Twilight Zone: 19 Original Stories on the 50th Anniversary
Encyclopedia
Twilight Zone: 19 Original Stories on the 50th Anniversary is a collection of short stories written by various authors and edited by Carol Serling, the widow of series creator Rod Serling
. Each story was written with themes or styles similar to The Twilight Zone episodes, including narrated introductions and conclusions to each story. Authors who contributed a story include Twilight Zone veteran Earl Hamner, Alan Brennert and William F. Wu, and a previously unpublished story by Rod Serling. Reviewers listed some of the better stories as being Kelley Armstrong
's "A Haunted House of Her Own", Alan Brennert
's "Puowaina" and Mike Resnick
and Lezli Robyn's "Benchwarmer".
s premiere on television this anthology of short stories was published. Another book, titled Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone: The 50th Anniversary Tribute by Douglas Brode and Carol Serling on the man and the television show's development and contributions to the genre. Since the death of her husband and The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling
, Carol Serling had been acting as a consultant for the series' follow-up movies and books. She contributed or edited books including Journeys to the Twilight Zone, Adventures in the Twilight Zone, Return to the Twilight Zone, and More Stories from the Twilight Zone. Among the authors solicited to write stories were Alan Brennert
and William F. Wu
who both worked with on the 1980s The Twilight Zone series; Earl Hamner who wrote episodes for the original series; and Rod Serling's older brother, Robert J. Serling
. Peter S. Beagle
and Harlan Ellison
were advertised as contributors but their stories did not make it into the book.
Adam Balm on Ain't It Cool News
categorized the short stories into following four basic types of The Twilight Zone episode formats. The social revenge fantasies ("The Art of Miniature", "Family Man", and "The Good Neighbor") use unlikable characters who eventually suffer an ironic twist to their predicament. Second, there are stories about paranoid characters trying to convince others that something is wrong ("The Street that Forgot Time"). The other two tropes Balm recognized were stories with a war theme ("Genesis", "Puowaina", "Ghost Writer", and "The Soldier He Needed to Be") and stories centered around a hitch-hiker ("On the Road" and "Truth or Consequences").
as a hardcover and paperback in September 2009. To help with its promotion a 39 second video trailer was produced. Compared to Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone: The 50th Anniversary Tribute, which was reviewed by writer Elizabeth Hand as "a piece of hagiography that does little to illuminate Serling's genius or the enduring appeal of his most famous creation", the anthology was called "a far superior homage to Serling". In her Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction column Hand listed Hagberg's "Genesis" are the best story in the anthology though Lansdale's and Stine's are also good. She called Rod Serling's and Strieber's stories "the only real misfires".
The review in Publishers Weekly
listed Armstrong's "A Haunted House of Her Own", Brennert's "Puowaina", and Tad Williams's "Ants" as the best stories. The review also listed Wu's "On the Road", Douglas's "Truth or Consequences", and Serling's "Ghost Writer" as being "less satisfying" stories. The review concluded that the book is "largely inoffensive and faithful to the Twilight Zone format, this anthology is primarily of interest to hardcore fans". Carl Hays from Booklist
wrote a positive review, saying "superior craftsmanship ensures can't-miss entertainment for speculative-fiction fans and anyone nostalgic for the original Twilight Zone aura". Impressed by the authors, the reviewer in the Library Journal
wrote "with this slate of authors and the perennial popularity of the show, all libraries should own a copy".
The Starlog
reviewer, David McDonnell, lists the anthology's best stories as Lansdale's "Torn Away", Zahn's "Vampin' Down the Avenue", Resnick and Robyn's "Benchwarmer", and Armstrong's "A Haunted House of Her Own". McDonnell noted that Rod Serling's "El Moe" was least like a typical Twilight Zone story, and that Williams's "Ants" belonged to the Alfred Hitchcock Presents
universe rather than The Twilight Zone. On Ain't It Cool News
, Adam Balm identified Wu's "On the Road" as "the best entry in the collection". Balm wrote that the anthology is "uneven, with too many stories disappointing and too many that are nostalgianautic remember-whens, mining territory long since tamed and settled by others" but ultimately worth the money spent.
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
. Each story was written with themes or styles similar to The Twilight Zone episodes, including narrated introductions and conclusions to each story. Authors who contributed a story include Twilight Zone veteran Earl Hamner, Alan Brennert and William F. Wu, and a previously unpublished story by Rod Serling. Reviewers listed some of the better stories as being Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong is a Canadian author, primarily of fantasy works.She has published sixteen fantasy novels , set in the world of the Women of the Otherworld and the Darkest Powers series, also two crime novels in 2007 and 2009...
's "A Haunted House of Her Own", Alan Brennert
Alan Brennert
Alan Brennert is a United States television producer and screenwriter.Brennert has lived in Southern California since 1973 and completed graduate work in screenwriting at the University of California Los Angeles....
's "Puowaina" and Mike Resnick
Mike Resnick
Michael Diamond Resnick , better known by his published name Mike Resnick, is an American science fiction author. He was executive editor of Jim Baen's Universe.-Biography:...
and Lezli Robyn's "Benchwarmer".
Background
To mark the fiftieth anniversary of The Twilight ZoneThe Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
s premiere on television this anthology of short stories was published. Another book, titled Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone: The 50th Anniversary Tribute by Douglas Brode and Carol Serling on the man and the television show's development and contributions to the genre. Since the death of her husband and The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
, Carol Serling had been acting as a consultant for the series' follow-up movies and books. She contributed or edited books including Journeys to the Twilight Zone, Adventures in the Twilight Zone, Return to the Twilight Zone, and More Stories from the Twilight Zone. Among the authors solicited to write stories were Alan Brennert
Alan Brennert
Alan Brennert is a United States television producer and screenwriter.Brennert has lived in Southern California since 1973 and completed graduate work in screenwriting at the University of California Los Angeles....
and William F. Wu
William F. Wu
William F. Wu is a Chinese-American science fiction author. He published his first story in 1977. Since then, Wu has written thirteen published novels, one scholarly work, and a collection of short stories...
who both worked with on the 1980s The Twilight Zone series; Earl Hamner who wrote episodes for the original series; and Rod Serling's older brother, Robert J. Serling
Robert J. Serling
Robert Jerome Serling was an American novelist and aviation writer. Born in Cortland, New York, Serling graduated from Antioch College. He became full-time aviation editor for United Press International in 1960. His novel The President's Plane Is Missing was made into a 1973 made-for-TV film...
. Peter S. Beagle
Peter S. Beagle
Peter Soyer Beagle is an American fantasist and author of novels, nonfiction, and screenplays. His most notable works include the novels The Last Unicorn, A Fine and Private Place and Tamsin, and the award-winning story "Two Hearts".-Career:Beagle won early recognition from The Scholastic Art &...
and Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
were advertised as contributors but their stories did not make it into the book.
Synopsis and format
The book begins with an introduction by the editor Carol Serling and ends with brief biographies of all the authors. Each of the 19 self-contained short stories includes an introduction and conclusion with the same tone and style as Rod Serling's narration at the beginning and end of each Twilight Zone episode.Adam Balm on Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
categorized the short stories into following four basic types of The Twilight Zone episode formats. The social revenge fantasies ("The Art of Miniature", "Family Man", and "The Good Neighbor") use unlikable characters who eventually suffer an ironic twist to their predicament. Second, there are stories about paranoid characters trying to convince others that something is wrong ("The Street that Forgot Time"). The other two tropes Balm recognized were stories with a war theme ("Genesis", "Puowaina", "Ghost Writer", and "The Soldier He Needed to Be") and stories centered around a hitch-hiker ("On the Road" and "Truth or Consequences").
| Title | Author | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | David Hagberg David Hagberg David Hagberg is an American novelist best known for his techno-thrillers featuring super-spy Kirk McGarvey. Hagberg has also written under the pseudonym Sean Flannery, Nick Carter, David Bannerman, David James, Robert Pell, and Eric Ramsey. Hagberg's style has been described as a cross between... |
During World War II, an American platoon is under attack by the Japanese in the Philippines. As they strive to overtake the enemy position, one member of the platoon periodically suffers delusions that show him events in alternate times and places. |
| A Haunted House of Her Own | Kelley Armstrong Kelley Armstrong Kelley Armstrong is a Canadian author, primarily of fantasy works.She has published sixteen fantasy novels , set in the world of the Women of the Otherworld and the Darkest Powers series, also two crime novels in 2007 and 2009... |
A woman purchases a country inn to market as a haunted house to tourists. Though she does not initially believe in ghosts, a series of odd events and her husband acting possessed makes her re-examine her beliefs. |
| On the Road | William F. Wu William F. Wu William F. Wu is a Chinese-American science fiction author. He published his first story in 1977. Since then, Wu has written thirteen published novels, one scholarly work, and a collection of short stories... |
In 1970 two hitchhikers meet by chance and promise each other to pursue their desired career paths. In the present, they unexpectedly meet again in a cafe in Texas, fulfilling a promise to meet again when one of them needs the others' help. |
| The Art of the Miniature | Earl Hamner | A man obsessed with bonsai Bonsai is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ... takes revenge on his pool cleaner who he suspects is damaging his prized plants. |
| Benchwarmer | Mike Resnick Mike Resnick Michael Diamond Resnick , better known by his published name Mike Resnick, is an American science fiction author. He was executive editor of Jim Baen's Universe.-Biography:... & Lezli Robyn |
An imaginary friend waits to play with his real-life friend. |
| Truth or Consequences | Carole Nelson Douglas Carole Nelson Douglas Carole Nelson Douglas is an American writer. She is best known for two popular mystery series, the Irene Adler mysteries and the Midnight Louie mystery series.... |
While traveling to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Truth or Consequences is a spa city and the county seat of Sierra County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 7,289. It is commonly known within New Mexico as T or C.... , a retired librarian becomes paranoid about a hitchhiker who seems to keep ahead of her. |
| Puowaina | Alan Brennert Alan Brennert Alan Brennert is a United States television producer and screenwriter.Brennert has lived in Southern California since 1973 and completed graduate work in screenwriting at the University of California Los Angeles.... |
A school girl in Hawaii foresees events, including her father's death and a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. |
| Torn Away | Joe R. Lansdale Joe R. Lansdale Joe R. Lansdale is an American author and martial-arts expert. He has written novels and stories in many genres, including Western, horror, science fiction, mystery, and suspense... |
A man separated from his shadow by a witch is detained by police. The man convinces the police chief to help him flee his shadow just before it attacks. |
| Vampin' Down the Avenue | Timothy Zahn Timothy Zahn Timothy Zahn is a writer of science fiction short stories and novels. His novella Cascade Point won the 1984 Hugo award. He is the author of nine Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound... |
An actor frustrated by the paparazzi starts taking drugs that make him invisible to cameras at night. When he forgets to take the antidote before dawn, he suffers a day that ruins his career. |
| A Chance of a Ghost | Lucia St. Clair Robson Lucia St. Clair Robson -Literary biography:Lucia St. Clair Robson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. She has been a Peace Corps Volunteer in Venezuela, a teacher in New York City, and a librarian in Annapolis, Maryland. She has also lived in Japan, South Carolina, and Arizona... |
A woman buys a supposedly haunted walking stick on eBay EBay eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide... . The woman and the cane become friends and they fight off a collector seeking to acquire the cane. |
| The Street that Forgot Time | Deborah Chester Deborah Chester Deborah Chester is an American author of over 35 books, primarily science fiction and fantasy novels. She currently holds the John Crain Presidential Professorship at the University of Oklahoma, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses on writing style and structure in the Gaylord College... |
The adoption of a stray dog breaks a workaholic's routine and leads him to notice that everyone in his gated community is stuck in their own routines. He escapes after discovering that someone is controlling the residents through subliminal messages on their televisions and computers. |
| The Wrong Room | R. L. Stine R. L. Stine Robert Lawrence Stine , known as R. L. Stine, and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American writer. Stine, who is called the "Stephen King of children's literature," is the author of hundreds of horror fiction novels, including the books in the Fear Street, Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, and The... |
A salesman checks into a hotel to attend a convention. After attending the wrong convention and being dismayed by the staff's ambivalence about not being able to leave the hotel or contact the outside world, the salesman believes he has died and is now in hell. |
| Ghost Writer | Robert J. Serling Robert J. Serling Robert Jerome Serling was an American novelist and aviation writer. Born in Cortland, New York, Serling graduated from Antioch College. He became full-time aviation editor for United Press International in 1960. His novel The President's Plane Is Missing was made into a 1973 made-for-TV film... |
The President of the United States and his speechwriter discuss the tone and substance of an upcoming speech regarding the future of a divisive war. |
| The Soldier He Needed to Be | Jim DeFelice | An American soldier in Afghanistan attributes his positive change in luck and combat effectiveness to a new iPod IPod iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle... . He becomes so reliant on the good luck charm that their fates become intertwined. |
| Ants | Tad Williams Tad Williams Robert Paul "Tad" Williams, born in San Jose, California, is the author of several fantasy and science fiction novels, including Tailchaser's Song, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, the Otherland series, and The War of the Flowers.... |
An abusive husband kills his wife with an ax. After he cleans away the body, he uses ants which have infested their house to track down left over pieces he missed. |
| Your Last Breath, Inc. | John Miller John J. Miller (author) John Joseph Miller is a science fiction author known for his work in the Wild Cards shared universe. He has published four novels, as well as a handful of short stories. He also wrote GURPS Wild Cards, a supplement for the GURPS role-playing system published in 1989... |
A reporter refuses to accept the explanation of what a new business offers and struggles to uncover a rational explanation he can accept. |
| Family Man | Laura Lippman Laura Lippman Laura Lippman is an American author of detective fiction.-Biography:Lippmann was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She is the daughter of Theo Lippman Jr., a well known and respected writer at the Baltimore Sun, and Madeline Lippman, a retired school librarian for the... |
A manager uses family obligations as a shield against criticism for towing the corporate line and being disloyal to his staff. His world is turned upside down when he awakens to find no trace of his family ever having existed. |
| The Good Neighbor | Whitley Strieber Whitley Strieber Louis Whitley Strieber is an American writer best known for his horror novels The Wolfen and The Hunger and for Communion, a non-fiction account of his perceived experiences with non-human entities. Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the film about... |
A homeowner fights blockbusting Blockbusting Blockbusting is a business practice of U.S. real estate agents and building developers meant to encourage white property owners to sell their houses at a loss, by implying that racial, ethnic, or religious minorities — Blacks, Hispanics, Jews et al. — were moving into their previously racially... by burning down the house of his new neighbor, but mistakenly kills some of the occupants. |
| El Moe | Rod Serling Rod Serling Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form... |
A corrupt drifter is mistaken for a legendary Mexican folk hero who battled the Federales Federales Federales is a short term for the Mexican Federal Police or any of its predecessors, including the Federal Investigations Agency or the Federal Preventive Police. The term gained widespread usage by English-speakers due to popularization in such films as The Wild Bunch, The Treasure of the Sierra... and must decide whether to become the legend or sell out to the Federales. |
Publication and reception
The book was published by Tor BooksTor Books
Tor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
as a hardcover and paperback in September 2009. To help with its promotion a 39 second video trailer was produced. Compared to Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone: The 50th Anniversary Tribute, which was reviewed by writer Elizabeth Hand as "a piece of hagiography that does little to illuminate Serling's genius or the enduring appeal of his most famous creation", the anthology was called "a far superior homage to Serling". In her Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction column Hand listed Hagberg's "Genesis" are the best story in the anthology though Lansdale's and Stine's are also good. She called Rod Serling's and Strieber's stories "the only real misfires".
The review in Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
listed Armstrong's "A Haunted House of Her Own", Brennert's "Puowaina", and Tad Williams's "Ants" as the best stories. The review also listed Wu's "On the Road", Douglas's "Truth or Consequences", and Serling's "Ghost Writer" as being "less satisfying" stories. The review concluded that the book is "largely inoffensive and faithful to the Twilight Zone format, this anthology is primarily of interest to hardcore fans". Carl Hays from Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
wrote a positive review, saying "superior craftsmanship ensures can't-miss entertainment for speculative-fiction fans and anyone nostalgic for the original Twilight Zone aura". Impressed by the authors, the reviewer in the Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
wrote "with this slate of authors and the perennial popularity of the show, all libraries should own a copy".
The Starlog
Starlog
Starlog was a monthly science-fiction film magazine published by Starlog Group Inc. The magazine was created by publishers Kerry O'Quinn and Norman Jacobs. O'Quinn was the magazine's editor while Jacobs ran the business side of things, dealing with typesetters, engravers and printers. They got...
reviewer, David McDonnell, lists the anthology's best stories as Lansdale's "Torn Away", Zahn's "Vampin' Down the Avenue", Resnick and Robyn's "Benchwarmer", and Armstrong's "A Haunted House of Her Own". McDonnell noted that Rod Serling's "El Moe" was least like a typical Twilight Zone story, and that Williams's "Ants" belonged to the Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
universe rather than The Twilight Zone. On Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
, Adam Balm identified Wu's "On the Road" as "the best entry in the collection". Balm wrote that the anthology is "uneven, with too many stories disappointing and too many that are nostalgianautic remember-whens, mining territory long since tamed and settled by others" but ultimately worth the money spent.