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itcamefromthepage's review against another edition
4.0
While definitely not a perfect short story collection there are quite a few absolutely amazing stories here.
My favourites being:
Night Calls the Green Falcon and the titular novella Blue World.
Even asides from my two favourites there is a lot to like about this collection and it is especially fun to see Robert R. McCammon go absolutely weird with some of these short stories.
My favourites being:
Night Calls the Green Falcon and the titular novella Blue World.
Even asides from my two favourites there is a lot to like about this collection and it is especially fun to see Robert R. McCammon go absolutely weird with some of these short stories.
twerkingtobeethoven's review against another edition
5.0
Great short story collection with more than a shining & precious gem - one of them being "He'll Come Knocking at your Door" which turned out to be one of the best Halloween tales I've ever read.
The rest of the stories have a unique Twilight Zone flavour to them, and that definitely adds to the quality of the book itself.
The novella "Blue World" is truly a masterpiece. It's got everything I'm looking for when it comes to good story-telling: sharp humour, high tension, bitching characters (including a cleverly written psycho-villain) and a touching ending that reminded me of "Boy's Life" (best book ever, period.) because it sort of warmed my heart in the sense that it leads the reader to the conclusion the world's not as ugly a place as some people think it is.
This is superior writing, peeps. Highly recommended.
The rest of the stories have a unique Twilight Zone flavour to them, and that definitely adds to the quality of the book itself.
The novella "Blue World" is truly a masterpiece. It's got everything I'm looking for when it comes to good story-telling: sharp humour, high tension, bitching characters (including a cleverly written psycho-villain) and a touching ending that reminded me of "Boy's Life" (best book ever, period.) because it sort of warmed my heart in the sense that it leads the reader to the conclusion the world's not as ugly a place as some people think it is.
This is superior writing, peeps. Highly recommended.
david_agranoff's review against another edition
5.0
At this point in my life my favorite authors are John Shirley, F.Paul Wilson and Robert McCammon. McCammon wrote my second favorite novel of all time – Swan Song. He has written several other favorites in my collection including Mine and the weird crime classic Gone South. I had been saving two of his books for the “Right time” for years. That has included “Boy’s Life,” and his short story collection “Blue World.”
While I still have found the perfect time for the other yet, I read Blue World this last summer and I am so glad I did. McCammon is to me the genre author who has the most readable and smooth prose of any I have ever read. The pages just fly when you read his novels. I had read one or two of these short stories but I was reading most of these ten short stories for the first time. The title piece at the end is longer and I would argue that it is actually a novel. In the fifties it’s length would have been considered a novel. It is easily 60,000 words, has twenty three chapters and it feels like a novel. I Digress.
While McCammon doesn’t write traditional horror anymore, he is stillactive with historical mystery novels like “Speaks the Nightbird” which do contain macabre elements and the novel “the Five” which was genius Rock and Roll thriller. Blue World is filled with classic 80’s McCammon shorts and I loved every single page of it.
My favorite story was a Halloween classic called “He’ll come a knocking at the Door.” This perfectly wicked Halloween story would be perfect for a campfire. Other favorites included “Something Passed By,” and the opener “Yellowjacket Summer.” The classic story Nightcralwers that William Fredkin directed as an episode of the 80’s Twilight zone and the amazing “Night calls the Falcon” which celebrates old school super hero serials.
The title story is a very strong character piece that is more about people in the story than the thriller aspects. It is the story of a porn star named Debra Rocks, and the priest that falls in love with her after she comes into confessional. Father John can’t himself, but as he gets to know Debra he discovers that he not only one obsessed with the star. Someone is killing her co-stars, is she next?
There is no dud in this collection, McCammon was at the top of his horror skills in the 80’s. I am glad I finally read this one, it’s a classic, If you like short horror fiction do yourself a favor and read it.
While I still have found the perfect time for the other yet, I read Blue World this last summer and I am so glad I did. McCammon is to me the genre author who has the most readable and smooth prose of any I have ever read. The pages just fly when you read his novels. I had read one or two of these short stories but I was reading most of these ten short stories for the first time. The title piece at the end is longer and I would argue that it is actually a novel. In the fifties it’s length would have been considered a novel. It is easily 60,000 words, has twenty three chapters and it feels like a novel. I Digress.
While McCammon doesn’t write traditional horror anymore, he is stillactive with historical mystery novels like “Speaks the Nightbird” which do contain macabre elements and the novel “the Five” which was genius Rock and Roll thriller. Blue World is filled with classic 80’s McCammon shorts and I loved every single page of it.
My favorite story was a Halloween classic called “He’ll come a knocking at the Door.” This perfectly wicked Halloween story would be perfect for a campfire. Other favorites included “Something Passed By,” and the opener “Yellowjacket Summer.” The classic story Nightcralwers that William Fredkin directed as an episode of the 80’s Twilight zone and the amazing “Night calls the Falcon” which celebrates old school super hero serials.
The title story is a very strong character piece that is more about people in the story than the thriller aspects. It is the story of a porn star named Debra Rocks, and the priest that falls in love with her after she comes into confessional. Father John can’t himself, but as he gets to know Debra he discovers that he not only one obsessed with the star. Someone is killing her co-stars, is she next?
There is no dud in this collection, McCammon was at the top of his horror skills in the 80’s. I am glad I finally read this one, it’s a classic, If you like short horror fiction do yourself a favor and read it.
testpattern's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't read anything in this genre for a long time, and I'd forgotten the pleasures of a well-crafted, satisfyingly told horror story. To be fair, McCammon is not firmly in the slash-em-up camp that many of his colleagues live in, although there are some gruesome moments in this collection.
rapgamenancyreagan's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
acknud's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent collection of horror short stories. I think McCammon is one of the under appreciated authors of the horror genre.
sammystarbuck's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent collection of stories - not a single one I didn't enjoy!
The title story is especially excellent, but it's far from the only one.
The title story is especially excellent, but it's far from the only one.
paulmoore's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A collection of short stories from one of the greatest horror writers around.
There are too many stories here to review each one (although each one is good enough to be reviewed on its own merit) but I can honestly say it's one of if nor my favourite horror short story collection I've read to date. Only 20th century ghosts by Joe Hill had me as hooked as this one.
The themes in this book range from creepy to flat out terrifying. It feels like if Ray Bradbury tried to scare the hell out of us with a horror book. Each story gripped me from the start and none felt too long or too short. It's the perfect collection of horrors.
If you've not read any McCammon before then this is a great place to start before you get into the lengthy stuff. An unbelievable talent in horror and this collection deserves to be amongst his best.
Easy 5 stars.
There are too many stories here to review each one (although each one is good enough to be reviewed on its own merit) but I can honestly say it's one of if nor my favourite horror short story collection I've read to date. Only 20th century ghosts by Joe Hill had me as hooked as this one.
The themes in this book range from creepy to flat out terrifying. It feels like if Ray Bradbury tried to scare the hell out of us with a horror book. Each story gripped me from the start and none felt too long or too short. It's the perfect collection of horrors.
If you've not read any McCammon before then this is a great place to start before you get into the lengthy stuff. An unbelievable talent in horror and this collection deserves to be amongst his best.
Easy 5 stars.
invisiblemonster's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0