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Blood Lite #2
Blood Lite II: Overbite
From the Horror Writers Association comes a brand-new collection of darkly humorous tales! The Big Questions of Life (and Death) Can a killer’s basement blood-feast be a tax write-off (under Entertainment)? Not if Vlad the IRS agent nails him first in Heather Graham’s "Death and Taxes." What does a pack of hungry she-wolves do to solve their man troubles? Ladies Night Out takes a wicked turn in "Dog Tired (of the Drama!)" by L. A. Banks. How far will an elite call girl go to beat a murder rap? Stuck with a dead client in a luxury L.A. hotel room, she might strike a costly bargain with a woman of unearthly powers in Allison Brennan’s "Her Lucky Day." Who actually writes those tabloid stories about Bigfoot? Meet a journalist of the unexplained (she’s 50 percent demon) and her boyfriend (he’s 100 percent thief), as they heat up a museum exhibition that’s also a soul-snatching battleground in "Lucifer’s Daughter" by Kelley Armstrong. Plus tales from KEVIN J. ANDERSON & JANIS IAN • SAM W. ANDERSON • MIKE BARON EDWARD BRYANT • AMY STERLING CASIL • DEREK CLENDENING DON D’AMMASSA • BRIAN J. HATCHER • NINA KIRIKI HOFFMAN NANCY KIRKPATRICK • J. A. KONRATH • JOHN R. LITTLE • SHARYN MCCRUMB SCOTT NICHOLSON • MARK ONSPAUGH • AARON POLSON • DANIEL PYLE MIKE RESNICK & LEZLI ROBYN • JEFF RYAN • D. L. SNELL • LUCIEN SOULBAN ERIC JAMES STONE • JEFF STRAND • JORDAN SUMMERS JOEL A. SUTHERLAND • STEVE RASNIC TEM • CHRISTOPHER WELCH
438 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2010
25 people are currently reading
1971 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Anderson
1,028 books3,110 followersYes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
October 16, 2014
Two of the Elder Gods are sitting around talking about how they maybe shouldn't have killed ALL the humans during the Apocalypse. The one with the carapace-covered head says,
"We should have saved some for later."
The one with all the tentacles has his own theory.
"Sure, lunatics make for fantastic prophets and are great at parties but - I think one of his screams is still lodged in my teeth. No, wait," he said, picking at something among the rows of jagged thorns lining his mouth. "It's just a piece of hope."
Then they continued skipping cars across the Atlantic , bored out of their skulls...or whatever they have instead of skulls.*
Two of my favorite genres, humor and horror, combine in this collection of short fiction.
Just like in the first book, there is some great stuff here.
- What could be more frightening that a tiny car packed with clowns? How about a tiny car packed with undead clowns! Meet the big-shoed gang in Dead Clown Seance. Pray they don't try to give you any balloon animals!
- In A Wing and a Prayer, the wishes of the folklore faculty at a tiny college are suddenly granted when a Tlingit raven is appointed department head.
- A keening banshee auditions for American Idol.
- Talk about modern problems...a vampire is diagnosed with high cholesterol after draining too many fatty victims.
- And in the pants-wettingly-funny Eight-Legged Vengeance, two numbskulls attempt to bake a live tarantula into a cake...with disastrous and hilarious results.
Sign me up for volume three!
*From Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban
The one with all the tentacles has his own theory.
"Sure, lunatics make for fantastic prophets and are great at parties but - I think one of his screams is still lodged in my teeth. No, wait," he said, picking at something among the rows of jagged thorns lining his mouth. "It's just a piece of hope."
Then they continued skipping cars across the Atlantic , bored out of their skulls...or whatever they have instead of skulls.*
Two of my favorite genres, humor and horror, combine in this collection of short fiction.
Just like in the first book, there is some great stuff here.
- What could be more frightening that a tiny car packed with clowns? How about a tiny car packed with undead clowns! Meet the big-shoed gang in Dead Clown Seance. Pray they don't try to give you any balloon animals!
- In A Wing and a Prayer, the wishes of the folklore faculty at a tiny college are suddenly granted when a Tlingit raven is appointed department head.
- A keening banshee auditions for American Idol.
- Talk about modern problems...a vampire is diagnosed with high cholesterol after draining too many fatty victims.
- And in the pants-wettingly-funny Eight-Legged Vengeance, two numbskulls attempt to bake a live tarantula into a cake...with disastrous and hilarious results.
Sign me up for volume three!
*From Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban
October 21, 2010
Fun anthology! I haven't read all of the stories just yet, but the highlights so far as Kelley Armstrong's story with Hope and Karl. (my most favorite werewolf from her Otherworld series) They have an exciting evening at the museum with one of the Devil's minions... Whee!
And JA Konrath has a really short story that had a super twist at the end...
The other stories are quick "Bites" of light-hearted horror... :)
And JA Konrath has a really short story that had a super twist at the end...
The other stories are quick "Bites" of light-hearted horror... :)
June 9, 2017
One tiny little bite of this and you are ADDICTED!!! I WAS NOT prepared for how much of a little gem of a book this turned out to be, and I couldn't put it down AT ALL...!! Some short tales were kinda cute in their darkness, like "Tails", where humans naturally owned their own tails. They couldn't have them in politics or in business, where a poker face could be revealed by a naturally wagging tail. So they have them amputated as a course of action. Time to stuff that puppy and put it over the fireplace, much to my 'hubby's chagrin'...! "Table For Two, has a man taking out Bernice, his drippy basic slug like monster, for a date at an Italian restaurant. Drip-py...!! HIL-arious!! Or a basic legal fight has sprouted this year at a yearly horror convention, between True Monsters and Real Monsters for the rights to have the holiday Halloween in "The Halloween War". "Barewolf"; so, what is an Alpha wolf to do when he has a full head of human hair up top but all the vixens are laughing their asses off behind him??! More hilarity!! And the whole book is like this!!! I have ordered the other two from the library~~~Gotta have more of this, there are 31 stories in this book from lots of YA and paranormal writers that we are familiar with. A definite gotta read!!!
January 25, 2019
Lucifer’s Daughter – Meh this wasn’t my favorite, it was ok and Hope has to get something but when they go off course something went wrong and chaos happens. But the sweet engagement was worth it.
October 16, 2010
Read only Kelley Armstrong's short story Lucifer's Daughter, the rest of the authors I've never even heard of.
Hope Adams and her werewolf squeeze Karl Marsten are attending a museum exhibition where Karl inadvertently releases a demon. Mayhem ensues.
The story is about 25 pages, short, cute, funny and with a sweet ending. Hope, naturally, faints a lot.
Hope Adams and her werewolf squeeze Karl Marsten are attending a museum exhibition where Karl inadvertently releases a demon. Mayhem ensues.
The story is about 25 pages, short, cute, funny and with a sweet ending. Hope, naturally, faints a lot.
October 8, 2017
Dark Carbuncle by Kevin J. Anderson and Jains Ian didn't really appeal to me.
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham was funny, and I liked it. It seemed to get a little overcomplicated toward the end, though.
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan was pretty disturbing.
Treatment by J.A. Konrath was nice.
Dead Clown Seance by Christopher Welch was not my kind of thing.
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin' Helpin' of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson was interesting. Overall, I pretty well liked it.
Piecemaker by Don D'Ammassa was interesting and a little disturbing.
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban was funny in the way I don't like; people being idiots.
Tails by John R. Little was interesting and kind of horrifying.
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L.A. Banks was good.
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspaugh was not what I expected.
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers was good; I liked it.
Presumptions Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron didn't really appeal to me.
Bad German by Edward Bryant was pretty amusing.
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher was pretty amusing, until the end. Surprise endings with a date work very poorly when it's been five years since then.
Oh, The Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland had both good parts and bad parts; kind of a mixed bag.
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish was odd. Dick and Larry by D.L. Snell was also very odd, and I don't think I liked it.
Son of...a Bitch! by Sam W. Anderson was disturbing, but kind of in a good way.
Her Lucky Day by Alison Brennan I didn't like very much.
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb was very good; I liked it a lot.
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle wasn't my kind of thing.
American Banshee by Eric James Stone I liked a lot; it was very good.
The Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil was ok?
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick was also ok. There were parts of it I liked, but it didn't appeal over all.
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman I loved. I tend to love her stuff, and it was awesome.
Season Tickets by Derek Clendening wasn't interesting to me. I mostly skipped it.
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn was fun, I liked it.
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem was ok.
Eight-Legged Vengeance by Jeff Strand started interesting, but it's another 'people being idiots' humor piece, and I don't tend to like those as much.
Lucifer's Daughter by Kelley Armstrong was nice.
Overall, a pretty mixed bag. I liked it overall.
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham was funny, and I liked it. It seemed to get a little overcomplicated toward the end, though.
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan was pretty disturbing.
Treatment by J.A. Konrath was nice.
Dead Clown Seance by Christopher Welch was not my kind of thing.
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin' Helpin' of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson was interesting. Overall, I pretty well liked it.
Piecemaker by Don D'Ammassa was interesting and a little disturbing.
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban was funny in the way I don't like; people being idiots.
Tails by John R. Little was interesting and kind of horrifying.
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L.A. Banks was good.
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspaugh was not what I expected.
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers was good; I liked it.
Presumptions Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron didn't really appeal to me.
Bad German by Edward Bryant was pretty amusing.
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher was pretty amusing, until the end. Surprise endings with a date work very poorly when it's been five years since then.
Oh, The Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland had both good parts and bad parts; kind of a mixed bag.
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish was odd. Dick and Larry by D.L. Snell was also very odd, and I don't think I liked it.
Son of...a Bitch! by Sam W. Anderson was disturbing, but kind of in a good way.
Her Lucky Day by Alison Brennan I didn't like very much.
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb was very good; I liked it a lot.
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle wasn't my kind of thing.
American Banshee by Eric James Stone I liked a lot; it was very good.
The Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil was ok?
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick was also ok. There were parts of it I liked, but it didn't appeal over all.
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman I loved. I tend to love her stuff, and it was awesome.
Season Tickets by Derek Clendening wasn't interesting to me. I mostly skipped it.
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn was fun, I liked it.
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem was ok.
Eight-Legged Vengeance by Jeff Strand started interesting, but it's another 'people being idiots' humor piece, and I don't tend to like those as much.
Lucifer's Daughter by Kelley Armstrong was nice.
Overall, a pretty mixed bag. I liked it overall.
April 21, 2022
Lucifer's Daughter - 4 stars
In which Karl's sticky fingers unleash the soul of a demon to wreck havoc on unsuspecting museum guests. *snickers*
If you love Hope and Karl like I love Hope and Karl, this is definitely not one to miss.
In which Karl's sticky fingers unleash the soul of a demon to wreck havoc on unsuspecting museum guests. *snickers*
If you love Hope and Karl like I love Hope and Karl, this is definitely not one to miss.
November 20, 2010
Okay, I just bought it for the Hope & Karl story by Kelley Armstrong. Which means I paid $10.89 for that short story.
I don't regret it, either. Enough said.
I don't regret it, either. Enough said.
August 10, 2014
A good collection of short stories, worth a read.
February 23, 2025
Dark Carbuncle by Kevin J. Anderson and Janis Ian 7/10
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham 3/10
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan 9/10
Treatment by J. A. Konrath 6/10
Dead Clown Se´ance by Christopher Welch 7/10
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin' Helpin' of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson 6/10
Piecemaker by Don D'Ammassa 9/10
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban 8/10
Tails by John R. Little 7/10
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L. A. Banks 3/10
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspaugh 7/10
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers 9/10
Presumptuous Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron 3/10
Bad German by Edward Bryant 5/10
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher 3/10
Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland 6/10
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish by Aaron Polson 3/10
Dick and Larry by D. L. Snell 4/10
Son of . . . a Bitch! by Sam W. Anderson 7/10
Her Lucky Day by Allison Brennan 8/10
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb 9/10
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle 2/10
American Banshee by Eric James Stone 6/10
The Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil 4/10
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick 9/10
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman 9/10
Season Ticket by Derek Clendening 3/10
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn 2/10
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem 6/10
Eight-Legged Vengeance by Jeff Strand 8/10
Lucifer's Daughter by Kelley Armstrong 7/10
Rating: 2.99/5
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham 3/10
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan 9/10
Treatment by J. A. Konrath 6/10
Dead Clown Se´ance by Christopher Welch 7/10
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin' Helpin' of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson 6/10
Piecemaker by Don D'Ammassa 9/10
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban 8/10
Tails by John R. Little 7/10
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L. A. Banks 3/10
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspaugh 7/10
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers 9/10
Presumptuous Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron 3/10
Bad German by Edward Bryant 5/10
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher 3/10
Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland 6/10
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish by Aaron Polson 3/10
Dick and Larry by D. L. Snell 4/10
Son of . . . a Bitch! by Sam W. Anderson 7/10
Her Lucky Day by Allison Brennan 8/10
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb 9/10
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle 2/10
American Banshee by Eric James Stone 6/10
The Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil 4/10
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick 9/10
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman 9/10
Season Ticket by Derek Clendening 3/10
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn 2/10
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem 6/10
Eight-Legged Vengeance by Jeff Strand 8/10
Lucifer's Daughter by Kelley Armstrong 7/10
Rating: 2.99/5
September 25, 2021
This is a rare collection of short stories where the writing are readable. The authors did have interesting stories to tell and did not resort to weird language and invented terms to spice them. None of those highbrow arty but barely comprehensive self indulgent "creative" writing.
Another huge plus point is the humour. The stories are funny and highly entertaining.
Highly recommended if you want something for reading leisure.
Another huge plus point is the humour. The stories are funny and highly entertaining.
Highly recommended if you want something for reading leisure.
July 24, 2022
Overview: Horror is usually assumed to be intended to scare you. So, it has a reputation for being a rather serious genre. These stories tend to disagree. How did they do on being light-hearted horror stories?
Dislikes: Oh the Ho-Ho-Horror is not a story for me. Horror and Christmas should never meet.
Likes: Death and Taxes, as well as Treatment were just fun.
Conclusion: I really enjoyed this collection. Have fun with this one for the spooky season.
Dislikes: Oh the Ho-Ho-Horror is not a story for me. Horror and Christmas should never meet.
Likes: Death and Taxes, as well as Treatment were just fun.
Conclusion: I really enjoyed this collection. Have fun with this one for the spooky season.
October 29, 2018
I actually would give this book 3 ½ stars. It was much more uneven than the first book in this series. On the bright side, the good stories we excellent but the rest were either “blah” or disappointing. Still worth the read though.
September 6, 2020
The only story I liked the best was Kelly Armstrongs, the second one the werewolf one that ended up as a hairdresser. the rest IMHO were just a waste of time and one of the reasons it took so long to get through this book
February 21, 2021
Although I did not finish all of the stories in this book, I do appreciate the author's efforts. There were just not enough really interesting stories to hold my attention especially since MY TO READ is a million miles long!!
June 19, 2021
Fun read, especially with it being short stories, you can set the book down and come back later, and not have to reread a quarter of the book.
There was some selected stories that I would reread more than others, but it was still good throughout. Some of the stories actually cracked me up.
There was some selected stories that I would reread more than others, but it was still good throughout. Some of the stories actually cracked me up.
March 25, 2019
Loved Death and Taxes :D
October 2, 2019
3.5 stars. I know they are short stories. I felt like the story just started to get going and then the story would be over with.
December 7, 2019
With any anthology there some I like and some don't. More I didn't care for
dnf
January 10, 2022Dnf at 30%
The short stories were not very good and not very funny. I read the first 9 short stories before putting down the book unfortunately.
I really wanted to like this collection.
The short stories were not very good and not very funny. I read the first 9 short stories before putting down the book unfortunately.
I really wanted to like this collection.
March 19, 2022
Only read Kelley Armstrong
July 2, 2022
I only read Lucifer's Daughter by Kelley Armstrong.
July 29, 2022
All the stories were fun to read.
November 27, 2022
there were 2 stories that I really didn't like.
December 10, 2023
I only read the Kelley Armstrong story. I love Hope and Karl is okay too. It is a short story, only 30 something pages. Very cute story. I really enjoyed this story.
October 26, 2024
Most of the stories didn't hit for me, but I'm not particularly fond of horror. A Wing and Prayer was a real gem, though.
November 24, 2025
Juvenile slop. Interesting ideas with either lackluster writing or abrupt, unsatisfying endings.
January 21, 2012
Blood Lite II: Overbite Edited by Kevin J Anderson
Reviewing anthologies is a tricky thing. Reviewing one that consists solely of writers from the HWA…well, it’s not a problem unless you’re a fledgling member wondering how unlikely it is that you come away without alienating somebody. Regular readers of my reviews have come to expect an honest appraisal of the tomes I peruse and wax expositorily about. In plain speak: I don’t pull punches regardless if you are a friend or contributor to my own label. And I don’t hold back praise just because I don’t like you.
Front to back, Blood Lite II: Overbite, edited by Kevin J Anderson has something for everybody. There are names you will be familiar with and others that you will be glad you were introduced to in thei cornucopia of darkly humorous tales. Personally, I’d buy this book just because of the cover.
Dark Carbuncle by the editor, Kevin J Anderson and Janis Ian, while not a pure zombie story, is a chuckle-worthy tale that will make you feel sorry for your favorite rockstar/band.
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham (Not Rollergirl from Boogie Nights…stupid me, I checked.) was fun in an icky way.
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan was one of my top five favorites and not recommended reading if you’re sipping a bowl of soup while thinking that it would be a good idea to get in some light reading during your lunch break.
Treatment by J.A. Konrath was my introduction to a writer I’ve read about, but never actually read. The highest compliment I can ever pay is that this makes me want to read more of his stuff. (And there’s lots!)
Dead Clown Séance by Christopher Welch. Undead Clowns. What else is there to say?
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin’ Helpin’ of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson certainly wins longest title. Also, it was enjoyably snarky.
Piecemaker by Don D’Ammassa Smart. Clever. And you could hear the orchestra go” “Duh-duh-duh-DUHH” at the end.
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban screamed with Monty Python humor and was my personal favorite.
Tails by John R. Little actually made me more sad than happy.
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L.A. Banks was a good story…not my fave…but certainly worthy.
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspauch would have to be a close second if I was asked to chose a favorite.
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers is so much fun, I read it twice.
Presumptuous Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron had me humming Ted Nugent songs which has nothing to do with the story.
Bad German by Edward Bryant was delightfully yucky.
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher was a purely modern tale that had a clever end.
Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland was another story that bordered more on sad but finished with a Hallmark card ending.
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish by Aaron Polson. I liked the story, but I think it was more dark, less humor.
Dick and Larry by D. L. Snell had me scratching my bald head until the end.
Son of…a Bitch! By Sam W. Anderson was fun, funny, and most deserving to be converted into an IFC short film.
Her Lucky Day by Allison Brennan was another one of the offerings heavy on hark but light on humor. Good…just not so much in the way of smile inducing.
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb reminded me of Tales From the Crypt…and I loved Tales From the Crypt.
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle. This is worth a snicker…especially for the guys.
American Banshee by Eric James Stone. Again, good with the dark but I missed the humor…or didn’t get it.
Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil. Another Tales From the Crypt comment.
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick would make an ideal double-feature with the previous tale.
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman. Okay, I won’t say Tales From the Crypt here. How about Creepshow?
Season Tickets by Derek Clendening. All you non-sports types won’t get it, but I totally love the ending.
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn had a charm to it that I couldn’t resist.
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem was not one of my favorites, but it is still worth a read through.
Eight-Legged Vengence by Jeff Strand. This comedy of errors was an awesome set-up for the finale. I kept thinking of Trevor and Timmy doing this on a Whitest Kids We Know sketch.
Lucifer’s Daughter by Kelly Armstrong was the horror equivalent of a Romantic comedy. Cue Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (the version from ten or fifteen years ago please.)
While uneven in what some might consider dark humor, all of the stories possess an obvious quality that makes this a good read from start to finish. If this is indicative of what this franchise has to offer, then it should be a regular addition to your library.
Reviewing anthologies is a tricky thing. Reviewing one that consists solely of writers from the HWA…well, it’s not a problem unless you’re a fledgling member wondering how unlikely it is that you come away without alienating somebody. Regular readers of my reviews have come to expect an honest appraisal of the tomes I peruse and wax expositorily about. In plain speak: I don’t pull punches regardless if you are a friend or contributor to my own label. And I don’t hold back praise just because I don’t like you.
Front to back, Blood Lite II: Overbite, edited by Kevin J Anderson has something for everybody. There are names you will be familiar with and others that you will be glad you were introduced to in thei cornucopia of darkly humorous tales. Personally, I’d buy this book just because of the cover.
Dark Carbuncle by the editor, Kevin J Anderson and Janis Ian, while not a pure zombie story, is a chuckle-worthy tale that will make you feel sorry for your favorite rockstar/band.
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham (Not Rollergirl from Boogie Nights…stupid me, I checked.) was fun in an icky way.
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan was one of my top five favorites and not recommended reading if you’re sipping a bowl of soup while thinking that it would be a good idea to get in some light reading during your lunch break.
Treatment by J.A. Konrath was my introduction to a writer I’ve read about, but never actually read. The highest compliment I can ever pay is that this makes me want to read more of his stuff. (And there’s lots!)
Dead Clown Séance by Christopher Welch. Undead Clowns. What else is there to say?
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin’ Helpin’ of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson certainly wins longest title. Also, it was enjoyably snarky.
Piecemaker by Don D’Ammassa Smart. Clever. And you could hear the orchestra go” “Duh-duh-duh-DUHH” at the end.
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban screamed with Monty Python humor and was my personal favorite.
Tails by John R. Little actually made me more sad than happy.
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L.A. Banks was a good story…not my fave…but certainly worthy.
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspauch would have to be a close second if I was asked to chose a favorite.
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers is so much fun, I read it twice.
Presumptuous Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron had me humming Ted Nugent songs which has nothing to do with the story.
Bad German by Edward Bryant was delightfully yucky.
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher was a purely modern tale that had a clever end.
Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland was another story that bordered more on sad but finished with a Hallmark card ending.
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish by Aaron Polson. I liked the story, but I think it was more dark, less humor.
Dick and Larry by D. L. Snell had me scratching my bald head until the end.
Son of…a Bitch! By Sam W. Anderson was fun, funny, and most deserving to be converted into an IFC short film.
Her Lucky Day by Allison Brennan was another one of the offerings heavy on hark but light on humor. Good…just not so much in the way of smile inducing.
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb reminded me of Tales From the Crypt…and I loved Tales From the Crypt.
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle. This is worth a snicker…especially for the guys.
American Banshee by Eric James Stone. Again, good with the dark but I missed the humor…or didn’t get it.
Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil. Another Tales From the Crypt comment.
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick would make an ideal double-feature with the previous tale.
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman. Okay, I won’t say Tales From the Crypt here. How about Creepshow?
Season Tickets by Derek Clendening. All you non-sports types won’t get it, but I totally love the ending.
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn had a charm to it that I couldn’t resist.
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem was not one of my favorites, but it is still worth a read through.
Eight-Legged Vengence by Jeff Strand. This comedy of errors was an awesome set-up for the finale. I kept thinking of Trevor and Timmy doing this on a Whitest Kids We Know sketch.
Lucifer’s Daughter by Kelly Armstrong was the horror equivalent of a Romantic comedy. Cue Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (the version from ten or fifteen years ago please.)
While uneven in what some might consider dark humor, all of the stories possess an obvious quality that makes this a good read from start to finish. If this is indicative of what this franchise has to offer, then it should be a regular addition to your library.
January 8, 2024
Some good. Some bad. A few highly interesting. A few downright terrible.
The usual to expect from most short story collections.
The usual to expect from most short story collections.
July 6, 2014
I would give 5 stars to some stories and 4 to others and 3.5 to some.
Not all stories managed to get me engrossed in their worlds while reading, but they were fun and interesting. While this would usually be something I read without putting it down, I think I am now turning toward stories which are more about the plot and the characters than about the way they are written. I just don't seem to care that much anymore about how they are written. Also, I seem to prefer other genres these days.
Why I like it:
1. I laughed a lot. The humor is mostly dark, but not always. It is always good to read something that makes me laugh because it elevates my mood. I was giddy the entire time reading it.
2. There are a lot of different stories to choose from. Anyone can find something entertaining in this book.
3. It is an easy read.
3. There are supernatural beings and I love them
there are werewolves, vampires, demons. oh I just love this mix.
This is how I would rate each story:
Dark Carbuncle - 5 stars
Death and Taxes - 5
Table for two - 4
Treatment - 4
Dead Clown Seance - 4
The Day the Devil Swallowed a ... -4
Piecemaker - 5
Good Breeding - 4
Tails - 3.5
Dog Tried of the Drama - 4
A Sweet Girl for Todd - 4
Tastes Like chicken - 3.5
Presumptuous Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast - 4
Bad German - 4
The Halloween War - 3.5
Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror - 4
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish - 3
Dick and Larry - 3
Son of...a Bitch - 3
Her Lucky Day - 3.5
A Wing and a Prayer - 3.5
Barewolf - 4
American Banshee - 3.5
The Epicurean - 4
The Ghoul Next Door - 3.5
Daycare of the Damned - 4
Season Tickets - 4
The Close Shave - 4
Shaggy Dog Story - 3
Eight-legged Vengeance - 4
Lucifer's Daughter - 5
Not all stories managed to get me engrossed in their worlds while reading, but they were fun and interesting. While this would usually be something I read without putting it down, I think I am now turning toward stories which are more about the plot and the characters than about the way they are written. I just don't seem to care that much anymore about how they are written. Also, I seem to prefer other genres these days.
Why I like it:
1. I laughed a lot. The humor is mostly dark, but not always. It is always good to read something that makes me laugh because it elevates my mood. I was giddy the entire time reading it.
2. There are a lot of different stories to choose from. Anyone can find something entertaining in this book.
3. It is an easy read.
3. There are supernatural beings and I love them
there are werewolves, vampires, demons. oh I just love this mix.This is how I would rate each story:
Dark Carbuncle - 5 stars
Death and Taxes - 5
Table for two - 4
Treatment - 4
Dead Clown Seance - 4
The Day the Devil Swallowed a ... -4
Piecemaker - 5
Good Breeding - 4
Tails - 3.5
Dog Tried of the Drama - 4
A Sweet Girl for Todd - 4
Tastes Like chicken - 3.5
Presumptuous Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast - 4
Bad German - 4
The Halloween War - 3.5
Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror - 4
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish - 3
Dick and Larry - 3
Son of...a Bitch - 3
Her Lucky Day - 3.5
A Wing and a Prayer - 3.5
Barewolf - 4
American Banshee - 3.5
The Epicurean - 4
The Ghoul Next Door - 3.5
Daycare of the Damned - 4
Season Tickets - 4
The Close Shave - 4
Shaggy Dog Story - 3
Eight-legged Vengeance - 4
Lucifer's Daughter - 5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews