Summer Chills

9-15-2008

A great anthology of vacation-gone-awry horror shorts I read over the summer, appropriately lounging by the pool with a cold drink in one hand, inwardly chilled by tales of living gargoyles, a man who steal the youth of young women to create beautiful dolls, man-eating beasts in the mountains, and a slew of other creative horrors. Despite the garish, over-the-top cover art, this is no B-grade collection and some of the most talented horror authors writing in the genre today are represented: Ramsey Campbell, Nancy Holder, Harlan Ellison, Dennis Etchison, Clive Barker, and one of my new personal favorites, Sarah Pinborough, whose story about a young woman’s very memorable trip to Egypt really stuck with me, among many others. show more With settings from Mexican beaches to Italian villas to Middle Eastern bazaars, these stories ran the gamut and served up some terrific summer-themed fun. I’ve read a number of horror anthologies and collections edited by Stephen Jones, and they never disappoint. He definitely has a knack for putting together a perfect ensemble, whether it’s Lovecraft, Halloween, summer vacations or any other theme. This is a great one for that plane or car ride to your summer vacation destination, or maybe not. Might be better to read it when you get back, when you’ve arrived home safely and hopefully escaped the fates of these unfortunate travelers! show less