The Dark Descent

The Dark Descent is an anthology of short horror fiction, that spans the full range of the genre from the extremely overt to the quietly subtle. The editor, David Hartwell, has not only ordered the selections in a way that highlights the influences and references inherent in the work, but introduces each story with a brief, but informative foreword.

What's most amazing to me about this tome, is that, having been an avid reader of horror short fiction for many years, and having read many such collections of work, this one included so many masterpieces that I'd never encountered before.

I believe this to be one of the most, if not THE most, comprehensive collections available, and recommend it to any fan of short fiction, particularly those who appreciate gothic, horror, and psychological thriller genres.

The stories included in the collection are excellent, and there are enough of them to keep you reading for a long time

As collections go, and horror collections in particular, this might be the best. The editor, David G. Hartwell, is obviously in love with the subject, which makes it so much more than just a collection. Hartwell begins by telling about a discussion of dark fantasy, during which he had the realization that "the good stuff is pretty much all short fiction."

Hartwell then traces the evolution of horror from its origins and into the wave of horror novels, which brought some of the best of all time "as well as a large amount of popular trash rushed into print." Along the way, he peppers his introduction with observations from Sigmund Freud, H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and a slew of literary critics.

One reason this collection is essential is that it is so darn huge (1011 pgs.). Its list of contributors includes King, Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Shirley Jackson, Edgar Allen Poe, Michael Shea, Robert Aickman, Clive Barker, Joyce Carol Oates, D.H. Lawrence, and dozens of others. Enough to make this the most-referenced work in your horror library.

Hartwell's vast knowledge and esteem of horror will captivate even those who are not fans of the genre. I wasn't.

The only reason I didn't give "The Dark Descent" a 10 was that I reserve that rating for works which are entirely the creation of the author

Indispensable reading for fans and scholars of horror, and for anyone who wants to understand what all the fuss is about. Hartwell's lengthy introduction provides the most clear and lucid explanation of horror's primary concepts and terminologies that I have read anywhere, the organization of his material makes clear sense. The book contains some of the standard chestnuts that every good horror collection has to have, but also includes brilliant choices from little-known or little-represented writers. Joanna Russ's dreamy, heartbreaking, shuddering "My Dear Emily" is alone worth the price of the book: if you think you've heard or read every possible variation on the over-worked Vampire theme, this one will tear your head off. Every tale in this hefty collection is similarly disturbing, eerie and beautiful. Hartwell has another collection out on horror novellas, and while also superb, it is hard to top or even match this one. (The only one that might come close is Alberto Manguel's "Black Water," although it has a lot of fantasy in its mix.