Haunted Voices: An Anthology of Gothic Storytelling from Scotland by Various

Author: Various

Title: Haunted Voices: An Anthology of Gothic Storytelling from Scotland

Publisher: Haunt Publishing 

Published: 2019

Pages: 272

Genre: Gothic / Horror / Short stories 

     Scotland has a stunning tradition of oral storytelling, from the firesides of the nation’s legendary storytelling families to the physical and virtual platforms of today’s narrative performers. Scotland is also a place with a strange, longstanding affinity with that most chilling of genres: the Gothic. Haunted Voices – a bold and ambitious anthology in both text and audio – showcases some of Scotland’s best oral storytellers, from archived stories of past masters to the work of contemporary performers, and their most disturbing tales of terror. Expect monstrous tongue-eaters, shadowy demons, haunted videotapes, wicked priests, strange shapes in the darkness, a retelling of Poe’s The Raven… and more!

     On a recent holiday to Scotland, I had the great fortune to find myself leafing through the shelves of the Highland Book Store in Fort Williams. This alone could justify many a verse, the place is amazing and stuff to the rafters with all sorts of wonders. And should you ever find yourself in their neck of the woods be sure to check them out. But I feel I digress, the point being each place I travel far from my home I try and root out a book that will forever remind me of a place and a time. And whilst there were many candidates, most of whom were the usual suspects of Scottish writers. I thought this time to reach my hand out for something a little different. And as Scotland is is known for its tradition of passing down stories whilst sitting around a fire or at the bar stool. I figured this might just be the one for me. What more could you ask for on those long-drawn-out nights? 

     Whilst this book may be short in length it most certainly makes up for it in the sheer breadth of storytelling. One minute you may find yourself dealing with a modern-ish day tale of a haunted videotape the next you are slung way back into the past to deal with all manner of ghosts and ghouls. It feels like you have been hand this old tome of folk laws and myths. And whilst not my usual pick of reading I can safely say that within these pages I manage to find a plethora of tales to take my fancy. It is probably a sad thing that for the most part I never pick up such books preferring longer tales I can sink my teeth into. But within these verses, I have come to appreciate what can be achieved within a few pages. Each author's own voice shines out clearly but yet still managing flow from one tale to the next without feeling like you are being ripped out of the flow. It must go to show you what a great editor can do when picking and choosing how to construct such a collection of stories. 

     This book manages to show the width and breadth of Scottish culture. From tales way back in its past to a much more modern and multicultural place that it is today. I always tend to find that horror stories work as a good litmus test for the worries and ill's of culture. We can see the things that claw at the back of their minds in the deep depths of the cold dark night. So I found it fascinating to see through this book how those have changed. Within each incoming new culture, Scotland's own boogie men have changed and shifted. But whilst this is all very fascinating to me to others maybe not. What I can say is that this book is expertly put together. There are tales for pretty much anything that can take you fancy within the horror genre. And I for one already know that not only will there be some that I will no doubt go back to again when I need that feeling creeping up the back of my neck. But some authors here that I will go on to seek out other pieces of their work for hope of yet more dark tales. 

      For the most part, Horror is not a genre I most go looking for in my next read. But I think here they have collected a group of tales worth giving a bit of my time to. Each time I picked this up to read whilst traveling around the highlands I was rewarded with another outstanding writer. Each seeking to bring a spook or a scare in their own beautiful style. All the while shining a light on that amazing land and a place that will forever hold a piece of me.