Book 2 in a new series of mini-anthologies brought to you by KJK Publishing. Featuring stories by Richard Chizmar, Mark Lukens, Michael A. Arnzen, Eric J. Guignard, Veronica Smith, Lee McGeorge, James Matthew Byers & Kevin J. Kennedy
No werewolves. No vampires, ghosts or zombies. Just stupendous horror! Loads of it. Enough to make you happy that you’re a horror lover. A fanatic if you please.
I love this series. The authors are all at the top of their game. I can’t wait to read the next book. Don’t believe me? You’ll see.
A fantastic collection of horror tales. My personal favourites were Pie Bingo, by Veronica Smith, The Switch, by Mark Lukens, and of course Kevin J. Kennedy’s batshit take on The Wizard of Oz, a Tarantino Oz.
I purchased this books because of the amazing reviews on Amazon and oh boy, they were all right. I enjoyed book one and this one did not disappoint me. Such a good book with great characters that keeps you obsessed with every page since the first one. I couldn't put this down until I ended. Can't wait to read the entire series!
I enjoyed these stories and will try and get number 3. I have to go to the doctor tomorrow morning and this book helped tell you what you keep writing them and I'll keep reading them sincerely Christine Dunne Harlingen texas
The Horror Collection: Black Edition was wicked intense! As this one covered some dark elements that I am just not a fan of, this collection wasn’t my favorite. But if you’re into horror tales with horror and sex, then this collection would be a hit for you!
Even though a few of the tales weren’t for me, I still really enjoyed the collection! Per usual, many of the tales are going to stick with me for a long time!
Out of the eight tales in this collection, I absolutely LOVED two of them! Unfortunately, a few were just not in my horror interest range. So please keep that in mind when considering my notes below.
Per usual, here are my quick reactions and rating breakdowns for each story:
The Lake is Life by Richard Chizmar – 3/5 Ah man, we used to play a game similar to flashlight tag called deer hunter. This tale really made me miss that! I loved the bits from the conversation between the witness and the police that added to the suspense of the tale.
Pie Bingo: Last Man Standing by Veronica Smith – 3/5 YIKES! This one was wicked intense and gruesome. I’m personally not a huge fan of tales with torture which is why this one was a three for me but I still greatly enjoyed the story overall. The idea behind the plot was so scary! This one is gonna stick with me for a long time.
Goblin Financial by Lee McGeorge – 3/5 Woah! This one was so dark!! Another with torture, hence the lower rating for me personally. But man, if torture porn of your thing, the start of this will be a hit for you! I personally enjoyed the second half more when it got really intense!
The Switch by Mark Lukens – 5/5 Ah! This one made me feel so claustrophobic!! Phew. Wonderfully done! This one made me think of Thirteen Ghosts! “Greatness requires sacrifice.” Eek! Now I need to go rewatch that film!
Those Who Watch From On High by Eric J. Guignard – 5/5 Woah. This was heartbreaking and wicked suspenseful. The author did a wonderful job portraying elements of PTSD and making the timeline jumpy but in a way that still flowed. My heart broke for Lee.
The Ghost of Agnes Gallow by James Matthew Byers – 4/5 So creepy! Tales like this really get under my skin! Ghostly revenge that passes along from generation to generation is such a scary premise.
A Tarantino Oz by Kevin J Kennedy – This story had a warning; “Warning! The next story may be considered extreme.” I grinned when I saw this and couldn’t wait to dive in. And darn it! This one was not for me simply because of said extreme content. For those that enjoy the sex-related elements here though, it’d be a home run!
Smolder by Michael A. Arnzen – 3/5 Woah! Intense!! Don’t smoke cigarettes, friends!
This was the best anthology I have read so far. I loved almost every story in it and when picking my favorite story and honorable mention I truly realized how strong this collection is. More than one step up from the gold edition, the black edition includes stories with some amazing characters like my favorite story. But also contains stories that resonate for different reasons, like the one written in the form of poetry, or the one about PDSD and the immoral actions of the military. How shitty they can treat the people that are enlisted while still braying about how their actions are honorable and justified. I was always excited to read the next story in this collection, and what more can you ask for?
Favorite Story: The Lake is Life by Richard Chizmar The ending is predictable but I just love Chizmar's writing style - Vivid character, vivid setting, vivid evoked emotions - Foreshadowing was the cherry on top
Honorable Mention: Smolder by Michael A. Arnzen - I need to read a novel by this man, I love the prose of this story - Successfully pulling off a gimmick (the cigarette pack) in a short story is quite hard to do and it was pulled off masterfully - Society doesn't talk enough about individuals who stick with people through addiction
Least Favorite Story: The Switch by Mark Lukens - The writing wasn't even bad and I like the premise for the most part. The conclusion is what did it for me, if people always end up pushing the switch what are they measuring? Scientifically, which is how it's portrayed it doesn't make any sense to continue to experiment.