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Real Illusions
A mysterious man appears in town ... a man only children can see. A young boy’s heart does not beat ... just like everyone else’s in the world. A group of teenagers find an old woman in a cavern ... and a tunnel that leads to another dimension. Two boys on the run from an abusive father stumble across an empty farmhouse ... a farmhouse haunted by more than just memories.
As Robert Swartwood proves in his first full-length collection, illusions are all around us.
Some are real.
Some are terrifying.
REAL ILLUSIONS is 80,000 words and contains ten stories (including the novellas THE MAN ON THE BENCH, THROUGH THE GUTS OF A BEGGAR, and THE SILVER RING), as well as a special author introduction and story notes.
As Robert Swartwood proves in his first full-length collection, illusions are all around us.
Some are real.
Some are terrifying.
REAL ILLUSIONS is 80,000 words and contains ten stories (including the novellas THE MAN ON THE BENCH, THROUGH THE GUTS OF A BEGGAR, and THE SILVER RING), as well as a special author introduction and story notes.
268 pages, Paperback
First published January 13, 2013
38 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Robert Swartwood
62 books307 followersUSA Today bestselling and ITW Thriller Award–winning author of The Serial Killer's Wife, The Killing Room, Man of Wax, and several other novels. He created the term "hint fiction" and edited Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 11, 2023
I like anthology stories and this was a pretty good one
February 3, 2013
If you have never had the pleasure of being introduced to Robert Swartwood, then this is someone you will enjoy meeting. For a pretty young author, he has managed to develop a very complete world with every story he tells. Robert has developed into an author that I enjoy and am not ashamed to introduce to my friends. While this collection doesn’t show the true breadth of his current level of talent, it does have very good work in it and is an excellent introduction to a writer that should get more recognition (he doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page).
The stories included in this collection are:
1. The Man on the Bench
An evil from the dawn of time has returned, but only children under the age of 10 can see.
2. Kracker
What happens if an imaginary friend isn’t all that imaginary, or friendly?
3. From Heaven
An infection, of quite a different sort
4. Real Illusions
What if you could really do a magic trick, what would the consequences be?
5. In the Land of the Blind
This is the short story that provided the genesis of “Dishonored Dead”.
6. Delayed Awakening
A story of raising the dead and guilt.
7. The Wallet
We’ve all had this wish, never running out of money, but of course, it can’t last.
8. Through the Guts of a Beggar
What happens when a quote from Hamlet meets an alien (or maybe not) invasion?
9. The Star Chamber
Sometimes those old legends are based on a truth.
10. The Silver Ring
A found ring that can heal, but not everything, that lets you see peoples secrets and can turn you invisible. Where did it come from? And who is after it?
An excellent collection, by an independent author most people haven’t even heard of. Also, on the editing side of this collection (and his other work) Robert does a better job of editing than I have seen in some main stream books that I have read recently. Available on kindle for only 3.99, this is well worth the price and the time. http://www.amazon.com/Real-Illusions-...
The stories included in this collection are:
1. The Man on the Bench
An evil from the dawn of time has returned, but only children under the age of 10 can see.
2. Kracker
What happens if an imaginary friend isn’t all that imaginary, or friendly?
3. From Heaven
An infection, of quite a different sort
4. Real Illusions
What if you could really do a magic trick, what would the consequences be?
5. In the Land of the Blind
This is the short story that provided the genesis of “Dishonored Dead”.
6. Delayed Awakening
A story of raising the dead and guilt.
7. The Wallet
We’ve all had this wish, never running out of money, but of course, it can’t last.
8. Through the Guts of a Beggar
What happens when a quote from Hamlet meets an alien (or maybe not) invasion?
9. The Star Chamber
Sometimes those old legends are based on a truth.
10. The Silver Ring
A found ring that can heal, but not everything, that lets you see peoples secrets and can turn you invisible. Where did it come from? And who is after it?
An excellent collection, by an independent author most people haven’t even heard of. Also, on the editing side of this collection (and his other work) Robert does a better job of editing than I have seen in some main stream books that I have read recently. Available on kindle for only 3.99, this is well worth the price and the time. http://www.amazon.com/Real-Illusions-...
March 6, 2013
As I almost always say, I received this book in a GoodReads giveaway. Despite that kind consideration my candid opinion follows.
The simplest thing I can say about this is to simply compare it to the old Creepshow comic books but in short story format. Most of the stories adhere to the standard formulas of “something unexpected trying to kill you” or “people/things travel between dimensions” or “human comes in contact with some powerful artifact and funny things happen.” I suspect that you get the idea.
From a qualitative standpoint this book is fairly typical of the genre. I’d not think any of the stories out of place if they were to appear in a fantasy or sci anthology of the 60s. While the author’s tales aren’t especially novel (there’s nothing here that made me say, “wow! That’s new!”) I’d say the execution and writing is reasonably tantalizing and had the desired emotional effect. At times I was pretty potently creeped out, which I suspect was exactly the point.
As with all self-published works I’ve ever read, there were a few times that I wanted to take out a highlighter and mark up some minor error. These things are never perfect, but issues were few and far between and largely ignorable. Also, the author’s longer works seemed to over-tease a bit using phrases like “Things would never be the same again…” repeatedly within the same story, making the reader sit up a bit and wonder if he’d skipped to another story somehow. Despite that small glitch, Swartwood really shines in the longer form stories. The author’s shorter stories get efficiently and quickly to the point but leave the reader rather breathless wanting a more developed narrative.
In summary, the author has provided for us a nice, well-written collection of creepy campfire tales. There’s nothing especially deep here but I don’t really think that was the intention. This is well-crafted pulp thriller-gore and nothing more, but even that said it’s a worthwhile trip for fans of the genre.
The simplest thing I can say about this is to simply compare it to the old Creepshow comic books but in short story format. Most of the stories adhere to the standard formulas of “something unexpected trying to kill you” or “people/things travel between dimensions” or “human comes in contact with some powerful artifact and funny things happen.” I suspect that you get the idea.
From a qualitative standpoint this book is fairly typical of the genre. I’d not think any of the stories out of place if they were to appear in a fantasy or sci anthology of the 60s. While the author’s tales aren’t especially novel (there’s nothing here that made me say, “wow! That’s new!”) I’d say the execution and writing is reasonably tantalizing and had the desired emotional effect. At times I was pretty potently creeped out, which I suspect was exactly the point.
As with all self-published works I’ve ever read, there were a few times that I wanted to take out a highlighter and mark up some minor error. These things are never perfect, but issues were few and far between and largely ignorable. Also, the author’s longer works seemed to over-tease a bit using phrases like “Things would never be the same again…” repeatedly within the same story, making the reader sit up a bit and wonder if he’d skipped to another story somehow. Despite that small glitch, Swartwood really shines in the longer form stories. The author’s shorter stories get efficiently and quickly to the point but leave the reader rather breathless wanting a more developed narrative.
In summary, the author has provided for us a nice, well-written collection of creepy campfire tales. There’s nothing especially deep here but I don’t really think that was the intention. This is well-crafted pulp thriller-gore and nothing more, but even that said it’s a worthwhile trip for fans of the genre.
May 1, 2020
An anthology of short horror and science fiction stories from an indie author I admire, "Real Illusions" has some real losers, and some decent attempts. I found the stories towards the beginning of the anthology to be more my liking, including "The Man on the Bench" and "Kracker." The story of the magic wallet was also a neat telling, though it was neither horror nor sci fi. It read more like an episode of Outer Limits. The final story, "The Silver Ring," was a little too long and convoluted for my taste.
Overall, very nicely done!
Overall, very nicely done!
November 2, 2019
This is a great story with children as most of the characters. It goes from a YA book and turns into an adult book toward the end. It is a good read you will enjoy. Did I mention it has some dark horror.
September 29, 2022
Fantastic collection of short stories, every single one hooked me and I will definitely be reading more of Swartwood
October 14, 2022
Very good
Fresh voice. I thoroughly enjoyed his writing style. Looking forward for more of his writings. Nothing else to say. Bye bye.
Fresh voice. I thoroughly enjoyed his writing style. Looking forward for more of his writings. Nothing else to say. Bye bye.
March 18, 2023
Real Illusions
Excellent stories, especially the man on the bench and The Silver Ring. Interesting, frightening, well written. Great characters, too! Enjoyed it.
Excellent stories, especially the man on the bench and The Silver Ring. Interesting, frightening, well written. Great characters, too! Enjoyed it.
October 16, 2016
great read
March 19, 2013
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway, first reads. I was intrigued initially by the cover and interested in the short story concept since it's not what I normally read. I found the stories to be interesting, but really disturbing. Many were about death and there was quite a bit of violence. I was strangely fascinated with this book, but disturbed at the same time. It's not a book you'd read everyday. It kind of leaves you at a loss for words.
May 12, 2014
I loved some of these stories, and I still liked the ones that I didn't love.
May 13, 2024
Great collection of stories
Swartwood might throw you a curve with a couple of these short stories. Some could be extended into full length novels.
Swartwood might throw you a curve with a couple of these short stories. Some could be extended into full length novels.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews