It is a well-documented fact that I have made a deep study of horror serials on television (and the results of the study are also well-known). So, it was but natural that I wanted to get my hands on Dark Tales Volume 11 (edited by Sean Jeffery).
Horror genre fans would find themselves familiar with the underlying concepts in this book. The topics are mostly conventional, from unnatural botanical experiments to medical experiments gone wrong. People find themselves going from casual interest to obsession with fatal results, and terrible fetishes surface. Ancient artefacts and places are also present in the stories, reminiscent of environs and artefacts of Cthulhu (in a good way).
And sitting amid these horror tales is an almost romantic tale of a boy who sees faces. And as you can imagine for horror genre, some of the stories can easily be turned into comedy or romantic or some other kind of tale, if you take out the horror component out.
But it is not the subjects chosen for the stories that leave you disturbed.
From what I have read and seen, in horror stories, the perpetrators are either victims of the conditions around them, or want to commit horrible acts. So, while Mr. Hyde cannot help doing what he does, Count Dracula would go to any limits to get more "food". Leaving "wanting to survive" as motive aside, these villains either couldn't help themselves, or gloated and were happy in their acts.
And this is where the characters in the stories in this volume differ from others I have read about. For most part (apart from a conventional horror tale or two), the heinous acts in these horror stories are not committed because somebody has to survive or because somebody would gain twisted pleasure out of it.
Article comments
1 - Vikk Simmons
My first thought, as I read your analysis, is that the protagonists are basically today's charming psychopaths. Think Dexter without a conscious. These stories may appeal to more than the obvious horror fans.
2 - Fleiger
@Vikk: Exactly... Though I wouldn't exactly call them "protagonists" (what do you call such characters really?)
I didn't actually call them psychopaths, but these characters are psychopathic, with no external expression. That's what makes it horror.
3 - Vikk Simmons
(what do you call such characters really?)
Dunno, antiheros? :) Guess it's the modern day horror now. I'm certainly intrigued enough to give it a read.
4 - Fleiger
Yes... it is modern day horror, with stories ranging from horror to disturbing to...