Out There Screaming

An Anthology of New Black Horror

By: Jordan Peele – Intro / Editor, John Joseph Adams – Editor, N. K. Jemisin – Contributor, Rebecca Roanhorse – Contributor, Tananarive Due – Contributor, Nnedi Okorafor – Contributor

Narrated by: Jordan Peele, full cast

Length: 14 hrs

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The visionary writer and director of Get Out, Us, and Nope, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions, curates this groundbreaking anthology of all-new stories of Black horror, exploring not only the terrors of the supernatural but the chilling reality of injustice that haunts our nation.

“Every piece is strong and memorable, making this not only likely to be the best anthology of the year, but one for the ages.”—The Guardian

WINNER OF THE BRAM STOKER AWARD AND THE BRITISH FANTASY AWARD • FINALIST FOR THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD AND THE LOCUS AWARD • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Esquire, Chicago Public Library, CrimeReads

A cop begins seeing huge, blinking eyes where the headlights of cars should be that tell him who to pull over. Two freedom riders take a bus ride that leaves them stranded on a lonely road in Alabama where several unsettling somethings await them. A young girl dives into the depths of the Earth in search of the demon that killed her parents. These are just a few of the worlds of Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele’s anthology of all-new horror stories by Black writers. Featuring an introduction by Peele and an all-star roster of beloved writers and new voices, Out There Screaming is a master class in horror, and—like his spine-chilling films—its stories prey on everything we think we know about our world . . . and redefine what it means to be afraid.

Featuring stories by: Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Djèlí Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull.

©2023 Random House Group (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Every piece is strong and memorable, making this not only likely to be the best anthology of the year, but one for the ages.”—The Guardian

“[An] electrifying anthology . . . These tales are all both gruesomely imaginative and firmly rooted in the realities of anti-Black racism and brutality—and there isn’t a weak one in the bunch. This is essential reading for any horror fan.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

I love the concept and art form encased in the heart of anthologies.

While of course some stories will hit you harder based on your preference, I feel that this was a beautiful culmination of updated and relevant horror stories from a perspective similar to my own. We need more of this pooling of resources from within the community. There were some familiar authors and some great new discoveries for me as well. For the "new to me" authors will come more discoveries in their separate bodies of work as well I'm sure. Kudos to Jordan and all of the contributing authors! And heres to many more to come.. hopefully?

I need more

I loved every minute of this book. I really hope there is a second volume.

Loved every minute of this collection!

From the writing to narration, this collection was entertaining and thought provoking. Can’t wait to listen to it again.

Hide and Seek had me Scared 😳

I enjoyed every story, and craved more. This is definitely great along with my other fav Dark Dreams.

Wondrous dark collection

I found these stories to be highly enjoyable. Each story possesses its own distinctive narrative style and captivatingly dark plot. The collection exhibits a certain resemblance to the classic television series "The Twilight Zone," offering a delightful array of diverse worlds to explore. However, I did encounter one peculiarity: several of the stories conclude abruptly. While I acknowledge that unresolved or open-ended endings can be an effective storytelling technique, these instances left me with a sense of curiosity and a desire for further resolution. Despite this minor critique, I must emphasize that the overall experience was highly satisfying, and I believe it will be well-received by a wide audience.

Captivating

The only thing I can say is captivating. These amazing writers pull you in and you can't stop listening. Fantastic stories that are so well written you are there, experiencing the joy, pain and excitement. I highly recommend 🙌

Great collection of stories

It was like listening to the audio version of the twilight zone. The stories were engaging

Awesome

I hope there will be more!! !! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

This book is valuable

I enjoyed the different black short horror stories! Each story was different and the narrators really brought a different life to each story. I found this book valuable because each story made me realize which niche of horror I am interested in.

Huge Disappointment 😢

A Focus on Identity over Talent

As a longtime fan of Jordan Peele, I’ve followed his career closely and appreciate his ability to address race and culture in a thought-provoking way. However, in this anthology, it seems that the focus on the racial identities of the writers may have overshadowed the literary merit of the works themselves. Too often, the stories feel like they were chosen more for the identity of the author than for the strength of the storytelling.

Peele’s own words in interviews reflect a preference for narratives centered around race. In one instance, he stated, “I don’t see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie… Not that I don’t like white dudes. But I’ve seen that movie.” This comment highlights what some might call “socially acceptable racism,” where race becomes a key factor in decisions rather than the merit of the work or performance itself. While Peele’s intent may be to uplift marginalized voices, this approach risks reducing complex issues of talent, creativity, and storytelling to simplistic notions of racial representation.