Dread: 22 Tales of Terror (Nights of Madness Book 1) by Kevin Bachar
Dread: 22 Tales of Terror (Nights of Madness Book 1) by Kevin Bachar is a collection of short horror stories. It weighs in at 207 pages and was published by Black Widow Press on November 8, 2023.
I was asked to review Dread and give an honest review. I’m excited to share my thoughts about this single author horror anthology.
I love the cover. If there’s a skull or some type of skeleton or bones on a book, it’s going to catch my eye. I’m one of those people who are drawn to a book by that first visual encounter. Dread’s cover had my interest piqued. Then I read a little bit of info about the author, Kevin Bachar, and my interest level rose exponentially. As an avid watcher of shark documentaries, his career caught my attention. I wondered what kind of thrills he would be able to bring to the page versus the screen.
It’s safe to say I loved this collection. Each story has a short phrase after the title, offering the reader a hint or glimpse into the story, but not enough to give it away. I went back after reading each one to look at the phrases again and see how they fit the narrative. I really enjoyed that attention to detail and the extra bit of excitement and immersion it brought me.
The stories have a human versus nature theme running through them in some manner. They’re so well-written, I felt like I was reading an actual documentary in places. The mixture of fiction with facts builds up the believability factor. Bachar doesn’t beat you over the head with information, though. He gives just enough to keep you grounded in the story, making you wonder if he experienced a few of these things himself. His personal background and perspective have inspired him to create interesting and unique tales about fear and human nature.
I experienced a handful of visceral moments throughout the book. There were instances where I felt the fear of the characters during scenes - those true heart rate increasing, edge of your seat experiences that make you stay up past your intended bedtime. Worth it. Bachar brings natural fears to life in such a realistic way, I went through a variety of emotions. There were characters I wanted to comfort. There were some who received comeuppances that left me cheering. I love a good revenge story or one that puts haughty characters in their places. I wasn’t disappointed. This is a well-rounded debut collection, and I’m hungry for more.
The variety of stories I read impressed me. Not only because of the assortment of plots, but also the lengths. While most were an average short story length, a handful were quite short. There’s even a drabble. It’s a great mix.
I’m a fan of Bechar’s writing style. These are the types of stories I enjoy. I recommend getting your hands on this debut horror collection.
I enjoy sharing my favorite stories when I read an anthology. These are the ones that stuck with me after reading or caused me to jot down notes with a LOT of exclamation points. They’re listed in order of appearance in the book. I’m including spoiler free portions of my notes written immediately after reading, showing my emotional reaction to each one.
My Top 5 Stories in Dread:
“The Grip of Fear”
Wow! What a start! Horrific backstory! Nice way to begin the book.
“Forest for the Trees"
OMG! What a cool story! It’s game on with fear, dread, and suspense.
“Signs”
Wow. This story was emotional, heartbreaking, and terrifying. With my background, I already know it will be one of my favorites. The student becomes the teacher. Awesome.
“Shade”
I felt so incredibly uncomfortable and oppressed just reading about the heat in this story.
“The Howl and the Rock Hound”
LOVED this one. Terror. Suspense. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Need more Kevin Bachar?
Get to know Kevin Bachar:
Kevin Bachar is an EMMY winning documentary director and WGA screenwriter. The horror film he wrote - The Inhabitant - was released through Lionsgate and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Hulu and Apple+. The film – El Monstruo – from his screenplay, is in pre-production with MarVista and Marginal MediaWorks.
His documentary experience gives his writing an authenticity that can only come from being on the front lines of war zones or on ride-alongs with cops. Kevin’s also one of the premier natural history filmmakers in the world. If you watch Shark Week, National Geographic or PBS you’ve seen his work. He’s the idiot in the water with sharks, or crawling in caves filming vampire bats.
Kevin is also a member of the Horror Writer's Association.
***Taken from Kevin Bachar’s website
