Out of Body

Chris Vanjonack

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Horror + Short Stories

Out of Body is a collection of short stories with a horror theme. The stories had some very interesting concepts, and that was most probably the biggest reason why I kept reading and being invested in them. I think the author had quite creative ideas combined with interesting situations. So I can say there was definitely enough originality to keep things interesting.

Unfortunately, I feel the horror side of these stories was not quite what I was hoping for. I went into this expecting something that would feel more genuinely creepy or unsettling, but the horror elements didn't have quite the impact I was hoping for. It felt more like a collection of fast-paced speculative stories with some horror mixed in.

The stories move very fast. Sometimes they moved so quickly that I felt like I had to run while reading them, if you know what I mean. I also didn't think the open ending worked for every story. Leaving some things unresolved can be effective, but when so many stories don't really give you a resolution, I started asking myself, "What's the point?" In some cases, I wanted just a little more closure.

Overall, this is a book with excellent concepts, and I recommend it for a one-time read to experience these ideas. The writing style is simple and easy to follow. If not for the writing or the stories, I feel the concepts used here will keep readers and fans of the horror and science fiction genres engaged and invested. I would give it a solid 3-star rating. I just wish I loved it more. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

Key Themes:

• Identity
• Death
• After Death
• Morality
• Grief
• Loss