Fear Itself

Rating:
Summary: FACE YOUR FEAR
Review: THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF 21 SHORT HORROR STORIES. WHAT'S THE KICK? THE STORIES ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT EACH AUTHOR'S PERSONAL FEAR OF SOMETHING. THIS MEANS LESS MONSTERS AND BOOGEYMEN AND MORE EVERYDAY TERRORS. THE CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE GRAHAM MASTERTON, REX MILLER, JEFF GELB (DOUBLING AS EDITOR), MICHAEL GARRETT, JACK KETCHUM, NANCY A. COLLINS, AND JOYCE CAROL OATES. HAVING READ MANY OF THESE AUTHORS' SHORT STORIES ELSEWHERE (NOTABLY IN GELB AND GARRETT'S HOT BLOOD SERIES), I USED THE OUT OF PRINT SEARCH TO FIND THIS BOOK AFTER READING IT'S SYNOPSIS. I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT FOR THE MASTERTON AND MILLER STORIES ALONE. TO TOP IT OFF, THE TALES THEMSELVES ARE FOLLOWED BY 12 PAGES OF STORY BACKROUNDS AND A 6 PAGE AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY SECTION. WHILE NOT A PART OF GELB'S HOT BLOOD OR SHOCK ROCK SERIES, THIS BOOK IS A NICE ADDITION TO ROUND OUT MY COLLECTION OF THOSE BOOKS AND OF THESE WRITERS' WORKS. IF YOU LIKE THESE AUTHORS, MAKE THE EFFORT TO FIND THIS BOOK AS I DID. WHO KNOWS, MAYBE IT'LL HELP YOU FACE ONE OF YOUR FEARS.