Part of Saga Press’ “Doubles” series, this new anthology by veteran horror editor Ellen Datlow combines two paired collections of nine stories each into a double-cover, reversed-orientation edition. I love this conceptually, but it wrecks havoc with my organizational-minded personality which makes it impossible to definitely decide how to place the book on the shelf or to determine the order in which to read it. (Or even how to refer to the book’s title.)
Like any anthology there will likely be some stories that readers adore, some they don’t care for, and some they find okay. As usual, readers who broadly enjoy the genre and styles of stories/authors will have a higher chance of loving the collection overall. But the book would also serve as a great entry point for people wanting to try out more from the genre, particularly with the cohesive strength and interesting dichotomy that this anthology holds.
I decided to read the “Day” side first. This half ended up feeling more frightening to me, perhaps because I strongly dislike sunlight and find darkness comforting and enjoyable. Maybe that’s why I’m also drawn more to the horror genre with so much taking place in darker settings where I feel more at ease than scared. Regardless, Day is where I began.
Merciless Sun: Tales of Daylight Horror
- “The Bright Day” by Priya Sharma
- “Faire” by Rachel Harrison
- “Trick of the Light” by Brian Evenson
- “One Day” by Jeffrey Ford
- “The Wanting” by A.T. Greenblatt
- “Hold Us in the Light” by A.C. Wise
- “Dismaying Creatures” by Robert Shearman
- “Bitter Skin” by Kaaron Warren
- “Cold Iron” by Sophie White
Sharma’s opening story serves as a great entry into things, a literal interpretation of the theme in a post-apocalyptic plot that will be familiar and welcoming to readers while offering originality to the tropes. There were strengths to all the other stories in the Day section, with none that I personally disliked. But some certainly spoke to me more than others.
“Faire” by Rachel Harrison captures dread and feelings of guilt in a very effective way, and Brian Evenson’s “Trick of the Light” very effectively takes elements of tropes normally linked to night and places them into daylight to that felt more familiar to me, particularly in how it can then put limitations on interactions with ‘normal’ people. “One Day” continues this kind of theme with a monster story that I found a lot of fun. I always love the mind and style of Robert Shearman, and “Dismaying Creatures” didn’t disappoint with its disturbing story and social themes. It’s a great example of a unique presentation of well-trod horror that delves in class and sex. “Bitter Skin” by Kaaron Warren resonated with how emotionally investing it is, how devastating in parts.
Dreadful Dark: Tales of Nighttime Horror
- “Trash Night” by Clay McLeod Chapman
- “We Take Off Our Skin in the Dark” by Eric LaRocca
- “The Door of Sleep” by Stephen Graham Jones
- “At Night, My Dad” by Dan Chaon
- “The Night House” by Gemma Files
- “The Night-Mirrors” by Pat Cadigan
- “Fear of the Dark” by Benjamin Percy
- “The Picknicker” by Josh Malerman
- “Secret Night” by Nathan Ballingrud
The Night section of the anthology begins less effectively than the Day side. I enjoyed Clay McLeod Chapman’s “Trash Night”, but the story could have existed within Day as easily as Night in that the setting doesn’t not ultimately matter to the horror. As much as I enjoyed it, I also thought it revealed too much at the very start of the story.
Eric LaRocca’s entry that follows is the only work in the collection that I did not read, as it has second-person and you do not read that. Not surprisingly, Stephen Graham Jones’ “The Door of Sleep” that follows is exceptional, and will be sure to hit with fans of his who like his style of storytelling. “At Night, My Dad” by Dan Chaon offers an emotional palate cleanser that sets aside supernatural focuses for horrors of realism in addiction, pain, and grief. “The Night-Mirrors” by Pat Cadigan later returns to the supernatural with a great story that uses haunted mirror tropes in new ways for plot and characterization. Gemma Files’ “The Night House” combines camp fire tales with cult horror effectively. Nathan Ballingrud closes things out with “Secret Night”, a fitting horror with creatures and mountain weirdness, and all the depth that Ballingrud normally brings to the table.
I always enjoy Datlow collections for their variety of voices and ubiquitous talent, even if some stories don’t connect strongly with me. But even among Datlow collections I think this stands out as one to definitely check out simply for the interesting nature of its dual themes where the dark and the light each influence one another regardless of which side one is on.
Eric LaRocca’s entry that follows is the only work in the collection that I did not read, as it has second-person and you do not read that.–Seriously? A reviewer refuses to read a story because it’s second person. for shame.