Book Review: Hannah and Other Stories by Rami Ungar

Along with the titular story, “Hannah”, this collection from the Master of Fear comprises 5 other short stories and a novelette. 

The first story, “Hannah”, is a ghost story involving two friends with a lucrative internet ghost hunting channel. I liked the characters and the way they worked with spirits. 

Next up is “Queen Alice”, an eerily realistic tale about a creepypasta and it’s influence on the young. I love that it’s set in the author’s home state of Ohio. 

The longest story in the collection, “The Autopsy Kid and Doctor Sarah”, sees a strange friendship develop in Paris. 

“Fuseli’s Horses” paints the picture of some foals you certainly don’t want to meet. I was most excited about this story, but unfortunately I expected it to go in a completely different direction than it did. Expectations aside, it’s a creepy story with a clever idea. 

“The Red Bursts” shows a couple finding more than they bargained for when they travel to a small town in search of a relative. This story had everything I love about Ungar’s writing – interesting characters, story layered with elements meaningful to the author (Jewish characters, possibly Ohio setting), creepy atmosphere and a wonderful, dark, monstrous storyline. 

“What Errour Awoke” is a very clever take on Spenser’s “The Fearie Queene” and conspiracy theories. 

“Poor Unfortunate Souls” deals with themes of belonging and acceptance, and takes place in one of the coolest locations for a horror story – the Paris Catacombs!

There is a certain level of intense imagination, dread-filled atmosphere, and relatable characters that I’ve come to expect from Ungar’s short stories. The last three stories in this collection certainly delivered all these qualities and more. 

This is an enjoyable anthology, with solid stories. At times, the political message in some of the stories detracted from the characters and plot. It worked best in “The Red Bursts”, where it layered seamlessly with other thematic elements without distracting from the story. 

If you are new to this author, I urge you to seek out his short stories “The Dedication of the High Priestess” (Tales to Terrify episode 565), “Cressida” (Into the Deep horror anthology), “Mother of the King” and “Agoraphobia” (both available on Amazon), his short story collection “The Quiet Game”, or his novel, “The Pure World Comes”. 

“Hannah and Other Stories” is a worthy addition to the bookshelves of the Followers of Fear.