Laertes’s Reviews > Other Voices, Other Tombs > Status Update

Michael Wehunt - 'Comfortable Gods': A dreadful, nightmarish, almost suffocating story that in some aspects reminded me of Nathan Ballingrud's dystopias. 4/5

Gemma Files - 'This Is How It Goes': An interesting take on the Doppelgänger theme, somewhere between body horror and the end of the world as we know it. 4/5

Let me add that this anthology has been a delight so far. Looking forward to reading the other stories, especially Gemma Amor's, since I love her 'Dear Laura' so much.

Mike Duran - 'Bury Me in the Garden'. Old village traditions and their bloody roots, a familiar concept, written in a very atmospheric and dense way. But it's not really mine since I prefer urban settings and more modern tropes. Thus, I won't rate the story, because it would be either unfair or dishonest.

Mercedes M. Yardley - 'Urban Moon': A brutally painful story about rape and victim-blaming, told in a lyrical, beautiful way - almost a poem in prose. 5/5

Ania Ahlborn - 'The Governess': The baby monitor that shows more than you wanna see is not a new concept - but the author delivers a fresh shot at it, in a very frightening way, while also addressing basic parental fears. There are two scenes that match the creepiness of Joe Hill's novel 'Heart-Shaped Box' and the movie 'Insidious'. 4/5

p.s.: And it even has a political/ecological message.
p.p.s.: The story remindes me of Burke's 'The Tent'.

Kealan Patrick Burke - 'The Other Hand'. A little gem, great concept. What starts as a both beautiful and sad coming of age-story soon becomes scary af. Way to start an anthology! 5/5