Blue World

I have previously never read anything by this author but was pleasantly surprised by how good this book of stories is. Yellachiles Cage even made me cry on the train. Strikes me as a cross between Ray Bradbury and Stephen King. Plan on reading more by him.

In this sweet set of 13 short stories, McCammon proves once again that he unrivalled in skill at:1. establishing setting2. creating and defining complex characters in a hurry3. creating plots that are, if not unique, then at least original."Yellowjacket Summer," "Blue World" and "Yellachile's Cage" are fine examples of a short story writer at the height of his skill. Others, like "Something Passed By," "I Scream Man" and "Pin" have their weaknesses, but tackle complex plots and emotions without creating stories that feel stretched out and thin.

Robert McCammon has (for the most part) stopped publishing his work. With the notable exception of the excellent "Speaks the Nightbird," he hasn't published new work in 10 years. I can only say that this is a pity. Re-reading "Blue World" recently, I was reminded of why."Blue World" is a collection of 12 short stories spanning McCammon's career, and one novella. The stories are all worth reading, offering up a good variety of material, from the frightening ("Yellowjacket Summer") to the disturbing ("Pin") to the sublime (the novella, "Blue World").What this collection brings to mind most, however, is McCammon's skill at setting a mood. He tells a great story, but very few writers can set the stage better than McCammon. While reading "Yellowjacket Summer" the reader can't help but feel the oppressive heat prevalent throughout the story, and how the characters must have felt experiencing that same heat. In "Blue World," he captures equally well the quiet of that soft twilight, just before full dark. In "Night Calls the Green Falcon" one can really feel and understand the frustration and the impotence of a young man's ambition trapped in an old man's body.By so skillfully establishing the mood in each and every one of the stories in "Blue World," McCammon makes the reader experience them as if they were there, inside the story itself. This is the magic of what great writing can do, bring the story home to the reader, and make it an experience.Like my other McCammon favorites, "Boy's Life" and "Speaks the Nightbird," "Blue World" is one of the books that I treasure, from an author who now writes far too infrequently.

If you haven't read this one yet, you must. After you do, you'll try to tell people about it and find that you can't. I've lost two copies of this book that way and am about to buy my third.To be fair, some of the stories in this book aren't that good. I'm not going to name any names--ahem, titular--but when he is good, he is very good. Worth the money.

McCammon is the best modern horror writer out there, his involving style and well drawn, believable characters blow the likes of King, Koontz, or Barker out of the water. He is one of very few authors alive who, so far as I know, has never written a bad book."Blue World", a collection of several short stories and one novella actually entitled "Blue World" is easily the finest horror collection since the days of Poe, and I don't think thats an exaggeration. McCammon's stories differ so greatly, dealing with so many plot, issues and characters, each one brings you into a separate and chilling world from the surreal, apocalyptic world of "Something Passed By" to the gritty, realistic, and quietly visceral 'real world' of "Blue World". The stories induce equal amounts of terror and wonder, and the highlights are (aside from the entire book) "Pin" - an absolutely bone-chilling narrative from the point of view of a psychopath who seems very real, "Doom City", "Night Crawlers", "He'll Come Knocking At Your Door", and the absolute best, "Blue World" itself. The final story is a frighteningly involving, realistic story of temptation and violence, dealing with outer demons in the form of serial killing maniacs, and the inner demons of a gentle priest slowly losing his grip on his faith. It's a brilliant psychological portrait as well as a stunning, violent serial killer story.Read this collection. It's already won several awards. Its a shame that McCammon doesn't seem to be writing anymore, because all of his books are just as incredible as these stories.

This is Robert R. MCammon in top form, without doubt. After a long time I managed to finally get a hold of this book, and I am both happy and sorry that I did so. Because, as soon as I started reading it, I was hooked and couldn't let the book down. Mr. McCammon made me damn uneasy with the reading of "Mine" (it was the second ever book to actually made me consider stopping it for fear it was going to scare the heck out of me- the first was Stephen King's "Pet Sematary")and he repeats his success at scaring me with "Blue World". The novella is the only one I have not read as of yet, but I can say that of the stories which I read, "I Scream Man!", "Makeup" and "Doom City" especially got me turning the pages faster than I could read them. There is a "Twilight Zone" aspect to some of them, and in "Makeup" for instance I could already picture it as a "Tales of the Crypt" episode. Needless to say, I LOVE both Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt, and now have become an even greater fan of Mr. McCammon than I was before, thanks to this collection, scheduled to be (if not already) a classic in its genre. A note for Mr. McCammon: They can do any kind of comparison they want with your work, sir...but you are unique in your field. There is only one Robert R. McCammon out there, and he needs to come back on scene quickly. Hats off and a standing ovation to this man, author of classics such as the mind-numbing, stomach cramping "Mine" and the undescribably fantastic "Swan Song" alongside with seemingly everyone's favorite bedside companion, "Boy's Life" which could very well be re-titled as "An engrossing recollection of memoirs in the life of a 12-year old citizen of Zephyr, Alabama" This is what storytelling in the grand tradition is about, proving that there still are people who care enough to produce stories with the primary intention of entertaining, and not for the sake of a mere contractual obligation.