A review by mad_about_books
Dark Screams: Volume Six by Brian James Freeman, Joyce Carol Oates, Norman Prentiss, Tim Curran, Stephen King, Richard Chizmar, Lisa Morton, Nell Quinn-Gibney

dark emotional sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

 

You can't go wrong when Freeman and Chizmar put a horror anthology together. There is a balance struck among the offerings. You'd think that a Stephen King starting off the selections would mean they put the best first, but no they absolutely left the best for last.

"The Old Dude's Ticker" by Stephen King 

As an author, Stephen King has experienced it all. He's been everything from a hack to receiving the prestigious National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts. He is prolific and profane, and he is responsible for several generations’ engagement with books. School children read his books and go to his readings. His introductory remarks about "The Old Dude's Ticker" set the stage for a story rejected in the years before Stephen King became a phenom. The editors have wisely put these notes right under the title of the story where you are not given no choice but to read them. The language of the story is pure seventies so younger readers may not get the same vibe as us old folks do. I'll not expand on the story. King has done that far better than I could. (4-Stars)

"The Rich Are Different" by Lisa Morton 

I'm sensing a bit of a theme in this gathering of stories — look at tales of the past for inspiration. As the story opens, it appears to be biographical. Why not? King did just that in the previous story. It is this kind of reality that sucks you into the narrative. I have said, many times, that reviewing short form literature requires finesse. In this case, even suggesting the author or authors whose work might suggest the plot for "The Rich Are Different" would be a spoiler. (5-Stars)

"The Manicure" by Nell Quinn-Gibney 

I've been getting my nails 'done' for years! I have never experienced anything like this! (3-Stars)

"The Comforting Voice" by Norman Prentiss 

Norman Prentiss has become one of my favorites. Whether he's writing a novel or a short story, he manages to evoke a visceral empathy with his characters. He always finds beauty in the weird so long as you remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. (5-Stars) 

"The Situations" by Joyce Carol Oates 

Joyce Carol Oates has a mean streak. No, she is not mean spirited (I don't know for a fact that she isn't mean spirited, but…), but her stories always seem to contain meanness. "The Situations" is a pastiche of three tales, all of which feature cats. The first and third are about Daddy who pretty much rules the roost. And there is meanness. (5-Stars)

"The Corpse King" by Tim Curran 

Blown away! Gobsmacked! That's my unadulterated reaction to "The Corpse King." I wouldn’t call it a short story; it’s more a novella or novelette. It is a combination of horror and history which is a good combination to be sure. It is also not for the weak of stomach. It is gorgeous and gritty. 

 

Samuel Clow and Michael Kierney — Sammy and Mickey — are resurrectionists in Edinburgh sometime after the Burke and Hare murders in 1828. Grave robbing was a hanging offense but also a lucrative way to keep food in the belly and get spirits for the soul. It is also an occupation fraught with superstition and gristly tales. Nineteenth century Edinburgh suffered the same blight of poor, unwashed, and diseased people in horrendous slums as did London or any other city in the British Isles. 

 

There is both beauty and rawness in the telling. There is revulsion and a need to know more. "The Corpse King" is a challenge to the sensibilities and very hard to put down. (5-Stars is not enough)