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hazmatz's review
4.0
An enjoyable collection!
Personal favourites were:
Replacing Max by Stuart MacBride & Allan Guthrie - by far the most disturbing of the bunch, almost to the point where it seems silly. Definitely memorable.
Hollow Choices by Robert Jackson Bennett & David Liss - an interesting take on the business of selling souls
Amuse-Bouche by Amber Benson & Jeffrey J. Mariotte - another of the more...unsettling ones. Alternating POV with a truly twisted villain
Blind Love by Kasey Lansdale & Joe R. Lansdale - I really enjoyed this concept but the protagonist's characterization was off putting at times. It was completely unnecessary for her to say she was shallow or noticed shoes on times of distress.
Calculating Route by Michael Koryta & Jeffrey David Greene - really loved how characters we were following died mid story. The ending/reasoning wasn't where I wanted the story to go but hey.
Sins Like Scarlet by Mark Morris & Rio Youers - I figured out the "twist" a little early on, but this still felt like the perfect story to wrap up the collection.
Personal favourites were:
Replacing Max by Stuart MacBride & Allan Guthrie - by far the most disturbing of the bunch, almost to the point where it seems silly. Definitely memorable.
Hollow Choices by Robert Jackson Bennett & David Liss - an interesting take on the business of selling souls
Amuse-Bouche by Amber Benson & Jeffrey J. Mariotte - another of the more...unsettling ones. Alternating POV with a truly twisted villain
Blind Love by Kasey Lansdale & Joe R. Lansdale - I really enjoyed this concept but the protagonist's characterization was off putting at times. It was completely unnecessary for her to say she was shallow or noticed shoes on times of distress.
Calculating Route by Michael Koryta & Jeffrey David Greene - really loved how characters we were following died mid story. The ending/reasoning wasn't where I wanted the story to go but hey.
Sins Like Scarlet by Mark Morris & Rio Youers - I figured out the "twist" a little early on, but this still felt like the perfect story to wrap up the collection.
rainsage's review
2.0
It took me four years to finish this book because every time I read a story, I was honestly discouraged from continuing to the next one. There some interesting ideas presented by some of the authors, but a lot of the problems happen in the execution of the plot . . . or the fact there really isn't a plot to a particular story. I know there's a finite amount of time in a short story, but that should encourage the writers to be extra methodical when constructing the story they want to tell and if a short form is the appropriate medium.
twylghast's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
emaks's review
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this experiment in collaborations. As with most short story anthologies, I enjoyed some more than others. Favorites:
She, Doomed Girl- A bittersweet and haunting love story.
Renascence- Loved these characters, particularly the no-nonsense, amoral Rashida.
Blind Love- The narrator won me over. No idea why. I'm sure it had nothing to do with her rather caustic sense of humor.
She, Doomed Girl- A bittersweet and haunting love story.
Renascence- Loved these characters, particularly the no-nonsense, amoral Rashida.
Blind Love- The narrator won me over. No idea why. I'm sure it had nothing to do with her rather caustic sense of humor.
miracchin's review
3.0
I guess I was focusing more on the DARK FANTASY part, rather than the HORROR part. Some of the horror-ish stories were more gore than others, which I was not prepared for. I do enjoyed some of them, especially Dark Witness and Steward of the Blood.
Rating by story:
Trip Trap ⭐⭐⭐
Welded ⭐⭐⭐
Dark Witness ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Replacing Max ⭐⭐
T. Rhymer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
She, Doomed Girl ⭐⭐⭐
Hand Job ⭐⭐
Hollow Choice ⭐⭐⭐
Amuse-Bauche ⭐⭐
Branches, Curving ⭐⭐⭐
Renascence ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Blind Love ⭐⭐⭐
Trapper Boy ⭐⭐⭐
Steward of the Blood ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Calculating Route ⭐⭐⭐
Sisters Before Misters ⭐⭐⭐
Sins Like Scarlet ⭐⭐⭐
Actual Rating: 3 stars.
Rating by story:
Trip Trap ⭐⭐⭐
Welded ⭐⭐⭐
Dark Witness ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Replacing Max ⭐⭐
T. Rhymer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
She, Doomed Girl ⭐⭐⭐
Hand Job ⭐⭐
Hollow Choice ⭐⭐⭐
Amuse-Bauche ⭐⭐
Branches, Curving ⭐⭐⭐
Renascence ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Blind Love ⭐⭐⭐
Trapper Boy ⭐⭐⭐
Steward of the Blood ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Calculating Route ⭐⭐⭐
Sisters Before Misters ⭐⭐⭐
Sins Like Scarlet ⭐⭐⭐
Actual Rating: 3 stars.
hazmat's review
4.0
An enjoyable collection!
Personal favourites were:
Replacing Max by Stuart MacBride & Allan Guthrie - by far the most disturbing of the bunch, almost to the point where it seems silly. Definitely memorable.
Hollow Choices by Robert Jackson Bennett & David Liss - an interesting take on the business of selling souls
Amuse-Bouche by Amber Benson & Jeffrey J. Mariotte - another of the more...unsettling ones. Alternating POV with a truly twisted villain
Blind Love by Kasey Lansdale & Joe R. Lansdale - I really enjoyed this concept but the protagonist's characterization was off putting at times. It was completely unnecessary for her to say she was shallow or noticed shoes on times of distress.
Calculating Route by Michael Koryta & Jeffrey David Greene - really loved how characters we were following died mid story. The ending/reasoning wasn't where I wanted the story to go but hey.
Sins Like Scarlet by Mark Morris & Rio Youers - I figured out the "twist" a little early on, but this still felt like the perfect story to wrap up the collection.
Personal favourites were:
Replacing Max by Stuart MacBride & Allan Guthrie - by far the most disturbing of the bunch, almost to the point where it seems silly. Definitely memorable.
Hollow Choices by Robert Jackson Bennett & David Liss - an interesting take on the business of selling souls
Amuse-Bouche by Amber Benson & Jeffrey J. Mariotte - another of the more...unsettling ones. Alternating POV with a truly twisted villain
Blind Love by Kasey Lansdale & Joe R. Lansdale - I really enjoyed this concept but the protagonist's characterization was off putting at times. It was completely unnecessary for her to say she was shallow or noticed shoes on times of distress.
Calculating Route by Michael Koryta & Jeffrey David Greene - really loved how characters we were following died mid story. The ending/reasoning wasn't where I wanted the story to go but hey.
Sins Like Scarlet by Mark Morris & Rio Youers - I figured out the "twist" a little early on, but this still felt like the perfect story to wrap up the collection.
olive2read's review
3.0
Fun collection that feels a bit like results of a writers' workshop. There are some awesome folkloric tales in here, and the whole group is interesting. The MacLean collaboration was nothing like what I expected and I adored it for that :) I also liked that I'd only heard of a few of the authors - it's always nice to be introduced to new voices!
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