Customer Reviews

Horror: The Best of the Year, 2006 Edition

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Understand that I recall the Karl Edward Wagner series alluded to on the cover and was hoping for something equivalent. What we have here are good stories, don't get me wrong, suspense, yes, creepy, yes--but horror? I think not. There are some good stories here, and I hope the series continues and evolves into being more like the Wagner-style collection that we've not had since, what, 1993?

Although its a nicely made book (stout paper, nice typeset) it lacks anything to recommend it outright. It was more or less ho-hum from the get go (skip right past the Joe R. Landsdale story that opens this anthology, or any anthology his work appears in). With the possbile exception of "Haeckel's Tale" by Clive Barker, this anthology was a snoozer. Three stars is generous since 2.5 was not an option.

This is 'high- end' horror at it's best. Grab your dictionary and all other useful reading tools because your gonna need them. Complex, but effective. Never boring, but patience is recommended. This is horror without the quick endings and dumb- dumb plots. It's like a great glass of wine... savor every moment and second... then, ponder the experience.

I loved the Clive Barker (Haekel's Tale) and Simon Owens (This Hand, Waving)stories. The Joe Hill story (The Cape) was really good too. I kept waiting for something MORE from the Barbara Rhoden story and several of the others were, shall we say 'understated'. No major complaints about this book, but what happened to the series? 2007 and 2008 never came out as far as I know. The "Mammoth" series contains far too much British horror for my taste, so this book is a good alternative that never quite hit its stride.