After the People Lights Have Gone Off Paperback – September 30, 2014

This horror / weird fiction collection by Stephen Graham Jones is definitely worth the read. While the stories are not as mainstream or conventional as general readers are probably expecting, the more astute and sophisticated reader will thoroughly enjoy this genuinely creepy book. If I had one criticism, it would be some of the endings could have been more effective. Of the 15 stories, my favorites include Welcome To The Reptile House, Doc's Story, and Solve For X, with four very strong runners up that include the stories, Thirteen, The Spindly Man, Second Chances, and the title story, After The People Lights Go Off. I'm looking forward to reading some of this author's novels and definitely recommend this collection.

This is the first writings of Jones that I have read. I actually purchased this collection of horror/weird stories. Because of Laird Barron's comments. So I assumed that if he was impressed, well than I would probably like the stories. I would say overall, this was for the most part true.First things first, is I have to say that Jones is a very good writer, and it is obvious by the depth of some of these stories that he is a very intelligent man. Most of the stories in this collection I wouldn't label as "horror" as they just really aren't that scary or even really creepy. Just weird, but being that there a few stories which do have the element of horror, at least one for sure, then well, you can't just call the whole collection "Weird Fiction", as they share the same covers. I did enjoy the book, but it wasn't good enough that I can see myself reading any more of Jones anytime soon, though I may revisit one or two of the stories in this collection sometime in the future. Not much of the material has much, if any, re-read value for me.Now, this may be more because I am a huge horror junkie, especially when it comes to stories by writers such as Lovecraft, Barron, Ligotti, or even Barker. So if you know anything about those authors it will certainly give you an idea of the kind of Horror that I tend to like. Jones I wouldn't classify under this.But I would still recommend this book to those whom enjoy horror, and weird fiction, but maybe enjoy stories that are a bit more just atmosphere creepy and not the intense, and marrow deep kind of the authors I mentioned above.Overall, this is a solid collection of stories, from a skilled author. Just not my cup of tea.

Stephen Graham Jones is aunique stylist. His approach to character and voice is truly unlike anything else ive read. I dont know why its so distinctive, i cant pull out a quality and say that its SGJesque. Its alot of subtle details and interesting phrasing. That being said, its not very effective. His stories lack the ability to keep me focused, and often times the voices blend together into a written blob. I had to read it over a few weeks to get the most from it.The strength in this collection is the fresh take on stories.Vampires and tattos, misaligned boxes and spiders, sleeves and punks. Its an interesting batch that never fits any previous genre or story structure. Its unusual and makes the stories compelling.Overall quality was middling, the stories could have been great, but the style sacrificed a great deal. The strongest stories were the spindly man, welcome to the reptile house, and thirteen. These compiled a coherent writing style that didnt sacrifice clarity or story.Spindly man recalls occult stories about meeting the devil at abook club of all places. Spooky, and chilling. The characterization works, that ending really got me. Welcome to the reptile house is about a wannabe tattoo artist that tattoos the wrong corpse. Another surprise ending, that is remarkably uplifting for an overall pessimistic ending. Thirteen is a good introduction. Its a haunted house story, only its a theater. Still cool, really captures what it means to be a teenager.Coolstories that deliver the creeps more than anything. Part way through, i stopped to read one of his novels, thinking he might be stronger over there. I was wrong. His short stories are his best work.

Stephen Graham Jones is at again, writing faster than fans can read and publishers would like. This time, SGJ gives us a collection of 16 stories coming from various scary persuasions: ghosts, vampires, werewolves, haunted houses, and even some aliens. The title alone creeped me out; “people lights” imply something looking at your house, something that isn’t “people.” The cover image, too, is frightening--we see a person through a broken window, so the image creates a fore-, middle-, and background. Ingenious for a book cover, really, as the perspective makes readers wonder who’s looking at whom.Before I started People Lights, my most recent SGJ experience was this summer when I picked up Growing Up Dead in Texas (MP Publishing, 2012), a nonfiction work that read like fiction: things too weird to be true, people who are larger than life. I didn’t finish SGJ’s memoir, though, because it seemed like he forgot someone was reading. Settings I couldn’t picture, people I couldn’t remember, farming terms I didn’t know, and perspectives that were missing. Occasionally, SGJ appears to write for an audience of one.Read the full review at The Next Best Book Club blog!http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/2014/12/melanie-reviews-after-people-lights.html

One of the very best short story collections I have ever read. Full of complex and rounded characters in uniquely brilliant stories. Can't recommend this book or this author highly enough.

Ich kann den Lobpreisungen für diese Sammlung nur eine weitere hinzufügen. Die Geschichten reichen von einer verstörenden Fingerübung in Torture-Porn über klassische Geistergeschichten bis zu Geschichten über Protagonisten, die vielleicht nur einen Schritt abseits des Weges gehen und dann eine völlig andere Weltsicht haben. Sehr viele der Geschichten handeln vom Verlust der Familie oder eines Teils davon und gerade die kommen für einen Elternteil mit voller emotionaler Wucht daher. Der Schreibstil ist auch abwechslungsreich genug, um nicht nach der dritten oder vierten Erzählung Ermüdungserscheinungen bei mir aufkommen zu lassen. Und manche Sequenz hat sich für mich angefühlt wie ein Faustschlag in den Magen, wenn sich mit einem bloßen Schlußsatz der Charakter einer Geschichte radikal ändert. Unbedingte Empfehlung.

very weird book... not an easy read... but not easy to put down either... imagery will haunt you

Dark stories told masterfully.