Richard C. Matheson Dystopia-Short Stories

[GOLLUM]

Hi all.

I've just had fall into my lap a copy of Richard Christain Matheson's Dystopia, which is basically an omnibus edition of his collected "horror" short stories or at least some 60 of them. He is a son of the famous Richard Matheson.

I'd not read this guy before although I noted that his legendary Horror writing father Richard Matheson being mentioned around the traps re: I Am Legend, Stir Of Echoes, Hell House, Incredible Shrinking Man etc..

I must say this guy is a master of prose for me and his short stories quite excellent of the ones I've so far read and somewhat offbeat. Talk about a chip off the old block.

I am particularly impressed so far by the stories Red, Vampire (which uses one word sentences and manages to carry it off brilliantly! ) and Dead Of Winter with a special note for Mobius (co-written with his father).

For me looking like a 5/5 stars effort it's that good.

A shame his stuff seems to be out of print or difficult to get a hold of really.....

Comments anyone...

Moderators: I thought of placing this thread in the Horror subforum but figured it might get a wider audience in the Books & Lit. parent forum.

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Matheson Sr.'s novels are among the most powerful and archetypal treatments of classic pulp scenarios I've read - I'm definitely going to track down his son's tales if he's anything like the father.

I believe I've read a story co-written by both. Perhaps ravenus has read more?

 

[GOLLUM]

Jp, I may have slightly mislead by calling Mahteson Jr. a chip off the old block in the sense that I've not really read much of Matherson Sr. having had the majority of my exposure to his works by way of the various film adaptions made, which granted are of varying quality.

Therefore I can only go on my assesment of this current collection of short stories which in my humble opionon are very good. Apparently some 250 HB deluxe signed editions were released with about 30 horror authors signing it including intros to the stories by them although whether this was more in deference to Matheson Sr. I'm not sure. Either way anyone possesing one of these multiple signed copies probably has a minor fortune on their hands.

Just a note, when I say these stories are short we're talking ultra short i.e. a few pages each. Also the settings are mainly within LA where RCM lives and not all stories are horror as this guy has quite a range of different genres to his credit.

I’ve managed to locate his website and the following bio on him:
http://www.richardchristianmatheson.com/

Richard Christian Matheson is a novelist, short story writer, and a screenwriter/ producer. He has written and produced more than 500 episodes of television for over thirty prime time series including Hunter, Quincy, Simon and Simon, Magnum P. I, Amazing Stories and Tales From The Crypt and at age 20 was the youngest writer Universal Studios ever put under contract. He has written television projects for Steven Spielberg, Mel Brooks, Aaron Spelling, Joel Silver, Richard Donner, and John Landis. His three feature films include Three O' Clock High and Loose Cannons. Considered a premiere writer of short horror fiction, Matheson has published fifty short stories of psychological horror in such diverse magazines as Penthouse, Twilight Zone and Omni. Stephen King compares him to Ray Bradbury and terms his work as “....remarkable. The writing is finely tuned, and has that rarest combination of style and narrative substance” Clive Barker say's “RC is a master of compression;.devastating”.

Dystopia, Matheson's highly acclaimed collection of short stories is a “must have” for the RCM fan. Publisher's Weekly calls the work “miniature masterpieces”. Created By is Matheson's startling first novel; a riveting book, in which the author rips open a hole into the heart of Hollywood and then drags the reader inside. Barbara Corday, former president of Columbia Pictures Television calls Created By “a heat-seeking missile going right for the flesh of the television business and searing it right of the bone.”

Matheson has had such diverse occupations as writing for stand-up comedians and acting as a ghost chaser for UCLA's Parapsychology Department. He has investigated more than twenty-five haunted houses and was present for the shocking case on which the film The Entity was based. He is considered an expert on the occult. Matheson is also a professional drummer who has studied with Ginger Baker of the legendary rock group Cream.

To date, Matheson has sold ten spec feature screenplays: considered a record. His fourth feature film, The Pack [Full Eclipse], a horror / suspense film he wrote and executive produced, stars Mario Van Peebles. Richard Christian Matheson lives in Malibu, California, where he is working on several new and exciting projects.

 

[ravenus]

Ravenus has not read any of Matheson Jr's stories. Till this moment Ravenus had not even heard of Matheson Jr. Ignorance was such bliss...

 

[GOLLUM]

Well to be honest I'd not heard of this author either until I came across this book, so you've got plenty of mates I suspect Ravenus....

Having said that of what I've read this guy has some talent although I don't know how easy it would be to get a copy, maybe try amazon as I understand his stuff is currently out of print...

BTW just to add to your bliss mate, Matheson Snr. has another son and a daughter who are also authors although I know nothing of what they write...