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Magic Terror: 7 Tales Audiobook
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(3.02) - 404 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A collection of seven exquisite tales about living, dying, and the horror that lies in between, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Story
“Elegant, terrifying, provocative.”—The Washington Post Book World
Welcome to a new kind of terror as Peter Straub leads us into the outer reaches of the psyche. Here the master of the macabre is at his absolute best in seven chilling stories that explore the darkest depths of the human mind.
“Bunny Is Good Bread” takes us into the mind of a small boy trapped in grotesque circumstances to portray the creation of a serial killer in a manner that compels pity, sorrow, comprehension, and grief—as well as judgement.
“Hunger, an Introduction,” narrated by the ghost of a pompous, self-pitying murderer, evokes a profoundly beautiful vision of earthly life, one appreciated far more by the dead than the living.
The award-winning novella “Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff,” a masterpiece of black comedy, draws upon Melville’s “Bartleby the Scrivener” to create a revenge tale in which torture is a moral art and the revenger undergoes a transforming, albeit painful, education.
The terrain of these extraordinary stories is marked by brutality, heartbreak, despair, wonder, and an unexpected humor that allows empathy to blossom within the most unlikely contexts.
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"An amazing collection of short stories. As someone who reads in bed at night, I didn't know whether to put it down so I wouldn't have nightmares, or keep reading so the bad dreams would have endings! "
— Meredith (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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When Peter Straub turns on all his jets, no one in the scream factory can equal him.
— Stephen King -
No one can speak the unspeakable as gruesomely as Peter Straub. The most magical thing about Magic Terror is its sheer bloodcurdling range: a variety of genre-defying tales, no two of the seven remotely resembling each other except in the brilliance of the invention and the writing, and in Straub's power to spook you out of your wits.
— Donald Harington, author of When Angels Rest -
I have been a fan of the novelist Peter Straub ever since Ghost Story. That he can be just as compelling and scary in brief bites is a welcome revelation. Seven wonderful tales.
— Donald Westlake, author of The Hook and The Ax
Awards
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Winner of the 2000 Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection
Magic Terror Listener Reviews
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" Most of these stories fell so flat for me that I was sorry I'd bothered to read them, let alone pay for the book. "
— Fishface, 12/26/2013 -
" Superior, literate horror from one of the great writers in any field. It starts with one of the weaker stories, but the perseverant reader will be rewarded. There's a full review at Suite101 "
— Colin, 12/17/2013 -
" These stories read like Straub played around with themes from his novels. Fair enough, but not good enough to match his usual strength. "
— S.A., 10/3/2013 -
" A combination of 7 short stories, some more magic, some more terror. I got reeled in on the first story Ashputtle and would have liked to have continued with more of that story. Bunny Is Good Bread, horrific, very well written. Mr.Clubb and Mr.Cuff (stating the obvious in such a fun way) "
— Pat, 9/25/2013 -
" Eh. Not scary. Not scary at all. Contrived bullshit mostly.... "
— Danielle, 9/23/2013 -
" Don't waste your time!!! "
— Amy, 8/14/2013 -
" At times this book had great moments, and sordid terrible terror. Hit and miss, i guess... First short story collection written by PS, not sure he's great at it, the longer stories work best. "
— Ryan, 6/19/2013 -
" Do you like the weird, the bizarre, the terrifying? Then you'll love this short story collection. "
— Brian, 12/25/2012 -
" Porkpie is one of the best stories I've read in a long time. This is Peter Straub at his best, when he sounds like a close cousin of Stephen King. "
— Joe, 9/10/2012 -
" I actually liked the last story the best, so this collection ended on a high note for me. As for some of the others, hit and miss. I liked PORKPIE HAT too...some pretty gruesome storytelling and I liked his surprise twists. You knew there was something coming but not what it was. "
— Michelle, 8/21/2012 -
" There is a story in here... "Bunny Is Good Bread"...read that. "
— Bdr, 5/3/2012 -
" An amazing collection of short stories. As someone who reads in bed at night, I didn't know whether to put it down so I wouldn't have nightmares, or keep reading so the bad dreams would have endings! "
— Meredith, 3/4/2012 -
" Five stars just for the inclusion of "Porkpie Hat" - a geat, terrifying example of the use of a past secret in storytelling. "
— Frank, 2/18/2012 -
" I'm not sure what this was. I couldn't even finish it. "
— Jody, 8/30/2011 -
" these 7 tales of the lives of those living n dying "
— Jessica, 2/14/2011 -
" these 7 tales of the lives of those living n dying "
— Jessica, 12/22/2010 -
" A combination of 7 short stories, some more magic, some more terror. I got reeled in on the first story Ashputtle and would have liked to have continued with more of that story. Bunny Is Good Bread, horrific, very well written. Mr.Clubb and Mr.Cuff (stating the obvious in such a fun way) "
— Pat, 2/25/2010 -
" Porkpie is one of the best stories I've read in a long time. This is Peter Straub at his best, when he sounds like a close cousin of Stephen King. "
— Joe, 11/9/2009 -
" I actually liked the last story the best, so this collection ended on a high note for me. As for some of the others, hit and miss. I liked PORKPIE HAT too...some pretty gruesome storytelling and I liked his surprise twists. You knew there was something coming but not what it was. "
— Michelle, 10/27/2008 -
" Do you like the weird, the bizarre, the terrifying? Then you'll love this short story collection. "
— Brian, 10/20/2007
About Peter Straub
Peter Straub (1943-2022) was the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels. He has won the Bram Stoker Award for his two of his novels and a short story collection, 5 Stories; he has also won a World Fantasy Award and an International Horror Guild Award. He received a BA degree in English at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an MA from Columbia University.
About Ron McLarty
Ron McLarty is a veteran actor of television, film, and stage as well as an award-winning audiobook narrator. He has more than 100 television appearances to his credit, including as a series regular on Spencer for Hire and Law & Order. His film career began in 1977 with a performance in The Sentinel and continued with such films as The Postman, Flamingo Kid, and, most recently, How Do You Know? His stage credits include Broadway and other productions. He has narrated more than 100 audiobooks, earning nine Earphones Awards and recognition by AudioFile magazine as a Best Voice in Mystery & Suspense in 2009 and 2010. He has twice been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Awards and then won the award in 2001 for Best Mystery Narration. He is also an accomplished playwright and an acclaimed novelist.