Richard Chizmar is a name that is well known to fans of fantasy, science fiction, and horror although it may be better known for his editing and publishing work than for his writing. Chizmar is a talented writer in his own right, however, and will hopefully become better known through his recent collaboration with Stephen King. Subterranean Press recently released A Long December, a giant anthology that collects 35 of Chizmar’s best short stories, that provides a great introduction to Chizmar’s fiction for those who have not read his works before or a long walk through his worlds of wonder for longtime fans.

This long collection is a rambling walk through the mind of Chizmar and every story brings a new surprise. There is no central theme to the stories with the only unifying element being that they are written by Chizmar which, in turn, means that they are all well-written. There is also no single genre represented throughout the book as the stories wander through fantasy, noir and horror, mostly, but there is a little bit of everything thrown in as well. The biggest question I had going into the book was whether there were filler stories to fill up the pages or if the stories were all top-notch fiction. While some stories were better than others, as if almost always the case, there is definitely no filler in this collection.

The book opens with “Blood Brothers” and its tale of how the past and the present can explosively collide as two estranged brothers who may not be able to escape the past in their search for a shared future. Not only is this a strong tale to open the collection but it also seems to be a precursor of things to come as the collection rambles through years of Chizmar’s stories to reach the final unpublished story in the book. With this solid story to base the collection upon, the book was ready to take flight.

What followed was a mixture of stories that span genres and keep the reader guessing what is going to come next. There is the science fiction themed “The Man with the X-Ray Eyes” that chronicles one man’s quest to save the world from an alien invasion to “The Lake of Life” that is a twisted take on the legend of a serial killer. “Ditch Treasures” was a short gem that brought to mind “Lawnmower Man” by Stephen King (the short story, not the movie). The stories lead the reader through a wide range of emotions and even the weaker stories were still entertaining. It was clear throughout that Chizmar is a master of short fiction.

The collection ends with “A Long December,” an unpublished novella, and the best was saved for last. This novella is a twisting tale of what can happen when your neighbor is serial killer. Not only was the man Robert Howard’s neighbor but also his best friend and his son’s godfather. Chizmar starts the novella at a slower pace by putting Howard and his family through the paces of media and neighbor suspicions and conspiracies surrounding their connection to the killer. Just when Howard begins to feel as if he is getting a grasp on the situation, his friend gets in touch with him once more and the ties between the men that go back years is soon revealed. This story is not only filled with volatile emotions but it also has a realistic feel to it that draws the reader easily into its twisted web.

A Long December is one of the better collections that I have read in a while especially considering the number of stories that make up the book. The simple fact that there is not a bad story in the entire collection is a testament to just how good of a writer Chizmar is. This is a book that belongs in the collection of any fan of short fiction. There are enough horror in the collection to satisfy fans of dark fiction but this is just a collection of good stories and can be enjoyed by fans of all genres. A Long December is easily a candidate for the best short story collection of the years and is a book that deserves to be in any reader’s collection.

I would like to thank Subterranean Press and NetGalley for this review copy. A Long December is available now.