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Book Review: Who’s There? A Collection of Stories by Dimas Rio

Who’s There? A Collection of Stories by Dimas Rio ( Bookshop.org | Amazon.com )

Self-published, 2019

ISBN-13: 978-1676174103

ASIN: B082T3MW2W

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

 

Who’s There? is a collection of stories by Indonesian author Dimas Rio. It is an interesting read. I was curious how an Indonesian author’s work in horror would translate across cultures, and I was not disappointed. Who’s There? opens with the title work. A groom is waiting for his fiancé with their friends at the hotel bar for one last party before the wedding.  The hour grows late and still no bride-to-be.  Where could she be?

In the second story, At Dusk, a high school student is sent to interview a famous mystery novelist for the school paper.  The elderly writer is eager to tell his story.  But will the ending be more than the student can handle?

Third up is The Wandering.  A night watchman struggles to provide for his pregnant girlfriend.  He steals from the office he is trusted to guard and lies to cover it up.  This is not the only theft in his past.

Fourth is The Voice Canal, A homesick graduate student is struggling to finish his dissertation.  His father tells him to stay and finish, it’s only a few more months.  They’ll spend plenty of time together.

The fifth and final entry is The Forest Protector.  A mother is taking her son to visit his grandparents.  At the start of the trip, she feels impure.  She must cleanse herself.  How can she raise her son and protect him from the cruelties of the world if she can’t look after herself?

Throughout the work there was a good use of tone and pacing to build suspense and draw the reader in.  The flow of each story went well.  The descriptions were enough to envision what was going on without overwhelming me.  It felt right.  The characters were believable and helped ground the stories in the culture.   The author used Indonesian terms throughout, and the ebook edition includes links for each word to definitions at the back. Fun stuff!  Even though a couple of the stories started out a little rough (The Wandering in particular), they recovered and drew me in to a strong conclusion.  There were some minor grammar issues, but I will chalk that up to issues with translation (the book was originally published in Indonesian).  None of them were so glaring that I couldn’t sort out what was happening.  All in all, this was a worthwhile read.  Recommended.

 

Reviewed by Aaron Fletcher

Posted on August 21, 2020 by , Reply

Book Review: Out of Water by Sarah Read

Out of Water by Sarah Read

Trepidatio Press, 2019

ISBN-13: 978-1950305056

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

There are a handful of authors who have emerged in the past year or two that have made a splash in the world of horror. Thankfully, many of them have been recognized either by review sites such as this one or through awards. I was handed The Bone Weaver’s Orchard last year and was impressed with the writing. Sarah Read immediately established herself in the top tier of new writers that would soon make waves in publishing. That novel overflowed with style and character that lent a “classic” tone to the story that felt both natural and fresh.

When Out of Water arrived from the always quality Trepidatio Press, I waited until I had time to enjoy these stories. That old cliche rang true once again: good things do come to those who have to wait for ideal times for great stories in the middle of chaotic lives!

Instead of hitting on every story here, I’ll focus on a few that resonated with me long afterwards or jarred me with an emotion right away. There were plenty.

“Endoskeletal” is a perfect representation of the modern horror story. Archaeology in the genre is always a treat. What begins as something that seems typical goes sideways pretty quickly, with a character who sticks with the reader in a memorable, claustrophobic tale.

“Making Monsters” grips the reader by the throat. Read examines the inner workings of its disturbing lead character, while making the story enteraining just as much as it is bleak.

“In Tongues”- just read it. Weird religious tales written well have a tendency to burrow under the skin, and the author nails it here.

Finally, “Underwater Thing” feels a bit Lovecraftian, yet wholly original as well. The father-daughter dynamic is painful but full of suspense. It’s probably the highlight of the collection.

Other stories hit on different cylinders, with topics that are wide-ranging but have a common thread. There’s a sense that mood will determine which story could be a favorite for that particular day which, for me, is a strong sign of a stellar collection. The writing is  detailed, but not flowery. Read imbues each story with just enough imagery for the reader to conjure the visions to bring each to life.

It’s easy to see why this book was shortlisted for the Bram Stoker Awards. Recommended.

 

Reviewed by David Simms

 

Editor’s note: Out of Water was nominated to the final ballot of the 2019 Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection.

 

Posted on April 18, 2020 by , Reply

Book Review: Death’s Dreams by Darryl Dawson

Death’s Dreams by Darryl Dawson

Darryl Dawson Books, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-7331921-4-9

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

Death’s Dreams is the wildest, most original collection of short stories to come barreling down the pike in a long, long time.  If you’re looking for stories that are seriously OUT THERE, with a decent touch of blood splashed around the pages, this book is the place to be.  Why this wasn’t nominated for a Stoker award is beyond me, as it is certainly good enough to justify a nomination.

The collection is loosely held together by the idea that ol’ Death, the Grim Reaper himself, is losing it.  All the horrors he’s seen over the years while riding his figurative pale horse have started to get to him, so he finds a shrink to talk to and unload all his stories on.  Those stories make up the basis of this collection.  Make no mistake, what he’s seen in these stories would be enough to put any rational person in a padded room.   “New Identity” is a hellish look at what happens when one bad person makes a mistake and winds up the prisoner of a person who is a lot worse.  It’s a common plot device, but this story is truly terrifying.  “Night Train” may be the most original one, as it contains an actual phantom (or not?) train running in the storm drains beneath the city, that promises possible escape to those who need it.  Simply open the door to one of the train cars, and step into another dimension.  “There Really Are No Accidents” is a viciously ironic story concerning one woman’s attempt to take a brutal revenge on her scummer of a husband, and what befalls her.  This one also showcases author Dawson’s twisted sense of humor. The end of the story might well make you laugh, despite its nastiness.  Written with only dialogue, “The Claim” concerns a camera that causes the death of everyone it takes a picture of.  The author’s choice of format for this story makes it stand out from the others, as it can be a tough format to work with, but Dawson does it with ease.  “The Champion of Suffering” is a fantastic revenge story, as the evil killer starts the story already executed through lethal injection, and in Hell.  The protagonist has to decide if he is willing to sacrifice and condemn himself to Hell, just to go after the killer and inflict more punishment.  Is the death penalty enough?  How much is vengeance  worth to him?  This is an outstanding story that also raises some good questions about the nature of retribution.

The overall quality of all the stories is extremely high; there isn’t a bad one in the collection.  Some are better than others, but they all do a good job showcasing the author’s fertile imagination and skill.  The only drawback is the lack of dialogue between Death and the psychiatrist.  The first chapter was an excellent setup between the two of them, but that thread never really got explored to its potential, as they barely show up for the rest of the book.  If the interaction between Death and the doctor had been fleshed out more, this could have been an outstanding novel, instead of an outstanding collection of short stories.  Despite that minor quibble, Death’s Dreams is a book not to be missed.  Keep an eye out for this author in the future. Highly recommended.

 

Contains: violence, gore, profanity, sex

 

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

 

 

 

 

Posted on March 4, 2020 by , Reply
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