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kara_jane's review against another edition
5.0
I loved Joe Hills book Nos4A2! I got this book when I was in Scotland I ran out of reading material and I really wanted the UK cover instead of the American cover.
My favorite stories from his FULL THROTTLE collection are
*Throttle
* Dark Carousel
*Wolverton Station (didn't help that I was on A train in the UK when I read this, but soooo good)
*Faun
* Late Returns
*In the tall grass.
I liked all the stories but I wish these 6 would become a full novel, especially late returns.
My favorite stories from his FULL THROTTLE collection are
*Throttle
* Dark Carousel
*Wolverton Station (didn't help that I was on A train in the UK when I read this, but soooo good)
*Faun
* Late Returns
*In the tall grass.
I liked all the stories but I wish these 6 would become a full novel, especially late returns.
lonerangerl30's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Miscarriage, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent
harlando's review against another edition
4.0
This is a really solid short story collection.. Like all collections it has winners and losers that vary with individual taste, but I thought several were great while the worst were merely good. I was particularly fond of the Libby book mobile that came unstuck in time, “Late Returns.”
cjblandford's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The theme of this short story collection is "literary influences" or "paying homage" to those that inspired you, or even "directly remixing or riffing" off some influential writers' stories. An interesting premise, and I'm glad he's forthright about it in the beginning of the book, but it still seems like a bit of a letdown almost. On the one hand, its an interesting exercise to pay homage to the writers who influenced you, and to acknowledge that you never quite lose that influence, no matter how successful you are, but on the other hand, let me see more of your original ideas, not just riffs on other people's works. That being said, the stories here are still good. They are solid stories that go in interesting directions and run the gamut of emotions, which is what one wants from a good short story collection. My favorite story was probably "Late Returns," or "All I Care About is You" and my least favorite was probably "Thumbprint," which wasn't a bad story, just featured almost unredeemable characters. So, overall, it was a good read, I don't feel like I wasted my time, and I'm glad that Joe was upfront about the inspiration for these stories, but next time I want to see all original works.
cormoranlucreade's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
lesserjoke's review against another edition
3.0
I don't really know what to do with this latest Joe Hill collection. My average rating over its thirteen short stories is a 3-out-of-5 stars, but the most common score that I'd give to the individual entries would be a 2. Overall, I guess it's a book that's worth picking up for the highlights, but maybe skimming or skipping much of the rest.
My favorite of the bunch is probably "Faun," a twisted look at big game hunters treating a Narnian-style fantasy world as their private reserve, but I also like the poignant humanism on display in "Late Returns" -- in which a librarian delivers books from the future to people who will die before they're written -- and "You Are Released" -- in which a jetliner's passengers and crew bear witness to a dawning nuclear war. That last title I had already read in the anthology Flight or Fright, but it's no less affecting on a reencounter here.
As for everything else, there's a lot of repetition of the basic slasher-movie plot structure, wherein a protagonist does something of dubious morality and then is punished by an apparently just universe in some horrific way. There are also plenty of homages to the author's father (including two works co-written with him, "Throttle" and "In the Tall Grass"), which successfully channel the Stephen King style but generally don't take it anywhere unexpected.
When Hill is on, he's outstanding, and he's easily produced enough quality fiction at this point in his career that it could be curated into something remarkable. But too much of his regular output is still landing inertly from my perspective.
[Content warning for miscarriage, slurs, and gruesome scenes including cannibalism.]
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
My favorite of the bunch is probably "Faun," a twisted look at big game hunters treating a Narnian-style fantasy world as their private reserve, but I also like the poignant humanism on display in "Late Returns" -- in which a librarian delivers books from the future to people who will die before they're written -- and "You Are Released" -- in which a jetliner's passengers and crew bear witness to a dawning nuclear war. That last title I had already read in the anthology Flight or Fright, but it's no less affecting on a reencounter here.
As for everything else, there's a lot of repetition of the basic slasher-movie plot structure, wherein a protagonist does something of dubious morality and then is punished by an apparently just universe in some horrific way. There are also plenty of homages to the author's father (including two works co-written with him, "Throttle" and "In the Tall Grass"), which successfully channel the Stephen King style but generally don't take it anywhere unexpected.
When Hill is on, he's outstanding, and he's easily produced enough quality fiction at this point in his career that it could be curated into something remarkable. But too much of his regular output is still landing inertly from my perspective.
[Content warning for miscarriage, slurs, and gruesome scenes including cannibalism.]
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
thay_cas's review
4.0
I loved and truly enjoyed 5 of the 13 short stories, and that's the only reason why it isn't a 5/5 star book for me. Hill became more politic by the course of the last years, which I think it had a lot of reason (Trump) to it. It's understandable. And I appreciate this new approach, but it still a bitter reading. Although completely and sadly realistic.
Looking forward for his next work, as always.
Looking forward for his next work, as always.
wowmcmeow's review against another edition
5.0
I was not ready for the Joe hill featuring Stephen King deliciousness I opened when I got this book, Full Throttle. I liked every single shirt story in here. The horror/gore twist the them was just what I needed.
If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be..... “Faun” because that one stuck with me the most. The last one was so powerful because it really could happen, sadly realistic. I liked the blood and guts thrown in there when you were LEAST expecting it.
Only thing I disliked was how you were left wanting more with all of them. I don’t think that’s necessarily his fault though I’m just not used to short stories. They were all relatively well rounded stories besides “Wolvertine station”, which left on a cliff hanger.
Overall loved the Joe hill, Stephen king collaboration. They complimented each other very well and I wasn’t bored by any of the stories. I want to read everything by Joe hill honestly!!
If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be..... “Faun” because that one stuck with me the most. The last one was so powerful because it really could happen, sadly realistic. I liked the blood and guts thrown in there when you were LEAST expecting it.
Only thing I disliked was how you were left wanting more with all of them. I don’t think that’s necessarily his fault though I’m just not used to short stories. They were all relatively well rounded stories besides “Wolvertine station”, which left on a cliff hanger.
Overall loved the Joe hill, Stephen king collaboration. They complimented each other very well and I wasn’t bored by any of the stories. I want to read everything by Joe hill honestly!!
cheryl_gramma's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25