John Llewellyn Probert

First of all, the introduction by Ramsay Campbell doesn't do the book a favor.
I thought it annoying, very patronizing & condescending in tone and even a bit spoiler-y. So much so it nearly put me off reading the book, which would have been a pity. If it must be included, it would fit much better at the end of the book as an afterword; when it doesn't spoil you anymore and you've come to your own feelings and insights.

That being said, the novel itself is a portmanteau book. In the story show more which forms the framework we meet Robert, who seems to suffer from amnesia, at the Welsh border and follow him on his increasingly strange journey/road trip through Wales as he searches for his lost memory, identity and purpose.
Most of the book consists of previously published short stories, woven together by the background story and their common topics of Welsh heritage, ancient wisdom of the land, religion, surrealism, horror, pulp, terror and a sense of dread.

I must say I liked the first stories of the book, where the horror was more abstract and psychological, more than the later ones that became more gruesome and explicit in terms of torture and pulp. The framework narrative I felt was also stronger at the beginning between the first chapters and got more vague towards the ending. The conclusion of the book which tied all the stories together, however, was very satisfying again.
And the short stories which make up the main part of the book? Regardless of whether I enjoyed them a lot (the more psychological ones) or not as much (torture and body horror just isn't my jam); they are well-written myth-steeped pieces full of terror and suspense, very Lovecraftian in style. They are going to stick with you. Even if you are an avid reader of stories dark and grim, I bet you won't forget about most of the stories anytime soon.
I can also honestly say I never before read a book of such Welshness. 'wink'...
If you like myths, pulp, surrealism, road trips, Wales, suspense, folktales and/or classic horror, this is good stuff.

I received this eARC via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program - Thanks, LT! - in exchange for an honest review. show less

These stories stay with you like oil clinging to your skin. You can’t seem to wipe them away!
Very much enjoyed this book and so glad I got an opportunity to read it. I am a lover of short stories and collections and this is my first time reading this author. Being of Welsh descent I loved reading stories taking place and woven into Welsh folklore. Reads like a Welsh Lovecraft collection with the stories very reminiscent of those New England tales. While I enjoyed all of the stories in show more this collection, I believe “Somewhere beneath a maze of sky” was my favorite. Interestingly, the one that disturbed me the most wasn’t the most graphic ones but the one which seemed the most innocuous called “What others hear”. Having suffered from tinnitus, I couldn’t imagine this level of sound not making someone ‘mad’. You could feel the protagonist's anxiety building like the music. Very much enjoyed this book and its stories! Completely amazing! I was afraid that the stories would get weaker as I got further in the book but they actually became stronger and more impactful. Highly recommend to anyone who likes stories stories especially those with a surrealist quality to them. show less

It wasn't what I was expecting but I did enjoy it a lot. I was expecting it to be a bit scarier, though I did find it scary. I wasn't expecting how funny it was. The dialogue was truly awesome. Perhaps that is what kept it from being too scary for me. If you are looking for a haunted house to spend a chilly, dreary day in, get this book. I read it on a windy night and the howling wind just made the atmosphere perfect!

This was a great, spooky read! I wasn't sure what to expect going in so watching this book unfold was a fun and bone-chilling experience. I loved the framework of the book - short stories that were tied together by an overarching plot. Some of these stories are going to stick with me for a very long time! The Welsh backdrop really added to the mood of the book and I found Robert to be a character that I was rooting for, even as he descended deeper into the strangeness of what was happening show more to him. The payoff at the end of the book was perfect - I really couldn't think how things were going to come together but the author managed an ending that was so satisfying and yet still left the door open for the future. I would absolutely read another of these if it ever became a series! show less