Track the short fiction you read in 2015

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

February

33. "The Black Cat", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭½
34. "The Chamber of Doom", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭
35. "Father Thorton's Visit", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭✭
36. "The Footsteps on the Stairs", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭½
37. "The Ghost of the Blue Dragon", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭✭
38. "The Haunted House on the Hill", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭½
39. "The Horror of Horton's House", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭½
40. "The House on the Cliff", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭½
41. "The Light in the Dormitory", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭½
42. "The Red Rosary", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭✭
43. "The Spectre Spiders", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭✭½
44. "The Voice in the Night", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭½
45. "The Watcher in the Mill", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭½
46. "When Time Stood Still", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭½
47. "When Twilight Fell", W. J. Wintle (1921). ✭✭½
48. "The Shortest Way", David Drake (1974). ✭✭✭½
49. "The Barrow Troll", David Dake (1975). ✭✭✭½
50. "Dragon's Teeth", David Dake (1975/1983 rev.). ✭✭✭✭
51. "Firefight", David Dake (1975). ✭✭✭½
52. "Something Had to Be Done", David Drake (1975). ✭✭✭✭✭
53. "Blood Debt", David Dake (1976). ✭✭✭
54. "Children of the Forest", David Dake (1976). ✭✭½
55. "The Hunting Ground", David Dake (1976). ✭✭✭
56. "Smokie Joe", David Dake (1977). ✭✭✭
57. "Best of Luck", David Dake (1978). ✭✭✭½
58. "The Red Leer", David Dake (1979). ✭✭✭✭½
59. "The Automatic Rifleman", David Drake (1980). ✭✭✭
60. "Than Curse the Darkness", David Dake (1980). ✭✭✭½
61. "Men Like Us", David Drake (1980). ✭✭✭
62. "The Dancer in the Flames", David Dake (1982). ✭✭✭½
63. "Out of Africa", David Dake (1983). ✭✭✭✭
64. "The Close at Chadminster", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭½
65. "The Last of the Scarisfields", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭½
66. "The Penny Drops", Steve Duffy & Ian Rodwell (2000). ✭✭✭✭½
67. "Better Than One", Steve Duffy & Ian Rodwell (2001). ✭✭✭
68. "Forever and a Day", Steve Duffy & Ian Rodwell (2001). ✭✭✭✭
69. "Mr. Gliddon's Confession", Steve Duffy & Ian Rodwell (2001). ✭✭✭½
70. "Uneasy Lies the Head", Steve Duffy & Ian Rodwell (2001). ✭✭✭
71. "The Bad Spot", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭✭½
72. "Best Kept Secret", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭✭
73. "The Forest and the Trees", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭✭½
74. "Here and There", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭✭½
75. "I Got a Secret", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭✭
76. "In Tune", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭½
77. "Miss Jennings' Family", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭✭
78. "My Flower", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭
79. "My Ghost", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭✭
80. "My Gift", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭½
81. "Out of the Blue", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭
82. "The Sounding of the Sea", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭✭
83. "The White Dove", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭
84. "Buddy", Gregory Miller (2011). ½
85. "By Moonlight", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭✭
86. "Coming Around", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭½
87. "Don't Tell!", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭✭
88. "The Fourth Floor", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭½
89. "The Good Job", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭½
90. "The Great Unknown", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭✭
91. "Keeping Dry", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭
92. "Lillian Sweeney's Music", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭½
93. "Mitten's Last Catch", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭½
94. "Mrs. Karswell's Garden", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭
95. "My Home Town", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭½
96. "Nihil Obstat", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭
97. "Our Halloween", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭½
98. "Puddles", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭½
99. "Richard Shute Goes Home for Dinner", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭✭½
100. "The Ritual", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭½
101."The Saver", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭✭
102. "The Tapestry", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭½
103. "A Warm Glow", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭
104. "What Happened to Charlie", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭½
105. "The Winter Noise", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭✭
106. "Summer Thunder", Stephen King (2013). ✭✭✭½
107. "Dinner with the Cannibal Sisters", Douglas Clegg (2014). ✭✭✭½
108. "Malware", James Doig (2015). ✭✭✭½

[Tom]

February:

1. Facts Concerning The Late Arthur Jermyn and his Family by H.P. Lovecraft. *** Little too over the top but was Lovecraft so...

[Canavan]

Tom wrote:

1. Facts Concerning The Late Arthur Jermyn and his Family by H.P. Lovecraft. *** Little too over the top but was Lovecraft so…

I fuzzily recall reading this about a zillion years ago under a shorter title, “Arthur Jermyn”. It didn’t make much of an impression, I’m afraid.

[Latasha]

I just read The Haunted Organist of Hurly Burly by Rosa Mulholland (1891) which was brought to my attention by Paula Cappa.
https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2015...
she's a fellow HA member. I liked the story quite a bit!(she provides a link to read it.)I will try to read more from this author so if anyone wants to do a buddy read count me in!

[Canavan]

Latasha said (in part):

I just read The Haunted Organist of Hurly Burly by Rosa Mulholland (1891) which was brought to my attention by Paula Cappa.
https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2015...
she's a fellow HA member. I liked the story quite a bit!(she provides a link to read it.)I will try to read more from this author so if anyone wants to do a buddy read count me in!

Mulholland, according to Wikipedia, produced “a great number of novels” over the span of her career, a few of which can still be found in various corners of the web. The only collection of her supernatural stories of which I’m aware of was Sarob Press’ Not to be Taken at Bed-Time & Other Strange Stories (edited by Richard Dalby). I’m pretty sure I have that volume laying around somewhere, but I’m ashamed to confess I have not yet cracked the spine. I’d be more than happy do to a buddy read, however, I’m afraid you might find the book prohibitively expensive. The collection (a limited edition) is out of print — hence, a few copies are floating around, but they ain’t cheap.

[John]

I think it's due a reprint. I must confess, I've never heard of the author or the book. That's what's so good about these threads.

[Latasha]

oh *cry* that is a little much :(

I listened to Clockwork. it was good, very grimm's fairy tale-ish but that's ok cause I love fairytales!

[Latasha]

i'll be starting The Birds and Echoes from the Macabre: Selected StoriesEchoes from the Macabre: Selected Stories soon if anyone would like to buddy read.

[John]

Lovely stuff. Enjoy!

[Latasha]

thanks. I hope she wasn't the one I read recently that I didn't like! I think it was Edith Whartonthough.

[Tom]

March
1. Prefiguration of Lalo Cura by Roberto Bolaño
**** Beautifully written
2. William Burns by Roberto Bolaño**** Loving this author. Although I am not sure I understood this one :-)

[Canavan]

From Tom:

1. Prefiguration of Lalo Cura by Roberto Bolaño
**** Beautifully written

I’ve heard of Bolaño (primarily via articles about critical disagreements with fellow Chilean writer, Isabel Allende), but have never read any of his work.

[Tom]

I have The Savage Detectives byut this is the first story. If this is any indication I will enjoy. I haven't read any Allende either. I know, I know...

[Canavan]

Tom said (in part):

I haven't read any Allende either. I know, I know…

I remember reading The House of the Spirits way back in the 80’s, but apparently it didn’t make much of an impact on me. I fuzzily recall it as a bit too melodramatic for my tastes at that time.

[Canavan]

Latasha commented some time ago:

i'll be starting The Birds by Daphne du Maurier and Echoes from the Macabre: Selected Stories soon if anyone would like to buddy read.

I’m sorry to say that I somehow managed to miss this message when you originally posted it, Latasha. I would have been tempted to join in. I’ve read some but not much du Maurier, and have recently started feeling that she’s yet another of those deficiencies in my reading résumé.

[Tom]

If I update my post instead of creating a new one does it 'bump' the message to show participation?

[Canavan]

Tom asks:

If I update my post instead of creating a new one does it 'bump' the message to show participation?

I’m afraid that I’m not a Goodreads expert by any stretch of the imagination, Tom. My understanding is that making a comment on a discussion board gets added to your updates feed (provided your profile allows for that), but that editing a previous comment does not. Nevertheless, I typically follow the convention established in the Track the Books thread of modifying my earlier comments rather than posting each story individually as I read them. It just seems easier from an organizational standpoint. On the other hand, I do break my selections apart by month, which isn’t quite the standard approach, but I’m not mandating that participants in this thread adhere to my approach or to any other one for that matter.

[Tom]

Good point. I like your approach. Obviously I haven't been extremely prolific in my short story reading so a once a month post is a good idea. Thanks. Obviously I don't do many challenges.

[John]

Here are a few more:

Black as the Pit From Pole to Pole by Howard Waldrop and Steven Utley (1977)
And Don't Forget the One Red Rose by Avram Davidson (1975)
The Touch of Nutmeg Makes it by John Collier (1941)
The Interruption by W.W. Jacobs (1902)
Nightmare at 20000 Feet by Richard Matheson (1961)
Made in Goatswood by Ramsey Campbell (1973)
The Sentinels by Ramsey Campbell (1973)
The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft (1936)
The Hound by H.P. Lovecraft (1924)
A Fine Madness by Anthony Boucher (1972)
They Bite by Anthony Boucher (1943)
The Strange Adventures of a Private Secretary in New York by Algernon Blackwood (1906)
Pigeons From Hell by Robert E. Howard (1938)
Phoenix on the Sword by Robert E. Howard (1932)
Men Without Bones by Gerald Kersh (1954)
The Jar by Ray Bradbury (1944)
The Next in Line by Ray Bradbury (1947)
Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr. (1938)
Found Objects by Jennifer Egan (2007)

And there you have it, until next time.

[Canavan]

John wrote (in part):

Here are a few more:

Black as the Pit From Pole to Pole by Howard Waldrop and Steven Utley (1977)
And Don't Forget the One Red Rose by Avram Davidson (1975)

A nice selection of stories, John. I’ve read about 80-90% of these at one time or another. Coincidentally, I have sitting by my bed a copy of Boucher’s classic collection The Compleat Werewolf that I’ve been thinking of re-reading.

[John]

Yeah, Boucher's always worth a reread. I have a couple of big collections of his which I paid a pretty penny for - but they were worth it. I remember reading And Don't Forget the One Red Rose in an old Playboy. It was my introduction to Davidson, who was a true original. I thoroughly recommend the Avram Davidson Treasury, a kind of celebratory compendium of the best known of his short fiction. Every one has an introduction by a leading editor or writer. Black as the Pit From Pole to Pole is, I think, a quite brilliantly written sequel to the Frankenstein story. I'll stick my neck out and say that I think Bradbury's The Next in Line is one of the finest tales of quiet horror I have ever read. Thank you.

[Latasha]

The Curse of the Invisible Werewolf 4 stars. I really liked the setting and the folktale-ish feel of this story.
Cenote3 stars. It was ok
Mama Cried 3 stars.

[Latasha]

On A Hill4 stars. it was a really good story. very atmospheric. to me it had a M.R. James feel to it.

[Tom]

These are my March Short Stories:
March
1. Prefiguration of Lalo Cura by Roberto Bolaño. **** Beautifully written
2. William Burns by Roberto Bolaño. **** Loving this author. Although I am not sure I understood this one :-)
3. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro. ***** My first Munro I think and loved it, so simple, so nerve-wracking.
4. Panic by Joyce Carol Oates **** Talk about needy.
5. 1922 by Stephen King. **** So dark and sad. Little long for a short story but I am including it anyway.
6. Foster by Claire Keegan. *****Just beautiful. I understand this story has been expanded into a novella. I hope I find it soon.

[Canavan]

Tom opined (in part):

Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro. ***** My first Munro I think and loved it, so simple, so nerve-wracking.

The last Munro I read was 2012’s “Train”, a nice little story that (if I recall correctly) was anthologized in a best-of annual. I won’t say anything more that might spoil it.

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

March

109. "La morte" ("The Dead Girl" (variant title: "Was It a Dream?")), Guy de Maupassant (1887/1910 trans.). ✭✭✭½
110. "The Strange Visitor", Joseph Jacobs (1890). ✭✭
111. "Giant Killer", A. Bertram Chandler (1945). ✭✭✭✭
112. "The Tinker and the Ghost", Ralph Steele Boggs & Mary Gould Davis (1936). ✭✭✭
113. "Forgetfulness", John W. Campbell, Jr. (as by Don A. Stuart) (1937). ✭✭✭
114. "The Ghostly Fisherman", Natalie Savage Carlson (1942) ✭✭✭½
115. "The Stubbornest Man in Maine", Moritz Jagendorf (1948) ✭✭✭
116. "The Friendly Ghost", Elizabeth Yates (1949). ✭✭✭
117. "Horace the Happy Ghost", Elizabeth Ireland (1951). ✭✭½
118. "The Dancing Jug", Lupe de Osma (1957). ✭½
119. "Never Mind Them Watermelons", Maria Leach (1958). ✭✭
120. "Here We Go", Maria Leach (1959). ✭✭
121. "The Lucky Man", Maria Leach (1959). ✭½
122. "A Shiver of Ghosts", Cyril Birch (1961). ✭½
123. "The Ghoulbird", Claude Seignolle (1967). ✭✭✭½
124. "The Devil and Clocky Watson", Robert Westall (1989). ✭✭✭
125. "The Doll", Robert Westall (1989). ✭✭✭
126. "The Dumbledore", Robert Westall (1989. ✭✭✭
127. "The Woolworth Spectacles", Robert Westall (1989). ✭✭✭
128. "Shells", Gregory Miller (2009). ✭✭✭
129. "Wood Smoke", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭✭
130. "The Return", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭

[Tom]

I have a lot of catching up to do :-)

[Tom]

April
1. I.D. by Joyce Carol Oates. **** JCO always makes me nervous. Her stories are tense even when they are ‘happy’.
2. The Party of the Century by Adam Haslett. ** To weird or maybe I just didn’t’ get it.
3. The Apartment by Benjamin Percy. **** Reminded me of Capote.
4. Victory Lap by George Saunders. *****Excellent. Terrifying and uplifting.
5. Floating Bridge by Alice Munro. ****Didn’t see that coming
6. Special by Joyce Carol Oates. ****Life isn’t fair.
7. The Pickup Truck in Ritual and Myth by David Searcy. *** Ode to a Pickup.
8. Their Appointed Rounds by Matt Sumell. ***** Drunks helping drunks.

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

April

131. "The Metal Man", Jack Williamson (1928). ✭✭½
132. "Thunder and Roses", Theodore Sturgeon (1947). ✭✭✭✭✭
133. "The Hunter and His Quarry", Steve Duffy (1997/1998 rev.). ✭✭✭½
134. "Ex Libris", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭
135. "Figures on a Hillside", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭✭
136. "The Lady of the Flowers", Steve Duffy (1998/2011 rev.). ✭✭✭✭
137. "Nigredo", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭½
138. "Off the Tracks", Steve Duffy (1998/2011 rev.). ✭✭✭✭½
139. "On the Dunes", Steve Duffy (1998/2011 rev.). ✭✭✭
140. "The Ossuary", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭½
141. "The Return Journey", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭
142. "The Story of a Malediction", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭½
143. "The Vicar of Wryde St. Luke", Steve Duffy (1998). ✭✭✭✭
144. "Widdershins the Barrow Round", Steve Duffy (1998/2011 rev.). ✭✭✭½
145. "The Subject", Gregory Miller (2011). ✭✭✭

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

May

146. "The Dream", Leslie H. Lambert (as by A. J. Alan), (1927). ✭✭✭✭
147. "My Adventure in Jermyn Street", Leslie H. Lambert (as by A. J. Alan), (1928). ✭✭✭½
148. "The Phoenix on the Sword", Robert E. Howard (1932). ✭✭✭
149. "The Quiet Man", Maurice Walsh (1933). ✭✭✭½
150. "The Frost Giant's Daughter", Robert E. Howard (1934). ✭✭✭½
151. "Pigeons from Hell", Robert E. Howard (1938). ✭✭✭✭✭
152. "The Hellbound Heart", Clive Barker (1986). ✭✭✭✭✭
153. "On the Far Side of the Cadillac Desert with Dead Folks", Joe R. Lansdale (1989). ✭✭✭✭
154. "Love Doll: A Fable", Joe R. Lansdale (1991). ✭✭✭✭½
155. "Bubba Ho-Tep", Joe R.Lansdale (1994). ✭✭✭½
156. "Mad Dog Summer", Joe R. Lansdale (1999). ✭✭✭✭
157. "Shiva, Open Your Eye", Laird Barron (2001). ✭✭✭
158. "Par One", Gregory Miller (2010). ✭½
159. "Come True", Gregory Miller (2012). ✭✭✭
160. "Just Beneath", Gregory Miller (2012). ✭✭
161. "To Be", Gregory Miller (2012). ✭

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

June

162. "The Hyena", Robert E. Howard (1928). ✭
163. "Black Colossus", Robert E. Howard (1933). ✭✭✭
164. "The Slithering Shadow" (variant title: "Xuthal of the Dust"), Robert E. Howard (1933). ✭✭
165. "The Tower of the Elephant", Robert E. Howard (1933). ✭✭✭½
166. "Rogues in the House", Robert E. Howard (1934). ✭✭✭✭
167. "The Sea-Witch", Nictzin Dyalhis (1937). ✭½
168. "Dig Me No Grave", Robert E. Howard (1937). ✭½
169. "The Canoe in the Rapids", Natalie Savage Carlson (1952). ✭✭½
170. "Jean Labadie's Big Black Dog", Natalie Savage Carlson (1952). ✭✭✭
171. "The Loup-Garou in the Woods", Natalie Savage Carlson (1952). ✭✭✭
172. "The Skunk in Tante Odette's Oven", Natalie Savage Carlson (1952). ✭✭
173. "The Speckled Hen's Egg", Natalie Savage Carlson (1952). ✭✭½
174. "The Talking Cat", Natalie Savage Carlson (1952). ✭✭½
175. "According to Plan", Ray Darby (1952). ✭✭½
176. "The Birds", Daphne du Maurier (1952). ✭✭✭✭½
177. "The Bellarmine Jars", Noel Boston (1953). ✭✭
178. "The Half Legs", Noel Boston (1953). ✭✭½
179. "Lot 629", Noel Boston (1953). ✭✭✭
180. "The North Cloister Walk", Noel Boston (1953). ✭✭✭
181. "P Aia Johns Blak", Noel Boston (1953). ✭✭
182. "The Audit Chamber", Noel Boston (1960). ✭✭
183. "Bump in the Night", Noel Boston (1960). ✭✭
184. "Right Through My Hair", Noel Boston (1960). ✭✭✭½
185. "The Face at the Window", Noel Boston (1961). ✭✭½
186. "The Barrier", Noel Boston (1962). ✭✭½
187. "Scraping the Barrel", Noel Boston (1962). ✭½
188. "Don't Look Now", Daphne du Maurier (1971). ✭✭✭✭½
189. "Zombique", Joseph Payne Brennan (1972). ✭✭✭
190. "That Century Feeling", Michael Reaves (1974). ✭✭½
191. "Renewal", Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (1982). ✭✭✭
192. "Portland Bill", Robert Westall (1989). ✭✭✭½
193. "The Ugly House", Robert Westall (1989). ✭✭✭½
194. "The Big Blow", Joe R. Lansdale (1997). ✭✭✭½
195. "Cowboy", Joe R. Lansdale (1997). ✭✭✭
196. "Final Variation", H. R. Wakefield (2000). ✭✭
197. "Parrot Cry", H. R. Wakefield (2000). ✭✭½
198. "Surprise for Papa", H. R. Wakefield (2000). ✭✭½
199. "Fire Dog", Joe R. Lansdale (2003). ✭✭✭✭
200. "A Princess of Spain", Carrie Vaughn (2007). ✭✭✭
201. "Appetite for Murder", Simon R. Green (2008). ✭½
202. "Holiday from Hell", Reggie Oliver (2013). ✭✭✭½
203. "The Druid's Rest", Reggie Oliver (2014). ✭✭✭½
204. "The Rooms Are High", Reggie Oliver (2015). ✭✭½
205. "Trouble at Botathan, Reggie Oliver (2015). ✭✭✭

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

July

206. "Rip Van Winkle", Washington Irving (as by Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.) (1819). ✭✭✭✭½
207. "The Old Nurse's Story", Elizabeth Gaskell (1852). ✭✭✭✭
208. "La torture par l'espérance" ("A Torture by Hope"), Villiers de l'Isle Adam (1883/trans. 1891). ✭✭✭✭
209. "The Lover's Ordeal", R. Murray Gilchrist (1905). ✭✭✭
210. "Sous la lumière rouge" ("In the Light of the Red Lamp"), Maurice Level (1906/trans. 1909). ✭✭✭
211. "The House of the Nightmare", Edward Lucas White (1906). ✭✭✭✭½
212. "The Coach", Violet Hunt (1909). ✭✭✭½
213. "The Place of Pain", M. P. Shiel (1914). ✭✭½
214. "The Death of Pan", Edward Plunkett (as by Lord Dunsany) (1915). ✭✭✭✭
215. "Thirteen at Table", Edward Plunkett (as by Lord Dunsany) (1916). ✭✭
216. "The Black Pool", Frederick Stuart Greene (1917). ✭½
217. "The Middle Bedroom", H. de Vere Stacpoole (1918). ✭✭✭
218. "The Sumach", Ulric Daubeny (1919). ✭✭✭
219. "The Thing From — 'Outside'", George Allan England (1923). ✭✭✭
220. "The Loved Dead", C. M. Eddy, Jr. & H. P. Lovecraft (as by C. M. Eddy, Jr.) (1924). ✭½
221. "The Smoking Leg", John Metcalfe (1925). ✭✭✭
222. "The Cabmen's Shelter", Leslie H. Lambert (as by A. J. Alan) (1928). ✭½
223. "The Thing in the Cellar", David H. Keller (1932). ✭✭✭✭✭
224. "Arena", Fredric Brown (1944). ✭✭✭½
225. "The Pond", Nigel Kneale (1949). ✭✭✭✭
226. "The Answer", Fredric Brown (1954). ✭✭✭½
227. "Experiment", Fredric Brown (1954). ✭✭✭
228. "Keep Out", Fredric Brown (1954). ✭✭✭½
229. "The End", Fredric Brown (1961). ✭✭✭
230. "The Longest Science-Fiction Story Ever Told" (variant title: "A Recursion in Metastories"), Arthur C. Clarke (1966). ✭✭✭✭
231. "In the Pines", Karl Edward Wagner (1973). ✭✭✭
232. "The Fourth Seal", Karl Edward Wagner (1975). ✭✭✭
233. ".220 Swift", Karl Edward Wagner (1980). ✭✭✭✭½
234. "The River of Night's Dreaming", Karl Edward Wagner (1981). ✭✭✭✭✭
235. "Beyond Any Measure", Karl Edward Wagner (1982). ✭✭✭✭½
236. "Madame Pele Pays a Visit", Tom Ogden (2008). ½
237. "The Phantom Hitchhiker", Tom Ogden (2008). ✭½
238. "The Prophecy", Tom Ogden (2008). ½
239. "Resurrection Mary", Tom Ogden (2008). ✭✭
240. "The Weeping Woman", Tom Ogden (2008). ½
241. "Evening Prayers", Drew Anderson (2015). ✭✭✭
242. "The Maze at Huntsmeer", Reggie Oliver (2015). ✭✭½
243. "Purple Buddha", Craig Saunders (2015). ✭✭½
244. "Lorelei", Carole Tyrell (2015). ✭✭✭

[Greg]

Thanks, Canavan, for starting the thread for this year! :) Haven't read much short fiction lately but will add my stray short fiction reads here at my belatedly claimed spot.

February
1. Charlie Lowrey, 'Jonestown', in Mirror Dance, Winter 2014. [Fantasy]
2. Danielle Coombs, 'Gorgon',, in Mirror Dance, Winter 2014. [Fantasy]

May
3. Stephen King, 'Popsy', in Masques Two (4 stars) [Horror]
4. Ramsey Campbell, 'Second sight', in Masques Two (3 stars) [Horror]

June
5. Jorge Luis Borges, 'The gospel according to Mark' (2 stars). [Horror]

July
6. Anthony McDonald, 'One funeral and...', in Best Gay Romance 2011 (3 stars) [Romance]

August
7. Aliette de Bodard, 'Ship's brother', in The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 26 (3.5 stars). [SF]
8. Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear, 'The wreck of the Charles Dexter Ward', in The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 26 (4 stars). [SF/Horror]

December
Edgar Allen Poe, 'The masque of the Red Death', in The Mammoth Book of Fantasy All-time Greats (2.5 stars). [Fantasy/Horror]
Ambrose Bierce, 'An inhabitant of Carcosa', in The Mammoth Book of Fantasy All-time Greats (2 stars). [Horror]
Lord Dunsany, 'The Sword of Welleran', in The Mammoth Book of Fantasy All-time Greats (4 stars). [Fantasy]
William F. Nolan, 'The yard', in Masques Two (4 stars). [Horror]
Robert Bloch, 'The new season', in Masques Two [SF/Horror] (2.5 stars)
Richard Matheson, 'The near departed', in Masques Two (3 stars) [Horror]
David B. Silva, 'Ice sculptures', in Masques Two (3 stars) [Horror]
G. Wayne Miller, 'Wiping the slate clean', in Masques Two (4 stars) [Horror]
James Kisner, 'The litter', in Masques Two (4 stars) [Horror]

I also read short fiction in the following anthologies or magazines, which I'd finished reading over the course of the year: Doctor Who: Heroes and Monsters Collection [SF], Storm Season [Fantasy] and Deadman's Tome December 2009 [Horror/SF].

[Canavan]

Greg said:

Thanks, Canavan, for starting the thread for this year! :) Haven't read much short fiction lately but will add my stray short fiction reads here at my belatedly claimed spot.

No problem, Greg.

I wasn’t familiar with Mirror Dance in spite of the fact that, according to their web site, they’ve been around since 2008. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[Greg]

Canavan wrote: "Greg said:


Thanks, Canavan, for starting the thread for this year! :) Haven't read much short fiction lately but will add my stray short fiction reads here at my belatedly claimed spot.


No pr..."

You're welcome, Canavan! There's some good fiction there.

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

August

245. "It", Theodore Sturgeon (1940). ✭✭✭✭½
246. "In the Cards", John Collier (1951). ✭✭✭
247. "The Proof", John Moore (1953). ✭✭✭
248. "Delivery on Erdmore Street", Joseph Payne Brennan (1957). ✭✭✭✭
249. "Crossroads of Destiny", H. Beam Piper (1959). ✭✭✭✭
250. "The Seventh Incantation", Joseph Payne Brennan (1963). ✭✭✭
251. "Episode on Cain Street", Joseph Payne Brennan (1967). ✭✭
252. "Mr. Octbur", Joseph Payne Brennan (1967). ✭✭✭
253. "The Way to the Attic", Joseph Payne Brennan (1967). ✭✭✭
254. "His Coat So Gay", Sterling E. Lanier (1972). ✭✭✭✭
255. "Laughter in the Leaves", Charles de Lint (1984). ✭✭✭½
256. "The Badger in the Bag", Charles de Lint (1985). ✭✭✭
257. "And the Rafters Were Ringing", Charles de Lint (1986). ✭✭✭½
258. "Timeskip", Charles de Lint (1989). ✭✭✭✭✭
259. "Freewheeling", Charles de Lint (1990). ✭✭✭✭½
260. "The Stone Drum", Charles de Lint (1989). ✭✭✭½
261. "Merlin Dreams in the Mondream Wood", Charles de Lint (1990). ✭✭✭½
262. "Mr. TruePenny's Book Emporium and Gallery", Charles de Lint (1992). ✭✭✭✭
263. "Coyote Stories", Charles de Lint (1993). ✭✭✭✭✭
264. "Between the Cold Moon and Earth", Peter Atkins (2006). ✭✭✭✭
265. "In Which We Meet Jilly Coppercorn", Charles de Lint (2010). ✭✭½
266. "The Burned House", Lynda E. Rucker (2013). ✭✭✭½
267. "The Quiet Room", V. H. Leslie (2014). ✭✭✭

[Latasha]

where do you find most of the short stories you read Canavan?

[Canavan]

Latasha asked:

> where do you find most of the short stories you read Canavan?

Probably a fairly even split between single-author story collections and multi-author, edited collections. I used to do a better job on keeping up with some of the relevant magazines (e.g., Black Static, Supernatural Tales, etc.), but quite frankly I’ve been terrible on that front in the past couple of years.

[Greg]

Canavan wrote: "Latasha asked:

> where do you find most of the short stories you read Canavan?

Probably a fairly even split between single-author story collections and multi-author, edited collections. I used t..."

You seem to have made up for it with all the anthologies you read though! :O

[Latasha]

ok, thank you

[Robert]

Do any of you read the collections edited by Peter Haining ? I've always enjoyed his selections over varius genres.

[Greg]

Bob wrote: "Do any of you read the collections edited by Peter Haining ? I've always enjoyed his selections over varius genres."

I don't think I've read anything written or edited by Haining yet despite his being a prolific writer. Must remedy that at some stage.

[Canavan]

Bob asked:

Do any of you read the collections edited by Peter Haining ? I've always enjoyed his selections over varius genres.

I hope you won’t think too ill of me, Bob, if I state that my feelings about Haining are mixed. Haining started his career as an anthologist during the mid 60s, a fairly fallow period for the horror genre, so for that alone he gets props from me. I specifically remember finding The Satanists (1969) and The Ghouls (1971) at local libraries during a time when it was hard to find much of anything on horror and the supernatural. I thought Haining’s taste in literature was okay — not great, just okay; but, of course, this is the sort of judgement that’s going to vary widely from person to person. Haining had, in my estimation, a few weaknesses as an anthologist. First, he could be a bit lazy in his selections, with particular stories showing up in multiple anthologies. Second, he would occasionally excerpt short sections from novels (a practice I personally dislike). Finally, his scholarship was suspect. His Wikipedia article alludes to this problem in two of his nonfiction books, one dealing with Sweeney Todd and other with Jack the Ripper, but I’ve talked to those who note that the problem also reared its head in his edited anthologies wherein the dates and facts he supplied for the included stories are too often just plain wrong.

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

September

268. "The Damned Thing", Ambrose Bierce (1893). ✭✭✭½
269. "Robbie" (variant title: "Strange Bedfellow"), Isaac Asimov (1940). ✭✭✭✭½
270. "Liar!", Isaac Asimov (1941). ✭✭½
271. "Reason", Isaac Asimov (1941). ✭✭✭½
272. "Runaround", Isaac Asimov (1942). ✭✭½
273. "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper", Robert Bloch (1943). ✭✭✭½
274. "Catch That Rabbit", Isaac Asimov (1944). ✭✭
275. "Apprehension", Joseph Payne Brennan (1959). ✭✭½
276. "The House on Hazel Street", Joseph Payne Brennan (1961). ✭✭✭
277. "The Man in Grey Tweeds", Joseph Payne Brennan (1962). ✭✭✭½
278. "The Dump", Joseph Payne Brennan (1963). ✭½
279. "In the Very Stones", Joseph Payne Brennan (1963). ✭✭
280. "Killer Cat", Joseph Payne Brennan (1963). ✭✭
281. "The North Knoll", Joseph Payne Brennan (1964). ✭✭✭½
282. "Black Thing at Midnight", Joseph Payne Brennan (1965). ✭✭✭
283. "The House at 1248", Joseph Payne Brennan (1965). ✭✭
284. "Monton", Joseph Payne Brennan (1971). ✭✭✭
285. "A Wish Named Arnold", Charles de Lint (1987). ✭✭✭½
286. "A Sleep and a Forgetting", Robert Silverberg (1989). ✭✭✭
287. "No More A-Roving", Lynda E. Rucker (2001). ✭✭✭½
288. "The Green Hour", Reggie Oliver (2013). ✭✭✭

[Nancy]

Very cool!

[Canavan]

Nancy commented:

Very cool!

Thanks, Nancy. Please feel free to contribute. (And sorry for the tardy response.)

[Canavan]

Canavan's short stories

October

289. "Escape!", Isaac Asimov (1945). ✭✭
290. "Evidence", Isaac Asimov (1946). ✭✭✭✭
291. "Little Lost Robot", Isaac Asimov (1947). ✭✭✭½
292. "The Evitable Conflict", Isaac Asimov (1950). ✭✭✭½
293. "Not Stopping at Mabb's End", Michael Chislett (2003). ✭✭✭✭✭
294. "The Chance Walker", Lynda E. Rucker (2003). ✭✭✭½
295. "The End of the World As We Know It", Dale Bailey (2004). ✭✭✭
296. "The Moon Will Look Strange", Lynda E. Rucker (2010). ✭✭✭½
297. "The Bluehole", Dale Bailey (2013). ✭✭✭½
298. "The Creature Recants", Dale Bailey (2013). ✭✭✭½
299. "In Death's Other Kingdom", Lynda E. Rucker (2013). ✭✭✭
300. "The Changelings", Michael Chislett (2015). ✭✭✭✭

November

301. "The Harlem Horror", Charles Birkin (1932). ✭✭✭✭
302. "Old Mrs. Strathers", Charles Birkin (1933). ✭½
303. "Premium Harmony", Stephen King (2009). ✭✭✭
304. "Batman and Robin Have an Altercation", Stephen King (2012). ✭✭✭✭

December

305. "The Blackbirds", Henry C. Mercer (1928). ✭
306. "Castle Valley", Henry C. Mercer (1928). ✭½
307. "The Dolls' House", Henry C. Mercer (1928). ✭✭✭
308. "The North Ferry Bridge", Henry C. Mercer (1928). ✭½
309. "The Sunken City", Henry C. Mercer (1928). ✭½
310. "The Wolf Book", Henry C. Mercer (1928). ✭✭✭
311. "The Well of Monte Corbo", Henry C. Mercer (1930). ✭✭

[Greg]

Added a few more stories to my post (#83) mainly from anthologies that I have not completed this year (but will probably do so next year) and so could be called 'stray reads' for me.

[Canavan]

Greg wrote:

Added a few more stories to my post (#83) mainly from anthologies that I have not completed this year (but will probably do so next year) and so could be called 'stray reads' for me.

I see you have a few from one the old Masques anthologies that the late J. N. Williamson edited. I recall dipping into some of them in the late 80s and thinking that they were pretty good. I’ve thought occasionally that a revisit was in order.

[Greg]

Canavan wrote: "Greg wrote:


Added a few more stories to my post (#83) mainly from anthologies that I have not completed this year (but will probably do so next year) and so could be called 'stray reads' for me..."

They're not bad stories though, as with any anthology, some are better than others. They are also quite short - handy if you just have time for a quick read.