raforall's review
4.0
Reading in October 2021 issue of Library Journal: https://www.libraryjournal.com/?reviewDetail=thanatrauma-2121052
Three Words That Describe This Book: slightly askew, universal fears, unsettling
Draft Review:
Tem, an author today’s Horror creators regularly cite as their inspiration, shows off his captivating and unsettling style in this collection of 21 tales, including four new to this volume. Writing stories that are steeped in realism, focusing on universal fears like illness, storms, death, regret, and loss, Tem’s tales quickly and satisfyingly shift the plot askew, dropping speculative elements and roping in maximum unease and fear. Marked by a confident narrative voice and intriguing storylines, readers are easily drawn into the emotional situations and carefully crafted, intimate worlds. For example, the atmospheric “Heterocera,” is a moving portrait of aging, framed by a moth infestation, while “August Freeze” is a terrifying story of a troubled couple stuck in an unnaturally dangerous place, and “Reflections in Black” is a must read Halloween tale.
Verdict: Tem has won just about every major speculative fiction award, yet because his work does not fit neatly into established genre boxes, he has slipped through the mainstream cracks. Library workers can make up for this oversight by suggesting this collection with confidence to fans of authors of creepy, Weird Fiction like Carmen Maria Machado and John Langan.
Three Words That Describe This Book: slightly askew, universal fears, unsettling
Draft Review:
Tem, an author today’s Horror creators regularly cite as their inspiration, shows off his captivating and unsettling style in this collection of 21 tales, including four new to this volume. Writing stories that are steeped in realism, focusing on universal fears like illness, storms, death, regret, and loss, Tem’s tales quickly and satisfyingly shift the plot askew, dropping speculative elements and roping in maximum unease and fear. Marked by a confident narrative voice and intriguing storylines, readers are easily drawn into the emotional situations and carefully crafted, intimate worlds. For example, the atmospheric “Heterocera,” is a moving portrait of aging, framed by a moth infestation, while “August Freeze” is a terrifying story of a troubled couple stuck in an unnaturally dangerous place, and “Reflections in Black” is a must read Halloween tale.
Verdict: Tem has won just about every major speculative fiction award, yet because his work does not fit neatly into established genre boxes, he has slipped through the mainstream cracks. Library workers can make up for this oversight by suggesting this collection with confidence to fans of authors of creepy, Weird Fiction like Carmen Maria Machado and John Langan.
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