Short Stories Books - Page 14

The Christmas Train

David Baldacci

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 138 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

ENDING TERRIBLE FEEL CONNED Audio 6cd Unabrid 2 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I choose The Christmas Train one of 10 Christmas Theme audio stories from all different authors. I wanted to get into the happy festive season mood.

The thought of an AMTRAK transcontinental ride, what a great idea. A train ride compared to the frustrations I have experienced with air travel, I settled down for a great ride. What a disappointment. I felt some of the characters didn't seem real enough and seemed to be lacking flesh and blood.

The first third of the story was slow and introduced so many characters.

a Hollywood director and his LA young assistant
a retired railroad employee riding for nostalgia,
a boys choir,
a thief,
a reporter and his ex girlfriend
a clairvoyant,

Add to that a mother of all snow storms, an avalanche and multiple diesel engines running out of fuel.

In the middle of this story things improved and clipped along quite nicely.

Then kaboom, the ending twist was so pathetic. My jaw hit the floor and I said your kidding. I walked out of the room. If I had been reading the book it would have been thrown across the room.

I gave this 2 stars. It would have been 3 (an OK read) if the ending wasn't so unbelievable.

Out of the 10 Christmas Stories I have listened to only 50% I have given a 4 or 5 star rating. There is a shortage of good Christmas stories out there. Authors please don't publish unless the story is good.

My top ones were
THE GIFT by Richard Paul Evans
SKIPPING CHRISTMAS by John Grisham
CHRISTMAS JARS BY Jason F Wright

Editorial Review:

Tom Langdon, a weary and cash-strapped journalist, is banned from flying when a particularly thorough airport security search causes him to lose his cool. Now, he must take the train if he has any chance of arriving in Los Angeles in time for Christmas with his girlfriend. To finance the trip, he sells a story about a train ride taken during the Christmas season. Thereupon begins one of the most hilarious-and heartwarming-journeys ever told. Along the way, Tom encounters a ridiculous cast of characters, unexpected romance, and an avalanche that changes everyone's Christmas plans. As the mighty Southwest Chief chugs along, Tom learns what really makes the holiday special in a remarkable novel that will charm all who read it.

A Redbird Christmas: A Novel

Fannie Flagg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 111 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

With the same incomparable style and warm, inviting voice that have made her beloved by millions of readers far and wide, New York Times bestselling author Fannie Flagg has written an enchanting Christmas story of faith and hope for all ages that is sure to become a classic.
Deep in the southernmost part of Alabama, along the banks of a lazy winding river, lies the sleepy little community known as Lost River, a place that time itself seems to have forgotten. After a startling diagnosis from his doctor, Oswald T. Campbell leaves behind the cold and damp of the oncoming Chicago winter to spend what he believes will be his last Christmas in the warm and welcoming town of Lost River. There he meets the postman who delivers mail by boat, the store owner who nurses a broken heart, the ladies of the Mystic Order of the Royal Polka Dots Secret Society, who do clandestine good works. And he meets a little redbird named Jack, who is at the center of this tale of a magical Christmas when something so amazing happened that those who witnessed it have never forgotten it. Once you experience the wonder, you too will never forget A Redbird Christmas.


From the Hardcover edition.

The Best of H. P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre

H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Bloch

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 136 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Revisiting Lovecraft 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a great Lovecraft compilation. I love the florid late Victorian prose, but more than anything this man seems so far ahead of his time for someone writing in the 1920-30 era. His visionary dreams are evocative of the psychedelic visions and writings of the bohemians of the 1950s and later. His stories, through the rejection of the ghost story, instead were firmly grounded in speculative science and science that was cutting edge at the time - the theories of Einstein, early ideas about parallel universes and higher dimensions, the spiritual higher dimensional topology of P.D. Ouspensky.

The most amazing ideas in this collection are, I believe, in the short story "The Silver Key." That story, with its confessional tone, seems to prevision post-modernism and a weariness with the rational scientific worldview that seems to have overtaken much of the rest of popular culture only decades later.

There is so much in Lovecraft's work that is echoed by the work of modern ayahuasceros and other psychedelic visionaries - his worlds seem very similar to those reported by students of DMT and psychedelic mushrooms. Perhaps if he had been born a few decades later, he would have found more wonder and awe in his internal experiences, and less of a sense of horror at his glimpses into the arcane realms.

Editorial Review:

This is the collection that true fans of horror fiction have been waiting for: sixteen of H.P. Lovecraft's most horrifying visions, including Lovecraft's masterpiece, THE SHADOW OUT OF TIME--the shocking revelation of the mysterious forces that hold all mankind in their fearsome grip.
"I think it is beyond doubt that H.P. Lovecraft has yet to be surpassed as the Twentieth Century's greatest practitioner of the classic horror tale."
Stephen King

Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Red, Hot, and Sexy - Just like a spanking should be! 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Rachel Kramer Bussel's anthologies are always a hot read, you can count on that. I've read several of them: Dirty Girls: Erotica for Women, Tasting Him: Oral Sex Stories, Tasting Her: Oral Sex Stories, and now Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica. Each time I'm impressed by the variety of authors and their unique writing styles. In Spanked you'll find 20 very different erotic tales that are all centered around spanking, as the title implies.

What I really like about this anthology in particular is that it gives insight into a topic that once was very taboo and now is a mainstream fetish. All kinds of people like spanking for all kinds of reasons. Each person has their own payoff from the experience - not only do I mean the spanker and the spankee, but each pair has their own experience and each person uniquely in that pair has their own experience. No two spanking sessions are the same, and as in real life, no two spanking stories are the same in this book. Some you will like more than others, because they appeal to that part of you. Some you may like less because they just don't resonate with your curiosities and desires. As a whole, the book will entertain you and give you plenty of motivation to play around with spanking.

I recommend this book especially for those couples who are curious about or into spanking, especially if you are trying to introduce the topic to your partner for the first time. It is a nice way to ease into the subject - as a couple you can read a story, have one person read aloud to the other, and open the door to a topic that may have otherwise been awkward to bring up. For monogamous couples, I think it's the intellectual equivalent to spicing up your sex life with a naughty movie.

Editorial Review:

Erotic spanking -- whether giving or receiving -- is one of the most exciting, arousing, and sensual experiences to enjoy. In this enticing collection, spanking enthusiast Rachel Kramer Bussel has assembled 22 tales of red-cheeked arousal. Whether being disciplined for naughtiness or simply because they crave the sting of a hand against flesh, the men and women in these stories revel in being bent over, paddled, punished, and possessed by their spankers. Those delivering the blows find extreme pleasure in pushing their bottoms' buttons, making them -- and the reader -- tremble and quiver in anticipation as they await the next smack. Featuring stories by Alison Tyler, Sage Vivaint, Lillian Ann Slugocki, Stan Kent, Elizabeth Coldwell, Thomas Roche, and others, this sizzling collection offers tales so breathtakingly vivid that readers might find their own cheeks sore just from reading it.

The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fifth Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Worth the price of admission 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I have several of Dozois' collections, and this one is--as reviewer Brad Schorr also said--above average. I didn't love every one of its thirty-two stories, and I couldn't even bring myself to finish two of them, but that's par for the course. In my experience, about 25 percent of a decent edited volume is really enjoyable, 25 percent is a chore to read, and the middle fifty percent falls between "blah" and "not bad." In this collection, I'd say that only the two aforementioned stories were really a chore to read, and though several stories were "blah," most fell between "not bad" and "pretty good". That's not too shabby if you subscribe to Sturgeon's Law ("Ninety percent of everything is crap").

I'm not going to run down all of the stories since Brad Schorr's done that for us already, but I do want to point out that there's plenty of room for disagreement with his take on them. Two stories that Schorr graded "A" -- "Roxie" and "The Skysailor's Tale" -- were the two that I couldn't read, the former because it was so drippingly sentimental, and the latter because it was so mannered and slow. Most of the stories he graded "C" fall into my "not bad" category, including Ken McLeod's "Lighting Out", which is a decent if pretty standard McLeod/Stross "singularity" tale, and McDonald's "Sanjeev and Robotwallah," which is a craftsmanlike near-future piece about how new technologies disrupt traditional life in the underdeveloped world. On the other hand, we agreed about several of the stories, including Chris Roberson's "The Sky is Large and the Earth is Small," a subtle alternate history piece that appears to be the most anthologized story of the year.

Bottom line: If you're in the mood for some stories and you don't need them all to be absolutely amazing, this collection is a good deal.

P.S. If you've read Dozois' THE NEW SPACE OPERA anthology, you should be aware that three of the stories collected here are drawn from there ("Saving Tiaamat," "Verthandi's Ring," and "Glory"). On the other hand, if you haven't read that anthology, I recommend it. Don't judge the book by the quality of those three stories -- they are NOT the best of the bunch.

Editorial Review:

In the new millennium, what secrets lay beyond the far reaches of the universe? What mysteries belie the truths we once held to be self evident?  The world of science fiction has long been a porthole into the realities of tomorrow blurring the line between life and art. Now, in The Year’s Best Science Fiction Twenty-Fifth Annual Collection the very best SF authors explore ideas of a new world.

This venerable collection brings together award winning authors and masters of the field such as Robert Reed, Ian McDonald, Stephen Baxter, Michael Swanwick, Paolo Bacigalupi, Kage Baker, Walter Jon Williams, Alastair Reynolds, and Charles Stross . And with an extensive recommended reading guide and a summation of the year in science fiction, this annual compilation has become the definitive must read anthology for all science fiction fans and readers interested in breaking into the genre.

Moonraker (James Bond Novels)

Ian Fleming

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 62 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Best Of The First Three 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Well I was ready to hate Moonraker because of the movie. So if you hated the movie...try the book. It isn't campy with the Space Shuttle at all. It has a rocket as the object, but it really isn't about that. The beginning part of the book is about cards. I loved it. However it starts getting bogged down in the middle section and then like all Ian Fleming books it wraps up really quick. I just felt the ending was just too contrived. I liked it because I was prepared to hate it, but it's still not that great. It's the best of the first three but that's not saying much. I would recommend it just for the beginning section because it shows how James Bond thinks and rationalizes things. Plus he doesn't get the girl at all in this book.

Editorial Review:

Moonraker, Britain's new ICBM-based national defense system, is ready for testing, but something's not quite right. At M's request, Bond begins his investigation with Sir Hugo Drax, the leading card shark at M's club, who is also the head of the Moonraker project. But once Bond delves deeper into the goings-on at the Moonraker base, he discovers that both the project and its leader are something other than they appear to be.

Different Seasons

Stephen King

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 174 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Not Free SF Reader 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

King's second collection of four novellas, or a couple of novellas and a couple of short novels, or three short novels and a novellas, or whatever you want to call them. He calls them the shorter version, deliberately giving the book a title not suggestion of 'telekinesis, vampires of telekinetic kids' as he details in the afterworld.

In a little bit of a departure, the first, and actually the best story is an odd sort of prison escape tale, no horror elements to be scene, beyond any other prison story, that is.

All in all, a very fine selection of tales.

Different Seasons : RITA HAYWORTH AND SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION - Stephen King
Different Seasons : APT PUPIL - Stephen King
Different Seasons : THE BODY - Stephen King
Different Seasons : THE BREATHING METHOD - Stephen King


Laundering down the wall.


A story told about a really lengthy escape plan. The narrator here is a fixer who is able to get all sorts of stuff smuggled into a prison.

The story he is telling is of a man convicted of murder, who happens to also be a financial wizard, using this ability to earn goodwill and a position as a librarian, and a cell to himself.

4.5 out of 5


Ratzi self-manipulation.


A high school boy discovers the secret of an old man living nearby - and it is a big one. Deciding to use this knowledge for his own ends, he discovers that an old man like this is a harder target than he thought, and more than a match for a somewhat innocent young man.

This relationship does not have a good effect on the young man's state of mind.

3.5 out of 5


Dead boy slug camp.


A group of boys in Castle Rock find out about a corpse, and decide on an expedition that involves more than a little beat of fear and terror on their part, at various times throughout their trip.

There are plenty of bad jokes and the odd funny story too, given a group of around 13 year olds.

3.5 out of 5


A junior member of a law firm is invited to a slightly odd club, that initially appears to be just a group of members that like to tell stories of different sorts, but just before xmas, the story must be 'uncanny'.

He begins to suspect something strange when some of the furnishings and books in the club seem very unique.

4 out of 5

Editorial Review:

Four Stephen King novellas. "Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption" tells of unfair imprisonment and escape; "Apt Pupil" features a boy and a former death-camp commandant; "The Body" deals with loss of innocence; and in "The Breathing Method" a woman determines to give birth, no matter what.

When the Morning Comes (Sisters of the Quilt, Book 2)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 34 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Her relationship with fiancé Paul Waddell in tatters, Hannah Lapp has fled her secluded Old Order Amish community in hopes of finding a new home in Ohio with her shunned aunt. Hampered by limited education and hiding her true identity, Hannah struggles to navigate the confusing world of the Englischers.

Back in Owl’s Perch, Pennsylvania, Paul is wracked with regret over his treatment of Hannah. Fearing for her safety, he tries to convince Hannah’s remaining allies–brother Luke, best friend Mary, and loyal Matthew Esh–to help search for his love. Hannah’s father, however, remains steadfastly convinced of her sinful behavior. His blindness to his family’s pain extends to her sister, Sarah, who shows signs of increasing instability.

Convinced her former life is irreparably destroyed, Hannah finds purpose and solace in life with her aunt and in a growing friendship with Englischer Martin Palmer. Will the countless opportunities in her new life persuade Hannah that her place is amongst the Englischers — or will she give in to her heart’s call to return home and face her past?

The Autobiography of Santa Claus

Jeff Guinn

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 52 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Pretentiously un-Christmas-like 1 out of 5 stars.
5 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I was intrigued by the title when I saw this in Borders last yeear, and pondered for a while whether or not to purchase it. After some consideration, and the thought that this could be a really good read, I spent my money on it, and in short order became quite disappointed.

The book seems more like a roll call of mysterious historical figures mashed together haphazardly with Santa from Atilla the Hun (who swears off a lifetime of warfare to make kiddy toys) to King Arthur, Leonardo daVinci St Francis, and a few others...

Over the course of the novel, Santa became quite whiny about his mission and how it would succeed and the public's portrayal of him. The author also had Santa swear off giving gifts to children in war-torn countries becase war weakened their powers.

This is my largest annoyance with this book. Why would a self-less man refuse to give gifts to those who need them most? According to this book, Santa only gave gifts to children who lived in peaceful countries, because it was easy for him. But those children who needed gifts the most, who suffered the most, were left with nothing. Absolutely absurd. That is tantamount to refusing medical treatment to those with cancer and severed limbs so that those who need bandaids and advil can be helped.

As the book progressed I felt less and less like I was reading a story about Santa Claus, and more and more like I was reading a cheap history book...

There was no charm, no mystique, none of that Christmas magic. Just a whiny old man and a bunch of historical figures who refused to help those in greatest need.

And am I to believe that it was Atilla the Hun who delivered gifts to me as a child? Or King Arthur? Or Amelia Earhart? I cringe at the absurd pretentiousness of Guinn's pen.

Do not waste your money. Go rent or buy "Santa Claus: The Movie" with John Lithgow in a supporting role, and see a proper origin of the right jolly old elf.

Editorial Review:

This enchanting holiday treasure combines historical fact with glorious legend as Saint Nicholas himself reveals the definitive story of Santa Claus. For anyone who has ever wondered...you're right to believe in him! In The Autobiography of Santa Claus, Santa shares his story with readers for the first time.

Nicholas (his real name) was born in the Middle Eastern Country of Lycia to wealthy parents who died while he was young. The kind people of Lycia taught him the lessons of goodness and generosity, which he began to practice as a child by sharing his wealth with those in need. As a young man, Nicholas realized that his generosity had bestowed upon him special abilities to distribute his presents to deserving children everywhere. For example, he had stopped aging and could travel very, very rapidly.

And so it was that Santa broadened his gift-giving and spread his message to many others, who shared his belief in the goodness of giving.