Alex Weller’s Reviews > The Illustrated Man > Status Update
Alex Weller
is on page 185 of 281
The next morning, an American film crew arrives, and Roger and Ann have breakfast with them. Mr. Simms, however, joins them, and Roger gives up the act. Mr. Simms warns there will be punishment if Roger and Ann don't go back to the bomb factories in 2155 quietly. Roger agrees to go, but only if Ann gets to stay in 1938 and be safe. Mr. Simms agrees and tells Roger to meet him in ten minutes. That's ... sad.
— Aug 09, 2026 10:46PM
Like flag
Alex’s Previous Updates
Alex Weller
is on page 192 of 281
Finished "The Fox and the Forest"! Roger is not prosecuted for killing Simms, and the film crew invites the two to a test shooting, followed by a party in the director's hotel room. Unfortunately, the film crew reveals themselves to be a group of Searchers, and they seize the two, then take them back to 2155, as the manager walks in to find everybody has disappeared. Holy shit! Overall, great story!
— 8 hours, 35 min ago
Alex Weller
is on page 186 of 281
Ann watches from her bedroom as Roger drives their car to the plaza outside the hotel to pick up Simms, as demanded. However, contrary to what Roger promised, he has other plans. He speeds toward the plaza and hits Simms with his car. Holy shit!
— 11 hours, 25 min ago
Alex Weller
is on page 180 of 281
Roger and Ann make it back to their hotel room, each blaming themselves for the Searcher noticing them. They decide to come up with a plan to hide themselves until they can kill the Searcher, then go to bed. But the phone rings and the Searcher answers it when Ann picks it up. He's onto them, alright.
— Aug 09, 2026 09:08PM
Alex Weller
is on page 178 of 281
Roger and Ann sit down inside the cafe, only for a Searcher to recognize their future attitudes. He approaches the two and addresses them by name, but Roger continues the act and pretends they don't know him. The Searcher goes along with it and allows them to leave, only to say "2155" as they go, sending Ann into a panic.
— Aug 09, 2026 08:29PM
Alex Weller
is on page 176 of 281
Just started reading the twelfth story, "The Fox and the Forest". Married couple Roger and Ann Kristen from the year 2155 have traveled back in time to 1938 to escape the chaotic, fascist, warring world they live in. Only problem is, they're not on the run from Searchers, who are trying to bring them back to 2155. That explains the title, then.
— Aug 07, 2026 10:14PM
Alex Weller
is on page 172 of 281
Finished "No Particular Night or Morning"! After snapping out of his franticness, Hitchcock put on a spacesuit and walked out into space, now lost forever as he denies the existence of anybody and anything, including himself. And there he goes. I mean, the guy was an idiot, so yeah. Overall, very thoughtful story.
— Aug 06, 2026 10:08PM
Alex Weller
is on page 170 of 281
I take back what I said about Hitchcock. He's going overboard, believing that everybody's dead unless they're touching him, that past versions of him are dead, and you can't prove anything happened once it's over and done. However, when a meteor breaks a hole in the rocket wall and almost kills him, he goes frantic and won't respond to anything. So, uh, yeah. That happened.
— Aug 06, 2026 09:45PM
Alex Weller
is on page 161 of 281
Just started reading the eleventh story, "No Particular Night or Morning". Two astronauts, Hitchcock and Clemens, are in space a billion miles from Earth. While Clemens keeps the belief that Earth still exists, Hitchcock believes it no longer exists because he cannot see it or touch it. I will admit, Hitchcock is a sensible, practical man.
— Aug 05, 2026 10:54PM
Alex Weller
is on page 159 of 281
Finished "The Exiles"! The astronauts step out of their rocket, build a fire, and burn all the books they have, exterminating the authors and their creations. One of them sees the Emerald City getting destroyed and remembers reading those books as a kid, then is told to report for psychoanalysis. Censorship has won. Overall, I don't know how I feel about this story.
— Aug 04, 2026 09:55PM
Alex Weller
is on page 156 of 281
It turns out that when the last of the authors' books are burned, they and their characters cease to exist permanently. This happens with Bierce as the authors prepare for the attack. As the rocket descends, Poe orders the attack, but all attempts miss. When the rocket lands, they all go running to kill the astronauts with their bare hands as their books are already getting burned. Here we go!
— Aug 04, 2026 09:25PM