darkness

November 23, 2016

The stimulating NIGHTMARES engrosses

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized andrew wheeler, Ann Monn, anthology, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, elaine aldred, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, horror, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, review, strange alliances, the antick musings of g.b.h. hornswoggler

Elaine Aldred at STRANGE ALLIANCES praises Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR.

Most short story anthologies feel like entrées, little more than a glimpse into an author’s work. Nightmares feels like an all-you-can-eat buffet where the palate is refreshed every time you go up for another helping. There is plenty here to keep a reader engrossed and stimulate interest in a particular author’s writing, and covers a wide range of styles.

<snip>

The stories range from the fantastical to the mundane which suddenly takes an unexpected turn. There is also plenty of a steady underlying sense of something not right until the awful truth finally dawns on the reader, or the anticipated shock moment arrives when they least expect it.

(credit: THIS IS HORROR)

For THE ANTICK MUSINGS OF G.B.H. HORSNSWOGGLER, GENT., Andrew Wheeler previews the anthology.

Ten years ago, Ellen Datlow had a big anthology called DARKNESS, collecting her picks for the best horror stories of the previous two decades. (Since, basically, she started working in that field and paying close attention to it.) But there was no reason that she had to wait two decades to do it again, and so Tachyon is bringing out Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR as a trade paperback.

Datlow is probably the best-known and highest-regarded horror editor out there, so if you have any interest at all in the form, you’ll want to take a glance at this.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

November 16, 2016

NIGHTMARES is the perfect tool for discovering the very best of modern horror

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized Ann Monn, anthology, becky spratford, booklist, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, diabolique, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, horror, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, review, risingshadow, seregil of rhiminee, sheila m merritt

A trio of fresh reviews for Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR.

For BOOKLIST, Becky Spratford praises the anthology with a starred review.

Building off her indispensable DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR (2010), which covered the years 1985–2005, Datlow has here collected the 24 stories that she has most enjoyed from 2005–15. Her task is aided greatly by the fact that the last decade has been a fertile one for the genre, with the emergence of incredible new voices and the decision by nongenre writers to give horror a try.

This volume is not only the perfect discovery tool for readers looking for the very best of modern horror, it should also be used as a collection-development tool by library staff.

Sheila M. Merritt at DIABOLIQUE is impressed by the collection.

NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR is a follow-up of sorts to editor Ellen Datlow’s DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR. Released in 2010, DARKNESS covered select short stories published between 1985-2005. NIGHTMARES deals with the period from 2005-2015, and largely contains tales by authors not included in the previous volume. Datlow stresses that the works chosen for NIGHTMARES are stories she loves. Indeed, there’s a subjectivity inherent in picking a story for publication. Subjectivity also comes into play when a reviewer singles out certain tales to praise from a collection.

<snip>

Editor Ellen Datlow has compiled works that display her ability to cull quality horror fiction, as well as her enthusiasm and esteem for the genre. Published by Tachyon, NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR is a pleasant reminder that horror’s short fiction “golden age” is ongoing.

At RISINGSHADOW, Seregil of Rhiminee reviews the book.

NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR (edited by Ellen Datlow) is a diverse and well-edited horror anthology that demonstrates what kind of terrors and mesmerising strangeness modern horror has to offer for readers who are looking for something dark, terrifying and unsettling to read. It doesn’t disappoint its readers, because the editor has done her best to gather as many different kind of stories as possible and has paid attention to quality.

<snip>

As many of us are aware of, horror fiction – and especially weird fiction – has become increasingly popular during the last decade. I think it’s great that several new and talented authors have emerged during the recent years and have taken their place alongside the old masters. This anthology allows readers to explore what kind of unsettling stories various authors have written.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

November 11, 2016

Tachyon tidbits featuring Ellen Datlow, Lauren Beukes, Lavie Tidhar, and Kage Baker

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, bostick, central station, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, Ellen Datlow, horror, jabberwocky literary, kage baker, lauren beukes, lavie tidhar, lightspeed, russian, the bostick book of unbelievable beasties, the comapny, the graveyard game, tor.com, under the eaves

The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web.

Ellen Datlow (credit: THIS IS HORROR), Lauren Beukes, Lavie Tidhar (Photo: Kevin Nixon. © Future Publishing 2013), and Kage Baker

Via TWITTER, Jabberwocky Literary Agency shared the cover to the Russian edition of Ellen Datlow’s DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR.

Bostik is giving away digital copies of THE BOSTIK BOOK OF
UNBELIEVABLE BEASTIES with ridiculous rhymes by Lauren Beukes and illustrations by kids in South Africa.

Beukes discusses the project on her site.

Getting kids reading and sparking their imaginations is really important to me. In fact, I gave a Tedx talk in Johannesburg recently on how stories allow us to be more than we are.

It’s why we put together The Broken Monsters Charity Art Show, with kind sponsorship by Nando’s, that raised enough money for the awesome NGO, Book Dash to print 36 000 kids books for children who’ve never had one of their own.

So. when the ad agency for Bostik stationery approached me to come up with 20 wild and silly and cute beasties for kids to design as part of a competition, I was super-excited.

Writing for kids is one of my favourite things! I was the head-writer and co-creator of the hit SABC3 kids cartoon, URBO: The Adventures of Pax Afrika and I’ve written for Mouk and Florrie’s Dragons for Disney. I also wrote a kid-friendly Wonder Woman short for DC Comics, “The Problem With Cats”, with art by Mike Maihack, which centred on a little girl from Orlando West, Soweto as the heroine of her own imagination. (It’s also been the only time my seven year old daughter actually appreciated what I do for a living.)

But the joy for me of THE BOSTIK BOOK OF UNBELIEVABLE BEASTIES, wasn’t just that I would get to invent crazy critters (including a vampire bunny that drinks carrot juice, a galumphing Blumf, and a googly-eyed Oogle among others in my silly and cute menagerie) – it was that kids would get to draw them, using paper and crayons and glue and, most importantly, their imaginations.

The twenty winning entries will be published by Bostik, in a limited edition book, to go to the winners and 500 copies to the Shine Literacy project, an amazing organization that provides one-on-one support to kids who need it in grade two and three, fostering a love of stories and boosting their confidence and literacy skills.

The November 2016 issue (#78) of LIGHTSPEED features Lavie Tidhar’s short story “Under the Eaves,” along with a Arley Sorg’s discussion about the tale with the author.

Lavie, what a story. For me, so emotionally resonant. So representative of the complexity of relationships and love, against a backdrop that is, through metaphors, very real. Tell me about the inspiration for Isobel and her “robotnik” love interest—where did these people come from?

Thank you so much! The origins for this actually go a long time back. People might notice that the CENTRAL STATION stories (a sort of mosaic novel, really, which is now collected/out from Tachyon Publications) contain a lot of references, but what might be less apparent is that they correspond quite a lot not just with American SF but also Israeli SF. Which, in fairness, would be obscure to the vast majority of any kind of reader.

In this case, a very early inspiration for me were a pair of short stories published in the magazine Fantasia 2000 in the mid-1980s (and which I only read, I suspect, years after they were published, in worn-out library copies). They were by a guy called Mordechai Sasson, and to the best of my knowledge were the only things he ever published. They were called “The Stern-Gerlach Rats” and “The Conman and the Tin Beggar,” and they were set in a sort of future Israel where robots were basically begging for spare parts. They really stuck with me, through all the years, and I started exploring this idea with an early story called “Crucifixation,” which I sent to an unknown little magazine called Apex Digest, edited by Jason Sizemore. It turned out it was the first story Jason ever bought for his magazine, and it began a long association between us, which eventually resulted in my early collection, HEBREWPUNK, and of
course THE APEX BOOK OF WORLD SF series. But back then, I had no idea!

So, this is kind of where the robotniks came from … and they kept popping up in the sort of interconnected future history I was writing throughout that time, and they kind of evolved and got more complex as time went on, until the CENTRAL STATION cycle kind of allowed me to go back to their origins in a more … mature form? But really the start of it all was sitting in the library as a kid in the SF stack and reading these beat-up old magazines.

Stefan Raets at TOR.COM continues the reread of Kage Baker’s Company Series with THE GRAVEYARD GAME.

Joseph in the Darkness: In this “Darkness” chapter, Joseph summarizes his findings and theories, based on everything he’s discovered in the novel so far. It’s a shocking list: The Enforcers were double-crossed by the Company; Mendoza’s fall from grace was engineered, also by the Company; Edward was double-crossed too; the Company’s history goes back way further than the corporate brochures say; and Catalina Island features heavily in that history in some way.

Since we’re almost at the end of the fourth novel in an eight novel set, this is about as close to a midway point as this sprawling series has, making this an interesting point of comparison. The Company looks very different now, compared to the rosy image we got at the start of IN THE GARDEN OF
IDEN. Remember how wonderful that cabal of benevolent scientists preserving lost treasures throughout history sounded? In four short novels, we went from that point to a Company that imprisons its own employees and conducts biological warfare against humanity. And there are more revelations to come…

The biggest change, though, is that we can’t really call it “the Company” anymore, can we? It’s becoming increasingly clear that some parts of the organization have very different goals from others. Rather than a benevolent, all-knowing entity with a common goal, there are competing interests at play… and some of those don’t care about spilling mortal blood on a large scale or about taking out operatives who know too much.

For more info about CENTRAL STATION, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Sarah Anne Langton

November 9, 2016

Recommended, haunting NIGHTMARES terrifies

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized Ann Monn, contest, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, giveaway, maximum pop, monster librarian, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, review

Not only does MAXIMUM POP include Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR among THE 6 SCARIEST BOOKS YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE THIS WINTER but also is giving away copies of the acclaimed anthology.

Terrifying? Haunting? Bound to make you think twice about turning that light out? Yep, yep and double yep. But it’s also such a THRILL. Tachyon publishing have really gone all out with this one. And including great authors like Garth Nix, what’s not to love?

U.S. based MP!ers: Want to win a copy? Here’s how…

1. Follow us @maximumpopbooks
2. RT the tweet below.

MONSTER LIBRARIAN praises the book.

NIGHTMARES is a collection of stories chosen by Ellen Datlow as the best stories of 2005-2015. It is a companion volume to DARKNESS, a previously published anthology of stories chosen by her as the best stories written between 1985 and 2005. Not being as widely read in contemporary short horror fiction as Datlow is, I can’t say whether I agree with her choices or not, but I can say that the stories she chose do live up to the book’s title: in one way or another, they are all nightmares.

Datlow chose stories that take a variety of approaches to instilling horror, from the understated to over-the-top: you’ll find weird fiction, cosmic horror, twisted fairy tales, disturbing family secrets, ghosts and hauntings, Gothic horrors, body horror, incestuous relationships, and more than enough blood and gore. As a reader who prefers creepy and atmospheric writing to graphic descriptions, I found this book to be emotionally, mentally, and even physically exhausting. I received it as an ebook from NetGalley and am not sure how long it actually was, but it required several days for me to read it through. However, as a sampler of well-done short fiction in the horror genre, I think it is successful. Certainly, I have found that several stories have stuck with me even though a few weeks have passed since I finished it.

For those horror readers who enjoy variety in their short fiction, NIGHTMARES is an excellent way to discover authors they may not have tried out before. With her choices for this collection of short fiction from the past decade, despite her disclaimer, Ellen Datlow continues to show not just her enthusiasm as a fan of the horror genre, but her excellence as an anthologist. Recommended.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

November 4, 2016

NIGHTMARES is an overall success

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized Ann Monn, anthology, barry lee dejasu, blu gilliand, book riot, bookshots, cemetery dance, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, girl who reads, horror, keith rawson, mk french, new york journal of books, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, review, short stories

A quartet of reviews for Ellen Datlow’s must-own anthology NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR.

(credit: THIS IS HORROR)

At CEMETERY DANCE, Blu Gilliand praises the collection.

Ellen Datlow has been charting the course of horror fiction for over 35 years. In that time, she has maintained a balanced perspective in her numerous anthologies and collections, always casting an appreciative eye toward the established masters of horror while shining a light on the talent tasked with carrying the genre forward.

Her latest effort, NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, looks back at the period of 2005-2015 (picking up where her DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR left off) with 24 hand-picked stories that Datlow says “have had a lasting impact on me.” Those words carry a lot of weight; although Datlow takes pains in her Introduction to classify herself as a horror enthusiast rather than a horror expert, you would be hard pressed to find someone with more knowledge of modern horror literature. With that in mind, these stories are as good a map of the genre’s journey as you’re likely to find, drawing a definitive line from where it’s been to where it’s going.

What this particular map shows is that horror may not be venturing into new territory—there are a number of familiar tropes here, including post-apocalyptic futures, creepy dolls and urban legends come to life—but writers are finding new ways to tell familiar stories.

But NIGHTMARES is an overall success, mainly because Datlow is not just an expert (sorry, Ellen, but it’s the right word) at recognizing great horror; she’s an expert at recognizing great storytelling. That she’s drawn to horror and has chosen the genre for her life’s work is good for the genre, and good for us.

Barry Lee Dejasu for NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS lauds the collection.

For over three
decades, genre fiction’s reigning editor Ellen Datlow has helmed
nearly a hundred anthologies, including the acclaimed YEAR’S BEST
FANTASY AND HORROR series (co-edited with Terri Windling, from 1988
to 2008) and THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAr (2009–). Datlow has put
out some of the highest-quality horror anthologies in the market, but
also humbly states that she’s no expert or critic of the genre;
even so, in the world of high-quality modern horror in the market,
Datlow is an undeniable authority.

So it was that back
in 2010 that Datlow released an anthology called DARKNESS: TWO
DECADES OF MODERN HORROR. She combed through the bevy of shorter-form
fiction from the almost two decades’ worth of horror from 1984 and
on up through 2005, selecting a wide variety of stories that were
particular standouts to her. In her introduction to NIGHTMARES: A NEW
DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, Datlow states that her new anthology “could
be considered a sequel to Darkness.”

NIGHTMARES is more than just a memorable and collective anthology; it is an excellent showcase of some of the finest names in contemporary horror and weird fiction, as well as one of the knowledgeable influence of the genre’s leading editors.

For BOOK RIOT, Keith Rawson gives NIGHTMARES the Bookshots treatment

Not to repeat myself (or, more accurately, repeat Ellen Datlow), but over the last decade, horror has seen a major resurgence. You know, not that there weren’t some truly amazing writers working their asses off back in the day, but the sheer mass of creativity coming out of the genre has been impressive to say the least. And I imagine putting together an anthology representing the whole of this rush of diverse talent and ingenuity would be next to impossible to assemble. But, yet, Datlow manages to do so.

For horror fans, NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, is a must own anthology. Simply put, you need this on your shelf. But for non-horror fans who have been thinking about dipping their toes into the genre, this is a perfect place to start kicking the tires.

MK French at GIRL WHO READS reviews the book.

Ellen Datlow has curated countless collections of horror and fantasy; anything with her name attached pretty much guarantees that the stories I’m about to read are high quality and will linger in my mind long after I finish reading the book. This volume of twenty-four stories is not an exception to that rule. The authors of the individual tales are well known in horror and other genres and do involve topics that might leave you queasy. There’s the horror of the every day – kidnapping, incest, murder, torture – as well as the supernatural elements that include body horror and modification. Some of the stories have unreliable narrators, and most of the grotesqueries aren’t described in explicit detail. Still, if you have a very vivid imagination, you can’t help but picture it in your mind and feel the shivers.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

November 2, 2016

One of the greatest collections of horror stories ever, Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES will scare the crap out of you

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized amy lignor, Ann Monn, anthology, battered tattered yellowed & creased, best horror of the year, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, horror, mark samuels, nathan ballingrud, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, reiko murakami, review, richard kadrey, suspense magazine, the monstrous, ventureadlaxre

A trio of reviews for Ellen Datlow’s invaluable NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR.

Amy Lignor of the print only SUSPENSE MAGAZINE is terrified by the anthology.

Well…if
you want the pants scared right off you, this is one of the greatest
collections of horror stories ever printed. And that is not an
exaggeration. NIGHTMARES is the perfect title for this
assemblage of twenty-four tales that will have any reader running
around the house making sure that every light in every room is on.
Heck, you’ll probably even ask your neighbors to light up their
houses so that the backyard will not own any shadows.

A
handful of extremely talented writers have compiled their best
chilling stories, reminding readers that all sorts of evil walks
among us and will not disappear just because we want them to.

<snip>

This
review could go on and on, but this reviewer needs to find a
fun-filled, colorful, children’s book to read (with illustrations)
just so my heart rate can slow back down. Enjoy, horror fans. In this
frightening tome, there’s something for everybody.

BATTERED, TATTERED, YELLOWED, & CREASED enjoys the book.

Ellen Datlow has edited a huge number of horror and dark fantasy anthologies in the last thirty years, and one of the more important volumes was DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR. This book collected some of the best horror short fiction from 1984 to 2005, a veritable who’s-who of horror’s movers and shakers: from King, Barker, Simmons, Straub, Lansdale, Schow, Gaiman, Steve Rasnic Tem, George R.R. Martin, all the way to Joe Hill, Kelly Link, and Elizabeth Hand. Darkness isn’t the best of the genre, but it’s an excellent cross-section; it holds up as an invaluable, must-read anthology, and I consider it a foundational work for those who want to see the evolution of horror as a genre.

Now, ten years later, comes a book called NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, also edited by Datlow. If you can’t tell by the title, this is pretty much DARKNESS PART II, collecting 24 stories from 2005 to 2015. The table of contents ranges from established authors dipping their toes into horror, to new masters, to young up-and-comers already making their mark on the genre. The list includes Caitlín R. Kiernan, Laird Barron, Gene Wolfe, Richard Kadry, Brian Hodge, Gemma Files, Lisa Tuttle, Stephen Graham Jones, Garth Nix, and more. The bottom line, though, is that this volume contains some of the best short horror of the last ten years.

I think NIGHTMARES is a worthy successor to DARKNESS, an excellent collection in its own right. There’s a variety of stories here, and no matter what kind of horror terrifies or fascinates you, there’s probably a few stories here perfect for your taste. Datlow has a nigh-immaculate eye for stories, often passing up on obvious choices in favor of an author doing something new or unique, making the collection feel more personal and interesting. Die-hard horror aficionados may have seen these already—I read Brian Hodge’s chilling “Our Turn Too Will One Day Come” just last year when I reviewed Datlow’s THE MONSTROUS anthology, for example, and a vigorous reader of Datlow’s
BEST
HORROR OF THE YEAR series will have read most of this volume. But for the novice or neophyte, this is another invaluable collection. It’s not exactly the “best of the best” of the last ten years… but it may as well be. NIGHTMARES works as a great introduction to recent horror short stories, and includes some downright chilling stories. Pick it up and prepare to have the crap scared out of you.

Ellen Datlow (credit: THIS IS HORROR)

VENTUREADLAXRE gives the book 4 out of 5 stars.

This collection was picked up initially because it included some favourite authors, such as Kaaron Warrn, Margo Lanagan and Garth Nix, along with the knowledge of Datlow’s brilliance, and that I trust Tachyon as a publisher in general. 24 short stories, female editor, 15 contributors assumed to be male, seven female and two unknown, is certainly strange to see from Australia when our horror scene is so female-strong. I would have liked to see more female contributors, but I trust Datlow and Tachyon both, so onwards with the reading and reviewing.

Shallaballah by Mark Samuels

We open with a Frankenstein’s Monster-like tale, of a man with a face that’s a patchwork of skin. It sets the tone for the whole anthology, showing us the darker side of speculative fiction in this collection of modern horror stories.

Sogol works in the entertainment industry, and after a horrific car accident needs the knife skills of a possibly-insane cosmetic surgeon who is the only one who has the talent to get him back in front of the cameras in time. He’s assured that in mere days his scars will start to fade and his hair will regrow, but as time ticks on and he suffers one insult after another in this dim and dirty place (and he’s a celebrity, he’s used to better, this is an outrage!) one starts to ponder what he’s exactly found himself in…

<snip>

The Atlas of Hell by Nathan Ballingrud

Jack, a bookstore owner, gets a midnight visit from a muscley chap named Patrick, who’s shot a guy in the head but the guy kept standing there, until Patrick said ‘Lay down! You’re dead! I shot you!’ …and then the guy drops ‘like a fucking tree’. Jack doesn’t know what to make of this story and wrongly laughs, making Patrick only angrier.

It spills out from there, and we have an excellent ramble of a story that seems just dangerous enough to keep you turning the pages, interested, but not grossed out or too worried by what’s going on. Really enjoyed this one.

Ambitious Boys Like You by Richard Kadrey

It’s 2am, and a couple of cousins are up to no good. They pull up outside a derelict house – one Witt always used to avoid as a kid for thinking it was haunted. His cousin, Sonny, is from Houston and doesn’t believe in anything. They cover their faces and get out of the car and Witt starts thinking about what he hopes to find through this robbery – he wants cash, not gold, noting he’s not a pirate and wouldn’t know what to do with gold really anyway.

This is a good ending to the anthology, a slow burning and longer short than most, and a strange tale that’s a little like Home Alone with strange things happening that must be tricks or something… but even more sinister, and not as funny. The timing in this one is excellent, and well worth the placement.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

For more on THE MONSTROUS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Reiko Murakami

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

October 31, 2016

Ellen Datlow’s Tachyon anthologies: The complete previews

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized Ann Monn, anthology, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, excerpt, horror, john coulthart, josh beatman, lovecraft's monsters, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, preview, the cutting room, the cutting room: dark reflections of the silver screen

Much as we did over the past week for NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, Tachyon has produced previews from several Ellen Datlow’s anthology. The following is a complete and comprehensive list of all the previews.

DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR

“My Father’s Mask” by Joe Hill

“Calcutta, Lord of Nerves” by Poppy Z. Brite

“The Pear-Shaped Man” by George R. R. Martin

“Dancing Chickens” by Edward Bryant

“The Power and the Passion” by Pat Cadigan

“Stitch” by Terry Dowling

“A Little Night Music” by Lucius Shepard

LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS

All previews accompanied by a John Coulthart illustration

“That of Which We Speak When We Speak of the Unspeakable” by Nick Mamatas

“The Dappled Thing” by William Browning Spencer

“Bulldozer” by Laird Barron

“The Same Deep Waters as You” by Brian Hodge

“Love Is Forbidden, We Croak and Howl” by Caitlín R. Kiernan

“Children of the Fang” by John Langan

“The Bleeding Shadow” by Joe R. Lansdale

THE CUTTING ROOM: DARK REFLECTIONS OF THE SILVER SCREEN

“Cuts” by F. Paul Wilson

“The Hanged Man of Oz” by Steve Nagy

“The Cutter” by Edward Bryant

“Final Girl Theory” by A. C. Wise

“Lapland, or Film Noir” by Peter Straub

“The Thousand Cuts” by Ian Watson

NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR

“The Atlas of Hell” by Nathan Ballingrud

“Lonegan’s Luck” by Stephen Graham Jones

“Interstate Love Song (Murder Ballad No. 8)” by Caitlín R. Kiernan

“The Shallows” by John Langan

“Omphalos” by Livia Llewellyn

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO
DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

For more info on
LOVECRAFT’S
MONSTERS, visit the Tachyon page

Cover by John Coulthart

For info on
THE
CUTTING ROOM: DARK REFLECTIONS OF THE SILVER SCREEN, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Josh Beatman

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

October 11, 2016

NIGHTMARES is another excellent anthology by the skilled, widely acclaimed Ellen Datlow

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized Ann Monn, anthology, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, horror, interview, Mario Guslandi, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, nudge, podcast, review, three guys with beards, turtle's songs

A pair of fresh reviews for Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR. Plus an interview with the award-winning editor.

At NUDGE, Mario Guslandi praises the anthology.

In a way, this book represents the sequel to another of Ellen Datlow’s countless horror anthologies DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR which included stories published up to 2005. The present, new volume collects twenty-four tales which appeared in print between 2005 and 2015, chosen on the basis of the editor’s expert, refined taste for dark fiction.

Needless to say, should I ever edit a similar anthology, probably almost 80% of the selected material would be different, but so would your own choices, dear reader, so let’s stick to what we’ve got here. And what we have, ignoring personal taste, is yet another of Datlow’s remarkable collections of notable horror tales.

<snip>

My favourite story in the book, however, is the outstanding “The Clay Party” by Steve Duffy, a powerful tale of desperation and madness revolving around an unlucky caravan of pioneers facing overwhelming difficulties, death and final, unspeakable horrors.

All in all, another excellent anthology by a skilled, widely acclaimed editor.

TURTLE’S SONGS likes the book.

NIGHTMARES is a collection of 24 short stories but they’re not just any short stories. in this collection, editor ellen datlow has once again drawn together stories that not only complement each other but work together to make it clear to the reader that evil exists and sometimes it can’t be beaten.

<snip>

overall, this is a great collection. it’s a little uneven in some places but all the stories deliver.

four out of five stars

THREE GUYS WITH BEARDS interview Ellen Datlow.

This week on Three Guys with Beards Ellen Datlow, one of the most awarded anthologists and editors in the fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror joins us to talk about books, current events and the sheer scope of what it is she does for the field. We only had one hour to talk, but the conversation was so delightful we’ll be having her on again, soon as we can arrange it.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

September 7, 2016

Tachyon tidbits featuring Ellen Datlow, Joe R. Lansdale, and Bruce Sterling

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized Ann Monn, bruce sterling, cheryl eddy, daniel schwent, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, diselpunk, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, hap and leonard, hap and leonard ride again, horror, io9, Joe R. Lansdale, john coulthart, michelle garza, mirrorshades, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, pirate utopia, review, science fiction, shelf inflicted, swamp noir, texas noir, this is horror

The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web.

Ellen Datlow (credit: THIS IS HORROR), Joe R. Lansdale (Karen Lansdale), Bruce Sterling (THE VERGE)

For THIS IS HORROR, Michelle Garza praises Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR.

As indicated in
Ellen Datlow’s introduction, you could consider this a sequel to
DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, which included greats like
Clive Barker, Stephen King, Peter Straub, Neil Gaiman and George R.
R. Martin. NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR is a celebration
of the art of writing short stories. These tales are a gathering of
those that left a lasting impression on her. It did on us, and
certainly will on you.

An excellent collection over all, featuring some of the best voices in horror. It has something to suit a wide variety of tastes, blending stories about real life trauma and bloodshed, to stories that pass into the realms of cosmic terror, horror in the old west and even those with a grim fairytale-like feel. In these pages you will find a nightmare for every horror fan.

Daniel Schwent on SHELF INFLICTED reviews HAP AND LEONARD RIDE AGAIN.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The guys at Tachyon sent me this as well as HAP AND LEONARD. There’s a significant amount of overlap so some of this will be a clip job.

Introduction by Michael Kortya: I’m always interested in what one writer writes about another. Kortya echoes my feelings on Hap and Leonard and Joe Lansdale in general. He also refrains from spoiling the shit out of stories, which is growing increasingly rare in introductions.

Joe R. Lansdale, Hap and Leonard, and Me by Bill Crider: Bill Crider details his decades-long friendship with Joe Lansdale and gives an outsider’s point of view on Joe working on the series.

The Oak and the Pond: Hap tells the story of what happened to the Robin Hood Tree, a tree mentioned in several of the early Hap and Leonard books.

The Boy Who Became Invisible: Hap recounts a tale of his youth, the tale of the boy everyone picked on.

The Boy Who Became Invisible is a powerful tale because it’s all too believable and very relatable. I remembered the ending but it still hit pretty hard. This particular version of The Boy Who Became Invisible is in screenplay format.

An Interview with Joe R. Lansdale, His Own Self: Rick Klaw interviews Joe, asking his thoughts on such topics as racism, genres, Texas, violence, and other subjects.

The Care and Feeding and Raising Up of Hap and Leonard: Lansdale talks about the genesis of Hap and Leonard and writing the books, confirming that Hap is something of a stand-in for Lansdale himself.

At IO9, Cheryl Eddy includes Bruce Sterling’s forthcoming alt history, dieselpunk adventure PIRATE UTOPIA in All the New Scifi and Fantasy Books You Absolutely Must Read This Fall.

A gaggle of
ne’er-do-wells plot global chaos in this new satire from the editor
of the seminal MIRRORSHADES: THE CYBERPUNK ANTHOLOGY.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

For more info about HAP AND LEONARD RIDE AGAIN, visit the Tachyon page.

For more info on HAP AND LEONARD, visit the Tachyon page.

Covers by Elizabeth Story

For more info on PIRATE UTOPIA, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover and images by John Coulthart

August 30, 2016

The unreservedly recommended NIGHTMARES challenges preconceptions

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized a fantastical librarian, alvaro zinos-amaro, Ann Monn, anthology, collings notes, darkness, darkness: two decades of modern horror, elizabeth story, Ellen Datlow, horror, michael collings, nightmares, nightmares: a new decade of modern horror, nihil, paul stjohn mckintosh, review, see the elephant

A pair of new reviews and a favorable mention for Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR.

Ellen Datlow (credit: THIS IS HORROR)

For SEE THE ELEPHANT, Paul StJohn Mackintosh praises Datlow’s forthcoming anthology.

Ellen Datlow is a tremendously influential figure in horror circles, and this collection is one more significant milestone to be set among the score or so other titles and collections listed in its front matter. As Datlow writes in her introduction to the book, “NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR could be considered a sequel to DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, an anthology that covered the years 1985 to 2005.” PUBLISHERS WEEKLY called that “an anthology to be cherished and an invaluable reference for horror aficionados.” And as a follow-up, this doesn’t disappoint – given what we’ve seen in horror over the past decade, that’s no surprise. As Datlow also writes, with considerable understatement, “2005–2015 has been a great period for short horror fiction.” I’ve written elsewhere on why I think that is, but one contributing factor is surely Datlow herself.

Given how inclusive the collection is, confirmed horror aficionados may find many stories they’re already familiar with – accordingly, they should examine the contents list with care and make sure that it gives them value for money. But even they are likely to discover unfamiliar gems among the more well-worn stuff – Margo Lanagan’s “The Goosle,” for instance, came as a huge and welcome surprise to me. Novice horror fans, meanwhile, shouldn’t hesitate. This is a collection that delivers on its intention of showcasing the best in a decade of fantastically ambitious and creative dark and frightful fiction, as well as following up on a past classic. You couldn’t wish for better evidence for the contention that weird horror is the representative genre of our time. Unreservedly recommended.

Michael Collings on his COLLINGS NOTES reviews the book.

One approaches an anthology edited by Ellen Datlow with a number of assumptions. First, it will represent the wide reading and decades of experience that make Datlow a premier editor of all things dark. Second, it will tap into the most recent trends in dark fiction, demonstrating the shifting paradigms for narrative, characterization, themes, and language. And third, while all of the twenty-four tales (in this case) will have something to offer, among them there will be gems that trigger shivers and dread.

NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR fulfills these assumptions. Highlighting stories from 2005—the closing date for her previous DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR—through 2015, the anthology provides glimpses into a period of accelerated change in the genre and in how it is viewed and accepted by a wider and wider readership. It acknowledges the increasing awareness of diversity, as challenge and as goal, and the role it plays within the genre. It gives place on the stage to a variety of approaches and treatments…not all of which will please all readers but all of which will give pause for thought and consideration.

Each story in NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR does indeed represent a “nightmare,” although the definition of that word shifts within each. Some deal with worlds like ours, twisted in one detail to force characters to face impossiblities. Others take place in fantastic worlds, where the impossible is an everyday event and horror, therefore, must must reach beyond to terrify. Readers will find sufficient entertainment, frequent enough moments of frisson, ample enough opportunities to challenge preconceptions, to make the book worth reading.

In an interview at A FANTASTIC LIBRARIAN, Alvaro Zinos-Amaro recommends NIGHTMARES.

As a book
reviewer, I’m all about the book enabling; I can’t help but want
to make people read all the good books out there. But I can always
use help. What are your top recommendations of books we should look
out for in the coming months?

Long live book
enabling! Time Travel: A History by James Gleick. Fashion, Faith, and
Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe by Roger Penrose. The
second edition of Adam Roberts’ THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE FICTION
(Palgrave Histories of Literature series). BRIDGING INFINITY, edited
by Jonathan Strahan. Joyce Carol Oates’ SOUL AT THE WHITE HEAT:
INSPIRATION, OBSESSION, AND THE WRITING LIFE. By Ursula K. Le Guin:
THE COMPLETE ORSINIA (The Library of America), and WORDS ARE MY
MATTER, and THE FOUND AND THE LOST: THE COLLECTED NOVELLAS OF URSULA
K. LE GUIN. Ellen Datlow’s NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN
HORROR. SIX SCARY STORIES by Stephen King. OUT OF THE DARK by Steve
Rasnic Tem. Jad Smith’s study of ALFRED BESTER (Modern Masters of
Science Fiction) and, in the same series, Gerry Canavan’s OCTAVIA
E. BUTLER. SPACESHIPS: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE REAL and the
IMAGINED by Ron Miller. INVISIBLE PLANETS: CONTEMPORARY CHINESE
SCIENCE FICTION IN TRANSLATION edited by Ken Liu. I’m going to stop
here because I have to stop somewhere.

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about DARKNESS: TWO DECADES OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Ann Monn

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