What do you think?
Rate this book
Things You Need
The things we want are so very rarely the things we need.
Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful.
But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen.
Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new...
Until night falls once more.
Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful.
But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen.
Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new...
Until night falls once more.
Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2018
15 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Lucia
101 books370 followersKevin Lucia is the ebook and trade paperback editor at Cemetery Dance Publications. His short fiction has been published in many venues, most notably with Clive Barker, David Morell, Peter Straub, Bentley Little, and Robert McCammon.
His first short story collection, Things Slip Through, was published by Crystal Lake Publishing in November, 2013. He's followed that with the collections Through A Mirror, Darkly, Devourer of Souls, Things You Need, October Nights, and the novellas Mystery Road, A Night at Old Webb, and The Night Road.
His first short story collection, Things Slip Through, was published by Crystal Lake Publishing in November, 2013. He's followed that with the collections Through A Mirror, Darkly, Devourer of Souls, Things You Need, October Nights, and the novellas Mystery Road, A Night at Old Webb, and The Night Road.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 28, 2018
THINGS YOU NEED, by Kevin Lucia, is another novel centered in his fictional town of Clifton Heights. As with several of his other books that showcase this distinctive location, this has a central theme that is broken up by smaller stories, all having something to do with the main thread.
". . . there was something off in Clifton Heights."
When a salesman makes a stop in this town, he discovers the innocuous storefront of "Handy's". Walking inside for the first time, a sense of something "different" overcomes him.
"It was fate. I was meant to stop at Handy's. And nothing would ever be the same after."
Alone and unfulfilled both emotionally and professionally, he finds himself going back later that evening to try and find what it was that he, himself, needed.
". . . people know exactly what they want, but it takes time to search for what they need . . . "
The eight shorter tales incorporated into this larger theme all have some connection to Hardy's Pawn and Thrift Store. Some of the stand-outs, in my opinion, are:
--A tale of one couple's celebration of Dia de Los Muertos, and how it binds them together, in life and beyond . . .
--"Out of Field Theory": Brian Palmer used to capture magic with his Nikon camera, but since he left for college, he seems to have lost that touch. Will a trip back home to Clifton Heights rekindle that spark? ". . . What lies cut off by the frame still continues off the frame in a reality created by the photographic device."
--"Scavenging": A man tries to find his past, but at what cost?
--"The Black Pyramid": A struggling preacher finds exactly what he "needs" at a sidewalk sale. "I had to look, right? Had to. Because it's what humans do. We look. Most especially when we shouldn't."
As always, these tales speak differently to each person. As a whole, combined within the greater theme, I felt they really emphasized the power behind the emotions and the attachments we make with certain physical objects, at just the right time in our lives.
"What we want is so rarely what we need. What we need, we hardly ever want."
Overall, I love Kevin Lucia's writing style, and most especially his tales of Clifton Heights. He has a way with this type of format that makes it work so well. I will be eagerly awaiting his next stories from this unique town!
". . . In the end, we only know our own stories . . . "
Highly recommended!
**Available now!**
". . . there was something off in Clifton Heights."
When a salesman makes a stop in this town, he discovers the innocuous storefront of "Handy's". Walking inside for the first time, a sense of something "different" overcomes him.
"It was fate. I was meant to stop at Handy's. And nothing would ever be the same after."
Alone and unfulfilled both emotionally and professionally, he finds himself going back later that evening to try and find what it was that he, himself, needed.
". . . people know exactly what they want, but it takes time to search for what they need . . . "
The eight shorter tales incorporated into this larger theme all have some connection to Hardy's Pawn and Thrift Store. Some of the stand-outs, in my opinion, are:
--A tale of one couple's celebration of Dia de Los Muertos, and how it binds them together, in life and beyond . . .
--"Out of Field Theory": Brian Palmer used to capture magic with his Nikon camera, but since he left for college, he seems to have lost that touch. Will a trip back home to Clifton Heights rekindle that spark? ". . . What lies cut off by the frame still continues off the frame in a reality created by the photographic device."
--"Scavenging": A man tries to find his past, but at what cost?
--"The Black Pyramid": A struggling preacher finds exactly what he "needs" at a sidewalk sale. "I had to look, right? Had to. Because it's what humans do. We look. Most especially when we shouldn't."
As always, these tales speak differently to each person. As a whole, combined within the greater theme, I felt they really emphasized the power behind the emotions and the attachments we make with certain physical objects, at just the right time in our lives.
"What we want is so rarely what we need. What we need, we hardly ever want."
Overall, I love Kevin Lucia's writing style, and most especially his tales of Clifton Heights. He has a way with this type of format that makes it work so well. I will be eagerly awaiting his next stories from this unique town!
". . . In the end, we only know our own stories . . . "
Highly recommended!
**Available now!**
August 15, 2019
A traveling salesman who is closer to the end of his road than he realizes finds himself in Clifton Heights, a quiet little town that teeters uneasily between Norman Rockwell quaint....and someplace else. Where shadows whisper and familiar streets lead to places that aren't on any map.
Weary in heart and soul, on the verge of suicide, he's compelled to drive the night streets, seeking something he can't name.
What he finds is Handy's Pawn and Thrift. A cluttered little shop with the sign "We Have Things You Need".
Along with things he didn't want to know.
Kevin Lucia weaves eight tales into the shadowy mosaic of Handy's Pawn and Thrift, a dark night of the soul for a man whose travels have brought him to the end of one line...and the beginning of another in Clifton Heights.
A pure pleasure to read, Lucia's Clifton Heights stories deserve comparison to Charles L. Grant's Oxrun Station tales.
Highly recommended.
Weary in heart and soul, on the verge of suicide, he's compelled to drive the night streets, seeking something he can't name.
What he finds is Handy's Pawn and Thrift. A cluttered little shop with the sign "We Have Things You Need".
Along with things he didn't want to know.
Kevin Lucia weaves eight tales into the shadowy mosaic of Handy's Pawn and Thrift, a dark night of the soul for a man whose travels have brought him to the end of one line...and the beginning of another in Clifton Heights.
A pure pleasure to read, Lucia's Clifton Heights stories deserve comparison to Charles L. Grant's Oxrun Station tales.
Highly recommended.
March 17, 2019
Review copy
Kevin Lucia has a place he calls home in much of his work. Like Stephen King has Castle Rock and Gary A. Braunbeck has Cedar Hill, Lucia has Clifton Heights, a small town in the Adirondacks where strange is more or less the norm.
That's not where the similarities to King end. If you're at all familiar with Stephen's work you can't help but notice a similarity of titles between Needful Things and Things You Need.
Things You Need, at its core, is a collection of stories set in and around Clifton Heights. Those tales are all wrapped in a larger story of a traveling salesman who comes to Clifton Heights. Stuck in a job he's good at, but is anything but satisfying, Lucia's protagonist is considering the ultimate retirement...
"...the day I stepped into Handy's Pawn & Thrift, I'd say I was two steps away from giving my .38 that long, last kiss goodbye."
Now on to the stories within the story.
The Way of Ah-Tzenul - A perverted tale of a farmer who after a weak harvest the previous year discovers a most unusual way to tend to his fields. I loved this story, but then I'm pretty much a sick bastard.
The Office - A cleverly constructed tale I won't dare give away. Let's just say it made effective use of the magic eight ball which now finds itself residing at Handy's Pawn & Thrift. It's also one of the finest shorts I've read this year and had a genuine Bradbury feel to it.
Out of Field Theory - Another gem of a story about a photography student working on a project for his final and gets caught up in shadows and what is happening "out of frame."
Scavenging - An engaging story of a man who has destroyed his future and is now trying to recapture his past. One of the best reveals, ever.
A Place for Broken and Discarded Things - Many of the tales in this collection have that Twilight Zone vibe. None more so than this story of a second-hand mega-store luring its victims like a venus fly-trap.
The Black Pyramid - A six-by-six-by-six black ceramic pyramid covered with odd etchings. Six-by-six-by-six. Uh, oh.
When We All Meet at the Ofenda - It seems every Autumn I encounter numerous stories about the Mexican tradition, Día de Los Muertos. This is my favorite so far this year.
Almost Home - A mother leaves a bad situation, taking her son and a .38. A story witch deftly ties the last tale into the larger story.
Kevin Lucia has a very comfortable style to his writing. I won't soon forget my most recent visit to Clifton Heights and look forward to returning again soon.
Recommended.
Things You Need is available for pre-order from Crystal Lake Publishing. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Kevin Lucia has a place he calls home in much of his work. Like Stephen King has Castle Rock and Gary A. Braunbeck has Cedar Hill, Lucia has Clifton Heights, a small town in the Adirondacks where strange is more or less the norm.
That's not where the similarities to King end. If you're at all familiar with Stephen's work you can't help but notice a similarity of titles between Needful Things and Things You Need.
Things You Need, at its core, is a collection of stories set in and around Clifton Heights. Those tales are all wrapped in a larger story of a traveling salesman who comes to Clifton Heights. Stuck in a job he's good at, but is anything but satisfying, Lucia's protagonist is considering the ultimate retirement...
"...the day I stepped into Handy's Pawn & Thrift, I'd say I was two steps away from giving my .38 that long, last kiss goodbye."
Now on to the stories within the story.
The Way of Ah-Tzenul - A perverted tale of a farmer who after a weak harvest the previous year discovers a most unusual way to tend to his fields. I loved this story, but then I'm pretty much a sick bastard.
The Office - A cleverly constructed tale I won't dare give away. Let's just say it made effective use of the magic eight ball which now finds itself residing at Handy's Pawn & Thrift. It's also one of the finest shorts I've read this year and had a genuine Bradbury feel to it.
Out of Field Theory - Another gem of a story about a photography student working on a project for his final and gets caught up in shadows and what is happening "out of frame."
Scavenging - An engaging story of a man who has destroyed his future and is now trying to recapture his past. One of the best reveals, ever.
A Place for Broken and Discarded Things - Many of the tales in this collection have that Twilight Zone vibe. None more so than this story of a second-hand mega-store luring its victims like a venus fly-trap.
The Black Pyramid - A six-by-six-by-six black ceramic pyramid covered with odd etchings. Six-by-six-by-six. Uh, oh.
When We All Meet at the Ofenda - It seems every Autumn I encounter numerous stories about the Mexican tradition, Día de Los Muertos. This is my favorite so far this year.
Almost Home - A mother leaves a bad situation, taking her son and a .38. A story witch deftly ties the last tale into the larger story.
Kevin Lucia has a very comfortable style to his writing. I won't soon forget my most recent visit to Clifton Heights and look forward to returning again soon.
Recommended.
Things You Need is available for pre-order from Crystal Lake Publishing. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
April 27, 2019
A wonderful, beautifully written collection. Very disturbing. And with a lot of heart.
February 14, 2019
4.5 stars rounded up
October 1, 2018
Things You Need: The very title is an homage to Needful Things by Stephen King, and so is the book itself. (It’s also an homage to the Lovecraft mythos.) The stories here center on a spooky thrift shop and an otherworldly furniture store in Clifton Heights, the locale of Lucia’s previous books. Things You Need is a collection of eight previously-published short stories, but they’re woven together in a new framing story that makes the book read like a novel. Kevin Lucia is a master of making us feel his characters’ desperation, whether they’re trapped in a loveless marriage, regrets of past actions, or the ruins of a dying faith – or literally trapped in a store that seems to have no exit. It’s hard to name a favorite story here, since several of them are heartbreakingly good and all of them are so well-written. I’ve enjoyed Lucia’s other short story collections, and this one lives up to the high standards of those previous books.
September 18, 2018
As is my custom, I have to thank Joe Mynhardt and Crystal Lake Publishing for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this gem in exchange for an honest review.
First, up until now, I had never heard of Kevin Lucia. In fact, I had no idea what this book was about - but knowing the caliber of work that comes out of Crystal Lake Publishing, I had no problem accepting the offer.
Boy am I glad I did.
One of my favorite types of movies are the “stories within a story”. Like “Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors” or “Tales From the Hood”. There’s something about the twists, or maybe morals, that the outer story finishes with; and how the internal stories play a part. So when I realized that THINGS YOU NEED was just such a setup, I was overjoyed.
One look at the cover, and a glance at the description (and the title for that matter) may trigger a correlation with NEEDFUL THINGS by Stephen King; and like King has Castle Rock, Lucia has Clifton Heights. But honestly, that’s where the similarities end.
The story starts, in my opinion, sort of slow. We learn about a traveling salesman who visits schools to get them to join fundraising drives. He hates his job (for the most part, who doesn’t?) Pretty pedestrian, actually. That is until he enters Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: a store that has “Things You Need” - and finds a tape player.
The Way of Ah-Tzenul - If this story doesn’t make you exclaim, “What the ever living F%$K!”, I don’t know what will. This was a twisted tale of poor farmer, with a weak crop, and an overbearing wife, who finds a disturbing way to turn that around.
The Office - Very few times do I feel the need to reach out to an author to ask if they have a camera in my house. This story made me do that. I’m going to try to explain why without any spoilers. John has a library in his basement that nobody is allowed in. On his shelves he has toys - specifically a magic 8-ball. On his latest visit, he notices the toys have moved, as have some books, with one new one appearing. I’ll leave the ending a secret. Anyway, here are the similarities that made this story so frightening (you can skip ahead if you don’t care). My name is John, and while I don’t have a basement, my dining-room has been converted to a library that no-one goes in. I also have toys on my shelves (although no 8-ball). I too have had toys moved, on shelves that you would need a step ladder to get to. Come to find out that the mother of the previous owners passed away in that room. She makes herself known periodically by either moving things, or tapping on your shoulder. For obvious reasons, this was my favorite in this collection.
Out of Field Theory - Having been a photographer (used to develop my own film - yes, I’m old) this story hit home as well. A philosophy student finds an abandoned home to photograph and gets caught up with things happening “out of frame”.
Scavenging - I didn’t get where this one was going until about halfway through. A great story about trying to regain your past in lieu of losing ones future.
A Place for Broken and Discarded Things - In every anthology, you’re going to have stories you love, stories that are mediocre, and some that you just don’t like. For me, it was this one. I appreciate what Kevin was trying to do, I just didn’t feel it had the punch it could have, and seemed to drag a bit. But in today’s day and age of wholesale marts like Sam’s, BJ’s, and Costco, having a mega-store that in reality is a “venus fly-trap” is a cool concept - just didn’t like the execution.
The Black Pyramid - What more can you say about this other than it revolves around a 6x6x6 black pyramid. Oh, except do NOT try to read the weird etchings on the outside.
When We All Meet at the Ofenda - Día de Los Muertos story - but a very well done one. This was another of my favorites.
Almost Home - This story hurt - only because it was one of the most real of the collection. A mother leaves a bad situation with nothing but her car, her young son, and a .38 revolver. However, it does serve as a nice segue to wrap up the main story.
There you have it, eight stories contained within one large story about an unhappy man searching for what he needs. We all have a lot of “wants”, but the bigger question is what do we “need”.
I’m hoping I never enter Handy’s Pawn and Thrift in order to find out; oh, and I’m probably never buying a Magic 8-Ball.
I highly recommend this collection, and will be checking out Kevin’s other Clifton Heights stories.
First, up until now, I had never heard of Kevin Lucia. In fact, I had no idea what this book was about - but knowing the caliber of work that comes out of Crystal Lake Publishing, I had no problem accepting the offer.
Boy am I glad I did.
One of my favorite types of movies are the “stories within a story”. Like “Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors” or “Tales From the Hood”. There’s something about the twists, or maybe morals, that the outer story finishes with; and how the internal stories play a part. So when I realized that THINGS YOU NEED was just such a setup, I was overjoyed.
One look at the cover, and a glance at the description (and the title for that matter) may trigger a correlation with NEEDFUL THINGS by Stephen King; and like King has Castle Rock, Lucia has Clifton Heights. But honestly, that’s where the similarities end.
The story starts, in my opinion, sort of slow. We learn about a traveling salesman who visits schools to get them to join fundraising drives. He hates his job (for the most part, who doesn’t?) Pretty pedestrian, actually. That is until he enters Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: a store that has “Things You Need” - and finds a tape player.
The Way of Ah-Tzenul - If this story doesn’t make you exclaim, “What the ever living F%$K!”, I don’t know what will. This was a twisted tale of poor farmer, with a weak crop, and an overbearing wife, who finds a disturbing way to turn that around.
The Office - Very few times do I feel the need to reach out to an author to ask if they have a camera in my house. This story made me do that. I’m going to try to explain why without any spoilers. John has a library in his basement that nobody is allowed in. On his shelves he has toys - specifically a magic 8-ball. On his latest visit, he notices the toys have moved, as have some books, with one new one appearing. I’ll leave the ending a secret. Anyway, here are the similarities that made this story so frightening (you can skip ahead if you don’t care). My name is John, and while I don’t have a basement, my dining-room has been converted to a library that no-one goes in. I also have toys on my shelves (although no 8-ball). I too have had toys moved, on shelves that you would need a step ladder to get to. Come to find out that the mother of the previous owners passed away in that room. She makes herself known periodically by either moving things, or tapping on your shoulder. For obvious reasons, this was my favorite in this collection.
Out of Field Theory - Having been a photographer (used to develop my own film - yes, I’m old) this story hit home as well. A philosophy student finds an abandoned home to photograph and gets caught up with things happening “out of frame”.
Scavenging - I didn’t get where this one was going until about halfway through. A great story about trying to regain your past in lieu of losing ones future.
A Place for Broken and Discarded Things - In every anthology, you’re going to have stories you love, stories that are mediocre, and some that you just don’t like. For me, it was this one. I appreciate what Kevin was trying to do, I just didn’t feel it had the punch it could have, and seemed to drag a bit. But in today’s day and age of wholesale marts like Sam’s, BJ’s, and Costco, having a mega-store that in reality is a “venus fly-trap” is a cool concept - just didn’t like the execution.
The Black Pyramid - What more can you say about this other than it revolves around a 6x6x6 black pyramid. Oh, except do NOT try to read the weird etchings on the outside.
When We All Meet at the Ofenda - Día de Los Muertos story - but a very well done one. This was another of my favorites.
Almost Home - This story hurt - only because it was one of the most real of the collection. A mother leaves a bad situation with nothing but her car, her young son, and a .38 revolver. However, it does serve as a nice segue to wrap up the main story.
There you have it, eight stories contained within one large story about an unhappy man searching for what he needs. We all have a lot of “wants”, but the bigger question is what do we “need”.
I’m hoping I never enter Handy’s Pawn and Thrift in order to find out; oh, and I’m probably never buying a Magic 8-Ball.
I highly recommend this collection, and will be checking out Kevin’s other Clifton Heights stories.
May 26, 2025
I love how the author melds many stories together under one overriding theme. And each story was just so different and beautifully written. My favorite book in the series.
September 28, 2018
I was halfway expecting Things You Need to be somewhat of a copy of Stephen King's Needful Things. But it wasn't, in so many good ways. Things You Need is a collection of short stories with a framing story that serves as a wrap-around, framing device and epilogue. Each story tells the story behind one of the objects in the shop that our unnamed narrator stumbles into.
I have to admit, though, that Things You Need sounded a bit different in the synopsis. The town wasn't quite as fully fleshed out as it would seem to be from the description. You get tidbits here and there through the stories about the town and its people but they're just glimpses. You never get a feeling of the town as a whole. I loved the way that the stories were interwoven with each other and going back to the main story was never jarring. Everything seemed to flow together well. So, let's talk about the stories:
The Way of Ah-Tzenul - Told through the medium of an old-fashioned, reel-to-reel tape player. A farming story with lots of Lovecraftian tones to it and a very special Farmer's Almanac at its heart. I loved the matter-of-fact tone through it all. It gave it that added touch of realism
The Office - A Magic 8 Ball is the portal to this story of a man puttering around in his office...but things keep moving around...why do things keep changing? I thought this story was a bit sad. Especially the end.
Out of Field Theory - A young man trying to recapture 'it' in his photographs finds a unique house to photograph. He may get a bit more than he looks for, though. I would have like a bit of backstory on the house.
Scavenging - After getting fired from his job, an ex-teacher resorts to scavenging to supplement his job. But the items he starts finding are much more personal in nature. I had a hard time liking this story, even after certain revelations. I couldn't help but feel he deserved all of the pain he was getting. After you've read the story you might think I'm a heartless...person for thinking that but there it is.
A Place for Broken and Discarded Things - A man and his wife, struggling to stay together after a tragedy go furniture shopping at a very unusual store. Even though you could tell what the 'event' was it was not used for cheap emotion nor overt shock value. I love the idea of the ever-shifting, ever-changing layout of The Store. It also seems as though the author himself has a fascination with this concept as it's also explored in 'Out of Field Theory', in the wraparound story as well and in this story.
The Black Pyramid - A reverend on the edge of losing his faith finds it again...although maybe not the same faith. I didn't care for it that much. It was a good interval between the heavier stories. I had a difficult time in taking it seriously. There were interesting shades of 'The Haunter of the Dark' but all I could think of was 'Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie' (don't ask...). That being said I found the story a bit snarky but since it's told through the disillusioned reverend's eyes it could just be that was the tone the author was striving for and if so it worked. I also would have liked a bit of a continuance. I was curious to know where the religion was going to go.
When We All Meet at the Ofrenda - I liked this story very much. It was very sad but also hopeful as well and had a very bittersweet feel to it that suited the story perfectly.
Almost Home - It's hard to say too much about this story without spoilers so we'll just leave it. The ending of it confused me a bit.
I liked all of the stories very much. They fit well together. Some were a bit short and may have been served better by removing one of the shorter ones to flesh out another. Or, conversely, trim one of the longer ones to be better able to fill out a shorter one. The people felt very real and alive and the imagery was so vivid and the emotions so real that it would make for a gorgeous movie in the right hands.
Received from the publisher for review consideration
I have to admit, though, that Things You Need sounded a bit different in the synopsis. The town wasn't quite as fully fleshed out as it would seem to be from the description. You get tidbits here and there through the stories about the town and its people but they're just glimpses. You never get a feeling of the town as a whole. I loved the way that the stories were interwoven with each other and going back to the main story was never jarring. Everything seemed to flow together well. So, let's talk about the stories:
The Way of Ah-Tzenul - Told through the medium of an old-fashioned, reel-to-reel tape player. A farming story with lots of Lovecraftian tones to it and a very special Farmer's Almanac at its heart. I loved the matter-of-fact tone through it all. It gave it that added touch of realism
The Office - A Magic 8 Ball is the portal to this story of a man puttering around in his office...but things keep moving around...why do things keep changing? I thought this story was a bit sad. Especially the end.
Out of Field Theory - A young man trying to recapture 'it' in his photographs finds a unique house to photograph. He may get a bit more than he looks for, though. I would have like a bit of backstory on the house.
Scavenging - After getting fired from his job, an ex-teacher resorts to scavenging to supplement his job. But the items he starts finding are much more personal in nature. I had a hard time liking this story, even after certain revelations. I couldn't help but feel he deserved all of the pain he was getting. After you've read the story you might think I'm a heartless...person for thinking that but there it is.
A Place for Broken and Discarded Things - A man and his wife, struggling to stay together after a tragedy go furniture shopping at a very unusual store. Even though you could tell what the 'event' was it was not used for cheap emotion nor overt shock value. I love the idea of the ever-shifting, ever-changing layout of The Store. It also seems as though the author himself has a fascination with this concept as it's also explored in 'Out of Field Theory', in the wraparound story as well and in this story.
The Black Pyramid - A reverend on the edge of losing his faith finds it again...although maybe not the same faith. I didn't care for it that much. It was a good interval between the heavier stories. I had a difficult time in taking it seriously. There were interesting shades of 'The Haunter of the Dark' but all I could think of was 'Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie' (don't ask...). That being said I found the story a bit snarky but since it's told through the disillusioned reverend's eyes it could just be that was the tone the author was striving for and if so it worked. I also would have liked a bit of a continuance. I was curious to know where the religion was going to go.
When We All Meet at the Ofrenda - I liked this story very much. It was very sad but also hopeful as well and had a very bittersweet feel to it that suited the story perfectly.
Almost Home - It's hard to say too much about this story without spoilers so we'll just leave it. The ending of it confused me a bit.
I liked all of the stories very much. They fit well together. Some were a bit short and may have been served better by removing one of the shorter ones to flesh out another. Or, conversely, trim one of the longer ones to be better able to fill out a shorter one. The people felt very real and alive and the imagery was so vivid and the emotions so real that it would make for a gorgeous movie in the right hands.
Received from the publisher for review consideration
September 12, 2018
Awesome book. You need to read it.
September 25, 2018
Review: THINGS YOU NEED by Kevin Lucia
That old proverbial expression, “what you want is not what you need”? Well, Kevin Lucia's spectacular new thematic collection is both what you want and what you need. Certainly that proved true for this reviewer. I've admired Mr. Lucia's fictional community of Clifton Heights (both admired, enjoyed, and feared) for quite some time, and I was ecstatic to return to its “loving” arms and welcoming smile.
Mr. Lucia's horror is never Splatterpunk. It is neither unseemly nor undignified. His is the horror-under-the-surface, much like the neverending eternal mine fires burning under the former community of Centralia, PA. Usually (mostly) you don't see it, but somehow (“there's something in the lockers”) your intuition is aware of it, and something in your spirit screams: “DANGER! DANGER!”
Mr. Lucia's horror creeps on little cat feet. But creeping along is an inevitable, implacable, “you ought never to have come here but you did and oh boy are you in trouble now” danger. You can't get away, you can't get out. Your personality and character are going to be peeled right down to the inevitable core by revelation after revelation. And when it's done, you'll either be someone new—or you will no longer exist—like many of the characters. But what a wonderful fun ride it's going to be!
That old proverbial expression, “what you want is not what you need”? Well, Kevin Lucia's spectacular new thematic collection is both what you want and what you need. Certainly that proved true for this reviewer. I've admired Mr. Lucia's fictional community of Clifton Heights (both admired, enjoyed, and feared) for quite some time, and I was ecstatic to return to its “loving” arms and welcoming smile.
Mr. Lucia's horror is never Splatterpunk. It is neither unseemly nor undignified. His is the horror-under-the-surface, much like the neverending eternal mine fires burning under the former community of Centralia, PA. Usually (mostly) you don't see it, but somehow (“there's something in the lockers”) your intuition is aware of it, and something in your spirit screams: “DANGER! DANGER!”
Mr. Lucia's horror creeps on little cat feet. But creeping along is an inevitable, implacable, “you ought never to have come here but you did and oh boy are you in trouble now” danger. You can't get away, you can't get out. Your personality and character are going to be peeled right down to the inevitable core by revelation after revelation. And when it's done, you'll either be someone new—or you will no longer exist—like many of the characters. But what a wonderful fun ride it's going to be!
August 30, 2019
Great collection
Excellent collection of linked short stories told through the histories of objects in a pawn shop. Enjoyed it tremendously. Highly recommended.
Excellent collection of linked short stories told through the histories of objects in a pawn shop. Enjoyed it tremendously. Highly recommended.
October 7, 2018
The book opens with the unnamed narrator telling his story in first person, recounting his previous career as a salesman for magazine subscriptions, who specialises in visiting high schools across the country and convincing the students to sell subscriptions to raise money for their schools. He’s good at it, too. His advertising degree is put to good use. But it’s left him in something of a rut. Moving from town to town, delivering his shtick to the students before moving onto a bar in a neighbouring town to drink away his blues and probably hook up with a lonely woman for the night. But the twenty-somethings have given way to forty- or fifty-somethings and even the motel rooms are beginning to look the same.
Then he arrives in the small town of Clifton Heights, the setting for all of Lucia’s published work to date. He immediately feels a wrongness about the town, especially when dusk falls and his thoughts turn to the .38 revolver he has in the motel room. Instead of following his usual behavioural pattern of picking up a stranger in a nearby town, he wanders around Clifton Heights. And finds himself outside Handy’s Pawn and Thrift. After a strange encounter with the man behind the counter (though not the proprietor; nobody sees the elusive Mr. Handy), the narrator finds himself seemingly alone in the empty pawn shop, surrounded by items both mysterious and mundane. And, as it happens, his story serves as the frame story as he wanders the store, interacting with certain items.
The final story has a special resonance and relevance for the unnamed narrator, leaving him with even more questions. But the strange shopkeeper chooses this moment to return and reveals a little more about his history. He also makes the point that Handy’s has things you need, and this may not necessarily be things you want. In the end, the narrator gets what he has been missing for most of his life; a purpose, a role to fill. It is a fitting and satisfactory end to an interesting book. Most of the individual stories are straightforward, but the way Lucia creates his worlds and their inhabitants is masterful. And the way he crafted the book as a whole, using each story to not only entertain the reader but reveal a little of the narrator’s character before his emotional conclusion, is especially well done. We’ll be returning to Clifton Heights in the future.
To read a more in-depth review, please visit This Is Horror.
Then he arrives in the small town of Clifton Heights, the setting for all of Lucia’s published work to date. He immediately feels a wrongness about the town, especially when dusk falls and his thoughts turn to the .38 revolver he has in the motel room. Instead of following his usual behavioural pattern of picking up a stranger in a nearby town, he wanders around Clifton Heights. And finds himself outside Handy’s Pawn and Thrift. After a strange encounter with the man behind the counter (though not the proprietor; nobody sees the elusive Mr. Handy), the narrator finds himself seemingly alone in the empty pawn shop, surrounded by items both mysterious and mundane. And, as it happens, his story serves as the frame story as he wanders the store, interacting with certain items.
The final story has a special resonance and relevance for the unnamed narrator, leaving him with even more questions. But the strange shopkeeper chooses this moment to return and reveals a little more about his history. He also makes the point that Handy’s has things you need, and this may not necessarily be things you want. In the end, the narrator gets what he has been missing for most of his life; a purpose, a role to fill. It is a fitting and satisfactory end to an interesting book. Most of the individual stories are straightforward, but the way Lucia creates his worlds and their inhabitants is masterful. And the way he crafted the book as a whole, using each story to not only entertain the reader but reveal a little of the narrator’s character before his emotional conclusion, is especially well done. We’ll be returning to Clifton Heights in the future.
To read a more in-depth review, please visit This Is Horror.
October 7, 2018
I enjoy collections and anthologies but with so many available these days, it takes something special for a new publication to rise above the herd and Lucia has achieved that. By cleverly intertwining the individual stories with the thread of the tale of a traveling salesman, he effectively creates a story within a story which ends with a twist I did not see coming.
Johnny is a sales rep, disillusioned with his life, despairing of his future, ready to turn his .38 on himself; however, before he can commit this act, he finds himself browsing the shelves of Handy’s Pawn & Thrift in the town of Clifton Heights. This shop gives you what you need – although this might not necessarily be what you want. Each item he handles – a tape player, an old Magic Eight Ball, a phone, a word processor – takes him away to other lives, all featuring characters who are trapped in one way or another. A ghost haunts his old den in The Office, the nightmare of being trapped in rooms and hallways continues in Out of Field Theory, Scavenging and A Place for Broken and Discarded Things. In each, the main character has to face up to, or accept certain truths, much as the character of Johnny is forced to do, each tale taking him nearer to his own truth.
Johnny too is trapped, he is locked mentally into his own depression and physically in the store, with no apparent escape from either. The shopkeeper has disappeared and, between the tales, he finds himself facing never-ending corridors and suddenly-appearing trapdoors, all the while feeling an increasing desire to kill himself. This parallels the stories he reads or hears, an overarching theme which makes sense when you read Almost Home, the tale of Johnny himself, and which delivers an unexpected, and wonderfully conceived, twist.
This is Death of a Salesman written for the horror market. The stories are flawless and original, avoiding the usual, hackneyed tropes, with no weak links between them. A thoroughly enjoyable read for the longer autumnal nights.
Johnny is a sales rep, disillusioned with his life, despairing of his future, ready to turn his .38 on himself; however, before he can commit this act, he finds himself browsing the shelves of Handy’s Pawn & Thrift in the town of Clifton Heights. This shop gives you what you need – although this might not necessarily be what you want. Each item he handles – a tape player, an old Magic Eight Ball, a phone, a word processor – takes him away to other lives, all featuring characters who are trapped in one way or another. A ghost haunts his old den in The Office, the nightmare of being trapped in rooms and hallways continues in Out of Field Theory, Scavenging and A Place for Broken and Discarded Things. In each, the main character has to face up to, or accept certain truths, much as the character of Johnny is forced to do, each tale taking him nearer to his own truth.
Johnny too is trapped, he is locked mentally into his own depression and physically in the store, with no apparent escape from either. The shopkeeper has disappeared and, between the tales, he finds himself facing never-ending corridors and suddenly-appearing trapdoors, all the while feeling an increasing desire to kill himself. This parallels the stories he reads or hears, an overarching theme which makes sense when you read Almost Home, the tale of Johnny himself, and which delivers an unexpected, and wonderfully conceived, twist.
This is Death of a Salesman written for the horror market. The stories are flawless and original, avoiding the usual, hackneyed tropes, with no weak links between them. A thoroughly enjoyable read for the longer autumnal nights.
November 26, 2018
If you loved the old Twilight Zone show...
WOW what a good book! If you are a fan of the original Twilight Zone show, this is a must-read! Good mix of characters and I like the way the author tells their stories through their eyes. Excellent mix of creepy and touching, and so compelling I didn't experience the usual annoyance that I do when reading some modern fiction. Never a dull moment!
WOW what a good book! If you are a fan of the original Twilight Zone show, this is a must-read! Good mix of characters and I like the way the author tells their stories through their eyes. Excellent mix of creepy and touching, and so compelling I didn't experience the usual annoyance that I do when reading some modern fiction. Never a dull moment!
February 26, 2019
I just finished "Things You Need" yesterday and as with all of the Clifton Heights books, I can highly recommend it. The horror is certainly there and is genuinely scary (glad we have lots of lights in the house and no dark corners!), but what I found particularly engaging was the way the stories were not always just horror, but also warm and emotional. Quite a trick to pull that off in a "horror" book, but it make the horror even more visceral. Super well done!
July 16, 2020
A knockout collection of horror short stories, with an excellent wraparound story. I’d say there’s some influence from SK’s Needful Things, but in a good way.
June 27, 2019
I discovered the weirdest little town of Clifton Heights, when I first visited another shop there - I read 'Through A Mirror, Darkly', and was immediately hooked when I browsed through Arcane Delights. My second visit here, has been, if anything, even more enjoyable - if that's the right way to describe being frightened out of your wits, and totally immersed in a wonderfully strange collection of tales that you literally can't put down!
I was tempted back after my first visit (who am I kidding?! I only left long enough to grab my Kindle Fire and buy 'Things You Need'!, so I never really left at all) and it was with very eager anticipation that I got straight into another compelling collection of superbly crafted stories. Obviously, I am a (new, but already thoroughly committed) Kevin Lucia fan. That said, I will tackle the elephant in the room, which is the inevitable comparison people are going to make with another shop that sells things people have their darkest desires fulfilled by, which is of course Stephen King's 'Needful Things'. Before I even start, I will stop, because there IS no comparison. Other than that Things You Need is a shop that lures the unwary in, and completely traps them there, until they come to the realisation that what they want is seldom what they actually need, these stories are nothing like those in 'Needful Things '. So, read this superb collection with the knowledge that it isn't simply some kind of homage to Mr. King's work.
What it really is, I found, is that reading this book is actually a terrifying experience in fear. No, make that Fear. Or better still, FEAR. I was gripped with these enthralling tales, and I was absolutely delighted with how much I discovered throughout the journey. Some very surprising twists and turns await you here, and some truly horrifying adventures into the realisation of the difference between wanting, and needing. It's so easy to confuse the two on the surface, but dredge deeper, to way beyond the obvious, and it soon becomes very apparent that we seldom really understand our darkest nature. And these stories are very dark indeed.
I absolutely devoured this book. It was compelling and so wonderfully familiar, even though this is only my second visit to Clifton Heights, I love recognising names, events, places and faces. It is a testament to Kevin Lucia that he has a beautifully deft touch in his work, and these characters he so easily but faultlessly creates, are so well drawn you feel you have known them all your life. In this very strange shop, amongst all the bric a brac and clutter, you will encounter many new and fascinating people, all of whose stories fit together in this collection to make it a superbly stitched tapestry.
The darkest imaginings are to be discovered in Things You Need, and beyond them, a reality that you really, really don't want to discover...except, of course, you need to. The harsh fact that you often don't really know what you need until it's been thrown at you - hard - makes these stories so thoroughly entertaining. The unexpected awaits around every corner, there are twists and turns that you would never see coming, and the impact when you hit the barrier into the beyond is breathtaking in its revelation, if truly terrifying.
Treat yourself and visit Clifton Heights very soon. I just don't recommend that you pop into Things You Need, on a whim, anytime in the near future, though. Or, actually, any future of any kind.
Trust me, it's for the best that you never find out that what you think you want isn't what you really need, in there.
I was tempted back after my first visit (who am I kidding?! I only left long enough to grab my Kindle Fire and buy 'Things You Need'!, so I never really left at all) and it was with very eager anticipation that I got straight into another compelling collection of superbly crafted stories. Obviously, I am a (new, but already thoroughly committed) Kevin Lucia fan. That said, I will tackle the elephant in the room, which is the inevitable comparison people are going to make with another shop that sells things people have their darkest desires fulfilled by, which is of course Stephen King's 'Needful Things'. Before I even start, I will stop, because there IS no comparison. Other than that Things You Need is a shop that lures the unwary in, and completely traps them there, until they come to the realisation that what they want is seldom what they actually need, these stories are nothing like those in 'Needful Things '. So, read this superb collection with the knowledge that it isn't simply some kind of homage to Mr. King's work.
What it really is, I found, is that reading this book is actually a terrifying experience in fear. No, make that Fear. Or better still, FEAR. I was gripped with these enthralling tales, and I was absolutely delighted with how much I discovered throughout the journey. Some very surprising twists and turns await you here, and some truly horrifying adventures into the realisation of the difference between wanting, and needing. It's so easy to confuse the two on the surface, but dredge deeper, to way beyond the obvious, and it soon becomes very apparent that we seldom really understand our darkest nature. And these stories are very dark indeed.
I absolutely devoured this book. It was compelling and so wonderfully familiar, even though this is only my second visit to Clifton Heights, I love recognising names, events, places and faces. It is a testament to Kevin Lucia that he has a beautifully deft touch in his work, and these characters he so easily but faultlessly creates, are so well drawn you feel you have known them all your life. In this very strange shop, amongst all the bric a brac and clutter, you will encounter many new and fascinating people, all of whose stories fit together in this collection to make it a superbly stitched tapestry.
The darkest imaginings are to be discovered in Things You Need, and beyond them, a reality that you really, really don't want to discover...except, of course, you need to. The harsh fact that you often don't really know what you need until it's been thrown at you - hard - makes these stories so thoroughly entertaining. The unexpected awaits around every corner, there are twists and turns that you would never see coming, and the impact when you hit the barrier into the beyond is breathtaking in its revelation, if truly terrifying.
Treat yourself and visit Clifton Heights very soon. I just don't recommend that you pop into Things You Need, on a whim, anytime in the near future, though. Or, actually, any future of any kind.
Trust me, it's for the best that you never find out that what you think you want isn't what you really need, in there.
October 22, 2018
4.5 stars
I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review—however, I bought a physical copy of the book soon after from the author at a local comic con. I love everything I have read by Kevin Lucia so far, and Things You Need did not disappoint.
The book opens from the point of view of a depressed traveling salesman who ends up in the strange town of Clifton Heights. He walks into Handy’s Pawn and Thrift, where he discovers the rest of the stories in one interesting format or another, all the while slowly unfurling his own story. I absolutely loved how this was all framed, and became just as entranced by his tale as I was by the others.
The Way of Ah-Tzenul
5 stars
A farmer tells a doctor about this strange almanac he discovered and what came about after he used it. This was a delightfully weird and creepy story to open with, and I loved it.
The Office
5 stars
A man toys with his magic eight ball while searching for something to read, but his cats keep making strange noises in the hall and his things keep moving around the shelves. I loved this story. It kept me glued to the pages, frantic to figure out what was coming, and the ending blew me away.
Out of Field Theory
5 stars
A young photographer takes pictures at an abandoned house, hoping to rediscover his creativity, but he keeps seeing shadows at the edges of his pictures. This was super good. As a college student myself, the character’s need to stay creative and pass his classes really rung a bell. The story was also terrifying, and I didn’t guess the ending at all, but I loved it!
Scavenging
4.5 stars
A sidewalk scavenger searches for the thing he needs most of all. It took me a little bit to get into this because I didn’t like the character, but I ended up really enjoying it.
A Place for Broken and Discarded Things
5 stars
A grieving man and his wife attempt to buy furniture for their new house. This was fantastic! Also devastating. I cried.
The Black Pyramid
4 stars
A reverend finds an interesting trinket in a sidewalk sale. I’m not sure why I didn’t like this one as much; maybe because I guessed right away what was going to happen. I still enjoyed the story, though.
When We All Meet at the Ofrenda
4 stars
A recent widower celebrates Dia de los Muertos with his family one last time. This was a really interesting and captivating story, but it just didn’t grab me like the others did.
Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology and would totally recommend it!
I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review—however, I bought a physical copy of the book soon after from the author at a local comic con. I love everything I have read by Kevin Lucia so far, and Things You Need did not disappoint.
The book opens from the point of view of a depressed traveling salesman who ends up in the strange town of Clifton Heights. He walks into Handy’s Pawn and Thrift, where he discovers the rest of the stories in one interesting format or another, all the while slowly unfurling his own story. I absolutely loved how this was all framed, and became just as entranced by his tale as I was by the others.
The Way of Ah-Tzenul
5 stars
A farmer tells a doctor about this strange almanac he discovered and what came about after he used it. This was a delightfully weird and creepy story to open with, and I loved it.
The Office
5 stars
A man toys with his magic eight ball while searching for something to read, but his cats keep making strange noises in the hall and his things keep moving around the shelves. I loved this story. It kept me glued to the pages, frantic to figure out what was coming, and the ending blew me away.
Out of Field Theory
5 stars
A young photographer takes pictures at an abandoned house, hoping to rediscover his creativity, but he keeps seeing shadows at the edges of his pictures. This was super good. As a college student myself, the character’s need to stay creative and pass his classes really rung a bell. The story was also terrifying, and I didn’t guess the ending at all, but I loved it!
Scavenging
4.5 stars
A sidewalk scavenger searches for the thing he needs most of all. It took me a little bit to get into this because I didn’t like the character, but I ended up really enjoying it.
A Place for Broken and Discarded Things
5 stars
A grieving man and his wife attempt to buy furniture for their new house. This was fantastic! Also devastating. I cried.
The Black Pyramid
4 stars
A reverend finds an interesting trinket in a sidewalk sale. I’m not sure why I didn’t like this one as much; maybe because I guessed right away what was going to happen. I still enjoyed the story, though.
When We All Meet at the Ofrenda
4 stars
A recent widower celebrates Dia de los Muertos with his family one last time. This was a really interesting and captivating story, but it just didn’t grab me like the others did.
Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology and would totally recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews