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aejackson's review
4.0
It can be hard for horror fans to scratch the itch. One good campfire story always leads to another and before long each storyteller is trying to outdo the other. The Horror Collection Sapphire Edition joins a long list of anthologies published by Kevin J. Kennedy. When it comes to good stories, he knows how to pick em! From new indie authors to those with decades in the industry, there is something here for every fan of horror.
This book is massive. In fact, the whole Horror Collection series of books may be the largest running anthology of its kind I know about. After reading a couple of stories by Author and Editor Kevin J Kennedy, I was curious about what he was reading. This cross-section of his personal taste in horror literature is better than visiting his home library.
"The Oak" by Steve Stred reminded me of that uncomfortable period in my youth when it seemed I was the butt of every joke and target of every bully. The story is about finding the bravery to confront those bullies. Stred also rounds out the coming of age short by exploring the confidence to talk to the prettiest girl in school and to not shy away from friendships with other people. This is a good story with plenty of creepy fantasy elements to keep readers intrigued.
“The Noose” by Nick Roberts evokes memories of Roland and the wastelands, and Rudy Ruiz’s Valley of Shadows. The tale builds western theming through each and every word choice. Readers are transported to dusty streets and wide-open planes below towering mountain ranges. The dark western motif explores guilt and punishment for a gunslinger’s rash execution of a young boy and the potential for his redemption.
“Lost in Ephemera” by M Ennenbach is a superhero story. Which is not the standard character type for horror. A hobbyist’s beloved collection drives a wedge between his relationship, and when push comes to shove… Well, let’s just say that the special effects budget for this short would be out of this world. The story reminds me of the movie “Weird Science” but with a Dark Superman twist!
“All That Glitters” by Gord Rollo is a well-developed story that feels like an old pulp fiction that just keeps raising the stakes. When a liquid gold mine is discovered, a hitman is hired to remove the one obstacle preventing the gold from being moved. There is a very cool and satisfying twist waiting at the end of this noir-pulp-meets-science-fiction-horror that readers will enjoy.
“The House on Royal Street” by Tom Deady covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time but failed to move the needle on my terror scale. Overall, there was too much exposition and narrator's voice. It would have been a great story to employ deep point of view - to get inside the head of the teenage female lead character. Readers will appreciate the strong use of character sadness to develop a ghost who plays an important role in resolving the story.
“Cursed” by R.E. Sargent starts strong with the discovery of a mysterious ring on a dead body at a construction site. However, once Danny reaches his bug-out cabin, the story thread unraveled and may leave readers feeling lost. One other missed opportunity is that the true power of the ring is never demonstrated. What reason did the antagonists have for doing what they did to Danny? The reader is left wondering and there aren’t many clues to provide a clear answer.
“Letters to Santa” by John Durgin may be the best story in the bunch. A young boy and his mother live under the daily terror of an abusive father. Not to mention crushing poverty. It is Christmas time, and the boy understands well that Santa won’t be making a stop at their drafty trailer. Circumstances push him to awaken old magic by sending a letter to the Jolly Old Elf, and visceral believable terror ensues. Readers will take more away from this coming-of-age holiday-themed tale than a sack full of St. Nick’s best bobbles.
Read more from Kevin J. Kennedy at https://www.kevinjkennedy.co.uk and find him on social media at Facebook(@authorkevinjkennedy), and Twitter(@KevinJKennedy01).
This book is massive. In fact, the whole Horror Collection series of books may be the largest running anthology of its kind I know about. After reading a couple of stories by Author and Editor Kevin J Kennedy, I was curious about what he was reading. This cross-section of his personal taste in horror literature is better than visiting his home library.
"The Oak" by Steve Stred reminded me of that uncomfortable period in my youth when it seemed I was the butt of every joke and target of every bully. The story is about finding the bravery to confront those bullies. Stred also rounds out the coming of age short by exploring the confidence to talk to the prettiest girl in school and to not shy away from friendships with other people. This is a good story with plenty of creepy fantasy elements to keep readers intrigued.
“The Noose” by Nick Roberts evokes memories of Roland and the wastelands, and Rudy Ruiz’s Valley of Shadows. The tale builds western theming through each and every word choice. Readers are transported to dusty streets and wide-open planes below towering mountain ranges. The dark western motif explores guilt and punishment for a gunslinger’s rash execution of a young boy and the potential for his redemption.
“Lost in Ephemera” by M Ennenbach is a superhero story. Which is not the standard character type for horror. A hobbyist’s beloved collection drives a wedge between his relationship, and when push comes to shove… Well, let’s just say that the special effects budget for this short would be out of this world. The story reminds me of the movie “Weird Science” but with a Dark Superman twist!
“All That Glitters” by Gord Rollo is a well-developed story that feels like an old pulp fiction that just keeps raising the stakes. When a liquid gold mine is discovered, a hitman is hired to remove the one obstacle preventing the gold from being moved. There is a very cool and satisfying twist waiting at the end of this noir-pulp-meets-science-fiction-horror that readers will enjoy.
“The House on Royal Street” by Tom Deady covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time but failed to move the needle on my terror scale. Overall, there was too much exposition and narrator's voice. It would have been a great story to employ deep point of view - to get inside the head of the teenage female lead character. Readers will appreciate the strong use of character sadness to develop a ghost who plays an important role in resolving the story.
“Cursed” by R.E. Sargent starts strong with the discovery of a mysterious ring on a dead body at a construction site. However, once Danny reaches his bug-out cabin, the story thread unraveled and may leave readers feeling lost. One other missed opportunity is that the true power of the ring is never demonstrated. What reason did the antagonists have for doing what they did to Danny? The reader is left wondering and there aren’t many clues to provide a clear answer.
“Letters to Santa” by John Durgin may be the best story in the bunch. A young boy and his mother live under the daily terror of an abusive father. Not to mention crushing poverty. It is Christmas time, and the boy understands well that Santa won’t be making a stop at their drafty trailer. Circumstances push him to awaken old magic by sending a letter to the Jolly Old Elf, and visceral believable terror ensues. Readers will take more away from this coming-of-age holiday-themed tale than a sack full of St. Nick’s best bobbles.
Read more from Kevin J. Kennedy at https://www.kevinjkennedy.co.uk and find him on social media at Facebook(@authorkevinjkennedy), and Twitter(@KevinJKennedy01).
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