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The Edge of Insanity: A Book of Disturbing Tales
Ten terrifying, disturbing short stories written with the cold hand of insanity.
Mixing horror with science fiction, this short story collection contains an eclectic mix of tales ranging from the weird, all the way to the downright creepy.
Within these tainted pages you will find an entire town ravaged by an organic growth hungry for blood, a twisted cult living on a tropical island, a sinister video game arcade with a shady secret, and many more peculiar oddities too gruesome to even mention.
A mixed bag of fables are contained herein, but all of them are unified by their unsettling, eerie nature, taking you on a frightful journey that you will never forget.
Are you brave enough to go to... The Edge of Insanity?
Mixing horror with science fiction, this short story collection contains an eclectic mix of tales ranging from the weird, all the way to the downright creepy.
Within these tainted pages you will find an entire town ravaged by an organic growth hungry for blood, a twisted cult living on a tropical island, a sinister video game arcade with a shady secret, and many more peculiar oddities too gruesome to even mention.
A mixed bag of fables are contained herein, but all of them are unified by their unsettling, eerie nature, taking you on a frightful journey that you will never forget.
Are you brave enough to go to... The Edge of Insanity?
328 pages, Paperback
Published April 16, 2020
51 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
James Flynn
14 books38 followersJames Flynn grew up in England.
His stories cross the boundaries of horror, sci-fi, and sci-fi horror. An absurdist at heart, Flynn’s tales are told through a lens of darkness, highlighting the many paradoxes and predicaments that come attached to human existence.
James Flynn’s stories have been compared to those of the hit TV series, The Twilight Zone, due to their eeriness and atmospheric nature.
Flynn's work has appeared in Black Petals Magazine, Yellow Mama Magazine, The Scare Room Podcast, Weird Mask Magazine, Literary Yard, Sugar Spice Erotica Review, Patty's Short Stax Anthology, Local Haunts Anthology, Lurking in the Dark Anthology and Alien Buddha Press.
Flynn’s latest release is the Exodus of Evil trilogy.
His stories cross the boundaries of horror, sci-fi, and sci-fi horror. An absurdist at heart, Flynn’s tales are told through a lens of darkness, highlighting the many paradoxes and predicaments that come attached to human existence.
James Flynn’s stories have been compared to those of the hit TV series, The Twilight Zone, due to their eeriness and atmospheric nature.
Flynn's work has appeared in Black Petals Magazine, Yellow Mama Magazine, The Scare Room Podcast, Weird Mask Magazine, Literary Yard, Sugar Spice Erotica Review, Patty's Short Stax Anthology, Local Haunts Anthology, Lurking in the Dark Anthology and Alien Buddha Press.
Flynn’s latest release is the Exodus of Evil trilogy.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 6, 2022
I’ve been perusing random kindle freebies, checking out the field of dark speculative self-published fiction and this collection grabbed my attention. In fact, this collection is exactly along the lines of the sort of thing that makes my quest worthwhile.
Strange, dark, twisted tales of science fiction and/or more conventionally horrific persuasion, these ten nightmarish cuts do their best to take one closer to the eponymous line that the author draws.
The book features a variety of themes (all dark), some very nice art and some complete unnecessary poems, but wherein the author may not be much of a poet, he’s actually quite a good writer. I’ve been reading a good amount of self-published genre fiction lately and this certainly stands out in quality. Sure, the narrative tends to be slightly on the dense side and might do nicely with more paragraphs and dialogue, but aside from that it’s engaging, interesting, and most of all, original. There are some really fun, interesting stories here. The editing is done well. The cover's great. A totally professional looking book through and through. And it disturbs as advertised.
All in all, a nice find. I wouldn’t be opposed to checking out more of the author’s work based on this reading experience. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Strange, dark, twisted tales of science fiction and/or more conventionally horrific persuasion, these ten nightmarish cuts do their best to take one closer to the eponymous line that the author draws.
The book features a variety of themes (all dark), some very nice art and some complete unnecessary poems, but wherein the author may not be much of a poet, he’s actually quite a good writer. I’ve been reading a good amount of self-published genre fiction lately and this certainly stands out in quality. Sure, the narrative tends to be slightly on the dense side and might do nicely with more paragraphs and dialogue, but aside from that it’s engaging, interesting, and most of all, original. There are some really fun, interesting stories here. The editing is done well. The cover's great. A totally professional looking book through and through. And it disturbs as advertised.
All in all, a nice find. I wouldn’t be opposed to checking out more of the author’s work based on this reading experience. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
May 4, 2020
If Goodreads did a 10 star rating, I’d give this book every one. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.
Each story is chilling, sinister and most importantly, unforgettable. I couldn’t put this book down.
I loved the imagery, language used and the thought put into each plot. Definitely a book to read and recommend.
Each story is chilling, sinister and most importantly, unforgettable. I couldn’t put this book down.
I loved the imagery, language used and the thought put into each plot. Definitely a book to read and recommend.
October 1, 2022
Very creative
This was a very interesting and unique collection of stories. I found them to be entertaining and disturbing. I really enjoyed reading them and I am generally not big on short stories.
This was a very interesting and unique collection of stories. I found them to be entertaining and disturbing. I really enjoyed reading them and I am generally not big on short stories.
June 22, 2020
I like this author’s writing very much. He can make any genre accessible to those who may not typically read that genre. I read his previous book, Conservation, and his ability to make sci-fi realistic and relatable to the times and to a wide base of readers is impressive. This book does the same.
Flynn crosses genres as well as mixes them together — sci-fi and horror in this collection of 12 tales. I liken this book and these stories to the Twilight Zone and in some cases The X-files. That’s probably why I enjoyed them.
I don’t want to give away too much of the stories — but I would like to point out a few of my favorites. The creepiest for me was Deadly Dispossession, which is in a way a tale of someone’s good deed gone bad and the desperation of people who cannot let go of loved ones.
There are tales we can all understand because of our inability to live up to potential and missing opportunities. The Unborn, for example, provides a unique and disturbing view of facing those people we could have become, but not exactly in the way you expect.
Where Flynn thrives is in observing humanity’s frailties, our inability to appreciate what we have, and the ease at which we fall to our most basic and primal selves. This is most evident in the Indelible Stamp. In the Devoted Droid, he presents ideas in a way that makes us look at both sides of the coin, what is right and what is wrong, and are we naive to believe in the goodness of people?
If you like sci-fi, horror, or something in between, you will find it in this book of short stories.
Flynn crosses genres as well as mixes them together — sci-fi and horror in this collection of 12 tales. I liken this book and these stories to the Twilight Zone and in some cases The X-files. That’s probably why I enjoyed them.
I don’t want to give away too much of the stories — but I would like to point out a few of my favorites. The creepiest for me was Deadly Dispossession, which is in a way a tale of someone’s good deed gone bad and the desperation of people who cannot let go of loved ones.
There are tales we can all understand because of our inability to live up to potential and missing opportunities. The Unborn, for example, provides a unique and disturbing view of facing those people we could have become, but not exactly in the way you expect.
Where Flynn thrives is in observing humanity’s frailties, our inability to appreciate what we have, and the ease at which we fall to our most basic and primal selves. This is most evident in the Indelible Stamp. In the Devoted Droid, he presents ideas in a way that makes us look at both sides of the coin, what is right and what is wrong, and are we naive to believe in the goodness of people?
If you like sci-fi, horror, or something in between, you will find it in this book of short stories.
July 15, 2020
Overall I enjoyed it, definitely some creepy imagery in there. My favorite story of the bunch is probably the first one about the cult on the island. I guess my main criticism is that the writing too often tells us that something is "creepy" or "unsettling" etc rather than just describing something and allowing the reader to decide for themselves.
May 13, 2021
I was surprised by the originality and imagination of these stories. Very gripping. I dont usually give a 5 star. Recommended
July 31, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The range of stories is impressive, showcasing various forms of horror, and some even include insightful social commentary. The author's introduction, with its humor, added an extra layer of enjoyment. I will definitely explore more of their work.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
September 18, 2023
Wonderful characters. Interesting plots. Vivid descriptions. Some freaky good reads!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews