He Sees You When He’s Creepin’: Tales of Krampus
Kate Wolford, Editor
World Weaver Press
November 22, 2016
Reviewed by David Goudsward
Pity the Krampus. Doomed to be the cloven-hoofed sidekick to the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus. How can a horned devil who punishes children possibly compete against a fat guy who gives out presents?
Editor Kate Wolford feels the pain that only a Krampus can know, and to assuage his torment, she has an assembled an anthology of Krampus-centric tales (actually it’s her second anthology of Krampus tales – Wolford really likes child-tormenting demons).
Stories range across genres from Steven Grimm’s Krampus dealing with a bitchy Cinderella to Lissa Marie Redmond’s urban fantasy of Krampus and St. Nick in modern Buffalo. About halfway through the book, the tone changes to something a little darker before flipping back into more whimsical tales. The genre is less important than the concept of the Krampus as the main character, not the North Pole’s elf-whisperer, so the characterizations flip often.
Krampus is always cloven-hoofed, hairy, horned, and macroglossic, but in these 12 stories, he can be the villain, the hero, or the lackey. So whether you want horror, humor, or a hint of redemption, it’s a fun read to bring home for the holidays. After all, why should Jacob Marley have all the fun?
