Doom City

Greystone Bay #2

by Charles L. Grant (Editor), Nancy Holder, Nina Kiriki Hoffman

• 1 • Introduction (Doom City) • (1987) • essay by Charles L. Grant
• 7 • Shift • (1987) • novelette by Nancy Holder
• 29 • Waiting for the Hunger • shortstory by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 39 • Doc Johnson • (1987) • novelette by F. Paul Wilson
• 63 • At the Bentnail Inn • (1987) • shortstory by Robert E. Vardeman
• 81 • Occupant • (1987) • shortstory by Kim Antieau
• 93 • Prayerwings • (1987) • novelette by Thomas Sullivan
• 123 • An Overruling Passion • (1987) • novelette by Galad Elflandsson
• 147 • The Supramarket • (1987) • shortstory by Leanne Frahm
• 157 • Jendick's Swamp • (1987) • shortstory by Joseph Payne Brennan
• 177 • Fogwell • (1987) • shortstory by Steve Rasnic Tem
• 189 • Dead Possums • (1987) • shortstory by Kathryn Ptacek
• 207 • The Grandpa Urn • (1987) • shortstory by Bob Versandi
• 217 • Confession of Innocence • (1987) • shortstory by Melissa Mia Hall
• 235 • Doom City • (1987) • shortstory by Robert R. McCammon
• 251 • The Play's the Thing • (1987) • novelette by Bob Booth
• 273 • She Closed Her Eyes • (1987) • novelette by Craig Shaw Gardner

Genres: Horror, Anthologies

307 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1987

About the author

Charles Lewis Grant was a novelist and short story writer specializing in what he called "dark fantasy" and "quiet horror." He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Geoffrey Marsh, Lionel Fenn, Simon Lake, Felicia Andrews, and Deborah Lewis.

Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons, a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", and another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," the latter telling of an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.

Reviews

[Gilda Felt · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual in an anthology, there were good stories, not so good stories, and a few gems. Some that stood out:

Doc Johnson by F. Paul Wilson. This favorite author doesn’t disappoint with this story about a very unique doctor who has a special way with patients.

Occupant by Kin Antieau. The story takes a dark turn when it comes to people who don’t have, and don’t want, a connection to anyone else.

An Overruling Passion by Galad Elflandsson. A man will do anything to get his wife back. Anything.

The Grandpa Urn by Bob Versandi. Really more grotesque than horrifying. What really happened to grandpa and why you don’t want to know.

Doom City by Robert R. McCammon. I always enjoy McCammon’s writing. I’m not keen on short stories in general but McCammon is one of a handful of writers who can engage my interest, long story or short. I was quickly drawn into this one, caught up in Brad’s search. Though I suspected the ending, I liked the slight twist he put to it.

The Play’s the Thing by Bob Booth. Of course, the title sets things up, but it’s the story that chillingly delivers.

[Graham P · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 2nd installment of the Greystone Bay Chronicles quartet put out by Tor paperbacks in the 1980s. Edited by the masterful editor/writer, Charles L. Grant, this 2nd book pales and withers compared to the first, 'Greystone Bay'. This first collection painted this haunted New England seaside community with tales of historical horrors, inward landscapes of broken psyches, tales of curses seeking out the wrong-doing through a vengeful thunderstorm or a creeping fog, and shorts full of pulp-inspired grue. However this 'Doom City' reads like a first draft - the tales just don't seem to gel, and when a horror is hinted at, it seems to get lost in the same fog that cloaks the bay day in and day out. I'm not sure if Grant laid down his mode of 'quiet horror' too much, but I must admit I was bored with most of the stories.

I'm not much of a fan of vampire fiction but two of the best tales in the book dealt (or hinted at) with the bloodsuckers. Nina Kiriki Hoffman's 'Waiting for the Hunger' is an understated gem, full of lush atmosphere on the outside, yet inwardly and meticulously obscured. Galas Elfandsson's 'An Overruling Passion' pulls the reader into the desperate mind of a New Yorker coming to Greystone Bay to win back his wife from her odd family. On a similar note, Kathryn Ptacek's 'Dead Possums' is a sad tale of a father trying to win back his wife and daughter from a left-wing cult. And Thomas Sullivan's 'Prayer Wings' has some sinister images that expose the unlikeliest of winged insects as the antagonists.

Despite my feelings towards 'Doom City', I'm still looking forward to reading the next one, 'The Seaharp Hotel'. My faith in Charles L. Grant has not been tarnished.

[Marsi W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second installment of the Chronicles of Greystone Bay. I really liked it, and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

[Fernand Da Fresh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed collection of short stories, the only one I really recall much of is the one from the title of the book.