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Shards
From the award-winning author of the collection Every House Is Haunted comes Ian Rogers's horror story, "Shards", a Tor.com OriginalA group of five friends rent a cabin in the woods—the next day only four are alive. What happened and why is something the survivors are desperate to unravel.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
35 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2021
7 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Ian Rogers
119 books197 followersIan Rogers is the author of the award-winning collection, Every House Is Haunted. His novelette, “The House on Ashley Avenue,” was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and is currently being adapted into a feature film produced by Sam Raimi. His debut novel, Family, was published by Earthling Publications. He is also the creator of the Black Lands series. The first book, Sycamore, was published by Cemetery Dance Publications.
Ian's short fiction has appeared in several publications, including Tor.com, Cemetery Dance, Broken Pencil, and Shadows & Tall Trees. His work has been selected for The Best Horror of the Year and Imaginarium: The Best Canadian Speculative Writing.
Ian lives with his wife and two cats in Peterborough, Ontario. For more information, visit ianrogers.ca.
Ian's short fiction has appeared in several publications, including Tor.com, Cemetery Dance, Broken Pencil, and Shadows & Tall Trees. His work has been selected for The Best Horror of the Year and Imaginarium: The Best Canadian Speculative Writing.
Ian lives with his wife and two cats in Peterborough, Ontario. For more information, visit ianrogers.ca.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
January 30, 2021
Looking back, it made a strange kind of sense—an absurd kind of sense, one could say—that they should be the ones who ended up killing Marcie. They would have died for her if the situation had been reversed.
If you looked at it like that, killing Marcie was really the least they could do.
Still, there were some unanswered questions.
Like why did they dismember Marcie’s body after they killed her?
teenagers renting cabins in the woods: good idea or no? if you’re a fan of horror (or NOT a fan of teens), obviously it’s a GREAT idea: off you pop, teenies—be sure to bring alcohol and impractical shoes, remember to have plenty of sexxytimes OH, and try to summon some sort of supernatural entity—you know, as a hilarious and ironic joke about people who believe in that sort of thing!
unsupervised teens in the woods—does it ever NOT end in blood and regret?
this story isn’t looking to break that mold, so here we have a “five teens enter, four teens leave” situation in which death—even far-from-instantaneous-death, is the better deal.
i was thrilled to see that rogers had another free tor short up, after last year's Go Fish. hopefully that means there will be another collection pubbing soon, because it has been too long since Every House is Haunted.
this story = another deliciously creepy notch on his belt.
go on down into the basement, kiddies! there's probably something cool down there!
read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2021/01/27/shards...
come to my blog!
January 28, 2021
Five friends rent an isolated cabin for a getaway and discover something unexpected and unstoppable. Each person catches an infectious obsession that will change their lives forever. A violent and psychological/supernatural thriller that will keep you guessing until the end.
February 9, 2021
This story is available to read for FREE at Tor.com
https://www.tor.com/2021/01/27/shards...
Or you can buy it for .99 to read on your Kindle which is what I did because I hate reading on my laptop.
..
Ian Rogers is the author of one of the best short story collections for the genre. It's titled, EVERY HOUSE IS HAUNTED and if you don't have it, get it! And if you have it, read it! And if you've read it, read SHARDS, because the man has seriously leveled up (if that's even possible).
The foreboding first line, the hook, is your first clue that this will not end well but don't let that trick you into thinking you have any idea where Rogers want to take you. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
A group of friends rent a cabin for a little getaway. Things go horribly wrong.
There's nothing more to say about the plot because everything, literally everything compelling or delightfully delicious that I could tell you, would spoil reader's discovery and any potential blindsides. So in order to protect that, I will avoid anymore plot details and just expand more on my unique experience.
I enjoyed the fact that in less than 50 pages, Rogers unraveled a familiar plot trope at the seams and gave his audience something altogether fresh and unique. He sets the stage, arranges the characters in such a way that readers understand the dynamic in the friend group quickly through intentional reveals hidden in the subtext of dialog.
Quite suddenly, the antagonist arrives on scene; the causation of horror-a found, inanimate object. From here, Rogers shows off his wheelhouse. In very little words, Rogers just drops bombs. I don't know how else to explain it...he just sets up this mine field so that as the story progresses, readers trigger these mines-the horror is triggered and it just. keeps. coming.
Pow.
Pow.
Pow.
By the last paragraph, eyes wide in terror, you're ready to read the whole thing over again to see how you even got there.
I fucking loved it. (I did read it twice)
https://www.tor.com/2021/01/27/shards...
Or you can buy it for .99 to read on your Kindle which is what I did because I hate reading on my laptop.
..
Ian Rogers is the author of one of the best short story collections for the genre. It's titled, EVERY HOUSE IS HAUNTED and if you don't have it, get it! And if you have it, read it! And if you've read it, read SHARDS, because the man has seriously leveled up (if that's even possible).
The foreboding first line, the hook, is your first clue that this will not end well but don't let that trick you into thinking you have any idea where Rogers want to take you. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
A group of friends rent a cabin for a little getaway. Things go horribly wrong.
There's nothing more to say about the plot because everything, literally everything compelling or delightfully delicious that I could tell you, would spoil reader's discovery and any potential blindsides. So in order to protect that, I will avoid anymore plot details and just expand more on my unique experience.
I enjoyed the fact that in less than 50 pages, Rogers unraveled a familiar plot trope at the seams and gave his audience something altogether fresh and unique. He sets the stage, arranges the characters in such a way that readers understand the dynamic in the friend group quickly through intentional reveals hidden in the subtext of dialog.
Quite suddenly, the antagonist arrives on scene; the causation of horror-a found, inanimate object. From here, Rogers shows off his wheelhouse. In very little words, Rogers just drops bombs. I don't know how else to explain it...he just sets up this mine field so that as the story progresses, readers trigger these mines-the horror is triggered and it just. keeps. coming.
Pow.
Pow.
Pow.
By the last paragraph, eyes wide in terror, you're ready to read the whole thing over again to see how you even got there.
I fucking loved it. (I did read it twice)
June 9, 2021
It was the song, and it wanted what every song wanted: to be heard.
Chad, Annabelle, Mark, Donna and Marcie are five best friends and they have been friends for a very long time. When they rent a cabin in the woods just before their graduation, strange things happen. Chad and Annabelle are a couple, so are Mark and Donna. Marcie is the only single of the group.
When Marcie opens a trap door and finds a gramophone that produces strange music as soon as the shard touches it, she gets affected and starts attacking her friends. Having no other choice, all the other friends, to stop her chop up her body. They are all relieved off the murder charges as it was done in self-defense and leave this horrifying night behind or that's what they think.
A horror story that makes sense but it doesn't make any sense at the same time. Ian Rogers's gripping writing kept me on edge the entire time. Even though I am not a big fan of horror genre, I liked this. It has violence which may be disturbing for some. I think I am going to have nightmares.
4 stars
Chad, Annabelle, Mark, Donna and Marcie are five best friends and they have been friends for a very long time. When they rent a cabin in the woods just before their graduation, strange things happen. Chad and Annabelle are a couple, so are Mark and Donna. Marcie is the only single of the group.
When Marcie opens a trap door and finds a gramophone that produces strange music as soon as the shard touches it, she gets affected and starts attacking her friends. Having no other choice, all the other friends, to stop her chop up her body. They are all relieved off the murder charges as it was done in self-defense and leave this horrifying night behind or that's what they think.
A horror story that makes sense but it doesn't make any sense at the same time. Ian Rogers's gripping writing kept me on edge the entire time. Even though I am not a big fan of horror genre, I liked this. It has violence which may be disturbing for some. I think I am going to have nightmares.
4 stars
January 29, 2021
At first I thought this short story was just another "Teenagers killed at a Cabin in the Woods." But Ian Rogers took that classic horror trope and built on it until the anticipation of what was going to happen built to a crescendo. Even though it was fairly obvious where this story was building up to, I still enjoyed the anticipation immensely.
This is a Tor.com free read available here.
This is a Tor.com free read available here.
January 28, 2021
I’m self admittedly late to the Ian Rogers game. I had snagged his collection ‘Every House is Haunted’ some time back in a Story Bundle package, but didn’t get to it for a bit and then when his other Tor.com release ‘Go Fish’ came out recently, I snagged that and devoured it. It was amazing. Which pushed me into reading ‘Every House is Haunted’ which was also amazing.
So, when Ian announced ‘Shards’ I was excited… but also completely believed it wasn’t coming out until February. I was a bit surprised when he posted recently that it was available! I snagged a copy and read it last night.
What I liked: If you’ve not read Rogers work yet you’re in for a treat. One of the greatest short story writers out there ‘Shards’ is a fully formed and complete 300 page novel, told in approximately 35 pages. Much like why I love Calvin Demmer’s work so much, or Sonora Taylor’s short story talent (she’s also a stunning novelist too), Rogers delivers so much in such a short page count. It’s truly mind-boggling.
‘Shards’ follows a group of 5 friends to a cabin in the woods (yeah, I know but stay with me) where something bad happens. Taking a familiar narrative, Rogers does an amazing job of giving each character their own personality and traits while also showing how the events that occur that evening ripple and tangle into the survivors lives from that day forward.
The setting of the opening was simple but spot on. Rogers nails the banter between the college friends and once things take off, the reader has been pulled in so much that you’re left in shock and stunned silence over what causes it and what happens.
Rogers has a gift of giving dark corners darker shadows. I loved how this thing comes full circle and we see that the events that played out snared the survivors and how they are now connected and unable to escape.
What I didn’t like: As spoiler free as possible – I wanted to know more about what they find in the cabin and the place from where they find it. Maybe Ian will expand upon this in a follow up/prequel, maybe not, but it was so intriguing, I’d love to know more.
Why you should buy this: Well A) you technically don’t need to buy it. It is available for free on the Tor.com website and I’ll share that link again. B) if you do want to buy it, it is only 99 cents. For what you get, that’s an absolute steal. And C) Rogers is one of the best writers out there. He crafts stories that are a joy to read while crushing your soul and making you want to close the book and never enter that world again. But you must. And you will.
Loved this one.
So, when Ian announced ‘Shards’ I was excited… but also completely believed it wasn’t coming out until February. I was a bit surprised when he posted recently that it was available! I snagged a copy and read it last night.
What I liked: If you’ve not read Rogers work yet you’re in for a treat. One of the greatest short story writers out there ‘Shards’ is a fully formed and complete 300 page novel, told in approximately 35 pages. Much like why I love Calvin Demmer’s work so much, or Sonora Taylor’s short story talent (she’s also a stunning novelist too), Rogers delivers so much in such a short page count. It’s truly mind-boggling.
‘Shards’ follows a group of 5 friends to a cabin in the woods (yeah, I know but stay with me) where something bad happens. Taking a familiar narrative, Rogers does an amazing job of giving each character their own personality and traits while also showing how the events that occur that evening ripple and tangle into the survivors lives from that day forward.
The setting of the opening was simple but spot on. Rogers nails the banter between the college friends and once things take off, the reader has been pulled in so much that you’re left in shock and stunned silence over what causes it and what happens.
Rogers has a gift of giving dark corners darker shadows. I loved how this thing comes full circle and we see that the events that played out snared the survivors and how they are now connected and unable to escape.
What I didn’t like: As spoiler free as possible – I wanted to know more about what they find in the cabin and the place from where they find it. Maybe Ian will expand upon this in a follow up/prequel, maybe not, but it was so intriguing, I’d love to know more.
Why you should buy this: Well A) you technically don’t need to buy it. It is available for free on the Tor.com website and I’ll share that link again. B) if you do want to buy it, it is only 99 cents. For what you get, that’s an absolute steal. And C) Rogers is one of the best writers out there. He crafts stories that are a joy to read while crushing your soul and making you want to close the book and never enter that world again. But you must. And you will.
Loved this one.
August 6, 2021
August Review #3: Shards by Ian Rogers
Five Friends.
A Cabin in The Woods.
A trap door with a surprise inside.
A group game.
Blood and Dismemberment.
I know, I know. I know what you’re thinking: this story is a shameless homage or-God forbid- another deconstruction of the Evil Dead (1981) and similarly themed films. But you’d be wrong, for Ian Rogers’s short story goes beyond the fateful night and into the living hell called their lives. For Rogers, the fateful “Evil Dead” event is just the start of the main characters' suffering.
Rogers provides interesting ideas to the table, such as the inability of the human being to recapture otherworldly sensations. If you were to experience the inexplicable, could it change you so much that you would go to great lengths to feel it again? Another aspect I like about the story is that it still keeps some details in the dark, just giving you enough to thrill or scare you.
And that ending is perfectly dark and disturbing.
Is it “Evil Dead” in short story form? Honestly, I found it to be even more adult and disturbing than Raimi’s flick. (Don’t get me wrong, I still love Ash)
Five Friends.
A Cabin in The Woods.
A trap door with a surprise inside.
A group game.
Blood and Dismemberment.
I know, I know. I know what you’re thinking: this story is a shameless homage or-God forbid- another deconstruction of the Evil Dead (1981) and similarly themed films. But you’d be wrong, for Ian Rogers’s short story goes beyond the fateful night and into the living hell called their lives. For Rogers, the fateful “Evil Dead” event is just the start of the main characters' suffering.
Rogers provides interesting ideas to the table, such as the inability of the human being to recapture otherworldly sensations. If you were to experience the inexplicable, could it change you so much that you would go to great lengths to feel it again? Another aspect I like about the story is that it still keeps some details in the dark, just giving you enough to thrill or scare you.
And that ending is perfectly dark and disturbing.
Is it “Evil Dead” in short story form? Honestly, I found it to be even more adult and disturbing than Raimi’s flick. (Don’t get me wrong, I still love Ash)
February 6, 2021
I first heard about Shards on Twitter when a friend was saying it was free from Tor Books and how good it was. I had never heard of the author before but I figured i had nothing to lose so I grabbed a copy.
From the book’s description I was expecting your usual teenagers go to a spooky cabin in the woods story. The book does start off that way then suddenly it turns into so much more.
Five friends rent a cabin for a weekend and discover something totally unexpected. They each end up with an infectious obsession and their lives will never be the same again.
There’s plenty of spooky, bloody scenes for horror lovers and a twist at the end for fans of psychological thrillers. Rogers packs a lot in to 35 pages and I loved every minute of it. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.
From the book’s description I was expecting your usual teenagers go to a spooky cabin in the woods story. The book does start off that way then suddenly it turns into so much more.
Five friends rent a cabin for a weekend and discover something totally unexpected. They each end up with an infectious obsession and their lives will never be the same again.
There’s plenty of spooky, bloody scenes for horror lovers and a twist at the end for fans of psychological thrillers. Rogers packs a lot in to 35 pages and I loved every minute of it. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.
February 17, 2021
Wow!!!! This short story is jam PACKED with greatness! It baffles me how someone can write such an awesome story in less than 50 pages.
Top notch from the very beginning to the very end.
I can’t wait to check out more of Roger’s works.
Top notch from the very beginning to the very end.
I can’t wait to check out more of Roger’s works.
January 27, 2021
Stars: 2.5 out of 5
I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately, so my star rating might be harsher than I would usually give it.
It is an okay short story about a group of friends who go spend the weekend in a cabin in the woods... Sounds familiar, doesn't it? That's because it's like any other slasher movie out there. Which is not bad per se, because it's a genre and it can be mindless and bloody fun... Only it didn't quite work for me with this story.
I think my problem is that those 5 teens are supposed to be best friends since childhood. The kind of friends that went through a bunch of stuff together and would die for each other... At least that's what the author tells us in the beginning of the story.
Problem is - he tells it, but he fails to show it. Their interactions with each other are anything but friendly. They are petty, self-centered and mean to each other, and especially to Macy. So when the author is trying to tell me that killing her was a shock to their lives... I don't believe it. And that failure to show the initial friendship makes the rest of the story pointless. Oh, they are not talking to each other anymore. So what? You didn't convince me they were before.
The writing is good though, apart from occasional head-hopping and switching from third person limited to third person omniscient.
I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately, so my star rating might be harsher than I would usually give it.
It is an okay short story about a group of friends who go spend the weekend in a cabin in the woods... Sounds familiar, doesn't it? That's because it's like any other slasher movie out there. Which is not bad per se, because it's a genre and it can be mindless and bloody fun... Only it didn't quite work for me with this story.
I think my problem is that those 5 teens are supposed to be best friends since childhood. The kind of friends that went through a bunch of stuff together and would die for each other... At least that's what the author tells us in the beginning of the story.
Problem is - he tells it, but he fails to show it. Their interactions with each other are anything but friendly. They are petty, self-centered and mean to each other, and especially to Macy. So when the author is trying to tell me that killing her was a shock to their lives... I don't believe it. And that failure to show the initial friendship makes the rest of the story pointless. Oh, they are not talking to each other anymore. So what? You didn't convince me they were before.
The writing is good though, apart from occasional head-hopping and switching from third person limited to third person omniscient.
March 24, 2021
.
Well this was short but creepy af! I did a great job in choosing to read this one right before bed. I really think this would work great as full length story.
Well this was short but creepy af! I did a great job in choosing to read this one right before bed. I really think this would work great as full length story.
January 31, 2021
It is no secret I love Ian Rogers and adore every single thing he has written. So hearing he put out a new novelette I couldn't wait to read it. My plan was to put my children to nap and devour Shards in one sitting. Unfortunately, children play by their own rules and I didn't get to finish it. But that worked out for the best because when I sat down to finish the story at bedtime the clouds that had been hanging around all day opened up and I was able to read this creepy little tale to a soundtrack of wind and rain and thunder. Perfect! Because everything about Shards was visceral; from the tension Rogers slowly builds to the explosion of music from the mysterious gramophone, to the final bloody conclusion. The story sent my nerve endings tingling, waiting. Rogers doesn't just tell a story he shows you a story you can feel in your bones.
And what a well thought out story it was! I saw a few other people mention the fact that it starts with college students in an old cabin in the woods, but "hang on! It's not what you think." Even if Rogers wrote a straightforward cheesy 80's slasher story, it would be a phenomenal straightforward cheesy 80's slasher story! But Shards was so much more! I won't get into it because being so short I run the risk of spoiling something. Shards is dark, very dark but it's also a twisted tale about surviving, coping, and friendship. No one has mastered deep creep like Rogers. He can tell a well thought out story with a solid plotline, developed characters with their own character arcs in a succinct 40 pages; a feat some authors cannot complete in 400 pages.
My only complaint. Are you ready? I want a physical copy so I can display it on my shelves along with his other works!
And what a well thought out story it was! I saw a few other people mention the fact that it starts with college students in an old cabin in the woods, but "hang on! It's not what you think." Even if Rogers wrote a straightforward cheesy 80's slasher story, it would be a phenomenal straightforward cheesy 80's slasher story! But Shards was so much more! I won't get into it because being so short I run the risk of spoiling something. Shards is dark, very dark but it's also a twisted tale about surviving, coping, and friendship. No one has mastered deep creep like Rogers. He can tell a well thought out story with a solid plotline, developed characters with their own character arcs in a succinct 40 pages; a feat some authors cannot complete in 400 pages.
My only complaint. Are you ready? I want a physical copy so I can display it on my shelves along with his other works!
March 24, 2021
3 1/2 stars for a wonderful little tale of psychological horror.
January 28, 2021
This is one of those stories where the characters aren't the focus of the story; they're present only to be vehicles for the larger demonic horror that the story is really about. A bunch of clueless teenagers get caught up in some otherworldly malevolent sound-monster that possesses and then kills them-- it's obviously drawing on a ton of tropes and the movie Cabin in the Woods, but where Cabin in the Woods makes you spend time with the kids so you care about them when bad stuff starts happening to them, Shards drops you right into the horrific action so it's the path of the possession and its effects that the story follows rather than the story of the people.
None of this is to say it was a bad story-- I liked it a lot, actually, it hints at a much larger world the way most good short stories do, and ends on a discordant and unsettling note, as horror stories should. But I wanted a little more depth from at least one of the characters to give me an anchor for caring about where the story took me.
None of this is to say it was a bad story-- I liked it a lot, actually, it hints at a much larger world the way most good short stories do, and ends on a discordant and unsettling note, as horror stories should. But I wanted a little more depth from at least one of the characters to give me an anchor for caring about where the story took me.
January 13, 2022
Engaging short story very reminiscent of the set-up for The Evil Dead. The focus is more on the creeping mystery over character development, but I enjoyed myself. The best parts were focused on Donna and her fate which sent a shiver (hah, if you know, you know) down my spine.
March 11, 2022
I would have loved a novella instead of short story. There was so much potential for more. Nevertheless full points for a creepy little story of another cabin in the woods.
I'm just wandering why it's called Shards instead of The Shard... But that's for the author to decide
I'm just wandering why it's called Shards instead of The Shard... But that's for the author to decide
March 2, 2021
A gripping short story with an interesting premise, but a slightly (only slightly!) disappointing ending.
October 11, 2021
WTF? Wow, this was freaking dark. And went so much further than that murder of their friend. So kids, don't open strange cellar doors and take things out of it. Just let thing stay hidden. Sometimes that is much much better.
April 15, 2022
*3.5 stars
Spooky! I wish that this story was a bit longer. I would have loved for it to have explored the relationship the characters had with Marcie more.
Spooky! I wish that this story was a bit longer. I would have loved for it to have explored the relationship the characters had with Marcie more.
January 31, 2021
Get out your trunks, pack an hour of free time and head to the cabin!
This one has a lot more to offer than you would expect.
This one has a lot more to offer than you would expect.
May 17, 2021
disturbing af
February 9, 2021
Yep, I loved that story. It was so normal, so typical... cabin in the woods meets college kids looking to get a last, good party on meets silence, movement, chilled flesh, and sleeplessness. This was a great short story. As it unfolded, the plot got more twisted and the writing got better. A weird part of me didn't want to finish it because I didn't want to be disappointed in the ending. I wasn't. I read this tale after seeing a review about it. The review was nearly as long as the story, but it was spot on. Fantastic piece of writing. It is free at https://www.tor.com/2021/01/27/shards... or it is $0.99 on some sites listed at the end of the story.
March 9, 2021
I am not entirely sure how I was NOT familiar with Ian Rogers BEFORE reading 'Shards', but all that I care about now is that I do know who he is - because I am going to fucking devour the rest of his stuff.
This uber-short tale is a variation on the theme of 'five teens enter a creepy cabin and four teens leave', though that is really, really selling Rogers short. This a beautiful bit of dark mindfuckery that is bluntly creepy, and that moves on a perfectly unexpected path.
This is some serious shit. Damn!
This uber-short tale is a variation on the theme of 'five teens enter a creepy cabin and four teens leave', though that is really, really selling Rogers short. This a beautiful bit of dark mindfuckery that is bluntly creepy, and that moves on a perfectly unexpected path.
This is some serious shit. Damn!
May 23, 2022
Top-notch writing from an author who clearly knows how to write suspense. This story is tight from beginning to end with zero slowdown, and the mystery behind what's under that trapdoor will keep you guessing until the end. The creep factor is also in full force, and certain passages are disturbing in the best of ways.
I found this story because the author has the same name as me, which is pretty cool too.
I found this story because the author has the same name as me, which is pretty cool too.
February 16, 2021
This was definitely very violent, but fulfilled all the horror themes I like to see in these kinds of novels! The cliche of cabin in a wood is done a lot, but Rogers brings something new to the table that makes an old horror trope worth re-reading.
January 27, 2021
A nasty little take on the cabin in the woods story. (I mean that in a good way.) Very creepy and quite chilling. Look forward to reading more from the author!
January 31, 2021
Ωραία ιστορία τρόμου...πολύ καλύτερο απο ότι το περίμενα
February 24, 2021
Spooky and entertaining. I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews