Status Updates From The Weird: A Compendium of ...

The Weird is a collection of short stories, edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer. You might recognise Jeff by his worm Annihilation, later turned into a film by Alex Garland.

The Weird tries to establish, and put in perspective, those stories that often defy categorisation, and not always fall into the categories SF, horror or fantasy.

Its a weird and diverse realm, spanning eons, of experimentation of works that

"It Only Comes Out at Night" - Good, I liked it. Liked how little details were slowly put together and what seemed insignificant at first became sinister.

"The Hospice" - Really fucking good. A subtler Weirdness, but that makes it all the more unsettling and uncomfortable.

"Don't Look Now" - Great novella. I really liked the film when I first saw it (I realize now what a fantastic adaptation it was) and I really like the original story.

Every few years I come across Stephen King, in doses large and small, and his style never really does it for me. The Man in the Black Suit certainly had its moments, but not a fave given the other strong entries in The Weird.

"The Sea Was As Wet As Wet Could Be" - Really liked this one. Very strange and unnerving. Makes me want to read Through the Looking Glass.

"The Ghoulbird" - Really liked this one. Simple enough story, but I love urban legend/ominous creature stuff.

Marc Laidlaw did not disappoint, and I’m enjoying the slowly building oppression in Steven Utley’s “Country Doctor”, hard to put down.