Damned Nation (Mass Market Paperback)

~ Various (Author), Robert N. Lee (Editor), (Editor)
Key Phrases: damned nation, blood circle, burning swords, Oak Hill, Bubby Milkey, Leda Swann (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

As with any anthology, some stories worked better for me than others, but I can say with absolute honesty that there isn t a single story in Damned Nation that I completely disliked. This is a well-rounded assembly of new and established talent and is well worth purchasing for any reader of macabre fiction. Especially in a time when it is getting increasingly difficult to find anthologies of original fiction in inexpensive editions. Readers usually have to turn to the small press for their short story fix, and as I mentioned earlier, Damned Nation is a much better bargain than most of the stuff out there. --Horror Drive-In -- reviewed by Mark Seiber

It's a sentiment pretty much across the board that most theme anthologies aren't very good, or at least don't appear to succeed very well. Usually a lot of the stories written to spec for some new vampire, zombie, erotic horror, (insert theme here) book, seem to fall short. Anthologies in general seem to do better when they are more broad in focus. Of course there are happy exceptions to the rule. DAMNED NATION is one of those. This is an extremely solid, consistent, and enjoyable collection. Hell is the focus of this anthology. Hell on Earth to be exact. Packed with 22 all-new stories, this one has it all. Creepy, nightmarish, surrealistic, humorous and traditional tales fill this fat 450 page paperback tome. --Horror World - Reviewed by James R. Beach

Product Description

Hell on earth. Dangerous visions of incarnate damnation visited upon our delicate world by some of today's most imaginative authors, including William F. Nolan, Poppy Z. Brite, Tom Piccirilli, Randy Chandler, Weston Ochse, and more. All new, never before published stories.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 441 pages
• Publisher: HellBound Books Publisher; 1st edition (January 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974244791
• ISBN-13: 978-0974244792
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,779,298 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do not hesitate to get this anthology!!, December 15, 2006

By	Joe K. - See all my reviews

Living under the shadow of a negative stereotype, most of the themed anthologies being published seem to be lacking something in most reader's minds. Believing that they are too contrived or that the stories within are too forced by the writers, the reader's viewpoint creates a negative perspective that haunts the anthology. Lucky for us, every once in awhile a themed anthology appears on the scene that shatters any preconceived notions and is able stand on it own merits as an exceptional anthology. I believe that DAMNED NATION in one of those anthologies that rises above the rest.

Edited by Robert N. Lee & David T. Wilbanks, DAMNED NATION collects 22 stories together that share a common theme, the writer's own vision of Hell on Earth. Whether from a well-published author or a fresh face in the horror field, each story maintained a level of writing and originality that made this anthology an unbelievable reading experience. I'm sure that Lee and Wilbanks demanded only the best that each writer was capable of producing, thus creating a professional collection of tales that they should be proud to attach their names to.

If you like your horror fiction visceral with no punches pulled, then this anthology offers up enough Technicolor splatter to appease the most discriminating reader while giving enough substance and story to hook the more serious readers. I felt that none of the stories fell short in holding my interest or entertaining me, and each one fully lived up to the title DAMNED NATION.

I'll touch on a few of the stories that seemed to stand out from the rest but I must add that I could easily sit down and write something that I enjoyed from every single story in the book. It is a rare occurrence that every story in an anthology is as a pleasurable read for me as DAMNED NATION was. Taken as a whole, this anthology is well worth the time it takes to pour though its hefty page count.

The opening story, THIS IS MARS by A.H. Jennings, perfectly succeeded to set a tone for what was contained within these pages. Following the journey of three travelers through an apocalyptic landscape, this tale beautifully combines enough realism with an imaginative surreal quality to create a unique reading experience. It prepared me for the other stories in the book.

The story that I considered to be the best entry in this anthology is DAS HOLLENFEUER by Mark Justice. With a disturbing vision of a future where the Third Reich won the war with the help of the legions of Hell, Mark Justice's writing is imaginative and rich with imagery culminating in an ending that takes your breath away. This story is well worth getting this book for.

With the "Twilight Zone" quality of DARK RETURNS by William Nolan to the fun story of H. E. DOUBLE HOCKEY STICK by Geoffrey Girard, this anthology has a story to cover everyone's tastes. With an original tales to wet your appetite for more, you can find high quality stories from familiar authors like TORTURES OF THAT INWARD by Tom Piccirilli, or first-timers like MESSAGE BOARD by John A Burks, Jr.

Go hunt down a copy of DAMNED NATION, edited by Robert N. Lee & David T. Wilbanks, before the final copy disappears or you will be sorry you missed out on this book. This is an excellent example of a finely crafted anthology, and is destined to top the list of your all-time favorite reads.

5.0 out of 5 stars Just a quick Title and Author list to help you out., September 11, 2008

By	Antmusic Fan "Antmusic Fan" (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

Since there is no list of the titles or authors in this book currently on this page, here is an easy to read one:

"This is Mars" by A.H. Jennings

"Das Höllenfeuer" by Mark Justice

"The Punishment" by Jenny Orosel

"H.E. Double Hockey Stick" by Geoffrey Girard

"The Hobo Intervention of Bubby Milkey" by Weston Ochse

"Cul-de-sac" by William D. Carl

"Tortures of that Inward" by Tom Piccirilli

"Wound Man and Horned Melon Go To Hell" by Poppy Z. Brite

"Kheller's Treats" by Eric S. Grizzle

"Dark Return" by William F. Nolan

"Terra Incognita" by Randy Chandler

"The Alchemy From the Towers of Silence" by Gerard Houarner

"Hell and Half of Georgia" by R.W. Day

"In Heat" by Trever Palmer

"Killing Puffball" by Paul McMahon

"Simon's War" by Dan Foley

"Even Hell Breeds Martyrs" by Matthew Fryer

"'CRAP!' Said the King" by James S. Dorr

"The Everywhere Man" by Norman Prentiss

"Funny" by Michael Nethercott

"The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Bev Vincent

"Message Board" by John A. Burks

Have fun!