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Long Eyes and Other Stories
From the mind that brought you Plague Year and The Frozen Sky...
SIXTEEN STORIES ABOUT STRANGE WORLDS, BIOTECH, COMMANDOS, AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
First published in top venues such as Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine and cult 'zines like The Vampire's Crypt, these stories have been translated into fourteen languages worldwide. Several received honorable mentions in Gardner Dozois's The Year's Best Science Fiction or in Ellen Datlow's Year's Best Fantasy and Horror. As part of the Fast Forward 2 anthology, "Long Eyes" was also a finalist for the Philip K. Dick Award.
THE FIRST COMPLETE COLLECTION FROM INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER JEFF CARLSON, THIS EBOOK IS 80,000 WORDS AND PACKED WITH ARTWORK FROM AWARD-WINNING ILLUSTRATORS SUCH AS FRANK WU AND BILLY TACKETT.
Readers can find free fiction, videos, contests, and more at www.jverse.com.
SIXTEEN STORIES ABOUT STRANGE WORLDS, BIOTECH, COMMANDOS, AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
First published in top venues such as Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine and cult 'zines like The Vampire's Crypt, these stories have been translated into fourteen languages worldwide. Several received honorable mentions in Gardner Dozois's The Year's Best Science Fiction or in Ellen Datlow's Year's Best Fantasy and Horror. As part of the Fast Forward 2 anthology, "Long Eyes" was also a finalist for the Philip K. Dick Award.
THE FIRST COMPLETE COLLECTION FROM INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER JEFF CARLSON, THIS EBOOK IS 80,000 WORDS AND PACKED WITH ARTWORK FROM AWARD-WINNING ILLUSTRATORS SUCH AS FRANK WU AND BILLY TACKETT.
Readers can find free fiction, videos, contests, and more at www.jverse.com.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2011
26 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Carlson
39 books160 followersJeff Carlson is the international bestselling author of "Plague Year," "Long Eyes," "Interrupt" and "The Frozen Sky." To date, his work has been translated into sixteen languages worldwide.
His new novel is "Frozen Sky 3: Blindsided."
Readers can find free fiction, contests, videos and more on his web site at http://www.jverse.com
His new novel is "Frozen Sky 3: Blindsided."
Readers can find free fiction, contests, videos and more on his web site at http://www.jverse.com
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 25, 2012
As originally reviewed by William Van Winkle on the Sci-Guys podcast #103:
By now, you probably know that free ebooks on Amazon would be a dime a dozen...if they weren't already free. If you subscribe to sites like Pixel of Ink or my own favorite, Ereader News Today, you can be flooded with dozens of suggestions for ebooks that are free to download that day. My Kindle is stuffed with hundreds of these freebies. It's like being a kid at the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. The food may suck, but who cares? You're not even paying for it.
To be sure, most of it sucks. Sci-fi master Theodore Sturgeon was famous for saying -- and I paraphrase here -- 90% of science fiction is crap, but then again, 90% of everything is crap. So calling all self-published fiction or all free ebook downloads junk is only 90% accurate. Sturgeon's Law says that one in ten downloads will actually be pretty good.
In sifting through the freeload flotsam on my Kindle, I stumbled over a title called Long Eyes and Other Stories by Jeff Carlson. Check it out at jverse.com. I'd never heard of this guy before his free download promo, and because I had no money invested, no skin in the game, I promptly forgot about it. But eventually Long Eyes resurfaced, and I knew within the first three pages that my neglect had been a big mistake. This guy was obviously a professional.
Long Eyes has 19 stories, and the first three are science fiction. They have a classic SF feel to them -- simple tales shaped around a single, mind-blowing idea. Other tales are fun and sassy. Still others have a quiet creep factor that will stick in the back of your mind like tar for weeks. Carlson published each of these stories in outlets like Asimov's, Strange Horizons, and Tales of the Unanticipated over most of the previous decade. Now he's gathered them into a single volume. I was very lucky to nab this ebook for free, but you can buy it for just $2.99 on Kindle. I'd even say the $10 paperback is a steal.
Why is this collection so cheap? Probably because Carlson is no dummy, and he wants to hook you into buying his post-nanotech apocalypse trilogy [Plague Year, etc.], which sounds equally awesome. Trilogy or not, I'm not going to look a gift author in the mouth. Long Eyes is an amazing collection, and you should grab it today.
By now, you probably know that free ebooks on Amazon would be a dime a dozen...if they weren't already free. If you subscribe to sites like Pixel of Ink or my own favorite, Ereader News Today, you can be flooded with dozens of suggestions for ebooks that are free to download that day. My Kindle is stuffed with hundreds of these freebies. It's like being a kid at the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. The food may suck, but who cares? You're not even paying for it.
To be sure, most of it sucks. Sci-fi master Theodore Sturgeon was famous for saying -- and I paraphrase here -- 90% of science fiction is crap, but then again, 90% of everything is crap. So calling all self-published fiction or all free ebook downloads junk is only 90% accurate. Sturgeon's Law says that one in ten downloads will actually be pretty good.
In sifting through the freeload flotsam on my Kindle, I stumbled over a title called Long Eyes and Other Stories by Jeff Carlson. Check it out at jverse.com. I'd never heard of this guy before his free download promo, and because I had no money invested, no skin in the game, I promptly forgot about it. But eventually Long Eyes resurfaced, and I knew within the first three pages that my neglect had been a big mistake. This guy was obviously a professional.
Long Eyes has 19 stories, and the first three are science fiction. They have a classic SF feel to them -- simple tales shaped around a single, mind-blowing idea. Other tales are fun and sassy. Still others have a quiet creep factor that will stick in the back of your mind like tar for weeks. Carlson published each of these stories in outlets like Asimov's, Strange Horizons, and Tales of the Unanticipated over most of the previous decade. Now he's gathered them into a single volume. I was very lucky to nab this ebook for free, but you can buy it for just $2.99 on Kindle. I'd even say the $10 paperback is a steal.
Why is this collection so cheap? Probably because Carlson is no dummy, and he wants to hook you into buying his post-nanotech apocalypse trilogy [Plague Year, etc.], which sounds equally awesome. Trilogy or not, I'm not going to look a gift author in the mouth. Long Eyes is an amazing collection, and you should grab it today.
June 11, 2012
A vampire dog, a human spaceship hybrid and a half fish, half human. These are some of the things that you will read about in Jeff Carlson's short story collection called Long Eyes. This anthology according to the author is the book no one wanted him to publish except his fans. Long Eyes includes all of Jeff Carlson's short stories from when he first started writing to the present day.
I have to admit even though I enjoyed all of Jeff Carlson's stories that I've previously heard on podcasts or read in magazines I was a little apprehensive about reading Long Eyes. I do like science fiction but I find a lot of it goes over my head and I thought that might be the case with the stories in this anthology. Not only was every story excellent but none of them left me feeling confused as to what was going on. Long Eyes is very well written and shows how a great science fiction anthology should be.
One theme I found that seems to run through all of the stories here is loneliness. There is usually one character in each story that doesn't fit in with what is considered normal. A good example of that is in the title story Long Eyes. Which tells the tale of a woman named Clara who is physically connected to a space ship. Clara has been traveling through space for 600 years before landing on a planet and being attacked by humanoid creatures. Clara sees the potential in these humanoids and has to decide whether to help the creatures become more then they are or put in a distress call in to help her leave the planet.
This story was the first selection and really set the mood for the whole book, I loved the idea in this story about a lonely being comes across a race of people that are worse off then she is, and deciding if she should help those around her or do what is best for herself. Another story that has a similar theme is Planet of the Sealies. This one follows a woman named Joanna searching a planet in the distant future in search of dna to find out how past civilizations lived. This story was another one of my favorites and once again has a character that doesn't fit in with anyone else. I also loved finding out what a sealie is.
Some of the other stories that really stuck out as being great were Pattern Masters which was about an artist named Sauber who takes photos that don't belong to him from a photo developer for his art projects. Another one was Monsters which takes a look at a man who is infected by a hypodermic needle in a movie theater and how it changes him. Even mystery fans can get something out of this collection with the stories: Gunfight at the Sugarloaf Pet Food and Taxidermy and A Lovely Little Christmas Fire.
Long Eyes has something that will appeal to horror and science fiction fans alike. There is also a little mystery, fantasy and comedy thrown in as well. In addition to the stories I also liked the commentary that Jeff Carlson gives at the end of each story, it was kind of like getting a director's commentary for each story. My only problem with the anthology was that I thought almost every story in this anthology would make a great novel and I wanted more. I guess that is the point of a good anthology though, to make your fans want more.
I have to admit even though I enjoyed all of Jeff Carlson's stories that I've previously heard on podcasts or read in magazines I was a little apprehensive about reading Long Eyes. I do like science fiction but I find a lot of it goes over my head and I thought that might be the case with the stories in this anthology. Not only was every story excellent but none of them left me feeling confused as to what was going on. Long Eyes is very well written and shows how a great science fiction anthology should be.
One theme I found that seems to run through all of the stories here is loneliness. There is usually one character in each story that doesn't fit in with what is considered normal. A good example of that is in the title story Long Eyes. Which tells the tale of a woman named Clara who is physically connected to a space ship. Clara has been traveling through space for 600 years before landing on a planet and being attacked by humanoid creatures. Clara sees the potential in these humanoids and has to decide whether to help the creatures become more then they are or put in a distress call in to help her leave the planet.
This story was the first selection and really set the mood for the whole book, I loved the idea in this story about a lonely being comes across a race of people that are worse off then she is, and deciding if she should help those around her or do what is best for herself. Another story that has a similar theme is Planet of the Sealies. This one follows a woman named Joanna searching a planet in the distant future in search of dna to find out how past civilizations lived. This story was another one of my favorites and once again has a character that doesn't fit in with anyone else. I also loved finding out what a sealie is.
Some of the other stories that really stuck out as being great were Pattern Masters which was about an artist named Sauber who takes photos that don't belong to him from a photo developer for his art projects. Another one was Monsters which takes a look at a man who is infected by a hypodermic needle in a movie theater and how it changes him. Even mystery fans can get something out of this collection with the stories: Gunfight at the Sugarloaf Pet Food and Taxidermy and A Lovely Little Christmas Fire.
Long Eyes has something that will appeal to horror and science fiction fans alike. There is also a little mystery, fantasy and comedy thrown in as well. In addition to the stories I also liked the commentary that Jeff Carlson gives at the end of each story, it was kind of like getting a director's commentary for each story. My only problem with the anthology was that I thought almost every story in this anthology would make a great novel and I wanted more. I guess that is the point of a good anthology though, to make your fans want more.
November 1, 2011
Science fiction is plausible fantasy, in other words, weird stuff that could possibly happen. That’s what makes it so fascinating. Jeff Carlson’s new anthology, Long Eyes and Other Stories runs the gamut from futuristic technology to space travel. The sixteen short stories are radically different and each one will blow your mind with an intriguing concept and clever conclusion.
I love to escape into alternate realities but to me the best stories are character driven and Jeff’s tales of human hybrids are my favorites. Long Eyes is a great story about Clara, part woman, part spaceship but my #1 favorite is Pressure. The story reminded me of a book I’ve read many times over, The Experiment by Richard Setlowe. Jeff tackles the same premise in a different way - adapting the human body to live in the depths of the ocean. He conveys perfectly the awe and fear of abandoning a family to explore the unknown. That’s all I’m sayin’. You gotta read it yourself, it’s good stuff.
For me one of the best parts of the book is the afterwords Jeff includes at the end of each story. Writers’ minds work in weird and wonderful ways, and who doesn’t like to know how a writer comes up with his ideas? Highly recommended! I can’t wait to see what Jeff comes up with next.
http://galestanley.blogspot.com/
I love to escape into alternate realities but to me the best stories are character driven and Jeff’s tales of human hybrids are my favorites. Long Eyes is a great story about Clara, part woman, part spaceship but my #1 favorite is Pressure. The story reminded me of a book I’ve read many times over, The Experiment by Richard Setlowe. Jeff tackles the same premise in a different way - adapting the human body to live in the depths of the ocean. He conveys perfectly the awe and fear of abandoning a family to explore the unknown. That’s all I’m sayin’. You gotta read it yourself, it’s good stuff.
For me one of the best parts of the book is the afterwords Jeff includes at the end of each story. Writers’ minds work in weird and wonderful ways, and who doesn’t like to know how a writer comes up with his ideas? Highly recommended! I can’t wait to see what Jeff comes up with next.
http://galestanley.blogspot.com/
November 23, 2011
4.5/5 stars
... in this review, I have touched the bare tip of a captivating ice burg. Carlson is an excellent writer with a fascinating head on his shoulders. Long Eyes is an exercise in thought. Carlson doesn’t just write these to entertain, he writes them to explore concepts and ideas and that’s half the draw of this compilation. While many (if not all) of these stories have been published in other compilations (and won awards, been on a short list for awards, been translated into numerous languages and etc.) or magazines, this is the first time they have all been put together in one book and it is well worth reading. Carlson is one hell of an author and this is one hell of a compilation fans of science fiction should take note of.
Read my full review here:
http://bookwormblues.blogspot.com/201...
... in this review, I have touched the bare tip of a captivating ice burg. Carlson is an excellent writer with a fascinating head on his shoulders. Long Eyes is an exercise in thought. Carlson doesn’t just write these to entertain, he writes them to explore concepts and ideas and that’s half the draw of this compilation. While many (if not all) of these stories have been published in other compilations (and won awards, been on a short list for awards, been translated into numerous languages and etc.) or magazines, this is the first time they have all been put together in one book and it is well worth reading. Carlson is one hell of an author and this is one hell of a compilation fans of science fiction should take note of.
Read my full review here:
http://bookwormblues.blogspot.com/201...
April 8, 2013
“Long Eyes and Other Stories” by Jeff Carlson is a spectacular collection of 16 superb short stories, plus a few non-fiction articles, penned by the very talented Jeff Carlson. Each story in this collection is a legitimate contender for the honor of being called “my favorite” in the book. Jeff is not content to just publish his stories; after each one he gives a brief exposition concerning how that story came about. But of all the great fiction, the non-fiction articles, and his accounts of how the stories came to be, I’d have to say the absolutely best bit of writing is found at the very beginning of the book. That is where he reveals that “Interrupt” (my favorite story in this book) will be released as a full-blown book in July of 2013! I was especially delighted to read this, because while reading “Interrupt” I kept thinking what a great novel it would be.
Jeff Carlson has received well-deserved accolades for his other novels, “The Frozen Sky” and the Plague Year trilogy: “Plague Year”, “Plague War”, and “Plague Zone”. Early reviews of “Long Eyes and Other Stories” are just a continuation of the praise heaped upon Jeff for his literary excellence. Words such as “Striking”, “Exciting”, “Chilling”, “Dangerous”, “Amazing”, and “Captivating” are used to describe this anthology. I strongly recommend this collection of short stories for anybody who appreciates good writing. Personally, I can’t wait to read the enhanced “Interrupt” when it is released! Without a doubt, it will be worthy of the same adjectives reviewers have been using to describe everything else Jeff has written to date. Until then, “Long Eyes and Other Stories” will give you the biggest bang for your book buck. Don’t delay; get your copy today.
Jeff Carlson has received well-deserved accolades for his other novels, “The Frozen Sky” and the Plague Year trilogy: “Plague Year”, “Plague War”, and “Plague Zone”. Early reviews of “Long Eyes and Other Stories” are just a continuation of the praise heaped upon Jeff for his literary excellence. Words such as “Striking”, “Exciting”, “Chilling”, “Dangerous”, “Amazing”, and “Captivating” are used to describe this anthology. I strongly recommend this collection of short stories for anybody who appreciates good writing. Personally, I can’t wait to read the enhanced “Interrupt” when it is released! Without a doubt, it will be worthy of the same adjectives reviewers have been using to describe everything else Jeff has written to date. Until then, “Long Eyes and Other Stories” will give you the biggest bang for your book buck. Don’t delay; get your copy today.
Read
November 26, 2012The following review is based on the ebook edition of “Long Eyes and Other Stories” from a librarything.com giveaway.
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“Long Eyes and Other Stories” is the very embodiment of speculative fiction. It is an anthology of short stories– some sci-fi, some horror, and some with just the most subtle hints of the extraordinary, but every story (and even the two essays near the end) is absolutely brimming with the evocativeness that speculative fiction is so wont to contain.
The stories are creative, well-written, thought-provoking, and oftentimes (suitably) disturbing. Each one had its charm, whether it was the prose or the plot or (most often) the imaginative concept. My favorite stories of the collection are “Long Eyes,” “Eighth Acre Blues,” “Gunfight at the Sugarloaf Pet Food and Taxidermy,” “A Lovely Little Christmas Fire” (Julie Beauchain has earned a spot for herself on my list of exceptional heroines), and “Snack Food.” What I loved most about the book, however, was the author’s notes at the end of each story giving relevant background information and additional thoughts. I have read so many fantastic but utterly confounding short stories in other collections that left me wishing for some kind of author analysis, and FINALLY there’s an author willing to elaborate a bit!
I would recommend this collection to short story lovers (or anyone too busy to read a full length novel but unwilling to give up quality fiction) as well as fans of traditional sci-fi and speculative fiction.
--
“Long Eyes and Other Stories” is the very embodiment of speculative fiction. It is an anthology of short stories– some sci-fi, some horror, and some with just the most subtle hints of the extraordinary, but every story (and even the two essays near the end) is absolutely brimming with the evocativeness that speculative fiction is so wont to contain.
The stories are creative, well-written, thought-provoking, and oftentimes (suitably) disturbing. Each one had its charm, whether it was the prose or the plot or (most often) the imaginative concept. My favorite stories of the collection are “Long Eyes,” “Eighth Acre Blues,” “Gunfight at the Sugarloaf Pet Food and Taxidermy,” “A Lovely Little Christmas Fire” (Julie Beauchain has earned a spot for herself on my list of exceptional heroines), and “Snack Food.” What I loved most about the book, however, was the author’s notes at the end of each story giving relevant background information and additional thoughts. I have read so many fantastic but utterly confounding short stories in other collections that left me wishing for some kind of author analysis, and FINALLY there’s an author willing to elaborate a bit!
I would recommend this collection to short story lovers (or anyone too busy to read a full length novel but unwilling to give up quality fiction) as well as fans of traditional sci-fi and speculative fiction.
July 30, 2011
Long Eyes and Other Stories by Jeff Carlson was a book I read in moments. Each story is short, but very intriguing.
The first, Long Eyes, was my favorite. This one followed a single pilot as she descends to the surface of a barely habitable planet to observe and analyze it. However, she is surprised by what she finds there.
Planet of the Sealies is a look into a possible future on our very own planet, where people search garbage dumps for materials that can be recycled. However, you might just find yourself surprised with the revelation of what Sealies are.
And the final story, Pressure centers around a young man that makes a temporary, but difficult life changing decision in his career. The decision affects not just him, but the family he leaves behind for the two years of his contract. However, we learn that maybe the decision wasn't so hard for him after all.
They are short and sweet. I ordered mine via Kindle from Amazon.com for .99 cents. As of this review it's still available for that low price, and I say well worth the purchase. Each short definitely left me wanting more, and that is a good thing.
The first, Long Eyes, was my favorite. This one followed a single pilot as she descends to the surface of a barely habitable planet to observe and analyze it. However, she is surprised by what she finds there.
Planet of the Sealies is a look into a possible future on our very own planet, where people search garbage dumps for materials that can be recycled. However, you might just find yourself surprised with the revelation of what Sealies are.
And the final story, Pressure centers around a young man that makes a temporary, but difficult life changing decision in his career. The decision affects not just him, but the family he leaves behind for the two years of his contract. However, we learn that maybe the decision wasn't so hard for him after all.
They are short and sweet. I ordered mine via Kindle from Amazon.com for .99 cents. As of this review it's still available for that low price, and I say well worth the purchase. Each short definitely left me wanting more, and that is a good thing.
March 25, 2012
Long Eyes And Other Stories is a fairly wide-ranging collection of science fiction and horror short stories alongside a short essay. Unlike many short story collections it also includes author's notes on each of the stories, which I found interesting in themselves. However, like most short story collections I've read, while I liked many of the stories a few didn't really connect with me at all.
Ultimately there was nothing terribly original about most of the stories, but they had some interesting twists on old ideas and some interesting characters to go with them.
See the in-depth review at Sift: http://www.siftreviews.com/2012/03/lo...
Review by: Edward of Sift Book Reviews
Sift Book Reviews received a free copy for review from the author. This has, in no way, affected the reviewer's opinion.
Ultimately there was nothing terribly original about most of the stories, but they had some interesting twists on old ideas and some interesting characters to go with them.
See the in-depth review at Sift: http://www.siftreviews.com/2012/03/lo...
Review by: Edward of Sift Book Reviews
Sift Book Reviews received a free copy for review from the author. This has, in no way, affected the reviewer's opinion.
June 23, 2013
I'm a big fan of "The Frozen Sky" and when I heard that Jeff had a short story collection (17 stories and 2 essays) I immediately got a copy of it and started reading. Jeff does more than SF, and while I am not a fan of horror or thriller works, this collection was truly satisfying for me. I got to read some vivid and powerful stories. I subscribe to Asimov's SF magazine and was pleased to see that several stories in this collection were in issues of that publication. It's always great to have some of my favorite authors works compiled in one location, as it saves time searching through the back issues to find a tale.
One story in particular, "Pressure" has been on Escape Pod and StarshipSofa podcasts, so if you are wondering if this collection is for you, take a free listen at either podcast to experience it for yourself.
One story in particular, "Pressure" has been on Escape Pod and StarshipSofa podcasts, so if you are wondering if this collection is for you, take a free listen at either podcast to experience it for yourself.
June 24, 2011
...Long Eyes and Other Stories collect three stories that will appeal to fans of hard science fiction. Post-human characters and glimpses of far future societies are combined with a lot of attention to character and motivation. There's a dark, eerie quality to Carlson's writing that helps convey how alien the environments the stories are set in really are. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this collection. In this collection, Carlson shows that a lot of the more interesting writing in science fiction is still being done in the short format.
Full Random Comments review
Full Random Comments review
May 19, 2013
Carlson is a Sci-Fi writer of clean, efficient prose. Each story in this collection is fast reading and intriguing. Most explore unique themes in Science Fiction. This E Book is professionally edited, which is a plus. If I were to have one criticism, it is lack of character development in the stories, but that is Carlson's style; he is a story teller reminiscent of the Pulp Days, and he has published an enjoyable book.
March 27, 2013
I really liked this compilation of short stories and I really liked Jeff Carlson’s afterword at the end of each story which usually gave a little insight into how the idea for the story came about etc. The stories were original and reminded me of the pulp magazines I used to read and love. Even though I liked all the stories, among my favorites were “Gunfight at the Sugerloaf Pet food and Taxidermy” and it’s related story “A Lovely Little Christmas Fire”, also “interrupt” and “Snack Food”.
January 6, 2013
Excellent collection of short stories by Jeff Carlson. The stand out work being the title story 'Long Eyes' which is cleverly titled, well written and concludes in a manner which made me question my own 'Long Eyes'. At the end of each story is authors notes, which I found informative and gave a little insight into Jeff's mind. Well recommended.
March 3, 2013
I had forgotten how fun an anthology of short stories can be. While not all of these fall into the sci-fi theme, I enjoyed each story. Super-temrites, mind-numbing solar radiation, the messiah returns - Jeff is all over the place, and you can see his craft improve from the early stories to the later.
June 9, 2016
This is a wacky collection of science fiction short stories. Many of the stories have a strong theme of loneliness. Many also have a good bit of action (read: violence).
My favorite was the least science-fiction-like of them all.
My favorite was the least science-fiction-like of them all.
May 24, 2012
Some truly inspiring stories which lean toward an apocalyptic theme and kept me interested and wishing the short stories continued on for a few more pages, but then they would be novellas and not short stories. I will definitely be checking out the full length work of this author.
October 13, 2012
If you like quality science fiction reads, this book will work for you. Jeff Carlson's stories are thought provoking and make for frightening fun. This series of short stories span his writing career and illustrate its twist and turns. Give it a go.
April 27, 2012
Was able to download this book for free on kindle, and am now a fan. His writing and thought process are superb. I look forward to digging into his best sellers.
June 29, 2012
A solid collection with no strong standouts, but the author's afterword showing the genesis and ideas behind each story are worth the price of admission.
November 18, 2012
An excellent collection of short stories ranging from far flung sci-fi to modern day horror. The author did well in making each entry relatable and engaging.
Definitely worth reading.
Definitely worth reading.
July 23, 2013
Jeff is a horrible and torturous god to the people that live in his head. But it definitely makes for interesting reading.
April 30, 2019
Interesting read
This book was not what I had expected. The stories were good but left me wanting more. Illustrations throughout would have been great.
This book was not what I had expected. The stories were good but left me wanting more. Illustrations throughout would have been great.
December 11, 2015
Long Eyes and Other Stories by Jeff Carlson is a selection of his 16 short stories, two essays, and one poem that have appeared in various SF/F magazines. Their subjects range from spaceships to fantasy to the apocalypse to a twist on modern life in the present day. I kept looking for the dud in this collection, but there isn’t one. Every single story has something to recommend it.
That said, I have to point out a few of my favorites. “Pattern Masters” has a main character who seems kind of dumb, but maybe he’s not dumb at all. “Monsters” is just so incredibly sad, but true to the human condition. “Romance” was wonderful, it was just so romantic, but maybe that’s just me. “Nurture” made me feel like I was going to work everyday, but in a good way. “Interrupt” was a clever spin on humanity’s development and fate. “Meme” is a search for higher understanding.
Here is a short taste of what you’ll experience:
Long Eyes - A spaceship/human hybrid finds an unusual colony in an unexpected state in an unexpected place.
Pressure - A man has a different perspective on heavy construction under the sea.
Planet of the Sealies - In a post-apocalyptic landscape, a new society searches for an unexpected substance to improve their genetic diversity.
Pattern Masters - A starving artist has a plan to become famous.
Canius - A veterinarian meets a vampire dog.
Eighth-Acre Blues - How a dog must feel when his master leaves him alone all day in a suburban house.
Exit - These soldiers are the last line of defence against the apocalypse. .
Monsters - The difference between evil and normal is sometimes slight.
Romance - An ambitious gunman and a mob boss’s daughter find the meaning of True Love.
Nurture - A curious medical examiner finds out that sometimes life just is what it is.
Gunfight at the Sugarloaf Pet Food & Taxidermy - Sometimes the deer shoot back, and the Fish and Wildlife Department cleans up the town.
A Lovely Little Christmas Fire - The Fish and Wildlife Department save Montana from genetically enhanced DARPA bug fire bombs.
Snack Food - A different way to collect nourishment for your far-away home.
Interrupt - A scientist fights the apocalypse, in the jungle far from the university. He doesn’t get much help.
Writing About The Apocalypse - An essay on Jeff Carlson’s thoughts on all thing Apocalyptic.
Rose-Colored Demons - An essay by Jeff Carlson on the state of Internet criticism, and what kind of creature indulges their fantasy as a literary critic on-line.
Damned When You Do - A fantasy about a person who walks the earth, from birth to death, trying to clean it up.
Meme - When everyone can share their universal consciousness.
Enter Sandman - Just play for the love of the game.
This collection is like a smorgasbord where everything is appealing and tasty.Jeff Carlson is an outstanding author and I will be reading all his other books.
That said, I have to point out a few of my favorites. “Pattern Masters” has a main character who seems kind of dumb, but maybe he’s not dumb at all. “Monsters” is just so incredibly sad, but true to the human condition. “Romance” was wonderful, it was just so romantic, but maybe that’s just me. “Nurture” made me feel like I was going to work everyday, but in a good way. “Interrupt” was a clever spin on humanity’s development and fate. “Meme” is a search for higher understanding.
Here is a short taste of what you’ll experience:
Long Eyes - A spaceship/human hybrid finds an unusual colony in an unexpected state in an unexpected place.
Pressure - A man has a different perspective on heavy construction under the sea.
Planet of the Sealies - In a post-apocalyptic landscape, a new society searches for an unexpected substance to improve their genetic diversity.
Pattern Masters - A starving artist has a plan to become famous.
Canius - A veterinarian meets a vampire dog.
Eighth-Acre Blues - How a dog must feel when his master leaves him alone all day in a suburban house.
Exit - These soldiers are the last line of defence against the apocalypse. .
Monsters - The difference between evil and normal is sometimes slight.
Romance - An ambitious gunman and a mob boss’s daughter find the meaning of True Love.
Nurture - A curious medical examiner finds out that sometimes life just is what it is.
Gunfight at the Sugarloaf Pet Food & Taxidermy - Sometimes the deer shoot back, and the Fish and Wildlife Department cleans up the town.
A Lovely Little Christmas Fire - The Fish and Wildlife Department save Montana from genetically enhanced DARPA bug fire bombs.
Snack Food - A different way to collect nourishment for your far-away home.
Interrupt - A scientist fights the apocalypse, in the jungle far from the university. He doesn’t get much help.
Writing About The Apocalypse - An essay on Jeff Carlson’s thoughts on all thing Apocalyptic.
Rose-Colored Demons - An essay by Jeff Carlson on the state of Internet criticism, and what kind of creature indulges their fantasy as a literary critic on-line.
Damned When You Do - A fantasy about a person who walks the earth, from birth to death, trying to clean it up.
Meme - When everyone can share their universal consciousness.
Enter Sandman - Just play for the love of the game.
This collection is like a smorgasbord where everything is appealing and tasty.Jeff Carlson is an outstanding author and I will be reading all his other books.
June 24, 2014
I grabbed this collection as the price came down in the Kindle store. I have previously read the author's The Frozen Sky: The Novel and Interrupt, so I had some idea of what was in store, but these stories are rather more varied, experimenting with different genres and styles.
According to the author's notes the title story was inspired by "Surface Tension" by James Blish, which I haven't read, but it seemed also very much influenced by classic Larry Niven, down to the cyborg protagonist and clipped prose, heavy with exposition, as there was no one to have a dialogue with.
There are some dystopian stories, and a few experiments with straight-out horror. The best of the latter, in my opinion, was "Monsters", which had no supernatural elements whatsoever, the horrors being brought on by the fear of disease and actions of people.
The two Julie Beauchain stories are another change of pace, being SFnal romcom detective stories set in the American West. I liked them, and would probably welcome a book's worth of these characters just for the lighter, comedic tone (although I'm not sure about the cTHC of the first one as a valid McGuffin).
There is also an earlier, shorter version of "Interrupt", without the neoNeanderthals; just the basic idea of the solar activity and its effects, and one character's struggle in that situation, when his higher brain functions randomly shut down for long periods.
Anyway, here is an interesting display of the author's range and variety. Some of the stories are great, some less so, but all are definitely worth a read.
(Although I would have done with fewer declarations of "by the international bestselling author of..." Come on, I already have the book, you don't have to keep selling it to me over and over again.)
According to the author's notes the title story was inspired by "Surface Tension" by James Blish, which I haven't read, but it seemed also very much influenced by classic Larry Niven, down to the cyborg protagonist and clipped prose, heavy with exposition, as there was no one to have a dialogue with.
There are some dystopian stories, and a few experiments with straight-out horror. The best of the latter, in my opinion, was "Monsters", which had no supernatural elements whatsoever, the horrors being brought on by the fear of disease and actions of people.
The two Julie Beauchain stories are another change of pace, being SFnal romcom detective stories set in the American West. I liked them, and would probably welcome a book's worth of these characters just for the lighter, comedic tone (although I'm not sure about the cTHC of the first one as a valid McGuffin).
There is also an earlier, shorter version of "Interrupt", without the neoNeanderthals; just the basic idea of the solar activity and its effects, and one character's struggle in that situation, when his higher brain functions randomly shut down for long periods.
Anyway, here is an interesting display of the author's range and variety. Some of the stories are great, some less so, but all are definitely worth a read.
(Although I would have done with fewer declarations of "by the international bestselling author of..." Come on, I already have the book, you don't have to keep selling it to me over and over again.)
May 12, 2016
Some Really Cool Stories
I often enjoy short story collections simply because they are all small nuggets of mostly fun, engaging stories. This is definitely one of those collections.
The only issue I had with the collection is that there are way too many stories (and afterwords) where a word is left out of a sentence. However, that issue, while annoying, didn't detract too much enjoyment.
I look forward to starting the Frozen Sky series next.
I often enjoy short story collections simply because they are all small nuggets of mostly fun, engaging stories. This is definitely one of those collections.
The only issue I had with the collection is that there are way too many stories (and afterwords) where a word is left out of a sentence. However, that issue, while annoying, didn't detract too much enjoyment.
I look forward to starting the Frozen Sky series next.
September 23, 2014
The stories are interesting and well-written. One quibble - there were a few essays and more than a few non-SciFi stories included which were not a genre that interested me. So a bit of false advertising.
March 23, 2016
I love short stories for the fact that you get to taste a bunch of different flavors without immersing yourself in an entire novel. If you find one unpalatable you can simply move on to the next. Not that any in this collection fit that bill - I enjoyed every story in here.
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December 7, 2013False
August 30, 2014
An excellent collection of short stories. Every one is a keeper, and they all give something to think about.
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