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Scar Tissue: Seven Stories of Love and Wounds
An anthology of seven short stories:
* “The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away” (nominated for Thriller and Macavity Awards)
* “The Days When You Were Anything Else”
* “No One”
* “Gravity and Need”
* “As Breathing”
* “Cobalt”
* “The Time Before the Last”
These stories of men and women pushed to—and beyond—the ragged edge demonstrate why National Public Radio declared Sakey writes “crime drama for the 21st century.”
“Author-narrated titles can be hit or miss. This one hits the bull’s-eye. Bestselling crime novelist Marcus Sakey delivers the seven stories in this collection, bringing out their powerful images and psychological complexity with an intense yet conversational narration. Listeners are drawn into each unique story and main character. Sakey’s skillful approach to pacing and emphasis enhances the listening experience. In a short story, every word matters. Sakey delivers on each one. K.C.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine”
* “The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away” (nominated for Thriller and Macavity Awards)
* “The Days When You Were Anything Else”
* “No One”
* “Gravity and Need”
* “As Breathing”
* “Cobalt”
* “The Time Before the Last”
These stories of men and women pushed to—and beyond—the ragged edge demonstrate why National Public Radio declared Sakey writes “crime drama for the 21st century.”
“Author-narrated titles can be hit or miss. This one hits the bull’s-eye. Bestselling crime novelist Marcus Sakey delivers the seven stories in this collection, bringing out their powerful images and psychological complexity with an intense yet conversational narration. Listeners are drawn into each unique story and main character. Sakey’s skillful approach to pacing and emphasis enhances the listening experience. In a short story, every word matters. Sakey delivers on each one. K.C.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine”
Audio CD
First published July 14, 2010
82 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Marcus Sakey
34 books1,395 followersMarcus Sakey is the bestselling author of nine novels, including the Brilliance Trilogy, which has sold more than a million copies.
His novel AFTERLIFE (July 18, 2017) is soon to be a major motion picture from Imagine Entertainment and producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. His novel Good People was made into a film starring James Franco and Kate Hudson.
Marcus lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter.
His novel AFTERLIFE (July 18, 2017) is soon to be a major motion picture from Imagine Entertainment and producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. His novel Good People was made into a film starring James Franco and Kate Hudson.
Marcus lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter.
Review Quotes
"Ridiculously good...Sakey makes you grin at high-flying feats of imagination, and then grin harder because he sticks the landing. The master of the mindful page turner."
-Gillian Flynn
"Nothing short of brilliant."
-Chicago Tribune
"It's depth and intelligence and passion and emotion that set Sakey apart."
-Lee Child
"Sakey reminds me why I keep reading."
-Cleveland Plain-Dealer
"One of our best storytellers."
-Michael Connelly
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 10, 2024
Not for me
September 22, 2012
There are many reasons why what could have been just a good story turns into a great one, but it almost always requires a piece of the author's soul to stick to the story and flavor it with an unmistakable true-life ingredient. When an author writes stories with a dramatic edge without going through some gut twisting, the result is plastic, regardless of how professional his prose may be; but if he reads what he has written and it evokes long-forgotten sensations, whether pleasant or disagreeable, the potential for a great story is there.
The Days When You Were Anything Else, the opening story in Marcus Sakey's "Scar Tissue" collection, is a great story. I liked all seven short stories in the collection, but after reflecting on The Days When You Were Anything Else it seems almost inappropriate to get into details about the others. It is a crime story and the setup is sort of commonplace – an old ex-convict, now in reduced conditions, works as a bartender in a sordid joint. His daughter, who ran away while he was in jail and presumably developed psychological disorders as a result, hates him and only calls him once in a while to hurt him. He doesn't want to go back to his old life and become a criminal again, but circumstances are compelling. Nothing new here. You've read a hundred stories and seen a bunch of movies like that, right?
Wrong!
The storyline is really not important here; it is only a vehicle for the author to drag you into the protagonist's shoes and make you shudder and twitch in them, feeling exactly what he must be feeling. The author paints a vivid picture of a father's torment at seeing his child hurt, and he does so by throwing scattered images at you, which together push the right buttons. And the ending, whether you've seen it coming or not, leaves you fully satisfied.
I learned about this collection from Joe Konrath's blog, which also tells the whole story of the worthy cause which it benefits, and I highly recommend that you go and read it too. I, for one, look forward to reading more from this author.
The Days When You Were Anything Else, the opening story in Marcus Sakey's "Scar Tissue" collection, is a great story. I liked all seven short stories in the collection, but after reflecting on The Days When You Were Anything Else it seems almost inappropriate to get into details about the others. It is a crime story and the setup is sort of commonplace – an old ex-convict, now in reduced conditions, works as a bartender in a sordid joint. His daughter, who ran away while he was in jail and presumably developed psychological disorders as a result, hates him and only calls him once in a while to hurt him. He doesn't want to go back to his old life and become a criminal again, but circumstances are compelling. Nothing new here. You've read a hundred stories and seen a bunch of movies like that, right?
Wrong!
The storyline is really not important here; it is only a vehicle for the author to drag you into the protagonist's shoes and make you shudder and twitch in them, feeling exactly what he must be feeling. The author paints a vivid picture of a father's torment at seeing his child hurt, and he does so by throwing scattered images at you, which together push the right buttons. And the ending, whether you've seen it coming or not, leaves you fully satisfied.
I learned about this collection from Joe Konrath's blog, which also tells the whole story of the worthy cause which it benefits, and I highly recommend that you go and read it too. I, for one, look forward to reading more from this author.
October 4, 2014
Oh. My. God. This was fantastic! I'd never read Sakey, or heard of him for that matter, before this post over on JA Konrath's blog. It seemed like the proceeds were going to a good cause, so I purchased it.
The first story was a little off for me, but the rest of them more than made up for it. Sakey has a way of using descriptors in an unexpected but wholly effective manner. I loved the way he would paint a picture with his words. Each story really drew me in.
The bottom line is if you've not read anything by him yet, you should. This is a good place to start, with 50% of the proceeds going to pediatric cancer research (according to the blog post above). This won't be my last read from this author.
The first story was a little off for me, but the rest of them more than made up for it. Sakey has a way of using descriptors in an unexpected but wholly effective manner. I loved the way he would paint a picture with his words. Each story really drew me in.
The bottom line is if you've not read anything by him yet, you should. This is a good place to start, with 50% of the proceeds going to pediatric cancer research (according to the blog post above). This won't be my last read from this author.
January 19, 2023
“I envy the reader that gets to live these stories for the first time.”
Being pushed to their limits, above & beyond, the men & women in these stories max out their capabilities.
“The Days When You Were Anything Else”
a father who does what it takes for his daughter.
“As Breathing”
a hit man that will only stop killing for love. For the wrong woman.
“Gravity and Need”
burden or bond. Not all secrets are pretty. Committed, all or nothing. “I need you”.
“The Time Before the Last”
whoa… tear 💧
“No One”
The line between love and obsession…
“Cobalt”
I couldn’t catch on to this one…
“The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away”
What was it like? They can’t remember but still suffer the effects of war. Stuck fighting. PTSD trigger warnings.
Being pushed to their limits, above & beyond, the men & women in these stories max out their capabilities.
“The Days When You Were Anything Else”
a father who does what it takes for his daughter.
“As Breathing”
a hit man that will only stop killing for love. For the wrong woman.
“Gravity and Need”
burden or bond. Not all secrets are pretty. Committed, all or nothing. “I need you”.
“The Time Before the Last”
whoa… tear 💧
“No One”
The line between love and obsession…
“Cobalt”
I couldn’t catch on to this one…
“The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away”
What was it like? They can’t remember but still suffer the effects of war. Stuck fighting. PTSD trigger warnings.
January 7, 2018
Ruthless, somber, wry at times; there are quite a few different flavors to the short stories found in this enjoyable collection. If you’ve not read Sakey before I would not start with Scar Tissue. One of the reasons it was so fun to read was hearing him reflect upon his career in the interludes before each short story.
December 16, 2018
Serious and to the point.
I don't usually like short stories, but these were well written and to the point. They also left you wanting more. I would recommend this book to someone that is exploring new authors. It's a good look at how Mr. Sakay grabs his audience and tells a gripping story.
I don't usually like short stories, but these were well written and to the point. They also left you wanting more. I would recommend this book to someone that is exploring new authors. It's a good look at how Mr. Sakay grabs his audience and tells a gripping story.
April 20, 2021
Nice selection of short stories
Seven short stories that have a lot going on in them. The art of a short story is to paint the image of a larger story with less words. Every sentence counts. The reader gets more with less. These stories cover a lot of territory.
Seven short stories that have a lot going on in them. The art of a short story is to paint the image of a larger story with less words. Every sentence counts. The reader gets more with less. These stories cover a lot of territory.
March 4, 2020
Not a short story fan
I didn't care for the plots of these short stories. I think Marcus Sakey is a great writer and I love his novels. Just didn't care for these.
I didn't care for the plots of these short stories. I think Marcus Sakey is a great writer and I love his novels. Just didn't care for these.
April 12, 2021
Excellent as usual
Dark, gritty, suspenseful and insightful. Everything you expect from Marcus Sakey, an excellent collection of short stories definitely recommend this book.
Dark, gritty, suspenseful and insightful. Everything you expect from Marcus Sakey, an excellent collection of short stories definitely recommend this book.
September 11, 2023
Excellent collection of short stories. Nice easy read if you don’t want to commit to a whole book to find out what happens!
December 13, 2023
Who's who
Great short stories. I would like to see some of them in a novel. Enjoyed all of the stories. The real short ones were best.
Great short stories. I would like to see some of them in a novel. Enjoyed all of the stories. The real short ones were best.
October 4, 2012
Marcus Sakey is more than just hype, that I can tell you. I didn't know anything about him last week and then picked up Scar Tissue on a whim, because of his involvement with pediatric cancer (and because I love crime fiction too) and I've read this baby in one sitting. There are some stories that stand out, like THE DAYS WHEN YOU WERE ANYTHING ELSE, GRAVITY AND NEED and THE DESERT HERE AND THE DESERT FAR AWAY, who are told in a strong, unique voice. It was definitively worth the asking price and tipped me unto Sakey, who knows how to slalom around clichés and tired muses. He is worth keeping an eye on
March 26, 2013
Short stories are hard, but Sakey really does it well. I was drawn in several times, and kept reading until the end. The author is able to pull you into a story, introduce and explain the characters, and give you a nice nugget of a story very quickly. I'd recommend it for short story lovers, and look forward to reading more from Sakey.
February 21, 2016
This book was recommended to me by a fellow reader. I found these stories to be rather intriguing-attention grabbing with a slight twist. The content presented in each story kept me reading & I was finished reading all the stories before I knew it. As this was my first read by Marcus Sakey, I found myself enjoying his style of writing & I plan to read more of his work.
August 10, 2012
This is a book of short stories...I've never read one like it before and it was only ok for me. I didn't dislike any of the stories but I enjoy a longer book that I can get involved in. This just didn't do it for me.
December 31, 2012
Very enjoyable collection. The stories "The Deserts Here and the Deserts Far Away" and "The Days When You Were Anything Else" were great. So was the story "The Time Before the Last," which I included in my anthology Hint Fiction.
August 13, 2013
Quick, easy read. This is the first Marcus Sakey book that I have read and these short stories didn't disappoint. Each story puts an interesting spin on relationships, and the things humans will do in the name of love.
February 21, 2016
Great collection
I've so enjoyed, and puzzled over, many of Sakey's stories. The "Brillants" trilogy was fantastic, so it doesn't surprise me to know his short stories are just as good. Another new kid on the block .... and SO welcomed!
I've so enjoyed, and puzzled over, many of Sakey's stories. The "Brillants" trilogy was fantastic, so it doesn't surprise me to know his short stories are just as good. Another new kid on the block .... and SO welcomed!
August 26, 2010
You can read my thoughts here. (3.5/5)
November 7, 2011
3.5 stars
December 4, 2012
I'm not a big fan of short stories but these are spectacular. Sakey keeps on getting better and better.
December 15, 2012
Excellent collection of stories told in Sakey's unmistakable style.
January 17, 2016
Super fast read, but great stories... leaves you wanting more.
September 19, 2012
Seven stunning short stories of violence, suspense, and heartbreak.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews