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The Ever-Descending Staircase
“James Carlson’s stories are both lyrical and horrific. Within the tales are spiritual battles between good and evil, but Carlson doesn’t rely on simple moralizing; instead, he allows his characters to experience, and sometimes overcome the excruciating suffering that all humans must face. An impressive collection.”
—Jon Bassoff, author of CAPTAIN CLIVE’S DREAMWORLD
In an old warehouse in Pennsylvania, a dark and terrible secret is shown to a researcher of spiritual phenomena.
Monsters roam the wilds of America, all spawned by a strange being whose cycle of breeding, feasting, and nesting is interrupted by a small-town police officer, a cyber investigator, and a revenge-seeking father.
A teenage boy without family or a home encounters tragedy and horror in the snowy woods, where the threshold between human reality and the impossible is guarded by an unlikely creature.
At a seedy dive bar, while teetering on the edge of sanity, an afflicted alcoholic meets a stranger who changes his life forever.
A pregnant veterinarian at a Wyoming zoo has an unexpected meeting with an infernal presence.
A man trapped in a bizarre and lonely afterlife regrets his suicide.
A grieving widower learns that even a selfless wish from the heart can end in a horrible fate when asked of cosmic entities beyond human reason and understanding.
—Jon Bassoff, author of CAPTAIN CLIVE’S DREAMWORLD
In an old warehouse in Pennsylvania, a dark and terrible secret is shown to a researcher of spiritual phenomena.
Monsters roam the wilds of America, all spawned by a strange being whose cycle of breeding, feasting, and nesting is interrupted by a small-town police officer, a cyber investigator, and a revenge-seeking father.
A teenage boy without family or a home encounters tragedy and horror in the snowy woods, where the threshold between human reality and the impossible is guarded by an unlikely creature.
At a seedy dive bar, while teetering on the edge of sanity, an afflicted alcoholic meets a stranger who changes his life forever.
A pregnant veterinarian at a Wyoming zoo has an unexpected meeting with an infernal presence.
A man trapped in a bizarre and lonely afterlife regrets his suicide.
A grieving widower learns that even a selfless wish from the heart can end in a horrible fate when asked of cosmic entities beyond human reason and understanding.
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2021
13 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
James G. Carlson
116 books34 followersJames G. Carlson is an award-winning author of horror, science fiction, and dark fantasy. His short stories have appeared in various anthologies. He has released two collections of dark fiction, Seven Exhumations and The Ever-Descending Staircase, as well as three novellas, The Legion Machine, Midnight in the City of the Carrion Kid, and Red Falls (in the book Hacked in Two, with Daemon Manx). Most recently, Carlson has teamed up with fellow author Michael R. Collins for Miracles for Masochists, a collection featuring one collaborative tale and three shorts by each author. From the weird state of Pennsylvania, James drinks too much coffee and writes at a desk surrounded by animals and family in the mad zoo he calls home.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 31, 2022
I fear that a lot of readers skip the Author's Note or Preface at the beginning of stories, but in this case, I advise against it. Here, James Carlson provides a heartfelt introduction to his collection of early horror shorts, and it immediately endeared me. He explains that the title of this book refers to a dream that he interpreted as a representation of a career in horror writing. The stories contained in this book are all early efforts, but he continues to explore deeper and further down the staircase, and as he does, his writing and content changes. This collection is a travelogue of part of his journey. I was impressed with the humility, honesty, and self-awareness of this work, and yet despite his apparent timidity, he descends the staircase without fear, writing the stories he wants to write with an incredible imagination unimpeded by the industry. And that is exactly what you will find here--a beautiful work of unfettered talent exploring the depths of human psychology and experience, beckoning the reader to continue down the dark steps with him to the unknown.
But let's talk about the stories themselves. The first one, "The Vices and Virtues of Gideon Thomas," actually blew me away. An alcoholic former priest has taken up a career in traveling the world, gathering evidence of heaven and hell within the paranormal happenings in hidden religious rituals, and he has been called to interview an exorcist who reportedly has 47 demons trapped within him. Five stars.
"Gray Skies over Pennsylvania" has an incredible opening sentence that immediately hooks you in for a weird ride. Every ten years, a series of child disappearances occurs in small towns around Halloween, and now they've started to occur in the area of Briar's Reach. A retired cop whose son had been abducted 30 years ago, a young woman named Kat, and the local police chief investigate to discover an ancient evil. Four stars.
"Bloom and Rot" is beyond weird, a fairy tale of sorts, about the difference between death dealt by the perversity of modern man and that of nature eating itself. Three stars, though I may have to think about it longer before giving it a final score.
"Gloom" says that those panic attacks may not be just a serotonin problem, and the treatment you need for relief could kill you. This story will make you feel an uncanny tingle on the back of the neck for quite some time. Five stars.
"And Hell Came With Her" is a rather uplifting story about a battle between good and evil in an unlikely setting--the zoo. Three stars.
"Afterworld" is a dead man's tale about how he ended up stranded on a deserted island in Hell being told to a giant hermit crab. Three stars.
"Damnation Way" is the deeply philosophical final story about the power of words, the complex nature of humanity, and emotional growth. Four stars.
The author says that he was tempted to revise these early efforts before publication, implying that he felt them to be a bit underbaked, but in the end, he decided against it. What a courageous thing to do! So many artists, musicians, and writers are constantly disavowing the output from their developing careers, but Carlson embraces them, saying that they will always have a special place in his heart. And why not? I'm a physician, and I'll never forget my first patient, or the books that inspired me to the profession. I still listen with love and appreciation to the first albums that first truly spoke to me musically. Similarly these are the stories that are near and dead to the author, that helped define him, so I'm glad he decided to publish them as is.
And despite any apparent misgivings on his part, I found this to be a solid effort and worth the read for any of you horror fans who are into short stories and works by indie authors.
SCORE: An average of four stars
But let's talk about the stories themselves. The first one, "The Vices and Virtues of Gideon Thomas," actually blew me away. An alcoholic former priest has taken up a career in traveling the world, gathering evidence of heaven and hell within the paranormal happenings in hidden religious rituals, and he has been called to interview an exorcist who reportedly has 47 demons trapped within him. Five stars.
"Gray Skies over Pennsylvania" has an incredible opening sentence that immediately hooks you in for a weird ride. Every ten years, a series of child disappearances occurs in small towns around Halloween, and now they've started to occur in the area of Briar's Reach. A retired cop whose son had been abducted 30 years ago, a young woman named Kat, and the local police chief investigate to discover an ancient evil. Four stars.
"Bloom and Rot" is beyond weird, a fairy tale of sorts, about the difference between death dealt by the perversity of modern man and that of nature eating itself. Three stars, though I may have to think about it longer before giving it a final score.
"Gloom" says that those panic attacks may not be just a serotonin problem, and the treatment you need for relief could kill you. This story will make you feel an uncanny tingle on the back of the neck for quite some time. Five stars.
"And Hell Came With Her" is a rather uplifting story about a battle between good and evil in an unlikely setting--the zoo. Three stars.
"Afterworld" is a dead man's tale about how he ended up stranded on a deserted island in Hell being told to a giant hermit crab. Three stars.
"Damnation Way" is the deeply philosophical final story about the power of words, the complex nature of humanity, and emotional growth. Four stars.
The author says that he was tempted to revise these early efforts before publication, implying that he felt them to be a bit underbaked, but in the end, he decided against it. What a courageous thing to do! So many artists, musicians, and writers are constantly disavowing the output from their developing careers, but Carlson embraces them, saying that they will always have a special place in his heart. And why not? I'm a physician, and I'll never forget my first patient, or the books that inspired me to the profession. I still listen with love and appreciation to the first albums that first truly spoke to me musically. Similarly these are the stories that are near and dead to the author, that helped define him, so I'm glad he decided to publish them as is.
And despite any apparent misgivings on his part, I found this to be a solid effort and worth the read for any of you horror fans who are into short stories and works by indie authors.
SCORE: An average of four stars
June 1, 2021
This new release by James Carlson is actually a collection of some of his earliest published short stories. That being said, you would be hard-pressed to apply the term “beginner” or “novice” to any one of these stories. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each one of these and the fact that several of them were set in Pennsylvania, which is where I reside. I always enjoy a story set in my own state, who wouldn’t? It gives it that more intimate feeling, that “Oh Hey! I heard of that place!”
The opening story is truly a scary story and it was my favorite of the collection. “The Vices and Virtues of Gideon Thomas” tells the tale of a jaded, ex-priest turned author still seeking for answers. What answers, even he is not exactly sure, proof of the existence of something greater seems to be what he desires, whether good or evil, he wants proof that God exists, or that one true religion exists. I think perhaps deeper than that, he wants to know the why of things, and the how, as much as he wants to know if God exists.
Gideon finds himself responding to the call from Father O’Halloran, who informs him that his presence on Christmas Eve would be well worth his time. When he arrives, he is told the story of Father Martin, a priest who carried out many exorcisms during his time of actively serving. Father Martin is now dying and has requested to see Gideon, for reasons unknown to both Father O’Halloran and Gideon. Reasons which quickly become apparent the longer Gideon stays in the presence of the ailing priest. You will need to discover those reasons on your own.
Another favorite of mine was “Gray Skies Over Pennsylvania,” which features small town PA in the midst of Halloween activities. Kat Levine is a remote cyber investigator who is very good at her job and police chief Raymond Price is knee-deep in missing kids cases. Kids that have just gone missing over the last couple of days from nearby Millhaven and there in their town of Briar’s Reach. Kat offers her assistance to the troubled chief and is quickly pulled into the mystery of the missing kids. She soon discovers a pattern that stretches much further back than she expects. The tale takes a turn when a parent of one of the missing kids from decades ago, turns up in Briar’s Reach and offers his assistance as well. This story was such a great Halloween time tale. Hauntingly sad, very well set-up and excellent characters help drive this story to its gruesome and unexpected end.
“Bloom & Rot” is a haunting and absolutely magical story about a doe, a boy and a deranged hunter. I am not going to describe this in detail as it is too short to describe without spoilers. It’s about the bonds of nature and its animals, it’s about maternal instincts and kindness and the absolute wrath of nature when provoked. I have never read a story like this and I doubt I ever will again. It’s gorgeous, tragic and sublime.
There are a couple more stories, each one different in its telling, each one superbly written. This is already a favorite collection of mine and I strongly suggest that you make it one of yours as well. This is 5 stars, truly an excellent set of stories.
The opening story is truly a scary story and it was my favorite of the collection. “The Vices and Virtues of Gideon Thomas” tells the tale of a jaded, ex-priest turned author still seeking for answers. What answers, even he is not exactly sure, proof of the existence of something greater seems to be what he desires, whether good or evil, he wants proof that God exists, or that one true religion exists. I think perhaps deeper than that, he wants to know the why of things, and the how, as much as he wants to know if God exists.
Gideon finds himself responding to the call from Father O’Halloran, who informs him that his presence on Christmas Eve would be well worth his time. When he arrives, he is told the story of Father Martin, a priest who carried out many exorcisms during his time of actively serving. Father Martin is now dying and has requested to see Gideon, for reasons unknown to both Father O’Halloran and Gideon. Reasons which quickly become apparent the longer Gideon stays in the presence of the ailing priest. You will need to discover those reasons on your own.
Another favorite of mine was “Gray Skies Over Pennsylvania,” which features small town PA in the midst of Halloween activities. Kat Levine is a remote cyber investigator who is very good at her job and police chief Raymond Price is knee-deep in missing kids cases. Kids that have just gone missing over the last couple of days from nearby Millhaven and there in their town of Briar’s Reach. Kat offers her assistance to the troubled chief and is quickly pulled into the mystery of the missing kids. She soon discovers a pattern that stretches much further back than she expects. The tale takes a turn when a parent of one of the missing kids from decades ago, turns up in Briar’s Reach and offers his assistance as well. This story was such a great Halloween time tale. Hauntingly sad, very well set-up and excellent characters help drive this story to its gruesome and unexpected end.
“Bloom & Rot” is a haunting and absolutely magical story about a doe, a boy and a deranged hunter. I am not going to describe this in detail as it is too short to describe without spoilers. It’s about the bonds of nature and its animals, it’s about maternal instincts and kindness and the absolute wrath of nature when provoked. I have never read a story like this and I doubt I ever will again. It’s gorgeous, tragic and sublime.
There are a couple more stories, each one different in its telling, each one superbly written. This is already a favorite collection of mine and I strongly suggest that you make it one of yours as well. This is 5 stars, truly an excellent set of stories.
September 23, 2021
I haven't read a lot of horror stories lately, but I'm glad I found this book. The stories are fast-paced and well-written.
May 5, 2021
This is a great collection of short stories by a very talented author. The stories are very well imagined and are told with a great writing style. There is a lot of dark imagery that was brought to life in a way that makes it easy to picture in your mind. I recommend it.
June 25, 2021
One more time the author gave us access to Twilight zone. Exorcism, priests, dark features are elements of great short stories.
Characters are restless and connected with another world where you can expect unpredictable things.
Characters are restless and connected with another world where you can expect unpredictable things.
June 20, 2021
Page turner
Each tale was as imaginative as the last. I was hooked from the first story. If you love horror stories , you will love this book
Each tale was as imaginative as the last. I was hooked from the first story. If you love horror stories , you will love this book
June 16, 2021
Tales of horror to chill the bones
Such a good collection. Tales that are almost Lovecraftian in style.
Strange monsters, struggling souls and encounters with demons mixed with sadness, hope and horror.
Such a good collection. Tales that are almost Lovecraftian in style.
Strange monsters, struggling souls and encounters with demons mixed with sadness, hope and horror.
April 18, 2023
I finished The Ever-Descending Staircase by James G. Carlson last night, a really nice compilation of short horror stories with something for every horror taste out there!
May 24, 2023
story collection
A good story collection. All well written and all rather dark and creepy. Will definitely check out more by James.
A good story collection. All well written and all rather dark and creepy. Will definitely check out more by James.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews