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candacerobinsonauthor's review
5.0
This was such a fun anthology with awesome horror and more! I absolutely loved Theresa Braun’s story so much, and I’ve loved everything she’s written so far! Her story was a true page turner! Never a disappointment! Calvin Demmer has another hit on his hands and I was sucked into his story right away! This anthology had intriguing writing and full of awesomeness!
brennanlafaro's review
4.0
Volume three serves as my introduction to the unique way this series runs. How many times have you passed judgment on an author based on a story you read in an anthology? If you could see me, you might note that I’m typing with one hand because the other is raised. Selecting six authors and presenting two stories from each works nicely on a few levels. First, the obvious. If you read a story by an author that doesn’t resonate, you get to try something else to see whether it was that author’s voice, style, or just the subject matter that didn’t work for you. The second successful aspect of this series is that if there’s an author whose work you appreciate, you get a double dose.
Picking this book up, I saw three authors whose work I loved and looked forward to here, and three who were new to me. Christine Morgan was a name that I had seen through various publications from Death’s Head Press. She kicks things off with Eye See You and Sharp Obsidian. Neither one was up my alley, but they were well-written and a bit off the wall. They may just not have been for this reader.
Robert Essig swings in next with From Unclean Spells and Fuel For the Kind of Death, the latter took me to a seriously uncomfortable place. I’ll keep it spoiler-free, but the subject material the story revolves around has always made me squirm, and Essig seems to know that and thrive on it.
Mark Matthews is an author who knows exactly how to hit you right in the feels, and although Wicked Smart Carnie is entertaining, Goodwin is where he really shines. This one really hit home for me, packed with emotion and strong metaphor, as well as supremely difficult subject material. This easily stood tall as my favorite story in the collection.
Theresa Braun’s stories include Stillborn and Homecoming. Stillborn marked a unique entry, containing elements of horror certainly, but also wrapping itself up in a mystery. Homecoming, meanwhile, is completely different with a bit of gothic sensibility, but again showcases why having two stories on display here is such a winning concept.
Calvin Demmer’s story collection, Dark Celebrations, is one of my favorite collections of the year. Demmer has a way of drawing the reader in, escorting them through a condensed world and generally hitting with a sense of shock and awe. As a result, I looked forward to both stories he submitted for this. Highway Hunger is a strong one, and one of the best of the collection, but Motel Madness is stellar, presenting a unique and terrifying version of what hell could be, and I’m an absolute sucker for stuff like that.
Wrapping this book up, the inimitable Glenn Rolfe. The Guide is a short, touching vignette, a bit different than anything I’ve read by Rolfe before. The House on Mayflower Street, however, is the perfect choice to bring this collection to a close. Haunted or cursed houses plus creepy dolls, with a surprising, but characteristically Rolfe-ian brutality.
Double Barrel Horror Volume 3 did a couple things for me. It reinforced a love of some favorite short story writers, and on that note I’m so glad I got to read Goodwin by Mark Matthews. It introduced me to a new author in Theresa Braun that I’ll be on the lookout for. Last, but not least, it made me aware of the other two volumes of Double Barrel Horror, and there are some familiar names I’ll need to check out there, as well as some new authors to be discovered. Not every story here will necessarily resonate with the reader, but there’s a strong foundation and a lot to like in these pages.
I was given a digital copy by one of the authors for review consideration.
Picking this book up, I saw three authors whose work I loved and looked forward to here, and three who were new to me. Christine Morgan was a name that I had seen through various publications from Death’s Head Press. She kicks things off with Eye See You and Sharp Obsidian. Neither one was up my alley, but they were well-written and a bit off the wall. They may just not have been for this reader.
Robert Essig swings in next with From Unclean Spells and Fuel For the Kind of Death, the latter took me to a seriously uncomfortable place. I’ll keep it spoiler-free, but the subject material the story revolves around has always made me squirm, and Essig seems to know that and thrive on it.
Mark Matthews is an author who knows exactly how to hit you right in the feels, and although Wicked Smart Carnie is entertaining, Goodwin is where he really shines. This one really hit home for me, packed with emotion and strong metaphor, as well as supremely difficult subject material. This easily stood tall as my favorite story in the collection.
Theresa Braun’s stories include Stillborn and Homecoming. Stillborn marked a unique entry, containing elements of horror certainly, but also wrapping itself up in a mystery. Homecoming, meanwhile, is completely different with a bit of gothic sensibility, but again showcases why having two stories on display here is such a winning concept.
Calvin Demmer’s story collection, Dark Celebrations, is one of my favorite collections of the year. Demmer has a way of drawing the reader in, escorting them through a condensed world and generally hitting with a sense of shock and awe. As a result, I looked forward to both stories he submitted for this. Highway Hunger is a strong one, and one of the best of the collection, but Motel Madness is stellar, presenting a unique and terrifying version of what hell could be, and I’m an absolute sucker for stuff like that.
Wrapping this book up, the inimitable Glenn Rolfe. The Guide is a short, touching vignette, a bit different than anything I’ve read by Rolfe before. The House on Mayflower Street, however, is the perfect choice to bring this collection to a close. Haunted or cursed houses plus creepy dolls, with a surprising, but characteristically Rolfe-ian brutality.
Double Barrel Horror Volume 3 did a couple things for me. It reinforced a love of some favorite short story writers, and on that note I’m so glad I got to read Goodwin by Mark Matthews. It introduced me to a new author in Theresa Braun that I’ll be on the lookout for. Last, but not least, it made me aware of the other two volumes of Double Barrel Horror, and there are some familiar names I’ll need to check out there, as well as some new authors to be discovered. Not every story here will necessarily resonate with the reader, but there’s a strong foundation and a lot to like in these pages.
I was given a digital copy by one of the authors for review consideration.
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