Review: The Bacchanal and Other Horrific Tales

THE BACCHANAL

AND OTHER HORRIFIC TALES

Anthology

Dreaming Big Publications

197 pages

An artist whose love for his wife has horrific results. 

A babysitting job gone horribly wrong. 

A talent agency that promises success no matter what; even if you are the one standing in the way. 

This chilling collection of modern horror stories is sure to have you peeking warily around corners and walking just a bit faster down dark streets. Full of both creepy events and morbid humor, The Bacchanal stands as a testament to humanity’s love of being afraid and of frightening others. 

Humanity’s fear of the unknown and fascination with the supernatural are masterfully depicted in these eleven stories. Though the supernatural elements are the centerpiece of the collection, it is the believable actions of the ordinary humans, both evil and well-meaning, that will send shivers down readers’ spines. 

MY TIDBITS

First, I have to make it clear that this is not a collection for younger readers. Several scenes sprinkled through the stories contain material inappropriate for readers under 18, in my opinion.

Sometimes macabre, sometimes morbidly humorous and other times down-right creepy, this lovely collection of horror stories sends shivers down the spine and dares the reader to return for more.

Normally, I'm not a horror fan. So this was a small step out of my comfort zone. Although I was unsure what I might think, I found myself glued to the pages and curious to see what each story would bring. All of the stories were well written and easily brought the worlds and characters to life. No matter what the setting, each one felt natural and was easy to sink into. When the last words came, each one leaves some food for thought which hang around for days. After all of this, it wasn't the kind of terror that left me wanting to search my closets, but rather more thoughtful.

The stories are as different as night and day, and cover a broad span of horror. Many of them deal more with the negative side of the human condition and demonstrate not only goose bump raising but also intriguing twists. Several of the stories follow a bit more of a traditional scare where others are more of a clever play on the dark side of reality. In other words, there's a type of horror for everyone.

Summed up, this is a wonderful collection of very well written stories that are sure to send chills down the spine. Not all have the purpose to terrify, making this more of a horror which seeps in and spreads it's dark fingers days after the book is put down.