New Gods Old Monsters — Bill Davidson

As showcased in this, his first collection of short fiction, Bill Davidson has a proven gift for imagining nightmarish scenarios and getting underneath his reader's skin. Imagine a world where the entire population suffers frequent and unexpected momentary fits of rage. Or how about a world where every single living thing is dead - apart from you. Here the reader will also encounter a circus plagued by enormous eight-legged fiends, forbidden texts, time slips, ancient beings who exist alongside ordinary mortals, and ordinary mortals with their hearts set on becoming ancient beings. Blending elements of horror, fairytale, science fiction, and fantasy, Bill Davidson writes stories that are occasionally gruesome, at times brutal and shocking, at other times strange and moving. In this short story collection, the everyday is paired with the extraordinary to supernatural effect. Includes the story 'A Brief Moment of Rage' which was chosen by Ellen Datlow to appear in 'Best Horror of the Year Vol.11' alongside work by Joe Hill and Laird Barron.