Feesters in the Lake

Bob Leman's Feesters in the Lake is a collection of stories that blends elements of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. “Sturkeyville,” published for the first time in this edition, is a brief ode to a paradise that exists within a bubble surrounded by wandering roads and hills that warp the traveler's path, leading to questions about perception and reality. “Bait” presents a pastiche of 1950s Americana, where the idyllic setting of a suburban homestead turns into a study of human nature. “Industrial Complex” also utilizes post-World War II romanticism as a backdrop for a story about a man branded as crazy for his observations, which others are unable or unwilling to see. “Window” features a portal to a universe that resembles our own. “Instructions” plays out as a recipe for artistic manipulation. The eponymous “Feesters in the Lake” is a story of Lovecraftian horror that begins in the bottom of a lake where “boneless pale creatures with ragged mouths full of teeth” reside. “A Clock for a Demon,” new to this edition, involves violence that shifts in tone, questioning the nature of honesty and goodwill.