Guignol & Other Sardonic Tales

by Orrin Grey, Gemma Files (Introduction)

Orrin Grey has a knack for cruel stories. Contes Cruel, to be exact.

Sardonic Tales like the fourteen collected here, ready to wrench the reader’s emotions, tantalize, and terrify. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Roger Corman, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, the Theatre de Grand Guignol, Universal’s monster movies, Hammer horror, kaiju flicks, and more, all while creating something unique, intoxicating, and, yes, cruel.

Guignol and Other Sardonic Tales has something for everyone… even the most jaded readers.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fantasy, Collections, Fiction

220 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

Orrin Grey is a skeleton who likes monsters. When asked, he claims to mostly write oubliettes.

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

The silver screen flickers and then gleams in sharp detail and uneasy contrasts. Every corner of the screen is filled with monsters, films as the esoteric text, forbidden cults, and body snatchers. The popcorn is covered in atmosphere straight from the yellow nozzle.

I love films and television shows as the eldritch text, and Orrin delivers these to me in healthy servings that always have me coming back for more. Considering this, “Dream House” is an excellent place to open the collection. A story that feels incredibly close to the Author, yet also delightfully unreliable. Some of the other monsters who inhabit this story are comfortable and may be familiar to PseudoPod fans. “Baron von Werewolf Presents: Frankenstein Against the Phantom Planet” does an excellent job with the monsters just off the edge of the frame. “The Cult of Headless Men” is a love letter to schlocky horror films that never forgets that it’s a story. While I’m not entirely sold on the ending, it’s also a fitting tribute to those films.

“A Circle That Ever Returneth In” is one of the most unexpected experiments in this book – an Endless Quest book that sprouted from the fertile soil of the poetic pulps of Clark Ashton Smith and Fritz Leiber. Thoroughly enjoyable and stoked a certain pleasant nostalgia. “Programmed to Receive” and “The Well and the Wheel” and “Invaders of Gla'aki” are excellent modern responses to the Cthulhu Mythos.

Possibly my favorite of the collection, “Haruspicate or Scry” is particularly effective because of the gaslighting and the perspective on childlessness. I really enjoyed the slow burn, and the skepticism slowly being eroded. “When a Beast Looks Up at the Stars” feels like one of the darkest stories Orrin has produced and it is creeping into Ligotti territory. “Guignol” delivers mood and creep, with the attic full of marionettes.

I can’t recommend this collection highly enough. If you enjoy this, make sure to go grab his other two collections Never Bet the Devil and Other Warnings & Painted Monsters and Other Strange Beasts.

[Douglas Hackle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hammer horror vibes meet Universal classic monster sensibilities in this wonderful collection of horror stories flavored with hints of Lovecraft, intimations of Poe, shades of Matheson, traces of King, and notes of Leiber. Featuring sundry monsters, demons, cursed music/movies/TV shows/video games, Lovecraftian-inspired horrors, Gothic houses, steampunk ghosts, and alien worlds—not to mention some choose-your-own-adventure sword and sorcery thrown in for good measure—Guignol & Other Sardonic Tales is pulpy yet literate, fun-as-hell yet darkly poignant. Highly recommended.

[Dominique Lamssies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orrin Grey has a way of taking presented concepts and doing something not only completely original but fun and sometimes heartbreaking. It may not sound like a good, or even feasible, mix but in Grey's capable hands, it is.

This book also accomplishes a rare feat: None of the stories in this book are "meh." They are all consistently good. And there is a solid balance of lighter and darker (though make no mistake all the stories have an element of darkness to them, thus the "Sardonic Tales" part of the title) stories so you don't feel the need to drink yourself into oblivion when you finish the book.

This is an excellent representation of Grey's work and for anyone looking for an introduction to the author, this would be a good place to start.

[Logan Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect October collection. This book is filled with stunners that creeped me out but also made me smile at the same time. Many of the stories look to the past to find their horrors, which is one of the quintessential themes of this genre that we love so much. Frequent film and video game references run through the stories, ranging from the beloved to the obscure. The reverence and references give Orrin his unique style and set him apart from his contemporaries in the field.

I want to talk about some of my favorite stories in the collection. 'Dream House' and 'Baron Von Werewolf Presents...' explore the evils and allure of classic film/television. 'Invaders of Gla'aki' turns our childhood gaming obsessions decidedly Lovecraftian (Campbellian?). My favorite story in the collection (not horror persay) is 'A Circle That Ever Returneth In'. It's a choose-your-own-adventure story set in a dark fantasy world. I read through every path in the story, and I want to see more of this world. Maybe a novella or an anthology?

Orrin Grey loves every facet of the horror genre. You can see it in the D.N.A of his stories, carved into the cave walls all around us. In a market where nearly every horror short story is dark as dark can be, it's refreshing to read a collection that tries something else. This is a five star collection.

[Hayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Orrin Grey’s work, and look forward to anything bearing his name. Guignol & Other Sardonic Tales is a mix of new and previously printed material, but I was happy to re-read even those stories with which I was already familiar. I enjoyed every page, but if I had to pick a handful of favorites this time ‘round…

“Dream House”: Perfect opener for an Orrin Grey collection.

“The Lesser Keys”: Fantastic Jazz Age story set in Kansas City. If you enjoyed Victor LaValle’s The Ballad of Black Tom, you’ll definitely enjoy this.

“Programmed to Receive”: I always loved “From Beyond”; Orrin Grey probably loves it even more.

“Invaders of Gla’aki”: “The Last Starfighter” meets H.P. Lovecraft.

“Baron von Werewolf Presents: Frankenstein Against the Phantom Planet” - I loved it when I read it in Word Horde’s Eternal Frankenstein (it was probably my favorite in that collection), and I still really love it. If I were ever pressed to narrow down a list of stories that feel “uniquely Orrin Grey,” this would make that list.

“When A Beast Looks Up at the Stars” - Wow. Sort of like taking a walk with Ray Bradbury, and winding up at Laird Barron’s house. This one’s special.

[Micah Castle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guignol & Other Sardonic Tales is Orrin Grey's third collection, following his wonderful collection, Painted Monsters & Other Strange Beasts, and what a follow-up it is. Guignol, unlike previous collections, shows that Grey can dip his skeletal fingers into other dark genres as well and do so beautifully, while remaining knee-deep in weird horror all the while.

My favorite stories from this collection are: "Guignol," "The Blue Light," "A Circle That Ever Returneth In," "The Well and the Wheel, "Dark and Deep," "Invaders of Gla'aki," "Haruspicate or Scry," and "Baron von Werewolf Presents: Frankenstein Against the Phantom Planet."

However, I'd like to mention "The Blue Light" is probably my number one pick of them all, and it makes me hope that Grey will dabble in dark fantasy more in the future.

[John Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection makes a big to-do about the stories contained being “cruel” and some of them are definitely nasty, but Grey has a sort of gleeful and roving joyousness in the way he tackles what you might think of as old horror tropes and stands them on their head so that you have to look at them in a new way.

Orrin Grey is proving to be a master of the short-form, alongside writers like Laird Barron and Stephen Graham Jones. You should get this one, for sure. And Never Bet the Devil. *Side note* Never Bet the Devil is one of the few books I’ve bought TWICE in my life.

[Donald Armfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grey has such unique storytelling techniques.
Enjoyed this collection.
My favorites:
-The Lesser Keys
-Shadders
-the Phantom Planet

[Alex Ferland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orrin Grey is one of those guys who, as far as I know, is doing things with the horror genre that no other author is doing (if anyone is, please let me know!)

Having thoroughly enjoyed how fun, classic, and pulpy his two other books were - "Painted Monsters" in particular- I approached this new collection's assertion that it would be darker and crueler with some measure of trepidation.

It turns out my fears were unfounded. Yes, there are some stories like Shadders and Invaders of Gla'aki that have some pretty squishy things happening to children, but I'm not someone who would call this collection anything but delightful fun from a guy who clearly loves what he's doing.

If you give any credence to the adage "write what you know", Grey is your guy.
As such, when he writes about film festivals, old forgotten movies, and old school horror hosts, or when he gets inspired by such obscure sources as "Horrors of Malformed Men", it's easy to get swept along by his obvious passion and interest.

The variety of this collection is great, too. You get all manner of monsters in all shapes and sizes.

Of particular note to me was "the Blue Light" which accomplishes the exceedingly rare (to my taste at least) feat of making something that reads like a fairy tale poetic and fascinating. It also weaves in social commentary, which I can't recall being a facet of Grey's previous works.

Also completely awesome was "Programmed to Receive" which was written in the most gripping manner. This is a story that grabs you by the throat and hurls you across the cosmos to its conclusion. Furthermore, whether the reference to Hotel California in the title is intentional or not, it wins points there.

All in all, this is a short, breezy read with stories that never overstay their welcome.

[Hugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another terrific collection of tales, albeit that the title and subtitle create a somewhat false expectation—the conte cruel being a particular and specific subgenre, to which few of these stories truly belong. I'm not normally a fan of writers who work within the meta or referential field of the genre—the list of such inspirations on the back cover runs to "Roger Corman, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, the Theatre de Grand Guignol, Universal’s monster movies, Hammer horror, kaiju flicks"—as such stories seems gimmicky and flimsy, but Grey does it perfectly, by using the frame of previous works and building on them with something new, of his own invention, and adding in character, involvement, a clean, clear writing style, and true pathos.

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orrin Grey is a recent discovery of mine, but he has quickly become one of my favorite writers. I've read Guignol twice in less than a year and can easily see myself revisiting it frequently. Grey's love of horror is clear in these stories, and it's always great to read something from someone who is truly passionate about the genre.

There's not a single misstep in this entire collection. The stories include:

"Dream House" opens the collection with the author himself as a character, trying to find the truth behind the missing episodes of a Dark Shadows-like television program.

"The Lesser Keys" is a jazz age-set Lovecraftian piece. A man looking for a band and a girl looking for her brother arrive at a music club whose owner has dark secrets and even darker plans.

"Guignol," the title story, involves creepy puppets, and resembles a somewhat less bizarre Ligotti tale.

"Shadders" is another period piece, featuring chimney sweeps and shadow creatures who live in places of both literal and metaphorical darkness.

"The Blue Light" feels like a fairytale, as well it should, because it's a creepier take on one of my personal favorite fairytales, "The Tinderbox."

"A Circle That Ever Returneth In" is a unique take on those own Choose Your Own Adventure books.

"Programmed to Receive" is the only in the collection that didn't fully work for me, although it is by no means a bad story. A girl returns to the tower she grew up next to. Fate is calling her back.

"The Well and the Wheel" is about a girl who discovers her father's secrets after his death.

"Haruspicate or Scry" concerns a reluctantly pregnant woman attempting to complete her mentor's last request, to try and reach him beyond the grave.

"Dark and Deep" is a beautiful, bittersweet story that resembles The Shape of Water, although it predates that movie.

"Baron von Werewolf Presents: Frankenstein Against the Phantom Planet" is a love letter to both horror hosts and old school stop motion animation effects.

The longest story in the collection, "The Cult of Headless Men," is about a B-movie producer attempting to make some low budget horror films on a friend's British estate. The filmmaking is interrupted by strange events involving an old professor and the home's ancient crypt.

"When a Beast Looks Up at the Stars" ends the collection on a bleak, chilling note when a writer gets in over his head when visiting his hometown for the first time in years.

All of these stories are wonderful, and I can't recommend this collection enough. Orrin Grey is a new instant-buy for me, and I'll read whatever he's putting out.

[Sam Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe I'm the only one who reads introductions and afterwards prior to reading collections, but Orrin describes his stories in this collection as "cruel." Those who have read his previous collections may expect a bit of hack-and-slash action horror. There's a bit of that here, especially with "A Circle That Ever Returneth In," "Baron Von Werewolf Presents" and "The Cult of Headless Men."

But the cruelty is in the relationships, in the characters and the things they get put through. "Dark and Deep," "Invaders of Gla'aki" and "When a Beast Looks Up at the Stars" represent a type of writing that I had not yet seen from Orrin. And I have to say, I really like it.

Overall a great, perfect book for this Halloween season and beyond.

[Chris McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun collection of stories, with author notes after each tale explaining Grey's inspiration, including a bunch of B-movies mentioned. Even when I was able to figure out how a few stories would end, it was still quite fun to read them through to the conclusion. I have to admit, my favorite was the sword and sorcery/Lovecraftian choose-your-own-adventure, which I wish was longer and with a few more endings. And anyone who mentions The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake as an inspiration for one of his stories will always draw my interest.

[Leland Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection. This book was full of scary, yet deeply emotional stories. My favorites were:

“Shadders”
“A Circle that Ever Returneth”
“The Well and the Wheel”
“Haruspicate or Scry”

This is a strong collection and I definitely recommend.

[Ashley Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book compiled of short stories. Some of them a struggle to get through, others very good. Worth the read.

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled to get through this -- every time I started to settle into a story, I'd run into an unsubtle reference to a movie/book/whatever or a particularly clunky turn of phrase that pulled me out of it again. The concepts were genuinely compelling and unique, and I was impressed at how many different elements and subgenres Grey incorporated into one story collection. However, the author seems really hung up on making nods and references to things without actually incorporating those things into the work. Inserting quotes from different authors is very different from alluding to an author's signature philosophy. I really did want to like it, but the steady stream of smug winking really got in the way.

[Wyrd Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best parts about book reviewing is discovering a favorite author. For all the negative reviews you might find yourself writing or the duds you can’t bring yourself to finish, the glowing shine of a new favorite really makes the pitfalls worth it. I’m lucky to have discovered so many so far, entire backlists I’ve determined need to be read. Few, however, can pen a short story quite like Orrin Grey.

Read the rest of the review here.

[Tomasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orrin Grey is growing into his skills, learning to use his encyclopedic knowledge - and love - of old-time horror movies and books to ever finer effect. Not everything here is excellent, but plenty of stories leave a major, lasting impression.