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Everyone Is a Moon: Strange Stories
From Sawney Hatton, the devilishly inventive mind who brought you the acclaimed Dark Comedy novel DEAD SIZE and the YA Noir novella UGLYVILLE, comes 12 twisted Dark Fiction tales featuring a magical finger, a cannibalistic memorial, an extreme piercing parlor, a Space Age monastery, a budding serial killer, and more.
Presenting three new, never-before-published stories, as well as re-mastered versions of earlier works, this collection is sure to disturb and delight readers who like to play in the dark. (Warning: contains some graphic material.)
Stories include "The Good Touch,” "Cutting Remarks,” "The Boy Who Cried Alien,” “Pet,” "In Memoriam the Ostrich,” "The Mortality Machine,” "The Lord Is My Rocket,” "The Beholder,” "Mr. Gregori,” “FYVP,” "The Dark at the Deep End,” and "Suitable for Framing."
Presenting three new, never-before-published stories, as well as re-mastered versions of earlier works, this collection is sure to disturb and delight readers who like to play in the dark. (Warning: contains some graphic material.)
Stories include "The Good Touch,” "Cutting Remarks,” "The Boy Who Cried Alien,” “Pet,” "In Memoriam the Ostrich,” "The Mortality Machine,” "The Lord Is My Rocket,” "The Beholder,” "Mr. Gregori,” “FYVP,” "The Dark at the Deep End,” and "Suitable for Framing."
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 17, 2018
20 people are currently reading
549 people want to read
About the author
Sawney Hatton
10 books133 followersSawney Hatton is an author, editor, and screenwriter who has long loved taking trips to the dark side.
Weaned on a steady diet of paranormal horror and creature features, he quickly developed an appetite for all things macabre and monstrous. With early literary influences as tonally disparate as Stephen King’s PET SEMATARY, Evelyn Waugh’s THE LOVED ONE, and Marquis de Sade’s THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM, he enjoys fusing the sinister with the satirical, the abominable with the absurd.
Other incarnations of Sawney have produced marketing videos, attended all-night film fests, and played the banjo and sousaphone (not at the same time).
As of this writing he is still very much alive.
Weaned on a steady diet of paranormal horror and creature features, he quickly developed an appetite for all things macabre and monstrous. With early literary influences as tonally disparate as Stephen King’s PET SEMATARY, Evelyn Waugh’s THE LOVED ONE, and Marquis de Sade’s THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM, he enjoys fusing the sinister with the satirical, the abominable with the absurd.
Other incarnations of Sawney have produced marketing videos, attended all-night film fests, and played the banjo and sousaphone (not at the same time).
As of this writing he is still very much alive.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
December 18, 2018
Strange indeed
I'm not sure how I got sucked into these stories, curiosity maybe? Or masochism? Some of these stories are just as strange as they proclaim to be, others push limits and violate boundaries but they all seem to tap into some unmentionable flaws in our society.
I'm not sure how I got sucked into these stories, curiosity maybe? Or masochism? Some of these stories are just as strange as they proclaim to be, others push limits and violate boundaries but they all seem to tap into some unmentionable flaws in our society.
October 30, 2020
I read horror for the scares. I'm all about the chills and less about the shock factor or the gore. Not that gore bothers me, it just doesn't terrify me. So with that in mind I took no heed of the "graphic material" warning, and plowed ahead. Not all of the stories were my cup of tea but I did love the first 3. In The Good Touch we meet two friends with very different personalities. One quite selfish and the other his polar opposite. Perhaps that is why their friendship works. But when one comes into possession of a gift from God it sparks a jealousy in the other that is the undoing of both.
Cutting Remarks is the story of a bullied housewife who at last finds happiness in her marriage. It was both humorous and darkly disturbing. The Boy Who Cried Alien was another dark comedy, if only someone had explained about the birds and the bees to this boy it may have avoided such a catastrophe.
When I got to the 4th story Pet I put the book down and almost didn't finish it. I am not a fan of animal cruelty. I don't care how many people may get beheaded or dragged to hell in any book but I need you to leave the animals alone. To me the only saving grace to this story is that no such animal exists on this planet. I don't mean that it was badly written because it wasn't. It's just my own personal limit of what I choose to read. I do not actively seek out animal abuse stories and I guess this is what the graphic content warning was for.
I liked The Mortality Machine, in which a couple who is running out of time together don't really make the most of what they have left. I loved Mr Gregori who is the lonely ghost haunting an apartment, watching people move in and out but never being able to engage with any of them.. until now.
So although every story was not a hit with me, that is the joy of short stories, take what you like and leave the rest. I would recommend this collection to all who have a dark sense of humor and those with a stomach for disturbing subject matter.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
Cutting Remarks is the story of a bullied housewife who at last finds happiness in her marriage. It was both humorous and darkly disturbing. The Boy Who Cried Alien was another dark comedy, if only someone had explained about the birds and the bees to this boy it may have avoided such a catastrophe.
When I got to the 4th story Pet I put the book down and almost didn't finish it. I am not a fan of animal cruelty. I don't care how many people may get beheaded or dragged to hell in any book but I need you to leave the animals alone. To me the only saving grace to this story is that no such animal exists on this planet. I don't mean that it was badly written because it wasn't. It's just my own personal limit of what I choose to read. I do not actively seek out animal abuse stories and I guess this is what the graphic content warning was for.
I liked The Mortality Machine, in which a couple who is running out of time together don't really make the most of what they have left. I loved Mr Gregori who is the lonely ghost haunting an apartment, watching people move in and out but never being able to engage with any of them.. until now.
So although every story was not a hit with me, that is the joy of short stories, take what you like and leave the rest. I would recommend this collection to all who have a dark sense of humor and those with a stomach for disturbing subject matter.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
December 5, 2019
I've really been enjoying collections of short stories and poems as of late, and this latest one is no exception. Sawney Hatton's Everyone Is a Moon: Strange Stories is an excellent collection of weird, creepy, and darkly humorous tales that have a nightmarish quality.
The collection's opener, "The Good Touch", also happens to be one of the best. Between the dialogue written with the colloquial quality of real conversation and the irony that almost drips through the pages, I was reminded of some of my favorite early Stephen King stories.
Another standout was "The Boy Who Cried Alien", an homage of the '50s alien B-movies and definitely does well to evoke the nostalgia of those so-bad-they're-good films.
"The Lord Is My Rocket" and "Pet" were both two very different tales, but definitely make it to round up my third and fourth favorites, respectively. One is a tale about the limits of religious zealotry, and the other...well, it's very hard to to describe "Pet". Let's just say, it's dark, twisted, and not for the faint of heart.
If this is a glimpse into the mind of Hatton, I have to say...I do not envy their nightmares. If you love dark and disturbing stories, or have a dark and disturbed sense of humor, you'll probably love this.
Thank you Sawney Hatton, Dark Park Publishing, and Booksirens for allowing me to access an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
The collection's opener, "The Good Touch", also happens to be one of the best. Between the dialogue written with the colloquial quality of real conversation and the irony that almost drips through the pages, I was reminded of some of my favorite early Stephen King stories.
Another standout was "The Boy Who Cried Alien", an homage of the '50s alien B-movies and definitely does well to evoke the nostalgia of those so-bad-they're-good films.
"The Lord Is My Rocket" and "Pet" were both two very different tales, but definitely make it to round up my third and fourth favorites, respectively. One is a tale about the limits of religious zealotry, and the other...well, it's very hard to to describe "Pet". Let's just say, it's dark, twisted, and not for the faint of heart.
If this is a glimpse into the mind of Hatton, I have to say...I do not envy their nightmares. If you love dark and disturbing stories, or have a dark and disturbed sense of humor, you'll probably love this.
Thank you Sawney Hatton, Dark Park Publishing, and Booksirens for allowing me to access an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
February 8, 2020
Thank you to #Booksirens and author Sawney Hatton for the ARC copy of this book.
This is a book of short stories by the author Sawney Hatton. This book is NOT for everyone. If you get offended easily or queasy with certain topics, probably need to skip some of the short stories. Otherwise, this is a good, quick read. I enjoyed most of the stories. However, some of them kind of left me wanting more.
In Hatton's introduction, he explains these stories are from his dark mind from his childhood and in to his adult years.
Hey Hatton, can you write a full novel of The Mortality Machine, The Boy Who Cried Alien or Mr. Gregori!?! I can think of a few twists and morbid events for those!
Review also at https://theundeadcrafter.blogspot.com/
This is a book of short stories by the author Sawney Hatton. This book is NOT for everyone. If you get offended easily or queasy with certain topics, probably need to skip some of the short stories. Otherwise, this is a good, quick read. I enjoyed most of the stories. However, some of them kind of left me wanting more.
In Hatton's introduction, he explains these stories are from his dark mind from his childhood and in to his adult years.
Hey Hatton, can you write a full novel of The Mortality Machine, The Boy Who Cried Alien or Mr. Gregori!?! I can think of a few twists and morbid events for those!
Review also at https://theundeadcrafter.blogspot.com/
January 25, 2019
If you're easily offended, stay away! But if you like your stories dark and twisted and wickedly funny, get this book immediately.
There isn't a bad story in the bunch, but my favorites were "The Good Touch," "The Boy Who Cried Alien," and "The Dark at the Deep End." There were a few religiously-themed stories that touched on the dark side of religion, and I enjoy those kind of stories due to my own childhood, brought up by a "born-again Christian" mother who filled my head with scary thoughts about God and what he was going to do to me.
The author needs to put out another collection ASAP because I love his writing.
There isn't a bad story in the bunch, but my favorites were "The Good Touch," "The Boy Who Cried Alien," and "The Dark at the Deep End." There were a few religiously-themed stories that touched on the dark side of religion, and I enjoy those kind of stories due to my own childhood, brought up by a "born-again Christian" mother who filled my head with scary thoughts about God and what he was going to do to me.
The author needs to put out another collection ASAP because I love his writing.
October 31, 2020
Words like strange, weird, and twisted get thrown around a lot when searching through the realms of dark fiction. Sometimes they mean the characters are in unusual situations, other times they’re describing the characters themselves, and in rare circumstances they mean the plot and the characters will disturb you to your emotional core. Everyone is a Moon: Strange Stories by Sawney Hatton fell into the latter category for me.
The twelve stories in this collection range from satire to science fiction, from ghost stories to extreme horror, but the commonality throughout was that I finished each tale feeling shaken. I’m not talking about being scared out of my mind, but rather a slow build of unease that gets deep under your skin, which leads you to contemplate things you’d rather leave alone.
Even in the two of the funnier stories, “The Good Touch” and “The Lord Is My Rocket,” there’s underlying, engaging themes. The first deals with a couple of friends, living in a trailer park, and the jealousy one of them feels after the other is visited by an angel and grows a magic healing finger. While there are great moments that made me chuckle, what comes through most is the desperation of the main character trying to maintain the status quo. His lack of faith and insecurity over his friend’s sudden good fortune drives him to act in ways that become his own undoing.
On the flip side, “The Lord Is My Rocket” tells a story through the lens of religious zealotry. Ruth is a caregiver to terminally ill Floyd and believes his salvation lies inside the Monastery of the Celestial Christ. This story made me laugh out loud with information like the “four-cross rating” given to the Monastery by a Christian travel site, claims that Jesus was the first astronaut, and a rock song/laser light production called “Shout and Twist with the Eucharist.” But the deeper we go into the story, learn of how Floyd became Ruth’s charge, and hear an announcement that the end of the world is nigh, the more disturbing the events become. Here, Ruth’s absolute faith leads to her downfall.
“The Beholder” was one of my favourites in the collection, following homeless man Alex. He doesn’t see the world in the same way most of us do, finding beauty in the mundane. As the story began, I thought it was going to simply be a story trying to challenge the readers view on life, but then there’s a turn at the end that was absolutely chilling. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll simply say that not everything that Alex finds beautiful should be used for inspiration.
But these stories aren’t all just contemplatively disturbing, as author Hatton isn’t afraid to explore graphic violence either. In “FYVP,” Steve, a body modification enthusiast, is on his way to get a Prince Albert piercing. However, the shop owner Mr. Holland has his own twisted ideas for a complete transformation. As a fan of extreme horror, I wished this story had gone on just a bit longer, laying out all the gory details, but the author wisely chose the perfect ending to this tale, allowing the reader to construct brutal images in their imagination.
The last story of the collection, “Suitable for Framing,” evokes a different kind of horror, putting the reader in an uncomfortable position of self-reflection. The unnamed first-person narrator is an acclaimed photographer, with previous collections with titles such as Hit and Run, Stains & Blights, and Screaming Heads, all focused on the ugly side of humanity. In his new series, tentatively called Peep Show, the character’s inspiration is the apartment building across from his own. Unbeknownst to his neighbours, he photographs them in their most vulnerable moments, but his actions after witnessing a brutal crime are shocking. The crux of this tale is the lengths artists will go to in creating new work, and the macabre fascination of art patrons.
Everyone is a Moon: Strange Stories as a title was inspired by Mark Twain’s quote, “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody,” and author Sawney Hatton deftly explores the dark side of humanity throughout the book. And, more than merely presenting twisted stories, he forces the reader to confront and contemplate several taboo subjects, including cannibalism and bestiality – so, reader discretion is highly advised. But for those of you willing to plunge into twisted psyches, this book is a fascinating, entertaining, and thought provoking read.
*A copy of this book was provided by Blackthorn Book Tours*
The twelve stories in this collection range from satire to science fiction, from ghost stories to extreme horror, but the commonality throughout was that I finished each tale feeling shaken. I’m not talking about being scared out of my mind, but rather a slow build of unease that gets deep under your skin, which leads you to contemplate things you’d rather leave alone.
Even in the two of the funnier stories, “The Good Touch” and “The Lord Is My Rocket,” there’s underlying, engaging themes. The first deals with a couple of friends, living in a trailer park, and the jealousy one of them feels after the other is visited by an angel and grows a magic healing finger. While there are great moments that made me chuckle, what comes through most is the desperation of the main character trying to maintain the status quo. His lack of faith and insecurity over his friend’s sudden good fortune drives him to act in ways that become his own undoing.
On the flip side, “The Lord Is My Rocket” tells a story through the lens of religious zealotry. Ruth is a caregiver to terminally ill Floyd and believes his salvation lies inside the Monastery of the Celestial Christ. This story made me laugh out loud with information like the “four-cross rating” given to the Monastery by a Christian travel site, claims that Jesus was the first astronaut, and a rock song/laser light production called “Shout and Twist with the Eucharist.” But the deeper we go into the story, learn of how Floyd became Ruth’s charge, and hear an announcement that the end of the world is nigh, the more disturbing the events become. Here, Ruth’s absolute faith leads to her downfall.
“The Beholder” was one of my favourites in the collection, following homeless man Alex. He doesn’t see the world in the same way most of us do, finding beauty in the mundane. As the story began, I thought it was going to simply be a story trying to challenge the readers view on life, but then there’s a turn at the end that was absolutely chilling. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll simply say that not everything that Alex finds beautiful should be used for inspiration.
But these stories aren’t all just contemplatively disturbing, as author Hatton isn’t afraid to explore graphic violence either. In “FYVP,” Steve, a body modification enthusiast, is on his way to get a Prince Albert piercing. However, the shop owner Mr. Holland has his own twisted ideas for a complete transformation. As a fan of extreme horror, I wished this story had gone on just a bit longer, laying out all the gory details, but the author wisely chose the perfect ending to this tale, allowing the reader to construct brutal images in their imagination.
The last story of the collection, “Suitable for Framing,” evokes a different kind of horror, putting the reader in an uncomfortable position of self-reflection. The unnamed first-person narrator is an acclaimed photographer, with previous collections with titles such as Hit and Run, Stains & Blights, and Screaming Heads, all focused on the ugly side of humanity. In his new series, tentatively called Peep Show, the character’s inspiration is the apartment building across from his own. Unbeknownst to his neighbours, he photographs them in their most vulnerable moments, but his actions after witnessing a brutal crime are shocking. The crux of this tale is the lengths artists will go to in creating new work, and the macabre fascination of art patrons.
Everyone is a Moon: Strange Stories as a title was inspired by Mark Twain’s quote, “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody,” and author Sawney Hatton deftly explores the dark side of humanity throughout the book. And, more than merely presenting twisted stories, he forces the reader to confront and contemplate several taboo subjects, including cannibalism and bestiality – so, reader discretion is highly advised. But for those of you willing to plunge into twisted psyches, this book is a fascinating, entertaining, and thought provoking read.
*A copy of this book was provided by Blackthorn Book Tours*
October 24, 2020
This book contains 12 very dark fiction tales and below is a breakdown of each story. It's hard to rate this book overall because there were some stories that I really enjoyed whilst others were either very disturbing or didn't fully capture my imagination.
I would actually give this book another half star if goodreads would allow me. Like most collections, this was a mixed bag.
The Good Touch: 4 stars. An angel visits a trailer park
Cutting Remarks: 3 stars. A verbally abusive husband.
The Boy Who Cried Alien: 4 stars. A 10 year old is convinced that his parents are aliens.
Pet: 2 stars....this one was very very disturbing for me. Major trigger warnings for animal abuse
In Memoriam The Ostrich: 3 stars. A pastor takes issue with cannibalism
The Mortality Machine: 3 stars. a husband hooks himself up to a machine to defeat death
The Lord Is My Rocket: 3 1/2 stars. a caretaker and her ward move into a monastery
Mr Gregori: 4 stars. a man is cursed by a demon to exist as a ghost in his own apartment
FYVP: 3 1/2 stars. body modification taken to extreme new heights
The Dark At The Deep End: 4 stars. A group of very disturbed young men
Suitable For Framing: 3 1/2 stars. ugliness presented aesthetically.
The Beholder: 4 stars. a homeless man is inspired by an act of murder
White Space: 2 stars. several pages with either one line or blank space.
I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I would actually give this book another half star if goodreads would allow me. Like most collections, this was a mixed bag.
The Good Touch: 4 stars. An angel visits a trailer park
Cutting Remarks: 3 stars. A verbally abusive husband.
The Boy Who Cried Alien: 4 stars. A 10 year old is convinced that his parents are aliens.
Pet: 2 stars....this one was very very disturbing for me. Major trigger warnings for animal abuse
In Memoriam The Ostrich: 3 stars. A pastor takes issue with cannibalism
The Mortality Machine: 3 stars. a husband hooks himself up to a machine to defeat death
The Lord Is My Rocket: 3 1/2 stars. a caretaker and her ward move into a monastery
Mr Gregori: 4 stars. a man is cursed by a demon to exist as a ghost in his own apartment
FYVP: 3 1/2 stars. body modification taken to extreme new heights
The Dark At The Deep End: 4 stars. A group of very disturbed young men
Suitable For Framing: 3 1/2 stars. ugliness presented aesthetically.
The Beholder: 4 stars. a homeless man is inspired by an act of murder
White Space: 2 stars. several pages with either one line or blank space.
I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2018
Good read
I received this book free from a Goodreads Giveaway. I was excited to have won since I love short stories and this collection did not disappoint.
I received this book free from a Goodreads Giveaway. I was excited to have won since I love short stories and this collection did not disappoint.
November 16, 2018
Received this as part of a Goodreads Give Away; very enjoyable collection of short stories. Not quite finished with it but wanted to get this stamp of approval out there.
November 29, 2018
I was lucky enough to win a copy on Goodreads. This book is right up my alley: short, dark, twisty stories, my favorite.
September 4, 2020
Spoilers: In his book, Puddn'head Wilson, Mark Twain wrote, "Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows anybody." The more they hide that dark side, the more it eventually comes forward leading often to violence including suicide and homicide.
Sawney Hatton explores that dark side in his anthology, Everyone is a Moon: Strange Stories. He gathers twelve short stories that explore the darkness within human nature in ways that range from the darkly comic and grotesque to the intensely graphic and terrifying. They may puzzle but then frighten the Reader. Most of them have at least one ghastly moment that the Reader will find hard to get out of their mind.
The best stories in this anthology are:
"The Boy Who Cried Alien"-This story is a twist on the whole "kid sees weird things and no one believes" them plot. Jeremy, a young boy in the 1950's, seems to live in a postcard perfect town that is until he passes by his parent's bedroom and discover them in reptilian form. He becomes obssessed with the thought that they might be aliens.
What starts out as a nod to 1950's films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, becomes much darker than the story leads on.
The story never reveals whether Jeremy is hallucinating or really sees aliens. It presents two chilling scenarios neither of which are very good: that either aliens are real and they will continue overtaking the people in his neighborhood or they aren't real and the kid is languishing in a mental hospital, never able to come to terms with the reality that he committed murder.
"In Memoriam The Ostrich"-We go from a scenario that springs from a 1950's science fiction alien film to a scenario that would be right at home in H.P. Lovecraft's Arkham County stories. Pastor Higgsby, an elderly pastor oversees the final request of the late Professor Thacker. Thacker leaves everything to the residents of Edessa Island with one slight caveat: that the Edessa citizens cook and eat Thacker's deceased body.
Higgsby is in fear of the community and disgusted by their actions. He rages at Thacker for making the request and is even angrier that the citizens are happily willing to go along with it, without any doubts. Higgsby is horrified at the monsters around them and thinks that he found a little bit of humanity. That hope is dashed quickly and Higgsby loses any faith in human nature and in his God.
"The Lord is My Rocket"-Hatton loves to poke fun at religion. Many of his stories in this collection like "The Good Touch" and "In Memoriam The Ostrich," involve the sinister urges inside so-called God-fearing people who commit destructive acts because of devotion to a Higher Power. This shows what happens when people take their religion to the extreme affecting the most innocent around them.
Ruth Foster, a caregiver at a home for developmentally disabled adults is ready to attend a religious service at the Monastery of the Celestial Christ and brings one of her charges, Floyd, with her.
Ruth clearly has a narrow minded view of Christianity which she derides her co-workers considering them not as pure as she is. She is the type that would die for her beliefs and force others to as well, including Floyd whom she seeks to convert.
When she attends the meeting, it becomes clear that something is off to say the least. Their constant talk about how they will shortly ascend into the Heavens on a spaceship is a pretty strong warning sign that Ruth and Floyd are in a cult. Ruth is willing to go along with it, even murdering people so she and Floyd can join the Spaceship Set. The climax is pretty clever, leading to what one could consider just retribution. This story shows that when religious fanatics and cult members become motivated by violence, the results are never good.
"Mr. Gregori"-This story brings a more Erotic twist to the "monster-in-the-closet" plot. Mr. Gregori, a sinister demonic character lusts after Emma, a woman who moves into the apartment in which he is haunting.
Mr. Gregori resembles a human stalker as he tracks Emma's every move. His creepy vigil terrifies her as she becomes aware that what she originally thinks is a draft is actually his breathing. This story could be a metaphor for an abusive relationship or sexual assault as Gregori vows that she will never leave.
"The Dark at the Deep End"-This story is a bit more subtle in the fear factor in the other stories, but is just as frightening or even more so because of how plausible the situation could be.
In the story, The Narrator and his friends play a series of pranks on unwitting victims. The pranks escalate as The Narrator's adrenal excitement is heightened. He begins to commit more violent acts to satisfy that excitement. By the time that the story ends, the Reader is aware that we just witnessed the birth of a serial killer.
What is particularly terrifying about this story is that it is the most plausible of them. The other situations are mostly so farcical and over the top to believed. We don't need to fear humans turning into aliens, cannibalistic villagers, spaceship based religions, or sex crazed demons, but sometimes we fear the thoughts of the person next to us. What would push someone to fall over the edge of laws, ethics, society, and morality and embrace a murderous nature? When someone exists only to satisfy some urge to destroy the source of their jealousy, hatred, greed, revenge or just to soothe their addictions for blood lust, that is probably the most terrifying scenario of all.
Sawney Hatton explores that dark side in his anthology, Everyone is a Moon: Strange Stories. He gathers twelve short stories that explore the darkness within human nature in ways that range from the darkly comic and grotesque to the intensely graphic and terrifying. They may puzzle but then frighten the Reader. Most of them have at least one ghastly moment that the Reader will find hard to get out of their mind.
The best stories in this anthology are:
"The Boy Who Cried Alien"-This story is a twist on the whole "kid sees weird things and no one believes" them plot. Jeremy, a young boy in the 1950's, seems to live in a postcard perfect town that is until he passes by his parent's bedroom and discover them in reptilian form. He becomes obssessed with the thought that they might be aliens.
What starts out as a nod to 1950's films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, becomes much darker than the story leads on.
The story never reveals whether Jeremy is hallucinating or really sees aliens. It presents two chilling scenarios neither of which are very good: that either aliens are real and they will continue overtaking the people in his neighborhood or they aren't real and the kid is languishing in a mental hospital, never able to come to terms with the reality that he committed murder.
"In Memoriam The Ostrich"-We go from a scenario that springs from a 1950's science fiction alien film to a scenario that would be right at home in H.P. Lovecraft's Arkham County stories. Pastor Higgsby, an elderly pastor oversees the final request of the late Professor Thacker. Thacker leaves everything to the residents of Edessa Island with one slight caveat: that the Edessa citizens cook and eat Thacker's deceased body.
Higgsby is in fear of the community and disgusted by their actions. He rages at Thacker for making the request and is even angrier that the citizens are happily willing to go along with it, without any doubts. Higgsby is horrified at the monsters around them and thinks that he found a little bit of humanity. That hope is dashed quickly and Higgsby loses any faith in human nature and in his God.
"The Lord is My Rocket"-Hatton loves to poke fun at religion. Many of his stories in this collection like "The Good Touch" and "In Memoriam The Ostrich," involve the sinister urges inside so-called God-fearing people who commit destructive acts because of devotion to a Higher Power. This shows what happens when people take their religion to the extreme affecting the most innocent around them.
Ruth Foster, a caregiver at a home for developmentally disabled adults is ready to attend a religious service at the Monastery of the Celestial Christ and brings one of her charges, Floyd, with her.
Ruth clearly has a narrow minded view of Christianity which she derides her co-workers considering them not as pure as she is. She is the type that would die for her beliefs and force others to as well, including Floyd whom she seeks to convert.
When she attends the meeting, it becomes clear that something is off to say the least. Their constant talk about how they will shortly ascend into the Heavens on a spaceship is a pretty strong warning sign that Ruth and Floyd are in a cult. Ruth is willing to go along with it, even murdering people so she and Floyd can join the Spaceship Set. The climax is pretty clever, leading to what one could consider just retribution. This story shows that when religious fanatics and cult members become motivated by violence, the results are never good.
"Mr. Gregori"-This story brings a more Erotic twist to the "monster-in-the-closet" plot. Mr. Gregori, a sinister demonic character lusts after Emma, a woman who moves into the apartment in which he is haunting.
Mr. Gregori resembles a human stalker as he tracks Emma's every move. His creepy vigil terrifies her as she becomes aware that what she originally thinks is a draft is actually his breathing. This story could be a metaphor for an abusive relationship or sexual assault as Gregori vows that she will never leave.
"The Dark at the Deep End"-This story is a bit more subtle in the fear factor in the other stories, but is just as frightening or even more so because of how plausible the situation could be.
In the story, The Narrator and his friends play a series of pranks on unwitting victims. The pranks escalate as The Narrator's adrenal excitement is heightened. He begins to commit more violent acts to satisfy that excitement. By the time that the story ends, the Reader is aware that we just witnessed the birth of a serial killer.
What is particularly terrifying about this story is that it is the most plausible of them. The other situations are mostly so farcical and over the top to believed. We don't need to fear humans turning into aliens, cannibalistic villagers, spaceship based religions, or sex crazed demons, but sometimes we fear the thoughts of the person next to us. What would push someone to fall over the edge of laws, ethics, society, and morality and embrace a murderous nature? When someone exists only to satisfy some urge to destroy the source of their jealousy, hatred, greed, revenge or just to soothe their addictions for blood lust, that is probably the most terrifying scenario of all.
November 2, 2020
Even if this is not quite your genre, you must give this book a try. If you’re not shocked too easily, you will LOVE this book.
The writing is excellent and has the ability to take you to deep, dark places you never knew existed. I, for one, did not know that I would relish such twisty, dark stories so much.
I was fascinated by the totally irreverent tone of the stories and compelled to keep reading, even if I sometimes found some of the themes disgusting. The author has put on paper thoughts that most of us would never dream of revealing in public, if we even had such thoughts in the first place.
My favorite stories are Cutting Remarks (about a husband always picking on his wife), The Mortal Machine (about a man building a remarkable machine), and The Beholder (about a man who observes things VERY closely). These insights into the dark, unseen recesses of the human mind kept me spellbound.
Sometimes, it seems like the author is laughing at the reader’s expense–as if he’s saying, “I know what you were expecting, but here, take this!”–and he throws in such a shocking twist. You’re left with nothing to do but hold your head in your hands.
I was grimacing while reading the torture fantasy in The Dark at the Deep End–it was the only story I skimmed through because it FELT too physically painful.
The author offers a brief look into each of the stories in the preface and that’s quite handy if you want to choose the order in which you want to read the stories.
Everyone is a Moon is a collection of deliciously dark, trippy, and insightful stories of varying length that will be hugely enjoyed by fans of this genre!
(I received a review copy from Blackthorn Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.)
The writing is excellent and has the ability to take you to deep, dark places you never knew existed. I, for one, did not know that I would relish such twisty, dark stories so much.
I was fascinated by the totally irreverent tone of the stories and compelled to keep reading, even if I sometimes found some of the themes disgusting. The author has put on paper thoughts that most of us would never dream of revealing in public, if we even had such thoughts in the first place.
My favorite stories are Cutting Remarks (about a husband always picking on his wife), The Mortal Machine (about a man building a remarkable machine), and The Beholder (about a man who observes things VERY closely). These insights into the dark, unseen recesses of the human mind kept me spellbound.
Sometimes, it seems like the author is laughing at the reader’s expense–as if he’s saying, “I know what you were expecting, but here, take this!”–and he throws in such a shocking twist. You’re left with nothing to do but hold your head in your hands.
I was grimacing while reading the torture fantasy in The Dark at the Deep End–it was the only story I skimmed through because it FELT too physically painful.
The author offers a brief look into each of the stories in the preface and that’s quite handy if you want to choose the order in which you want to read the stories.
Everyone is a Moon is a collection of deliciously dark, trippy, and insightful stories of varying length that will be hugely enjoyed by fans of this genre!
(I received a review copy from Blackthorn Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.)
November 3, 2020
Let me issue some warnings. Horror (as I’ve recently discovered) is one of those tricksy catetories that means too many different things and you can cause a lot of offense if you make the wrong assumption! So you need to know what this book isn’t or you may be disappointed. (By which I possibly mean appalled.)
This isn’t a book of slightly spooky ghost stories written for nice middle-Englanders who like a little frisson now and then (if you want those, try Rayne Hall). Nor is it a book that goes for horror by piling on the blood and gore (there are lots of them, but for a decent one you could try Follow Him by Craig Stewart). It’s not gross out. It’s tough but not "horror for it's own sake", not "extreme horror". (See https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...). Nor is it classic stuff like Bram Stoker or Edgar Allen Poe or Mary Shelley.
So what’s the right shelf for this book? I think I’ll put it with Miles Watson’s “Devils You Know”, on that very small shelf called “Hard Core Horror Stories by Seriously Intelligent Authors who I’d Like to Write a Different Sort of Book”. (Miles Watson has done so, several times in fact, so come on Sawney, your turn to step up to the mark...)
What he gives us here is a really interesting set of stories, using horror as a vehicle for asking questions about the lives we actually lead. There are several stories about unachievable obsessions. An ageing husband so obsessed with not dying that he isn’t living either. A loving carer throwing away her own happiness to protect an unsavable patient. The infatuation of a ghost for a living woman. And there are several stories about the lure and fascination of cruelty. A couple, possibly, about madness. The author doesn’t pile it on: he has an admirable lightness of touch and the stories have plenty of humour. But they all – most gruesomely in the penultimate The Dark at the Deep End – point to a terrifying darkness just below the surface of what others can see.
Through his well-quoted title the author is gambling with the possibility that he’s not alone, that other people also have heads that seethe with unspeakable thoughts as his own clearly does. It’s a brave thought to admit to. I’m not saying whether I think he’s right – too much of a coward, me – but I have a theory… It's a book worth reading. A question worth asking.
This isn’t a book of slightly spooky ghost stories written for nice middle-Englanders who like a little frisson now and then (if you want those, try Rayne Hall). Nor is it a book that goes for horror by piling on the blood and gore (there are lots of them, but for a decent one you could try Follow Him by Craig Stewart). It’s not gross out. It’s tough but not "horror for it's own sake", not "extreme horror". (See https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...). Nor is it classic stuff like Bram Stoker or Edgar Allen Poe or Mary Shelley.
So what’s the right shelf for this book? I think I’ll put it with Miles Watson’s “Devils You Know”, on that very small shelf called “Hard Core Horror Stories by Seriously Intelligent Authors who I’d Like to Write a Different Sort of Book”. (Miles Watson has done so, several times in fact, so come on Sawney, your turn to step up to the mark...)
What he gives us here is a really interesting set of stories, using horror as a vehicle for asking questions about the lives we actually lead. There are several stories about unachievable obsessions. An ageing husband so obsessed with not dying that he isn’t living either. A loving carer throwing away her own happiness to protect an unsavable patient. The infatuation of a ghost for a living woman. And there are several stories about the lure and fascination of cruelty. A couple, possibly, about madness. The author doesn’t pile it on: he has an admirable lightness of touch and the stories have plenty of humour. But they all – most gruesomely in the penultimate The Dark at the Deep End – point to a terrifying darkness just below the surface of what others can see.
Through his well-quoted title the author is gambling with the possibility that he’s not alone, that other people also have heads that seethe with unspeakable thoughts as his own clearly does. It’s a brave thought to admit to. I’m not saying whether I think he’s right – too much of a coward, me – but I have a theory… It's a book worth reading. A question worth asking.
July 23, 2020
A substantial collection of creepy little stories exploring the dark side of us all, hence the excellent title based off the excellent Mark Twain quote.
While not all of them are great, most of them are good and some a really good. Particularly “Pet,” in which the horror and sense of wrongness just mounts and mounts until it breaks. For the amount of stories, there’s quite a few original themes as well.
“The Good Touch” - 5/5
A man is gifted one of God’s own fingers so that he may heal, but his best friend is a little jealous. A truly original premise to me, with a wonderful main character (the best friend) and ironic ending.
“Cutting Remarks” - 1/5
A woman grows tired of her husband’s behavior. It’s been done before.
“The Boy Who Cried Alien” - 3/5
A boy is convinced he’s stumbled upon an alien invasion in progress. Not the most original, again, but well-done enough to be entertaining.
“Pet” - 5/5
After a breakup, a woman leaves her pet with her ex. See above; one of the highlights of the collection.
“In Memoriam the Ostrich” - 3/5
A man’s final wishes deeply disturb the local pastor. Not the most original, but well-executed.
“The Mortality Machine” - 2\5
A man builds a machine so he and his wife can be together forever. It was almost there, but it just needed some more development. Though it did make me sad.
“The Lord is my Rocket” - 4/5
After her mentally disabled charge is terminally diagnosed, his nurse takes him to a monastery so he can accept Jesus into his heart before he dies. Surprisingly poignant and bittersweet.
“The Beholder” - 2/5
A homeless man discovers something new. A good little vignette, but that’s it.
“Mr. Gregori” - 3/5
The ghost of the previous tenant becomes obsessed with the current one. Interesting, spooky, and quick.
“FYVP” - 3/5
A man in search of a penis piercing gets way more than he wanted. Surprising and a little gross.
“The Dark at the Deep End” - 4/5
A view into the mind of a serial killer reminiscing on his youth. Great senses of character and overall unease.
“Suitable for Framing” - 3/5
A photographer finds new inspiration. Not bad, but suffers directly after “the dark at the deep end”.
3 star average.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
While not all of them are great, most of them are good and some a really good. Particularly “Pet,” in which the horror and sense of wrongness just mounts and mounts until it breaks. For the amount of stories, there’s quite a few original themes as well.
“The Good Touch” - 5/5
A man is gifted one of God’s own fingers so that he may heal, but his best friend is a little jealous. A truly original premise to me, with a wonderful main character (the best friend) and ironic ending.
“Cutting Remarks” - 1/5
A woman grows tired of her husband’s behavior. It’s been done before.
“The Boy Who Cried Alien” - 3/5
A boy is convinced he’s stumbled upon an alien invasion in progress. Not the most original, again, but well-done enough to be entertaining.
“Pet” - 5/5
After a breakup, a woman leaves her pet with her ex. See above; one of the highlights of the collection.
“In Memoriam the Ostrich” - 3/5
A man’s final wishes deeply disturb the local pastor. Not the most original, but well-executed.
“The Mortality Machine” - 2\5
A man builds a machine so he and his wife can be together forever. It was almost there, but it just needed some more development. Though it did make me sad.
“The Lord is my Rocket” - 4/5
After her mentally disabled charge is terminally diagnosed, his nurse takes him to a monastery so he can accept Jesus into his heart before he dies. Surprisingly poignant and bittersweet.
“The Beholder” - 2/5
A homeless man discovers something new. A good little vignette, but that’s it.
“Mr. Gregori” - 3/5
The ghost of the previous tenant becomes obsessed with the current one. Interesting, spooky, and quick.
“FYVP” - 3/5
A man in search of a penis piercing gets way more than he wanted. Surprising and a little gross.
“The Dark at the Deep End” - 4/5
A view into the mind of a serial killer reminiscing on his youth. Great senses of character and overall unease.
“Suitable for Framing” - 3/5
A photographer finds new inspiration. Not bad, but suffers directly after “the dark at the deep end”.
3 star average.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 11, 2018
I was very excited to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway! It sounded (and looked) interesting and weird, which is right up my alley. Short story collections are so hard to rate though, unless you can take the time to review each story individually. I really enjoyed the preface; the author explained the title, gave a little insight into what got him interested in horror and writing dark fiction, and also a brief note on each story’s inspiration. Some of the stories I liked more than others of course, but I did like them all. Some were also a lot weirder than others too! And there are definitely some graphic descriptions that not everyone would want to read (just sickos like me), so fair warning! I really enjoyed reading this collection and would definitely read more by this author.
July 6, 2020
I would go as far as saying this is even more fucked up than Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. I really enjoyed these short stories (except Pet, only because it made me too uncomfortable, really can't stomach *that* topic at all).
Hoping there will be more like this from Hatton.
Hoping there will be more like this from Hatton.
November 2, 2020
This collection is a tour de force by a horror author for whom horror is not only a vehicle for entertainment - though these stories are all entertaining - but also for challenging the unspeakable within the human condition. Sawney Hatton doesn't just want you to feel a delicious frisson of terror. He wants to shatter the comfortable platitudes that normally protect your sanity.
They are twisted tales, certainly , but they are twisting of things which are always, somewhere, familiar. Friendship and jealousy and the challenges of maintaining equilibrium when a friend is more blessed than oneself. Religion as it sucked into the commercialised pop-culture in a society that preys upon the gullible. The subjectivity of beauty; the lure of the macabre: which of us does not feel that, sometimes? Do we not all want to turn and stare at a car crash?
Some of these stories – particularly “Pet” and “FYVP” - are gory and distressing, and will fall outside the pale for all but all but the most invested of horror fans. The reader may feel that Sawney Hatton is testing them: some of the stories seduce with their laugh out loud humour – but once he has you in the palm of his hand, he is ready to take you to places you never planned to go. Will you follow him? You could close the book now...
The title of the book is an allusion to Mark Twain’s quote, “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.” This is certainly true of the characters in his stories. But it is true of his readers also. One emerges from this book (probably without having come up for air very often since opening it: the stories are compelling) with a disturbing awareness of the dark within oneself. It's a great horror collection and it goes deeper than most. You may or may not thank Sawney Hatton for holding up this mirror.
They are twisted tales, certainly , but they are twisting of things which are always, somewhere, familiar. Friendship and jealousy and the challenges of maintaining equilibrium when a friend is more blessed than oneself. Religion as it sucked into the commercialised pop-culture in a society that preys upon the gullible. The subjectivity of beauty; the lure of the macabre: which of us does not feel that, sometimes? Do we not all want to turn and stare at a car crash?
Some of these stories – particularly “Pet” and “FYVP” - are gory and distressing, and will fall outside the pale for all but all but the most invested of horror fans. The reader may feel that Sawney Hatton is testing them: some of the stories seduce with their laugh out loud humour – but once he has you in the palm of his hand, he is ready to take you to places you never planned to go. Will you follow him? You could close the book now...
The title of the book is an allusion to Mark Twain’s quote, “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.” This is certainly true of the characters in his stories. But it is true of his readers also. One emerges from this book (probably without having come up for air very often since opening it: the stories are compelling) with a disturbing awareness of the dark within oneself. It's a great horror collection and it goes deeper than most. You may or may not thank Sawney Hatton for holding up this mirror.
November 3, 2020
Everyone is a Moon is a collection of short stories that are all strange, dark, and horrific. There are also some stories that may be a bit too much for some readers.
I'm a sucker for short horror stories. I tend to prefer those sometimes over actual novels. And I always love finding new authors who have short story collections that are dark, because it makes my morbid little heart sing with glee. (Yeah, I'm weird)
The stories in this collection will delight and thrill readers of the macabre. Some of my favorites include:
The Good Touch - a tale of divine karma; I found this one amusing
The Boy Who Cried Alien - a tale of too many sci-fi flicks; my husband and I laughed about this one and how ridiculous it was
In Memorium the Ostrich - a tale of hypocrisy and greed; this one is a bit crazy, but I liked it
FYVP - a tale of body modification gone wrong; this one reminded me of a Tales From the Crypt episode
I'd also like to mention these two stories:
Pet
The Dark at the Deep End
Pet is a bit more sci-fi, but as soon as I realized where it was going, the first thing that popped into my head was that one episode of To Catch a Predator. If you grew up in the late 90s/early 2000s watching that, you probably know the episode. Everyone I've ever talked to about that show brings up this episode, and I suppose I'm not surprised Pet brought that memory to the forefront of my mind.
The Dark at the Deep End has a scene that's a bit graphic and really, really messed up. I won't spoil anything, but it's kinda like Hostel, but on meth or something. Definitely more horrific than I expected.
Overall, I rather enjoyed this collection of stories, and while a couple of them weren't really my cup of tea, I still liked them for what they brought to the table.
If you're looking for something creepy to read this Halloween season (or anytime at all, really), definitely get a copy of Everyone is a Moon.
4 stars from me!
I'm a sucker for short horror stories. I tend to prefer those sometimes over actual novels. And I always love finding new authors who have short story collections that are dark, because it makes my morbid little heart sing with glee. (Yeah, I'm weird)
The stories in this collection will delight and thrill readers of the macabre. Some of my favorites include:
The Good Touch - a tale of divine karma; I found this one amusing
The Boy Who Cried Alien - a tale of too many sci-fi flicks; my husband and I laughed about this one and how ridiculous it was
In Memorium the Ostrich - a tale of hypocrisy and greed; this one is a bit crazy, but I liked it
FYVP - a tale of body modification gone wrong; this one reminded me of a Tales From the Crypt episode
I'd also like to mention these two stories:
Pet
The Dark at the Deep End
Pet is a bit more sci-fi, but as soon as I realized where it was going, the first thing that popped into my head was that one episode of To Catch a Predator. If you grew up in the late 90s/early 2000s watching that, you probably know the episode. Everyone I've ever talked to about that show brings up this episode, and I suppose I'm not surprised Pet brought that memory to the forefront of my mind.
The Dark at the Deep End has a scene that's a bit graphic and really, really messed up. I won't spoil anything, but it's kinda like Hostel, but on meth or something. Definitely more horrific than I expected.
Overall, I rather enjoyed this collection of stories, and while a couple of them weren't really my cup of tea, I still liked them for what they brought to the table.
If you're looking for something creepy to read this Halloween season (or anytime at all, really), definitely get a copy of Everyone is a Moon.
4 stars from me!
June 15, 2020
I enjoyed this book. It was dark and funny in a twisted way. I am easily amused by stories that are strange and unusual and this was a great read for me. You have your dose of aliens, strange humans who practice cannibalism, weird body modding. There is even a story that lets you see how it would be if you ever got superpowers. Overall great read.
November 3, 2020
Boy, this book was a challenge from beginning to end. Not all in bad ways. I received this book as one I requested to read from Blackthorn Book Tours. I, as most of my readers know, love anthologies. So, any time I get the opportunity to read any kind of short horror story collection, I’m on it.
This was unique because the author had hand-picked writings from over twenty-five years of writing. Can I just point out serious respect to the author for having that kind of devotion and conviction to their craft and passion? That right there is a WOW factor for me. As a writer myself I still have a box of stuff I wrote well over twenty years ago and I think it takes a lot of resolve and determination not only to make sure that kind of stuff stays safe over the years but also the pure guts it takes to go back and revisit earlier work. As an artist of any kind, sometimes going back to a previous creation takes you back to what inspired that creation and well, that’s not always pleasant. Some of the most precious and beautiful works that we consider the talent of someone truly gifted are also the results of some very tortured souls, and in more ways than one. So, I raise my fountain pen to this author with respect, from one writer by nature to another, you deserve recognition for the battle that is keeping your drive and work alive over the course of more than two decades. Mad respect.
Now, having paid proper and most assuredly deserved tribute, down to the review. As you all know, as with any anthology, not every story is going to be a hit and not every story will be well received by the audience because well, we just can’t please every single one of you out there, Which is a good thing. It shows the true diversity of individuals. Imagine how boring life would be if we all agreed on everything and everybody liked all the same things and there were no individuals to make life interesting and exciting and throw in the unexpected and the unique. So, with that in mind, I rated this anthology how I’ve rated the others I’ve reviewed. I read each story and rate it individually and then I take the average of the scores as the overall rating for the whole book.
There were three stories that got 5/5 ratings and really stood out to me. There were two stories that actually got 0/5 ratings, which is rare. I don’t do that a lot. One of them was a story that was nine pages, had five sentences and six, count them SIX blank pages. Now, I know what the author was trying to do because the story was about a blizzard and they were trying a visual and aural effect, but it didn’t work for me. I thought it was a good effort but it didn’t seem to have the desired effect for me.
This author seems to get tied up and lost in the innocuous details and not as much time on the meat and grit of the true horror. Which isn’t always a bad thing. I mean, Stephen King has been taking up whole chapters to tell you about the main character’s best friend’s friend who has a buddy whose cousin’s girlfriend’s parent’s business partner’s daughter’s boyfriend’s main rival likes to wear leather jackets by night and cashmere sweaters by day and then we get to go into detail of someone else’s life two hundred miles removed from the story and their dog and what kind of dog food the dog eats. I get it. But for me, it’s too much.
I love Stephen King and all but his long windedness and micro detailing can be a little tedious. But it also seems like this author seems a little reserved with their horror parts of their stories. It seems they like to imply a lot rather than actually give you the gruesome and gory details. An that’s okay but it does take away from the whole horror aspect of the story and the book somewhat. A few stories like The Good Touch, Cutting Remarks and FYVP were all very good stories and I was really pleased with those. I think those are the real highlights of this collection. The rest were mostly 3/5 ratings and 2/5 ratings.
In all honesty, I don’t think that this author is actually a bad author. I think the style just doesn’t click for me. But, nevertheless, I always give you guys my honest thoughts and there they are.
The total score for all thirteen stories was 35/65 which comes to about 54%. Now, that’s more than a 2.5/5 which is 50% and not quite the 3/5 which is 60%. So, I guess it’s about a 2.75 but since I never really rate like that, it’s a 3/5. I mean, come on. Let’s not get too bogged down in numbers and mathematics, okay? So, that would make this an average anthology. Nothing wrong with that. Pretty normal actually.
I hope if you choose to read it you do enjoy it! Maybe you are the audience it’s meant for!
RATINGS
3/5 Stars
This was unique because the author had hand-picked writings from over twenty-five years of writing. Can I just point out serious respect to the author for having that kind of devotion and conviction to their craft and passion? That right there is a WOW factor for me. As a writer myself I still have a box of stuff I wrote well over twenty years ago and I think it takes a lot of resolve and determination not only to make sure that kind of stuff stays safe over the years but also the pure guts it takes to go back and revisit earlier work. As an artist of any kind, sometimes going back to a previous creation takes you back to what inspired that creation and well, that’s not always pleasant. Some of the most precious and beautiful works that we consider the talent of someone truly gifted are also the results of some very tortured souls, and in more ways than one. So, I raise my fountain pen to this author with respect, from one writer by nature to another, you deserve recognition for the battle that is keeping your drive and work alive over the course of more than two decades. Mad respect.
Now, having paid proper and most assuredly deserved tribute, down to the review. As you all know, as with any anthology, not every story is going to be a hit and not every story will be well received by the audience because well, we just can’t please every single one of you out there, Which is a good thing. It shows the true diversity of individuals. Imagine how boring life would be if we all agreed on everything and everybody liked all the same things and there were no individuals to make life interesting and exciting and throw in the unexpected and the unique. So, with that in mind, I rated this anthology how I’ve rated the others I’ve reviewed. I read each story and rate it individually and then I take the average of the scores as the overall rating for the whole book.
There were three stories that got 5/5 ratings and really stood out to me. There were two stories that actually got 0/5 ratings, which is rare. I don’t do that a lot. One of them was a story that was nine pages, had five sentences and six, count them SIX blank pages. Now, I know what the author was trying to do because the story was about a blizzard and they were trying a visual and aural effect, but it didn’t work for me. I thought it was a good effort but it didn’t seem to have the desired effect for me.
This author seems to get tied up and lost in the innocuous details and not as much time on the meat and grit of the true horror. Which isn’t always a bad thing. I mean, Stephen King has been taking up whole chapters to tell you about the main character’s best friend’s friend who has a buddy whose cousin’s girlfriend’s parent’s business partner’s daughter’s boyfriend’s main rival likes to wear leather jackets by night and cashmere sweaters by day and then we get to go into detail of someone else’s life two hundred miles removed from the story and their dog and what kind of dog food the dog eats. I get it. But for me, it’s too much.
I love Stephen King and all but his long windedness and micro detailing can be a little tedious. But it also seems like this author seems a little reserved with their horror parts of their stories. It seems they like to imply a lot rather than actually give you the gruesome and gory details. An that’s okay but it does take away from the whole horror aspect of the story and the book somewhat. A few stories like The Good Touch, Cutting Remarks and FYVP were all very good stories and I was really pleased with those. I think those are the real highlights of this collection. The rest were mostly 3/5 ratings and 2/5 ratings.
In all honesty, I don’t think that this author is actually a bad author. I think the style just doesn’t click for me. But, nevertheless, I always give you guys my honest thoughts and there they are.
The total score for all thirteen stories was 35/65 which comes to about 54%. Now, that’s more than a 2.5/5 which is 50% and not quite the 3/5 which is 60%. So, I guess it’s about a 2.75 but since I never really rate like that, it’s a 3/5. I mean, come on. Let’s not get too bogged down in numbers and mathematics, okay? So, that would make this an average anthology. Nothing wrong with that. Pretty normal actually.
I hope if you choose to read it you do enjoy it! Maybe you are the audience it’s meant for!
RATINGS
3/5 Stars
July 4, 2025
Waxing Gibbous
I guess all those years working night shift, reading Flannery O’Conner and Chuck Palahniuk…never left my psyche. I rarely give 5 stars…some of these stories made me want to throw up…so 5 stars it is.
I guess all those years working night shift, reading Flannery O’Conner and Chuck Palahniuk…never left my psyche. I rarely give 5 stars…some of these stories made me want to throw up…so 5 stars it is.
August 7, 2018
Being a romance author as well as a voracious Book Reviewer that I am, I don’t have the luxury of being able to have read each of the 11 well-crafted dark fiction stories one story at a time to allow each story’s intensity to sink in, the way the author intended his book to be read; I’d been somewhat coerced into reading it straight through.
The Mr. Hatton knows how to pull his readers into these stories by creating plotlines and locations that each of us has experienced or been at. If you take Alfred Hitchcock and throw in a little Rod Sterling you get the kind of chilling, macabre and surprising storylines they’re noted for giving their fans. And like these two individuals, the author has made sure that each story ends with an unexpected, convoluted and at times even a somewhat gruesome ending.
The author’s writing is unquestionably quite intense to have created the captivating, suspense-laden stories this collection contains. And for doing so for his readers, and myself, I’m giving this book 5 STARS.
The Mr. Hatton knows how to pull his readers into these stories by creating plotlines and locations that each of us has experienced or been at. If you take Alfred Hitchcock and throw in a little Rod Sterling you get the kind of chilling, macabre and surprising storylines they’re noted for giving their fans. And like these two individuals, the author has made sure that each story ends with an unexpected, convoluted and at times even a somewhat gruesome ending.
The author’s writing is unquestionably quite intense to have created the captivating, suspense-laden stories this collection contains. And for doing so for his readers, and myself, I’m giving this book 5 STARS.
December 16, 2019
This was not what I expected, but overall it was a really good read. Most of the stories were rather tame, but well-written so they worked well. I liked Cutting Remarks, The Mortality Machine, and Mr. Gregori was rather interesting. A lot of the stories has religious themes or overtones. I am going to have to go over a few of the stories again to get a better grasp of the underlying tone. The Lord is My Rocket and In Memorium the Ostrich certainly need a reread.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
November 5, 2018
I won this in a giveaway and have to say I’m glad I did. It was a quick read filled with short stories that leave you pondering about a variety of topics. Certain stories are darker than others. The author succeeded at making me cringe and feel uncomfortable in a couple of the stories. That being said, they weren’t so overly gruesome that I didn’t want to finish. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I suggest checking it out.
November 21, 2018
This is an entertaining short story collection for those with a dark sense of humor. The author discusses his influences in the introduction, from faith healers to Hitchcock to 50's sci-fi, and you can definitely see these in the stories that follow. If you are a fan of horror anthologies such as Creepshow and Tales From the Crypt, you will enjoy this collection.
December 16, 2019
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I thought the stories were very well-written. A lot of different genres within the horror realm and all were 'short' stories to keep you just interested enough. My only complaint is the ones that I really enjoyed should have been longer, the longer stories shortened. Other than that though, great book!
I thought the stories were very well-written. A lot of different genres within the horror realm and all were 'short' stories to keep you just interested enough. My only complaint is the ones that I really enjoyed should have been longer, the longer stories shortened. Other than that though, great book!
January 10, 2021
This collection of short stories comes with a warning, but if you enjoy dark and twisted you will love it.
Like I said it is not for the faint hearted but those who love horror and different, these stories will not fail to entertain you.
The author lets his unique style pour out of the pages, as you work your way through the very different twelve stories.
Highly recommended.
Like I said it is not for the faint hearted but those who love horror and different, these stories will not fail to entertain you.
The author lets his unique style pour out of the pages, as you work your way through the very different twelve stories.
Highly recommended.
June 3, 2019
4.5 ⭐️ Wonderful tales that reminded me of The Twilight Zone. Hutton is a gifted writer.
June 27, 2019
Best set of short stories I've read in some time.
November 27, 2019
This was bad, truly bad. I read everything except for 'The Lord is my Rocket' which droned on incessantly boring me to the verge of tears. The whole collection screamed "Look at me I'm edgy!" but was more of a jump scare b-movie going for offensive as opposed to quality. I honestly lost all respect when one of the characters in 'Pet' raped the family pet because it reminded him of his ex. Seriously? Bestiality? That's a line I hope I never see crossed again. A couple of the stories were okay, nothing stood out as exceptional. 'The Boy Who Cried Alien' was good though a spin on an old 50's sci-fi movie and I believe a Twilight Zone episode. I wouldn't recommend this and I doubt I'll read it again.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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