Visitants, an anthology about angels both good and bad edited by Stephen Jones, is definitely a mixed bag. Most of the contributors will be known to those who follow speculative fiction, and some are household names, such as Robert Silverberg and Neil Gaiman, and Ramsey Campbell for those living in the UK.
This was an anthology that I really wanted to like, and while many of the stories were good, most of them didn’t hold my attention long or have me thinking about them afterward. But there were a few that most assuredly had me glad that I read them.
Sarah Pinborough’s Snow Angels is a haunting story as seen through the eyes of a terminally ill young boy living with others in a group environment where they have been placed so their families don’t have to watch them die. The use of first person will draw you in and make you feel so much a part of a story that you wouldn’t want to face yourself.
Thy Spinning Wheel Compleat by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro reminds me of a cross between a creepy episode of The X-Files that focused on an Amish-like community and the movie The Village, but on steroids. This one ups the ante comparatively, and will leave you with a creepy feeling that maybe you should watch over your shoulder if you live near a “closed” community.
A few other highlights are Old Mr. Boudreaux by Lisa Tuttle, The Fold by Conrad Williams, and With The Angels by Ramsey Campbell. The Silverberg story was also interesting, to a point.
Several of the stories didn’t meet my expectations, but there is enough in here that any reader who enjoys tales of the weird will should be able to find something to their liking.
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