A review by ericarobyn
BOREAL: An Anthology of Taiga Horror by Katherine Silva

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

4.5

BOREAL: An Anthology of Taiga Horror edited by Katherine Silva is a collection of dark and mysterious tales filled with suspense. With all the intense loss and longing, there is also a thin line of quiet hope in some that leaves readers thinking all will be well before being crushed again moments later.

Content Warnings: For those that need it, the back of the book contains wonderful content warnings!

All of the unique takes on this term were so interesting! We had a bunch that were where my mind went; in the middle of nowhere in the woods. But there were so many others like being alone with a family burden that caught me totally off guard.

I can’t help it, I always hope for a happy ending. There wasn’t much of that here…

Per usual, here are my thoughts on each tale!

Introduction – 

A perfect intro! The last paragraph is just wonderful: Remember to keep a light with you at all times, tell a friend where you’ll be embarking. If you find yourself adrift in the verdant darkness, remember that you’re not alone. There’s always something lurking just beyond the light. 

Cabin Creatures by E.M. Roy – 

After the brutal deaths of the previous occupants, a cabin sits and waits for its revenge. 

I loved the format of this one and how it was focused on the cabin as a character. This tale was so cozy at the start, then we’re thrown right into the terror.

Every Mask, Another Cask by Akis Linardos – 

Visited by some unusual customers, this innkeeper is about to learn a new truth. 

I was so excited to see what character would walk in next! 

Gathering of the Dead by Vincent West – 

Warned to never go near the woods, girls in this town are told horrible tales of a monster that lives in the shadows. But this character doesn’t believe the tale. 

This took such a fun journey through this girl’s childhood before we jump to the present day. The description of everything when the main character goes into the woods had me SO on edge! 

Nightmare In The Kettle Park by Jon Gauthier – 

When a father and his six-year-old daughter go to take a walk in the woods, they continue on even though the park is closed for maintenance. They should have listened to the sign…

So many red flags! Oh my gosh, my anxiety was so high while reading this one! This just kept getting more and more intense! 

All Affairs Will Prosper by K.L. Massey – 

While on a meticulously researched trek, this character has her good luck charm with her; her camera. But while out there, she’s forced to do a lot of reflection. 

Such a dark tale focused on trauma and the nasty things your brain can do to you mixed in with elements that seemed a bit paranormal. I was so nervous to see where this journey was going. 

True North by Nicole Lynn – 

Living in seclusion with her father, this girl has gotten used to his stories and believes them until one day, one of their temporary guests changes things. 

My heart hurt for this poor kid. 

Cold White Teeth by J.R. Santos – 

Blinded by his determination to climb a mountain, this man pushes the few left by his side away. Alone and lacking everything needed for a successful summit, mountain madness begins to creep in. 

Oh, how I hated this character! But I also wanted to see him reach his goal. What a chilling tale! You’ll have goosebumps and look for a blanket while reading!

The Family Axe by Neil Williamson – 

Struggling with both wanting to believe their family lore and wishing it were all made up, these boys are about to see it in all its terrifying action. 

The tension here was so intense! I loved how the author makes you feel nervous and takes that feeling on quite the journey. 

Soft Fire by Marisca Pichette – 

Stuck constantly trying to rebuild a gingerbread house, this woman is out of options and desperately wants this to work. She has ghosts in the house that are constantly trying to go into the fire, but can she save them?

Oh, the descriptions of all the sweets here had my stomach growling so loud! But while there are many edible sweets, that’s where the sweetness ends. This tale did an amazing job of making me feel lonely just like the main character. 

The Bannik by Ren Graham – 

Desperately trying to avoid another beating, this young man tries to do what his father asks. But when a talking car approaches him, he learns there may be another way…

A quiet tale filled with dread of what may come, plus a lovely supernatural element! 

Hallowed Ground by J.S. Betula- 

While experiencing the spring in an isolated forest, this character hears an animal in distress and goes to see if they can help. 

This tale really took a dark plunge into the sadness of nature but added an eerie twist.

In The High Places by Ally Wilkes – 

While trekking through the snow and trees, these friends keep going from camp to camp. When one of the trailers begins to move with one of the friends in it, she’s pumped because she thinks it’s saving her a day’s walk… but of course, she’s wrong. 

Getting separated from a group scares me so much! This one gave me chills. 

Patrimony by Daphne Fauber – 

After the death of her father, this woman returns to a home she swore she’d never see again to take care of things once and for all.

This poor woman. My heart broke for her with the very last card she received. 

Roadside Cross by Brian Holm – 

As the new sheriff, she’s determined to figure out what the story is behind a roadside cross that she stumbles across one night after she has an encounter. The answers are closer than she thinks….

Ah, the grief horror here is potent. Even experiencing it through the main character who is speaking to the mother who lost her boy is so powerful. Ug,h my heart. 

Always Prepared by Jonah Buck – 

While out on an expedition, the geologist goes missing right before bad weather sets in. Then the team finds handprints that date back to a time that seems impossible…

Oh, this was eerie! I kept expecting the geologist to pop back into the story, but where this one went was wild! That ending too will give any reader chills. 

Waldeinsamkeit by Airic Fenn – 

After being slowly replaced with automation and other tech, this character is the last of the rangers that post up keeping an eye on the area. One day, she walks into the woods to find answers. 

The isolation with this one hit fast! How heartbreaking to think of replacement by tech like this. 

Desecrations by Brian Rowe – 

Paid to find missing people from a village, this character is determined to bring them back but knows the risks.

Love love love that ending! 

Practical Applications of Fungal Bioremediation by H.P. Patterson – 

When a journalist goes into the forest to interview two doctors who are studying fungi, they are uneasy with what they learn. Then things take a terrifying turn.

Stories like this freak me out so badly! At first, things sound okay but how quickly it gets truly scary and then dark was such a fun ride!

Rules For Seeking Angels by LB Waltz – 

The descriptions in this one, my gosh! So much vibrancy!

He Has Not Seen A Bird Before by SJ Townend – 

While wandering the woods of a future construction site, this man falls in love with a being that changes his life forever. 

Such a heartbreaking tale of death for the sake of “progress.” Oh my gosh, that last line! 

For The Forests Were Made Of Our Bones by Sarah Musnicky- 

While in the forest, this man struggles to remain hopeful when he is forced to watch man after man die. The only thing he can do is make sure they don’t die alone. 

This tale was so thick with grief that it felt like it could easily suffocate. 

A Clearing Near Vanavara by Kuzma Mac – 

While traveling back home, stories of their lives are told in bits. As they get nearer to their goal, things become more clear.

What a tale to end the collection with! Phew!

My Favorite Passages from BOREAL: An Anthology of Taiga Horror –

Remember to keep a light with you at all times, tell a friend where you’ll be embarking. If you find yourself adrift in the verdant darkness, remember that you’re not alone. There’s always something lurking just beyond the light.
— Introduction

A dark sea it was, and every lighthouse that tried guiding Kincaid away from dangerously close shores had instead the opposite effect. Lured as a moth to flame, Kincaid not only wanted the fire, but hungered for the light of conquest.
— Cold White Teeth by J.R. Santos

There’s something outside, she thinks. The oldest of human fears.
— In The High Places by Ally Wilkes

Fog rolled through the endless lines of conifers like muddy water through the gills of deep-sea fish. To Yulia’s eyes, it seemed like the trees ought to tear the fog apart, to shred it like claws through cloth. But the fog simply drifted onward, unperturbed and impenetrable.
— Always Prepared by Jonah Buck

I could return to Fairbanks and fly home, pretending that everything was fine—until it wasn’t. That was how so many horror movies started, wasn’t it? Someone in denial, ignoring danger.
— Practical Applications of Fungal Bioremediation by H.P. Patterson

My Final Thoughts on BOREAL: An Anthology of Taiga Horror –

Dark horror fans who aren’t afraid of some major isolation and creepiness, you gotta check this collection out!