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These I Know by Heart
Seventeen stories, including, for the first time in ANY collection, 1999 Bram Stoker Award winner "Five Days in April" -- along with the preceding Watchers story "Ten Days in July." Also includes "These Are the Moments I Live For," a new story written especially for this collection. From the back "Brian A. Hopkins is the author of over a hundred short stories published in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres and the Bram Stoker Award winning novel The Licking Valley Coon Hunters Club. His story 'Five Days in April' not only won a Bram Stoker Award in 1999, but was also a finalist for both the Nebula Award and the Ted Sturgeon Memorial Award."
"Of the seventeen stories in this handsome trade paperback collection, fully twelve I consider outstanding examples of the storyteller's art. The other five are merely superb ... A deep spiritual, naturalistic streak runs through much of Brian Hopkins' work, though it's tempered by a strong nod to realism -- often seen as a scientific element or context -- and a sense of social commentary sadly lacking in much of horror today. Hopkins brings emotion back to [the horror] field..." -- from a review by William D. Gagliani
"...poignant, thought-provoking tales of love, death, angels and miracles ... Absolutely stunning." -- Lesley Mazey, Eternal Night Science Fiction
"Yippee. Please forgive me for being pleased, but this here is a new book we should sell very well indeed. Now that I have all these Hopkins fans on my hands, a new collection in a pretty package signed by ol' Brian himself should virtually fly out of here. You'll like this guy. Obviously well-read, obviously has a passion for the classic, obviously a fearless and highly imaginative storyteller. We've usually got several Hopkins collections in stock - try any one of them - I'm confident you'll be back for the others. As I've said before, for whatever this is worth, we've sold more trade paperbacks by Brian Hopkins than any other writer over the course of the last year or so." -- Mark V. Ziesing, Bookseller and Publisher
"It's this collection of some of Hopkins' best short stories that will make the cold winter nights warmer, because what Hopkins does best with his words is reach inside and yank at the heart. And the soul. ...With his Michener-like eye for research and detail and his John D. MacDonald penchant for spinning an easily read yarn, Hopkins is quickly gaining his own fine reputation as a writer." -- Judi Rohrig in the Evansville, Indiana Courier & Press
"This is a collection about experiences of the deepest, darkest, and most excruciating kind. Loss and love, fear and regret, splayed in all its black and painful glory . . . Nothing in These I Know By Heart is easy, and that, perhaps, is exactly as it should be. There are lessons to be learned in the turn of a phrase written by a talented hand and a knowing heart, and Brian Hopkins excels indeed in the role of teacher." -- Yvonne Navarro, from the Introduction
"Brian Hopkins is a skilled writer whose stories show that he's always in control of the elements that make for great mastery of his craft, a keen sense of story, and boundless imagination. These I Know By Heart is the work of a true artist." -- Edo van Belkom, Bram Stoker Award Winning Author of Teeth
"Brian Hopkins should take five steps forward and join the masters. His writing is eloquent, poignant, touching and delirious. Hopkins manages to both repulse and enchant within a single story, and writes with a quiet melancholy that is reminiscent of Bradbury at his best." -- James A. Moore, Author of Under the Overtree
"Brian Hopkins is one of the most promising new horror writers of the past decade or so.
"Of the seventeen stories in this handsome trade paperback collection, fully twelve I consider outstanding examples of the storyteller's art. The other five are merely superb ... A deep spiritual, naturalistic streak runs through much of Brian Hopkins' work, though it's tempered by a strong nod to realism -- often seen as a scientific element or context -- and a sense of social commentary sadly lacking in much of horror today. Hopkins brings emotion back to [the horror] field..." -- from a review by William D. Gagliani
"...poignant, thought-provoking tales of love, death, angels and miracles ... Absolutely stunning." -- Lesley Mazey, Eternal Night Science Fiction
"Yippee. Please forgive me for being pleased, but this here is a new book we should sell very well indeed. Now that I have all these Hopkins fans on my hands, a new collection in a pretty package signed by ol' Brian himself should virtually fly out of here. You'll like this guy. Obviously well-read, obviously has a passion for the classic, obviously a fearless and highly imaginative storyteller. We've usually got several Hopkins collections in stock - try any one of them - I'm confident you'll be back for the others. As I've said before, for whatever this is worth, we've sold more trade paperbacks by Brian Hopkins than any other writer over the course of the last year or so." -- Mark V. Ziesing, Bookseller and Publisher
"It's this collection of some of Hopkins' best short stories that will make the cold winter nights warmer, because what Hopkins does best with his words is reach inside and yank at the heart. And the soul. ...With his Michener-like eye for research and detail and his John D. MacDonald penchant for spinning an easily read yarn, Hopkins is quickly gaining his own fine reputation as a writer." -- Judi Rohrig in the Evansville, Indiana Courier & Press
"This is a collection about experiences of the deepest, darkest, and most excruciating kind. Loss and love, fear and regret, splayed in all its black and painful glory . . . Nothing in These I Know By Heart is easy, and that, perhaps, is exactly as it should be. There are lessons to be learned in the turn of a phrase written by a talented hand and a knowing heart, and Brian Hopkins excels indeed in the role of teacher." -- Yvonne Navarro, from the Introduction
"Brian Hopkins is a skilled writer whose stories show that he's always in control of the elements that make for great mastery of his craft, a keen sense of story, and boundless imagination. These I Know By Heart is the work of a true artist." -- Edo van Belkom, Bram Stoker Award Winning Author of Teeth
"Brian Hopkins should take five steps forward and join the masters. His writing is eloquent, poignant, touching and delirious. Hopkins manages to both repulse and enchant within a single story, and writes with a quiet melancholy that is reminiscent of Bradbury at his best." -- James A. Moore, Author of Under the Overtree
"Brian Hopkins is one of the most promising new horror writers of the past decade or so.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
3 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 4, 2023
Brian A. Hopkins is FREAKING AMAZING! I don't know why this man is not included on the lists of the most popular dark fiction writers of today, but he should be on it and near the top. I was introduced to his work by one of my favorite audiobook narrators, Joshua Saxon. I am so glad! Otherwise Brian and his work might never have made it onto my radar and that my friends, would have been a tragedy.
Brian's stories are always moving, some are poignant, some are painful, but they're all engaging and often overlooked by the mainstream. (Am I belaboring the point? Probably.) Below, I'm going to mention the stories that moved me the most.
FIVE DAYS IN APRIL: Before September 11th, there was a bombing in Oklahoma City which, at the time, was the biggest act of domestic terrorism ever, in the United States. I realize that 168 dead souls sounds somewhat paltry now in this age of war and near daily mass shootings, but back in 1995 it was shocking to most Americans. This story talks about the rescue workers and the rescue dogs and what happens to them during the search for survivors. (There was a day care center inside the building, and 19 of the murdered were children.) This tale broke my dark, black heart. I'm not ashamed to say I finished this with tears openly running down my face. In fact, I bet there will be a tear in your eye if you read it too.
THE SCISSORS MAN: I don't even know what to say about this story. It's an unflinching tale that looks at all the aspects of death. And death always lies.
THESE ARE THE MOMENTS I LIVE FOR: Featuring dreams and a fallen angel, this dream-like tale requires your careful attention.
ALL COLORS BLEED TO RED: I remember reading the book The Hot Zone back in 1994 and it scared the hell out of me. So did this story.
THE ENDLESS MASQUERADE: Abuse suffered as a young child is NEVER forgotten and the consequences are hard to forget in this dark tale.
THE GROTTO OF MASSABIELLE: In a few small ways, this reminded me of Stephen King's THE DEAD ZONE. It's one of those times when what should have been a gift turns into some kind of curse.
DEAD ART was so unique, and I don't even know what else to say.
THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH is that you cannot escape it no matter what you do. It always catches up to you.
There is a wonderful foreword by David Niall Wilson and there are two short pieces at the end by other writers who were lucky to discover Brian's work much earlier than I did. I enjoyed listening to all three.
Joshua Saxon narrates the hell out of these stories, I have to mention that. He is a master of voicing and his range as far as accents and dialect go is beyond compare.
Betraying myself by revealing that I am a native of Massachusetts: This book is WICKED good! Excellent prose and my emotional reactions to it will keep THESE I KNOW BY HEART at the top of my recommended books list for the rest of my life. What else is there to say?
My HIGHEST recommendation!
*Thank you to Joshua Saxon for the free audio download in exchange for my honest feedback.*
Brian's stories are always moving, some are poignant, some are painful, but they're all engaging and often overlooked by the mainstream. (Am I belaboring the point? Probably.) Below, I'm going to mention the stories that moved me the most.
FIVE DAYS IN APRIL: Before September 11th, there was a bombing in Oklahoma City which, at the time, was the biggest act of domestic terrorism ever, in the United States. I realize that 168 dead souls sounds somewhat paltry now in this age of war and near daily mass shootings, but back in 1995 it was shocking to most Americans. This story talks about the rescue workers and the rescue dogs and what happens to them during the search for survivors. (There was a day care center inside the building, and 19 of the murdered were children.) This tale broke my dark, black heart. I'm not ashamed to say I finished this with tears openly running down my face. In fact, I bet there will be a tear in your eye if you read it too.
THE SCISSORS MAN: I don't even know what to say about this story. It's an unflinching tale that looks at all the aspects of death. And death always lies.
THESE ARE THE MOMENTS I LIVE FOR: Featuring dreams and a fallen angel, this dream-like tale requires your careful attention.
ALL COLORS BLEED TO RED: I remember reading the book The Hot Zone back in 1994 and it scared the hell out of me. So did this story.
THE ENDLESS MASQUERADE: Abuse suffered as a young child is NEVER forgotten and the consequences are hard to forget in this dark tale.
THE GROTTO OF MASSABIELLE: In a few small ways, this reminded me of Stephen King's THE DEAD ZONE. It's one of those times when what should have been a gift turns into some kind of curse.
DEAD ART was so unique, and I don't even know what else to say.
THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH is that you cannot escape it no matter what you do. It always catches up to you.
There is a wonderful foreword by David Niall Wilson and there are two short pieces at the end by other writers who were lucky to discover Brian's work much earlier than I did. I enjoyed listening to all three.
Joshua Saxon narrates the hell out of these stories, I have to mention that. He is a master of voicing and his range as far as accents and dialect go is beyond compare.
Betraying myself by revealing that I am a native of Massachusetts: This book is WICKED good! Excellent prose and my emotional reactions to it will keep THESE I KNOW BY HEART at the top of my recommended books list for the rest of my life. What else is there to say?
My HIGHEST recommendation!
*Thank you to Joshua Saxon for the free audio download in exchange for my honest feedback.*
April 16, 2019
For several weeks, I've been trying to pin down how to characterize the stories in this collection and, in a sense, the rest of Brian Hopkins's catalogue. And now I think I've come as close as I'm going to get...
At its core, Hopkins's fiction evokes and explores Existential Horror. This subgenre is often absorbed by Cosmic Horror—the horror of the insignificance of existence. But Hopkins pulls in exactly the opposite direction. His horror is profoundly significant and personal. He writes not about existence's cosmic horrors, but rather its quotidian horrors: the mortal fear, sickening doubt, oppressive solitude, and gnawing guilt that are among the dividends paid on human consciousness. Where a large slice of horror fiction draws its tension from the Other—either an Other that dwarfs mankind and renders it terrifyingly impotent, or an Other that draws mankind into an uncanny valley of recognition—Hopkins's vision is utterly committed to the self. And like cosmic horror which can inspire expansive awe and isolating despair, Hopkins existential horror swings, from moment to moment, from the glorious to the gut-wrenching. He celebrates and commiserates on the breadth of human awareness and experience. And in so doing, Hopkins consistently achieves the most cathartic writing I've encountered.
September 22, 2021
Brian A. Hopkins writes very good horror short stories. This is a series he wrote about twenty years ago according to the author. Every single story was fresh and unique. I’m be reading horror for a long time and I found nothing that felt trite or boring. The top 2 stories in the anthology for me were Scissors Man and Shrovetide. Both of these were particularly dark and disturbing. I had to walk away for a day before returning to the series. To me, that’s a good thing!
August 31, 2024
Hit and miss on some stories. More miss imo.
September 16, 2024
Read 'Ivory in the blood'
June 8, 2023
(Audiobook—) One of the most devastatingly depressing collection of stories I’ve ever listened to. Death, death, and then a few more kids die, and then more death. “The Scissor Man” is perfect though: scary and metaphorical without the melodrama.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews