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Obsession Tales of Irresistible Desire
Legends and myths of all cultures tell of those possessing captivating allure we are powerless to resist. Sirens, demon lovers, femme fatales, and others compel our love, drawing us into realms of forbidden desire and uncontrollable passion. These seductions are not always supernatural, nor even sexual. We can be haunted by unrequited desire, ensnared by our own minds, or swept away by another’s madness. Obsession overwhelms, takes us to irrational extremes, involves us in dangerous liaisons and fatal attractions . . . obsession consumes. Enticing, compulsively readable tales from nineteen masterful storytellers.“Medusa’s Child,” Kim Antieau“Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes,” Lawrence Block“Hymenoptera,” Michael Blumlein“She’s Not There,” Pat Cadigan“My Lady of the Hearth,” Storm Constantine“Calypso in Berlin,” Elizabeth Hand“Lady Madonna,” Nancy Holder“In the Cold, Dark Time,” Joe R. Lansdale“Nunc Dimittis,” Tanith Lee“The Girl with Hungry Eyes,” Fritz Leiber“Tallulah,” Charles de Lint“The Snake Woman’s Lover,” Catherine Lundoff“Land of the Lost,” Stewart O’Nan“The Oval Portrait,” Edgar Allan Poe“The Hound Lover,” Laura Resnick“Barbara,” John Shirley“An Apiary of White Bees,” Lee Thomas“Close to You,” Steve Rasnic Tem“The Light That Passes Through You,” Conrad Williams
311 pages, Unknown Binding
First published May 28, 2012
3 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Paula Guran
103 books205 followersPaula Guran is senior editor for Prime Books. She edited the Juno fantasy imprint from its small press inception through its incarnation as an imprint of Pocket Books. She is also senior editor of Prime's soon-to-launch digital imprint Masque Books. Guran edits the annual Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror series as well as a growing number of other anthologies. In an earlier life she produced weekly email newsletter DarkEcho (winning two Stokers, an IHG award, and a World Fantasy Award nomination), edited Horror Garage (earning another IHG and a second World Fantasy nomination), and has contributed reviews, interviews, and articles to numerous professional publications.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 2, 2016
I had already read most of these stories in other anthologies.
Liked:
“Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes,” Lawrence Block (one of my favorite short stories)
“Nunc Dimittis,” Tanith Lee (all of her short stories are excellent)
“The Girl with Hungry Eyes,” Fritz Leiber
“Tallulah,” Charles de Lint
“The Snake Woman’s Lover,” Catherine Lundoff
“My Lady of the Hearth,” Storm Constantine
“Calypso in Berlin,” Elizabeth Hand
“Barbara,” John Shirley
OK:
“Medusa’s Child,” Kim Antieau
“Hymenoptera,” Michael Blumlein
“In the Cold, Dark Time,” Joe R. Lansdale (predictable)
“An Apiary of White Bees,” Lee Thomas
“Land of the Lost,” Stewart O’Nan
“She’s Not There,” Pat Cadigan
“The Oval Portrait,” Edgar Allan Poe (predictable)
“The Hound Lover,” Laura Resnick
“The Light That Passes Through You,” Conrad Williams
Blah:
“Lady Madonna,” Nancy Holder
“Close to You,” Steve Rasnic Tem
Liked:
“Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes,” Lawrence Block (one of my favorite short stories)
“Nunc Dimittis,” Tanith Lee (all of her short stories are excellent)
“The Girl with Hungry Eyes,” Fritz Leiber
“Tallulah,” Charles de Lint
“The Snake Woman’s Lover,” Catherine Lundoff
“My Lady of the Hearth,” Storm Constantine
“Calypso in Berlin,” Elizabeth Hand
“Barbara,” John Shirley
OK:
“Medusa’s Child,” Kim Antieau
“Hymenoptera,” Michael Blumlein
“In the Cold, Dark Time,” Joe R. Lansdale (predictable)
“An Apiary of White Bees,” Lee Thomas
“Land of the Lost,” Stewart O’Nan
“She’s Not There,” Pat Cadigan
“The Oval Portrait,” Edgar Allan Poe (predictable)
“The Hound Lover,” Laura Resnick
“The Light That Passes Through You,” Conrad Williams
Blah:
“Lady Madonna,” Nancy Holder
“Close to You,” Steve Rasnic Tem
August 17, 2012
I was pretty excited to get an ARC of this brand-new book...
Unfortunately, none of the stories included are actually new - I'd read the bulk of the book before. This doesn't mean these aren't good stories... but if you're a fan of many of these authors, as I am, you've probably already read these.
Also, the cover is embarrassingly cheesy. Although, almost worth it, just for the "you are the spawn of Satan" glare I got from some disapproving elderly person on the subway, while reading it.
Still - it makes it look like paranormal erotica. It's not. It's a good, quality, fantasy/horror collection. Four stars, for the quality of the work.
“Medusa’s Child,” Kim Antieau
“Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes,” Lawrence Block
“Hymenoptera,” Michael Blumlein
“She’s Not There,” Pat Cadigan
“My Lady of the Hearth,” Storm Constantine
“Calypso in Berlin,” Elizabeth Hand
“Lady Madonna,” Nancy Holder
“In the Cold, Dark Time,” Joe R. Lansdale
“Nunc Dimittis,” Tanith Lee
“The Girl with Hungry Eyes,” Fritz Leiber
“Tallulah,” Charles de Lint
“The Snake Woman’s Lover,” Catherine Lundoff
“Land of the Lost,” Stewart O’Nan
“The Oval Portrait,” Edgar Allan Poe
“The Hound Lover,” Laura Resnick
“Barbara,” John Shirley
“An Apiary of White Bees,” Lee Thomas
“Close to You,” Steve Rasnic Tem
“The Light That Passes Through You,” Conrad Williams
Unfortunately, none of the stories included are actually new - I'd read the bulk of the book before. This doesn't mean these aren't good stories... but if you're a fan of many of these authors, as I am, you've probably already read these.
Also, the cover is embarrassingly cheesy. Although, almost worth it, just for the "you are the spawn of Satan" glare I got from some disapproving elderly person on the subway, while reading it.
Still - it makes it look like paranormal erotica. It's not. It's a good, quality, fantasy/horror collection. Four stars, for the quality of the work.
“Medusa’s Child,” Kim Antieau
“Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes,” Lawrence Block
“Hymenoptera,” Michael Blumlein
“She’s Not There,” Pat Cadigan
“My Lady of the Hearth,” Storm Constantine
“Calypso in Berlin,” Elizabeth Hand
“Lady Madonna,” Nancy Holder
“In the Cold, Dark Time,” Joe R. Lansdale
“Nunc Dimittis,” Tanith Lee
“The Girl with Hungry Eyes,” Fritz Leiber
“Tallulah,” Charles de Lint
“The Snake Woman’s Lover,” Catherine Lundoff
“Land of the Lost,” Stewart O’Nan
“The Oval Portrait,” Edgar Allan Poe
“The Hound Lover,” Laura Resnick
“Barbara,” John Shirley
“An Apiary of White Bees,” Lee Thomas
“Close to You,” Steve Rasnic Tem
“The Light That Passes Through You,” Conrad Williams
August 21, 2020
Review originally published in 2012 on www.bookshelfbombshells.com
As with any anthology, there's hits and there's misses, but overall, this collection had more hits.
Standouts for me:
"Calypso in Berlin," Elizabeth Hand
"In the Cold, Dark Time," Joe R. Lansdale
"She's Not There," Pat Cadigan
"My Lady of the Hearth," Storm Constantine
"Nunc Dimittis," Tanith Lee
"The Girl with Hungry Eyes," Fritz Leiber
"An Apiary of White Bees," Lee Thomas
Even the stories I liked less were still good -- but Calypso in Berlin is the strongest of the collection, even if Lansdale gets top billing.
As with any anthology, there's hits and there's misses, but overall, this collection had more hits.
Standouts for me:
"Calypso in Berlin," Elizabeth Hand
"In the Cold, Dark Time," Joe R. Lansdale
"She's Not There," Pat Cadigan
"My Lady of the Hearth," Storm Constantine
"Nunc Dimittis," Tanith Lee
"The Girl with Hungry Eyes," Fritz Leiber
"An Apiary of White Bees," Lee Thomas
Even the stories I liked less were still good -- but Calypso in Berlin is the strongest of the collection, even if Lansdale gets top billing.
November 4, 2018
A very good collection. I really liked most of these stories, and they all fit the theme quite well. A few of them are dated, but can be taken as period pieces even if that was not the original intent. I had already encountered a few of these stories elsewhere, but fortunately for me they were just as good the second (or more) time around!
December 1, 2016
I should have realized that the whole collection would be dark, but I didn't realize that that meant that I wouldn't enjoy most of the stories. I did really like the Poe, though. The man had a wonderful way with words.
January 17, 2016
Author: Joe R. Lansdale (Contributor)+ others
Published By: Prime Books
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Blog For: GMTA
Review:
Obession: In the Cold, Dark Time, by Joe R. Landale was quite some read that was indeed interesting. The story was from one of the Tales of Irresistible Desire. This is one of the 19 collections of well written storytellers....'dark obessions.' Some of these stories may even be considered some type of fantasy, horror, paranormal and even some anthologies.
Be ready for a well written read:
“Medusa’s Child,” Kim Antieau
“Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes,” Lawrence Block
“Hymenoptera,” Michael Blumlein
“She’s Not There,” Pat Cadigan
“My Lady of the Hearth,” Storm Constantine
“Calypso in Berlin,” Elizabeth Hand
“Lady Madonna,” Nancy Holder
“In the Cold, Dark Time,” Joe R. Lansdale
This author story was just a healing through one dying person... giving words of encouragement to another WWI soldier who was a patient. For he was needed to help care for the children. Later, he was able to help with kind words ...another patient (soldier) who was a pilot. He told the solder that he "would get out of my bed and go back to the front lines to help the refugee children, and after the war he would help those who remained."
.................................................................
"I think again of the old man and the life he gave me back
and the mercy he gives the children through me."
I found this a very touching story that I really enjoyed and I would recommend you pick up this read.
“Nunc Dimittis,” Tanith Lee
“The Girl with Hungry Eyes,” Fritz Leiber
“Tallulah,” Charles de Lint
“The Snake Woman’s Lover,” Catherine Lundoff
“Land of the Lost,” Stewart O’Nan
“The Oval Portrait,” Edgar Allan Poe
“The Hound Lover,” Laura Resnick
“Barbara,” John Shirley
“An Apiary of White Bees,” Lee Thomas
“Close to You,” Steve Rasnic Tem
“The Light That Passes Through You,” Conrad Williams
I did notice that a few of these stories I had already read but still they were good in this collection. Be ready for some "irrational extremes, involves us in dangerous liaisons and fatal attractions . . . obsession consumes. Enticing, compulsively readable tales from nineteen masterful storytellers."
If you are into "Sirens, demon lovers, femme fatales, and others compel our love, drawing us into realms of forbidden desire and uncontrollable passion" you have come to the right place to enjoy a good read.
Published By: Prime Books
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Blog For: GMTA
Review:
Obession: In the Cold, Dark Time, by Joe R. Landale was quite some read that was indeed interesting. The story was from one of the Tales of Irresistible Desire. This is one of the 19 collections of well written storytellers....'dark obessions.' Some of these stories may even be considered some type of fantasy, horror, paranormal and even some anthologies.
Be ready for a well written read:
“Medusa’s Child,” Kim Antieau
“Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes,” Lawrence Block
“Hymenoptera,” Michael Blumlein
“She’s Not There,” Pat Cadigan
“My Lady of the Hearth,” Storm Constantine
“Calypso in Berlin,” Elizabeth Hand
“Lady Madonna,” Nancy Holder
“In the Cold, Dark Time,” Joe R. Lansdale
This author story was just a healing through one dying person... giving words of encouragement to another WWI soldier who was a patient. For he was needed to help care for the children. Later, he was able to help with kind words ...another patient (soldier) who was a pilot. He told the solder that he "would get out of my bed and go back to the front lines to help the refugee children, and after the war he would help those who remained."
.................................................................
"I think again of the old man and the life he gave me back
and the mercy he gives the children through me."
I found this a very touching story that I really enjoyed and I would recommend you pick up this read.
“Nunc Dimittis,” Tanith Lee
“The Girl with Hungry Eyes,” Fritz Leiber
“Tallulah,” Charles de Lint
“The Snake Woman’s Lover,” Catherine Lundoff
“Land of the Lost,” Stewart O’Nan
“The Oval Portrait,” Edgar Allan Poe
“The Hound Lover,” Laura Resnick
“Barbara,” John Shirley
“An Apiary of White Bees,” Lee Thomas
“Close to You,” Steve Rasnic Tem
“The Light That Passes Through You,” Conrad Williams
I did notice that a few of these stories I had already read but still they were good in this collection. Be ready for some "irrational extremes, involves us in dangerous liaisons and fatal attractions . . . obsession consumes. Enticing, compulsively readable tales from nineteen masterful storytellers."
If you are into "Sirens, demon lovers, femme fatales, and others compel our love, drawing us into realms of forbidden desire and uncontrollable passion" you have come to the right place to enjoy a good read.
June 30, 2012
The introduction states in part, "We all have experienced obsession at least in its milder form: having a compulsive , even unreasonable (at least in the view of others) idea or emotion. You are totally fixated on something or someone - a sport, video game, junk food, pop singer, film star, collecting something, lover or potential lover, even work - at least temporarily."
But this collection of stories is about darker obsessions. They go further. They are not necessarily relationship oriented or sexual. There are a variety of obsessions explored. From the expected woman who is obsessed with the married man to a muse who inspires obsession and perhaps in turn becomes obsessed, and more.
All of the stories are well written. And almost all of them take place in a city setting. For that reason you could also consider this anthology to be a dark urban fantasy collection, even though the eras and the locations of the cities in time and space may vary.
My personal favorites were Charles de Lint's "Tallulah" and Tanith Lee's "Nunc Dimitis." Both stories in retrospect were among the lighter of the tales. The Charles de Lint story takes place in Newford his beloved created city that recurs in his work.
All in all this book lives up to its promise to explore the darker side of obsession. Every story is well written from the modern to the few classics included. I would highly recommend it for fans of urban fantasy, or if you just want to explore the topic of obsession. It's well worth your time.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars as an outstanding collection of short stories.
But this collection of stories is about darker obsessions. They go further. They are not necessarily relationship oriented or sexual. There are a variety of obsessions explored. From the expected woman who is obsessed with the married man to a muse who inspires obsession and perhaps in turn becomes obsessed, and more.
All of the stories are well written. And almost all of them take place in a city setting. For that reason you could also consider this anthology to be a dark urban fantasy collection, even though the eras and the locations of the cities in time and space may vary.
My personal favorites were Charles de Lint's "Tallulah" and Tanith Lee's "Nunc Dimitis." Both stories in retrospect were among the lighter of the tales. The Charles de Lint story takes place in Newford his beloved created city that recurs in his work.
All in all this book lives up to its promise to explore the darker side of obsession. Every story is well written from the modern to the few classics included. I would highly recommend it for fans of urban fantasy, or if you just want to explore the topic of obsession. It's well worth your time.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars as an outstanding collection of short stories.
January 11, 2013
A great collection of short stories focused on dark obsessions.These are largely stories from the 1980-2010, but there were three older stories: Poe (1845), Leiber (1949) and Block (1978).
My favorite stories from this collection were Tallulah by Charles de Lint, The Girl With The Hungry Eyes by Fritz Leiber Jr., and In the Cold Dark Time by Joe R. Lansdale. I'll probably be re-reading those again at some point. Most of the other stories were excellent as well, particulary those from Elizabeth Hand, Storm Constantine, Tanith Lee, Michael Blumlein, Lee Thomas, and Conrad Williams. There were three stories I could've done without: Barbara by John Shirley, Close To You by Steve Rasnic Tem, and Lady Madonna by Nancy Holder, though part of it is probably how pointlessly twisted those characters were I suppose. Block's Hot Eyes Cold Eyes also relied too much on shock value IMO, though some love his story. Without these four stories, I would have given this collection an overall 5.
My favorite stories from this collection were Tallulah by Charles de Lint, The Girl With The Hungry Eyes by Fritz Leiber Jr., and In the Cold Dark Time by Joe R. Lansdale. I'll probably be re-reading those again at some point. Most of the other stories were excellent as well, particulary those from Elizabeth Hand, Storm Constantine, Tanith Lee, Michael Blumlein, Lee Thomas, and Conrad Williams. There were three stories I could've done without: Barbara by John Shirley, Close To You by Steve Rasnic Tem, and Lady Madonna by Nancy Holder, though part of it is probably how pointlessly twisted those characters were I suppose. Block's Hot Eyes Cold Eyes also relied too much on shock value IMO, though some love his story. Without these four stories, I would have given this collection an overall 5.
September 10, 2013
LOVE IT!!! THIS BOOK HAS SHORT STORIES FROM TALENTED AUTHORS LIKE EDGAR ALLAN POE, LAURA RESNICK, LAWRENCE BLACK,JOHN SHIRLEY, KIM ANTIEAU, AND MANY MANY MORE..... PLEASE READ "OBSESSION: TALES OF IRRESISTIBLE DESIRE" BY PAULA GURAN & BECOME "OBSESSED" WITH IT LIKE I DID!!!
Legends and myths of all cultures tell of those possessing captivating allure we are powerless to resist. Sirens, demon lovers, femme fatales, and others compel our love, drawing us into realms of forbidden desire and uncontrollable passion. These seductions are not always supernatural, nor even sexual. We can be haunted by unrequited desire, ensnared by our own minds, or swept away by another’s madness. Obsession overwhelms, takes us to irrational extremes, involves us in dangerous liaisons and fatal attractions . . . obsession consumes. Enticing, compulsively readable tales from nineteen masterful storytellers.
Legends and myths of all cultures tell of those possessing captivating allure we are powerless to resist. Sirens, demon lovers, femme fatales, and others compel our love, drawing us into realms of forbidden desire and uncontrollable passion. These seductions are not always supernatural, nor even sexual. We can be haunted by unrequited desire, ensnared by our own minds, or swept away by another’s madness. Obsession overwhelms, takes us to irrational extremes, involves us in dangerous liaisons and fatal attractions . . . obsession consumes. Enticing, compulsively readable tales from nineteen masterful storytellers.
August 29, 2012
I asked Netgalley for this books because of my obsession (pun intended) for Lansdale. I was happy I read all the other stories and some of them I found pretty good. Nut short stories were never my cup of tea, and that's the reason why I geve only 3 stars to the collection.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND PRIME BOOKS FOR THE PREVIEW
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND PRIME BOOKS FOR THE PREVIEW
January 1, 2016
Wow. There was only one story in this anthology I kind of skimmed thru, and the rest were fantastic. One made me ill, it was rather shockingly gross, but most were just plain good reads. The title sums it up well- stories about people completely overcome by desire for something, whether it be art, another person, an animal, an idea. Brilliant stories.
February 22, 2014
Although there were some good stories in here, overall the collection was kind of hum-drum. "Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes," by Lawrence Block and "The Girl with the Hungry Eyes" by Fritz Leiber, Jr. were the best. "She's Not There" by Pat Cadigan was probably the worst (I couldn't understand the story).
Read
October 6, 2013I found that I have too many other books calling out to be read--and I had read most of these stories in other anthologies already.
December 31, 2013
Got this in a book grab bag and was worried it'd be cheesy dark erotica, but it's really mainly horror - phew!
The cover is horrendous, though the stories are not!
The cover is horrendous, though the stories are not!
March 24, 2016
Short story bundle, some are good but overall not impressive.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews