What You Make It

What You Make It is a collection of eighteen short stories by British author Michael Marshall Smith, published in 1999 by HarperCollins. The collection includes three British Fantasy Award-winning stories: "More Tomorrow," "The Man Who Drew Cats," and "The Dark Land." The stories span multiple genres including horror, science fiction, and supernatural fiction. One story, "Hell Hath Enlarged Herself," was later adapted for film production through Lightworks Films and Cuba Productions with UK Film Council funding. These tales present varying narrative lengths and styles, from brief character studies to more complex plot-driven pieces. The collection established Smith's reputation in short-form fiction and was later incorporated into the expanded international release More Tomorrow & Other Stories. The stories explore themes of identity, technology's impact on human relationships, and the boundaries between reality and imagination. Smith's work in this collection demonstrates his ability to blend genre elements while maintaining focus on human experience and consequences.

Readers note this short story collection's dark humor and unpredictable plots. Many highlight "More Tomorrow," "When God Lived in Kentish Town," and "The Man Who Drew Cats" as standout stories that blend horror with emotional depth. Readers liked: - Imaginative premises that start normally before taking bizarre turns - Sharp dialogue and British wit - Stories that avoid typical genre tropes - Mix of horror, sci-fi and literary fiction styles Readers disliked: - Uneven quality between stories - Some endings feel abrupt or unresolved - A few stories drag in the middle sections Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (426 ratings) Amazon UK: 4.4/5 (21 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.9/5 (48 ratings) "The stories stick with you long after reading" appears in multiple reviews. Several readers compare the collection's tone to Black Mirror episodes. Common criticism focuses on the collection's inconsistent pacing.

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski Multiple narratives interweave horror and experimental storytelling to create a reading experience that challenges perceptions of reality and fiction.

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang Stories merge scientific concepts with human relationships across genres while examining technological and social implications.

20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill Collection weaves supernatural elements with everyday life through stories that cross genre boundaries between horror, fantasy, and literary fiction.

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman Dark fantasy meets contemporary settings in stories that blur lines between mundane and magical while focusing on human nature.

The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall Narrative experiments with format and reality while combining technological themes with psychological horror elements.

🏆 Three stories in this collection won British Fantasy Awards, marking an exceptional achievement in the speculative fiction genre. 🖋️ Michael Marshall Smith also writes crime thrillers under the shortened name Michael Marshall, demonstrating his versatility across multiple genres. 🎭 The author's unique blend of horror and science fiction earned him comparisons to both Stephen King and William Gibson early in his career. 🐱 "More Tomorrow," one of the collection's most famous stories, was adapted into a short film and centers around the dangerous possibilities of early internet technology. 📚 The book was first published in 1999, during a pivotal time when technological advances were beginning to reshape society's relationship with reality—a theme that features prominently in many of the stories.