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A review by nikki_in_niagara
Hark! the Herald Angels Scream by Christopher Golden
3.0
A collection of Christmas-themed short stories by a plethora of well-known authors. The majority of the stories were good three stars, with a few duds and a few winners. The best is the novella at the end by Sarah Pinborough. Not the best Christmas collection I've read but decent enough for a good Christmas read.
1. Absinthe & Angela by Kelly Armstrong - An engaged couple spends Christmas Eve at an isolated cabin in the woods. Suddenly mummers come to their door and the woman has been afraid of mummers since childhood. Great pacing. Things start normal enough and the pacing is perfect to the scary ending. (4/5)
2. Christmas in Barcelona by Scott Smith - A couple go to Barcelona for Christmas where everything goes wrong including a screaming baby. This was engrossing. I had to read the ending twice before the shock settled in. Great. (5/5)
3. Fresh as the New-Fallen Snow by Seanan McGuire - This is a fairy tale. Three children with very strict and unloving parents have a new babysitter tonight. She is unlike any they've had before and she tells them a story. An enjoyable story but not the type I'd expect to find in this sort of anthology. (3/5)
4. Love Me by Thomas E Sniegoski - A man just out of prison goes to rob an old lady whose husband dealt in antiques and collectables. This was creepy. The end is predictable but the pace getting there is great. (4/5)
5. Not Just for Christmas by Sarah Lotz - It's the future and genetically engineered pets are all the rage. Jake gets his kids a Gen-pet for Christmas and it's all cute and cuddles at first, then things go horribly wrong. (4/5)
6. Tenets by Josh Malerman - A man brings a former cult leader to a Christmas party unbeknownst to the hosts. This started well but had a lousy vague ending. (2/5)
7. Good Deeds by Jeff Strand - A Christmas curmudgeon does a good deed and is so proud of himself that he writes a Christmas song with surprising results. This was a comic piece but didn't do anything for me. I just thought it was silly. (3/5)
8. It's a Wonderful Knife by Christopher Golden - A rich producer takes a young actress into a locked room containing his weird collection of Hollywood memorabilia. A slow story takes all its time leading up to the climax which happens quickly and is rather boring. (2/5)
9. Mistletoe and Holly by James A Moore - it's been two years since the military arrived at her front door to say her husband was never coming home. She misses him but doesn't know whether she'd want him back. An engaging story with rising action throughout. (3/5)
10. Snake's Tail by Sarah Langan - About all the gods in the world taking their sacrifices. Children disappear on Christmas Eve. Basically, to me, it seemed to be anti-religion, all religions. Not my thing. (0/5)
11. The Second Floor of the Christmas Hotel by Joe R Lansdale - An old friend contacts the narrator about Christmas' at his parents' secluded hotel. He tells him a ghostly tale about it 2 years before it's pulled down to check if it's true. Well-told, creepy and fun. (4/5)
12. Farrow Street by Elizabeth Hand - A woman's Christmas plans in Devon are dashed so she decides to spend it in London by herself. Her hotel is a hole in the wall and it's Christmas Day when nothing, not even busses, are open. She wanders around and gets lost. This was very good. I kept thinking I knew where it was going until the shocking end. (5/5)
13. Doctor Velocity by Jonathan Mayberry - This was a slog. Two artists sit around talking about emotions. It ends in horror but wasn't worth the slog. (1/5)
14. Yankee Swap by John McIlveen - My favourite so far. A woman wakes up in the dark chained to a chair. She discovers there are 6 of them altogether, and then a madman enters and makes them play a deadly game. (5/5)
15. Honor Thy Mother by Angela Slatter - Agnes is old and she's gathered her entire family together for Christmas. They want her to go into an old folks home but she has other plans. Loved this. The author keeps you thinking you know what's going on but you don't guess until she tells you. (5/5)
16. Home by Tim Lebbon - It's the end of the world and a man lives day after day walking, setting up camp, and foraging. Pretty standard but there is a shocking revelation at the end. (3/5)
17. Hiking Through by Michael Koryta - A man is telling us something that happened to him when he was prepping to hike through the Appalachian Trail up to where he is now. Decent story. Not scary or creepy though. (3/5)
18. The Hangman's Bride by Sarah Pinborough - The longest story in the book. Close to being a novella. This is a very creepy ghost story with a Japanese twist. (5/5)
1. Absinthe & Angela by Kelly Armstrong - An engaged couple spends Christmas Eve at an isolated cabin in the woods. Suddenly mummers come to their door and the woman has been afraid of mummers since childhood. Great pacing. Things start normal enough and the pacing is perfect to the scary ending. (4/5)
2. Christmas in Barcelona by Scott Smith - A couple go to Barcelona for Christmas where everything goes wrong including a screaming baby. This was engrossing. I had to read the ending twice before the shock settled in. Great. (5/5)
3. Fresh as the New-Fallen Snow by Seanan McGuire - This is a fairy tale. Three children with very strict and unloving parents have a new babysitter tonight. She is unlike any they've had before and she tells them a story. An enjoyable story but not the type I'd expect to find in this sort of anthology. (3/5)
4. Love Me by Thomas E Sniegoski - A man just out of prison goes to rob an old lady whose husband dealt in antiques and collectables. This was creepy. The end is predictable but the pace getting there is great. (4/5)
5. Not Just for Christmas by Sarah Lotz - It's the future and genetically engineered pets are all the rage. Jake gets his kids a Gen-pet for Christmas and it's all cute and cuddles at first, then things go horribly wrong. (4/5)
6. Tenets by Josh Malerman - A man brings a former cult leader to a Christmas party unbeknownst to the hosts. This started well but had a lousy vague ending. (2/5)
7. Good Deeds by Jeff Strand - A Christmas curmudgeon does a good deed and is so proud of himself that he writes a Christmas song with surprising results. This was a comic piece but didn't do anything for me. I just thought it was silly. (3/5)
8. It's a Wonderful Knife by Christopher Golden - A rich producer takes a young actress into a locked room containing his weird collection of Hollywood memorabilia. A slow story takes all its time leading up to the climax which happens quickly and is rather boring. (2/5)
9. Mistletoe and Holly by James A Moore - it's been two years since the military arrived at her front door to say her husband was never coming home. She misses him but doesn't know whether she'd want him back. An engaging story with rising action throughout. (3/5)
10. Snake's Tail by Sarah Langan - About all the gods in the world taking their sacrifices. Children disappear on Christmas Eve. Basically, to me, it seemed to be anti-religion, all religions. Not my thing. (0/5)
11. The Second Floor of the Christmas Hotel by Joe R Lansdale - An old friend contacts the narrator about Christmas' at his parents' secluded hotel. He tells him a ghostly tale about it 2 years before it's pulled down to check if it's true. Well-told, creepy and fun. (4/5)
12. Farrow Street by Elizabeth Hand - A woman's Christmas plans in Devon are dashed so she decides to spend it in London by herself. Her hotel is a hole in the wall and it's Christmas Day when nothing, not even busses, are open. She wanders around and gets lost. This was very good. I kept thinking I knew where it was going until the shocking end. (5/5)
13. Doctor Velocity by Jonathan Mayberry - This was a slog. Two artists sit around talking about emotions. It ends in horror but wasn't worth the slog. (1/5)
14. Yankee Swap by John McIlveen - My favourite so far. A woman wakes up in the dark chained to a chair. She discovers there are 6 of them altogether, and then a madman enters and makes them play a deadly game. (5/5)
15. Honor Thy Mother by Angela Slatter - Agnes is old and she's gathered her entire family together for Christmas. They want her to go into an old folks home but she has other plans. Loved this. The author keeps you thinking you know what's going on but you don't guess until she tells you. (5/5)
16. Home by Tim Lebbon - It's the end of the world and a man lives day after day walking, setting up camp, and foraging. Pretty standard but there is a shocking revelation at the end. (3/5)
17. Hiking Through by Michael Koryta - A man is telling us something that happened to him when he was prepping to hike through the Appalachian Trail up to where he is now. Decent story. Not scary or creepy though. (3/5)
18. The Hangman's Bride by Sarah Pinborough - The longest story in the book. Close to being a novella. This is a very creepy ghost story with a Japanese twist. (5/5)