Sure, Dracula, the Wolf Man, and even
Frankenstein’s monster, in some form or another, have appeared in multiple
horror stories, from classics to modern tales. But there are older evil
entities that some say plagued man since the beginning. I’m talking about the
Seven Deadly Sins. Lust, Pride, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony, Greed, and Wrath have
appeared in different forms, in stories from the Supernatural TV show to enemies of Shazam, but they have also
existed as the driving force behind many of the evil acts done in horror
stories. Characters act out of anger or wrath, betray their friends out of
jealousy or envy, or destroy lives for their personal gain (greed). These sins
are once again explored in the anthology The Seven Deadliest, where each sin getting its own showcase story. These
stories are also penned by esteemed horror writers who, if not already in your
library, should soon find homes on your shelves.
The stories within this collection are as
varied as there exists multiple ways to succumb to each sin. Kasey Lansdale’s “Cap
Diamant” is a monster-hunting romp that has a man attempting to vanquish a
prideful demon without succumbing to that sin himself. Brian Kirk, author of Will Haunt You, presents a tale of
jealousy born of affluence, showing how an act that seems benign but begins with envy and how
that act leads to destruction. Richard Thomas gives a dystopian discussion of
lust in “Ring of Fire,” asking if we can truly rise above our darker natures.
John F. D. Taff, in his magical realistic tale of gluttony “All You Care to
Eat,” introduces you to a woman trying a new diet where she can eat anything
she wants and a few things she shouldn’t.
The main quality of this collection that makes
it stand out for me is the diversity and originality of the stories. A
collection like this in the hands of hacks could have easily been guy eats his
wife for gluttony, succubus for lust, and various attempts to grab the most
low-hanging fruits. But these stories go for less-explored territory, exploring
the connection of these sins to our own natures. Readers of Calvin and Hobbes
might remember a strip where Calvin asks his tiger Hobbes about whether or not
he believes in the devil. Hobbes, always more astute than Calvin, says “I’m not
sure man needs the help.” The sins in these stories don’t really need a demon
representative when humanity is more than capable of demonstrating each and
every one.
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