Corpsemouth and Other Autobiographies: 200 Word Reviews #8

Corpsemouth and Other Autobiographies by John Langan is truly fantastic and offers a collection stories so fresh and freaky I am frustrated I didn’t think of them first. The worst thing about great writers like Langan is realising long the road is to being one of the greats, and how much ground is left to cover.

This collection is excellent start to finish and varies from standalone stories to novelettes. They encompass psych, cosmic and body horror, but in manners you would never expect. As always, his prose is effortless and characterisation flows right of the page. I actually read this book a while ago, but refreshing myself with the first few lines of a story was enough to recall the characters, the atmosphere and premise. It is hard to forget stories so unique.

Shadow and Thirst was a standout for me. It pushes the limit on how crazy a story can get and how fast. I genuinely felt freaked the fuck out by the premise and grossed out by the gore, but way too curious to stop.

I highly, highly recommend Corpsemouth and Other Autobiographies to any horror fans, particularly ones who are looking to have their horizons expanded.