The Author

Erik McHatton’s passion for horror literature began in grade school and can be credited to an early fascination with the “Terrific Triples” horror collections of Helen Hoke. He began writing fiction seriously in 2019 and has since been published several times in print and online publications. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of authors like Ligotti, CAS, Bloch, Jackson, Barker, and Cushing. He lives in Kentucky with his beautiful wife and kids, along with dear friends and family; surrounded on all sides.

-Erik McHatton’s Amazon Bio

The Collection

Straw World and Other Echoes from the Void, published September 4th, 2025, is a short story collection consisting of weird fiction by Erik McHatton.

All of us, at one time or another, have heard the call of the Void. For some, it is a song; for others a shriek; for others still, the faintest of echoes. Most of us live our lives trying to ignore it, pretending it isn’t there. But it has always been there, watching, waiting, hungering, and above all else, patient. The Void knows that, sooner or later, we will find our way back to it—and, once we do, our sanity will buckle and break at the chaos and terror within.

Erik McHatton, however, is not one to turn from such monstrosity. This, his first collection of work, is not for those who seek comfort—indeed, STRAW WORLD has been meticulously built for those who are, in fact, uncomfortable by that which too easily offers succor and surcease from existential distress. From the baroque stylings of Clark Ashton Smith to the bleak nihilism of Thomas Ligotti, these fifteen stories investigate the darker, more unsettling corners of philosophical argument, calling out to those who hunger and question, yes, but also to those who simply delight in a hideous tale told with relish. Be invited to a disturbingly familial art installation; witness a mother’s desperate grief; be party to a doctor’s late-night appointment with eternity; journey through a world of Boschian madness; and finally, read the pages of a cursed book containing worlds within worlds (within worlds).

Turn your eyes to Erik McHatton’s STRAW WORLD…and also, to the Void beyond.

After all, it has ever had its eye on you.

-Straw World and Other Echoes from the Void’s Goodreads page

The Review

Erik McHatton’s Straw World and Other Echoes from the Void will make you feel like nothing matters and everything is awful, but in a good way! The stories in this collection prove that Erik McHatton knows how weird fiction works.

Each story felt special, and none of them felt repetitive. The ideas were unique, and I loved how Erik switched each story’s writing style. From the opening story, Straw World, the book forced me to process the characters’ emotions and think about Erik’s view of the world.

Some stand-out favorites of mine from the collection are Little Dirt Boy, We Must Be Rabbits, and Knocks. I just realized that those were the first couple of stories, but they hooked me so hard.

I recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys weird fiction. Especially those who are passionate about supporting modern authors and seeing where the genre will grow. I plan on revisiting this collection soon.

I made this review by reading an ARC copy from the author. This review embodies my own opinion about the book.

4/5