Terrors ( Pick One - And Die )

Terrors is a meaty little anthology put together by horror master Charles L. Grant. The stories were selected to reflect the innermost fears of humanity, and the authors rose to the task for the most part. A few of the stories are less than perfect, but most of the 18 stories are excellent. Many of the authors represented are the great masters of horror, and reading these early works is a revelation. A complete list of the stories and authors are ** Baby's Blood by Alan Ryan **Smokie Joe by David Drake **The Poor by Steve Rasnic Tem **Identity Crisis by Thomas F Monteleone **Disturb Not My Slumbering Fair by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro **Green Thumb by Nancy Kress **Night Freight by Bill Pronzini **Headcount by Lou Fisher **The Night Before Christmas by Robert Bloch **The Path by Scott Baker **Eumenides in the Fourth-Floor Lavatory by Orson Scott Card **The Milk of Human Kindness by Stuart H. Stock **Today's Special by Dennis Etchison **Prez by Henry Slesar **Pumpkin Head by Al Sarrantonio **Darktree, Darktide by Michael Bishop **Dark Angel by Edward Bryant and **Survivor Type by Steven King As always with this many stories, I found some more of these stories more frightening than others. Eumenides in the Fourth-Floor Lavatory by Orson Scott Card stuck with me well after I was finished reading it. The imagery it conjures is deeply disturbing to say the least. I read and watch a lot of horror, so a story that makes my skin crawl is refreshing in a way. Most horror fans are familiar with Steven King's Survivor Type, or they should be. It's deeply nasty and reminds me just how powerful his short fiction was at the height of his power. Also the Path by Scott Baker is just deliciously disgusting. Some of the stories were not to my taste, like Pumpkin Head by Al Sarrantonio but they might be to your liking, so give them a try. The vast majority of these works are not original to the book and have since been reprinted. However, the diversity of truly excellent authors and the nastiness of the stories presented make this an excellent addition to the horror collector's library. Recommended for fans of horrifically good short fiction.