By Carson Winter and Scott J. Moses
Published by Dread Stone Press September 2022
Preorder via Publisher's site or Amazon.
Split Scream Volume One features two separate stories and authors and is brought to you by Dread Stone Press. It's a great concept for showcasing novellette length fiction that might normally be difficult to place. The two stories selected for volume one are the perfect double feature to introduce the series and I'm already looking forward to volume two.
The Guts of Myth by Carson Winter
Byron is on the hunt for an elusive occultist and it proves to be much more of a complex job than he could ever imagine. Accompanied by a couple of shady accomplices and vague handwritten instructions, the three of them journey into a dark and dangerous world.
I liked the artwork at the start and how it immediately set the tone for the events that followed. The story itself is a weird and wild mix of hard boiled noir and horror that intrigues and unsettles. As a lover of those genres, I fell head over heels for the slick prose and dialogue, and Byron's caustic wit. I had no choice but to pour myself a bourbon and put a jazz record on in the background because I was completely immersed in the whole noir vibe and was reminded of some favourite classics. The fight sequences and action scenes were especially good!
The Guts of Myth is a wild, fast paced ride with a fresh voice and storyline that will thrill you to the very last word.
The Mourner Across the Flames
by Scott J. Moses
As with the first story, The Mourner Across The Flames opens with a fantastic illustration that invites the reader straight into the story's world.
Bharath is responsible for escorting a mourner across a salt ridden dystopian land. During this journey, he makes a discovery and must face an intense unfolding of events.
The dystopian setting felt like an appropriate backdrop to the character's exploration of grief and pain. There was a raw, vulnerability to Bharath that I liked. The events that unfold is an unnerving and intriguing mix of horror and fantasy that reaches deep.
I especially liked the author's descriptive language and immersive prose. I found the story to be an enlightening and emotionally charged experience.
Split Scream has been an exhilarating read and the selected stories are a wonderful debut to the series. I'm sure the next volume will be equally as good.