Hot Blood: Tales of Provocative Horror

Given the place this (and the broader anthology series) hold in the genre, and the lineup of 70s/80s/90s horror greats for this opening volume, this was surprisingly uneven across its stories. There's a super strong opener with the surprisingly introspective for its time but dated by today's standards 'Changeling', which does some interesting things with its tropes as does 'The Likeness of Julie'. The third entry, 'The Thang' is over the top silly in a way nothing else comes close to in the collection. And it was great to read story Mick Garris used for the Master's of Horror episode 'Chocolate'. Harlan Ellison has a strong showing, though I don't know that I even expect to see him in a collection like this, and Chet Williamson's story show more is 'interesting'. But by and large these stories feel like relatively weak offerings from authors who on average did a lot better. show less

This weird cover and book has short stories from such a great ensemble – Graham Masterton, Robert Bloch, Harlan Ellison, F. Paul Wilson, Ramsay Campbell, that I had to pick it up. Not to mention, of course, that the erotic horror theme is interesting if done right.

Overall it was a worthy anthology; not erotic, but some disturbing stuff here and there, others creepy, others just strange.

The first story by Graham Masterton was average. The story was creative and out there, but not too crazy about it. As usual his writing style is smooth. The same is same for Richard Matheson’s The Likeness of Julie, promising but just not raising above average. The Thang by Robert R. McCammon doesn’t have much of an explanation for how the man got show more that way, but it was a cool short story where it was hard to take the eyes away, much like a train wreck.

F. Paul Wilson’s Menage A Trois was lots of fun with an eccentric old lady and a dark humor. Mr. Right from Richard Christian Anderson is amusing and brief, reminding me of a brief joke I’ve seen on the internet before over the years. Chocolate from Mick Garris was written well in the first person POV, not with any full explanation, but interesting nonetheless.

Again by Ramsey Campbell (have so much of his stuff in my library to read still) was maybe the creepiest story of the bunch. Eerie, with his powerful talent of the pen enhancing the horror. Where his story was the creepiest, the next story by Lisa Tuttle, Bug House, is the most disturbing. There IS a strange eroticism with this one in fact, but it gives miserable shivers. Interesting story that is the perfect length for its tale and almost numbing in its telling, and is one of the best offered.

Vengeance Is. By Theodore Sturgeon is such a short story, a scene really, that is doesn’t draw much attention. J.N. Williamson (RIP) also tells a simply short story which is disturbing in itself. Michael Garrett warns us on the type of people you shouldn’t cross in Reunion, a decently long tale that has a semi-predictable, but still worthy, ending.

Harlan Ellison’s Footsteps was awesome and gothic with tone, I love the surprise ending and almost a happy one for the big and bad. Pretty is…from Mike Newton is a typical prey and predator tale that tells it from a woman’s point of view instead of the similar stories like it, it was interesting.

I loved Aunt Edith by Gary Brandner, good stuff, even if not very surprising. Meat Market from John Skipp and Craig Spector is painfully brutal but cool and fits into the anthology like a second glove. Robert Bloch doesn’t disappoint with being brutal and yicky with the Model either, his great writing style working well for this horrible event. Carnal House (Steve Rasnic Tem) is eerie and unsettling but gothic and justified.

They’re coming for you by Les Daniels was great – funny stuff, humorous writing, loved the ironic ending, bravo.

Suzie Sucks by Jeff Gelb plays on some urban legend stuff kind of, a suitable story that doesn’t have a lot of surprises but works. Ray Garton’s Punishments is one of the very top of the stories as the best, great stuff and interesting.

If you’re a horror fan or anthology fan, pick this one up if you pass it by. There have been new ones since then (this is part one), and it’s an older book, but it’s fun for those demented moods. show less

I would have given this a 4.5 if I could have. It was a great little group of stories that elicited many different emotions and actions. They are stories that combine a little sex with a little horror as the title states. I found myself facinated with the woman that through sex could take over her lovers' bodies and chuckling over The Thang (sometimes you get what you ask for) and grossed out by The Meat Market. These little anthologies are not for everyone but if you are a horror fan or an erotica fan with a strong stomach not looking for romance, give them a try. This is the first of many.

The only reason why I decided to read this compilation of horror stories mixed with eroticism, was because of the participation of Mr. Jeff Gelb (I'm a huge fan) Many of the stories pertaining to this work are pretty bad. but the few that are good are very good. and that is why I will give a 4 star rating to this work.

Some great shorts and some really bad ones. It was interesting but not something I'd necessarily want to read again

Perhaps it was a sign of the book's age, but I didn't get the creepy sexies out of this at all.