The late Robert Aickman wrote what he called “strange stories,” tales in which very weird things happened, not because of supernatural influences, but rather because of deeply buried psychological forces. Editor Simon Strantzas said that reading his tales was like reading other author’s dream journals. Strantzas here collected homages from authors who professed to have been influenced by Aickman. He did not want them to try to imitate Aickman’s style but rather his method: tales based on dumpster diving into one’s own psyche.
I feel that I got what was promised: stories about people under psychic stress having strange experiences. I was frightened by them so much as unnerved, which was the same sensation I got from the master. I had only one complaint: that out of fifteen stories I could have believed that ten had been written by the same author. I suppose that it is hard for an author to have a unique voice when he or she is paying homage to another author.
TITLE AUTHOR RATING

Seaside Town Brian Evenson 3.5
Neithernor Richard Gavin 4
Least Light, Most Night John Howard 3.5
Camp David Nickle 4
A Delicate Craft D.P. Watt 3
Seven Minutes in Heaven Nadia Bulkin 5
Infestations Michael Cisco 3
The Dying Season Lynda E. Rucker 4
A Discreet Music Michael Wehunt 3
Underground Economy John Langan 4
The Vault of Heaven Helen Marshall 4.5
Two Brothers Michael Devlin 5
The Lake Daniel Mills 4.5
A Change of Scene Nina Allan 4
The Book That Finds You Lisa Tuttle 4.5 ( )