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The Far Side of the Lake
ince his stories first began appearing in print in the late 1970s, Steve Rasnic Tem has established himself as one of the most prolific and respected voices in modern supernatural fiction. Although his work has been classed as many things—science fiction, horror, fantasy—Tem himself believes that ‘the vast majority of my fiction concerns in some way the idea of ghosts and the power of the past’.
Tem’s stories are rooted in a present-day world which, on the surface, appears normal and even safe; a world in which characters go on holiday, attend reunions, pick up children from school, and try to do their jobs as best they can. A closer look, however, reveals a world in which real and imaginary horrors are forever lurking at the edges of vision, ready to reach out and embrace those whose grasp of reality and the ordinary pleasures of life and love is tenuous at best, and slipping more each day.
It is also a world in which the past is a constant companion; no more so than in Tem’s stories of Charlie Goode, gathered together here in their entirety for the first time. Charlie, now retired, is forced to confront his own mortality as the past—his own, and that of others—becomes a reality more solid, more urgent, and more hungry than the present. In attempting to make sense of the threads of his life, Charlie comes to realise, as Tem does, that there is both knowledge and discovery in the power of the past.
The title story, ‘The Far Side of the Lake’ is published in this collection for the first time.
CONTENTS: Introduction (‘Speak Softly and Listen’); At the Bureau; Crutches; The Bad People; Leaks; Stone Head; Mirror Man; The Sky Come Down to Earth; Houses Creaking in the Wind; Grim Monkeys; Rider; Escape on a Train; The Far Side of the Lake; Presage; Derelicts; Aquarium; In the Trees; Among the Old; The Little Dead Girl; In a Guest House; Underground; Dark Shapes in the Road; Decodings; At the End of the Day; Fogwell; Ice House Pond; Charlie Goode’s Ghosts: Introduction (‘Hauntings: The Power of the Past’); The Dancers in the Leaves; Hearts; Bouquet; The Snow People; Cutlery; Absences; Goode Farm. Bibliography.
Tem’s stories are rooted in a present-day world which, on the surface, appears normal and even safe; a world in which characters go on holiday, attend reunions, pick up children from school, and try to do their jobs as best they can. A closer look, however, reveals a world in which real and imaginary horrors are forever lurking at the edges of vision, ready to reach out and embrace those whose grasp of reality and the ordinary pleasures of life and love is tenuous at best, and slipping more each day.
It is also a world in which the past is a constant companion; no more so than in Tem’s stories of Charlie Goode, gathered together here in their entirety for the first time. Charlie, now retired, is forced to confront his own mortality as the past—his own, and that of others—becomes a reality more solid, more urgent, and more hungry than the present. In attempting to make sense of the threads of his life, Charlie comes to realise, as Tem does, that there is both knowledge and discovery in the power of the past.
The title story, ‘The Far Side of the Lake’ is published in this collection for the first time.
CONTENTS: Introduction (‘Speak Softly and Listen’); At the Bureau; Crutches; The Bad People; Leaks; Stone Head; Mirror Man; The Sky Come Down to Earth; Houses Creaking in the Wind; Grim Monkeys; Rider; Escape on a Train; The Far Side of the Lake; Presage; Derelicts; Aquarium; In the Trees; Among the Old; The Little Dead Girl; In a Guest House; Underground; Dark Shapes in the Road; Decodings; At the End of the Day; Fogwell; Ice House Pond; Charlie Goode’s Ghosts: Introduction (‘Hauntings: The Power of the Past’); The Dancers in the Leaves; Hearts; Bouquet; The Snow People; Cutlery; Absences; Goode Farm. Bibliography.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2001
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About the author
Steve Rasnic Tem
468 books311 followersSteve Rasnic Tem was born in Lee County Virginia in the heart of Appalachia. He is the author of over 350 published short stories and is a past winner of the Bram Stoker, International Horror Guild, British Fantasy, and World Fantasy Awards. His story collections include City Fishing, The Far Side of the Lake, In Concert (with wife Melanie Tem), Ugly Behavior, Celestial Inventories, and Onion Songs. An audio collection, Invisible, is also available. His novels include Excavation, The Book of Days, Daughters, The Man In The Ceiling (with Melanie Tem), and the recent Deadfall Hotel.
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January 17, 2021
This basically is an enjoyably well-crafted absurdist tale (reminding me favourably of much 20th Century European literature) – involving the Theory of Relativity and the insulation of travelling on a train past life’s tragedies without the ability of helping or even connecting, all mingled with this book’s fragile inter-generational caring for children. Yes, absurdist but also genuinely emotional. Didactic, too, in a good way. The Ariel reaching out for the Caliban and vice versa, but because of the glass between never to connect.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.
Displaying 1 of 1 review