Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Contemplad el vacío” as Want to Read:
Contemplad el vacío
by
Contemplad el vacío...
La telequinesis utilizada como medio para la venganza; una piscina que se convierte en un escenario de pesadilla y sacrificios; un ladrón de caballos perseguido por poderes que no comprende; una niña entregada a la oscuridad que habita en el bosque; un sacerdote haciendo frente a una asesina en serie de la era victoriana; un joven disfuncional que se ...more
La telequinesis utilizada como medio para la venganza; una piscina que se convierte en un escenario de pesadilla y sacrificios; un ladrón de caballos perseguido por poderes que no comprende; una niña entregada a la oscuridad que habita en el bosque; un sacerdote haciendo frente a una asesina en serie de la era victoriana; un joven disfuncional que se ...more
Paperback, 370 pages
Published
October 2018
by Dilatando Mentes
(first published March 10th 2017)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Contemplad el vacío,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Contemplad el vacío
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Contemplad el vacío

Mar 14, 2017
Karl
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2017-03-books-bought,
journalstone-own
This book contains a signed book plate signed by Philip Frasassi and an inlaid hand corrected manuscript page (page 245).
In his first story collection titled “Behold the Void” screen writer, producer, director Philip Fracassi offers up an collection of stories aimed at the wyrd and cosmic horror reader and will truly engage every reader interested in a well told story.
Mr. Frasassi first came to my attention in 2001 when I noticed his name on a DVD as the producer of a video titled “The Psychedel ...more
In his first story collection titled “Behold the Void” screen writer, producer, director Philip Fracassi offers up an collection of stories aimed at the wyrd and cosmic horror reader and will truly engage every reader interested in a well told story.
Mr. Frasassi first came to my attention in 2001 when I noticed his name on a DVD as the producer of a video titled “The Psychedel ...more

Sep 11, 2017
Richard
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
short-stuff,
horror
One of the things that's very apparent in every story in this collection, and with all of Fracassi's work, is the intense focus on developing character. Some might say that it's even too much and not necessary for the short scary stories he writes, but I would respectfully disagree and it's an aspect in his work that I really appreciate. Good horror, to me, is inherently linked to character, and even more so here. Yes, these 9 stories feature occult horror, ghost stories, and cosmic horror, but
...more

Most of today’s horror writers fall into one of two camps. They revel in beautiful language and atmosphere, or their stories are constructed to achieve a high level of suspense from the first sentence, and to provide a twist or a payoff at the end.
Fracassi combines the best of both worlds. His prose is as fresh and surprising as his storylines are satisfying.
The supernatural mirrors psychological distress and cultural dissonance in these tales of barely missed dreams and opportunities. The five- ...more
Fracassi combines the best of both worlds. His prose is as fresh and surprising as his storylines are satisfying.
The supernatural mirrors psychological distress and cultural dissonance in these tales of barely missed dreams and opportunities. The five- ...more

Fracassi's debut collection, BEHOLD THE VOID, showcases one of the strongest new voices in Horror. Fracassi doesn't shy away from deeply powerful emotion, and he's not afraid to scare a reader silly. Dreamlike and unique, BEHOLD THE VOID contains nine stories that crawl under a reader's skin and become part of them. Stories that will reach into your heart and make it race. Stories that will infect your subconscious and make you feel like there's something beneath the surface of the world, and th
...more

I'll be writing a full length review of Behold the Void as soon as I get caught up with a few other things but wanted to drop a quick note here now. Fracassi had already proven himself to be a top shelf horror author in Altar and Mother. This book merely cements that impression as something more than a fluke. Much more. Behold the Void is one of those rare collections that stands out for the fact that, not only is there not a bad story in it, it can truthfully be said that every single tale is s
...more

If you missed out on getting the chapbooks for Altar and Mother, they are collected here. Every story is strong. My favorite was Surfer Girl. All of these stories pack a punch. You will be smooved. Buy this book and show some real support for contemporary horror. This is guy is a real thing.
...more

Literary horror of the highest caliber. Professional, polished prose. Well-rendered and delineated characters and realistic settings and situations which deepen and broaden through the course of the story into something else, something far stranger and more disquieting. Fracassi excels at exploring fears grounded in the everyday, but as the stories progress we start to find find breaches in the fabric of our reality, glimpses of horrors untold from the depths of the void.

Sep 15, 2017
David Agranoff
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror-collection
A short story collection is one of the best ways to get to know an author. I heard Philip Fracassi on A podcast, a epic 3 part interview on This is Horror, and was convinced the guy seemed legit. I looked him up at my library, saw nothing so I requested a purchase and within two months I got a notice it was there. I knew he had worked as a screenwriter but honestly had never heard of him before the interview. Well it was clear I have to fix that.
Introduced by cosmic horror master Laird Barron th ...more
Introduced by cosmic horror master Laird Barron th ...more

In the hands of author Philip Fracassi, we are molded into flawed, tiny figures lost in ourselves too deep to fathom. We are slaves to ritual and quiver in the face of unknown entities. We are subject to turning on our loved ones, our friends and each other to service sometimes selfish needs and a deeper understanding of our regret or rage. In other words... we are human.
Each of the stories collected here in Behold the Void peers behind shimmering veils, allowing us entrance to a mirror of our e ...more
Each of the stories collected here in Behold the Void peers behind shimmering veils, allowing us entrance to a mirror of our e ...more

Incredible collection, just buy it.
This year has been a tough year for me in horror. I’ve read a lot of disappointing books, to the point where I was thinking i was done with horror for the most part (Malfi is still a release day purchase for me). But this collection....
I’ve tried reading Lovecraft for years and have enjoyed a lot of his stories, more for the ideas and the prose than the execution. And I’ve read some Lovecraftian collections in the past few years, which have largely been mixed ...more
This year has been a tough year for me in horror. I’ve read a lot of disappointing books, to the point where I was thinking i was done with horror for the most part (Malfi is still a release day purchase for me). But this collection....
I’ve tried reading Lovecraft for years and have enjoyed a lot of his stories, more for the ideas and the prose than the execution. And I’ve read some Lovecraftian collections in the past few years, which have largely been mixed ...more

Jan 26, 2017
Christopher Payne
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
journalstone
BEHOLD THE VOID
Introduction by Laird Barron
BEHOLD THE VOID is nine stories of terror that huddle in the dark space between cosmic horror and the modern weird, between old-school hard-edged horror of the 1980’s and the stylistic prose of today’s literary giants.
Revenge takes a monstrous form when a scorned lover acquires bizarre, telekinetic powers; a community swimming pool on a bright summer day becomes the setting for a ghastly nightmare of sacrifice and loss; a thief does bloody battle with a ...more
Introduction by Laird Barron
BEHOLD THE VOID is nine stories of terror that huddle in the dark space between cosmic horror and the modern weird, between old-school hard-edged horror of the 1980’s and the stylistic prose of today’s literary giants.
Revenge takes a monstrous form when a scorned lover acquires bizarre, telekinetic powers; a community swimming pool on a bright summer day becomes the setting for a ghastly nightmare of sacrifice and loss; a thief does bloody battle with a ...more

I own "Mother" which was my first time reading Fracassi's work. That small little chapbook blew me away. Following "Altar".
This collection has those two mentioned
Soft Construction of a Sunset: Love is within the power of the mind. Like a setting sun things will melt away or self destruct. Power is what one man wanted more of.
The Horse Thief: A great shootout scene at the end and a hard kick from a horse.
Coffin: The secrets of the wood will be buried with the ones who knew.
The Baby Farmer: All ...more
This collection has those two mentioned
Soft Construction of a Sunset: Love is within the power of the mind. Like a setting sun things will melt away or self destruct. Power is what one man wanted more of.
The Horse Thief: A great shootout scene at the end and a hard kick from a horse.
Coffin: The secrets of the wood will be buried with the ones who knew.
The Baby Farmer: All ...more

It’s hard to believe Behold The Void is Philip Fracassi’s debut collection; it’s just so fucking good!
Behold The Void is a collection of nine horror stories. Though all stories are horror, the horrifying elements in each of them is distinct. The horror spectrum is wide. There are many sub-genres. And Philip has used all of them for his stories, making the collection very diverse. There’s horror no one can explain, the supernatural kind, where unknown powers of the universe come uninvited to dest ...more
Behold The Void is a collection of nine horror stories. Though all stories are horror, the horrifying elements in each of them is distinct. The horror spectrum is wide. There are many sub-genres. And Philip has used all of them for his stories, making the collection very diverse. There’s horror no one can explain, the supernatural kind, where unknown powers of the universe come uninvited to dest ...more

A stunning collection of strange tales from Philip Fracassi. Vivid, strange, vicious, unrelenting... Philip's background as a screenwriter really comes across in the pictures he paints with his tight, muscular prose. I'm left with a head full of weird and beautiful imagery, families often fragmented, haunted by loss or cruelty or suffering, and the pitiless sound of the Void, waiting, fangs bared at the fringe of each of these stories. The final story, Mandala is pure early Stephen King-quality
...more

This is an outstanding collection. There’s variety and depth here in subject and length (short stories and novellas are included), but everything has the stamp of a powerful authorial voice. I’ve read a couple of Fracassi’s novellas before and really enjoyed them. It was a treat to read more of his work collected like this. Highly recommended.

I picked this one up because one of my favorite authors recommended it and because all the story ideas sounded good. I seldom read collections of short stories because they so often feel like the dregs of the writer’s filing cabinet … failed attempts at novels, writing exercises, vehicles for exorcising whatever chip on their shoulder felt particularly heavy that day or the demons of past relationships and marriages … self-therapy. Even in short story collections that are supposed to fit a theme
...more

Man I should have known that between the publisher, the Laird Barron intro, the praise from so many other great authors, and more, that I would love this one. Still it sat on my shelf for a good several months before I picked it up. This collection is fantastic! The stories really feel alive, and varied in their particular breeds of weirdness and horror. All of the stories were great, but the few that I'd highlight amongst giants were Soft Construction of a Sunset, The Horse Thief, The Baby Farm
...more

Apr 13, 2020
Matthew
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
own-horror-and-supernatural,
favorites
”His dead wife stood up, stepped to him, draped her arms around his shoulders, brought her mouth to his lips, then to his cheeks, his neck...She smiled, and the grin seemed to break apart the reality of her face.”
This is yet another brilliant, must-read, essential collection of 21st century dark supernatural fiction. Nine enthralling character-driven tales steeped in “Twilight Zone” weirdness, eloquent literary gothicism, cosmic terror, and in the final novella “Mandala,” genuine edge-of-your-s ...more
This is yet another brilliant, must-read, essential collection of 21st century dark supernatural fiction. Nine enthralling character-driven tales steeped in “Twilight Zone” weirdness, eloquent literary gothicism, cosmic terror, and in the final novella “Mandala,” genuine edge-of-your-s ...more

Quite simply, the best modern single-author horror collection I've ever read. These stories are like Stephen King at his absolute best, but more streamlined and less sentimental; cosmic horror in the Lovecraftian tradition but transmuted with absolute confidence into a recognizable milieu and permeated with human sadness, regret and loss. I can't think of enough superlatives for "Altar," which turns the ancient unfathomable unknown into a metaphor for everyday trauma and pain without turning it
...more

Loved this book, especially the final story, "Mandala," which I've been thinking about for weeks now; it doesn't let go. The danger in horror collections is that the stories all tend to go in the same direction, and after a while everything feels so ridiculously predetermined, but this book doesn't do that-- you never know which way things are going to break for the characters, so there's still room for hope, which in turn makes room for heartbreak. Anyway-- really enjoying all things Fracassi,
...more

I was deciding between 3 and 4 until "Mandala", and that one didn't persuade me (the ending was cool, but not sure it warranted the length). Generally a pretty nice encounter, Fracassi is a good writer reminiscent of King in that his stories are clearly character-driven and he is quick to make you invested in (or at least familiar with) his characters. At times I felt that I liked the subject matter of the respective stories more than their execution, but I really enjoyed "Horse Thief", "Baby Fa
...more

This is an astonishing collection of stories, haunting in the best ways. Fracassi finds the messy humanity in his characters even as he hurls them into the abyss. He's also sadistically adept at pacing, especially in Mandala, a sustained and measured exercise in gut-churning dread. Weird fiction fans should stare deep into this void.
...more

This was a great short story collection. Philip Fracassi does a great job writing stories that you can connect with and immediately become invested in. Very reminiscent of the way Stephen King tells stories, great character depth and getting into the mind of children and pre-teens. All of these stories were excellent. I will definitely be reading more of his work.

I have never written a book review before but this book is fucking amazing! There is not a single story that is not good, each story is better and better and better and better! Epecially the "baby farmer" made me shaking...
...more

I'm so glad I've found this author. I loved all the stories in this collection to a varying degree. I must say, the suspense in the last story, Mandala, made me realize more than once that I needed to breathe. That always impresses me.
...more

Before I started it, was a bit wary this collection would be another one of the many Laird Barron imitations that make up a big chunk of modern weird landscape. I was pleasantly surprised at first to find that its sensibilities feel closer to a Junji Ito (and especially obvious comparison really only the first story) or ultimately, Stephen King. That is to say, while there are a few hints of cosmic horror lurking around the edges, this is mostly a "classic" or generic horror collection. I might
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Philip Fracassi is an award-winning author and screenwriter living in Los Angeles.
His debut collection of short horror, BEHOLD THE VOID, won "Story Collection of the Year" award from both This Is Horror and Strange Aeons Magazine.
His stories have been printed in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best Horror of the Year, Black Static, Cemetery Dance, and Nightmare Magazine. His work has ...more
His debut collection of short horror, BEHOLD THE VOID, won "Story Collection of the Year" award from both This Is Horror and Strange Aeons Magazine.
His stories have been printed in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best Horror of the Year, Black Static, Cemetery Dance, and Nightmare Magazine. His work has ...more
Related Articles
Diverse voices and sparkling debuts dominate today's contemporary short story collections. For this roundup, we took a look at the...
94 likes · 10 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »