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In Darkness Peering: Tales from the Bent Side
Darkness Peering: Tales from the Bent Side brings to you 15 original tales of darkness and the macabre—with a distinctly LGBTQ twist. Written by 9 authors from around the country, this collection includes:
- David Berger’s “The Returning,” in which a weary detective tracks a most unusual serial killer
- Simon Graves’ “Inconceivable,” in which a young gay couple will do whatever it takes to have a baby
- Daniel Kelly’s “Unholy Matrimony,” in which a homophobic wedding planner adds a few unconventional touches to her first gay wedding
- Michael Manschot’s “The Angler,” in which a young man on summer break gets a very special welcome home
- Patrick Raith’s “Moonlight,” in which a fledgling vampire adjusts to her new reality
- Peter Saenz’s “The Gift,” in which a dying man is granted one final wish
- Michael Van London’s “Under the Dock,” in which a young man encounters a foreboding presence beneath his beach house
- David Warner’s “Blood Will Tell,” in which a reluctant spiritualist has a most unexpected visitor
- David Wolfhaven’s “Steamed,” in which a night out at a gay bathhouse becomes a bloodbath
... plus seven other tales that will leave you breathless.
- David Berger’s “The Returning,” in which a weary detective tracks a most unusual serial killer
- Simon Graves’ “Inconceivable,” in which a young gay couple will do whatever it takes to have a baby
- Daniel Kelly’s “Unholy Matrimony,” in which a homophobic wedding planner adds a few unconventional touches to her first gay wedding
- Michael Manschot’s “The Angler,” in which a young man on summer break gets a very special welcome home
- Patrick Raith’s “Moonlight,” in which a fledgling vampire adjusts to her new reality
- Peter Saenz’s “The Gift,” in which a dying man is granted one final wish
- Michael Van London’s “Under the Dock,” in which a young man encounters a foreboding presence beneath his beach house
- David Warner’s “Blood Will Tell,” in which a reluctant spiritualist has a most unexpected visitor
- David Wolfhaven’s “Steamed,” in which a night out at a gay bathhouse becomes a bloodbath
... plus seven other tales that will leave you breathless.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2015
2 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 17, 2015
I'd like to state that the Good Reads review by Steve Berman should not be taken seriously as it was written by him due to this book, In Darkness Peering, being up for the same Lambda Literary Award category as his own anthology book, Best Gay Stories 2015. Instead of allowing In Darkness Peering's book content to stand for itself with readers, he chose to instead slam the book online without even reading it, which his review freely admits. It is not only a childish and petty action taken by someone in the publishing world who should know better, but it is also a slam against the many various authors within the book who've put their heart and souls into their work. I would never do such a thing to a fellow writer over a potential award. It is without merit, and inexcusable. To the various authors in both In Darkness Peering and in Best Gay Stories 2015, I salute your work and hope your stories will be appreciated by readers everywhere. Awards are fleeting, but the relationships you create with fellow writers is worth more than gold.
June 25, 2022
DARK QUEER TALES
I will grab almost any collection of queer short stories that I can get my hands on. The other day, while looking in Giovanni’s Room in Philadelphia for a particular title that I didn't find, I came across In Darkness Peering: Tales from the Bent Side. I bought it, took it home, and had several days of exciting—and dark—reading.
In the foreword to In Darkness Peering, David D. Warner, the editor, writes: “It was my intention when I started this project to compile a collection of original horror stories written by LGBTQ authors and featuring one or more LGBTQ protagonists. What you hold in your hand is the result of that dream.” Warner spectacularly fulfills his dream with this collection of stories.
In any short story collection, the order in which the various stories appear is important. The fifteen stories by nine writers in In Darkness Peering are placed strategically, one after the other, in a way that kept me turning the pages. I was spellbound by the entire collection.
When you read the first story, David D. Warner’s “Ellie,” you’ll find out what I mean when I say that it starts off the collection with a bang. I was unprepared for the ending to this story.
I wonder if David Wolfhaven, the author of “Steamed,” a story of creepy happenings in an old abandoned bathhouse, is familiar with the novel Steam by Jay B. Laws. This story reminds me of Laws’s novel.
In light of what is happening in the U.S. today, I interpret David Berger’s “The Returning” as a metaphor about being gay and living in a deeply red state. That may not be Berger’s intention, but I couldn’t help but read the story this way. Also, Berger’s description of New York City at the beginning of his “The Blood of the Willing” is unforgettable, and his inclusion of characters based on Hermes and Perseus adds an intriguing layer to this story.
“Unholy Matrimony” by Daniel W. Kelly, with its virulently homophobic wedding planner, turns “Till death do us part” into “Till death do you part.”
If I had to pick a favorite story from these fifteen tales, it would have to be “Moving On” by David D. Warner. On what would have been their twenty-fifth anniversary, Aaron, at the request of John, his deceased partner, spreads John’s ashes at the summit of Huayna Picchu in Peru. The ending to this beautifully written story, although I guess it could have been predicted because of this story collection’s theme of darkness, is devastating. I had to stop and take a breath, actually a break, before I went on to the next story.
The other nine stories in In Darkness Peering are just as mesmerizing as these six stories I briefly mention here.
One quibble: The copy editing of this book leaves a lot to be desired. Wherever the word “Its” appears, it is always spelled “it’s.” In David Berger’s “The Blood of the Willing,” an apartment building is first called the Regency Oaks, then later it is called the Regency Arms. “Worst Day Ever” by Patrick Raith is full of copy-editing errors that are aggravating, but they don’t spoil the story’s relentless pace and suspense.
I’m looking forward to reading David D. Warner’s follow-up collection, What Lurks in Darkness: More Tales from the Bent Side, which includes several authors from In Darkness Peering.
I will grab almost any collection of queer short stories that I can get my hands on. The other day, while looking in Giovanni’s Room in Philadelphia for a particular title that I didn't find, I came across In Darkness Peering: Tales from the Bent Side. I bought it, took it home, and had several days of exciting—and dark—reading.
In the foreword to In Darkness Peering, David D. Warner, the editor, writes: “It was my intention when I started this project to compile a collection of original horror stories written by LGBTQ authors and featuring one or more LGBTQ protagonists. What you hold in your hand is the result of that dream.” Warner spectacularly fulfills his dream with this collection of stories.
In any short story collection, the order in which the various stories appear is important. The fifteen stories by nine writers in In Darkness Peering are placed strategically, one after the other, in a way that kept me turning the pages. I was spellbound by the entire collection.
When you read the first story, David D. Warner’s “Ellie,” you’ll find out what I mean when I say that it starts off the collection with a bang. I was unprepared for the ending to this story.
I wonder if David Wolfhaven, the author of “Steamed,” a story of creepy happenings in an old abandoned bathhouse, is familiar with the novel Steam by Jay B. Laws. This story reminds me of Laws’s novel.
In light of what is happening in the U.S. today, I interpret David Berger’s “The Returning” as a metaphor about being gay and living in a deeply red state. That may not be Berger’s intention, but I couldn’t help but read the story this way. Also, Berger’s description of New York City at the beginning of his “The Blood of the Willing” is unforgettable, and his inclusion of characters based on Hermes and Perseus adds an intriguing layer to this story.
“Unholy Matrimony” by Daniel W. Kelly, with its virulently homophobic wedding planner, turns “Till death do us part” into “Till death do you part.”
If I had to pick a favorite story from these fifteen tales, it would have to be “Moving On” by David D. Warner. On what would have been their twenty-fifth anniversary, Aaron, at the request of John, his deceased partner, spreads John’s ashes at the summit of Huayna Picchu in Peru. The ending to this beautifully written story, although I guess it could have been predicted because of this story collection’s theme of darkness, is devastating. I had to stop and take a breath, actually a break, before I went on to the next story.
The other nine stories in In Darkness Peering are just as mesmerizing as these six stories I briefly mention here.
One quibble: The copy editing of this book leaves a lot to be desired. Wherever the word “Its” appears, it is always spelled “it’s.” In David Berger’s “The Blood of the Willing,” an apartment building is first called the Regency Oaks, then later it is called the Regency Arms. “Worst Day Ever” by Patrick Raith is full of copy-editing errors that are aggravating, but they don’t spoil the story’s relentless pace and suspense.
I’m looking forward to reading David D. Warner’s follow-up collection, What Lurks in Darkness: More Tales from the Bent Side, which includes several authors from In Darkness Peering.
January 23, 2018
If you love horror then you will love this one. An Anthology which keeps giving. I should know, one of the stories in this book is my own...titled Secrets, it sends shivers down my spine as I read my own story......
May 15, 2025
Really fun read. Stories are a bit all over the map, but if you’re looking for something different to read each night like me, that may be a good thing. If you like gay stories with a fantasy twist, this is a fun one.
April 19, 2025
LGBT sci fi and horror without the tropes. I was really impressed. There is enough original sci fi ideas here to do a TV series. Or two.
November 12, 2015
I was not left breathless but rather restless. After reading the stories my imagination began suggesting cleaning the local men's room at the 7-11 as a more pleasurable alternative to finishing this book. I put the book down and went to my fridge and ate some moldy take-out and thought, hmm, this is better than the prose I had shoved down my throat. Before I went to bed, I said a quick prayer to Superman: "Please, please, do not let these authors write more."
February 6, 2016
Uneven collection of short stories. Some good, some fair, none outstanding
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews