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I was hoping I was going to like this anthology of horror stories. Out of all of the stories included in Oddities & Entities, I think I only really liked the first two. The stories are well written, they just weren't my style. I really liked "Shift/Change". It was creepy with a great twist in the end. "Boneview" was also captivating and had a Rumpelstiltskin like feel to it. If you read this book, those are the ones I would recommend.

I wanted to like "Elmer Phelps". I did for a while as it was a great idea. But once the incest part came into play, I was too disturbed to really like it. As to the he remaining stories, I found myself not being able to get into them. I think with any book of short stories, there will be hits and misses. Why not pick this one up and see which ones you like?

I have to say that I'm generally a fan of short story collections. There's something about enjoying a bite-sized piece of fiction that is thoroughly satisfying. I was excited to immerse myself in the world of Oddities & Entities, and curious what Roland Allnach had to offer me.

This collection is a bit different than most that I've read. Unlike most horror collections, which feel have a distinctly "campfire story" element to them, Oddities and Entities is much more structured. Each story feels like an entire novel. I was fully introduced to characters, felt their depth, and was given a legitimate resolution. It was refreshing, to be honest. A different approach to be sure, but it works.

Truthfully, the content of these stories was what threw me for a loop. Some I loved, some I was confused by. If I had to choose a favorite, "Boneview" definitely fits the bill. Dark, intriguing, and with a surprising amount of descriptive language that draws you into its depths. On the flip side, "Me Other Me" lost me a bit. There was a point during the story when I was confused enough that I felt the need to start it over. Still, I can't deny that they are all compulsively readable. 

Despite any small qualms I may have had, the fact remains that this is still a very strong collection of stories. There is plenty of imagination between these pages, mixed with the perfect balance between intelligent writing and a horror-like feel. I would definitely recommend this set of short stories to readers who enjoy a good shiver or two. You might find a new favorite tale to share.

Short story collections are generally hit-or-miss. When you get right down to it, they're only as good as their strongest entry, or as bad as their weakest. Oddly, with one or two notable exceptions, Oddities & Entities is one collection that was largely even all the way through - not exactly stellar, but still solid enough to keep me reading.

The stories themselves were somewhat oddly structured, coming cross as more through and fully developed than most. What Roland Allnach offers us here is a series of mini novels, each with a detailed introduction and resolution to bookend them. When reading short stories I tend to prefer a little more immediacy, a little less effort wrapping things up, but the approach here works. It's unusual, and requires a bit of patience on the part of the reader, but there's something to be said for consistency of style and execution.

In terms of content, there's a little dark humour here to balance out the creepiness, a healthy dose of psychology to balance out the supernatural, and some rather inventive gore to balance out the human sentiment. The characters are deep, and particularly well-developed for a short story, owing to the amount of backstory worked into each. It's also a very literate collection, with some high profile language and exceptionally strong turns of phrase.

"Shift/Change" was a favourite of mine, a darkly inventive story that's full of very human horrors. "Me Other Me" had a bit of a Stephen King feel to it, both in terms of tone and concept. "Elmer Phelps" was another favourite, taking a well-known horror trope, turning it on its head, and surprising me with something altogether new. On the surface, "Appendage" seemed like it should have been a winner, reminding me in many ways of an early Dean Koontz tale, but it lost me somewhere along the way. I'd have to give that one a second read, just to see where we parted ways, and to see if I can find my way back into the heart of it.

Despite the pacing, this is a still a strong collection with enough imagination and style to carry even the most jaded reader through to the end.


Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins