Review: Dark Screams: Volume One

Dark Screams: Volume One
ebook, 98 pages
Random House Publishing, December 8, 2014
4 stars

Brian Freeman's horror anthology contains five stories, written by Stephen King, Kelly Armstrong, Bill Pronzini, Simon Clark, and Ramsey Campbell. This is to  be the first of several and, if this is the case, he's off to a strong start.

This book was incredibly short - less than 100 pages - and was a very quick read I easily clocked less than an hour of reading time with this one. The Stephen King story "Weeds" (also known as "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill") was one he wrote in the 70s and was featured in the second Creepshow film. It tells the tale of Jordy, a farmer who believes the meteor that lands in his backyard will bring him some fast cash, but sadly causes him more trouble than he anticipates. It was an almost humorous story, as Jordy continues to make things worse for himself until the sad end.

Most of the stories were good, but I have to confess that I believed the story by King to be the best (no surprise to me there). I was actually disappointed that Bill Pronzini's story, Magic Eyes, was a short story. After reading it, I wished it had been a whole novel, it was so enjoyable. The fourth story, Murder in Chains, felt as though it were a scene from the middle of a story and was a little too scattered in terms of plot for my liking, though it was more action-packed than the others. The fifth story, The Watched, was my least favorite. It had a good premise, but the execution just wasn't there.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend to fans of the genre, people who enjoy short story collections, or anyone interested in giving these authors a try for the first time without the commitment of reading a novel.

Book Club Pick: Come Closer by Sara Gran

Come Closer

Hardcover, 169 pages

Soho Press, July 1, 2003 (first published January 1, 1973)

I initially chose this book to host for my book club with more than a little trepidation. While I love a good horror story, especially the tale of "creeping dread" you expect from Alfred Hitchcock or Shirley Jackson, it's not everyone's cup of tea.  Frequently just saying a book is "horror" is enough to send potential readers running.  This book, however, provided some interesting discussion about whether the narrator was suffering from some sort of supernatural possession or if she was having a mental breakdown.  While it still may not be for everyone, if you're choosing a book for a club with somewhat eclectic taste, this could be a great option that's just a bit off the beaten path.

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"What we think is impossible happens all the time."

It starts with a simple tapping in the apartment, explained away as a drippy pipe, or perhaps a mouse. An urge to start smoking again and more frequent bickering with her husband. Amanda, a successful young architect, feels a vague sense of unease at the changes in her life. As time passes, Amanda refuses to accept the improbable cause for these changes, with horrifying results.

At 169 pages, it's a short book, and Gran's writing is so clean and succinct that it feels even faster. The sparse writing creates a break-neck pace that causes a sense of panic for the reader, who cannot stop racing toward the same terrifying end as the protagonist. The ambiguity in the story is one of the novel's best qualities and is what draws the reader in. Is the overshadowing of Amanda's will and her seduction the result of insanity or something more supernatural - and does it matter?  The terror Amanda feels is palpable and Gran easily transfers this terror to the reader through prose that is both subtle and hypnotizing.

This is a truly horrifying story that is not about cheap scares and gory scenes, but rather a literary approach to an easily dismissed and often unappreciated genre.

Currently Reading: Mr. Mercedes

I'm a Stephen King groupie (a "constant reader" as he might say) so I was psyched to start this book.  While I love his paranormal horror writing, I've developed an appreciation for his psychological horror as well.  Written in the present tense, it's even more of a departure from his previous writing.

As much as I hated to walk away from such a compelling book, I did take a break from reading yesterday to play around on the fun interactive site that is set up to mimic Brady's basement on the official Stephen King website (the fun can be found here: http://stephenking.com/promo/mr_mercedes/the-basement/).  There are several fun puzzles and hidden activities to be found here, but be warned - if you haven't read the book at all, some spoilers will be revealed.  If you're a reader who wants to approach this book with as little knowledge of plot as possible, do not go to this site until you're at least half way through this book.