| Title | : | It Calls From the Sky: Terrifying Tales from Above |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 440 |
| Publication | : | First published October 10, 2020 |
Ferocious storms, winged beasts and falling angels are just some of the dark tales locked within these pages. Discover a world where carnage falls from the sky, and delve into the frenzy of a world gone mad as Heaven opens and all Hell breaks loose.
Eerie River Publishing brings you another round of exceptional horror created by award-winning authors around the world. We dare you to take this journey with us and find out what madness awaits you!
"Rainfall" - Marie McWilliams
"Hate Sky" - Jay Sandlin
"Flying Home" - Joel R Hunt
"Raindance" - Kimberly Rei
"Faithless" - M. A. Hoyler
"Godspore" - Marc Sorondo
"Flash" - CA McDonald
"Thorn in my Side" - Chris Hewitt
"Three Balloons" - Chris Lilienthal
"Follow You into the Dark" - Christopher Bond
"The Winged Plague" - E.L. Giles
"Beloved of the Storm" - Elizabeth Davis
"The Forgotten Prince" - Elizabeth Nettleton
And so many more. There is no end to the terrors we have in store and there is nowhere left to hide. Get comfy, this is going to be a wild ride.
It Calls From the Sky: Terrifying Tales from Above Reviews
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(4.5/5.0) Eerie River came to my attention with It Calls from the Forest: Volume 1, a book that was submitted to me during my time with Dead Head Reviews. In the past year, the It Calls from... series has arrived in three installments, all of which have been top notch. Quickly following behind those first two volumes of forest-themed collections, It Calls from the Sky takes us down a new path of horror. And like those releases before it, this anthology is not one to miss.
Featuring more than twenty stories, It Calls from the Sky is fairly thick, coming in longer than four hundred pages in print. I feel like the best stories came in the first half, but that’s not to say the second half left me disparaged. For now, let me note a few of my favorite entries: “Ascension” (by R. L. Mesa) came first, which left me anxious at all times, and curious to know what was waiting in the clouds. Its ending was bizarre, gory, and frightening. “Heads in the Cloud” (by Matthew Brady) came next, and was also very written and concluded by a twisted ending I had not expected. I enjoyed it so much that I went and bought his novelette, Love Birds, right after finishing this story (that book’s review can be found elsewhere on my website already). Jumping ahead a bit, there was “The Day the Angels Fell” (by McKenzie Richardson), which was a cool story that could easily be expanded into a terrifying and thrilling novel. “On a Wing and a Prayer” (by Tim Menders) also made my list with its interesting cosmic premise, even if the very ending felt too rushed. The last two I will mention came at the end of this anthology, and both struck me as stories that had developed worlds I would love to explore further: “Keep One in the Chamber” (by T. M. Brown) and “The Winged Plague” (by E. L. Giles) both did wonders on my spirit after several stories that left me unfulfilled. “Keep One in the Chamber” reads like a great introduction to a post-apocalyptic world that we should revisit very soon, and “The Winged Plague” gave me a Quiet Place vibe, even though your survival was based more on stillness than silence. There were, of course, other stories I enjoyed here, but these were the top tier results based on the notes I took while reading.
In all honesty, I went back and forth on how to score this anthology, because there are roughly nine stories that were lacking enough that I didn’t care about them when all was said and done. However, I did the math, and even removing those stories from the anthology left me around 280 pages of excellence. So, it’s hard to argue with that abundance of good-time reading. In fact, that’s a little longer than most of the anthologies sent my way for review. As such, It Calls from the Sky goes down as a definite recommendation for purchase, considering just how much there is to love (and fear) inside. I love this series of collections Eerie River has been putting out, and I will continue to scratch at their door for whatever they have up their sleeves next. I’ve learned a lot of new authors of merit thanks to ERP, so give them a follow if you aren’t on their backs already!
**
Highlights: Features more than twenty stories, a good portion of which are downright fantastic .. introduces an abundance of writers worth exploring further
Shadows: There were maybe nine stories that didn’t live up to expectation - they either did nothing for me at all, or were being hindered greatly by some flaw or another
For fans of: Horror anthologies .. discovering new writers of merit
Takeaway: Eerie River Publishing continues to impress with their quality anthologies, once again bringing to the page a slew of relatively unknown names that you should start sharing with others. This one is worth a physical purchase, because you’ll want to read its contents more than once.
Would I read these authors again? The majority of them, yes (some I have already purchased books from to read further)
Review by Aiden Merchant
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Contact: [email protected]
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This was a refreshing and unique set of stories. I really enjoyed reading each one. I wish more scary stories were as good and unique as these. One of the better collections I've recently read. The scariest part is some of these stories could happen in this world.
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It Calls from the Sky is the third instalment in Eerie River Publishing’s ‘It Calls From’ series of horror anthologies. The book contains 23 short stories from several names that’ll be familiar if you’ve read Eerie’s other offerings, as well as some new names that pleasantly vary the content. Eerie’s contributors have really gone to town on this concept. Flying monsters, killer rain, fallen gods, floating heads, voices from the sky, storms, aliens and vampire bats all make appearances, and more besides.
If Forest 2 was an overall improvement on Forest 1, Sky is an improvement on both. The strength of the writing is evident here, right from the off. ‘Ascension’ by R.L. Meza is shocking, sinister, in places absolutely disgusting, but it’s compelling and frightening. The sense of foreboding builds to something truly terrible and leaves a strong impression in Matthew Brady’s ‘Head in the Clouds’. ‘Tenure’ by V.A. Vazquez is a delightful twist on every similar horror story you’ve read, complete with a strong female character and a frightening, uncertain twist.
The horror in Christopher Bond’s ‘Follow You Into the Dark’ strikes so much harder for how nice the characters are. A brilliant read. ‘The Forgotten Prince’ by Elizabeth Nettleton shows how frightening a spoiled child can be when they have exceptional power. ‘Flying Home’ by Joel R. Hunt is exactly my cup of tea and one of the main reasons I loved Sky so much. ‘Raindance’ by Kimberly Rei is powerful and moving tale that hooked me deep.
Very few of these stories aren’t exceptional and I found myself scrolling through my Kindle thinking, “I’m going to need to pick and choose here. I don’t have room in this review to talk about all 23 stories”. I could wax lyrical about the poetic majesty of Rebecca Gomez Farrell’s ‘Thlush-a-Lum’, or the cathartic strength of Jay Shandlin’s ‘Hate Sky’, or the open-ended novel potential of the likes of ‘Thorn in My Side’ or ‘Keep One in the Chamber’. If I was writing an essay, I could maybe give all of these stories the attention that they deserved, but I’m not.
The ‘It Calls From...’ series has always been, in my opinion, good value for money. Sky is a particularly impressive collection and now I’m even more excited for Sea when it eventually arrives. In the meantime, buy your copy of Sky now! -
A chilling collection of short horror stories featuring creatures that come from the sky. This is the first book from the It Calls series by Eerie River Publishing that I have read, and I hope to read more. Each story here is dark, twisted, and well-written. Despite the common theme, there is a wide variety of tales and creatures. I was impressed at how many different sky monsters there could be in one collection.
My particular favourites are:
Tenure by V. A. Vazquez - What sets this story apart is that the main character isn't present for the action. He's filling out a tenure application and receives updates through the telephone. This serves to make the tension all the stronger because we, the reader, like the character, are helpless to stop the horror and have to wait for updates. It's an effective writing technique.
Heads in the Clouds by Matthew Brady - A story about a brother and sister who enter a kite-flying contest in the hopes that the prize will elevate them out of poverty. There was a lot of emotion in this story, and it's definitely worth reading.
Flying Home by Joel R. Hunt - This story was perhaps the creepiest of all. Emma is flying home on an airplane when a creepy man starts to harass her. I could relate well to Emma's predicament (minus the supernatural elements, of course), and I felt that the author did a good job of capturing how harrowing this situation could be.
All of the stories here are well done, and whatever your particular taste for horror, you should find at least a few that work for you. -
Eerie River do it again!
We've tackled horrors from the forest in two different volumes, so now Eerie River and its army of intrepid authors deliver a package of monstrosities from the Sky in their best anthology yet.
From demons and spreadsheets in V.A. Vazquez's Tenure, to second world-war terrors in Tim Mendees' On A Wing And A Prayer, It Calls From The Sky has it all, including sci-fi invasions of Australia in Chris Hewitt's Thorn In My Side and a compelling and strong written tale in McKenzie Richardson's The Day The Angels Fell. The anthology ends strong, closing with the thrilling entries "The Winged Plague" by E. L. Giles and "Rainfall" by Marie McWilliams, a writer I hadn't read before but will look for in the future - a vivid story that made me read it a second time as soon as I'd finished my first run through.
The editing team has compiled an anthology that moves at a wonderful pace, with a pleasing variety of stories. No two tread the same ground. Favourites will be down to personal taste, but I think this is an excellent entry into the "It Calls" series.
I left this review voluntarily. -
Excellent Read
I absolutely loved this book. I was blown away by the first story and couldn't get enough after. Each story is new and exciting. This group of authors are truly gifted and have unique imaginations. -
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I thoroughly enjoyed the anthology of short stories. Well done Eerie Publishing for putting together a nail-biting, look-under-the-bed and behind-the-door, and don't forget into-the-sky anthology that frightened, amazed and wowed me.
Just after reading the short stories relating to rain, it started raining and I must admit I was a bit hesitant to go outside.
If you enjoy a mixed bag of reads in one, then this is definitely for you. -
Disclaimer! I have a story featured in this anthology.
Wow! What a collection of finely written stories. I loved them all. I particularly liked Tim Mendees' story. Great WWII set-up and also great scenes. The story starts right-off and pulls you into its infernal descent. Good job, to everyone! -
I always believed the greatest of horrors lurk in the forest. 'It Calls From The Forest' volumes 1 and 2 anthologies cemented this belief.
But then the truly awesome people of Eerie River Publishing sent me 'It Calls From The Sky' anthology and turned my world upside down.
I thought I've read it all in the previous anthologies. Peaked the level of terrifying, weird and fantastic tales.
But I was wrong. Here comes 'It Calls From The Sky' to take the horror to new heights.
23 tales from both new and familiar authors come to haunt your nights as the wonderful Halloween season rolls in.
Well written, exceptionally terrifying and deliciously put together with a perfectly designed cover this anthology will satisfy your horror needs.
I loved it all. From Marie McWilliams' (love her YouTube channel) wonderful 'Rainfall' that was a stab in the gut, to my beloved and familiar writing style of Tim Mendees' (I really need a couple of full length novels from him) in 'On A Wing And A Prayer' a WW2 horror gem. From the super super creepy 'Flying Home' ( careful who you talk to on a plane) by Joel R. Hunt to the emotional charged 'Heads in the Clouds' by Matthew Brady.
Throw in the mix some flying monsters, aliens invading Australia, gods, superstorms, vampire bats and basically everything that could be considered as death from above and you've got one hell of a fun ride.
My favorite was "Tenure' by V.A. Vazquez. The writing technique is so good in this one and it gets creepier my the minute as the action is delivered, not by the protagonist, but through the situation she is in, receiving updates via telephone by 'something' while filling out a tenure application.Crazy, spooky fun.
2nd favorite : Ascension' by R.L. Meza. Brutally beautiful, well written and shocking, this one stayed with me for more days that it should of have. That's what makes it a great read.
Get 'It Calls From The Sky' now, stack it with 'It Calls From The Forest vol 1 & 2' now and you are set for an awesome Halloween treat.
PS:I really hope for an 'It Calls From The Sea' anthology.
Get it at:
https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/...
I always believed the greatest of horrors lurk in the forest. 'It Calls From The Forest' volumes 1 and 2 anthologies cemented this belief.
But then the truly awesome people of Eerie River Publishing sent me 'It Calls From The Sky' anthology and turned my world upside down.
I thought I've read it all in the previous anthologies. Peaked the level of terrifying, weird and fantastic tales.
But I was wrong. Here come 'It Calls From The Sky' to take the horror to new heights.
23 tales from both new and familiar authors come to haunt your nights as the wonderful Halloween season rolls in.
Well written, exceptionally terrifying and deliciously put together with a perfectly designed cover this anthology will satisfy your horror needs.
I loved it all. From Marie McWilliams' (love her YouTube channel) wonderful 'Rainfall' that was a stab in the gut, to my beloved and familiar writing style of Tim Mendees' (I really need a couple of full length novels from him) in 'On A Wing And A Prayer' a WW2 horror gem. From the super super creepy 'Flying Home' ( careful who you talk to on a plane) by Joel R. Hunt to the emotional charged 'Heads in the Clouds' by Matthew Brady.
Throw in the mix some flying monsters, aliens invading Australia, gods, superstorms, vampire bats and basically everything that could be considered as death from above and you've got one hell of a fun ride.
My favorite was "Tenure' by V.A. Vazquez. The writing technique is so good in this one and it gets creepier my the minute as the action is delivered, not by the protagonist, but through the situation she is in, receiving updates via telephone by 'something' while filling out a tenure application.Crazy, spooky fun.
2nd favorite : Ascension' by R.L. Meza. Brutally beautiful, well written and shocking, this one stayed with me for more days that it should of have. That's what makes it a great read.
Get 'It Calls From The Sky' now, stack it with 'It Calls From The Forest vol 1 & 2' now and you are set for an awesome Halloween treat.
PS:I really hope for an 'It Calls From The Sea' anthology.
Get it at:
https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/... -
Though I love the show Supernatural, stories by Neil Gaiman, the Odd Thomas novels by Dean Koontz, and have even written the odd horror story or two, I would not say that horror is my genre. I’m more a fan of urban fantasy and murder mysteries that don’t go too deeply into the gore.
However, I’ve been fascinated by the stories included in this book. I’m afraid the editor ran a little short on time because at least one story was sorely in need of punctuation and grammar editing. However, the story was engrossing enough that I enjoyed it anyway. Some of the stories are well-crafted but downright icky. Others are a little more science fiction with a touch of the horror.
This is a themed anthology as the foreword explains – “As humans we rely so much on what the sky provides; we trust in the sun and moon cycles to keep our plant life alive, and to keep the ocean tides at bay. We trust that the clouds will bring rain to nourish the land and our streams, and that storms will eventually pass. But what happens when the sky itself becomes our enemy?”
Or the danger approaches from the sky? Here we find alien invasions and angels that are no angels. Even rain carries horrors.
One of my favorite stories is Tenure by V.A. Vazquez which combines the good old-fashioned campfire stories of monsters with a Supernatural-esqe style of using knowledge of the old monsters, in this case a Penanggalan, to defeat them. Maybe. A thoroughly enjoyable story with good plotting and pacing, and excellent details. Beware things that smell of vinegar.
Thlush-a-lum by Rebecca Gomez Farrell offers an interesting story perspective starting from the fears of every child when things scratch at the windows. But then the story takes a unique turn, scary but lyrical and kind of lovely too.
Most of the stories end badly for the narrator or main characters. I mean, isn’t somebody supposed to survive? It was nice to have a protagonist win in Flying Home by Joel R. Hunt, at least temporarily.
Another of my favorite stories was Thorn in My Side by Chris Hewitt. A strong leading character with specialized knowledge of computer systems uses satellites and remote systems to get a good view of a sort of alien invasion. There are questions asked that aren’t thoroughly answered but they tantalize the mind and the satisfying story arc is achieved without a “happy ending.”
Storm Clouds by Sarah Jane Justice has a thoroughly unique feel and challenge set in a very short format. Lydia is trying to survive and, to do that, she must not be touched by the rain.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Faithless by M.A. Hoyler where a very unique monster is created through the melding of consciousnesses. A sad and well-wrought story that brings an historical perspective to a modern idea.
I can definitely recommend this collection. -
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Just like the first two, It Calls From the Forest One & Two, in this same series style I found It Calls From The Sky to be a very fun anthology. I love short creepy stories and while I was a little more hesitant towards this one due to it being sky based horror, which doesn't feel as common for sure, I wound up really enjoying it. Most of the stories were very fun and surprisingly for me, I think one of my favorites in the entire series could be found in this particular volume. It was very creative and eerie. I think if you're just looking for some quick spooky stories, this is the anthology to turn towards. -
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review. -
Really great anthology of horror stories on the theme of things coming from the sky.
I enjoyed each story in this anthology. Some were scary, some were thought provoking or touching. Obviously a I liked some stories more than others. There were two stand outs for me.
Thorn in my side by Chris Hewitt. I really loved this science fiction horror tale. It read like the beginning of a novel to me, which was the only downside in that it wasn’t a complete tale in itself. However, I’d love to read the rest of the novel if and when it is written to find out what happens next.
Heads in the clouds by Matthew Brady is the absolute star of this anthology for me. A beautifully told fairy tale with a horror element so chilling I want Guillermo del Tori to make a movie of it.
One of the best anthologies I’ve read in a while, and a wonderful follow up to It Calls From The Forest. I look forward to see what theme the next anthology will be centered on.
I received a free copy of this book from Booksirens in exchange for an honest review. -
It Calls From The Sky is an anthology with a compilation of short stories where the Sky become the background -- the main theme incorporated -- in every story. With 23 chapters of short stories that covered various plots and themes that are definitely eerie and trilling altogether. I'd say that most of the stories would make a great book if ever to be written as a whole book of fiction.
My personal favourites would be Tenure, Follow You into the Dark, The Forgotten Prince, Flying Home, Thorn in My Side, On A Wing and A Prayer, Raindance, Keep One in the Chamber, The Winged Plague and Rainfall. -
This is such a well written collection of stories. Without adding any spoilers, I loved that I couldn't always anticipate the endings and there were thrills. I've read many anthologies but I'm going to check out more books by Eerie River Publishing based on the selections in this book. Well done. I would definitely recommend this book.
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“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬-𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙝.
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙙, 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨. 𝙄𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝.
𝙄𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙮, 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡. 𝙄𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝.” — 𝙁𝙊𝙇𝙇𝙊𝙒 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙊 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘿𝘼𝙍𝙆 , 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞���𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙤𝙣𝙙
Eerie River delivers yet another fantastic horror anthology, with terrors of the sky as the connecting theme this time around. From angry sky gods to flying creatures, angels to catastrophic storms, possible aliens and things unknown, these little shorts will deliver the thrills and chills.
Each story in this collection was delightful on its own, with its own unique voice, and they all worked so well together to bring readers every sort of sky fright imaginable. Some of my favorites in this particular collection were FOLLOW YOU INTO THE DARK by Christopher Bond, KEEP ONE IN THE CHAMBER by T M Brown, and RAINDANCE by Kimberly Rei.
All told, IT CALLS FROM THE SKY is another hit in the It Calls From series, and it’s certainly one I recommend. 5/5 and I’ll certainly be picking up the rest of the anthologies in this series.
*Many thanks to Eerie River Publishing for providing a copy for review! -
Yikes! Don't read these stories in the rain, or in the dark, or when things just don't seem right somehow! Great stories that will keep you watching the stars for a long, long time!
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Anthology of horror tales focusing on threats from above.
After I was about a third of the way through this book of short stories, I checked the publisher. It's a small indie press that takes open-call submissions and offers $10 to $20 if the story is accepted. Knowing this, I realized that the stories in this anthology are most likely from new authors that are still learning the craft and I was therefore a little more lenient. Because there are some really interesting story ideas here, but I did find that many (especially in the first half of the book) got bogged down in overly flowery descriptions and metaphors out the wazoo. And then some of the blame can get placed on the editors, who missed many easily fixable errors such as sound-similar words used (when instead of went, for example); a character whose name switches from Ava to Ada and then back to Ava; and incomplete sentences.
There were some standouts that I enjoyed.
The Traveler by G. Allen Wilbanks is told from the point of view of a microscopic alien that lands on Earth. As it investigates its new environment, it begins to learn… and grow. Wilbanks does a great job of maintaining an eerie, otherworldly voice throughout.
Flickering by G.A. Alexander is a creepy, well-written version of what is behind one of those flickering-lights/static/distorted-voices haunted house videos that dominate paranormal "reality" shows. It does suffer from a rather abrupt ending.
Keep One in the Chamber by T.M. Brown deals with alien invasion in three stages, and the author creates a stark, barren and menacing landscape in only a few short paragraphs. This one has a nice, three-dimensional character for its lead, and a bleak, unrelenting tone that takes skill to create.
Lastly, Rainfall by Marie McWilliams. I can't finish without mentioning this one, involving rain that turns people into zombies. It's delightfully gruesome, and honestly feels like the start of a longer story. I like the protagonist, a teenager wracked by guilt and yet able to do what has to be done, and really feel that by fleshing out (heh) the beginning it could be the start of a really good novel.
The stories in this anthology feature many different types of threats from above, anything from a malevolent God to aliens to demons to giant winged predators. I should warn that most of these stories are on the grisly side, so they are probably not for the faint of heart. -
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Like most anthologies this is the usual mixed bag, however, for me, it's overall content is above average. The stories are all competently written and edited (with one or two exceptions) but there are a handful that stood out for me and I'll be looking for more by the authors.
The theme of "It calls from the sky" is fulfilled in various forms but mostly share a bleak hopelessness. No happy endings here, which earns a star from me as life's rarely about happy endings.
A few stories leave you with a mild sense of there being the possibility of something other than total despair being somewhere up ahead, though not any time soon. Those I found disappointing were:
On a wing and a prayer by Tim Menders which I felt was rambling and overlong and was made disjointed by needlessly jumping back and forth in time.
Flickering by GA Alexander which didn't make much sense and never really went anywhere.
Three balloons by Chris Lilienthal started really well with a distinct sense of unease and mystery but it let itself down badly by fizzling out to nothing.
Those I enjoyed most were:
Raindance by Kimberley Rei
The story line was nothing special but it's lifted by the descriptive writing which I found very evocative.
Faithless by MA Hoyler which is a beautiful slice of "weird west" and probably my favourite. I love the tone of the story which is gritty and dark but somehow not at all depressing. A talented writer I will be seeking out further.
Thorn in my side by Chris Hewitt is well paced with strong imagery. It reads like a possible prologue and I'd definitely try any books that may develop from it.
Rainfall by Marie McWilliams a distinctly unpleasant story with a bit of a twist and another which could prologue a book or series which I would be interested in.
For me this was an above average, cohesive collection of stories that introduced me to a couple of very interesting writers and I definitely recommend it as being worth a read.
I will be trying "It calls from the forest" by the same publisher. -
I’m looking forward to listening to these stories, written by some really great authors. I’m always curious how different authors interpret and execute the themes for submission calls.
I have to admit this is the first audio book I have taken the time to do a review for and honestly, it's a good challenge for me to try this form of reviewing as well. When I was offered an audible copy from Eerie River, I jumped at the chance to improve my reviewing skills. Thank you Michelle.
First let’s talk about the narrator
T.L. Howell, I think, did a wonderful job reading this book. I think a narrator can make or break a book. Howell was animated when he needed to be, there wasn't just a dull monotone. Some of the stories, he even produced a different voice for each character. I enjoy an audio book more when there is a bit of a variance in the voice, the characters seem more real and I get into the book more. He did a nice job with this.
This particular book, I am calling attention to more than three stories. I feel like I should because of not being able to “read” all the words to call attention to specifics. These 5 stood out for me.
Follow You Into The Dark by Christopher Bond
My favorite line was something Darlene said…”Who needs a telescope?”
Thorn In My Side by Chris Hewitt
One of my favorite lines was “Code 69 had only one meaning… coffee… code 22.”
The Day The Angels Fell by McKenzie Richardson
Love this story. I enjoyed the placement and wording of “He knew he was hunting him.”
On A Wing and A Prayer by Tim Mendees
I really enjoyed this story. This line really grabbed me. “Sometimes Mike thought he would be better poking his arm out of the cockpit and firing his trusty service revolver.”
Raindance by Kimberly Rei
Awesome story that I enjoyed very much.
“One door was crisp and clean while the other played a continuous role in her nightmares.”
Overall
This dark fantasy anthology definitely held true to the classification of dark and it is a great compilation of short stories written by a group of talented authors. After hearing these stories, I have to decide, am I afraid to look up into the clouds now; just in case...or do I need to always keep an eye up to be prepared; you know just in case.
Definitely a 5 star book and worth the time. -
A very fun collection: stories range from gruesome to truly tense. Caught myself holding my breath more than once!
My personal favourites in order of appearance:
Tenure, by V A Vazquez - lovely mystery, great suspense
The Forgotten Prince, by Elizabeth Nettleton - short but sweet, really nice escalation
Flying Home, by Joel R Hunt - made me feel deeply uncomfortable, very firmly rooted in real anxieties
Godspore, by Marc Sorondo - unique style amongst the others, leaves plenty to the imagination
Keep One In The Chamber, by T M Brown - very good rendition of a classic post-apocalyptic setting, some excellent world-building
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Others are definitely worth mentioning but it's 1am and I need to somehow convince myself to go to sleep after reading this... -
Not once have I come across a collection of stories like this and actually liked ALL of them!! The suspense and anticipation was constant from one story to the next. It was like entering multiple universes at once!!! After reading this book and each possibility of what could be in or from the sky, you'll start catching yourself gazing up once you set foot outside. I absolutely will read these over and over again!! Also I received an advance review copy l for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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It Calls from the Sky is an interesting collection of short horror stories. They remind me of the Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock shows I used to watch. Each story is unique and many have strange twist. I enjoyed reading this collection of stories and recommend it for all ages. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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I really enjoyed the variety of approaches the authors took for this theme. My favourite story from this anthology this time around was Flying Home by Joel R. Hunt. It really got under my skin in a way I wasn't expecting. Very well executed.
I also want to give a shout-out to Tenure by V.A. Vazquez for introducing me to the penanggalan. That image is going to stick with me. -
1.5 stars.
Turned out to not be my thing.
But special mention for a couple of stories:
Raindance.
On a Wing and a Prayer. -
Alone storytelling!
I love my short stories and these are like a breath of fresh air! Well written and strong characters! Loved surprise plots too
