The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror
The eighth installment of this annual anthology series is so impressive, it should kindle new hope in the hearts of the most skeptical of horror fans. Maybe the boom-and-bust cycle of the '80s and '90s is finally over. Stephen Jones even says, at the end of his nearly 50-page summary of the horror field in 1996, "I believe that horror fiction is set for a renaissance as the new millennium approaches." As usual,Best New Horrorincludes a hearty sample of writers from the U.K., Australia, and Europe, as well as the U.S. The 24 tales include a dozen or more real winners, only one or two that may not satisfy some readers, and a good range from serious to madcap, quietly creepy to overtly bizarre. Only one story overlaps with Datlow and Windling'sYear's Best Fantasy and Horror 10: Terry Lamsley's "Walking the Dog" (which deserves the exposure). And there's even a last tale, aptly titled "Final Cut," from the late greatKarl Edward Wagner.