Overview
Beyond Your Darkest Dreams--From the deceptive safety of your very own bed to the seeming stillness of country roads and the bustle of urban streets, your darkest realities reveal themselves as you enter hidden realms, crossing the threshold into one man's tortured mind--a mind haunted by the mocking, derisive voices of his youth. . . Quench your insatiable thirst for terror at a bar where the drinks are abominable and the patrons never leave. Relive the infamous, harrowing Middle Passage that brought millions of African slaves to America, but this time with a spellbinding twist. . .
Lie Your Deepest Fears. . .
From scenes of pulsating ecstasy to unspeakable tragedy, surrender yourself to a world inhabited by bizarre sex cults and violent gangs. Meet the malevolent entities that feed on human misery in the midst of a hurricane's wrath. Endure a sweltering summer on a swamp inhabited by mischievous spirits intent on possessing the most innocent within their slimy grasp. Submit to the tantalizing temptation and the irresistible pull of the unknown in eighteen stories that will illuminate the horrors within--and without. And whatever you do, don't turn off the lights. . .
"Showcases the best in horror and suspense by noted African American writers." --Library Journal on Dark Dreams
"Funny. . .horrifying. . .the end is always unexpected. . .a book worth reading if you like looking over your shoulder or peering into dark corners." --The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers on Voices from The Other Side: Dark Dreams II
"Strong. . .a volume whose universal human themes will resonate with many readers." --Publishers Weekly on Dark Dreams
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
African-American horror writer and editor Massey has another slam dunk with his third Dark Dreams anthology (after 2006's Voices from the Other Side). Outstanding stories by returning contributors include Tananarive Due's "Summer," exploring a toddler's eerie possession; Robert Fleming's "The Wasp," a heartbreaking portrait of an abused wife; Chesya Burke's "My Sister's Keeper," examining a sister's terrifying choice; and the best of the bunch, Terence Taylor's brilliant discussion of racism, friendship and Hurricane Katrina in "WET PAIN." Bright newcomers' tales include Lexi Davis's hilarious cautionary tale about bad brothas, "Are You My Daddy?"; Randy Walker's obsessive-compulsive "To Get Bread and Butter"; and Tenea Johnson's provocative meditation on revenge, "The Taken." In Massey's introduction, he hopes someday "any black writer can pen a tale of horror and suspense... without being likened to being merely a black version of a white author, without being viewed with suspicion or even fear." In the meantime, this excellent series continues to fill a now shrinking void. (July)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationLibrary Journal
In his introduction to this, the third installation to the "Dark Dreams" series, editor Massey expresses his wish to see a literary landscape in which he and his fellow black writers can gain respect in the horror genre. "The only way for us to achieve it," he writes, "is to deliver stories that challenge, thrill, educate, entertain, and delight readers." Massey and the nearly 20 African American writers who contributed to this anthology certainly delivered on their end of that bargain. These tales cover a wide range of themes, styles, and topics. There's a stark tale of a gathering of lost souls at a desert tavern, explorations of the psychic torment family members are capable of inflicting upon one another, and the strangely satisfying spectacle of a Katie Couric stand-in being devoured by zombies live on national television. Massey evidently suffered no shortage of work from which to choose, as the collected stories are mostly quite good. In addition to including many tales that are simply good reads, the collection also includes a few stories that benefit remarkably from their authors' cultural perspective. Terence Taylor's excellent story, "Wet Pain," for example, deals with the lingering racial wounds of the Old South and our culture's sometimes superficial salves for them. Recommended for horror, African American fiction, and short story collections.
—Fred Baerkircher