Carrossel Sombrio e Outras Histórias

by Joe Hill, André Gordirro (Translator)

Uma odisseia sobre a complexidade da mente humana, um livro hipnótico e inquietante. Cada um dos seus treze contos - dois deles escritos em parceria com Stephen King - explora as facetas de nossos segredos mais aterrorizantes, nossas vulnerabilidades mais profundas e nossos medos mais primordiais, consolidando Joe Hill como uma das mais poderosas vozes da literatura de suspense atual.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook, Thriller, Science Fiction

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

Joe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.

He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.

He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.

He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.

Reviews

[Will Byrnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

…a child has only the two parents, but if you’re lucky enough to be an artist for a living, ultimately you wind up with a few mothers and fathers. When someone asks a writer, ”Who’s your daddy?” the only honest answer is, “That’s complicated.”

You might need some version of Ancestry.com to label all the literary influences at play in Joe Hill’s latest story collection. Or maybe not, as Hill gives us a pretty good idea right off the bat, in the introduction. Pretty obvious who influencer number one might be. In fact, dad is listed as co-author on two of the thirteen stories. But the writerly genetic material that feeds these stories comes from some pretty heavy hitters, like Ray Bradbury, Bernard Malamud, Lawrence Block, Stephen Spielberg, George Romero, and the publication Fangoria (Fango to fans). Part of the fun of reading this collection is to think about the influencers noted in the intro and suss out what manifests where. Hill adds some further explanatory comments at the end of the collection, which furthers our appreciation a bit.


Fangoria cover compendium - image from Mental Floss

Hill offers an interesting take on the structure of a short story collection, one he derived from the writings of Bernard Malamud.

A book of stories isn’t a novel and can’t have the simple narrative drive of a novel. I think it should still try to have a feeling of progression, of connectedness. It’s like a road trip. You’re staying in a different inn every night: One evening it’s a romantic Victorian B&B with a supposedly haunted gazebo out back, the next it’s a cruddy Motel 6 with what looks like old bloodstains on the ceiling. The places where you stop to rest and dream are unique—but the road is the same, always waiting to carry you on to whatever’s next. And when it’s over, you’ve arrived someplace new, someplace (you hope) with a good view. A place to breathe deep and take it all in.

Or maybe kiss your ass goodbye. This is Hill’s first short story collection since 20th Century Ghosts, which came out in 2005. (Strange Weather being a collection of novellas) But it is not like he stopped writing stories in the intervening fifteen years. The stories here come from as long ago as 2006. Several have been published elsewhere, sometimes in surprising formats.


The author, appearing as Billy in the 1982 George Romero/Stephen King film, Creepshow

So, the stories any good? You betcha. And they cover a range of sorts, from warm and fuzzy to gut-punch, “Holy Sh—” twists, from highly stylized to familiar. There are many references, homages, or influences (take your pick) to be seen here. Hill points them out for you in the intro. In realizing so well the feel of the work of the masters, Hill yet again reinforces his place among them.

Just when you think you’ve read what absolutely has to be the best story in the collection, along comes another that makes you think you have, for sure this time, read the best story in the collection until you read the next…

I am not saying that I loved all thirteen tales. In truth, I did not. While there is a considerable diversity in their sorts, what impresses me most is the feeling for people that Hill clearly possesses. He has a talent tor writing believable characters, and the creativity to come up with interesting situations in which to manifest their humanity.


Joe a bit more recently – image from Wikimedia

This is not flash fiction. (OK, except for that bonus nugget at the very end) The stories in Full Throttle range from 24 pages (Wolverton Station) to 49 (Late Returns), so, depending on how long your train to work takes, or how much time you allow yourself for reading before bedtime, you should be prepared for the possibility of not getting through every story in one go. But if you are someone who plops down into a comfy place and has at your book du jour for however long, no worries.

THE STORIES

Throttle picks up Richard Matheson’s classic story about a truck bearing down on a hapless everyman. A very young Steven Spielberg made it into a pretty good film. Hill was asked to write a story for an anthology honoring Matheson’s work. Throttle is the result. Instead of an everyman beset by a dark force, a group of bikers are returning from a particularly dark deed when they are pursued with evil intent. Pop’s expertise with hogs came in pretty handy here.

Dark Carousel - takes place at a rundown seaside resort.

The air was redolent with the cloying perfume of cotton candy, an odor that doesn’t exist in nature and can only be described as “pink” smell. There was always a puddle of vomit on the boardwalk that had to be avoided. There were always soggy bits of popcorn floating in the puke. There were a dozen sit-down restaurants where you could pay too much for fried clams and wait too long to get them.

It also featured a carousel called the Wild Wheel. Clearly not their first rodeo, this group looks like they have been burned, and are screaming. Enjoy the ride. A group of 19-year-olds, full of themselves and a bit too much alcohol, behave badly and get an unexpected something extra. A couple of the characters are named for the hitman in dad’s Battleground. Look also for a reference to a Hill novel tucked in between the animals. The story was released as an audio book, on vinyl, read by Nate Corrdry.

Wolverton - was inspired by a UK town (Wolverhampton) Hill and his PR man passed while on a book tour, prompting a loop of Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London running through his head. A Wall Street wolf comes across a different sort while riding a train in Jolly Olde.

By the Silver Waters of Lake Champlain - was written for a collection honoring Ray Bradbury, but was as much inspired by a childhood interest in the Loch Ness monster as it was of Bradbury’s story The Foghorn. Shift to Lake Champlain, and engage a group of kids to catch more than a glimpse of an ancient beast. But who would believe them? Hill has dad’s gift for writing kids, and shows it off here. This is one of the stories being dramatized in the 2019 Shudder network production of Creepshow, a series.

Faun - (No, not Tumnus) mixes more Bradbury inspiration, from his story A Sound of Thunder with a bit of Narnian trans-world portal. But what if, instead of curious children crossing over, it was people of a more mercantile, heartless, armed sort? Totally captures Bradbury’s feel, while expanding it, and offering a contemporary perspective. The tension here is palpable, and there is a killer twist. Also, a creative spider (who may or may not be named Charlotte) weaves an invitation to a web.

Late Returns offers a tale that seemed somewhere between Rod Serling (This could soooo be an episode of the Twilight Zone) and Bradbury again. After his elderly parents pass away, a truck driver returns to his hometown to see to their affairs, which includes returning a very long overdue library book. It seems the library just happens to be in need of a driver for their Bookmobile, and voila, our guy has a gig, however part-time. But there is something strange about the bus and the clientele who avail of its services. There is a bit of scary in here, but mostly it is a heart-warming homage to readers of all ages and all times. I get choked up just thinking about it. Hill says he wrote it because he hates the idea of dying when only halfway through a book.

All I Care About Is You - maybe the most horrifying story in the book. Hill was asked to write something for a collection being put together by Dave McKean, based on an illustration. He already had a draft of the story in hand before the request, but filled the request nonetheless. What is frustrating is not knowing the image on which he based the rest of the tale, or if he just ignored the illustrations completely. The future-set story tells of a young lady who is very disappointed at her lack of wealth relative to her friends. She comes across a pay-as-you-go robot, pops in a few coins, and Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. More sci-fi than horror in the telling, Hill brings us back to the roots with a gut-punch of an ending. Have your albuterol handy for the end of this one. You will be gasping for air.

Thumbprint - was written in 2006 and published in Issue 10 of Postscripts Magazine. It was later adapted into a graphic novel.


Graphic novel cover – image from IDW

Mal’s father had served in Viet Nam. Mal’s war was in Iraq, her darkest battle taking place in Abu Ghraib. She’s back home now, but has become hardened, someone her father, were he still alive, would not respect. She is haunted by her experiences and crimes abroad. When pages of large thumbprints start turning up, in her mail, on her car, under her door, Mal is spooked. Fabulous tension-building in this one, with another outstanding resolution.

The Devil on the Staircase - Ok, straight up, my least favorite of the bunch. The central image in the story is a staircase that may lead down to hell, inspired by the vertiginous stairways on the Amalfi coast, where Hill was vacationing when the notion struck. The form of the story is made to mirror the story itself, so, using a monotype Courier font, the text appears as stairways going up and down. In the story a young man commits a serious crime in order to win the girl he loves. It is mostly about selling one’s soul, and has a nice, sharp finish. But I never felt engaged.

Twittering From the Circus of the Dead - Hill says of this one, “…here in 2019 it’s clearer than ever that social media won’t save us from zombies—it’s turning us into them.”
On the road back to Cali from a vacay in Colorado, a family turns off to go to The Circus of the Dead. Not The Greatest Show on Earth, I can assure you, but possibly the last. A snarky teen reports events as they happen, on Twitter. In fact, the entire story is told in her Tweets. Some LOL material in here. We get what is going on pretty soon, but going through all the steps to the end is still wonderful. It offers a take on the importance of actual, you know, reality. I was reminded a bit of the 1962 film Carnival of Souls (no laughs in that one). Bon appetit!

Mums - Anti-government zealots in the Ozarks are up to no good in various ways. Our young teen every-boy, Jack McCourt, tries his best to make sense of a crazy and maybe supernatural situation. Or has Jack inherited the family gene for being batshit nuts? His father, Hank, is a domineering sort, keeping his family virtually imprisoned on his many acres of Separatist heaven. Jack begins to see between the lines and the seeds of his newfound awareness are planted when he learns some things he was not supposed to know. In the afterward, Hill says that he fears the national crop is neither wheat nor corn, but paranoia. Clearly there are some people we should be paranoid about.

In the Tall Grass - siblings Beck and Cal Demuth are driving cross-country, in Kansas, radio off, windows open, when they hear a call for help. It came from the tall grass near a church parking lot. A boy’s voice. But then another voice, his mother’s? calls out telling them not to go in. What’s a kindly-hearted pair of sibs to do? Seems the tall grass has something more going on than transforming sunlight into chlorophyll. I could tell you the tales this one made me think of, but then I would have to devour you. So, if you have already read the story, go ahead, but otherwise, probably not. It, and Children of the Corn by pops, and The Call of Cthulhu, by H.P. Lovecraft. It was originally published in Esquire, and a feature length film rendition is due out shortly.

You Are Released - an appropriate title for the last story in a collection, Hill says it

is, I suppose, my attempt to write a David Mitchell story. Mitchell is the author of Cloud Atlas, Blackswangreen, and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, and over the last decade I’ve sort of fallen in love with his sentences—which float and dip and soar like kites—and with his gift for kaleidoscopic narratives that quickly shift from one time and place and perspective to another.

On a long flight headed east across the USA, we see the interactions, perspectives, and motivations of nine characters as they cope with the stress and with each other during a particularly dark stretch. Very nicely done.

Hill adds a delicious short-short extra piece at the very end, a reward for those who read ALL the pages of a book.

Strap in. Bottom line is that this is a wonderful, satisfying, warm, but scary, classical, but sometimes shocking, collection of stories that will move you, then hit you hard, and leave you knowing that you have been in the hands of a master story-teller, writing at Full Throttle.


Review first posted – 8/16/19

Publication dates
-----hardcover - 10/1/19 - Just in time for Halloween!
-----trade paper - 9/8/20

November 28, 2019 - Full Throttle is named to the NY Times list of 100 Notable Books of 2019

====================EXTRA STUFF is in comment #1 below

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m mostly into novels and short stories are not my first choice to read but when it comes to evil genius thriller writers, like MY ALL TIME KING that I take a bow and THE PRINCE HILL create something new, I jump up and down to perform my happy dance, grabbing the book, turning off my phone, gathering my munchies and soft drinks, locking myself into my bedroom and starting to flip the pages nonstop!

Don’t get me wrong! After saying some many highly things and expressing my dedication to those writers, I still gave FOUR SHINY, THRILLING, SHORTY STARS but this is average point for the stories I’ve read.

But if it’s only for LATE RETURNS story, I’ll give ten gazillion stars! I honestly say this is one of the best stories I’ve read in my whole life. It’s about grief, time paradox, unfinished business of the people trapped in limbo and it’s about books. It’s about real good books and their importance for the people who need their own closures. I love books and I know how to deal with compelling grief so this is my dream mash-up story!

My other favorite stories which deserve more than five stars with their fantastic plots, great characterizations and mouth widening parts:

“All I Care about is you”, taken place at the 22th century, Iris who celebrates her 16th birthday with Clockwork boy named Chip she’d rented for an hour. But things are getting nastier, twisty eventually. Murdergame is a masterful invention and story’s sucker punching memorable ending is a blast!

“In the Tall Grass”: Father- son collaboration to write this eerie, nerve-bending, ominous story that already has sold to Netflix as a movie! Something is hiding in Kansas grass. Aliens? Monsters? Cannibals? I highly suggest you not to stop your car as you hear a child’s scream for help and please do not dare to walk into the grass if you ever want to find your way out!

“You are released”: You’re cruising at 37.000 feet as the Third World War begins! What? With memorable characters and their fears, their perceptions, their urge to find against the common enemy even they have racial, national, political differences. This is the final story and I couldn’t choose a better one to end our whole journey!

Still good ones:
“Twittering from the circus of the dead”: Your family from hell (real and hot one!) held you captive in a road trip and you write tweets about them. Interesting concept!

“Dark Carousel”: This story reminded me of “Body”( It adapted as “Stand By Me”, I still remember little River Phoenix’s memorable performance with eyes filled in tears) and “It”, a group of boys’ adventurous spirit to discover the enchanted( I think “cursed” is the better definition) carousel at the Cape Maggie Pier. We get vibes of Goonies and Stranger Things (In my opinion they’re all same story’s different versions, tomato, tomahto…)

Not enjoyed so much and made me give lower stars:

“Throttle” ( King and prince collaboration but this one didn’t work for me! I hope they don’t expel me from kingdom or send me to the dungeon for writing these words! Hail for my king and prince!)

“Wolverton Station” ( I’m not into wolves stories, thanks!)

“By the Silver Water of Lake Chamberlain” – (another version of Body but this one is not my favorite)

“Faun” – Hunting game for fantastical creatures! Pass!

“Thumbprint”: Scary stalker stories normally work fine with me but this is too disturbing and I couldn’t connect with the characters.

“Devil on the staircase”: Sorry but I prefer Zeppelin’s Stairs to Heaven or Ac/Dc’s Highway to hell!

“Mums”: Resurrection of a mom with seeds by turning into mummy! It’s too nerve-binding, disturbing one. Ending part is also not quite satisfying.

As a summary: I enjoyed my full throttle thrilling crazy ride! And I really loved the intimate prologue of the author who told us about his relationship with his father, meeting with George A. Romero, struggling years of his writing experience till he found his way what he really wanted to write about were fantastic beginning of our journey. They’re natural, honest, emotional, genuine words which warmed my heart!

I love my KING, my PRINCE! And I loved this book so much!

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers William Marrow for giving me early Christmas present and lighting my day by sharing this amazing ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review.

[Jeffrey Keeten · Rating 5 out of 5]

”It’s quite common to enter a library and find yourself in conversation with the dead. The best minds of generations long gone crowd every bookshelf. They wait there to be noticed, to be addressed, and to reply in turn. In the library the dead meet the living on collegial terms as a matter of course, every day.”

The introduction to this collection of tales is almost worth the price of admission by itself. Joe Hill King talks about what it is like to enter a profession that his father has dominated for several decades. He has me laughing at his problems getting a story he felt strongly about published. He spends three years on this story called The Fear Tree, “which became an international bestseller in my wet dreams. In real life it was rejected by every publisher in New York and shanked by every publisher in London. For a final kick in the nuts, it was turned down flat by every publisher in Canada.” Now, of course, the significance of this is that we are talking about the son of Stephen King.

He decides early on that he wants to be published on his own merit and not because he is Stephen King’s son. Thus, Joe Hill is born. Of course, it is one of the worst kept secrets in the industry, sort of like when his dad briefly became Richard Bachman. In the beginning, before people figure it out though, he has the opportunity to experience something every other writer has had to deal with...rejection.

The first story is Full Throttle, which he wrote with SK. ”Live pretty or die laughing, but don’t you run. It is terrific and has me on the edge of my seat as a biker gang finds themselves in a desperate bid for survival on an interstate highway. We think of bikers creating fear in others, but this time, the roles are reversed. There are also some father and son issues that might have some basis in reality with the father and son writing team.

The second story is Dark Carousel which, of course, the title brings to mind Ray Bradbury, who was a writer that Joe found to be very influential on his own writing. This is a fascinating, magical story about the consequences of assuming the worst and making snap decisions about punishment and retribution.

The third story is Wolverton Station. ”I’m going to be killed and eaten by a wolf on an English train.” As I am reading this, I keep thinking about the werewolf movie set on a London train called Howl(2015), which is surprisingly engaging and a bit of bloody fun. Of course, this tale is about more than werewolves and will make you take better notice of your fellow passengers the next time you’re on a train.

The fourth story is By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain and is Joe’s version of a Loch Ness story when children find a Nessie creature and attempt to convince adults to believe them. ”Gail looked out at the water, wanting to hear it again, that soft foghorn sound, and she did, but it was inside her this time, the sound was down deep inside her, a long, wordless cry for things that weren’t never going to happen.

The fifth story is Faun and centers around a door that can take people to a fairy tale land. The person who “owns” the door decides to exploit it for big game hunting. ”In 1989 I began the hunts. Since then I’ve taken down everything from faun to orc, whurl to whizzle, and now my joy is giving other men the opportunity to kill fairy tales themselves, to slaughter the beasts of bedtime stories.” His joy is the HUGE amounts of money that idiots are willing to spend for the privilege of carnage. It was Paul Theroux who first clued me in on what really happens with trophy hunters in Africa these days. The animals are penned up so the American dentist can execute the animal and have his picture taken with it in a Teddy Roosevelt pose. These “hunters” then bring the stuffed head of some poor beast and their picture with the vanquished creature back to the states. There are few things more pathetic than a modern day, big game hunter. So I read this with glee, knowing that Joe won’t disappoint me, with proper retribution being administered to the immoral, gun stroking (please stay home and stroke your pecker instead...if you can find it.) morons.

The sixth story is Late Returns, which is one of my favorites of the collection. A down and out, grieving truck driver finds a job as a mobile library operator. Let’s just say, things get a bit strange. ”It was early November, the first time it happened, and I knew it. The first time I encountered someone who had slipped forward, who climbed up into the truck from a different when.” The opening quote of this review is from this story as well. There is so much reverence for reading and books in this story that it was like being spoon fed shrimp and grits with bacon (my death row meal) by Hedy Lamarr.

The seventh story is All I Care About is You, which is about a teenage girl who is offered a chance to have the birthday she always wanted by a rented robot. ”He’s a Clockwork, an old one, with a smiling moonlike face of crackled ceramic. His chest is a scratched case of plasteel. Within is a coil of cloudy vinyl tubing where intestines belong, brass pipettes for bones, a basket of gold wires filled almost to the top with silver tokens instead of a stomach. His heart was a matte black vapor-drive.” This story comes with an alarming twist that actually made me shudder.

The eighth story is Thumbprint and is about a soldier who is trying to adjust to being back in the States after a tour in Iraq, where she finds out some very disturbing things about herself. ”’You’d be surprised what you can do to people,’ she told him.” She realizes that something from her time in the desert has come back with her when she starts receiving thumbprint messages. It makes me think about the number of people who would have gone through life just fine if they had never gone to war and discovered they had a penchant for depravity.

The ninth story,The Devil on the Staircase, is about a young man who stumbles upon a gateway to the underworld. ”Then again it seemed a pagan place, the natural setting for an orgy hosted by fauns with their goaty hooves, their flutes and their furred cocks.” There is always a price anytime you make deals with the devil, and this will turn out to be no exception. The story is written in stair step form, which is a quirky and fun way to read it.

The tenth story is Twittering from the Circus of the Dead and is a series of tweets by a teenage girl, very disgruntled with her mother and, as people like to do these days, sharing her frustrations with the whole world. Needless to say, I want to strangle her by about the third tweet. Things really pick up when the family stops by to watch the Circus of the Dead. Her tweets become very REAL.

The eleventh story is Mums, about a boy who is growing up under the thumb of his radical, separatist father. When his mother dies, Jack buys some mum seeds to plant on her grave. ”He shakes the seeds out into his palm, and who knows, maybe they did bite him. With his blood on them, they look like the teeth of a carnivore, stained from their last meal.” Sometimes we need intervention from unlikely sources to vanquish a tyrant. Refreshed with the blood of our “patriots” kind of thing.

The twelfth story is In the Tall Grass, which Joe wrote with his father. It is now a movie on Netflix that I haven’t had time to watch yet, but the story is pretty freaking terrifying. While travelling through Kansas (doomed already), a sister and brother hear a young boy calling for help from some tall grass. They are quickly separated, and no matter how hard they try, they cannot find each other again. ”She thought, All flesh is grass.” I keep thinking of that novel The Ruins by Scott Smith. Two of the strongest stories are when Joe and Stephen team up. They should think about working together more in the future.

The fourteenth story is You are Released and is about a plane full of passengers who are trapped in the air as nuclear bombs are exploding on the ground. One passenger says, Would this have happened if Obama were president. The answer is, Uhh no. ”’I thought you were drinking too early,’ she says to the man beside her. ‘It turns out I started drinking too late.’” Social commentary on the unstable state of the world because voters decide they want...change.

There is a lot of variety in these stories. The quality remains high for most of the collection. I tried to read a story each morning and usually would find myself musing about the story at different times throughout the day. I like to sip short story collections. They are not conducive to being gulped like novels. If you like Stephen King, you should definitely give Joe a try as well.

If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

So here's the thing. I think the audiobook medium really works to Hill's advantage because he's such a nerdy sweetheart in the introductions that it makes you just love him and want to love his books.



Throttle - 3 stars
This one was written with his father, Stephen King. As I mentioned, I love Joe Hill's introductions because they just make you like him as a human being, and after hearing some of the father-son fun they had that made up the origin, I enjoyed this one more than I would have just going into it cold.



Anyway, it was a story about criminal bikers, a father/son relationship gone wrong, and a trucker out for his rightful revenge.

Dark Carousel - 4 stars
A really good story about 4 friends who fuck around with the wrong goddamn carousel.



Only it was one of those spooky carousels, you know? This was one that got better as the story went on and followed the narrator into adulthood.

Wolverton Station - 2.5 stars
A bit too weird a take on capitalism for me.




By The Silver Water of Lake Champlain -4.5 stars
Considering this was about 2 kids who found the equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster/dinosaur? Yeah, this made me choke back some serious tears.
It's a story about childhood first loves and what might have been. How he packed so much story into this shorty was just amazing.



Faun - 4 stars
Is fantasy/horror a thing? Because if so, Hill just did that.
This one is about hunters who get more than they bargained for. The ending goes a bit off the rails, but it was still very enjoyable.



Late Returns - 5 stars
I cried. This one is more paranormal than horror. It's about a guy who moves home after his parents die to put things in order and ends up driving the local library's spooky little bookmobile. And I snuffled all through that ending. Ohmygod when that guy talked about giving that little girl the last Harry Potter book? I swear to god I lost it.



Thumbprint - 3.5 stars
A soldier involved in, but not convicted of, an Abu Ghraib-esque prison scandal starts getting these weird thumbprints in envelopes. This one shows the horrors of war and tells one woman's tale of how she was corrupted by it. Or was she? Was she always this person?
The ending was...ok. I wasn't sure how to feel, but maybe that was the point?



The Devil on the Staircase - 3 stars
Story of a man whose jealousy pays off because people believe what they want to believe.
Because of course they do.



All I Care About is You - 4 stars

A sci-fiish story about a sad young woman.
Wow. That ending was just...wow. It made me smile because that bitch was badass, but at the same time, that bitch was just plain bad.



Mums - 4 stars
A kid who (maybe?) sees things, ends up finding out the truth about his mother's death. And whether or not he's crazy, he still ends up dealing out a fair amount of justice. Possibly with the help of some plants and a great-great-grandma who looks like George Washington.



In The Tall Grass - 4 stars
Weird and oddly compelling look at siblings who don't deserve any of what happens to them. You know how most of the time the people in horror stories kind of (just a little bit) deserve it? Nope. Those poor hippies at the end...



You Are Released - 3 stars
This one is about nuclear warfare and plane rides. Yikes.



Twittering From The Circus of the Dead 3.5 stars
This one isn't included in the audio version and I had to download the library's ebook to read it.
It's a story about a teenage daughter who is recording all of her hate for her mom and their family vacation on her Twitteresque feed.
And then they run into a zombie circus. Which makes her mom seem like less of a monster.



If you stick around till the very end of Hill's thank-yous you can hear a teeny-tiny story called A Little Sorrow. It's just about a guy who buys a Sorrow to put on his shoulder and whisper to him that he's a worthless piece of shit, just so he doesn't have to be alone.
It's maybe a couple of paragraphs long?

I'm certainly not a connoisseur of horror stories, but to me, these were all really good.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final Average Rating – 4.07 Stars

I enjoyed this collection of Joe Hill short stories and flew through the audiobook – I could not stop listening! It had its high points (Late Returns) and low points (Thumbprint) but, overall, a solid collection.

I have included my short review of each story below – you may have already seen them as my status updates as I was reading.

Also, interesting note on the audio edition: It does not include Twittering From The Circus of the Dead. After finishing the audio yesterday, I had to go out to the library and check out the large print edition of this book (the only copy they had) so I could finish it. I have included my quick analysis of it between The Devil on the Staircase and Mums which is where it falls in the print edition.

Introduction- 5 stars - King family intros are always a pleasure!

Throttle - 4 stars - I listened to this previously when it was combined with Matheson's Duel. A dark and gritty story of revenge - very much in the same spirit as Matheson's story. Written with Stephen King.

Dark Carousel - 4 stars - Hill's take on the evil carnival. Basically, don't mess with or disrespect creepy people at a travelling carnival. If there are consequences, don't say that Hill didn't warn you!

Wolverton Station - 4 stars - A commentary on American capitalism taking over the world. Anthropomorphic mayhem! Warren Zevon would be a fan of this one!

By the Silver Water Of Lake Champlain - 3 stars - A decent little creepy story for fans of Cryptozoology. Took me a while to get into and kind of left me feeling like there should be something more.

Faun - 3.5 stars - I liked the way this one started. It fell off for me towards the end. Not your C. S. Lewis Narnia

Late Returns - 5 stars - The best so far! I loved every part of this story. Well crafted, mysterious, and tugs at the heart-strings. This is a short story worth visiting even if you don't try any of the others.

All I Care About Is You - 4.5 stars - I am not quite sure why I liked this one so much. In fact, halfway through I didn't think I liked it at all. But, the ending really brought it home for me. Very clever storyline and twists.

Thumbprint - 2.5 stars - a story of PTSD. This one didn't really do much for me. It was okay, but I couldn't get into and then it was suddenly over

The Devil on the Staircase - 3.5 stars - the shortest story in the book so far. Interesting and chilling. A take on the "selling your soul" story.

Twittering From The Circus of the Dead - 4.5 stars - clever and entertaining! Silly but scary! Glad I went and got a physical copy from the library so I could read this one.

Mums - 4.5 stars - Very well done story of madness, horror, paranoia, and revenge. Sowing the seeds of family dysfunction.

In The Tall Grass - 5 stars - creepy and disturbing excellence. Not for the easily queasy. This one is about as shocking as they come! Written with Stephen King.

You Are Released - 4 stars - straight forward, not tongue-in-cheek, commentary. If you are easily terrified by flying and the current political climate of our world, this one will definitely scare the crap out of you!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not the biggest fan of short stories but I am a fan of Joe Hill and he was able to draw me in with this collection of short stories. I had previously read the two short stories in this collection which he co-wrote with his father - Full Throttle and In the Tall Grass. There are quite a few short stories in this book with my favorites being Late Returns and Dark Carousal and my least favorite being Faun. But in all honesty, I have to admit my very and I mean very favorite part of this book was the Introduction by Hill titled "Who's your Daddy" where he talked about his parents, his father reading to him every night and their combined experiences on the set of Creepshow. Be sure to read this part as well. Be sure to read the end of the book as well. There Hill talks about his inspiration for each short story and tells how this collection was written over the course of ten years. He also has another tiny little short story at the very end titled "A little sorrow" If you missed it, you haven't read far enough.

All in all, a very enjoyable, creepy, entertaining, and thrilling ride.

Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers - William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[megs_bookrack]

HILL ALERT:

NEW SHORT STORY COLLECTION
RELEASING OCTOBER 2019.



Yes. Hell yes.

[Johann (jobis89) · Rating 3 out of 5]

”A child has only two parents, but if you’re lucky enough to get to be an artist for a living, ultimately you wind up with a few mothers and fathers.”

Well, this is the first time that a Joe Hill book has disappointed me. It’s a real shame, because I used to shout from the rooftops that I have basically loved every Hill I’ve read so far - but now there is a black mark on his record...

Okay, let’s dial it back, perhaps I’m being a tad dramatic... it’s not terrible! There are a total of 13 stories in here, and a few are really good. But there is quite a lot of forgettable fluff. I can’t put my finger on what it is exactly, but I sometimes felt like the themes and topics included in this collection just bored me at times. It also bothers me that 4 of the stories that had been previously released, you can’t help but feel a tad short changed when you already have these ones.

In the introduction he talks about his relationship with his father and how if you are an artist you will ultimately be inspired by lots of different people through working with them and reading their work etc - which kind of lays the foundation for this collection. There are two stories he has written with King, both of which I had previously read. And then a number of stories where the inspiration source is clearly from other artists or authors.

Dark Carousel for example - strong Ray Bradbury vibes! The name alone just makes me think of Something Wicked This Way Comes. Unsurprisingly this was one of my favourites in the collection! Another favourite was In The Tall Grass, a really dark and disturbing tale where a pregnant woman and her brother hear a child shouting for help from the side of the road.

Twittering in the Circus of the Dead was another one that stood out, an entire story told through tweets! You are Released, previously included in the short story collection Fright or Flight, had the potential to be good, but fell short for me. The rest... probably quite forgettable.

In summary, it’s worth picking up for In the Tall Grass, if you haven’t read it yet! Otherwise... don’t rush yourself. 3 stars.

[Chrissana Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Introducción: una introducción de su vida y como comenzó a escribir.
1. Acelera. Escrito a dos manos con Stephen King. Un grupo de moteros huye por la carretera mientras un camión los persigue y los atropella uno a uno.
2. El carrusel de las sombras: unos adolescentes son perseguidos por unos caballos qué escapan de un carrusel de feria, su objetivo la venganza.
3. La estación de Wolverton: nuestro protagonista intenta sobrevivir en un tren llenó de hombres lobo mientras piensa que en la siguiente parada está su salvación.
4. JUNTO A LAS AGUAS PLATEADAS DEL LAGO CHAMPLAIN: unos niños encuentran el cadáver de una criatura en la playa.
5. EL FAUNO: una puerta a otro mundo llena de criaturas fantásticas se convierte en la zona de caza de unos cazadores.
6. Apariciones desplazadas: el conductor de una biblioteca móvil entrará en contacto con personas del pasado que están apunto de morir, y les ayudará a elegir su última lectura.

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

So right now this review is just for Late Returns, a Locus award-nominated novelette in this collection (plus a few brief comments on other stories ... we'll see how many of them I get to before I have to send this book back to the library). :) Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:

Joe Hill, who like his famous father typically writes in the horror genre, switches it up in Late Returns. John Davies, still dealing with grief from the double suicide of his ailing parents and out of work since his lost his job as a trucker in the aftermath, visits the library to return a long-overdue book and winds up with a part-time job driving their 1963 bookmobile truck, complete with psychedelic murals on the sides (“What does it run on?” he asks, “Unleaded? Or bong water?”). Gradually he realizes that some of the bookmobile patrons are townsfolk who are now dead, but have slipped forward in time to return their overdue books to the bookmobile. The first driver of the bookmobile calls these people “late returns.”

I have a major soft spot for both library-themed fantasy and time-travel stories anyway, and Late Returns is a poignant and bittersweet tale that’s liable to touch even hardened hearts. But this story is grounded by its realistic details — like the trouble the “late returns” have seeing books written after their time unless placed in their hands — and by the well-rounded characters, particularly the time-traveling mother of a famous local author. She and others travel forward in time, each for their own compelling reason, and it’s the bookmobile librarian’s duty and honor to find and give them the books they need to read. It’s a lovely concept and a well-told tale.

I've also read the title story, "Throttle," which Hill co-wrote with his father Stephen King. A motorcycle gang of ten guys - some more lowlife than others - has lost $60,000 of money they "invested" in a meth lab when it blew up. Some of them are really angry about that. Plus in the aftermath, there was a terrible, bloody encounter that they're now on the road to distance themselves from. But a trucker at their last stop may have overheard them talking about it, and now there's a big truck on the highway bearing down on them ... It's gory but thoughtful as well. It reminds me a lot of that old 1971 Spielberg movie Duel,* but amped up, and with more information about the trucker as well as who and why he's chasing.

*ETA: In fact, I just got around to reading the story notes at the end, and "Throttle" was written as a tribute to the original short story "Duel" by Richard Matheson that inspired the movie. "Throttle" was originally published in He Is Legend: An Anthology Celebrating Richard Matheson. So my instincts were right, though it probably wasn't a major leap that I saw the connection. :) Here's a copy of the original story "Duel": https://talesofmytery.blogspot.com/20...

[Jay Schutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice effort by the son of the "King" of horror. Thirteen well-written stories that will help you go full-throttle through this book. Some will be quite memorable.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m writing up a review for Scream Mag. My last of the 4 reviews for the October issue. I’m so disappointed in this collection. If it wasn’t for IN THE TALL GRASS, THROTTLE and like 2 others, this would have been a DNF or maybe like a 1 or 2 star for me. Details later.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Various stories here. Some good, some meh. Small bits of racist writing, but that's on par with American lit unfortunately. 5 of 10 stars

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vary rarely do I review the audio of a book. Though I’m a big audiobook reader/listener, I tend to swap between the physical and audio versions of I’m reading and generally just review the actual book itself, not the audio production. There have been a few notable exceptions, most especially Daisy Jones & The Six, but those exceptions are few and far between. Today, I have another exception to add to the list with Joe Hill’s most recent short fiction collection, Full Throttle. And it was such a strong collection! There were only two stories that I really didn’t care for and two that I felt were just okay, as opposed to the nine stories that were either 4, 4.5, or 5 star experiences.

In my opinion, short stories are the fictional form most well suited to an audio format. A short story on audio is often the perfect length for a long walk or a traffic jam or chores on a Saturday morning. And there is something about being read to that brings me right back to childhood, even if the stories I listen to as an adult are far removed from those that my mother once read to me. There was only one aspect of this particular collection that drove me crazy; a lack of information on which reader narrated which story. There is of course a list of narrators, but I couldn’t find a breakdown of stories paired with their readers ANYWHERE. Amazon, Audible, AudioFile Magazine, Harper Collins’ website, and even Goodreads reviews got me nowhere. And I read every single review! So I took it upon myself to research and match up the narrators with their stories to the best of my ability. Seriously, this is the most research and legwork I’ve ever put into a review. If you happen to notice any errors in my pairings, please message me and I will correct said mistake posthaste.

Below you’ll find micro reviews for each short story. But before I get into the tales themselves, I’d like to say a bit about Hill’s opening. I absolutely adore the forward of this book: Who’s Your Daddy? Getting some background on Hill’s relationship with his famous author parents and how he grew up to be a writer himself. How could he not be compared to the King of modern horror when that King is his dad? And honestly, how both he and his father handled rejection is so inspiring. I love that Hill decided to follow in his father’s footsteps but didn’t want to get there riding said father’s coattails. And now, without further ado, here are my thoughts on the stories in this collection.

Throttle (with Stephen King), read by Stephen Lang: 3 stars

Not super original, but a story well told. I found it an interesting departure from the relationship Hill described having with his own dad in the forward. There was nothing wrong with this story, but it felt decidedly more King than Hill. While the trappings were different, this is a story I’ve heard before.

Dark Carousel, read by Nate Corddry: 4.5 stars

I really loved this one. I don’t think a scary story involving a carousel can exist without making me think of Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, and I was glad Hill gave him a nod with the mention of The October Country. There was also a quick reference to NOS4A2 that was fun to catch. The story itself was engaging and tense, and I didn’t fully predict the outcome. There were a couple of horrifying moments that I could actually visual, and they totally creeped me out in the best way. This is a story I’ll happily read every October.

Wolverton Station, read by Neil Gaiman: 4 stars

Honestly, that fourth star is for Gaiman. The man has an exquisite reading voice. The story itself was as tense as the previous story, but had an absurdity to the concept that was almost funny. I love the thought of dapper werewolves, and sports bro werewolves, and other classes of werewolf all sharing a train.

By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain, read by Kate Mulgrew: 4.5 stars

This little story was sweet and heartbreaking, and it’s easy to see that Hill can write compelling and tangibly real children just as well as his father. I wish I could adopt Gail. She’s insanely smart and creative and has an imagination second to none. I would’ve come to see your find, Gail. I promise.

Faun, read by Zachary Quinto: 4.5 stars

This gave me serious “The Most Dangerous Game” vibes, but the fantasy edition. It was inspired by Bradbury’s “A Sound of Thunder” but managed to never feel derivative. It also paid homage to fantasy tales like Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but with a very dark twist. In my opinion it was one of the most original and least King-ish of the stories in the collection. Also, don’t hunt what you don’t understand. And don’t be a dick, because sometimes it’s fatal.

Late Returns, read by Wil Weaton: 5 stars

A time traveling book-mobile that gives those nearing their deaths one last, great read from the future? YES PLEASE. Books are the best thing in the world for bringing people together, and I can’t think of any parting gift from the world as wonderful as a chance to read a perfect-for-me book that won’t be written until long after I’m gone. Also, Hill found a way to namedrop himself and it made me smile. Very poignant, and definitely my favorite. It’s a story I would happily buy a physical copy of and which I would love to find a way to give to my bookwormy friends.

All I Care About Is You, read by Ashley Cummings: 4 stars

The most sci-fi story of the collection. Iris felt very real, and struck a perfect balance between snotty, selfish teenager and tired, philosophical young adult who has had to grow up before her time. The future Hill crafted for this story is incredibly intriguing, walking a line between a fantasy world and a world so overly saturated in entertainment that it borders on a dystopia. It’s a ferocious life, and Iris is definitely cut out for it. It was sweet and thoughtful, sad and horrible, all in turns.

Thumbprint, read by Laysla De Oliveira: 1.5 stars

One of my two least favorites of the stories. I can’t put my finger (or thumb) on what it was that I hated so much. Every character is either a horrible person or pitiable. It did nothing for me, except make me doubt that humanity is in any way redeemable. It felt oddly preachy, even though I can’t nail down what exactly was being preached. I just didn’t like it.

The Devil on the Staircase, read by George Guidall: 3.5 stars

There was something fairy tale-esque about this story that I really enjoyed. It felt like a fable made real. This was the shortest story in the collection and I think it suffered for it. With just a bit more information this could have been at least a 4 star tale, but it ended up feeling a bit rushed.

Mums, read by Connor Jessup: 4.5 stars

Well, that was absolutely terrifying. By far the scariest story in the collection. There were some images evoked that I’m pretty sure are going to haunt my dreams for a while. It’s amazing to me how significant the mom’s name turned out to be, and I’m still not positive what was real and what was dreamed. I don’t think I’ll ever plant anything on a grave; precut bouquets will just have to do. *shudders*

In the Tall Grass (with Stephen King), read by Stephen Lang: 4 stars

Very creepy. And scary. While different in plot, the setting brought to mind another classic King short story, "Children of the Corn." Stories like these are why I have no desire to go through corn mazes at Halloween time. No thank you. Pregnant women, steer clear!

You Are Released, read by Joe Hill: 1.5 stars

My other least favorite. Too realistic to be enjoyable. I read to escape, so I was immediately turned off by the real politics and the plausible danger. I also found it very forgettable; the story is already fading away in my mind. It did nothing for me. Except for the spelling bee girl. She was adorable. Half a star for her.

Twittering From the Circus of the Dead (read by no one, as it was included as a PDF): 4 stars

I totally understand why this wasn’t recorded as part of the audiobook, but was instead included as a PDF. The tweet format would have lost its power if spoken instead of visually read. The format worked incredibly well for this story. I’m always on the lookout for good circus stories, scary or otherwise, and this was a good one made more interesting through its formatting.

Overall, I found this to be an incredibly strong collection. While I think that Full Throttle would be worth purchasing for “Late Returns” alone, there are a host of great stories here. And they’re varied enough that there’s something here for just about everyone.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bunch of excellent short stories. Guaranteed to send chills throughout your body!

[Shruti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall Rating: 3.5 rounded down.

Full Throttle is a collection of thirteen short stories by Joe Hill which I quite enjoyed reading. I liked a few of the stories a lot but the rest felt mediocre to me. Here are the individual ratings and a few lines of description for each:

Throttle (3 stars): This was a story written with Stephen King about a group of bikers who find themselves in a death chase. Sadly, it failed to impress me. I guess when I saw that Stephen King was a contributor, I had higher expectations.

Dark Carousel (3.5 stars): This was a story about four teenagers who get caught up in some regrettable deeds at the carnival carousel and are subsequently haunted.

Wolverton Station (3.5 stars): Wolves.

By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain (1.5 stars): Weird water monster stuff that I did not enjoy.

Faun (4 stars): I really liked this one. Narnia-like story with an unexpected twist!

Late Returns (5 stars!!!): LOVE this one. I think everyone who reads this book will love it. As Hill himself writes in the Story Notes at the end of the book, I hate the idea of dying when I'm only halfway through a book. Late Returns is the story of a bookmobile that can travel through time. It isn't the classic time-travel that we are used to hearing about, but a much more subtle concept that stays with you long after you've finished reading.

All I Care About Is You (3.5 stars): It was difficult to understand what was happening at the start. This story takes place in the future where Iris, a sixteen-year-old girl is hoping to celebrate her birthday in the grandest way possible. Her family has recently suffered financial losses and due to this she can't afford the luxuries that she was hoping to. She befriends a Clockwork (robot) who spends an hour with her and tries to help fulfil her wishes for the day.

Thumbprint (1.5 stars): This was weird and annoying. An ex-military woman finds letters with thumbprints being sent to her by a stalker. None of the characters were likeable and the story was very…meh.

The Devil on the Staircase (2 stars): Stairs lead to hell. I think this is supposed to be one of those stories that makes you think but I just didn't feel it.

Twittering from the Circus of the Dead (3 stars): This was interesting. A girl keeps posting updates about her family road trip on Twitter and continues to do so after she finds herself in a circus of zombies.

Mums (3 stars): Thirteen-year-old Jack's mother is mentally ill and an alcoholic and she dies after a drunken accident or so he is told. An old lady sells him seeds for a plant that are in no way ordinary and he starts to question his own sanity.

In The Tall Grass (3 stars): This was the second story written with Stephen King. Brother and sister hear a child calling out to them for help from inside a field of tall grass. They get trapped.

You Are Released (4 stars): With all the international tension and the WW3 articles and memes on the internet in the past week, this story felt all too real. War has been declared and the sky is filled with nuclear missiles. The story is told from the perspective of multiple passengers on a plane that prepare themselves for the imminent apocalypse.

[I'd like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and Joe Hill for this ARC.]

[Char]

I’m tired of dragging myself back to this, it’s just not working for me.
October 13-25th, 2019.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Hill may have begun his writing career by keeping his last name a secret, but he has never shied away from saying that his biggest influence is his own dad and with that (in combination with mom) the one who most shaped him and those writing chops. Any constant reader of King, who has also picked up a Hill, may notice the writing similarities. Could there be a better compliment? My thoughts are that this is a good thing, and sometimes a Joe Hill story has even eclipsed his pop's, especially so when looking at a few of his short ones.

Of those famous parents - who actually did more than influence him with their own thoughts on a page - they gave him other books to read, movies to watch, and ideas to contemplate: (the multitude of gore from Fangoria magazine; movies like Jaws and Close Encounters; and Comics like The Green Goblin) The other authors he came to love: Ray Bradbury, Lawrence Block and Bernard Malamud to name only three. What's cool is that Hill is also not afraid to admit that these guys specifically influenced many of his own short stories, here in Full Throttle and the past collection of 20th Century Ghosts. Paying tribute to their work is more than a form of respect. It is utmost flattery. Personally, I like stories that immediately invoke another from the past. That exact thing occurred while reading By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain, a perfect semblance to the legend of the Loch Ness monster which also seemed to hearken back to tidbits from The Mist (I could be wrong). The story Throttle (written with Pops for a Matheson anthology) pays honor to Richard Matheson's “Duel”. I would have thought that Dark Carousel was an homage of sorts to Bradbury, but learned that it most reflects his dad's short stories, “Riding the Bullet” and “the Road Virus Heads North”. Hmm, I can see it in the plots now, but more so in the writing style.

Even before reading this collection, I heard him say that the stories written here span across his last decade in time (confirmed in the afterward). The year of each short's publication is listed on the CP between 2007 and 2019, but it's in the story notes that Hill talks a bit more about their individual history (those influences, where written and a sort of why). If you're anything like me, reading these notes adds to the enjoyment of a collection. I like to know a little bit about the why's and how's.

- Personal collection favorite: By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain for its sentimentality, heart and view through a child's eye.
- Runner-up: Late Returns for being a ghost story of a different variety, one being depth.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fine, fine collection of short stories.

When I decided I wanted good, traditional horror with fantastic characterization and full-hilt (or throttle) gore, I knew I couldn’t go wrong with Hill.

It’s not like this is all he does, but when I just want that visceral surprise death after getting to know some rather interesting folk, I found myself laughing out loud in a good number of these.

Maybe it says more about me than I intended. *shrug* Oh, well! Obvious modern morality plays are FUN.

I think I loved the first five of these stories best. My ABSOLUTE top story now makes me wish I had a job driving a bookmobile truck. I mean, seriously, I LOVE this story.

My least favourite story happens to be Hill’s SF foray. Sadly. I mean, I’m a big fan of SF in general and Hill is obviously a fan of the genre, as seen from his many literary references, but it just didn’t do anything for me.

But when he goes right for the jugular of either fantasy through tiny doors, including big game hunters, or a Sons of Anarchy treatment by way of Duel, I’m all over it. :)

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Hill kicks it into high gear with his collection of short stories “Full Throttle”, a hodge-podge of horror that is as deliciously derivative as it is full of high-octane intensity.

Hill doesn’t hide the fact that many of these stories are reminiscent, or imitative, of other authors and sources. In fact, he admits it in his Introduction and, later, reiterates it in his Story Notes.

Take the first story “Throttle” (co-written with his dad, Stephen King), which is clearly an updated version of Richard Matheson’s short story “Duel” (made into a terrific film by Steven Spielberg) for an audience that has binge-watched too much “Breaking Bad” and “Sons of Anarchy”. Any story with as much gratuitously gory vehicular homicide is a winner in my book.

“Dark Carousel” has pretty heavy shades of every ‘80s horror film involving horny teenagers at a carnival, especially Tobe Hooper’s 1981 “The Funhouse”: cheesy, bloody, and fun.

“Faun” is Hill’s take on C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series that posits what would happen if, instead of innocent kids discovering the magical wardrobe, a morally shady capitalist who loves big-game hunting discovered it first.

The best story of the bunch (out of a plethora of great stories) is “In The Tall Grass” (also co-written with his dad), about a field of grass that sucks innocent victims into its green clutches and slowly drives them insane as they try to escape. I know, it doesn’t sound like much of a plot, but Hill’s attempt at a New Weird cosmic horror story, a la Laird Barron or Paul Tremblay, succeeds at almost every level. It’s creepy, disturbing, and leaves one with that unsettling “What the fuck just happened?” feeling.

Overall, a great collection of short stories from an up-and-coming master of horror. Let’s face it: the kid’s got good genes...

[Kay]

Narrated by Joe Hill, Stephen Lang, Neil Gaiman, Kate Mulgrew, Zachary Quinto and Wil Wheaton???

Hell's bells, Batman. I'm excited.



When I went swimming that summer and dived beneath the surface of the lake, and opened my eyes, I was sure I'd see a Great White lunging out of the dark at me. More than once I heard myself screaming underwater. When I wandered into my bedroom, I half expected toys to spring to antic, supernatural life, powered by the energy radiated from the passing UFOs. - Joe Hill on his experience with the laser disc his father had bought him.

Full Throttle - featuring Stephen King ★★★★

You see Clark hanging up the phone when we walked in? I caught a snatch of what he was saying when we were at the door. I think he tried to get his sister and when he didn't he left a message to someone who knows her. So why do you think he felt a pressing need to touch that toe rag when he saw all of us in the drive way?

Dark Carousel ★★★★★

Although Joe Hill explains in his introduction that Bradbury was a great influence to him as a teenager but now feels his prose is as purple as a strangulation victim (my words, not his) this story is reminiscent of Something Wicked This Way Comes

There was a great pirate ship that swung back and forth like a pendulum, sailing high out over the sides of the pier and the ocean beyond, while shrill screams carried into the night. I thought of that ride as the SS Fuck No.

What happens when the horses on a carousel come to life and a bunch of freshly graduated youngsters wreak havoc at the circus? Well, you'll have to read to find out.

What a short story. The characters are so well-rounded and likeable from the get-go. I absolutely love the twins - a sister and a brother, Jerry and Jake, accompanied by their friends and significant others. The narrator, whose name I forget, is dating Jerry. Everything unfolds into utter horror, slowly into that uncanny valley. The circus is alive, and not in the way you think. Bradbury would be proud as this unfolds from a bildungsroman to full-on existential terror.

Wolverton Station

[Jim Ef · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.0/10 (overall rating)
"Late returns". For this story alone this book is worth buying.
I will focus my review on the three stories i liked the best.
Here is the rating, from least to most favourite.

13. Faun: 5.9/10
12. Wolverton station: 6.0/10
11. Throttle (with Stephen King): 6.1/10
10. The devil on the staircase: 6.1/10
9. Thumbprint: 6.1/10
8. Twittering from the Circus of the dead: 6.8/10
7. Mums: 6.9/10
6. You are released: 7.0/10
5. Dark carousel: 7.1/10
4. All i care about is you: 7.8/10

3. By the silver water of lake Champlain: 8.1/10
Two kids discover the body of a dinosaur-esque creature on a shore of a lake. They start making dreams about the future. What is real and what is kids imagination is hard to distinguish. What's easy, is to get lost in this tender and gloomy tale, about friendship and things that never meant to be. There are other stories in this collection, with perhaps a more interesting concept. Yet this is so beautifully written that it deserves to be highlighted.

2. In the tall grass (with Stephen King): 8.3/10
Two siblings stop their car after they hear a boy calling for help. The voice comes from a field, a field with tall grass. No one else is around and they want to help. The voice doesn't seem to come from far away, so to the field the enter...
Joe Hill and Stephen King call you into their own nightmarish field. The field is the page, the grass are the words. You foolishly enter, reading a bit by bit. Before you know it, you are to deep. You don't feel comfortable anymore. You hope for a happy outcome, but you know better. You want to stop but something makes you to keep going. Keep going all the way till you reach the inevitable end.

1. Late returns: 9.3/10
Hill's writting seems effortless here, almost magic. Late returns is a nostalgic and touching story. Although it deals with heavy subjects like death and grief, it addresses this issues in a tender way, through the love for books. It's an absolute gem and i hope it will find it's way to many people's hearts.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hill presents another fine collection of mesmerizing tales meant to captivate and enthrall the reader. Even the less impressive stories - Wolverton Station, which involves, you guessed it - wolves, and Dark Carousel, a story about vengeful, killer carousel animals, were well written and fairly riveting.

My two favorite tales - Late Returns and You Are Released -both pack an emotional wallop. The first story involves library patrons whose quest for a good book never ends . . . even after death. It was touching, heartwarming, and funny. The second tale concerns a mixed group of individuals headed for an uncertain future. This would be an unsettling read at anytime, but was particularly disconcerting during this scary pandemic.

And, whether you read it before, or after reading the body of the book, don't miss Hill's wonderful introduction. It's full of fun anecdotes, and interesting literary tidbits.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The masterful Joe Hill returns with FULL THROTTLE, a collection of thirteen short stories.

The thirteen tales range from dark fantasy to horror to sci-fi, but they all share the same relentless drive and sense of momentum that Hill has become known for. The book opens with a lengthy introduction, which reads more like a chat with really interesting friend. Hill relates several anecdotes about his career, childhood, and growing up as Stephen King's son, including one story that he means to be funny, but is actually quite alarming. (The story involves King driving his young son around while drinking beer and throwing the cans out the window.) Hill also include story notes at the end of the book, which range in length from one sentence to a few pages apiece. The stories themselves vary in quality, with the worst of the bunch opening the collection.

THROTTLE is a collaboration between Hill and Stephen King (One of two in the book), and is the weakest story in the collection. Originally published in a Richard Matheson tribute anthology, THROTTLE is a tribute to Matheson's DUEL, with a vengeful trucker stalking a motorcycle club along a desolate stretch of desert highway. The characters are all despicable and interchangeable, and if you've seen/read DUEL, there's nothing new to see here.

DARK CAROUSEL and LATE RETURNS are Hill channeling his famous father, which he does perfectly. Both are pure Stephen King; DARK CAROUSEL tells a pitch-black tale of supernatural vengeance that could have been penned by King early in his career, while LATE RETURNS is a gentle remembrance of the ghosts of the past, which is reminiscent of King's more recent output.

THE DEVIL ON THE STAIRCASE and TWITTERING FROM THE CIRCUS OF THE DEAD both play with form as they tell their tales. DEVIL is formatted in such a way that the sentences and paragraphs resemble ascending and descending staircases, while TWITTERING is told entirely in a teenaged girl's tweets, as she slowly realizes the the out-of-the-way circus that her family stumbled upon may have more going on than meets the eye.

FAUN and BY THE SILVER WATERS OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN both have their literary roots in other authors. BY THE SLIVER WATERS... was originally published in a Ray Bradbury tribute anthology, and is a beautiful tribute to the legendary author. Hill tells a wonderfully understated story about two children who stumble upon the corpse of a lake monster, and debate what to do with it. Bradbury would have been proud. FAUN is a spin on C.S. Lewis' NARNIA books, and features a millionaire who leads rich hunters into an enchanted wonderland to hunt mythical beasts. FAUN is the most frustrating story in the book. While almost every story is outstanding, this is the one that I most wanted to continue.....If Mr. Hill were to expand this into a novel, or sequelize it, I would not object in the least.

THIUMBPRINT and MUMS both have a militaristic bent to them: THUMBPRINT follows a disgraced vet who comes home from the desert to find herself stalked by a mysterious person sho is leaving papers with thumbprints on them in and around her home, and MUMS follows a young boy whose father is planning an act of domestic terrorism.

WOLVERTON STATION is a whimsically dark story that evokes echoes of English folk horror, while ALL I CARE ABOUT IS YOU ventures into futuristic sci-fi, as a young girl, depressed about how her family's recent financial downturns will effect her birthday, finds solace in the company of a robotic friend-for-hire.

The book includes a second Hill/King collaboration, IN THE TALL GRASS, another story that has the King family DNA written all over it. If the story is a little too derivative of Scott Smith's THE RUINS, well.....at least it is a well-told, riveting derivation. Another story that ended with me wanting more.

Hill closes out the collection with YOU ARE RELEASED, which really hit me hard. The story follows a plane full of people who discover that World War III may have broken out while the were airborne. He doesn't take up a lot of space with this tale, but he manages to create a plane full of real people, and avoids the easy stereotypes. Closing the book with this story really gave me a lot to think about. (This book also includes the literary equivalent of a motion picture after-credits scene, so stay tuned.)

Hill writes a great novel, but his short stories are where he really excels. In his introduction, Hill surmises that he probably has another few dozen short stories in him before he calls it a day.....I hope it turns out to be a lot more than that.

HarperCollins provided a review copy.

[Brittany McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was all over the place for me. I LOVED some of the stories so much, and the narration was some of the best I have heard in several instances. I need to find out who some of the narrators were because I want to listen to EVERYTHING they have recorded after some of these, so props to them. I loved that the different stories had different narrators to show the difference between them and to give them their own personalities. Weirdly enough, some of my least favorite pieces were those in collaboration with Stephen King. I will post a breakdown rating for each short story. Overall though, 4 stars for me.

Introduction Since I was listening, I at first thought this was a story that was inspired by the family's relationship, so I had to go back and re-listen. I just love the thoughtful introductions that Stephen King puts into all of his books, and it was great to see one from Joe Hill this time. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was great to learn a bit more about Hill and some of his motivations and his start. As an author getting ready to try to get picked up for publishing in less than a year, it's always motivating to read about the failures that lead to success.

Throttle I actually felt like this one was one of the weaker stories in the bunch. It was written by Stephen King, and I found myself losing interest repeatedly. It was gritty but just not pulling me in the way I wanted it to. Definitely a revenge story, though. 2.5 stars for me.

Dark Carousel For me, this felt like Hill was trying to channel early King tales of the supernatural, and it felt more forced than free-flowing. I actually think Hill does a better job of free-flowing than King, so it was a bit disappointing, even though the story about an evil carnival itself wasn't bad. 3.5 stars

Wolverton Station This was really interesting to listen to during all of the political upheavals right now. I'm not sure that I would have enjoyed it as much otherwise, but it worked for now. Also, I do have a love for the anthropomorphic.... 4 stars

By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain Meh. Really that was what this felt like. A short one that felt kind of thrown in for good measure to the rest of the book. There was a bit of interesting cryptozoology that couldn't save it, though, and it has been better realized. 2.5 stars

Faun I did enjoy this dark take on many different topics. Definitely has a Narnia feel with a hunting guide that takes people into an alternate universe to hunt mythological beasts. For me, this was well written and a bit hard to read because it hurt how much you felt what heartless bastards these hunters were for taking down these magnificent beasts. There was a war inside me to want this one to be longer, and another war to hate this story for the content. And yet, it was well written to make me feel such a way, except the end DID feel rushed a bit. 4 stars.

Late Returns I LOVE the concept of this one, being a bibliophile and all. It just kind of sucks you in, but then so much was focused on the car, and I feel like this was a bit of a different sort of regurgitation of the car's personality in Nos4A2. Still, it was worth reading, but not the best in the bunch. 3.5 stars

All I Care About is You This narrator was AMAZING! I could listen to her read me all of the stories for all time. I can't even for sure tell you if this story was as great as I loved it because of her. I did though I loved how it captured the true darkness inside a teenage girl and her selfish desires. I loved the science fiction world that was built and the "faces" concept. I loved the friend that she makes and the AI features. Everything was so real feeling. It had that dark, gritty feel of a 90s Matrix-era sci-fi movie brought to life with the futuristic whimsy of all that a girl desires to be popular in front of her friends after a recent financial hit in her family. And not to mention her father's job! I want a full freaking series of this ONE! Please, Joe Hill, PLEASE write us this. We need this in our life. There was so much to continue on with. It was so darkly vivid, and that end! I mean you could just keep going. For me, this compilation was good, but nothing was blowing me away. From the first moment of the narrator's voice to the ending. POW! Blew me away Hill! Bravo! Standing Ovation from me. ALL THE STARS 5+++ Stars.

Thumbprint This is a very, very difficult, dark triggering story. It was despicable and made me sick. Joe Hill phenomenally captured the inside of an extremely dark of PTSD. I wanted to turn it off at times because it hurt my soul. This was the most despicable for me. This true reach into a sickening dark place of an extreme PTSD case in a military member struck so many personal chords for me. I can't say I LOVED it, but I honestly can't rate it below a 5 given that Hill WENT THERE. He took this darkness, and he captured its inky black existence in disturbing detail. This is one of the reasons that makes Hill stand out as an author; he is able to capture this darkness and make you feel just how dark it really is inside of the dark corners of humanity. I actually had to take a break for a bit and come back to this one to finish it. 5 stars for phenomenal capture.

The Devil on the Staircase Another LOVE for me. The concept of the staircase into hell was an excellent speculation piece. Hill ran with it, and I really wanted more. This one could definitely be expanded into another full-length. So dark and twisted and I love how it really made me think about the way our decisions can be twisted into our minds to convince of other intents. The bird would have to die, though, hahaha. 4.5 stars

Twittering From The Circus of the Dead (Not available on the audio), I had checked out the physical book to help go back and forth with the audio. This was definitely not one of Hill's normal formats of storytelling, yet he did a good job. It reminded me of those short textual stories you see that have dark connotations. 3.5-4 stars

Mums This one jumped around for me. At times, it was excellent, and at other times, it felt like it got a bit long. I LOVED the beginning and the setting of the scene of family dysfunction; it then quickly went down the rabbit hole into madness. Definitely enjoyed the darkness of the endgame. That poor boy. 3.5-4 stars

In the Tall Grass This was the one King wrote that WORKED for me! Trigger warning about heavy abuse to a pregnant woman. Another narrator that stood out from the bunch. All of those creepy noises he made and the different voices. He brought this story to life. I'm not sure I could have even done as well in my head; excellent performance. Hill lost you and then found you in the twists of this narrative and made you wish you hadn't been found in that tall grass. While reading this one, I couldn't stop thinking about Children of the Corn. It was so gross, but also I couldn't stop reading it, and then the ending was perfect. This one was absolutely perfect in length and meant to be a creepy short story. 5 stars.

You Are Released For me, this book was especially thought-invoking. My nine-year-old son has an obsession with past disastrous events and goes through obsessive stages of watching and re-watching 9/11 accounts, especially in terms of the airplanes and the narratives of the people on board and the final moments. He has recently been on another kick of this, and so I have a lot of those fresh in my mind as I read this one about a plane full of people who are discovering that WWIII may have started while they are in the air. Hill does a great job of bringing the different personalities to life without making it seem too cliché'. With all of today's current events and the way our lives are affected, it was definitely more significant to listen to now than it may have been at a different time. So I enjoyed it. 4 stars for me.

Ultimately, it was extremely impressive for Hill to take these vastly different topics, writing tropes, and styles and do them successfully for the most part, even if they weren't always my favorite.

That isn't easy to do, and it is another reason why I love Hill more with each novel I read. Overall, I am excited that there will be more to come in Hill's short story collection. It is definitely a solid 4 star overall.

[Laurie (barksbooks)]

A collection like this is typically like a box of gifted chocolates. I'm the type of jerk who wants a box containing only my favorites. Give me all the dark chocolate cherries or keep those chocolates for yourself because I don't want to waste the calories. Much like my reading life in 2020. I'm warning you now that I'm going to be a brutal DNFer because life is too short and I want to spend my free time doing things I love. I didn't love the first 35% of this book so I quit it. I hear In the Tall Grass is the best of the lot here and I've already seen the film so I'm good. Here are my lame thoughts about the stories I finished.

The introduction was great. It truly was. Joe Hill talks a bit about growing up with his famous parents and his decision to take the harder road to publishing. It made my nosy heart super happy to read this stuff.

Throttle
This is a tale of a biker gang. It's all about drugs, murder and money and it's not my thing in any way, shape or form. The characters find themselves in quite the bloody predicament on the highway but I didn't give a cats bum about any of it. They pretty much deserved what they got but I lack sympathy for jerks. Anyhow, I didn't find it scary or interesting. You might though but it wasn't my thing.

Dark Carousel
A group of teens visit a sinister carnival and horrible things befall them. I should've loved this one but I didn't. It was a decent premise but the storytelling wasn't mind blowing for me and I was a little bored.

Wolverton Station
A loathsome businessman visits London and spends so much time naval gazing it barely registers that he's on a train filled with wolves dressed in suits - until it's too late. I might've loved this one if the protagonist wasn't so BORING. Listening to him drone on and on in his thoughts ruined what could've been an interesting foray into crazy-town.

By The Silver Water Of Lake Champlain
This story was also dull. It was also filled with kids who fought constantly and offended my ears. I'm not entirely sure what it was about because I started to zone out.

Sorry, I truly am the shittiest of shitty readers.

Faun
This is the one that did me in. It's about a trophy hunter. It's told from the entitled prick's POV - or at least the beginning of it is his POV. I don't know about the rest because I had to nope the hell out of it. I don't want to spend my free time in a cruel and rich asshole's head today. I'm sure terrible things befell that jerk but I didn't want to spend one more moment in his head.

It's here that I threw in the towel. I wanted to love this book but as you can see it mostly irritated me. It might be my mood or it might simply be a book that was not meant for me. Will I read Joe Hill again? Of course I will! I've adored many of his books but this one didn't suit me at all. If you read it, I hope you love it. No one should read a book they do not love. Thus it is here that I DNF and quit this pathetic excuse for a "review".

[Amanda NEVER MANDY · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to reviewing a short story collection, sometimes I break it down to comment on each individual one and sometimes I go for one overall review. It has nothing to do with the quality of the book and everything to do with my level of laziness. For this book I am giving it my 100% because it was outstanding AND I am wanting to go balls to the wall, full throttle (lame joke I know but hey, why the hell not).

MISC.
Introduction: Who’s Your Daddy? – This was my favorite part of the book because it gave the reader some insight into life growing up with the King family.

Story Notes and Acknowledgements -As always, I enjoy the hell out of the behind the scenes information.

FAVORITES
Throttle – Biker gang meets determined trucker. With the backstory of family and growing up in the introduction it made perfect sense to start with the story that was cowritten by Stephen King. The use of father and son to write it matched perfectly with the content of the story.

Dark Carousel – Dark thundering visions from a payback gone wrong. I loved the visuals this story painted in my mind.

By the Silver Water of the Lake Champlain – The one that got away. This story brought out the nostalgia for past adventures I went on with my neighborhood friends.

Late Returns – You can check a book out any time you like, but you can never leave. The only negative about this story was that I would have loved it more as a novel. This girl wanted way more.

Mums – A mother’s love. This was a nightmare inducing story when “things” started sprouting.

NOT SO FAVORITES
Wolverton Station – A train pulls into a station where things aren’t as they seem.

Faun – Once upon a time, hunting in a faraway land.

All I Care About is You – Rent a robot friend for the day.

Thumbprint – When your past comes back to haunt you.

The Devil on the Staircase – Cascading words tell a fable.

Twittering from the Circus of the Dead – Step right up and get your tickets for a night of family fun.

N/A BECAUSE I ALREADY READ/RATED THEM
In the Tall Grass – Lost in the grass.
You are Released – One-way flight.

[Ellen Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars! A really solid collection of short stories from one of my favorite authors.

A book of stories isn't a novel and can't have the simple narrative drive of a novel. I think it should still try to have a feeling of progression, of connectedness. It's like a road trip...The places where you stop to rest and dream are unique - but the road is the same, always waiting to carry you on to whatever's next.

Me anytime Joe Hill writes anything:



I am an unrepentant a fangirl when it comes to his work. I have yet to finish his Locke & Key Series of graphic novels, but I'm confident it won't let me down.

So let's get to it and break Full Throttle down!

--Introduction / "Who's Your Daddy?" 5/5

I also still believe that books operate along the same principles as enchanted wardrobes. You climb into that little space and come out the other side in a vast and secret world, a place both more frightening and more wonderful than your own.

Yes, the introduction gets its own section of the review! The introduction is basically a nonfiction brevity, featuring Hill's formative years and early horror influences, his first ventures into writing, and his reasons for writing under a pen name. It's gorgeously written and unexpectedly funny, definitely an introduction not to be skipped!

--Throttle (cowritten with Stephen King) 4/5

Live pretty or die laughing, but don't you run. Don't you fucking run.

From talking about his own relationship with his dad, Hill moves onward to a fictional father / son relationship, one between two bikers with very different temperaments (and a semi hot on their tail). Previously read in December 2017, I was glad I liked this one just as much as on first reading. It does a great job building and keeping tension in the story, both in the action and the emotion.

--Dark Carousel 4/5

Weirdly enough, this gave me strong I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes (the movie anyway, I've yet to read the book.) Teenagers on a summer night in the mid nineties start out having some fun, but as beer cans open and mistakes are made, something dark will not let them escape unscathed. They're basically the same story, except one has Sarah Michelle Gellar.



--Wolverton Station 3/5

A dark and bloody fairy tale set on a train in England, it's surreal and bizarre in an enjoyable way. It makes you wonder what exactly is in the main character's head and what is sitting next to him in flesh and blood. There's also something being said about consumer greed and commercialism, which are big subjects to hang on a story about wolves wearing suits.

It mostly works though.

--By the Silver Waters of Lake Champlain 4/5

As a child, I found a dinosaur bone in the woods behind my house. I was certain I was going to be featured on the news. Why wouldn't they interview the seven year old who bravely explored 20 feet beyond her own backyard to make such a discovery? Mom was so thrilled by the discovery that all she could stammer out was, "Oh Ellen, put that back outside and go wash your hands!" She swore it was a cow bone, and no I couldn't keep it, but I knew. The seven year old heart knows a dinosaur bone when it sees one.

Or if you want me to talk about the actual short story I read, it's the imagination of youth meets the old world terror of the unknown, and it's good.

--Faun 4/5

"I understand more than you might think. When it comes to the luxury goods - cigars, furs, whatever - nothing is worth more than an escape hatch."

The Chronicles of Narnia meets The Most Dangerous Game. I literally have no better way to describe it.

--Late Returns 5/5

In one sense, you know, it's perfectly unremarkable. It's quite common to enter a library and find yourself in conversation with the dead.

FAVORITE ALERT!



Seriously, it's the best. It manages to explore grief and closure using a bookmobile and the idea of one last read. There's honestly nothing I can type here that will do it justice.

Also, I would love to point out that the notes section for this story literally only says, "I hate the idea of dying when I'm only halfway through a book." Same, Joe. Same.

--All I Care About is You 5/5

"Late Returns" is my favorite, but this one is a close second. A futuristic, detailed city and a bratty teenager who doesn't get her dream gift for her birthday make for a surprising and enjoyable take on privilege, humanity, and robots.



--Thumbprint 3/5

Definitely one of the more realistic entries in this collection, it follows Mal, a tough as nails but morally bankrupt Iraq war vet. When she begins finding eerie notes, pages with nothing but a single thumbprint on them, it seems her torturous past might be closer than she thinks.

--The Devil on the Staircase 2/5

I believed the stairs led down into hell and hell was where I wanted to go.

If there's a weak one in the pack, it's this. Visually, the staircase design is interesting, but the story itself (a staircase that might lead to hell and what exactly could push a man to take such a descent) left me a little cold. It's fine, but unmemorable.

--Twittering from the Circus of the Dead 2.5/5

Continuing the theme of playing with storytelling form, this next entry is told via Tweets. A snarky teenager live tweets the events of her family's road trip, including a (last) stop at a creepy circus where the show is just beginning.

--Mums 4/5

"Everything good must be paid for...And everything wicked too."

The thirteen year old son of a violent constitutionalist plants seeds on his mother's grave, but what he grows is suspicion, self doubt, and something than cannot, should not, be real. An impressive mirror to puberty plays out as Jack is forced to look at the realities of who his father is and who he may someday become. Really great stuff.

--In the Tall Grass (cowritten with Stephen King) 3/5

"The rock teaches you to hear the grass, and the tall grass knows everything."



Honestly, I think my expectations were too high for this one. It's fine, but ultimately a bit too gruesome for my tastes.

--You Are Released 4/5

Originally read in August 2019, but just as good upon reread. It perfectly captures the first moments of a worldwide catastrophe from the perspectives of people trapped on a commercial airliner together as the world below begins to burn. And considering how bleak of a story it is, manages to be quietly hopeful.

--A Little Sorrow (bonus story) 4/5

Short and bittersweet, it'll stick with you.


This review is long enough as it is, so I'll just say this: Full Throttle is a excellently crafted collection of short stories by a talented author, well worth the time and page count. Even if you're not big into horror, this collection brushes shoulders will all sorts of genres, so don't let the shelving put you off. It's darn good, no matter how you categorize it.

*Thanks to Edelweiss and William Morrow for the review copy!*

[Paul O’Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection. My favourites were Mums, Throttle, In The Tall Grass, Late Returns, and You Are Released. I applaud Hill for trying different things with the short story format. Highly recommended.

[Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throttle- 4
Dark Carousel- 5
Wolverton Station- 3
By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain- 4
Faun- 4
Late Returns- 4
All I Care About is You- 5
Thumbprint- 3
Devil on the Staircase- 2
Twittering From the Circus of the Dead- 4
Mums- 3
In the Tall Grass- 1
You are Released- 4