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Chiral Mad 3
The third act in the critically-acclaimed series by Written Backwards, is a symmetrically-structured anthology of psychological horror by Bram Stoker Award nominated editor Michael Bailey, whose previous anthologies include The Library of the Dead, Qualia Nous and Pellucid Lunacy. The anthology contains 45 illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne, over 20 stories by the likes of Stephen King, Jack Ketchum, Ramsey Campbell, Gary A. Braunbeck, Mort Castle, Josh Malerman, Scott Edelman, Richard Thomas, Richard Chizmar and Gene O'Neill, and with 20 intertwined poems by the likes of Elizabeth Massie, Marge Simon, Bruce Boston, Erik T. Johnson, Stephanie M. Wytovich, and also includes an introduction by the extraordinary Chuck Palahniuk.
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2016
154 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,391 books889k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 21, 2023
'It’s not the planes that are drones. We’re the drones, filling the monotony of our lives with buttons and monitors.'
Chiral Mad 3 is a collection of short horror stories and poetry from some of the biggest names within the genre.
As with the majority of anthologies, the stories tend to be hit and miss, with a wide variety of subject matter, ranging from basic observations of life and death to the completely obscure.
Overall this was an enjoyable and good-quality collection of stories.
'I am a man who lives with the torment of a nightmare that won’t die. It follows me, to the dark spaces where no man is supposed to go. But I have no reprieve. I’m not supposed to.'
Below are ratings for each work of fiction:
01. The Poetry of Life - Richard Chizmar ⭐⭐⭐⭐
02. The Last Lung on the Ladder - Stephen King ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
03. A Rift in Reflection - Hal Bodner ⭐⭐⭐
04. Windows, Mirrors, Doors - Jason V Brock ⭐⭐⭐
05. Prayer - Mort Castle ⭐⭐⭐
06. The Agonizing Guilt of Relief - Paul Michael Anderson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
07. The Black Crow of Boddinstraße - Emily B. Cataneo ⭐⭐⭐
08. A Flash of Red - Erinn L. Kemper ⭐⭐
09. Red Runner vs. the Surgeon, Issue 18 - Jessica May Lin ⭐⭐
10. The Dead Collection - Mercedes M. Yardley ⭐⭐⭐⭐
11. Watch Me - Meghan Arcuri ⭐⭐
12. The Bigger Bedroom - Josh Malerman ⭐⭐⭐
13. That Perilous Stuff - Scott Edelman ⭐⭐⭐⭐
14. Know Your Code - Ramsey Campbell ⭐⭐⭐
15. 3-Dot People - Gene O’Neill ⭐⭐
16. Silver Thread, Hammer Ring - Gary A. Braunbeck ⭐⭐
17. The Offering on the Hill- Richard Thomas ⭐⭐
18. Those Who Watch From on High - Eric J. Guignard ⭐⭐⭐⭐
19. Blood Dust - Max Booth III ⭐⭐⭐
20. The Whipping Girls - Damien Angelica Walters ⭐⭐⭐
21. Seconds - Jack Ketchum ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Chiral Mad 3 is a collection of short horror stories and poetry from some of the biggest names within the genre.
As with the majority of anthologies, the stories tend to be hit and miss, with a wide variety of subject matter, ranging from basic observations of life and death to the completely obscure.
Overall this was an enjoyable and good-quality collection of stories.
'I am a man who lives with the torment of a nightmare that won’t die. It follows me, to the dark spaces where no man is supposed to go. But I have no reprieve. I’m not supposed to.'
Below are ratings for each work of fiction:
01. The Poetry of Life - Richard Chizmar ⭐⭐⭐⭐
02. The Last Lung on the Ladder - Stephen King ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
03. A Rift in Reflection - Hal Bodner ⭐⭐⭐
04. Windows, Mirrors, Doors - Jason V Brock ⭐⭐⭐
05. Prayer - Mort Castle ⭐⭐⭐
06. The Agonizing Guilt of Relief - Paul Michael Anderson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
07. The Black Crow of Boddinstraße - Emily B. Cataneo ⭐⭐⭐
08. A Flash of Red - Erinn L. Kemper ⭐⭐
09. Red Runner vs. the Surgeon, Issue 18 - Jessica May Lin ⭐⭐
10. The Dead Collection - Mercedes M. Yardley ⭐⭐⭐⭐
11. Watch Me - Meghan Arcuri ⭐⭐
12. The Bigger Bedroom - Josh Malerman ⭐⭐⭐
13. That Perilous Stuff - Scott Edelman ⭐⭐⭐⭐
14. Know Your Code - Ramsey Campbell ⭐⭐⭐
15. 3-Dot People - Gene O’Neill ⭐⭐
16. Silver Thread, Hammer Ring - Gary A. Braunbeck ⭐⭐
17. The Offering on the Hill- Richard Thomas ⭐⭐
18. Those Who Watch From on High - Eric J. Guignard ⭐⭐⭐⭐
19. Blood Dust - Max Booth III ⭐⭐⭐
20. The Whipping Girls - Damien Angelica Walters ⭐⭐⭐
21. Seconds - Jack Ketchum ⭐⭐⭐⭐
June 9, 2016
*** Review copy purchased online ***
--- Truncated review ---
I've been wanting to read Chiral Mad 3 ever since I heard it was coming out. Having been thoroughly impressed by the stories in the previous volumes, and seeing the all-star lineup unveiled bit by bit before the book's release made me eager to get my mitts on a copy. This anthology features a mixture of short stories and poetry as well as artwork. Now, I will say right off the bat that I didn't review the poetry in this anthology, not because I didn't think it was excellent (it was). The quality was, unsurprisingly, sublime, but I've never felt comfortable reviewing poetry. However, what I will say is that the placement of the poems functioned as a unique complement to each of the stories. As well, the artwork deserves high commendation because it truly enhanced the quality of each of the pieces.
To say that this is anthology has been put together well would not do it justice. The fact that editor Michael Bailey manages to pack so much immense quality and talent in all of his endeavours is truly astounding. If you're a horror fan, you must make his anthologies a part of your library.
--- Truncated review ---
I've been wanting to read Chiral Mad 3 ever since I heard it was coming out. Having been thoroughly impressed by the stories in the previous volumes, and seeing the all-star lineup unveiled bit by bit before the book's release made me eager to get my mitts on a copy. This anthology features a mixture of short stories and poetry as well as artwork. Now, I will say right off the bat that I didn't review the poetry in this anthology, not because I didn't think it was excellent (it was). The quality was, unsurprisingly, sublime, but I've never felt comfortable reviewing poetry. However, what I will say is that the placement of the poems functioned as a unique complement to each of the stories. As well, the artwork deserves high commendation because it truly enhanced the quality of each of the pieces.
To say that this is anthology has been put together well would not do it justice. The fact that editor Michael Bailey manages to pack so much immense quality and talent in all of his endeavours is truly astounding. If you're a horror fan, you must make his anthologies a part of your library.
October 10, 2016
Great short fiction collection with some stunning entries by several notable authors in the field, including Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, Jack Ketchum, Gene O'Neill, Gary A. Braunbeck, Josh Malerman and more. The book is also loaded with poetry and illustrations throughout. My personal favorites include The Last Rung On The Ladder by Stephen King, The Black Crow Of Boddinstrabe by Emily B. Cataneo, A Flash Of Red by Erinn L. Kemper, The Dead Collection by Mercedes M. Yardley, That Perilous Stuff by Scott Edelman, Know Your Code by Ramsey Campbell, and Silver Thread, Hammer Ring by Gary A. Braunbeck. Really loved some of the artwork too.
September 10, 2018
Just finished 'Red Runner v The Surgeon', absolutely phenomenal.
Those Who Watch From on High by Eric J. Guignard stayed with me for weeks.
The rest were good, those were outstanding.
Those Who Watch From on High by Eric J. Guignard stayed with me for weeks.
The rest were good, those were outstanding.
May 31, 2024
So Depressing
I didn’t finish this book. I should have known the type of book it would be after reading the intro. No lies there. Not sure who this book is written for, but it’s not me. The writing is good and I’m sure some people loved it. Life is hard enough without reading about others hard lives.
I didn’t finish this book. I should have known the type of book it would be after reading the intro. No lies there. Not sure who this book is written for, but it’s not me. The writing is good and I’m sure some people loved it. Life is hard enough without reading about others hard lives.
June 6, 2024
intriguing read
There are stories and poems. Most of the stories are hefty, lovely and with reading. And while the poetry is a trickier genre these carry the weight of intrigue. Definitely worth reading.
There are stories and poems. Most of the stories are hefty, lovely and with reading. And while the poetry is a trickier genre these carry the weight of intrigue. Definitely worth reading.
January 25, 2020
A pretty decent anthology
Came for the malerman story, stayed for.the campbell and ketchum. Some of the stories are great, and some are so so. I recommend.
Came for the malerman story, stayed for.the campbell and ketchum. Some of the stories are great, and some are so so. I recommend.
April 6, 2020
I think I don't like poetry & I rarely like short stories. I think this was outstanding. P.S. I am not young.
May 31, 2024
The Good, the Bad, and the Ridiculous
A few of these stories were really good. Some weren't. Some were terrible. Also, I'm not a fan of poetry.
A few of these stories were really good. Some weren't. Some were terrible. Also, I'm not a fan of poetry.
November 21, 2016
You're looking for something new to read. You look through your "favorites" links. Same old, same old. Then you hit upon Dark Regions press to see an anthology - and between it's covers are the likes of Stephen King, Richard Chizmar, Josh Malerman, Gene O'Neil, and Jack Ketchum. You're body tingles like you have just scratched the last box on a winning lottery ticket, and you place your order.
Then Chiral Mad 3 arrives and you settle down for, what you hope to be, a wild ride into the darkness. Only to find a mediocre ride into a somewhat forgettable road trip to Grandma's house. That's not to say there isn't some good stuff here - but finding it is akin to an archeological dig. Lots of work for a nugget or two.
I did like the format - stories interspersed with artwork and separated by poetry. Now, if you've read my reviews before, you know that poetry isn't my cup of tea. I appreciate the prose, I just don't understand the allure, nor do I like the style. That being said, finishing a story, only to have to choke down a poem, made plodding through this tome an arduous task at times.
There are 21 stories and 20 poems - way too many for me to break each one down - plus, by the time I finished, the review would be half the size of the book. I would, however, like to give some highlights of my favorites.
The book starts off with a bang - an awesome introduction by Chuck Palahniuk, talking about "Horror Burnout"; something I think I am starting to experience. When real life is scarier than anything a fiction writer can come up with, horror tends to lose it's luster. The introduction is followed up with an extremely short story by one of my favorite people - Richard Chizmar of Cemetery Dance publications. In two pages, Richard smacks you right between the eyes and makes you have to stop reading, just to process what is there in black and white.
Stephen King's story - "The Last Rung on the Ladder" is a reprint of a short story he wrote in 1978 for his Night Shift anthology. While it's a good story, it certainly isn't new.
Jason V. Brock's story "Windows, Mirrors, Doors" is easily in the top five of my favorite stories included here. I can't recall reading anything else by Mr. Brock, but I will be searching for some more of his stuff in the near future. it was creepy, strange, and you'll never look at a mirror, or ventriloquist dummy, the same way again.
Josh Malerman - author of Bird Box (a book that appears on a number of "must read" lists) has a story here that requires you to read it twice. "The Bigger Room", on the surface, is a story about a family moving to a new house and the struggle between brothers as to who gets the "bigger room". Anyone with siblings knows this struggle. But below the facade of a time-worn tale is something more sinister; and the second read is needed to try and understand what the is.
Ramsey Campbell tells a tale of old age, senility, forgetfulness, and loss, in a sad, but entertaining story entitled "Know Your Code".
If you've followed me for any length of time, you'll know the name Gene O'Neill. Gene is an award winning author with a flair for sci-fi in addition to horror. And with "3-Dot People", he doesn't disappoint.
Gary A. Braunbeck holds the distinct honor of writing my favorite story of this anthology - "Silver Thread, Hammer Ring". Take an American folktale about John Henry, mix in some serious amounts of Greek & Roman mythology, and add a dash of Dante. Mix well with an artist's hand and you have a fantastic retelling of some pretty well known stories. This is another one that I read more than once. It was just that good.
There are few authors who can close a book of this magnitude. You don't want a story that slaps the reader and leaves them with a bad taste. You don't want a story that is wishy-washy making them fell like they've wasted their time. So, what do you do? In my opinion, you don't choose someone like Jack Ketchum. Now hold on. Let me explain. Jack is a phenomenal writer. He is twisted, dark, gruesome, real, and any other adjective you can find in the thesaurus to match those words. Nothing I've read of his, until now, says closer. He is who you want to open an anthology like this (although, Michael Bailey - the editor - knew what he was doing by choosing Richard instead). However, that being said, I couldn't pick a better story than Jack's "Seconds" to close this book with. It's a poignant story about love, loss, and growing old.
So, there you have it. Out of almost 40 bodies of work, only a few that stuck with me enough to tell you about them. That's not to say you won't feel different. Like I said at the beginning - 20 of these were dismissed strictly because they're not to my liking; and that's OK. You may feel differently. With that all being said, the stories within were worth the price of admission. When (if) Chiral Mad 4 comes out, I'll give that one a chance as well.
Then Chiral Mad 3 arrives and you settle down for, what you hope to be, a wild ride into the darkness. Only to find a mediocre ride into a somewhat forgettable road trip to Grandma's house. That's not to say there isn't some good stuff here - but finding it is akin to an archeological dig. Lots of work for a nugget or two.
I did like the format - stories interspersed with artwork and separated by poetry. Now, if you've read my reviews before, you know that poetry isn't my cup of tea. I appreciate the prose, I just don't understand the allure, nor do I like the style. That being said, finishing a story, only to have to choke down a poem, made plodding through this tome an arduous task at times.
There are 21 stories and 20 poems - way too many for me to break each one down - plus, by the time I finished, the review would be half the size of the book. I would, however, like to give some highlights of my favorites.
The book starts off with a bang - an awesome introduction by Chuck Palahniuk, talking about "Horror Burnout"; something I think I am starting to experience. When real life is scarier than anything a fiction writer can come up with, horror tends to lose it's luster. The introduction is followed up with an extremely short story by one of my favorite people - Richard Chizmar of Cemetery Dance publications. In two pages, Richard smacks you right between the eyes and makes you have to stop reading, just to process what is there in black and white.
Stephen King's story - "The Last Rung on the Ladder" is a reprint of a short story he wrote in 1978 for his Night Shift anthology. While it's a good story, it certainly isn't new.
Jason V. Brock's story "Windows, Mirrors, Doors" is easily in the top five of my favorite stories included here. I can't recall reading anything else by Mr. Brock, but I will be searching for some more of his stuff in the near future. it was creepy, strange, and you'll never look at a mirror, or ventriloquist dummy, the same way again.
Josh Malerman - author of Bird Box (a book that appears on a number of "must read" lists) has a story here that requires you to read it twice. "The Bigger Room", on the surface, is a story about a family moving to a new house and the struggle between brothers as to who gets the "bigger room". Anyone with siblings knows this struggle. But below the facade of a time-worn tale is something more sinister; and the second read is needed to try and understand what the is.
Ramsey Campbell tells a tale of old age, senility, forgetfulness, and loss, in a sad, but entertaining story entitled "Know Your Code".
If you've followed me for any length of time, you'll know the name Gene O'Neill. Gene is an award winning author with a flair for sci-fi in addition to horror. And with "3-Dot People", he doesn't disappoint.
Gary A. Braunbeck holds the distinct honor of writing my favorite story of this anthology - "Silver Thread, Hammer Ring". Take an American folktale about John Henry, mix in some serious amounts of Greek & Roman mythology, and add a dash of Dante. Mix well with an artist's hand and you have a fantastic retelling of some pretty well known stories. This is another one that I read more than once. It was just that good.
There are few authors who can close a book of this magnitude. You don't want a story that slaps the reader and leaves them with a bad taste. You don't want a story that is wishy-washy making them fell like they've wasted their time. So, what do you do? In my opinion, you don't choose someone like Jack Ketchum. Now hold on. Let me explain. Jack is a phenomenal writer. He is twisted, dark, gruesome, real, and any other adjective you can find in the thesaurus to match those words. Nothing I've read of his, until now, says closer. He is who you want to open an anthology like this (although, Michael Bailey - the editor - knew what he was doing by choosing Richard instead). However, that being said, I couldn't pick a better story than Jack's "Seconds" to close this book with. It's a poignant story about love, loss, and growing old.
So, there you have it. Out of almost 40 bodies of work, only a few that stuck with me enough to tell you about them. That's not to say you won't feel different. Like I said at the beginning - 20 of these were dismissed strictly because they're not to my liking; and that's OK. You may feel differently. With that all being said, the stories within were worth the price of admission. When (if) Chiral Mad 4 comes out, I'll give that one a chance as well.
July 12, 2019
This collection is a stellar introduction to some of the talented people working in the horror genre today. It highlights some of the women in the horror industry, though a few more names would have been nice, but I am biased. The poetry offers a nice break from the short fiction. I enjoyed most of it with a few exceptions. My favorite story is by Hal Bodner. Normally, I won't single out one author by name in an anthology with multiple authors, but his beautiful and haunting love story set in a cemetery has made such an impression on me, even days later. I would buy this anthology simply for that story.
January 9, 2017
Ok
Some good, some mediocre, some just weak. Some of the poetry was good. Overall I doubt I'd reccomend it. I felt like I had to force myself to finish it, thinking maybe the next one would be better. A few were so abstract they didn't seem to have a story line.
Some good, some mediocre, some just weak. Some of the poetry was good. Overall I doubt I'd reccomend it. I felt like I had to force myself to finish it, thinking maybe the next one would be better. A few were so abstract they didn't seem to have a story line.
Currently reading
July 9, 2024"A Rift in Reflection" by Hal Bodner - The ghosts of two gay men are separated when an earthquake shifts their remains.
"Blood Dust" by Max Booth III - The narrator is a boy whose dog joins a roaming pack of wild dogs that kill his sister.
"Watch Me" by Meghan Arcuri - wc
"Blood Dust" by Max Booth III - The narrator is a boy whose dog joins a roaming pack of wild dogs that kill his sister.
"Watch Me" by Meghan Arcuri - wc
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2016
Some duds but some really good ones, too! A great anthology...makes me want to find the first two editions.
February 19, 2017
I enjoyed the stories and poems in this book. A lot of them were out there, but that is okay, I like that. If you like the weird and scary, pick up this book.
July 14, 2017
All I can really say about this book is that it scared me to death! It will definitely be saved to be read again in the dark of winter.
September 21, 2017
Chriral Mad
It was good but not mesmerizing. I was looking forward to not putting it down, but that wasn't the case.
It was good but not mesmerizing. I was looking forward to not putting it down, but that wasn't the case.
December 6, 2017
Not a fan. But that's because I don't really like short stories...not any fault of authors. I bought it because of the glowing reviews. Note to self: got to stop doing that!
February 26, 2018
Intense
I loved the mixture of poetry and short stories. Each story was intense in its own way, and I would be incredibly hard pressed to choose a favorite.
I loved the mixture of poetry and short stories. Each story was intense in its own way, and I would be incredibly hard pressed to choose a favorite.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews