Unconfined to a single theme, this new collection of twenty short stories by Halim offers five distinct worlds – the paranormal mysteries from ‘The occult world’, with its dark settings reveal supernatural existences in the characteristic Halim style. ‘Fragmented Minds’ open doors to the tales of the horrors of some twisted human minds driven by madness. Without the theme of supernatural, these instances of the human rationality falling apart evoke fear of a different nature. The third set of horrors is a reflection of our vulnerability, with its tales of how the technology can be destructive at times. ‘Graveyard Voices’ makes you align your thoughts with the author who wonders who all are watching is when we walk by a graveyard and what thrilling rides they could take us on. The final set unearths stories that are influenced by the richness of Malay myths and legends, dark beliefs that may go back hundreds if not thousands of years ago into primeval past. Some are fastpaced, roller-coaster like even. Some are more leisurely. Some maybe scary like a haunted house ride while others less so, but in all the five different themes, you are guaranteed to Scream to the Shadows!
Tunku Halim is a Malaysian novelist, short story, non-fiction writer and lawyer. His novel Vermillion Eye was a study text at the National University of Singapore. By delving into Malay myth, legends and folklore, his writing is regarded as ‘World Gothic’. His novel, Last Breath, is seen as taking a step away from the genre into ‘a mixture of character drama, satire, alternate history, and magic realism’.
