I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
It Came From The Darkness by P.J. Blakey-Novis Published by Red Cape Publishing on October 30 2020
Genres: Horror Anthologies, Horror, Horror Short Stories
Pages: 120
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
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It Came From the Darkness is a unique collection of drabbles (stories of 100 words exactly) and artwork, compiled by Red Cape Publishing and Philip Rogers 101 PR in aid of the Max the Brave Fund. A huge number of horror writers, poets, artists, and film makers have come together to support the cause and offer the reader something special. Each piece of writing begins with the same five words, but the stories themselves are all wonderfully varied. So dig in, take each tale one bloody bite at a time, and beware of what comes from the darkness.
Includes stories from David Owain Hughes, Matthew V. Brockmeyer, Tim Lebbon, Lou Yardley, Cortney Palm, Lee Franklin, MJ Dixon, Singh Lall, and many, many more.
It Came from The Darkness is a charity anthology featuring some of the absolute best in horror fiction. It is compiled by Red Cape Publishing and Phillip Rogers PR 101 in aid of Max the Brave Fund. What I really enjoyed about this anthology was the 100-word piece allowance – it gave a teaser of what could be but largely left you hungering for more! The stories were deep, dark, and dangerous…it was stories in amongst stories. It felt like unravelling a Russian Doll. One thing was for sure – this book felt like two faces of an old coin – It Came from The Darkness but so many different interpretations of it.
It Came from The Darkness was my first read from Red Cape Publishing but wow those guys can really nail an anthology. Instantly recognisable names and some new writers to me coming together for a common goal. The descriptive writing had me clutching my kindle tighter, threatening to snap ( that wouldn’t be very clever!) this anthology had a wicked sense of power, each contributor had a keen sense of sophistication that has the book flowing like a powerful river…quietly existing but tempt it and it will consume you.
I can confidently say that this anthology didn’t have a bad story contained within it, but some just stood out.
The Visitor by Ross Baxter. This instantly blew me away. It’s the kind of story I love, pushing the boundaries between horror and mental health.
Captivating Love by Phillip Rogers. A beautifully haunting poem that isn’t scared to detail the emotion and the violence.
It Came from The Darkness by Tim Lebbon. A dark tale that has the shock factor contained within.
Death Penalty by Theresa Jacobs. This was by far my favourite story. I particularly enjoyed the thin line between murder and madness.
Honeycomb Face by Eric LaRocca. This story really doesn’t hold back on the intended violence. This one made me gasp aloud.
What Shadows Eat by Lou Yardley. Nobody does things that go bump in the night better than Lou Yardley. Another frightening tale that had me peering over my shoulder.
Shriekers by Gareth Clegg. Another favourite. The image created by Clegg was outstanding and for some reason gave me serious 28 days later vibes.
Tavern Whispers by Mark Cassell. I love a bit of creature horror and Cassell nailed it. I wanted to know more, read more. It was horrifying and perfectly gruesome.
It Came from The Darkness was a thoroughly entertaining and gruesome read. The writing was evocative and oozed emotional rawness. Make this your next read, not only is it for a great cause but you also get creepy storytelling of the highest order.
ABOUT RED CAPE PUBLISHING
Welcome to Red Cape Publishing, a new, modern publishing house dedicated to promoting to best independent and small-press releases. Red Cape was born out of a desire to spread the word about the indie scene, firmly believing that promoting other people’s work is of benefit to everyone.
This idea really took off with the launch of Indie Writers Review, giving authors the chance to be interviewed and have their books reviewed, as well as providing a great way for readers to discover some less-known books and their writers. You can also read the reviews and interviews on this website.
This dedication to promoting the fantastic talents of independent authors then led to the creation of Boxes of Blood, a totally unique service, which helps readers find great horror stories, and serves the writers by increasing their exposure and sales.
Under the umbrella of Red Cape Publishing, we also have Red Cape Graphic Design, specialising in book covers, logos, social media posts, bookmarks, as well as non-book related work such as price lists, posters, and even party invitations!
Under the Book Shop tab, you can find the current works by P.J. Blakey-Novis, Caroline Angel, Antoinette Corvo, and the various anthologies that we are putting together, and a selection of recommended books from other authors.
So have a look around, grab yourself a book, or a Box of Blood, and if there is anything we can help you with feel free to drop us an email at redcapepublishing@outlook.com
