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A review by onewingedpsycho
Dark Screams: Volume Nine by Brian James Freeman, Peter Straub, Stewart O'Nan, Kelley Armstrong, Lee Thomas, Taylor Grant, Jonathan Moore, Richard Chizmar
4.0
I find it harder and harder to find a decent horror novel that doesn't rely on gore to scare the reader and is at that genuinely scary but some of the stories in this novel certainly went a good way to filling that horror void inside me.
INVITATION TO THE GAME by Kelley Armstrong
Of course I love Kelley Armstrong she is one of my absolute favourite authors so it was no surprise that I was won over by this short story, I suspected foul play at the beginning but what I expected was completely different from the reality and this was probably my favourite story in the book. It was horrifying without needing to use gore or really any form of supernatural spooks.
SUMMER OF ’77 by Stewart O’Nan
This was very short, and not one of my favourites it rather rambled on a bit and just was too disjointed for me to fully enjoy it.
THE DEAD YEARS by Taylor Grant
I really enjoyed this one! The ending came out of nowhere and although it took a while to build it was well worthwhile.
THE BLACKOUT by Jonathan Moore
This vied with Invitation to be my favourite story in the book and would make an excellent horror movie. I can't say much about it without spoiling it but I'm certainly looking forward to reading more of the authors works in the future.
VARIATIONS ON A THEME FROM SEINFELD by Peter Straub
Peter Straub is a master of his genre and this was no exception to that rule.
TORN by Lee Thomas
Another one I enjoyed quite a lot but it could have rambled a little less, certainly worth the time it takes to read it though. Also the longest story in the book and more a novella than short story.
INVITATION TO THE GAME by Kelley Armstrong
Of course I love Kelley Armstrong she is one of my absolute favourite authors so it was no surprise that I was won over by this short story, I suspected foul play at the beginning but what I expected was completely different from the reality and this was probably my favourite story in the book. It was horrifying without needing to use gore or really any form of supernatural spooks.
SUMMER OF ’77 by Stewart O’Nan
This was very short, and not one of my favourites it rather rambled on a bit and just was too disjointed for me to fully enjoy it.
THE DEAD YEARS by Taylor Grant
I really enjoyed this one! The ending came out of nowhere and although it took a while to build it was well worthwhile.
THE BLACKOUT by Jonathan Moore
This vied with Invitation to be my favourite story in the book and would make an excellent horror movie. I can't say much about it without spoiling it but I'm certainly looking forward to reading more of the authors works in the future.
VARIATIONS ON A THEME FROM SEINFELD by Peter Straub
Peter Straub is a master of his genre and this was no exception to that rule.
TORN by Lee Thomas
Another one I enjoyed quite a lot but it could have rambled a little less, certainly worth the time it takes to read it though. Also the longest story in the book and more a novella than short story.