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Year's Best Hardcore Horror, Volume 2

3.81 · Rating details · 80 ratings · 15 reviews

Comet Press is extremely proud to present its second annual anthology featuring this year's hardcore corps of authors with the best extreme horror fiction of 2016 that breaks boundaries and trashes taboos.

Selected from indie publishers and magazines such as Weirdpunk Books, Necro Publications, Splatterpunk Zine, Corner Bar Magazine, Carrion Blue and Raw Dog Screaming ...more

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Paperback, 380 pages

Published June 1st 2017 by Comet Press

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Apr 22, 2017 Janie C. rated it it was amazing

"The hurricane screamed itself raw with its booming voice and electric words, and the girl took each strike, each hit, as her ragdoll body wasflung side to side, beaten and bloody near the front door of her mind." These wordswere born from the darkly creative mind of Stephanie M. Wytovich, one of the twenty-one authors included in this visceral yet cerebral collection. There is a hurricane brewing, both physically and psychically, and each of these stories and poemstakes its turn as the eye. The "The hurricane screamed itself raw with its booming voice and electric words, and the girl took each strike, each hit, as her ragdoll body was flung side to side, beaten and bloody near the front door of her mind." These words were born from the darkly creative mind of Stephanie M. Wytovich, one of the twenty-one authors included in this visceral yet cerebral collection. There is a hurricane brewing, both physically and psychically, and each of these stories and poems takes its turn as the eye. The material is diverse, and the storm is quiet at times, only to erupt again in howls of anguish. I must confess, I laughed a few times, too. It wasn't me ... the humor was deliberate. In 55 Ways I'd Prefer Not To Die, Michael Arnzen treats us to some incredibly gross unfortunate endings. Disgusting, yes. Humorous .. only if it's not happening to you. Check out ENNUI and try not to smile.

If BDSM is your thing, Wrath James White will take you to a club. "I want you to flog me with the heavy flogger, as hard as you can" is an hors d'oeuvre. Thwack! Are you ready for the main ballroom?

If growing pains and transformation are more to your liking, try Mother's Nature by Stephanie Elrick. "Generations of butchery had made my family more inbred than the cattle, now their limbs mingled indiscriminately with the livestock's." The narrator is a young girl who is on a path of self-discovery beyond imagination.

Sentimentality takes it's turn as the serial killer in The Hallowfiend Remembers reminisces. Author Jeremy Thompson gets right into his head.

Tim Waggoner's short but effective story, A Face In the Crowd, had me breathing deeply to fight claustrophobia.  There is more than one post-apocalyptic nightmare to be found among the pages.  New realities and threats emerge in startling and creative visions. In Coming of the Darkula, by Andrew Darlington, the enemy of the human race takes a unique and dangerous form. Humans are also pitted against their own kind in brutal desperation.

The internet gets a spot in Adam Cesare's Please Subscribe. As a viewer, you can watch young Melody's vlog from beginning to end. Each entry becomes more ominous, as do her subscribers. One of my favorite stories was The Girl Who Loved Bruce Campbell by Christa Carmen. The brave female protagonist asks herself "WWAD?" (what would Ash do) as she fights her own versions of Deadites.  A classic in itself.

I have merely skimmed the surface of the horrors that are contained within this collection. I enjoyed each and every story. Some hit me harder than others, but that is a personal reaction. If you enjoy extreme horror and vivid imaginings, then this book is for you. The dread does not let up or let you down. In the words of Ms. Wytovich:  "But still she cries, still she screams pleas of amputation, cries operas of pain." Welcome.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks. This was a treat. ...more

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Jun 17, 2017 Bill rated it really liked it

An eclectic mix of dark fiction writers – some established, some obvious up-and-comers, dish out twenty-one tales of terror with plenty of blood and gore to sate the most hardcore horror fans.

Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax certainly did their homework with this one and put together a solid collection of shorts. Not a stinker in the bunch. 4+ Stars and Highly Recommended!

*I received an advanced readers copy of this work from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was it.

Thank ...more

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Aug 24, 2017 Nathan Robinson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: anthology, collection, horror, haunting, mind-fuck, monsters, murder, short-stories

Year’s Best Hardcore Horror: Volume 2. Edited by Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax. Narrated by Joe Hempel. Published by Comet Press.

Selected from indie publishers and magazines such as Weirdpunk Books, Necro Publications, Splatterpunk Zine, Corner Bar Magazine, Carrion Blue and Raw Dog Screaming Press, these stories represent the state of the art of extreme horror fiction. Whether extreme in theme or with gore galore, these disturbing tales will be hard to forget even though you may wish you Year’s Best Hardcore Horror: Volume 2. Edited by Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax. Narrated by Joe Hempel. Published by Comet Press.

Selected from indie publishers and magazines such as Weirdpunk Books, Necro Publications, Splatterpunk Zine, Corner Bar Magazine, Carrion Blue and Raw Dog Screaming Press, these stories represent the state of the art of extreme horror fiction. Whether extreme in theme or with gore galore, these disturbing tales will be hard to forget even though you may wish you could.
Yes, there will be blood. Lots of it. Gore galore and plenty of the gushy stuff. But you'll also find tales less graphic but with hardcore attitudes, transgressive stories you're not sure you should be reading, stories showing you things you shouldn't see.

Back again with another tome of collected horror. Let’s visit my favourites from the latest collection by

55 ways I’d prefer not to die by Michael A Arnzen is pretty much what it says on the tin, as 55 scenarios of gruesome deaths are discussed and dissected in a series of humorous shorts.

Ownership by Wraith James White is an effed up gory sex horror, which has to be read to believed. Bulging cocks literally fuck people to death in a visceral, blood spattering orgy of BDSM and what the fuckness. I’d worry if this arouses you.

The Bed of Crimson Joy by Jasper Bark. A haunted bed? Why not? An older couple find themselves troubled by an ominous four-poster. Utterly haunting and original.

Please Subscribe by Adam Cesare explores the dangers of baring your soul of the internet, and how bullying can destroy those weak of spirit and how the screen we stare into isn’t just a one-way mirror. What we put online might seem harmless, but every keystroke has its consequence.

Bacne by Tim Miller. A bad case of toxic zits gradually gets worse and worse for warehouse worker Jerry. Labels on things are important and remember health and safety first; before it you regret it.

The Girl who loved Bruce Campbell by Crista Carmen. A die hard Evil Dead fan finds herself under siege by trio of drug fuelled, psychotic maniacs, deciding to take her survival into her own hands, taking inspiration from her favourite horror hero. Bloody good fun.

A mixed bag of tales; the great ones making up for the weaker ones. As usual, Joe Hempel delivers a fine and engaging performance that captures the listener from the get go.

4/5
...more

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Aug 22, 2017 Bob Platypire rated it really liked it

*I requested and was granted an audible code for this audio edition*
This. This is not for the faint of heart, y’all. It’s a deliciously macabre collection. I was super into a lot of them, and started off making short reviews of each story, but only got through 3. Sorry! Part of the reason I like audio books is so that I can do household chores, drive, go for a walk or jog, or go fishing while I listen to the book, so I wasn’t able to keep track. I WILL give you the few I did get, though! With no ...more

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Jul 17, 2017 AudioBookReviewer rated it really liked it

My original Year's Best Hardcore Horror: Volume 2 audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

This is an anthology of 21 terror-inducing stories by 21 authors and while some stories are shorter than others, their gruesomeness was no less. I was a bit lost in the first story – 55 Ways I’d Prefer Not to Die – as it seemed disjointed (I am assuming I missed that it was going to list in one or two sentences the horrible ways one can die).

While I enjoy (nay, LOVE) horror, I am ...more

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Jun 19, 2017 Rabid Reader rated it really liked it

This audiobook is an eclectic mix of short hard core horror stories and poems. It is gritty, graphic, gruesome and often disturbing. From demons into BDSM, graphic dismemberment, serial killers, gross fae and alien invaders; these no holds barred tales from a variety of authors will appeals to the hard core loves. Even though I found some of the tales were a bit much for my tastes, the great narration kept me listening. Hempel did a great job of entertaining and definitely brought the horror of ...more

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Dec 27, 2017 Dean Kuhta rated it it was amazing

Just finished reading "The Girl Who Loved Bruce Campbell" by Christa Carmen. As a life-long fan of Evil Dead and all things Bruce Campbell, I loved the blood-splattered action sequences and clever one liners. Christa's story telling is very well written and engaging. Even the Groovy-One himself retweeted this story. What more could a fan ask for? Great work by Christa and Comet Press!

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May 01, 2017 Nicole rated it it was amazing

Shelves: anthologies-collaborations, favorites-of-2017, horror, shorts-novellas

Totally stoked and lucky to have gotten my hands on a review copy of this book. With heavy hitting, no holds barred authors like Wrath James White and Adam Cesare contributing I knew I was In for a disturbing and stomach churning read. YBHH2 never wavered in delivering the nasty. From a rather disgusting fairy to a nightmarish glimpse of those prize claw machines, YBBH2 is simply a must have for fellow hardcore horror aficionado's!
The only thing I didn't like was that unlike the first book ...more

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Jun 14, 2017 Elena Alvarez Dosil rated it it was amazing

Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...

I received a copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.

These are twenty one short horror stories from indie authors. They all explore different sides of horror: from psychological to gore, and in some occasions with a mix of science-fiction too, those were my favorites.

I am not usually one to go for short stories, but I was curious about this one. And it was a hell of a listen! Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...

I received a copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.

These are twenty one short horror stories from indie authors. They all explore different sides of horror: from psychological to gore, and in some occasions with a mix of science-fiction too, those were my favorites.

I am not usually one to go for short stories, but I was curious about this one. And it was a hell of a listen! Some stories touched me more than others, but on the whole I greatly enjoyed this book. There are great authors at play here, with the capability to evoke very vivd images on the listener. Warning for sensitive listeners: there several stories with very explicit sex scenes, including a couple of snuff stories. Not for the light of heart, but I have to say that to succeed in writing horror, one has to be bold, and these authors are.

I especially enjoyed "The Girl Who Loved Bruce Campbell" by Christa Carmen, "Please Subscribe" by Adam Cesare, "Little Sister, Little Brother" by Sarah L. Johnson, "Miss_Vertebrae" by Eric LaRocca, "Backne" by Tim Miller, and "Implant" by Bryan Smith. Not that the others were not good but these were the ones which resonated most with me. Definitely, this compendium of horror stories has everything for everyone, and it is a must listen for any fan of the genre.

Some of the stories have some notes about how they were conceived. I found this interesting and inspiring, since I am always curious about the creative process in writing a story.

Joe Hempel's narration was perfect for these stories, even though I have to say that I have not yet found a book in which Hempel did not deliver a superb narration. But one can feel that he really enjoys this kind of stories and transmits this to the listener. He impersonated each one of the characters, making them unique, transmitting their emotions and bringing them closer to the listener. I love love Hempel's narrations, with him the good ride is guaranteed. ...more

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Jul 16, 2017 Daniela rated it it was amazing

Full disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, so here it goes:
I read the first volume of this anthology and fell in love, so it's not really a surprise that I loved volume two as well.
The editors made a fantastic job compiling stories that show a wide range of writing styles and also different approaches to what hardcore horror may be.
There's something for everyone here, from the expected over the top gore, to psychological suffering and not a single dull ...more

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Dec 09, 2019 Gary Smith rated it liked it

3.5 stars. It did have a few good stories. Even some of the disturbing poetry was good. However, some of the stories appeared to be written under the influence of acid if that makes sense? Same with some of the poetry. We all get shock value, that's great, but it can reach a point where its overused and when its overused it turns into a melting pot of nonsense. Still a decent read. I loved volume one. Were see what volume three has to offer.

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Dec 27, 2019 Sea Caummisar rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this anthology as much as the first one. i really love the author's notes at the end of the stories. I listened to the audiobook and loved it. It was hilarious when the male narrator sounded liked prissy chics. He did a great job.
I actually fell asleep listening to this and had a crazy nightmare. That's a bonus! I loved it

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Apr 28, 2018 Corey rated it really liked it

Shelves: dark-fantasy, horror, splatterpunk

I discovered this one on the Goodreads app and decided to give it a try. I enjoyed it for the most part, although there were a couple of stories (those involving BDSM and cannibalism) which were a little over the top for my tastes; more explicit and disgusting than the stuff by J A Konrath I've read. Ironically, the longest stories on this collection were the ones I enjoyed the most.

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Aug 14, 2017 Angie rated it it was amazing

Great! I loved it just as much as the first Volume. The narration is excellent. It is refreshing to hear stories that actually make me cringe. I've listened to a lot of horror stories and most don't have much impact on me. Almost all the stories in this anthology were riveting.

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Aug 22, 2017 Brian Mcclain rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Solid anthology with a bunch of good stories from some of the best authors in the hardcore/extreme horror arena in addition to some I've not heard of but will seek out in the future. Narration was great as well.

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