I sat down to read a story, or two, and then get on with my day. Next thing I knew, I had read *several* stories. Some of them are easier to read than others, Mr. Girard's writing style gets lost in itself occasionally, but all are worth the time. But warning, though, these are dark tales and not for the light of heart. ( )

Girard really shows his ability to explore different genres of short stories, science fiction, dystopia, zombies, ghost stories and more. Each story included its own surprises. Girard was able quickly establish the feeling of the story; you knew right away about suspense, drama and evil. The evil was rarely graphic; he left us to our own imaginations. Only rarely did I think he was playing with the reader, but be careful, because that's when you're in for a surprise. Many times the character is not complete until the last paragraph.

Girard helped remind me how powerful short stories can be. These stories may be too much for some, but they are a treat for those who enjoy a good thoughtful scare. ( )

Note: I received a copy of this book through the Early Reviewer program of LibraryThing.

After I had requested this book to review, I had forgotten this was a collection of dark fiction. When I started reading it I just approached it as a 'regular fiction' collection, so the stories really gripped me in unexpected ways. Normally I read a lot of science fiction (also a lot of short stories, novellas, novelettes), so to have those elements included in here was a nice bonus.
This is a collection of dark fiction stories. Not all are straight up horror, and like I said, some would even qualify as science fiction. These is also a nice undertone of humor.
I really liked this collection, the stories were original and just long enough. I previously didn't know Geoffrey Girard but would certainly pick up his work again in the future. Recommended for readers of dark fiction, horror, dark fantasy, science fiction and zombies. Four stars. ( )

I was a bit disappointed with this anthology of dark horror. I found the stories to be a little discombobulated and confusing. I also didn’t feel as though the stories were that dark compared to other books I have read. The notes at the end of the book would have been nice if placed at the beginning of each story. Maybe I am not used to reading anthology and therefore did not get the full experience I should have, however I did find some of the stories entertaining. ( )

I’ve had trouble with this collection of short stories.
It’s not that they aren’t well written or diverse. It’s just that they don’t appeal to me at the moment. I guess that some books grab you and some don’t and this, for me, falls into the latter category.
I’m glad that I’ve dipped into what is for me a seldom explored genre and will try again with these stories another time and maybe with a different result.
I do however urge you to at least download a sample and decide for yourself whether this type of fiction will appeal to you. ( )