The First Chronicles of Greystone Bay

Greystone Bay #1

by Charles L. Grant (Editor), Robert Bloch, Reginald Bretnor (Contributor)

1 • Prologue • (1985) • essay by Charles L. Grant
8 • Croome House • (1985) • Reginald Bretnor
29 • Used Books • (1985) • Robert E. Vardeman
40 • Street Life • (1985) • Douglas E. Winter
55 • Something in a Song • (1985) • Galad Elflandsson
67 • Hiding from the Sun • (1985) • Nina Kiriki Hoffman
74 • Memory and Desire • (1985) • Alan Ryan
117 • The Red House • (1985) • Robert R. McCammon
140 • Night Catch • (1985) • Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
165 • Nocturne • (1985) • Robert Bloch
173 • A Heritage Upheld • (1985) • Joseph Payne Brennan
212 • The Only • (1985) • Al Sarrantonio
227 • The Disintegration of Alan • (1985) • Melissa Mia Hall
233 • In a Guest House • (1985) • Steve Rasnic Tem
247 • Power • (1985) • Kathryn Ptacek
272 • Chroniclers • (1985) • essay by Charles L. Grant

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies

274 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1985

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

[Adrienne L · Rating 2 out of 5]

The scariest thing about Greystone Bay is how little it seemed to inspire some normally excellent short horror story writers. This was a slog and a disappointment for me. Very few stories got over the three star mark, and none beyond that. Most were two's at best. I usually love Grant-edited horror anthologies, so the disappointment here was double.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short take:

I really enjoyed this anthology, which features a roster of writers, both new and familiar to me, that cast their stories in a single, creepy coastal town. The tone varies from story to story and the characters come from different parts of the town; the time period also shifts around. The writing is good across the board and some of the authors achieve a lovely, moody poetry. McCammon’s contribution, “Red House”, not surprisingly stands out among the latter.

I’ve been reading quite a bit of short horror and this collection resonated with me more than others have.

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent, will have to get the rest in the series. My favorite stories:

"Used Books", by Robert E Vardeman
"Memory and Desire", by Alan Ryan
"The Red House", by Robert McCammon
"Night Catch," by Chelsea Quinn Yarbo
"A Heritage Upheld," by Joseph Payne Brennen
"The Only", by Al Sarrantonio
"In the Guest House", by Steven Rasnic Tem
"Power", by Kathryn Ptacek

[Gilda Felt · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was disappointing that so many of the story either never mentioned Greystone Bay, or only in passing. I had been under the impression that the stories were intricately connected. They’re not, except for the prologue, Croome House, and Memory and Desire, though that one jumps from one story to the next with no real connection.

There were a couple of really good stories, Robert McCammon’s The Red House, and Kathryn Ptacek’s Power, but they weren’t enough to make up for the disjointedness of the anthology.

I wish there had been more stories about the history of Greystone Bay, and why things that happen there happen there. There are more books in the series, so I may get my wish. I hope so.

[Joshua Hair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an older collection but still a pretty darn good one. Greystone Bay is a town where horror is born screaming in the middle of the night, where shadows dance upon the moon, and where monsters refuse to be delegated to mere imagination. Every story is meant to occur within the confines of Greystone Bay, and for the most part you can tell the authors really made an effort to form a cohesive set of tales. Some of them could easily be set just about anywhere, but most help to build up the mythos of the town. This was the first collection in the Greystone chronicles and the only one I've read to date. That said, it won't be the last if I can help it.

[Dwight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent beginning to the Greystone Bay Chronicles. Some of the stories left me chilled and jumpy.

[Eric Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume is the introduction to one of the finest Horror cities ever created. There is a solid slate of contributors, though in later volumes the class of writers aren't as strong as this one. There is a Lucius Laffing mystery by Joseph Payne Brennan, a fantastically melancholy "Something in a Song" by Galad Elflandsson. Also stories by Robert McCammon, Robert Vardeman, Reginald Bretnor, as well as others. If you can find a copy, buy it, read it and pass it on to others.

[Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed by the largely meandering, ponderous stories that make up the first half of this anthology, but right around Robert Bloch’s contribution (of course) things started looking up. Extremely impressed by Al Sarrantonio’s homecoming nightmare “The Only,” and especially by Steve Rasnic Tem’s Aickman-ish “In a Guest House”. Looking forward to seeking out more of their work.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of short stories by various authors all set in the same town of Greystone Baby. Very good.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A entertaining collection of short fiction all centering around the fictitious town of Greystone Bay. My copy is signed by the editor and creator of Greystone Bay, Charles L. Grant.

[Marsi W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories introduces the reader to Greystone Bay, a seashore town with secrets lurking around every corner.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

A woman disappears from her grave. Old books bring their readers into new dimensions. A broken man searches desperately for his long-lost father. A man fends off something in the water below his ship. Alan is going invisible. Brian is hearing voices in a guest house.

These stories tackle some interesting concepts, as you can see. But none follow up with surprising twists and turns. And the writing wasn't good enough to make up for dull plotlines.

[Tomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very strange book…but it kept me reading.