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A review by mad_about_books
When the Clock Strikes 13 by Tom Deady, Steve Thompson, Michelle Garza, Richard Thomas, Glenn Rolfe, James Newman, Kenneth W. Cain, John R. Little, Sheri White, Justin M. Woodward, Melissa Lason, Somer Canon, Richard Chizmar, Mark Allan Gunnells
5.0
Short stories are snacks for the brain, tasty little treats that tantalize.
I have said before that it is difficult to review anthologies for a number of reasons. First and foremost, at least in my mind, is it's hard to make a point about a story without doing spoilers. I don't do spoilers. The second problem with reviewing an anthology is multiple authors. Of course, that problem goes away when all the authors tell good stories and the editor does a great job of editing.
When reading an anthology, it is always a good idea to start with the Introduction. In the case of WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES 13, the introductory notes give a pretty good synopsis of the reasons so many suffer from triskaidekaphobia. All warnings aside, the intro is balanced by the good side of 13 as well.
Here is a list of the stories contained in the book with a couple of words that reflect my thoughts upon reading them:
“The Boy in the Pond” by Mark Allan Gunnells - a ghostly bit of mystery
“Open Waters” by Richard Thomas - cerebral reality
“Memories” by John R. Little - some decisions are more difficult than others
“Detrition of War” by Kenneth W. Cain - someone once said, "war is hell."
“Comes the Red Man” by Tom Deady - the retribution of blood and circuses
“Mommy’s Girl” by Somer Canon - mommy deadest
“Taking Up Carpentry” by Justin M. Woodward - gimme some of that ole time religion
“Kill Point Club” by Steve Thompson - anthology authors beware
“Calm Down Time” by Richard Chizmar - the last shift
“Carrion: My Wayward Son” by James Newman - father & son
“Bear” by Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason - woman's best friiend
“When Arachnids Attack” by Sheri White - if creepy, crawlies make you itch…-
“A Song Above” by Glenn Rolfe - the aftermath
It is a rare thing to find an anthology as well-crafted as this one. Along with the horror in the stories, careful reading will expose a playful side to the editor and authors. Alongside the grim and gruesome, a little spark of whimsey will attack your brain. It might be subtle at first, but as you go from tale to tale, the fireworks may just ignite.
As a rule, I am not a huge fan of short stories. For the most part, I like my fiction long and involved. WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES 13 is as satisfying a read as many a novel that I have read. Kudos to all the writers, and to an editor who had a vision and did a great job bringing it to fruition.
I have said before that it is difficult to review anthologies for a number of reasons. First and foremost, at least in my mind, is it's hard to make a point about a story without doing spoilers. I don't do spoilers. The second problem with reviewing an anthology is multiple authors. Of course, that problem goes away when all the authors tell good stories and the editor does a great job of editing.
When reading an anthology, it is always a good idea to start with the Introduction. In the case of WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES 13, the introductory notes give a pretty good synopsis of the reasons so many suffer from triskaidekaphobia. All warnings aside, the intro is balanced by the good side of 13 as well.
Here is a list of the stories contained in the book with a couple of words that reflect my thoughts upon reading them:
“The Boy in the Pond” by Mark Allan Gunnells - a ghostly bit of mystery
“Open Waters” by Richard Thomas - cerebral reality
“Memories” by John R. Little - some decisions are more difficult than others
“Detrition of War” by Kenneth W. Cain - someone once said, "war is hell."
“Comes the Red Man” by Tom Deady - the retribution of blood and circuses
“Mommy’s Girl” by Somer Canon - mommy deadest
“Taking Up Carpentry” by Justin M. Woodward - gimme some of that ole time religion
“Kill Point Club” by Steve Thompson - anthology authors beware
“Calm Down Time” by Richard Chizmar - the last shift
“Carrion: My Wayward Son” by James Newman - father & son
“Bear” by Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason - woman's best friiend
“When Arachnids Attack” by Sheri White - if creepy, crawlies make you itch…-
“A Song Above” by Glenn Rolfe - the aftermath
It is a rare thing to find an anthology as well-crafted as this one. Along with the horror in the stories, careful reading will expose a playful side to the editor and authors. Alongside the grim and gruesome, a little spark of whimsey will attack your brain. It might be subtle at first, but as you go from tale to tale, the fireworks may just ignite.
As a rule, I am not a huge fan of short stories. For the most part, I like my fiction long and involved. WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES 13 is as satisfying a read as many a novel that I have read. Kudos to all the writers, and to an editor who had a vision and did a great job bringing it to fruition.