In the Shadows of Men

Written by Robert Jackson Bennett

Narrated by A.T. Chandler

In the desolate flats of West Texas, two brothers purchase an old motel with the intent of renovating it and making a fortune off the population surge brought about by the fracking boom. Though each man is lured there by the promise of wealth, they are also fleeing something: a history of trauma, of failure, of family abuse, and shame.

But the motel proves to have a history of its own. Once the business of a distant relative of theirs, Corbin Pugh, the brothers begin to discover signs that it might have been more than just a motel.

As they live and labor in its dusty halls, fighting the crawling feeling that they are not alone here, they begin to wonder: what kind of a man was Corbin Pugh? What happened in the rooms he owned, so many decades ago? And is the motel changing them, warping them to become more ruthlessly ambitious and brutal—or is this what men must become in order to survive on the edge of civilization?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Aug 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781713526490

Robert Jackson Bennett

Robert Jackson Bennett is the author of Foundryside and the Divine Cities trilogy, which was a 2018 Hugo Awards finalist in the Best Series category. The first book in the series, City of Stairs, was also a finalist for the World Fantasy and Locus Awards, and the second, City of Blades, was a finalist for the World Fantasy, Locus, and British Fantasy Awards. His previous novels, which include American Elsewhere and Mr. Shivers, have received the Edgar Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the Philip K. Dick Citation of Excellence. He lives in Austin with his family.

Reviews for In the Shadows of Men

[jmchshannon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the Shadows of Men by Robert Jackson Bennett is VERY different from his other novels. With it, however, he confirms his status among my coveted must-read list. I don’t even like short stories, but I thoroughly enjoyed this spooky one.At 120 pages in length, Mr. Bennett was able to tell a full story along with clearly establishing the setting, developing the main character, and creating the ghostly element. His story has a tone and mood to it as well. Most authors struggle with creating this much in 320 pages, let alone half that!In the Shadows of Men is a fabulous short story that is at its heart a play on the age-old question of nature versus nurture. Surprisingly complex for being so short, it also touches on the idea of the sins of one generation passing onto the next generation. If Mr. Bennett’s previous novels scared you away because of their strong science fiction/fantasy elements, In the Shadows of Men is your chance to check out this amazing author.

[rivkat_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ghost/horror novella about a man who leaves his life (his wife just left with his daughter) to join his brother in remodeling a motel they hope to make profitable because of the shale boom in Texas. A distant relative once owned it, and did very bad things to women (and babies) there, as they slowly discover. If you are ok with a male narrator who isn’t able to articulate why he wants to be better than his father and other male legacies but—despite ghost urgings—really does want that, this could work for you.