Skull Full of Kisses collects a wide range of horror stories written by Michael West. Many are re-issues of stories printed in magazines and other anthologies, but there are a few new surprises in store as well. I hadn't had the pleasure of reading anything by West prior to this, so I was introduced to the wide array of his talents. Each story is a new adventure, and West pulls in many outside influences. One example of this is in the story "Jiki", where West's love of Asian horror is expressed in the way he twists the methods of the mob. Another favorite of mine within this anthology was "God Like Me", where a man is unhappy with his life, but soon realizes he has some amazing powers that prove very useful to him. Both of the above mentioned stories, as well as the others in this collection, contain drama, terror, and depth. The stories are easy reads, but they make you think, and some even touch close to home. One story that personally touched me was the final segment of this book, "Goodnight". In this story a young boy has lost his mother, and the spirit of his great-grandfather pays him a visit in order to explain to him about death. "Goodnight" is extremely touching, and, though I'm not a seven-year-old boy like the one in this tale, it made me think more about death and how to face it, as I recently lost someone close to me. West has proven he can bring forth emotions of the reader and to me, that is a sign of a great author! I will definitely be reading more by West in the future and would recommend that all horror fans give him a try. This collection would be a great addition to the horror section of all libraries, as with such a variety of stories included, anyone that picks up this book should find something they enjoy.
Contents:
Disappearing Act (Introduction by Gary Braunbeck)
Jiki
The Bridge
Dogs of War
Trolling
Einstein's Slingshot
God Like Me
To Know How to See
For Her
Sanctuary
Goodnight
Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations, Sex
Review also posted at http://monsterlibrarian.com
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