Taverns of the Dead [Hardcover]

This is absolutely the best anthology I have read in years. From the wickedly humorous "Des Lors", the creepy-crawly chill of "Welcome to the Masque", and the brilliant and tragic "The Smoke from Mooney's Pub", each story is uniquely different and entertaining. I read this book in one sitting and didn't skim over one page! As a fan of short stories/anthologies, I can only hope there will be more books like this one and soon. After all, there are so many pubs, taverns, bars, and watering holes, and so many stories waiting to be told.

Let me tell you a secret not so well kept - I love horror novels and I love addiction novels. Rarely do the two combine into such a spectacular triumph as 'Taverns Of The Dead'. With such famous contributors such as Ramsey Campbell, Neil Gaiman, Gary Braunbeck, Peter Straub, David Morrell, Tim Lebbon, Tom Piccirilli, Jeff VanderMeer, and Edward Lee, how can such a book possibly go wrong? Here's a glimpse:

Table Of Contents:
· The Lingering Scent Of Apples by P.D. Cacek
· The Winner by Ramsey Campbell
· The Souls Of Drowning Mountain by Jack Cady
· Kristine's Kwiet Korner by Melanie Tem
· Shoggoth's Old Peculiar by Neil Gaiman
· Gas Station Carnivals by Tomas Ligotti
· Bucket Of Blood by Norman Partridge
· The King Of Rotten Wood by Gary A. Braunbeck
· Front-Page McGuffin And The Greatest Story Ever Told by Peter Crowther
· Des Lors by Roberta Lannes
· At Home In The Pubs Of Old London by Christopher Fowler
· Spirited by Steve Rasnic Tem
· Times Of Atonement Yvonne Navarro
· That Was Radio Clash by Charles de Lint
· Friday Night At The Wicked Swan by Charles L. Grant
· Bar Talk by Peter Straub
· Time Was by David Morrell
· Shades Of The Past by C. Bruce Hunter
· Luke: Homeward Angel by Chaz Brenchley
· The Last Good Times by Tim Lebbon
· Two In The Eyes by Tom Piccirilli
· Welcome To The Masque by Jeff VanderMeer
· The Order Of Nature by Edward Lee
· A Fine And Private Place by Thomas F. Monteleone
· The Family Room by Nicholas Royle
· The Smoke From Mooney's Pub by Chet Williamson
· The Snug by Terry Lamsley

There's an introduction by F. Paul Wilson and a foreword by Kealan Patrick Burke. Also, artwork is embellished on the edge of each page, and the publishers used an easy-to-read font. The cover art by Alan M. Clark is fantastic. Each tale, or chapter, has a quick bio of the author, often including links to author's websites.

A few of my favorites would be 'The Lingering Scent Of Apples' by P.D. Cacek, a ghostly story of the smell of apples pulling a long overdue customer in from the cold. Ghosts of the past gather to stop the future wave of strip-mining in the Kentucky hills in Jack Cady's 'The Souls Of Drowning Mountain'. Visit a town where speech of any kind isn't allowed in 'Kristine's Kwiet Korner' by Melanie Tem.

In Neil Gaiman's 'Shoggoth's Old Peculiar', a strange town named Innsmouth appears where an American traveler finds himself inside a pub called The Book Of Dead Names. There's a surreal vision of The Showman in 'Gas Station Carnivals' by Thomas Ligotti. 'The King Of Rotten Wood' by the fantastic Gary Braunbeck tells of a man trying to do right by the dead but eventually becoming absorbed by them in Yesterday's Pub. Experience the homey feel of The Land At The End Of The Working Day tavern and meet a visitor who is dead but can't find his place among the passed, in 'Front-Page McGuffin And The Greatest Story Ever Told' by Peter Crowther. Meet your perfect mate in 'Des Lors' by Roberta Lannes.

David Morrell's excellent 'Time Was' takes dimension traveling to new, and terrifying heights as Sam digs for his freedom from the present. Jeff VanderMeer's strange visitor in a 1900's Inn, a bottled horror of a brother inside his pocket, is found in 'Welcome To The Masque'. Edward Lee's "Dark and unflinchingly brutal" tale 'The Order Of Nature', in which chaos erupts in a bar filled with hate. And lastly, enter a truly haunted tavern in Terry Lamsley's 'The Snug', where a room is more than just a room.

I can't say enough good things about this anthology. Rarely do I recommend purchasing such a high-priced book, but if you love horror anthologies as much as I do, then consider it money well spent. I give it a solid ten stars. Enjoy!

OMG, I swear on my life that as a 31 yr. + lover of horror antholgies, this is hands down the absolute best book I've ever read. Its absolutely amazing! Totally inventive stories, all unique and scary in their own way. Engrossing reading. If you can find one for sale- buy it! I got mine at a bargain for under $20.00, its worth so much more now, but I'm not ever going to part with it!!!

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