--- product_id: 36019011 title: "The Wavering Knife: Stories" price: "£22.70" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 6 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/36019011-the-wavering-knife-stories store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # The Wavering Knife: Stories **Price:** £22.70 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Wavering Knife: Stories - **How much does it cost?** £22.70 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/36019011-the-wavering-knife-stories) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: The Wavering Knife: Stories: 9781573661133: Evenson, Brian: Books Review: In which Evenson displays his usual unsettling horror, but adds pitch-black comedy to the mix - When I read Brian Evenson's Altmann's Tongue , I said that the closest I could come to describing it was to say it was like Cormac McCarthy wrote a series of Edgar Allan Poe homages, but commented that even that didn't prepare you for the psychological damage and insanity on display. The same description could easily apply to The Wavering Knife as well, but this time there's another facet to Evenson's writing I didn't expect: his bent, dark sense of humor. I'd never go so far as to call any of the stories in The Wavering Knife outright funny, but there's a dark glint to the satire in some of the stories, such as the self-righteous Promise Keepers who meet away from women for bonding time, one traveling preacher's increasingly firm efforts to bring religion to Wal-Mart, or the perversely difficult time two gravediggers have burying a body. The stories here aren't quite as abstract and disconnected as those in Altmann; Evenson seems to have moved slightly (but not entirely) away from that tendency to strip a horrific moment of all context. Instead, here he seems preoccupied with language, something that shows up best in an effort to analyze a deeply flawed and surreal mistranslation of a travel guide, or with an artist's attempt to set up a horrific art installation. Evenson writes horror for those who like their reading literate and intelligent, and his stories end up feeling like a David Lynch film, leaving you uncomfortable even if you don't entirely grasp the meaning of it all. He's a unique talent, and when he's at the top of his game - "The Installation," "Body," "The Prophets," and especially "Virtual" are all knockouts, even in the midst of tons of great stories - his work is unsettling, intense, and profound. Review: Surprisingly good. - Great collection of short stories. Read it straight through. Yummy stuff. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #1,308,440 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #8,180 in Psychological Fiction (Books) #8,812 in Short Stories (Books) #18,752 in Horror Literature & Fiction | | Customer Reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (28) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches | | Edition | First Edition | | ISBN-10 | 1573661139 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1573661133 | | Item Weight | 8.8 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 205 pages | | Publication date | March 15, 2004 | | Publisher | Fiction Collective 2 | ## Images ![The Wavering Knife: Stories - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61skzEp8AWL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In which Evenson displays his usual unsettling horror, but adds pitch-black comedy to the mix *by J***E on October 28, 2010* When I read Brian Evenson's Altmann's Tongue , I said that the closest I could come to describing it was to say it was like Cormac McCarthy wrote a series of Edgar Allan Poe homages, but commented that even that didn't prepare you for the psychological damage and insanity on display. The same description could easily apply to The Wavering Knife as well, but this time there's another facet to Evenson's writing I didn't expect: his bent, dark sense of humor. I'd never go so far as to call any of the stories in The Wavering Knife outright funny, but there's a dark glint to the satire in some of the stories, such as the self-righteous Promise Keepers who meet away from women for bonding time, one traveling preacher's increasingly firm efforts to bring religion to Wal-Mart, or the perversely difficult time two gravediggers have burying a body. The stories here aren't quite as abstract and disconnected as those in Altmann; Evenson seems to have moved slightly (but not entirely) away from that tendency to strip a horrific moment of all context. Instead, here he seems preoccupied with language, something that shows up best in an effort to analyze a deeply flawed and surreal mistranslation of a travel guide, or with an artist's attempt to set up a horrific art installation. Evenson writes horror for those who like their reading literate and intelligent, and his stories end up feeling like a David Lynch film, leaving you uncomfortable even if you don't entirely grasp the meaning of it all. He's a unique talent, and when he's at the top of his game - "The Installation," "Body," "The Prophets," and especially "Virtual" are all knockouts, even in the midst of tons of great stories - his work is unsettling, intense, and profound. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Surprisingly good. *by G***N on February 24, 2025* Great collection of short stories. Read it straight through. Yummy stuff. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is a good charity organization *by J***N on August 17, 2021* Book was in horrible condition. No way is this worth $10. Discolored pages, battered copy. Very disappointed. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/36019011-the-wavering-knife-stories](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/36019011-the-wavering-knife-stories) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-21*