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First Person Peculiar
Some writing classes caution their students to avoid first-person stories—too traditional, too dated, too difficult to sell. We’ve convinced 5-time Hugo Award winner Mike Resnick to show you how it’s done with two dozen of his best first-person stories.You want Hugo nominees? We got ’em.Humor? Them, too.Award winners and nominees? Yep.Fantasy? But, of course.Science fiction? Absolutely.Sherlock Holmes? We’ve even got one of them.Mike Resnick is, according to Locus magazine, the all-time leading award winner, living or dead, for short fiction. First Person Peculiar will explain why.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2014
4 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Mike Resnick
815 books552 followersMichael "Mike" Diamond Resnick, better known by his published name Mike Resnick, was a popular and prolific American science fiction author. He is, according to Locus, the all-time leading award winner, living or dead, for short science fiction. He was the winner of five Hugos, a Nebula, and other major awards in the United States, France, Spain, Japan, Croatia and Poland. and has been short-listed for major awards in England, Italy and Australia. He was the author of 68 novels, over 250 stories, and 2 screenplays, and was the editor of 41 anthologies. His work has been translated into 25 languages. He was the Guest of Honor at the 2012 Worldcon and can be found online as @ResnickMike on Twitter or at www.mikeresnick.com.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 15, 2017
I picked up this collection of Mike Resnick short stories in a Humble Bundle a while ago - I'm not sure which one, but I'm guessing the Nebula bundle, as I believe at least one and perhaps more of these stories were nominated for and/or won that award. Weirdly, I read this in close proximity to another book of short stories by another author that came in the same bundle, and the two started to blend together in my head.
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
August 22, 2016
No one of these stories on its own would be particularly remarkable. They're not good, but no single one them is bad enough to stand out. Taken all together though, they're incredibly obnoxious. And so is their author.
It's the author's notes before each one that really grate. Mike never lets a single one go by without mentioning how easy it was to write or how many awards he's won. The stories then carry on in a similar tone; every one of his protagonists is that guy who's convinced that everyone he works with is an idiot and the company would fall apart if he ever took a day off.
And they all have the same voice. Every one of his characters does, regardless of who they are our what the context is. And they all think they're the smartest guy in the room no matter what room they're in.
The stories themselves follow two basic patterns; either there's meant to be a twist, but it's incredibly trite and obvious, or it's meant to be funny, but isn't. I think he's trying to write like Terry Pratchett, but lacks Pratchett's wit, not to mention his ability to write more than one character or believable dialogue.
And on top of all that, it's painfully obvious that he does no research. Whether it's science, history, or anything else, he's more than happy to start with half-remembered misconceptions and just make the rest up.
I got more and more irritated as I read the book, till by the last couple of stories I was muttering "get fucked" every few minutes as I read. If I could give less than one star, I would. Most bad books just aren't good. Some advocate distasteful views. But this one manages to give the exact experience of being trapped in a conversation with someone you can't stand
It's the author's notes before each one that really grate. Mike never lets a single one go by without mentioning how easy it was to write or how many awards he's won. The stories then carry on in a similar tone; every one of his protagonists is that guy who's convinced that everyone he works with is an idiot and the company would fall apart if he ever took a day off.
And they all have the same voice. Every one of his characters does, regardless of who they are our what the context is. And they all think they're the smartest guy in the room no matter what room they're in.
The stories themselves follow two basic patterns; either there's meant to be a twist, but it's incredibly trite and obvious, or it's meant to be funny, but isn't. I think he's trying to write like Terry Pratchett, but lacks Pratchett's wit, not to mention his ability to write more than one character or believable dialogue.
And on top of all that, it's painfully obvious that he does no research. Whether it's science, history, or anything else, he's more than happy to start with half-remembered misconceptions and just make the rest up.
I got more and more irritated as I read the book, till by the last couple of stories I was muttering "get fucked" every few minutes as I read. If I could give less than one star, I would. Most bad books just aren't good. Some advocate distasteful views. But this one manages to give the exact experience of being trapped in a conversation with someone you can't stand
June 10, 2019
What it's about: This anthology of science fiction stories is centered around one organizing principle: Each one is written in the first person perspective.
What I thought: There were a lot of fun stories here, and the intro, combined with the stories, could serve as a unit of instruction in an English class in the various modalities of first person perspective.
The introductions suggest that Resnick regularly comes up with interesting-sounding titles, then writes a story that makes the title make sense.
There's also a strong Jewish undercurrent to many of the stories. Well, "undercurrent" might not be the right word; Resnick is a fan of the stereotypical Brooklyn Jewish archetypes - a bit more than worked for me.
But the stories were well-written and well-paced, and had some interesting and unusual ideas.
Why I rated it like I did: I enjoyed the anthology, though some of the characterizations were a bit heavy-handed.
What I thought: There were a lot of fun stories here, and the intro, combined with the stories, could serve as a unit of instruction in an English class in the various modalities of first person perspective.
The introductions suggest that Resnick regularly comes up with interesting-sounding titles, then writes a story that makes the title make sense.
There's also a strong Jewish undercurrent to many of the stories. Well, "undercurrent" might not be the right word; Resnick is a fan of the stereotypical Brooklyn Jewish archetypes - a bit more than worked for me.
But the stories were well-written and well-paced, and had some interesting and unusual ideas.
Why I rated it like I did: I enjoyed the anthology, though some of the characterizations were a bit heavy-handed.
June 5, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this one.
The bad: There are some very repetitive themes ("what if this famous person was Jewish, amirite?"), all the narrators sound the same, and Resnick really doesn't know how to write women - in his universe the only women that exist are one-dimensional Jewish mums, far away princesses, dead hookers or money-grubbing gold-diggers. Many of the stories read more like very long jokes that have been set up for a predictable punchline. The stories (and the author notes) kind of ooze smugness and very often talk down to the audience. I realise all this makes it sound like I didn't enjoy the book. I did actually enjoy a lot of it, it's just that the problems were so in-your-face that they have left the most lasting impression.
The good: Some of the stories are original, or pretty fantastic, even incredibly depressing. Even my favourite stories in the book suffered from the problems above so much that I hesitate to list them, but in no particular order here are the ones I liked the most:
* Here’s Looking at You, Kid
* Wizard of 34th Street
* Beachcomber
Despite the issues I had with the book, it was enjoyable enough that I will check out something else by Resnick, maybe a novel this time.
The bad: There are some very repetitive themes ("what if this famous person was Jewish, amirite?"), all the narrators sound the same, and Resnick really doesn't know how to write women - in his universe the only women that exist are one-dimensional Jewish mums, far away princesses, dead hookers or money-grubbing gold-diggers. Many of the stories read more like very long jokes that have been set up for a predictable punchline. The stories (and the author notes) kind of ooze smugness and very often talk down to the audience. I realise all this makes it sound like I didn't enjoy the book. I did actually enjoy a lot of it, it's just that the problems were so in-your-face that they have left the most lasting impression.
The good: Some of the stories are original, or pretty fantastic, even incredibly depressing. Even my favourite stories in the book suffered from the problems above so much that I hesitate to list them, but in no particular order here are the ones I liked the most:
* Here’s Looking at You, Kid
* Wizard of 34th Street
* Beachcomber
Despite the issues I had with the book, it was enjoyable enough that I will check out something else by Resnick, maybe a novel this time.
September 4, 2017
Mike Resnick is one of the most nominated science fiction authors. A prolific writer with a long career, Resnick keep filling the short fiction sections of the Hugos and Nebulas, and has won a few awards as well. This collection is themed by viewpoint. Every single story is told in first person, from the point of few of a slightly odd protagonist in an odd situation. Resnick specializes in humor and Jewish shtick, so if you find that funny you'll enjoy this collection. If that isn't your thing, this will be a solid miss. A few more ironic stories (The Wizard of 34th Street) balance out the simply dumb, but nothing in here will take much time or brain power.
August 24, 2019
A very mixed bag. Four or five were very good (The Wizard of West 34th Street, and a Princess of Earth stand out in my memory). Four or five were so boring or obnoxious that I skipped over them. The rest were just ok.
December 27, 2025
Probably three or four are good (even very good) stories, while the rest just feel like (Jewish) dad jokes. Considering the author was nominated 37 (!) times to the Hugos, winning it five times for its short stories, his humor was not necessarily bad, but now it feels quite dated.
September 19, 2017
Most of those stories feels dated, or written to a different audience. A few of them are downright sexist, while others are just ... well - not that interesting?
January 17, 2022
I liked "The Wizard of 34th Street," "Me And My Shadow," and "Cobbling Together a Solution"
July 5, 2014
This was an enjoyable collection of short stories with the unifying factor that all are written in the first person, as the title implies. Another common factor is a humorous tone. There are comedic reimaginings of such iconic characters as Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, the Lone Ranger, and Robin Hood, plus stories featuring Resnick's own recurring characters, and a number of one-offs. Quite a few are what he himself calls Jewish schtick stories, featuring stereotypical Jewish mothers, Yiddish-sprinkled dialogue and the like.
Generally I found the stories fun but not great, and sometimes the recycling of familiar tropes felt a little tired, like in the Dracula piece, where Dracula and his "brides" appear as a rock band and the story is told from the POV of a talent agent who remains painfully oblivious to his clients' true nature throughout. The most successful and hearfelt of these revisits of old favorites is "A Princess of Earth", which reminds the reader of the charm and sense of wonder of the John Carter of Mars stories, when a widower basically paralyzed by grief gets a surprise visit from a naked man claiming to be John Carter; they find common ground in their love of their respectable princesses, and the ending suggests a magical hope for the protagonist. I would give this single story a full five stars.
Generally I found the stories fun but not great, and sometimes the recycling of familiar tropes felt a little tired, like in the Dracula piece, where Dracula and his "brides" appear as a rock band and the story is told from the POV of a talent agent who remains painfully oblivious to his clients' true nature throughout. The most successful and hearfelt of these revisits of old favorites is "A Princess of Earth", which reminds the reader of the charm and sense of wonder of the John Carter of Mars stories, when a widower basically paralyzed by grief gets a surprise visit from a naked man claiming to be John Carter; they find common ground in their love of their respectable princesses, and the ending suggests a magical hope for the protagonist. I would give this single story a full five stars.
July 10, 2014
Some stories make you laugh. Some bring heartache. It is a masterful narrator who is able to weave both with such skill, and it turns out Mike Resnick is one of them.
Bundled under a curious gimmick (all the stories are presented in the first person), this is a collection of short stories that reminded me of the works I particularly enjoyed by Ray Bradbury and Alfred Bester. Among my favorites were "Down Memory Lane" and "Blue" (two strong contenders for the Heartbreak-in-short-story-form Award), "The Evening Line" (for making me laugh out loud quite a few times), "Cobbling Together a Solution" (such a smart short story), and both "Here's Looking at You Kid" and "A Princess of Earth" (for the amount of winks they offer to movie and literature buffs each). But every story included in the volume has something special about it, and it's no wonder the author stands as the most awarded author of short science fiction.
All in all, a wonderful and enjoyable read, and definitely one of my favorite short story collections to date.
Bundled under a curious gimmick (all the stories are presented in the first person), this is a collection of short stories that reminded me of the works I particularly enjoyed by Ray Bradbury and Alfred Bester. Among my favorites were "Down Memory Lane" and "Blue" (two strong contenders for the Heartbreak-in-short-story-form Award), "The Evening Line" (for making me laugh out loud quite a few times), "Cobbling Together a Solution" (such a smart short story), and both "Here's Looking at You Kid" and "A Princess of Earth" (for the amount of winks they offer to movie and literature buffs each). But every story included in the volume has something special about it, and it's no wonder the author stands as the most awarded author of short science fiction.
All in all, a wonderful and enjoyable read, and definitely one of my favorite short story collections to date.
August 2, 2020
Mike Resnick is a good (and award-winning) writer, fluid if not downright glib. All of the stories in this collection are first person and most are humorous. Many of the stories were a setup for a gag, and that's fine if you like that sort of thing. It's not humor that appeals to me. So most of the stories were pretty "meh" and I skimmed them. Last year I read an anthology edited by Orson Scott Card that presented stories by some of the masters of science fiction. Even though the storytelling style was identifiable other eras, the stories held up and were enjoyable. I didn't get that sense with this volume. My Kindle version doesn't tell me when each story was published. They feel old. I don't think the stories aged well. At some point, I hope to read a Mike Resnick novel and be thrilled by it. I'll be careful to not get one that's told first person.
August 2, 2014
While a number of the stories are over-reliant on Jewish tradition (Robin hood as a Jew, a boy brings a mermaid home to his Jewish mother, etc.), that's the only quibble I have with this collection. A few stories are only middling, but several are very powerful - 'A Princess of Earth', 'Old MacDonald Had a Farm', and especially 'Down Memory Lane' are wonderful emotional stories. And several others are darkly humorous, such as 'Me' and 'Catastrophe Baker and the Canticle for Leibowitz, 'The Adventure at the Pearly Gates,' and 'A Little Night Music.' I wasn't familiar with Mike Resnick going into this book, but I will definitely be looking into more of his work after finishing it.
April 10, 2017
For me, this collection of short stories suffered because it didn't follow the age old saying: Don't start with the show stopper.
More or less, that basically mean that the very first story in the collection, The Wizard of 34th Street, was by far my favorite story.
The rest of this collection just failed to grab me at all. Some were simply boring, and others were the literary version of "Oscar bait" stories (or "Hugo bait" if you will), and I've never been a big fan of that kind of thing.
So, all told, I cannot say I recommend this one.
More or less, that basically mean that the very first story in the collection, The Wizard of 34th Street, was by far my favorite story.
The rest of this collection just failed to grab me at all. Some were simply boring, and others were the literary version of "Oscar bait" stories (or "Hugo bait" if you will), and I've never been a big fan of that kind of thing.
So, all told, I cannot say I recommend this one.
July 9, 2014
I had a really nice time with this. ALl of these, mostly, science fiction stories are written in the first person. The introduction went on about how writing instructors tell people to shy away from first person narration. I didn't know that, and if it is true, I don't care. The stories were good, a lot of them were damned funny. None were bad, but a few were forgettable. Fun way to spend walking the dog in the morning, reading this book.
May 4, 2016
I really enjoyed a few of the stories, but overall I found them very difficult to get into. Many of them were too "jokey" for my taste. I ended up giving up on a number of them or skipping some entirely after reading the beginning of the stories.
October 18, 2024
A good collection. It feels particularly strong because they're all first person stories, which gives you a strong sense of the protag's voice/POV/outlook on life and things. And in this case, they're all pretty amusing outlooks.
June 30, 2014
Excellent collection by an excellent author. Each story feels fresh and original.
August 7, 2015
Some good stories, some not so good stories.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews