A review by tombomp
The Best Horror of the Year, Volume 8 by
4.0
Obviously short story collections are very variable but overall I enjoyed this a lot. There's none I'd super recommend but there were no real clunkers either (although the first story is overall the worst I think)
Some that I liked more than average:
In a Cavern, In a Canyon by Laird Barron - combined a well sketched out background of Alaskan outposts and rough family life with a particularly vivid and uncomfortable monster the monster and the way a disappearance or a single experience can define your life connected well too
Between the Pilings by Steve Rasnic Tem - looking at lovecraftian innsmouth as a smalltime seaside resort. I think *just* the seaside town aspect was enough to make me like it because it reminded me of all the run down seaside towns in the UK but things like the froggy people being hotel clerks tapping on their computer was charming too. And the sense of chasing nostalgia and the past and then sometimes it creeps up and catches you... It's good
The Underground Economy by John Langan - I'm not sure why this stuck with me; it's set mostly in a strip club and there's no attempt at explanation or connections. It just... Is. But for some reason the imagery really compelled me. Hard one to convey
The Rooms Are High by Reggie Oliver - another one where I probably enjoyed it more because it's clearly set in a seaside town I know well (Ramsgate) but I just loved the atmosphere here. It kind of whiffs the ending I think but it really sells the sense of things being slightly off and I love the old style b&b setting. Be warned for descriptions of implied The way it played with memory and age and going back to something actually bad... There's a decent amount left unanswered that I feel wasn't really used well but the parts that are there are very good
Fabulous Beasts by Priya Sharma - this constantly came close to being gratuitously unpleasant but never crossed it. Again heavy warnings for there's something slightly absurd about the ending but in a way that's like "fuck it why not, they deserve it". Again it's largely about how your past can destroy your present and escaping that and the consequences of it.
I also liked the Tamsyn Muir entry The Woman in the Hill. The Neil Gaiman entry Black Dog had promise but got a bit screwed by its connection to American Gods which ruined some of the horror. the rest are all at least alright and all very readable.
Some that I liked more than average:
In a Cavern, In a Canyon by Laird Barron - combined a well sketched out background of Alaskan outposts and rough family life with a particularly vivid and uncomfortable monster
Spoiler
the help me monster, a creature who appears when people are trying to help others and eats them due to their compassionBetween the Pilings by Steve Rasnic Tem - looking at lovecraftian innsmouth as a smalltime seaside resort. I think *just* the seaside town aspect was enough to make me like it because it reminded me of all the run down seaside towns in the UK but things like the froggy people being hotel clerks tapping on their computer was charming too. And the sense of chasing nostalgia and the past and then sometimes it creeps up and catches you... It's good
The Underground Economy by John Langan - I'm not sure why this stuck with me; it's set mostly in a strip club and there's no attempt at explanation or connections. It just... Is. But for some reason the imagery really compelled me. Hard one to convey
The Rooms Are High by Reggie Oliver - another one where I probably enjoyed it more because it's clearly set in a seaside town I know well (Ramsgate) but I just loved the atmosphere here. It kind of whiffs the ending I think but it really sells the sense of things being slightly off and I love the old style b&b setting. Be warned for descriptions of implied
Spoiler
child and adult sexual abuse though.Fabulous Beasts by Priya Sharma - this constantly came close to being gratuitously unpleasant but never crossed it. Again heavy warnings for
Spoiler
incest, sexual abuse, murder, child sexual abuseI also liked the Tamsyn Muir entry The Woman in the Hill. The Neil Gaiman entry Black Dog had promise but got a bit screwed by its connection to American Gods which ruined some of the horror. the rest are all at least alright and all very readable.