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Night Asylum: Tales of Mystery & Horror
Spend a night with our inmates...and go a little mad. From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Douglas Clegg come 18 tales of mind-bending supernatural horror and spellbinding suspense in this single author short story collection. "Clegg's stories can chill the spine so effectively that the reader should keep paramedics on standby, "— Dean Koontz , NY Times bestselling author. Enter the Night Asylum to Belinda, whose father has begun to suspect she's more dangerous than anyone knows; mysterious children surrounded by houseflies; boys trying to survive a terrifying boot camp; fraternity brothers who find a deeper brotherhood during a wintry Hell Week; a cop named Paul who discovers a tenement that opens the door into a place of nightmares – or heaven; an asylum patient who holds the key to the secret geometry of night itself...and more. Includes the "The Stain" "The American" "Belinda in the Pool" "The Skin of the World" "A Madness of Starlings" "Subway Turnstile" "Where Flies are Born" "Becoming Men" "People Who Love Life" "Fries with That?" "The Machinery of Night" "The Wolf" "The Wicked" "265 and Heaven" "Ice Palace" "Why My Doll is Evil" "The Five" "The Dark Game"
424 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 17, 2018
An interesting breather of a book if you're between heavier novels.
Some of the stories seemed cobbled together just to meet wordcount, some were really creepy.
I really enjoyed The Dark Game (because it took psychological trauma to a new level), and The Wicked (where a child-predator gets their comeuppance).
However, there were others that seemed sloppy at best.
Belinda in the Pool was absolutely crafted for an erotic audience, but (taboo topics or not) it was so awfully written that it was excruciating to read and analyse.
Becoming Men was a lazy story, one I imagined to have spawned from a creative writing class at a highschool.
The Good: A coupled of solid stories, great non-thinking book
The Bad: A little rushed and contrived at times
The Ugly: Some stories seem to be Clegg experimenting in different writing styles with safe subject matters, but they are no where near polished enough
Some of the stories seemed cobbled together just to meet wordcount, some were really creepy.
I really enjoyed The Dark Game (because it took psychological trauma to a new level), and The Wicked (where a child-predator gets their comeuppance).
However, there were others that seemed sloppy at best.
Belinda in the Pool was absolutely crafted for an erotic audience, but (taboo topics or not) it was so awfully written that it was excruciating to read and analyse.
Becoming Men was a lazy story, one I imagined to have spawned from a creative writing class at a highschool.
The Good: A coupled of solid stories, great non-thinking book
The Bad: A little rushed and contrived at times
The Ugly: Some stories seem to be Clegg experimenting in different writing styles with safe subject matters, but they are no where near polished enough
May 21, 2018
Three or four better than average stories, but the rest are average at best. Clegg is much better at full-length novels than at short fiction.
May 21, 2018
The Amazon page for Night Asylum by Douglas Clegg describes the novel as a collection of tales of mystery and horror. There are eighteen short stories and three samples from other Clegg novels. The eighteen short stories were so interesting I almost abandoned my usual practice of not reading the samples. I don’t read the teasers at the end of a novel for the same reason that I don’t go grocery shopping when I am hungry. Food that I previously found desirable when in the store populates the farthest reaches of all my refrigerator shelves. My TBR shelves have collapsed a few times. Still, I was tempted to read the samples by the variety of writing styles I found throughout the short stories. I’ll just pick ONE of Clegg’s longer novels to download. Not one of the samples, rather The Priest of Blood: A Dark Fantasy Vampire Epic (The Vampyricon Book 1) is listed on Amazon for USD 0.00 and is my next Clegg read.
The Stain Readers might think about the lives of foreign workers, especially children when purchasing their next “made in …” product. Five points on a ten-point horror scale.
The American You might think you can see the ending of this story coming. But can you be sure? Five points on a ten-point horror scale.
Belinda in the Pool This is a very complex short story with a lot of meaning for a parent watching a child grow up. Did Dad ever really understand Belinda? Readers decide. Only three points on the ten-point horror scale.
The Skin of the World What would you sacrifice for family bliss? How about a member of the family? Seven points on a ten-point horror scale.
A Madness of Starlings He, along with his wife and two sons, had taken in the injured bird for only five days before it became well enough to return to the wild. Those five days altered all their lives for the rest of their lives. Six points on a ten-point horror scale.
Subway Turnstile Davy had an important message for the woman who helped him and his dad. It wasn’t the “thank you” she expected. Seven points on a ten-point horror scale.
Where Flies Are Born Ellen was right about her abusive husband Frank. She was right to protect Joey, their son. She was wrong about Papa Neeson. He was not abusive towards his children. And when Ellen needed help with Joey, it was Mom and Pop Neeson she turned to. Seven points on a ten-point horror scale.
Becoming Men Boot Camp was rough. The one they were in had to be illegal. Overly zealous staff members had killed one kid. Ralph knew he had to join other inmates at the camp in a plot to escape, even if they had to kill the guard staff to do it. Seven points on a ten-point horror scale.
People Who Love Life Irene thought she died. She welcomed death. Sometimes it seemed she had died many times but there was always that pesky preacher who brought her back. Seven points on the ten-point horror scale.
Fries With That? Many of us have heard the phrase “He/She fried their brains.” In this story, it is almost literal. Brains fried should be fresh, kept too long, the resultant dish might be lethal. And then there is the school shooting. Eight points on the ten-point horror scale.
The Machinery of Night This educational story will leave the reader with a new appreciation of physics theory that explains how molecules move and reshape in the dark (of course). Why never in the light? Eight points on a ten-point horror scale.
The Wolf The bounty hunter made a good mentor for the younger boy, a hunter who still had a lot to learn. That is why the girlfriend’s father hired the experienced hunter and tracker to teach the boy. Eight and one-half points on a ten-point horror scale.
The Wicked A serial killer may have just met his match. Strange, unlucky coincidences had been happening all day. Then Mike met Charlie. Nine points on a ten-point horror scale.
265 and Heaven Keeping the family together requires sacrifice. Eight points on the ten-point horror scale.
Ice Palace Fraternity hazing is not new. Sometimes it goes too far. Here is an example. This story is told in a different “voice” than all the others. Nine points on a ten-point horror scale.
Why My Doll is Evil This is a poem about a creepy voyeur doll. Eight points on a ten- point horror scale.
The Five Naomi found a safe place where the Five lived. Some walls were broken down but she knew how to rebuild them. Nine points on a ten-point horror scale.
The Dark Game This is the last and darkest story in the collection. Gordon, or Gordie, or the Captain grows to love being dominated, whipped, and tortured so much that he found a way to use his experiences in a more positive way. He invented The Dark Game. Ten on a scale of ten.
The stories became increasingly darker from the first story through number eighteen. The Dark Game is very psychologically disturbing. I gave the overall collection five Amazon stars. Only Ice Palace has language and situations that may disturb readers turned off by sexual language.
The Stain Readers might think about the lives of foreign workers, especially children when purchasing their next “made in …” product. Five points on a ten-point horror scale.
The American You might think you can see the ending of this story coming. But can you be sure? Five points on a ten-point horror scale.
Belinda in the Pool This is a very complex short story with a lot of meaning for a parent watching a child grow up. Did Dad ever really understand Belinda? Readers decide. Only three points on the ten-point horror scale.
The Skin of the World What would you sacrifice for family bliss? How about a member of the family? Seven points on a ten-point horror scale.
A Madness of Starlings He, along with his wife and two sons, had taken in the injured bird for only five days before it became well enough to return to the wild. Those five days altered all their lives for the rest of their lives. Six points on a ten-point horror scale.
Subway Turnstile Davy had an important message for the woman who helped him and his dad. It wasn’t the “thank you” she expected. Seven points on a ten-point horror scale.
Where Flies Are Born Ellen was right about her abusive husband Frank. She was right to protect Joey, their son. She was wrong about Papa Neeson. He was not abusive towards his children. And when Ellen needed help with Joey, it was Mom and Pop Neeson she turned to. Seven points on a ten-point horror scale.
Becoming Men Boot Camp was rough. The one they were in had to be illegal. Overly zealous staff members had killed one kid. Ralph knew he had to join other inmates at the camp in a plot to escape, even if they had to kill the guard staff to do it. Seven points on a ten-point horror scale.
People Who Love Life Irene thought she died. She welcomed death. Sometimes it seemed she had died many times but there was always that pesky preacher who brought her back. Seven points on the ten-point horror scale.
Fries With That? Many of us have heard the phrase “He/She fried their brains.” In this story, it is almost literal. Brains fried should be fresh, kept too long, the resultant dish might be lethal. And then there is the school shooting. Eight points on the ten-point horror scale.
The Machinery of Night This educational story will leave the reader with a new appreciation of physics theory that explains how molecules move and reshape in the dark (of course). Why never in the light? Eight points on a ten-point horror scale.
The Wolf The bounty hunter made a good mentor for the younger boy, a hunter who still had a lot to learn. That is why the girlfriend’s father hired the experienced hunter and tracker to teach the boy. Eight and one-half points on a ten-point horror scale.
The Wicked A serial killer may have just met his match. Strange, unlucky coincidences had been happening all day. Then Mike met Charlie. Nine points on a ten-point horror scale.
265 and Heaven Keeping the family together requires sacrifice. Eight points on the ten-point horror scale.
Ice Palace Fraternity hazing is not new. Sometimes it goes too far. Here is an example. This story is told in a different “voice” than all the others. Nine points on a ten-point horror scale.
Why My Doll is Evil This is a poem about a creepy voyeur doll. Eight points on a ten- point horror scale.
The Five Naomi found a safe place where the Five lived. Some walls were broken down but she knew how to rebuild them. Nine points on a ten-point horror scale.
The Dark Game This is the last and darkest story in the collection. Gordon, or Gordie, or the Captain grows to love being dominated, whipped, and tortured so much that he found a way to use his experiences in a more positive way. He invented The Dark Game. Ten on a scale of ten.
The stories became increasingly darker from the first story through number eighteen. The Dark Game is very psychologically disturbing. I gave the overall collection five Amazon stars. Only Ice Palace has language and situations that may disturb readers turned off by sexual language.
June 19, 2018
Dark and Hauntingly Twisted
This is a superb collection of stories, that kept me reading through the night! Not necessarily the best idea, perhaps, as there are some exceptionally dark and twisted tales here, but that is what I look for in my choice of reading, so it certainly didn't disappoint. It's one of those books that you just know you are going to have to go back to again, even though you were terrified on your first visit (which reminds me of my childhood, and visiting a particular Aunt, who had some sort of strange ability to terrify me, except in this case, I really NEVER wanted to go back!). Loved it, and will be looking out for some more chills from Douglas Clegg, very soon.
This is a superb collection of stories, that kept me reading through the night! Not necessarily the best idea, perhaps, as there are some exceptionally dark and twisted tales here, but that is what I look for in my choice of reading, so it certainly didn't disappoint. It's one of those books that you just know you are going to have to go back to again, even though you were terrified on your first visit (which reminds me of my childhood, and visiting a particular Aunt, who had some sort of strange ability to terrify me, except in this case, I really NEVER wanted to go back!). Loved it, and will be looking out for some more chills from Douglas Clegg, very soon.
August 1, 2018
Very dependable author
I've read a couple novels by Douglas Clegg. Very good. Night Asylum is a collection of short stories. In every collection, some are preferred over others and this collection is no exception, however what really set this collection apart for me is that none of the stories were weak. They ranged from good to very good to, hey really good. A couple of the endings I had to read more than once to grasp what happened and a couple left me just wondering, but none of them made me feel I had wasted my time. As far as collections of stories go, this one has to rank as one of the best I've experienced.
I've read a couple novels by Douglas Clegg. Very good. Night Asylum is a collection of short stories. In every collection, some are preferred over others and this collection is no exception, however what really set this collection apart for me is that none of the stories were weak. They ranged from good to very good to, hey really good. A couple of the endings I had to read more than once to grasp what happened and a couple left me just wondering, but none of them made me feel I had wasted my time. As far as collections of stories go, this one has to rank as one of the best I've experienced.
July 5, 2018
Enjoyable Read
Well I must admit upfront that I consider Douglas Clegg a great writer especially as horror writer. He like King, Kuntz ,Laymon and Saul is just a great writer period. I will also confess to my preference to long novels. I am not a fan generally of short story however in this case I was pleasantly surprised. I was not thrilled with a previously written collection of short stories written by Mr Clegg but this one was a rare page turmeric this genre. I recommend this book.
Well I must admit upfront that I consider Douglas Clegg a great writer especially as horror writer. He like King, Kuntz ,Laymon and Saul is just a great writer period. I will also confess to my preference to long novels. I am not a fan generally of short story however in this case I was pleasantly surprised. I was not thrilled with a previously written collection of short stories written by Mr Clegg but this one was a rare page turmeric this genre. I recommend this book.
July 12, 2018
This is Doug Clegg at his best, stories sure to cause some nightmares. The collection crosses a wide range of subject, each more terrifying than the last. If you like the combination of mystery and horror, this collection is just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes a short story is just the right size to keep your interest and be entertaining at the same time. Yes the stories are dark, but sometimes a good scare is just perfect.
November 10, 2019
Generally speaking it is a creative and innovative collection of stories. That being said I found the majority of stories to be unfullfilling and not well developed. I also realize that they are short stories and that may excuse them. I did enjoy 3 of them but not the rest. All in all my opinion is a mediocre book.
April 30, 2018
Sorry but this was just not my cup of tea. Some stories I read and some I just couldn't get through. I'm sorry I couldn't recommend this book but you might like it. I thinking you should give it a try.
October 27, 2019
I didn't find one of the stories in this collection scary. I honestly don't understand all the reviews recommending against reading this book before bed. It's so dull and lifeless it shouldn't keep you from sleeping.
January 23, 2020
I enjoyed the short story format, but was very underwhelmed by the level of horror. Pretty tame, just strange, or overall not scary. I don't mind the writing style, and maybe his longer novels would be more scary, but I'd probably tell people to just pass on this one.
July 2, 2018
Clegg spins some great and dark short stories. Fast reads and keep you moving on to the next.
December 16, 2022
I enjoyed the stories in this collection very much! I love horror that is well written and can give me a shiver, it's not easy to do lol. I have been reading horror and watching movies since I was 9.
December 14, 2016
Thriller
This is great collection of stories for any horror fan. The stories considered mysteries ended for me with the thoughts of...then what happened? I wanted to read more.
This is great collection of stories for any horror fan. The stories considered mysteries ended for me with the thoughts of...then what happened? I wanted to read more.
April 30, 2019
A superb collection of beautifully written stories that will haunt your dreams and chill your bones. Quality horror at its finest.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews