Prime Evil: New Stories by the Masters of Modern Horror Book

Winter has put together a classy collection of original horror stories by some of the biggest names in the fieldreminiscent in intent and quality of Dennis Etchison's anthology of two years ago, Cutting Edge. The lead story, "The Night Flier," is by Stephen King but is one of the weakest in the book, a vampire tale with a long windup and a brief punch. "Having a Woman at Lunch" by Paul Hazel is a carefully written, ironic account of a group of diffident males who find a macabre way of dealing with a woman who infiltrates their circle. Clive Barker's "Coming to Grief" is one of this writer's quieter stories, which clearly shows the influence of Ramsey Campbell, himself represented by "Next Time You'll Know Me," about a homicidal paranoic for whom it is difficult not to feel sorry. "Food" by Thomas Tessier tells of an obese woman undergoing a metamorphosis and the unfortunate man who loves her. Other excellent contributions are by M. John Harrison, Peter Straub and Whitley Strieber.Read More