Collective Darkness: A Horror Anthology
There never seems to be enough time in October to read all of the spooky stories I’ve been eyeing in my TBR pile. Better late than never, though! I’m getting the chance to review the Collective Darkness horror anthology that came out in September 2020. I curled up in bed while the rest of the house slept, minimizing pesky distractions and maximizing creepy feels, and feasted on this collection of short horror stories edited by author Elizabeth Suggs, owner of Editing Mee.
There are twelve stories total in Collective Darkness ranging from light fright to full on hold-your-breath-and-turn-the-page horror. The best part is, the scares aren’t listed in order from low-to-high, so it’s a delightful grab bag of terror each time you select one. The book weighs in at 167 pages, and it’s a fairly quick read once you get a chance to break away from reality and set yourself up for some good old fashioned jitters.
If you follow my other blog reviews or listen to my takes on the books we feature on the Unsettling Reads podcast, you know that I like a little bit of gore in my horror. Well, sometimes a lot of gore, but I was pleased to find a taste in this collection! There isn’t too much, so squeamish readers won’t need to shy away from this anthology, but gore lovers will appreciate the effort from the authors who decided to take their work to the next level. There were a few stories that kept me planted on the edge of my seat as I turned those pages to find out what was going to happen next as well as some that just simmered in my head once I finished. Sometimes that slow burn of a story that sticks with you after you’ve read it is more satisfying than the jolt you get from a sudden, thrilling moment.
There is a good sprinkling of fantastical elements in this series, which I appreciated. Don’t worry, if you like realistic events you’ll get some of those, too. The collection is a great mix of shorts that can appeal to readers from a variety of genres. If for some reason one doesn’t float your boat, or your “raft,” there is another waiting in the shadows to give you the shivers and spine chilling delights you are seeking.
This collection definitely succeeded for one of the main reasons I love picking up an anthology - the chance to discover new authors. Each author has a unique perspective and take on the word “Darkness,” and enjoying the wide range of interpretations was a lot of fun as a reader and a fellow writer. I was unfamiliar with any of the authors in the collection before I bought my copy, but I’m pleased to say I found a handful that jive well with my reading personality. I hope you will take a chance, grab a copy, and check out what is waiting for you in the darkness.
