Review: GOTHIC!
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 25, 2012
Positives: Hall goes back to the Gothic origins of horror for this short story collection. There is very little violence and gore, but instead he relies on tension, atmosphere, and the unknown to build the fear factor. His stories stray off the beaten path, featuring monsters and ghouls from the world around us instead of the fantastical. His look at war and starvation in World War II Russia, "Valenchenko in the Dead City," was particularly disturbing and the standout story here.Negatives: His stories are not paced well. The first, "Secrets Beneath," seemed far longer than its actual 16 pages. "Dirt Don't Hurt" just got started and suddenly it was over, leaving me disappointed with the lack of narrative development. Many of the monsters started to sound and feel the same.Summary: This collection is uneven. Three stars for the high quality stories, but more from Hall could become repetitious if he's not careful.