Leavings

Rating:
Summary: Morbid fantasy, not horror
Review: "Leavings" won the 1997 Bram Stoker Award. Instead of producing horror of the ghost-ghoul-goblin variety (although there is one vampire who preys only on her own blood-relatives), P.D. Cacek has tapped into a morbid, 'magical reality' for her stories. Two of her characters are dying of cancer and their loved ones can't let them go. A boutique shop owner and her employee try to cope with the death of a beautiful doll. An old woman protects her favorite grandchild from her dying husband's 'leavings'.

Merlin, a unicorn, and a gargoyle make an appearance in three of the stories, but for the most part, Cacek ignores the usual fantasy stereotypes and concentrates on twisting an ordinary life off-center, especially in the presence of death.

The blurb on the back cover states, "Not since Rod Serling terrified an entire generation with his 'Twilight Zone' series has anyone tapped into the well of fear that exists inside the human soul the way P.D. Cacek does..."

That's coming on a bit strong. Cacek didn't tap into my 'well of fear'. I don't think she meant to. 'Terrifying' is not the adjective I'd use to describe any of the stories in "Leavings". They are morbid, occasionally obsessive, sometimes humorous stories with dead-on characterizations (my favorite is the boyfriend from hell in "Heart of Stone").

"Ancient One" comes closest to terror, but the monster under the crib is telegraphed way in advance of its actual appearance.

"Under the Haystack" may have a ghost, but it is really the story of a woman who loses her unborn child.

"Leavings" has many good stories, misleadingly advertised.

Rating:
Summary: Morbid fantasy, not horror
Review: "Leavings" won the 1997 Bram Stoker Award. Instead of producing horror of the ghost-ghoul-goblin variety (although there is one vampire who preys only on her own blood-relatives), P.D. Cacek has tapped into a morbid, 'magical reality' for her stories. Two of her characters are dying of cancer and their loved ones can't let them go. A boutique shop owner and her employee try to cope with the death of a beautiful doll. An old woman protects her favorite grandchild from her dying husband's 'leavings'.

Merlin, a unicorn, and a gargoyle make an appearance in three of the stories, but for the most part, Cacek ignores the usual fantasy stereotypes and concentrates on twisting an ordinary life off-center, especially in the presence of death.

The blurb on the back cover states, "Not since Rod Serling terrified an entire generation with his 'Twilight Zone' series has anyone tapped into the well of fear that exists inside the human soul the way P.D. Cacek does..."

That's coming on a bit strong. Cacek didn't tap into my 'well of fear'. I don't think she meant to. 'Terrifying' is not the adjective I'd use to describe any of the stories in "Leavings". They are morbid, occasionally obsessive, sometimes humorous stories with dead-on characterizations (my favorite is the boyfriend from hell in "Heart of Stone").

"Ancient One" comes closest to terror, but the monster under the crib is telegraphed way in advance of its actual appearance.

"Under the Haystack" may have a ghost, but it is really the story of a woman who loses her unborn child.

"Leavings" has many good stories, misleadingly advertised.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful Treasure!
Review: I bought this book because I love horror and the supernatural and it was priced right. I've never heard of Cacek, and I was totally stunned by her wonderful short stories. She is truly a treasure of a writer! My goodness, this woman should be right up there with the best of horror/supernatural authors. Her stories grab you and hold you in as each story unravels. I will have to agree with the previous review by Stephen King - this is some of the best short stories I have ever had the pleasure to read! As you can tell I can't say enough about this book - I only hope I can fine tune my craft as well as P.D. Cacek has done.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful Treasure!
Review: I bought this book because I love horror and the supernatural and it was priced right. I've never heard of Cacek, and I was totally stunned by her wonderful short stories. She is truly a treasure of a writer! My goodness, this woman should be right up there with the best of horror/supernatural authors. Her stories grab you and hold you in as each story unravels. I will have to agree with the previous review by Stephen King - this is some of the best short stories I have ever had the pleasure to read! As you can tell I can't say enough about this book - I only hope I can fine tune my craft as well as P.D. Cacek has done.

Rating:
Summary: Stunning.
Review: One of the best short story collections by one author I have ever had the pleasure to read. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down. It is refreshing to see a new writer who can scare without being a splatterpunk or having to throw in erotica and excessive foul language for effect. Cacek is the Jerry Seinfeld of horror.

Rating:
Summary: Stunning.
Review: One of the best short story collections by one author I have ever had the pleasure to read. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down. It is refreshing to see a new writer who can scare without being a splatterpunk or having to throw in erotica and excessive foul language for effect. Cacek is the Jerry Seinfeld of horror.