Member Review
Review by
Vivienne O, Reviewer
“Welcome, Dear Visitor, to my humble little museum of medieval oddities. I am the Curator. Care to join me for a little spin through these echoing halls? I have such sights to show you, if only you think you’re brave enough. Follow me—but be mindful not to leave the lighted path. I cannot guarantee your safety should you stray into the shadows.
My thanks to HOWL Society Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Howls From the Dark Ages
An Anthology of Medieval Horror’.
This is a collection of historical horror stories published by the HOWL Society (Horror-Obsessed Writing and Literature Society). The anthology is edited by P.L. McMillan and Solomon Forse with a Foreword by Christopher Buehlman.
As the publishers describe it: ‘Uncover the secret annals of untold history in these eighteen medieval manuscripts. Each tortured scribe will bring you face to face with ancient horrors lurking in cursed castles, wild woodlands, haunted hamlets, and mysterious monasteries.’
I appreciated Christopher Buehlman foreword titled: ‘Writing Medieval Horror Fiction for Fun and … Well, Mainly for Fun’. He writes of the painstaking research he undertakes in order to get the small details about a culture, landscape, architecture, and the like historically accurate. He also writes of the importance of religion and the perceived reality of demons and Hell to those living during those times.
While these issues might not matter to all readers they are important to me as when reading historical fiction of whatever sub genre I seek an immersive experience and don’t like my attention being pulled away by glaring anachronisms.
It did seem that the editors approached the anthology in this spirit and curated this collection accordingly. They have structured each story as part of a tour with a Curator providing a short introduction to each tale along with an illustration of a corresponding artefact. I felt that it gave the anthology a sense of flow as well as introduced a touch of humour into the darkness.
As with any collection of stories there were ones that stood out more than others for me. Still, they all provided a consistent level of writing and excellent storytelling that held my attention throughout.
I will admit that I did find the degree of body horror in some tales rather strong for my taste, though I continued reading. I had to wonder if those contributors were seeking to outdo one another in producing the grossest scenes? Certainly memorable!
I loved the way the anthology was presented with striking cover art that set the stage for the contents. The book was rounded off with short biographies for each contributor, including the artists. Each was accompanied by a cartoon portrait with the subject dressed in medieval garb.
I would definitely recommend ‘Howls From the Dark Ages’ to all readers of horror fiction.
My thanks to HOWL Society Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Howls From the Dark Ages
An Anthology of Medieval Horror’.
This is a collection of historical horror stories published by the HOWL Society (Horror-Obsessed Writing and Literature Society). The anthology is edited by P.L. McMillan and Solomon Forse with a Foreword by Christopher Buehlman.
As the publishers describe it: ‘Uncover the secret annals of untold history in these eighteen medieval manuscripts. Each tortured scribe will bring you face to face with ancient horrors lurking in cursed castles, wild woodlands, haunted hamlets, and mysterious monasteries.’
I appreciated Christopher Buehlman foreword titled: ‘Writing Medieval Horror Fiction for Fun and … Well, Mainly for Fun’. He writes of the painstaking research he undertakes in order to get the small details about a culture, landscape, architecture, and the like historically accurate. He also writes of the importance of religion and the perceived reality of demons and Hell to those living during those times.
While these issues might not matter to all readers they are important to me as when reading historical fiction of whatever sub genre I seek an immersive experience and don’t like my attention being pulled away by glaring anachronisms.
It did seem that the editors approached the anthology in this spirit and curated this collection accordingly. They have structured each story as part of a tour with a Curator providing a short introduction to each tale along with an illustration of a corresponding artefact. I felt that it gave the anthology a sense of flow as well as introduced a touch of humour into the darkness.
As with any collection of stories there were ones that stood out more than others for me. Still, they all provided a consistent level of writing and excellent storytelling that held my attention throughout.
I will admit that I did find the degree of body horror in some tales rather strong for my taste, though I continued reading. I had to wonder if those contributors were seeking to outdo one another in producing the grossest scenes? Certainly memorable!
I loved the way the anthology was presented with striking cover art that set the stage for the contents. The book was rounded off with short biographies for each contributor, including the artists. Each was accompanied by a cartoon portrait with the subject dressed in medieval garb.
I would definitely recommend ‘Howls From the Dark Ages’ to all readers of horror fiction.
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