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A review by dnemec
Dark Screams: Volume Seven by Kaaron Warren, Brian James Freeman, Brian Hodge, Robert R. McCammon, Bill Schweigart, Mick Garris, James Renner, Richard Chizmar
4.0
Another great installation of the Dark Screams series brought to us from Cemetery Dance's Brian Freeman and Richard Chizmar. Surprisingly, I was only familiar with 3 of the 6 authors in this incarnation of the series.
Even more surprising was that my favorite story was A Monster Comes to Ashdown Forest (In Which Christopher Robin Says Goodbye) by James Renner, one of the authors with whose work I was previously unfamiliar. We find out that Ashdown Forest was actually the 100 Acre Wood from those lovable Winnie the Pooh books when Christopher Robin, the patient in an convalescent home, requests to go back one last time. When they arrive, they are greeted by the "real" Eeyore and meet the rest of the somewhat timeworn gang. It's kind of a nightmare version of Winnie the Pooh - a great read for anyone who has read those books or watched those movies a thousand times to children who just can't get enough. (I can still sing those damn songs due to a little girl I babysat 20 years ago.)
Lizardman by Robert McCammon is also worth a mention. While the story was pretty good, the description was amazing. I don't know if McCammon has spent much time in swampy areas, but the depiction of it had me twitching my nose, waiting to be eaten by mosquitoes. It is extraordinarily compelling.
While it was not really my type of story, West of Matamoros, North of Hell by Brian Hodge was without a doubt the most terrifying story in the collection for me. I am well aware of the problems of drug cartels within the boundaries of our southern neighbor, and have seen videos of their savagery. This story seriously hits a nerve. And the ending is a bit of surprise. Definitely worth a read.
A great anthology to add to the series.
Even more surprising was that my favorite story was A Monster Comes to Ashdown Forest (In Which Christopher Robin Says Goodbye) by James Renner, one of the authors with whose work I was previously unfamiliar. We find out that Ashdown Forest was actually the 100 Acre Wood from those lovable Winnie the Pooh books when Christopher Robin, the patient in an convalescent home, requests to go back one last time. When they arrive, they are greeted by the "real" Eeyore and meet the rest of the somewhat timeworn gang. It's kind of a nightmare version of Winnie the Pooh - a great read for anyone who has read those books or watched those movies a thousand times to children who just can't get enough. (I can still sing those damn songs due to a little girl I babysat 20 years ago.)
Lizardman by Robert McCammon is also worth a mention. While the story was pretty good, the description was amazing. I don't know if McCammon has spent much time in swampy areas, but the depiction of it had me twitching my nose, waiting to be eaten by mosquitoes. It is extraordinarily compelling.
While it was not really my type of story, West of Matamoros, North of Hell by Brian Hodge was without a doubt the most terrifying story in the collection for me. I am well aware of the problems of drug cartels within the boundaries of our southern neighbor, and have seen videos of their savagery. This story seriously hits a nerve. And the ending is a bit of surprise. Definitely worth a read.
A great anthology to add to the series.