A Fancy Dinner Party: Feast of Horrors

by Hilary Comfort (Editor), Gabrielle Alan, Wayne Basta

Twelve disturbing tales where humans become food await in this boundary-pushing horror anthology. With a foreword by Jonathan Maberry, ten authors serve up stories ranging from mystical self-cannibalism to alien consumption, from dystopian dinner parties to demonic demands. When shape-shifters lurk in steam tunnels, cars evolve to hunt humans, and civilization masks its barbarism with etiquette, no one is safe from ending up on the menu. For fans of extreme horror who can stomach graphic content with literary sophistication.

188 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 2012

Reviews

[Sarah Iozzio · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 (stories rated individually and averaged)

A solid collection of cannibalism-themed horror shorts. While the anthology has some weak spots, it more than makes up for them with some really great stories. I don't read much horror, and therefore not much on this specific theme, but after reading this, I'll be looking out for more in this genre.

Highlights include:

*Hybrid by Austin Malone- although this story isn't about cannibalism in the strictest sense, it was the best written of all the stories. It was perfect as a self contained short story, with the setting and plot well fleshed out. The characters were developed enough to care what happened to them, while leaving a longing to know more.

*Heirloom by B.H. Werner- this unexpected story had me forgetting the theme of the anthology until near to the end, when its conclusion leapt out to grab me.

*Peace Meal by Wayne Basta- a quick read that left me wanting to know more about the characters and setting, I still was able to feel a great deal for the main character's plight, my heart sinking as I realized what was coming.

[J. S. Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this little number up from the Comicpalooza 2012 Convention in Houston a few weeks back. Each convention I attend, one of the highlights is perusing books from independent authors and publishers. As soon as I saw the title "A Fancy Dinner Party" with an alien-looking butler holding a platter of brains, well, how could I not partake?

Cannibalism. Something we as humans rarely if ever think about. It's certainly not an en-vogue horror genre, with all the zombies, sparkling vampires and erotic ghouls floating around for your time and money. Cannibalism, yes, a breath of fresh air.

Each of the collection's authors have taken an unseemly act and woven a number of completely different and enjoyable set of tales. You would never know from the crisp writing and original ideas, that for some of the authors, this is their first published work. I liked some more than others, but enjoyed them all.

A Fancy Dinner Party is a quick and fun read that will leave you wishing the book was longer.

[Ben Erickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must confess, horror is not generally my preferred genre of reading. That being said, this was an interesting collection of short stories about the act of human beings being eaten, and even cannibalism. There were a few misses, but for every one of those, there was one that was interesting. While they didn't all work on the level that the individual authors were going for, there were some that definitely put me to thinking.

The standout story for me was probably the one that the anthology draws it's name from. It's an interesting look at how one society reacts and adjusts to a very desperate decision made by their government when food becomes too scarce for everyone and how people react on an individual level, and it provided a wonderful twist at the ending.

Give this one a shot if you're looking for something to unsettle you and perhaps even make you a little bit peckish...

[Dodo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The contributors to A Fancy Dinner Party are all talented and prolific authors. Their mastery of the English language was a real treat to read, as most of my experiences with horror compendiums from independent authors have been pretty frightening (and I don't mean because the stories were scary...). My only issue with this particular collection of ditties was the subject matter: cannibalism. I consider myself to be a pretty solid horror movie/novel fan, however, the eating of human flesh is just something that I personally have trouble digesting (pun intended). If you have a strong stomach for that particular delicacy, this book is for you. To reiterate, the writing is amazing...the subject matter is just a bit too much.

[Brandon Heyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like a well rounded portfolio, this collection has a variety of very strong, and so-so works, but is organized in such a fashion that you pay little notice and remain entertained throughout. It is interesting to see how each author takes on the subject matter and how each puts their own spin on the horror/suspense genre. While I can't say I was every completely frightened by any one story, I was made very uncomfortable by several and others had me on the edge of my seat. I look forward to more from Gabrielle Alan ("The Finger of Death"), and B.H. Werner's "Heirloom as well as "A Fancy Dinner Party" by Leo King were among my favorites.

[Andrea Renfrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, creepy, bizarre fiction. Check it out! (My favorite was the story at the end by George Wright Padgett.) http://anakalianwhims.wordpress.com/2...