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Dreadful: Tales of the Dead and Dying
Join LP Hernandez on an exploration of the terrain of haunted worlds and the souls of haunted people.
A man becomes so detached from this world that he is claimed by another. An astronaut picks the worst possible time to leave Earth. A man for whom eternity is just the beginning.
These stories present mankind at its most vulnerable. These are stories of triumph and of succumbing, of the dying and those already dead.
A man becomes so detached from this world that he is claimed by another. An astronaut picks the worst possible time to leave Earth. A man for whom eternity is just the beginning.
These stories present mankind at its most vulnerable. These are stories of triumph and of succumbing, of the dying and those already dead.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2015
63 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
L.P. Hernandez
27 books131 followersMy journey to becoming a writer began with a love of books, Goosebumps to start followed quickly by Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I later found and fell in love with Robert McCammon as well as works outside of the genre. I wrote stories about alien abductions and sentient scarecrows. I still have some of these stories and...wow. Awful! I never stopped writing but my life would only allow it to be a hobby until I was around thirty. I submitted my first story to a competition and was given an honorable mention. That gave me the confidence to submit elsewhere, including The NoSleep Podcast. My fist acceptance barely caused a ripple, but it lit a fire in me. I placed stories with homegrown anthologies, cobbled together my own collection, and eventually became a regular on the Podcast. I am writing this in 2022 in what has been my most gratifying writing year to date. I will share a TOC with New York Times Bestsellers this year, and also was privileged to release my first novella, Stargazers, into the world. This is just the beginning, I hope, because the fire is an inferno now.
When I am not writing you can find me front row of a metal show, getting a tattoo, hanging with my wife and kids, wrestling with our dogs, and giving out crisp high fives. I also serve as a medical officer in the Air Force.
When I am not writing you can find me front row of a metal show, getting a tattoo, hanging with my wife and kids, wrestling with our dogs, and giving out crisp high fives. I also serve as a medical officer in the Air Force.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 28, 2025
The last attic story was more sad than scary.
June 18, 2018
Very unique and over the edge stories. Well written, I just didn't like the style.
September 18, 2015
I found the collection of stories to be very fascinating and thought provoking. A few of the stories can make you really take a step back and evaluate yourself and your situation. On the other hand some of the stories can make you want to turn every light in the house on whilst reading because they can be bone chilling at time. A few of stories I felt could have been expanded on and possible made into a stand alone novel or novella, maybe that will be something for a later time. LP Hernandez certainly has the ability to tell a story well and set the scene of the story to keep you interested. I will be waiting for another page turner from him I thoroughly enjoyed this collection.
December 29, 2015
Scary, creepy, and incredibly thought provoking. I'm not a big horror story fan, but this book was worth the read for "A fate worse than death" and "Joes Attic" if nothing else. "The last man on Mars" and "the importance of being eaten" are some of the best takes on the zombie genre that I've ever read, and I hate zombies. Don't read before bed, you won't be able to sleep!
January 4, 2022
All the stories take you to another world. Some have on the edge of your seat with nervous energy, while others mess with your mind in a “Twilight Zone” kind of way. You will find favorites for sure but you won’t forget any of them trust me. I am Definitely recommending this read to my book loving friends.
October 27, 2024
Why did you read this book?
The author did a panel at my local library and I wanted to read one of his works.
What format did you read this book in?
Read the book on Libby.
Is this an educational book or a book for entertainment?
I read this book for pure entertainment purposes.
What genres do you think this book belongs to?
Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, Thriller
What was your favorite part of the book?
I think my favorite part of the book was the last story. It was sweet and was a good conclusion to the story series.
Who would you suggest this book to?
Anyone who likes horror and short story collections.
What is your general opinion/ rating of this book?
Horror isn’t my go-to genre. But if you follow my reviews, you’ll notice that I read just about anything. Since LP Hernandez was kind enough to host a writing panel at my local library, I decided to read some of his work. I am not going to lie, at first I was uncertain whether I was going to enjoy his short story collection or not. I felt like the first story was really too open-ended and weird, but the collection gets better from there. My favorite shorts are the man with the green hat who liked strawberries and the one about a man’s attic and the undead. (Sorry, I don’t remember their titles.) However, like most horror stories, this isn’t for the faint of heart. (Trigger warning list below.) Overall, I enjoyed this collection, and I highly recommend it if you like horror and short stories.
Any trigger warnings?
Mental Health: Panic Attacks, Trauma, Nightmares about Traumatic Events
Disabilities: Lifechanging injury, Detailed Medical Talk, Paralyzed
Sexual Content: Sexual Predator, Implied Sexual Assault
Violence and Death: Death, Death of a Loved One, Animal Death, Graphic Deaths, Mass Death, Murder, Extreme Violence, Gore, Torture, Mutilation, Self-Mutilation, Mutilation of Corpses, Cutting of Limbs, Forced Blood Draining, Escalating Violence, Described Blood, Graphic Violence
Other: Drugging Someone Against Their Will, Kidnapping, Cannibalism (Zombie)
The author did a panel at my local library and I wanted to read one of his works.
What format did you read this book in?
Read the book on Libby.
Is this an educational book or a book for entertainment?
I read this book for pure entertainment purposes.
What genres do you think this book belongs to?
Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, Thriller
What was your favorite part of the book?
I think my favorite part of the book was the last story. It was sweet and was a good conclusion to the story series.
Who would you suggest this book to?
Anyone who likes horror and short story collections.
What is your general opinion/ rating of this book?
Horror isn’t my go-to genre. But if you follow my reviews, you’ll notice that I read just about anything. Since LP Hernandez was kind enough to host a writing panel at my local library, I decided to read some of his work. I am not going to lie, at first I was uncertain whether I was going to enjoy his short story collection or not. I felt like the first story was really too open-ended and weird, but the collection gets better from there. My favorite shorts are the man with the green hat who liked strawberries and the one about a man’s attic and the undead. (Sorry, I don’t remember their titles.) However, like most horror stories, this isn’t for the faint of heart. (Trigger warning list below.) Overall, I enjoyed this collection, and I highly recommend it if you like horror and short stories.
Any trigger warnings?
Mental Health: Panic Attacks, Trauma, Nightmares about Traumatic Events
Disabilities: Lifechanging injury, Detailed Medical Talk, Paralyzed
Sexual Content: Sexual Predator, Implied Sexual Assault
Violence and Death: Death, Death of a Loved One, Animal Death, Graphic Deaths, Mass Death, Murder, Extreme Violence, Gore, Torture, Mutilation, Self-Mutilation, Mutilation of Corpses, Cutting of Limbs, Forced Blood Draining, Escalating Violence, Described Blood, Graphic Violence
Other: Drugging Someone Against Their Will, Kidnapping, Cannibalism (Zombie)
February 22, 2024
Lot of evil parallel universes, ghosts with tragic backstories, and zombies in this collection. Oddly, I felt the best of the bunch were all packed nearer the end.
Gehenna - Never go full recluse. You might get sucked into an evil parallel dimension... Conceptually, this and 'An Inheritance' felt a bit too similar in retrospect (but I thought 'An Inheritance' was better).
A Fate Worse Than Death - Reminded me of a 'Short Stay in Hell,' although an even more impossible task. I, too, think the Infinite Monkey Theorem is a silly thought experiment.
Good Strawberries - Engh, not for me, felt a bit too cutesy.
Last Man On Mars - Man learning about a zombie outbreak from Mars. This one kinda felt like it was missing something, didn't fully explore the implications and was over as soon as it began.
The Invitation - Evenson-lite. I don't really remember it too well.
Good Luck - Evil doppelganger in a parallel universe. Potentially cool concept that would probably work better as a movie (like 'The One,' but horror). The problem is the ending is a given (as it's when things get interesting), but this is a short story so it just... ends.
An Inheritance - Guy inherits father's old haunted house. Pretty fleshed out. Seems like a missed opportunity not to have had 3rd favourite in the collection.
Little Boy - Single mom. Kid with not so imaginary friend.
The Importance of Being Eaten - Fav story in this collection, and one of the better zombie stories I've read. I love a good spin on a well-worn concept. Had the most unique and intriguing narrator of the bunch. I could see this working as something longer, too.
The Backwards Walking Man - Decent, but faceless men in suits stalking the forest are just a little overdone since Slenderman.
Joe's Attic - 2nd fav. Title says it all - ghosts want into Joe's attic, what more is there to say. Not scary, but nice and sweet.
Gehenna - Never go full recluse. You might get sucked into an evil parallel dimension... Conceptually, this and 'An Inheritance' felt a bit too similar in retrospect (but I thought 'An Inheritance' was better).
A Fate Worse Than Death - Reminded me of a 'Short Stay in Hell,' although an even more impossible task. I, too, think the Infinite Monkey Theorem is a silly thought experiment.
Good Strawberries - Engh, not for me, felt a bit too cutesy.
Last Man On Mars - Man learning about a zombie outbreak from Mars. This one kinda felt like it was missing something, didn't fully explore the implications and was over as soon as it began.
The Invitation - Evenson-lite. I don't really remember it too well.
Good Luck - Evil doppelganger in a parallel universe. Potentially cool concept that would probably work better as a movie (like 'The One,' but horror). The problem is the ending is a given (as it's when things get interesting), but this is a short story so it just... ends.
An Inheritance - Guy inherits father's old haunted house. Pretty fleshed out. Seems like a missed opportunity not to have had 3rd favourite in the collection.
Little Boy - Single mom. Kid with not so imaginary friend.
The Importance of Being Eaten - Fav story in this collection, and one of the better zombie stories I've read. I love a good spin on a well-worn concept. Had the most unique and intriguing narrator of the bunch. I could see this working as something longer, too.
The Backwards Walking Man - Decent, but faceless men in suits stalking the forest are just a little overdone since Slenderman.
Joe's Attic - 2nd fav. Title says it all - ghosts want into Joe's attic, what more is there to say. Not scary, but nice and sweet.
November 24, 2022
Well, LP Hernandez is a new, instant favorite of mine.
The stories in Dreadful incorporate cosmic, domestic, gothic, and even zombie horror in new ways, effective ways, and yes, dreadful ways. The Inheritance in particular is just glorious - a story of family, inheriting as a form of haunting, all with a fresh spin on what Ligotti did so well.
Some, few, writers have a quality of writing their characters in a way that just rings true, even in weird and unreal situations. Finding the moments of incongruous humor, little selfishnesses, the mundane not vanishing despite the horror of the story. King does that, and so does Hernandez. Highly recommended!
I received a free copy of this from Audiobooks Unleashed, in exchange for an honest review. I have to say, I had a much better time when I switched from the audiobook to the ebook.
The stories in Dreadful incorporate cosmic, domestic, gothic, and even zombie horror in new ways, effective ways, and yes, dreadful ways. The Inheritance in particular is just glorious - a story of family, inheriting as a form of haunting, all with a fresh spin on what Ligotti did so well.
Some, few, writers have a quality of writing their characters in a way that just rings true, even in weird and unreal situations. Finding the moments of incongruous humor, little selfishnesses, the mundane not vanishing despite the horror of the story. King does that, and so does Hernandez. Highly recommended!
I received a free copy of this from Audiobooks Unleashed, in exchange for an honest review. I have to say, I had a much better time when I switched from the audiobook to the ebook.
June 26, 2022
Absolutely wonderful! One of the best short story collections I've read lately (and I've read- and reviewed- a lot). Exceptionally good, bizarre at the beginning and getting weirder and weirder as the book progresses. A lot of thinking has gone into this. The writing is unually good for the series as a whole, it stands out, the stories being not merely creepy or scary, but deeply atmospheric, moving and sophisticated. Raw emotion sparkles throughout, with the last story especially going straight for the heart. Hernandez never forgets the human level. Whole-heartedly recommended.
May 29, 2017
It was a mmmm, let's see. Different, something that made you stop and go WTH, before returning back to A world OF... Back to THE world OF... Back to the world, worlds of WTH. If you enjoy getting lost in a book then get ready with a GPS because this one will take you from your comfy dimension to another... I think. Confused? Yes? WTH! I will read this book again, I think...
August 2, 2022
Riveting
As I write this through tears, I am so touched by the last story. The sentiment of having all you could ever desire ,coupled with the agony of the loss makes for a brilliant,well written tale.
As I write this through tears, I am so touched by the last story. The sentiment of having all you could ever desire ,coupled with the agony of the loss makes for a brilliant,well written tale.
November 1, 2022
Wow
Joe's Attic was absolutely beautiful. I'm in tears. Funny, heartwarming, sad, joyous... I can't recommend this enough. Thank you for a wonderful tale!
Joe's Attic was absolutely beautiful. I'm in tears. Funny, heartwarming, sad, joyous... I can't recommend this enough. Thank you for a wonderful tale!
January 21, 2023
A really great collection. Every story was fantastic
May 24, 2023
Very good book!
The stories were great to read with creepy surprise conclusions. 👏 Bravo to this author! Can't wait to read more...
The stories were great to read with creepy surprise conclusions. 👏 Bravo to this author! Can't wait to read more...
May 25, 2023
A wonderful collection! I loved every story, especially the last one!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews