For this anthology, Havok asked writers to create stories about animals. Whether they galloped, slithered, or swam, the stories had to have some animal kingdom element in its plot. The variety of what the authors produced is amazing. I read the stories and rated them based on the entertainment value, […]
The winner of a Time Magazine award, Elatsoe (Ellie) Bride is a descendent of the Lipan tribe of the United States. But this isn’t the United States you know and love. This is a United States with magic, with ghosts, and with vampires all living together. When Ellie’s cousin Trevor […]
John Masefield’s The Midnight Folk was published in 1927 to great acclaim—so much so it received a sequel The Box of Delights. I came across this children’s book in search of a Halloween tale in the spirit of The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury. I kept it on my list […]
Lovers and Other Monsters, an anthology edited by Marvin Kaye presents suspense and horror stories centered on the theme of love, in particular, eros love. Kaye is well known for putting together unique and interesting anthologies, and he’s collected some of Weird Tale’s best stories in his other anthologies. This […]
Ye Olde Dragon Books’ second anthology of classic monsters targets Frankenstein and asks the question “Who’s the Monster?” Is it the ambitious scientist who goes too far? Is it his creation who, after being rejected, runs amok? Is it both? Or is it a society that can’t see beneath the […]
C. Rae D’Arc’s Dreaming Beauty has all the elements of a fairy tale retelling as well as several surprises. The first in a series, Dreaming Beauty combines the fantasy and romance of a fairy tale with the snark and modern sensibility of a contemporary. This combination worked with great success […]
On a recommendation from a family member, I read the mystery novel The Door by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Many people have forgotten this woman, but in her time, her novels rivaled Christie’s in popularity. At one point, she was called the American Agatha Christie. The Door was published in 1930 […]
Havok’s latest anthology, entitled Casting Call, examines many common archetypes of fiction in several genres (fantasy, mystery, comedy, etc.). The magician, the wizened elder, and the sneaky rebel are but a few character types offered in a flash fiction—one thousand words or less—story. As usual, Havok’s high quality is on […]
An anthology that celebrates stories of darkness overcome by the light is a tricky endeavor, to be sure. The best thrillers put their audience into the depths of the pit, and readers won’t be satisfied with a cheat or treacly ending. This premise makes a promise—expect darkness, then watch it […]
Odriel’s Heirs, the first in a high fantasy series by Hayley Reese Chow, is an exciting YA adventure with a rich world and history. In the distant past, a demon named Nifras invaded the southern portion of the country with his hordes of the undead. The god Odriel gifted three […]