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sweetlemonwater's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
stephen_arvidson's review against another edition
4.0
Imagine, if you will, both the physical and psychological toll of realizing that you're shrinking one-sevenths of an inch every day, that your height will continue to lessen until you're nothing—wiped from existence. While you were originally of average adult height, in time you become shorter than your wife who now finds it difficult to touch you intimately, shorter than your daughter who handles you like one of her dolls, smaller than the family cat that now stalks you from the safety of a miniature dollhouse that has become your new home, and finally...smaller than the predatory black widow spider bent on making a quick meal out of you.
Richard Matheson's "The Incredible Shrinking Man" is an engrossing novella of the sci-fi/horror persuasion, and although published in the 1950s it still holds up well today. The story alternates between protagonist Scott Carey's deteriorating home life due to his unprecedented shrinkage—not that sort of shrinkage!—and his present-day peril, marooned in the cellar and struggling to survive, the size of an ant. Matheson's storytelling expertise is on full display, and readers are given a front-row seat to the physical dangers and inherent difficulties of being less than an inch tall. Suspense aside, the novella is far more interesting from the emotional standpoint of the main character. Scott Carey views his loss of stature as both humiliating and ultimately dehumanizing. While some readers might lose patience with the Carey's sullen and hurtful disposition, as he wallows in self-pity over his misfortune and lashes out at everyone around him; on the other hand, those electing to stick with the story will be rewarded with a denouement that is both bleak and surprisingly hopeful.
Although Matheson's writing is overloaded with superfluous adverbs (a common practice during the 1950's era), strong premise prevails in this tale that tests the boundaries of your imagination without resorting to cheap gimmicks. Captivating in its simplicity, the story posits an interesting "What-if?" and then the rest becomes logical and terrifyingly plausible.
As an added bonus, this edition is packaged with nine classic short stories penned by Matheson, including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," which later became a popular Twilight Zone episode starring William Shatner as a not-so-frequent flyer haunted by the sight of a monster lurking on the wing of passenger jet, mid-flight; "Duel" wherein a traveling salesman becomes involved in pulse-pounding game of cat-and-mouse with a deranged truck driver; and "Mantage", in which a burgeoning writer wishes that life could be experienced much in the same way as in a movie—all the tedium glossed over, just the highlights, please—then the rest of his life elapses in 85 minutes. Amongst this reviewer's personal favorites was "The Distributor" and "The Test", both of which you won't soon forget.
These remarkable stories are literary masterpieces by a wonderfully expressive author. Matheson is masterful at telling a story that is at once fantastic to imagine and domestic to our daily comings and goings, evoking emotion at every turn, albeit mostly dark emotions.
Richard Matheson's "The Incredible Shrinking Man" is an engrossing novella of the sci-fi/horror persuasion, and although published in the 1950s it still holds up well today. The story alternates between protagonist Scott Carey's deteriorating home life due to his unprecedented shrinkage—not that sort of shrinkage!—and his present-day peril, marooned in the cellar and struggling to survive, the size of an ant. Matheson's storytelling expertise is on full display, and readers are given a front-row seat to the physical dangers and inherent difficulties of being less than an inch tall. Suspense aside, the novella is far more interesting from the emotional standpoint of the main character. Scott Carey views his loss of stature as both humiliating and ultimately dehumanizing. While some readers might lose patience with the Carey's sullen and hurtful disposition, as he wallows in self-pity over his misfortune and lashes out at everyone around him; on the other hand, those electing to stick with the story will be rewarded with a denouement that is both bleak and surprisingly hopeful.
Although Matheson's writing is overloaded with superfluous adverbs (a common practice during the 1950's era), strong premise prevails in this tale that tests the boundaries of your imagination without resorting to cheap gimmicks. Captivating in its simplicity, the story posits an interesting "What-if?" and then the rest becomes logical and terrifyingly plausible.
As an added bonus, this edition is packaged with nine classic short stories penned by Matheson, including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," which later became a popular Twilight Zone episode starring William Shatner as a not-so-frequent flyer haunted by the sight of a monster lurking on the wing of passenger jet, mid-flight; "Duel" wherein a traveling salesman becomes involved in pulse-pounding game of cat-and-mouse with a deranged truck driver; and "Mantage", in which a burgeoning writer wishes that life could be experienced much in the same way as in a movie—all the tedium glossed over, just the highlights, please—then the rest of his life elapses in 85 minutes. Amongst this reviewer's personal favorites was "The Distributor" and "The Test", both of which you won't soon forget.
These remarkable stories are literary masterpieces by a wonderfully expressive author. Matheson is masterful at telling a story that is at once fantastic to imagine and domestic to our daily comings and goings, evoking emotion at every turn, albeit mostly dark emotions.
kit_kate's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
labunnywtf's review against another edition
2.0
Really? This actually got positive reviews?
It physically pains me to put a Matheson book on my Kill-Me-Now list. I cannot believe a man who can write such amazing books could write this drivel.
This could've been great! I didn't give it 2 stars out of pity. The idea behind it was fantastic. The reason he shrank, the way it affected his wife and daughter, his rage against it, his struggle for survivial. This is all good stuff, great storytelling.
But jesus fucking christ, will you just SHUT UP and get to the POINT already?! I wish I'd picked up the actual book instead of the audiobook. Skimming past all the bullshit filler, I'd have finished this in maybe two days. Tops.
He gets the thread. He bends the pin. He lost the pin, OH NOES! He got more thread! He got another cracker! He lost the cracker. WAH MY CRACKER. Oh, found another cracker! Laying on the sponge. Getting off the sponge. Hey, did I mention I have a SPONGE?!
And WTF was the point of the circus part, seriously? "Oh, you're just like me! TELL YOUR WIFE! NOW!" Seriously? If I was the editor of this manuscript, I'd have been just ripping out pages and burning them right in front of Matheson.
And why must he be so petulant and WHINY? Rage I understand. I don't fault him for losing his temper with his wife and his daughter. But for christ's sake, he wasn't even likable! I was really hoping for the final sentence to be, "And then he was stepped on." Alternately, "And then a giant bird swooped down and ate him."
What a waste.
It physically pains me to put a Matheson book on my Kill-Me-Now list. I cannot believe a man who can write such amazing books could write this drivel.
This could've been great! I didn't give it 2 stars out of pity. The idea behind it was fantastic. The reason he shrank, the way it affected his wife and daughter, his rage against it, his struggle for survivial. This is all good stuff, great storytelling.
But jesus fucking christ, will you just SHUT UP and get to the POINT already?! I wish I'd picked up the actual book instead of the audiobook. Skimming past all the bullshit filler, I'd have finished this in maybe two days. Tops.
He gets the thread. He bends the pin. He lost the pin, OH NOES! He got more thread! He got another cracker! He lost the cracker. WAH MY CRACKER. Oh, found another cracker! Laying on the sponge. Getting off the sponge. Hey, did I mention I have a SPONGE?!
And WTF was the point of the circus part, seriously? "Oh, you're just like me! TELL YOUR WIFE! NOW!" Seriously? If I was the editor of this manuscript, I'd have been just ripping out pages and burning them right in front of Matheson.
And why must he be so petulant and WHINY? Rage I understand. I don't fault him for losing his temper with his wife and his daughter. But for christ's sake, he wasn't even likable! I was really hoping for the final sentence to be, "And then he was stepped on." Alternately, "And then a giant bird swooped down and ate him."
What a waste.
geekwayne's review
4.0
'The Shrinking Man' by Ted Adams with art by Mark Torres is a graphic novel adaptation of the original classic SF work by Richard Matheson. Matheson could always get to the heart of what scared us with the famous novel 'I Am Legend' and his screenplay for the famous Twilight Zone episode 'Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.' This book proves that this story is still creepy almost 60 years later.
Scott Carey has an accident and, while it's not as noticeable at first, begins shrinking 1/7 of an inch every day. The graphic novel flips back and forth through his life as he shrinks, alternating with his survival in his basement against what seems to him now a giant black widow spider, and his deteriorating marriage. Scott gets smaller and smaller. He is mistaken for a child, and eventually as a doll. The doctors are baffled and Scott realizes eventually he may shrink away to nothing.
Matheson's character coming to grips with his diminuization in the world around him is a physical manifestation of the fear we might feel as we get older. Being unable to care for those we love, or even ourselves. Scott becomes dependent on his wife, and eventually becomes embittered towards her because of this.
This version is a well told adaptation. I felt like the art was okay, but not spectacular. If you like good classic SF or just a good story of a man whose life is out of control, check it out.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Scott Carey has an accident and, while it's not as noticeable at first, begins shrinking 1/7 of an inch every day. The graphic novel flips back and forth through his life as he shrinks, alternating with his survival in his basement against what seems to him now a giant black widow spider, and his deteriorating marriage. Scott gets smaller and smaller. He is mistaken for a child, and eventually as a doll. The doctors are baffled and Scott realizes eventually he may shrink away to nothing.
Matheson's character coming to grips with his diminuization in the world around him is a physical manifestation of the fear we might feel as we get older. Being unable to care for those we love, or even ourselves. Scott becomes dependent on his wife, and eventually becomes embittered towards her because of this.
This version is a well told adaptation. I felt like the art was okay, but not spectacular. If you like good classic SF or just a good story of a man whose life is out of control, check it out.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
beachy123's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-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
1.5
I was disappointed. Having read and enjoyed Matheson I felt that this book was nowhere near as good as ‘I am Legend’ or Hell House. I had no sympathy for Scott Carey and his continued whinging! (Harsh maybe). In fact I had more sympathy for the spider. This was a weak story that plodded along.
schuman3d's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Creepy and awesome, but I was not a fan of the ending.
melaschaos's review against another edition
3.0
“Scott Carey. Homo Reductus.”
Con una narrazione che si snoda tra presente e passato, Richard Matheson ci mostra quanto possa risultare difficile godersi una lettura quando il protagonista è un uomo becero, egoista, frustrato, insopportabile e senza alcuna speranza di miglioramento. Scott, vittima di una condizione più unica che rara, ovvero una malattia che restringe il suo corpo di 3 millimetri al giorno, affronta l’angoscia di scomparire nel modo più doloroso possibile. Dovendo vivere in un mondo che lo osserva come una sorta di esperimento, inizia a isolarsi dalla rabbia e dall’insicurezza dovuta alla perdita della sua mascolinità. Rimasto solo, l’unica cosa che può fare è cercare di sopravvivere in una condizione estrema, in una realtà in cui le sedie sembrano grattacieli ai suoi occhi e le piastrelle del pavimento sono come pianure infinite da percorrere.
Ho letto questo libro a febbraio e ho trovato la narrazione dei capitoli ambientati nel presente lenta e, a volte, deludente. Al contrario, ho trovato più interessante la narrazione ambientata nel passato, anche se a tratti disturbante a causa dei temi trattati. Ho notato che il ritmo e l’azione che avevo apprezzato in ‘Io sono leggenda’ erano assenti in questo romanzo. Invece, una cosa che ho ritrovo in entrambi è stata la qualità del finale.
È un libro a cui ho dato 3 stelle (generose) perché è oggettivamente scritto bene e in certi punti ero presa dalla narrazione, però preferirei strapparmi le mani dai polsi piuttosto che rileggerlo.
Con una narrazione che si snoda tra presente e passato, Richard Matheson ci mostra quanto possa risultare difficile godersi una lettura quando il protagonista è un uomo becero, egoista, frustrato, insopportabile e senza alcuna speranza di miglioramento. Scott, vittima di una condizione più unica che rara, ovvero una malattia che restringe il suo corpo di 3 millimetri al giorno, affronta l’angoscia di scomparire nel modo più doloroso possibile. Dovendo vivere in un mondo che lo osserva come una sorta di esperimento, inizia a isolarsi dalla rabbia e dall’insicurezza dovuta alla perdita della sua mascolinità. Rimasto solo, l’unica cosa che può fare è cercare di sopravvivere in una condizione estrema, in una realtà in cui le sedie sembrano grattacieli ai suoi occhi e le piastrelle del pavimento sono come pianure infinite da percorrere.
Ho letto questo libro a febbraio e ho trovato la narrazione dei capitoli ambientati nel presente lenta e, a volte, deludente. Al contrario, ho trovato più interessante la narrazione ambientata nel passato, anche se a tratti disturbante a causa dei temi trattati. Ho notato che il ritmo e l’azione che avevo apprezzato in ‘Io sono leggenda’ erano assenti in questo romanzo. Invece, una cosa che ho ritrovo in entrambi è stata la qualità del finale.
È un libro a cui ho dato 3 stelle (generose) perché è oggettivamente scritto bene e in certi punti ero presa dalla narrazione, però preferirei strapparmi le mani dai polsi piuttosto che rileggerlo.