HOUSE OF MASTER VYLE: Review: One Buck Horror: Volume Two from One Buck Horror

Monday, August 1, 2011

Review: One Buck Horror: Volume Two from One Buck Horror

Okay, I know I may be sounding like a broken record about now, but once again I'm usually not of fan of anthologies because quite often you get one or two good stories at the most, hemmed in by a lot of literary gristle. However, knowing that there was a second volume of One Buck Horror coming quickly on the heels of the first collection I had high hopes for it considering the quality stories of that volume. Well folks, One Buck Horror: Volume Two did not disappoint Me in the very least.

Volume Two was not only better than Volume One, but it also exceeded my expectations. If you want to see the best in new horror from a new crop of independent authors, then you need to look no further than One Buck Horror! So far on Amazon eight of eight reviews are all five star, and I can only imagine that it is rated just as high elsewhere. Cover to cover this is hands down the best horror anthology I have ever read. It delivers everything I felt that Volume One was lacking, and believe Me it wasn't lacking too much. Like it's predecessor One Buck Horror: Volume Two is a quick and easy read at the right price, and they are stories you will want to read again and again.

Here's a quick look at the stories:

What Swims These Waters by Daniel Ausema
A vacation turns into an exercise in terror as a couple finds themselves at the mercy of small and unseen creatures intent on devouring them alive. I was taken back to My childhood and reminded of that B horror movie classic The Flesh Eaters as I read this short and sweet little story, which was an excellent lead in to the collection. Five stars.

Holes by Sean Logan
A man heads to a bad house in a bad part of town to find his sister. What he finds is a drug den beyond imagination. The partly seen antagonist of this story brought up visions of H.P. Lovecraft mixed with the 456 from Torchwood: Children Of Earth. Five stars.

Beastie by David Bischoff
The middle and without a doubt the best story in the collection, and I'm not just saying that because one of the protagonists is feline. A man is shocked when the family cat brings home something that is surely not a rat or a bird. After seeing the cat with many strange somethings he follows it to the graveyard one night to discover the dead are not resting in peace. Since I set the standards for all My reviews I'm going to go out on a limb and say six stars! I sincerely hope to see much more from Mr. Bischoff in the future!

3 Monkeys by Adam Howe
An orderly at a mental hospital learns a new version of the 3 Monkeys, and it begins to play itself out right before his eyes. Terrifying and true to life, the final moments of this story will really grab you. Five stars.

The Afterlife Of Ellen Easterling by Michael Penkas
Murdered by a serial killer Ellen Easterling spends her days haunting his home as an uncomfortable presence in any way she can make herself be. Serial killers never stop though, and soon she has company. The darkest and most gritty story in the collection makes sure that this anthology ends as evenly as it began. Five stars all the way.

To learn more about One Buck Horror, and the contributors to One Buck Horror Volume Two be sure to visit the One Buck Horror website: www.onebuckhorror.com . Or you can follow One Buck Horror on twitter @OneBuckHorror .