“You Are Released” by Joe Hill (in Fright or Flight edited by Stephen King and Bev Vincent)

Cemetery Dance, 2018

ISBN-13: 978-1587676796

Available: Hardcover, paperback, audiobook, audio CD

Joe Hill has never shied away from uneasy stories or topics in his work. When Stephen King and Bev Vincent chose stories related to terror in the air for their book, they chose some obvious ones, but thankfully, Hill took a left turn and tried something different. Joe Hill’s piece details an ill-fated flight with a cast of characters that is representative of America, both good and bad. Readers might be hoping for something supernatural here, to feel comfortable about, but the claustrophobic setting he creates mirrors the fears most readers face, or refuse to admit, are part of the reality in society today. What occurs inside the plane is just as disturbing, if not more, than the disaster that upends the outside world. I had a quibble with the ending, but on repeated readings, it resonates in a way that should.

Reviewed by Dave Simms

Editor’s note: “You Are Released” is a nominee on the final ballot for the 2018 Bram Stoker Awards in the category of Superior Achievement in Long Fiction.