Customer Reviews

I Like Being Killed: Stories

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was excited to find this book when it first appeared in the Amazon catalog. I loved Mr. Fischer's previous titles and have bought many duplicates to give to friends and family. Unfortunately, these stories are neither very interesting nor inventive. In fact, they bare more resemblance to filler articles in more-upscale magazines. Furthermore, I'd purchased the identical collection earlier which bore the title "Don't Read This Book If You're Stupid". If you're a fan, buy it used and don't expect too much. I still have both copies........

While there are moments in several of the stories where the reader
will say 'yes!' or 'that's what I've been trying to articulate,' these
moments do not make a satisfying book.

The stories are interesting
studies of men in bad circumstances. However, they run much too long
to hold the reader's attention without interruption. The plights are
notable, but the characters lack qualities that allow you to empathize
with them. You find yourself wondering why the author didn't allow
something good to happen (by luck or by sheer force of will on the
part of the character) to prevent some of the stories from having
whiny lead characters. I read this book on the bus, and often found
myself becoming more interested in freeway traffic than the
stories.

After reading this book, reading additional titles by this
author is not high on my priority list.

If you haven't read any Fischer... start... NOW!!! If you have read him before, then I probably don't need to coerce you into reading this one. This collection of short stories is the darkest thing Tibor has published. All of the characters face futility, are aware of it, and have no idea how to deal or to change it. There is no Eddie Coffin here (from the Thought Gang). Instead you have a collection on the brink, trying to find some purpose to the ticking clock that has lead us into the new millenium. Not that this book is by any means merely a somber tomb of anxiety. There are some extremely funny passages as anyone who has read Tibor will know to expect, but this book doesn't find humor in the mindless slapstick. It feels around for it in the dark crevices of humanity. There isn't a story in this volumn that doesn't carry it's weight, just as Atlas had to carry his. I highly recommend you read Tibor. You may not want to start with this one (try Under The Frog or the comic The Thought Gang), but do get to this one. You wont regret it and if you do, does it really matter? Ask the Bookcruncher

I just finished this book. I liked the mood set by this book. Each story was an addition to this book being a complete book about failure. The characters were depressing, as well as the stories, but each had its dark humor. I think the big problem with these stories was the inexperience of this author in writing short stories. Most of these stories seemed to drag on a bit and this made the book seem a bit more boring than it should have. All together worth reading, but nothing spectacular here.

A wonderful introduction to Fischer's other books! It was the first Fischer book I had read, and I was instantly enthralled by his grasp of the characters. He has a real talent for getting inside the characters, and even if you hate them, you can't manage to put the book down. A truly incredible display of Fischer's wicked sense of humor!

Shame, shame on Tibor. I have read two of his other books and was very anxious to get to this one. In it I found a relentless, remorseless creation of despair. Despair is the greatest sin there is, and Fischer is so skilled that he can come close to making you buy some of what he digs up here. He makes his characters suffer and writes convincingly enough so that we beleive that this is the world we live in. It isn't. It is a lie, and a lie that could lead to the greatest sin. Fischer needs to find his heart.

Well, it was mildly amusing, but overall the titles are much more interesting than the stories. Reading this book was like being at a bar where your friend is talking up this guy and you're stuck talking to his friend and he's ok, but you know this isn't going anywhere and you think, "should I just leave?" but then your friend will be mad because she doesn't want to be left at the bar by herself; last time that happened she had to call you the next afternoon and ask if you knew where her bra went to, and, although you didn't know, you assumed it was now hanging on the rearview mirror of the 72 Nova you saw her get in with that guy wearing the brown leather bomber jacket. No, you're not responsible for her bad behavior, but you like her and don't want her to get killed, and this guy isn't _so_ bad, but you're wasting your time, basically. Two stars for killer titles, though.