read by this author lately. This story embodied multiple emotions, and ended on a VERY unexpected note.
--"The Halloween Bleed", by Norman Prentiss: I need to read more of his stories featuring Dr. Sibley! This one really got to me, in a "mental" sense, evoking a strong Halloween connection.
Overall, not my favorite in the series, but worthwhile reading for those two stories alone. As in any collection, individual tastes vary greatly!
August 26, 2017
Halloween is absolutely my favorite holiday. Monsters, Ghouls, Ghosties, and all creepy things that go bump in the night! Bring 'em on!!
Halloween Carnival Volume 5 is the last in a series of 5 horror short story collections from Random House. The volumes will release -- one every week -- throughout the month of October. Love the covers! Love the variety of stories! Great way to scream your way to the holiday this year!
Volume 5, which releases on Halloween Day Oct 31st, contains five horrific tales. These tales are subtle, a smooth, slow build of uneasiness that morphs into horror just before the end. A slow ride....to hell. I prefer that type of horror story to the more in-your-face, spurting blood, b-movie sort.
Devil's Night by Richard Chizmar. Everyone has heard the news stories about the man who fought off a killer. But, nobody knows the whole story. A nice creepy read that builds slowly before smacking you in the face with the truth. Great read!
The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle. Lane returns to her hometown to visit with her daughter and grand-daughter. She happens to meet Bobbi, her childhood best friend. They reminisce about all sorts of things, even the time Bobbi dared Lane to go into the Tower House. Lane discovers that while her childhood home has been torn down, the old Tower still stands. And it's just as dangerous as it was in the 1950s. Dare to go in? Lovely creepy story. Every town has that One House -- the abandoned one nobody wants to enter. Probably for good reason.
The Halloween Bleed (A Dr. Sibley Curiosity) by Norman Prentiss. One really should not assume that evil and magic only come out on Halloween. Real magic can pop up anywhere at anytime....especially when it's a surprise. This is hands down my favorite story from this collection! Awesome ending!
Swing by Kevin Quigley. Swing music brings memories of Jessica to him. He remembers her dancing. He remembers her dying. But then again, everyone he loves dies. And he falls in love all the time. This is an odd, but mesmerizing, bit of creepiness. Definitely a twisted love story. After all, there are all different types of love. Right?
Pork Pie Hat by Peter Straub. A famous Jazz musician recounts a tale from his childhood. But some tales are best kept secret. This story fell a bit flat for me....maybe because it develops slowly? I'm not sure exactly...but it was my least favorite of the 5. Worth a read....but not scary/horrific. More disturbing than frightening.
All in all, this is a Halloween anthology worth reading! The tales are not screaming, wild, ripper tales but more subtle in their horror. The sort of story that sneaks up on you, rather than chases you down the lane. I think the release of one story anthology a week throughout the month of October is an awesome way to lead up to Halloween! And the ebooks are affordable! Excellent short stories at a price any reader can afford. Although some readers might have to take a glance behind to see if something is following them, the stories aren't so frightening to give sleepless nights and vivid nightmares.
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Random House Hydra via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Halloween Carnival Volume 5 is the last in a series of 5 horror short story collections from Random House. The volumes will release -- one every week -- throughout the month of October. Love the covers! Love the variety of stories! Great way to scream your way to the holiday this year!
Volume 5, which releases on Halloween Day Oct 31st, contains five horrific tales. These tales are subtle, a smooth, slow build of uneasiness that morphs into horror just before the end. A slow ride....to hell. I prefer that type of horror story to the more in-your-face, spurting blood, b-movie sort.
Devil's Night by Richard Chizmar. Everyone has heard the news stories about the man who fought off a killer. But, nobody knows the whole story. A nice creepy read that builds slowly before smacking you in the face with the truth. Great read!
The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle. Lane returns to her hometown to visit with her daughter and grand-daughter. She happens to meet Bobbi, her childhood best friend. They reminisce about all sorts of things, even the time Bobbi dared Lane to go into the Tower House. Lane discovers that while her childhood home has been torn down, the old Tower still stands. And it's just as dangerous as it was in the 1950s. Dare to go in? Lovely creepy story. Every town has that One House -- the abandoned one nobody wants to enter. Probably for good reason.
The Halloween Bleed (A Dr. Sibley Curiosity) by Norman Prentiss. One really should not assume that evil and magic only come out on Halloween. Real magic can pop up anywhere at anytime....especially when it's a surprise. This is hands down my favorite story from this collection! Awesome ending!
Swing by Kevin Quigley. Swing music brings memories of Jessica to him. He remembers her dancing. He remembers her dying. But then again, everyone he loves dies. And he falls in love all the time. This is an odd, but mesmerizing, bit of creepiness. Definitely a twisted love story. After all, there are all different types of love. Right?
Pork Pie Hat by Peter Straub. A famous Jazz musician recounts a tale from his childhood. But some tales are best kept secret. This story fell a bit flat for me....maybe because it develops slowly? I'm not sure exactly...but it was my least favorite of the 5. Worth a read....but not scary/horrific. More disturbing than frightening.
All in all, this is a Halloween anthology worth reading! The tales are not screaming, wild, ripper tales but more subtle in their horror. The sort of story that sneaks up on you, rather than chases you down the lane. I think the release of one story anthology a week throughout the month of October is an awesome way to lead up to Halloween! And the ebooks are affordable! Excellent short stories at a price any reader can afford. Although some readers might have to take a glance behind to see if something is following them, the stories aren't so frightening to give sleepless nights and vivid nightmares.
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Random House Hydra via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
September 19, 2023
This short story collection averages out to 3.8 stars for me but I'm choosing to round down because, overall, this felt more like a 3 star read than a 4 star read.
Devil’s Night by Richard Chizmar:
Mr. McKay is a husband, a father, a teacher. He is out driving around town the night before Halloween —Devil’s Night, a night for mischief— to clear his head when he witnesses something disturbing that links back to the high school.
5⭐️ Chizmar has a true gift for creating an astonishing atmosphere.
The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle:
Elaine is back in the town she grew up in. Her childhood home is gone but the Tower still looms large. Lane can’t remember why it gives her such an uneasy feeling but she’s about to be reminded.
4⭐️ My first impression upon finishing were that the characters were well-developed for such a short story. I wanted more of them.
The Halloween Bleed by Norman Prentiss:
Local news reporter, Adeline, is interviewing the mysterious Dr. Sibley for an upcoming piece and they both have some tricks up their sleeves.
3⭐️ A nice touch of dark magic but I was left feeling slightly confused. This story needed more detail and backstory; it felt incomplete.
Swing by Kevin Quigley:
Love is fleeting. Death is forever. Who is this young man to stop people from getting what they want?
5⭐️ This story doesn’t fit in this collection but I absolutely adored it nonetheless. It was lyrical and will have a lasting impression.
Pork Pie Hat by Peter Straub:
Hat is a jazz legend. But even jazz legends have dark secrets that they want to keep hidden.
2⭐️ The longest and my least favorite. This novella took too long to get to the point and was quite a drag for me.
The Halloween theme didn't feel as strong in this collection as it did in the others, so I was disappointed in that aspect. The winner of this volume for me was, by far, the first story by Chizmar.
Devil’s Night by Richard Chizmar:
Mr. McKay is a husband, a father, a teacher. He is out driving around town the night before Halloween —Devil’s Night, a night for mischief— to clear his head when he witnesses something disturbing that links back to the high school.
5⭐️ Chizmar has a true gift for creating an astonishing atmosphere.
The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle:
Elaine is back in the town she grew up in. Her childhood home is gone but the Tower still looms large. Lane can’t remember why it gives her such an uneasy feeling but she’s about to be reminded.
4⭐️ My first impression upon finishing were that the characters were well-developed for such a short story. I wanted more of them.
The Halloween Bleed by Norman Prentiss:
Local news reporter, Adeline, is interviewing the mysterious Dr. Sibley for an upcoming piece and they both have some tricks up their sleeves.
3⭐️ A nice touch of dark magic but I was left feeling slightly confused. This story needed more detail and backstory; it felt incomplete.
Swing by Kevin Quigley:
Love is fleeting. Death is forever. Who is this young man to stop people from getting what they want?
5⭐️ This story doesn’t fit in this collection but I absolutely adored it nonetheless. It was lyrical and will have a lasting impression.
Pork Pie Hat by Peter Straub:
Hat is a jazz legend. But even jazz legends have dark secrets that they want to keep hidden.
2⭐️ The longest and my least favorite. This novella took too long to get to the point and was quite a drag for me.
The Halloween theme didn't feel as strong in this collection as it did in the others, so I was disappointed in that aspect. The winner of this volume for me was, by far, the first story by Chizmar.
September 19, 2017
In this last installment of the 5 part Halloween Carnival anthology there are some real winners and a couple of clunkers. I was hoping the final volume would end with a bang. Instead it just kind of fizzled out.
I like Peter Straub a lot but I am just not a big fan of Pork Pie Hat. I know someone must really love it, since it's been published so many times, but that somebody is just not me.
For me, only 2 stories really made this anthology worth reading. DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar in which an ordinary school teacher gets wrapped up in murder and mayhem on a windblown Friday, the night before Halloween.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle was another 5 star read for me. Two old friends, each of them a grandma now, who haven't seen each other in many years happen to bump into each other on Halloween. Their granddaughters hit it off immediately. What seems like a happy reunion soon turns into a nightmare. I loved this story.
I received an advance copy for review.
I like Peter Straub a lot but I am just not a big fan of Pork Pie Hat. I know someone must really love it, since it's been published so many times, but that somebody is just not me.
For me, only 2 stories really made this anthology worth reading. DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar in which an ordinary school teacher gets wrapped up in murder and mayhem on a windblown Friday, the night before Halloween.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle was another 5 star read for me. Two old friends, each of them a grandma now, who haven't seen each other in many years happen to bump into each other on Halloween. Their granddaughters hit it off immediately. What seems like a happy reunion soon turns into a nightmare. I loved this story.
I received an advance copy for review.
October 7, 2021
Another book of five stories by five different authors all set around halloween.
This volume, I admit was my least favourite. Still some good reads. But I don't think they quite meet the scare factor everyone looks for at halloween.
If you put all the books together I think you'll find theres something for everyone. These didn't do it for me. But they may do for you.
What I like the most is that there are different authors in all volumes. You get a wider take of halloween in my opinion.
Enjoy!
This volume, I admit was my least favourite. Still some good reads. But I don't think they quite meet the scare factor everyone looks for at halloween.
If you put all the books together I think you'll find theres something for everyone. These didn't do it for me. But they may do for you.
What I like the most is that there are different authors in all volumes. You get a wider take of halloween in my opinion.
Enjoy!
October 4, 2017
Halloween Carnival Volume 5 is the fifth and final (for now, at least) installment of the Halloween Carnival series. The last one gives us gems by Richard Chizmar, Lisa Tuttle, Norman Prentiss, Kevin Quigley, and Peter Straub.
I found Swing by Kevin Quigley fascinating. Essentially, it's a horror love story. Not very Halloweeny, but good nonetheless.
Surprisingly, Peter Straub's Pork Pie Hat was my favorite. First of all, let me say this: I do not like Peter Straub's writings. I have tried to like him. I have read several of his books in an attempt to like him. But with the exception of his dalliances with Stephen King, I have not liked any of them much. But something about Pork Pie Hat grabbed me and took me for a ride. Definitely my favorite of the book.
I found Swing by Kevin Quigley fascinating. Essentially, it's a horror love story. Not very Halloweeny, but good nonetheless.
Surprisingly, Peter Straub's Pork Pie Hat was my favorite. First of all, let me say this: I do not like Peter Straub's writings. I have tried to like him. I have read several of his books in an attempt to like him. But with the exception of his dalliances with Stephen King, I have not liked any of them much. But something about Pork Pie Hat grabbed me and took me for a ride. Definitely my favorite of the book.
October 10, 2017
Review: HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL VOLUME 5
Edited by Brian James Freeman
Stories by Richard Chizmar, Lisa Tuttle, Norman Prentiss, Kevin Quigley , Peter Straub
Included in this new volume are a quintology of stories centered around the Halloween theme, though they range beyond that. For example, Richard Chizmar' s "Devil's Night" commences on October 30, "Devil's Night," or "Mischief Night"--the date immediately preceding Halloween. Norman Prentiss' "The Halloween Bleed" (for this reader, the set-piece and foundation of the quintology) postulates, via a pontificating "old-school" academic, that the cultural celebration of Halloween--not just on the day itself, but the conversation, thinking, retail sales, planning, and so forth--bring the nature of Halloween earlier and earlier in the year, so that the concept of Halloween "bleeds" into much of the year. (Although the professor's premise relates to the Dark Arts, I found it pertinent to the "thought is creation" premise: by virtue of so many of us--readers, authors, journalists, children--thinking in Halloween terms--we are striving to bring to pass that "Halloween Bleed" on which Professor Sibley insists.)
Edited by Brian James Freeman
Stories by Richard Chizmar, Lisa Tuttle, Norman Prentiss, Kevin Quigley , Peter Straub
Included in this new volume are a quintology of stories centered around the Halloween theme, though they range beyond that. For example, Richard Chizmar' s "Devil's Night" commences on October 30, "Devil's Night," or "Mischief Night"--the date immediately preceding Halloween. Norman Prentiss' "The Halloween Bleed" (for this reader, the set-piece and foundation of the quintology) postulates, via a pontificating "old-school" academic, that the cultural celebration of Halloween--not just on the day itself, but the conversation, thinking, retail sales, planning, and so forth--bring the nature of Halloween earlier and earlier in the year, so that the concept of Halloween "bleeds" into much of the year. (Although the professor's premise relates to the Dark Arts, I found it pertinent to the "thought is creation" premise: by virtue of so many of us--readers, authors, journalists, children--thinking in Halloween terms--we are striving to bring to pass that "Halloween Bleed" on which Professor Sibley insists.)
October 21, 2017
The last volume of Halloween-themed short stories was a real page-turner.I was absorbed in it!
Having now listened to volumes 2-5, I can say that the series is excellent as well as fun. I really enjoyed getting to know each authors' writing style, and plan to seek out more books by them. As horror is not a genre I read much of (although I enjoy it when I do), I was taken by the characters' backgrounds and paranormal elements of the stories,as well as the interpretation and weaving in of traditional Halloween practices and myths, past and present.
I didm't want this book or the series to end, and recommend it if you want a quick read. I especially loved the covers. Very atmospheric!
5 stars.
Thanks so much to the authors and Random House for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Random House released the Halloween Carnival series throughout October 2017. Appropriately, volume 5 has Halloween as its release date, which was well thought out.
Having now listened to volumes 2-5, I can say that the series is excellent as well as fun. I really enjoyed getting to know each authors' writing style, and plan to seek out more books by them. As horror is not a genre I read much of (although I enjoy it when I do), I was taken by the characters' backgrounds and paranormal elements of the stories,as well as the interpretation and weaving in of traditional Halloween practices and myths, past and present.
I didm't want this book or the series to end, and recommend it if you want a quick read. I especially loved the covers. Very atmospheric!
5 stars.
Thanks so much to the authors and Random House for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Random House released the Halloween Carnival series throughout October 2017. Appropriately, volume 5 has Halloween as its release date, which was well thought out.
October 18, 2017
I received this arc from Netgalley.
This was just a passable read. All of the previous volumes were great, but this one was lacking. I kept looking to see how far I had to go to get to the end. Not interesting enough for me.
This was just a passable read. All of the previous volumes were great, but this one was lacking. I kept looking to see how far I had to go to get to the end. Not interesting enough for me.
October 27, 2017
Editor Brian James Freeman serves up a final batch of Halloween-themed stories in this fifth volume of the Halloween Carnival series.
Whether or not these stories are more tricks than treats, or vice versa, is up to the reader. I will say that while I have enjoyed a number of the stories over the series run, I have not been a fan of the series overall. There were several tales I just did not like, and I would have appreciated a more balanced structure in these volumes.
As with prior installments, nearly fifty percent of the book is devoted to a single story (here it's PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub), prefaced with a smattering of shorter stories. Here's what you get:
DEVIL'S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
My first intro to Chizmar’s writing was his collaboration with Stephen King for Gwendy’s Button Box, but this short story really sealed the deal for me. Chizmar can write, man! Although set on Devil’s Night, this story of murder is purely human and very well crafted.
4/5 stars
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
This second story is an ultra-weak attempt at telling a tale about a box and the children who go missing when confronted with it. It’s short, but also dull and takes forever to get nowhere.
1/5 stars
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
Norman Prentiss delivers a hell of a short story with a perfectly good Halloween twist. No details from me on this one, except to say that it's effective, creepy, and mysterious. It's also part of a series of short stories involving the mysterious Dr. Sibley, which means I've got some digging to do in order to find the rest of these stories and learn more about Sibley and his various encounters.
4/5 stars
SWING by Kevin Quigley
I know I read this one, but I'll be damned if I can tell you anything about it two days later... I have zero, and I do mean zero, recollection of it. Nothing. Not a single damn thing. Here's my notes from my Goodreads progress update:
Swing carried with an interesting premise, and while it was well written and had a few evocative scenes, it didn’t quite strike a proper chord with me. Maybe if it had been longer and given more room for the characters to breathe and develop it could have been really exceptional.
I'm going to skip rating this one. It seems I dug elements of it in the immediate post-reading, but whatever those were they weren't quite as evocative I had thought at the time.
No rating.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
Taking up the bulk of this anthology is a long short story from Peter Straub. It's well told and jazz fans will likely find a lot to enjoy here. I liked the story for what it was and dug the conversational nature of its delivery. Although it is set on Halloween and maybe involves some minor supernatural elements, as well as Hat's superstitions surrounding the holiday, it lacked the strong Halloween flavor I had been looking for. It's a good read, but it's not a good Halloween read with its lack of scares and chills. (Sadly, that's been a fairly common theme across this series as a whole...)
3/5 stars
After reading these five Halloween Carnival books back-to-back, I can pretty safely say I'm burn out on anthologies for a while. I can also pretty safely say that I did not get the Halloween scares I had wanted, and that this series, taken a whole, was pretty much a dud. Some good stories here and there, but I doubt I'll ever be returning for another trip through this particular carnival.
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.]
Whether or not these stories are more tricks than treats, or vice versa, is up to the reader. I will say that while I have enjoyed a number of the stories over the series run, I have not been a fan of the series overall. There were several tales I just did not like, and I would have appreciated a more balanced structure in these volumes.
As with prior installments, nearly fifty percent of the book is devoted to a single story (here it's PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub), prefaced with a smattering of shorter stories. Here's what you get:
DEVIL'S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
My first intro to Chizmar’s writing was his collaboration with Stephen King for Gwendy’s Button Box, but this short story really sealed the deal for me. Chizmar can write, man! Although set on Devil’s Night, this story of murder is purely human and very well crafted.
4/5 stars
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
This second story is an ultra-weak attempt at telling a tale about a box and the children who go missing when confronted with it. It’s short, but also dull and takes forever to get nowhere.
1/5 stars
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
Norman Prentiss delivers a hell of a short story with a perfectly good Halloween twist. No details from me on this one, except to say that it's effective, creepy, and mysterious. It's also part of a series of short stories involving the mysterious Dr. Sibley, which means I've got some digging to do in order to find the rest of these stories and learn more about Sibley and his various encounters.
4/5 stars
SWING by Kevin Quigley
I know I read this one, but I'll be damned if I can tell you anything about it two days later... I have zero, and I do mean zero, recollection of it. Nothing. Not a single damn thing. Here's my notes from my Goodreads progress update:
Swing carried with an interesting premise, and while it was well written and had a few evocative scenes, it didn’t quite strike a proper chord with me. Maybe if it had been longer and given more room for the characters to breathe and develop it could have been really exceptional.
I'm going to skip rating this one. It seems I dug elements of it in the immediate post-reading, but whatever those were they weren't quite as evocative I had thought at the time.
No rating.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
Taking up the bulk of this anthology is a long short story from Peter Straub. It's well told and jazz fans will likely find a lot to enjoy here. I liked the story for what it was and dug the conversational nature of its delivery. Although it is set on Halloween and maybe involves some minor supernatural elements, as well as Hat's superstitions surrounding the holiday, it lacked the strong Halloween flavor I had been looking for. It's a good read, but it's not a good Halloween read with its lack of scares and chills. (Sadly, that's been a fairly common theme across this series as a whole...)
3/5 stars
After reading these five Halloween Carnival books back-to-back, I can pretty safely say I'm burn out on anthologies for a while. I can also pretty safely say that I did not get the Halloween scares I had wanted, and that this series, taken a whole, was pretty much a dud. Some good stories here and there, but I doubt I'll ever be returning for another trip through this particular carnival.
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.]
October 10, 2017
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought.
My favorite of this volume. First of all the protagonist is a teacher, so I may be biased, and secondly the action happens during Halloween, and there is some violence. Nicely woven together, rich characters and some nice storytelling.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there.
Decent and atmospheric tale.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
People think there’s some sort of mystical power that allows enchantments and witchcraft to come to life on Halloween night. But real magic obeys no calendar—and true evil strikes whenever it’s least expected.
Nice supernatural story with a twist. Good pacing and satisfying payoff.
SWING by Kevin Quigley
In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me.
Second favorite in the book. This one was a bit haunting, and real. There was a sadness and deep pain that ran through story. This one left me with some questions and wanting more. Very powerful.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past.
Least favorite in the book, though Straub can write. It is just that I came across this story before and it never really grabbed me, and while I got through it this time it still did not grab me. I understand the quite horror of it all and liked the story of Hat, but to me, it never worked.
I received this ARC for an honest review.
You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought.
My favorite of this volume. First of all the protagonist is a teacher, so I may be biased, and secondly the action happens during Halloween, and there is some violence. Nicely woven together, rich characters and some nice storytelling.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there.
Decent and atmospheric tale.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
People think there’s some sort of mystical power that allows enchantments and witchcraft to come to life on Halloween night. But real magic obeys no calendar—and true evil strikes whenever it’s least expected.
Nice supernatural story with a twist. Good pacing and satisfying payoff.
SWING by Kevin Quigley
In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me.
Second favorite in the book. This one was a bit haunting, and real. There was a sadness and deep pain that ran through story. This one left me with some questions and wanting more. Very powerful.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past.
Least favorite in the book, though Straub can write. It is just that I came across this story before and it never really grabbed me, and while I got through it this time it still did not grab me. I understand the quite horror of it all and liked the story of Hat, but to me, it never worked.
I received this ARC for an honest review.
October 29, 2017
Halloween Carnival Vol 5, like the previous collections, is a mix of new and reprinted stories. The first by Richard Chizmar, while not new, is nothing short of fantastic. It moves at a furious pace and had me second guessing the ending multiple times. I really loved the way the story was told and the protagonist had me rooting for him all the way. To me this story really fit with the theme of Halloween. A few of the other stories, while good, just didn’t feel like they worked as well. The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle had a lot of potential but it felt rushed. I liked the idea that I think the author was going for but the story wasn’t a smooth read and ended with me scratching my head. Sadly, for me the, final story, Pork Pie Hat brought the book limping to its ending. I’ve been a fan of Peter Straub for ages but was never a fan of this story.
March 25, 2019
Devil's Night (Richard Chizmar)
A perfect start to get into Halloween mood. ***
The Last Dare (Lisa Tuttle)
Raises a nice scary atmosphere, though the ending leaves you guessing. ***
The Halloween Bleed (Norman Prentiss)
Interesting idea behind the story, though it did not overwhelm me. **
Swing (Kevin Quigley)
This one just did not work for me. *
Pork Pie Hat (Peter Straub)
The beginning was very slow (too slow for my liking), but then things got interesting - and ugly. ***
IMHO the weakest book in the series, but the first and last stories still made it worth reading.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
A perfect start to get into Halloween mood. ***
The Last Dare (Lisa Tuttle)
Raises a nice scary atmosphere, though the ending leaves you guessing. ***
The Halloween Bleed (Norman Prentiss)
Interesting idea behind the story, though it did not overwhelm me. **
Swing (Kevin Quigley)
This one just did not work for me. *
Pork Pie Hat (Peter Straub)
The beginning was very slow (too slow for my liking), but then things got interesting - and ugly. ***
IMHO the weakest book in the series, but the first and last stories still made it worth reading.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
January 10, 2018
Nice anthology that gives you a sample of each author's writing style. They are enjoyable to read no matter the time of year. These were all new except for one. I like to change up my reading material so this was quick with a spooky theme. Give this a try if you want some heart-pounding scares.
October 1, 2017
Advance Review Copy
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed the final installment of HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL. One of my favorite authors, Norman Prentiss, offered us a new Dr. Sibley story to savor. I admit to not liking Peter Straub at all, but he surprised me - I loved his short story; it was wonderful. Those two were my 5 star picks. Richard Chizmar is always a solid starter; I'm always on the lookout for his stories. The other two authora were new to me and I found their stories stories to be quite satisfying
With one book each week in October, this Halloween will be a great one. I hope Hydra does this next year!
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed the final installment of HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL. One of my favorite authors, Norman Prentiss, offered us a new Dr. Sibley story to savor. I admit to not liking Peter Straub at all, but he surprised me - I loved his short story; it was wonderful. Those two were my 5 star picks. Richard Chizmar is always a solid starter; I'm always on the lookout for his stories. The other two authora were new to me and I found their stories stories to be quite satisfying
With one book each week in October, this Halloween will be a great one. I hope Hydra does this next year!
October 28, 2017
Halloween Carnival is a horror anthology. There are 5 volumes of this series being published throughout the month of October. This is the fifth and final installment. There are a total of 5 stories in this anthology; all of which center around Halloween. Some are sad, some are nail-biters, and some are just plain horror. This series isn’t all out gore, so if that is what you are looking for, you won’t find any of that here. I really enjoyed all 5 of these stories for different reasons. I am going to give a brief review of each story contained in this anthology and my star rating.
When I saw this anthology had two authors that I recognized, I was extremely excited and just knew this volume of the Halloween Carnival was going to be a great series conclusion. The two authors I am talking about are Richard Chizmar and Peter Straub. Both of these authors have both written pieces of literature with the famed Stephen King. As a King fan, I was highly anticipating this volume of Halloween Carnival!
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
I had high hopes for this story as it was written by Richard Chizmar and I’m happy to say it did not let me down! It was my favorite story in this anthology! It had mystery and suspense. It was just like watching a true crime show! And the twist at the end was perfect! Great start for this anthology! I rated this story 5 out of 5 stars.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
This was my second favorite story in this anthology. What was once a childhood tale turns into a reality. I loved the mysteriousness of this one. I rated this story 5 out of 5 stars.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
I was not a fan of this story at all. This one was a bit boring and slow. When I read a Halloween story, I want something that keeps me at the edge of my seat with suspense. This one didn’t do that for me. It was also left a bit too open-ended for my tastes. I would have liked to have some things explained some more. I know a lot of these types of stories are left to the imagination but I really didn’t understand what happened at the end. Too much was left unexplained. I rated this one 2 out of 5 stars.
SWING by Kevin Quigley
*Trigger warning: suicide*
This was definitely the most gruesome and disturbing of the bunch. I really enjoyed this one because I do enjoy stories that are a bit disturbing. This one also was tragic and sad. I rated this one 4 out of 5 stars.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
I was originally really excited to see that this anthology had a story written by Peter Straub. Unfortunately, this is the one story by him that I have already read. I say unfortunately because I didn’t much enjoy this one the first time I read it. I did a quick skim to refresh my memory in order to write a review but my views still stand the same. I thought it was quite boring and too long. I do think I would have liked it more if it had been condensed. I rated this story 3 out of 5 stars.
Overall, this is a great collection of short horror stories and I think Devil’s Night, The Last Dare, and Swing are reason enough to read this particular volume of Halloween Carnival.
My total rating came to 3.8 stars, making this a 4 star rating for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review
When I saw this anthology had two authors that I recognized, I was extremely excited and just knew this volume of the Halloween Carnival was going to be a great series conclusion. The two authors I am talking about are Richard Chizmar and Peter Straub. Both of these authors have both written pieces of literature with the famed Stephen King. As a King fan, I was highly anticipating this volume of Halloween Carnival!
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
I had high hopes for this story as it was written by Richard Chizmar and I’m happy to say it did not let me down! It was my favorite story in this anthology! It had mystery and suspense. It was just like watching a true crime show! And the twist at the end was perfect! Great start for this anthology! I rated this story 5 out of 5 stars.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
This was my second favorite story in this anthology. What was once a childhood tale turns into a reality. I loved the mysteriousness of this one. I rated this story 5 out of 5 stars.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
I was not a fan of this story at all. This one was a bit boring and slow. When I read a Halloween story, I want something that keeps me at the edge of my seat with suspense. This one didn’t do that for me. It was also left a bit too open-ended for my tastes. I would have liked to have some things explained some more. I know a lot of these types of stories are left to the imagination but I really didn’t understand what happened at the end. Too much was left unexplained. I rated this one 2 out of 5 stars.
SWING by Kevin Quigley
*Trigger warning: suicide*
This was definitely the most gruesome and disturbing of the bunch. I really enjoyed this one because I do enjoy stories that are a bit disturbing. This one also was tragic and sad. I rated this one 4 out of 5 stars.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
I was originally really excited to see that this anthology had a story written by Peter Straub. Unfortunately, this is the one story by him that I have already read. I say unfortunately because I didn’t much enjoy this one the first time I read it. I did a quick skim to refresh my memory in order to write a review but my views still stand the same. I thought it was quite boring and too long. I do think I would have liked it more if it had been condensed. I rated this story 3 out of 5 stars.
Overall, this is a great collection of short horror stories and I think Devil’s Night, The Last Dare, and Swing are reason enough to read this particular volume of Halloween Carnival.
My total rating came to 3.8 stars, making this a 4 star rating for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review
September 12, 2017
2.5/5 stars.
I was really excited to read this collection of short stories about Halloween. Now that it’s fall and everything is pumpkin-spiced, I figured, what better way to get in the fall spirit than reading about Halloween?
However, I was overall disappointed with these stories. I felt like they were missing something to make them more…well, just more. I was expecting chilling ghost stories or thrillers of Halloween murders – and this coming from someone who doesn’t usually read too many bone-chilling thrillers – but there really wasn’t any of that. Most of these stories were slow-building plots with some sort of revelation at the end. Of all of them, my favorite was probably “The Halloween Bleed,” which was about a woman interviewing an older university professor about Halloween traditions. Although it was my “favorite,” it still wasn’t “scary” enough for what I was expected a Halloween story to be.
I think my biggest problem with this anthology is that the stories were so vague and short. I get that’s the point of a short story – it is short – but I feel like good short stories have this ability to draw you into the plot, care about the characters, and filled with careful layers of plot and subplot. However, that’s not what I got from these stories. I felt like the stories were interesting, but they also needed to be fleshed out more. They had potential, but I was left wanting more, but more in the sense that the story itself was lacking and not that I particularly cared to know more about the characters and their lives.
This collection was not what I was expecting it to be, and so I didn’t personally enjoy it. However, if you’re looking for something Halloween-themed with a little bit of suspense and okay story lines that’s a relatively quick read, then I’d say go for it. Maybe you’ll like these stories better than me. And if you’re still interested, there are four other Halloween Carnival Volumes to get you into the Halloween spirit.
*I received a copy of this eBook from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Hydra) in exchange for an honest review*
I was really excited to read this collection of short stories about Halloween. Now that it’s fall and everything is pumpkin-spiced, I figured, what better way to get in the fall spirit than reading about Halloween?
However, I was overall disappointed with these stories. I felt like they were missing something to make them more…well, just more. I was expecting chilling ghost stories or thrillers of Halloween murders – and this coming from someone who doesn’t usually read too many bone-chilling thrillers – but there really wasn’t any of that. Most of these stories were slow-building plots with some sort of revelation at the end. Of all of them, my favorite was probably “The Halloween Bleed,” which was about a woman interviewing an older university professor about Halloween traditions. Although it was my “favorite,” it still wasn’t “scary” enough for what I was expected a Halloween story to be.
I think my biggest problem with this anthology is that the stories were so vague and short. I get that’s the point of a short story – it is short – but I feel like good short stories have this ability to draw you into the plot, care about the characters, and filled with careful layers of plot and subplot. However, that’s not what I got from these stories. I felt like the stories were interesting, but they also needed to be fleshed out more. They had potential, but I was left wanting more, but more in the sense that the story itself was lacking and not that I particularly cared to know more about the characters and their lives.
This collection was not what I was expecting it to be, and so I didn’t personally enjoy it. However, if you’re looking for something Halloween-themed with a little bit of suspense and okay story lines that’s a relatively quick read, then I’d say go for it. Maybe you’ll like these stories better than me. And if you’re still interested, there are four other Halloween Carnival Volumes to get you into the Halloween spirit.
*I received a copy of this eBook from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Hydra) in exchange for an honest review*
October 31, 2017
Sometimes the best IS left for last. In Volume 5 of HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL, the reader is given a five course meal of very different tales of the night that spirits and demons abound.
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
It is really quite amazing the way that a good horror story usually ends up sending the right message. Good and evil. Right and wrong. These are the ultimate battles the heroes of horror must face. (5 stars)
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Move over rough and tumble boys, grandmas and little girls have scary stories to tell too! Lisa Tuttle offers a modern take on the tried and true Hansel and Gretel tale. (5 stars)
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
Norman Prentiss is fast becoming one of my favorite authors, and not just his short stories either. (If you haven't read ODD ADVENTURES WITH YOUR OTHER FATHER, you're missing out on a truly great read.)
"Oh! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive" - from Marmion, by Sir Walter Scott… my first thought upon finishing the story. (5 stars)
SWING by Kevin Quigley
Never will you read a more haunting story of love and death than here. Death is a dance to be savored, and its music can be whatever it needs to be. (5 stars)
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
"Pork Pie Hat" is not a new story; I recognized the title right away. In fact, I thought I might have even read it a time or two. As I read, I realized that I had not.
Peter Straub is an artist with words. He will often use a phrase that bears repeating once, twice, even three times in the course of reading a particular piece. In "Pork Pie Hat" I read these words several times "…most of what is called information is interpretation, and interpretation is always partial" - appreciating their profoundness not only in relation to the story, but in their timelessness and applicability to this particular time in history. These words seem to sum up, quite nicely, the reason we read Straub's works.
"Pork Pie Hat" is a thinking person's tale of Halloween horror told by an old man remembering through his childhood eyes. Sometimes reality is far worse than any monster conjured by the imagination. (5 stars)
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
It is really quite amazing the way that a good horror story usually ends up sending the right message. Good and evil. Right and wrong. These are the ultimate battles the heroes of horror must face. (5 stars)
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Move over rough and tumble boys, grandmas and little girls have scary stories to tell too! Lisa Tuttle offers a modern take on the tried and true Hansel and Gretel tale. (5 stars)
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
Norman Prentiss is fast becoming one of my favorite authors, and not just his short stories either. (If you haven't read ODD ADVENTURES WITH YOUR OTHER FATHER, you're missing out on a truly great read.)
"Oh! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive" - from Marmion, by Sir Walter Scott… my first thought upon finishing the story. (5 stars)
SWING by Kevin Quigley
Never will you read a more haunting story of love and death than here. Death is a dance to be savored, and its music can be whatever it needs to be. (5 stars)
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
"Pork Pie Hat" is not a new story; I recognized the title right away. In fact, I thought I might have even read it a time or two. As I read, I realized that I had not.
Peter Straub is an artist with words. He will often use a phrase that bears repeating once, twice, even three times in the course of reading a particular piece. In "Pork Pie Hat" I read these words several times "…most of what is called information is interpretation, and interpretation is always partial" - appreciating their profoundness not only in relation to the story, but in their timelessness and applicability to this particular time in history. These words seem to sum up, quite nicely, the reason we read Straub's works.
"Pork Pie Hat" is a thinking person's tale of Halloween horror told by an old man remembering through his childhood eyes. Sometimes reality is far worse than any monster conjured by the imagination. (5 stars)
November 4, 2017
As usual, I need to thank Brian James Freeman and Hydra for giving me the awesome opportunity to receive an ARC of this Halloween themed anthology. It was a fun ride, and hope to do it again next year.
Halloween Carnival: Volume Five is the last of a series of books; with one being released each week in October. While I enjoyed them, they did have their ups and downs – and one surprise (for me).
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar – It’s no secret that Richard is quickly becoming my reading obsession. There has been nothing he’s written that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed; and this is no exception. What you may have heard about Devil’s Night isn’t the whole story. The truth is much more horrific!
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle – For those who grew up in the suburbs, you remember that one house that everyone talked about; the “haunted” one. This story explains why you were smart to stay away. Not all “stories” are Urban Legends.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss – I have to be honest, I really like Norman Prentiss’ writing, but I actually had to go back to the story to remind myself what it was about. Black magic doesn’t need Halloween to be the most powerful – it can happen anytime during the year; as can payback. Full disclosure, once I refreshed my memory, it turned out I enjoyed this one (reading two or three books at the same time at my age causes these lapses sometimes)
SWING by Kevin Quigley – What a depressing, dark, and disturbing story. Honestly, I didn’t get the purpose of it. Spoiler (sort of): this deals with suicide.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub – Now the surprise! I don’t like Peter Straub’s writing. I have tried, multiple times, to read his work; to no avail. I even had to force myself to read THE TALISMAN and BLACK HOUSE. Whenever I see his name in an anthology, I cringe, knowing it’s going to be a chore to read. Well, I’m happy to say I was wrong with this story. Jazz, murder, racism, and… well, read it and decide for yourself.
Another solid hit in the ever growing library of Brian and Hydra.
Halloween Carnival: Volume Five is the last of a series of books; with one being released each week in October. While I enjoyed them, they did have their ups and downs – and one surprise (for me).
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar – It’s no secret that Richard is quickly becoming my reading obsession. There has been nothing he’s written that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed; and this is no exception. What you may have heard about Devil’s Night isn’t the whole story. The truth is much more horrific!
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle – For those who grew up in the suburbs, you remember that one house that everyone talked about; the “haunted” one. This story explains why you were smart to stay away. Not all “stories” are Urban Legends.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss – I have to be honest, I really like Norman Prentiss’ writing, but I actually had to go back to the story to remind myself what it was about. Black magic doesn’t need Halloween to be the most powerful – it can happen anytime during the year; as can payback. Full disclosure, once I refreshed my memory, it turned out I enjoyed this one (reading two or three books at the same time at my age causes these lapses sometimes)
SWING by Kevin Quigley – What a depressing, dark, and disturbing story. Honestly, I didn’t get the purpose of it. Spoiler (sort of): this deals with suicide.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub – Now the surprise! I don’t like Peter Straub’s writing. I have tried, multiple times, to read his work; to no avail. I even had to force myself to read THE TALISMAN and BLACK HOUSE. Whenever I see his name in an anthology, I cringe, knowing it’s going to be a chore to read. Well, I’m happy to say I was wrong with this story. Jazz, murder, racism, and… well, read it and decide for yourself.
Another solid hit in the ever growing library of Brian and Hydra.
October 14, 2017
This is the fifth and final in a series of short story collections to be released throughout October this year. This one started off strong but faltered a bit towards the end.
Opening this collection, Devil's Night is a very different of story in a positive way. Very fast moving and engaging, I enjoyed this one a lot.
The Last Dare was back into the more typical fare but still a nice story. The ending left a real impression even if the scares throughout weren't quite as prevalent.
The Halloween Bleed was another solid story though it left a bit too much unexplained in my opinion. There were some very good moments but too far between and the characters didn't leave much of an impression.
More mood than substance, Swing was a little hard to get through. The mood was very well done but there didn't feel like there was much actual story there.
The final story, Pork Pie Hat, was by far the longest story in the collection and possibly in all 5 volumes. I found the story outside of the actual Halloween element more interesting but overall it felt a bit too long.
This is definitely worth reading even it's not the strongest in the series, especially if you like the other volumes. I'd order the stories in this order from favorite to least favorite:
Devil's Night
The Last Dare
The Halloween Bleed
Pork Pie Hat
Swing
I received an advance copy of this title for review.
Opening this collection, Devil's Night is a very different of story in a positive way. Very fast moving and engaging, I enjoyed this one a lot.
The Last Dare was back into the more typical fare but still a nice story. The ending left a real impression even if the scares throughout weren't quite as prevalent.
The Halloween Bleed was another solid story though it left a bit too much unexplained in my opinion. There were some very good moments but too far between and the characters didn't leave much of an impression.
More mood than substance, Swing was a little hard to get through. The mood was very well done but there didn't feel like there was much actual story there.
The final story, Pork Pie Hat, was by far the longest story in the collection and possibly in all 5 volumes. I found the story outside of the actual Halloween element more interesting but overall it felt a bit too long.
This is definitely worth reading even it's not the strongest in the series, especially if you like the other volumes. I'd order the stories in this order from favorite to least favorite:
Devil's Night
The Last Dare
The Halloween Bleed
Pork Pie Hat
Swing
I received an advance copy of this title for review.
October 13, 2017
ARC REVIEW
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
"You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought." blurb
This was a pretty good story. It was weird and a little predictable but I like the way the story played out.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
"Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there." blurb
This is probably my favorite in this volume. It's creepy, creepy is good I like creepy. The menacing tower house, a ghost story, and lost memories it's a great Halloween read.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
"What if Halloween... bleeds into other days? It doesn't matter when the story was written, or when you read it. What matters is that it has an effect on you. It's casts a spell." from the uncorrected proof.
It's a strange and unusual story, it makes you think and then creeps you out and leaves you questioning, "what just happened?"
SWING by Kevin Quigley
"In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me." burb
Yeah it was weird and creepy but the story did nothing for me.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
"When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past." blurb
It was long and took forever to get to the point and it wasn't even that scary.
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
"You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought." blurb
This was a pretty good story. It was weird and a little predictable but I like the way the story played out.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
"Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there." blurb
This is probably my favorite in this volume. It's creepy, creepy is good I like creepy. The menacing tower house, a ghost story, and lost memories it's a great Halloween read.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
"What if Halloween... bleeds into other days? It doesn't matter when the story was written, or when you read it. What matters is that it has an effect on you. It's casts a spell." from the uncorrected proof.
It's a strange and unusual story, it makes you think and then creeps you out and leaves you questioning, "what just happened?"
SWING by Kevin Quigley
"In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me." burb
Yeah it was weird and creepy but the story did nothing for me.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
"When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past." blurb
It was long and took forever to get to the point and it wasn't even that scary.
November 6, 2017
DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
People think there’s some sort of mystical power that allows enchantments and witchcraft to come to life on Halloween night. But real magic obeys no calendar—and true evil strikes whenever it’s least expected.
SWING by Kevin Quigley
In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past. The book is amazing. When I started reading I couldn't put it down.
You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought.
THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there.
THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
People think there’s some sort of mystical power that allows enchantments and witchcraft to come to life on Halloween night. But real magic obeys no calendar—and true evil strikes whenever it’s least expected.
SWING by Kevin Quigley
In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me.
PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past. The book is amazing. When I started reading I couldn't put it down.
September 3, 2017
Halloween Carnival Volume 5 is the last book in a 5 book series. Each book features 5 short stories written by a different author. These books are pretty short. Only takes a little over an hour to read the whole book. A new book will be released each week of October in 2017. This book the final book will be released on Halloween.
The stories are scary or creepy. I think they were more creepy then scary. I really enjoyed this book. I liked seeing each of the authors style of writing. I liked all of the stories but if I have to choose a favorite it would be THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss. But even though it wasn't my favorite of the stories in this book I really liked Peter Straub's writing style the best.
I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com to read and review.
The stories are scary or creepy. I think they were more creepy then scary. I really enjoyed this book. I liked seeing each of the authors style of writing. I liked all of the stories but if I have to choose a favorite it would be THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss. But even though it wasn't my favorite of the stories in this book I really liked Peter Straub's writing style the best.
I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com to read and review.
October 20, 2017
Another seasonal collection of dark and disturbing tales , and once again its a mixed bag.
Opening with Devil's Night, where we read about a man who witnesses the aftermath of a murder and jumps to a dangerous conclusion, immediately the tone is set, and we feel that the real monsters may be human after all.
The second story, The Last Dare brings us back to childhood, and a time where anything could seem mysterious and terrifying.
Next is The Halloween Bleed which introduces a hint of dark magic to the collection, but was probably my least favourite of the bunch.
Speaking of favourites, Swing Time was definitely the highlight of this collection for me, with its examination of the darker side of love.
The final and longest story is Pork Pie, and while its a good story and well told it feels a little out of place in this collection.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley
Opening with Devil's Night, where we read about a man who witnesses the aftermath of a murder and jumps to a dangerous conclusion, immediately the tone is set, and we feel that the real monsters may be human after all.
The second story, The Last Dare brings us back to childhood, and a time where anything could seem mysterious and terrifying.
Next is The Halloween Bleed which introduces a hint of dark magic to the collection, but was probably my least favourite of the bunch.
Speaking of favourites, Swing Time was definitely the highlight of this collection for me, with its examination of the darker side of love.
The final and longest story is Pork Pie, and while its a good story and well told it feels a little out of place in this collection.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2017
Note: I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
I...was not very impressed with this collection of Halloween-centric tales. Most of them were rather boring, and I found myself drifting away mid-sentence to think of other things. Even the Peter Straub tale didn't do it for me, and I usually enjoy him. It wasn't outright horrible or anything, just not what I would have anticipated from a collection of Halloween stories. I want something to get me into the holiday mood, but this just wasn't it.
I...was not very impressed with this collection of Halloween-centric tales. Most of them were rather boring, and I found myself drifting away mid-sentence to think of other things. Even the Peter Straub tale didn't do it for me, and I usually enjoy him. It wasn't outright horrible or anything, just not what I would have anticipated from a collection of Halloween stories. I want something to get me into the holiday mood, but this just wasn't it.
October 16, 2022
The first couple of stories surprised me a lot.
The first was was awesome, I loved very second of it.
9/10
The second didn’t give a lot of answers, but it worked and was a solid Halloween tale. 8/10
This one was good, but didn’t really explain anything that happened. I just left feeling like I missed something. 6/10
The forth one was boring. Long and drawn out with no real reason for existing 3/10
I didn’t read the last one. I had to return it to the library, and there were other Halloween books I wanted to read.
I give this book as a whole, 4.5/10 for those first two stories alone.
The first was was awesome, I loved very second of it.
9/10
The second didn’t give a lot of answers, but it worked and was a solid Halloween tale. 8/10
This one was good, but didn’t really explain anything that happened. I just left feeling like I missed something. 6/10
The forth one was boring. Long and drawn out with no real reason for existing 3/10
I didn’t read the last one. I had to return it to the library, and there were other Halloween books I wanted to read.
I give this book as a whole, 4.5/10 for those first two stories alone.
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