Like most short story collections, this one is a mixed bag. There are a couple of truly excellent stories, some that are just okay, and a few that aren't so good. However, I would still recommend it because there are some real crackers in here!

"Yellowjacket Summer" is a thrilling tale of a wrong turn off the highway that leads to a town full of killer wasps and creepy residents. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Makeup" involves a thief who steals the makeup case of a horror film star, but things quickly go wrong. It's an entertaining story, but not quite as engaging as some of the others. ⭐⭐

"Doom City" is a strange and disturbing tale of a man who wakes up to find his wife has turned into a corpse. As he wanders the town, he realizes he is not alone. ⭐⭐⭐

"Nightcrawlers" is a standout story about a Vietnam veteran whose nightmares come to life and bring death to those around him. It's a powerful and poignant piece that will stay with you long after you've finished reading. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Pin" is a very strange first-person narrative of a young man contemplating sticking a needle in his eye. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's definitely an interesting read. ⭐

"Yellachile's Cage" is a story about a voodoo man who keeps a bird in his prison cell. The bird is his familiar and keeps him informed of all that is going on in the prison. It's an atmospheric and engaging story. ⭐⭐

"I Scream Man!" is a fun and creepy story about a man playing Scrabble with his family when the ice cream van comes down the street. What follows is a series of strange and terrifying events. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"He'll Come Knocking at Your Door" is a frightening Halloween story set in a small town. It's a classic horror tale that will send shivers down your spine. ⭐⭐⭐

"Chico" is a story about a special child who takes revenge on his mother's abusive boyfriend. It's a dark and disturbing tale, but also a powerful one. ⭐

"Night Calls the Green Falcon" is a story about a retired cinema superhero who takes up his cape again to track down a real-life murderer. It's an exciting and action-packed story. ⭐⭐⭐

"The Red House" is a truly excellent story about neighbors from hell who have a strange obsession with the color red. It's a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Something Passed By" is a post-apocalyptic story that showcases McCammon's vivid imagination. It's a powerful and thought-provoking piece. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Blue World" is a story about a Catholic priest who falls in love with a porn star being stalked by a serial killer. It's a unique and engaging story that explores themes of love, redemption, and violence. ⭐⭐⭐

I have been an ardent fan of Robert McCammon ever since I had the pleasure of reading a copy of Stinger. His book Wolf's Hour is truly one of my all-time favorites. As a result, I have been keeping this copy of his shorter work for quite some time now. In fact, I think it has been years, and yet I never quite managed to get around to reading it.

However, that all changed after I delved into the two "I travel by night" books. And here we are. The book itself is a collection of stories of varying lengths, ranging from just a couple of pages to nearly 150. They beautifully showcase the wide range and remarkable skill of the author. I must admit that not a single one of these stories disappointed me.

Now, several of these stories have been released as single-shot ebook stories, so I'm sure I have read some of them before. Nevertheless, this is the first time I have read many of them, and I truly enjoyed it. So, if you want to experience the shorter works of Robert McCammon, this is an absolutely brilliant place to start.

A wonderful selection of Fantasy stories awaits you, ones that border on the realm of fear. Mr. McCammon has been a favorite author of mine ever since my teens. He is truly a great writer, blessed with a very vivid imagination. His stories have the power to transport you to otherworldly places, filled with strange creatures and mysterious events. The way he weaves his tales is nothing short of magical. You'll find yourself on the edge of your seat, eagerly turning the pages to see what happens next. Whether it's a story about a haunted house or a journey through a dark forest, Mr. McCammon's writing will keep you captivated from start to finish.

There are some truly outstanding horror stories presented here. They have the ability to send shivers down your spine and keep you on the edge of your seat. However, there are also a couple of stories that didn't really manage to pique my interest. Nevertheless, they did serve as quick and pleasant diversions, offering a brief escape from reality.

But then, there is the last chapter, titled "Blue World". It is about a priest who falls in love with an adult entertainer. This chapter alone comprises about a third of the whole book. The problem is, it isn't a horror story at all. It feels completely out of place and rather unpleasant. For this reason, I would deduct at least two stars from the overall rating. It really detracts from the otherwise enjoyable collection of horror tales.

I've been engaged in working through this particular collection for an extremely long time.

All of the short stories within it are truly of a high standard and very solid.

However, I got stuck on the novella that occupies the final third of the collection.

After a long while, I finally managed to get around to it. I had been anticipating some kind of science fiction set on an alien world.

So, I was quite taken aback when it turned out to be about a priest who becomes obsessively fixated on a porn star.

Certainly, it was not what I had initially thought I was going to encounter.

Surprisingly, though, I actually ended up really enjoying it.

I have the feeling that it was one of those stories that has a lasting impact and sticks with you for a considerable period of time.

It makes you think and leaves a lingering impression.

Overall, despite the unexpected turn, it added an interesting and unique dimension to the collection.

Excellent and amazing volume, all in the same time! The Blue World was the most surprising novella. It is about a catholic priest who gets in love with a porn star. This unique and unexpected plot truly catches the reader's attention. I didn't know any of these stories before, so the impact after reading them was more powerful than usual. Each story in this volume has its own charm and depth, taking the reader on a journey through different emotions and experiences.

Very, very strong volume of short stories that I recommend it with all my heart to the readers out there! Whether you are a fan of novellas or short stories, this volume is definitely worth reading. It will leave you with a lasting impression and make you eager to explore more of the author's works.

Seeing that the author of this book of short stories and one novella is Robert McCammon, I was expecting some scary stuff, AND I was not disappointed.

I got to have an unsettling look inside the mind of a spree killer. It was truly disturbing to witness the thoughts and actions of such a deranged individual.

And I also spent a creepy All Hallow's Eve with a man who discovers that once a year, you need to GIVE if you wanna GET. This concept added an extra layer of mystery and unease to the story.

BUT...not all the stories were terrifying.

I got to meet a traveling canary that brings magic and wonder to some prisoners. The canary's presence brought a glimmer of hope and beauty to their otherwise bleak lives.

A story about an elderly man who decides to become the superhero he once portrayed on film made me feel strangely happy and hopeful. It was heartwarming to see the man's determination and the positive impact it had on those around him.

AND THEN...practically every emotion I can fake got whirled together in Something Passed By, one of the biggest, baddest, holy crappiest stories I've ever read.

One minute, I'm laughing at the little "inside" jokes about the Bloch school, Bradbury park, and Lansdale's Exxon Station. The next, I'm squirming nervously as heads explode and neighbors burst into flame.

Then, McCammon sneaks up behind and smacks me on the butt with a sweetly sad and touching ending. It was a rollercoaster of emotions that left me breathless and in need of a nap.

Whew! I needed a nap after that one!

At this stage of my life, my favorite authors are John Shirley, F. Paul Wilson, and Robert McCammon. McCammon penned my second favorite novel of all time, Swan Song. He has also written several other favorites in my collection, such as Mine and the strange crime classic Gone South. For years, I had been saving two of his books for the "right time." These included "Boy’s Life" and his short story collection "Blue World."

Although I still haven't found the perfect time for the other one yet, I read Blue World last summer, and I'm extremely glad I did. To me, McCammon is the genre author with the most readable and smooth prose that I've ever come across. The pages seem to fly by when you read his novels. I had read one or two of these short stories before, but I was reading most of these ten short stories for the first time. The title piece at the end is longer, and I would contend that it's actually a novel. In the fifties, its length would have been regarded as a novel. It's easily 60,000 words, has twenty-three chapters, and it feels like a novel. But I digress.

Even though McCammon doesn't write traditional horror anymore, he is still active with historical mystery novels like "Speaks the Nightbird," which does contain macabre elements, and the novel "The Five," which was a brilliant Rock and Roll thriller. Blue World is filled with classic 80's McCammon shorts, and I adored every single page of it.

My favorite story was a Halloween classic called "He’ll come a knocking at the Door." This perfectly wicked Halloween story would be ideal for a campfire. Other favorites included "Something Passed By" and the opener "Yellowjacket Summer." There's also the classic story "Nightcralwers," which William Friedkin directed as an episode of the 80's Twilight Zone, and the amazing "Night calls the Falcon," which celebrates old school super hero serials.

The title story is a very powerful character piece that focuses more on the people in the story than the thriller aspects. It's the story of a porn star named Debra Rocks and the priest who falls in love with her after she comes into the confessional. Father John can't help himself, but as he gets to know Debra, he discovers that he's not the only one obsessed with the star. Someone is killing her co-stars. Will she be next?

There isn't a single dud in this collection. McCammon was at the peak of his horror-writing skills in the 80's. I'm glad I finally read this one. It's a classic. If you like short horror fiction, do yourself a favor and read it.

4.5 stars rounded to 5. I truly loved almost all of the stories in this collection. Each one had its own unique charm and managed to draw me in from the very beginning. The characters were well-developed, and the plots were engaging and full of surprises.

However, there was one story that I just didn't care for, and that was PIN. It was just too weird for my taste. The concept was strange, and I found it difficult to connect with the characters or understand the motivation behind their actions.

Despite this one minor drawback, I would still highly recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys reading short stories. The majority of the stories are excellent, and I'm sure that most readers will find something to love within these pages.

Overall, I'm very impressed with this collection and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I have an unwavering love for short stories. In today's literary landscape, a volume of short stories is not something that has a high probability of being published. So, whenever I happen to come across one, it's as if I'm a child who has just been presented with a box of delicious chocolates. And just as Forrest's momma so wisely said, you never know what you're going to get when you decide to open one.

Robert McCammon is truly a master storyteller, and "Blue World" serves as a magnificent example of his remarkable skill. Writing a short story is no easy feat; it demands a great deal of ability. An author has extremely limited space for both characterization and plotting. However, McCammon accomplishes this brilliantly. Few writers can set the mood more effectively than him. The reader can vividly feel the intense heat and terror of "Yellowjacket Summer", the sheer horror of "Doom City", and the internal conflict of a young man trapped in an old body in "Night calls the Green Falcon". McCammon's characters are full of life and sparkle with authenticity. Each one is unique and leaves a lasting impression, even when they are only given 20 pages of reading time.

Not all the stories in this volume are the "nerve-shredding nightmares" as advertised on the cover. The collection showcases McCammon's versatility as an author. Titles like "Nightcrawlers" or "He'll Come Knocking at Your Door" can indeed be described as nightmarish. But "Yellachile's Cage" and "Chico" are as far from horror as literature can be, yet they are heartbreaking and beautiful. The volume concludes with the titular novella "Blue World", the longest entry in this collection, which provides a perfect closure - a sublime tale of love and faith.

"Blue World" is an excellent introduction to the works of Robert McCammon, a writer who unfortunately doesn't seem to receive the recognition he truly deserves. It's a great pity that this collection is now out of print. Fortunately, used copies seem to be relatively common, and obtaining the volume shouldn't pose a significant problem. Not enough contemporary writers invest their time in writing short stories, and certainly not many of them can craft them as skillfully as the author of "Blue World".

One of the craziest books of short stories I have ever read is truly a remarkable piece of work.

I vividly remember that after reading it, for years and years, I would often find myself quoting the story, 'Something Passed By'.

The opening sentence of that story is simply captivating: \\"He was sitting on the front porch in the steamy heat of mid-day, sipping from a glass of gasoline, when the doomscreamer came.\\"

I have always had a penchant for great sentences, and this one definitely ranks among my top ten.

It has a certain allure that draws you in and makes you want to know more about what will happen next.

The author's use of vivid imagery and unique descriptions creates a world that is both strange and fascinating.

Each story in the book seems to take you on a different journey, filled with unexpected twists and turns.

It's a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly engaged and entertained.

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading short stories that are out of the ordinary.

McCammon's collection truly traverses a vast expanse of themes and emotions.

Each story within it seems to be a building block, leading up to the remarkable climax and conclusion presented by the title novella.

The climactic Blue World novella is a tour de force that both confounds and inspires. It has the power to brutally impact and bruise one's soul, taking the reader on a white-knuckle journey deep into the very essence of humanity.

McCammon's writing is so vivid and engaging that it allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in this exploration of the human condition.

Whether it's the complex characters, the thought-provoking plotlines, or the masterful use of language, this collection leaves a lasting impression.

It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys literature that delves into the darker and more profound aspects of life.

Overall, McCammon's work in this collection is a testament to his talent as a storyteller and his ability to create a world that is both captivating and deeply moving.