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dnemec's review
4.0
First, a disclosure: I love anthologies. There is generally an interesting mix of authors and subjects - something for everyone. This one had some big names, as well as some not-so-big. Despite being a big King fan, I find that I enjoyed Lisa Morton's The Rich Are Different the most. A strange story about an author's look into the lives of people about whom she had thought she knew a great deal. I also thought that Nell Quinn-Gibney's story The Manicure was interesting, if a bit disjointed. It twisted a very common event (a manicure), and I don't think I'll ever view one the same.
All of the stories were well-written and entertaining. Four stars.
All of the stories were well-written and entertaining. Four stars.
mad_about_books's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
You can't go wrong when Freeman and Chizmar put a horror anthology together. There is a balance struck among the offerings. You'd think that a Stephen King starting off the selections would mean they put the best first, but no they absolutely left the best for last.
"The Old Dude's Ticker" by Stephen King
"The Old Dude's Ticker" by Stephen King
As an author, Stephen King has experienced it all. He's been everything from a hack to receiving the prestigious National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts. He is prolific and profane, and he is responsible for several generations’ engagement with books. School children read his books and go to his readings. His introductory remarks about "The Old Dude's Ticker" set the stage for a story rejected in the years before Stephen King became a phenom. The editors have wisely put these notes right under the title of the story where you are not given no choice but to read them. The language of the story is pure seventies so younger readers may not get the same vibe as us old folks do. I'll not expand on the story. King has done that far better than I could. (4-Stars)
"The Rich Are Different" by Lisa Morton
"The Rich Are Different" by Lisa Morton
I'm sensing a bit of a theme in this gathering of stories — look at tales of the past for inspiration. As the story opens, it appears to be biographical. Why not? King did just that in the previous story. It is this kind of reality that sucks you into the narrative. I have said, many times, that reviewing short form literature requires finesse. In this case, even suggesting the author or authors whose work might suggest the plot for "The Rich Are Different" would be a spoiler. (5-Stars)
"The Manicure" by Nell Quinn-Gibney
"The Manicure" by Nell Quinn-Gibney
I've been getting my nails 'done' for years! I have never experienced anything like this! (3-Stars)
"The Comforting Voice" by Norman Prentiss
"The Comforting Voice" by Norman Prentiss
Norman Prentiss has become one of my favorites. Whether he's writing a novel or a short story, he manages to evoke a visceral empathy with his characters. He always finds beauty in the weird so long as you remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. (5-Stars)
"The Situations" by Joyce Carol Oates
"The Situations" by Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates has a mean streak. No, she is not mean spirited (I don't know for a fact that she isn't mean spirited, but…), but her stories always seem to contain meanness. "The Situations" is a pastiche of three tales, all of which feature cats. The first and third are about Daddy who pretty much rules the roost. And there is meanness. (5-Stars)
"The Corpse King" by Tim Curran
"The Corpse King" by Tim Curran
Blown away! Gobsmacked! That's my unadulterated reaction to "The Corpse King." I wouldn’t call it a short story; it’s more a novella or novelette. It is a combination of horror and history which is a good combination to be sure. It is also not for the weak of stomach. It is gorgeous and gritty.
Samuel Clow and Michael Kierney — Sammy and Mickey — are resurrectionists in Edinburgh sometime after the Burke and Hare murders in 1828. Grave robbing was a hanging offense but also a lucrative way to keep food in the belly and get spirits for the soul. It is also an occupation fraught with superstition and gristly tales. Nineteenth century Edinburgh suffered the same blight of poor, unwashed, and diseased people in horrendous slums as did London or any other city in the British Isles.
There is both beauty and rawness in the telling. There is revulsion and a need to know more. "The Corpse King" is a challenge to the sensibilities and very hard to put down. (5-Stars is not enough)
locolibrarian's review
5.0
Dark Screams (Volume Six) Edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar
★★★★★ Five Star Collection!
"A collection of short stories which will leave your skin crawling." - Me
The Old Dude's Ticker by Stephen King
★★★★★
Are you a fan of Edgar Allen Poe? What if Poe was alive and well today? What would his famous stories be like? Stephen King writes his own interpretation of a Poe classic.
The Rich Are Different by Lisa Morton
★★★★★
Beauty and the Beast? With a mix of ancient myth, a rich family, and the poor fair maiden, Morton has created a terrifying love story, leaving you with an unsettling horror.
The Manicure by Nell Quinn-Gibney
★★★★
Metal nails on the chalkboard? Finger nails being ripped clean off? We all have our fears, but how far will your fear go to overtake your own sanity?
The Comforting Voice by Norma Prentiss
★★★
A new baby journies to our world all the while listening to her grandpa who speaks through an electronic voice box. The baby seems to cry randomly and nothing seems to sooth her except one thing: grandpa’s electronic voice.
The Situations by Joyce Carol Oates
★
Father knows best? Authority and power can be dangerous, terrifying weapons.
The Corpse King by Tim Curran
★★★★★
Grave robbing is not an easy job, but with a stinking childhood, two friends have to make a living somehow. There is little that scare thieves of the dead, but a rumor begins to circulate about a monster who haunts the North Burial Grounds. Believing it to be imaginations running wild or the effects of inhaling death’s putrid odors, the two friends adventure to the North Grounds because business is simply business. You will never want to enter a graveyard again after hearing this dear old tale.
Overall, it was worth the read! I read it in about a day or two!
★★★★★ Five Star Collection!
"A collection of short stories which will leave your skin crawling." - Me
The Old Dude's Ticker by Stephen King
★★★★★
Are you a fan of Edgar Allen Poe? What if Poe was alive and well today? What would his famous stories be like? Stephen King writes his own interpretation of a Poe classic.
The Rich Are Different by Lisa Morton
★★★★★
Beauty and the Beast? With a mix of ancient myth, a rich family, and the poor fair maiden, Morton has created a terrifying love story, leaving you with an unsettling horror.
The Manicure by Nell Quinn-Gibney
★★★★
Metal nails on the chalkboard? Finger nails being ripped clean off? We all have our fears, but how far will your fear go to overtake your own sanity?
The Comforting Voice by Norma Prentiss
★★★
A new baby journies to our world all the while listening to her grandpa who speaks through an electronic voice box. The baby seems to cry randomly and nothing seems to sooth her except one thing: grandpa’s electronic voice.
The Situations by Joyce Carol Oates
★
Father knows best? Authority and power can be dangerous, terrifying weapons.
The Corpse King by Tim Curran
★★★★★
Grave robbing is not an easy job, but with a stinking childhood, two friends have to make a living somehow. There is little that scare thieves of the dead, but a rumor begins to circulate about a monster who haunts the North Burial Grounds. Believing it to be imaginations running wild or the effects of inhaling death’s putrid odors, the two friends adventure to the North Grounds because business is simply business. You will never want to enter a graveyard again after hearing this dear old tale.
Overall, it was worth the read! I read it in about a day or two!
constantcatreader's review
5.0
Dark Screams (Volume Six) Edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar
★★★★★ Five Star Collection!
"A collection of short stories which will leave your skin crawling." - Me
The Old Dude's Ticker by Stephen King
★★★★★
Are you a fan of Edgar Allen Poe? What if Poe was alive and well today? What would his famous stories be like? Stephen King writes his own interpretation of a Poe classic.
The Rich Are Different by Lisa Morton
★★★★★
Beauty and the Beast? With a mix of ancient myth, a rich family, and the poor fair maiden, Morton has created a terrifying love story, leaving you with an unsettling horror.
The Manicure by Nell Quinn-Gibney
★★★★
Metal nails on the chalkboard? Finger nails being ripped clean off? We all have our fears, but how far will your fear go to overtake your own sanity?
The Comforting Voice by Norma Prentiss
★★★
A new baby journies to our world all the while listening to her grandpa who speaks through an electronic voice box. The baby seems to cry randomly and nothing seems to sooth her except one thing: grandpa’s electronic voice.
The Situations by Joyce Carol Oates
★
Father knows best? Authority and power can be dangerous, terrifying weapons.
The Corpse King by Tim Curran
★★★★★
Grave robbing is not an easy job, but with a stinking childhood, two friends have to make a living somehow. There is little that scare thieves of the dead, but a rumor begins to circulate about a monster who haunts the North Burial Grounds. Believing it to be imaginations running wild or the effects of inhaling death’s putrid odors, the two friends adventure to the North Grounds because business is simply business. You will never want to enter a graveyard again after hearing this dear old tale.
Overall, it was worth the read! I read it in about a day or two!
★★★★★ Five Star Collection!
"A collection of short stories which will leave your skin crawling." - Me
The Old Dude's Ticker by Stephen King
★★★★★
Are you a fan of Edgar Allen Poe? What if Poe was alive and well today? What would his famous stories be like? Stephen King writes his own interpretation of a Poe classic.
The Rich Are Different by Lisa Morton
★★★★★
Beauty and the Beast? With a mix of ancient myth, a rich family, and the poor fair maiden, Morton has created a terrifying love story, leaving you with an unsettling horror.
The Manicure by Nell Quinn-Gibney
★★★★
Metal nails on the chalkboard? Finger nails being ripped clean off? We all have our fears, but how far will your fear go to overtake your own sanity?
The Comforting Voice by Norma Prentiss
★★★
A new baby journies to our world all the while listening to her grandpa who speaks through an electronic voice box. The baby seems to cry randomly and nothing seems to sooth her except one thing: grandpa’s electronic voice.
The Situations by Joyce Carol Oates
★
Father knows best? Authority and power can be dangerous, terrifying weapons.
The Corpse King by Tim Curran
★★★★★
Grave robbing is not an easy job, but with a stinking childhood, two friends have to make a living somehow. There is little that scare thieves of the dead, but a rumor begins to circulate about a monster who haunts the North Burial Grounds. Believing it to be imaginations running wild or the effects of inhaling death’s putrid odors, the two friends adventure to the North Grounds because business is simply business. You will never want to enter a graveyard again after hearing this dear old tale.
Overall, it was worth the read! I read it in about a day or two!
shannny2k's review
2.0
The story "the rich are different" drew me in, and overall I enjoyed it. The other stories were pretty bad.
verkisto's review
3.0
Like the other two volumes of Dark Screams I've read (one and two), I bought this because it was only 99 cents. Also like the other two volumes, the stories are a mixed bag. To make things worse for this one, the bulk of the collection (nearly sixty percent!) is made up of one long novella, which had already been published by Cemetery Dance, at which both of the editors work. Even at 99 cents, I feel a bit gypped.
It starts out with "The Old Dude's Ticker", an unpublished story of Stephen King's from when he was publishing short stories in men's magazines. It's a retelling of "The Tell-tale Heart", and in the foreword, he notes he's "not sure what [the editor]'s problem with it might have been", but having read it, I feel like I have some insight. It's not original or interesting, nor does it have anything to say.
Lisa Morton's "The Rich Are Different" follows, and is about an author who visits a wealthy family which served as the inspiration for a scathing novel about the rich. It's well written and engaging, and it kept my interest, but the twist at the end was a bit stupid.
"The Manicure" by Nell Quinn-Gibney is the next story, and tells the story of a woman who has a neurosis about her nails. It's effectively squicky (Quinn-Gibney channels a feeling we've all felt and can respond to), and it has a suggestive ending I appreciate.
Norman Prentiss contributed a story, "The Comforting Voice", and it's the second story of his I've read. I like his style, and he has a way for honing in on the things that disturb, so I'll likely add him as an author to follow. This story is about family and children, and touches on darkness without delving into the supernatural. Like any good short story, it ends without resolution, and leaves the reader thinking about the future.
"The Situation" is Joyce Carol Oates' contribution, and she's an author who's often over my head. The story is a brief one, and is another of her examinations of cruelty, paired with some disturbing imagery. It opens with one scene of cruelty and ends with another; either one will be the more wrenching of the two, but which one bothers you the most depends on what you bring to the story. Highly recommended.
The last story in the collection is The Corpse King by Tim Curran, which is the novella I mentioned above. It's descriptive and atmospheric, and feels like a well-written story, but it doesn't do much for me beyond that. It's set in 19th-Century England, and concerns a pair of grave robbers. Curran paints about as bleak a portrait of the time as possible, spending several thousand words telling us how unpleasant life is at that time. That the main characters are desecrating graves and stealing bodies makes them about as sympathetic as lampreys, and Curran makes sure we know how disgusting it all is. The novella is mostly description, which gets somewhat old (seriously, how many times do we need to have the smell of putrefaction described to us?), and it suggests that Curran revels in being disgusting. The whole thing feels juvenile to me, especially when he has his characters talk to each other in crass banter. It got old fast, and I went through the whole thing waiting for it to get better. It never did.
So, out of six stories, three seem worthwhile, and they make up a small percentage of this collection. The three good stories are enough for me to rate the entire thing three stars, but by themselves, they would be at least four. The deadweight of the other stories drag them down, but for 99 cents, I'd recommend those three stories. Try to avoid the others, if you can resist them.
It starts out with "The Old Dude's Ticker", an unpublished story of Stephen King's from when he was publishing short stories in men's magazines. It's a retelling of "The Tell-tale Heart", and in the foreword, he notes he's "not sure what [the editor]'s problem with it might have been", but having read it, I feel like I have some insight. It's not original or interesting, nor does it have anything to say.
Lisa Morton's "The Rich Are Different" follows, and is about an author who visits a wealthy family which served as the inspiration for a scathing novel about the rich. It's well written and engaging, and it kept my interest, but the twist at the end was a bit stupid.
"The Manicure" by Nell Quinn-Gibney is the next story, and tells the story of a woman who has a neurosis about her nails. It's effectively squicky (Quinn-Gibney channels a feeling we've all felt and can respond to), and it has a suggestive ending I appreciate.
Norman Prentiss contributed a story, "The Comforting Voice", and it's the second story of his I've read. I like his style, and he has a way for honing in on the things that disturb, so I'll likely add him as an author to follow. This story is about family and children, and touches on darkness without delving into the supernatural. Like any good short story, it ends without resolution, and leaves the reader thinking about the future.
"The Situation" is Joyce Carol Oates' contribution, and she's an author who's often over my head. The story is a brief one, and is another of her examinations of cruelty, paired with some disturbing imagery. It opens with one scene of cruelty and ends with another; either one will be the more wrenching of the two, but which one bothers you the most depends on what you bring to the story. Highly recommended.
The last story in the collection is The Corpse King by Tim Curran, which is the novella I mentioned above. It's descriptive and atmospheric, and feels like a well-written story, but it doesn't do much for me beyond that. It's set in 19th-Century England, and concerns a pair of grave robbers. Curran paints about as bleak a portrait of the time as possible, spending several thousand words telling us how unpleasant life is at that time. That the main characters are desecrating graves and stealing bodies makes them about as sympathetic as lampreys, and Curran makes sure we know how disgusting it all is. The novella is mostly description, which gets somewhat old (seriously, how many times do we need to have the smell of putrefaction described to us?), and it suggests that Curran revels in being disgusting. The whole thing feels juvenile to me, especially when he has his characters talk to each other in crass banter. It got old fast, and I went through the whole thing waiting for it to get better. It never did.
So, out of six stories, three seem worthwhile, and they make up a small percentage of this collection. The three good stories are enough for me to rate the entire thing three stars, but by themselves, they would be at least four. The deadweight of the other stories drag them down, but for 99 cents, I'd recommend those three stories. Try to avoid the others, if you can resist them.
james7634's review
2.0
This anthology is ...alright.
The Corpse King is fun.
The Situations was really disturbing
The Comforting Voice was forgetful
The Manicure was ...not my cup of tea
The Rich Are Different is forgetful
The Old Dude's Ticker - blah.
The Corpse King is fun.
The Situations was really disturbing
The Comforting Voice was forgetful
The Manicure was ...not my cup of tea
The Rich Are Different is forgetful
The Old Dude's Ticker - blah.
howlinglibraries's review
1.0
This was one of the easiest, yet most unsatisfying 1-star ratings I've ever given a book. I love horror anthologies. I own a million (okay, more like thirty) of them in assorted formats and they're just such a fun way to spend an evening for me. When I really want to enjoy one, I do what I did with this book, and I wait to read it until it's late at night and everyone else is asleep and the house is quiet, just for maximum impact.
Didn't help.
I'm gonna break this one down by story, because... well, why not?
THE OLD DUDE'S TICKER by Stephen King ➳➳ ★★★★☆
A horror anthology starting with King? Should be a good sign, right? King prefaced the story by explaining this one was an old, unpublished short of his from the 70s. It's a slightly humorous retelling of The Telltale Heart, which is one of my favorite Poe pieces, so I had fun with this one.
THE RICH ARE DIFFERENT by Lisa Morton ➳➳ ★★★☆☆
This one was... okay? It tells the story of an author who meets this bizarre rich family she wrote a book about, and ends up falling in deep with one of the men of the house, and shit gets kind of weird. I wasn't wild about it, but I liked the writing.
THE MANICURE by Nell Quinn-Gibney ➳➳ ★★☆☆☆
I read this one twice because I was so freaking confused by the ending. It starts off with serious potential and this weird sense of dread that makes you simultaneously eager to learn the ending, and dreading what is to come... and then, what? Nothing happens. I'm not kidding. I literally read it again just to see if I had missed an important detail - I hadn't.
THE COMFORTING VOICE by Norman Prentiss ➳➳ ★★☆☆☆
Another one with a decent style, but subpar plot. A baby can only be soothed by her mean old grandpa, and after he dies, her dad has to mock his words to get her to stop crying. This one was honestly just a bit traumatic and sad, but I certainly didn't understand how it got into a horror anthology.
THE SITUATIONS by Joyce Carol Oates ➳➳ ★☆☆☆☆
To be fair, I knew going into this story that I wouldn't like it, because I am not much of a JCO fan. It was horribly sad, kittens were murdered, and none of it made any sense. It felt pointless and I, again, found myself wondering how it "belonged" in the collection.
THE CORPSE KING by Tim Curran ➳➳ ★☆☆☆☆
YOU GUYS. THIS. STORY. This story ruined any chance the book had of a 2-star rating. You know how, typically, every story in an anthology is of a similar length? That makes sense, right? RIGHT? Well, not to this editor, apparently. I felt like the other stories were only even included to give the editor an excuse to get this tale out to the world without it being in a book of its own. It literally takes up the last 55-60% of the book by itself and it was so incredibly slow and boring that I ended up skimming the majority of it. I would have just DNFd, but... you know... I kept expecting there to be more stories after it. Nah.
I'm sorry, but I can safely say I will never pick up another Dark Screams collection. I honestly wouldn't recommend these to anyone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hydra for granting me an ARC of this book! All opinions expressed here are my own.
Didn't help.
I'm gonna break this one down by story, because... well, why not?
THE OLD DUDE'S TICKER by Stephen King ➳➳ ★★★★☆
A horror anthology starting with King? Should be a good sign, right? King prefaced the story by explaining this one was an old, unpublished short of his from the 70s. It's a slightly humorous retelling of The Telltale Heart, which is one of my favorite Poe pieces, so I had fun with this one.
THE RICH ARE DIFFERENT by Lisa Morton ➳➳ ★★★☆☆
This one was... okay? It tells the story of an author who meets this bizarre rich family she wrote a book about, and ends up falling in deep with one of the men of the house, and shit gets kind of weird. I wasn't wild about it, but I liked the writing.
THE MANICURE by Nell Quinn-Gibney ➳➳ ★★☆☆☆
I read this one twice because I was so freaking confused by the ending. It starts off with serious potential and this weird sense of dread that makes you simultaneously eager to learn the ending, and dreading what is to come... and then, what? Nothing happens. I'm not kidding. I literally read it again just to see if I had missed an important detail - I hadn't.
THE COMFORTING VOICE by Norman Prentiss ➳➳ ★★☆☆☆
Another one with a decent style, but subpar plot. A baby can only be soothed by her mean old grandpa, and after he dies, her dad has to mock his words to get her to stop crying. This one was honestly just a bit traumatic and sad, but I certainly didn't understand how it got into a horror anthology.
THE SITUATIONS by Joyce Carol Oates ➳➳ ★☆☆☆☆
To be fair, I knew going into this story that I wouldn't like it, because I am not much of a JCO fan. It was horribly sad, kittens were murdered, and none of it made any sense. It felt pointless and I, again, found myself wondering how it "belonged" in the collection.
THE CORPSE KING by Tim Curran ➳➳ ★☆☆☆☆
YOU GUYS. THIS. STORY. This story ruined any chance the book had of a 2-star rating. You know how, typically, every story in an anthology is of a similar length? That makes sense, right? RIGHT? Well, not to this editor, apparently. I felt like the other stories were only even included to give the editor an excuse to get this tale out to the world without it being in a book of its own. It literally takes up the last 55-60% of the book by itself and it was so incredibly slow and boring that I ended up skimming the majority of it. I would have just DNFd, but... you know... I kept expecting there to be more stories after it. Nah.
I'm sorry, but I can safely say I will never pick up another Dark Screams collection. I honestly wouldn't recommend these to anyone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hydra for granting me an ARC of this book! All opinions expressed here are my own.
wellwortharead's review
4.0
For me, the absolute stars of this compilation are "The Rich Are Different" by Lisa Morton in which a writer accepts an invitation to a birthday party from a very wealthy and very different sort of fan.
"The Comforting Voice" by Norman Prentiss offers no comfort at all. In fact it set my teeth on edge and made my skin crawl, in the most delightful ways. Josh and Cheryl are new parents, which under the best of circumstances would be an uncomfortable time to take in a sickly relative. When the new baby has constant fits of inconsolable crying, and the relative is your estranged and abusive father-in-law, it's about as comforting as nails on a chalkboard. This tale had my anxiety levels through the roof and I loved it. These two stories alone are worth more than the cost of admission. 5 stars to both.
"The Corpse King" by Tim Curran is the longest story in this collection. It's a creepy tale of best buddies and grave robbers Kierney and Clow who find that not everything under the ground is lifeless. 4 stars
"The Manicure" by Nell Quinn-Gibney Has me eyeing my nail scissors distrustfully while I consider buying one of those as seen on tv doodads that files them instead. Another solid 4 stars.
"The Situations" by Joyce Carol Oates is one I have read previously in another collection and though I like much of her work this one just didn't quite do it for me then or now. 3 stars
"The Old Dude's Ticker" by Stephen King is a 1970s version of the Tell Tale Heart by Poe. Sometimes the classics are best left alone. It was ok, but not one of King's best efforts. 3 stars.
All in all this is a good collection of sinister stories that are certain to jangle your nerves.
I received an advance copy for review
"The Comforting Voice" by Norman Prentiss offers no comfort at all. In fact it set my teeth on edge and made my skin crawl, in the most delightful ways. Josh and Cheryl are new parents, which under the best of circumstances would be an uncomfortable time to take in a sickly relative. When the new baby has constant fits of inconsolable crying, and the relative is your estranged and abusive father-in-law, it's about as comforting as nails on a chalkboard. This tale had my anxiety levels through the roof and I loved it. These two stories alone are worth more than the cost of admission. 5 stars to both.
"The Corpse King" by Tim Curran is the longest story in this collection. It's a creepy tale of best buddies and grave robbers Kierney and Clow who find that not everything under the ground is lifeless. 4 stars
"The Manicure" by Nell Quinn-Gibney Has me eyeing my nail scissors distrustfully while I consider buying one of those as seen on tv doodads that files them instead. Another solid 4 stars.
"The Situations" by Joyce Carol Oates is one I have read previously in another collection and though I like much of her work this one just didn't quite do it for me then or now. 3 stars
"The Old Dude's Ticker" by Stephen King is a 1970s version of the Tell Tale Heart by Poe. Sometimes the classics are best left alone. It was ok, but not one of King's best efforts. 3 stars.
All in all this is a good collection of sinister stories that are certain to jangle your nerves.
I received an advance copy for review