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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
First of all, what a labor of love! The amount of time, love and effort put into this anthology can be FELT in each page. High praise to James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle for putting this together.
Each story is translated from a non English speaking language from countries all over the world! Wow, being able to experience horror in other countries was magical. I love the dark, melancholic feel of the collection as a whole.
Every story transported me somewhere new and I enjoyed the ride. If you're looking for jump scare, gory horror, you won't find that here. Instead, I'd describe these stories as beautiful and enchanting taking you on a journey to experience horror in faraway places.
Each story is translated from a non English speaking language from countries all over the world! Wow, being able to experience horror in other countries was magical. I love the dark, melancholic feel of the collection as a whole.
Every story transported me somewhere new and I enjoyed the ride. If you're looking for jump scare, gory horror, you won't find that here. Instead, I'd describe these stories as beautiful and enchanting taking you on a journey to experience horror in faraway places.
All hail, Valancourt! The fact that this book exists at all is an enormous feat. A collection of fantastic genre authors that have never, or rarely, been published in English. Literally, the best horror authors the world has to offer.
As well as the collection of truly amazing stories, the pre-story notes by editors James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle give a fascinating insight into how horror literature is globally regarded.
Not every story in the collection is a five-star story, but each contains something to enjoy. It is particularly devastating that this book is currently the only place that monolinguists such as myself can currently access the work of these brilliant writers. But the good news is that a call for stories for potential inclusion in volume 2 is currently live. Yay!
Here are my favorites stories in the collection:
Uironda by Luigi Musolino - A dangerously depressed truck driver, a custody battle, and a mythical destination. I read this a few months before writing this review, and I just flicked through the story to remind myself of the ending. When I remembered, I literally said “Oh GOD!” while quickly closing the book.
The Time Remaining by Attila Veres - Why are parents telling their children their stuffed toys are dying? How could you not want to read a horror story about that concept?
Senor Ligotti by Bernardo Esquinca - A young couple accept a suspiciously cheap house, on the condition that the previous owner can visit whenever he wants. WHY would anyone agree to that? The ending of this story was so unnerving, I literally squirmed.
Down, in Their World - Flavius Ardelean - This may be my favorite in the whole collection. It is so vivid and memorable. A group of men go to ransack an abandoned mine with a dark past. What could possibly go wrong?!
Tiny Women by Solange Rodriguez Pappe - Gorgeous little Leonora Carrington-esque story.
Mechanisms by Elisenda Solsona - A feuding couple visit an abandoned ski resort to capture the perfect photo. I thought I knew how this story was end. I was oh so very wrong.
The White Cormorant by Frithjof Spalder - Don’t let all the nautical terminology put you off. This clever, hypnotic tale will stay with you.
As well as the collection of truly amazing stories, the pre-story notes by editors James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle give a fascinating insight into how horror literature is globally regarded.
Not every story in the collection is a five-star story, but each contains something to enjoy. It is particularly devastating that this book is currently the only place that monolinguists such as myself can currently access the work of these brilliant writers. But the good news is that a call for stories for potential inclusion in volume 2 is currently live. Yay!
Here are my favorites stories in the collection:
Uironda by Luigi Musolino - A dangerously depressed truck driver, a custody battle, and a mythical destination. I read this a few months before writing this review, and I just flicked through the story to remind myself of the ending. When I remembered, I literally said “Oh GOD!” while quickly closing the book.
The Time Remaining by Attila Veres - Why are parents telling their children their stuffed toys are dying? How could you not want to read a horror story about that concept?
Senor Ligotti by Bernardo Esquinca - A young couple accept a suspiciously cheap house, on the condition that the previous owner can visit whenever he wants. WHY would anyone agree to that? The ending of this story was so unnerving, I literally squirmed.
Down, in Their World - Flavius Ardelean - This may be my favorite in the whole collection. It is so vivid and memorable. A group of men go to ransack an abandoned mine with a dark past. What could possibly go wrong?!
Tiny Women by Solange Rodriguez Pappe - Gorgeous little Leonora Carrington-esque story.
Mechanisms by Elisenda Solsona - A feuding couple visit an abandoned ski resort to capture the perfect photo. I thought I knew how this story was end. I was oh so very wrong.
The White Cormorant by Frithjof Spalder - Don’t let all the nautical terminology put you off. This clever, hypnotic tale will stay with you.
Valancourt has just added to its impressive catalogue what might well be the jewel in its (Gothic) crown: "The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories". In this veritable labour of love, editors (and Valancourt founders) James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle have combed through stories in a myriad of languages to come up with a selection of twenty-one contemporary horror stories from around the world, all of which are being published in English for the first time ever. Choosing the stories must have been a mammoth task. What is even more remarkable is that Jenkins prepared most of the translations himself. Having a command of so many languages is an achievement – but what is even more impressive is that these are no workaday renditions, but readable, fluent translations into English which manage to retain the different narrative voices and styles of the original.
How to start reviewing such a wealth of remarkable stories? I will not even attempt to do so but will simply list some reasons why you should check out this anthology.
1. Although some of the featured authors are very well-known in their respective countries, they are hardly household names in the English-speaking world. The lover of horror stories seeking new voices from outside the established English-language canon will find plenty to discover here.
2. The authors who make an appearance in this anthology are not “different” just because they are little-known, but because they genuinely bring something new to the horror genre. More often than not, their stories reflects folklore which will be unfamiliar to most readers. To cite just a couple of examples, Yvette Tan’s All the Birds incorporates elements from Filipino mythology and folklore, while Bathie Ngoye Thiam’s The House of Leuk Dawour taps into Senegal’s long tradition of supernatural storytelling. Down, in their World by Flavius Ardelean revives the scarier aspects of Romanian folklore.
3. Even when not directly inspired by local myths, many of the stories reflect aspects, landscapes and issues of the authors’ countries of origin. Menopause by Flore Hazoumé, for instance, provides social commentary on African society’s approach to womenhood whereas Luigi Musolino’s Uironda – a strong opener to this anthology – evokes the dreary highways of Northern Italy’s industrial hinterland.
4. Diversity and variety are two key characteristics of this anthology. As the editors explain in their foreword, they aimed to ensure a high rate of inclusion of women writers, authors of colour, and LGBT-interest material. This is no mere tip of the hat to political correctness but a genuine desire to make this anthology as inclusive as possible. And, ultimately, this is reflected in the sheer literary variety found between the book’s covers. Certainly, all the featured stories qualify as horror. But this is a broad church indeed. Just come inside and take your seat in your favourite aisle – whether the horror you love is psychological and Aickman-like, Lovecraftian (cosmic or reptilian), gory, surreal, or tinged with crime, folklore or comedy… you’ll find something for you.
5. The best reason to savour this anthology however is the quality of the writing. Judging from the reviews I’ve read, the horror community is showing this anthology well-deserved love. But this should honestly be more than a “niche interest” collection – this is great contemporary world literature, independently of its genre.
Here’s the roll call of stories:
Pilar Pedraza, 'Mater Tenebrarum' (Spain)
Flavius Ardelean, 'Down, in Their World' (Romania)
Anders Fager, 'Backstairs' (Sweden)
Tanya Tynjälä, 'The Collector' (Peru)
Frithjof Spalder, 'The White Cormorant' (Norway)
Jose María Latorre, 'Snapshots' (Spain)
Luigi Musolino, 'Uironda' (Italy)
Martin Steyn, 'Kira' (South Africa)
Attila Veres, 'The Time Remaining' (Hungary)
Lars Ahn, 'Donation' (Denmark)
Bernardo Esquinca, 'Señor Ligotti' (Mexico)
Cristina Fernández Cubas, 'The Angle of Horror' (Spain)
Christien Boomsma, 'The Bones in Her Eyes' (Netherlands)
Elisenda Solsona, 'Mechanisms' (Catalonia)
Michael Roch, 'The Illogical Investigations of Inspector André Despérine' (Martinique)
Solange Rodríguez Pappe, 'Tiny Women' (Ecuador)
Bathie Ngoye Thiam, 'The House of Leuk Dawour' (Senegal)
Marko Hautala, 'Pale Toes' (Finland)
Yvette Tan, 'All the Birds' (Philippines)
Ariane Gélinas, 'Twin Shadows' (Québec)
Flore Hazoumé, 'Menopause' (Ivory Coast)
Tantalizingly, The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories bears the subtitle “Volume 1”. The editors have announced on social media that they’re already working on the next instalment in what promises to be another great series from Valancourt. Bring them on!
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2021/01/Valancourt-Book-of-World-Horror-Stories-Jenkins-Cagle.html
How to start reviewing such a wealth of remarkable stories? I will not even attempt to do so but will simply list some reasons why you should check out this anthology.
1. Although some of the featured authors are very well-known in their respective countries, they are hardly household names in the English-speaking world. The lover of horror stories seeking new voices from outside the established English-language canon will find plenty to discover here.
2. The authors who make an appearance in this anthology are not “different” just because they are little-known, but because they genuinely bring something new to the horror genre. More often than not, their stories reflects folklore which will be unfamiliar to most readers. To cite just a couple of examples, Yvette Tan’s All the Birds incorporates elements from Filipino mythology and folklore, while Bathie Ngoye Thiam’s The House of Leuk Dawour taps into Senegal’s long tradition of supernatural storytelling. Down, in their World by Flavius Ardelean revives the scarier aspects of Romanian folklore.
3. Even when not directly inspired by local myths, many of the stories reflect aspects, landscapes and issues of the authors’ countries of origin. Menopause by Flore Hazoumé, for instance, provides social commentary on African society’s approach to womenhood whereas Luigi Musolino’s Uironda – a strong opener to this anthology – evokes the dreary highways of Northern Italy’s industrial hinterland.
4. Diversity and variety are two key characteristics of this anthology. As the editors explain in their foreword, they aimed to ensure a high rate of inclusion of women writers, authors of colour, and LGBT-interest material. This is no mere tip of the hat to political correctness but a genuine desire to make this anthology as inclusive as possible. And, ultimately, this is reflected in the sheer literary variety found between the book’s covers. Certainly, all the featured stories qualify as horror. But this is a broad church indeed. Just come inside and take your seat in your favourite aisle – whether the horror you love is psychological and Aickman-like, Lovecraftian (cosmic or reptilian), gory, surreal, or tinged with crime, folklore or comedy… you’ll find something for you.
5. The best reason to savour this anthology however is the quality of the writing. Judging from the reviews I’ve read, the horror community is showing this anthology well-deserved love. But this should honestly be more than a “niche interest” collection – this is great contemporary world literature, independently of its genre.
Here’s the roll call of stories:
Pilar Pedraza, 'Mater Tenebrarum' (Spain)
Flavius Ardelean, 'Down, in Their World' (Romania)
Anders Fager, 'Backstairs' (Sweden)
Tanya Tynjälä, 'The Collector' (Peru)
Frithjof Spalder, 'The White Cormorant' (Norway)
Jose María Latorre, 'Snapshots' (Spain)
Luigi Musolino, 'Uironda' (Italy)
Martin Steyn, 'Kira' (South Africa)
Attila Veres, 'The Time Remaining' (Hungary)
Lars Ahn, 'Donation' (Denmark)
Bernardo Esquinca, 'Señor Ligotti' (Mexico)
Cristina Fernández Cubas, 'The Angle of Horror' (Spain)
Christien Boomsma, 'The Bones in Her Eyes' (Netherlands)
Elisenda Solsona, 'Mechanisms' (Catalonia)
Michael Roch, 'The Illogical Investigations of Inspector André Despérine' (Martinique)
Solange Rodríguez Pappe, 'Tiny Women' (Ecuador)
Bathie Ngoye Thiam, 'The House of Leuk Dawour' (Senegal)
Marko Hautala, 'Pale Toes' (Finland)
Yvette Tan, 'All the Birds' (Philippines)
Ariane Gélinas, 'Twin Shadows' (Québec)
Flore Hazoumé, 'Menopause' (Ivory Coast)
Tantalizingly, The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories bears the subtitle “Volume 1”. The editors have announced on social media that they’re already working on the next instalment in what promises to be another great series from Valancourt. Bring them on!
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2021/01/Valancourt-Book-of-World-Horror-Stories-Jenkins-Cagle.html
The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories was an exceptional read in my opinion. The book contains a variety of tales in numerous languages, from many authors I otherwise would never have heard of. Nearly 99% of the stories have been translated into English for the first time by the authors. There is also a mention of the Finnish Weird website (I know, that sounds like a fetish website, but it contains great horror/science-fiction stories by Finnish authors.) I would absolutely recommend this book to horror readers seeking other perspectives. I cannot wait for volume two.
THE VALANCOURT BOOK OF WORLD HORROR STORIES is clearly a labor of love. Editors James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle set out on an ambitious quest to bring global, contemporary horror stories to an English-speaking audience. I'm not surprised by the scale of this project, I view Valancourt Books as "horror foragers" out there in the world discovering hidden gems, polishing them up, and presenting them to horror aficionados who treasure the work they do.
There are 21 tales in this anthology, almost all of them making their translated to English debut. So much work went into assembling this book, I have to tell you--the weight of importance carries over to the reader. I am horribly ignorant of anything outside of American horror so I went into this book with excitement and an eagerness for a new experience.
After reading the intro, I felt intimidated by the scope & size of the project; the effort I would need to put into this anthology as an investment was tangible (it's a HUGE book). I decided to read a few stories at a time and then set it down in order to enjoy my other books. I highly recommend this method for almost all anthologies. Reading through an entire book of short stories back-to-back can feel laborious and disjointed--all those different sub-genres, voices, moods, and settings can become confusing and not enjoyable. I think this is why anthologies and collections are not as popular as they should be. Readers might feel obligated to read it cover to cover/finishing what they start and I just don't think that's the best way to read these kinds of books.
Anyhoodles!
My favorite stories were also the most memorable to me long after I read them--the other stories have all faded a bit.
DOWN, IN THEIR WORLD by Romanian Flavius Ardelean was this unusual mash-up of subterranean/folklore that worked well for me
The body horror of Finn Marko Hautala’s PALE TOES
THE COLLECTOR with Greek mythology vibes by Tanya Tynjälä
BACKSTAIRS by Swedish author Anders Fager was unsettling and scary
I think most people will mention, THE TIME REMAINING by Attila Veres a weird, psychological horror story about a toy that is...well, dying. I could see this as a film.
I just want to thank Valancourt for this anthology and encourage readers to buy this for their horror collection. I feel these World Horror volumes will inform our understanding of horror and serve to enhance our love of the genre more fully.
There are 21 tales in this anthology, almost all of them making their translated to English debut. So much work went into assembling this book, I have to tell you--the weight of importance carries over to the reader. I am horribly ignorant of anything outside of American horror so I went into this book with excitement and an eagerness for a new experience.
After reading the intro, I felt intimidated by the scope & size of the project; the effort I would need to put into this anthology as an investment was tangible (it's a HUGE book). I decided to read a few stories at a time and then set it down in order to enjoy my other books. I highly recommend this method for almost all anthologies. Reading through an entire book of short stories back-to-back can feel laborious and disjointed--all those different sub-genres, voices, moods, and settings can become confusing and not enjoyable. I think this is why anthologies and collections are not as popular as they should be. Readers might feel obligated to read it cover to cover/finishing what they start and I just don't think that's the best way to read these kinds of books.
Anyhoodles!
My favorite stories were also the most memorable to me long after I read them--the other stories have all faded a bit.
DOWN, IN THEIR WORLD by Romanian Flavius Ardelean was this unusual mash-up of subterranean/folklore that worked well for me
The body horror of Finn Marko Hautala’s PALE TOES
THE COLLECTOR with Greek mythology vibes by Tanya Tynjälä
BACKSTAIRS by Swedish author Anders Fager was unsettling and scary
I think most people will mention, THE TIME REMAINING by Attila Veres a weird, psychological horror story about a toy that is...well, dying. I could see this as a film.
I just want to thank Valancourt for this anthology and encourage readers to buy this for their horror collection. I feel these World Horror volumes will inform our understanding of horror and serve to enhance our love of the genre more fully.
Loved this! Full and varied anthology of horror stories in translation. I enjoyed all of the stories, but a few favorites were "Uironda" by Luigi Mussolini, "The Time Remaining" by Attila Veres, "The Illogical Investigations of Inspector Andre Desperine" by Michael Roch, and "Backstairs" by Anders Fager.
Valancourt Books never ceases to amaze me and this company is always doing new things. With this anthology, they have looked all over the world, reading horror works from dozens of countries in close to twenty languages in order to find incredible and underrepresented contemporary international and translated horror stories. WHAT?? There was no way to say no to this one!
If you are unsure where to begin in your horror journey, this anthology will bring you some stories from all over the world without having to put on a mask or leave your house to experience. As true with most collections and anthologies, not every story is a 5 star smash hit... but that does not mean that each story did not unnerve me, bother me, or scare me in one way or another with varying degrees. You can expect to be entertained by every story in these pages for sure!
The Time Remaining by Attila Veres (from Hungary) is my absolute favorite here... it was so so good! I need more just like this! I also LOVED All the Birds by Yvette Tan (from Philippines) as I am a huge grief horror fan lately. Both of these stories are 5 stars and worth this anthology alone in my opinion.
Fans of international horror or literature will eat these stories up and I definitely recommend this for yourself or to gift to others! Just think of ALL the horror stories around the world we still have no concept of... and all the new scares that await! 4 stars!
Special thanks to Valancourt Books and Night Worms for sending this review copy for another #NightWormsBookParty
If you are unsure where to begin in your horror journey, this anthology will bring you some stories from all over the world without having to put on a mask or leave your house to experience. As true with most collections and anthologies, not every story is a 5 star smash hit... but that does not mean that each story did not unnerve me, bother me, or scare me in one way or another with varying degrees. You can expect to be entertained by every story in these pages for sure!
The Time Remaining by Attila Veres (from Hungary) is my absolute favorite here... it was so so good! I need more just like this! I also LOVED All the Birds by Yvette Tan (from Philippines) as I am a huge grief horror fan lately. Both of these stories are 5 stars and worth this anthology alone in my opinion.
Fans of international horror or literature will eat these stories up and I definitely recommend this for yourself or to gift to others! Just think of ALL the horror stories around the world we still have no concept of... and all the new scares that await! 4 stars!
Special thanks to Valancourt Books and Night Worms for sending this review copy for another #NightWormsBookParty
The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories is an anthology of translated horror from around the world. Valancourt Press now revives old classic horror AND collects and translates some of the best indie horror from around the world. I'm thankful to Valancourt for sending me this book for a #nightwormsbookparty and giving me the opportunity to read these international horror stories.
I decided to read this anthology over a period of several weeks instead of back to back. I would pick up the book, read a story, and set it down for a while. I believe that this greatly increased my overall enjoyment of the collection. Like any anthology, I liked some stories better than others but there were quite a few standouts for me.
Señor Ligotti by Bernardo Esquinca (Mexico)
The Bones in Her Eyes by Christien Boomsma (Netherlands)
All the Birds by Yvette Tan (Philippines)
Mechanisms by Elisenda Solsona (Catalonia)
The Time Remaining by Attila Veres (Hungary)
There is truly something for every fan of horror in this book. No matter the type of horror you love most, you will find something to enjoy in the pages of this excellent anthology.
I decided to read this anthology over a period of several weeks instead of back to back. I would pick up the book, read a story, and set it down for a while. I believe that this greatly increased my overall enjoyment of the collection. Like any anthology, I liked some stories better than others but there were quite a few standouts for me.
Señor Ligotti by Bernardo Esquinca (Mexico)
The Bones in Her Eyes by Christien Boomsma (Netherlands)
All the Birds by Yvette Tan (Philippines)
Mechanisms by Elisenda Solsona (Catalonia)
The Time Remaining by Attila Veres (Hungary)
There is truly something for every fan of horror in this book. No matter the type of horror you love most, you will find something to enjoy in the pages of this excellent anthology.
First of all, what a labor of love! The amount of time, love and effort put into this anthology can be FELT in each page. High praise to James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle for putting this together.
Each story is translated from a non English speaking language from countries all over the world! Wow, being able to experience horror in other countries was magical. I love the dark, melancholic feel of the collection as a whole.
Every story transported me somewhere new and I enjoyed the ride. If you're looking for jump scare, gory horror, you won't find that here. Instead, I'd describe these stories as beautiful and enchanting taking you on a journey to experience horror in faraway places.
Each story is translated from a non English speaking language from countries all over the world! Wow, being able to experience horror in other countries was magical. I love the dark, melancholic feel of the collection as a whole.
Every story transported me somewhere new and I enjoyed the ride. If you're looking for jump scare, gory horror, you won't find that here. Instead, I'd describe these stories as beautiful and enchanting taking you on a journey to experience horror in faraway places.
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A