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The Book of Queer Saints: Volume I
The Book of Queer Saints Volume I returns in this revised and updated collector's edition, featuring new cover art and a new introduction by editor Mae Murray.
Inside, queer villains, monsters, anti-heroes, and outlaws are brought to life by some of the best queer horror writers in the genre, including Stoker Award winner Hailey Piper, Stoker Award nominee Eric LaRocca, and Shirley Jackson Award nominee Joe Koch. James Bennett's "Morta" was the recipient of the 2023 British Fantasy Award for Short Fiction. Joining them are the innovative visions of Briar Ripley Page, Nikki R. Leigh, Joshua R. Pangborn, Eric Raglin, Belle Tolls, Perry Ruhland, LC von Hessen, K.S. Walker, and George Daniel Lea.
A fresh blend of transformative body horror, crimson-coated romance, and monstrous eroticism, this British Fantasy Award nominated anthology is sure to satisfy your every depraved itch.
Inside, queer villains, monsters, anti-heroes, and outlaws are brought to life by some of the best queer horror writers in the genre, including Stoker Award winner Hailey Piper, Stoker Award nominee Eric LaRocca, and Shirley Jackson Award nominee Joe Koch. James Bennett's "Morta" was the recipient of the 2023 British Fantasy Award for Short Fiction. Joining them are the innovative visions of Briar Ripley Page, Nikki R. Leigh, Joshua R. Pangborn, Eric Raglin, Belle Tolls, Perry Ruhland, LC von Hessen, K.S. Walker, and George Daniel Lea.
A fresh blend of transformative body horror, crimson-coated romance, and monstrous eroticism, this British Fantasy Award nominated anthology is sure to satisfy your every depraved itch.
180 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2022
About the author
Mae Murray
9 books48 followersMae Murray is a writer and editor hailing from Arkansas, now living in eerie New England. She owns and operates Medusa Publishing Haus, a micro press dedicated to uplifting unique voices in the horror genre.
She contributes essays and criticism to horror-centric websites, including Fangoria and Dread Central.
She is the recipient of the 2022 Brave New Weird award for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction. The Book of Queer Saints Volume I was her editing debut and a 2023 British Fantasy Award nominee in the Best Anthology category. Volume II will be released on October 31, 2023.
Her debut novel I'm Sorry If I Scared You is due out Spring 2024.
She contributes essays and criticism to horror-centric websites, including Fangoria and Dread Central.
She is the recipient of the 2022 Brave New Weird award for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction. The Book of Queer Saints Volume I was her editing debut and a 2023 British Fantasy Award nominee in the Best Anthology category. Volume II will be released on October 31, 2023.
Her debut novel I'm Sorry If I Scared You is due out Spring 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 22, 2022
I’ll always hit myself for the fact I found out about this anthology and it’s kickstarter just that little bit late, and wasn’t able to contribute to this wonderful, grotesque book.
The Book of Queer Saints is an anthology that has thirteen beautifully gnarled stories throughout it’s pages. It’s full of messy, unapologetic queerness, it’s full of eyes, and sharp teeth, gore hanging from gaping mouths. It’s full of queer anger and rage, betrayal and sadness, and most of all, horror.
Each story that’s included in this anthology is horror at its finest. Each story was able to transport me somewhere different inside my brain, the stories were able to invoke such raw and guttural feelings, but also gave me a sense of profound euphoria because I could finally feel at home reading bloody, hideous queer characters that are complex & vile.
The authors who are a part of this anthology have really outdone themselves. The writing was incredible, they all brought such unique ideas to the board, they left me with wide eyes, staring blankly at the page as I processed what I just had the pleasure of reading.
I won’t spoil any of the stories as you should go into the collection with no knowledge, but if I were to pick some of my favourites, I would have to pick;
The Neon Holocaust
Stage Five Clinger
Therianthrope
I want to send a huge thank you to Mae Murray for sending me an early copy to read, but also to say thank you for how much work and love and effort she’s put into this anthology, and for how much they’ve done for this community.
The Book of Queer Saints is what queer, horror lovers have needed and I’m so excited for this baby to be out in the world.
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The Book of Queer Saints is an anthology that has thirteen beautifully gnarled stories throughout it’s pages. It’s full of messy, unapologetic queerness, it’s full of eyes, and sharp teeth, gore hanging from gaping mouths. It’s full of queer anger and rage, betrayal and sadness, and most of all, horror.
Each story that’s included in this anthology is horror at its finest. Each story was able to transport me somewhere different inside my brain, the stories were able to invoke such raw and guttural feelings, but also gave me a sense of profound euphoria because I could finally feel at home reading bloody, hideous queer characters that are complex & vile.
The authors who are a part of this anthology have really outdone themselves. The writing was incredible, they all brought such unique ideas to the board, they left me with wide eyes, staring blankly at the page as I processed what I just had the pleasure of reading.
I won’t spoil any of the stories as you should go into the collection with no knowledge, but if I were to pick some of my favourites, I would have to pick;
The Neon Holocaust
Stage Five Clinger
Therianthrope
I want to send a huge thank you to Mae Murray for sending me an early copy to read, but also to say thank you for how much work and love and effort she’s put into this anthology, and for how much they’ve done for this community.
The Book of Queer Saints is what queer, horror lovers have needed and I’m so excited for this baby to be out in the world.
INSTA | TWITTER
February 22, 2022
Wow. LOVED this collection. I love that it delves into the nitty gritty, showing queer inviduals as flawed beings for every reason except that they're queer. Identities and sexualities don't need to be pure, perfect things to be valid, and this anthology celebrates that with a brilliant foreword and introduction, in addition to the wonderful stories herein. I now have several new, progressive voices in horror to follow, and I'm delighted the genre is getting fresh blood, so to speak.
My standouts were Three For A Funeral by K.S. Walker and Therianthrope by Briar Ripley Page. The first is an excellent take on revenge spells gone wrong, the latter a spin on the werewolf tale with some gender and sexual dysphoria combined to make a really viscerally chilling tale. All of the other stories were great too, with prose that leaps from the pages and sinks its fangs into you, and titles that compel you to read them.
I really enjoyed this collection and binged it in an evening. My many thanks to editor Mae Murray for an advanced copy to review! I recommend it to every queer horror nerd out there like myself. This anthology drops March 29, 2022, and I wish it all success.
My standouts were Three For A Funeral by K.S. Walker and Therianthrope by Briar Ripley Page. The first is an excellent take on revenge spells gone wrong, the latter a spin on the werewolf tale with some gender and sexual dysphoria combined to make a really viscerally chilling tale. All of the other stories were great too, with prose that leaps from the pages and sinks its fangs into you, and titles that compel you to read them.
I really enjoyed this collection and binged it in an evening. My many thanks to editor Mae Murray for an advanced copy to review! I recommend it to every queer horror nerd out there like myself. This anthology drops March 29, 2022, and I wish it all success.
May 9, 2022
"I should despise the house you’ve built from our bones. I should loathe the place where you’ve buried me- the darkest corner of the house where I now call home. I should yearn for the moment when the monstrosity you’ve created catches fire and when the grounds are scattered with salt."
Okay, I’m not going to lie. There were many great reasons to read this but there was one major one for me. One of the thirteen tales in this anthology was written by Eric LaRocca. I told myself that I would read everything they have written after reading, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. If you haven't read anything by them, I highly suggest that you do so. Your horror-loving heart will not be disappointed.
This anthology is of thirteen tales where queer villains rise above. They overtake every story and leave you a bloody mess. This is nothing like you have ever experienced before. Each story is fantastic. They have their own little special touch and none of them are the same. Every story is unique and they'll leave you all waiting for more. After reading this anthology, I now found more authors to try out.
The Book of Queer Saints was the perfect anthology. You'll enjoy the flawed characters for being their trueselves and not frowned upon for being queer. It was gory, gritty, and sometimes disturbing. I loved every page.
Okay, I’m not going to lie. There were many great reasons to read this but there was one major one for me. One of the thirteen tales in this anthology was written by Eric LaRocca. I told myself that I would read everything they have written after reading, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. If you haven't read anything by them, I highly suggest that you do so. Your horror-loving heart will not be disappointed.
This anthology is of thirteen tales where queer villains rise above. They overtake every story and leave you a bloody mess. This is nothing like you have ever experienced before. Each story is fantastic. They have their own little special touch and none of them are the same. Every story is unique and they'll leave you all waiting for more. After reading this anthology, I now found more authors to try out.
The Book of Queer Saints was the perfect anthology. You'll enjoy the flawed characters for being their trueselves and not frowned upon for being queer. It was gory, gritty, and sometimes disturbing. I loved every page.
June 20, 2023
When I read in the intro and foreword about queer horror writers getting complaints about negative representations of queer characters, my first thought was to check that this is 2023. Me and my queer (and straight) friends certainly have no problems with such depictions (it's horror after all); long-suffering queer writers might consider hanging out more with us old punks.
There are some pleasant surprises here. James Bennett does a nice job with the narrator's voice in "Morta"; this take on queer coming-of-age is blackly humorous. Perry Ruhland again shows his fondness for Ligotti in "Eclipse..."; I enjoyed this more than "Amusement" (which I read days ago), though the ending was maybe a tad heavy-handed. Nikki Leigh's "Stage Five Clinger" is also dark and humorous. Unfortunately, its brand of (nicely rendered) body horror is rather close to "Morta"'s; I would space the two stories further apart for better effect. I also enjoyed Eric Raglin's "Macrame Flames", with its over-the-top black humor. On incoming gunfire, the narrator quips:
There are some pleasant surprises here. James Bennett does a nice job with the narrator's voice in "Morta"; this take on queer coming-of-age is blackly humorous. Perry Ruhland again shows his fondness for Ligotti in "Eclipse..."; I enjoyed this more than "Amusement" (which I read days ago), though the ending was maybe a tad heavy-handed. Nikki Leigh's "Stage Five Clinger" is also dark and humorous. Unfortunately, its brand of (nicely rendered) body horror is rather close to "Morta"'s; I would space the two stories further apart for better effect. I also enjoyed Eric Raglin's "Macrame Flames", with its over-the-top black humor. On incoming gunfire, the narrator quips:
More shots, and not the celebratory kind.
March 2, 2022
Created as a response to criticism levied at queer writers – often by queer readers – The Book of Queer Saints comprises 13 gorgeous, gruesome tales of queer victims and villains. The Kickstarter-funded effort brings together some of the best new voices in horror, with a view to “embrace every kind of queer person in the stories we tell." An abusive feeder berates his fat submissive from beyond the grave; a monster stalks the streets of London in search of a boy no one will miss; something like a werewolf bristles beneath the skin of an isolated protagonist: all this and more lurks within pages stained with blood and other bodily fluids. From the sublime opener (We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart by Hailey Piper) to the transcendental finale (Belle Tolls’ Heliogabalus Fabulous), the anthology fluctuates between humour and horror, tragedy and trauma without missing a beat. It also offers a powerful rebuttal to readers who desire so-called “good” representation – which so often translates to “safe” or downright “boring”.
Full review here: https://www.grimoireofhorror.com/the-...
Full review here: https://www.grimoireofhorror.com/the-...
April 11, 2022
Where to even begin with this? It's a labor of pure love from Mae Murray, who poured her all into this book. It paid off.
Queerness in horror is not a new thing. Scholarly dissertations have been written over subtext in Dracula, the Vampyre and many, many more. Horror is a genre that is meant to be transgressive, to push boundaries, but also to display the human condition in all its forms. From trailblazers like Clive Barker to the luminaries in this book.
This book is proof that LGBT horror can be messy. It can be dark. But it is such because it is about people. And LGBY people are just that: people, with all their fears, all their hopes, all their dreams, and all their horrors. They can be good, bad, dangerous and predatory. They are allowed to be imperfect and dangerous and that's what this anthology is all about.
Kicking off with a story by the luminary Hailey Piper, a Lovecraftian seaside tale of longing, lust and darkness, and continuing in the absolute star Eric LaRocca's Neon Holocaust (one of my favorites of the anthology), we are given boundary pushing stories right off the bat and every single one is a page turning. Stage Five Clinger and Therianthrope are some of my other favorites, with the anthology showcasing voices I had been following before, but also provided me a number of new authors to become fans of. Joe Koch and Eric Raglin bring absolute A-games to this, just to name two others, but really, this is expertly curated.
Imperfection is showcased, not hidden and bundled away and the book's raw honesty makes it so much better. It's a celebration of queer villains who do not conform to stereotypes and horror that pushes boundaries.
Proudly so.
Queerness in horror is not a new thing. Scholarly dissertations have been written over subtext in Dracula, the Vampyre and many, many more. Horror is a genre that is meant to be transgressive, to push boundaries, but also to display the human condition in all its forms. From trailblazers like Clive Barker to the luminaries in this book.
This book is proof that LGBT horror can be messy. It can be dark. But it is such because it is about people. And LGBY people are just that: people, with all their fears, all their hopes, all their dreams, and all their horrors. They can be good, bad, dangerous and predatory. They are allowed to be imperfect and dangerous and that's what this anthology is all about.
Kicking off with a story by the luminary Hailey Piper, a Lovecraftian seaside tale of longing, lust and darkness, and continuing in the absolute star Eric LaRocca's Neon Holocaust (one of my favorites of the anthology), we are given boundary pushing stories right off the bat and every single one is a page turning. Stage Five Clinger and Therianthrope are some of my other favorites, with the anthology showcasing voices I had been following before, but also provided me a number of new authors to become fans of. Joe Koch and Eric Raglin bring absolute A-games to this, just to name two others, but really, this is expertly curated.
Imperfection is showcased, not hidden and bundled away and the book's raw honesty makes it so much better. It's a celebration of queer villains who do not conform to stereotypes and horror that pushes boundaries.
Proudly so.
July 14, 2022
Inklings of Mae Murray’s project, an anthology that would “take a stand against the concept of purity in queer representation” (as she notes in her Introduction), first appeared in social media posts shared last year. I remember them well and had been both intrigued and excited at the concept of a queer horror collection that did not cater to web trolls who, from the holes in their ghoulish masks of anonymity, vomit bullying critiques of how LGBTQ+ characters are portrayed in indie literature. Murray promised that The Book of Queer Saints would be a publication where “queers in fiction [would] be nuanced and whole,” and she keeps her word in this thirteen-story compilation that includes Weirdpunk Books’ Sam Richard, award-winning authors such as Joe Koch, Haley Piper, and Eric Larocca, and a smattering of gifted scribes who readers may or may immediately recognize but are certain to investigate further.
Among the strongest of the entries is...Read the rest on Ginger Nuts of Horror!
Among the strongest of the entries is...Read the rest on Ginger Nuts of Horror!
March 2, 2022
Attention! All my fellow lovers of the queer grotesque, I implore you to read this anthology as soon as humanly possible. The Book of Queer Saints was at at the top of my own read-list since its Kickstarter campaign in 2021 and it, most certainly, did not miss the mark. Edited by the eternally-brilliant Mae Murray (writer, film reviewer, and founder of the Horror Writers Support Group) and consisting of works from horror greats such as Eric LaRocca (author of the infamous Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke) and Eric Raglin (speculative fiction writer and host of Cursed Morsels podcast), I’m not surprised this book was supremely breathtaking, however, I am blown away by its genius regardless. To be honest, my heart is genuinely shattered that I’ve finished reading it and that I’ll never be able to pick it up again for the first time.
As I write this, I’m still reeling, in fact, because I managed to flip over every single story in this grisly creation. My two standouts though—Hailey Piper’s We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart and James Bennett’s Morta—will echo in my soul forever and ever and are two of the finest short stories I’ve read in a long time. An imaginative genre-bender rooted in love, blood, and water, Piper’s ‘Leviathan’ felt like a dazzling fusion between the horror film Spring (one of the best body horrors ever) and one of my favorite episodes of the original Twilight Zone (which I won’t reveal here due to potential spoilers). Additionally, Bennett’s short story was equally brutal and striking and sported hands-down the greatest opening line I’ve ever read in my entire life: “Ever since the day I ate Frank, I knew I wasn’t like the other boys.” Need I say more?
In the foreward of The Book of Queer Saints, Sam Richard, of Weirdpunk Books, writes, “This is a book full of queer representation that is messy and ugly and uncomfortable and painful” and damn if that ain’t true. For so long, many of us in the queer comunity have experienced this unrelenting pressure to be perfect…to be unwaveringly clean and immaculately pristine, to reach an expectation that is unachievable and, frankly, downright unreasonable. Let me tell you, friends, after a while, that pressure gets enormously exhausting and, truly, soul-crushing, but Queer Saints, in all its guts and gorey f*cking glory, CONQUERS this issue and does so with a vengeance. Like gaining the ability to breathe again after an especially vicious panic attack, this book invites queerness to simply be. It allows its queer characters to exist exactly as they are, to soak deeply in their highs and lows, to revel in their goods and evils, to embrace their cleanliness and dirtiness, and to breathe as shallowly or as deeply as they need. In this book, queer characters are given exactly the same liberties as cisheteronormative characters have been given for years on end: the chance, at long last, to be vulnerably fallible and hellishly feral. This book was not written for me, but it sure felt like it was.
As I write this, I’m still reeling, in fact, because I managed to flip over every single story in this grisly creation. My two standouts though—Hailey Piper’s We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart and James Bennett’s Morta—will echo in my soul forever and ever and are two of the finest short stories I’ve read in a long time. An imaginative genre-bender rooted in love, blood, and water, Piper’s ‘Leviathan’ felt like a dazzling fusion between the horror film Spring (one of the best body horrors ever) and one of my favorite episodes of the original Twilight Zone (which I won’t reveal here due to potential spoilers). Additionally, Bennett’s short story was equally brutal and striking and sported hands-down the greatest opening line I’ve ever read in my entire life: “Ever since the day I ate Frank, I knew I wasn’t like the other boys.” Need I say more?
In the foreward of The Book of Queer Saints, Sam Richard, of Weirdpunk Books, writes, “This is a book full of queer representation that is messy and ugly and uncomfortable and painful” and damn if that ain’t true. For so long, many of us in the queer comunity have experienced this unrelenting pressure to be perfect…to be unwaveringly clean and immaculately pristine, to reach an expectation that is unachievable and, frankly, downright unreasonable. Let me tell you, friends, after a while, that pressure gets enormously exhausting and, truly, soul-crushing, but Queer Saints, in all its guts and gorey f*cking glory, CONQUERS this issue and does so with a vengeance. Like gaining the ability to breathe again after an especially vicious panic attack, this book invites queerness to simply be. It allows its queer characters to exist exactly as they are, to soak deeply in their highs and lows, to revel in their goods and evils, to embrace their cleanliness and dirtiness, and to breathe as shallowly or as deeply as they need. In this book, queer characters are given exactly the same liberties as cisheteronormative characters have been given for years on end: the chance, at long last, to be vulnerably fallible and hellishly feral. This book was not written for me, but it sure felt like it was.
July 14, 2022
Book Of Queer Saints was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and it didn’t disappoint! My favorite story in the collection was Macramé Flames for sure it was about a satanic biker gang called the Nightmare Queers who burn down 666 Hobby Lobby’s to summon Satan. I loved this book and I don’t usually, but I would reread it. I don’t read a ton of short story collections not because I dislike them, I just tend to go for full length books, or standalone short stories, but now I really want to start reading more anthologies. This was easily one of my favorite reads of the year.
Story ratings:
We Frolic Within The Leviathans Heart- 5
The Neon Holocaust- 5
Morta- 4.5
Eclipse, Or The Corrido Of The Sun And The Moon-3.5
Stage Five Clinger-4
The Love That Whirls- 4
Crumbs- 5
Three For a Funeral- 4
The Last Disgrace- 3.5
The City Behind The City- 2.5
Therianthrope- 4
Macramé Flames- 5
Heliogabalus Fabulous- 4
Story ratings:
We Frolic Within The Leviathans Heart- 5
The Neon Holocaust- 5
Morta- 4.5
Eclipse, Or The Corrido Of The Sun And The Moon-3.5
Stage Five Clinger-4
The Love That Whirls- 4
Crumbs- 5
Three For a Funeral- 4
The Last Disgrace- 3.5
The City Behind The City- 2.5
Therianthrope- 4
Macramé Flames- 5
Heliogabalus Fabulous- 4
April 14, 2022
Absolutely loved every story in this anthology, there wasn’t a single miss for me, but I have to acknowledge the biggest stand outs for me were “We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart” by Hailey Piper, which was one of the most original stories I’ve read and beautifully written, “The Love That Whirls,” by Joe Koch, with his trademark gorgeous prose, and “Therianthrope” by Briar Ripley Page, which blew me away with its emotional intensity and descriptions, and made me an instant fan. I highly recommend this anthology and already plan on buying a couple more copies to give as gifts to friends!
March 17, 2022
This book makes me proud to be queer
August 1, 2024
Review to come
March 11, 2022
Persecution of minorities is a boom industry right now, and at a time of increasing literary homogeneity publishers of independent and small-press horror are often left with a huge task of representation. This anthology steps up to that plate with a vast appetite. It’s based on the premise that the literary rainbow can be morally grey at times, and LGBT+ authors should be free to write demonically awful characters without being demonized themselves. And there is a banquet of bad’uns here, ranging from the slightly scummy to the outright evil, with all manner of conflicted and dysfunctional sorts inbetween.
The villain in Eric LaRocca’s “The Neon Holocaust” falls spectacularly short of the stereotype of the charmingly effete interior decorator, while “The Last Disgrace” by George Daniel Lea features a winning combination of metaphysical fireworks, sex and the kind of grubby urban crevices where outcasts have come to frolic since time immemorial. Lea’s prose strikes the right balance between sensory intensity and clarity, and if you came to Queer Saints hoping for filthy sex scenes this is probably where you should start. It is sometimes alleged that an unnaturally high percentage of well-thumbed church Bibles fall open at the Song of Solomon, and I suspect that if this anthology were to make its way into the hands of a closeted cleric it would eventually fall open at Lea’s story.
Not all the contributions are full-on shockers, however, and some could even steal into the stodgiest of mainstream anthologies. “We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart” by Hailey Piper is a sweet and well-observed story of seaside dating on the margins of life, but its down-at-heel boardwalk setting will be instantly familiar to mainstream horror fans, especially lovers of Lovecraft’s Dagon mythos. It has a trans and queer-positive subtext that is clear but well-integrated into the action, and in fact the majority of the tales here manage to pull off the tightrope walk of displaying justified anger while avoiding too much axe-grinding. (Though honestly if there was ever a time for queers of all kinds to start swinging a well-ground axe, I suspect it is now.)
I was not surprised to see body horror snaking its tendrils into the book, and the best of these stories cover a wide canvas. “Morta” by James Bennett is a favourite of mine, a shot of zesty cosmic horror splicing teenage angst and weird elements that should be a hit with fans of Catherynne Valente or Molly Tanzer, and will delight those with fond memories of Eerie, Indiana’s Dash X.
A fair bit of room is also given to “aesthetic” horror inspired by Decadent writers and pre-war literary high camp. This stretch of the horror landscape is a real quagmire of overblown writing these days, but LC von Hessen’s King in Yellow mythos piece “The City Behind The City” manages to keep a muzzle on those tendencies well enough for the great characterization to really shine.
And “The Love That Whirls” by Joe Koch is terrific. Several stories aim for a rich and byzantine effect but Koch is a step beyond, both as a technician and a creator, offering a profoundly disorienting cavort through a world of splendid weirdness with a guide-rope in the form of a sharp, relatable account of a couple as co-dependent as they come. I am always looking out for horror fiction that implements concepts from science and engineering in an original way – it feels like only a tiny amount of this stuff is ever “allowed” to trickle into horror – and this story is also satisfying on that score. I am rubbing my front legs together at the prospect of consuming more of Koch’s fiction.
Many of the offerings here have flashes of dark humour, but Macramé Flames by Eric Raglin is that rare thing, a piece of comic horror that is actually funny from end to end while also crackling with queer Old Testament wrath. It goes off with a bang and would have made a terrific finale to this collection, or any collection for that matter.
Altogether this is a very successful venture for Murray. If I have one real criticism it is that the lesbian stuff is rather predictable, mainly just queer spins on the kind of standard fare I’ve been seeing in horror anthologies for decades. It is all competently written but I would’ve liked to see more risks taken, which can mean only one thing: it’s time to start work on the sequel!
The villain in Eric LaRocca’s “The Neon Holocaust” falls spectacularly short of the stereotype of the charmingly effete interior decorator, while “The Last Disgrace” by George Daniel Lea features a winning combination of metaphysical fireworks, sex and the kind of grubby urban crevices where outcasts have come to frolic since time immemorial. Lea’s prose strikes the right balance between sensory intensity and clarity, and if you came to Queer Saints hoping for filthy sex scenes this is probably where you should start. It is sometimes alleged that an unnaturally high percentage of well-thumbed church Bibles fall open at the Song of Solomon, and I suspect that if this anthology were to make its way into the hands of a closeted cleric it would eventually fall open at Lea’s story.
Not all the contributions are full-on shockers, however, and some could even steal into the stodgiest of mainstream anthologies. “We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart” by Hailey Piper is a sweet and well-observed story of seaside dating on the margins of life, but its down-at-heel boardwalk setting will be instantly familiar to mainstream horror fans, especially lovers of Lovecraft’s Dagon mythos. It has a trans and queer-positive subtext that is clear but well-integrated into the action, and in fact the majority of the tales here manage to pull off the tightrope walk of displaying justified anger while avoiding too much axe-grinding. (Though honestly if there was ever a time for queers of all kinds to start swinging a well-ground axe, I suspect it is now.)
I was not surprised to see body horror snaking its tendrils into the book, and the best of these stories cover a wide canvas. “Morta” by James Bennett is a favourite of mine, a shot of zesty cosmic horror splicing teenage angst and weird elements that should be a hit with fans of Catherynne Valente or Molly Tanzer, and will delight those with fond memories of Eerie, Indiana’s Dash X.
A fair bit of room is also given to “aesthetic” horror inspired by Decadent writers and pre-war literary high camp. This stretch of the horror landscape is a real quagmire of overblown writing these days, but LC von Hessen’s King in Yellow mythos piece “The City Behind The City” manages to keep a muzzle on those tendencies well enough for the great characterization to really shine.
And “The Love That Whirls” by Joe Koch is terrific. Several stories aim for a rich and byzantine effect but Koch is a step beyond, both as a technician and a creator, offering a profoundly disorienting cavort through a world of splendid weirdness with a guide-rope in the form of a sharp, relatable account of a couple as co-dependent as they come. I am always looking out for horror fiction that implements concepts from science and engineering in an original way – it feels like only a tiny amount of this stuff is ever “allowed” to trickle into horror – and this story is also satisfying on that score. I am rubbing my front legs together at the prospect of consuming more of Koch’s fiction.
Many of the offerings here have flashes of dark humour, but Macramé Flames by Eric Raglin is that rare thing, a piece of comic horror that is actually funny from end to end while also crackling with queer Old Testament wrath. It goes off with a bang and would have made a terrific finale to this collection, or any collection for that matter.
Altogether this is a very successful venture for Murray. If I have one real criticism it is that the lesbian stuff is rather predictable, mainly just queer spins on the kind of standard fare I’ve been seeing in horror anthologies for decades. It is all competently written but I would’ve liked to see more risks taken, which can mean only one thing: it’s time to start work on the sequel!
April 20, 2022
I'd first like to thank Mae Murray for sending me an eARC of this collection of queer, short, horror stories by queer authors. I was INCREDIBLY excited to read The Book of Queer Saints because, though I love queer horror, I wasn't aware of many queer horror writers. This collection changed that, and I'm now looking forward to reading from ALL of these authors... even the authors of stories, from this collection, that I didn't rate highly.
I gave this collection 4/5 stars which was decided based SOLELY upon the calculation of the ratings for each of the short stories. Those ratings are as follows:
"We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" by Hailey Piper - 4/5
"The Neon Holocaust" by Eric LaRocca - 4.5/5
"Morta" by James Bennett - 4.5/5
"Eclipse, or The Courtship of the Sun and Moon" by Perry Rutland - 3.5/5
"Stage Five Clinger" by Nikki R. Leigh - 3/5
"The Love That Whirls" by Joe Koch- 1.5/5
"Crumbs" by Joshua R. Pangborn - 4/5
"Three for a Funeral" by K.S. Walker - 4.5/5
"The Last Disgrace" by George Daniel Lea - 3/5
"The City Behind the City" by LC von Hessen - 4/5
"Therianthrope" by Briar Ripley Page - 5/5
"Macramé Flames" by Eric Raglin - 5/5
"Heliogabalus Fabulous" by Belle Tolls - 4/5
For more, in-depth, opinions of mine on these stories, check out my Spring Break 2022 video coming soon to YouTube!
I gave this collection 4/5 stars which was decided based SOLELY upon the calculation of the ratings for each of the short stories. Those ratings are as follows:
"We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" by Hailey Piper - 4/5
"The Neon Holocaust" by Eric LaRocca - 4.5/5
"Morta" by James Bennett - 4.5/5
"Eclipse, or The Courtship of the Sun and Moon" by Perry Rutland - 3.5/5
"Stage Five Clinger" by Nikki R. Leigh - 3/5
"The Love That Whirls" by Joe Koch- 1.5/5
"Crumbs" by Joshua R. Pangborn - 4/5
"Three for a Funeral" by K.S. Walker - 4.5/5
"The Last Disgrace" by George Daniel Lea - 3/5
"The City Behind the City" by LC von Hessen - 4/5
"Therianthrope" by Briar Ripley Page - 5/5
"Macramé Flames" by Eric Raglin - 5/5
"Heliogabalus Fabulous" by Belle Tolls - 4/5
For more, in-depth, opinions of mine on these stories, check out my Spring Break 2022 video coming soon to YouTube!
October 15, 2022
Excellent throughout! I don't tend to go for the elaborate prose stylings found in about half the stories ("The Love that Whirls," "The City Behind the City," and "Heliogabalus Fabulous" for example) but I admire the diversity of approaches to queer horror here, and I definitely can't say any were bad. I was surprised and intrigued by how few of the stories concerned purely villainous characters; many were more like sympathetic antiheroes. But it makes sense within the flow of the anthology, which feels very cohesive and strong as a unit.
"We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" is a great oceanic dark fantasy that reminded me a lot of the New Crobuzon novels. "Crumbs" is fantastically grotesque and cruel. I also have particular affection for the simple and schlocky ones like "Macrame Flames" and "Three for a Funeral"; it's wonderful to get this kind of straightforward, shock-value prose you'd expect from old school pulp in a modern, overtly gay package.
My favorite is Briar Ripley Page's "Therianthrope," which is a wildly brutal story that makes great use of second person and is so rich in little character details that make the payoff really effective. (Full disclosure Briar is a friend, but I would insist on you checking out their work regardless!) This one and "Stage Five Clinger" worked the best for me.
"We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" is a great oceanic dark fantasy that reminded me a lot of the New Crobuzon novels. "Crumbs" is fantastically grotesque and cruel. I also have particular affection for the simple and schlocky ones like "Macrame Flames" and "Three for a Funeral"; it's wonderful to get this kind of straightforward, shock-value prose you'd expect from old school pulp in a modern, overtly gay package.
My favorite is Briar Ripley Page's "Therianthrope," which is a wildly brutal story that makes great use of second person and is so rich in little character details that make the payoff really effective. (Full disclosure Briar is a friend, but I would insist on you checking out their work regardless!) This one and "Stage Five Clinger" worked the best for me.
August 4, 2022
3 / 5 stars
Love the concept of this book and the cover, but the stories just weren't for me sadly!
I did have some favourites that I enjoyed. My top two were Morta by James Bennett and Therianthrope by Briar Ripley Page.
Others that I enjoyed were We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart by Hailey Piper, Eclipse, or The Courtship of The Sun and Moon by Perry Ruthland and Macramé Flames by Eric Raglin.
Whilst I am only rating this three stars, I really enjoyed these stories (namely, the first two mentioned). There was nothing wrong with the others they just weren't my favs/for me personally.
Love the concept of this book and the cover, but the stories just weren't for me sadly!
I did have some favourites that I enjoyed. My top two were Morta by James Bennett and Therianthrope by Briar Ripley Page.
Others that I enjoyed were We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart by Hailey Piper, Eclipse, or The Courtship of The Sun and Moon by Perry Ruthland and Macramé Flames by Eric Raglin.
Whilst I am only rating this three stars, I really enjoyed these stories (namely, the first two mentioned). There was nothing wrong with the others they just weren't my favs/for me personally.
June 14, 2023
great pieces in here from LC von hessen & briar ripley page but perry ruhland's ekphrastic "eclipse" is the standout, cutting gay ecstasy into the solitary nocturnal ligottian narrative. tbh it encourages rereading ligotti's work through a gay lens. amazing little prism of a story :)
there are also lot of overlong "bugcrush" rewrites and stories that dump a bunch of ponderous maxims on a nebulous "you" — u know how half the indie horror now is called like This Is The Place Where They Are Us or Within This Dying Tree I Bleed ? that kind of shit yeah :)
there are also lot of overlong "bugcrush" rewrites and stories that dump a bunch of ponderous maxims on a nebulous "you" — u know how half the indie horror now is called like This Is The Place Where They Are Us or Within This Dying Tree I Bleed ? that kind of shit yeah :)
April 18, 2022
Wow
Beautifully written horror no matter what your orientation. I was so engrossed in the stories that I probably wouldn't have detected the queer theme if it hadn't already been pointed out to me by the title and such.
Hard to pick a favourite from this collection.
Beautifully written horror no matter what your orientation. I was so engrossed in the stories that I probably wouldn't have detected the queer theme if it hadn't already been pointed out to me by the title and such.
Hard to pick a favourite from this collection.
May 3, 2022
Absolutely not what I was expecting (what was I expecting?) and in the best way - dark, bloody very trippy and conceptual, these are tales of queer love, lust, horror and devourment that was have you enthralled to the last page.
May 8, 2022
Of late, one of the more distressing trends that has become too pervasive in writing communities is the invasive identity-questioning that has, for the most part, come from outside of communities. Increasingly, it has been happening more within, and causing harm. Foreword writer Sam Richard asserts this in The Book of Queer Saints with the editor of the anthology, Mae Murray. Sam writes about “the criticism queer writers have gotten (often by other queer folks) for writing queer characters that aren’t socially acceptable and/or 100% morally good.”
In some cases, online commentators have put so much pressure on authors that it has forced them out of the closet, often at great risk to themselves and their partners. Discussions can be useful when aimed at authors who, for instance, falsely claim a racial heritage or marginalization (*coughs* Joseph Boyden *coughs*) and who have continued to benefit from these deceptions.
Opportunities for marginalized creators have been–and continue to be–too limited.
Black writers hear too often from white editors that a character is not “Black enough” or alternately is “too Black” and they don’t think white audiences can “relate.” Meanwhile, white women who write Black protagonists or who express a desire that they “should be able to write Black men” continue to get book deals at the drop of a hat.
There’s a lot of “Thou shalt not” energy in the publishing sphere, and it’s even worse when it comes from within communities who attack one another. This is where The Book of Queer Saints comes in. The editors who compiled this masterful anthology present the writers in this book as a solution to the “doom” discussed above.
The ever-delightful Hailey Piper starts things off with a Lovecraftian-esque tale, “We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart,” a panoply of beautiful metaphors that burst from the page. It tells the story of the Children of Mayoude and the land-folk in a carnival-esque boardwalk setting. It’s so clever and so incisive. It will devastate you. And it’s the perfect story to launch this anthology.
“Some of us can’t pass for land-folk as easily as others, even when clothed.”
CW: homophobic slurs, the AIDS crisis
Next up, “The Neon Holocaust” by Eric LaRocca is an impactful and unflinching body horror piece. It’s viscerally disturbing, and it needs to be. It’s about murder, about the concept of death, but so much more with gut punches throughout.
“I’ve been told I would be a far more sympathetic victim if I stayed as small and as quiet as you had willed me to be.”
“Morta” by James Bennett starts off in a very unique way. It’s another tale with strong metaphors throughout, of allusions that speak for Morta’s experiences, desire, and so much more.
One of my favourite pieces is “Eclipse, or The Courtship of the Sun and Moon” by Perry Ruhland, which starts with a ballet–obscure, romantic, and “oftentimes fantastical.” The performances are ‘can’t miss’ for the protagonist, the rest of the audience composed “largely of misfits.” It’s about desire, of being wrapped up in a performance, but so much more, with a gut punch of an ending.
“Stage Five Clinger” by Nikki R. Leigh also deals with desire, and of being bold enough to take chances and navigating hangouts. Readers will feel the sting of the protagonist’s pain acutely in this tale. It also goes in a very interesting body horror direction that ends things on a unique note.
“Please stop telling me how to gay. It’s my gay or the highgay.”
“The Love That Whirls” by Joe Koch is a piece that film buffs will love. For me, it had a great Shadow of the Vampire energy–a ‘making of’ the film vibe–with nightmares, occult horror, of desire and rejection, and much more.
I also enjoyed “Three for a Funeral” by K.S. Walker, a vampiric tale in which the protagonist and her friend find out the hard way that no good can come of playing with grimoires.
Another favourite piece for me is “Therianthrope” by Briar Ripley Page, reminiscent of Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones, also full of metaphors that elucidate experiences, and pain. So much pain. This story cuts through to the bone.
“And you’ve never been pure of heart. Your heart is a dark, hateful engine.”
One of the things that would have been of great benefits as an added tool for readers is a listing of trigger or content warnings, either at the front or back of the book. I’ve tried to include the ones I could think of here, but folks may want to be vigilant of this before reading the anthology.
Ending things off is “Heliogabalus Fabulous” by the wonderfully-named Belle Tolls, and according to the author bios, this is the writer’s first publication, which is, of course, marvellous, but I also found it shocking because the writing is so excellent (!) It starts off with what reminded me of an opera. It’s Roman, and so much more, and I can’t say much else without spoilers so I’m going to leave it here.
“No one died in the rain of roses. Another lie of the historians.”
In some cases, online commentators have put so much pressure on authors that it has forced them out of the closet, often at great risk to themselves and their partners. Discussions can be useful when aimed at authors who, for instance, falsely claim a racial heritage or marginalization (*coughs* Joseph Boyden *coughs*) and who have continued to benefit from these deceptions.
Opportunities for marginalized creators have been–and continue to be–too limited.
Black writers hear too often from white editors that a character is not “Black enough” or alternately is “too Black” and they don’t think white audiences can “relate.” Meanwhile, white women who write Black protagonists or who express a desire that they “should be able to write Black men” continue to get book deals at the drop of a hat.
There’s a lot of “Thou shalt not” energy in the publishing sphere, and it’s even worse when it comes from within communities who attack one another. This is where The Book of Queer Saints comes in. The editors who compiled this masterful anthology present the writers in this book as a solution to the “doom” discussed above.
The ever-delightful Hailey Piper starts things off with a Lovecraftian-esque tale, “We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart,” a panoply of beautiful metaphors that burst from the page. It tells the story of the Children of Mayoude and the land-folk in a carnival-esque boardwalk setting. It’s so clever and so incisive. It will devastate you. And it’s the perfect story to launch this anthology.
“Some of us can’t pass for land-folk as easily as others, even when clothed.”
CW: homophobic slurs, the AIDS crisis
Next up, “The Neon Holocaust” by Eric LaRocca is an impactful and unflinching body horror piece. It’s viscerally disturbing, and it needs to be. It’s about murder, about the concept of death, but so much more with gut punches throughout.
“I’ve been told I would be a far more sympathetic victim if I stayed as small and as quiet as you had willed me to be.”
“Morta” by James Bennett starts off in a very unique way. It’s another tale with strong metaphors throughout, of allusions that speak for Morta’s experiences, desire, and so much more.
One of my favourite pieces is “Eclipse, or The Courtship of the Sun and Moon” by Perry Ruhland, which starts with a ballet–obscure, romantic, and “oftentimes fantastical.” The performances are ‘can’t miss’ for the protagonist, the rest of the audience composed “largely of misfits.” It’s about desire, of being wrapped up in a performance, but so much more, with a gut punch of an ending.
“Stage Five Clinger” by Nikki R. Leigh also deals with desire, and of being bold enough to take chances and navigating hangouts. Readers will feel the sting of the protagonist’s pain acutely in this tale. It also goes in a very interesting body horror direction that ends things on a unique note.
“Please stop telling me how to gay. It’s my gay or the highgay.”
“The Love That Whirls” by Joe Koch is a piece that film buffs will love. For me, it had a great Shadow of the Vampire energy–a ‘making of’ the film vibe–with nightmares, occult horror, of desire and rejection, and much more.
I also enjoyed “Three for a Funeral” by K.S. Walker, a vampiric tale in which the protagonist and her friend find out the hard way that no good can come of playing with grimoires.
Another favourite piece for me is “Therianthrope” by Briar Ripley Page, reminiscent of Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones, also full of metaphors that elucidate experiences, and pain. So much pain. This story cuts through to the bone.
“And you’ve never been pure of heart. Your heart is a dark, hateful engine.”
One of the things that would have been of great benefits as an added tool for readers is a listing of trigger or content warnings, either at the front or back of the book. I’ve tried to include the ones I could think of here, but folks may want to be vigilant of this before reading the anthology.
Ending things off is “Heliogabalus Fabulous” by the wonderfully-named Belle Tolls, and according to the author bios, this is the writer’s first publication, which is, of course, marvellous, but I also found it shocking because the writing is so excellent (!) It starts off with what reminded me of an opera. It’s Roman, and so much more, and I can’t say much else without spoilers so I’m going to leave it here.
“No one died in the rain of roses. Another lie of the historians.”
April 20, 2023
I really adore amoral queer narratives, and The Book of Queer Saints is a beautiful and bloody repository of exactly that. So many of these stories depicted characters committing objectively fucked up and horrific acts of violence, but like, good for them, y'know? I also want to shed the confines of my human flesh and emerge as a furred beast driven by nothing but rage and instinct ("Therianthrope" by Briar Ripley Page), that's queer as fuck babey!
This anthology was more erotic than I had expected, and I think at this point, I'm actually the fool for not expecting erotica in my queer horror, lmao. I do really enjoy it though, especially in "We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" by Hailey Piper, "Stage Five Clinger" by Nikki R. Leigh, and "The Last Disgrace" by George Daniel Lea. Merging violence and horror with expressions of passion, lust, and love is so delicious and fun to me, and it's such a raw and unique exploration of sexuality. It's why I liked "Looking for the Big Death" by Taliesin Neith from Bound in Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror so much.
While I was reading, I was disappointed by the repeated centring of gay male narratives compared to sapphic and trans narratives. Granted, some of the stories were not explicitly about trans characters, but could be interpreted as such (e.g. Quay from "We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" feels like a trans allegory even though she isn't trans), but only about 3 of the 13 contributions featured explicitly trans characters. 4 of 13 were wlw/nblw, and 8 of 13 were mlm (the elusive 13th is "Heliogabalus Fabulous" by Belle Tolls, and one of the main characters has a ?gender?, so I wouldn't be able to confidently categorize the relationship there). I don't know if this is being overly nitpicky, but I would have liked to see more diverse queer perspectives.
The Book of Queer Saints is, overall, an enjoyable read, and one I would recommend to anybody interested in welcoming more messy queers into their hearts. The collection as a whole holds up really well; the stories are distinctive, so they don't suffer from redundancy, but they still maintain a cohesive theme that brings the anthology together. Also, the writing styles of the different authors stand out as well; some writing didn't work for me personally, but that's part of the anthology experience anyway.
Note: I read a PDF edition of this book, not a paperback.
This anthology was more erotic than I had expected, and I think at this point, I'm actually the fool for not expecting erotica in my queer horror, lmao. I do really enjoy it though, especially in "We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" by Hailey Piper, "Stage Five Clinger" by Nikki R. Leigh, and "The Last Disgrace" by George Daniel Lea. Merging violence and horror with expressions of passion, lust, and love is so delicious and fun to me, and it's such a raw and unique exploration of sexuality. It's why I liked "Looking for the Big Death" by Taliesin Neith from Bound in Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror so much.
While I was reading, I was disappointed by the repeated centring of gay male narratives compared to sapphic and trans narratives. Granted, some of the stories were not explicitly about trans characters, but could be interpreted as such (e.g. Quay from "We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" feels like a trans allegory even though she isn't trans), but only about 3 of the 13 contributions featured explicitly trans characters. 4 of 13 were wlw/nblw, and 8 of 13 were mlm (the elusive 13th is "Heliogabalus Fabulous" by Belle Tolls, and one of the main characters has a ?gender?, so I wouldn't be able to confidently categorize the relationship there). I don't know if this is being overly nitpicky, but I would have liked to see more diverse queer perspectives.
The Book of Queer Saints is, overall, an enjoyable read, and one I would recommend to anybody interested in welcoming more messy queers into their hearts. The collection as a whole holds up really well; the stories are distinctive, so they don't suffer from redundancy, but they still maintain a cohesive theme that brings the anthology together. Also, the writing styles of the different authors stand out as well; some writing didn't work for me personally, but that's part of the anthology experience anyway.
Note: I read a PDF edition of this book, not a paperback.
August 4, 2022
FULL COLLECTION CW: blood, gore, violence, murder, sexual assault, domestic abuse, body shaming, homophobia, transphobia, body horror, sexual content, pregnancy, alcohol & drug use, casual ableism
story 1: we frolic within the leviathan's heart by Hailey Piper
4.5/5☆~ started off with me a smidge confused but very quickly caught on with the writing style and absolutely loved this one.
story 2: the neon holocaust by Eric LaRocca
5/5☆~ Holy shit this one was visceral and really hits the heart
story 3: morta by James Bennett
5/5☆~ this was a gross alien story and I liked it a lot. coming of age as a boy from another world with a destiny & a cult out to get you. fun times!
story 4: eclipse, or the courtship of the sun and moon by perry ruhland
3.5/5☆~ ok, NOW, I really like Perry's writing, like a LOT, and I didnt dislike this story specifically, but it feels like it could do with a little more. either length or detail or something, I'm not sure. but while it's good, I think it could've been better.
story 5: stage five clinger by Nikki r. Leigh
5/5☆~ oh I liked this one a LOT. poor MC.
story 6: the love that whirls by Joe koch
2/5☆~ yea, I liked parts of this, but I just dont.....get it. went a bit over my head, definitely not for me.
story 7: crumbs by Joshua r. pangborn
3/5☆~ this one is basically a bit like Geralds game only its about a sub & his feeder dom, so just a good thing to know going in. I didnt realise it at first and was caught off guard, but I looked into it (honestly the whole idea is very new to me so I needed to do this, oops lol I'm vanilla af) & the author then gave it another try with fresh eyes. I liked it more the second try, definitely interested in more work from pangborn in the future!
story 8: three for a funeral by k.s. walker
5/5☆~ fucking AMAZING. by far my favourite of the collection so far. I really want to read more from walker, their way with words & plot is just outstanding and I need more.
story 9: the last disgrace by George Daniel Lea
3/5☆~ pretty good, though maybe a little too literary in a way, for me. I had to keep looking up word meanings, I am but a person with a smaller vocabulary, don't mind me 😅
story 10: the city behind the city by LC Von Hessen
2/5☆~ another one where I am just not literary enough, I think. a few good descriptions, scenes, & dialog, but an ultimately confusing story that I just don't understand.
story 11: therianthrope by briar Ripley page
5/5☆~ this was amazing. visceral & gross in parts & absolutely phenomenal
story 12: macrame flames by Eric raglin
5/5☆~ ok but this was actually really cute, ok. not to everyone, but it feels like a happy ending with love & I'm into that. it'd be fun to get a short little sequel.
story 13: heliogabalus fabulous by Belle tolls
4/5☆~ this one's a trans/gender story and it's kinda sad. I feel like it could've used a little more, generally, but overall I enjoyed it.
story 1: we frolic within the leviathan's heart by Hailey Piper
4.5/5☆~ started off with me a smidge confused but very quickly caught on with the writing style and absolutely loved this one.
story 2: the neon holocaust by Eric LaRocca
5/5☆~ Holy shit this one was visceral and really hits the heart
story 3: morta by James Bennett
5/5☆~ this was a gross alien story and I liked it a lot. coming of age as a boy from another world with a destiny & a cult out to get you. fun times!
story 4: eclipse, or the courtship of the sun and moon by perry ruhland
3.5/5☆~ ok, NOW, I really like Perry's writing, like a LOT, and I didnt dislike this story specifically, but it feels like it could do with a little more. either length or detail or something, I'm not sure. but while it's good, I think it could've been better.
story 5: stage five clinger by Nikki r. Leigh
5/5☆~ oh I liked this one a LOT. poor MC.
story 6: the love that whirls by Joe koch
2/5☆~ yea, I liked parts of this, but I just dont.....get it. went a bit over my head, definitely not for me.
story 7: crumbs by Joshua r. pangborn
3/5☆~ this one is basically a bit like Geralds game only its about a sub & his feeder dom, so just a good thing to know going in. I didnt realise it at first and was caught off guard, but I looked into it (honestly the whole idea is very new to me so I needed to do this, oops lol I'm vanilla af) & the author then gave it another try with fresh eyes. I liked it more the second try, definitely interested in more work from pangborn in the future!
story 8: three for a funeral by k.s. walker
5/5☆~ fucking AMAZING. by far my favourite of the collection so far. I really want to read more from walker, their way with words & plot is just outstanding and I need more.
story 9: the last disgrace by George Daniel Lea
3/5☆~ pretty good, though maybe a little too literary in a way, for me. I had to keep looking up word meanings, I am but a person with a smaller vocabulary, don't mind me 😅
story 10: the city behind the city by LC Von Hessen
2/5☆~ another one where I am just not literary enough, I think. a few good descriptions, scenes, & dialog, but an ultimately confusing story that I just don't understand.
story 11: therianthrope by briar Ripley page
5/5☆~ this was amazing. visceral & gross in parts & absolutely phenomenal
story 12: macrame flames by Eric raglin
5/5☆~ ok but this was actually really cute, ok. not to everyone, but it feels like a happy ending with love & I'm into that. it'd be fun to get a short little sequel.
story 13: heliogabalus fabulous by Belle tolls
4/5☆~ this one's a trans/gender story and it's kinda sad. I feel like it could've used a little more, generally, but overall I enjoyed it.
April 9, 2023
So I am still figuring out if/what I like in horror - but queer is always a good route and I've enjoyed some gothic romances in the past if the title is any indication of what's in here (it sadly had way less religious horror than anticipated). And I love it when queer authors get together and make stuff like this.
I am really excited we are getting a second book because I am interested to see what else could be featured. But that said, this was mostly not up my alley. Quite a few of the stories failed to grab my attention in the beginning which in turn made each finale/twist a letdown. A few also went with gore over substance in my opinion, something else I don't like. More and more I discover is all I want are more female protagonists in darker genres and this had some great ones.
We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart by Hailey Piper | ★★★★✩
Merfolk coming on shore to bring back a tithe? Sapphic feelings? A little death? Hell yeah.
The Neon Holocaust by Eric LaRocca | ★★★★✩
Horror in second person singular just hits differently. Gothic houses.
Morta by James Benett | ★★★★✩
Unhealthy gay yearning and uncomfortable alien transformation. Quite a few good lines.
Eclipse, of The Courtship of the Sun and Moon by Perry Ruhland | ★★✩✩✩
A creep but did not give me any horror feelings.
A circus performance.
Stage Five Clinger by Nikki R. Leigh | ★★★✩✩
Not sure I fully grasped what this was about.
Being incorporated by your lover?
The Love That Whirls by Joe Koch | ★★★✩✩
Crumbs by Joshua R. Pangborn | unrated
I think this might actually be a squick for me so I'm just gonna try to forget this as fast as possible.
Three For A Funeral by K.S. Walker | ★★★✩✩
maybe a little too short? I think I needed a more precise buildup or leaned heavier into the blood cravings.
Two girls performing a ritual, transforming one of them to get revenge.
The Last Disgrace by George Daniel Lea | ★★★✩✩
Boring.
The City Behind the City by LC von Hessen | ★✩✩✩✩
DNF. Could not bring myself to care about this noir/depressing atmosphere and felt too similar to the previous story.
Therianthrope by Briar Ripley Page | ★★★✩✩
The start was great but the ending was disappointing.
Macramé Flames by Eric Raglin | ★★★★✩
Is campy horror a thing?
One last arsonist job for Satan.
Heliogabalus Fabulouy by Belle Tolls | ★★★★✩
Immaculate.
I am really excited we are getting a second book because I am interested to see what else could be featured. But that said, this was mostly not up my alley. Quite a few of the stories failed to grab my attention in the beginning which in turn made each finale/twist a letdown. A few also went with gore over substance in my opinion, something else I don't like. More and more I discover is all I want are more female protagonists in darker genres and this had some great ones.
We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart by Hailey Piper | ★★★★✩
Merfolk coming on shore to bring back a tithe? Sapphic feelings? A little death? Hell yeah.
The Neon Holocaust by Eric LaRocca | ★★★★✩
Horror in second person singular just hits differently. Gothic houses.
Morta by James Benett | ★★★★✩
Unhealthy gay yearning and uncomfortable alien transformation. Quite a few good lines.
Eclipse, of The Courtship of the Sun and Moon by Perry Ruhland | ★★✩✩✩
A creep but did not give me any horror feelings.
A circus performance.
Stage Five Clinger by Nikki R. Leigh | ★★★✩✩
Not sure I fully grasped what this was about.
Being incorporated by your lover?
The Love That Whirls by Joe Koch | ★★★✩✩
Crumbs by Joshua R. Pangborn | unrated
I think this might actually be a squick for me so I'm just gonna try to forget this as fast as possible.
Three For A Funeral by K.S. Walker | ★★★✩✩
maybe a little too short? I think I needed a more precise buildup or leaned heavier into the blood cravings.
Two girls performing a ritual, transforming one of them to get revenge.
The Last Disgrace by George Daniel Lea | ★★★✩✩
Boring.
The City Behind the City by LC von Hessen | ★✩✩✩✩
DNF. Could not bring myself to care about this noir/depressing atmosphere and felt too similar to the previous story.
Therianthrope by Briar Ripley Page | ★★★✩✩
The start was great but the ending was disappointing.
Macramé Flames by Eric Raglin | ★★★★✩
Is campy horror a thing?
One last arsonist job for Satan.
Heliogabalus Fabulouy by Belle Tolls | ★★★★✩
Immaculate.
May 8, 2022
"They", the proverbial they, say a lot of things about writing. Some of what they say is sage wisdom, some is opinion. One thing they say that rings true is to write the book you want to read. It stands to reason that if that book existed, you'd be able to read it and the need to spend grueling hours putting it together wouldn't be necessary. I've never heard that adage applied to editing before, but it makes sense. And that's precisely what Mae Murray has compiled here.
The Book of Queer Saints fights against the notion that fictional characters from the LGBTQ+ community should be portrayed as holier than thou. Inside you'll find a carefully curated selection of stories that show messy human beings, not looking to fit into a certain mold. Murray does an admirable job of compiling a table of contents that includes familiar names such as Hailey Piper and Eric LaRocca, but also an array of new authors with sharp skills.
Hailey and Eric bring their A games as always, with "We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" and "The Neon Holocaust" respectively. However, once past the first twenty pages, readers won't want for quality material and may, in fact, find some new names to add to their reading list. Nikki R. Leigh's "Stage Five Clinger" drops a dose of originality and is one of the more memorable stories. LC von Hessen's "The City Behind the City" takes the reader along on the world's worst job interview, keeping us off-kilter at every turn. Eric Raglin's "Macrame Flames" drags the reader behind the scenes of a queer motorcycle gang trying to bring about... Well, just trust me and read this one. The final number is "Heliogabalus Fabulous" by Belle Tolls, a short and strangle little story pristinely placed in that final spot.
From the word go, The Book of Queer Saints was a labor of love from Mae Murray, and the blood, sweat, and tears poured in, shine on every page.
The Book of Queer Saints fights against the notion that fictional characters from the LGBTQ+ community should be portrayed as holier than thou. Inside you'll find a carefully curated selection of stories that show messy human beings, not looking to fit into a certain mold. Murray does an admirable job of compiling a table of contents that includes familiar names such as Hailey Piper and Eric LaRocca, but also an array of new authors with sharp skills.
Hailey and Eric bring their A games as always, with "We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" and "The Neon Holocaust" respectively. However, once past the first twenty pages, readers won't want for quality material and may, in fact, find some new names to add to their reading list. Nikki R. Leigh's "Stage Five Clinger" drops a dose of originality and is one of the more memorable stories. LC von Hessen's "The City Behind the City" takes the reader along on the world's worst job interview, keeping us off-kilter at every turn. Eric Raglin's "Macrame Flames" drags the reader behind the scenes of a queer motorcycle gang trying to bring about... Well, just trust me and read this one. The final number is "Heliogabalus Fabulous" by Belle Tolls, a short and strangle little story pristinely placed in that final spot.
From the word go, The Book of Queer Saints was a labor of love from Mae Murray, and the blood, sweat, and tears poured in, shine on every page.
April 11, 2022
A great collection that really breaks the mold on queer characters, in the best way!
*We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart-I love the transformed merpeople and the way the story built up to what you knew would be the ending, but hoped it wouldn’t be.
*Neon Holocaust- the ghosts of past lovers take their revenge on their murder
*Morta- aliens, bugs, cults, and budding young gay romance!
*Eclipse, or Courtship of the Sun and Moon- Creepy cirque de solei / Black Swan feel to this story and I did not see the end coming
*Stage 5 Clinger- body horror and love gone wrong!!!!
*The Love that Whirls-Shapeshifter..love? Sex and violence for sure.
*Crumbs-Gay Feeder Dom dies while Sub is tied up, but there’s more to what happened.
*Three for a Funeral-Two best friends, an abusive boyfriend, and a dark magic spell gone wrong.
*The Last Disgrace-devouring the soul of a lover
*The City Behind the City-a mind trip!! Super engaging!
*Therianthrope- Young girl thinks she is destined to give into the force inside, but feels she missed her chance or did she.
*Macrame Flames- Old lovers meet back up to fulfill a biker prophecy of hell on earth.
*Heliogabalus Fabulous- Roman decadence
*We Frolic Within the Leviathan’s Heart-I love the transformed merpeople and the way the story built up to what you knew would be the ending, but hoped it wouldn’t be.
*Neon Holocaust- the ghosts of past lovers take their revenge on their murder
*Morta- aliens, bugs, cults, and budding young gay romance!
*Eclipse, or Courtship of the Sun and Moon- Creepy cirque de solei / Black Swan feel to this story and I did not see the end coming
*Stage 5 Clinger- body horror and love gone wrong!!!!
*The Love that Whirls-Shapeshifter..love? Sex and violence for sure.
*Crumbs-Gay Feeder Dom dies while Sub is tied up, but there’s more to what happened.
*Three for a Funeral-Two best friends, an abusive boyfriend, and a dark magic spell gone wrong.
*The Last Disgrace-devouring the soul of a lover
*The City Behind the City-a mind trip!! Super engaging!
*Therianthrope- Young girl thinks she is destined to give into the force inside, but feels she missed her chance or did she.
*Macrame Flames- Old lovers meet back up to fulfill a biker prophecy of hell on earth.
*Heliogabalus Fabulous- Roman decadence
Read
April 13, 2022This short story collection rose out of the discourse around the sanitation of queer representation in the media. Fully realized queer characters means we get to see ourselves as messy, as complicated and yes as villains!
Thereś a wide range of horror here! Which is another nuanced thing that I appreciate about this collection. I think my favorite stories were Therianthorpe by Briar Ripley Page and We Frolick Within the Leviathanś Heart by Hailey Piper.
[I dont star rate books anymore but that is no reflection on how I feel about this book. I just think the system is so subjective its become meaningless]
Thereś a wide range of horror here! Which is another nuanced thing that I appreciate about this collection. I think my favorite stories were Therianthorpe by Briar Ripley Page and We Frolick Within the Leviathanś Heart by Hailey Piper.
[I dont star rate books anymore but that is no reflection on how I feel about this book. I just think the system is so subjective its become meaningless]
April 27, 2022
I love the intro by Mae Murray because it essentially captures the tachycardic rhythm of this collection. She states, "It's a book full of queer characters who are cruel and conflicted and complex and interesting. Yes, queer joy, but also: queer rage, queer hostility, queer panic, queer madness, queer violence, queer horror". My personal favorites were Morta, Stage Five Clinger, Crumbs (which fucked me up mentally and I loved it), Three for a funeral, and Macramé Flames. All the stories are intricate and phantasmal. I discovered so many new writers to support and that makes me so happy!
Want to read
March 17, 2022"In this debut horror anthology, queer villains reign supreme."
"A fresh blend of transformative body horror, crimson-coated romance, and monstrous eroticism, this anthology is sure to satisfy your every depraved itch."
"A fresh blend of transformative body horror, crimson-coated romance, and monstrous eroticism, this anthology is sure to satisfy your every depraved itch."
March 28, 2022
A great and varied collection of horror stories that have queer characters not hiding in subtext- tales that are bloody, bittersweet, haunting, angry and funny. Well worth attention and a really good balance of different approaches are used
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
June 21, 2022
I am a lifelong fan of short story anthologies, but even people who love them know that their weakness lies in the wide range in quality the stories can span. This anthology didn't have that AT ALL. I loved every single story and definitely found some new favorites to check out other work by. A horror anthology that is unapologetically queer and truly hoffific in a variety of subgenres - 5 stars.
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