Carson Winter

Clever and timely, this is one of those books that begins on an eerie note, and becomes more and more uncanny as it unfolds. Winter's use of POV and the range of structures make for what feels almost like a collage at first, and then builds itself into a novella where the tension only mounts with each page turned, even as horrific images compound the tension and make for a fast-paced read. On one hand, I wish the book were longer because it was such a fantastic reading experience to fall show more into, but on the other hand, it's rather perfect as it is--you should binge this book just like you'd binge a guilty escape on the television, and I'd say the horror will be even more present for devouring it in that fashion.

Just don't plan on going to bed right after you read it, and perhaps second-guess whether or not you're ready for the book if you can't handle snakes. I adore snakes, and as a result, that aspect of the book made it all the more wonderful for me. (I imagine it will make scarier for others, too.) show less

This is unquestionably one of the darker books I've read, in mindset as well as action, and Winter's talent for bringing scenes and psychology to life makes it feel all the darker. Short as it is, I got a few chapters in and had to put it aside for a while, which rarely happens for me, but drifting into the mind of someone who'd commit gun violence of any sort--let alone like this--is a tough thing, and Winter does it horrifying justice.

This read won't be for everyone, and I hazard to say show more that it would be dangerous in some people's hands, if they were in a particular mental state already--which I don't say lightly--but it's a reminder of the power of art to bring every facet of thought and reality to vivid life through the written word, and I applaud the publisher and writer for donating some of the proceeds of the book to Sandy Hook Promise.

I'm not entirely sure this is a book I'm comfortable recommending to others, it's so dark, but it is the best I've read from Tenebrous Press, without a doubt. show less

I loved the concept of the Split Scream series as soon as I heard about it, and now that I've finally gotten a chance to dive in, I'm so glad I did. The two novellas in this little book are fast-moving doses of dread with fantastic images and characters. I admit that, for me, Carson Winter's was the standout simply because I fell into the world so completely, and couldn't have put the book down if I'd wanted to. In a small amount of space, he brought an entire world and cast of characters to show more life without it ever feeling as if an image or a moment were being given less than its full worth of attention, and I loved every minute. The blend of horror and noir only made me want more work in the same style, and only made me more of a fan of Winter's work.

On the other hand...I have to admit that there were a lot of moments where I found it hard to determine exactly what Moses was going for, meaning-wise, and the feeling of wanting more was based in confusion as much as engagement, so the second novella in the book was a much tougher read for me. I suspect reading it again would make it a lot clearer, but I'm just not sure I was engaged enough to really sit down for that, though I'd certainly give Moses' work another try.

All told, I had a great time settling into this little book, and I'm excited for the next Split Scream volume on my shelf. show less

Dread Stone Press’s SPLIT SCREAM series is off to a wonderfully disturbing start with this double feature. I was immersed in Carson Winter’s weird noir “The Guts of Myth” and then chilled by Scott J. Moses’ stark dystopian “The Mourner Across the Flames.”