Joe Reviews: Wounds

Okay. So, you need to read this. Please, if you are into horror you owe it to yourself to experience these stories. These collection sums up what is possible in the modern horror and weird fiction genres. This really among the best fiction I’ve ever read. I’ve not come across horror short fiction this engrossing since reading Clive Barker’s Books of Blood for the first time a couple years back.I’d read a few of the stories in this collection before in the odd anthology here and there. ‘Atlas of Hell’ I read in one of the Year’s Best Weird Fiction. That was my introduction to Nathan Ballingrud, and I’ve been hooked since. I’ve also read ‘The Maw’ in the Dark Cities anthology edited by Christopher Golden.What ultimately sold me on this collection was the promise of another story set in the universe of ‘Atlas of Hell’. That story, ‘The Butcher’s Table’ is the gem of this collection. I’ve never come across such an engrossing description of Hell. But really, all of these stories could be in the same universe. I like to think that they are and that Mr. Ballingrud is developing a whole world to set novels in. I want a whole darned series of novels set throughout this universe! Please make this happen!So, in closing, you are all required to find a copy of this book. Why are you still here? Go get it. Don’t worry, I’ll still be here when you get back.