LemmiSchmoeker reviewed The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
A mixture of great, good and mediocre stories by a master storyteller
4 stars
Typically for a Bradbury short story collection, this is a mixture of great, good and mediocre stories. All have in common that they are expertly written, managing to build up tension from the very beginning. The "illustrated man" framing device is a little disappointing as there is no real plot to it, just another mini story that fits into the collection as much as any of the stories can be said to fit into it.
Some of the stories (The Long Rain, in particular, but also lesser ones like The Rocket) are transformative; others (The Other Foot, The Fire Balloons) have a message, and yet others (The Highway, The Rocket Man) are typical New Age fare – but even the most bland show a master storyteller at work who always has something to say, even if it is just a moral …
Typically for a Bradbury short story collection, this is a mixture of great, good and mediocre stories. All have in common that they are expertly written, managing to build up tension from the very beginning. The "illustrated man" framing device is a little disappointing as there is no real plot to it, just another mini story that fits into the collection as much as any of the stories can be said to fit into it.
Some of the stories (The Long Rain, in particular, but also lesser ones like The Rocket) are transformative; others (The Other Foot, The Fire Balloons) have a message, and yet others (The Highway, The Rocket Man) are typical New Age fare – but even the most bland show a master storyteller at work who always has something to say, even if it is just a moral commentary.