Review by Tori Bissonette, @RoseOfTori
If you’re looking for some easy-reading Halloween-esque spooky stories, Phantoms: A Halloween Anthology has you covered. Phantoms is a 2020 Halloween anthology of twelve ghoulish stories from seven different authors. This collection is neither gore filled nor psychologically disturbing, but it offers up a wide variety of stories spanning everything from demons and magic to aliens and small-town killers. Many of these stories play off of classic horror twists with fresh variations and engaging characters. These bite-sized stories are accessible to any kind of reader and can be completed within one sitting.
Now, to be clear, if you’re looking for the type of story that’s going to keep you awake staring at your ceiling for the rest of the night, this may not be the anthology for you. Going in with firm expectations will be the downfall of this reading experience. Horror aficionados who only like late 1800s American gothic tales with haunted mansions or mind-bending thrillers with elaborate plots, or any other hyper-specific, ultra-shocking horror genre may want to look elsewhere. But for those who are looking for entertaining tales of ghosts and ghoulies to distract from a long day will find a varied assortment of delights within Phantoms. These stories can more comfortably be classified as scary stories than horror stories, but the palatable nature evokes a nostalgic sense of the oral tradition of spooky campfire stories. In fact, these tales would probably make for a fantastic campfire read aloud should you be so inclined.
Because the writing style and focus of the stories varies, it’s likely most readers will find a combination of favorites and ‘not-for-me’s within Phantoms pages. A personal favorite was Andrew Parker’s “Catacombs,” which tells the story of sentient bones—including full skeletons, partial skeletons, solitary skulls, and one dismembered arm named Edward—staging a small uprising against their Prince of Darkness keeper. Watching sentient bones attempt to, essentially, unionize into an undead family of sorts is both intriguing and darkly hilarious.
Parker’s story is probably the most humorous of the bunch. A majority of these curious stories tend towards a more eerie tone that doesn’t quite border on serious horror. People will die. Blood will be shed. But, magic-wielding aliens will also ponder on the nature of free will versus authoritarian regulation and hermit ghosts will go on dates at masquerade balls.
Perhaps Phantoms writer N.K. Carlson said it best: “Open eyes and an inquisitive spirit are the recipe for noticing all sorts of wondrous and intriguing things.” That’s exactly what Phantoms asks of you: open eyes and an inquisitive spirit.
A digital copy of Phantoms: A Halloween Anthology was provided by the publishers. Phantoms can be purchased here!
Tori Bissonette (she/her) is a Vermont-transplant currently living in Philadelphia. There she studies creative writing and English as a graduate student at Arcadia University. Presently she’s the Submissions Manager and Nonfiction Editor for Marathon Literary Review. When she’s not writing, she can be found hiking or cooking. Her work has previously appeared in The Writing Disorder.
Connect with her on Twitter @RoseOfTori.
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