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It Only Comes Out at Night & Other Stories
Few writers of horror fiction are held in such high regard as Dennis Etchison. This career retrospective takes his best fiction, culled from nearly fifty years in the field.
Dennis Etchison (b. 1943) is an American writer and editor of fantasy and horror fiction. Etchison refers to his own work as “rather dark, depressing, almost pathologically inward fiction about the individual in relation to the world.” Stephen King has called Dennis Etchison “one hell of a fiction writer” and he has been called “the most original living horror in America.” It is his work in the short story format that is especially well regarded by critics and genre fans.
His first short story collection, The Dark Country, was published in 1982. Its title story received the World Fantasy Award as well as the British Fantasy Award for Best Collection of that year, the first time one writer received both major awards for a single work. He was nominated for the British Fantasy Award for “The Late Shift” (1981), and as well as winning the ward in 1982 for “The Dark Country,” has won it since for Best Short Story, for “The Olympic Runner” (1986) and “The Dog Park” (1994), all of which are included in this 600+ page retrospective.
Etchison is generally regarded as one of the finest writers currently working in the horror genre, especially by his peers. The late Karl Edward Wagner proclaimed him “the finest writer of psychological horror this genre has ever produced.” Charles L. Grant called Etchison “the best short story writer in the field today, bar none.”
This collection of stories features a new introduction by S.T. Joshi, a dozen original artworks by David Ho, original story notes by Dennis Etchison, and photographs of the author throughout the years, all in a signed, limited edition. This is the best collection of Etchison ever published, and it destined to be regarded as a landmark volume.
Dennis Etchison (b. 1943) is an American writer and editor of fantasy and horror fiction. Etchison refers to his own work as “rather dark, depressing, almost pathologically inward fiction about the individual in relation to the world.” Stephen King has called Dennis Etchison “one hell of a fiction writer” and he has been called “the most original living horror in America.” It is his work in the short story format that is especially well regarded by critics and genre fans.
His first short story collection, The Dark Country, was published in 1982. Its title story received the World Fantasy Award as well as the British Fantasy Award for Best Collection of that year, the first time one writer received both major awards for a single work. He was nominated for the British Fantasy Award for “The Late Shift” (1981), and as well as winning the ward in 1982 for “The Dark Country,” has won it since for Best Short Story, for “The Olympic Runner” (1986) and “The Dog Park” (1994), all of which are included in this 600+ page retrospective.
Etchison is generally regarded as one of the finest writers currently working in the horror genre, especially by his peers. The late Karl Edward Wagner proclaimed him “the finest writer of psychological horror this genre has ever produced.” Charles L. Grant called Etchison “the best short story writer in the field today, bar none.”
This collection of stories features a new introduction by S.T. Joshi, a dozen original artworks by David Ho, original story notes by Dennis Etchison, and photographs of the author throughout the years, all in a signed, limited edition. This is the best collection of Etchison ever published, and it destined to be regarded as a landmark volume.
618 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2014
1 person is currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Etchison
180 books115 followersaka Jack Martin.
Dennis William Etchison was an American writer and editor of fantasy and horror fiction. He is a multi-award winner, having won the British Fantasy Award three times for fiction, and the World Fantasy Award for anthologies he edited.
Dennis William Etchison was an American writer and editor of fantasy and horror fiction. He is a multi-award winner, having won the British Fantasy Award three times for fiction, and the World Fantasy Award for anthologies he edited.
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October 9, 2015This is copy 40 of 320 copies signed and numbered by:
Dennis Etchisoh
David Ho
S. T. Joshi
Copies numbered I - XX are reserved for contributors and the press.
Dennis Etchisoh
David Ho
S. T. Joshi
Copies numbered I - XX are reserved for contributors and the press.
July 25, 2020
In my belated attempts to read and collect Etchison's short story collections, I found the Shadowridge press editions have gone out of print and that Dennis Etchison had died last year. I'm grateful an editor offered to compile this retrospective volume spanning his career in short fiction from the 1960s to the 2010s. S. T. Joshi pays tribute to Etchison in the introduction, and a handful of authors offer brief tributes interspersed in the book as well. Etchison's work has always fascinated me and one of the quotes on the back cover captures the experience of his short fiction.
"Etchison's best short stories are a bracing draft of dark whiskey; dense, bitter, meant to be sipped."
While I've read many of the short stories in this volume, his work is the type that offers more when reread. And thankfully Etchison provides notes and insights for each story at the end of the book.
“Wet Season”
Amidst a rainstorm, a man discovers his kids are in danger from his girlfriend. His first short story is a pretty creepy and atmospheric monster story. 4/5
“Sitting in the Corner, Whimpering Quietly”
A trip to the laundromat to be alone has a man encounter a woman who won’t leave him alone. This was short, but packed in an ugliness of the situation. 4/5
“Daughter of the Golden West”
Two high school friends investigate the disappearance of a friend, and stumble upon a strange girl and her sisters. This was a page turner, and the buildup led to a brutal ending. 5/5
“The Machine Demands a Sacrifice”
Interesting story about organ harvesting going on in the city—it was an interesting concept which Etchison also explores in a few other stories, but wasn't to my tastes. 3/5
“It Only Comes Out at Night”
A husband and wife travel at night to a roadside rest stop in the middle of a desert. I loved the creepy atmosphere, and the buildup to the chilling climax. While it may frustrate some, I like how he leaves the horror open to interpretation. 4/5
“Calling All Monsters”
A brief, yet intense piece of medical and surgical horror. 2/5
"We Have All Been Here Before"
A psychic helps the police catch a killer. This seemed like it could've been a longer piece. 3/5
“On the Pike”
A couple goes to a freak show. Here, Etchison tries to humanize the performers, and there’s a sense of harsh reality and cruelty of humans, especially from those you thought you knew. 4/5
“I Can Hear the Dark”
A child finds himself in his home with his mother and a bunch of her actor friends while they discuss the crisis which just happened. At first I felt this concept was too vague, but gradually the disorientation worked with the POV and the shocking reveal. 4/5
“The Nighthawk”
A girl loses a friend after telling a story about the Nighthawk, a creature she discovers is closer to home than she thought. I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the classic scary stories one tells children. 4/5
“The Dead Line”
Donating loved ones bodies to science becomes an issue for a man who wants his wife to be set free and put to rest. The opening line grabs the reader, and has one think about what loved ones would want after death. 4/5
“It Will Be Here Soon”
Before moving, a father shares voices he has caught on tape with his son. There was some real emotion in this story and how we need to hold onto something to believe in. 4/5
“You Can Go Now”
This wasn’t a straightforward story, even after reading it three times. A man leaves, and accidents seem to happen, and it might be a dream because in the end, it’s hinted what happened/what he did to his wife. Upon another read through, it became a bit clearer. Nonetheless it's lyrical and beautiful. 4/5
"On Call"
This was my first time reading this story. A man keeps checking in at a clinic for his wife, but she isn't there. I liked the dreamlike quality and potential ghost story element. 4/5
“The Late Shift”
Two friends recognize a guy working a late shift at a convenience store, but after one ends up in the hospital, things turn odd. This was a strange story dealing possible zombie-like happenings which Etchison uses to explore how capitalism exploits people. 3/5
“The Spot”
Two aspiring actors working as cleaning people end up visiting the homes of aging and retiring actors. This piece had more of a literary feel to it despite it having Etchison’s usual bleak atmosphere. 3/5
“The Chill”
A man accidentally steps on a dead man’s hand. Etchison explores the visceral sensations and fascination of coming into contact with the dead. This felt more like a sketch/flash piece than a story, though as usual the writing was evocative. 3/5
“Somebody Like You”
Inspired by Etchison’s significant other at the time, a woman speaks aloud while dreaming while her partner tries to make sense of it. As a reader, this felt even more vague and abstract, and like any dream there’s not often an answer. 3/5
“Deathtracks”
When interviewing a couple about their TV viewing habits, they reveal the grief-stricken reason why they’ve accumulated so many tapes. Again, this tapped into how we feel when we lose a loved one. 4/5
“The Dark Country”
The title story concerns American tourists in Mexico who try to figure out who’s stealing from their cabins at night. The mystery element works well with the atmosphere, in which being on a vacation isn’t any different from returning home. 4/5
“The Chair”
A man at his high school reunion held aboard the Queen Mary finds himself reconnecting with a hated classmate. I enjoyed the realness of loss, loneliness, and suspense in this piece. 4/5
“Talking in the Dark”
A fan writes his favorite author a letter inviting him to visit. As a writer, this story explores why writers write, and how writers go to any lengths to find inspiration and source material, even from their fan base. And for an Etchison story, this has quite a snap ending. 4/5
“The Woman in Black”
A boy loses his mother and moves in with his grandmother and aunts and uncles. I could sense Etchison drawing on some personal emotions with the character’s loneliness and desire for love in the form of a ghostly woman in black. 5/5
“Deadspace”
A producer waits for his lead actor to answer his calls, and meanwhile he meets a young woman at the hotel. I wasn’t sure what was going on with this one. 3/5
“The Olympic Runner”
A mother reaches her breaking point in trying to keep her family together when she takes one of her younger daughter on a road trip to find her runaway oldest daughter. Exploring the common theme of a broken family, Etchison taps into feelings of existential loneliness and frustration in trying to connect with love ones. 4/5
“Call 666”
Inspired by one of Etchison’s breakups, a man keeps receiving calls from his ex, and later answers a mysterious call from a pay phone. I liked the nightmarishness of this one, though the ending was confusing. 4/5
“The Scar”
A family goes to a restaurant for lunch, but something isn’t quite right with the man who Etchison explores PTSD, and an abusive relationship. 3/5
“The Blood Kiss”
A script editor tries to take credit for someone else’s script, and sets up a meeting with the original writer. I read this in a previous anthology several years ago, and this time around enjoyed it more; particularly the structure of the screenplay (a meta zombie story) alternating with the narrative. 5/5
"When They Gave Us Memory"
An actor visits his parents, and is alarmed when they don't remember his past. He begins to doubt his own identity. I liked the Twilight Zone feel. 4/5
“Call Home”
A man answers the phone and finds a little girl pleading for him to rescue her from a kidnapper. This was classic Etchison with subtle psychological weirdness that leaves you unsettled. 4/5
"The Dog Park"
I first read this Etchison story in a short anthology of horror stories and was perplexed at the lack of horror elements. But upon several readings, I've grown to love the story. A writer set to leave his home in LA returns to a dog park to search for his lost dog while navigating the Hollywood elite networking in the area. It's about hope and it's beautiful. 5/5
"A Wind from the South"
This became chapter one of Etchison's California Gothic novel and has the interesting premise of a wife who finds a strange woman knocking on her door questioning her about her life. I haven't read Etchison's longer work, but I wanted to know more. 3/5
"The Last Reel"
Another excerpt from an unpublished novel Blue Screen about a screenwriter going to a party and meeting a young woman who has to make ends meet by working in the porn industry. Pretty sad stuff. 4/5
"The Dead Cop"
A photographer uncovers a buried memory of his son's death due to gang violence. Etchison was inspired by seeing cop cars around the city with mannequins and channels the urban horror and cruelties of city life. 4/5
“No One You Know”
A love triangle and affair play out via a phone call. This read like a rapid fire screenplay. In another story about an abusive relationship, this didn’t stand out as much compared to the previous story. 3/5
"Inside the Cackle Factory"
An assistant to a TV studio helps with subjects rating the newest TV shows. Yet again it explores Etchison's recurring experience TV and movie culture and it's cutthroat nature. 3/5
“The Detailer”
A carwash employee notices something off when the husband of a frequent customer shows up instead of the wife. Great horror factor and emotional resonance. 4/5
“Got to Kill Them All”
A famous TV star picks up a beach bum on the way home while plotting to murder his wife. Cool twists and an intriguing take on what drives people to extreme homicidal thoughts. 4/5
“In a Silent Way”
A night guard at a psychiatric hospital helps a patient sleep. Etchison writes about the psychiatric hospital trope and psychological manipulation coming not from doctors, but a fellow patient. 4/5
“One of Us”
A driver shuttles some teenagers to a metal concert. One girl in particular has as beef with one of the bands’ vocalists. Etchison’s protagonist watches the aftermath of the horror with that pessimistic indifference which might be more frightening than the actual crime itself. 4/5
“Red Dog Down”
A family dog goes missing after biting someone. For animal lovers you know what to expect in a horror story, so content warning. This was more of a drama about a dysfunctional family, and not as memorable compared to the other stories. 2/5
"Tell Me I'll See You Again"
Etchison's final story written in 2011 and one of my favorites. He set out writing novels exploring the idea of thanatosis, but settled on writing this minimalist, yet lyrical and poignant story about a boy who dies, yet can come back to life and a girl who wants to help him and study him. It has that summertime childhood nostalgia, and sense of loss. Although I wish the ending wasn't as abrupt, Etchison leaves the interpretation open to the reader. 5/5
"Etchison's best short stories are a bracing draft of dark whiskey; dense, bitter, meant to be sipped."
While I've read many of the short stories in this volume, his work is the type that offers more when reread. And thankfully Etchison provides notes and insights for each story at the end of the book.
“Wet Season”
Amidst a rainstorm, a man discovers his kids are in danger from his girlfriend. His first short story is a pretty creepy and atmospheric monster story. 4/5
“Sitting in the Corner, Whimpering Quietly”
A trip to the laundromat to be alone has a man encounter a woman who won’t leave him alone. This was short, but packed in an ugliness of the situation. 4/5
“Daughter of the Golden West”
Two high school friends investigate the disappearance of a friend, and stumble upon a strange girl and her sisters. This was a page turner, and the buildup led to a brutal ending. 5/5
“The Machine Demands a Sacrifice”
Interesting story about organ harvesting going on in the city—it was an interesting concept which Etchison also explores in a few other stories, but wasn't to my tastes. 3/5
“It Only Comes Out at Night”
A husband and wife travel at night to a roadside rest stop in the middle of a desert. I loved the creepy atmosphere, and the buildup to the chilling climax. While it may frustrate some, I like how he leaves the horror open to interpretation. 4/5
“Calling All Monsters”
A brief, yet intense piece of medical and surgical horror. 2/5
"We Have All Been Here Before"
A psychic helps the police catch a killer. This seemed like it could've been a longer piece. 3/5
“On the Pike”
A couple goes to a freak show. Here, Etchison tries to humanize the performers, and there’s a sense of harsh reality and cruelty of humans, especially from those you thought you knew. 4/5
“I Can Hear the Dark”
A child finds himself in his home with his mother and a bunch of her actor friends while they discuss the crisis which just happened. At first I felt this concept was too vague, but gradually the disorientation worked with the POV and the shocking reveal. 4/5
“The Nighthawk”
A girl loses a friend after telling a story about the Nighthawk, a creature she discovers is closer to home than she thought. I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the classic scary stories one tells children. 4/5
“The Dead Line”
Donating loved ones bodies to science becomes an issue for a man who wants his wife to be set free and put to rest. The opening line grabs the reader, and has one think about what loved ones would want after death. 4/5
“It Will Be Here Soon”
Before moving, a father shares voices he has caught on tape with his son. There was some real emotion in this story and how we need to hold onto something to believe in. 4/5
“You Can Go Now”
This wasn’t a straightforward story, even after reading it three times. A man leaves, and accidents seem to happen, and it might be a dream because in the end, it’s hinted what happened/what he did to his wife. Upon another read through, it became a bit clearer. Nonetheless it's lyrical and beautiful. 4/5
"On Call"
This was my first time reading this story. A man keeps checking in at a clinic for his wife, but she isn't there. I liked the dreamlike quality and potential ghost story element. 4/5
“The Late Shift”
Two friends recognize a guy working a late shift at a convenience store, but after one ends up in the hospital, things turn odd. This was a strange story dealing possible zombie-like happenings which Etchison uses to explore how capitalism exploits people. 3/5
“The Spot”
Two aspiring actors working as cleaning people end up visiting the homes of aging and retiring actors. This piece had more of a literary feel to it despite it having Etchison’s usual bleak atmosphere. 3/5
“The Chill”
A man accidentally steps on a dead man’s hand. Etchison explores the visceral sensations and fascination of coming into contact with the dead. This felt more like a sketch/flash piece than a story, though as usual the writing was evocative. 3/5
“Somebody Like You”
Inspired by Etchison’s significant other at the time, a woman speaks aloud while dreaming while her partner tries to make sense of it. As a reader, this felt even more vague and abstract, and like any dream there’s not often an answer. 3/5
“Deathtracks”
When interviewing a couple about their TV viewing habits, they reveal the grief-stricken reason why they’ve accumulated so many tapes. Again, this tapped into how we feel when we lose a loved one. 4/5
“The Dark Country”
The title story concerns American tourists in Mexico who try to figure out who’s stealing from their cabins at night. The mystery element works well with the atmosphere, in which being on a vacation isn’t any different from returning home. 4/5
“The Chair”
A man at his high school reunion held aboard the Queen Mary finds himself reconnecting with a hated classmate. I enjoyed the realness of loss, loneliness, and suspense in this piece. 4/5
“Talking in the Dark”
A fan writes his favorite author a letter inviting him to visit. As a writer, this story explores why writers write, and how writers go to any lengths to find inspiration and source material, even from their fan base. And for an Etchison story, this has quite a snap ending. 4/5
“The Woman in Black”
A boy loses his mother and moves in with his grandmother and aunts and uncles. I could sense Etchison drawing on some personal emotions with the character’s loneliness and desire for love in the form of a ghostly woman in black. 5/5
“Deadspace”
A producer waits for his lead actor to answer his calls, and meanwhile he meets a young woman at the hotel. I wasn’t sure what was going on with this one. 3/5
“The Olympic Runner”
A mother reaches her breaking point in trying to keep her family together when she takes one of her younger daughter on a road trip to find her runaway oldest daughter. Exploring the common theme of a broken family, Etchison taps into feelings of existential loneliness and frustration in trying to connect with love ones. 4/5
“Call 666”
Inspired by one of Etchison’s breakups, a man keeps receiving calls from his ex, and later answers a mysterious call from a pay phone. I liked the nightmarishness of this one, though the ending was confusing. 4/5
“The Scar”
A family goes to a restaurant for lunch, but something isn’t quite right with the man who Etchison explores PTSD, and an abusive relationship. 3/5
“The Blood Kiss”
A script editor tries to take credit for someone else’s script, and sets up a meeting with the original writer. I read this in a previous anthology several years ago, and this time around enjoyed it more; particularly the structure of the screenplay (a meta zombie story) alternating with the narrative. 5/5
"When They Gave Us Memory"
An actor visits his parents, and is alarmed when they don't remember his past. He begins to doubt his own identity. I liked the Twilight Zone feel. 4/5
“Call Home”
A man answers the phone and finds a little girl pleading for him to rescue her from a kidnapper. This was classic Etchison with subtle psychological weirdness that leaves you unsettled. 4/5
"The Dog Park"
I first read this Etchison story in a short anthology of horror stories and was perplexed at the lack of horror elements. But upon several readings, I've grown to love the story. A writer set to leave his home in LA returns to a dog park to search for his lost dog while navigating the Hollywood elite networking in the area. It's about hope and it's beautiful. 5/5
"A Wind from the South"
This became chapter one of Etchison's California Gothic novel and has the interesting premise of a wife who finds a strange woman knocking on her door questioning her about her life. I haven't read Etchison's longer work, but I wanted to know more. 3/5
"The Last Reel"
Another excerpt from an unpublished novel Blue Screen about a screenwriter going to a party and meeting a young woman who has to make ends meet by working in the porn industry. Pretty sad stuff. 4/5
"The Dead Cop"
A photographer uncovers a buried memory of his son's death due to gang violence. Etchison was inspired by seeing cop cars around the city with mannequins and channels the urban horror and cruelties of city life. 4/5
“No One You Know”
A love triangle and affair play out via a phone call. This read like a rapid fire screenplay. In another story about an abusive relationship, this didn’t stand out as much compared to the previous story. 3/5
"Inside the Cackle Factory"
An assistant to a TV studio helps with subjects rating the newest TV shows. Yet again it explores Etchison's recurring experience TV and movie culture and it's cutthroat nature. 3/5
“The Detailer”
A carwash employee notices something off when the husband of a frequent customer shows up instead of the wife. Great horror factor and emotional resonance. 4/5
“Got to Kill Them All”
A famous TV star picks up a beach bum on the way home while plotting to murder his wife. Cool twists and an intriguing take on what drives people to extreme homicidal thoughts. 4/5
“In a Silent Way”
A night guard at a psychiatric hospital helps a patient sleep. Etchison writes about the psychiatric hospital trope and psychological manipulation coming not from doctors, but a fellow patient. 4/5
“One of Us”
A driver shuttles some teenagers to a metal concert. One girl in particular has as beef with one of the bands’ vocalists. Etchison’s protagonist watches the aftermath of the horror with that pessimistic indifference which might be more frightening than the actual crime itself. 4/5
“Red Dog Down”
A family dog goes missing after biting someone. For animal lovers you know what to expect in a horror story, so content warning. This was more of a drama about a dysfunctional family, and not as memorable compared to the other stories. 2/5
"Tell Me I'll See You Again"
Etchison's final story written in 2011 and one of my favorites. He set out writing novels exploring the idea of thanatosis, but settled on writing this minimalist, yet lyrical and poignant story about a boy who dies, yet can come back to life and a girl who wants to help him and study him. It has that summertime childhood nostalgia, and sense of loss. Although I wish the ending wasn't as abrupt, Etchison leaves the interpretation open to the reader. 5/5
September 14, 2020
In It Only Comes Out at Night, a couple on a road trip across the Mojave Desert pull over at a rest stop after dark. As the husband stretches his legs and takes in the sights of the uninhabited parking lot and its many cars, small details begin to add up to a troubling impression something is very wrong here. To attempt to describe the plot of this story won't go very far in explaining why I found it so unnerving and effective as a horror short story. Etchison's gift lies especially in his grounded, effective use of detail and narration, the way he can let your mind run wild with the terrifying implications of open-ended details, the way he can slip the horrible into the mundane: a grateful chance to stretch one's legs after a long, hot day of monotonous driving. I read this story in Jeff and Ann Vandermeer's anthology The Weird, and it was one of the best in the collection.
wish-list
May 30, 2019Dennis Etchison (1943-2019)
Blessed be.
https://www.scottedelman.com/2017/06/...
https://locusmag.com/2019/05/dennis-e...
Blessed be.
https://www.scottedelman.com/2017/06/...
https://locusmag.com/2019/05/dennis-e...
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