Cutting Edge

This ambitious volume of horror storiesin the words of the publisher ""an anthology that explores new directions in speculative literature''is marred by several pretentious or deliberately cryptic entries; there are, however, many that are excellent. The book does not break new ground, despite its aspirations, but it's well worth a look. Among the best stories: Peter Straub's ``Blue Rose,'' about a disturbed youth whose violence finds its inevitable expression in the insanity of Vietnam; Joe Haldeman's account of another Viet vet, ``The Monster,'' whose ability to adopt different personalities gets out of control in a spectacular manner; George Clayton Johnson's ``The Man with a Hoe,'' a tale of the worm turning, with a vengeance; Ramsey Campbell's almost unbearably claustrophobic chiller of a traveling book salesman who wanders into a particularly loathsome Hell; Charles L. Grant's ``Out There,'' which tells of a man who has drawn the web of his life so tightly it cuts him when he tries to break free; and Clive Barker's horror-detective story, ``Lost Souls,'' an unusually restrained tale for this author. Literary Guild, Mystery Guild, Doubleday Book Club and Science Book Club alternates. (October 17)