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This book is the fifteenth instalment of Stephen Jones' series of horror anthologies, but this is the first one that I've read personally. I deeply regret this fact as, judging by the quality of the stories within this volume, this is not a series that any horror fan can afford to miss.



The collection kicks off with Jones' Introduction, comprising of an amazingly complete summary of the horror genre within 2003, encompassing books, films, TV and even merchandise. Jones mentions that some people have complained about its length, to which he responds if you don't like the section you don't need to read it. I for one wouldn't dream of skipping ahead. It's packed full of information. In reading it, you become aware of the various trends pervading the contemporary horror genre, making the true pioneers stand out even more. There's so much in there that you would not be aware of, everyone who reads it is bound to come away inspired to check out something that they might otherwise have missed. Jones' acerbic humour punctuates the list intermittently, much to my delight.

Following this section, the book quickly jumps into the true meat of the work. This is fiction of so high a quality that I found it difficult to single any of them out for attention, as there isn't a single clanger in the whole bunch. The book is a coliseum of terror with each writer a gladiator of surpassing skill. Not one of them carries the same weapon, but all the blades are deadly and deathblows fall often.

'The Hanged Man' by Steve Nagy is a disturbing tale, obviously influenced by films such as 'Ring' and 'Videodrome'. Underneath this surface lies a complex tale that explores our voyeuristic natures. It also deals with urban myths, one of which provides the foundation for this story. A friend showed Nagy a scene from 'The Wizard Of Oz' where a shadow on the film is supposed to have been cast by a stagehand. This person purportedly committed suicide on set, only to have his death captured on celluloid forever. Once I finished the story I felt compelled to re-watch the film, whilst simultaneously I dreaded the prospect of ever doing so!

Neil Gaiman puts in a characteristically brilliant performance with 'Bitter Grounds', which concerns a man who is suffering from some kind of nervous breakdown. He picks up a hitchhiking academic, only to assume his passenger's identity at a conference he was due to attend. Gaiman uses this as the premise for a captivating new look at the Zombie genre. I found it strange for a story about death to ooze with so much life. Gaiman's depiction of New Orleans is unforgettable and compelling.

The anthology is packed full of subtle and intuitive tales that provide illuminating glimpses into the human psyche, digging deeply into the origins of our fears. Two stories particularly impressed me in this way, Dale Bailey's 'The Hunger' and Steve Rasnic Tem's 'The Bereavement Photographer'.
'The Hunger' concerns the relationship of two brothers, the older of which enjoys tormenting his sibling with horrible tales of terror and culminates in an ending both shocking an unexpected.
'The Bereavement Photographer' addresses the sensitive subject of infant mortality. The narrator is a volunteer photographer who takes family portraits of parents with their stillborn children. Both unnerving and thought-provoking, it's a story that deserves to appear in many more publications, both horror and mainstream.

'Dancing Men' by Glen Hirschbirg is perhaps my favourite story of the collection. It begins in Prague with a teacher who has lead a group of his students on a two-week 'legacy of the Holocaust' trip. Events conspire to force him to remember his childhood, and the last time he went to see his grandfather. Barring 'Maus' by Art Spiegleman, nothing else I have read so fully evokes the horror of one of histories blackest moments. It's ending is a metaphor for the indelible mark the event left in the collective consciousness of the Jewish people and of the indomitable will to survive that meant that although traumatised, they were not beaten.

The collection ends with a 'Necrology' compiled by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman, a nearly complete list of all those who have contributed to the horror, fantasy and science fiction genres who unfortunately died during 2003. It's a wonderful way to pay tribute to everyone who has in some way positively contributed to the life of the genre enthusiast, from writers to composers, producers to porn-stars. When I die I want at least a paragraph.

I could not be more enthusiastic about this volume. It's one of the most important books I've read this year, a testament to Jones' skill as an editor. I'll never miss another volume and neither should you.

Paul Skevington