Audiobook: Christmas and other horrors

By: Ellen Datlow - editor

Narrated by: Carrie Coello, Andrew J. Andersen

Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins

Release date: 03-19-24

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Horror/short stories/to review

A lot of short stories. All about different things too. We have Xmas, we have solstice, Hannukah. Lots of winter holidays, and lots of different monsters that show up. I still think those Austrian ones were the creepiest.

Some were better, some were meh, but that is the thing with an anthology. Some were not scary at all, some had some horror in them. Though none made me look at the window in fear.

But I do like short stories in audio. I really do. They work so well, a fast listen and on to the next one.

It was the same narrator, but I was so immersed in the stories that I didn´t really think about it. So she did well there. Same with the man.

"The Importance of a Tidy Home" by Christopher Golden:

A creepy tale about what happens if you have not cleaned your house before xmas.

"The Ones He Takes" by Benjamin Percy:

A sad xmas turns into a happy ones and then horror

"His Castle" by Alma Katsu:

I liked this one. A little twist to what happens in Wales on xmas

"The Mawkin Field" by Terry Dowling:

I am not really syre if I understood this one fully, I think, but, what? Not scary either

"The Blessing of the Waters" by Nick Mamatas

Another not scary one about a runaway inmate and blessed waters

"Dry and Ready" by Glen Hirshberg:

It took me a while to get it, but yes no eerie feels here before the boom at the end

"Last Drinks at Bondi Beach" by Garth Nix:

I liked this one. I wondered about a few things. It could have been longer. Never scary though

"Return to Bear Creek Lodge" by Tananarive Due:

I wondered about things here too. Like wtf was that thing? I want to know

"The Ghost of Christmases Past" by Richard Kadrey:

I had no idea where this was going, and it went dark

"Our Recent Unpleasantness" by Stephen Graham Jones:

This just had me confused what was happening.

"All the Pretty People" by Nadia Bulkin:

Kind of wanted more blood

"Löyly Sow-na" by Josh Malerman:

A story set in Finland, and all in the sauna. No xmas feels here. Just some wood demons I know nothing about

"Cold" by Cassandra Khaw:

I managed to fall asleep to it twice

"Gravé of Small Birds" by Kaaron Warren:

Same with this one, I feel asleep twice. Dunno why

"The Visitation" by Jeffrey Ford:

Interesting one. Creepy ending

"The Lord of Misrule" by M. Rickety:

A slow start, then it turned creepier

"No Light, No Light" by Gemma Files:

Could have been better

"After Words" by John Langan:

Confusing, but meant to be so

The winter solstice is celebrated as a time of joy around the world—yet the long nights also conjure a darker tradition of ghouls, hauntings, and visitations. This anthology of all-new stories invites you to huddle around the fire and revel in the unholy, the dangerous, the horrific aspects of a time when families and friends come together—for better and for worse.

From the eerie Austrian Schnabelperchten to the skeletal Welsh Mari Lwyd, by way of ravenous golems, uncanny neighbors, and unwelcome visitors, Christmas and Other Horrors captures the heart and horror of the festive season.

Because the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is hungry . . .