What do you think?
Rate this book
Tiny Deaths
Analyzing the complexity, absurdity, and blessedness of seemingly ordinary people, this debut collection examines the metaphysical assumptions surrounding death. From the end of a relationship to the meaning behind its title, this collection continually surprises and subverts, utilizing topics such as alien intelligence, reincarnation, imaginary children, and even conversations with Hitler’s childhood pet. Engaging and diverse, this compendium offers a fascinating perspective on mortality.
224 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2007
8 people are currently reading
711 people want to read
About the author
Robert Shearman
173 books228 followersRobert Shearman has worked as a writer for television, radio and the stage. He was appointed resident dramatist at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter and has received several international awards for his theatrical work, including the Sunday Times Playwriting Award, the World Drama Trust Award and the Guinness Award for Ingenuity in association with the Royal National Theatre. His plays have been regularly produced by Alan Ayckbourn, and on BBC Radio by Martin Jarvis. However, he is probably best known as a writer for Doctor Who, reintroducing the Daleks for its BAFTA winning first series, in an episode nominated for a Hugo Award.
His first collection of short stories, Tiny Deaths, was published by Comma Press in 2007. It won the World Fantasy Award for best collection, was shortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize and nominated for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize. One of the stories from it was selected by the National Library Board of Singapore as part of the annual Read! Singapore campaign. In 2008 his short story project for BBC7, The Chain Gang, won him a Sony Award, and he provided a second series for them in 2009.
He is now at work on his first novel.
His first collection of short stories, Tiny Deaths, was published by Comma Press in 2007. It won the World Fantasy Award for best collection, was shortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize and nominated for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize. One of the stories from it was selected by the National Library Board of Singapore as part of the annual Read! Singapore campaign. In 2008 his short story project for BBC7, The Chain Gang, won him a Sony Award, and he provided a second series for them in 2009.
He is now at work on his first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 31, 2008
What a powerful and wonderful book this is. In deliberately toned-down and undemonstrative prose, Shearman takes the lives of average people, suburbanites, office-workers, the patiently married, the mildly disappointed, and, with one single fundamental shift of perspective (for want of a better word), creates a reality that surprises, informs and moves, often deeply. I found most of these stories compelling, touching, occasionally gut-wrenching, often funny, with a capacity to tell truths about the way we live that many far more ambitiously written books just don't have. It's the kind of book you want to press into other people's hands.
February 27, 2022
Me encanta cómo escribe este hombre, y cómo es capaz de contar cosas horribles sin perder ese peculiar sentido del humor que le caracteriza y, al mismo tiempo, resultar enternecedor
September 9, 2016
A solid collection of tales, mainly modern genre pieces, or dryly British comic takes on modern genre pieces (sometimes, the difference is imperceptible).
Would that that were true of the opening tale, "Mortal Coil", in which people are informed, by mail, of their death dates. It's a shame its the opener because its pretty all-over-the-place tone wise, wanting to have its little dry comic cake and eat it it too. Only this and "Ashes To Ashes", in which a woman is reincarnated (or spiritually embodies) an ashtray in her mother's house, seemed a little too cute for their own good, and pretty much everything else in this collection is solid work.
Particular note must be made of "Damned If You Don't" which starts out unpromisingly (too clever by half, as a man dies and goes to hell and becomes the roommate of Hitler's dog) but ends with a nice black comic bite. Also "Grappa", which is pretty much a straight ahead lit tale, nicely observed. There are other great surprises to be had here and I won't ruin them. The three best in the book are the title story, which must be read to be appreciated, really, and I'd like to imagine it was as enjoyable for me, rigorous agnostic that I am, as it would be for a full-blown Christian. "Stuff We Leave Behind" is a nifty little horror story and "Static" features the saga of an old man who has a strong relationship with his old television.
Really, great solid story writing here.
Would that that were true of the opening tale, "Mortal Coil", in which people are informed, by mail, of their death dates. It's a shame its the opener because its pretty all-over-the-place tone wise, wanting to have its little dry comic cake and eat it it too. Only this and "Ashes To Ashes", in which a woman is reincarnated (or spiritually embodies) an ashtray in her mother's house, seemed a little too cute for their own good, and pretty much everything else in this collection is solid work.
Particular note must be made of "Damned If You Don't" which starts out unpromisingly (too clever by half, as a man dies and goes to hell and becomes the roommate of Hitler's dog) but ends with a nice black comic bite. Also "Grappa", which is pretty much a straight ahead lit tale, nicely observed. There are other great surprises to be had here and I won't ruin them. The three best in the book are the title story, which must be read to be appreciated, really, and I'd like to imagine it was as enjoyable for me, rigorous agnostic that I am, as it would be for a full-blown Christian. "Stuff We Leave Behind" is a nifty little horror story and "Static" features the saga of an old man who has a strong relationship with his old television.
Really, great solid story writing here.
November 28, 2008
What's remarkable about this story collection, I think, is an anarchic imagination - a woman gives birth to furniture, the powers that be decide to take our knowledge of our mortality to its logical conclusion, a woman dies several times over, once for each of her children - combined most unusually with a touching humanity. Every crazy thing that happens here is believable, every character touches you in some way, because they come to you through Robert Shearman's affectionate understanding and his wry, sometimes comic voice.
November 6, 2022
A powerful collection of black comedy short stories.
Being a fan of Shearman's work on Doctor Who, I was delighted to learn that he had since turned his hand to writing dark short fiction. Tiny Deaths is my first collection from the author and it had me hooked from the first paragraph.
As the title suggests, death is a recurring theme in each of these stories. Most approach this through macabre absurdity but a couple are more grounded in reality, often focusing on the difficulties of love. While I was more drawn to the former, I appreciated the breaks afforded by the latter.
Shearman has a style not unlike Roald Dahl's, which is to say bitter but very readable. That being said, Shearman's ability to reveal the interior life of his characters, no matter how ugly, was exceptional. Every one of his protagonists end in a vastly different place to where they started, both emotionally and physically speaking. It didn't matter if the tale involved made-up girls, bleeding televisions or Hitler's first dog, I always believed the irrational pride and love that steered the plot.
Shearman's chosen subject matter does not always make for a relaxing read, particularly for those who suffer severe anxiety over the death of loved ones, but it is engrossing and deserves greater acclaim. I recommend Tiny Deaths to readers who like their short fiction twisted but brimming with truth.
Notable Stories
• Mortal Coil – a tale that demonstrates how society would behave if we each knew our end.
• So Proud – a weird mix of pumping out babies, selling property and what we choose to keep.
• Tiny Deaths – a blasphemous work of genius reimagining the universality of Jesus Christ.
Being a fan of Shearman's work on Doctor Who, I was delighted to learn that he had since turned his hand to writing dark short fiction. Tiny Deaths is my first collection from the author and it had me hooked from the first paragraph.
As the title suggests, death is a recurring theme in each of these stories. Most approach this through macabre absurdity but a couple are more grounded in reality, often focusing on the difficulties of love. While I was more drawn to the former, I appreciated the breaks afforded by the latter.
Shearman has a style not unlike Roald Dahl's, which is to say bitter but very readable. That being said, Shearman's ability to reveal the interior life of his characters, no matter how ugly, was exceptional. Every one of his protagonists end in a vastly different place to where they started, both emotionally and physically speaking. It didn't matter if the tale involved made-up girls, bleeding televisions or Hitler's first dog, I always believed the irrational pride and love that steered the plot.
Shearman's chosen subject matter does not always make for a relaxing read, particularly for those who suffer severe anxiety over the death of loved ones, but it is engrossing and deserves greater acclaim. I recommend Tiny Deaths to readers who like their short fiction twisted but brimming with truth.
Notable Stories
• Mortal Coil – a tale that demonstrates how society would behave if we each knew our end.
• So Proud – a weird mix of pumping out babies, selling property and what we choose to keep.
• Tiny Deaths – a blasphemous work of genius reimagining the universality of Jesus Christ.
August 17, 2021
This is one of my personal favourite books. A lot of it is just weird and bizarre but because of the nature of this kind of book it is broken up by the more grounded stories and this makes for a really easy reading experience, and kept me guessing what sort of idea the next story would have. I won't spoil any of the stories, mainly because I highly recommend this book - go read!
March 21, 2021
the greatest collection of short stories i've ever read. shearman is a genius.
July 26, 2023
There we were on our summer vacation and the kid blew through the three novels she took along with the unexpected voracity of a demented lectoraptor. So, she promptly confiscated my Kindle and I had to switch to this, the only book I brought along in paper format (mainly due to its format – handily tiny). That means that this was also the last book I read on my summer vacation, because I needed to take a break after every story or so. Yeah, there are a few light half-jokey what-ifs in there, short trips into bizarro land that serve mainly to entertain, but then there are also deep-cutting scalpels like Grappa or Static, that left me staring at the hazy horizon for long bouts of introspection.
December 18, 2024
A collection of short stories all about death, some funny, some sad and some mysterious. My fav story is about a girl who passed away and her soul is transferred to her mother and fathers ashtray, so she has to watch her parents be torn apart by her death and how it affects and changes them. Very sad but so well written and hits close. Not all the stories are that sad haha
October 25, 2009
This is one of the best single-author story collections I've read in a long time. It's certainly one of the most consistently good - a lot of single-author collections have one or two really fantastic stories, some good ones, and one or two that seem like they're there to make up the word count. Every story in Tiny Deaths feels like it belongs there, and while I like some stories better than others, there are no real clunkers.
Most of the stories in Tiny Deaths are fantasy, generally the sort of fantasy that starts off in what is recognizably our world and then veers into strangeness, sometimes gradually and sometimes with a sharp turn into surrealism. As the title punningly suggests, death and love are major themes. There's a story about a man who goes to Hell only to discover that his roommate is Adolf Hitler's pet dog; there's a story in which a woman gives birth to a Chesterfield sofa. One story manages to weave a tale of an old man whose television is breaking down into an incredibly poignant tale about aging and losing one's connection to a world in which everything seems increasingly disposable.
One of the things I love the most about Rob Shearman's writing is his ability to encapsulate opposite extremes of emotion in a single story. Most of these stories are simultaneously funny and sad, or horrible and sweet, or terribly mundane and yet spectacularly weird.
If you would like to read some quirky, funny, scary, sad, poignant fiction, pick up this book.
Most of the stories in Tiny Deaths are fantasy, generally the sort of fantasy that starts off in what is recognizably our world and then veers into strangeness, sometimes gradually and sometimes with a sharp turn into surrealism. As the title punningly suggests, death and love are major themes. There's a story about a man who goes to Hell only to discover that his roommate is Adolf Hitler's pet dog; there's a story in which a woman gives birth to a Chesterfield sofa. One story manages to weave a tale of an old man whose television is breaking down into an incredibly poignant tale about aging and losing one's connection to a world in which everything seems increasingly disposable.
One of the things I love the most about Rob Shearman's writing is his ability to encapsulate opposite extremes of emotion in a single story. Most of these stories are simultaneously funny and sad, or horrible and sweet, or terribly mundane and yet spectacularly weird.
If you would like to read some quirky, funny, scary, sad, poignant fiction, pick up this book.
December 26, 2012
It's not an original trick, but Rob Shearman does it outstandingly well: twist reality just a few degrees to the left. Tweak one little law of physics, show it through the eyes of ordinary people living mundane lives, and use it to say something about love and mortality in the real world.
A lesser writer might have settled on a cute idea, and cute ideas they most certainly are. In some cases, I might even hazard a "quirky". A conversation with an imaginary child. A woman who gives birth to a sofa. A man befriending Hitler's dog in Hell. But more often than not, these ideas are only a means to an end; the medium for a very real and human story.
Only a couple of entries missed the mark for me, but it's a fair compromise in the name of variety. The majority, however, cover such raw, bittersweet, heartbreaking and hilarious topics
It's hard not to be affected. The generous dose of black humour throughout only lightly covers the massive current of sincerity flowing underneath.
I'm looking forward to moving on to Shearman's next collection, but it could be a while. It will take some time to digest the mass of emotions this one left in its wake.
A lesser writer might have settled on a cute idea, and cute ideas they most certainly are. In some cases, I might even hazard a "quirky". A conversation with an imaginary child. A woman who gives birth to a sofa. A man befriending Hitler's dog in Hell. But more often than not, these ideas are only a means to an end; the medium for a very real and human story.
Only a couple of entries missed the mark for me, but it's a fair compromise in the name of variety. The majority, however, cover such raw, bittersweet, heartbreaking and hilarious topics
It's hard not to be affected. The generous dose of black humour throughout only lightly covers the massive current of sincerity flowing underneath.
I'm looking forward to moving on to Shearman's next collection, but it could be a while. It will take some time to digest the mass of emotions this one left in its wake.
May 25, 2016
I really enjoyed this. The stories were quirky and different. Some funny, some like the story about a bleeding television, terribly tragic. There were some wonderful original ideas here mixed with some very believable and ordinary people. The combination of the mad with the everyday worked perfectly. Little twists revealing humanity. Some of the sad people in sad relationships I enjoyed less, because I find I have very little sympathy for those people. But overall this was highly entertaining and I will definitely be reading the rest of Robert's books.
April 1, 2009
The deaths are of things that can end: lives, relationships, illusions, societies. Very good, and surprisingly positive. I liked it.
December 23, 2023
Las preferidas de entre mis muertes es una antología de relatos de Robert Shearman, autor no demasiado conocido por estos lares pero ha ganado diversos premios, en especial el de mejor antología en los World Fantasy Awards del 2008, precisamente por esta antología. De la primicia en castellano se ha encargado La máquina que hace ping!
Cabe decir que Robert Shearman escribe de una forma muy especial. Su prosa es, en apariencia, sencilla pero muy efectiva. Las frases se deslizan con suavidad aunque abundan las conversaciones subidas de tono. Logra crear esa deliciosa y engañosa sensación que de tan fácil que parece, cualquier podría hacerlo...
Se trata de una antología de fantasía o, más bien, de realismo mágico, con toques de horror y en la que abunda el humor negro. Conviene destacar que se usa la fantasía para contrastar el mundo real. Esta cualidad (habitual en la ciencia ficción pero no tanto en la fantasía) convierte a la antología en una rara avis.
La antología contiene los siguientes relatos:
Espiral mortal ***** Un buen día, en los periódicos, internet y TV aparece un mensaje "lo habéis entendido todo mal" y las personas del planeta reciben un sobre en el que se indica la fecha de su fallecimiento y la causa. La situación revoluciona la sociedad, pues en función del fatídico desenlace la gente toma decisiones como dejar el trabajo o ponerse a consumir drogas. En un excelente giro de tuerca, el protagonista de la historia recibe suspicacias porque él no ha recibido el dichoso sobre... Un cuento que rebosa de dulce sentido del humor y crítica social.
Perfecta ***** Una niña (?) va a celebrar su cumpleaños con sus padres. Resulta difícil describir el cuento pero digamos que sus progenitores, de tan amorosos que son, dan miedo. Esta tremenda originalidad merece por sí sola las cinco estrellas. El cuento se remata de una forma extraña y casi mágina que plantea numerosas preguntas.
Grappa *** Una pareja va cada fin de semana a su restaurante favorito, una rutina que encierra un doloroso secreto. Interesante, pero no es una obra maestra.
Cenizas eres y en cenizas te convertirás **** Una hija se reencarna en un cenicero y cumple su nuevo cometido con entusiasmo, frente a la indiferencia de su familia. Una nueva perspectiva de las relaciones familiares.
Extraordinaria **** Una mujer no suda. Este hecho, aparentemente banal, la convierte en extraordinaria. El centro de todas las atenciones, obsesiones e hipocresías. De nuevo un interesante enfoque con una doble lectura social
Cosas que dejar atrás **** Una mujer se deshace de las pertenencias de su marido recién fallecido, no se pierdan la sensación de vértigo al final.
Condenado hiciera lo que hiciera **** Un hombre va al infierno y, para su indignación, le asignan como compañero de habitación a un perro. Para colmo, el perro resulta ser el de Adolf Hitler y ha sido condenado al infierno por esa fatal coincidencia. El cuento es probablemente, el que provoca más risas de toda la antología.
El favorito ***** Se suele decir que las personas no mueren del todo mientras exista alguien que se acuerde de ellas. Este cuento lo toma de forma literal y las personas están vivas o muertas en función de lo que las personas se acuerden de ellas. Un cuento que saca las vergüenzas de las sociedad actual.
Interferencias **** Un hombre se aferra a un viejo televisor que está averiado mientras quienes lo rodean insisten en que se deshaga de la antigualla. Todo normal de no ser porque el aparato está sangrando, lo cual produce un interesantísimo cambio de perspectiva.
No mires atrás *** Un hombre pierde a su pareja justo el día de su boda. Por recomendación de sus suegros, va a intentar a convencer a Plutón de que se la devuelva. De nuevo, un cuento en el que acciones intrascendentes tienen grandes implicaciones y en el que se desvela lo más oscuro de la naturaleza humana, si bien no termina de cuajar.
Tan orgullosa **** Una mujer no puede tener hijos pero sí que pare muebles. Como no podía ser de otra manera, el cuerpo de la mujer termina siendo objeto del mercantilismo y víctima de la opresión machista. Muy recomendable.
El cuentacuentos ** Narra la enfermiza relación entre un padre y su hija. Es emotivo pero no termina de cuajar.
Diminutas muertes **** Jesucristo vive, predica, muere por nuestros pecados y resucita pero, ups, lo hace en otra persona. Si disfrutó y rio con Atrapado en el tiempo o Al filo del mañana, este es su cuento.
Mientras tanto, en una pequeña habitación, un niño pequeño... ** El peor cuento de la antología, que intenta dar ritmo mediante la aliteración pero en el que, sencillamente, no sucede nada.
En resumen, Las preferidas de entre mis muertes es una excelente antología que encandilará a aquellos que busquen elevadas cotas literarias, fantasía, humor negro y capacidad de remover tripas exponiendo, de forma indirecta, lo peor de la sociedad humana.
Cabe decir que Robert Shearman escribe de una forma muy especial. Su prosa es, en apariencia, sencilla pero muy efectiva. Las frases se deslizan con suavidad aunque abundan las conversaciones subidas de tono. Logra crear esa deliciosa y engañosa sensación que de tan fácil que parece, cualquier podría hacerlo...
Se trata de una antología de fantasía o, más bien, de realismo mágico, con toques de horror y en la que abunda el humor negro. Conviene destacar que se usa la fantasía para contrastar el mundo real. Esta cualidad (habitual en la ciencia ficción pero no tanto en la fantasía) convierte a la antología en una rara avis.
La antología contiene los siguientes relatos:
Espiral mortal ***** Un buen día, en los periódicos, internet y TV aparece un mensaje "lo habéis entendido todo mal" y las personas del planeta reciben un sobre en el que se indica la fecha de su fallecimiento y la causa. La situación revoluciona la sociedad, pues en función del fatídico desenlace la gente toma decisiones como dejar el trabajo o ponerse a consumir drogas. En un excelente giro de tuerca, el protagonista de la historia recibe suspicacias porque él no ha recibido el dichoso sobre... Un cuento que rebosa de dulce sentido del humor y crítica social.
Perfecta ***** Una niña (?) va a celebrar su cumpleaños con sus padres. Resulta difícil describir el cuento pero digamos que sus progenitores, de tan amorosos que son, dan miedo. Esta tremenda originalidad merece por sí sola las cinco estrellas. El cuento se remata de una forma extraña y casi mágina que plantea numerosas preguntas.
Grappa *** Una pareja va cada fin de semana a su restaurante favorito, una rutina que encierra un doloroso secreto. Interesante, pero no es una obra maestra.
Cenizas eres y en cenizas te convertirás **** Una hija se reencarna en un cenicero y cumple su nuevo cometido con entusiasmo, frente a la indiferencia de su familia. Una nueva perspectiva de las relaciones familiares.
Extraordinaria **** Una mujer no suda. Este hecho, aparentemente banal, la convierte en extraordinaria. El centro de todas las atenciones, obsesiones e hipocresías. De nuevo un interesante enfoque con una doble lectura social
Cosas que dejar atrás **** Una mujer se deshace de las pertenencias de su marido recién fallecido, no se pierdan la sensación de vértigo al final.
Condenado hiciera lo que hiciera **** Un hombre va al infierno y, para su indignación, le asignan como compañero de habitación a un perro. Para colmo, el perro resulta ser el de Adolf Hitler y ha sido condenado al infierno por esa fatal coincidencia. El cuento es probablemente, el que provoca más risas de toda la antología.
El favorito ***** Se suele decir que las personas no mueren del todo mientras exista alguien que se acuerde de ellas. Este cuento lo toma de forma literal y las personas están vivas o muertas en función de lo que las personas se acuerden de ellas. Un cuento que saca las vergüenzas de las sociedad actual.
Interferencias **** Un hombre se aferra a un viejo televisor que está averiado mientras quienes lo rodean insisten en que se deshaga de la antigualla. Todo normal de no ser porque el aparato está sangrando, lo cual produce un interesantísimo cambio de perspectiva.
No mires atrás *** Un hombre pierde a su pareja justo el día de su boda. Por recomendación de sus suegros, va a intentar a convencer a Plutón de que se la devuelva. De nuevo, un cuento en el que acciones intrascendentes tienen grandes implicaciones y en el que se desvela lo más oscuro de la naturaleza humana, si bien no termina de cuajar.
Tan orgullosa **** Una mujer no puede tener hijos pero sí que pare muebles. Como no podía ser de otra manera, el cuerpo de la mujer termina siendo objeto del mercantilismo y víctima de la opresión machista. Muy recomendable.
El cuentacuentos ** Narra la enfermiza relación entre un padre y su hija. Es emotivo pero no termina de cuajar.
Diminutas muertes **** Jesucristo vive, predica, muere por nuestros pecados y resucita pero, ups, lo hace en otra persona. Si disfrutó y rio con Atrapado en el tiempo o Al filo del mañana, este es su cuento.
Mientras tanto, en una pequeña habitación, un niño pequeño... ** El peor cuento de la antología, que intenta dar ritmo mediante la aliteración pero en el que, sencillamente, no sucede nada.
En resumen, Las preferidas de entre mis muertes es una excelente antología que encandilará a aquellos que busquen elevadas cotas literarias, fantasía, humor negro y capacidad de remover tripas exponiendo, de forma indirecta, lo peor de la sociedad humana.
May 1, 2020
Each of the stories in this anthology tackles death as the books title suggests. However, this is sometimes as literal as you can go being dealing with the loss of a loved one. Or sometimes it can be a death of a part of the self i,e growing out of what you valued as a child. These are very poignant reads and very provokative. But, what most people will come to Rob Shearman for, is fantasy in reference to real life. And we get that in abundance in this tiny book. Whether that's going to hell and becoming roommates with Hitlers dog, or being the only one in the world without an insight on when or how they'll die. In one point we watch a mother go through the grieving process through the eyes of her dead daughter, spending the story in her reincarnated form as an Ash tray.
If you're new to Shearman, get this one first.
If you've read other Shearman, still get this one.
And don't be fooled into thinking the entire anthology is a poignant one. The abundance of black comedy makes this addictive collection one of the lightest you'll ever read.
If you're new to Shearman, get this one first.
If you've read other Shearman, still get this one.
And don't be fooled into thinking the entire anthology is a poignant one. The abundance of black comedy makes this addictive collection one of the lightest you'll ever read.
December 22, 2019
On the most part, the stories are a wonderful combination of darkly humourous, slightly unsettling, and with endings pleasingly ambiguous. The first story in the collection, Mortal Coil, is the standout story for me. The premise is intriguing and the tone and pacing is perfect.
Grappa and The Storyteller, though well-written, lack much story at all and fall firmly in the category of vignette. It's not that I didn't enjoy those 2, but I feel that nothing would have been lost to their exclusion.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. The subtly (and sometimes less than subtle) fantasy/supernatural elements contrast wonderfully with the matter-of-fact style Shearman writes with. The variation in story lengths was welcomed. This was my first exposure to Shearman, and the first short story collection I have read cover-to-cover.
Grappa and The Storyteller, though well-written, lack much story at all and fall firmly in the category of vignette. It's not that I didn't enjoy those 2, but I feel that nothing would have been lost to their exclusion.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. The subtly (and sometimes less than subtle) fantasy/supernatural elements contrast wonderfully with the matter-of-fact style Shearman writes with. The variation in story lengths was welcomed. This was my first exposure to Shearman, and the first short story collection I have read cover-to-cover.
January 30, 2026
Any anthology is hard to rate, by definition some stories are better than others so it's impossible for it not to be at least a little inconsistant, but this sets a really, really high standard. I have rarely seen such a recognisable, keenly observed portrait of the lives of people you know.
My top five stories in no particular order;
Extra Ordinary
Grappa
The Storyteller
Tiny Deaths
Static
My top five stories in no particular order;
Extra Ordinary
Grappa
The Storyteller
Tiny Deaths
Static
May 25, 2023
A lovely collection of short stories on the subject of death. Many are tongue in cheek, or at least subtly humorous. A thought provoking collection. Not perfect There were a couple of tales that left me unimpressed, but there was something Roald Dahl like about these. Tales of the unexpected perhaps. Certainly there are some inventive takes on the overall theme.
July 4, 2024
A fantastic read, this hit my spot perfectly, quirky, quick to read and clever little surreal stories. Each one a marvel and easy to devour in a quick stolen moment. He has a great way of making you feel comfortable in his tiny surreal worlds, makes them ordinary and believable.
Find some time for Tiny Deaths, its well worth it
Find some time for Tiny Deaths, its well worth it
September 4, 2020
Great collection. There's a common thread of boredom and dullness (as perceived by the characters) juxtaposed with the surrealness of their situation and/or actions. The title story is a particular favourite; the cleverness of the writing impressive and exemplifying the whole anthology.
November 10, 2023
From the writer of doctor who's Dalek and many big finish audios, comes a book of surreal short stories.
From someone who ends up in hell, to a woman who keeps given birth to furniture and reincarnation as an ashtray.
Really interesting, funny, sad, weird etc.
From someone who ends up in hell, to a woman who keeps given birth to furniture and reincarnation as an ashtray.
Really interesting, funny, sad, weird etc.
February 2, 2024
Es un compendio de cuentos cortos en clave de humor relacionados con la muerte. De entre todos ellos, sólo destacaría aquel que trata sobre la vida de Jesús, que además es el más largo y desarrollado, por gracioso y bien hilado.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2024
I really didn't enjoy it. Some stories were more entertaining than others (at least some elements of it) but didn't really work, not even as short stories. Maybe should have been a "collection of concepts" instead, because the development part certainly didn't impress me much
August 31, 2018
Perversely morbid
May 3, 2023
soo good i really enjoyed!! weird but not too weird that it took away from the idea which was jusy exploring the absurdity of death. so easy and fun to read while still being thought provoking
February 21, 2024
Este conjunto de cuentos me pareció enloquecido. El elemento en común de los relatos podríamos decir que son distintos tipos de muertes, aunque no muertes como las entendemos... El autor crea situaciones surrealistas, donde los perros hablan, las televisiones sangran y Jesucristo muere y se reencarna cíclicamente en cada uno de los personajes de su tiempo.
Se puede decir que son divertidos, hilarantes, pero a la vez críticos, ácidos... Hay personajes odiosos y otros abrazables. Algunos relatos me parecieron francamente interesantes, aunque otros, como el que da nombre al libro, se me hicieron más pesados, e incluso difíciles de entender.
Me ha llamado la atención la prosa y la temática del autor. Tengo ganas de investigar que más tiene publicado...
Se puede decir que son divertidos, hilarantes, pero a la vez críticos, ácidos... Hay personajes odiosos y otros abrazables. Algunos relatos me parecieron francamente interesantes, aunque otros, como el que da nombre al libro, se me hicieron más pesados, e incluso difíciles de entender.
Me ha llamado la atención la prosa y la temática del autor. Tengo ganas de investigar que más tiene publicado...
August 8, 2011
An impressive collection of short stories, most of which have a fantasy element and quite a few have ingenious plots. On the back cover Martin Jarvis compares Robert Shearman to Douglas Adams. Where the two writers come closest is that their stories are funny on the surface but ultimately melancholic in spirit. In past he wrote an audio Doctor Who story for Big Finish called "Deadline", about an elderly writer flitting between reality and a SF world of his imagination. A prose version of that would fit in very snugly with the theme of this book -mortality - often literal but sometimes metaphorical. Many of his characters are afflicted not so much by dramatic flaws as much as grinding mediocrity. Even in the face of extraordinary events, these people remain inherently grounded in their own internal worlds and are rarely transformed. If you've heard some of his Radio 4 plays you'll recognise the wit and the clever, ruthless plots. His writing style is extremely readable. These are rarely `twist' stories, they read more like modern fables.
Favourites on mine include "Mortal Coil" One day, everyone on Earth receives a letter from some kind of higher authority telling them exactly how and when they are going to die. Everyone that is, except Harry who finds life in this new world difficult, until a man turns up on his doorstep with a surprising request. A brilliant portrayal of mad but very human logic.
Another is "Perfect", about Tanya who works hard at being the perfect little girl for her mum and dad, but can't work out the real reason behind an unexpected trip to the seaside.
In "Stuff We Leave Behind", the world of an unsentimental woman is rocked when she discovers a chest of her late husband's bric a brac. An excellent creepy tale of a slightly normal event spiralling into a nightmare.
Then there's "No Looking Back" where the hero has spent his life waiting to feel a big emotion, to have some kind of confirmation that would make his life make sense. Even when his bride dies at their wedding reception, he's disappointed that his first thought is whether he can get a refund on the honeymoon. But surely a quest to the Land of the Dead to win back his wife from Pluto would prove that he does really feel love? Both funny and ultimately very sad
I'm not usually a reader of anthology books but this has been a real revelation. Well recommended.
Favourites on mine include "Mortal Coil" One day, everyone on Earth receives a letter from some kind of higher authority telling them exactly how and when they are going to die. Everyone that is, except Harry who finds life in this new world difficult, until a man turns up on his doorstep with a surprising request. A brilliant portrayal of mad but very human logic.
Another is "Perfect", about Tanya who works hard at being the perfect little girl for her mum and dad, but can't work out the real reason behind an unexpected trip to the seaside.
In "Stuff We Leave Behind", the world of an unsentimental woman is rocked when she discovers a chest of her late husband's bric a brac. An excellent creepy tale of a slightly normal event spiralling into a nightmare.
Then there's "No Looking Back" where the hero has spent his life waiting to feel a big emotion, to have some kind of confirmation that would make his life make sense. Even when his bride dies at their wedding reception, he's disappointed that his first thought is whether he can get a refund on the honeymoon. But surely a quest to the Land of the Dead to win back his wife from Pluto would prove that he does really feel love? Both funny and ultimately very sad
I'm not usually a reader of anthology books but this has been a real revelation. Well recommended.
December 17, 2013
Well this was a pretty mediocre book. It was extremely derivative, to the point where one story is almost exactly like the "I remember Sasha" story by Ray Bradbury. A couple of the stories were interesting but nothing exceptional. Also, every single man and woman in the stories (married people usually) seem to hate each other. Women in general in the stories are nagging harpies, while the men are impotent losers. It tires to do the whole normal people in abnormal situations thing, but doesn't pull it off. The story premises seem like they were selected by the "Family Guy" writing manatees from that episode of South Park. i.e. Woman gives birth to furniture! Man falls in love with Hitler's dog! TV starts bleeding! I think Shearman was trying to be absurdist but the stories are not original enough for that; weak Monty Python rip offs at their best. The only story that seems to have anything at all to say is the titular "Tiny Deaths." Really disappointed that a Doctor Who writer didn't have more to offer. But that's what I get for trusting a book who's cover has reviews by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss... Might be a little biased in assessing the writing of their co-worker.
August 11, 2010
This is an entertaining collection of stories, which above all deal with mortality. Most of them I'd classify as fantasy since they bend reality a good bit. The first story in the book, "Mortal Coil," which was one of my favorites, was published in an anthology of horror stories.
The beginnings were invariably great hooks. The story "Extra Ordinary" begins, for example, "I met a girl in college who said she didn't sweat." Another, "Static," starts "When Ernest went into his sitting room that morning, he found that his television set had been bleeding.
Besides "Mortal Coil," my favorites in the collection were "Favourite," and "Stuff we Leave Behind."
Another good one was "Ashes to Ash," about a girl who dies in an accident and spends eternity as an ashtray. "Damned If You Don't" is also worth mentioning, about a man damned to hell who finds his roommate is Hitler's dachshund.
The stories are definitely clever. Overall, though, some of them flagged for me, and the long story "Tiny Deaths," about Jesus being reincarnated over and over, was written in a glib and irritaing voice.
The beginnings were invariably great hooks. The story "Extra Ordinary" begins, for example, "I met a girl in college who said she didn't sweat." Another, "Static," starts "When Ernest went into his sitting room that morning, he found that his television set had been bleeding.
Besides "Mortal Coil," my favorites in the collection were "Favourite," and "Stuff we Leave Behind."
Another good one was "Ashes to Ash," about a girl who dies in an accident and spends eternity as an ashtray. "Damned If You Don't" is also worth mentioning, about a man damned to hell who finds his roommate is Hitler's dachshund.
The stories are definitely clever. Overall, though, some of them flagged for me, and the long story "Tiny Deaths," about Jesus being reincarnated over and over, was written in a glib and irritaing voice.
December 2, 2014
This short story collection is theoretically themed around death, but in actuality, is themed around lives of quiet desperation, and how much they suck. That's a perfectly cromulent theme, but the problem is, most of the stories don't really do anything with that theme; they dramatize it in absurd and fantastic ways, and then end. It's frustrating to go through a fifth or sixth story about people just kind of diffidently leading unhappy lives because they can't get up the gumption to overcome social pressure and change it, only this time, it involves the Greek underworld.
There are a few really good stories in the book, and they're universally the ones that go past these diffident, hesitant, passive-aggressive emotions and really get their teeth into either tragedy or joy. "Meanwhile, In a Small Room, a Small Boy..." hits the former squarely, while "Perfect" embraces change. The best is "Stuff We Leave Behind", which not only goes into a tragic catharsis, but embarks on a twist halfway through that makes me sit up and demand more of this please.
There are a few really good stories in the book, and they're universally the ones that go past these diffident, hesitant, passive-aggressive emotions and really get their teeth into either tragedy or joy. "Meanwhile, In a Small Room, a Small Boy..." hits the former squarely, while "Perfect" embraces change. The best is "Stuff We Leave Behind", which not only goes into a tragic catharsis, but embarks on a twist halfway through that makes me sit up and demand more of this please.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews