Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror Book Reviews
“If Sole Survivor demonstrated Zachary Ashford’s obvious skill as a horror writer in an ever-crowded genre, then The Encampment by the Gorge & Blood Memory firmly cements that reputation and provides clear evidence that Ashford is a rising star in the genre…”
“Comprised of complex, multi-faceted and deeply impressive science-fiction stories that deftly move between subgenres, Vistas is a highly rewarding and flawlessly executed experience that showcases Kelso’s immense talent as a science-fiction author. The collection acts as clear evidence for why Kelso is seen as a rising star in the genre, with his ability to effortlessly weave together complex narratives and a stunning breadth of imagination to create compelling, innovative and thought-provoking tales…”
“The Funeral Birds is an absolute delight to read, a smoothly-paced and tightly-plotted murder-mystery thriller, bolstered by the shrewd decision by Readman to make a husband and wife team the focus of the story. Dave and Joan really bring the story to life, giving it an energy and focus that raises it above other titles in such a crowded genre, and a unique charm that I really can’t remember seeing elsewhere…”
“Cursed displays all the hallmarks of a classic urban fantasy detective series, with an engaging protagonist and original take on the requisite magic system, as well as a promising setting in the form of Detroit’s magical underworld, and I am looking forward to seeing more from Garrison Wake in the future.”
“With Moonlight, Gunshot, Mallet, Flame, Alicia Hilton has succeeded in creating two memorable, gritty and quietly unsettling horror stories that both involve dangerous and formidable women involved with the occult and the supernatural. Each of them, especially the titular story, have a dark, brooding atmosphere that perfectly encapsulates that noir feeling that countless authors attempt to portray in genre fiction and yet so many fail to comprehend. They’re both deftly written, as well as featuring two well-developed and fleshed-out female protagonists that avoid the usual noir stereotypes, and Hilton also manages to pull off some twists that I definitely didn’t see coming.”
“Hand to Mouth is a brilliantly written and skilfully-plotted horror story that reveals more and more of itself the longer that you read. What seem to be the passionately-written pleas of a man wrongly imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit slowly becomes a multi-layered horror story focusing on the often devastating results of the anxieties that are inflicted on a family living in modern times.”
“I think that Crowded House & Other Stories might be one of the entries in the Short, Sharp, Shocks! imprint that I enjoyed the most, and which truly resonated with me as a piece of horror fiction. All three stories in the collection are superbly written, perfectly paced, and most importantly imbued with a deeply unsettling, almost existential form of horror – the kind that seeps into you and gets under your skin and won’t let you go for a long while afterward finishing them.”
“The Birthday Girl & Other Stories is a fantastic debut by author Christopher Beck, demonstrating some real talent as a horror writer, including a particularly vivid imagination and a distinct knack for being able to reach into the very core of deeply emotional subjects and then moulding them into harrowing, memorable stories that stay with the reader long after the book itself has been finished.”
“I’ll readily admit that I really, really enjoyed The One That Shows No Fear, taken in by the deft blend of human and supernatural horrors orchestrated by Stred to develop the overarching narrative…”
“I thoroughly enjoyed Last Meal in Osaka and Other Stories and found it to be a short collection of varied, imaginative and coldly horrifying stories that deftly demonstrated Gary Buller’s skill as a writer of horror fiction…”
“Heart of Stone is a powerful piece of short horror fiction, raising some thought-provoking questions…”
The Straitjacket in the Woods Kitty R. Kane Demain Publishing As part of #DemainDecember on this blog, I’m reviewing as … More
“…it has a sense of following in the same vein as legendary authors like M.R. James…”
“I found A Monster Met to be a well-written, smoothly-paced and hugely enjoyable short slice of horror fiction…”
“Engaging, thought-provoking and challenging in equal measures, Every Moon Atrocious may have left me confused and uncertain of what had occurred when I finished reading it, but I would argue that is where its genius actually lies”
The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviewer 