The Best Horror of the Year, Volume 1 »

Legendary editor Ellen Datlow, winner of multiple Hugo, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy awards, joins Night Shade Books in presenting the Best Horror of the Year.

Publishers Weekly

After 22 years of pulling the horror content for the now-discontinued Year's Best Fantasy and Horror series, Datlow (Lovecraft Unbound) goes solo with this stellar start to a new “best of” annual. As in the past, her picks confirm that “horror” is a storytelling approach with endlessly inventive possibilities. In E. Michael Lewis's “Cargo,” a haunting Twilight Zone–type tale, an airplane picks up something otherworldly as part of its latest transport. Euan Harvey's creepy “Harry and the Monkey” turns an urban legend into reality. R.B. Russell's “Loup-garou” is a highly original shape-shifter story with a subtle psychological twist, and Daniel LeMoal's “Beach Head” a bracing conte cruel with a Lord of the Flies cast. In addition to the richly varied stories, Datlow provides her usual comprehensive coverage of the year in horror in an introduction that's indispensable reading for horror aficionados. (Dec.)

Summation 2008 Ellen Datlow 1

Cargo E. Michael Lewis 35

If Angels Fight Richard Bowes 47

The Clay Party Steve Duffy 71

Penguins of the Apocalypse William Browning Spencer 87

Esmeralda Glen Hirshberg 109

The Hodag Trent Hergenrader 125

Very Low-Flying Aircraft Nicholas Royle 135

When the Gentlemen Go By Margaret Ronald 145

The Lagerstätte Laird Barron 153

Harry and the Monkey Euan Harvey 177

Dress Circle Miranda Siemienowicz 189

The Rising River Daniel Kaysen 197

Sweeney among the Straight Razors JoSelle Vanderhooft 211

Loup-garou R. B. Russell 213

Girl in Pieces Graham Edwards 221

It Washed Up Joe R. Lansdale 241

The Thirteenth Hell Mike Allen 243

The Goosle Margo Lanagan 245

Beach Head Daniel LeMoal 257

The Man from the Peak Adam Golaski 267

The Narrows Simon Bestwick 279

Honorable Mentions 311

About the Authors 315