🦇 Vampires

Wer Means Man and Other Tales of Wonder and Terror

✍️ Michael R Collings
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$14.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Sixteen tales blending fantasy, terror, and wonder by Michael R Collings.

This anthology features varied tales including a killer pressured by partners to confess, a vampire with a sweet tooth, and an alien generating both beauty and destruction. It explores ecological cycles where pollution causes extinction for one group while creating life for another, alongside a grave keeper supplying story ideas to writers. The collection examines the blend of ordinary life with monstrous elements.

Key Themes
psychic vampire alien creation gravedigger plots
Literary Context

Published by Borgo Press in 2010, this collection sits within the tradition of American horror and gothic fiction. It draws on supernatural themes and fantasy elements to create a unique blend of wonder and terror for contemporary readers.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
H.P. Lovecraft · Shirley Jackson · Ramsey Campbell · Algernon Blackwood
🦇
Vampires
🏛 Borgo Press 📅 2010 📖 242 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781434411877

📝 Description: Wer Means Man and Other Tales of Wonder and Terror

Michael R. Collings assembles sixteen tales that merge fantasy with fear, showcasing his ability to weave supernatural events into human weakness. One narrative centers on a killer coerced by partners to admit guilt, while another depicts a beast active in daylight and dreaming at night. A psychic vampire is portrayed with an unusual taste for gourmet sweets instead of blood. An extraterrestrial being produces both creation and destruction simultaneously. Ecological concerns are highlighted through a cycle where contamination wipes out one group but spawns another. A grave keeper supplies story ideas to novice writers, confusing truth with invention. Rooted in gothic heritage, these pieces target enthusiasts of short-form weird fiction who appreciate dread over comfort. They reject simple romance or factual history, offering instead bizarre encounters that defy genre norms. The prose remains direct, avoiding clichés by focusing on unique, strange situations. This volume appeals to dark fantasy lovers but may disappoint those seeking linear plots or joyful conclusions. The tales leave a lasting impression by challenging standard literary expectations.

💎 Our verdict on Wer Means Man and Other Tales of Wonder and Terror

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Collings demonstrates a distinct ability to weave supernatural events into human weakness across sixteen varied narratives. The collection excels in exploring the blend of mundane existence with terrifying anomalies, such as a psychic vampire with a sweet tooth or an alien generating simultaneous creation and destruction. By rejecting simple romance and factual history, the book offers bizarre encounters that challenge standard literary expectations. It is best suited for fans of gothic heritage and cosmic horror who desire unique, strange situations. While it may disappoint those seeking linear plots or comforting endings, its direct prose and focus on dread make it a significant contribution to weird fiction.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate dark fantasy and the intersection of ordinary life with monstrous elements will find this volume compelling. It offers sixteen tales that merge fantasy with fear, showcasing unique situations rather than linear plots. Those seeking dread over comfort, or who enjoy ecological themes intertwined with supernatural events, will gain a lasting impression from these bizarre encounters. The direct prose avoids clichés, making it ideal for enthusiasts of short-form weird fiction who value strange, defying genre norms over joyful conclusions.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Collings demonstrates a distinct ability to weave supernatural events into human weakness across sixteen varied narratives. The collection excels in exploring the blend of mundane existence with terrifying anomalies, such as a psychic vampire with a sweet tooth or an alien generating simultaneous creation and destruction. By rejecting simple romance and factual history, the book offers bizarre encounters that challenge standard literary expectations. It is best suited for fans of gothic heritage and cosmic horror who desire unique, strange situations. While it may disappoint those seeking linear plots or comforting endings, its direct prose and focus on dread make it a significant contribution to weird fiction.

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