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Do Anything - A Mysterious Science Fiction Tale
In DO ANYTHING, Luke Smitherd brings you two more Tales Of The Unusual:
CLOSURE: A winter walk in the woods seemed like a great idea to Gary and his wife, Carla. But when another version of himself appears and kidnaps Gary's wife before his very eyes, Gary must decide whether or not to use the strange mechanical devices his duplicate has left him ... and then live with the choice.
YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK: When John was eleven years old, he came home to find a book he'd never seen before lying on his bed. The cover had been torn off, and inside it were endless lists of names - some of which belonged to people he knew - with a single number behind each one. That was his first glimpse into a darker reality than he could have ever imagined, because even though couldn't know it at the time, that mysterious book would go on to affect every facet of the rest of his life. And potentially, hold the key to his death.
CLOSURE: A winter walk in the woods seemed like a great idea to Gary and his wife, Carla. But when another version of himself appears and kidnaps Gary's wife before his very eyes, Gary must decide whether or not to use the strange mechanical devices his duplicate has left him ... and then live with the choice.
YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK: When John was eleven years old, he came home to find a book he'd never seen before lying on his bed. The cover had been torn off, and inside it were endless lists of names - some of which belonged to people he knew - with a single number behind each one. That was his first glimpse into a darker reality than he could have ever imagined, because even though couldn't know it at the time, that mysterious book would go on to affect every facet of the rest of his life. And potentially, hold the key to his death.
76 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
34 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Luke Smitherd
32 books589 followersLuke Smitherd is the author of The Stone Man (shortlisted for Audible Book of the Year 2015) and its sequels as well as several other novels. A former singer and guitarist, he now writes full time, hosts the comedy music-discussion show Cracker Juice, and performs around Los Angeles as a stand-up comic. He divides his time between the United States and the United Kingdom.
www.lukesmitherd.com
www.lukesmitherd.com
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 6, 2016
Wow. Dark, and wonderful
I enjoyed Closure but Your Name is in the Book blew me away. Smitherd writes such original material with real, flawed characters that I always fad myself loving them- even the unlovable ones. In this story I was really caught off by the end. Darker than some of his other work, and worth every word.
I enjoyed Closure but Your Name is in the Book blew me away. Smitherd writes such original material with real, flawed characters that I always fad myself loving them- even the unlovable ones. In this story I was really caught off by the end. Darker than some of his other work, and worth every word.
August 8, 2018
A couple good short stories for a quick read. You can definitely tell these were written by Luke if you've read his other work. Very interesting premises that make you question time, reality, humanity and our relationships. My only complaints are there were a few typos and I wish the stories were a bit longer and more developed.
September 25, 2018
Short tales
Lots of interesting concepts. Smitherd packs a lot into these shorts. I enjoyed Closure more. Didn’t quite connect with the characters in Your Name is In the Book but fascinated with the world.
Lots of interesting concepts. Smitherd packs a lot into these shorts. I enjoyed Closure more. Didn’t quite connect with the characters in Your Name is In the Book but fascinated with the world.
February 2, 2019
One of my all time favourite authors. I have been a fan of his since I listened to How to be a vigilante.
I didn't realise this was two separate stories and kept expecting them to be linked in some way. I was wrong.
I didn't realise this was two separate stories and kept expecting them to be linked in some way. I was wrong.
February 6, 2019
Another great one
I really like Luke Smitherd. This book consists of two imaginative novellas. Both with unexpected twists and.turns. Highly recommended if you like things liken the Twilight Zone.
I really like Luke Smitherd. This book consists of two imaginative novellas. Both with unexpected twists and.turns. Highly recommended if you like things liken the Twilight Zone.
August 11, 2017
Love the sci-fi thinking but it makes my brain hurt a bit sometimes. Thought provoking too.
October 11, 2020
Smitherd does it again!
November 17, 2020
Wow that second story gave me chills. Another great read by this author
August 25, 2023
Includes two short stories: Closure, Your Name is in the Book.
November 25, 2023
Incredible two stories!! I love his imagination. Great writing too, with nothing extra - no filler. It's ALL good stuff. Kept me riveted
July 14, 2016
I would like to thank Luke Smitherd for gifting me a copy of this ebook to review. Although I received this book for free, that has no bearing on the honesty of my review.
Goodreads Blurb: "In DO ANYTHING, Luke Smitherd brings you two more Tales Of The Unusual:
CLOSURE: A winter walk in the woods seemed like a great idea to Gary and his wife, Carla. But when another version of himself appears and kidnaps Gary's wife before his very eyes, Gary must decide whether or not to use the strange mechanical devices his duplicate has left him ... and then live with the choice.
YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK: When John was eleven years old, he came home to find a book he'd never seen before lying on his bed. The cover had been torn off, and inside it were endless lists of names - some of which belonged to people he knew - with a single number behind each one. That was his first glimpse into a darker reality than he could have ever imagined, because even though couldn't know it at the time, that mysterious book would go on to affect every facet of the rest of his life. And potentially, hold the key to his death."
The book opens with the story Closure, which deals with a strange version of the Stockholm Syndrome between husband and wife. You might wonder how this could happen between spouses that are still happily married - but if you're at all familiar with Mr. Smitherd's work you'd be more likely to wonder just how twisted things are about to get rather than how we got to this point. Picture some very odd time travel, multiple copies of essentially the same universe, and a terrible accident. Now paint these events with the unique characters that come fully formed out of Smitherd's mind, and then twist everything at least half a degree past their normal resting state and you may get a glimpse of the world he's created to share with the rest of us. This story presents us an intriguing concept with an unusual take upon reality.
Your Name is in the Book is another journey into the weirdness of Smitherd's imagination. This is probably the darkest story I've yet to read of his, yet I still enjoyed it. For all that it's a short story he managed to create a rich world and deep characters that drew me into their lives and purposes. Even with the less than cheerful undertones I still liked this tale. How can one book containing a massive list of names, each followed by a single number, alter a man's life as he knows it? Well, maybe it can't. Maybe that book had no bearing upon John's life. Maybe he attributes things to it that have no basis in reality. But who would be willing to take the risk of gambling and coming up wrong? How can a single number rule a person's life? What does it mean for the rest of us? And most frightening of all - how close are we to a similar reality? Mr. Smitherd spins great stories, each with its own quirks and unique characters in unusual situations. I'm not sure where he gets his materials from, but I certainly hope he continues to share his visions with the rest of us!
Goodreads Blurb: "In DO ANYTHING, Luke Smitherd brings you two more Tales Of The Unusual:
CLOSURE: A winter walk in the woods seemed like a great idea to Gary and his wife, Carla. But when another version of himself appears and kidnaps Gary's wife before his very eyes, Gary must decide whether or not to use the strange mechanical devices his duplicate has left him ... and then live with the choice.
YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK: When John was eleven years old, he came home to find a book he'd never seen before lying on his bed. The cover had been torn off, and inside it were endless lists of names - some of which belonged to people he knew - with a single number behind each one. That was his first glimpse into a darker reality than he could have ever imagined, because even though couldn't know it at the time, that mysterious book would go on to affect every facet of the rest of his life. And potentially, hold the key to his death."
The book opens with the story Closure, which deals with a strange version of the Stockholm Syndrome between husband and wife. You might wonder how this could happen between spouses that are still happily married - but if you're at all familiar with Mr. Smitherd's work you'd be more likely to wonder just how twisted things are about to get rather than how we got to this point. Picture some very odd time travel, multiple copies of essentially the same universe, and a terrible accident. Now paint these events with the unique characters that come fully formed out of Smitherd's mind, and then twist everything at least half a degree past their normal resting state and you may get a glimpse of the world he's created to share with the rest of us. This story presents us an intriguing concept with an unusual take upon reality.
Your Name is in the Book is another journey into the weirdness of Smitherd's imagination. This is probably the darkest story I've yet to read of his, yet I still enjoyed it. For all that it's a short story he managed to create a rich world and deep characters that drew me into their lives and purposes. Even with the less than cheerful undertones I still liked this tale. How can one book containing a massive list of names, each followed by a single number, alter a man's life as he knows it? Well, maybe it can't. Maybe that book had no bearing upon John's life. Maybe he attributes things to it that have no basis in reality. But who would be willing to take the risk of gambling and coming up wrong? How can a single number rule a person's life? What does it mean for the rest of us? And most frightening of all - how close are we to a similar reality? Mr. Smitherd spins great stories, each with its own quirks and unique characters in unusual situations. I'm not sure where he gets his materials from, but I certainly hope he continues to share his visions with the rest of us!
April 9, 2016
The two short stories included in this book are all about choices and the consequences of those choices on ourselves and others. These stories may leave you with a palpable sense of unease because you'll be wondering what you would do in the same situations, whether you would be right or wrong, and whether your decisions would change your view of the very concepts of right and wrong. We don't like to think about things like that because it is uncomfortable to do so, but the characters in these stories are put in that situation, and, by default, so are we.
We probably believe we are moral people. We may believe that will never change--and that is the subject of these two stories. Maybe morality can never be set in stone. Maybe there are no absolute rights or wrongs. Maybe circumstances dictate morality. That is an uncomfortable thought because it means we may be capable of doing what we once thought was immoral--and so is everyone else. That threatens our sense of security and how far would we, or society in general, go to get that secure feeling back? Making rational decisions goes out the door when emotions (such as fear and love) are involved. Would we "do anything" to avoid facing those decisions, including letting someone else decide for us based on a system where morality IS set in stone?
The uneasiness you may end up feeling is the realization that your morals can--and probably will--change throughout your life. You may not always do what is viewed as the right thing and you will have to live with that. You may not be the person you always thought you were. These are the questions the characters face in this book.
1. Closure - In Closure, something precious is taken from a man, which leads him to take something from someone else. He doesn't care if what he did is right or wrong. He only knows that he HAD to do it and it was the right thing for him. Is that good enough? Does he even deserve the guilty conscience he sometimes has or is the entire situation the fault of someone else's bad decision? Does that absolve him?
2. Your Name is in the Book - Sometimes decisions have societal consequences. The people involved may genuinely believe they are doing what is best for everyone, but is that even possible, and, if so, how long can it last? If given the chance to be happy and fulfilled, can people return to living with uncertainty and fear? Or would they "do anything" to avoid going backwards? And what does that mean for the outliers, people who know that uncertainly, indecision, and sadness are normal parts of living?
I highly recommend this book and suggest you read it more than once to make sure you pick up all the subtle nuances in each story. You need to make sure you read the stories, as written, not the ones you may have assumed you were reading when you started. That makes all the difference in the world for this book.
We probably believe we are moral people. We may believe that will never change--and that is the subject of these two stories. Maybe morality can never be set in stone. Maybe there are no absolute rights or wrongs. Maybe circumstances dictate morality. That is an uncomfortable thought because it means we may be capable of doing what we once thought was immoral--and so is everyone else. That threatens our sense of security and how far would we, or society in general, go to get that secure feeling back? Making rational decisions goes out the door when emotions (such as fear and love) are involved. Would we "do anything" to avoid facing those decisions, including letting someone else decide for us based on a system where morality IS set in stone?
The uneasiness you may end up feeling is the realization that your morals can--and probably will--change throughout your life. You may not always do what is viewed as the right thing and you will have to live with that. You may not be the person you always thought you were. These are the questions the characters face in this book.
1. Closure - In Closure, something precious is taken from a man, which leads him to take something from someone else. He doesn't care if what he did is right or wrong. He only knows that he HAD to do it and it was the right thing for him. Is that good enough? Does he even deserve the guilty conscience he sometimes has or is the entire situation the fault of someone else's bad decision? Does that absolve him?
2. Your Name is in the Book - Sometimes decisions have societal consequences. The people involved may genuinely believe they are doing what is best for everyone, but is that even possible, and, if so, how long can it last? If given the chance to be happy and fulfilled, can people return to living with uncertainty and fear? Or would they "do anything" to avoid going backwards? And what does that mean for the outliers, people who know that uncertainly, indecision, and sadness are normal parts of living?
I highly recommend this book and suggest you read it more than once to make sure you pick up all the subtle nuances in each story. You need to make sure you read the stories, as written, not the ones you may have assumed you were reading when you started. That makes all the difference in the world for this book.
March 6, 2016
"Closure" is the universe hopping account of a man whose wife is kidnapped by someone who looks exactly like himself. Gary is then given instructions and the choice to do the same thing. Luke Smitherd has created another tale of parallel universes very similar to the "In the Darkness That's Where I'll You" saga. His system of time/dimension leaping is believable because he has not deviated from the facts that he's already laid out, in his world centering in and around Coventry.
"Your Name Is In The Book" is the second story. John is 11 years old in the not too distant future. A time where a new invention has eradicated crime from the world, a time known as New Utopia. After a game of teatherball with his 7 year old sister, John goes to his room where he finds a strange book without a cover lying on his bed. He skims through it and discovers it seems to be a directory of people from the area who's surnames begin with A-C. Each name has a number between 1 and 9. Not knowing what it is he decides to hide it. After awhile he forgets about the book. Then at age 17 a man comes to him out of nowhere and tells him that he can't see his face and he needs to stay away from his love interest Debbie Brand. Then the man tells him to run to his school and not look back. A few seconds later he looks back and the man has disappeared. He cannot stay away from Debbie. After another 4 years and several tragedies later the man returns to tell him why he needs to stay away from Debbie...
Both of these stories, much like Smitherd's other novellas, have you questioning moral decisions and how you would react if you were faced with the same choices and situations as the characters. I loved these ones just as much as the others, but the second tale in this book left me feeling haunted and sad. I will once again recommend this one to everyone I know. It is another easy 5 star rating and I can't wait to read more of what he has to offer. Luke Smitherd is an author to watch out for!
"Your Name Is In The Book" is the second story. John is 11 years old in the not too distant future. A time where a new invention has eradicated crime from the world, a time known as New Utopia. After a game of teatherball with his 7 year old sister, John goes to his room where he finds a strange book without a cover lying on his bed. He skims through it and discovers it seems to be a directory of people from the area who's surnames begin with A-C. Each name has a number between 1 and 9. Not knowing what it is he decides to hide it. After awhile he forgets about the book. Then at age 17 a man comes to him out of nowhere and tells him that he can't see his face and he needs to stay away from his love interest Debbie Brand. Then the man tells him to run to his school and not look back. A few seconds later he looks back and the man has disappeared. He cannot stay away from Debbie. After another 4 years and several tragedies later the man returns to tell him why he needs to stay away from Debbie...
Both of these stories, much like Smitherd's other novellas, have you questioning moral decisions and how you would react if you were faced with the same choices and situations as the characters. I loved these ones just as much as the others, but the second tale in this book left me feeling haunted and sad. I will once again recommend this one to everyone I know. It is another easy 5 star rating and I can't wait to read more of what he has to offer. Luke Smitherd is an author to watch out for!
February 12, 2016
Another Great Read
I've read all books written by Mr Smitherd now, and there hasn't been a single one that hasn't had me hooked from the start. A few are short stories, of which two are included in this offering. My preference is for full length novels, to help keep the enjoyment going for longer. I'd be a fool however if that stopped me from picking these fellas up, as they are easily amongst the best I've read.
This book contains Two stories; the first explores the possibilities of inter dimensional travel, but not for good. The story is gripping from the start, but has you thinking about what you would do in this situation. Read it. What would you do?
The second story here uses some ideas covered by others elsewhere, but manages to deliver in a unique and decidedly Smitherd way. This is my favourite of the two.
I say this every time I review a book by this author, but I can't stress the importance of doing so. There is no reason not to like any offering from this author; if you've not read his work yet, please do so.
I've read all books written by Mr Smitherd now, and there hasn't been a single one that hasn't had me hooked from the start. A few are short stories, of which two are included in this offering. My preference is for full length novels, to help keep the enjoyment going for longer. I'd be a fool however if that stopped me from picking these fellas up, as they are easily amongst the best I've read.
This book contains Two stories; the first explores the possibilities of inter dimensional travel, but not for good. The story is gripping from the start, but has you thinking about what you would do in this situation. Read it. What would you do?
The second story here uses some ideas covered by others elsewhere, but manages to deliver in a unique and decidedly Smitherd way. This is my favourite of the two.
I say this every time I review a book by this author, but I can't stress the importance of doing so. There is no reason not to like any offering from this author; if you've not read his work yet, please do so.
September 19, 2016
Beautifully written, and intriguing. I was immediately drawn into both of these strange but compelling stories. There's a wonderful Whatifness in Luke Smitherd's work. I often travel down similar rabbit holes in my middle distance journeys, so it was a joy to read something so well thought out and then executed so cleverly. I'm off to buy another of his works. Totally recommend this one!
April 5, 2016
Another great read from Mr. Smitherd. His wonderful novellas are like odd candy for me. Just enough to get me interested and stopping before I have to REALLY think about all of the weird stuff that he points out.
Well done and worth the read.
Well done and worth the read.
December 31, 2016
Excellent stuff
Real honest to goodness Sci Fi speculative fiction written brilliantly. Highly recommend, both stories a real page turner. Bloody hell this word limit thing in reviews is a real pain in the ****
Real honest to goodness Sci Fi speculative fiction written brilliantly. Highly recommend, both stories a real page turner. Bloody hell this word limit thing in reviews is a real pain in the ****
March 13, 2016
Brilliant as always. Luke has a unique take on his brand of otherworldly tale writing, read them all and refuse to miss any by him.
March 23, 2016
Intriguing short stories for one who enjoys time travel loops!
January 21, 2023
Read it in one afternoon. My third of the authors. Solid, gripping, fun. What else do you need? The stone man is my fave. Going to read in the darkness now.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews