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thomaswjoyce's review
5.0
The opening story, ‘Crawling Back to You’, concerns a vampire and his familiar. But this is not the tale of a member of the 18th century European aristocracy who sequesters himself in a dark castle and enslaves a manservant to bring him comely maidens. The contemporary setting and the relationship between the two main characters, Thomas and Patty, set this fang-tastic offering apart from your typical vampire story. Anderson concentrates on the relationship between these two, hinting at their past and how they came to be in their current situation, offering a fresh and entertaining take on an old theme.
‘Survivor’s Debt’, one of the original stories to this collection, again begins with a classic trope of the horror story; the ghost. But the ghosts that haunt teacher and Vietnam vet, Billy Kinson, aren’t trying to scare him; they just have some unfinished business and need a helping hand from a kid they saved during the Vietnam War. Anderson’s ability to craft three-dimensional characters and make them relatable, so much more than mere stereotypes, is masterful and on full display in this story.
Anderson’s debut is full of character-driven, emotionally-charged stories of horror in many guises. Whether the setting is a far future mining colony or contemporary America, whether the story is about the dysfunctional relationship between a vampire and his familiar or a man coming to terms with the terrible truths of his past, every tale has one thing in common - Anderson’s ability to craft a compelling, thought-provoking, dark and beautifully heart-breaking story displaying the darkest depths of the human soul. It is fitting that the introduction was written by Damien Angelica Walters as there are many comparisons that can be made between the two, not least the quality of their prose and their ability to describe the horror of humanity. If this collection is indicative of what is to come, Paul Michael Anderson truly has the potential to make a substantial and lasting impression on the writing community.
To see the full review, please visit thisishorror.co.uk
‘Survivor’s Debt’, one of the original stories to this collection, again begins with a classic trope of the horror story; the ghost. But the ghosts that haunt teacher and Vietnam vet, Billy Kinson, aren’t trying to scare him; they just have some unfinished business and need a helping hand from a kid they saved during the Vietnam War. Anderson’s ability to craft three-dimensional characters and make them relatable, so much more than mere stereotypes, is masterful and on full display in this story.
Anderson’s debut is full of character-driven, emotionally-charged stories of horror in many guises. Whether the setting is a far future mining colony or contemporary America, whether the story is about the dysfunctional relationship between a vampire and his familiar or a man coming to terms with the terrible truths of his past, every tale has one thing in common - Anderson’s ability to craft a compelling, thought-provoking, dark and beautifully heart-breaking story displaying the darkest depths of the human soul. It is fitting that the introduction was written by Damien Angelica Walters as there are many comparisons that can be made between the two, not least the quality of their prose and their ability to describe the horror of humanity. If this collection is indicative of what is to come, Paul Michael Anderson truly has the potential to make a substantial and lasting impression on the writing community.
To see the full review, please visit thisishorror.co.uk
motherhorror's review
5.0
Thank you to the author for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've read at least 20 different short story collections in the last 2-3 years. I will always be a rabid fan of the short story format. I truly believe that if an author is worth one's salt, they will be able to tell a a full story in 50 pages or less.
Sometimes, I don't *feel* like reading a novel. Sometimes I want the reading pleasure of finishing a story in one hour--the satisfaction of an ending with no bookmark added.
Some authors are more adept than others and it's my opinion this comes from two, natural (difficult) abilities or talents: developing strong characters and editing ruthlessly.
Paul Michael Anderson carries such talents and wields them beautifully in this diverse collection of stories.
Right out of the gate, the story, "Crawling Back to You" is a unique twist on vampire lore and it scared me. I knew I was in capable hands.
After this classic horror story, the tales range from a SciFi-Horror blend, "A Nice Town With Very Clean Streets" to the unusual, "The Doorway Man" to a spicy 'rom-com', "Love Song for the Rejected". I think Paul is extremely versatile and can genre-shift with the best of them.
My favorite was the heaviest and the longest; the title story: Bones Are Made to Be Broken.
A very emotional story told through the perspective of an unreliable narrator, Karen, battling guilt and depression in the aftermath of divorce. With every page, I felt myself investing in this troubled woman's plight to be a 'good mom'. I worried about her. I worried about her young son. I felt the sense of foreboding as the story wound down to it's shocking conclusion. I cried.
This is storytelling at its most powerful--to be able to leave readers with that literary hangover we all crave-the inability to leave the words on the page so we pick them up and store them in our hearts like a piece of ourselves we found and need to keep.
I'll be recommending this collection forever and I can't wait to read a novel. Horror fans & Short Story Lovers: This is a must have!
I've read at least 20 different short story collections in the last 2-3 years. I will always be a rabid fan of the short story format. I truly believe that if an author is worth one's salt, they will be able to tell a a full story in 50 pages or less.
Sometimes, I don't *feel* like reading a novel. Sometimes I want the reading pleasure of finishing a story in one hour--the satisfaction of an ending with no bookmark added.
Some authors are more adept than others and it's my opinion this comes from two, natural (difficult) abilities or talents: developing strong characters and editing ruthlessly.
Paul Michael Anderson carries such talents and wields them beautifully in this diverse collection of stories.
Right out of the gate, the story, "Crawling Back to You" is a unique twist on vampire lore and it scared me. I knew I was in capable hands.
After this classic horror story, the tales range from a SciFi-Horror blend, "A Nice Town With Very Clean Streets" to the unusual, "The Doorway Man" to a spicy 'rom-com', "Love Song for the Rejected". I think Paul is extremely versatile and can genre-shift with the best of them.
My favorite was the heaviest and the longest; the title story: Bones Are Made to Be Broken.
A very emotional story told through the perspective of an unreliable narrator, Karen, battling guilt and depression in the aftermath of divorce. With every page, I felt myself investing in this troubled woman's plight to be a 'good mom'. I worried about her. I worried about her young son. I felt the sense of foreboding as the story wound down to it's shocking conclusion. I cried.
This is storytelling at its most powerful--to be able to leave readers with that literary hangover we all crave-the inability to leave the words on the page so we pick them up and store them in our hearts like a piece of ourselves we found and need to keep.
I'll be recommending this collection forever and I can't wait to read a novel. Horror fans & Short Story Lovers: This is a must have!
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