Epeolatry Book Review: The Horror Collection: Ruby Edition, ed. Kevin J. Kennedy
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Title: The Horror Collection: Ruby Edition
Author: Various, ed. Kevin J. Kennedy
Genre: Horror
Publisher: KJK Publishing
Release Date: 25th July, 2021
Synopsis: The Horror Collection: Ruby Edition from KJK Publishing celebrates the 10th book of the series! Since its conception in 2018, The Horror Collection series has been a firm favourite amongst global horror readers.
With each edition, KJK Publishing has prided itself in bringing audiences new stories from a coalition of brilliant indie talent across the spectrum of horror literature. Putting these stories firmly in the hands of readers, these collections are perfect for those who enjoy shorter works of fiction, those seeking fresh talent in the horror genre and make great reads, as a break between devouring longer works.
Contributors: Tom Deady, Calvin Demmer, Lex H. Jones, Ronald Kelly, John Kennedy, Kevin J. Kennedy, Christopher Motz, Kyle M. Scott, Guy N. Smith, Steve Stred.
At only 139 pages, this collection of short stories isn’t long, but it still offers a good amount of variety in its subject matter. The horrors include apocalypses, forest creatures, ghosts, and serial killers. The volume even ends in a dark poem and excerpt from a novella, Halloween Land by Kevin J. Kennedy.
My two favourite stories were:
Tanglewood by Ronald Kelly – A man takes a short cut home from work one day and is temporarily stranded by a flat tire. While he fixes his car, he is confronted by ghostly figures from his past. I loved the dark, foreboding atmosphere present in this story and although I had a sense of where it might be heading, I still enjoyed the ride.
Where the Holly Ceases to Grow by Lex. H. Jones – A young boy, Jacob, strolls through the woods around Christmas time and makes an unusual friend. What drew me into this story was the mysterious nature of Jacob’s friend and the tantalizing hints at a larger world.
As with any collection, I found there were some stories that I enjoyed less than others. However, I think this was more due to personal taste than any lack of talent on the part of the authors. The stories were intriguing, but a lot of them didn’t scare me like I wanted.
I give this collection out of 5 ravens
Available from Amazon.