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tiff_bb's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
kirstycarson1's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
drakaina16's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Thank you to the editor for providing a review copy.
This is a very solid slasher anthology. A lot of them were pretty formulaic, most of them are well-written, and a few really surprised me with creative settings and deaths.
Camp Hell and the Hot Tub Hotties by Patrick C. Harrison III ⭐⭐.5
This is a very solid slasher anthology. A lot of them were pretty formulaic, most of them are well-written, and a few really surprised me with creative settings and deaths.
Camp Hell and the Hot Tub Hotties by Patrick C. Harrison III ⭐⭐.5
Bad Party by Brian McNatt ⭐⭐⭐
Tall, Dark, and Rancid by Gerri R. Gray ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Backwoods Decapitator by John Adam Gosham ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Handyman by Nicholas Stella ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Children of Dagon by Carlton Herzog ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Faith by Derek Austin Johnson ⭐⭐⭐
The Deathless by Vincent Wolfram ⭐⭐⭐.5
A Love To Die For by J.D. Kellner ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Work Retreat by D.W. Hitz ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
thebookishabyss's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
If you are a lover of 80s slasher films, you need to check out this book. Here is an anthology with amazing stories by several different authors. The stories incorporate all the favorite characteristics of the 80s slasher trope. There’s big hair, big boobs, tight clothes, erections, sexual tension, and poor decision-making by many of the characters. These stories range from the traditional camper-in-the-woods storyline to a haunted house Halloween party to serial killer mayhem. There’s a lot of blood, gore, and body parts strewn throughout the book. The best part is this is only Volume One! There’s more slasher stories to come.
As a kid growing up in the 80s, this book hit so many nostalgic moments from stores I’d forgotten about to shows I used to watch, but music has always been important to me, so I really took note every time a musical artist was mentioned. I laughed so hard at the very first sentence of the book because the reader gets Rick-rolled (if you don’t know what that is, look it up on Google), but I loved all the bands mentioned throughout. Besides Rick Astley, characters are listening to Poison, Mike & The Mechanics, Madonna, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, the B-52s, Dire Straits, Bryan Adams, Van Halen, and more. I would find myself humming songs or reminiscing about past events that songs reminded me about. My dad died 12 years ago and amidst the blood and gore, I found myself smiling fondly at the memory of my dad singing “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits. He loved that song.
Some stories take place in the past while others are present day. A couple have a “Monster of the Week” feel, but all are very well-written, follow the campy requirements of 80s slasher glory, and have conclusions that satisfy. Not only are the stories great, but the editing is superb. This is a must read, and did you see the cover art? Perfection!
As a kid growing up in the 80s, this book hit so many nostalgic moments from stores I’d forgotten about to shows I used to watch, but music has always been important to me, so I really took note every time a musical artist was mentioned. I laughed so hard at the very first sentence of the book because the reader gets Rick-rolled (if you don’t know what that is, look it up on Google), but I loved all the bands mentioned throughout. Besides Rick Astley, characters are listening to Poison, Mike & The Mechanics, Madonna, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, the B-52s, Dire Straits, Bryan Adams, Van Halen, and more. I would find myself humming songs or reminiscing about past events that songs reminded me about. My dad died 12 years ago and amidst the blood and gore, I found myself smiling fondly at the memory of my dad singing “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits. He loved that song.
Some stories take place in the past while others are present day. A couple have a “Monster of the Week” feel, but all are very well-written, follow the campy requirements of 80s slasher glory, and have conclusions that satisfy. Not only are the stories great, but the editing is superb. This is a must read, and did you see the cover art? Perfection!
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