1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not Free SF Reader, May 12, 2008
This review is from: The Color of Evil (Dark Descent) (Mass Market Paperback)
The Color of Evil is the first part of the split up anthology 'The Dark Descent', and a good part it is too, averaging 3.76.
The introduction to the latter is also reproduced.
Hartwell says this grew out of some conversations at conventions, etc. where he asked horror writers who influenced them, and in the main, they said writers who were short story writers. Goes on to say this was the main form of horror fiction until the 80s came, and the novel became dominant, before a big flameout, but still won't be changing back.
So, he thought the late 80s was a good time to take stock of the history of the horror short story, and what he sees as three major variant types, this being the first. This covers a couple of centuries, and has three standout stories.
Color Of Evil : The Reach [Do the Dead Sing?] - Stephen King
Color Of Evil : Evening Primrose - John Collier
Color Of Evil : The Ash-Tree - M. R. James
Color Of Evil : The New Mother - Lucy Lane Clifford
Color Of Evil : There's a Long Long Trail A-Winding - Russell Kirk
Color Of Evil : The Call of Cthulhu [short story] - H. P. Lovecraft
Color Of Evil : The Summer People - Shirley Jackson
Color Of Evil : The Whimper of Whipped Dogs - Harlan Ellison
Color Of Evil : Young Goodman Brown - Nathaniel Hawthorne
Color Of Evil : Mr. Justice Harbottle - Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Color Of Evil : The Crowd - Ray Bradbury
Color Of Evil : The Autopsy - Michael Shea
Color Of Evil : John Charrington's Wedding - Edith Nesbit
Color Of Evil : Sticks - Karl Edward Wagner
Color Of Evil : Larger Than Oneself - Robert Aickman
Color Of Evil : Belsen Express - Fritz Leiber
Color Of Evil : Yours Truly Jack the Ripper - Robert Bloch
Color Of Evil : If Damon Comes - Charles L. Grant
Color Of Evil : Vandy Vandy - Manly Wade Wellman
Mainland ghost, gran.
4 out of 5
Shop people.
3 out of 5
Keep dead witches and bloody big spiders away from the house.
4 out of 5
Wooden tail tale.
2.5 out of 5
I'm axeing for help, Frank.
4 out of 5
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
4.5 out of 5
Could be worse, could be Crystal Lake.
3.5 out of 5
City god call.
3.5 out of 5
Witchocrites.
3 out of 5
Hanging judge, yes.
3.5 out of 5
Accident cycle.
3.5 out of 5
Bodysnatcher's new home in serious need of repair.
5 out of 5
Best if the groom's still alive, really.
3.5 out of 5
Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of the Old Ones? Kent Allard's nephew!
4 out of 5
Religious synthesis forum, very weird.
3 out of 5
Ratzi gas delayed, no chamber.
3.5 out of 5
Doc, you are actually right at the sharp end, stoopid.
4.5 out of 5
Cat, kid, you can have the lot, woman.
3.5 out of 5
Washington gives no quarter, warlock.
4 out of 5
4.5 out of 5
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