sleepyboi2988's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this collection. This was my first introduction to Ellen Datlow's editing and I must say I am impressed. This compilation was incredibly solid, dark, and quite a few were unsettlingly grotesque and arousing.
There was only one title that fell completely flat for me and very few that were merely 'ok' to my palate.
Excited to read the others in the series, glad I own them if they are this well curated. I also appreciated the start of the book, it includes a list of the various novels/stories that won horror awards around the world. This serves as an excellent primer for someone such as myself who is only recently rediscovering fiction and catching up on what I've missed.
There was only one title that fell completely flat for me and very few that were merely 'ok' to my palate.
Excited to read the others in the series, glad I own them if they are this well curated. I also appreciated the start of the book, it includes a list of the various novels/stories that won horror awards around the world. This serves as an excellent primer for someone such as myself who is only recently rediscovering fiction and catching up on what I've missed.
sortabadass's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
squirrelz's review against another edition
A lot of these straight up aren't horror.
emilyyjjean's review against another edition
1.0
DNF- 25%
I'm giving this book only a 1/2 star. This is not horror to me, I don't know, maybe it's because these stories were picked in 2008? I do know that they were super boring, and I will not be reading the other volumes of this "best" horror of the year volumes.
I'm giving this book only a 1/2 star. This is not horror to me, I don't know, maybe it's because these stories were picked in 2008? I do know that they were super boring, and I will not be reading the other volumes of this "best" horror of the year volumes.
macbean221b's review against another edition
3.0
This book took me a ridiculously long time to read. There was nothing wrong with it, it just didn't grab my attention. "Penguins of the Apocalypse" will probably stick with me, and not only because of the absurd title. I expect "Esmeralda" and "Very Low-Flying Aircraft" will, too. But other than that, none of the other eighteen stories really spoke to me, and there were even a couple that I flat-out disliked instead of just being indifferent.
gretchenw1976's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.0
There were 21 stories I only like 5.5 of those stories .5 because one was barely ok. This is the first edition of a series that has many editions. I do hope it gets better. Most of these stories weren’t even horror, more like thrillers and the two aren’t exactly the same. Quite a few of the stories were just plain stupid, and juvenile.
I read some where that there was a series before this, like this one, but the editor was different. I don’t know why it was changed. I wonder if it was better? I can’t imagine it was worse. Another thing is, there a lot of typos in this book. That is very irritating.
To have a title claiming THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR, is quite a boast. One would think there would be some great quality between the pages. Geesh, even the stories I liked were far from the “the best” of anything. I don’t know where the editor was pulling from when she chose the stories and authors in this book, but if she thinks any of the stories and authors in this book are the best of anything, she must teach first grade. If this book was the best writing her first graders came up with and she published it, from the standpoint..ok sure,it wasn’t bad a book for first graders except it had really vulgar parts in so shame on her..lol
I read some where that there was a series before this, like this one, but the editor was different. I don’t know why it was changed. I wonder if it was better? I can’t imagine it was worse. Another thing is, there a lot of typos in this book. That is very irritating.
To have a title claiming THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR, is quite a boast. One would think there would be some great quality between the pages. Geesh, even the stories I liked were far from the “the best” of anything. I don’t know where the editor was pulling from when she chose the stories and authors in this book, but if she thinks any of the stories and authors in this book are the best of anything, she must teach first grade. If this book was the best writing her first graders came up with and she published it, from the standpoint..ok sure,it wasn’t bad a book for first graders except it had really vulgar parts in so shame on her..lol
james7634's review against another edition
5.0
This anthology wasn't for me. High quality stories to be sure, but they focused too much on the fantastical. I just couldn't get into the vast majority of stories.
jennyengel's review against another edition
3.0
This one was just ok. Some were better than that, but most of them were not.
sarahdenn27's review against another edition
2.0
Ehhhh. Not scary, most of these were just whatever.