The Pumpkin King and Other Tales of Terror by R David Fulcher - Book Review - Book Tour

Publication Date: 19th August 2023

Genre: Horror Short Story Anthology 

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/pumpkinking  

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/171681743-the-pumpkin-king-and-other-tales-of-terror 

Age Range: This is an adult book but would be suitable for mature older teens who are familiar with the psychological horror genre.

Trigger Warnings: Violence, murder, familial death, disturbing situations throughout

3.45 stars 

One Liner: A decent collection 

Book Blurb 

The Pumpkin King and Other Tales of Terror represents twenty of R. David Fulcher’s best horror stories. Unlike slasher books, these stories create an eerie atmosphere of dread, letting the reader’s own imagination fill in the terrifying details. In the tradition of psychological horror and dark fantasy, they hint at sinister things lurking in the shadows without fully bringing them to light.

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My Thoughts: 

I enjoy reading short story collections, so when this horror anthology was available, I wanted to give it a try. The horror levels are moderate and belong to the atmospheric category rather than outright gore. Of course, there are a few gory elements but not so much to make a reader uncomfortable (unless you have zero tolerance for horror). 

The book starts with a eulogy to Poe in a short poem. As I tend to do with anthologies, I’ve written my impressions of the stories soon after I read each one. 

Marienburg Castle: What happens when the survivors of the WWII American Army try to take shelter in an abandoned place? Nothing good for sure! Well, the story is atmospheric but lacks the punch. 3.5 stars 

The Pumpkin King: Ohhh… this is creepy! No detailed gore but enough for us to imagine. Wouldn’t mind if it was longer, but works as it is. 4.2 stars 

Heavenly Strains: Another chilly, creepy, and atmospheric tale. It deals with parental death and grief, which turn into something else. Many unanswered questions, too! 3 stars 

A Matter of Taste: A slightly longer story that follows the well-known trope of wishes and fallen angels. There’s a twist that I expected; a pretty average read. 3 stars 

My Days With Mahalia: A diary entry of a WWII soldier about an aircraft B-17 named Mahalia. 2.5 stars 

A Night Out With Mr. Bones: More like a twisty thriller/ suspense. A bit predictable. 3 stars 

Merry Are We of the Lake: Now, this is good! Atmospheric. Starts slow but ups the stakes gradually and ends on a high. 4.2 stars 

The Night Fighter: What happens when a mysterious man steals a fighter plane to take it on a night ride? Is it a mission? If yes, what? Another atmospheric tale with a couple of twists. 3.5 stars. 

Pumpkin Seed Spit: A middle-grade horror set during Halloween. Creepy and dark for the age group but works well for the adults, too. 3.5 stars 

A Night for Animals: This is nice. Yeah, it has some chills, but the overall vibe is ‘nice’. 3.5 stars 

The Man Next Door: Oh, this is good! A detailed story with a twist at the end. Atmospheric. Not gory or scary. 4 stars 

Extra! Extra!: What happens when a bored journalist gets a frantic call? Well, this has the chills, though it leaves many questions unanswered. 3 stars 

The Flight Dummy: Interesting! I’m now sure the author loves planes. A creepy, scary story with an open ending. 3 stars 

For the Children: Oh! A detailed story with a surprise twist at the end. 4 stars 

The Watcher’s Web: What happens when a robber goes on a heist? Who does he encounter? The story builds and ups the pace as it progresses. Just the right amount of horror and terror. Well done! 4 stars 

Dreaming, The Copper City: A sci-fi horror about a man on the Moon and what happens when he finds a piece of meteor. I think we lost each other somewhere in the last section. 2.5 stars 

The Huntress: Oh, this is good. A short and entertaining piece. Predictable ending, of course, but well-written. 4 stars 

The Faerie Lights: Another short piece. Good premise but needs to be longer to create a stronger impact. 3 stars 

The October Man: Woo! This is so good. The right touch of creepy and horror with a twisted ending. The best of the lot. 4.5 stars 

As you can see, most of the stories fall around the average line, with some above and below it. The writing is easy to read. Some pieces are on the slower side, though none are boring as such. 

To summarize, The Pumpkin King and Other Tales of Terror is a decent collection with diverse topics and themes (aircraft is a recurring element). Anthologies are subjective, so try it based on your preferences. 

My thanks to Coffee and Thorn and the author of eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

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About the Author – R David Fulcher

R. DAVID FULCHER is an author of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and poetry. Major literary influences include H.P. Lovecraft, Dean Koontz, Edgar Allen Poe, Fritz Lieber, and Stephen King. Fulcher’s first novel, a historical drama set in World War II, Trains to Nowhere, and his second novel, a collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories, Blood Spiders and Dark Moon, are both available from authorhouse.com and  Amazon.

FULCHER’S work has appeared in numerous small press publications including Lovecraft’s Mystery Magazine, Black Satellite, The Martian Wave, Burning Sky, Shadowlands, Twilight Showcase, Heliocentric Net, Gateways, Weird Times, Freaky Frights and the anthologies Dimensions and Silken Ropes. Fulcher’s work can also be found in the DPP collection Halloween Party 2019, available at Amazon and at the DPP online store. A passion for the written word has also inspired Fulcher to edit and publish the literary magazine, Samsara,(samsaramagazine.net), which has showcased writers and poets for over a decade. Fulcher resides in Ashburn, Virginia, with his wife Lisa, and their rambunctious cats.

Find more at rdavidfulcher.com 

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This has been a pitstop on the blog tour by Coffee and Thorn (Instagram). Thank you for stopping by!