What do you think?
Rate this book
Hibernator: Stories for the Long Sleep
the days get shorter and darker. The air gets heavier. Isolation, starvation, anguish, rest; how can the old haunts of the cold be revisited? HIBERNATOR is a winter horror anthology that features 9 authors and 9 different sleepy snow stories. Ranging from cosmic to folk, southern gothic to psychological, HIBERNATOR ties together some of the best voices in horror. Mike Salt, Nick Botic, Jennifer Osborn, DE McCluskey, CF Page, Richard Beauchamp, Micah Castle, Jason Huls, and Zack Graham.
HIBERNATOR is the first annual anthology offered by Braced Books. Inspired by The Cask of Amontillado and At the Mountains of Madness.
HIBERNATOR is the first annual anthology offered by Braced Books. Inspired by The Cask of Amontillado and At the Mountains of Madness.
300 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2024
5 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 1, 2025
Nine stories revolving around the theme of winter. What's the worst that can happen? Getting lost in a snowstorm? Trapped in a roadside bathroom? Post-apocalypse mysteries?? Murder??? All this and more can be found in this anthology packed full of great stories by equally great authors.
I think this is the first time I've read an anthology where I loved every story. Each one was a solid 5/5 banger. From the first to the last, every story held my attention and had me flipping to see what happened next. I've read quite a few of these authors previous works and wasn't surprised at how great their stories were. The four authors I haven't read before are instantly going on the TBR because of how much I loved their stories. Definitely check this out if you want some chilling atmospheric stories to read this winter. Or read it in July like me to help stay cool in this hellish heat!
I think this is the first time I've read an anthology where I loved every story. Each one was a solid 5/5 banger. From the first to the last, every story held my attention and had me flipping to see what happened next. I've read quite a few of these authors previous works and wasn't surprised at how great their stories were. The four authors I haven't read before are instantly going on the TBR because of how much I loved their stories. Definitely check this out if you want some chilling atmospheric stories to read this winter. Or read it in July like me to help stay cool in this hellish heat!
December 8, 2024
Hibernator features stories that center around winter and the bitter cold of the season. There was a variety of genres, so this will appeal to a wide range of horror readers. While I enjoyed all of them, there are two stories I wish would have been longer and I’d love to see turned into novellas or continued in some way. My two favorites were Pitstop by Nick Botic and L4514 by Jennifer Osborn. Bring your coziest blanket and favorite hot beverage; you’ll need them when you read this one!
December 5, 2024
"Hibernator" may subtitle itself as "Stories for the Long Sleep", but sleep is the last thing you're gonna have in mind while reading this book: nine hugely talented authors of nine amazing stories of winter horror - honestly, limiting yourself to just one, or even picking favorites afterwards, is pointless! The writing is of very high quality, with great dialogue and awesome characterization, plus the endings are super-satisfying and super-spooky!
You want folk horror with lots of snow? You got it: read Zach Graham's "Hiber," a tale of disturbing imagery, dipped in savage lore and legend; or Micah Castle's "Rooted," a heartbreaking coming-of-age Christmas tale, of cruel parents insisting their son stays home to run the tree selling family business - but the son has his own plans, and it's his life, right? Right?
Prefer post-apocalyptic fiction? DE McCluskey's "Oscar" and Mike Salt's "Rondevu" will scratch that itch in wildly different ways - I need both of these tales to become novels! Seriously.
You feel like creeping yourself out? No worries, read Nick Botic's "Pitstop", in which a young boy's first time alone in a men’s bathroom while on the road, turns into the stuff of nightmares.
How about witches? Richard Beauchamp's "Debt" packs a punch on that score, though he brings his own unique perspective to the genre, with a tale of a frail old woman in a farmhouse in the snow in the middle of nowhere - welp, enough! This one is guaranteed to satisfy even horror veterans, especially with its chilling ending!
Is cosmic horror your weak spot? Well, even if it isn't, do not miss the brilliant CF Page tale, "The_Smiling. pdf," a self-referential narrative told in several different writing formats (e-mails, transcripts, screenplays) of an author (guess who!) spiraling into madness and cosmic weirdness (Who Purifies The Disorder, indeed!).
How about straightforward supernatural horror? Try Jennifer Osborn's "L4514"; this story is self-contained, emotionally heavy, but chilling to the bone, with a really unsettling ending - but the characters were truly so well drawn, the premise so intriguing, c'mon this deserves a second chance - a novella perhaps about the titular "L4514"?
Last but not least, Jason Huls' "Recovery": I'm embarrassed to admit I'd never read this author before, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an amazing story blending cosmic horror and folk horror, absolutely immersive, tremendously well-written, and whose ending I'm still thinking about!
In sum, if you read one winter horror anthology this year, let this be it: thrills and chills and some nasty bone-crunching in a stellar anthology I highly recommend!
You want folk horror with lots of snow? You got it: read Zach Graham's "Hiber," a tale of disturbing imagery, dipped in savage lore and legend; or Micah Castle's "Rooted," a heartbreaking coming-of-age Christmas tale, of cruel parents insisting their son stays home to run the tree selling family business - but the son has his own plans, and it's his life, right? Right?
Prefer post-apocalyptic fiction? DE McCluskey's "Oscar" and Mike Salt's "Rondevu" will scratch that itch in wildly different ways - I need both of these tales to become novels! Seriously.
You feel like creeping yourself out? No worries, read Nick Botic's "Pitstop", in which a young boy's first time alone in a men’s bathroom while on the road, turns into the stuff of nightmares.
How about witches? Richard Beauchamp's "Debt" packs a punch on that score, though he brings his own unique perspective to the genre, with a tale of a frail old woman in a farmhouse in the snow in the middle of nowhere - welp, enough! This one is guaranteed to satisfy even horror veterans, especially with its chilling ending!
Is cosmic horror your weak spot? Well, even if it isn't, do not miss the brilliant CF Page tale, "The_Smiling. pdf," a self-referential narrative told in several different writing formats (e-mails, transcripts, screenplays) of an author (guess who!) spiraling into madness and cosmic weirdness (Who Purifies The Disorder, indeed!).
How about straightforward supernatural horror? Try Jennifer Osborn's "L4514"; this story is self-contained, emotionally heavy, but chilling to the bone, with a really unsettling ending - but the characters were truly so well drawn, the premise so intriguing, c'mon this deserves a second chance - a novella perhaps about the titular "L4514"?
Last but not least, Jason Huls' "Recovery": I'm embarrassed to admit I'd never read this author before, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an amazing story blending cosmic horror and folk horror, absolutely immersive, tremendously well-written, and whose ending I'm still thinking about!
In sum, if you read one winter horror anthology this year, let this be it: thrills and chills and some nasty bone-crunching in a stellar anthology I highly recommend!
January 10, 2025
Pitched as a collection of winter-set stories containing the word (or maybe theme) 'hibernate', this Zach Graham-edited book brings together some of the cream of indie horror's up-and-comers, as well as some names that will be more familiar to those familiar with the scene. The 9 stories here are all without exception really good, with a few of them striving for—and maybe just achieving—greatness.
It was a real treat to see how each author interpreted the theme of the collection, and to see what direction they'd take with their own contributions. Graham himself opens with Hiber, a supernatural folk tale, before we're led through stories involving a family who just don't want to see their son spread his wings and fly the nest yet (the excellent Micah Castle's Rooted), a young boy getting cornered in a truck stop restroom (Pitstop, my pick for scariest read here, by Nick Botic), and some mob heavies trying to recoup what belongs to their boss—and meeting their match in a most unexpected way (Richard Beauchamp's Debt, a strong shout for my favourite included in Hibernator).
The next three stories all feel like they could be expanded into novella length, or even beyond. Jennifer Osborn's L4514 dips toes into the sci-fi genre via grief horror, and the concept lends itself so well to other ideas in the same world. Meanwhile both D.E. McCluskey and Mike Salt take us to very different post apocalyptic landscapes, and present what feel like the prologues to much grander tales. Maybe one or more of these authors will expand on these in future, and I'd be first in line to read them all.
Finally, Hibernator concludes on two stories very much leaning towards the cosmic side of the genre. Jason Huls, an author that (to my great shame) I haven't read before, details the plight of a recovery truck driver in a snowstorm. This is one of the standout stories in the collection, and has put Huls very much on my radar. The final contribution, C.F. Page's The_SMiling.pdf is totally unique—made up of emails, story snippets, interviews and more, it's a very meta take on the prompt, stretching it beyond recognition into something that blurs the lines between fiction and reality. It features other authors in the collection, as well as a couple of cameos from some recognisable names to fans of indie horror. A truly mind-bending way to finish the book.
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable and eclectic read, and one perfect for the colder months. Get cosy, make yourself a hot drink, and let this fantastic group of authors chill you to your core.
It was a real treat to see how each author interpreted the theme of the collection, and to see what direction they'd take with their own contributions. Graham himself opens with Hiber, a supernatural folk tale, before we're led through stories involving a family who just don't want to see their son spread his wings and fly the nest yet (the excellent Micah Castle's Rooted), a young boy getting cornered in a truck stop restroom (Pitstop, my pick for scariest read here, by Nick Botic), and some mob heavies trying to recoup what belongs to their boss—and meeting their match in a most unexpected way (Richard Beauchamp's Debt, a strong shout for my favourite included in Hibernator).
The next three stories all feel like they could be expanded into novella length, or even beyond. Jennifer Osborn's L4514 dips toes into the sci-fi genre via grief horror, and the concept lends itself so well to other ideas in the same world. Meanwhile both D.E. McCluskey and Mike Salt take us to very different post apocalyptic landscapes, and present what feel like the prologues to much grander tales. Maybe one or more of these authors will expand on these in future, and I'd be first in line to read them all.
Finally, Hibernator concludes on two stories very much leaning towards the cosmic side of the genre. Jason Huls, an author that (to my great shame) I haven't read before, details the plight of a recovery truck driver in a snowstorm. This is one of the standout stories in the collection, and has put Huls very much on my radar. The final contribution, C.F. Page's The_SMiling.pdf is totally unique—made up of emails, story snippets, interviews and more, it's a very meta take on the prompt, stretching it beyond recognition into something that blurs the lines between fiction and reality. It features other authors in the collection, as well as a couple of cameos from some recognisable names to fans of indie horror. A truly mind-bending way to finish the book.
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable and eclectic read, and one perfect for the colder months. Get cosy, make yourself a hot drink, and let this fantastic group of authors chill you to your core.
January 11, 2025
Okay yall, this comes out in like three days.
I finished this, over the weekend but in only a few hours and I freaking loved this.
The vibes, the tension, every single one of these fit so perfect..it was so freaking creepy.
This is one of the themed anthologies that makes you forget that this is different authors with different stories, the theme ran deep and everyone really nailed it and it created a little bubble of stories.
Jenn Osborn L4514
That was fucking brutal in such a light way, your stories always pack just a heavy punch in a little tiny box you never expect. One of the reasons I always love your writing.
Zack Graham Hiber
I did not see one of the twists coming and it knocked the air out of me.
Mike Salt Rondevu
This one one of my favorites from the top few I picked, I loved it so much, I need to know what happens next, or what happened before, I need more, it was such a intriguing story. I was hooked into it.
Jordan CF Page The_Smiling PDF was so freaking weirdly unique to me, it was fun but fucked, seems like my favorite kind of description for something good but unique. I'm really enjoying your writing lately
These were my favorites but holy crap these stories yall, creepy, tense, atmospheric, insanity you need this anthology..
The best part of this entire thing is that my grandma used to tell me stories, mostly old wives tales, like tally bone, the lady with the ribbon necklace, the hitchkiker that never gets home you know the stories.
But she also loved tell me about Candy Man and Bloody Mary, yes I had a very very cool grandma lol but this collection made me think of that, the atmosphere, the vibes.
For a second I felt myself sitting in my grandmas sewing room, because it's winter and we can't play outside, and she's telling me those stories again and I'm tense waiting to hear what happens next and it's cold, I'm leaning in close to hear her whisper the story as it starts to build up and then bam your sitting back, having a little trouble breathing because you just got whiplash from the story and the vibes that were built so simple but effective.
If you can't tell, I really enjoyed this one lol
Ty for letting me read this early it was fantastic
I finished this, over the weekend but in only a few hours and I freaking loved this.
The vibes, the tension, every single one of these fit so perfect..it was so freaking creepy.
This is one of the themed anthologies that makes you forget that this is different authors with different stories, the theme ran deep and everyone really nailed it and it created a little bubble of stories.
Jenn Osborn L4514
That was fucking brutal in such a light way, your stories always pack just a heavy punch in a little tiny box you never expect. One of the reasons I always love your writing.
Zack Graham Hiber
I did not see one of the twists coming and it knocked the air out of me.
Mike Salt Rondevu
This one one of my favorites from the top few I picked, I loved it so much, I need to know what happens next, or what happened before, I need more, it was such a intriguing story. I was hooked into it.
Jordan CF Page The_Smiling PDF was so freaking weirdly unique to me, it was fun but fucked, seems like my favorite kind of description for something good but unique. I'm really enjoying your writing lately
These were my favorites but holy crap these stories yall, creepy, tense, atmospheric, insanity you need this anthology..
The best part of this entire thing is that my grandma used to tell me stories, mostly old wives tales, like tally bone, the lady with the ribbon necklace, the hitchkiker that never gets home you know the stories.
But she also loved tell me about Candy Man and Bloody Mary, yes I had a very very cool grandma lol but this collection made me think of that, the atmosphere, the vibes.
For a second I felt myself sitting in my grandmas sewing room, because it's winter and we can't play outside, and she's telling me those stories again and I'm tense waiting to hear what happens next and it's cold, I'm leaning in close to hear her whisper the story as it starts to build up and then bam your sitting back, having a little trouble breathing because you just got whiplash from the story and the vibes that were built so simple but effective.
If you can't tell, I really enjoyed this one lol
Ty for letting me read this early it was fantastic
December 9, 2024
Great book filled with great stories. The stories were all so creepy. The perfect read for cold snowy nights. This anthology has so many great authors that you'll love. I loved all of the stories, but some of my favorite stories were Pitstop by Nick Botic, L4514 by Jennifer Osborn, Rooted by Micah Castle, Hiber by Zack Graham and The_Smiling.pdf by CF Page
December 5, 2024
…because I’m in it 👽
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews