Customer Reviews

Dark Forces

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Wagner consistently did justice to the title "Year's Best Horror Stories", Grant gifted us with his "Shadows" series. But when someone asks me for "the best short horror story collection" every volume of those distinguished anthologies, and numerous other collections I've read in the past 2 decades, are always edged out by McCauley's gem "Dark Forces". Included are stories of monsters in the dark and stories of monsters in the mind. Stories that deliver horror with a sledge hammer and stories that deliver it with a scalpel. The best testimony I can make to this book is to say I've owned 4 copies since it was published - every time I've lent one out, I've never gotten it back. Next person who asks can buy their own copy.

Perhaps the finest original anthology of suspense, terror and horror I've ever come across. I've gone through so many copies that I've lost count. Every story is a gem: well-written at worst, lyrical and poetic at best. You'll have your own favorites, but I don't think anyone will come away feeling cheated. This is as good as it gets.

Twenty years after first reading this masterful collection all it takes is a quick glance at the table of contents to spark those ol' heebie jeebies again. Highly recommended.

Dark Forces is the 'contemporary author' equivalent to the other required classic Horror Story Anthology, Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural. Editor Kirby McCauley had a frighteningly accurate eye for not only quality horror, but for literary merit as well. Each tale is a nearly perfect example of the richness the Dark Fantasy/Horror genre has to offer. This anthology is required reading for anyone who loves DF/H or is just curious to see how truly great it is capable of being. An essential collection.