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4.0 

Ugly Little Things

By Todd Keisling
Ugly Little Things by Todd Keisling digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

THIS IS GOING TO HURT.
 

The eleven stories in Ugly Little Things explore the depths of human suffering and ugliness, charting a course to the dark, horrific heart of the human condition. The terrors of everyday existence are laid bare in this eerie collection of short fiction from the twisted mind of Todd Keisling, author of the critically-acclaimed novels A Life Transparent and The Liminal Man.

 

Travel between the highways of America in "The Otherland Express," where a tribe of the forsaken and forlorn meet to exchange identities. Witness the cold vacuum of space manifest in the flesh in "The Darkness Between Dead Stars." Step into the scrub of rural Arizona and join Karen Singleton's struggle to save her husband from a cult of religious fanatics in "When Karen Met Her Mountain." Visit the small town of Dalton in "The Harbinger" and join Felix Proust as he uncovers the vile secrets rooted at the heart of Dalton Dollworks. And in the critically-acclaimed novella "The Final Reconciliation," learn the horrifying truth behind the demise of the rock band The Yellow Kings.

 

With an introduction by Bram Stoker Award-winner Mercedes M. Yardley and illustrations by Luke Spooner, Ugly Little Things will be your atlas, guiding you along a lonely road of sorrow, loss, and regret. This is going to hurt—and you're going to like it.

 

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing - Tales from the Darkest Depths.

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7 Reviews

4.0
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georgesreads

Created over 1 year ago
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“Ok come on Todd, you’re just showing off now. What this short story collection tells me, is that this man has RANGE. Ugly Little Things is a true assortment of terrors, from creepy dolls to a cultish sorority house to the devil himself. My personal favourite was the very first story “A man in your garden,” which is the very epitome of simple but effective. Coming in at 8 pages, it’s over in a flash but it blew my mind and opened the collection perfectly. It’s written in second person, which I thought was great as it differs from the rest of the collection AND makes it SO immersive and genuinely scary. Saving Granny From The Devil was also a highlight for me. This reads as autobiographical and is an excellent commentary on loss and familial relationships. I relatively enjoyed the VAST majority of short stories (only one kind of missed the mark for me) but the last one I’ll speak about in this review will be the Harbinger. THE ATMOSPHERE. I’ve not read yet Devil’s Creek, but I’ve read reviews, and have surmised that Keisling can do small town horror well, and this demonstrates it further. All in all, this is a solid short story collection which I demolished by the poolside in a day. Furthermore the illustrations between stories are SO good, and it’s definitely worth investing in a physical copy.”
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Nell Corpse Bride

Created over 1 year ago
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“A place where horrific ugly little things become visible.  like to thank Joe and Crystal Lake Publishing for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had already read Todd's novella, The Final Reconciliation, so I knew I was in for a treat! That novella with its Lovecraftian touches and great characters was a great symphony of horror and rock, it's excellent. Each short story in this collection was different to each other, but all feature Ugly Little Things that are probably best hidden! All are well written and immerse, taking the reader on a bizarre and frightening journey. If I was forced to pick some favourites, I would go with these three: Human Resources - a cynical and darkly humourous corporate horror tale. The Harbinger - Creepy dolls and a town steeped in the stench of evil and pig crap, what's not to love? House of Nettle and Thorn - the second I saw the opening illustration, I knew I would adore this story. I love the female vixen characters and could see their beautiful facade in my head perfectly. But ugliness lies below the surface. It's a gorgeous, yet disgusting tale and I loved every every word. Todd has done an excellent job with this ugly little collection :)”
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David Swisher

Created almost 3 years ago
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“Todd Keisling is a damn genius. This collection of stories is some of the best work by a single author compiled for our enjoyment that I've ever read. In my opinion, the best of the bunch are the first and last. This collection starts off with There's A Man In My Garden' which is a quick jaunt of psychological horror that focuses on something most of us have experienced, the thought that we see something or someone menacing out of the corner of our eye. The collection closes with 'The Final Reconciliation' which is an ode to The King In Yellow and examines the ritualistic demise of a budding heavy metal band in a creepy and horrific manner. This collection is a must for any fan of horror!”

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