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devillishdisinterest's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Another anthology, another familiar challenge. Do I give this collection a rating based on its best stories or its worse?
This is a good collection. There are no stories that I thought were just awful or tragic, though a few that didn't quite run with the pack. And there were some original ideas in here that, whether or not you like them, you have to feel some sort of awe toward someone who thought it up. There are vampires from cultures I've never seen vampires from, and I was so happy for it. There was Scott Smith - I will read anything that man writes.
So it's a fun collection if you like vampires. Maybe also if you don't, but definitely less.
This is a good collection. There are no stories that I thought were just awful or tragic, though a few that didn't quite run with the pack. And there were some original ideas in here that, whether or not you like them, you have to feel some sort of awe toward someone who thought it up. There are vampires from cultures I've never seen vampires from, and I was so happy for it. There was Scott Smith - I will read anything that man writes.
So it's a fun collection if you like vampires. Maybe also if you don't, but definitely less.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
4.0
Because eternal life means eternal, whether you live inside a puppet of meat or the materials used to produce the pages of a book. Eternal life means eternal.
I could tell you so many things in this review to attempt to convince you to read this collection.
For starters, I could remind everyone that for what feels like months, I've searched for a decent short story collection. I've stumbled across some great short stories, and some decent-ish collections of 3 stars stories. But the majority have been so massively disappointing as to push me away from collections all together.
I could tell you that this collection knocked me off my feet and flat onto my ass. That some of these stories led to sleeping with the lights on, and contemplating what was lurking behind me in the dark when walking through my house.
I could point out that unlike the Emo Vampire trend of the last decade or so, these stories feature old school vampires. Vampires that hunt and feed and want blood, want to unleash pain. This is William the Bloody, not Soulboy Spike. Angelus, not Angel. Lestat, not Edward fucking Cullen.
I could pin point the lusciously written vampires of so many different worlds and cultures and mythologies. A vampire made up entirely of fireflies. A Manananggal from the Phillipines. And a teacher with just the right touch to calm hyper students.
Tales that read more like The Walking Dead than The Vampire Diaries. Stories of Vampire Kings, of plagues that leave vampires starving and alone and in search of someone, anyone. To feed, or just to talk to. And some tales that actually feature good old slayers.
I could tell you all of this.
Or I could let you know that buried in this volume is a story about a vampire book.
Not a book about vampires.
A book made of paper, like any other book. Paper made from a tree, like any other paper. But a tree planted specifically to cover a spot where ashes were dumped. Ashes that were once venomous, evil creatures that killed men, women and children. Immortal creatures, eternal. Creatures that don't die just because you stake them and torture them and burn them.
What happens when you turn a vampire into a book? What kind of monsters would be interested in a vampire book, and what kind of person would want to stop the books from doing harm?
That story in itself is reason enough for you to go now, immediately, and get your hands on this book.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I could tell you so many things in this review to attempt to convince you to read this collection.
For starters, I could remind everyone that for what feels like months, I've searched for a decent short story collection. I've stumbled across some great short stories, and some decent-ish collections of 3 stars stories. But the majority have been so massively disappointing as to push me away from collections all together.
I could tell you that this collection knocked me off my feet and flat onto my ass. That some of these stories led to sleeping with the lights on, and contemplating what was lurking behind me in the dark when walking through my house.
I could point out that unlike the Emo Vampire trend of the last decade or so, these stories feature old school vampires. Vampires that hunt and feed and want blood, want to unleash pain. This is William the Bloody, not Soulboy Spike. Angelus, not Angel. Lestat, not Edward fucking Cullen.
I could pin point the lusciously written vampires of so many different worlds and cultures and mythologies. A vampire made up entirely of fireflies. A Manananggal from the Phillipines. And a teacher with just the right touch to calm hyper students.
Tales that read more like The Walking Dead than The Vampire Diaries. Stories of Vampire Kings, of plagues that leave vampires starving and alone and in search of someone, anyone. To feed, or just to talk to. And some tales that actually feature good old slayers.
I could tell you all of this.
Or I could let you know that buried in this volume is a story about a vampire book.
Not a book about vampires.
A book made of paper, like any other book. Paper made from a tree, like any other paper. But a tree planted specifically to cover a spot where ashes were dumped. Ashes that were once venomous, evil creatures that killed men, women and children. Immortal creatures, eternal. Creatures that don't die just because you stake them and torture them and burn them.
What happens when you turn a vampire into a book? What kind of monsters would be interested in a vampire book, and what kind of person would want to stop the books from doing harm?
That story in itself is reason enough for you to go now, immediately, and get your hands on this book.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
sandygx260's review against another edition
4.0
The usual... some stories work, some didn't. The only reason I took so long reading this one was due to reading novels here and there.
Definitely worth a read if you're interested in different takes on what is a "vampire." John Langan's "Shadow and Thirst" tale is a perfect example—more of a vampire of the soul tale. Scott Smith's "Up in Old Vermont" is disturbing because you do not see the end coming. It is a wicked story which makes me doubt my decision to vacation in Vermont this summer.
Michael Kortya's "On the Dark Side of Sunset Basin" disturbed me for many reasons. My partner is a photographer, and she often challenges me in her quest for the perfect shot. This story really gave me the shivers.
As I said, definitely worth a read if you relish your "vampires" as nasty and lethal.
Definitely worth a read if you're interested in different takes on what is a "vampire." John Langan's "Shadow and Thirst" tale is a perfect example—more of a vampire of the soul tale. Scott Smith's "Up in Old Vermont" is disturbing because you do not see the end coming. It is a wicked story which makes me doubt my decision to vacation in Vermont this summer.
Michael Kortya's "On the Dark Side of Sunset Basin" disturbed me for many reasons. My partner is a photographer, and she often challenges me in her quest for the perfect shot. This story really gave me the shivers.
As I said, definitely worth a read if you relish your "vampires" as nasty and lethal.
beastreader's review against another edition
3.0
If you like vampire stories than you may want to check out this anthology. However be warned as these vampires are not "Edward" they don't sparkle and they are killers. Lots of blood will be spilled. This is what I enjoyed about this anthology. It was dark and the stories gritty. Although, it seemed that I liked a little less stories than I would have liked. Therefore, this is the reason for my rating on this collection of stories. Yet, I have to comment and say that I have read many vampire stories and it did seem like I had not read these stories before. There were a couple that did leave me on the fence about my thoughts on them. What I mean by this is that they were good but somewhat out of this world unbelievable. I did not really up any new author fan base with this anthology. The authors' I already liked I enjoyed their stories and the authors' that I had not cared for or thought were only so, so my feelings did not change reading their stories.
narzack's review
2.0
Pretty weak, overall. No story really stood out and they were all pretty mild, not at all brutal and horrific like the intro suggests.
erinld2005's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read and review an ebook copy of Seize The Night: New Tales of Vampiric Terror. Edited By: Christopher Golden.
Seize the Night is an anthology collection of short stories about vampires.
No, these ARE NOT stories featuring romanticized emo vampire heroes.
This anthology brings back terrifying vampires in new stories from authors such as : Charlaine Harris, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Scott Smith, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kelley Armstrong, Brian Keene, Tim Lebbon, David Wellington and Michael Kortya.
Don't be put off by the three stars rating! Seize the Night is a fantastic anthology of frightening vampire short stories. Of course there were some stories I LOVED, some I liked, and a few that I didn't particularly care for.
Out of all the short stories here are a few of my favorites:
Up in Old Vermont- Scott Smith
On the Dark Side of Sunlight Basin- Michael Koryta
The Neighbors- Sherrilyn Kenyon
Paper Cuts- Gary A. Braunbeck
Mrs. Fondevant- Charlaine Harris
The Last Supper- Brian Keene
What Kept you so Long?- John Ajvide Lindqvist
The best thing about this collection is the fact that the vampires are SCARY. I like all kinds of vampire stories, even the romanticized ones, but I like the horror ones best. I read "On the Dark Side of Sunlight Basin" one night right before going to sleep and I was a bit freaked out by it. That one definitely got to me! I can't remember the last time I was creeped out by anything vampire related. That right there is the awesomeness of this anthology. I enjoyed the majority of these stories and those are the ones that make it worth a read.
I recommend Seize the Night: New Tales of Vampiric Terror to fans of horror, fans of the old school vampires, fans of any of the authors, and to anyone looking for something new and creepy to read this Halloween season.
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/
Seize the Night is an anthology collection of short stories about vampires.
No, these ARE NOT stories featuring romanticized emo vampire heroes.
This anthology brings back terrifying vampires in new stories from authors such as : Charlaine Harris, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Scott Smith, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kelley Armstrong, Brian Keene, Tim Lebbon, David Wellington and Michael Kortya.
Don't be put off by the three stars rating! Seize the Night is a fantastic anthology of frightening vampire short stories. Of course there were some stories I LOVED, some I liked, and a few that I didn't particularly care for.
Out of all the short stories here are a few of my favorites:
Up in Old Vermont- Scott Smith
On the Dark Side of Sunlight Basin- Michael Koryta
The Neighbors- Sherrilyn Kenyon
Paper Cuts- Gary A. Braunbeck
Mrs. Fondevant- Charlaine Harris
The Last Supper- Brian Keene
What Kept you so Long?- John Ajvide Lindqvist
The best thing about this collection is the fact that the vampires are SCARY. I like all kinds of vampire stories, even the romanticized ones, but I like the horror ones best. I read "On the Dark Side of Sunlight Basin" one night right before going to sleep and I was a bit freaked out by it. That one definitely got to me! I can't remember the last time I was creeped out by anything vampire related. That right there is the awesomeness of this anthology. I enjoyed the majority of these stories and those are the ones that make it worth a read.
I recommend Seize the Night: New Tales of Vampiric Terror to fans of horror, fans of the old school vampires, fans of any of the authors, and to anyone looking for something new and creepy to read this Halloween season.
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/
catsnflags's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
debbiesilkserif's review against another edition
5.0
Received via NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an completely unbiased review.
Also posted on Silk & Serif
Every once in a while I feel it’s a great idea to read an anthology on your favourite genres because it opens you up to not only new authors, but also new ways of looking at a particular story type. Christopher Golden’s Seize The Night definitely delivers a great mix of horror with focus on the vampire legends. We read about insect inspired vampires, classic vampire types and even vampire books utilized by Nazi’s for power. I really enjoyed taking a break from the usual romanticized version of vampires and returning to the base, fear inducing instincts of the mythological creature Vampire.
The twenty one authors of this anthology wrote 544 excellent pages of fear, death and blood that will satisfy every type of horror lover (not just vampire enthusiasts)! I do have to admit that there were a few stories I didn’t understand because they ended prematurely..
UP IN OLD VERMONT by Scott Smith. Ally, a down on her luck waitress, is invited to move in with an elderly couple struggling with the wife’s Alzheimers. The vampires come from unexpected places and pull on Native American legend of the skag to write a chilling account of vampirism in modern America.
THE NEIGHBORS by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I didn’t understand this one. The short story is about some kids spying on the new neighbours. Over the course of this adventure they discover their neighbour’s secret that they very well could kill to keep. I just didn’t think it fit with the anthology at all, but you be the judge.
PAPER CUTS by Gary A. Braunbeck. Probably my favourite from this anthology because it’s so different and features an exciting version of vampirism. The inclusion of Nazi Germany, a young Jew’s struggles in a concentration camp and an ancient entity living in the least expected places makes for a very unique and unexpected read. I’m going to be reading more Braunbeck.
IN A CAVERN, IN A CANYON by Laird Barron. A creepy and frightening take on vampire lore that takes all the classics and adds just enough insect to the tale to give me nightmares for days. A woman struggles years later to understand whether her father walked out on her family or was taken by a sinister creature of the night.
MOTHER by Joe McKinney. Although this one didn’t resonate with me, the execution of Joe, a man on the search for evidence of the existence of the chupacabra, stumbles into a very dangerous and exciting revelation about a small town’s missing children. Hint: It’s not a chupacabra.
BLOOD by Robert Shearman. I didn’t get this tale either; it ended abruptly or was too subtle for my palate. Two lovers travel to Paris, but not all is as it seems between the couple, or the strange experiences they encounter.
SEPARATOR by Rio Youers. Rio’s tale is brutal and unapologetically gruesome. A man travels to the Philippines and comes face to face with the mananangga, a member of the Aswang family. A nice cultural addition to a largely American anthology.
WHAT KEPT YOU SO LONG? by John Ajvide Lindqvist. A trucker catches an interesting STD and learns that sometimes you have no control over your fate. This one isn’t very scary, but it is interesting and rather thought provoking with a clever twist.
In the end, Golden delivered what he promised at the very beginning of the anthology that "once upon a time vampires were figures of terror...And they can be again."
I honestly had nightmares reading this anthology, which is a first for me, and found the writing samples to be strong and powerful tales that twisted an already frightening lore. I definitely recommended reading Seize The Night as a Halloween novel.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy horror, frightening tales, anthologies and short stories, gruesome and violent vampires. I would wholeheartedly recommend reading Seize The Night if you are a horror fan or a supporter of real, gritty vampire novels without the romanticism and moral questions.
Complete list of Contributors
Scott Smith (Up in Old Vermont)
Seanan McGuire (Something Lost, Something Gained)
Michael Koryta (On the Dark Side of Sunlight)
Sherrilyn Kenyon (The Neighbors)
Gary A. Braunbeck (Paper Cuts)
Charlain Harris (Miss Fondevant)
Laird Barron (In a Cavern, In a Canyon)
Dana Cameron (Whiskey and Light)
Kelley Armstrong (We Are All Monsters)
Tim Lebbon (May the End Be Good)
Dan Chaon and Lynda Barry (Mrs. Popkin)
Leigh Perry (Direct Report)
John Langan (Shadow and Thirst)
Joe McKinney (Mother)
Robert Shearman (Blood)
Lucy A. Snyder (The Yellow Death)
Brian Keene (The Last Supper)
Rio Youers (Separator)
John Ajvide Lindqvist (What Kept You So Long)
David Wellington (Blue Hell)
Also posted on Silk & Serif
Every once in a while I feel it’s a great idea to read an anthology on your favourite genres because it opens you up to not only new authors, but also new ways of looking at a particular story type. Christopher Golden’s Seize The Night definitely delivers a great mix of horror with focus on the vampire legends. We read about insect inspired vampires, classic vampire types and even vampire books utilized by Nazi’s for power. I really enjoyed taking a break from the usual romanticized version of vampires and returning to the base, fear inducing instincts of the mythological creature Vampire.
The twenty one authors of this anthology wrote 544 excellent pages of fear, death and blood that will satisfy every type of horror lover (not just vampire enthusiasts)! I do have to admit that there were a few stories I didn’t understand because they ended prematurely..
UP IN OLD VERMONT by Scott Smith. Ally, a down on her luck waitress, is invited to move in with an elderly couple struggling with the wife’s Alzheimers. The vampires come from unexpected places and pull on Native American legend of the skag to write a chilling account of vampirism in modern America.
THE NEIGHBORS by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I didn’t understand this one. The short story is about some kids spying on the new neighbours. Over the course of this adventure they discover their neighbour’s secret that they very well could kill to keep. I just didn’t think it fit with the anthology at all, but you be the judge.
PAPER CUTS by Gary A. Braunbeck. Probably my favourite from this anthology because it’s so different and features an exciting version of vampirism. The inclusion of Nazi Germany, a young Jew’s struggles in a concentration camp and an ancient entity living in the least expected places makes for a very unique and unexpected read. I’m going to be reading more Braunbeck.
IN A CAVERN, IN A CANYON by Laird Barron. A creepy and frightening take on vampire lore that takes all the classics and adds just enough insect to the tale to give me nightmares for days. A woman struggles years later to understand whether her father walked out on her family or was taken by a sinister creature of the night.
MOTHER by Joe McKinney. Although this one didn’t resonate with me, the execution of Joe, a man on the search for evidence of the existence of the chupacabra, stumbles into a very dangerous and exciting revelation about a small town’s missing children. Hint: It’s not a chupacabra.
BLOOD by Robert Shearman. I didn’t get this tale either; it ended abruptly or was too subtle for my palate. Two lovers travel to Paris, but not all is as it seems between the couple, or the strange experiences they encounter.
SEPARATOR by Rio Youers. Rio’s tale is brutal and unapologetically gruesome. A man travels to the Philippines and comes face to face with the mananangga, a member of the Aswang family. A nice cultural addition to a largely American anthology.
WHAT KEPT YOU SO LONG? by John Ajvide Lindqvist. A trucker catches an interesting STD and learns that sometimes you have no control over your fate. This one isn’t very scary, but it is interesting and rather thought provoking with a clever twist.
In the end, Golden delivered what he promised at the very beginning of the anthology that "once upon a time vampires were figures of terror...And they can be again."
I honestly had nightmares reading this anthology, which is a first for me, and found the writing samples to be strong and powerful tales that twisted an already frightening lore. I definitely recommended reading Seize The Night as a Halloween novel.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy horror, frightening tales, anthologies and short stories, gruesome and violent vampires. I would wholeheartedly recommend reading Seize The Night if you are a horror fan or a supporter of real, gritty vampire novels without the romanticism and moral questions.
Complete list of Contributors
Scott Smith (Up in Old Vermont)
Seanan McGuire (Something Lost, Something Gained)
Michael Koryta (On the Dark Side of Sunlight)
Sherrilyn Kenyon (The Neighbors)
Gary A. Braunbeck (Paper Cuts)
Charlain Harris (Miss Fondevant)
Laird Barron (In a Cavern, In a Canyon)
Dana Cameron (Whiskey and Light)
Kelley Armstrong (We Are All Monsters)
Tim Lebbon (May the End Be Good)
Dan Chaon and Lynda Barry (Mrs. Popkin)
Leigh Perry (Direct Report)
John Langan (Shadow and Thirst)
Joe McKinney (Mother)
Robert Shearman (Blood)
Lucy A. Snyder (The Yellow Death)
Brian Keene (The Last Supper)
Rio Youers (Separator)
John Ajvide Lindqvist (What Kept You So Long)
David Wellington (Blue Hell)
postmodernblues's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
mkaminski34's review against another edition
4.0
I bought this just for the Scott Smith story but was pleasantly surprised with the quality of that and many of the other stories. There’s way more hits than misses in this collection that covers a ton of variations on the traditional vampire story. Highly recommend