Reviews

Polar Horrors: Chilling Tales from the Ends of the Earth by John Miller

lorekeeperuk's review

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

mwgerard's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-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

4.5

This is a collection of short stories.

I am obsessed with doomed (Ant)arctic explorations. I was thrilled when the British Library added this to their Tales of the Weird series. This book explores both polar regions through nautical oddities, explorer’s madness, and supernatural creatures. In a way, all of these things can exist in a world so remote. It’s not as if any of us can go investigate for ourselves. We have to take the word of those that have been, and survived. https://www.mwgerard.com/books-long-weekend/

kingarooski's review against another edition

3.0

A real mixed bag of stories with the exploration of the south or north poles as a theme running through.

voidfavors's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A resounding OK for me, about half of these stories are worth a read, the other half were sadly forgetful. Stand outs were: 

The captain of the "polestar" - Arthur conan Doyle
The third interne - Idwal Jones 
Iqsinaqtutalik piqtuq: the haunted blizzard - Aviaq Johnston (a modern take on an Inuit legend, by an Inuk author, genuinely haunting)
In Amundsen's tent - John Martin Leahy
Ghost - Henry Kuttner (a Sci fi horror about a haunted quantum computer built under Antarctica, I'm absolutely obssessed)

jacob_purplegoblin's review

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

Biggest mistake was having the longest and by far most boring story first. James Hogg’s story is 80 pages of dull machismo and a basic survival story.
Other than that, it’s pretty good

spikespiegel's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.0

shelby1994's review

 

DNF at 60% 

This was my “at work” book that I’ve been reading during lunch most days, and it just wasn’t hitting. Anthologies are slippery things, and I couldn’t get my hands around this one enough to sink into the stories. Part of that is on me for thinking I could fool my Instagram-diseased brain that I could “get a lot out of Victorian literature,” while working overtime every day. 

Keeping this on my shelf though, because it remains one of my favorite colors and, I think, is an inspiration to our cat. 

rh_222006's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

moominbit's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

3.75

En formidabel samling af noveller om gys og gru fra to poler. ❄️🐻‍❄️🥶🌧️⛄️🐧🌜🔥❄️🧟‍♀️

Særlig gribende var læsningen af Inuk forfatterinden Aviaq Johnstons novelle “The Haunted Blizzard”, der giver et moderne gys fra Inuk kulturens tro på hjemsøgte snestorme. 

John Martin Learhys novelle “In Amundsen’s tent” var ligeledes frydefuldt velskrevet og gåsehudsfremkaldende og endda en mulig kilde til gyserfilmen “The Thing” fra 1982 af John Carpenter. 

Nogle noveller er med tiden blevet ufrivilligt morsomme. 

Fx. forfatterinden Sophie Wenzel Ellis’ “Creatures of the Light”, der fortæller mere om samtidens flirten med forestillingen om eugenics, rumvæsner og okkultisme end polernes egentlige verdener. 

Novellen rummer dog et vidunderligt potentiale for et campy remarke i stil med Rocky Horror Picture Show. Men denne gang må koret bare synge “Creature of the Liiiiiiiiight!” 🌈💋💄

caitsidhe's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

I love the British Library Tales of The Weird collections, even though I usually rate them somewhere around a 3. Even if the stories aren't easily enjoyed by most of a modern audience they are an invaluable way for anyone interested in the history and evolution of a genre to understand that. Same goes for this one.