The Best Horror of the Year Volume Eleven

From Ellen Datlow (“the venerable queen of horror anthologies” (New York Times) comes a new entry in the series that has brought you stories from Stephen King and Neil Gaiman comes 25thrilling stories, the best horror stories available.

For more than three decades, Ellen Datlow has been at the center of horror. Bringing you the most frightening and terrifying stories, Datlow always has her finger on the pulse of what horror readers crave. Now, with the eleventh volume of the series, Datlow is back again to bring you the stories that will keep you up at night. Encompassed in the pages of The Best Horror of the Year have been such illustrious writers as: Neil Gaiman, Kim Newman, Stephen King, Linda Nagata, Laird Barron, Margo Lanagan, and many others. Now come the best of the last year:

• I Remember Nothing -- Anne Billson
• Monkeys on the Beach -- Ralph Robert Moore
• Painted Wolves -- Ray Cluley
• Shit Happens -- Michael Marshall Smith
• You Know How the Story Goes -- Thomas Olde Heuvelt
• Back Along the Old Track -- Sam Hicks
• Masks -- Peter Sutton
• The Donner Party -- Dale Bailey
• Milkteeth -- Kristi DeMeester
• Haak -- John Langan
• Thin Cold Hands -- Gemma Files
• A Tiny Mirror by Eloise -- C. C. Shepherd
• I Love You Mary-Grace -- Amelia Mangan
• The Jaws of Ouroboros -- Steve Toase
• A Brief Moment of Rage -- Bill Davidson
• Golden Sun -- Kristi DeMeester, Richard Thomas, Damien Angelica Walters, and Michael Wehunt
• White Mare -- Thana Niveau
• Girls Without Their Faces On -- Laird Barron
• Thumbsucker -- Robert Shearman
• You Are Released -- Joe Hill
• Red Rain -- Adam-Troy Castro
• Split Chain Stitch -- Steve Toase
• No Exit -- Orrin Grey
• Haunt - Siobhan Carroll
• Sleep -- Carly Holmes

With each passing year, science, technology, and the march of time shine light into the craggy corners of the universe, making the fears of an earlier generation seem quaint. But this light creates its own shadows. The Best Horror of the Year chronicles these shifting shadows. It is a catalog of terror, fear, and unpleasantness as articulated by today’s most challenging and exciting writers.

Ellen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for almost forty years. She was the fiction editor of Omni magazine and Sci Fiction, and has edited about ninety anthologies. Datlow has also won lifetime achievement awards from three prominent genre organizations, and currently acquires short fiction for Tor.com. She lives in New York City.

Praise for Ellen Datlow and The Best Horror of the Year Series:

“Even with the overall high quality of the latest of Datlow's anthology series, there are some remarkable highlights. . . . this excellent anthology demonstrates that Datlow's reputation as one of the best editors in the field is more than well-deserved.”—Booklist, starred review for The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Eleven
 
“Datlow has drawn her selections from a wide variety of sources that even the most dedicated fans may have overlooked, and her comprehensive introductory overview of the year in horror will uncover still more venues for great scares. This is an indispensable volume for horror readers.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review for The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Eleven

“Delivers chill after thrill. . . . Read these stories and feel the pulse of the horror genre.”—Kirkus Reviews on The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Eleven, from "The 7 Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror Books to Read This September"

[A] veritable feast of horror short fiction . . . a book no horror fan should miss."—Hellnotes, reviewed by Mario Guslandi

"To consolidate a year’s worth of horror fiction into 20 plus stories must be nothing short of a Herculean task. It’s a good thing we have Ellen Datlow. . . . Ellen Datlow doesn’t put out bad anthologies. With her annual anthology, you are guaranteed to get a buffet of horrors both loud and quiet. If you have the cash for one horror anthology, this is a worthy purchase."—High Fever Books, 4/5 Stars for The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Eleven
 
“Edited by the venerable queen of horror anthologies, Ellen Datlow . . . The stories in this collection feel both classic and innovative, while never losing the primary ingredient of great horror writing: fear.”
—The New York Times on The Best of the Best Horror of the Year

“A survey of some of the best horror writing of the last decade. . . . highly recommended for anyone interested in contemporary horror and dark fantasy, as well as anyone looking for a collection of some of the best and most horrifying short fiction currently available.”
—Booklist(starred review for The Best of the Best Horror of the Year)

“A stunning and flawless collection that showcases the most terrifyingly beautiful writing of the genre. Datlow’s palate for the fearful and the chilling knows no genre constraint, encompassing the undead, the supernatural, and the cruelty perpetrated by ordinary humans. Exciting, literary, and utterly scary, this anthology is nothing short of exceptional."
—Publishers Weekly(starred review for The Best of the Best Horror of the Year)

“A decade of celebrating the darkest gems of the genre as selected by Hugo-winning editor Ellen Datlow, whose name, by this point, is almost synonymous with quality frights . . . [and] contributed by a murderer’s row of horror authors. . . . Essential.”
—B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, “Our Favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2018”

“With the quality ranging from very good, to fantastic, to sublime, there just isn’t the space to discuss them all.... If I need to make a pronouncement―based on Datlow’s fantastic distillation of the genre―it’s that horror is alive, well, and still getting under people’s skin. If you have even a vague interest in dark fiction, then pick up this book.”
—Ian Mond, Locus
 
“Datlow’s survey of the first decade of her Best Horror of the Year series is also an argument about the field’s major talents and trends. Its contents make a compelling case for the robustness of the field, a condition Dat­low herself has done much to nourish.”—Locus, “Horror in 2018” by John Langan
 
“Award-winning editor Ellen Datlow has assembled a tasty collection of twenty one terrifying and unsettling treats. In addition to providing excellent fiction to read, this is the perfect book for discovering new authors and enriching your life through short fiction.”—Kirkus Reviews

“For more than three decades, Ellen Datlow has been at the center of horror. Bringing you the most frightening and terrifying stories, Datlow always has her finger on the pulse of what horror fans crave. . . . and the anthologies just keep getting better and better. She's an icon in the industry.”—Signal Horizon

“Datlow’s The Best Horror of the Year series is one of the best investments you can make in short fiction. The current volume is no exception.”—Adventures Fantastic

“As usual, Datlow delivers what she promises, ‘the best horror of the year,’ whether it’s written by the famous (Neil Gaiman) or the should-be famous (Laird Barron and many others).”—Washington Post

“You just can’t have a list of recommended speculative anthologies without including an Ellen Datlow anthology. It’s. Not. Possible. The line-up in The Best Horror of the Year Volume Eight is absolutely stupendous, featuring the most frighteningly talented authors in horror fiction.”—Tor.com

"Once again, [Ellen Datlow supplies] an invaluable book, featuring excellent short fiction and, in addition, providing as always precious information about what happened in the horror field last year.”—Mario Guslandi, British Fantasy Society

Praise for Ellen Datlow and The Best Horror of the Year Series:

“Award-winning editor Ellen Datlow has assembled a tasty collection of twenty one terrifying and unsettling treats. In addition to providing excellent fiction to read, this is the perfect book for discovering new authors and enriching your life through short fiction.”—Kirkus Reviews

“For more than three decades, Ellen Datlow has been at the center of horror. Bringing you the most frightening and terrifying stories, Datlow always has her finger on the pulse of what horror fans crave. . . . and the anthologies just keep getting better and better. She's an icon in the industry.”—Signal Horizon

“Datlow’s The Best Horror of the Year series is one of the best investments you can make in short fiction. The current volume is no exception."—Adventures Fantastic

“As usual, Datlow delivers what she promises, ‘the best horror of the year,’ whether it’s written by the famous (Neil Gaiman) or the should-be famous (Laird Barron and many others).”
—Washington Post

“You just can’t have a list of recommended speculative anthologies without including an Ellen Datlow anthology. It’s. Not. Possible. The line-up in The Best Horror of the Year Volume Eight is absolutely stupendous, featuring the most frighteningly talented authors in horror fiction.”—Tor.com

"Once again, [Ellen Datlow supplies] an invaluable book, featuring excellent short fiction and, in addition, providing as always precious information about what happened in the horror field last year.”—Mario Guslandi, British Fantasy Society