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Seventeen Stitches
Lambda Literary and Shirley Jackson Award finalist Sean Eads's first collection of surreal and dark fantastical fiction promises to caress the hackles raised while reading about a ruthless Eva Braun's obsession with Rosie the Riveter, Capone-era gangsters seek a young man's teeth for a terrible purpose, zombies can be fascinated by reciting the plays of William Shakespeare, and troubled youth taken for "correction" at an institute discover the shocking truth behind the promise of healing. These seventeen tales of the wry and weird will delight readers.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 17, 2017
16 people want to read
About the author
Sean Eads
38 books20 followersI was born in West Virginia, raised in Kentucky, and have lived in Denver, CO since 1999. I'm a reference librarian by trade.
My first few books are currently out of print. The Survivors (2012, Lethe Press) was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Lord Byron's Prophecy (2015, Lethe Press) was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the Colorado Book Award. My first short story collection is 17 Stitches, (2017, Lethe Press).
I'm hoping to bring these three books back into circulation by 2025.
My other novels include Trigger Point (2013, rereleased in 2017 by Hex Publishers), The Feast of Panthers (2023, Rebel Satori Press), and Confessions (2023, Hex Publishers). Confessions was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award.
Upcoming publications include Lost Story (2024, Hex Publishers), a second short story collection called Midnight Vintage (2025, Crystal Lake Publishing) and a fantasy novel titled Servants of Stone (2025, Crystal Lake Publishing).
My first few books are currently out of print. The Survivors (2012, Lethe Press) was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Lord Byron's Prophecy (2015, Lethe Press) was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the Colorado Book Award. My first short story collection is 17 Stitches, (2017, Lethe Press).
I'm hoping to bring these three books back into circulation by 2025.
My other novels include Trigger Point (2013, rereleased in 2017 by Hex Publishers), The Feast of Panthers (2023, Rebel Satori Press), and Confessions (2023, Hex Publishers). Confessions was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award.
Upcoming publications include Lost Story (2024, Hex Publishers), a second short story collection called Midnight Vintage (2025, Crystal Lake Publishing) and a fantasy novel titled Servants of Stone (2025, Crystal Lake Publishing).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 3, 2021
I think I was anticipating a little more horror to this 17-story anthology. However, that being said, I actually really enjoyed the speculative nature of the stories and was able to enjoy the various genres used in each story. Some of my favorites are:
“The Dreamist” – a man who can record his own dreams and uses them to basically show as movies, as a different type of art. His dreams tend to feature a certain woman, who he doesn’t know, but who is always in his dreams. Turns out her presence may have a darker meaning than he realizes.
“Mentor” – about an aspiring poet who is obsessed with getting the approval of his mentor. The mentor’s secret about his phenomenal work is discovered by the aspiring young man. This felt like the most horror story in this collection and I really loved it! Dark and disturbing.
“My Father’s Friend” – a compelling and emotional story about time travel.
“And the Raindrops – Its Tears” – very weird and very speculative and much more ‘spiritual’ that I usually like in my stories. But it was such a good story where people are unable to look up into the sky or they will see the face of a Demon and will be cursed.
All in all, a well done collection of stories that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys speculative fiction.
ARC via Netgalley
“The Dreamist” – a man who can record his own dreams and uses them to basically show as movies, as a different type of art. His dreams tend to feature a certain woman, who he doesn’t know, but who is always in his dreams. Turns out her presence may have a darker meaning than he realizes.
“Mentor” – about an aspiring poet who is obsessed with getting the approval of his mentor. The mentor’s secret about his phenomenal work is discovered by the aspiring young man. This felt like the most horror story in this collection and I really loved it! Dark and disturbing.
“My Father’s Friend” – a compelling and emotional story about time travel.
“And the Raindrops – Its Tears” – very weird and very speculative and much more ‘spiritual’ that I usually like in my stories. But it was such a good story where people are unable to look up into the sky or they will see the face of a Demon and will be cursed.
All in all, a well done collection of stories that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys speculative fiction.
ARC via Netgalley
May 30, 2017
I’ve read enough Sean Eads to know, upon starting his collection, that I was in for a mix of dark and disturbing tales. With Seventeen Stitches, however, Eads often dialed up both beyond my expectations.
I feel like I should preface that I rarely read horror, and when I do read horror, I shy completely away from zombies as something I know I will never enjoy. Given that many of the stories in Seventeen Stitches are ones I could describe as horror, and more than a few of those are also zombie stories, this collection left me more than a little off-balance.
Full review over at Out in Print.
I feel like I should preface that I rarely read horror, and when I do read horror, I shy completely away from zombies as something I know I will never enjoy. Given that many of the stories in Seventeen Stitches are ones I could describe as horror, and more than a few of those are also zombie stories, this collection left me more than a little off-balance.
Full review over at Out in Print.
December 5, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This wasn't necessarily 'bad' I guess, it just wasn't something I enjoyed. It was technically well written but I was just bored by the whole thing. There were a few stories that I found somewhat interesting but I think maybe only in comparison to the rest of the collection. Actually I think I'm putting myself on a ban from requesting any more anthologies because they just have not been working out for me lately.
Anyway the stories in this collection were just all over the place to me. I guess they could mostly be described as 'horror' just to make it easier, but there didn't seem to be any unifying theme and I didn't even find most of them that disturbing. Also on NetGalley this was shelved under LGBTIA and SFF and I would NOT recommend it for anyone who was specifically looking for LGBTIA stuff because the only stories that fit under that category are a story about teenagers at a conversion therapy facility and then a story about Oscar Wilde that I didn't even really read because it was the last one and I just wanted to be done with this. I think that was the most disappointing part of the whole thing to me and probably a lesson on picking your genres more closely. This would have fit much better under Horror [and SFF] and I can't help but think it was possibly just stuck under LGBTIA to get more readers.
This wasn't necessarily 'bad' I guess, it just wasn't something I enjoyed. It was technically well written but I was just bored by the whole thing. There were a few stories that I found somewhat interesting but I think maybe only in comparison to the rest of the collection. Actually I think I'm putting myself on a ban from requesting any more anthologies because they just have not been working out for me lately.
Anyway the stories in this collection were just all over the place to me. I guess they could mostly be described as 'horror' just to make it easier, but there didn't seem to be any unifying theme and I didn't even find most of them that disturbing. Also on NetGalley this was shelved under LGBTIA and SFF and I would NOT recommend it for anyone who was specifically looking for LGBTIA stuff because the only stories that fit under that category are a story about teenagers at a conversion therapy facility and then a story about Oscar Wilde that I didn't even really read because it was the last one and I just wanted to be done with this. I think that was the most disappointing part of the whole thing to me and probably a lesson on picking your genres more closely. This would have fit much better under Horror [and SFF] and I can't help but think it was possibly just stuck under LGBTIA to get more readers.
September 12, 2017
A creepy delight whose unique tales won’t be found elsewhere. From Eva Braun’s obsession with Rosie the Riveter to the Shakespearian troupe who battles zombies with iambic pentameter, Eads’ concepts are inventive and his follow-through dependable. A winner.
September 18, 2023
A delightfully weird collection. Recommended!
November 12, 2017
A book of seventeen short stories that greatly varied from each other, though all more or less horror, in mood if not always in ending. My feelings on them varied as well from story to story and it's hard to sum up seventeen stories at once, so I'll give my thoughts on a couple particularly memorable ones separately.
"The Dreamist"
This was the first story and the story that made me decide to read the book-I read it in the free excerpt on Amazon before requesting from Netgalley. It's about a guy who films his own dreams (literally--they have the technology!) as a form of (kind of abstract) art, and has a large amount of success with it. And then someone says they recognize one of the main characters in his dreams, a woman he thought he made up himself...
I liked this story a lot. Like I said, made me decide to read the book.
"And the Raindrops—Its Tears"
This story takes place in a world where apparently anyone who looks up sees the face of the devil in the sky and goes insane. As you might imagine it uses religious atmosphere and ambience of the generically Christian variety. I enjoyed the morbidity of it, and how it felt somewhat slow moving and contemplative. That said, somewhat lacking in plot, and the generically Christian dystopia felt a little...generic. Fun, but I'm picky about my fictional religions.
"Eudon"
A boy is found wandering the countryside and is taken in by some farmers. This story kind of plays off "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and it was one of my favorites. It was short but precise and very dark, and built both characters and plot efficiently while maintaining a slightly eerie mood. Also the first story in the book that genuinely creeped me out.
"Coffin"
This story I really did not like for very personal reasons-it had a lot to do with pregnancy. Horror and pregnancy don't mix for me; I get much too grossed out. Might be enjoyable for someone else, but if you're squicked out by pregnancy mixed with violence like me, maybe skip this one?
"The Two Front Ones"
Welcome to 1920s gangster land, where a man is being chased for his teeth! This story is just fun. It has elements of horror still (violence, weirdness) but 1920s gangsters are my jam so I was just chilling. Definitely one of the lighter stories in the book.
"Riveter"
A short story involving Eva Braun, various Holocaust victims and Rosie the Riveter as a dream woman. I was not sure what to think of this one, so I'm mentioning it because Holocaust horror might be majorly offensive to some. I didn't like it myself but I'm also not sure I really understood it in some ways...anyways, if a Holocaust backdrop and Eva Braun as a protagonist sound like they would bother you, again, maybe skip.
"Mentor"
One of the last stories in the book, a man discovering the dark secret of his mentor, a much-lauded poet. Less speculative than some of the other stories but still very dark, with a vindictive twist to it. And the only story in the book that was kind of about writing (if I remember correctly).
So, quite a mix. I enjoyed most of the stories, especially some of the ones mentioned above. I also was interested in this book because I heard it contained queer elements, which some of the stories do, though less than you might expect. Oscar Wilde shows up in one of them, for example, and another takes place in a conversion therapy center (although the horror of conversion therapy itself does not turn out to be the subject of the story, and . Overall, a good anthology. Recommended to people who like horror short stories and other kind of dark and philosophical speculative fiction.
I received this ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
"The Dreamist"
This was the first story and the story that made me decide to read the book-I read it in the free excerpt on Amazon before requesting from Netgalley. It's about a guy who films his own dreams (literally--they have the technology!) as a form of (kind of abstract) art, and has a large amount of success with it. And then someone says they recognize one of the main characters in his dreams, a woman he thought he made up himself...
I liked this story a lot. Like I said, made me decide to read the book.
"And the Raindrops—Its Tears"
This story takes place in a world where apparently anyone who looks up sees the face of the devil in the sky and goes insane. As you might imagine it uses religious atmosphere and ambience of the generically Christian variety. I enjoyed the morbidity of it, and how it felt somewhat slow moving and contemplative. That said, somewhat lacking in plot, and the generically Christian dystopia felt a little...generic. Fun, but I'm picky about my fictional religions.
"Eudon"
A boy is found wandering the countryside and is taken in by some farmers. This story kind of plays off "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and it was one of my favorites. It was short but precise and very dark, and built both characters and plot efficiently while maintaining a slightly eerie mood. Also the first story in the book that genuinely creeped me out.
"Coffin"
This story I really did not like for very personal reasons-it had a lot to do with pregnancy. Horror and pregnancy don't mix for me; I get much too grossed out. Might be enjoyable for someone else, but if you're squicked out by pregnancy mixed with violence like me, maybe skip this one?
"The Two Front Ones"
Welcome to 1920s gangster land, where a man is being chased for his teeth! This story is just fun. It has elements of horror still (violence, weirdness) but 1920s gangsters are my jam so I was just chilling. Definitely one of the lighter stories in the book.
"Riveter"
A short story involving Eva Braun, various Holocaust victims and Rosie the Riveter as a dream woman. I was not sure what to think of this one, so I'm mentioning it because Holocaust horror might be majorly offensive to some. I didn't like it myself but I'm also not sure I really understood it in some ways...anyways, if a Holocaust backdrop and Eva Braun as a protagonist sound like they would bother you, again, maybe skip.
"Mentor"
One of the last stories in the book, a man discovering the dark secret of his mentor, a much-lauded poet. Less speculative than some of the other stories but still very dark, with a vindictive twist to it. And the only story in the book that was kind of about writing (if I remember correctly).
So, quite a mix. I enjoyed most of the stories, especially some of the ones mentioned above. I also was interested in this book because I heard it contained queer elements, which some of the stories do, though less than you might expect. Oscar Wilde shows up in one of them, for example, and another takes place in a conversion therapy center (although the horror of conversion therapy itself does not turn out to be the subject of the story, and . Overall, a good anthology. Recommended to people who like horror short stories and other kind of dark and philosophical speculative fiction.
I received this ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2020
Seventeen Stitches is a collection of seventeen weird and wonderful stories. From historical fiction with a speculative twist to time travel and demons, all of the stories have a strong fantastical element, yet each story is crafted carefully in a way that makes it feel like its own living, breathing world. There’s something eerily realistic about these stories, no matter how far-fetched the premise. Part of this is due to the inclusion of real world details like famous historical figures featuring prominently in several of the stories, including Andrew Jackson, Hitler, and Oscar Wilde. But the connection to the real world is more than just cameos. The focus on character-driven plots is what ultimately makes the stories seem more realistic than anything mainstream.
Overall, the collection creates a vivid atmosphere that reminds me of the work of Karen Russell, or a contemporary Jorge Luis Borges. However, Eads’ stories are at once more strange and more varied. Each one feels like it exists in its own unique world that is fully fleshed out and conjures a specific atmosphere.
The collection opens with “The Dreamist,” a surreal story that imagines a world in which people called dreamists broadcast their dreams for entertainment. The dreamy setting is really just a backdrop for character-driven confrontation, and sets the tone for the stories to come.
“And the Raindrops—Its Tears” was one of the stranger stories, and felt almost like a fable. It takes place in a village where people never look at the sky for fear of seeing the Demon that looks down from above. People walk the streets with umbrellas, shielding themselves from the sky, and those who look up for whatever reason are cursed, or Demonsighted. It’s a unique setting and premise that feels at once surreal and believable.
My favourite story in the collection is “Living in the Worlds Without You.” After his wife dies, Paul is convinced he is travelling between parallel universes and will one day wake up in a world where his wife never died. This story was expertly crafted, and the speculative element served as a catalyst for powerful character dynamics and emotions.
Other stories include “My Father’s Friend,” which explores how time travel can both complicate and strengthen family relationships, “Celebration,” a story about a conversion camp that takes a speculative twist when the facilitators seek to change much more than the campers’ sexuality, and “To ‘Bie or not to ‘Bie,” which imagines a post-apocalypse in which zombies are entranced by Shakespeare.
Eads breathes new life into tired settings and themes like time travel and the post-apocalypse, making them feel fresh and unique, like real places in which these events occurred. He masterfully twists the fantastic into shapes so warped they reflect something truer than reality. If you like weird and wonderful fiction, this collection is a must-read.
Overall, the collection creates a vivid atmosphere that reminds me of the work of Karen Russell, or a contemporary Jorge Luis Borges. However, Eads’ stories are at once more strange and more varied. Each one feels like it exists in its own unique world that is fully fleshed out and conjures a specific atmosphere.
The collection opens with “The Dreamist,” a surreal story that imagines a world in which people called dreamists broadcast their dreams for entertainment. The dreamy setting is really just a backdrop for character-driven confrontation, and sets the tone for the stories to come.
“And the Raindrops—Its Tears” was one of the stranger stories, and felt almost like a fable. It takes place in a village where people never look at the sky for fear of seeing the Demon that looks down from above. People walk the streets with umbrellas, shielding themselves from the sky, and those who look up for whatever reason are cursed, or Demonsighted. It’s a unique setting and premise that feels at once surreal and believable.
My favourite story in the collection is “Living in the Worlds Without You.” After his wife dies, Paul is convinced he is travelling between parallel universes and will one day wake up in a world where his wife never died. This story was expertly crafted, and the speculative element served as a catalyst for powerful character dynamics and emotions.
Other stories include “My Father’s Friend,” which explores how time travel can both complicate and strengthen family relationships, “Celebration,” a story about a conversion camp that takes a speculative twist when the facilitators seek to change much more than the campers’ sexuality, and “To ‘Bie or not to ‘Bie,” which imagines a post-apocalypse in which zombies are entranced by Shakespeare.
Eads breathes new life into tired settings and themes like time travel and the post-apocalypse, making them feel fresh and unique, like real places in which these events occurred. He masterfully twists the fantastic into shapes so warped they reflect something truer than reality. If you like weird and wonderful fiction, this collection is a must-read.
December 14, 2017
Some stories stand above the others. All stories seem to fit in a horror/suspense category of sci-fi and includes some interesting premises. This has a similar feel to Black Mirror, with dark and interesting sci-fi concepts.
no-interest
April 5, 2018DNF
I just couldn't continue with this anthology, none of the stories were interesting or drawing me in at all.. I simply couldn't understand or relate to any of them.
I just couldn't continue with this anthology, none of the stories were interesting or drawing me in at all.. I simply couldn't understand or relate to any of them.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews