**Review originally published in SCREAM Magazine**

I am fond of the short story format, but when it comes to short story collections, there aren’t many that hit a five star recommendation. They tend to be a mixed bag and invariably contain tales that miss the mark. But, every once in a while, a collection comes along that blows my mind. I knew I was in for a treat when I saw the pull quote for Spontaneous Human Combustion was Chuck Palahniuk comparing the author to Lovecraft, Bradbury, and Gaiman.

This collection presents fourteen stories that run the gambit of horror, science fiction, fable, and dark fantasy. It’s an engaging blend of genres that offers a refreshing variety of settings and situations. “Requital” has a man caught in an endless loop of hells, suffering for his various transgressions. “Saudade” is about a nomad who travels the post-apocalyptic world seeking a better future while also trying to contain the beasts he harbors inside himself. In “Undone”, we see a man who takes his trapped-on-an-island virtual reality game a little too seriously, the story playing out like an episode of Black Mirror. “From Within” takes us to a dystopian future, where a man tries to protect his son from the alien colonizers that have overtaken earth.

And so it goes.

While all the stories contain interesting concepts and fun twists, what really stands out is the storytelling style of author Richard Thomas. The writing features much showing and little telling, focusing mostly on images, mysterious events, and emotions. The writing also pulls back the cover on humanity, revealing monsters both literal and metaphorical as well as showcasing the enumerable consequences of their twisted dark desires. Thomas has this innate ability to take a fantastical story and draw it out on a granular level that we can sympathize with, mixing raw human emotions with extraordinary circumstances.

Despite the diversity of stories, there are a few running threads that tie the collection together. One such aspect is the emphasis on the supernatural. From cults to the cosmos, every tale is suffused with the uncanny and otherworldly. Some stories reach deep into the well of magic and occult, yet even the ones that don’t still shimmer with an air of the paranormal. Another uniting aspect is the running theme of what one will do in the face of misery and trials. There are plenty of brutal and despicable moments, but Thomas is much more interested in the how and why, exploring each character and meditating on humanity’s darkest corners.

Spontaneous Human Combustion is a gathering of ideas that are both provocative and transformative. You’ll be scared, disgusted, appalled, saddened, and utterly engrossed by the events that transpire. These stories will slither under your skin and burrow into your brain; they’ll lay eggs in your sinus cavity and stay with you long after you’ve closed the cover. As short story collections go, this one certainly stands out from the pack.