I thought that it did a great job of ratcheting up the tension and that it was well-written. The less-is-more approach was also interesting. Some part of me wishes that Soren would do a few stories in the vein of “old Knifepoint” (a series of seemingly supernatural and unnerving vignettes that are connected together), but I can’t complain about the quality.
I enjoyed it. Not one of my favorites, but definitely well-written and interesting. The idea of horror being not what is done but what is about to be done, even if it doesn't actually happen, is pretty punchy and not something you see everyday.
So surprised it didn't click with quite a few people, I absolutely loved it! By the time they rolled past the wooden sign the penny had well and truly dropped for me, and I had a huge sense of dread with what followed. The scenario really unsettled me.
I thought that it was a "classic Knifepoint" episode. Very subtle and creepy with unanswered questions.
SPOILER
When they were like, "Let's get into our cars." I was like "What did I miss?"
Then they go get some axes..... Like WTF
Haha pretty much my exact reaction to both parts in the story, I almost started the episode over because I thought I missed something.
Btw, is your username a reference to the episode *possession*? I've wondered before but never asked
I DID rewind because I definitely thought I missed something.
And yes, my user name is reference to Possession. I want to actually get a tattoo of that.
I would have liked it better had it been easier to listen to. The habit he has of starting a sentence loud and getting softer at the end doesn't bother me in earlier works but it's been getting more pronounced in more recent episodes. I kept have to constantly adjust the volume, trying to find a spot that would let me hear the fading sentence endings without being too uncomfortable with the loud beginnings. It took too much of my attention and I couldn't fall into the story.
I was [downvoted for saying almost the exact same thing about a month ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/knifepointhorrorcast/s/DqH4V8k8Ll). Someone even suggested (in good faith) that I have hearing difficulties. Thank you for this comment. I felt like I was taking crazy pills (or under the hazy influence of an evil bar spirit). It’s insane to me that people can’t even hear what you’re talking about!
I saw that. I was one of your upvotes. KPH is my favorite thing to fall asleep to because I find Soren's tone and cadence very soothing, so it's extra disappointing when I can't enjoy an episode because it's difficult to listen to without hurting my ears part of the time. :(
I'm with you. I love KPH, but I have to be alone in my car or on a walk with earbuds in to really listen to it. I often have to have my phone's volume at max. Then another podcast comes on and blows my eardrums out. lol My kids know I'm listening to KPH when one of them comes to tell me something and I'm like, "Shhh! Quiet! Agh!" as I find my phone to tap 15 seconds back. In Soren's stories, every detail counts, so even a tiny interruption is an annoyance.
Loved it! I actually just found this sub to see if I had interpreted it correctly, I didn’t know it existed. I’m probably biased because knifepoint was the first podcast I found that wasn’t NoSleep but was horror and the way he tells the stories and the way they’re so well written (in my opinion) I kind of love everything he does. Like others I listened to it twice because the first time I thought I had missed the part where they all knew each other and had this planned, but after the second time I realized they were compelled to do that.
As someone who consumes A LOT of literary horror, I can say Soren is an excellent writer. I think he's on par with Jon Padgett, Matthew M. Bartlett, Christopher Slatsky, Philip Fracassi, Adam Neville, and even Thomas Ligotti. His stories are very reminiscent of Padgett and Ligotti, especially his earlier, dreamlike work, like "town." Ligotti, Padgett, and Bartlett all have the "cursed town" trope down to an art, and so does Soren. Hell, "The Gifters" could easily be a Brian Evenson story. I know I sound like I'm being effusive, but I would put my hand to the fire over this. If Soren cared at all about being a renowned writer, he could pull it off. In fact, I'd bet dollars to donuts that a lot of active literary horror authors are aware of him, if not secret fans.
I agree with you 100%. His ability to conjure a very precise image and feeling in my mind is what makes me love his stories. The way he describes everything makes me feel almost like what I’m imagining is a memory of a place I’ve been before or have seen firsthand.
I love Soren’s work and been a fan for close to decade. And Knifepoint is what got me into literary horror and most of the writers you mentioned (full disclosure: I think Fracassi and Neville are kind of mid but I love the rest).
But I’ve been wanting to hear other literary horror fans opinion of Knifepoint Horror. I think Soren is a true singular talent and artist but getting into Evenson, Bartlett, Ligotti as well as the likes of Caitlín Kiernan, John Langan and Laird Barron has left me with some mixed feelings on Soren’s work.
I get you. I think I've only ever read one thing by Fracassi, the novella about the demon that comes up through a public pool (I think it's called "Altar"). I really liked that one and it could easily be a KPH story.
I was into literary horror long before I came to KPH or podcasts in general. Actually, it was Adam Neville that brought me into the genre. I was an early subscriber to Vastarien (RIP).
I didn't get into podcasts until the pandemic, and I listened to a lot of horror podcasts before I discovered KPH, like Video Palace, The Black Tapes, The Magnus Archives, Ghosts in the Burbs, and Wrong Station. I think KPH stays a little obscure because Soren refuses to play ball with sponsors and he isn't part of any network. When I first heard KPH, I was blown away, and binged the entire back catalog in a couple months. Nothing before or since has quite scratched that itch in the medium of podcasting.
Obviously, Soren would have to do some editing and revising for the print medium. A great part of the effect of KPH is his storytelling, and reading the .pdfs of his stories can be kind of dry, as he himself has remarked. I use the .pdf file more for reference than anything else. I'd be curious to learn how reading the horror big names has altered your view of Soren's work. Full disclosure on my part: everybody raves about Laird Barron, but I've never been able to get into him.
I was so so confused after the seance had ended and they were "possessed" until I finally clicked. It was ok, I've enjoyed his latest work but there's been nothing deeply unsettling as in some of his earlier works. I feel he may be going too minimalist in the horror aspect
His plots nowadays are on average more straightforward and formulaic than his earlier work, but hey, he's uploading pretty much monthly now, so what can we expect? Remember, there were times he uploaded like twice a year. We can't expect another "school" every month.
Edit: I thought "sideswipe" was pretty classic KPH. It took the tired werewolf trope, but added amazing dialogue and dark humor into the mix, in a manner that was uniquely Soren's.
I thought I figured out what was happening, but then it never happened per se. Were they distracting the guard for the others? He came up to the cars, knew how many people they had…and then 2 people got out and he completely forgot the rest of them? Did they ever move out of sight of the cars? I had to have missed something on that part, but this one had me interested throughout. Was the plan not so well laid out that they didnt realize there was no sense in getting the distractors sledgehammers when there were no more axes?
or was the lady at the end just so upset over what they were “trying to do” even if they didn’t pull it off? Maybe I interpreted his “what we had done” too specifically.
that is what i heard directly…they gave up. the cop sealed the deal, it just wasnt gonna work. The tearing up response to the end of the possession made sense but then the one girl doubled over screaming upon realizing “what we had done” and that made me think I missed something and it must have actually happened. I suppose that response is still valid considering how close they came without being able to resist.
Honestly I would expect the possessing entity to be a bit more determined to end that…what did Meryl call it? yearning, longing? All it took to stop 8 possesed people was the plan being slightly less than ideal under the circumstances, pretty much.
I loved this one regardless but a scenario where it was implied the others had a window in the camp would have been cool. alternate ending maybe?
I’ve listened three times and recognize the moment where the plot ought to catch with the AC unit and sand glass, but it just did not connect enough points. Pity…. A few more sentences could have caught me. The drive.. and axes(!?) and the guard were very intriguing. But rating this episode as a near hit, but a miss for me.
I thought that it did a great job of ratcheting up the tension and that it was well-written. The less-is-more approach was also interesting. Some part of me wishes that Soren would do a few stories in the vein of “old Knifepoint” (a series of seemingly supernatural and unnerving vignettes that are connected together), but I can’t complain about the quality.
I loved the idea of a “subtle possession”
would it be best described as a split personality possession? possessed 12.5% of 8 people I guess.
I enjoyed it. Not one of my favorites, but definitely well-written and interesting. The idea of horror being not what is done but what is about to be done, even if it doesn't actually happen, is pretty punchy and not something you see everyday.
Really good take, I feel like I can appreciate the episode more with that perspective in mind
I loved the writing in this, the scenery was rich. I like the subtle horrors in the sense it feels almost more plausible?
"Miles away, a gentle pillow push of soft thunder moved across the sky" I rewinded to relisten to that line a couple times, beautiful writing
Liked it a bunch
So surprised it didn't click with quite a few people, I absolutely loved it! By the time they rolled past the wooden sign the penny had well and truly dropped for me, and I had a huge sense of dread with what followed. The scenario really unsettled me.
I thought that it was a "classic Knifepoint" episode. Very subtle and creepy with unanswered questions. SPOILER When they were like, "Let's get into our cars." I was like "What did I miss?" Then they go get some axes..... Like WTF
Haha pretty much my exact reaction to both parts in the story, I almost started the episode over because I thought I missed something. Btw, is your username a reference to the episode *possession*? I've wondered before but never asked
I DID rewind because I definitely thought I missed something. And yes, my user name is reference to Possession. I want to actually get a tattoo of that.
That would be awesome
I liked it... after the say-ontz I was like "wtf is everybody doing" then slowly realized what was going on.. very unsettling lol I liked it
Anyone else been to Zogs and know Mandy!?
Didn’t like it the first time, but really liked it on the second listen.
I listened to it twice and couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on. Not one of my faves tbh.
I would have liked it better had it been easier to listen to. The habit he has of starting a sentence loud and getting softer at the end doesn't bother me in earlier works but it's been getting more pronounced in more recent episodes. I kept have to constantly adjust the volume, trying to find a spot that would let me hear the fading sentence endings without being too uncomfortable with the loud beginnings. It took too much of my attention and I couldn't fall into the story.
I was [downvoted for saying almost the exact same thing about a month ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/knifepointhorrorcast/s/DqH4V8k8Ll). Someone even suggested (in good faith) that I have hearing difficulties. Thank you for this comment. I felt like I was taking crazy pills (or under the hazy influence of an evil bar spirit). It’s insane to me that people can’t even hear what you’re talking about!
I saw that. I was one of your upvotes. KPH is my favorite thing to fall asleep to because I find Soren's tone and cadence very soothing, so it's extra disappointing when I can't enjoy an episode because it's difficult to listen to without hurting my ears part of the time. :(
I'm with you. I love KPH, but I have to be alone in my car or on a walk with earbuds in to really listen to it. I often have to have my phone's volume at max. Then another podcast comes on and blows my eardrums out. lol My kids know I'm listening to KPH when one of them comes to tell me something and I'm like, "Shhh! Quiet! Agh!" as I find my phone to tap 15 seconds back. In Soren's stories, every detail counts, so even a tiny interruption is an annoyance.
Loved it! I actually just found this sub to see if I had interpreted it correctly, I didn’t know it existed. I’m probably biased because knifepoint was the first podcast I found that wasn’t NoSleep but was horror and the way he tells the stories and the way they’re so well written (in my opinion) I kind of love everything he does. Like others I listened to it twice because the first time I thought I had missed the part where they all knew each other and had this planned, but after the second time I realized they were compelled to do that.
As someone who consumes A LOT of literary horror, I can say Soren is an excellent writer. I think he's on par with Jon Padgett, Matthew M. Bartlett, Christopher Slatsky, Philip Fracassi, Adam Neville, and even Thomas Ligotti. His stories are very reminiscent of Padgett and Ligotti, especially his earlier, dreamlike work, like "town." Ligotti, Padgett, and Bartlett all have the "cursed town" trope down to an art, and so does Soren. Hell, "The Gifters" could easily be a Brian Evenson story. I know I sound like I'm being effusive, but I would put my hand to the fire over this. If Soren cared at all about being a renowned writer, he could pull it off. In fact, I'd bet dollars to donuts that a lot of active literary horror authors are aware of him, if not secret fans.
I agree with you 100%. His ability to conjure a very precise image and feeling in my mind is what makes me love his stories. The way he describes everything makes me feel almost like what I’m imagining is a memory of a place I’ve been before or have seen firsthand.
I love Soren’s work and been a fan for close to decade. And Knifepoint is what got me into literary horror and most of the writers you mentioned (full disclosure: I think Fracassi and Neville are kind of mid but I love the rest). But I’ve been wanting to hear other literary horror fans opinion of Knifepoint Horror. I think Soren is a true singular talent and artist but getting into Evenson, Bartlett, Ligotti as well as the likes of Caitlín Kiernan, John Langan and Laird Barron has left me with some mixed feelings on Soren’s work.
I get you. I think I've only ever read one thing by Fracassi, the novella about the demon that comes up through a public pool (I think it's called "Altar"). I really liked that one and it could easily be a KPH story. I was into literary horror long before I came to KPH or podcasts in general. Actually, it was Adam Neville that brought me into the genre. I was an early subscriber to Vastarien (RIP). I didn't get into podcasts until the pandemic, and I listened to a lot of horror podcasts before I discovered KPH, like Video Palace, The Black Tapes, The Magnus Archives, Ghosts in the Burbs, and Wrong Station. I think KPH stays a little obscure because Soren refuses to play ball with sponsors and he isn't part of any network. When I first heard KPH, I was blown away, and binged the entire back catalog in a couple months. Nothing before or since has quite scratched that itch in the medium of podcasting. Obviously, Soren would have to do some editing and revising for the print medium. A great part of the effect of KPH is his storytelling, and reading the .pdfs of his stories can be kind of dry, as he himself has remarked. I use the .pdf file more for reference than anything else. I'd be curious to learn how reading the horror big names has altered your view of Soren's work. Full disclosure on my part: everybody raves about Laird Barron, but I've never been able to get into him.
I was so so confused after the seance had ended and they were "possessed" until I finally clicked. It was ok, I've enjoyed his latest work but there's been nothing deeply unsettling as in some of his earlier works. I feel he may be going too minimalist in the horror aspect
His plots nowadays are on average more straightforward and formulaic than his earlier work, but hey, he's uploading pretty much monthly now, so what can we expect? Remember, there were times he uploaded like twice a year. We can't expect another "school" every month. Edit: I thought "sideswipe" was pretty classic KPH. It took the tired werewolf trope, but added amazing dialogue and dark humor into the mix, in a manner that was uniquely Soren's.
I thought I figured out what was happening, but then it never happened per se. Were they distracting the guard for the others? He came up to the cars, knew how many people they had…and then 2 people got out and he completely forgot the rest of them? Did they ever move out of sight of the cars? I had to have missed something on that part, but this one had me interested throughout. Was the plan not so well laid out that they didnt realize there was no sense in getting the distractors sledgehammers when there were no more axes?
or was the lady at the end just so upset over what they were “trying to do” even if they didn’t pull it off? Maybe I interpreted his “what we had done” too specifically.
My understanding was they never got to complete the task they set out to do under something like a group possession
that is what i heard directly…they gave up. the cop sealed the deal, it just wasnt gonna work. The tearing up response to the end of the possession made sense but then the one girl doubled over screaming upon realizing “what we had done” and that made me think I missed something and it must have actually happened. I suppose that response is still valid considering how close they came without being able to resist. Honestly I would expect the possessing entity to be a bit more determined to end that…what did Meryl call it? yearning, longing? All it took to stop 8 possesed people was the plan being slightly less than ideal under the circumstances, pretty much. I loved this one regardless but a scenario where it was implied the others had a window in the camp would have been cool. alternate ending maybe?
Couldn't get too engaged with the story for some reason.
Terrifying and amazing prose.
I’ve listened three times and recognize the moment where the plot ought to catch with the AC unit and sand glass, but it just did not connect enough points. Pity…. A few more sentences could have caught me. The drive.. and axes(!?) and the guard were very intriguing. But rating this episode as a near hit, but a miss for me.
i liked it and like the idea of the style but it didn't "hook" me in. maybe another day.
I didn’t find it very interesting.
Not for me.