Coy Hall

I love books or movies that combine genres, taking two or more themes and blending them together. This book does that and delivers nicely, mixing a historical mystery with occult horror and a plague story, while including monsters. The author has done a wonderful job of crafting a pervasive atmosphere of dread that hangs over everything. You’ve got oozy gore, engaging dog sidekicks, and a hero who is equal parts Van Helsing, scholar, and exorcist. Perfectly crafted characters, atmosphere, show more and setting. Highly recommend. show less

A fascinating anthology, which sets out to mix one of the most horrific wars with more otherwordly terrors. Packed with tales of cannibalism, fabled monsters, cosmic creatures, mad scientists and supernatural hauntings, what comes through even more clearly is how each author strives to put the emphasis of horror rightly on the reality of the War itself, which easily overpowers the fiction.

Not every story lands - the second one was the only one that didn't land for me in terms of storytelling show more and structure for example, with a couple of others having too abrupt endings - but the brilliant ones make up for it. Stephanie Ellis continues to shine with her writing in a story about observation balloons which really hits home with its eerie ending. One story of torturous scientific experiments in Africa is even more shocking when the author notes its loose ties to a forgotten side of real history which is even more unpleasant than the shocking super weapon they imagine. Stories of stalking in trenches and alien gas are nothing compared to the descriptions of the equivalent reality and the emphasis on the effects on real people over a century ago.

It's uncomfortable reading. As it should be. show less

Well that was just brilliant! Four stories of the four imposters sandwiched between two encounters of the Grimoire itself. All beautifully and masterfully entwined together through characters, locations and religious politics. Occultism, witches, even snippets of body horror. This book has everything! It was creepy and sad, atmospheric and thought provoking. Y'all this book is EVERYTHING! Coy Hall researched the shit out of this book. I can't recommend this enough. I will definitely revisit show more this one and make notes of all of the connections between the stories, for now I'll just say put this on your want to read list immediately. show less

An outstanding novel set in a dystopian future where technology is mostly lost, the oceans are poisoned, and society has crumbled into individual city states. The citizens worship idols even as greater powers work their machinations outside the city walls. A story of corrupted power and revenge played out in an oppressive world inhabited by well-crafted, unique characters charging along to their ultimate fates. By the time you get your bearings the story is zooming along, going exciting show more places, but never where you expect.
Highly recommend. show less