My Thoughts on When They Return by Matthew Henshaw, Matthew M Bartlett, Tom Breen, Michael A Cavagnaro, Mat Fitzsimmons, Jonathan Raab, and Citizen X
by M Cody McPhail
I was obsessed with Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) when I was young. It's still one of my favorite films. I have vivid memories of waking up in the middle of the night, seeing the shadow of a small child through curtains in front of a sliding glass door. This film has informed and cast shadows over many events in my life. Its influence will always be there.
I was sent a copy of this anthology through the editor of the online zine I contribute book reviews to. It was sent to them by the perpetrator behind creating this collection of thematically linked stories about an alien invasion.
This collection started with an idea by Matthew Henshaw. To create a shared universe with some writer friends of his.
The central theme being an invasion from other dimensional beings, aliens, something we aren't sure what they are but they're deadly. These stories give us interviews, flash fiction, historical fiction, conspiracy theory, even a section in Middle English. The variety of SF horror flavors are numerous and satisfying.
Points of views change throughout. The main connection being Henshaw's story 'When They Return' split into different parts. I really loved his inventive settings and circumstances. They freaked me out. Violent invasions through portals, radioactive ships burning anything in its vicinity, creatures akin to what we see in John Carpenter's The Thing (1982). All while people live their everyday lives without much care. Only to be met with sudden terror and horrific occurrences. The worst kind of surprise.
This was fun as hell. Any lovers of SF horror would ultimately be satisfied by this highly inventive, well thought out anthology.
The anthology can be purchased at the following links:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/when-they-return-matthew-henshaw/9275c816535fe078?ean=9798235511293