McSweeney’s 71: The Monstrous and the Terrible is an exceptional literary collection that immerses readers into the depths of the eerie, the grotesque, and the unimaginable. This anthology, curated with great care and creativity, encapsulates the essence of the monstrous and the terrible in a way that both captivates and disturbs the reader.
From the moment you lay eyes on the cover, adorned with its haunting artwork, you know you’re in for an extraordinary reading experience. The selection of stories, essays, and poems within this volume transports you to otherworldly realms where darkness and fear reign supreme. Each piece within the anthology showcases the diverse talent of the contributors, leaving an indelible mark on your imagination.
The anthology delves into the heart of the human condition, offering profound insights into our collective fears and the monsters that lurk within us. It confronts the darkness that resides in our minds and exposes the underlying terrors of the world around us. The themes explored in these pages range from existential dread to societal anxieties, leaving readers with a sense of unease that lingers long after the final page is turned.
McSweeney’s first-ever issue-length foray into horror, featuring one of the biggest lineups in some time, our seventy-first issue is one for the ages. Guest edited by Brian Evenson, McSweeney’s 71: The Monstrous and the Terrible is a hair-raising collection of fiction that will challenge the notion of what horror has been, and suggest what twenty-first-century horror is and can be. And it’s all packaged in a mind-bending, nesting-doll-like series of interlocking slipcases that must be seen to be believed.
There’s Stephen Graham Jones’s eerie take on the alien abduction story, Mariana Enríquez’s haunting tale of childhood hijinks gone awry, and Jeffrey Ford’s on a writer who loses control of his characters. Nick Antosca (cocreator of the award-winning TV series The Act) spins out a novelette about the hidden horrors of wine country. There’s Kristine Ong Muslim exploring environmental horror in the Philippines; a sharp-edged folk tale by Gabino Iglesias, and Diné writer Natanya Ann Pulley reimagining sci-fi horror from an Indigenous perspective. Hungarian writer Attila Veres proffers a dark take on the not-so-hidden sociopathy of multilevel marketing. And Erika T. Wurth explores the dark gaps leading to other worlds. If that weren’t enough: an excerpt from a new novel by Brandon Hobson; a chilling allegorical horror story by Senaa Ahmad; a Lovecraftian bildungsroman by Lincoln Michel; unsettling dream cities from Nick Mamatas; M. T. Anderson’s exceptionally weird take on babysitting; and, improbably, much more.
McSweeney’s 71: The Monstrous and the Terrible is a literary triumph that pushes the boundaries of storytelling. It immerses readers in a world where monsters and terrors lurk in every shadow, forcing us to confront our deepest fears. This anthology is an essential addition to any lover of the macabre and a testament to the power of the written word to evoke both terror and beauty. Brace yourself for an unforgettable journey into the monstrous and the terrible.
McSweeney’s 71 is scheduled to be released in the latter part of summer 2023, and it is now available for pre-order at the price of $32. Secure your copy by clicking HERE.