Book Review: 25 Gates of Hell
By Elizabeth Suggs
25 Gates of Hell: A Horror Anthology by John West et. al., is a horror anthology with twenty-five different horror stories that will lead you closer to the fiery depths of torment.
If you like scary stories with distinctive voices and styles, then this is the anthology for you. I was in awe of the different stories and I enjoyed nearly every single one. My favorites were ones with strong female leads and poetic ways of writing. But, again, if you have a different horrific taste, then you’ll find something in this collection that you’ll enjoy.
But before I get into my favorite stories, and why you should also love them, I want to call out the professional writing and editing style of this anthology.
Each story is well-created, well-written, and well-edited. As I mentioned, the voices are unique and brought out through each story. There were two stories in particular that I found striking, and they were placed one after another, which only heightened the differences in writing; I found it really worked for the anthology. The two stories were “The Repossed” by James Dorr and “Billabong” by Catherine McCarthy. As a fellow editor and publisher, I really appreciate how these two stories turned out.
Now, to my favorite stories. I want to call out “Ghost in the Machine” by Rich Restucci, “101 Days” by Marie Lanza, “Hotel California” by Davina Rush, “The Niche Thing” by Alex R. Knight III, and “Mad: A Poem” by R. L. Burwick.
I was first struck by “Ghost in the Machine.” I love how this story asks questions about what is possible. There are some fun foreshadowing elements. The pacing is great and I love the female character, Jill. She’s a badass who slowly becomes more of a badass throughout the story.
“101 Days” is a different take on the werewolf called a Rougarou. Set in the Bayou, the reader explores the mystery of its devastation through the eyes of the detectives on the case. This also had a great line, She stood frozen, a human icicle.
“Hotel California” Good story, good pacing, the character development is good and I want to know more. There’s a ton of foreshadowing and the woman involved with the main character is mysterious. I kept wanting to learn more. Here is a really good quote: My thoughts came in past like water through grasping fingers, and she smiled as if she saw my struggle and was amused by it.
“The Niche Thing” is not another ghost story! This short story packs a punch! It’s fun with awesome character development.
We end with “Mad: A Poem.” This is a very striking picture of the author’s mind. It’s a longer poem, but, trust me, you’ll fall into it and forget the world. Burwick’s entire poem is amazing, but this line hit me hardest: I can’t live in denial or they’ll spend my eternity —God forbid they return me to maternity.
Finally, I want to highlight some awesome lines from some of the yet mentioned stories.
She knew she was sending him back to that bloodbath, but maybe like a dog, he needed to have his nose rubbed into it. - “A Child’s Game” by Brandon Scott
When you get to be my age, you start to realize that life isn’t defined by years, jobs, or decisions – it’s defined by moments. - “Lest We Forget” by Charles T. Daube
My throat was drier than British humor. - “Anxiety” by Shane Woods
I had a lot of fun with this anthology. There are awesome moments, scenes, and catch phrases. If you’re looking for something scary, I suggest this!
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee and co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com