Review: Do the Dead Dream?: An Anthology of the Weird and the Peculiar

Do the Dead Dream?: An Anthology of the Weird and the Peculiar by F P Dorchak
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Do the Dead Dream is an eclectic collection of short stories by F.P. Dorchak that is diverse in both subject matter and quality. These horror vignettes run the gamut from cheesy to brilliant, mediocre to genius. In all, there are 499 pages that span Dorchak’s prolific career thus far.

The first in the anthology is “The Wreck”, written in 2000. The reader is treated to an underwater piece of suspense that showcases the author’s knowledge of scuba diving and what lies beneath the water. As the stories progress, in no particular order that I could discern, the writing continues to highlight Dorchak’s vast store of knowledge about a wide variety of subjects, including sky diving (“Freefallin’”, 2004), the Civil War (“Etched in Stone”, 1991), and even fitness via a gym (“Behind Things”, 2017).

It is clear that Dorchak’s style and command of the genre has morphed and grown over the years. In some of the early work, the writing is at times clunky and awkward, the dialogue stilted and contrived (“Blue Diamond Exit, Mile Marker 15”, 1989). Much is also self indulgent and unwieldy which made it hard to focus. The later stories, however, see the development of a refined approach that is both smoother and more relaxed (“The Red Envelope”, 2003). The inner dialogue in “The Red Envelope” is in fact so well done that the reader is easily able to invest in the character from the very first page, a rare feat only accomplished by only a small cadre of authors.

Another story that particularly stood out was “What Dreams Are Made Of”, written in 1994. It’s a quirky little Twilight-Zoneesque read that develops an atmosphere that is surreal and dreamlike. The inclusion of familial elements and relationships to contrast the later disturbing events was a balancing act that was extraordinarily well done. Additionally, the parenthetical inclusions added beautifully to the otherworldly element. From a literary standpoint, I found it to be the most interesting story of the lot, even if the conclusion was fairly abrupt and predictable.

What struck me overall was Dorchak’s ability to tell a story in as little as ten lines, as is the case in “The Ballad of fReD BeAn” from 1988. I would have loved to see this fleshed out into a more full blown narrative, but even those ten lines managed to raise a few goosebumps. Some of his work would, though, have benefited from this more austere approach. These, however, are the benefits of an accomplished editor, something I think was missing.

With a style that is a little e.e. cummings, a little Hitchcock, a little Stephen King, Dorchak catapults himself to within a breath of that respected circle of horror writers as he continues to hone his talent. All in all, an anthology well worth the read, but with a focus upon the later work. Thanks to NetGalley and Wailing Loon for providing me a copy for review. I will be anxiously awaiting Dorchak’s next installments!

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