Weekly Reader: Who's There: A Collection of Stories by Dimas Rio; Five Terrifying Unnerving Tales of the Supernatural

 

Weekly Reader: Who's There: A Collection of Stories by Dimas Rio; Five Terrifying Unnerving Tales of the Supernatural

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Dimas Rio's horror anthology,, Who's There: A Collection of Stories weave five tales that are unsettling, unnerving, and utterly terrifying.

This anthology only has five stories and is 165 pages long. Rios clearly favored quality over quantity because each story packs a tremendous punch of terror, suspense, and paranoia

The five stories are: 

"Who's There"- Before his upcoming wedding, Adam, a

prospective groom's jitters go beyond the usual cold feet. There are some Poe-esque qualities to this story as Adam's thoughts get more  and more unhinged. He becomes truly monstrous as the Reader learns just how difficult his relationship with his intended bride is and how far he would go to maintain his single status. 

"At Dusk"- The Narrator is interviewing a local mystery writer who has a terrifying secret. This story seems to come out of the Twilight Zone with its emphasis on a fantasy supernatural theme and its twist ending (which is a little obvious). However, the mystery writer is a memorable character both in his recall of his spooky experience and the killer denouement.

"The Wandering"-Badrun, a security guard follows some mysterious noises inside a high rise and is haunted by mysterious letters detailing a doomed courtship. This book makes much of its setting. The isolation and claustrophobia of the city is revealing throughout this tale. The high rise is filled with the abandonment and isolation of after hours. Badrun is also an interesting protagonist as the mysterious letters stir up memories of his past that he had long buried.

"The Voice Canal"-While preparing a dissertation, Gio, a young man gets strange phone calls from his father. Instead of horror, this story goes for sentiment and heart. Gio is an ambitious but loving young man who is very close to his friends and family. His conversations with his father reveal their close relationship. His father has an uncanny ability to know exactly what troubles his son and knows the right thing to say, not just for supernatural reasons but by being a loving father.

"The Forest Protector"- Told from alternating views between a mother and son, the mother, Alma, has a strange connection to a mysterious creature of legend. While the majority of the stories are set in Rios' native Indonesia, this story makes the most of the setting. The creature with whom Alma is connected is one from Indonesiian folklore, a forest monster who protects some but destroys others. Alma's son, Ralfa reads comic books and possesses an almost encyclopedia knowledge of various local characters like Mahardika, the Forest Protector.

What also makes this story stand out is the alternate points of view. Alma hovers between being fiercely protective of her family and fearing for her own sanity and what monstrous form that she inhabits. Ralfa is torn between his childhood fantasies of superheroes and magical creatures and the reality of poverty and having a troubled mother. This story could almost be a metaphor for a dysfunctional relationship between a mentally ill parent and their worried anxious child.

Who's There is a terrific collection of short stories that will scare the living daylights out of anyone who encounters it.