Brian Evenson

“Here is how monstrous humans are.” A sentient, murderous prosthetic leg; shadowy creatures lurking behind a shimmering wall; brutal barrow men: of all the terrors that populate The Glassy, Burning Floor of Hell, perhaps the most alarming are the beings who decimated the habitable Earth: humans. In this new short story collection, Brian Evenson envisions a chilling future beyond the Anthropocene that forces excruciating decisions about survival and self-sacrifice in the face of toxic air and a natural world torn between revenge and regeneration. Combining psychological and ecological horror, each tale thrums with Evenson’s award-winning literary craftsmanship, dark humor, and thrilling suspense.

The Glassy, Burning Floor of Hell

"Here is how monstrous humans are." A sentient, murderous prosthetic leg; shadowy creatures lurking behind a shimmering wall; brutal barrow men--of all the terrors that populate The Glassy, Burning Floor of Hell, perhaps the most alarming are the beings who decimated the habitable Earth: humans. In this new short story collection, Brian Evenson envisions a chilling future beyond the Anthropocene that forces excruciating decisions about survival and self-sacrifice in the face of toxic air and a natural world torn between revenge and regeneration. Combining psychological and ecological horror, each tale thrums with Evenson's award-winning literary craftsmanship, dark humor, and thrilling suspense.

Lennox Johnson 

It’s been a long while since I’ve read [note I said ‘read’ and not ‘acquired with all good intentions to read’, lol] a collection of short stories. 

This one was a gamble. I’d gone into the store with a good idea of what I intended to buy, and I also saw a L-O-T of books that are on my TBR list… but I still bought this instead, because the title piqued my interest. 

I wouldn’t say that this gamble was an outstanding win, but I will admit that I’d make the same choice again.

I’d like to have enjoyed this more than I did. Evenson writes wonderfully. I was still able to immerse myself in the stories I didn’t really enjoy because of the vivid language and his skill at keeping his reader invested in knowing what’s about to happen. 

Let’s just say that, after reading this collection, I’m pretty sure that Ecological Horror is not my thing. The “humans are ruthless monsters that deserve to go extinct” preachiness overpowered all else at times. On the other hand, there were also stories where the point was made, but there was still a good, creepy story to read [like “Elo Havel”]. So, maybe it depends on the story. 

When something hit, though, it H-I-T and I felt everything was just perfect. I dare say I’d buy this book again solely on the merit of “The Devil’s Hand”, or “Haver”. “Leg” was also a fantastic opener. I made an audible noise of “oh snap” excitement at the ending twist. “Myling Kommer” and “In Dreams” were also exactly my kind of thing. 

All in all, I’d recommend this collection to everyone that enjoys a good chill- either it’ll be more attuned to your tastes and you’ll enjoy it more than I did, or you’ll also find a handful of stories that make everything else completely worth it.

The Glassy, Burning Floor of Hell

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