The Barrens and Others

By F. Paul Wilson

Book Overview

The Barrens and Others is a collection of fiction by bestselling author F. Paul Wilson, and the basis for the horror movie starring Stephen Moyer and Mia Kirshner.

In The Barren and Others, Wilson lets his fertile imagination run wild, traveling from the Old West of Doc Holliday to the Pine Barrens of present-day New jersey and encountering many strange, suspect, and supernatural happenings along the way. From urban mercenary Repairman Jack, hero of Wilson's recent novel, Legacies, to the obese and food-obsessed Topsy, Wilson's wild array of characters get caught up in adventures both fascinating and horrifying.

A first -rate collection of first-rate tales, ranging from Lovecraftian to Western supernatural, with many mysterious combination in between, The Barrens and Others will be a treasure for Wilson's established fans and to those discovering Wilson for the first time.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312869509
• ISBN13: 9780312869502
• Release Date: December 2000
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Not Free SF Reader

A class collection of work taken from the late eighties and early nineties. Mostly of the horror variety, but there is a Dick Tracy and time travel story to be found here, as well. An excellent collection. Barrens and Others : Feelings - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : Tenants - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : Faces - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : A Day in the Life - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : The Tenth Toe - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : Slasher - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : The Barrens - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : Definitive Therapy - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : Topsy - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : Rockabilly - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : Bob Dylan Troy Jonson and the Speed Queen - F. Paul Wilson Barrens and Others : Pelts - F. Paul Wilson Shyster oversensitivity. 3.5 out of 5 Bloody little men, no escape from poetry. 3.5 out of 5 Facelift murderer freak relation. 4 out of 5 Pumpkinman Jack opposition triple-play. 4 out of 5 Holliday curse. 4 out of 5 Female killer setup is relative. 3.5 out of 5 Old flame's Miskatonic Jersey hillbilly transformation. 4 out of 5 New shrink makes mistake in prescribing lobotomy. 4 out of 5 Patient therapist food. 3 out of 5 Mumbles bootleg deathtrap. 3.5 out of 5 Past music rigging robbery. 3.5 out of 5 Hairy coat club rights. 4.5 out of 5 4.5 out of 5

Wilson at his best

I have read a bunch of novels by F. Paul Wilson and have always been reasonably satisfied with the results. Good novelists, however, are not always good short story writers, so when I picked up Wilson's collection The Barrens and Others, I was somewhat optimistic that I would enjoy it, but also ready for disappointment. Happily, this book exceeded my hopes. The Barrens and Others is a collection of a dozen stories and a pair of short screenplays, along with some commentary by Wilson. Although some of these stories fit into his Repairman Jack/Adversary universe, they are all standalone. I won't describe all the stories, but among the standouts are Feelings (in which an ambulance chasing lawyer gets a rather unusual curse), A Day in the Life (which features Repairman Jack battling a group of extortionists), Slasher (dealing with a man's obsession with his daughter's killer), The Barrens (a Lovecraftian tale of people seeking too much knowledge) and Topsy (which has a massively overweight man poorly dealing with his condition). The best in the bunch, however, is Definitive Therapy, all the better because it was one of the stories I had the least hope for. A tale of the Joker (from the Batman comics), I figured this would be just a minor work that would be part of a minor anthology of Joker stories. Instead, this is easily the most creepy of the stories in this collection. Definitive Therapy focuses on a psychiatrist trying to analyze the maniacal criminal. Such an effort is doomed, leading to a truly chilling conclusion. Generally, Wilson is a consistent four-star writer, never exceptional but never disappointing either. This collection is an exception and gets the highest rating. Even if you've never read Wilson before, if you're any sort of horror fan, this is a must-read.

Comic Book Fans Don't Miss This

These are all good short stories. Of special distinction to me in this book is the story Definitive Therapy. Comic book fans, this one is not to be missed. This is without question one of the best Joker stories EVER told.

Outstanding mixed genre short story collection

I have mixed feelings about this collection. On one hand, I want to applaud the design, commentary and stories Wilson has gathered in this volume. One might be tempted to use it to teach a course on writing. Wilson provides unique insight into the processes that gave birth to these tales, including even a play and teleplay. He also disperses throughout the introductions his personal experiences with the entertainment community. I think it's both insightful and fascinating. The caliber of work presented is a testament to Wilson's success as a "NY Times Best Selling Author." His selections cover a variety of genres, providing a vast supply of fuel for the reader's imagination. However, on the other hand does the average reader want all this extra material? True, they could skip that material, even the play and teleplay. Are they then getting their moneys worth? I believe they are. Fans of Wilson's Repairman Jack are sure to find THE BARRENS AND OTHERS a wickedly entertaining literary adventure. It is an exceptional collection of short prose that deserves a place on the shelf of both the leisure reader and aspiring/professional writer.

THE BARRENS is not to be missed!

Anyone who's read a word of F. Paul Wilson's has probably read everything they can get their hands on. THE BARRENS AND OTHERS should be no exception. This collection covers just a few years in the writer's life and stuns with each entry. A DAY IN THE LIFE is the consumate Repairman Jack story. FACES will thrill you more than the last dozen serial killer novels you've read. PELTS, both in story and play form, may make you gibber. Wilson has written many a short story in past several years not covered in this collection. Let's hope it's not too long before we're graced with another.