Thomas F. Monteleone (ed.) - Borderlands 2 (1991)

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Picked up Borderlands 5 at a Half-Price Books a few years ago, and was delighted by the overall quality of the stories (even if I don't remember most of them). So on my current antho acquisition kick, got ahold of volumes 2-4 of Monteleone's '90s horror anthology. 

Working my way through it right now; going to start posting synopses later (more tomorrow. . .)


Introduction (Borderlands 2) (1991) • essay by Thomas F. Monteleone

Foet (1991) / shortstory by F. Paul Wilson

The Chrysalis (1991) / shortstory by Lois Tilton

Breeding Ground (1991) / novelette by Francis J. Matozzo

Love Doll: A Fable (1991) / shortstory by Joe R. Lansdale

Apathetic Flesh (1991) / shortstory by Darren O. Godfrey

The Potato (1991) / shortstory by Bentley Little

Saturn (1991) / shortstory by Ian McDowell

Androgyny (1991) / novelette by Brian Hodge

Stigmata (1991) / shortstory by Gary L. Raisor

Sarah, Unbound (1991) / shortstory by Kim Antieau

For Their Wives Are Mute (1991) / shortstory by Wayne Allen Sallee

Dead Issue (1991) / shortstory by Rex Miller

Down the Valley Wild (1991) / shortstory by Paul F. Olson

Taking Care of Michael (1991) / shortstory by J. L. Comeau

The Atonement (1991) / novelette by Richard Rains

Peacemaker (1991) / shortstory by Charles L. Grant

Stress Test HR51, Case #041068 (1991) / shortstory by Stanley Wiater

Churches of Desire (1991) / novelette by Philip Nutman

Sweetie (1991) / shortstory by G. Wayne Miller

Romance Unlimited (1991) / shortstory by James S. Dorr

Slipping (1991) / novelette by David B. Silva

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The Borderlands anthologies were one of those 1990s attempts to stretch the genre further, past cliche, etc. (see also Etchison's MetaHorror)--but, as Monteleone notes in the introduction with characteristic grandiosity, this series actually succeeded. It lasted for four entries during the early 90s, then sporadically since then, with volume 5 in 2003, volume 6 in 2016, and volume 7 in 2020. 

Foet - F. Paul Wilson: Following the Supreme Court' ruling in Ranieri v. Verlaine, fetuses are not legally human and so the use of their skin in haute couture is legal. Which is not to say that it's widely accepted yet. Still, the movement is rapidly gaining converts, including from erstwhile right to lifer Helene Ryder. The well-heeled Helene encourages her friend Denise to at least head to Blume's on 5th Avenue and ask for Rolf. . . 

Will Errickson writes that he is "no fan" of FPW (heartily agreed), and that the story is a "so-so satire." He's right, although there are a couple of moments--a sick joke about "kid gloves" and some unsettling revelations about the relative scarcity of various colors and types of foetal skins--that I think work regardless of one's opinions on either fur or abotion. If you're going with an F. Paul Wilson right-to-life tale, "Buckets" is probably the better bet, but this isn't that bad.

Love Doll: A Fable - Joe R. Lansdale: Our unnamed narrator wants "something to fuck that I don't have to talk to," and buys a Love Doll, which he christens Madge. At first, it's all sex-on-demand and then back in the drawer with Madge, but over time, he begins to integrate her more and more into his lifestyle. At first that's even better, since she can do chores around the house--but soon she's getting a mind of her own, wanting to get a job outside of the house, and gradually the roles seem reversed. . .

Errickson writes this is "an unsympathetic portrayal of someone who enjoys marginalizing those less fortunate, or simply those not born straight white blue-collar male," which I think is part of the equation, but not the whole thing--this is a fable, not a revenge story, and there's a whimsical melancholy to the whole thing. Monteleone, in his introduction (the introductions to each story are uniformally excellent, btw), namechecks Donald Barthelme as an influence here and he's right. As usual with Lansdale, this is an excellent tale, in concept and execution, and deserved its Stoker nomination.

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Apathetic Flesh - Darren O. Godfrey: You (we're in second person narrator land) are an apathetic consumer of ultra-violent horror media. You've just left the Chief Theater (home of the rock-hard seats) and the zombie flick where Harley the Zombie has been decapitating young women and sucking out their eyeballs, when you run into a small child, with a black ribbon tied around his arm, who wants to know if the movie was very bloody. Rather than sending him straightaway to register for a Vault account, you shoo him away, but he shows up at your door, soaked in the rain, and gives his name as Vaughn Meadows. Soon Vaughn has insinuated himself into your life, an odd little kid with an interest in the gruesome. What exactly is his angle?

Errickson's assessment of "Apathetic Flesh" is that of a story which has its moments but no real edge, and again he's right. Most of the story is entertaining and intriguing, but it's not clear what Godfrey's trying to say and the violent denoument carries no more weight than the antics of Harley the Zombie.

The Potato - Bentley Little: A widowed farmer (we never get a name) stumbles upon a bizarre, pulsing white potato that seems more like a giant grub, and begins charging admission to see it. It's a smash hit, but meanwhile the potato is growing and seems to be trying to get into the house. . . 

Errickson put this one in the 'meh' column, and maybe there isn't a lot going on here (especially to those who've seen Tales that Witness Madness), but Little has a knack for these weird, surreal vignettes and I enjoyed this. 

Dead Issue - Rex Miller: Foxy Roxy, 22, unmarried, has taken up with the unnamed HE, an ultra-horny, ultra-misogynistic figure. Foxy Roxy puts up with a lot, to the point where beating her in the car and causing a miscarriage isn't the last straw. Taking her home and raping her afterwards instead of going to the ER, though, may be. . .

Errickson's assessment again syncs up with mine--he says this lacks "enough moral weight to justify its graphic sexual violence." You can tell a story like this if you're going to withdraw all hope at the end and leave us feeling broken and empty, or if you're building up enough karmic momentum to justify an outrageous EC punishment. But the flaccid revenge ending here is barely table stakes, and gives the uneasy feeling that it's tacked on to get away with the preceding eight pages of over the top misogyny and violence. 

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For Their Wives Are Mute - Wayne Allen Sallee: Jennifer Spano is nearing 35, which coincides with the 17 year cycle of the cicada nymphs in Chicago. This all brings back memories of what happened with her, 17 years ago, her and high school lover Vic Solvig and an impregnation. Jen didn't want the daughter then, but now, going on 35, she wishes she could. . .

I'm still getting a taste for Sallee--one thing I did not know that I learned from TFM's introduction is that he has cerebral palsy, which makes me very interested to check out Pain Grin--and was surprised to find this story a little more accessible than some of his other stuff. Errickson put this in the 'meh' column as well, and it is true that the story isn't more than the sum of its parts--but even where the story doesn't quite cohere, it's well-written and thought-out, and indicative of the generally high quality of the Borderlands series. 

Down the Valley Wild - Paul F. Olson: Don Stewart heads to the forest cabin he's inherited following his father's death, and sets about fixing it up. This brings back all manner of boyhood memories of vacations there with his parents, and with his brother Dale, who died in the ravine there while playing with Don so many years ago. Don is wracked with guilt, and the arrival of an odd, gnarled humanoid outside his cabin doesn't help things. Neither does the revelation that the creature was clutching a photograph of him and his brother. . .

Continuing with the "I agree with Will Errickson" trend--he reckons this story as a highlight of the book, and so far, I agree. This is a touching and thoughtful tale, well-told. Perhaps more D*rk F*nt*sy than "Horror" but excellent.

Taking Care of Michael - J.L. Comeau: Michael always was the favorite of the family, with good grades and lots of friends. He was even nice to the narrator, his mentally-challenged sibling. This is good news for him--after being paralyzed in the accident, and with Daddy already dead and Momma out of commission in front of the television, it's down to Michael's sibling to take care of him.

It's a solid enough story (and wound up in a Best New Horror), but I'm not sure I like it as much as the BNH editors or Errickson. It does work, though--would make an interesting companion piece to Richard Matheson's "Graveyard Shift."

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Peacemaker - Charles L. Grant: He should have been a cowboy, the old man thinks. As it is, every year on Halloween, he makes himself available to keep the old neighborhood as it should be. Doubt him at your peril.

This is an odd one, reminds me a little of Bradbury. Like a lot of Grant's work, and the 'quiet horror'/'shadowpunks' in general (at least that early wave), I'm not sure I understand it consciously, but I know that I 'get it' and feel it subconsciouly, and it's satisfying. 

The Atonement - Richard Rains: Post-war Berlin, during the American occupation. Our protagonist is a Nazi war criminal who managed to evade capture; now, he and his cronies meet to plot the resurgence of the Third Reich. Tonight, though, he's patronizing a prostitute, who leads him into an odd decrepit neighborhood. And then. . .


Monteleone's introduction says that it reminds him of The Twilight Zone, which makes sense, in that it's a hamfisted morality play. But this takes too long to get where it's going.


Stress Test HR51, Case #041068 - Stanley Wiater: Having reached the higher rounds of an interview process for an unnamed facility that deals with insane military men, Gina is subjected to an intense 'stress test' interrogation. Her interviewer is particularly interested in her underwear, and whether she'd be willing to have sex at knifepoint if a prisoner were threatening her. . .


Ratchets up the suspense early on even though it's clear where this is going--so to Wiater's credit, he swerves the story a little away from what you'd expect. Unfortunately, there are a few too many swerves so it's just not at all clear what happened by the end. Which may be the point. 

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Francis J. Matozzo - Breeding Ground: Confusing, lengthy novella about a successful writer undergoing brain surgery, his cheating young wife, and the brain surgeon. It seems something got into his brain and is dying to get out.

There’s an intriguing idea here—a primordial force united with the mind of a gifted writer that’s able to make something evil come to life—but the fractured, hide the lede prose makes this a slog.

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Lois Tilton - The Chrysalis: Mrs. Gregory Vivian awakens to find her husband has already discarded his shell and moved on. Now it’s her turn to try it.

A solid riff on Kafka as an allegory for age and death (I think); it’s intellectually satisfying in all respects but just not viscerally interesting. May need to revisit when less inebriated, etc.

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Philip Nutman - Churches of Desire: Struggling writer Meredith has come to Rome in hopes of interviewing Italian exploitation director Masullo for Film Comment—and pitching the man behind Emanuel and the Satanists, Savage Africa, and The Sex Crimes of Doctor Crespi the film rights to his own thrillers. Stood up by the director, he decides to look for sex to slake his desire, and winds up at the Passion Pussycat.


The ending seems to be like the end of The Beyond if it had been about promiscuous gay sex—an invigorating prospect but one Nutman doesn’t do enough to get us to. A few more revisions and we’d put this in Silver Scream II.

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David B Silva - Slipping: Ad executive falls into an elliptical life while promoting the horror flick Timescape; he’s skipping through whole chunks of time in the blink of an eye.

Well executed and would make a good Twilight Zone episode but this story didn’t do a lot for me—I appreciate it but it doesn’t make me feel anything, ya know?

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James S Dorr - Romance Unlimited: Sad sack office worker Karen could stand to use a few pounds, and every issue of her favorite magazine, Romance Unlimited, lets her know about it. When hunky executive Jeffrey joins the company, she finds herself sending off for the “Wate-Off” cream the magazine advertises.

Monteleone’s intro notes that he rejected the story for the first volume in the series but then couldn’t get it out of his head. I agree; it’s a slight little story but it does the job well.

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G Wayne Miller - Sweetie: Mentally ill accountant Tony is going through a rough divorce from “the bitch” AKA soon to be ex-wife Louise. One day on the highway, he comes across a dead baby, which he names Sweetie and starts caring for.


Fun little dose of insanity