The Half That You See Edited by Rebecca Rowland

 

“Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.”
-The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether by Edgar Allan Poe (1845)

Poe’s classic tale told of a state of the art hospital boasting a curiously experimental treatment, but things were not as they seemed. In The Half That You See, twenty-six writers from around the globe share their literary optical illusions in never before seen stories of portentous visions and haunting memories, altered consciousness and virulent nightmares, disordered thinking and descents into madness. Take a walk down the paths of perception that these dark fiction raconteurs have tunneled for you, but keep a tight grip on your flashlight: the course twists and turns, and once you’re on route to your destination, there is no turning back. That which creeps about in the poorly lit corners of the human mind has teeth, and it’s waiting for you.

Well crafted stories of grief and loss, love and heartbreak, marital discord, freak accidents, murderers and more. All of the stories veer off what appears to be their expected path to morph into something dark and unusual. If The Twilight Zone and Tales of the Unexpected had a baby then The Half That You See would be their offspring. There are so many wondrous tales inside but I will just touch on a few of my favorites.

 Winnebago Indian Motorhome By Tonka written by Eddie Generous In which a man replaces a much beloved childhood toy that had been lost to a fire. Of course this replacement is not quite as innocent as the one he possessed all those years ago.

Prisoner by T.M. Starnes Finds poor Virginia, kidnapped and imprisoned below ground with no food or water as the approaching wolves howl ever closer.

Falling Asleep In The Rain by Robert P. Ottone is a sad and twisted tale of the memories that haunt poor lonely Clay who is always alone, even in a crowd.

Imaginary Friends by Nicole Wolverton I've just always had a thing for stories that involve creepy little kids. Kids are scary anyway aren't they? 

Safe as Houses by Alex Giannini Gets extra points from me for starting on an  unseasonably warm Halloween afternoon as Carrie and Will's marriage begins to crumble.

Cauterization by Mack Moyer is a story of sex and drugs and regret that is both heartbreaking and horrifying.

Elsewhere By Bill Davidson  is a story about a man who would just like some peace and quiet and alone time. Wouldn't we all? Colin may have found his bliss.. elsewhere

Old Times by Mark Towse is a story of overcoming addiction... and being overcome by addiction.

Raven O' Clock by Holly Cornetto Reminds me of the old adage you sleep in the bed you make. Poor Jeff has lost his way and is seeking comfort he may not be worthy of. Sometimes you need to accept your consequences, learn from them and be a better person... or else.

Officer Baby Boy Blue by Douglas Ford was a creepy story that begins when a boy is in the emergency room and makes the acquaintance of a less than comforting police officer.

There are many more stories contained in this book. These are but a few of my favorites. I would recommend this anthology to all lovers of horror and dark fiction.

I received an advance copy for review.

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