dnemec's review against another edition

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4.0

Another great installation of the Dark Screams series brought to us from Cemetery Dance's Brian Freeman and Richard Chizmar. Surprisingly, I was only familiar with 3 of the 6 authors in this incarnation of the series.

Even more surprising was that my favorite story was A Monster Comes to Ashdown Forest (In Which Christopher Robin Says Goodbye) by James Renner, one of the authors with whose work I was previously unfamiliar. We find out that Ashdown Forest was actually the 100 Acre Wood from those lovable Winnie the Pooh books when Christopher Robin, the patient in an convalescent home, requests to go back one last time. When they arrive, they are greeted by the "real" Eeyore and meet the rest of the somewhat timeworn gang. It's kind of a nightmare version of Winnie the Pooh - a great read for anyone who has read those books or watched those movies a thousand times to children who just can't get enough. (I can still sing those damn songs due to a little girl I babysat 20 years ago.)

Lizardman by Robert McCammon is also worth a mention. While the story was pretty good, the description was amazing. I don't know if McCammon has spent much time in swampy areas, but the depiction of it had me twitching my nose, waiting to be eaten by mosquitoes. It is extraordinarily compelling.

While it was not really my type of story, West of Matamoros, North of Hell by Brian Hodge was without a doubt the most terrifying story in the collection for me. I am well aware of the problems of drug cartels within the boundaries of our southern neighbor, and have seen videos of their savagery. This story seriously hits a nerve. And the ending is a bit of surprise. Definitely worth a read.

A great anthology to add to the series.

longtimereader's review

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4.0

I snagged this book to review for one reason, Bill Schweigart, has a story in it. I have become a fan of Schweigart's work, ​even when I struggle to spell his name. Yeah for book titles! The rest of the stories range from pretty good to well... ok... but it has more of the rather good ones than not. I'm glad to read more of Schweigart's stories.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

wellwortharead's review

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4.0

Dark Screams has quickly become one of my favorite Horror Anthology series of all time. I was excited not only to see a volume 7, but the name Mick Garris who wrote one of my favorite stories back in Dark Screams volume 5. So it came as no surprise to me that Snow Shadows ended up making my favorites in this volume. It opens on a cold winter's day at Ravensbrooke Youth Academy for the Arts. Miss Featherstone, the drama teacher is about to have a very dramatic moment indeed.


A Monster Comes To Ashdown Forest (IN WHICH CHRISTOPHER ROBIN SAYS GOODBYE) by James Renner brings beloved childhood characters back to gruesome life. An excellent story.


Furtherest by Kaaron Warren is a spooky summer time tale of camp fires, cook outs, and corpses. I could almost smell the Coppertone it was so well written and descriptive.


As much as I love short horror stories it's always a bit difficult for me to review them without giving too much away. So that is why I have just touched briefly on my absolute favorites.


I received an advance copy for review.

biblio_beth's review

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3.0

NetGalley provided ARC.

Collection of short, horror stories that are more miss than hit. I enjoyed the story by Mick Garris the most.

charshorrorcorner's review

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4.0

The Dark Screams series comes along with this, Volume Seven, and continues to be one of the most solid anthology series' out there.

Going into this, I fully expected the Robert McCammon story to be the stand-out, as he's one of my favorite authors and never fails to satisfy my story urge. However, I have to hand it to James Renner because his story A MONSTER COMES TO ASHDOWN FOREST (IN WHICH CHRISTOPHER ROBIN SAYS GOODBYE) not only knocked the ball out of the park, it knocked it out of town! To see the Pooh stories turned into dark fiction pleased me to no end! Five FAT stars!

That said, I did love McCammon's Lizardman. In a way this story reminded me of that TV show I've seen previews of-The Swamp People? But then the tale took a strange twist and landed somewhere totally different. 4 stars!


WEST OF MATAMOROS, NORTH OF HELL by Brian Hodge was a strange tale where mythology and real life blended into a torture chamber of sorts. Never pray to the skeleton saint. 4*

I enjoyed the rest of the stories as well, just as not as much as these 3-and these 3 alone are well worth the price of admission! Highly recommended!

You can pre-order your copy here:Dark Screams: Volume Seven


*Thanks to Hydra and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
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