A gorgeous, emotionally devastating wreck of a collection. "Calved" destroyed me so profoundly I couldn't sleep and had to stop reading for a day. "Ghosts of Home," which imagines the 2008 mass evictions sideways, through the bank-appointed caretaker of the home spirits of the foreclosed houses is my favorite and I feel most indicative of his strengths as an author- politically incisive, emotionally resonant spec fic that surprises and gut punches.

I absolutely loved Boys, Beast & Men!
I know it's not for everyone but I've always loved short story collections and this book was no exception.
The writing in this book was just so good and I'll definitely be checking out the authors other work.
I also loved how all the seemingly random stories connected.
I really do highly recommend this book.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Boys, Beasts & Men is a sharp, squirmy, heart-wrenching anthology of short stories centred around first loves, humanity, technology - and the darker side of all of it. It reminded me of Netflix's Black Mirror, except centred around queer people and their journeys.
Miller's writing style is concrete and confident. It was truly a beautiful read, and I can't wait to look up further works by this author. My only gripe is all of the stories seemed to end abruptly, and rarely did I feel satisfied. It was like each story got chopped at a random point.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for this honest review!

A s a whole, I mostly loved this. I do have some problems with it, mainly how it uses the R-word, repeatedly. The author has a clear grasp on language as his writing flows beautifully and the creativity behind the stories paints the picture he wants you to see, so I find it hard to believe he couldn’t get his point across using some different vocabulary. I could have let it go once, maybe even twice. Trigger warnings also would be nice to include at the beginning of the book for the final draft, as this has a lot of them.

On to the good, I was engaged through out every story. With a few of them I even held my breath as I eagerly scanned the next pages desperate to know the ending. There are a few I hope the author explores more with as it could benefit from deep character development and I think make an excellent full story that readers would love. With short stories the thing I mostly look for is how much it keeps my attention and does it make me want more? In which case this was a huge success. I found the stories captivating, each one gripping refusing to let go until it was completed. In all honesty I just wish they weren’t short stories. There is so much potential for longer more hard hitting stories out of what’s already written. Though they captured my interest, I didn’t find them particularly memorable just due to no empathy for any of the characters.

Had some of these been able to be full stories that made me fall in love with the characters, I could have left completely broken and enthralled instead of just wishing for more.

I have indifferent luck when it comes to short story collections. When they hit I am surprised. When they don't, I shrug and move on. This collection hit and hit hard.

The stories in Boys, Beasts & Men are a swirl of queerness, magic, horror, science fiction, and good old fashioned gut-punching storytelling. Each story examines an idea in exquisite originality. Whether it's the effect of King Kong on the people of New York, or the unexpected power of learning how a murder actually happened, or the daily life of furniture, these stories all make an impression and lead to thought.

(Or more emotional reactions. There's a story about a father, a son, and a t-shirt that absolutely devastated me. Like...devastated.)

I loved this book. I will be thinking about it for a long while.

3.5/5 Stars Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this title. Not a big short story reader but I still enjoy them from time to time. These were entertaining, but not thought provoking.

So far 2022 has been incredibly kind to me on the reading front. I’ve been devouring these short stories in increments, and they’ve been a highlight of my day when I’ve read through them. There are a few stories that maybe don’t entirely hit for me, true. But for maybe three stories tops out of a collection of fourteen stories to not hit is an incredibly good hit rate, still. And I will freely admit to being a huge sucker for the conceit of the interstitial connecting bits of this. Each story is an amazing little microcosm with a hell of a hinted setting, be it based on the real or imagined, amazing characters that you’re almost sad to let go at the end of each story, and some amazing through themes of queer rage, horror, resilience, and amazing, subversive joy. One of the best marks of a short collection like this, I feel, is what I did immediately after finishing the last story and as I read through Miller’s notes - immediately going to the library app and seeing what else of his I could read as soon as possible. As I speak, I have three of Miller’s novels in my library queue, and I can’t wait to get to them. (That he mentions that some of his stories spin into them is a huge bonus.) Plus, it’s got an Amal El Mohtar intro, which I will deeply admit was what initially drew me in, but even her amazing setup wasn’t a hint at what was coming. Go pick this up - you’re in for a hell of a treat.

An amazing collection of short stories! Each was so atmospheric and unique in concepts ranging from body controlling powers, minds connected to the internet to a modern day dinosaur. Each story has such a fresh twist on the horror/thriller genres. I also greatly enjoy the queer representation in these stories, and how it does not sugar coat the relationships either.

I was thoroughly impressed by this collection and can't wait to check out a full novel by this author. I am looking forward to the publication of this collection so everyone can read it.

The first collection of short stories by speculative fiction author Sam J. Miller collects thirteen of Miller's best known stories (and. one new one), many collected in "Best of..." annuals or nominated for Nebula and World Fantasy Awards. Brief interstitials act to bind together the stories into a cohesive whole. Thematic juxtapositions reveal surprising connections in the stories, with the "Things With Beards"/"Ghosts of Home"/"The Heat of Us"/"Angel, Monster, Man" sequence being a particularly strong standout.

I got the earc from NetGalley and these opinions are my own. I was excited to read this as I’ve been enjoying short stories lately and I thought it would be nice to read something LGBTQ+ that was contemporary. My difficulties with this book don’t really come from the writing or the ideas. Some of the stories came from a religious perspective and I’m not big on religion so it’s always difficult for me to enjoy books like that. I also felt with a lot of these stories because they were on the sci-fi or paranormal side the short story aspect didn’t really work there was too much that would have been better flushed out in a longer book! That said I really did like a lot of the ideas for the short stories, there were things like human beings being use to help create energy, body snatchers, parasitic monsters, drug altering experiences, etc. And I did love that the lens of most of the main characters were LGBTQ+! I did think there were some uncomfortable words used and some more specific content warnings could have been given. Overall I think the stories were an interesting read and definitely something to read at least once but I don’t know that I really reread them.

My initial thoughts about this one was: well, this is creepy.
After finishing it, I won't say I don't think so anymore because a lot of these stories do carry that weirdness and creepy feeling but they're more than that. They're also emotional, creative and so gay that it makes my heart really happy!
I loved these stories, I loved how I didn't feel unsatisfied with the length or felt that unfinished feeling you tend to get after reading a short story. The theme for all of them is the title itself, about how anyone can be a monster.
My most favorites were The Heat of Us and Angel, Monster, Man. The first one is a story of the Stonewall Riots from the POV of recurring characters that were somehow related to it. The second one is about the AIDS crisis (there are one other story about this which is also well-written) through the POV of three people.
I found the writing style beautiful and addictive and absolutely loved the story notes at the end!
Highly recommend if you like reading short stories.

3.5 stars / 5 stars

Boys, Beasts, and Men by Sam J. Miller is a thought-provoking collection of gritty, thirsty, and bloody stories of queer masculinity.

These are dark and twisted tales that beg to challenge societal morals, where no one is really a “good person” but all the boys, beasts, and men in these stories are quite human - even when they’re not - reeking of desire, shame, rage, fear, like us all. I so enjoyed digging into the minds of Miller’s complex narrators in these stories and following the compelling dynamics between his characters.

At the end of a few stories, I was left wanting more from the magical elements and the message they left behind. For example, though I enjoyed the numbered-list format of “57 Reasons for the Slate Quarry Suicides”, I thought that the narrative needed more page-time to develop and deepen, and made the climax feel more shocking than earned. On the other hand, I thought some stories, especially “We Are the Cloud”, had fascinating concepts and discussions, and I would have loved to see some of those concepts expanded to novel length.

Please check content warnings before reading.

Content Warnings: Depictions of homophobia, murder, violence, hate crime, exploitation through pornography, exploitation by the government, racism, blood, bullying, sex, use of the r-slur, loss, death, grief.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of short stories is very well written. Some of the topics are uncomfortable, however, the magical realism inserted into each story was both clever and interesting.

Although I enjoy the way this author’s writing reads, this book was just not for me. I couldn’t connect with the stories in a way I would have liked. However, his writing is enjoyable and I was grateful for the opportunity to read and review.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced e-reader copy.

Although very well written, this book was not for me. I can usually get through some pretty in your face novels but I found these one to be too much. Not to say I would not read anything else from this author. I also found some of the worrda and scenes very brash and hard to read/get through because of its in your face pacing.

Dry but beautifully written, each short story I was never truly sure where it would go. The underlying themes held grace, and a sort of bluntness a bit hard to explain. I found myself drawn to each section in different ways, and while some were a little difficult to get through, I enjoyed it all the same.

Boys, Beasts & Men
Sam J. Miller, Introduction by Amal El-Mohtar

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This tale of short-fiction was brilliantly written....
Sam Miller creates a genuinely inspired diverse characters.
I thought this was an extraordinary read.
This book gave me everything I want in a book...
a cast of engaging and diverse point of view characters, an intriguing plot, incredible storytelling... Its just a great read.

Miller is new to me and I hope to continue to read more of his work.

Tachyon Publications,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review closer to pub date.

Boys, Beasts & Men is a collection of short stories, loosely tied together through brief interludes between two strangers. It blends genres, but I would largely class the stories as queer spec-fic, focused mostly on the uncanny, with a vaguely disturbing feel. The stories are well-written and thought-provoking, and my star rating reflects my level of enjoyment of the stories as opposed to the quality of the work.

Some content warnings I believe should be included in the published version: exploitation through porn; child abuse; homophobia; use of a homophobic slur. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but certainly regarding the plotlines in We Are The Cloud and The Beasts We Want to Be, I did not expect to read this content, and was not prepared for it in any way, which impacted my enjoyment of the book. Content warnings help readers decide whether the book is an appropriate read for them, and help them prepare beforehand for what they will read, and for the difficult memories that may resurface.

Many of the characters included in the stories of Boys, Beasts & Men had a lot of potential, so I felt it was somewhat disappointing to see them in a short story setting. Especially with Nikolai in The Beasts We Want to Be, I wanted so badly to read a novel about him. Due to the length of the stories, I felt there was limited opportunity to engage with the characters, which meant the more disturbing aspects of the stories came across as somewhat gratuitous in my eyes. The length of the stories, and the disparate characters and their lives, meant I struggled to connect to anyone, which for me is a key part of enjoying fiction, and explains my relatively low rating. I thought the stories themselves were well-written, and I would especially recommend them to readers who enjoy speculative fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free eARC of Boys, Beasts & Men. These opinions are my own.

He leído varias novelas de Sam J. Miller pero lo cierto es que su obra corta se me había escapado casi totalmente. Por suerte, Tachyon Publications ha venido a mi rescate con una recopilación con lo más selecto de su producción. Boys, Beasts and Men nos ofrece un repertorio variopinto de las obsesiones del autor, con unos relatos de bastante calidad que nos permiten hacernos una buena idea de cómo es su obra y cómo ha ido evolucionando. Trata temas como la gentrificación, el cambio climático, las relaciones homosexuales y familiares, en unos relatos que se pueden enmarcar dentro de la fantasía más contemporánea con ciertos toques weird pero sin llegar a encasillarse en ningún momento, ya que también podremos leer ciencia ficción o ucronías. Esta colección es más que recomendable.


Allosaurus Burgers

Según el propio Miller, todas sus historias están situadas en el mismo universo, así que no es difícil recordar The Blade Between al leer este relato. El familiar que trabaja en el matadero, el joven homosexual que protagoniza el relato… todo está conectado.

57 Reasons for the Slate Quarry Suicides

Un relato ganador del premio Shirley Jackson, en el que utilizando como recurso una lista de razones vemos cómo se despliega ante nosotros el razonamiento de un joven marginado por su homosexualidad, que busca vengarse de los que le hacen sufrir pero que pierde por el camino lo más valioso que tenía.

We are the Cloud

La pobreza arrastra los menores hospedados en los hogares de acogida de NY a vender parte de su capacidad de procesamiento cerebral a una industria que los mantiene a todos conectados. El autor nos hace ver el contraste entre estar siempre conectado y la soledad de los que no tienen un hogar o una familia propia y cómo esto les hace susceptibles al engaño… o a la venganza.

Conspicuous Plumage

Un relato con toques muy extraños sobre el dolor y la pérdida y cómo cada persona de una familia destrozada por una muerte afronta la supervivencia de los demás, mientras la hija se rebela contra la situación creada, intentando comprender qué provocó el asesinato de su hermano y cómo aceptarlo en su vida.

Shattered Sidewalks of the Human Heart

En este mundo alternativo, King Kong existió realmente y su trágica historia dejó una marca en el corazón de todos los neoyorquinos, que ahora recuerdan a la bestia.

Shucked

En un entorno paradisíaco una pareja recibe una proposición indecente, pero le hecho de aceptarla cambiará su relación y cómo perciben a las personas de sus alrededores.

The Beast we Want to Be

Me fascina el concepto de Cajas de Pavlov sobre el que se sustenta el relato, una maquinaria de la Rusia comunista inventada para subyugar a los jóvenes del país y dotarlos de capacidades extraordinarias, si son capaces de sobrevivir al tratamiento. Pero toda acción tiene sus consecuencias y la revolución no puede sustentarse solo con buenas palabras. Una crítica al expolio cultural y a la homogeneidad de pensamiento.

Calved

Ya reseñé este relato en su momento, pero en esta relectura me ha impactado aún más.

When Your Child Strays From God

La premisa que da origen al relato, una droga que permite compartir las sensaciones alucinógenas a quiénes la prueben es realmente atractiva. Pero lo realmente impactante es cómo Miller lo entrelaza con la difícil relación entre una madre y un hijo durante la adolescencia de este, precisamente la época en la que más apoyo necesita el joven frente a la confusión de su identidad y quizá en la que más solo se encuentra.

Things With Beards

Continuación oficiosa de “The Thing” pero de nuevo mostrando uno de las obsesiones del autor, la negación de la propia identidad para confundirse con la mayoría y cómo ese monstruo interior continúa saliendo a flote por más que se pretenda ocultarlo.

Ghosts of Home

Curioso como la crisis de la vivienda de 2008 inspira al neoyorquino a hablar de los fantasmas propios de cada hogar y cómo forman parte de nuestras vidas a pesar de la especulación inmobiliaria.

The Heat of Us: Notes Toward an Oral History

Aquí Sam J. Miller cambia el formato de la historia, reconvirtiéndolo en una serie de notas para un artículo periodístico sobre un acontecimiento real que supuso la primera “oposición” a las redadas policiales en los bares gays. Solo que el poder de esa rabia reconcentrada y ese temor a verse descubierto se reencamina de forma fantástica y pirokinética hacia el agresor.

Angel, Monster, Man

No creo que fuera posible hacer una recopilación de obra de Miller sin que apareciera una referencia al SIDA, ese insultantemente llamado “cáncer gay” que tanto marcó a una generación. Utilizar los restos creativos de todas las víctimas de la enfermedad para crear un legado es una idea genial, pero las consecuencias son imprevisibles y escapan de las manos de los inventores, como bien se refleja (con el mismo protagonista y todo), en The Blade Between.

Sun in an Empty Room

Quizá el relato que menos me ha gustado de la recopilación, a pesar del originalísimo punto de vista desde el que se narra.

Creo que esta antología es una excelente puerta de entrada para la obra de Sam J. Miller pero también pienso que sería mejor leerla poco a poco, porque aunque cada relato es distinto, sí que son reiterativos los temas subyacentes. Sam J. Miller es un autor que me encantaría ver publicado en castellano.