From the Bookshelf of Spells, Space & Screams: Collections & Anthologies in Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Horror…

Miscreations: Gods, Monstrosities & Other Horrors

Doug Murano (Editor ),

Michael Bailey (Editor )

Start date: February 15, 2022

Finish date: March 14, 2022

Discussion: Previous Books of the Month

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 76 topics — 4,855 comments total

Previous Books of the Month

The Mammoth Book of Fantasy (April 2024)
By Lena , Of the Short Story Kingdom · 48 posts · 17 views

last updated Jan 03, 2025 08:12AM

Twenty-First Century Science Fiction: An Anthology (January 2024)
By Lena , Of the Short Story Kingdom · 72 posts · 15 views

last updated Dec 29, 2024 04:17PM

showing 1 of 1 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jul 06, 2020 Fiona Knight rated it it was amazing

Shelves: short-n-sweet, horror, absolute-favourites, anothologies

Psst, Gentle Reader. Yes, you, the one holding this book, trying to decide whether you'll take it home with you. You're looking for a good, long read, something to crack open as you settle into your favorite chair, a glass at your elbow. But a collection of stories about monsters? Is that likely to help you wind down in the evening, wash away the detritus of another long day at work? You waver: do you like stories about monsters? Not for you, dark scary tales about the boogeymen who haunt our dr Psst, Gentle Reader. Yes, you, the one holding this book, trying to decide whether you'll take it home with you. You're looking for a good, long read, something to crack open as you settle into your favorite chair, a glass at your elbow. But a collection of stories about monsters? Is that likely to help you wind down in the evening, wash away the detritus of another long day at work? You waver: do you like stories about monsters? Not for you, dark scary tales about the boogeymen who haunt our dreams and daylight hours. Life is terrifying enough, you think. You don't need any more monsters in your life.
But that's not true.

So says Alma Katsu in the excellent foreword which precedes this outstanding collection, (deliberately) loosely inspired by Frankenstein's Monster. And she's right; though if you do already know you want a book full of stories about monsters, you're in for an even greater treat.

From the very first story (A Heart Arrhythmia Creeping Into A Dark Room, by Michael Wehunt), I was knocked sideways by just how good the stories in this collection are. Dark, creepy, and original, it wasn't until I read the final words of the final story (Theodora Goss' Frankenstein's Daughter) that I was able to put this book down. While not every story was such a startling discovery to me, the quality of the stories I did like, combined with the fact that it's only two, maybe three, that I wasn't so fond of, meant I couldn't take a single star from my rating.

There's so many good stories here that I was genuinely struggling to pick out just a few favourites, so I've had to stick with the ones that I would buy this collection for if they were the sole story I enjoyed within it. The first and last stories mentioned above; Spectral Evidence by Victor LaValle; My Knowing Glance by the short story magician Lucy A. Snyder; Paper Doll Hyperplane by R. B. Payne; Not Eradicated In You, by Bracken McLeod. They are stand out, make a mark on your soul, memorable and amazing stories. And it's a mark of just how good they are that there are other, excellent stories that I'm leaving out because I just don't have the characters to say everything I want to say about them all.

Possibly one of the strongest anthologies I've read, and definitely one I'll be finding a hard copy of, to be read, and read, and read again. ...more

29 likes · Like · see review

Mar 22, 2022 Lena rated it liked it

Shelves: shifters, horror, anthology

Image Friendly Version

My Knowing Glance by Lucy Snyder ★★★★½
“It’s just more satisfying to think that he died out of a deep, soul-wrenching despair rather than garden-variety cowardice.”

Type 5 Armageddon Hellspawn, batter up! Gory, violent, and entertaining, Lucy Snyder hits a home run!

One Last Transformation by Josh Malerman ★★★★☆
Shudder. Maybe because I have been binge watching Criminal Minds, but that felt real in an unsightly way.

Only Bruises Are Permanent by Scott Edelman ★★★★☆
Oh my ...more

6 likes · Like · see review