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Dystopia
The critically acclaimed collection of Richard Christian Matheson's stories of dread and the 'irreal'. Inescapably troubling and bizarre, these sixty stories are severe and immediate. From Siamese twin country western acts to an alcoholic Santa Claus to movie theaters used as execution chambers, to death by orgasm, to modern-day savages in Hawaii, to beds that have sexual lives of their own, to pleasure by self-mutilation, these stories are a scape of ominous excess and psychological revelation. Matheson's heralded style is, as always, both distilled and hypnotic.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2000
90 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Richard Christian Matheson
101 books43 followersRichard Christian Matheson, the son of author Richard Matheson, writes horror short stories, novels, and screenplays.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 3, 2011
RC Matheson writes like no one I've ever read.....clear, concise, and visceral; his short, short stories with short, short sentences are like an icepick to the brain allowing dark and disturbing images to climb in and stay for awhile. I'm a fan.
June 24, 2017
A solid collection! With so much horror in so few words, Matheson's stories read like flash fiction--so enveloping you can't just read one or two, you're halfway through the book before you realize it! The story 'Red' breaks my heart every time.
April 6, 2018
Well, I thought I was getting pretty good at writing short stories. Then I read this collection by the master.
September 10, 2014
I liked about a third of the stories in this anthology of Matheson writings. The ones I particularly liked had twists at the end, much like a Twilight Zone episode. The other two thirds of the stories were either boring or pornographic in my opinion. I would not recommend this collection of stories or this author, even though the writing style was interesting and well-crafted. Read at your own risk.
October 10, 2015
One of the darkest collections of short stories I have ever, ever read, but also one of THE best, Richard Christian Matheson's anthology really, REALLY gets under your skin, in good ways and bad. No one else I have read before writes like he does and maybe that's for the best. Gripping, unnerving, often surprisingly spot on (in a very scary way) about the human heart and mind, Dystopia is well-titled and refreshingly unique.
September 22, 2019
Stunning
I've always seen his work as a dark star in the constellation of horror fiction. His short fiction is ironic, grim and capable of moments of great beauty. His genre limits his appeal but he's worth consideration alongside the likes of Amy Hempel and George Saunders.
I've always seen his work as a dark star in the constellation of horror fiction. His short fiction is ironic, grim and capable of moments of great beauty. His genre limits his appeal but he's worth consideration alongside the likes of Amy Hempel and George Saunders.
September 30, 2021
From the first story, I thought, "DAMN! This is gonna be good..."
It took me quite awhile to get through this book, but only because I used it to "cleanse the palate" between novels. (I always read short stories between novels.) I'd also use this to read at 3a when I had insomnia. Not the wisest choice, though, as it induced a few nightmares.
The bulk of the stories are incredibly short. 2 pages or less short. It's staggering to see an entire story told in that short a space, but every story, you get the entire picture presented.
And the writing.... wow. It's beautiful. It's damn near lyrical.
Oddly, the only story I didn't care for so much was the longest page count by far. The one about the rise and fall of the rock group.
The rest will stick with me for ages.
I also loved the wonderful introduction written by the author's dad, Richard Matheson. It was very sweet and a little jealous - hah!
It took me quite awhile to get through this book, but only because I used it to "cleanse the palate" between novels. (I always read short stories between novels.) I'd also use this to read at 3a when I had insomnia. Not the wisest choice, though, as it induced a few nightmares.
The bulk of the stories are incredibly short. 2 pages or less short. It's staggering to see an entire story told in that short a space, but every story, you get the entire picture presented.
And the writing.... wow. It's beautiful. It's damn near lyrical.
Oddly, the only story I didn't care for so much was the longest page count by far. The one about the rise and fall of the rock group.
The rest will stick with me for ages.
I also loved the wonderful introduction written by the author's dad, Richard Matheson. It was very sweet and a little jealous - hah!
January 31, 2018
This was good in parts, brilliant in parts, and a bit too macabre in parts. The quality is generally very good, and there are lots of stories here to get one's teeth into.
The author has real talent with words, and there are descriptive passages in here that are as good as anything I've read in dystopia.
Trouble is, there is real need for editorial work. Not to correct grammar or typos or anything like that. But a strong eye would have urged dropping a few stories, amending unsatisfactory endings in others, and generally shaping the collection in a better way.
Nevertheless, I recommend this for dystopia fans. It is bizarre and mainly enjoyable.
The author has real talent with words, and there are descriptive passages in here that are as good as anything I've read in dystopia.
Trouble is, there is real need for editorial work. Not to correct grammar or typos or anything like that. But a strong eye would have urged dropping a few stories, amending unsatisfactory endings in others, and generally shaping the collection in a better way.
Nevertheless, I recommend this for dystopia fans. It is bizarre and mainly enjoyable.
February 8, 2018
A collection of short stories with exactly the same ending. That ending being me, rolling my eyes.
At worst these stories remind me of particularly good “copypasta”. Cute little stories with twist endings that you can usually see coming a mile away. The literary equivalent of dollar store candy. The difference between salt water taffy and tootsie rolls.
Still, I like tootsie rolls and I liked these stories. My time wasn’t wasted and if you too have spent hours rotting your teeth on forums and message boards reading the amateur horror attempts of the someday soon talented then I recommend this book.
At worst these stories remind me of particularly good “copypasta”. Cute little stories with twist endings that you can usually see coming a mile away. The literary equivalent of dollar store candy. The difference between salt water taffy and tootsie rolls.
Still, I like tootsie rolls and I liked these stories. My time wasn’t wasted and if you too have spent hours rotting your teeth on forums and message boards reading the amateur horror attempts of the someday soon talented then I recommend this book.
August 15, 2017
This volume of short stories imposes itself as a classic. The variety of themes and the efficency of the storytelling are impressive. The stories are incredibly haunting and scar the brain for ever. A neurological tatooing with a style as sharp as a blade. It is a luck that it is translated in french.
Samia Salah.
Samia Salah.
October 10, 2018
Unfortunately, this short story collection did not hold up to the standard established by Matheson's previous work. Some of the stories were entertaining, but none stood out as exceptional and there were a lot of duds.
November 19, 2020
This book does contain some really good stories, but it also contains lots of stories that are not really good. A best of collection would have suited me better than this very comprehensive collection.
February 24, 2024
It took a while for me to read this not because it was a hard read but I wanted to digest the stories. Some stories were very short and very clever. It's like a modern day Roald Dahl very well written and worth the read.
February 25, 2026
Beware these are the same stories as his other collection called "scars"
My rating is a reflection of feeling vaguely ripped off after purchasing both books ...not the writing itself. Matheson (junior) is an original stylist in an overcrowded genre.
My rating is a reflection of feeling vaguely ripped off after purchasing both books ...not the writing itself. Matheson (junior) is an original stylist in an overcrowded genre.
August 22, 2017
Very clever and in-depth stories that are very short and sweet.
August 1, 2020
Un grand nombre de courtes nouvelles, de qualité du coup forcément inégales
September 17, 2023
Tried hard to let myself impressed, but that didn't happen.
July 13, 2024
I enjoyed most of the stories. Some I wasn't smart enough to get...
September 24, 2025
Super fascinating stories are spookily intertwined into an anthology book.
November 27, 2011
This review is from: Dystopia (Kindle Edition)
Richard Christian Matheson makes words count. In DYSTOPIA, even for the third time reading most of them, they still have power. They are mordant, humane, sad, horrific. Red is justifiably one of his finest stories. Reading it again, I see art work of such dexterity and timing and peeling back the label one step at a time. It should be taught in high schools and colleges. For the sheer construction of it, and most especially the ache we feel for this sad person and what happens. The fun of Canceled, Shutterbugs, The Screaming Man, Where There's a Will, and most especially the beauty, the touching of the heart in the last story. I hope anyone who has lost someone close,will read Who's You in America. You will want to say a from the heart thanks. He is extremely good. Extremely.
Thanks.
Richard Christian Matheson makes words count. In DYSTOPIA, even for the third time reading most of them, they still have power. They are mordant, humane, sad, horrific. Red is justifiably one of his finest stories. Reading it again, I see art work of such dexterity and timing and peeling back the label one step at a time. It should be taught in high schools and colleges. For the sheer construction of it, and most especially the ache we feel for this sad person and what happens. The fun of Canceled, Shutterbugs, The Screaming Man, Where There's a Will, and most especially the beauty, the touching of the heart in the last story. I hope anyone who has lost someone close,will read Who's You in America. You will want to say a from the heart thanks. He is extremely good. Extremely.
Thanks.
June 28, 2013
Richard Christian Matheson's mastery of the short story form is apparent in this collection. Precision and word economy, compounded with satisfying endings(often with a twist), make these stories enjoyable and memorable. RC Matheson comes close to challenging his father's mastery of the form in several places in this volume. Highly recommended.
March 30, 2026
RC Matheson never disappoints
Much like his father, RC delivers thought-provoking and well written short stories. He is in fact a master of the short shorts. The range of topics found in this collection is vast and will please virtually every reader. A must for fans of the genre.
Much like his father, RC delivers thought-provoking and well written short stories. He is in fact a master of the short shorts. The range of topics found in this collection is vast and will please virtually every reader. A must for fans of the genre.
April 22, 2014
I enjoyed the dark, twisted short stories I was able to get to before this book was due back at the library, but I never had a chance to read the whole collection. I would like to finish them all one day.
November 15, 2011
So gorgeous I can't even.
December 9, 2012
This is my favorite short stories book. No one can write like Richard Christian Matheson! There is always a surprise at the end of each story. It's amazing!
August 25, 2014
Friends with Peter Straub, raised on Bradbury, Bloch, & his father's works, Matheson naturally knows how to tweak an ending. Great short stories.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews