Title | : | Still of Winter: An Inky Bones Press Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi Anthology (An Unsettling Reads Anthology) |
Author | : | |
Rating | : | |
ISBN | : | - |
Language | : | English |
Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
Number of Pages | : | 344 |
Publication | : | Published February 28, 2023 |
Still of Winter: An Inky Bones Press Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi Anthology (An Unsettling Reads Anthology) Reviews
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I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this anthology, which had no effect on my review other than making it more timely. I planned to (and did) purchase this collection since I like to have physical and e-book versions of good books. You know how we do things 'round here.
Unsettling Reads is circling back to fantasy, horror, and sci-fi with 42 stories, poems, and photographs included in this collection. Part 1 was 90% horror, so of course that was my favorite section, but there were stories in every part that made an impression. Previously, I've given a short list of my favorites from each section or genre, but there are too many stories here that beg individual attention. My reviews for these collections have grown longer with each installment, so I might as well embrace it.
Winter's Bite by Robin Knabel - Robin always delivers something creepy with her stories. Maybe it's a coincidence specific to me, but I'm usually reminded of something from my childhood when reading her stories. The sweets tree in this story made me think about a mulberry tree near my childhood home that I would run to each day when it was in season,scavenging as many berries from the ground as I could (the tree itself was on the other side of the fence so the ground berries were all I had access to). I would eat tons of berries until I had the Hershey squirts and then do it again the next day 😆. Mildly gross to think about now, eating unwashed berries from the ground, but it probably just boosted my immune system. This got wildly off track, but needless to say, I related to this story in a way that just bolstered the climactic scene's impact.
The Winterclaus Tree by Richard Lau - This story had a premise I liked, but it was the voice that really sold it. Told through 1st-person direct address, the reader takes the perspective of a customer in a local ornament shop listening to the shop owner weave the tale of the Winterclaus tree (all while trying to sell you on buying something from his shop). The characterization was a blast and filled the pages with gems like, "He couldn't be more stuck on himself than if he was a jar of peanut butter wrapped in duct tape." This story was a lot of fun and I enjoyed how the author gave a lot of wink-and-nod story info with what was danced around or unsaid in the dialogue.
Composition in Black and White by Buzz Dixon - This story immediately stood out to me, partly because it was the first sci-fi entry in the collection, but mostly because the opening line let me know I would be in for a ride. "They just finished burying the little girl when the invader appeared." Tell me with a straight face that line doesn't pique your interest. I loved this story. Not only was it enthralling and entertaining, but I found myself thinking back on how well the set piece and characters portrayed the weight and burden of intergenerational attitudes. Or maybe I just saw something because I wanted to, which was ironically a major theme of the story.
The Rite of Spring by Rose Strickman - I can often tell how much I will like a story by the opening line and this was another reaffirmation of that belief. "Through the snow they come, heads bent against the bitter wind: men and women, old and young." I'm a fan of minimalist prose and poetry is mostly wasted on me like a fine wine - I just haven't developed a taste for it. That being said, I still enjoy figurative language, sly turns of phrase, and prose that has a lyrical quality to it, which I often felt this story's writing had. I could easily imagine this story being read aloud as an oratory performance. The story itself was a fantastic bit of folk horror with great visual language and a perfect horror element. As a horror fan, I always appreciate multi-layered horror that goes the extra step. I can't really give further detail for fear of spoilers, so you'll just have to enjoy this story for yourself.
The Hive by Jacqueline West - I lived in Minnesota for a handful of years and worked a job that put me out in the weather year-round, so I came to really appreciate some of the finer points of cold weather. It comes as no surprise that Jacqueline West, being from Red Wing, could nail down excellent descriptions and put the reader in the shoes of a person waist-deep in the elements. With lines like, "Cold chewed at her bare skin," it was easy for me to remember those sensations. The idea that cold starts with your extremities, your exposed flesh, and tries to find an opening to gnaw its way into your core is something I could relate to. This was also one of my favorite stories that synergized the sense of wonder that the fantasy genre offers with the tree-in-winter centerpiece idea behind the anthology.
If a Tree Falls in the Forest by H. Dair Brown - I picture a random person saying, "I bet nobody can curate and edit a short-story collection and also have time to contribute a solid story to it." Then of course Dair would be like, "Hold my beer." She seems dead set on delivering one of the best stories in every collection she releases and I think this was my favorite story she's written. At every step, I could feel how meticulously the story was crafted with callbacks, parallels, and just damn great turns of phrase. It felt like every element of this story pulled double duty as the plot advanced and it all felt organic instead of on the nose. I'm also a big fan of figurative language fitting with the characterization and Dair gave it in spades. A physicist sitting across from a murderer and considering, "Leeds was an intricate piece of math that made up life. Him, a motherless, unloved boy. Her, a mother without a child. They made their own sort of equation, she supposed." Chef's kiss, right there. That's the sort of writing that great stories are made of.
The Chorus of the Trees by Shaun Horton - There's something to be said for an experienced author taking a handful of familiar horror tropes and just going to town with them. You're here for some horror and some fun? Good, because that's exactly what you're going to get with this one and I was all for it.
In the fullness of Time by Steve Ingemann - This story covered a lot of ground and truly conveyed the feeling of being a fixture in nature (a mountain rather than a tree in this case) experiencing events over time. It reminded me of a creation myth from folklore mixed with an examination of life's journey, which is often made even more human when viewed through the perspective of a non-human. One of my favorite fantasy offerings in the collection.
Light Through the Trees by Mike Adamson - Some of the fantasy stories in this book evidently wanted to take their readers' emotions through the wringer by following a person on an isolated journey of grief processing. This one was my favorite of those stories and it reminded me a bit of The Shack, but it wasn't Jesus waiting for our character in this one. As someone who has lost someone close, I thought this story was a harsh, honest, and beautiful exploration of the topic.
As with all short-story collections, a reader's mileage will vary. But while you may not love every story, I likewise think it's impossible to dislike every story. This was an impressive collection with a lot of variety. Even when I didn't particularly vibe with a story, it usually still offered a fun premise or some creative turns of phrase to appreciate. Robin and Dair raise the bar for themselves with each new collection, both with the variety of stories presented as well as with their own stories. For readers of the previous collections, there are familiar names among the contributing authors and it's fun to see their growth while discovering new names to follow.
I think this collection rounds out the seasonal calendar started with Hope Screams Eternal (spring), Summer Bludgeon (summer), and Autumn Noir (fall), so I'm curious and excited to see where things go with the next story collection! -
Of course, I am a bit biased! This collection is full of talented contributors' works. I love how the short stories, poems, and photographs work together to show what happens when the still of winter is disturbed. I truly believe you won't look at trees the same way again once you read this anthology. I've read each piece many, many times now, and I love them even more each read through. This collection is worth your time, and I believe readers will find a lot of new and established voices to follow.