NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR

Edited by Ellen Datlow

Well…if you want the pants scared right off you, this is one of the greatest collections of horror stories ever printed. And that is not an exaggeration. “Nightmares” is the perfect title for this assemblage of twenty-four tales that will have any reader running around the house making sure that every light in every room is on. Heck, you’ll probably even ask your neighbors to light up their houses so that the backyard will not own any shadows.

A handful of extremely talented writers have compiled their best chilling stories, reminding readers that all sorts of evil walks among us and will not disappear just because we want them to. Here is just a short sampling that will have you staying awake for a good, long time:

The story is called The Goosle by Margo Lanagan, which is an unforgettable take on the story of Hansel and Gretel. Written beautifully and bloody, these are two characters well-known in the world of fiction whose backstory, if you’ve forgotten it, you will never forget again.

In The Clay Party by Steve Duffy, a group of folks set out for the state of California with their leader…a man that leads them to disaster and sounds a lot like the “bloodfest” of the Donner Party.

For two completely different tales, check out Lonegan’s Luck by Stephen Graham Jones, that takes the reader on the road with a snake oil salesman who offers remedies for just about everything. And in Mr. Pigsny by Reggie Oliver, meet a gangster who never wants to die, yet soon learns that there are far worse things than ‘meeting his maker.’

This review could go on and on, but this reviewer needs to find a fun-filled, colorful, children’s book to read (with illustrations) just so my heart rate can slow back down. Enjoy, horror fans. In this frightening tome, there’s something for everybody.