The Book of Days

by Steve Rasnic Tem

The author’s second novel, The Book of Days consists of a short story told each day by a man trying to talk himself back to sanity. A kind of literary sampler quilt, these daily inventions emulate the styles of everything from traditional ghost stories to the works of O’Henry and James Whitcomb Riley, from westerns to fifties science fiction to boy’s own adventure stories. As a sequence illustrating the narrator’s deep internal struggle, these dark stories take on additional weight, making each one a sharp shock that builds to an electrifying whole.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

326 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

Steve Rasnic Tem was born in Lee County Virginia in the heart of Appalachia. He is the author of over 350 published short stories and is a past winner of the Bram Stoker, International Horror Guild, British Fantasy, and World Fantasy Awards. His story collections include City Fishing, The Far Side of the Lake, In Concert (with wife Melanie Tem), Ugly Behavior, Celestial Inventories, and Onion Songs. An audio collection, Invisible, is also available. His novels include Excavation, The Book of Days, Daughters, The Man In The Ceiling (with Melanie Tem), and the recent Deadfall Hotel.

Reviews

[Patrickmalka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a preliminary comment.

Today is september 1st, the day that begins the novel. I intend to read the day's entry on the day itself throughout. Im not sure this book was ever intended to be read this way or that i would even be able to show that much self control, reading an entry per day until march, but i'll be giving it shot. Full review to come.

Update

Reading this book was an investment. Experiencing this man's day to day struggle to overcome debilitating fears about fatherhood to hopefully return to his wife and kids is about as emotionally charged as a reading experience gets. I really loved this book but i think it's because i read each entry on its associated day. Living with each day's story built tension and hope. I can imagine reading it quickly might make the main character's fear and obsessions sound repetitive and even whiny but with time, it works. Even the most outlandish imagined scenarios pack an emotional punch. Some days hit you harder than others and i believe the novel is actually stronger for it.

[Michael Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the Audible version of this and immediately after ordered it in print because I feel like I need to re-read it, giving each story the time and attention it really deserves. This is a beautiful hybrid of short-story collection and novel; a single, albeit disjointed narrative, told in richly varied stylistically tales. The prose is fluid and elegant, and there is a rich, mature, and deeply emotional thread to this work that a lot of other works just can't deliver. My first exposure to this writer, though I can guarantee it will not be my last.

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and absorbing, unique read about a man who fears for his children so badly, he runs away from them, lest his fears take control of him, and dominate his children's lives. In a unique format in which historical dates guide Tem's hand, Cal goes on a sometimes fantastical, oftentimes horrific journey which lays bare his soul and the fears which festers inside. A true work of experimental art which also functions as a compelling, surreal narrative.

[Des Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am running out of superlatives for Tem’s work and am increasingly conscious myself of becoming over-anxious about the need somehow to share with you each entry’s every significant Temmish moment of angst or fear or spookiness or creative obliquity that I think you need knowing about or perhaps to prove I have read it properly. Mind any gap. Remind me, too, when I repeat myself. We’re in this together.

The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long to post here.
Above is one of its conclusions.