Book Review: After Death – Editor Eric J. Guignard

After Death is a collection of thirty short stories each conveying the author’s theory on what happens to us after our Earthly journey is complete. The anthology was assembled and edited by Eric J. Guignard.

I will say that if you are looking for a collection of pure horror, this is not it. There are many of the stories I would place well outside this genre; some are even uplifting. That caveat aside, the stories are all well written, diverse and incredibly imaginative. They all fit nicely within the labels of “Dark, Speculative Fiction.”From diesel powered ferries on the River Styx to condos carved from the Devil’s Backbone, Mr. Guignard has accumulated a very creative group of authors into a single tome that attempts to answer one of Humanity’s oldest questions; “What’s Next?”

Even reading through my ‘editor’s POV’, I found the stories well written and edited. As with any work, there are always word choices and turns of phrase that I might have changed, but nothing that pulled me away from enjoying the story at hand. Some of the stories are a very quick read, perfect for filling a few spare moments between other projects or duties.

Some of the darker choices within the collection will certainly appease your appetite for horror and may even give you pause to examine your own choices in life. “Helevator”, “The Thousandth Hell”, “Be Quiet at the Back” and “Like a Bat out of Hell” all paint some decidedly dark images of what may wait for those who are judged and found wanting. On the other hand, “The Acclimation Package” deals with a future in which death is not necessarily the end and “Hammerhead” paints a picture of afterlife retribution. All in all, “After Death” is a good read and may even elicit a “hmmm” or two from the reader.

Book Review: After Death – Editor Eric J. Guignard