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Land of Bones
Demon lights, granted wishes, strange things, and brutal love at the Lucky Lounge Motel. A haunted sister, desperate parents, a little human touch, and the end of the world…
These are the stories whispered among dead leaves, the script etched bare for all to see. When the chills sink deep and your heart begins to pound…are you alone?
Welcome to Glenn Rolfe’s LAND OF BONES, 14 tales of the strange and macabre
These are the stories whispered among dead leaves, the script etched bare for all to see. When the chills sink deep and your heart begins to pound…are you alone?
Welcome to Glenn Rolfe’s LAND OF BONES, 14 tales of the strange and macabre
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2018
About the author
Glenn Rolfe
68 books623 followers"Rolfe is a vital part of this horror generation." - Brian Keene, World Horror Convention Award Grandmaster of Horror, and author of GHOUL and THE RISING
Glenn Rolfe is a multi-Splatetrpunk Award nominated author from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Brian Keene, Jack Ketchum, and many others. He lives with his partner, Sarah, and he has four children, Ruby, Ramona, Axl, and Rivers. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness.
He is the When the Night Falls, Until Summer Comes Around, August's Eyes, Blood and Rain, The Window, and more.
Richard Chizmar, New York Times and USA Today Best Selling-Author of Gwendy’s Button Box, says of Rolfe’s Blood and Rain: “A wonderful throwback to the fun and bloody days of paperback horror glory!”
Glenn Rolfe is a multi-Splatetrpunk Award nominated author from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Brian Keene, Jack Ketchum, and many others. He lives with his partner, Sarah, and he has four children, Ruby, Ramona, Axl, and Rivers. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness.
He is the When the Night Falls, Until Summer Comes Around, August's Eyes, Blood and Rain, The Window, and more.
Richard Chizmar, New York Times and USA Today Best Selling-Author of Gwendy’s Button Box, says of Rolfe’s Blood and Rain: “A wonderful throwback to the fun and bloody days of paperback horror glory!”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
October 10, 2018
4.5 Solid STARS!
Look at the cover of this book - beautiful design, but somewhat misleading. This is more than a compilation of horror stories: They are not meant to scare you, they will make you FEEL.
And the introduction will warn you that these stories are about loss, something all of us can relate to.
Mr. Rolfe shows his writing talent remarkably well in these stories, especially when opening himself up to the emotional side. Of the 14 stores, I think 12 of them were great. And my favorite surprised me...
For the rest of the review, I'm going to take you on the scenic route of Explanation Highway to get to the point. I am also going to give my opinion on some things you may or may not agree with - I firmly believe you are entitled to your own opinion, no matter how wrong you are, so I'm not doing it to open a musical debate.
(Some mood music, perhaps? This may not be a very well known song, but it captures my feeling when I read the book - This would be on the soundtrack: ASHES TO EDEN by Breaking Benjamin.)
There's a song I've been hearing a lot on radio and it has grown on me - HUMAN by Rag'n'Bone Man. Think about two of the most covered songs in modern musical history: KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR and HALLELUJAH. What about one of the ultimate classics: IMAGINE by John Lennon. There is something truly magical about these songs...
Simplicity
I'm not saying they are simple or easy, but the thing that makes them so powerful is the way that the artists didn't try to make them more than they are. If you make a production out of IMAGINE with multiple musicians and instruments, maybe even a guitar solo in the middle, you will FUCK it UP! The best cover I've heard of that song was an Acapella version.
Maybe it's a case of different tastes, I don't know. My wife and I have this argument about the best version of the song RUN - I like the original Snow Patrol (ah, yes, nearly made that Paw Patrol - guess what my son is watching right now...) version while my wife thinks the Leona Lewis cover is better. SP does not have the range or quality of LL, but damn, that's what makes it great!
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that the story FIRE in this book spoke to me. It is simple and straight-forward, but damn, Mr. Rolfe managed to make it great!
Hope you enjoy this one as much as I had - recommended to more than horror fans.
Look at the cover of this book - beautiful design, but somewhat misleading. This is more than a compilation of horror stories: They are not meant to scare you, they will make you FEEL.
And the introduction will warn you that these stories are about loss, something all of us can relate to.
Mr. Rolfe shows his writing talent remarkably well in these stories, especially when opening himself up to the emotional side. Of the 14 stores, I think 12 of them were great. And my favorite surprised me...
For the rest of the review, I'm going to take you on the scenic route of Explanation Highway to get to the point. I am also going to give my opinion on some things you may or may not agree with - I firmly believe you are entitled to your own opinion, no matter how wrong you are, so I'm not doing it to open a musical debate.
(Some mood music, perhaps? This may not be a very well known song, but it captures my feeling when I read the book - This would be on the soundtrack: ASHES TO EDEN by Breaking Benjamin.)
There's a song I've been hearing a lot on radio and it has grown on me - HUMAN by Rag'n'Bone Man. Think about two of the most covered songs in modern musical history: KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR and HALLELUJAH. What about one of the ultimate classics: IMAGINE by John Lennon. There is something truly magical about these songs...
Simplicity
I'm not saying they are simple or easy, but the thing that makes them so powerful is the way that the artists didn't try to make them more than they are. If you make a production out of IMAGINE with multiple musicians and instruments, maybe even a guitar solo in the middle, you will FUCK it UP! The best cover I've heard of that song was an Acapella version.
Maybe it's a case of different tastes, I don't know. My wife and I have this argument about the best version of the song RUN - I like the original Snow Patrol (ah, yes, nearly made that Paw Patrol - guess what my son is watching right now...) version while my wife thinks the Leona Lewis cover is better. SP does not have the range or quality of LL, but damn, that's what makes it great!
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that the story FIRE in this book spoke to me. It is simple and straight-forward, but damn, Mr. Rolfe managed to make it great!
Hope you enjoy this one as much as I had - recommended to more than horror fans.
August 17, 2019
Apprehension
Land of Bones is a collection of horror stories that stimulate and provoke the imagination to go beyond the scenarios painted. Fourteen short stories combine to create an impressive compendium of treats that are well written and have the ability to capture such moving and scary images as tales of despair and terror unfold.
You know that when reading a collection of horror stories, bad shit is coming, but what is remarkable about the writing from Glenn Rolfe, is the creativity and excellent delivery of each tale. The horror isn’t just blood and gore, but emotional turmoil, with a wide-ranging mix of stories involving monsters, natural disasters, viruses, animals gone bad, people gone bad and supernatural meddling. All situations have a sense of dread – nothing will ever be the same again, assuming you live.
Some of the stories are very short and there is one relatively long story that consumes over 40% of the book. The dialogue is really absorbing and adds to the rounded and complete telling of each tale and ensures the maximum impact is achieved from each literary mouthful.
If you enjoy short stories then I would highly recommend this book and I find reading a book like this is a great companion to have when you can only muster shorter reading times during the day. Like, when you should be preparing for a meeting at work. ;)
I would like to thank Glenn Rolfe for providing me with a free copy of his book in return for an honest review.
Land of Bones is a collection of horror stories that stimulate and provoke the imagination to go beyond the scenarios painted. Fourteen short stories combine to create an impressive compendium of treats that are well written and have the ability to capture such moving and scary images as tales of despair and terror unfold.
You know that when reading a collection of horror stories, bad shit is coming, but what is remarkable about the writing from Glenn Rolfe, is the creativity and excellent delivery of each tale. The horror isn’t just blood and gore, but emotional turmoil, with a wide-ranging mix of stories involving monsters, natural disasters, viruses, animals gone bad, people gone bad and supernatural meddling. All situations have a sense of dread – nothing will ever be the same again, assuming you live.
Some of the stories are very short and there is one relatively long story that consumes over 40% of the book. The dialogue is really absorbing and adds to the rounded and complete telling of each tale and ensures the maximum impact is achieved from each literary mouthful.
If you enjoy short stories then I would highly recommend this book and I find reading a book like this is a great companion to have when you can only muster shorter reading times during the day. Like, when you should be preparing for a meeting at work. ;)
I would like to thank Glenn Rolfe for providing me with a free copy of his book in return for an honest review.
October 5, 2020
The story collection started strong with some nice stories. But after three and more I had the impression the stories were all structured in the same manner. Alternating he... she... some strong language... some bizarre situation... meandering on and on, nothing to really identify with. Sorry to say but the writing didn't touch me. The author definitely has his followers and fans but to me this kind of horror was tedious and narcotic. I was glad when I was through with this set of stories. Maybe it's more interesting for a younger generation or those with sleeping problems...
March 2, 2018
LAND OF BONES: 14 Tales of the Strange and Macabre, by Glenn Rolfe, is a collection that centers on feelings of "loss", in many different forms. The feelings he evokes through these stories are genuine, and several had resonated with me particularly well since they showcased some of my own fears. They range in topic from everyday human losses, to more subtle, psychological ones, and the supernatural.
Personal favorites of mine included:
--"Death Lights": This story featured Lee Buhl, a character I remembered from one of Rolfe's novels, THE HAUNTED HALLS. Here, he reprises his role of a demon-fighting shaman in an all new tale.
--"The Fixer": This one begins with the poignant emotion of sorrow, crushing loss, and despair. When a strange man makes the offer to "fix" things, you just know that something is off-kilter here. Although, the story rings true in a way, as a grieving parent will chose to latch onto any hope given to them, no matter how improbable.
--"Ghosts of Spears Corner": A supernatural tale that I absolutely loved. Part coming-of-age, and all tinged with horror, every part about this one came as a surprise to me.
--"Little Bunny": My initial thought on this story was simply, "Wow!". This one had it all, from psychological, emotional, and visceral horror, completely wrapped up in a tale that we only get glimpses into the full account of. Alice in Wonderland, this is not! Note to self: Never follow the little bunny . . .
--"Simon": One of the shorter entries in this collection, and yet one I have to say was my personal favorite (with "Little Bunny" a close second). This one showcases how danger can lurk anywhere, under any guise, when vulnerable children are about. A gut-renching tale with an original concept that I have to admire.
Overall, I felt that LAND OF BONES is a collection with many varied "types" of tales to captivate the attention of horror-lovers. Each of these selections was unique in both setting and characters, paying homage to all the different types of "loss" we have to contend with. A great collection with literally "something for everyone".
Highly recommended!
Personal favorites of mine included:
--"Death Lights": This story featured Lee Buhl, a character I remembered from one of Rolfe's novels, THE HAUNTED HALLS. Here, he reprises his role of a demon-fighting shaman in an all new tale.
--"The Fixer": This one begins with the poignant emotion of sorrow, crushing loss, and despair. When a strange man makes the offer to "fix" things, you just know that something is off-kilter here. Although, the story rings true in a way, as a grieving parent will chose to latch onto any hope given to them, no matter how improbable.
--"Ghosts of Spears Corner": A supernatural tale that I absolutely loved. Part coming-of-age, and all tinged with horror, every part about this one came as a surprise to me.
--"Little Bunny": My initial thought on this story was simply, "Wow!". This one had it all, from psychological, emotional, and visceral horror, completely wrapped up in a tale that we only get glimpses into the full account of. Alice in Wonderland, this is not! Note to self: Never follow the little bunny . . .
--"Simon": One of the shorter entries in this collection, and yet one I have to say was my personal favorite (with "Little Bunny" a close second). This one showcases how danger can lurk anywhere, under any guise, when vulnerable children are about. A gut-renching tale with an original concept that I have to admire.
Overall, I felt that LAND OF BONES is a collection with many varied "types" of tales to captivate the attention of horror-lovers. Each of these selections was unique in both setting and characters, paying homage to all the different types of "loss" we have to contend with. A great collection with literally "something for everyone".
Highly recommended!
November 18, 2020
There are some great short stories in this book!
The author, Glenn Rolfe, just seems to grab a hold of you and plop you into the stories. There are quite a few stories in this book but listing out favorites which include:
Ghosts of Spears Corner, Not Kansas Anymore, Wish, The Fixer, The Rooster (this one was sad, but I still liked the story), Too Much of A Dead Thing (a little bit longer than the other stories and I liked how the characters came together in it), and Death Lights.
The stories are not scary, but just some fun short reads. Giving this book four stars!
The author, Glenn Rolfe, just seems to grab a hold of you and plop you into the stories. There are quite a few stories in this book but listing out favorites which include:
Ghosts of Spears Corner, Not Kansas Anymore, Wish, The Fixer, The Rooster (this one was sad, but I still liked the story), Too Much of A Dead Thing (a little bit longer than the other stories and I liked how the characters came together in it), and Death Lights.
The stories are not scary, but just some fun short reads. Giving this book four stars!
March 29, 2018
Impressed!
I think this is the first thing I've read by this author. From the first story I was hooked. I read the majority of this in one sitting- oops! Didn't mean for that to happen! The stories draw you in and it's a hard book to put down.
I think this is the first thing I've read by this author. From the first story I was hooked. I read the majority of this in one sitting- oops! Didn't mean for that to happen! The stories draw you in and it's a hard book to put down.
April 29, 2018
Land of Bones by Glenn Rolfe is a 14 story collection of horrific shorts and novellas. Let's jump right in and break these down in order:
Ghosts of Spears Corner - Two boys, days from starting middle school in the 1950s, decide to break into the boarded up Spears House, the local haunted house. Doing their very best to keep their fears at bay, the boys discover a dark secret locked away. A fun read that, even though took place in the Fifties, reminded me of my childhood. Sometimes you just have to see what it's like behind those boarded up windows on a big, gothic looking house.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Simon - Ally has a pet worm named Simon. He is a worm, right?
4 out of 5 stars
Not Kansas Anymore - Kick ass story about bats that take over a small town and young Colton wants to see for himself what happened over at Pedro Field. What sounds like a voice crying for help mesmerizes him to a cave on the side of a hill. How long he had been walking, he didn't know. What he did know, is that what was in that cave didn't need any help. A great story that stays with you long after you've put it down.
5 out of 5 stars
Fire - A snippet of what it would be like if a life and death situation forced you into making a choice of which lives you were going to save. A thought provoker.
4 out of 5 stars
Welcome to Paradise - The start of a Natural Born Killers type of relationship. Twisted story that feels like it's chapter one of something bigger.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Avenging Kitten - A story about what can happen when people, all hell-bent about a particular cause, happens to poke their nose into a situation that's none of their business. A chuckle gets four stars.
4 out of 5 stars
Charley Sings the World Away - The end of the world is here and it's sad to watch as your little girl is oblivious to the big picture.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Fixer - A new take on the age-old proverb of be careful what you wish for. Evil likes to prey on the desperate. Even though it felt like familiar territory, it was fun to see what twists Rolfe put into it.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Rooster - I've always loved the AIC song and thought the lyrics were powerful. They fit this story like a glove about losing a loved one that you thought was indestructible. It feels eerily more like a true story than fiction.
4 out of 5 stars
Too Much of a Dead Thing - A unique take on the whole zombie/undead phenomenon. At first, you think the monsters are zombies and as you move along through the story, you start to wonder if maybe they came from outer space. A few nice things here, but the real horror turns out to be from the people that are left alive.
4 out of 5 stars
Little Bunny - a whacked out fairy tale/hallucination type of story that has traces of possession and ghost story to add some flavor. I think the idea was okay, but I found the story telling wasn't smooth and fluid.
3 out of 5 stars
Death Lights - A novella that stars Rolfe's supernatural detective and banisher of evil spirits, Lee Buhl. For those of you that are familiar with Rolfe's writing, you may remember Buhl from The Haunted Halls. He's back in Maine to take on a house that can't be sold due to it's resident poltergeist. Buhl calls upon his Native American heritage once more as he battle the malevolent spirit of a murderer. Good stuff here. Rolfe has the makings of a franchise character.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Rolfe has evolved nicely over the last couple of years. His writing chops are much tighter than when he began and he's quickly become one of my go-to authors when I want a quality read of terror. Land of Bones has a little bit of everything. It has your gothic horror. Your Conjuring/James Wan style of horror. Even your Jack Ketchum style that hits a little too close to home, a little too personal, and makes you uncomfortable. I think Glenn's influences are clearly on display here, yet none of the stories feel like watered down derivatives. They clearly have their own terrifying voice, and that voice screams Glenn Rolfe.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
Ghosts of Spears Corner - Two boys, days from starting middle school in the 1950s, decide to break into the boarded up Spears House, the local haunted house. Doing their very best to keep their fears at bay, the boys discover a dark secret locked away. A fun read that, even though took place in the Fifties, reminded me of my childhood. Sometimes you just have to see what it's like behind those boarded up windows on a big, gothic looking house.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Simon - Ally has a pet worm named Simon. He is a worm, right?
4 out of 5 stars
Not Kansas Anymore - Kick ass story about bats that take over a small town and young Colton wants to see for himself what happened over at Pedro Field. What sounds like a voice crying for help mesmerizes him to a cave on the side of a hill. How long he had been walking, he didn't know. What he did know, is that what was in that cave didn't need any help. A great story that stays with you long after you've put it down.
5 out of 5 stars
Fire - A snippet of what it would be like if a life and death situation forced you into making a choice of which lives you were going to save. A thought provoker.
4 out of 5 stars
Welcome to Paradise - The start of a Natural Born Killers type of relationship. Twisted story that feels like it's chapter one of something bigger.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Avenging Kitten - A story about what can happen when people, all hell-bent about a particular cause, happens to poke their nose into a situation that's none of their business. A chuckle gets four stars.
4 out of 5 stars
Charley Sings the World Away - The end of the world is here and it's sad to watch as your little girl is oblivious to the big picture.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Fixer - A new take on the age-old proverb of be careful what you wish for. Evil likes to prey on the desperate. Even though it felt like familiar territory, it was fun to see what twists Rolfe put into it.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Rooster - I've always loved the AIC song and thought the lyrics were powerful. They fit this story like a glove about losing a loved one that you thought was indestructible. It feels eerily more like a true story than fiction.
4 out of 5 stars
Too Much of a Dead Thing - A unique take on the whole zombie/undead phenomenon. At first, you think the monsters are zombies and as you move along through the story, you start to wonder if maybe they came from outer space. A few nice things here, but the real horror turns out to be from the people that are left alive.
4 out of 5 stars
Little Bunny - a whacked out fairy tale/hallucination type of story that has traces of possession and ghost story to add some flavor. I think the idea was okay, but I found the story telling wasn't smooth and fluid.
3 out of 5 stars
Death Lights - A novella that stars Rolfe's supernatural detective and banisher of evil spirits, Lee Buhl. For those of you that are familiar with Rolfe's writing, you may remember Buhl from The Haunted Halls. He's back in Maine to take on a house that can't be sold due to it's resident poltergeist. Buhl calls upon his Native American heritage once more as he battle the malevolent spirit of a murderer. Good stuff here. Rolfe has the makings of a franchise character.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Rolfe has evolved nicely over the last couple of years. His writing chops are much tighter than when he began and he's quickly become one of my go-to authors when I want a quality read of terror. Land of Bones has a little bit of everything. It has your gothic horror. Your Conjuring/James Wan style of horror. Even your Jack Ketchum style that hits a little too close to home, a little too personal, and makes you uncomfortable. I think Glenn's influences are clearly on display here, yet none of the stories feel like watered down derivatives. They clearly have their own terrifying voice, and that voice screams Glenn Rolfe.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
December 10, 2020
This review is for the audio book. I received it in exchange for a honest review. I read this back in 2018. It was my first Glenn Rolfe book and i loved it. So when i started the audio book, I remembered some stories but not all of them. OMG! The narrators! There is so many and they are all so very talented. All of them did a great job and I enjoyed this book so much more, listening to them read it.
The stories are great and I think a great introduction to Glenn Rolfe's work. Read Until Summer Comes Around next. I enjoy Glenn's writing very much. He sure can tell a story!
The stories are great and I think a great introduction to Glenn Rolfe's work. Read Until Summer Comes Around next. I enjoy Glenn's writing very much. He sure can tell a story!
June 17, 2018
This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Land of Bones is a collection of stories dealing mostly with the themes of grief and loss. Rolfe writes about death and those who grieve as if he is intimately acquainted with it. I hope that isn't the case, but a few of his stories, like The Fixer and The Rooster read as if Rolfe is letting his grief flow through his pen. The Rooster especially reads almost like a non-fiction account. It's so honest and raw.
I really liked the stories in this collection, but of course there are always certain ones that stand out. Welcome to Paradise is one that I won't soon forget. The Fixer is a story that I'm sure quite a few people can relate to. Be careful what you wish for. Fire is another one that absolutely makes you squirm. Although again, it asks the question that you really don't want to answer...what would you do in the same situation?
Simon is such a weird and unique story. That one is going to be hard to forget too, although Avenging Kitten was probably the hardest story for me to read. I love animals, but I have a special place in my heart for birds. It was really hard for me to get through that one.
I also really enjoyed the novella Too Much of a Dead Thing. In a collection of short stories, it was nice to have a piece by Rolfe that was a little longer and spent more time with his characters. I also think Death Lights was the perfect story to end the collection, and I'm eager to read more with Rolfe's character Lee Buhl. This is a solid collection. I recommend it if this is your first time reading Rolfe, like me. It's an excellent introduction.
Land of Bones is a collection of stories dealing mostly with the themes of grief and loss. Rolfe writes about death and those who grieve as if he is intimately acquainted with it. I hope that isn't the case, but a few of his stories, like The Fixer and The Rooster read as if Rolfe is letting his grief flow through his pen. The Rooster especially reads almost like a non-fiction account. It's so honest and raw.
I really liked the stories in this collection, but of course there are always certain ones that stand out. Welcome to Paradise is one that I won't soon forget. The Fixer is a story that I'm sure quite a few people can relate to. Be careful what you wish for. Fire is another one that absolutely makes you squirm. Although again, it asks the question that you really don't want to answer...what would you do in the same situation?
Simon is such a weird and unique story. That one is going to be hard to forget too, although Avenging Kitten was probably the hardest story for me to read. I love animals, but I have a special place in my heart for birds. It was really hard for me to get through that one.
I also really enjoyed the novella Too Much of a Dead Thing. In a collection of short stories, it was nice to have a piece by Rolfe that was a little longer and spent more time with his characters. I also think Death Lights was the perfect story to end the collection, and I'm eager to read more with Rolfe's character Lee Buhl. This is a solid collection. I recommend it if this is your first time reading Rolfe, like me. It's an excellent introduction.
March 22, 2018
Oh, the feels! What a collection!
Land of Bones is a collection about love and loss, death, and brings to light (darkness) what ifs. I’m not too squeamish or jumpy at most fiction, but some of the stories made me squirm while reading in bed at night.
I had previously read the story Welcome to Paradise at Christmas (thanks, Glenn!), but I re-read it. It was nice to see Veronica again.
If you want that familiar tickle of excitement and fear in the pit of your stomach, Glenn Rolfe delivers.
Land of Bones is a collection about love and loss, death, and brings to light (darkness) what ifs. I’m not too squeamish or jumpy at most fiction, but some of the stories made me squirm while reading in bed at night.
I had previously read the story Welcome to Paradise at Christmas (thanks, Glenn!), but I re-read it. It was nice to see Veronica again.
If you want that familiar tickle of excitement and fear in the pit of your stomach, Glenn Rolfe delivers.
September 7, 2018
I started reading Glenn's writing a little over a year ago (Becoming, Blood and Rain, & Haunted Halls, all of which I enjoyed), but this was the first short story collection of his I've read. I once again felt an immediate connection with his relatable, down-to-earth characters, and got lost in the easy flow of his writing style. All of the stories didn't resonate with me, as is the case with any anthology, but the ones I enjoyed the most were Death Lights, Ghosts of Spear Corner, Little Bunny, and Not in Kansas Anymore.
April 26, 2018
Glenn Rolfe gave me some brutal stories in this collection. My review can be read here ---> https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1wS
May 31, 2018
If you read Glenn's guest post on my blog yesterday, you are likely already aware that Land of Bones is a collection which deals primarily with loss.
And it all begins with a flash fiction piece set in a graveyard,. The title story, Land of Bones.
Ghost of Spears Corner - Wow! This coming of age short will definitely reach out and grab you.
"We weren’t perfect, but I’d say we managed to be relatively normal. All that changed, at least for me, the last week of summer vacation in ’57."
Simon - Little Ally has a fascination with worms, especially Simon.
"Her worm, as she liked to lovingly think of him, was not like the worms in Katy's, or Michael's yards."
Not Kansas Anymore - Another killer story about a series of deaths in Kansas, Maine.
"On the news, they were telling us we had a murderer in our town. In the halls between classes, we were talking about vampires. We were all wrong."
Fire - Thus far, I have thoroughly enjoyed every story in this collection. How would you deal with a world suddenly aflame?
Welcome to Paradise - This story may be short on words, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in violence.
"She loved damage. She loved scars. She loved anything beautiful and broken. The Lucky Lounge Motel served as the feeding ground for her biggest passion...murder."
Wish - All I can say about this story is one really needs to be careful what they wish for.
Avenging Kitten - Love the title. Another story of loss and in this case revenge. This is one of those tales where I couldn't wait to see where it would go.
Charley Sings the World Away - A heartbreaking story of the end times.
The Fixer - A tale of horrible loss. A story that moved me to tears and then made me angry. Well done.
The Rooster - "That Alice in Chains record is one we both loved."
Too Much of a Dead Thing - A novella-length story with a zombie-like event where the survivors are far worse than the monsters.
Little Bunny - Brenner's Woods were off limits. A haunted place with snakes, spiders, and ghosts, but that didn't stop Tommy Schafer from venturing in.
"While he came back each and every time, poor Tommy never came out quite the same."
Death Lights (A Lee Buhl Story) - If you read The Haunted Halls, you are already familiar with Glenn's demon-fighting urban shaman.
"Years after his showdown at the Burton Inn, Lee is going back to work and finds himself at an old farmhouse. What he finds might be more than he is ready for."
A singular voice in speculative fiction, Rolfe is able to tell complete stories in his shorts, something some novelists fail to accomplish in 300 pages. Some of these tales can be difficult to read, particularly if you've experienced a similar loss. But, overall I found Land of Bones to be a worthwhile collection.
Recommended.
Land of Bones is currently available for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - "A vital part of this generation." - Brian Keene, author of The Complex and The Rising. Glenn Rolfe is an author/singer/songwriter from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King, Ronald Malfi, Jack Ketchum, and many others. He and his wife, Meghan, have three children, Ruby, Ramona, and Axl. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness. Glenn is the author of Becoming, Blood and Rain, The Haunted Halls, Chasing Ghosts, Abram's Bridge, Things We Fear, and the collections, Out of Range, Slush. and Land of Bones. He is hard at work on many more. Stay tuned!
And it all begins with a flash fiction piece set in a graveyard,. The title story, Land of Bones.
Ghost of Spears Corner - Wow! This coming of age short will definitely reach out and grab you.
"We weren’t perfect, but I’d say we managed to be relatively normal. All that changed, at least for me, the last week of summer vacation in ’57."
Simon - Little Ally has a fascination with worms, especially Simon.
"Her worm, as she liked to lovingly think of him, was not like the worms in Katy's, or Michael's yards."
Not Kansas Anymore - Another killer story about a series of deaths in Kansas, Maine.
"On the news, they were telling us we had a murderer in our town. In the halls between classes, we were talking about vampires. We were all wrong."
Fire - Thus far, I have thoroughly enjoyed every story in this collection. How would you deal with a world suddenly aflame?
Welcome to Paradise - This story may be short on words, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in violence.
"She loved damage. She loved scars. She loved anything beautiful and broken. The Lucky Lounge Motel served as the feeding ground for her biggest passion...murder."
Wish - All I can say about this story is one really needs to be careful what they wish for.
Avenging Kitten - Love the title. Another story of loss and in this case revenge. This is one of those tales where I couldn't wait to see where it would go.
Charley Sings the World Away - A heartbreaking story of the end times.
The Fixer - A tale of horrible loss. A story that moved me to tears and then made me angry. Well done.
The Rooster - "That Alice in Chains record is one we both loved."
Too Much of a Dead Thing - A novella-length story with a zombie-like event where the survivors are far worse than the monsters.
Little Bunny - Brenner's Woods were off limits. A haunted place with snakes, spiders, and ghosts, but that didn't stop Tommy Schafer from venturing in.
"While he came back each and every time, poor Tommy never came out quite the same."
Death Lights (A Lee Buhl Story) - If you read The Haunted Halls, you are already familiar with Glenn's demon-fighting urban shaman.
"Years after his showdown at the Burton Inn, Lee is going back to work and finds himself at an old farmhouse. What he finds might be more than he is ready for."
A singular voice in speculative fiction, Rolfe is able to tell complete stories in his shorts, something some novelists fail to accomplish in 300 pages. Some of these tales can be difficult to read, particularly if you've experienced a similar loss. But, overall I found Land of Bones to be a worthwhile collection.
Recommended.
Land of Bones is currently available for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - "A vital part of this generation." - Brian Keene, author of The Complex and The Rising. Glenn Rolfe is an author/singer/songwriter from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King, Ronald Malfi, Jack Ketchum, and many others. He and his wife, Meghan, have three children, Ruby, Ramona, and Axl. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness. Glenn is the author of Becoming, Blood and Rain, The Haunted Halls, Chasing Ghosts, Abram's Bridge, Things We Fear, and the collections, Out of Range, Slush. and Land of Bones. He is hard at work on many more. Stay tuned!
April 30, 2018
Glenn Rolfe's latest collection of short fiction (after Slush) is thematically linked by loss. The loss of our previous lives, the loss of a pet, the loss of our loved ones, etc. It's a subject that everyone can relate to, and it makes sense for a horror author to mine its depths, even when some tales do the topic far more justice than others.
The first real hit of the collection is SIMON, a somewhat fantastical look at the loss of a child's innocence, which any caring parent of youngsters will find packs a powerful punch. Rolfe often manages to convey a lot in a very small number of words, and this is one such tale. Conversely, TOO MUCH OF A DEAD THING is novella length, but is also very good, dropping the reader into an apocalyptic nightmare that has creatures rampaging through our modern day life, and survivors fleeing for the relative safety of the sparsely populated rural regions. NOT KANSAS ANYMORE is another well crafted tale, with an old fashioned monster ruining the lives of a small town, and the young first-person protagonist soon finding himself in too deep with said creature. But the stand out story - the one that feels oh so very real - is THE ROOSTER. Despite this being the most straight forward story about death within Land of Bones, Rolfe managed to tug on my heart strings in his depiction of a man losing his brother to cancer and the grief he is experiencing.
But, of course, like just about any such collection, there are also stories that did not work as well. GHOSTS OF SPEARS CORNER feels very rushed and not well connected with most of the other tales. Rolfe, in his author's notes, says he loves it though, so maybe I missed something? LITTLE BUNNY is an ill-advised attempt to be different which ends up being too weird to be enjoyable, and DEATH LIGHTS is a follow-up to The Haunted Halls (a book that was very early in Rolfe's career and reads accordingly) so did not really work for me, especially as it is the tale on which the collection ends.
The other tales are all okay to good, with WELCOME TO PARADISE - a story that Rolfe likens to one of his favourite movies, True Romance - being the best of the bunch.
Though I did not engage with this collection as much as some of other works by Rolfe, it is good to see him taking some chances and stretching himself as a writer. I look forward to seeing what he next produces.
3 Hard Goodbyes for Land of Bones.
The preceding is based on an eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The first real hit of the collection is SIMON, a somewhat fantastical look at the loss of a child's innocence, which any caring parent of youngsters will find packs a powerful punch. Rolfe often manages to convey a lot in a very small number of words, and this is one such tale. Conversely, TOO MUCH OF A DEAD THING is novella length, but is also very good, dropping the reader into an apocalyptic nightmare that has creatures rampaging through our modern day life, and survivors fleeing for the relative safety of the sparsely populated rural regions. NOT KANSAS ANYMORE is another well crafted tale, with an old fashioned monster ruining the lives of a small town, and the young first-person protagonist soon finding himself in too deep with said creature. But the stand out story - the one that feels oh so very real - is THE ROOSTER. Despite this being the most straight forward story about death within Land of Bones, Rolfe managed to tug on my heart strings in his depiction of a man losing his brother to cancer and the grief he is experiencing.
But, of course, like just about any such collection, there are also stories that did not work as well. GHOSTS OF SPEARS CORNER feels very rushed and not well connected with most of the other tales. Rolfe, in his author's notes, says he loves it though, so maybe I missed something? LITTLE BUNNY is an ill-advised attempt to be different which ends up being too weird to be enjoyable, and DEATH LIGHTS is a follow-up to The Haunted Halls (a book that was very early in Rolfe's career and reads accordingly) so did not really work for me, especially as it is the tale on which the collection ends.
The other tales are all okay to good, with WELCOME TO PARADISE - a story that Rolfe likens to one of his favourite movies, True Romance - being the best of the bunch.
Though I did not engage with this collection as much as some of other works by Rolfe, it is good to see him taking some chances and stretching himself as a writer. I look forward to seeing what he next produces.
3 Hard Goodbyes for Land of Bones.
The preceding is based on an eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2018
"She loved damage. She loved scars. She loved anything beautiful and broken."
Land of Bones is an enjoyable dark fiction / horror book of short stories. This was the first I've read from Glenn Rolfe, and I was pretty happy with the book. This was not a perfect collection for me - I didn't love all of the stories, but I did appreciate the book as a whole.
Two of the stories in the collection have really stuck with me - The Ghost on Spears Corner & Fire. As I said before, I liked multiple stories, but these were the standouts for me. The Ghost on Spears Corner was a creepy coming-of-age story. I enjoyed this one so much that I hope there is a full novel around this story one day. I would be all over it. My other favorite story, Fire, goes down a heavy & painful route, and I was so intrigued by the story. Disaster/survival horror is not usually my favorite, but this story was so well done & I was hooked the entire way through.
The other stories I really liked were The Land of Bones, Simon, Not Kansas Anymore, Welcome to Paradise, and Too Much of a Dead Thing. There's a good variety of different stories in here, and I believe any lover of dark fiction would find something to enjoy.
My big complaint is that I wish there would have been page numbers. I like to be able to flip back to things & write down quotes, and it's difficult to do that without page numbers.
This was a great introduction to Glenn Rolfe's work, and I'm looking forward to reading more!
Land of Bones is an enjoyable dark fiction / horror book of short stories. This was the first I've read from Glenn Rolfe, and I was pretty happy with the book. This was not a perfect collection for me - I didn't love all of the stories, but I did appreciate the book as a whole.
Two of the stories in the collection have really stuck with me - The Ghost on Spears Corner & Fire. As I said before, I liked multiple stories, but these were the standouts for me. The Ghost on Spears Corner was a creepy coming-of-age story. I enjoyed this one so much that I hope there is a full novel around this story one day. I would be all over it. My other favorite story, Fire, goes down a heavy & painful route, and I was so intrigued by the story. Disaster/survival horror is not usually my favorite, but this story was so well done & I was hooked the entire way through.
The other stories I really liked were The Land of Bones, Simon, Not Kansas Anymore, Welcome to Paradise, and Too Much of a Dead Thing. There's a good variety of different stories in here, and I believe any lover of dark fiction would find something to enjoy.
My big complaint is that I wish there would have been page numbers. I like to be able to flip back to things & write down quotes, and it's difficult to do that without page numbers.
This was a great introduction to Glenn Rolfe's work, and I'm looking forward to reading more!
April 22, 2018
This was a collection of 14 short stories that all revolved around the theme of loss. This author is able to really put a lot into shorter pieces. I enjoyed all of them with my favorites being:
The Rooster: this one made me cry
The Fixer: Oh, what we wouldn't do for our children
Fire: a sad, lonely feel to it
Wish: can you spell psychosis?
Little Bunny: just scary
Avenging Kitten: don't mess with the pets!
Another thing I liked about the book is that at the end Glenn put some author notes about each story, telling where it came from or some personal info about it.
An excellent book by an excellent author! I highly recommend it.
The Rooster: this one made me cry
The Fixer: Oh, what we wouldn't do for our children
Fire: a sad, lonely feel to it
Wish: can you spell psychosis?
Little Bunny: just scary
Avenging Kitten: don't mess with the pets!
Another thing I liked about the book is that at the end Glenn put some author notes about each story, telling where it came from or some personal info about it.
An excellent book by an excellent author! I highly recommend it.
April 20, 2018
Review: LAND OF BONES by Glenn Rolfe
By turns heart-touching, heart-tearing, oh! My!, and almost always Scary!, Glenn Rolfe's new collection showcases this author's variety. I'd say there's something here to terrify almost everyone, even the most jaded reader of horror, dystopia, or apocalyptic scenarios. There's also a thoughtful and heartening introduction from author Erin Sweet all-Mehairi, the talented editor of this collection.
I thought I could select one or two stories to call "my favourites" in this set. Didn't work that efficiently. Found I had several. For the "Oh!My!" factor, there's "Wish." (If I was a little more puritanical, and thought Jonathan Edwards was peering over my shoulder, I'd sling this story into the "Be Sure Your Sins Will Find You Out" folder. Of course, these stories ARE set in New England....)
Then there's the delightfully painful "Not Kansas Anymore," which is set in Maine, there are no flying monkeys but something worse--and you really, really, do not want to see the "man" behind the curtain.
"Fire"--tore me up. I'm sure there will be nightmares. Inescapable and implacable, maximally.
"Simon"--hello, Mr. Lovecraft, and plenty of "Oh! My! Oh! No!" Factor. Very scary. What hurt worst? The little girl voices it. Read and see.
Finally, the story that cast me back to an earlier work by this gifted man, "The Ghosts of Spears Corners." If you've read Glenn's impactful CHASING GHOSTS (a book whose memory STILL wakes me up at night gibbering), race at the speed of light to read "Ghosts of Spears Corners" first {read it in sunlight}.
By turns heart-touching, heart-tearing, oh! My!, and almost always Scary!, Glenn Rolfe's new collection showcases this author's variety. I'd say there's something here to terrify almost everyone, even the most jaded reader of horror, dystopia, or apocalyptic scenarios. There's also a thoughtful and heartening introduction from author Erin Sweet all-Mehairi, the talented editor of this collection.
I thought I could select one or two stories to call "my favourites" in this set. Didn't work that efficiently. Found I had several. For the "Oh!My!" factor, there's "Wish." (If I was a little more puritanical, and thought Jonathan Edwards was peering over my shoulder, I'd sling this story into the "Be Sure Your Sins Will Find You Out" folder. Of course, these stories ARE set in New England....)
Then there's the delightfully painful "Not Kansas Anymore," which is set in Maine, there are no flying monkeys but something worse--and you really, really, do not want to see the "man" behind the curtain.
"Fire"--tore me up. I'm sure there will be nightmares. Inescapable and implacable, maximally.
"Simon"--hello, Mr. Lovecraft, and plenty of "Oh! My! Oh! No!" Factor. Very scary. What hurt worst? The little girl voices it. Read and see.
Finally, the story that cast me back to an earlier work by this gifted man, "The Ghosts of Spears Corners." If you've read Glenn's impactful CHASING GHOSTS (a book whose memory STILL wakes me up at night gibbering), race at the speed of light to read "Ghosts of Spears Corners" first {read it in sunlight}.
August 1, 2018
First let me begin this review by stating Glenn Rolfe is one of the nicest authors you'll meet and that the guy does everything he can to promote other's work and the horror genre in general. It's awesome seeing the success he's finding and I have to say it's well deserved and I hope it only continues.
While I've purchased quite a few Rolfe books, "Land of Bones" is the first title I decided to crack open, after seeing so many glowing reviews. I'm a huge fan of short stories and so naturally was looking forward to experiencing Rolfe's work in a variety of forms, my experience here however felt a little dim compared to others who have read this.
The best way I can describe my thoughts on this collection is that I found the stories "serviceable," meaning they hit the right notes, and accomplished mostly what they were aiming for. But, short of one story, there was little that blew me away or provided something more than an average paint-by-the-numbers "horror story" you might find anywhere.
The story "Welcome to Paradise" I thought was brilliant and a great showcase of talent. "Simon" was another story I thought was above average. But while I was hoping for something a little more unique as a complete collection, for fans of the genre there's certainly something to enjoy here. This one may have left me wanting but I'm still looking forward to more of Rolfe's work.
While I've purchased quite a few Rolfe books, "Land of Bones" is the first title I decided to crack open, after seeing so many glowing reviews. I'm a huge fan of short stories and so naturally was looking forward to experiencing Rolfe's work in a variety of forms, my experience here however felt a little dim compared to others who have read this.
The best way I can describe my thoughts on this collection is that I found the stories "serviceable," meaning they hit the right notes, and accomplished mostly what they were aiming for. But, short of one story, there was little that blew me away or provided something more than an average paint-by-the-numbers "horror story" you might find anywhere.
The story "Welcome to Paradise" I thought was brilliant and a great showcase of talent. "Simon" was another story I thought was above average. But while I was hoping for something a little more unique as a complete collection, for fans of the genre there's certainly something to enjoy here. This one may have left me wanting but I'm still looking forward to more of Rolfe's work.
April 30, 2018
This was a nice collection and variety of short stories for any fan of the horror genre! I normally don't read too many short stories because I hardly ever get that feeling of satisfaction that I get when reading a full length story but I read these in between work projects and I found they were just what I needed and the perfect length for the amount of time I had to spare. I really came away with a deeper appreciation of short stories and how useful they can be in certain situations. I know I won't shy away from them now like I use too.
My favorite stories in this collection were- Not in Kansas Anymore, Avenging Kitten, Welcome to Paradise, The Fixer, The Rooster, and Too Much of a Dead Thing.
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
My favorite stories in this collection were- Not in Kansas Anymore, Avenging Kitten, Welcome to Paradise, The Fixer, The Rooster, and Too Much of a Dead Thing.
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
March 7, 2018
I really dug Glenn Rolfe's collection, LAND OF BONES. It starts off with a short, poetic flash piece that really sets the tone for the rest of the stories. This is a much darker collection compared to his last, SLUSH. I'd agree with other reviewers and Erin's introduction - these stories all share the common theme of suffering soul-crushing losses. I particularly enjoyed NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE, THE ROOSTER (heart-wrenching), THE FIXER, and the novelette at the end, DEATH LIGHTS. Overall, a very good read from a talented writer. Glenn Rolfe's LAND OF BONES is like a good beer - crisp, refreshing, and it has this lingering aftertaste that makes you want to order a second round.
April 12, 2018
I really loved the short piece at the beginning and I really loved many of the stories, but a few were definitely not my thing, some just sort of skimmed along instead of diving inside. A sense of very human loss and on the flip side human darkness permeates a great deal of the pieces. I expected it to be more macabre than it was, but it was a good quick read.
June 20, 2018
Good mix of creepy tales here, in the Land of Bones. I thoroughly enjoyed a number of the stories here. Like in any short story compilation, there is bound to be a few that don't connect with you, but it wasn't because they were poorly written!
Look forward to checking out other works from Glenn!
Look forward to checking out other works from Glenn!
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
April 4, 2022DNF @ 12%
Maybe it's just me. Maybe I've finally moved past the phase of my life where I eagerly consumed edgy horror content and thought it was the best thing ever. Maybe I'm just the world's most grouchy person. I don't know... and, frankly, I don't care because ultimately reviews are my place to express opinions and I don't feel like pretending my eyes weren't rolling into the back of my head from the very first page.
No, that's not hyperbole. The first paragraph of this book - part of the foreward - made me physically roll my eyes in real life and highlight it in the Kindle app with "🙄" as a note. But honestly, can you blame me?
That is some Grade A "2 edgy 4 u" cringeworthy nonsense, the likes of which I could have written during my emo-goth teenager phase. It does not make a good first impression.
After that, another introductory tale titled "Land of Bones" spans only one page and includes the equally annoying paragraph:
It's just a bit... much for me. Too much. This is what made me stall out in mid-2020, in fact, leaving this anthology on my 'Currently Reading' shelf yet completely untouched ever since.
Tonight, however, I decided to pick this book back up in the interest of completing it and knocking one more book out in my 2022 goal.
That idea lasted for all of one story. The first story-length installment begins with a narrator who looks back onto life sixty years ago. So far so good, right? I don't mind older narrators. Except the character thinks back to his small town and how it "had some Klan activity, but the Blacks tended to steer clear" and his uncle Jed only spent three days in jail for beating the one black boy in the neighbourhood. It's unclear how old the boy or uncle are, but it's irrelevant to my issue anyway. No, see, my issue is that this information is followed by a declaration of how normal that made the town. Yeeeeeeah....
Now, don't get me wrong. I gave this particular story a chance. I honestly did. I read most of it, though I skimmed a few bits on account of how boring it was in the middle. I thought that surely the early tidbit about racism would be relevant. But no. The narrator recounts a moment in his childhood where he and a buddy explore a local white family's estate and find a vaguely macabre secret which has absolutely nothing to do with anyone other than the members of that family and the racist sheriff. Then, at the end, the narrator claims that he went through the Vietnam war and "the hell I witnessed in that jungle, all the blood, all the pain, and the ghosts in men’s eyes, as awful as it was, and it was pure hell, none of those horrors weighed on me as heavy as" what he witnessed in that house.
I'm sorry, but no. I do not have the mental energy for mediocre, try-hard "horror" stories which attempt to garner shock by using casual mentions of racial hate crimes as narrative flavouring in a story focused on solely white characters and making a joke out of the absolute horrors witnessed by Vietnam veterans. Maybe someone could write a story which does this in a way that's less tactless, but this author failed exponentially.
Three strikes, and this book is out.
Maybe it's just me. Maybe I've finally moved past the phase of my life where I eagerly consumed edgy horror content and thought it was the best thing ever. Maybe I'm just the world's most grouchy person. I don't know... and, frankly, I don't care because ultimately reviews are my place to express opinions and I don't feel like pretending my eyes weren't rolling into the back of my head from the very first page.
No, that's not hyperbole. The first paragraph of this book - part of the foreward - made me physically roll my eyes in real life and highlight it in the Kindle app with "🙄" as a note. But honestly, can you blame me?
The Land of Bones. You’ve knocked on the door after the cover invited you. You’re probably anticipating what you’ll find within these pages. Well, come in, hear the wind chimes of femurs and ribs as they call you. Just beware of what you’ll find in the song.
That is some Grade A "2 edgy 4 u" cringeworthy nonsense, the likes of which I could have written during my emo-goth teenager phase. It does not make a good first impression.
After that, another introductory tale titled "Land of Bones" spans only one page and includes the equally annoying paragraph:
Whispers and echoes travel on radio waves unheard by the living. Secrets kept, promises held tight to ribs where maggots could devour but never access what each soul took with them. Somewhere beyond what is seen and what is conjured, what is lost to the fire and what is forgotten above, a new tribe congregates and moves below, here in the land of bones.
It's just a bit... much for me. Too much. This is what made me stall out in mid-2020, in fact, leaving this anthology on my 'Currently Reading' shelf yet completely untouched ever since.
Tonight, however, I decided to pick this book back up in the interest of completing it and knocking one more book out in my 2022 goal.
That idea lasted for all of one story. The first story-length installment begins with a narrator who looks back onto life sixty years ago. So far so good, right? I don't mind older narrators. Except the character thinks back to his small town and how it "had some Klan activity, but the Blacks tended to steer clear" and his uncle Jed only spent three days in jail for beating the one black boy in the neighbourhood. It's unclear how old the boy or uncle are, but it's irrelevant to my issue anyway. No, see, my issue is that this information is followed by a declaration of how normal that made the town. Yeeeeeeah....
Now, don't get me wrong. I gave this particular story a chance. I honestly did. I read most of it, though I skimmed a few bits on account of how boring it was in the middle. I thought that surely the early tidbit about racism would be relevant. But no. The narrator recounts a moment in his childhood where he and a buddy explore a local white family's estate and find a vaguely macabre secret which has absolutely nothing to do with anyone other than the members of that family and the racist sheriff. Then, at the end, the narrator claims that he went through the Vietnam war and "the hell I witnessed in that jungle, all the blood, all the pain, and the ghosts in men’s eyes, as awful as it was, and it was pure hell, none of those horrors weighed on me as heavy as" what he witnessed in that house.
I'm sorry, but no. I do not have the mental energy for mediocre, try-hard "horror" stories which attempt to garner shock by using casual mentions of racial hate crimes as narrative flavouring in a story focused on solely white characters and making a joke out of the absolute horrors witnessed by Vietnam veterans. Maybe someone could write a story which does this in a way that's less tactless, but this author failed exponentially.
Three strikes, and this book is out.
August 3, 2018
The introduction to this collection spoke of the sense of loss within these stories. And yes this is true but not in the way that I was initially imagining. See, although the characters in here have all suffered/are suffering from loss, this is merely a backdrop to horrific themes and situations created within. I thought it would be emotion-sapping, and it was, but this collection was also just downright creepy.
There are scares, gore, ghosts, monsters; basically everything that you’d look for in horror stories.
Things kick off with the title track, The Land of Bones, a short vignette intro which sets the tone perfectly for what is about to come.
Ghosts of Spear Corner is the tale of an abandoned old house in a small town. The place has secrets and all of the locals know to leave the place well alone. There are rumours of the house being haunted. But two kids decide to find out for themselves. Oh yes, they find out the secrets all right, but wish that they hadn’t. Things had got off to a great start.
Simon is a worm, but not entirely. Actually he’s a bit of a nasty bastard, oh yeah, and a monster. This flash piece was bang, to the point. There was no slow burn to the ending, it emerged and slapped me in the face before the horrors even had a chance to ingrain themselves. This one was really great.
Things take a vampiric twist in Not Kansas Anymore. After a number of locals have been murdered, the town puts in place a curfew. Not that it has any effect. But a bizarre twist of fate if ever there was one brings this story to a satisfying conclusion. It seems not every type of blood is tasty to vampires.
Fire is the short tale of family desperation. When a raging fire sweeps the country people do what they have to do. It’s all about survival, baby.
One thing I admire in a story is when the protagonist is out to do no-good, yet we’re still cheering them on along the way. This is exactly what happens in Welcome to Paradise. A woman picks up a guy in a bar with one thing in mind; killing him. OK, two things. She takes him to her motel and starts with her sexy-time moves, as she’s done this plenty of times. But on this occasion things go a little differently. She never expected this, she really didn’t.
Next up was Wish. After an argument, a man is dumped by his lady and without the help and support of his friends, he’s left to wallow in his own destructive and depressive thoughts. He just wishes things were different. When the harrowing nightmares arrive he really wishes he hadn’t wished for anything. But of course, it’s too late. Be careful what you wish for, I think they say.
The over-riding message I got from Avenging Kitten, is don’t fuck with a man who’s lost his kitten. The title says it all really, when the kitten goes missing, things take a vengeancey-type turn. There ain’t nothin’ gonna stop him.
Charley Sings the World Away was another flash piece. The end of the world is nigh, but a dad does his best to ignore this impending doom, and instead concentrates on the wishes of his family. He returns home with a present for his daughter. When bad stuff is afoot, kids are blissfully ignorant. This is something to be admired.
A grieving father is desperate to have his son back. When a mysterious stranger, The Fixer, offers him some salvation it seems to be too good to be true. But as was said earlier, be careful with those wishes. A price always has to be paid, and it’s usually not a ‘once in a lifetime special offer’, not when lives are at stake. The ending to this one was great, and is a contender for my favourite story here.
Named after the great Alice In Chains song, The Rooster is the story of a man’s brother dying of cancer. His memories of their lives are comforting but the real horror here is how realistic all this is. A very emotional tale.
And then all of a sudden I found a great little novella tucked away inside. Too Much of a Dead Thing is a kind of zombie type story, although not strictly. I do enjoy post-apocalyptic stories but find they need to be strong on character to work. Well, this one was. Coupling sympathy with action and gore, this one ticked all the right boxes. There was also a ‘no way’ moment that I didn’t see coming, well not entirely anyway. Yeah, this was a nice twist on the genre.
Woods are creepy, especially at night. That’s a given. Little Bunny is the story of a small rabbit who entices a girl into said woods. These trees are the home of a dead child killer too, apparently. Her sister is in there also. But she committed suicide, right? This story was up there with The Fixer as my favourites, it definitely put the chills down me.
The closing story is Death Lights, where a medium sets to take on malevolent spirits in an old farmhouse. But the spirits seem to know him and his desperate memories and seek to manipulate him with them. A chilling closer to a great collection.
So you can probably tell, I loved this book. Horror tinged with sadness is not a pairing I’d automatically plump for, but I’m glad I did. It’s five stars all round!
There are scares, gore, ghosts, monsters; basically everything that you’d look for in horror stories.
Things kick off with the title track, The Land of Bones, a short vignette intro which sets the tone perfectly for what is about to come.
Ghosts of Spear Corner is the tale of an abandoned old house in a small town. The place has secrets and all of the locals know to leave the place well alone. There are rumours of the house being haunted. But two kids decide to find out for themselves. Oh yes, they find out the secrets all right, but wish that they hadn’t. Things had got off to a great start.
Simon is a worm, but not entirely. Actually he’s a bit of a nasty bastard, oh yeah, and a monster. This flash piece was bang, to the point. There was no slow burn to the ending, it emerged and slapped me in the face before the horrors even had a chance to ingrain themselves. This one was really great.
Things take a vampiric twist in Not Kansas Anymore. After a number of locals have been murdered, the town puts in place a curfew. Not that it has any effect. But a bizarre twist of fate if ever there was one brings this story to a satisfying conclusion. It seems not every type of blood is tasty to vampires.
Fire is the short tale of family desperation. When a raging fire sweeps the country people do what they have to do. It’s all about survival, baby.
One thing I admire in a story is when the protagonist is out to do no-good, yet we’re still cheering them on along the way. This is exactly what happens in Welcome to Paradise. A woman picks up a guy in a bar with one thing in mind; killing him. OK, two things. She takes him to her motel and starts with her sexy-time moves, as she’s done this plenty of times. But on this occasion things go a little differently. She never expected this, she really didn’t.
Next up was Wish. After an argument, a man is dumped by his lady and without the help and support of his friends, he’s left to wallow in his own destructive and depressive thoughts. He just wishes things were different. When the harrowing nightmares arrive he really wishes he hadn’t wished for anything. But of course, it’s too late. Be careful what you wish for, I think they say.
The over-riding message I got from Avenging Kitten, is don’t fuck with a man who’s lost his kitten. The title says it all really, when the kitten goes missing, things take a vengeancey-type turn. There ain’t nothin’ gonna stop him.
Charley Sings the World Away was another flash piece. The end of the world is nigh, but a dad does his best to ignore this impending doom, and instead concentrates on the wishes of his family. He returns home with a present for his daughter. When bad stuff is afoot, kids are blissfully ignorant. This is something to be admired.
A grieving father is desperate to have his son back. When a mysterious stranger, The Fixer, offers him some salvation it seems to be too good to be true. But as was said earlier, be careful with those wishes. A price always has to be paid, and it’s usually not a ‘once in a lifetime special offer’, not when lives are at stake. The ending to this one was great, and is a contender for my favourite story here.
Named after the great Alice In Chains song, The Rooster is the story of a man’s brother dying of cancer. His memories of their lives are comforting but the real horror here is how realistic all this is. A very emotional tale.
And then all of a sudden I found a great little novella tucked away inside. Too Much of a Dead Thing is a kind of zombie type story, although not strictly. I do enjoy post-apocalyptic stories but find they need to be strong on character to work. Well, this one was. Coupling sympathy with action and gore, this one ticked all the right boxes. There was also a ‘no way’ moment that I didn’t see coming, well not entirely anyway. Yeah, this was a nice twist on the genre.
Woods are creepy, especially at night. That’s a given. Little Bunny is the story of a small rabbit who entices a girl into said woods. These trees are the home of a dead child killer too, apparently. Her sister is in there also. But she committed suicide, right? This story was up there with The Fixer as my favourites, it definitely put the chills down me.
The closing story is Death Lights, where a medium sets to take on malevolent spirits in an old farmhouse. But the spirits seem to know him and his desperate memories and seek to manipulate him with them. A chilling closer to a great collection.
So you can probably tell, I loved this book. Horror tinged with sadness is not a pairing I’d automatically plump for, but I’m glad I did. It’s five stars all round!
March 26, 2018
Land of Bones is the fantastic new short story collection written by Glenn Rolfe. In this collection you will find stories that will make you laugh, make your skin crawl, and break your heart, often all at the same time. Glenn has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of my favorite authors because of his ability to make you care about his characters as if they were your own friends or family. I’m continuously blown away by the fact he can do this with not only a novel but with a short story as well. I loved Not In Kansas Anymore, a throwback to some of the best old-school vampire stories out there. Welcome to Paradise is like Natural Born Killers meets Romeo and Juliet, a Christmas love story for the depraved bits in all of us horror fanatics. In Avenging Kitten a killer gets some payback (Anyone who has ever loved and lost a pet in a horrible way will appreciate this story). With Charley Sings The World Away we experience a father's despair as he watches his baby girl on the day of the apocalypse, can someone please pass the tissues. We get to catch up with Lee Buhl (The Haunted Halls) as he returns to Maine and faces some demons of his own in Death Lights. And then there’s The Rooster, probably the best story in this book. This one hurt. A lot. Brought back feelings I thought I had come to terms with from some personal losses of my own. Fuck. You. Cancer. All in all this is a great collection, I highly recommend this 5 star read.
March 23, 2018
The foreword written by Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi, the editor of Glenn’s collection sums up this book perfectly as a collection brought together with the theme of loss. The horror in this collection varies throughout, some of it is quiet and thoughtful and other stories are blunt and visceral, but all the stories work together to form a wonderfully dark journey through Glenn’s imagination.
It starts off with a poem which beautifully sets the tone ahead and settled me into Glenn’s fantastic prose. The writing is effortless and easy to read despite some heavy themes and bleak moments, making his style perfect for short stories.
I loved Glenn’s previous collection Slush and this was just as good if not better, as it’s a darker book which pulls at the heartstrings and leaves a longer lasting impression. I’d definitely recommend this, it would serve as a great introduction to Glenn’s writing if you’re unfamiliar with his work.
It starts off with a poem which beautifully sets the tone ahead and settled me into Glenn’s fantastic prose. The writing is effortless and easy to read despite some heavy themes and bleak moments, making his style perfect for short stories.
I loved Glenn’s previous collection Slush and this was just as good if not better, as it’s a darker book which pulls at the heartstrings and leaves a longer lasting impression. I’d definitely recommend this, it would serve as a great introduction to Glenn’s writing if you’re unfamiliar with his work.
December 2, 2019
As I read the short stories of Land of Bones by Glen Rolfe, filled with macabre horror, scares and screams, fright and terror, I hope for a deeper glimpse into his writing and was rewarded with a novella that left me shaking my head and saying WTH… He loves to kill his characters off in some gruesome and sad ways. Loved it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Land of Bones by Glen Rolfe.
See more at fundinmental
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Land of Bones by Glen Rolfe.
See more at fundinmental
September 9, 2018
First time reading a Glenn Rolfe and it won’t be the last time either! This was a great collection of stories! My favs were The Fixer, The Rooster(cried real tears), Too Much of a Dead Thing(zombies or alien invasion?) and Death Lights! Left me wanting more and I think I’ll start with The Haunted Halls!!
May 13, 2018
Another fantastic collection of short stories from Mr. Rolfe.
These stories really show the depth of writing that Glenn can produce when his heart is displayed so proudly on his sleeve.
Two stories really stand out for me, although I enjoyed them all.
The Rooster.
When I read the table of contents and saw this title the Jerry Cantrell written song came to mind. This is a touching story about a big, tough guy taken down by something most certainly non-fiction and very real as well. It’s told by his brother who uses the song to explain who he was and what he meant to him and his family. And how his brother’s death will forever change the way he hears that song. In a way music is the vehicle through which Rolfe moves the characters through life and death.
The other one that really stuck with me was actually a novella length story entitled, Too Much of A Dead Thing.
It’s a little 28 Days Later, a little Walking Dead and a touch of The Road. But it’s not a pure zombie story. In fact, they aren’t really zombies. But I don’t want to spoil it so let’s just say it’s a story of man and a boy who don’t know each other, but ‘team up’ together to battle the hordes of....things.
I love books of short stories. And though Glenn is most definitely a horror writer, there are some very touching stories in this book that go beyond that genre. Avenging Kitten and Little Bunny are but two that really got me. Especially Avenging Kitty as I have 8 of my own.
A lot of the stories in here remind me of the way Robert McCammon writes. Very unafraid to show emotion, courage, bravery and, sometimes, devastating loss.
Highly recommended.
These stories really show the depth of writing that Glenn can produce when his heart is displayed so proudly on his sleeve.
Two stories really stand out for me, although I enjoyed them all.
The Rooster.
When I read the table of contents and saw this title the Jerry Cantrell written song came to mind. This is a touching story about a big, tough guy taken down by something most certainly non-fiction and very real as well. It’s told by his brother who uses the song to explain who he was and what he meant to him and his family. And how his brother’s death will forever change the way he hears that song. In a way music is the vehicle through which Rolfe moves the characters through life and death.
The other one that really stuck with me was actually a novella length story entitled, Too Much of A Dead Thing.
It’s a little 28 Days Later, a little Walking Dead and a touch of The Road. But it’s not a pure zombie story. In fact, they aren’t really zombies. But I don’t want to spoil it so let’s just say it’s a story of man and a boy who don’t know each other, but ‘team up’ together to battle the hordes of....things.
I love books of short stories. And though Glenn is most definitely a horror writer, there are some very touching stories in this book that go beyond that genre. Avenging Kitten and Little Bunny are but two that really got me. Especially Avenging Kitty as I have 8 of my own.
A lot of the stories in here remind me of the way Robert McCammon writes. Very unafraid to show emotion, courage, bravery and, sometimes, devastating loss.
Highly recommended.
April 19, 2018
As promised, the pervading feeling of this collection was one of loss and melancholy. Rolfe is a great writer but this even showed a whole new side to his writing style and skill-set. Parts of these stories were so beautifully written that I’d read lines over and over just to get a full grasp of the imagery. I’m not even sure I could choose a favorite as all of them held something for me. It takes a strong writer to build characters in a short story that you can form any sense of attachment to. But I found myself quickly forming attachments to many of the characters and was invested in the outcome of the tale. I feel as if this collection may mark a turning point in Rolfe’s writing; as if the vulnerability shown in these will simply drive future tales to an even greater height.
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