Things take a wild turn when he “finds” a mysterious cell phone with disturbing content. His relationships with people (friends and partners) are superficial and he doesn’t really want to change. “The Visible Filth,” tells the story of a bartender named Will who is disinterested in real-life relationships, because he doesn’t want his life to change. Full of bloodshed and mutilation, it gives disturbing glimpses of Hell that will linger in the reader’s mind long after the story’s finished. “The Maw” is probably my least favorite story here, but I still appreciate it. The tone of this story shifts between whimsical and gruesome. It does a great job of introducing readers to ghouls’ alien lives. Set in a little town, it focuses on a carnival run by ghouls. I found “Skullpocket” surprisingly playful. It’s one of the most memorable short stories I’ve ever read. The demon/imp adresses her throughout the narrative. She ventures into his laboratory for the first time and discovers occult material. And by others, I mean a metaphysical pathologist’s young daughter who finds her father dead. It has a childlike curiosity and doesn’t really understand how others perceive it. “The Diabolist” is told from the perspective of the demon devoid of any malice. Plus, it does a great job of setting the tone of the book. He finds it, but nothing goes as planned. In “The Atlas of Hell”, a back alley bookseller tries to retrieve an artifact.

Instead of relying on stale tropes, he finds more creative ways to build a sense of dread. His writing is powerful - it creates a sense of unease and keeps you unsettled with the thought that nothing is as it seems. While each of them can be read (and enjoyed) on its own, reading them in order enhances the experience.īallingrud doesn’t waste words on unnecessary descriptions he gets straight to the point. I recommend reading them in the order they’re presented. Ballingrud published five of them before, one is original to the collection. Wounds: Six Stories from the Border of Hell contains six deeply disturbing and fascinating stories. The stars aligned and I read Ballingrud’s impressive collection at the perfect time. I have also rediscovered my love of horror. I’ve been on a short fiction kick lately. OVERVIEW: I like to stretch my imagination and explore the unknown.

Interview with Mike Moglia (interviewed by Mihir W.Blood of the Chosen by Django Wexler - Review.Book review: Wounds: Six Stories from the Border o.The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi - Review.Interview with Dan Coxon, the editor of Out of The.Graphic Novel Review: Locke & Key by Joe Hill, Gab.

Book review: Severed by Scott Snyder, Scott Tuft.

SPFBO 7 (Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off) finalist.

Wounds ballingrud