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Howls From the Dark Ages: An Anthology of Medieval Horror by [Christopher Buehlman, Brian Evenson, Hailey Piper, Cody Goodfellow, Patrick Barb, Christopher O'Halloran, C.B. Jones, P.L. McMillan, Solomon Forse]

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Patrick Barb

P.L. McMillan

Howls From the Dark Ages: An Anthology of Medieval Horror Kindle Edition

by Christopher Buehlman (Author, Foreword), Brian Evenson (Author), Hailey Piper (Author), Format: Kindle Edition

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Uncover the secret annals of untold history in these eighteen medieval manuscripts. Each tortured scribe will bring you face to face with ancient horrors lurking in cursed castles, wild woodlands, haunted hamlets, and mysterious monasteries.

Including a lineup of authors both established and emerging, HOWL Society Press presents the first-ever anthology of historical horror from the medieval period, fittingly introduced by the writer who arguably started it all: Christopher Buehlman, author of the medieval horror epic Between Two Fires.

"The Crowing" by Caleb Stephens

"Angelus" by Philippa Evans

"Palette" by J.L. Kiefer

"Brother Cornelius" by Peter Ong Cook

"In Thrall to This Good Earth" by Hailey Piper

"In Every Drop" by Lindsey Ragsdale

"Deus Vult" by Ethan Yoder

"The Final Book of Sainte Foy's Miracles" by M.E. Bronstein

"A Dowry for Your Hand" by Michelle Tang

"The Mouth of Hell" by Cody Goodfellow

"The Lady of Leer Castle" by Christopher O'Halloran

"Schizzare" by Bridget D. Brave

"The King of Youth vs. The Knight of Death" by Patrick Barb

"The Forgotten Valley" by C.B. Jones

"The Fourth Scene" by Brian Evenson

"White Owl" by Stevie Edwards

"A Dark Quadrivium" by David Worn

"The Lai of the Danse Macabre" by Jessica Peter

Print length

340 pages
Language

English
Publication date

May 12, 2022
File size

9023 KB
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Christopher Buehlman
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P.L. McMillan
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Christopher Buehlman
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09X23S42F
Publisher ‏ : ‎ HOWL Society Press LLC (May 12, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 12, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 9023 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 340 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #57,823 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #47 in Horror Anthologies (Kindle Store)
- #69 in Horror Anthologies (Books)
- #205 in Fiction Anthologies

Customer Reviews:
92 ratings

About the authors

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Patrick Barb
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PATRICK BARB is a freelance writer and editor from the southern United States, currently living (and trying not to freeze to death) in Saint Paul, Minnesota. His horror fiction has appeared in HOME (Ghost Orchid Press), SHIVER, HOOKMAN AND FRIENDS (DBND Publishing), and ACROSS THE UNIVERSE: TALES OF ALTERNATIVE BEATLES (Fantastic Books). He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association.
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P.L. McMillan
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P.L. McMillan writes dark stories and loves cosmic and gothic horror in particular. Her works have been published in Sanitarium, Hinnom Magazine, Fundead Publications, among others.
To her, every shadow is an entry way to a deeper look into the black heart of the world and every night she rides with the mocking and friendly ghouls on the night-wind, bringing back dark stories to share with those brave enough to read them.
"Someone suggested to me that McMillan might be one of the next great cosmic horror writers and if [The Space Between] is a good indication of her talent and imagination, I’d say they could well be correct." – The Miskatonic Review
Check out her website at www.plmcmillan.com
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Caleb Stephens
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Caleb Stephens is a dark fiction author writing from somewhere deep in the Colorado mountains. His short stories have appeared in multiple publications and podcasts, including Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, Tales to Terrify, MetaStellar, The Dread Machine, Nocturnal Transmissions, and more. His story “The Wallpaper Man” was adapted to film by Falconer Film & Media. You can join his newsletter and learn more at www.calebstephensauthor.com and follow him on Twitter @cstephensauthor.
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dk.gould

fun, dark and varied

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2022

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Loved this anthology, there are so many great pieces in it! It’s very atmospheric and the stories are so different that every horror fan is bound to find one or several to fit their tastes. The art was a nice surprise bonus— it made the whole thing feel like a grown- up version of scary stories to tell in the dark.

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Evelyn

Best Anthology of 2022

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2022

This is an outstanding anthology. Every single story was wonderfully rendered. At one point, I gave up on commenting about the writing because all of the stories in this anthology are beautifully written. This is an anthology full of epic action and adventure, fantasy, and - yes - horror! Whether you love body horror, cosmic horror, or creeping ghost stories, there's something in here for you. I loved how the editors included an anthology narrator, it made the flow of reading one story after another so smooth it was addictive. This is one that's difficult to put down once it's opened and will offer every reader something that will stick with them long after the final page.

The Crowing by Caleb Stephens - Ronyan was a princess kidnapped as a girl by the Old Crows - witches who hunt the children of Carcassonne in secret, concealed by magic. Now that she's turning 18, the day has come for her crowing. Her only chance to save herself is to follow the instructions of another magical creature, the Otherling. A fantastic opening story full of fantasy and action, yet stewing in deeper elements of humanity: family, betrayal and otherness. The voice in this is a gut punch from the opening line, the prose lush and full of beautiful images and turns of phrases. I loved the worldbuilding and was left wanting more of these characters and this world.

Angelus by Philippa Evans - When a young girl is accused of witchcraft and burned at the pyre, Father Adelard is changed. When he asks his mentee, Elias, to help him craft a new bell for the abbey, Elias cannot know Adelard's true intent. As always, Evans' writing stuns. From the first to last sentence, she exhibits such command. Truly, words fail to praise her use of language. Her writing must simply be experienced. A fabulous story exploring injustice, magic in religion, and fear of god.

Palette by J.L. Kiefer - A weaver obsessed with maintaining her beauty uses all the ingredients she can get her hands on (namely, toxic ones) in order to do so. Great body horror about beauty, self-objectification, and self-mutilation. I love the way Keifer wove themes that matter today (the protagonist's obsession with self-mutilation echoes today's obsession with plastic surgery) with elements of the period.

Brother Cornelius by Peter Ong Cook - A pair of monks in training discover a hidden room where a decrepit prior writes in a book and suspect the monastery is involved in necromancy. This story was the perfect blend of horror and satire. Ronald and Kevin reminded me a bit of Tim Roth and Gary Oldman in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. And the trumpet. I love when authors go for it and Cook certainly did.

In Thrall to This Good Earth by Hailey Piper - Three bounty hunters seek to fulfill a baron's call for the head of the ghost who howls outside his castle at night. A beautifully written story about the power of desire. There were so many lines I highlighted in this piece, Piper's prose really shines. The mystery was perfectly structured, the climax jarring and eerie, and the atmosphere so rich.

In Every Drop by Lindsey Ragsdale - Widow and single mother, Akna fights for her and her daughter, Izel's survival as draught and a mysterious monster terrorize their village. Another beautifully written story offering a different flavor of the dark ages - this one centered in a non-European setting (I think somewhere in Latin America), which I adored. A story about sacrifice, motherhood, and love.

Deus Vult by Ethan Yoder- A knight returning home from the crusades is abandoned by his horse and seeks refuge in a village where the only aid is from a bishop living in a secluded castle. I loved this take on a knight haunted by war and its atrocities. The ending mystified me a little, I think it could have been elaborated upon a bit more, but I loved the surrealist feeling of the horror and the writing was lush.

The Final Book of Sainte Foy's Miracles by M.E. Bronstein - A boy travels with his abusive, vagabond father to thank the Sainte Foy for freeing the father from prison and becomes an apprehensive convert to the child saint after she answers his prayer. I absolutely adored this story. The history of Sainte Foy, a child turned saint after refusing to renounce her faith, was fascinating and, delightfully, accurate! I love historical fiction, so the way real history was incorporated into this story was fantastic. The way the author explored a child's nature - mischievous and fickle - and created horror by infusing that nature into a saintly spirit with real, tangible powers was brilliant.

A Dowry For Your Hand by Michelle Tang - Lu Xian and his parents are meeting his proposed betrothed Ming Li and her parents to discuss the dowry, but Lu Xian is haunted by his past love affair. I thought this was slow to start, but once it got going, it didn't hold back. The ending reveal also tied the opening in beautifully, which made me appreciate everything Tang set up in those first pages. The writing and body horror were top notch. This was another one set in a non-European dark age, which I again loved. Fantastically done.

The Mouth of Hell by Cody Goodfellow - A page enters hell to save his wrongfully condemned master knight. Boom. I mean a page traversing hell? Yes, please! The pacing here was fantastic. It starts with a bang and is full throttle the entire ride. There was a ton of fun horror and fantasy elements. It felt reminiscent to the Inferno, which I loved. An examination of humanity, religion, and the ways in which man creates god, the devil, heaven and hell.

Lady of Leer Castle by Christopher O'Halloran - Set in Ireland, the Canain and mercenary MacMahon clans celebrate their victorious return from battle defending Ireland. The brother of the Canain's chief, Domnall, plans to run off with his soldier lover, Breccan, but greater forces out of their control have ulterior plans for them. I really connected with this one. First, I loved the representation in this. Domnall and Breccan were so sweet and, I thought, wonderfully portrayed. I also loved the thematic exploration. The idea of evil seeming to bloom in the world around us feels sadly relevant today. Domnall asks himself a question that I think many have been asking themselves for the past several years: "Was it always like this and we've only begun to notice?" The answer O'Halloran gives was *chef's kiss*. Fabulously done.

Schizzare by Bridget D. Brave - Pietro is a brother in a monastery secretly in love with fellow brother Antoni. When mysterious mushrooms appear to him in a tome, he believes they hold the key to his and Antoni's future. I loved the way the romance in this unfolded. The ending was perfectly tragic and echoed the classic romantic tragedies of bygone eras. Also loved the question of Pietro's mental state this created.

The King of Youth vs. The Knight of Death by Patrick Barb - A child crowned King of Youth during Carnival goes mad with power and rallies the other children of the city to seize the castle, leading to a standoff between them and the adults of the city. This felt like a medieval, epic take on Lord of the Flies, which I loved. It was an action packed thrill ride. Fun, gruesome, and twisty. My kind of story!

The Forgotten Valley by C.B. Jones - When Tsaleah loses her lover to the beautiful Nova, she goes in search of a legendary spear that will grant her desire. A story about the time-old truth, we desire that which we cannot have most. I loved the setting (indigenous, I believe) and the influence it had on the gorgeous storytelling with the legend that was included. There were several lines I highlighted. This was another epic-feeling story and I loved the turn in the last quarter of the story.

The Fourth Scene by Brian Evenson - A mysterious tapestry with a missing scene appears to a king who sends a knight to retrieve the fourth scene. This story about self-fulfilling prophecies and what is passed on between generations is beautifully contained while at the same time having far reaching implications into reality itself. The mystery, world building and efficiency of language were all fantastic. Simply masterful.

White Owl by Stevie Edwards - A fairytale about a murderous witch and two friends whose fate become entwined with her. I loved everything about this: the writing, the characters and their arcs, the ending. A story about women, friendship, and the ways women find to survive--life, marriage, disappointments. I will never tire of examinations of women's treatment and roles in historical periods, both inside and outside the home.

A Dark Quadrivium by David Worn - A scholar translates the text of a heretic only to discover the heretic might be right, the Good God isn't the creator of this world. I loved the disturbing proposition this story makes and the gruesome turns it takes. It was also full of fun references for any history buffs. Once the climax got going, it was full throttle. Perfect for cosmic horror and gore lovers alike.

The Lai of the Danse Macabre by Jessica Peter - Camille is troubled by visions of revelations, the end times. Declared blessed with a holy gift, she submits to voluntary immurement. Written in poetic octameter, this rhyming epic poem felt like something that very well could have been written in the dark ages. I loved that Peter didn't hold back with the horror, gore, and creepy images that seared my brain. I'm not very well versed in poetry, but I loved this. The writing was crisp, the story clear, with a familiar structure. Accessible even for people like me who only dabble in poetry.

19 people found this helpful

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MagistraK

Meh

Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2022

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Yes, I read the whole thing even the afterwards, author and artist bios, because I was hoping for some of what the title promised: Horror. The premise of a museum with stories about the objects was nice, if cliched. This could have been good. Instead the stories fall far short of horror and read more like earnest high school students' attempts to show how clever and edgy they are. If you're bored and have nothing else available, go ahead. Otherwise, don't waste your time.

One person found this helpful

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George Daniel Cooke

Meh

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2022

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The stories are just okay. Kind of repetitive and tedious at many points. There are better options out there. Shame, because I love the theme.

One person found this helpful

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Jaybyrd

woke and stupid

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2022

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Instead of entertainment, it was just one virtue signaling ‘story’ after another. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Barely anything worth reading.

3 people found this helpful

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MichaelParrish

Middle Ages horror - a new devotee

Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley but it has not affected my review of the contents.

I'm on record as a fan of horror, fantasy, and Middle Ages history, so this seemed like an easy-A from me, but I still went in skeptical. I'd seen the blurb that this was in the vein of Christopher Buehlman's Between Two Fires, yet I hadn't gotten to that book of his yet (that blasted TBR pile is huge!), though I'd read his other works. I was so relieved as I traversed the pages inside this book to find that it was beyond my hopes in its delivery. Each tale was evocative and unique from anything I'd read previous.

Each tales of the 18 included nailed an atmosphere of realism in the settings - ancient castles, misty villages, several non-"traditional European" medieval locales - along with a spot on sense of dread as the tales unfolded. I hadn't read anything like this beforehand, and I didn't know what a void I'd had in my library to-date. I'd quite like to see more of this.

Standouts from the book for me were: The Crowing, Angelus, Brother Cornelius, In Every Drop, The Mouth of Hell, and The Final Book of Sainte Foy's Miracles. But it's important to note that every tale delivered on its promise, these just led the pack. The one exception for me - and this is just a personal preference, as I've never been a fan of poetry - was the story "The Lai of the Danse Macabre" (written in octameter). A bit of a plonk as it was the sole break from standard prose, but still managed to stick the landing.

This book was such a breath of fresh air as a new genre (to me) and so well done that I consider myself a new devotee, and I'll look for more like it, and not only from these editors/authors.

Grade: A

4 people found this helpful

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featherlashes

Medieval Horror Anthology - 18 Short Stories

Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2022

Medieval horror at its finest! Howls of the Dark Ages is an eclectic collection of nightmarish creativity all set in that long ago barbaric time. The setting and theme go together like peanut butter and jelly… or maybe crossbows and projectiles. Seasoned writer and performer, Christopher Buehlman starts the reader's journey with an excellent foreword, then proceeds to offer a brief but theatrical intermission between each of the 18 short stories. All of these tales are good and the few that stand out will vary for each reader which is why I love anthologies so much. Everyone has their favorites, and we all leave the reading experience with exposure to new talent. Enjoy!

6 people found this helpful

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Anew

Medieval Horror!!

Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2022

Howls from the Dark Ages offers a visceral assortment of medieval horror and dark fantasy stories from eighteen passionate new and established authors. I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology, which read like a gruesome sequel to The Canterbury Tales! Some top favorites were the stories from Brian Evenson, C.B. Jones, and Jenny Kiefer.

8 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

V. O'Regan

Terrific collection of medieval horror tales

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2022

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“Welcome, Dear Visitor, to my humble little museum of medieval oddities. I am the Curator. Care to join me for a little spin through these echoing halls? I have such sights to show you, if only you think you’re brave enough. Follow me—but be mindful not to leave the lighted path. I cannot guarantee your safety should you stray into the shadows.”

‘Howls From the Dark Ages: An Anthology of Medieval Horror’ is a collection of historical horror stories published by the HOWL Society (Horror-Obsessed Writing and Literature Society).

The anthology is edited by P.L. McMillan and Solomon Forse with a Foreword by Christopher Buehlman.

As the publishers describe it: ‘Uncover the secret annals of untold history in these eighteen medieval manuscripts. Each tortured scribe will bring you face to face with ancient horrors lurking in cursed castles, wild woodlands, haunted hamlets, and mysterious monasteries.’

I appreciated Christopher Buehlman foreword titled: ‘Writing Medieval Horror Fiction for Fun and … Well, Mainly for Fun’. He writes of the painstaking research he undertakes in order to get the small details about a culture, landscape, architecture, and the like historically accurate. He also writes of the importance of religion and the perceived reality of demons and Hell to those living during those times.

While these issues might not matter to all readers they are important to me as when reading historical fiction of whatever sub genre I seek an immersive experience and don’t like my attention being pulled away by glaring anachronisms.

It did seem that the editors approached the anthology in this spirit and curated this collection accordingly. They have structured each story as part of a tour with a Curator providing a short introduction to each tale along with an illustration of a corresponding artefact. I felt that it gave the anthology a sense of flow as well as introduced a touch of humour into the darkness.

As with any collection of stories there were ones that stood out more than others for me. Still, they all provided a consistent level of writing and excellent storytelling that held my attention throughout.

I will admit that I did find the degree of body horror in some tales rather strong for my taste, though I continued reading. I had to wonder if those contributors were seeking to outdo one another in producing the grossest scenes? Certainly memorable!

I loved the way the anthology was presented with striking cover art that set the stage for the contents. The book was rounded off with short biographies for each contributor, including the artists. Each was accompanied by a cartoon portrait with the subject dressed in medieval garb.

I would definitely recommend ‘Howls From the Dark Ages’ to all readers of horror fiction.

Kindle Customer

Enchanting tales of medieval horror

Reviewed in Canada on May 27, 2022

Verified Purchase

This volume contains numerous well-written and well-edited tales during the European Middle ages, though I think at least one was not set in Europe, and perhaps one was set in the Dark Ages.

Thematically, the stories fit well together. The editing was superior to what I usually find at this price point. There might have been one or two subtle plot holes. In general, all the tales transported me to strange settings. And the last entry was a rhymimg tale that drew me in. That was the first piece of long-poetry I have completed, let alone enjoyed, in decades.

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