#NewRelease The Map of Lost Places: Stories from Strange and Haunted
- Dan
- Apr 24
- 2 min read
Recently, Apex contacted me to review their newest anthology, The Map of Lost Places. Since I'm getting back into taking review requests after a bit of a hiatus, I decided why not? Apex is a known entity in speculative fic, so the stories should be good.
Here are links to the other reviews I've done this year (both were worthwhile reads!).
Overall Impression
The Map of Lost Places is an anthology of speculative fiction short stories connected by the theme of finding evil. In fact, that's what it says right on the cover: A Guide to Finding Evil! Does the anthology deliver on this promise? Yes. The stories reveal evil is everywhere across geographies and cultures. You'll find a delectable smorgasbord in this anthology if you're interested in yarns exploring the creepy, insidious side of evil.
None of the tales struck me as gory, so you'll need to look elsewhere if you want that.
Favorites
As with any anthology, some stories struck a deeper cord with me than others. Here are my three faves.
GIRLBOSS IN WONDERWORLD, USA by VIVIAN CHOU
The Girlboss makes questionable trades to ensure success in life. By the time she discovers she might be making a mistake, it's already too late. This yarn provides an interesting take on Faustian storytelling.
SILVERHEELS by REBECCA E. TREASURE
A predictable yet intense tale, a thriller, you might say, with a speculative fiction twist, about a young woman out in the wilderness with a dubious choice of companions.
ALL PRAISE THE DURIANS by JOSHUA LIM
My wife is a lover of durians, the king of fruits. Durians are an acquired taste, at least, to the Western palate. This folkloric yarn warns us that it's best not to utter even the whitest of lies about the greatest of fruit.
To all the fans of horror without the gore, The Map of Lost Places is for you.
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