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Cut Corners Volume 1
Peel your eyes open, get comfortable, and let three of the horror genre’s hardest hitters take you for a ride. Prepare yourselves, my friends, for you are placing your sanity in the hands of these masters of the macabre.
Three brand new stories from Ramsey Campbell, Bentley Little, and Ray Garton guaranteed to slice open a smile.
Three brand new stories from Ramsey Campbell, Bentley Little, and Ray Garton guaranteed to slice open a smile.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
8 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Ramsey Campbell
860 books1,598 followersRamsey Campbell is a British writer considered by a number of critics to be one of the great masters of horror fiction. T. E. D. Klein has written that "Campbell reigns supreme in the field today," while S. T. Joshi has said that "future generations will regard him as the leading horror writer of our generation, every bit the equal of Lovecraft or Blackwood."
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 24, 2020
If you're in for a quick lunch break thrill this might be your anthology! In the first story "The Address" by Ramsey Campbell a man is looking for the station. He finds something else. Something horrible. Then in "Conversation between two women overheard at my dentist's office" by Bentley Little we see the drastic reactions of two women on sexual harassment (this was quite rough). The third story "Autophagy" by Ray Garton was quite depressing, dystopic and weird. It's about some strange entities leaving the body of the protagonist and his girlfriend... Interesting tales told by masters offering an extreme sinister atmosphere. Recommended!
July 25, 2019
For Cut Corners Vol. 1, we have three heavy-hitters and they are:
1. Ramsey Campbell, the “heir apparent to M. R. James” and a master of quiet cosmic horror.
2. Bentley Little, “the horror poet laureate” and
3. Ray Garton, legendary Splatterpunk and Extreme Horror writer and Grandmaster.
THE ADDRESS BY RAMSEY CAMPBELL
Fraith is having a bad day as he seems to be unable to find the railway station. He meets and asks help from a woman and her two children. The children mention seeing a “big place” (an abandoned school) and the mother points him to a particular path. Fraith is troubled for he seems to be the only one looking for this particular station. After following the supposedly correct path, Fraith gets lost, but that is the least of his problems as he encounters weirder people as well as hearing a strange and untraceable voice. And could that building on the horizon be a school filled with children?
Campbell is one of the most reader-unfriendly but critically-acclaimed authors ever (there are more of them) but this one is actually… creepy and engaging. The psychological state of the character is hidden from the reader but Campbell teases just enough to make us conclude that he might be off his rocker. Typical Campbell? Yes, but he adds a creepy Aickman vibe with the various strangers popping out as well as elements of one of my favorite Spanish horror movies (Spoiler: It was directed by Narciso Serrador). It loses its steam by the last pages but THANK GOD IT’S SHORT.
CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO WOMEN AT MY DENTIST’S OFFICE BY BENTLEY LITTLE
This one is too short for a summary and is Little’s “flash fiction” contribution to this anthology. As with Little, the mundane is often mixed with the surreal and the extreme so chances are you’ll either hate this or love this.
AUTOPHAGY BY RAY GARTON
In an unknown future, the socially-accepted practice of premarital sex is now illegal and abortion is now a capital offense. As a consequence, couples who have done the deed are forced to marry each other in order to comply with the law. The unnamed narrator in the story is a guy stuck in a loveless marriage and he soon takes a mistress for himself. But there is something wrong with both of them, as evidenced by the strange things coming out of their bodies…
Ray Garton tries hard to meld dystopia (a new for him I guess) with his usual body-horror and sexual themes but the end result is somewhat flat. The main character needs some more breathing space to be fully realized and the presented evil in the story is nonsensical and ambiguous. Yes, I know that that is the kind of horror I like but merging that with heavy-handed social commentary is just not for me. (It’s about, again, the evils of laughably conservative policy which is tiring!!!!) Nice effort anyway.
Overall, it’s not too bad and the guy whom I expected to disappoint me the most turned out to be the guy whose story I loved.
1. Ramsey Campbell, the “heir apparent to M. R. James” and a master of quiet cosmic horror.
2. Bentley Little, “the horror poet laureate” and
3. Ray Garton, legendary Splatterpunk and Extreme Horror writer and Grandmaster.
THE ADDRESS BY RAMSEY CAMPBELL
Fraith is having a bad day as he seems to be unable to find the railway station. He meets and asks help from a woman and her two children. The children mention seeing a “big place” (an abandoned school) and the mother points him to a particular path. Fraith is troubled for he seems to be the only one looking for this particular station. After following the supposedly correct path, Fraith gets lost, but that is the least of his problems as he encounters weirder people as well as hearing a strange and untraceable voice. And could that building on the horizon be a school filled with children?
Campbell is one of the most reader-unfriendly but critically-acclaimed authors ever (there are more of them) but this one is actually… creepy and engaging. The psychological state of the character is hidden from the reader but Campbell teases just enough to make us conclude that he might be off his rocker. Typical Campbell? Yes, but he adds a creepy Aickman vibe with the various strangers popping out as well as elements of one of my favorite Spanish horror movies (Spoiler: It was directed by Narciso Serrador). It loses its steam by the last pages but THANK GOD IT’S SHORT.
CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO WOMEN AT MY DENTIST’S OFFICE BY BENTLEY LITTLE
This one is too short for a summary and is Little’s “flash fiction” contribution to this anthology. As with Little, the mundane is often mixed with the surreal and the extreme so chances are you’ll either hate this or love this.
AUTOPHAGY BY RAY GARTON
In an unknown future, the socially-accepted practice of premarital sex is now illegal and abortion is now a capital offense. As a consequence, couples who have done the deed are forced to marry each other in order to comply with the law. The unnamed narrator in the story is a guy stuck in a loveless marriage and he soon takes a mistress for himself. But there is something wrong with both of them, as evidenced by the strange things coming out of their bodies…
Ray Garton tries hard to meld dystopia (a new for him I guess) with his usual body-horror and sexual themes but the end result is somewhat flat. The main character needs some more breathing space to be fully realized and the presented evil in the story is nonsensical and ambiguous. Yes, I know that that is the kind of horror I like but merging that with heavy-handed social commentary is just not for me. (It’s about, again, the evils of laughably conservative policy which is tiring!!!!) Nice effort anyway.
Overall, it’s not too bad and the guy whom I expected to disappoint me the most turned out to be the guy whose story I loved.
October 10, 2016
This had 3 very short stories from 3 different authors. The first one was by Ramsey Campbell and to be honest, I didn't really get it. The second one was by Bentley Little and was better. It was a creepy conversation between 2 women. The third one was my favorite. It was by Ray Garton. It was scary and disturbing and I really liked the ending. The whole book could be read in an hour and was definitely entertaining.
January 20, 2016
"Cut Corners Volume 1" is the first in a series of chapbooks from Sinister Grin press. The book contains 3 stories.
Contents:
07 - "The Address" by Ransey Campbell
18 - "Conversation Between Two Women Overheard at my Dentists Office" by Bentley Little
22 - "Autophagy" by Ray Garton
The Ramsey Campbell story is a character study of a man wondering aimlessly lost. This all in all is a poor story. I don't know why it's included in this collection. In my humble opinion it shouldn't be in any collection as it bring down the level of esteem of Campbell overall, tells no real story, and goes nowhere.
The Little story is a kind of shaggy dog story and is actually pretty good.
The best story in the collection is The Ray Garton story. Well written and with an enticing premise. The story is well executed and hopefully a return to Mr. Garton's edgier side.
Contents:
07 - "The Address" by Ransey Campbell
18 - "Conversation Between Two Women Overheard at my Dentists Office" by Bentley Little
22 - "Autophagy" by Ray Garton
The Ramsey Campbell story is a character study of a man wondering aimlessly lost. This all in all is a poor story. I don't know why it's included in this collection. In my humble opinion it shouldn't be in any collection as it bring down the level of esteem of Campbell overall, tells no real story, and goes nowhere.
The Little story is a kind of shaggy dog story and is actually pretty good.
The best story in the collection is The Ray Garton story. Well written and with an enticing premise. The story is well executed and hopefully a return to Mr. Garton's edgier side.
March 13, 2012
A little chapbook I read between novels. "Cut Corners Volume 1", from newcomers Sinister Grins Press, is a trio of shorts from 3 heavy hitters in the horror genre. First up was Britain's Ramsey Campbell, he's extremely successful and has won numerous awards for his writting, but his story, "The Address" left me more lost than the character in his entry. Fraith gets away from his family and this elderly man spends a good deal of time in a wooded area looking for the train station. He seems lost, almost like he has Alzheimer's, althought that's never stated. The ending left me even more confused, like maybe I was suffering from the disease.
The second tale faired a bit better, from the legendary, Bentley Little, "Conversation Between Two Women Overheard At My Dentist's Office." I am not fond of Dentists, but after hearing this conversation, I'd rather be in the Dentist's chair than be left alone with either of these women.
The third and final tale comes from the dark and dangerous mind of Ray Garton. "Autophagy" is set in the near future, an all to possible future. As if the world isn't a horrible enough place to live, it's an even worse place to die when things are eating you up, inside.
Nothing outstanding here. Just an evening's diversion. Some of the projects Sinister Grins Press is working on look promising. Let's hope they don't cut any corners.
The second tale faired a bit better, from the legendary, Bentley Little, "Conversation Between Two Women Overheard At My Dentist's Office." I am not fond of Dentists, but after hearing this conversation, I'd rather be in the Dentist's chair than be left alone with either of these women.
The third and final tale comes from the dark and dangerous mind of Ray Garton. "Autophagy" is set in the near future, an all to possible future. As if the world isn't a horrible enough place to live, it's an even worse place to die when things are eating you up, inside.
Nothing outstanding here. Just an evening's diversion. Some of the projects Sinister Grins Press is working on look promising. Let's hope they don't cut any corners.
April 6, 2020
Three short horror stories of varying entertainment levels. Ramsey Campbell's "The Address" is about an old man who gets lost in the woods while trying to find a train station. Hard of follow. Bentley Little shows why he's one of the best comedy horror out there with the very short "Conversation Between Two Women Overheard at My Dentist's Office." The women discuss their completely opposite reactions to two men, one of whom answers the door naked and the other who says, "Hi" and smiles. In "Autophagy," Ray Garton introduces a dark future in which premarital sex and abortion are illegal. His first person narrator, stuck in a rocky marriage, is experiencing something strange coming from his bowel movements. This story, which ostensibly has to do with the body attacking itself, comments on the broader issue of a society whose members become so self-consumed that they miss the bigger picture.
November 25, 2019
Ramsey Campbell, Bentley Little and Ray Garton. Those names would rank pretty high on any best-of list of horror writers. The folks from Sinister Grin Press, a new horror imprint based in Austin, Texas, had them at the top of their list when they decided to put together their first tome. The result is Cut Corners, Volume 1, a book that brings together an original story from each author and puts Sinister Grin Press on the horror map with a considerable bang.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
June 6, 2017
I had this title for a while and recently ordered the other two volumes. I will say this edition was a waste except for the Ray Garton story "Autophagy". This is a particularly nasty little story that was the only saving grace in this thin volume.
September 21, 2017
I didn't like the first story, second was pretty good, third wasn't bad
March 21, 2012
The first ever book release from Sinister Grin Press is a mini-collection of three short stories by three VERY well-known authors: Ramsey Campbell, Bentley Little, and Ray Garton. Ramsey Campbell starts off this collection with a story titled “The Address”, which tells of the events an elderly man goes through as he tries to find his way home. Second up is Bentley Little, with a darkly humorous tale called “Conversation Between Two Women Overheard At My Dentist’s Office”, which gets increasingly more terrifying as the conversation between the two females plays out. Ray Garton ends the collection with his story “Autophagy”, which is still giving me the creepy crawly feeling as the characters in this tale describe how they have strange “things” coming out of their bodies. All three stories were terrifying in a different way and most enjoyable. For readers not familiar with these three authors, this is a great introduction to each of them. Seasoned fans of these authors won’t be disappointed in their latest release. For a new press, this is an impressive first lineup and will leave readers curious as to what will be coming out next from this small press. Highly recommended for all library collections.
Includes: Adult Language
Includes: Adult Language
October 19, 2015
Quick ... Horrific Read
These stories, from three amazing writers, were advertised as pure enjoyment ... cracking open readers' faces with entertainment. Cut Corners delivered just that! Thanks Guys!
These stories, from three amazing writers, were advertised as pure enjoyment ... cracking open readers' faces with entertainment. Cut Corners delivered just that! Thanks Guys!
February 20, 2012
A bloody little chapbook full of thrills and chills.
Ray Garton knocked it out of the park with his story Autophagy. It's a creepy little tale that will make you cringe.
Ray Garton knocked it out of the park with his story Autophagy. It's a creepy little tale that will make you cringe.
August 31, 2015
No home runs here. I don't usually get much out of Bentley Little, but his short about the two women chatting was definitely my favorite.
November 16, 2016
Creepy and Entertaining
These three short stories are a glimpse of what these authors write. Interesting, creepy, and very entertaining. Well worth a quick read.
These three short stories are a glimpse of what these authors write. Interesting, creepy, and very entertaining. Well worth a quick read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews