By: Edited by Kevin J. Anderson
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publish Date: October 2010
Format: Paperback, 426 pgs,
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Anthology, Short Stories
Series: Second in Blood Lite Short Stories
Recommendation: Maybe, if you like short, short stories of witty and amusing dark fantasy horror.
Book Synopsis:
From the Horror Writers Association comes a brand-new collection of darkly humorous tales!
The Big Questions of Life (and Death)
Can a killer's basement blood-feast be a tax write-off (under Entertainment)?
Not if Vlad the IRS agent nails him first in Heather Graham's "Death and Taxes."
What does a pack of hungry she-wolves do to solve their man troubles?
Ladies Night Out takes a wicked turn in "Dog Tired (of the Drama!)" by L.A. Banks.
How far will an elite girl go to beat a murder rap?
Stuck with a dead client in a luxury L.A. hotel room, she might strike a costly bargain with a woman of unearthly powers in Allison Brennan's "Her Lucky Day."
Who actually writes those tabloid stories about Bigfoot?
Meet a journalist of the unexplained (she's 50 percent demon) and her boyfriend (he's 100 percent thief), as they heat up a museum exhibition that's also a soul-snatching battleground in "Lucifer's Daughter" by Kelley Armstrong.
Titles, Authors, and pages:
Dark Carbuncle by Kevin J. Anderson and Janis Ian, 14 pgs
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham, 17pgs
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan, 9 pgs
Treatment by J. A. Konrath, 5 pgs
Dead Clown Seance by Christopher Welch, 17 pgs
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin' Helpin' of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson, 16 pgs
Piecemaker by Don D'Ammassa, 16 pgs
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban, 19 pgs
Tails by John R. Little, 6 pgs
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L. A. Banks, 15 pgs
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspaugh, 7 pgs
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers, 13 pgs
Presumptuous Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron, 10 pgs
Bad German by Edward Bryant, 12 pgs
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher, 16 pgs
Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland, 14 pgs
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish by Aaron Polson, 12 pgs
Dick and Larry by D. L. Snell, 14 pgs
Son of...a Bitch! by Sam W. Anderson, 8 pgs
Her Lucky Day by Allison Brennan, 14 pgs
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb, 18 pgs
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle, 15 pgs
American Banshee by Eric James Stone, 11 pgs
The Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil, 18 pgs
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick, 10 pgs
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman, 14 pgs
Season Tickets by Derek Clendening, 12 pgs
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn, 23 pgs
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem, 11 pgs
Eight-Legged Vengeance by Jeff Strand, 16 pgs
Lucifer's Daughter by Kelley Armstrong, 23 pgs
My Review and Summary:
With this anthology I'm not going to try to give a short synopsis of each story, as the stories are so short I don't want to give anything away. There are many authors in here I have never heard of, then there are a few I have. These stories were all short segments and great for reading in brief moments when I need a book fix and can't read a whole story. Or even between books.
But as a few of these stories where great fun there where a few that didn't click with me. I have to mention a few of the stories where to short. I felt as I was just getting a scene of a bigger picture, but didn't really have a plot. Then there are the stories that in the short number of pages told a story I enjoyed. But both sides of the coin will come with an anthology this size.
This was a fun witty dark fantasy horror read. If you like a little yucky with your humor you might enjoy this book. But don't look for deep story lines here. There are a few story lines that seem like short stories but mostly not.
The stories I enjoyed the most are: Dark Carbuncle, Death and Taxes, Dog Tired (of the Drama!), The Halloween War, Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror, Her Lucky Day, Barewolf, American Banchee, The Ghoul Next Door, Daycare of the Damned, The Close Shave, Lucifer's Daughter.
This book qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Challenge, hosted by Book Chick City.
Enjoyed your review! Glad to hear that you liked this anthology as much as I did. Love dark humor!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good anthology. It seems like all anthologies are hit and miss, but usually this hits are memorable! :) Ah, another one for the wishlist!
ReplyDeleteI have long wanted to read this one ever since saw a set of shorts were coming out by all these authors and yes I do like yucky with my humor so this is absolutely the book for me!
ReplyDeletejackie >_<
Alexia - Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the review. This was a hard one to do with all the short stories in it. :)
ReplyDeleteMelissa (Books&Things) - I enjoyed this one but it was different than the others I've read. Very short stories in this one for the most part. But not all bad at all.
Jackie B - :) Glad you like yucky with your humor. This was a nice combination. :) Hope you get the chance to read it.
Lol, loving the cover at least :=)
ReplyDeleteNot too big on short stories, it just means the author truly has to make it work, and sometimes, they sure do. A lot of new names to me too
Blodeuedd - Hi! Thanks for stopping by! :) And for following too. :) I think this would be a short story set that unless you really enjoy short stories I wouldn't really suggest. They where fun and all, but a little short on story plots. :)
ReplyDeleterecently i ran into a problem which is usual of all of us ! what to do and how to go on living, I cant understand ((I have stopped smiling at ALL!!!! :( yes!!,i have bad teeth because of heredity ... why it so? Teeth is the first thing you see when meet everybody,or doing smth like that, I found a solution in putting lumineers ! and i must say it has 100%result!!,now i know i promise you!
ReplyDelete