Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror by John F.D. Taff is an impressive, eclectic collection of horror from 12 of today's most well-known authors. According to the description, the stories "run the gamut from traditional to modern, from dark fantasy to neo-noir, from explorations of beloved horror tropes to the unknown—possibly unknowable—threats." I was excited to see names I recognized like Caroline Kepnes, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu, and Josh Malerman. I was also interested in the editor's goal of popularizing the normally niche genre of horror and attracting the attentions of the general reading public.
Here is an excerpt from "The Attenionist," the short story by Caroline Kepnes, the author of You:
"The first time he calls, I’m not there. I’m not home to answer. I’m down at the beach. It’s 1993 when alone means alone. The beach by our house is small and stupid if you ask my sister. It’s just a pond and it’s just me. I don’t know that he’s calling. I don’t know that someone out there is thinking of me, trying to find me.
That is all I want, to be wanted, pursued, and I’m getting what I want and I’m not there to know it.
Reg is home. She doesn’t come to the beach because she doesn’t like to be away from the phone. Once I heard my dad tell my mom that Reg has the soul of a beauty and the body of a worker. My mom told him he was terrible, but she also laughed. Reg is hopeful, hungry. Her eyebrows grow so fast that she has to pluck them every day and she picks up on the first ring because that’s who she is. The ringing phone is Reg’s favorite sound in the world and the irony is that to answer the call is to silence those bells."
Overall, Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror is an absolutely amazing collection of horror. One highlight of the collection is the first story "The Attentionist" by Caroline Kepnes, which is worth the price of the whole book alone. I've watched You on Netflix, and I haven't read any of this author's books before. After reading this short story, I think I've been missing out! The story revolves around two sisters and how they desperately wait by the phone for their crushes to call them. It feels like a slice of the 90's until the end, when something sinister happens that sent chills down the spine. It made me feel every single emotion, including nostalgia for the past.
Another highlight of this collection is Alma Katsu's thrilling and original take on vampires. My second favorite story must be Josh Malerman's short story though. I've read a few of his books before, but nothing I read was quite like this. His short story is about a group of four boys (or maybe men?) who are stuck in a monster's lair. The monster has taken the form of their school-teacher trapping them in detention. This story will appeal to fans of Stranger Things, and it will have you wondering the whole time if it's a dream. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of horror, you won't regret checking out this book, which is available now!
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Reviews with images
An Eclectic Mix of Stories
There is nothing I enjoy more than discovering an anthology that has authors I know and love, along with some who are new to me. Dark Star is a collection of twelve stories written during that trying year,a/k/a 2020. I like to read short stories between books as sort of a palate cleanser. While it took me a while to finish, these were all unique tales.The thing that impressed me the most was how each author grabbed my attention on the first page. That is not an easy skill to master and I have given really good reviews to books that have taken me 50-100 pages to hook me. But this is all about the stories and I thought I would highlight my three favorites.All These Things He Called Memories by Stephen Graham Jones had me convinced the story was headed in one specific direction. Then, holy sewing machines, it turned into something I did not see coming. A couple alone at home during the pandemic and their memories.Swim in the Blood of a Curious Dream by the editor F.D. Taff. A widower and his young son are trying to move on after cancer took Hildy(their wife and mother). But on their way to a fresh start, they find out that she isn't quite done yet. Creepy, so creepy!Volcano by Livia Llewellyn was a new to me author. A perpetual and aimless college student gets a summer job on campus, sewing curtains and cushions. Deep in the bowels of the university, she finds what she has always been looking for. I have read this one three times and I am still not sure I get its meaning and each time I have picked up on something else. Kudos to the author for really making me think.I will be glad when I start seeing other people posting about this collection on bookstagram because it is definitely worth having someone to talk them over with.I received a DRC from Tor Nightfire through NetGalley.
