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She Nailed a Stake Through His Head: Tales of Biblical Terror
Do you read the Bible for the sex? Did the story of Solomon threatening to cut the baby in half seem very messed up - but in a good way? Then this is the book for you. A prophet washes up on the shores of an hellish city. A doomed king speaks to the dead. A modern day Samson takes up arms against the British. These nine stories are full of drama, passion and divine exuberance.
* Text from Kindle description
* Text from Kindle description
144 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 28, 2014
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
She Nailed a Stake Through His Head: Tales of Biblical Terror is a collection of short horror stories inspired by the Bible. I spent a lot of quality time with the Bible while growing up (Catholic school will do that), and I’ve always been amazed at how disturbing so many of the actual Bible stories are. This book takes that to the next level, imagining Biblical takes on vampires, Lovecraftian horrors, and sinister cults.
I purchased this collection because I saw that Catherynne Valente had contributed to it, and her story was easily my favorite of the bunch. The others were hit or miss for me; some of them I loved, but others fell a bit short of their potential. Let’s take a brief look at each of them, shall we?
Whither Thou Goest by Gerri Leen
This story was a reimagined version of the story of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth is a vampire/succubus creature and has bound herself to Naomi, and now the two are caught in a power struggle. I enjoyed this one.
Babylon’s Burning by Daniel Kaysen
I found Babylon’s Burning to be one of the more disturbing stories in the book because of it’s bleak view of human nature. Daniel goes to a corporate party, where he discovers that he has the gift of prophecy. He becomes a pawn of an international organization, and his own lust for power holds him in thrall.
As if Favorites of their God by Christi Krug
This is the story of the Witch of Endor, who summoned the prophet Samuel for Saul near the end of his reign. The story brings out her human side, and we see her as an old wise woman who just wants to go about her business and not be persecuted for her way of life. I enjoyed the ending.
Psalm of the Second Body by Catherynne Valente
Cat Valente is a poetic mastermind. In Psalm of the Second Body, inspired by the Epic of Gilgamesh, she tells the story of a harlot taming a wild man. Valente captures the almost otherworldly beauty that Shamhat uses to charm Enkidu, and uses their lovemaking to illustrate Enkidu’s transition from a rough man who lives with his flock to someone capable of functioning and thriving in society. It’s exquisite.
Judgement at Naioth by Elissa Malcohn
The story of David fighting the Philistines is reimagined as a gang war, complete with drugs, destitution, and motorcyles. There’s a prevailing sense throughout the story that all is not as it should be and that if only things were different, David could be a hero and not a washed out addict.
Judith & Holofernes by Romie Stott
In this story, Judith beheads Holofernes over and over again. This was one of the stories in the collection that, while unique, didn’t work for me quite as well as the others.
Jawbone of an Ass by Lyda Morehouse
This one was also one that I didn’t care for as much. The premise was fascinating, but I didn’t like the main character. Jawbone of an Ass combines the idea of war with the Philistines with a Judas-like betrayal, but set in Ireland in the conflict between Catholics and Protestants. The protagonist is married to a rebel leader who has visions from God, and she ultimately decides to betray him because of their deeply troubled romantic relationship.
Swallowed! by Stephen M Wilson
A Jonah-and-the-whale meets Cthulhu mashup, filled with lots of blood and gore. The story begins with Chapter IV and works its way back in time so you see how a dead Cthulhu washes up on a beach. I think what bothered me here is that the thing I love about Lovecraft is the fact that he allows his horrors to remain unknown rather than telling us what they are, so actually seeing the monster and the horrific events in Jonah’s past seems a bit out of character.
Last Respects by D.K. Thompson
A vampire mourns the death of his wife. Oh, and there’s a lot of cannibalism (although is it cannibalism when vampires eat humans?). I like the sacramental twist at the end.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
She Nailed a Stake Through His Head: Tales of Biblical Terror is a collection of short horror stories inspired by the Bible. I spent a lot of quality time with the Bible while growing up (Catholic school will do that), and I’ve always been amazed at how disturbing so many of the actual Bible stories are. This book takes that to the next level, imagining Biblical takes on vampires, Lovecraftian horrors, and sinister cults.
I purchased this collection because I saw that Catherynne Valente had contributed to it, and her story was easily my favorite of the bunch. The others were hit or miss for me; some of them I loved, but others fell a bit short of their potential. Let’s take a brief look at each of them, shall we?
Whither Thou Goest by Gerri Leen
This story was a reimagined version of the story of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth is a vampire/succubus creature and has bound herself to Naomi, and now the two are caught in a power struggle. I enjoyed this one.
Babylon’s Burning by Daniel Kaysen
I found Babylon’s Burning to be one of the more disturbing stories in the book because of it’s bleak view of human nature. Daniel goes to a corporate party, where he discovers that he has the gift of prophecy. He becomes a pawn of an international organization, and his own lust for power holds him in thrall.
As if Favorites of their God by Christi Krug
This is the story of the Witch of Endor, who summoned the prophet Samuel for Saul near the end of his reign. The story brings out her human side, and we see her as an old wise woman who just wants to go about her business and not be persecuted for her way of life. I enjoyed the ending.
Psalm of the Second Body by Catherynne Valente
Cat Valente is a poetic mastermind. In Psalm of the Second Body, inspired by the Epic of Gilgamesh, she tells the story of a harlot taming a wild man. Valente captures the almost otherworldly beauty that Shamhat uses to charm Enkidu, and uses their lovemaking to illustrate Enkidu’s transition from a rough man who lives with his flock to someone capable of functioning and thriving in society. It’s exquisite.
Judgement at Naioth by Elissa Malcohn
The story of David fighting the Philistines is reimagined as a gang war, complete with drugs, destitution, and motorcyles. There’s a prevailing sense throughout the story that all is not as it should be and that if only things were different, David could be a hero and not a washed out addict.
Judith & Holofernes by Romie Stott
In this story, Judith beheads Holofernes over and over again. This was one of the stories in the collection that, while unique, didn’t work for me quite as well as the others.
Jawbone of an Ass by Lyda Morehouse
This one was also one that I didn’t care for as much. The premise was fascinating, but I didn’t like the main character. Jawbone of an Ass combines the idea of war with the Philistines with a Judas-like betrayal, but set in Ireland in the conflict between Catholics and Protestants. The protagonist is married to a rebel leader who has visions from God, and she ultimately decides to betray him because of their deeply troubled romantic relationship.
Swallowed! by Stephen M Wilson
A Jonah-and-the-whale meets Cthulhu mashup, filled with lots of blood and gore. The story begins with Chapter IV and works its way back in time so you see how a dead Cthulhu washes up on a beach. I think what bothered me here is that the thing I love about Lovecraft is the fact that he allows his horrors to remain unknown rather than telling us what they are, so actually seeing the monster and the horrific events in Jonah’s past seems a bit out of character.
Last Respects by D.K. Thompson
A vampire mourns the death of his wife. Oh, and there’s a lot of cannibalism (although is it cannibalism when vampires eat humans?). I like the sacramental twist at the end.
March 28, 2015
I learned about this book from a call for submissions for its sequel. Having a degree in religious studies, specializing in early Christian traditions, I was instantly interested in what this book could bring about.
First off, it's a short anthology, and took very little time for me to motor through. That said, after the first two stories, I knew I was in for something extremely magical. Lieder has done a wonderful job collecting horrific stories based on the biblical, set over a wide time period. I had originally expected tales set only in the past based off the calls for submissions, but instead I was please to find this wasn't the case.
I have to say, I enjoyed every single one of the stories in this anthology, except the Lovecraftian one near the end of the collection. And that's saying something, as normally I am a huge fan of Lovecraftian horror. Lieder has brought together some very talented writers for this anthology, and many capture the sense of horror biblical stories can contain with masterful skill. (be it communications with God, dealing with his works, or how faith works) More than once I had to set the book aside to savour a story rather than rushing onto the next one. This is not popcorn fiction. This is a fine mental meal and one I highly suggest you read with the lights turned low and a few lit candles.
However, as I said, there was one story that didn't work for me: Swallowed! by Stephen M. Wilson. It stretched too far into the Bizzarro realm of fiction and when compared to the other works in this collection, it falls short. The mixing of mythos and biblical horror was nice, as was the non-linear storytelling, but it seemed liked the author was trying too hard to use cheap graphic situations/gore/sex to shock the reader rather than building a more substantial horror. (as the other writers in this anthology did) Personally, this story would have been better off in another anthology where it would have excelled and not felt so cheap.
Still, in the end, this is an anthology worth getting. If biblical fiction as ever interested you, or even if you are just a horror fan, I can not recommend this collection enough. Lieder has done a perfect job here, and this anthology was a delight to read.
First off, it's a short anthology, and took very little time for me to motor through. That said, after the first two stories, I knew I was in for something extremely magical. Lieder has done a wonderful job collecting horrific stories based on the biblical, set over a wide time period. I had originally expected tales set only in the past based off the calls for submissions, but instead I was please to find this wasn't the case.
I have to say, I enjoyed every single one of the stories in this anthology, except the Lovecraftian one near the end of the collection. And that's saying something, as normally I am a huge fan of Lovecraftian horror. Lieder has brought together some very talented writers for this anthology, and many capture the sense of horror biblical stories can contain with masterful skill. (be it communications with God, dealing with his works, or how faith works) More than once I had to set the book aside to savour a story rather than rushing onto the next one. This is not popcorn fiction. This is a fine mental meal and one I highly suggest you read with the lights turned low and a few lit candles.
However, as I said, there was one story that didn't work for me: Swallowed! by Stephen M. Wilson. It stretched too far into the Bizzarro realm of fiction and when compared to the other works in this collection, it falls short. The mixing of mythos and biblical horror was nice, as was the non-linear storytelling, but it seemed liked the author was trying too hard to use cheap graphic situations/gore/sex to shock the reader rather than building a more substantial horror. (as the other writers in this anthology did) Personally, this story would have been better off in another anthology where it would have excelled and not felt so cheap.
Still, in the end, this is an anthology worth getting. If biblical fiction as ever interested you, or even if you are just a horror fan, I can not recommend this collection enough. Lieder has done a perfect job here, and this anthology was a delight to read.
August 30, 2013
There were only a couple of stories in this anthology that I really liked, but I'm not a fan of horror or the macabre, so that made a big difference in my enjoyment level.
These are *very* twisted takes on stories from the Bible -- and one from The Epic of Gilgamesh. The Gilgamesh story, by the amazing Catherynne Valente, is also different in that it's not really a story of terror, but of transformation through sex: the seduction and civilization of the "wildman" Enkidu by the temple priestess/prostitute Shamash. There's a twist at the end of the story, but even that does not, in my opinion, take the story into horror. Instead, it's a sensual evocation of communication and transformation through touch and the magic of words.
My other favorite stories were "Babylon's Burning" -- which could have been a plot from a Wolfram & Hart episode of Joss Whedon's "Angel," and "Whither Thou Goest," which turns Ruth into a succubus.
My problem with some of the other stories was that they didn't make sense - even in their own fantastical terms. "Judgment at Naioth" and "Jawbone of an Ass" both had potential, but I felt that they were exercises in imagination without a strong sense of 'why' behind them. Maybe I'm looking for too much from a short story, and perhaps the mystery was intended by the authors, but I was left feeling let down.
The other caution I would give about this book is that it does assume a fairly thorough knowledge of biblical stories. Unless you understand the reference to the "jawbone of an ass" or know who Tamar is and the fate of Absalom, or the Witch of Endor, you may feel lost. I'm not sure if many of these stories would have much power unless the reader knew the originals.
The exception is "Last Respects," which doesn't take any particular specialized knowledge. The theme is not new, but the take on the characters is.
These are *very* twisted takes on stories from the Bible -- and one from The Epic of Gilgamesh. The Gilgamesh story, by the amazing Catherynne Valente, is also different in that it's not really a story of terror, but of transformation through sex: the seduction and civilization of the "wildman" Enkidu by the temple priestess/prostitute Shamash. There's a twist at the end of the story, but even that does not, in my opinion, take the story into horror. Instead, it's a sensual evocation of communication and transformation through touch and the magic of words.
My other favorite stories were "Babylon's Burning" -- which could have been a plot from a Wolfram & Hart episode of Joss Whedon's "Angel," and "Whither Thou Goest," which turns Ruth into a succubus.
My problem with some of the other stories was that they didn't make sense - even in their own fantastical terms. "Judgment at Naioth" and "Jawbone of an Ass" both had potential, but I felt that they were exercises in imagination without a strong sense of 'why' behind them. Maybe I'm looking for too much from a short story, and perhaps the mystery was intended by the authors, but I was left feeling let down.
The other caution I would give about this book is that it does assume a fairly thorough knowledge of biblical stories. Unless you understand the reference to the "jawbone of an ass" or know who Tamar is and the fate of Absalom, or the Witch of Endor, you may feel lost. I'm not sure if many of these stories would have much power unless the reader knew the originals.
The exception is "Last Respects," which doesn't take any particular specialized knowledge. The theme is not new, but the take on the characters is.
April 8, 2014
While the idea of the book is good (in fact, the introduction makes me want to track down the book that inspired this one), many of the stories in this collection were misses for me. Not so much because I was offended by the subject matter, but more because they caused a meh reaction.
However, the two stories that really stand out are “Whither Thou Goest” by Gerri Leen and “Psalm of the Second Body “by Catherynne Valente. “Whither” is a take on the story of Ruth, with a rather interesting couple of twists. Valente’s tale isn’t biblical, but a retelling of a passage in Gilgamesh. It is hauntingly beautiful like much of her work.
In addition to these two tales, there are three that are so-so. “Babylon’s Burning” is a rather neat take on Daniel in the lions’ den, “Judith & Holoferenes” is mediation about the countless artwork, and the third “Jawbone of An Ass” presents Samson in the time of the Irish Troubles. While these three didn’t produce the enjoyment of Leen’s and Valente’s, the ideas and twists were at least interesting.
The other stories in the collection, I could not get though.
Crossposted at Booklikes
However, the two stories that really stand out are “Whither Thou Goest” by Gerri Leen and “Psalm of the Second Body “by Catherynne Valente. “Whither” is a take on the story of Ruth, with a rather interesting couple of twists. Valente’s tale isn’t biblical, but a retelling of a passage in Gilgamesh. It is hauntingly beautiful like much of her work.
In addition to these two tales, there are three that are so-so. “Babylon’s Burning” is a rather neat take on Daniel in the lions’ den, “Judith & Holoferenes” is mediation about the countless artwork, and the third “Jawbone of An Ass” presents Samson in the time of the Irish Troubles. While these three didn’t produce the enjoyment of Leen’s and Valente’s, the ideas and twists were at least interesting.
The other stories in the collection, I could not get though.
Crossposted at Booklikes
April 8, 2014
I love biblically inspired fiction, so a book of Bible horror is right up my alley. I frankly didn't like the Valente story, but most of the rest were interesting reads, and thematically quite varied. I wish the anthology was maybe twice the length, though, because it's such a slim little volume. (I know there is a sequel, but I have yet to pick it up.)
I read the book a few years ago, but Gerri Leen's Ruth retelling especially stayed with me.
I read the book a few years ago, but Gerri Leen's Ruth retelling especially stayed with me.
April 19, 2017
An unexpected delight! Somehow, I thought this was going to be Biblical analysis - imagine my surprise to find a collection of Bible-inspired stories that are filled with vampires, bizarre magic, indescribably weird beings, all of it playing with the tradition in mind-bending ways. I enjoyed this collection immensely.
March 26, 2012
Some of these were disappointing but the story of Noah and Cthulhu was very imaginative and entertaining.
February 27, 2019
A Lisa book of stories mostly based on the Bible. Twisted into the grotesque and horrific.
July 14, 2022
I grew up reading the Bible, so I wanted to see how well this held up. It was pretty good! My favorite was the Daniel one.
August 26, 2018
Ewww. They say never judge a book by its cover. Well, don’t judge by the title either. A reader might suppose that this book is a collection of interesting retelling of stories from the Bible but instead it is weird, vulgar, profane, even filthy. Ostensibly in the fiction/fantasy genre but hard to get past the grossness.
March 18, 2017
Really weird and gross stories, but they were usually well written and made me think about the bible in new and interesting ways.
November 22, 2017
OK, now what did I just read???
Well, I initially thought that the book would be good, but the concept and execution was a bit...lacking in substance.
Well, I initially thought that the book would be good, but the concept and execution was a bit...lacking in substance.
March 4, 2012
I was concerned about coming to this collection of biblical retellings as a secular reader, knowing too little, but I found quickly that knowing the original tales in their various versions isn't a prerequisite for enjoying this collection. From start to finish, the stories in She Nailed a Stake Through His Head (Dybbuk Press) are well-crafted, beautifully written, and freshly conceived, tearing into the sanitized versions of these biblical tales to get to some disturbing hidden horrors, and definitely stirring up new considerations for stories that have lasted hundreds of years.
"Whither Thou Goest," by Gerri Leen, begins with a confident narrator telling a history that wants vengeance: Lot's daughters, the narrator says, "learned to turn the words of servitude into words of angry potency after their father raped them." But power and vengeance works on itself, and what we steal might also be stolen from us. This story is haunting and resonates with the feel of legends and what's hidden beneath old tales.
Daniel Kaysen's "Babylon's Burning" shifts us to modern times at a flashy corporate party, that shifts from a casual lack of ethics to talk of losing the human soul. The tale twists and turns so that the reader never stops trying to guess the protagonist's fate, feeling more and more horror at what this company--that worships gold and silver and "the shock and awe of Iran"--will ask a person to do.
The third tale, "As If Favorites of Their God" by Christi King, is told in multiple voices, each as compelling as the next, as King Saul visits a witch to speak to the Prophet Samuel. As the story unfolds and the visions begin, the two find unexpectedly their fates intertwined. The language is remarkable, with striking images that keep the reader moving with the story.
Catherynne Valente's tale, "Psalm of the Second Body," insists on the reader's attention from the first line: "I am the first story ever told; the story of the harlot." Angrily the narrator relates that she is the story scratched from the stone to make room for Gilgamesh. Startling, fresh images leave the reader living the narrator's life and essence, and beautiful poetic repetitions hark back to the oral storytelling tradition, as we see the mother of creation relating what was lost.
"Judgment at Naioth," by Elissa Malcohn, begins with the image of a road that might have once been a river, evoking a sense of history and continuum immediately, but we're then thrown into this modern, industrial world as a leather-clad girl dismounts her motorcycle to enter "the navel of Yahweh," a seedy warehouse-turned-nightclub. Once in the club she meets with the "sallow-faced" Solomon, and we learn of the girl's rape, a prophesy for revenge, and talk of opening the slit between worlds. Strange and fascinating, the story blends the old and the new so well that I believe the old might have found that "slit" into the new.
Romie Stott's "Judith and Holfernes" is a short short tale of beheading as a "full-time job," revealing with almost humorous (though too gruesome to make me laugh) vividness all the positions in which a beheading can be accomplished as well as the care that should be taken in knowing which way the blood will flow. The tale is quick and rolls like the heads.
To see God in someone's eyes seems like a wonderful thing, but for the protagonist in Lyda Morehouse's "Jawbone of an Ass," the God in her husband's eyes hates her. What at first seems to be a tale of marital abuse shifts quickly as the narrator announces that she needs an answer to her husband's "riddle," and we find ourselves in an embattled Ireland facing a vengeful God.
"Swallowed!" by Stephen M. Wilson, opens in a surreal place, where the narrator first sees the whale, a "grotesque malignancy of fantastic nightmare." This nightmare vision spreads as he wanders the city, and death, it seems, is no relief. In death-like dreams we see the narrator's past, his shocking relationship with his mother and the horrifying relationship with his "in utero" brother. The story is charged with strong, disturbing images, evoking a hellish world of mutilation, told in an efficient and intriguing backward structure.
The final story, D.K. Thompson's "Last Respects," begins with a twist from the start, as we see a vampire sharpening his dentures and a vampire family frying up dinner. This oddly domestic tale is told in a fluid, easy manner, fitting naturally with the family problems and nostalgia, though all the while, we're traipsing along a cliff edge knowing what's to come is going to be gruesome.
I came to the collection with fairly meager knowledge of the original stories, but each piece is strong both in story and in style, leaving me wanting to delve deeper into the original biblical tales, to then come back and draw the parallels and expand my understanding. It's not necessary for enjoyment, but the stimulant to want to learn more, rather than toss the finished book aside, is welcome.
"Whither Thou Goest," by Gerri Leen, begins with a confident narrator telling a history that wants vengeance: Lot's daughters, the narrator says, "learned to turn the words of servitude into words of angry potency after their father raped them." But power and vengeance works on itself, and what we steal might also be stolen from us. This story is haunting and resonates with the feel of legends and what's hidden beneath old tales.
Daniel Kaysen's "Babylon's Burning" shifts us to modern times at a flashy corporate party, that shifts from a casual lack of ethics to talk of losing the human soul. The tale twists and turns so that the reader never stops trying to guess the protagonist's fate, feeling more and more horror at what this company--that worships gold and silver and "the shock and awe of Iran"--will ask a person to do.
The third tale, "As If Favorites of Their God" by Christi King, is told in multiple voices, each as compelling as the next, as King Saul visits a witch to speak to the Prophet Samuel. As the story unfolds and the visions begin, the two find unexpectedly their fates intertwined. The language is remarkable, with striking images that keep the reader moving with the story.
Catherynne Valente's tale, "Psalm of the Second Body," insists on the reader's attention from the first line: "I am the first story ever told; the story of the harlot." Angrily the narrator relates that she is the story scratched from the stone to make room for Gilgamesh. Startling, fresh images leave the reader living the narrator's life and essence, and beautiful poetic repetitions hark back to the oral storytelling tradition, as we see the mother of creation relating what was lost.
"Judgment at Naioth," by Elissa Malcohn, begins with the image of a road that might have once been a river, evoking a sense of history and continuum immediately, but we're then thrown into this modern, industrial world as a leather-clad girl dismounts her motorcycle to enter "the navel of Yahweh," a seedy warehouse-turned-nightclub. Once in the club she meets with the "sallow-faced" Solomon, and we learn of the girl's rape, a prophesy for revenge, and talk of opening the slit between worlds. Strange and fascinating, the story blends the old and the new so well that I believe the old might have found that "slit" into the new.
Romie Stott's "Judith and Holfernes" is a short short tale of beheading as a "full-time job," revealing with almost humorous (though too gruesome to make me laugh) vividness all the positions in which a beheading can be accomplished as well as the care that should be taken in knowing which way the blood will flow. The tale is quick and rolls like the heads.
To see God in someone's eyes seems like a wonderful thing, but for the protagonist in Lyda Morehouse's "Jawbone of an Ass," the God in her husband's eyes hates her. What at first seems to be a tale of marital abuse shifts quickly as the narrator announces that she needs an answer to her husband's "riddle," and we find ourselves in an embattled Ireland facing a vengeful God.
"Swallowed!" by Stephen M. Wilson, opens in a surreal place, where the narrator first sees the whale, a "grotesque malignancy of fantastic nightmare." This nightmare vision spreads as he wanders the city, and death, it seems, is no relief. In death-like dreams we see the narrator's past, his shocking relationship with his mother and the horrifying relationship with his "in utero" brother. The story is charged with strong, disturbing images, evoking a hellish world of mutilation, told in an efficient and intriguing backward structure.
The final story, D.K. Thompson's "Last Respects," begins with a twist from the start, as we see a vampire sharpening his dentures and a vampire family frying up dinner. This oddly domestic tale is told in a fluid, easy manner, fitting naturally with the family problems and nostalgia, though all the while, we're traipsing along a cliff edge knowing what's to come is going to be gruesome.
I came to the collection with fairly meager knowledge of the original stories, but each piece is strong both in story and in style, leaving me wanting to delve deeper into the original biblical tales, to then come back and draw the parallels and expand my understanding. It's not necessary for enjoyment, but the stimulant to want to learn more, rather than toss the finished book aside, is welcome.
November 2, 2010
SHE NAILED A STAKE THROUGH HIS HEAD is a nine-story anthology of horror stories based on the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the Epic of Gilgamesh. The collection of dark fantasy and horror contains all of the juicy aspects of The Bible—murder, lust, greed, jealousy and sex.
The book opens with Whither Thou Goest by Gerri Leen a story about Naomi and the demon Ruth, descendant of Lot’s daughters, who bound herself to the older woman in the search for wealth and power. Ruth intends to marry a powerful man and give birth to a son that she will control, but Naomi has her own plans for dealing with Ruth. As If Favorites of Their God by Christi Krug is a creepy retelling of Saul’s visit to the witch of Endor to seek guidance from the dead prophet Samuel; and Swallowed! By Stephen M. Wilson tells the story, backwards, of Jonah who was swallowed by a whale, but with a very strange twist. Babylon’s Burning by Daniel Kaysen is a bloody tale about a man working for a modern-day international security firm that employs its own prophets to know where in the world a major military conflict may be brewing so they can profit from waging war.
My absolute favorite of the whole anthology though is Elissa Malcohn’s Judgment at Naioth a fantastic short story about an Israel existing in a different time and place where the Philistines are a major drug gang and David is an aging musician in a dance club populated by prophets who are kept addicted to drugs. His eldest son Amnon is a ruthless mayor and his favorite son Absalom is among the denizens of the club. Solomon a prophet in this strange world has told David’s daughter Tamar that David must die to set the world right again; in another world David is a king whose forty-year reign is prosperous for his people. Ms. Malcohn has put an exciting spin on the Biblical story of King David with this one. Another favorite of mine is Lyda Morehouse’s Jawbone of an Ass which takes the conflict between the British government and the IRA in Northern Ireland and turns it on its head.
All of the stories are well-written and the book is a quick read at only 140 pages. The only issues I had with SHE NAILED A STAKE THROUGH HIS HEAD were with the story Judith & Holofernes by Romie Stott which I thought should have been a bit longer and Last Respects by D.K. Thompson which although a really good story just didn’t seem to fit in here. I think any fan of religious-based horror would be pleased with this anthology.
Colleen Wanglund
10/25/2010
The book opens with Whither Thou Goest by Gerri Leen a story about Naomi and the demon Ruth, descendant of Lot’s daughters, who bound herself to the older woman in the search for wealth and power. Ruth intends to marry a powerful man and give birth to a son that she will control, but Naomi has her own plans for dealing with Ruth. As If Favorites of Their God by Christi Krug is a creepy retelling of Saul’s visit to the witch of Endor to seek guidance from the dead prophet Samuel; and Swallowed! By Stephen M. Wilson tells the story, backwards, of Jonah who was swallowed by a whale, but with a very strange twist. Babylon’s Burning by Daniel Kaysen is a bloody tale about a man working for a modern-day international security firm that employs its own prophets to know where in the world a major military conflict may be brewing so they can profit from waging war.
My absolute favorite of the whole anthology though is Elissa Malcohn’s Judgment at Naioth a fantastic short story about an Israel existing in a different time and place where the Philistines are a major drug gang and David is an aging musician in a dance club populated by prophets who are kept addicted to drugs. His eldest son Amnon is a ruthless mayor and his favorite son Absalom is among the denizens of the club. Solomon a prophet in this strange world has told David’s daughter Tamar that David must die to set the world right again; in another world David is a king whose forty-year reign is prosperous for his people. Ms. Malcohn has put an exciting spin on the Biblical story of King David with this one. Another favorite of mine is Lyda Morehouse’s Jawbone of an Ass which takes the conflict between the British government and the IRA in Northern Ireland and turns it on its head.
All of the stories are well-written and the book is a quick read at only 140 pages. The only issues I had with SHE NAILED A STAKE THROUGH HIS HEAD were with the story Judith & Holofernes by Romie Stott which I thought should have been a bit longer and Last Respects by D.K. Thompson which although a really good story just didn’t seem to fit in here. I think any fan of religious-based horror would be pleased with this anthology.
Colleen Wanglund
10/25/2010
November 11, 2011
You don't need to be Jewish or Christian to appreciate She Nailed a Stake Through His Head: Tales of Biblical Terror. Still, you may find yourself groping for a religious icon for protection given the unholy places these weird tales will take you. The anthology opens with Gerri Leen's eerie reversal of the tale of Ruth and Naomi, wherein Ruth's devotion to her mother-in-law is not a blessing but a monstrous curse. Not all of these stories are set in the ancient Middle East, though, as Daniel Kaysen's "Babylon's Burning" proves. Meandering between desert sands and skyscrapers, between past, present and alternate timelines, She Nailed a Stake Through His Head is a gallery of horrors inspired by the most nightmarish images of Near Eastern cultures. There are wild-eyed, drug-crazed prophets, witches drawing the dead from the depths of the Underworld, sacred prostitutes with one soul in two bodies, an English Delilah trapped in a house falling down around her, epic beheadings, and a living tomb in the foul and slimy body of a whale driving the prophet deeper into insanity. The collection is bookended with a tale inspired by the New Testament: a vampire's take on the body and blood of the Christian savior. Regardless of religion (or lack thereof), lovers of speculative fiction will swallow up these provocative stories.
May 13, 2014
Having read one of Lieder's other anthologies, I picked this one up. For the most part, the stories were quite good and very intriguing, but I honestly found one or two of them to be unreadable. I'm okay with not liking a story or two in an anthology, but in this case case one of them was just annoyingly bad.
Lieder looks to one of Joseph Heller's less famous works, "God Knows," as inspiration for this book, and the writers came up with a wide variety of ideas. Most were written for this book, but a couple already existed and were reprinted here.
I wish the book had been a bit longer, with a few more tales, but then there's the danger that extra stories might have gone down in quality, rather than up, so perhaps this was best.
An excellent book if you are willing to look at the Bible as literature, and consider what happens if you take some of the stories apart and look at the pieces.
Lieder looks to one of Joseph Heller's less famous works, "God Knows," as inspiration for this book, and the writers came up with a wide variety of ideas. Most were written for this book, but a couple already existed and were reprinted here.
I wish the book had been a bit longer, with a few more tales, but then there's the danger that extra stories might have gone down in quality, rather than up, so perhaps this was best.
An excellent book if you are willing to look at the Bible as literature, and consider what happens if you take some of the stories apart and look at the pieces.
July 6, 2016
Art depicting Judith beheading Holofernes (especially the stuff by Artemisia Gentilesclii) has always intrigued me, so the cover caught my eye.
I don't often read short stories, but got sucked in by sample download on Amazon Kindle site. The sample was of "Wither Thou Goest" by Gerri Leen (goodreads author), and that story remains my favorite from this collection.
I don't often read short stories, but got sucked in by sample download on Amazon Kindle site. The sample was of "Wither Thou Goest" by Gerri Leen (goodreads author), and that story remains my favorite from this collection.
July 27, 2012
Liked:
Whither Thou Goest (Gerri Leen)
Babylon's Burning (Daniel Kaysen)
Psalm of the Second Body (Catherynne Valente)
Disliked:
Judgement at Naioth (Elissa Malcohn)
Judith & Holofernes (Romie Stott)
Jawbone of an Ass (Lyda Morehouse)
Swallowed! (Stephen M. Wilson) -
Last Respects (D.K. Thompson) - this was highly predictable
Meh:
As if Favorites of their God (Christy Krug) -
Whither Thou Goest (Gerri Leen)
Babylon's Burning (Daniel Kaysen)
Psalm of the Second Body (Catherynne Valente)
Disliked:
Judgement at Naioth (Elissa Malcohn)
Judith & Holofernes (Romie Stott)
Jawbone of an Ass (Lyda Morehouse)
Swallowed! (Stephen M. Wilson) -
Last Respects (D.K. Thompson) - this was highly predictable
Meh:
As if Favorites of their God (Christy Krug) -
March 9, 2013
Δεν ξέρω τι να πω γι' αυτό το βιβλίο. Μου φαίνεται ότι είναι απλά ένα μάζωμα από απιθανότητες, μάλλον καλογραμμένες, αλλά κάποιες φορές ακατάληπτες που βασίζονται κυρίως στην Παλαιά Διαθήκη. Δεν το συστήνω, αλλά και δεν το αντιπροτείνω. Πάντως διαβάζεται πολύ γρήγορα, είναι η αλήθεια.
June 23, 2013
Though I was entertained by all of the stories and the biblical revisionism is fascinating, only the last two stories lived up to the title's promise. "Swallowed!" and "Last Respects" were worth waiting for. 5 and 4 stars respectively.
October 12, 2016
Some interesting concepts but you have to know the biblical tales very well... I'd have loved at least a note which tales are referenced (if not a short commentary from the authors) so I could look them up properly.
October 30, 2011
I expected more from this anthology of retellings of some biblical stories. Catherynne Valente's was, of course, the best of the bunch.
March 13, 2012
Did not read - encountered demons in the beginning
December 21, 2014
I'm in this, so obviously it's great.
April 25, 2013
They don't call it the Good Book based only on the nice parts.
Read
January 5, 2016Little disappointing but to be honest, I wasn't sure what I was expecting. For the Kindle price though, it's worth a read.
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