davemusson85's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
macbean221b's review
2.0
I received THE SHRINKING MAN as an ARC from NetGalley.com.
It's possible that I'm biased because I love Richard Matheson, but I really feel that this story loses something in its adaptation to a comic/graphic novel. Perhaps my issue with it stems from the fact that the art wasn't anything special. Certainly it was better than anything I could do myself but nothing about it stands out for me compared to other comics I read. As a matter of fact, the most outstanding thing about it might be how mediocre it is in comparison. It didn't do the job of replacing prose well enough to make the story come alive for me.
It's possible that I'm biased because I love Richard Matheson, but I really feel that this story loses something in its adaptation to a comic/graphic novel. Perhaps my issue with it stems from the fact that the art wasn't anything special. Certainly it was better than anything I could do myself but nothing about it stands out for me compared to other comics I read. As a matter of fact, the most outstanding thing about it might be how mediocre it is in comparison. It didn't do the job of replacing prose well enough to make the story come alive for me.
daviddiamond's review against another edition
4.0
Love Richard Matheson (and if you’re a fan of Twilight Zone, you know his stories) and this one, while not my favorite, was excellent.
Some parts were problematic (ogling a 16 year old girl) and some of the physical descriptions of our main character traversing his new giant sized landscape were, for me, difficult to envision.
That aside, a thrilling and exiting story told by one of the greats.
Now to watch the movie!….
Some parts were problematic (ogling a 16 year old girl) and some of the physical descriptions of our main character traversing his new giant sized landscape were, for me, difficult to envision.
That aside, a thrilling and exiting story told by one of the greats.
Now to watch the movie!….
jmanchester0's review
2.0
This is based on the book written by Richard Matheson in the 50s. And from what I understand, it follows the plot (and structure) pretty close.
At first it was interesting. Great use of perspective!
And I thought the structure of the timeframe was excellent. The way it started in media res (kinda). And jumped back and forth.
But then it got a little weird when it got into his relations with his wife. And the creepy dude who tried to pick him up because he thought he was a 12-yr-old boy.
This was less than halfway in, and it never seemed to recover. It just kind of lost me.
I'm not sure if this is something that is because of the original story, or if it was the adaptation. I'll have to read the novel to find out.
Great idea. Strong start. Weak finish.
Thanks to NetGalley and IDW for a copy in return for an honest review.
At first it was interesting. Great use of perspective!
And I thought the structure of the timeframe was excellent. The way it started in media res (kinda). And jumped back and forth.
But then it got a little weird when it got into his relations with his wife. And the creepy dude who tried to pick him up because he thought he was a 12-yr-old boy.
This was less than halfway in, and it never seemed to recover. It just kind of lost me.
I'm not sure if this is something that is because of the original story, or if it was the adaptation. I'll have to read the novel to find out.
Great idea. Strong start. Weak finish.
Thanks to NetGalley and IDW for a copy in return for an honest review.
jdspaulding's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mattsjaeger's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly moving and provoking. This is the second book by Matheson I've read and am now an official fan.
whatmeworry's review against another edition
5.0
A phenomenally good SF novel, that takes a very simple concept and extracts huge amounts of intellectual and visceral excitement from it. The tiny man fighting spiders narrate that I expected is only half the story, the other half is a thought provoking and moving examination of modern masculinity. Well worth a read.
windowstoelsewhen's review against another edition
5.0
What is it that makes a man? Is size an essential part of it?
Matheson takes us on a journey through the ever diminishing life of a man, as he struggles with inner and outer demons in a world that has now become foreign and hostile to him.
A thoroughly enjoyable and mind-opening read.
Matheson takes us on a journey through the ever diminishing life of a man, as he struggles with inner and outer demons in a world that has now become foreign and hostile to him.
A thoroughly enjoyable and mind-opening read.
borisignatievich's review against another edition
4.0
Unsurprisingly, given the title, this is about a man who shrinks 1/7th of an inch every day, all the way from 6' something to tiny.
Finished it a few days ago now, but keep forgetting to review it. It was quite similar to I am Legend in that a lot of it read as a study of isolation and what that can do to a man. I think I liked this one a bit more though, simply because more happens. In IAL he just wandered around mostly, in this he goes on long treks and difficult climbs to find food, has near death experiences and all sorts, which makes it a bit more fun to read. I thought a nice balance was struck between focusing on Scott's life when he is very small and showing snippets of how his life changes as he reaches various heights. Matheson does a nice job too of showing how the relationship between him and his wife change throughout.
Having said all that, I'm not a huge fan of Mathesons writing style. I can't pinpoint what I don't like about it, but with both this and IAL I found that while they were reasonably enjoyable to read, I have absolutely no desire to go back to either of them. With IAL I thought this may have simply been because of the bleakness of the plot, but having the same problem here suggests it's his writing style.
7.5/10
edit: Also, I think the book would have been better without the last chapter, which left me very unsatisfied compared with what would have been the ending were it not there
Finished it a few days ago now, but keep forgetting to review it. It was quite similar to I am Legend in that a lot of it read as a study of isolation and what that can do to a man. I think I liked this one a bit more though, simply because more happens. In IAL he just wandered around mostly, in this he goes on long treks and difficult climbs to find food, has near death experiences and all sorts, which makes it a bit more fun to read. I thought a nice balance was struck between focusing on Scott's life when he is very small and showing snippets of how his life changes as he reaches various heights. Matheson does a nice job too of showing how the relationship between him and his wife change throughout.
Having said all that, I'm not a huge fan of Mathesons writing style. I can't pinpoint what I don't like about it, but with both this and IAL I found that while they were reasonably enjoyable to read, I have absolutely no desire to go back to either of them. With IAL I thought this may have simply been because of the bleakness of the plot, but having the same problem here suggests it's his writing style.
7.5/10
edit: Also, I think the book would have been better without the last chapter, which left me very unsatisfied compared with what would have been the ending were it not there
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