"20th Century Ghosts" is a collection of short stories by Joe Hill. For those unfamiliar with Joe Hill (as I was before picking up this book) - he is not only a promising young writer, he is also the son of Stephen King. I must confess that I did not know that going in. In hindsight, it's hard not to see the family resemblance in the jacket photo. I had to ask myself after reading the book, though - was there a professional resemblance as well?
I don't read a lot of short fiction. I find that I like to lose myself in a world for a few days, not just a few minutes. Still - sometimes there is a great idea that just won't fill up a 300-page novel. Those ideas are like hermit crabs - they have to find a shell to live in, one that fits them. Too big, and they would remain immobile and uninteresting. In those cases, for those ideas, a short story is just the right size.
On balance, the stories in this collection are well worth reading. There's very little filler, although I did not love everything. What I did love was Hill's perspective on the horror genre. In these stories, you don't find much in the way of standard horror fare. There are no demons, no aliens, no unstoppable psychopaths with hockey masks and machetes. What you find is a fulfilling juxtaposition between the ordinary world and extraordinary circumstances. In most cases, Hill treats the central conceit of the story as something completely plausible - and by doing so, brings a texture to the narrative that is both appealing and rewarding. (I think that the story "Pop Art" is the best example of this in the collection.
I won't go in to full detail on very story here (if you're interested, I'll have thoughts on all of the stories posted on my blog. The link is in my profile.). I do want to highlight the three best stories in the collection:
"POP ART" - Not really a horror story, but one of my favorites in the book. It matter-of-factly discusses the relationship that develops between a young boy, and the new kid in his school - who just happens to be an inflatable plastic doll. It's every bit as absurd as it sounds, but the way that Hill presents it makes it both believable and touching.
THE CAPE - This might be the best story in the collection. Why? For two reasons. First, it deals with something every little boy is familiar with - the desire to fly. Our hero discovers that he can fly by accident one day, thanks to a cape his mother made for him. Unfortunately, he loses the cape in mid air, and is seriously injured in the fall. This one event helps set the course for his life. The second reason I liked the story so much was the ending. I just didn't see it coming - and for me, that is a very rare and precious occurrence.
VOLUNTARY COMMITTAL - This is a story that could be expanded, but also works just fine as a novella (it's the longest tale in the collection). It tells the story of two brothers - the older, mostly normal, with a few social issues; the younger, afflicted with a mental disorder, or so it appears. The younger brother likes to build things - structures, forts - out of anything that he can get his hands on. Mostly he likes to build with cardboard boxes. The thing is - his creations are sometimes more than they appear. Sometimes, it seems that they might lead to places that couldn't possibly exist. It's within that framework that Hill explores that relationship between the two brothers, but more importantly - the older brother's relationship with himself. It's a great read.
So, was there a professional resemblance between Hill and his father? It's hard to say. Had I not known that he was King's son, I'm not sure that I would make the connection. Knowing his lineage, however, it's hard not to see a few echoes here and there. In particular, "My Father's Mask" feels like the kind of story that would be right at home in the King universe.
I really enjoyed this collection. Hill wanted to strike out and make a name for himself without relying on his famous father. I think that he does that admirably in this book. Did it work on every level? No. But most collections of short fiction don't. You are going to get some hits and some misses - that's the nature of the medium. I'm anxious now to read his full-length novels "Heart Shaped Box" and "Horns", and see what he can do in a long format. I'm confident that he won't disappoint. I'll let you know.
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