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Mr. Shivers
Discover Robert Jackson Bennett's stunning debut, "set during the Great Depression and reading like a collaboration between Stephen King and John Steinbeck" ( Publishers Weekly -- starred review).
In the ruins of the Dust Bowl, thousands have left their homes looking for a better life, a new life. But Marcus Connelly is not one of them. He searches for one thing, and one thing Revenge.
Because out there, riding the rails, stalking the camps, is the scarred vagrant who murdered Connelly's daughter.
One man must face a dark truth and answer the question -- how much is he willing to sacrifice for his satisfaction?
In the ruins of the Dust Bowl, thousands have left their homes looking for a better life, a new life. But Marcus Connelly is not one of them. He searches for one thing, and one thing Revenge.
Because out there, riding the rails, stalking the camps, is the scarred vagrant who murdered Connelly's daughter.
One man must face a dark truth and answer the question -- how much is he willing to sacrifice for his satisfaction?
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 2, 2009
108 people are currently reading
3816 people want to read
About the author
Robert Jackson Bennett
32 books22.4k followersRobert Jackson Bennett is a two-time award winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel, an Edgar Award winner for Best Paperback Original, and is also the 2010 recipient of the Sydney J Bounds Award for Best Newcomer, and a Philip K Dick Award Citation of Excellence. City of Stairs was shortlisted for the Locus Award and the World Fantasy Award. City of Blades was a finalist for the 2015 World Fantasy, Locus, and British Fantasy Awards. His eighth novel, FOUNDRYSIDE, will be available in the US on 8/21 of 2018 and the UK on 8/23.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
December 17, 2014
When his daughter is killed senselessly by a disfigured drifter named Mr. Shivers, Marcus Connelly travels across the Despression-stricken country for vengeance in the company of several hobos, each with a reason for wanting Mr. Shivers dead...
This tale of death in the Dustbowl was an odd animal to pin down. The pursuit of a mysterious man in gray echoed the beginning of The Gunslinger. Much like the first volume in the epic Dark Tower series, Mr. Shivers is a novel of obsession and relentlessness. How far would you be willing to go to achieve your goals?
The writing reminds me of Joe Lansdale's more literary works like The Bottoms. The subject matter, however, has echoes of Steppenwolf, The Man Who Was Thursday, and Cormac McCarthy. When you track down great evil, you have to fight hard to avoid getting swept up by it. The metaphysical questions the book raises make this more than a Depression-era horror novel.
For a book that's less than 350 pages, it's fairly powerful. It might be overly ambitious for a first novel, though. The concepts were great and Mr. Shivers was suitably creepy but I didn't think Connelly or his hobo compatriots were very fleshed out. The book also seemed really linear and could have made more use of the hobo culture of the Great Depression.
At the end of the day, I'm not even really sure how I felt about it. I loved some of the ideas presented but the story itself was lacking. I guess we'll call it a three out of five.
This tale of death in the Dustbowl was an odd animal to pin down. The pursuit of a mysterious man in gray echoed the beginning of The Gunslinger. Much like the first volume in the epic Dark Tower series, Mr. Shivers is a novel of obsession and relentlessness. How far would you be willing to go to achieve your goals?
The writing reminds me of Joe Lansdale's more literary works like The Bottoms. The subject matter, however, has echoes of Steppenwolf, The Man Who Was Thursday, and Cormac McCarthy. When you track down great evil, you have to fight hard to avoid getting swept up by it. The metaphysical questions the book raises make this more than a Depression-era horror novel.
For a book that's less than 350 pages, it's fairly powerful. It might be overly ambitious for a first novel, though. The concepts were great and Mr. Shivers was suitably creepy but I didn't think Connelly or his hobo compatriots were very fleshed out. The book also seemed really linear and could have made more use of the hobo culture of the Great Depression.
At the end of the day, I'm not even really sure how I felt about it. I loved some of the ideas presented but the story itself was lacking. I guess we'll call it a three out of five.
February 20, 2014
In his short review of this book, my friend Chris said: "What if John Steinbeck had written a version of The Gunslinger?" And I can see it, to a point. It's set in the Depression, deals with the poor in America struggling to get by on what they don't have - and at the same time, there's a quest to find the Man in Gray.
But that's about where the comparison would end. Steinbeck is a master at making me care about his characters almost immediately. Of Mice and Men barely tops 100 pages, but in that time I became incredibly... connected to George and Lennie. Not very kind of Mr. Steinbeck, all things considered, but important to me, nonetheless.
I couldn't really connect with any of the characters in this book. In fact, the only death that even registered to me was the in-passing death of a character that had only been introduced a few chapters before... and that's really more because of my own sense of outrage at the injustice of the situation than any authorial skill at making me care about the character. But, I digress. I didn't really care much about Connelly or his quest. We're told several times that he's grieving for his murdered daughter - but I just never really felt it. Not in the gut-punch way that I would expect. I mean, this is the catalyst for this man leaving his wife and home to go on a cross-country, indefinite-duration, revenge hunt. He's given up everything, and acknowledges that the end result may be his death, so I would expect to really FEEL his grief as a tangible force pushing him forward to act. Instead there were references to it just tossed in here and there to remind the reader that this was a grieving father... but it just didn't cut it for me.
In addition to that, this book felt a little confused as to what it wanted to be. The first half was a realistic Depression-era revenge story, and then the second half went off in a surreal fantasy & myth direction. Honestly, I'd be OK with the direction shift if I hadn't felt that it dragged the story down into a bog of predictability. I think that this would have been a better story had it not gone the direction it did in the latter half, and just stayed a realistic fiction/horror/thriller without any supernatural elements. Aren't people scary enough? I think they can be.
Finally, I have to say that there were some things that just didn't quite sit right with me about this book. There are probably going to be spoilers following, so if you don't want to see them, stop reading... NOW.
First, there were a lot of instances where words or phrases just felt out of place for the setting. Would men of the 30s say "Because fuck you, that's why!"? Maybe, but it just strikes me as modern, internet-troll era lingo.
I also felt that there was something off about the story in terms of believeability. It just felt that the story was progressing from point A to point B because that was the route needed to get to point C, rather than that being the way that the story would naturally progress.
An example: Connelly and his group track the man to a house in a town. He gets away, but it's close, and one of their number ends up being killed, and they get caught in a sandstorm for several days. When they resume their search, it never even enters their head to think that a false trail or a trap may be laid for them, they just continue on as normal, asking around and following the info they receive - that the man left for New Mexico days before. Yet, when they hear a story from someone else that he saw the man last night, and that he's the devil, rather than questioning whether the man actually left or not (false trail!!) they question whether he could really be the devil or not.
But that's these characters' flaws as logical-thinking trackers. The reason it doesn't feel believable to me is that Mr. Shivers DOESN'T leave a false trail. It just doesn't make sense to me. He goes out of his way to evade them, and to set up traps, but still leads them the right way to find him. Why not lead them wrong? It would be so much easier.
Then there's the hobo signs. Or lack thereof. I knew about hobo signs before I picked up this book (don't ask me how, it's just one of my mysteries!) so I was excited to see that they were used as chapter headers. Imagine my dismay to find that, in a story whose entire cast of main characters are hobos, exactly ONE hobo sign is used in the story itself, right around the 84% mark. And it could have been completely left out for all that its inclusion benefited the story.
My second complaint regarding the hobo signs is that, though they were used as chapter headers, they were repeated far too often, and I think that different ones would have been better. Chapters 19 and 20 used the exact same sign ("There is nothing to be gained here") back to back. Then, in a chapter where a man kills himself, the sign used means "OK, alright." Seems like the opposite of OK to me.
And then there's the casual reference to the "Mithras-man". This intrigued me, so I did a little reading on Mithras (very little - wikipedia and a couple Google searches for other sites), and, honestly, there doesn't seem to be anything that links Mithras with death, that I can tell. In fact, most of the sources I found show Mithras to be a benign and protective sun deity. There were a lot of references to Mithraic beliefs in the latter half of the book - the rock, the cave, the waters Rosie mentions, as well as the waters provided to the town, the season of change, the bull slaughter (which seems pretty random if you don't know this connection - though, to be fair, it is mentioned that it seems to be an old ritual - the characters just don't understand it either), the banquet of the sun ("You made the sun come up, Connelly."), the lion-headed figure (Leo). These all tie in pretty much word for word with the info I read on Mithras. The only thing that doesn't fit is the author's depiction of Mithras as a creature of death. It doesn't make sense to me. And honestly, if it's just the change, the passing of the torch that's the finale, that could have been done without the Mithras connection at all.
I dunno... maybe I missed something, but I just feel like this book was trying to be too many things and didn't quite get any of them right. I can't say that it was a BAD book, but it's definitely not a great one either.
But that's about where the comparison would end. Steinbeck is a master at making me care about his characters almost immediately. Of Mice and Men barely tops 100 pages, but in that time I became incredibly... connected to George and Lennie. Not very kind of Mr. Steinbeck, all things considered, but important to me, nonetheless.
I couldn't really connect with any of the characters in this book. In fact, the only death that even registered to me was the in-passing death of a character that had only been introduced a few chapters before... and that's really more because of my own sense of outrage at the injustice of the situation than any authorial skill at making me care about the character. But, I digress. I didn't really care much about Connelly or his quest. We're told several times that he's grieving for his murdered daughter - but I just never really felt it. Not in the gut-punch way that I would expect. I mean, this is the catalyst for this man leaving his wife and home to go on a cross-country, indefinite-duration, revenge hunt. He's given up everything, and acknowledges that the end result may be his death, so I would expect to really FEEL his grief as a tangible force pushing him forward to act. Instead there were references to it just tossed in here and there to remind the reader that this was a grieving father... but it just didn't cut it for me.
In addition to that, this book felt a little confused as to what it wanted to be. The first half was a realistic Depression-era revenge story, and then the second half went off in a surreal fantasy & myth direction. Honestly, I'd be OK with the direction shift if I hadn't felt that it dragged the story down into a bog of predictability. I think that this would have been a better story had it not gone the direction it did in the latter half, and just stayed a realistic fiction/horror/thriller without any supernatural elements. Aren't people scary enough? I think they can be.
Finally, I have to say that there were some things that just didn't quite sit right with me about this book. There are probably going to be spoilers following, so if you don't want to see them, stop reading... NOW.
First, there were a lot of instances where words or phrases just felt out of place for the setting. Would men of the 30s say "Because fuck you, that's why!"? Maybe, but it just strikes me as modern, internet-troll era lingo.
I also felt that there was something off about the story in terms of believeability. It just felt that the story was progressing from point A to point B because that was the route needed to get to point C, rather than that being the way that the story would naturally progress.
An example: Connelly and his group track the man to a house in a town. He gets away, but it's close, and one of their number ends up being killed, and they get caught in a sandstorm for several days. When they resume their search, it never even enters their head to think that a false trail or a trap may be laid for them, they just continue on as normal, asking around and following the info they receive - that the man left for New Mexico days before. Yet, when they hear a story from someone else that he saw the man last night, and that he's the devil, rather than questioning whether the man actually left or not (false trail!!) they question whether he could really be the devil or not.
But that's these characters' flaws as logical-thinking trackers. The reason it doesn't feel believable to me is that Mr. Shivers DOESN'T leave a false trail. It just doesn't make sense to me. He goes out of his way to evade them, and to set up traps, but still leads them the right way to find him. Why not lead them wrong? It would be so much easier.
Then there's the hobo signs. Or lack thereof. I knew about hobo signs before I picked up this book (don't ask me how, it's just one of my mysteries!) so I was excited to see that they were used as chapter headers. Imagine my dismay to find that, in a story whose entire cast of main characters are hobos, exactly ONE hobo sign is used in the story itself, right around the 84% mark. And it could have been completely left out for all that its inclusion benefited the story.
My second complaint regarding the hobo signs is that, though they were used as chapter headers, they were repeated far too often, and I think that different ones would have been better. Chapters 19 and 20 used the exact same sign ("There is nothing to be gained here") back to back. Then, in a chapter where a man kills himself, the sign used means "OK, alright." Seems like the opposite of OK to me.
And then there's the casual reference to the "Mithras-man". This intrigued me, so I did a little reading on Mithras (very little - wikipedia and a couple Google searches for other sites), and, honestly, there doesn't seem to be anything that links Mithras with death, that I can tell. In fact, most of the sources I found show Mithras to be a benign and protective sun deity. There were a lot of references to Mithraic beliefs in the latter half of the book - the rock, the cave, the waters Rosie mentions, as well as the waters provided to the town, the season of change, the bull slaughter (which seems pretty random if you don't know this connection - though, to be fair, it is mentioned that it seems to be an old ritual - the characters just don't understand it either), the banquet of the sun ("You made the sun come up, Connelly."), the lion-headed figure (Leo). These all tie in pretty much word for word with the info I read on Mithras. The only thing that doesn't fit is the author's depiction of Mithras as a creature of death. It doesn't make sense to me. And honestly, if it's just the change, the passing of the torch that's the finale, that could have been done without the Mithras connection at all.
I dunno... maybe I missed something, but I just feel like this book was trying to be too many things and didn't quite get any of them right. I can't say that it was a BAD book, but it's definitely not a great one either.
July 14, 2020
The main character Marcus Connelly in the novel ‘Mr. Shivers’ by a Robert Jackson Bennett has been silently traveling from one hobo-camp to another - walking, hitching rides, sneaking aboard trains. He is astonished by the numbers of similar dirty tramps on the roads, camping rough. He has been learning the harsh life of a hobo these last few weeks, not because he had no work as most people on the roads, but because he is hunting Death.
Previously an innocent small-town married father and husband who recently lost his young daughter to a particularly cruel murderer, called Mr. Shivers, Connelly has been seeing much that he did not know before. Surprisingly, there is more kindness and decency than he expected. People generally retain their empathy and small-town values even while struggling to survive. However, there are a few who see these impoverished masses as prey or scum, and they do not hesitate to react in fear, self-protection or predation. But the most amazing moment Connelly has is in meeting a group of hobos who are hunting the same man as himself. Mr. Shivers appears to have a strong appetite for blood and killing, in which he has been indulging for a long time. The other hobos' share their stories, so Connelly learns this raggedy man called Shivers loves to kill all kinds of people from all over the country, and for some reason, these new friends have all felt drawn into hunting down this peculiar murderer whatever the personal cost. Connelly himself has lost his marriage because of his obsession to track down Mr. Shivers.
As the hobo friends talk, they share what they have heard about Mr. Shivers. Besides the fact they all have become obsessed with the man despite their different strengths, weaknesses and backgrounds, they also discover Mr. Shivers is leaving behind him a trail of gossip and murders. He does not disguise himself. It also seems people do not forget meeting this odd frightening man if they survived the encounter. It also becomes clear they are very close to finding him. Meeting Mr. Shivers is a matter of only a few days of travel...
The novel takes place during the Depression. World War II will soon begin, which will kill at least 300,000 American soldiers alone. A total of 60-million people, estimated, will be killed because of the war, eventually, from countries all over the earth. I think every single one of them met death in a personal way.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unite...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World...
It is interesting that Robert Jackson Bennett, the author, placed his book in this particular time and place (1930's - the time of the Great Depression). As many people of the world know (maybe not many Americans), WWII made America rich, and pulled our country out of poverty by the 1950's because of other nations' buying American armaments, along with other types of payments made to the USA, by defeated Axis countries and our WWII allies. (The other involved countries, such as Britain, were still struggling with widespread poverty until the mid-1970's.)
Despite the worldwide poverty of the Great Depression, though, death did NOT exactly stalk mass numbers of people!
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science...
Instead, Mr. Death usually seems to have a distinct personalized touch using mano a mano methods, which a number of authors have in their plots (for example Stephen King The Stand, John Connolly Every Dead Thing, to name a few). Only human beings appear to kill with mass-killing blood-thirst. Just saying.
I really liked Mr. Shivers. He was really quite ideologically pure. He is not a corrupt man. On the other hand, the people he enlists in this novel to help him are all corrupt and evil, enjoying the taking of life through torture, greed and the use of personal authority for private gain. Mr. Shivers simply kills. I really liked the eponymous book, too.
Many Goodreads members do not share my opinion about this novel or about the Mr. Shivers character. I admit I have always been, well, a little off-center (quite left-leaning, actually), and I might be worse lately. Death has been as real to me as something alive and as capricious as a wild creature for some time (I live in a senior park - fifteen of my cul-de-sac's near-neighbors have died so far in the ten years I've been here in all kinds of ways. My husband survived a life-threatening illness which required an induced coma of two months a few years ago as well).
Death is definitely a shivery and an awful business. But Mr. Shivers is more palatable to me than most of the evil human characters in Robert Jackson Bennett's book. Not only is Mr. Shivers true to his values, one knows where one stands with him. His nature is as consistent as Time. To replace him, gentle reader, it would take another of ideological purity. There aren't too many individuals with this kind of personal strength of belief or character. One must burn away everything unessential to the purpose.
I did not think this was a horror genre novel. To me, it was a literary magical-realism read. I suppose the fact I am classifying this novel as such shouts that I march with an off-beat rhythm. What can you expect from a retired ex-secretary with a home-schooled Literature education?
Me:
I even have a tattoo (dragon), which was not acceptable for secretaries on two levels (having a tat, and having a dragon tat) 40 years ago, so I've been like whatever I am long before I got old. You know now what you're dealing with.
Previously an innocent small-town married father and husband who recently lost his young daughter to a particularly cruel murderer, called Mr. Shivers, Connelly has been seeing much that he did not know before. Surprisingly, there is more kindness and decency than he expected. People generally retain their empathy and small-town values even while struggling to survive. However, there are a few who see these impoverished masses as prey or scum, and they do not hesitate to react in fear, self-protection or predation. But the most amazing moment Connelly has is in meeting a group of hobos who are hunting the same man as himself. Mr. Shivers appears to have a strong appetite for blood and killing, in which he has been indulging for a long time. The other hobos' share their stories, so Connelly learns this raggedy man called Shivers loves to kill all kinds of people from all over the country, and for some reason, these new friends have all felt drawn into hunting down this peculiar murderer whatever the personal cost. Connelly himself has lost his marriage because of his obsession to track down Mr. Shivers.
As the hobo friends talk, they share what they have heard about Mr. Shivers. Besides the fact they all have become obsessed with the man despite their different strengths, weaknesses and backgrounds, they also discover Mr. Shivers is leaving behind him a trail of gossip and murders. He does not disguise himself. It also seems people do not forget meeting this odd frightening man if they survived the encounter. It also becomes clear they are very close to finding him. Meeting Mr. Shivers is a matter of only a few days of travel...
The novel takes place during the Depression. World War II will soon begin, which will kill at least 300,000 American soldiers alone. A total of 60-million people, estimated, will be killed because of the war, eventually, from countries all over the earth. I think every single one of them met death in a personal way.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unite...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World...
It is interesting that Robert Jackson Bennett, the author, placed his book in this particular time and place (1930's - the time of the Great Depression). As many people of the world know (maybe not many Americans), WWII made America rich, and pulled our country out of poverty by the 1950's because of other nations' buying American armaments, along with other types of payments made to the USA, by defeated Axis countries and our WWII allies. (The other involved countries, such as Britain, were still struggling with widespread poverty until the mid-1970's.)
Despite the worldwide poverty of the Great Depression, though, death did NOT exactly stalk mass numbers of people!
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science...
Instead, Mr. Death usually seems to have a distinct personalized touch using mano a mano methods, which a number of authors have in their plots (for example Stephen King The Stand, John Connolly Every Dead Thing, to name a few). Only human beings appear to kill with mass-killing blood-thirst. Just saying.
I really liked Mr. Shivers. He was really quite ideologically pure. He is not a corrupt man. On the other hand, the people he enlists in this novel to help him are all corrupt and evil, enjoying the taking of life through torture, greed and the use of personal authority for private gain. Mr. Shivers simply kills. I really liked the eponymous book, too.
Many Goodreads members do not share my opinion about this novel or about the Mr. Shivers character. I admit I have always been, well, a little off-center (quite left-leaning, actually), and I might be worse lately. Death has been as real to me as something alive and as capricious as a wild creature for some time (I live in a senior park - fifteen of my cul-de-sac's near-neighbors have died so far in the ten years I've been here in all kinds of ways. My husband survived a life-threatening illness which required an induced coma of two months a few years ago as well).
Death is definitely a shivery and an awful business. But Mr. Shivers is more palatable to me than most of the evil human characters in Robert Jackson Bennett's book. Not only is Mr. Shivers true to his values, one knows where one stands with him. His nature is as consistent as Time. To replace him, gentle reader, it would take another of ideological purity. There aren't too many individuals with this kind of personal strength of belief or character. One must burn away everything unessential to the purpose.
I did not think this was a horror genre novel. To me, it was a literary magical-realism read. I suppose the fact I am classifying this novel as such shouts that I march with an off-beat rhythm. What can you expect from a retired ex-secretary with a home-schooled Literature education?
Me:
I even have a tattoo (dragon), which was not acceptable for secretaries on two levels (having a tat, and having a dragon tat) 40 years ago, so I've been like whatever I am long before I got old. You know now what you're dealing with.
October 18, 2021
I'm very impressed with this novel for a few reasons, not least because it's a good, long adventure of revenge. I think I loved its feel of near-universal poverty set in the time of the Great Depression the most, however.
The long-off, almost impossible quest to kill the bogeyman named Mr. Shivers across this desolate America, finding bad-off friends on the dole, the trains, the evil lawmen, the poverty, poverty, poverty, just filled me with as much, or much more dread than the bad guy.
But that's okay. Atmosphere is everything in these kinds of novels. While it's not particularly scary, the journey was pretty impressive and immersive.
I should mention I'm a pretty big fan of this author's later works and will still place them much higher than this one, but I AM fascinated to see how different this is from the rest. :)
The long-off, almost impossible quest to kill the bogeyman named Mr. Shivers across this desolate America, finding bad-off friends on the dole, the trains, the evil lawmen, the poverty, poverty, poverty, just filled me with as much, or much more dread than the bad guy.
But that's okay. Atmosphere is everything in these kinds of novels. While it's not particularly scary, the journey was pretty impressive and immersive.
I should mention I'm a pretty big fan of this author's later works and will still place them much higher than this one, but I AM fascinated to see how different this is from the rest. :)
February 5, 2014
What if...
...John Steinbeck had written a version of The Gunslinger, set in one of his Great Depression era settings?
Hmmm...
The Scarred Man in Gray fled across the Midwestern Plains...
...and the Vengeful Hobo followed...
Maybe not quite like that. But this was a very enjoyable (and dark) read.....
Recommended.
...John Steinbeck had written a version of The Gunslinger, set in one of his Great Depression era settings?
Hmmm...
The Scarred Man in Gray fled across the Midwestern Plains...
...and the Vengeful Hobo followed...
Maybe not quite like that. But this was a very enjoyable (and dark) read.....
Recommended.
November 13, 2018
"He has a thousand names, and each one catches but a part of him.....He is the Harvester, the Sickle Man. The Night Walker and That Which Devours. The Skullsie Man, the Star Reaper, the Grinning Bone Dancer. He is the Black Rider, the great beast below all and beyond all......Death? Death is but a term."
Three things I loved about this book.
1. The writing - you know it's good when you forget you're actually reading.
2. The era and place as a secondary character - dustbowl America, feel like I've been there now.
3. A satisfying but somewhat interpretive ending - I know I'm going to be thinking about this one for a looooooong time.
Well done Mr Bennett, I'll be back for more.
Three things I loved about this book.
1. The writing - you know it's good when you forget you're actually reading.
2. The era and place as a secondary character - dustbowl America, feel like I've been there now.
3. A satisfying but somewhat interpretive ending - I know I'm going to be thinking about this one for a looooooong time.
Well done Mr Bennett, I'll be back for more.
June 3, 2020
I made it to the end of this book, only to find I wasted my time. I could have simply read a Marvel Comics reprint of the origin of The Gorilla Man, and got the same story with less time and effort, and definitely more pleasure. I got this book in a trade, and came away thinking the trader included this as a practical joke, or simply as an attempt to spread the misery.
Some guys, all of whom speak in a completely pretentious voice, unknown to most humans, pursue a serial killer during the depression.
Don't waste your time. Just read Gorilla Man.
Some guys, all of whom speak in a completely pretentious voice, unknown to most humans, pursue a serial killer during the depression.
Don't waste your time. Just read Gorilla Man.
August 26, 2025
Mr Shivers was one of my top ten most anticipated reads of 2010. I loved the cover and the synopsis but unfortunately, Mr Shivers did not deliver. For me it was just a disappointment and rather dull to boot.
After his daughter is murdered, Marcus Connelly sets out to find the scarred man, aka gray man, aka Mr Shivers, to seek his revenge. Along the way he joins forces with an unlikely band of hobos who are also out to kill Mr Shivers. Most of the book is following their journey towards finding this man they all hate and wish dead. When we are eventually introduced to Mr Shivers I didn't find him menacing or scary, which was a bit of a let down.
This book is marketed as a thriller/horror novel, but it didn't really contain any suspense or horror. I wasn't scared or haunted and there was absolutely no atmosphere or interesting descriptions of the environment to give the essence of where the characters were or their surroundings, except for a few dust storms.
I also felt as though there was no character development. I didn't get to know the characters, understand them, feel sorry for them. In fact, I didn't really care about them. The dialogue was awkward and didn't give any indication of the personalities behind the words.
I continued until the end, as I rarely give up on a book, but this was very difficult, and, if I'm honest, I skimmed through a few pages. However, I'm forever the optimist and at the back of my mind I'm always thinking there will be something amazing at the end that I didn't see coming and it will just blow me away. This didn't happen. Instead the ending was as flat as the rest of the book.
Verdict:
This is the authors debut novel, but unfortunately, Mr Shivers didn't chill me to the bone. I found it lacking the aspects I expect from a thriller/horror novel. I also didn't like the style of writing and therefore doubt I would read anything else from this author in the future.
After his daughter is murdered, Marcus Connelly sets out to find the scarred man, aka gray man, aka Mr Shivers, to seek his revenge. Along the way he joins forces with an unlikely band of hobos who are also out to kill Mr Shivers. Most of the book is following their journey towards finding this man they all hate and wish dead. When we are eventually introduced to Mr Shivers I didn't find him menacing or scary, which was a bit of a let down.
This book is marketed as a thriller/horror novel, but it didn't really contain any suspense or horror. I wasn't scared or haunted and there was absolutely no atmosphere or interesting descriptions of the environment to give the essence of where the characters were or their surroundings, except for a few dust storms.
I also felt as though there was no character development. I didn't get to know the characters, understand them, feel sorry for them. In fact, I didn't really care about them. The dialogue was awkward and didn't give any indication of the personalities behind the words.
I continued until the end, as I rarely give up on a book, but this was very difficult, and, if I'm honest, I skimmed through a few pages. However, I'm forever the optimist and at the back of my mind I'm always thinking there will be something amazing at the end that I didn't see coming and it will just blow me away. This didn't happen. Instead the ending was as flat as the rest of the book.
Verdict:
This is the authors debut novel, but unfortunately, Mr Shivers didn't chill me to the bone. I found it lacking the aspects I expect from a thriller/horror novel. I also didn't like the style of writing and therefore doubt I would read anything else from this author in the future.
July 10, 2022
Mr. Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett, totally agree it is a cross of reading Stephen King and John Steinbeck, subtle almost subdued buildup relationships some firm some scant but after which at times left me anxious as you expect at any moment " Mr Shivers" will be engaged in bloody battle victorious or not. Robert has a lovely poetic descriptive style of writing painting vivid pictures of the great depression era and of seemingly hopeless travelers across a shattered landscape all whom have bleak prospects. I felt the pain of the men seeking revenge but more so for Marcus it's unimaginable what you yourself would be prepared to do, but you could only imagine taking those very steps he did for yourself if you were in that situation. In short this is realism mashed with supernatural horror, very enjoyable. Spotted a copy from an op shop.
March 18, 2011
A horror journeyman tale set in the Great Depression amongst economic downturn and drought - the protagonist Marcus Connelly embarks on a journey in search of the madman who murdered his daughter, the infamous Mr. Shivers. Accompanied by hobos seeking the same form of vengeance they travel across wastelands and wild west towns inhabited by gunslingers and thieves ever inching closer to their quarry, leaving only a trickle of blood in their wake. Bennett's debut blended crime elements with the supernatural to form an entertaining and creepy tale with surprising character depth and no nonsense dialog. Connelly is the typical hard man with an outer shell of stone and a soft interior and was the perfect compliment to Mr. Shivers who together were a classic example of good versus evil. Started well before lulling midway but was ultimately redeemed with an ending I didn't see coming. 3 Stars.
February 6, 2010
I am vacillating between three and four stars on this one. Robert Jackson Bennett has written a thoughtful horror novel that captures the desperation of the Great Depression and explores our own ambivalence about death and misfortune. It is perhaps too thoughtful. Those looking for an action packed suspense tale may be a bit disappointed. However there is a lot to recommend this debut. My misgivings are centered mainly around character development. The main protagonist Connelly is consistent. He is an obsessed man made so by tragedy. He joins a number of men who have the same goal, one that will remain unsaid here since it would spoil some of the pleasure of this book. Yet the other men are not so developed. They take twist and turns that are not so explainable weakening the consistency of the novel. Having said that, I must also say the authors' strengths are many. He is especially good at dialogue and when there is an action scene such as a dust storm or a battle in a small mountain town it is usually riveting. I also felt the ending was quite satisfying. Overall I recommend this book to lovers of horror fiction and fantasy that centers around American history and mythology. This is a debut novel and I expect that the talented writer will work out some of the kinks in his later works. If that happens, I can easily see Mr. Bennett's name bring batted around with King, Bloch and Matheson.
June 6, 2017
4-stars
There are just certain types of reads I crave from time to time. And Mr. Shivers--what a CHEESY name, eh?--fit the bill perfect for getting my old-school horror fix. Cause to me, that's what it reads like--old Dean Koontz or John Saul or Robert McCammon. I think anyone who likes that type of stuff will definitely dig this. I sure did and look forward to reading more from this guy.
There are just certain types of reads I crave from time to time. And Mr. Shivers--what a CHEESY name, eh?--fit the bill perfect for getting my old-school horror fix. Cause to me, that's what it reads like--old Dean Koontz or John Saul or Robert McCammon. I think anyone who likes that type of stuff will definitely dig this. I sure did and look forward to reading more from this guy.
September 17, 2019
3.75 overall. This one was a solid 4 or 4.5 for the majority of the book, but in the final third of the book I guessed the final climax. I hoped that I'd be proven wrong, but sadly, I was right. The ending felt muddled and like it had lost the momentum of the first two thirds of the book. Still, a fun read and I'm curious to read more by the author. His ability to set the scene and place you in the story were fantastic.
November 8, 2009
I'm sure this novel will be a hit for a lot of people. For me, it took a wrong turn.
What started out as an intriguing search for a killer set against the historical background of the Great Depression suddenly detoured into fantasy and the paranormal and left me disappointed.
I don’t want to come down too harsh on the novel. I genuinely liked the first half—the realistic half. And, even later, there were some lyrical passages of good writing. Most fantasy novels leave me cold. This held my interest long enough to finish reading the book. I’m sure many will like it and it may even become a best seller. But the quest wasn’t the one I wanted to follow.
What started out as an intriguing search for a killer set against the historical background of the Great Depression suddenly detoured into fantasy and the paranormal and left me disappointed.
I don’t want to come down too harsh on the novel. I genuinely liked the first half—the realistic half. And, even later, there were some lyrical passages of good writing. Most fantasy novels leave me cold. This held my interest long enough to finish reading the book. I’m sure many will like it and it may even become a best seller. But the quest wasn’t the one I wanted to follow.
February 5, 2023
I picked this up because I'm working my way through all the Robert Jackson Bennett books. This novel is his debut, and while it was a solid read, this mostly has shadows of what I like about his future books.
Set in the dustbowl, this follows a man searching for a killer, a killer who has struck again and again and again. Seeming to have lost everything, our protagonist Connelly sets out on a journey to stop evil. This is a horror, and it's like a reverse Odyssey - instead of heading for home, Connelly knows he can never go home, yet must keep moving and overcoming obstacles, some of this world, and some of the next, both with mythic overtones. The dustbowl setting explores some American concepts around striving, individuality and hope.
Jackson Bennett is a master of tone and world building, and there are hints of that here. You can see how he'll get to be so good at writing the uncanny, and creating twisty, yet satisfying plots.
If you're a completionist, and you want to read all of Jackson Bennett's oeuvre, or you're looking for a historical fiction horror that's heavier on the existential dread than the gore, you should pick this up. But I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this one. Instead, read almost anything Jackson Bennett has written. He gets a lot better!
Set in the dustbowl, this follows a man searching for a killer, a killer who has struck again and again and again. Seeming to have lost everything, our protagonist Connelly sets out on a journey to stop evil. This is a horror, and it's like a reverse Odyssey - instead of heading for home, Connelly knows he can never go home, yet must keep moving and overcoming obstacles, some of this world, and some of the next, both with mythic overtones. The dustbowl setting explores some American concepts around striving, individuality and hope.
Jackson Bennett is a master of tone and world building, and there are hints of that here. You can see how he'll get to be so good at writing the uncanny, and creating twisty, yet satisfying plots.
If you're a completionist, and you want to read all of Jackson Bennett's oeuvre, or you're looking for a historical fiction horror that's heavier on the existential dread than the gore, you should pick this up. But I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this one. Instead, read almost anything Jackson Bennett has written. He gets a lot better!
February 20, 2015
People who come to Mr. Shivers because they enjoyed Robert Jackson Bennett's later books will probably be in for a bit of a let down. Not because it's a bad book, because it's really, really good, and not even because his other books are better. It's just that relative to the books that followed, which are all sweeping high-concept fantasies, knotty conspiracy thrillers or both, Mr. Shivers is smaller, tighter and to my mind, much nastier both in tone and content. Might be a bit jarring for somebody coming straight from the more high-profile (and excellent) City of Stairs, but there's still plenty to enjoy here.
On the face of it, it's a simple story: a taciturn drifter hunting down a killer, a man the hoboes call Mr. Shivers, set against the blighted backdrop of the American dustbowl. This really was a horrible time to be Midwestern and poor and, if you aren't clued up on that period of American history, the mood alone will tell you everything you need to know. Everyone you meet might want to rob and kill you. The railroad police will beat you half to death if they catch you riding without a ticket. The crops are failing, the banks are crashing, and everybody's headed West to try and find a better deal, but there's no guarantee they will. Bennett's prose quickly lays out an atmosphere of grim hopelessness and looming dread that never really lets up for the whole book; there's a very real sense that the whole country is sliding towards some kind of slow apocalypse that might not only be inevitable, but could even be what it deserves. Call it McCarthyesque. Heavy, but instantly compelling if you're into this sort of thing.
Our man Connelly thinks he's in a simple story, too: a man murdered his daughter, apparently for no reason. Hunt him, find him, kill him. But almost immediately, things get more complicated. Connelly finds he's far from the only one chasing Mr. Shivers, who it seems has been spilling blood and making enemies all over America, and even with help, finding the man turns out to be more harder than he bargained for. The chase becomes a brutal odyssey into the West across a dying land, mined with new obstacles and ugly compromises with every step, and Connelly and his companions have to ask themselves: is revenge worth this? Is anything?
This is a dark book that goes to some darker places, and if the atmosphere doesn't appeal to you early on then it honestly might be time to stop reading. Hope is teased but rarely delivered on, and Connelly and his people go through some genuinely frightening transformations as their hunt takes its toll and they stray further and further from civilisation. It's not the kind of revenge story that leads to redemption, which is kind of strange trend when I think about it. Instead blood begets blood, over and over, building to a hideous final confrontation deep in the wilderness where the book finally succumbs to the undercurrent of insanity that's been throbbing quietly away for the last three hundred pages, and even though a lot of the closing stuff is left open to interpretation, it feels like this could never have ended in any other way.
It's not a perfect story by any means; a lot of the supernatural stuff in the latter half goes largely unexplained and not everybody digs that. Characters are a mixed bag. Connelly's crew gets pretty large at points and while the core group are consistently interesting, it becomes obvious that most of these characters are just fodder for an ugly world to chew on. Others are weirdly half-developed then discarded from the narrative, and books like these can always do with more female characters.
Shivers himself is more of a malevolent presence hovering on the Western horizon than a real character for most of the book, so it falls to Connelly to hold things together. He's a winner of a protagonist; appealing in a reserved, Eastwoody sort of way, we're allowed just far enough into his thoughts to get the measure of him but never far enough that he becomes predictable, and that's how Bennett deals us some of the more shocking and violent turns of events. The real joy of the book comes from Connelly's slow epiphany that revenge is more complicated and destructive and will ask more of him than he ever thought at the beginning.
Anyway, get past the extraneous characters and there's really not much to complain about here. Sinister, haunting, bloody but surprisingly accessible for its historical setting; it's not Steinbeck's West, but it'll stick with you. Put on some Tom Waits or something and read it, then read Bennett's other books if you haven't.
January 22, 2012
Although probably not the best way to start a review, I was struck by how suitable this book was for film adaptation. The bleak setting, descriptive prose, and near perfect pacing all put me in mind of the big screen. Bennett must have done a fantastic job in making his novel so vivid to my minds-eye!
The bleak and desperate setting was another of Mr Shiver's many striking facets. I loved the way the sickness and wildness of the land was linked to the grey man's tainted presence.
The book's beginning made me feel very unsettled. The characters own tantalising anecdotes of their encounters with Mr Shivers, added to the increasingly supernatural tales told in the places they travel though made me just as uncertain as our protagonist Connelly.
With increasing evidence of Mr Shiver's otherworldly abilities, this element of uncertainty faded for me, losing some of the eeriness of the book's beginnings. Luckily, by this point I had become invested enough in the characters - admittedly some more than others - and began to worry more for them in the face of increasing violence and gore.
Even though in my experience the epilogue took away some of the powerful imagery of Connelly's fate I felt the book built up tension and reached its (possibly only) satisfactory conclusion. I particularly enjoyed looking back at the book with hindsight. The clues to Connelly's conclusion were all the more commanding. Whereas Mr Shivers did not quite live up to the extraordinary Flagg of Stephen King fame, it was still an engrossing read and well worth a look!
The bleak and desperate setting was another of Mr Shiver's many striking facets. I loved the way the sickness and wildness of the land was linked to the grey man's tainted presence.
The book's beginning made me feel very unsettled. The characters own tantalising anecdotes of their encounters with Mr Shivers, added to the increasingly supernatural tales told in the places they travel though made me just as uncertain as our protagonist Connelly.
With increasing evidence of Mr Shiver's otherworldly abilities, this element of uncertainty faded for me, losing some of the eeriness of the book's beginnings. Luckily, by this point I had become invested enough in the characters - admittedly some more than others - and began to worry more for them in the face of increasing violence and gore.
Even though in my experience the epilogue took away some of the powerful imagery of Connelly's fate I felt the book built up tension and reached its (possibly only) satisfactory conclusion. I particularly enjoyed looking back at the book with hindsight. The clues to Connelly's conclusion were all the more commanding. Whereas Mr Shivers did not quite live up to the extraordinary Flagg of Stephen King fame, it was still an engrossing read and well worth a look!
June 23, 2015
An urban legend from cover to cover. I'm not sure what to make of the reviews that criticize this book for turning supernatural. It was supernatural from the beginning. They were never tracking a normal serial killer during the depression, that was obvious from the way that everyone knew who he was and the slightly different ways that they described him. The main characters were always tracking SlenderMan, black eyed children, the Hitchhiker or the Hook. Urban legends have always been about coming to terms with death and this story was no different.
Awesome subject matter and setting. The depression was a time that many people were displaced and their fates unknown to their families. Many were feared dead. Law enforcement was spotty and frequently served only the wealthy. Good people had no institutions to turn to in times of need. They only had each other. It was a time when legends, folklore and religion exploded from dark places within us - From places that lusted for apocalyptic revenge for the suffering on the dark path that so many had to walk.
Bennett swerved a little here and there, but mostly he stuck to a familiar path in the telling of our societal death fears. I can't wait to read more of his stuff!
Awesome subject matter and setting. The depression was a time that many people were displaced and their fates unknown to their families. Many were feared dead. Law enforcement was spotty and frequently served only the wealthy. Good people had no institutions to turn to in times of need. They only had each other. It was a time when legends, folklore and religion exploded from dark places within us - From places that lusted for apocalyptic revenge for the suffering on the dark path that so many had to walk.
Bennett swerved a little here and there, but mostly he stuck to a familiar path in the telling of our societal death fears. I can't wait to read more of his stuff!
June 8, 2025
This book won the 2010 Shirley Jackson award.
Deleting the review from my first read because I'm ashamed to see how bad of a reader I was (I gave it a two-star rating). This is a potential four-star read. (Full review shall follow)
[SEVERAL WEEKS LATER]
[OKAY I'M DONE READING AND THIS TIME IT IS INDEED A FOUR-STAR ONE.]
Robert Jackson Bennett, I assume, is a romantic. His narration, through the eyes of our protagonist Marcus Connelly, is bleak and depressing but never deserts hope. That is very important, considering the story takes place during the Depression Era. Just take a look at this one, for instance:
Isn't it sublime?
Marcus Connelly set out on a revenge journey to avenge the death of his little daughter at the hands of a scarred man called Mr. Shivers. But that's not the only name he's known as.
During his journey, Connelly met other people with the same intention. So they go together, albeit the members of the pack change a lot. This is what the whole book is about. I love how this is a historical fiction tale, and yet it incorporates a degree of magical realism. Not exactly the sparkles and bubbles and heartwarming magic, but magic nonetheless. The plot is not overly complicated because (I think) the most important point of this story is the long, long journey of pursuing the gray man, Mr. Shivers, and how it changes everyone involved. How every character does not return in the same way they leave. Skimming the novel will result in not getting the clear picture, and thus, I strongly do not recommend skimming it. Read every sentence with intent, folks. Mindful reading. And even though the ending is unsurprising, it still feels genuine and very natural (instead of cliched), and it left me satisfied despite being a little sad at the same time.
The only reason I'm not giving it a five-star review is that this book doesn't have the 'peak' plot moments most books do. The story does have several parts with a similarly heightened sense of danger and urgency, yet nothing stands out in particular from the rest. Some might say that the book is anticlimactic, but I'm just hoping I could have that moment when I sit on my bed thinking, "Oh my god this is it this is it THIS IS ITTTT" (I didn't get that).
That being said, I'm so sorry Mr. Bennett.
I'm sorry my 2021 self couldn't appreciate this novel fully.
I was such a piece of crap of a reader. And you, are good.
I'm gonna put you on my author radar.
Deleting the review from my first read because I'm ashamed to see how bad of a reader I was (I gave it a two-star rating). This is a potential four-star read. (Full review shall follow)
[SEVERAL WEEKS LATER]
[OKAY I'M DONE READING AND THIS TIME IT IS INDEED A FOUR-STAR ONE.]
All that lives kills. All that breathes murders. Prays for it, even. It is simplistic, yes, but so is life and death. All living things are friends of death, whether they know it or not.
Robert Jackson Bennett, I assume, is a romantic. His narration, through the eyes of our protagonist Marcus Connelly, is bleak and depressing but never deserts hope. That is very important, considering the story takes place during the Depression Era. Just take a look at this one, for instance:
They say the sun kisses the land out there, like a lover. That may be so. I been out there. For years, I been out there. And if that’s so then the sun’s love is a terrible, harsh thing. Where it’s placed its kiss nothing grows, all is burned away, everything is scorched and nothing lives and your heart is the only one of its kind that beats for miles and miles. And all is red. Where the sun and the horizon and the sands meet, all is red.
Isn't it sublime?
Marcus Connelly set out on a revenge journey to avenge the death of his little daughter at the hands of a scarred man called Mr. Shivers. But that's not the only name he's known as.
“He has a thousand names and each one catches but a part of him,” Dexy said. “He is the Harvester, the Sickle Man,” said Nina. “The Night Walker and That Which Devours.” “The Skullsie Man, the Star Reaper, the Grinning Bone Dancer.” “He is the Black Rider, the great beast below all and beyond all.”
During his journey, Connelly met other people with the same intention. So they go together, albeit the members of the pack change a lot. This is what the whole book is about. I love how this is a historical fiction tale, and yet it incorporates a degree of magical realism. Not exactly the sparkles and bubbles and heartwarming magic, but magic nonetheless. The plot is not overly complicated because (I think) the most important point of this story is the long, long journey of pursuing the gray man, Mr. Shivers, and how it changes everyone involved. How every character does not return in the same way they leave. Skimming the novel will result in not getting the clear picture, and thus, I strongly do not recommend skimming it. Read every sentence with intent, folks. Mindful reading. And even though the ending is unsurprising, it still feels genuine and very natural (instead of cliched), and it left me satisfied despite being a little sad at the same time.
The only reason I'm not giving it a five-star review is that this book doesn't have the 'peak' plot moments most books do. The story does have several parts with a similarly heightened sense of danger and urgency, yet nothing stands out in particular from the rest. Some might say that the book is anticlimactic, but I'm just hoping I could have that moment when I sit on my bed thinking, "Oh my god this is it this is it THIS IS ITTTT" (I didn't get that).
That being said, I'm so sorry Mr. Bennett.
I'm sorry my 2021 self couldn't appreciate this novel fully.
I was such a piece of crap of a reader. And you, are good.
I'm gonna put you on my author radar.
January 2, 2011
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this very interesting book. From the time I read the blurb, I knew it would be a story worth reading. I'm happy to say that I was right. Robert Jackson Bennett's debut is set in a bleak world with vivid imagery.
Marcus Connelly is just like every other vagrant moving from one side of a dying country to the other. He walks or uses the train--stowing away whenever he can. However, most are looking for a better place to live, somewhere to work and find food to sate their endless hunger. Connelly only wants one thing: revenge on the scarred man who ruined his life.
The man with a scarred face killed his young daughter, which in turn destroyed his marriage by consuming his life. Revenge burns within him so bright that until he kills the man responsible, he doesn't think his life will be peaceful again. Connelly even tries to convince himself that once the deed is done, he can return to his wife and resume their life together.
Along the way, in pursuit of the scarred man, he finds a group of men also seeking him. So they decide to travel together--Connelly, Pike, Hammond and Roosevelt. The farther they go, the weirder the encounters and the more the legend of the mysterious scarred man deepens. No matter where they go, someone's seen the man pass by, which makes it very easy to follow close behind. There are also countless stories, myths, and eventually even a conspiracy surrounding the man. He seems untouchable, one wicked dude whose only purpose is destruction. Everywhere he goes, things seem to die.
I found myself totally sucked into this book from the very beginning. So much that I didn't want to put it down. The narration--in Connelly's point of view--moved at a very steady pace, slowly peeling away layers about Marcus Connelly, what he was up against, the past that shaped him into the shadow of a man he'd become, and just how quickly his descend into darkness sweeps over him. It was an interesting study of how such a dark ambition can turn the nicest and simplest of man into a warped and demented version of himself. Even the stories he hears about the scarred man show his change. At first he only accepts real stories, denying myths of the dark power he possesses, but after everything Connelly sees, his view of the world shifts into an almost supernatural view.
Mr Shivers is a haunting, atmospheric, grim story set in a ruined and rusty, dying world. The devastation and desperation of every character is so well drawn that I felt it every step of the way. And I knew pretty early on that there was no way Connelly would ever end up in a good place. So, I enjoyed the ending. I also loved that I could almost taste the dusty backdrop of an America now washed away by red dirt.
This one's a keeper! And I'll be looking out for more books by Robert Jackson Bennett.
Marcus Connelly is just like every other vagrant moving from one side of a dying country to the other. He walks or uses the train--stowing away whenever he can. However, most are looking for a better place to live, somewhere to work and find food to sate their endless hunger. Connelly only wants one thing: revenge on the scarred man who ruined his life.
The man with a scarred face killed his young daughter, which in turn destroyed his marriage by consuming his life. Revenge burns within him so bright that until he kills the man responsible, he doesn't think his life will be peaceful again. Connelly even tries to convince himself that once the deed is done, he can return to his wife and resume their life together.
Along the way, in pursuit of the scarred man, he finds a group of men also seeking him. So they decide to travel together--Connelly, Pike, Hammond and Roosevelt. The farther they go, the weirder the encounters and the more the legend of the mysterious scarred man deepens. No matter where they go, someone's seen the man pass by, which makes it very easy to follow close behind. There are also countless stories, myths, and eventually even a conspiracy surrounding the man. He seems untouchable, one wicked dude whose only purpose is destruction. Everywhere he goes, things seem to die.
I found myself totally sucked into this book from the very beginning. So much that I didn't want to put it down. The narration--in Connelly's point of view--moved at a very steady pace, slowly peeling away layers about Marcus Connelly, what he was up against, the past that shaped him into the shadow of a man he'd become, and just how quickly his descend into darkness sweeps over him. It was an interesting study of how such a dark ambition can turn the nicest and simplest of man into a warped and demented version of himself. Even the stories he hears about the scarred man show his change. At first he only accepts real stories, denying myths of the dark power he possesses, but after everything Connelly sees, his view of the world shifts into an almost supernatural view.
Mr Shivers is a haunting, atmospheric, grim story set in a ruined and rusty, dying world. The devastation and desperation of every character is so well drawn that I felt it every step of the way. And I knew pretty early on that there was no way Connelly would ever end up in a good place. So, I enjoyed the ending. I also loved that I could almost taste the dusty backdrop of an America now washed away by red dirt.
This one's a keeper! And I'll be looking out for more books by Robert Jackson Bennett.
November 26, 2010
When I read the description, I figured that this would be an interesting book. The idea of a killer stalking the rails during the Great Depression was a novel idea, made even more so by the addition of some other interesting elements. Unfortunately the book just didn't deliver the way I was hoping it would.
The plotline follows the character of Connelly as he sets out to find the man who killed his daughter. He falls in with a group of several men who are also searching for the same man. All they know is that his face is heavily scarred & everyone calls him "Mr. Shivers". Those who have seen him & lived, shudder at the thought of him. With nothing to lose, these men are determined to finish him off.
The biggest flaw in the book are the characters. It's not that the idea of these characters are terrible, it's just that they aren't all that well fleshed out. It's like the author had all of these ideas & rather than select a few of them & develop them entirely, he put did a little bit of everything. There's characters who come in & out of Connelly's band of men, but they seem to be little more than just faceless people who have no other purpose but to be fodder for Mr. Shivers. They were so lacking in definition that I really didn't bother to memorize the names of anyone other than the main 4 guys. I'd rather that the author had just stuck with them rather than trot in a whole slew of extras. It really deterred from the story.
Again, the idea of the story is pretty interesting & I liked the direction it went into after the first third of the book. It's just that again, the story seemed to be marred by the author trying to cram too many ideas into one book. I think that if the author had paced himself a little more, the book would have been much improved by it. As it was, there were just so many events & so many people going in & out of the story that I just couldn't feel for the characters like I would have wanted to. When the big "TA DAH!" came & revelations occurred for several characters & situations, it just sort of fell a little flat. Like other people have mentioned, the book just felt a little shallow overall.
This isn't to say that the book is terrible, though. It's very rough, but it shows a lot of promise. I'll be interested to see what the author comes up with in future books, although I will admit that I'll probably wait for them to come to paperback first.
The plotline follows the character of Connelly as he sets out to find the man who killed his daughter. He falls in with a group of several men who are also searching for the same man. All they know is that his face is heavily scarred & everyone calls him "Mr. Shivers". Those who have seen him & lived, shudder at the thought of him. With nothing to lose, these men are determined to finish him off.
The biggest flaw in the book are the characters. It's not that the idea of these characters are terrible, it's just that they aren't all that well fleshed out. It's like the author had all of these ideas & rather than select a few of them & develop them entirely, he put did a little bit of everything. There's characters who come in & out of Connelly's band of men, but they seem to be little more than just faceless people who have no other purpose but to be fodder for Mr. Shivers. They were so lacking in definition that I really didn't bother to memorize the names of anyone other than the main 4 guys. I'd rather that the author had just stuck with them rather than trot in a whole slew of extras. It really deterred from the story.
Again, the idea of the story is pretty interesting & I liked the direction it went into after the first third of the book. It's just that again, the story seemed to be marred by the author trying to cram too many ideas into one book. I think that if the author had paced himself a little more, the book would have been much improved by it. As it was, there were just so many events & so many people going in & out of the story that I just couldn't feel for the characters like I would have wanted to. When the big "TA DAH!" came & revelations occurred for several characters & situations, it just sort of fell a little flat. Like other people have mentioned, the book just felt a little shallow overall.
This isn't to say that the book is terrible, though. It's very rough, but it shows a lot of promise. I'll be interested to see what the author comes up with in future books, although I will admit that I'll probably wait for them to come to paperback first.
February 20, 2014
Ok, this book really had me thinking even before I read it, then during and now after. At first, I had heard some not so great reviews and comments on this book, so I even hesitated reading it. But then a friend of mine said how much they liked it so I decided to go for it. I'm glad I did. This same friend described the book saying "What if John Steinbeck had written a version of The Gunslinger?", and being a Stephen King fan that had me hooked and ready to go. I could definitely see that comparison. It takes place during the depression, things are not going well and there is an ominous weight that is felt with the fear and frustration wherever you went. People were struggling, and there wasn't much hope for that to change.
Our main character, Connelly, is after a man who is responsible for the death of his daughter. This man is known by many names: The man in Grey, Death, Mr. Shivers, and the list goes on. There are so many stories and rumors about who and what this "man" even is. What's true, what's not. I even found myself wondering in the beginning whether Mr. Shivers even existed, if he was perhaps created from people's fears. This intrigued me. Along his journey, Connelly meets many people, who are also hunting Mr. Shivers. Their exact stories may be different, but the facts are all the same....Mr. Shiver's took someone from them.
This book follows Connelly on his quest, how he comes close to dying and he's forced to do things he would probably never have done before his life changed. But the journey isn't easy and his group loses members as they go. It's a tough time and things are only going to get harder. I totally didn't expect the ending....maybe I should've...but I didn't.
I did enjoy this. I was torn between a 3 and a 4 and for the first time I'm actually admitting that a half-star would've worked in this case. Well done, I would recommend this book.
Our main character, Connelly, is after a man who is responsible for the death of his daughter. This man is known by many names: The man in Grey, Death, Mr. Shivers, and the list goes on. There are so many stories and rumors about who and what this "man" even is. What's true, what's not. I even found myself wondering in the beginning whether Mr. Shivers even existed, if he was perhaps created from people's fears. This intrigued me. Along his journey, Connelly meets many people, who are also hunting Mr. Shivers. Their exact stories may be different, but the facts are all the same....Mr. Shiver's took someone from them.
This book follows Connelly on his quest, how he comes close to dying and he's forced to do things he would probably never have done before his life changed. But the journey isn't easy and his group loses members as they go. It's a tough time and things are only going to get harder. I totally didn't expect the ending....maybe I should've...but I didn't.
I did enjoy this. I was torn between a 3 and a 4 and for the first time I'm actually admitting that a half-star would've worked in this case. Well done, I would recommend this book.
February 20, 2010
Mr Shiver's has many names, most call him death.
This novel follows Connelly, a ruffian hobo, as he pursues Mr Shivers the murderer who killed his daughter. The book is set in depression age America, and very much feels like the TV series Carnivale, so if you're a fan then this book is a must read.
The initial setting of Mr Shivers is very powerful, we can almost feel the grime and desperation of the characters and the mystery of Mr Shivers is absolutely wicked.
There are a couple of shortfalls, the supernatural development of the story is potentially a bit alternative for many readers (judging from other reviews) considering that the direction of the novel is fairly open at the beginning. Like I said I'm sure the author was inspired by the show Carnivale so expect symbolism and grand scale ideas hidden in downtrodden characters in small scale situations.
The side character are also a little weak, they are just interesting enough to keep the story moving, but one find themselves uncompelled by anyone other than our main man Connelly.
The prose is well balanced, the author uses skillful language without loosing clarity and the setting and action of the novel is just so seamless its worth a read. I particularily like the use of rumour to enhance the mystery.
Extremely recommended
This novel follows Connelly, a ruffian hobo, as he pursues Mr Shivers the murderer who killed his daughter. The book is set in depression age America, and very much feels like the TV series Carnivale, so if you're a fan then this book is a must read.
The initial setting of Mr Shivers is very powerful, we can almost feel the grime and desperation of the characters and the mystery of Mr Shivers is absolutely wicked.
There are a couple of shortfalls, the supernatural development of the story is potentially a bit alternative for many readers (judging from other reviews) considering that the direction of the novel is fairly open at the beginning. Like I said I'm sure the author was inspired by the show Carnivale so expect symbolism and grand scale ideas hidden in downtrodden characters in small scale situations.
The side character are also a little weak, they are just interesting enough to keep the story moving, but one find themselves uncompelled by anyone other than our main man Connelly.
The prose is well balanced, the author uses skillful language without loosing clarity and the setting and action of the novel is just so seamless its worth a read. I particularily like the use of rumour to enhance the mystery.
Extremely recommended
February 19, 2012
Almost every review of this book mentions the reader's disappointment with the second half. I will have to join that crowd.
Bennett does a great job setting up the Depression era setting of hobo encampments, drought, and deserted towns. Connolly, his main character, rides in on the side of a cattle car. He is pursuing the badly scarred killer of his young daughter back in Memphis. Any description of the man with his facial scars prompts stories of Mr. Shivers from Connolly's fellow drifters. He finds more people searching for what seems increasingly to be a serial killer with possibly supernatural powers.
Bennett spends half the book setting up this situation, with few but very unsettling appearances by the killer. As the narrative moves into increasingly mythic realms, with visions of an evil older than mankind, Bennett is not quite able to suggest the psychic deeps he want to conjure. His success is in his major protagonists, men who prove to be weak or tragic or brutal as the situation develops.
This was Bennett's first novel. It won the Shirley Jackson award, and his second novel Company Man is nominated for the 2011 Philip K. Dick award. He is a writer worth staying with.
Bennett does a great job setting up the Depression era setting of hobo encampments, drought, and deserted towns. Connolly, his main character, rides in on the side of a cattle car. He is pursuing the badly scarred killer of his young daughter back in Memphis. Any description of the man with his facial scars prompts stories of Mr. Shivers from Connolly's fellow drifters. He finds more people searching for what seems increasingly to be a serial killer with possibly supernatural powers.
Bennett spends half the book setting up this situation, with few but very unsettling appearances by the killer. As the narrative moves into increasingly mythic realms, with visions of an evil older than mankind, Bennett is not quite able to suggest the psychic deeps he want to conjure. His success is in his major protagonists, men who prove to be weak or tragic or brutal as the situation develops.
This was Bennett's first novel. It won the Shirley Jackson award, and his second novel Company Man is nominated for the 2011 Philip K. Dick award. He is a writer worth staying with.
May 8, 2010
Connelly is riding the rails like thousands of others during the Great Depression. But he's not in search of a job. He's searching for the murderer of his young daughter. He joins other hobos and travelers, mainly around the campfire when he settles down for the night, and discovers others who have lost loved ones to Mr. Shivers. They, too, are seeking revenge.
The author does a great job putting the reader in the midst of the lost and wayward of the 1930's - the drudgery, the dirt, the boredom and the futility of trying to live in a land that has died.
I really liked the scene with the three bitches (their words). Also liked the psychology behind the people who are out to seek revenge and have to face the monster that resides in them.
Great debut novel. Will want to read more of Bennett's work.
****
The Three Bitches name Mr. Shivers: The Night Walker, The Sickle Man, the Harvester, That Which Devours, Black Rider, Fenrir Wolf-End, the Sightless Hunter, Forest Stalker, Singer of Ends, the Red Axis, the Forgotten Plowman, Destroyer of Worlds, Pale Conqueror, the Crownless King.
The author does a great job putting the reader in the midst of the lost and wayward of the 1930's - the drudgery, the dirt, the boredom and the futility of trying to live in a land that has died.
I really liked the scene with the three bitches (their words). Also liked the psychology behind the people who are out to seek revenge and have to face the monster that resides in them.
Great debut novel. Will want to read more of Bennett's work.
****
The Three Bitches name Mr. Shivers: The Night Walker, The Sickle Man, the Harvester, That Which Devours, Black Rider, Fenrir Wolf-End, the Sightless Hunter, Forest Stalker, Singer of Ends, the Red Axis, the Forgotten Plowman, Destroyer of Worlds, Pale Conqueror, the Crownless King.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2018
I liked this book. I had a good time reading it. It's grim, violent, and rich with period detail about the Great Depression. It's like John Steinbeck, Stephen King, and Tom Waits decided to write a book together. And, on the surface, it works.
However, once it was done, I felt like...well, like something wasn't finished. The book as a whole, and the mythology it struggles so hard to create, just didn't quite get off the ground. Maybe it should have been longer? Maybe fewer protagonists? Maybe...I don't know. There's SOMETHING here, to be sure. But I wanted more. However, based on this first novel, I don't know now that I would be interested in any sequels. If that makes sense? Like, if I had felt rewarded enough by the end I might be craving more. However, since it didn't quite pay off, I no longer want the "more" that I didn't realize I would be craving once it's done.
I really don't know. None of what I'm saying makes sense, I'm sure. It's frustrating, really. Maybe I need to think about it more.
However, once it was done, I felt like...well, like something wasn't finished. The book as a whole, and the mythology it struggles so hard to create, just didn't quite get off the ground. Maybe it should have been longer? Maybe fewer protagonists? Maybe...I don't know. There's SOMETHING here, to be sure. But I wanted more. However, based on this first novel, I don't know now that I would be interested in any sequels. If that makes sense? Like, if I had felt rewarded enough by the end I might be craving more. However, since it didn't quite pay off, I no longer want the "more" that I didn't realize I would be craving once it's done.
I really don't know. None of what I'm saying makes sense, I'm sure. It's frustrating, really. Maybe I need to think about it more.
February 14, 2014
Mr. Shivers not only didn't make me shiver he didn't even make me twitch, not even a pitter-patter. I'm not sure where the author thought he was going with this novel but somehow he short-circuited along the way. It started out well enough; a nameless but likeable stranger hitting the rails with other hobos during the depression intent on catching up with Mr. Shivers, feared by many as a cruel and suspected murderer. Our hero obviously had an unknown score to settle but it went downhill quickly from there. Was Mr. Shivers a real person or a motif for the depression or was he symbolic of the hardships of life itself, or maybe just a spectral fantasy? We begin to suspect but don't actually find out until later, much later and I'm certain the author wasn't certain either, until he had to end the story and by that time; who cares? Don't bother.
April 23, 2012
It’s Bennett’s incredible descriptions and his ability to bring this very stark, lonely, every-man-for-himself period of history to life for the reader. It’s his descriptions that resonate with me long after the book was finished. His use of the Great Depression, hobo culture and the Midwest really added some incredible atmosphere to Mr. Shivers. Yes, this is a subtle book and no, Connelly isn’t the most compelling character in all of creation, but he doesn’t need to be. Mr. Shivers is a story about revenge and Bennett’s skill with the written word is capable of chilling even the most jaded reader.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2012/04/...
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2012/04/...
September 14, 2014
This was my first foray into the fiction of Mr. Robert Jackson Bennett, and I have to say it was a very good venture. This novel has tinges of Steinbeck as others have mentioned, but I saw more shading of Cormac McCarthy than any other writer. Very reminiscent of The Road, Bennett shoves us headlong into the search for Mr. Shivers, a scarred murderer wandering the rails of a depression-era America. Bennett's voice is hypnotic and prophetic, his command of the language and ability to paint a scene are powerful. The moments of violence mixed with beauty are among the best I've read. The spectacles within the pages are many and if you enjoy a race against evil across a stark and unforgiving countryside, then look no further. Highly recommended.
February 27, 2011
This was one of those experiment books that I bought at the bookstore. I had never really heard of the author, and this was not a book recommended to me by someone else. I just thought that it sounded interesting. Simply put, I was wrong.
This story line was all over the place, and had me wondering if it was supposed to be sci-fi or if the author was still trying to decide himself. By the end, there is no doubt that he is writing in the fantasy realm, however, as stated above, it's just too all over the place to ever get a real foothold and enjoy the story line.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. I literally had to push myself to get through it.
This story line was all over the place, and had me wondering if it was supposed to be sci-fi or if the author was still trying to decide himself. By the end, there is no doubt that he is writing in the fantasy realm, however, as stated above, it's just too all over the place to ever get a real foothold and enjoy the story line.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. I literally had to push myself to get through it.
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