The Horror Collection – Emerald Edition
Reviewed By J.A. Sullivan
In the seventh instalment of The Horror Collection by KJK Publishing, readers are treated to seven short stories which range in subjects from a quest through a post-apocalyptic world, a driver you don’t want to tangle with, and a house with a history of a black tendrilled creatures. Sounds like a wild trip, and it certainly is!
Instead of using a theme to tie the stories, this anthology strives to bring several types of horror together, a sampler platter of subgenres if you will. Like most smorgasbords, I didn’t love all the offerings, but the variety was compelling enough that I’ll certainly come back to the table for future collections. And, also like buffets, I found it interesting while reading other reader reviews, that some of the stories that didn’t quite resonate with me were absolute delights for others.
The first story in the anthology, “The House in the Ground” by Christian Laforet, starts off as an old Western story, where lawmen chase William across the rocky terrain of Arizona. But when William falls over a cliff and sees a dilapidated house at the bottom of the ravine, he might have been better off being captured by the law. With swift pacing and a gradual shift in tone, I enjoyed this story from start to finish.
Another tale that really captured my imagination was “Haunting at Stump Lake” by Mark Allan Gunnells. After buying a plot of land to build a home, Justin’s wife has a frightening encounter, prompting Justin and his friends at The Minnesota Paranormal Study Group to set up an investigation. Gunnells delivers a great classic styled ghost story within the context of using modern-day paranormal detecting equipment and heightens the shivers with a creepy lakeside setting.
My favourite story in the anthology was “In a Pale, Rainy Morning” by Ramsey Campbell and Nicola Lombardi. In a tense and slow-burn fashion, the truth of Mason’s reality rises to the surface, as he deals with residents under his care at a small home for the elderly. Straight away it’s clear that something is wrong with the world in this story, and what I enjoyed most was following the small details, like a trail of breadcrumbs leading to a thrilling and heartbreaking conclusion. I read this story several times and have no doubt I’ll return to it again.
The variety in The Horror Collection: Emerald Edition is really what sets it apart from other anthologies. It’s uncommon to find the subgenres of quiet horror, dark crime, supernatural, and even bizarro, all in one collection, and I think that’s what kept me turning the pages here as I knew that each story would be completely different. With an impressive range in style, there’s a bit of something for everyone in this book, and it’s worth checking out.
The Horror Collection – Emerald Edition
Book seven in The Horror Collection series brings you stories by Mark Allan Gunnells, Ramsey Campbell, Nicola Lombardi, Christian Laforet, Steve Stred, Veronica Smith, Kevin J. Kennedy & Zoltán Komor. Between these pages, you will find tales of hauntings, revenge, parasitic entities, struggles during the apocalypse and a bizarro version of hell.
You can buy The Horror Collection – Emerald Edition from Amazon UK & Amazon US
J.A. Sullivan
J. A. Sullivan is a horror writer and paranormal enthusiast, based in Brantford, ON, Canada. Attracted to everything non-horror folks consider strange, she’s spent years as a paranormal investigator, has an insatiable appetite for serial killer information, and would live inside a library if she could.
Her latest short story can be found in Don’t Open the Door: A Horror Anthology (out July 26, 2019), and other spooky tales can be found on her blog. She’s currently writing more short stories, a novel, and reading as many dark works as she can find.
You can follow J. A. on Twitter @ScaryJASullivan
Check out her blog https://writingscaredblog.wordpress.com
Find her on Instagram www.instagram.com/j.a_sullivan
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