• Home
  • Review Policy
  • Book Reviews
    • Action
    • Fantasy
    • Mystery
    • Non-Fiction
    • Paranormal
    • Romance
    • Science Fiction
    • Young Adult

Silk & Serif

A Book Blog

Review: Seize The Night

October 20, 2015 · Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
Review: Seize The NightSeize the Night: New Tales of Vampiric Terror by Christopher Golden, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Laird Barron, Gary A. Braunbeck, Dana Cameron, Dan Chaon, Lynda Barry, Charlaine Harris, Brian Keene, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Michael Koryta, John Langan, Tim Lebbon, Seanan McGuire, Joe McKinney, Leigh Perry, Robert Shearman, Scott Smith, Lucy A. Snyder, David Wellington, Rio Youers, Kelley Armstrong
Published by Gallery Books on October 6th 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Contemporary, Dystopian, Fiction, General, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller
Pages: 544
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Buy on Amazon, B&N, iBooks, GooglePlay, BAM, Book Depository
Goodreads

A blockbuster anthology of original, blood-curdling vampire fiction from New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors, including Charlaine Harris, whose novels were adapted into HBO’s hit show True Blood, and Scott Smith, publishing his first work since The Ruins.
Before being transformed into romantic heroes and soft, emotional antiheroes, vampires were figures of overwhelming terror. Now, from some of the biggest names in horror and dark fiction, comes this stellar collection of short stories that make vampires frightening once again. Edited by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden and featuring all-new stories from such contributors as Charlaine Harris, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Scott Smith, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Michael Kortya, Kelley Armstrong, Brian Keene, David Wellington, Seanan McGuire, and Tim Lebbon, Seize the Night is old-school vampire fiction at its finest.

Every once in a while I feel it’s a great idea to read an anthology on your favourite genres because it opens you up to not only new authors, but also new ways of looking at a particular story type. Christopher Golden’s Seize The Night definitely delivers a great mix of horror with focus on the vampire legends. We read about insect inspired vampires, classic vampire types and even vampire books utilized by Nazi’s for power. I really enjoyed taking a break from the usual romanticized version of vampires and returning to the base, fear inducing instincts of the mythological creature Vampire.

The twenty one authors of this anthology wrote 544 excellent pages of fear, death and blood that will satisfy every type of horror lover (not just vampire enthusiasts)! I do have to admit that there were a few stories I didn’t understand because they ended prematurely..

UP IN OLD VERMONT by Scott Smith. Ally, a down on her luck waitress, is invited to move in with an elderly couple struggling with the wife’s Alzheimers. The vampires come from unexpected places and pull on Native American legend of the skag to write a chilling account of vampirism in modern America.

THE NEIGHBORS by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I didn’t understand this one. The short story is about some kids spying on the new neighbours. Over the course of this adventure they discover their neighbour’s secret that they very well could kill to keep. I just didn’t think it fit with the anthology at all, but you be the judge.

PAPER CUTS by Gary A. Braunbeck. Probably my favourite from this anthology because it’s so different and features an exciting version of vampirism. The inclusion of Nazi Germany, a young Jew’s struggles in a concentration camp and an ancient entity living in the least expected places makes for a very unique and unexpected read. I’m going to be reading more Braunbeck.

IN A CAVERN, IN A CANYON by Laird Barron. A creepy and frightening take on vampire lore that takes all the classics and adds just enough insect to the tale to give me nightmares for days. A woman struggles years later to understand whether her father walked out on her family or was taken by a sinister creature of the night.

MOTHER by Joe McKinney. Although this one didn’t resonate with me, the execution of Joe, a man on the search for evidence of the existence of the chupacabra, stumbles into a very dangerous and exciting revelation about a small town’s missing children. Hint: It’s not a chupacabra.

BLOOD by Robert Shearman. I didn’t get this tale either; it ended abruptly or was too subtle for my palate. Two lovers travel to Paris, but not all is as it seems between the couple, or the strange experiences they encounter.

SEPARATOR by Rio Youers. Rio’s tale is brutal and unapologetically gruesome. A man travels to the Philippines and comes face to face with the mananangga, a member of the Aswang family. A nice cultural addition to a largely American anthology.

WHAT KEPT YOU SO LONG? by John Ajvide Lindqvist. A trucker catches an interesting STD and learns that sometimes you have no control over your fate. This one isn’t very scary, but it is interesting and rather thought provoking with a clever twist.

In the end, Golden delivered what he promised at the very beginning of the anthology that “once upon a time vampires were figures of terror…And they can be again.”

I honestly had nightmares reading this anthology, which is a first for me, and found the writing samples to be strong and powerful tales that twisted an already frightening lore. I definitely recommended reading Seize The Night as a Halloween novel.

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy horror, frightening tales, anthologies and short stories, gruesome and violent vampires. I would wholeheartedly recommend reading Seize The Night if you are a horror fan or a supporter of real, gritty vampire novels without the romanticism and moral questions.

Complete list of Contributors

Scott Smith (Up in Old Vermont)
Seanan McGuire (Something Lost, Something Gained)
Michael Koryta (On the Dark Side of Sunlight)
Sherrilyn Kenyon (The Neighbors)
Gary A. Braunbeck (Paper Cuts)
Charlain Harris (Miss Fondevant)
Laird Barron (In a Cavern, In a Canyon)
Dana Cameron (Whiskey and Light)
Kelley Armstrong (We Are All Monsters)
Tim Lebbon (May the End Be Good)
Dan Chaon and Lynda Barry (Mrs. Popkin)
Leigh Perry (Direct Report)
John Langan (Shadow and Thirst)
Joe McKinney (Mother)
Robert Shearman (Blood)
Lucy A. Snyder (The Yellow Death)
Brian Keene (The Last Supper)
Rio Youers (Separator)
John Ajvide Lindqvist (What Kept You So Long)
David Wellington (Blue Hell)

About Christopher Golden

Christopher Golden is the #1 New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Snowblind, Tin Men, Of Saints and Shadows, and The Boys Are Back in Town. His novel with Mike Mignola, Baltimore; or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire, was the launching pad for the Eisner Award-nominated comic book series Baltimore. As an editor, he has compiled the short story anthologies The New Dead, The Monster’s Corner, and Dark Duets, among others, and has also written and co-written numerous comic books, video games, and screenplays. Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His original novels have been published in more than fourteen languages in countries around the world.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

About Kelley Armstrong

I’ve been telling stories since before I could write. My earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, mine would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to my teachers’ dismay. All efforts to make me produce “normal” stories failed. Today, I continue to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in my basement writing dungeon.

Website | Goodreads

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Related Posts
  • By Brian Keene
  • Same Genre
  • 5 Star Books
Halloweek Reading to Seize the Night
Review: TAG
Review: Heat of the Moment
Review: The Black Tongue
Being Alone on The Holidays: It’s Okay!
Halloweek Reading to Seize the Night
Review: Adrift
Review: The Bourbon Kings
Review: TAG
Review: Hag-Seed
Review: The Drifter
Review: Beyond the Red
Review: The Twilight Wife
Review: Future Shock
Review: Bones Inside and Out
Review: Scarlet

Filed Under: Adventure, Anthology, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Reviews, Thriller, Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Welcome!

Welcome to Silk & Serif! A blog dedicated to Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance and a dash of non-fiction. Great books celebrated by an avid literary community resident. Read More…

  • 307
  • 162
January 2021
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Nov    

Currently Reading

Microbes: The Life-Changing Story of Germs Microbes: The Life-Changing Story of Germs by Phillip K. Peterson
First to Burn (Immortal Vikings, #1) First to Burn (Immortal Vikings, #1) by Anna Richland
Inkheart (Inkworld, #1) Inkheart (Inkworld, #1) by Cornelia Funke
Visit my shelf on Goodreads

Reviews by Rating

★★★★★
Review: Bones Inside and Out
Review: The Ship Beyond Time
Review: The Twilight Wife
Review: Future Shock
Review: Beyond the Red
Review: Seize The Night
Review: Scarlet

★★★★½
Review: The Doors of Eden
Review: Adrift
Review: Little Heaven
Review: Every Hidden Thing
Review: A Time of Torment
Review: The Summit
Review: Hell Divers
Review: The Hatching
Review: Dan vs. Nature
Review: With Malice
Review: The Great Hunt
Giveaway/Review: The Incredible Star Portal
Review: Crooked Little Lies
Review: Cowgrrl Up: Live
Review: Cinder
Review: Readers of The Broken Wheel Recommend
Review: In The Air Tonight
Review: Emergence: Dave vs. the Monsters
Review: Undertow – Michael Buckley

★★★★
Review: Magic for Liars
Review: Ninth House
Review: Future Threat
Review: The Drifter
Review: Last Day on Mars
Review: The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine
Review: Tridents Forge
Review: The Immortals
Tour: His Country Bride
Review: Sutherland’s Secret
Tour/Review: The Aftermath
Review: Jackaby
Review: Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things
Review: While You Were Gone
Review: Manwhore
Review/Tour: Unforgiven
Review: How to Clone a Mammoth

★★★½
Review: The Rush’s Edge
Review: Cataclysm
Review: Addicted to the Duke
Review: Tell The Wind and Fire
Review: The Girl from Everywhere
Review: MemoRandom
Review: Depraved Heart
Dave vs The Monsters: Ascendance
Review: MARTians
Review: Santa 356
Review: BIGLAW
Review: Immunity
Review: Shattered Blue
Review: The Thirteenth World
Review: Death on Ibiza
Review: The Bourbon Kings
Review: Smoke on The Water
Review: Never Cry Wolf
Review: Heat of the Moment
Review: The Corridor
Review: Chaos and Moonlight
Review: Great Zoo of China – Matthew Reilly

★★★
Review: The Birthday Boys
Review: Chasing Shadows
Review: Long May She Reign
Review: Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis
Review: Night Watch
Review: The Book of The Unnamed Midwife
Review: Wolves
Review: Freenet
Review: A Whisper of Desire
Review: Nirvana
Review: The Morning After Memoirs
Tour/Review: The Sweet Spot
Review: The Black Tongue
Blog Tour/Review: When The Stars Align
Review: Resistance – Dave vs The Monsters #2
Review: Lumière
Review: The Worst of Times
Review: Ever Near
Review: Wishing Cross Station
Review: TAG
Review: Moonkind
Book Blast/Review: Deal With The Devil
Review: Finches of Mars

★★½
Review: Bats
Review: Machinations
Review: The Anthrax Protocol
Review: Wishes for Christmas
Review: Girl’s Guide to The Apocalypse
Review: Peak

★★
Review: Always Happy Hour
Review: The Long, Long Life of Trees
Review: Stranger King
Review: To Catch a Lady
Re-Review: Nirvana

★½

★

½

Blogroll

Bedtime BookwormKelsey's Cluttered BookshelfThe Book Addict's Guide

Theme Design By Studio Mommy · Copyright © 2021

Copyright © 2021 · Hailey Wells Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.