What do you think?
Rate this book
The Repentant
In this all-new, original anthology, today's top talents tackle good and evil and the many shades in between. In the tradition of "Buffy" and "Angel," these thirteen stories will feature some very unlikely protectors of humankind.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 7, 2003
79 people want to read
About the author
Brian M. Thomsen
60 books10 followersBrian Thomsen was a founding editor of the Questar Science Fiction line of books, and served as managing fiction editor at TSR, Inc.; he also wrote over 30 short stories, and collaborated with Julius Schwartz on Schwartz's autobiography. He also worked as the publisher for TSR's Periodicals Department at one point. He was a consulting editor at Tor Books; as an author he was a Hugo Award nominee.
He died on September 21, 2008, at his home in Brooklyn at the age of 49. He was survived by his wife, Donna.
He died on September 21, 2008, at his home in Brooklyn at the age of 49. He was survived by his wife, Donna.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 9, 2011
I enjoyed this story collection tremendously. I was a little apprehensive because I wasn't quite sure what to expect.I picked it up because I simply love reading short story collections with horror/fantasy/genre elements. I don't know why I thought I wouldn't like it, except was just getting my feet wet again after a long absence from the fantasy/horror when I bought this one. I started with classic horror and branched out from there. This was a bit of an impulse buy that paid off.
If there is a theme that I love more than anything in fiction, it's redemption. Well, this takes the theme of repentance (closely tied with redemption) and puts it into a supernatural framework, asking the question, can creatures and beings created out of evil and designed for evil actually become remorseful and change their ways? The stories really show that the answer is yes.
The part that I really had to suspend my disbelief was in the section about devils and demons. I am fairly black and white when it comes to devils and demons (at least in the traditional Christian sense, and these stories deal with the darker aspects of devils and demons that one might consider from a Christian standpoint. I don't consider the demonic races that are found in most paranormal romances to be along these lines. They are typically immortal races with beings capable of good or evil. My comments refer to the demonic beings of Christian lore specifically).
Well, I felt the stories were well-written. They did show scenarios where I had to acknowledge that a demonic being was doing the 'right' thing, showing that it despised it's origins and wanted something better. One example was a story with a demon that willingly allowed itself to be exorcised. That story gave me the creeps and was very effective, because I felt sorry for the demon because it despised what it was and wanted to be destroyed. From a theological/philosophical standpoint, it didn't change what I believe about these fallen beings, but it was interesting and gave me an entertaining story or two. And a good scare. I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to demonic-type stuff.
There was one really funny story. It was a parody of HP Lovecraft mythos. Gosh I laughed myself silly. Thankfully I read some Lovecraft a couple of years ago and I could appreciate the jokes. This story showed a kinder (or should I say less apathetic) hybrid of the Old Ones and a human mother who really didn't appreciate the Old Ones' agenda towards humanity. It had all the elements that are classic for Lovecraft fare. It was spot on. I can't remember the name of the story right now, and I guess that makes me a bad reviewer, but if you decide to read this volume, you'll definitely know it when you see it.
This collection has some of everything as far as traditionally 'bad' supernatural beings, and I didn't dislike one story in it. I would definitely recommend this collection a reader who likes a little bit of horror mixed with fantasy or tends to be into darker fantasy and lighter horror.
If there is a theme that I love more than anything in fiction, it's redemption. Well, this takes the theme of repentance (closely tied with redemption) and puts it into a supernatural framework, asking the question, can creatures and beings created out of evil and designed for evil actually become remorseful and change their ways? The stories really show that the answer is yes.
The part that I really had to suspend my disbelief was in the section about devils and demons. I am fairly black and white when it comes to devils and demons (at least in the traditional Christian sense, and these stories deal with the darker aspects of devils and demons that one might consider from a Christian standpoint. I don't consider the demonic races that are found in most paranormal romances to be along these lines. They are typically immortal races with beings capable of good or evil. My comments refer to the demonic beings of Christian lore specifically).
Well, I felt the stories were well-written. They did show scenarios where I had to acknowledge that a demonic being was doing the 'right' thing, showing that it despised it's origins and wanted something better. One example was a story with a demon that willingly allowed itself to be exorcised. That story gave me the creeps and was very effective, because I felt sorry for the demon because it despised what it was and wanted to be destroyed. From a theological/philosophical standpoint, it didn't change what I believe about these fallen beings, but it was interesting and gave me an entertaining story or two. And a good scare. I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to demonic-type stuff.
There was one really funny story. It was a parody of HP Lovecraft mythos. Gosh I laughed myself silly. Thankfully I read some Lovecraft a couple of years ago and I could appreciate the jokes. This story showed a kinder (or should I say less apathetic) hybrid of the Old Ones and a human mother who really didn't appreciate the Old Ones' agenda towards humanity. It had all the elements that are classic for Lovecraft fare. It was spot on. I can't remember the name of the story right now, and I guess that makes me a bad reviewer, but if you decide to read this volume, you'll definitely know it when you see it.
This collection has some of everything as far as traditionally 'bad' supernatural beings, and I didn't dislike one story in it. I would definitely recommend this collection a reader who likes a little bit of horror mixed with fantasy or tends to be into darker fantasy and lighter horror.
July 28, 2022
Why, you might ask, am I reviewing an anthology of stories published in 2003? Well, I wanted to start working through my book shelves and read some of the ones I had acquired and stored for later (apparently 19 years later) and I wanted to start writing short stories again. Good news, I rather enjoyed some of the tales about penitent supernatural baddies, and I whipped out a 6,000 word story in the past twenty-four hours.
The Repentant collects 13 original tales about creatures that haunt the night, but decide not to use that excuse to be their worst selves. The stories are divided into sections: Werewolves and Witches, The Dead, The Undead, and the Demonic. Many of these stories prove to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, and more than a bit campy, but campy horror comedies are among my favorites in the spooky genre, so reader be warned. Almost all of the authors were new to me, except for Jeff Grubb, who did a lot of work with Marvel Comics in the past. I believe he may have even written elements of the long gone MARVEL SUPERHERO ROLE PLAYING GAME which I arduously studied when I was twelve. Grubb's tale, "Lycanthrope Summer" was well written and atmospheric and is a good start to the anthology. Overall, I will definitely be looking up a few names from my favorites to see what else is out there by these authors. Some of the stories were a little hard to get through (especially the ones that were fantasy based and had plots around the strange rules around death and life in this particular fantasy mythos). Although, I am intrigued to read more by some famous types (Yarbro, Elrod), there were a few that were sort of...boring. It seemed that the editors included some of these stories just based on the name of the author. The best were a bit light-hearted and clever send ups of the traditional spooky situations. Let's get to some highlights:
"A Hollywood Tradition" by Brian M. Thomsen- This one stood out as a fun homage to Tinsel Town, where a non-fic book writer, desperate for a new pitch, takes a room in an old Hollywood Mansion and gets an earful from the old man running the place. The Caretaker gives the writer a story he can really sink his teeth into."The Devil You Know" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman- This tale, set in 19th century America, is about the child of amateur wizards who watches while a demon devours his parents after a botched summoning. The Demon adopts the kid and teaches him for the price of bringing him a human to feed on every Solstice. The story is a real page turner with the kid desperately trying to figure out a way to defeat his adopted parent while gathering a group of gifted people around him."The Recall of Cthulhu" by Tom Dupree- This one is pretty funny, well written, and acts as a kind of humorous sequel to "The Dunwich Horror" by H.P. Lovecraft. In this, the monstrous twin brother of Wilbur Whateley, F'tagn, tries to make friends despite the fact that he has the heart of a man, but the form of an obscene Old One. I had a good chuckle from this one."Slaughter" by P.N. Elrod- This pulp noir vampire story, details a vampire assistant to a mob boss in Chicago having to contend with an upstart and newly transformed Vampire honing in on mob territory. Although a bit straightforward, it reads at a real clip, and I will probably look into Elrod's other vampire works."The Den Mother" by Edo van Belkom- This story is about a therapist who steps in to help a domestic abuse victim come into her own power. The story is a satisfying one, where the real monster is the brutal jerk who lives next door.
Overall, although the quality of the stories is a bit uneven, there were plenty of gems to pass the time, and they did help inspire me to write a weird little witch story of my own.
3 Stars out of 5.
The Repentant collects 13 original tales about creatures that haunt the night, but decide not to use that excuse to be their worst selves. The stories are divided into sections: Werewolves and Witches, The Dead, The Undead, and the Demonic. Many of these stories prove to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, and more than a bit campy, but campy horror comedies are among my favorites in the spooky genre, so reader be warned. Almost all of the authors were new to me, except for Jeff Grubb, who did a lot of work with Marvel Comics in the past. I believe he may have even written elements of the long gone MARVEL SUPERHERO ROLE PLAYING GAME which I arduously studied when I was twelve. Grubb's tale, "Lycanthrope Summer" was well written and atmospheric and is a good start to the anthology. Overall, I will definitely be looking up a few names from my favorites to see what else is out there by these authors. Some of the stories were a little hard to get through (especially the ones that were fantasy based and had plots around the strange rules around death and life in this particular fantasy mythos). Although, I am intrigued to read more by some famous types (Yarbro, Elrod), there were a few that were sort of...boring. It seemed that the editors included some of these stories just based on the name of the author. The best were a bit light-hearted and clever send ups of the traditional spooky situations. Let's get to some highlights:
"A Hollywood Tradition" by Brian M. Thomsen- This one stood out as a fun homage to Tinsel Town, where a non-fic book writer, desperate for a new pitch, takes a room in an old Hollywood Mansion and gets an earful from the old man running the place. The Caretaker gives the writer a story he can really sink his teeth into."The Devil You Know" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman- This tale, set in 19th century America, is about the child of amateur wizards who watches while a demon devours his parents after a botched summoning. The Demon adopts the kid and teaches him for the price of bringing him a human to feed on every Solstice. The story is a real page turner with the kid desperately trying to figure out a way to defeat his adopted parent while gathering a group of gifted people around him."The Recall of Cthulhu" by Tom Dupree- This one is pretty funny, well written, and acts as a kind of humorous sequel to "The Dunwich Horror" by H.P. Lovecraft. In this, the monstrous twin brother of Wilbur Whateley, F'tagn, tries to make friends despite the fact that he has the heart of a man, but the form of an obscene Old One. I had a good chuckle from this one."Slaughter" by P.N. Elrod- This pulp noir vampire story, details a vampire assistant to a mob boss in Chicago having to contend with an upstart and newly transformed Vampire honing in on mob territory. Although a bit straightforward, it reads at a real clip, and I will probably look into Elrod's other vampire works."The Den Mother" by Edo van Belkom- This story is about a therapist who steps in to help a domestic abuse victim come into her own power. The story is a satisfying one, where the real monster is the brutal jerk who lives next door.
Overall, although the quality of the stories is a bit uneven, there were plenty of gems to pass the time, and they did help inspire me to write a weird little witch story of my own.
3 Stars out of 5.
March 23, 2019
good anthology of short stories, the werewolves, and undead were good,
October 23, 2013
This is a very mixed bag, with some of the stories very weak, but others quite enjoyable. there's not much in the way of true standouts, though, so in the end I can't recommend it unless you're a completionist for one of the authors included.
I picked this up for 50cents in the discards at my library because it had stories by a couple authors I quite like (Nina Kiriki Hoffman, PN Elrod, Tanya Huff). In the end, there stories were not my favorites, each seeming a bit rushed and/or without a real narrative conflict. They were far from the weakest stories the collection, though.
In my opinion, the best stories were all in the "Undead" section. My favorite was Fiona Patton's "Brothers in the Flesh" (necromancers/zombies) which had really interesting world-building - I'd like to find more stories in this setting. My second favorite was probably "She Dwelleth in the Cold of the Moon" by James Lowder (more zombies). And bonus points for Jean Rabe's "Heat"
My least favorite was probably Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's "Intercession". Maybe I was missing something, but not having read anything else about her vampire St Germaine, the letter-format just did nothing for me. I had no reason to care about any of the characters.
I picked this up for 50cents in the discards at my library because it had stories by a couple authors I quite like (Nina Kiriki Hoffman, PN Elrod, Tanya Huff). In the end, there stories were not my favorites, each seeming a bit rushed and/or without a real narrative conflict. They were far from the weakest stories the collection, though.
In my opinion, the best stories were all in the "Undead" section. My favorite was Fiona Patton's "Brothers in the Flesh" (necromancers/zombies) which had really interesting world-building - I'd like to find more stories in this setting. My second favorite was probably "She Dwelleth in the Cold of the Moon" by James Lowder (more zombies). And bonus points for Jean Rabe's "Heat"
My least favorite was probably Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's "Intercession". Maybe I was missing something, but not having read anything else about her vampire St Germaine, the letter-format just did nothing for me. I had no reason to care about any of the characters.
August 20, 2012
Saw this and said, "oh, horror anthology, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, I'll check it out."
The theme of the book is that the "monsters" are actually the good guys, or at least sympathetic to some degree, so it's not really a very 'horrific' book.
Some of the stories are OK, some really not so good; none of them really made a lasting impression. If Goodreads had half stars, this would be a 2.5.
Contents:
Lycanthrope summer / Jeff Grubb
The Salem trial / Jody Lynn Nye
The den mother / Edo van Belkom
Brothers in the flesh / Fiona Patton
Heat / Jean Rabe
She dwelleth in the cold of the moon / James Lowder
Sceleratus / Tanya Huff
Slaughter / P.N. Elrod
A Hollywood tradition / Brian M. Thomsen
Intercession / Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
The devil you know / Nina Kiriki Hoffman
The recall of Cthulhu / Tom Dupree
Redeemed / Allen C. Kupfer.
The theme of the book is that the "monsters" are actually the good guys, or at least sympathetic to some degree, so it's not really a very 'horrific' book.
Some of the stories are OK, some really not so good; none of them really made a lasting impression. If Goodreads had half stars, this would be a 2.5.
Contents:
Lycanthrope summer / Jeff Grubb
The Salem trial / Jody Lynn Nye
The den mother / Edo van Belkom
Brothers in the flesh / Fiona Patton
Heat / Jean Rabe
She dwelleth in the cold of the moon / James Lowder
Sceleratus / Tanya Huff
Slaughter / P.N. Elrod
A Hollywood tradition / Brian M. Thomsen
Intercession / Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
The devil you know / Nina Kiriki Hoffman
The recall of Cthulhu / Tom Dupree
Redeemed / Allen C. Kupfer.
November 30, 2013
Like some of the other reviews said, this is very much a mixed bag of stories. Some of these stories were great - my personal favorites are "The Den Mother", "Heat", and the quite odd "Intercession" - but the shortness of the stories ends up working against them in most cases. This is probably better as a starting point for learning about these writers than as a standalone book.
January 18, 2008
Collection of short stories.
Read
April 14, 2008Anthology,Horror
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews