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    If You Go Into The Woods
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    If You Go Into The Woods
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    If You Go Into The Woods
    Ebook29 pages20 minutes

    If You Go Into The Woods

    By David Gaughran

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    If You Go Into The Woods is a collection of two unsettling short stories. The title story is set in Caslav, a small town 60 miles east of Prague, Czech Republic. Jiri Beranek is drawn to a nearby forest, captivated by birds hidden high in the trees. Each time he enters, his desire to see the mysterious creatures is checked by his fear of the dark. When he finally forces himself to go farther, he finds a new reason to be afraid. This story was first published by The Delinquent (UK) then selected by Short Story America for inclusion in their anthology of their best stories of 2010.

    The bonus story - The Reset Button - is set in Stockholm, Sweden in the depths of winter. Linus Eriksson, a divorced bachelor living alone in his small one-bedroom apartment, is a man with a memory problem: instead of not being able to remember anyone, nobody can remember him. This story is brand new, exclusively available in this e-book. These two creepy tales have a combined length of 4,000 words.

    Praise for If You Go Into The Woods:

    "There are definite shades of HP Lovecraft in both stories... punchy, entertaining reads with a bit of mental gymnastics thrown in, you can't go wrong with this one." -- Jenny Mounfield, author of The Ice-cream Man

    "Two very well-constructed and thought-provoking tales from an author I know I will be keeping my eyes on. 4.5 stars." -- Heather L. Faville, Doubleshot Reviews

    "This is the most professional design - both inside and out - that I have seen since I started reviewing at Sift. The writing in this story is top-notch. The writer has a strong, clean voice. He's able to sustain an air of mystery and suspense without it feeling cheap." -- Sarah Nicolas, SIFT Book Reviews

    "I heartily recommend this masterful piece of work to any and all that thoroughly enjoy the art of the word, and especially to those that have a special place in their hearts for short stories, as I believe this to be a fabulous exponent of the genre." -- LE Olteano, Butterfly Books

    "A fine story that looms in the mind of the reader long after the last page ... aspirational fiction, the kind of magic realism that reads deliciously, but like a delicate soufflé, is a difficult feat to pull off." --Matt Ellis, author of Strange As Angels and Lumpen.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDavid Gaughran
    Release dateApr 30, 2011
    ISBN9781458081117
    Unavailable
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    Reviews for If You Go Into The Woods

    3.5/5

    69 ratings28 reviews

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    • 3/5
      If you go into the woods is a collection of 2 short stories that I did not expect the ending. First story is about a 8 year old boy who just moved tor a new town and he finds himself exploring and getting his courage to go deeper into the woods to find?these are very short and fast reads. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from librarything.
    • 5/5
      Both of the stories in this book seemed to catch me off guard. Granted, the first one was more of a shock to me than the second, but I enjoyed both of them. The author shows the characters in such a light that it is easy for me to picture myself in their shoes, and I love being able to live vicariously through the characters.
    • 3/5
      It's difficult to have an opinion of a story this short.
    • 4/5
      If You Go Into The Woods by David Gaughran is a collection of two short stories. Both stories are quick reads and give a good idea of David Gaughran's writing style.The first short story, entitled If You Go Into The Woods, tells the story of a little boy who is attracted to the chirping birds in the woods. Finally finding the courage to stray from the beaten paths, he makes it his mission to see the birds. But when faced with the opportunity, he realizes that the birds may not be what they appear.The second story, entitled The Reset Button, tells of Linus and his troubled past. Living a solitary life after being divorced without so much as joint custody, Linus has plenty of time to focus on why everyone in his life seems to not remember him - even though he has seen the same people for years.Out of the two stories included, my favorite would be If You Go Into The Woods. There are just enough details to make you wonder about the origins of the birds. The second story, though interesting, felt as though there was something missing. Maybe I just didn't catch on to what was trying to be expressed. Both stories are good reads though and make me want to read more stories by this author.
    • 5/5
      I've been trying to read this book for awhile, and finally was able to get to a point where I read it through, and I was glad. The first story surprised me! I had a good laugh about it and read the ending out loud.The second story almost makes you think the main character had been using the reset button all along, somehow. Both were great! I'm looking forward to reading more from David.
    • 3/5
      These stories were ok. However, they were very abrupt and I did not enjoy this book as well as I did the last book I read by this author.
    • 3/5
      Author David Gaughran’s surprise twist horror ending is found in two completely unrelated very short stories.*** “If You Go Into The Woods” reads like an old fairytale. Irresistible chirping draws a young but troubled boy into the woods day after day, until the lure of the unknown draws him off the trail and literally up a tree. You will need to read the very short five page story to find out if he survives fear and panic to reveal what is really hidden in the branches.Everybody in the television sitcom “Cheers” knew Norm, so why after years of week after week at the same bar, the same bakery, nobody remembers Linus or his name? His friends forgot him after the divorce and his ex-wife wishes their son would forget him. Is it Linus’ or everybody else’s problem? The twisted ending or the ending twist in “The Reset Button” will leave the reader wondering how so much could happen to one man in less than six pages.None of the characters in either story are fully developed. Subplots are left dangling and unresolved at the end. Yet, both tales are a quick read with intriguing finales. Either story would make a promising first chapter in a horror novella or novel. Character motivation, conflict situations, and troubled relationships could be further developed to deliver a more powerful suspense tale.
    • 4/5
      "If You Go Into the Woods" and "Reset Button" are two short stories by David Gaughran. With interesting, surrealist twists, I found both of these stories to be quite interesting. I especially liked "Reset Button", it struck me as being a bit of a magical realist tale, and reminded me somewhat of Haruki Murakami's "Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World".Even though they are short stories, I really would have liked them to be a little bit longer, "Reset Button" especially. I feel like the reader is just starting to really be pulled into the story when it is over. While I can appreciate a suspensful, cliff-hanger ending, these two short stories beg to be extended into a longer work (maybe a novella?). Overall, interesting, albeit very short reads.
    • 3/5
      This was a short (only two) collection of short stories. I found them both well written, and intriguing, but the twist in both was rather abrupt, and annoying in its abruptness. I think I would have liked both stories better if the author had spent more time building up to the endings.
    • 4/5
      It's refreshing to find a writer who expresses himself in a different manner. I enjoyed both short stories. Took me a while to be able to find time to read them but I'm glad I did.
    • 3/5
      This e-book is a small collection of two short stories that total about 4000 words. If it wasn't an e-book, perhaps chapbook would be a better description rather than "book." Is e-chapbook a word?The first story, which the collection is titled after, is curious in that when I was finished reading, I decided it was a much better story than when I was in the middle of reading. This is not a story that ended too soon, but a story with an ending that makes you think back and opens your imagination to search for answers to all the mysteries that were presented. You start in the normal world with strange things happening only to realize in the end you've been in the Twilight Zone the whole time. In longer works of fiction this can lead to a bit of annoyance on the reader's part, but in short form like this I think it works quite well.The second story is called The Reset Button. If you've ever been frustrated that the waiters and clerks you see all the time never seem to remember who you are, this story will have you looking in the mirror a little more closely each day. If you are one of those pretty people that is never forgotten, then I don't like you and we have nothing to say to each other.
    • 4/5
      The first short story featured a man wandering in a diabolical forest. Instead of real birds, he keeps finding mechanical birds. Just as you're about to find out why though, the story ends. I have to say I really liked the premise of this story, but I felt like it ended too soon. It really left me wanting more, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.The second story was about a man who drifts through everyone's lives. Even though he goes to the same places everyday, no one remembers him. Although I loved the ending (I don't want to spoil the surprise!) I was again left wanting more!Both of these stories were intriguing. The author has a really unusual way of expressing himself which I thought was fantastic. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next!
    • 5/5
      I guess I'm surprised at the some of the ratings others have put. David Gaughran's short stories remind me of Twilight Zone episodes, therefore the twists at the end are always welcome. Also, having read very long novels of hundreds of pages and short shorts, I don't think there is a page limit or word count on short stories. The count should revolve around getting the point across in way that is entertaining, around the character's development and any resolutions, and if the reader has gained something from reading it. I would have loved it if it were longer - just to prolong the story if anything else, but was absolutely satisfied with the length and number of stories in the book. Of course, everyone has their different thoughts on a subject, that's just mine.There are two books in this one: one about a boy who hears birds in the forest and the other about a man having a bad day. If I say any more, I'd give something away. :) Had a really great time reading both! and both held my interest until the very end. Recommended and worth reading.
    • 2/5
      I don't normally write reviews of books I'm not excited about; however, this one was a LibraryThing member giveaway so I feel obligated to write something. This is a book containing only 2 short stories. I expect a short story collection to contain at least 4 short stories - maybe that's a personal expectation based on having read a lot of short story collections. I found the stories to be very predictable and uninteresting but that's just my personal opinion. I can see from the ratings given by other reviewers that most people really liked this book. - and that's why I don't normally review books I don't enjoy. I'm very aware that everyone reacts to a book differently and I don't want to negatively impact someone else's experience before they've even opened a book..
    • 4/5
      if you go into the woods- though somewhat the title might not pick up your interest,..is a book to look out for...this book actually contains 2 stories of Jiri and Linus...both stories are mind-buggling, thrilling, compelling,...and just freakingly awesome... it has the composition of good and tantalizing words... which would actually lead you on to read and read.. i haven't finish reading the book ,so this review is not final..but one thing for sure..this is one of my favorites... though i read some reviewers said..that..too bad..this story is just too short... but still great
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this little book (or should I say pamphlet?) immensely! Both stories were smart, well-written, and entertaining. To me, the first story (If You Go Into the Woods) was the strongest. It triggered my curiosity almost instantly, and I found it compelling and sweet as it channeled the psyche of a little child exploring the world.The second story was more grown-up in terms of thematics and motifs. It deals with serious matters, and yet the language is both very subtle and comforting.If You Go Into the Woods is wonderful, the only weakness is that both stories are a bit too short. They could have been even stronger if they had been longer, and the plots further developed.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed both these stories. I almost wish the second story lasted longer. Overall they were well written and something different that was thoroughly satisfying.
    • 3/5
      This eBook contains two short stories: “If You Go Into the Woods,” and “Reset Button.” The first reads very much like a fairy tale, and I think the foreign setting really helped to set an otherworldly mood. I did have some questions about the significance of some character actions, but on the whole I understood and was intrigued by the child protagonist. My biggest complaint is that the story ended just as I was starting to feel creeped out. I’m fine, philosophically, with ambiguous endings, but I really wanted something more--more tension, more danger. More something.The protagonist of “Reset Button,” Linus, was very well-drawn. I really felt for him and his plight of not being remembered--something we all feel and fear, I think--made him endearing in a way. Here, though, like with the previous story, something felt off with the ending. I honestly felt like I had missed something significant, as if there was some hidden meaning that I failed to grasp.Gaughran’s writing is clear throughout, and the characters behaved consistently and believably. While these stories left me wanting a little bit more, I would be more than interested in checking out the author’s future work, especially at longer lengths.Disclosure: I received these short stories as part of a free book giveaway.
    • 3/5
      These are nice short stories that hold your interest right to the end but then disappoint with the ending. It almost seems as though he had this great idea but couldn't decide how to end it. I would like to read more by this author because as well written as the remainder of the story they show great promise.
    • 3/5
      David Gaughran has a strong grasp of languages and a refinement of prose that shows he has been doing this for awhile.The first story is suspenseful and relatable to anyone who enjoyed exploring on his/her own before being abruptly reminded of the dangers.The second story leaves much open to interpretation, and again, the writing itself is strong, but I walked away a bit unsatisfied.Perhaps it is because of the nature of short stories, but both felt a bit rushed to me, or at least that they could have benefited from some padding here and there. Overall though, I enjoyed this extremely short read.
    • 5/5
      "Unsettling" ... absolutely! In a wonderful can't stop thinking about it way! I really enjoyed both short stories..which are difficult to talk about, for me anyway, as I do not want to give anything away! ;) 'If you go into the woods' was great and even though I love the forrest around my home..it will now hold a new little bit of .. wait, did you hear that??? Sorry, it's just me, hopefully! 'The reset button' I loved too. I was more curious about what was happening in this second story, as opposed to feeling very anxious like I was with the the first story! Enough information was given about the characters that I was interested in them and cared about what happened to them. Of course I had a million questions and would have loved to have known more..but it added to it somehow. My mind can go over it and over it trying to think of interesting or scary or funny or sad things that could happen! So even though I finished reading quite quickly, it has stayed with me and my heart beats faster every time I think of a few key words out of the first story...READ IT AND YOU'LL SEE!!
    • 4/5
      The two tales in this work are very thought provoking. I especially enjoyed the feeling of building in "If you go into the woods". The language of the author bespeaks a poetic abstractness that is enticing and quite entertaining. In "The Reset Button" I believe we can all find something in common with the main character. I would definitely take the time to read these two stories, they will definitely keep you thinking long after you put them down.
    • 4/5
      If You Go Into the Woods Today contains two beautifully crafted short stories. The first, for which the book is written, has the all the sense and lyrical prose of a fairy tale. The second, The Reset Button, is more like science fiction. But, although different in style, they are similar in themes. Both have a sense of duality about them. They are both simple but incredibly complex, with themes which are both personal and universal.The first story concerns a boy who is ' cruel with a sadistic streak but has a tender side only his mother sees'. His father has left his mother and him for another family and to the other villagers, the boy is trouble so he has no friends. The second is about a man who 'is always fastidious but invariably delayed while searching for his keys'. He has been left by his wife and son. He is surrounded by people but none of them can ever remember him although he sees them daily. In both cases, there is a profound sense of loneliness and quiet yearning for a connection with someone or something else.This book is only fourteen pages long but author David Gaughran says more about the human condition in those fourteen short pages than most writers can say in four hundred.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed these two stories. They were written with a great economy of words and were quite haunting. Other reviews do not like the fact that they do not tie up loose ends by the end of the story, but I liked this. Both stories stopped abruptly and left me reeling- the weirdness stayed with me and kept me guessing over what I'd just read!
    • 3/5
      This book is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. It certainly did not work for me although I do adore this kind of books where suspense is built through the short pages and then is summarized by an unexpected ending that although ties up everything nicely, leaves a lot to the imagination. I felt that the ending was unsatisfactory and left many threads hanging. However the writing style was concise and easy to read.
    • 4/5
      Any good story leaves a lasting impression and the same goes for a review, albeit a short one. I like both stories in "If you go into the woods" The stories do not try hard to impress you but rather, they build their presence, bit by bit, in a quiet manner but escalate into a horror that takes your breathe out, leaving a searing mark in your memory.
    • 3/5
      TLDR; Overall, a three-star set of stories. They are not bad stories, but they are not good/great stories, either. Both pieces feel more like the introduction, the beginning, the first half of what could be a great short story, but end rather abruptly at their climax. They don't need to give ALL of the answers, but there are gaps that leave too much to the reader's imagination to fill in. There's no denouement, no resolution. The potential and promise in these stories make them worth a read.Mr. Gaughran has such great potential, and such a good voice for storytelling, I'd certainly recommend giving him a read, and I would definitely give more of his work a read. Broken down review on each story in this set:"If You Go Into The Woods"Overall, I have mixed feelings about this particular short story. Positives: Good introduction. I was interested in the characters, in the setting, and in the events about to unfold. The tension building moments were fairly well done. Overall solid storytelling voice/tone.Middles: The story could use a little bit of an editor's touch. No major grammatical errors or typos, just a few places where the wording is redundant or awkward. This never really detracts from the overall experience of simply enjoying the story, however. (Starting a sentence with "but" and including "however" in the same sentence, as an example.)Negatives: The story presents 'important details' that are never resolved or explained or even really addressed in a way that makes their presence feel necessary or actually-important. (The details about his mother, specifically.) The story felt like it ended at the climax. There's no sense of resolution. While some may find the ending an invitation to imagine the horrible (psychological terror is the most effective), it didn't actually leave me with enough or any sense of dread to justify it.The Reset Button, David GaughranThe best thing I can say about this short story is that it has immense promise. See my spoilers for various impressions - the final one making this feel more like the beginning of a good short story, rather than a full story on its own. Similar to "If You Go Into The Woods", I have mixed feelings. Positives: The premise I think the author is trying to approach is very interesting. There are turns of phrase that are very well done. And again, a solid story telling voice.Middles: Another story that could use some workshopping with an editor. There are details about the main character's life that could be explained more concisely (to make the point more poignant). Negatives: It feels like there's something clever here that the author has not quite managed to bring through. I'm not entirely certain what has happened at the end of the story.Spoiler Warning (stop reading if you want to read this for yourself without ruining any surprises):Specifically, the keys being in a different location and Linus not remembering where they were at could indicate that the "Reset Button" is real. Not to mention, the ending itself would indicate that. It also indicates that Linus KNOWS about it. These interpretations make the scene at the first bar all the more confusing. If he knows about it, then what's the point in getting upset that no one at the bar remembers you? If the point is that everyone else has one? If, however, this is like the story "Big" (Tom Hanks - kid wishes to be "big" and wakes up in an adult body), and a matter of the Reset Button 'becoming true' at the end, then the story stops very abruptly and there is no sense in shared satisfaction between the reader and Linus.There are simply a lot of mixed messages coming through in the story. Obviously his wife/son remember him well enough. And I never quite understood why he missed his previous visits with his son? Or why his ex-wife thought it perfectly reasonable to expect him to take his son to the zoo on a day when there's a snowstorm going on.
    • 5/5
      Though it will be tough to achieve, I’ll try my best to not fangirl all over the place about this marvelous work of art. Ok, so maybe I will fangirl all over the place, but if you’ve read If you go into the woods then you will completely understand why; and if you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out on major art of the word, in my opinion.The Kindle version consists of two beautiful short stories, “If you go into the woods” and “The reset button”.I cannot speak highly enough of the mastery of word in both of them, the wealth of vibrant images and the buzz of thought that they both possess came as a delightful surprise on this torrid day.I’ve always been one for sort of classical, artistic writing, though the action-focused style has its merits no doubt, and its own place in my heart. But this work of art, this gem of words, has the style you’ve encountered in all-time masterpieces of literature. There is no doubt in my mind, we’re dealing here with quite possibly one work heading that way. Poetry in prose-form, these short stories capture your imagination and mold your thoughts into a deep, and somewhat frazzling storm of wonder.While short, but undoubtedly sweet, these stories manage to instill in you a deep sense of anxiousness, of momentary despair and ultimate thrill. Both their worlds are cleverly sketched and vibrantly depicted. It is the art of the short story to focus on this just one moment, on this just one day, to zoom in right into the core of the character’s soul without losing anything of the natural pace of life and ephemerous of the moment. It is in my opinion a given that a short story will not offer an in-depth analysis of characters by length, but by great intensity focused in a short span of time. It’s the acute sensation that takes lead, and not the vast cognitive line of knowledge.If I were to pick a favorite between the two stories, I quite possibly may not be able to make a choice. Each deals with different instances of life in such a lovely way, that I couldn’t pick a favorite; I’d favor them both :DI am doing my best not to go into details about each, as I believe that could spoil the pleasure of your read guys, and I’d hate to be the author of such crime.I heartily recommend this masterful piece of work to any and all that thoroughly enjoy the art of the word, and especially to those that have a special place in their hearts for short stories, as I believe this to be a fabulous exponent of the genre.