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Route 13 : Highway to Hell
What happens when 13 writers of horror are trapped in a bus on a stormy night?
They try to outdo one another with blood-curdling, spine-chilling tales. Read these riveting, terrifying tales, where the authors themselves become the characters.
Be warned; it is Route 13- a highway to hell. Will you survive the journey?
Trigger warning: This book contains scenes of abuse, violence, death, rape, and swearing. It includes instances of children being harmed.
Note: The stories are written in US and UK English.
They try to outdo one another with blood-curdling, spine-chilling tales. Read these riveting, terrifying tales, where the authors themselves become the characters.
Be warned; it is Route 13- a highway to hell. Will you survive the journey?
Trigger warning: This book contains scenes of abuse, violence, death, rape, and swearing. It includes instances of children being harmed.
Note: The stories are written in US and UK English.
- GenresHorror
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 11, 2020
18 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 16, 2023
In his book ‘Enlightenment Now’, Steven Pinker discusses the implications of settling a matter such as Brexit through a democratic vote. A decision such as this, which has major implications for the economy, requires a detailed understanding of the economy, dependencies, analysis & simulations. This is beyond most common people, nor were they presented & explained any good economic models. So, it was left to people to vote based on their intuition, political views and quite possibly prejudices as well. I read recently that many felt they should have voted otherwise, so maybe he has a point.
The above has nothing to do with the book I am reviewing. It is only to say that my review of a horror book should be considered many times more unreliable than such voting! I am taking some baby steps to reading some horror and this is among the first few I have read. ‘The Hive’ has the aim of publishing short stories, a genre I personally find satisfying to read, and under-represented in the book world.
This book has a set of 13 horror stories, each by a different author. The context is charming – the 13 authors are on a bus and decide to spend the time relating horror stories to the group. The stories are interspersed with conversations / reactions.
I liked the below the best of the lot, all of which I would rate at least 4/5.
· Welcome by Sarveswari Sai Krishna – Rahul has had enough of his phone and sells it. He subsequently has a bad accident. The story continues with Nitya & her 3-year-old son, and yes – the phone Rahul sold is back. Good tension and well written.
· The Silver Beast by Srivalli Rekha – Allen & Maria are siblings who are lost. They finally find the motel, but it is in a bad shape. Lady Bertie Snider who stays there, tells them that she no longer rents it out, but they can stay the night. The night is not an easy one for the duo. Atmopheric with a touch of novelty at the end.
· The Haveli by Anshu B – A mansion at Shivdera has a curse due to past events at the place. Can the current generation set things right? While very typical in terms of a story, moves smoothly and is a good read.
· Macabre Melody by Sreeparna Sen – Swayam is referred a job by his friend Ayan, as an estate manager at the Roy Mansion in Mohandanga village. He is received by the caretaker Bhola and senses soon that danger lurks. Again, a typical scenario but progresses well.
· The Case of the Seance by Ell P – Inspector Rhea Rao, working with others in the police force oversees the investigation of the murder of 3 teenage girls in unusual circumstances. Weaves in aspects of paranormal well, and creates reasonably good tension.
All the other stories are also very readable, and many do weave in some different story elements. Most of them though had too sketchy character profiles - while character development is obviously difficult in short stories, creating better character imagery & context was definitely possible; some appeared to try too hard in the storytelling with complex sentence constructs & poorly connected graphic descriptions; and a few were either typical or felt convoluted. I found the mini-tales at the end to be a nice inclusion, with a few being very good.
The other stories include:
· Memory of a face by Kanika G – Maya lost her friend Sonam to an accident, and struggles to cope.
· The Purple Grave by Jaya Pillai – A manic prince with a penchant for the colour purple.
· Pastel of the Past by Priya Bajpai – Ira finds herself in the forest and reaches a lonely house she feels she has been at before.
· Conceived by Meha Sharma – Antara sees apparitions of three girls and wonders what they signify.
Killing Murakami by Venkataraman Ganesan – A man feels a strange relationship with Murakami.
The Artist by Yatindra Tawde – Artist Sethuraman creates unusual art, with some help from unexpected quarters.
· The Adventures of a Virgin by Tina Sequeria – Strange incidents are to happen with Nancy, who stays with her mother Maggie and maternal grandfather Robert.
· Old Macdonald had a farm by Varadharajan Ramesh – a woman is kidnapped and held by five men and a lot is to transpire quickly.
Overall, a very good assortment of horror stories, which I enjoyed reading.
My rating: 3.5 / 5.
This was a good way to foray into horror. I hope to read at least 1-2 more this year.
The above has nothing to do with the book I am reviewing. It is only to say that my review of a horror book should be considered many times more unreliable than such voting! I am taking some baby steps to reading some horror and this is among the first few I have read. ‘The Hive’ has the aim of publishing short stories, a genre I personally find satisfying to read, and under-represented in the book world.
This book has a set of 13 horror stories, each by a different author. The context is charming – the 13 authors are on a bus and decide to spend the time relating horror stories to the group. The stories are interspersed with conversations / reactions.
I liked the below the best of the lot, all of which I would rate at least 4/5.
· Welcome by Sarveswari Sai Krishna – Rahul has had enough of his phone and sells it. He subsequently has a bad accident. The story continues with Nitya & her 3-year-old son, and yes – the phone Rahul sold is back. Good tension and well written.
· The Silver Beast by Srivalli Rekha – Allen & Maria are siblings who are lost. They finally find the motel, but it is in a bad shape. Lady Bertie Snider who stays there, tells them that she no longer rents it out, but they can stay the night. The night is not an easy one for the duo. Atmopheric with a touch of novelty at the end.
· The Haveli by Anshu B – A mansion at Shivdera has a curse due to past events at the place. Can the current generation set things right? While very typical in terms of a story, moves smoothly and is a good read.
· Macabre Melody by Sreeparna Sen – Swayam is referred a job by his friend Ayan, as an estate manager at the Roy Mansion in Mohandanga village. He is received by the caretaker Bhola and senses soon that danger lurks. Again, a typical scenario but progresses well.
· The Case of the Seance by Ell P – Inspector Rhea Rao, working with others in the police force oversees the investigation of the murder of 3 teenage girls in unusual circumstances. Weaves in aspects of paranormal well, and creates reasonably good tension.
All the other stories are also very readable, and many do weave in some different story elements. Most of them though had too sketchy character profiles - while character development is obviously difficult in short stories, creating better character imagery & context was definitely possible; some appeared to try too hard in the storytelling with complex sentence constructs & poorly connected graphic descriptions; and a few were either typical or felt convoluted. I found the mini-tales at the end to be a nice inclusion, with a few being very good.
The other stories include:
· Memory of a face by Kanika G – Maya lost her friend Sonam to an accident, and struggles to cope.
· The Purple Grave by Jaya Pillai – A manic prince with a penchant for the colour purple.
· Pastel of the Past by Priya Bajpai – Ira finds herself in the forest and reaches a lonely house she feels she has been at before.
· Conceived by Meha Sharma – Antara sees apparitions of three girls and wonders what they signify.
Killing Murakami by Venkataraman Ganesan – A man feels a strange relationship with Murakami.
The Artist by Yatindra Tawde – Artist Sethuraman creates unusual art, with some help from unexpected quarters.
· The Adventures of a Virgin by Tina Sequeria – Strange incidents are to happen with Nancy, who stays with her mother Maggie and maternal grandfather Robert.
· Old Macdonald had a farm by Varadharajan Ramesh – a woman is kidnapped and held by five men and a lot is to transpire quickly.
Overall, a very good assortment of horror stories, which I enjoyed reading.
My rating: 3.5 / 5.
This was a good way to foray into horror. I hope to read at least 1-2 more this year.
March 12, 2020
Even though I'm one of the authors of this book, I cannot resist sharing a review of the remaining 12 stories. Each story is unique- the style, narration, tone, setting, and plotline are all different and engaging.
Good work, fellow writers.
Good work, fellow writers.
July 22, 2020
A nicely written horror anthology. Of the thirteen stories, most are worth a read. A few are even capable of giving you nightmares. While I usually stay away from modern Indian fiction, I don't regret my decision to go for this book. Give it a shot if you want a nice medley of traditional and modern Indian horror.
A special shout-out to the mini tales at the end that comprises horror contributions from the fans of The Hive. That added to the book.
********************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, " Readers Forever! ", for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun.
A special shout-out to the mini tales at the end that comprises horror contributions from the fans of The Hive. That added to the book.
********************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, " Readers Forever! ", for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun.
March 12, 2020
I'll be honest and tell you that I have a vested interest as I'm one of the contributing authors to this book. I'm also being honest when I say that this is one of the very best horror anthologies I have read so far. Thirteen different tales, thirteen different takes on the word and emotion that is horror.
If 'The Purple Grave' plays with your mind by associating various emotions with colors, 'Welcome' would spook you silly. 'The Artist' is a phenomenal tale about a twisted person, 'The Silver Beast' takes you deep into the woods and leaves you there to be hunted. 'Killing Murakami' is as ambitious as its title and the yarn spun will leave you spell-bound.
I could wax lyrical about each story, but I will entreat you - dear reader, to grab a copy of the book, get immersed into the exquisitely narrated world of horror, and then nod 'yes' at the 5-star rating I have given for this book.
If you nod, it is your turn to leave a review and rating.
If 'The Purple Grave' plays with your mind by associating various emotions with colors, 'Welcome' would spook you silly. 'The Artist' is a phenomenal tale about a twisted person, 'The Silver Beast' takes you deep into the woods and leaves you there to be hunted. 'Killing Murakami' is as ambitious as its title and the yarn spun will leave you spell-bound.
I could wax lyrical about each story, but I will entreat you - dear reader, to grab a copy of the book, get immersed into the exquisitely narrated world of horror, and then nod 'yes' at the 5-star rating I have given for this book.
If you nod, it is your turn to leave a review and rating.
March 13, 2020
If I start writing about the stories from the anthology than it will be a spoiler so I am going to say that I was always averse of reading horror stories because well it’s scary for one and i believed it’s mostly about super natural stuff and mostly effective if supported by sound and visuals . But this fantastic 13 authors have proved me wrong. The stories are not only about horrific situations but about characters with ingenious plots. The narrative is fantastic. All the stories are extremely intriguing and doesn’t lose the thrill quotient at any point. I bought the book and finished reading in 3 hours because well I couldn’t stop myself from finishing it. I recommend it for all those who have pre conceived notions about horror stories and haven’t read them before like me. Let me tell you that read this one and you will start enjoying horror.
March 16, 2020
Book Title – Route 13: Highway to Hell
Author – Anthology publication by The Hive, a collective of writers
Publisher – Amazon E book available on Kindle
Language - English
Price - ₹ 149/-
Pages – 290
Time per story – 5-10 minutes depending on reading speed. 1 minute for the mini tales.
Available on – amazon/ https://www.amazon.in/Route-13-Highwa...
___________________
I am a self-professed horror buff. I love horror movies and I love reading the masters. I mean, you gotta love what you love, right?
In fact, such is my obsession with the genre that at one point fancying myself to be a writer of some mediocre talent, I even wrote a couple of stories. I was pretty proud of them too. Sadly, when I read them later, to my horror (yeah! Pun intended) I realized....well, let’s leave it at that!
Suffice to say, I knew then that my time would be better-employed reading and not writing horror.
And, that is where my search began. I wanted to read horror in which the setting, the atmosphere and the clever use of vocabulary did the trick. I wanted to be shown and not told. I mean there are only so many ways the wind can howl, the menace can dip or evil can be described. And, they all turn out sounding cheesy, done to death stuff. But, horror is so much more than descriptions of ghosts and evil spirits. Am I right? I mean, if we wanted to watch white garbed floating chudails, cackling to the sinister howl of the wind, then we got enough of that growing up with the Ramsey brother’s movies. Did we not? And, what the brothers could not cover, Indian cinema and television did. So, between those mediums, our education in being ‘told’ about horror is pretty much complete.
To cut the long story short, my search to read authentic spine chilling horror ended with Route 13. I admit, I was eager for the release of this book and not just because it boasts some fantastic writers whom I admire. No! I was eager to see if this was the book into which I could dip my manicured nails and pull out sharpened talons. I gotta say people...it is! It most definitely is.
The book boasts of a foreword by none other than the master of horror in India - Neil D’silva. Amazing, right? But, wait...there is more because if the foreword does not titillate you, the prologue is sure to. That sets the scene and I mean really sets it.
Imagine 13 writers travelling back from a Litfest in a bus, on a mountainous road and amid a thunderstorm. Imagine each of them cradling a tale of ill suppressed malevolence in their being. And, then imagine those tales spilling out as guts from a disembowelled body. Ah, you shuddered right? Just a bit when you read this? Hah! See the book succeeded then.
Although I do have a few favourite stories in this book, I would be doing the writers a disservice if I did not discuss each story. So, here it is-
1. The Purple Grave, Jaya Pillai – Now, if you intend to read this story on the go, then stop, and keep the book aside for later. See, this is not a story to be read in a rush. Doing so would make you miss its charming(ly scary) essence. So, read this one at leisure, imbibe the sombre veil of the night and the macabre cloaking of the senses. Let it sink in and you will remember it to your grave.
2. Welcome, Sarveswari Sai Krishna – Oh man! This one gave me Goosebumps and I mean serious Goosebumps. The linear narration that built higher and higher had me sitting at the edge of my seat as I read it. The end...it gobsmacked me. I did not expect that. One hell of a story! I salute the writer.
3. Pastel of the Past, Priya Bajpai – When I started reading this story I did not find it scary. Rather, I found it suspenseful, you know like a thriller movie. I was wrong! Priya’s narration is punctuated with some superb vocabulary which complements the pace of the story. The mild suspense that I found amusing morphed into macabre horror. That was a masterstroke.
4. Ill conceived, Meha Sharma – I recently read Meha’s novel – Rainbow Housing Society, so I guess subconsciously I was expecting a mellow tone in the story. I was not disappointed. The topic she chose is not new to me but the treatment of the topic, the narrative style of the story and indeed the vocabulary; that all is new and it was brilliant. And, that line....three little girls, as white as sheets of ice. That will stay with me.
5. Killing Murakami, Venkataraman Ganeshan – I think this is one blurb on the Facebook page of ‘The Hive’ that generated quite a bit of interest. Who would have the balls to kill Murakami? Ha! I got my answer when I read this story. What brilliant language! I read this one twice, once for the language and then subsequently for the story.
6. The Silver beast, Srivalli Rekha – Had I not read the author’s name, I would have attributed this story to Srivalli only. Having read her earlier book (also available on Amazon) I knew that she could write with a superb command over English and a story steeped in a combo of mythology and modernity. I was not disappointed there. This story read like a fairytale to me albeit one with ogres i.e., monsters here. I loved the descriptions.
7. Old Macdonald had a farm, Varadharajan Ramesh – Fair warning – before reading this one be prepared for graphic descriptions and scenes which will evoke strong feelings of revulsion. It hits you in the gut, hard! It is strong, redolent of the author’s trademark style of baring all. He does bare it in this and how! This story is like a plate of raw emotions, served cold in the frigid arctic. A very strong piece of writing and I admire that. Kudos! And VR, intentional or not, the reference to yellow teeth as YT...lol!
8. The Haveli, Anshu B – Ah, this story made me sit back and sigh. Anshu, you took me to the scene with your fantastic descriptions. I love that in a story the most and you delivered on that front and how! With your story, I became another denizen wandering the labyrinth of the old Haveli, searching for answers. Your words dissolved my pragmatic inhibitions till I wanted to believe that yes, this did happen.
9. The Artist, Yatindra Tawde – YT knows that I have admired his writing for quite some time. I love his direct style. No beating about the bush. He comes directly to the point, sprinkles a few metaphors for poetic inference and hits you square with the plotline. Although the premise of the story is not new (the dual personality) but the treatment it gets at YT’s hands, is brilliant. I found myself cringing in the scenes when Sethu and Mani appear together. Such is their malice that YT creates.
10. The adventures of a Virgin, Tina Sequeira – I must say, this story surprised me. I was not expecting this storyline as it is contrary to what the title leads you to believe. Tina is another writer who does not shy away from calling a spade a spade. She is not one to hold back on graphic descriptions. Happy to say that she did not disappoint this once too. The ending was a surprise.
11. Macabre melody, Sreeparna Sen – oh Sreeparna, your descriptions, your vocabulary and the manner in which the story progresses...it is riveting. I read enraptured. I knew I was reading about ghosts but such was the powerful narration that I did not want it to end. I wanted the symphony of the nights to carry on. Beautiful work!
12. Memory of a face, kanika G – As I read this one I thought, ‘Oh dear, another story in which the mobile becomes the instrument of evil.’ How wrong I was! Yes, the story does involve a mobile, in fact, it involves several mobiles but the instrument is anything but evil. The writer keeps you guessing and keeps you hooked till she pulls the rug. Suffice to say that between kanika and Sarveswari, I shall be giving my mobile a rather wide berth this weekend.
13. The case of the séance, Ell P – Now, this is one story that I was really looking forward too. Firstly, the author is Ell P (how could I not read, right?) and then it involved a séance and summoning spirits. Now that is an activity that I have partaken in (and no, curb your fertile imagination. I did not summon Lilith) but after reading Ell’s version, I am happy that I did not succeed to this degree. The story is awesome. I found it so. Ell writes with such an impeccable command on her language and her characters are so well crafted that you feel pulled into the story. Read the story, you will understand what I am talking about.
Now, that concludes the 13 main writers. Apart from these, the book also boasts of mini-tales from budding authors. Do give them a read people. They are stories of evil, gore and macabre; dipped in the blood of malice and narrated with malevolent glee. They will hook you...just don’t get pulled in...Literally, I mean. Lol...
My recommendation – If you love horror and have the stomach to digest it, then this is one book that should not be missed. Grab your copy now.
Author – Anthology publication by The Hive, a collective of writers
Publisher – Amazon E book available on Kindle
Language - English
Price - ₹ 149/-
Pages – 290
Time per story – 5-10 minutes depending on reading speed. 1 minute for the mini tales.
Available on – amazon/ https://www.amazon.in/Route-13-Highwa...
___________________
I am a self-professed horror buff. I love horror movies and I love reading the masters. I mean, you gotta love what you love, right?
In fact, such is my obsession with the genre that at one point fancying myself to be a writer of some mediocre talent, I even wrote a couple of stories. I was pretty proud of them too. Sadly, when I read them later, to my horror (yeah! Pun intended) I realized....well, let’s leave it at that!
Suffice to say, I knew then that my time would be better-employed reading and not writing horror.
And, that is where my search began. I wanted to read horror in which the setting, the atmosphere and the clever use of vocabulary did the trick. I wanted to be shown and not told. I mean there are only so many ways the wind can howl, the menace can dip or evil can be described. And, they all turn out sounding cheesy, done to death stuff. But, horror is so much more than descriptions of ghosts and evil spirits. Am I right? I mean, if we wanted to watch white garbed floating chudails, cackling to the sinister howl of the wind, then we got enough of that growing up with the Ramsey brother’s movies. Did we not? And, what the brothers could not cover, Indian cinema and television did. So, between those mediums, our education in being ‘told’ about horror is pretty much complete.
To cut the long story short, my search to read authentic spine chilling horror ended with Route 13. I admit, I was eager for the release of this book and not just because it boasts some fantastic writers whom I admire. No! I was eager to see if this was the book into which I could dip my manicured nails and pull out sharpened talons. I gotta say people...it is! It most definitely is.
The book boasts of a foreword by none other than the master of horror in India - Neil D’silva. Amazing, right? But, wait...there is more because if the foreword does not titillate you, the prologue is sure to. That sets the scene and I mean really sets it.
Imagine 13 writers travelling back from a Litfest in a bus, on a mountainous road and amid a thunderstorm. Imagine each of them cradling a tale of ill suppressed malevolence in their being. And, then imagine those tales spilling out as guts from a disembowelled body. Ah, you shuddered right? Just a bit when you read this? Hah! See the book succeeded then.
Although I do have a few favourite stories in this book, I would be doing the writers a disservice if I did not discuss each story. So, here it is-
1. The Purple Grave, Jaya Pillai – Now, if you intend to read this story on the go, then stop, and keep the book aside for later. See, this is not a story to be read in a rush. Doing so would make you miss its charming(ly scary) essence. So, read this one at leisure, imbibe the sombre veil of the night and the macabre cloaking of the senses. Let it sink in and you will remember it to your grave.
2. Welcome, Sarveswari Sai Krishna – Oh man! This one gave me Goosebumps and I mean serious Goosebumps. The linear narration that built higher and higher had me sitting at the edge of my seat as I read it. The end...it gobsmacked me. I did not expect that. One hell of a story! I salute the writer.
3. Pastel of the Past, Priya Bajpai – When I started reading this story I did not find it scary. Rather, I found it suspenseful, you know like a thriller movie. I was wrong! Priya’s narration is punctuated with some superb vocabulary which complements the pace of the story. The mild suspense that I found amusing morphed into macabre horror. That was a masterstroke.
4. Ill conceived, Meha Sharma – I recently read Meha’s novel – Rainbow Housing Society, so I guess subconsciously I was expecting a mellow tone in the story. I was not disappointed. The topic she chose is not new to me but the treatment of the topic, the narrative style of the story and indeed the vocabulary; that all is new and it was brilliant. And, that line....three little girls, as white as sheets of ice. That will stay with me.
5. Killing Murakami, Venkataraman Ganeshan – I think this is one blurb on the Facebook page of ‘The Hive’ that generated quite a bit of interest. Who would have the balls to kill Murakami? Ha! I got my answer when I read this story. What brilliant language! I read this one twice, once for the language and then subsequently for the story.
6. The Silver beast, Srivalli Rekha – Had I not read the author’s name, I would have attributed this story to Srivalli only. Having read her earlier book (also available on Amazon) I knew that she could write with a superb command over English and a story steeped in a combo of mythology and modernity. I was not disappointed there. This story read like a fairytale to me albeit one with ogres i.e., monsters here. I loved the descriptions.
7. Old Macdonald had a farm, Varadharajan Ramesh – Fair warning – before reading this one be prepared for graphic descriptions and scenes which will evoke strong feelings of revulsion. It hits you in the gut, hard! It is strong, redolent of the author’s trademark style of baring all. He does bare it in this and how! This story is like a plate of raw emotions, served cold in the frigid arctic. A very strong piece of writing and I admire that. Kudos! And VR, intentional or not, the reference to yellow teeth as YT...lol!
8. The Haveli, Anshu B – Ah, this story made me sit back and sigh. Anshu, you took me to the scene with your fantastic descriptions. I love that in a story the most and you delivered on that front and how! With your story, I became another denizen wandering the labyrinth of the old Haveli, searching for answers. Your words dissolved my pragmatic inhibitions till I wanted to believe that yes, this did happen.
9. The Artist, Yatindra Tawde – YT knows that I have admired his writing for quite some time. I love his direct style. No beating about the bush. He comes directly to the point, sprinkles a few metaphors for poetic inference and hits you square with the plotline. Although the premise of the story is not new (the dual personality) but the treatment it gets at YT’s hands, is brilliant. I found myself cringing in the scenes when Sethu and Mani appear together. Such is their malice that YT creates.
10. The adventures of a Virgin, Tina Sequeira – I must say, this story surprised me. I was not expecting this storyline as it is contrary to what the title leads you to believe. Tina is another writer who does not shy away from calling a spade a spade. She is not one to hold back on graphic descriptions. Happy to say that she did not disappoint this once too. The ending was a surprise.
11. Macabre melody, Sreeparna Sen – oh Sreeparna, your descriptions, your vocabulary and the manner in which the story progresses...it is riveting. I read enraptured. I knew I was reading about ghosts but such was the powerful narration that I did not want it to end. I wanted the symphony of the nights to carry on. Beautiful work!
12. Memory of a face, kanika G – As I read this one I thought, ‘Oh dear, another story in which the mobile becomes the instrument of evil.’ How wrong I was! Yes, the story does involve a mobile, in fact, it involves several mobiles but the instrument is anything but evil. The writer keeps you guessing and keeps you hooked till she pulls the rug. Suffice to say that between kanika and Sarveswari, I shall be giving my mobile a rather wide berth this weekend.
13. The case of the séance, Ell P – Now, this is one story that I was really looking forward too. Firstly, the author is Ell P (how could I not read, right?) and then it involved a séance and summoning spirits. Now that is an activity that I have partaken in (and no, curb your fertile imagination. I did not summon Lilith) but after reading Ell’s version, I am happy that I did not succeed to this degree. The story is awesome. I found it so. Ell writes with such an impeccable command on her language and her characters are so well crafted that you feel pulled into the story. Read the story, you will understand what I am talking about.
Now, that concludes the 13 main writers. Apart from these, the book also boasts of mini-tales from budding authors. Do give them a read people. They are stories of evil, gore and macabre; dipped in the blood of malice and narrated with malevolent glee. They will hook you...just don’t get pulled in...Literally, I mean. Lol...
My recommendation – If you love horror and have the stomach to digest it, then this is one book that should not be missed. Grab your copy now.
March 12, 2020
A joyride for horror aficionados
In a country where retelling of Ramayana from a dasi's POV or Mahabharata from perspective of the horse drawing Krishna's chariot, is guzzled like cold beer on a hot summer's eve; people like me are left out craving for some good old horror. And then comes The Hive, like the headless horseman, dripping bloody drops of terrifying stories. Each one of the stories here, is a delight to read. From psychological horror to pure Gothic terror, from creature feature to demented daughters; Route 13 has 13 tales of creepy satisfaction for my blasphemous horror loving heart. If you enjoy horror as much as I do, trust me you won't regret reading this master piece.
In a country where retelling of Ramayana from a dasi's POV or Mahabharata from perspective of the horse drawing Krishna's chariot, is guzzled like cold beer on a hot summer's eve; people like me are left out craving for some good old horror. And then comes The Hive, like the headless horseman, dripping bloody drops of terrifying stories. Each one of the stories here, is a delight to read. From psychological horror to pure Gothic terror, from creature feature to demented daughters; Route 13 has 13 tales of creepy satisfaction for my blasphemous horror loving heart. If you enjoy horror as much as I do, trust me you won't regret reading this master piece.
March 25, 2020
Horror that haunts, thrilling and fast paced
If you are like me and want to explore the horror genre for the first time.. this is a book that could lead you down that dark hole. I am definitely not a horror aficionado. But, when you are a dove among bats, you eventually turn into a vampire yourself. You get the drift.
My idea of a good horror story is one that has you cringing at each turn but has you turning the page nonetheless. It leaves a mark on you in the form of horrific images or an aura of haunting, that your brain throws up when you are alone or it is dark and you are alone. And then there are some stories that give you nightmares in broad daylight or have your mind running on overdrive that your dreams turn into wild adventures to combat unseen forces. This book has all these types of stories.
Also, I really enjoyed the little conversations between the authors that acts as a hook to draw the reader to the next story and makes it difficult to put the book down. The book also features a set of 26 mini tales, which proves that there are a host of writers with wild imaginations.
Each author in the book has their own unique voice, and I think their efforts warrants a few words about each of them.
1. The Purple Grave: The setting contributes towards the mood of this story and story sets up the sombre mood for rest of the anthology.
2. Welcome: A page-turner, a horrific thriller that you will gobble up as fast as you can read.
3. Pastel of the Past: Get ready to get your insides twisted in knots before you read this one.
4. Ill conceived: Loved the play on the title of the story. A horror that features one of India’s prevalent social evils, which is the real horror.
5. Killing Murakami: The title draws you in. You know a horror story had struck its mark when a week after reading it you can recall in intricate detail the moments that made you gag.
6. The Silver Beast: A horror story with an unexpected twist. Read to find out what beast this poet's mind has unleashed.
7. Old MacDonald Had A Farm: An original out-of-the-box story that will never let you view nursery rhymes the same way again. It will leave you will images that will haunt and screw with your dreams. Not for the faint-hearted.
8. Haveli - An Indian setting that we relate to horror stories. It felt like a horror drama series unfolding. Good storytelling.
9.The Artist- You know what is going to happen, but you still cannot stop reading it. Another one that haunts.
10. The Adventures of a Virgin: This plays out like scenes from a horror film with a possessed theme with the Devil, the virgin and a slew of morality lacking/wanting characters thrown into the mix.
11. Macabre Melody: A different take on the haunted bungalow which leaves the reader rooting for the protagonist's fate.
12. Memory of a Face - A story will both a psychological angle as well a social message. Expect the unexpected.
13. The Case of the Seance - This one is twisted with some dollops of gore stirred in. The characterisation of the protagonist was what made this story come to life and then stay with me.
If you are like me and want to explore the horror genre for the first time.. this is a book that could lead you down that dark hole. I am definitely not a horror aficionado. But, when you are a dove among bats, you eventually turn into a vampire yourself. You get the drift.
My idea of a good horror story is one that has you cringing at each turn but has you turning the page nonetheless. It leaves a mark on you in the form of horrific images or an aura of haunting, that your brain throws up when you are alone or it is dark and you are alone. And then there are some stories that give you nightmares in broad daylight or have your mind running on overdrive that your dreams turn into wild adventures to combat unseen forces. This book has all these types of stories.
Also, I really enjoyed the little conversations between the authors that acts as a hook to draw the reader to the next story and makes it difficult to put the book down. The book also features a set of 26 mini tales, which proves that there are a host of writers with wild imaginations.
Each author in the book has their own unique voice, and I think their efforts warrants a few words about each of them.
1. The Purple Grave: The setting contributes towards the mood of this story and story sets up the sombre mood for rest of the anthology.
2. Welcome: A page-turner, a horrific thriller that you will gobble up as fast as you can read.
3. Pastel of the Past: Get ready to get your insides twisted in knots before you read this one.
4. Ill conceived: Loved the play on the title of the story. A horror that features one of India’s prevalent social evils, which is the real horror.
5. Killing Murakami: The title draws you in. You know a horror story had struck its mark when a week after reading it you can recall in intricate detail the moments that made you gag.
6. The Silver Beast: A horror story with an unexpected twist. Read to find out what beast this poet's mind has unleashed.
7. Old MacDonald Had A Farm: An original out-of-the-box story that will never let you view nursery rhymes the same way again. It will leave you will images that will haunt and screw with your dreams. Not for the faint-hearted.
8. Haveli - An Indian setting that we relate to horror stories. It felt like a horror drama series unfolding. Good storytelling.
9.The Artist- You know what is going to happen, but you still cannot stop reading it. Another one that haunts.
10. The Adventures of a Virgin: This plays out like scenes from a horror film with a possessed theme with the Devil, the virgin and a slew of morality lacking/wanting characters thrown into the mix.
11. Macabre Melody: A different take on the haunted bungalow which leaves the reader rooting for the protagonist's fate.
12. Memory of a Face - A story will both a psychological angle as well a social message. Expect the unexpected.
13. The Case of the Seance - This one is twisted with some dollops of gore stirred in. The characterisation of the protagonist was what made this story come to life and then stay with me.
March 14, 2020
Horror Hungama
One hell of a ride! As I read the stories, I imagined myself riding in the bus with these writers. The setting, the mood, the atmosphere were well narrated. After starting with the prologue, the book makes sure that you can't stop after reading one story. The transition from one story to another was seamless in the bus journey. It was a unique experience for me as the authors who narrated the stories themselves, were also characters and I learnt a little something about them.
I highly recommend this book. You don't want to miss it.
One hell of a ride! As I read the stories, I imagined myself riding in the bus with these writers. The setting, the mood, the atmosphere were well narrated. After starting with the prologue, the book makes sure that you can't stop after reading one story. The transition from one story to another was seamless in the bus journey. It was a unique experience for me as the authors who narrated the stories themselves, were also characters and I learnt a little something about them.
I highly recommend this book. You don't want to miss it.
March 22, 2020
This is fantastic collection of horror stories. Each story is unique. What is common amongst them is the superb language, the plot and the execution. Do read it.
December 28, 2022
As is with most collection, some worked for me and some sadly didn't. I enjoyed reading them, nevertheless. Shout out to The Hive for bringing this collection out.
The Purple grave: A prince, greed and obsession with utopian world. The moral degeneracy at its finest. This was okay, almost saw the end coming.
Welcome: This was nostalgic, reminded me early 00s Japanese horror involving cell phones.
Pastel of the past: yikes, that was a pretty brutal ending. Guilt, and remorse do make for a good set up.
Ill conceived: A little on the nose, it was alright. Element of horror surrounding a known sociocultural problem.
Killing Murakami: Okay, I didn't expect this to go the way it did. I did lose a bit of plot in the middle and it does meander a bit, its perhaps the issue with the setting itself but the ending pays off.
The Silver beast: Well, the things we do for our loved ones. Its oddly reminiscent of old time moral stories, where the character (and thus the reader) is posed with an ethical dilemma. We can either agree or disagree with the choices the characters make, and I like the fact that the author refrains from taking a moral stance. Sometimes, readers have to figure it out for themselves.
Old MacDonald had a farm: You know the story is good when you both want it to be over and keep going. This story is quite reminiscent of isolated horror, where horror and grotesque go hand in hand where there aren't people around for miles so that no one can hear the screams.
The haveli: Its alright, haunting of a big house and generational feud that's generally a good trope. Sadly, this was lost to me as these kind of settings don't work well in short format.
The Artist: Reminds me of a short story by Junji Ito in a collection where he first introduced one of his iconic characters, Tomie. The story here works on two layers - the obsession for success and the underlying culture that doesn't hesitate to extort from people, mainly women, to achieve success.
The adventures of a virgin: For me, this is the best of the collection. Had it been a novel length, there could be so many layers involving generational trauma, sexual assault, depression - and a commentary on community that's inherently religious. It was pretty fun to read though the story is quite short to have a nuanced take on the psyche of the central character.
Macabre melody: The impact doesn't deliver as intended. A quid pro quo relationship needs honor on both sides irrespective of how flawed and problematic the parties are.
Memory of a face: Okay, we have already had a techno horror earlier in the collection and this one may seem like an overkill but it goes in a completely different direction. This is what would make a great found footage horror - seeing from the perspective of a phone/camera.
The Case of the seance: Pretty chilling story that mixes personal trauma, grief and biblical tale.
#Mini tales: Some of them were pretty fun and some, I missed the context. But nevertheless, they are all starting point for something bigger, greater and horrific.
The Purple grave: A prince, greed and obsession with utopian world. The moral degeneracy at its finest. This was okay, almost saw the end coming.
Welcome: This was nostalgic, reminded me early 00s Japanese horror involving cell phones.
Pastel of the past: yikes, that was a pretty brutal ending. Guilt, and remorse do make for a good set up.
Ill conceived: A little on the nose, it was alright. Element of horror surrounding a known sociocultural problem.
Killing Murakami: Okay, I didn't expect this to go the way it did. I did lose a bit of plot in the middle and it does meander a bit, its perhaps the issue with the setting itself but the ending pays off.
The Silver beast: Well, the things we do for our loved ones. Its oddly reminiscent of old time moral stories, where the character (and thus the reader) is posed with an ethical dilemma. We can either agree or disagree with the choices the characters make, and I like the fact that the author refrains from taking a moral stance. Sometimes, readers have to figure it out for themselves.
Old MacDonald had a farm: You know the story is good when you both want it to be over and keep going. This story is quite reminiscent of isolated horror, where horror and grotesque go hand in hand where there aren't people around for miles so that no one can hear the screams.
The haveli: Its alright, haunting of a big house and generational feud that's generally a good trope. Sadly, this was lost to me as these kind of settings don't work well in short format.
The Artist: Reminds me of a short story by Junji Ito in a collection where he first introduced one of his iconic characters, Tomie. The story here works on two layers - the obsession for success and the underlying culture that doesn't hesitate to extort from people, mainly women, to achieve success.
The adventures of a virgin: For me, this is the best of the collection. Had it been a novel length, there could be so many layers involving generational trauma, sexual assault, depression - and a commentary on community that's inherently religious. It was pretty fun to read though the story is quite short to have a nuanced take on the psyche of the central character.
Macabre melody: The impact doesn't deliver as intended. A quid pro quo relationship needs honor on both sides irrespective of how flawed and problematic the parties are.
Memory of a face: Okay, we have already had a techno horror earlier in the collection and this one may seem like an overkill but it goes in a completely different direction. This is what would make a great found footage horror - seeing from the perspective of a phone/camera.
The Case of the seance: Pretty chilling story that mixes personal trauma, grief and biblical tale.
#Mini tales: Some of them were pretty fun and some, I missed the context. But nevertheless, they are all starting point for something bigger, greater and horrific.
May 11, 2020
Route 13 - Highway to Hell
An anthology by The Hive
As a child I remember seeing Junoon, a Rahul Roy movie where he turns into a tiger on a full moon night. Graphical enough, it showed the complete process of his turning into a tiger and ripping away the bodies of his victims.
I also remember fearing full moon nights for years to come. Since then, I have carefully kept myself safe from this genre of movies and other art forms. Until now. When a dear friend who has written a story in this anthology asked me to review it.
To review means it had to be read. And it took me quite a while to get through this, thanks to my feeble heart.
Last night as I finished this book, I slept with my lights on; yet laid awake till 4 in the night. Now that is the true testimony of how horrific the book was. How gross, how macabre, how horror-inducing. So for that the authors deserve an applause. ( And I solemnly swear another horror anthology won't be reviewed. My heart is still beating furiously.)
Talking about the book, it is an anthology written by 13 writers each having contributed one spine chilling story. All these 13 pearls are threaded through a 14th story, which makes it's appearance at the end of each of the story.
Since it's an anthology talking about it singularly would probably not do justice to it and hence I will write a few lines for each one of them. However, one thing that stood out in all these stories and I don't want to repeat that thing in all my comments; I would like to mention here. Originality. The stories blew me away with their original premises. A few might have fallen slightly short of their full potential, yet there is no denying that the premises were worth exploring.
1. The Purple Grave - Jaya Pillai
This one set in an unknown land with unnamed characters in an unknown era has its settings right in place for a story with enough thrills and chills. With a certain implicit message about socio-economic class divide, this one is amongst the mild ones on the scale of gore and horror.
2. Welcome - Sarveswari Sai Krishna
One of the top three stories in this anthology, the horror is unique. Avoiding the usual tropes of horror, it still manages to send chills down your spine. The evil is merciless and as a reader you are as scared of it as the protagonist. To have that kind of effect, can only be a work of a master storyteller.
3. Pastel of the past - Priya Bajpai
With this story we enter the known realms of horror. Old dilapidated mansion, sounds of anklets and white nightgowns made this story slightly predictable but also reminded us again that we pay for our deeds in this life itself.
4. Ill Conceived - Meha Sharma
A mild one. Though the elements of horror are present they are not gruesome. This one is a good commentary on one our societal evils, with the horror only as a plot device and not the main theme of the story.
5. Killing Murakami- Venkataraman Ganesan
One of the stories where the language was so exquisite that it had me looking at the dictionary many a times. The story though well written and engrossing; I felt fitted the genre of psychological thriller more than the horror genre.
6.The Silver Beast - Srivalli Rekha
One of my favorites from the book, this one was a full blown horror story. The tone was set well in advance and it got only scarier by every turn of the page. The writing was such that visualization became easier for the reader thus adding to the overall atmosphere of horror. The end was surprising for me as generally in horror you have either dead victims or lucky survivors unlike what you get in the end here.
7. Old McDonald had a farm - Varadharajan Ramesh
Again one of the best works in the anthology. The first paragraph sucks you in the story, the language is brilliant, the non linear narration is used well for effect as well as keeps the reader completely hooked. The usage of nursery rhymes is a masterstroke. Gore level is high and hence for those with faint hearts this might be too macabre. My only complain from this one was the length of the story. It gets a little monotonous after the third person is killed.
8. The Haveli - Anshu B
As the title suggests this one has the old mansion at it's core. The horror level again is mild here and the back story takes centerstage as compared to the horror of the present. Too many details in the first few pages could have been avoided to make it a tighter read.
9. The Artist - Yatindra Tawde
A touch of horror but more in the psychological thriller genre. A interesting premise of an artist trying to bring uniqueness to his art; well narrated. The suspense was lifted too soon with the narration in flashback and hence the end became predictable.
10. The Adventures of a Virgin - Tina Sequerira
Another true horror story with unique storyline. This one had me hooked till the end to unravel the suspense. Too much action slightly took away from coherence of the story. I felt as if there was a missing link to the story which escaped me. But the premise was full of potential.
11. Macabre Melody - Sreeparna Sen
One more story involving an old mansion. Though set up for horror this one actually turns out beneficial for the protagonist. Again a story which uses horror more as a plot device rather than the main theme. Overall, it felt rushed and could have used a slower pace.
12. Memory of a Face- Kanika G
According to me this one too fell more in the psychological drama category. Involving a mobile phone and a commentary on the evils that these gadget is wreaking in our lives, this one made you think about how much these evils have seeped into our lives without our knowledge.
13. The Case of the Seance - Ell P
This story begins with gore and captivates you immediately. As the title suggests it is about a seance. The story has vivid descriptions and is scary enough to make you lose sleep. The end was very abrupt and I felt as we were in the middle of the story and there was more to come. Also, the backstory of the police officer reminded a lot of the Bollywood movie Talash.
Besides these 13 stories, the book also has 26 mini tales written by aspiring writers. Each one of them though small, gives you a glimpse of horror and a peek into the imagination of these writers.
In Conclusion, the anthology is a mix of excellent writing, some unique premises and a good dose of horror for the aficionados of this genre. Worth losing two nights of sleep.
An anthology by The Hive
As a child I remember seeing Junoon, a Rahul Roy movie where he turns into a tiger on a full moon night. Graphical enough, it showed the complete process of his turning into a tiger and ripping away the bodies of his victims.
I also remember fearing full moon nights for years to come. Since then, I have carefully kept myself safe from this genre of movies and other art forms. Until now. When a dear friend who has written a story in this anthology asked me to review it.
To review means it had to be read. And it took me quite a while to get through this, thanks to my feeble heart.
Last night as I finished this book, I slept with my lights on; yet laid awake till 4 in the night. Now that is the true testimony of how horrific the book was. How gross, how macabre, how horror-inducing. So for that the authors deserve an applause. ( And I solemnly swear another horror anthology won't be reviewed. My heart is still beating furiously.)
Talking about the book, it is an anthology written by 13 writers each having contributed one spine chilling story. All these 13 pearls are threaded through a 14th story, which makes it's appearance at the end of each of the story.
Since it's an anthology talking about it singularly would probably not do justice to it and hence I will write a few lines for each one of them. However, one thing that stood out in all these stories and I don't want to repeat that thing in all my comments; I would like to mention here. Originality. The stories blew me away with their original premises. A few might have fallen slightly short of their full potential, yet there is no denying that the premises were worth exploring.
1. The Purple Grave - Jaya Pillai
This one set in an unknown land with unnamed characters in an unknown era has its settings right in place for a story with enough thrills and chills. With a certain implicit message about socio-economic class divide, this one is amongst the mild ones on the scale of gore and horror.
2. Welcome - Sarveswari Sai Krishna
One of the top three stories in this anthology, the horror is unique. Avoiding the usual tropes of horror, it still manages to send chills down your spine. The evil is merciless and as a reader you are as scared of it as the protagonist. To have that kind of effect, can only be a work of a master storyteller.
3. Pastel of the past - Priya Bajpai
With this story we enter the known realms of horror. Old dilapidated mansion, sounds of anklets and white nightgowns made this story slightly predictable but also reminded us again that we pay for our deeds in this life itself.
4. Ill Conceived - Meha Sharma
A mild one. Though the elements of horror are present they are not gruesome. This one is a good commentary on one our societal evils, with the horror only as a plot device and not the main theme of the story.
5. Killing Murakami- Venkataraman Ganesan
One of the stories where the language was so exquisite that it had me looking at the dictionary many a times. The story though well written and engrossing; I felt fitted the genre of psychological thriller more than the horror genre.
6.The Silver Beast - Srivalli Rekha
One of my favorites from the book, this one was a full blown horror story. The tone was set well in advance and it got only scarier by every turn of the page. The writing was such that visualization became easier for the reader thus adding to the overall atmosphere of horror. The end was surprising for me as generally in horror you have either dead victims or lucky survivors unlike what you get in the end here.
7. Old McDonald had a farm - Varadharajan Ramesh
Again one of the best works in the anthology. The first paragraph sucks you in the story, the language is brilliant, the non linear narration is used well for effect as well as keeps the reader completely hooked. The usage of nursery rhymes is a masterstroke. Gore level is high and hence for those with faint hearts this might be too macabre. My only complain from this one was the length of the story. It gets a little monotonous after the third person is killed.
8. The Haveli - Anshu B
As the title suggests this one has the old mansion at it's core. The horror level again is mild here and the back story takes centerstage as compared to the horror of the present. Too many details in the first few pages could have been avoided to make it a tighter read.
9. The Artist - Yatindra Tawde
A touch of horror but more in the psychological thriller genre. A interesting premise of an artist trying to bring uniqueness to his art; well narrated. The suspense was lifted too soon with the narration in flashback and hence the end became predictable.
10. The Adventures of a Virgin - Tina Sequerira
Another true horror story with unique storyline. This one had me hooked till the end to unravel the suspense. Too much action slightly took away from coherence of the story. I felt as if there was a missing link to the story which escaped me. But the premise was full of potential.
11. Macabre Melody - Sreeparna Sen
One more story involving an old mansion. Though set up for horror this one actually turns out beneficial for the protagonist. Again a story which uses horror more as a plot device rather than the main theme. Overall, it felt rushed and could have used a slower pace.
12. Memory of a Face- Kanika G
According to me this one too fell more in the psychological drama category. Involving a mobile phone and a commentary on the evils that these gadget is wreaking in our lives, this one made you think about how much these evils have seeped into our lives without our knowledge.
13. The Case of the Seance - Ell P
This story begins with gore and captivates you immediately. As the title suggests it is about a seance. The story has vivid descriptions and is scary enough to make you lose sleep. The end was very abrupt and I felt as we were in the middle of the story and there was more to come. Also, the backstory of the police officer reminded a lot of the Bollywood movie Talash.
Besides these 13 stories, the book also has 26 mini tales written by aspiring writers. Each one of them though small, gives you a glimpse of horror and a peek into the imagination of these writers.
In Conclusion, the anthology is a mix of excellent writing, some unique premises and a good dose of horror for the aficionados of this genre. Worth losing two nights of sleep.
April 1, 2020
So here it is, The Indian horror anthology . It has 13 different short horror stories from 13 different writers.
The writers has put all their efforts to give stories a life. As I was reading, some stories really hit me, as if it is really happening, as I can imagine the stories.
The stories like Welcome by Sarveshwari Sai Krishna, The Haveli by Anushu B, The Adventure of a Virgin by Tina Sequira, The Memory of a face by Kanika G and The case of the Seance By EII P, these stories have given me goosebumps. I can actually feel the stories as if it is happening for real. I can easily imagine all the characters.
The best part is none of the stories is too long or boring, every stories have different way of expressing Fear and Horror.
To make more interesting in between all the stories there is a good Panel discussion which is a kind of introducing a every writer with their stories.
Indian literature does not have shown so much of interest in horror stories before. Infact India is a country where people actually belief in legends, Horror stories and all.
But this innovative idea but these writers has given a different out look to the readers where they find more interesting stories.
We were more into the western horror stories, but this had really changed my mind to take more interest in Indian horror stories.
Such anthology is appreciated, looking for more interesting anthology on same or different genres.
Great work.
The writers has put all their efforts to give stories a life. As I was reading, some stories really hit me, as if it is really happening, as I can imagine the stories.
The stories like Welcome by Sarveshwari Sai Krishna, The Haveli by Anushu B, The Adventure of a Virgin by Tina Sequira, The Memory of a face by Kanika G and The case of the Seance By EII P, these stories have given me goosebumps. I can actually feel the stories as if it is happening for real. I can easily imagine all the characters.
The best part is none of the stories is too long or boring, every stories have different way of expressing Fear and Horror.
To make more interesting in between all the stories there is a good Panel discussion which is a kind of introducing a every writer with their stories.
Indian literature does not have shown so much of interest in horror stories before. Infact India is a country where people actually belief in legends, Horror stories and all.
But this innovative idea but these writers has given a different out look to the readers where they find more interesting stories.
We were more into the western horror stories, but this had really changed my mind to take more interest in Indian horror stories.
Such anthology is appreciated, looking for more interesting anthology on same or different genres.
Great work.
April 2, 2020
Horror is a genre that I hardly explore unless it is laced with some comic relief. So, when a friend recommended pure horror anthology Route 13: Highway to Hell, I wasn't too sure. But, I gathered courage and started reading it and oh my, couldn't stop reading it till the end! I couldn't stop turning pages! The authors of this book have an uncanny ability to build a visual story with their words. You can almost imagine that scene unfolding in front of your eyes. There are jumps and scares at places you least expected - the surprise elements chilling to the bone. The authors have created a literary delight with their stories. My favourite stories from this book would be 'Haveli' by Anshu Bhojnagarwala' and 'The Case of the Seance' by Ell P. Go and read this book - it's a surreal experience that you won't regret.
March 30, 2020
I have a habit of likening a book of anthologies to a buffet dinner or lunch. A book of love stories, in my opinion, is a buffet meal of sweet dishes and by analogy, I liken a book of horror stories to a buffet meal of spicy dishes. After reading this book (I read it in one go mostly) I found the dishes (read stories) have been written very imaginatively...
Read the rest of the review here.
Read the rest of the review here.
March 21, 2020
I picked up this book with some reservations. I have not read much of Indian authors. So I was not prepared to be bowled over with such intensity by the stories. They manage to grip you in their macabre sordidness as you turn page after gory page relishing the thrills that the stories send up your spine.
A group of authors is on their way back from a lit fest on a dark and stormy night and they lose their way on the very aptly called Route 13. To while away the long hours, they each decide to tell a horror story and thus is born this anthology.
As is common in anthologies, some stories are superior than the others but all of them keep you glued to the pages, wondering what devilish turn things are going to take next. We have some usual tropes like haunted houses and ouija boards and some very uniquely innovative concepts like possessed cell phones and devilish animals answering to nursery poems . There are a few loopholes here and there and the language could have been a little more polished in places but everything is overwhelmed by the brilliant stories. All in all a great read, one which should be picked up by all horror affinciados.
Rating : 4/5
A group of authors is on their way back from a lit fest on a dark and stormy night and they lose their way on the very aptly called Route 13. To while away the long hours, they each decide to tell a horror story and thus is born this anthology.
As is common in anthologies, some stories are superior than the others but all of them keep you glued to the pages, wondering what devilish turn things are going to take next. We have some usual tropes like haunted houses and ouija boards and some very uniquely innovative concepts like possessed cell phones and devilish animals answering to nursery poems . There are a few loopholes here and there and the language could have been a little more polished in places but everything is overwhelmed by the brilliant stories. All in all a great read, one which should be picked up by all horror affinciados.
Rating : 4/5
March 27, 2020
I love horror and short stories as well. This book is a collection of 13 unique horror stories. But, I should warn you that it is not for children and there are certain scenes related to rape, abuse, and violence in some stories.
The book starts with different authors traveling on a bus getting bored about passing time until they reach the destination. So, each author recites a thriller/ horror story one after the other to pass time. What happens to the Bus and the passengers on that dark rainy night is a suspense.
Stories :
Welcome by Sarveshwari is spine chilling but it is disappointing that we can't understand the reason behind the happenings in the story.
Pastel of the past by Priya Bajpai is beautiful with enough twists and a great climax.
Ill-conceived by Meha sharma felt wonderful. The story is unpredictable and had good twists.
The silver beast by Srivalli Rekha is interesting and emotional as well. I loved the narration and pace.
Old McDonald had a farm by Varadharajan Ramesh is a supernatural revenge story that is awesome though gory.
The Haveli by Anshu B is real with emotions. Not very scary to me but I loved the way the author explains the Rajasthani dishes, culture, and houses as part of the story.
The Artist by Yatindra Tawde is quite a creepy and unique story. Enjoyed reading it.
The adventures of a Virgin by Tina Sequeira
Wow! This is dark, intense and mysterious with unpredictable twists in the story.
Macabre melody by Sreeparna sen
I enjoyed this story. It is like a moral story that we read in childhood but not that scary.
Memory of a face by Kanika G is a scary one based on suppressed memory. The mind plays really dangerous games!
The case of Seance by Ell P
Oh my God! This story is my favorite from this book. A perfect horror, best narration, and a climax like a bang.
The following 100 word stories are nice and worth a mention.
The Environmentalist by Shwetha Bose, Mistaken Identity by Pavi Raman, Nurse Elena - Riddhi Katira Bhatti, The Spirit - Moonmoon Chowdhury, Forbidden - Natasha Sequeira, and The Specimen - Seema Taneja.
Overall, this is an interesting collection of horror stories that you might enjoy on a lazy day. The book cover is great. The climax is good. I wish, a few stories are scarier.
My Rating: 4/5
PS: I have received a review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion on the book.
The book starts with different authors traveling on a bus getting bored about passing time until they reach the destination. So, each author recites a thriller/ horror story one after the other to pass time. What happens to the Bus and the passengers on that dark rainy night is a suspense.
Stories :
Welcome by Sarveshwari is spine chilling but it is disappointing that we can't understand the reason behind the happenings in the story.
Pastel of the past by Priya Bajpai is beautiful with enough twists and a great climax.
Ill-conceived by Meha sharma felt wonderful. The story is unpredictable and had good twists.
The silver beast by Srivalli Rekha is interesting and emotional as well. I loved the narration and pace.
Old McDonald had a farm by Varadharajan Ramesh is a supernatural revenge story that is awesome though gory.
The Haveli by Anshu B is real with emotions. Not very scary to me but I loved the way the author explains the Rajasthani dishes, culture, and houses as part of the story.
The Artist by Yatindra Tawde is quite a creepy and unique story. Enjoyed reading it.
The adventures of a Virgin by Tina Sequeira
Wow! This is dark, intense and mysterious with unpredictable twists in the story.
Macabre melody by Sreeparna sen
I enjoyed this story. It is like a moral story that we read in childhood but not that scary.
Memory of a face by Kanika G is a scary one based on suppressed memory. The mind plays really dangerous games!
The case of Seance by Ell P
Oh my God! This story is my favorite from this book. A perfect horror, best narration, and a climax like a bang.
The following 100 word stories are nice and worth a mention.
The Environmentalist by Shwetha Bose, Mistaken Identity by Pavi Raman, Nurse Elena - Riddhi Katira Bhatti, The Spirit - Moonmoon Chowdhury, Forbidden - Natasha Sequeira, and The Specimen - Seema Taneja.
Overall, this is an interesting collection of horror stories that you might enjoy on a lazy day. The book cover is great. The climax is good. I wish, a few stories are scarier.
My Rating: 4/5
PS: I have received a review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion on the book.
June 21, 2020
Horror is not a genre I read often. This year hardly felt right for it, and I dallied on it for long. But I finally finished it. A two book reading weekend gave me the last push past the line.
Route 13 sees thirteen writers of horror stories stuck in a bus on a stormy night. While stormy weather while traveling would have been enough to creep anyone out, these 13 narrate horror stories to keep themselves entertained. Odd choice of genre during a storm, but hey, whatever floats their boat, right? It made for an interesting presentation of the book anyway.
What I like to read in the genre of horror fiction are stories that not necessarily tell me what's horrifying, but make me feel horrified. I think the stories in the collection do manage to do that. They're put across in an easy to read manner, which helps. My two favourite stories were 'The Artist', and 'Welcome'. And honourable mentions to 'The Memory of a Face', and 'The Purple Grave'.
The book could have used tighter editing. It would have made it better. Without a doubt. Some errors may go unnoticed in the flow of the story but others still stand out. Off the top of my head, I remember a name being spelled differently in the same story. That kind of brought the experience down a notch or two. And while I admire the chance given to writers to bring mini tales to the book, horror in that short length... I'm not very sure it came across well.
Wishing the authors the best.
Route 13 sees thirteen writers of horror stories stuck in a bus on a stormy night. While stormy weather while traveling would have been enough to creep anyone out, these 13 narrate horror stories to keep themselves entertained. Odd choice of genre during a storm, but hey, whatever floats their boat, right? It made for an interesting presentation of the book anyway.
What I like to read in the genre of horror fiction are stories that not necessarily tell me what's horrifying, but make me feel horrified. I think the stories in the collection do manage to do that. They're put across in an easy to read manner, which helps. My two favourite stories were 'The Artist', and 'Welcome'. And honourable mentions to 'The Memory of a Face', and 'The Purple Grave'.
The book could have used tighter editing. It would have made it better. Without a doubt. Some errors may go unnoticed in the flow of the story but others still stand out. Off the top of my head, I remember a name being spelled differently in the same story. That kind of brought the experience down a notch or two. And while I admire the chance given to writers to bring mini tales to the book, horror in that short length... I'm not very sure it came across well.
Wishing the authors the best.
May 3, 2020
Like in any anthology, not every story would be excellent; similarly in Route – 13 – Highway to Hell, there are some excellent ones, few good ones and a couple of average ones. From an Indian Horror anthology perspective it is a refreshing start. I am going with three and a half stars for Route – 13 – Highway to Hell by The Hive. Grab a copy this lockdown season and get ready for some chills’n’thrills.
Read the full chapter by chapter review here: https://www.manasmukul.com/route-13-h...
Read the full chapter by chapter review here: https://www.manasmukul.com/route-13-h...
October 27, 2020
I am a big fan of horror from forever and when I saw this, I'd knew I have to read this one. Each one stories has told by a different author and I must admit that most of the stories are creepy. Though my favourite ones are "Old MacDonald had a farm" by Varadharajan Ramesh and "The Case of the Seance" by Ell P. Some of the stories are based on Mental disease. I really enjoyed alot reading this. The way the stories are narrated are so gripping. Language is easy to read and understand. I also liked that there are some really good short horror stories in the end which is like cherry on the cake. The book contains lots of violence and abuses which is warned at the first as disclaimer.
June 13, 2021
I love Thrillers mostly. I love Horror movies and had not ventured reading stories of the genre before. But after reading the creation of the Sinister 13, I am in love yet again. Really craving for books from these authors. Wonderfully scripted, these anthologies created a new dimension in this genre. A must read for the book lovers.
September 16, 2020
3.5 stars
Collection of 13 horror stories written by different authors. Few of them were very good, but others were just an average read.
Collection of 13 horror stories written by different authors. Few of them were very good, but others were just an average read.
June 9, 2021
Below average
Went through three stories, no character development, no ambience and stories are just a pile clichés. If you are looking for a good horror you are at wrong place.
Went through three stories, no character development, no ambience and stories are just a pile clichés. If you are looking for a good horror you are at wrong place.
May 27, 2020
#BookReview
Route 13 : Highway to Hell.
Horror is one of my favourite genres and R13HTH has done complete justice to it. It was a nice touch creating a scenario where 13 passengers are travelling in a bus and one by one they start narrating stories to paas the time. The stormy weather added to the gloom and doom in the atmosphere. Some of the stories obviously appealed more to me than the others.
These were the 13 stories penned down by the various authors :
• The Purple Grave
• Welcome - I liked this one. It might put you off your cell phones for a while. Possessed mobiles can be scary after all.
• Pastel of the Past - This story shows how the sins of your past catch up with you at some point in life. Nicely woven around a mother and daughter and the mother's past. The twist in the end was horrific! This one appealed to me, no doubt.
• Ill Conceived - Any ghost story set in the hills, piqs my interest automatically. The writer has slowly unravelled the mystery behind the happenings and it is not what you would expect. Loved it!
• Killing Murakami
• The Silver Beast - When I was reading this one, it reminded me of certain creature features that I have watched. That is how I imagined this story in my mind. The aura was just right, with a couple of people lost in the menacing woods, where they try to escape the entity that threatens their existence. It is awesome!
• Old Macdonald Had A Farm - This one is a gore fest. But the concept was very unique and that made it interesting. This story once again highlighted how sinners get their just desserts. I enjoyed reading it, except if the chapters weren't jumbled, it would have been more fun.
• The Haveli - This one is my kind of a setting for a horror story. An old haveli and the old ghosts in it. Plus an incident that has triggered a curse for the coming generations. The backdrop was perfect and so was the narration.
• The Artist - This one is erotic and spine- chilling at the same time. An extraordinary storyline, portraying (pun intended) how creativity can make one go to unusual lengths to fabricate a masterpiece.
• The Adventures of a Virgin
• Macabre Melody - I didn't find this one scary, but the narrative appealed to me. So did the quintessential setting of an old haunted mansion. And it showed why greed is counted as one of the seven sins.
• Memory of a Face - This comes across as a psychological thriller with a supernatural twist. It highlights the evils of technology and how addicted we have become to modern contraptions.
•The Case of the Seance - Very Bollywoodish! This one could actually be adapted as a movie. It was kind of macabre, but typical cause we all know nothing good ever comes out of using an ouija board.
The tiny tales were fun to read. I say fun, because I enjoy horror and find it entertaining. Many will find these tales terrifying. I would give R13HTH a 4/5 rating. And I would definitely re-read some of the stories which enticed me.
Route 13 : Highway to Hell.
Horror is one of my favourite genres and R13HTH has done complete justice to it. It was a nice touch creating a scenario where 13 passengers are travelling in a bus and one by one they start narrating stories to paas the time. The stormy weather added to the gloom and doom in the atmosphere. Some of the stories obviously appealed more to me than the others.
These were the 13 stories penned down by the various authors :
• The Purple Grave
• Welcome - I liked this one. It might put you off your cell phones for a while. Possessed mobiles can be scary after all.
• Pastel of the Past - This story shows how the sins of your past catch up with you at some point in life. Nicely woven around a mother and daughter and the mother's past. The twist in the end was horrific! This one appealed to me, no doubt.
• Ill Conceived - Any ghost story set in the hills, piqs my interest automatically. The writer has slowly unravelled the mystery behind the happenings and it is not what you would expect. Loved it!
• Killing Murakami
• The Silver Beast - When I was reading this one, it reminded me of certain creature features that I have watched. That is how I imagined this story in my mind. The aura was just right, with a couple of people lost in the menacing woods, where they try to escape the entity that threatens their existence. It is awesome!
• Old Macdonald Had A Farm - This one is a gore fest. But the concept was very unique and that made it interesting. This story once again highlighted how sinners get their just desserts. I enjoyed reading it, except if the chapters weren't jumbled, it would have been more fun.
• The Haveli - This one is my kind of a setting for a horror story. An old haveli and the old ghosts in it. Plus an incident that has triggered a curse for the coming generations. The backdrop was perfect and so was the narration.
• The Artist - This one is erotic and spine- chilling at the same time. An extraordinary storyline, portraying (pun intended) how creativity can make one go to unusual lengths to fabricate a masterpiece.
• The Adventures of a Virgin
• Macabre Melody - I didn't find this one scary, but the narrative appealed to me. So did the quintessential setting of an old haunted mansion. And it showed why greed is counted as one of the seven sins.
• Memory of a Face - This comes across as a psychological thriller with a supernatural twist. It highlights the evils of technology and how addicted we have become to modern contraptions.
•The Case of the Seance - Very Bollywoodish! This one could actually be adapted as a movie. It was kind of macabre, but typical cause we all know nothing good ever comes out of using an ouija board.
The tiny tales were fun to read. I say fun, because I enjoy horror and find it entertaining. Many will find these tales terrifying. I would give R13HTH a 4/5 rating. And I would definitely re-read some of the stories which enticed me.
May 17, 2022
I'm really not fond of horror genre, but I read it once a while if i come across one. I found it on kindle and it had great reviews and I chose to read it, and I wasn't disappointed. 13 different storeies all beautiful mentioned in road trip by the authors. I am not going to give spoiler here, but yes some of the stories are going to give you jeepers creepers. If you are fond of horror, do read this.
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