Dark Night in Toyland

by Bob Shaw

Fifteen stories in a disturbing new collection, ranging from SF to fantasy to horror. Dark Night in Toyland is one of Shaw's most powerful pieces of fiction, a story about a child who is dying, and his parents' attempts to please him with a miraculous new toy.

Go On, Pick a Universe presents us with an infinity of parallel worlds, within which lies the delicious possibility of finding one that is perfectly tailored to our desires.

Aliens Aren't Human provides a neat illustration of the dangers that lie in assuming other species are too much like our own...

Shadow of Wings takes us into the realms of fantasy with a mystical novella about the last days of magic and sorcery.

Cutting Down is a truly horrific horror story about slimming—and one which presents a radical new theory about weight loss.

Bob Shaw's fourth collection of short stories demonstrated once again the supreme versatility and sheer inventiveness of this bestselling author.

Contents: Dark Night in Toyland; Go On, Pick a Universe!; Stormseeker; Aliens Aren't Human; Love Me Tender; To the Letter; Courageous New Planet; Cutting Down; Hue and Cry; The K-Y Warriors; Dissolute Diplomat; Well-Wisher; Executioner's Moon; Deflation 2001; Shadow of Wings.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy, Horror, Collections, Fiction

190 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 1989

About the author

Bob Shaw was born in Northern Ireland. After working in structural engineering, industrial public relations, and journalism he became a full time science fiction writer in 1975.

Shaw was noted for his originality and wit. He was two-time recipient (in 1979 and 1980) of the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer. His short story Light of Other Days was a Hugo Award nominee in 1967, as was his novel The Ragged Astronauts in 1987.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unsettling book - but in a good way. Bob Shaw was a great author who I feel was very much under-rated. Sadly no longer with us he wrote many books some of which were later gained fame and even considered classics - such as the Orbitsville trilogy.
This book however is a series of short stories written between 1960 and the early 80s. The stories vary from definite science fiction, to fantasy to quite simply horror. Ok they reflect the time they were written in - with the use of phrases and other little tell tales - but still the subject and the style retain their punch - i think the introduction - which leads in to the title short story only goes to make the short story all the more disturbing. And all I can say is Ian Miller's artwork just adds to the whole package. A surprising collection from an author who had many talents which it seems he is rarely acknowledged for.

[Иван Иванов · Rating 4 out of 5]

Боб Шоу ме спечели като фен още с първия прочетен негов разказ - "Схватка на разсъмване", който излезе преди повече от 30 години в култовото списание "Космос". Оттогава датира и желанието ми да прочета още нещо от този автор, но за съжаление единственото, което нашите издатели благоволиха да пуснат, беше романът "Орбитсвил", а той честно казано никак не ме впечатли.
Ето че най-после дойде редът да хвана негова книжка и избрах сборника "Тъмна нощ в Страната на играчките", най-вече защото заглавният разказ е бил предназначен за неизлязлата антология на Харлан Елисън "The Last Dangerous Visions". Не се излъгах. Това е един чудесен сборник, който погълнах с интерес, почти без да разнообразявам между разказите с нещо друго, както имам навика да правя. Нямаше и нужда, защото те са като цяло ужасно различни един от друг - научна фантастика, фентъзи, хорър, хумор и всякакви комбинации от споменатите, - така че нямаше момент на пренасищане с определен жанр. Освен това са леко старомодни и ми напомниха за произведенията, които ме запалиха по фантастиката навремето. Може да са понякога малко наивни и недостатъчно задълбочени, но не чак дотам, че да ми развалят удоволствието.
Трябва да отбележа също лекия, приятен и извънредно четивен стил, лишен от дълги и тягостни словоизлияния. След прочитането на тази книга вече съм убеден, че Боб Шоу е един от най-недооценените фантасти. Тук има разкази, които спокойно биха могли да излязат изпод перото на Робърт Шекли, Хари Харисън, Стивън Кинг или Джак Ванс.
Много ми се искаше да дам максимална оценка на книгата, но за да съм справедлив, ще махна една звезда заради някои дребни слабости. Вече споменах за известната наивност на места, освен това някои от разказите са прекалено стандартни и предвидими. Тук-там се срещат и слаби завършеци, които развалят донякъде впечатлението от иначе страхотни разкази. Но като цяло съм много доволен и бих препоръчал книгата на всеки, особено ако си пада по класическата фантастика.
Няма да давам оценки на отделните разкази, но най-много ми допаднаха:
Dark Night in Toyland
Go On, Pick a Universe!
Love Me Tender
Deflation 2001
Shadow of Wings
От тях само предпоследният е излизал на български и го има в Читанката (в посредствен превод, но по-добре от нищо). Хвърлете му едно око, само 2-3 странички е :)

[Paul Trembling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to keep old books, so this one has been gathering dust on my shelf for quite a few years, but I was surprised by how many of the stories I remembered - and indication, perhaps, of how much I enjoyed them on first reading, however long ago that was.

'Dark Night in Toyland' is a very eclectic collection of short stories, covering both SF and fantasy themes and with a strong flavour of horror in some of them! Although these were mostly written in the 1980's - and some as far back as the '60's - the ideas still feel fresh and imaginative, though the style may have dated a little in some cases. But then, so has Shakespeare - you can't really blame a book for being representative of its time! And you've got to admire the clever thinking behind some of these reality escapes. For example, the clash of cultures in 'Aliens aren't Human', where a society of mafia gangsters has to negotiate with gentle but indestructible aliens. And in the title story, where advances in medical science spin-off into some interesting children's toys: with chilling possibilities.

A good book for dipping into if you want a short and possible thought-provoking read.

[Jelena Perisic · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting short story collection, written in different fantasy sub-genres/styles, playing with various familiar concepts/tropes in each story, offering something relatable to pretty much any reader.

[Jeanette Greaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've definitely read this collection before, but I can't remember when. Bob Shaw can always be relied on to put some humour into his sf, and some of these stories are pretty much extended jokes (which Shaw admits).

In general, a nice collection of stories.

[CrowCaller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty solid, some stories were very ehhh and the representation of women was notably bad but the ones I liked I really enjoyed.

[Zantaeus Glom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A flawless collection of wildly eclectic short stories by the masterful Bob Shaw. Mr. Shaw has fashioned tales to rival the very best of Sheckley, Bradbury, Sturgeon, Bloch, and Matheson. (Yes, I genuinely feel he is that good!)There is simply no earthly (or unearthly!) reason why this glorious collection of especially wicked phantasmagoria has lapsed into literary obscurity; it should be swiftly reprinted, being appropriately garlanded with a multitude of ecstatic reviews from lovers of erudite fantastic fiction.

Many of these vivid confections have a dark, sardonic wit which I have always found terribly appealing; and his eerie forays into horror prove to be deliciously macabre.