Nightmare Magazine, issue 120 by John Joseph Adams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Once again I bought an issue of Nightmare Magazine to share the stories with my wife. The descriptions on the site seemed interesting and, indeed, they were. The description that got me to buy it was for the short story Concerning the Upstairs Bathroom. That one turned out to be my favorite. Overall, a good issue and you can’t go wrong for only $3.

Fiction

The Gold Coin – a scary story involving the fae, childhood relationships, and a few plot points that were left ambiguous.

A girl of nails and teeth – interestingly I didn’t see this as horrific. More like a gross imposition in the daughter that might lead to therapy if the monster is an imagined threat.

Bathroom – I know there is a long transition of humor in horror (at least from my minor exposure to it), but this was such a delightful surprise. It balances honor with an ever increasing sense of horror that examines how we can slowly descend into evil.

Poetry

Much to be mourned – It was OK. I’m not a huge poetry person.

Non-Fiction

The H-Word – An essay that’s broadly about the ways that folks induct new members into the “horror club” by recommending books, movies, and TV shows.

Media Review – reviews Crimes of the Future and a horror anthology.




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