Howls from the Dark Ages

I saw this anthology in a Facebook ad and boy, I'm glad I bought a copy. I have the other anthology from the same group of horror writers in my Amazon cart already, awaiting payday for purchase. 

Howls from the Dark Ages is a collection of 18 short stories, each set in the medieval time period. Historical horror fiction? Yes, please. 

There were no stories I actively disliked, although the last story is a long poem that I found dull. I really don't care for poetry and the rhyme used in this one took me right out of any spooky setting the author may have been trying for.

The anthology is presented like a museum. There's a curator who introduces every object, which is then tied to the story. Each story has an illustration of the object and then the text begins on the opposite page. It's a really great set up. 

I'll do a quick run through of the tales.

The Crowing: Evil witches use the blood of royal kids to keep themselves young and in power. 

Angelus: A priest makes a bell designed to make the world better, but his idea of better is frightening to his apprentice.

Palette: A weaver obsessed with beauty poisons herself with her constant use of lead in makeup. Or something like that. This one was pretty gross.

Brother Cornelius: Two young monks discover a decrepit fellow monk in a hidden room, writing in a book. They condemn themselves by "saving" him.

In Thrall to This Good Earth: Hunters vs. a fertility spirit. 

In Every Drop: One of the only ones not set in Europe. A mother protects her daughter while the rest of their village is either dead or has fled.

Deus Vult: A knight of the Crusades returns to Europe. 

The Final Book of Sainte Foy's Miracles: A thief's son becomes a monk and has interactions with the female child saint he thinks killed his father. 

A Dowry for Your Hand: Set in China. A spurned lover's ghostly revenge. I liked this one a lot.

The Mouth of Hell: A squire attempts to rescue his master from hell. 

The Lady of Leer Castle: One clan hires mercenaries from another to fight the Scots, but instead of payment, the hiring chief slaughters the mercenary clan, including the man his younger brother loves. The young brother attempts vengeance but it goes awry. 

Schizzare: Prophetic mushroom art in the book of a gay novice monk. Yep. 

The King of Youth vs. the Knight of Decay: Kids take over a castle and get twisted and violent. The adults are also violent. This one is pretty gory. 

The Forgotten Valley: Spurned Native American revenge story turns into a lesbian love story.

The Fourth Scene: Oh, this one was my favorite! A knight is tasked to follow the three scenes on a tapestry and I can't say anything else without spoiling it except there's a Blemmyae! 

White Owl: Witch persecution. 

A Dark Quadrivium: A monk that'd good with languages and math translates an ancient codex and goes mad. This one is pretty gory. 

The Lai of the Danse Macabre: The poem.

Definitely recommend this if you're a horror fan and want something different.