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Post by Tim on Oct 3, 2020 11:53:35 GMT -5
BOOK: Strange Highways
AUTHOR: Dean Koontz
Year of publication: 1995
This is, so far, the only collection of stories that Dean Koontz has written. He mostly does stand alone novels.
In fact, two of the stories in this book, the first, Strange Highways (the same name as the book itself), and the last, Chase, are novel length. The stories are as follows (I clipped these from TV Tropes):
1. Strange Highways: A depressed, regretful man is offered a chance to relive the night that defined the rest of his life.
2. The Black Pumpkin: After buying a frightening jack-o-lantern at a pumpkin patch, a family is terrorized by a strange creature.
3. Miss Attila the Hun: The only thing standing in the way of an alien life form taking over the world is a determined teacher.
4. Down in the Darkness: A Vietnam vet discovers a room in his new home that only he can see.
5. Ollie's Hands: A lonely young man with telepathic powers tries to start a relationship with a woman he rescued from muggers.
6. Snatcher: A purse snatcher gets more than he bargains for when he steals a strange old woman's handbag.
7. Trapped: A mother and her son are terrorized by genetically engineered rats.
8. Bruno: A private eye receives a visitor from another dimension.
9. We Three: A set of triplets with telepathic powers wipe out the rest of humanity.
10. Hardshell: A determined cop pursues a serial killer into an abandoned warehouse.
11. Kittens: A young girl is horrified to learn what her father does every time her cat gives birth to kittens.
12. The Night of the Storm: In the far future, a group of robots go hunting deep in the woods.
13. Twilight of the Dawn: An atheist questions his faith as his young son dies of cancer.
14. Chase: A solider is stalked by a deranged killer after he saves an intended victim from his clutches.
While most of the stories have supernatural or science fiction elements, others, like Kittens and Chase, do not. It's really quite a mixed bag.
However, I think this book does have something for everyone.
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Post by Melinda Halliwell on Oct 4, 2020 4:08:00 GMT -5
BOOK: Tales Of The Unexpected AUTHORS: Roald Dahl Year of publication: 1979  I've been watching this anthology series on Sky Arts recently based on Roald Dahl's book of the same name where a host of famous names have played certain characters from the book then some multiple characters for e.g. Dame Joan Collins who portrayed 3. There were 6 series's in all till 1988 with Roald Dahl introducing stories before they happened in series's 1 and 2 being what he'd written which deferred from the book slightly what the end result was . Series 3-6 had original stories based on his work but not written by Roald actually. A second book called More Tales Of The Unexpected exists also which I will preview next of course. Taken from Goodreads here's an excerpt of the books description then. A wine connoisseur with an infallible palate and a sinister taste in wagers. A decrepit old man with a masterpiece tattooed on his back. A voracious adventuress, a gentle cuckold, and a garden sculpture that becomes an instrument of sadistic vengeance. Social climbers who climb a bit too quickly. Philanderers whose deceptions are a trifle too ornate. Impeccable servants whose bland masks slip for one vertiginous instant. In these deliciously nasty stories an internationally acclaimed practitioner of the short narrative works his own brand of black magic: tantalizing, amusing, and sometimes terrifying readers into a new sense of what lurks beneath the ordinary. Included in Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected are such notorious gems of the bizarre as "The Sound Machine," "Lamb to Slaughter," "Neck," and "The Landlady." Contents: - Taste - Lamb to the Slaughter - Man from the South - My Lady Love, My Dove - Dip in the Pool - Galloping Foxley - Skin - Neck - Nunc Dimittis - The Landlady - William and Mary - The Way Up to Heaven - Parson's Pleasure - Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat - Royal Jelly - Edward the Conqueror - The Sound Machine - Georgy Porgy - The Hitchhiker - Poison - The Boy Who Talked with Animals - The Umbrella Man - Genesis and Catastrophe - The Butler Some of these stories have horror influenced bits in them whilst others don't but for any Macabre fan I'm sure they'd enjoy these obviously.
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Post by Melinda Halliwell on Oct 4, 2020 4:19:27 GMT -5
BOOK: More Tales Of The Unexpected
AUTHORS: Roald Dahl
Year of publication: 1980  As promised the second book in Roald Dahl's anthology series which these stories were also portrayed in the 1980's Tales Of The Unexpected TV series which Roald Dahl himself introduced before they played out on screen. Again taken from Goodreads here's a description of the book narrative. Contents: - Poison - The Sound Machine - Georgy Porgy - Genesis and Catastrophe - The Hitch-hiker - The Umbrella Man - Mr Botibol - Vengeance Is Mine Inc. - The Butler Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected is a delightfully dark collection of sixteen stories, each with a startling end. Among the unforgettable characters lurk the homicidal wife and her deadly leg of lamb, a conniving and lecherous wine connoisseur and the one-eyed brain at the mercy of his vengeful spouse. Tales of the Unexpected is an astonishing assortment of twisted treats from the master storyteller. Like the first one a must have for any horror Macabre fan who will enjoy these short stories then.
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Post by Tim on Oct 4, 2020 11:32:35 GMT -5
Hey, Katherine, nice to see someone else taking part in this thread.
It is open to everyone here, if you have an horror anthology book you want to talk about. With Halloween coming, I felt such a thread was fitting.
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Post by Melinda Halliwell on Oct 4, 2020 12:12:00 GMT -5
I only know Tales Of The Unexpected because I've watched some episodes on TV.
Don't know any other anthologies unfortunately Tim.
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Post by Tim on Oct 5, 2020 23:26:19 GMT -5
BOOK: The Best Time Travel Stories Of The 20th Century
AUTHORS: Various
Year of publication: 2005
Although this is more science fiction than horror, you will find some gems in here. Of course, I love a good time travel story so, when I saw this book, I couldn't resist. And I have no regrets about buying it.
Among the stories in the book is Richard Matheson's story, Death Ship (which he adapted into an episode of the original Twilight Zone), and Ray Bradbury's Sound Of Thunder (which he adapted into an episode of his TV series, The Ray Bradbury Theatre). I myself enjoyed both these stories (and their TV adaptations).
Another story in this book is called I'm Scared, by Jack Finney, from which the urban legend of Rudolph Fentz, arose. Said urban legend had him having suddenly appear in New York City in the early 1950's, where he's promptly hit by car and dies (how convenient). He is wearing odd clothes and has money from the late 19th Century. The cops investigate and find out that a Rudolph Fentz vanished without a trace in 1876, when he went to the store. It is speculated that he was somehow transported forward through time some seventy-five years. Of course, there is no documentation to back this incident up. Because it never happened! It came from this story and somehow people came to believe the incident really happened. Nope, it was all in this story.
All in all, this is another enjoyable collection, IMO.
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Post by Melinda Halliwell on Oct 6, 2020 13:31:24 GMT -5
BOOK: Tales From The Darkside AUTHORS: Various
Year of publication: 2014  I previously mentioned I didn't know any other anthology series's well going through my head I did remember two others which I'd seen on TV on/off channel hopping this been one of them and the other Tales From The Crypt which I'll detail next. Taken from goodreads the description of this series reads as follows. Joe Hill's nerve-shredding re-imagining of Tales from the Darkside never made it to TV...but the dead are restless and refuse to stay buried! Adapts the episodes written by Hill and illustrated by Locke & Key co-creator Gabriel Rodriguez! Three stories of the macabre and malevolent! One coulda-been, shoulda-been TV epic on paper with pictures that don't move! Step out of the warm, sunlit world you think of as reality and get ready to take a chilling walk... on the DARKSIDE." Anyone whose watched the show might know this book obviously but those who don't and horror fans in general would probably want to read it then.
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Post by Melinda Halliwell on Oct 6, 2020 13:57:19 GMT -5
BOOK: Tales From The Crypt AUTHORS: by William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein (Author, Illustrator), Howard Larsen (Illustrator), Joe Orlando (Illustrator), Al Williamson (Illustrator), George Evans (Illustrator), Fred Peters (Illustrator), Will Elder (Illustrator) Year of publication: 1979 
This anthology which I remember being on late night TV as a kid and scared the hell out of me seeing the Crypt Keeper then. There are lots of novels and comic books on this series so here I've just focused on the comic book stories. Goodreads description describes these as. The Complete run of the EC comic book TALES FROM THE CRYPT (including THE CRYPT OF TERROR) reprinted from the original artwork in glorious b&w (with full cover glossy cover inserts) along with all related ads, letters page, text pieces, etc. into five hardcover volumes stored in a handsome slipcover. The stories and stark black-and-white artwork by Johnny Craig, Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Al Felstein, et. al. are superb. They date from 1950 to 1955. Another series horror book fans will enjoy I'm sure obviously.
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Post by Tim on Oct 31, 2021 11:08:47 GMT -5
BOOK: Haunted Halloween Stories
AUTHOR: Jo-Anne Christensen
Year of publication: 2003
This collection of stories is perfect to read on Halloween. The author has gathered there stories from all over (and I recognize a few myself), but put her own spin on them.
We have a framing device of a Halloween parties, attended by a group of college kids. The party is being held at an old house, which the father of one of the party goers has just purchased. Said father, a land developer, plans to tear the house down. However, the kids managed to convince him to let them hold their Halloween party there first.
During the party, the kids decide to tell scary stories. This leads us into the stories in question. The kids say it happened to "a friend of a friend", kind of like urban legends.
Of course, there is also something weird going on at the house itself. One of the guests is not what he seems.
So, if you like Halloween, you'll like this book, IMO.
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