Reviews
The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction, by Ellen Datlow
chuckstafer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
Overall, this was a pretty good anthology. A good mix of great stories, good ones, and a few duds (and one real stinker). Here's my rating of each story (because I decided to keep track for some reason):
Lowland Sea - 4
Wingless Beasts - 5
The Nimble Men - 3
Little America - 3
Black and White Sky - 1
The Monster Makers - 2
Chapter Six - 2
In a Cavern, In A Canyon - 1
Allochton - 1
Shepherd's Business - 3
Down to a Sunless Sea - 5
The Man From the Peak - 5
In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos - 4
The Moraine - 4
At the Riding School - 3
Cargo - 4
Tender as Teeth - 5
Wild Acre - 4
The Callers - 3
This Stagnant Breath of Change - 4
Grave Goods - Did Not Finish (1)
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine - 2
Majoriena - 2
The Days of Our Lives - 2
You Can Stay All Day - 4
No Matter Which Way We Turned - 4
Nesters - 3
Better You Believe - 2
Average Rating: 3.071 Stars
Lowland Sea - 4
Wingless Beasts - 5
The Nimble Men - 3
Little America - 3
Black and White Sky - 1
The Monster Makers - 2
Chapter Six - 2
In a Cavern, In A Canyon - 1
Allochton - 1
Shepherd's Business - 3
Down to a Sunless Sea - 5
The Man From the Peak - 5
In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos - 4
The Moraine - 4
At the Riding School - 3
Cargo - 4
Tender as Teeth - 5
Wild Acre - 4
The Callers - 3
This Stagnant Breath of Change - 4
Grave Goods - Did Not Finish (1)
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine - 2
Majoriena - 2
The Days of Our Lives - 2
You Can Stay All Day - 4
No Matter Which Way We Turned - 4
Nesters - 3
Better You Believe - 2
Average Rating: 3.071 Stars
eggp's review against another edition
4.0
Pandemics, old gods
beasties doing impressions
murderous weather.
beasties doing impressions
murderous weather.
anthers's review against another edition
3.0
This book, like most anthology collections, has the typical analysis of recently published horror novels, story collections, and other works related to the genre at the beginning. I enjoy skimming them for new things to read. The stories themselves were somewhat underwhelming for a collection that's supposed to be the best of the best. Having read many of the prior collections, I was surprised at the inclusion of some stories at the seeming expense of others. My favorites were the solid "Better You Believe" by Carole Johnstone, "Allochthon" by Livia Llewellyn, "Black and White Sky" by Tanith Lee, and "The Moraine" by Simon Bestwick. Solid 3 stars for the entire anthology.
Individual Story Ratings:
Lowland Sea by Suzy McKee Charnas - 2
Wingless Beasts by Lucy Taylor - 3.5
The Nimble Men by Glen Hirshberg - 3
Little America by Dan Chaon-3
Black and White Sky by Tanith Lee-5
Monster Makers by Steve Rasnic Tem-3.5
Chapter Six by Stephen Graham Jones-2.5
In a Cavern, in a Canyon by Laird Barron-4
Allochton by Livia Llewellyn-5
Shepherd’s Business by Stephen Gallagher-4
Down to a Sunless Sea by Neil Gaiman-4
The Man from the Peak by Adam Golaski-2.5
In Paris-in the Mouth of Kronos by John Langan-3
The Moraine by Simon Bestwick-5
At the Riding School by Cody Goodfellow-2
Cargo by Michael E. Lewis-4
Tender as Teeth by Stephanie Crawford and Duane Swierczynski-3
Wild Acre by Nathan Ballingrud-3
The Callers by Ramsey Campbell-3
This Stagnant Breath of Change by Brian Hodge-3
Grave Goods by Gemma Files-3.5
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine by Peter Straub-2.5
Majorlena by Jane Jakeman-2
The Days of our Lives by Adam L. G. Nevill-3
You Can Stay All Day by Mira Grant -3
No Matter Which Way We Turned by Brian Evanson-3.5
Nesters by Siobhan Carroll-4.5
Better You Believe by Carole Johnstone-5
Individual Story Ratings:
Lowland Sea by Suzy McKee Charnas - 2
Wingless Beasts by Lucy Taylor - 3.5
The Nimble Men by Glen Hirshberg - 3
Little America by Dan Chaon-3
Black and White Sky by Tanith Lee-5
Monster Makers by Steve Rasnic Tem-3.5
Chapter Six by Stephen Graham Jones-2.5
In a Cavern, in a Canyon by Laird Barron-4
Allochton by Livia Llewellyn-5
Shepherd’s Business by Stephen Gallagher-4
Down to a Sunless Sea by Neil Gaiman-4
The Man from the Peak by Adam Golaski-2.5
In Paris-in the Mouth of Kronos by John Langan-3
The Moraine by Simon Bestwick-5
At the Riding School by Cody Goodfellow-2
Cargo by Michael E. Lewis-4
Tender as Teeth by Stephanie Crawford and Duane Swierczynski-3
Wild Acre by Nathan Ballingrud-3
The Callers by Ramsey Campbell-3
This Stagnant Breath of Change by Brian Hodge-3
Grave Goods by Gemma Files-3.5
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine by Peter Straub-2.5
Majorlena by Jane Jakeman-2
The Days of our Lives by Adam L. G. Nevill-3
You Can Stay All Day by Mira Grant -3
No Matter Which Way We Turned by Brian Evanson-3.5
Nesters by Siobhan Carroll-4.5
Better You Believe by Carole Johnstone-5
misterkyle1901's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
tricapra's review against another edition
4.0
Just in time for Halloween, I'm eternally grateful for the long list of Novel recommendations she included at the beginning. I love Ellen datlow.
roxiethebookslayer's review against another edition
3.0
This was a book club read and I am glad it is over!
⭐⭐Lowland by the Sea by Suzy McKee Charnas
⭐⭐Wingless Beasts by Lucy Taylor
⭐⭐The Nimble men by Glen Hirshberg
⭐⭐⭐Little America by Dan Chaon
⭐⭐⭐⭐Black and White Sky by Tanith Lee
⭐⭐⭐Monster Makers by Steve Rasnic Tem
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Chapter Six by Stephen Graham Jones
⭐⭐⭐In a Cavern, In a Caynon by Laird Barron
⭐⭐⭐Allochthon by Livia Llewellyn
⭐⭐⭐Shepard's Business by Stephen Gallagher
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Down to a Sunless Sea by Neil Gaiman
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Man From the Peak by Adam Golaski
⭐⭐⭐In Paris, In the Month of Kronos by John Langan
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Moraine by Simon Bestwick
At the Riding School by Cody Goodfellow
⭐⭐⭐Cargo by E. Michael Lewis
⭐⭐Tender as Teeth by S. Crawford & Duane Swerczynski
⭐⭐Wild Acre by Nathan Ballingrud
⭐⭐⭐The Callers by Ramsey Campbell
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Stagnant Breath of Change by Brian Hodge
⭐⭐⭐⭐Grave Goods by Gemma Files
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine by Peter Straub
⭐⭐Majorlena by Jane Jackman
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Days of Our Lives by Adam L. G. Nevill
⭐⭐⭐⭐You Can Stay All Day by Mira Grant
⭐⭐⭐No Matter Which Way we Turned by Brian Evenson
⭐⭐⭐Nesters by Siobhan Carroll
⭐⭐Better You Believe by Carole Johnstone
⭐⭐Lowland by the Sea by Suzy McKee Charnas
⭐⭐Wingless Beasts by Lucy Taylor
⭐⭐The Nimble men by Glen Hirshberg
⭐⭐⭐Little America by Dan Chaon
⭐⭐⭐⭐Black and White Sky by Tanith Lee
⭐⭐⭐Monster Makers by Steve Rasnic Tem
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Chapter Six by Stephen Graham Jones
⭐⭐⭐In a Cavern, In a Caynon by Laird Barron
⭐⭐⭐Allochthon by Livia Llewellyn
⭐⭐⭐Shepard's Business by Stephen Gallagher
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Down to a Sunless Sea by Neil Gaiman
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Man From the Peak by Adam Golaski
⭐⭐⭐In Paris, In the Month of Kronos by John Langan
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Moraine by Simon Bestwick
At the Riding School by Cody Goodfellow
⭐⭐⭐Cargo by E. Michael Lewis
⭐⭐Tender as Teeth by S. Crawford & Duane Swerczynski
⭐⭐Wild Acre by Nathan Ballingrud
⭐⭐⭐The Callers by Ramsey Campbell
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Stagnant Breath of Change by Brian Hodge
⭐⭐⭐⭐Grave Goods by Gemma Files
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine by Peter Straub
⭐⭐Majorlena by Jane Jackman
⭐⭐⭐⭐The Days of Our Lives by Adam L. G. Nevill
⭐⭐⭐⭐You Can Stay All Day by Mira Grant
⭐⭐⭐No Matter Which Way we Turned by Brian Evenson
⭐⭐⭐Nesters by Siobhan Carroll
⭐⭐Better You Believe by Carole Johnstone
sturchflint's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25