Sign in with Facebook
411th out of 1,006 books
—
3,049 voters
If You Go Into The Woods
by
David Gaughran (Goodreads Author)
"IF YOU GO INTO THE WOODS"
Eight-year old Jiri Beranek is drawn to a nearby forest, captivated by birds hidden high in the trees. Each time he enters, his desire to see the mysterious creatures is checked by his fear of the dark. When he finally forces himself to go farther, he finds a new reason to be afraid.
+ Bonus story: "THE RESET BUTTON"
Linus Eriksson, a divorced bac...more
Eight-year old Jiri Beranek is drawn to a nearby forest, captivated by birds hidden high in the trees. Each time he enters, his desire to see the mysterious creatures is checked by his fear of the dark. When he finally forces himself to go farther, he finds a new reason to be afraid.
+ Bonus story: "THE RESET BUTTON"
Linus Eriksson, a divorced bac...more
Kindle Edition, 16 pages
Published
(first published April 30th 2011)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
220)
Technically a 4.5 star
You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes. ~Winnie the Poo
If You Go Into the Woods introduces the reader to Jiri Beranek a young boy who is drawn to the forest near his home. He is completely enthralled by the birds that are hidden out of sight by the canopy of the wood, yet his curiosity is curbed by his fear of the unknown...of the darkness within the deeper parts of the forest. Will little Jiri ever ge...more
You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes. ~Winnie the Poo
If You Go Into the Woods introduces the reader to Jiri Beranek a young boy who is drawn to the forest near his home. He is completely enthralled by the birds that are hidden out of sight by the canopy of the wood, yet his curiosity is curbed by his fear of the unknown...of the darkness within the deeper parts of the forest. Will little Jiri ever ge...more
Though it will be tough to achieve, I'll try my best to not fangirl all over the place about this marvelous work of art. Ok, so maybe I will fangirl all over the place, but if you've read "If you go into the woods" then you will completely understand why; and if you haven't read it yet, you're missing out on major art of the word, in my opinion.
The ebook consists of two beautiful short stories, "If you go into the woods" and "The reset button".
I cannot speak highly enough of the mastery of wor...more
The ebook consists of two beautiful short stories, "If you go into the woods" and "The reset button".
I cannot speak highly enough of the mastery of wor...more
If You Go Into The Woods by David Gaughran is a collection of two short stories. Both stories are quick reads and give a good idea of David Gaughran's writing style.
The first short story, entitled If You Go Into The Woods, tells the story of a little boy who is attracted to the chirping birds in the woods. Finally finding the courage to stray from the beaten paths, he makes it his mission to see the birds. But when faced with the opportunity, he realizes that the birds may not be what they appea...more
The first short story, entitled If You Go Into The Woods, tells the story of a little boy who is attracted to the chirping birds in the woods. Finally finding the courage to stray from the beaten paths, he makes it his mission to see the birds. But when faced with the opportunity, he realizes that the birds may not be what they appea...more
"Unsettling" ... absolutely! In a wonderful can't stop thinking about it way! I really enjoyed both short stories..which are difficult to talk about, for me anyway, as I do not want to give anything away! ;) 'If you go into the woods' was great and even though I love the forrest around my home..it will now hold a new little bit of .. wait, did you hear that??? Sorry, it's just me, hopefully! 'The reset button' I loved too. I was more curious about what was happening in this second story, as oppo...more
Author David Gaughran’s surprise twist horror ending is found in two completely unrelated very short stories.
***
“If You Go Into The Woods” reads like an old fairytale. Irresistible chirping draws a young but troubled boy into the woods day after day, until the lure of the unknown draws him off the trail and literally up a tree. You will need to read the very short five page story to find out if he survives fear and panic to reveal what is really hidden in the branches.
Everybody in the televisio...more
***
“If You Go Into The Woods” reads like an old fairytale. Irresistible chirping draws a young but troubled boy into the woods day after day, until the lure of the unknown draws him off the trail and literally up a tree. You will need to read the very short five page story to find out if he survives fear and panic to reveal what is really hidden in the branches.
Everybody in the televisio...more
If You Go Into The Woods è una raccolta di due brevi racconti.
Il primo, che porta il nome del libro, è la storia di un bambino di 8 anni, Jiri, affascinato dalla foresta che si trova vicino casa e dagli uccelli che la popolano. Ha paura di addentrarsi fra gli alberi di sera, per cui decide di farlo al mattino, all'alba. Ed è proprio durante l'ennesima esplorazione che fa una scoperta piuttosto inquietante.
Il secondo racconto, The Reset Button, parla invece di Linus Eriksson, un uomo divorziato,...more
Il primo, che porta il nome del libro, è la storia di un bambino di 8 anni, Jiri, affascinato dalla foresta che si trova vicino casa e dagli uccelli che la popolano. Ha paura di addentrarsi fra gli alberi di sera, per cui decide di farlo al mattino, all'alba. Ed è proprio durante l'ennesima esplorazione che fa una scoperta piuttosto inquietante.
Il secondo racconto, The Reset Button, parla invece di Linus Eriksson, un uomo divorziato,...more
This eBook contains two short stories: “If You Go Into the Woods,” and “Reset Button.” The first reads very much like a fairy tale, and I think the foreign setting really helped to set an otherworldly mood. I did have some questions about the significance of some character actions, but on the whole I understood and was intrigued by the child protagonist. My biggest complaint is that the story ended just as I was starting to feel creeped out. I’m fine, philosophically, with ambiguous endings, but...more
I would first like to thank David Gaughran for allowing me the opportunity to read his short stories from If You Go Into the Woods. Gaughran submitted his stories for my reivew. I wanted to read his stories in honor of May being Short Story Month.
David Gaughran’s newly self-published eBook, If You Go Into the Woods, comes with two short stories: “If You Go Into the Woods” and “The Reset Button.” Though they are extremely different in plot—a young boy who goes to the woods and a divorced man who...more
David Gaughran’s newly self-published eBook, If You Go Into the Woods, comes with two short stories: “If You Go Into the Woods” and “The Reset Button.” Though they are extremely different in plot—a young boy who goes to the woods and a divorced man who...more
'If You Go Into The Woods' is a pair of short stories; the eponymous first and a second titled 'The Reset Button', linked together by themes of loneliness and alienation.
'If You Go Into The Woods' is the tale of a young boy exploring a dark forest, written mostly in the style of a fairy tale, but with the occasional glimpses of a child's voice, concerns, fears. The tension builds well, but it's let down somewhat by a climax that perhaps falls short of the atmosphere evoked by the rest.
'The Reset...more
'If You Go Into The Woods' is the tale of a young boy exploring a dark forest, written mostly in the style of a fairy tale, but with the occasional glimpses of a child's voice, concerns, fears. The tension builds well, but it's let down somewhat by a climax that perhaps falls short of the atmosphere evoked by the rest.
'The Reset...more
You know that feeling of (somehow pleasant) unease? A cold shiver down your spine? Skin inexplicably covered in goose bumps? Like the world for a moment stepped out of the familiar-and-cosy and into the unknown-but-suspected part of the path? That's were I've been living since I read and re-read 'If You Go Into the Woods' and 'Reset Button' this morning.
Both stories are well composed, precise to the word, ending exactly where they should to leave the reader with the lingering feeling of the afor...more
Both stories are well composed, precise to the word, ending exactly where they should to leave the reader with the lingering feeling of the afor...more
Short stories are tough. You have a limited amount of words and space to not only develop your characters, but also the storyline. I've seen some authors do amazing things with short stories... if only this was one of those times.
I went in thinking "Oh good! Creepy stories for October!" and left with "Umm... what the heck did I just read and how can I get that 15 minutes of my life back?". Here's the thing... the premise of the stories are awesome. Both are "thinking" stories. The writing is eve...more
I went in thinking "Oh good! Creepy stories for October!" and left with "Umm... what the heck did I just read and how can I get that 15 minutes of my life back?". Here's the thing... the premise of the stories are awesome. Both are "thinking" stories. The writing is eve...more
I recently read and reviewed another of David's books, and with Monkey having a nap I thought it was the perfect time to take a look at this book at around 16 print pages long.
This book comprises two short stories. The first, the story of the title, introduces us to the world of 8 year old Jiri. He lives near a forest which has captured his attention. Although he is afraid of the dark recesses of the forest he wants to see the birds he hears high in the trees. When he finally plucks up the coura...more
This book comprises two short stories. The first, the story of the title, introduces us to the world of 8 year old Jiri. He lives near a forest which has captured his attention. Although he is afraid of the dark recesses of the forest he wants to see the birds he hears high in the trees. When he finally plucks up the coura...more
If You Go Into the Woods & The Reset Button
By David Gaughran
Reviewed by Alex Canton-Dutari
Both stories have something in common: a bit of surrealism.
"If you go into the woods" uses an artistic technique known as Performance, by which the artists utilizes his body and a medium to express an idea. In this case, the special bird with it...s unique calling and further message was the instrument. The author, of course, is the artist.
"The Reset Button" is an idea that I believe exists in everyone...more
By David Gaughran
Reviewed by Alex Canton-Dutari
Both stories have something in common: a bit of surrealism.
"If you go into the woods" uses an artistic technique known as Performance, by which the artists utilizes his body and a medium to express an idea. In this case, the special bird with it...s unique calling and further message was the instrument. The author, of course, is the artist.
"The Reset Button" is an idea that I believe exists in everyone...more
"Eight-year old Jiri Beranek is drawn to a nearby forest, captivated by birds hidden high in the trees. Each time he enters, his desire to see the mysterious creatures is checked by his fear of the dark. When he finally forces himself to go farther, he finds a new reason to be afraid." This description quite peaked my interest, this story I want to know more about, David Gaughran writes a compelling story for which I applude him, but I feel this isn't really the story I read. His short story rea...more
I would give the title story 4 stars, and the second story 3 stars. For a self-published effort, I thought this was great. The cover is AMAZING (I believe it was done by the author's sister, who is a designer). It's beautiful and perfect for the eerily whimsical story inside. The story is engaging and well-written, and has a very classic 'old-word' kind of creepiness to it that I LOVED. Very fairytale-ish. My only problem with it was that it ended too soon. I know you could argue that sometimes...more
Although much different from each other, the two stories in this collection are well crafted and not like anything you’ve read before.
If You Go Into The Woods might seem like a familiar theme (the woods can be scary for some) but that is the only part you’ve seen before. A strange, but fun premise keeps you guessing with a clever ending.
The Reset Button takes a feeling many of us sometimes get and makes it a reality. This is one of those stories that is a good read and, if you allow it, can get...more
If You Go Into The Woods might seem like a familiar theme (the woods can be scary for some) but that is the only part you’ve seen before. A strange, but fun premise keeps you guessing with a clever ending.
The Reset Button takes a feeling many of us sometimes get and makes it a reality. This is one of those stories that is a good read and, if you allow it, can get...more
This book feels like a complete let down. Both stories start with so much promise but end abruptly... as if the writer couldn't come up with an appropriate ending or simply couldn't figure out where he was going with the stories and decided to just cut them off. In the first story, IF YOU GO INTO THE WOODS, showed real promise for having some kind of horrifying or terrifying end but simply fizzles. And the second story? Well, there is nothing terrifying, horrifying or even remotely disturbing ab...more
Short, original, disturbing. I liked the writing and the imagery of "If you go...", but there was otherwise nothing remarkable about this tale. "The Reset Button" is likewise original, but more of a protracted thought than a story. It has an interesting premise and needed to be explored deeper. I really have nothing bad to say, just that these tales didn't push me out of my comfort zone. Still, all in all, a decent way to spend twenty minutes, but I know this author has written much better, more...more
Let me start off by saying that I love David's writing. I love his novel, his journalistic blog posts, and his self-publishing guide. I felt confident that I would enjoy anything he writes and was not disappointed with his short stories. Although they're very quick, they're unique and immersive. The strange, eerie, something's-not-right vibe begins at the start of both stories and continues to the end. A fun, light read and my only criticism is that I would have liked more stories! Now I'm off t...more
This e-book is a small collection of two short stories that total about 4000 words. If it wasn't an e-book, perhaps chapbook would be a better description rather than "book." Is e-chapbook a word?
The first story, which the collection is titled after, is curious in that when I was finished reading, I decided it was a much better story than when I was in the middle of reading. This is not a story that ended too soon, but a story with an ending that makes you think back and opens your imagination t...more
The first story, which the collection is titled after, is curious in that when I was finished reading, I decided it was a much better story than when I was in the middle of reading. This is not a story that ended too soon, but a story with an ending that makes you think back and opens your imagination t...more
Here we have two adventurous stories. "Adventurous" in the sense that they deviate from most established genres (imo). The first story suggests hidden depths that never reach the surface. Hard to explain what I mean. The second story "The Reset Button" promised more than it delivered. It could have been a lot longer. If David had wanted to, he could have produced a classic short story in the Kafka tradition (imo).
Anyway, two great stories, these. A creditable debut in the digital age.
Anyway, two great stories, these. A creditable debut in the digital age.
I'm giving the "collection" a four star cumulative review. The first, and title, story is certainly worthy of five stars. It has all the qualities of a traditional folk tale, and the eerie atmosphere of a campfire "ghost" story. The suspense builds nicely and the end is chillingly incomplete, allowing the reader to draw his/her own conclusions.
The second story, The Reset Button, seemed stilted and incomplete. It has a good premise but needs a little stylistic work.
The second story, The Reset Button, seemed stilted and incomplete. It has a good premise but needs a little stylistic work.
If you go into the woods is a collection of 2 short stories that I did not expect the ending.
First story is about a 8 year old boy who just moved tor a new town and he finds himself exploring and getting his courage to go deeper into the woods to find?
these are very short and fast reads. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from librarything.
First story is about a 8 year old boy who just moved tor a new town and he finds himself exploring and getting his courage to go deeper into the woods to find?
these are very short and fast reads. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from librarything.
Both of the stories in this book seemed to catch me off guard. Granted, the first one was more of a shock to me than the second, but I enjoyed both of them. The author shows the characters in such a light that it is easy for me to picture myself in their shoes, and I love being able to live vicariously through the characters.
I was able to read this this afternoon and I was glad to have done it. The characters were well written and conveyed properly. I wasn't able to put it down. The mystery he embedded in each story leaves you thinking and wanting more. The writer doesn't confine the audience by genre and makes it connectable in many ways.
originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions
*I won a free copy of this e-book in a LibraryThing Member Giveaway*
if you go into the woods- though somewhat the title might not pick up your interest,..is a book to look out for...
this book actually contains 2 stories of Jiri and Linus...
both stories are mind-buggling, thrilling, compelling,...and just freakingly awesome... it has the composition of good and tantalizing words... which would actually lead you on to read and read..
..but one thing for s...more
*I won a free copy of this e-book in a LibraryThing Member Giveaway*
if you go into the woods- though somewhat the title might not pick up your interest,..is a book to look out for...
this book actually contains 2 stories of Jiri and Linus...
both stories are mind-buggling, thrilling, compelling,...and just freakingly awesome... it has the composition of good and tantalizing words... which would actually lead you on to read and read..
..but one thing for s...more
I reviewed this book for Sift Book Reviews. I don't want to to skew the ratings by posting twice, but for the review you can go here: http://www.siftreviews.com/2011/05/if...
Really GOOD shorts stories. I would love to see If you go into the woods as a longer story. Writing style is tight and well done. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.
While this is well written and interesting, I felt a little ripped off because it's just two quite short stories. I was hoping for a little more to read.
The format of the Kindle edition did not make it immediately apparent that there were two separate stories in this book, so I spent most of my time reading the second story confused about how it tied in with the first story. Now that I've read the book's synopsis, I have a better appreciation for the individual stories.
I really enjoyed If You Go into the Woods, but would have loved to know more about the discovery Jiri made at the end of the book. Unfortunately, the story ended right when it be...more
I really enjoyed If You Go into the Woods, but would have loved to know more about the discovery Jiri made at the end of the book. Unfortunately, the story ended right when it be...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
David Gaughran is an Irish writer, living in London, who spends most of his time travelling the world, collecting stories.
He is the author of the South American historical adventure A Storm Hits Valparaiso and the short stories If You Go Into The Woods and Transfection as well as the popular self-publishing guide Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should.
He runs the publishing blo...more
More about David Gaughran...
He is the author of the South American historical adventure A Storm Hits Valparaiso and the short stories If You Go Into The Woods and Transfection as well as the popular self-publishing guide Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should.
He runs the publishing blo...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
Jan 23, 2012 03:00pm