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jbrito's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
canada_matt's review
4.0
Looking for something to fill a day-long gap before tackling a major reading project, I discovered this short story, which is said to have influenced one by Stephen King and Joe Hill. Looking to contrast them, I thought I would begin with this short piece by Richard Matheson. In a story that explores early road rage, Matheson pens a tale that will keep the reader off the road and thoroughly tied to this piece until its climactic end. Mann seems to be minding his business as he travels towards San Francisco. When he passes a transport truck late one morning, he thinks nothing of it. However, as can occur on the open highway, Mann and the driver of the truck seem to engage in a subconscious game of passing one another to gain speed and reach their final destinations. Mann seems to see this truck as more than a fellow vehicle on the road, particularly when the driver makes some choices that could be seen as dangerous to both vehicles. Choosing to confront the driver at one point—as the truck seems to have pulled off at a diner—Mann tries, but misses his chance. He’s not quite done with the spat and needs to see it through. Putting rubber back on the road, Mann seeks to make his statement, even though his mode of transportation is much smaller. With the highway before him, Mann seeks to ensure this transport truck knows it cannot bully him, which only leads to more trouble for both vehicles involved. A great story that gets the blood pumping and has me thinking of all the highway driving I do for work. Recommended to those who love short stories with a twist, as well as those who might (like me) want to contrast this with the King/Hill piece.
I had never read any Richard Matheson before this story, though my reading group chose one of his standalone pieces to try this coming year. This was a wonderful introduction to him and all that he has to offer. By no means an expert—but surely a fan—I could see some King-esque themes in this piece (though I admit, Matheson penned this story first, so perhaps it is the other way around), which got my heart pumping as I sought to see what Mann would do. Mann seems like your typical guy who is trying to get from A to B without issue, but is perturbed when someone or something gets in his way. Perhaps early 1970s road rage, where the driver of a small vehicle seeks to puff out his chest against a massive transport truck. Mann does all he can to end the feud, but seems to forget the size difference as he loses focus of his intended destination. The story flew by and I found myself picturing these two vehicles playing a form of chicken with each other, as Matheson depicts their cumulative race to overcome the other. By the end, there is a form of resolution, though I am not sure it is what the reader would expect at first glance. Now that I have this foundational piece done, I will have to see how the King/Hill duo seek to spin it in their own version of pavement horror.
Kudos, Mr. Matheson, for a great piece to get my mind (and two vehicles) racing. I will be back for more short stories, as well as that full-length book!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
I had never read any Richard Matheson before this story, though my reading group chose one of his standalone pieces to try this coming year. This was a wonderful introduction to him and all that he has to offer. By no means an expert—but surely a fan—I could see some King-esque themes in this piece (though I admit, Matheson penned this story first, so perhaps it is the other way around), which got my heart pumping as I sought to see what Mann would do. Mann seems like your typical guy who is trying to get from A to B without issue, but is perturbed when someone or something gets in his way. Perhaps early 1970s road rage, where the driver of a small vehicle seeks to puff out his chest against a massive transport truck. Mann does all he can to end the feud, but seems to forget the size difference as he loses focus of his intended destination. The story flew by and I found myself picturing these two vehicles playing a form of chicken with each other, as Matheson depicts their cumulative race to overcome the other. By the end, there is a form of resolution, though I am not sure it is what the reader would expect at first glance. Now that I have this foundational piece done, I will have to see how the King/Hill duo seek to spin it in their own version of pavement horror.
Kudos, Mr. Matheson, for a great piece to get my mind (and two vehicles) racing. I will be back for more short stories, as well as that full-length book!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
cdcsmith's review
5.0
I grew up watching Twilight Zone with my mom, so I've been familiar with Matheson for most of my life. He wrote in a way that clicks with me. Even the stories I didn't love, I still enjoyed.
This is a quick read, more so because it's broken into stories rather than being a novel. The only thing that I think throws a negative shadow, is the name. While some of the stories are certainly terrifying, most are not. They are almost charming SciFi stories. I waited until October to read this for the season factor (something about being scared at this time of year that is entertaining), but they weren't those sorts if tales.
This is a quick read, more so because it's broken into stories rather than being a novel. The only thing that I think throws a negative shadow, is the name. While some of the stories are certainly terrifying, most are not. They are almost charming SciFi stories. I waited until October to read this for the season factor (something about being scared at this time of year that is entertaining), but they weren't those sorts if tales.
lnatal's review
2.0
Richard Matheson's classic thriller about a motorist terrorised by a huge truck.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009x12c
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009x12c
sunsoar25's review
4.0
I've seen a lot of Richard Matheson's work in movies and tv, but this is the first time I've actually read his short stories. I primarily picked up this collection because it includes "Duel" which is Spielberg's first movie and one of my favorites. It's great to see how it originally appeared even if Matheson adaptation the screenplay a little differently - I can't believe that Mann (with two Ns) actually sees the trucker's face. I really enjoyed both formats and seeing the differences in them. Some other favorites from this collection include "Third From The Sun", "F-", "Shipshape Home" (Peter Lorre gets mentioned!), "The Last Day", "Little Girl Lost" (adapted into a great Twilight Zone episode), "Trespass" (pretty sure that baby was a little Time Lord!), and "One For The Books".
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