The Collection [Mass Market Paperback]

Bentley Little (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 4, 2002

He's been hailed by Dean Koontz for his "rock-'em, jolt-'em, shock-'em contemporary terror fiction." Now Little presents a 32-story collection that could only have come from an author with "a deft touch for the terrifying" (Publishers Weekly).

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Little (The Association) displays his darker side in the 32 mostly memorable stories that comprise this collection of unpublished and previously published stories. Drawing from a bizarre cauldron of influences (cited in brief introductions to each piece), Little tackles some disturbing topics, including pedophilia, family crucifixions, incest and bestiality. Indeed, even fans accustomed to the gore found in Little's novels may be taken aback by the manner in which characters carry out their fetishes and crimes. The main character in "Blood," for example, kills both little boys and grown men without remorse, believing that his macaroni and cheese craves human blood. The supernatural and the unexplained are common themes, but some plot lines are underdeveloped. In "Monteith," readers are left to ponder what would have happened had the main character confronted his wife about a one-word note - written in her hand - that turned his life upside down. Among Little's best offerings are "Bob," a chilling tale of mistaken identity, and "Pillow Talk," a witty yet sad story about bed linens that come to life and ultimately display more human traits than many of the characters in this collection. A fascinating glimpse into how Little's creativity has evolved over the years, this volume is a must-have for the author's fans despite its uneven nature.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Of the 32 spine tinglers in Little's gathering, some inevitably stand out. In "The Phonebook Man," the guy delivering the directory, once invited into a woman's house, changes his appearance drastically and refuses to leave. "Life with Father," one of the darkest stories in the collection, concerns a recycling obsession that leads to incest and murder. In "Roommates," Ray searches for one, only to get a strange batch of applicants, including a woman who believes her monkey is her daughter, a three-foot-tall albino, and a dirt-obsessed nurse. In "Bob," a group of women cleverly "sell" a young man on the idea of killing the abusive husband of a woman they know. And in "Pillow Talk," a man is shocked to find himself pursued sexually--by pillows. Little introduces each story by briefly explaining his inspiration for writing it. Little's often macabre, always sharp tales are snippets of everyday life given a creepy twist. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Signet (June 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451206096
• ISBN-13: 978-0451206091
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #819,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Little Does it All!, July 21, 2002

By 

Jeffrey Leach (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Collection (Mass Market Paperback)

Bentley Little has done it again! This collection of short stories is an absolute must have for anyone interested in this hilarious author's writings. Little's stories are a deft mix of humor, horror, and weirdness that are an excellent way to pass a few hours. I am continually amazed that many people fail to grasp the humor in this man's novels and stories. Little is a master of black comedy and satire (or as he refers to it in several of his stories here, "slightly exaggerated" situations).

I don't think it is helpful to go through a story-by-story analysis. Since many of the stories in "The Collection" are very short, an in-depth analysis of them would undoubtedly give away crucial plot information. I'll try to touch on a few recurring themes that Little revisits more than once.

Little has an interesting view of history. This theme caught my eye because I have a degree in history, and enjoy reading and studying the topic. Two stories are notable with this theme. The first, and the one story that made me buy the book, is "The Washingtonians." A man finds a letter written by George Washington in a relative's trunk. The letter discusses eating children and making tools out of their bones, and is judged to be authentic. When the man visits a local university, he finds out that history, as we know it, is a total sham concocted to keep people in line and present a positive image of the powers that be. It is sufficient to say that by the time you reach the end of this story, you'll see a whole new meaning to the phrase, "the British are coming!"

The second story with this historical theme is "Colony." A newly elected president finds out that America isn't what it appears to be. Let's just say that the Declaration of Independence is a facade to placate the people. The president, with the help of Nixon crony H.R. Haldeman (who turns out not to be dead, just in hiding), stages a new war for independence.

These two stories highlight Little's pessimistic view about accepted knowledge. Knowledge is often not a set of rigid facts or figures, but something softer and hazier that can be manipulated by people for whatever goals they desire. Sometimes, historical lies cover up something that can be truly terrifying.

Another theme in the book is his humor, especially in satire. The story that best fits this rubric is "Confessions of a Corporate Man." In this brilliant gem of a tale, Little viciously skewers corporate America's attitude of competition. Disagreements between various departments in a company turn into full-blown wars involving murder, sex, and betrayal. It is bloody, but screamingly funny, as anyone who works (or has worked) in an office will quickly accede. Another tale, "Life with Father," shows us what happens when recycling is taken WAY too far.

The humor isn't just satire, sometimes it is as black as the coffee at an AA meeting. Just check out "The Show," about a snuff theater where the victim on stage might be someone you least expect. Then there is "Pillow Talk," a short tale about pillows who want to share their lust. How about a story about a dwarf who is determined to collect a quarter? It's here and it's funny.

Then there are the straight horror stories, scary stories that make you look over your shoulder. Take a glance at "The Woods Be Dark," a gruesome tale set in the South. The final tale, "The Mumurous Haunt of Flies," is another shocker about a strange bathhouse on a farm that tells us more than we need (or want) to know about death.

There are other types of stories included in this collection, and a reader is sure to find something that tickles their fancy. I'm quickly discovering that Bentley Little is a brilliant author who can write any type of story. I'm looking forward to reading "The Mailman," and "The Association." Actually, I'm looking forward to reading all of his books, and I hope you will, too.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Short Story Collection Since NIGHT SHIFT, June 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Collection (Mass Market Paperback)

Bentley Little proves once again why he is the best horror writer working today. These 32 stories effectively showcase his incredible range, from quiet horror like "Monteith" to the hardcore splatter of the edgy "Llama" to the unclassifiable weirdness of "The Man in the Passenger Seat." This guy can do it all! Perhaps most of interest to his fans are the short introductions which precede each work and explain where the author got the idea for each piece. A must-read for all serious horror fans.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A collection from the master!, June 13, 2002

By 

DanD - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Collection (Mass Market Paperback)

Bentley Little has an ability few other people writing today have: the ability to scare the socks off ANYONE! The stories he presents to us here, in a book apporpriately called "The Collection," are no less than his best. And that, my friends, is something worth checking out.

The stories here vary widely, and some aren't even horror at all. In fact, one deals with the possibility that the Revolutionary War had ended quite differently. Another, along similar lines, asks us the question, "How much do we really know about our founding fathers?"

Then, of course, you have the spine-tinglers. Ghost towns are brought up repeatedly, as Little knows how to wring out the best of those stereotypical settings. In one story, a man just says something, and it happens! In another, an anbandoned town's trash turns out to be more than just litter! And in yet another story guaranteed to frighten you half-to-death, Little brings back the bathhouse from his awesome novel "The Town." This time, it "flies" away into horror (you'll understand when you read it).

This is definitely a "Collection" that I am glad to have on my bookshelf. Though Little's imagination is sometimes extremely morbid (even more-so than mine!) he never fails to write a good story. As a bonous, along with each installment in this collection, Little includes a small passage of how the story came about, and why he likes it.

This is Bentley Little's latest gift to us. He brings us his fears of fanatics, voodoo witches, zombies, nightmares, paper, potatoes, and midgets, and gift-wraps them between two covers. So open up and enjoy. Just don't turn off the lights.