Christmas and Other Horrors: An Anthology of Solstice Horror
£17.40£19.00 (-8%)
Hugo Award winning editor, and horror legend, Ellen Datlow presents this chilling horror anthology of original short stories exploring the endless terrors of winter solstice traditions across the globe, featuring chillers by Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu and many more.
The winter solstice is celebrated as a time of joy around the world―yet the long nights also conjure a darker tradition of ghouls, hauntings, and visitations. This anthology of all-new stories invites you to huddle around the fire and revel in the unholy, the dangerous, the horrific aspects of a time when families and friends come together―for better and for worse.
From the eerie Austrian Schnabelperchten to the skeletal Welsh Mari Lwyd, by way of ravenous golems, uncanny neighbors, and unwelcome visitors, Christmas and Other Horrors captures the heart and horror of the festive season.
Because the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is hungry…
Featuring stories from:
Nadia Bulkin
Terry Dowling
Tananarive Due
Jeffrey Ford
Christopher Golden
Stephen Graham Jones
Glen Hirshberg
Richard Kadrey
Alma Katsu
Cassandra Khaw
JohnLangan
Josh Malerman
Nick Mamatas
Garth Nix
Benjamin Percy
M. Rickert
Kaaron Warren
Read more
Additional information
| Publisher | Titan Books (24 Oct. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 448 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1803363266 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1803363264 |
| Dimensions | 16.1 x 3.91 x 24.28 cm |
by Yvonne – The coycaterpillar Reads
I’ve been so lucky with my horror reads lately but when I saw that Titan was releasing a Christmas horror anthology, I knew that I had to be all over that. I was like a kid in the candy shop. I wanted to inhale them all – but I knew I had to patient, I would have the opportunity to have a taste of them all, and taste I did. I gobbled each story up like a starving woman. I needed my horror fix, and this release from Titan did just that.
What do you think about when the word horror and Christmas materialise? If you’re normal, then candy canes and tiny elves are the first thing you want to say then you’d be wrong! Christmas was made for horror. Bear with me. A strange man coming down your chimney to deliver gifts? Come on – that is just asking for home invasion type horror. Or imagine an advent calendar of death? Okay, okay, maybe now I’m getting a little carried away, but you get the gist!
So, onto this anthology. When I saw the list of contributing authors, to say I squealed a little would be an understatement. Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu and Tananarive Due, those are some big shoes to fill. Their stories did not disappoint, and they were most definitely the best stories in the collection. Just their magnificent prose, how they carried their stories and the way they injected cultural significance into their stories left me enthralled and excited for Christmas horror movie season!
Are you looking for stories about who actually makes the toys at Santa’s workshop? Or do you prefer a story about strange beings turning up every winter solstice? Or maybe you fancy a trip to Wales and the Mari Lwyd?
I loved how the authors of this collection were able to have a basic and rather harmless concept in Christmas and/or the winter solstice and transform it into something wholly frightening. If I’m completely honest there wasn’t a bad story in this collection but the one’s that really stood out were the ones I mentioned above. They just brought something stronger – they didn’t over explain, their characterisations were exemplary and most importantly – I just felt like I was there.
After all – there are some very acceptable reasons to be scared of the dark.
by Siobhain (What You Tolkien About)
I am a big fan of horror and of course Halloween but do love a good yule/Christmas tale but so often we don’t get horror. We might get ghostly stories of apparitions visiting people to change their ways before it’s too late. But for so long I have wanted a collection of Christmas horror and I am pleased to report that I have finally found it! Ellen Datlow has presented a perfect collection of yuletide horror that will tick the boxes of most, if not all, horror fans who want a festive chill.
Now, of course with any anthology you may get hits or misses and while for me there were not misses I did like a few abit more than others. My absolute favourites being The Importance of a Tidy Home by Christopher Golden, His Castle by Alma Katsu and The Ghost of Christmases Past by Richard Kadrey. That said all of the collection was amazing! Each writer’s style and voice was so varied and brought their own unique take on what yuletide terror can or should be. If you are looking for the perfect way to spend the darker nights then the stories in this collection offer just that. Be sure to be snuggled up with some hot chocolate or hot beverage of choice because this collection will bring the shivers and chills.