Reassuring Tales

by T.E.D. Klein

Meticulously crafted and highly memorable, T.E.D. Klein's work represents some of the best the horror and science fiction genres have to offer. From the classic novellas 'Black Man With A Horn', 'Nadelman's God', 'Children of the Kingdom' and 'Petey' to the critically acclaimed novel The Ceremonies, Klein's fiction is remarkable, much-vaunted, but sadly, not abundant.

It has been sixteen years since the release of Klein's novella collection Dark Gods. Since then fans have been clambering for a follow-up.

The wait is over.

Subterranean Press is proud to present Reassuring Tales, which features previously uncollected short stories, novellas, and screen treatments, each one hand-picked by the author, including the classic 'The Events At Poroth Farm', the basis for the novel for which Klein is best known, The Ceremonies.

Be advised, Dear Reader, the following tales are anything but reassuring…

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Collections, Weird Fiction, Speculative Fiction

167 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Orrin Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do I give this two stars or three? I'm waffling, so I'll err on the side of three, but it's close. I was really expecting to like this more. I've read a couple of Klein's more famous stories and been really impressed, but this... not so much. Not that there's anything really wrong with the stories here, but they're mostly of what I've come to think of as the Twilight Zone school of storytelling, which doesn't do much for me most of the time. There are a few good bits here, I like the title and cover, "Events at Poroth Farm" is, of course, "Events at Poroth Farm," and Klein's introduction is worth reading the book for, but all-in-all I found it to be a disappointment. Looking forward to cracking Dark Gods and/or The Ceremonies, which'll hopefully be a little more like what I've come to expect.

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

I come to T.E.D. Klein by way of "The Events at Poroth Farm" (and have bought an entire book on the strength of that story alone) and Dark Gods, so I was honestly a little surprised by most of the stories in here; the overall impression is that they're lighter, more simply constructed. There are exceptions ("Growing Things" is close to what I'd expect, though I wish it was a little longer, and "Ladder" is oddly cold for its setup), and the sweetly fannish nostalgia/magic shop[1] setup of "They Don't Write 'Em Like This Anymore" makes me want to curl up with an old magazine and read about a rocket ship, or a glittering jeweled horror. Some of the others, though, I've read before and was shocked to notice that they were his.

Overall? Not what I was expecting. But of the ten tales, none are bad, four are solid enough I may make a point of looking at them again before I return this library book, and one is "The Events at Poroth Farm"[2]. An up-and-down collection, but I'll give it three stars.
---
[1] You know, the magic shop. The one where you buy something awesome from the strange proprietor, and when you go back the building's empty, or the storefront was never there? Come on, you've seen it in the old stories, although it's a little sparser on the ground these days.
[2] Yes, I'm always like this about that story. You should hear me about "Petey".

[Canavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

✭✭✭

“Camera Shy” (1988) ✭✭✭
“Growing Things” (1999) ✭✭✭
“Curtains for Nat Crumley” (1996) ✭✭✭
“Magic Carpet” (1976) ✭✭½
“One Size Eats All” (1993) ✭✭✭½
“Ladder” (1990) ✭✭✭½
“Well-Connected” (1987) ✭✭✭✭
“S.F.” (1975) ✭½
“They Don’t Write ’Em Like This Anymore” (1989) ✭✭½
“The Events at Poroth Farm” (1972) ✭✭✭✭✭

[Dollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently reread The Ceremonies and it has led to me wanting to read more of Klein's work. I’ve read Dark Gods, but I found this book of Klein’s short stories which I’d never read. I was excited to read The Events at Poroth Farm, which is the short story that he expanded into The Ceremonies. This book also had some poetry, an essay or two and a great interview at the end, which gave me an idea of what he considers horror and I totally agreed with some of his thoughts. He creates memorable characters and memorable stories. These aren’t the greatest short stories I’ve ever read, and certainly not the worse, and I enjoyed them all. I like stories with a twist. Although I’ve read two of Arthur Machen’s stories (and didn’t especially like them), The Ceremonies and Klein’s writing with such respect for Machen have convinced me that I have to find and read Machen’s story, The White People. I can’t wait to read Klein’s nonfiction book, Providence After Dark.

[Leif · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

There were three things I had already read ("Events at Poroth Farm", "Ladder", and the interview from Vastarien). It is nice to have them in one place, I guess, but they make up the bulk of the book. And the remainder? I thought the tales a bit slight and the poems NOT my thing.* The few essays are nice, and on that note, I would recommend his non-fiction collection "Providence After Dark" to anyone interested in this weird genre that is horror.

*Upon re-reading the poems, I'm not sure how seriously I am to take them. At first, I think they are almost laughably bad. Then I confirm this opinion but think, "Are they supposed to be?"

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Klein's own admission in the story explainers at the end of the book, this is a bit of a grab bag. That being said, while the quality varies it certainly contains quite a number of proper stunners. He remains unsurpassed as an author in the longer-short story format as opposed to his vignettes. And I maintain that 'Events at Poroth Farm' is a superior iteration of the tale he greatly expanded into the novel The Ceremonies.

None of these, however, are quite up to the level as the four longer tales in Dark Gods.

[Brian Sammons · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to go wrong with T.E.D. Klein, and this collection of his short stories is a prime example of this. While I like his longer works better, and I so glad this long out-of-print book is back out in the market, bigger and better than ever. Not every tale is a certified winner, but most are or at the least, a very good read. But really, this collection is worth getting for the amazing “The Events at Poroth Farm” alone. Yes, the story really is that good.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Master of Ceremonies Few They May Be

I read Klein’s Ceremonies as a kid, and it projected a large shadow in my fandom of horror - a mix of Lovecraft’s cosmic horror and Stephen King’s contemporary horror. Only years later after I stupidly sold the book back to the same used bookstore I bought it from did I discover T.E.D. Klein was a revered horror author despite his small output. I had never run across another novel of his because that was the only one. A collection of novellas and another collection of short stories was pretty much it. That latter collection was head to find toll now. Which is this collection. Despite the heavy Livecraftian influence in the novel, what I find here reminds me more of Ray Bradbury. A fondness for nostalgia and classic storytelling.
Recommended for horror fans.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

T.E.D. Klein. After having read the very first story in this collection of short stories, I have begun seeking out the other works of this author. I really enjoyed these stories, although I think the first is definitely the best in this particular selection. Below you will find a listing of all the stories included in this collection. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

The Events at Poroth Farm
One Size Eats All
Well-Connected
Camera Shy
Ladder
Renaissance Man
Curtains for Nat Crumley
Magic Carpet
S.F.
Growing Things
Imagining Things
They Don't Write 'Em Like This Anymore

In addition to the above short stories, the book also includes:
Three Poems
Arthur Machen's 'The House of Souls' (an essay)
About These Stories (the author discusses this collection)
An Interview with T.E.D. Klein

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

T.E.D. Klein is the type of author that slides under the radar. For those that discover his writing they immediately recognize how vivid and beautiful his prose can be, even when describing truly horrific events. Readers can go their whole lives without coming across his work, but that would be to the detriment of the reader. “Events of Poroth Farm” is absolutely incredible and should be read by everyone at least once to see how a master weaves tension and atmosphere to build a very believable and unsettling environment. A master class of short fiction right up there with Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”. I highly recommend this slim yet potent volume of short fiction.

[Ben Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little collection of long out of print stories and a few short essays by T.E.D. Klein. I'd never read any of these before, and quite enjoyed them. The stories run the gamut from weird horror to strange science fiction, and the essays and interview give some good insight into Klein's work.
Very much worth your time, if you've read "the Ceremonies" and "Dark Gods," and are looking for more of Klein's work.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection of short stories quite a bit. It reminded me a lot of the Twilight Zone, which is one of my favorite television shows. A few of the stories had some dated dialog, but for the most part the stories held up to the march of time. And there were a few that genuinely surprised and delighted me. Klein has a sharp and unique mind, and I would willingingly traipse through it again.

[Denise Cimpko-Beller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is a lower rating in my mind—“the curates egg” but because “The Events at Poroth Farm” is just about the apotheosis of horror short fiction, I have to give credit where credit is due. Nothing bad—although his defense of Lovecraft’s racism is super boomer cringy—“Imagining Things” —very good—also kind of liked the poems (props for the Bosch sestina) and his thoughts on Machen. I will read anything he writes.

[Christopher Pate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first came by T.E.D. Klein by way of his excellent story, "Black Man with a Horn," which I consider one of the best Lovecraftian tales not written by HPL. This collection of Klein's stories is seemingly a mishmash, not all of which are horror, and "The Events at Poroth Farm" is the most outstanding with a good, slow buildup. However, the collection didn't prove to be a particularly engrossing one.

[Colton Unruh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

There’s little new to be said on this collection. It may be somewhat inconsistent, but there’s no shortage of quality writing to be found here. And of course, Poroth Farm, as mentioned by others, is worth the price of admission alone.

For those new to Klein, seek out Dark Gods. Pound for pound, I believe it is his finest, and most definitive book.

[Rob Crisp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic collection of short horror stories. It’s a shame Klein has had problems with writer’s block and has had limited output of works because the stories and novels he has been able to release are gold.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an impulse buy - well, I ordered it then bought it, impulsively, but it was fine. The Porloth Farm story is a stone classic, the rest range from okay to very good, but all were readable.

[Eddie Goldenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Master of dark tales. A true storyteller

[Jeff McIntosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY FIRST BOOK OF 2023......

[Miktam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Klein never disappoints. I only wish we would get more from him. The interview at the end was a treat.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

more creepy stories from the master. i'm looking forward to reading "the ceremonies!"

[Leonardo Bordino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un puñado de cuentos brillantes (me llevo "Ladder" y sus patrones para toda la vida) más un puñado de cuentos poco trascendentes, todo aderezado con unos poemas (acá conocí el modelo de sestina y me entusiasmé mucho), y ensayos y entrevistas. Lindo pack y el autor sumó un puntito extra por ser un erudito del horror y el weird fiction.

[Alan Loewen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fascinating Read

For those who enjoy the stories behind the stories, this collection offers a great deal of insight into T.E.D. Klein’s creative process and his interesting take on horror as a literary genre.

The stories vary greatly in quality, but all to some amount do not fail to entertain.

For this reviewer, the closing essay explaining the genesis of his stories as well as the in-depth interview illuminated the entire book bringing a deeper appreciation of the collection as a whole.

[Douglas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did see the potential latent in this story, but it just kind of fades away before accomplishing anything.

[Murray Ewing · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his introduction, Klein takes pains to point out the flaws in each of the stories collected here, and for the most part, I’d have to agree — they’re well-written but slight tales. You can guess the ending of, say, “Camera Shy” — in which the mother and father of a recently-married daughter get the wedding photos in the mail, only to find the groom, currently honeymooning in his homeland of Hungary, hasn’t come out in any of them — pretty much as soon as it starts, but what makes them readable is the warmth, ease, and humanity of Klein’s storytelling style.

The real stand-out is the last, “The Events at Poroth Farm”, which he later expanded into his novel, The Ceremonies. It’s rooted in classic weird fiction, feeling like a mix of Lovecraft (“The Colour out of Space”), Machen (“The White People”), and a toned-down Stephen King. Its narrator takes lodgings at the titular farm to get some serious reading done prior to teaching a course in Gothic literature (which allows Klein to throw in lots of little references to classic horror fiction). Things start to get a little weird when he finds one of the Poroth cats well and truly dead, only for it to saunter into the house come dinner time. It stares at him knowingly throughout the meal… It’s the longest story in the book and this, combined with how much I enjoyed Klein’s collection of novellas, Dark Gods, makes me think he’s better suited to longer, rather than shorter, stories. It’s “Poroth Farm” that earns the four stars.