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luc_3's review
3.0
this anthology has a couple of great ones (Schizzare and White Owl, loved them), half a dozen good ones, and then a mix of not really enticing entries that go from just a bit boring to bad.
still, I really appreciated the art and the variety of tales and I will say there are no badly written stories, just some whose subject and storytelling I did not vibe with.
still, I really appreciated the art and the variety of tales and I will say there are no badly written stories, just some whose subject and storytelling I did not vibe with.
delaney_de_spain's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sheriffrockyraccoon's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised by this collection! I had read Between Two Fires and loved it, so when I saw Christopher Buehlman had written the foreword, I trusted it would be interesting.
What I liked most about this collection was that it extended beyond the traditional European Medieval culture and engaged with other stories around the world. This gave a better idea of what the world was like then, and expanded what it means for a story to take place in the “Medieval” era. I especially enjoyed “The Forgotten Valley” by C.B. Jones, as I’m always looking for more North American Indigenous literature. My other favorites included “Schizzare” and “The Lai of the Danse Macabre”.
I finished this book in a little over a day, it was nice to be able to digest many stories at once (although I do feel some were better formed than others). It’s definitely great if you’re looking for a fast or non-committal read.
What I liked most about this collection was that it extended beyond the traditional European Medieval culture and engaged with other stories around the world. This gave a better idea of what the world was like then, and expanded what it means for a story to take place in the “Medieval” era. I especially enjoyed “The Forgotten Valley” by C.B. Jones, as I’m always looking for more North American Indigenous literature. My other favorites included “Schizzare” and “The Lai of the Danse Macabre”.
I finished this book in a little over a day, it was nice to be able to digest many stories at once (although I do feel some were better formed than others). It’s definitely great if you’re looking for a fast or non-committal read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Death, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Child death, Blood, Excrement, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Murder, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Misogyny, Torture, Cursing, Alcohol, Kidnapping, and Vomit
friedathurman's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
faustian_bargain's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
phikret's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
thewulverslibrary's review
3.0
I received an eARC by HOWL Society Press edited by P.L. McMillan and Solomon Forse. Howls from the Dark Ages is a horror anthology of 18 medieval tales that includes a foreword by Christopher Buehlman that starts in an interesting manner. We are paraded around a mysterious museum as guests whilst our host shows us a piece of different artefacts. Our hose then drives us into a story about these which I found a really well-executed concept as we also have pictures of these individual pieces.
The stories themselves were able to transport us back to a times of witches, castles, horror and bewilderment. The detailed writing in these anthologies is strong and the illustrations only helped the visualisation. The work of all these authors was an easily drawn-in highlight and served as a great introduction.
The stories themselves were able to transport us back to a times of witches, castles, horror and bewilderment. The detailed writing in these anthologies is strong and the illustrations only helped the visualisation. The work of all these authors was an easily drawn-in highlight and served as a great introduction.
zahramclin's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
- The Crowing by Caleb Stephens: 2.75
- Angelus by Philippa Evans: 3.75
- Platte by J.L. Kiefer: 3
- Brother Cornelius by Peter Ong Cook: 3.25
- In Thrall to This Good Earth by Hailey Piper: 3.25
- In Every Drop by Lindsey Ragsdale: 4.5
- Deus Vult by Ethan Yoder: 4
- The Final Book of Sainte Foy’s Miracles by M.E. Bronstein: 4
- A Dowry For Your Hand by Michelle Tang: 3.75
- The Mouth of Hell by Cody Goodfellow: 1
- The Lady of Leer Castle by Christopher O’Halloran: 4.5
- Schizzare by Bridget D. Brave: 4
- The King of Youth vs. The Knight of Death by Patrick Barb: 4
- The Forgotten Valley by C.B. Jones: 4
- The Fourth Scene by Brian Evenson: 4.5
- White Owl by Stevie Edwards: 4.5
- A Dark Quadrivium by David Worn: 4.5
- The Lai of the Danse Macabre by Jessica Peter: 3