WHITE DWARF BOOKSTORE VISIT!
MAIL BAG - WHITE DWARF BOOKS
Upon recommendation this weekend I went and checked out White Dwarf Books. This is a bookstore dedicated to pure sci-fi and fantasy books. And wow it did not disappoint. Twisty aisles filled with books and no real sense of organization. But in the best way. I spent ages in there digging through for horror books. I also picked up some fantasy for myself. BUT - I'm here to share my book haul for the horror side of things.
The selection was incredible, the staff were super friendly, and each book was around $8.
Check it out!
FEAR ITSELF
I'm obsessed with horror short story collections. It started with Stephen King's collections and then expanded. I love finding new horror authors this way and also finding truly terrifying tales. Fear Itself is a collection with 21 masters of horror included.
"A true master of horror can take any subject and frighten readers out of their wits. But what terrors strike these writers themselves? The one fear that wakes them sweating in the middle of the night, liberating all of the buried insecurities of their childhood, making them feel lost and alone in a threatening universe?
They're about to confess the answer, in this uniquely intimate, truly chilling collection of terror tales specifically commissioned to answer these questions. These aren't accounts of werewolves, witches, or vampires. They're stories of real, visceral fear to experience with all of the senses and more. You may have never known what truly frightens until you've tasted....fear itself."
Edited by Jeff Gelb, this was released in 1995. It includes tales from Jack Ketchum, Joyce Carol Oates, and many more!
PRIME EVIL
"This stunning collection of never-before-published novellas and short stories by masters of the macabre brings to fans and newcomers an extraordinary showcase of state-of-the-art horror fiction. These are tales that strike beyond sheer terror - their disturbing visions capture a darker reality with an artist's eye for truth. This is writing that will shape the way horror is viewed and written well into the next century."
Edited by Douglas E. Winter, this collection was released in 1988.
INTO THE DROWNING DEEP
I recently read the prequel to this novel, which you can check out here. And I'm dying to read the full length to see what happens next in the story. MURDEROUS MERMAIDS YOU GUYYYSSS!
"Seven years ago the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a tragedy.
Now a crew has been assembled. Some seek to validate their life's work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost."
Written by Mira Grant, originally published in 2017.
DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN
"One morning the residents of Walden, Virginia, woke up to find that the rest of the world was gone. Just...gone. Surrounding their town was a wall of inky darkness, casting Walden into permanent night. Nothing can get in, no light, no people, not even electricity or radio or TV signals. And no one can get out. No one who dared to penetrate the mysterious barrier has ever been seen again. Only their screams were heard. But for some of the residents-turned-prisoners of Walden, even the fear of that unseen death can't keep them from trying to escape this living purgatory."
Written by Brian Keene, and originally published in 2010
SINGLE WHITE FEMALE
"No matter how much you think you know, you're still taking a chance when you shop for a new roommate. But after Allie Jones throws out Sam, her sexy but two-timing live-in lover, she desperately needs someone to split the rent on her Upper West Side, New York apartment. And if anybody seems a safe bet, it's shy and unimposing Hedra Carlson, the least likely candidate for leaving dirty socks on the floor.
Yet there is something odd about the way Hedra openly envies Allie's appearance and lifestyle. Then Allie begins receiving obscene phone calls from strangers who know her name; her credit cards mysteriously disappear; and she is shocked to discover that Hedra's wardrobe is eerily similar to her own. Unknown to Allie, her plain and modest roommate is sharing much more than the rent...and an unspeakable, bloody nightmare is just beginning..."
Written by John Lutz, originally published under "SWF Seeks Same" in 1990.
White Dwarf Books is an absolute gem, and if you're ever in the Vancouver area please go visit it. I will absolutely be going back.
