[BOOK REVIEW] PATHS BEST LEFT UNTRODDEN BY KEV HARRISON

2/8/2021

original takes on themes of identity and destiny, obsession and cruelty. Human horrors features alongside things that go bump in the night, troublesome mould, unsavoury savouries and more. There's even a story from the forbidden subgenre of pizza horror.

Let me just get all my walking-related puns out of the way as quick as I can: there's more than a sole reason to buy this collection of 13 stories, which sometimes toe the line in terms of genre conventions, but rarely take a step wrong. I'd only read a couple of Kev Harrison stories before this, and you were wandering about quality like I was, I can say that heel definitely entertain you with this book.

With a brief introduction from the author, as well as some thoughtful notes about each story's inception and publication history at the back end, this is a well-put together collection of interesting concepts and decent chills. Ironically enough, the first couple of stories do feel like paths that have been trodden before, the first echoing 90's action movie Hard Target and its many knock-offs; the second bearing similarities to Minority Report, both seen through more of a British lens. After that, the stories branch into more original takes on themes of identity and destiny, obsession and cruelty. Human horrors features alongside things that go bump in the night, troublesome mould, unsavoury savouries and more. There's even a story from the forbidden subgenre of pizza horror.

As entertaining as the stories are, some do stretch on for what feels like a bit too long, sometimes repeating themselves before getting to the meat of the matter. The characters are often more fleshed out in these longer pieces though, with those featuring in the shorter stories left to react to whatever's happening instead of sticking around long enough to pluck at your heart strings.

And while there's not an overarching theme to tie all the stories together, the majority generally adhere to the “character gradually discovers something” template, which means the stand-out pieces – the bloody gunfights and bizarre rituals delivered in Communion, the epistolary style employed in Reasons for my Abscondence – stand out mostly because they don't follow that formula so strictly. Those that do occasionally squander their frights by piling on more story well after genre-savvy readers might have figured out the twists, while others deliver short, sharp shocks and the odd burst of pitch black humour.

Overall, this is a solid book, perhaps not as varied as other single-author collections, but that may be because the previously-published pieces are all pulled from publications published quite close to one another, over the past 3 years or so. I'd be interested to see another collection spanning a greater number of years, to see how Harrison's style adapts to the times, and to see what other chilling terrors his mind can conjure up.

Paths Best Left Untrodden
by Kev Harrison

The debut collection from Kev Harrison, author of THE BALANCE, this tome brings together tales of ghosts in the machine, folkloric creatures let loose, abandoned places and dystopian nightmares. Containing thirteen stories - three of which are previously unpublished, with three others never before available in print, take your first tentative step onto the PATHS BEST LEFT UNTRODDEN. Early praise for PATHS BEST LEFT UNTRODDEN:

'The breadth and depth of imagination showcased here invite comparison with classics like King’s Night Shift, as well as more recent releases like Tananarive Due’s Ghost Summer. But Harrison, ultimately, dances to the beat of a drum that’s all his own.' - TC Parker, author of SALT BLOOD, A PRESS OF FEATHERS and SALVATION SPRING

'Kev Harrison's fiction disturbs and unsettles readers in equal measure. His stories smoulder in your mind, horrific burning embers. Don't take your eyes off this writer, he's getting better and better.' – Dan Howarth, author of DARK MISSIVES