- Genre: Horror, (Anthology, Short Stories)
- Published by: Random House
- Publish date: October 03, 2023
- Number of pages: 400 pages
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The visionary writer and director of Get Out, Us, and Nope, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions, curates this groundbreaking anthology of all-new stories of Black horror, exploring not only the terrors of the supernatural but the chilling reality of injustice that haunts our nation.
A cop begins seeing huge, blinking eyes where the headlights of cars should be that tell him who to pull over. Two freedom riders take a bus ride that leaves them stranded on a lonely road in Alabama where several unsettling somethings await them. A young girl dives into the depths of the Earth in search of the demon that killed her parents. These are just a few of the worlds of Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele’s anthology of all-new horror stories by Black writers. Featuring an introduction by Peele and an all-star roster of beloved writers and new voices, Out There Screaming is a master class in horror, and–like his spine-chilling films–its stories prey on everything we think we know about our world . . . and redefine what it means to be afraid.
Featuring stories by: Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Djèlí Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull.
Rating: 5/5
Wow, what an incredible anthology showcasing some of the most gifted horror writers of our time! Horror is such a broad topic but I’m sure fans of the genre will find at least one story that they love if not multiple.
List of stories and authors:
Reckless Eyeballing by N. K. Jemisin– a cop is able to profile who to pull over by seeing eyes on cars.
Eye & Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse– Siblings who investigate and help those experiencing paranormal activity get more than they bargained for.
Wandering Devil by Cadwell Turnbull– I’m still a little confused about this one, but a man is able to see a prophecy and must decide to fulfill this legacy.
Invasion of the Baby Snatchers by Lasley Nneka Arimah– Aliens! This story is about an agency that tries to track Aliens that impregnate humans.
The Other One by Violet Allen– A woman receives strange texts from her ex but it’s hard to know if she’s the dangerous one or the “other” person that is texting her.
Lasiren by Erin E. Adams — Sisters encounter a Haitian mermaid.
The Rider by Tananarive Due– Two sister freedom riders encounter multiple horrors.
The Aesthete by Justin C. Key– Sci-Fi story about a world of artificial intelligence and sentient robots who were created as art to be followed and consumed by viewers have human feelings.
Pressure by Ezra Claytan Daniels– A half-black woman returns to her white family’s hometown and examines how she always felt like an outsider.
Dark home by Nnedi Okorafor– After attending her father’s funeral in Nigeria, a woman takes something of her father’s to remember him by but ends up inadvertently taking home a spirit.
Flicker by L. D. Lewis– Sci-Fi story where we live in a simulation that has started to glitch.
The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World by Nalo Hopkinson– A woman’s body gets overtaken by a devil.
The Norwood Trouble by Maurice Broaddus– A racist mob intent on committing a lynch is thwrated by a supernatural community.
A Grief of the Dead by Rion Amilcar Scott– Zombies! A man is grappling with the death of his brother including when his brother returns from the dead.
A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree by Nicole D. Sconiers– Haunted Highway! Two ghosts who died on the road start a game of haunting travelers.
An American Fable by Chesya Burke– I honestly remember this one the least, but I think it involved a man traveling north who is saved from being harmed by a group of white men by a guardian in the shape of a little girl.
Your Happy Place by Terence Taylor — Another sci-fi story, this time imagining a horrible “alternative” to serving a prison sentence.
Hide & seek by P. Djeli Clark– this one gave me chills! Two boys must hide from their mother who is addicted to magic. It gave insight to children who learn to protect themselves from struggling parents.
Origin story by Tochi Onyebuchi — a play that takes an extreme look at taking a university-level course on race.
My favorite stories were The Rider, Your Happy Place, A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree, Lasiren, Eye & Tooth, and Flicker.
Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to know!
I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from Netgalley and Random House. This has not impacted my rating and this review is voluntary.
Musings by Michelle 