The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction
By: Ellen Datlow (editor)
Release Date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Night Shade Books
Series: The Best Horror of the Year
Rating:

Editor Ellen Datlow has curated collections of horror fiction for more than a decade. The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction edited by multiple Hugo Award winning Ellen Datlow is a collection of some of the best short horror found in the Best Horror of the Year collection over the past ten years.

A huge number of authors are included in this volume with a total of twenty-eight short stories. Such authors include Mira Grant, Neil Gaiman, Siobhan Carroll, Peter Straub, and many, many more.

It’s always fascinating seeing what stories the editor will choose for compilation or anniversary volumes such as this. Datlow chose some very memorable stories here. Of course, as with all anthologies, some stories will get more mileage than others depending on the reader.

The stories seemed to be harshly divided for me. Half were extremely memorable, and ones I’ve greatly enjoyed in previous Best Horror of the Year anthologies. Others were ones I must have read before, but even upon a second reading still don’t find especially memorable or intriguing.

Such is the nature of anthologies, though, and to be honest, part of why I pick so many up. There is always something fascinating or intriguing within. I also love seeing each editor’s personal taste and curation style, and learning how they line up with my own reading habits.

I do continue to love the Best Horror of the Year series, which is edited by Ellen Datlow, and I will be picking up additional volumes in the future. This volume in particular is enormous, so if large books feel intimidating to you, do be warned. That said, the short stories are easy to get through by nature. I do highly recommend the audiobook, which I listened to via Scribd. I usually do listen to this series via audiobook, and each one has fantastic narrators.

Overall, The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction edited by Ellen Datlow is collection that I enjoyed. Not all short stories left a lasting impression, but all were enjoyable in the moment, and several are ones that will stick with me for a long time to come. If you like horror or enjoy Ellen Datlow’s anthologies, this is a book you don’t want to miss out on.