The other two are also much stronger. This one has some
great stuff, I enjoyed quite a few of the stories, but for the most part the
book seemed to drag on and on without actually providing much suspense or any
reason to keep reading more. So it took me a long time to finish. Some of the
stories had suspense – like the one about the astronauts in the explosion who
are all drifting through space alone until they crash into something or are
taking out by something (speaking of which, isn’t that the plot for the new
George Clooney/Sandra Bullock movie?) – but they were all over so quickly.
Nothing felt really gripping, or profound. Just a bunch of
stories that all featured a rocket in some way or another. The one about the
Rocketman who does not want his son to grow up to be one like him was probably
the closest thing to the profound story that I have come to associate with
Bradbury. Either that or the final story about the Illustrated Man himself.
They were both kind of fucked up. But for the most part, everything felt kind
of meh. Sort of feel indifferently
about this one, but I am glad I am at least tearing through the Bradbury section
of my library.
Also of note, just after I finished this book, the Simpsons released their latest Halloween special “Treehouse of Horrors” episode, which featured an opening sequence directed by legendary horror/thriller filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Why is this of significance? See if you can spot why: