A World of Horror edited by Eric J. Guignard is an amazing collection of tales from all over the world! If you’re a horror fan, you have to check this one out!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the editor in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on A World of Horror edited by Eric J. Guignard
This was such an awesome collection! I really loved how it was organized and how it allowed me to read from authors from many countries that I hadn’t read from before!
Each tale had an illustration before it with a caption below that was pulled from the story. These illustrations were created by Steve Lines.
On the page where we see the title, there was also a graphic to indicate which nation the writer was from as well as a lovely blurb from the editor that introduced the tale!
Introduction: Diversity In Fiction by Eric J. Guignard
I loved that the editor discussed why he wanted to undertake this project and how he went about completing it! He also included some stats that I was happy to learn! The diversity of the authors included in this book is awesome; 22 stories from 18 nations, with a 45/55 percent gender split!
“Truly, there’s no shortage of tales to be
shared from the rest of the world,
but not everyone has the opportunity.
Which is why I wanted to undertake this venture.”
Mutshidzi by Mohale Mashigo – 5 Stars
South Africa
Heartbreaking and spooky! These two siblings are so brave. I loved how positive Mutshidizi was with what she was going through as she tried to keep the home together after the death of their mother.
One Last Wayang by L Chan – 5 Stars
Singapore
I loved this one! A tale of monsters and shadows that are alive, told to a grandson by a grandfather. The last line really got me!
Things I Do For Love by Nadia Bulkin – 3 Stars
Indonesia
From curses to seers, this one was so interesting!
On A Wooden Plate, On A Winter’s Night by David Nickle
Canada
I unfortunately missed something here…
Country Boy by Billie Sue Mosiman – 3 Stars
United States
Phew! What a smart kid! This tale was about a town where a murderer was on the loose. When shovels started going missing, a young kid that was a fan of Sherlock books solved the case. But would the adults listen to him?
The Wife Who Didn’t Eat by Thersa Matsuura – 3 Stars
Japan
Creepy! I’m gonna have to do research on this fairy tale!
The Disappeared by Kristine Ong Muslim – 4 Stars
Philippines
A very sad and spooky piece of flash fiction about a river that claims a life once a year.
The Secret Life of the Unclaimed by Suyi Davies Okungbowa – 3 Stars
Nigeria
Oh goodness! This poor teen. What a nightmare! Puberty is rough enough, but add a more unnatural transformation to the mix…
How Alfred Nobel Got His Mojo by Johannes Pinter – 3 Stars
Sweden
What a fun but heartbreaking tale!
Sick Cats in Small Spaces by Kaaron Warren – 3 Stars
Australia
Oh, this was a neat one! I kept waiting for the horror to show, and when it did… wonderful.
Obibi by Dilman Dila – 4 Stars
Uganda
Phew! What a dark and sad start. the chase in the woods was certainly creepy! I loved the shapeshifting element and how this one turned out!
The Nightmare by Rhea Daniel – 4 Stars
India
Interesting! I did not see that ending coming. I really enjoyed this one but I was so nervous for the girl the whole time.
Chemirocha by Charlie Human – 3 Stars
South Africa
What an interesting tale! While this one wasn’t horror focused, there was an underlying unsettling vibe.
Honey by Valya Dudycz Lupescu – 5 Stars
Ukraine
This was definitely one of my favorites from the collection! I really felt for the characters and didn’t want harm to befall either of them. There’s also just something about homes in the middle of the woods that draw me in. Add the setting of this one and the fear around both the radiation from Chernobyl and unseen monsters… this was right up my alley.
Warming: Flammable, See Back Label by Marcia Douglas – 4 Stars
Jamaica
Woah! This one was like a fever dream! I’m not sure what exactly was happening, but it was eerie!
Arlecchino by Carla Negrini – 4 Stars
Italy
Yikes! This poor guy. What a tale! Nothing like being haunted by monsters from childhood…
The Man at Table Nine by Ray Cluley – 4 Stars
England
How odd and creepy!! What a premise.
The Mantle of Flesh by Ashlee Scheuerman- 3 Stars
Australia
A eerie tale of family tradition, lore, and the quest to end a cycle.
The Shadows of Saint Urban by Claudio Foti – 3 Stars
Italy
How spooky! Not a good one if shadows already creep you out. Also, not a brilliant idea to finish the tale and then immediately go into your basement to gather your Spring decorations either…
Warashi’s Grip by Yukimi Ogawa – 4 Stars
Japan
Woah! This tale. I did not see the end coming! So frustrating and sad that it was all tied to selfishness.
The White Monkey by Carlos Orsi – 3 Stars
Brazil
Another tale similar to a fever dream and quite spooky!
The West Wind by David McGroarty – 3 Stars
Scotland
Another sad and spooky one!
My Final Thoughts on A World of Horror
This was such a great collection! I had so much fun picking it up from time to time to read a tale.
I highly recommend this collection to those that love horror, and to those that are just dipping into the genre!
Snag a copy using my Amazon Affiliate link or inquire at your local indie:
Thanks for reading!
I do enjoy horror stories. I’m impressed with the geographical diversity of this anthology. Thanks for sharing your review!
Right?! It’s impressive!!
For an anthology, overall the ratings are pretty high. Happy you could love this one. And I love that it is so international and includes horror writers from all over the world. We need that!
For sure!! I was so pumped when Eric sent this one my way!! <3