Living Shadows: Stories: New & Preowned

By John Shirely

One of the darkest, edgiest, boldest writers around, John Shirley lays down an adrenalized yet artful prose that fairly skids across the page, dragging the reader along into shadowed corners of terror and desire. Yet while it's thrilling, there's psychological depth, too, as Shirley bores into the brains of his characters, revealing the motivations of those who walk on the wild side. Many writers extrapolate from peripheral observation and research, but John Shirley's stories come from personal experience with extreme people and extreme mental states, and his struggle with the seductions of addiction. On the streets, in the midst of darkest suburbia, or just beyond consensus reality - Shirley brings the shadows to vivid life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Release date: Oct 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781627933124

Reviews for Living Shadows

[shaososa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shirley writes with the savvy and skill of a seasoned veteran. Switching writing styles as effortlessly as a boomerang does direction, the author explores the darkness in human nature. Shirley easily creates protagonists and antagonists that are both captivating and familiar to the reader. As in all short story collections, the anthology is hit and miss with emphasis being on the hit. Shirley slams some out of the park. See Sleepwalkers; Isolation Point ,California; and The Sewing Room.