E. S. Magill

Wily Writers Presents Tales of Foreboding, edited by ES Magill and Bill Bodden, is a nice collection of stories that amp up the apprehension while making you want to know what comes next.

I read this collection the way I usually prefer to read any collection, whether of stories or essays, I read one story at a time and let it ferment (or invade my dreams if before bedtime). Since I have several books going at a time this gives me the chance to take a break from longer or heavier works while also giving my mind something to think about.

I didn't find any story that disappointed, which means on the whole I think it is successful. Also, like any collection, I found a few that spoke to me a bit more, and those stayed with me for several days. What I think makes stories of this type, what they are calling tales of foreboding, appealing to me is how they invite the reader to be more active in their reading. What could happen? What would I do? Would I, in real life, even notice the signs that seem so obvious to me as a reader? What is, as a professor of mine used to consistently ask, the world of the work? While it might seem like our world, what appears to make it different? Because of all this, these tales can easily stick with you, at least for a day or two.

Definitely recommended for readers who like to tense up as they read, especially if all of that tension is not relieved at the end.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (mehr)