Tales From the Lark Side: a horror comedy anthology (full review)

Last fall, when Devin M. Anderson asked if I’d be interested in reading Tales From the Lark Side (edited by the talented Lindsey Goddard,) in exchange for an honest review, I was elated. In hindsight, I had no idea how much fun I’d have with these light-hearted horror stories, and I think that’s the beauty of reading in general, and anthologies specifically.

For this review, I wanted to very briefly review each story individually. They all had something a little different to offer, and I wanted to showcase that.

**

1.) “The Root of the Problem”/Judith Sonnet was very well-written in a simplistic manner, which made it a lot of fun and easy to follow. It revolved around the financial plight of Jane and Grant, and the interesting choice that their son, Robbie, made in the hopes of helping them survive. The ensuing tale was one of creativity and light fantasy steeped in folklore. In the process, Sonnet explored the sad realities of the increasing frail economy, homelessness, and the job market. Her prose pulled me in from the start, and I couldn’t put it down. If I had one critique, however, I’d say that this being a horror anthology, I was expecting a darker story. Not that I wanted bloodshed and carnage, but it was more fantasy than anything. The ending was very abrupt and I would’ve liked a little more. Still highly enjoyable. ⅘ stars

2.) In “The Secret Ingredient,” Jyl Glenn addressed a real life issue, one that a lot of couples experience every day. In fact, my wife and I tried to conceive for about as long as Tina and Todd did here, and it’s not an easy thing to deal with. I felt their pain on a deep level. I liked that it took place at a time when old world conceits were thought to be dead and gone. I enjoyed the dynamics between husband and wife; between their doctor and Mrs. Abernathy; and how the story arrived at a full-circle moment. A moment that significantly changed their lives. I also enjoyed the questions about Mrs. Abernathy’s involvement which went mostly unanswered. The ending made me chuckle a little bit, but I wanted something a little creepier and darker. Moral of the story: be careful what you wish for. 3 stars

3.) “The Zombie Pickers”/Greg Bennett– this was, by far, my favorite story thus far. From the start, we meet Dave and Joe, employed by the Sanderson Research center, whose job it is to collect viable undead specimen to further the government’s ongoing research. Bennet did a nice job portraying them as down on their luck individuals, and I sympathized with their plight. They needed the laughter that having fun with the zombie hordes provided, regardless of the cost. There were a few lines that made me chuckle, and the ending was rightfully disgusting. 3.5 stars

4.) “Call Anywhere”/Dawn Colclasure really surprised and impressed the hell out of me. It easily became my new favorite, and I didn’t think that would happen on the heels of the previous one. From the opening line (“Anson hated carnivals,”) I was hooked and I couldn’t put it down. Unlike a lot of short stories, Colclasure gave us enough to get a good sense of Anson. Even though he’s deeply flawed, there was a genuine warmth to him that I liked immediately. Getting to know him, and his grandfather, was a pleasure. The ending was epic and not at all disappointing. There was, however, one aspect of the story that I saw coming, but the author made up for it in spades. 4.5 stars

5.) In “The Cursed Mouth,” Ashley Lister’s diabolical tale begins by uttering the words, “From this day forward, your foul little mouth will get you into endless trouble,” and indeed it did. We get to watch the protagonist, Kyle, flounder through one ridiculous slip-up after another, and that was half the fun, because he really isn’t a stand-up guy. On the one hand, I was rooting for him, but he also had what was coming to him. Overall, I liked it. There were a couple aspects that I saw coming, but not enough to lessen my experience. 3 stars

6.) “Hell in Hawaiian Print”/N.K. Brown– This might have been my first foray into cosmic horror, and I’m here for it. It was light, witty, and somewhat silly, giving the impression that the author doesn’t take herself too seriously, but at the same time, ramifications of said events felt long-lasting; in the grand scheme of things, even epic. The relationship between the narrator and Saul was fantastic, and aside from the many cosmic horror elements, it was my favorite aspect of Brown’s story. Spanning twenty pages, it’s the longest so far. Another personal favorite. 4 stars

7.) “Almost Finished Business”— This was a lot of fun from start to finish. I enjoyed the ghost’s perspective (I can’t recall if I’ve read anything from that POV before,) and Lindsey Goddard drove home the importance of establishing her protagonist, especially in regards to her relationship with Travis. I felt like I knew her, like she was crafted from real life. Goddard nailed her “voice,” too. I loved her thirst for life, her spunky attitude , and rambunctious nature. 3 stars

8.) “The Accidental Serial Killer”/Michael Errol Swaim– What happens when a seemingly average person, who takes a certain pride in being the best version of himself, seems to be the culprit in a string of unconnected, accidental deaths? And how important are our material possessions, even though they’re our livelihood personified? What steps, if any, would you take to ensure that said “accidental deaths” stop happening? 3 stars

9. “Soda Run”/D.L. Winchester— Ifyou’re familiar with The Walking Dead, you’ll know that supply runs are par for the course. Except, as the title makes clear, that’s not what the protagonist, Sean, goes out for. The tale that Winchester tells was entertaining, complete with some comical moments which brought to mind the early seasons of Z-Nation, but overall, it was just an okay read. I would have liked it more if Sean had acted logically instead of impulsively. That would have made a more interesting story. 2 stars

10.) “But….I Jest” by Megan Guilliams was a fun ride from start to finish. Aside from Stephen King’s IT, I don’t recall having read anything revolving around a clown as the main character, and even that’s a stretch, as a clown wasn’t the entity known as It wasn’t its true form. Guilliams brought a refreshing take on the typical “clown story” and made it her own. She managed to find the right balance between suspense, comedic relief, adequate backstory, and carnage. It was, however, a little off-putting for the POV to suddenly shift at the end from Fizzle to the antagonist. The end result was satisfying, though. 3 stars

11.) “Bitey Bachman” by Kayleigh Dobbs was interesting enough to keep my attention, though I think it could’ve been trimmed down considerably. Doing so would have improved the overall pace and streamlined the action. Not that it was bad. It was just pretty slow and I’m not sure that the payoff was worth it. I liked Janet and Brian a lot. His development, in particular, was decent, but I liked what Dobbs delivered. The thing I enjoyed the most was being inside his head, and it was honestly refreshing to have a self-aware, immature jerk (“he supposed it was mean, but their faces as they were startled into consciousness were so entertaining. He knew he was a dick, but he also knew what each and every one of them had done to earn their permanent living situations at the facility,”) who took accountability for his flaws. 2.5 stars

12.) “Trespassers” by Mike Rusetsky was a lot of fun. I appreciate the full-on Southern dialect, which made for a more immersive and authentic experience. Maybe it was low-key excessive at times, but being inside the narrator’s head and how he was processing the weird series of events was fascinating. There was sufficient information to let you know what was happening, without giving away too much and ruining the mystery of it. Very reminiscent of an X-Files episode. 4 stars

13.) In “We Need to Discuss Agenda Item 6B,” Rebecca Cuthbert takes on an over simplified and antiquated approach to address the controversies surrounding our ever evolving lexicon and political correctness. She also begs the question: what are universities and other facilities willing to do in order to save costs on necessary supplies and staff? Are you willing to do the morally upright thing, in the name of cutting costs? Or would you risk your safety as well as the well-being of others? Is there a compromise or is it an all-or-nothing mentality? 2 stars

14.) “The Misogynator” by Devin M. Anderson– Am I biased because the author is a good friend of mine? Maybe. But I think I would have enjoyed this just as much (perhaps even more,) if I didn’t know him. The tale was well-written and such a fun read. There were just enough horror and sci-fi elements, and his social commentary regarding AI and a certain billionaire kept me glued to the screen until the end. And for just five pages, this really packed a punch. 4 stars

15.) “Strip Mall Ragnarök” by Nelson W. Pyles– Clocking in at twenty-five pages, this was the longest offering. It was also one of the more interesting tales, albeit not initially. At the beginning, Pyles introduced the reader to his protagonist, Stewart, and we’re given a glimpse into his trauma in relation to his deceased mother, who was “an awful human being.” In retrospect, I think the story could’ve been made a bit stronger if he’d delved deeper into their relationship. Aside from that, the pacing was fantastic, and the way he wrote around the main bulk of the action made for some engaging mysterious elements. Ultimately, though, those unknowns proved somewhat disappointing. I did, however, appreciate the Norse connections, but my favorite parts of Strip Mall Ragnarök were the scenes between Stuart and Nikki, and the compassion they shared. 2.5 stars

16.) “The Lesson”/ Ann O’Mara Heyward—Although the story started off a little slow, and was an embedded narrative (which isn’t a technique I’m usually fond of,) there was something beautiful and touching about the simplicity of a grandfather passing lessons down to his grandson. Well-written with sufficient details, I was able to picture both the present and past stories effortlessly, and care about these characters (especially Earl,) in ways I don’t typically find in revenge stories. And the vengeance on display here was unlike anything I’ve ever read. I was completely satisfied. 4 stars

17.) “The Ooze King of the Planet Xanorior” by Mark Mackey – Right from the start, we get Abigail’s plight, and then the story went from a little weird to downright diabolical. Mackey’s prose was clear but simplistic. I would have liked it more if it was a little more refined and three dimensional, as it was a little clunky to me. But the emotions and mental state of both Abigail and Jessica were the primary driving force of the plot, and I love that. I just wanted them on a deeper level. The ending though, and that payoff, were fantastic, and kind of made up for the story’s flaws. 3 stars

18.) “Close Encounters of the Hairy Kind” was a pleasant surprise that left me wanting more. More of Rie Sheridan Rose’s playful back and forth banter; more of the author’s impressive creativity and worldbuilding; and more of these characters. It was such a fun and engaging story. 4 stars

19.) “Murder by Chocolate”–Tommy B. Smith’s tale revolving around an otherwise ordinary day at Penelope’s Bakery was nice in the ways that the mundane was completely tossed aside. I loved the frenetic pace, the unrelenting carnage (from the get-go, too.) But my favorite aspect was the loyalty and heroinism of these characters. They came into their own in different ways. Throughout its dozen pages, Smith begs the question: what lengths would you go to get what you desire, even if it’s something seemingly insignificant? How far is too far? 4 stars

20.) “The Reapers” by Sarah Kelderman had an interesting beginning that kept me reading. After a while, though, it became a little silly and redundant. The closing paragraph, though, left a somber note in the air that I really appreciated. 2 ¼ stars

21.) “Going To the Chapel”/Kimberly J. Moore pulled me in with the opening sentence, and I literally couldn’t finish it fast enough. The only thing I knew was that uppity bride, Karen, was set to marry her opposite counterpart, Jeff, and her sunny hopes for the future. But then everything changed and the outcome was nothing I could have ever expected. It was very well-written, creative, and wholly unique, even for horror standards. This one hit all the boxes for me, and I couldn’t ask for anything more. My favorite from the anthology. 5 stars

22.) “Toot Scootin’ Boo-Gie”/Kasey Hill—I love the tender moments between sisters, Maryjane and Annabelle, as they learn to navigate the uncertain jitters of moving into a new house, and hearing the groans and creaking floorboards. But who, or what--if anything-- is haunting their home? Is it even haunted at all? The author explored those elements in a beautiful and playful fashion. 3 stars

**

Overall, Lindsey Goodard and these very talented writers did a great job. Out of the twenty-too stories, I can’t recall even one being the same as any other. They all had different narrative voices, told from interesting points-of-view, which helped serve the story in the best possible way. There were also various degrees of quality (both writing and creativity,) across the board, ensuring that this reader was rarely bored. I never knew what to expect from each tale, or where it might be going, and that made it even more enjoyable. As with ever anthology, there are going to be stories that are stronger than others, or ones that simply bring you more joy, and Tales From the Lark Side wasn’t an exception.

In closing, I couldn’t not include this passage of dialogue from “The Lesson:”

“Like poisonous snakes. One was called a two-stepper, because if it hit you, you’d walk two steps away and drop dead. Scorpions. Centipedes. Colonies of ants that would bite the hell out of you. Tree roots to trip over and maybe bust an ankle in the bargain. Vines that would reach out and grab you. Grasses with edges so sharp they’d cut you to ribbons. The water had Christ only knows what in it, but sometimes that was all there was to drink. And it was just so damn hot and wet all the time. If you got a sore, nine times out of ten, it’d get infected and get worse, not better, especially if it was on your foot.”

My overall rating: 4/5 stars