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Dark is Better
WHAT WE FEAR IN THE DARK CAN BE TERRIBLE.
WHAT WE SEE IN THE LIGHT CAN BE WORSE….
This world is full of places that seem empty, but hide awful secrets.
A cinematic ghost escapes from an experimental art project, infiltrating first the internet, then the “real” world; an exterminator debugging a dilapidated building discovers it’s inhabited by both insects and angels; an intergalactic invasion begins with a single word; an all-female cult rediscovers an ancient, extremely bloody method of communion. Crammed to the brim with cosmic horror and dreadful invention, Dark Is Better (Trepidatio)—Gemma Files’ sixth short fiction collection—acts as both a rough overview of her career thus far and a fitting chaser to her 2021 Bram Stoker Award-winning collection In That Endlessness, Our End (Grimscribe).
This cabinet of liminal and sidelong curiosities is the universe horror icon Files’ stories inhabit…one full of fractures and secrets, of darkness both cosmic and personal. Bringing together stories published over a period of nearly twenty years, this book includes some of Files’ best-known works as well as many not widely distributed until now, encompassing the history of her development as a leading voice in the dark and the weird. As the ghastly light of revelation illuminates awfulness after awfulness, we invite you to learn exactly why
DARK IS BETTER
WHAT WE SEE IN THE LIGHT CAN BE WORSE….
This world is full of places that seem empty, but hide awful secrets.
A cinematic ghost escapes from an experimental art project, infiltrating first the internet, then the “real” world; an exterminator debugging a dilapidated building discovers it’s inhabited by both insects and angels; an intergalactic invasion begins with a single word; an all-female cult rediscovers an ancient, extremely bloody method of communion. Crammed to the brim with cosmic horror and dreadful invention, Dark Is Better (Trepidatio)—Gemma Files’ sixth short fiction collection—acts as both a rough overview of her career thus far and a fitting chaser to her 2021 Bram Stoker Award-winning collection In That Endlessness, Our End (Grimscribe).
This cabinet of liminal and sidelong curiosities is the universe horror icon Files’ stories inhabit…one full of fractures and secrets, of darkness both cosmic and personal. Bringing together stories published over a period of nearly twenty years, this book includes some of Files’ best-known works as well as many not widely distributed until now, encompassing the history of her development as a leading voice in the dark and the weird. As the ghastly light of revelation illuminates awfulness after awfulness, we invite you to learn exactly why
DARK IS BETTER
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2023
About the author
Gemma Files
174 books689 followersPreviously best-known as a film critic for Toronto's eye Weekly, teacher and screenwriter, Gemma Files first broke onto the international horror scene when her story "The Emperor's Old Bones" won the 1999 International Horror Guild award for Best Short Fiction. She is the author of two collections of short work (Kissing Carrion and The Worm in Every Heart) and two chapbooks of poetry (Bent Under Night and Dust Radio). Her Hexslinger Series trilogy is now complete: A Book of Tongues, A Rope of Thorns and A Tree of Bones, all available from ChiZine Publications.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 2, 2023
I love Gemma Files and have been a fan of her since "A Worm in Every Heart" and "Kissing Carrion".
Although "Dark is Better" had its moments, those were few and far between.
I love how Files takes risks and presents interesting stories way off the beaten in interesting ways, but some experiments with narrative storytelling did not pay off and were even confusing. Character development lacked at times and I only recall feeling connected to one or two of them throughout the anthology. All in all, I cared little about what happened to any of them.
2.5 stars
Although "Dark is Better" had its moments, those were few and far between.
I love how Files takes risks and presents interesting stories way off the beaten in interesting ways, but some experiments with narrative storytelling did not pay off and were even confusing. Character development lacked at times and I only recall feeling connected to one or two of them throughout the anthology. All in all, I cared little about what happened to any of them.
2.5 stars
July 5, 2024
First book of my July 2024 Readathon, in which I desperately try to pare down my physical TBR pile!
I adored Gemma Files's Experimental Film, and it was SO MUCH FUN to read these nasty short stories -- and nasty is FOR SURE a compliment. The emphasis on body horror, on vacant spaces and what films them, on cosmic horror, all of it seemed to cater to exactly what I wanted to read. Some stories were far stronger than others -- "[Anasazi]", "Marya Nox", "Nanny Grey", and "Slick Black Bones and Soft Black Stars" being the standouts for me -- but each one was enjoyable, and I never felt like any story outstayed its welcome.
Files is clearly a master of horror in short form, and now I want to track down and read all her short story collections. Maybe once the TBR pile is a bit trimmed down, though.
Note: the blurb on the back cover mentions a story about "an exterminator debugging a dilapidated building discovers it's inhabited by both insects and angels", but I don't think this story was actually included. Maybe I missed it, but if anyone else has noticed this, please let me know!
I adored Gemma Files's Experimental Film, and it was SO MUCH FUN to read these nasty short stories -- and nasty is FOR SURE a compliment. The emphasis on body horror, on vacant spaces and what films them, on cosmic horror, all of it seemed to cater to exactly what I wanted to read. Some stories were far stronger than others -- "[Anasazi]", "Marya Nox", "Nanny Grey", and "Slick Black Bones and Soft Black Stars" being the standouts for me -- but each one was enjoyable, and I never felt like any story outstayed its welcome.
Files is clearly a master of horror in short form, and now I want to track down and read all her short story collections. Maybe once the TBR pile is a bit trimmed down, though.
Note: the blurb on the back cover mentions a story about "an exterminator debugging a dilapidated building discovers it's inhabited by both insects and angels", but I don't think this story was actually included. Maybe I missed it, but if anyone else has noticed this, please let me know!
May 24, 2023
If I were asked to create a list of my favorite authors working today, Gemma Files would undoubtedly be among the top ten. Her work combines a literary sensibility with a cinematic eye and an adoration of some of my favorite tropes and sub-genres: witches, folk horror, the unwavering and unsettling control of religious fever, epistolary narratives, and even more. I like to think of these tropes, archetypes, and sub-genres as the endless puzzle pieces Files uses to craft creative, out of the box stories.
As a result, Dark is Better, the latest release in Files’ oeuvre continues the great work you see in other Gemma Files collections. While perhaps not as consistent as In This Endlessness, Our End, the short stories that pop off in Dark Is Better really showcase why all horror lovers must have Gemma Files on their shelves.
Read the rest of the review here.
As a result, Dark is Better, the latest release in Files’ oeuvre continues the great work you see in other Gemma Files collections. While perhaps not as consistent as In This Endlessness, Our End, the short stories that pop off in Dark Is Better really showcase why all horror lovers must have Gemma Files on their shelves.
Read the rest of the review here.
April 27, 2023
With every collection from Gemma Files that I read, I'm always struck at the level of depth and detail that go into her stories, as well as her ability to return to the same ground again and again (no one does found-footage style stories as well as she does) with a fresh approach each time.
Standouts here include the opener, "[Anasazi]," the folk horror tale Marya Nox, "Oubliette," and the King in Yellow mythos tribute "Slick Black Bones and Soft Black Stars."
On the most recent episode of her podcast, Files offered this (well-deserved) praise to fellow author Paula Ashe: "You put in the work."
High praise from a writer who clearly does the same.
Standouts here include the opener, "[Anasazi]," the folk horror tale Marya Nox, "Oubliette," and the King in Yellow mythos tribute "Slick Black Bones and Soft Black Stars."
On the most recent episode of her podcast, Files offered this (well-deserved) praise to fellow author Paula Ashe: "You put in the work."
High praise from a writer who clearly does the same.
March 13, 2023
It's so hard with story collections and anthologies to know when to stop binging, set the book down, and come back later for some more short satisfaction. Unfortunately, I not only kept forgetting that I had this treat to come back to, I started reading the stories out of order. Sometimes that doesn't matter but I suspect with this collection it does. Therefore, I pledge myself someday to read this excellent set of stories again, in order, all at one time.
June 20, 2024
I love Gemma Files. This one had a few of my favorites by her, so it was great to see them again. Also a bunch of new to me ones!
The themes seemed to be the dead rising up, and empty places and what fills them, or what uses them as a doorway. Also a lot of doors. Very liminal. Very creepy. I liked it!!
The themes seemed to be the dead rising up, and empty places and what fills them, or what uses them as a doorway. Also a lot of doors. Very liminal. Very creepy. I liked it!!
February 16, 2023
Excellent short story collection. Sci-fi, horror, and even some Lovecraftian stories. Every story is different, and I was engrossed in them all.
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March 19, 2023"Oubliette": Bleak cosmic horror about a string of deaths at a recovery facility for ex-cultists. Written epistolary style, a narrative method Files excels at. Amazing work.
October 25, 2023
Every tale in this collection brings dread and unease, each one a new whispering pit inviting you inside.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews