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Dreams for the Dying
Bad dreams don't always evaporate in the light of day.
Some refuse to fade, forever haunting dark corners of consciousness:
The dread of an approaching headlight on a deserted road . . .
Swirling black clouds claiming the sky, bringing death and madness . . .
The cabin of a trucker's rig, where a waitress lies bound and gagged . . .
A cursed soul in a moonlit pumpkin patch, desperate and lonely . . .
These are songs for the damned, poisons for the cure, and Dreams for the Dying.
For years, Adam Light has frightened and delighted readers around the world with his stories of horror and the bizarre. Fully revised to best represent the author's original vision, these fearsome tales of the macabre are finally collected under a single cover for the first time.
Some refuse to fade, forever haunting dark corners of consciousness:
The dread of an approaching headlight on a deserted road . . .
Swirling black clouds claiming the sky, bringing death and madness . . .
The cabin of a trucker's rig, where a waitress lies bound and gagged . . .
A cursed soul in a moonlit pumpkin patch, desperate and lonely . . .
These are songs for the damned, poisons for the cure, and Dreams for the Dying.
For years, Adam Light has frightened and delighted readers around the world with his stories of horror and the bizarre. Fully revised to best represent the author's original vision, these fearsome tales of the macabre are finally collected under a single cover for the first time.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
284 pages, Paperback
First published June 14, 2021
About the author
Adam Light
20 books269 followersAdam Light resides in northeast Florida with his beautiful wife and daughter, and their two fur sons, Walker and Aspen.
For years, he's peeked out at you from your slightly open closet door, or grasped at the little toes you carelessly left uncovered. His stories have been published in horror anthologies such as Doorbells at Dusk, the Bad Apples: Halloween Horror series, and Dead Roses: Five Dark Tales of Twisted Love, to name a few.
Now, you can find all of his work under one gorgeous cover in Dreams for the Dying, the definitive collection of Adam Light's tantalizing tales. Be sure to pick it up now, before it's too late.
Click here for your copy of Dreams for the Dying
For years, he's peeked out at you from your slightly open closet door, or grasped at the little toes you carelessly left uncovered. His stories have been published in horror anthologies such as Doorbells at Dusk, the Bad Apples: Halloween Horror series, and Dead Roses: Five Dark Tales of Twisted Love, to name a few.
Now, you can find all of his work under one gorgeous cover in Dreams for the Dying, the definitive collection of Adam Light's tantalizing tales. Be sure to pick it up now, before it's too late.
Click here for your copy of Dreams for the Dying
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 4, 2021
DREAMS FOR THE DYING is a collection that stands head and shoulders above most.
Inside you will find a wild variety of tales; there's something here to please every reader. Some of these tales I've read before and some were completely new.
The stories that stood out the most for me were :
The Valley of the Dunes: Dating can be such a bore!
Vengeance by the Foot: Gross and funny all at once.
Serving Spirits: A tale of a loving protective father and a foul-mouthed, greed-filled jerk of a husband.
Panacea: This one nearly broke my heart. What wouldn't you do to save someone you've been married to for decades? Oftentimes the good guys don't win.
Almost all of the stories here were good, but the ones I listed above were great. I've been reading Adam's work for some time now and will continue to do so. He brings variety, creativity and writing chops to the table and I'm always excited to see what he comes up with!
**Thanks to Adam Light, Corpus Press and Erin Al-Mehairi for the paperback copy in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!**
Inside you will find a wild variety of tales; there's something here to please every reader. Some of these tales I've read before and some were completely new.
The stories that stood out the most for me were :
The Valley of the Dunes: Dating can be such a bore!
Vengeance by the Foot: Gross and funny all at once.
Serving Spirits: A tale of a loving protective father and a foul-mouthed, greed-filled jerk of a husband.
Panacea: This one nearly broke my heart. What wouldn't you do to save someone you've been married to for decades? Oftentimes the good guys don't win.
Almost all of the stories here were good, but the ones I listed above were great. I've been reading Adam's work for some time now and will continue to do so. He brings variety, creativity and writing chops to the table and I'm always excited to see what he comes up with!
**Thanks to Adam Light, Corpus Press and Erin Al-Mehairi for the paperback copy in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!**
August 5, 2021
Dreams for the Dying is a well balanced collection of horror short stories. A few of them made me long for Halloween to hurry up and get here already. The author also kindly includes notes at the back end of every story and I’m super nosy so I loved reading those! It gives you insight into how many of them came to life and I always find that fascinating.
I am a terrible note taker but I tried my best to take notes on every story here. I *think* I got them all but I also think I do a lot of things that I don’t actually finish so I can’t make any guarantees. Anyhow, I’ll try not to say too much because these are short stories and you should enjoy them without someone on the internet blabbing on about every little detail.
Taken starts things off. It’s about a long-haul trucker doing his best to appease the love of his life. And by “appease” I don’t mean she wants him to bring her home a box of chocolates. Her request makes him nervous but the lovestruck fool makes an attempt and well you’ll have to read the rest - just know that sometimes things work out just fine for all. There’s a dark thread of humor through this story and if you have a twisted sense of humor I think you’ll like it a lot.
Tommy Rotten is a story I read in the anthology Bad Apples 2 🍎 I gave it four stars then and give it the same now, several years later. Tommy “Rotten” longs for a new friend and hopes this Halloween will bring him one. This is fun with a heartwarming ending if you’re (again) the twisted sort.
Vengeance by the Foot is a gruesome little nightmare of a tale! At turns grisly, disturbing and gruesomely comical. Fun stuff. You should read it. Get yourself good and grossed out. We all need that sort of fun in our lives.
Gone You’ll likely see where this one is leading long before the protagonist does but it’s the journey, right? And this is a sad journey. I probably wouldn’t reread it again because I don’t like sitting in the sad feelings most days but hey you might like the sadness. I’m not here to judge.
Ghost Light Road This is another story I read previously in the Bad Apples anthology a few years back. It a fun tale with bits of gore and dumb young people who are always excellent horror fodder.
Here are my original thoughts which still stand a few years later: Billy was planning on spending Halloween avoiding trick or treaters, watching horror movies and drinking beer but his little sis calls and screws with his plans. Now he and her two friends are off to Ghost Light Road so they can spy a ghost, despite the rumors that people often do not return from their little visit.
These four dummies decide to drink some concoction of booze which may or may not be laced with some magickal mushrooms and, as young drunkards will do, proceed to make some truly dumb ass moves that have them discovering the reason why some folks never return from their trip to Ghost Light Road.
The story takes a bunch of horror clichés and mashes them together into something new. It was fun and a little gory and left me pretty happy with the outcome.
Serving Spirits Natalie’s dad has gone missing somewhere in Haiti while researching his latest novel but he sends her a creepy little something to keep her safe. Ugh, this one made me so ANGRY at the man who was Natalie’s jerky husband but that was the point so well done, haha. This was a little Creepshowesque and I love me some Creepshow so I loved this story too.
Way Out Of Here takes navel gazing to an entirely new level when a lottery winner exhausts all the fun out of life (oh, boo-hoo-hoo) and his never-ending pursuit of fulfillment leads him into an odd predicament. Maybe just be happy with yer life, eh? Because, damn man, things can always be worse! This short story was super strange.
Valley of the Dunes was a fun story about a woman whose dates always exhaust and disappoint. Why must she always be the bad guy and end things? Why are these men so insufferable? So boring? Why, oh why, can’t they just shut up and take a hint? I found this story darkly humorous because I am the way that I am. I don’t know if it was supposed to be funny but I do know that it was a joy to read and I have no complaints here.
The Continuance Agency Hmm, this one felt a bit dreadfully unfinished to me. It set up some good concepts but I felt a little abandoned at the end and things moved way too fast for me. After reading the author notes and doing some 30 seconds of internet research I realized it was supposed to be a serial novel that maybe never happened and now it makes more sense to me.
Trick ‘Em All A lonely, angry, psychopathic teen spills all of his rage out into the pumpkin he’s carving and chaos ensues. This one is grisly! The perfect thing to get you in that Halloween spirit even if it’s still August.
Panacea Ooh this one would fit right in with The Hot Blood series (PLEASE SOMEONE BRING IT BACK how many times must I beg?). This one kicks you right in the heart. Get ready.
A man is watching helplessly as his beloved wife of many decades dies a painful death from cancer. One sleepless night this poor fella succumbs to a miracle cure ad and orders something called “Panacea”, a miracle elixir that claims it can cure cancer. Who can blame a guy for trying? Anyhow it arrives and has a side effect but there’s no way in hell I’m spoiling this one. It has many of my favorite things all wrapped up inside this one little story and it was the perfect ending to this collection.
Sorry for all the words but I hope you give this one a go. There are some real gems inside this here book and I highly recommend it.
I am a terrible note taker but I tried my best to take notes on every story here. I *think* I got them all but I also think I do a lot of things that I don’t actually finish so I can’t make any guarantees. Anyhow, I’ll try not to say too much because these are short stories and you should enjoy them without someone on the internet blabbing on about every little detail.
Taken starts things off. It’s about a long-haul trucker doing his best to appease the love of his life. And by “appease” I don’t mean she wants him to bring her home a box of chocolates. Her request makes him nervous but the lovestruck fool makes an attempt and well you’ll have to read the rest - just know that sometimes things work out just fine for all. There’s a dark thread of humor through this story and if you have a twisted sense of humor I think you’ll like it a lot.
Tommy Rotten is a story I read in the anthology Bad Apples 2 🍎 I gave it four stars then and give it the same now, several years later. Tommy “Rotten” longs for a new friend and hopes this Halloween will bring him one. This is fun with a heartwarming ending if you’re (again) the twisted sort.
Vengeance by the Foot is a gruesome little nightmare of a tale! At turns grisly, disturbing and gruesomely comical. Fun stuff. You should read it. Get yourself good and grossed out. We all need that sort of fun in our lives.
Gone You’ll likely see where this one is leading long before the protagonist does but it’s the journey, right? And this is a sad journey. I probably wouldn’t reread it again because I don’t like sitting in the sad feelings most days but hey you might like the sadness. I’m not here to judge.
Ghost Light Road This is another story I read previously in the Bad Apples anthology a few years back. It a fun tale with bits of gore and dumb young people who are always excellent horror fodder.
Here are my original thoughts which still stand a few years later: Billy was planning on spending Halloween avoiding trick or treaters, watching horror movies and drinking beer but his little sis calls and screws with his plans. Now he and her two friends are off to Ghost Light Road so they can spy a ghost, despite the rumors that people often do not return from their little visit.
These four dummies decide to drink some concoction of booze which may or may not be laced with some magickal mushrooms and, as young drunkards will do, proceed to make some truly dumb ass moves that have them discovering the reason why some folks never return from their trip to Ghost Light Road.
The story takes a bunch of horror clichés and mashes them together into something new. It was fun and a little gory and left me pretty happy with the outcome.
Serving Spirits Natalie’s dad has gone missing somewhere in Haiti while researching his latest novel but he sends her a creepy little something to keep her safe. Ugh, this one made me so ANGRY at the man who was Natalie’s jerky husband but that was the point so well done, haha. This was a little Creepshowesque and I love me some Creepshow so I loved this story too.
Way Out Of Here takes navel gazing to an entirely new level when a lottery winner exhausts all the fun out of life (oh, boo-hoo-hoo) and his never-ending pursuit of fulfillment leads him into an odd predicament. Maybe just be happy with yer life, eh? Because, damn man, things can always be worse! This short story was super strange.
Valley of the Dunes was a fun story about a woman whose dates always exhaust and disappoint. Why must she always be the bad guy and end things? Why are these men so insufferable? So boring? Why, oh why, can’t they just shut up and take a hint? I found this story darkly humorous because I am the way that I am. I don’t know if it was supposed to be funny but I do know that it was a joy to read and I have no complaints here.
The Continuance Agency Hmm, this one felt a bit dreadfully unfinished to me. It set up some good concepts but I felt a little abandoned at the end and things moved way too fast for me. After reading the author notes and doing some 30 seconds of internet research I realized it was supposed to be a serial novel that maybe never happened and now it makes more sense to me.
Trick ‘Em All A lonely, angry, psychopathic teen spills all of his rage out into the pumpkin he’s carving and chaos ensues. This one is grisly! The perfect thing to get you in that Halloween spirit even if it’s still August.
Panacea Ooh this one would fit right in with The Hot Blood series (PLEASE SOMEONE BRING IT BACK how many times must I beg?). This one kicks you right in the heart. Get ready.
A man is watching helplessly as his beloved wife of many decades dies a painful death from cancer. One sleepless night this poor fella succumbs to a miracle cure ad and orders something called “Panacea”, a miracle elixir that claims it can cure cancer. Who can blame a guy for trying? Anyhow it arrives and has a side effect but there’s no way in hell I’m spoiling this one. It has many of my favorite things all wrapped up inside this one little story and it was the perfect ending to this collection.
Sorry for all the words but I hope you give this one a go. There are some real gems inside this here book and I highly recommend it.
June 18, 2021
Big thanks to Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi, Evans Light, Adam Light and Corpus Press for sending me a digital review copy of this one!
I’ve not had the privilege of reading anything from Adam yet, but based on what I’ve read, I’ll definitely be seeking out more of his work. ‘Dreams for the Dying’ is his first collection, one that groups together Light’s previously released short fiction.
It opens with a really well done foreword from Duncan Ralston, and while he does a good job of setting the reader up for what awaits, when the first story ‘Taken’ kicks in, even that foreword can’t completely prepare the reader.
What I liked: The collection features eleven stories, and to my pure joy, it also features authors notes on how each story came to be. I LOVE when books and collections have this. I wish every author did it and I often feel the weight deflated when I finish a book, flip the page excited to read an afterword and (whump whump) just see the ‘about the author’ section. These gave great insight into each story. But enough about that, let’s chat about some of my personal favs within.
The first story ‘Taken’ I thought was going to be my personal highlight (until something reared up later on). It follows a long-haul truck driver who wants to fulfill a promise to his wife. In doing so, he kidnaps a waitress. It is a simple premise, but as the story unfolds and we get some layers exposed, Light really delivers a creepy, moody, engaging piece.
‘Vengeance by the Foot’ was a short, crisp, cringe-creator and ‘Gone’ was moody and flew off the pages.
For me, the personal highlight was ‘Valley of the Dunes.’ The note after states that Light wanted to write a very straight forward story, but there is so much to unwrap with that one and the little sneaky nuances that he put within really led to the fantastic ending. Wish that one was a novel it was so good.
What I didn’t like: I really enjoyed each story, but a few didn’t connect with me as deeply as others and that’s a common finding with collections and anthologies. With this, Light delivered eleven really solid stories, but as always, reader mileage may vary between story subjects.
Why you should buy this: Collections seem to be coming fast and furious lately from authors, but I think Light’s will stand the test of time based on the quality of the writing and the phenomenal way Adam delivers with his storytelling. The collection doesn’t have a sagging point, and the pacing and story sequence was really well done. If you’re looking for a collection to read between chapters of a novel, like I often do, this would be a perfect option.
I think this is a prime example of a seasoned story teller showcasing his absolute best and because of that the reader is richly rewarded.
I’ve not had the privilege of reading anything from Adam yet, but based on what I’ve read, I’ll definitely be seeking out more of his work. ‘Dreams for the Dying’ is his first collection, one that groups together Light’s previously released short fiction.
It opens with a really well done foreword from Duncan Ralston, and while he does a good job of setting the reader up for what awaits, when the first story ‘Taken’ kicks in, even that foreword can’t completely prepare the reader.
What I liked: The collection features eleven stories, and to my pure joy, it also features authors notes on how each story came to be. I LOVE when books and collections have this. I wish every author did it and I often feel the weight deflated when I finish a book, flip the page excited to read an afterword and (whump whump) just see the ‘about the author’ section. These gave great insight into each story. But enough about that, let’s chat about some of my personal favs within.
The first story ‘Taken’ I thought was going to be my personal highlight (until something reared up later on). It follows a long-haul truck driver who wants to fulfill a promise to his wife. In doing so, he kidnaps a waitress. It is a simple premise, but as the story unfolds and we get some layers exposed, Light really delivers a creepy, moody, engaging piece.
‘Vengeance by the Foot’ was a short, crisp, cringe-creator and ‘Gone’ was moody and flew off the pages.
For me, the personal highlight was ‘Valley of the Dunes.’ The note after states that Light wanted to write a very straight forward story, but there is so much to unwrap with that one and the little sneaky nuances that he put within really led to the fantastic ending. Wish that one was a novel it was so good.
What I didn’t like: I really enjoyed each story, but a few didn’t connect with me as deeply as others and that’s a common finding with collections and anthologies. With this, Light delivered eleven really solid stories, but as always, reader mileage may vary between story subjects.
Why you should buy this: Collections seem to be coming fast and furious lately from authors, but I think Light’s will stand the test of time based on the quality of the writing and the phenomenal way Adam delivers with his storytelling. The collection doesn’t have a sagging point, and the pacing and story sequence was really well done. If you’re looking for a collection to read between chapters of a novel, like I often do, this would be a perfect option.
I think this is a prime example of a seasoned story teller showcasing his absolute best and because of that the reader is richly rewarded.
August 28, 2021
This new collection of horror tales marks my first time reading Adam Light’s work but, based on some of the stories contained within, it certainly won’t be my last. ‘Dreams For The Dying’ offers eleven spooky shorts that feature;
• A long-haul truck driver who picks up more than cargo to keep him company on the road
• A drive out to a reputedly haunted scene of a local urban legend proves to offer more tricks than treats to one group of friends at Halloween
• Family secrets, murder and betrayals are soon forgotten when a loving father’s curse comes to enact vengeance upon his evil son-in-law
• A millionaire who has done it all (or so he thought) until he is made an offer he literally cannot refuse
• A loving husbands last, desperate attempt to save his ailing wife, and the disastrous consequences when the cure turns out to be worse than the disease
At one point in his Author Notes, Light notes that he feels one of his stories has a ‘Tales From the Crypt’ vibe and it’s a sentiment I definitely echo here, and one that can be applied to quite a few of the shorts collected here. Stories like ‘Vengeance by the Foot’ or ‘Valley of the Dunes’ read like long-forgotten episodes, providing a darkly humorous horror short that is pacy and engaging, and delivering on the obligatory ‘twist in the tale’. A lot of the collection has a similar vibe (‘Way Out of Here’ would make a fantastic Twilight Zone episode and longer pieces such as ‘Ghost Light Road’ feel very cinematic and are begging for a live-action adaptation) and the pervading sense of urgency and assured writing means this is a book that is tough to put down once you’ve started.
While a lot of the stories are quick and fun reads, the longer offerings tended to be the ones that stood out the most to me. My personal highlight was ‘Serving Spirits‘, a cautionary tale of a young woman who no longer connects with the person she married, and her missing father who disapproved of their union and would stop at nothing to break them apart. A unique supernatural element is factored into a strong character piece, which gave this story the high stakes and unsettling vibe that I love in my horror shorts. The closing story, ‘Panacea‘, is another stellar story, starting out as a genuinely affecting and melancholy look at an ageing couple. The husband is dealing with the painful and impending death of his partner and, in his desperation, makes a decision that he comes to regret. The downbeat and moving opening slowly morphs into something more bombastic and grotesque, delivering a body horror story memorable for all the right reasons.
Not every story lands quite as effectively. Stories like ‘Taken’ and ‘The Continuance Agency’ have great concepts and effective build-ups but, for me, don’t quite stick the landing. The latter feels particularly abrupt after some fantastic world-building and intriguing set-ups that ultimately don’t really go anywhere. Ultimately though, I did enjoy every story in the collection, which was consistently entertaining and boasts a handful of stand-outs that more than justify the price of admission.
‘Dreams For The Dying’ is a strong debut collection with some unforgettable offerings and, while not every story can live up to the heights of the best the book has to offer, there is plenty to enjoy here for any horror fan. What does remain consistent is snappy pacing, accomplished writing and an overall sense of fun which all but guarantees a good time.
• A long-haul truck driver who picks up more than cargo to keep him company on the road
• A drive out to a reputedly haunted scene of a local urban legend proves to offer more tricks than treats to one group of friends at Halloween
• Family secrets, murder and betrayals are soon forgotten when a loving father’s curse comes to enact vengeance upon his evil son-in-law
• A millionaire who has done it all (or so he thought) until he is made an offer he literally cannot refuse
• A loving husbands last, desperate attempt to save his ailing wife, and the disastrous consequences when the cure turns out to be worse than the disease
At one point in his Author Notes, Light notes that he feels one of his stories has a ‘Tales From the Crypt’ vibe and it’s a sentiment I definitely echo here, and one that can be applied to quite a few of the shorts collected here. Stories like ‘Vengeance by the Foot’ or ‘Valley of the Dunes’ read like long-forgotten episodes, providing a darkly humorous horror short that is pacy and engaging, and delivering on the obligatory ‘twist in the tale’. A lot of the collection has a similar vibe (‘Way Out of Here’ would make a fantastic Twilight Zone episode and longer pieces such as ‘Ghost Light Road’ feel very cinematic and are begging for a live-action adaptation) and the pervading sense of urgency and assured writing means this is a book that is tough to put down once you’ve started.
While a lot of the stories are quick and fun reads, the longer offerings tended to be the ones that stood out the most to me. My personal highlight was ‘Serving Spirits‘, a cautionary tale of a young woman who no longer connects with the person she married, and her missing father who disapproved of their union and would stop at nothing to break them apart. A unique supernatural element is factored into a strong character piece, which gave this story the high stakes and unsettling vibe that I love in my horror shorts. The closing story, ‘Panacea‘, is another stellar story, starting out as a genuinely affecting and melancholy look at an ageing couple. The husband is dealing with the painful and impending death of his partner and, in his desperation, makes a decision that he comes to regret. The downbeat and moving opening slowly morphs into something more bombastic and grotesque, delivering a body horror story memorable for all the right reasons.
Not every story lands quite as effectively. Stories like ‘Taken’ and ‘The Continuance Agency’ have great concepts and effective build-ups but, for me, don’t quite stick the landing. The latter feels particularly abrupt after some fantastic world-building and intriguing set-ups that ultimately don’t really go anywhere. Ultimately though, I did enjoy every story in the collection, which was consistently entertaining and boasts a handful of stand-outs that more than justify the price of admission.
‘Dreams For The Dying’ is a strong debut collection with some unforgettable offerings and, while not every story can live up to the heights of the best the book has to offer, there is plenty to enjoy here for any horror fan. What does remain consistent is snappy pacing, accomplished writing and an overall sense of fun which all but guarantees a good time.
July 19, 2021
Awesome collection of tales that range from all different types of Horror. Really enjoyed the Halloween stories. I'm gonna read more of this Author.
January 28, 2022
DREAMS FOR THE DYING
Adam Light
Corpus Press
July 7, 2021
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis
Hello regular readers, it’s your old pal Skull with a great read from Corpus Press, Dreams For The Dying by Adam Light. Not only that, but we’ve got a little surprise at the end of this review in honor of #LibraryShelfieDay. So read on my friends, read on!
If you’re a fan of speculative fiction and more specifically HORROR then you’re probably familiar with Corpus Press, home of Adam and Evan Light and also the producer of some pretty badass horror anthologies. I’ve reviewed quite a few of their releases, but I’ve got to admit that Dreams For The Dying truly scared the shit out of me. These are tales that will linger in your brain long after you’ve read them and show up when you find yourself on a lonely road some dark night or at 3 a.m. when you’re trying to sleep but can’t even though all the lights are on, and you’ve sucked down enough booze to make a mule stagger. Yes, Adam Light has put together a truly fear-inspiring collection of horror fiction. Trigger warning: If you are someone who’s easily freaked out, this book is going to push you out of your comfort zone. Many people enjoy the escape of that happening, but if you don’t, please consider trying something else.
After kicking off the action with a solid forward by Duncan Ralston, we arrive at the first story with a bang. Taken is a groovy little piece about “Jack and Dianne” But it ain’t that Jack and Dianne poking at the mean old world with a stick and chuckling grimly. No, in Adam Light’s story, Jack is the kind of long-haul truck driver that you pray your daughter never crosses paths with at a highway rest stop. Because Jack likes to steal things, abduct beautiful women for the love of his life, Dianne. But when Jack kidnaps a sexy little truckstop waitress, the sweats come and nerves too. He’s about to learn that women can be a lot more powerful than one’s assumptions. And Dianne? Well, she’s…sorry you’ll have to read the story to find out about her.
See what I mean though? Dreams For The Dying is no walk in the park. And in Vengeance By The Foot, the main character can’t walk at all because he’s lost a foot and part of his leg to diabetes. It’s actually a whole lot worse than that because Grant is in some major ass denial about the situation. I’ll let Adam fill you in on the exact particulars because he does a fine job at it. More importantly, he shows the toll the serious illness and caretaking has taken on Grant’s better half, Lucy. When people take those vows of marriage, it’s never really expected that either partner is going to end up as whiny dead weight, dragging the healthy person through a manure pit of a dairy farm. This story really resonates with me because I’ve been through some major health issues, including diabetes, and put my partner through hell before I realized what a mess I was. Grant doesn’t ever make that realization, and it costs him big. That vengeance is most fitting.
I’m going to talk about one more story here and leave the rest for you to discover without your old pal Skull narrating from the sidelines. Now this is the story that gave me nightmares. No bs, or fake buildups here. A writer of Adam Light’s caliber doesn’t need any hype to impress people, his work speaks for itself. What makes Ghost Light Road so scary is that it could happen to any of us. Especially those eager to seek out ghosts and the places they haunt. Billy is a horror fiend who’s spending Halloween night alone and bored out of his mind. Luckily, his kid sister calls and changes all that. Monica and her friends want to go check out a local legend, but they need a ride. Still, Billy’s just not feeling it until the offer of some high-octane booze to erase his blues enters the picture. Not only that, but one of his sister’s friends is a real babe by the name of Cassie. Maybe the night’s looking up after all! In that semi-happy cloud, they’re off to Ghost Light Road to satisfy their jones to see something strange and unexplainable. But things get creepier with every mile they drive away from civilization and into the bowels of nowhere. Soon fun takes a hike and fear grabs the wheel, when what looks like salvation turns into a supernatural slaughterhouse. One thing’s for damn sure, no one who makes it home from this horrible place will ever be the same. Trick or Treat!
Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives Dreams for the Dying a rating of FIVE BLOODY STARS. If you’re looking for a short horror collection that terrifies, Adam Light and Corpus Press have just what you need. There are a total of eleven great tales in here, including the bittersweet Tommy Rotten, and the super intense Serving Spirits that shows how a father’s love can transcend all boundaries through the dark forces of voodoo. Adam Light’s stories paint vivid pictures in your head that linger and may just haunt you for the rest of your life. Highly recommended!
In honor of #LibraryShelfieDay I’m giving away a copy of this excellent horror collection! The contest starts today and ends at midnight on Tuesday, February 1st 2022 with the winner being announced on Friday, February 4th on my blog www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com I will also be sharing this on my Twitter @skullsnflames76. Good Luck and be sure to check out www.corpuspress.com
Adam Light
Corpus Press
July 7, 2021
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis
Hello regular readers, it’s your old pal Skull with a great read from Corpus Press, Dreams For The Dying by Adam Light. Not only that, but we’ve got a little surprise at the end of this review in honor of #LibraryShelfieDay. So read on my friends, read on!
If you’re a fan of speculative fiction and more specifically HORROR then you’re probably familiar with Corpus Press, home of Adam and Evan Light and also the producer of some pretty badass horror anthologies. I’ve reviewed quite a few of their releases, but I’ve got to admit that Dreams For The Dying truly scared the shit out of me. These are tales that will linger in your brain long after you’ve read them and show up when you find yourself on a lonely road some dark night or at 3 a.m. when you’re trying to sleep but can’t even though all the lights are on, and you’ve sucked down enough booze to make a mule stagger. Yes, Adam Light has put together a truly fear-inspiring collection of horror fiction. Trigger warning: If you are someone who’s easily freaked out, this book is going to push you out of your comfort zone. Many people enjoy the escape of that happening, but if you don’t, please consider trying something else.
After kicking off the action with a solid forward by Duncan Ralston, we arrive at the first story with a bang. Taken is a groovy little piece about “Jack and Dianne” But it ain’t that Jack and Dianne poking at the mean old world with a stick and chuckling grimly. No, in Adam Light’s story, Jack is the kind of long-haul truck driver that you pray your daughter never crosses paths with at a highway rest stop. Because Jack likes to steal things, abduct beautiful women for the love of his life, Dianne. But when Jack kidnaps a sexy little truckstop waitress, the sweats come and nerves too. He’s about to learn that women can be a lot more powerful than one’s assumptions. And Dianne? Well, she’s…sorry you’ll have to read the story to find out about her.
See what I mean though? Dreams For The Dying is no walk in the park. And in Vengeance By The Foot, the main character can’t walk at all because he’s lost a foot and part of his leg to diabetes. It’s actually a whole lot worse than that because Grant is in some major ass denial about the situation. I’ll let Adam fill you in on the exact particulars because he does a fine job at it. More importantly, he shows the toll the serious illness and caretaking has taken on Grant’s better half, Lucy. When people take those vows of marriage, it’s never really expected that either partner is going to end up as whiny dead weight, dragging the healthy person through a manure pit of a dairy farm. This story really resonates with me because I’ve been through some major health issues, including diabetes, and put my partner through hell before I realized what a mess I was. Grant doesn’t ever make that realization, and it costs him big. That vengeance is most fitting.
I’m going to talk about one more story here and leave the rest for you to discover without your old pal Skull narrating from the sidelines. Now this is the story that gave me nightmares. No bs, or fake buildups here. A writer of Adam Light’s caliber doesn’t need any hype to impress people, his work speaks for itself. What makes Ghost Light Road so scary is that it could happen to any of us. Especially those eager to seek out ghosts and the places they haunt. Billy is a horror fiend who’s spending Halloween night alone and bored out of his mind. Luckily, his kid sister calls and changes all that. Monica and her friends want to go check out a local legend, but they need a ride. Still, Billy’s just not feeling it until the offer of some high-octane booze to erase his blues enters the picture. Not only that, but one of his sister’s friends is a real babe by the name of Cassie. Maybe the night’s looking up after all! In that semi-happy cloud, they’re off to Ghost Light Road to satisfy their jones to see something strange and unexplainable. But things get creepier with every mile they drive away from civilization and into the bowels of nowhere. Soon fun takes a hike and fear grabs the wheel, when what looks like salvation turns into a supernatural slaughterhouse. One thing’s for damn sure, no one who makes it home from this horrible place will ever be the same. Trick or Treat!
Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives Dreams for the Dying a rating of FIVE BLOODY STARS. If you’re looking for a short horror collection that terrifies, Adam Light and Corpus Press have just what you need. There are a total of eleven great tales in here, including the bittersweet Tommy Rotten, and the super intense Serving Spirits that shows how a father’s love can transcend all boundaries through the dark forces of voodoo. Adam Light’s stories paint vivid pictures in your head that linger and may just haunt you for the rest of your life. Highly recommended!
In honor of #LibraryShelfieDay I’m giving away a copy of this excellent horror collection! The contest starts today and ends at midnight on Tuesday, February 1st 2022 with the winner being announced on Friday, February 4th on my blog www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com I will also be sharing this on my Twitter @skullsnflames76. Good Luck and be sure to check out www.corpuspress.com
September 6, 2021
Thank you to @corpuspress for sending me a copy of this one in exchange for an honest review!
As a lover of body horror, this one was right up my alley! 🙌. @corpuspress continues to impress me with their collections and have turned me into a huge fan!
This was a solid collection of short stories and of course I had a few favorites 😁.
𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻- This one is an urban legend about a boy who went missing on Halloween night. When trick or treaters go out this year, Tommy comes alive and claims a new victim to join his rotten little family.
𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁- Grant Stone ends up needing an amputation after finding a festering wound on his foot that got out of control. His wife ends up leaving him and after he falls into a deep state of depression, she returns to the house and finds her husband in a…..compromising position 😳.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵. 𝘏𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥.”
𝗚𝗼𝗻𝗲- Greg starts off his day late for work when he can’t find his boot. As his day progresses, things get weirder and appear more out of place. His life ends up flashing before his eyes and we see how short life can really be.
One thing I really loved about this collection is the author notes at the end of each story. I love hearing the authors process and how stories came to be 🙌.
Overall I give this collection a 3.75/5 and look forward to more for Adam and Corpus Press!
As a lover of body horror, this one was right up my alley! 🙌. @corpuspress continues to impress me with their collections and have turned me into a huge fan!
This was a solid collection of short stories and of course I had a few favorites 😁.
𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻- This one is an urban legend about a boy who went missing on Halloween night. When trick or treaters go out this year, Tommy comes alive and claims a new victim to join his rotten little family.
𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁- Grant Stone ends up needing an amputation after finding a festering wound on his foot that got out of control. His wife ends up leaving him and after he falls into a deep state of depression, she returns to the house and finds her husband in a…..compromising position 😳.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵. 𝘏𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥.”
𝗚𝗼𝗻𝗲- Greg starts off his day late for work when he can’t find his boot. As his day progresses, things get weirder and appear more out of place. His life ends up flashing before his eyes and we see how short life can really be.
One thing I really loved about this collection is the author notes at the end of each story. I love hearing the authors process and how stories came to be 🙌.
Overall I give this collection a 3.75/5 and look forward to more for Adam and Corpus Press!
October 23, 2021
2.75 stars. Stories were interesting but the writing style didn’t grab me.
October 12, 2022
Truthfully, I am pretty fed up with reading horror collections, so sitting down to this one I was
not thrilled - but shockingly I found myself totally engrossed and not being able to put it down. Adam Light really hit the majority of these completely out of the park, there was not one turd in the bunch. Playing into my curious nature, he even shared notes at the end of each story which gives you a little insight into his mind set, or the four W’s which only added to the whole collection for me.
In this book we see 11 short stories that cover everything from delightful Halloween chillers like ‘Tommy Rotten’ and ‘Trick ‘Em All’ to the “wtf did I just read?” variety in ‘Valley of the Dunes’ and ‘The Continuance Agency.’ Getting started with a really strong one off the top was ‘Taken,’ a long-haul trucker doing his lover’s bidding, which kept reminding me of Psycho for good reason. Lots of good meat and potatoes in the middle with everything from crawling into your own bellybutton (yes, you read that right!) to deranged hillbilly children in the woods who may eat you up.
The final nail in the proverbial coffin was ‘Panacea’, a woman dying of cancer, her husband trying the last and final hope in mailorder ‘cures’, she is of course miraculously cured... but the side effects - well that’s the entire deranged story. All in all this collection of Light’s work is a good glimpse into his diverse style and I really enjoyed it.
not thrilled - but shockingly I found myself totally engrossed and not being able to put it down. Adam Light really hit the majority of these completely out of the park, there was not one turd in the bunch. Playing into my curious nature, he even shared notes at the end of each story which gives you a little insight into his mind set, or the four W’s which only added to the whole collection for me.
In this book we see 11 short stories that cover everything from delightful Halloween chillers like ‘Tommy Rotten’ and ‘Trick ‘Em All’ to the “wtf did I just read?” variety in ‘Valley of the Dunes’ and ‘The Continuance Agency.’ Getting started with a really strong one off the top was ‘Taken,’ a long-haul trucker doing his lover’s bidding, which kept reminding me of Psycho for good reason. Lots of good meat and potatoes in the middle with everything from crawling into your own bellybutton (yes, you read that right!) to deranged hillbilly children in the woods who may eat you up.
The final nail in the proverbial coffin was ‘Panacea’, a woman dying of cancer, her husband trying the last and final hope in mailorder ‘cures’, she is of course miraculously cured... but the side effects - well that’s the entire deranged story. All in all this collection of Light’s work is a good glimpse into his diverse style and I really enjoyed it.
February 8, 2025
My Review and Thoughts:
One thing that people take for granted especially those lovers of reading is how hard it is to be a short story writer. To be a good short story writer, you have to take a complete story and put it in a few pages, that is what writing short stories is about. Can you make a complete story from beginning to end in the few pages that you do, well Adam Light I believe in my personal book loving opinion is a wonderful storyteller. And he has mastered that reality of a complete tale into a short story.
This book captures many tales of the macabre and of a darker nature, stories that linger deep inside your thoughts after the last sentence of its conclusion.
I felt these stories, some were greater than others, but each one had its own personality. Each one had its own dread, it's own complex completion of imagination. I felt this short story book was one that could be praised and recommended for all those that love to read.
It's geared toward those who enjoy a good tale, a good sense of imagination and a good unfolding conclusion. I believe Adam Light has a way with words that showcase a brilliance and a solid execution of imaginative means.
The whole book held my attention. It's very hard to hold my attention through a book that is nothing but short stories, because some always end up faltering or some always end up letting you down, but with this collection of stories I actually wanted to read the next one. I actually wanted to move forward and see where the writer was going to take me.
Sometimes when I'm reading short stories I get lost or my mind wonders or I think well this one is not that good, so why go on and read the next one. I did not want to skip any of these stories. I wanted to read from beginning to end and I'm glad I did that because Adam Light showcases as I stated an excellent execution of wordplay and is a visionary of imagery through his ultimate prose on page.
Adam Light has so much creativity in his bones, in his thinking process. The horrors that he spills out on pages totally bleeds the true reality of what horror is about. His stories capture the sense of creativity, the sense of telling a tale that lingers under your skin, in your senses, in your mind, in your nightmarish thoughts.
I loved all these stories in one way or another but I have to choose my favorite is Serving Spirits.
What's amazing about this book is all these stories were written for other completions or short story collections and what Corpus Press and he has done is brought all his stories that have been written out there into one complete volume, which is a total plus to any person wanting to collect a writers short stories in one place. Dreams for the Dying is a solid read. Many of the stories have wonderful gut punching endings that will blow your mind.
In the end I was satisfied and was majorly entertained in storytelling wonderment. Highly recommend Adam Lights imagination and his dark, deep nightmares on page.
Would I Return to It Again: Most definitely. His tales have a priceless nature.
Would I Recommend: To any book lover and short story lover.
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Four Final Words: Nightmarishly driven Brilliance. Solid.
One thing that people take for granted especially those lovers of reading is how hard it is to be a short story writer. To be a good short story writer, you have to take a complete story and put it in a few pages, that is what writing short stories is about. Can you make a complete story from beginning to end in the few pages that you do, well Adam Light I believe in my personal book loving opinion is a wonderful storyteller. And he has mastered that reality of a complete tale into a short story.
This book captures many tales of the macabre and of a darker nature, stories that linger deep inside your thoughts after the last sentence of its conclusion.
I felt these stories, some were greater than others, but each one had its own personality. Each one had its own dread, it's own complex completion of imagination. I felt this short story book was one that could be praised and recommended for all those that love to read.
It's geared toward those who enjoy a good tale, a good sense of imagination and a good unfolding conclusion. I believe Adam Light has a way with words that showcase a brilliance and a solid execution of imaginative means.
The whole book held my attention. It's very hard to hold my attention through a book that is nothing but short stories, because some always end up faltering or some always end up letting you down, but with this collection of stories I actually wanted to read the next one. I actually wanted to move forward and see where the writer was going to take me.
Sometimes when I'm reading short stories I get lost or my mind wonders or I think well this one is not that good, so why go on and read the next one. I did not want to skip any of these stories. I wanted to read from beginning to end and I'm glad I did that because Adam Light showcases as I stated an excellent execution of wordplay and is a visionary of imagery through his ultimate prose on page.
Adam Light has so much creativity in his bones, in his thinking process. The horrors that he spills out on pages totally bleeds the true reality of what horror is about. His stories capture the sense of creativity, the sense of telling a tale that lingers under your skin, in your senses, in your mind, in your nightmarish thoughts.
I loved all these stories in one way or another but I have to choose my favorite is Serving Spirits.
What's amazing about this book is all these stories were written for other completions or short story collections and what Corpus Press and he has done is brought all his stories that have been written out there into one complete volume, which is a total plus to any person wanting to collect a writers short stories in one place. Dreams for the Dying is a solid read. Many of the stories have wonderful gut punching endings that will blow your mind.
In the end I was satisfied and was majorly entertained in storytelling wonderment. Highly recommend Adam Lights imagination and his dark, deep nightmares on page.
Would I Return to It Again: Most definitely. His tales have a priceless nature.
Would I Recommend: To any book lover and short story lover.
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Four Final Words: Nightmarishly driven Brilliance. Solid.
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