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samdalefox's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I picked this book up from my local library to read over Halloween. I can't believe I didn't know of Matheson before, I recognised many of his stories (mainly from The Simpsons Halloween specials) and can clearly see the influence he's had on the next generation of writers... I'm looking at you Stephen King, verging on plagerism.
As such I found this collection difficult to rate. The stories themselves are straightforward, unpretentious and sophisticated/novel for the time they were written in. Matheson clearly was a trailblazer in changing the genre of horror short stories from settings of the fantastical to the mundane. However, precisely because of his wide-reaching influence, many of these stories seemed familar, old, or boring to me. I've rated the book based on an average, see below for individual story ratings and calculation. I'd recommend reading any of the stories I've rated as 3.5 or higher. My personal favourites were 'Button, button', 'Duel', and 'Deus ex machina'.
I found a review that categorised the collection into three themes, which I agree with:
As such I found this collection difficult to rate. The stories themselves are straightforward, unpretentious and sophisticated/novel for the time they were written in. Matheson clearly was a trailblazer in changing the genre of horror short stories from settings of the fantastical to the mundane. However, precisely because of his wide-reaching influence, many of these stories seemed familar, old, or boring to me. I've rated the book based on an average, see below for individual story ratings and calculation. I'd recommend reading any of the stories I've rated as 3.5 or higher. My personal favourites were 'Button, button', 'Duel', and 'Deus ex machina'.
I found a review that categorised the collection into three themes, which I agree with:
- Stories which paint a portrait of individuals who suddenly find themselves alone and afraid in an unfamiliar or threatening world
- Stories that examines the fragility and antifragility of relationships, which keep people strong and sane under pressure, but which can also imperil them in times of crisis
- Stories which anatomise the manias of people in a state of quiet desperation, painting portraits of minds that have slipped into in a state of mania, and teaching us that anger is a momentary madness, as are fear and anxiety
As a side note, I enjoyed the intro by Victor Valvalle, don't skip this part!
Born of man and woman - 2.5
Prey - 3.5
Witch war - 1
Shipshape home - 2
Blood son - 2
Where there's a will - 2
Dying room only - 1.5
Counterfeit bills - 1
Death ship - 2
Dance of the dead - 1.5
Man with a club - 2
Button, button - 4
Duel - 4
Day of Reckoning - 2
The prisoner - 2
Dress of white silk - 3.5
Haircut - 2
Nightmare at 20,000 feet - 4
The funeral - 2
Third from the sun - 3
The last day - 4
Long distance call - 4
Deus ex machina - 4
One for the books - 4
Now die in it - 2.5
The conqueror - 2.5
The holiday man - 2
No such thing as a vampire -2.5
Big surprise - 1.5
A visit to Santa Claus - 3
Finger prints - 2
Mute - 3
Shock wave - 3.5
86 / 33 = 2.6 average
Quotes that stood out to me
"When life was dull, any element added seemed unnaturally intriguing." - excerpt from Long distance call
"Death is a fascinating lure to men who can stand aside and watch it operate on someone else." - excerpt from The conqueror
"He was the one. How could he have failed to know it? His fear, his dread, his hatred. His fear if also being scrapped, replaced; his dread if being shut out from the things he loved and needed; he hatred of a world that had no use for aged things." - excerpt from Shock wave
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
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