Reviews

Abnormal Statistics by Max Booth III

nexusrasp's review

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

pagingdrmudkip's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This was my first time reading Booth’s work and I was not disappointed. This was some of the most grounded horror I’ve ever experienced, with very little, or lightly suggested supernatural elements. Abnormal Statistics is a collection of several short stories (1 is more of a novella) that range from the horrors of isolation, addiction, and poverty, to real life child murder caused by sadistic boredom. Most of these stories made my skin crawl, and I loved it. Honestly, it was quite inspiring to know material like this is published! I can’t wait to cut my teeth on writing my own stories within this sub-genre and style. 

Out of all of the stories within, only one of them really fell behind compared to the others. Fish was fine, but it did not stand up to the other stories as well.

Definitely a top 10 book of 2023!

ashmilo's review against another edition

medium-paced

2.75

kayglo90's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

desert_rose's review

4.0

This is a collection of dark horror stories revolving around family and normal life events with horrific twists.
Knowing that each story has a background of the author's childhood or real-life events with a twist, of course, makes it even more interesting and intriguing.
The first story was a bit longer than the others making it a novella, and the beginning of it was what captivated me and pulled me into the book.

Featuring 13 stories summarized as follows:
1. Indiana Death Song - fallen teeth
2. You are my neighbor - basements
3. Blood Dust - dogs
4. Fish - being with an older woman
5. in the attic of the universe - zombie apocalypse and decisions
6. Disintegration is quite painless - being young
7. Scraps - hungry
8. Boy takes after his mother - walking in mommy's footsteps
9. Every breath is a choice - it's your choice
10. Munchausen - a girl and her mommy
11. Abduction - a baby abduction
12. Video Nasties - two bored boys
13. List of Familicides in the US - a scary list

My favorite was "Every Breath is a Choice" and my least favorite was "Disintegration is quite painless" but the most shocking and haunting was "Video Nasties" especially after I read the story notes at the end.
I did wish for some closed endings but it did keep me thinking and assuming, so I totally enjoyed the book and would recommend it highly for horror fans. I now have a new author to add to my list of favorites.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

lukes_getting_old's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

impaulbert's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

hooklings's review

5.0

I sometimes find it hard to rate story collections, but not this time. Max is a talented arbiter of the macabre. He wields dread and horror like a chef wields a knife, and he doesn't baby the reader by mitigating their effects. In Abnormal Statistics, Max opens with Indiana Death song, a strange and compelling novella. The being he reveals in this story returns in an unexpected way in another story (I won't say which) and it's very satisfying to uncover. Max Booth III has been added to my list of auto-buy authors.

5 stars, but not for a new horror reader!

spooky_taylor's review

3.0

If you want to be extremely depressed and also nauseous, this is the anthology for you!

bookishcatlady's review

5.0

Abnormal Statistics starts off with a banger of a short story called "Indiana Death Song" with a very unexpected and highly enjoyable twist that horror lovers will enjoy. This collection does not stop there and keeps on a solid page turning pace from one story to the next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.