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milo_afc's review
4.0
“An intriguing mix of horror stories that proves that the genre can be very varied indeed. Giving classic monsters new twists.” ~The Founding Fields
Before we start this review, I’d just like to say that the Black Library Bolthole is one of my favourite forums on the internet if not my favourite, and if you’re into the works published by Warhammer 40k/Fantasy publisher Black Library, then you should certainly sign up for it, it’s a great environment frequented by some of the authors themselves. Although I was unable to contribute to the Anthology, I was glad when James Fadley, aka He2etic, the mastermind of this project and the contributor of a story himself, approached me through twitter to write a review of this anthology. Having seen some of the fanfictions of various contributors before, I leapt at the chance – wanting to see what work they’d be able to do in their own setting.
And I really enjoyed it. It’s a great mix of stories, and you don’t have to be a fan of Black Library in order to enjoy it, as there are no short stories set in the either the grimdark far future or the Warhammer world here. This is horror, and enjoyable horror at that.
"In generations past and, surely, generations to come, ancient tales of demons and monsters persist. Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, mummies, gargoyles and more. Some endure, familiar as they are terrifying. Others wear new faces and take new forms. From the twisted minds over at the Bolthole writing forums comes nine fantastic and dark tales of horror. Edited by Andrew Aston and CS Barlow, including a story by special guest author, veteran horror writer CL Werner, here is proof that you can teach an old monster new horrors…"
The Birth Howl by James Fadley
This anthology contains several short stories that take place across a wide range of settings. First up, we have James Fadley’s great opener, The Birth Howl, which is split into two parts and really sets the tone for the anthology to come. The story focuses on Detective Inspector Ian Stewart, and Fadley has chosen 1972 as a backdrop for what is essentially a murder mystery short with a supernatural element. Unpredictable, The Birth Howl delivers a stunning cliffhanger and will keep readers wanting to read more. I really think that the cliffhanger was timed perfectly here, allowing what would have otherwise been just one large story to be split in two, increasing the tension with some awesome results.
Ian Stewart is the main narrator and it is through his eyes that we get a look at the mystery. Having the main character as the narrator allows Fadley to pull a surprise for us in the second part of The Birth Howl allowing for a thoroughly enjoyable short story with a satisfying ending – one that kicks off this anthology with a bang and will make readers want to stick around for more.
Plague of the Krakenmari by Simon Howers
Plague of the Krakenmari follows on from James Fadley’s The Birth Howl and changes the setting completely, taking us to not just a whole new place but a whole different time. We not only get a perspective change, from third to first, but also a gender switch, the main narrator is a female rather than a male. All of these things allow for a refreshing change of pace and an interesting mystery which for me is probably another strong installment in the anthology. Howers’ story is set in Shureham, a small quiet neighborhood that is about to be plunged out of its depth when confronted with a monster that I’ve never encountered before in fiction – the Krakenmari.
It’s a very interesting option for a horror story and the Krakenmari really do help show the variety of what the horror genre can give us. I particularly liked the solution to how they could be defeated as well, and how the whole thing was resolved.
Whilst it wasn’t perhaps the most page-turning of reads, Plague of the Krakenmari was another solid entry in the anthology and one of the best.
The Sculptor’s Torment by Jonathan Ward
The Sculptor’s Torment is the third story in the anthology and again takes place in a different time and setting from the two stories that came before. With an even smaller dramatis personae than Plague of the Krakenmari, The Sculptor’s Torment is another strong instalment in the anthology telling another different type of horror tale from what we’ve seen before.
This is a great contribution, with a strong lead character in the form of David Lerman, and the only other major character, his Uncle Zak, are explored in great depth in this short. Whilst it is only a short, we do get to learn a lot more about them but of course the main focus is on the horror, and this tale is, like the ones before it – another chilling read. So far, this anthology has gone from strength to strength and is a really promising debut from the Black Library Bolthole Crew, and The Sculptor’s Torment really shows just that stories with minimal characters can also be the most powerful.
Unmarked by Andrew Aston
Unmarked is the next story in this anthology inspired by Ancient Egypt, and is another great contribution. I loved the way the characters interacted and Unmarked, along with the rest of The Black Wind’s Whispers, really shows why you shouldn’t underestimate self-published fiction. Sure, there are some disappointments, but overall, I really enjoy finding a self-published story (or in this case, anthology) that reminds me why I don’t overlook this method of publishing.
Another, chilling, atmospheric tale that really proves the strength of this anthology. So far, we’ve had four enjoyable tales out of four.
An Old Friend by Keanu Ross-Cabera
An Old Friend is Keanu Ross-Cabera’s entry to the anthology and is again limited to a short dramatis personae, telling the tale of an old man alone with a dog in house. Ross-Cabera really manages to make his contribution toThe Black Wind’s Whispersan entertaining one, and whilst I didn’t feel it was as strong as the ones that followed it, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t like it. It was certainly an enjoyable story that again, shows just how varied this anthology can be.
It does manage to chill you though, and although the main character isn’t as memorable as the previous characters – I had to look up his name whilst writing this review, something which I didn’t have to do with the others, the tale is nonetheless an engaging read.
Read the Full Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/12/black-winds-whispers-authors-anthology-review-bane-kings/.
Before we start this review, I’d just like to say that the Black Library Bolthole is one of my favourite forums on the internet if not my favourite, and if you’re into the works published by Warhammer 40k/Fantasy publisher Black Library, then you should certainly sign up for it, it’s a great environment frequented by some of the authors themselves. Although I was unable to contribute to the Anthology, I was glad when James Fadley, aka He2etic, the mastermind of this project and the contributor of a story himself, approached me through twitter to write a review of this anthology. Having seen some of the fanfictions of various contributors before, I leapt at the chance – wanting to see what work they’d be able to do in their own setting.
And I really enjoyed it. It’s a great mix of stories, and you don’t have to be a fan of Black Library in order to enjoy it, as there are no short stories set in the either the grimdark far future or the Warhammer world here. This is horror, and enjoyable horror at that.
"In generations past and, surely, generations to come, ancient tales of demons and monsters persist. Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, mummies, gargoyles and more. Some endure, familiar as they are terrifying. Others wear new faces and take new forms. From the twisted minds over at the Bolthole writing forums comes nine fantastic and dark tales of horror. Edited by Andrew Aston and CS Barlow, including a story by special guest author, veteran horror writer CL Werner, here is proof that you can teach an old monster new horrors…"
The Birth Howl by James Fadley
This anthology contains several short stories that take place across a wide range of settings. First up, we have James Fadley’s great opener, The Birth Howl, which is split into two parts and really sets the tone for the anthology to come. The story focuses on Detective Inspector Ian Stewart, and Fadley has chosen 1972 as a backdrop for what is essentially a murder mystery short with a supernatural element. Unpredictable, The Birth Howl delivers a stunning cliffhanger and will keep readers wanting to read more. I really think that the cliffhanger was timed perfectly here, allowing what would have otherwise been just one large story to be split in two, increasing the tension with some awesome results.
Ian Stewart is the main narrator and it is through his eyes that we get a look at the mystery. Having the main character as the narrator allows Fadley to pull a surprise for us in the second part of The Birth Howl allowing for a thoroughly enjoyable short story with a satisfying ending – one that kicks off this anthology with a bang and will make readers want to stick around for more.
Plague of the Krakenmari by Simon Howers
Plague of the Krakenmari follows on from James Fadley’s The Birth Howl and changes the setting completely, taking us to not just a whole new place but a whole different time. We not only get a perspective change, from third to first, but also a gender switch, the main narrator is a female rather than a male. All of these things allow for a refreshing change of pace and an interesting mystery which for me is probably another strong installment in the anthology. Howers’ story is set in Shureham, a small quiet neighborhood that is about to be plunged out of its depth when confronted with a monster that I’ve never encountered before in fiction – the Krakenmari.
It’s a very interesting option for a horror story and the Krakenmari really do help show the variety of what the horror genre can give us. I particularly liked the solution to how they could be defeated as well, and how the whole thing was resolved.
Whilst it wasn’t perhaps the most page-turning of reads, Plague of the Krakenmari was another solid entry in the anthology and one of the best.
The Sculptor’s Torment by Jonathan Ward
The Sculptor’s Torment is the third story in the anthology and again takes place in a different time and setting from the two stories that came before. With an even smaller dramatis personae than Plague of the Krakenmari, The Sculptor’s Torment is another strong instalment in the anthology telling another different type of horror tale from what we’ve seen before.
This is a great contribution, with a strong lead character in the form of David Lerman, and the only other major character, his Uncle Zak, are explored in great depth in this short. Whilst it is only a short, we do get to learn a lot more about them but of course the main focus is on the horror, and this tale is, like the ones before it – another chilling read. So far, this anthology has gone from strength to strength and is a really promising debut from the Black Library Bolthole Crew, and The Sculptor’s Torment really shows just that stories with minimal characters can also be the most powerful.
Unmarked by Andrew Aston
Unmarked is the next story in this anthology inspired by Ancient Egypt, and is another great contribution. I loved the way the characters interacted and Unmarked, along with the rest of The Black Wind’s Whispers, really shows why you shouldn’t underestimate self-published fiction. Sure, there are some disappointments, but overall, I really enjoy finding a self-published story (or in this case, anthology) that reminds me why I don’t overlook this method of publishing.
Another, chilling, atmospheric tale that really proves the strength of this anthology. So far, we’ve had four enjoyable tales out of four.
An Old Friend by Keanu Ross-Cabera
An Old Friend is Keanu Ross-Cabera’s entry to the anthology and is again limited to a short dramatis personae, telling the tale of an old man alone with a dog in house. Ross-Cabera really manages to make his contribution toThe Black Wind’s Whispersan entertaining one, and whilst I didn’t feel it was as strong as the ones that followed it, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t like it. It was certainly an enjoyable story that again, shows just how varied this anthology can be.
It does manage to chill you though, and although the main character isn’t as memorable as the previous characters – I had to look up his name whilst writing this review, something which I didn’t have to do with the others, the tale is nonetheless an engaging read.
Read the Full Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/12/black-winds-whispers-authors-anthology-review-bane-kings/.