Adam Lyons: This has been placed highly on my TBR pile when I saw the movie trailer for "The Black Phone" and discovered that it was a short story written by Stephen King's Son, Joe Hill.
This is a collection of short stories, with no corollation or connection to each other. Some stories are short, some are very short, and some are a little longer. The confusing title of 20th Century Ghosts may be a little confusing as not all the short stories are traditional ghost stories. However, they are still beautifully written short horror stories.
This is my first dive into the work of Joe Hill, and although some of the earlier short stories in this book didn't quite grip me straight away, the writing style was solid and definitely set a dark, traditional/modern crossover style that is continued throughout the collection of stories. I really enjoyed Joe's writing and will definitely be reading more of his work.
Special mention to some of the amazing stories in this book, such as "The Black Phone," which is the only downfall for me personally, is that it could have been longer.
"Voluntary Committal" is the final and longest story in the collection, which was just pure...
United Kingdom on Oct 03, 2023
cocobandikoot: Es sind nicht nur Horrostories und einige haben ein offenes Ende. Aber alle sind faszinierend unbequem und bleiben im Kopf. Lange nicht mehr so tief in ein Buch gefallen
😀
Germany on Aug 13, 2023
Amazon Customer: I bought this book as have not been able to see the film. I was disappointed that The Black Phone wasn't longer, as it's the lead title. It's not even at the beginning. A bit disappointing. However, it has got me intrigued in this writer. A bit like Stephen King.
United Kingdom on Jul 28, 2023
mrs s green: Stories don't have proper endings almost seem as though the author can't be bothered to finish them. It's a shame as there are some good ones among them.
United Kingdom on Jun 11, 2023
Josh Gaines: I've been a fan of Joe Hill for two years or so, first stumbling upon his novel Horns, then reading everything else of his that I could get my hands on, including his graphic novels and stand-alone short stories for Kindle. Ghosts was his first widely-published book, and the only thing of his that I had not read, until now.
Best New Horror starts the collection off with a bang. A disgruntled, apathetic editor of a horror journal seeks out the secretive author of the most shocking story he has ever read (which reminds me a bit of Sutter Cane in the film In the Mouth of Madness). This story gives nods to Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock Presents, with an ending that is satisfyingly haunting.
Next is the titular story, 20th Century Ghosts, which was so unexpectedly beautiful that it nearly brought me to tears. It has hints of creepiness, but is really more a very sweet—and unique—love story, with an underlying thread of appreciation for classic cinema.
Pop Art: also lovely. It's about an inflatable boy, and it seems only Hill could write a story like that and play it straight. There is zero tongue-in-cheek or cuteness, and somehow, it works.
You Will...
United States on Jun 11, 2014
Bunny Cates (WeAreWordNerds): I'm not going to review EACH of the stories in the book, but I will talk about the ones that randomly "pop" out in my memory.
The first story in the book called "ButtonBoy" I thought was very good. I need a story to suck me right in if there is going to be any hope of me finishing the book, and "ButtonBoy" did just that. Without giving away too much of the story, I will say it did have a Texas Chainsaw Massacre/Hills Have Eyes kind of vibe. I really like that. The story within the story was actually really good too, and I could see it really being book of its own. LOL. Though I saw the ending coming a mile a way, it still had me *fingers on - ready to turn the page before I got there*.
The next story, "20th Century Ghost", wasn't to me horror but more a suspense type story. Had that been what I was in the mood for I would have really liked it. But I was laying in the dark, snuggled up under my covers, itching to have the hair stand up on my neck and jump at every odd sound. This story wasn't that - for me. I will say this one would be a fantastic read for anyone who likes ghost stories, but really isn't into scary or gory stuff. its actually quite beautiful, but...
United States on May 27, 2012
| Joe Hill's Collection of 20th Century Ghost Stories | Stephen King's Joyland: An Illustrated Edition of the Classic Thriller | "The Chilling Tale of a Boy Raised by Ghosts: Neil Gaiman's 'The Graveyard Book'” | |
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| B2B Rating |
80
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97
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96
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| Sale off | $10 OFF | $12 OFF | |
| Total Reviews | 35 reviews | 279 reviews | 174 reviews |
| Language | English | English | English |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0061147975 | 978-1783295326 | 978-0060530945 |
| Item Weight | 1.02 pounds | 1.06 pounds | 12.5 ounces |
| Ghost Thrillers | Ghost Thrillers | ||
| Hardcover | 316 pages | 296 pages | |
| Ghost Fiction | Ghost Fiction | Ghost Fiction | Ghost Fiction |
| Short Stories (Books) | Short Stories | ||
| Best Sellers Rank | #658 in Ghost Thrillers#1,826 in Ghost Fiction#9,620 in Short Stories | #243 in Ghost Fiction#315 in Hard-Boiled Mystery#1,696 in Murder Thrillers | #15 in Ghost Fiction#33 in Children's Spine-Chilling Horror#102 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books |
| ISBN-10 | 0061147974 | 1783295325 | 0060530944 |
| Publisher | William Morrow | Hard Case Crime; Illustrated edition | HarperCollins; Reprint edition |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 1.09 x 8.25 inches | 5.83 x 1.12 x 8.82 inches | 5.12 x 1.02 x 7.62 inches |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4/5 stars of 4,532 ratings | 4.5/5 stars of 16,924 ratings | 4.7/5 stars of 14,402 ratings |
United Kingdom on Oct 13, 2023