October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween

A winner of the International Horror Guild Award, October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween is undoubtedly the grandest horror anthology ever compiled on the genre's signature holiday, and unlikely to be supplanted in that position. Weighing in at almost 650 pages, this intelligently selected compendium contains work from nearly every contemporary bestselling author, cult favorite, and hot up-and-comer in horror. The volume mixes a generous amount of well-written new fiction with classic reprints, several "Favorite Halloween Memories," an informative "Short History of Halloween" by Paula Guran, a well-chosen "Overview of Halloween Films" by Gary A. Braunbeck, and an equally useful "Reader's Guide to Halloween Fiction" by Stefan Dziemianowicz. Many of the authors contribute both a story and a Favorite Memory, and Ray Bradbury, to whom the volume is rightfully dedicated, contributes these and a poem. No review can do justice to an anthology whose table of contents crowds three pages. But perhaps a taste of three stories will suggest the breadth and depth of the whole. Ray Bradbury's subtle "Heavy Set" considers what it might be like to be the mother of a muscular, disturbed, and exceptionally attached son. In the West Coast gothic "A Redress for Andromeda," Caitlin R. Kiernan presents a beautifully written consideration of the costs of a hidden secret. Artist Gahan Wilson proves himself also talented at fiction with "Yesterday's Witch," in which trick-or-treaters find the neighborhood witch isn't any such thing ... or is she? October Dreams is highly recommended to all fans of horror and dark fantasy. --Cynthia Ward Contents Gone • (2000) • shortstory by Jack Ketchum A Redress for Andromeda • [Dandridge Cycle] • shortstory by Caitlín R. Kiernan The Black Pumpkin • (1986) • shortstory by Dean R. Koontz [as by Dean Koontz ] Lantern Marsh • (2000) • shortfiction by Poppy Z. Brite Conversations in a Dead Language • (1989) • shortstory by Thomas Ligotti Yesterday's Child • (1987) • shortstory by Thomas F. Monteleone The Whitby Experience • (2000) • shortstory by Simon Clark In-between • (2000) • poem by Ray Bradbury Yesterday's Witch • (1973) • shortstory by Gahan Wilson A Short History of Halloween • (2000) • shortfiction by Paula Guran Mask Game • (2000) • shortfiction by John Shirley Out of the Dark • (2000) • shortfiction by David B. Silva Heavy Set • (1964) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury (aka Heavy-Set) Boo • (2000) • shortstory by Richard Laymon Masks • (1985) • shortstory by Douglas E. Winter The Circle • (1982) • shortstory by Lewis Shiner First of All, It was October • (2000) • shortfiction by Gary A. Braunbeck Pay the Ghost • (2000) • novelette by Tim Lebbon Buckets • (1989) • novelette by F. Paul Wilson Orchestra • (2000) • shortfiction by Stephen Mark Rainey Eyes • (1986) • shortstory by Charles L. Grant Deathmask • (2000) • shortfiction by Dominick Cancilla Some Witch's Bed • (2000) • shortfiction by Michael Marshall Smith The Trick • (1980) • novelette by Ramsey Campbell Pork Pie Hat • (1994) • novella by Peter Straub Trick-or-Read • (2000) • shortfiction by Stefan Dziemianowicz My Favorite Halloween Memory • (2000) • shortfiction by William F. Nolan View Less