SFF

Fearful Symmetries

by Ellen Datlow
ChiZine. Jul. 2014. 400p. ed. by . ISBN 9781771481939. pap. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9781771481946. HORROR
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Twenty previously unpublished tales of horror have been collected here by master anthologist Datlow (currently editor of Night Shade Books' "Best Horror of the Year" series). The contributors range from well-known horror and dark fantasy authors such as Caitlín R. Kiernan, Brian Evenson, Laird Barron, and Garth Nix, but there are also four newcomers selected from a submissions pile of over 1,000 hopeful, unsolicited writers. One of the best stories is Nathan Ballingrud's "The Atlas of Hell," about a wise guy who goes to collect from a thief and runs into an occult artifact. Another is the creepy governess gothic "Suffer Little Children" by Robert Shearman.
VERDICT This is a satisfying collection for horror fans, including a wide range of styles and themes. On a side note, Datlow encountered resistance when she wished to put together an unthemed horror anthology, so she and ChiZine turned to Kickstarter for crowd-sourced funding to publish the book.
Reviewed by Megan M. McArdle , Jun 15, 2014
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