THE DODD MEAD GALLERY OF HORROR

by Charles L.--Ed. Grant ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 1983

Twenty-one horror stories--most new, a few old--in an above-average collection edited by veteran horror-anthologist Grant. Two of the standouts, in fact, are recyclings from Grant's Shadows series: T. E. D. Klein's admirably restrained ""Petey""; and Stephen King's cleverly designed ""Nona."" And he reaches back to 1958 for Joseph Payne Brennan's creepy ""Canavan's Backyard."" But most of the other entries are of very recent vintage--even if the subject-matter is usually tried-and-true rather than fresh. Vampires abound, of course--combined with Nazis (by Gardner Dozois & Jack Dann), served up lyrically by Tanith Lee, Werewolves proliferate too--in subtle reworkings by Bernard Taylor (Sweetheart, Sweetheart) and Michael Bishop. And, though there are a few fairly crude items (Robert Bloch, John Coyne, Eric van Lustbader), most of the material is crisp, rarely pretentious or gratuitously bloody--with a possessed typewriter (David Morrell) and a demonic Easter Bunny among the livelier inventions. Good mainstream chills for the horrifically inclined.

Pub Date: June 1, 1983

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dodd, Mead

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1983

Categories: FICTION