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jackalop3'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
halfwaytosanity's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
emmavonb's review
5.0
'The Fiends In The Furrows III: Final Harvest" edited by David T. Neal and Christine M. Scott is the third installment of what I now consider an incredible folk horror trilogy is just that: an incredible third installment. A brand new collection of nineteen folk horror stories, expertly curated by Neal and Scott, give readers exactly what they want: classic horror themes explored via the terrifyingly real effects of nature. From misunderstood pagan rituals to the power of women through history, 'Final Harvest' is an excellent addition to the folk horror canon and a fantastic (possible) completion of the Fiends in The Furrows trilogy. With all that being said, I find it hard to properly rate a story collection. I would consider this a five star read; however I am biased, as I loved the first two collections and this is my favorite sub genre of horror. Regardleas of that, I have included my favorite stories (and the feelings I felt for a couple of them
wildflowercrypt's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
this is the third volume in the Fiends folk horror anthology; this series is very dear to me and i was so excited to read the next, and apparently final, installment.
i’ve mixed feelings to be honest; the previous volumes featured a few stories i didn’t really connect with (the Jaws of Ouroboros and the Complete Compleat Gardener to be precise) but i did love 6 of the 9 stories featured in Volume I, and 7 of the 11 in Volume II, and found that to be a fair ratio. but this time around, i only liked 10 of the 19 in Volume III and maybe that’s still a decent ratio of like:disliked, but the duds this time around?? just, godawful.
i don’t have words for how badly written F is for the Farm is; it’s… “creative writing assignment in high school” bad, which is shocking considering the author has apparently won awards. Paper Coins had a whisper of… fairies, i think? its narrative structure is extremely disjointed, and the story so briefly features its chosen supernatural element to the point i am still at a loss as to how it even made the cut. Radegast was a slog; Come Sing for the Harrowing was just odd with no explanation as to why any of it was happening, or necessary. even the ones i did like, a few of them could have used another pass or two (or three) in edits (ex: the Gods that Drift with Us, a brilliant idea that is let down by the slight repetitiveness of its writing in certain passages). and there were typos, at least 5 that i noticed.
it’s not the best of the series but if you’re craving folk horror, there are some real diamonds in the rough here:
i’ve mixed feelings to be honest; the previous volumes featured a few stories i didn’t really connect with (the Jaws of Ouroboros and the Complete Compleat Gardener to be precise) but i did love 6 of the 9 stories featured in Volume I, and 7 of the 11 in Volume II, and found that to be a fair ratio. but this time around, i only liked 10 of the 19 in Volume III and maybe that’s still a decent ratio of like:disliked, but the duds this time around?? just, godawful.
i don’t have words for how badly written F is for the Farm is; it’s… “creative writing assignment in high school” bad, which is shocking considering the author has apparently won awards. Paper Coins had a whisper of… fairies, i think? its narrative structure is extremely disjointed, and the story so briefly features its chosen supernatural element to the point i am still at a loss as to how it even made the cut. Radegast was a slog; Come Sing for the Harrowing was just odd with no explanation as to why any of it was happening, or necessary. even the ones i did like, a few of them could have used another pass or two (or three) in edits (ex: the Gods that Drift with Us, a brilliant idea that is let down by the slight repetitiveness of its writing in certain passages). and there were typos, at least 5 that i noticed.
it’s not the best of the series but if you’re craving folk horror, there are some real diamonds in the rough here:
- the Keeper of the Light
- the Last Honeyboy
- Mrs. Badger’s Bones
- As the Thing Is Needed
- Mulberry Silk
- the Gods that Drift with Us
- the Sickle and the Tithe
- Sarsen Wood
- Malleability
- Witchwalking
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racial slurs, and Murder
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, and Pedophilia
the racial slur for the Romani is used frequently in the story “Herald of the Red Hen” as the protagonist is a Romani man; the same slur is also used in “Radegast”
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