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Featured Review

The Darkest Corners of Australian Gothic

Horror Scope explores the literature and cinema that haunt the edges of the southern continent. From the bush to the suburbs, Australian horror has a voice unlike any other.

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  • Horror Scope is the official news partner of the Australian Horror Writers Association
  • Horror Scope has earned two Ditmar Awards for excellence in Australian speculative fiction coverage
  • Horror Scope has been running since 2005, launched by Brimstone Press and editor Shane Jiraiya Cummings
  • Dark fiction reviews, author spotlights, and film criticism, all from an Australian perspective
Latest

News & Dispatches

Horror Scope tracks the pulse of Australian dark fiction, from debut releases to award announcements.

Candlelit pages of a dark gothic novel open on a worn wooden table Fiction

Australian Dark Fiction Enters a New Era

A wave of bold new voices is redefining what Australian horror can be. Horror Scope examines the shift from gothic pastoral to urban dread, and why the change matters for readers and writers alike.

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The Films That Defined Australian Horror

Horror Scope reviews the canon, from Picnic at Hanging Rock to the latest festival circuit entries coming out of Sydney and Melbourne.

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AHWA Award Nominations Open for 2026

The Australian Horror Writers Association has opened nominations for this year's awards cycle. Horror Scope, the AHWA's official news partner, brings you all the details as they emerge.

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Highlights

Dark Fiction & Film

Horror Scope covers the full spectrum, from short story collections to feature films, all filtered through an Australian sensibility.

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Literature

Short Fiction That Stays With You

Horror Scope reviews anthologies, novellas, and debut collections from Australian dark fiction authors, offering critical depth alongside genuine passion for the form.

Browse Reviews
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Film Reviews

Horror Cinema from Every Angle

From international studio releases to indie Australian productions, Horror Scope applies the same critical eye that has earned the webzine two Ditmar Awards.

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Deep Cuts

Rediscovering the Australian Gothic Canon

Horror Scope revisits the dark fiction landmarks that shaped a generation of Australian writers, from colonial ghost stories to the horror boom of the 1980s.

Browse Reviews
Two Ditmar Awards Recognised by the Australian speculative fiction community
Publishing since 2005 Launched by Brimstone Press and editor Shane Jiraiya Cummings
AHWA News Partner Official partner of the Australian Horror Writers Association
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Community

The Australian Horror Writers Association

Horror Scope serves as the official news partner for the Australian Horror Writers Association, the peak body for horror and dark fiction writers across Australia.

Horror Scope brings AHWA members, readers, and writers together. Horror Scope covers award announcements, submission calls, events, and industry news, keeping the Australian horror community connected and informed.

Whether you write short fiction, novels, or screenplays, the Australian horror community is active, welcoming, and creating some of the most distinctive dark fiction in the world. Horror Scope covers all of it.

About Horror Scope
Est. 2005

What is Horror Scope?

Horror Scope is a prominent Australian webzine dedicated to horror, dark fiction literature, and film reviews. Brimstone Press and editor Shane Jiraiya Cummings launched Horror Scope in 2005 to give Australian horror a platform worthy of its ambition.

Horror Scope operates as a hub for the Australian horror community, publishing criticism, news, and coverage that takes the genre seriously. Two Ditmar Awards reflect the trust the speculative fiction community places in Horror Scope as a voice of authority and passion.

"A hub for the Australian horror community."