Synopsis:
Elemental Forces is the fifth volume in the non-themed horror series of original stories, showcasing the very best short fiction that the genre has to offer, and edited by Mark Morris. This new anthology contains 20 original horror stories, 16 of which have been commissioned from some of the top names in horror, and 4 selected from the 100s of stories sent to Flame Tree during a short open submissions window. A delicious feast of the familiar and the new, the established and the emerging.
Review:
When the latest Mark Morris anthology unexpectedly lands on your doorstep, it’s not a delivery, it’s destiny. I read the table of contents, and actually had to sit myself down, by which I mean cling to the nearest chair, and brace myself for the cosmic storm I knew was brewing. With plenty of big names, that would make any horror fan weak in the knees, Tim Lebbon, Poppy Z. Brite, and Paul Tremblay to name a few, but also lots of authors I’d never heard of before, who blew my metaphorical socks off… they’re probably in a different dimension by now. Some stories hum with sci-fi intrigue, whilst others descend into Black Mirror-esque madness. A few tales are dark and twisted enough to make your soul feel like it needs a shower, while others simply entertain like the guilty pleasures they are. The stories are connected only by one thing, in them, is something bigger than us, some cosmic monster, some god-like entity, some elemental force?
As aforementioned, the thread that runs through this anthology is the sobering idea that we are but ants in the grand, terrifying opera of the universe… and the universe is an unforgiving conductor. Whether this existential punch is landed via an ancient monster, a plague, or indeed through the grim reaper himself, who is of course a sloth, “Elemental Forces,” is a reminder that we are not alone. If it’s agreeable to you, I’ll now talk you through my top four- from least to most devastating (to build tension).
Luigi Musolino is an author I had heard of before, but was yet to read, and his story “The Plague,” was a great place for me to start. We follow Tullio Sandri, the president of “The Party of Change.” Vehemently anti-vax, when he becomes seriously ill, he is somewhat reluctant to summon a servant to the Big Pharma (you know – doctors) but eventually he gives in. When he does, he is promptly diagnosed with the bubonic plague. The most political, and perhaps the sweetest karma that is served up throughout,. It’s a sharp, ironic meditation on the perils of rejecting modern medicine, and a reminder of just how dark and diseased the “good old days” really were. Frankly, it’s the sweetest case of cosmic, karmic comeuppance you could ask for.
Less rich with commentary, but objectively terrifying is Tim Major’s “The Scarecrow Festival.” Roseberry Atherton is a strange town, which Andy only visits in the first place following a phone call from his childhood best mate Gavin. Luckily (?) for Andy, he’s in town for the annual scarecrow contest, a time in which community comes together for some fierce competition, not in a cult-like way at all…
Look, you don’t need me to tell you that something is rotten in the haystacks here, but what exactly that is will have to elude you for a little longer (until you read it of course). Another new author to me, Major cranked the fear factor up to 11, and I need to read some more from him. “The Scarecrow Festival,” is like “A Spectre is Haunting Greentree,” by Carson Winter had a lovechild with Midsommar, and if that doesn’t sound like a terrible, and terribly fun time, well, we can’t be friends.
Poppy Z Brite kicks off the anthology not with a bang, but the kind of impact that leaves a crater. In “The Peeler,” we follow Barton, whose boyfriend Rudy is going blind. This would be devastating for anyone, but for an artist, well, you can imagine just how terrible he’s feeling. Barton simply wants to ease his pain, which is why he is paying a visit to “The Peeler,” where shady deals and strange procedures are the currency of choice. In return for some fast cash, which would pay for Rudy’s life changing surgery, Barton agrees to undergo a strange operation. With a real sting that lingers long after the final word, “The Peeler,” comments on sacrifice, selfishness, and eventually, the importance of upbringing. It’s a reminder that sometimes, no matter how much you give, life takes more—and you’re left wondering who’s really blind by the end.
“Elemental Forces” is an anthology brimming with brilliance, a black hole of cosmic awesomeness that sucks you in and doesn’t let go. With heavy hitters like Laurel Hightower, Christina Henry, Gwendolyn Kiste, and Paul Tremblay in the mix, it’s a given that the whole thing is pretty dazzling. But, if we’re being honest,I do have a favourite. “Mister Reaper,” by Annie Knox (amazingly, yet another author who I’ve (rather alarmingly) not heard of before) was, for me, the best of the bunch.
We follow Stephanie, who attempts to take her own life in the bathroom at work. Having used a blunt boxcutter, she wakes up to a failed, painful attempt hours later, having lost a lot of blood. Whatsmore, she’s stuck in the long-closed shopping mall that she works in, with not one person around to help. She does however (yes, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for) have a sloth grim reaper there. Perhaps breaking protocol a little, the reaper tells Stephanie she has around two hours before she loses consciousness for good- should she still want to end it, all she has to do is wait it out here, but it’s not too late yet. If she wants to reconcile with her boyfriend, tell her mum that she loves her, or dial 911, there is time. What follows is an utterly bizarre yet deeply moving reflection on life, death, and the choices that hang in the balance. Knox blends dark humour, existential dread, and genuine hope into a story that’s both surreal and devastatingly real. “Mister Reaper” doesn’t just make you care, it grabs you by the throat (gently, of course, because sloths) and forces you to reflect on the value of time, relationships, and the decisions we make in our darkest hours. It’s a commentary on mental health and suicide that feels original, empathetic, and achingly human.
A cosmic buffet, “Elemental forces,” has everything to satiate the cravings of any horror reader, from the bloody to the absurd, the heartbreaking to the hilarious. A reminder that life is one beautiful messy dance with fate, if you’re ready to tango with your own fears, then I suppose you should pick this one up, maybe when it waltzes into the world on October 8th? I think that’s a good idea anyway. Whether you’re looking to have your imagination tickled, or your nerves rattled, it has it all. Disclaimer: “Elemental Forces” will blow your mind, your worldview, and quite possibly your hairline. You’ve been warned.
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