Out of Body by Chris Vanjonack

Harper Collins, September 2026

ISBN: 9780063471528

Available: Hardcover, ebook edition, audiobook

Buy:  Bookshop.org | Amazon.com

The ideas in Out of Body are exceptionally creative and original, but the style is not for everyone.  Readers more into experimental writing will probably love it, but those who prefer a more traditional narrative may be frustrated. I shall try to explain.

First of all, all the stories are written in the present tense, and one is written in second person, and for me, that is a big problem.  I know present tense writing is all the rage right now, due to the supposed immediacy of the style, but I just find it annoying, especially when it is done in second person.  I’m not totally against present tense, and some authors, such as Paul Tremblay and Ishmael Soledad, are able to get it to work, but it’s difficult enough to use effectively for full length novels, and even tougher for short stories. Writing present tense removes a lot of the power of narration, and that becomes more glaring in short stories, since the author has to focus mainly on the characters to tell the story.  That’s what kept me from really enjoying these tales: the  need for the voice of the unseen narrator to advance the story idea.

I also struggled with some stories’ lack of narrative structure. It seemed like some of the stories just didn’t go anywhere.  The idea was there, but there wasn’t really a beginning, middle and end: things just happened, and then they stopped, with nothing explained or resolved.  The story “What We Look Like Together” is a good example.  Fantastic idea: a stranger inserts himself into a woman’s photo booth photo, and from there on out, he somehow shows up in every photo of her, doing different things.  Very intriguing!  It kept happening, and happening… then the story just ended.  No explanation, nothing resolved or even hinted at.  That was disappointing.  The story “Open Spaces” had a similar feel.  A couple decides to have sex in any national park rumored to be haunted, and starts running into ghosts.  Again, a creative idea, but it just kind of ended with a fizzle.  Not all stories need to have things explained at the end, but a bit more structure would have made these more enjoyable.

For all that, I really do think this book will find an audience with those who are likely to be more open to this style of writing.  As noted, the ideas were excellent.  There were ghosts having group meetings to deal with their ghostly state, a kid who can somehow invent the most incredible things, some killer clowns in the woods that seem to be an nationwide hazard…the list goes on.  All original, just not written in a way that I can enjoy reading.  They are some of the best short story ideas I have come across in a while.

Bottom line: this will probably be good for readers who enjoy authors who take chances with how they set a tale down, and enjoy present tense writing.  For the people who prefer more traditional, straightforward narratives, this will likely be one to skip.

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson