Reviews for The Mammoth Book of the Best of Best New Horror

The average rating for The Mammoth Book of the Best of Best New Horror based on 2 reviews is 2 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-11-02 00:00:00 William Garvin I expected more of this anthology The general rating is an average sum result of the individual ratings given to each short story contained in the anthology. This is an anthology edited by Stephen Jones, making a personal selection of the stories that he considered as the best story of each "Best of New Horror" anthologies published since its first publishing (1989) covering 20 years (2008) (the anthology series keep being published so far (2016)). While there were some brilliant stories totally worthy of 5-stars rating, some others were disappointments, at least to my humble opinion, that it was unexpected, since due this was an anthology made with "best of the best" along with the big names in the list of authors, well, I thought that the general reading should be much better, but in any case, the anthology hold a fair 3-stars rating, still on the positive side of a reading experience. 1989 NO SHARKS IN THE MED By Brian Lumley Rating: *** ( 3 stars ) A honeymooners couple goes to Greece, at a small town called Achladi, right in front of the Mediterranean Sea, where they want to enjoy the local bars, souvenirs' stores and have a little of beach & fun in some near small island. They know that there aren't sharks in the Mediterranean Sea (cool trivia fact I learned by the way), however the just married couple aren't considering that predators come in many shapes and species. It was a good story, but too predictable, and lacking of making the proper hard calls to strenghten the climax's impact. 1990 THE MAN WHO DREW CATS By Michael Marshall Smith Rating: *** ( 3 stars ) A quiet man moves to another town, where the community knows little of him, but the fact that he likes to draw, usually using chalk, and often having cats in his paintings. While people usually say "small town, big deal", when the deal becomes too gruesome, too real, ironically the townpeople tend to look the other way. The quiet man can't do that, and he is willing to do something too gruesome, too unreal, to make justice. Again, a good story but again too predictable. 1991 THE SAME IN ANY LANGUAGE By Ramsey Campbell Rating: ** ( 2 stars ) A man is doing some vacations along with his son and his mistress in the island of Crete (it's odd, with the first story, this one and 19th story, the three of them used parts of Greece as scenario, nothing to complain about, but I found curious that kind of coincidence). The adults in the party didn't know any Greek language, while the son knows enough, but it doesn't really matter, since there are things, creepy things, that mean the same in any language. I expected a lot more since it was Ramsey Campbell, that I have a huge respect for him and I have read many good stuff by him, sadly, this time wasn't the case. 1992 NORMAN WISDOM AND THE ANGEL OF DEATH By Christopher Fowler Rating: ***** ( 5 stars ) An odd man is fan of Norman Wisdom (some obscure comedian in old British radio shows) along with being fan of mostly Old British Comedy Radio Shows. He is a sales Clerk but what he enjoys the most is being helper in a hospital, near of the grave sick patients, near of those really close to die… …so nobody will notice if they die a little teeny-weeny bit sooner… …they will die anyways, right? So where is the harm? Clever narrative, full of black humor, told by the main character himself. 1993 MEPHISTO IN ONYX By Harlan Ellison Rating: ***** ( 5 stars ) Do not fall into the error of the artisan who boasts of twenty years experience in his craft while in fact he had had only one year of experience - twenty times. An afro-american man is a mind-reader, in fact, he is, so far, the only known mind-reader and he is recognized as such by Government and Legal authorities. He has been long-time friend of a lady, who is Chief District Attorney. She has a complicated case of a serial killer, but she isn't so sure that the convict is really guilty, and the convict is already waiting his Death Sentence. So, she needs proof that seems that only his mind-reader friend will be able to get and since he is recognized by the Legal System, what he'd read, it can be used as evidence in court. A brilliant twisted tale from the clever mind of Harlan Ellison with so many twists that you won't never know what will happen next, and when the twists would end. Definitely the crown jewel in this anthology. 1994 THE TEMPTATION OF DR. STEIN By Paul J. McAuley Rating: ** ( 2 stars ) Dr. Stein and Dr. Pretorious are good in one thing… …bringing dead back to life. A cliché story, cliché characters, with cliché names, resulting in a boring product. 1995 QUEEN OF KNIVES By Neil Gaiman Rating: ** ( 2 stars ) Grandfather, Grandmother and Grandchild go to a magic show… …not all of them will come back from it. It was another shock to me, since I have a huge respect to Neil Gaiman too, but sadly, while the story has some amusing concepts and a good ambiance, I feel that it lacks some kickin' in the climax to provoke the proper goosebumps. 1996 THE BREAK By Terry Lamsley Rating: *** ( 3 stars ) A boy goes in holidays's break to pass it with his grandparents in a hotel where they are staying, but between the Alzheimer of Grandad and the hermeticism of Gran(ny), the boy has the strange feeling that something odd is going on at that hotel… …and he isn't wrong! Curiously enough two stories involving grandparents and their grandchild in a row, in this anthology, curiously a little better, but not curiously enough of something better than 3-stars rating. 1997 EMPTINESS SPOKE ELOQUENT By Caitlin R. Kiernan Rating: ** ( 2 stars ) Journal's entries through several ages of Humanity, written by Mina Harker, and she is feeling lonelier with the pass of each age. A cool concept, quite eloquent indeed, but poorly developed, and lacking of excitement. 1998 MR. CLUBB AND MR. CUFF By Peter Straub Rating: **** ( 4 stars ) Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff are "Private Detectives Extraordinaire", at least that says their presentation cards, however in reality they are something quite different, something more sinister… …they will take care for you, any trouble you need to be solved, not matter if that trouble is a person, not matter if the person needs to stop breathing. They are meticulous, they like protocol, they aren't afraid of being proactive and they enjoy (too much) their line of work. The success of each job is crucial, even if the client isn't as committed to it as Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff. Clever narrative where you are always on the edge of what would happen next. 1999 WHITE By Tim Lebbon Rating: **** ( 4 stars ) It's the end of world (literally) and a group of friends are stuck in a Victorian manor, in the middle of nowhere, with fallling snow everywhere. They aren't sure, but they well may be the last ones of their species, but that's okay since a new species is rising to fill the void. And the world is too much little for both species. Cool (freezing actually) ambiance, great character development and an engaging narrative. 2000 THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT: ANNO DRACULA, 1981 By Kim Newman Rating: ** ( 2 stars ) An account of relevant events in an alternate timeline where Dracula and his bloodline (pun intended) prevailed and they have never defeated. Cool concept, but it lack of excitement for a proper climax. 2001 CLEOPATRA BRIMSTONE By Elizabeth Hand Rating: **** ( 4 stars ) Janie is no more. She suffered an awful personal experience, something that nobody should suffer. Now, she is Cleopatra Brimstone. She had been too much time in a cocoon, and now she got a wonderful metamorphosis. She always like to collect butterflies, but since now she is the butterfly, she is starting to collect something else. It's payback time. You won't mock a butterfly anymore. 2002 20TH CENTURY GHOST By Joe Hill Rating: **** ( 4 stars ) Rosebud Theater brings all kind of film lovers, and for a woman in special, being dead won't stop her to enjoy the movie… …oh, and she likes to talk with you when the movie is a good one, after all movies are better enjoyed with company, right? Brilliant analysis of how the movies have evolved along with society and their impacts with each other. 2003 THE WHITE HANDS By Mark Samuels Rating: ***** ( 5 stars ) Lillith Blake was an obscure writer at the end of 19th Century, but her legacy was incomplete, death took her before being able to write and to publish her greatest anthology… …but there isn't any problem, oh no! Since her hands, her white hands, will continue the important work… …once they find the right host. Feverish mad tale where the creepy factor is high. 2004 MY DEATH By Lisa Tuttle Rating: ** ( 2 stars ) A writer whose experience has fallen in catalogues and travel brochures feels compelled to make a biographical book about Helen Ralston, an obscure painting artist (between her paintings figures one named "My Death") and novelist of one book, "In Troy", and happens that she is still alive, but she is 96 years old, so there isn't much time to waste and interview her as fastest as possible is imperative. This story reminded me the Japanese animated movie Millenium Actress (2001), but while that movie isn't one of my favorite ones from the late Satoshi Kon (which I love his work in Perfect Blue and Tokyo Godfathers), indeed I enjoyed a lot better that movie than this story. Both lacked of some "punch", but at least the movie has the visual factor in its favor. 2005 HAECKEL'S TALE By Clive Barker Rating: *** ( 3 stars ) There is a man claiming to be a necromancer, able to raise the dead, in exchange of a money charging… …he must be a charlatan, right? Think again! And secure your doors! Fair story, with an elegant narrative, but lacking of a satisfactory climax. 2006 DEVIL'S SMILE By Glen Hirshberg Rating: *** ( 3 stars ) A concerned man is trying to convince to an old widow to get back to the town, to be with the community… …that man shouldn't meddle with others' business! Fair good story with a fair climax. 2007 THE CHURCH ON THE ISLAND By Simon Kurt Unsworth Rating: ***** ( 5 stars ) A young woman is on vacations in a Greek Island (Greek tourism is in a rush in this anthology!) and she visits the Church of the Order of St. John of Patmos, a small church without any luxuries, just one monk to attend it, but a important job for the sake of humanity. Extraordinary story, with awesome concepts about how Catholic religion should work in the practice, with a clear influence from H.P. Lovecraft's works, and easily the third best story in this anthology (but it was a close calling against the second best, the following and final stoy). 2008 THE NEW YORK TIMES AT SPECIAL BARGAIN RATES By Stephen King Rating: ***** ( 5 stars ) A woman is preparing herself to attend her husband's funeral. He died due a plane crash. However, just now, she is receiving a phone call… …from her dead husband. Wonderful last conversation of a married couple who loves each other a lot, and an amusing view of what there is in the other side, at least in the first stop. Time and love work in curious ways. Stephen King,… …who else? The second best story in the anthology. One could think that it was thought to close the book with a bang, but since this anthology was made choosing the best story of each published anthology in 20 years, and presented in order per year, in the book. So I guess it was random and the factor that it's Stephen King, that this last story in the book resulted to be the second best one (in my humble opinion) in this anthology.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-01-09 00:00:00 Thomas Kincaid This was a one-stop attempt by me to see how recent horror writing compares with the fantastic Pan Book of Horror Stories series I was a fan of when I was a vile teenager. The Pan Books were total gonzo. I would like to review all of them but I fear everyone would defriend me. Okay, the experience was not good. Two examples : No Sharks in the Med. by Brian Lumley This first story did indeed fill me with a deep sense of dread and unease, along the lines of What Have I Volunteered Myself For? - since this story is an unbelievably stupid string of cliches - check it out - the honeymooners find themselves trapped on an isolated Greek beach by a local guy called Spiro : "Geoff, we're in trouble," Gwen said as soon as Spiros had left. "We're in serious trouble." "I know it," he said. "I think I've known it ever since we got here. That bloke's as sinister as they come." The Man who Drew Cats. by Michael Marshall Smith No no nooo. This kind of dingle-dangly ookums was corny in the 1930s. I'll spoil it for you - a (tall mysterious) stranger comes to (a perfect quaint rural American) town. He can draw and paint real well. A woman in the town and her young son are getting regularly battered by her drunk of a husband. The tall stranger draws a tiger which gets the bad guy. How supernatural is that? Plenty, I'd say. Turns out this version of modern horror is mostly supernatural. Which is why I'm outta here. I mean, what are we, twelve? The beauty (I should say ugliness) of the Pan Books of Horror Stories was that they were SECULAR. (Mostly). They didn't believe in anything except cruelty. Okay, modern horror, this is goodbye from P Bryant.