This collection contains 16 original short stories of psychological and
supernatural horror. A series of unpleasant happenings in a charming
English village, a visitation of the vengeful dead and other tales are
presented by such authors as Brian Aldiss, Ian Watson and Tanith Lee.
Chances are, when you read the title of Morgans introductory essay
No Slime, No Chainsaws - youll react with derisive sneers of snob horror!
Dont be deterred by the seemingly anti-splatterpunk stance, however, as
this is an excellent Brit Horror anthology and, happily, far from free
of bloody mayhem.
Brian Stableford The Will: Helen returns to the sticks for her fathers
funeral to be met with the inevitable barrage of veiled threats and
abuse from her loathsome family. This turns to sheer hatred when the
will is read and she is left the remainder of my estate. Why? All is
revealed in a spectacularly unpleasant ending.
Gary Kilworth Usurper: Franz Culper is upstaged by his shadow in
everything it does. It is more efficient at his job, steals his friends,
makes love to his wife and locks him out of his home. Driven to desperation,
Franz decides on desperate measures to finally get one up on the usurper
Stephen Gallagher Life Line: Ryan is convinced hes spoken to his dead
fiance, Belinda, on a mysterious chat-line. His phone bill should be
astronomical, but the calls havent been registered. He determines to
discover the whereabouts of those who run the service and, of course,
Belinda, a suicide whose badly decomposed body washed up on a beach
in Holland. The effects of the long immersion had been compounded by
the attentions of various kinds of marine life and at least one encounter
with a boat propeller. Scary and brilliant, and about as funny as a tale
containing the lines Ive learned one thing. Everything you love, you lose.
Everything can be.
David Langford The Facts In The Case Of Micky Valdon: Avowed skeptic
disproves Valdons degeneration into 150 pounds of plump, artificially
reared maggots, as two professional magicians can now duplicate this
trick onstage. Amongst his far from convincing evidence, he cites
a former crony of the deceaseds great merriment at a reminiscence of
Valdon once dropping a wet fish down the front of an unpopular barmaids
dress to prove the man was nothing but a practical joker.
Ian Watson Tales From Weston Willow: Three short stories narrated by
Mrs. Prestige in The Wheatsheaf Inn. The first deals with cross-country
runner, Charlie Fox, who sabotages the hunt and pays a heavy price for
his sins. In the second story, Paul and Ruth wont believe the former
vicarage is the centre of the universe until theyre given appalling
proof. Finally, three villagers pretend to be deaf, dumb and/ or blind
as they attempt to cheat their way to victory in the County inner-
village quiz.
Nicholas Royle Archway : From the day she moves into her North London
flat, Bella is haunted by the scornful laughter of an old, grey faced
tramp shes see on the street. She is unfairly dismissed from her job,
encounters the red-tape horrors of the DSS and faces eviction. Finally
Tanith Lee Dont Get Lost: Sally and her boyfriend find it impossible
to leave a council estate as the streets keep changing. They break into
a house and the boyfriend discovers three headless corpses: its as if
a giant spider has ensnared and then eaten its prey
Chris Morgan Interesting Times: Keith blows 95.50 when he answers an
advertisement which promises to let excitement into your life. shortly
afterward, he receives a note acknowledging receipt of his cheque and
informing him hes just been ripped off. He loses his job, wife, home
(as do so many characters in Dark Fantasies) and is mugged, hospitalized,
and framed for drug possession. Theres only one way to make it stop.
Contents:
Introduction: No Slime, No Chainsaws Chris Morgan
Brian Stableford The Will
Gary Kilworth Usurper
Stephen Gallagher Life Line
A. L. Barker Charley
R. M. Lamming Candle Lies
Ian Watson Tales From Weston Willow
David Langford The Facts In The Case Of Micky Valdon
Freda Warrington Shine For Me
Christopher Evans Lifelines
John Brunner Dropping Ghyll
Tanith Lee Dont Get Lost
Nicholas Royle Archway
Ramsey Campbell Being An Angel
Chris Morgan Interesting Times
Lisa Tuttle Skin Deep
Brian Aldiss Three Degrees Over
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