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Book Review: Dark Screams: Volume 6 edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar

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Dark Screams: Volume 6 edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar

Hydra, 2017

ISBN: 9780399181931

Available: Kindle edition

Freeman and Chizmar have curated stories from Stephen King, Lisa Morton, Nell Quinn-Gibney, Norman Prentiss, Joyce Carol Oates, and Tim Curran for this short-story anthology. Every one of them is a fast read, each with its own unique edge.

King’s “The Old Dude’s Ticker” is a different spin on Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Richard Drogan is a Vietnam vet working for this old dude whose eye, that vulture eye, is driving him insane, man.  Drogan knows the old dude needs to die.

“The Rich are Different”, by Lisa Morton, tells the story of Sara Peck, who wrote a successful novel about the elite of society. When the family she based the story on wants to meet her, Sara discovers secrets far more twisted than her imagination could conjure. This was probably my least favorite short story out of this collection, but it was still quite good.

In Nell Quinn-Gibney’s “The Manicure”, a young woman getting her nails done professionally for the first time finds that her mind keeps wandering to the past. Her memories merge with the present, and her manicure turns out to be less relaxing than she hoped for. The tension-building in this story was incredibly effective.

In “The Comforting Voice”, by Norman Prentiss, Josh and Cheryl are expecting. Cheryl is in the process of reconciling with her abusive father, Lewis, which Josh does not support. When  Lewis arrives, he is diminished; cancer has ravaged his body and effected a change in his demeanor. When the baby comes, she adores her grandfather, and he is the only one who can calm her screaming fits. What no one thinks about is who will take on that mantle when Lewis is gone. Who will have the comforting voice, and what will they say?

I love Joyce Carol Oates’ work, and “The Situations” did not disappoint. It should be mentioned there is animal and child abuse referenced in this story. In Oates’ story, there are certain lessons children must learn, and if they do not follow the rules, they must bear the scars of their punishment. When the children question Daddy, they learn the most important rule of all.

The last story in this anthology is “The Corpse King”, by Tim Curran. Clow and Kierney are resurrection men just trying to make an honest living. When Sherily warns them not to set foot in the North Burial Grounds, what’s a body to do? I’ve always loved the setting of Victorian slums and the subject of resurrection men. This novella will be added to one of my favorites of this type of story. Curran doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to the atmosphere and substance of the Victorian gothic.

Freeman and Chizmar selected some great stories for this anthology. It has a little bit of something to please most reading preferences. I’m looking forward to the next installment of Dark Screams. Recommended.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Contains: animal abuse, child abuse, blood, brief mention of sex

 

 

Posted on June 18, 2017 by , Reply

Book Review: Expiration Date edited by Nancy Kilpatrick

Expiration Date edited by Nancy Kilpatrick

EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-77053-062-1

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

We all have an expiration date: we are born and live our lives to whatever inevitable conclusion awaits us.  Each journey is extremely personal, and the journey that one person takes is not necessarily followed by another.   This collection of  twenty-five short stories explores a myriad of personal expiration dates: they are all well-imagined and unique reads, written around the theme of death and dying. The tone varies from one to the next, although many of the stories depend on melancholy, measured pacing.

When I first read the description of Expiration Date I thought it was a very interesting concept that could go lots of different ways.  I was not disappointed.  Favorites were: “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word” by Kelley Armstrong, which sets two modern-day vampires in negotiations to resolve past disagreements so they can each get what they want– these were very interesting characters that made me wonder what happens next; “The Death of Jeremiah Colverson”by George Wilhite, which follows a soldier as he dies in several wars; and “The Greyness” by Kathryn Ptacek, a creepy story in which everyone who shakes hands with a recently widowed woman dies within days.  I have not read any of this editor’s or these authors’ works previously. Recommended for adult readers.

 

Contains: Swearing, adult situations

Reviewed by Aaron Fletcher


Posted on November 6, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: Madhouse: A Shared World Anthology, edited by Benjamin Kane Ethridge and Brad C. Hodson

Madhouse: A Shared World Anthology, edited by Benjamin Kane Ethridge and Brad C. Hodson, and illustrated by Aeron Alfrey

Dark Regions Press, 2016

ISBN: 9781626411166

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition.

 

Madhouse is a shared world anthology set in the Behavioral Health Center in Golden Canyon, Arizona. The frame story is that a supernatural sandstorm hits the facility, rendering escape futile, and an infectious wave of madness begins to spread through the facility. As the contagion spreads, and the characters attempt to discover how the madness is being passed, staff and patients, each with their own story, are driven to unleash their personally harbored madness.

Several stories kept me awake at night peering into the dark corners of my house.  “Skating the Shattered Glass Sea” focuses on Lily and Timothy, twins who have an unusual ability. After a tragic accident at the age of twelve, Lily is committed to the Gold Canyon Behavioral Health Center, while Timothy goes on to have an acting career and a normal life. When he eventually visits Lily, well into his adult life, his mind starts to fall apart. They used to build lovely palaces in the air, visible palaces. What Lily creates with her broken mind is nightmare fuel to Timothy.

In “The Yellow Bug,” James, an Iraq war veteran, reveals some ugly truths about himself to Dr. Ruiz, who is suffering similar headaches to the ones James had  before he gave in to his desire to kill and let go of his fear. James explains he had help from God, in the form of  a yellow bug. The good doctor is harboring a frightening secret that the God bug helps him release.

“Heal Thyself” centers on the unique treatment offered by Dr. Edlehart in the facility: past-life regression therapy. He has used this treatment on many of the patients, and is mentoring Dr. Alice Jalbert on the practice. The treatment of patient  Jeffrey Jackson, reveals certain truths about the good doctor.

“Bathroom” is a story that stayed with me for some time. Something about it makes me a bit nervous about going into public bathrooms now. Claire fights crippling anxiety, fear, and fascination with drains. This makes trips to the ladies’ room difficult, but her usual escort, Bruce, puts her at ease. This trip, however, is different. She hears the faucet turn on while she is indisposed, and she feels the familiar gnawing at her brain. But what is that wet, sticky sound coming from one of the other stalls? What will she see when she pushes open the door?

“Drake’s Cake” follows one of the most notorious interns in the facility. He’s extremely hostile and regularly torments the patients with physical, psychological, or sexual abuse, occasionally in combination. Somehow, the staff is oblivious to his transgressions against the patients, and no one addresses his abuses against the patients. There is nothing likable about this guy, but he gets his comeuppance in the end, when he makes a disturbing and vomit-inducing error in judgement as the madness takes hold of his mind.

A few of the other stories stuck with me as well. “Birdman” is the story of a man who was institutionalized after his penchant for turning people into birds was discovered. In “Sky is Falling,” Skylar is trying to help evacuate her ward to the first floor, and walks into an unexpected surprise. Nurse Julie helps release the demons from Trisha’s skull in “Fraud.” Agnes is the chef for the facility, and in “Appetite,” she uses special ingredients for those she deems worthy. Her own appetite is sated by the strangest of things. These are the standouts: there are additional stories in this anthology of madness, as well. The short stories can be read as standalone tales, or, read together, can form a complete novel. I can’t think of anything about this book that isn’t compelling. The editors picked a number of amazing authors for this anthology, including Mercedes Yardley, Jeff Strand, John Skipp, Meghan Arcuri, and Rena Mason.

Two illustrators have been effective in scaring the daylights out of me: Stephen Gammell, who illustrated the famed Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz, and Aeron Alfrey for this anthology. There were a few pieces that I found myself hypnotized by, including those for “Skating the Shattered Sea of Glass,” “Birdman,” and “Drake’s Cake.” Several of the chapters also have art accompanying them.

This anthology will keep you up at night. Highly recommended.

Contains: gore, cannibalism, violence, rape, abuse, psychological terror

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

 

Posted on August 4, 2016 by , Reply
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