John F. D. Taff

This delicious book of tasty horror morsels dropped this week from @tornightfire and it’s another fantastic addition to their growing library of releases. Josh Malerman says it best in his foreword, about how we are currently in the midst of a horror renaissance, and I couldn’t be happier. What I’m loving most about this new wave of horror is that so much of it reaches beyond the typical horror tropes and creatures, delving more into a psychological horror that plays with the reader's show more emotions and challenges what we have typically seen as horror. With an anthology like this, there are obviously some stories that resonated more strongly with me than others, but as a whole, this collection is a solid piece of creeptastic reading fun.

“The Attenionist” by Caroline Kepnes read more as a psychological piece than horror, but the impending sense of doom that pervades the story definitely left me feeling sufficiently creeped out.

In “A Life in Nightmares” by Ramsey Campbell, we witness the life of Maurice as it jumps from event to event through the lens of a fever dream made possibly real.

“Papa Eye” by Priya Sharma is not necessarily something I would consider as horror, but more of a folk tale about the burdens and joys of eternal life. I think.

“Volcano” by Alicia Llewelyn is a tale of cosmic horror that left me feeling a bit lost on where the story went, and while this is intentional, I always feel like I missed something obvious in these types of stories.

“All the Things He Called Memories” is classic Stephen Graham Jones and his genius in building an excellent tale, but this being my first COVID-related horror story, it may have hit a little too close to home.

“Trinity River Blues” by Chesya Burke is another story that I wouldn’t necessarily label as horror but more along the lines of urban fantasy about a woman who can see ghosts and is cursed by one. I think I would enjoy this one even more if it was fleshed out into a full length novel.

“The Familiar’s Assistant” by Alma Katsu - suicide by vampires. That is all.

“Swim in the Blood of a Curious Dream” by John FD Taff follows and creepy AF journey by a father and son after the mother’s death.

“The Sanguinstalist" by Gemma Files is another that doesn't necessarily feel like horror to me, but I would definitely be down for this to be adapted into a longer novel, or a series based in this world. Also, nothing is explained, which doesn't always work for me, but here it definitely does.

“Mrs. Addison’s Nest" by Josh Malerman reminded me of Stephen King in a way, as it deals with childhood friends facing their fears, which is something King does very well. Of course, Malerman handles this same idea perfectly, but in his own way, making something that feels familiar but is ultimately unique to him.

“Challawa" by Usman T. Mallik follows a Pakastani woman as she visits her small hometown with her husband, and things get... weird. Much like "Papa Eye", perhaps it's the folk horror that doesn't really resonate all that well with me.

“Enough for Hunger and Enough for Hate" by John Langan, where a woman confronts her brother's potential killer, is a great way to close out this collection. The suspense is great, and the tension that builds throughout is palpable.

Overall, a solid piece of reading. Tor Nightfire has continued to impress with with their releases so far, and with their first anthology, they did not disappoint! show less

Dark Stars is an eclectic mix of slower paced thrills with quick bursts of chills. There's more meat on it's bones than I expected, as the tales are more fully fleshed out than typical short stories.
I was hooked from the opening lines of Caroline Kepnes The Attentionist, a chilling psychological thriller about two sisters, that pulled me in with it's leisurely start before hitting like a freight train at the end. Another of my favorites was A Life In Nightmares by Ramsey Campbell in which show more it's hard to tell where reality begins and dreams end with one young man's fear of not being able to understand others, or of not being understood.
Swim in the Blood of a Curious Dream by John F.D. Taff encompasses so many things that I love in a good story. Grief, a road trip, weird weather, supernatural events. I won't say more so as not to spoil it for you I will only say...WOW!
Enough for Hunger and Enough for Hate by John Langan was another favorite even though I could not quite figure out at first why a woman would have such a strange way of approaching someone she believes has murdered her brother. But oh my goodness the beginning makes perfect sense at the end.
I enjoyed all of the stories but these were my favorites.
Recommended for all who love dark fiction whether you are looking for anything from vampires to ghosts to psychological thrillers there is something in here for you.
4 out of 5 stars
I received an advance copy. show less

I'll admit it. I am a horror movie fanatic (sorry, Mom!). Like, Scream is one of my comfort movies. Despite what I like now, growing up, I wasn't allowed to watch the movies that give you the creeps, so I made up for it by reading the stories that had the same effect.

When I saw the description for Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror, I couldn't wait to read through the stories within. Folks, I was not disappointed. Each author creates a completely engrossing world, so realistic that you show more feel like you're trapped with the potential victims. I feel like this book isn't especially fast-paced, but what part of the horror genre really falls in that category? I loved that this collection features both big-name and lesser-known authors, as it allowed me to discover new writers to devote all my time and energy to reading. This anthology is not for the faint of heart, but you don't walk into a scary movie expecting it to be family-friendly. John Taff did a fantastic job of editing this collection, and Josh Malerman's introduction is not to be missed. There are so many different plots that any fan will find a story to choose as a favorite.

Trigger Warnings for Dark Stars: gore, cannibalism, stalking, and more.

Overall rating: 4.75/5 (rounded to 5)

Dark Stars will be available for purchase on November 2nd. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available to buy. Also, be sure to check out John F.D. Taff’s website!
I was lucky enough to be able to read this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own. show less

This was a great mix of short story horror stories. There are some from authors that I know and love like: [a:Stephen Graham Jones|96300|Stephen Graham Jones|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1631159041p2/96300.jpg], [a:Caroline Kepnes|202260|Caroline Kepnes|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1417479736p2/202260.jpg], [a:Alma Katsu|3387293|Alma Katsu|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1525189522p2/3387293.jpg] but there were also quite a few new authors to me. There's a great mix of show more stories, too, to make you uncomfortable with any number of things that go bump in the night. I had a few favorites in the mix but, honestly, they all had some really great points. I love mixes of short stories to push me out of reading slumps and also to break my reading on days when I'm busy and distracted. These stories were the perfect fit today.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. show less