I found this kind of a mixed read which is appropriate considering that I have mixed feelings on Clegg as an author. (I like Clegg when his stories/novels are sequential but I have problems when his novels involve a lot of flashbacks. I find those novels just don't read as nicely.) This book is a compilation of 13 short stories, all wrapped by a cover story. While I applaud the effort on the wrapper story, I don't think that it added anything at all and could have been avoided. The stories themselves were mostly good, only a few were slow and not interesting. The ones that really stuck out though are listed below.

"O, Rare and Most Exquisite" - A man recounts his love and what he did for her

"The Fruit of Her Womb" - A man finds an urn in his house and unravels a mystery

"The Little Mermaid" - A woman helps a man relive his youth

"Damned If You Do" - A radio talk show DJ helps a man to deal with death ( )

Thirteen chilling tales of terror from one of the masters of the horror story.

Like many anthologies, this one focuses around one central story, and boy is this story creepy! A small boy has been kidnapped by merciless and rather ignorant captors, who soon find they may as well have captured the devil himself. Through cruel teasing, surreal visions and deep insight, the little lad delights in terrifying his tormentors by filling their minds with various stories.

Underworld stands out the most. Effectively chilling and almost supernaturally eerie, it focuses on the young couple expecting their first child. Sounds normal enough until they run into an empty restaurant, and the young woman soon disappears. The ending of this story hints at much more to come, and seems to tie end with the boy himself.

White Chapel is one of the more unusual tales, digging into some pretty unchartered territory with a unique ending. Longer and more intense than some of the others, this one shows human sickness is its many twisted forms, as we! ll as a fascinating connection with myths and gods.

Rare and Most Exquisite, being a favorite of mine, has a young boy being told by an older man in a nursing home his past and "true love". Several emotions are strongly conveyed, from bittersweet infatuation, envy, greed, betrayal, hunger, and more. I assure you, the ending will make your stomach drop.

Only Connect is a slightly confusing telling where I wasn't sure where I was from one minute to the next. It all weaves together at the end and leaves a satisfying taste in the mouth.

The Fruit of her womb is more of a ghost/possession type and also holds its share of surprises. The main character, James, is interesting and I enjoyed going through the changes with him. There were some creepy spots, such as with the pig, and I loved hearing about the theories and background involved in the story. In the end I wasn't sure what I thought of the ending definitely not a happy-ever-after scenario.

The Rendering Man, disturbing on multiple levels, was about the sickest of them all. One of the more memorable segments as well, this story tells of Thalia, a woman whose tale is told from early childhood years to old age, all surrounding the same man. Entertaining to sift through, and the ending made it worth the wait of slower parts.

The Night Before Alec got married is another favorite. Told through the eyes of Alec's best friend, a man getting together a surprise "gift" for his best friend as a bachelor party present, this one is so off the wall that you could never expect the turnout. Great ending too, and the characters humor seeps through the pages.

The Ripening Sweetness of Late Afternoon was one I enjoyed least, although it wasn't a bad idea. A man returns to his hometown after finding religion and wanting repentance. The pace was a little slow and the ending a bit! sudden and grim. I didn't comprehend as much as I would have liked to and found myself wanting to jump forward to the next story.

Chosen is about Rob, a man in an apartment building who encounters some of the most bizarre stuff imaginable. His next-door neighbor isn't all she seems, and as I read through it I was repulsed, then fascinated, then surprised. All great emotions to be evoked in a reader, especially in such a short period of time.

The Little Mermaid was also darkly morbid, following in the same vein as many of the previous stories. Molly is a woman who meets this great guy on the beach or so she assumes. The whole scenario is wicked and depressing; I can't give away more without spoiling but this is also one of the better ones.

Damned If You Do wasn't bad but I didn't find it too interesting after the first few pages. Told basically through one character we get a feel for why he does what he does, but other than that there wasn't much substance.

The Hurting Season, my least favorite, is unique like the others.

A friend recommended Clegg to me and I can see now why he's so popular. This man doesn't do amateur play; this short story collection is a carnival ride that will leave you screaming for more.

C hocked full of amazingly different stories that don''t hold anything back, keeping the imagination running in overdrive, overfilling the senses, almost to the point of a nervous breakdown.

R ich in atmosphere, eerie scenes, some suspenseful, dark and morbid.

E asily read, written in a simple to understand style, with poetic-like prose used when it benefits.

E xcellent themes and ideas, the majority of them original, many surprising.

P owerful characters, most of them easily latched on to.

Y ields when it needs to, speeds up when its better for the stories. Pace is tight and used for the maximum impact.
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