leilaniann's review against another edition
4.0
I love short story collections for airplane rides, and this one did not disappoint! It entertained me for many hours.
innae's review
A short little review on each story in the book -
1. The Adventure of My Grandfather by Washington Irving: (ghosts) 3/12/08 - Well, the writing is ancient, and truthfully a little confusing...some of it is story telling, and then the listener interjects, and well, sometimes it was confusing.
And really, not much of a horror story...the furniture dances. Not scary at all, not even to "grandfather" who tried to dance with the clothes press. eh
2. The Adventure of My Aunt by Washington Irving: (no category) 3/13/08 - I think I have decided that I don't need to hunt down any Irving stories, because UG. I so do not like his writing style. And this one was another NOT horror story. It ends
up being an intruder, not a ghost. UG. really not impressed with this anthology yet.
3. The Adventure of the German Student by Washington Irving: (ghost/evil spirit) 3/14/08 - PLEASE let this be the last Irving tale...please!!! This one was more along the lines of what I think of for horror stories. I figured it out long before
we got to the end, but I think it is a technique that is over used now, but when Irving wrote it, perhaps not. The best tale of the anthology so far.
4. Ants by Chet Williamson: (Gaia's Revenge) 3/15/08 - YEAH!!! A true horror story, that still has me itching. This is how a short short story should be. Just, wow!! and beware the ANTS.....And now this one is the best tale so far!!
5. The Assembly of the Dead by Chet Williamson: (?) 07/03/08 - I don't think i understood this one...no, scratch that, i am SURE i didn't understand this one. It is quite....odd.
6. At the Bureau by Steve Rasnic Tem: (?) 09/24/08 - an odd little tale, where you really don't "get" what is happening until the end, and even then....
7. Babylon: 70 M. by Donald A. Wollheim: (monsters) 09/24/08 - Liked this one, gave a little laugh at the end, because if you pay attention, you know how it must end.
8. Berenice by Edgar Allan Poe: (teeth?) 10/9/08 - Edgar was a sick man, but also a genius. A tale about being obsessed with his fiance's teeth.
9. Beyond the Wall by Ambrose Bierce: (love lost) 10/9/08 - not so much a horror tale as a sad tale, of a love lost, but perhaps regained.
10. The Boarded Window by Ambrose Bierce: (love lost) 10/9/08 - I am sensing a theme to Mr. Bierce's work. Again, not so much horror, although there is a bit of the element. It is about a man who goes mad after the loss of his wife, although she may not have been as dead as he thought.
11. Boxes by Al Sarrantonio: (?) 11/27/09 - A story of two boys off for an adventure (ala The Body by Stephen King) -- only, things don't go exactly as they expected, although it is left much to your imagination on how it all ends and on who or what exactly is "The Man who collects boxes"
12. The Canidate by Henry Slesar: (voodoo) 11/27/09 - I saw the idea of the ending coming, but not how they put it together. I quite like the idea of wishing someone dead (not actually to do it, but in my religion, if you put something out there, it can come true -- the more people you have behind the thought means it is more likely to become truth), as this tale falls into what my beliefs are. Nice story.
13. Cemetery Dance by Richard T. Chizmar: (?) 07/01/10 - A sad tale of a stalking murder and the murderer's suicide. Delusion can take us many places, even into death.
14. The Certificate by Avram Davidson: (aliens) 07/01/2010 - another sad tale, in a world where no one is allowed to die (or get a new overcoat), what would you do to escape? Apply to die of course.
15. Cheapskate by Gary Raisor: (family issues) 7/6/2010 - You have to actually turn the page to get the zinger (nice how they arranged that in the book) -- and wow..nice story. a bit darker than some of the other ones, but...nice. I am going to remember to not ask for roller skates for my birthday.
16. The China Bowl by E.F. Benson: (ghost) 08/19/10 - a nicely told ghost story. Not overly horror, except for the last line :-)
17 . 04/21/2011 The Cobweb by Saki...a little tale about being careful what you wish for..death doesn't always come for the old.
18. 04/26/2011 Come to the Party by Frances Garfield - a nice little haunted house story..i liked this one
19. 01/04/2013 A Curious Dream by Mark Twain .. A little too whiny..no wonder I didn't comment on this before, quite a forgetable tale
20. 05/10/2011 Dark Wings by Phyllis Eisenstein...a beautifully written tale full of imagery, became real horror in the last sentence.
21. 05/10/2011 Dead Call by William F. Nolan...a creepy ghost story. I quite liked it. Hey, isn't that you're phone ringing?
22. 05/10/2011 Different Kinds of Dead by Ed Gorman...1991, I expected this story to be older as it is relatively recent it is just the retelling of a hitchhiker story. I would have been more impressed had it been 40 years older.
23. 01/07/2013 Displaced Person by Eric Frank Russell odd that I missed this story, I believe I missed it as after reading it I think it would have stuck with me. Not quite horror, even if it does have Lucifer, in fact a little sad
24. 05/10/2011 The Disintegration of Alan by Melissa Mia Hall...an interesting story I didn't fully understand.
25. 06/23/2011 Down by the Sea near the Great Big Rock by Joe R. Lansdale ... I have long thought Lansdale was whacked, this story did not change my mind. Entertaining little tale.
26. 6/23/2011 Dragon Sunday by Ruth Berman..weird story. About being off your meds possibly? Or maybe ON your "meds".
27. 09/01/2011 Duck Hunt by Joe R. Lansdale .. sick and wrong and disturbing...a lovely addition to this collection
28. 09/01/2011 The Dust by Al Sarrantonio .. loved this tale about what the dust can do. My favorite story thus far.
29. 09/01/2011 The Evil Clergyman by H.P. Lovecraft .. eh. Not all that impressed though the language was lovely
30. 09/19/2011 Examination Day by Henry Slesar ..not what I expected, the sign of a great horror story -when it surprises you in a slightly scary way
31. 09/19/2011 The Faceless Thing by Edward D. Hoch..anti-climatic. Not all that exciting of a tale. In fact, a rather boring tale about getting older
32. 12/31/2011 The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar by Edgar Allan Poe..there is a reason he is considered such a great horror writer, this is one of his lesser known tales but is super creepy
33. 01/27/2012 Feeding Time by James Gunn..i saw the ending before it happened, but still a cute story
34. 01/27/2012 Feeding Time by Robert Sheckley..again I saw it coming, but enjoyed the story anyway. Interesting to read two stories about essentially the same thing, but told so differently.
35. 01/27/2012 The Final Quest by William F. Nolan ..a poem about King Arthur's final battle, with Death
36. Fish Night by Joe R. Lansdale..no idea when I read this odd tale about parallel universes..an odd tale by an odd man
37. The Four-Fingered Hand by Barry Pain..no idea when I read this story...a poker story and a premonition tale. It was okay
38. 12/25/2012 A Ghost Story by Mark Twain.as would be expected this ghost story is more humorous than horror..cute though
39. 12/31/2012 Give Her Hell by Donald A. Wollheim .. A story proving that one should not trust the Devil
40. 12/31/2012 The Giveaway by Steve Rasnic Tem..a creepy story with some psychological marital abuse
41. 12/31/2012 The Glove by Fritz Leiber..eh. An okay story of a ghostly glove
42. 01/01/2013 The Grab by Richard Laymon...cute and horrible. Gotta love Laymon
43. 01/11/2013 The Haunted Mill or the Ruined Home by Jerome K. Jerome...this story had zero purpose, no resolution, no ending, just dumb
44. 2/1/13 He Kilt It with a Stick by William F. Nolan disturbing tale
45. 2/22/13 Heading Home by Ramsey Campbell ... HEADing Home indeed, tale of a mad scientist, who while mad is not dumb
46. 2/22/13 The Hollow of the Three Hills by Nathaniel Hawthorne...old. Writing style not to my liking. Okay story about an evil witch
47. 5/2/13 The Hollow Man by Norman Partridge..just weird, I didn't understand this one at all
48. 5/2/13 Holly, Don't Tell by Juleen Brantingham .. Who doesn't love creepy kids with a secret? Done a little differently though. Not a favorite, but not bad
49. 5/14/13 The Hound by H.P. Lovecraft ... hmmm, I really got into the creepiness of this story, and I can't say it disappointed. Makes me want to read more Lovecraft :-)
50. 5/14/13 The Hour and the Man by Robert Barr ... not really sure this was a true horror novel, was a bit more of a irony story I think. Something not expected. I am not sure giving someone hope is torture, but maybe it is....
51. 06/04/13 The House at Evening by Frances Garfield ... I saw something coming, and although I didn't figure out exactly what, this was still a pretty predictable tale
52. 06/04/13 The Idea by Barry N. Malzberg .. HUH? I read it twice and still don't get it
53. 02/28/14 Identity Crisis by Thomas F. Monteleone - way disturbing. I guess when it is babies taking the brunt of the horror it makes it more disturbing for me
54. 02/28/14 In the Corn by Robert Fox - after the story got going, you knew how it was going to end, still a great story.
55. 02/28/14 An Incident on Route 12 by James H. Schmitz - alien story. Not quite an abduction.
56. 03/10/14 Interview by Frank A Javor - creepy, interesting to have a disclaimer on an interview
57. 01/07/15 The Jam by Henry Slesar - a nice little tale of Hell...an eternal traffic jam
58. 01/09/15 The Kirk Spook by E. G. Swain - just a ghost story..I was expecting something more when the story just ended
59. 01/12/15 Making Friends by Gary Raisor - wowza...I felt the horror creeping over me as I realized where this little short piece of terror was going. A fantastic short (2 pages) story. My favorite of the book so far.
60. The Marble Hands by Bernard Capes - not sure when I read this one...a story about imagination...or is it??
61. Mariana by Fritz Leiber - what would you do if you found out you were just an illusion. Created by someone, and easily turned on, or off, at their whim?
62. (05/15/15) Masque by Ed Gorman - a lot is left to your imagination, but it is a story of what a mom will do for her child...
63. (05/15/15) The Middle Toe of the Right Foot by Ambrose Bierce - classic ghost story...includes a spooky house, and the reveal at the end.
64. (07/11/15) Moving Night by Nancy Holder - creepy because for most of the story you are not sure what has happened, even at the end you are not sure...
65. (07/11/15) Naples by Avram Davidson - eh. I was not a fan of the writing style, so I admit I skipped bits and pieces which may have made the story not make sense to me
66. (07/12/15) Night Visions by Jack Dann - what if you wanted to kill yourself, but technology wouldn't let you? interesting premise.
67. (07/12/15) Night Deposits by Chet Williamson - really just sad. a story of how mistakes never really let you go
68. (07/13/15) Nightshapes by Barry N. Malzberg..weird werewolf story. Not a fan
69. (07/14/15) No. 1 Branch Line, The Signalman by Charles Dickens - I remember listening to an audio version of "The Signalman", good story, creepy
70. (07/14/15) The Old Black Hat by Gary Raisor - the hat DOES NOT belong to Frosty
71. (07/22/15) Out of the Storm by William Hope Hodgson - an okay story. You wonder was it the storm or was it really a THING??
72. (07/22/15) Out of Africa by David Drake - I liked this story well enough. A tale of hunting, and really catching "the one"
73. (08/05/15) The Oval Portrait by Edgar Allan Poe - truly a short story at three pages. Good for what it was
74. (8/05/15) Party Time by Mort Castle - creepy. Happy Food indeed. (I get that our narrator is a circus geek...but is kept in the basement and is only brought out for parties)
75. The Passenger by E.F. Benson (090715) - a bit of a ghost story..where the ghost is still around because of unfinished business
76. Peekaboo by Bill Pronzini (091015) - so good!! Maybe struck me as better than usual because I just read a bunch of two sentence horror stories, and this one a similar feel (even tho it was longer than two sentences )
77. The Pitch by Dennis Etchison (9/11) - a bit like "Making Friends" without the caring. Was a good story, not a great one
78. The Poor by Steve Rasnic Tem (9/14) - the nightmare of a social worker
79. The Rag Thing by Donald A. Wollheim (9/16) seems several shorts I have read lately have left the ending a bit ambiguous. Really, it makes it scarier when your imagination takes over
80. Rendezvous by Daniel Ransom (9/16) this one is another ambiguous one...and a little to true to life for me
81. The Same Old Grind by Bill Pronzini (9/17) horror like Sweeny Todd
82. The Skeleton by Jerome K. Jerome (9/17) just a ghost story... Where the ghost embodied his own skeleton
83. Something There Is by Charles L. Grant (9/22) - a writer anxiously awaiting a muse...though it is a case of be careful what you wish for
84. Spring-Fingered Jack by Susan Caspar (9/23) - what an interesting concept about today's world (1983). Practicing in real-life to win the video game. Creepy.
85. Sredni Vashtar by Saki (090115) - not sure exactly when I read this, but it is part of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Stories they wouldn't let me do on TV collection I am reading in the month of September - I have never liked ferrets and their like. This story just reinforces that feeling.
86. The Statement of Randolph Carter by H. P. Lovecraft (9/24) a creepy tale...two friends enter the swamp, but only one returns
87. The Story of Muhammad Din by Rudyard Kipling (9/24) a horror story in that this world is horrible, maybe too much truth.
88. The Thing in the Forest by Bernard Capes (9/25) a bit of the your salvation is also your doom feeling
89. Threshold by Sharon Webb (9/29) at what point do animals become human...how much do we want to teach them?
90. Today's Special by Dennis Etchison (9/30) frustration with coworkers could lead anyone to cannibalism, right?
91. Topsy by F. Paul Wilson (10/1) a mental patient tale, an okay story
92. Toy by Bill Pronzini (10/2) sci Fi horror ... What happens when you play with unknown
93. Transfer by Barry N. Malzberg (10/3) a bit of Dr Jeckyll in this tale of murder
94. Treats by Norman Partridge (10/5) just creepy.
95. Under My Bed by Al Sarrantonio (10/6) a good story about a "monster" protecting an abused boy...also a bit creepy
96. Up Under the Roof by Manly Wade Wellman (10/7) a story that encourages one to face their fears
97. The Upturned Face by Stephen Crane (10/8) more creepy as you think about it, but the story was just a story
98. We Have Always Lived in the Forest by Nancy Holder (10/9) surprise. I actually gasped as I read this story. I am not sure completely how to take it, but it did have that moment of pure horror for me
99. Where Did She Wander? by Manly Wade Wellman (10/9) an interesting twist on the ghost story
100. Witness by Avram Davidson - another one with a nice twist. something I could see being done on Twilight Zone back when. I don't think it would hold much surprise for the jaded world of today
I can't believe I am finally done with this book. It feels like it has been hanging around waiting for years (oh wait...it has).
1. The Adventure of My Grandfather by Washington Irving: (ghosts) 3/12/08 - Well, the writing is ancient, and truthfully a little confusing...some of it is story telling, and then the listener interjects, and well, sometimes it was confusing.
And really, not much of a horror story...the furniture dances. Not scary at all, not even to "grandfather" who tried to dance with the clothes press. eh
2. The Adventure of My Aunt by Washington Irving: (no category) 3/13/08 - I think I have decided that I don't need to hunt down any Irving stories, because UG. I so do not like his writing style. And this one was another NOT horror story. It ends
up being an intruder, not a ghost. UG. really not impressed with this anthology yet.
3. The Adventure of the German Student by Washington Irving: (ghost/evil spirit) 3/14/08 - PLEASE let this be the last Irving tale...please!!! This one was more along the lines of what I think of for horror stories. I figured it out long before
we got to the end, but I think it is a technique that is over used now, but when Irving wrote it, perhaps not. The best tale of the anthology so far.
4. Ants by Chet Williamson: (Gaia's Revenge) 3/15/08 - YEAH!!! A true horror story, that still has me itching. This is how a short short story should be. Just, wow!! and beware the ANTS.....And now this one is the best tale so far!!
5. The Assembly of the Dead by Chet Williamson: (?) 07/03/08 - I don't think i understood this one...no, scratch that, i am SURE i didn't understand this one. It is quite....odd.
6. At the Bureau by Steve Rasnic Tem: (?) 09/24/08 - an odd little tale, where you really don't "get" what is happening until the end, and even then....
7. Babylon: 70 M. by Donald A. Wollheim: (monsters) 09/24/08 - Liked this one, gave a little laugh at the end, because if you pay attention, you know how it must end.
8. Berenice by Edgar Allan Poe: (teeth?) 10/9/08 - Edgar was a sick man, but also a genius. A tale about being obsessed with his fiance's teeth.
9. Beyond the Wall by Ambrose Bierce: (love lost) 10/9/08 - not so much a horror tale as a sad tale, of a love lost, but perhaps regained.
10. The Boarded Window by Ambrose Bierce: (love lost) 10/9/08 - I am sensing a theme to Mr. Bierce's work. Again, not so much horror, although there is a bit of the element. It is about a man who goes mad after the loss of his wife, although she may not have been as dead as he thought.
11. Boxes by Al Sarrantonio: (?) 11/27/09 - A story of two boys off for an adventure (ala The Body by Stephen King) -- only, things don't go exactly as they expected, although it is left much to your imagination on how it all ends and on who or what exactly is "The Man who collects boxes"
12. The Canidate by Henry Slesar: (voodoo) 11/27/09 - I saw the idea of the ending coming, but not how they put it together. I quite like the idea of wishing someone dead (not actually to do it, but in my religion, if you put something out there, it can come true -- the more people you have behind the thought means it is more likely to become truth), as this tale falls into what my beliefs are. Nice story.
13. Cemetery Dance by Richard T. Chizmar: (?) 07/01/10 - A sad tale of a stalking murder and the murderer's suicide. Delusion can take us many places, even into death.
14. The Certificate by Avram Davidson: (aliens) 07/01/2010 - another sad tale, in a world where no one is allowed to die (or get a new overcoat), what would you do to escape? Apply to die of course.
15. Cheapskate by Gary Raisor: (family issues) 7/6/2010 - You have to actually turn the page to get the zinger (nice how they arranged that in the book) -- and wow..nice story. a bit darker than some of the other ones, but...nice. I am going to remember to not ask for roller skates for my birthday.
16. The China Bowl by E.F. Benson: (ghost) 08/19/10 - a nicely told ghost story. Not overly horror, except for the last line :-)
17 . 04/21/2011 The Cobweb by Saki...a little tale about being careful what you wish for..death doesn't always come for the old.
18. 04/26/2011 Come to the Party by Frances Garfield - a nice little haunted house story..i liked this one
19. 01/04/2013 A Curious Dream by Mark Twain .. A little too whiny..no wonder I didn't comment on this before, quite a forgetable tale
20. 05/10/2011 Dark Wings by Phyllis Eisenstein...a beautifully written tale full of imagery, became real horror in the last sentence.
21. 05/10/2011 Dead Call by William F. Nolan...a creepy ghost story. I quite liked it. Hey, isn't that you're phone ringing?
22. 05/10/2011 Different Kinds of Dead by Ed Gorman...1991, I expected this story to be older as it is relatively recent it is just the retelling of a hitchhiker story. I would have been more impressed had it been 40 years older.
23. 01/07/2013 Displaced Person by Eric Frank Russell odd that I missed this story, I believe I missed it as after reading it I think it would have stuck with me. Not quite horror, even if it does have Lucifer, in fact a little sad
24. 05/10/2011 The Disintegration of Alan by Melissa Mia Hall...an interesting story I didn't fully understand.
25. 06/23/2011 Down by the Sea near the Great Big Rock by Joe R. Lansdale ... I have long thought Lansdale was whacked, this story did not change my mind. Entertaining little tale.
26. 6/23/2011 Dragon Sunday by Ruth Berman..weird story. About being off your meds possibly? Or maybe ON your "meds".
27. 09/01/2011 Duck Hunt by Joe R. Lansdale .. sick and wrong and disturbing...a lovely addition to this collection
28. 09/01/2011 The Dust by Al Sarrantonio .. loved this tale about what the dust can do. My favorite story thus far.
29. 09/01/2011 The Evil Clergyman by H.P. Lovecraft .. eh. Not all that impressed though the language was lovely
30. 09/19/2011 Examination Day by Henry Slesar ..not what I expected, the sign of a great horror story -when it surprises you in a slightly scary way
31. 09/19/2011 The Faceless Thing by Edward D. Hoch..anti-climatic. Not all that exciting of a tale. In fact, a rather boring tale about getting older
32. 12/31/2011 The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar by Edgar Allan Poe..there is a reason he is considered such a great horror writer, this is one of his lesser known tales but is super creepy
33. 01/27/2012 Feeding Time by James Gunn..i saw the ending before it happened, but still a cute story
34. 01/27/2012 Feeding Time by Robert Sheckley..again I saw it coming, but enjoyed the story anyway. Interesting to read two stories about essentially the same thing, but told so differently.
35. 01/27/2012 The Final Quest by William F. Nolan ..a poem about King Arthur's final battle, with Death
36. Fish Night by Joe R. Lansdale..no idea when I read this odd tale about parallel universes..an odd tale by an odd man
37. The Four-Fingered Hand by Barry Pain..no idea when I read this story...a poker story and a premonition tale. It was okay
38. 12/25/2012 A Ghost Story by Mark Twain.as would be expected this ghost story is more humorous than horror..cute though
39. 12/31/2012 Give Her Hell by Donald A. Wollheim .. A story proving that one should not trust the Devil
40. 12/31/2012 The Giveaway by Steve Rasnic Tem..a creepy story with some psychological marital abuse
41. 12/31/2012 The Glove by Fritz Leiber..eh. An okay story of a ghostly glove
42. 01/01/2013 The Grab by Richard Laymon...cute and horrible. Gotta love Laymon
43. 01/11/2013 The Haunted Mill or the Ruined Home by Jerome K. Jerome...this story had zero purpose, no resolution, no ending, just dumb
44. 2/1/13 He Kilt It with a Stick by William F. Nolan disturbing tale
45. 2/22/13 Heading Home by Ramsey Campbell ... HEADing Home indeed, tale of a mad scientist, who while mad is not dumb
46. 2/22/13 The Hollow of the Three Hills by Nathaniel Hawthorne...old. Writing style not to my liking. Okay story about an evil witch
47. 5/2/13 The Hollow Man by Norman Partridge..just weird, I didn't understand this one at all
48. 5/2/13 Holly, Don't Tell by Juleen Brantingham .. Who doesn't love creepy kids with a secret? Done a little differently though. Not a favorite, but not bad
49. 5/14/13 The Hound by H.P. Lovecraft ... hmmm, I really got into the creepiness of this story, and I can't say it disappointed. Makes me want to read more Lovecraft :-)
50. 5/14/13 The Hour and the Man by Robert Barr ... not really sure this was a true horror novel, was a bit more of a irony story I think. Something not expected. I am not sure giving someone hope is torture, but maybe it is....
51. 06/04/13 The House at Evening by Frances Garfield ... I saw something coming, and although I didn't figure out exactly what, this was still a pretty predictable tale
52. 06/04/13 The Idea by Barry N. Malzberg .. HUH? I read it twice and still don't get it
53. 02/28/14 Identity Crisis by Thomas F. Monteleone - way disturbing. I guess when it is babies taking the brunt of the horror it makes it more disturbing for me
54. 02/28/14 In the Corn by Robert Fox - after the story got going, you knew how it was going to end, still a great story.
55. 02/28/14 An Incident on Route 12 by James H. Schmitz - alien story. Not quite an abduction.
56. 03/10/14 Interview by Frank A Javor - creepy, interesting to have a disclaimer on an interview
57. 01/07/15 The Jam by Henry Slesar - a nice little tale of Hell...an eternal traffic jam
58. 01/09/15 The Kirk Spook by E. G. Swain - just a ghost story..I was expecting something more when the story just ended
59. 01/12/15 Making Friends by Gary Raisor - wowza...I felt the horror creeping over me as I realized where this little short piece of terror was going. A fantastic short (2 pages) story. My favorite of the book so far.
60. The Marble Hands by Bernard Capes - not sure when I read this one...a story about imagination...or is it??
61. Mariana by Fritz Leiber - what would you do if you found out you were just an illusion. Created by someone, and easily turned on, or off, at their whim?
62. (05/15/15) Masque by Ed Gorman - a lot is left to your imagination, but it is a story of what a mom will do for her child...
63. (05/15/15) The Middle Toe of the Right Foot by Ambrose Bierce - classic ghost story...includes a spooky house, and the reveal at the end.
64. (07/11/15) Moving Night by Nancy Holder - creepy because for most of the story you are not sure what has happened, even at the end you are not sure...
65. (07/11/15) Naples by Avram Davidson - eh. I was not a fan of the writing style, so I admit I skipped bits and pieces which may have made the story not make sense to me
66. (07/12/15) Night Visions by Jack Dann - what if you wanted to kill yourself, but technology wouldn't let you? interesting premise.
67. (07/12/15) Night Deposits by Chet Williamson - really just sad. a story of how mistakes never really let you go
68. (07/13/15) Nightshapes by Barry N. Malzberg..weird werewolf story. Not a fan
69. (07/14/15) No. 1 Branch Line, The Signalman by Charles Dickens - I remember listening to an audio version of "The Signalman", good story, creepy
70. (07/14/15) The Old Black Hat by Gary Raisor - the hat DOES NOT belong to Frosty
71. (07/22/15) Out of the Storm by William Hope Hodgson - an okay story. You wonder was it the storm or was it really a THING??
72. (07/22/15) Out of Africa by David Drake - I liked this story well enough. A tale of hunting, and really catching "the one"
73. (08/05/15) The Oval Portrait by Edgar Allan Poe - truly a short story at three pages. Good for what it was
74. (8/05/15) Party Time by Mort Castle - creepy. Happy Food indeed. (I get that our narrator is a circus geek...but is kept in the basement and is only brought out for parties)
75. The Passenger by E.F. Benson (090715) - a bit of a ghost story..where the ghost is still around because of unfinished business
76. Peekaboo by Bill Pronzini (091015) - so good!! Maybe struck me as better than usual because I just read a bunch of two sentence horror stories, and this one a similar feel (even tho it was longer than two sentences )
77. The Pitch by Dennis Etchison (9/11) - a bit like "Making Friends" without the caring. Was a good story, not a great one
78. The Poor by Steve Rasnic Tem (9/14) - the nightmare of a social worker
79. The Rag Thing by Donald A. Wollheim (9/16) seems several shorts I have read lately have left the ending a bit ambiguous. Really, it makes it scarier when your imagination takes over
80. Rendezvous by Daniel Ransom (9/16) this one is another ambiguous one...and a little to true to life for me
81. The Same Old Grind by Bill Pronzini (9/17) horror like Sweeny Todd
82. The Skeleton by Jerome K. Jerome (9/17) just a ghost story... Where the ghost embodied his own skeleton
83. Something There Is by Charles L. Grant (9/22) - a writer anxiously awaiting a muse...though it is a case of be careful what you wish for
84. Spring-Fingered Jack by Susan Caspar (9/23) - what an interesting concept about today's world (1983). Practicing in real-life to win the video game. Creepy.
85. Sredni Vashtar by Saki (090115) - not sure exactly when I read this, but it is part of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Stories they wouldn't let me do on TV collection I am reading in the month of September - I have never liked ferrets and their like. This story just reinforces that feeling.
86. The Statement of Randolph Carter by H. P. Lovecraft (9/24) a creepy tale...two friends enter the swamp, but only one returns
87. The Story of Muhammad Din by Rudyard Kipling (9/24) a horror story in that this world is horrible, maybe too much truth.
88. The Thing in the Forest by Bernard Capes (9/25) a bit of the your salvation is also your doom feeling
89. Threshold by Sharon Webb (9/29) at what point do animals become human...how much do we want to teach them?
90. Today's Special by Dennis Etchison (9/30) frustration with coworkers could lead anyone to cannibalism, right?
91. Topsy by F. Paul Wilson (10/1) a mental patient tale, an okay story
92. Toy by Bill Pronzini (10/2) sci Fi horror ... What happens when you play with unknown
93. Transfer by Barry N. Malzberg (10/3) a bit of Dr Jeckyll in this tale of murder
94. Treats by Norman Partridge (10/5) just creepy.
95. Under My Bed by Al Sarrantonio (10/6) a good story about a "monster" protecting an abused boy...also a bit creepy
96. Up Under the Roof by Manly Wade Wellman (10/7) a story that encourages one to face their fears
97. The Upturned Face by Stephen Crane (10/8) more creepy as you think about it, but the story was just a story
98. We Have Always Lived in the Forest by Nancy Holder (10/9) surprise. I actually gasped as I read this story. I am not sure completely how to take it, but it did have that moment of pure horror for me
99. Where Did She Wander? by Manly Wade Wellman (10/9) an interesting twist on the ghost story
100. Witness by Avram Davidson - another one with a nice twist. something I could see being done on Twilight Zone back when. I don't think it would hold much surprise for the jaded world of today
I can't believe I am finally done with this book. It feels like it has been hanging around waiting for years (oh wait...it has).
cjmartin1987's review
3.0
A pretty decent collection of horror shorts. Kept my interest throughout. Some were really good and others were just average. There were a few too many nihilistic stories for my taste but I really enjoyed the stories that had a folktale-feel to them.
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