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jch2022's review
3.0
Four Dark nights is collection of novellas by four of todays most popular authors.
"The Circle" by Bentley Little is a pretty wicked little tale of elder god worship in the suburbs and one night of horror ensuing from that. While it was entertaining it wasn't the best of Little's work I've read.
"Pyre" by Christopher Golden was also an interesting reading experience. Although, I can't see myself resurrecting my deceased father in order to find out why he didn't love me enough...
There's no pain so great that I would go into a graveyard at night so, therefore, I found it to be a bit of a strectch. Otherwise, the tale is well-written and deals with Viking legends and symbols and was pretty interesting from that point.
"Jonah Arose" by Tom Piccirilli...this was my least favorite of the stories in this volume...I have liked other work by this author but while reading this one I felt disconnected from the story and the protagonist...it was a struggle for me to get through.
"The Words" by Douglas Clegg...an outstanding tale that was thouroughly enjoyable and kept me hooked from the get-go. Every time I read something new by Clegg I can understand why he's receiving all the acclaim he is. While I have enjoyed most of his novels I really enjoy his shorter works...he's a grand master at them and that is possibly why he featured so often in the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror editions.
"The Circle" by Bentley Little is a pretty wicked little tale of elder god worship in the suburbs and one night of horror ensuing from that. While it was entertaining it wasn't the best of Little's work I've read.
"Pyre" by Christopher Golden was also an interesting reading experience. Although, I can't see myself resurrecting my deceased father in order to find out why he didn't love me enough...
There's no pain so great that I would go into a graveyard at night so, therefore, I found it to be a bit of a strectch. Otherwise, the tale is well-written and deals with Viking legends and symbols and was pretty interesting from that point.
"Jonah Arose" by Tom Piccirilli...this was my least favorite of the stories in this volume...I have liked other work by this author but while reading this one I felt disconnected from the story and the protagonist...it was a struggle for me to get through.
"The Words" by Douglas Clegg...an outstanding tale that was thouroughly enjoyable and kept me hooked from the get-go. Every time I read something new by Clegg I can understand why he's receiving all the acclaim he is. While I have enjoyed most of his novels I really enjoy his shorter works...he's a grand master at them and that is possibly why he featured so often in the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror editions.
paperbackstash's review
4.0
Mix four masters of horror, give them free reign with their imaginations, and what do you have? A book worth reading, that's what!
Bentley Littles 'The Circle' starts off the fun. Although different, dark, twisted, and out there, it skids off the road a bit too much at times. I couldn't get into the characters, some of the imagery painted seemed overdone to the point of writing it just to shock the reader, and the ending left me disturbed, not necessarily in a good way.
Christopher Goldens' Pyre was an occupying, fascinating tale about a young girl who, after losing her father, goes over the edge to bring him back for a showdown. The theme was pure bliss, making me want to read more, more, and even more when it was all done with. The characters were convincingly written, multi-dimensional, and lingering. Goldens' writing style is both fierce and strong.
Tom Piccirilli's Jonah Arose is a mixed blessing. The story didn't do it for me, but it was written with a talented hand. The wording was as smooth as butter, the characterization was potent, and the ending strange. It just took a bit too long to get off, I was confused much of the time, since the tale was so 'out there'.
The last offering, Douglas Cleggs' The Words, ties in with Goldens as the winner. Intriguing, different, suspenseful, and creepy, it's a simple tale that holds much more beneath the surface.
In the mood for a good horror anthology? How can you go wrong with four in-depth novellas from these authors? Simple - you can't.
Bentley Littles 'The Circle' starts off the fun. Although different, dark, twisted, and out there, it skids off the road a bit too much at times. I couldn't get into the characters, some of the imagery painted seemed overdone to the point of writing it just to shock the reader, and the ending left me disturbed, not necessarily in a good way.
Christopher Goldens' Pyre was an occupying, fascinating tale about a young girl who, after losing her father, goes over the edge to bring him back for a showdown. The theme was pure bliss, making me want to read more, more, and even more when it was all done with. The characters were convincingly written, multi-dimensional, and lingering. Goldens' writing style is both fierce and strong.
Tom Piccirilli's Jonah Arose is a mixed blessing. The story didn't do it for me, but it was written with a talented hand. The wording was as smooth as butter, the characterization was potent, and the ending strange. It just took a bit too long to get off, I was confused much of the time, since the tale was so 'out there'.
The last offering, Douglas Cleggs' The Words, ties in with Goldens as the winner. Intriguing, different, suspenseful, and creepy, it's a simple tale that holds much more beneath the surface.
In the mood for a good horror anthology? How can you go wrong with four in-depth novellas from these authors? Simple - you can't.
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