Reviews

• Not what I expected, but so much better

  I like to go into books and movies as blind as possible, and hey, based on the cover, I was expecting lake monsters. The horror of this collection, however, is man. Themes aside, Ballingrud's writing is visceral and sickening. I actually put the book (I say book, but I mean Kindle) down at one point in the final story. "Bloodless as the belly of gutted fish." Yuck... and amazing. North American Lake Monsters easily makes my top three collections EVER. It inspired the hell out of me to get started on a collection of my own. Thanks, Nathan. Can't wait to of your stuff.

• Fascinating

  Nathan Ballingrud is one of the most interesting author working today. The horror in these stories is always symptomatic of a bigger, deeper, darker anxiety. There's a lot to think about after reading and it's one of the reasons why is prose is so gratifying. Easy 5 stars

• Maestro Ballingrud

  Un take diferente a las historias de Terror Psicológico. Bastante bueno. Muy recomendado.

• Excellence: Literary Realism meets the Profound Horrific

  Nathan Ballingrud’s North American Lake Monsters seems to be best summarized a consist voice looking at the intersection of human tragedy with the arbitrarily alien. The monsters in Ballingrud’s stories are always on the peripheral and even when they enter directly, they are not the main focus of the tale. The South lingers in this book as does the recession, and being from the blue collar South of the US, Ballingrud’s world seemed as real to me, which I also sometimes inhabit. The depressing mood of the book also mirrors a lot of literary realist and horror fiction, but likewise, these are as much stories of love and transformation as stories about monsters. All the love stories in the book are strained by things beyond any lake monster or vampire, but the occurrence of an outside force breaks the relationships up into their rawer elements. Also the looming monster of the novel is not only human, bestial, or supernatural, but also the economic circumstances that rendering things down to the bone. Most of the stories have monsters, but not all of supernatural. “S.S.,” about a young man in poverty being recruited by a teenage call to a white power organization, has no supernatural element. The transformation is something you could find in Herbert Shelby, Jr. or Raymond Chandler as much as any genre fiction, and it was one of the most truly disturbing stories in the book. The masculinity of these stories is macho but broken and floundering about in some times tender and sometimes horrifying ways. This does create a weak spot in the book in terms of female characters, who do have lives of their own in most of the stories and who function within the limitations of their class, but with few exceptions cannot be fully realized because of the perspective of the narrator. In stories like “The Way Station” and “The Crevasse” the natural world takes an equally horrifying role in the unsettling of individual lives. Indeed, Ballingrud’s one fault may be that he seems to portray the universe as almost a conspiracy against his already assaulted characters. Like Ogawa, Ballingrud suffers from understanding a pattern too well and the emotional impact of shattered lives can start to feel repetitive in the stories as a whole. It would help the reader to break up her reading of this collection so the pattern does not weaken the impact from over-exposure while keeping the stories fresh. The two best stories in the collection in this reviewers opinion are “S.S.” and “Sunbleached.” The former I have already spoken about briefly. The later is another vampire story and one based on fairly conventional limitations to the genre, but the motivation and outcomes are entirely fresh. Casual misogyny, racism, and general unpleasantness invests many of the characters, even the jealous teen at the center of “Sunbleached,” but Ballingrud never denies the protagonists our sympathy nor does he make false excuses for them. Ballingrud is like a tragedian as much as weird fiction author: “the cosmos may be against you, but you are still responsible for your faults” is the droning reframe of his chorus.

• Spectacular

  Book Review: North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud Nathan Ballingrud's North American Lake Monsters is a compelling collection of short stories that delves into the complexities of the human experience through a lens that is both dark and surreal. Each tale is an exploration of the supernatural, often steeped in a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the last page is turned. Ballingrud's writing is exceptional; his language is both lyrical and precise, drawing readers into richly crafted worlds that blend the familiar with the bizarre. The stories navigate themes of loss, isolation, and the primal fears that dwell beneath the surface of everyday life. The titular lake monsters serve as metaphors for our inner demons, forcing characters and readers alike to confront the unsettling truths of their existence. What makes this collection truly remarkable is its capacity for surprise. Just when you think you have a handle on the narrative, Ballingrud turns the story in unexpected directions, leaving you breathless and contemplating the implications. The emotional depth within each story is profound, offering insights into the darker aspects of humanity while also illuminating moments of resilience and hope. I found myself unable to put the book down, captivated by Ballingrud's unique storytelling and the eerie allure of his narratives. North American Lake Monsters is not just a collection of horror stories; it's a masterful examination of the extraordinary lurking in the shadows of our everyday lives. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a powerful blend of horror and literary finesse.

Purchase links