Scan barcode
bookishdoll's review against another edition
5.0
This was really enjoyable. I read this with my Mom and we're both bummed it's over.
dearamanda's review against another edition
1.0
I'm sorry to say I thought this book was a huge disappointment. I read it in one sitting and was just bored. The stories are not scary! They read like they're meant for 4 year olds but there's nothing scary about them. Some of them felt straight up stupid. There was only one that felt
Mildly interesting. I wish I could give this book a 0 because that's what it deserves.
Mildly interesting. I wish I could give this book a 0 because that's what it deserves.
ninaloves2read's review against another edition
5.0
i loved this collection of short stories! deliciously presented and horrifically satisfying. i gorged on these stories and i could not put the book down. well done, mr. lubar! well, done!
mylknhoney's review against another edition
2.0
This is a group of short stories for individuals who aren't ready to read something heavier and gorier like Stephen King, but are tired of pansy ass kids horror stories as well.
I am usually a fan of horror considering my mother use to read Stephen King to me as a child. I grew up on the horror novels of him and Dean Koontz so while most people might find these stories suspenseful and scary it just wasn't for me as I am use to horror and throughly enjoy the gorier, grittier writing that I am use to.
This ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I am usually a fan of horror considering my mother use to read Stephen King to me as a child. I grew up on the horror novels of him and Dean Koontz so while most people might find these stories suspenseful and scary it just wasn't for me as I am use to horror and throughly enjoy the gorier, grittier writing that I am use to.
This ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
puzzlethevampireslayer's review
5.0
Creepy. Quirky. Awesome. I read this in two hours because I just couldn't put it down.
enchantressreads's review against another edition
3.0
Running Out of Air: 3/5
Split Decision: 3/5
Apparent Motives: 2/5
Feelings: 5/5
Every Drop: 3/5
Patterns of Fear: 4/5
Free Seas: 1/5
Blood Magic: 4/5
A Cart Full of Junk: 3/5
Morph: 3/5
Whoodoo: 2/5
The Ex Box: 5/5
Evil Twin: 5/5
Rounded to 3.3/5.
Split Decision: 3/5
Apparent Motives: 2/5
Feelings: 5/5
Every Drop: 3/5
Patterns of Fear: 4/5
Free Seas: 1/5
Blood Magic: 4/5
A Cart Full of Junk: 3/5
Morph: 3/5
Whoodoo: 2/5
The Ex Box: 5/5
Evil Twin: 5/5
Rounded to 3.3/5.
mangobox's review against another edition
2.0
I’m a person who avoids horror. Not because horror scares me, but because it bores me, and if it doesn’t bore me, it frustrates me to the point where I scream at the television or the book in my hands. As a child, however, many things frightened me—scary things. Back in the glorious 1990s, Nickelodeon aired Are You Afraid of the Dark? (which I most certainly was). Kids gathered around campfire, spooking each other with ghost tales, and I will never forget the story of the haunted pool. The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float episode didn’t frighten me of ghosts or even pools; it made me fear water. Shower time? Not before it the water-monster strangles me. Take a swim? I’ll pass. Glass of water? He’s going to suffocate me from the inside!
So what does a ridiculous ‘90s show have to do with Extremities? Just like Are You Afraid of the Dark?, who will get the most enjoyment or thrills from Extremities depends on the reader. Looking back, Are You Afraid of the Dark? is as cheesy as cheesy gets. But the fact is that it still scared me and gave me an irrational fear of water. Now that I’m much older, what scares me has changed. People-eating giants makes me shiver, zombies are creepily fascinating, eerie dystopian settings horrify, and the psychological aspects to all these both terrify and excite me. Reality itself, even, can zap me dead in a second. These concepts put me in a panic—zero of which I find in Extremities—but none of this stopped me from reading Lubar's book.
If there is one thing Lubar wants to note, it’s that “this is not a book for children.” Indeed it’s not, but I think who Extremities is most appropriate for varies. “At rare and random times, without any plan on my part,” says Lubar, “a story will emerge that is too dark, too heartless, or, dare I say it, too evil, for my young readers.” But that’s exactly it, that’s my problem. I didn’t find any of the stories within Extremities too dark, heartless, or evil. What I did find was a lack of suspense, predictable twists, and writing that wants to be smart but falls short.
When I first spied David Lubar’s Extremities, I felt a pull that I couldn’t resist. My lack of acquaintanceship with horror drew me to Lubar’s collection, as if we were a cute match but doomed to a petty break-up. While I thought I would like Extremities, the book serves as a reminder why I scarcely wander into this genre. David Lubar’s collection dances familiar paths of similar stories that have come before it. Although this doesn’t deem the book ‘poor quality,’ why didn’t the author take new turns? Hold my hand and lead me to a place I haven’t been before. Be daring and dangerous. Take risks. Whatever you do, dream beyond what’s already been done.
For each story, events flip-flop for the hero or heroine—either the character comes out the victor or victim, depending on how the story opens. Lubar’s tales take expected turns and end in likely fashion, which strips away the element of shock. Once the story reveals itself, usually paired with the title, the end becomes clear before the reader gets there. Prior to starting Extremities, I expected stories that weren’t horrifying or dark, but original ideas that held interest and surprise. These stories should have captivated me by their warped characters and by the irony of events, or at least that is what I wished for.
Well, Raya, maybe the fright doesn’t come from the conclusions. Maybe David Lubar’s point has nothing to do with unprecedented twists. I get that. Extremities is not intended to make the reader scream or spend a restless night waking from nightmares. It is intended to make the reader shudder, perhaps, at the thought of what these character do, witness, and experience. At the same time, I can’t deny that ingenuity would’ve helped improve the collection as whole. As one reader out of many, I didn’t shudder. I snickered at the irony and turn of events, and only because I saw them coming. If I wasn’t eyeballing the text with an ‘I told you so,’ I felt nearly bored. And yet… Extremities mildly entertained me.
For all that I’ve said, not everyone is doomed to have the same reaction. What Extremities needs most is the right audience—and that does not include me. There is something to be said for entertainment value, and for these reasons alone, David Lubar’s collection is one I still recommend. If haunting stories of any kind suite your fancy, then by all means, let this book find a home at your bedside and prepare to unleash some horrors from its pages.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing a free copy of Extremities in exchange for my honest review. This review and more can be found at midnight coffee monster.
So what does a ridiculous ‘90s show have to do with Extremities? Just like Are You Afraid of the Dark?, who will get the most enjoyment or thrills from Extremities depends on the reader. Looking back, Are You Afraid of the Dark? is as cheesy as cheesy gets. But the fact is that it still scared me and gave me an irrational fear of water. Now that I’m much older, what scares me has changed. People-eating giants makes me shiver, zombies are creepily fascinating, eerie dystopian settings horrify, and the psychological aspects to all these both terrify and excite me. Reality itself, even, can zap me dead in a second. These concepts put me in a panic—zero of which I find in Extremities—but none of this stopped me from reading Lubar's book.
If there is one thing Lubar wants to note, it’s that “this is not a book for children.” Indeed it’s not, but I think who Extremities is most appropriate for varies. “At rare and random times, without any plan on my part,” says Lubar, “a story will emerge that is too dark, too heartless, or, dare I say it, too evil, for my young readers.” But that’s exactly it, that’s my problem. I didn’t find any of the stories within Extremities too dark, heartless, or evil. What I did find was a lack of suspense, predictable twists, and writing that wants to be smart but falls short.
When I first spied David Lubar’s Extremities, I felt a pull that I couldn’t resist. My lack of acquaintanceship with horror drew me to Lubar’s collection, as if we were a cute match but doomed to a petty break-up. While I thought I would like Extremities, the book serves as a reminder why I scarcely wander into this genre. David Lubar’s collection dances familiar paths of similar stories that have come before it. Although this doesn’t deem the book ‘poor quality,’ why didn’t the author take new turns? Hold my hand and lead me to a place I haven’t been before. Be daring and dangerous. Take risks. Whatever you do, dream beyond what’s already been done.
For each story, events flip-flop for the hero or heroine—either the character comes out the victor or victim, depending on how the story opens. Lubar’s tales take expected turns and end in likely fashion, which strips away the element of shock. Once the story reveals itself, usually paired with the title, the end becomes clear before the reader gets there. Prior to starting Extremities, I expected stories that weren’t horrifying or dark, but original ideas that held interest and surprise. These stories should have captivated me by their warped characters and by the irony of events, or at least that is what I wished for.
Well, Raya, maybe the fright doesn’t come from the conclusions. Maybe David Lubar’s point has nothing to do with unprecedented twists. I get that. Extremities is not intended to make the reader scream or spend a restless night waking from nightmares. It is intended to make the reader shudder, perhaps, at the thought of what these character do, witness, and experience. At the same time, I can’t deny that ingenuity would’ve helped improve the collection as whole. As one reader out of many, I didn’t shudder. I snickered at the irony and turn of events, and only because I saw them coming. If I wasn’t eyeballing the text with an ‘I told you so,’ I felt nearly bored. And yet… Extremities mildly entertained me.
For all that I’ve said, not everyone is doomed to have the same reaction. What Extremities needs most is the right audience—and that does not include me. There is something to be said for entertainment value, and for these reasons alone, David Lubar’s collection is one I still recommend. If haunting stories of any kind suite your fancy, then by all means, let this book find a home at your bedside and prepare to unleash some horrors from its pages.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing a free copy of Extremities in exchange for my honest review. This review and more can be found at midnight coffee monster.
andye_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I am a lover of short stories. I love how much suspense a skilled author can pack into so few pages. I myself have written several short stories, and I have a lot of fun doing it. So to me, there's something extremely attractive about a book of horror short stories. And sure enough, I had started this book the minute that I received it in the mail.
Here's the thing about these stories: About half of them are completely action-packed, while the other half is... well, not. But this is in no way a bad thing; the stories that aren't action-ish are the ones that are incredibly smart, and really get you thinking. And I think I prefer those over the monster-hunting-people-down stories. The stories that subtly send a chill up your spine, leaving more of the horror to speculation rather than spelling it out murder by gruesome murder. The stories that keep me awake at night the most are the ones that aren't straight forward, but the ones that hint at something awful, leaving my imagination to do the rest of the work. So if you're looking for a book with monsters-hunting-people-down stories, this is a great book for you to read. But if you're like me and you prefer the thought-provoking stories that just beg you to think about think about them late at night, this is a fantastic book for you to read. I'm going to be recommending this book to any of my friends who enjoy a bit of horror. It was a quick, but great read.
-Austin
ReadingTeen.net
Here's the thing about these stories: About half of them are completely action-packed, while the other half is... well, not. But this is in no way a bad thing; the stories that aren't action-ish are the ones that are incredibly smart, and really get you thinking. And I think I prefer those over the monster-hunting-people-down stories. The stories that subtly send a chill up your spine, leaving more of the horror to speculation rather than spelling it out murder by gruesome murder. The stories that keep me awake at night the most are the ones that aren't straight forward, but the ones that hint at something awful, leaving my imagination to do the rest of the work. So if you're looking for a book with monsters-hunting-people-down stories, this is a great book for you to read. But if you're like me and you prefer the thought-provoking stories that just beg you to think about think about them late at night, this is a fantastic book for you to read. I'm going to be recommending this book to any of my friends who enjoy a bit of horror. It was a quick, but great read.
-Austin
ReadingTeen.net