Christmas and Other Horrors

October 1, 2023
Datlow, award-winning editor in speculative fiction, comes through once again with an anthology of 18 original stories by some of the biggest names in horror today. The contributors were asked to add their voices to the tradition of telling ghost stories during the darkest days of the year. The resulting range of scares is as wide as the topics considered. From a gory tale of Austrian folklore by Christopher Golden that opens the book, to Cassandra Khaw's defiant stand against the world, to the existential dread and wood demons of Josh Malerman's Finnish solstice rituals, and even a few hot and bright Australian-set nightmares, there is something here for every reader. However, it is the gut punch of Tananarive Due and Stephen Graham Jones' stories which tower above the rest and cannot be missed. Both the inclusion of a note by each author at the end of each story and the creepy illustrations at the start of each tale enhance the reading experience. Pair it with Hark! The Herald Angels Scream, edited by Christopher Golden (2018), to spice up your winter holiday-themed displays for years to come.

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Starred review from October 6, 2023

Editor Datlow (Screams from the Dark) returns with an anthology of holiday horrors featuring delightfully frightening and original tales of nightmares born during the solstice, by some of today's most well-known horror writers. Josh Malerman tells the story of a man sweating out his inner demons in a Finnish sauna; Cassandra Khaw details a world where holiday traditions still matter, even at humanity's end; Christopher Golden takes readers to Austria, where a clean home saves lives. Setting these tales during the solstice instead of Christmas or other winter holidays ensures that none of them ever devolve into a rehash of angsty celebrations past. Rather than have every story be about Santa Claus and/or a mall around Christmas, this anthology explores solstice traditions from all over, from Australia (where December marks the summer solstice) to the disturbing universe that Stephen Graham Jones creates for his protagonist. All these stories, by talented writers, stand on their own while following Datlow's theme. VERDICT This latest from Datlow is a consistently creepy anthology made for long, dark solstice nights (or long days, if you're in the Southern Hemisphere).--James Gardner

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