What do you think?
Rate this book
American Nightmare
It's the 1950s. There's always something good on the radio, cherry red Cadillacs cruise the streets and everything is always perfect. Marilyn is still alive and the War is over. America goes to bed, nuclear annihilation postponed another day.
Welcome to the American Nightmare.
Nuclear families dabbling in the occult. Little League games in the summer, old blood spilled in the dust. Unspeakable things hiss and crawl, unseen along the 38th parallel, camouflaged under muzzle flashes. This is what happens behind the white picket fences and waving flags.
Praise for American Nightmare:
“Buried in the nostalgia and innocence of bygone days, American Nightmare is a riveting collection of dark stories that leaves the big-block motor running, as we sneak into a deserted alley to huff on a Pall Mall, our hair slicked back, a switchblade clicking open as the shadows close in around us. Behind a closed door, away from the manicured lawn, the music continues—guitar licks and a back beat that just won’t quit—drowning out the screams, as we pull the blinds down, wash off our tentacles, and cinch our masks on tight.”
—Richard Thomas, Staring Into the Abyss
Contents:
Grandma Elspeth's Enchiridion for Domestic Harmony - Rachel Anding
In the Blood - Mark W. Coulter
Chiaroscuro - Dino Parenti
Bow Creek - Raymond Little
Glow - Adrean Messmer
Lucy's Lips - Madeleine Swann
Pear People from Planet 13 - MP Johnson
Ghost Girl, Zombie Boy and the Count - Chris Thorndycroft
The Two Monsters of Levittown - T. Fox Dunham
Double Feature - Neal Litherland
The Black Pharaoh of Hollywood - Ian Welke
The King - W. P. Johnson
A Night to Remember - Tim Marquitz
All the Beautiful Marilyns - Max Booth III
Welcome to the American Nightmare.
Nuclear families dabbling in the occult. Little League games in the summer, old blood spilled in the dust. Unspeakable things hiss and crawl, unseen along the 38th parallel, camouflaged under muzzle flashes. This is what happens behind the white picket fences and waving flags.
Praise for American Nightmare:
“Buried in the nostalgia and innocence of bygone days, American Nightmare is a riveting collection of dark stories that leaves the big-block motor running, as we sneak into a deserted alley to huff on a Pall Mall, our hair slicked back, a switchblade clicking open as the shadows close in around us. Behind a closed door, away from the manicured lawn, the music continues—guitar licks and a back beat that just won’t quit—drowning out the screams, as we pull the blinds down, wash off our tentacles, and cinch our masks on tight.”
—Richard Thomas, Staring Into the Abyss
Contents:
Grandma Elspeth's Enchiridion for Domestic Harmony - Rachel Anding
In the Blood - Mark W. Coulter
Chiaroscuro - Dino Parenti
Bow Creek - Raymond Little
Glow - Adrean Messmer
Lucy's Lips - Madeleine Swann
Pear People from Planet 13 - MP Johnson
Ghost Girl, Zombie Boy and the Count - Chris Thorndycroft
The Two Monsters of Levittown - T. Fox Dunham
Double Feature - Neal Litherland
The Black Pharaoh of Hollywood - Ian Welke
The King - W. P. Johnson
A Night to Remember - Tim Marquitz
All the Beautiful Marilyns - Max Booth III
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 13, 2014
35 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 20, 2022
" ........ You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone."
And that's exactly what this anthology felt like - a trip into the Twilight Zone! A fabulous collection of horror shorts, all with a 50s to 60s theme.
And that's exactly what this anthology felt like - a trip into the Twilight Zone! A fabulous collection of horror shorts, all with a 50s to 60s theme.
October 8, 2014
Buried in the nostalgia and innocence of bygone days, American Nightmare is a riveting collection of dark stories that leaves the big-block motor running, as we sneak into a deserted alley to huff on a Pall Mall, our hair slicked back, a switchblade clicking open as the shadows close in around us. Behind a closed door, away from the manicured lawn, the music continues—guitar licks and a back beat that just won’t quit—drowning out the screams, as we pull the blinds down, wash off our tentacles, and cinch our masks on tight.
September 10, 2019
Generally a strong approach to horror and Americana
There are some weak stories in here. There's no doubt about that. But from interesting takes on urban legends to Cthulhu Mythos stories, even good American ghost stories, this book emulates a very specific time in American history (post-WW2) and uses horror to talk about some difficult subjects like racism, sexism, PTSD and reintegration into civilian life (just to note a couple of examples from some of the standout stories).
There are some weak stories in here. There's no doubt about that. But from interesting takes on urban legends to Cthulhu Mythos stories, even good American ghost stories, this book emulates a very specific time in American history (post-WW2) and uses horror to talk about some difficult subjects like racism, sexism, PTSD and reintegration into civilian life (just to note a couple of examples from some of the standout stories).
April 3, 2019
American Nightmare 2014 is a collection of fourteen short horror stories by multiple authors and edited by George Cotronis. Despite the “2014” in the title, these stories are set in the 1950s. Many of the main characters refer to their WW II experiences and how they play out in a US environment of a return to “normality” and increasing personal wealth. Changes in race relations and equal treatment for minority populations appear as story themes. Although the US undeniably was in a period of growth and peace after a long war, there was a major concern which affected many people, the Korean War, one that is also referred to. Baby boomers can wallow in nostalgia for rock and roll music that could compete and drown out the roar of big block “muscle” cars with muffler cutouts. Huge cars, almost resembling tanks by today’s standards, competed for strategic space in Drive-In Movie establishments. Where one parked was tied to the purpose of attending the Drive-In. Not all action was on the movie screen. Some vocabulary may be unfamiliar to a post Baby Boom generation. Although I am a Baby Boomer, some of these stories were a vocabulary workout for me.
Grandma Elspeth's Enchiridion for Domestic Harmony ***** by Rachel Anding. I had no idea what an “Enchiridion was. In this less than idyllic household, Harold rules the family with an iron fist and a hair-trigger temper. It is 1956 and the unnamed narrator is a boy of between twelve and fourteen. He felt the tension in the air when father Harold demanded seafood for supper. Mom and son knew there was no seafood in the house. Mom would have to get creative with a recipe from Grandma Elspeth, not a real grandmother, but an iconic name for a very old set of instructions that could help soothe the savage beast that was Harold.
Chiaroscuro ***** by Dino Parenti. In this second story, I found another word in a title that I did not know, “Chiaroscuro.” This story bombarded me with references that I was unfamiliar with. The narrator describes a horrible scene on a battlefield. He describes a woman “If Alfred Kubin had painted The Egg and The Epidemic as a single piece, it might approach the portrait this poor wretch paints.” (p. 22). In a later scene where the narrator is visiting a gruesome crime scene, there is this description: “If Picasso had done Guernica in mauves, maroons, and scarlets, this is what the scene would almost approach.” (p. 24). The entire short story does this as the narrator shifts back and forth in time from WW II to 1958.
Bow Creek ***** by Raymond Little. Caroline and Todd were driving to a well-known parking spot for teenagers when Caroline got a bad feeling and told Todd to slow down. It was good that he did because they almost hit Caroline’s brother, Billy. This was remarkable given that Billy had died three years before. After Caroline and Todd disappeared, Jimmy began to see his hometown in an entirely different way. It became more somber and more decayed before his eyes. Colors changed. Miss Russel, a blind lady saw the town’s reality more clearly than Jimmy. How was that possible?
Glow ***** by Adrean Messmer. Thomas had always been interested in astronomy. One shooting star display deposited a small, glowing remnant that gave Thomas the ability to see and understand things that others could not. No one listened to Thomas, however. Perhaps it was his stutter that damaged his credibility. But they would listen now.
Lucy's Lips ***** by Madeleine Swann. Lucy, also known as “Spooky” was not a pretty girl. For some reason, she was attractive to Bill. When in high school, Bill became very angry when he heard that Ted had taken her out and claimed to have been very intimate with her. The story made the rounds in school and Lucy became so upset she fled the school. Bill saw her get in a car with Mike, but Bill didn’t know what happened between Lucy and Mike, a boy whose disappearance made a further comment from him impossible. Not long after, Lucy disappeared. Bill would later see her at a carnival where she was working and what he found would spoil the carnival experience for him for many years.
Pear People from Planet 13 ***** by MP Johnson. Doctors tell us to eat more fruit. After reading this story, there is one fruit that might be stricken from your list.
Ghost Girl, Zombie Boy and the Count ***** by Chris Thorndycroft. It was Halloween and time to get creepy. Kids dressed up in scary costumes and wandered from house to house seeking treats. Not all creepy things were wandering on the streets. Mr. Lindholm stayed home, and he was very creepy. He looked forward to the visits of those who thought they were monsters. He would show them what a monster really was. Or maybe not.
The Two Monsters of Levittown ***** by T. Fox Dunham. Nazis are on the run both in Europe and South America. Surely, they would not show up attempting to hide in the United States, a principal enemy of the failed Third Reich. Christopher, a teenager living in Levittown, was not the monster. Christopher’s neighbors could not tell the difference between real and fake monsters.
Double Feature ***** by Neal Litherland. All 1949 Hudson Commodore 8s look alike. But there was a missing driver’s side mirror on the one that did not belong to Will. His father’s car was perfect and treated as a member of the family. Will was on a date at a drive-in with Cheryl. During a refreshment and bathroom break, the two were separated. Cheryl got in the correct car. Will was not as lucky.
In the Blood ***** by Mark W. Coulter. This story shows us the importance of family bloodlines and the dangers of unregulated, unsupervised experimentation with DNA.
The Black Pharaoh of Hollywood ***** by Ian Welke. This short story has two themes. One will appeal to those struggling with writer’s block. The other will appeal to those who enjoy stories about the continuing influence of Pharaohs and Egyptian mythology on modern times.
The King ***** by W. P. Johnson. Postal officials operate under strict and multiple rules. Just because a letter doesn’t have a return address is not a reason to steal or discard a citizen’s mail. Even though a person is rude and abusive to a postal officer, the official is not allowed to punish a patron by discarding or destroying a customer’s mail. Conrad Roth didn’t play by the rules. He disappeared. Henry had to cover his route and face the same quarrelsome customer. Henry decided not to play by the rules also.
A Night to Remember ***** by Tim Marquitz. Jeb had survived the war to return to his wife and child. But the wife died soon after his return and the son became estranged, especially after his marriage. One night, Jeb went to his favorite diner. Malcolm had agreed to meet him and planned to bring the kids. But Malcolm did not show up. Jeb spent longer than he planned in the diner due to rain. He wished he had left before it began to rain mice and spiders.
All the Beautiful Marilyns ***** by Max Booth III. This story begins with the idea that Marilyn Monroe is not real because the idea of beauty is in the minds of each of us. Carrying the idea further, every female can be Marilyn. Frank was looking for a Marilyn or at least one who would be his Marilyn. Frank was successful. He found his Marilyn. And then he found someone (or something) better.
This collection is listed at USD 4.99 on its Amazon page. It is not available on Kindle Unlimited. I received it through an Amazon promotion for USD 0.99. I found only one story, Pear People from Planet 13, not interesting. That brings my rating down from five Amazon stars to a four-point-five rating.
Grandma Elspeth's Enchiridion for Domestic Harmony ***** by Rachel Anding. I had no idea what an “Enchiridion was. In this less than idyllic household, Harold rules the family with an iron fist and a hair-trigger temper. It is 1956 and the unnamed narrator is a boy of between twelve and fourteen. He felt the tension in the air when father Harold demanded seafood for supper. Mom and son knew there was no seafood in the house. Mom would have to get creative with a recipe from Grandma Elspeth, not a real grandmother, but an iconic name for a very old set of instructions that could help soothe the savage beast that was Harold.
Chiaroscuro ***** by Dino Parenti. In this second story, I found another word in a title that I did not know, “Chiaroscuro.” This story bombarded me with references that I was unfamiliar with. The narrator describes a horrible scene on a battlefield. He describes a woman “If Alfred Kubin had painted The Egg and The Epidemic as a single piece, it might approach the portrait this poor wretch paints.” (p. 22). In a later scene where the narrator is visiting a gruesome crime scene, there is this description: “If Picasso had done Guernica in mauves, maroons, and scarlets, this is what the scene would almost approach.” (p. 24). The entire short story does this as the narrator shifts back and forth in time from WW II to 1958.
Bow Creek ***** by Raymond Little. Caroline and Todd were driving to a well-known parking spot for teenagers when Caroline got a bad feeling and told Todd to slow down. It was good that he did because they almost hit Caroline’s brother, Billy. This was remarkable given that Billy had died three years before. After Caroline and Todd disappeared, Jimmy began to see his hometown in an entirely different way. It became more somber and more decayed before his eyes. Colors changed. Miss Russel, a blind lady saw the town’s reality more clearly than Jimmy. How was that possible?
Glow ***** by Adrean Messmer. Thomas had always been interested in astronomy. One shooting star display deposited a small, glowing remnant that gave Thomas the ability to see and understand things that others could not. No one listened to Thomas, however. Perhaps it was his stutter that damaged his credibility. But they would listen now.
Lucy's Lips ***** by Madeleine Swann. Lucy, also known as “Spooky” was not a pretty girl. For some reason, she was attractive to Bill. When in high school, Bill became very angry when he heard that Ted had taken her out and claimed to have been very intimate with her. The story made the rounds in school and Lucy became so upset she fled the school. Bill saw her get in a car with Mike, but Bill didn’t know what happened between Lucy and Mike, a boy whose disappearance made a further comment from him impossible. Not long after, Lucy disappeared. Bill would later see her at a carnival where she was working and what he found would spoil the carnival experience for him for many years.
Pear People from Planet 13 ***** by MP Johnson. Doctors tell us to eat more fruit. After reading this story, there is one fruit that might be stricken from your list.
Ghost Girl, Zombie Boy and the Count ***** by Chris Thorndycroft. It was Halloween and time to get creepy. Kids dressed up in scary costumes and wandered from house to house seeking treats. Not all creepy things were wandering on the streets. Mr. Lindholm stayed home, and he was very creepy. He looked forward to the visits of those who thought they were monsters. He would show them what a monster really was. Or maybe not.
The Two Monsters of Levittown ***** by T. Fox Dunham. Nazis are on the run both in Europe and South America. Surely, they would not show up attempting to hide in the United States, a principal enemy of the failed Third Reich. Christopher, a teenager living in Levittown, was not the monster. Christopher’s neighbors could not tell the difference between real and fake monsters.
Double Feature ***** by Neal Litherland. All 1949 Hudson Commodore 8s look alike. But there was a missing driver’s side mirror on the one that did not belong to Will. His father’s car was perfect and treated as a member of the family. Will was on a date at a drive-in with Cheryl. During a refreshment and bathroom break, the two were separated. Cheryl got in the correct car. Will was not as lucky.
In the Blood ***** by Mark W. Coulter. This story shows us the importance of family bloodlines and the dangers of unregulated, unsupervised experimentation with DNA.
The Black Pharaoh of Hollywood ***** by Ian Welke. This short story has two themes. One will appeal to those struggling with writer’s block. The other will appeal to those who enjoy stories about the continuing influence of Pharaohs and Egyptian mythology on modern times.
The King ***** by W. P. Johnson. Postal officials operate under strict and multiple rules. Just because a letter doesn’t have a return address is not a reason to steal or discard a citizen’s mail. Even though a person is rude and abusive to a postal officer, the official is not allowed to punish a patron by discarding or destroying a customer’s mail. Conrad Roth didn’t play by the rules. He disappeared. Henry had to cover his route and face the same quarrelsome customer. Henry decided not to play by the rules also.
A Night to Remember ***** by Tim Marquitz. Jeb had survived the war to return to his wife and child. But the wife died soon after his return and the son became estranged, especially after his marriage. One night, Jeb went to his favorite diner. Malcolm had agreed to meet him and planned to bring the kids. But Malcolm did not show up. Jeb spent longer than he planned in the diner due to rain. He wished he had left before it began to rain mice and spiders.
All the Beautiful Marilyns ***** by Max Booth III. This story begins with the idea that Marilyn Monroe is not real because the idea of beauty is in the minds of each of us. Carrying the idea further, every female can be Marilyn. Frank was looking for a Marilyn or at least one who would be his Marilyn. Frank was successful. He found his Marilyn. And then he found someone (or something) better.
This collection is listed at USD 4.99 on its Amazon page. It is not available on Kindle Unlimited. I received it through an Amazon promotion for USD 0.99. I found only one story, Pear People from Planet 13, not interesting. That brings my rating down from five Amazon stars to a four-point-five rating.
August 6, 2014
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE is a horror anthology based on the 1950s post-war America. It's a great idea, but it's no gimmick. You won't find any easy stories in there, you will find instead tales of terror that make use of the Rockwellian backdrop to contrast with the powerful darkness dwelling.
My favourite story BOW CREEK was a very metaphorical one, that had for goal to illustrate that duality in the heart of American ideals. The author Raymond Little created simple, but strong images that will remain with me for a long time. There are no easy scares to AMERICAN NIGHTMARE (or maybe very little). Just the good stuff.
My favourite story BOW CREEK was a very metaphorical one, that had for goal to illustrate that duality in the heart of American ideals. The author Raymond Little created simple, but strong images that will remain with me for a long time. There are no easy scares to AMERICAN NIGHTMARE (or maybe very little). Just the good stuff.
June 13, 2019
American Nightmare is a themed horror story collection, with every story taking place in 1950s America. Ultimately the theme doesn’t add much to the stories, serving mostly as window dressing (everyone smokes, for example), and the stories themselves are a mixed bag, typical of most horror collections. This is not a bad read, but you might want to wait for a dale price to grab it.
Also in the tradition of horror collections, a lot of American Nightmare is Men Behaving Badly, with abusive husbands figuring prominently. The real monster is us. And also the tentacled horror in the lake.
Story by story:
Grandma Elspeth's Culinary Enchiridion for Domestic Harmony. An abusive husband gets his just desserts (or dinner, rather) while the son watches with horror and wonder. But mostly horror. A decent intro to the book and is the first (but not last) to feature tentacles.
CHIAROSCURO. A weird tale that swaps between first person POV for scenes of a soldier in WWII and second person for the then-present day of 1958, as the former soldier and now-detective with an odd affliction that prevents him from recognizing faces, goes after a murdering couple that dresses as Raggedy Ann and Andy.
The author repeatedly references famous paintings to literally illustrate scenes, lending an odd sort of whimsy to the story, but it’s bloody and violent and ends with a lot of gunplay. It almost feels like it would work better as a longer piece, but it’s an interesting and surreal bit of mayhem.
Bow Creek: Kids living in a bucolic small town discover All Is Not What It Seems and those who see the ark underbelly either join or die. The End. Really. Slight, perfunctory and did not really do much for me. It tries to create a 50s horror movie vibe (and references the same), but it only partly succeeds.
Glow: Frustrated teen finds space rock that seems to have something to do with Cthulhu. Screaming (of others) follows. Not bad, but given the potential it seems to fall short.
Lucy’s Lips: Misunderstood high school girl leaves town, comes back with the circus, may have some ties to Cthulhu. Sort of features tentacles and might be trying to make a statement (not a nice one) about promiscuity, whether by accident or design. Did not grab me.
Pear People from Planet 13. As you might guess from the title, this is a comedic piece that riffs on the monster movies of the 50s. Weirdly gory and a little too on the nose, maybe.
Ghost Girl, Zombie Boy and The Count. A self-loathing killer meets some very interesting kids trick or treating. Another just desserts story, but written with some verve and wraps up appropriately.
The Two Monsters of Levittown. A clumsy attempt to address Nazis, racism, medical experimentation and just who are the real monsters, anyway? This could have worked better, but the writing is just too unsubtle, bludgeoning all of its points like a mallet to the skull.
Double Feature: What seems like a charming story about a teen couple watching a double feature at the drive-in descends into horror at the very end. It’s not quite a twist ending, but I was almost disappointed by it. This is one where I felt the journey was more interesting than the destination.
In the Blood: Totally Cthulhu, complete with the tentacles. Military experiments on soldiers prove disruptive to a nuclear family. Violent, gory, with that air of hopelessness one expects from a good Old Ones story. Despite this playing directly into expectations, it was just okay. The 1950s/Cold War setting could have been exploited better.
The Black Pharaoh of Hollywood. An ancient pharaoh (are there other kinds, really?) uses a desperate screen writer to return to the living. This was is well-written, but is undermined by an ending that feels forced, not earned, particularly in how the protagonist makes his decisions. Good, but could have been better.
The King. An old woman/witch mails seeds that grow weird black oak trees that make people commit literal blood sacrifices. This one pays lip service to the book’s theme and is just weird. Nothing is really explained and sometimes in a horror story that’s for the best. There’s some characters-doing-things-to-advance-the-plot business here, which I hate more than weird black oaks that prompt blood sacrifices.
A Night to Remember. A cancer-ridden man in a dinner encounters a strange, possibly Lovecraftian fellow who has a message. The Titanic does not figure at all, sorry. This one goes for ominous and mostly works.
All the Marilyns. An unconvincing look at a smart young man who years to move beyond his small town and somehow turns into a murderous psycho. Maybe I missed the subtle transition, but it felt jarring and off-putting.
Looking back, it seems I didn’t care much for most of these stories. The majority are decent, but flawed in some way. You could probably do worse for a horror collection, but you can also do much better.
Also in the tradition of horror collections, a lot of American Nightmare is Men Behaving Badly, with abusive husbands figuring prominently. The real monster is us. And also the tentacled horror in the lake.
Story by story:
Grandma Elspeth's Culinary Enchiridion for Domestic Harmony. An abusive husband gets his just desserts (or dinner, rather) while the son watches with horror and wonder. But mostly horror. A decent intro to the book and is the first (but not last) to feature tentacles.
CHIAROSCURO. A weird tale that swaps between first person POV for scenes of a soldier in WWII and second person for the then-present day of 1958, as the former soldier and now-detective with an odd affliction that prevents him from recognizing faces, goes after a murdering couple that dresses as Raggedy Ann and Andy.
The author repeatedly references famous paintings to literally illustrate scenes, lending an odd sort of whimsy to the story, but it’s bloody and violent and ends with a lot of gunplay. It almost feels like it would work better as a longer piece, but it’s an interesting and surreal bit of mayhem.
Bow Creek: Kids living in a bucolic small town discover All Is Not What It Seems and those who see the ark underbelly either join or die. The End. Really. Slight, perfunctory and did not really do much for me. It tries to create a 50s horror movie vibe (and references the same), but it only partly succeeds.
Glow: Frustrated teen finds space rock that seems to have something to do with Cthulhu. Screaming (of others) follows. Not bad, but given the potential it seems to fall short.
Lucy’s Lips: Misunderstood high school girl leaves town, comes back with the circus, may have some ties to Cthulhu. Sort of features tentacles and might be trying to make a statement (not a nice one) about promiscuity, whether by accident or design. Did not grab me.
Pear People from Planet 13. As you might guess from the title, this is a comedic piece that riffs on the monster movies of the 50s. Weirdly gory and a little too on the nose, maybe.
Ghost Girl, Zombie Boy and The Count. A self-loathing killer meets some very interesting kids trick or treating. Another just desserts story, but written with some verve and wraps up appropriately.
The Two Monsters of Levittown. A clumsy attempt to address Nazis, racism, medical experimentation and just who are the real monsters, anyway? This could have worked better, but the writing is just too unsubtle, bludgeoning all of its points like a mallet to the skull.
Double Feature: What seems like a charming story about a teen couple watching a double feature at the drive-in descends into horror at the very end. It’s not quite a twist ending, but I was almost disappointed by it. This is one where I felt the journey was more interesting than the destination.
In the Blood: Totally Cthulhu, complete with the tentacles. Military experiments on soldiers prove disruptive to a nuclear family. Violent, gory, with that air of hopelessness one expects from a good Old Ones story. Despite this playing directly into expectations, it was just okay. The 1950s/Cold War setting could have been exploited better.
The Black Pharaoh of Hollywood. An ancient pharaoh (are there other kinds, really?) uses a desperate screen writer to return to the living. This was is well-written, but is undermined by an ending that feels forced, not earned, particularly in how the protagonist makes his decisions. Good, but could have been better.
The King. An old woman/witch mails seeds that grow weird black oak trees that make people commit literal blood sacrifices. This one pays lip service to the book’s theme and is just weird. Nothing is really explained and sometimes in a horror story that’s for the best. There’s some characters-doing-things-to-advance-the-plot business here, which I hate more than weird black oaks that prompt blood sacrifices.
A Night to Remember. A cancer-ridden man in a dinner encounters a strange, possibly Lovecraftian fellow who has a message. The Titanic does not figure at all, sorry. This one goes for ominous and mostly works.
All the Marilyns. An unconvincing look at a smart young man who years to move beyond his small town and somehow turns into a murderous psycho. Maybe I missed the subtle transition, but it felt jarring and off-putting.
Looking back, it seems I didn’t care much for most of these stories. The majority are decent, but flawed in some way. You could probably do worse for a horror collection, but you can also do much better.
October 24, 2017
3,75/5
Davvero un'ottima raccolta di racconti, perfetta per Halloween. Non ha il punteggio pieno perchè non mi sono piaciuti tutti, ma capita quando sono racconti di autori differenti.
I miei preferiti sono: il primo "grandma elspeth's...", particolare e con un ottimo finale; "pear people from planet 13", originale e ben scritto; e infine il mio preferito in assoluto "ghost girl, zombie boy and the count".
In stile Gaiman, breve ma piuttosto inquietante, ben scritto e con un'ottima atmosfera, essendo ambientato proprio nel giorno di Halloween. Se fosse un fumetto o un cortometraggio secondo me renderebbe moltissimo. Davvero consigliato, da solo meriterebbe 5 stelle.
Davvero un'ottima raccolta di racconti, perfetta per Halloween. Non ha il punteggio pieno perchè non mi sono piaciuti tutti, ma capita quando sono racconti di autori differenti.
I miei preferiti sono: il primo "grandma elspeth's...", particolare e con un ottimo finale; "pear people from planet 13", originale e ben scritto; e infine il mio preferito in assoluto "ghost girl, zombie boy and the count".
In stile Gaiman, breve ma piuttosto inquietante, ben scritto e con un'ottima atmosfera, essendo ambientato proprio nel giorno di Halloween. Se fosse un fumetto o un cortometraggio secondo me renderebbe moltissimo. Davvero consigliato, da solo meriterebbe 5 stelle.
July 9, 2017
Great reads. Favorite is Chiaroscuro by Dino
Absolutely love most of the stories. No holding back. Violence and chaos. Crazy, little posionous, perfect paragraphs of fun with a capital fuck off.
Absolutely love most of the stories. No holding back. Violence and chaos. Crazy, little posionous, perfect paragraphs of fun with a capital fuck off.
July 22, 2017
I've never wanted to back in time as much as I do after reading this book. I highly recommend to anyone who's anyone. That means you!
May 1, 2019
There were two or three really cool stories.
May 24, 2019
Unsettling horror stories set in the 50s.
Lovecraftian homages and general terror.
Was disturbed. Recommended.
Lovecraftian homages and general terror.
Was disturbed. Recommended.
June 11, 2019
50s horror
Some good stuff in here if you wanna dig.
I love a great horror story and there are some here.
Some good stuff in here if you wanna dig.
I love a great horror story and there are some here.
October 8, 2020
Most stories got a big old "Eh" out of me. But a handful were good and so this gets above 2 which is my usual for "Eh"
July 16, 2014
Do you like classic TV: Leave it to Beaver; The Honeymooners; Father Knows Best and so on?
Do you like Black'n'Whites centered around places like Mayberry? Would you like all those things even more if...well...they weren't anything like what they seemed? Maybe the Twilight Zone with a kick——iconic style storytelling, but born of the occult and blood and all things to make your hair turn gray?
If so, well, George delivers in gooey, American Pie fashion!
Do you like Black'n'Whites centered around places like Mayberry? Would you like all those things even more if...well...they weren't anything like what they seemed? Maybe the Twilight Zone with a kick——iconic style storytelling, but born of the occult and blood and all things to make your hair turn gray?
If so, well, George delivers in gooey, American Pie fashion!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews