Edited By Ellen Datlow
Night Shade Books, $15.99, 387 pages
“Best of the Year” is not a title to take lightly, but this anthology does live up to its name. It is jam-packed with famous, and infamous, writers from around the world. The book stars off strong with the help of horror champion Stephen King. It ends triumphantly with a short by Peter Straub. If you don’t know these names, this is a great pace to get acquainted with great storytellers. While each story is different, all have the same theme: fear comes in all shapes and sizes.
Do not let the word “horror” or the terrifying black cover scare you away from this book. The spectrum of feelings that it presents is not limited only to shades of fear. There are moments that are funny, sad, charming, and chilling. The book is diverse. Each of the stories are short, with the longest being 50 pages, so it is quick to read. There are some stories I fell in love with, like “Final Girl Theory” by A.C. Wise, and “The Moraine” by Simon Bestwick. I also liked the overall theme. Each story showcases fear and paranoia in a different manner, and it was exciting to read. Horror fan and fans of great storytelling, pick up this book now.
Reviewed by Kevin Brown
