The sixteenth annual installment of Datlow’s flagship anthology series features some excellent work, and it’s a great read for anyone looking to catch up on the acclaimed short fiction of recent years. It’s also an excellent resource for anyone seeking a new author to appreciate, as it provides a solid sample of what makes some of these writers so exceptional.

A disharmonic triumph, And One Day We Shall Die: Strange Stories Inspired by the Music of Neutral Milk Hotel is a collection like no other, striking a secret chord in the American creative zeitgeist that echoes with so many of today’s most important writers of fiction.

The Children’s Horror reminded me of the incredible power of a child’s mind to steamroll borders … All in all, it’s a fantastic collection, and I think very promising step up for Patrick Barb.

While there are some stylistic and depth choices I’m not a fan of, Pre-Approved for Haunting is a very good collection, and a wonderful introduction to the work of Patrick Barb. Most of the stories are mature, effective works that linger long in the memory, particularly when their real-world inspirations are familiar. Despite not loving the particular story, I’ll never look at a black crayon the same way again. Barb is an excellent writer with a strong editorial eye, and as a reader, I’m eager to see what he does next.