Roger Stafford has written the first two books in a well received fantasy trilogy which has been likened to Tolkien and Terry Goodkind. His editor, Terry Reynolds, and his publisher, Rita Coolidge, are both desperate for him to deliver the final volume. Stafford has other plans. He has written a series of horror stories that he wants to see in print, but the team at Fanzy Publishing don’t seem interested in even looking at them. Taking matters into his own hands, Stafford tricks Reynolds and Coolidge into visiting him at home where he ties them up and forces them to read his new collection.
Using a framing device similar to that of anthology horror films like “Creepshow” or “Tales from the Darkside” author Rene F. Tyo presents his debut collection of horror short stories by embedding them within an external narrative. Crazed writer Stafford reveals his work to his captive audience and they read and react to his tales in the way that the reader may be reacting to the stories in THE HOSTAGE CHRONICLES. It’s a neat trick and a novel way to add cohesion to series of mostly unconnected stories. Though much like the aforementioned films, THE HOSTAGE CHRONICLES is a little uneven in content with the impact of a number of very good stories being diluted by some lesser entries.
There is something for all horror fans here including zombies, werewolves, a succubus and sundry other monsters. A lot of the stories are very effective, particularly in the way that Tyo sets the scene with contemporary references to music, sports and television all in easily recognizable and relatable environments. There are stories set in bars and tanning salons. There are doctors and farmers and porn stars. Something horrible happens in all of them. To everybody.
Tyo is a competent writer and the tales are engaging and easy to read. They are not particularly scary, as the author rarely goes for slow building tension or an air of the creepy. Most often the stories explode into explicit and often horrific acts of violence which the author relates with relish. The literary conceit of the captive audience, returned to between almost every story, allows a kind of running commentary. Editor Reynolds, and publisher Coolidge are asked to give opinions on each tale as they are tortured and tormented. On occasion Reynolds chides his captor and his work, telling him that the there’s no resolution or conclusion to many of his stories to which Stafford replies, “You know, horror readers are more sophisticated than you believe: they don’t need everything all wrapped up with a tiny little bow.” It’s hard to disagree and new author Tyo should be commended for trying something different with his debut anthology. It doesn’t always work but when it does it’s a rewarding and bloody thrill.
THE HOSTAGE CHRONICLES is a violent and very gory collection of short stories framed around a demented fantasy author kidnapping his publisher and editor. Though not particularly scary, Rene K. Tyo’s varied anthology doesn’t hold back in delivering multiple monsters and gallons of blood.
~Kent Lane for IndieReader