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A review by chaseconnorbooks
Bang to Begin by Lynda Bartlett, Jethro Weyman
5.0
Full disclosure, I received a free audiobook code via a contest the author ran on Twitter - and he warned me that it was "dark."
Having said that, after listening to the first story in this anthology (about a macabre charity auction), and remembering the author's "dark" disclosure, I began to worry that this book would be a case of an author writing dark themes simply to shock. However, by the second story, I was delighted with the twists already coming at me. Weyman set me up for certain expectations, then threw me for a 180. It was delicious.
This collection of short stories, all interconnected (though I won't explain much so as not to ruin its brilliance) elicit terror, chills, thrills, and even laughs. Readers will find themselves wondering what in the world is going on one moment, then minutes later find themselves delighted at how Weyman threaded his stories together. Well-written and fabulously narrated with deliciously evil descriptions, all of the characters and scenes dripped with grotesque sci-fi and horror elements, while somehow still staying grounded in reality.
That's quite an accomplishment.
Most impressive to me, Weyman opened this collection with a story so dark that hoping for this book to end on a positive note seemed pointless. However, in the end, I found that I was left with a vengeful smile. Maybe the world is shit, but that doesn't mean that stories can't have a hopeful ending. Even if the journey is a bit fucked up.
Definitely recommend it to all horror, thriller, and sci-fi readers.
Having said that, after listening to the first story in this anthology (about a macabre charity auction), and remembering the author's "dark" disclosure, I began to worry that this book would be a case of an author writing dark themes simply to shock. However, by the second story, I was delighted with the twists already coming at me. Weyman set me up for certain expectations, then threw me for a 180. It was delicious.
This collection of short stories, all interconnected (though I won't explain much so as not to ruin its brilliance) elicit terror, chills, thrills, and even laughs. Readers will find themselves wondering what in the world is going on one moment, then minutes later find themselves delighted at how Weyman threaded his stories together. Well-written and fabulously narrated with deliciously evil descriptions, all of the characters and scenes dripped with grotesque sci-fi and horror elements, while somehow still staying grounded in reality.
That's quite an accomplishment.
Most impressive to me, Weyman opened this collection with a story so dark that hoping for this book to end on a positive note seemed pointless. However, in the end, I found that I was left with a vengeful smile. Maybe the world is shit, but that doesn't mean that stories can't have a hopeful ending. Even if the journey is a bit fucked up.
Definitely recommend it to all horror, thriller, and sci-fi readers.