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A review by bosermoki
Howls from the Dark Ages: Tales of Medieval Horror by Christopher Buehlman
dark
fast-paced
5.0
I was provided an ARC of this book so I feel obligated to write more of a review than my usual.
This is a great collection that pulls no punches in laying on the horror and punches above its weight in terms of quality writing from a stellar bunch of contributors.
A must-read for any lovers of short horror. The stories are as diverse as the contributors, featuring LGBT and non-white characters and stories. The narrative framing is excellent and works to artfully curate the stories but doesn't get in the way at all. The curator's short pieces are an excellent touch by PL McMillan. This has been an awesome read for a fun sub-genre of horror that doesn't get enough attention without ever falling into lazy tropes.
The stories:
The Crowing by Caleb Stephens
A story of revenge and reversals. Fast paced and direct with lots of dark imagery
Angelus by Phillipa Evans
There is lot of character development in a short piece. Ominous and bloody with plenty of symbology. A great story
Pallet by JF Kiefer
A dark and evocative vignette with some heavy body horror and awesomely superlative descriptions.
Brother Cornelius by Peter Ong Cook
A twist of a tale with holy relics and dire secrets. It's quick, dirty, and satisfying.
In Thrall to this Good Earth by Hailey Piper
A weird, intense, and superbly written story about a trio of hunters who find their quarry to their own regret and the misfortune of others.
In every drop by Lindsay Ragsdale
A twisted creature feature. I really enjoyed this one, particularly the setting being something other than medieval Europe.
Deus Vult by Ethan Yoder
A crusader return home finds something every bit as awful as his time away. It's a gruesome commentary on trauma.
The final book of Saint Foy's Miracles by ME Bronstein
Solid creep factor from this one with a unique take on medieval pilgrims and their saints.
A Dowry for Your Hand by Michelle Tang
Another welcome diversion from a purely European setting. Very descriptive, very eerie. Excellent story.
The Mouth of Hell by Cody Goodfellow
That was a real ride. This story had some action as well a trip to a nightmarish hellscape that any fan of Clive Barker will appreciate.
The lady of Leer Castle by Christopher Halleran
This one was real fun, with a solid GOT vibe.
Schizzare by Bridget Brave
This story features some whistful LGBT representation that veers toward the eerie and strange compared to some in this collection that are more horror/fright oriented.
The Forgotten Valley by CB Jones
A dark story of a jealous lover and a cursed artifact set in the Americas. Splendidly written with great prose. Also some short LGBT representation
The King of Youth vs The Knight of Death by Patrick Barb
If you like gore and brutal violence, this one is the story for you. Gut wrenching and vile in all the right ways!
The Fourth Scene by Brian Evanson
This was a real treat of a story from a contemporary master of short horror. Do not skip this tale which may be a story of recursive fate or perhaps a trap of its own.
White Owl by Stevie Edwards
A fun inversion of a fairy tale witch, both whimsical and gore splattered.
A Dark Quadrivium by David Worn
I'm a sucker for stories where the narrative centers on a tome of forbidden knowledge, be it the "Necronomicon", " De Vermis Mysteriis", or "To Serve Man". But even without that, this story is a standout in this collection filled with crawling cosmic horror
The Lai of the Danse Macabre by Jessica Peter
A poem written in sickening stanzas of vile verse. A great ending to the collection.
This is a great collection that pulls no punches in laying on the horror and punches above its weight in terms of quality writing from a stellar bunch of contributors.
A must-read for any lovers of short horror. The stories are as diverse as the contributors, featuring LGBT and non-white characters and stories. The narrative framing is excellent and works to artfully curate the stories but doesn't get in the way at all. The curator's short pieces are an excellent touch by PL McMillan. This has been an awesome read for a fun sub-genre of horror that doesn't get enough attention without ever falling into lazy tropes.
The stories:
The Crowing by Caleb Stephens
A story of revenge and reversals. Fast paced and direct with lots of dark imagery
Angelus by Phillipa Evans
There is lot of character development in a short piece. Ominous and bloody with plenty of symbology. A great story
Pallet by JF Kiefer
A dark and evocative vignette with some heavy body horror and awesomely superlative descriptions.
Brother Cornelius by Peter Ong Cook
A twist of a tale with holy relics and dire secrets. It's quick, dirty, and satisfying.
In Thrall to this Good Earth by Hailey Piper
A weird, intense, and superbly written story about a trio of hunters who find their quarry to their own regret and the misfortune of others.
In every drop by Lindsay Ragsdale
A twisted creature feature. I really enjoyed this one, particularly the setting being something other than medieval Europe.
Deus Vult by Ethan Yoder
A crusader return home finds something every bit as awful as his time away. It's a gruesome commentary on trauma.
The final book of Saint Foy's Miracles by ME Bronstein
Solid creep factor from this one with a unique take on medieval pilgrims and their saints.
A Dowry for Your Hand by Michelle Tang
Another welcome diversion from a purely European setting. Very descriptive, very eerie. Excellent story.
The Mouth of Hell by Cody Goodfellow
That was a real ride. This story had some action as well a trip to a nightmarish hellscape that any fan of Clive Barker will appreciate.
The lady of Leer Castle by Christopher Halleran
This one was real fun, with a solid GOT vibe.
Schizzare by Bridget Brave
This story features some whistful LGBT representation that veers toward the eerie and strange compared to some in this collection that are more horror/fright oriented.
The Forgotten Valley by CB Jones
A dark story of a jealous lover and a cursed artifact set in the Americas. Splendidly written with great prose. Also some short LGBT representation
The King of Youth vs The Knight of Death by Patrick Barb
If you like gore and brutal violence, this one is the story for you. Gut wrenching and vile in all the right ways!
The Fourth Scene by Brian Evanson
This was a real treat of a story from a contemporary master of short horror. Do not skip this tale which may be a story of recursive fate or perhaps a trap of its own.
White Owl by Stevie Edwards
A fun inversion of a fairy tale witch, both whimsical and gore splattered.
A Dark Quadrivium by David Worn
I'm a sucker for stories where the narrative centers on a tome of forbidden knowledge, be it the "Necronomicon", " De Vermis Mysteriis", or "To Serve Man". But even without that, this story is a standout in this collection filled with crawling cosmic horror
The Lai of the Danse Macabre by Jessica Peter
A poem written in sickening stanzas of vile verse. A great ending to the collection.