The October Country

By Ray Bradbury

A classic collection of nineteen macabre short stories from the modern master of the fantastic.

This classic collection features:

The Emissary: The faithful dog was the sick boy's only connection with the world outside – and beyond…
The Small Assassin: A fine, healthy baby boy was the new mother's dream come true – or her worst nightmare…
The Scythe: Just when his luck had run out, Drew Erickson inherited a farm from a stranger; and with the bequest came deadly responsibilities…
The Jar: A chilling story that combines love, death…and a matter of identity in a bottle of fear.
The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone: A most remarkable case of murder – the deceased was delighted…

Plus fourteen more unforgettable tales!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Jan 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9780007541720

Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury (22 August 1920 – 5 June 2012) published some 500 short stories, novels, plays and poems since his first story appeared in Weird Tales when he was twenty years old. Among his many famous works are 'Fahrenheit 451,' 'The Illustrated Man,' and 'The Martian Chronicles.'

Reviews for The October Country

[androphiles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

At the time of its publication in 1955, The October Country was "all that Mr. Bradbury wishes to preserve from the long-out-of-print limited edition of DARK CARNIVAL, plus five new and equally brilliant selections..." (from the cover blurb of the paperback edition). It is early Bradbury, which is to say stories written from the beginnings of the flood of stories he would write over the next five decades, vintage Bradbury, which is to say short gems of poetic evocations of everyday humans living in the "October Country" that was Bradbury's mind. Mythic and archetypal and thoroughly captivating.

[dele2451 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A collection of dark, eerie, hauntingly twisted short stories. Forget the candy, this assortment of Bradbury's best is the perfect Halloween treat for your favorite reader. Or a great gift for someone you'd like to see lose a little sleep.

[rachelpenso · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is probably my favorite book of short stories by Ray Bradbury. I especially love "The Small Assassin."

[joririchardson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After reading just a few pages into this powerful book of short stories, I was completely blown away. They all seemed to grow better and better as I read.Bradbury's true talent is short fiction, as demonstrated by all of the 19 short stories here. I don't think a single one was badly written, or anything remotely close to it.The author writes his tales in a genius blend of irony, horror, science fiction, and wit. Each story touches briefly into the unnatural, the eerie, the ethereal.Also, Bradbury uses the end of each story to make each one even stronger and more haunting. All end at the climax, most times leaving the reader to wonder exactly what the final result of the story is. This unseen, mysterious ending often makes it far better than reading it.If I had to think of an alternate title for this book, it would be "Paranoia," because that is what the focus of this compilation is. Various fears - of wind, of death, of bones - amongst others, are used to turn the ordinary into the horrifying.I think that my 3 favorites of the book were "The Crowd," "The Jack-in-the-Box," and "The Scythe," though they were all amazing.One of my favorite books; highly recommended.

[andyray_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In his life's work, Bradbury is considered one of the leading writers of science fiction, but this odd collection of short stories includes a couple of horror stories, several ghost pieces, and some really WEIRD stories, mostly out of the bos fantasy. No science fiction, however. The collection gives us a writer trying to find his voice. Although the book was the second one Bradbury published, I think most, if not all, of the pieces were written well before "Fahrenheit 471" his premiere work.

[marek2009_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A collection of stories, most about death, all of which manage to be delightful & life affirming in the whimsical manner typical of Bradbury.

[patricia_poland_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Bradbury showing off his fine style with the short story genre - I have reread "The Dwarf" story many times over, weeping for the little man who longed to be tall. The line drawings by Joe Mugnaini were perfect (and a tiny bit creepy).

[emscape · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The darkly fascinating tales in this collection both entrance and repugn. They will keep you awake for hours, deliberating on what they reveal of the nature of our world. They will give you nightmares. They will give you hope. They will make you consider how you live your life. Ray Bradbury is one of the best science fiction authors I have read. And, though these are not science fiction, they are among the best short stories of any kind that I have read.

[ganeshaka · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm not a huge fan of short stories. Those which are a peek into a tantalizing side-show exasperate me when the tent flap closes. Others require too much investment for the pay-off. That said, some stories mark one forever, like a bicycle spill when you're ten years old and the concrete shaves your elbow. In October Country, the Lake is one of those stories. Bradbury sets the mood with a few deft brush strokes - a summer-spot boardwalk post Labor Day, shuttered stands and empty arcades, and then creates one of the tenderest meditations on love past and love present. With all the succinct passing beauty of a shooting star. The Lake alone is worth the purchase of this collection.

[mritchie56 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Early stories by Bradbury; mostly horror and mostly before his poetic streak took over, but some are among the his very best stories.