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The Shadows, Kith and Kin
The endlessly inventive mind of Joe R. Lansdale whips up yet another batch of stories to amaze, surprise, and entertain you.
His new offering covers a lot of territory, producing what may be his best short story collection yet.
One tale concerns an East Texas mule race in the early 1900s that proves to be an unexpected turning point and learning experience for the main character, a lifelong loser. It also chronicles the unusual circumstances of the race, which include a friendship between a rare white mule that can run like the wind, and his friend, a loyal, spotted pig.
Another tale drops us into the disturbed mind of a mass murderer and his friendship with the shadows.
Two others stories reintroduce us to the supernatural adventures of Reverend Rains, the flawed hero from Lansdale's cult favorite novel, Dead in the West. Here ghouls prowl and werewolves howl.
There's a poetic collaboration with Melissa Mia Hall about the nature of loneliness and loss that echoes back to science fiction stories of an earlier time, as well as a famous, award winning novella reprinted here for the first time in several years about a clutch of unusual crime solvers.
Read about a world where the dead almost rule, and venture into an alternate universe that is the background for perhaps the strangest tale of all, an adventure concerning an earnest and horny steam shovel named Bill, and his challenge to do the right thing at all costs.
It's the usual wild and crowd pleasing display of what has become a subgenre of modern literature as only Joe R. Lansdale can present it: Tales Lansdalien.
Welcome to his world.
His new offering covers a lot of territory, producing what may be his best short story collection yet.
One tale concerns an East Texas mule race in the early 1900s that proves to be an unexpected turning point and learning experience for the main character, a lifelong loser. It also chronicles the unusual circumstances of the race, which include a friendship between a rare white mule that can run like the wind, and his friend, a loyal, spotted pig.
Another tale drops us into the disturbed mind of a mass murderer and his friendship with the shadows.
Two others stories reintroduce us to the supernatural adventures of Reverend Rains, the flawed hero from Lansdale's cult favorite novel, Dead in the West. Here ghouls prowl and werewolves howl.
There's a poetic collaboration with Melissa Mia Hall about the nature of loneliness and loss that echoes back to science fiction stories of an earlier time, as well as a famous, award winning novella reprinted here for the first time in several years about a clutch of unusual crime solvers.
Read about a world where the dead almost rule, and venture into an alternate universe that is the background for perhaps the strangest tale of all, an adventure concerning an earnest and horny steam shovel named Bill, and his challenge to do the right thing at all costs.
It's the usual wild and crowd pleasing display of what has become a subgenre of modern literature as only Joe R. Lansdale can present it: Tales Lansdalien.
Welcome to his world.
287 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2007
10 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Joe R. Lansdale
818 books3,892 followersChampion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.
He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.
He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 7, 2013
I've never regretted reading a short story by Joe R. Lansdale. Every collection I've read by him so far has been thoroughly satisfying. For folks who like his Rev. Jebediah Raines (or Mercer) stories, there are two of them in this collection, one written specifically for this book. And for those who don't know who the Reverend is, he's kind of like a wild west Solomon Kane. Although I always greatly enjoy reading about the Reverend's adventures, the stories I liked the most here are:
"White Mule, Spotted Pig"
"The Events Concerning a Nude Fold-Out Found in a Harlequin Romance"
If you like horror, or weird west fiction, and you've not already read some Lansdale, I don't know what you've been doing. You really need to reevaluate how it is you've been spending your time.
"White Mule, Spotted Pig"
"The Events Concerning a Nude Fold-Out Found in a Harlequin Romance"
If you like horror, or weird west fiction, and you've not already read some Lansdale, I don't know what you've been doing. You really need to reevaluate how it is you've been spending your time.
May 30, 2022
Joe R Lansdale is one of the best storytellers. There isn’t anything that he can’t write and some of the stories in this collection prove just that.
There are two stories in this collection that have Reverend Jedidiah and that is reason alone to get this. Lansdale has been doing horror westerns since before it was the cool new fad and the way he is able to splash in humor into his horror seems effortless.
There are two stories in this collection that have Reverend Jedidiah and that is reason alone to get this. Lansdale has been doing horror westerns since before it was the cool new fad and the way he is able to splash in humor into his horror seems effortless.
September 8, 2024
Well, I wouldn't want to live in Joe Lansdale's mind! I don't know where he comes up with some of his ideas - they are some weird stuff! The stories, as always, were well written and enjoyable. Three and a half stars.
July 29, 2020
Despite my usual aversion to short stories I enjoyed these, though the 'kids' story Bill the little steam shovel was a little disconcerting.
February 15, 2015
This is a very solid collection of Joe R. Lansdale short stories. For many years it was only available as a limited edition hardcover from Subterranean Press, so I am glad it is now available as both an Audible audiobook and a Kindle ebook. The book itself deserves five stars, as every story is enjoyable in its own way, and as a whole they showcase the variety of Lansdale's talents.
"Deadman's Road" and "The Gentlemen Hotel" continue the weird western adventures of Rev. Jebediah Mercer, an eternally damned gunfighter sentenced by God to wander the American West and battle zombies, vampires, werewolves, and other ghouls. These tales are always fun, irreverent, and inventive. Other stories in this series are collected in Dead in the West, Deadman's Crossing, and Shadows West.
"White Mule, Spotted Pig" is very funny Southern Gothic. It's probably the kind of thing Carson McCullers would have written if she had lived in a different era where she could say anything she wanted, and if she had a perverse love of foul language.
"Alone" is a somber, meditative science fiction story.
"The Events Concerning a Nude Fold-Out in a Harlequin Romance" is the kind of story only Lansdale could come up with. It begins as broad dark comedy, but then it morphs into a dark, chilly, noir crime story.
"Bill, the Little Steam Shovel" -- I don't know how to even classify a story like this. It's like a twisted children's story that is way too grown up for children. Very funny.
"Shadows, Kith and Kin" - a traditional horror story in the vein of early Stephen King.
The book includes one additional story that is omitted from the audiobook. "The Long Dead Day" is a short, brutal zombie story that packs a nice emotional punch.
"Deadman's Road" and "The Gentlemen Hotel" continue the weird western adventures of Rev. Jebediah Mercer, an eternally damned gunfighter sentenced by God to wander the American West and battle zombies, vampires, werewolves, and other ghouls. These tales are always fun, irreverent, and inventive. Other stories in this series are collected in Dead in the West, Deadman's Crossing, and Shadows West.
"White Mule, Spotted Pig" is very funny Southern Gothic. It's probably the kind of thing Carson McCullers would have written if she had lived in a different era where she could say anything she wanted, and if she had a perverse love of foul language.
"Alone" is a somber, meditative science fiction story.
"The Events Concerning a Nude Fold-Out in a Harlequin Romance" is the kind of story only Lansdale could come up with. It begins as broad dark comedy, but then it morphs into a dark, chilly, noir crime story.
"Bill, the Little Steam Shovel" -- I don't know how to even classify a story like this. It's like a twisted children's story that is way too grown up for children. Very funny.
"Shadows, Kith and Kin" - a traditional horror story in the vein of early Stephen King.
The book includes one additional story that is omitted from the audiobook. "The Long Dead Day" is a short, brutal zombie story that packs a nice emotional punch.
March 3, 2016
Joe Lansdale's storytelling gets more addictive every time I sit down with him. There wasn't a single flop in this collection. I'd try to give a sense of what reading this book is like, but that's the thing with Lansdale: each story is wildly different, and they're all over the place tonewise, though these shifts are never random or without purpose. The one constant here is the author's inimitable voice, and while his colloquial style and use of metaphor and simile("He considered his knack for clinging to bad notions like a rutting dog hanging onto a fella's leg. But, like the dog, he was determined to finish what he started.") might be too rich for some folks' blood, I was never short of delighted.
My favorites in this batch were White Mule Spotted Pig, The Events Concerning a Nude Fold-Out Found in a Harlequin Romance, and the two Jebediah Rain stories, Deadman's Road and The Gentleman's Hotel, but they're all worth the price of admission.
5 stars!
My favorites in this batch were White Mule Spotted Pig, The Events Concerning a Nude Fold-Out Found in a Harlequin Romance, and the two Jebediah Rain stories, Deadman's Road and The Gentleman's Hotel, but they're all worth the price of admission.
5 stars!
January 3, 2015
My first foray into Mr. Lansdale's works and I left quite pleased. Solid writing, good stories and I'll definitely look forward to reading more in the future. His stories in this collection range from dark but not overly gorey to a little bit wild west with some supernatural elements (mostly in the Rev. Jebediah Raines stories) to just good, solid fiction about human nature. Lansdale strikes me as a little bit of everything when it comes to genre. I liked the book a lot, especially Bill, the Little Steam Shovel. Bill, the Little Steam Shovel might be one of the finest pieces of fiction I've ever read. Definitely recommend the book.
August 29, 2015
"But I am the future stealing machine."
From the first story, until the last, this book is just plain great! Great characters, plots, and writing! And a bit of sex too - animal, canine, and steam shovel! I love the character of Reverend Jebidiah Rains! A preacher who hates God, a gunfighter preacher, he's in two tales of this collection! Quite the treat! I have to hunt down his other stories! And I will keep reading anything and everything by Mr. Joe R. Lansdale!
From the first story, until the last, this book is just plain great! Great characters, plots, and writing! And a bit of sex too - animal, canine, and steam shovel! I love the character of Reverend Jebidiah Rains! A preacher who hates God, a gunfighter preacher, he's in two tales of this collection! Quite the treat! I have to hunt down his other stories! And I will keep reading anything and everything by Mr. Joe R. Lansdale!
currently-reading-anthcoll
May 9, 2018• The Shadows, Kith and Kin
• Deadman's Road
• The Long Dead Day
• White Mule, Spotted Pig
• Bill, the Little Steam Shovel read 6/20/2004
• Alone
• The Events Concerning a Nude Fold-Out Found in a Harlequin Romance
• The Gentleman's Hotel
• Deadman's Road
• The Long Dead Day
• White Mule, Spotted Pig
• Bill, the Little Steam Shovel read 6/20/2004
• Alone
• The Events Concerning a Nude Fold-Out Found in a Harlequin Romance
• The Gentleman's Hotel
February 24, 2011
good short stories
August 1, 2021
3.5 rounded up to 4 because when Lansdale nails it, he kills and when he is just ok, he is still better than most.
Currently reading
May 24, 2024"Alone" by Joe Lansdale (With Melissa Mia Hall) - Jim and Sally attempt to get along together in a post-apocalyptic environment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2009
A lot of really good stories in here. I enjoy Lansdale a little more everytime I read his work.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews