The Illustrated Man (Ray Bradbury)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. This book is the third one that I've completed for my 2018 TBR Challenge.

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What it's about:

The Illustrated Man is a collection of short stories centered around the tales told by a man's tattoos. This illustrated man is an outcast, never staying in one place for long. His elaborate body art is his curse - each story shifts and changes every day, and he sees them depict the future of those involved, no matter how horrible. Each tale in the collection relates to a different tattoo.

Why it's worth a read:

• The premise for the collection is really fascinating, and brings a whole new element to these tales. After reading some of these stories, the idea that this would be played out on a person's body really horrifies you, and makes you realize what difficulties he must go through.
• With a collection of shorter and longer tales, there is a wide variation of plots, making for an engaging read.
• Featuring some longer tales, there is a real chance for character development and a haunting premise that are missing from many shorter stories.
• If you love creepy and haunting visions of the future and humanity, this collection is perfect.
• Because of the mix of content, if you aren't sure whether or not you're interested in science fiction, or what type to start with, this is quality writing with variety that makes it a great introduction. Besides, if there's a story you aren't into, you can just skip it!
• Top stories: The Veldt, The Other Foot, The Man, The Fox and the Forest, Zero Hour

Where it disappoints:

• Some of the longer stories drag a bit longer than they really need to, which detracts from them.
• There was a bit too much of a focus at some points on space exploration and Mars, so if that isn't the type of science fiction that you enjoy, those areas of the book are a bit of a slog to get through.
• Weakest stories: The Long Rain, The Exiles, No Particular Night or Morning, The Concrete Mixer

Final Thoughts:

I think that if you love science fiction that provides a haunting picture of the future, this is a great collection for you. Most of it feels relatively plausible (as long as you can accept a fact or two, which is pretty typical of science fiction), and this makes it easy to get into. If you aren't overly into science fiction, or are interested in giving it a try, I would recommend giving this one a go (if you absolutely hate the style though, I'm not suggesting this will convert you). If, like me, you aren't a big fan of space exploration and aliens and such, then there will definitely be stories you will want to skip, but there are many that are worth giving a go. The best thing about this is probably the way it was framed by the inclusion of the Illustrated Man. It ties all of the stories together, and is what makes this collection truly haunting.