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The Uncanny Chronicles #1
The Uncanny Valley: Tales from a Lost Town
The Uncanny Valley…
“…is a macabre serenade to a small town that may or may not exist, peopled with alive and dead denizens who wander about the hills and houses with creepy fluidity. Told by individual inhabitants, the stories recount tales of disappearing dead deer, enchanted gardens, invisible killer dogs, and rattlesnakes that fall from the sky; each contribution adds to a composite portrait that skitters between eerie, ghoulish, and poignant. Miller is a master storyteller, clearly delighting in his mischievous creations.”
Thirty-Three Tales.
Thirty-Three Tellers.
One Lost Town.
“…is a macabre serenade to a small town that may or may not exist, peopled with alive and dead denizens who wander about the hills and houses with creepy fluidity. Told by individual inhabitants, the stories recount tales of disappearing dead deer, enchanted gardens, invisible killer dogs, and rattlesnakes that fall from the sky; each contribution adds to a composite portrait that skitters between eerie, ghoulish, and poignant. Miller is a master storyteller, clearly delighting in his mischievous creations.”
Thirty-Three Tales.
Thirty-Three Tellers.
One Lost Town.
153 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2011
328 people are currently reading
2040 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
February 8, 2016
This collection was fantastic!
Thirty-Three Tales. Thirty-Three Tellers. One Lost Town.
This is a collection of stories written by people that live in the Uncanny Valley. According to the super-cool premise, these 33 stories were culled from over 12,000 stories received as part of a contest, the goal of which was to write a story about why your hometown is special.
Each story here lists the name, age and occupation of the author. These range from the very young to the very old and everything in between. The only thing they have in common is the Uncanny Valley.
There are a few wonderful illustrations that punch up the stories and I loved them. I liked being able to use my Kindle's zoom feature, so I could look more closely at the details.
I found this book to be both utterly charming and creepy. I thought the premise was unique and fun. The short stories are actually short which was refreshing and made this collection very hard to put down.
I highly recommend this collection! There is something in it for everyone.
Thirty-Three Tales. Thirty-Three Tellers. One Lost Town.
This is a collection of stories written by people that live in the Uncanny Valley. According to the super-cool premise, these 33 stories were culled from over 12,000 stories received as part of a contest, the goal of which was to write a story about why your hometown is special.
Each story here lists the name, age and occupation of the author. These range from the very young to the very old and everything in between. The only thing they have in common is the Uncanny Valley.
There are a few wonderful illustrations that punch up the stories and I loved them. I liked being able to use my Kindle's zoom feature, so I could look more closely at the details.
I found this book to be both utterly charming and creepy. I thought the premise was unique and fun. The short stories are actually short which was refreshing and made this collection very hard to put down.
I highly recommend this collection! There is something in it for everyone.
November 26, 2021
Uncanny Valley, a Bizarre Lake Wobegon
Verified Purchase
This review is from: The Uncanny Valley: Tales from a Lost Town (The Uncanny Chronicles Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
This volume consists of short stories about an unusual small Pennsylvania town, Uncanny Valley, and its residents. Some of the residents are also unusual, even bizarre, others seem to be just typical small town people who take everything, and I do mean everything, in stride. The stories are not horror stories in the sense that they will scare you in your dreams but most have an element of horror left to the imagination. The stories are quirky, just a very little bit like Saki and maybe Roald Dahl, but a different writing style and not as much humor. There is also a definite touch of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon. One of the residents explains Uncanny Valley by saying that it is a thin place. As good a description as any and better than anything I can come up with.
Verified Purchase
This review is from: The Uncanny Valley: Tales from a Lost Town (The Uncanny Chronicles Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
This volume consists of short stories about an unusual small Pennsylvania town, Uncanny Valley, and its residents. Some of the residents are also unusual, even bizarre, others seem to be just typical small town people who take everything, and I do mean everything, in stride. The stories are not horror stories in the sense that they will scare you in your dreams but most have an element of horror left to the imagination. The stories are quirky, just a very little bit like Saki and maybe Roald Dahl, but a different writing style and not as much humor. There is also a definite touch of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon. One of the residents explains Uncanny Valley by saying that it is a thin place. As good a description as any and better than anything I can come up with.
August 3, 2016
I really have a yen
To go back once again,
Back to the place where no one wears a frown,
To see once more those super-special just plain folks
In my home town.*
If you're familiar with the wonderful song by Tom Lehrer - (if not - watch and listen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHaEL...), you'll know that those smiling faces you encounter on a daily basis may be hiding deep, dark secrets. Really, REALLY DEEP, DARK SECRETS!
Uncanny Valley, nestled somewhere in Southwestern Pennsylvania, seems to be the site of a lot of strange happenings and mysterious doings, many of which are chronicled here by the residents themselves in bite-sized essays that range from mildly amusing to truly creepy. Most of these are tame enough for older children and they made me warmly nostalgic for old fashioned ghost stories told around campfires. The intensity really ramps up towards the end of the book, however, so use your own judgement with the kiddies there.
On the whole, this is a fine collection of spooky tales that can be read individually but work together to make a novel about an unforgettable town. Try imagining Eerie, Indiana twirled with a bit of News from Lake Wobegon and you've gotten the gist of this book.
It's rather unsettling. Can you ever really know your friends and neighbors?
And as always, stay away from doll collectors.
Oh, yes indeed, the people there are just plain folks
In my home town.*
*Tom Lehrer - My Home Town
To go back once again,
Back to the place where no one wears a frown,
To see once more those super-special just plain folks
In my home town.*
If you're familiar with the wonderful song by Tom Lehrer - (if not - watch and listen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHaEL...), you'll know that those smiling faces you encounter on a daily basis may be hiding deep, dark secrets. Really, REALLY DEEP, DARK SECRETS!
Uncanny Valley, nestled somewhere in Southwestern Pennsylvania, seems to be the site of a lot of strange happenings and mysterious doings, many of which are chronicled here by the residents themselves in bite-sized essays that range from mildly amusing to truly creepy. Most of these are tame enough for older children and they made me warmly nostalgic for old fashioned ghost stories told around campfires. The intensity really ramps up towards the end of the book, however, so use your own judgement with the kiddies there.
On the whole, this is a fine collection of spooky tales that can be read individually but work together to make a novel about an unforgettable town. Try imagining Eerie, Indiana twirled with a bit of News from Lake Wobegon and you've gotten the gist of this book.
It's rather unsettling. Can you ever really know your friends and neighbors?
And as always, stay away from doll collectors.
Oh, yes indeed, the people there are just plain folks
In my home town.*
*Tom Lehrer - My Home Town
February 1, 2015
A truly wondrous collection of stories, yarns spun by the residents of the (possibly) fictional town of Uncanny Valley, Pennsylvania, about small town life in a place situated somewhere between the Twilight Zone and Oxrun Station.
Told in many voices, with a light heart and a touch of humor, these tales are delightfully macabre, and sure to please readers both young and old.
This collection is pure magic, in the same way McCammon's BOY'S LIFE is, rekindling a love of reading even in this jaded old heart.
Go now, and get a copy for yourself.
You'll be an instant fan of Mr. Miller, too.
You can thank me later.
Highest possible recommendation.
Told in many voices, with a light heart and a touch of humor, these tales are delightfully macabre, and sure to please readers both young and old.
This collection is pure magic, in the same way McCammon's BOY'S LIFE is, rekindling a love of reading even in this jaded old heart.
Go now, and get a copy for yourself.
You'll be an instant fan of Mr. Miller, too.
You can thank me later.
Highest possible recommendation.
March 3, 2016
Granpa says Uncanny Valley is a thin place
This is a bit of an odd duck. Can't really call it a short story collection although that is what it may appear on the surface. It's a collection of letters from the residents of Uncanny Valley in response to a contest to explain what makes your hometown special. While is doesn't really have an narrative thread running through the stories it does paint a vivid portrait of the town and it's inhabitants. The ending was quite intriguing and fell right in line with the tradition of weird fiction.
The letter writers range in age and their stories vary in length and complexity. In truth, the first quarter of the book wasn't ringing my bell but then I hit the story Richard Shute Goes Home for Dinner and from that point on most of the stories spoke to me with Best Kept Secret, Lillian Sweeney's Music and The Sounding of the Sea resonating strongly.
A very interesting way to format the storytelling and while it started slowly the overall impression was positive. Recommended for those who enjoy weird fiction.
That was all it took; we had witnessed the final straw alighting on the camel's back, and the camel's back had broken. Something, after half a century, had finally snapped in Bob. The dark animal had woken up.
This is a bit of an odd duck. Can't really call it a short story collection although that is what it may appear on the surface. It's a collection of letters from the residents of Uncanny Valley in response to a contest to explain what makes your hometown special. While is doesn't really have an narrative thread running through the stories it does paint a vivid portrait of the town and it's inhabitants. The ending was quite intriguing and fell right in line with the tradition of weird fiction.
The letter writers range in age and their stories vary in length and complexity. In truth, the first quarter of the book wasn't ringing my bell but then I hit the story Richard Shute Goes Home for Dinner and from that point on most of the stories spoke to me with Best Kept Secret, Lillian Sweeney's Music and The Sounding of the Sea resonating strongly.
A very interesting way to format the storytelling and while it started slowly the overall impression was positive. Recommended for those who enjoy weird fiction.
That was all it took; we had witnessed the final straw alighting on the camel's back, and the camel's back had broken. Something, after half a century, had finally snapped in Bob. The dark animal had woken up.
May 16, 2018
The Uncanny Valley was a Kindle freebie via Bookbub - I got so much more out of this than I thought I would!
It's an eerie collection of very short stories; most only a page or two long. They're stories sent in from residents of Uncanny Valley, and while it's clear that this is an unusual town, it's not until the last few stories that things start to get intense.
There's a mix of horror, sweetness, and honest-to-goodness smalltown charm that somehow really works. I'd recommend it for any Nightvale or SCP fans - as well as those who just like their fiction creepy.
It's an eerie collection of very short stories; most only a page or two long. They're stories sent in from residents of Uncanny Valley, and while it's clear that this is an unusual town, it's not until the last few stories that things start to get intense.
There's a mix of horror, sweetness, and honest-to-goodness smalltown charm that somehow really works. I'd recommend it for any Nightvale or SCP fans - as well as those who just like their fiction creepy.
March 3, 2014
Utterly delightful, in a very creepy way. Some real gems among this collection. I loved the way the stories were introduced, and the ending was ....
No. I won't spoil it for you. If you like terse, thoughtful, and sometimes downright inexplicable horror stories, then I recommend you give this a go. One or two made me laugh out loud, some made me shiver, but there isn't a duff one among them.
No. I won't spoil it for you. If you like terse, thoughtful, and sometimes downright inexplicable horror stories, then I recommend you give this a go. One or two made me laugh out loud, some made me shiver, but there isn't a duff one among them.
February 11, 2015
There must be something wrong with me, this book was like A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor at its worst.
I wanted to enjoy this, however, all the stories were so derivative and re-cycled and better told by other voices.
Sadly I now have to add Ray Bradbury to the list of authors who BLURB books that I have lost all faith in.
nuff said.
I wanted to enjoy this, however, all the stories were so derivative and re-cycled and better told by other voices.
Sadly I now have to add Ray Bradbury to the list of authors who BLURB books that I have lost all faith in.
nuff said.
February 24, 2016
The Uncanny Valley: Tales from a Lost Town is like an adult version of the book for young people titled "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark." I give this book five stars for being what it is - not a literary masterpiece, but a great collection of short, spine-chilling tales with just the right combination of atmosphere, spookiness, and fun.
June 25, 2011
It`s difficult to judge The Uncanny Valley for what it is, because it`s somewhat of a very elaborate business card. It`s a collection of flash fiction stories, built towards the goal of describing a surreal city somewhere in Pennsylvania. Some of the stories (including the first one of the collection) are as good as short stories from the best writers, but some sound a little middle-gradish, with ghosts and all. Since he kept it short, Gregory Miller kept it enjoyable. Worth a look.
February 17, 2015
A nice collection of short, spooky stories that are actually short and to the point. They were fun to read and I liked the fact that they had a common thread that connected them all. The author's prologue was a great hook that intrigued me to want to read this kindle book. Give the residents of Uncanny Valley a visit you won't be sorry.
January 25, 2020
Ah, but that was fun!
The premise and frame: A station holds an essay contest based on the theme of "Why Your Town is Special." Among the 12,000 entries are a number from residents of a place named Uncanny Valley, PA. Thirty-three of those make up this book.
Uncanny Valley is certainly a singular place as evidenced by the overriding tone of these short stories. And they are short. Most are only two or three pages. They remind me of the kind of local ghost stories told over campfires in my Scouting years. Spoon River Anthology meets The Twilight Zone. Or maybe Sherwood Anderson with a bit of Poe and Twain thrown in.
Reading suggestion: Make some popcorn and cocoa (maybe with a shot of bourbon) and dim the lights. Find someone to take turns reading these aloud to each other.
The premise and frame: A station holds an essay contest based on the theme of "Why Your Town is Special." Among the 12,000 entries are a number from residents of a place named Uncanny Valley, PA. Thirty-three of those make up this book.
Uncanny Valley is certainly a singular place as evidenced by the overriding tone of these short stories. And they are short. Most are only two or three pages. They remind me of the kind of local ghost stories told over campfires in my Scouting years. Spoon River Anthology meets The Twilight Zone. Or maybe Sherwood Anderson with a bit of Poe and Twain thrown in.
Reading suggestion: Make some popcorn and cocoa (maybe with a shot of bourbon) and dim the lights. Find someone to take turns reading these aloud to each other.
May 15, 2018
Really interesting read
I wasn't sure whether I'd like this or not but it had good reviews and was free on bookbub so thought why not... and am so glad I did. Interesting and unique the stories had a depth and catch that made it hard to not read the whole book in one sitting! Am happily paying for book 2
I wasn't sure whether I'd like this or not but it had good reviews and was free on bookbub so thought why not... and am so glad I did. Interesting and unique the stories had a depth and catch that made it hard to not read the whole book in one sitting! Am happily paying for book 2
February 10, 2016
Things that usually suck:
Flash fiction.
Flash fiction horror stories.
Free books from the Kindle store.
Things that did not suck at all:
Uncanny Valley.
Uncanny Valley is a collection of short flash fiction (some previously published, some written for the collection) of day-to-day stories that have taken place in the town of Uncanny Valley. (Maybe I've lived in PA for too long, but I had my fingers crossed that the town name was a riff on Happy Valley. Turns out Miller is from State College. I'm not saying, I'm just saying.)
The premise gives us a story-within-a-story: a radio station ran a contest asking for short stories about a day in the life in your town. When all the entires were submitted, the radio station that all the stories from one place, Uncanny Valley, were a bit... peculiar. And, even stranger, they couldn't find a town on a map. Presented in their entirety, as received (grammar and spelling errors and all), the station has published Tales from a Lost Town because, well, how could you not.
Y'see, something seriously creepy is up in Uncanny Valley. Not enough. Not everywhere. But tiny things, small moments of weirdness. A few gruesome deaths here and there. Wishes granted, a garden that never dies. Butterflies in the winter. A vampire. Dolls.
Each story is written by one of the townspeople, so you hear tales from the 50 year old janitor and childhood recollections from a then 11 year old piano student. College kids, parents, teachers. The weirdness isn't isolated, or concentrated, it's just... there.
Uncanny Valley is sweet and meandering and creepily terrifying, in all the best ways. It's pull the covers close and hold your breath horror, not run for your life and scream at the tortureporn.
And, like any good horror collection, it's offset by some seriously creepy illustrations (go ahead, tell me the pictures didn't make Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark what it is).
I plunked the rest of Miller's work on to my wishlist for immediately. Definitely give this one a shot.
Flash fiction.
Flash fiction horror stories.
Free books from the Kindle store.
Things that did not suck at all:
Uncanny Valley.
Uncanny Valley is a collection of short flash fiction (some previously published, some written for the collection) of day-to-day stories that have taken place in the town of Uncanny Valley. (Maybe I've lived in PA for too long, but I had my fingers crossed that the town name was a riff on Happy Valley. Turns out Miller is from State College. I'm not saying, I'm just saying.)
The premise gives us a story-within-a-story: a radio station ran a contest asking for short stories about a day in the life in your town. When all the entires were submitted, the radio station that all the stories from one place, Uncanny Valley, were a bit... peculiar. And, even stranger, they couldn't find a town on a map. Presented in their entirety, as received (grammar and spelling errors and all), the station has published Tales from a Lost Town because, well, how could you not.
Y'see, something seriously creepy is up in Uncanny Valley. Not enough. Not everywhere. But tiny things, small moments of weirdness. A few gruesome deaths here and there. Wishes granted, a garden that never dies. Butterflies in the winter. A vampire. Dolls.
Each story is written by one of the townspeople, so you hear tales from the 50 year old janitor and childhood recollections from a then 11 year old piano student. College kids, parents, teachers. The weirdness isn't isolated, or concentrated, it's just... there.
Uncanny Valley is sweet and meandering and creepily terrifying, in all the best ways. It's pull the covers close and hold your breath horror, not run for your life and scream at the tortureporn.
And, like any good horror collection, it's offset by some seriously creepy illustrations (go ahead, tell me the pictures didn't make Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark what it is).
I plunked the rest of Miller's work on to my wishlist for immediately. Definitely give this one a shot.
February 24, 2015
This book was the February 2015 book read for the goodreads group Literary Horror.
In the prologue we are told that a radio station asked from listeners for stories that typifies their hometown. The radio station received submissions from a town called Uncanny Valley. The middle of the book comprises of 33 submissions from Uncanny Valley, stories about 1-4 pages long. The stories are told by males and females, young and adult. However, at the end of the book, one is made to wonder if the stories were a hoax.
The author made the decision that when the narrator is a kid, the narrator communicates in improper grammar and spelling. That was a bit annoying.
The stories have a family resemblance to Ray Bradbury's supernatural horror, and to slipstream fiction (slipstream fiction has been called magic realism for North Americans).
Ratings from my fellow members in Literary Horror ranged from 2 stars, 3 stars, and 5 stars. I usually give books I didn't like 1-2 stars. Its not a bad book. However, I usually give 4-5 stars to books that make me go "Wow!" . This book did not have that effect on me.
In the prologue we are told that a radio station asked from listeners for stories that typifies their hometown. The radio station received submissions from a town called Uncanny Valley. The middle of the book comprises of 33 submissions from Uncanny Valley, stories about 1-4 pages long. The stories are told by males and females, young and adult. However, at the end of the book, one is made to wonder if the stories were a hoax.
The author made the decision that when the narrator is a kid, the narrator communicates in improper grammar and spelling. That was a bit annoying.
The stories have a family resemblance to Ray Bradbury's supernatural horror, and to slipstream fiction (slipstream fiction has been called magic realism for North Americans).
Ratings from my fellow members in Literary Horror ranged from 2 stars, 3 stars, and 5 stars. I usually give books I didn't like 1-2 stars. Its not a bad book. However, I usually give 4-5 stars to books that make me go "Wow!" . This book did not have that effect on me.
March 18, 2014
This modest collection of stories is really well done. The book begins with an introduction that explains that an NPR affiliate called listeners to submit stories regarding urban legends and folk tales from their local committees. The idea is that thousands of pieces were submitted from a town called Uncanny Valley - "these are the 19 an editorial panel selected". The tales get progressively creepier until the epilogue explains that Uncanny Valley disappeared after a disaster in the mid-19th century...
Really well done! The collection reminds me of Ray Bradbury's collections. Some tales are a page and some 8 or 10 but all generally brief with some great comic timing and even better scares. Given the restrictions of the genre, characters can't be well developed, so fright can't be based on sympathy for a character one has grown to love over the course of many chapters. Never the less, Miller picks universal themes and is very good at engaging quickly and ending with a one - two punch that leaves the reader with a lasting impression.
This was a real deal for Amazon Kindle. For $0.99, you'll have some real fun and a memorable visit to Uncanny Valley.
Really well done! The collection reminds me of Ray Bradbury's collections. Some tales are a page and some 8 or 10 but all generally brief with some great comic timing and even better scares. Given the restrictions of the genre, characters can't be well developed, so fright can't be based on sympathy for a character one has grown to love over the course of many chapters. Never the less, Miller picks universal themes and is very good at engaging quickly and ending with a one - two punch that leaves the reader with a lasting impression.
This was a real deal for Amazon Kindle. For $0.99, you'll have some real fun and a memorable visit to Uncanny Valley.
November 5, 2012
Recollections of memorable local events submitted to a newspaper contest fill this book, or so the story goes. But these weird tales from the Uncanny Valley have a low-key mystery flavored with sudden shocks that’s truly uncanny, from the perfect recreation of a less than perfect wedding to the horror of something unseen going bump in the night. The voices of different narrators/writers, and their ages and occupations, add a hauntingly down-to-earth touch that’ll leave readers listening, watching and waiting as pages turn, and staring nervously through the window.
I would try to tell you my favorite from this collection, but that’s like trying to choose a favorite friend. Just read ‘em. Pick your own and enjoy the mystery of thoroughly old-fashioned scares in a nearby world without the glamor, bling and romance of modern movies’ weaker fare. May the “thin place[s]” keep you on your toes if you visit Uncanny Valley, and may these cool stories and scary pictures entertain you as you plan your trip.
Disclosure: I got this ebook free. Lucky me! I love it.
August 16, 2025
✭✭
“The White Dove” (2010) ✭✭
“In Tune” (2010) ✭✭½
“The Fourth Floor” (2011) ✭✭½
“Our Halloween” (2011) ✭½
“By Moonlight” (2011) ✭✭✭
“What Happened to Charlie” (2011) ✭½
“Richard Shute Goes Home for Dinner” (2011) ✭✭✭½
“The Great Unknown” (2011) ✭✭✭
“My Flower” (2010) ✭✭
“Mrs. Karswell’s Garden” (2011) ✭
“Keeping Dry” (2011) ✭
“Here and There” (2010) ✭✭✭½
“Coming Around” (2011) ✭✭½
“Mitten’s Last Catch” (2011) ✭½
“My Gift” (2010) ✭✭½
“Out of the Blue” (2010) ✭
“Puddles” (2011) ✭½
“The Tapestry” (2011) ✭✭½
“Buddy” (2011) ½
“The Good Job” (2010) ✭½
“My Ghost” (2010) ✭✭✭
“The Bad Spot” (2010) ✭✭✭½
“The Winter Noise” (2011) ✭✭✭
“Don’t Tell!” (2011) ✭✭✭
“Best Kept Secret” (2010) ✭✭✭
“The Sounding of the Sea” (2010) ✭✭✭
“Miss Jennings’ Family” (2010) ✭✭✭
“Nihil Obstat” (2011) ✭✭
“I Got a Secret” (2010) ✭✭✭
“Lillian Sweeney’s Music” (2011) ✭✭½
“A Warm Glow” (2011) ✭✭
“The Ritual” (2011) ✭½
“My Home Town” (2011) ✭½
“The White Dove” (2010) ✭✭
“In Tune” (2010) ✭✭½
“The Fourth Floor” (2011) ✭✭½
“Our Halloween” (2011) ✭½
“By Moonlight” (2011) ✭✭✭
“What Happened to Charlie” (2011) ✭½
“Richard Shute Goes Home for Dinner” (2011) ✭✭✭½
“The Great Unknown” (2011) ✭✭✭
“My Flower” (2010) ✭✭
“Mrs. Karswell’s Garden” (2011) ✭
“Keeping Dry” (2011) ✭
“Here and There” (2010) ✭✭✭½
“Coming Around” (2011) ✭✭½
“Mitten’s Last Catch” (2011) ✭½
“My Gift” (2010) ✭✭½
“Out of the Blue” (2010) ✭
“Puddles” (2011) ✭½
“The Tapestry” (2011) ✭✭½
“Buddy” (2011) ½
“The Good Job” (2010) ✭½
“My Ghost” (2010) ✭✭✭
“The Bad Spot” (2010) ✭✭✭½
“The Winter Noise” (2011) ✭✭✭
“Don’t Tell!” (2011) ✭✭✭
“Best Kept Secret” (2010) ✭✭✭
“The Sounding of the Sea” (2010) ✭✭✭
“Miss Jennings’ Family” (2010) ✭✭✭
“Nihil Obstat” (2011) ✭✭
“I Got a Secret” (2010) ✭✭✭
“Lillian Sweeney’s Music” (2011) ✭✭½
“A Warm Glow” (2011) ✭✭
“The Ritual” (2011) ✭½
“My Home Town” (2011) ✭½
May 27, 2018
The book is a collection of 33 short stories, all relating to a specific town, the Uncanny Valley.
Even though the book is a work of fiction, the author has tried to bring in some reality by mentioning that each story is actually written by a different person, and was submitted as part of a writing-competition held by a Radio Show.
The stories are supposed to be fictional horror, but that is what they are not (fiction yes, horror no way). There is definitely a sense of mystery when everything is put together, but it is still not horrific to be categorized so.
Verdict: Can be skipped.
Even though the book is a work of fiction, the author has tried to bring in some reality by mentioning that each story is actually written by a different person, and was submitted as part of a writing-competition held by a Radio Show.
The stories are supposed to be fictional horror, but that is what they are not (fiction yes, horror no way). There is definitely a sense of mystery when everything is put together, but it is still not horrific to be categorized so.
Verdict: Can be skipped.
October 8, 2013
The Uncanny Valley is a well written, thoroughly enjoyable book of short stories. Most of the stories (especially the early ones) had more of an eerie quality over horror with a down-home folksy feel to them. It made me think ~ what if Mayberry were haunted? Toward the end, the intensity gained momentum, tying the stories together and making a satisfying conclusion. A fun read.
October 28, 2016
4.5 stars
The Uncanny Valley: Tales from a Lost Town is a collection of short stories written by thirty-three citizens of fictional Uncanny Valley. The atmosphere of this book is fantastic. Cozy, whimsical, macabre, and horrifying all at once. I was incredibly impressed.
If you're looking for a quick, delightful Halloween read, definitely give this a try.
The Uncanny Valley: Tales from a Lost Town is a collection of short stories written by thirty-three citizens of fictional Uncanny Valley. The atmosphere of this book is fantastic. Cozy, whimsical, macabre, and horrifying all at once. I was incredibly impressed.
If you're looking for a quick, delightful Halloween read, definitely give this a try.
July 9, 2019
This was a fun read. I love tales that involve second-hand narratives such as diary entries, newspaper articles and the like - these Uncanny Valley stories are submissions to a radio station about small-town living. Only the station can't find any evidence that these 33 tales are about a town that actually exists. And based on the tales, there's a serious WTF? vibe going on in Uncanny Valley. (I'm think it must be the darker, more-demented older sibling city of Derry or Castle Rock.)
Anyway, I'm definitely going to check out more of Miller's tales from down in the valley.
Anyway, I'm definitely going to check out more of Miller's tales from down in the valley.
May 16, 2018
It's Spooky
Great; this collection of short stories boasts interesting storytelling with a fast-paced and expertly weaved storyline. Quickly switching from majestic to mind boggling to horrific.
Great; this collection of short stories boasts interesting storytelling with a fast-paced and expertly weaved storyline. Quickly switching from majestic to mind boggling to horrific.
May 17, 2018
Interesting
I really enjoyed this book, some of it laugh out loud funny, some of it spooky & scary. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.
I really enjoyed this book, some of it laugh out loud funny, some of it spooky & scary. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.
February 8, 2022
Rate: 3.5 stars
It got more interesting in the last 10 pages or so...
trad.: Ficou mais interessante nas últimas 10 páginas, ou assim...
It got more interesting in the last 10 pages or so...
trad.: Ficou mais interessante nas últimas 10 páginas, ou assim...
March 18, 2017
This book was so much fun! The end...well it was a bit too much of a stretch, which is an absolutely ridiculous thing for me to say given everything else in the book...And Uncanny Valley really is everything else, fantastical, magical, terrifying, but above all entertaining. It's short and very easy reading, I would encourage anyone to give it a try. It's like a trip back to your childhood when you still believed that everything that could be imagined could be real.
May 28, 2018
WOW! Couldn't put it down! So spooky! So intriguing! I can't wait to read more!!!
January 13, 2015
I read The Uncanny Valley: Tales from a Lost Town as one of my read-a-thon books during Bout of Books 12. The Uncanny Valley is a collection of flash fiction about a small town in Pennsylvania. After a radio station prompts listeners to write in about strange occurrences in their hometowns, thirty-three residents of Uncanny Valley, PA share short tales about the weird, mystical, and downright horrifying happenings they've experienced in their little slice of the USA. You've got ghosts, vampires, psychics, murderers, accidents and plenty in between that has no name but will still creep the bejeezus out of you. Though many of the stories were unrelated beyond the setting of the town, there was a loose narrative to them, and the three or so closing vignettes in the novella revealed the fate of this bleak little town that "has a way of keeping its own where they are."
My favorite stories in the collection were "The Great Unknown," (a college-bound man chooses between two adventures), "Don't Tell!" (a young boy gets to know a very, very old woman), "Here and There," (a photographer explores a condemned house not as abandoned as he'd thought it was), "The Good Job" (two waitresses' Halloween night goes awry), and "Miss Jennings' Family" (creepy dolls, 'nuff said).
Miller manages to craft believable and disparate characters in very small spaces, with some of the stories spanning less than a single page. Most of the thirty-three protagonists we meet in The Uncanny Valley had individual voices and life outlooks. Many authors can't do this when given 300+ pages to write a novel, and it's refreshing to read someone with such a rich capacity for characterization.
I really enjoyed exploring horror last year and hope to read more in 2015, but I continue to be let down by it. Don't get me wrong—the stories in this collection are ominous and eerie, but I want my pants scared off by a book in the way that only movies have managed so far (see: The Babadook, The Blair Witch Project). Maybe I'm just really bad at visualizing scary imagery and need it fed to me via film. Maybe I expected these stories to be something they aren't meant to be, and I'm just not reading the right books for what I want. Any advice? Julianne, this is definitely a question up your alley.
Overall, The Uncanny Valley was a quick, absorbing read, and horror fans (who are more open-minded than I am, apparently) should delight in these morsels of terror. I'm, however, still on the hunt for that horror novel.
My favorite stories in the collection were "The Great Unknown," (a college-bound man chooses between two adventures), "Don't Tell!" (a young boy gets to know a very, very old woman), "Here and There," (a photographer explores a condemned house not as abandoned as he'd thought it was), "The Good Job" (two waitresses' Halloween night goes awry), and "Miss Jennings' Family" (creepy dolls, 'nuff said).
Miller manages to craft believable and disparate characters in very small spaces, with some of the stories spanning less than a single page. Most of the thirty-three protagonists we meet in The Uncanny Valley had individual voices and life outlooks. Many authors can't do this when given 300+ pages to write a novel, and it's refreshing to read someone with such a rich capacity for characterization.
I really enjoyed exploring horror last year and hope to read more in 2015, but I continue to be let down by it. Don't get me wrong—the stories in this collection are ominous and eerie, but I want my pants scared off by a book in the way that only movies have managed so far (see: The Babadook, The Blair Witch Project). Maybe I'm just really bad at visualizing scary imagery and need it fed to me via film. Maybe I expected these stories to be something they aren't meant to be, and I'm just not reading the right books for what I want. Any advice? Julianne, this is definitely a question up your alley.
Overall, The Uncanny Valley was a quick, absorbing read, and horror fans (who are more open-minded than I am, apparently) should delight in these morsels of terror. I'm, however, still on the hunt for that horror novel.
May 4, 2015
The Uncanny Valley- A hard place to find and a harder place to leave
If I were given any one of these stories and asked to read it by itself, upon completion, my reaction would probably be 'meh'. What really makes this collection work is the story behind them. A Pennsylvania radio station started a small town, cultural preservation initiative. Listeners were asked to describe a specific event that typifies the culture of their hometown. As letters started pouring in, there were some unusual ones, and many of these coming from the little known town of Uncanny Valley. Whether it's a bigfoot in the shed, a magical garden, or a ghost that goes bump in the night, you never know what you will get in Uncanny Valley. What lends a sense of authenticity to the stories is that they have the name, age and occupation of each writer. Plus each story has a voice of it's own. Together these tales work, weaving to create a picturesque town where almost anything can happen. I was totally engrossed in these stories. The illustrations add a nice touch as well. The icing on the cake was the epilogue. While I don't want to give anything away, it reveals one final twist that made these tales that much better. People who enjoy something a little unusual should pay a visit to the Uncanny Valley.
If I were given any one of these stories and asked to read it by itself, upon completion, my reaction would probably be 'meh'. What really makes this collection work is the story behind them. A Pennsylvania radio station started a small town, cultural preservation initiative. Listeners were asked to describe a specific event that typifies the culture of their hometown. As letters started pouring in, there were some unusual ones, and many of these coming from the little known town of Uncanny Valley. Whether it's a bigfoot in the shed, a magical garden, or a ghost that goes bump in the night, you never know what you will get in Uncanny Valley. What lends a sense of authenticity to the stories is that they have the name, age and occupation of each writer. Plus each story has a voice of it's own. Together these tales work, weaving to create a picturesque town where almost anything can happen. I was totally engrossed in these stories. The illustrations add a nice touch as well. The icing on the cake was the epilogue. While I don't want to give anything away, it reveals one final twist that made these tales that much better. People who enjoy something a little unusual should pay a visit to the Uncanny Valley.
February 20, 2016
Spoon River Anthology meets Tales from the Crypt in this collection of short pieces, ostensibly written by denizens of Uncanny Valley, PA, as entries to a local radio essay contest.
The anecdotes, all short and easily digestible, are written by a range of people from children to spinsters (In one case a really, really, really old spinster), and paint an ever-deepening and disturbing portrait of a town that is not quite right.
Miller absolutely nails the myriad styles of illiterate youngsters, miners, retired teachers, sweet little old ladies, angry old men, and anyone else who happens to live in this at once quaint and sinister municipality. Taking the time to build his story slowly through each entrant’s eyes, Miller manages to construct a place inhabited by very real characters that is both very recognizable yet most unusual.
Rarely outright ghoulish, horror is sprinkled like delicate spice throughout. But it is the very subtlety and familiarity that make the stories truly alarming; like the matching smiles of a demon doll and the wicked child who holds it.
Thinking man’s horror, Uncanny Valley is an excellent read.
The anecdotes, all short and easily digestible, are written by a range of people from children to spinsters (In one case a really, really, really old spinster), and paint an ever-deepening and disturbing portrait of a town that is not quite right.
Miller absolutely nails the myriad styles of illiterate youngsters, miners, retired teachers, sweet little old ladies, angry old men, and anyone else who happens to live in this at once quaint and sinister municipality. Taking the time to build his story slowly through each entrant’s eyes, Miller manages to construct a place inhabited by very real characters that is both very recognizable yet most unusual.
Rarely outright ghoulish, horror is sprinkled like delicate spice throughout. But it is the very subtlety and familiarity that make the stories truly alarming; like the matching smiles of a demon doll and the wicked child who holds it.
Thinking man’s horror, Uncanny Valley is an excellent read.
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