Roadside Ghosts
Author: Steve Vernon
Publisher: Stark Raven Press
Date: 10/21/2014
Pgs: 139

REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Summary:
On the road...in the dark...a shadow barely seen...and seen again. Things that go bump as you drive along a quiet country road. Strange lights. Things that shouldn’t be there, but are. Walk. Run. Drive faster. Maybe you’ll get away.

A collection of short stories

Genre:
Fiction
Ghost
Haunted
Horror
Occult
Paranormal
Philosophy
Short stories

Why this book:
Ghost stories.
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Favorite Character:
Catcall - The dog, Riley who was once real, but now is a imaginary figment.

Lost Sole - The girl in the pink track suit.

The Forever Long Road of Olan Walker - Olan Walker is wonderfully described and fleshed out. Great character.

Least Favorite Character:
Lost Sole - The Cinder-fella whose guilt is eating him alive. Reminds me of Stephen King’s Thinner too.

The Feel:
I had misgivings about the Christmas ghost story, A Sky Full of Stars and a Big Green Forever, but it sucked me in transportationally and left a lump in my throat. Which is funny considering that I had the “oh a Christmas story in July” reaction when I started reading it.

Memory Stains is very atmospheric...that’s about all it’s got going for it.

The escaping hell aspect of Olan Walker with the ultimate destination, possibly being worse...or better than where you started. Thinking about this one gives you the idea that the teller might be better off, but he might have to wait a long, long time in limbo to get to that place of acceptance.

Favorite Scene:
Catcall - Horrifying the scene where the ball goes astray.

The thought of her father making his pilgrimage every October with his bouquet of quiet red roses to the cemetery on Carpenter Hill where her mother is buried, referred to as sleeping.

The denouement of Catcall is beautiful, gave me that warm heart feeling that you don’t get too often when reading.

Old Spice Love Knot - An old story, too often repeated, until Penelope appears and her not coming alone.

Olan Walker - The title character’s showdown with Boss Brady...showdown is the wrong word, initial encounter in which Brady tried to show Walker that he was nothing but an Alabama chain gang convict. But where Brady and all those present discover that Walker is something more.

Olan Walker - The climax with the lightning dance across the countryside and the teller’s “escape”.

Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Catcall is more of an off-road ghost story.

Old Spice Love Knot leaves a pretty big question in its denouement. Pretty sure I know what happens. But considering that the story tells us what happened to all the major players and one minor player, the disposition of this one very important character would seem to be a necessary addendum.

Memory Stains leaves too many questions. Mental illness? Are the ghosts really there? Did he kill his wife and burn the divorce decree?

Hmm Moments:
Catcall - Her dad describing the color of the leaves in the old beech tree down the foot of Carpenter Hill looking like the blood from the wreck when he and her mother crashed into the tree, when her mother died.

Catcall - Damn...a tree with blood red leaves where someone died, and a swamp thought to have a hunger for people after two ice skaters fell through winter ice and were never found. Nice little town they’ve got there. Made me think of Gaiman’s American Gods and the hiding out in Wisconsin with Hinzelmann.

Old Spice Love Knot - The rope in his hand when he’s found is a good touch.

Lost Sole is a Cinderella analog.

Traveling Salesman Story is a great take on the cliched traveling salesman meets farmer’s daughter story...with a bit of Children of the Corn thrown in.

Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Lost Sole could make a helluva movie. Maybe retitle it The Single Pink Shoe.

Traveling Salesman Story in a longer form would make a great screenplay.

The Forever Long Road of Olan Walker could make a helluva movie. Keep it 90 minutes and build the tension hard. Yeah, helluva movie.

Casting call:
Lost Sole - Ashton Kutcher as the Cinderella character. Could see Hayden Christensen or Keanu Reeves in the role as well.

Traveling Salesman Story - Lance Henriksen would be excellent as Lon the Farmer. Jessie Eisenberg as the Salesman. Maybe Margot Robbie as Sheba?
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Last Page Sound:
The stories were good. But Olan Walker, by itself, elevated the rest of the collection. Walker adds at least a star to the rating.

Author Assessment:
Catcall has a lot of creepy flavor. And the cool thing about the flavor is that it feels almost matter-of-fact with the way it is presented. Catcalls climax and denouement were excellent. Well told.

The Forever Road of Olan Walker stands in good stead alongside Catcall marked as the two best stories in the collection. Together they elevate the rating given.

Editorial Assessment:
Editorial should have caught the character/condition that isn’t explained at the end of Old Spice Love Knot.

Traveling Salesman Story would make an awesome longer form story.

Knee Jerk Reaction:
really good book

Disposition of Book:
e-Book

Would recommend to:
everyone
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