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A review by geve_
The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four by Margo Lanagan, Livia Llewellyn, A.C. Wise, Chet Williamson, Ellen Datlow, David Nickle, Simon Bestwick, Alison Littlewood, Peter Straub, Terry Lamsley, Anna Taborska, Priya Sharma, Brian Hodge, Leah Bobet, Laird Barron, Glen Hirshberg, Stephen King, John Langan
4.0
3.5 overall. Any anthology is gonna have good and bad, and I enjoyed this one more than not. There were a few stinkers, mostly fine stories and few I really liked.
Favs:
The Moraine - Simon Bestwick: This was a really fun little survival adventure. Well written and unique. Was surprised at how much I liked it.
Final Girl Theory - A. C. Wise: I like stories about cursed media and this one hit a lot of what I love. Unclear which person is really the evil one, very fun back story. Prob my fav of the bunch. Really well done.
Final Verse - Chet Williamson: Sorta similar to the above, cursed media. This one wasn't quite as good, and had a bit of cheese to it, but still an enjoyable read.
Fine stories:
The Little Green God of Agony - Stephen King: I mean, I'm not really a fan of modern king shorts I guess. this was fine, very King, well written just kinda meh story. Nothing wrong with it.
Stay - Leah Bobet: I liked the mythology here, but the pacing and depth of character needed a bit
Blackwood's Baby - Laird Barron: Overwritten but still not a bad story. Pretty visual and a bit cheese, not bad.
Looker - David Nickle: More weird fiction than horror, I like the unlikable characters are worse than the deformities. Reminded me of black hole a bit.
The Show - Priya Sharma: Not bad, totally serviceable, nothing really new, but fine.
In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos - John Langan: Well written but more of the same, very similar ot other stories, and tied into Langan's other stories.
Roots and All - Brian Hodge: I liked the beginning of this, I didn't love the payoff, but didn't hate it iguess.
no opinion/forgettable:
Dermot - Simon Bestwick
Black Feathers - Alison J. Littlewood
In the Absence of Murdock - Terry Lamsley
Little Pig - Anna Taborska
disliked:
Mulberry Boys - Margo Lanagan
Omphalos - Livia Llewellyn
You Become the Neighborhood - Glen Hirshberg
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine - Peter Straub
Favs:
The Moraine - Simon Bestwick: This was a really fun little survival adventure. Well written and unique. Was surprised at how much I liked it.
Final Girl Theory - A. C. Wise: I like stories about cursed media and this one hit a lot of what I love. Unclear which person is really the evil one, very fun back story. Prob my fav of the bunch. Really well done.
Final Verse - Chet Williamson: Sorta similar to the above, cursed media. This one wasn't quite as good, and had a bit of cheese to it, but still an enjoyable read.
Fine stories:
The Little Green God of Agony - Stephen King: I mean, I'm not really a fan of modern king shorts I guess. this was fine, very King, well written just kinda meh story. Nothing wrong with it.
Stay - Leah Bobet: I liked the mythology here, but the pacing and depth of character needed a bit
Blackwood's Baby - Laird Barron: Overwritten but still not a bad story. Pretty visual and a bit cheese, not bad.
Looker - David Nickle: More weird fiction than horror, I like the unlikable characters are worse than the deformities. Reminded me of black hole a bit.
The Show - Priya Sharma: Not bad, totally serviceable, nothing really new, but fine.
In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos - John Langan: Well written but more of the same, very similar ot other stories, and tied into Langan's other stories.
Roots and All - Brian Hodge: I liked the beginning of this, I didn't love the payoff, but didn't hate it iguess.
no opinion/forgettable:
Dermot - Simon Bestwick
Black Feathers - Alison J. Littlewood
In the Absence of Murdock - Terry Lamsley
Little Pig - Anna Taborska
disliked:
Mulberry Boys - Margo Lanagan
Omphalos - Livia Llewellyn
You Become the Neighborhood - Glen Hirshberg
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine - Peter Straub