In the Shadows of Men by Robert Jackson Bennett is VERY different from his other novels. With it, however, he confirms his status among my coveted must-read list. I don’t even like short stories, but I thoroughly enjoyed this spooky one.
At 120 pages in length, Mr. Bennett was able to tell a full story along with clearly establishing the setting, developing the main character, and creating the ghostly element. His story has a tone and mood to it as well. Most authors struggle with creating this much in 320 pages, let alone half that!
In the Shadows of Men is a fabulous short story that is at its heart a play on the age-old question of nature versus nurture. Surprisingly complex for being so short, it also touches on the idea of the sins of one generation passing onto the next generation. If Mr. Bennett’s previous novels scared you away because of their strong science fiction/fantasy elements, In the Shadows of Men is your chance to check out this amazing author.
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