| Title | : | Places We Fear to Tread |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9798686259751 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 347 |
| Publication | : | First published September 14, 2020 |
Is there a selkie who resides in the Wartrace Lake Dam, Tennessee?
Can you summon a godlike entity on the coast of Oregon?
There are many Crybaby Bridges, but which one belongs to author Gwendolyn Kiste?
Tales from the British Isles - of cursed beaches, remote manor houses, and plagued villages. Fresh takes on old legends, newly minted stories attached to interesting landmarks, and even personal hauntings (which will never be pinned on Google Maps.)
Places We Fear to Tread Reviews
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A well curated and edited anthology will prove, without a shadow of a doubt, the importance of short fiction; especially in Horror. I have found dozens of my favorite authors by encountering their work first in an anthology. I especially enjoy anthologies where the stories stay in step with a prominent theme.
In PLACES WE FEAR TO TREAD edited by Brhel & Sullivan, the theme, loosely translated, is “places”. The authors seem to have all interpreted the ambiguity of the theme in their unique way which worked for me. Haunted places. Terrible places. The place where people have died or are about to die. I've put an asterisk next to my favorite stories. More than just a few stories didn't work for me so this wasn't a total home run, which very few anthologies are--especially one with so many stories but I did find several new authors to seek out and read more from so that's a success in my eyes.
Sara Tantlinger’s atmospheric poetry sets a foreboding tone for the stories to follow:
“A funnel cloud of ashy white propels copper flavors to stain my tastebuds, omens of my own blood to be spilled as I stand paralyzed on the skywalk’s edge,
And I should not have come here.”
*“The Storm on Kinzua Bridge” Sara Tantlinger
And now, just a few thoughts on each story:
*“Lost Girls Don’t Cry” Gwendolyn Kiste- It was strange, I felt like I read this story before but then I remembered I had read another short story this year about Crybaby Bridge- an Urban Legend about missing children haunting a bridge or a woman who abandoned her baby to the icy depths under the bridge and if you visit it at night, you can hear a baby crying or even see the despondent, spectral mother. Gwendolyn Kiste’s twist on this real urban legend explored the idea of “lost girls” and their impossibly alluring siren’s song to one girl who hears them. I liked it, Kiste’s seductive, poignant fingerprints all over it.
“Puppet Show” Julia August- I don’t know why, but I found this story to be slightly disjointed. I felt like I couldn’t find my bearings or the author’s lead.
*“The Wrong Turn” Angela Sylvaine- Intensifying, creeping dread made me feel like I was trapped in the makings of an Urban Legend while it was happening to the protagonist in real-time. Very unsettling. I would look for more by this author.
*“The Deer God” Wendy N. Wagner- An emotional tale of parental sacrifice. The pain/helplessness of going through the trial of unexplained mental health issues of a child. A father turns to unconventional methods to help his son. A cruel ending. I liked it! My first engagement with Wendy Wagner’s work and I’m eager for more.
*“Here in this Place is a Means to an End” Chad Lutzke- In classic Lutzke fashion, a character-driven story about a woman who has met her friend for their usual jog. The narrative is inside the protagonist’s head as she sorts through some newly realized feelings about the woman running alongside her. Even though I picked up on some breadcrumbs that ultimately made my brain consider what the outcome was going to be, it still packed a punch. I always enjoy Lutzke’s storytelling.
*“Bare Bones” Jude Reid-I enjoyed the setting and tone of this story. It stands apart from all the others. I felt like the author took their time establishing visuals and atmosphere with little details that collectively make a very clear picture in the reader’s mind. I will look for more by this author.
“The Sand Knows” Zach Shephard-This was an absorbing story because I almost always love child protagonists but I have to admit, I got distracted by all the cuss words in such a short story. The dialog was littered with it and while I’m not offended by it at all, it was distracting. I live in WA and have visited an abandoned bunker on a beach at a campground in Port Townsend so this was an especially visual read for me.
*“Hopscotch For Keeps” Hailey Piper- Quite possibly my favorite story. I love child protagonists in Horror. This one is about ‘the hopscotch kid’, a strange girl in the neighborhood playing a game all by herself. Some of the area kids come out to join her. Things do NOT go well. This was an absolute joy to read. A memorable ending.
*“This is Home” Laurel Hightower- I have grown to recognize Laurel Hightower’s unique storytelling voice. Reading her stories is beginning to feel like home. I loved this haunting, ghost story. It’s perfectly splendid in every way.
*“Black Fatima” Muhammed Awal Ahmed- The tone of this story is bleak; pressing. The tale of Black Fatima, possessed by a Djinn. The ending was startling; shocking. I looked up the author immediately to see if there were more stories or books out there. I’d like to learn more.
“Cellophane” Michael J. Moore- A prank goes horribly wrong and one bad decision gives birth to another. This was hard to read-people just behaving irrationally and then suffering through the terrible consequences. I felt like so much happened in just a few pages. Not sure if it works but it was entertaining.
*“Cold-Blooded Old Times” J. A. W. McCarthy- My favorite subgenre of Horror is, “Coming-of-age” and it’s uncanny how many of those stories involve swimming in lakes and first kisses. This is one of those and I enjoyed every minute of it. A nostalgic tone with a sense of underlying dread and the potential for something supernatural. I loved it.
*“Laughter in the Night” Sonora Taylor- This was an interesting mix of several recognizable horror tropes all rolled into one, succinct short story. I thought the climax of the story was intense and scary-the descriptions of what was happening outside the school were perfectly cinematic. Well played.
*“Bring Out Your Dead” Beverley Lee-This story had an age-old, careworn, timelessness about it. I felt like I could be reading something from a Charles Dickens ghost story collection. Lee’s rich prose always amazes me. Her use of descriptive words placing the reader right smack in the center of the story with vivid details. Perfectly splendid! The ending gave me goosebumps.
“The Swim Instructor” Eddie Generous- This was one of the more compelling stories at first. I was immediately hooked by the first page. Generous entices the reader into the private life of a newly divorced Meredith as she fantasizes about a tropical getaway and a young scuba instructor but can’t swim. She decides to take some private swim lessons from a creepy guy at her gym and things become...dangerous. I actually didn’t like the direction this one ended up going in-the storyline went from a cautionary, plausible story to somewhat of a satire. Even the last line read like a punchline. It was confusing to shift gears like that.
“Ho‘okaulike” Michelle Mellon- I love Eco-Horror. Plants, especially unidentifiable ones that are potentially hostile, are always a treat! I love the way this tale unfolded right up to the end. Nice, natural build of suspense.
“The Sad Museum” Alex Payne- I felt a little disoriented in my reading experience. I admit to reading it twice-the first time was at night and I thought maybe my brain was being lazy. Then I read it during the day and my experience was the same, it was difficult to track. A little experimental/transgressive and I’m just not the target audience I’m afraid.
*“Teke Teke Teke” Michael David Wilson- This one scared me! Michael David Wilson does this thing where he distracts the reader with all this casual dialog about mundane things and then he drops something scary right in your lap. In this case, a man is trying to eat his burger in a hotel room that is rumored to be haunted by something that will kill you. Lighthearted and almost funny until, it’s not.
“One Badly Hit Ball” John Leahy- I’ll admit, I didn’t finish this one. It’s just that I loathe golf. So it’s my fault, nothing about the writing.
*“The Wet Dream” Jill Girardi- Oh man! This one starts off with such a bang. I was immediately uncomfortable with everything. Uncle Tony! Gah! What a douche. I loved the awkward tension between the girls; very authentic. This tale is full of subtle meaning and intentions floating just below the surface. I enjoyed it.
*“The Hound of Brackettville” Bev Vincent-I was so excited this was a creature-feature! With a recognizable creature. I enjoyed how intentionally Vincent unraveled this story. It was utterly captivating. This stranger in town talking to a pretty waitress gets involved in something...unreal. I liked it.
*“Bussell’s Bog” Cameron Ulam- I get so excited when a story starts off this rich! Instant horror gratification. This one has colorful language, thick fog, the threat of alligators, and some hilarious dialog. This was one of the more fun, raucous stories in the whole lot. A great example of the sub-genre
*“The Bone Man of Sanatorium Lake” Andrew Cull- So this story appealed to me in the same way I love reading about unexplained phenomena happening to hikers/campers in State Parks. Like X-Files. This has a very “The truth is out there” vibe that I loved. Can I just mention, Andy Cull never disappoints.
*“Devil’s Elbow” C. W. Briar- An intense coming-of-age tale with a strong sense of impending danger. I loved the details in the writing that made pictures in my mind, "His skin was so tan that it reminded me of my sister's bronzed baby shoes." That description is so specific, it lit up my mental images instantly. This story is full of these details and most likely why this is one of the best stories in the anthology. I will be looking for more C. W. Briar stories.
“Women of the Mere” Jessica Ann York-- What a way for the collection to go out but with a creepy old lady story! I got really invested in the story but I feel like it ended so abruptly. I definitely wanted more from this one--it was just a little underdeveloped for me. -
3.5 Stars
This is another excellent collection from Cemetery Gates. I no longer accept short story collections for review. However this is one publisher I will make an exception for because I like the kinds of short fiction that they curate. This collection was loosely themed around places that scared the authors which brought a lot of variety to the stories.
My favourite stories in the collection:
"Little Girls Don't Cry" by Gwendolyn Kiste - A love a story involving missing girls
"Here in this Place is a Means to an End" by Chad Lutzke- Different than this usual melancholy horror this one was one was unexpected and so well plotted. This was my favourite in the collection.
"Black Fatima" by Muhammed Awal Ahmed - A diverse spin on the classic exorcism story with a person possessed by djjinn
"Teke Teke Teke" by Michael David Wilson - A creepy haunted apartment story in a Japanese setting that gave me "Grudge vibes"
Overall I enjoyed this collection. I found enough stories I enjoyed to make the collection well worth reading.
Disclaimer I received a copy from the publisher, Cemetery Gates. -
Good collection of stories. Honored to be included!
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I love this collection so much. Each author brings a unique look at urban legends and local folklore, which sent me down many a google rabbit hole. These stories are truly unsettling, and stick with you in the best way. Highly recommend!
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The stories by Gwendolyn Kiste and J.A.W. McCarthy are enjoyable, though maybe not their best. Not a fan of the rest.
Some notes here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... -
This is a healthy mix of talent from 26 unique authors. This is one of the strongest anthos of 2020. I personally enjoyed it, with stories from Chad Lutzke, Jill Girardi, Hailey Piper and Gwendolyn Kiste that really stood out.
In truth, the antho is bullet proof up and down the full lineup!
5-Stars! -
An excellent collection where no story stood out as anything less than well-done. My particular favorites were “The Wrong Turn,” “Bare Bones," and “Ho‘okaulike.”
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An exceptional collection of frightening stories thematically focused on locations. Normally one would expect a slew of haunted houses, old piles, maybe a castle or two. Not so here. Places We Fear to Tread includes everything from bridges to golf courses to hopscotch courses chalked on the pavement. The stories range from good to fantastic. I highly recommend spending time visiting these places.
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I enjoyed this overall and found a couple authors I'd pick up again so that's always a bonus. Been a minute since I'd read an anthology, but I'd been hanging onto this one for a bit now and thought it a good time to pick it up. Sadly, it didn't really deliver. Too many children involved and not creepy enough overall; in fact very few creepy scenes. There were also a lot of typos throughout including random shifts in the text color (read on Kindle).
Anyway, below is my quick thoughts after reading the story without summary - there are plenty of those out there. Also, for my own personal reference in the future.
The Storm on Kinzua Bridge by Sara Tantlinger - 2, 2.5 stars
It was kind of weird this was before the intro and I think it would have been better if it was directly after instead. Made me wonder if it was actually a part of it. But was alright for poetry where I wasn't expecting it. Was glad there wasn't more later on since I'm not a fan of random poetry in anthologies generally speaking.
Lost Girls Don't Cry by Gwendolyn Kiste - 2.5, 2 stars
Writing style/ ignoring shit? (For some reason, this is all I wrote for this one, sadly. Must have been late...)
Puppet Show by Julia August - 2 stars
Couldn't keep focused at all.
The Wrong Turn by Angela Sylvaine - 3 stars
Very interesting. Would actually like to know more.
The Deer God by Wendy N. Wagner - 2.5, 3 stars
Interesting concept but a bit all over the place.
Here In This Place Is a Means to an End by Chad Lutzke -3 stars
Oh shit. Jealousy... Yikes. This author is the reason why I picked this up. He has so many great stories that I truly enjoy but this one was a bit of a miss (comparatively).
Bare Bones by Jude Reid - 2 stars
Okay. Liked some of the lore but I just don't like when there's second person. Really takes me out of the story.
The Sand Knows by Zach Shephard - 4 stars
Really liked the way this one played out. Phil was an awful person and the sand was fantastic. I'll check out this author again for sure.
Hopscotch For Keeps by Hailey Piper - 2 stars
Just didn't do anything for me. Admittedly, it probably didn't help that it was about a bunch of children.
This Is Home by Laurel Hightower - For some reason, I missed giving this a rating after reading. Skimmed some parts trying to remember and with the below... Going with 3.5 stars?
Interesting concept. And people like that... Got exactly what he deserved.
It was amazing, all the innocuous things a woman could do to make her a bitch.
Black Fatima by Muhammed Awal Ahmed - 2 stars
Writing style not for me. Barely any dialogue and I need that. Long paragraphs of explanation.
Cellophane by Michael J. Moore - 2 stars
Meh. I don't really have anything to say about this...
Cold-blooded Old Times by J.A.W. McCarthy - 2 stars
Didn't really like the concept either. Overall disappointing.
Laughter In the Night by Sonora Taylor - 3 stars
Had some creepy bits that I appreciated.
Bring Out Your Dead by Beverley Lee - 3 stars
Lots of potential but fell short. Interesting though.
The Swim Instructor by Eddie Generous - 1 star
Was all over the place. Didn't really like the premise or the characters much either.
Ho'okaulike by Michelle Mellon - 3 stars
Liked the concept here. Kept my interest.
The Sad Museum by Alex Payne - 3 stars
I don't normally like this writing style but it actually worked rather well with this story.
Teke Teke Teke by Michael David Wilson - 4, 4.5 stars
Really enjoyed this one. Did surprise me with how short it was at first but thought it was the perfect length. Great set up. First by this author and I'll definitely check him out again.
One Badly Hit Ball by John Leahy - 2 stars
Didn't like the style or the characters. The one character's written out accent was annoying (usually not a big fan anyway) especially since it was already described as hard to understand with his already thick Irish accent made harder due to his drunken state...
The Wet Dream by Jill Girardi - 3 stars
Not bad. Sad subject matter. Deserved ending.
The Hound of Brackettville - 2.5, 3 stars
Maybe it was the writing style, maybe it would have been better longer, shorter...? Just didn't catch my attention.
Bussell's Bog by Cameron Ulan - 2 stars
I didn't like that a lot of the first bit was a story being told and then later aspects with it didn't help. I'll also be the first to admit that I'm a bit biased to begin with, with it being about children and then what they're doing - . The way it all plays out... Not for me.
The Bone Man of Sanatorium Lake by Andrew Cull - 2 stars
Didn't like the writing style, person telling a story of a story and in second person during those times. But it definitely had a creepy image.
Devil's Elbow by C.W. Briar - 2 stars
Was okay. About a couple children and written in the telling a story within a story within a story format... Meh.
Women of the Mere by Jessica Ann York - 3.5 stars
Really liked the ending to this but the beginning part was just okay. Once again with a child as the main focus (but the ending made up for it) and the husband was not a good person. -
Some great stories. Some not so great. Overall enjoyable.
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This is a book full of liminal spaces that become unfortunate loci for their protagonists. I enjoy the touch of opening with a poem before the foreword. After this we get “Lost Girls Don’t Cry” which is an excellent story of ghosts and belonging and unrequested rescues from Crybaby Bridge by Gwendolyn Kiste. The inexorably uncaring monster in Wendy N. Wagner’s “The Deer God” is unsettlingly perfect with the depiction of what parents will do to protect their children. “Cold-Blooded Old Times” by J. A. W. McCarthy has a pair of friends meet after an unfortunate coming of age summer, and take it all to the dark and murky depths beneath the waves. We are treated to an unreliable haunting of a house with improbable spaces in “The Sad Museum” by Alex Payne. “The Bone Man of Sanatorium Lake” by Andrew Cull is a fun bit of Australian creepypasta. “Devil's Elbow” by C. W. Briar is full of fun character detail and heart while exploring what creates an urban legend. “Women of the Mere” by Jessica Ann York closes us out with a reminder of the dangers of erasure.
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I'm blown away by the fact that this 2020 book hasn't been more popular. Places We Fear To Tread is an anthology made up of 26 authors with a horror story to tell from different locations around the world.
I was really excited to see there was a Hailey Piper story hidden in this book and the it turned out to be one of my favourite stories!
Chad Lutzke, Gwendolyn Kiste, Laurel Hightower and Beverley Lee are just some of the brilliant authors appearing in this book but as clichè as it may seem, the Australian story by Andrew Cull was my favourite.
Each author has interpreted the theme in their own way. Deaths, ghosts, urban legends, folklore, you name it.
I find anthologies can be a little hit and miss usually because of the assortment of authors but with this one the stories range from good to fantastic. Every story held my attention and have that scare factor that live up to the criteria of the book. -
Short story collections are so hard to rate because there all different authors. This collection is like most, some of the stories I loved some I didn't like and some I straight up didn't understand. However the stories I did like were The Sand Knows, Hopscotch for Keeps, and One Badly Hit Ball. I like that this collection had a theme of horror found in locations however this made a lot of the stories monotonous, most of them revolved around lakes and forests. Overall not my favorite collection but in no way was it bad.
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https://robinknabel.squarespace.com/r...
Above is my spoiler free review of Places We Fear to Tread with a breakdown of my favorite stories.
This collection was so much fun, because the places the authors depict are real locations. It was delightfully eerie to picture these horrific tales actually happening. I really loved this book and have found even more authors to follow! -
Good collection
This was a nice collection of short (ish) stories. A nice mix of folklore and monster/creature tales. I’m deducting a star for several instances of a lack of basic proofreading and editing resulting in choppy sentences or doubled/misplaced words. Overall, very entertaining. -
I thought some of these stories were absolutely brilliant, others were not so great.
I have finally finished this book after a serious reading slump, and I am really glad I was reading a short story book to get me back into the swing of things.
I especially liked THE STORM ON KINZUA BRIDGE, THE DEER GOD, THE SAD MUSEUM, THE BONE MAN OF SANATORIUM LAKE and DEVIL’S ELBOW. Definitely an anthology I will pick again around spooky season!
