A review by jayrothermel
The Year's Best Horror Stories XIV by Paul M. Sammon, Stephen F. Wilcox, David B. Silva, Phillip C. Heath, John Alfred Taylor, Wayne Allen Sallee, Simon Clark, David J. Schow, Ramsey Campbell, Michael Reaves, William F. Nolan, Steve Sneyd, Tanith Lee, Leonard Carpenter, Christopher Burns, Dennis Etchison, Karl Edward Wagner, Charles L. Grant, Vincent McHardy, David S. Garnett

4.0

Excellent collection from a fascinating time in mid-80s.

The gem is "Dead Men's Fingers" by Phillip C. Heath. This brilliant short story is worth the purchase price all on it's own.

It is a stunning achievement in all respects: context, style, craft, etc: Heath recreats in a 19th-century-style the story of a doomed 19th century whaling voyage. Captain and crew go one whale too far in their good fortune: their prey turns out to be infested with barnacles hiding a nasty breed of deep-sea parasites.

Story notes:

http://jayrothermel.blogspot.com/2021/09/19-stories-from-years-best-horror.html