There are many reasons why what could have been just a good story turns into a great one, but it almost always requires a piece of the author's soul t...moreThere are many reasons why what could have been just a good story turns into a great one, but it almost always requires a piece of the author's soul to stick to the story and flavor it with an unmistakable true-life ingredient. When an author writes stories with a dramatic edge without going through some gut twisting, the result is plastic, regardless of how professional his prose may be; but if he reads what he has written and it evokes long-forgotten sensations, whether pleasant or disagreeable, the potential for a great story is there.
The Days When You Were Anything Else, the opening story in Marcus Sakey's "Scar Tissue" collection, is a great story. I liked all seven short stories in the collection, but after reflecting on The Days When You Were Anything Else it seems almost inappropriate to get into details about the others. It is a crime story and the setup is sort of commonplace – an old ex-convict, now in reduced conditions, works as a bartender in a sordid joint. His daughter, who ran away while he was in jail and presumably developed psychological disorders as a result, hates him and only calls him once in a while to hurt him. He doesn't want to go back to his old life and become a criminal again, but circumstances are compelling. Nothing new here. You've read a hundred stories and seen a bunch of movies like that, right?
Wrong!
The storyline is really not important here; it is only a vehicle for the author to drag you into the protagonist's shoes and make you shudder and twitch in them, feeling exactly what he must be feeling. The author paints a vivid picture of a father's torment at seeing his child hurt, and he does so by throwing scattered images at you, which together push the right buttons. And the ending, whether you've seen it coming or not, leaves you fully satisfied.
I learned about this collection from Joe Konrath's blog, which also tells the whole story of the worthy cause which it benefits, and I highly recommend that you go and read it too. I, for one, look forward to reading more from this author.(less)
I received this book as a present for my 12th birthday and it got me so emotionally involved then, that I couldn't put it down. I read it again after...moreI received this book as a present for my 12th birthday and it got me so emotionally involved then, that I couldn't put it down. I read it again after too many years and find that the magic is still there. A must-read novel!(less)
The characters are flat and the book has no rhythm. After reading the English version I bought the Italian book to see whether reading it in the origi...moreThe characters are flat and the book has no rhythm. After reading the English version I bought the Italian book to see whether reading it in the original language made any difference; it did not. It remains a mystery to me why some people are ecstatic about it.
Bottom line: uninteresting, non-stimulating and not so well written. (less)
I love Dick's work, as a general rule, but this book was a letdown. It has a "Ubik" feel to it, but is not nearly well written as that classic. The st...more
I love Dick's work, as a general rule, but this book was a letdown. It has a "Ubik" feel to it, but is not nearly well written as that classic. The struggle between the gods was unconvincing and the book developed slowly and not fully (for instance, the Wanderers were severely under exploited in my opinion). I gave it 3 stars because it's Philip K. Dick and less than that doesn't sound right, but I'm still not sure that I shouldn't change it to 2.(less)
This was the first of Kafka's books i read as a teenager. I read it again for the third time now and every time I read it I discover some new facet of...moreThis was the first of Kafka's books i read as a teenager. I read it again for the third time now and every time I read it I discover some new facet of Kafka's genius. (less)
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