Review of Maniacs, Monsters and a Bump in the Night
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Wajida Begum
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Review of Maniacs, Monsters and a Bump in the Night
[Following is a volunteer review of "Maniacs, Monsters and a Bump in the Night" by G. Richard Evans.]
I recently had the pleasure to dive into "Maniacs, Monsters, and a Bump in the Night" by G. Richard Evans, and I must say this: it was fun from page one to the end. Honestly, each story in the collection is simply a masterpiece of horror. Well edited and grammatically perfect written, so one reads it like soft velvet. I could not see anything not to like in this book.
One of those stories that I did find quite captivating was "Bump in the Night." In the first few paragraphs, Evans manages to create an atmosphere of suspense and unease that carries through to the very end. The story takes place on an ordinary night that turns into a night of terror due to some unexplained noises. His language is very descriptive, and his pacing is spot on as he carefully constructs the building of tension that had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next. The climax was both unexpected and satisfying, making "Bump in the Night" an excellent story with which to open the collection.
Another notable story in this collection is "Doodle." It represented such a nice, interesting way to blur reality and imagination. Everything started with a simple, innocent doodle, and the whole thing snowballed into something nightmarish and absurdly grotesque. The battle the protagonist has with the insane events that are unfolding around the doodle was so gut-wrenching and felt so close and personal because of Evans' capacity to craft relatable characters and situations. The way he combines the mundane with the macabre in "Doodle" is really something to marvel at.
"Ask Your Daughters" tells us about the dark side of family secrets and family dynamics. It was a family unraveling as truths that had been buried for the longest time came to light. It was played with such realism and subtlety that it was truly distressing. The building atmosphere of dread that Evans maintains throughout his stories speaks to his prowess in psychological horror. The internal wrestling that every single character goes through adds layers to the tale, thus augmenting the tension of the story even more.
The one story that was the most spine-chilling to me was "Scream, It's Dark." Its protagonist, the young Peter, is tortured by the traumatic memory of his brother. The themes of guilt, trauma, and the inescapable grip of the past are delivered with poignant intensity. Evans writes with such evocation and depth of feeling; it pulls you into Peter's world of despair. The ending was tragic yet fitting, and it still lingers with me. "Scream It's Dark" is the epitome of how horror can be emotionally resonant yet still terrifying.
Each story in this collection is unique, but all of them are united by Evans' awesome storytelling and editing. The variation in types of horror—from supernatural to psychological to visceral—makes sure there is something in it for every reader. He does not stick to one formula but rather changes the trends of fear, keeping the reader in constant turnout. What impressed me the most was the quality of the editing. Not once did I trip over an awkward phrase or a missed comma. That eye for detail made the reading frictionless and absorbing. It is clear that a lot of care has gone into this editing, which only makes the shining writing of Evans that much better.
In conclusion, "Maniacs, Monsters, and a Bump in the Night" by G. Richard Evans deserves five out of five stars that I would recommend to any horror enthusiast. Brilliant storytelling is further heightened through exceptional editing and grammatical writing. There was nothing I disliked about this book. Every one of them managed to leave a mark. Evans manages a neat and very consistent collection that ranges sufficiently that pretty much anyone who likes well-done horror is going to have to give it a shot. I've finally got to read it, and it lives on my shelf.
******
Maniacs, Monsters and a Bump in the Night
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I recently had the pleasure to dive into "Maniacs, Monsters, and a Bump in the Night" by G. Richard Evans, and I must say this: it was fun from page one to the end. Honestly, each story in the collection is simply a masterpiece of horror. Well edited and grammatically perfect written, so one reads it like soft velvet. I could not see anything not to like in this book.
One of those stories that I did find quite captivating was "Bump in the Night." In the first few paragraphs, Evans manages to create an atmosphere of suspense and unease that carries through to the very end. The story takes place on an ordinary night that turns into a night of terror due to some unexplained noises. His language is very descriptive, and his pacing is spot on as he carefully constructs the building of tension that had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next. The climax was both unexpected and satisfying, making "Bump in the Night" an excellent story with which to open the collection.
Another notable story in this collection is "Doodle." It represented such a nice, interesting way to blur reality and imagination. Everything started with a simple, innocent doodle, and the whole thing snowballed into something nightmarish and absurdly grotesque. The battle the protagonist has with the insane events that are unfolding around the doodle was so gut-wrenching and felt so close and personal because of Evans' capacity to craft relatable characters and situations. The way he combines the mundane with the macabre in "Doodle" is really something to marvel at.
"Ask Your Daughters" tells us about the dark side of family secrets and family dynamics. It was a family unraveling as truths that had been buried for the longest time came to light. It was played with such realism and subtlety that it was truly distressing. The building atmosphere of dread that Evans maintains throughout his stories speaks to his prowess in psychological horror. The internal wrestling that every single character goes through adds layers to the tale, thus augmenting the tension of the story even more.
The one story that was the most spine-chilling to me was "Scream, It's Dark." Its protagonist, the young Peter, is tortured by the traumatic memory of his brother. The themes of guilt, trauma, and the inescapable grip of the past are delivered with poignant intensity. Evans writes with such evocation and depth of feeling; it pulls you into Peter's world of despair. The ending was tragic yet fitting, and it still lingers with me. "Scream It's Dark" is the epitome of how horror can be emotionally resonant yet still terrifying.
Each story in this collection is unique, but all of them are united by Evans' awesome storytelling and editing. The variation in types of horror—from supernatural to psychological to visceral—makes sure there is something in it for every reader. He does not stick to one formula but rather changes the trends of fear, keeping the reader in constant turnout. What impressed me the most was the quality of the editing. Not once did I trip over an awkward phrase or a missed comma. That eye for detail made the reading frictionless and absorbing. It is clear that a lot of care has gone into this editing, which only makes the shining writing of Evans that much better.
In conclusion, "Maniacs, Monsters, and a Bump in the Night" by G. Richard Evans deserves five out of five stars that I would recommend to any horror enthusiast. Brilliant storytelling is further heightened through exceptional editing and grammatical writing. There was nothing I disliked about this book. Every one of them managed to leave a mark. Evans manages a neat and very consistent collection that ranges sufficiently that pretty much anyone who likes well-done horror is going to have to give it a shot. I've finally got to read it, and it lives on my shelf.
******
Maniacs, Monsters and a Bump in the Night
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Sojourner To Stoner by Gordon Schwerzmann
