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Duel
The late Richard Matheson's classic tale of highway terror.
He was heading west, en route to San Francisco. It was Thursday and unseasonably hot for April. He had his suitcoat off, his tie removed and shirt collar opened, his sleeve cuffs folded back. There was sunlight on his left arm and on part of his lap. He could feel the heat of it through his dark trousers as he drove along the two-lane highway. For the past twenty minutes, he had not seen another vehicle going in either direction.
Then he saw the truck...
He was heading west, en route to San Francisco. It was Thursday and unseasonably hot for April. He had his suitcoat off, his tie removed and shirt collar opened, his sleeve cuffs folded back. There was sunlight on his left arm and on part of his lap. He could feel the heat of it through his dark trousers as he drove along the two-lane highway. For the past twenty minutes, he had not seen another vehicle going in either direction.
Then he saw the truck...
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
64 people are currently reading
3,436 people want to read
About the author
Richard Matheson
708Ìýbooks4,568ÌýfollowersBorn in Allendale, New Jersey to Norwegian immigrant parents, Matheson was raised in Brooklyn and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1943. He then entered the military and spent World War II as an infantry soldier. In 1949 he earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and moved to California in 1951. He married in 1952 and has four children, three of whom (, , and Ali Matheson) are writers of fiction and screenplays.
His first short story, "Born of Man and Woman," appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1950. The tale of a monstrous child chained in its parents' cellar, it was told in the first person as the creature's diary (in poignantly non-idiomatic English) and immediately made Matheson famous. Between 1950 and 1971, Matheson produced dozens of stories, frequently blending elements of the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres.
Several of his stories, like "Third from the Sun" (1950), "Deadline" (1959) and "Button, Button" (1970) are simple sketches with twist endings; others, like "Trespass" (1953), "Being" (1954) and "Mute" (1962) explore their characters' dilemmas over twenty or thirty pages. Some tales, such as "The Funeral" (1955) and "The Doll that Does Everything" (1954) incorporate zany satirical humour at the expense of genre clichés, and are written in an hysterically overblown prose very different from Matheson's usual pared-down style. Others, like "The Test" (1954) and "Steel" (1956), portray the moral and physical struggles of ordinary people, rather than the then nearly ubiquitous scientists and superheroes, in situations which are at once futuristic and everyday. Still others, such as "Mad House" (1953), "The Curious Child" (1954) and perhaps most famously, "Duel" (1971) are tales of paranoia, in which the everyday environment of the present day becomes inexplicably alien or threatening.
He wrote a number of episodes for the American TV series The Twilight Zone, including "Steel," mentioned above and the famous "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"; adapted the works of Edgar Allan Poe for Roger Corman and Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out for Hammer Films; and scripted Steven Spielberg's first feature, the TV movie Duel, from his own short story. He also contributed a number of scripts to the Warner Brothers western series "The Lawman" between 1958 and 1962. In 1973, Matheson earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his teleplay for The Night Stalker, one of two TV movies written by Matheson that preceded the series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Matheson also wrote the screenplay for Fanatic (US title: Die! Die! My Darling!) starring Talullah Bankhead and Stefanie Powers.
Novels include The Shrinking Man (filmed as The Incredible Shrinking Man, again from Matheson's own screenplay), and a science fiction vampire novel, I Am Legend, which has been filmed three times under the titles The Omega Man and The Last Man on Earth and once under the original title. Other Matheson novels turned into notable films include What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, Bid Time Return (as Somewhere in Time), and Hell House (as The Legend of Hell House) and the aforementioned Duel, the last three adapted and scripted by Matheson himself. Three of his short stories were filmed together as Trilogy of Terror, including "Prey" with its famous Zuni warrior doll.
In 1960, Matheson published The Beardless Warriors, a nonfantastic, autobiographical novel about teenage American soldiers in World War II.
He died at his home on June 23, 2013, at the age of 87
His first short story, "Born of Man and Woman," appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1950. The tale of a monstrous child chained in its parents' cellar, it was told in the first person as the creature's diary (in poignantly non-idiomatic English) and immediately made Matheson famous. Between 1950 and 1971, Matheson produced dozens of stories, frequently blending elements of the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres.
Several of his stories, like "Third from the Sun" (1950), "Deadline" (1959) and "Button, Button" (1970) are simple sketches with twist endings; others, like "Trespass" (1953), "Being" (1954) and "Mute" (1962) explore their characters' dilemmas over twenty or thirty pages. Some tales, such as "The Funeral" (1955) and "The Doll that Does Everything" (1954) incorporate zany satirical humour at the expense of genre clichés, and are written in an hysterically overblown prose very different from Matheson's usual pared-down style. Others, like "The Test" (1954) and "Steel" (1956), portray the moral and physical struggles of ordinary people, rather than the then nearly ubiquitous scientists and superheroes, in situations which are at once futuristic and everyday. Still others, such as "Mad House" (1953), "The Curious Child" (1954) and perhaps most famously, "Duel" (1971) are tales of paranoia, in which the everyday environment of the present day becomes inexplicably alien or threatening.
He wrote a number of episodes for the American TV series The Twilight Zone, including "Steel," mentioned above and the famous "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"; adapted the works of Edgar Allan Poe for Roger Corman and Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out for Hammer Films; and scripted Steven Spielberg's first feature, the TV movie Duel, from his own short story. He also contributed a number of scripts to the Warner Brothers western series "The Lawman" between 1958 and 1962. In 1973, Matheson earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his teleplay for The Night Stalker, one of two TV movies written by Matheson that preceded the series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Matheson also wrote the screenplay for Fanatic (US title: Die! Die! My Darling!) starring Talullah Bankhead and Stefanie Powers.
Novels include The Shrinking Man (filmed as The Incredible Shrinking Man, again from Matheson's own screenplay), and a science fiction vampire novel, I Am Legend, which has been filmed three times under the titles The Omega Man and The Last Man on Earth and once under the original title. Other Matheson novels turned into notable films include What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, Bid Time Return (as Somewhere in Time), and Hell House (as The Legend of Hell House) and the aforementioned Duel, the last three adapted and scripted by Matheson himself. Three of his short stories were filmed together as Trilogy of Terror, including "Prey" with its famous Zuni warrior doll.
In 1960, Matheson published The Beardless Warriors, a nonfantastic, autobiographical novel about teenage American soldiers in World War II.
He died at his home on June 23, 2013, at the age of 87
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
September 12, 2020
"Sorprendido por un insistente y explosivo trompetazo de la bocina regresó la vista al espejo retrovisor. ¿Qué fue eso? ¿Un saludo o una maldición?"
un relato de carretera con suma tensón y suspenso, que te mantiene a la expectativa en todo momento (como para ajustarse el cinturón de seguridad).
con una formula sencilla y efectiva que ha servido de bastante influencia.
Cuenta con la particularidad que la adaptación en pantalla fue llevada a cabo por Steven Spieldberg, y fue su primer Largometraje, mas precisamente un telefilme.
un relato de carretera con suma tensón y suspenso, que te mantiene a la expectativa en todo momento (como para ajustarse el cinturón de seguridad).
con una formula sencilla y efectiva que ha servido de bastante influencia.
Cuenta con la particularidad que la adaptación en pantalla fue llevada a cabo por Steven Spieldberg, y fue su primer Largometraje, mas precisamente un telefilme.
February 29, 2020
Looking for something to fill a day-long gap before tackling a major reading project, I discovered this short story, which is said to have influenced one by Stephen King and Joe Hill. Looking to contrast them, I thought I would begin with this short piece by Richard Matheson. In a story that explores early road rage, Matheson pens a tale that will keep the reader off the road and thoroughly tied to this piece until its climactic end. Mann seems to be minding his business as he travels towards San Francisco. When he passes a transport truck late one morning, he thinks nothing of it. However, as can occur on the open highway, Mann and the driver of the truck seem to engage in a subconscious game of passing one another to gain speed and reach their final destinations. Mann seems to see this truck as more than a fellow vehicle on the road, particularly when the driver makes some choices that could be seen as dangerous to both vehicles. Choosing to confront the driver at one point—as the truck seems to have pulled off at a diner—Mann tries, but misses his chance. He’s not quite done with the spat and needs to see it through. Putting rubber back on the road, Mann seeks to make his statement, even though his mode of transportation is much smaller. With the highway before him, Mann seeks to ensure this transport truck knows it cannot bully him, which only leads to more trouble for both vehicles involved. A great story that gets the blood pumping and has me thinking of all the highway driving I do for work. Recommended to those who love short stories with a twist, as well as those who might (like me) want to contrast this with the King/Hill piece.
I had never read any Richard Matheson before this story, though my reading group chose one of his standalone pieces to try this coming year. This was a wonderful introduction to him and all that he has to offer. By no means an expert—but surely a fan—I could see some King-esque themes in this piece (though I admit, Matheson penned this story first, so perhaps it is the other way around), which got my heart pumping as I sought to see what Mann would do. Mann seems like your typical guy who is trying to get from A to B without issue, but is perturbed when someone or something gets in his way. Perhaps early 1970s road rage, where the driver of a small vehicle seeks to puff out his chest against a massive transport truck. Mann does all he can to end the feud, but seems to forget the size difference as he loses focus of his intended destination. The story flew by and I found myself picturing these two vehicles playing a form of chicken with each other, as Matheson depicts their cumulative race to overcome the other. By the end, there is a form of resolution, though I am not sure it is what the reader would expect at first glance. Now that I have this foundational piece done, I will have to see how the King/Hill duo seek to spin it in their own version of pavement horror.
Kudos, Mr. Matheson, for a great piece to get my mind (and two vehicles) racing. I will be back for more short stories, as well as that full-length book!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: /group/show/...
I had never read any Richard Matheson before this story, though my reading group chose one of his standalone pieces to try this coming year. This was a wonderful introduction to him and all that he has to offer. By no means an expert—but surely a fan—I could see some King-esque themes in this piece (though I admit, Matheson penned this story first, so perhaps it is the other way around), which got my heart pumping as I sought to see what Mann would do. Mann seems like your typical guy who is trying to get from A to B without issue, but is perturbed when someone or something gets in his way. Perhaps early 1970s road rage, where the driver of a small vehicle seeks to puff out his chest against a massive transport truck. Mann does all he can to end the feud, but seems to forget the size difference as he loses focus of his intended destination. The story flew by and I found myself picturing these two vehicles playing a form of chicken with each other, as Matheson depicts their cumulative race to overcome the other. By the end, there is a form of resolution, though I am not sure it is what the reader would expect at first glance. Now that I have this foundational piece done, I will have to see how the King/Hill duo seek to spin it in their own version of pavement horror.
Kudos, Mr. Matheson, for a great piece to get my mind (and two vehicles) racing. I will be back for more short stories, as well as that full-length book!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: /group/show/...
January 8, 2025
Relato corto pero intenso, la pelÃcula me gustó en su dÃa y el relato también me ha gustado ,me venian, claro está, imágenes de la pelÃcula.
La tensión va en aumento, hay que ver lo que se puede transmitir con una historia bastante simple y en tan pocas páginas.
Valoración: 7.5/10
Sinopsis: ¿Recuerdas a ese semirremolque asesino que perseguÃa a Dennis Weaver por un tramo solitario de una carretera desértica? Duelo, la aclamada primera pelÃcula de Steven Spielberg, fue adaptada por Richard Matheson de su inolvidable historia del mismo nombre. Prepárese para esta inolvidable historia de terror del autor más vendido del New York Times de Soy leyenda y Lo que los sueños pueden venir.
# 12. Un libro sobre un viaje por carretera. Reto Popsugar 2025.
La tensión va en aumento, hay que ver lo que se puede transmitir con una historia bastante simple y en tan pocas páginas.
Valoración: 7.5/10
Sinopsis: ¿Recuerdas a ese semirremolque asesino que perseguÃa a Dennis Weaver por un tramo solitario de una carretera desértica? Duelo, la aclamada primera pelÃcula de Steven Spielberg, fue adaptada por Richard Matheson de su inolvidable historia del mismo nombre. Prepárese para esta inolvidable historia de terror del autor más vendido del New York Times de Soy leyenda y Lo que los sueños pueden venir.
# 12. Un libro sobre un viaje por carretera. Reto Popsugar 2025.
November 7, 2016
Richard Matheson lived to the age of 87 and he left behind a wealth of excellent writing. He wrote 12 novels including , , and . He also wrote over 100 short stories including this classic from 1971. It was made into a film that same year by a then relatively unknown Steven Spielberg. Four stars for the story and the film.
April 1, 2023
Story 3 stars**
Audio 3.5 stars**
Narrator Stephen Lang
Audio 3.5 stars**
Narrator Stephen Lang
November 23, 2022
The surprise here is that this shortish story ‘Duel� of a driver being hounded by a truck, which gave rise to the Steven Spielberg movie of the same name, really worked for me. It didn’t matter that I knew everything about it before reading it. I found myself totally invested in it from start to finish. Enjoyed!
January 24, 2018
This is one and a half hours of heart pumping adrenaline.
One car with a driver and one truck, driver unseen. That's all there is folks. Add to that Road rage on the extreme. One and a half hours later and I was exhausted.
This was the story that Stephen Spielberg used for his first feature movie.
If you haven't already, read the story and see the movie. Doesn't matter in what order as Spielberg replicates the story exactly.
A classic
5 stars all the way
One car with a driver and one truck, driver unseen. That's all there is folks. Add to that Road rage on the extreme. One and a half hours later and I was exhausted.
This was the story that Stephen Spielberg used for his first feature movie.
If you haven't already, read the story and see the movie. Doesn't matter in what order as Spielberg replicates the story exactly.
A classic
5 stars all the way
November 4, 2022
A feral trucker menaces Mann, the inaptronymically named driver/victim. Mann is a family man, not a man's man. He wears his "safety belt" and drives 55 (in 1971, three years before the National Maximum Speed Limit). The "inner he-man" message was predictable. The action is non-stop and furious, but it seems to me that Matheson couldn't think of a good ending so
City boys and suburban family men are always terrified of the boondocks.
City boys and suburban family men are always terrified of the boondocks.
"You think you gonna get a cop to save you, boy? Shee-it. You gonna die."I wonder how old this trope is -- the Gallic wars, maybe.
May 25, 2023
10/2019
The story Duel (Playboy, 1971) was good to read. Great suspense, though the ending was just okay. I really liked the writing. But I only read that one. All the other "terror stories" in this book are from sci-fi magazines of the 1950s, and I'm just not in the mood.
The story Duel (Playboy, 1971) was good to read. Great suspense, though the ending was just okay. I really liked the writing. But I only read that one. All the other "terror stories" in this book are from sci-fi magazines of the 1950s, and I'm just not in the mood.
October 30, 2020
A road rage tale, pure and simple, notable for Matheson's masterful buildup of suspense. For much of the tale it feels like there could be a supernatural twist about to spring, something out of the Twilight Zone, but Matheson keeps the story focused on man and his primal fears and innate barbarism.
December 16, 2015
I think it's a bad sign when I feel like my own rating is unfair to the book. =\
The first book of Matheson's that I had ever read was , which to this day is still my favorite. The stories in that book were wonderful, and quite a few have stayed with me to this day. Then I read , and while I didn't necessarily agree with the ideological aspect, the writing was great. So, coming into this book, I had pretty high expectations, and I feel like I was let down, a little.
These stories are definitely more science fiction than horror, which was another little let down. Don't get me wrong, I love science fiction too, but I was hoping for horror, and I didn't really get it.
That being said, the stories here were mostly good, with some that rose a bit higher, and some that faltered. The only one that just did not work for me at all was "When The Waker Sleeps". This one was written in second person narrative, and you tried and tried to get into the story, but no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't get past the personification of "you" being a brown-haired male wearing a tunic and tights getting into a car to go fight off some thing that was supposedly endangering your machines. Yeah. Really.
I think this one was probably an experiment for Matheson... Second person narrative is extremely difficult to do right, even by someone as talented as Matheson is. Tried three times, then I moved on.
If I had to choose a favorite, I would probably have to pick either "Return" or "One For The Books". Oddly enough, both of these are halves of two story related sets. "Return" and "F---" both featured the same main character and same theme, although they are very different stories themselves. "Trespass" and "One For The Books" have the same theme and... "purpose" I guess you could say, although there is nothing else similar in the stories at all.
Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I'd have to add "The Test" to my list of favorites. This is a kind of "Death Panel" story as elderly people are given a set of memory, aptitude, physical and mental tests in order to determine whether they are high-functioning enough to be allowed to live another 5 years until the next test. It deals with the sociological issues that might arise from that kind of situation, or the lack thereof. It could be quite prophetic, you never know.
"Born of Man and Woman" is rather short, and a little bit haunting. There are no real details given, but from what we're able to deduce from the narration, our narrator lives a cruel existence. I found it to be very sad, and actually wished that the story was longer so that I could understand better. I felt like this one was rushed, not fully fleshed out. But, maybe that was on purpose. Our narrator only told what they knew, little though it may be.
"Brother to the Machine" was an interesting one, and was kind of similar to "Steel" (which I believe was made into a Twilight Zone episode), but I am not sure if they are actually related. Could be. "Brother" is about a robot who feels human, and examines what humanity really is.
I'm not going to go into all of the stories. I liked most of them, but I never really felt compelled to read this one as I felt compelled to read other Matheson, and other authors' works. I would definitely recommend it to science fiction fans, as Matheson is a must-read, in my opinion, but this is not his best, again in my opinion.
The first book of Matheson's that I had ever read was , which to this day is still my favorite. The stories in that book were wonderful, and quite a few have stayed with me to this day. Then I read , and while I didn't necessarily agree with the ideological aspect, the writing was great. So, coming into this book, I had pretty high expectations, and I feel like I was let down, a little.
These stories are definitely more science fiction than horror, which was another little let down. Don't get me wrong, I love science fiction too, but I was hoping for horror, and I didn't really get it.
That being said, the stories here were mostly good, with some that rose a bit higher, and some that faltered. The only one that just did not work for me at all was "When The Waker Sleeps". This one was written in second person narrative, and you tried and tried to get into the story, but no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't get past the personification of "you" being a brown-haired male wearing a tunic and tights getting into a car to go fight off some thing that was supposedly endangering your machines. Yeah. Really.
I think this one was probably an experiment for Matheson... Second person narrative is extremely difficult to do right, even by someone as talented as Matheson is. Tried three times, then I moved on.
If I had to choose a favorite, I would probably have to pick either "Return" or "One For The Books". Oddly enough, both of these are halves of two story related sets. "Return" and "F---" both featured the same main character and same theme, although they are very different stories themselves. "Trespass" and "One For The Books" have the same theme and... "purpose" I guess you could say, although there is nothing else similar in the stories at all.
Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I'd have to add "The Test" to my list of favorites. This is a kind of "Death Panel" story as elderly people are given a set of memory, aptitude, physical and mental tests in order to determine whether they are high-functioning enough to be allowed to live another 5 years until the next test. It deals with the sociological issues that might arise from that kind of situation, or the lack thereof. It could be quite prophetic, you never know.
"Born of Man and Woman" is rather short, and a little bit haunting. There are no real details given, but from what we're able to deduce from the narration, our narrator lives a cruel existence. I found it to be very sad, and actually wished that the story was longer so that I could understand better. I felt like this one was rushed, not fully fleshed out. But, maybe that was on purpose. Our narrator only told what they knew, little though it may be.
"Brother to the Machine" was an interesting one, and was kind of similar to "Steel" (which I believe was made into a Twilight Zone episode), but I am not sure if they are actually related. Could be. "Brother" is about a robot who feels human, and examines what humanity really is.
I'm not going to go into all of the stories. I liked most of them, but I never really felt compelled to read this one as I felt compelled to read other Matheson, and other authors' works. I would definitely recommend it to science fiction fans, as Matheson is a must-read, in my opinion, but this is not his best, again in my opinion.
February 6, 2011
Forget the "Terror Stories..." subtitle on this book. It is primarily a collection of science fiction sories of a distinctly 1950s character. With the exception of the title story, "Duel", which was the seed for Spielberg's first film, it could all be called sci-fi, though in some cases sci-fi of a scary nature. Some are quite charming to read as period pieces that highlight themes popular in science fiction at the time
Many of these may read like old episodes of The Twilight Zone for reasons that go beyond the fact that at least three of them did become episodes of The Twilight Zone. Teleplay-like seems to be the nature of Matheson's writing style. It is almost as if he wrote them with the intent of eventually having them filmed. It's a style that treats the reader to a very smooth and professional feeling story, but which tends to lack that occasional raw edge that good thrillers sometimes have. If you prefer slick and well-polished to edgy Matheson is your kind of writer. If it's raw you want look elsewhere.
I most enjoyed the two stories that drifted furthest from this style, "The Last Day" and "The Test", in which the characters exhibit very human reactions to very extreme comditions.
Many of these may read like old episodes of The Twilight Zone for reasons that go beyond the fact that at least three of them did become episodes of The Twilight Zone. Teleplay-like seems to be the nature of Matheson's writing style. It is almost as if he wrote them with the intent of eventually having them filmed. It's a style that treats the reader to a very smooth and professional feeling story, but which tends to lack that occasional raw edge that good thrillers sometimes have. If you prefer slick and well-polished to edgy Matheson is your kind of writer. If it's raw you want look elsewhere.
I most enjoyed the two stories that drifted furthest from this style, "The Last Day" and "The Test", in which the characters exhibit very human reactions to very extreme comditions.
February 18, 2018
I've seen a lot of Richard Matheson's work in movies and tv, but this is the first time I've actually read his short stories. I primarily picked up this collection because it includes "Duel" which is Spielberg's first movie and one of my favorites. It's great to see how it originally appeared even if Matheson adaptation the screenplay a little differently - I can't believe that Mann (with two Ns) actually sees the trucker's face. I really enjoyed both formats and seeing the differences in them. Some other favorites from this collection include "Third From The Sun", "F-", "Shipshape Home" (Peter Lorre gets mentioned!), "The Last Day", "Little Girl Lost" (adapted into a great Twilight Zone episode), "Trespass" (pretty sure that baby was a little Time Lord!), and "One For The Books".
April 11, 2021
This book is actually a collections of short stories, the 'Duel' story is only short (37 pages), but is excellent, the story and the movie are very similar, but this story feels a bit out of place with all the others in the book, as all the other stories are more classic sci-fi, it reminded me a lot of Phillip K Dick's stories.
The last story 'Steel' feels like a prequal to the Hugh Jackman Movie 'Real Steel'
But in saying that, I very much enjoyed all the stories.
The last story 'Steel' feels like a prequal to the Hugh Jackman Movie 'Real Steel'
But in saying that, I very much enjoyed all the stories.
April 12, 2008
When I borrowed this from the library, I was expecting spine-tingling horror stories. What I got instead was a collection of sci-fi short stories with elements of horror from the 1950's, except for the title story which was written in the early 70's. To my surprise, the stories were good to excellent. Matheson is an excellent writer and I'm looking forward to I Am Legend.
February 13, 2019
Da non amante di fantascienza e simili, chapeau a Matheson. E' una gran bella raccolta di racconti.
A parte il primo, Duel, appunto che è di fatto un horror dalla tensione altissima sebbene senza sangue o squartamenti, gli altri sono per lo più racconti futuristici con invasioni aliene di vario genere, viaggi nel tempo, distopie su catastrofi a venire, esplorazioni di pianeti sconosciuti con relative conseguenze per i terrestri. Lo so che detta così sembra una stupidata da bambini di 3^ elementare, ma non è così. La qualità di questi racconti è nella capacità dell'autore di rendere possibile l'impossibile attraverso un'attenta descrizione degli stati d'animo dei suoi personaggi. Tutto diventa vero perchè le sensazioni e le emozioni che provano sono assolutamente realistiche.
A parte il primo, Duel, appunto che è di fatto un horror dalla tensione altissima sebbene senza sangue o squartamenti, gli altri sono per lo più racconti futuristici con invasioni aliene di vario genere, viaggi nel tempo, distopie su catastrofi a venire, esplorazioni di pianeti sconosciuti con relative conseguenze per i terrestri. Lo so che detta così sembra una stupidata da bambini di 3^ elementare, ma non è così. La qualità di questi racconti è nella capacità dell'autore di rendere possibile l'impossibile attraverso un'attenta descrizione degli stati d'animo dei suoi personaggi. Tutto diventa vero perchè le sensazioni e le emozioni che provano sono assolutamente realistiche.
May 19, 2015
Originally posted on my blog:
I have just started reading Duel and have found myself pleasantly surprised by how sci-fi focused it is. I have previously read Nightmare at 20,000 Feet and I am Legend and find myself growing ever fonder of Matheson’s work and particularly like his sci-fi writing. I just finished Third From The Sun, the second story in the collection, and can’t stop thinking about it so thought I would write a short review.
Third From The Sun is the story of a man trying to escape earth before a world war breaks out and the human race is obliterated. He plans to use the ship that he often works with to fly him, his family and their neighbours to a planet in a different solar system where they can carry on the human race.
There is two key factors of this story I particularly like. The first is the sense of urgency but also uncertainty surrounding the outbreak of war. This story was first published during the Cold War and the fear of nuclear destruction is clear in Matheson’s characterisation of the husband who clearly see’s leaving earth as not only their one chance but also the only chance for mankind. The uncertainty surrounding this comes from the lack of information given about the war he is theorising about and his wife nervousness about leaving. He doesn’t know when war will break out he is just sure that it will. I don’t know about anyone else but when I read this I immediately started to think that he had somehow been brainwashed into thinking that the destruction of mankind was imminent and that it was his mission to save his family and his species.
This man on a mission vibe was also given by the second element I liked about this story, which was the emphasis on how cold and calculating he was being. No names are referred to in this story everyone is either “the children�, “his wife� or “the neighbours�, which really gives the feeling that these are simply the people who will carry on the human race. This is particularly clear in the case of the neighbours whom they don’t seem to know that well, as they are worried that their cover story of going to his work to see him off on another test flight won’t hold up with them being there. This means they aren’t even close friends with the people they are traveling to another planet with. Matheson shows that the neighbours are only coming to be bred with and create the next generation of humans. This cold way of thinking is also shown by the fact they don’t even name the planet that will be becoming their home, it’s simply referred to as the planet “third from the sun�.
I think this little 10 page story is a great example of how much depth Matheson’s writing can have and how he can always leave you wanting more. I rather wish that there was a prequel or a sequel to this story perhaps about how his fear of another war became so great or what happened once they left earth. I plan to watch The Twilight Zone Adaptation of this one as they tend to be pretty good, Nightmare at 20,000 feet being my favourite so far.
I have just started reading Duel and have found myself pleasantly surprised by how sci-fi focused it is. I have previously read Nightmare at 20,000 Feet and I am Legend and find myself growing ever fonder of Matheson’s work and particularly like his sci-fi writing. I just finished Third From The Sun, the second story in the collection, and can’t stop thinking about it so thought I would write a short review.
Third From The Sun is the story of a man trying to escape earth before a world war breaks out and the human race is obliterated. He plans to use the ship that he often works with to fly him, his family and their neighbours to a planet in a different solar system where they can carry on the human race.
There is two key factors of this story I particularly like. The first is the sense of urgency but also uncertainty surrounding the outbreak of war. This story was first published during the Cold War and the fear of nuclear destruction is clear in Matheson’s characterisation of the husband who clearly see’s leaving earth as not only their one chance but also the only chance for mankind. The uncertainty surrounding this comes from the lack of information given about the war he is theorising about and his wife nervousness about leaving. He doesn’t know when war will break out he is just sure that it will. I don’t know about anyone else but when I read this I immediately started to think that he had somehow been brainwashed into thinking that the destruction of mankind was imminent and that it was his mission to save his family and his species.
This man on a mission vibe was also given by the second element I liked about this story, which was the emphasis on how cold and calculating he was being. No names are referred to in this story everyone is either “the children�, “his wife� or “the neighbours�, which really gives the feeling that these are simply the people who will carry on the human race. This is particularly clear in the case of the neighbours whom they don’t seem to know that well, as they are worried that their cover story of going to his work to see him off on another test flight won’t hold up with them being there. This means they aren’t even close friends with the people they are traveling to another planet with. Matheson shows that the neighbours are only coming to be bred with and create the next generation of humans. This cold way of thinking is also shown by the fact they don’t even name the planet that will be becoming their home, it’s simply referred to as the planet “third from the sun�.
I think this little 10 page story is a great example of how much depth Matheson’s writing can have and how he can always leave you wanting more. I rather wish that there was a prequel or a sequel to this story perhaps about how his fear of another war became so great or what happened once they left earth. I plan to watch The Twilight Zone Adaptation of this one as they tend to be pretty good, Nightmare at 20,000 feet being my favourite so far.
February 1, 2023
a hitchcockian nightmare at 70 miles an hour. tense, direct and inescapable. well worth the time.
December 31, 2012
3 Star
I started this book with such anticipation, because it is by one of the masters. humpf. Duel, I remember as a cheesy 70s movie put out by Stephen Spielberg, and I loved it. Duel, Lover when you're near me and Being were all pretty good; but the rest fell flat. This book reads like Twilight Zone for dummies. Cheesy story-lines; no surprises and no happy endings. TZ was a great show, but nothing scary; very "saltine crackers." Duel is the Saltines to the buttery-flavored Ritz of I am Legend; which is a pure classic. If you like a little cheese with your saltines, you will like this book. If you are a fan of Mathesons I am Legend, Hell House and even Stir of Echoes; then this book is a letdown.
This is just my opinion; no hard feelings, eh?
I started this book with such anticipation, because it is by one of the masters. humpf. Duel, I remember as a cheesy 70s movie put out by Stephen Spielberg, and I loved it. Duel, Lover when you're near me and Being were all pretty good; but the rest fell flat. This book reads like Twilight Zone for dummies. Cheesy story-lines; no surprises and no happy endings. TZ was a great show, but nothing scary; very "saltine crackers." Duel is the Saltines to the buttery-flavored Ritz of I am Legend; which is a pure classic. If you like a little cheese with your saltines, you will like this book. If you are a fan of Mathesons I am Legend, Hell House and even Stir of Echoes; then this book is a letdown.
This is just my opinion; no hard feelings, eh?
April 9, 2021
Per ora ho letto solo Duel ed è anche il mio primo Matheson scritto, dato che di Io sono leggenda ho visto solo il film per ora.
Indubbiamente la scrittura e il ritmo della narrazione incalzante non mi sono dispiaciuti per niente, ma la storia mi sa di già sentito, anche in libri di King e film horror classici di quelli con giganti della strada mostruosi.
E poi: ma perché c’� questa malsana abitudine di non dare spiegazioni?
Non so sarò io che ho la fissa di dover capire sempre il perché delle cose ma questa cosa di arrivare al culmine della storia e non sapere perché sia successo quello, mi lascia con una sensazione di sospensione e mi fa innervosire.
Comunque ovviamente leggerò altro di Matheson perché le premesse sono ottime.
Indubbiamente la scrittura e il ritmo della narrazione incalzante non mi sono dispiaciuti per niente, ma la storia mi sa di già sentito, anche in libri di King e film horror classici di quelli con giganti della strada mostruosi.
E poi: ma perché c’� questa malsana abitudine di non dare spiegazioni?
Non so sarò io che ho la fissa di dover capire sempre il perché delle cose ma questa cosa di arrivare al culmine della storia e non sapere perché sia successo quello, mi lascia con una sensazione di sospensione e mi fa innervosire.
Comunque ovviamente leggerò altro di Matheson perché le premesse sono ottime.
May 23, 2019
I wish stories like this were the norm nowadays. I think it every time I finish reading something well-done from the era of putting story miles before the flower petals it’s written with, and I get a bit depressed at the current state of speculative fiction. Matheson was a master. There were a few clunkers in here, but the brunt is miles above average, and in some cases you could put some of these on lists of all-time greats. No fat in these stories and pounds upon pound of tasty meat.
December 18, 2012
I loved I am Legend, which was an amazing twist on the vampire genre and had an ending that wasn't happy, per se, but had me grinning from ear to ear. This collection of short stories, however, was not so great. At best I will say they were okay. Most of the stories were written in the late fifties through the sixties, which explains the old fashioned style of the stories, most particularly the reliance on withholding important information to deliver a "surprise," which is not so surprising because you're looking for it. The stories rely heavily on idea, rather than character, which is not so much my cup of tea.
The title story, "Duel," is interesting because it was made into Stephen Spielburg's first film of the same title. The story itself, about a saleman driving cross country and getting into a life threatening situation with a nameless truck driver, was just okay. I haven't seen the movie, but I am curious about and want to see it so I can make the comparison with the story.
"Return" was the first story in the collection I really enjoyed. It involves time travel, and a man who desperately wants to return to his own time and his pregnant wife. The twist ending works here, because of its emotional impact (as opposed to intellectual impact).
"Lover When You're Near Me" was a disturbing tale about a man managing work on an alien planet. An alien woman is assigned to help him as a kind of maid. She communicates via telepathy and becomes like a grasping leech, trying to dominate the man's mind and make him her lover. While this story is sufficiently disturbing to be entertaining, one of the most disturbing aspects of the story for me was not what happens to the poor man, so much as it's the way the female aliens have turned the men of their planet into mindless drones. The female aliens are seen as grasping, desperate, manipulative, man-devourers, sucking out a man's freewill to make them theirs. And while these are alien women, there is no doubt that this is a not so subtle commentary on women in general, which I find unsettling.
"SRL AD" was a funny story about answering personal ads from aliens. It made me smile.
"The Last Day" was great. It was a bitter sweet story of returning hom before the end of the world.
The last story in the book, "Steel," was kind of fun and reminded me a bit of the movie "Real Steel," mostly because they both have fighting robots with an owner desperately trying to make just a tiny bit of money from whatever fights he can. The similarities story and movie end there, however.
There were many other stories interspersed with the ones I mentioned, and none of them stood out in my mind for particular note. I am not put off Matheson, however. I think I just shy away from his short stories and stick to his longer works. I'm rather interested to read Hell House, or What Dreams May Come, or A Stir of Echoes, for example.
The title story, "Duel," is interesting because it was made into Stephen Spielburg's first film of the same title. The story itself, about a saleman driving cross country and getting into a life threatening situation with a nameless truck driver, was just okay. I haven't seen the movie, but I am curious about and want to see it so I can make the comparison with the story.
"Return" was the first story in the collection I really enjoyed. It involves time travel, and a man who desperately wants to return to his own time and his pregnant wife. The twist ending works here, because of its emotional impact (as opposed to intellectual impact).
"Lover When You're Near Me" was a disturbing tale about a man managing work on an alien planet. An alien woman is assigned to help him as a kind of maid. She communicates via telepathy and becomes like a grasping leech, trying to dominate the man's mind and make him her lover. While this story is sufficiently disturbing to be entertaining, one of the most disturbing aspects of the story for me was not what happens to the poor man, so much as it's the way the female aliens have turned the men of their planet into mindless drones. The female aliens are seen as grasping, desperate, manipulative, man-devourers, sucking out a man's freewill to make them theirs. And while these are alien women, there is no doubt that this is a not so subtle commentary on women in general, which I find unsettling.
"SRL AD" was a funny story about answering personal ads from aliens. It made me smile.
"The Last Day" was great. It was a bitter sweet story of returning hom before the end of the world.
The last story in the book, "Steel," was kind of fun and reminded me a bit of the movie "Real Steel," mostly because they both have fighting robots with an owner desperately trying to make just a tiny bit of money from whatever fights he can. The similarities story and movie end there, however.
There were many other stories interspersed with the ones I mentioned, and none of them stood out in my mind for particular note. I am not put off Matheson, however. I think I just shy away from his short stories and stick to his longer works. I'm rather interested to read Hell House, or What Dreams May Come, or A Stir of Echoes, for example.
March 8, 2019
If you like Stephen King, this is a great read. It takes something as average as passing a vehicle while driving, and goes full King on it (I guess full Matheson on it, since he came first lol). I'll definitely be reading more of Matheson's work after this. I feel the ending was lacking a bit, but the rest of this story was fun, intense, and held my attention for a one sitting read! The name "Mann" drives me crazy while reading though. My brain kept interpreting it as man, and I kept having flashback to first grade reading lessons lol *See first sentence rating below.*
Goosie Scale Rating: 7/10
You won't likely get emotional with this read, and the creep factor isn't necessarily extreme. However, the simplicity and realism that hits you throughout the story gets unnerving (with possible paranormal twisted in, if you as the reader so chose).
First Sentence Rating: 4/10
"At 11:32 A.M., Mann passed the truck."
I want to give this opener more after reading the story, but at first glance, it's not super enticing. Referring to the vehicle, however, as THE truck, sets the stage for something fantastic.
Goosie Scale Rating: 7/10
You won't likely get emotional with this read, and the creep factor isn't necessarily extreme. However, the simplicity and realism that hits you throughout the story gets unnerving (with possible paranormal twisted in, if you as the reader so chose).
First Sentence Rating: 4/10
"At 11:32 A.M., Mann passed the truck."
I want to give this opener more after reading the story, but at first glance, it's not super enticing. Referring to the vehicle, however, as THE truck, sets the stage for something fantastic.
August 9, 2011
Brilliant collection of Matheson stories, mostly from the 1950s. Matheson’s creative peak was during the 1950s to the 70s and here it shows. Many would consider the stories ‘Sci-Fi� than ‘Terror� (as stated on the front cover) but ignore the fact that they are tales of terror as well. What I love about a Matheson story is his ability to evoke genuine emotion into his characters, regardless of the situation. That can be felt across all his stories here, particularly Duel, Last Days, and Trespass.
Some of the stories would be considered dated by some but is that really justifiable criticism? I mean, it’s a product of the time and he’s an author, not a real clairvoyant. As long as the stories have interesting and creative ideas who cares if he didn’t predict the I-Pad!
My favourite stories are Duel, F-, and Last Days however most in this book are top notch.
Some of the stories would be considered dated by some but is that really justifiable criticism? I mean, it’s a product of the time and he’s an author, not a real clairvoyant. As long as the stories have interesting and creative ideas who cares if he didn’t predict the I-Pad!
My favourite stories are Duel, F-, and Last Days however most in this book are top notch.
July 27, 2019
Many of these stories have been adapted to film, and I’ve probably seen all of them, which is probably why the stories don’t have the impact they might once have had. Plus, while the subtitle notes “terror stories,� this really is a science fiction collection.
Matheson’s writing is very sparse, which I think was common during the time these stories were written. The story is always front and center, but character development often suffers.
Probably my favorite story in the collection is Trespass. It, too, was adapted to film, but the story is long enough that it holds its own in comparison to the movie.
Matheson’s writing is very sparse, which I think was common during the time these stories were written. The story is always front and center, but character development often suffers.
Probably my favorite story in the collection is Trespass. It, too, was adapted to film, but the story is long enough that it holds its own in comparison to the movie.
May 25, 2021
3.5
Like all short story compilations, some are stronger than others. As a whole, the body of work has an odd way of being quite dated yet still timeless. The ideas themselves, the themes at play, the basis of the the central tensions are all fairly evergreen. It's the framing and working pieces that are dated, which can be overlooked for the most part.
Make no mistake, Matheson is a product of his time. While his ideas are not overtly sexist or xenophobic, there were a few moments where I did have to question the choices he made with his characters.
In all, it's worth a ready but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little dissatisfied given the author's legacy.
Like all short story compilations, some are stronger than others. As a whole, the body of work has an odd way of being quite dated yet still timeless. The ideas themselves, the themes at play, the basis of the the central tensions are all fairly evergreen. It's the framing and working pieces that are dated, which can be overlooked for the most part.
Make no mistake, Matheson is a product of his time. While his ideas are not overtly sexist or xenophobic, there were a few moments where I did have to question the choices he made with his characters.
In all, it's worth a ready but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little dissatisfied given the author's legacy.
September 24, 2021
Duel was required reading when I was in high school and I hated it. Richard Matheson is one of the worse writers I've ever had to read. He should've stuck to writing tv scripts because that's all he was good at. Duel, I Am Legend, and everything else he wrote for the reading public is boring, poorly written dreck.
October 10, 2023
Spielbergs “The Duel� was the first movie that scared me, when it was shown on television back in the late 70s/early 80s� and the first movie I bought on when those newfangled DVDs became a thing. Reading Mathesons original story for the first time some 40+ years later fully brought back the thrills of my youth - even if 2023-me still remembered everything that was going to happen.
August 26, 2019
I thought I was well aware of Richard Matheson and his output, love I am Legend and Shrinking Man, but I had no idea that he wrote Duel, which was adapted into a film directed by Steven Spielberg (famously his first full length movie). Haven't seen the film in decades but the short story brought it all flooding back.
Now this is more than Duel. There are seventeen other stories the vast majority hitting the spot. If you liked his famous novels then this is a must buy.
Ray Smillie
Now this is more than Duel. There are seventeen other stories the vast majority hitting the spot. If you liked his famous novels then this is a must buy.
Ray Smillie
January 9, 2020
Nisam do kraja procitao. NA momente fenomenalno, kao bas Duel knjiga , a ove ostale dosadnjikave.
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