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No Doors No Windows
Ellison's suspense anthology: 15 stories and one wild, 32-page introduction, none collected previously except for "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs," first published in book form mere weeks earlier in Deathbird Stories. Some, such as "Toe the Line" and "Ormond Always Pays His Bills," are simple pulp crime yarns; others are masterful examples of psychological terror and, in the case of "Whipped Dogs," mystical fantasy. Excellent.
223 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
18 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Harlan Ellison
1,082 books2,812 followersHarlan Jay Ellison (1934-2018) was a prolific American writer of short stories, novellas, teleplays, essays, and criticism.
His literary and television work has received many awards. He wrote for the original series of both The Outer Limits and Star Trek as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; edited the multiple-award-winning short story anthology series Dangerous Visions; and served as creative consultant/writer to the science fiction TV series The New Twilight Zone and Babylon 5.
Several of his short fiction pieces have been made into movies, such as the classic "The Boy and His Dog".
His literary and television work has received many awards. He wrote for the original series of both The Outer Limits and Star Trek as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; edited the multiple-award-winning short story anthology series Dangerous Visions; and served as creative consultant/writer to the science fiction TV series The New Twilight Zone and Babylon 5.
Several of his short fiction pieces have been made into movies, such as the classic "The Boy and His Dog".
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 10, 2018
This collection is pulled mostly from old "men's" magazines and pulps like MANHUNT, THE SAINT, and ADAM. That means that they're old crime stories, which I love the hell out of, but can become dated with time. There are one or two exceptions where the story is contemporary to the book. One example is "Whimper of Whipped Dogs" which is probably the best story in the collection. The others are very typical of stories you'd see on old TV shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Ellison kicks off the book with a long introduction that is as entertaining as the stories. He also does some slight revisions to many of the stories. I liked all of the stories in this collection. A few favorites are "Whimper of Whipped Dogs", "Tired Old Man" and "Promise of Laughter".
There is probably a run on Ellison's books, since his passing, but I think this one is available on Kindle. Worth checking out if you're a crime story fan.
Ellison kicks off the book with a long introduction that is as entertaining as the stories. He also does some slight revisions to many of the stories. I liked all of the stories in this collection. A few favorites are "Whimper of Whipped Dogs", "Tired Old Man" and "Promise of Laughter".
There is probably a run on Ellison's books, since his passing, but I think this one is available on Kindle. Worth checking out if you're a crime story fan.
September 23, 2015
The Basics
As most of Harlan Ellison’s books are, this is a collection of short stories. While he’s known for writing a lot of science-fiction and speculative fiction (see, Harlan!? I didn’t say ‘sci-fi.’ Oh, damn.), this collection centers around his suspense stories with maybe a couple of fantasy/horror things thrown into the mix.
My Thoughts
I wasn’t sure what to make of this until I simply dove in headfirst. I’ve read some of his science-fiction forays, but I wasn’t even entirely sure if I understood what was meant by “suspense.” Really it’s what we’d today call crime fiction or thrillers (using that last term more loosely), but in the 1950s, the genre was called suspense. Well, Ellison called it that, and that’s all I have to go on here, so bear with me. What I’m trying to say is I don’t read these kinds of stories generally. I just don’t seek them out. I can’t say if they’re all like this, but I wish it were so, because this collection is just fantastic.
First off, the introduction is probably the longest I’ve ever read in a book. That sounds like a criticism, but it isn’t. Harlan Ellison is known for his rants and his tangents and rabbit trails, and really it’s not about bombasity. It’s about the fact that when Ellison goes off and just talks, it’s entertaining. Because he’s a knowledgeable, well-read guy. Therefore, it’s also probably the best introduction I’ve ever read.
Seeing as this is a collection, it’s hard to go over every story, and I don’t intend to. It’s a strong set that keeps you reading, keeps you delighted with twists and different takes on the genre, even throwing in some “fantasy” curve balls a couple of times.
My one criticism might be that Ellison admits some of the stories have a chauvinistic slant. He even says he tried to edit the worst offenders for the collection. I’m not sure he achieved what he wanted entirely, which was to censor those worse moments. But I also can’t say I wasn’t entertained. Tawdry and bawdy and old-fashioned? Sure. Good fun? That, too.
I’ll point out my top three stories that I feel this collection must be bought for: “Nedra at f:5.6”, “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs”, and “Eddie, You’re My Friend.” And that was some difficult choosing there. I won’t spoil them. I’ll just say, “seek them out.”
Final Rating
5/5
As most of Harlan Ellison’s books are, this is a collection of short stories. While he’s known for writing a lot of science-fiction and speculative fiction (see, Harlan!? I didn’t say ‘sci-fi.’ Oh, damn.), this collection centers around his suspense stories with maybe a couple of fantasy/horror things thrown into the mix.
My Thoughts
I wasn’t sure what to make of this until I simply dove in headfirst. I’ve read some of his science-fiction forays, but I wasn’t even entirely sure if I understood what was meant by “suspense.” Really it’s what we’d today call crime fiction or thrillers (using that last term more loosely), but in the 1950s, the genre was called suspense. Well, Ellison called it that, and that’s all I have to go on here, so bear with me. What I’m trying to say is I don’t read these kinds of stories generally. I just don’t seek them out. I can’t say if they’re all like this, but I wish it were so, because this collection is just fantastic.
First off, the introduction is probably the longest I’ve ever read in a book. That sounds like a criticism, but it isn’t. Harlan Ellison is known for his rants and his tangents and rabbit trails, and really it’s not about bombasity. It’s about the fact that when Ellison goes off and just talks, it’s entertaining. Because he’s a knowledgeable, well-read guy. Therefore, it’s also probably the best introduction I’ve ever read.
Seeing as this is a collection, it’s hard to go over every story, and I don’t intend to. It’s a strong set that keeps you reading, keeps you delighted with twists and different takes on the genre, even throwing in some “fantasy” curve balls a couple of times.
My one criticism might be that Ellison admits some of the stories have a chauvinistic slant. He even says he tried to edit the worst offenders for the collection. I’m not sure he achieved what he wanted entirely, which was to censor those worse moments. But I also can’t say I wasn’t entertained. Tawdry and bawdy and old-fashioned? Sure. Good fun? That, too.
I’ll point out my top three stories that I feel this collection must be bought for: “Nedra at f:5.6”, “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs”, and “Eddie, You’re My Friend.” And that was some difficult choosing there. I won’t spoil them. I’ll just say, “seek them out.”
Final Rating
5/5
March 28, 2017
No Doors, No Windows is probably Ellison's best collection of non-fantasy stories; it contains primarily material from mystery and men's magazines from the '50s and '60s and these stories were selected as the best of his work from that oeuvre. My favorites are two of the later works, The Whimper of Whipped Dogs and Tired Old Man. The book also includes a very long introduction, and I've always felt that Ellison's non-fiction is just as captivating as his fiction.
August 26, 2021
As usual with a collection of short stories you get the good, the bad and the ugly. Several of these were alright as long as you adjust for the fact that they were originally written in the mid-1950’s and were most likely intended for magazines that catered to a certain limited audience. If you want nothing but the highlights then read: “THE WHIMPER OF WHIPPED DOGS”, it is like a punch to the gut. “PRIDE IN THE PROFESSION”, a tale that works on multiple layers. “THE CHILDREN’S HOUR”, a memorable anti-war story in the midst of the cold war. “TIRED OLD MAN”, Ellison’s hommage to Cornell Woolrich. Each of the stories took me back to my High School days when I first read Deathbird Stories, an experience I still remember vividly.
November 30, 2025
Relative to most of Ellison's work, this one can be a little spotty. Several of the stories are excellent, however, a couple are dated and will not read as well for current correctness. Harlan Ellison, along with Ray Bradbury, would probably be considered as possibly the best writer of short American short stories in the second half of the twentieth century, however, two writers could hardly be so similar yet so different. I do not believe that Ray Bradbury ever had an obscenity or a sex scene in any story while it is hard to imagine an Ellison story without one. Either way, I would recommend any Harlan Ellison story to anyone. The Whimper of Whipped Dogs and Tired Old Man are fine stories from this collection.
November 17, 2022
This 1975 short story collection brings together sixteen of Harlan Ellison's thrillers and tales of suspense. This is an overall strong collection that often gets overlooked even by Ellison fans because it is not science fiction.
Harlan kicks things off with an energetic, wide-ranging introduction "Blood/Thoughts" that touches on a dizzying array of topics -- the role of the Artist in contemporary society, police culture, intrusive fans, the frustration of being pigeonholed as a genre writer, a hilarious Chinese publisher's rejection note, Cornell Woolrich, and Fritz Leiber's forgotten classic "The Girl With the Hungry Eyes".
I listened to the audiobook read by Michael Braun. Here are my individual story reviews, in order from most to least liked:
"The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" -- Twenty-six people in an apartment building watch a woman get stabbed to death and do nothing to stop it. In the days following the crime, one of the bystanders must come to grips with her guilt and how it alters her relationships. Based on a real-life incident, this haunting story won an Edgar Award and is one of the best of Ellison’s career.
"Tired Old Man" -- A West Coast writer meets an old man at a cocktail party who unnerves him more than he thought possible. Ellison based this strange, emotional story on a real-life conversation he had with Cornell Woolrich.
"Nedra at f:5.6" -- A photographer is taken by an alluring model, although he is hard pressed to explain why his attraction is so strong. This moody, atmospheric story succeeds at world-building by blending suspense and horror. Inspired by Fritz Leiber's "The Girl With the Hungry Eyes".
"Pride in the Profession" -- Matthew Carty is the official hangman of the US Government, and his grisly profession affords him a lifetime of opportunities to travel the 50 states and put to death some very interesting people. But he reaches a career crossroads after he meets one of his victims face to face. This is a fun satire.
"Ormond Always Pays His Bills" -- Ormond puts three bullets into his secretary when she goes snooping in his secret files. A bit of hardboiled noir with a twist (but logical) ending. This story was adapted into the unproduced teleplay "Moonlighting" which is included in Love Ain't Nothing But Sex Misspelled.
"Promises of Laughter" -- Two writers' torrid affair comes crashing down one afternoon when Johnny negotiates a deal to help Holdie make more money. An interesting rumination on what men and women want out of relationships, the hidden side of sexism, and the downsides of feminism. This is an intensely autobiographical story. The real "Holdie Karp" published her own short story based on this incident, which Ellison admits in the introduction is better than his story.
"Eddie, You're My Friend" -- An unreliable narrator recounts a lifetime of friendship and misdeeds.
"Status Quo at Troyden's" -- A retired grocer's world is upended when his son reduces his allowance to the point he can no longer afford the rent for his flophouse. A man will go to great lengths to keep his creature comforts in old age…
"Thicker Than Blood" -- An overextended businessman cannot get more money from his wife's family to pay his debts. He hatches a plan to kidnap his own stepdaughter for ransom. He plans for all contingencies… except one.
"The Man on the Juice Wagon" -- A truck driver hauls his rig full of nitroglycerine up the winding roads of the Appalachian Mountains. In his cab is a half-naked, bleeding woman. On his tail are a gang of pistoleros who don't care if he dies by running off the road or in a fiery explosion. This is a fast-paced, adrenaline-charged chase story. A lot of fun, but the ending falls curiously flat.
"Opposites Attract" -- A lone bomb maker has been terrorizing Manhattan for years, planting over 35 bombs. Sometimes he detonates them, sometimes he phones in an anonymous tip. His run may be at an end, however, when an old gray flower lady spots him in the act and then stalks him through the city.
"Toe the Line" -- Inspired by his warden's favorite catch phrase, an ex-con hatches a plan to use a tow truck in a spree of car thefts. Just remember to always check the back seat!
"Down in the Dark" -- A cuckolded hunter and the arms dealer who is bedding his wife stalk each other during a spelunking expedition. This story is trite and predictable, except the scene where a herd of javelin shred the skin and muscles off a living woman's bones.
"The Children's Hour" -- One the eve of a global cataclysmic nuclear war, the children of Earth tell their parents they will all leave if the fighting does not stop. There are subtle hints of science fiction in the working out of the mysteries of this story.
"White Trash Don't Exist" -- A beautiful but cruel Southern woman tries to seduce a poor laborer as a pretense for having him killed. This story would make a lot more sense if the laborer had been a Black man. That was the original intent. However, Harlan explains in the introduction how he switched the race after the publisher refused to print a story about Black characters. (I wish he had used the original version for this collection.)
"Two Inches in Tomorrow's Column" -- Benny is a public relations man to mobsters and criminals. For months, he has been sleeping with Bonnie, an aging Hollywood reporter, in exchange for favorable press for his clients. When he breaks things off, he learns this woman scorned is more dangerous than any of his clients. This 6-page story consists of a simple set-up and a much too convoluted payoff. The only complete misfire in this collection.
Harlan kicks things off with an energetic, wide-ranging introduction "Blood/Thoughts" that touches on a dizzying array of topics -- the role of the Artist in contemporary society, police culture, intrusive fans, the frustration of being pigeonholed as a genre writer, a hilarious Chinese publisher's rejection note, Cornell Woolrich, and Fritz Leiber's forgotten classic "The Girl With the Hungry Eyes".
I listened to the audiobook read by Michael Braun. Here are my individual story reviews, in order from most to least liked:
"The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" -- Twenty-six people in an apartment building watch a woman get stabbed to death and do nothing to stop it. In the days following the crime, one of the bystanders must come to grips with her guilt and how it alters her relationships. Based on a real-life incident, this haunting story won an Edgar Award and is one of the best of Ellison’s career.
"Tired Old Man" -- A West Coast writer meets an old man at a cocktail party who unnerves him more than he thought possible. Ellison based this strange, emotional story on a real-life conversation he had with Cornell Woolrich.
"Nedra at f:5.6" -- A photographer is taken by an alluring model, although he is hard pressed to explain why his attraction is so strong. This moody, atmospheric story succeeds at world-building by blending suspense and horror. Inspired by Fritz Leiber's "The Girl With the Hungry Eyes".
"Pride in the Profession" -- Matthew Carty is the official hangman of the US Government, and his grisly profession affords him a lifetime of opportunities to travel the 50 states and put to death some very interesting people. But he reaches a career crossroads after he meets one of his victims face to face. This is a fun satire.
"Ormond Always Pays His Bills" -- Ormond puts three bullets into his secretary when she goes snooping in his secret files. A bit of hardboiled noir with a twist (but logical) ending. This story was adapted into the unproduced teleplay "Moonlighting" which is included in Love Ain't Nothing But Sex Misspelled.
"Promises of Laughter" -- Two writers' torrid affair comes crashing down one afternoon when Johnny negotiates a deal to help Holdie make more money. An interesting rumination on what men and women want out of relationships, the hidden side of sexism, and the downsides of feminism. This is an intensely autobiographical story. The real "Holdie Karp" published her own short story based on this incident, which Ellison admits in the introduction is better than his story.
"Eddie, You're My Friend" -- An unreliable narrator recounts a lifetime of friendship and misdeeds.
"Status Quo at Troyden's" -- A retired grocer's world is upended when his son reduces his allowance to the point he can no longer afford the rent for his flophouse. A man will go to great lengths to keep his creature comforts in old age…
"Thicker Than Blood" -- An overextended businessman cannot get more money from his wife's family to pay his debts. He hatches a plan to kidnap his own stepdaughter for ransom. He plans for all contingencies… except one.
"The Man on the Juice Wagon" -- A truck driver hauls his rig full of nitroglycerine up the winding roads of the Appalachian Mountains. In his cab is a half-naked, bleeding woman. On his tail are a gang of pistoleros who don't care if he dies by running off the road or in a fiery explosion. This is a fast-paced, adrenaline-charged chase story. A lot of fun, but the ending falls curiously flat.
"Opposites Attract" -- A lone bomb maker has been terrorizing Manhattan for years, planting over 35 bombs. Sometimes he detonates them, sometimes he phones in an anonymous tip. His run may be at an end, however, when an old gray flower lady spots him in the act and then stalks him through the city.
"Toe the Line" -- Inspired by his warden's favorite catch phrase, an ex-con hatches a plan to use a tow truck in a spree of car thefts. Just remember to always check the back seat!
"Down in the Dark" -- A cuckolded hunter and the arms dealer who is bedding his wife stalk each other during a spelunking expedition. This story is trite and predictable, except the scene where a herd of javelin shred the skin and muscles off a living woman's bones.
"The Children's Hour" -- One the eve of a global cataclysmic nuclear war, the children of Earth tell their parents they will all leave if the fighting does not stop. There are subtle hints of science fiction in the working out of the mysteries of this story.
"White Trash Don't Exist" -- A beautiful but cruel Southern woman tries to seduce a poor laborer as a pretense for having him killed. This story would make a lot more sense if the laborer had been a Black man. That was the original intent. However, Harlan explains in the introduction how he switched the race after the publisher refused to print a story about Black characters. (I wish he had used the original version for this collection.)
"Two Inches in Tomorrow's Column" -- Benny is a public relations man to mobsters and criminals. For months, he has been sleeping with Bonnie, an aging Hollywood reporter, in exchange for favorable press for his clients. When he breaks things off, he learns this woman scorned is more dangerous than any of his clients. This 6-page story consists of a simple set-up and a much too convoluted payoff. The only complete misfire in this collection.
July 6, 2008
A brilliant and caustic man.
Read
April 12, 2025Harlan Ellison wrote about 1700 short stories. His books are composed of those stories or essays usually grouped by themes. This one has 17 stories tending to the mystery/terror side.
When you read something from this author, in the end, you might like it or not, but this book will at least reassure you: even looney tunes paranoids have enemies.
Religion won't get it, dope won't get it, letting Congress do it won't get it, only caring and education will do it. Or, as Louis Pasteur put it, "Chance favours the prepared mind."
The Whimper of Whipped Dogs (1973)
This story is based on a true crime committed in 1964 and could be titled "The 38 Silent Witnesses".
The "Bystander Effect", or "Bystander Apathy", is a social psychological theory that states that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when there are other people present.
The intense, passionate and cold, almost surgical descriptions on the opening 5 pages of the story are greatly exaggerated if compared with the real facts, sure, but under his skilled prose, Ellison makes of you one "witness". You can "see" the sequence of events, hear the screams and smell the blood.
At first, I thought this story was a song of hate to the "Big City", but I realized that it is, in fact, some sort of prayer in front of an altar of Hate to the God of Fear.
You can’t live in this city and survive unless you have protection …you can’t live this way, like rats driven mad, without making the time right for some god-forsaken other kinds of thing to be born …you can’t do it without calling up some kind of awful … God!
Harlan Ellison is always impressive in his capacity to deliver so much with so few words. He compresses in 18 pages all the oppression of the noise and smells of a big city. The fear that lives in the fog of indifference that surrounds us as we walk the empty streets, late at night, returning home.
Eddie, you are my friend (1975)
Do you suspect that you have this kind of friend? Sometimes, emotions run high in friendships, and people say things that they don’t mean, but if you can detect any of the following signs, in a "friend"...
-makes you feel inferior
-hurts your feelings and then gets mad at you for getting hurt
-breaks personal boundaries that you set as soon as it benefits them
-embarrasses you in front of your other friends
-makes their problems your problems, but doesn’t make time for yours
-doesn’t honour promises and doesn’t keep secrets
-puts you in the middle of their lies and expects you to play along
-Spreads rumours about you and manipulates others into believing them.
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s called Emotional Abuse, and it happens in friendships and romantic relationships.
The solution is simple:
Don't shoot yourself, SHOOT THE M*F* (figuratively) and forget the Son*#-*"#@*...
Status Quo at Troyden's (1958)
"Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep things the way they presently are."(Webster's definition)
The problem with the "Status Quo" is this:
How far is one willing to go and change himself/herself, usually for the worse, just to guarantee the safekeeping of the "Status Quo"?
This is a question to answer after reading this story, and it is for your conscience alone, if you have one...
only then, ..., did the horror of what he had done strike him
Nedra at f:5.6 (1957)
Just a vampire story. I believe it was written as some sort of literary exercise. It's an excellent example of the masterful prose of Mr Ellison, but with no further interest.
Opposites Attract (1957)
What happens when two psychopaths of opposite sexes but with the same agenda, at large in the streets, meet? Here, H.E. plays with delusions of grandeur, thrill and attention-seeking. A little study of the detached predatory minds roaming freely amongst us.
Toe the Line (1957)
A reflection on crime, prison and the chance of redemption. But it is also about blind stupidity camouflaged by weasel smartness. The abrupt, brutal end of the story will turn the stomach of any normal decent human being.
Down in the Dark (1967)
It is about down in the "Dark"... duhhhh!!!! The darkness of the absence of conscience, moral values or any hint of decency. It's about greed, despise and manipulation, a sample of the worst that a human being is capable of, and all condensed around 3 characters and only 7 pages.
Pride in the Profession (1966)
Success at all costs; Prestige and social recognition; loathing for the less gifted; unlimited obsession; incoherent unconsciousness...
With a heavy dose of sarcasm and the usual dazzling prose of Mr Ellison, this is a story where the writer spills his contempt for all the focus-centred maniac people possessed by grandiose delusions and the consequences of being self-absorbed; being blind to everything exterior to their personal universe, where they are the only omnipotent stupid dog...sorry, god...
...she with her religion composed of unequal parts devout hypochondria and incipient nymphomania, and he with his God: the Mighty Green Buck...
The Children's Hour (1958)
We are walking the "Road of Bones" that goes straight to Hell. The World is on the brink of destruction, and only the blind can't see it.
A fairy tale from Mr Ellison about the more than evident destiny of our poor planet and the salvation of the children, if not the rest. Unfortunately, fairy tales are what the name means: a fancy, beautiful fantasy very far away from the ugliness of reality.
PS: The "Road of Bones" really exists; it is the R504 Kolyma Highway in Siberia.
White Trash Don't Exist (1956)
Bullying is a distinctive pattern of repeatedly and deliberately harming and humiliating others, specifically those who are smaller, weaker, younger or in any way more vulnerable than the bully. People bully because it can be an effective way of getting what they want, at least in the short term, and because they lack the social skills to do so without harming others. Bullying is also a way of establishing social dominance.
Having himself been a victim of bullying as a kid, H. Ellison wrote this story about the subject, but with a happier end, with some sort of poetic justice that doesn't happen in real life. Retro-wishful dreaming, perhaps.
Thicker Than Blood (1958)
Greed, greed, greed... You can almost see the green eye's monster roaming the pages of the story. And, again, a poetic fantasist justice in the end.
It's the story I like least.
Two Inches in Tomorrow's Column (1965)
Again, betrayal and exploitation. The cynicism and opportunism of a decadent society, where human beings seek relationships only to exploit other human being. One of the author's favourite and recurring themes.
Promises of Laughter (1969)
A feminist story, written in the 60s by a writer reputed as a "macho", where he makes a confession of mea culpa and creates one of the most poignant stories about a romantic relationship(1957)
Ormond Always Pays His Bills (1957)
I was born in Africa and lived for 15 years in Brazil. My father, who was also born in Africa, whenever he took me to the savanna or the rain forest, used to tell me that I shouldn't worry about the big animals; these are visible for miles. But should always pay attention to the innocuous, unnoticed crawling critters, hidden in the foliage. These are the most dangerous... ever. The same applies to human beings.
The Man on the Juice Wagon (1963)
This one makes you think about how absurd life is and how much stupidity it takes to make someone think that, maybe, the options they've been taking are not the best... H.E. style as always.
Tired Old Man (1957)
Mr Ellison attacks the literary world! He denounces the envy, antagonism and contempt amongst authors, where the measure of success depends on the lack of ethical and moral integrity. Then he tells us that strolling along the sidewalk of memory, accompanied by the ghosts of our consciousness, can have surprising results.
When you read something from this author, in the end, you might like it or not, but this book will at least reassure you: even looney tunes paranoids have enemies.
Religion won't get it, dope won't get it, letting Congress do it won't get it, only caring and education will do it. Or, as Louis Pasteur put it, "Chance favours the prepared mind."
The Whimper of Whipped Dogs (1973)
This story is based on a true crime committed in 1964 and could be titled "The 38 Silent Witnesses".
The "Bystander Effect", or "Bystander Apathy", is a social psychological theory that states that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when there are other people present.
The intense, passionate and cold, almost surgical descriptions on the opening 5 pages of the story are greatly exaggerated if compared with the real facts, sure, but under his skilled prose, Ellison makes of you one "witness". You can "see" the sequence of events, hear the screams and smell the blood.
At first, I thought this story was a song of hate to the "Big City", but I realized that it is, in fact, some sort of prayer in front of an altar of Hate to the God of Fear.
You can’t live in this city and survive unless you have protection …you can’t live this way, like rats driven mad, without making the time right for some god-forsaken other kinds of thing to be born …you can’t do it without calling up some kind of awful … God!
Harlan Ellison is always impressive in his capacity to deliver so much with so few words. He compresses in 18 pages all the oppression of the noise and smells of a big city. The fear that lives in the fog of indifference that surrounds us as we walk the empty streets, late at night, returning home.
Eddie, you are my friend (1975)
Do you suspect that you have this kind of friend? Sometimes, emotions run high in friendships, and people say things that they don’t mean, but if you can detect any of the following signs, in a "friend"...
-makes you feel inferior
-hurts your feelings and then gets mad at you for getting hurt
-breaks personal boundaries that you set as soon as it benefits them
-embarrasses you in front of your other friends
-makes their problems your problems, but doesn’t make time for yours
-doesn’t honour promises and doesn’t keep secrets
-puts you in the middle of their lies and expects you to play along
-Spreads rumours about you and manipulates others into believing them.
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s called Emotional Abuse, and it happens in friendships and romantic relationships.
The solution is simple:
Don't shoot yourself, SHOOT THE M*F* (figuratively) and forget the Son*#-*"#@*...
Status Quo at Troyden's (1958)
"Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep things the way they presently are."(Webster's definition)
The problem with the "Status Quo" is this:
How far is one willing to go and change himself/herself, usually for the worse, just to guarantee the safekeeping of the "Status Quo"?
This is a question to answer after reading this story, and it is for your conscience alone, if you have one...
only then, ..., did the horror of what he had done strike him
Nedra at f:5.6 (1957)
Just a vampire story. I believe it was written as some sort of literary exercise. It's an excellent example of the masterful prose of Mr Ellison, but with no further interest.
Opposites Attract (1957)
What happens when two psychopaths of opposite sexes but with the same agenda, at large in the streets, meet? Here, H.E. plays with delusions of grandeur, thrill and attention-seeking. A little study of the detached predatory minds roaming freely amongst us.
Toe the Line (1957)
A reflection on crime, prison and the chance of redemption. But it is also about blind stupidity camouflaged by weasel smartness. The abrupt, brutal end of the story will turn the stomach of any normal decent human being.
Down in the Dark (1967)
It is about down in the "Dark"... duhhhh!!!! The darkness of the absence of conscience, moral values or any hint of decency. It's about greed, despise and manipulation, a sample of the worst that a human being is capable of, and all condensed around 3 characters and only 7 pages.
Pride in the Profession (1966)
Success at all costs; Prestige and social recognition; loathing for the less gifted; unlimited obsession; incoherent unconsciousness...
With a heavy dose of sarcasm and the usual dazzling prose of Mr Ellison, this is a story where the writer spills his contempt for all the focus-centred maniac people possessed by grandiose delusions and the consequences of being self-absorbed; being blind to everything exterior to their personal universe, where they are the only omnipotent stupid dog...sorry, god...
...she with her religion composed of unequal parts devout hypochondria and incipient nymphomania, and he with his God: the Mighty Green Buck...
The Children's Hour (1958)
We are walking the "Road of Bones" that goes straight to Hell. The World is on the brink of destruction, and only the blind can't see it.
A fairy tale from Mr Ellison about the more than evident destiny of our poor planet and the salvation of the children, if not the rest. Unfortunately, fairy tales are what the name means: a fancy, beautiful fantasy very far away from the ugliness of reality.
PS: The "Road of Bones" really exists; it is the R504 Kolyma Highway in Siberia.
White Trash Don't Exist (1956)
Bullying is a distinctive pattern of repeatedly and deliberately harming and humiliating others, specifically those who are smaller, weaker, younger or in any way more vulnerable than the bully. People bully because it can be an effective way of getting what they want, at least in the short term, and because they lack the social skills to do so without harming others. Bullying is also a way of establishing social dominance.
Having himself been a victim of bullying as a kid, H. Ellison wrote this story about the subject, but with a happier end, with some sort of poetic justice that doesn't happen in real life. Retro-wishful dreaming, perhaps.
Thicker Than Blood (1958)
Greed, greed, greed... You can almost see the green eye's monster roaming the pages of the story. And, again, a poetic fantasist justice in the end.
It's the story I like least.
Two Inches in Tomorrow's Column (1965)
Again, betrayal and exploitation. The cynicism and opportunism of a decadent society, where human beings seek relationships only to exploit other human being. One of the author's favourite and recurring themes.
Promises of Laughter (1969)
A feminist story, written in the 60s by a writer reputed as a "macho", where he makes a confession of mea culpa and creates one of the most poignant stories about a romantic relationship(1957)
Ormond Always Pays His Bills (1957)
I was born in Africa and lived for 15 years in Brazil. My father, who was also born in Africa, whenever he took me to the savanna or the rain forest, used to tell me that I shouldn't worry about the big animals; these are visible for miles. But should always pay attention to the innocuous, unnoticed crawling critters, hidden in the foliage. These are the most dangerous... ever. The same applies to human beings.
The Man on the Juice Wagon (1963)
This one makes you think about how absurd life is and how much stupidity it takes to make someone think that, maybe, the options they've been taking are not the best... H.E. style as always.
Tired Old Man (1957)
Mr Ellison attacks the literary world! He denounces the envy, antagonism and contempt amongst authors, where the measure of success depends on the lack of ethical and moral integrity. Then he tells us that strolling along the sidewalk of memory, accompanied by the ghosts of our consciousness, can have surprising results.
August 21, 2025
This collection was very different from Harlan Ellison’s traditional science fiction, it features a variety of suspense and horror stories that explore everything from murder, to madness in the most visceral of ways. While not a favorite of mine, this is still a solid entry in Harlan Ellison’s incredible body of work. With one of the longest introductions I’ve ever read in a book before, this collection has a little something for anyone who loves, horror, suspense, and short stories in general.
Stories:
The Whimper of Whipped Dogs, 8/10: A recurring story in other collections I’ve noticed. I first read this one in Deathbird Stories awhile back, and it’s even more horrifying on second reading. A horror story that features some disturbing themes, this one will make you think twice of living in the big city.
Eddie, You're My Friend, 9/10: Short, simple, and emotional. This was a great story about loyalty and horror.
Status Quo at Troyden's, 7/10: A very relevant story about desperation, really felt for the protagonist of this story.
Nedra at f:5.6, 6/10: Another solid horror story about obsession through the eyes of a photographer.
Opposites Attract, 8/10: A killer and a terrorist fall in love, and shit gets crazy.
Toe the Line, 6/10: A carjacker attempts another theft, only for it to go wrong.
Down in the Dark, 8/10: Great title, and a great concept of a man plotting a murder while cave diving, deep in the earth, where no one will find the body.
Pride in the Profession, 5/10: I remember liking this story, but I honestly don’t remember much about it. My brain was off in another place while I read it.
The Children's Hour, 10/10: Now this was amazing. Such a great and thought provoking story about the self destructive nature of humanity.
White Trash Don't Exist, 8/10: Satirical and at times hilarious, this story starts out simple and then ends with murder.
Thicker Than Blood, 6/10: A great title, but nothing too special. It follows a business man who decides to take extreme measures to pay off a debt.
Two Inches in Tomorrow's Column, 6/10: My god, this story was…interesting to say the least. Full of murder, sex, and the ambition of writing.
Promises of Laughter, 6/10: A story about a greedy music artist who gets into hot water, this story deals a lot with the music industry, and the corruption in it.
Ormond Always Pays His Bills, 5/10: Two words, Murder and concrete.
The Man on the Juice Wagon, 7/10: A brutal story about a truck driver, the KKK, and a lot of violence inflicted on women. Not an easy story to read.
Tired Old Man, 8/10: An aspiring writer meets an old man who’s also a writer. Not much happens in this story, but it’s based on a real life experience that Ellison talks about in the introduction.
Stories:
The Whimper of Whipped Dogs, 8/10: A recurring story in other collections I’ve noticed. I first read this one in Deathbird Stories awhile back, and it’s even more horrifying on second reading. A horror story that features some disturbing themes, this one will make you think twice of living in the big city.
Eddie, You're My Friend, 9/10: Short, simple, and emotional. This was a great story about loyalty and horror.
Status Quo at Troyden's, 7/10: A very relevant story about desperation, really felt for the protagonist of this story.
Nedra at f:5.6, 6/10: Another solid horror story about obsession through the eyes of a photographer.
Opposites Attract, 8/10: A killer and a terrorist fall in love, and shit gets crazy.
Toe the Line, 6/10: A carjacker attempts another theft, only for it to go wrong.
Down in the Dark, 8/10: Great title, and a great concept of a man plotting a murder while cave diving, deep in the earth, where no one will find the body.
Pride in the Profession, 5/10: I remember liking this story, but I honestly don’t remember much about it. My brain was off in another place while I read it.
The Children's Hour, 10/10: Now this was amazing. Such a great and thought provoking story about the self destructive nature of humanity.
White Trash Don't Exist, 8/10: Satirical and at times hilarious, this story starts out simple and then ends with murder.
Thicker Than Blood, 6/10: A great title, but nothing too special. It follows a business man who decides to take extreme measures to pay off a debt.
Two Inches in Tomorrow's Column, 6/10: My god, this story was…interesting to say the least. Full of murder, sex, and the ambition of writing.
Promises of Laughter, 6/10: A story about a greedy music artist who gets into hot water, this story deals a lot with the music industry, and the corruption in it.
Ormond Always Pays His Bills, 5/10: Two words, Murder and concrete.
The Man on the Juice Wagon, 7/10: A brutal story about a truck driver, the KKK, and a lot of violence inflicted on women. Not an easy story to read.
Tired Old Man, 8/10: An aspiring writer meets an old man who’s also a writer. Not much happens in this story, but it’s based on a real life experience that Ellison talks about in the introduction.
July 23, 2016
Primo incontro con Harlan Ellison: decisamente positivo.
Chiaramente, ho letto la versione inglese di questo libro. Togliamoci subito un sassolino dalla scarpa: Harlan Ellison è l'ennesimo autore famoso ovunque tranne che in Italia. E' uno scandalo che io abbia scoperto questo autore soltanto ora.
Posto che, da queste 200 pagine che ho letto, Ellison sembra un autore molto difficile da tradurre senza rovinare, perché diavolo non viene pubblicato in Italia!? Se Lansdale vende come il pane, anche Ellison non sfigurerebbe.
Comunque.
Questa raccolta di racconti è divertente e stimolante.
La parte che mi ha sorpreso di più è il lungo saggio iniziale (occupa circa 1/5 dell'intero libro) in cui Harlan Ellison introduce i propri lavori, arricchendo alcuni di essi con degli interessanti retroscena riguardanti la genesi di alcuni racconti, ma soprattutto si sofferma a fare riflessioni sullo stato dell'arte del mercato della "speculative fiction" dell'epoca (siamo a metà degli anni '70), polemizza contro l'etichetta di "autore di fantascienza" che gli hanno appiccicato addosso ed esprime molto chiaramente il proprio rapporto conflittuale con i fan (in poche parole, il suo messaggio è "se non avete intenzione di spedirmi dei soldi, evitate di scrivermi lettere"). Normalmente io odio i saggi all'inizio dei libri o le lunghe introduzioni, perché generalmente non aggiungono niente a tutto quello che segue, sono noiosi e molto spesso non vengono nemmeno scritti dall'autore stesso, ma da un altro autore, in genere più famoso, che viene, spesso erroneamente, associato con l'autore del romanzo o dei racconti. Molto spesso si tratta soltanto di trovate commerciali, di un'opportunità per sbattere in copertina il nome di un qualche autore famoso con la speranza di vendere di più. Della serie "comprate il nuovo romanzo di Incapace Salcazzi CON UN'INTRODUZIONE DI STEPHEN KING!".
Ecco. Questo non accade affatto in questo libro. Poi, aldilà della qualità degli argomenti trattati nel saggio, Harlan Ellison ha una "voce" davvero seducente.
Ma andiamo a parlare dei racconti (evito di fare spoiler):
- "The whimper of whipped dogs": 5 stelle
Forse il più bello della raccolta. Una storia che prende spunto da un fatto veramente accaduto (il famoso omicidio di Kitty Genovese) per deviare poi verso il soprannaturale con una semplicità e un'eleganza invidiabili, e quindi dal soprannaturale al filosofico, senza però diventare stucchevole. Una storia tutto sommato semplice, ma ben scritta.
- "Eddie, you're my friend": 3/5
Una storiella piccola piccola, il monologo di un uomo distrutto verso il suo "migliore amico", con finale a sorpresa (ma neanche tanto). Il racconto è purtroppo penalizzato dall'alta qualità degli altri racconti.
- "Status Quo at Troyden's": 4/5
Un thrillerino divertente e ironico ambientato in un ospizio per anziani. Ottimi dialoghi e personaggi simpatici.
- "Nedra at f:5.6": 2/5
Forse il peggiore della raccolta. Una storia un po' banale, senza inventiva né mordente. Va bene solo come riempitivo.
- "Opposites attract": 4/5
Questa mi è piaciuta particolarmente. E' difficile parlarne senza fare spoiler, purtroppo. Dico soltanto che Ellison sembra avere un dono particolare nel raccontare la terza età. Il personaggio principale è uno spietato bombarolo e non avrei mai immaginato di riuscire ad affezionarmi a un personaggio così negativo.
- "Toe the line": 3/5
Un altro esempio di riempitivo. Un ex carcerato che escogita il modo ideale e più sicuro per rubare macchine. Dalla premessa mi aspettavo qualcosa di meglio. Il finale però è durissimo.
- "Down in the dark": 2/5
Qui Ellison scatena un po' di ridicolo machismo. E' la testosteronica (e un po' scema) storiella del muscoloso avventuriero che strappa la donna trofeo al brutto miliardario. Il finale stavolta è pessimo.
- "Pride in the profession": 3/5
Una bella anomalia. Nonostante la storia sia un po' troppo statica (la professione in questione è quella del boia, quindi non è che ci sia moltissimo di cui parlare), risulta grossomodo piacevole. Mi ha colpito più che altro per la sua originalità.
- "The children's hour": 3/5
Qui si va troppo sul melenso. La metà degli anni '70 era sicuramente un bel periodo per scrivere questo "avvertimento" delle cause di una terza, terribile (e forse ultima) guerra mondiale, ma il risultato è un po' troppo pacchiano.
- "White trash don't exist": 4/5
Il riscatto di un uomo enormemente spaventato e debole nei confronti del classismo che lo opprime. Mi è piaciuta l'idea di un personaggio principale fortemente passivo (l'unico momento in cui agisce è raccontato in maniera volutamente breve e approssimativa) che ottiene la sua vittoria proprio grazie a questa passività. La storia si integra perfettamente con il titolo. L'ennesima prova che Ellison è tecnicamente un mostro.
- "Thicker than blood": 3/5
Anche qui, il titolo è il punto focale del racconto. Cosa è "più denso del sangue"? I soldi, ovvio. E un padre di famiglia è disposto a tutto per averli...anche andare contro il proprio sangue. Molto simile al racconto precedente, ma nettamente inferiore.
- "Two inches in tomorrow's column": 4/5
La rivincità delle donne! Ellison spazia tra i generi e qui si inventa una sorta di piccolo hard boiled ambientato nel mondo del giornalismo. Molto godibile.
- "Promises of laughter": 4/5
Un racconto un po' strano. Come ammette Ellison nel saggio iniziale, una buona parte di esso è autobiografico. La storia va in secondo piano rispetto al monologo finale del protagonista, che suona tanto come una (condivisibile, secondo me) critica nei confronti del femminismo.
- "Ormond always pays his bills": 3/5
Niente di ché. Finale simpatico, ma storia banalotta e statica. Sufficientemente breve e ben scritto da non risultare scadente.
- "The man on the juice wagon": 4/5
Un'avventura scatenata e adrenalinica, molto divertente. Il finale è un po' amaro, ma rimane comunque una cannonata.
- "Tired old man": 4/5
Un altro racconto con tracce di vita vissuta. L'incontro denso di mistero tra un giovante scrittore rampante e un vecchio scrittore in pensione. Ottima conclusione per un libro di questo tipo.
Giudizio finale: Ellison scrive davvero bene.
Ha uno stile invidiabile e riesce quasi sempre a inserire qualcosa di nuovo anche in storie trite e ritrite. I finali sono sempre ben fatti e i dialoghi divertenti.
Chiaramente, ho letto la versione inglese di questo libro. Togliamoci subito un sassolino dalla scarpa: Harlan Ellison è l'ennesimo autore famoso ovunque tranne che in Italia. E' uno scandalo che io abbia scoperto questo autore soltanto ora.
Posto che, da queste 200 pagine che ho letto, Ellison sembra un autore molto difficile da tradurre senza rovinare, perché diavolo non viene pubblicato in Italia!? Se Lansdale vende come il pane, anche Ellison non sfigurerebbe.
Comunque.
Questa raccolta di racconti è divertente e stimolante.
La parte che mi ha sorpreso di più è il lungo saggio iniziale (occupa circa 1/5 dell'intero libro) in cui Harlan Ellison introduce i propri lavori, arricchendo alcuni di essi con degli interessanti retroscena riguardanti la genesi di alcuni racconti, ma soprattutto si sofferma a fare riflessioni sullo stato dell'arte del mercato della "speculative fiction" dell'epoca (siamo a metà degli anni '70), polemizza contro l'etichetta di "autore di fantascienza" che gli hanno appiccicato addosso ed esprime molto chiaramente il proprio rapporto conflittuale con i fan (in poche parole, il suo messaggio è "se non avete intenzione di spedirmi dei soldi, evitate di scrivermi lettere"). Normalmente io odio i saggi all'inizio dei libri o le lunghe introduzioni, perché generalmente non aggiungono niente a tutto quello che segue, sono noiosi e molto spesso non vengono nemmeno scritti dall'autore stesso, ma da un altro autore, in genere più famoso, che viene, spesso erroneamente, associato con l'autore del romanzo o dei racconti. Molto spesso si tratta soltanto di trovate commerciali, di un'opportunità per sbattere in copertina il nome di un qualche autore famoso con la speranza di vendere di più. Della serie "comprate il nuovo romanzo di Incapace Salcazzi CON UN'INTRODUZIONE DI STEPHEN KING!".
Ecco. Questo non accade affatto in questo libro. Poi, aldilà della qualità degli argomenti trattati nel saggio, Harlan Ellison ha una "voce" davvero seducente.
Ma andiamo a parlare dei racconti (evito di fare spoiler):
- "The whimper of whipped dogs": 5 stelle
Forse il più bello della raccolta. Una storia che prende spunto da un fatto veramente accaduto (il famoso omicidio di Kitty Genovese) per deviare poi verso il soprannaturale con una semplicità e un'eleganza invidiabili, e quindi dal soprannaturale al filosofico, senza però diventare stucchevole. Una storia tutto sommato semplice, ma ben scritta.
- "Eddie, you're my friend": 3/5
Una storiella piccola piccola, il monologo di un uomo distrutto verso il suo "migliore amico", con finale a sorpresa (ma neanche tanto). Il racconto è purtroppo penalizzato dall'alta qualità degli altri racconti.
- "Status Quo at Troyden's": 4/5
Un thrillerino divertente e ironico ambientato in un ospizio per anziani. Ottimi dialoghi e personaggi simpatici.
- "Nedra at f:5.6": 2/5
Forse il peggiore della raccolta. Una storia un po' banale, senza inventiva né mordente. Va bene solo come riempitivo.
- "Opposites attract": 4/5
Questa mi è piaciuta particolarmente. E' difficile parlarne senza fare spoiler, purtroppo. Dico soltanto che Ellison sembra avere un dono particolare nel raccontare la terza età. Il personaggio principale è uno spietato bombarolo e non avrei mai immaginato di riuscire ad affezionarmi a un personaggio così negativo.
- "Toe the line": 3/5
Un altro esempio di riempitivo. Un ex carcerato che escogita il modo ideale e più sicuro per rubare macchine. Dalla premessa mi aspettavo qualcosa di meglio. Il finale però è durissimo.
- "Down in the dark": 2/5
Qui Ellison scatena un po' di ridicolo machismo. E' la testosteronica (e un po' scema) storiella del muscoloso avventuriero che strappa la donna trofeo al brutto miliardario. Il finale stavolta è pessimo.
- "Pride in the profession": 3/5
Una bella anomalia. Nonostante la storia sia un po' troppo statica (la professione in questione è quella del boia, quindi non è che ci sia moltissimo di cui parlare), risulta grossomodo piacevole. Mi ha colpito più che altro per la sua originalità.
- "The children's hour": 3/5
Qui si va troppo sul melenso. La metà degli anni '70 era sicuramente un bel periodo per scrivere questo "avvertimento" delle cause di una terza, terribile (e forse ultima) guerra mondiale, ma il risultato è un po' troppo pacchiano.
- "White trash don't exist": 4/5
Il riscatto di un uomo enormemente spaventato e debole nei confronti del classismo che lo opprime. Mi è piaciuta l'idea di un personaggio principale fortemente passivo (l'unico momento in cui agisce è raccontato in maniera volutamente breve e approssimativa) che ottiene la sua vittoria proprio grazie a questa passività. La storia si integra perfettamente con il titolo. L'ennesima prova che Ellison è tecnicamente un mostro.
- "Thicker than blood": 3/5
Anche qui, il titolo è il punto focale del racconto. Cosa è "più denso del sangue"? I soldi, ovvio. E un padre di famiglia è disposto a tutto per averli...anche andare contro il proprio sangue. Molto simile al racconto precedente, ma nettamente inferiore.
- "Two inches in tomorrow's column": 4/5
La rivincità delle donne! Ellison spazia tra i generi e qui si inventa una sorta di piccolo hard boiled ambientato nel mondo del giornalismo. Molto godibile.
- "Promises of laughter": 4/5
Un racconto un po' strano. Come ammette Ellison nel saggio iniziale, una buona parte di esso è autobiografico. La storia va in secondo piano rispetto al monologo finale del protagonista, che suona tanto come una (condivisibile, secondo me) critica nei confronti del femminismo.
- "Ormond always pays his bills": 3/5
Niente di ché. Finale simpatico, ma storia banalotta e statica. Sufficientemente breve e ben scritto da non risultare scadente.
- "The man on the juice wagon": 4/5
Un'avventura scatenata e adrenalinica, molto divertente. Il finale è un po' amaro, ma rimane comunque una cannonata.
- "Tired old man": 4/5
Un altro racconto con tracce di vita vissuta. L'incontro denso di mistero tra un giovante scrittore rampante e un vecchio scrittore in pensione. Ottima conclusione per un libro di questo tipo.
Giudizio finale: Ellison scrive davvero bene.
Ha uno stile invidiabile e riesce quasi sempre a inserire qualcosa di nuovo anche in storie trite e ritrite. I finali sono sempre ben fatti e i dialoghi divertenti.
May 23, 2024
As with several other Harlan Ellison books, the introduction is better than any of the stories included. The more I read of Ellison the more I'm of the opinion he was a better rabblerouser than he was a storyteller. This book is strictly thrillers and doesn't include any of the sci-fi stories he's best known for. Of those included, the best of the bunch is the opening story, The Whimper of Whipped Dogs, which is one of Ellison's best, but is also included in Deathbird Stories, which is a much stronger collection. A lot of the stories, as Ellison points out himself, were churned out to make ends meet, and are not particularly original crime stories with O. Henry endings. If for whatever reason you want to know what it was like to read men's magazines in the '60s or '70s, this book might work for you. The Man on the Juice Wagon is a perfect example. It starts out with a semi truck loaded with dynamite being driven by a sweaty brawler and a sultry woman with half her clothes torn off caroming down a mountain road with four cars full of heavily-armed Ku Klux Klansmen in hot pursuit. Now if that doesn't make you want to read that story then I don't know what the hell's wrong with you.
Read
December 7, 2020picked it up because i got to thinking about “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs” and Deathbird Stories wasn’t available. that stiry, maaaan. it holds up over time. i know i first read it probably 15 years ago at least, and it is as harrowing now as it was then. harlan can be hackneyed (gawd the introduction to this very book, cheezit with the gonzo self-referentiality, puh-leeze) but there’s a dispassion to his storytelling that is more chilling to me than just about any dark skerry writer i read, and i read a lot. anyway, this book: i liked the hangman story, and i want to know who the woman he roman a clefs is, and some of it was like a bad thurber short (by which i mean uncharacteristically solemn and slighly cheesy). good to read while listening to Swans.
February 8, 2023
This one is tough to judge. I enjoyed the writing style and the overall vivid and mostly urbanite imagery. I got very quickly the sense of Film noir, which I liked. Suspense and terror and making commonplace situations perplexingly dark. But it does become repetitive after some time, and around halfway through the stories, I found the same style repeating itself until it became uneventful and a bit dull. It started to feel too much like an old nightmare that one isn’t scared of anymore due to too many repetitions.
February 25, 2019
Harlan Ellison is not generally known for his crime fiction, and I suspect this anthology of murder, mystery and suspense isn’t going to change that. None of it is bad, but none of it stands out in the way his best SF does.
May 20, 2018
Good book, lousy editing
There are a lot of good stories in this book, but even by the somewhat iffy standards of Open Media publications, there are an enormous number of misprints.
There are a lot of good stories in this book, but even by the somewhat iffy standards of Open Media publications, there are an enormous number of misprints.
August 26, 2019
Ellison’s 20th-best story collection!!
February 19, 2020
These macabre shorts are collectively hilarious and shamelessly non-pc. And this probably includes the greatest introduction I’ve ever read. Highly, highly recommended.
May 13, 2020
Not the normal sci fi genre in this book. More along the lines of crime noir. Still a good read but don't expect the usual Ellison fare.
December 30, 2025
Good suspense stories from the early career of a favorite author.
April 9, 2025
I don't think I've read any of Ellison's non-SF stuff before. This wasn't bad.
July 11, 2016
There are quite a few excellent entries in this collection of what Harlan considers his suspense and mystery tales. I would argue that some of these are crime dramas with a twist. One entertaining story in particular, Eddie, You’re My Friend, seems to be the odd one out as it does not fit the theme of this anthology.
I found it hilarious—and typical of Harlan—that the introduction is 40 pages, about four times longer than the average story in the book!
My favorites include:
Status Quo at Troyden’s - When Mr. Huggerson’s monthly check from his son is $20 less than usual, he worries that he will not be able to afford rent and food. After working up the temerity to ask his landlord for a reduction in rent, Huggerson ends up in a position he never expected.
Nedra at f:5.6 - Veteran photographer Paul Shores has photographed countless women in his career. Nowadays, the most gorgeous models—nude or otherwise—no longer arouse him. Then along comes Nedra, and everything changes. She agrees to pose for him—and much more. Yet, there is something odd about her pictures…
Toe the Line - Professional car thief Eddie Cappen is finally getting out on parole and thanks to the warden’s favorite catchphrase, Eddie conjures a nearly foolproof method for jacking cars—until he makes a fatal mistake.
Pride in the Profession - Ever since he witnessed his first hanging at the tender age of eight, Matthew Carty became fascinated by the art and science of the gallows. Years later, Matthew builds a reputation as a master executioner—until his final job shows him that even the best make mistakes.
The Children’s Hour - With the Earth on the brink of destruction, the United Nations meet to discuss matters of peace. Somehow, a horde of children manages to enter the hall and disrupt the meeting with a simple warning: stop fighting or we’re leaving the planet.
Thicker Than Blood - After a poor business decision, Roger Singer finds himself $12,000 in debt. After his pleas for help are rejected by his wealthy in-laws, Roger hatches a dangerous scheme against them.
Ormond Always Pays His Bills - After his secretary learns of his corrupt business practices, corrupt construction company owner Hervey Ormond murders her and attempts to dispose of the body—using his company’s concrete. However, Ormond soon learns how much of an utter bitch karma can be.
Tired Old Man - While attending a party of has-been writers, successful author and screenwriter Billy Landress encounters veteran suspense writer Marki Strasser. After an intense and deeply personal conversation, Billy steps away to get a glass of water for Strasser, only to find him gone—or was he ever there to begin with?
I found it hilarious—and typical of Harlan—that the introduction is 40 pages, about four times longer than the average story in the book!
My favorites include:
Status Quo at Troyden’s - When Mr. Huggerson’s monthly check from his son is $20 less than usual, he worries that he will not be able to afford rent and food. After working up the temerity to ask his landlord for a reduction in rent, Huggerson ends up in a position he never expected.
Nedra at f:5.6 - Veteran photographer Paul Shores has photographed countless women in his career. Nowadays, the most gorgeous models—nude or otherwise—no longer arouse him. Then along comes Nedra, and everything changes. She agrees to pose for him—and much more. Yet, there is something odd about her pictures…
Toe the Line - Professional car thief Eddie Cappen is finally getting out on parole and thanks to the warden’s favorite catchphrase, Eddie conjures a nearly foolproof method for jacking cars—until he makes a fatal mistake.
Pride in the Profession - Ever since he witnessed his first hanging at the tender age of eight, Matthew Carty became fascinated by the art and science of the gallows. Years later, Matthew builds a reputation as a master executioner—until his final job shows him that even the best make mistakes.
The Children’s Hour - With the Earth on the brink of destruction, the United Nations meet to discuss matters of peace. Somehow, a horde of children manages to enter the hall and disrupt the meeting with a simple warning: stop fighting or we’re leaving the planet.
Thicker Than Blood - After a poor business decision, Roger Singer finds himself $12,000 in debt. After his pleas for help are rejected by his wealthy in-laws, Roger hatches a dangerous scheme against them.
Ormond Always Pays His Bills - After his secretary learns of his corrupt business practices, corrupt construction company owner Hervey Ormond murders her and attempts to dispose of the body—using his company’s concrete. However, Ormond soon learns how much of an utter bitch karma can be.
Tired Old Man - While attending a party of has-been writers, successful author and screenwriter Billy Landress encounters veteran suspense writer Marki Strasser. After an intense and deeply personal conversation, Billy steps away to get a glass of water for Strasser, only to find him gone—or was he ever there to begin with?
March 30, 2014
Some of the stories are a bit dated, which is the main reason why I couldn't in all honesty give it a fourth star. The anthology is very much worth reading if you want to see the development of Ellison's writing. The overly-long introduction, which is longer than any one of the stories, serves to document the development of Ellison's ego. He boasts of his unwillingness to rewrite, even to the wishes of an editor unless he feels like it, and of his willingness to "kill to maintain the integrity of his work." At the point when this book came out, there was still hope that he would someday finish and publish The Last Dangerous Visions anthology. Unfortuantely, the book came out in 1975, and many of the creators have passed on. Like Ellison, I digress.
The stories in this collection are mostly very good, and are examples of the kind of stories written for mystery magazines and B-level men's magazines. Odd crimes going horribly wrong, for the most part, although "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs," whicb, while inspired by a horrible real-world crime, was more of an urban fantasy. "The Children's Hour" is surreal sf/fantasy.
Still, Ellison has always been good at writing grim and gritty stories, some with odd twists of quirky humor, other just relentless in their grimness. If you can survive a couple of hours of really dark fiction, this is worth reading. If you're easily depressed by what you read, then maybe it's not.
The stories in this collection are mostly very good, and are examples of the kind of stories written for mystery magazines and B-level men's magazines. Odd crimes going horribly wrong, for the most part, although "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs," whicb, while inspired by a horrible real-world crime, was more of an urban fantasy. "The Children's Hour" is surreal sf/fantasy.
Still, Ellison has always been good at writing grim and gritty stories, some with odd twists of quirky humor, other just relentless in their grimness. If you can survive a couple of hours of really dark fiction, this is worth reading. If you're easily depressed by what you read, then maybe it's not.
December 15, 2012
This book contains 16 wonderful stories of triumph over alienation and despair. Stories that challenge us to find wonder in the common place and to seek out hope in a world that sometimes seems coldly indifferent to our struggles. Harlan Ellison is a wonderful writer and it is a shame to see such a great book go out of print.
September 23, 2013
With a couple of exceptions, these are straight-ahead suspense and crime thrillers from the 1950s, refurbished a bit for this 1970s collection. Not typical Ellison, but enjoyable nonetheless, involving desperate men, guns, love triangles, women poured into their clothing, victims encased in cement, etc.
November 1, 2011
My comments on this one would echo very closely the comments I made on Ellison's "Gentleman Junkie." Aside from that, I can say that his stories are always quick, crisp, and entertaining.
February 17, 2021
"If you haven't read Harlan Ellison, you haven't read." ~ Richard Halasz
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August 22, 2008No Doors, No Windows by Harlan Ellison (1975)
March 29, 2017
These Harlan Ellison stories are rough around the edges. There are a few really good ones in there (The Whimper of Whipped Dogs, The Children's Hour, Pride in the Profession, The Man on the Juice Wagon), but there are also many flops.
These stories are also rather violent, and the stories suffer when the themes and descriptions of execution, suicide, rape, violence, terrorism, and gore dominate. The better stories are tinged with some of these themes, but the dominant ideas are more mysterious, big-pictured, and powerful.
These stories are also rather violent, and the stories suffer when the themes and descriptions of execution, suicide, rape, violence, terrorism, and gore dominate. The better stories are tinged with some of these themes, but the dominant ideas are more mysterious, big-pictured, and powerful.
April 18, 2017
Revisiting a favorite author from your youth can be tricky, since your degree of 'success' largely depends on which volume of his or her work you start with... 'No Doors, No Windows' probably wasn't the best place to get reacquainted with Harlan Ellison, since this collection doesn't feature his strongest work and opens with a 40-page introduction/exercise in self-regard, as one might expect from the author. I suspect I would have found the intro amusing when I was a teen, but now it just comes across as over-indulgent, especially for a collection of 50s-style pulp stories with O. Henry twist endings that haven't aged especially well. The most notable story here is the critically acclaimed (and rightly so) 'The Whimper of Whipped Dogs,' which has been included in much stronger Ellison collections (see: 'Deathbird Stories,' 'The Essential Ellison'). Oh, well. Time to dust off my copy of 'Strange Wine' or 'Shatterday' and give him another shot.
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