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esoteric_sloth's review
4.5
The middling average ratings on most of Datlow's anthologies always puzzle me, because I've yet to read one that I haven't enjoyed. As she points out in the introduction, these stories take creative liberties with the concept of vampires. Only a few are traditional blood-drinkers, while the others steal from the main characters in other, often more insidious ways. Whether this is a positive or a negative depends on the reader; personally, I loved the variety of it and the little puzzle of "okay, how does the vampire work in this one?"
Standouts:
"Blood Yesterday, Blood Tomorrow" by Richard Bowes and "Bread and Water" by Michael Cisco both take vampirism as a medical condition, although Bowes' story keeps the perceived glamor of vampires intact while Cisco's centers the nitty-gritty, often disgusting biological malfunctions that a person has to deal with when seriously ill (and from the first person view too, to really drop you into the main character's suffering.) "Blood Yesterday, Blood Tomorrow" drew me in with its undercurrent of a clandestine, hedonistic subculture which is always fun in horror. "Bread and Water" was more like being unable to look away from a train that's jumped the tracks. The escalating hallucinatory effects were really intriguing, even though I couldn't give you a confident answer as to how it actually ended.
"Keeping Corky" by Melanie Tem and "Mulberry Boys" by Margo Lanagan are both good if you want something disturbing enough that it feels like it's settled into your bones. "Mulberry Boys" was a reread for me, having first read it in The Best Horror of the Year Volume 4, also from Datlow. I wasn't sure if I wanted to reread it or not at first, but I decided that I wanted to see if it would still give me such an intense skin-crawling reaction the second time around. It did. "Keeping Corky" may not make your skin crawl, but it will make your heart ache.
"First Breath" by Nicole J. LeBoeuf had such a unique concept. It was also deeply impressive to me that the writer was able tosplit the story between two first-person narrators with no confusion, even though their sections aren't labelled to explicitly show where the switch happens.
"The Third Always Beside You" by John Langan and "Miri" by Steve Rasnic Tem both hit some personal strings, but in ways that felt oddly cathartic.
Closing the book with "The Siphon" by Laird Barron was a perfect choice. The buildup phase of his stories can feel drawn out if you're not used to how he writes, but that time he takes is so, so worth it for those endings that knock it out of the park. His take on cosmic horror fascinates me as well.
Standouts:
"Blood Yesterday, Blood Tomorrow" by Richard Bowes and "Bread and Water" by Michael Cisco both take vampirism as a medical condition, although Bowes' story keeps the perceived glamor of vampires intact while Cisco's centers the nitty-gritty, often disgusting biological malfunctions that a person has to deal with when seriously ill (and from the first person view too, to really drop you into the main character's suffering.) "Blood Yesterday, Blood Tomorrow" drew me in with its undercurrent of a clandestine, hedonistic subculture which is always fun in horror. "Bread and Water" was more like being unable to look away from a train that's jumped the tracks. The escalating hallucinatory effects were really intriguing, even though I couldn't give you a confident answer as to how it actually ended.
"Keeping Corky" by Melanie Tem and "Mulberry Boys" by Margo Lanagan are both good if you want something disturbing enough that it feels like it's settled into your bones. "Mulberry Boys" was a reread for me, having first read it in The Best Horror of the Year Volume 4, also from Datlow. I wasn't sure if I wanted to reread it or not at first, but I decided that I wanted to see if it would still give me such an intense skin-crawling reaction the second time around. It did. "Keeping Corky" may not make your skin crawl, but it will make your heart ache.
"First Breath" by Nicole J. LeBoeuf had such a unique concept. It was also deeply impressive to me that the writer was able to
"The Third Always Beside You" by John Langan and "Miri" by Steve Rasnic Tem both hit some personal strings, but in ways that felt oddly cathartic.
Closing the book with "The Siphon" by Laird Barron was a perfect choice. The buildup phase of his stories can feel drawn out if you're not used to how he writes, but that time he takes is so, so worth it for those endings that knock it out of the park. His take on cosmic horror fascinates me as well.
nikki_in_niagara's review
4.0
Supposedly a collection of stories about vampirism, however, not all actually are about vampires. As the title suggests the stories are all about some form of blood craving making it a unique collection. Most of the authors were new to me. A solid collection of stories which for the most part I really enjoyed.
1. All You Can Do is Breathe by Kaaron Warren - A man is buried in a mine accident and hailed a hero as a survivor. Down there he was visited by the long man who pinched his nose, now he's terribly cold. Ok. Didn't make a lot of sense. (3/5)
2. Needles by Elizabeth Bear - A vampire couple arrives in the town of Needles as one wants to get a tattoo to see if it will change her back. This was beautifully written. Plus, it's a great story. (5/5)
3. Baskerville's Midgets by Reggie Oliver - An actor tells of his stay at a theatre boardinghouse when a troupe of performing midgets arrive. I don't particularly care for theatre stories but this was well told and I liked the ending. (3/5)
4. Blood Yesterday, Blood Tomorrow by Richard Bowes - Hmm, an intricate plot concerning vampire collectables dealers who have taken a cut. But much more than that. This would make a fantastic book. It is incredibly atmospheric and makes one want to know more. (4/5)
5. X for Demetrious - This begins with an author's note explaining the true event the story is based on. After reading I had to Google to find out about the real story. So, here, we have a man obsessed with vampires stalking him. This becomes so profound he doesn't leave his home or eat anymore. Unfortunately, I did not like the writing style at all. I also found the story simple and predictable. I found my mind wandering while reading. (2/5)
6. Keeping Corky by Melanie Tem - A mentally challenged woman thinks of her 15-year-old son whom she gave up for adoption. She still thinks of him as a baby and she thinks that if she concentrates hard enough she can make things happen. Then she gets bad news about Corky. Well written. Not a bad story but a little boring. (3/5)
7. Shelf-life by Lisa Tuttle - A woman finds her childhood dollhouse in her father's attic. She gives it to her daughter and she starts acting strange. I like this author a lot and as usual, she writes a great story. Not her best but still good. (4/5)
8. Caius by Bill Pronzini & Barry N Malzberg - A man is a lauded radio talk show host. This builds up until we're shown the truth at the end. It is a very short, well-told tale with a questionable end. (3/5)
9. Sweet Sorrow by Barbara Roden - A couple who live next door to a missing girl catches Brian's attention. They seem to be getting younger surrounded by the sorrow. Predictable but utterly entertaining story. (4/5)
10. First Breath by Nicole J LeBoeuf - Someone is sent out to find themselves. The rest would be spoilers. A strange but touching story. (4/5)
11. Toujours by Kathe Koja - Gianfranco raises a boy up to be a world-famous fashion designer. Then he meets a woman unlike all the others. They have a battle of the wills to see who will win the fashion designer. (3/5)
12. Miri by Steve Rasnic Tem - A man starts seeing the world without colour. Then he starts hallucinating and losing time. He then starts having visions of an old college girlfriend until he can't tell reality from the visions. (3/5)
13. Mrs. Jones by Carol Emshwiller - Two middle-aged sisters live together one-upping each other until one of them finds a bat-like creature in the orchard. This was a very well-written story. Fun with a twist ending. My favourite so far. (5/5)
14. Bread and Water by Michael Cisco - I have no idea what is happening here. Something with a disease and/or experiment. (0/5)
15. Mulberry Boys by Margo Lanagan - A man comes to the village and takes a young man, the narrator, with him to catch a Mulberry Boy. Just what a Mulberry Boy is and what they are for follows. A bit of a revenge story as a young man tries to make his village a better place. Wonderful storytelling. (5/5)
16. The Third Always Beside You by John Langan - Siblings have thought for over a decade now that their father had an affair. Gert finds out the truth from Auntie V. Nothing supernatural until the last paragraph. Longer story than others and is very well told. (4/5)
17. The Siphon by Laird Barron - A man working for Roache Industries is a part-time agent for the NSA. He takes a group to look at some real estate and they are attacked. A very long story. Great storytelling and characterization. I enjoyed this a lot. (4/5)
1. All You Can Do is Breathe by Kaaron Warren - A man is buried in a mine accident and hailed a hero as a survivor. Down there he was visited by the long man who pinched his nose, now he's terribly cold. Ok. Didn't make a lot of sense. (3/5)
2. Needles by Elizabeth Bear - A vampire couple arrives in the town of Needles as one wants to get a tattoo to see if it will change her back. This was beautifully written. Plus, it's a great story. (5/5)
3. Baskerville's Midgets by Reggie Oliver - An actor tells of his stay at a theatre boardinghouse when a troupe of performing midgets arrive. I don't particularly care for theatre stories but this was well told and I liked the ending. (3/5)
4. Blood Yesterday, Blood Tomorrow by Richard Bowes - Hmm, an intricate plot concerning vampire collectables dealers who have taken a cut. But much more than that. This would make a fantastic book. It is incredibly atmospheric and makes one want to know more. (4/5)
5. X for Demetrious - This begins with an author's note explaining the true event the story is based on. After reading I had to Google to find out about the real story. So, here, we have a man obsessed with vampires stalking him. This becomes so profound he doesn't leave his home or eat anymore. Unfortunately, I did not like the writing style at all. I also found the story simple and predictable. I found my mind wandering while reading. (2/5)
6. Keeping Corky by Melanie Tem - A mentally challenged woman thinks of her 15-year-old son whom she gave up for adoption. She still thinks of him as a baby and she thinks that if she concentrates hard enough she can make things happen. Then she gets bad news about Corky. Well written. Not a bad story but a little boring. (3/5)
7. Shelf-life by Lisa Tuttle - A woman finds her childhood dollhouse in her father's attic. She gives it to her daughter and she starts acting strange. I like this author a lot and as usual, she writes a great story. Not her best but still good. (4/5)
8. Caius by Bill Pronzini & Barry N Malzberg - A man is a lauded radio talk show host. This builds up until we're shown the truth at the end. It is a very short, well-told tale with a questionable end. (3/5)
9. Sweet Sorrow by Barbara Roden - A couple who live next door to a missing girl catches Brian's attention. They seem to be getting younger surrounded by the sorrow. Predictable but utterly entertaining story. (4/5)
10. First Breath by Nicole J LeBoeuf - Someone is sent out to find themselves. The rest would be spoilers. A strange but touching story. (4/5)
11. Toujours by Kathe Koja - Gianfranco raises a boy up to be a world-famous fashion designer. Then he meets a woman unlike all the others. They have a battle of the wills to see who will win the fashion designer. (3/5)
12. Miri by Steve Rasnic Tem - A man starts seeing the world without colour. Then he starts hallucinating and losing time. He then starts having visions of an old college girlfriend until he can't tell reality from the visions. (3/5)
13. Mrs. Jones by Carol Emshwiller - Two middle-aged sisters live together one-upping each other until one of them finds a bat-like creature in the orchard. This was a very well-written story. Fun with a twist ending. My favourite so far. (5/5)
14. Bread and Water by Michael Cisco - I have no idea what is happening here. Something with a disease and/or experiment. (0/5)
15. Mulberry Boys by Margo Lanagan - A man comes to the village and takes a young man, the narrator, with him to catch a Mulberry Boy. Just what a Mulberry Boy is and what they are for follows. A bit of a revenge story as a young man tries to make his village a better place. Wonderful storytelling. (5/5)
16. The Third Always Beside You by John Langan - Siblings have thought for over a decade now that their father had an affair. Gert finds out the truth from Auntie V. Nothing supernatural until the last paragraph. Longer story than others and is very well told. (4/5)
17. The Siphon by Laird Barron - A man working for Roache Industries is a part-time agent for the NSA. He takes a group to look at some real estate and they are attacked. A very long story. Great storytelling and characterization. I enjoyed this a lot. (4/5)
shinychick's review
2.0
You know me, I'm a sucker (har har har) for vampire books. And even moreso for short story collections; I've discovered so many great authors after reading their short fiction. This should be a home run for me.
Alas, that is not the case. The point of Blood and Other Cravings is to show vampires that take something different than blood, or more than only blood. Says the description on Amazon, the leeching of emotion, the draining of the soul, and other dark deeds of predation and exploitation, infestation, and evisceration...tales of life essence, literal or metaphorical, stolen.
And metaphorical whatsit and so on is fine... but not really my cup of tea. Give me a good old-fashioned throat-ripping scene and I'm more or less happy (as valued for the quality of said scene, of course.)
Anyway - don't avoid this book if metaphorical vampires are your thing; I just prefer mine to be more about the blood and less about the life force.
Alas, that is not the case. The point of Blood and Other Cravings is to show vampires that take something different than blood, or more than only blood. Says the description on Amazon, the leeching of emotion, the draining of the soul, and other dark deeds of predation and exploitation, infestation, and evisceration...tales of life essence, literal or metaphorical, stolen.
And metaphorical whatsit and so on is fine... but not really my cup of tea. Give me a good old-fashioned throat-ripping scene and I'm more or less happy (as valued for the quality of said scene, of course.)
Anyway - don't avoid this book if metaphorical vampires are your thing; I just prefer mine to be more about the blood and less about the life force.
lizdesole's review
4.0
It's so refreshing to read so many new. original takes on the vampire legend. SOme of these didn't work as well for me but that's hardly surprising for a collection of short stories (especially since they're all by different writers). I was actually shocked that there were only two I didn't care for.
These aren't your typical glamorous and erotic vampire tales we've gotten so inundated with. Nor are most of these particularly gory. Some are even elusive as "vampire" stories.
I found "X for Demetrious" particularly compelling. It is based on a true newspaper account of an elderly Polish immigrant found dead in England in 1972 surrounded by strange objects/circumstances. No spoilers here
These aren't your typical glamorous and erotic vampire tales we've gotten so inundated with. Nor are most of these particularly gory. Some are even elusive as "vampire" stories.
I found "X for Demetrious" particularly compelling. It is based on a true newspaper account of an elderly Polish immigrant found dead in England in 1972 surrounded by strange objects/circumstances. No spoilers here
kat_the_bookcat's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not a fan of short stories, and short horror stories really seem like they should be drawn out more. Half of them don't seem to make much sense. There were a few that I really enjoyed, but for the most part, they were meh.
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