From the Bookshelf of Weird Fiction…

Weird Horror, Issue 4, Spring 2022

Michael Kelly (Editor),

Andrew Humphrey

Start date: July 1, 2025

Finish date: July 31, 2025

Discussion: July 2025 Group Read 1

Why we're reading this: Co-winner of the July 2025 group read poll.
[close] Co-winner of the July 2025 group read poll.

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July 2025 Group Read 1

Weird Horror, Issue 4, Spring 2022
By Dan · 20 posts · 21 views

last updated Jul 17, 2025 09:56PM

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What Members Thought

Jul 17, 2025 Nicolai Alexander rated it really liked it

Shelves: weird-fiction

I appreciate small press ventures and niche literary magazines. As a weird fiction AND horror enthusiast, I knew right away I wanted to support and explore this magazine in particular, which looks so professional and stylish. I ordered a copy of this particular issue first; the cover art spoke to me and the nonfiction essays seemed interesting.

As my four-star rating indicates, I’m happy to announce I enjoyed it. Well, it was a mixed bag for me in the short story department, with some clear misse ...more

12 likes · Like · see review

Jul 16, 2025 Dan rated it it was ok

Shelves: short-stories, weird, horror, werewolf

I wanted to like this anthology. It's part of a series and I would love to have another anthology series I could read and enjoy. But I didn't care for this at all. The cover art was fine; the production values were high. Even the non-fiction material in it was a delight. The essays were thought-provoking, even if I didn't agree with their authors' points. The book and film reviews at the end were great. I appreciated the synopses telling us about the authors too. Even the advertisements for othe I wanted to like this anthology. It's part of a series and I would love to have another anthology series I could read and enjoy. But I didn't care for this at all. The cover art was fine; the production values were high. Even the non-fiction material in it was a delight. The essays were thought-provoking, even if I didn't agree with their authors' points. The book and film reviews at the end were great. I appreciated the synopses telling us about the authors too. Even the advertisements for other books and magazines about this subject matter (weird horror) were interesting.

The only problem with this short story anthology was the stories. There was not a single good one. I thought I might be able to give the werewolf story, "Milk Teeth," three stars. I'm a sucker for a good werewolf story. But as is typical in all these stories, the werewolves never had a role. They were just background. Story after story, the main horror or weird occurrence of the story is placed in the background. We then get informed indirectly how the protagonist feels about the weird event. And the story ends. Not one person in the entire book dies (on camera), is injured, or is even seriously threatened. The worst thing that happens is some hurt feelings sometimes.

There is never a real story anywhere to be found in this volume, only feelings about untold stories that get alluded to rather than told. And that is the case with every story! I would get it if this happened once or twice in an anthology. Not every story is going to be great. But this anthology had every story fail in the same way. There's also a certain lack of clarity in the telling of the plots as the story starts that creates a sense of disorientation. The story would typically become somewhat clearer as it progressed. It's like the authors were all in the same Creative Writing class listening to bad instructions from a professor, directions all followed to a tee.

The only thing I can compare the experience of reading this to is listening to a rock concert under water. The entire concert! You can hear from the percussion and the noise that something pretty cool must be going on somewhere, but you can't hear what it is because you're under water for the entire music set.

I can't believe this anthology is averaging a rating of 4.37. Who is reviewing it and giving this stuff five stars? The authors and their friends? ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 04, 2025 Ronald marked it as to-read

Jul 07, 2025 Zina marked it as to-read

Feb 15, 2023 Michael Joseph Schumann marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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