Who’s There?

by Dimas Rio

A woman went missing a week before her wedding. A man recalling his nightmarish encounter with the devil. Letters sent from beyond the grave. A call from loved ones who since have passed. Limbs that have a mind of their own.

These ghostly tales of revenge, greed, and desperation writhe and squirm in the dark corners of modern day Indonesia. Rich in cultural undertones that are uniquely Asian, these stories are in equal part grotesque and poetic, irreverent and spiritual, unusual and universal.

Drawing on local folk tales of vengeful banshees, dusk-dwelling monsters, and other forms of the undead, this collection of five short stories will transport readers to the deep, dark abyss where demon forever resides: the human mind.

Acclaim for the book:
"Dark stories that entrance and unnerve." - Kirkus Reviews

"Unsettling, suspenseful stories (with) expressive and evocative writing." - BlueInk Review

"Nail-biting, psychological and truly thrilling stories. Horror in its most tasteful sense." - Readers' Favorite (5-star review)

“Puts a new spin on some timeless classics sure to keep you up at night.” - Horror Bound

“You’ll want to huddle under the covers with this book and a flashlight and read until your eyes hurt. It’s great fun, all of it.” - The Future Fire

“Deeply moving and disturbing. A must-have anthology.” - Kendall Reviews

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery

190 pages, ebook

First published December 15, 2019

About the author

Dimas Rio was born in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 28, 1985. He wrote his first novel in his birth home entitled "Dinner with Saucer" (Katakita, 2006) which was shortlisted in the “Talented Young Writer” category of 2007 Khatulistiwa Literary Award in Indonesia. He went to write a series of short stories for a local teen magazine entitled "Huru-Hara Rako" (Rako's Chaotic Life) from 2006 to 2008.

Recently he published his second book entitled "Siapa di Situ? (Sebuah Kumpulan Cerita") which was translated into English under the title of "Who’s There? (A Collection of Stories)" which he self-published.

When not writing, he has a hobby of being lost. He spends his weekdays being lost in the sea of office paperworks, and spends his weekends being lost in procrastination. But his favorite state is being lost in a good book, an engaging conversation and cultural places that broaden the mind. And also B grade horror movies.

Reviews

[Zitong Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Booktasters and the author Dimas Rio in sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Who’s There? is a collection of short horror stories written by Indonesian author Dimas Rio. Horror as a genre is not really my thing, I have not read much of it at all, except for some fantasy with some horror elements. The short stories here all varied in length, some were really just a few pages while others went on for a bit longer. They were all enjoyable in their own right, although some definitely stood out to me more than others, where I found them to be more engaging, while I didn’t get as invested in others.

I certainly found each individual story to be interesting and unique, there all had some enticing element to them, it was just that some of the premises gripped me more, while I failed to care for some of the stories. Now, I also haven’t read many short stories or anthologies, so I’m probably not the best person to be reviewing this - just putting that out there.

In terms of characters, I certainly found the ones in the longer stories to have been better fleshed out and more interesting to read in general. They just had a lot more depth to them - in fact a surprising amount for the little time the author had to develop them, and so I really liked that. There were certainly some characters that I found more engaging than others, I think that is less of a critique on the author and rather due to personal taste when naturally in an anthology, I’ll prefer certain stories and characters over others.

I honestly really liked the horror elements. Now, just to reiterate, I haven’t really read horror, so in that sense, I wasn’t sure if this was meant to be necessarily scary? Because I wasn’t really scared, some parts creeped me out and was incredibly weird, but I was never at my wits end. It didn’t seem to be that much scarier than a lot of the fantasy that I’ve read that has some more spooky elements. Like this point doesn’t really factor nor effect my rating as I can’t really gauge what the author was going for. However, I did get the sense that some bits certainly weren’t meant to seem somewhat scary, or at least be creepy and to that degree, I think the majority of the stories achieved that and it managed to grip me enough to want to keep reading.

In regard to the writing style, right at the beginning, I thought that it was quite pretentious and unnecessary to how the author described things, it was overdone, and a lot felt like filler. I think as I gradually eased into this book, I noticed it a lot less which I was grateful for, although I will say that I don’t think that this book’s writing style is for everyone. I actually think that this is a translated work, where it would make sense as to why the prose is like it is in this book.

Overall, I thought that this was good, highly enjoyable and the author is a decent writer. 7.5/10

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

If you are looking for a different take on light horror, I would recommend trying this collection of short stories from Indonesian author Dimas Rio. None of the stories are overly terrifying, but they are unsettling and thought-provoking, combining the mundane with the supernatural in stories of revenge, greed, and angry women from beyond the grave. They are set in the modern day yet steeped in Indonesian culture and mythology. The collection touches on themes of infidelity, domestic violence, familial duty, and identity.

While some stories are stronger than others, the author effectively creates a creeping sense of dread and raises questions that don't always have clear answers. Who's There?, The Wandering, and The Forest Protector all feature men who have wronged the women in their lives through violence or infidelity, with unforeseen consequences. At Dusk features vampiric mythology, and The Voice Canal explores grief and displacement. It's a solid collection and I would definitely read more from this author in the future. I received a copy of this book for review from the author. All opinions are my own.

[Cameron Chaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Who's There? is a fascinating collection of Indonesian horror stories all about the three G's: grief, guilt, and ghosts. If you like Japanese horror like The Ring and The Grudge, stories steeped in a vengeance beyond the grave, you may appreciate this book.

Each story is very contained, focusing on one or few characters dealing with personal hauntings of the mind that manifest into literal hauntings. Think the comeuppances of Tales from the Crypt, but through a much darker and serious lens.

These stories are of the "slow burn" variety, but that isn't to say they bored me. They aren't jump-a-minute kind of tales. Instead, they take their time to create a sense of unease that carried me from end to bitter end. I thought they were well done overall, though a few of the yarns suffered from mid-story drag. Many could have been honed in and tightened, which is why I am giving this collection 3.5 stars.

I wouldn't recommend this to people who don't like literary horror or a slower pace, but if you like your horror subtle and uneasy without blood and gore, this may be for you. I also recommend this to readers seeking out diverse horror.

[Melissa Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start off this review by saying thank you to Dimas Rio for contacting me and letting me read his short story collection. I love horror. Short stories are great because you can visit many worlds in a short period of time. This collection was great because they were all mostly horror. 3.75 stars!

'Who's There?', is a collection of 5 short stories. The first 3 are horror based and the last 2 are more on the sad side. With all short story collections I talk about my favorite and least favorite stories. There are only 5 stories in this book , so I'll give one story for each category.

My favorite short story has to be 'At Dusk', not because it was the shortest "short story" in the collection, but it had the best ending. It's the kind of story you tell around a camp fire or in the dark at a friend sleepover.

My least favorite story was the last one 'The Forest Protector', it wasn't creepy like the other stories. It isn't supernatural. It's just kind of sad. It's the saddest story in the collection.

I had a hypothesis when I started this book. I hypothesized that all Asian horror short stories were written in the same world. I was comparing it to Yoko Ogawa and Otsuichi. They are both Japanese authors that both wrote stories based in a similar small town. All of the characters were the same in each story or interacted with other characters from the other stories. What I found out is that Dimas Rio does not write like that. Most of his stories take place in Jakarta, but they are not in the same city and the characters do not all interact. But, like the previous Asian authors I've read, I loved his short stories. They are slow and creepy. Like I already mentioned they are kind of like camp fire stories. Creepy stories you grow up on.

If you like horror and you haven't read Asian horror yet, I'd definitely pick this up. Just like Asian horror movies, these books are more supernatural or paranormal in nature and don't have the jump scares like western cinema. I love the slow creepy factor more.

[Fahri Rasihan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Banyak di antara kita yang menganggap sosok hantu yang menampakkan diri merupakan hal yang menakutkan. Namun, ternyata perasaan negatif manusia, seperti iri, dengki, marah, dan dendam ternyata lebih menyeramkan dari sosok hantu. Siapa Di Situ? merupakan kumpulan cerita horor yang cukup banyak menyoroti perilaku negatif manusia dalam setiap ceritanya. Unsur-unsur makhluk astral masih akan kita temukan, tapi penulis lebih menekankan perbuatan manusia yang seringkali lebih menyeramkan daripada makhluk astral itu sendiri. Setiap cerita disajikan dengan dinamika yang berbeda sehingga memiliki sensasi tersendiri. Terdapat lima cerita pendek yang bisa kita simak dalam buku ini. Sampul bukunya pun berhasil membawa atmosfer horor yang terasa kental. Gambar wajah yang sedang berteriak dengan mata berwarna hitam pekat sudah cukup membuat bulu kuduk merinding. Ditambah latar berwarna merah darah dan hitam semakin menguatkan tema horor dalam buku ini.

Cerita pertama berjudul Siapa Di Situ? persis seperti judul bukunya. Di sini kita akan melihat kegelisahan tokoh Adam yang menimbulkan tanda tanya bagi pembaca. Ekspektasi saya akan cerita pertama ini cukup tinggi, karena dipilih sebagai judul bukunya. Pada awalnya saya cukup menikmati cara penulis dalam menggiring opini saya pada tokoh Adam. Siapa dia sebenarnya? Apa tujuannya? Dan hal apa yang sudah dilakukannya? Semuanya tak terbayangkan dan tidak tertebak sama sekali. Namun, sayangnya gaya bahasa yang dipakai terlalu mendayu-dayu dan metafora. Hal ini menyebabkan ceritanya jadi terlalu panjang karena untuk menjelaskan suatu hal diperlukan sampai satu paragraf. Padahal jika gaya bahasanya bisa lebih ringan dan lugas mungkin akan jauh lebih membangun suasana horor-nya.

Cerita ketiga diberi judul Gelayang dan menjadi cerita paling panjang dalam buku ini. Di cerita ketiga ini kita akan melihat tokoh Badrun yang kembali dihantui oleh masa lalunya. Gaya berceritanya masih sama dengan cerita Siapa Di Situ?. Hanya saja gaya bahasanya tidak terlalu mendayu-dayu dan tidak semetafora cerita pertamanya. Saya menikmati cara penulis memperlihatkan watak manusia yang ingin tampil mendominasi, tapi pada dasarnya pengecut juga pada tokoh Badrun. Hal yang sama masih saya rasakan dalam cerita Gelayang yang menurut saya terlalu panjang dan berbelit-belit. Padahal latar, profesi, dan watak tokohnya sudah cukup menjadi modal yang kuat untuk membangun cerita yang menyeramkan. Namun, sekali lagi ceritanya terlalu berputar-putar dan deskriptif. Untungnya di akhir penulis memberikan sedikit twist yang menggelitik, meskipun eksekusinya terlalu terburu-buru.

Cerita kelima ditutup dengan judul Sang Jagawana. Di sini ceritanya akan lebih menyoroti perilaku manusia yang tak kalah buasnya dari binatang jiga terancam. Tokoh Alma dan Rafa diceritakan melalui sudut pandang mereka masing-masing, sehingga kita akan melihat dari dua sudut pandang yang berbeda. Cerita kelima merupakan cerita yang menarik, penuh tanya, dan mengecoh. Saya suka dengan cerita horor yang tidak melibatkan makhluk astral di dalamnya, tapi lebih menyoroti isi hati manusia yang terkadang kotor dan penuh kebencian. Selain itu ceritanya pun to the point sehingga tidak terkesan bertele-tele. Perasaan Alma dan Rafa tergambarkan dengan cukup jelas dan sebagai pembaca saya ikut bersimpati pada mereka berdua. Penulis dengan lihai berhasil menutup buku kumpulan cerita dalam Siapa Di Situ? dengan cerita yang apik dan emosional.

Secara keseluruhan Siapa Di Situ? merupakan kumpulan cerita horor yang pas dibaca dalam sekali duduk. Kelima ceritanya berhasil menyentil kita sebagai manusia yang terkadang lebih menyeramkan dari sosok makhluk astral. Perilaku buruk yang muncul dalam diri manusia bisa kita lihat dan renungkan dalam Siapa Di Situ?. Nuansa horor yang dibangun dalam setiap cerita memiliki karakter yang berbeda. Meskipun, menurut cerita Siapa Di Situ? dan Gelayang terlalu panjang dan berbelit-belit, tapi saya mengapresiasi usaha penulis untuk membangun cerita yang kokoh dan intens. Satu hal lagi yang kurang cocok dengan saya adalah gaya bahasanya yang terlalu metafora dan mendayu-dayu. Bagi saya cerita horor akan lebih baik jika menggunakan gaya bahasa yang tegas dan lugas sehingga bisa menciptakan aura merinding yang lebih maksimal. Saya sarankan bagi kalian yang membutuhkan bacaan horor yang ringan, tapi menegangkan, Siapa Di Situ? menjadi jawaban yang tepat.

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this was one that didn't work for me. The writing was both simplistic and over confusing when it didn't need to be. At times it was a struggle to power through to the end.
Thanks again to the author for reaching out to me.

[Ioannis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to @booktasters and @dimas_rio for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.
It's hard to rate a collection of short stories especially when you expect it to be horror but there are only a few elements that scares you. To be precise, only the first and third stories would be characterized as horror. In these cases I think it's better to rate each story separately.

Who's there ☆☆☆☆
A woman disappears shortly before the wedding with her belongings still in the room. Was she frightened by the behaviour of her fiancé and abandoned him or is there a darker secret? Is revenge a dish eaten hot? Normally I would give five stars to this story but for five consecutive pages there is a tap scattering water everywhere and I kept thinking "go turn off the fucking tap!"

At dusk ☆☆
An old writer gives an interview to a young journalist and tells him a story from his youth with a very special ending. The smallest story in the collection and in my opinion the worst.

The wandering ☆☆☆
A story within a story and the revenge of an incomplete love. A young security guard finds letters from the past and reads a strange story that seems quite familiar...

The forest protector ☆☆☆
And an ecological short story in the collection! What happens when you are forced to do something you do not want to do and you feel like someone else doing it for you? And especially when you are a parent of a small child? A strange story of affection and escape.

The voice canal ☆☆☆☆☆
How do you handle the death of loved ones, especially when you were not with them at the last moments? The most emotional and the best story in the collection.

The book is very good and worth reading despite the fact that due to its size it will leave you a little unsatisfied. You can finish it in a couple of hours.

(I know its only the OCD in my head but please, someone, turn off the tap!)

[Ross Jeffery · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dimas Rio is a new author to me and he reached out to me to see if I would give an honest review of his short story collection Who's There? which contains five short offerings. It's fairly short about 150 pages and I finished it in a day, which shows that it had a readability to it.

Dimas Rio is a new voice to me and I enjoyed reading his work, this is his second book I believe - but I am sure that there will be more from him in the future.

The collection starts with the title story Who's There - Adam is our main protagonist, he and his friends Angga and Farah are with him on the beach drinking the night away, all waiting for Adam's wife-to-be to arrive for the evening. But he's guarded, he seems to be hiding something, after the previous days drinking something has happened. Rio explores the inner workings of this character to great effect and we learn that he is deeply anxious and suffocated by fear, but for why we are unsure - it is only later we discover that he is an addict and his secret is out.

The horror in this opening story is a great way to start the collection, it is brutal, haunting and right up my street - it had a very Edgar Allen Poe vibe to it (The Tell Tale Heart) and Rio did a fabulous job bringing these elements to light but whilst also creating his own tale too. It builds to a fabulously dark conclusion and one that is almost poetic.

At Dusk was the next story which centres on a young boy who is doing an article for his school paper and is interviewing a well known and hugely successful author. They discuss his questions and then the interview takes a strange turn when the writer tells him a story, a true story that will chill him to his very core. This one I liked, it was short but sweet, it was a great way to explore the Indonesian Folk Lore (that many of these stories are infused with - which for me was a first in dealing with these folk tales) - and again the end of the story is the key to the scare.

The Wandering - this is the longest story in the collection and for me it did go on a rather large and long wander. The story is set in an office block and our main protagonist is a security officer called Badrun who is on the nightshift, he hears some strange noises (insert scary music here) and when he calls his boss his boss informs him that it is the inhabitants, the goblins and ghosts that come out at night and move stuff around, open draws and cause a panic. But during this Badrun starts to find old letters that have been left for him to find (was it the helpful goblins or ghosts? We don't know) but he finds the letters and reads them and they take him on a journey like a trail of breadcrumbs with each one revealing another piece of the story. The letters is a great little tool that Rio uses but having said that I do feel that this story lost its way somewhere in the middle, the previous stories were quite punchy and their pacing was good, this lacked the control and there wasn't an awfully big skeleton to hand the meat and the bones of the story from in my opinion. It was creepy, but I wanted more and felt somewhat let down by the end.

The Voice Canal - the shortest story in the collection and this one was kinda bittersweet, for me it wasn't that good, it was sweet that this boy was conversing with his dead father, but for me there was not a lot of story around it, no how, why, when, it just seemed like a random chapter from a longer story. At the end I was not invested at all.

The Forest Protector - now the opening to this story was brilliant, poetic, risk taking and packed full of feeling and power - we get a mother who is suffering from domestic abuse, she is self harming, she is listening to the voices in her head (maybe these are what her husband has been saying to her, years of torment, we don't know) to cut herself and bloodletting the sin out of her body. This was my cup of tea, I love stories that are gritty and dirty and this was all of that. The parts told from the Son's POV for me detracted from the brilliant opening and the stories that are told from Alma's perspective... she was the star of this show and this story.

For me also judging the whole collection - it wasn't actually scary, there was nothing in it that scared me or unnerved me, they seemed to just be out of that sphere and just creepy. I did enjoy the Indonesian folk lore vibe that bled through each of the stories and the footnotes were also a lovely touch to educate the reader on the words that were used and their meanings / origins.

So, it's a 2 rating from me I did think of going with 2.5 but with such a 'short' short story collection it just failed to deliver on a number of stories within - and the ones that I did love (Who's There? The Forest Protector and At Dusk) still had some issues with how I connected with them, regarding style, pacing and their overall execution by Rio.

But this is Rio's second book and he's developing as a writer, if he can deliver more gritty and gut wrenching prose like the opening to The Forest Protector (and the POV writing from Alma) and the subtle horror that he brought to the table in Who's There? - I'd be more than happy to read more of his work, and actually I'm looking forward to seeing what he does next.

[Tracy]

DNF. Each story felt overwritten and just not for me. I’m convinced there are some good ideas here, but they are just overwhelmed. Maybe some flash fiction by this author would be a better fit.

[Horror DNA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always slightly suspicious of single author collections from writers who have published little else and often wonder if this is because they have suffered from rejections or whether they have just not bothered testing the water for potential anthology inclusions? In preparing this review I asked Dimas Rio this very question and he informed me that in recent times he had not been submitting his stories. This is a pity, as I am certain at least two of these would made it into print. Dimas has a very distinct voice, which authentically leans on his homeland of Indonesia and its superstitions for inspiration in the character driven plots. This is not a country many of us know much about and his take on its unique folklore and their belief system is something I would be keen to read more about.

You can read Tony's entire review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Delasyahma · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5🌟

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of stories with a basis in Asian folklore. I especially liked The Voice Canal and Who's There.

[Ben Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Who's There, author Dimas Rio delivers an engaging collection of horror stories, full of entrancing settings, eerie scenes, and protagonists haunted by both guilt and ghosts. Rio has a clear and descriptive writing voice and I really like his style. I enjoy the way he draws the reader into the story and holds the full reveal until the end.

I wouldn't necessarily say all of these stories are outright scary, but they do run the spectrum of horror from startling scenes to forlorn atmospheres and frightening folklore to chilling domestic violence, so I appreciated the variety in that regard. The monsters presented are also all terrifying in their own way, be they human or otherwise.

Here's a brief rundown of the stories in this collection:

"Who's There" - An unreliable narrator, drunk on an island vacation with friends and fiance, has done something unforgivable. The story slowly reveals more about this tortured soul and the crimes committed as it goes on. I liked the pacing and the creepy ghost, but I felt like there were still elements of the narrator's background and motivations that I didn't understand (4 stars).

"At Dusk" - A high school student is sent to interview a local author, who tells of a creepy song that summons the Kelinting (spirit dweller of the woods that kidnaps children and sucks their blood). Then the old man tells another story of growing up in a remote village and what happened when he ran into the woods one day...This creepy story is short and sweet with a couple of twists right at the end (5 stars).

"The Wandering" - A night security guard, alone in the upper story of an office building, begins to notice strange letters appearing out of nowhere. He reads the letters and gets drawn into their tale as they reveal shocking secrets to both him and the reader. I liked the set up and the ending of the story, but I felt like the middle dragged on for far too long (3 stars).

"The Voice Canal" - A short story about a boy at university talking to his deceased father on the phone. There's not too much to it plot wise, but it is emotional and bittersweet nonetheless (3.5 stars).

"The Forest Protector" - A woman and her son both find escape from their unfortunate circumstances in their own ways. I really like how the story switches narration back and forth between the mother and her son, revealing insight into their own perspectives and relation to one another. Also, that last line hits real hard, in a good way. Content warning for self-harm and domestic abuse (5 stars).

[K.C. Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite.

Who’s There?: A Collection of Stories is a work of horror fiction and short story anthology penned by author Dimas Rio. Featuring five stories with very different themes and central characters, the collection overall can be characterised by its suspenseful atmosphere and cultural themes, as the stories are situated in and sometimes inspired by elements of Asian culture, specifically Indonesia. Suitable for mature readers due to some psychologically frightening concepts and a few moments of grotesque description, the stories concern themes of revenge, desperation, nightmares, hauntings and many supernatural, speculative elements. What results is a superb and culturally rich experience that is both cinematic and highly literary in its presentation.

Author Dimas Rio presents horror in its most tasteful sense, which results in some really nail-biting, psychological and truly thrilling stories that do not seek to simply gross their readers out. The works are produced with clever language usage that heightens atmosphere and informs character, allowing us to grow close to each protagonist in each tale, and therefore rooting for them when things take a turn for the horrid. The Voice Canal is a particularly chilling tale whose echoes have remained with me since reading, and every tale has a full use of all five senses to explore the full physical experience of the horror and make it visceral and impactful to read about. Overall, Who’s There?: A Collection of Stories contains truly accomplished horror from a unique geographical situation and cultural perspective, and is a highly recommended read because of it.

[Life in books Ric · Rating 3 out of 5]

ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ

Who’s there? - Dimas Rio

Who’s there? Is a short story collection consisting of 5 haunts & scares blended with Indonesian folklore.

The first story, the collection title, Who’s there? Is a decent beginning to the collection however the ‘slow burn’ style didn’t work for me due to the story length.
The final pages are great - It’s always nice to see a bad egg get their comeuppance

Story 2, At Dusk, despite its short length is one of my favourites.
I would love to of had a longer version with more information surrounding Kelinting, the spirit dweller of the woods - the character from where my post inspiration came.

The Wandering, another slow burn but with better effect than story 1 in my opinion.
Petty thief Badrum discovers mysterious letters at his work place that appear to resemble his own personal circumstances...eerie!

Voice Canal. Home sick student Gio, wants to return to Indonesia but his Father is determined that Gio stays until his final exams are complete. I enjoyed this story, and liked how the truth about Gio’s family circumstances came to fruition but felt the final stages were a little rushed.

The final story, The Forest Protector is perhaps the best of the bunch for me, some serious issues are executed fantastically well as a young boy is unable to comprehend his Mother’s struggles.

Overall I enjoyed this collection from Dimas, it’s a little rough around the edges but with a little polish here and there the author could really be one to watch in the future.

Thank you Dimas for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening stories, “Who’s There?” and “At Dusk”, turned out to be the main stories that I truly loved. I tried getting into “The Wandering”, but it did nothing for me. The last two stories were not scary. “The Voice Canal” I felt sad, but I was not scared. There was no point of fear in that story. Just an idea of coping with certain matters. “The Forest Protector” left me actually feeling nothing. It was truly the first two stories that I loved the most. The abrupt ending in “At Dusk” left me wanting more. I liked that it was written in first-person point of view. The idea behind the story was wonderful. With “Who’s There?” the story was well written. It is hard to tell what lead up to the events. Was it in the character’s head or had it actually happened? Those two stories embody the feeling you get when you read a horror or thriller story. The others did not really do that for me. “The Wandering” tried to produce that feeling, but even when it was occurring I didn’t get that feeling. I did like the idea behind it. If you are looking for something interesting to read, I do recommend you look into it. Maybe the other stories will do something for you. At least two of these stories will leave you some sort of creepy feeling.

[Karisa Darling · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only complaint about this book is that there isn’t more of it. I completely devoured it, I couldn’t put it down! Dimas Rio has an amazing way with words and the picture he paints while telling a story is truly remarkable. Some of my favorite quotes from “Who’s There?”:
“He couldn’t find where the ceiling ended and the ground started; everything seemed endless, as if he was floating in a time before the universe was created” •”Sending the troops of light to perish their shadowy enemies”•”The heart in her ribcage sounded like a beating drum in her ears, as if the blood in her body was rebelling in its very atria and ventricles, trying to force its way out”.

If you are a fan of scary stories, or even if it you don’t typically reach for them when picking a new book, I urge you to give this one a try. Definitely 5 stars ⭐️

[Horror Sickness · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of stories based on Indonesian folklore with some interesting concepts.

We get 5 different stories and each of them has a different take on what someone would consider horror. Even though the last 2 stories were more of an exploration of family drama and grief, they are also used to depict in the case of the last one, humans as the true monsters.

My favorite story was the longest one, The Wandering. I really liked that all stories had pieces of poems and we got many cultural references.

This is an unconventional take on horror and it might not be for everybody since they are not really meant to be super scary or creepy.

[Chris Lindner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it's stories. I do love horror and a good ghost story. These short stories were each were well written. The pace was used well, drawing you in to build suspense. I liked that each of the stories were very different in tone, in particular the stories of the college student and his father along with the final story of the mother and her child sweet and sad, with themes of loss and mothering in a world which is cruel and heartless.
Very well written and I thoroughly recommend to any fellow reader who enjoys a good story and the horror genre. Thank you Goodreads for the giveaway!

[Munie Moe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book via an author for an exchange of honest review.

This is an interesting collection of a short stories. It is short, straight forward, and simple.

Few of the stories is quite familiar especially The Dusk, it does remind me of my childhood. When the old folks always remind the kid to go home at dusk or being hide by djinn/ creatures.

But this collections is not just focusing only on horror side. There are other issues like infidelity or domestic violence that being mention in Who's There, The Wandering and The Forest Protector. As for The Voice Canal, how missing someone that close to us can make us believes their presence is so near to us.

This is a great light reading for a horror fans. It is not so heavy and easy to digest.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would highly recommend this book of short horror stories for anyone who loves creepy suspenseful stories. I loved how author Dimas Rio mixed cultural folk tale elements and brought them into a modern setting. These stories were easy to read and hard to put down, my only complaint is that there was only 5 of them.
I received an advanced copy of this book for free from Book sirens and Im voluntarily leaving this review

[Richard K. Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I want to let all of you know that I was granted an Ebook ARC edition of this from the author for an honest review. I will not be glorifying anything. Thank you so much Dimas Rio!

You can check out my video book review here from my YouTube Channel; AreYouIntoHorror here:
https://youtu.be/6UfAsZCR4H0

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a creepy, slow-burning story collection, look no further. I love me a good slow burn in film and in fiction, and the only way to make it better is to make it a short slow burn! I had never read any Indonesian horror, and I am so grateful to the author for sending me a digital copy of this story collection to read and review. I do think some of the stories were a little on the word-y side, but that is truly my only criticism. I loved learning about Indonesian words and folk tales!

[Book Nerdection · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rio’s talent lies in his exceptional character development and his ability to build tension through richly detailed settings. Each character is meticulously fleshed out, with their flaws and fears portrayed with such realism that they practically walk off the page. He employs a cinematic approach in his writing, shifting the camera lens from seemingly normal moments to sudden, uneasy disturbances midway through a line, reminding readers that this is indeed a collection of horror. It is a surprising, dynamic, and immersive reading experience that keeps readers on edge.

Who’s There? is more than just a collection of scary stories; it is a vivid exploration of Indonesian folklore and societal pressures through the lens of psychological and supernatural horror. Dimas Rio’s adept storytelling and nuanced character portrayals create a collection that is both deeply unsettling and profoundly insightful. His ability to blend very real human fears with cultural myths makes this a standout work in contemporary horror literature. For those who appreciate horror that goes beyond the supernatural to explore the depths of human emotion and cultural heritage, Who’s There? is an exceptional and must-read collection.

Reviewed By Hannah

[Sara Santos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Booktasters and Dimas Rio for the e-copy of this collection of short stories.

I thought that some stories were interesting, but were too short and needed more development.

- Who's there ★★★
A woman suddenly disappears a week before his wedding. This story deals with alcoholism. This is one of the stories that I think it needed more background and development.

- At Dusk ★★★
An old writer gives an interview to a student, for his school paper and tells him a story from his youth. This story was one of my favorites. But I think it needed something more substancial.

- The Wandering ★★
A young security guard finds strange letters from the past. I thought this story didn't catch my attention and it was the one I liked the less.

- The Voice Canal ★★★
This story explores grief and handling the loss of someone close to us. A boy talks with his dead father. That's it. The story is very short and it would be a great premise for a longer story.

- The Forest Protector ★★★⋆
This story deals with domestic abuse. A mother and son run away from home to leave behind an unhappy past. The story has two POVs ( Son and Mother). I quite liked this story and made me think what people are forced to do to survive and protect the ones they love.

[Matt (TeamRedmon) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one just wasn't for me. The horror here is very light and to me falls more in the suspense category, but I often felt bored when reading. The core ideas in this collection are strong but the stories felt overwritten like more effort was put into the prose than was put into the story. If you like very soft horror that deals with addiction, domestic violence, relationship drama, abuse, etc then you might enjoy this one but I didn't enjoy my experience.

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy for review consideration.

[Kana Wu]

Who's There? A Collection of Stories, written by Dimas Rio, containing five horror stories with different main characters. Each story has a different theme, from ghost victim who sought retribution and revenge for her pain, a restless creature, to a domestic violence victim seeking revenge. Among the five stories, The Voice Canal has the most unique theme. It is not about revenge or folklore creature, but about a young man who could speak with his deceased father through his phone.

Further, the stories are heavily influenced by Indonesian culture and beliefs. As a person who grew up in that country, it is easy for me to relate to his stories.

I'm not into any unnerving ghost-like story, but this book is interesting to read. Dimas did an excellent job of creating the frightful and eerie ambiance that made you not wanting to be alone in the dark. Out of the five, I like three in the following order; The Wandering, The Voice Canal, and Who's There?

If you like supernatural and horror stories, this book is suitable for your reading list.

[Wahyu Novian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saya suka sekali Surup. Meski paling pendek diantara lima cerita yang lain, membaca kisah sederhana ini langsung tegang dan merinding. Saking wajarnya, ceritanya terasa dekat sekali dan bikin ingin langsung lari.

Sisanya, ada sesuatu yang mengganjal. Perlu diakui, Dimas Rio memiliki kosa kata Bahasa Indonesia yang cukup kaya. Tapi kata-kata yang dipilihnya masih agak canggung untuk dituliskan dalam kalimat-kalimat efektif sehingga terasa kurang wajar. Meski kalau disajikan secara visual dalam film horor, adegan-adegannya bisa dibayangkan dengan mudah. Ditambahkan dengan musik yang membuat kaget, bisa menjadi film yang menarik. Mungkin itu juga yang membuat efek ceritanya kurang mengena untuk dibaca.

Mungkin memang buku ini tidak sekadar menawarkan keseraman (meski sampul dan tagline-nya cukup bikin seram).

[n · Rating 2 out of 5]

i like the idea, but not the execution. classic indonesian horror stories, things you’ve heard, saw, and told your whole lives. yet somehow this is quite confusing to read. i do agree with other reviewers who say that it’s too simplistic and overwritten.

idk if it makes sense but the stories feel like they have indonesian structure—which is not bad, but somehow doesn’t sit right with my taste. was this originally written in indonesian and translated into english, or is it vice versa? cos if it’s the latter, prolly it’s lost in translation. but now i’m curious to read this in indonesian and compare how the two differ.

i like the wandering tho.

[Fatoni M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suatu hari aku lagi nonton book haul dari booktuber horor favoritku. Buku ini langsung menarik perhatian karena nama penulisnya--kok terdengar seperti nama orang Indonesia. Setelah kepo-kepo, benar saja, penulisnya orang Indonesia. Namun, kok bisa sampe bukunya ke pembaca luar neger? Keren banget. Lanjut kepo, ternyata dia self published menggunakan Amazon dan memasarkan sendiri pula dengan ngasih gratis ke reviewer horor; aku cek di bagian review buku ini isinya adalah pembaca horor yang sebagian besar aku kenal--komunitas horor luar tidak terlalu luas emang.

Horrible bahasa inggris
Pertama aku baca buku ini, aku shocked. Bahas Inggrisnya ... aneh. Aku bisa bayangin dasar dari kalimatnya adalah Bahasa Indonesia, lalu diterjemahkan ke Bahasa Inggris secara langsung tanpa mempertimbangkan bagaimana gaya Bahasa Inggris yang umum digunakan.

Contoh, aku nemu kalimat ini:

Besides, thought Adam, it's a waste of energy.

Keliatan banget itu hasil terjemahan dari "Di samping itu, pikir Adam, hal tadi membuang-buang energi." Kalau lazimnya di Bahasa Inggris, pakenya "... Adam thoughts ..." dan jarang ada istilah waste of energy, tapi yang umum itu waste of time atau a futile act.

Ada banyak kata juga yang tidak biasa digunakan di dalam novel-novel berbahasa Inggris: agilely, umpteenth time, geography of a room, dsb. Untuk yang sering baca buku dalam Bahasa Inggris pasti akan kerasa janggalnya.

Belum lagi, kata ganti orang di buku ini masih menggunakan kebiasaan di tulisan-tulisan berbahasa Indonesia. Misal, daripada memakai "dia" terus-terusan, dalam novel Indonesia sering diganti dengan misal "gadis mungil itu ...". Aku baru sadar kebiasaan seperti tadi jarang aku temui di novel berbahasa Inggris, dan rasanya aneh ketika membaca "that little women ...". Sering bikin mikir, eh ini lagi ngomongin siapa.

Begitulah, kalau aku baca yang berbahasa Indonesia, kayaknya aku bisa sedikit lebih menikmatinya.

Mengesampingkan terjemahan Bahasa Inggrisnya, gaya tulisannya sendiri bertele-tele. Penulis sering mendeskripsikan sesuatu yang sepele menjadi detail banget, lengkap dengan majas--banyak banget bahkan kalian akan menemukan "... as if ..." di akhir kalimat. Kadang majasnya juga nggak cocok seperti ketika aku nemu satu: suara air yang tersedot ke saluran pembuangan menenangkan bagai suara lonceng angin yang tertiup. Aku mengerutkan kening, suaranya aja udah beda, kenapa dimajaskan.

Buku ini merupakan sebuah kumpulan cerpen yang terdiri dari 5 cerpen. Semuanya bernuansa horor, kecuali 1 cerpen yang tiba-tiba ganti genre. Kalau bisa ditarik tema yang menyatukan ... hmm ... kalian tahu film-film Suzanna? Ya itulah benang merahnya, mayoritas cerpennya soal hantu yang balas dendam--tapi, ada satu ding yang balas dendam bukan hantu.

Kalau aku boleh kategorikan cerpennya, sebagai berikut:

Balas dendam (entah hantu atau bukan):
Who's there? - tentang suami di tengah liburan kehilangan tunangannya. Ini aku struggle banget bacanya karena belum terbiasa dengan terjemahan Bahasa Inggris buku ini.
The Wandering - tentang satpam yang dikirimi surat dari alam ghaib. Ini sebenarnya menarik, tapi ending-nya malah bikin rusak.
The Forest Protector - tentang Ibu dan Anak yang kabur dari sesuatu. Ini berpotensi dramatis, tapi kurang di persiapan sebelum pengungkapan fakta.

Lebih cocok disebut flash fiction:
At Dusk - tentang mahasiswa yang bertamu ke penulis horor untuk wawancara.

Beda genre sendiri:
The Voice Canal - tentang mahasiswa Indonesia di Skotlandia. Udah gitu aja, kalau diterusin jadi spoiler. Ini kayaknya curhatan penulisnya kali ya.

Aku ... salut sih sama keberanian penulis untuk self published, dan nawarin ke orang-orang luar. Semangat terus Mas Dimas!