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Infinite Darkness
Patrick Reuman presents 17 tales woven from deep within the confines of 10 twisted minds.
Embrace the dark.
Embrace the dark.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
280 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2017
30 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Reuman
21 books258 followersPatrick Reuman is a writer by day and a Medical Laboratory Scientist by night. He has been writing ever since he was 16 when a school assignment pushed his imagination toward creating his own stories. He has one child, a son, named Aidan. He hopes to continue writing while also plotting to take over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 12, 2017
I’ve been reading the horror genre for over 40 years. At nine years old, I was reading Edgar Allan Poe, at ten I was reading Lovecraft, and at eleven, I moved into the realm of Stephen King. That being said, it’s no surprise that I have read some of the best, and most certainly, some of the worst, that the genre has to offer.
Because of that, I am always a little leery when I get approached by an author I haven’t heard of that would like me to read their work. In today’s age of self-publication, I’m sad to say that there seems to be more of the worst, than the best.
But that is most certainly not the case with Patrick Reuman, nor his latest anthology - The Edge: Infinite Darkness. I hate to admit that I haven’t heard of any of the authors contained within (except for Patrick), and I will most certainly seek out some of their other work.
The Edge: Infinite Darkness is a dark, sometimes genuinely terrifying jaunt ranging from being afraid of the dark, to embracing an unknown darkness. Here is a brief synopsis of each story:
THE FIRST TIME – PATRICK REUMAN: Most people would think that it’s a little egocentric for the editor of an anthology to start it off with his own story, however, it works beautifully here. If you’ve read anything by Patrick, you know he like to lead you down one path, only to pull the rug out and hit you with an unexpected twist. This one is no exception, and is beautifully executed. I’m willing to bet that your “first time” was much different than these two high-school sweethearts.
RECKONING OF THE CORN – MATTHEW BROCKMEYER: This is one of my favorites of the lot. A father and son are heading to market to sell corn during the American Civil War and come across a woman being chased for being a witch. I can tell you it may be a while before I eat pork again.
THIS IS NOT HAPPENING – BLAIR FRISON: An all too real account of a random public shooting.
A SMILE – PATRICK REUMAN: Regardless of what your parents told you, the boogeyman is real and he is much more frightening than you could ever image. Patrick apparently met him.
CARNIVAL DEBT - KEVIN M. FOLLIARD: Clowns. I hate clowns. One of my past co-workers actually went to clown college (why, I have no idea). Thankfully I found out about that AFTER he left the job. This story explains, in horrifying detail, why clown are so scary.
FLESH – PATRICK REUMAN: This one was just weird. I get what Patrick was going for, but it wasn’t my favorite. It’s a very short account of one man’s hunger.
GOING HOME – JOHANNUS M. STEGER: Another one of my favorites. There’s a reason they say you can’t “go home again”; the ghosts of the past are still there. Seth finds the out the hard way, and realizes that once you “go home again”, you may never be allowed to leave.
SHOWER TIME – G.A. MILLER: This was an interesting story about time travel/body swap. While the theme has been done ad nauseam, G. A. Miller puts a really nice twist on it. William Murdock takes a shower only to step out into the world, and body, of Ed Gein – the basis for the book and movie Psycho.
THE HUNT – PATRICK REUMAN: Another very short read that isn’t what you think at first glance. You may have to read it twice to truly understand. Interesting take on hunting season.
THE BUS - M.B.VUJAČIĆ: Take about 16 people, all from extremely different backgrounds, and put them in a seemingly unescapable situation, and you will soon see the degradation of society. Steve wakes up on a rundown bus in just the situation, only they’re in a world not of Earth. The bus is on a black, tar-like substance heading to who knows where. Will there be any survivors? Where is the bus headed? Read this and find out. Unfortunately, you’ll also be afforded a look into the darkest actions that a societal breakdown has to offer.
CLOWNING AROUND – PATRICK REUMAN: Remember the boogeyman from Patrick’s other story? What if he not only was real, but was closer to you than you think?
THE COMPOUND – JOHANNUS M. STEGER: This one had me guessing to the very end. Not so much horror as more sci-fi. It’s the story of friends, demons, gods, and a little something unexpected at the end. Very enjoyable.
MORGAN’S GIRL – MATTHEW SPEAK: Let me refer you back to the very beginning of this review – specifically the length of time I’ve been reading horror. I hate to admit that there isn’t much anymore that truly scares me, or gives me the creeps. I’ve read, and seen, it all – in one form or another. Congratulations Matthew, you creep the hell out of me. Great Dad and daughter in a haunted house story. Hands down my favorite in the book.
STILL MISSING – PATRICK REUMAN: Wow, this one from Patrick is just twisted. Are you sure you know who your friends, and neighbors are?
EYES OF INDIGO – BRYCE WILSON: Having been in Scouting for over 40 years, and done my fair share of hiking, this story hit home. If you’re a hiker, you may think twice about those “trail angels”.
SKIPPING IN THE RAIN – PATRICK REUMAN: Want a truly scary story? Make a kid the lead. Almost as bad as clowns.
THE DARKNESS INSIDE – SARAH GRIBBLE: Are you afraid of the dark? You will be after reading this one. Learn how one woman overcomes her fear, as well as a husband who just wants her trust fund.
All in all a solid body of work. Usually in an anthology of this magnitude you tend to find a bomb or two. While there were a few that I didn’t enjoy, they weren’t poorly written, and most certainly fit the theme of the anthology.
Give this one a try, it’s worth your time.
Because of that, I am always a little leery when I get approached by an author I haven’t heard of that would like me to read their work. In today’s age of self-publication, I’m sad to say that there seems to be more of the worst, than the best.
But that is most certainly not the case with Patrick Reuman, nor his latest anthology - The Edge: Infinite Darkness. I hate to admit that I haven’t heard of any of the authors contained within (except for Patrick), and I will most certainly seek out some of their other work.
The Edge: Infinite Darkness is a dark, sometimes genuinely terrifying jaunt ranging from being afraid of the dark, to embracing an unknown darkness. Here is a brief synopsis of each story:
THE FIRST TIME – PATRICK REUMAN: Most people would think that it’s a little egocentric for the editor of an anthology to start it off with his own story, however, it works beautifully here. If you’ve read anything by Patrick, you know he like to lead you down one path, only to pull the rug out and hit you with an unexpected twist. This one is no exception, and is beautifully executed. I’m willing to bet that your “first time” was much different than these two high-school sweethearts.
RECKONING OF THE CORN – MATTHEW BROCKMEYER: This is one of my favorites of the lot. A father and son are heading to market to sell corn during the American Civil War and come across a woman being chased for being a witch. I can tell you it may be a while before I eat pork again.
THIS IS NOT HAPPENING – BLAIR FRISON: An all too real account of a random public shooting.
A SMILE – PATRICK REUMAN: Regardless of what your parents told you, the boogeyman is real and he is much more frightening than you could ever image. Patrick apparently met him.
CARNIVAL DEBT - KEVIN M. FOLLIARD: Clowns. I hate clowns. One of my past co-workers actually went to clown college (why, I have no idea). Thankfully I found out about that AFTER he left the job. This story explains, in horrifying detail, why clown are so scary.
FLESH – PATRICK REUMAN: This one was just weird. I get what Patrick was going for, but it wasn’t my favorite. It’s a very short account of one man’s hunger.
GOING HOME – JOHANNUS M. STEGER: Another one of my favorites. There’s a reason they say you can’t “go home again”; the ghosts of the past are still there. Seth finds the out the hard way, and realizes that once you “go home again”, you may never be allowed to leave.
SHOWER TIME – G.A. MILLER: This was an interesting story about time travel/body swap. While the theme has been done ad nauseam, G. A. Miller puts a really nice twist on it. William Murdock takes a shower only to step out into the world, and body, of Ed Gein – the basis for the book and movie Psycho.
THE HUNT – PATRICK REUMAN: Another very short read that isn’t what you think at first glance. You may have to read it twice to truly understand. Interesting take on hunting season.
THE BUS - M.B.VUJAČIĆ: Take about 16 people, all from extremely different backgrounds, and put them in a seemingly unescapable situation, and you will soon see the degradation of society. Steve wakes up on a rundown bus in just the situation, only they’re in a world not of Earth. The bus is on a black, tar-like substance heading to who knows where. Will there be any survivors? Where is the bus headed? Read this and find out. Unfortunately, you’ll also be afforded a look into the darkest actions that a societal breakdown has to offer.
CLOWNING AROUND – PATRICK REUMAN: Remember the boogeyman from Patrick’s other story? What if he not only was real, but was closer to you than you think?
THE COMPOUND – JOHANNUS M. STEGER: This one had me guessing to the very end. Not so much horror as more sci-fi. It’s the story of friends, demons, gods, and a little something unexpected at the end. Very enjoyable.
MORGAN’S GIRL – MATTHEW SPEAK: Let me refer you back to the very beginning of this review – specifically the length of time I’ve been reading horror. I hate to admit that there isn’t much anymore that truly scares me, or gives me the creeps. I’ve read, and seen, it all – in one form or another. Congratulations Matthew, you creep the hell out of me. Great Dad and daughter in a haunted house story. Hands down my favorite in the book.
STILL MISSING – PATRICK REUMAN: Wow, this one from Patrick is just twisted. Are you sure you know who your friends, and neighbors are?
EYES OF INDIGO – BRYCE WILSON: Having been in Scouting for over 40 years, and done my fair share of hiking, this story hit home. If you’re a hiker, you may think twice about those “trail angels”.
SKIPPING IN THE RAIN – PATRICK REUMAN: Want a truly scary story? Make a kid the lead. Almost as bad as clowns.
THE DARKNESS INSIDE – SARAH GRIBBLE: Are you afraid of the dark? You will be after reading this one. Learn how one woman overcomes her fear, as well as a husband who just wants her trust fund.
All in all a solid body of work. Usually in an anthology of this magnitude you tend to find a bomb or two. While there were a few that I didn’t enjoy, they weren’t poorly written, and most certainly fit the theme of the anthology.
Give this one a try, it’s worth your time.
September 28, 2017
Review: INFINITE DARKNESS by Patrick Reuman
and Others
The word I most take away from this book is: SCARY. Scary, Scary, Scary. Yes, indeed. Impressively so.
What author/curator Patrick Reuman accomplishes herein is to gently cocoon stories of other authors, within a framework of his own writing. It's not a format I've encountered before, but it works excellently. The reader doesn't have time to repress the fear from one story before launching into the horror of the next. Titled "INFINITE DARKNESS," that is truth in advertising, because darkness both covers and infuses this collection, and rightfully so.
and Others
The word I most take away from this book is: SCARY. Scary, Scary, Scary. Yes, indeed. Impressively so.
What author/curator Patrick Reuman accomplishes herein is to gently cocoon stories of other authors, within a framework of his own writing. It's not a format I've encountered before, but it works excellently. The reader doesn't have time to repress the fear from one story before launching into the horror of the next. Titled "INFINITE DARKNESS," that is truth in advertising, because darkness both covers and infuses this collection, and rightfully so.
August 12, 2017
Greetings from the Ether,
We were invited to review Infinite Darkness by horror maestro and author Patrick Reuman. Our very own G.A. Miller, Mijat Vujačić, and Blair Frison happened to be featured in this anthology and we could not pass the opportunity up. So without further ado, let’s jump into it!
Infinite Darkness (The Edge: Volume 2) is a collection about the darker sides of fiction, asking the reader to embrace the terror and the horrors that reside within. The collection doesn’t have a cohesive theme or narration, drifting between clowns, evil children, hitchhiking cannibals, Ed Gein, ghosts, and more. This lack of cohesion doesn’t harm the anthology as a whole, though some times it is difficult to understand the design of the anthology. Reuman has stories sprinkled throughout the collection, usually between the works of other authors. Upon first reading, it did feel that some of these stories could either be removed or replaced with longer, singular works.
Nonetheless, beyond this nitpicky detail, there are some serious works of fiction here. Obvious highlights are seen in Reuman’s “The Smile,” Kevin M. Folliard’s “Carnival Debt,” G.A. Miller’s “Shower Time,” Mijat Vujačić’s “The Bus,” and Sarah Gribble’s “The Darkness Inside.” Each of these tales were compelling and often horrific in nature, lending a lasting reading experience to anyone brave enough to embrace the darkness.
Though we would like to see an anthology from Reuman that has a more specific theme, Infinite Darkness does not fail to impress with what it brings to the table. The varying genres and themes of the stories, though not cohesive, offer a consistently transforming literary experience. The transitions feel smooth and fast-paced, making it difficult to put the book down once you start reading. The interior design is also something to commend for its simple and neat formatting, which lends a hand to the readability of the collection as a whole.
Reuman’s second volume of The Edge was an enjoyable, fun reading experience. Though there are some flaws here, we highly recommend the collection if you are looking for something fun and fast, disturbing and horrific, to engage your time with. It will be interesting to see where Reuman goes from hereon out. He is definitely an author and editor that we should keep our eyes on.
We were invited to review Infinite Darkness by horror maestro and author Patrick Reuman. Our very own G.A. Miller, Mijat Vujačić, and Blair Frison happened to be featured in this anthology and we could not pass the opportunity up. So without further ado, let’s jump into it!
Infinite Darkness (The Edge: Volume 2) is a collection about the darker sides of fiction, asking the reader to embrace the terror and the horrors that reside within. The collection doesn’t have a cohesive theme or narration, drifting between clowns, evil children, hitchhiking cannibals, Ed Gein, ghosts, and more. This lack of cohesion doesn’t harm the anthology as a whole, though some times it is difficult to understand the design of the anthology. Reuman has stories sprinkled throughout the collection, usually between the works of other authors. Upon first reading, it did feel that some of these stories could either be removed or replaced with longer, singular works.
Nonetheless, beyond this nitpicky detail, there are some serious works of fiction here. Obvious highlights are seen in Reuman’s “The Smile,” Kevin M. Folliard’s “Carnival Debt,” G.A. Miller’s “Shower Time,” Mijat Vujačić’s “The Bus,” and Sarah Gribble’s “The Darkness Inside.” Each of these tales were compelling and often horrific in nature, lending a lasting reading experience to anyone brave enough to embrace the darkness.
Though we would like to see an anthology from Reuman that has a more specific theme, Infinite Darkness does not fail to impress with what it brings to the table. The varying genres and themes of the stories, though not cohesive, offer a consistently transforming literary experience. The transitions feel smooth and fast-paced, making it difficult to put the book down once you start reading. The interior design is also something to commend for its simple and neat formatting, which lends a hand to the readability of the collection as a whole.
Reuman’s second volume of The Edge was an enjoyable, fun reading experience. Though there are some flaws here, we highly recommend the collection if you are looking for something fun and fast, disturbing and horrific, to engage your time with. It will be interesting to see where Reuman goes from hereon out. He is definitely an author and editor that we should keep our eyes on.
August 12, 2017
Nice collection
This is a decent little horror anthology, some stories better than others -which is typical of an anthology - but there were some that I honestly wanted more of afterwards. If you like these kind of horror collections, you might give this one a go.
This is a decent little horror anthology, some stories better than others -which is typical of an anthology - but there were some that I honestly wanted more of afterwards. If you like these kind of horror collections, you might give this one a go.
August 13, 2017
A very eclectic mix of authors and their stories, including one of my own. In the interest of fairness, I won't comment on mine, but there are some truly excellent reads between the covers of this collection. As just one example, I particularly enjoyed Matthew Brockmeyer's "Reckoning Of The Corn"...what a tale, what an ending.
By all means, give this anthology a look...there really is something for everyone here.
By all means, give this anthology a look...there really is something for everyone here.
August 27, 2017
Infinite Darkness (The Edge: Volume 2), is a collection of horror stories you don’t want to miss out on. This anthology has no central theme, no min/max word count for the stories, and the stories are arranged in no discernible order. These are the reasons why it’s such an enjoyable read. None of the writers were trapped inside rule after rule, and were free to share their darkest, and most disturbing, tales of fear, superstition, and malice. There’s something in here for all dedicated fans of horror. It contains 17 stories, the works of 10 incredibly talented writers. These stories will shock, surprise, disturb, and scare you. If you are looking for a great read, I recommend this one highly.
August 28, 2017
Well! What an excellent showcase of talents. The author writes with dark comedic genius and the talented guest authors that lend their stories to this collection are definitely ones to watch. Flesh was my favourite, probably the shortest story at less than two pages ( fonts permitting ) but had me creasing with laughter. Can't recommend enough
August 13, 2017
Loved the book
Great short stories from great authors. Looking forward to many more books. I couldn't pick just one as my favorite.
Great short stories from great authors. Looking forward to many more books. I couldn't pick just one as my favorite.
August 13, 2017
If you're into horror, this ROCKS!
Patrick Reuman has done it again, only this time he has a little help from some friends! He has gathered wickedly scary stories from some wonderfully talented unknown writers, added some of his own excellent horrific stories into the mix and came out with a masterpiece of macabre!!! But, don't take my word for it, read it for yourself and see! If you love being scared, you will NOT be disappointed!!!
Patrick Reuman has done it again, only this time he has a little help from some friends! He has gathered wickedly scary stories from some wonderfully talented unknown writers, added some of his own excellent horrific stories into the mix and came out with a masterpiece of macabre!!! But, don't take my word for it, read it for yourself and see! If you love being scared, you will NOT be disappointed!!!
August 15, 2017
Some serious talent in this one!
September 7, 2017
Great little anthology of horror short stories. If you like Stephen King, definitely check this book out. Some great talent here with some really first rate stories.
August 22, 2018
What a great collection of darkness and debauchery. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection!
October 29, 2020
This was a nice quick read. Some of the stories really threw me for a loop. Very entertaining!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews