Best of 2013 - The Dream Eater
In the very first issue of Fiction Vortex, we were ecstatic to see stories from authors around the world. One of the most striking was by an author from India, named Priyadarshini Chatterjee. Her story, which took us by surprise, was called The Dream Eater.
We like horror, but in small doses. There are just so many cliche and overdone stories that we really have to be wowed by a horror story to consider accepting it. Right out of the gate, The Dream Eater showed us what good horror can be. There are no axe murderers in a suburban neighborhood, no jilted lovers exacting revenge, just a young woman slowly and inexorably losing her mind. It's chilling.
We also love the feel of the story. It's about a place that 99 percent of readers have never experienced, and it feels fantastical, even though the setting is perfectly normal. A good story has to transport you to somewhere interesting, and The Dream Eater did this twice. First, to a new part of the world, and second, into the mind of this girl as she experiences something out of this world.
Stay tuned as we revisit our favorite stories from 2013, and get ready to cast your vote in the biggest Reader's Choice poll this side of whatever convenient landmark you are near.