In this startling new collection of 19th century horror tales, editor Martin H. Greenberg presents: * An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, by Ambrose Bierce * Schalken the Painter, by J. Sheridan Le Fanu * The Doom of the Griffiths, by Mrs. Gaskell * The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes, by Rudyard Kipling * Markheim, by Robert Louis Stevenson * The Adventure of the German Student, by Washington Irving * Desiree's Baby, by Kate Chopin * The Story of the Brazilian Cat, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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Ever wondered what inspires your favourite authors? Or what they read in their spare time? Just in time for Halloween, Baker and Greenberg have given us an authoritative answer in the horror genre: the fifteen tales of suspense and terror in My Favorite Horror Story.
There's a wide range of authors represented in this volume. Perennial favourites Edgar Allen Poe ("The Tell-Tale Heart," chosen by Oates), H. P. Lovecraft ("The Rats in the Walls," chosen by Michael Slade), and "The Colour out of Space," (chosen by Richard Laymon) are here. So too are lesser known (to modern audiences) authors M. R. James ("A Warning to the Curious," chosen by Ramsey Campbell), Welshman Arthur Machen ("Opening the Door," chosen by Peter Atkins), and Edogawa Rampo ("The Human Chair," chosen by Harlan Ellison). I was utterly delighted to see the inclusion of Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." It's as wonderful now as when I first read it in high school. An excellent choice by Dennis Etchison.
This collection underscores what I think is all too often forgotten in today's horror: less is more. Don't show us the hideous monster under the bed. Don't describe deaths in -- literally -- gory detail. Let the readers use their imagination to fill in the gaps and wonder just what happened, or what might happen next. It's far scarier that way. Baker and Greenberg's offering is a must for any horror reader, filled to the brim with the best, chosen by the best.
--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You gotta get this book,
By
This review is from: My Favorite Horror Story (Paperback)
I have quite a few horror anthologies, but I don't have several of the stories in this collection. What a bargain. Not a clunker in the bunch. Whether you're new to horror or an old hand, this is a great book to have.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
good collection of influential short horror,
This review is from: My Favorite Horror Story (Paperback)
"My Favorite Horror Story" is exactly what it says it is. A handful of today's better known horror authors, including the omnipresent Stephen King, and the slightly less inevitable Poppy Z. Brite ( I loved her introduction to Ramsey Campbell's "The Pattern." Very funny.) The main drawback to this book is that some of the stories have been very heavily anthologized, such as the two Lovecraft tales and Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." And can anyone actually read "Young Goodman Brown" and not suffer horrible high-school flashbacks? That said, let us move on to the high points of the anthology. My three favorites would be the aforementioned "The Pattern," which is among Campbell's best work and is absolutely terrifying. I believe that Mr. Campbell has always done his best work in short fiction (with exceptions such as "The Parasite") and this story serves to reinforce my opinion. Look up his excellent short story collections "Waking Nightmares," and "Ghosts and Grisly Things" if you have an interest in his style. "The Father-Thing" by Philip K. Dick may seem to be out of place in a horror anthology at first, but after you read it, you may never look at your dad in the same way! Chilling. All of the late Mr. Dick's books come VERY highly recommended from me. "The Inner Room" by Robert Aickman may not seem to be as relentlessly horrifying as some of the other stories, but it has a way of nagging at your mind that leads to some very disturbing thoughts. Seek out "Cold Hand in Mine" which is lamentably out of print, for more work by this unsung hero of atmospheric, ghostly horror tales. All in all, this is quite a good collection. Every fan of horror will find something they like here.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Reading For Halloween,
By A Customer
This review is from: My Favorite Horror Story (Paperback)
What a great idea for a book! Wish the introductions were a little more detailed in some cases (Mr. King...), and as in any anthology not every story will be to your taste, but I enjoyed the added bonus of knowing which author chose which story. Now I've got to run out and find some more M.R. James. If you want to read the stories that inspired your favorite masters of the macabre, this is a great place to start.
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