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Mister October, Volume II - An Anthology in Memory of Rick Hautala
TOM REQUIEMClive Barker LITTLE RED'S TANGOPeter Straub HOLOGRAM SKULL COVERJeff Strand LUX ET VERITASThomas F. Monteleone DEVOTIONJ. F. Gonzalez INN CLEANINGStephen R. Bissette BREATHE MY NAMEChristopher Golden MAGDALA AMYGDALALucy A. Snyder THE BOHEMIAN OF THE ARBATSarah Pinborough JOHNSTOWNBrian Keene ROAD KILL (A Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. story)Kevin J. Anderson JUST BREATHETim Lebbon CATFISH GAL BLUESNancy A. Collins ILLIMITABLE DOMINIONKim Newman INDEPENDENCE DAYSarah Langan THE GHOST OF LILLIAN BLISSRio Youers HOTLINEJack Ketchum THE LIGHT OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDSJohn Skipp WAR STORIESJames A. Moore IT'S...Amber Benson THE DREAMCATCHERNate Kenyon KRISTALL TAGHolly Newstein GHOST TRAPRick Hautala
376 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2013
5 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Golden
771 books3,025 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at www.christophergolden.com
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 2, 2013
Ok. Here is the next book you will want to take out every October and read. A super collection and tribute to Rick Hautala. I can not recommend this along with volume 1 any higher. Each story is well written and I discovered some new writers as well as some personal favorites. This along with October Dreams and The Halloween Tree and Al Sarrantonio' s Orangefield books will become one to take out and read every fall. Highest of recommendations.
October 16, 2013
Rick Hautala was a prolific writer of horror novels and short stories who, sadly, died in March this year (2013). Realising Rick's family now faced financial difficulties (all explained in the preface), Christopher Golden enlisted the aid of an enormous roster of horror writers to contribute stories to this mammoth two-volume anthology, proceeds from which will all go to Rick's family.
I confess I am writing this review after having only dipped into the collection, but from the dozen or so stories I've read, I can confirm that the standard of stories here is very high. It includes a number of hard-to-find rarities, together with several stories previously unpublished in any form. Well-known names contributing include Neil Gaiman, Graham Joyce, Peter Crowther, F. Paul Wilson, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Nancy A. Collins, Kim Newman... and Rick Hautala himself.
This is a fine collection, in an admirable cause, which serves as a useful survey of the current horror scene. Highly recommended.
I confess I am writing this review after having only dipped into the collection, but from the dozen or so stories I've read, I can confirm that the standard of stories here is very high. It includes a number of hard-to-find rarities, together with several stories previously unpublished in any form. Well-known names contributing include Neil Gaiman, Graham Joyce, Peter Crowther, F. Paul Wilson, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Nancy A. Collins, Kim Newman... and Rick Hautala himself.
This is a fine collection, in an admirable cause, which serves as a useful survey of the current horror scene. Highly recommended.
December 9, 2013
This is a collection of short stories by various authors compiled in honor of the late Rick Hautala. There are tales of family, friendship, magic, horror, and more.
Volume 2 has fewer errors and typos than Volume 1. Furthermore, I personally found the stories a bit more developed and entertaining than Volume 1, but as I say below, it's a matter of preference.
As with any compilation, whether by the same author or various authors, there will be some stories with greater emotional effect than others. A couple of the stories were truly enchanting also. I am not going to list titles or authors as I feel each reader should make up their own mind.
Overall, an fascinating read.
Volume 2 has fewer errors and typos than Volume 1. Furthermore, I personally found the stories a bit more developed and entertaining than Volume 1, but as I say below, it's a matter of preference.
As with any compilation, whether by the same author or various authors, there will be some stories with greater emotional effect than others. A couple of the stories were truly enchanting also. I am not going to list titles or authors as I feel each reader should make up their own mind.
Overall, an fascinating read.
September 3, 2022
In March of this year, Rick passed away suddenly of a heart attack, leaving his wife and sons in a difficult situation. Already suffering from some financial struggles, he had allowed his life insurance to lapse, leaving his family with no help for funeral expenses or life to follow. When he heard the news, Christopher Golden reached out to dozen of authors and artists, asking them to contribute to a charitable anthology, with the proceeds going to Rick's family.
Much to his delight, nearly every one of them agreed to take place, hence the 2 volume Mister October collection, An Anthology in Memory of Rick Hautala.
Personally, I found Volume I a bit uneven, with a number of stories that just didn't work for me. By contrast, Volume II was just a solid collection from start to finish, making it hard to limit myself to just a few highlights, but they are:
TOM REQUIEM by Clive Barker. Okay, as it turns out, there is one better way to kick off an anthology than with Neil Gaiman tale. This one reminds me of the Barker I fell in love with all those years ago, through the slender volumes of the Books of Blood.
HOLOGRAM SKULL COVER by Jeff Strand. This is just a fun tale, and one that's built around those trashy, glorious old covers of Rick's work that I mentioned above.
DEVOTION by J. F. Gonzalez. I wasn't sure about this one at first - it just seemed to so ordinary - but it turned out to have a great twist at the end (which I won't spoil here).
BREATHE MY NAME by Christopher Golden. The best stories are those that speak to our deepest, most closely held fears . . . the ones that make us squirm and sweat as we imagine what the characters are suffering. This is one of those stories.
JOHNSTOWN by Brian Keene. This was a sad, melancholy sort of tale, and not at all what I expected from him - a great, understated sort of read.
JUST BREATHE by Tim Lebbon. This was one of my favorite stories of both volumes. It has an innocent, desperate sort of feel to it that reminds me of the opening chapters of Pet Semetary - before, of course, that went so very, very wrong for Gage's parents. I thought the ending was going somewhere much darker, but I liked the revelation here.
ILLIMITABLE DOMINION by Kim Newman. Wow. This one reads like a catalog of old horror movies and b-movies, with a dark sort of geek banter connecting it all, but when life starts imitating art . . . well, you can probably guess just how that's going to go.
HOTLINE by Jack Ketchum. When old partners reconnect over a suicide hotline, the pain of helplessness becomes that much harder to bear. A short story, but a powerful one/
IT’S… by Amber Benson. Another short one, but an interesting look inside the head of a deranged, psycho stalker.
GHOST TRAP by Rick Hautala. What better way to end a collection than with a story from the man himself. It all starts with a body . . . and ends with another on the way.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Much to his delight, nearly every one of them agreed to take place, hence the 2 volume Mister October collection, An Anthology in Memory of Rick Hautala.
Personally, I found Volume I a bit uneven, with a number of stories that just didn't work for me. By contrast, Volume II was just a solid collection from start to finish, making it hard to limit myself to just a few highlights, but they are:
TOM REQUIEM by Clive Barker. Okay, as it turns out, there is one better way to kick off an anthology than with Neil Gaiman tale. This one reminds me of the Barker I fell in love with all those years ago, through the slender volumes of the Books of Blood.
HOLOGRAM SKULL COVER by Jeff Strand. This is just a fun tale, and one that's built around those trashy, glorious old covers of Rick's work that I mentioned above.
DEVOTION by J. F. Gonzalez. I wasn't sure about this one at first - it just seemed to so ordinary - but it turned out to have a great twist at the end (which I won't spoil here).
BREATHE MY NAME by Christopher Golden. The best stories are those that speak to our deepest, most closely held fears . . . the ones that make us squirm and sweat as we imagine what the characters are suffering. This is one of those stories.
JOHNSTOWN by Brian Keene. This was a sad, melancholy sort of tale, and not at all what I expected from him - a great, understated sort of read.
JUST BREATHE by Tim Lebbon. This was one of my favorite stories of both volumes. It has an innocent, desperate sort of feel to it that reminds me of the opening chapters of Pet Semetary - before, of course, that went so very, very wrong for Gage's parents. I thought the ending was going somewhere much darker, but I liked the revelation here.
ILLIMITABLE DOMINION by Kim Newman. Wow. This one reads like a catalog of old horror movies and b-movies, with a dark sort of geek banter connecting it all, but when life starts imitating art . . . well, you can probably guess just how that's going to go.
HOTLINE by Jack Ketchum. When old partners reconnect over a suicide hotline, the pain of helplessness becomes that much harder to bear. A short story, but a powerful one/
IT’S… by Amber Benson. Another short one, but an interesting look inside the head of a deranged, psycho stalker.
GHOST TRAP by Rick Hautala. What better way to end a collection than with a story from the man himself. It all starts with a body . . . and ends with another on the way.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
August 18, 2015
Another 23 stories dedicated to Rick Hautala, a bit shorter, and less artwork.
“Tom Requiem” by Clive Barker
The title character is put on trial. Where the verdict leads him seems to lead to further stories. 3/5
“Little Red’s Tango” by Peter Straub
This is an epistolary type of story about a mysterious man known as Little Red. Although it may seem disjointed, and a bit dry to get into at first, this is a fitting story for Hautala about the special people who inspire us. 4/5
“Hologram Skull Cover” by Jeff Strand
A boy buys one of Hautala’s books with a cool hologram cover which hints at soon-to-be tragedy for his family—a fun and short read. 4/5
“Lux Et Veritas” by Thomas F. Monteleone
An artist takes up a job as a keeper of a lighthouse, only to discover its secret. I enjoyed the Gothic atmosphere of this one. 4/5
“Devotion” by J.F. Gonzalez
A ghost story about a family who stays together no matter what; I enjoyed the simplicity of the concept along with the twist. 4/5
“Inn Cleaning” by Stephen R. Bissette
A super short story about a preacher cleaning out inns of spirits—this felt incomplete and could be expanded on. 2/5
“Breathe My Name” by Christopher Golden
Miners get trapped in a mine filled with toxic air, and with no one to rescue them they put their hopes in a ghost story. It was rather predictable, but entertaining. 4/5
“Magdala Amygdala” by Lucy A. Snyder
When a virus strikes, an infected woman struggles to adapt to her new life. Although the content wasn’t to my liking, I enjoyed it and found it to be a page turner. 4/5
“The Bohemian of the Arbat” by Sarah Pinborough
A former exotic dancer vacations with her husband in Moscow, and meets an artist who wants to immortalize her as one of his dolls. This presented a new setting packed with historical details, and also looked at themes of feminism and beauty. The ending seems to have a vibe of a cautionary tale. 5/5
“Johnstown” by Brian Keene
A man recounts his life in a town periodically destroyed by floods when he had dreams and fell in love. And in the end, everything is washed away. I loved the cohesiveness of the setting and the theme of hopes and dreams not living up to what you’d want them to be. 5/5
“Road Kill (A Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. story) by Kevin J. Anderson
This was a funny, supernatural tale of a zombie P.I. set in a world populated by the living, the undead, vampires, and ghosts. For entertainment value it delivered despite my not being a zombie fan. 4/5
“Just Breathe” by Tim Lebbon
A girl tries to understand death in light of her mother’s cancer, and is desperate to fix dead things back to life. A child’s perspective on grief and loss always brings heartbreak. 5/5
“Catfish Gal Blues” by Nancy A. Collins
A local folklore tale of the Mississippi where a man going fishing and playing his guitar discovers the mermaid-like Catfish Gals. This was interesting though read more like a folk tale with its predictability. 3/5
“Illimitable Dominion” by Kim Newman
A movie director narrates when Hollywood milks out Poe’s work as source material. This was more of a nod to Poe and a jab at Hollywood’s rehashing. 3/5
“Independence Day” by Sarah Langan
In a dystopian world, medical care is socialistic and people are treated for their ‘worries.’ A girl must find her way to living a life or not feeling anything at all. This was an interesting concept, the writing was well done even though I’m not a fan of these sci-fi type stories. 4/5
“The Ghost of Lillian Bliss” by Rio Youers
An old school English ghost story about a woman near the end of her life reminiscing on her childhood friendship with a ghost. I enjoyed the gothic elements, and the themes of love and friendship. 4/5
“Hotline” by Jack Ketchum
A retired cop works on a crisis line, and all I have to say is from my experience as a crisis line phone worker, I’d never treat someone with this attitude no matter how jaded the work can make you. All in all, it was a short afterthought of a story. 2/5
“The Light of All Possible Worlds” by John Skipp
A man is overcome with anxiety of the future when his girlfriend leaves. The psychological aspect leading into a dreamy incoherency unleashed the fear he was feeling, before reality set in to focus on the present. 5/5
“War Stories” by James A. Moore
A grandfather shares his most horrific story during WWII with his grandson. This frame story was engaging and terrifying. 4/5
“It’s…” by Amber Benson
This short piece never reveals the narrator who has a procilivity for stalking on social media. I liked it, though wish it were longer. 4/5
“The Dreamcatcher” by Nate Kenyon
A boy left home alone fears a coat tree aka a dreamcatcher. This had some chilling moments, though felt a bit muddled. 3/5
“Kristall Tag” by Holly Newstein
A young girl struggles to survive in war-torn Berlin during WWII. The realism and historical detail of this story added to the emotion. 4/5
“Ghost Trap” by Rick Hautala
A diver stumbles upon a dead body of someone who was infected with a plague. This was a bit underwhelming, more standard horror. 3/5
Mister October was an enjoyable read, a stronger anthology than a typical annual one. Many stories dealt with grief and loss, and there were ample ghost stories fitting to Hautala’s taste—and my tastes as well. These volumes are definitely a staple to read again around Halloween. 3.7/5
“Tom Requiem” by Clive Barker
The title character is put on trial. Where the verdict leads him seems to lead to further stories. 3/5
“Little Red’s Tango” by Peter Straub
This is an epistolary type of story about a mysterious man known as Little Red. Although it may seem disjointed, and a bit dry to get into at first, this is a fitting story for Hautala about the special people who inspire us. 4/5
“Hologram Skull Cover” by Jeff Strand
A boy buys one of Hautala’s books with a cool hologram cover which hints at soon-to-be tragedy for his family—a fun and short read. 4/5
“Lux Et Veritas” by Thomas F. Monteleone
An artist takes up a job as a keeper of a lighthouse, only to discover its secret. I enjoyed the Gothic atmosphere of this one. 4/5
“Devotion” by J.F. Gonzalez
A ghost story about a family who stays together no matter what; I enjoyed the simplicity of the concept along with the twist. 4/5
“Inn Cleaning” by Stephen R. Bissette
A super short story about a preacher cleaning out inns of spirits—this felt incomplete and could be expanded on. 2/5
“Breathe My Name” by Christopher Golden
Miners get trapped in a mine filled with toxic air, and with no one to rescue them they put their hopes in a ghost story. It was rather predictable, but entertaining. 4/5
“Magdala Amygdala” by Lucy A. Snyder
When a virus strikes, an infected woman struggles to adapt to her new life. Although the content wasn’t to my liking, I enjoyed it and found it to be a page turner. 4/5
“The Bohemian of the Arbat” by Sarah Pinborough
A former exotic dancer vacations with her husband in Moscow, and meets an artist who wants to immortalize her as one of his dolls. This presented a new setting packed with historical details, and also looked at themes of feminism and beauty. The ending seems to have a vibe of a cautionary tale. 5/5
“Johnstown” by Brian Keene
A man recounts his life in a town periodically destroyed by floods when he had dreams and fell in love. And in the end, everything is washed away. I loved the cohesiveness of the setting and the theme of hopes and dreams not living up to what you’d want them to be. 5/5
“Road Kill (A Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. story) by Kevin J. Anderson
This was a funny, supernatural tale of a zombie P.I. set in a world populated by the living, the undead, vampires, and ghosts. For entertainment value it delivered despite my not being a zombie fan. 4/5
“Just Breathe” by Tim Lebbon
A girl tries to understand death in light of her mother’s cancer, and is desperate to fix dead things back to life. A child’s perspective on grief and loss always brings heartbreak. 5/5
“Catfish Gal Blues” by Nancy A. Collins
A local folklore tale of the Mississippi where a man going fishing and playing his guitar discovers the mermaid-like Catfish Gals. This was interesting though read more like a folk tale with its predictability. 3/5
“Illimitable Dominion” by Kim Newman
A movie director narrates when Hollywood milks out Poe’s work as source material. This was more of a nod to Poe and a jab at Hollywood’s rehashing. 3/5
“Independence Day” by Sarah Langan
In a dystopian world, medical care is socialistic and people are treated for their ‘worries.’ A girl must find her way to living a life or not feeling anything at all. This was an interesting concept, the writing was well done even though I’m not a fan of these sci-fi type stories. 4/5
“The Ghost of Lillian Bliss” by Rio Youers
An old school English ghost story about a woman near the end of her life reminiscing on her childhood friendship with a ghost. I enjoyed the gothic elements, and the themes of love and friendship. 4/5
“Hotline” by Jack Ketchum
A retired cop works on a crisis line, and all I have to say is from my experience as a crisis line phone worker, I’d never treat someone with this attitude no matter how jaded the work can make you. All in all, it was a short afterthought of a story. 2/5
“The Light of All Possible Worlds” by John Skipp
A man is overcome with anxiety of the future when his girlfriend leaves. The psychological aspect leading into a dreamy incoherency unleashed the fear he was feeling, before reality set in to focus on the present. 5/5
“War Stories” by James A. Moore
A grandfather shares his most horrific story during WWII with his grandson. This frame story was engaging and terrifying. 4/5
“It’s…” by Amber Benson
This short piece never reveals the narrator who has a procilivity for stalking on social media. I liked it, though wish it were longer. 4/5
“The Dreamcatcher” by Nate Kenyon
A boy left home alone fears a coat tree aka a dreamcatcher. This had some chilling moments, though felt a bit muddled. 3/5
“Kristall Tag” by Holly Newstein
A young girl struggles to survive in war-torn Berlin during WWII. The realism and historical detail of this story added to the emotion. 4/5
“Ghost Trap” by Rick Hautala
A diver stumbles upon a dead body of someone who was infected with a plague. This was a bit underwhelming, more standard horror. 3/5
Mister October was an enjoyable read, a stronger anthology than a typical annual one. Many stories dealt with grief and loss, and there were ample ghost stories fitting to Hautala’s taste—and my tastes as well. These volumes are definitely a staple to read again around Halloween. 3.7/5
April 5, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in return for a review, via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
A craze for floppy shirts, ink-stained fingers, and pale faces seizes the surfer kids, and everyone on the strip has a pet raven or a trained ape. Beauty contests for cataleptics are all the rage, and "Miss Universe" is crowned with a wreath in her coffin as she is solemnly bricked up by the judges. The Green Berets adopt a "conqueror worm" cap badge. Housing developments rise up tottering on shaky ground near stagnant ponds, with pre-stressed materials to provide Usher cracks and incendiaries built into the light-fittings for more spectacular conflagrations. The most popular names for girls in 1966-7 are "Lenore," "Annabel," "Ligeia," and "Madeline."
In a kingdom by the sea, we are haunted. In the El Dorado of Los Angeles, white fog lies thick on the boulevards. The mournful "nevermores" of ravens perched on statues is answered by the strangled mewling of black cats immured in basements. And the seagulls chime in with "tekeli-li, tekeli-li" as if that was any help.
To start with, I wasn't enjoying the stories in this collection has much as those in Volume I, but after the half-way point the stories became much more to my taste. The first of the passages I highlighted in my Kindle was on page 175 and my favourite stories were all after page 200. It's not the first time recently that I've preferred the stories toward the end of a book, but I'm not sure if it's a coincidence that the sort of stories I like tend to be clustered together, or whether the editor made a conscious decision to put the best stories at the end so as to leave the reader feeling satisfied.
My favourite story was "Illimitable Dominion", in which the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe is accidentally raised in 1960s Hollywood by Roger Corman and other B-movie directors. The other stories making up my top 3 were "The Light of All Possible Worlds" , and "War Stories" . My least favourite story was probably "Little Red's Tango". I think the reason I didn't like it is that it taps into a very male kind of obsession that just doesn't click with me.
A craze for floppy shirts, ink-stained fingers, and pale faces seizes the surfer kids, and everyone on the strip has a pet raven or a trained ape. Beauty contests for cataleptics are all the rage, and "Miss Universe" is crowned with a wreath in her coffin as she is solemnly bricked up by the judges. The Green Berets adopt a "conqueror worm" cap badge. Housing developments rise up tottering on shaky ground near stagnant ponds, with pre-stressed materials to provide Usher cracks and incendiaries built into the light-fittings for more spectacular conflagrations. The most popular names for girls in 1966-7 are "Lenore," "Annabel," "Ligeia," and "Madeline."
In a kingdom by the sea, we are haunted. In the El Dorado of Los Angeles, white fog lies thick on the boulevards. The mournful "nevermores" of ravens perched on statues is answered by the strangled mewling of black cats immured in basements. And the seagulls chime in with "tekeli-li, tekeli-li" as if that was any help.
To start with, I wasn't enjoying the stories in this collection has much as those in Volume I, but after the half-way point the stories became much more to my taste. The first of the passages I highlighted in my Kindle was on page 175 and my favourite stories were all after page 200. It's not the first time recently that I've preferred the stories toward the end of a book, but I'm not sure if it's a coincidence that the sort of stories I like tend to be clustered together, or whether the editor made a conscious decision to put the best stories at the end so as to leave the reader feeling satisfied.
My favourite story was "Illimitable Dominion", in which the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe is accidentally raised in 1960s Hollywood by Roger Corman and other B-movie directors. The other stories making up my top 3 were "The Light of All Possible Worlds" , and "War Stories" . My least favourite story was probably "Little Red's Tango". I think the reason I didn't like it is that it taps into a very male kind of obsession that just doesn't click with me.
February 12, 2014
LibraryThing gave me free e-copies of Mister October Volumes I and II: An Anthology in Memory of Rick Hautala as part of their Early Reviewer program. I had never heard of Rick Hautala (even though he’s published dozens of novels and short stories), but I had heard of several of the authors included in this anthology. So I was looking forward to checking out this collection.
As some of you may know, there’s a sad reason for the books’ creation. Rick Hautala died of a heart attack in March 2013, leaving his wife and children in a bad way financially; money struggles had forced him to let his life insurance slip. So editor Christopher Golden chose to create this anthology as a way to raise money for the family. Chris Paine at Journalstone agreed to publish the books without taking a profit.
The result is a decent collection of horror stories. I found the second volume to be stronger the first, enjoying more of the stories therein. I really liked Jack Ketchum‘s evilly funny “Hotline,” Peter Straub‘s “Little Red’s Tango” (I once aspired to have an apartment full of records like that, just not the demon), and Nancy Collins‘ “Catfish Gal Blues,” along with Jeff Strand‘s “Hologram Skull Cover” and Nate Kenyon‘s “The Dreamcatcher.” They were the strongest in terms of both the horror itself and the writing. Volume I’s shining moments included Yvonne Navarro‘s “Craving,” Joe Lansdale‘s “Tight Little Stitches,” and Jonathan Maberry‘s “Property Condemned: A Story of Pine Deep.” The latter, a seriously creepy haunted house tale, has me wanting to read Maberry’s Pine Deep Trilogy now.
In fact, this anthology introduced me to a lot of authors I want to read more of: for example, Sarah Langan, John Skipp, the editor Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, José Nieto, and Duane Swierczynski. Their stories made up for the weaker ones, and there are sadly many of those in this collection. Stories that are weak in the telling, dull, or repulsive in a not-good horror way.
Your mileage may vary, of course. Mister October is definitely worth a read and buying it helps folks who need it. Seems like a good thing all around, even thought the reason for it is a sad one. 3.2/5
As some of you may know, there’s a sad reason for the books’ creation. Rick Hautala died of a heart attack in March 2013, leaving his wife and children in a bad way financially; money struggles had forced him to let his life insurance slip. So editor Christopher Golden chose to create this anthology as a way to raise money for the family. Chris Paine at Journalstone agreed to publish the books without taking a profit.
The result is a decent collection of horror stories. I found the second volume to be stronger the first, enjoying more of the stories therein. I really liked Jack Ketchum‘s evilly funny “Hotline,” Peter Straub‘s “Little Red’s Tango” (I once aspired to have an apartment full of records like that, just not the demon), and Nancy Collins‘ “Catfish Gal Blues,” along with Jeff Strand‘s “Hologram Skull Cover” and Nate Kenyon‘s “The Dreamcatcher.” They were the strongest in terms of both the horror itself and the writing. Volume I’s shining moments included Yvonne Navarro‘s “Craving,” Joe Lansdale‘s “Tight Little Stitches,” and Jonathan Maberry‘s “Property Condemned: A Story of Pine Deep.” The latter, a seriously creepy haunted house tale, has me wanting to read Maberry’s Pine Deep Trilogy now.
In fact, this anthology introduced me to a lot of authors I want to read more of: for example, Sarah Langan, John Skipp, the editor Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, José Nieto, and Duane Swierczynski. Their stories made up for the weaker ones, and there are sadly many of those in this collection. Stories that are weak in the telling, dull, or repulsive in a not-good horror way.
Your mileage may vary, of course. Mister October is definitely worth a read and buying it helps folks who need it. Seems like a good thing all around, even thought the reason for it is a sad one. 3.2/5
Currently reading
September 26, 2024"Kristall Tag" by Holly Newstein - Esme is a German orphan attempting to survive in Berlin in 1945. She shatters a crystal ball on the head of a Russian soldier attempting to rape her and flees west. An American adopts her to live back in Texas. When the Berlin wall falls she returns to the building in Germany where she was attacked. She lies the two pieces of the shattered ball on the lowest step and sees visions of the horrors of war. She thinks about how the ball only showed her the past and not the future but is grateful it saved her life so takes one piece with her and leaves the other behind.
"Road Kill (A Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. Story)" by Kevin J. Anderson - Dan becomes involved in a plot to protect a vampire in a witness protection program so that he can testify against criminals running an illegal blood racket.
"Just Breathe" by Tim Lebbon - After Nia's mother dies she is motivated to become a sculptor and has recurring dreams of fixing her mother by reaching into her corpse and pulling out the cancerous growths.
"The Dreamcatcher" by Nate Kenyon - After his father abandons him Jeremy's dreamcatcher fills up with bad thoughts until it escapes and Jeremy is transformed into its replacement.
"War Stories" by James A. Moore - wc
"Magdala Amygdala" by Lucy A. Snyder - wc
"Road Kill (A Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. Story)" by Kevin J. Anderson - Dan becomes involved in a plot to protect a vampire in a witness protection program so that he can testify against criminals running an illegal blood racket.
"Just Breathe" by Tim Lebbon - After Nia's mother dies she is motivated to become a sculptor and has recurring dreams of fixing her mother by reaching into her corpse and pulling out the cancerous growths.
"The Dreamcatcher" by Nate Kenyon - After his father abandons him Jeremy's dreamcatcher fills up with bad thoughts until it escapes and Jeremy is transformed into its replacement.
"War Stories" by James A. Moore - wc
"Magdala Amygdala" by Lucy A. Snyder - wc
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2014
This book was sent to me by LibraryThings Early Reviewer Program.
I didn't read anything from Rick Hautala but after reading this anthology I want to read his books. He was a loved and influential horror writer. It is aparent from the wide scope of authors in this anthology.
In second volume there is a story by Rick Hautala as well. It's an interesting read and a suitable closure to a better anthology. Clive Barkers story TOM REQUIEM is Barker at his best. Christopher Golden has an interesting story that is very well written. Also Tim Lebonn's story JUST BREATH is another gem in this book.
I didn't read anything from Rick Hautala but after reading this anthology I want to read his books. He was a loved and influential horror writer. It is aparent from the wide scope of authors in this anthology.
In second volume there is a story by Rick Hautala as well. It's an interesting read and a suitable closure to a better anthology. Clive Barkers story TOM REQUIEM is Barker at his best. Christopher Golden has an interesting story that is very well written. Also Tim Lebonn's story JUST BREATH is another gem in this book.
February 17, 2015
I received Volumes I and II from Library Thing and I am so glad that I did. This was a great collection of horror stories from some great well known authors put together to honor Rick Hautala. Some of the authors in the collection I had read before and others I had not, so for that I am grateful for the introduction to some new authors. Some of the stories were great and others not so much, but I feel that readers will definitely find a story or two to like in these collections. I highly recommend both volumes to readers who like the horror genre.
October 18, 2014
While I wasn't very familiar with Rick Hautala's work, this tribute anthology in memory of him was a very enjoyable read. Great short stories from some of the best horror authors working today. Highly recommended!
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