Hannah and Other Stories by Rami Ungar
BSC Publishing (September 23, 2023)
120 pages; $3.99 e-book
Reviewed by Joshua Gage
Rami Ungar is a horror and dark fiction novelist who resides in Columbus, Ohio. He has self-published two books (The Quiet Game: Five Tales to Chill Your Bones and Snake), and has traditionally published two novels (Rose and The Pure World Comes). In addition, he has had several short stories and novelettes published, including “Blood & Paper Skin” in The Dark Sire and “Cressida” in the anthology Into the Deep. Rami is an Affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) and the Coordinator for the Ohio HWA. His newest collection is Hannah and Other Stories.
Hannah and Other Stories really exemplifies Ungar’s range as a writer. For example, the titular story is a standard “ghost hunter actually finds ghosts” plot, but Ungar’s unique take on the story makes the idea seem fresh. The idea of an elementary school haunted by a ghost is clever enough, but Ungar leaves a trail of delightful bread crumbs that lead the reader to a cozy but haunting ending that really works.
However, Ungar isn’t simply here to reinvent horror tropes. He also brings some of his own monsters to the party, as well. For example, “Fuseli’s Horses” features a herd of horses from a mare that was ill. The three characters in the story watch the horses grow into mature animals, only darker and creepier than any horse has ever been. Once again, Ungar has created a solid story to show off his range and skill as an author.
Ungar is not a new writer and has been publishing books and stories for over a decade. This book is yet another solid collection in an already impressive stable of work. Hannah and Other Stories is a really solid collection of horror stories that span the gamut from cozy and comforting to gory and disturbing. It’s a shorter collection, too, and very quick to read. After you have read this book, you will wonder why you didn’t own it already, and will most likely want to read everything Ungar has written. This is strongly recommended for any read of horror fiction.
