A review by lilyn_g
Hellhole: An Anthology of Subterranean Terror by Aaron Sterns, Michael McBride, Jessica McHugh, Jake Bible, Jonathan Maberry, S.D. Perry, J.H. Moncrieff, Paul Mannering, James A. Moore, Kirsten Cross, Rena Mason, Sean Ellis, Lee Murray
4.0
I want more anthologies curated by Lee Murray. I have issues with anthologies in general, and there’s only been a couple that I’ve truly liked. Most of them are too thick, the quality is too varied, and the tone wavers too much. That is not the case here. ‘Hellhole‘ feels like the emphasis was on quality over quantity, and each story was an enjoyable experience. There was only one story that I didn’t care for, and that was because it involved drugs. It wasn’t any less well-written than the others, it just wasn’t my bag. ‘Hellhole: An Anthology of Subterranean Terror‘ was a very well-curated read.
Rather than talk about each story individually, I’m just going to hit my favorite ones briefly. This really is an anthology you will want to discover for yourself.
My favorite story was the opening one – All the Devils are Here by Jonathan Maberry. No big surprise considering it’s a Joe Ledger story and I freaking love that series. It takes place after the end of ‘Deep Silence’, so there’s a minor spoiler mentioned at the beginning. It’s really not a big deal, though. Won’t affect your enjoyment of ‘Deep Silence’. In fact, it might make you even more eager to read it.
The Devil’s Throat was a great follow-up. There was a scene in it which made me sit back in my chair and draw a breath in disgust. It wasn’t particularly unique, but she wrote it so well that I was there, seeing it myself. Definitely shudder-worthy. Actually, this whole story was just because of the creatures involved!
SD Perry’s Guard Duty had an ending that caught me off guard. This one also contained my second favorite line in the whole book. I just can’t tell you what it is because of spoilers! (Sorry!) Guard Duty channels the Old Ones, so fans of Lovecraft’s sandbox will be delighted.
…and, surprising absolutely no one who knows me, the final story I’m highlighting is Jake Bible’s Ginormous Hell Snake. Because you’ve got to love a story with that title. (And yes, it did include a ginormous hell snake.) The main characters had me laughing, the action had me disgusted… basically it was everything I’ve come to expect from a Jake Bible tale.
As a side note: He Who Fights by Sean Ellis was a great choice to end on. While I didn’t love the story, I did like how nicely it complements the first story in ‘Hellhole‘. It felt like it closed a loop, and made for a satisfying ending.
Overall, ‘Hellhole‘ is an excellent anthology filled with a wide range of characters and baddies. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend you pick it up and give it a go yourself.st wasn't my bag. Hellhole: An Anthology of Subterranean Terror was a very well-curated read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book free from the publisher for review consideration.
Rather than talk about each story individually, I’m just going to hit my favorite ones briefly. This really is an anthology you will want to discover for yourself.
My favorite story was the opening one – All the Devils are Here by Jonathan Maberry. No big surprise considering it’s a Joe Ledger story and I freaking love that series. It takes place after the end of ‘Deep Silence’, so there’s a minor spoiler mentioned at the beginning. It’s really not a big deal, though. Won’t affect your enjoyment of ‘Deep Silence’. In fact, it might make you even more eager to read it.
The Devil’s Throat was a great follow-up. There was a scene in it which made me sit back in my chair and draw a breath in disgust. It wasn’t particularly unique, but she wrote it so well that I was there, seeing it myself. Definitely shudder-worthy. Actually, this whole story was just because of the creatures involved!
SD Perry’s Guard Duty had an ending that caught me off guard. This one also contained my second favorite line in the whole book. I just can’t tell you what it is because of spoilers! (Sorry!) Guard Duty channels the Old Ones, so fans of Lovecraft’s sandbox will be delighted.
…and, surprising absolutely no one who knows me, the final story I’m highlighting is Jake Bible’s Ginormous Hell Snake. Because you’ve got to love a story with that title. (And yes, it did include a ginormous hell snake.) The main characters had me laughing, the action had me disgusted… basically it was everything I’ve come to expect from a Jake Bible tale.
As a side note: He Who Fights by Sean Ellis was a great choice to end on. While I didn’t love the story, I did like how nicely it complements the first story in ‘Hellhole‘. It felt like it closed a loop, and made for a satisfying ending.
Overall, ‘Hellhole‘ is an excellent anthology filled with a wide range of characters and baddies. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend you pick it up and give it a go yourself.st wasn't my bag. Hellhole: An Anthology of Subterranean Terror was a very well-curated read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book free from the publisher for review consideration.