The Glassy, Burning Floor of Hell

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.