Punktown: Third Eye [Paperback]

Jeffrey Thomas (Editor), Scott Thomas (Contributor), Charlee Jacob (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2004

Jeffrey Thomas' collection Punktown explored the streets and back alleys of a futuristic and nightmarish urbanscape in a series of unconnected short stories. In Punktown: Third Eye, Thomas has teleported authors Simon Logan, Jonathan Lyons, Charlee Jacob, Paul G. Tremblay, Michael McCarty, Mark McLaughlin, Garrett Peck, Thomas Andrew Hughes, and Scott Thomas into the city to pen their own tales of its citizens, aliens, mutations, and sentient machines. These talented authors bring a new perspective, a personal vision, a third eye view to the phantasmetropolis that is Punktown.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Prime Books (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1894815378
• ISBN-13: 978-1894815376
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,156,297 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am the author of such science fiction/horror novels as DEADSTOCK (finalist for the John W. Campbell Award), BLUE WAR, HEALTH AGENT, MONSTROCITY (finalist for the Bram Stoker Award), THE FALL OF HADES, LETTERS FROM HADES, UGLY HEAVEN/BEAUTIFUL HELL (coauthored with Carlton Mellick III), THOUGHT FORMS, and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET: THE DREAM DEALERS. My short story collections include PUNKTOWN, VOICES FROM PUNKTOWN, PUNKTOWN: SHADES OF GREY (coauthored with Scott Thomas), NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS, UNHOLY DIMENSIONS, VOICES FROM HADES, THIRTEEN SPECIMENS, DOOMSDAYS, and AAAIIIEEE!!!. Stories of mine have been reprinted in THE YEAR'S BEST FANTASY AND HORROR and THE YEAR'S BEST HORROR STORIES. Though I consider Vietnam (my wife's place of origin) my second home, I am a resident of ye olde Massachusetts. Visit my blog at www.JeffreyEThomas.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a collection!, June 18, 2004

By 

Cenobyte (The East Bay, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Punktown: Third Eye (Hardcover)

Apart from Thomas' own entry, this collection sports unqualified masterpiece proems from Charlee Jocob and T.A. Hughes; an astounding story from industrial fiction pioneer Simon logan; and a hip take on the Faustian bargain for rock superstardom from Jonathan Lyons.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Third Eye" takes a different look at Punktown, May 18, 2004

By 

Schtinky "Schtinky" (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Punktown: Third Eye (Hardcover)

Welcome back to Punktown, the incredible and diverse slum city of Paxton on the world Oasis. Punktown is a diverse colony of outcasts from many different worlds, including the race native to Oasis called the Choom. "Third Eye" a collection of short stories that take place in Punktown, just like the first book by Thomas. What is different is that Thomas wrote only one story in this collection, with the rest contributed by other authors.

Unfortunately, that is what makes "Third Eye" a four star compared to the five I gave "Punktown". Thomas seems to be the only author that had a firm grip on the ideal of the city. Not to say that the rest of the stories were bad in anyway, they just didn't fit his mold as well, and seemed to be more of a general Sci-Fi connection.

The best story in the book is the one Thomas himself wrote, "The Color Shrain", which isn't really about this particular color that only one alien race can see, but about Specola's unique way of making things disappear and reappear. Unique and disturbing.

Eight more stories follow, featuring tales of sentient robots, a singer who makes the bigtime by leaving her body behind, a Choom detective chasing down a telekinetic alien, a lesson on getting to know your friends better before making a pass at them, and others.

I somehow got the feeling that some of the efforts by the other authors were "early career works", often just a tad disjointed in the flow of the tale; not well cemented and lacking a stylish flow to them.

However, over all, the collection is worthwhile; just pick up Punktown first to catch a firm grip of the city before taking this "Third Eye" view of one of my favorite places. Enjoy!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An astounding collection!, June 28, 2004

By 

Karline McLain (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Punktown: Third Eye (Hardcover)

With a Punktown tale from editor Jeffrey Thomas, and amazing work from Charlee Jacob, Jonathan Lyons, Simon Logan, T.A. Hughes, and more, this collection of SF-horror hybrid is not to be missed.