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Other Terrors: An Inclusive Anthology
An anthology of original horror stories edited by Bram Stoker Award ® winners Vince A. Liaguno and Rena Mason that showcases authors from historically excluded backgrounds telling terrifying tales of what it means to be, or merely to seem, "other."
Offering new stories from some of the biggest names in horror as well as some of the hottest up-and-coming talents, Other Terrors will provide the ultimate reading experience for horror fans who want to examine fear of "the other."
Be they of a different culture, a different background, a different sexual orientation or gender identity, a different belief system, or a different skin color, some people simply aren't part of the community's majority—and are perceived as scary. Humans are almost instinctively inclined to fear what's different, and there are a multitude of individuals who have spent far too long on the outside looking in. And the thing about the outside is . . . it's much larger than you think.
In Other Terrors, horror writers from a multitude of underrepresented backgrounds have created stories of everyday people, places, and things where something shifts, striking a deeper, much more primal, chord of fear. Are our eyes playing tricks on us, or is there something truly sinister lurking under the surface of what we thought we knew? And who among us is really the other, after all?
CONTRIBUTORS Tananarive Due, Jennifer McMahon, S.A. Cosby, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu, Michael T h omas Ford, Ann Dávila Cardinal, Christina Sng, Denise Dumars, Usman T. Malik, Annie Neugebauer, Gabino Iglesias, Hailey Piper, Nathan Carson, Shanna Heath, Tracy Cross, Linda D. Addison, Maxwell I. Gold, Larissa Glasser, Eugen Bacon, Holly Lyn Walrath, Jonathan Lees, M. E. Bronstein, Michael H. Hanson
Offering new stories from some of the biggest names in horror as well as some of the hottest up-and-coming talents, Other Terrors will provide the ultimate reading experience for horror fans who want to examine fear of "the other."
Be they of a different culture, a different background, a different sexual orientation or gender identity, a different belief system, or a different skin color, some people simply aren't part of the community's majority—and are perceived as scary. Humans are almost instinctively inclined to fear what's different, and there are a multitude of individuals who have spent far too long on the outside looking in. And the thing about the outside is . . . it's much larger than you think.
In Other Terrors, horror writers from a multitude of underrepresented backgrounds have created stories of everyday people, places, and things where something shifts, striking a deeper, much more primal, chord of fear. Are our eyes playing tricks on us, or is there something truly sinister lurking under the surface of what we thought we knew? And who among us is really the other, after all?
CONTRIBUTORS Tananarive Due, Jennifer McMahon, S.A. Cosby, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu, Michael T h omas Ford, Ann Dávila Cardinal, Christina Sng, Denise Dumars, Usman T. Malik, Annie Neugebauer, Gabino Iglesias, Hailey Piper, Nathan Carson, Shanna Heath, Tracy Cross, Linda D. Addison, Maxwell I. Gold, Larissa Glasser, Eugen Bacon, Holly Lyn Walrath, Jonathan Lees, M. E. Bronstein, Michael H. Hanson
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2022
About the author
Vince A. Liaguno
14 books72 followersVince Liaguno is the Bram Stoker Award-winning editor of UNSPEAKABLE HORROR: FROM THE SHADOWS OF THE CLOSET (Dark Scribe Press 2008), an anthology of queer horror fiction, which he co-edited with Chad Helder. His debut novel, 2006’s THE LITERARY SIX, was a tribute to the slasher films of the 80’s and won an Independent Publisher Award (IPPY) for Horror and was named a finalist in ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards in the Gay/Lesbian Fiction category.
He also edited BUTCHER KNIVES & BODY COUNTS (Dark Scribe Press, 2011), a collection of essays on the formula, frights and fun of the slasher film, and UNSPEAKABLE HORROR 2: ABOMINATIONS OF DESIRE (Evil Jester Press, 2017). Most recently, he co-edited OTHER TERRORS: AN INCLUSIVE ANTHOLOGY (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2022).
He currently lives in the mitten-shaped state of Michigan, where he is a licensed nursing home administrator by day and a pop culture enthusiast by night whose jam is books, slasher films, and Jamie Lee Curtis. He is a member (and former Secretary) of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC).
He also edited BUTCHER KNIVES & BODY COUNTS (Dark Scribe Press, 2011), a collection of essays on the formula, frights and fun of the slasher film, and UNSPEAKABLE HORROR 2: ABOMINATIONS OF DESIRE (Evil Jester Press, 2017). Most recently, he co-edited OTHER TERRORS: AN INCLUSIVE ANTHOLOGY (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2022).
He currently lives in the mitten-shaped state of Michigan, where he is a licensed nursing home administrator by day and a pop culture enthusiast by night whose jam is books, slasher films, and Jamie Lee Curtis. He is a member (and former Secretary) of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
October 2, 2022
From fun to ferocious, this diverse anthology showcases the terrifying power of voices and stories gone unheard by most. Each story is unique, chilling, and adds a compelling layer to the idea of “otherness”; the creeping dread of feeling watched, judged, vulnerable, even hunted. Filled with action, surprises, and scares, this was a fresh new look at those scary tales told around the campfire. A refreshing and enticing read for any horror fan.
November 12, 2022
Honestly, this was a read I very much anticipated but the majority of the stories just didn't cut it that much. I ended up finding three stories in total that were absolutely stellar, but the ones remaining either were average at best, missed the point of otherness, or missed the terror that I'm looking for, or some were unfortunately just unoriginal and blandly written.
My highlights in this anthology;
“What Blood Hath Wrought” by S.A. Cosby: Absolutely amazing story which, from the first line to the last, completely captivated me. A quiet night in a diner turns awry when an eerie unexpected guest comes in. Great suspense building, a dreadful monster with motives that were completely understandable, characters you root for – it's all here.
“Miss Infection USA” by Shanna Heath: Some people have a knack for building an entire new universe within just a handful of pages, a knack that deserves respect. Shanna Heath shows she definitely deserves that respect here – a world where young kids can be revived after death and under certain circumstances be preserved, a class society in which revenants are used for entertainment purposes and two sisters trying to find their way and survive in this hostile universe. Comes with a shock finale!
“Incident at Bear Creek Lounge” by Tananarive Due: The last time Johnny meets his grandmother is also the first time he saw her in his conscious life. She used to be a Hollywood actress in her youth and is now living in a remote cabin up in the mountains in Colorado. During his visit, he finds a very interesting, but also thoroughly scary woman who has fits of anger and a very own style – is it that she is just scary or is it her way of getting along as a black woman in the film industry? Johnny makes a discovery.
Even though to me this anthology seems like a missed opportunity, I very much support the intent, maybe that's why I'm kind of disappointed. The good ones were so good though, that they definitely made it worth the read and to be fair, there are a lot of stories, so the chances are high you may find some that speak to you.
My highlights in this anthology;
“What Blood Hath Wrought” by S.A. Cosby: Absolutely amazing story which, from the first line to the last, completely captivated me. A quiet night in a diner turns awry when an eerie unexpected guest comes in. Great suspense building, a dreadful monster with motives that were completely understandable, characters you root for – it's all here.
“Miss Infection USA” by Shanna Heath: Some people have a knack for building an entire new universe within just a handful of pages, a knack that deserves respect. Shanna Heath shows she definitely deserves that respect here – a world where young kids can be revived after death and under certain circumstances be preserved, a class society in which revenants are used for entertainment purposes and two sisters trying to find their way and survive in this hostile universe. Comes with a shock finale!
“Incident at Bear Creek Lounge” by Tananarive Due: The last time Johnny meets his grandmother is also the first time he saw her in his conscious life. She used to be a Hollywood actress in her youth and is now living in a remote cabin up in the mountains in Colorado. During his visit, he finds a very interesting, but also thoroughly scary woman who has fits of anger and a very own style – is it that she is just scary or is it her way of getting along as a black woman in the film industry? Johnny makes a discovery.
Even though to me this anthology seems like a missed opportunity, I very much support the intent, maybe that's why I'm kind of disappointed. The good ones were so good though, that they definitely made it worth the read and to be fair, there are a lot of stories, so the chances are high you may find some that speak to you.
June 22, 2023
I loooooove horror anthologies! This was a great one. Really enjoyed the audiobook version that I checked out from my local library. Short and sweet!
June 27, 2022
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Wow. What a gangbuster list of horror stories. I don't think I disliked a one of them except for that poem that was like a half a page and just made me go huh. But you all know that most poems I read that are horror (usually written by Stephen King or Neil Gaiman) are like my least favorite things.
The first story is shockingly a poem (leave me alone), but not the one I was talking about above, "Other Fears" by Christina Sng starts off with a woman who is being abused by a man and how he chips away parts of her through the years and how he wore a mask for others. And how it ends...yeah, that was a great ending.
From there we have great stories that I didn't want to end.
"Idiot Girls" by Jennifer McMahon shows us that even though you are in love with someone, how well can you know them?
"Waste Not" by Alma Katsu shows us how a family can come together and hide a monstrous thing. Got to love that ending though.
"Night Shopper" by Michael H. Hanson shows us how different things are in a world where monsters roam and still need their groceries. Seriously was delighted by this one and thought it was cleverly done.
"Scrape" by Denise Dumars shows us a world where something different is always feared (in America) but is seen as almost sacred in Mexico. The main character, Mitsuko left the U.S. with her wife Judy after Asian hate crimes took off post-COVID. I did feel this one ended a little weaker than the others so far in the anthology though.
"Mud Flappers" by Usman T. Malik. I am still confused by this one and what happened. I still enjoyed it though.
"Churn the Unturning Tide" by Annie Neugebauer. Reading about a woman who is pregnant and seems to be going through some changes, and some women that she meets while doing a swim class who seem to go a bit feral was kind of...actually it was on the mark.
"There's Always Something in the Woods" by Gabino Iglesias. 5 damn stars. I want a movie. Also, yes, it's not fair.
"The Turning" by Hailey Piper. A young girl is going through something that is changing teens all over the world. What her family does next though...is it really unexpected?
"Help, I'm a Cop" by Nathan Carson. Well what do you know...I felt a little pity. Just a smidge. Excellent story. I did love how Carson shows us our main character that gave up so many parts of himself for an indifferent father.
"Miss Infection USA" by Shanna Heath. What to do when young girls rise as zombies? You throw a pageant. Honestly this was great and the darkness of the story bleeds in after a while. You realize what big sister in this story has gone through to make sure her sister Martha stays safe.
"All Not Ready" by Tracy Cross. A bunch of kids play a game.
"Illusions of the De-Evolved" by Linda D. Addison. No.
"Black Screams, Yellow Stars" by Maxwell I. Gold. What happens when the red hats (guess who) come for everyone. Echoes of the Middle Passage are brought back to the present.
There are so many more stories but honestly just read this thing. It was so so freaking good.
Wow. What a gangbuster list of horror stories. I don't think I disliked a one of them except for that poem that was like a half a page and just made me go huh. But you all know that most poems I read that are horror (usually written by Stephen King or Neil Gaiman) are like my least favorite things.
The first story is shockingly a poem (leave me alone), but not the one I was talking about above, "Other Fears" by Christina Sng starts off with a woman who is being abused by a man and how he chips away parts of her through the years and how he wore a mask for others. And how it ends...yeah, that was a great ending.
From there we have great stories that I didn't want to end.
"Idiot Girls" by Jennifer McMahon shows us that even though you are in love with someone, how well can you know them?
"Waste Not" by Alma Katsu shows us how a family can come together and hide a monstrous thing. Got to love that ending though.
"Night Shopper" by Michael H. Hanson shows us how different things are in a world where monsters roam and still need their groceries. Seriously was delighted by this one and thought it was cleverly done.
"Scrape" by Denise Dumars shows us a world where something different is always feared (in America) but is seen as almost sacred in Mexico. The main character, Mitsuko left the U.S. with her wife Judy after Asian hate crimes took off post-COVID. I did feel this one ended a little weaker than the others so far in the anthology though.
"Mud Flappers" by Usman T. Malik. I am still confused by this one and what happened. I still enjoyed it though.
"Churn the Unturning Tide" by Annie Neugebauer. Reading about a woman who is pregnant and seems to be going through some changes, and some women that she meets while doing a swim class who seem to go a bit feral was kind of...actually it was on the mark.
"There's Always Something in the Woods" by Gabino Iglesias. 5 damn stars. I want a movie. Also, yes, it's not fair.
"The Turning" by Hailey Piper. A young girl is going through something that is changing teens all over the world. What her family does next though...is it really unexpected?
"Help, I'm a Cop" by Nathan Carson. Well what do you know...I felt a little pity. Just a smidge. Excellent story. I did love how Carson shows us our main character that gave up so many parts of himself for an indifferent father.
"Miss Infection USA" by Shanna Heath. What to do when young girls rise as zombies? You throw a pageant. Honestly this was great and the darkness of the story bleeds in after a while. You realize what big sister in this story has gone through to make sure her sister Martha stays safe.
"All Not Ready" by Tracy Cross. A bunch of kids play a game.
"Illusions of the De-Evolved" by Linda D. Addison. No.
"Black Screams, Yellow Stars" by Maxwell I. Gold. What happens when the red hats (guess who) come for everyone. Echoes of the Middle Passage are brought back to the present.
There are so many more stories but honestly just read this thing. It was so so freaking good.
July 31, 2022
It’s rare that I read an entire anthology because I lose interest. Not with this one! Excellent, twisty tales.
August 11, 2022
I admit I did not want to read the rest of the anthology after reading the story "Scrape". Asian hate crime is still happening. People are still processing what is happening to them. I understand the author may have felt "inspired" with their intent. But at the end of the day, the author needed to recognize that they may not be right person to tell that story. Fiction or not, they shouldn't be speaking/writing for a group that's not your own. Especially when the attacks are very much fresh. That's like white author writing a horror story inspired short on Uvalde shooting or any of the recent shootings. It's incredibly tone deaf. Maybe the sheer fact that the MC is Japanese and queer with a female lover was thought to be enough to overshadow the faults in the bad coverup of micro-racism? It can definitely be said that the story was written carefully to try and not perpetuate any stereotypes but it still did not sit right. (that could be a me thing, but as Asian American who is still watching over her shoulder for attacks. This story is just so willfully obtuse.)
I'm glad I kept pushing on because I really enjoyed S.A. Cosby's What Blood Has Wrought" and Tananarive Due's "Incident at Bear Creek Lodge". I like how both had a supernatural element to them but the real terror were the acts done by humans.
Overall, I think I set my expectations too high when this book said "inclusive". I was hoping for more intersectionality with POC authors. Kudos to the editors for trying to have an even amount of POC authors and non-POC though.
I'm glad I kept pushing on because I really enjoyed S.A. Cosby's What Blood Has Wrought" and Tananarive Due's "Incident at Bear Creek Lodge". I like how both had a supernatural element to them but the real terror were the acts done by humans.
Overall, I think I set my expectations too high when this book said "inclusive". I was hoping for more intersectionality with POC authors. Kudos to the editors for trying to have an even amount of POC authors and non-POC though.
February 23, 2023
anthologies simply suck, as a rule! a solid back half never quite made up for a shockingly weak start.
stories that I liked more than others AND/OR on which I have Thoughts:
🧛 "NIGHT SHOPPER," michael h. hanson — I was vibing with this story, but...I don't pretend to know a laundry list of hanson's identities but I am making an assumption based on his presentation that he is a cis dude, and I do actually think that that makes this trans revenge fantasy kind of a weird choice for him to write because of the specific nature of how it plays out. hm
🌀 "SCRAPE," denise dumars — GARDENA GETS A SHOUTOUT!! but also, and I guess maybe this is just a mismatch between my expectations for what this book would be, but I don't think this story is #ownvoices or whatever? and I want to be clear that I don't think authors should be limited to writing about and from their own experience, and I don't think that #ownvoices fiction is the only valid option; however, I guess I do think I expected that, in this particular anthology, which is described as one "that showcases authors from underrepresented backgrounds" (various descriptions of the book, including google books) and is explicitly stated to be about "the other as a source of terror" (liaguno's introduction) and for which the editors "cast [their] net far and wide, hoping to attract a diverse roster of literary talent whose backgrounds and experiences might best be suited to interpret this theme" (liaguno's introduction), the writers would be writing about or from ways in which they themselves have experienced othering. so it was unexpected for me to realize right now just in writing this review (I started out by mentioning this story literally just to be like EYYYY GARDENA lol) that this story which touches a LOT on the horizontal racism a japanese-american woman experiences at the hands of other people of color (this is emphasized) in the US as well as in mexico was written by an apparent white woman (again, I don't know dumars from adam and am making assumptions again!!!). whew. this took up more space than I was expecting. it's just an interesting choice for this book which is clearly being marketed as a like, Correct the Historical Sins of the Publishing Industry! text.
🕷️ "CHURN THE UNTURNING TIDE," annie neugebauer — just a delightful oddball little thing. centers middle-aged-to-old women and a pregnant person NOT in a rosemary's baby way? these are the dynamics I want out of my horror.
🐸 "THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING IN THE WOODS," gabino iglesias — is it unfair of me to be picky about the fact that iglesias chose to include a short story that was clearly in some ways a trial run for the devil takes you home (there are direct passages that are identical between both) when both books came out in 2022 lol probably but god I really didn't love the devil takes you home
🦕 "THE TURNING," hailey piper — okay well here I go exposing myself as a hypocrite for like the cheesy things that I like and only the cheesy things that I like but I enjoyed the bit about little girls trading with crows for trinkets lol. where's that one tumblr post about little girls inventing religion at recess
🍒 "MISS INFECTION USA," shanna heath — legitimately stomach-churning in a way that, for me, counted this story a success. campy and brutal! a winning combination!
🛡️ "KALKRIESE," larissa glasser — "at least we were talking about us instead of waiting to be seen and heard from the outside yet again"—see, glasser is a trans woman writing about trans women (writing about trans women), and I think this is sort of the spirit I was expecting from this book lol
🐕 "THE DEVIL DON'T COME WITH HORNS," eugen bacon — I think I'd've preferred to read this one as opposed to listening (bacon is australian and wrote this in a wonderful nonstandard english that I couldn't quite get a feel for with the narrator who was maybe...scottish?? or just northern idk I liked the guy's voice but it made it all a little slippery for me to grasp), but it intrigued me enough that I'll be seeking out more of bacon's work
👽 "INVASIVE SPECIES," ann dávila cardinal — winky-wry good fun, maybe a little trite, but I'll take it for a short story
👻 "THE ASYLUM," holly lyn walrath — I think the concept might have been a little overdone but at least there was a trans character I guess? again, on the whole this one was a little too...expected, but also not terrible
🐢 "TIDDLYWINKS," stephen graham jones — you can tell jones was just having a stupid good time writing this. further cements the fact that I prefer his short-form work over his novel-length entries
⭐ "WHERE THE LOVELIGHT GLEAMS," michael thomas ford — ah! the horror of the small town! to be queer and to have escaped and to have left others behind!
📜 "THE VOICES OF NIGHTINGALES," m.e. bronstein — conceptually excellent; I am as we all know weak for linguistics and marginalia and les sapphiques
🩸 "WHAT BLOOD HATH WROUGHT," s.a. cosby — hey, a horror story??? in MY horror collection??? more likely than u think!!!!! really fit the bill. highly enjoyable and suggests good things about cosby's writing in general
❄️ "INCIDENT AT BEAR CREEK LODGE," tananarive due — makes sense to close out the collection with a seasoned vet like due, and while this wasn't my #1 favorite in the collection, it's still good and complex and, again, fits the fuckin bill, and of course, it's always nice to be with a writer who can, you know, write lol.
—
I still think "churn the unturning tide" is probably my favorite overall, but I'll likely be seeking other work by bacon, ford, bronstein, and cosby as well. I guess in looking at my list here I really did enjoy them more as the collection went on, but so many of the first-half entries were forgettable at best that I don't think a 3-star rating feels right. again, though, that's the way it goes with anthologies (all too often a phone-in experience I feel!!!!), and it is certainly not the fault of the individual authors. long live horror!
stories that I liked more than others AND/OR on which I have Thoughts:
🧛 "NIGHT SHOPPER," michael h. hanson — I was vibing with this story, but...I don't pretend to know a laundry list of hanson's identities but I am making an assumption based on his presentation that he is a cis dude, and I do actually think that that makes this trans revenge fantasy kind of a weird choice for him to write because of the specific nature of how it plays out. hm
🌀 "SCRAPE," denise dumars — GARDENA GETS A SHOUTOUT!! but also, and I guess maybe this is just a mismatch between my expectations for what this book would be, but I don't think this story is #ownvoices or whatever? and I want to be clear that I don't think authors should be limited to writing about and from their own experience, and I don't think that #ownvoices fiction is the only valid option; however, I guess I do think I expected that, in this particular anthology, which is described as one "that showcases authors from underrepresented backgrounds" (various descriptions of the book, including google books) and is explicitly stated to be about "the other as a source of terror" (liaguno's introduction) and for which the editors "cast [their] net far and wide, hoping to attract a diverse roster of literary talent whose backgrounds and experiences might best be suited to interpret this theme" (liaguno's introduction), the writers would be writing about or from ways in which they themselves have experienced othering. so it was unexpected for me to realize right now just in writing this review (I started out by mentioning this story literally just to be like EYYYY GARDENA lol) that this story which touches a LOT on the horizontal racism a japanese-american woman experiences at the hands of other people of color (this is emphasized) in the US as well as in mexico was written by an apparent white woman (again, I don't know dumars from adam and am making assumptions again!!!). whew. this took up more space than I was expecting. it's just an interesting choice for this book which is clearly being marketed as a like, Correct the Historical Sins of the Publishing Industry! text.
🕷️ "CHURN THE UNTURNING TIDE," annie neugebauer — just a delightful oddball little thing. centers middle-aged-to-old women and a pregnant person NOT in a rosemary's baby way? these are the dynamics I want out of my horror.
🐸 "THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING IN THE WOODS," gabino iglesias — is it unfair of me to be picky about the fact that iglesias chose to include a short story that was clearly in some ways a trial run for the devil takes you home (there are direct passages that are identical between both) when both books came out in 2022 lol probably but god I really didn't love the devil takes you home
🦕 "THE TURNING," hailey piper — okay well here I go exposing myself as a hypocrite for like the cheesy things that I like and only the cheesy things that I like but I enjoyed the bit about little girls trading with crows for trinkets lol. where's that one tumblr post about little girls inventing religion at recess
🍒 "MISS INFECTION USA," shanna heath — legitimately stomach-churning in a way that, for me, counted this story a success. campy and brutal! a winning combination!
🛡️ "KALKRIESE," larissa glasser — "at least we were talking about us instead of waiting to be seen and heard from the outside yet again"—see, glasser is a trans woman writing about trans women (writing about trans women), and I think this is sort of the spirit I was expecting from this book lol
🐕 "THE DEVIL DON'T COME WITH HORNS," eugen bacon — I think I'd've preferred to read this one as opposed to listening (bacon is australian and wrote this in a wonderful nonstandard english that I couldn't quite get a feel for with the narrator who was maybe...scottish?? or just northern idk I liked the guy's voice but it made it all a little slippery for me to grasp), but it intrigued me enough that I'll be seeking out more of bacon's work
👽 "INVASIVE SPECIES," ann dávila cardinal — winky-wry good fun, maybe a little trite, but I'll take it for a short story
👻 "THE ASYLUM," holly lyn walrath — I think the concept might have been a little overdone but at least there was a trans character I guess? again, on the whole this one was a little too...expected, but also not terrible
🐢 "TIDDLYWINKS," stephen graham jones — you can tell jones was just having a stupid good time writing this. further cements the fact that I prefer his short-form work over his novel-length entries
⭐ "WHERE THE LOVELIGHT GLEAMS," michael thomas ford — ah! the horror of the small town! to be queer and to have escaped and to have left others behind!
📜 "THE VOICES OF NIGHTINGALES," m.e. bronstein — conceptually excellent; I am as we all know weak for linguistics and marginalia and les sapphiques
🩸 "WHAT BLOOD HATH WROUGHT," s.a. cosby — hey, a horror story??? in MY horror collection??? more likely than u think!!!!! really fit the bill. highly enjoyable and suggests good things about cosby's writing in general
❄️ "INCIDENT AT BEAR CREEK LODGE," tananarive due — makes sense to close out the collection with a seasoned vet like due, and while this wasn't my #1 favorite in the collection, it's still good and complex and, again, fits the fuckin bill, and of course, it's always nice to be with a writer who can, you know, write lol.
—
I still think "churn the unturning tide" is probably my favorite overall, but I'll likely be seeking other work by bacon, ford, bronstein, and cosby as well. I guess in looking at my list here I really did enjoy them more as the collection went on, but so many of the first-half entries were forgettable at best that I don't think a 3-star rating feels right. again, though, that's the way it goes with anthologies (all too often a phone-in experience I feel!!!!), and it is certainly not the fault of the individual authors. long live horror!
February 14, 2022
I was incredibly glad when I was given access to an ARC of Other Terrors. The cover initially drew me in and then I knew I had to read it after I read the synopsis. This book of short stories is entirely unique, off-putting in the best way, and a great way to spook yourself out right before you go to bed. If you’re looking for a horror anthology with diverse authors, stories, and characters, look no further than this book. Each story felt so distinctive as did each author’s voice. I will be avoiding pools, cabins, and just about anywhere else I could face a potential terror. I definitely recommend this book to any horror fan.
April 16, 2022
The ultimate collection of horror stories from the perspective of what it means to be “other.” I loved this inclusive set of spooky tales! It’s so hard to pick a favorite story because this collection includes a little bit of everything that is sure to please a multitude of readers. I also appreciate how inclusive these stories are. These stories are written by an all star group of horror authors including Hailey Piper, Alma Katsu, Stephen Graham Jones, Tananarive Due and more. Don’t miss out on this anthology!
Shelved as 'ill-be-back'
December 25, 2022Don’t see myself finishing this before the new year so I’ll be back maybe
January 9, 2023
4.5. Nearly every story in this collection was a winner! Especially loved the last two by S.A. Cosby and Tananarive Due, and of course Stephen Graham Jones' story - it reminded me a lot of Night of the Mannequins. If you're a horror fan, you can't go wrong with picking this one up.
January 8, 2024
3.5 some major hits and misses as with any anthology but i can’t say i wasn’t entertained
February 16, 2023
Like any anthology, I preferred some stories to others, but there were a lot of winners in here. It likely didn't help that the theme was very catered to me - even if I didn't love a story, I enjoyed thinking about the way the author engaged with or interpreted the theme. There were only one or two stories that I thought really, truly missed the mark.
Read
July 31, 2022Not sure how to rate an anthology! I don't read a lot of short stories but there were a handful in this that stuck out to me. Def worth checking out.
October 6, 2022
y'all this book was so bad
July 13, 2022
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
AS CAWPILE:
Characters: 6 | Atmosphere: 7 | Writing: 7 | Plot: 5 | Intrigue: 6 | Logic: 6 | Enjoyment: 6
Total: 6.14
Reviewing an short story collection is always tricky, especially as some stories were fantastic and others...not so much. There were some that suffered from the short story format, and others that flourished under it. This is normal for these kinds of collections, in my opinion, and makes reviewing them as a whole something I've wanted to figure out how to do effectively.
I gave each short story an individual CAWPILE rating and I think this is the best way to go about this. There was only one short story I had to skip, and this was due to the style of writing and that is was in the second person POV. That's just personal preference, though, and I'm sure the story was fine.
This collection, looked at as a whole, was entertaining and worth the read. It uses different diverse backgrounds and histories as grounds for horror telling, and this concept is played out incredibly well here. There were some stories that left me feeling disgusted in the best way, and with horror, that's all I can ask for.
I'll be putting the individual CAWPILE ratings under a spoiler to save space, but I have averaged these scores in order to get the total rating for this book.
CAWPILE:
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
AS CAWPILE:
Characters: 6 | Atmosphere: 7 | Writing: 7 | Plot: 5 | Intrigue: 6 | Logic: 6 | Enjoyment: 6
Total: 6.14
Reviewing an short story collection is always tricky, especially as some stories were fantastic and others...not so much. There were some that suffered from the short story format, and others that flourished under it. This is normal for these kinds of collections, in my opinion, and makes reviewing them as a whole something I've wanted to figure out how to do effectively.
I gave each short story an individual CAWPILE rating and I think this is the best way to go about this. There was only one short story I had to skip, and this was due to the style of writing and that is was in the second person POV. That's just personal preference, though, and I'm sure the story was fine.
This collection, looked at as a whole, was entertaining and worth the read. It uses different diverse backgrounds and histories as grounds for horror telling, and this concept is played out incredibly well here. There were some stories that left me feeling disgusted in the best way, and with horror, that's all I can ask for.
I'll be putting the individual CAWPILE ratings under a spoiler to save space, but I have averaged these scores in order to get the total rating for this book.
CAWPILE:
August 28, 2022
Rating an anthology is always difficult. These were my faves:
-Idiot Girls by Jennifer McMahon
-Waste Note by Alma Katsu
-Night Shopper by Michael H. Hanson
-Scrape by Denise Dumars
-There's Always Something in the Woods by Gabino Iglesias
-The Turning by Hailey Piper
-Tiddlywinks by Stephen Graham Jones
-What Blood Hath Wrought by S.A. Cosby
-Incident at Bear Creek Lodge by Tananarive Due
-Idiot Girls by Jennifer McMahon
-Waste Note by Alma Katsu
-Night Shopper by Michael H. Hanson
-Scrape by Denise Dumars
-There's Always Something in the Woods by Gabino Iglesias
-The Turning by Hailey Piper
-Tiddlywinks by Stephen Graham Jones
-What Blood Hath Wrought by S.A. Cosby
-Incident at Bear Creek Lodge by Tananarive Due
August 4, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I most likely was just going off of the cover being absolutely gorgeous when I first requested this ARC bc I definitely did not realize it was a HORROR anthology, aka l genre I rarely veer into bc I’m a wuss 🥴
That said, I really enjoyed this book! I loved how unique & creative each story was, how distinct each author’s voice felt (though I mostly read them all in small doses + *only during the day* haha). As always with anthology collections, not every story knocked it out of the park— but a vast majority did imo! This anthology also succeeded in making me want to check out more work from a lot of the authors included, so that’s always a nice plus when going into something you otherwise were initially unsure about.
If you’re a Horror/Thriller fan, and even if you’re not like me tbh, I highly rec this collection— there’s def something for everyone!
📖 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬: 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴; 𝘐𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘵 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴; 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴; 𝘛𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘺𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴; 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘵; 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳
I most likely was just going off of the cover being absolutely gorgeous when I first requested this ARC bc I definitely did not realize it was a HORROR anthology, aka l genre I rarely veer into bc I’m a wuss 🥴
That said, I really enjoyed this book! I loved how unique & creative each story was, how distinct each author’s voice felt (though I mostly read them all in small doses + *only during the day* haha). As always with anthology collections, not every story knocked it out of the park— but a vast majority did imo! This anthology also succeeded in making me want to check out more work from a lot of the authors included, so that’s always a nice plus when going into something you otherwise were initially unsure about.
If you’re a Horror/Thriller fan, and even if you’re not like me tbh, I highly rec this collection— there’s def something for everyone!
📖 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬: 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴; 𝘐𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘵 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴; 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴; 𝘛𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘺𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴; 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘵; 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳
June 1, 2022
You really can't go wrong when you bring together some of the best horror writers for an anthology.
I loved that each of these stories flipped the horror genre just a bit and had unexpected endings or main characters. Not only that, but many of the stories feature characters that normally don't get a voice in horror.
Typically with anthologies, you have some stories that simply aren't as strong as others. This one is the exception. I really enjoyed every story and I would recommend this to anyone wanting quick horror reads!
I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved that each of these stories flipped the horror genre just a bit and had unexpected endings or main characters. Not only that, but many of the stories feature characters that normally don't get a voice in horror.
Typically with anthologies, you have some stories that simply aren't as strong as others. This one is the exception. I really enjoyed every story and I would recommend this to anyone wanting quick horror reads!
I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2022
Like any anthology there are a few home runs, a couple of strikeouts and many interesting at-bats. Best of all, I now have a handful of new authors to fangirl over. Their imaginative, vibrant and scary stories are hopefully a taste of greatness to come. Standouts include “Miss Infection, USA” by Shanna Heath; Alma Katsu’s “Waste Not”; “Help, I’m a Cop” by Nathan Carson; and “There’s Always Something in the Woods” by Gambino Iglesias (he also wrote a great full-length ‘barrio noir’ novel this year)! A couple of star authors, S.A. Cosby and Tananarive Due, also have solid entries. Perfect as we enter Spooky Season.. you can read all at once or parcel out the short stories over October.
July 16, 2022
A delightful and grotesque collection of stories from a variety of authors, Other Terrors showcases the true strengths of the horror genre, from the bizarre to depressing and disgusting, and how each can be used to affect the reader. This is the crème de la crème of authors kicking ass in horror right now, including Hailey Piper and Tananarive Due. I had a blast reading it, and as a small-time writer myself, it also inspired me to create new things.
September 7, 2022
4.5
stories i liked the most (4.5 and 5 star stories)
night shopper by michael h hanson
churn the unturning tide by annie neugebauer
the turning by hailey piper
help, i'm a cop by nathan carson
miss infection usa by shanna heath
what blood hath wrought by sa cosby
incident at bear creek lodge by tananarive due
stories i liked the most (4.5 and 5 star stories)
night shopper by michael h hanson
churn the unturning tide by annie neugebauer
the turning by hailey piper
help, i'm a cop by nathan carson
miss infection usa by shanna heath
what blood hath wrought by sa cosby
incident at bear creek lodge by tananarive due
November 2, 2022
I’m not sure how to give one rating to 24 short stories, but overall they were pretty good!!! I do wish that the stories had trigger warnings, because every one was a complete surprise. My favorite stories were Idiot Girls, Waste Not, and the Asylum.
October 27, 2022
There were like 2 decent stories
September 24, 2022
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley, and was so psyched that I did because it was AMAZING.
Modern horror anthologies are fast becoming one of my favorite horror subgenres, and it has only become strengthened by Other Terrors! Other Terrors is an inclusive anthology that so many people can relate to. Whether you have differences based upon sexuality, gender identity, nationality- at one point in your life, you have felt different, and can relate to this theme of being “Other”. This theme has been an undercurrent within horror ever since it was born into the world, and you can see exactly why within these tales.
Filled with 24 of some of the best short fiction horror I have read in some time, Other Terrors has a bit of something for everyone. Here are some of my favorites from the collection.
Idiot Girls by Jennifer McMahon- I read McMahon’s novel The Invited when it came out, and it, like this story, was an entirely new and fresh take on a common trope. The story Idiot Girls is a fresh take on a classic monster tale. Two young lovers who meet secretly in their apartment building are discovered by a sketchy maintenance man who is also a tenant in their building. Children are going missing in their city, and the teens investigate whether the man is involved. The story is dark, yet rich with both its descriptions of immigrants who are unlike one another, and the suspicions one may find themselves under when you are unlike your neighbors. A twisty surprising ending I truly enjoyed!
Waste Not by Alma Katsu- Katsu is currently blowing up in the horror genre right now, and for good reason, as displayed in this story. Jane is a police officer whose husband has passed away, leaving her the burden of helping her mother in law clear out her hoarded home when she refuses to be put in a retirement community. Nestled in the hoard are secrets that should’ve stayed buried, and Jane is forced to decide what to do with the unearthed truths of her late husband’s family. The story itself was eerie and satisfying and I know all too well the plight of spouses who are disliked by their in-laws, so this was a fun read!
Churn the Unturning Tide by Annie Neugebauer-Wow, this story took me off guard in the best of ways lol! A wholly original spin of witchcraft and magick in the modern age, it was both hilarious and terrifying and impressed the hell out of me.
There’s Always Something in the Woods by Gabino Iglesias- There’s something about Iglesias’s short horror that simultaneously excites and evokes dread within me. I know whatever I am about to read is going to be excellent, but chances are it’s going to be dark and might not always end well for our characters lol! In this tale, a trio of immigrants are attempting to make a quick buck when a large drug deal goes terribly wrong, thanks to that which resides in the woods. Because, in horror, There’s Always Something in the Woods!
The Turning by Hailey Piper- Man, this story got to me in a myriad of ways. A strange pandemic amongst teens is causing familial upheaval as it begins to affect 14 year old Krissy. The story mirrors a couple things for me- the inability to relate to your child after they’ve begun puberty. Or the inability to be accepted by your parents after becoming true to ones self, regardless of what that truth may be. Sometimes you cannot rely on family and must create a family of your own! The story was written beautifully, a creeping dread crawling over my skin in anticipation of the final stages of Krissy’s transformation and how her parents would deal with that. A beautifully scary metaphor for what many teens go through when coming out to their unaccepting families.
Miss Infection USA by Shaunna Heath- After the heavy tone of many of the prior tales, Miss Infection USA was a MUCH needed respite.Giving hardcore Palahniuk vibes, this story was grotesquely funny. Sisters prepare for a one of a kind beauty pageant in a world fraught by a type of zombie apocalypse. The winner gets an all inclusive trip to Revival with Doctor Gross, a once in a lifetime chance to reverse the symptoms of this zombie plague. Martha and Miriam are prepared to do whatever it takes to win, and I loved this story!
The Asylum by Holly Ann Walrath- This tale is a grim reminder that not many years ago, women could be institutionalized for any number of things- something as simple as being gay, or even unwed and outspoken, could land you labeled as “hysterical” and locked in a psych ward on the list for lobotomy. Told in a cheeky, clever format, we get a glimpse into such an institution, as if on a tour of depravity throughout the various rooms of the asylum.
I was thoroughly impressed by the collection of stories in this anthology, and highly recommend it!
Modern horror anthologies are fast becoming one of my favorite horror subgenres, and it has only become strengthened by Other Terrors! Other Terrors is an inclusive anthology that so many people can relate to. Whether you have differences based upon sexuality, gender identity, nationality- at one point in your life, you have felt different, and can relate to this theme of being “Other”. This theme has been an undercurrent within horror ever since it was born into the world, and you can see exactly why within these tales.
Filled with 24 of some of the best short fiction horror I have read in some time, Other Terrors has a bit of something for everyone. Here are some of my favorites from the collection.
Idiot Girls by Jennifer McMahon- I read McMahon’s novel The Invited when it came out, and it, like this story, was an entirely new and fresh take on a common trope. The story Idiot Girls is a fresh take on a classic monster tale. Two young lovers who meet secretly in their apartment building are discovered by a sketchy maintenance man who is also a tenant in their building. Children are going missing in their city, and the teens investigate whether the man is involved. The story is dark, yet rich with both its descriptions of immigrants who are unlike one another, and the suspicions one may find themselves under when you are unlike your neighbors. A twisty surprising ending I truly enjoyed!
Waste Not by Alma Katsu- Katsu is currently blowing up in the horror genre right now, and for good reason, as displayed in this story. Jane is a police officer whose husband has passed away, leaving her the burden of helping her mother in law clear out her hoarded home when she refuses to be put in a retirement community. Nestled in the hoard are secrets that should’ve stayed buried, and Jane is forced to decide what to do with the unearthed truths of her late husband’s family. The story itself was eerie and satisfying and I know all too well the plight of spouses who are disliked by their in-laws, so this was a fun read!
Churn the Unturning Tide by Annie Neugebauer-Wow, this story took me off guard in the best of ways lol! A wholly original spin of witchcraft and magick in the modern age, it was both hilarious and terrifying and impressed the hell out of me.
There’s Always Something in the Woods by Gabino Iglesias- There’s something about Iglesias’s short horror that simultaneously excites and evokes dread within me. I know whatever I am about to read is going to be excellent, but chances are it’s going to be dark and might not always end well for our characters lol! In this tale, a trio of immigrants are attempting to make a quick buck when a large drug deal goes terribly wrong, thanks to that which resides in the woods. Because, in horror, There’s Always Something in the Woods!
The Turning by Hailey Piper- Man, this story got to me in a myriad of ways. A strange pandemic amongst teens is causing familial upheaval as it begins to affect 14 year old Krissy. The story mirrors a couple things for me- the inability to relate to your child after they’ve begun puberty. Or the inability to be accepted by your parents after becoming true to ones self, regardless of what that truth may be. Sometimes you cannot rely on family and must create a family of your own! The story was written beautifully, a creeping dread crawling over my skin in anticipation of the final stages of Krissy’s transformation and how her parents would deal with that. A beautifully scary metaphor for what many teens go through when coming out to their unaccepting families.
Miss Infection USA by Shaunna Heath- After the heavy tone of many of the prior tales, Miss Infection USA was a MUCH needed respite.Giving hardcore Palahniuk vibes, this story was grotesquely funny. Sisters prepare for a one of a kind beauty pageant in a world fraught by a type of zombie apocalypse. The winner gets an all inclusive trip to Revival with Doctor Gross, a once in a lifetime chance to reverse the symptoms of this zombie plague. Martha and Miriam are prepared to do whatever it takes to win, and I loved this story!
The Asylum by Holly Ann Walrath- This tale is a grim reminder that not many years ago, women could be institutionalized for any number of things- something as simple as being gay, or even unwed and outspoken, could land you labeled as “hysterical” and locked in a psych ward on the list for lobotomy. Told in a cheeky, clever format, we get a glimpse into such an institution, as if on a tour of depravity throughout the various rooms of the asylum.
I was thoroughly impressed by the collection of stories in this anthology, and highly recommend it!
January 11, 2024
Hit or miss, but overall this was a fun read. Definitely not terrifying overall, but the last two made my skin crawl a bit. Also, love the abundance of odd animal-like creatures that are described in really graphic detail
January 18, 2023
Getting through my physical TBR this year will probably kill me huh
December 8, 2023
DNF around 50%. The stories were all miss and no hit for me and I couldn't bring myself to keep trying.
January 8, 2024
Some great ones, some misses, some that had me lost, some that were beautiful! Overall I had a good time, made great by discussing it with book club :)
September 11, 2022
You would be hard pressed to find a book of short stories where you like all the stories. I didn't like all of the stories in this horror anthology but the ones I liked, I liked enough to give this 4 stars. My favorites were: Idiot Girls by Jennifer McMahon, Waste Not by Alma Katsu, Night Shopper by Michael Hanson (LOVED this one!), There's Always Something in the Woods by Gabino Iglesias, The Turning by Hailey Piper, Miss Infection USA by Shanna Heath, Invasive Species by Ann Davila Cardinal, Where the Lovelight Gleams by Michael Thomas Ford, and What Blood Hath Wrought by S.A. Cosby
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