HBB Microfiction Anthology (Horror)

Book: HBB Microfiction Anthology (Horror)
Author: Multiple
Publisher: Half Baked Beans

Do you remember the one story that gave you the chills the moment you dived into it?

HBB Micro Fiction Anthology (Horror) is the result of a competition organized by Half Baked Beans where each entry was limited to 500-words and the theme was horror. The book is a collection of 50 selected entries with various storylines and plots. The foreword of the book has been penned by Neil D’Silva. 

As he says, “Micro-fiction works best for horror, because this genre is more about the unstated than the stated. An intelligent reader would find enough material in a 500-worder to set wings to their fancies and get terrified of the ghosts that are born in their own imagination. I have always found micro-fiction horror to be quite fun as well as challenging to write; and in this collection, it is done just right by this merry band of authors”

The stories in the book are a mixed bag, with most of them leaning towards being excellent. Each of them is engaging and there are moments where a literal chill ran down my spine. Finding good horror stories, penned by Indian authors are a rarity and I was pleased to find some gems in this book. with vivid descriptions and spooky endings, the tales are gripping and one would actually prefer reading them in the dark. There were some stories that could use another round of editing as there were some language and proofing issues. I liked some of the stories specifically such as The Fall of Major’s House, They Still Walk, Trapped and Delusion. Bombay Nights by Rahul Bhandare stood out for me as it had a completely different flavor as compared to the rest, and the way in which it unfolded. The cover could have been a bit catchy, which could have attracted more readers as well.

If we talk about the characters, each of the authors have crafted interesting characters that seem quite real. Though the genre is horror, the stories sound quite relatable as they progress. The locations are interesting as well and there are some famous places covered as well.

Overall, a great anthology that scores a 3.63/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book here.