Craig's review - 12 november 2008
Bloody Books have grabbed my attention with two quality novel releases (Joseph D'Lacey's ‘Meat' and Bill Hussey's ‘Through A Glass, Darkly'), the feat even more admirable since both these authors are first-time novelists. I was, therefore, excited to delve into the imprint's other publishing avenue – collections, in particular ‘Read by Dawn 3'.
As the title suggests, the series is in its third year (initially kicked off by Ramsey Campbell). That is a great accomplishment for a horror collection, and my hat's off in that respect.
However, ‘Read by Dawn 3' just didn't work for me. Don't get me wrong, the majority of the stories are of a sound quality, and better than many collections out there, but they seem to be missing something – depth, or that special clincher, that ‘Ah!' that leaves the story lingering on the mind.
Some works that did grab my attention were (to list a few):
‘Dead Frogs' by Josh Reynolds is a quick, somewhat socially-relevant (in extremities) tale that sees a Department of Natural Resources worker follow a trail of dead animals to something rather nasty lurking in oily water.
‘What Will Happen When You Are Gone?' by Jeffory Jacobson presents the ideal piece of property that is of course too good to be true. I enjoyed the use of a pet haven gone astray – the pace was tight and the mood dark, but I thought the story could have continued for longer to really leave an unsettling feeling (I wanted more spectral animals!).
‘In the Cinema Tree with Orbiting Hands' by Kek-W is a bizarre look at a man who crawls into the bole of a tree to live and eventually die, with a brief glimmer of the strange fantasy-laden world he uncovers.
‘Windchimes' by Paul Kane is a rather touching look at the pain of losing a child at an early age, and the resulting horror as to how different people cope with similar encounters in the future. This was perhaps my favourite piece in the collection, though I felt the ending was a little rushed.
Regardless, for readers just delving into what horror fiction can offer, I would thoroughly recommend this collection. However, for those who have read a little more, it is hard to get past the recurring themes that often seem quite stale these days. There is so much in this collection related to family drama and abuse – spousal abuse, child abuse, failed relationships and the inability to cope with rejection – that at times it feels like the writer is simply whinging, or glorifying such horrors without the final nail that makes the themes abhorrent in our society.
The collection's editor is also the curator of the ‘Dead by Dawn' movie festival, and part of me can't help but think this has influenced the story selection. Many of the stories feel like they belong on the silver screen. You can see them happening. However, in terms of the story of the page, many lack the descriptive depth needed for such a transition – you see it happening, but your emotions are not swayed, and you don't care.
That said, I think Bloody Books have put in a great effort to keep horror fiction alive and kicking, and I will read future volumes with interest.
