Scan barcode
ninjabunneh's review
3.0
I should always remind myself not to request anthologies. The stories in this one are so-so, none of them really grabbed me all that much.
Hopefully, Mr. Barker won't send a certain someone after me for retaliation.
3 ninja bunnehs
(arc received in exchange for an honest review)
Hopefully, Mr. Barker won't send a certain someone after me for retaliation.
3 ninja bunnehs
(arc received in exchange for an honest review)
mad_about_books's review against another edition
5.0
The fourth installment of DARK SCREAMS offers a variety of writers for your screaming pleasure.
The Departed by Clive Barker
============================
Clive Barker is a consummate teller of tales whose body of work evokes the fanciful side of both horror and fantasy. I once heard him say "there is no delight the equal of dread." The way in which he creates delightful dread is through the use of beautiful prose to describe those things that go bump in the night. The biggest bump in the night happens, of course, on Halloween. Ghosts and goblins roam the night in search of treats and to play a trick or two.
Clive Barker never disappoints.
The New War by Lisa Morton
==========================
When age sets in for an old warrior, he finds himself battling the indignities of aging.
Sammy Comes Home by Ray Garton
==============================
When the family pet disappears, all his family wants is for him to come home. Add a touch of PET SEMETARY, and you have all you need for a night of horror.
The Brasher Girl by Ed Gorman
=============================
As I suspected when I read it, the title is a clever little play on words. Cindy Marie Brasher lives up to her name with a little help from her 'friend.'
Creature Feature by Heather Graham
==================================
Whenever I watch the latest offering in sci-fi or horror on the silver screen, or even the TV screen, I find myself marveling at the special effects. Monsters become real, the blood and guts is visceral. I look at shows like the "CSI" franchise or "Bones" and think that these shows were created to showcase the talents of the special effects creators.
Once there were waxworks to characterize the very human monsters of yesteryear, now they come alive at the hands of a talented group of artists. So what if Jack the Ripper was with us today?
The DARK SCREAMS anthologies showcase some of today's finest writers in the horror genre. Under the talented hands of Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar, the stories in each convey the darkest parts of the human soul.
The Departed by Clive Barker
============================
Clive Barker is a consummate teller of tales whose body of work evokes the fanciful side of both horror and fantasy. I once heard him say "there is no delight the equal of dread." The way in which he creates delightful dread is through the use of beautiful prose to describe those things that go bump in the night. The biggest bump in the night happens, of course, on Halloween. Ghosts and goblins roam the night in search of treats and to play a trick or two.
Clive Barker never disappoints.
The New War by Lisa Morton
==========================
When age sets in for an old warrior, he finds himself battling the indignities of aging.
Sammy Comes Home by Ray Garton
==============================
When the family pet disappears, all his family wants is for him to come home. Add a touch of PET SEMETARY, and you have all you need for a night of horror.
The Brasher Girl by Ed Gorman
=============================
As I suspected when I read it, the title is a clever little play on words. Cindy Marie Brasher lives up to her name with a little help from her 'friend.'
Creature Feature by Heather Graham
==================================
Whenever I watch the latest offering in sci-fi or horror on the silver screen, or even the TV screen, I find myself marveling at the special effects. Monsters become real, the blood and guts is visceral. I look at shows like the "CSI" franchise or "Bones" and think that these shows were created to showcase the talents of the special effects creators.
Once there were waxworks to characterize the very human monsters of yesteryear, now they come alive at the hands of a talented group of artists. So what if Jack the Ripper was with us today?
The DARK SCREAMS anthologies showcase some of today's finest writers in the horror genre. Under the talented hands of Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar, the stories in each convey the darkest parts of the human soul.
daynpitseleh's review
3.0
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've read Dark Screams Vol. 2 through 4, and I believe that 4 is one of the stronger collections. Overall, I felt that the story by Heather Graham was the weakest, and I liked the Clive Barker story the most.
I've read Dark Screams Vol. 2 through 4, and I believe that 4 is one of the stronger collections. Overall, I felt that the story by Heather Graham was the weakest, and I liked the Clive Barker story the most.
macbean221b's review
3.0
I received DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME FOUR as an ARC from Netgalley.com.
I have a weird relationship with the DARK SCREAMS series, it seems. I wasn't very fond of the first two, but I still picked up the third one--mainly because Peter Straub's name was attached, and I very much like everything I've read from him--and wound up liking the collection quite a bit. With the fourth installment, I felt the quality fall again.
The first story was THE DEPARTED by Clive Barker. I'm familiar with Mr. Barker's work, so I was a little wary going into it; he's always either just right or WAY over the top for me, so I always feel like I'm risking something when I pick up one of his books or stories. This one...was entirely worth my time, I felt. It might have been the nicest Clive Barker story I've ever read.
Next up was THE NEW WAR by Lisa Morton. This one is dementia-related (or at least demetian-reminiscent), and I read it only a bit more than a year after my grandmother died after a battle with Alzheimer's. I spent a lot of her decline thinking about how it must feel to be in her position, so this story hit close to recent experiences, and gave me a feeling like I was creeping close to the edge of a panic attack. So I didn't exactly enjoy it, but I recognise and appreciate the effectiveness of it.
Following that was SAMMY COMES HOME by Ray Garton. ...I went and hugged my dog after reading it. I don't plan on revisiting this one ever again.
THE BRASHER GIRL by Ed Gorman is a story that I felt like I'd read before. It's a familiar formula (one that I've never been overly fond of to begin with) and I didn't feel like this story added anything to it.
And, finally, the collection wrapped up with CREATURE FEATURE by Heather Graham, which felt like an episode of Scooby Doo that ended with an epilogue that was really gross about mental illness. No stars for that.
So, overall, there were more stories that I like than that I didn't like, even though some of the ones I liked are not ones I want to ever read again.
I have a weird relationship with the DARK SCREAMS series, it seems. I wasn't very fond of the first two, but I still picked up the third one--mainly because Peter Straub's name was attached, and I very much like everything I've read from him--and wound up liking the collection quite a bit. With the fourth installment, I felt the quality fall again.
The first story was THE DEPARTED by Clive Barker. I'm familiar with Mr. Barker's work, so I was a little wary going into it; he's always either just right or WAY over the top for me, so I always feel like I'm risking something when I pick up one of his books or stories. This one...was entirely worth my time, I felt. It might have been the nicest Clive Barker story I've ever read.
Next up was THE NEW WAR by Lisa Morton. This one is dementia-related (or at least demetian-reminiscent), and I read it only a bit more than a year after my grandmother died after a battle with Alzheimer's. I spent a lot of her decline thinking about how it must feel to be in her position, so this story hit close to recent experiences, and gave me a feeling like I was creeping close to the edge of a panic attack. So I didn't exactly enjoy it, but I recognise and appreciate the effectiveness of it.
Following that was SAMMY COMES HOME by Ray Garton. ...I went and hugged my dog after reading it. I don't plan on revisiting this one ever again.
THE BRASHER GIRL by Ed Gorman is a story that I felt like I'd read before. It's a familiar formula (one that I've never been overly fond of to begin with) and I didn't feel like this story added anything to it.
And, finally, the collection wrapped up with CREATURE FEATURE by Heather Graham, which felt like an episode of Scooby Doo that ended with an epilogue that was really gross about mental illness. No stars for that.
So, overall, there were more stories that I like than that I didn't like, even though some of the ones I liked are not ones I want to ever read again.
kittykult's review
3.0
The Departed - 4
The New War - 3
Sammy Comes Home - 3, really well told but so much animal violence
Creature Feature - 3
The Brasher Girl - 2
The New War - 3
Sammy Comes Home - 3, really well told but so much animal violence
Creature Feature - 3
The Brasher Girl - 2
charshorrorcorner's review
4.0
This is the best volume of Dark Screams yet! With some heavy hitting authors within, I thought this collection was pretty damn good.
The Departed by Clive Barker-A very sad story to read around Mother's Day. 4*
The New War by Lisa Morton-Another sad story about a WWII veteran. 4*
Sammy Comes Home by Ray Garton- A creature feature that really hit home for me. This was my favorite of the bunch. 5*
The Brasher Girl by Ed Gorman-A story where I thought I knew where it was going, but I was very wrong. 4*
Creature Feature by Heather Graham-This was my least favorite of the bunch. It seemed to be all over the place-not knowing what kind of story it wanted to be? Or maybe it was just me-because I thought the initial concept was good then it morphed into something else. 3*
Overall, I thought this was an above average collection and I recommend it highly!
*I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This is it! Thanks Net Galley!*
The Departed by Clive Barker-A very sad story to read around Mother's Day. 4*
The New War by Lisa Morton-Another sad story about a WWII veteran. 4*
Sammy Comes Home by Ray Garton- A creature feature that really hit home for me. This was my favorite of the bunch. 5*
The Brasher Girl by Ed Gorman-A story where I thought I knew where it was going, but I was very wrong. 4*
Creature Feature by Heather Graham-This was my least favorite of the bunch. It seemed to be all over the place-not knowing what kind of story it wanted to be? Or maybe it was just me-because I thought the initial concept was good then it morphed into something else. 3*
Overall, I thought this was an above average collection and I recommend it highly!
*I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This is it! Thanks Net Galley!*
mikekaz's review
4.0
Wow! What a difference a volume makes. This volume of Dark Screams is the best so far. Significantly better than last volume. The stories were all solid and engaging. None of them left me feeling disappointed or wanting for more. Maybe my expectations had been lowered enough to make the stories better. I doubt it but even if that was the case, all the stories were still good. In all the previous volumes there has been at least one story that disappointed. But not here. In order of least favorite to my most, here they are.
"The New War" by Lisa Morton - Mike Carson is in a hospital, recovering from a surgery. While he thinks that is has only been a little time, his daughter is telling him it has been months. Plus he keeps seeing men he served but whom also died during the war. He knows though that his nurse has brought a black thing that is killing him and others. Or has she? This was a good story that touched on several topics: growing old, memories, and dementia. The choices made by the characters were well done and left me feeling good. The story wasn't ground-breaking but it was solidly entertaining.
"Creature Feature" by Heather Graham - Rather than centered around the creature features horror movies that were on Friday and Saturday nights during the 60s, 70s and 80s, (my first thought upon reading the title) this story actually focuses on a convention. Sort of a special effects and make up convention for movie and TV studios. The story is around a killer who dons a costume and hides in plain sight in one of the booth displays. As it turns out, that is a fear that my wife has: a real killer hiding in plain sight in a haunted house. Anyway, the story is fun and enjoyable. My only clueless moment came with the big reveal of the killer and I went "Who?" But that was my own fault and not Graham's.
"Sammy Comes Home" by Ray Garton - Very quickly into this story, you know that things are going to go bad. A family's dog is missing in addition to a bunch of other neighbors who are also missing their pets. Sad but are they dead from a serial killer? Someone running them over? A demented teenager experimenting on them? But then the pets return with bloated and extended tumors. Probably because it is a horror story but my first thought was kill it. Shoot it in the head. Of course they don't and of course things turn quickly into a disaster. I was anxious and worried the whole way through.
"The Departed" by Clive Barker - I thought that this was a very sweet and adoring ghost story. A dead mother desperately wants to connect with her son one last time. I won't say anything to ruin the impact of the story but it left me wistful yet happy.
"The Brasher Girl" by Ed Gorman - Not as poignant as Barker's story, Gorman still tops him with this tale about a young man who gets into trouble when his girlfriend introduces him to a voice in a well. I just thought that it was very nicely told and had characters with depth to them. Gorman took his time with the story and built things up nicely. His characters went through a growth process even though it was a process that didn't help them at all. It was another story where you knew the ending wasn't going to be good but how and who were the questions.
"The New War" by Lisa Morton - Mike Carson is in a hospital, recovering from a surgery. While he thinks that is has only been a little time, his daughter is telling him it has been months. Plus he keeps seeing men he served but whom also died during the war. He knows though that his nurse has brought a black thing that is killing him and others. Or has she? This was a good story that touched on several topics: growing old, memories, and dementia. The choices made by the characters were well done and left me feeling good. The story wasn't ground-breaking but it was solidly entertaining.
"Creature Feature" by Heather Graham - Rather than centered around the creature features horror movies that were on Friday and Saturday nights during the 60s, 70s and 80s, (my first thought upon reading the title) this story actually focuses on a convention. Sort of a special effects and make up convention for movie and TV studios. The story is around a killer who dons a costume and hides in plain sight in one of the booth displays. As it turns out, that is a fear that my wife has: a real killer hiding in plain sight in a haunted house. Anyway, the story is fun and enjoyable. My only clueless moment came with the big reveal of the killer and I went "Who?" But that was my own fault and not Graham's.
"Sammy Comes Home" by Ray Garton - Very quickly into this story, you know that things are going to go bad. A family's dog is missing in addition to a bunch of other neighbors who are also missing their pets. Sad but are they dead from a serial killer? Someone running them over? A demented teenager experimenting on them? But then the pets return with bloated and extended tumors. Probably because it is a horror story but my first thought was kill it. Shoot it in the head. Of course they don't and of course things turn quickly into a disaster. I was anxious and worried the whole way through.
"The Departed" by Clive Barker - I thought that this was a very sweet and adoring ghost story. A dead mother desperately wants to connect with her son one last time. I won't say anything to ruin the impact of the story but it left me wistful yet happy.
"The Brasher Girl" by Ed Gorman - Not as poignant as Barker's story, Gorman still tops him with this tale about a young man who gets into trouble when his girlfriend introduces him to a voice in a well. I just thought that it was very nicely told and had characters with depth to them. Gorman took his time with the story and built things up nicely. His characters went through a growth process even though it was a process that didn't help them at all. It was another story where you knew the ending wasn't going to be good but how and who were the questions.
caidyn's review
4.0
The Departed - 4/5: I really liked the heart of this one. Not creepy. Not scary. Just sweet and full of a mother's love for her son. It was perfectly short as well. Didn't drag it on for too long, although I saw how it could have gone in that route and it would have still been enjoyable.
The New War - 3.5/5: Again, not a creepy one for me. It was a melancholy story about some sort of dementia. It was sad, for the most part. A sad story about an old man losing some memories, with a hint of that foreboding death hanging around, lurking for all the old patients.
Sammy Comes Home - 4/5: Me no likey hurt animals. That was the part that got me the most. I hate it when animals are hurt or dying in books or movies or whatever it may be. Just makes me hurt on the inside, more than when people are killed/hurt -- except children. But, this one pulled at my heartstrings just enough for the dog and the dog's family to feel that tinge of creeped-out about what was going on. It was a good combination, although I wished I had more of the creep to it.
The Brasher Girl - 4.5/5: My favorite so far. It was great the story-telling in it and I could taste Stephen King as an inspiration. At least, the older Stephen King, not the newer things that are coming out now. Maybe that was why I liked it so much. That taste of old horror to it. The story in this one was great. It had a great mix of the supernatural, horror, and character development.
Creature Feature - 3/5: Funnily enough, this was the one that completely sold me on asking for the ARC on NetGalley. And this one turned out to be my least favorite. I was sold because of Jack the Ripper. And if you see I have a Jack the Ripper shelf, you should realize that I love this serial killer. This one lacked something. It was all action and zombies, but that's not my interest. If that's going to happen, I like some build up. Still, fucking creepy to think some doll thing could come alive and inhabit the mindset of Jack the Ripper.
Overall: This was a very good collection. Of course, it was only five short stories to it, but that was the beauty. Nothing got repetitive as what often happens in short story collections, and they were all very diverse. My final rating -- 3.8/5.
The New War - 3.5/5: Again, not a creepy one for me. It was a melancholy story about some sort of dementia. It was sad, for the most part. A sad story about an old man losing some memories, with a hint of that foreboding death hanging around, lurking for all the old patients.
Sammy Comes Home - 4/5: Me no likey hurt animals. That was the part that got me the most. I hate it when animals are hurt or dying in books or movies or whatever it may be. Just makes me hurt on the inside, more than when people are killed/hurt -- except children. But, this one pulled at my heartstrings just enough for the dog and the dog's family to feel that tinge of creeped-out about what was going on. It was a good combination, although I wished I had more of the creep to it.
The Brasher Girl - 4.5/5: My favorite so far. It was great the story-telling in it and I could taste Stephen King as an inspiration. At least, the older Stephen King, not the newer things that are coming out now. Maybe that was why I liked it so much. That taste of old horror to it. The story in this one was great. It had a great mix of the supernatural, horror, and character development.
Creature Feature - 3/5: Funnily enough, this was the one that completely sold me on asking for the ARC on NetGalley. And this one turned out to be my least favorite. I was sold because of Jack the Ripper. And if you see I have a Jack the Ripper shelf, you should realize that I love this serial killer. This one lacked something. It was all action and zombies, but that's not my interest. If that's going to happen, I like some build up. Still, fucking creepy to think some doll thing could come alive and inhabit the mindset of Jack the Ripper.
Overall: This was a very good collection. Of course, it was only five short stories to it, but that was the beauty. Nothing got repetitive as what often happens in short story collections, and they were all very diverse. My final rating -- 3.8/5.
More...