Tag Archives: Ghosts

Misadventure by Stephen Gallagher

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Misadventure
Author: Stephen Gallagher
In: Inferno (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2007

Thoughts

This was actually a surprisingly sweet short story, even if it was also horrible. I mean, it had this kind of nice quality about it that somehow softened the edges of the horror. I mean, it’s still slightly horrible, just less so than originally expected.

There are two parallel stories within this tale – both about children whose lives were put at risk because their friends just didn’t want to call for help. I hate that this is not a surprising bent in a horror – it just makes it all that much more depressing that for one of these stories, the outcome was not a positive one. This is probably where the greatest horror of the story comes from – that realistic aspect.

Alongside all of the different creepy parts of this story, I love how there are a lot of ghosts and their lingering. That they continuously linger all around us, trying to get their final bit of peace.

<- Riding BitchThe Forest ->

Image source: Goodreads

Two Houses by Kelly Link

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: Two Houses
Author: Kelly Link
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror, Space
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013

Thoughts

This short story started out kind of fun, and not with too much feeling of a horror story. I mean, it’s a bunch of younger people, in space, celebrating a friends’ birthday. How could that not seem fun and innocent? But then it got a little bit darker… and kind of haunting. And then it just got twisted. I love that this horror feeling came out of left field and was quite unexpected.

To start with, the characters begin by telling each other ghost stories. A perfectly normal way to spend an evening when you’re young and bored. Again, it wasn’t overly freaky to begin with. Then we get to the story of the two houses – which is quite twisted in and of itself. But then the ship gets involved in the story and things get seriously… twisted. And horrible. Which made this a fantastic story – the unexpected nature of the ick and horrifying.

After reading this seemingly benign short story, I actually had to walk around my house and close all of the darker areas. I mean, this was a seriously creepy murder story that features a murder house. I might not live in a murder house, but it didn’t mean that I wanted to look out at the darkness that inhabits all of the shadows. I mean, you finish off this story wondering who is in the murder house, and who is in the replica…

<- Spectral EvidenceWhere Angels Come In ->

Image source: Amazon

Hunger, An Introduction by Peter Straub

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: Hunger, An Introduction
Author: Peter Straub
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013

Thoughts

Hunger, An Introduction was not quite as creepy as many other stories in the Hauntings collection. Which I’m kind of glad about. Because some of them were seriously intense and kind of uncomfortable to read.

This short story jumped around a lot. It talked a lot about the hunger of death. And how hauntings occur. I’d probably have to read this again to get a better grasp on how it is all related. Particularly to the child at the end.

I don’t normally feel that deaths are necessarily warranted. But Ethel and Frank’s stories were seriously twisted. Their journeys to death row something that made me cringe. And their fate as hauntings kind of felt warranted.

<- Where Angels Come InInferno: Tales of Terror and the Supernatural ->

Image source: Amazon

Hula Ville by James P. Blaylock

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: Hula Ville
Author: James P. Blaylock
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013

Thoughts

This was a bit of an eerie feeling short story, one featuring angels and mummies. And just all of the discomfort that facing the unknown entails. It also had a bit of that feel that if I read it multiple times, I’d find symbols throughout that I missed the first time around. It was all about the mystery of the unknown without providing any answers whatsoever at the conclusion of the tale. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make it hard to recount / write a review on…

There were so many layers of meaning throughout this that I just know I didn’t quite grasp. Or at least, that’s how this story made me feel. As though I was almost reaching the reality being revealed, but not quite getting there. Although, this is in a collection called Hauntings so that very elusiveness makes it sit really well within that theme…

Everything about this story, particularly Hula Ville is just not quite what it seems. There is the constant threat of something terrifying happening from the tone of the story. And, even when things didn’t quite end as tragically as anticipated… I was still left feeling disquieted from this story.

<- Transfigured NightThe Bedroom Light ->

Image source: Amazon

Hauntings edited by Ellen Datlow

Book Review, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Overview
Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: Hauntings
Author: Ellen Datlow, Pat Cadigan, Dale Bailey, E. Michael Lewis, Lucius Shepard, David Morrell, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Joyce Carol Oates, Elizabeth Hand, Neil Gaiman, F. Paul Wilson, Jonathan Carroll, Terry Dowling, Paul Walther, Simon Kurt Unsworth, Connie Willis, Stephen Gallagher, Michael Marshall Smith, Richard Bowes, James P. Blaylock, Jeffrey Ford, Gemma Files, Kelly Link, Adam L.G. Nevill & Peter Straub
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror, Short story collections
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013

Thoughts

This is, as with all Ellen Datlow collections, seriously fun and enjoyable. The fact that this fantastic collection is full of seriously creepy stories made it that much more enjoyable. Mostly because it’s out of my usual genre of choice. Horror and ghost stories might not be quite my usual speed, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t love reading this collection!

Although I really enjoyed reading all of these short stories, I did find that this was not an anthology I should be reading late at night. Or when I was home alone. Whilst some of the stories were kind of mild and not too terrifying, some made it really difficult to sleep after turning the final page. Or just made it difficult to turn off the lights. Which is why this took me a little bit longer to read than I had anticipated.

Hauntings runs the gambit of horror and ghost stories, from horrible hauntings to stories that had a little bit more hope at the end. They made me feel all of the feelings, and I would most definitely read this collection again in the future.

<- The First Lunar HalloweenEenie, Meenie, Ipsateenie ->

Image source: Amazon

Everybody Goes by Michael Marshall Smith

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: Everybody Goes
Author: Michael Marshall Smith
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013

Thoughts

This wasn’t quite the “haunting” tale that I was expecting, but it was even better. I mean, I was kind of expecting something that was scary and disturbed. Instead, it was actually a little bit sweet and innocent. I mean, there is still a haunting and a bit of a creepy factor, but overall, it was actually kind of innocent and sweet.

Before I got to that point of kind of innocent though, I got some pretty serious IT vibes. I honestly kept on expecting a creepy, horrifying, killer clown to dive out of the pages and attack the children. Which definitely lent to the feeling of suspense that kept me turning the pages. Then, the ending made everything much more innocent in hindsight.

This was a good, easy read. It had a bit of a suspenseful feeling. But it also worked as a great reminder of the innocence of childish days and memories.

<- The HornTransfigured Night ->

Image source: Amazon

The Fooly by Terry Dowling

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: The Fooly
Author: Terry Dowling
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013

Thoughts

So I read this at about 4am waiting for my infant daughter to fall asleep. It was certainly enjoyable and a good way to keep me up. But… maybe it was a little too good. Even after I managed to get back to sleep… the dreams were kind of weird to say the least. It was definitely a haunting kind of story. But one that had just a nice little dash of humour.

After finishing this story, I wondered who and what Katie was who was in a different town. After all, if the lead in this story was some kind of creature that haunts the haunters, then who in the heck is Katie? I like all of the possibilities that my mind took me on and made me wonder about. After all, that’s generally why I enjoy reading horror short stories so much… the possibilities are endless.

This was such a quick short story, so it definitely suits that this is a quick review. It was short, sharp and shiny and seriously enjoyable. The perfect way to wait out a 4-month old who refuses to sleep. But not read it to her… because you know, I want her to actually sleep…

<- Mr. FiddleheadThe Toll ->

Image source: Amazon

Nice Guy Type by Sean Doolittle

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Murder and Mayhem in Muskego: Jordan, Jon & Ruth, Phillips, Gary, Richardson, Kat: Amazon.com.au: Books

Title: Nice Guy Type
Author: Sean Doolittle
In: Murder and Mayhem in Muskego (Jon & Ruth Jordan)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Ghosts
Dates read: 15th August 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Down and Out Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: “Take the next block.”

Synopsis

There’s always the “nice guy type”. Even in death, but, as always seems to happen with the “nice guy”, they’re not always that nice…

Thoughts

Oh wow. There are so many layers of devious and revenge in this story. Which is surprising considering how short this story actually is. And, although I don’t agree with ANY of the characters’ actions… I also kind of understand some of them.

I seriously hate that saying “nice guys finish last”. Mostly because those “nice guys” generally turn out to be… Well, not nice. That is definitely the case in this story… not so nice and most definitely not finishing last.

Although this story involved a whole heap of violence and discomfort… I actually found it slightly sassy. In that humorous, but not outright funny way. I may just be a little sick and twisted though…

<- Undying LoveKross Kill ->

Image source: Amazon

Undying Love by Hilary Davidson

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Murder and Mayhem in Muskego: Jordan, Jon & Ruth, Phillips, Gary, Richardson, Kat: Amazon.com.au: Books

Title: Undying Love
Author: Hilary Davidson
In: Murder and Mayhem in Muskego (Jon & Ruth Jordan)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Ghosts
Dates read: 13th August 2021
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Down and Out Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: She lived down the street from us.

Synopsis

He’s got a ferryman trying to take him to the other side. But instead, he wants to find out why there is a knife protruding from his chest. And maybe, just maybe, protect his wife from the same fate.

Thoughts

I kind of guessed that the marriage that takes centre stage in this story wasn’t quite as picturesque as one would hope and imagine. That the murder that takes centre stage probably had something to do with the marriage.  It was not quite what I had expected… but I was still right. Kind of.

I got a pretty serious Ghosts of Christmas feeling from this story. There was just something about starting a story with a man with a giant white beard that made me feel… nostalgic for that great Charles Dickens tale. And it’s always fun to wax nostalgic about things. Alright, it’s all about a murder and there was no Christmas feel to this whatsoever. But it still made me feel somewhat nostalgic.

This really wasn’t quite a romantic story, but I did like the ties that are strong even in death. Even if those ties are kind of what caused your own death… there is still that feeling of consistency even in the horrors that we afflict on one another. It might not be a great story for love, but this was certainly an intriguing one.

<- SliderNice Guy Type ->

Image source: Amazon

The Have-Nots by Elizabeth Hand

Book Review, ,
Overview
Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: The Have-Nots
Author: Elizabeth Hand
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 2.5 (Readable, but not worth reading again)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts
Dates read: 6th August 2021
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: But eventually it all settled down.

Synopsis

A series of tragic events leads to a surprise visit from a celebrity. But, when he comes back, things are a little bit… haunting.

Thoughts

I normally like stories that are a little bit jumpy and swirly. Not so much this one. I liked what the author was trying to do. I just didn’t love the execution of it.

The paragraphs that were the narrator talking about cosmetics or ?I think? someone in the room with them was just confusing. It didn’t lend to the story in the least, and actually ended up making me skim through the story. Which I only do when I’m not quite enjoying the tale.

I probably also didn’t love this because the whole story just felt gossipy and tragic. I liked the allusion to Elvis. But other than that, it just read like a lonely housewife saying negatives about someone to make themselves feel better about their own lives. Again, just not my favourite thing.

<- HauntedClosing Time ->

Image source: Amazon