Dreadful Dark and Merciless Sun, Ellen Datlow brings together a fearless group of talented horror authors to give us Night & Day: Tales of Nighttime and Daylight Horror, a horrifying anthology with a blend of terror under both the sun and moon.
A horror anthology edited by of the genre’s greatest, Ellen Datlow, with one side featuring stories about what haunts the night while the other side showcases the terrors that can exist in the light of day in this new addition to the Saga Doubles series.
This anthology contains stories from some of the most evocative and bestselling writers of horror and speculative fiction. Night & Day features Dreadful Dark: Tales of Nighttime Horror stories: Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman; We Take Off Our Skin in the Dark by Eric LaRocca; The Door of Sleep by Stephen Graham Jones; At Night, My Dad by Dan Chaon; The Night House by Gemma Files; The Night-Mirrors by Pat Cadigan; Fear of the Dark by Benjamin Percy; The Picknicker by Josh Malerman; and Secret Night by Nathan Ballingrud.
On the other side we get Day—Merciless Sun: Tales of Daylight Horror stories: The Bright Day by Priya Sharma; Faire by Rachel Harrison; Trick of the Light by Brian Evenson; One Day by Jeffrey Ford; The Wanting by A.T. Greenblatt; Hold Us in the Light by A.C. Wise; Dismaying Creatures by Robert Shearman; Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren; Cold Iron by Sophie White.
Each side of the book reveals the horrors that unfold at day or night. Similar to most anthologies, some stories truly stand out, while others didn’t connect with me as much. But that’s the beauty in such collections–they offer something for everyone. Among the highlights in Night & Day, Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman and Faire by Rachel Harrison are two tales that lingered with me long after I closed the book.
The Tales of Day side of the book resonated a bit more with me. We seem conditioned to associate fear with the darkness of night, but invoking such a sense of true terror during the daylight hours is a rare and impress feat. Those authors who tackled the Merciless Sun: Tales of Daylight Horror stories had a significant challenge in crafting these daytime horrors, and for the most part, they succeeded. This isn’t to detract from the Dreadful Dark: Tales of Nighttime Horror stories, as they delivered plenty of chills in their own right. However, there is something uniquely unsettling about fear under the bright light of the sun.
A major highlight of this anthology is with the design and presentation of its stories. The dual-side book, with covers for night and day, is something that captured my attention from the start and will likely do the same for other horror readers. This creative format stands out in a crowded horror genre, offering something truly special for my bookshelf. Fans of this format will also enjoy more from Saga Doubles, including Double Killer on the Road / The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones.
Like many other anthologies, Night & Day delivers a mix of outstanding tales alongside some solid stories. Yet, what truly makes this collection special is the authors that can really bring to life stories which can frighten us in the stillness of the night or under the brightness of daylight. Ellen Datlow has wonderfully curated and edited this horrifying collection of stories with outstanding presentation and design.
Night & Day: Dreadful Dark: Tales of Nighttime Horror / Merciless Sun: Tales of Daylight Horror hits bookstores everywhere on September 2, 2025 from Saga Press. The audiobook is available for pre-order at Libro.fm!
