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camerontrost's reviews
414 reviews
Degrees of Clarity by Deborah Sheldon
4.0
Degrees of Clarity is a noir novella with all the necessary ingredients. You've got theft, double-crossing, soul-searching, shady deals, standoffs, and, of course, a pinch of sex for added spice, thank you very much. The plot unfurls at just the right pace (which is the advantage of the novella over the novel) and keeps the reader on edge. An unexpected twist or surprise probably would have earned this tale another star from me, but, on the other hand, that could have ended up making it too contrived. If you like stylish noir stories, Deborah Sheldon is your "dame".
The Devil Will Come by Justin Gustainis
3.0
"The Devil Will Come" is a collection of stories featuring the devil or one of his associates. Justin Gustainis' fiction is jam-packed with action and tension, keeping the reader engaged and making this collection appealing to the fan of both noir and supernatural fiction. What prevented me from giving this collection an even higher rating was that several of the stories are very similar in theme and plot, and that the twists didn't always come as a surprise to the seasoned reader of suspense and crime fiction. In short, recommended reading for those of you who love tales about the devil and possession, as well as fans of gritty crime stories.
Black Box Anthology by Shane Jiraiya Cummings
5.0
As a contributing author I can't claim to be impartial, but I have to say that this captivating e-anthology of flash fiction, accompanied by music and artwork, is a must-have for any Aussie who calls himself a fan of dark fiction.
The 15th Pan Book of Horror Stories by Harry Turner, Conrad Hill, Maggie Webb, Morag Greer, David Case, Charles Thornton, Alex White, Roger Dunkley, Herbert van Thal, John Keefauver, Sally Franklin
3.0
2.5 stars.
This is by no means an exceptional horror anthology, but four of the tales deserve a special mention. David Case's ‘Among the Wolves’ investigated evolution, humanity, and ethics. Although the latter part of the tale didn't live up to the engaging scenario presented at the beginning, it left me curious about this writer, whose work I hadn't previously encountered. Harry Turner's ‘Fingers’ is a short tale of psychological terror, like 'Among the Wolves', it asks us to consider the fine line between man and beast. Morag Greer's ‘The Gates Were Locked’ could have been an amazing ghost story. The Scottish castle setting, and the detail she provides, is absolutely perfect. However, the conclusion is both predictable and unconvincing. Conrad Hill's ‘Wally’ is a bizarre body horror story. I'm not quite sure what to think of it, but it's yucky and memorable. All in all, this anthology just claws its way into the three-star range for me.
This is by no means an exceptional horror anthology, but four of the tales deserve a special mention. David Case's ‘Among the Wolves’ investigated evolution, humanity, and ethics. Although the latter part of the tale didn't live up to the engaging scenario presented at the beginning, it left me curious about this writer, whose work I hadn't previously encountered. Harry Turner's ‘Fingers’ is a short tale of psychological terror, like 'Among the Wolves', it asks us to consider the fine line between man and beast. Morag Greer's ‘The Gates Were Locked’ could have been an amazing ghost story. The Scottish castle setting, and the detail she provides, is absolutely perfect. However, the conclusion is both predictable and unconvincing. Conrad Hill's ‘Wally’ is a bizarre body horror story. I'm not quite sure what to think of it, but it's yucky and memorable. All in all, this anthology just claws its way into the three-star range for me.
Checkmate & Other Stories by Icy Sedgwick
5.0
A wonderful collection of tales of subtle urban fantasy with a delicious gothic flavour. Icy Sedgwick's flash fiction is perfect and the longer stories here also captivate the reader. It is clear that many of these tales are based on her real life and yet, somehow, she manages to weave magic into them in a most graceful way. My favourites were "The Midas Box", "The Thwarted Stalker", "The Mirror Phase", and the humorous "The Dead Do Listen".